Chapter Two: The Arrangement
"Are you sure you don't wish for me to come in side with you Madam?" Hopkins asked as he stopped the limousine outside the dark building.
"No thank you Hopkins" Judith replied trying to sound strong "I can do this by myself"
Hopkins knowing better than to argue with his employer simply shook his head as she got out and made her way towards the building in question. Though the butler did not agree with what Judith was going to do he could see where she was coming from. Judith was not as strong as her late husband and needed someone more than she cared to admit. The Morgan fortune had corrupted her more than Hopkins had ever guessed and he secretly admired James for having the courage to walk away from millions. Judith was doing what she was not because she cared for James' safety but because she wanted him back with her. Still Hopkins liked to think that deep down she had a conscience and would one day learn that you couldn't buy everything if you were rich.
Giovanni sighed massaging his temple with his right hand whilst his left petted his Persian on the top of its head. He had, had a very bad day so far and this headache was the least of his worries. He had three teams currently in jail and would have to fork out for the bail money again. Then some local trainers came in looking for a gym match and knowing it would be suspicious to turn them away Giovanni was forced to battle them even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. The gym was a excellent cover for his Team Rocket Headquarters, a vast labyrinth of corridors and rooms built under the gym, but there were times when he just wanted to give it up and retire from Team Rocket for good. Today was one of these days.
Giovanni set the Persian down on the floor and took out his chequebook. If his teams were to get their weekly pay on time then he would have to start mailing them now. Giovanni wrote the cheques out in silence until he came to his defective team. Jesse, James and Meowth were the thorns in his side for as long as he remembered. They only reason they were kept on the team was because of Miyamoto. Giovanni had hoped her daughter would turn out to be his best agent, as did her mother. Miyamoto had been beautiful and graceful and so was her daughter. The similarities ended there however. Jesse was a huge failure and could do much better if those idiots James and Meowth weren't around. Giovanni supposed he could fire the lot of them but he felt responsible for them in a way. Because of Team Rocket Jesse became an orphan and Giovanni felt he could make it up to her somehow by giving her a job and a home. James reminded Giovanni of himself when he was 17. Eager to please his Boss but always messing up and looking like a fool. Giovanni remembered that he could do nothing right in his mother's eyes. And Meowth, Giovanni was very fond of that comedian cat Pokémon deep down.
"Sir there is someone here to see you" his secretary came in interrupting Giovanni from his thoughts.
"Not another trainer" he groaned angrily, "Tell them the gym is closed"
"No" the secretary said, "Not a trainer"
"Well tell them to get lost. I don't have time for meetings today"
"She won't go until she's spoken with you sir. And."
"And?"
"She knows about Team Rocket sir"
"Show her in"
Giovanni slipped his chequebook into a drawer leaned back in his chair his worry clear on his face. Someone knew who he was? That had to be impossible. Still he would see how much this woman knew. People who knew too much were silenced.
The woman stepped nervously into the room. She was not what Giovanni was expecting. She was about his age and seemed to be of upper class as was Giovanni himself. He gestured for her to take a seat before he spoke.
"My secretary told me that you wished to speak with me. I have to admit I am very curious as to the nature if this visit. I mainly get young trainers in my gym and not a woman such as yourself"
"My names Judith Morgan and I came here to speak to you about a couple of the teenagers you employ in Team Rocket"
Giovanni leaned forward in his chair "What makes you think I have anything to do with Team Rocket?"
"I had an interesting talk with a young Pokémon trainer who knew your identity. He pointed me in your direction"
"May I ask this trainers name?" so someone out there knew who he was. This was very disturbing to say the least.
"No" Judith said, "I did not come here to threaten you or expose your identity. well not unless you refuse to give me what I want"
"And what is that?" Giovanni asked coldly.
"You employ two teenagers called Jesse and James along with their Meowth is that correct?"
"Yes it is" Giovanni wondered what she wanted with them. Maybe they stole from her? Not that those two could steal anything of real value.
"I am prepared to pay you a sum in exchange for you to fire them"
"What is your interest in Jesse and James?" Giovanni asked. This was getting to be a most interesting day after all.
