Disclaimer: Hideeedo disclaimer! Pokemon is owned by Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc. I don't own Inspector Gadget. Seleca "Rose" is me, ur... is mine. So are Thomas, and anyone else I might make up. And other locations... like Rocket Town, or Rocket City, or whatever it's called.
Note: A warning to people who don't like senseless violence, and somehow have read this far into the series. There is senseless violence in this story-towards secondary characters, unseen characters, important characters, and to cute looking Pokemon. Don't read part of chapter one if you don't like seeing violence towards cute looking Pokemon. Even if they did deserve it.
This is the last sequel... honest.
Primary Colors III: The Grey Squadron
Chapter One
By: Sforzie
Five Years Later
Just on the border of a large village-barely big enough at that time to be called a Town-was a sign:
"Welcome to Rocket Town, the City that Never Steals"
A pair of shadows drifted across a long bridge that led to the two huge mansions that made up Team Rocket Headquarters. The security lights were on, and the owners had to pass through the security station to get into the main building.
Inside the Lobby the receptionist's desk was empty, and most of the lights were off. The water fountain in front of the main stairwell was off as well. A Marowak wearing a security uniform sat in front of the fountain, but recognized and ignored the owners of the shadows as they went inside. Instead of taking the stairs up, they went around and to the doors that led to the courtyard outside.
"Oh, Jessie and James are going to be so proud of us!" Seleca exclaimed. She and her partner Thomas had just returned from several months of travel, collecting Pokemon and badges. (And continuing to spread the 'good' new image of Team Rocket.)
"Don't you think they'll mind us returning this late at night?" Thomas wondered.
"You mean this early in the morning," Seleca smirked, using her key to open the courtyard door. "I don't think they'll mind, unless we walk in on them doing something inappropriate."
"Like stealing Pokemon?" he grinned.
"Ha ha."
"Or singing that weird Double Trouble song of theirs that sounds like something from Inspector Gadget?" Thomas suggested as they began to trek across the courtyard.
"Now, I actually think they sound cute doing that, even if it is a little outdated," Seleca said.
"You would," Thomas snickered. Seleca swatted his arm.
"You can't make fun of me," she said. "I have more badges that you!"
"You do not! I have five and you have four!" Thomas protested.
"No, I have five!" Seleca said a bit too loudly. "That Thunder badge is mine!"
"I helped you get it," Thomas pointed out.
"Then we're even," she said.
"Even is good enough for-" he stopped, and they both stopped walking. Froze was more like it.
There was something in the shadows.
Seleca cleared her throat. "Who's there?"
"Wiggly!" a voice squeaked. They both sighed and relaxed. A bunny-like Pokemon hopped into the light cast by one of the security lights.
"Wigglytuff, don't you have better places to be tonight?" Thomas smiled at the pink Pokemon.
"Wigglytuff!" it said brightly.
"You're looking for Chansey, aren't you?" Seleca smiled. Wigglytuff hopped up and down.
"Wiggly! Wiggly!"
"Well, you come find me in the morning, and I'll let you two play."
"Tuff!" Wigglytuff pouted. Seleca scratched it between its long bunny ears. Its mood seemed improved. "Wiggly! Wiggly-tuff!" Wigglytuff hopped off in the direction of the Headquarters' Pokemon Sleep-center. With a laugh, Seleca and Thomas continued walking.
They were two-thirds the way across when the first shots rang out from the quiet. They hit the dirt, pulling each other down in the way they'd been trained many years before.
"There!" Thomas said, pointing up to one of the security lights. A silhouette passed in front of the spotlight.
Bullets blasted into the bushes in front of them, and the team ran. Seleca was shouting back at Thomas as they ran for cover, cursing the fact that they'd chosen tonight to be unarmed.
"That's what I get for thinking that Team Rocket is safe!" Seleca shouted.
They were nearly to the doors when Thomas stumbled and hit the ground. Seleca tripped on him, falling forward, hitting her knee on the concrete leg of a bench, and then slamming her forehead into the same bench as she fell.
"Thomas, come on!" Seleca called groggily, holding the rapid-rising bump on her forehead. She pushed herself to her knees, gritting her teeth in pain as a bullet slashed through the grey fabric on her back.
"I think I was hit," Thomas muttered, curled on his side.
"What?" Seleca thought she was hearing things. "Come on! I... I think I can get to the door and unlock it." She fumbled through her pockets, but somehow she was missing the keys. "Dammit."
"I don't have the keys, Seleca," Thomas moaned. "Wigglytuff must have taken them."
"If we get through this, I'm going to put a bullet into that thing's head," Seleca swore, falling back onto her stomach. One of the security lights went out. She could hear the voices of Team Rocket members as they rushed out into the far end of the courtyard. Seleca looked back at Thomas. He was still curled up, his eyes closed and pain etched into his frightened expression.
