Inside of the dark throne room, in an unknown location, Freya was seating in her throne chair, while glaring at some of her minions.

She has gotten the news that the mission performed by Julian and his sons, was a success, so for that part she was satisfied. She has also received a call from #9, and was told that she has moved to her new home, and will start with the mission, very soon. That part of the mission, was success as well.

The problem is the third part of the grand mission. Julian has hired Albert to help him with the mission, by going after the third target. Normally, Albert wouldn't be caught dead doing any missions with Julian, as their missions were different and Albert doesn't like the way Julian does things. But, Albert had a debt to Julian from a while back, and when Julian asked for help, and said that the debt would be repaid with that mission, Albert accepted it.

Freya didn't have anything against that. It meant that Julian could possibly finish his mission earlier, and she would know if she should let him live, or if she should skin him alive.

Unfortunately, she has just received a call from Julian, and was informed that Albert and his man, haven't been in contact with him, ever since the day they were supposed to attack their target. Julian doesn't even know if the target was attacked, nor what happened. This wasn't a good news for Freya. She doesn't like failed missions, and every time someone fails a mission, she makes sure they pay for that, in one way or another.

Right now, as Freya is seating on her throne chair, and several of her agents were kneeling on the ground in front of her, among which is Yuriko Takagi, also known as #3. The second person is Julian's wife, Monica, also known as #5, in the organizations. There were few other members, but they were covered by darkness of the room, and their faces weren't seen. Next to her, is a small table, with a phone, and on the other side of the line, is Julian himself, who has just told the bad news to the Queen.

"How could you screw this up, Julian?" Freya asked.

"You can't blame me for Albert's failure," Julian said from the other side of the line. "I went after the father of that one girl, and after few hours of playing with him, we killed him. Albert was supposed to go after the mother of the other girl. His apparent failure, is not my fault."

"It is your fault if you sent Albert after someone without giving him all the necessary information about the target," Freya growled. "Unlike you, he has never failed his mission before. So I doubt he would have failed this one, if he had all the information."

"I told him everything I knew about the target," Julian said. "I told him the girl's name, the name of her mother, where they are from, everything. I even told him what job the target is doing. There was nothing special about that woman. She was just a simply Rhyhorn Racer, from Kalos Region."

Freya's eyes narrowed in an instant as she heard that. She was instantly reminded of someone from her past, and couldn't help but wonder. She then thought about what she knew about the two girls who were traveling with Ash Ketchum, and realized that… she knows nothing. Not even their names.

"What did you say were the names of the girls traveling with Ash Ketchum," Freya asked, much to the confusion of those in the room, along with Julian's confusion? "Also, what was the name of the target, and where in Kalos does she live?"

"The name of the girl whose father I went after, is May," Julian said. "Her father was, Norman, the gym leader in Petalburg City. As for the other girl. Her name is Serena, and her mother's name is, Grace. They are from Vaniville Town."

As soon as she heard this, Freya almost choked on her spit, before her face got so red in anger that she was practically steaming. Her eyes were also glowing red, and the entire throne room was suddenly filled with immense anger and her psychic powers. All her agents in the room, swallowed in fear, at the anger and the amount of power, Freya was releasing. They knew very well how powerful Freya is, and to them, it's not strange that she was that powerful, considering the fact that she is over a century old.

"YOU ABSOLUTE MORON," Freya shouted at Julian, making him flinch in surprise, while the people in the room with her, wanted to run away right then and there, but knew that if they moved even an inch, then Freya would tie them to her bed, and suck them dry of their life. "HOW STUPID CAN YOU GET?"

"W-What's wrong," Julian asked? "What did I d-do?"

"You imbecile," Freya growled. "You've been in this organization for 20 years. You've met all the numbered agents in that time, so are you going to tell me that you forgot the name of the former agent, #1!"

Freya couldn't see it, but Julian's eyes narrowed at that question, and he wondered what's that got to do with Freya's anger and the failed mission. The same confusion that Julian is going through, the other agents in the throne room, are also experiencing. All but one. Monica, Julian's wife, has been in the Shadow Legion for over 20 years, and she knew perfectly well, all the agents who have gone through the Legion, in that time. She remembered who the previous #1 agent was, and what she could do. It was at that moment, that Monica remembered the name of the former #1, and where she was living. She paled like a ghost as soon as she realized what this means. It means that Julian has sent Albert, of all people, after the Queen's daughter. It also means that the chances of Albert and his man, still being alive… are practically, Zero.

