Chapter 3: Los Illuminados: Iluminar La Oscuridad
"Feeble humans," a grown man scoffed as a gun-style needle inched toward Ash's neck. The Big Cheese knocked Ash and his rivals unconscious. "Let us offer you our power." The needle entered Ash's neck while a tiny white marble floated in an eerie violet liquid. "Soon, you'll become use to this...intoxicating sensation." A pull of the trigger and the marble shot down. Ash was injected with something as the grown man laughed. Before long, Ash snapped awake. Looking around, he found himself in a nearly empty basement. Across the room was Gary and Paul, also unconscious but tied together. His concern prompted him to get to- Uh, not quite. Looking down, he found himself in knots...and to another grown man back-to-back. He knew he had to get free. Too bad the other guy was lights out as well. Feebly, Ash slammed his head to the man's back. That first really hit a nerve because he lofted a paining groan.
"Buenos días!" he shot on awake. As soon as he cricked a few loose parts... "Nothing good can happen. Crawl out of one hole, find yourself in another." Perhaps "out of the frying pan and into a fire" was a little too good for this issue of trouble.
"You have any idea what's with these villagers?" Ash began questioning. The man seemed rather passive, almost scoffing Ash's grilling and he wasn't cooking brats and burgers.
"Americano,si?" Ash would deny he's American.
"I don't look American, do I?" The man chuckled, humored with Ash's seriousness.
"You never know. Anyone can claim they came from that so-called 'Melting Pot,' ergo the US of A. Name's Luis." Ash dug into his pocket and flicked Ashley's picture out.
"I'm Ash. Gary, Paul and I were misplaced and now we're searching for her." Luis studied the photo for a second.
"Lemme guess...she's the president's daughter, no?" Good guess. Even Ash had to shoot a grin.
"That's some guess. Anything you're hiding?" Luis looked up, wanting to poke some fun.
"Psychic powers..." Really? Ash was ready to jump from his seat on notice. "Nah! Just kidding, amigo! Actually, I heard the villagers talking about an famous female eastern American in the big church. I originally believed Brittney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Roseanne...but they said east which made me think of DC. Of course, I should have put my detective hat on instead of thinking of something in the box. I was a cop in Madrid." Why was he here? All of a sudden, dragging metal alerted the two to the entrance of the room. It also woke the other two and realizing they were bound to each.
"What the-" Gary screeched as he and Paul struggled to free themselves. "Get off my back!" Neither was comfortable, at the least.
"Me?" Paul growled. "YOU get off!" A villager dragged an ax to the sight and eyed Ash and Luis when Ash saw a shadow flash by. Now or never. Ash decided to call now since that flash was guess who.
"Iron Tail!" he called. Pikachu jumped the opportunity and broke the ax on the wind-up with that glowing tail. Not feeling it, the villager hacked the two, only to find out the head was dislodged. He missed everything. He turned to see Pikachu who fired a massive stream of electricity to neutralize the villager cold. Luis was impressed.
("Ash, are you okay?") it worryingly asked.
"I'm good, thanks to you. Now, can you use Iron Tail one more time to break us out?" Pikachu obliged and broke the chain holding all four.
"Perfecto!" Luis praised. "I should mention that there's a secret passage that leads to the church. I'm gonna investigate some other parameters." Ash acknowledged Luis' position, a helpful trait of being a cop. Once Luis departed, the phone vibrated. Ingrid had info? Ash believed it as he answered.
"Talk to me, Ingrid."
"Ash, what happened?" she asked. "I thought I lost you, too." Apparently she's not worried about Ash's rivals as much.
"Sorry, I was in a bit of a bind and other than a stinging sensation in my neck, I think we're good." That's when he saw Gary and Paul rubbing their necks. This corrected Ash. "Excuse me. We all have a stinging sensation."
"You think?" Paul snorted. "It felt like something jabbed me right there." This astounded Gary. Why? Was this the first time he's seen Paul hurt?
"I doubt this is a coincidence," he pointed out. "If all three of us were stung in the neck, I think we were given some sort of injection." Overhearing the three talk about their experience, Ingrid suspected they had some sort of drug inserted into their systems.
"Are you all alright?" she questioned. "Are you suffering any effects from whatever they supplied?"
"Not at the moment, no. Somehow, I don't think this drug will remain dormant and if anything, Ash will report and see if there's a solution."
"I'm sure he will. I don't know about how you guys are looking since I'm over here in DC but keep an eye for any sudden changes. I don't wanna lose kids like this." That's when Ash remembered about Luis.
"By the way, there was a civilian we found tied up as well," he reported.
"Condition?"
"Fine, he escaped but did tell me about a church that's holding Ashley. And some sort of passageway to that church."
"Be careful." Disconnected, Ash returned the phone to his pocket. Not another word amongst the trio, they exited the basement and shelter...only to find themselves in a village in a canyon. Bridges were connecting houses over what seemed to be bottomless drops to an abyss. Cautiously, they edged onto the unstable terrain...with more villagers on the attack. Paul wasted little time releasing a Pokémon.
