Kapitel 18: Chapter Fifteen: To protect the world from devastation

Six more days went by quickly as we spend our time at the Inn together, tweaking our plan. At last the day had come to meet up with the group of rebels that we had formed.

We would all be gathering here in Pewter City, at the small Inn. We had rented out the entire thing for a "work event."

The old woman at the counter seemed thrilled at the amount of money such an event would bring to her Inn. She even offered to rent us a small conference room and we obliged.

People would start arriving at anytime and checking themselves into their rooms. There they would stay until we meet in the conference room at nine tonight.

My nerves were on fire while the hours ticked by, I glance out the window in a paranoid heat almost every ten minutes.

Finally Silver takes us out of the Inn and we make our way to the Pokémon Center to have a late lunch. Once there I'm able to settle down slightly and stop perseverating on waiting for rebels to show up.

We eat a thick potato stew with large chunks of buttered bread on the side. I chew quietly, looking out the window lost in thought.

Once we finish eating night has fallen on Pewter City while we make our way back to the Inn.

Back in our room we see that somehow it's 7:45 at night. Hurriedly Silver begins collecting papers and other things he needs for the conference.

An hour later and we're seated in the conference room, our breath bated as we wait. A man enters, he has long black hair and is followed by two similar looking men. They seat themselves as another group comes in behind them, this time it's four women.

Relief starts to pour over me as more and more people arrived. Confidence flowed through me with each individual who walked through the door.

At last the room was filled, people squashed in elbow-to-elbow as Silver drew everyone to attention.

We all talked for awhile, answered questions and took ideas. My blood was racing through my veins the entire time.

"This isn't a mission for the feint of heart. Lives may well be lost and those we cherish may never be seen again. Don't let this discourage you, let it fuel you. Take from them before they can take from you!" Silver lifts his fist up and evokes a lot of loud cheers from the crowd.

It was edging on midnight as everyone filed back to their rooms at the Inn. We would wake in less than five hours to make our attack. Not a lot of time to rest, not that I thought I could.

I felt like my bones were scorching out of my flesh, my breath was coming in ragged gasps that I hadn't noticed before.

We file into our room and I collapse into my bed, trying to swallow my pounding heart. I listen as Silver and Masaru lay down as well.

Silence falls over the room and soon I hear their quiet snores as they drift into sleep. I focus on that to try and force myself into slumber.

Finally darkness comes and I give in…

A screeching alarm makes me bolt upright in bed. Faint light from the street lamps outside filters into the room and Silver and Masaru both stir into wakefulness.

It's time. My heart skips as I pull on a complete black outfit, garnished with a Team Rocket "R" on the front. Part of our plan was to disguise everyone in Team Rocket uniforms.

Somewhat dangerous, but this whole mission was. I pull on the black matching hat and look at myself in the mirror. It feels like forever since I had worn the Team Rocket Uniform. I hate how I look and turn away from my reflection.

Masaru and Silver are following suit, each of them already dressed in the uniforms. Masaru is nervously tapping a finger, which is the only sound inside the quiet room.

I hold Silver's gaze for a moment, my mouth dry as we strap on our Pokéball belts and check the room one last time.

Trembling I exit through the door and look back at the beds tucked inside once more. This is it.

That thought keeps playing itself in my mind while we wind our way out of the Inn. Everyone was leaving at a different staggered time, to prevent anyone from seeing a mob.

We were going to split into five groups. One of the groups consisting only of Masaru, Silver and myself. Four more groups of twenty one to twenty two people would lead most of the attack on the Grunts.

Our smaller team would infiltrate Giovanni's office/living quarters and deal with him from there.

Everything was poised at the edge of a precipice now. Any wrong move could send everyone and everything tumbling down.

Viridian City is surrounded by trees and other grassy wildlife. We come onto the main road leading into town, bike tires squeaking against the dewy earth.

My hands have been shaking uncontrollably since we left the Inn. Now that we've stopped I shove them in the pockets of my Team Rocket pants to conceal them.

We make our way to a larger house located at the edge of a dilapidated building. I knew that this building wasn't empty though, strung up with yellow Caution Tape I could feel the heat of evil from within.

