The New Order: Fading Light
Chapter 5: Those Left Behind
"You must know where he is," Domino prompted as Samuel writhed in pain before her.
"I… don't…" he gasped. This torture session had been going on for four hours already. Samuel had thrown up what little food he had been allowed already and could only dry heave which only added to his suffering as the urge to do so came more and more frequently.
"Your only family," Domino said in a voice dripping with evil intent "I doubt that you've gone this long without knowing where he is."
Samuel didn't reply. He dry heaved once, twice, a third time before wailing in agony.
"Make it easy on yourself Professor," Domino lilted "Let's say I believe that you don't know where he is now. Where was he the last time you knew his whereabouts?"
Samuel shook his head, barely able to speak anymore.
Domino stood up in frustration and left the cell without giving Samuel the antidote.
Samuel fell back on the floor. Domino had unchained him before this session had begun, saying that he wasn't worth treating as if he were a threat to her. Samuel curled up on his side in the fetal position and tried hard to breathe through the pain. It was so bad that he could barely think straight now. He dry heaved once again and let out a sob that pained his already raw throat.
XXX
Domino threw herself onto the sofa in her quarters. She removed the syringe filled with the antidote from her pocket and set it on an end table. Let the old fool suffer a bit longer. The pain would make him more malleable, vulnerable to the power of suggestion. He might agree to cooperate with the Team Rocket scientists if he were weak enough.
It was a far cry from the treasure trove of research that was being guarded by Gary Oak in some God forsaken location but Domino was sure Giovanni would be pleased to have the Professor's wealth of knowledge to assist in the vital work that he was so insistent that the Team Rocket scientists complete.
There was a loud rap on her door a millisecond before Giovanni entered "Have you made any progress with the Professor?" he asked, not bothering with any pleasantries.
"He won't give us the location of the research," Domino reported casually as she leaned further into the sofa cushions "Whether he knows it or not. I'm not sure he'd give us the location, considering his grandson is safeguarding it," she pulled her legs up underneath her "But give him some time, he'll be putty in our hands and he'll be more than willing to assist the scientists with their work."
Giovanni made an odd sound that seemed to emanate from deep within his chest as he came to stand in front of the sofa. His loyal Persian peered around from behind its master's legs. "I want that research 009," he told her "If the Professor can be brought round to see things our way then all the better but I want that research. Understood."
"Yes Sir," Domino saluted from her relaxed position. Only she could get away with acting in such a manner in Giovanni's presence, the reason for this being that she got the job done and she got it done right with little effort and Giovanni both knew and respected this about her.
"Have the agents in the field been able to get a lead on the locations of the other great minds of the regions?" Domino asked casually.
"No," Giovanni let his guard down, dropping to the sofa beside her "If they are still alive they've gone into hiding."
Domino repositioned herself so she was curled up against Giovanni's side. The Persian found this to be an intrusion into what was its rightful space but instead of turning on Domino, the creature simply indignantly retreated to a corner, knowing that its master seemed oddly fond of the human female's advances.
"Have you got any idea where they stashed the Aura brat?" Domino questioned, snaking a hand around to the button of her Boss's trousers.
"The mother is still in the hospital. Her doctors are being quite infuriating," Giovanni remarked, not even blinking when Domino's hand made contact with his flesh.
"You could always burn the place to the ground," Domino hummed in a low voice as she lifted her lips to Giovanni's face, she brushed ever so slightly against the stubble that had already come back with vengeance. Her Boss had been working hard and hadn't shaved since the day before.
Giovanni chuckled, a low rumbling sound that washed over Domino in a way that left her somehow feeling breathless. The Team Rocket Boss pulled his most trusted agent onto his lap "You know I couldn't do that," he told her "The chief of staff is very loyal to us. And if Team Rocket were to attack a civilian facility such as a hospital, it might lead to greater sympathy for the resistance. We can't simply take everything away from the people of the world all at once 009."
Domino pouted "Well what are you going to do?" she asked.
