We are taking a break from Layla to head over to the evil side of things and see what's going on there. The last time we saw anything Team Rocket it was in Serena's story and when Giovanni left, two years later we catch up with Archer to see what really happened... or what Archer knows what happened.

Sebastian, Attila and Hun sit across from Archer, their expressions neutral as they absorb Archer's plan. He had gathered the latter two at Sebastian's request to help him figure out the mechanics of it all. Without the brain scan Dom was working on, Archer is going to rely on Sebastian's previous research on the Miracle Crystal he found somewhere in Johto.

"The crystal merely attracts electric types," Hun states, finger on their chin as they ponder the plan.

"Yes, but it's power connected to the machinery will help it deploy a capture bubble," Sebastian responds. "If we can get it to create that bubble and trap Raikou, we can harness that energy into something more... physical. To trap the pokemon in close proximity and make it comply with orders."

"We'll need lots of pokeballs," they respond.

"The capture mechanisms can be modified to be more aggressive," Sebastian explains at Archer's questioning brow. "I think this plan will work. What's our target?"

"Rumor has it," Archer slides a picture across the desk to them. "The Beast Trio has made a return."

The three of them perk up at that announcement, their eyes glittering as they look at the picture. It shows Ilex Forest with a yellow blur in the middle, the unmistakable form of Raikou in that blur.

"The chance of a lifetime," Attila laughs, nudging Hun. "What did I say? I knew this would happen."

Hun huffs, trying to seem nonchalant back. "I suppose so."

"Then we should get started," Sebastian grins. "I assume you'll have someone else take control of Project R?"

"Of course," Archer nods. "What resources we have are yours; grunts, money, equipment. Whatever you need. Just produce results and fast."

"Why the change in plan?" Sebastian stops the other two from waking away. He wants all the information before starting in on this project, no matter how amazing the undertaking will be.

"We are going to help Giovanni make a comeback so glorious, Johto and Kanto will fall to their knees."

The wariness turns into intrigue as the three glance between each other, even before meeting Archer rumors swirled around Team Rocket of his drive, the need to rise above it all. Since he took over, they're seeing just how headstrong the man can be.

They set the terms there, their work, the liabilities, the materials, and Archer watches them go with a widening grin on his face. Things will turn out perfectly if he takes his time with it and that's a thought that fuels him.

A few moments after they leave, a knock sounds at the door and Petrel's face peeks in. Archer gestures for him to come in and take a seat, right on time. The purple haired man does so, silently without a single question.

Petrel is a lanky man, in his forties but with a face slightly younger, and suspicious as his eyes dart around the room. On one end, Archer recalls Dom's ability to change his appearance with illusions, able to fake being a person down to the voice and smell. The other end is someone like Petrel, while he may have slight ability with illusion work, he uses makeup and voice training to mimic people.

If he hadn't seen it first hand, Archer would be skeptical about his skills, but it's remarkable how easy it is to fool someone when they're not suspecting a mimic in their midst.

"Have you had any luck on the file?" Archer asks, drawing his gaze away from the man back to his computer.

"None," Petrel slumps in the chair. "It's very well protected."

"What do you propose?"

"What's in this thing?" Petrel replies with narrowed eyes. "You're going to impressive lengths for this file and we don't even know what's in it."

"Exactly, all I know is that it has the answers I'm looking for."

"What's the question?"

"It will be your death if you continue this," Archer snarls. "You're not a child, find a way into it or I'll get someone else."

"Okay, okay," Petrel rolls his eyes. "Ari was right, you have no patience... I may know someone who can get into it. The only issue is they work for the G-men."

"Figure it out, we need what's in that file."

Petrel leaves that meeting with ringing ears and a headache. Restoring the operating systems in the base, and updating it, hasn't been easy work. Getting all those files back and reading all of them to see what they could use and what they can do without, isn't the most exciting thing. It does, however, beat working in the field like Proton and Ariana.

Until now.

It was dumb to mention his contact, but Archer is desperate for answers and history shows if that man is desperate, he will stop at nothing to get what he needs. Even if it means killing to do so. His life may not be glorious but he does enjoy living.

"Well, guess it's time for a reunion," he sighs, using his tablet to pull up Cherrygrove City.

Searching up the address and locating the neighborhood comes without issue, he's done it dozens of times before. This mission won't require a team, Petrel knows the target inside and out, he should have the answer by late evening. The computer pulls up the neighborhood on a live feed and Petrel smiles at the quaint and picture perfect homes gleaming back at him. The morning rush has died down, leaving little to no witnesses and the perfect opening for him.

He asks Ariana to borrow her Drowzee, grabs his bag with everything he'll need in it and teleports to the city.

Back in his younger days, he attended University for an IT related field, he's normally a whiz with computers. Classes were a breeze and startups were begging for his expertise... but work in Team Rocket has dulled him.

