Chapter VII: Desperate Decisions
Early that morning James was awoken by someone poking him in an unpleasant way. He opened his eyes and saw five big, nasty men in black Team Rocket uniforms looking down on him. The biggest and nastiest of them bent down and looked him in the eyes.
"Get up!" he growled.
The part of James' brain that was still asleep kick-started and he jumped out of bed. He now noticed that Jessie was already up, draped in morning robe. She looked as confused and scared as he knew he was.
"What is going on here?" he asked. "I demand to know…"
The leader of the very big and nasty men handed him his Team Rocket Uniform. "You two better shut up and get dressed, now. The boss wants to talk to you guys on the double."
Jessie and James obeyed, alarmed by the most uneasy situation. After dressing they noticed that Meowth's bed was empty.
"Hey, where's Meowth?" James asked.
"In deep trouble, apparently," the ogre said and grinned in a very unpleasant way. "Come on."
They were taken directly to Giovanni's office, and they both somehow understood that this was not a visit to talk about their new salaries. Giovanni was sitting behind his desk, looking as impressive and powerful as he always did. His Persian watched the two Rockets carefully when they entered the room, as if it felt that it might soon get to see something interesting.
"Sit," Giovanni ordered. They both hurried to sit down.
"I am sure you wonder why I have called the two of you in here this early," he continued. "To put it bluntly, the unidentified Pokémon you two brought in yesterday has been stolen."
Jessie and James gasped. Somebody had stolen one of the boss' Pokémon. They had never even heard of such a crime before. "Who could have done something like that?" James asked.
"Funny you should ask," Giovanni said and picked up a small remote control from his desk and pushed a button. A large painting on the wall next to them slid to the side, revealing a monitor behind it. The monitor came to life, showing how Meowth made his way into the room containing Giovanni's Pokémon and stealing the Pokéball containing Gatomon. Jessie and James stared in disbelief.
"Oh oh," James said.
"Oh no," Jessie mumbled.
Giovanni turned the monitor off and turned to the two terrified Rockets again. His eyes were filled with anger, but when he spoke his voice was controlled.
"Now, I know they you had nothing to do with this," he said. "Because if you had, you wouldn't be stupid enough to still be in this town, let alone this building. That is why I am going to give you this fine offer; you will have told me everything you know about the actions and whereabouts of your little soon-to-be-dead friend within five minutes and I will not introduce you to some very unsympathetic men brandishing various painful tools. Have I made myself clear?"
Jessie and James both nodded.
"Good, because I have not much time to waste on the two of you;" Giovanni said. "Start talking."
Within four an a half minute they had told him everything they knew, while assuring him of their innocence at the same time. When they were finished Giovanni looked upon them with a grim face.
"So, our little Meowth had become emotionally attached to my property," he said. "Tsk, tsk. He should have known better." Giovanni stood up. "And you are certain that you do not know were he might be hiding?"
"Is there any place he can hide?" Jessie asked.
Giovanni smiled. "No, of course not. I just hope, for your sake, that you have not kept anything from me. You have served your purpose, leave."
Jessie and James quickly got up and left the room. Giovanni pushed a button on his desk.
"Have Jessie and James followed," he said. "I want to know if they are up to something. Deploy every Rocket not on assignment to look for the traitor Meowth and let every one of our field agents know that there is a reward for capturing him. I want him alive."
"Yes sir," came the answer from the speaker. Giovanni switched it off and petted his Persian's head.
"When I find that critter, and I will find him, he is going to wish he was never born," he muttered.
"Well, we can kiss that raise goodbye."
"This is bad, isn't it?" James asked.
"Of course it's bad, you idiot," Jessie snapped. "Do you realise what is going to happen to Meowth if he is caught?"
"Giovanni will probably not be satisfied by only killing him," her partner nodded.
"He'll be tortured," Jessie said and James could hear the pain and fear in her voice. "They will torture him, and when they are finished torturing him they'll get really ugly."
"So what are we waiting for?" James asked. "We have to find him!"
"Not so fast, James," Jessie said and grabbed his arm to keep him from running off. "It's Giovanni we're dealing with now. I wouldn't be surprised if he put someone to follow us. We have to shake them before we can get going."
"Sure," James said, easing down a little. "I just hope nothing happens to Meowth while we do."
Jessie nodded. "So do I."
By then, Meowth had managed to catch up with Gatomon. He was tired and running low on energy, but he was determined not to let her go until he had found a way to help her.
"Gatomon, wait!" he called.
"Go away," she said without looking at him.
"Let Meowth help yous," Meowth tried.
"I don't need any more of your help," she responded.
"You'll never do dis on yer own," he said. "Dammit, listen to Meowth!"
"Last time I listened to you I got stuck in some damned ball with my soul torn into pieces!" she snapped and turned to face him. "I don't need help from a traitor like you!"
"Hey!" Meowth snapped back, grabbing her arm just as she was going to turn away from him. Suddenly he felt angry. Sure, he deserved to have her shouting at her, but he had limits.
"What do you think you're…?" she began with surprise and anger in her face.
"Shut up an' listen ta me!" he said. "I've just turned my back on my only home, I've personally offended da most dangerous man in da woid, and I betrayed my best friends, my only friends, just ta help yous! Meowth won't ever be able to show his face in public again! So don't talk ta Meowth about betrayal!"
Gatomon was dumbfound. He her really done all that for her?
"But… why?"
Meowth let her go. "Meowth made a mistake. He got to close to ya, to emotionally engaged. I… I couldn't just leave ya dere, 'specially since I was da one who put ya dere in da first place."
She sat down on a nearby rock and put her head in her paws. "I… I just want to get home again," she said. "I've had enough of this world already."
She felt a friendly paw on her shoulder. She looked up and found Meowth seated next to her.
"Meowth'll help ya," he said. "I don't know how, but I will, I promise."
She suddenly leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He was surprised and blushed. "What was dat for?"
"For being so unprofessional," she said and smiled. "So, where do we go from here?"
"Meowth not sure," Meowth said and pondered. "We need someone who can help yous, someone who is smart, cares about Pokémon an doesn't wanna catch us. Who could…" He snapped his fingers. "I've got it!"
"So," James said. "Were do you suppose Meowth would go if he was hunted by Team Rocket?"
He and Jessie had taken the balloon and drifted around, trying to figure out what to do next. They were pretty sure they'd managed to shake any followers Giovanni might have put on them.
"We'll," Jessie said. "He would need to go to someone who can offer him some place to stay."
"Yeah, someone who really cares for Pokémon," James reasoned. "Enough to help even a Team Rocket member."
"And who wouldn't turn him in and would protect him if we came after him," Jessie added. "Who do we know who can do that?"
They both thought for a moment, and then had the same idea.
"Jessie," James said. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I think so," she said. "Pallet?"
"Pallet," James nodded. The hurried to manoeuvre the balloon to the south.