Chapter 19: The End
Authors Note: Apologies that this has taken ages to get done but I was rewriting and editing etc to try and get this chapter as good I could. Hopefully I've managed too (this is the 10th rewrite!!!). Just more chapter to go after this and I have it half done and it should be up before Christmas.
~Shari~
Butch felt sick as he walked slowly towards Marcus's office. He was in so much pain that he had hoped that he wouldn't realise what he was about to do. Unfortunately this was not the case. I am going to murder someone. Butch looked down at the gun Amber had given him. Why had he given into her? Once he had killed she would ask him to again and again. There would be no stopping it. Why didn't he just teleport out of here? I have nowhere to go was the answer Butch thought grimly. Cassidy won't want me and neither will anyone else. Butch's mother was in France, where she had fled with her boyfriend after another one of Butch's father's drunken rages left her with numerous bruises and a few broke ribs. Butch could never forgive her for leaving him behind. Finally he left too after his father beat him and then turned a gun on himself. Butch was thought to be dead by everyone except Team Rocket. Giovanni had found him and taken him in. Butch was brought up in Team Rocket alongside Jesse and Cassidy. He could find his mother but it obvious she didn't want him then so why would she now? Butch knew the Darkness was all he had.
The pain came in waves and it was all Butch could do to keep himself from staggering under the agony. Amber had promised him the antidote when he had killed Marcus. She had lied to him. She had no intension of ever releasing Butch or James.
"You can never be released," she had said coldly.
"What of James?" Butch asked not knowing why he actually cared. This was James' fault anyway!
"Don't worry about him" Amber seemed hesitant to answer until Butch pressed her.
"You are the one we have use for" she said at last
Butch knew what that meant. Maybe he should get James out for Jesse? Why did he care about them? Those two and Meowth were always causing him trouble. You see in them what you want with Cassidy and know you can't have a little voice in the back of Butch's head told him.
Butch shook this off. He had a job to do now.
Cassidy froze fearing the men might spot her. She was crouched behind some bushes watching her pursuers moving back towards the hideout. She had managed to collect her thoughts and Cassidy knew that she couldn't live without Butch. She didn't know if she had the strength that Jesse would have to carry out this insane plan she had formed in her mind. Cassidy knew she loved Butch just as much as Jesse loved James. She couldn't live without him. Cassidy tensed up as they came closer. If I can just get inside the HQ then maybe I can find the others and. Do what? What could she do against a whole gang? Jesse beat Team Rocket Cassidy reminded herself. Jesse beat Giovanni and then she killed him. This new gang cannot be any worse than Team Rocket and Giovanni. Cassidy leapt up and started running towards the shrine. Shouts went up and she could hear gunfire. Reaching the shrine she pulled open the trap door inside. As she did so Cassidy felt a pain in her shoulder.
"No time to think about it" she told herself as she climbed down the steps clutching her bleeding shoulder. Cassidy then noticed as she slammed the door on the men and their guns, a small bolt. She slid it across the door. The men cried out angrily and pounded on the door. Cassidy didn't wait to see if they broke it down. She ran down the corridor towards the prison.
Butch got into the office with no trouble using teleport and acid armour to keep himself hidden. Marcus sat behind his desk shuffling some papers. Butch thought back to when he first met this man.
'The man was in his early thirties wearing a grey suit and a loosely knotted green tie. His hair was hazel brown and thinning in places and his small blue eyes just seemed to focus on Amber alone. He squirmed uncomfortably in his leather chair when he felt Butch's eyes on him. He was not exactly what Butch was expecting.'
Marcus even through there was no one else in the room, or so he thought, was still as nervous as he was the day Butch met him. He sat slightly hunched over chewing thoughtfully on a pen lid as he set the papers down and started to type something on his laptop. Butch understood why Amber wanted him dead. The man lacked the backbone and mannerism needed to lead a gang. Giovanni had a presence about him that made even Domino nervous. Butch could still remember the way Giovanni seemed to see right through you. Giovanni had known Butch and Cassidy's ambitions to lead Team Rocket one day. Giovanni had known all their hopes and dreams, all their fears and desires. He had made it his business to know everything about everyone in Team Rocket. Marcus didn't have any of that. No wonder Amber felt that leadership should be hers. Of course this was wrong Butch knew but he didn't have a choice anymore.
