Chapter 13: A dark day

A week later, Giovanni stood at his desk; in front of him were the highest level agents of Team Rocket. He gently swirled the wine glass fill with a red liquid. "My fellow agents; soon what this Organization was built to do will finally be accomplished. With Project Expand in full action, the Poke'mon menace will be completely eliminated in a matter of a few years."

The small crowd cheered, but he raised his hand to have them silence. "Yes, it is something that has been in the dreams of every man, woman and child of our beautiful city. With this project, we will be able to expand outward, creating more cities and barriers, pinning the Poke'mon like the savage beasts they are. Soon the planet Earth will belong to us humans once again. We will expand and create a better future for the generations to come and one day, live a peaceful life without the need of the barriers. Is that a future you all wish for as well my troops?"

They all saluted. "Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

Giovanni nodded. "That's right."

Glasses were being past out for the toast. "This won't be a picnic my Agents; for the first set of barrier towers set up we will have all of the troops on full alert. It will take a while before we can get them set up and it won't take long for the Poke'mon to discover our plans. Our first try cannot fail. This mission will be the top priority of all agents."

"Sir, may I speak?" Flannery, captain of the Alpha Unit, asked.

"Yes, you may speak."

"Giovanni, what if the Poke'mon Lovers plan to sabotage this mission?"

He looked down at the reflection of himself in his drink, then closed his eyes and shook his head. "I have given that idea much thought, and even though this Organization is against killing humans, our own species, if they get in the way order the troops to eliminate them on sight."

The rest of the Agents were shocked, but Norman looked away, slowly shaking his head. "But sir!" Juan, Captain of the Gamma Unit, exclaimed. "We can't order our troops to do such a horrendous thing, even though those people are terrorist they are still human beings. This Organization has been built on the idea for centuries to protect humans and eliminate the Poke'mon menace."

"Don't you think I already know that?!" Giovanni yelled back, startling his Agents but he quickly regained his cool. "They have been going against the good intentions of this Organization for centuries now; we have been lenient on those traitors, but... but if they get in the way of our people's future, denying them a chance for the freedom they have deserved for more than two hundred and fifty years. I say, the Poke'mon Lovers deserve to be wiped out along side the Poke'mon they protect. Now, will you all be behind me in the beginning in the change of the world; a change for the better of the human race?" he asked, raising his glass high it the air.

Without a second thought, the rest of the Agents raised their glasses. "Team Rocket is ready!"

They drank their drinks and Giovanni announced. "But because we can't disturb our Annual Team Rocket Ball, which will happen in three weeks, this mission will start one week after it. So let us all get ready for the future!"

The Agent's saluted and walked out of his office. As soon as the last Agent left, Giovanni looked out the window, a smile slowly formed on his face. A better future alright, a better future for me.

Just then, two Team Rocket Agents appeared behind him, he chuckled. "Cassidy and Bill."

"It's Butch!" Butch yelled back.

"So, have you completed the simple tasked I asked for you two to do?" Giovanni asked.

Cassidy smiled, pulling out a simple folder. "You were right all along, Chief. This Agent was nothing more then a sheep in wolf's clothing."

Giovanni walked over and took the file from her. He looked over the pages. "You have done very well. Now, so those annoying Poke'mon Lovers don't catch on, we have to have this little traitor suffer an accident. Can you make that happen?"

The two smiled a sinister smile. "Think of it as already done, Giovanni," Butch replied.

He chuckled. "Excellent."

Ash was polishing his badge with the napkin at his table as Max said. "Come on, Ash; you haven't put down that badge since you got it a week ago."

"Max has a point, if you polish it any more you won't have a badge left," Brock joked.

Ash set down the napkin and looked at his reflection in the shine. I can't help it you guys, this just makes me more determined to be the best agent out there."

"Well to bad that will never happen," a familiar, yet not too friendly voice replied.

They looked to see Gary standing over them with his cheerleaders cheering him on behind him. "What now, Gary?" Ash asked in an irritated tone with his friends glaring at him as well.

"Oh, just a strong sense of self pity for a lower Agent," Gary replied in a smug tone. "Not to mention, ones with a poor since of delusion."

He pulled out a case to reveal his five badges. "If you want to be the best Agent anytime soon, you're going to have to start pulling your weight."

Ash's eyes gazed at Gary's badges. "Wow, those are sweet!"

Gary snapped the case shut and pocketed it. "Well too bad that's the closest you will ever get these."

"Gary Gary, he's our man!" his girls cheered behind him.

"Oh get lost already," Misty replied with May standing next to her.

Gary smirked. "It looks like you need your friends to stand up for you. If you want to be the best, focus on working alone."

He walked off with his cheerleaders as Misty and May sat with their friends. "Is it just me or is Gary getting more annoying by the day?" May asked.

"I will have to agree with you there, sister," Max replied.

Misty then pulled out a wad of bills and used it as a fan. "Oh, but I wonder what I will do with all of this money. Do you have any ideas, Ash?" she asked in a smug tone.

