"I don't care, I want to know what that component was!"
"Why, Blue? Why is it so important to know right away?" Red sighed, turning to look at her, his swivel-chair creaking as he spun. "I really wanna see this vote."
"Just tell me first, what component did you send Surge to steal last week?" Blue persisted. "That professor guy got hurt, and now Sapphire and Ruby are here, helping Green investigate. Not only that, but Green is getting suspicious about why I won't help him!"
"Green could never understand why we do what we do," Red told her, shrugging. He entered a password on his computer, clicked a few times, then twisted the monitor to face her. "There, read all you want about the component. Just let me watch this, and we can talk after."
He turned back to the newsfeed he had been watching, while Bue read the texts he had brought up on the screen. Most of it made little sense to her, but she thought she got the basics of it. The name that kept coming back, for example: "Mental Control Enhancer". She turned to ask Red about it, but he help up a hand, not even taking his eyes from the feed.
"Wait," he told her. She frowned, wondering how he had known that she was about to ask something. She decided he probably just saw her reflection in the screen. Reluctantly, she leaned in and looked over his shoulder.
"What's so interesting about this?" she mumbled. Red gave a short laugh in response.
"It's a vote about export taxes in Kanto," he explained. "If it gets through, we'll make more money. If it doesn't, we'll know our control in the Pokémon Association needs to improve. Either way, we benefit from knowing how it goes."
"Improve how?"
"By wrestling control of the votes away from people like Professor Oak."
"I didn't know we had anything against him," Blue replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Not personally. He's powerful, though, and works against us. That makes him a problem. He may ruin our plans if he's allowed to retain that power."
"Our plans?"
"Against the Masked Rockets, of course," Red told her, his voice irritated. "Now quiet for a while, my law is next."
"Alright," Blue breathed, leaning in once again to watch.
"-eans that the Saffron City stadium wil indeed be rebuilt, to allow training and show battles. Next item on the agenda was suggested by a newer member of the Association counsil, a man called Moore Acrid, from north Kanto.
"Mr. Acrid has suggested changes in export and import laws, allowing Kanto to trade with other regions cheaper. He argues that Kanto is underdeveloped compared to Johto, and that this change would help nullify this problem. Some counsil members have argued against this, saying it would be unfair to other regions. Among these opponents is the famous Professor Oak.
"Speaking of Samuel Oak, he seems to be involved in a lively discussion with his long time friend and coworker, Bill. They seem to have reached a conclusion, and Bill is typing something into his Pokégear, I wish we could see what...
"Ah, the voting is starting! More than half the members put in votes without hesitation, and the "yes"-side is leading by quite a bit. However, it seems Oak's supporters are just now beginning to place their votes. It is very even, but... Yes, the "no"-side wins by a margin of only two votes!"
"That's it then," Red said, his voice dry. "We had some bad luck, with many Oak supporters being there for this vote."
"What do you mean?" Blue asked, frowning. She had never bothered to learn the Association voting system much.
"Any other day, less people would have been there," Red told her. "While Oak and Bill have to ask their supporters to attend, our agents are ordered there. Most of the time, this will give us an advantage."
"I understand, I think."
"Good. I want you to select your own team for your first mission. I want you to dig up dirt on Oak and anyone on his side. Check all names with our lists of agents, to make sure you don't target the wrong person. Janine can help you with access codes."
"As you wish," Blue said, giving him a short nod before exiting the room. Red allowed himself a little smile. She had forgotten about her previous concerns, at least for now. She would be able to serve well.
"I just told you," Red sighed. "No activity except one or two guards in the base Silver was killed. It's shut down, it seems. They probably made it into a shrine or something."
"I'd like to investigate it closer."
Red had been allowed almost five minutes of relaxation after sending Blue off on her mission. Now he was staring at the face of his oldest rival, wondering if Green suspected anything. Was that even possible? No, of course not.
"Fine," he said finally. "I'll meet you in Saffron the day after tomorrow, and I'll show you where it is."
"Saturday?" Green asked, looking at his calendar. "Alright, works for me."
"Great, see you soon."