Slowly he raised the gun so it was level with Marcus's head. Butch was about to squeeze the trigger when someone jumped in front of him blocking his aim. Butch forced his aching eyes to focus on whom it was who had got in his way.
"James?" he asked in disbelief. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
In his shock Butch allowed himself to become visible again. Marcus stood up knocking his chair over as he did so but made no attempt to run or to call for help.
"Butch put da gun down," Meowth said softly from his perch on James' shoulder. Butch wanted to hand the gun to them more than anything in the world but the pain. It was getting worse. He gritted his teeth and shook his head "Never I have a job to do"
"Butch this isn't a job" James snapped, "Amber is making you do this. You don't have too. Just give me the gun"
"Or what?" Butch said bitterly. "Now move so I can finish the job"
"I am trying to help you"
"I don't need help!"
"Yes you do. I know what its like"
"You liar!" Butch yelled, "Amber told me all about you. The fact that you knew all this time that I had these things inside of me and you stood by and did nothing! I could have died James! Now don't you dare stand in front of me and tell me that you are trying to help"
"I didn't know" James protested "I had no idea until I saw it for myself in a vision." James broke off as Butch's eyes narrowed in anger.
"You saw what happened?"
James looked away from him.
Butch wanted so badly to know what had happened to him that day. He, for a fleeting second, almost dropped the gun. Then a fresh burst of pain stopped that thought. The pain was now so immense that Butch knew he didn't have long left before he collapsed completely. He had to do this.now.
"James get out of my way or I'll kill you first," Butch threatened turning the gun on the startled male.
Meowth whispered something to James. Butch didn't hear what the cat said. He did however hear James' reply. "I can't let him kill Marcus, Meowth. I know what will happen. I have to stop him"
"He'll kill yous," Meowth whispered gripping James' shoulder tightly.
"You have three seconds to move" Butch warned James as his finger reached for the trigger. "One.two.th.." Butch broke off as the door burst open again.
"What the hell is going on?" Amber demanded.
Butch lowered the gun and turned to her "I tried" he cried fearful of what she might do "James got in the way"
"I thought I told you to deal with him?" Amber snapped to the other man who appeared in the doorway.
"That mangy Meowth freed him," Garret stammered. Amber smiled coldly as he gaze settled on Marcus. "It works out better this way don't you think? If Butch had done what he was supposed to do then we would have missed all the fun" With this Amber produced her own gun and shot Marcus in the chest. He gasped in surprise and fell heavily to the floor. James forgot the situation and instinctively knelt down beside the fallen leader. He was alive; blood was dripping from the wound and onto the floor. James knew it was hopeless. Meowth mewed softly and jumped down off James' shoulder. Marcus looked up in a dazed sort of way as Amber came over to them.
"I don't know," she said putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head in mock frustration. "If you want a job doing properly you have to do it yourself"
"Amber" Marcus whispered. "Why? I thought you.loved me?" his words came out pitifully and full of agony.
"Loved you?" Amber laughed scornfully "I never loved you. The only reason I let you anywhere near me was to kill you and take control of this gang. If it weren't for me then they would have all left. The Darkness needs someone strong in charge. You are weak." With that she fired again. Marcus slumped down a bullet in his brain.
Time seemed to stand still then. Garret was pressed back against the doorway his face twisted in horror at what Amber had done. Butch couldn't take his eyes off the body yet part of him felt relief. He didn't want to kill Marcus and now he didn't have too. Amber must have guessed what he was thinking.
"Right" she said showing nothing but indifference to the body that had once been the leader of the Darkness. "Garret how far did you get with your experiments?"
"Not very Madam" he stammered. He too was very afraid Butch realised. Now they had all seen what Amber was capable of. Butch knew that he should never have given into her no matter how great the pain.
"Do you need the subject alive to carry on?" Amber snapped.
Garret's eyes widened at what she was hinting at "I." then he saw the look in her eyes. He would be next if he disagreed through ideally his subject would have to alive. "No Madam" he said.
"Good" Amber raised her gun and fired.
