Upon reporting to Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket, Jessie, James, and Meowth learn that Team Rocket is facing a great crisis due to the emergence of a new enemy. Giovanni, believing in their loyalty and the strength of their unity, sends them on a mission to flush out the enemies' spies and save the Team Rocket. But on the night before they are about to begin their mission, the enemy makes a surprise attack and kidnaps the group one by one...
Chapter two~ Imprisonment
.
Jessie stared through the bars of her cell. James lay on the floor next to her, still unconscious. Their pokéballs had been stolen, and Jessie had been blindfolded so she had no idea where they had taken Meowth. They had removed the blindfold just before throwing her and James into the cell, but she had noticed that all of the others cells were full, and most of the people in them were wearing Team Rocket uniforms. She sat down on the floor and laid James' head in her lap. She wished he would wake up. Jessie had always prided herself on being a strong woman, and she was not going to let the situation get to her. She took a deep breath and fingered the rose locket around her neck, before tucking it into her jacket.
We are going to get out here. she told herself. Somehow...
. . .
Meowth had been taken to a room filled with pokémon. Some were sleeping on the floor, but most were in pokéballs. The man carrying him set him on the floor and put Jessie and James' pokéballs on a table. He put some food in a bowl and set it down in front of Meowth before leaving the room and locking the door behind him. Meowth understood at once. They thought he was an ordinary pokémon; they didn't realize he could speak. He wisely decided that he wasn't going to let them know any different. He jumped onto the table where Jessie and James' pokéballs were. There were only three.
"Okay, everybody come out!" he said, releasing the pokémon.
Arbok, Weezing, and Victreebel appeared. Where was Lickitung? The three pokémon immediately went to the bowl food.
Meowth sighed. What to do now?
"I gotta find a phone an' I gotta call the boss," he told himself. He didn't have far to look; there was a video phone right there. He couldn't believe his good luck. "Dey really tink I'm just a dumb pet," he said, jumping to the table where the phone was. Oh well, he thought. No time ta feel insulted...
He picked up the receiver and dialed Giovanni's number. After two or three rings, the boss answered. Meowth fought off a pang of jealousy as he noticed Giovanni was stroking the Persian at his side.
"Where is the rest of your team?" the boss asked. Meowth explained the situation. Giovanni listened closely to every word. Meowth had not been blindfolded, only gagged, so he had seen where they had been taken. He told Giovanni exactly where they were. "My men and I will set out for your location immediately," he told Meowth. "We should be there tomorrow. See what you can learn about our enemies. Don't let them know you can speak. Try to find the rest of your team."
"Right!" said Meowth.
"Meowth, despite your failures you are still a part of the Team Rocket organization. This organization is like a family, and loyalty to the family is paramount. It is in that unity that our power stems. We will be there soon, so go now and do what you can to succeed."
That was the end of the conversation.
A very stunned Meowth set the receiver down. He had expected the boss to bawl him out for getting captured. The last thing he had expected was reassurance. I wonder if he knows somethin' we don't? he thought. The cat shook his head. Of course the boss was always ahead, that's why he was the head of Team Rocket!
Suddenly he realized something. The boss had said 'My men and I'...
He was coming here personally to rescue them?
No way! thought Meowth. Da boss don't stick his neck out for nobody. He remembered how Butch and Cassidy bragged about the boss personally bailing them out of jail.
This organization is like a family, and loyalty to the family is paramount...
Meowth understood now. The boss did care, in his own way. Well, okay maybe care was the wrong word. He certainly wasn't a nice guy. To him, the members of Team Rocket were like pawns, useful at times but also dispensable. He fired agents that ceased to be useful and he would "take care of" anyone that double-crossed him; but he did what he could to hold Team Rocket together. He was a smart enough man to know that loyalty and unity went hand in hand. Jessie, James, and Meowth might only be pawns to him, but as long as they worked for Team Rocket they were his pawns and he intended to get them back.
