Justice Demands Infiltration

It seems that he has been possessed by a sense of justice.

Perhaps I unknowingly was the cause of this.

However, I can see that it could not be called a mistake.

Sunday, 10:43 AM

000493: Hello Professor. I've come across a certain item that I believe would concern you and the rest of the CPP. Get back to me as soon as you can. I think you'll want to know what it is.

Tuesday, 3:52 PM

Pine: Hello Mr. Parker. I am sorry that I have not been able to return your message for a few days. This Team Dominion incident has us working ourselves to death. What is it you would like to tell me about?

4:05

000453: Here, take a look.

4:06

Pine: Is that what I think it is?

4:08

000493: Yeah. I believe it's the reason you guys are working so hard right now. It's been distributed to people in every state and the number of owners is only increasing.

4:11

Pine: Thank goodness! We haven't been able to get ahold of any so far. I'm sure we would all greatly appreciate it if you sent it to us so we could study it and learn how it works.

4:14

000493: That was the plan, but you won't need to do much research. I've already investigated it with a few friends of mine. Here, I put all the information I gathered into another file so I wouldn't have to spend the time typing it out.

4:21

Pine: Wow. How did you get this information? Another thing I wanted to know was how you got ahold of this "Dominance ball" as you called it in the first place?

4:24

000493: Someone tried to steal a Pokemon from a friend of mine, and the rest of us chased him down. He agreed to give us information if we let him go. We went to another friend where we were able to deactivate it and learn the rest of the information on the document.

4:25

Pine: I assume you have no idea where the thief went?

4:26

000493: No, I don't. I'm sorry to say this, but even if I did, I wouldn't give him to you. I made a promise that his information would redeem his choice. Besides, if he ever tries to steal any more Pokemon, I'll just report him.

4:30

Pine: This could give you trouble, letting him go like that. However, I myself believe you made a good trade, so we can keep that between us. Now, you also said you were able to deactivate it in one of your messages. Your document said that a certain device can be used to do this. What is this device?

4:34

000493: It's a device that can be found in the CPP's private database. It's what you have so far on trading Pokemon between trainers. My friend was able to get ahold of the schematics and build one. He was able to find all of this information for us and deactivate the ball with it.

4:45

Pine: So, allow me to clarify. You, along with this friend of yours, used a device that had been illegally obtained from our private database, a device originally designed for something we haven't even announced yet, to do all of this?

4:46

00493: That's correct.

4:50

Pine: Normally, the consequences for this would be severe, but I suppose we can let it slide if it did more good than bad. I would ask who this friend of yours is, but I doubt you would tell me. I won't dig any further into this. Just make sure nothing bad happens because if it.

4:53

000493: Will do. I appreciate it.

4:55

Pine: Good. Now then, I thank you once more for supplying us with this information. I'll be sure to show it to my superiors. This will greatly aid us in the fight against Team Dominion. It is likely that we'll be sending you a sum of money for being able to accomplish all of this.

4:56

000493: Thank you very much. However, there is one more thing I would like to discuss. Is it in any way possible for me to help even more?

4:57

Pine: What do you mean?

4:59

000493: After seeing what these Dominance balls can do up close, it makes me want to do everything I can to bring down this organization. I wanted to know if there was anything major I could do to help out, if you know what I mean.

5:02

Pine: I am sorry, Mr. Parker, but we can't afford to involve civilians in this matter. You do not have the authority to participate. Besides, the Pokemon that even the mid-ranking members are said to own are much higher in level than your average trainer's Pokemon. The most you can do is keep an eye out for anyone else with a Dominance ball and report them. Have a good afternoon.

5:03

000493: Ok. You too.

Kyle sighed and leaned back in his chair, putting his phone on the desk in his room. Eve tilted its head from where it laid on Kyle's desktop. It could tell that while Kyle had been able to give the information he wanted to provide, he hadn't been able to do what he really wanted.

Ever since that Saturday when Noah's Aron had been stolen, Kyle had wanted to find and condemn anyone with A Dominance ball or anyone associated with Team Dominion. He understood that they all wanted Pokemon, but this wasn't the way. Something had to be done, and he wanted to be the one to inflict his own judgment. He had talked to Eve about it, too, and it was all for it. But, there wasn't really anything they could do.

