Chapter Eighteen: Making things Right
James came too slowly not wanting to open his eyes and face that evil scientist again. Instead he allowed himself to fully wake up. What had that man done to him? James shuddered just thinking about it. He moved his arms and legs. They were bound down to the bed he was on. The good news was that he couldn't feel any pain so maybe that crazed man had left him alone? James was also feeling stronger than before. His mind had, had a chance to rest whilst he was unconscious he realised. James could hear Garret moving around near him and suddenly he felt a jab as the man injected a needle into his arm. James opened his eyes despite his resolve not too.
"Ah you're back with us" Garret smirked as he finished taking the blood sample and went back to his corner of the lab.
"What have you done to me?" James demanded testing the restraints and finding them secure.
Garret took his time in answering and the seconds of silence increased James' fear. "Not a lot to be quite honest. I took some blood and ran some tests on the samples. I also monitored your brainwave pattern for half an hour. Its really interesting" he smiled and held up a chart he had printed out from his computer. "This is when you first fell unconscious," he pointed to a line that went up and down quite erratically. "Then after twenty minutes or so they settled down" Garret then indicated a more normal line. "Fascinating to watch"
James wasn't really listening to what Garret was saying. He was too relieved that the man hadn't cut him open or anything whilst he'd been out.
"There will be other tests to come" Garret said seeing James' relief "Painful ones but Amber was insistent that you be conscious for them and that she was here to watch"
"Your sick" James whispered, "You both are"
Garret didn't like this. He struck James again this time a lot harder. "Don't talk about my Amber that way" he hissed taking pleasure when he saw blood run down the corner of James' mouth "If you want to survive long down here then I suggest you start giving me the respect I deserve"
"You deserve to rot in hell," James said. He closed his eyes as an intense wave of anger over came him. It was so powerful that James actually felt afraid. He firmly crushed it and turned his attention back to Garret.
"I'd watch that mouth" Garret warned, "You are the one bound James not I" The threat was obvious and as much as James hated to admit it he knew that he would have to keep calm unless he wanted to experience immense pain. With that the anger surfaced again. Why should he? This was what got him in trouble with Future Sight in the first place! He was a quiet shy boy that was Jesse's best friend and that was why Giovanni picked him for this! This nightmare that would never go away and cost James everything that he loved.
"What do you want from me?" James asked softly.
"To find out the secret of the TM's of course," Garret replied as if it was obvious. "Marlene was a clever girl I'll give her that but I am her brother and I can work out what she did. Then I can make more and Amber won't need Butch either. Why do you think you are down here? What better way to find out how to create a TM than to study one of the two with the powers of them?"
"You have to let me go. This isn't right" James cried panic consuming him. He couldn't let himself be used like this! This was worse than what Giovanni did to him! James struggled again to no avail.
"Yes you should get used to it" Garret hissed, "You are going to spend the rest of your miserable life down here as my lab ratatta"
Cally looked up from her prison when she heard the angry shouts of a familiar young woman. She and Meowth hadn't been expecting the guards as Meowth had thought the Darkness didn't bother about security. The shackles round her wrists were uncomfortable as they were painful. Still this was the least of her worries. Cally shuddered remembering the second in command all too well.
"So this is the girl who killed three of my guards," the red haired woman sneered as Cally was forced down onto her knees as a sign of submission. "I know you. You're a Jenny aren't you? The runt of the family. Don't look so surprised. We have agents everywhere. I know everything about anyone girl"
Cally didn't like Amber's eyes. There was something about them that sent a chill down her spine. When she looked into them Cally felt pure evil. Eyes were the windows to the soul and all Cally felt was hatred when she looked into Amber's. Amber was ruthless and cruel and lacked any warmth or emotion. Cally had never seen such like Amber and never wanted to again. Amber knew just how to hurt someone. Just by looking at you she knew all your secrets, fears, betrayals and loves.
"She's all yours" Amber had said to the guards holding her. Cally felt wet tears falling down her cheeks. Even now she could still feel them on her, taking it in turns while one held her down and. She couldn't think of this now she had a job to do. Cally watched in silence as Jesse was thrust roughly into the prison. Unlike Cally her wrists weren't bound. Then the door was slammed shut and a metal key turned in the lock. Jesse leapt up and started screaming at the retreating guards.
"Where's James? Where are you keeping him? Let me go! I have to find him!"
This continued until the guards were out of sight. Jesse then sank down sobbing to herself.
"Jesse?" Cally spoke only because she needed someone right now. And she had to warn her of what they did to people who pissed Amber off.
"What are you doing here?" Jesse demanded icily.
"I came to help" Cally looked away from her former friends burning gaze.