"They can't keep her in the hospital forever," Giovanni told her "The doctors who are responsible for protecting her thus far are only a handful of employees at that facility. Burning the hospital to the ground would cause too much chaos and attract too much attention but a handful of individuals being brought in for questioning on suspicion of being resistance sympathizers would barely register with most people." Giovanni smiled as he kissed Domino's mouth.
"Brilliant," Domino praised. She had wriggled out of her pants by this point and had removed Giovanni's for him "That's why you're the Boss."
"And don't you forget it," Giovanni told her with a smile as he hitched her legs around his waist and lay her down upon the sofa beneath him.
XXX
Misty stood at the window of her hospital room, staring out onto the streets of Viridian below. Her hands clung to the thin fabric of the gown in which she was clothed with white knuckles. She was still a little unsteady on her feet and it took some effort on her part to remain standing.
But she knew that if she wanted to avoid being imprisoned she would have to make a break for it before she was fully recovered. It was a slim chance but the desire to survive was strong within her and she was willing to take the risk even if her body wasn't ready to do so.
The streets below were bathed in sunlight. But that was the only remotely cheerful thing about them. There were Rocket operatives everywhere, the blazing red "R" clearly visible even from six stories up. There were very few people other than the Rockets on the streets and those who dared to walk among them shrank away from the oppressors, seemingly afraid that if they so much as bumped into one by accident, it would be cause for an arrest.
Misty glowered down at Giovanni's army of wicked puppets. They were cowards, hiding behind that red letter "R" as if it could protect them from anything. Misty hated them; she hated each and every last miserable pathetic one of them.
Misty turned from the window to survey the room. She was the room's only occupant. She moved to stand below an air vent in the ceiling. She was sure she could fit through it but how was she going to get up there? She found a plastic chair sitting against the far wall of the room and dragged it over beneath the vent.
Shakily, she climbed on top of the chair. She slowly and unsteadily managed to stand. Reaching carefully for the vent she nearly fell over but managed to catch herself. She still couldn't reach the vent. She stretched as far as she could; balancing very precariously on her tippy toes, her fingers just barely grazed the metal of the vent cover before she fell to the floor.
She managed to sit up, staring up at the vent that seemed so intent on taunting her with its promise of freedom. The fall had been particularly hard on her already weak body and she had to use the chair to pull her to her feet.
At that moment a doctor entered the room "Ah, I see you're out of bed and moving about," he remarked.
Misty turned her head and instantly regretted it as nausea bubbled up deep within her stomach from the sudden motion. She smiled faintly at the doctor before noticing that he wasn't one of the regular doctors she had seen during her stay.
"Excuse me?" she asked, managing to stumble her way to the bed "Where is Doctor Min?"
"Doctor Min and her colleagues were asked to report to the chief administrator's office," the doctor told her "Something about suspicion of resistance involvement. But I'm sure you know all about that kind of thing," suddenly Misty felt a cold chill run through her. "I'm your new caretaker," the man continued "My name is Doctor Darren Oslo."
Doctor Oslo began to examine her. When he was finished he called a nurse and asked her to assist him. Misty didn't know what was happening until it was too late. Doctor Oslo and the nurse placed her in four point restraints.
"What are you doing?" Misty demanded. She didn't have the energy to fight back.
"We don't want you hurting yourself," Doctor Oslo told her. He leaned in close and whispered in her ear "Most escape attempts end with someone getting shot and we don't want that to happen to you now do we?"
Misty closed her eyes. Her last hope, a last ditch attempt to escape the bleak fate that awaited her, had been thwarted. She tried not to cry as the doctor and nurse fussed about how tight the restraints should be. When they left the room, Misty discovered that though her hands and feet were tied down, she could still move her hand far enough to clasp the locket around her neck. It gave her a small sense of comfort.
"Oh Ash," she whispered "I really wish you were here right now."
XXX
"Here," Drew said as he handed May a cup of hot chocolate. It was a chilly day, chillier than it had been.
"Thanks," May took the mug and sipped at it carefully "She had been keeping a constant vigil over her brother's grave and Drew had been with her the entire time.
The rest of the resistance had moved on already, headed for Mt. Coronet and though many others had been given the opportunity to stay behind, only May and Drew remained to tend to the graves. They wouldn't be able to remain long; their supplies would eventually run out and with Veilstone City under Rocket control there was no place close by to stock up.
