"Took you long enough."

Breccia made it to a van, accepting a hug from a lone woman huddled outside. Dressed in multiple layers with a scarf covering her face, she tossed Breccia a more suitable coat. "I tried giving your transceiver a ring. I wanted to make sure the money got wired."

"It died halfway to Johto." Breccia zipped the coat up to her neck and stuffed her umber tresses beneath a stocking cap. After, she accepted a cup of coffee from the percolator kept warm by Nessa's Koffing. "So does this truck float? I thought we were heading to Aurora."

"It's off the coast. Riker wanted us to get your feet wet, so we're taking you out on a job before heading to base."

Jumping from the bumper, a muscular built man grumbled when messing with the fasteners of his snow pants. "I can't feel my jewels in this Mankey suit." He doubled back, focusing on the ladies. "Nessa and Caleb told us we had another tag along. I didn't expect to get her fresh off the boat."

"Yes, well, this tag along is traveling to the tundra with us. She's gonna see Lars' latest work in action." Vanessa pulled her scarf down long enough to steal a sip from her cup.

"You mean his latest waste of money." The man, named Morice, complained. "A year and a half and nothing's come of it. No wonder the Boss wants to shut us down."

Both put an end to the exchange when Caleb came into view. Retrieving his gloves from his lab coat, he punched his sister on the shoulder. "Alright, Morice, did you check the tire pressure?"

Pausing once he realigned the straps on his pants, Morice conceded. "Still have a leak on the back left but it should last us."

"Good, everyone on board. I want us near Verandi by noon." Piling in one by one, Breccia was the closest to the edge. She fastened the canvas shut and sat on her knees. Caleb refrained from speaking further until they were off the road and riding through uncharted terrain.

Glancing at her company, Breccia took notice of the noise upfront where Morice drove. His Spearow hopped about on the dash, flapping its wings and shedding feathers.

"Sorry for the last minute detour." Caleb stretched out on the bench opposite of Nessa and Breccia, sheltering a yawn. "How have you been squirt? I haven't heard from you since we left the region."

"I've been around." Breccia answered with the only response she could muster. Too much had happened for honesty. "The captain wasn't fond of having me on board, I know that much."

"He's transported felons before. It isn't anything new to him." Caleb turned to his sister when she tapped him on the shin with her boot. "What?"

"We've got her out here, you gonna fill her in?"

"Oh yeah, might be prudent of me." He swung his arm to the left, drawing attention to the pasty fellow sitting with a control panel in his lap. Parts were laying about on the set beside him as he worked with a screwdriver and wire cutter. "Not sure if you've been introduced, but this is Lars."

Lars, like many, sent a frustrating stare in Breccia's direction. "We'd be at the site by now if we hadn't taken any extra stops."

"We'd also be better off if your contraption had any merit." Caleb doused the tension as soon as it started. He glanced directly to Breccia. "I know you haven't been with us long, but considering your background, Riker thought you'd be better suited here than running grunt work in Kanto. Our division out here is pretty small, we don't have much of a budget. What labor we do have is being pushed to the breaking point." The truck hit a bump, jostling everyone and sending Morice's Spearow into a squalling frenzy. "We started small: Caterpies and whatnot. There's an implant that, if placed in certain areas of the brain, shuts down cerebral function but keeps the Pokemon mobile."

"Cuts down on labor." Lars interrupted. "Like a switch, it can be turned on or off without any lasting effects."

"Birtan has resources." Caleb continued. "Not much but we set up here for a reason. Until recently, we were an island of Commerce." He grumbled. "Until the League started putting gyms in the area, now export prices have gone down. Because of that, we haven't had money to pay extra men. If we can get Pokemon to work for us without exerting them to the point of exhaustion, that will work better in the long run." There was a split second of silence, cracked in half by backfire from the muffler. "But enough about business, how's the old man? Does he know you're out here?" Once again, Caleb's ankle became prime fodder for another kick by his sister. "Ow, what now?"

Vanessa grabbed his collar, dragging him close. She whispered in a fierce, terse tone. "I told you on the ride here."

"I'm running on five cups of coffee and a twenty minute nap."

"He's dead."

"He's dea-" Caleb paused., feeling shame for his insensitivity. "Wait, you mean Br...How did he... when?"

"After my hearing." Breccia broke through, her voice a shaky whisper. "His lawyer met me during visitation. By the time I got out, he was gone." The only thing more bitter than the taste of bile on her tongue was the morning wind biting at her cheeks.

Caleb cleared his throat, ignoring the scorn from his sister. "The site's up ahead. Should only be a couple more minutes."