"James Morgan is my son"
Giovanni nearly gasped in shock but managed to compose himself in time. Everyone knew of the Morgan's fortune. They were the richest couple in Kanto and since the husband died the widow was the richest woman in both Kanto and Johto. Giovanni knew that James had the same surname but he had assumed it was nothing more than mere coincidence after all Morgan was a common enough name. But why was James working in Team Rocket then?
"I wish for my son to come home to me" Judith continued, "You can imagine how his reputation as a thief is ruining my social status"
"What makes you think I would fire one of my own employees for money?"
"Because Jesse and James are useless and this might be your only chance to make some serious money out of them"
Giovanni wasn't sure. He was responsible for them after all. but they would be fine living in luxury with Judith Morgan surely?
"How much are you offering for me to terminate their contracts?"
"One million pounds"
Giovanni did gasp this time. He was rich and one million pounds was not a lot of money to him but to make that much out of a simple business deal? That was what he saw it as. He was simply making a business deal that would make him a million pounds better off.
"And they would be well looked after?" why did he care so much? He must be going soft!
"I can assure you they will want for nothing for the rest of their lives"
"Then Mrs Morgan I think we have a deal"
Judith squealed happily at this, an act that didn't seem to come naturally to her.
She took out her own chequebook and scribbled an amount "This is half and you will get the other half when James and Jesse are back with me"
"I will fire them this afternoon," Giovanni promised
"Then consider your cheque in the post" Judith turned to leave "And don't worry about your identity. I have better things to do than getting involved with the police. Your secret is safe with me"
Giovanni watched her leave and couldn't help feeling regretful that she hadn't stayed for longer. Judith was a woman with guts. She knew what she wanted and she went out to get it. Giovanni would have liked to get to know a woman such as her better. He picked his Persian up and grinned, "This is turning out to be a better day than I thought"
Hopkins sighed with relief when Judith came back out of the gym "How did it go Madam?"
"Just fine Hopkins" Judith said as she got back into the limousine "Jesse and James will be back home with me any day now"
"Very good Madam but one question if I may?"
"Certainly"
"Why the girl too? Surely Master James is all that matters?"
"She is his best friend" Judith said with a little sincerity in her voice. If she were completely honest she would admit that she didn't like the thought of splitting James up from his best friend.
"Are you sure you don't wish for me to come in side with you Madam?" Hopkins asked as he stopped the limousine outside the dark building.
"No thank you Hopkins" Judith replied trying to sound strong "I can do this by myself"
Hopkins knowing better than to argue with his employer simply shook his head as she got out and made her way towards the building in question. Though the butler did not agree with what Judith was going to do he could see where she was coming from. Judith was not as strong as her late husband and needed someone more than she cared to admit. The Morgan fortune had corrupted her more than Hopkins had ever guessed and he secretly admired James for having the courage to walk away from millions. Judith was doing what she was not because she cared for James' safety but because she wanted him back with her. Still Hopkins liked to think that deep down she had a conscience and would one day learn that you couldn't buy everything if you were rich.
Giovanni sighed massaging his temple with his right hand whilst his left petted his Persian on the top of its head. He had, had a very bad day so far and this headache was the least of his worries. He had three teams currently in jail and would have to fork out for the bail money again. Then some local trainers came in looking for a gym match and knowing it would be suspicious to turn them away Giovanni was forced to battle them even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. The gym was a excellent cover for his Team Rocket Headquarters, a vast labyrinth of corridors and rooms built under the gym, but there were times when he just wanted to give it up and retire from Team Rocket for good. Today was one of these days.
Giovanni set the Persian down on the floor and took out his chequebook. If his teams were to get their weekly pay on time then he would have to start mailing them now. Giovanni wrote the cheques out in silence until he came to his defective team. Jesse, James and Meowth were the thorns in his side for as long as he remembered. They only reason they were kept on the team was because of Miyamoto. Giovanni had hoped her daughter would turn out to be his best agent, as did her mother. Miyamoto had been beautiful and graceful and so was her daughter. The similarities ended there however. Jesse was a huge failure and could do much better if those idiots James and Meowth weren't around. Giovanni supposed he could fire the lot of them but he felt responsible for them in a way. Because of Team Rocket Jesse became an orphan and Giovanni felt he could make it up to her somehow by giving her a job and a home. James reminded Giovanni of himself when he was 17. Eager to please his Boss but always messing up and looking like a fool. Giovanni remembered that he could do nothing right in his mother's eyes. And Meowth, Giovanni was very fond of that comedian cat Pokémon deep down.
