Chapter 14: Talia's Sacrifice
Talia watched the men assembling outside Giovanni's office. She couldn't get too close and once the power had come back on Giovanni had moved quickly. Soon he would send out a team to collect James from Jesse and the others. Talia didn't recognise the rockets helping Jesse. They were in the black squad, which surprised her. The members of that squad she had met were ruthless and almost as evil as Giovanni himself. Maybe they had connections with Jesse and James that run deeper than just Team Rocket. Talia gripped the gun at her side. Could she still do this? Jesse, from what she had seen and heard, was trying to hard to save her friend and Talia was going to kill him any way. Talia didn't want to hurt James. He was the most gentle person she had ever met. Through Talia had not known him for long she felt that if Jesse lost him then it would be a great loss indeed. Jesse, Talia was sure, was in love with James. She obviously cared about him at the least. Talia was going to do more than kill a human being. She would take away Jesse's partner and only love. But still the desire to see the pain on Giovanni's face when he lost the one person whom he controlled and could rule the world with. Giovanni would suffer and could ultimately result in the rocket leaders death if Talia played her cards right. If James died then Jesse would want revenge. Maybe she could use that to destroy the man she hated most in the world.
Jesse and Cassidy looked up as the power came back. Now they had a race against time to get out of the HQ before Giovanni discovered that James was gone.
"Its this way to the stairs to sector A" Cassidy said allowing no emotion into her voice.
James seemed to be getting worse. He had stopped speaking and was relying more and more on Jesse and Butch to keep walking. Jesse was aware that he was trying to use the future sight. She could feel him tense up and hear him whimper softly under his breath. What was he doing? James was so sure it would kill him and yet he was still doing viewings? Jesse wanted to tell him to stop but she was afraid. Afraid of what through? James was killing himself and she was letting him. It hadn't taken Jesse long to work out why James was so ill. Even through she had never said anything she had noticed how tired he had been when they were using the Future Sight for their teams successes. Maybe if she had said something then this could have all been prevented. But it didn't matter now. All that mattered was getting James as far away from Giovanni as soon as possible. Or Jesse knew it was not only James who would suffer.
"James stop that" she whispered in his ear as they paused for breath.
"I can't see any thing" was his reply "Its all gone Jesse"
"You're exhausting yourself James. Just relax"
"I can't" James said. "It hurts…I have to see…"
"Do it again and I will make you stop!" Jesse shouted angrily "God James what do I have to say to get it through to you! You will die if you stay in here! But I'm not going to let that happen!"
"Sorry" he sniffed "I just can't see it"
"James that doesn't matter" Jesse hugged him tightly feeling bad that she had yelled at him. "It may be for the best". If the future sight had by some miracle gone then Jesse realised that she would be happier. Giovanni was the first and would not be the last person to take advantage of James' future sight. Jesse paused by the stairs that Cassidy was all ready climbing up. "Will you be ok with the stairs?" she asked James.
He nodded still reeling from her shouting.
"Cassidy wait up!" Butch called as he lost sight of his friend.
She didn't reply. Butch frowned as if sensing what must have happened. "Wait here" he said to Jesse. He let go of James' arm and hurried to the top of the stairs. "Jesse what's happening?" James asked.
Jesse shook her head and clung onto him. Seconds later they heard yelling.
"Jesse get out of here!" they heard Butch shouting then there were a couple of shots and Butch was silent. The only thing that could be heard was Cassidy screaming. "Come on" Jesse started to drag James back down the stairs as fast as she could. Jesse could hear footsteps behind them and this made her move faster. James couldn't keep up the fast pace for much longer. His legs buckled beneath him sending Jesse and himself falling down the remaining stairs. Jesse landed on her stomach and rolled along the floor of the HQ. She slammed into the opposite wall and came to a stop. Jesse sat up a million stars before her eyes. Rubbing her eyes to clear her vision she looked round for James. He was lying further away in a heap on the floor. "James" Jesse started to go to him when she heard the sound of a gun being loaded. She looked round and what she saw made her heart sink. Giovanni and ten men one of which had Cassidy in his grip. Jesse couldn't see Butch anywhere. Cassidy was sobbing quietly and this earned a slap from one of the other men. "Stop yer crying bitch" the man who slapped her hissed.
