Chapter 6: Lovelorn Addiction

(Philadelphia, PA, USA; 16:05)

After a long walk to find evidence, Ash, James and Meowth found a stone and barb-wired wall in front of a warehouse. Arriving in Philadelphia, Ash was in the search for the source of the drug used in Versailles. He didn't have Pikachu on him. "Is this it?" asked Ash.

"Yep, it's here," Meowth confirmed. Ash adjusted his sunglasses to the camera switch. He reapplied the sunglasses before looking to the factory again.

"Not much is on display but what is that smell? It's nauseating." The potent scent made started to sicken Ash.

"I'm not sure but even out here, the smell isn't inviting," James acknowledged the irritating aroma. Jerry, safely away at WOOHP headquarters, viewed Ash's live feed when he found someone on a window sill.

"Ash, view the man, top left corner of my view!" he instructed. Ash turned up to a pale bald man with flaking skin looking dazed. He seemed disoriented. "The effects of drug addiction. It can be frightening." Ash took note of the man's failing physique.

"That better not be me when I grow up," he gulped. James looked to the street and saw overhead lights on a black and white car. He dragged Ash and Meowth behind a pile of garbage. The gate opened and the car entered through the entrance. Ash and James stood back up and viewed the car coming out, the side of the vehicle reading "PITTSBURGH PD." To Ash and Jerry, this felt off. "It couldn't be just me. What's a Pittsburgh officer doing here in Philadelphia?" The officer came out of his patrol car to confront a muscled chestnut brunette man with a package.

"Here you go!" the officer presented. "Delivery from Columbus! The stuff from Milwaukee should be here in two days."

"Thanks for the update," the muscled man greeted. "Tim's idea not only helps these users but saves money on both ends."

"Tell me about it, it's easier this way than destroying the evidence." Hearing the conversation, Jerry mulled to the name, now connecting the dots.

"Back to your old tricks again, Tim Scam?" he growled lowly. Ash heard Jerry's snarl through the earphone. He turned to the patrol car, now backing out of the warehouse.

"Gotta head back before my chief finds out about where I've been!" the officer reminded. The muscled man waived the other a farewell before going back inside. Ash, James and Meowth ducked back down before the muscled man spotted them.

"You were right, that's some bad cop business," Ash believed. "No question that it's full of street drugs used to make the fragrances." James and Meowth gulped at the sudden conclusion to what could have been in the package.

"Drugs?" repeated Meowth. "Like bad stuff to da body?" This made James suspicious about how Ash could determine the contents.

"How would you know about it?" he questioned. Instead of panicking and trying not to exploit the organization he's working for, Ash never hesitated with an answer.

"I was nearly exposed to it when Pikachu used Thunderbolt to bail me out," he recalled. Hearing about Pikachu's aid made the other two fall for his fib.

"I would've expected nothing less from your loyal Pokémon," Meowth understood. Ash dug in his pocket to pull a camera and handed it to Meowth.

"Anyway, here's my plan: Meowth, I'll need you to break in the warehouse and photograph anything inside. Your size and speed should help you sneak around the warehouse." Now the two Rockets became skeptical about aiding an enemy.

"Hold the Phione! Why should we help you when you won't help us?" Ash felt the pressure of the Alley Cat Pokémon's question, only to come up with an answer that sent him and the other to a corner.

"You two and Jessie are wanted back home, but not here. If Jessie's inside and taking the drugs, she'll need immediate attention. Also, you'll be deemed Good Samaritans among the city." Meowth pondered the possibility of the honor.

"It does feel good to be good guys once in a while," James trusted. "And if Meowth's in a sticky wicket, I've got Carnavine to help out." Only now did Meowth wondered about Ash's role.

"Okay but how about youse, twerp?" he mewed.

"I'm gonna make some contacts to get information on that squad car from Pittsburgh and their extra connections to Columbus and Milwaukee," he lied. James bought the fib once more, remembering that Ash had no Pokémon on hand.

"Just be careful, twerp." The boys broke where Ash hid once more, his only other contact having information to their prime suspect.

"Tim Scam, you said?"

"Yes, and the name of the business should have been a red flag from the start," Jerry mulled. "He pulled a similar stunt spelling his name backwards." The information gave Ash some insight to who the ringleader could be.

"Crafty. Now I wonder why Jessie would chase such a crook? I mean, she's far from an honest woman herself."