Except, maybe there was. Kyle picked up his phone again and opened an app on his phone. The app hadn't been on his phone's store; he had found a download link online on the Team Dominion webpage. The app would never have been allowed in the store.

Kyle had gone through great lengths to become registered in the Team Dominion database. He had found when he downloaded the app that he would need a trainer account to register. Kyle definitely hadn't wanted to use his own, so he had created a fake one. The task had not been easy. He had needed to make a fake name, a fake email, and input a different address, among other things. Kyle had used the address of an empty house on his own street. He had been fortunate in that regard. He would need to explain the situation to Mr. Roberts, however.

Kyle had since been a part of Team Dominion, though not really. He planned to use his account to attempt to infiltrate their ranks, and hopefully be able to destroy them inside. It was a longshot, especially since he didn't know what he would do, exactly. He would have to figure that part out later. For now, he needed to focus on increasing his ranking.

There were multiple ways to increase your Team Dominion ranking, which was based on a system of points. One way was to be involved for a long time, which had been the main method until very recently. The more time one spent registered, the more points they received.

Those who had been there the longest had been the ones who had received Dominance balls. Kyle knew this because the ones in the highest rankings had usernames rather than trainer numbers like everyone else. Notices in the app had told Kyle that only once you obtained a Pokemon were you allowed to make your own username. Since being without a Pokemon was a requirement to be registered there, Kyle had figured out that the veterans were given Dominance balls first that allowed them to capture their own Pokemon and create usernames.

Kyle wouldn't be able to increase his standings using the first method. It would take way too long. There were, however, other ways to gather points. One example, which was now the most reliable and widely used method Kyle had seen others on the app gaining points with, was completing assignments.

Members were assigned missions if a situation arose in their area. The most common situation, so far as Kyle had seen, was people trying to stop those who used Dominance balls. In fact, Kyle was actually famous to members in his area, of which there were six besides himself.

When Kyle had registered, the app had grouped him with other accounts that were in a few miles radius around the address he had inputted. He was in a chat with the six other members in his area, One of them was the thief Kyle had met.

Immediately when Kyle was thrown into the chat by the app programming, an alert appeared. Kyle knew it had to have been sent by the thief. It read:

Watch out!

I ran into a group of trainers in Redvale Park. I was about to get away with stealing a Pokemon before they came and attacked me. They took my Dominance ball, and they must have found a way to deactivate it because I found that the Pokemon I stole had been deregistered. Keep an eye out for them. I have descriptions.

Following this were descriptions of Kyle, Carol, Adrien, Jordan, and Noah as well, along with the Pokemon each of them owned.

Kyle was a little upset that the thief had come back to Team Dominion after what had happened, but there wasn't much he could do about it. Besides, Kyle found out that the thief's account had lost a lot of points somehow, which made him feel a little better. The thief had been given a Dominance ball, which meant he must've had a lot of points, but when Kyle had joined he had next to no points. Kyle deduced that one lost points if they lost their Dominance ball or did something else that negatively affected Team Dominion. Team Dominion must have realized that when they saw that the Dominance ball had been deactivated.

The descriptions worried Kyle slightly. He was afraid his friends might be targeted somehow by the other five members in the area. He didn't think these people would actually hunt them down to hurt them, but it was possible they could use their Dominance balls to steal their Pokemon. However, they still had room to breathe. None of the five had received Dominance balls yet.

There was another part of Kyle that was encouraged by the alert. It meant he had an opportunity to get points. Below the alert was text saying that stealing a Pokemon from Kyle or one of his friends would count as completing an assignment, earning him points. Kyle's plan was to steal from himself.

Kyle would have to give up the Dominance ball he had to the CPP, especially since there was no way he could register it to himself. He would wait long enough so he could receive a Dominance ball, then use it to capture Eve. That would provide proof that he had "incapacitated" himself. However, Team Dominion wouldn't know he was the same person.