"I saw you and Meowth. We followed you but they caught me. Cassidy got away. She's going to try to get us out of here. I hope"
"I hope she gets away"
"You bitch!" Jesse slapped Cally hard round the face. The policewoman flinched and uttered a sob. Only then did Jesse notice the bruising on her face.
"What the hell?"
Cally suddenly felt ashamed of what had happened. It wouldn't have happened if she had done her job and reported the Darkness's HQ instead of letting her feelings obstruct her from her work. She had blown her career and any chance of happiness all at once. She didn't want Jesse's sympathy. She just wanted to be left alone!
"Cally what happened?" Jesse's anger had died now and she was looking at her with real concern.
"I paid the price for helping you" Cally hissed, "Now leave me alone unless you have a knife or anything that can help me end it all right now!"
Jesse sat back shocked by this sudden change in Cally. Then she understood it all. "Cally" Jesse moaned burying her face in her hands. Jesse took a few minutes to collect herself before going hesitantly to her friend's side. Cally shrugged her off at first but Jesse ignored her and held her as Cally's resolve to be strong cracked and she broke down.
Cassidy ran and ran until she could no longer hear the heavy footsteps of the men as they gave chase. Sighing with relief she leaned back against a tree gulping in air as her racing heart steadied and she could breath normally again. What could she do now? She was lost in the middle of this forest and was alone. Butch, James, Jesse, Cally, Meowth they had all been caught leaving her on her own and completely helpless. If only she knew where she was! Then she could get police help, as they should have done from the beginning. The only thing Cassidy knew for certain was where the shrine was and she did not want to go back there. She knew this was cowardly but what could she do? She was alone and had no weapons and not even her Pokemon to help her. Cassidy cried out in frustration and kicked the trunk of the tree she had been leaning against. She thought again to Butch. The man she loved and cared for more than her own life was in that shrine and there wasn't a damn thing she could do to get him out of there! Cassidy didn't have Jesse's confidence as much as she had tried to hide it she really admired and looked up to Jesse's determination. Jesse had courage and the unshakable faith that she could rescue James. Cassidy had doubts and fears like any one else. Jesse believed her love for James was strong enough to beat this gang. Cassidy knew she loved Butch as much as Jesse loved James but she was still a frightened young woman and was terrified of being alone.
Meowth winced as another white claw snapped off as he struggled with the lock on the lab door. That mad scientist Garret had left a few minutes earlier but Meowth knew that he would be back and he had to get James out of there before he did. "Dis ain't working" Meowth mumbled to himself as his last claw broke under the lock. I should have been practicing dis he thought. Most Meowth's could successfully pick locks with their claws but all Meowth did was cause himself pain trying. The little cat looked up when he heard footsteps coming towards him. "Time for plan b" he muttered as he crouched low under a small desk waiting until Garret unlocked the door. The scientist was carrying a variety of different bottles with liquid inside them and was sniggering to himself. Meowth knew whatever Garret had planned it was bad. As soon as the man opened the door Meowth bolted towards him. Garret leapt back into the room dropping the bottles onto the tiled floor. Meowth screeched and lunged at the man knocking him into his desk. Garret hit his head on the corner of the desk and didn't get up. Meowth clambered off of him and looked round the room for James once he was sure Garret was going anywhere. "Jimmy!" he saw him bound to a bed in the centre of the room.
"Meowth" James seemed equally happy too see his friend. Meowth worked at gnawing the ropes that held James off. Once he was free James scooped Meowth up in a hug. Meowth would protest normally but he was relieved to see James was more or less all right.
"Dat nut didn't hurt ya did he?" Meowth asked once James had set him down.
James' smile faded as he knelt down beside Garret's limp form.
"James?" Meowth asked again not understanding what his friend was doing.
James located the handgun tucked into Garret's belt. "I saw what is going to happen Meowth," he said checking the gun for ammo and finding it fully loaded. "Amber's going to kill Marcus"
"Whose Amber and Marcus?"
"Marcus is the leader of the Darkness and Amber is his second in command. Amber wants control of the gang and she is going to force Butch to murder Marcus for her"
"I don't understand!" Meowth called as James walked briskly to the open door "What would Butch kill Marcus? And where are yous going?"
"Its my fault this all started" James said without looking back "I have to make things right."
"What are yous going to do?"
"Whatever I have too"
Meowth didn't like the sound of this. What was going on? "Well Meowth is coming too," he said determinedly. James smiled and picked Meowth up again "I always knew I could depend on you"
"Of course ya can James" Meowth said softly "I'm your friend remember?"
James didn't reply. Meowth settled down on his friend's head for a ride. Oh Jimmy Meowth said to himself I hope yous know what yous are doing.
