8
Jessie panicked as she looked at James, still right up close and personal with her as they cuddled together on the couch. She was frozen for action or speech a moment, realizing that she was nearly undressed while he hadn't taken off anything other than his jacket. And what had he asked? She must have misunderstood, or got the context wrong. "James dear, what do you mean? You know me very well, don't you?"
James smirked, again touching her face to have her look at him. Jessie noted the man's cool demeanor as he stared at her in such close proximity. She began to sweat as he seemed to study her expression close up. "I don't know," he eventually replied.
"Well, we've both changed a lot-" Jessie began.
"I thought I could play along without knowing," James continued, speaking over her. "But no. I've decided I should at least know this much after all."
"Know... What exactly? I'll tell you-" Jessie began.
"Your true identity," James said firmly, a note of amusement in his voice. "You're not Jessebelle, that much is clear."
So, that was what he was getting at after all. She ought to try and cover it up somehow. He thought it, but how much proof could he have. Jessie almost began to try and assert she really was his estranged fiancée, but a brief glance at his still confident expression stopped her. He knew it. She had been caught.
Realizing this, Jessie stood up, covering herself as she picked up the dress she'd just taken off. Though exposed, embarrassed and caught off guard, she wasn't going to hang her head down in shame. "So, you're really perceptive, aren't you? When did you know?"
"I'm not sure when I knew for certain. It should have been apparent right from when you arrived, I suppose."
Jessie wouldn't argue that point. It was the whole reason she'd been so hesitant to go through with any of this in the first place. How long could she really impersonate a person known so well to the target, anyway? And yet, she'd been thinking of going along with Meowth's idea to indefinitely continue the farce just a minute ago. How dumb could she have been? Even asking herself that, she wouldn't let this guy see her admit it. "It couldn't have been that easy to figure out. You went along with it even to this extent. For all you know, maybe I am 'Miss Jessebelle', hm?"
"Absolutely not," James said firmly.
"But you didn't figure it out right away, did you? Otherwise you wouldn't have said all you did, to me, and-" Jessie cut herself off. It was awkward not just for him, but also for her to have heard as many personal details as she had.
James looked away, frowning. "I suppose not," he admitted.
"And you were just acting like you were even willing to go this far with me. What's up with that?"
"Why shouldn't I?" James said with a slight shrug. "I don't mind it. It's what you want, isn't it?"
She had decided she'd wanted him then. Of course, now was different to just before now, and Jessie wasn't about to admit having gotten that into it. "It's interesting you'd go along, knowing I'm not your beloved," she said instead, getting the topic back onto him.
"She's not my beloved. You should know that," James said.
Of course that much had been obvious, but in Jessie's mind fiancée and beloved should be one and the same. "Then why play along?" she asked.
"I just told you. I mean, well, I don't mind giving you what you want," James said.
He may have figured her out to some extent, but how much else could he know? "What do you think I want, exactly?" Jessie asked.
"My child," James said. Jessie said nothing, dumbfounded at that explanation. "You want into my family, don't you? And I want out. Your plan could work. They'd throw you out if they discovered you now, but if they publicly announce a grandchild, they won't want to deny it later. You'll have a hook in, even when they find out you're not Jessebelle. They won't be pleased, but I'm sure they'll be happy to be able to fix whatever they did wrong with me. Everyone can get what they want. Then I can leave with no regrets."
No, he didn't really get what was going on at all. That much was plain from his explanation. Jessie wasn't sure she wanted to give him that much, so she decided to just continue with what he'd brought up. "So you decided to screw me and leave?" she said.
"No, of course not. I know it doesn't happen every try. I'd stay until it did, and officially marry you so it's legitimate."
"How kind," Jessie said, fighting from rolling her eyes. "And what about the kid?"
"What do you mean?" James asked.
"What would you do for the kid you'd have?" Jessie asked.
"I wouldn't have to think about it at all, would I."
With that answer, Jessie could no longer play along. She slapped him across the face instead. James fell backward, away from her on the couch. He held his face, perhaps more confused than hurt. She ought to slap him again, it was the only response to a guy talking like this. "You're such an ass," she said, deciding to insult him instead. "Go to hell with your idiot idea of whatever you thought would happen here!"
Jessie stormed out, into 'her' room, only realizing once she'd left how she'd been kind of dumb herself with those impulsive actions. Of course, she'd just been unmasked, at least partially since he didn't really know why she was there. Even so, she shouldn't just piss him off like that. Jessie peeked through the door. James was headed into his own room. So, she still had time before he ratted her out. Getting out the hidden communication device, Jessie did her best to get hold of Meowth.
