Chapter 6 Fidelity, Vigilance, and Honor

In his groggy state, Keiran Valdoa felt a hand touch his shoulder. "Dad?" he whispered, his throat cracked and hoarse. Sharp jabs shot through his entire body as he tried to move his arms, and he groaned in pain.

"Hey, kid, you okay?" a male voice whispered.

"Does he look okay?" shot another, acidly sarcastic voice, this time female. Keiran felt a cool hand on his face and tried to speak again.

"Where…am…I…" he managed to rasp before the woman shushed him.

"Don't try to talk or anything, okay kid? Just get some sleep; you're hurt pretty bad."

He nodded and winced as the throbbing ache in his legs worsened. He would think about things later…

oOo

"I wonder what his name is?" Steven mused. "He looks somewhat familiar…"

Torian paced around the room slowly and ignored him. "This is it," she said suddenly.

"Huh?" Steven looked up. "This is what?"

"This is it," she repeated. "For CIPHER. This time, we'll take them down. If Vigilance Network doesn't do it, then I'll do it alone."

"Alone?" Steven frowned. "You must be joking. What made you so riled up all of a sudden?"

"Because I've had time to think about it. All this time and has Vigilance Network stopped CIPHER yet? I'm sure that if you and I went and infiltrated the base, we could drop Greevil from the chart with one stab and close them down once and for all."

"I didn't know you could think that way."

She snorted. "This is a cold business. CIPHER seems to have that effect on people."

Steven stood up and set a hand on her shoulder. "Look, Torian, I know how much you hate them. I despise them myself. But you can't let anger get in the way of level-headed thinking…"

"Level-headed thinking?" she exclaimed. "Look, Steven." She pointed to the boy lying in the hospital bed. "While we go about and do our level-headed thinking, things like this happen! I don't even know what he did to get on CIPHER's bad side; it could have been anything! Normal, everyday people aren't trained like us, don't you understand? If CIPHER hatches another plot, millions of lives could be at stake while we do our level-headed thinking!" Her voice grew low. "They will stop at nothing to get what they want; I have witnessed firsthand the horrors they commit." A monitor for something beeped softly, as if to emphasize her point.

"I understand, Torian, but you can't run off by yourself," Steven said with a smile playing on his stoic lips. "You do realize you have to take me with you?"

Torian gaped. For a moment, she was speechless. "I thought...what about Kalas...I mean..." she spluttered before turning red and shaking her head slightly to compose herself. "I thought you had an assignment that took you back to the Hoenn research center."

He shrugged. "Well, I figure, since you're my partner, I should go with the Vigilance Code on the part where it says something about protecting those around you…I would say you count as one of those." Winking, he added, "And besides, someone has to make sure you don't accidentally kill yourself."

"Steven!" Torian punched him playfully in the shoulder. "You know I'm perfectly capable out there on my own…"

All of a sudden, Steven's PDA began to beep shrilly. He snapped it open and raised his eyebrows. "Steven, I need your up my new field. I at strategies and all so can help me plan would confound visitors," he read, baffled. "Oh…" he finally said with a sigh. "I think Drake needs more than just help in setting up a new base…who taught him how to e-mail anyway? I think he must have run off on every line and lost a few letters." Steven shrugged. "When you planning on doing this little rendezvous of yours?"

"Not until the kid wakes up and I get some info."

"So I can make about a week's trip into Hoenn to accomplish some business, right? Be nice if you could come with me…you know, meet Wallace and all. He's the new Champion since I've been gone…I don't think you know him, do you?"

Torian snorted. "Actually, he was a gym leader way back when. A bit of a hoity-toity fellow, if you ask me. I remember I almost never had money, so my clothes weren't exactly in the best of shape when I challenged him…never mind; let's not go there."

"I could always call up for another ticket on the S.S. Libra, if you want." Steven offered. "You know, take a break from this dominating/saving the world business and just be a normal person for once. What say you?"

Torian shook her head. "I wish, but I want to be here when he comes to; you don't know what Caipha will ask him. You know how he is; Caipha isn't really that much of a people person…even I'm more socially adept than he is, or so he says. Nah, I think it would be for the best if I stayed here; I daresay I've been in the kid's position a few times myself. Have fun, though, and tell Glacia hi for me."