"Honchkrow, stand by for battle!" he summoned as a large black crow in a fedora appeared. "Use Haze!" Honchkrow spat a thick toxic cloud onto the villagers covered, Gary decided to make a move on his own.
"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!" he called out as he released a giant blue turtle with cannons protruding out of it's shell. The turtle fired twin blasts of water, striking the choking villagers into the cavernous bed below. Villagers continued to appear. Ash and Pikachu had gone ahead to see if maybe he could clear a path while he had the shotgun. The boys plowed through the villagers, minding little about the aches in their necks. Reaching the other side, they found their path blocked by a steel gate. However, Ash didn't see it that way and in two bounds, hurdled over the gate. "Anything over there?" Something was like a long rope. Ash flung it over to help his rivals above this obstacle. Turned out that the gate blocked a pathway out of the canyon. Little trouble reaching the other side, they found a house.
"Guess that's not it," Ash figured. Paul groaned at how obvious Ash was at being dense.
"What was your first clue?" he snorted. The three entered the house and into a room with some items like a key which had an "X" on the handle.
"What's with the design? They're practically everywhere." Obvious as well but with little answer, Gary sympathized with his Pallet Town neighbor.
"I've noticed that as well. Whoever is running the show here has to have some affection with this cross," he noted. That "X" was a cross? "Hey, see if our US contact has any information on religions which coincide with this cross." Gary wanted Ash to call Ingrid to see about links between that cross and Ashley's kidnapping.
"Okay." As Ash reached for the phone, he noticed Paul by a steel door. Sensing the oblivious one staring, Paul chose to answer an unspoken question.
"I'm hearing voices so I'm gonna check on it," he explained. Ash didn't want no stone unturned.
"Be careful, Paul." Paul snorted Ash's worry and headed out the door. Ash dialed Ingrid. "Ingrid, you there?" Ingrid was on the phone back in DC.
"Ash, good timing. Anyone suffering effects from whatever drug you were injected with?"
"No, but that's not why I buzzed."
"Right, and you called for info."
"Gary suspects that a religion may have a link with Ashley's disappearance."
"I thought that's why you called. Your friend may be onto something. It seems as thought a religious cult group may be the topic. They call themselves the Los Illumiados."
"Spanish for 'The Enlighten.' Their cult leader?"
"No information yet but we may be on hand to know soon enough." Before Ash wished farewell to Ingrid, a ruffled Paul scurried back in. "What was that?" The door slammed shut with the bewildered rivals gawking right at the mean one.
"Paul, you alright?" Disheveled, Paul gazed back at the entrance.
"Big Cheese, again," he growled. "Nearly choked me out." Big Cheese couldn't leave Paul alone. "He said something about having the same blood as them. Not sure if that's related to the injection or not." Ash and Gary wondered if the injection altered their blood to coincide with the villagers. Ingrid was urged to learn more.
"Did the Big Cheese say anything else?" she asked. This wasn't a request from Ash or Gary, two guys who he'd have disputes about. It was from a woman.
"It was brief but he said that I have the same blood but I'm still regarded as an outsider. He also warned me about giving the villagers the wrong look that consequences would commence." A threat. The boys knew that they needed to stay on their toes if they wanted to survive.
"Same blood, huh? Interesting. I don't know if it's related but nevertheless, be careful you three." Despite being who knows how far away from the boys, Ingrid was vehemently worried about them. Now, they disconnected. Now all three stepped through the steel door, Pikachu riding Ash's shoulder like always. They only got a few steps when Big Cheese attacked, knocking down Ash and Paul and tackling Gary into another room. He held the Oak down with a foot pressed toward his chest. Before the Big Cheese made melted cheese out of Gary, gunshots boomed and hit the giant in the shoulder. Barely feeling it, he turned to a shattered window where a red dress on a female was viewed. The Big Cheese raced after the dress and lunged through the glass. Gary got up as Ash entered to check on him.
"You alright?" he asked with the same concern painted on Pikachu's face.
"Yeah," he huffed, catching his breath and wits. "Someone saved me."Ash was thankful for whoever rescued his first rival. Soon as Gary recovered, the three moved on down the road. They stumbled across another village where they had some difficulty crossing. Ash used the key they found in the house and entered. Dormant. The reason would soon be clear.
"Gary, Paul, over here!" Ash found a door on the floor. That had to be where the passageway had been. Paul opened it and uncovered a cavernous tunnel. The three leaped down and toured through it. The ceiling was glistening despite little light.
"Fascinating. There are jewels wedged up there." Not taking a second to think, Ash and Pikachu decided to invest in the jewelery. Ash tossed his Pokémon to the ceiling where Iron Tail dug the gems out. They were red egg-shaped diamonds. Paul acted disgusted with Ash's sudden greed.
"Really?" he scowled. "What are you gonna do with those? Make a necklace with 'PATHETIC' printed on it?" Like before, harsh.
"Actually, I was thinking about using these babies as projectiles," he answered. That's even more pathetic.