"Yes, well… Since I have no background of this Team Rocket in the WOOHP files…"

"I figured not."

"Okay, I'll send an escort to bring you back to the villa. I'll upload the rendezvous point."

"Understood." Ash headed out to the rendezvous spot, on his way back to California.

(Villa, Beverly Hills, CA, USA; 17:10)

Ash returned and expected Clover, Alex and Sam to arrive back. His Pokémon also returned to his possession. Buizel swam around the pool while the rest chose to relax in other places like the beach or the roof like Staraptor. Ash looked the least relaxed as he leaned on the railing with the sunglasses above his eyes. No Clover, no Alex… nor even Sam. "I hope they're alright," he murmured. As he stood back up, he received unexpected visitation.

"There's my piece of eye-candy!" sounded Mandy. Ash turned, wearing the sunglasses properly, to the neighbor wearing a puffed cap. "Still staying with those losers, I take it?" Ash didn't want to reveal his new friends' secret identities to someone who could take advantage of their jobs.

"They've got errands for their moms so they're out."

"And they left you home alone. This is too perfect for me to have my way with you." Nerved, Ash itched around his ear where he adjusted the dial to Video mode. Jerry wasn't on his computer back at WOOHP HQ but his desktop machine began recording.

"I'll admit, you don't look good with that hat on. It's a bit oversize." Mandy didn't want a reminder of what happened at the mall.

"Your filthy rat did this to me, and I can't get this static out! Plus, every time I shower, I get zapped for some reason!" This interested Ash some of his Pokémon.

"Let me see!" He reached over to snag the bill. Mandy didn't want Ash to see the bothersome hair, grabbing his arm to push away.

"Stop! Don't!" Ash managed to win the struggle and yanked the hat from her head. What emerged from beneath would horrify as the Afro giving by Pikachu had formed shapes of lightning bolts all over. "I said don't!"

"Yeah, that's a problem." Buizel and Monferno ducked away, holding their laughter. Ash wanted to give some sympathy to Mandy with a treatment. "Grab a bucket of sand and bury your hair for a solid ten minutes. Afterward, wash the sand out and your hair should be back to normal." Mandy huffed a chuckle to Ash's good nature.

"It's not your first rodeo with electrified hair. Of course, I would've wanted to use a method of lure to make you come to my will." Ash's eyebrow lifted in curiosity.

"I'm surprised that you'd want to ask someone younger than yourself out." Mandy never let their age difference bother her.

"True, but I'd rather have someone who can outrun a crowd for the right girl." That's when she brought out a bottle of perfume. Ash's heart seemed to skip a beat. The tidal wave-shaped bottle was one from the Philadelphia warehouse.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"The Mac'Sashi Cool Blue perfume! Wasn't that expensive of a bottle and made the purchase online. Pretty soon, the only girl you'll make love to… is me." Watching the bottle risen to be sprayed, Ash couldn't hold back.

"Mandy, that perfume will kill you!" Mandy jumped at Ash's plea. "Whatever you do, unscrew the bottle and throw it in the air!" The gawk from Mandy told Ash that she couldn't perform his command.

"Are you stupid?! It's still a good fortune on its shipping and handling!"

"What do you value more: your good looks or your life?!" Mandy scoffed at Ash's pleas for her to discard the dangerous Mac'Sashi bottle.

"See? Those girls' influence has warped your logic. They don't have the same fashion sense as me, Caitlin and Dominique." To Ash, Mandy's friends sampled the toxic bottle. He hurdled the fence before sprinting next door. Mandy thought her words finally reached through his head. "A little persuasion always does the trick." Pikachu joined Ash in thinking of a crisis. When Ash pried the door open, he saw the other two from the mall, all with similar hairstyles to Mandy but sprawled and convulsing. Watching Mandy and Pikachu nearing, Ash stood to the side for the rival to see the crisis. She ran to one of the two. "Caitlin?!" She lifted the head of Caitlin as Ash checked Dominique. "Caitlin, wake up! Caitlin!" The girl didn't respond to anything. Ash peered to the floor, finding another bottle.

("They had more?") squeaked Pikachu.

"I knew it…" Ash muttered. Mandy shook harder to stir Caitlin but this made her more panicked.

"Come on, Caitlin!" cried Mandy. Nothing worked. Ash had to take charge.

"Mandy, call for an ambulance! They need medical attention!" Mandy heard the advice, not willing to let her friends die. She rushed to another room to call paramedics. It also bought Ash time to relay Jerry through a cellphone.

