He was sitting there, so helpless and yet suspicious and dangerous. Even through the darkness I could see this big "R" sign in his chest, and that was definitely him.

Looks like he didn`t notice my appearance here as he didn`t move a bit, so I made some quite steps closer. I`m not sure if he can run now, but you never know… Dumpling followed me, but I made him a sign to stay.

That guy moved... Okay, I started to worry if he alive at all. He turned head right to me, like he could clearly see me in all this darkness. Maybe he could, but it was still very strange.

"Is that…" He wheezed. "Is that you, Josh?"

I came closer to him and squatted to his eyes level. Dumpling stayed at the entrance, as on guard – he understood me very good.

"I`m no Josh." On the close distance like this I could clearly see his face. Yes, that was one of them. I hope he will see mine so he will understand how serious this situation is. "But, maybe, I would like to see Josh too. Not now, but a bit later…"

"Who… are you?" The Rocket grunt asked. For a moment I thought he is going to faint. Maybe he is sitting here for a long time. What could happen here?

"Don`t you remember me, scum? I`m the one whose car you stole three days ago! Now tell me where is it?"

He raised his head and looked at me closely, squinting. I guess, he managed to remember me. Maybe he will remember me better when I will repeat the moment where my fist meets his nose, like back then? But, I afraid, this won`t help him now.

"Ah, you… The crazy guy…"

"Oh, you are so right. I will be very crazy if you will not tell me where is my car? What happened to it on Route 3?"

"Something unexpected happened…" He turned his head away from me, like he didn`t wanted to talk about it. But I did wanted to, so I roughly turned his face back to me. He looked at me angrily, sighed and continued. "That guy happened."

"The courier?"

"How do you know?" He was really surprised, and finally began to worry. Perfect timing to realize my threat.

"I know a lot. But not everything. I want to know everything. TELL ME EVERYTHING!" I grabbed his shirt and lifted a bit up. But he just looked at me with so apathetic eyes that scared me instead of him. I put him down and stood up.

"You know… You were the lucky one. I wish I was as lucky as you are…" He said me.

"What the hell do you mean?"

He didn`t answer, but just turned his head for me to see that I didn`t notice earlier.

The same bite marks as I have.

But his marks were deeper, and much worse. The skin around them became purple and unhealthy, veins grew bigger like he was under some drugs. Is that… The effect of Poison Fang? This could be my fate if it was not just a simple Bite back then…

Now I realized. All this time he was slowly dying. I don`t know how long is he sitting here in this cave – maybe some hours, maybe days – but the poison was killing him, nice and slow. Looks like the guy they were chasing really could stand for himself.

"But… Maybe you`re out of luck too… To find me so late… Maybe… that makes us quits?

"Where are your friends?" I asked him. Grunt turned his head away from me again, with a quiet crunch. I don`t like it.

"They have abandoned me… After the battle we were scattered. Everyone was trying to survive just by his own. I was hurt and lost in this cave. So… I just fell here and had no strength to get out."

"What about your pokemon? You should have your pokemon, right?" As he heard these words, he clenched his teeth even I could hear it.

"I… cough… Used my last potions to heal them and… sent them to find help. A day ago. Looks like they will not return."

"What a good trainer you are then…"

"Don`t you… dare mock me!" On the last breath he swore, coughed with blood once more and weakened. His eyes were not moving anymore, and he was no more breathing. The poison finished its thing.

Damn it... I need to get out of here. A dead criminal is not the thing I would like to encounter. Good Dumpling was on guard near the rocks so he didn`t see this awful thing. Not the best time for this little guy. But… I put my hand on his face and closed his eyes. Maybe I have absolutely no respect for him as person and bastard he was… But as a human being everyone must be respected a bit at least.

I looked around the body, trying to find something that will help me identify him – cards, documents, something. In his pocket I actually found an ID card and an empty pokeball of some strange design. It wasn`t regular pokeball, not a greatball and not even an ultraball. I could not name any other types, so this was new to me, and I took it, may be useful.

Mark Steam. So this is who you are… And he also told another name. Josh. This could be really a trace for me, if the rest of their squad made it out alive.

