The return trip had taken them ten days without a rest, only stopping to refuel once every so often. It had been fairly uneventful, no pursuit by any Rockets, no sudden ambushes or attacks.
He didn't like it, but didn't let it show.
Giovanni would have gotten word day's ago, and someone should have been sent after them. But nothing, it was just them zipping down the long winding trail adjacent to the river that ran through Fennel Valley.
Ash glanced at Sue, the brunette nurse had been deep asleep for the past few hours, and had rarely said a word the entire trip. He could tell that she was hesitant, afraid of what was to come. Having run away from Team Rocket, after working for them for... Years, to wildly follow some kid you knew long ago to some place safe?
He admired her though, she had chosen to come with him without hesitation. She knew the risks, knew the consequences of what would happen to her if they were caught. But she still came along with him anyways, probably for Alyssa he figured. But came along none the less.
He pulled back on the throttle and the bike accelerated towards an incline positioned at the rivers edge. Split second later, the bike was soaring over the rapids, and then back on land on the other side.
The landing shook up a dust cloud behind them as they road down a just noticeable trail. The path was long winding, lefts, rights, bends, inclines. But after a fifteen minutes ride, the headquarters came into view.
A gate lay at the end of the path, and he saw a welcome party waiting for them, Pokeballs in hand. A flood light winked on and shone down on them, Sue stirred, "Turn off the damn light," She murmured sitting up straight.
Ash ignored her and slowed the bike and came to a stop a few feet in front of the group, "Ketchum," A man came forward and gave him a tilt of his head, "Drive round back, and report to the comm-room immediately, the Champions are waiting for you."
He tilted his head in response as the gate creaked open. He did as told and drove around back to a garage. He parked the bike, and helped Sue out of the side car. Her back stiff and aching from the long journey, "We'll go see the Champions, and get you a room. It's late so Alyssa should be asleep," Ash said lifting the seat of the side car and removing the backpack that housed all of the files he had recovered from the tel-comm Facility as well as his and Alyssa's medical files.
"She really is ere?" Sue asked as he slung the bag over one shoulder and waved for her to follow him.
"She is, she'll explain what's been going on. I've been learning as I go." They stepped into an elevator, and he pressed the button for the floor where the Champions waited for him.
The ride up was quiet, the quiet ding sounding as the door open allowing them to step out. "Just down here," He said starting down the hallway. Sue was glancing at everyone and everything, half expecting someone to come out of nowhere and arrest her, "You'll be fine,"
"Dunno bout that, does look pretty nice round here though." She muttered as Ash pushed open a door, holding it open for her before shutting it behind him.
"Just what the hell kind of stunt was that!" Ash blinked and saw Lance walking rigidly towards him, "Johto? JOHTO? You run off to Johto for what? A nice vacation to visit Team Rocket!?" Lance's eyes narrowed dangerously, "We thought you had gone and deserted us! Please explain why-"
"Lance," Cynthia interrupted exasperatedly, "Calm down and let him speak."
Lance backed away and sat down tensely in a chair, "Better be good." He grumbled agitatedly.
Ash could tell that the three hadn't been sleeping well, his doing no doubt. He could see that they had been woken up as well, about four AM, and he just casually strolls in.
"I'm sorry," He meant it, he truly did, "I recovered documents from the center, and then-"
"Blew it straight to hell we know! Move on!"
Ash blinked, he'd ignore the outburst, "I wanted to go to Ecruteak, where I was originally trained. See if I could remember anything. And I did."
Cynthia opened her mouth to speak but he continued, "Sue here," He gestured to the nurse, "Was my doctor at the Academy, she's disbanded Team Rocket, and needs some place to stay until this is over. She'll be staying here for safety." His tone told them not to argue, so the three nodded.
"Where are the files?" Cynthia asked politely, "We could use some good news right now."
Ash's eyebrows furrowed but she shook her head at the question, "Later."
Removing the bag from his shoulder, he brought it over to a table and began removing the stacks, making sure to set his and Alyssa's off to the side. "Saffron, Silph Co, Shadow," He gestured to three stacks, "Celadon and Cerulean,"
Cynthia came up beside him and examined the stacks, "Have you looked into them at all?" He shook his head, "We'll get on it in the morning then, you can debrief us then, hopefully you'll recognize something."
He took the two medical files and tucked them under his arm, "We'll need a room for Sue,"
Steven spoke at last, "We'll have a room prepared for her tomorrow, for now she can sleep in the room across from your own. It is unlocked, and should be suitable for the night."