"Which way is it?" Jesse cried as she and the other two women raced down corridor after corridor. Cassidy had found her way to the prison and freed Cally and Jesse. It was then that they had heard the gunfire. Cassidy knew instinctively that Butch was in danger and Jesse had similar fears for James. They had searched in room after room and found nothing.
"They have to be here they just have to be" Jesse was near tears and Cassidy knew that she wasn't doing much better.
"James!" Cally started shouting "Butch? Meowth?"
"Shut up they'll hear you?" Cassidy rounded on her.
"Have you any better ideas?" Jesse demanded.
"Since when were you two friends anyway?" Cassidy shouted. Seeing another door she shoved it open.
"What the hell." Jesse trailed off as they stared at the lab. It was so much like the ones in Team Rocket.
"Look" Cally had picked up a clipboard with notes scribbled on it. Jesse snatched it from her hands.
"Oh god" she whispered. Cassidy looked over her shoulder.
"The TM project led by Jill Andrews and Lillian Jackson was the most and only successful scientific advance in Team Rocket history" Cally began. Except Mewtwo Jesse added to herself. Most of the notes were scientific and didn't make much sense. Cally leafed through the bits of paper trying to find something useful that could help them find out where their friends were. "Listen to this" Cally said. "Attempts to unlock the secret of the TM's has so far been unsuccessful as subject refuses to co-operate"
"Subject?" Jesse asked, "I don't like the sound of that"
"Come on" Cally set the clipboard down "We have to find them"
"Are you sure you're ok?" Jesse asked her as they left the room.
"Yeah" Cally forced a smile "I have to be right Jess?"
"No you don't" Jesse replied. Cassidy was about to ask them what they were talking about when another shot was fired and there was a cry of pain.
Jesse and Cassidy looked at each other. They knew exactly who it was. Jesse's eyes filled with tears as they raced towards the sound praying they got there in time.
James took a step back knowing it would do no good as Amber aimed the gun at his head and fired. He closed his eyes and pictured Jesse; he wanted his last thought to be of her. Then something hit him and it was not the bullet. Someone slammed into him knocking him over. James actually felt the wind as the bullet flew harmlessly passed. James rolled and came to a stop a few inches from Marcus's body.
"Are you ok?" Butch asked getting up from on top of the shocked male.
"I think so" James replied. Butch had used agility to save him but why?
"Butch what the hell are you doing?" Amber screamed
"I won't help you" Butch shouted back his voice wavering slightly under the pain. "You won't use me like this. I won't let you"
Amber uttered an arranged scream "Fine then! You'll spend the rest of your life in my labs. Now get out of the way"
Butch shook his head realising that he was between James and Amber.
"Botch she'll kill you too" James said weakly.
"Shut up" he growled. He couldn't tell James that he owed him for stopping Butch killing Marcus. Those precious seconds had caused Amber to investigate thus stopping Butch. Butch was too proud to admit how grateful he was to James and he didn't want to see the other killed. And by the looks of him James had been doing a viewing before he came here.
"James you are very wrong" Amber said smiling cruelly at the situation "I won't kill Butch. A few months in my labs and he'll be begging me to take him back. However there is one other expendable thing in this room" she whirled round on Meowth who had been crouched low under the desk. She fired before either of them had a chance to react.
"MEOWTH!" James screamed as the feline howled in agony and slumped down. James broke away from Butch and ran to his friend gathering him up in his arms.
"Jimmy" Meowth said softly. Butch came closer too and saw the bullet hole in the cat's side. Meowth's blood was soaking James' jacket and was forming a large puddle on the floor. James was sobbing hysterically and clinging to him. Butch didn't know what to do or say and even Amber looked a little shocked at James' reaction. But that was nothing compared to what would happen next.
James held onto the little cat praying for a miracle that would help him somehow. This couldn't be happening. This limp form couldn't be his friend. James sobbed harder as he thought back on all the good times. Meowth had been with them since they first met the twerp. He made up that little end to their motto. This hadn't seemed much really but it made the motto. Meowth had been there for them so many times and now. James couldn't imagine the cat ever saying anything again.
"Meowth" he sniffed. Meowth's blue eyes locked on James'; they both knew he didn't have long left.
