Chapter 9
"Viridian City Palace of Justice"
Now that we had the approval of the judges, we left the meeting with the intent of now finding a courthouse where the trial would be held. It wasn't to be that easy, for you see, many loved one of victims of Team Rocket's attacks wanted to hold the trial in the United States, particularly at the site of where the World Trade Center once stood. But, due to the heightened security of New York City following 9/11, it would be impossible for us to actually hold a trial in that particular location. Not to mention that we had close to 40 defendants and a courtroom let alone a prison would be able to hold that many defendants. Another possibility that was being discussed was Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where the United States kept its terrorist captives like KSM. However, the island nation and the United States did not really get along that well, so those plans quickly fell through.
As we drove around Viridian City, we could not imagine the horror that both people and Pokemon went through. You see, the war spread into the Pokemon and was not just in the Middle East. Many civilians and their Pokemon in the Pokemon regions of Japan were killed from the time the war on terror started in 2001 to the killing of Bin Laden and the surrender of Giovanni and his fellow commanders a few weeks earlier. Finally, we came across a large building that had pillars supposedly based on the Roman infrastructure during the Roman Empire. However, Amanda could hardly believe her eyes when it came to driving around Viridian City.
"Jeff, I can't believe this," she gasped, looking around at the still damaged buildings. "You know, my brother came here as a college student. I mean this isn't the same city. There were Pokemon Centers and Japanese Culture and infrastructure."
"This was also the site of some of Team Rocket's biggest rallies," I said, looking out towards a stadium where Team Rocket had held their rallies during our conflict with them and their fellow groups. "Viridian City was the spiritual center of Pokemon Criminal Organizations."
I then turned towards General Clay, the army captain responsible over the troops stationed in Viridian City.
"General Clay," I asked. "What are the odds of us finding a place for the trial in this city?"
"Army guarantees it," he replied. "Parts of this city were untouched by the attacks." We then made our way towards the building and Captain Kiley, who was accompanying the general, explained what it was.
"Grand old Palace of Justice," he said, however Amanda was not so sure that he was being correct about it. "It's a Landmark in more ways than one. It was targeted frequently by American forces, but it was never attacked."
"But," interjected Amanda, who was correcting the two men about their explanation. "Wasn't this the Viridian City gym?"
"It was, Miss Aspirino," replied General Clay. "But, in order to have a gym, Team Rocket dismantled it and made it into a Pokemon Gym. We believe that if we convert this gym into a courtroom, we will have the opportunity to try the defendants here in this building."
We walked inside and saw that the courthouse was vandalized in the past as evident by the damages to the inside that were being shown. As we looked around, we could hardly believe that Giovanni would even run a Pokemon gym here. Of course, right from the start, I was suspicious of the fact that Giovanni became a gym leader for far more diabolical purposes.
"As we walk inside," explained General Clay. "You will see the offices in the East Wing and West Wing and down in the basement, all the jail cells you'll need."
Amanda then leaned over and whispered to me what she believes went down in those jail cells.
"Those were the jail cells where they kept the captured Pokemon," she whispered. "Those must be the cells where the Pokemon used in the 9/11 attacks were possibly trained."
"I can't help but agree with you on that, Amanda," I replied, as we entered what was the main center of the Viridian City gym.
"Mr. Schneider, Miss Aspirino," said General Clay. "May I present to you, the courtroom."
We stepped inside the gym and were both amazed that used to be a Pokemon Gym and we believed almost immediately that if we were to hold this trial, it would have to be in the courtroom that Team Rocket dismantled to turn into a Pokemon Gym. However, we were both shocked by the damages that it took during the ten years we were at war.
"This is a mess," I remarked. "It's not the Viridian City Gym everybody knows."
"It may be a mess," said Captain Kiley. "But it's doable."
Amanda then walked over and showed me something that was completely overlooked during the Viridian City's existence.
"Jeff," she called to me. "Look at this."
I hurried over to what Amanda wanted to show me and what she showed me was very shocking to say the least.
"The Ten Commandments," she whispered.
"The Ten Commandments in the same building where Team Rocket and its allies stripped the Pokemon world of Justice and made a gym out of this place," I gasped in awe and it that moment, it all became clear and that this was the place to hold the trial.
"This is it," I said. "This is the place to hold the trial."
"Give me the word and I will have General McChrystal move in 500 Pokemon Criminal POW's," said General Clay. "We'll start cleaning up the whole city."
"Well, I am giving you that order right now," I said and the two army soldiers looked around to see what needed to be done and we decided to leave them to their jobs.
"The Pokemon world is finally going to see some justice once again," I said.
"It's about time too," added Amanda. "These people should pay for what they did."
Just then, a soldier came running towards us with a message from the U.S. military base that was right nearby.
"Excuse me, Mr. Schneider," he said. "This was just forwarded from the base. It's news regarding one of the judges."
"Thank you, my friend," I said and the soldier saluted me and left us alone. I opened the enveloped and pulled out the message inside and what I read was somewhat surprising to me.
"Amanda, listen to this," I said. "President Obama wants to appoint John Biddle as the Chief American Judge for the trial."
"Are you serious?" she gasped. "But, he was fired as American Pokemon Attorney General. Why would he even do this?"
"Guilt, remorse maybe," I suggested. "I guess it's this instead of a gold watch or a new IPod."
Amanda then looked down towards the letter and took a closer look at it. I guess I must have missed something, didn't I?
"Well, read Obama's writing," she said. "Unless you have a problem with it…"
"…which I don't," I finished before closing the letter up, before realizing I had another task to complete before this trial were to begin.
"Well, I have to fly back to Washington and brief President Obama anyway," I said. "Maybe along the way, I can stop in Baltimore and try to conjole Biddle into becoming a team player."
However, Amanda didn't know that I had to make this trip alone and stopped me before I could leave the room.
"So, before you take off," she said. "When do we leave?"
"Well, I need you to stay here and set up our offices," I said. "Might as well do some shopping for clothes you are going to wear for the trial. There is a shopping mall not too far from here."
Amanda looked down at herself and with the fact that she was currently wearing a gray sequin shirt and white skirt, she definitely needed a more professional wardrobe for the long trial that was about to take place.
"Thanks," she said. "I needed to do some shopping anyway. I didn't pack very much."
"It's okay," I said. "I'll see you when I get back."
Given the mutual relationship that we had between one another, we gave each other a kiss and I left for Narita Airport to start my long journey back to the United States. Meanwhile, back in Germany, the defendants were taken from the confines of the military prison at Rammstein and were about to be loaded onto Rocket One, now in the service of the United States military.
"When your name is called," said a soldier. "Get your ass on the plane."
He then began to read off the names, one by one and with each name that was called that particular prisoner was to make his way onto the plane.
"Fuji," read the soldier and Dr. Fuji, stepped forward and with chains on his wrists and ankles made his way up onto the plane.
"Namba," called the soldier and as he continued to call the names, Giovanni leaned over towards a young man named Mondo, who was being held on the charge of educating young boys and girls about the ways of Team Rocket.
"When you board the plane," he whispered. "Get a seat by the window, dear boy. It may be the last view we have of our new home."
The names continued and after a while, everyone was on board and the captured Rocket One departed Rammstein Air Force Base heading east towards Japan and the trial of the 21st century….