The talking pokemon didn't start squawking her way until early morning, when Jessie was awoken to screeching across the device. Jessie had been sleeping by accident, she'd meant to stay awake in case anything happened. Even so, or perhaps especially so, she was irritated. "You want to get me in even more hot water?" Jessie said a little louder than she'd meant to, interrupting whatever rant Meowth was having.
"Why didn't you tell Mondo to find me right away?" Meowth said.
"I thought I did. He should have figured it out if I didn't," Jessie said.
"Master Meowth, I just couldn't find you. The lobby where you were sleeping was locked," Mondo's distorted voice rang over the device.
"Sure, sure. So what's going on? You got found out? Looks like you're still there," Meowth pointed out.
And she was. Maybe she should have left already, but doing so without letting at least Meowth know seemed wrong to her. She ought to have some backup if necessary, which Mondo wasn't really the best to ask to provide. Besides, she wasn't sure exactly what would happen. "I don't know what's going through that guy's mind right now," Jessie said. "Who knows what's going to be thrown at me."
"So it's just the guy who knows?" Meowth said.
"So far, but of course he'll tell his parents," Jessie said. He hadn't done so yet. She had been listening for his loud door to open, and hadn't. Or did she miss hearing it when she'd nodded off? As Jessie thought of it, she definitely heard the creek. "Meowth," she said in a loud whisper. "I need to get out now. Are you going to support me or what?"
"Just give us an hour or so, Jess," Meowth asked.
"I guess not," Jessie said. She flipped off the device. Since she'd had it on all night waiting, it had to need new batteries pretty soon. She'd replace them later if she needed to. She may not need to, since she'd be at base soon enough, returning all items lent for the now failed task.
Jessie turned her attention to figuring out what to do next. She had to leave, that was for sure, but she was more or less up in a tower there. Leaving through the front door wouldn't be wise, since she'd have multiple opportunities to run into any member of this family or their staff. Thankfully, the window in the room was large enough. Jessie packed her bag, then looked in the closet. There was only one outfit she currently had that was fit for moving like this in. She put it on, then took off the sheets for a makeshift rope. As she began to work on fashioning it, she heard the click of the lock.
One of the staff members entered, then looked at her with a bemused expression. "Miss Jessebelle? I apologize, I truly do. I thought you'd be downstairs," he said.
"Um... No problem..." Jessie said, hoping the servant didn't come to the obvious conclusions, since he apparently wasn't informed of the facts yet.
He looked at the unmade bed, then back at Jessebelle. "Were you trying to help me with the wash? No need, no need. Master James should be waiting for you downstairs. You go ahead, I'll take care of everything in here."
"Yes, of course," Jessie said, picking up her bag.
Jessie tried to be quiet as she made her way through the mansion, finding the best ground floor exit. Going down this stairway, she could completely bypass the dining area, where they were very likely to be at this time, and then be on her way through a side door. Reaching the destination, Jessie gingerly touched the doorknob. Good, she'd made it.
Or so she thought before she heard a voice. "Oh, Jessebelle."
Jessie shuddered, her hand shaking as she took it away from the doorknob. In the small sitting area beside it, James and his parents sat, some tea and light breakfast food in front of them. "Good morning, Mother, Father, James dear," Jessie said in her high, affected voice out of habit. She tried to relax as she saw the group there was as calm as ever.
"The sun comes in here nicely this time of year," the mother said.
"It certainly does. Were you thinking the same thing, Jessebelle?" the father asked.
Jessie thought they'd been play acting not knowing she wasn't really Jessebelle, until they both noted her bag, looking confused. "Were you headed somewhere?" the mother asked.
"Ah... Well, I..." What would be a good excuse for why she looked like she was about to run?
"Excuse me," another of the staff was downstairs, interrupting them. "There was someone for Miss Jessebelle at the door."
"Who-" Jessie began.
"I let him in, since I know she's been waiting for this," the servant said. Next to him, Mondo soon, holding a large bag. He wore a suit of some kind, and some sunglasses to apparently disguise himself, though they looked completely out of place.
"Yes! I've found one of Miss Jessebelle's bags after a long search. If you could come and inspect it and sign, Miss."
"Of course," Jessie said. "If you could take it to the lobby..."
"Why not upstairs?" James said. "I'll help if you need it."
"Of course, sir," Mondo said.
The trio of them made it upstairs. Mondo handled the bag just fine on his own. James closed the door once he got there. "So, who is this?" he asked.
"M-Me?" Mondo said. He kept talking before Jessie could interrupt him. "I'm just an employee of..." Mondo turned to Jessie. "Um, did you take the boat or plane back?"
Jessie groaned. There was a reason Mondo didn't work in the field much. She shook her head, and then jumped as Meowth tore itself out of the bag. "Plane, Mondo! How's a rich girl gonna bother with that long boat ride?"
"There are nice cruises and such," Mondo pointed out.
"But we talked about this!" Meowth said.
