Kidnapped!!

By: Speed Demon

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, but I do own Nate, Jade and Aaron.

Jade, Aaron and Nate sat in the same dark, small room that they had spoken to Giovanni in before. Jade was yelling at Nate.

"What makes you think you can run off without even notifying me?! I'm in charge of this mission and-"

Nate interrupted her. "Look Jade, I know you are in charge and all that other crap, but I just needed to get * away * from here for a little while. I didn't do anything wrong, so you don't need to yell at me, okay?"

"What she's trying to say is that you could've been recognized by somebody, like that kid." Aaron said gently. Aaron and Nate had been friends for a long time, even before they had joined Team Rocket. If Nate had to trust anyone with his life, it would probably be Aaron, and vice versa.

"Just promise that you won't leave again without my knowing, kay Nate? That's all I wanted." Jade spoke in an I-didn't-really-mean-to-make-you-mad voice.

"Fine. Can I go out right now?" Nate asked.

"Go ahead."

Nate stood and left Jade and Aaron alone in the darkness.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Nate cruised around for a little while, remembering something Misty had told him.

"Ash won't give up his Pokemon without a fight."

Nate parked his car at the edge of the forest, and started for Ash's campsite.

It took him nearly 20 minutes of tripping, getting caught in low-hanging branches and accidentally stepping in nasty mud holes before he reached his destination.

Ash was packing up his few things, a blanket, his sleeping bag, a flashlight and a book on raising Pokemon. Nate stepped into his campsite and said, "I need to talk to you, Ash Ketchum."

Ash jumped at the sound of Nate's voice. " Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is Nathan Anderson. I'm one of the three Rockets who kidnapped your friend Misty last night but-"

"WHAT?!" Ash's heart jumped into his throat. "Why are you here?" he asked hoarsely.

"I came to tell you that I have a message that Misty wanted me to give you."

"Why would you want to help me? You're the one who kidnapped her in the first place," Ash spat.

" I—well, I've decided I'm going to quit Team Rocket,"

"Why should I trust you?"

"You'll just have to, I guess."

"You know what?" Ash said, "I didn't really mind Team Rocket before. Sure they got one my nerves a little, always trying to take Pikachu and stuff. But after today, I swear if I ever see someone wearing that nasty Rocket uniform again, and they threaten me or my friends, I'll probably kill them."

"I don't blame you." Nate said. "Look, here's the reason I'm here." He pulled out a microtape recorder and pushed play. Through the static, Ash could hear Misty's voice speaking.

"Hi Ash! I miss you so much. If Nate gives this to you, which I know he will, I just want you to know that I am okay. I want to tell you that no matter what happens, DON'T GIVE UP YOUR POKEMON! Got it? And, I want to tell you that you can trust Nate, okay? I miss you Ashy!"

Nate watched Ash's face light up at the sound of Misty's voice. Misty had asked Nate if he would go tell Ash that she was okay. He had suggested her recording a message for him, and she had jumped readily at the idea.

"Do you trust me now?" Nate asked.

Ash smiled for the first time since Misty's kidnapping. "Any friend of Misty's is a friend of mine."



A/N: Thanks again for your reviews. I know this chapter didn't really fit in, sorry.



Next Chapter: And finally… what will Ash do? Give up his Pokemon, or give up Misty?