I missed my chance! Just last night I saw the elevator go to the B1 floor! The owner was doing something, I just know it! Was it something related to Cole? Or Team Rocket? No, the owner must be someone higher up in Team Rocket! He has to be!

“Kendra, are you listening?”

But now here I am, under direct supervision from now on for 3 weeks.

“Yes, Mr. Kenson.”

“Fine, whatever. Nothing I say leaves this room.”

Huh?

“Cole was supposed to be in your spot. In fact, he actually had what we really wanted. Unfortunately, his behavior wasn’t adequate for a Ranger.”

“What was it that he has that I don’t?”

“Classified. Look, we can’t touch him right now. No matter what he does. Anyone who even appears to want to join Team Rocket has been apprehended before they could be recruited. I must say, I was surprised he set up such an elaborate design. This just meant that the people he would get would be of a higher tier.”

“He was recruiting?! Why can’t we tell people what’s going on?!”

“What would happen if he were to know we were on his tail? Well, he knows you know. Which means he definitely knows we know.”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I shouldn’t even be telling you now! Please, understand where I am coming from. We already have some missing tourists unaccounted for. I don’t know if they got caught up in criminal activity or managed to be hired by Cole.”

“…”

“Please stop chasing him. Once we get the go ahead, we can bag him. Although I doubt they will give US the go ahead…”

“What does that mean?”

“Classified.”

“Who are you?”

“Confidential.”

“Personally.”

“Heh, I am just Henry Kenson, a normal, everyday Captain of the Rangers.”

It’s been another couple of days since then and I’m not allowed to leave the building unsupervised. Thankfully, I get a female Ranger to watch me at home. But the recent reports show strange criminal activity.

We already had some small time gangs pop up here and there because they get rejected by the Three Teams. But they have been disappearing and no one knows where to find them. Somehow, the reports get filed at the bottom of the pile every time.

It must be Cole’s doing. I don’t know what it is, but it must be related to Team Rocket.

Hmm? A flyer from the radio station stating that they are beginning their tours for all ages. There’s even a picture of the owner!

.

.

.

COLE??!!

How the Diglett is that Cole?! He…he…is it really him? Then that would explain why he is so important. He owns the station, making him someone high up on the totem pole. Maybe the government wants him to spill his guts?

Well…what do I know about Cole? He’s honest, kind towards females to a fault, he has a good catching rate for Pokémon, he is ruthless and maybe psychotic, and he attacked both Team Valor and Team…Mystic…

The monster! Candela said he pretty much admitted to attacking the Team Mystic base! From eyewitness accounts, there was a monster and Team Rocket. If the government got involved, they might have messed with the records.

But I remember someone said ‘He was a monster,’ not ‘there was a monster.’

This must mean that Cole has a strange power that the government wants…wait, could this be the reason the Rangers wanted him in the first place? If that’s the case, I don’t understand! Regardless of whether or not he becomes a Ranger, this power must be kept in check!

Then…what would cause the government to be this careful when trying to obtain a target?

Team Rocket…

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POV CHANGE

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Ahhh, it feels good getting stuff done without lifting a finger. Fennis, the wiry guy who has an infatuation with the bartender on the graveyard shift, set up a good defense net around our system. He identified a lot of security issues and dealt with them.

It might have been because I was standing over his shoulder, but he seemed a little anxious. It was also probably because some of the issues had a certain signature. Our government. I knew they were watching. Not the radio station, but me. It’s like everyone knows who I am! The only reason the station made those little trinkets in their store was because the kids wanted them. Everyone had seen my Pokémon all over the building.

But no one had found the signs? Unbelievable! These three had shown up yesterday and already made it to my building. If that’s the case, where is everyone else? Another thing is that Bulbasaur girl found me. If she found me, then the rest of the Rangers found me. Yet why was no one coming for me?

Whatever. I should find out soon. Thankfully, I now have Arbok, Weezing, and Haunter. With the exception of Haunter, who evolved several days ago, the other two evolved last night.

Speaking of Pokémon, I have Natalie, or Nat, catch Pokémon. She seems to be the best at that of the three, but she still only catches like three a day. Am I weird? Strange. Well, Clyde goes around and convinces the local thugs and wannabe Teams to come here. He is allowed to use force, if necessary.

Another five days and I will officially induct them into Team Rocket! I leave Nat in charge while I go to B2. I set myself onto the table to connect myself to several wires and machines. I wait several minutes to make sure everything is calibrated.

I check my levels and begin using the Dark Energy. It doesn’t take long as several of the machines begin to rapidly beep and warn me of low…what is that? I don’t think I have ever heard of Enernite. I look around for ways to quickly refill Enernite from the internet, but get blocked. Hmm, the government…

I ask Fennis to hack into the website using my computer to search for it. With this, I have officially made Fennis a member too early. But it’s fine. I guess I will answer some questions, but he is not allowed to leave.

Come to find out, Enernite can be found in most people, but it’s more prevalent in Pokémon! In fact, Enernite levels actually indicate how strong a Pokémon is! Hmm, it looks like I was using it the wrong way. I was using it like a bonfire, throw all the logs into the pile and burning it. I use all of my energy at once and feel the rush.

But I am actually supposed to use it like a campfire, putting in more logs when I need to so as to keep the fire going.

Now it’s time for questions. Fennis sits in the chair opposite of mine as I sit behind my desk. My swivel chair is too distracting, I can feel his judging.

“We are looking for a person.”

“Okay.”

“We believe Team Rocket has them.”

“…”

“Where can we find them?”

“I don’t know.”

“…Then how about this, where could we go to find that information?”

“Not them, just you. They are not a part of Team Rocket.”

“You do know I will just quit after this, right?”

“Hmmmmmmmmm no.”

“Well, I am.”

And he gets up to leave. As soon as the door closes, I hear a crash before everything goes dark. What’s with knocking me out all the time?!

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POV CHANGE

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Shit, what was that? Did he throw something?!

“Cole?! What’s…shit, did he jump?!”

I rush to the broken window, but see an armored car drive away. The same kind of armored car we saw that day Trina disappeared. I have to tell Clyde and Nat! This doesn’t have anything to do with Team Rocket, it’s the government’s doing!