Jesse took this distraction to try to get to James. "Don't move" another man shouted aiming his gun at her. "You move an inch in his direction and my men will kill you" Giovanni said coldly but with a flicker of amusement at her hopeless situation in his eyes. James had sat up now and on seeing Giovanni had backed away. "What are you afraid of James?" he called. "I don't want to harm you"
James didn't reply and glanced to Jesse then back to Giovanni again.
"James come here" Giovanni continued.
"No"
"If you don't then you're friend will die"
"James don't listen to him," Jesse shouted angrily.
"Don't be a fool James. I have 2 here I can kill now and 2 more I can find. One of you're friends is already dead. Do you really want to see more die?"
So he killed Butch, James thought still looking at Jesse. Giovanni will kill her anyway. Then it all made sense in his aching mind! The viewing that showed him his grave. Jesse was not in the second one because she too died! Giovanni killed her too. Not only would he die but his Jesse would die too! And maybe Meowth, Cassidy and Mondo. James was terrified. He didn't want to help Giovanni and he didn't want to die. But if he didn't then Jesse would loose her life and he would be the one who ended it! Maybe not in a psychical sense but if he refused what Giovanni wanted then he may as well of.
"Ok" James said at last. "But if you harm Jesse or any of the others in any way then I will not use the future sight for you. And if you kill them then you will not have anything to blackmail me with. You see I am beyond caring what you do to me"
"You cannot give me orders!" Giovanni roared in fury. James had a point but he was not going to be outsmarted by this idiot. "If you do not do as I say then every one whose ever met you will suffer! Do you hear me James? You're friends, you're family, you're enemies. Every one who has ever laid eyes on you will die!"
Cassidy watched as James took a hesitant step towards the Boss. Butch was dead, she had seen Giovanni's men kill him. She had killed him with her greed. She knew how much money Jesse and James had made from completing those missions using the future sight. It was one of the things they had checked out. Cassidy was jealous that they got more for completing one mission than she did completing three! She wanted that much money and had killed her own partner and friend to get it. She may as well of pulled the trigger. Cassidy knew there was one thing she could do for them now. Help them escape. Cassidy struggled and managed to break free from the man holding her. He cried out in surprise and made a lung for her. Cassidy dodged him and made for the stairs. "Get her!" Giovanni yelled. They were distracted. Cassidy knew they would catch her and probably kill her but despite what Jesse may think she did value the friendship they once had. If she could help them get away then she would do it.
Jesse wasted no time in racing to James whilst Cassidy made her dash for the stairs.
"Thank you" Jesse whispered as she and James made a run for it. Behind her Jesse heard a triumphant cry as one of Giovanni's men caught Cassidy. She turned back knowing she had to see what became of her old friend. The man who caught her hit her hard over the head and she fell down. Then Giovanni noticed that his slave was escaping. "James go!" Jesse shouted shoving him forward.
"After them you fools!" Giovanni screamed. Jesse felt terror as she heard them coming. Not terror for her but terror for her friend. Jesse nearly ran into him as James stopped dead.
"James move!" Jesse cried. Then realising that she wasn't helping him she grabbed his arm. "Lean on me come on!"
"Jesse look" James said.
Jesse looked passed him. Talia was standing a few metres away. She was smirking at Jesse and this made her feel very uneasy. At that moment Giovanni and his guards caught up with them. Jesse and James backed away and towards Talia. Jesse felt sure that some thing was going to happen. She was right. Talia was next to them in 2 strides and grabbed hold of James pulling him away from Jesse and the other rockets. "Talia what are you doing?" Jesse demanded. Both she and half of Giovanni's men made towards Talia and James but she pulled back further and produced a gun. James' eyes went wide and he tried to pull away but in his weakened state Talia had the advantage.
She held James tightly round the waist with one hand pinning his arms by his sides and the other hand held the gun that was pressed to his head. "Talia don't be a fool," Giovanni said motioning for his men to back off. Jesse also backed up but not as far as Giovanni had. "You are the fool Giovanni" was the cool reply. "To think what you did to me would go without revenge"
Jesse frowned "Talia you said you were a Pokemon trainer?"
"I lied" Talia snapped. "Giovanni murdered my partner and best friend."
"You were all traitors. What do you hope to achieve by all this?" Giovanni demanded.
Talia laughed shortly. "Do you really have to ask?"