"Yes," Green replied, stretching his arm out to turn off the camera. He hesiated, finger resting on the button. "Oh, Red?"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful."
With that, he left Red staring at a black screen, having ended the call. He sat there for a while, then nodded to himself, and put the lens cap back on the camera. He was careful not to leave any camera that could be remotely accessed uncovered. After all, suspicion was second nature to Green. He also still had that Porygon2, capable of entering and hacking most computer systems. If Green got access to those cameras, and they were not properly covered...
Green would never realise how important Red's plans were for the future of Kanto, Johto, even the entire Pokémon Nation, or maybe the world itself. Nor would he accept Team Rocket being used for this purpose. Red could not fail. Not to anyone, and especially not to Green. There was too much at stake, this time. He could not let friendship get in the way, no matter how much it hurt.
"More important than personal feelings," he mumbled to himself.
"Sorry, what?" Surge asked, having just entered the room. He wore his regular wide grin, but the hair was combed back instead of spiky. A thick scar ran across his face, serving as a memory of some battle during the past couple of years.
"Nothing," Red replied. Surge did not understand either. Not really. "I need you to empty a minor base in Saffron City. Something small, office building or warehouse doesn't matter. Make it look like it might've been where I met Giovanni and Silver."
"We expecting someone?" Surge asked, frowning.
"It's Green," Red told him. "He wants to see where the Masked Rockets killed them. He expects to find clues. I told him the base seemed abandoned, with only a single guard outside."
"So I find a spot, put some furniture in and station a guard at the door?"
"You find a spot in Saffron, furnish it as a Giovanni-era base would look, smash some stuff using Pokémon that the Masked Rockets would use for an assassination, put up a small memorial with some pictures of Giovanni and Silver, and then station a guard outside," Red elaborated.
"Thorough," Surge replied drily. "Why put on such a show? Not ready to kill this one?"
"Killing Green would make the Association fight us much harder, and investigate much deeper," Red told him. "Also, Blue would probably hate me for it. I'm still hoping to turn him."
"Neither Green Oak or his grandpa will support Team Rocket," Surge replied flatly.
"Not as it is now, no," Red agreed.
"As it is now? You have changes planned, then?"
"I always have changes planned. Don't worry Surge, there will always be work for you. Team Rocket is not going to disappear, just... transform a bit."
"Into something more legal?"
"The Oak family, the gym leaders... They all follow the law," Red told him. "They have to. By taking further control of the Association, we can form the law and use that to our advantage."
"Clever."
It was, of course, more complicated than that. Red needed complete control of the Association, so he could bring Oak, Bill and others down if needed. If one of them figured out something was wrong too early, investigations could ruin everything. Considering the sloppy work Team Rocket had done in hiding its tracks, bribing and extorting, it was a wonder they were not yet discovered. Red had made some severe changes already, and he would keep doing changes until it was streamlined into perfection.
Once the Association was firmly within his grasp, Red could go through with the final steps of his plan. There would be deaths along the way - all he could do was try and limit the amount. With a sigh, he dismissed Surge and picked up his Pokégear, dialing Blue.
"We have something," he told her. "Meet me in Saffron locale seven, the ready room. I'll be there in ten minutes."
Saffron locale seven was one of many small bases Team Rocket had in Saffron City. After the earlier problems, they had settled for the use of easy-to-hide locations in apartments, cellars and even shops. Having one large base was much more risky, as a raid could destroy so much work. As Sabrina was still the gym leader in the city, larger operations would be few and far between. Having worked so loyally for Giovanni, she might try to oppose the faction if she knew it was running without him.
To add further security, most Team Rocket members only knew about their own home base and one or two more. It would be difficult for any officials to shut Team Rocket down, as they would have to root them out base by base. The only certain way would be to destroy the command chain, meaning they would have to defeat Red, Blue, Surge and Janine. Green was the only trainer that truly worried Red, but only somewhat. He was certain that he could defeat his old rival rather easily, having some aces up his sleeves from his travels.
With a smile, he got up and put his coat on. He figured it was best not to keep Blue waiting. After all, she would hopefully play an important role in the weeks and months to come.