A Mother's Worst Fear
A large metal van followed by some squad cars pulled up to the hospital entrance. Officers rushed in to the lobby followed by Officer Jenny.
"Where are the perpetrators?" asked Officer Jenny.
"The guards have them in the back hallway," replied the receptionist.
The officers took off down the hall.
"Could you stay here? I have a few questions for you," said Officer Jenny.
Most of the time Officer Jenny dealt with crimes involving pokémon, but this situation was unique. She had been at the office doing some paper work when a call came in from the hospital. The call said that there were two intruders who had attacked the receptionist with a snake pokémon and a large pink pokémon with a long tongue. The description of the intruders matched the description of the notorious group that called themselves Team Rocket. Jenny had heard many reports of crimes involving Team Rocket from other district's and from her cousins in the other towns. After hearing about this she went directly to the captain and asked if she could take the case explaining that the perpetrators may be the notorious Team Rocket wanted for many crimes involving pokémon. The captain let her on the assignment on the condition that she only investigate the scene.
Jessie, James, and Meowth were being dragged off towards the hospital entrance, where a police van was waiting to take the captured Rockets to their new home.
"I told you that the twerp was nothing but trouble" scolded Jessie.
James just had his head down looking distraught as he walked gloomily towards the awaiting police van.
"Are you even listening to me?" yelled Jessie.
"Keep quiet you two," the guards yelled at their captives.
Officer Jenny stood surveying the scenes of what had just happened, jotting down notes and collecting evidence. In all the confusion nobody had noticed the boy lying upon the floor. Officer Jenny noticing the unmoving form of the boy quickly ran over. He was lying there unmoving with a pained look upon his face. She checked for a pulse. His pulse was fast but irregular. He was sweating profusely as he breathed short shallow breaths.
"Someone get a doctor here quickly," shouted Officer Jenny.
In a few seconds a slew of medical staff came rushing over with a stretcher and a variety of medical equipment. The crew quickly lifted the boy onto the stretcher and began taking blood pressure, pulse, and a variety of other readings. The stretcher and its' crew disappeared into one of the emergency rooms. Officer Jenny tried to keep up with the crew as she asked various questions, but they were too absorbed in their work to answer her. As she got a last glimpse of the injured boy she noticed that the uniform that he was wearing matched the ones the criminals had been wearing when they had been taken away. She stood there wondering if the boy had any affiliation with Team Rocket, and why they had brought him to the hospital.
Officer Jenny returned to her questioning of the personnel that had witnessed the strange events that had just passed. Most of the witnesses knew nothing of what the criminals may have been trying to do by breaking into the hospital. Just when Officer Jenny thought that there was nothing left at the scene of the crime a voice shouted "Officer Jenny come here quickly!" She ran over to the officer that had just shouted.
"What did you find?"
"We found this," the young officer said holding up a red pokédex.
Officer Jenny opened the pokédex.
"Hello I am Dexter, a pokédex. I belong to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. If found please return to Professor Samuel Oak."
The picture inside matched that of the boy that the medical crew had just taken back into one of the emergency rooms.
"Is there a phone terminal around here?" asked Officer Jenney.
"This way," shouted one of the hospital employees taking Officer Jenney with them.
At Professor Oak's office the phone rang. Tracey walked over to the phone and answered it.
"Hello, this is Professor Oak's assistant, how may I help you?"
"Hello, this is officer Jenny of Mahogany town. I have found a pokédex belonging to a Ash Ketchum."
"Oh, how is Ash these days?"
"I'm afraid that he's not so well. He's in pretty rough shape. The doctors are taking care of him in the emergency room here at Mahogany hospital."
Tracey dropped the phone in disbelief. There was a look of shock on his face as he heard the bad news about his friend. Tracey quickly ran out of the Professor's house and ran towards the Ketchum residence leaving the door wide open.
"Is there any way you could put me in touch with the parents or guardians of Ash? Hello? Are you there? Well that's just great" thought Officer Jenny as she hung up.
Tracey burst through the door of the Ketchum residence out of breath from the run.
"Ah, Tracey do come in. How are you doing? Would you like some cookies? How about some lemonade?" asked Mrs. Ketchum.
Mrs. Ketchum's hospitality was well known to Tracey and many of the residents of Pallet town. She stood there doing the dishes flashing her usual cheerful smile.
"I have some news about Ash," Tracey stated plainly.
"How is that son of mine?" asked Mrs. Ketchum.
"I'm afraid that he's not doing so well"
Mrs. Ketchum's smile began to fade as Tracey began to tell her what he had just heard. The plate that she had been washing dropped to the floor and shattered. Tears began to run down Mrs. Ketchum's face as Tracey was talking. Her face, usually so kind and gentle, was now full of fear and pain.