"Get the hell out of here," Thomas shouted, feeling her gaze on him. "Seleca... break the damn door open!"
"But-"
"Just get out of here..." Thomas shouted, and then fell silent. Seleca bit her lip and pulled herself up. The gunfire was down at the other end of the courtyard now. Seleca limped the distance to the door, and used her fists to break through the thick glass. After clearing out a hole big enough to get through, Seleca went back for Thomas.
"Thomas, I got the door-" she stopped and dropped to her knees next to him. "Thomas?" There was no response. Seleca reached out a trembling hand and touched her partner's side. She pulled her hand back with a startled cry at feeling something sticky there. Blood. "Thomas? No!" She pushed him onto his back, and rested her ear on his chest. There was nothing.
Thomas was dead.
"No!" Seleca shouted, feeling his throat. "No... not now! You can leave me alone out here!" Her eyes watered, and her voice stuck in her throat. "What about your wife... your daughter?" She shook him, tears coming down her cheeks. "Thomas!"
Someone was coming in her direction, and Seleca forced herself away from her dead partner. She scrambled to the broken door and slipped through, scraping her legs on the glass but not caring. Once through, Seleca collapsed onto the cold tiled floor. It was only a moment or two before darkness took her.
"The attack this morning left seven of our men dead, and four missing," James Rochester said dully. He sat in his office, staring at a computer screen. "And reports from the survivors are making it look like a definite attack by the IPL." At the mention of the International Pokemon League, his assistant frowned.
"Almost completely certain, sir," she said. "Three of our men positively identified the uniforms of the attacks. But none of the security tapes are showing anything conclusive right now."
"Continue scanning them," James said. The assistant nodded. James sighed and looked at the computer screen. "The cowardly night attack alone suggests the League." He pointed at the screen. "They took out all four of the main guards and climbed to the roof, by the looks of it." The assistant nodded her agreement.
James sighed yet again. "Seven dead."
A voice sounded from the doorway. "Nine dead, James."
James looked up quickly. "Seleca?" She looked like hell. "How long have you been back?"
"Long enough to know that Kirowitz is also dead," she said. A tear formed on her cheek. "And so is Thomas."
James sunk into his chair. "Truly?"
"Yes, sir," she nodded. The assistant got her a chair and she sat weakly. Her legs were covered in long gashes, and the right kneecap was badly bruised and busted open. There was a large lump on her forehead, dried blood down the side of her face. She moved stiffly, and James worried that she might have a concussion from the lump. He waved the assistant out.
"Are you alright, Seleca?" James frowned.
"I am fine, sir," she said coldly. James pursed his lips.
"Do you need a doctor?" he asked. Seleca's eyes narrowed.
"I am fine, sir," she said in the same cold tone.
"What happened?" James asked after a minute of silence.
"We were ambushed," Seleca said. She offered no further explanation. After a minute of silence, she leaned forward toward the desk. "I was gone for four months. What the hell happened that would cause our Headquarters to be attacked by the Pokemon League?"
"We don't really know," James said. "This is the second attack this month." Seleca grunted to herself, and leaned back. After a moment of studying him, Seleca's eyes darted to the side. She noted the empty chair behind the desk.
"Where's Jessie?" she asked. James looked down.
"She's one of the missing," he said. "They took her."
"They took her and didn't kill you?" Seleca said in disbelief.
"She was working the night shift at the Sleep-center," James said. He swallowed. "They killed Victoria and maimed two other people to get to her."
"Victoria?" Seleca frowned. James was looking more and more agitated. "What is it, James?"
He leaned forward. "Jessie is pregnant."
Seleca gaped, unable to smile at the news. "How far?"
"Three months," James said softly. He looked at the computer screen again. "She isn't showing yet, but I have no way of knowing if the IPL knows."
"Why would they take her and not you?" Seleca asked. She was going through her pockets.
"Apparently they think that they can get something out of me this way," James said.
"Have they made any demands yet?"
"No."
Seleca frowned. She pulled a cigarette out of her pocket and lit it. James sighed. Seleca only smoked when something bad was about to happen.
"If you'll excuse me, sir," Seleca said, exhaling slowly, "I have a few phone calls to make."
"Of course," James nodded. Seleca stood stiffly. She took a drag off the cigarette, and then made a thoughtful addition to her comment.
"Check the tapes for the Southern end of the courtyard," she said. Her expression was dark, and her voice was cold again. "You'll be able to see the attackers from there."
"Thanks."
Seleca left his office silently, the odor of the cigarette trailing behind her like a dark thought.