Her partner nodded. "Sure thing, vigilante." He smiled. "I'm sure he'll be fine, Torian. Don't forget to loosen up every once in a while."

She nodded. "I'll try not to throw anyone off the tower while you're gone. Bye, Steven."

The door closed, and the room was silent, except for the low breathing of the strange boy. "So, just admit it; you're going to miss having the guy around," came Azer's canine voice from behind her. Torian jumped.

"Good grief, Azer; how long have you been in here?"

"Long enough to discern your reaction when he said he was leaving. Just admit it, Torian…"

"Azer, let it go," Torian groaned. "How many times do I have to remind you that you're a Pokemon, not a matchmaker? Just because you can talk doesn't mean you know what I'm thinking…"

"You're thinking about how you want to whack me in the head, right?"

"Lucky guess." Torian sat in a steel chair and drew her legs close to her body. "Whoop-de-doo."

"Now you're thinking of the number six. At least tell me next time before you decide to pull any guess-the-number deals, hmm?"

Torian nearly fell flat on her face as she shot out of the chair in surprise. "Wait, how did you know that?"

"I'm your first Pokemon," Azer explained in a bored voice. "I'm supposed to be able to read your thoughts, for the most part, anyway. You're supposed to be able to read mine too, if you concentrate hard enough. Not good enough to talk mentally or anything, but I can see pictures and stuff. Good grief, Torian, and you call yourself a trainer!"

"Excuse me, Azer, but most trainers do not have talking Pokemon to bug them at the wee hours of the day."

"And is that my fault?" Azer grumbled. "So what if I like to talk? I think I can…" he trailed off and one of his pointed ears flipped up. "Guess I better shut up…I think the guy over there is about to wake up…"

At that moment, the boy looked up and blinked rapidly. "Who was the other person talking? I could have sworn I heard a guy's voice in here." His voice was surprisingly deep for his appearance, which looked sharp despite the ordeal he had just been through, and it was all Torian could do to avert her eyes from her Pokemon nervously.

"I think you were just imagining it…I'm the only other person in here," she said quickly. As if on cue, Azer whined to be scratched like a normal Pokemon, to which she obliged, running her fingers through his thick fur.

"Where…" he began, but Torian cut him off.

"You're in a Vigilance Network base in northwestern Orre, we found you in a van on a desert road near Phenac, and you've been out for almost two days. We still have no clue who you are or where you come from and we've been unable to locate your family. There, I think that should cover everything," she finished breathlessly and inhaled deeply.

"Oh, well, I'm Keiran Valdoa…Orre Pokemon HQ Lab. They didn't expect me back for almost a few days…so they're probably not looking for me yet." A confused expression flitted across his face. "So, who are you?"

"Torian Kiyalrin…I'm a Vigilance Network officer." She pulled the chair closer to his bed and sighed. "I know you're probably full to bursting with questions right now, but I need you to answer some of mine. Is there anything you know about CIPHER that would be important? Anything at all?"

"CIPHER?" Keiran frowned. "I know they're back, but as far as important information…"

"Do you know where we can find it?"

"Why do you need so much information about CIPHER?" he asked. "I mean, not much can be found other than the fact that they're back."

"That's one of Vigilance Network's goals," Torian explained. "Look," she said impatiently, "Anything that could help. Where can we go? Who can we trust? Anything at all?"

Keiran scrunched up his face in thought. "Well, there is Perr in Gateon Port, but after what happened in Gateon…I don't know, I think two people would be pretty safe there."

Torian bent down. "Tell me more. Who is this Perr?"

"He's a good buddy of mine. His grandfather runs a mechanical parts shop, but he does most of the work in it. He likes to go down to the Night Tripper bar sometimes, and he hears a lot of stuff there." Keiran winced as he sat up, but he didn't complain. "Are you going to Gateon?"

She nodded and called a growling Azer back to his Pokeball. "Of course. This could be a big lead…I'll be back here, though; just give me a day or two."

"No." Keiran shook his head. "No, I'm coming with you."

"What? No way, kid; look at yourself! You can barely move! Spend about a week in physical therapy before anything; that's my advice…"

"I can manage." As if to prove it, Keiran gritted his teeth and slowly climbed to the floor, where he steadied himself against the bed railing and nodded. "See? I'll be fine. I hate CIPHER probably almost as much as you do; I would do anything to stop them."