James raised his head and looked at Amber and as he did so that surge of fury he had felt when he was in the lab began rising up again. This time he didn't have the strength or the will to force it back down. Handing the limp Meowth to Butch, James took Garret's gun from under his shirt, where he had been hiding it, and moved towards Amber.
The young woman gave a started cry as James slammed her into the wall and put the gun against her head.
"James what are you doing?" Butch shouted not knowing whether to set Meowth down and do something.
Amber had lost her cool composure the second she felt the gun barrel against her head. "Get this lunatic off of me!" she screamed at Garret. The scientist shook his head and ran for the door.
"Garret!" Amber screamed as he fled.
"James." Butch started towards him but James cut him off.
"Butch get Meowth out of here. You can get him to a Pokemon centre. Then he'll stand a chance"
"But." Butch didn't want to say what he was thinking. He was in actual fact terrified of what James might do if he left him with Amber. Then Butch looked down at the Pokemon in his arms. He knew he had to save Meowth first. He closed his eyes and vanished from the room.
Amber started to panic further when she realised that she was alone with James now. She struggled and screamed as the gun barrel dug into her forehead. "James" she breathed in terror "You don't have to do this. Let me go and I'll turn myself in to the police. I'll do anything you want ok? James?"
James could hear what she was saying clearly but he chose not to focus on those words. Amber had killed Meowth. Even with teleport the chances Butch would get Meowth to a Pokemon Centre in time were remote. James had just told him to, to get Butch away. James doubted he could have stopped the other male if Butch had decided to try to overpower him. James stared at Amber with real hatred. Because of people like her and Giovanni his entire world had come crashing down. Because of this Future Sight he possessed he had lost Jesse; the love of his life and now Meowth was gone. James was left with nothing so he may as well do what they all wanted him to do. He was nothing but a killer anyway. Future Sight destroyed lives and maybe he should give into it? James put his finger on the trigger.
"James don't!" he heard a new voice cry out. James turned round, still pinning Amber tightly to the wall. Jesse, Cassidy and Cally stood in the doorway looking on his horror at the scene before them.
"James don't" Cally repeated, "I've called for back up. Let her go. The police will take care of her". Cally held up a small communicator that she had got when she and Meowth set out for the Shrine.
James shook his head not comprehending what she was saying.
"James" Jesse stepped forward now "Please"
Amber's eyes widened with horror when she heard what Cally had said. She couldn't be arrested. She had sworn to herself that she would never be taken alive. "Go ahead and let me go" she sneered softly so only James could hear her "I'll get out somehow and then I'll track you all down and pick you off one by one. You'll never be safe. I've already killed that mangy Meowth. Next time I'll kill your girlfriend, your family, and your friends. I'll kill them all"
Jesse took a step towards James "James please" she cried. "What are you doing? This isn't you?"
"She's like Giovanni. She won't stop until she's killed us all" James sobbed drawing harsh ragged breaths as he did so. "She killed Meowth, Jesse"
"You're a killer anyway" Amber said bitterly "You murdered those gym leaders. What will one more be?"
Jesse knew what Amber was doing and knew she had to make James see sense. Amber was trying to goad James into killing her. It wasn't his fault at all. James had been through so much and Jesse was surprised he had got through it so far just fine. This was the last straw. But she couldn't let James kill Amber. Even through she was evil this was not right. She had to stop him.
Jesse moved forward and gently put a hand on James' arm. "James don't its not right"
"What does it matter!" James wept, "I killed those gym leaders, I killed Meowth"
Meowth was gone; Jesse felt tears in her eyes. Meowth was as much a part of her life as James was and now he was gone.
"I don't have anything," James continued "This.this curse. It took away everything. I killed Meowth and I've lost you"
"You never lost me" Jesse said softly "I love you that hasn't changed. You should have been honest with me. That's in the past now anyway. We have to look to the future, our future"
"Our future?"
"James I want to be with you"
"Future Sight, it destroys everything" James protested, "I'm better off on my own. I'll only hurt you"
"James it's a part of you now!" Jesse cried, "It will never go away. You have to accept it."
"I did accept it!"
"No you didn't. You fought it and your fighting it now."
James let go of Amber and Jesse took him in her arms "I'm sorry" he cried bitterly.
Jesse said nothing and held him. There was nothing to say so she wept with him making another vow; a vow never to leave him again.