"Do you think he's cold?" May asked suddenly, in a far off sounding voice.
"What…?" Drew asked, looking at her in bewilderment.
May hid her face from him, giving a nervous laugh to cover up for what was supposed to be an "inside thought". She looked up but kept her gaze focused anywhere but on Drew "Nothing," she replied.
Drew put an arm around her "I think he's in a better place," he replied honestly "He doesn't have to deal with this war anymore. I'm sure wherever he is, he's happy."
May nodded but didn't say anything for a moment. When she finally did speak it was in a very small voice "Thank you for staying here with me."
Drew smiled, reaching up to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear with his free hand "Do you really think I would have let you stay alone?"
May smiled softly "No, I guess not." She gulped down the rest of the hot chocolate, letting the liquid warm her. She turned and wrapped her arms around Drew "I'm so glad that I'm not alone," she said with a sniffle.
Drew returned the embrace "You'll never be alone," he told her.
XXX
"Up! Up!" Aurora demanded of Gary, stretching her tiny arms towards him "Up!" she said again, pouting at the delay in his response.
Gary laughed and picked the child up "You're probably the most stubborn baby in the world," he told her as he bounced her lightly "That's genetics for you I suppose."
Aurora gave him a quizzical look "Nefics…?" she asked.
Gary laughed again "Never you mind about that kiddo."
Suddenly there was a tap on the door of the bunker. Gary immediately placed Aurora back into her crib. When the child started to fuss about being set down Gary instantly hushed her "You stay here where it's safe," he told her.
Aurora watched Gary in confusion as he walked to the bunker's entrance. He opened it to reveal a Pidgey standing there. Gary had recognized the Pidgey immediately. It was one of the Pidgey that Professor Rowan had trained to be able to enter the bunker's entry tunnel through a special entrance.
The bird offered Gary its right leg and waited patiently. Gary bent and slid the paper from beneath the brown band "Thanks," he said absentmindedly to the Pidgey as he unfolded the note.
The Pidgey fluttered into the bunker, alighting on the table, staring at Gary expectantly. It had been a long journey after all. The Pidgey couldn't understand what made the piece of paper more important than feeing the messenger. Professor Rowan always fed him first before reading the notes he carried. The Pidgey made an indignant noise.
Gary's eyes scanned the note in shock.
TR GOT SAM
O
RE/IP
KYP PR
Gary groaned, in part because of Professor Rowan's ridiculous code but mostly because of what the message meant. TR meant Team Rocket of course, the word got was code for captured and in the process of interrogating. SAM O was Samuel Oak, Gary's grandfather. RE/IP was the line that hurt the most "Rescue impossible". Had they even attempted to come up with a plan? Did they even care what happened to his grandfather? Or did they simply decide that the risk was too great? Either way Gary was flung into a whirling vortex of emotion.
He looked at the last line with hatred (Keep you posted, Professor Rowan) what would there be to keep him posted on? Would Professor Rowan send Gary a courtesy Pidgey to tell him when Team Rocket finally decided to kill his grandfather?
Gary fumed as he crumpled the note up in his hands. He pounded the paper until it was smaller and smaller, crushing it the way he wished he could crush the life out of Giovanni. The paper would no longer yield to the crushing force of his hands so he threw the ball across the room where it bounced off the back of the Pidgey who was still waiting to be rewarded for its services.
Gary found himself sinking to the floor. He felt powerless. His grandfather was the only family he had, the only family he had ever known. In his mind Gary calculated the distance the Pidgey would have traveled from Professor Rowan's hideout in Sinnoh to the research storage bunker. His fists clenched as he realized that Brock and Dawn had known about this development and hadn't told him. They might have wanted to spare his feelings but more likely they knew that he would rush off to try to rescue his grandfather, leaving Aurora without a guardian.
