Chapter 30

"Meeting the Cutter"

Seeing the pictures of the dead Pikachu seemed to have struck a chord with Tim and the only option we had was to seek out members of the Neuss cell that were still imprisoned in West Germany. The only prison that was still holding Team Rocket members of the Neuss cell was a prison not too far away in the United States Army Corrections facility in Sembach Kaserne, which was going back the way we came.

"They aren't going to get away with this," Tim muttered, taking the picture of the dead Pikachu and placing it in his pocket. "I swear that they won't. Looker, who are some of these cell members responsible for this?"

"For the death of the Pikachu in the picture?" remarked Looker as he looked in the top mirror of the car. "Any one of them."

"Anyone in particular that enjoys killing? Particularly those killing Pokemon?"

"There is one whom we call 'the Butcher,'" Looker answered, a troubled and disturbed look on his face. "If Pokemon were not going to be useful to the cell, then he would dispose of them."

"What's his name?" Tim asked firmly.

"His name is Vorgitch. Leon "The Cutter" Vorgitch. Mass murderer in New York City, shooting up a fast food restaurant and a school filled with children."

"Leon Vorgitch," Tim said, suddenly remembering who he was. "Dad, wasn't he the one that…?"

"Yes, Tim," I interjected. "The same one who escaped from Rikers Island prison in disguise this past summer. He's a very dangerous man, Tim."

"I don't care if he's dangerous, dad."

Tim not caring if a cell member is dangerous? As a father, this was disturbing to hear, but being a detective, Tim needed to bring justice to the families of Pan Am 103.

"Are there any other cell members to question?"

"Rudolph Aldi is another member who we found as a high risk," answered Looker. "He's mad as a hatter, Tim."

The more that we were learning about this cell, the more we started to learn just how insane these members were. The Neuss cell had the worst of the worst.

"There is also one other you should know about," warned Looker. "He's known as Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom, one of the toughest Team Rocket agents we've ever come across. There is also William "Billy Bedlam" Bickford, Nathan "Diamond Dog" James, Gary "The Mangler" Greene, just to name a few."

But still, Tim didn't care.

…

Eventually, we arrived at the Corrections facility holding the captured Neuss Cell. Pulling up to the guard shack, we all showed the guard our badges, much to his surprise.

"You have an appointment, Detective?" the guard asked.

"We want to pay the Neuss cell a visit," answered Looker in a reluctant tone. "Is Colonel Andres available?"

"Um, I'll see if he's available. Being it's Christmas Eve and all, he might not be available."

Allowed into the prison compound, we parked and got out of the car nervously walking towards the main entrance, guarded by two young US Marines. Just as we got to the door, an Army Colonel with a mustache stepped in between them as they saluted him.

"Looker," he said in a deep, intimidating voice. "What can I do for you?"

"Colonel," he said, shaking his hand. "Sorry to bother you being it's Christmas Eve and all."

"Well, I could use the distraction," he chuckled. "Are you here to see the Neuss prisoners?"

"In a way, yes. This is Detectives Harry and Tim Goodman from Ryme City assisting in the investigation of the Lockerbie Bombing."

"Nice to meet you, Colonel."

"Follow me," he said, leading us into the lobby, which was decked out in US Army material.

…

As we walked, Looker briefed the Colonel on why we were here.

"So there you see, Colonel," Looker answered as he led us into an interrogation room where a bald headed man in a dark blue jumpsuit sat at the table flanked by two army guards. "That's why we are here…because of the dead Pikachu we found at the hideout."

"Indeed," the prisoner said in a mocking tone. "Looks like someone is interested in my handiwork. Who are these assholes, Colonel? Have they come to bring me a stereo system I asked?"

"Just shut up, Vorgitch," the Colonel said quietly. "You are not getting anything except a date with justice."

The Cutter smiled sinisterly as we sat down in front of him.

"Mr. Vorgitch," Looker said sternly, looking at him. "I'm sure we won't take up too much of your time, but these two detectives have questions to ask you."

"If this is about…?"

"Shut up, Vorgitch! It's not!" snapped Looker. "It's about the Pikachu we found in that shallow grave we found in back of the apartment complex."

"That little runt," he muttered, turning his head to the right and spitting. "He was useless to our mission."

"What mission?" asked Tim firmly.

"Team Rocket had asked us to develop a weapon used to bring down a Spanish airliner heading to Israel," Vorgitch explained. "Pikachu was going to be used to trigger an explosive device using it's electrical powers. It refused to obey orders even if we had to constantly remind that run that he belonged to Team Rocket now."

"So the Pikachu was stolen from a trainer?" Tim asked.

"Of course, what we obtain is ours," said the Cutter. "If we steal a Pokemon, it belongs to us forever. One day, it tried to escape and the only one who can escape is nobody."

"So you killed it?" Tim asked.

"Well, yeah. I actually enjoyed killing that Pikachu, it's screams and cries were music to my ears."

I gotta tell you, it wouldn't take much for Tim to develop the self-control that he has. Seeing that Leon would kill a Pikachu or any kind of Pokemon out of pure joy made him sick and angry as was I.

"What was the explosive device? Was this the one going on that Spanish airliner?" I asked. "Were you planning to inject the Pikachu with the R gas?"

"Of course, that's what Team Rocket does, doesn't it?" the Cutter remarked. "We train Pokemon to kill people and further our goals of world domination. If Pokemon refuse, we kill them."

After a moment, Tim asked perhaps the most polarizing question…

"How many Pokemon did you and your fellow cell members kill in Neuss?"

The answer shocked us all…

"Approximately 100 Pokemon between the Iran Air bombing and our capture. We would have killed more if you hadn't intervened."

…

…