[11]
-Sinnoh; Veilstone City-
"Come on, Flint, it's time to go!" Volkner shouted.
"Nah, I'm having too much fun here," Flint answered with a smirk. "Infernape, let's turn things up with Flare Blitz!" The fiery ape-like Pokémon's body began to burn as it charged its opponent, an unfortunate member of Team Galactic. The grunt's uniform caught fire, and he began screaming and flailing on the ground.
"Flint, now!" Volkner shouted again.
"Not until they tell me where Buck is," Flint shouted back. "Infernape, Mach Punch!"
Before Flint's Pokémon could act, Volkner called out, "Electivire, stop it with Thunder Wave!" His own large, yellow Pokémon released a jolt of electricity that struck Infernape down.
"What the hell are you doing?" Flint said, regarding Volkner with an incredulous look.
"Stopping you," Volkner answered. "You know we don't attack other trainers, even if they are scum like this. Besides, he can't tell you where your brother is if he's dead. Use your head for once, will you? Recall your Pokémon and let's get out of here, right now."
"But what about-"
"Forget it," Volkner said. "We've done what we can. Galactic's operations in this city are going to be out for a while, but we have to leave before their reinforcements get here."
"I can't just leave without Buck, though," Flint said, his voice betraying a feeling of defeat.
"We'll find him later. You know Cyrus won't harm him until he captures you. He's just using Buck as bait to get to you, but you can't let him," Volkner said. "We've got to do what we can to make sure Team Galactic stays off-balance. That'll make it easier for the rest of us to fight back. Now let's go. Everyone's counting on us."
The two of them made a hasty retreat, and moments later, a group of Team Galactic grunts burst into the room, beginning to survey both the damage to their warehouse and the body of their compatriot.
-Parts Unknown-
"Do you have the footage from the warehouse?" Cyrus asked.
"Of course. It seems you were correct about the identities of our assailants," the smaller man answered. "And of course, using that young upstart as bait worked like a charm. The two of them are losing cohesion as a team. While one is concerned only about his brother, the other worries about completing their mission. With their attention divided, they can't last long."
"Then I suppose it's time I had them captured and brought in," Cyrus said. "They've been thorns in my side for far too long. See to it, Charon."
"At once, sir," Charon answered, turning on his heel and leaving.
Cyrus turned his back to the door and looked up at the display behind him. He pressed a button on the arm of his chair, shifting the display to that of Ghetsis. "Lord Ghetsis, we've made progress. We've managed to identify our mystery saboteurs. Charon is preparing to capture them as we speak."
"Excellent. I must admit I'm surprised you've identified them so soon," Ghetsis said.
"We've been concentrating our forces on sites that had not yet been disturbed. The addition of personnel has been disruptive to their plans, and they've become less cautious in their strikes. We were able to identify them from surveillance footage. We've also captured a sibling of one of the saboteurs."
"Very good. As much as I know you'd enjoy dealing with him personally, I believe you should bring him to Kanto. Some of Giovanni's scientists have been dying for a chance to improve on Cipher's Shadow Pokémon designs. It's possible we may be able to use this indoctrination process on humans, perhaps bring some of them around to our way of thinking."
"If you insist," Cyrus answered. "Personally, I feel it's a waste of time. Humans are constantly fettered by useless emotional attachments to others. It's far too much of a hassle to worry with, or else Team Galactic would've pursued it by now."
"Yes, yes, of course," Ghetsis said irritably. "I'd forgotten about your views on that. Still, the idea has merit. I'm only trying to aid Giovanni's research. This will further our collaborative goals anyway. Send me the boy regardless. It will be easier for you to deal with your pest problem if they try to travel too far for the bait."
"Very well," Cyrus said. He pressed another button, switching from his connection to Ghetsis to a display with a red-haired woman wearing the Galactic uniform. "Mars, prepare the boy for transport. Ghetsis wants him taken to Kanto at once."
"Yes, Master Cyrus," Mars answered. "Also, Charon was here recently. He mentioned you'd discovered the identities of our saboteurs?"
"Yes. They are Volkner, formerly of the Sunyshore Gym, and Flint, formerly of the Elite Four. The boy we have in custody is Flint's brother," Cyrus said. "Ghetsis believes that transferring him to Kanto will bring the two of them out of hiding."
"Yes, sir. I'll begin preparations to send him to Viridian City and to capture Volkner and Flint," Mars said.
Cyrus terminated the communication, then sat back in his chair, his fingers falling together in a steeple. Finally, things were beginning to come together. He would be able to accomplish his plans in short order, and leave these emotional beings to their own petty desires.
-Johto; Safari Zone-
"Norman's on his way here. His ship just docked in Olivine City," Cynthia said.
"Good," Pierce said. "We should be thinking about what to do first. We're not doing any good sitting around on our hands."
"We have to have patience," Cynthia countered. "There's a specific order in which we have to do things. First, we have to determine from where the enemy is operating. Then we have to prioritize targets by what they're trying to accomplish. Then we have to make surgical strikes against those targets. There are only seven of us in total right now. Seven of us can make a difference against this coalition, but only if we're smart about it."
"Alright, so how do we find out where the enemy is?" Flannery asked. She and the others looked at Sabrina.
The psychic smiled, saying, "I can only reveal so much at a time, because I am only shown so much at a time. I cannot say where every single enemy base is right now, because I don't know myself. I only know that we need to start here, in Johto."
"Why here? There's not much here anymore that isn't secured by someone else," Pierce said. "Goldenrod Police have the radio tower and magnet train under lock and key. I can't imagine anything of consequence at the National Park."
"There's an old shop in Mahogany Town, near the Lake of Rage," Sabrina said. "Two years ago, Team Rocket used it as a base to test a brainwashing signal. It evolved all the Magikarp in the lake into Gyarados and sent them into a frenzy. The transmitter has been destroyed, but the base may still be in operation."
"Looks like that's where we start, then," Pierce said.
"While we're there, we should try to compile a list of other bases the enemy may be using," Cynthia said. "It's a long shot, but if we can get such a list, it'd help us greatly, as well as give us a clue as to what the coalition is planning."
"We'll be hard-pressed to find it, unless we happen to steal a password from some unsuspecting guard," Pierce said. "Knowing we're out here, they're sure to be keeping their security fairly tight."
"This is true," Cynthia said. The phone rang, and the four of them looked at it. Cynthia walked over to it and picked it up, saying, "Hello?"
"Cynthia, it's Norman. I'm down the road in Cianwood. You guys are in the Safari Zone, I hear?" said a male voice on the other end.
"Yes, Norman, in Area 4," Cynthia answered. "We're in a rest house in the center of the zone. We'll come out and meet you at the gate."
"Alright. Time is short, though," Norman said. "From what I hear, we have a new problem."
"What is it?" Cynthia asked.
"I can't say over the phone," Norman replied. "Just meet me at the gate. If we have to, we'll leave immediately and I'll explain when I see you."
Cynthia hung up the phone, and turned to the others. "Looks like we're getting started a little sooner than we expected," she said, frowning. "Norman's going to meet us at the Safari Zone gate. He says something's happened."
"Let's go, then," Pierce said, getting to his feet. "We have a world to save."