We let ourselves into the house, where around twenty other people waited. Most of them sat on the floor, some smoking cigarettes or weed. Others were playing cards while some just stared vacantly into space.

Night wore on as more small groups trickled into the house. When at last the seams of the abode felt as if they would burst if we squeezed another person in Silver spoke.

"Everyone remember the plan?" Silver keeps his voice steady.

Quiet nods from everyone gathered.

"Is everyone ready?" Excitement creeps into the edges of his words this time.

More quiet nods, eyes shining with determination.

"Then let's fucking do this. Masaru and Jun, let's go." The plan was pretty simple, divide and conquer essentially. Us three would go in first and hide ourselves in the shadows until all hell broke loose.

Quietly we creep around the edge of the house, black clothing blending into the inky night. We follow Silver until we come to a pile of rubbish laying in the woods.

He searches around for a minute before letting out a gasp of elation. Masaru and I hurry over and see him looking over a collapsed stone statue.

"This is it," he hisses. Grunting we all shove the statue until it topples, cracking the already eroding surface more.

A hole, strung with roots and spiderwebs peers out at us. Shuddering I watch as Silver places his hard hat on his head and lowers himself into the hole.

Masaru and I pull on our hats and slip down into the eerie depths.

Silver is stooped down, listening as Masaru and I clamor down to him. He holds a finger wordlessly to his lips and we follow him down the narrow tunnel.

Eventually the tunnel becomes even more tight, I feel terror enter my lungs as stone scrapes against my flesh.

Silver and Masaru, who are both larger than me are basically crawling on all fours as the path tapers. I finally find myself in the same position.

Panic climbs up in me as I fear we'll be trapped, stuck inside this burrow to suffocate in the dusty air.

An accidental whimper escapes my lips as rock juts into me from both sides.

"We should be there soon," Silver murmurs from in front of me.

Soon felt like an eternity; as dirt enters my mouth and chokes my nose, eyes stinging I feel tears trying to stream out filth.

At last Silver comes to a stop and I hear him quietly prying something away from the wall. Fresh air claps into my face as he slips out of the newfound hole.

Masaru comes out after me and places a large framed image of Giovanni and Persian back into the wall.

Seeing the staircase leading from the top floor we dash towards it and Masaru is prying at the wall again. This time pulling off a mirror and revealing a small, filthy room.

We cram ourselves inside and finally deflate some. Part one had been a smashing success. This room seems to have been something forgotten about.

A flaw in the building design where something meant to be a closet was left unremembered. I feel uncomfortable squished into here though, as there's hardly enough room for one adult.

I'm pressed between Silver and Masaru, strangling from the heat of their combined nervous bodies. We barely breathe as we listen for the sound that marks the start of the battle.

Wigglytuff blasts a Sing attack in the upper portion of the base. Bracing ourselves we tumble out of the small closet and quickly close the space between the stairs and Giovanni's quarters.

I release Nidoking and nod at him, he knows what his job in this is.

Giovanni's door stands between us and the most important moment in my life so far.

I say nothing but extend my hand towards the door and make a crushing motion.

Nidoking nods and pulls back his fist, which is charging with an icy glow. Thrusting forwards he releases three or four Ice Punches, which send the door crumbling.

Giovanni springs up from his chair in surprise, Persian hissing and baring it's fangs.

"Submit to us or face a different defeat," my voice comes out in an unworldly pitch.

Cleyera whirls around to face us from where she stands near a glass case, filled with Pokémon bones. Her lips curl up in an evil grin as she sets her eyes on me.

Silver and Masaru release their Pokémon simultaneously, revealing Walrein and Gengar. Nidoking bellows beside me.

Giovanni and Cleyera exchange a quick glance and Cleyera releases her Dragonite. Persian steps forwards, snarling and spitting.

"Ice Punch, let's go!" I shout at Nidoking. He moves swiftly, dealing a devastating blow to Dragonite's chest.

Giovanni releases Dugtrio as well while Persian launches a Power Stone attack. It connects with Walrein who counters with a sloshing Surf.