"Showy words," Torian said softly. "They're easy to say, but living up to them is a whole new story. Go home; wait a few years before you decide to waste your life; save your adolescence. I wish I could do the same thing."

"How old are you, anyway?" he asked slowly. "You don't look that old…"

She shot him a pointed look. "What does my age have to do with this?"

"You look like you're around my age," Keiran persisted. "Why isn't anyone telling you to go home?

"I have no home to go back to," Torian answered with gritted teeth. "You're a lucky guy; now go back to where you came from before your luck decides to run out. You don't want this job."

"But…"

"My answer is not going to change."

"Captain Kiyalrin!" Caipha Curesti slipped in and handed her a slip of paper, ducking slightly to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling. "A fax from someone in Gateon."

"Name?"

He shrugged. "We traced it, but the user isn't registered. There's no signature, no nothing, only a request for you to be at the Krabby Club at nine PM tonight or tomorrow. I can't tell you what to do, Captain, but I don't think it would be a good idea for you to go alone."

"At the Krabby Club?" Torian laughed. "Come on, Caipha; Gateon is a huge port city. It's most active at night, too, so if someone wanted to ambush me, they would try during the day. I can handle myself."

Caipha sighed and stood up straight, forgetting about his stature and promptly hitting his head painfully on a light fixture. He cursed and ducked his head again. "Why did the engineers have to build a ceiling so low in the rooms? Why can't they be ten-foot ceilings like the hall?"

"Don't ask me," Torian said with a grin as she left the room. "Caipha make sure Keiran gets to the Pokemon HQ Lab safely." She smiled as she noticed Keiran seemed a bit intimidated and added, "Don't worry, Keiran…he doesn't bite. Or scratch, pinch, or sting. Have fun guys!"

She slipped into the hallway, and Azer popped out and pawed at her heel. "Don't forget to take me this time," he growled affectionately. "Or I'll bite you when you get back."

"Yikes, Azer, now you're threatening me?"

"Of course not. I'm making a promise."

Torian frowned thoughtfully as she scratched the Mightyena behind the ears. "I guess I'd better take you then."

oOo

"I know you're confused, kid," Caipha said gruffly as he led Keiran out to the main entrance. "She tends to have that effect on people. All I can say is that she didn't hit you. Congratulations."

"Huh?"

Caipha laughed. "Torian is very…unpredictable. She'll drop everything she's doing to answer an anonymous call, or wager everything she has for a tiny stab at victory. She has a deep loathing for CIPHER that none of us would really understand, I think, and that's what makes her who she is."

"Wait. This might sound like a stupid question, but…" Keiran paused and brushed his tangled red hair out of his eyes. "Who is she?"

Caipha shrugged. "I dunno, really. Many of us at Vigilance would dearly love to know the answer. I have to admit, it would be nice to know who you're working for; all I know about her that I can be sure of is that she's capable of more than she appears to be. How else did she become a captain at her age? I'm just sorry I can't answer all of your questions."

Keiran looked up at the figure that towered above him and shrugged. "It's okay. I guess there's a lot of things I'll never understand." He would have said more, but at that moment, a silver Mercedes Benz pulled up to the main gate, which they had reached. He would have continued to speak, but the driver's stoic glance quickly shushed him, and he and Caipha climbed into the back seat.

They spent the trip in silence, Caipha staring out the tinted windows taciturnly and Keiran closing his eyes to try and make sense of all that had happened. The soft leather seats were so comfortable that, for a moment, he forgot all about how much he ached all over, until the car screeched to a stop in front of his HQ Lab home.

"A bit of useful advice, kid," the tall man said seriously. "Take Torian's advice and stay home. Trust me; if she told you to stay out of things, she probably has a good reason. And don't spill a word of Vigilance to anyone; you never know who will be listening. But if you need us, dial this number on your PDA." He handed Keiran a small business card with the words "Remain Vigilant to seek what you lack." printed across the top. A number was printed across the bottom, along with the words, "Fidelity – Vigilance – Honor."

Keiran read over the card slowly. Before he could look up and ask Caipha anything, however, the Mercedes Benz had already driven out of sight. Shrugging, he pocketed the card and braced himself for the hectic, worried welcome he would receive as soon as he stepped through the double glass sliding doors that marked the entryway of the Pokemon HQ Lab.