Chapter Twenty-One - The Deck Below
Rosa woke slowly, roused by the aching drumbeat in her head and the horrible nausea twisting her stomach. The solid surface beneath her felt hard and cold, like crusted snow in a wind-blown field, and as she lifted her head, her vision swirled.
She blinked rapidly, but it did little to dispel the stars dotting her eyes. Where was she? Everything was dark. It felt like the room around her was moving, drifting up and down in a rocking motion. Rosa sat up further, using her arms to pull her up from her stomach. The simple motion worsened her queasiness, and she had to close her eyes again to fight the vomit rushing up her throat. No way was she going to let her breakfast reappear. Not here. Not in this unknown place.
Numbly, she settled onto her knees and tentatively touched the tips of her fingers to the tender spot on the back of her head. Her hair was still in its tight buns, but the loose locks were tangled, and when she pulled her hand away, it came away wet. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness now, so she didn't need to squint to see the blood dripping from her pointer finger.
The sight sent a jolt through her heart. What was going on? Everything was fuzzy. She pushed through the blurred glass of her memory, fighting to remember. She and Hugh had been on a ship, pursuing Team Plasma. The atmosphere had felt thick with tension, and she'd been blinded by a flash of light . . .
Suddenly Rosa was very much awake. Her eyes swept the room she was in, landing on the steel-plated bars covering the wall. There was a door on that side, but when she crawled closer and shook it, the lock remained firm. Her cell was a hollow tube of concrete, the walls thick gray stones. There were no windows to invite sunlight in, no air flow to lessen the thick, musty air that choked her. She could see into the enormous cobwebbed room beyond her prison, but it only contained more empty cells.
She shivered, crossing her arms in front of her to try and ward off the chill. It was freezing! The haunting stones surrounding her held no heat, and when she exhaled, her breath blossomed in front of her like fog. Rosa searched around the room for her coat, or maybe a thin blanket, but there was nothing.
Where were her Pokémon? They'd been fighting when Plasma knocked her out. Anna had just overtaken that worthless Absol, but her other members hadn't been doing well. Had Plasma taken them? The thought sent a flush of anger through her. If they so much as touched her precious team members, there would be hell to pay.
And what about Hugh? He'd been defending her back, but then he'd fallen away . . .
"Hugh?" Rosa called into the vast darkness. She grasped the icy metal bars in her hands and used them to haul herself to her feet. Her weak voice echoed against the prison walls, but there was no reply to her pathetic call.
She gritted her teeth. Surely if they'd kidnapped her, they'd taken Hugh hostage as well. Was he still unconscious? Forcing the panic down, she tried again. "Hugh, are you there?"
"I wouldn't waste your energy on that, Rosa. He cannot hear you from here, but I assure you, we are taking good care of him."
Rosa startled, but forced herself to remain where she was. A figure appeared at the other end of the outside room, his long, white hair shining even in the darkness. She recognized the outfit, and her grip on the bars tightened.
"Where is he?" Her voice was low and edged, but really, she just wanted to keep the tremble out of it. "What have you done with Hugh? I swear, if you've hurt him-"
The ninja laughed, but there was no humor in it. "I think the person you should be worrying about is yourself, dear hero. Ghetsis will be so pleased to know we've finally caught the people responsible for interfering with all our plans. He's not very happy with you. Or your friend."
She pressed closer to the bars, wishing she could reach the ninja and wring his neck. "Hugh has nothing to do with this! I was the one tracking you, and I dragged him into it. He's done nothing. Let him go."
The lie burned. Not convincing enough.
He caught it too. "Ah, throwing yourself to the dogs to try and rescue him? Are you sure that is wise? I know you are accustomed to playing hero, but I'm afraid we've already alerted Lord Ghetsis that you both will soon be joining him. If either of you failed to show up, he'd be most disappointed." The ninja smiled, revealing white teeth. "Such things would be unacceptable."
Rosa's legs trembled. She'd been so stupid to not recognize the boat as a trap. They should have abandoned the place the minute she realized something was wrong. "Is that what happened to Touko?" She demanded. "You kidnapped her, then shipped her off to be Ghetsis' play thing? Is that what you're planning to do with us?"
He laughed again, the callous noise sending shivers down her spine. "You've heard of my dear friend, Touko?"
"Of course I have. You know where she is. You admit to taking her!"
The ninja suddenly lurched forward. He gripped the bars on the opposite side of Rosa and dropped down so they were face to face, staring into each other's eyes. His irises were liquid steel, their molten silver glowing in the dim light.
"You're just as troublesome." He whispered. "Lord Ghetsis' will is my only concern, but she interfered at every turn. Her fate was deserved. As is yours."
Rosa spat in his face. Such rage poured through her, the action occurred before she gave permission. The spittle latched onto his cheek and dribbled down his chin, but he made no move to wipe it away. A wide smile stretched across his face.
"Such spirit."
She didn't know how he did it, but suddenly his hand was through the bars, striking her cheek. His blow was powerful enough it sent her sprawling to the floor, and her hands burned when they rubbed against the concrete. Rosa grunted, but bit her tongue to prevent anything else escaping her. He already thought she was weak. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of hearing her cry out in pain.
