Chapter 18
"Investigation in Athens"
It's important to remember that there were two planes targeted by Team Rocket on December 21st, 1988. In addition to Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit via London and New York, there was also Trans World Airlines Flight 841 from Athens to Minneapolis via Rome and New York. But it was thanks to the intervention of airport baggage handlers in Athens that prevented an attack from being carried out.
Now, the luggage containing two explosive Pokemon were taken to a Pokemon center in Athens where it was being examined by a team of Pokemon doctors and agents from the American Embassy.
"Is this the luggage in question?" asked one of the agents to the doctors.
"Yes," the doctor replied as another agent held a crowbar in his hands to break open the suitcase. "Just as the authorities at the airport described. We know that Pokemon are in there, but we wanted to wait until you arrived."
"Stand clear," said the agent with the crowbar as he took the crowbar and forcefully unlocked the suitcase, opening it to reveal a hodgepodge of clothes surrounding what appeared to be a cassette player with two round speakers. From inside the cassette player, the group heard the sounds of robotic moaning.
"Voltorb, Voltorb."
"Electrode, Electrode."
One of the agents then took a screwdriver and began to take apart the cassette player carefully to not cause any harm to the two Pokemon trapped inside.
"Don't worry guys," the agent with the screwdriver whispered. "We're gonna get you out of there in a second."
Carefully, the cassette player was pulled apart and lo and behold were a Voltorb and Electrode strapped to the inside of the cassette player and attached with what appeared to be plastic explosives.
"Oh, my God," the agent gasped. "They look like they've been drugged."
"More like drugged with brainwashing formula," remarked the doctor, placing her hand on the Voltorb. "Can we get an examination room prepared?"
"Yes, Doctor."
"You sick dicks," whispered the lead agent as the Voltorb and Electrodes were taken away to be further examined. "They were brainwashed with that gas Team Rocket bought in Ryme City. Send a report back to the Embassy."
Doing as he was told, the agent left for the American Embassy.
…
In the examination room, the Voltorb and Electrode were anthesesized and hooked up to monitors while the Greek Doctor watched the readings.
"Their brain readings are ragged," she sighed, as the lead agent came into the examination room. "From the looks of it, the gas probably warped their brain cells."
"How are they, Doc?" the lead agent asked.
"Well, we knocked them out and are doing CAT scans," answered the Doctor. "It's all too common, isn't it? Pokemon used by organizations like Team Rocket against their will to harm others."
"Yeah," grunted the lead agent. "And you wonder why Pokemon as a whole are a protective species. Nothing would make me happier than to see Team Rocket and all Pokemon criminal organizations wiped off of the face of the Earth."
A Chansey then injected a medication into the two explosive Pokemon.
"I'm having Chansey inject some medication to fight off the gas. It should take time for it to work."
Sighing deeply, the agent turned to the doctor.
"Keep them safe with your lives, doctor," he ordered. "We've already seen too many Pokemon being forced out of their habitats."
Sticking a lollipop in his mouth, the lead agent left the examination room and a few moments later, a young Greek man in his 20's walked into the Pokemon Center.
"How are they?" he asked in a Greek accent. "The Pokemon?"
"The doctors are working on them, Demetreus," answered the agent. "They are lucky you were there to spot them when you did."
"It was strange," said Demetreus, looking towards the door beyond the waiting room. "The bag had come off from Beirut and was being transferred to Rome and New York."
"Do you know what the airline was?"
"It came from Middle Eastern Airlines," Demetreus replied. "Then to TWA. All of a sudden, I was running them through the x-ray like I do with all baggage coming from other airlines."
It was also important to remember that Athens had spent years trying to curb the threat of aircraft hijackings and bombings given how the Athens airport had been targeted for so many years.
"Wish they would have done the same in Frankfurt," he sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes in his hands. "Pan Am stopped flying to Athens years ago and perhaps it's for the best."
The agent then asked a particular question.
"Um, did you by any chance," he asked. "Work on scanning bags from the El Al Flight from Tel Aviv? There were likely Pokemon trainers from the Pokemon League Training Academy transferring to TWA in Athens."
"There were quite a few, yes," Demetreus said. "But, I would suggest you talk to my supervisor as I had multiple airlines at the same time."
"Thank you," the lead agent said and he and his team left the Pokemon Center to question the man's supervisor.
After the lead agent left, Demetreus walked to the door of the examination rooms and saw Voltorb and Electrode being examined. He was grateful that two Pokemon and possibly 200 to 300 more lives were saved thanks to his quick thinking. But the investigation in Athens was far from over and rest assured that there will be more connections to Athens as this story progresses…
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