"I know, I just forgot the conclusion." Mondo laughed nervously.
"Oh, it's Mondo," James said before looking toward the pokemon. "So, you were that talking meowth," he commented, crouching down to address the pokemon.
"So you caught me! And you caught my minion here, what are you going to do about it?" Meowth taunted.
"Your what?" Jessie said.
"You're behind this?" James said.
"That's right! I'm the boss of this mission, and these two are my minions," Meowth said with an exaggerated smile.
"Don't overstate your importance," Jessie said. "You aren't the boss."
"It was my ingenious plan, you can't deny that," Meowth insisted, glaring at Jessie.
"Oh. This ought to have been my second guess." Meowth and Jessie turned their attention away from their argument and over to James, who had got into the now open bag. He had gone through it and pulled out the overshirt to Jessie's uniform, staring at the large 'R' that adorned it. "So you're from Team Rocket?" He said, looking from the shirt over at them, his affect much more casual than the fact ought to call for.
Meowth stomped its foot. "Yeah. So? Were you planning to threaten us? You don't want to make enemies of Team Rocket! Who knows what'll happen if you piss us off!"
As Meowth finished its mostly empty threats, as Giovanni didn't want to purposelessly make enemies either, James didn't look any more intimidated. "You can just keep doing what you were doing," he said. "I won't interfere."
Jessie exchanged glances with Meowth before looking back at her fake fiancé. "You really expect us to believe that?" she said.
"Why not? I haven't given you up yet," James pointed out. He smirked to himself. "I wonder how things will turn out for them."
"And you too," Meowth pointed out. "You have to know we've been scamming the lot of you."
"I don't really care," James said, then made eye contact with Jessie. "So this was for your group's gain rather than personal gain?" he said.
"That's right," Jessie confirmed. "I only say it because it should be obvious, don't expect me to share specifics."
"No need. I'm curious how it will continue. They should have noticed you weren't who you said you were, anyway. They were just too eager to get me married off and ignored any hints. If they catch you on their own, that's that. If they don't, I wonder what will happen."
"So you're really willing to just throw your own parents under the bus like this?" Jessie said.
"They've already decided who to listen to. What else is there for me to do?" James said.
"Come here, Jess." Meowth motioned as it jumped on top of the couch. Jessie leaned down to listen to it. "Do you trust what this guy's saying?"
"I think so," Jessie said. There was a lot of dysfunction in this family, so something like this wasn't totally out of the question. "As much as I should, anyway," she added after a thought.
Meowth nodded, taking the inference without any further explanation. It jumped down from the couch, then looked up at James before it continued. "Fine, we'll accept what you're saying for now," it said as if they all had anything to offer in return for James's silence on their schemes. "But we're keeping an eye on you. Me, especially. I've got you in my sights."
James nodded. Mondo carefully studied everyone in the room. "So then?" the boy asked, waiting for instruction.
"Leave us," Meowth said, waving its paw at James. "I've got something to say to my minion in private."
"That's more than enough of that," Jessie said.
"Fine, to my teammate," Meowth said.
"I'll see you downstairs," James said, then looking at the bag. "Or will I? It doesn't matter much to me."
As James left the room, Mondo began rooting around in the bag. "So, you're going to take this more seriously now?" Jessie asked, turning her attention to her other partner.
"Yeah. Who knows why that guy says he'll tolerate us," Meowth said, furrowing its brow as it mused on the possibilities.
"You're making a plan for me to get out then?" Jessie asked.
"No way," Meowth insisted. "We can't think about that right now. Your mission right now is to stay and watch him so we know what's going on. No need for him to catch us off guard. I'll be on call. You've got the other communication thing, right? Let's swap it out," Meowth said. "No video on this one, but it's more discreet."
Jessie handed over the device with video, taking the pen-like object that Mondo offered. "This part is to hear us, don't lose it," Mondo said, giving a tiny earpiece.
"Even if you do, we'll still be able to hear you. I'll keep this on me at all times," Meowth said, holding up its own matching pen. "Be sure to give me updates."
"And there will be agents nearby?" Jessie said.
"Not just hanging out, but I'll be able to get somebody if I need to," Meowth promised. "You'll be able to handle yourself good enough until then, right?"
"Fine, sure," Jessie said. "You're really going to owe this so-called 'minion', Meowth."
"I'll happily pay up, if we're both not already too rich and successful to care," Meowth said with a grin. "You've been a good agent, Jessie. No one else could pull this kind of thing off."
"Hmph. You're right about that." It was praise she was worthy of, and Meowth hadn't bothered to say lately.
"Wasn't the boss just saying that to you, Master Meowth?" Mondo commented.
"That's right," Meowth said, then laughed to itself.
Jessie sighed. "Okay then. Let's get back to work."