His words were a surprise for me. Looks like they were attacked in return, by a poison pokemon under the ownership of the courier. And he managed to scare them off alone! So… Why didn`t he return back home? And what happened to my car? I really didn`t expect this turn of events, and all my previous guesses completely crashed into oblivion. My investigation is at the dead-end…

I took the ID and looked at it again. Squad 2B. This contained nothing more interesting, and yet this could be useful, I should memorize it. I put the ID on his bite spot so it got some of his blood marks and put into my small packet. Actually I wanted to store fruits here, but I guess I can spend some more time on my chocolate bars. My pokemon seemed to like it too.

"Come on, Dumpling. Let`s leave this wretched place." I said to my partner, putting the packaged card inside of my greatcoat. Charmeleon nodded and started to climb up the rocks, and soon I followed him on the higher level.

We appeared in the higher tunnel very cautiously, looking around for any threats like Zubats. I suddenly remembered about my Zubat, and the fact that he still haven`t got a name. Actually, I don`t have any good options for it, maybe they will appear later.

So, we were completely lost in this cave, and the best I could do is to walk into some random tunnel, hoping for the best. I think that was my mistake…

Or not, because soon we have found a big hole and a ladder, leading downwards. Maybe, we have found some dig site or something – I don`t know exactly, but this may lead us back to people. Dumpling looked in the darkness below and, when he understood that we`re going to go down, bravely jumped there. That scared me as I didn`t know the depth of this hole, but judging by the sound, Dumpling landed very quickly and harmlessly. As I calmed down, I started to climb down the ladder after him.

Darkness surrounded me again as I descended down on the lower level. Damn, how dark it is! The darkness above was sky light comparing to this. Dumpling found me on touch and grabbed my leg.

"Yeah, right. I guess it is enough black strip of life for you for today. Have a rest." I returned Dumpling back to pokeball and looked around. Somewhere in the distance I could see some light – maybe, it really was a dig site.

I followed the light in the end of the tunnel, and soon it turned out to be a simple lamp. Maybe, it was not that simple from the technological point of view – I could not see its energy source, and the very construction looked very interesting. I had some experience with technologies before, and even have learned something for engineering skill, but that was too hard for me to understand. There was another lamp after this, and another one. All these lamps were forming a line on the wall, leading me somewhere. And I had nothing to do except for following this line.

There were no more incidents on my way. Of course, this cave was full of wild pokemon: sometimes I could see some Parases and Geodudes, and one strange unknown pokemon to me, but all of them were keeping away, like they knew it is not safe to encounter me. Nothing attacked me, and I didn`t want to attack anything. I just wanted to leave this place as fast as I can. I completely lost the control of time – maybe, it is late night already. Stomach was already going crazy, and I had to calm it down with a chocolate bar, but I guess this will not be enough for long. It`s so good to be a pokemon sometimes – they don`t starve while in pokeballs. I wish somebody was there to carry me to Cerulean City, even in a pocket – I wouldn`t mind.

But soon my thoughts were disturbed by some sound ahead. As I approached a little closer, I could understand that was the voice. A man`s voice.

I carefully looked over the corner of cave and saw another Team Rocket grunt. He was standing near the entrance to another tunnel, looking over the corner as I do now. Maybe, he`s hiding from somebody too.

"Damn cave… Damn connection… Damn zubats…" The grunt grumbled. "Base? Hello? Can you hear me? Yes, I`m still here, guarding… Target has finished digging up the fossils. Okay, I`ll get them. Waiting for your command."

Looks like this one is not from the "road" squad. What are these creeps even doing here, what fossils are they going to take?

The grunt took away his radio set and turned away from the entrance. I had to hide again as I think he managed to see me. But he didn`t react – that means I`m safe, I guess. This can be my way on surface, and I don`t want anyone to stand on my way.

I waited until he turned back from me, and quietly stalked to the other side of the tunnel. If he will continue staring to the other side, I can sneak up on him and make him answer some of my questions. He leaned to the rock wall and started smoking something very stinky. I hate smoking, especially something like this crap. Is he really that stupid he doesn`t realize that his "target" can smell this? Anyway, I had just some meters of distance from him.

Soon I got to very close distance and in a single motion grabbed him from behind, closing his mouth and dragged him away from the entrance, I have no idea who can be near us. Bandit tried to escape my grip, but I kicked him in the certain point back, causing temporary paralysis.

"Be quiet, you moron! He… she… anyone can hear us!" I whispered into his ear. He fell on the ground and I crushed him from above. Now he can`t escape me.

