Note to FF.net readers: This story is still subject to minor revision for grammar or structure.

The following fanfiction contains some violent content. Reader discretion is advised.

-=-=-=-=-

Kidnapped (Revised)
by TG

(Part Three of Fate's Game)


"There's gotta be a better way to make a living.."
"You can always shovel cow crap."

-=-=-=-=-

"Excuse me, are you James Kojiro?"

James looked up from the stack of roses and his drink. He had bought the roses while on his way back to Alan and Ann's. It had been nearly a week since the night he and Jessie had shared a deep kiss. But for some reason, she was afraid to keep going. There had been looks, and occasionally he could hold her hand. But there wasn't anything else. He was hoping the roses would do something.

"Yes, I'm James Kojiro, who wants to know?"

The gentleman was wearing a dark trenchcoat. "I've got a message here for you, from Jessie." He pulled out a small card and presented it.

James reached out for the card. As his fingers grasped it, a jolt shot through him. He felt all of his muscles spasm painfully, and then the pain overwhelmed him. He fell against the table with a gurgle.

Several patrons rushed over. The gentleman backed up a few paces. A man walked over with a badge and wearing a light blue uniform. "I'm an EMT, let me through.."

The ambulance pulled up and another gentleman, also an EMT, leapt out. Together they put James on a wheeled stretcher and carefully strapped him down. They wheeled him into the back of the ambulance and took off, sirens blaring.

The restaurant's assistant manager walked out, and looked around. "What just happened?"

An old woman pointed at the table. "There was a man sitting there. He passed out, and a nice paramedic made sure he got to an ambulance."

The assistant manager looked among the crowd of patrons. "Who called the paramedics?" He sighed when the crowd chattered, looking for the individual who obviously used their mobile phone. He finally gave up, then noticed the flowers. He grabbed the stack of roses and walked back inside, to the phone. He dialed a number. "Spring showers bloom blue flowers. Yeah, him."

"Supervisor here. Are you secure?"

The assistant closed the door and set two small devices on the phone. "Ready here."

"Five by five. What do you have to report?"

"Your little boy blue just disappeared."

"Disappeared, how?"

"Knock-out and rescue. Looks very professional."

"Dammit to hell! Please tell me there's evidence."

"A stack of roses, the card just says 'I love you, J.'"

The voice over the telephone sighed. "Okay, I'll send someone by to grab the flowers. Did anybody see these goons?"

"I'll have that information packaged with the flowers, sir. I'm outta here." He hung up the phone, and walked out to find his witnesses.

-=-=-=-=-

Cassidy yawned. She hated mornings. Especially when it involved business. The last week had been... interesting. She discovered that Jessie was a very private person, and very insecure with herself. A 180-degree turn from when she had met the fellow Rocket as a recruit. Then Jessie was brash, and bold... perfectly secure in her position as the top bitch. Something about the last few days had eroded away all the animosity she bore the red-headed Rocket.

Gasglow shook his head and sat back. "I can't believe it... This came from totally off our radar!"

Cassidy shifted uneasily in her chair. "What came off where?"

Gasglow looked at Cassidy in a very serious stare. "I am talking about the fact that James has been kidnapped."

That woke them up!

Butch sipped his coffee. "What the hell does James got that's worth kidnapping? The guy-"

"Is ridiculously wealthy." Gasglow sat forward and examined his computer monitor.

Butch managed to keep from choking. "Rich? You mean he has actual money somewhere?"

Cassidy folded her arms. "You'd know this if you had read his file."

Gasglow continued to examine the info displayed on his monitor. "His family is rich. It also has its tendrils in everything, and I mean everything there is to be involved in."

"Team Rocket?"

Gasglow sat back and looked at Cassidy. "Team Rocket has many patrons. It takes a great deal more money and influence than what Giovanni could muster to run things..."

Cassidy shook her head in disgust.

Butch shrugged. "As long as I don't have to take orders from him.."

Gasglow examined the monitor again. "No, no.. James is quite estranged from his parents. And I didn't mean to suggest Team Blue has any ties with them."

Cassidy thought for a moment. "Wait, he's estranged? You don't think..."

Gasglow put his finger on his nose. "Good idea. We already checked the Rochester Estate. James isn't there, but neither are his parents."