"Talia let James go" Jesse pleaded taking a step towards her friend "He has no part in this"
"You are wrong" Talia hissed hatred burning in her eyes. "He has everything to do with this"
Whilst this was going on James was keeping himself very still. He didn't need the future sight to see where this was heading. He didn't want to die like this. He struggled again but Talia's hold on him was firm. She pressed the gun harder against his head "Keep still James. Struggling will make it worse"
James did as she said his heart beating faster now as Jesse took another tentative step towards them. Jesse could get shot if she tried to help him. "Keep back" Talia's finger was on the trigger now. James stifled a cry and looked pleadingly at Jesse. She sighed in defeat and stepped back.
"Talia what has this got to do with James?" Jesse asked.
Talia ignored her and stared directly at Giovanni as she spoke. "Do you know what it is like to watch someone you love being killed in front of you're eyes?"
"Love is for the weak Talia" Giovanni replied coldly.
"Yes that is what you always say isn't it Giovanni? Well I'll tell you this. I desired to be with my partner Taylor forever. It was the one thing is this sorry world that would make me happy. Well I can't can I? You killed him!"
"Taylor was a traitor Talia" Giovanni seemed bored with the conversation. He turned to the man standing nearest him. "Get her out of my way"
"Sir" he stammered "We can't shoot. We could hit the boy sir"
Giovanni looked angry for a second and then calm again. "Hold you're fire"
"We did what we had to do" Talia continued "I had to save my best friend. She wanted to kill you after the Silph mission killed her partner. She loved him like I loved Taylor. I only betrayed you because it was an easier way of revenge than trying to kill you. You killed Taylor for trying to help a friend. Then you force me to live in that prison in torment of what had happened!"
"Talia you are a fool" Giovanni repeated. "Team Rocket does not tolerate traitors. You all knew the risks"
"I desired Taylor and you took him from me" Talia ignored Giovanni's latest sentence. "Taylor was my only weakness. But I know you're only weakness too. You desire power as I desired Taylor. I was engaged to him! We were going to get married! I want you to know what it feels like to have the one thing you want so close and then ripped away from you!"
"No" Jesse breathed quietly guessing what Talia was going to do.
"What are you saying?" Giovanni asked panic beginning to show on his face.
"I know what James is and I know how you've been using him. I also know that you need him to do 4 more viewings before you can take control of Johto like you have done the Orange Islands and here in Kanto"
"What are you saying?"
"I want you too feel how I did when I saw my dreams and desires disappearing the moment Taylor died! If I kill James then you will have lost and that will give me the most satisfaction and you will know the pain I knew"
"You kill him and my men will shoot you the moment he falls to the floor" Giovanni threatened. Talia laughed "Maybe so but it will give me happiness to know that I managed to hurt you. I will die laughing you heartless bastard"
Giovanni knew he was beaten and said nothing.
"Talia please" Jesse begged as she cried silently "Don't hurt him. James has done nothing to you"
"Believe me Jesse if I could do this any other way I would" Talia said sadly. "But he has to pay"
"Talia he's my best friend" Jesse continued between sobs. They had been so close and now she was going to loose James any way. She couldn't loose him now she just couldn't.
"Nadine was my best friend and Giovanni killed her Jesse. What makes you think I will be different?"
"Because you know what its like to loose a loved one" Jesse pleaded "You wouldn't force me to go through that would you?"
Talia hesitated and relaxed her grip on James slightly. Could she give up her revenge? No she had waited to long for this moment. Nothing would change her mind.
"Talia please"
Talia found herself hesitating again. She could feel James trembling and he was crying too. Jesse must love him and maybe he loved her back as much as Talia knew Taylor loved her. This is silly she thought. I have to kill him but yet she found herself relaxing her grip on the gun. Talia knew that the minute she let go of James she would die.
"Sorry Jesse but believe me this is for the best"
"You are just as heartless as Giovanni" Jesse whispered looking away as tears stained her cheeks. She couldn't watch this.
Talia put her finger back on the trigger but did not pull it. She saw Jesse trembling and sobbing looking away.
That touched a recent and painful memory inside her…
"Please don't hurt her!" Taylor shouted as Giovanni aimed the gun at Nadine's head. The young woman spat in Giovanni's face. "Leave it Taylor." She snapped.