It was a wild time back then, he was wanted by all who were practically throwing money at him. Then, he met a man he would come to be best friends with. One of the few others matching in skill and could hold a decent conversation. He and Petrel were inseparable.

Then he made the mistake of falling in love with him.

Petrel's tendency to dance the line of morally good and evil became too much and they broke it off. Clyde, however, went off to get married and get hired in the G-men. While proud, Petrel hates how he's kept track of the man ever since their split, it'll be difficult for the goal at hand.

He doubts Clyde has changed much in terms of his pacifism, he's got strong morals but not muscles. His pokemon aren't trained to fight, just be companions, which is another thing Petrel never understood. They're capable of amazing power and he just wants to live beside them?

Swimming in memories, Petrel lets Koffing out as he approaches the condo where Clyde pays for property. It's what he's always wanted, the feel of living in your own home without the yard work involved.

Petrel sighs, checking his watch, since he's working the good old 9 to 5, he knows better than to rush in. His partner works at the local hospital, a doctor, it should be easy to count on him being late. Clyde should be home soon, Petrel knows this dance well and gets to work infiltrating the building.

He heads to the guard house and uses Koffing's Smog to knock out the patrolman working. From there, he takes the man's uniform and stuffs him below the desk with his hands and legs tied tight and mouth taped shut. Petrel studies his face, and applies a bit of a mask to appear younger and sprays black paint in his hair to match him.

A short job to fool those working the cameras and not anything for up close looks.

He enters the building through the front doors and takes the elevator up to the third floor. Clyde's apartment is at the end of a T-shaped hallway. Koffing covers the light with a gooey Sludge while Petrel picks the lock and enters the home. He's got ten minutes before Clyde gets home to set up his equipment and extract some poison from Koffing to use as leverage.

The rush of excitement he gets is just so addicting, there's no way he can let this life go. Always on the edge, never tied down...

Petrel gets lost in his thoughts until he hears the front door open and the familiar footsteps of Clyde heading to the kitchen. The man stops dead in his tracks at the same time Petrel stands at the island with a grin. He can see Clyde's eyes dart towards the computer on the counter and then back to Petrel.

Koffing floats across the room, shutting the door with his body and urging Clyde forward.

"Hello, dear," Petrel smiles, rubbing his goatee. "It's good to see you're doing well."

"What do you want?" Clyde snaps. "What are you doing here?"

"I need your expertise," Petrel rolls his eyes. "Help me with something and then I'm out of your hair."

"Why do you think I'd help you?"

Petrel rushes him, needle out and aimed at his neck as he grabs his arm and holds him close. He feels Clyde flinch as he pulls his bent up along his spine. "Do not think I wouldn't trade your life for mine no matter what we had. You will do it or I will kill you and your partner when he gets home."

Clyde struggles against him, clearly afraid and unsure of what he did to be in this situation. It takes a few more seconds of struggling for him to concede and slump into the chair.

"What are we doing?" His voice thick with defeat.

Petrel smiles and directs his attention to the screen.

He tells Clyde little to no details about it and ensures none of the information gets copied. It's silent as Clyde starts his fight restoring the file and getting past the firewalls protecting it. Petrel watches him, amazed at the programs he slams at the file to get in.

It takes longer than expected, but as soon as Petrel has the file, he knocks Clyde out, wipes the home and disappears back to base.

OoO

"You did great," Wesley pats Clyde on the shoulder. "We'd rather you be here alive than dead."

"Ugh, my head hurts," Clyde groans, he checks the ice pack wrapped in a towel medics gave him and grimaces at the blood on it. "Anyways, the only thing I can pull from it is 'M2P' and they've spent a lot of resources on it. The security on the file was insane, I can only guess what was inside."

Wesley glances at his son across the room. "They're searching for something."

"Yes, and willing to kill to get it," Lance agrees. "Do you think it's Giovanni?"

"I think he has something to do with it," Wesley replies. "He's been gone for years, I doubt he's behind what's happening now. If he's truly disappeared, this all would make more sense."

There's a bit of commotion in the hallway before Clyde's partner, Leo, rushes in with worry clear on his face. The two embrace as Clyde explains what happened before his partner checks his wound for himself.

"We'll leave some guards for the night," Wesley tells the two with a smile. "Glad you're safe Clyde."

"Thanks, Wes."

Lance and his father stroll out of the building, side by side, mulling over the details of the case. It's a strange move, out of nowhere, for Petrel of Team Rocket to come after Clyde. Archer has discovered something, a secret so heavily guarded, the two have no idea how they're going to get an edge on Team Rocket. How are they to find out what it is if the man in question is gone?

It's frustrating and Lance hates the circles they're running to just understand what's happening.

"Son," Wesley states, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

Wesley's usually stern face turns soft. "What's wrong?"