As to how to continue to get points, Kyle hadn't come across any more idea. He would think about it later. For now, he simply needed to avoid having his Pokemon stolen long enough until he received a Dominance ball.

Someone was messaging the chat. Kyle straightened and focused his eyes as he read. It was a question from a member Kyle assumed was addressed toward the thief. Their ID was 003278.

Do you know what school they go to? It read.

Kyle grimaced. So, someone already wants to do something about us, he thought. The guy can't have a Dominance ball yet, though, right? Kyle tapped on the member's trainer number and opened their profile. From there he could see the member's status. Kyle's eyes widened when he saw that the member was very high on the waiting list for a Dominance ball. They would most likely be getting one in a matter of days. So soon! He thought. Damn! I'd hoped to get closer to the top of the waiting list before someone else around here got one!

Kyle was notified of another message in the area chat. He returned to it. It was an answer to the other's question, not from the thief, but from someone else. This next message concerned him even more than the last. It was from a trainer with the ID 002876

Now that I'm thinking about it, the message said, There can't be too many people around here with the same Pokemon right? I remember seeing a while ago a battle that took place inside Whiteplate High School. I'm pretty sure those two guys also had an Eevee and a Chimchar.

Hey, you're right! ID 003278 sent. It'll be really easy to pick them out by looking at that video. Thanks a lot!

I've seen that video, too, someone else sent. Their ID was 005184. This was the first time Kyle had seen more than two people conversing in this chat at once. Seeing as to how they were trying to identify him so they could steal from him, it was not a good experience. I also noticed in it a girl with a Dratini and another guy with a Pichu. They'll both match their respective descriptions, I'm sure. That last kid has to be one of their siblings or something; there's no way they'd have a friend that young. That covers all of them.

Well then, so much for avoiding trouble, Kyle thought. He hadn't thought about the video from last month. I have to tell everyone about this. He closed out the Team Dominion app and opened his messages. He sent a message intended for Carol and Adrien. He didn't have Jordan's phone number, so he couldn't put him in the chat.

Guys, we have an issue, Kyle texted to his friends' chat. I've discovered that there are a few people around town who are with Team Dominion. Apparently, they found out about what we did and they know who all of us are, what we look like, and what Pokemon we have.

Carol texted back a few moments later. What? How? Do they know about Noah, too?

They do, Kyle texted. I'll tell you how later. Right now, we need to worry about ourselves. Adrien, can you tell Jordan about what's going on when you see this?

What do you mean? Carol texted. What could they do to us? It's not like they'd jump us or anything, right?

No, I don't think we have to worry about anything like that, Kyle texted. Mainly just having our Pokemon stolen.

Do you know how many are after us? Carol asked.

Kyle paused. Did he want to be exact? It would sound weird that he knew such specifics, and he wasn't sure he wanted to let them in on what he was doing yet. Probably around five or so, Kyle texted. There shouldn't be too many in our area who are members of Team Dominion.

That's not too bad, Carol texted.

Adrien sent a message suddenly. Alright, I'm adding Jordan to the conversation.

Soon, Kyle received a notification that someone else had joined their chat. He created a contact in his phone before explaining the situation once again.

What? Jordan texted about a minute after Kyle had re-sent what was happening. How do they know who we are? How could they find us?

I asked the same thing, Carol said. He said he'd tell us later and that we should focus on keeping our Pokemon by our sides.

Well, right now, I don't see any danger, so I'd just like to know, Jordan texted.

Kyle clenched his fist. He didn't want to reveal anything just yet. He couldn't quite explain why, but there was an instinct in the back of his mind that told him to keep his source a secret. But, it seemed like he would have to say something to satisfy his friends. He would have to think of a lie, for now.

Marcus let me know, Kyle started typing into his phone. I saw him at school today. He told me he hacked into their online webpage- Kyle stopped typing for a moment.

That's it, he realized. He had thought of a way to earn points. He would have to set a few things up later, but he knew what to do now. Kyle finished typing his message.

He told me he hacked into their webpage, Kyle texted. Apparently, there are some people here who found out about us and want to steal our Pokemon. It wasn't the best of bluffs, but Kyle hadn't had too much time to think. Still, it would accomplish what it was intended to.