Suddenly the room fills with water and I quickly pull Nidoking back into his ball. Gengar melts into a wall, cackling. Once the room has drained I release Nidoking again and he roars, banging gleaming claws against his chest.

Walrein fires off a Signal Beam at Dugtrio who tries to evade using Dig. Walrein is so powerful the ground snaps open under Signal Beam, knocking out Dugtrio instantly.

Giovanni sends out Nidoqueen now. Immediately her and Nidoking lock arms and begin shoving against one another. Grunting Nidoking slowly begins pushing forwards, arms trembling as he fights.

Silver's Gengar shoots off a Shadow Ball, which collides harshly with Dragonite.

"Nidoking use Megahorn!" I command. He lifts up Nidoqueen with a glowing emerald horn, letting out a rumble as he did so.

Nidoqueen staggers backwards, one eye closed as Nidoking rushes towards her again. He connects with another Megahorn and she buckles under the force.

"Use Double Kick!" Giovanni screams, his eyes blazing with an intense fire.

"Counter it using Ice Punch, both at once!" I hold onto my Team Rocket hat as hot air blasts around me.

Nidoking pounds forwards, both of his fists shimmering with icy particles.

Nidoqueen launches her first Mega Kick which he deflects with one of his fists. While she readied to connect with her second kick Nidoking cracks her across the face.

Stunned she lowers her leg, shaking her mighty head in a daze.

"Mega Horn!" I bellow and Nidoking ends it, sending his female counterpart crashing to the ground.

Cleyera shrieks as Dragonite collapses. She summons Rhyperior as quickly as she can.

Persian is barely hanging and Silver attacks with a Focus Blast, which ends Persian.

I retract Nidoking, who's breathing heavily and send out my ace. Arrow comes fourth, shrieking as he snaps open his great wings.

"Use Rock Slide!" I shout at the top of my lungs.

Silver and Masaru look at each other, this isn't part of the plan. They quickly retract Gengar and Walrein just as massive stones summon in the ceiling above.

Rocks plummet down, sending great hunks of the floor spiraling to all sides. Giant cracks form as Cleyera and Giovanna scramble for cover.

"Arrow don't let them escape," I hiss loudly.

Instantly Arrow drops from the air and onto the ground in front of Cleyera and Giovanni. Using one massive wing he pins them both to a crumbling wall.

Cleyera is shrieking like a captured animal but Giovanni is silent, coldly glaring at me through slitted eyes.

"You could have just given up when we got here!" I scream, letting the rage from all my years being a captive boil up and out.

I close my fist and hit Giovanni as hard as I can in the face. He spits blood at me which makes me hit him again.

"If you want to spit you can spit on that bitch," I jerk my head towards Cleyera who has stopped shrieking.

"I fucking hate you," I bring my face close to Giovanni's. Satisfaction slides over me as I see a thin trail of blood leaking from his mouth.

Giovanni starts laughing, a bubble of red spittle forming between his lips.

I hit him again, deaf to the screams coming from

Silver and Masaru. They're trapped across the room, rubble blocking them from quickly clearing the distance to where I stand.

Everyone's voice bled into the back of my head and all I could hear was my heart pounding. My vision had become a vignette of black while I cracked into Giovanni again with a closed fist.

Blinded and deafened by rage, pushed by the warm feel of flesh on my knuckles.

I know Masaru and Silver are yelling at me I just can't hear what they're yelling. Their voices seem frantic though.

Arrow has also been tossed into a fit of rage by my own ire. Snapping his jaws in the air and sending thick streams of saliva dripping onto our foes.

Giovanni laughs again, his bloody grinning face glaring at me through my contempt.

Out of nowhere I'm lifted into the air and heaved across the room. Once again I feel a rib splinter and air wheeze out of me. I cough and blood sprays all over my hand.

I notice while wiping blood from my mouth that three of my five right fingers also seem to be broken. Each of them jutting out at a different abnormal angle.

I can hear Arrow shrieking with rage but can't focus. My head is throbbing and confusion plagues me while I try to piece together what just happened.

Drunkly I sway from one side to the next, blood is also matting my hair I soon discover. I blink but everything is foggy, as if I'm underwater inside murk.