A truck approached Karl and Janine. Carefully hiding from the lights, they hopped onto the back of the truck, in the hope that they could secretly board the airship. The problem, however, was to avoid being detected throughout.
To their surprise, they found that the truck was not headed deeper into Viridian Forest, but into the city. "What the hell?" asked Karl.
"This doesn't look good..." Janine could smell trouble brewing, as J seemed to be coming after someone.
----
Crystal was resting in her bed. The night sky gleamed with shining stars. The doors were locked, and she had the positive feeling that she was being watched by Axel. This was all overshadowed, however, by the startling fact that the boy she loved so much was bioengineered, and that Pokémon Hunter J was after him (for all she knew, Duncan may have been captured as well). Crystal tightly held on to her bedsheets, praying, "Please, God, don't let me be kidnapped by a sadistic bounty hunter."
Meanwhile, J had picked the lock, trying to make sure not to make any noise, or else Crystal or her parents would hear. Using her heat-seeking shades, she tried to detect if Crystal was hiding around here. "Hmm, nope, she's not around here. There don't appear to be any Pokémon, either." She then headed into the hallway.
J jiggled the doorknob, only to find it locked. Crystal had also jammed gum into the lock, making lock-picking impossible as well. "Well, since I can't open the door, I'll have to try force. Go, Salamance, and break this door down!"
Axel readied himself for the impending invasion.
Crystal, who had hidden in the closet, tied a tie on the handles to keep the closet from being opened, as a loud slam came from outside as the door fell to the floor.
Axel pounced at J, but the bounty hunter dodged the tackle and the Persian slammed into Salamence. Salamence tried to swat Axel away with its tail, but the Persian avoided the attack, and the dragon slammed into Crystal's dresser drawer.
J used her heat-seeker to detect Crystal in the closet, It was also jammed shut. "Thought you could hide from me?"
Hiding was now out of the question, so Crystal decided that the only way she would get out is to fight, but Axel was busy fighting Salamence. "I dare you to try to grab me," she said as she removed the tie from the knobs and readied her fists.
J opened the closet, and grabbed Crystal by the shirt. Crystal resisted and punched J in the gut. "Oh, no, I'm not about to be captured again like with Team Rocket." While J was stunned from the impact of the punch, Salamence breathed a wave of fire at Axel, burning the Persian and setting the room on fire! Crystal reached for her PokéNav to call the police, running out of the house as she talked. "Hello, police? I'm about to be kidnapped by Pokémon Hunter J, and my house is on fire!"
A light wave of lightning coursed through her body. It wasn't particularly painful, but she ended up becoming paralyzed. The PokéNav, however, could not survive the shock, and was destroyed.
"Good Thunder Wave, Salamence." J then made a grab for Crystal.
"Don't, you're hurting me," moaned Crystal weakly.
"Just shut up," snapped J. "In some moments in life, there are no words."
Karl and Janine had scrambled underneath the truck, holding on for dear life. They could not believe that was happening.
In a panic, Karl said, "That girl being captured sounds a lot like my cousin Crystal..." Oh, no! J smited him by taking his relatives captive, and setting their house on fire! "We'd better save her..."
"And blow our cover?" Janine rejected. "First, we hitch a ride. Then, you can save your cousin."
"I hope we're as good as the police... Uh-oh!" exclaimed Karl. "The truck have started to move."
The truck drove into the forest. Inside J interrogated Crystal.
"Where is Kamon?" she demanded. "Tell me now."
"No. I've sworn an oath not to tell."
J slapped Crystal across the face. "Now!"
"Never!" J pounded Crystal's gut.
"Okay! He's in a house in this forest," said Crystal tearfully, badly bruised.
After making a stop in the forest, the truck headed into an airship garage. J exited with a handcuffed Crystal.
Karl started to question how large the base actually was, and its carrying capacity. It has a garage, maybe workers' quarters, J's quarters, and perhaps even a cockpit. That airship sure was a glutton of a power hog!
----
Kamon heard an object smack into the front door. Upon opening it, he saw a brick with a note taped to it. He headed back inside. "Guys, I think we've had our cover blown," he said in fear. "Read this note:
We have found you, Kamon. We have your accomplices Duncan and Crystal. Please surrender to us, and they will go free. If you do not comply, they will be terminated.
Kamon felt pity pour into himself. "It looks like I have to turn myself in to save my friends."
"No, Kamon," rejected Maxie. "You're being lured into a trap. It's not them, it's you that they want."
Kamon grew into a rage. "What am I supposed to do, leave them there? Are you crazy?!" he snapped. "J will kill them if I don't surrender myself!"
"You don't know that for sure," said Giovanni. "J is clearly bluffing, since Duncan and Crystal need to be alive to continue being effective." This was an old trick in the book – J was using Duncan and Crystal as bait to draw him out. "Hopefully, J will call off this mission and find something more profitable while you stay here."
"And then kill my friends," said Kamon. "They won't wait – J or Duncan and Crystal."
Kamon grabbed his coat and ran out into the forest and into the eve of a snowstorm.
----
After a whole uneventful day, Tabitha wondered what these people were planning to do with him. All he knew was that he had been given free room and board at a prestigious hotel in Saffron City, which even had a casino. He'd gamble, but he knew there was no point. Why would he waste his money on something he knew he would not win? Ah, well. At least there were the DVD rentals and dining hall.
Somebody knocked on the door, so Tabitha headed over to answer it. It was a professional businessman; obviously a legitimate one. "Ventosia?"
"Yeah, that's me."
"Someone you know wants to speak with you down at the casino."
"Well, I'll get ready then." Who knew what was in store for him? An old friend of his? Maxie? Whomever paid for his tuition? To this day, he'd been wondering that for a while. Maybe he will finally get his answer.
Walking down the halls of the hotel, he made his way through the lobby, and out into the limo. "Wooo, boy! A snowstorm's brewing up!" After a drive into Celadon City, he was led into the newly remodeled Game Corner. Only it wasn't just any old Game Corner – it was a full-fledged casino!
"I know this place – Team Rocket ran it once."
"Yeah," said the businessman. "That kimono-wearing Erika girl bought the place after that whole fiasco up in the canyon."
Walking past chiming slot machines, blackjack dealers, and wealthy couples, he was put into a seat with a familiar person... "You look familiar..."
"Of course I do. Remember me?" the woman asked, raising her head. "Your old friend Courtney. You sure became a lot taller since I last saw you."
Tabitha took that as sarcasm, as he felt the same as before. "So, how about a date together?" It had jumped out of his mouth, as he was in shock. This woman, who was nothing more than a starving artist before, was now a high-class socialite.
"Tabitha, I know you've been surprised to see me after a year and a half, but this is no time to party," deadpanned Courtney. "This is serious. You've been thrown into the hands of Hunter J, who, by the way, has no business stealing our business!"
Tabitha smiled. Getting right down to business, eh? This time, he didn't have any affiliation with the involved crime group, but was now a civilian, though he would still be drawn into crime anyway.
"We have a common interest for this holiday season," said Courtney.
"What's that?" asked Tabitha inquisitively.
"To kill Pokémon Hunter J."
----
Is it true? Has Courtney been permanently changed in the past year?
It looks like Courtney will inadvertently help our heroes.
What fate do Duncan and Crystal have in store?
Will Karl find those lab Pokémon before they're auctioned off?
Find out the answers to those questions next act...
Same Poké-Time! Same Poké-Channel!