James came too slowly not wanting to open his eyes and face that evil scientist again. Instead he allowed himself to fully wake up. What had that man done to him? James shuddered just thinking about it. He moved his arms and legs. They were bound down to the bed he was on. The good news was that he couldn't feel any pain so maybe that crazed man had left him alone? James was also feeling stronger than before. His mind had, had a chance to rest whilst he was unconscious he realised. James could hear Garret moving around near him and suddenly he felt a jab as the man injected a needle into his arm. James opened his eyes despite his resolve not too.
"Ah you're back with us" Garret smirked as he finished taking the blood sample and went back to his corner of the lab.
"What have you done to me?" James demanded testing the restraints and finding them secure.
Garret took his time in answering and the seconds of silence increased James' fear. "Not a lot to be quite honest. I took some blood and ran some tests on the samples. I also monitored your brainwave pattern for half an hour. Its really interesting" he smiled and held up a chart he had printed out from his computer. "This is when you first fell unconscious," he pointed to a line that went up and down quite erratically. "Then after twenty minutes or so they settled down" Garret then indicated a more normal line. "Fascinating to watch"
James wasn't really listening to what Garret was saying. He was too relieved that the man hadn't cut him open or anything whilst he'd been out.
"There will be other tests to come" Garret said seeing James' relief "Painful ones but Amber was insistent that you be conscious for them and that she was here to watch"
"Your sick" James whispered, "You both are"
Garret didn't like this. He struck James again this time a lot harder. "Don't talk about my Amber that way" he hissed taking pleasure when he saw blood run down the corner of James' mouth "If you want to survive long down here then I suggest you start giving me the respect I deserve"
"You deserve to rot in hell," James said. He closed his eyes as an intense wave of anger over came him. It was so powerful that James actually felt afraid. He firmly crushed it and turned his attention back to Garret.
"I'd watch that mouth" Garret warned, "You are the one bound James not I" The threat was obvious and as much as James hated to admit it he knew that he would have to keep calm unless he wanted to experience immense pain. With that the anger surfaced again. Why should he? This was what got him in trouble with Future Sight in the first place! He was a quiet shy boy that was Jesse's best friend and that was why Giovanni picked him for this! This nightmare that would never go away and cost James everything that he loved.
"What do you want from me?" James asked softly.
"To find out the secret of the TM's of course," Garret replied as if it was obvious. "Marlene was a clever girl I'll give her that but I am her brother and I can work out what she did. Then I can make more and Amber won't need Butch either. Why do you think you are down here? What better way to find out how to create a TM than to study one of the two with the powers of them?"
"You have to let me go. This isn't right" James cried panic consuming him. He couldn't let himself be used like this! This was worse than what Giovanni did to him! James struggled again to no avail.
"Yes you should get used to it" Garret hissed, "You are going to spend the rest of your miserable life down here as my lab ratatta"
Cally looked up from her prison when she heard the angry shouts of a familiar young woman. She and Meowth hadn't been expecting the guards as Meowth had thought the Darkness didn't bother about security. The shackles round her wrists were uncomfortable as they were painful. Still this was the least of her worries. Cally shuddered remembering the second in command all too well.
"So this is the girl who killed three of my guards," the red haired woman sneered as Cally was forced down onto her knees as a sign of submission. "I know you. You're a Jenny aren't you? The runt of the family. Don't look so surprised. We have agents everywhere. I know everything about anyone girl"
Cally didn't like Amber's eyes. There was something about them that sent a chill down her spine. When she looked into them Cally felt pure evil. Eyes were the windows to the soul and all Cally felt was hatred when she looked into Amber's. Amber was ruthless and cruel and lacked any warmth or emotion. Cally had never seen such like Amber and never wanted to again. Amber knew just how to hurt someone. Just by looking at you she knew all your secrets, fears, betrayals and loves.
"She's all yours" Amber had said to the guards holding her. Cally felt wet tears falling down her cheeks. Even now she could still feel them on her, taking it in turns while one held her down and. She couldn't think of this now she had a job to do. Cally watched in silence as Jesse was thrust roughly into the prison. Unlike Cally her wrists weren't bound. Then the door was slammed shut and a metal key turned in the lock. Jesse leapt up and started screaming at the retreating guards.
"Where's James? Where are you keeping him? Let me go! I have to find him!"
This continued until the guards were out of sight. Jesse then sank down sobbing to herself.
"Jesse?" Cally spoke only because she needed someone right now. And she had to warn her of what they did to people who pissed Amber off.
"What are you doing here?" Jesse demanded icily.
"I came to help" Cally looked away from her former friends burning gaze.