Wow, I guess we'll all have to thank Marcus again, Carol texted. This response told Kyle that his lie had worked.

This isn't too worrisome, though, if you think about it, Adrien said. I was thinking about it last night. If that guy got away with Noah's Aron, it wouldn't have taken too much to find him. He wouldn't be able to use it without being seen by someone else. It's a small town. I doubt there's a lot of people with an Aron.

You're right, Kyle said. I just thought it'd be helpful for you guys to know. I certainly wouldn't want to go through all that trouble to get my Pokemon back.

Yeah, you've got a point, Adrien said. Thanks for letting us know.

If they even come close to Fireball, I'll mess them up real good, Jordan texted.

Kyle closed his phone's messaging app and returned to the Team Dominion app. The other members in the area were still texting each other. Kyle made a quick scan of the messages that had been sent while he had been occupied and found what he expected. They were talking about stealing their Pokemon.

Kyle sighed. At least I'll be able to report them if they try to steal Eve, he thought. That's something.

Kyle had one more thing he wanted to do today. He grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and returned Eve to its Poke ball. He put his beanie on his head and left his room, calling for Chelsey to do him a favor since she wasn't working today. He had thought of a place a few minutes ago that he wanted to visit. It would help him execute his plan.

"So," Marcus said. "Are you sure you want me to do this?"

Kyle stood in Marcus's room for the second time that week. He had seemed to be in the exact place Kyle and his friends had left him a few days before: sitting in his chair and playing video games. The state of the room hadn't changed much, either. In fact, it only seemed to Kyle like it had gotten messier.

"Why you ask me?" Kyle asked. "I thought it was clear that I wanted to do this. I need to know if you're willing to do this for me. I'll be paying you al little, but this isn't exactly legal."

It had been much easier to get inside Marcus's house this time; his dad seemed much more satisfied than he had been last time due to the significant decrease in the number of people requesting entry into his home. Marcus's mother had been thrilled once again and had offered to make food.

Kyle had proposed his idea to Marcus, who had at first been on the fence. He wanted payment for insurance in the scenario that Kyle's plan failed. Kyle couldn't blame him. He wouldn't have believed it either if a young teenager wanted help to take down or at least majorly cripple an organization mostly on his own. Kyle had agreed to the payment, but it seemed to Kyle for a moment he might still be unsure.

Marcus waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about whether it's legal or not," Marcus said. "I do illegal things with my computer all the time. I just need to make sure that you're aware that you'll fall as well if we get caught."

Kyle nodded. "I understand the risks."

Marcus seemed to accept this. "Y'know," he said. "You didn't seem like the kind of guy that would want someone to do something like this. After all, you played the righteous hero when you took that Eevee from Jordan."

"Think of it this way," Kyle said. "Some people might have thought taking Eve away from Jordan was wrong. They might even call it stealing. But it was for a greater purpose."

"Right," Marcus said. "He already had a Pokemon. Not only that, but he would've treated it like an animal back then. You should've seen how he trained his Chimchar. It's a wonder that poor thing stuck with him."

Kyle thought about how Fireball had acted during their battle a month ago. It was very attached to Jordan, Kyle knew that. He, like Marcus, hadn't known why. But Kyle was starting to think that maybe Fireball had, at one point, seen the better side of Jordan, if that had been possible before. It was an interesting thing to think about.

Marcus nodded. "Okay, I'll get started soon."

"Good," Kyle said. "Remember to get stuff that's not too important. We wouldn't want to put ourselves at a complete disadvantage. Look for the minor things."

"Sure," Marcus said. "Let me give you my number so I can send you stuff you can use. That way, you'll also be able to make the final decision on whether or not to give it to Team Dominion."

"Okay," Kyle said, handing Marcus his phone. When Marcus put in his number and handed the phone back, Kyle waved his goodbye and left Marcus's house. He smiled as he thought about his plan.

This can work.

Talonflame flapped its wings hard as it streaked speedily across the horizon. It had been flying almost non-stop since it had departed its habitat. The urgency in its head told Talonflame that it had little time to rest.

It wouldn't be too much longer.