Giovanni pulled the trigger. Nadine slumped down her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Talia screamed as the red blood flowed from the neat bullet hole in her friend's head and onto the carpet. Giovanni pointed at her next. "No" Taylor said firmly. "You said one of us gets to live. Let it be Talia"
"A noble sacrifice" Giovanni said coldly. "Why?"
"I love her," Taylor said without hesitation. As he said these words Giovanni fired the gun and Talia's world shattered. It felt like every thing was moving in slow motion as she raced to her love grabbing his arm checking for a pulse even a faint one. There was no life. He was just like Nadine. Talia screamed and cried bitterly hugging his body to her own until Giovanni got bored of the scene.
He snapped his fingers and the guards grabbed her up. Then he brought his face down to hers.
"Taylor was a fool. The greatest punishment is to live with those images. He has given you the fate worse than death"
"I will kill you Giovanni" Talia shouted as she was dragged from the room "I will kill you!"
"You are just as heartless as Giovanni" Jesse's words pierced right through her. Talia lowered the gun. Giovanni and his men looked on apprehensively. Talia shoved James away from her and started firing in random at Giovanni and his men. One bullet nicked the rocket leader in the shoulder before he fired back. Talia cried out in agony as a bullet hit her in the chest. She went down dropping her own gun. James saw her fall and managed to crawl to her side. Giovanni called his men off when he realised that his slave could get shot. Talia smiled weakly up at him and Jesse.
"I guess I did the right think huh?"
"We might all die anyway" James replied.
"I don't think so…" Talia coughed and James could see blood in the corner of her mouth. She would die. "Talia" he whispered.
"You are too good James" Talia said coughing some more as blood filled her lungs. "Despite what you may believe"
"What do you mean?"
"I may be a bitch but I can see how you feel. I'm sorry James. I never really wanted to hurt you"
"I know. Just try not to talk" James said.
He could see the patch of red on her top getting darker and larger in size. Talia turned her head so she was facing Giovanni "You won't win" she hissed. "You're up against love"
Then she turned to Jesse. "Take care of James"
Talia closed her eyes and shuddered and then was still. Jesse stood slowly with James. They turned round and saw Giovanni and the remainder of the men that Talia hadn't killed with their guns pointed at them.
Talia watched the men assembling outside Giovanni's office. She couldn't get too close and once the power had come back on Giovanni had moved quickly. Soon he would send out a team to collect James from Jesse and the others. Talia didn't recognise the rockets helping Jesse. They were in the black squad, which surprised her. The members of that squad she had met were ruthless and almost as evil as Giovanni himself. Maybe they had connections with Jesse and James that run deeper than just Team Rocket. Talia gripped the gun at her side. Could she still do this? Jesse, from what she had seen and heard, was trying to hard to save her friend and Talia was going to kill him any way. Talia didn't want to hurt James. He was the most gentle person she had ever met. Through Talia had not known him for long she felt that if Jesse lost him then it would be a great loss indeed. Jesse, Talia was sure, was in love with James. She obviously cared about him at the least. Talia was going to do more than kill a human being. She would take away Jesse's partner and only love. But still the desire to see the pain on Giovanni's face when he lost the one person whom he controlled and could rule the world with. Giovanni would suffer and could ultimately result in the rocket leaders death if Talia played her cards right. If James died then Jesse would want revenge. Maybe she could use that to destroy the man she hated most in the world.
Jesse and Cassidy looked up as the power came back. Now they had a race against time to get out of the HQ before Giovanni discovered that James was gone.
"Its this way to the stairs to sector A" Cassidy said allowing no emotion into her voice.
James seemed to be getting worse. He had stopped speaking and was relying more and more on Jesse and Butch to keep walking. Jesse was aware that he was trying to use the future sight. She could feel him tense up and hear him whimper softly under his breath. What was he doing? James was so sure it would kill him and yet he was still doing viewings? Jesse wanted to tell him to stop but she was afraid. Afraid of what through? James was killing himself and she was letting him. It hadn't taken Jesse long to work out why James was so ill. Even through she had never said anything she had noticed how tired he had been when they were using the Future Sight for their teams successes. Maybe if she had said something then this could have all been prevented. But it didn't matter now. All that mattered was getting James as far away from Giovanni as soon as possible. Or Jesse knew it was not only James who would suffer.
"James stop that" she whispered in his ear as they paused for breath.