"I have a better idea!" a new voice echoed. Hearing the voice, the three raced to find a man heavily dressed in a cloak. "Why not trade me those gems for some serious firepower." He unveiled his hooded cloak which carried a cache of weapons. Armed to the teeth was nothing, he was armed to the hairline. One weapon tickled Paul's fancy: a machine gun. After their trades, the group ventured through the rest of the tunnel and out the back. Well, looky there! Was that the church they needed to find? Cautiously, the three traversed through the cemetery and fought off the villagers. They got to the front door of the church...but it's locked.
"This bites," Ash huffed. "Locked." Gary stepped up and noticed a spiral on the door.
"I'm not a locksmith but I think we need a key that could fit in there," he studied. "Something with spirals." Paul rose his hand with a suggestion.
"Let's head down that bridge," he pointed out to a new path adjacent to the church. No other option available, the three pressed onto the path, blocked by villagers. A few well placed shots by Paul's new toy and the three were able to cross the mountainside path with a few well placed shots. "Gotta love automatic!" They continued through a few extra doors and out to a dock with a motorboat idling. In the boat were plenty of spears. Unfortunately, not the same Spears Luis pondered.
"What would someone be doing with all those spears?" Ash questioned. It's one neither of the boys would answer.
"Well, that boat's only capable of carrying a single passenger," Gary observed. "One of us has to go out there and see if the key's in the drink." Who to choose?
"Send him," Paul suggested Ash. "If he isn't as pathetic as he looks, he could fish whatever lurks under the lake." Ash sighed in displeasure. Must they argue amongst each other when lives are at stake?
"Why must you throw Ash under the bus constantly? What has he ever done to you?" Paul jerked his body from Gary's sight.
"That's none of your business."
"We're in this together! Or did the fall knock the memory of how we got here because of your hotheadedness?" That taunt failed to churn Paul around.
"Like I said, it's none of your business." The cold exchanges mounted but Gary was still vying for information about Paul's deplorable attitude.
"Really? Perhaps you're afraid of how much Ash had accomplished more than you!" Did we really need to resort to teasing. Paul didn't think so and pointed his machine gun at Gary's chest.
"Keep in mind that I have the firepower to take anyone down, even you." Fed up with the argument, Ash circled around Paul and entered the spear-loaded boat, started the motor and with Pikachu, headed into the middle of the lake, much to Gary's chagrin.
"Ash, must you always give in to peer pressure?" Peer pressure or you two bickering. In the middle, Ash searched the open water for some clue. That's when something leaped out and boy was it huge! A giant lizard with a mouth bigger than it's width swam around the motorboat.
"What...is that?" The giant lizard had rope sticking out of it's trap...rope attached to the boat. How'd that happen. Ash was going for a ride and he held on tight. In a rapid pull, Ash and Pikachu rode the beast going full force yanking the boat. Ash had to do something.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" he commanded. Pikachu fired his Thunderbolt, electrocuting the lizard. Pikachu shocked the amphibious creature for as long as he could before the rope broke. The boat slowed greatly to a stop but the lake monster was showing wear. It was swimming much slower. Ash throttled the motor as the lizard passed them by no more than a foot. That's when Ash and Pikachu saw a disfiguring sight: dozens of tendrils clouding what was in his esophagus. Ash stopped the boat and picked a roped spear. "Where is it?" The beast lurked underwater for a long time. That's when Pikachu heard ripples from behind.
("It's behind us!") it squeaked. Turning, Ash saw the ripples. That beast was going to pop up real soon while Ash held the spear with the tip facing the other way.
"Doesn't that idiot know he won't snag that beast if he uses the flat side to spear it?" Paul commentated the questionable tactic. Gary smirked. Did he know something Paul didn't?
"I think he knows what he's doing," he sneered. The beast popped up and charging right at Ash.
'Open your mouth!' he tried to mind-talk the beast. Somehow, the beast obeyed and the jaws spread wide. The moment for Ash. "Here we go!" Ash spun around and fired the spear with quite a bit of spin itself. He turned the spear into a drill. It was a bulls-eye because the spear entered it's mouth, traveled through the body and out the tail. That was no spear, that was a skewer through the entire body. The beast let out one final roar as it began to sink. Suddenly, Pikachu spotted a pile of rope tied to the end of the boat and used Iron Tail to cut it. The beast sank straight down, long gone. Gary was impressed with the teamwork common between Ash and Pikachu.
"Is there nothing those two can't do together?" He turned to Paul...who's down. "Paul!" He started to get to Paul's side when suddenly he felt a concussive force cripple him "Ugh!" He coughed on his hand...and found blood. That wasn't good. He felt another ripple of force get him and he fell unconscious. Ash and Pikachu reached the shore, finding his rivals sprawled out. This wasn't good to see.
"Gary! Paul!"
("Are you alright?") Pikachu gasped in concern. As Ash tried to shake Gary awake, he felt the same ripple of force and coughed out some of his blood. He was about to fall unconscious as well.
"Pikachu, get Blastoise...from Gary! Tell it...to get us inside!" A final note as Ash fell limp as well. Something must have disabled the rivals. With these three unable to act, what will happen to Ashley?
Continuará ...