Butch finished his coffee. "Does Jessie know about this?"

Gasglow nodded. "The local law enforcement has already processed the abduction report, and the media are going to report it at noon. I'm sure Jessie will find out then."

"What are we going to do?" asked the fiery red-head.

Gasglow clasped his hands. "You two are going to help Jessie rescue him."

Cassidy looked at Butch, who shrugged. "It could be worse."

-=-=-=-=-

Cassidy looked at her watch. 12:29 PM. She knocked on the door. There was a thumping sound, and then the door creaked open. "Hello?"

"Yah, watta ya want?"

Cassidy looked down. "Meowth, is Jessie here?"

"Yah, but I don' dink ya wanna see her..."

Jessie's voice sounded behind the feline. "Let her in, Meowth!"

Cassidy walked in and immediately was floored. Sitting on the couch, only wearing her nightshirt, was Jessie. What shocked her, though, was Jessie's mangled hair, and the dark bags under her blood-shot eyes. An empty box of Kleenex sat next to her, and a fresh one was on her lap.

"Jess?"

Jessie looked up. "He's... gone."

Cassidy looked around. "Are Ann and Alan here?"

Meowth shook his head. "Newp, dose two got call'd in by da boss." He wandered into the kitchen.

Cassidy sat down next to Jessie. She looked at Jessie, almost disbelieving of the pity and pain she felt for this woman who once called her an enemy. "He's not dead..."

Jessie shook her head, more tears starting to flow. "You don't know Giovanni..."

Cassidy sat back in surprise. "You think Giovanni kidnapped him?"

Jessie shook her head again. "I think Giovanni killed him.."

"No way.. Trust me, Giovanni had nothing to do with it."

Jessie looked at Cassidy, anger flaring in her eyes. "What do you know about him? You have no idea what he's like when he's angry!" She continued looking at Cassidy for a moment, before she started sobbing.

Cassidy uneasily held her. "Hey, when it happened we were in a meeting with the boss. Besides, why would he want to kidnap or kill James?"

Jessie looked up at Cassidy. "He.. wants to keep me and James apart."

Cassidy looked down at her. "Well, I'll have you know Giovanni was really upset about this. He's put me and Butch on the trail. He said something about James' parents..." She knew it was a total lie, but figured Jessie would never question Giovanni about it.

Jessie moved back. "Really? James' parents.." She leapt up. "I'll hunt them down and make them give James back!"

Cassidy pointed to the purple nightie. "You and your mighty nightie of DOOM?"

Jessie looked down at Cassidy. "Oh.. I must really be a mess..."

Cassidy nodded. "That's easy enough to fix."

-=-=-=-=-

Meowth looked through the refridgerator, scowling. This whole mess was his fault. If he had kept his big Meowth shut during the Lugia mess all that time ago... On the other paw, he really did think the two of them worked together. He was going to get James back, and then let whatever happens, happen. The cat Pokémon sighed, not even finding a leftover capable of consumption. "An' I thawt we wer' bad..."

-=-=-=-=-

An hour, a shower, and much damage control later, Jessie was packing some extra stuff. She walked into the corridor, Meowth right behind her. She looked at Butch and Cassidy walking down the corridor. "I'm prepared for trouble."

"Dat's right."

Butch looked down at the feline. "Do we have to bring you along?"

Cassidy elbowed him. "He's not as dumb as he looks. Let's get going."

"I'll have ya know I'm a very useful distraction..."

-=-=-=-=-

James sucked in a deep breath and immediately regretted it. His whole body ached. The muscles of his arms and legs refused to obey their owner, but instead throbbed and twitched. Slowly, a quiet haze fell over him as he felt something jabbed in his arm. Time disappeared, replaced with a fuzzy, tingling sensation, overlapped by periods of complete darkness. He knew he was moving at times, and there was a definite sensation of being handled. It was hard to tell, but when his mind finally cleared, it was dark. And he was chained to his chair.

James looked around, trying to adjust to the lack of light. There were muffled voices nearby. "Hello? Is anybody there?" One of the voices cursed loudly, and a door was opened. The light was dazzling to James.

"Wha' the hell? I thought that stuff would knock him f'r days!?"

James blinked, trying to get his pupils to adjust. "Let me go.. I'll give you whatever you want."

