Giovanni left through the emergency door of the building to avoid running into again the obnoxious and stressful representatives of the local press. Freezing air was rushing, but it had stopped raining and the sky was beginning to clear. The stars could be seen appearing in the dark immensity of the Viridian sky. He quickly tapped his fingers against the screen of his phone, sent the text message, and tucked the phone inside his tuxedo jacket.
"Where to sir?", Asked him driver looking at him in the rear view mirror.
"To my apartment", he said in a dry tone.
When he was in his apartment, he angrily removed his jacket and tossed it on an armchair in the living room. He angrily removed the bow tie from around his neck trying to feel liberated. His encounter with Leo Cipriani had left him with a sense of defeat that he was not used to. He dropped heavily into the same modern-looking chair and put his left foot on the coffee table that was made of metal and glass. He ran a hand through his hair anxiously. He didn't know why he felt that Leo Cipriani was not a total stranger. His blue eyes, and deep as his, made him uneasy in a way he didn't recognize. He cursed under his breath as he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He hurriedly lit one and raised it to his lips. He usually didn't smoke there, he hated that the smell would permeate. But right now that didn't matter to him. He heard a knock on the door.
"Ahead!", Giovanni yelled as he blew out some smoke.
Eric Phillips appeared with a straight face as he carried an old file box. He went over to his old friend and gave him an annoyed squinting look.
"Man, what are you doing?, You should put that shit down",The redhead dropped the box to the ground and moved his hands from side to side, trying to disperse the tobacco smoke.
Giovanni rolled his eyes and stood up to go to the sliding glass door that led to a small balcony that had a very good view of the city. He slid it slightly without opening it completely and reached out to let the smoke fade into the atmosphere.
"You found them?", He asked, leaning against the glass.
"Yes, everything is here, I also left a boxes outside", Eric threw himself on an couch.
After leaving the party, Giovanni had contacted his friend and asked him to go find the old Team Rocket files that were kept in an underground warehouse under the old offices of the organization. That request caught the director of public affairs by surprise, who quickly assumed that the meeting with Cipriani had not gone well.
"Leo Cipriani" Giovanni paused. "we must know who he really is"
Eric made a confused face and scratched the back of his neck.
"And what makes you think you'll find that out in the old Team Rocket files?"
"I don't know", the gym leader replied as he went to the kitchen. "I just think..." He continued, raising his voice a little so that his partner would hear him well. He got some water bottles from the refrigerator, tossed the cigarette butt in the trash, and went back to Eric. "His voice sounded familiar to me"
"His voice?", He asked as he took the bottle of water that Giovanni offered him.
"It's weird, it has caused me a strange feeling, as if I had already talked to him before", Giovanni sat down in the couch in front of his partner.
"Do you think it's a former member?", Eric asked raising an eyebrow.
Giovanni didn't answer, he drank some water and then waved for Eric to pass him the box.
"If so, it shouldn't be difficult to find him"
"But don't you think that if that were the case, you would recognize him with the naked eye?"
"Not if his appearance has changed. Look, this guy has something that bothers me more than it should, so he starts looking", he threw a folder at Eric who deftly caught it.
After a few hours rummaging through a pile of old files without finding much, Giovanni exhaled in exasperation.
"It can't be that I'm not here", He stood up abruptly and pulled out another cigarette that he lit in annoyance.
Eric looked at Giovanni for a moment. It seemed to him that there was fear and worry on his face rather than frustration and annoyance. He understood that the crime lord was being consumed by that situation, he must have felt exposed to Cipriani. His mind most likely was on his wife and child, he wanted to keep them safe. That had always been his priority and now things seemed to want to get out of his control.
"I'm going to visit the old man's house", Eric announced in a calm voice as he got to his feet. Giovanni looked at him carefully. He knew that Eric didn't talk to his father much after leaving Team Rocket and that their relationship had been distant until Mads Phillips died a few years ago. "He must have kept files more important than these", He kicked a box out of his way.
Giovanni nodded, smoking from the sliding balcony door. Eric gave him a tired look and smirked. He really hoped to find something that would help in this situation.
"I'll call you if I find something"
The crime lord spent the night awake searching his memories for the face of Leo Cipriani. He knew that cold gaze had haunted him before but he didn't know where. He watched through the window of his room, outside he was beginning to clear up. He rolled over in bed as he closed his eyes trying to sleep. His hair was tousled and he was only wearing the tuxedo pants. He thought about Delia and Ash, he missed them a lot but now more than he should never avoid communicating with them. He didn't want to put them in danger. His phone started ringing insistent but he didn't want to answer. He let the mailbox answer. When the sound stopped he reached for the phone on the nightstand. He listened carefully to the voice of his executive Petrel. The message was clear, the Black Knights had attacked one of the Team Rocket hideouts where they kept illegal equipment that they distributed throughout the region, they were taken by surprise and the damage was extensive. Giovanni cursed out loud and almost jumped out of bed to go take a quick shower, he had to deal with that situation quickly.
