Chapter 7: Hostage

Jessie, James, and Meowth stood with their backs to the two powerful Pokemon watching them. Ryo had allowed himself to drift into a light sleep and Vulcan was sitting with his tail wrapped around one leg. Both were bored and expected their trainer to be back at any time. Night was always when she struck and she never delayed if she could help it.

"Do ya really t'ink 'dat kid will succeed?"

"No way! We've been trying to capture that Pikachu for years! She may talk all big and bad but she's in way over her head."

"Yes," said James, smiling a cruel smile, "and once she realizes she can't do it she'll come to us for help."

"And 'dere's no way we'll help her! She'll beg us and we'll laugh at her just like she laughed 'dat us, won't we?"

"Oh, I don't know, seems kind of pointless to beg someone for help when I don't need it." The three Rocket's wheeled around. Aiya stood beside Vulcan, twirling a Team Rocket Pokeball on one finger. She tossed it lazily into the air and caught it, grinning.

"Oh yeah?" Jessie snarled, glaring at the girl in front of her. "If you're doing so well then where's Pikachu?"

"I thought that'd be fairly obvious," Aiya drawled arrogantly. She held up the Pokeball.

The three stood speechless, staring at the Rocket marked Pokeball. "How do we know Pikachu's really in 'dat thing?" Meowth demanded, crossing his arms and turning his nose up at her.

"You'll just have to take my word for it. Or you could saunter over to the kid's camp after I leave. Either will do."

"You're bluffing! You just don't want ta admit ya failed!"

"Oh really? Well I see no reason to lie. If your point is to get me to open this Pokeball in an attempt to prove my claims true and risk losing the prize inside, it is not going to work. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go give this Pokemon to the bo…" she paused, glancing at her pocket where a soft ringing was emanating. Frowning, she took a small ear phone from her pocket and placed the receiver in her ear. "Hello?"

"Aiya," said Giovanni's harsh voice, "I have a new mission for you."

"Sir, I haven't completed this one yet. I still need to bring Jessie, James, and Meowth to the…"

"I don't care about those buffoons at the moment!" Giovanni roared at her. "Get back to Kanto immediately. There's an armed squad of police officers heading to one of the Rocket camps outside Viridian. I need you to go there and play the pathetic hostage before they arrive. If they capture our members there's a good chance they'll learn the location of the Viridian base and we can't risk that."

"But, sir, if they're already on their way, how will I be able to get there in time? Even if I teleport…"

"Just do it!" There was a click and the call ended.

"Rash as always. I look forward to the day that changes." She removed the phone from her ear and placed it back in her pocket. She then turned to the Rockets and smiled, "You lot are in luck. I'm needed elsewhere so I don't have to take you back to base at the moment." She took a Pokeball from her waste and tossed it into the air. An Alakazam appeared in flash of light and looked irritably at her. "Don't give me that look, Kine, I need you to Teleport me to a Rocket camp just outside Viridian. Find it quick, if you don't mind."

I shall do no such thing, Nightmare. I told you not to use me on any of your thieving missions!

Aiya's muscles twitched as the psychic voice blasted through her mind but her expression didn't change. "I am doing no such thing. This involves no stealing or even harming another person."

Kine stared at her, his body glowing softly. Aiya felt him searching her mind for the truth and she didn't try to fight back. Kine's advanced psychic powers made him impossible to block, anyway.

At last the glow ebbed away and he nodded grudgingly. 'You are being honest, an odd quality in a thief, though not entirely. You have just stolen a young boy's Pokemon. However, I am not assisting your escape as you planned to fly away, nor am I helping you steal it from the trainer. I shall help you."

"Good. All right, Vulcan, Ryo, let's go." She held up their Pokeballs and they gave no objection as they vanished inside. Aiya then turned to Kine and waited, still holding the Pokeball containing Pikachu in her hand.

Kine stood, his eyes glowing. Behind him, Jessie, James, and Meowth were attempting to sneak away. Aiya gave them a jerk of her head as a sign to get lost and they took off. The next second she felt her feet leaving the ground. The world was a swirling vortex of black and many different shades of purple. She couldn't draw breath but she didn't seem to need to. Hours passed in seconds and the next thing she knew she was standing on the edges of a camp filled with people in black uniforms.

----

Jacob fidgeted as the city flashed past the window. He had been sitting in a very heavy silence for nearly ten minutes now. If someone didn't say something soon, his head was going to explode. Much as he wanted to start conversation, however, the man he was sitting next to did not look friendly, and he had a gun at his waist. The combination was enough to make Jacob keep his mouth shut, even at the cost of his own sanity.

"We're nearly there kid, quit jerkin' about."

Jacob jumped, wincing as both his armor and seatbelt cut into his skin. He talked! He thought in amazement. "How far is nearly?"

"Nearly," the man grunted, a tiny grin pulling at his hard features.

"That's a lot of help."

"You smart off a lot, you know that?"

"What? You've only just met me!"

"Yeah, but I've been watchin' ya for a while."

Jacob gave a little twitch. "Why? Are you stalking me?"