One of the men, covered in shadows from the incoming light, walked over to James. His voice was accented, perhaps the Southern States, which made James uneasy. "There's nothing yew kin off'r me, rich boy. Jus' shut the hell up!" He slugged James, causing the smaller man's head to snap back. Somewhere he thought he heard an accented woman's voice as well...

-=-=-=-=-

"Excuse me, are you Jessie?"

Jessie looked up at the flight attendant. "Yes?"

"There's a call for you, just pick up the phone on the seat there and dial star-9." The attendant walked further down the aisle.

Jessie picked up the phone and waited for the call. "Hello?"

A high-pitched and heavily-accented voice greeted her. "This is the United Kingdom calling, are we reaching 'Jessie Musashi'?"

"Yeah, this is her.."

"Connecting you with your party, one moment." There was a pause, and the sound of another phone ringing.

A male voice picked up. It was not as heavily accented as the operator. "Jessie?"

Jessie looked at the phone in confusion. "Yes, this is she. Who are you?"

"To protect our globe from destruction mean anything to you?"

Jessie looked at Cassidy next to her, who was asleep. She lowered her voice and looked around. "Yes, it does. Who are you?"

"My name is Stephen, and I'm connected with Rocket UK. I'm sorry about my abruptness, but you didn't waste much time hoppin' a flight here. I just want to get the code you wish to use at the customs agent."

-=-=-=-=-

Jessie looked around the airport. The first thing she noted was it was huge. The second thing that struck her was that she was really there. Cassidy and Butch appeared to share her feelings, as they both looked around. The group quickly lugged their carry-on bags up to a large bank-like center.

Cassidy checked her purse. "I'll be right back, do you have any cash you want to get exchanged?" Observing Jessie's dazed expression, she decided it was better to worry about that later.

Jessie looked around. She remembered when her mother would travel abroad. She always wanted to come along, but she was too young – at least that's what her mother would say. Later Jessie learned that oftentimes, it was official Team Rocket business, too dangerous for a little girl. Jessie sighed, feeling a rush of excitement at being in a foreign place. She returned to reality when Cassidy walked back with a look of disgust

Cassidy stuffed a large wad of bills in her purse. "Damn exchange rate, it's embarrassing. Let's hope Customs doesn't take forever."

The three Rockets moved into separate lines. It took twenty minutes for Jessie, even though the line wasn't that long. Already Cassidy and Butch were whisked through. Eventually Jessie reached the Security & Customs counter, and discovered why her line was so slow. A woman a head taller than Jessie was operating the line. Her very tanned complexion made her blond hair stand out.

She looked back and forth at the line as people grumbled. Her voice had not a hint of an accent, but was high-pitched, almost squeaky. "Oh dear.. Uh, I'm sorry, but you'll have to stop for a moment.. and let me look.. uh.. Oh yeah, inside your bag." She looked at Jessie. "Oh wow, I love that hair.. Uh.. have we met?"

Jessie sighed, before realizing that was her cue. "Oh, no.. But I have a degree in Rocket Science." Jessie watched the woman for any sign of comprehension, and was quickly forced to keep herself from facefaulting...

"Oh, you do?? Wow, that's so interesting, I know this nice lady who has all kinds of degrees, but she's not from around here. Uh, wait a minute, I think.." The woman looked back at the woman operating the X-Ray machine. "What were those words we were supposed to listen for again?"

The woman banged her head against the display repeatedly. She immediately rose and grabbed the stamp from her partner's hand and stamped Jessie's passport.

Jessie quickly walked away with her bags as the blond-haired woman started to tear up at her partner's berating. "I can't believe they let people like her work in this country!"

-=-=-=-=-

Jessie, Butch, and Cassidy stopped at the sight that greeted them. There, standing among several other people holding signs, was a brunette woman with a big sign that read "TRUK". Next to her stood a gentleman wearing a purple-velvet fedora whose face was beat red. The woman would occasionally turn to her partner to yell something, causing him to turn a darker shade of red, if that was humanly possible.

Finally she saw the trio and hopped down from her perch on some seats, stomping over to the three Rockets. "There you are! About.. Bloody.. TIME!! Do you know HOW LONG I've been WAITING for YOU!?" She was completely oblivious to the sudden halt in the crowd around her, and then the sucking sound as individuals began a hasty retreat away.