After that attack on Team Rocket's lair, Leo Cipriani began to move more of his men throughout Kanto causing riots and fights over the territories that Team Rocket had under his control. Attacking strategic locations that increasingly convinced Giovanni that his rival knew more than he should about Team Rocket.
In public Leo Cipriani was charismatic and friendly. He was adored by the press and began to have more presence in the strong businesses of the region. Giovanni had decided to close the gym for a while and move to one of the dens outside Viridian City that was rarely used and known only to a few in the organization. It was an old four-story building that often served as a warehouse.
Before, the crime lord had been annoyed at always finding the Black Knights in his way. Now it was like having a stone stuck in your shoe that couldn't be easily removed. It was as if that damn man always knew very well what his next step would be. After seeing him face to face, everything got worse, so Giovanni decided to rush Dr. Fuji's investigations into his laboratory in Mahogany City.
It had been two weeks since Eric told him that he would visit his father's house for more old files. He had no longer contacted him which had him worried. He felt tired and stressed. And now having to be in the little office in the old Rocket lair made him sick. It wasn't a modern, big place like his base in Caoba or his lair in Celadon, but he had to settle for that if he wanted to go unnoticed, so now from there he planned his moves against Leo Cipriani.
"I think you'd better go together with Ariana and Proton to Mahogany City, Petrel", Giovanni said sitting behind his desk to his executive who was a trusted man for Chief Rocket.
"But don't you need me here sir?" The man with the thin complexion and purple hair questioned.
"You'd better support Dr. Fuji, I need to secure our base in the city, we cannot allow Cipriani to continue meddling with our plans.
"I understand sir", the executive, bowed their heads in agreement and respect.
"I left this in your hands", Giovanni waved his hand in approval and watched Petrel leave the office.
When the tired-looking executive left the office Giovanni leaned back in his executive chair. That space made him feel suffocated, it was too small, he thought. The walls were gray and there were no windows, he liked being able to appreciate what was always outside. But this time he could only settle for his computer monitor giving him images from the cameras outside.
The phone on his jacket began to ring. He heavily he put it in front of his face, the initials of his old friend appeared on the screen and he rushed to answer.
"Hey, what…
"Giovanni", Eric interrupted with a broken voice.
"Where are you Eric?", Giovanni hurried to ask, thinking of various bad situations.
"Leo… Cipriani, he is…", He heard the sound of running footsteps and then the noise caused by a heavy blow on the other end of the line.
"Eric?" What's happen Eric?", He stood up clutching the phone with strong. The short line and red alarms jumped around the gym leader.
The screen on his desk went completely black. There was no time to think of anything else when his ears were flooded by the blast of something coming from outside. He felt the ground shake under his feet. He hurriedly tucked his phone into his pants pocket and left the office. The place was beginning to fill with smoke and a haze of dust.
"Sir, we're under attack", one of the Rocket guards hurriedly informed him, pulling the boss with him toward the emergency stairs.
"What exactly happens?", He asked covering his mouth with his forearm.
"I don't know very well. I think there was an explosion at the top, I think they hit the continuous sector to this one it's lucky they didn't hit his office"
What a bad idea to put an office on the top floor, Giovanni thought as he followed the boy in the black uniform. They hurried up the old stairs of the building that looked like they would collapse at any moment. They made a crunching noise with every step they took and vibrated making both men think they would fall. When they reached the third floor, the roof of that area began to give way, causing Giovanni to hear it creak above his head and then watch a rain of debris fall in front of them blocking all the way.
"Got damn!", Exclaimed the young agent next to him.
Giovanni's face looked calm, but in his mind he was thinking carefully about his next steps. This could ensure that it was the work of Leo Cipriani. Again he was positioned in front of him. His enemy had caught him off guard and he would not waste an opportunity to finish him off.
"Do you have your radio with you?", The Team Rocket leader asked in a calm tone to his uniformed one.
"Yes sir", he hastened to answer, while he took the radio from his belt with clumsy hands.
"Listen well, contact the others, they must evacuate quickly and go to Celadon and Mahogany"
The young member of Team Rocket nodded looking at his boss who seemed to be taking a walk in the park and not in the middle of a building about to collapse. He started making a call from his radio. On the other floors of the building were trapped men and agents who had managed to reach the spaces below and who were listening carefully. There was a call back, it was a familiar voice to Giovanni.
"Sir, they have attacked us with explosive material. We are evacuating the building quickly. We will control the situation as soon as possible to get you out of there"
Giovanni quickly reached for the radio and pressed the button that would allow him to call Archer back.
"Archer! Listen to me carefully, leave Viridian city immediately. Take everyone you can with you, don't wait for me", His tone of voice from him was forceful, the agent next to him looked at him nervously.