Seleca walked down the hall, paying a short visit to her quarters, and then starting back down the halls again. She held another cigarette on the side of her face that didn't hurt as much. The lump on her forehead throbbed. Seleca walked down the stairwell, holding her gun. Once on the first floor she walked down a hall that was still somewhat empty. She opened the gun and slid a bullet into the chamber. Seleca snapped the gun shut as she entered the Sleep-center.
It looked like a small tornado had went through. And in the middle of the destruction stood a pink Pokemon.
"Wigglytuff!" it said brightly to Seleca. It held up a set of keys. Seleca scowled. She pulled the cigarette out from between her lips and stubbed it out on the Pokemon's forehead.
"Wiiig!" it squealed in pain.
"Shut up," Seleca growled. She raised the gun to her own forehead and pulled the trigger.
Click.
"Your turn," Seleca said to Wigglytuff. She leveled the barrel of the gun where the burn from her cigarette was and pulled the trigger. It discharged loudly.
Wigglytuff fell backwards and hit the floor without making a sound. Seleca looked down at it, and then picked up her keys. She turned and left the Sleep-center, a frantic crowd gathering around Wigglytuff. No one paid her much notice as she left.
Seleca woke on her bed several hours later. She only dimly remembered stumbling back to her room and pulling off most of her blood covered uniform before falling asleep. Now she felt feverishly hot, but there was something cool on her forehead. Her knee throbbed evilly.
She forced her eyes open. By the light, it was mid-afternoon. A shadow fell over her, and Seleca squinted.
"You didn't have to shoot the Wigglytuff," James said evenly. He pulled the washcloth off of her forehead and replaced it with a new one.
"Huh..." was her reply.
"You are... quite stubborn, Seleca," James said. "You should have went to the infirmary."
"I'm not infirmed," Seleca muttered.
"I had Dr. Kelly in here not long ago," James said with a half smile.
"You let her in here when I'm lying here half-naked?" Seleca said, finally showing some signs of modesty. And then: "And what are you doing in here when I'm half-naked? Don't you have a wife?"
"She's missing, remember?" James said gently.
"No, I don't remember," Seleca snapped, closing her eyes.
"Do you remember shooting Wigglytuff?"
A smile crossed her face. "Yes. A Click for me, and a Bang for Wigglytuff."
"Something like that. You're lucky that the Wigglytuff brain isn't up in its head, but a bit lower."
"Lucky me," Seleca sighed. She reached up and adjusted the washcloth. "I don't need this thing. I'm fine."
"You wouldn't know fine if it gave you its autograph," James said. Seleca groaned. "Anyhow, Dr. Kelly was in here earlier. She said that you have a busted knee-cap, so it's a surprise that you managed to walk around as much as you did; over a dozen serious level gashes in your legs, apparently from glass so it's a wonder you didn't bleed to death; and a bust on your forehead that broke your skin instead of your skull, and so you're incredibly lucky that you didn't get a concussion."
"I don't feel lucky," Seleca said. She added lamely: "or Chansey." She winced at a flash of pain from her back.
"Oh yeah, you also have a burn on your back from where a bullet grazed you," James said. He held up a few painkillers and a glass of water. "Open wide."
Seleca took the pills and sighed. "I wish I was dead."
"No you don't," James said quickly.
"And why not?" Seleca snapped. "It'd be easier to be dead. Thomas is dead, and you don't see him with any troubles."
"You're delirious," James said. "And Thomas's family is left with all sorts of troubles."
"Should've prepared and doubled," Seleca muttered, her eyes closed again. After a minute she was breathing slow and even, and James thought she was asleep again. But then she spoke: "I want my Pokemon."
"They're safe in their pokeballs," James said.
"Where's Sandslash? I could use some more slashes," Seleca muttered unhappily.
"Thomas' pokeballs are in our Pokecenter," James said.
"Where's my Pidgeot? My pillow needs more feathers."
"I think you need stronger painkillers," he said, looking at the bottle.
"Lotsa drugs," Seleca said. Her eyes blinked and then closed again. "I always wanted to get a cat and name it 'Drugs'."
"That's... disturbing."
"And then I could yell 'Heeere Drugs! Where's my Drugs?'"
"Seleca, be quiet now," James said softly. She fell silent.
"Can I at least have Chansey?" she whispered after a minute. James smiled.
"Sure," he said, and went to get the pokeball.
"Chan-see," Chansey said eagerly, and ran over to its trainer. Seleca cracked her eyes open.
"How's my baby?"
"Chan Chan!" Chansey said, touching her good knee gingerly.
"Yes, I'm hurt. You'll have to forgive me, I tried to shoot your Wigglytuff friend."
"Chan!" Chansey continued smiling. "Chan-sey chan?"
"I'll be okay, Chansey," Seleca said, closing her eyes again. Her hand rested on Chansey's head. Again, James thought she'd fallen asleep.