Finally, Meowth jumped down from the table and put Arbok, Weezing, and Victreebel back in their pokéballs. He had a plan. He put the three pokéballs in his mouth and sat by the door. Someone would come in eventually to feed the pokémon, and when they did, he was getting out.
. . .
James was slowly coming to. He opened his eyes and saw the worried face of his partner. He had a splitting headache.
"Are you alright?" asked Jessie. "I was so worried."
"W-where are we?" he asked.
"I wish I knew. We were captured by... somebody..." She helped James to sit up. "Do you remember what happened?" Jessie asked.
"I think so. I'm not sure... The last thing I remember is something hitting my head," He rubbed the back of his head. He had a huge lump.
"It'll be all right," said Jessie, holding him to her. "We'll get out of here somehow."
As the night passed, the two of them eventually fell asleep in each other's arms, neither one knowing what the morning would bring.
. . .
Meowth had also fallen asleep. When morning came, the door opened and a little girl came in. As she shut the door behind her, Meowth woke up, realizing he had just blown his chance to run for it.
The girl looked to be about seven or eight years old. She went over to a Pidgey and began to pet it.
"Hello, Pidgey, how are you today?" she said to it.
Meowth watched as the girl fed every pokémon in the room. She stopped to talk to each one as she put food down for it. She did not see Meowth until she turned to leave.
"Oh, you're adorable!" she said, rubbing his head. "Nobody told me there was a new one!"
Meowth rubbed up against her like an ordinary cat. He liked her at once, but he knew he shouldn't say anything. So he meowed and jumped into her arms.
"Oh, I just love you!" she said, hugging him. "You're so cute! You're the best pokémon of all!"
Meowth tried to meow again, but he was having a hard time with three pokéballs in his mouth. The girl cuddled him and said,
"My name's Anari, and I guess your name's Meowth, right?"
Meowth nodded.
"My big brother says I can have any pokémon I want from here. I want you! Would you like to come home with me?"
Meowth nodded. This was perfect! He could get out of here with no trouble now! Then he remembered what the boss had told him;
See what you can learn about our enemies... Try to find the rest of your team...
"Come on," Anari said to him. "I wanna show you to Big Brother..."
. . .
Four men, all dressed in black, opened the cell Jessie and James were in and told them to get up. Jessie helped James to rise and they were led out of the cell.
"What do you want with us?" Jessie asked.
"The prisoner shall remain silent," one of them said, holding a gun to her back. Despite her increasing rage, Jessie was not stupid enough to argue with a loaded gun. She was silent.
They were taken to a room that looked like a cross between a dungeon and a business office. There was a large desk in the room, and handcuffs chained to the walls. The man sitting at the desk wore an expensive Italian suit. He looked to be in his early twenties.
"The notorious Jessie and James of Team Rocket. Welcome!"
Jessie instantly disliked this guy, and James was rather afraid of him. Something about this guy reminded him of the boss.
"What do you want with us?" asked Jessie, ignoring the use of their names.
"Now don't be like that," he said, coming closer. "My name is Gambini, Antonio Gambini. I'm the nephew of your employer, Giovanni."
James' mouth dropped open, but the expression on Jessie's face did not change. She did not trust this guy; not at all.
Gambini sat on top of his desk and said "My father and your boss were brothers. Giovanni was the elder brother, so he got control of Team Rocket when Madame Boss, their mother, stepped down. Giovanni always had their mother's favor and my father was disowned and left with nothing! My parents both disappeared one night and were never seen again. I had to change my name and go into hiding with my baby sister. Team Rocket killed them."
Jessie didn't say anything. She didn't trust this guy at all, and there was something very bogus about his story. It just didn't ring true. Gambini sensed what she thinking and he didn't like it.
"Do you think I don't know about you?" he asked. He got up and stood in front of Jessie. "Your mother, the best Team Rocket agent in the history of the organization. She disappeared and was supposedly killed after being sent on a mission by Madame Boss. They are responsible for her death and yet you work for the same organization that killed her!"