"I saw you and Meowth. We followed you but they caught me. Cassidy got away. She's going to try to get us out of here. I hope"
"I hope she gets away"
"You bitch!" Jesse slapped Cally hard round the face. The policewoman flinched and uttered a sob. Only then did Jesse notice the bruising on her face.
"What the hell?"
Cally suddenly felt ashamed of what had happened. It wouldn't have happened if she had done her job and reported the Darkness's HQ instead of letting her feelings obstruct her from her work. She had blown her career and any chance of happiness all at once. She didn't want Jesse's sympathy. She just wanted to be left alone!
"Cally what happened?" Jesse's anger had died now and she was looking at her with real concern.
"I paid the price for helping you" Cally hissed, "Now leave me alone unless you have a knife or anything that can help me end it all right now!"
Jesse sat back shocked by this sudden change in Cally. Then she understood it all. "Cally" Jesse moaned burying her face in her hands. Jesse took a few minutes to collect herself before going hesitantly to her friend's side. Cally shrugged her off at first but Jesse ignored her and held her as Cally's resolve to be strong cracked and she broke down.
Cassidy ran and ran until she could no longer hear the heavy footsteps of the men as they gave chase. Sighing with relief she leaned back against a tree gulping in air as her racing heart steadied and she could breath normally again. What could she do now? She was lost in the middle of this forest and was alone. Butch, James, Jesse, Cally, Meowth they had all been caught leaving her on her own and completely helpless. If only she knew where she was! Then she could get police help, as they should have done from the beginning. The only thing Cassidy knew for certain was where the shrine was and she did not want to go back there. She knew this was cowardly but what could she do? She was alone and had no weapons and not even her Pokemon to help her. Cassidy cried out in frustration and kicked the trunk of the tree she had been leaning against. She thought again to Butch. The man she loved and cared for more than her own life was in that shrine and there wasn't a damn thing she could do to get him out of there! Cassidy didn't have Jesse's confidence as much as she had tried to hide it she really admired and looked up to Jesse's determination. Jesse had courage and the unshakable faith that she could rescue James. Cassidy had doubts and fears like any one else. Jesse believed her love for James was strong enough to beat this gang. Cassidy knew she loved Butch as much as Jesse loved James but she was still a frightened young woman and was terrified of being alone.
Meowth winced as another white claw snapped off as he struggled with the lock on the lab door. That mad scientist Garret had left a few minutes earlier but Meowth knew that he would be back and he had to get James out of there before he did. "Dis ain't working" Meowth mumbled to himself as his last claw broke under the lock. I should have been practicing dis he thought. Most Meowth's could successfully pick locks with their claws but all Meowth did was cause himself pain trying. The little cat looked up when he heard footsteps coming towards him. "Time for plan b" he muttered as he crouched low under a small desk waiting until Garret unlocked the door. The scientist was carrying a variety of different bottles with liquid inside them and was sniggering to himself. Meowth knew whatever Garret had planned it was bad. As soon as the man opened the door Meowth bolted towards him. Garret leapt back into the room dropping the bottles onto the tiled floor. Meowth screeched and lunged at the man knocking him into his desk. Garret hit his head on the corner of the desk and didn't get up. Meowth clambered off of him and looked round the room for James once he was sure Garret was going anywhere. "Jimmy!" he saw him bound to a bed in the centre of the room.
"Meowth" James seemed equally happy too see his friend. Meowth worked at gnawing the ropes that held James off. Once he was free James scooped Meowth up in a hug. Meowth would protest normally but he was relieved to see James was more or less all right.
"Dat nut didn't hurt ya did he?" Meowth asked once James had set him down.
James' smile faded as he knelt down beside Garret's limp form.
"James?" Meowth asked again not understanding what his friend was doing.
James located the handgun tucked into Garret's belt. "I saw what is going to happen Meowth," he said checking the gun for ammo and finding it fully loaded. "Amber's going to kill Marcus"
"Whose Amber and Marcus?"
"Marcus is the leader of the Darkness and Amber is his second in command. Amber wants control of the gang and she is going to force Butch to murder Marcus for her"
"I don't understand!" Meowth called as James walked briskly to the open door "What would Butch kill Marcus? And where are yous going?"
"Its my fault this all started" James said without looking back "I have to make things right."
"What are yous going to do?"
"Whatever I have too"
Meowth didn't like the sound of this. What was going on? "Well Meowth is coming too," he said determinedly. James smiled and picked Meowth up again "I always knew I could depend on you"
"Of course ya can James" Meowth said softly "I'm your friend remember?"
James didn't reply. Meowth settled down on his friend's head for a ride. Oh Jimmy Meowth said to himself I hope yous know what yous are doing.