The other numbered agents in the room, didn't know the former #1, as they all came after she left the organization. They have never even heard her being mentioned by anyone in the organization, including Freya, and Monica. No one ever spoke of her, and no one ever though to ask about the former right hand woman of the Queen herself.

It has taken him almost a minuet, but Julian has started to remember the face of the woman he hasn't seen in over 12 years. He perfectly remembered the young beauty, who was the Queen's daughter, and the best Mechanic the world has ever seen. She was merciless to those she was going after, and she has always completed her job in such a way, that no one has ever thought about her targets dying in any other way, except accidents, or natural deaths. It was a little after he remembered the face of the woman he had serious hots for, not to mention the woman who he was lucky enough to have a taste off, that he has finally remembered her name and where she was living at the end of her time in the organization, and after she left it.

When he realized who he has sent Albert after, Julian paled like there is no tomorrow, which could be very possible for him, considering who he has gone after. No one in the throne room could see that, but his sons were in the same room in the Hoenn Region, along with him, and they saw how their father paled, and were surprised by the scared look on his face. To them, he looked like he has just been told that death is coming after him, and he is about to die a very slow and painful death. They weren't far from the truth.

"Julian," Freya growled at the scared man. "You have no idea, what you have done. Know this, Julian. From this moment forward, you are no longer a member of the Shadow Legion. From this moment forward, you better start running, because those I will send after you… will have no mercy on your body or your soul. The same goes for those brats of you."

As soon as she said that, and without waiting for Julian to say anything, Freya hung up the phone. She then looked at Monica, who was even paler then when she realized who Julian and their sons, have gone after.

"As for you," Freya spoke while looking at Monica, who gulped in fear. She had a feeling that she knew what was waiting for her, and she wasn't going to like it. "You will live, but the fact that you are married to that vermin and have those two imbeciles for sons, is something I can't forgive you for. You will have to pay for that. And you will pay it, if it's the last thing you ever do."

At that moment, Monica knew two things. One is that she will never again be seeing Julian and her sons. She could live with that, even though she loves her sons, she knew that they have no future after what they've done. The second thing she knows is that, she is screwed. Literally.

XXX

After the Queen has hung-up the phone on him, Julian was left seating on his armchair, looking pale, and seemingly without a life in his eyes.

While he was in a catatonic state, Julian's sons, Martin and David, were looking at their father, and each other, thinking of what happened. They have no idea, why their father looks like this, and why the Queen was so angry at Julian. They do know from the conversation, that it has something to do with the former #1 agent, but neither Martin or David have ever met that woman, so they don't know what happened with her, or how she was related to this. They don't even know how she has anything to do with their targets.

Wanting to know what happened, and what are they going to do now, when they are no longer part of the Shadow Legion, and there is someone coming after them; Martin talked. "Father, will you tell us what is going on," he asked? "What happened? Why was the Queen so angry at us, to the point that she is now gunning after our lives?"

Julian didn't say anything for a full minute after the questions were asked. He still looked catatonic, but he has heard the questions, and was thinking on what to say, but mostly what to do now.

"Grace, the mother of Serena, also happens to be the former member of the Shadow Legion," Julian said, much to his son's shock, as their eyes widened. "Not only was she member of the Shadow Legion, she was former #1 agent, a right hand woman of the Queen, the best mechanic this world has ever had, and to top it all… she is the Queen's own daughter." Julian looked at his sons, to see their eyes wide opened, and their jaws on the floor.

"Do you two understand what this means," Julian asked? "It means that Serena is Freya's granddaughter. The same girl on who we wanted to have revenge by targeting her mother, is related to the Queen. As such… the three of us are dead-man-walking. There is no way we will be able to escape Freya's execution squad."

Martin and David heard their father, and were shocked by his words. He seems like he has simply given up, and will just sit and wait for death.

"You can't just sit back and wait for someone to come and kill you," Martin raged at his father! This was the first time in his life that he has done that, as before now, he didn't have a reason, but now, he has a really good reason. He isn't just going to wait for someone to come and kill him. He will fight to his dying breath, and if he dies, he will die knowing he has at least put-up a fight, and didn't just surrendered.

David is a bit stupid compared to his brother, father and mother, but even he, as stupid as he is, understood what's going on, and even he, just like Martin, didn't feel like giving up. He also wanted to fight… or at the very least, try and escape somewhere where the Queen's executioner squad won't find him.

"There is nothing we can do, Martin," Julian said to his son. He wasn't angry at his son for yelling at him for the first time in his life. At that point, he didn't care. "As I said, we made a mistake, and now we are going to pay for it."