Authors Note: Apologies that this has taken ages to get done but I was rewriting and editing etc to try and get this chapter as good I could. Hopefully I've managed too (this is the 10th rewrite!!!). Just more chapter to go after this and I have it half done and it should be up before Christmas.
~Shari~
Butch felt sick as he walked slowly towards Marcus's office. He was in so much pain that he had hoped that he wouldn't realise what he was about to do. Unfortunately this was not the case. I am going to murder someone. Butch looked down at the gun Amber had given him. Why had he given into her? Once he had killed she would ask him to again and again. There would be no stopping it. Why didn't he just teleport out of here? I have nowhere to go was the answer Butch thought grimly. Cassidy won't want me and neither will anyone else. Butch's mother was in France, where she had fled with her boyfriend after another one of Butch's father's drunken rages left her with numerous bruises and a few broke ribs. Butch could never forgive her for leaving him behind. Finally he left too after his father beat him and then turned a gun on himself. Butch was thought to be dead by everyone except Team Rocket. Giovanni had found him and taken him in. Butch was brought up in Team Rocket alongside Jesse and Cassidy. He could find his mother but it obvious she didn't want him then so why would she now? Butch knew the Darkness was all he had.
The pain came in waves and it was all Butch could do to keep himself from staggering under the agony. Amber had promised him the antidote when he had killed Marcus. She had lied to him. She had no intension of ever releasing Butch or James.
"You can never be released," she had said coldly.
"What of James?" Butch asked not knowing why he actually cared. This was James' fault anyway!
"Don't worry about him" Amber seemed hesitant to answer until Butch pressed her.
"You are the one we have use for" she said at last
Butch knew what that meant. Maybe he should get James out for Jesse? Why did he care about them? Those two and Meowth were always causing him trouble. You see in them what you want with Cassidy and know you can't have a little voice in the back of Butch's head told him.
Butch shook this off. He had a job to do now.
Cassidy froze fearing the men might spot her. She was crouched behind some bushes watching her pursuers moving back towards the hideout. She had managed to collect her thoughts and Cassidy knew that she couldn't live without Butch. She didn't know if she had the strength that Jesse would have to carry out this insane plan she had formed in her mind. Cassidy knew she loved Butch just as much as Jesse loved James. She couldn't live without him. Cassidy tensed up as they came closer. If I can just get inside the HQ then maybe I can find the others and. Do what? What could she do against a whole gang? Jesse beat Team Rocket Cassidy reminded herself. Jesse beat Giovanni and then she killed him. This new gang cannot be any worse than Team Rocket and Giovanni. Cassidy leapt up and started running towards the shrine. Shouts went up and she could hear gunfire. Reaching the shrine she pulled open the trap door inside. As she did so Cassidy felt a pain in her shoulder.
"No time to think about it" she told herself as she climbed down the steps clutching her bleeding shoulder. Cassidy then noticed as she slammed the door on the men and their guns, a small bolt. She slid it across the door. The men cried out angrily and pounded on the door. Cassidy didn't wait to see if they broke it down. She ran down the corridor towards the prison.
Butch got into the office with no trouble using teleport and acid armour to keep himself hidden. Marcus sat behind his desk shuffling some papers. Butch thought back to when he first met this man.
'The man was in his early thirties wearing a grey suit and a loosely knotted green tie. His hair was hazel brown and thinning in places and his small blue eyes just seemed to focus on Amber alone. He squirmed uncomfortably in his leather chair when he felt Butch's eyes on him. He was not exactly what Butch was expecting.'
Marcus even through there was no one else in the room, or so he thought, was still as nervous as he was the day Butch met him. He sat slightly hunched over chewing thoughtfully on a pen lid as he set the papers down and started to type something on his laptop. Butch understood why Amber wanted him dead. The man lacked the backbone and mannerism needed to lead a gang. Giovanni had a presence about him that made even Domino nervous. Butch could still remember the way Giovanni seemed to see right through you. Giovanni had known Butch and Cassidy's ambitions to lead Team Rocket one day. Giovanni had known all their hopes and dreams, all their fears and desires. He had made it his business to know everything about everyone in Team Rocket. Marcus didn't have any of that. No wonder Amber felt that leadership should be hers. Of course this was wrong Butch knew but he didn't have a choice anymore.