He gave a curt nod and opened the door for Sue, "There'll be a shower in your room, and I'll hunt down some spare clothing for you to sleep in. In the morning I'll bring you to Alyssa,"
"Ya know boy," She said quietly, his eyes looked to her, "Thank ya for this honestly, I had a feeling I was gonna be canned for someone younger in the coming weeks. Injuries had been more frequent the passed year or so, and I've been drained with all the physical work I was needed to do."
His eyes never left her, "The past year?" He asked as they neared the rooms.
"Ay, Recruits are being trained right away with Pokemon, nasty creatures they are. Don't know where they got em,' all I know is that I've had to tend to more then a few bites and clawing's. Not pretty."
"Interesting..." He muttered under his breath, "Here's your room, if you need anything that's my door," He pointed to the one behind him, "I'll leave you a change of clothes outside your door, and we'll find you something more permanent within the next few days."
Sue wrapped her arms around him and he stiffened briefly, "Thank ya Ash, I'll see ya in the mornin."
Hesitantly he returned the hug, "No problem Sue... Best you get yourself comfortable."
Once she was in her room, he had left to find her some clothing. Five minutes, and three stolen uniforms later he left them outside her door and entered his own.
He released Espeon and she promptly curled up on his bed as he began to unbuckle his vest. He was exhausted, well over two weeks without sleep, constant exercise. He was ready to drop dead, the vest fell to the ground and he peeled off the tank top, the sweaty garment sticking to his body.
He groaned sitting down on the edge of the bed, removing the knives from his boots, holsters dangling from his hips. Removing everything from his body except his jeans, he placed his equipment onto the dresser and fell onto his bed.
Sleep claiming him as soon as his head touched the pillow.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
He only awoke the following morning due to the presence he felt watching him, he doubted it was someone coming to kill him in his sleep as they'd been watching him for over twenty minutes, but it was still unsettling.
"Can... Can you not watch me?" He mumbled into his pillow, he felt Espeon pressed up against his back.
"Pikapi chuka pikachu..."
He let out a deep sigh, "Pikachu... Let me sleep, I'll explain later." He grumbled tiredly.
"Pi cha pikachu pika pika?"
"Don't know if you know her, but does Sue ring a bell?"
After a brief pause, "Pi."
"Well she's..." His voice started getting distant, "Brought er' here, now leave me alone."
"Chuka?"
"I-I don't know, haven't seen her yet. What time is it?"
"Cha Pi,"
It took every ounce of strength to groan out loud, it was two in the afternoon, "Another hour, and I'll get up deal?"
"Pika Chuka Chupi, chaka chu?"
"Well good for them," Ash mumbled pulling a pillow over his head, "Save's me the introductions. Now leave or come here, I need sleep."
Pikachu reluctantly waddled over to him and curled up into his chest contently, he'd get the story later. As long as Ash promised to tell him he was leaving before something then he was fi-
The bedroom door slammed back on it's hinges and Ash cursed into his pillow, "I'm sleeping get ou- Hggh!" He gasped as something landed on top of him, "What the he-"
"You brought her back!" Alyssa exclaimed a bright grin lighting up her face, she removed the pillow blocking her view of his face and he groaned once again.
"Yea... Now leave..." He moaned, his hand searched around for a sheet to pull above his head, but found nothing.
"Why though, she said you jus-"
"Alyssa," He said slowly, reluctantly opening his eyes to the the ecstatic blond, "I haven't slept in two weeks. I'm tired, I'm sore, I'll answer your questions later alright?"
She frowned, but it was to hard to keep on her face as the grin reappeared, "Fine, but I want the full story,"
"Yeah, you and everyone else. Now G'night," He shut his eyes and attempted to fall back asleep.
However his eyes blinked open as he felt something warm and soft brush against his cheek. Blushing red, Alyssa muttered, "Thank you," And quickly rolled off the bed and out the door.
He lay there for a solid minute and a half, just feeling where her lips had brushed against his skin, warm and soft. Re-shutting his eyes he tossed the feeling aside, had he been expecting a memory or voices to come from that? Maybe, but nothing came so he removed the action from his mind.
She was thanking him, that was it.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Picking up the phone, Lance brought it to his ear, "Mr. Goodshow," He greeted tensely.
"Good afternoon Lance, I'm calling in regards to your battle,"
The Kanto, Johto Champion nodded to himself, he knew this, "To confirm the date yes?"
A pause, "Well, actually Lance, yes and no." His eyebrows furrowed, "You've been scheduled two battles, a Trainer has defeated the Elites again, and has requested the same date as the other battle."