"But sir...", he heard through radio almost in a distressed whisper. Archer was a bit confused on the other side. "Cipriani won't hesitate to attack us again, take all man out as many as you can and get out. It's an order Archer", Giovanni yelled over the radio and then there was a tense silence on the line.
"Very good sir", the most loyal executive of boss Rocket finally said decisively.
Giovanni handed the radio back to the man next to him. Then he rushed to get a pokeball from behind his belt. He looked at it for a second and threw it hard. Rhydon appeared roaring furiously demonstrating why he was the strongest and most feared pokemon of the Viridian city gym leader. The pokemon the challengers feared because it was a total wall, difficult and terrifying like his trainer.
"Rhydon", the gym leader shouted. "Use Horn Drill to get us out of here"
Rhydon hit the concrete hard using the horn on his head. Almost immediately pieces of debris began to fly to the sides, a cloud of dust filled the air and a good-sized hole formed in the wall.
"Well done Rhydon", Giovanni exclaimed. "Hurry up, go that way", He looked at his agent who was standing behind him somewhat stunned. The young nodded and walked through the gap followed by his boss.
When they were on the other side they hurried down the hall to the next emergency stairs. They staggered as a second explosion rocked the building, Giovanni shoving the young against the wall to prevent him from being hit by the collapsing roof pieces. The gym leader leaned his hands against the wall to stay on his feet as everything swayed back and forth. He cast a quick glance at the ground and an idea flashed through his thoughts.
"Rhydon uses Stomp, to make the ground collapse", he ordered, pointing to a random spot on the ground.
"Wait, sir!", Shouted the agent, worried that he would have to fall from one floor to another in a building to collapse.
"Listen boy, we don't have time right now, we cannot follow this path and we must go down as soon as possible"
Giovanni looked at his pokemon that he understood well what he should do. His mighty footfall hit the ground hard. Both his coach and the Team Rocket agent felt it vibrate under his feet. The young Team Rocket agent staggered for a moment and leaned against the wall trying to keep his balance. Another hit from the pokemon made the three of them fall to the next floor. Giovanni rose heavily from the rubble, having taken a good blow when he fell. He held out his hand to the young man who had several scratches and bruises on his face, helped him to his feet, and then returned Rhydon to his pokeball.
"Nice work Rhydon", he whispered against the pokeball and hurriedly tucked it into the back of his belt.
Now they were in one of the rooms where the guards and agents used to take breaks. Everything was a desaster. A cloud of dust was beginning to disperse. Debris was everywhere. Power lines hung from a collapsed part of the ceiling. Giovanni and his agent rushed to the door, but it was stuck.
"Stand aside," Giovanni said as he stepped back a bit, then kicked the door with such force that it ended up falling to the other side and made a loud noise as it hit the ground.
When they went out into the corridor they found that it was full of smoke and they could see flames coming from the stairs that led to the lower floor where the exit should be.
"What shall we do now sir?", The agent asked dejectedly.
"Find another way out", the crime lord declared firmly and confidently.
Giovanni took off his jacket and tied the sleeves behind his head to cover his mouth and nose. The agent next to him did the same, copying his boss. The smoke was thick and blackened so they walked crouching to avoid it as much as possible. They heard noises from behind a pile of rubble that sealed off the base's supply room.
"There must be people in there", said the young agent next to Giovanni as he tried to remove some huge chunks of heavy concrete with his hands. "Is there anyone?", He yelled, waiting for an answer.
"Help", came a tired voice from the other end, "we're trapped"
"Is there smoke there?" Giovanni asked. "How many people are there?"
"Yes, there is a lot of smoke, it is drowning us, there are three of us", the voive replied, coughing heavily from behind the mountain of rubble.
"Sir, under the supply room is the main entrance"
"I understand", Giovanni said. "Rhydon", he yelled, throwing the pokeball that contained the strong pokemon. "Use Horn Drill"
The pokemon roared raising his arms and threw the horn on his head against the concrete pile in front of him. The smoke began to be heavier and Giovanni and his agent would not stop coughing as the pokemon continued with his work. However, he seemed to be beginning to be affected by the smoke as well.
"You can do it Rhydon", The pokemon looked at his trainer and kept hitting violently.
After a while that seemed like an eternity, the pokemon managed to pierce enough so that they could enter where the other agents were. They were all very young, not past the age of their boss. They were breathing heavily and when they saw their leader enter through a large hole made by his Rhydon his gaze glowed with hope. All of the Team Rocket agents were staunchly loyal to their boss and would lay down their lives for him, but they also knew that he would never leave them behind. Giovanni really appreciated his subordinates, he understood that he needed all those pieces to complete the puzzle of his victories.
"Stand aside", Giovanni ordered them as he removed a pile of rubble so Rhydon would pass without problems. "Use Stomp!"