"I can't see any thing" was his reply "Its all gone Jesse"
"You're exhausting yourself James. Just relax"
"I can't" James said. "It hurts…I have to see…"
"Do it again and I will make you stop!" Jesse shouted angrily "God James what do I have to say to get it through to you! You will die if you stay in here! But I'm not going to let that happen!"
"Sorry" he sniffed "I just can't see it"
"James that doesn't matter" Jesse hugged him tightly feeling bad that she had yelled at him. "It may be for the best". If the future sight had by some miracle gone then Jesse realised that she would be happier. Giovanni was the first and would not be the last person to take advantage of James' future sight. Jesse paused by the stairs that Cassidy was all ready climbing up. "Will you be ok with the stairs?" she asked James.
He nodded still reeling from her shouting.
"Cassidy wait up!" Butch called as he lost sight of his friend.
She didn't reply. Butch frowned as if sensing what must have happened. "Wait here" he said to Jesse. He let go of James' arm and hurried to the top of the stairs. "Jesse what's happening?" James asked.
Jesse shook her head and clung onto him. Seconds later they heard yelling.
"Jesse get out of here!" they heard Butch shouting then there were a couple of shots and Butch was silent. The only thing that could be heard was Cassidy screaming. "Come on" Jesse started to drag James back down the stairs as fast as she could. Jesse could hear footsteps behind them and this made her move faster. James couldn't keep up the fast pace for much longer. His legs buckled beneath him sending Jesse and himself falling down the remaining stairs. Jesse landed on her stomach and rolled along the floor of the HQ. She slammed into the opposite wall and came to a stop. Jesse sat up a million stars before her eyes. Rubbing her eyes to clear her vision she looked round for James. He was lying further away in a heap on the floor. "James" Jesse started to go to him when she heard the sound of a gun being loaded. She looked round and what she saw made her heart sink. Giovanni and ten men one of which had Cassidy in his grip. Jesse couldn't see Butch anywhere. Cassidy was sobbing quietly and this earned a slap from one of the other men. "Stop yer crying bitch" the man who slapped her hissed.
Jesse took this distraction to try to get to James. "Don't move" another man shouted aiming his gun at her. "You move an inch in his direction and my men will kill you" Giovanni said coldly but with a flicker of amusement at her hopeless situation in his eyes. James had sat up now and on seeing Giovanni had backed away. "What are you afraid of James?" he called. "I don't want to harm you"
James didn't reply and glanced to Jesse then back to Giovanni again.
"James come here" Giovanni continued.
"No"
"If you don't then you're friend will die"
"James don't listen to him," Jesse shouted angrily.
"Don't be a fool James. I have 2 here I can kill now and 2 more I can find. One of you're friends is already dead. Do you really want to see more die?"
So he killed Butch, James thought still looking at Jesse. Giovanni will kill her anyway. Then it all made sense in his aching mind! The viewing that showed him his grave. Jesse was not in the second one because she too died! Giovanni killed her too. Not only would he die but his Jesse would die too! And maybe Meowth, Cassidy and Mondo. James was terrified. He didn't want to help Giovanni and he didn't want to die. But if he didn't then Jesse would loose her life and he would be the one who ended it! Maybe not in a psychical sense but if he refused what Giovanni wanted then he may as well of.
"Ok" James said at last. "But if you harm Jesse or any of the others in any way then I will not use the future sight for you. And if you kill them then you will not have anything to blackmail me with. You see I am beyond caring what you do to me"
"You cannot give me orders!" Giovanni roared in fury. James had a point but he was not going to be outsmarted by this idiot. "If you do not do as I say then every one whose ever met you will suffer! Do you hear me James? You're friends, you're family, you're enemies. Every one who has ever laid eyes on you will die!"
Cassidy watched as James took a hesitant step towards the Boss. Butch was dead, she had seen Giovanni's men kill him. She had killed him with her greed. She knew how much money Jesse and James had made from completing those missions using the future sight. It was one of the things they had checked out. Cassidy was jealous that they got more for completing one mission than she did completing three! She wanted that much money and had killed her own partner and friend to get it. She may as well of pulled the trigger. Cassidy knew there was one thing she could do for them now. Help them escape. Cassidy struggled and managed to break free from the man holding her. He cried out in surprise and made a lung for her. Cassidy dodged him and made for the stairs. "Get her!" Giovanni yelled. They were distracted. Cassidy knew they would catch her and probably kill her but despite what Jesse may think she did value the friendship they once had. If she could help them get away then she would do it.