"Sir there is someone here to see you" his secretary came in interrupting Giovanni from his thoughts.
"Not another trainer" he groaned angrily, "Tell them the gym is closed"
"No" the secretary said, "Not a trainer"
"Well tell them to get lost. I don't have time for meetings today"
"She won't go until she's spoken with you sir. And."
"And?"
"She knows about Team Rocket sir"
"Show her in"
Giovanni slipped his chequebook into a drawer leaned back in his chair his worry clear on his face. Someone knew who he was? That had to be impossible. Still he would see how much this woman knew. People who knew too much were silenced.
The woman stepped nervously into the room. She was not what Giovanni was expecting. She was about his age and seemed to be of upper class as was Giovanni himself. He gestured for her to take a seat before he spoke.
"My secretary told me that you wished to speak with me. I have to admit I am very curious as to the nature if this visit. I mainly get young trainers in my gym and not a woman such as yourself"
"My names Judith Morgan and I came here to speak to you about a couple of the teenagers you employ in Team Rocket"
Giovanni leaned forward in his chair "What makes you think I have anything to do with Team Rocket?"
"I had an interesting talk with a young Pokémon trainer who knew your identity. He pointed me in your direction"
"May I ask this trainers name?" so someone out there knew who he was. This was very disturbing to say the least.
"No" Judith said, "I did not come here to threaten you or expose your identity. well not unless you refuse to give me what I want"
"And what is that?" Giovanni asked coldly.
"You employ two teenagers called Jesse and James along with their Meowth is that correct?"
"Yes it is" Giovanni wondered what she wanted with them. Maybe they stole from her? Not that those two could steal anything of real value.
"I am prepared to pay you a sum in exchange for you to fire them"
"What is your interest in Jesse and James?" Giovanni asked. This was getting to be a most interesting day after all.
"James Morgan is my son"
Giovanni nearly gasped in shock but managed to compose himself in time. Everyone knew of the Morgan's fortune. They were the richest couple in Kanto and since the husband died the widow was the richest woman in both Kanto and Johto. Giovanni knew that James had the same surname but he had assumed it was nothing more than mere coincidence after all Morgan was a common enough name. But why was James working in Team Rocket then?
"I wish for my son to come home to me" Judith continued, "You can imagine how his reputation as a thief is ruining my social status"
"What makes you think I would fire one of my own employees for money?"
"Because Jesse and James are useless and this might be your only chance to make some serious money out of them"
Giovanni wasn't sure. He was responsible for them after all. but they would be fine living in luxury with Judith Morgan surely?
"How much are you offering for me to terminate their contracts?"
"One million pounds"
Giovanni did gasp this time. He was rich and one million pounds was not a lot of money to him but to make that much out of a simple business deal? That was what he saw it as. He was simply making a business deal that would make him a million pounds better off.
"And they would be well looked after?" why did he care so much? He must be going soft!
"I can assure you they will want for nothing for the rest of their lives"
"Then Mrs Morgan I think we have a deal"
Judith squealed happily at this, an act that didn't seem to come naturally to her.
She took out her own chequebook and scribbled an amount "This is half and you will get the other half when James and Jesse are back with me"
"I will fire them this afternoon," Giovanni promised
"Then consider your cheque in the post" Judith turned to leave "And don't worry about your identity. I have better things to do than getting involved with the police. Your secret is safe with me"
Giovanni watched her leave and couldn't help feeling regretful that she hadn't stayed for longer. Judith was a woman with guts. She knew what she wanted and she went out to get it. Giovanni would have liked to get to know a woman such as her better. He picked his Persian up and grinned, "This is turning out to be a better day than I thought"
Hopkins sighed with relief when Judith came back out of the gym "How did it go Madam?"
"Just fine Hopkins" Judith said as she got back into the limousine "Jesse and James will be back home with me any day now"
"Very good Madam but one question if I may?"
"Certainly"
"Why the girl too? Surely Master James is all that matters?"
"She is his best friend" Judith said with a little sincerity in her voice. If she were completely honest she would admit that she didn't like the thought of splitting James up from his best friend.