Chapter 3
The subway station was cold and musty, people bustled by as Mike bought a ticket. How he hated winter, even inside in a place like this he could see his breath. He trampled down the concrete steps to the stop. Mike did feel a bit silly standing in a subway terminal with a plastic nose and mustache hanging of his fake glasses, people were shooting him funny looks but no one commented. He must be doing things right, the ticket lady had beckoned him from another line into her own, although his ticket was all in order, stating what train he would be getting on where and when it still seemed just to organized. The train pulled up and people packed on. He took his seat and looked up at the driver, who shot him a quick glance back in the rear view mirror. A few seconds later the car was moving and papers and cell phones came out from no where, everyone seemed to be doing something, all except for himself, and a young couple sitting across from him in large brown trench coats and dark glasses. The couple just seemed to stare at the wall, how creepy Mike thought. The trip was fairly uneventful, at each stop, a few people got off and more people came in to take their place. Mike decided to take a nap, it would be a while before the train finished for the day. When he awoke, the strange couple across from him were gone, probably just got off while I was asleep he thought. The train was still full and he amused himself for the rest of the afternoon with a crossword he found on the floor which someone had left behind.
The hours passed slowly and many people got on and off the subway train. It was nearing seven o'clock when the driver got on the intercom. "Last stop, Goldenrod City north station 4". Mike, who was thinking about a five letter word for a preachers activity was startled by the call and looked up. The people shuffled off the bus into the evening dusk. The door closed and the train pulled out again. They had got up to speed again when the driver spoke.
"So, who sent ya?" He asked rather nonchalantly, keeping his eye out the window and carefully watching the train.
Mike thought inwardly for a second, he'd never thought to ask the Nidorina's name. "Um, not sure, all I know is I'm looking for Hyltik and I was guided in this direction." Mike pulled the cheap disguise off, it had been quite annoying to wear all day. "Why all the secrecy?" he asked?
"Well," said the driver "It's a long story, but mostly because there are those who would do anything to control pokémon as tools for their own benefit. Knowing that they could talk would allow them control like never before. Also it has to do with the pokémon themselves. Some just don't want to talk."
The train rode on in silence for some time. At last they pulled up at a train station. Looking out the window Mike found the place deserted, there were no people, no pokémon, no nothing. The driver opened the doors and turned around "Alright, here you are. This is the pokémon part of town, you may feel a bit out of place here but you should be able to find Hyltik no problem, just so long as you don't go looking confused and all. So mind your business and you'll be fine."
"Thank you" Mike murmured and got off the train. The air was cold and the place was dirty and unkempt. He spotted the stairs and headed up them. He plodded up the steps until he found himself in a hallway. It seemed like a grungy office building. He walked down a small ways until he reached a door. On it in large letter were written:
Hyltik Measaberon
Assistant Coordinator of Census and Population
Mike fumbled with the knob and opened the door slowly, poking his head inside. To his surprise, behind the door was a tidy, brightly lit office. The room seemed dominated by potted plants and sea shells which adorned the walls and were also left sitting around on the ground around the edges of the room. It was definitely an office but like none he had ever seen before. Instead of carpet there was thick sand which squished beneath his shoes. In the center was a large desk made out of rocks, on top of which rested a large computer and behind that the red form of a Kingler was sitting. The Kingler rasped in a stringy yet enthusiastic voice, "Why hello there my friend, you must have been sent for, I can tell by the look on your face, what can I do for you?"
The train pulled away, and two strangers stepped out of the gloom, a man and a woman each dressed in large brown trench coat and black glasses. The rumble of the train faded in the distance and the man pulled out a cell phone. After a few seconds of dialing he held the phone to his ear and waited.
"Yes,...were here...I'm positive..........yes sir we followed him here, this should be what you were looking for......no sign of others...your orders?...alright." He closed the flip top on the phone and stowed it in his coat, the female looked over at him.
"So what now?" She asked
"We're to follow, but on no accounts be seen, we are to learn what we can but secrecy is more important."
"Shouldn't be too hard, now I understand why I was assigned the same mission as you."
"Shut up, that's not important now. We do the job and blow this hamburger stand then you'll be out of my hair forever."
