Chapter 7: Stalling for time

It was a very long day as Ivan continued to show Laleh how to use various technologic items. She got very fascinated looking at telephones, radios, computers, buses, and even parking meters.

The two couldn't forget their mission, but thankfully their mission was just wandering around in circles while they pondered what to do next. Ivan had called the Hoenn authorities but had told them nothing except "A group of armed terrorists are running around."

Still, Ivan was wondering how to defeat these "Regis". Laleh had told him of three of them, with the powers of ice, rock, and steel. Ivan hoped that he could handle them with his Pokemon, but maybe they were too tough. If it came down to a showdown between them and the Hoenn Army, then maybe tanks or artillery shells could take them out. The question is not whether or not you can beat them, but how to beat them, he reminded himself. If he had to go up against the rock one he would use water attacks, since rock Pokemon were normally weak against water. Steel and ice would probably be taken care of with fire, but Ivan knew he couldn't take chances. He would just have to use maximum firepower and hope for the best.

Ivan was glancing over at Laleh, but she seemed to be asleep. More specifically, she seemed to be in a trance talking with someone.

"Yes. Franciscus."

"What?"

"Gregers-Regirock is destroyed?"
Then Ivan could hear it too. "Regirock was structurally damaged by the earthquake caused by that Pokemon. It tried to repair itself, but fell apart."

"YES!"

Then Franciscus suddenly became visible to Ivan. "Gregers will be looking for both you and the Regis. I think he'll try to take you out, Ivan. Be very careful. And please calmly lower your head."

Ivan did so seconds before a bullet whizzed by. He looked up and saw a figure scrambling away from a ledge. He then threw a Poke Ball and commanded his Swellow to grab the sniper and drag him back to their position.

The bird-like Pokemon did so and brought back a man who had apparently slit his own throat to avoid interrogation. "Dammit!"

"Laleh, who was that guy?"

"He says he's a member of an ancient race."

"I see."

"I normally only see him in my dreams."

"OK, Laleh. Now we should be even more wary. But keep to the plan."

"You got that."

Meanwhile, at HPP headquarters, Kuststad was stroking his Igglybuff cutely and feeding it little bits of fruit candy when suddenly he heard a gunshot. The Pokemon began to cry. Then more gunshots came, and the Igglybuff cried even louder. Kuststad pushed the button on his intercom. "What the devil is going on?"

A security guard answered. "You know that warehouse/prison where we're keeping those Defenders?"

"Yes."

"An assassin left a note and shot one of the prisoners. We killed him before he could escape."

"What did the note say and who was the prisoner?"

"The prisoner was a woman about forty years old. The assassin left a note on her lap. It reads: 'You gave birth to the Prophetess and Savior, yet you chose to not follow her controller.'"

Kuststad quickly told the security guard "Keep investigating" before switching the intercom off. Funny how Gregers had referred to himself as Laleh's controller and not her father. Almost like he saw her as little more then a machine. Nervous about this, he returned to petting his Igglybuff, but that didn't soothe him. What if the Defenders went for him next?