All three looked around, before Jessie stepped forward. "We got held up in Customs... Shouldn't you keep it down a little?"

The woman merely hrmph'd and spun around, almost smacking the trio with her long dark-brown hair. She began to stomp off, as her partner walked up, taking a few bags to carry. "Sorry 'bout that.. When she gets in a tiff, it's a real storm."

The trio wiped away some of the sweatdrops. Cassidy looked ahead at the woman as the crowd parted like the Red Sea from her loud voice. "She isn't driving, is she?"

The gentleman shook his head nervously. "Thankfully not!"

The trio let out a sigh of relief.

-=-=-=-=-

"So, that's when my agents reported back." A young man with sandy-blond hair, wearing a black Team Rocket uniform, pointed down on a map. The map was a lay-out of several counties, centered around Northhampton. He was specifically pointing at Kettering.

Jessie looked at the map. To her, the country was just a jumble of strange names. "So, do you think that's where James is being held or not?"

The young Rocket nodded.

Jessie folded her arms. "How are you sure?"

"We traced a call they placed to the Rochester Estate a week ago to this location."

Fourteen hours later, four black-suited individuals led the trio into a small, multi-story building.

Jessie looked around the dusty room. It smelled of decay. The smell made her sick to her stomach. Was this where James was being kept?

The leader, Stephen, listened to his ear piece. "The flat is clear and so is the entire floor.. Dammit, I should've known ta check for a ghosted line. Miss Musashi, your friend's got some very smart abductors." The sandy-haired young man looked down at a man wearing wire-rim glasses and typing into a laptop. The laptop was connected to a mobile phone. "Any luck?"

The laptop operator nodded. "The line was disconnected recently. I'm tryin' ta hack inta the later records. Wherever it was, it wasn't in this country."

Jessie looked at the deserted apartment wearily. "All this way..."

Butch looked at Cassidy, then turned around. "I'll be in the car."

Cassidy uncertainly rested her hand on Jessie's shoulder. "Jess, it's not a total waste. At least we're getting somewhere." Cassidy admitted to herself that was the lamest BS she had ever heard.

Jessie looked around the apartment, feeling hopeless. "I guess..."

The laptop beeped and its operator turned back to his boss. "We got something. It's shaky, but a call was made to the States. It looks like it was directed to Atlanta. That's all I can get."

Jessie turned around. "Let's get out of here."

-=-=-=-=-

"Jess, it's not like he's gonna die or nuthin'.." Meowth was having problems keeping up with the woman. Already Jessie had decided to escape her hotel and explore London while waiting for the flight out; though it was more to walk off her anger.

Jessie shrugged as she walked down the street.

Meowth looked up at his friend and teammate. "Da only one dat's gonna die is me, if I gotta get stuffed in one o' dem carrier dings again."

Jessie looked back down at Meowth for a moment. She knew he was trying to inject his own special brand of humor to lighten her mood. Or at least get her to threaten physical harm, which would be a reaction of some kind.

Meowth shrugged, then was bumped by Jessie. "Wat?" Then he noticed the group of people shuffling their way. "I hate havin' ta shuddup f'r da normals.." he mumbled.

As Jessie passed by the group, several stopped and watched her. "She looks just like.." "Neat." "Must be a Cosplayer gone berserk." "Watch out for mallets!" The stopped people laughed before continuing on.

Meowth looked back at the group. "Was it my 'magination, or did one o' dem have a lil' Koffin' dolly?"

Jessie shrugged. "What did you expect, we're in London. Didn't the Pikachu backpack one of them have clue you in to their weirdness?"

Meowth nodded.

-=-=-=-=-

Meowth nodded. "Dis is da life!" He pushed away the empty dish which, moments before, had held a chicken and noodle dinner.

"I can't believe they overbooked.." Jessie looked around in the darkened cabin of the inter-continental jet. She had never been in first class before. It felt.. strange. "Just keep your voice down."

Meowth relaxed in his seat, occasionally tugging at the collar. "I hate dis cal'er.."

"They wouldn't let you in the cabin without it." She smiled innocently when a flight attendant walked by, peering over at the strange woman who talked to her Pokémon.

"Now ya dink it was a good ding I talk'd ya inta waitin' fer da next flight?"

