Right Here. Right Now.
While William was intent on praising Christian and Katy's Pokémon, if it wasn't for his connections, they wouldn't know what they know. And now he knew someone who would be able to decrypt the data on the hard drive. Katy and Christian were ready to meet this gal now, however, William was not quite so eager.
And he wasn't clear on what he meant by "It's not money she'll ask for." But getting him to tell was like pulling teeth. During dinner, he'd become even quieter than was usual for his character. The Ralts had become quiet as well, sobering to docility that Katy wasn't aware it was capable of. She sighed after finishing the last bite of her chicken tenders. "You might as well put Ralts in a Ball, William. She's stuck to you."
William stirred around in his rice and looked to the little thing that leaned against his upper arm. "I don't need a Psychic Pokémon."
"Why not? Christian told me about your Special Ability. Sounds like you could use at least one as a friend."
William gave a steely look in Christian's direction, as if this was information he didn't care to have shared.
"What? It's true! You're super special!" Christian took another bite of his hamburger.
The older man sighed and rubbed his brow. "I just don't have any interest in having a Ralts."
"Well, I think you have one whether you are interested in it or not." Katy eyed the Pokémon leaning against him faithfully. "Besides, she may have very well been the reason Taron was murdered."
"I don't think so." William mumbled at his plate.
Katy blinked. "Why?"
"Advancement is… They're dirty, okay, but they're not, like… kill-you-for-taking-one-of-their-test-subjects dirty. Not unless this Pokémon was more than a test subject. Either it's a really special Ralts or there was more to the reason why he was murdered."
Katy watched the Ralts nod off next to him. "Special how, do you think?"
"I don't know. Not until we decrypt those files, I don't even have a good guess."
"You've been so insightful and intuitive so far though, Boss," said Christian. "What's your best guess?"
"Why the fuck do you keep calling me Boss?"
Christian shrugged with his mouth full and spoke around it. "It fits you! Right, Katy?"
"For you two it does," she replied politely, taking a sip of her water. "But seriously, he's right. What's your best guess."
"Tch… Like… it was a successful test subject. Ralts are really in-tune to people's feelings and emotions. It wouldn't be that far of a stretch to imagine that a Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, or Gallade could transfer psychic energy to a Deviant with a Special Ability." William shrugged at the end of his estimation and picked up a forkful of rice.
That sounded like a really good guess. Katy believed William was smarter than he gave himself credit for.
"And what's your guess if it's not because of the Ralts?" Christian said.
"… That they're doing something big with this. If the government is involved in the labs that we saw on that drive, they're involved because they have asked something from Advancement."
"Asked for what?" Katy leaned forward.
"What any government wants besides money. Power. Strength. Authority." William pushed his plate away, taking to rubbing his face with both hands. He hadn't eaten much of his food. "A leg up on the game."
"So… you're thinking that they are trying to make stronger Deviants with the help of Psychic Pokémon as a… weapon?" Katy tilted her head a bit.
"Maybe. I don't know. It's all speculation. Conjecture." He rested his chin in his hand. He seemed exhausted.
"Why just Psychic Pokémon?" asked Christian. "There's five kinds of Deviants that have direct commonality with Pokémon. Fire, water, ice, electricity, and acid. Why not work with them too?"
"Because psychic energy is way more open ended than… elemental. Than Deviants' regular Abilities. There's no limit to what Psychic Pokémon can achieve and there's no limit to the kinds of Special Abilities Deviants can possess. It's way more… organic. Probably a lot easier to work with. Regular Abilities are difficult in their structure. They're tricky to test and maddening to recreate in a lab. Psychic energy is quantifiable and can be relayed in numbers, measurements, levels." William waved a hand about.
Katy could honestly listen to him talk all day about his theories and what he knew about Deviants and Pokémon. But there was more on her mind. She narrowed her eyes. "Who is this chick that can decrypt the files and what are we going to have to pay her."
He went silent for a moment. "Her name is Nikki. And I don't know for sure what she'll want. We'll just have to wait and see."
The next day was particularly colder than the day before. Katy had to put on her pullover to be able to comfortably withstand today's weather. Christian had a hoodie and William had a brownish-gray coat from his bag that she had seen him wear before. Today they were going back to Advancement. While Katy wasn't at all keen on returning to the scene of the crime, it was where Nikki worked and the only way they were going to decrypt these governmental files. This time they entered as visitors and were granted access tags for the day. William led Christian and Katy to the elevator where instead of going up, they went down.