"So many noise, so little sense… Look at me... Look at me! Do you know me?" I took away my hand from his mouth so he could speak, but prepared both of my fists if he is going to say something not nice. Or to say nothing.

"No… Who the heck are you?" He snarled.

"Oh, right, another well-mannered guy." I said. "I am Vengeance. Because I bring DEATH. Remember that..."

"Screw you, asshole!"

I slapped his face gently. The first level of my interrogation table.

"I have studied a lot. Physics, you know… I can hit you with exactly 300 Newton power, do you want to?"

He looked like he didn`t understand me, but he shook his head with a negative answer.

"Good. Then listen and then talk. Exactly this order. Do you know Mark Steam?"

"That jerk? Ha! I wish I didn`t."

"Nice, looks like you were a very close friends. So… do you know where is he now?"

"No idea…" He answered, turning his head from me. Why do they afraid to look into my eyes? But, maybe, he actually has no idea. If they are different squads, they can know nothing about each other`s missions.

"I want to show you something…" I took out a small package out of my pocket. Exactly that package containing ID card of Mark Steam stained with his blood.

"What… what the hell is that?" He sounded more like angered than scared.

"You know what the hell that is. This is the ID card, you all get one, right? You have this too, don`t you?"

"Did… did you kill him?"

"No. No, that wasn`t me, but his own stupidity. He was hunting the prey he couldn`t handle. And he managed to cross the road to the wrong man in the process. You don`t want to share his fate."

"You dare threaten me?" He yelled in rage. Have to admit, that startled me for a moment, but that was more than enough for him to throw me off and jump back to the wall, trying to get something out of his pocket.

"Is that what you want?" I understood that he`s going to pull out a pokeball to battle. If the battle is what he wants – he gets it.

"Rattata, destroy this meddling idiot!" He shouted and threw a pokeball in my direction. On half-way the capsule opened and beamed out a Rattata – quite a common pokemon, I have seen and beat a lot of wild ones like this. That`s not a problem for me.

"Damn it, what a powerful pokemon you have! I`m so scared… But I will not run! Because I have a pokemon even more powerful than yours! Reaper, let`s do it!"

Despite all sarcasm literally flowing out of me, I was sure we can handle this Rattata, and this battle would be a good chance for Reaper to get some experience.

"Let`s start with Harden!"

As I remember, Rattata`s attacks are usually not very strong, until they evolve. So additional defense could be useful until we defeat it.

"This won`t help you! Use Tail Whip!"

Hey, is that the move that lowers our defense? I guess, I have seen that before.

Rattata quickly ran closer to Reaper and waved its tail before him. This had no contact, but definitely had some effect: my pokemon tried to step back, and lost all his concentration for defense.

"This can take a while, you know…" The grunt said confidently, crossing his hands on chest.

"The best offense is a really good defense!" I replied.

"As you wish… Tail Whip him again!"

"Poison Sting!"

"What?" The grunt was surprised by me not using defense move again. I really caught him off guard. His Rattata obediently came closer to Reaper, exactly to the point where he can land a very good hit. Too bad Kakuna is so slow, and opponent had his time to perform another Tail Whip, but after another step back Reaper rushed to him and hit pretty hard. Rattata was damaged, but still standing. I wished the effect of poison to appear, but it didn`t.

Now our situation is pretty risky – our defenses are lowered, and I`m sure opponent will attack in next turn. My favorite strategy "Tell one thing – do another" worked well, but this time we have to think about something more reliable.

"Ah, screw everything, give it all you`ve got, Reaper! Give him the best Poison Sting you can!"

Reaper heard me and jumped on place and aimed for the opponent. It`s everything or nothing now. We have to defeat him before he defeat us, and for that we need…

For a moment I was blinded by this sudden light coming from the battlefield. I couldn`t see what`s happening right now, and the understanding came even later. When the light faded, a huge Beedrill appeared from the dust cloud and made a furious attack on opponent`s Rattata. The strike was so fast that our opponent had absolutely no chance to see what`s coming, and thus he was defeated.

The monstrosity raised above the body of Rattata. It has wide wings on the back, yellow-colored body, its upper limbs are huge claws and the lower body ends with a huge sting.

Finally I realized what had just happened.

Reaper finally evolved into his final form. He evolved into Beedrill!