His eyes clenched shut as he tried to hold back the tears. Betrayal, omission, subterfuge, it all probably seemed perfectly fine with the two of them. They only cared about protecting Aurora, protecting Ash and Misty's child; no one cared about what Gary would be giving up. He could understand why Brock wouldn't care… in the old days, back when Gary had been not only Ash's rival but a truly obnoxious little snot, he had managed to make pretty solid enemies of Ash's companions. Even though Gary had thought that was all in the past, perhaps some lingering feelings remained.
But why would Dawn lie to him? She knew how protective of his grandfather Gary was. She was the same way when it came to her mother, her only family. Had Brock convinced her it was for the best? Had she decided that it was? Didn't they know how much it was going to hurt him? Didn't they know he would have rather found out from them instead of an impersonal note scrawled on a piece of notebook paper and delivered by an apathetic Pidgey?
The tears came freely now. He knew how it must have happened too. Someone would have had to take Misty to the hospital and that someone would have been taken into custody upon their arrival. Why hadn't he put the pieces together before? Had Dawn been hoping he would fill in the blanks for himself? He balled his hands into fists and pressed his fists against his eyes trying to make the tears stop. He wasn't some little kid anymore. He was a man, not much of one as he was learning but he was still a man. Men didn't cry about their grandfathers.
Still he couldn't stop and a sob escaped his lips. Images of his poor Grandfather in a small cell being interrogated by Team Rocket agents assaulted his mind. Rumors of what Team Rocket did to their captives had made their way through the resistance grape vine time after time. All those rumors now came flooding back into Gary's memory as he thought of his Grandpa.
Gary was lost in his own thoughts and didn't hear the thump of Aurora escaping her crib. He didn't hear the soft swish swish that her pajamas made against the floor as she crawled to him. His first clue that she was there was when two small hands set themselves upon first his knees as she pulled herself into his lap. Then the two small hands were on his chest as she pulled herself into a standing position. Finally the two small hands came to rest on his cheeks as she slumped forward, unable to support herself on two feet, her chest pressing against his.
Gary's fists relaxed and he took his hands away from his eyes and stared down at the tiny girl. Her blue eyes were full of something that if Gary didn't know better he would classify as empathy.
"Sad…?" she asked in her tiny chirp of a voice.
Gary nodded, wrapping his arms around the little girl "Yes," he replied as his tears kept falling.
"It otay," Aurora whispered "We be sad togever."
Gary smiled sadly as he pulled the little girl close "Alright," he told her. As he held her, she began to cry as well. Gary found himself strangely comforted by the presence of the small being in his arms.
He wasn't the only one who was hurting. This young child had lost everything. Her father had died before she was even born and her mother was now more than likely in one of Team Rocket's interrogation rooms just like his Grandfather.
The two of them sat there for a long time before Gary realized that Aurora had cried herself to sleep. He stood up, careful not to wake her and laid her down in her crib. Before he stood up again he placed a kiss to the little girl's forehead "We'll always have each other little miss," he promised.
A/N: Reviews, reviews, my kingdom for reviews! Alright so I don't have a kingdom or… much of anything really. I'm just used to getting more reviews than I have been getting. I don't know if its because I'm doing something wrong or what.
I hope that all this skipping around doesn't confuse anyone too much. But I felt like it was time to go back and check on some of our other characters to see how they're managing. We'll eventually catch up with Dawn, Brock and Ash on the island but not until chapter 6 or 7. There are a lot of little subplots that will eventually intertwine into one big, multifaceted story.
It's not a normal thing to for me to be in chapter 5 and still building my plot. But I've got a good feel for this story and I know where its going and where I wanted to end up. I hope that you readers are enjoying the ride.
I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to review so far. Every time I post a new chapter I just hover around my email waiting for reviews because posting a new chapter always makes me so nervous.
I've been told I've had some grammatical errors in my first few chapters. I do proof read, sometimes more than once and I use spell check. But I am quite fond of long sentences and I apologize to anyone who finds that style hard to read. I don't like it when errors slip through and I do try to prevent them but I am only human after all.
I've babbled enough for today. I'll sign off now with just one final request of all of you wonderful readers. Please review, even if you want to tell me hate it, even if your review is two words long. I love reviews and consider each and every one of them a ray of sunshine.
Lots of Love
-Kelly