Slowly he raised the gun so it was level with Marcus's head. Butch was about to squeeze the trigger when someone jumped in front of him blocking his aim. Butch forced his aching eyes to focus on whom it was who had got in his way.
"James?" he asked in disbelief. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
In his shock Butch allowed himself to become visible again. Marcus stood up knocking his chair over as he did so but made no attempt to run or to call for help.
"Butch put da gun down," Meowth said softly from his perch on James' shoulder. Butch wanted to hand the gun to them more than anything in the world but the pain. It was getting worse. He gritted his teeth and shook his head "Never I have a job to do"
"Butch this isn't a job" James snapped, "Amber is making you do this. You don't have too. Just give me the gun"
"Or what?" Butch said bitterly. "Now move so I can finish the job"
"I am trying to help you"
"I don't need help!"
"Yes you do. I know what its like"
"You liar!" Butch yelled, "Amber told me all about you. The fact that you knew all this time that I had these things inside of me and you stood by and did nothing! I could have died James! Now don't you dare stand in front of me and tell me that you are trying to help"
"I didn't know" James protested "I had no idea until I saw it for myself in a vision." James broke off as Butch's eyes narrowed in anger.
"You saw what happened?"
James looked away from him.
Butch wanted so badly to know what had happened to him that day. He, for a fleeting second, almost dropped the gun. Then a fresh burst of pain stopped that thought. The pain was now so immense that Butch knew he didn't have long left before he collapsed completely. He had to do this.now.
"James get out of my way or I'll kill you first," Butch threatened turning the gun on the startled male.
Meowth whispered something to James. Butch didn't hear what the cat said. He did however hear James' reply. "I can't let him kill Marcus, Meowth. I know what will happen. I have to stop him"
"He'll kill yous," Meowth whispered gripping James' shoulder tightly.
"You have three seconds to move" Butch warned James as his finger reached for the trigger. "One.two.th.." Butch broke off as the door burst open again.
"What the hell is going on?" Amber demanded.
Butch lowered the gun and turned to her "I tried" he cried fearful of what she might do "James got in the way"
"I thought I told you to deal with him?" Amber snapped to the other man who appeared in the doorway.
"That mangy Meowth freed him," Garret stammered. Amber smiled coldly as he gaze settled on Marcus. "It works out better this way don't you think? If Butch had done what he was supposed to do then we would have missed all the fun" With this Amber produced her own gun and shot Marcus in the chest. He gasped in surprise and fell heavily to the floor. James forgot the situation and instinctively knelt down beside the fallen leader. He was alive; blood was dripping from the wound and onto the floor. James knew it was hopeless. Meowth mewed softly and jumped down off James' shoulder. Marcus looked up in a dazed sort of way as Amber came over to them.
"I don't know," she said putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head in mock frustration. "If you want a job doing properly you have to do it yourself"
"Amber" Marcus whispered. "Why? I thought you.loved me?" his words came out pitifully and full of agony.
"Loved you?" Amber laughed scornfully "I never loved you. The only reason I let you anywhere near me was to kill you and take control of this gang. If it weren't for me then they would have all left. The Darkness needs someone strong in charge. You are weak." With that she fired again. Marcus slumped down a bullet in his brain.
Time seemed to stand still then. Garret was pressed back against the doorway his face twisted in horror at what Amber had done. Butch couldn't take his eyes off the body yet part of him felt relief. He didn't want to kill Marcus and now he didn't have too. Amber must have guessed what he was thinking.
"Right" she said showing nothing but indifference to the body that had once been the leader of the Darkness. "Garret how far did you get with your experiments?"
"Not very Madam" he stammered. He too was very afraid Butch realised. Now they had all seen what Amber was capable of. Butch knew that he should never have given into her no matter how great the pain.
"Do you need the subject alive to carry on?" Amber snapped.
Garret's eyes widened at what she was hinting at "I." then he saw the look in her eyes. He would be next if he disagreed through ideally his subject would have to alive. "No Madam" he said.
"Good" Amber raised her gun and fired.