The subway station was cold and musty, people bustled by as Mike bought a ticket. How he hated winter, even inside in a place like this he could see his breath. He trampled down the concrete steps to the stop. Mike did feel a bit silly standing in a subway terminal with a plastic nose and mustache hanging of his fake glasses, people were shooting him funny looks but no one commented. He must be doing things right, the ticket lady had beckoned him from another line into her own, although his ticket was all in order, stating what train he would be getting on where and when it still seemed just to organized. The train pulled up and people packed on. He took his seat and looked up at the driver, who shot him a quick glance back in the rear view mirror. A few seconds later the car was moving and papers and cell phones came out from no where, everyone seemed to be doing something, all except for himself, and a young couple sitting across from him in large brown trench coats and dark glasses. The couple just seemed to stare at the wall, how creepy Mike thought. The trip was fairly uneventful, at each stop, a few people got off and more people came in to take their place. Mike decided to take a nap, it would be a while before the train finished for the day. When he awoke, the strange couple across from him were gone, probably just got off while I was asleep he thought. The train was still full and he amused himself for the rest of the afternoon with a crossword he found on the floor which someone had left behind.
The hours passed slowly and many people got on and off the subway train. It was nearing seven o'clock when the driver got on the intercom. "Last stop, Goldenrod City north station 4". Mike, who was thinking about a five letter word for a preachers activity was startled by the call and looked up. The people shuffled off the bus into the evening dusk. The door closed and the train pulled out again. They had got up to speed again when the driver spoke.
"So, who sent ya?" He asked rather nonchalantly, keeping his eye out the window and carefully watching the train.
Mike thought inwardly for a second, he'd never thought to ask the Nidorina's name. "Um, not sure, all I know is I'm looking for Hyltik and I was guided in this direction." Mike pulled the cheap disguise off, it had been quite annoying to wear all day. "Why all the secrecy?" he asked?
"Well," said the driver "It's a long story, but mostly because there are those who would do anything to control pokémon as tools for their own benefit. Knowing that they could talk would allow them control like never before. Also it has to do with the pokémon themselves. Some just don't want to talk."
The train rode on in silence for some time. At last they pulled up at a train station. Looking out the window Mike found the place deserted, there were no people, no pokémon, no nothing. The driver opened the doors and turned around "Alright, here you are. This is the pokémon part of town, you may feel a bit out of place here but you should be able to find Hyltik no problem, just so long as you don't go looking confused and all. So mind your business and you'll be fine."
"Thank you" Mike murmured and got off the train. The air was cold and the place was dirty and unkempt. He spotted the stairs and headed up them. He plodded up the steps until he found himself in a hallway. It seemed like a grungy office building. He walked down a small ways until he reached a door. On it in large letter were written:
Hyltik Measaberon
Assistant Coordinator of Census and Population
Mike fumbled with the knob and opened the door slowly, poking his head inside. To his surprise, behind the door was a tidy, brightly lit office. The room seemed dominated by potted plants and sea shells which adorned the walls and were also left sitting around on the ground around the edges of the room. It was definitely an office but like none he had ever seen before. Instead of carpet there was thick sand which squished beneath his shoes. In the center was a large desk made out of rocks, on top of which rested a large computer and behind that the red form of a Kingler was sitting. The Kingler rasped in a stringy yet enthusiastic voice, "Why hello there my friend, you must have been sent for, I can tell by the look on your face, what can I do for you?"
The train pulled away, and two strangers stepped out of the gloom, a man and a woman each dressed in large brown trench coat and black glasses. The rumble of the train faded in the distance and the man pulled out a cell phone. After a few seconds of dialing he held the phone to his ear and waited.
"Yes,...were here...I'm positive..........yes sir we followed him here, this should be what you were looking for......no sign of others...your orders?...alright." He closed the flip top on the phone and stowed it in his coat, the female looked over at him.
"So what now?" She asked
"We're to follow, but on no accounts be seen, we are to learn what we can but secrecy is more important."
"Shouldn't be too hard, now I understand why I was assigned the same mission as you."
"Shut up, that's not important now. We do the job and blow this hamburger stand then you'll be out of my hair forever."