"Ash, I'm viewing the tall-tale signs from those sunglasses," the CEO of WOOHP noted. "I'll be joining shortly."

"Got it." In minutes, an ambulance arrived with a pair of gurneys. Jerry stood by Ash as both of Mandy's friends boarded a stretcher and rolled out to the medical truck.

"This is the 25th case today about these fragrances," groaned an EMT. "Why hasn't there been a recall on this?"

"Keep in mind, there are cases throughout the country, so you're not alone," the other EMT worker pointed out. Rolled to the ambulance, Jerry had a slip of paper. The two worked together to board each girl.

"Here!" he offered to the EMT workers. "This should be the treatment for the poison from those fragrances!" One EMT studied the slip.

"We don't have it on board but I'll inform Pharmacy to prep some for all these cases!" Although concerned for her friends' well-being, Mandy turned to Ash after reapplying her headgear. She felt comforted knowing her friends were in good hands with the EMT workers.

"Maybe after this crisis is over, we can spend some time at a restaurant I go to!" she urged a date. "Trust me, those losers can spend as much time with that filthy rat while we have fun!" Ash cringed at Mandy's hatred to Pikachu.

"Take care of your friends before you insult mine!" He slammed the door to a stunned foe of the girls. The ambulance soon left as Mandy steamed from the backlash.

"Very protective of Pikachu, I noticed," Jerry scoffed.

"Can you blame me?" With the ambulance out of view, Jerry suddenly received a message from his watch. It read "SOS." Jerry knew the message came from the spies and cringed.

"This isn't good. It's a beacon from the girls." Ash sensed the issue, an idea of where to go.

"I think we should get to headquarters." Jerry nodded. They headed back to the villa.

"Fortunately, I can WOOHP us there in a minute."

(WOOHP HQ, Los Angeles, CA, USA- 20:36)

Ash, Jerry and Pikachu tapped on the computer to find the beacon's origins. A map of the world popped up, hoping to find the signal. A flashing dot appeared toward the bottom of the map. Tapping a few keys toward the dot, it revealed a continent which the dot seemed placed at the edge of a small country. "It looks like the base is adjacent to the coastline of Portugal," he studied. To Ash, this was within the vicinity of where the spies traveled to attain information.

"Someone knew you'd sent those three back toward France," Ash guessed. "Tim Scam a step ahead of you?"

"Wouldn't be the first time he did. Tim's vastly intelligent and cunning so any misstep can give him an advantage." Suddenly, a notification entered the screen: an envelope. "Looks like mail from Scam." He opened it, revealing a crimson-blood redhead in a white uniform with an "R" on the shirt.

"Well, hello… WOOHP people!" she greeted. Ash groaned at the face of the woman.

"Speak of the Houndoom..." he murmured. "Jessie's with him."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything too important. You see, the object of my affection has a message for all of you! Timmy?" Jessie stepped aside to see a rather young brunette man as James and Meowth described.

"Thank you," he praised. "Jerry Lewis, my old nemesis… How do you like my new concoction? Not only does it have recycled materials but it's incredibly affordable, especially in America's period of economic crisis." Jerry could only speculate Tim's scheme.

"You wouldn't be contacting me unless you did something to my girls," he debated. Tim scoffed and turned to the side.

"Jessie?" On cue, Jessie pulled a rope to reveal Clover, Sam and Alex unconscious and on backboards held up by shackles across their wrists, ankles and necks. Jerry, Ash and Pikachu cringed. "Now, don't worry. We won't harm them. After all, WOOHP only has these three so your hands are rather full." Jessie taunted the camera with playful waives. "Besides, the operation has yet to hit a snag. Working with undercover behind their so-called badges has proven more beneficial than I imagined. Now sit back and watch the magic inflict the people into euphoria." He ended the feed after reaching pass the screen. Jerry felt the pressure. His spies have been captured. To Ash, he felt his need to stop Tim and Jessie and rescue the girls.

"Ash..."

"Jerry, I know that you don't have a lot of options, but..."

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask for your help." Ash blinked at Jerry's sudden idea. To him, Jerry trusted Ash to save Clover, Alex and Sam. The next second, he smiled.

"Yes, sir." Ash needed to prepare himself for the rescue around Portugal. If he had to deal with Jessie, he and Pikachu wanted to plan for the attack on Tim Scam.

TO BE CONTINUED...