"Which way is it?" Jesse cried as she and the other two women raced down corridor after corridor. Cassidy had found her way to the prison and freed Cally and Jesse. It was then that they had heard the gunfire. Cassidy knew instinctively that Butch was in danger and Jesse had similar fears for James. They had searched in room after room and found nothing.
"They have to be here they just have to be" Jesse was near tears and Cassidy knew that she wasn't doing much better.
"James!" Cally started shouting "Butch? Meowth?"
"Shut up they'll hear you?" Cassidy rounded on her.
"Have you any better ideas?" Jesse demanded.
"Since when were you two friends anyway?" Cassidy shouted. Seeing another door she shoved it open.
"What the hell." Jesse trailed off as they stared at the lab. It was so much like the ones in Team Rocket.
"Look" Cally had picked up a clipboard with notes scribbled on it. Jesse snatched it from her hands.
"Oh god" she whispered. Cassidy looked over her shoulder.
"The TM project led by Jill Andrews and Lillian Jackson was the most and only successful scientific advance in Team Rocket history" Cally began. Except Mewtwo Jesse added to herself. Most of the notes were scientific and didn't make much sense. Cally leafed through the bits of paper trying to find something useful that could help them find out where their friends were. "Listen to this" Cally said. "Attempts to unlock the secret of the TM's has so far been unsuccessful as subject refuses to co-operate"
"Subject?" Jesse asked, "I don't like the sound of that"
"Come on" Cally set the clipboard down "We have to find them"
"Are you sure you're ok?" Jesse asked her as they left the room.
"Yeah" Cally forced a smile "I have to be right Jess?"
"No you don't" Jesse replied. Cassidy was about to ask them what they were talking about when another shot was fired and there was a cry of pain.
Jesse and Cassidy looked at each other. They knew exactly who it was. Jesse's eyes filled with tears as they raced towards the sound praying they got there in time.
James took a step back knowing it would do no good as Amber aimed the gun at his head and fired. He closed his eyes and pictured Jesse; he wanted his last thought to be of her. Then something hit him and it was not the bullet. Someone slammed into him knocking him over. James actually felt the wind as the bullet flew harmlessly passed. James rolled and came to a stop a few inches from Marcus's body.
"Are you ok?" Butch asked getting up from on top of the shocked male.
"I think so" James replied. Butch had used agility to save him but why?
"Butch what the hell are you doing?" Amber screamed
"I won't help you" Butch shouted back his voice wavering slightly under the pain. "You won't use me like this. I won't let you"
Amber uttered an arranged scream "Fine then! You'll spend the rest of your life in my labs. Now get out of the way"
Butch shook his head realising that he was between James and Amber.
"Botch she'll kill you too" James said weakly.
"Shut up" he growled. He couldn't tell James that he owed him for stopping Butch killing Marcus. Those precious seconds had caused Amber to investigate thus stopping Butch. Butch was too proud to admit how grateful he was to James and he didn't want to see the other killed. And by the looks of him James had been doing a viewing before he came here.
"James you are very wrong" Amber said smiling cruelly at the situation "I won't kill Butch. A few months in my labs and he'll be begging me to take him back. However there is one other expendable thing in this room" she whirled round on Meowth who had been crouched low under the desk. She fired before either of them had a chance to react.
"MEOWTH!" James screamed as the feline howled in agony and slumped down. James broke away from Butch and ran to his friend gathering him up in his arms.
"Jimmy" Meowth said softly. Butch came closer too and saw the bullet hole in the cat's side. Meowth's blood was soaking James' jacket and was forming a large puddle on the floor. James was sobbing hysterically and clinging to him. Butch didn't know what to do or say and even Amber looked a little shocked at James' reaction. But that was nothing compared to what would happen next.
James held onto the little cat praying for a miracle that would help him somehow. This couldn't be happening. This limp form couldn't be his friend. James sobbed harder as he thought back on all the good times. Meowth had been with them since they first met the twerp. He made up that little end to their motto. This hadn't seemed much really but it made the motto. Meowth had been there for them so many times and now. James couldn't imagine the cat ever saying anything again.
"Meowth" he sniffed. Meowth's blue eyes locked on James'; they both knew he didn't have long left.