"What isn't wrong?" Lance frowns back. "Team Rocket is back and we have no idea why, what they're doing or have a plan to stop them."

"I'm not talking about that," Wesley nods, crossing his arms. "You haven't been home to visit your mother and I for weeks."

Lance glances away then, guilt washing over him. "I'm sorry, Dad. I just... I get so caught up in work."

"You and I both know that's bullshit," Wesley crosses his arms. "Talk to us, to me."

"What do you want me to say?" he rasps, turning his head back to his father. "I was an asshole, I'm not the type of person you wanted to raise. I know that. I saw the way you and Mom looked at me that night, the disappointment. It went to my head and I don't deserve this. And yet," he pauses, clenching his fists before glancing up at the sky, "I can't find it in myself to give it up. She put me in this spot and I feel like I owe it to her to keep it. But what if I'm fucking it up?"

Wesley waits a moment before responding, it pains him to see his son so torn up especially when he doesn't have to shoulder the pain alone.

"Son," he starts in a gentle tone. "Yes, your mother and I were very disappointed in you the night she left. You've always been a sort of a hot-head beneath all that drive. When you won the title, we were worried what was going to happen and we were elated she was going to be there every step of the way."

"Yeah, I bet..."

"And it's not because we don't trust you," he interrupts. "The two- no- three of you have always been balancing each other out. All of you were too young for the roles you took on at the time you did."

"What's your point?" Lance demands, his eyes meeting his father's. "I'm older now and she's not back. I haven't heard from her. I should just move on? Are you telling me she has?"

He shakes his head. "No. I'm telling you that drowning yourself in work, putting these ridiculous standards on yourself, and pushing everyone away from you isn't healthy. It's not what she would have wanted for you. You've punished yourself enough."

"How do you know?"

"You're an undefeated Champion and you regret what happened. You're trying to grow from it," he continues. "The least you could do is visit Rowan, and, please, talk to Aaron without looking like a kicked Growlithe."

Lance glowers at the ground, kicking a rock with his boot. "I don't look like that."

Wesley laughs, patting his shoulder. "Make some friends, get out more."

Lance rolls his eyes. "In the middle of this? No thanks."

His dad just shrugs in response and the two decide to move on from there as the other policemen and G-men disperse.

OoO

"Excellent work," Archer grins at Petrel. "Maybe I should threaten your life more often to get this type of result."

"Yeah, please don't," the other man replies with a huff. "Are you going to let us know what is in there?"

"Yes," Archer slips the computer into his bag. "I will hold a meeting once I've discerned the importance of it. I think it's more beneficial for all of us to be on the same page rather than keep a few in the dark. Good work."

With that, he turns on his heel and heads back to his office, his mind a flurry of excitement to know the reason for all their struggles. He keeps Houndoom at the door to ensure privacy as he intends to get through the whole file in one sitting. Giovanni's whereabouts could be in there and if their boss is in trouble, well then, it's up to Archer to ensure his safe return.

As soon as the computer opens, Archer digs into the file, his mind already asking questions about it's strange title. It takes him a few short minutes to scroll through the folders, the documents, invoices and correspondence between multiple sources. Whatever this project was, it involved way more than a handful of resources.

Archer decides to start at the beginning; the purchase of the island.

It's saved under New Island with the topography available for him to inspect, he easily finds the spot they had landed near, a dot labeled 'Lab: Main'. He scrolls down further to see the schematics and pictures of said lab as it is built within a few years. His eyes widen seeing the enormity of the project, all of that buried beneath the earth?

"What happened?"

He moves to the next file on the lab itself, its layout, the equipment inside, a list of Rocket's allowed access as well as affiliates from outside the organization. Each name stirs an old memory in him, of a time people whispered in the halls of HQ in Kanto of a far off lab used for experiments. Horrific experiments that could get anyone involved killed if they spoke even a word of what happened there.

Dom's name comes up and he finds himself more intrigued.

In the folder titled 'Personnel', Archer clicks Dom's name before looking at anything else and sits back as the man's life lies before him. True to his nature, Giovanni did his research on the man before approaching him and asking for his resources. While he's not sure how much of this is true given Dom's nature, it's a start.

He had been in Sinnoh when Giovanni found him and contracted him to work on the island for a few years. It says he specialized in neurology, psychology and pretty much anything to do with psychic abilities. The man had been suspected for kidnapping psychic students, all hoping to gain more power than those they were born with. Something Dom was rumored to excel in, or at least what he wanted to excel in.

From his file, Archer finds himself looking at a pokemon file: Mew.

The rarest, oldest pokemon known to man, next to Arceus, of course. A powerful pokemon capable of using every move known and declared extinct years and years ago.

"Now why are you popping up?" he murmurs, staring at a picture of an ancient carving of the pokemon.