Jesse wasted no time in racing to James whilst Cassidy made her dash for the stairs.
"Thank you" Jesse whispered as she and James made a run for it. Behind her Jesse heard a triumphant cry as one of Giovanni's men caught Cassidy. She turned back knowing she had to see what became of her old friend. The man who caught her hit her hard over the head and she fell down. Then Giovanni noticed that his slave was escaping. "James go!" Jesse shouted shoving him forward.
"After them you fools!" Giovanni screamed. Jesse felt terror as she heard them coming. Not terror for her but terror for her friend. Jesse nearly ran into him as James stopped dead.
"James move!" Jesse cried. Then realising that she wasn't helping him she grabbed his arm. "Lean on me come on!"
"Jesse look" James said.
Jesse looked passed him. Talia was standing a few metres away. She was smirking at Jesse and this made her feel very uneasy. At that moment Giovanni and his guards caught up with them. Jesse and James backed away and towards Talia. Jesse felt sure that some thing was going to happen. She was right. Talia was next to them in 2 strides and grabbed hold of James pulling him away from Jesse and the other rockets. "Talia what are you doing?" Jesse demanded. Both she and half of Giovanni's men made towards Talia and James but she pulled back further and produced a gun. James' eyes went wide and he tried to pull away but in his weakened state Talia had the advantage.
She held James tightly round the waist with one hand pinning his arms by his sides and the other hand held the gun that was pressed to his head. "Talia don't be a fool," Giovanni said motioning for his men to back off. Jesse also backed up but not as far as Giovanni had. "You are the fool Giovanni" was the cool reply. "To think what you did to me would go without revenge"
Jesse frowned "Talia you said you were a Pokemon trainer?"
"I lied" Talia snapped. "Giovanni murdered my partner and best friend."
"You were all traitors. What do you hope to achieve by all this?" Giovanni demanded.
Talia laughed shortly. "Do you really have to ask?"
"Talia let James go" Jesse pleaded taking a step towards her friend "He has no part in this"
"You are wrong" Talia hissed hatred burning in her eyes. "He has everything to do with this"
Whilst this was going on James was keeping himself very still. He didn't need the future sight to see where this was heading. He didn't want to die like this. He struggled again but Talia's hold on him was firm. She pressed the gun harder against his head "Keep still James. Struggling will make it worse"
James did as she said his heart beating faster now as Jesse took another tentative step towards them. Jesse could get shot if she tried to help him. "Keep back" Talia's finger was on the trigger now. James stifled a cry and looked pleadingly at Jesse. She sighed in defeat and stepped back.
"Talia what has this got to do with James?" Jesse asked.
Talia ignored her and stared directly at Giovanni as she spoke. "Do you know what it is like to watch someone you love being killed in front of you're eyes?"
"Love is for the weak Talia" Giovanni replied coldly.
"Yes that is what you always say isn't it Giovanni? Well I'll tell you this. I desired to be with my partner Taylor forever. It was the one thing is this sorry world that would make me happy. Well I can't can I? You killed him!"
"Taylor was a traitor Talia" Giovanni seemed bored with the conversation. He turned to the man standing nearest him. "Get her out of my way"
"Sir" he stammered "We can't shoot. We could hit the boy sir"
Giovanni looked angry for a second and then calm again. "Hold you're fire"
"We did what we had to do" Talia continued "I had to save my best friend. She wanted to kill you after the Silph mission killed her partner. She loved him like I loved Taylor. I only betrayed you because it was an easier way of revenge than trying to kill you. You killed Taylor for trying to help a friend. Then you force me to live in that prison in torment of what had happened!"
"Talia you are a fool" Giovanni repeated. "Team Rocket does not tolerate traitors. You all knew the risks"
"I desired Taylor and you took him from me" Talia ignored Giovanni's latest sentence. "Taylor was my only weakness. But I know you're only weakness too. You desire power as I desired Taylor. I was engaged to him! We were going to get married! I want you to know what it feels like to have the one thing you want so close and then ripped away from you!"
"No" Jesse breathed quietly guessing what Talia was going to do.