James raised his head and looked at Amber and as he did so that surge of fury he had felt when he was in the lab began rising up again. This time he didn't have the strength or the will to force it back down. Handing the limp Meowth to Butch, James took Garret's gun from under his shirt, where he had been hiding it, and moved towards Amber.
The young woman gave a started cry as James slammed her into the wall and put the gun against her head.
"James what are you doing?" Butch shouted not knowing whether to set Meowth down and do something.
Amber had lost her cool composure the second she felt the gun barrel against her head. "Get this lunatic off of me!" she screamed at Garret. The scientist shook his head and ran for the door.
"Garret!" Amber screamed as he fled.
"James." Butch started towards him but James cut him off.
"Butch get Meowth out of here. You can get him to a Pokemon centre. Then he'll stand a chance"
"But." Butch didn't want to say what he was thinking. He was in actual fact terrified of what James might do if he left him with Amber. Then Butch looked down at the Pokemon in his arms. He knew he had to save Meowth first. He closed his eyes and vanished from the room.
Amber started to panic further when she realised that she was alone with James now. She struggled and screamed as the gun barrel dug into her forehead. "James" she breathed in terror "You don't have to do this. Let me go and I'll turn myself in to the police. I'll do anything you want ok? James?"
James could hear what she was saying clearly but he chose not to focus on those words. Amber had killed Meowth. Even with teleport the chances Butch would get Meowth to a Pokemon Centre in time were remote. James had just told him to, to get Butch away. James doubted he could have stopped the other male if Butch had decided to try to overpower him. James stared at Amber with real hatred. Because of people like her and Giovanni his entire world had come crashing down. Because of this Future Sight he possessed he had lost Jesse; the love of his life and now Meowth was gone. James was left with nothing so he may as well do what they all wanted him to do. He was nothing but a killer anyway. Future Sight destroyed lives and maybe he should give into it? James put his finger on the trigger.
"James don't!" he heard a new voice cry out. James turned round, still pinning Amber tightly to the wall. Jesse, Cassidy and Cally stood in the doorway looking on his horror at the scene before them.
"James don't" Cally repeated, "I've called for back up. Let her go. The police will take care of her". Cally held up a small communicator that she had got when she and Meowth set out for the Shrine.
James shook his head not comprehending what she was saying.
"James" Jesse stepped forward now "Please"
Amber's eyes widened with horror when she heard what Cally had said. She couldn't be arrested. She had sworn to herself that she would never be taken alive. "Go ahead and let me go" she sneered softly so only James could hear her "I'll get out somehow and then I'll track you all down and pick you off one by one. You'll never be safe. I've already killed that mangy Meowth. Next time I'll kill your girlfriend, your family, and your friends. I'll kill them all"
Jesse took a step towards James "James please" she cried. "What are you doing? This isn't you?"
"She's like Giovanni. She won't stop until she's killed us all" James sobbed drawing harsh ragged breaths as he did so. "She killed Meowth, Jesse"
"You're a killer anyway" Amber said bitterly "You murdered those gym leaders. What will one more be?"
Jesse knew what Amber was doing and knew she had to make James see sense. Amber was trying to goad James into killing her. It wasn't his fault at all. James had been through so much and Jesse was surprised he had got through it so far just fine. This was the last straw. But she couldn't let James kill Amber. Even through she was evil this was not right. She had to stop him.
Jesse moved forward and gently put a hand on James' arm. "James don't its not right"
"What does it matter!" James wept, "I killed those gym leaders, I killed Meowth"
Meowth was gone; Jesse felt tears in her eyes. Meowth was as much a part of her life as James was and now he was gone.
"I don't have anything," James continued "This.this curse. It took away everything. I killed Meowth and I've lost you"
"You never lost me" Jesse said softly "I love you that hasn't changed. You should have been honest with me. That's in the past now anyway. We have to look to the future, our future"
"Our future?"
"James I want to be with you"
"Future Sight, it destroys everything" James protested, "I'm better off on my own. I'll only hurt you"
"James it's a part of you now!" Jesse cried, "It will never go away. You have to accept it."
"I did accept it!"
"No you didn't. You fought it and your fighting it now."
James let go of Amber and Jesse took him in her arms "I'm sorry" he cried bitterly.
Jesse said nothing and held him. There was nothing to say so she wept with him making another vow; a vow never to leave him again.