"See? There it is again. No, I haven't been stalkin' ya. Jenny told me to tail you and make sure you don't get into trouble."

Jacob stared at him. Then he crossed his arms and turned to stare out the window. "I don't need a baby-sitter. I've been a trainer for six years; I'm not a little kid."

"But you're heartsick and that makes people do stuff they wouldn't usually do."

He had no answer for that and didn't bother trying to make one up. They drove the rest of the way in silence, Jacob thinking about what the driver had said. Am I really heartsick? I'm worried, I'm angry, I'm scared, but heartsick? Isn't that what happens when someone breaks up with someone else or someone's spouse dies? I've only known Aiya for, what, a week? How can I be heartsick over her?

His thoughts were cut short by the van coming to an immediate stop. Jacob sat up straight, looking around. They had left the city behind them and where now facing a group of people in black uniforms. Every person in the camp was holding a Pokeball and giving the truck evil stares. On each of the group's uniforms was a large, red R.

Aiya was very irritated by the time the police truck showed up. She had had to throw dirt all over her clothes, smudge her face, and have her feet and hands retied five times because the idiots who tied her up didn't know how to do it properly. Having to pretend to be a sorry little hostage in front of all these grunts was no consolation. She knew they loved this chance to mess with a higher ranking member, especially one as strong and well known as Aiya, or, as they called her, the Nightmare.

"Now you be good," said one grunt called Joshua, "don't struggle and give your boyfriend a kiss from me, ok?"

"You wait until this mission is over, Joshua, I'll knock you out for a week."

"Well worth it, Nightmare." He smirked and moved to take a Pokeball from his belt.

Aiya craned her neck, trying to see over the grunts standing around her. From the sounds and actions of the Rockets, she knew the police van had arrived. She could just make out the shiny black front of the van between the gaps in the group of grunts. Putting on a weak and defeated face, she bowed her head and listened as the doors of the van opened and police officers, probably a S.W.A.T. team, surged out.

"Team Rocket," came the brisk voice of Officer Jenny, "you are all hereby under arrest for various crimes against trainers and the city of Viridian. We have word that you have in your possession three stolen Pokemon as well as a young trainer. Return them all and come quietly or we will take them by force."

"Oh yeah?" sneered Joshua, "What do we get outta that, eh?"

"Lack of physical harm."

Aiya looked up. Jacob wasn't visible from where she was sitting but she recognized his voice easily enough. My knight in shining armor, she thought, grinning in her mind. What a hero!

The Rockets laughed and a few tossed Pokeballs into the air. "You couldn't hurt us, boy. Go back to your mommy!" This arrogant drawl came from Steven, another Rocket grunt who loved giving Aiya a hard time.

"I'm not going anywhere until Aiya's safe!"

"Oh? All right then," Steven turned, gave Aiya a grin, then jerked her to her feet. She stumbled as he dragged her forward.

Aiya let out several curses in her mind then, keeping her expression one of fear, she looked around at the group. Well would you look at that, he really is in armor! He doesn't look quite as impressive as the other officers though. Shame. The S.W.A.T. team was comprised of twelve members, not counting Jacob, as well as Officer Jenny.

Jacob moved forward, fear and anger etched deep into his face. His features weren't visible under his helmet but his voice was perfectly recognizable. "Aiya!" He tried to move forward but Officer Jenny seized his arm and pulled him back.

"Jacob!" Aiya shouted in a pained voice, hearing the grunts laughing behind her but ignoring them. The acting, though often a bit embarrassing, was the fun part of her job. Usually, anyway. Steven laughed and punched her hard in the side of the face. Aiya let out a little cry as a calm voice in her head said, Note to self, kill Steven later.

"Hey! Leave her alo…" Officer Jenny pulled him further back and spoke sharply to him. Jacob winced and nodded.

"Let the girl go, Rocket," Officer Jenny said, moving forward once more.

"Make ya a deal," said Steven loftily, shaking Aiya slightly. "I'll give ya the girl, and you get lost. Then stay lost for at least twenty-four hours. If you don't," he grinned nastily, "little Aiya won't be seein' her prince's face again, or any face, for that matter."

It was impossible to see much expression under the helmets the police wore, but it was obvious by their tensing muscles that they were in a very nasty position.

Officer Jenny stared at Steven for a long time, clearly torn between her options. Aiya knew what she was thinking. If they accepted the offer, then she would be safe but Team Rocket would get away. If she didn't, Aiya would most likely be killed. If she told her squad to open fire on the Rockets, Aiya could be killed. There was only one sensible choice to make, but would she make it?

"You win," said Jenny at last. "Send Aiya over and we'll leave."

Steven grinned. "Be good now," he hissed to Aiya, then tossed her roughly forward. One of the S.W.A.T. members hurried forward and helped her to her feet.

The Rockets laughed again as they watched the police help Aiya into the van then drive away. Aiya knew she'd have a hard time living this one down but she didn't care at the moment. Their mission had been completed perfectly. If everything else worked out she would be on the road again in a couple of days and the police would be back to hunting for the missing Pokemon. And as long as Giovanni was the gym leader, they were unlikely to succeed.