-9:44 PM, Terry POV, FP-
A heavenly aroma assaulted us as we opened the doors to the Striaton City Gym, which doubled as a restaurant. A man with bright red hair and a waiter's outfit waved to us and our partners. "Glad you could make it! Group of four? Seat yourselves than, Cress will be with you in a moment." I waved to Chili as we weaved our way through tables to a booth by the left side wall.
As we sat down, Alex, Nicky, Angel and I marveled at the decor. The walls were a simple, light forest green, with gold trim ringed around to represent sunshine peaking through the leaves. The chairs and tables were shaped like leaves, with the legs fashioned like tree trunks. After we got comfortable, another waiter came up, this one with wavy blue hair. Alex noticed him first and shook his hand. "Hello, Cress. This place looks amazing! You all have style."
Cress chuckled as he handed menus to the people and pokemon he was serving. "I would take credit, but it was Clian's idea. We all came up with our own design for the place, then debated and agreed that this would be the most pleasing to the eye. I'll pass him your praise, though. Can I get you all started with drinks?"
A half hour of food preparation later, during which Cilan, a green haired man in a fancier outfit than his brothers, made a personal announcement that he would throw anyone who stared at Angels unusual coloring too much out of the building without warning, the group was eating their meals. I was enjoying the moment so much, I almost doubted that it would last long. For us, times like this never did.
Sadly, that thought wasn't far off as a phone call came in on the buildings line. Cress answered, and it was his shout of terror and anger that signaled the end of the fun. "THEIR DOING WHAT?!"
The entire restaurant quieted so fast it was like someone had pushed the mute button on a TV. Cress stood there for a moment looking dumbstruck, before he waved his hand at Chili and Cilan, motioning for them to come over. Although he whispered, his animated figure and mood, compared to his usually laid back self, created a feeling of nervousness that flew through the crowd. Suddenly the bright haired gym leaders broke their huddle. Chili and Cress grabbed their jackets and pokeballs and ran out the door. Meanwhile, Cilan addressed the crowd.
"It seems as an organization known as "Team Plasma" is attempting to steal important information, as well as several pokemon, from the Dream Yard. The police are there as we speak, but are being met with extreme resistance. That was Officer Jenny requesting that my brothers and I assist in the rescue." He turned to the table that Alex and I sat at. "She also asked if you would help as well, if you wouldn't mind. They have several pokemon taken hostage inside the broken down facility, and threaten further harm to them if anyone tries to get farther in than the police front lines." Alex and I turn our heads in unison partners, and we exchange nods.
"Alright then. Lets get to the Dream Yard, the sooner the better," Cilan finishes. Without further ado, the group ran outside and followed the other two leaders, whose hair was just visible far ahead of them.
Breathing heavily, the group arrived by several police cars whose lights were flashing. Dozens of officers in S.W.A.T team style armor watched the front line from behind cover of the cars, some wielding pistols, others with pokeballs and pokemon like Growlithe nearby. Officer Jenny herself was pouring over a map that upon closer inspection looked dotted with blood.
Jenny looks up and notices us, specifically me. She follows my line of sight and gets the idea. "Team Plasma blew up the facility, a lot of normal routes into the building are blocked. A Pokmon Ranger flew on a Staraptor and got us these images. She's currently in the hospital tent with a nastily broken Styler arm after the Plasma Grunt's pokemon fired upon Staraptor, she fell about 20 feet. She'll live."
I nodded numbly and voiced the question that the entire group were considering. "Why us?" Jenny holds her hand up for silence.
"I've got a plan, but your all not going to like it. This map shows almost no entrances. Thats where Nicky and Angel come in. They can teleport officers in, we can surprise the grunts and get the pokemon out, hopefully with minimal injuries. Your pokemon can teleport us back, and then the police can stage a full scale raid without the threat of harm to the pokemon." She fixes her gaze on the three leaders. "You all can help lead the raid, we will need every hand we can get. Alright then, wait for my call."
Alex and I, along with our Kirlia partners on our shoulders, followed Officer Jenny through the crowd of police, along with a member of the cops as requested by Jenny. When we finally get back to a secluded area near the rear of the police line, there are a total of 5 officers, not including Officer Jenny, two accompanied by Growlithe, the other three, along with Jenny, with pistols in their hands. All six look grim but determined.
The police leader addresses her troops. "All right, all of you grab onto an arm of either of these kids. When we teleport in, form a defensive ring around them and the hostage pokemon. Shoot to wound and disable. Growlithe, make sure the hostages know the plan immediately, we need to be in and out as fast as possible. Angel and Nicky, back off and don't attack unless you're absolutely sure you will still have enough energy to teleport. Terry and Alex, carry as many pokemon as you can. Any questions?" At the shaking of heads among the group, Jenny nods back. She cocks her pistol, then puts her hand gently on Angel's shoulder. "All right then. Lets save those Pokemon." A white light envelops the group as Angel and Nicky use their moves.
