บท 13: Chapter 13: The Perfect Robbers
Middle-aged Ham, a nearsighted man who had switched jobs countless times, recently found himself in a line of work often referred to as "bank robber."
This niche and unusual job was far from easy. It required brute strength to brawl and endure, agility to flee like the wind, and a sharp mind to plan meticulously and think strategically.
On top of that, robbers often had to juggle multiple roles:
Beforehand, they needed to gather intelligence, scout locations, study bank designs, and security systems.
During the heist, they had to act like actors blending in, negotiate like experts playing psychological games with bank staff, dodge traps like gymnasts, craft explosives like chemists, and escape pursuers like professional racecar drivers.
Afterward, they had to guard against betrayal from their comrades and the police's relentless pursuit. If their identity wasn't well concealed, their face might end up on a wanted poster for all to see.
Despite the hard work, the reward was colossal—a single successful heist could yield a fortune unimaginable to an ordinary person.
That is, if they succeeded.
The world of robbers could be summed up in one phrase: "Fortune favors the bold, and caution dooms the meek. Petty thieves get punished, while those who steal nations become kings."
In the past, there were legends like Giovanni in his youth. Starting in organized crime, Giovanni and his subordinates swept through the Kanto region's major banks like clockwork. His powerful Beedrill was notorious—its piercing attacks and dragon-like speed sent shivers down the spines of guards and bodyguards alike.
Under Giovanni's leadership, what eventually became known as Team Rocket thrived. Smuggling and extortion were routine, and breaking into vaults became second nature. Soon, the organization laid the foundation for a massive criminal empire.
However, Team Rocket's arrogance led to its downfall. Two years ago, the group was disbanded following joint operations by the Pokémon League and Interpol.
Today, new players have emerged, like Team Aqua in Hoenn, known for their unstoppable crime sprees.
Archie, their leader, was meticulous in his planning. To outsiders, their heists seemed like fleeting illusions, leaving victims bewildered for days before realizing the extent of their losses. By then, Team Aqua had already vanished with their spoils.
Curiously, despite their numerous crimes, Team Aqua showed no signs of expanding their influence. Perhaps they were pursuing a goal requiring significant upfront investment.
Determined to become a robber, Ham diligently studied the legendary cases left by industry titans. Absorbing their criminal expertise, he also sought advice from local veterans before crafting what he believed to be the perfect crime plan.
Yet, Ham noticed a common thread among the great robbers of history: they were all extraordinary Pokémon Trainers, supported by powerful Pokémon. Ham's own team, however, was pitifully weak. They couldn't silently neutralize guards or break through police blockades.
To compensate for this weakness, Ham enlisted an old childhood friend—a security company supervisor from another region—to join his gang.
As expected, his mischievous friend eagerly agreed, excited to partake in the criminal venture. To Ham's delight, his friend went a step further, "borrowing" a dozen Pokémon from his security company. These Pokémon, reportedly as strong as those used by Gym Leaders, were a game-changer.
This unexpected boon turned the tide for Ham's crew, making them as formidable as a tiger with wings. Finally, the team's last weakness had been addressed.
It was time to stage a grand heist.
Everything went smoothly until Ham's team reached the bank vault.
After subduing two guards and using a heavily modified industrial drill to break through the thick vault wall, Ham and his burly partner gazed in awe at the stacks of gleaming gold bars. For the first time, they felt like true robbers on the cusp of success.
Imagining the lavish lives they could lead after converting the gold into cash, they couldn't help but drool with happiness.
"Haha! Only two guards? It must be because our tricks wore out the cops—they're probably all passed out from exhaustion by now! Thanks to that, we haven't triggered any alarms. I bet by the time they realize the bank's been hit, we'll already be out of the city!"
Ham's partner, still marveling at the plan's brilliance, was oblivious to its true mastermind—a certain "organization" had provided the scheme. Ham shuddered at the thought of the anonymous, sinister emails he'd been instructed to send, inciting rival Trainers to fight each other. Such chillingly manipulative words could only have been written by a devil with a deep understanding of human nature.
But Ham wasn't about to correct his partner's misplaced admiration. If anything, he welcomed it. The higher his partner's regard for him, the less likely he'd be to betray him.
"Stay here and oversee the Pokémon as they move the gold. I'll go keep watch outside. Even a perfect plan requires caution," Ham instructed.
"You can count on me, boss!"
Hearing himself addressed as "boss" made Ham's steps lighter as he left the vault.
Ham stationed himself near the bank's front counter, keeping an eye on the quiet street outside.
The night was still, with not a single pedestrian in sight. Even if someone did pass by, they wouldn't notice anything unusual—the parked truck's shadow concealed the gaping hole in the bank's wall, melted open by Pokémon fire attacks.
Despite his careful planning, Ham's nerves were on edge. He double-checked the tied-up guards, ensuring they were unconscious. To be safe, he forced them to swallow sleeping pills.
Now, surely, nothing could go wrong.
Ham reassured himself. The bank's alarm systems had all been disabled, except for one hidden device that would trigger an alert if tampered with. He'd instructed his partner to be extra cautious around that device.
As for trackers possibly embedded in the gold? That wasn't an issue—his fire Pokémon could melt the gold down, destroying any hidden devices.
"Perfect. Absolutely perfect," Ham muttered compulsively, trying to convince himself.
The street outside remained empty, with only the occasional gust of wind stirring the dust.
No sign of the police. Success was within reach!
"Even if the police surround us now, we'll escape with the gold!"
Ham, adjusting his glasses, finally felt a surge of confidence.
But then, his glasses reflected a single glimmer of light.
He rubbed his eyes, thinking it a hallucination. Yet, more lights appeared—two, four, ten.
A flood of headlights surged into view.
The police had arrived.
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