"What are you saying?" Giovanni asked panic beginning to show on his face.
"I know what James is and I know how you've been using him. I also know that you need him to do 4 more viewings before you can take control of Johto like you have done the Orange Islands and here in Kanto"
"What are you saying?"
"I want you too feel how I did when I saw my dreams and desires disappearing the moment Taylor died! If I kill James then you will have lost and that will give me the most satisfaction and you will know the pain I knew"
"You kill him and my men will shoot you the moment he falls to the floor" Giovanni threatened. Talia laughed "Maybe so but it will give me happiness to know that I managed to hurt you. I will die laughing you heartless bastard"
Giovanni knew he was beaten and said nothing.
"Talia please" Jesse begged as she cried silently "Don't hurt him. James has done nothing to you"
"Believe me Jesse if I could do this any other way I would" Talia said sadly. "But he has to pay"
"Talia he's my best friend" Jesse continued between sobs. They had been so close and now she was going to loose James any way. She couldn't loose him now she just couldn't.
"Nadine was my best friend and Giovanni killed her Jesse. What makes you think I will be different?"
"Because you know what its like to loose a loved one" Jesse pleaded "You wouldn't force me to go through that would you?"
Talia hesitated and relaxed her grip on James slightly. Could she give up her revenge? No she had waited to long for this moment. Nothing would change her mind.
"Talia please"
Talia found herself hesitating again. She could feel James trembling and he was crying too. Jesse must love him and maybe he loved her back as much as Talia knew Taylor loved her. This is silly she thought. I have to kill him but yet she found herself relaxing her grip on the gun. Talia knew that the minute she let go of James she would die.
"Sorry Jesse but believe me this is for the best"
"You are just as heartless as Giovanni" Jesse whispered looking away as tears stained her cheeks. She couldn't watch this.
Talia put her finger back on the trigger but did not pull it. She saw Jesse trembling and sobbing looking away.
That touched a recent and painful memory inside her…
"Please don't hurt her!" Taylor shouted as Giovanni aimed the gun at Nadine's head. The young woman spat in Giovanni's face. "Leave it Taylor." She snapped.
Giovanni pulled the trigger. Nadine slumped down her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Talia screamed as the red blood flowed from the neat bullet hole in her friend's head and onto the carpet. Giovanni pointed at her next. "No" Taylor said firmly. "You said one of us gets to live. Let it be Talia"
"A noble sacrifice" Giovanni said coldly. "Why?"
"I love her," Taylor said without hesitation. As he said these words Giovanni fired the gun and Talia's world shattered. It felt like every thing was moving in slow motion as she raced to her love grabbing his arm checking for a pulse even a faint one. There was no life. He was just like Nadine. Talia screamed and cried bitterly hugging his body to her own until Giovanni got bored of the scene.
He snapped his fingers and the guards grabbed her up. Then he brought his face down to hers.
"Taylor was a fool. The greatest punishment is to live with those images. He has given you the fate worse than death"
"I will kill you Giovanni" Talia shouted as she was dragged from the room "I will kill you!"
"You are just as heartless as Giovanni" Jesse's words pierced right through her. Talia lowered the gun. Giovanni and his men looked on apprehensively. Talia shoved James away from her and started firing in random at Giovanni and his men. One bullet nicked the rocket leader in the shoulder before he fired back. Talia cried out in agony as a bullet hit her in the chest. She went down dropping her own gun. James saw her fall and managed to crawl to her side. Giovanni called his men off when he realised that his slave could get shot. Talia smiled weakly up at him and Jesse.
"I guess I did the right think huh?"
"We might all die anyway" James replied.
"I don't think so…" Talia coughed and James could see blood in the corner of her mouth. She would die. "Talia" he whispered.
"You are too good James" Talia said coughing some more as blood filled her lungs. "Despite what you may believe"
"What do you mean?"
"I may be a bitch but I can see how you feel. I'm sorry James. I never really wanted to hurt you"
"I know. Just try not to talk" James said.
He could see the patch of red on her top getting darker and larger in size. Talia turned her head so she was facing Giovanni "You won't win" she hissed. "You're up against love"
Then she turned to Jesse. "Take care of James"
Talia closed her eyes and shuddered and then was still. Jesse stood slowly with James. They turned round and saw Giovanni and the remainder of the men that Talia hadn't killed with their guns pointed at them.