Jessie nodded. After the airline had announced their error, Cassidy and Butch had decided to board. Meowth had talked Jessie into the free first-class seats. "It'll help clear my mind?"

Meowth nodded. "Yep! Now, if ya don' mind, I'm gonna take my cat-nap.." The cat Pokémon hit a button and reclined his seat. Quickly the feline was asleep.

Jessie looked at the Pokémon, then out the window of the jet. She decided sleep would probably be a good thing, and relaxed back. As she drifted off, one thought occurred to her: I wonder what James is doing?

-=-=-=-=-

At that very moment, James was holding on for dear life. It had been a week since he was kidnapped, of that he was certain. This was Atlanta, and he was currently driving a black stretch-limousine at 50 MPH through downtown at night, in driving rain. The front end was partially smashed in, and the back windows were blown out. The black limo was riddled with bullets. James was narrowly avoiding plowing into other vehicles, as he swerved through traffic. He was wearing a black three-piece, and a pair of handcuffs dangled from his left wrist.

Behind him were two black BMWs, in pursuit. From the closest vehicle, a man stood out the sunroof window with a high-power automatic weapon and fired. The limo would light up in a shower of sparks from the bullets each time. Several times he almost lost his grip on the weapon when the car would swerve suddenly. Behind the front car was a different story. The passenger was frantically showering bullets behind him.

Behind the two BMWs were five police cars, lights flashing and sirens blaring. Officers were frantically shouting as their partners would try to take out the BMWs' tires. Each time they would duck as their prey showered their vehicles with bullets. Already, two cars had pulled out of the chase when one or both of their occupants were struck.

Above the chase, a black police helicopter weaved between the multi-story high-rises and hotels. The pilot was sweating bullets trying to keep up with the high-speed chase inside the canyon of steel and glass. His co-pilot looked down at the forward-looking infra-red camera display, relaying information to the units below.

The dark-haired man sat back down and looked at the smoking automatic in his hands. He pulled out the clip and stared down at his remaining bullets. "Man, screw this!"

The driver glanced at him. "What!? You can't be out already!"

"I'm sick of messin' with them, let's blow'em up!" He opened a green bag on the floor before him and pulled out several black bulb-like items.

"Are you nuts!? You'll get us in trouble! She said no murder & mayhem!"

James looked behind him for a moment. It was getting harder to drive, as the traffic got thicker. Already he had to skirt into the oncoming lane to get around stopped vehicles.

The co-pilot watched the third car's passenger start to pop out the sunroof window, sans his gun. The perp was cuddling something. "I think the shooter in Car 3 dropped his gun, and he's got something in his arms. I can't make it out."

One of the pursuing officers recognized it. He was a veteran, and you didn't stop firing your gun without a really good reason. "Grenades!"

A police officer pulled himself out his passenger windows. "I'll get the lil' bastard.." He started to fire his semi-automatic pistol, hitting his mark twice. The passenger slumped over on the roof of the BMW.

The driver heard gunfire, and then felt something bounce off his shoulder and fall between the seats. Several other grenades fell into the car. He immediately opened the door and leapt out. Seconds later the car exploded, and then mushroomed into a fireball, it's momentum carrying it forward several hundred feet.

The driver for the front BMW stared into the rearview mirror, mesmerized by the fireball.

The smaller man standing in the sunroof cried out, "Crap, look-"

The car smashed straight into the back of a stopped minivan. The passenger was ripped through the sunroof and bounced off the front of the minivan before hitting the wet pavement with a sickening thud. The driver had no idea what had happened to his partner, lying unconscious in the deflated airbag.

James spun the wheel, nearly hitting another car as he made a corner. It took a few moments before he realized his pursuers were gone. The realization, though, was short-lived when he side-swiped a taxicab, and slid the limo into the side of a moving truck. As he lay back from the force of the airbag, the drivers of both vehicles ran up. Pieces of the windshield lay all over him.

"Are you okay, man?"

"What the hell happened?"

James felt something warm run down his face. Everything was turning hazy, a red haze. He liked that color. Who was talking to him? She sounded very nice. Just like.. "Jessie?"

-=-=-=-=-

End of "Kidnapped"

Characters from Pokémon anime (C) 1996, 2001 Nintendo of America, Inc. & GameFreak, Ltd.