He scrolls down, passing by details of past expeditions led by hopeful scientists wanting a glimpse of something so rare, and stops at a picture of a jungle at the end. A frown forms, is it just showing what its habitat might have been?

"Oh!" his gasps startles his Houndoom into taking a protective stance. "Stand down."

The pokemon relaxes back into its sitting position as though nothing had happened, allowing Archer to return his attention to the photo. Between the trees, he thought it was just a Butterfree or something, but zooming in he can tell it's not. The body looks blurred as it moves away from the photographer, trying to escape sight, but it's long tail and foot cannot be mistaken for anything else.

Giovanni found Mew.

The weight of the discovery bears down on Archer as he slumps back in his chair and traces the outline of Mew over and over again. Is that why he got Dom? Was it Dom that tracked the pokemon to Guyana?

He reaches the bottom of the file and sees the name Fuji.

It sparks a memory and he clicks on the name. The next page shows the photo of an older man with a wife and child, though the latter two have their faces marked out. The man stands there with a smile on his face, unmarred by the cruelties of death as Archer reads about the little girl's death.

Dr. Fuji, originally from Viridian City, studied Pokemon Molecular Biology for many, many years until the accident left him without a daughter and, eventually, a wife. The public files turn into more private ones as Giovanni's research takes over yet again. The man had turned to the black market, buying equipment to start his own lab, and caught the attention of the Rocket leader.

"Oh my," Archer grins as he finds a recreation of a lab in what looks like the basement of a house.

The first thing to catch Archer's eye is a large containment chamber, cylindrical with seemingly nothing but a glowing light inside of it. It sits on the desk at the far end, lots of papers around it and a photo frame beside it. Archer stares at it, dumbfounded, realizing he's staring at the life force of Fuji's daughter.

The DNA garnered from her corpse looking for a body to inhabit with his wife gone and likely no other way to foster a living clone. She'd form in a test tube and live there until her rebirth, a human child with abnormal origins. A scientific breakthrough on a magnitude that even Archer cannot grasp.

He finds the next dot in the connection as it takes him to a page titled 'MCP' with the subtitle 'Mew Cloning Process'. His heart restarts in his chest as he finds the plans for the cloning process of Mew from an eyelash found on the expedition. The scientific jargon escapes him but he can understand the gist of it, especially as he gets to the end and sees the fruits of their labor.

It looks like there were less than a hundred attempts at cloning the pokemon, all of them either dying out or not viable enough to live past the beginning stages until the last one. There were a few practice pokemon in there that had survived the process as well, leaving four pokemon and one human.

Archer stares at the screen, a figure curled up, the size of a toddler. Floating suspended in orange fluid beside three other pokemon, more familiar ones.

"That's... not Mew," he frowns.

Despite being its clone, if that's even true, the pokemon in the picture looks significantly different than the parent pokemon. While Mew is small with long feet, a long wispy tail, big eyes and pink. This pokemon has a shorter, fatter tail, two short horns on its, a tube from skull to spine tip and defined chest and shoulders. It's fingers and toes end in spherical tips.

And it's purple.

Clicking on the picture brings him to a new file: Mewtwo Profile.

Immediately, he sees the clone before him, its specs, including its height, weight, known moves and stats as it grows into an adult. The numbers have Archer on the edge of his seat, these numbers are unheard of, even with legendary pokemon research being sparse. This pokemon could wipe out anything in its path, and it was in Giovanni's grasp.

He follows the clone's name to a file on the gym in Viridian being its resting place, he vaguely remembers the boss's winning streak improving drastically for a couple of weeks. And how no grunts were allowed to visit the gym after hours.

The files change to state the clone's disappearance after an argument with Giovanni and that's how the original headquarters got destroyed.

Archer leans back in his chair, a deep breath forcing its way out of his chest at the realization of everything. All the rumors, the mysteries, the disappearances of grunts... It makes sense.

He prints out some of the schematics and basic info on the clone, Mewtwo, and Dom, and copies some of the photos to his laptop. Houndoom relaxes as he picks up the phone on the desk and makes a few phone calls. Each executive picks up promptly and all sound confused when he demands a meeting that night.

"What's going on?" Ariana demands, as usual.

"We've got our answers and I have a plan."
He hangs up and stares down at the photos in front of him, a mix of admiration and anger bubbling in his stomach. Leave it to Giovanni to make an amazing discovery and go on to create an entirely new pokemon. That's the kind of drive that got him Team Rocket in the first place. But how could he have not let himself in on the plan?

Archer has been behind Giovanni for years, always able to carry out the toughest missions and bring in the most revenue. He may not be the oldest member, but he's definitely the most trustworthy, look at him now! Pulling the shreds of Team Rocket from the rubble left behind, uncovering the truth Giovanni tried so hard to hide.

"I'll find you," Archer speaks to the empty air, his eyes on the monitor. "I'll see where you went and bring you back to rule the two regions as it should be ruled."