"Acting up will only mean pain for yourself, your friend, and your Pokémon." He said in a clipped voice. "I would suggest you remember that."
Rosa picked herself up to shout something profane, but the ninja was gone.
She was alone in the darkness.
They couldn't do this. They couldn't contain her. She couldn't let them hurt Hugh.
Stumbling, Rosa got to her feet and banged against the bars. She slammed against them again and again, ignoring the sting, throwing the entirety of her weight as she screamed for Hugh and her Pokémon. They could be torturing them. Using them. Slaughtering them.
Her voice was raw, but still she screamed, hurling herself into the bars until droplets of blood slid down her forehead and dripped off the bridge of her nose. She didn't realize she was crying until a sob caught in her throat, cutting off her cries. This was her fault. She'd brought her team into this dangerous place. She'd insisted on hunting Team Plasma, on continuing to fight them. It was all her . . .
Finally, her legs gave out, and Rosa slipped down the bars, her hands making squeaking sounds as they slid down the frigid metal. What was Ghetsis planning on doing with them, once they arrived to whatever destination he had in mind? Would he lock them away forever? She couldn't let that happen to Hugh; his entire life was ahead of him. And what about her Pokémon? They would fight every step of the way, especially if the cruel leader tried to use them. They'd be horribly punished.
Zaveid was too stubborn to be swayed to battle for them. He'd rebel until death.
The thought froze her blood. No. She wouldn't allow this. Her team members wouldn't be condemned to such a fate; they'd have to kill her first.
Rosa withdrew to the back corner of her cell. She didn't know what time of day it was, or how long she'd been knocked out, but sooner or later, someone would have to come by to deliver her water. Or at least a blanket, so she wouldn't freeze to death.
When they did, she would be ready.
Rugged footsteps outside Rosa's cell made her stir. Several long hours had passed since she'd spoken with the ninja – just how many, she couldn't say – but any movement at all was welcome in her empty prison.
From her spot on the concrete floor, Rosa tensed and scurried to her feet. Her joints ached when she moved, and stars spotted her vision when she stood upright, but she forced herself to remain still. This moment had already happened a thousand times in her head, but her palms were still clammy, and her heart pounded so loudly she could hear it.
She fled into the darkness of the right wall and pressed up against it. The footsteps were heavy and drawing closer. They sounded like boots.
"Water. And be grateful I brought you that, filthy rat." It was a man's voice, heavy and gruff. She leaned her head back against the stones. Had he seen her?
There was a shuffling sound, followed by a confused, "Huh?"
The jingle of keys. Heavy screeching as the bars of her prison swung inward, towards Rosa's face. She held her breath.
"No way she could have escaped. That's not possible."
The man was inside her cell now. She watched his bulky outline pass where she hid in the darkness, back to the corner of the room, and she had to fight the rush of adrenaline shouting at her to run.
You're tiny. Elliot's not. Strategic, targeted moves are your best bet. You already know the most vulnerable parts of the body. Injure your opponent, and the moment they're caught off guard, run.
She sprung. Her feet skittered the concrete, alerting the guard to the threat behind him, but he couldn't turn fast enough to avoid her foot connecting with his knee.
Thank you, Sal.
There was a horrible, devastating crunch. The plasma guard's screams filled the prison cell, bouncing off the walls, but unlike the time she'd fought Elliot, Rosa didn't stop grinding her foot into bone when she heard it break. Instead, she whirled and kicked his back, sending his hunched form sprawling.
His keys flung from his hands onto the floor. Adrenaline roaring, Rosa dashed over to them and snatched them up. The man had stopped screaming, but she paid him no mind as she ran for the open entrance. She was going to save her Pokémon. She was going to save Hugh.
Something caught her foot, knocking her to the ground. Pain lurched through her knees and palms when they connected with the concrete, but Rosa's eyes were on the set of keys that flew out of her hand and towards the door. The plasma man yanked viciously on her ankle, dragging her back towards him, a string of profanities falling from his mouth as he pulled her.
She kicked back at him, hard. She didn't know where his face was, but if her shoe broke his crooked nose, she would consider it a victory. Her fingernails dug into the floor as she tried to heave herself forward, but it only served to make her fingertips ache.
"You're not getting away, little rat. Come back here."
Rosa was close enough to reach the prison bars. She reached out her hand and grabbed onto one, hauling herself closer to the keys. The guard tugged back on her, fighting her grip on the metal, but with the last of her strength, she kicked back.
The man swore. Her shoe hit something solid, probably his nose, but she didn't look back to find out. With his grip finally loosened, Rosa kicked it away and dragged herself to the set of keys. She picked them up and fled outside the door, slamming the barred door shut on her way out. Her hands trembled as she struggled to fit the keys into the lock, but finally the mechanism clicked, and as the guard reached the door and shook it roughly, it stayed firmly in place.
She was free.
"The only rat in here is you." She snarled, turning back to face him. There was blood smudging his pale skin. "That bloody nose comes compliments of my Uncle Sal. I hope you enjoy rotting here."
Then she ran, flinging herself towards the exit, and with any luck, Hugh.
Another early update, because I'm impatient and just really love writing this stuff. Action is definitely my favorite parts of a story, so even though Rosa's in a desperate situation, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you all thought, and have an awesome week!