They weren't holding back were they? "Two... Two championship battles in a single day?" He asked incredulously! "How am I supposed to-
"Lance you and I both know that you cannot change the date in which the battle is requested. The Indigo and Johto Leagues are under different contracts so the challenges cannot be postponed,"
Lance looked around his office disbelievingly, he bet he could easily postpone the matches if he said that the to challengers were Team Rocket Elites. They'd cancel it immediately! But he couldn't so he resigned with a sigh, "Alright Charles, what is the date of the two matches?"
"A week from today I'm afraid, I know this doesn't give you much time to prepare yourself, but I wish you luck in the matches."
Lance cursed in his mind, a week that day, was the day of the Goldenrod League Banquet. The banquet where they were planning a take down of a high ranking member of Team Rocket, "Thank you Charles, I'll see you at the battles."
With that he replaced the phone and cursed out loud, two championship battles, and a high-priority take down that he wouldn't be able to attendant. Damn.
Getting up from his seat, he picked up a stack of files in which Ash had retrieved, the one labelled Shadow, and started for the door. He'd have to discuss this with Steven and Cynthia.
He went immediately for the command center, entering he saw Steven and Cynthia huddled around an assortment of documents, while Ash sat in a chair, feet up on a table, and a folder in hand, "Cynthia, Steven. We need to discuss something."
Looking away from their documents, they noticed the urgency in his voice, "If you'll excuse us Ash," He gave the blond a small tilt of his head and the Champions stepped out into the hall.
Steven stretched, "Problem?" He asked.
"I just got a call from Charles,"
"About your match?" Cynthia raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, except I've got two matches, and they are both on the day of the Banquet."
The blond, and steel blued haired champions looked at him in disbelief, "Two match's?" Steven whispered, "Two!?"
"Team Rocket is cleaning house, they want my title right now."
Cynthia cursed and turned her back to the two, she didn't want them to see the worry in her eyes. Thing's were moving along to quickly now, far to quickly. It wasn't even a month since Steven lost his title, and now they were going to get both of Lances?
Then it was her, they were saving the hardest for last... It was a known fact that she was the most accomplished, and strongest of the three. Even the others had admitted that that was true.
But would she be able to stop- "What have you read about the Shadow Pokemon?" She whispered slowly, "Anything useful? Any manufacturing facilities?"
The red haired champion pursed his lips, "Small facilities yes, but the process is slow, painstakingly so, so they only give those Pokemon to trainees... No larger facilities unfortunately."
"Would Ash know? He's faced-"
"He doesn't remember that," Steven interrupted, "It would be a goose chase, we need to capture the business man. As long as one of us retains our title, Team Rocket cannot take over the League."
Cynthia ran a hand through her hair, things were getting out of hand. They knew Lance wouldn't be able to retain both titles, he had two reserves, and his main roster would be exhausted after the first of the battles.
"Lance you'll have to miss the banquet, try and defeat one of the Rockets and hope that we can locate and capture the business man. That's all we have as an option."
Lance nodded in defeat, all they could do was hope that he would be able to secure one of his titles, that was all they could hope for.
There was a faint knock and then the door behind them opened, Ash stuck his head out an asked, "Am I interrupting?"
"It's alright Ash, we just finished,"
"Well the Saffron documents are useless, only real importance is a few imports of heavy machinery into Cerulean, and to..." He glanced to something on the other side of the door, "Farwind Mountains, other then that, scrap paper."
"We'll look into it, set the reports down by our stacks. You're free to go, I believe you've got some... Catching up to due as well today, we will call you back if we find anything you may be able to help us with."
Giving a small nod, he disappeared once more behind the door.
Once the door shut, Steven looked to the two, "We could bring in Ash as a replacement."
When neither Cynthia or Lance objected to the idea, he added on, "It's risky yes, but he'd be perfect. He knows how to be silent, how to..." He cleared his throat, "Subdue targets, if we prepare him, we'd have the target in no time."
"I think we should wait on this, I'll contact Charles and see if I can't sway him to change one of the matches to a later date." She looked to Lance, "If not, you'll need to be the one to ask him Lance, he trust's me, but it would show that it wasn't me who persuaded him to do this."
Lance nodded, "I will," He then glanced at the door, "I suppose we should get to work?"
Steven tilted his head and turned around, pushing open the door. When the three stepped in, they blinked as there was no sign of Ash, "Did... Did we not see him leave?" Cynthia asked bemusedly.
"Well at least we know that he can be stealthy," Lance muttered going over to the stacks of work.
He hoped Cynthia would be able to change Goodshows mind, this operation needed to be a success, To capture the Rocket, the information would be to great.
And it would get them one step closer to Giovanni.