Jessie said nothing. She was not going to let this man get to her.
"Don't you want revenge?" he whispered. "Don't you want to punish those who took her away from you?"
Jessie turned away from him.
"And you," Gambini said, turning to James, "A millionaire's son, who gave up his fortune and his birthright because his parents tried to force him into marriage... because they couldn't accept you for who you really are." Leaning close to James he said, "How would you like to make more money than even your parents could dream of? So much money that you could easily surpass them?"
Jessie pulled James close to her and said, "Leave us alone. We aren't going to be bought by the likes of you. You kidnap members of Team Rocket, tell them some sob-story and try to bribe them into working for you; and if they refuse, leave them in a cell to rot unless they change their minds. I saw your collection of people locked in the cells below. We aren't traitors and when Giovanni finds you and learns what you've done, he will destroy you!"
Gambini was furious. He grabbed Jessie by the arms and shook her.
"Who do you think you are? You are mine! From the moment they captured you, you have been mine to do with as I please!" He grabbed her by the throat.
James tried to help her, but was held back by the four people who had brought them in.
Gambini forced Jessie's face to his and kissed her. Jessie kicked him in the stomach, hard. He fell to the floor.
"Don't touch me!"
Clenching his stomach, Gambini got back up and motioned to the men holding back James. Two of them let go of him and grabbed Jessie. They led her to the chair at Gambini's desk and forced her to sit down.
"Tie her up," said Gambini, still holding his stomach.
James and Jessie stared into each other's eyes. Neither one knew what to do.
When Jessie was securely fastened to the chair, Gambini approached her again. James struggled to get free to help her, but with no success.
"You don't seem to understand," Gambini said to Jessie, getting in her face. "From now on, you belong to me. That means you will do anything and everything that I want, do you understand?"
"Leave her alone!" James yelled, struggling to get free.
Gambini put his face close to Jessie's, and touched his lips to hers.
Jessie spat at him.
Gambini swung at her furiously, knocking the chair to the floor. Jessie's head hit the stone floor, knocking her unconscious.
Suddenly a whimper could be heard from the doorway. Gambini turned around. It was Anari, holding Meowth. She stared at him, disbelieving, tears flowing from her eyes.
"B-big brother? Why?"
Gambini froze, not knowing what to say. Her small voice pierced his heart. He had not meant for her to see this.
James managed to get free, and ran to Jessie. He untied her and picked her up. He was not letting anyone near her again.
"Get them out of here!" Gambini shouted to his men.
"The cells are all full now, sir," said one of the men. "We filled the last one just after we brought these two to you."
"Then put them in one of the bedrooms," said Gambini. "Just get them out!"
The men led James out, carrying Jessie. Meowth stared after them, but he did not say anything.
Anari and her brother stared at each other. Gambini did not know what to say to her.
"You...you shouldn't be here, Anari... go to your room."
Anari ran from the room, crying bitterly.
. . .
James was taken into a bedroom and shut in, still carrying Jessie in his arms.
He laid her down on the bed, and went to see if he could open the window and escape with his unconscious partner. No such luck. The window had bars on it. He sat on the bed next to Jessie, gently caressing her face, wishing for her to awaken.
"Jessie, I'm so sorry... this is all my fault! This is all my fault for being so weak, for not being strong enough to protect you. Please forgive me..."
He laid down next to her, holding her close to him. He remembered on the St. Anne, being too weak and afraid to save himself... and Jessie protecting him as usual. Leading him to safety. She was always doing that, protecting him. And now when she needed him, he was too weak to protect her.
No, not this time! This time I won't let her down. he told himself. This time I'll protect her.
He loved her so much. He thought about what they had shared last night, before they had gotten captured. It had been the most amazing thing he had ever experienced in his life. Then he thought of Gambini putting his hands on her and the thought made him sick.
If he touches her again, I'll kill him!
. . .