"There must be something we can do," Martin said! "Isn't there something we can do that would make the Queen forgive us? We could say that we didn't know who we were targeting. It's not like it will be a lie."

"We could do that," Julian said, "and you are right, it wouldn't be a lie, but the Queen wouldn't care. She doesn't really care that we tried to harm her daughter, as they weren't in a good relationship, and Freya did try to kill her once, the problem is that now Albert is most likely dead, and he was the only male agent in the organizations, who the Queen respected. She barely tolerates the rest of us, but she respected him. And now he is dead, and she has to find someone to replace him, which won't be an easy job.

"Another reason she is angry, is because Grace is very bad news, especially when she is angry. Now that we attacked her, who knows what she will do to have revenge. She will probably come after the Shadow Legion, and do incredible damage, before she is stopped… if she is stopped.

"And to top it all, Serena is Freya's granddaughter, and she wants her to be her heir. As such, she is off limits to anyone who doesn't want to experience slow and painful death."

Martin understood what his father was saying, but he was confused by one thing. "Why would the Queen need an heir," he asked? "Isn't she immortal?"

Julian shock his head. "Technically speaking, Freya isn't immortal, but ageless," he said. "She will remain ageless as long as she… sucks… the life out of her victims, but she can be killed, and she will age and die, if she stops feeding on the aura and psychic powers of her victims."

"Ok, but I doubt that she will ever stop feeding herself," Martin argued. "And while it is possible that she could be killed, the chances are low, as she never leaves that castle of hers. She could only be killed if someone close to her betrays her and kills her."

"Which can never happen, as she can read minds," Julian added. "Listen, I honestly don't know why she wants Serena as he heir, but she has wanted her since right after Serena was born. It's why she asked Grace's husband, who happened to be Albert's brother, to kill Grace, but spare Serena. Of course, Arthur failed, and was most likely killed by Grace, since no one has seen or heard from him since before he went after Grace. Everyone in the Legion at that point, suspected that Grace killed him, and the Queen has decided that killing Grace, while technically possible, would cause a lot of damage to the organizations, as she was sure that Grace wouldn't go down easily. As such, Freya ordered everyone to leave Grace alone, and not attack her. She knew that if none from the Legion goes after Grace, Grace won't come after us.

"Albert didn't like that, but in the end, everyone, including him, agreed that it's better not to anger Grace, as she can be the end of the Shadow Legion.

"For 12 years, we left her alone and she left us alone… and then we had to screw it all and attack her. How could I have made a mistake like that? How could have I forgotten about her? I knew her very well, I knew where she lived, and yet, when I sent Albert after her, the address and the name completely slipped pass my mind. I should have suspected something isn't right when I saw the smile on Albert's face, after I gave him the name and the address of his target. That was the first time I saw him smiling, in years. I guess the fool recognized who he was going after, and thought he will finally have a chance for revenge."

"I guess he failed, ha?" Martin guessed.

"Most definitely," Julian nodded. "Grace was unstoppable when she wanted to be. She is a psychic, just like Freya, and with her psychic skills, along with her mind which could come up with anything, she was the best assassin in the world. No one from any region in the entire world, have ever even started to suspect that she was a Mechanic.

"It was a huge blunder on my part, to not recognize who I was sending Albert, after. His skills, his mind, and everything he was doing for the organization, made him irreplaceable in Freya's eyes."

"If you are right and he did recognize who he was going after, then it wasn't your fault if he is dead." Martin said.

"In a way, you are right," Julian nodded, "but again, Freya won't see it like that, and she will seek to punish someone. Since we are alive, and Albert most likely isn't, means that we are on her shit list."

"What do we do now," David decided to ask. He is slow most of the times, but this was one of the times he understands that the situation is bad, and that they are all in danger.

"Well, I'm not giving up," Martin said, drawing the eyes of Julian and David, at himself. "If the Queen is already coming after us to kill us, and there is nothing we can do to stop her, we can at least go out fighting. Not only that, but I won't allow that brat to get away with what she has done to us, especially now when we know that she is Freya's granddaughter, and potential heir. If we dispose of the girl, we can stick it to Freya, one last time, before she finally gets to us. It would be our last laugh, as we will be denying her what she wants."

"Are you really sure we should go after her," David asked? "We could try and run away. Maybe the Queen won't find us if we go to one of the farther Regions. As far as I know, there are several Regions in the world, where she doesn't have any agents, and no one there to inform her of anything."