"I get it already, you are the better shooter," Ash replied. "So stop flashing my money around."

"And ruin this fun, why would I do that?" she asked with a smile.

"Well, that's what you get for betting her, buddy," Brock replied.

"I know, maybe all I can eat ice-cream, or maybe a shopping spree at the Shopping District. Oh there are so many possibilities with an extra wad of cash," she gloated.

Ash grumbled to himself while the rest of his friends enjoyed a good laugh at his expense.

But from a distance, Melody was watching there horseplay when another Ash was standing next to her. "Oh Melody, my sweet; how should I show my affection to you?"

Melody giggled. "Oh stop it. I know it's you, Duplica."

Ash hung his head as with one hand, ripped off the disguise to reveal himself as Duplica. "I overacted it, didn't I?"

Melody nodded. "Yeah, Ash wouldn't just walk up and say something like that. But it would be nice if he did."

"You are a hopeless romantic at heart," Duplica commented.

Melody giggled. "Yeah, I probably am. But now, I'm starting to wonder."

Duplica looked confused. "About what?"

"If I can... if I should tell him, the truth," she replied.

Duplica was shocked. "No way, you know our mission. But I doubt he will see our way, even if he is, his kid."

Melody looked down at her feet. "You're probably right, but," she then looked up at Ash, "he should know. He at least deserves that."

"I'm still not sure about that, I think you should give that idea a little more thought."

"Well, paperwork won't finish itself, much like I wish it would. So let's get going," Melody ordered.

But just then, her Rocketdex started to go off, she pulled it out and flipped it opened. "Well, it looks like my Unit is getting a mission. You can get the paperwork finished, right?"

Duplica had watery eyes. "Awe, do I have too?"

Later in the day, the heavily armed Beta Unit is being transported. "So, Captain; what is the mission?" Ash asked.

"The Team Rocket satellites picked up a large amount of first and second stage plant and insect type Poke'mon in an abandon city about thirty kilometers (18.64 miles) west of our city. Well, you're finally getting your wish, Max."

Max smiled nervously. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Now troops, I don't want to see any screw ups. Pair off in groups of six and keep in close contact with the other groups at all times."

They saluted. "Yes, Captain."

"Do I have a conformation from the rest of you?" she asked in the head set connected to her helmet.

The sun was about to set, the troops using their heat sensitive visors to slowly scan over the cracked and vine covered streets of the desolate city. "Can you believe that this used to be a populated city once?" Ash whispered to his friends.

"I know what you mean," Brock replied.

Just then, the group could hear heavy fire off in the distance. "Group F, what is going on?"

"Captain, we were ambushed by Caterpies with string shot; we could use some back up!"

"Group C and G, help out Group F," Melody ordered.

"Roger. We will be there ASAP," they replied.

"Captain," Max said, holding out a Rocketnavi, "I'm getting some readings not too far up ahead."

"Good job, let's go, Group A," Melody ordered.

Melody and her group walked up to an alley. "I will check this out, you five watch around."

They nodded and she walked into the alley; her gun out forward examining the area. But just then, three Ivysaurs appeared in front of her. She exhaled and pulled the trigger of her Fire rifle, but nothing came out. "What's going on?" she asked in shocked, checking the gauge to see it was still full. She then pulled the sticker off to see her rifle was empty. "Oh no!"

The Ivysaurs used their vine whip on her arms and legs, pulling at her limbs. "Help!" she called out in excruciating pain.

The group rushed in with their eyes filled with terror to see their Captain limbs right out of their sockets, the sound of tearing flesh and breaking bones sent chills on their spines "Melody!" Ash cried out in horror.

They fired their rifles at the Ivysaurs, killing them in a sea of fire.

Ash kneeled down to Melody, a pool of her own blood already formed around her. "Thanks for the backup," she said, coughing up some blood.

"Melody, you're going to be alright," Ash pleaded.

Melody used what little strength she had to shake her head. "Y-You know, what y-you have to d-do."

"No, there has to be a way!" Ash screamed back, but his other teammates were looking away, wiping the tears from their eyes.

"T-That's an order, P-Private," she replied with a small smile while red tears fell down her cheeks.

He wiped his tears and slowly stood up. From his rifle, he removed the pistol and aimed it right between the eyes. His hand couldn't help but shake. So he looked away, and pulled the trigger.

In Giovanni's office, he sat at his desk, swirling a drink in his hand. "Giovanni!" a male voice exclaimed over the speaker.

With his free hand, Giovanni pressed the button. "What is it?"

"News just came back from the Beta Unit's mission. I'm sorry to say that, their Captain was terminated."

Giovanni groaned then pressed the button. "A terrible loss that is to this Organization, she was a great Agent and Captain. Please have preparations for her funeral as soon as possible."

"It will be done."

He turned his chair to the window, watching the starlit sky as he swirled his glass. "Well, that's another loose string cut," he commented with a grin then drank his drink.

To Be Continued

Well, that's one way to narrow the competition for Ash's attention. Read and Review.