Anari ran into her room and slammed the door. She sat on the floor, still holding Meowth, and continued to cry.
"How could he? How he do something so awful?"
Meowth felt bad for her. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know what would happen if she found out he could talk. He was also worried about Jessie and James. Where had they been taken? Anari continued to cry.
"I don't understand, I don't!"
Meowth snuggled close to her, wishing he knew how to help her- and himself.
. . .
Giovanni and his men were fast approaching Gambini's hideout. The trails through the wooded area were too narrow for vehicles, so the men were traveling on foot. The road ahead of them split into three directions.
"Which way, sir?" someone asked.
Giovanni spotted something in the middle of the center path. It was a pokéball. One of the men picked it up.
"Open it," he ordered.
Throwing the ball, the man yelled "Pokéball, GO!" A lickitung appeared. The confused pokémon looked around. It didn't see Jessie anywhere.
Giovanni took the pokéball and said "Lickitung, return!"
He knew whose pokémon it was. He put the pokéball in his pocket. Leading his men down the center path he said, "Let's go."
. . .
"James?"
"It's all right, Jessie. I'm here."
Jessie sat up, holding her throbbing head. James held her gently.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"I don't know," he replied. "There was no more room in the cells, so we wound up here."
Despite her dizziness and the pain in her head, Jessie got to her feet and stumbled to the window.
"If we can get it open, we could escape," she said.
"I already tried," said James. "It's barred."
"Well, we can't just give up!" she snapped angrily. She leaned against the wall with her head in her hands. James understood at once. She was obviously in pain, which was the cause of her temper. He thought about the many times Jessie had been temperamental and wondered if some of those times it had been simply because she had not been feeling well. He wondered why he hadn't thought of it before.
"Jessie, you should lay down," he said, coming toward her.
"I'm fine," she said. "We've got to get out of here."
She didn't want James to see her weakness. She had to be strong and get them out of there. She had to... Suddenly the room started to spin around her, as the pain in her head intensified. She felt herself falling and was caught and lifted in a pair of strong arms. James carried her back to the bed and set her down gently.
"James, I.."
"Shhhhh," he soothed her, laying down next to her. "Go to sleep, Jessie. Everything will be all right."
Jessie buried her face in his jacket as he pulled her close.
"Can you hear my heartbeat?" he said. "Every beat says 'I love you, Jessie, I love you, Jessie...'"
Jessie smiled, remembering that she had said that very thing to him last night. She drifted out of consciousness, listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeat.
James closed his own eyes, trying to think. He had to come up with a way to get them out of there. Suddenly, he remembered something.
"If she's taken repeated blows to the head, the trauma's probably starting to catch up with her. If she continues to get hit on the head, she could get a lot worse than temporary memory loss. She needs to be more careful. You all do."
It was what the doctor had told him when Jessie had lost her memory. He held her tightly.
Jessie, please be all right! he thought. I love you more than anything else in this world! I'm going to get you out of here! I swear it!
Finally, he came to a decision. He had to act, and fast.
"That's it!" said James to his unconscious partner. "I'm getting you out of here, now!" He got off the bed and went to the door. It had no lock, which meant someone was on the other side guarding them. He wondered how many guards there were and if he could take them. He had to try, but if he failed... "No!" he told himself. "I can't be weak this time. I have to be strong for Jessie, I have to be!" He slowly turned the doorknob, and opened the door. He peered out, expecting someone to point a gun at him and tell him to get back in the room. But there was no one there. He was dumbfounded. He knew very well that Gambini was no idiot, so there had to be more to this than meets the eye.
It's probably a trap... he thought. But I've got to try and get Jessie out of here. He went back in the room and carefully lifted Jessie off the bed.
"Don't worry, Jessie. I'm gonna get us out of here."
He carried Jessie to the doorway and peered out again. Still no one there. Finally, drawing upon all the courage he could muster, he held Jessie close to him, begged luck to help him out, and ran for it.
Continued in part 3: Rocket Revenge