Jack POV

Dragon girl didn't take much convincing to try the building I directed the Otherworlders to. All I had to say was their friend might be in there. Desiree and JJ took even less persuasion than her, their minds still pliable from the psychic amulet.

Though I'd sent orders ahead to take down most of the security measures, JJ's comment on how stupidly easy it was to get in irked me. Stupid boy was arrogant, overestimating the power they had over my world.

I suppressed a sigh as we snuck through the building I'd personally designed. Only forty-two floors to go. Then their minds would be mine.

Kate POV

There weren't even guards in the building. Something was wrong here. Really wrong.

"Think we can use the elevator instead of the stairs..?" Des ventured when we found those doors.

I hesitated for a second. "...I don't see why not...but this...just doesn't feel right, you know?"

"I think we'll be fine, dragon girl. No one seems to be home, if it's even the right place."

JJ was already in the elevator. "The stars on the blue and white buttons kind of make me think this is the right place, dude. These people are not subtle."

Des joined JJ in the elevator. "The stars stop on floor forty-two. Want to start there and work our way down?"

I nodded absentmindedly and joined my friends in the elevator, still trying to pinpoint what was so wrong about this.

JJ's snickers broke through my thoughts.

"What?"

"Listen to the elevator music."

"...seriously? The Lavender Town Theme?"

"It's always something," Des remarked as JJ nearly fell over with laughter. "Maybe someone should hit him?"

We reached the floor without too much violence. No blood, at least. We stepped out into the hall intersection, suddenly quieted. I chose a direction at random and we all began walking that way.

Where were the cameras? Wouldn't they want to monitor in case of a break in? Or at least have guards? There weren't even signs marking the nondescript doors.

The lights flickered and I froze. Des stopped just short of crashing into me.

"Please tell me you guys feel the calm before the storm thing," I whispered.

There was a hesitation.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Des finally said, her voice seeming loud. "Seems OK to me."

"Yeah, let's keep going." JJ opened a door to his right. "We have to start somewhere."

My first real friend of this world shut the door behind him, smiling.

Then the lights went out for three heartbeats.

In the darkness, someone pushed me down and red lights flashed, releasing Pokémon . A cold voice gave an order. "Take aim."

Houndour and Feraligatr stood over in front of me, seeming too tall from this angle. Des had her hand on my back. Part of my mind wondered how they were always so cold. I could sense JJ right next to her.

We were surrounded. Ice star soldiers on all sides, Pokéballs in one hand and some kind of gun in the other. I really hoped they weren't the deadly kind. Tranqs or freeze rays would be so much better.

My eyes met their commander's.

****ing shit.

"Prepare for trouble, dragon girl."

Elsewhere in the building, a little fire monkey found a room with hundreds of Drowzee floating in tanks. Totally awake and actively, willingly, giving off power, which was amplified through the liquid the Pokémon floated in and then went down connected power lines. On the roof there were satellites that broadcasted the psychic signal entranced Pokémon and trainers, keeping them under control.

Paul didn't know any of this. He just saw Drowzee trapped in tanks. So he started setting shit on fire. Fire usually worked, right?

"Doing all right there, my friends?" Jack asked. I didn't even recognize his voice. "You can relax. It's only me."

"Yeah. It's only the brainwashing traitor," Des spat at him. "We can totally relax."

Jack smirked. "I would spend a moment wondering how you weren't totally taken by the Hypnosis... but it really doesn't matter." He snapped at one of the minions. "You. Helmet off, gun to your head. I'd like them to call off their Pokémon."

"Why do you think we'd care about one of yours?" JJ finished his question as the minion unmasked.

I could only stare at Luke as Jack talked. "Because he's one of yours, of course. Actually, dragon girl, all of these soldiers are technically yours." He waved a hand and all the others unmasked.

Kodi, Brandon, Danny, Corinn, Eliza, Hayley, Luke...

My heart stuttered. They were all here. Alive. Hopefully fine...

Wait. Luke. His eyes weren't glowing. I couldn't stop panicking about the gun at his temple but his eyes weren't glowing.

"Did you really think they just fell apart after you left? So much they were captured? You aren't that important. Obviously it was a cunning inside job."

Luke was mouthing something. I suck at lip reading, so I thanked the first Pokémon for anime and rule bending. His subtitles read "buy me time."

"Why?" I demanded, hoping Jack was feeling long winded.

"There were ages and ages for me to take revenge after what you did last time. I might have gotten over it if the rest of them," he gestured to the team, "weren't so sickeningly adamant about following your instructions.

"I had no real power, even with you gone-a paraphrase of something you ever so kindly shoved down my throat, by the way-so I cultivated my own. The 12 Bosses were happy to welcome a 13th, since I was coming freely."

Luke was mouthing some more. As I read what was going on on his end, I realized I couldn't hear Jack talking. I couldn't hear anything.

Jack's lips were still moving. He was waving his arms around madly. I ignored his subtitles and concentrated on Kodi.

Like so many times before, I focused my will on the pink haired girl. I wanted my words coming out of her mouth. Luke had said it was time. Kodi's lips moved and words appeared.

"You're not going to get away with this, Jack." Kodi blinked and the result made me grin. "Not even if you kill us now."