"Look at me," Martin growled at David, while showing his burned face! "I will have to live with this until the end of my life, regardless of how long or short it ends up being! It's me, not you! You don't know how I feel about this, and how much I want to pay back to that little bitch, for what she has done to me. At this point, revenge against her, is the only thing which keeps me going. Without that thirst for revenge, I would have just packed my shit, and gone to some hole to spend the rest of my days, without anyone there to see me looking like this."

"And how exactly do you plan to get to her," Julian asked? "She is always around Ash, which makes her unreachable."

"Yes, but he is gone now," Martin said. "You heard the news when we spied on them. He has disappeared from the Pokémon Center, and no one knows where he is. It means that he isn't here to protect her."

"Riley, is," Julian said. "And we won't be able to get pass him, either."

"Unlike Ash, Riley won't always be around Serena," Martin added. "We could spy on them, and find the right place and time to strike, when Riley isn't there to protect her. We just need to be careful, to not get caught, and to catch her quickly and silently, before she can pull out any of her Pokémon."

Julian sighed. He didn't feel like doing this, as he didn't see a point, but he can understand his son's desire for revenge. He was terribly disfigured by the fire, shot by Serena's Pokémon, and now can only think of revenge. He would probably be doing the same thing Martin is, if he was in his son's shoes.

That being said, Julian has a bad feeling. He feels that the end is near for him and his sons, which shouldn't be surprising, considering that Freya is sending someone after them. What does confuse him, is the fact that the feeling is telling him that his end, won't come from Freya, or her executioners, nor will it come from Ash Ketchum. Julian feels like his end, will come from someone he least expects it and in a way, he never though would be his end.

XXX

It's been a day since Red, Riley and Urahara, though mostly Red, had a conversation with Serena, May, Max, Caroline and Nurse Joy. It has also been a day since Caroline and Nurse Joy, agreed to move to the Pallet Town, so they can be kept safe from the Shadow Legion.

Serena has decided to continue to travel, and while at first, May and Max were undecided, they decided to travel, as they thought that it would help them keep their minds of what happened to their father. As such, the three of them now have to wait for Ash to reappear from wherever he has disappeared.

Red and Urahara have left the Petalburg City, as soon as the conversation was over, as they had other stuff to do, though Red did promise to Serena and the others, to search for Grace and Ash, and to call them as soon as he finds them. Of course, Serena also promised to call him, if she gets a call from her mother, or from Ash.

While Red and Urahara left, Riley has stayed behind, as there was no way he and the others, were going to leave a group of woman and a small boy, all alone, as there is still a chance that they would be attacked. Before he left, Red explained to Riley about a certain plan of his, which has left the younger of the two man, a little unnerved.

As such, since there was nothing for them to do, while they waited for the news of Ash and Grace; Serena, May and Max, used their free time to train themselves and their Pokémon. Serena was training for the next gym battle, while May and Max, so they can be better, and fulfill their goals.

As of yet, Caroline hasn't sold her old house, but since she put in on the market just that morning, it wasn't a surprise. It will probably take a while to sell the house, especially since it's quite big, and has a gym for Pokémon Battles, which means that not everyone would be willing or capable of buying it. Still, considering that Ash is yet to be found, and they all have to wait for him in the Petalburg City, Caroline is not in the hurry. In the end, if necessary, she can always move to the Pallet Town, and in case someone is interested in buying the house, she can sell it through a real estate agency.

Right now, May and Serena have finished one of their sparing battles, on the battlefield behind the Pokémon Center, when Serena said that she needs to go to the bathroom, but will be back quickly, so they can continue their battle.

May and Max, who were also there, along with Riley, nodded, and watched as Serena left, while Max went to the field so he can have a quick battle against May. Riley stayed on the bench, and watched the kids.

He was there to watch over them, while Caroline is in the Pokémon Center, along with Nurse Joy. The two don't necessarily like each other, but they knew that they must be around one another, if they don't want to be in trouble. Since they were in the Pokémon Center, Riley considered that they were safe, so he left them there alone, while he watched over the children, as they were outside, thus, could be in danger.

Riley didn't like leaving Serena to go to the bathroom by herself, as she has to pass around the Pokémon Center, and enter from the front entrance, but he can't exactly go with her. It's one thing to watch over someone and make sure that nothing bad happens to them, but it's another thing to constantly follow them wherever they go, especially when they go in the bathroom. As such, while he wasn't happy, Riley had to let Serena go by herself.

Another reason he left her go by herself, is to test out Red's theory, and see if he was right. If he was, then Riley is sure that he is going to have a lot of job, very soon. If Red wasn't right… oh well, better for Riley and for everyone he was guarding.

Very soon he will realize that, Red was right, and when he realizes that, Riley will groan at the unnecessary job he will have to do.