Once at the basement level of the building, Christian stepped out into a terribly fluorescently lit hallway and looked both ways. Each direction seemed identically never-ending. But William went right, so they followed him all the way to the double doors at the end of the never-ending hallway. When he pushed the door open, they were met with even worse lighting in what looked to be a warehouse. The tell-tale sounds of a Pokémon battle echoed off the walls down here. William rounded a corner of storage crates and slowed to a stop, sliding his hands in his pockets.
A Drapion was thrown harshly into the metal crates by an enormous Feraligatr. At first Katy was enthralled, but she quickly became frightened. When the Drapion attacked, it swung its giant pincers and latched onto the Feraligatr's throat. The Water Pokémon chomped and snapped wildly, scratching it's opponent's arm for dear life before it finally got in a solid punch, sending the Drapion reeling again. This time the Feraligatr wasted no time in latching onto the Poison type's arm with its mighty jaws. Katy gasped as it Crunched down harder and harder, teeth piercing the Drapion's exoskeleton and causing blood to flood from the wound. The Drapion cried out in terrible agony, yet swung the Feraligatr around and managed to beat it against one of the storage crates.
Katy reached for Christian's arm with a squeak when the Feraligatr received pincers to its muzzle, slicing down into its skin and drawing blood there too. She wanted to cry out for this battle to stop, but she didn't have the breath. Watching such violence was nothing she was accustomed to. She'd never seen Pokémon battle this way before, only heard of it. It was illegal and not to mention abuse. By the time the Drapion had brutally stabbed its tail barbs into the Feraligatr's neck, her knees threatened to buckle under her weight. "Stop," she said breathlessly. No one heard her except Christian. He reached to steady her just as the match was called, Drapion the victor.
People began to fill the space once the Pokémon went back to their Balls. They were counting out dollar bills and handing them over. Not Points, actual money.
A Sneasel looked in their direction with its little nose working. "Fwee!" A girl not much younger than Katy looked away from the former battlefield and locked eyes with William. There was a visible huff from her, even the distance between them, before she approached, the Sneasel following.
"Milord," she said, stopping in front of William and crossing her arms. Her Sneasel did the same. "Never thought I'd see your face again."
"Never thought I'd be here again, to be honest," he said.
She pulled her long, black hair behind one ear and narrowed her blue eyes at him. "So, what do you have for me."
"I need you to decrypt some files."
"What kind of files."
"They're from here," William said honestly.
She lifted her chin. "I always knew it would be you that would challenge Advancement. Of course, after they killed your Houndoom, I can't say I blame you."
William said nothing.
"It'll cost you."
"I know. What'll it be."
"I think you know."
He blinked slowly. The Sneasel grinned an evil grin. "You know my team and I know yours. I think you know who would win."
"That's why it's not going to be just a Pokémon battle."
He blinked again. "… Are you serious?"
"As a heartattack. Two on two. You. Me. One of my Pokémon aaand… to make it interesting, one of hers." The girl pointed at Katy.
"She's not a trainer."
"Bullshit."
Katy looked between them. "No. Not if they're going to fight like what I just saw."
"Then no deal." The girl shrugged.
"Nikki, come on," William said, "I'll use one of mine—"
"You, me, one of mine, and one of hers or no deal."
"That's not fair!" Christian exclaimed.
"Life's not fair, honey. I don't think it's very fair that you're asking me to go behind the back of the very organization I've indebted myself to, but here you are. If you want those files, I get this fight."
William licked his lips and turned around to Katy. "If this is where you draw the line and we pack up and go home, I won't blame you."
"They're going to fight like that, aren't they," she said, her voice barely shaking.
"Yes."
Katy scoffed and shook her head. "Why my Pokémon?!"
"Because she saw how you reacted to the fight just now and that's how she is. Can your Lucario fight dirty?"
"What kind of question is that?!"
"Can your Lucario fight like what you just saw."
"Yes, but—"
"I'll take care of him. I promise."
Katy's chest was heaving. She looked in William's green eyes then over his shoulder at that fucking bitch and her fucking Sneasel. She sighed. "… If she's an Ice trainer, I want to use Charlie."
"No." William shook his head adamantly. "I need your Lucario."
"Why do you need him?"
"Just trust me."
Katy sighed deeply. She closed her eyes, her brow twitching as she pursed her lips, biting the insides of her cheeks. "… Okay."
"Trust me." William patted her shoulder then turned back around to Nikki. "Where and when."
Nikki smirked again and exchanged a look with the Sneasel before returning her gaze to William. "Right here. Right now."