The gym leader's partner was already very tired from the smoke and his attack was not strong enough. Rhydon hung his head, it was as if he felt sorry for failing his coach. The gym leader approached him and put a hand on one of his sides. He gave him an encouraging smile and Rhydon raised his head again, roaring loudly.
"Do it again", This time the ground jerked.
The stampede attack shook the ground again, which began to crack. When Giovanni heard the creak of concrete giving way. With a swift movement of his hand he returned his Rhydon to the pokeball. The men crashed to the lower deck in a wave of debris. The Team Rocket leader emerged from a mountain of rocks and dust, his body feeling bruised. He felt a throbbing pain on his side, but he ignored it. He opened his eyes, but could not distinguish very well what was around him since his gaze was blurred he only managed to look at strange silhouettes in front of him. He rubbed the palms of his hands over his face and gradually became a little clearer. Then he was able to appreciate the officers standing up, a pair of hands took him by each arm and finished pulling him out of the rubble. He was the first agent to be found and yet another of those who were locked in the supply room.
"Are you okay, boss?"
"Yes, let's go to the exit", he said as he was helped walk.
When the cool air rushing outside the building hit his face he felt like he could breathe normally again. He sucked in air and released it, his lungs feeling heavy and his entire body ached. He looked around for a moment, there were more agents who had managed to get out. Some were lying on the ground. There were many injured. Some had burns, others were bruised and broken, and others seemed fine except for a few scratches.
Giovanni watched as the fire consumed his building and gritted his teeth, visibly annoyed. That damn Leo Cipriani wasn't playing he wanted him dead. Archer approached the crime lord and the agent helping him stand aside to make way for the high-ranking officer.
"You need medical attention, sir", The blue-haired executive helped him walk.
"I don't need a doctor", he said, pulling away from Archer as he staggered still holding onto the other agent. "Just ... listen to me carefully. Take all these people and send them to Celadon, I'll go to the gym"
Those words took the Rocket executive by surprise that he could see that his boss was in no condition to prioritize agents over his own safety.
"But sir, he's in no condition", Giovanni moved, letting the other agent step aside as well, and stood with difficulty.
"Are you going to give me orders?", Asked in the typical harsh tone the boss, he put a hand to his side that was beginning to hurt more strongly.
Archer lowered his head and stayed that way for a moment. The Team Rocket leader smirked. He put a hand on the officer's shoulder.
"I need you to take care of this", he told him calmly.
Archer looked up, his boss was trusting on him this people. He trusted him to take care of them. He nodded confidently and watched as Giovanni began to walk towards the Viridian forest. He knew well that his boss was a man who caused fear and used to be cold and expressionless, but he also knew that he was a faithful man and concerned about his team.
By the time Giovanni got to the gym it was already dark, he walked in through the back door and nearly fell when stepping into it. In his head was Eric's call. His voice choppy and broken. He had a bad feeling about all of that. Giovanni shuffled around the gym. Looking for the box that his friend had left behind. With one of his hands he was holding his right side. He was dizzy and in pain, as he could he climbed the stairs to his office and threw himself on the sofa, where a few months before he had enjoyed an exciting encounter with his wife. Delia, he thought as he closed his eyes. Everything revolved around him and a stabbing pain prevented him from reasoning clearly. He felt something wet run under his shirt. He lifted his hand and watched as his red blood trickled between his fingers.
"Damn it", he exclaimed in a weak voice.
He sat with difficulty in the couch and removed his shirt. He could see the wound on the side of his abdomen, it was not very large, but it seemed deep. He felt how it pulsed and sent electrifying threads all over the area. With his shirt, he put together an improvised bandage and stood up with difficulty and breathing heavily. He went to his desk and rummaged in the bottom drawer among his things for the keys to his car that he rarely used. He shuffled back to his office door. There wasn't much there that Leo Cipriani could want so he didn't give much thought to what he was leaving behind. As he walked to the emergency exit he looked at an old box thrown away as if someone had left it in a hurry. He quickly guessed it was the box Eric was talking about. With much effort he took it in his arms and took it with him.
The bright lights of the Viridian city at night blinded and dull him. He was not able to clearly see what was in front of him. His vision was clouded and he couldn't quite appreciate the colors in the traffic lights or the other cars on the street. He closed his eyes and squeezed them for clarity. His head was drilling into him and he felt like he would pass out. But he couldn't allow it, he had to come. When he left the city and entered Route 1 towards Pueblo Paleta he felt a little better. Still, he felt the wound in his side throb. When he looked at the little white house on the side of the road he knew he was safe. He awkwardly walked to the door and rang the bell. He stayed leaning against the door frame, while he waited, he held on with what little strength he had left. When the door opened and he was able to look at the light coming from within, he knew he could be calm. Then everything was clouded and he passed out falling to the ground.
But at least he was home.