All at once, the team is no longer in the police line but in a broken stone building, behind a ton of men and women in Team Plasma uniforms. The three cops with pistols immediately roll behind cover near the hostage group of pokemon, mainly consisting of Lillipup and Patrat, but a Munna is within the group as well. The Growlithe blow twin streams of fire, creating a ring of flames that stops the advance made by Team Plasma, then hop behind cover as well. Jenny pushes the boys and their partners towards the pokemon, who begin piling on top of them. Things start going wrong there. As the officers are reloading, one of them gets shot in the shoulder. He screams, blood pouring down his chest as he gets forced to the ground. The Growlithe reinforce the flaming wall, and Jenny screams in our ears. "GET US OUT!" They all teleport to safety.
Reappearing with the pokemon under police cover, Jenny screams, "THE HOSTAGES ARE SECURE! GO!" Alex highfives Nicky, who is wobbly with exhaustion. He then turns to me to congratulate me, but screams instead.
I'm hurt, a bullet wound oozing blood my leg. It burns like the devil himself ripped open my calf, but it doesn't stop me from dragging myself over to Angel. She got at least two bullets in the gut and is barely breathing, her chest rising and falling so slowly and slightly that it's hard to tell if she was dead already or not. I reach her as Jenny yells into her radio for paramedics. Cradling her head in my lap, I softly slap her cheek with one hand, my other becoming slick with blood as I put pressure on her wound with my sleeve. Tears pour down my face as her eyes focus slightly.
I lean down and kiss her forehead, whispering softly, "You're fine, you're gonna be fine. I'm not going to lose you…" Suddenly I'm pushed aside as the paramedics surround Angel, wrapping her middle before putting her on a stretcher and flying back to their ambulance. All I can do is watch, numb from blood loss. I'm shoved to the ground suddenly, screaming bloody murder from the alcohol cleaning my bullet wound. As this happens, I feel the psychic presence that I've known for the last 10 years disappear from my mind. Fighting to stay awake, I watch as several plasma grunts are handcuffed at gunpoint. Then darkness consumes my vision and blissful unconsciousness follows suit.
-Three Days Later, 5:56 PM, Terry POV-
"Terry…?" Can you…me?" Voices call to me as I lays in darkness, sounding like they are coming from a soft radio. Opening my eyes, shapes appear, none of them defined. I moan, blinking a couple times. The shapes come into focus.
Alex is leaning over me, breaking into a grin. "He's awake!" he shouts to a doctor, who in turn does a quick physical on me. Seeming satisfied, the doctor leaves the room.
I focus on Alex and Nicky. "Why do I feel like my leg went through an overachieving blender…?" Alex grimaces before replying.
"To be honest, that's about what happened. Your leg got shredded by rifle fire. Calm down." He adds as I try to get up, a worried look crossing my face. "Angel is alive. She took 3 bullets to the stomach and is still out cold, they have her on a powerful painkiller and expect her to wake up fully sometime in the next few days. You were out for about 3 days." He rolls a wheelchair over and smiles to me. "Doc said you could move about as long as you're in this. Your dad and his partner Blade arrived this morning, and their resting in Angel's room to watch over her while you were out. Let's go see them."
As he pushes me down the hall, with Nicky sitting on my head, I feel nervous. Angel got hurt and it's my fault, I'm not sure how father and Blade will react. They see us through a window and walk out to meet us. We stare at each other for a moment, then father hugs me. "I know you think it's your fault. It's not. You and Angel did incredible, and Angel will survive the injuries." He backs off and then I'm surprised as Blade gets down on one knee to be level with me. He takes my hand and shakes it firmly. I can tell that he's glad I tried to keep her safe, and since he's not the mushy type this is his way of showing gratitude. I nod and relax a little. We head back into Angel's room.
As we settle, I eye Angel. She is in a small bed with a tube in her arm. She looks peaceful. Then I remember what happened and tear my sight away to focus on my father. "Dad, when she was being taken away by the paramedics, I felt her presence leave my head. Is she ok…? Are we ok?"
Dad looks concerned, but Alex speaks up. "From what I heard, one of the paramedics drugged Angel while she was on the stretcher, to relieve her of the pain and so she would stop struggling. Said paramedic thinks he OD'ed Angel just slightly. I bounced the info off Katie Winters. She thinks it could interfere with a psychic bond. You should make sure you're here when she wakes up, establish that bond fully before the doctors do any touching."
I nod, and dad replies. "Blade and I can take care of that, I'll run the plan by Nurse Joy so she can get any other plans overridden. We can head over there now." He and Blade nod to us, then leave the room.
Alex sits in the chair next to my wheelchair and rubs his face. "I assume you're going to say that you want to sleep in here now and the doctors won't stop you. I also think you're extremely hungry, judging by the howling of your midsection." I nod to both and grin. "All right then, I'll get you something and have the head doctor assigned to you and Angel notified of the plan."
He is at the door and about to head out when I speak. "Alex… Thank you."
He turns, looks me in the eye and nods, a serious expression on his face. Then he and Nicky head out as well.