"Are you awake? I still need to tell you something," James said.
"Yeah, I can't sleep with your yapping," the closed-eyed Seleca said.
"I'm going to need your help," James said.
"How so?"
"To get Jessie back," James said. "We'll wait until tomorrow at least, so you can heal a little. Dr. Kelly said you'll be able to walk with a knee brace, once she puts some stitches in your knee."
"I hate stitches," Seleca muttered.
"You need them," he said sternly. "We'll take a team along with us. I have some people that are monitoring the IPL Headquarters."
"Sounds like a good way to get myself killed," Seleca said.
"If that's your motivation, fine," James said. "Myself, I'd like to see my first kid get born. So I hope you'll help me."
"I don't have much choice," Seleca said.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to," James said. "I'm not ordering you."
"No, it isn't that," Seleca said, smiling drowsily. "I want to see your first child born too."
It took thirty-eight stitches to sew Seleca's kneecap back together. Well, it actually should have taken more, but that was as many as she'd sit still through. Dr. Kelly used some butterfly bandages to hold the rest of her together. After putting an elastic brace on Seleca's knee and giving her an assortment of painkillers, Seleca was able to walk around without sounding like a raving lunatic.
There was a funeral that afternoon, for Thomas and the other eight members of Team Rocket who had been killed during the attack. Thomas' wife- widow- attended.
Afterwards, Kathie, the widow, sought Seleca out. The lone remaining member of the 'Grey Squadron' was sitting on a bench under the trees that shaded the still-small Rocket Town cemetery. Seleca was in a black version of her uniform that was also notably lacking a big red 'R'. She had on black sunglasses and was leaning on her knees as she smoked.
It was the middle of the summer, and a hot day to be in mourning.
"Seleca?" Kathie approached carefully. Seleca flicked some ashes onto the sidewalk.
"What?" she said, not looking up.
"Do you mind if I sit?"
Seleca glanced up. "No." Kathie sat next to Seleca on the bench. After a few minutes Seleca dropped the cigarette to the ground and smashed it out. "I'm sorry about this."
"Don't be," Kathie said. "I would hardly say that it was your fault." She looked at Seleca, who had moved her leg out to let the pressure off her knee. "You got pretty banged up as well."
"Yeah," Seleca agreed softly. "I'm having one of those bad moments where I'm wondering why I lived and he didn't."
"Maybe it was meant to happen this way," Kathie said. Seleca looked at her critically, and gave a soft smile.
"It was," she said, raising a finger to her mouth. "But don't tell anyone."
"I... won't," Kathie promised, a bit puzzled.
"I think I need another aspirin," Seleca muttered, lowering her head. Kathie patted her on the back.
"I know you miss him," she said. "You saw more of him in the last few months than I did."
"I'm sorry," Seleca said.
"Why?"
"I took him away from you," Seleca said. "I mean, he was your husband and you never saw him!"
"He was doing what he wanted to do," Kathie said. "I could never take that away from him."
"Even when it took him away from you?"
Kathie considered this. "Yes."
Seleca dug into her pocket and pulled out a small bag. "Here, you should have these."
Kathie took the bag. "What...?"
"Thomas's Pokemon and his badges," Seleca said. She smiled faintly.
"Thank you," Kathie said. "I'll take good care of them."
"You're welcome," Seleca said. Kathie looked in the bag, and then cleared her throat.
"Well, I hope you don't think of me as rude to leave so quickly," Kathie said. "But I have to get home and make sure that my daughter and her Ekans haven't destroyed the apartment."
"It's okay," Seleca said. Kathie gave her another pat, and then was gone.
Seleca sat alone for several minutes, until a pokeball rolled up to her.
"Hmm? Who's there?"
The pokeball activated on its own.
"Meeeowth!" Meowth hopped out of the pokeball. He blinked up at Seleca, smiling brightly. "Meowth-leca, Meowth!" He blinked again and curled around Seleca's feet.
"How many marbles do you have today, Meowth?" Seleca sighed down at the cat. Meowth had suffered a massive head injury during a Pokemon battle a few years before (a Geodude had landed on his head), and had never been the same. He'd lost much of his ability to talk in human language, although he had days where he was fairly clear.
"Four," Meowth said brightly. His attitude had also been improved by the accident. Meowth hopped into Seleca's lap.
"Anything to tell me today?" Seleca asked, scratching Meowth between the ears.
"Jessie-Meowth," Meowth said. Seleca blinked.
"Jessie?" she looked down at him. "Hey, I thought you were supposed to be with Jessie."
"People took her," Meowth said.
"Who?"
"Seleca head bump?"
"No, Meowth, that isn't in important," Seleca said. "Tell me where you came from."
"Meowth." Seleca sighed loudly. At seeing his friends distress, Meowth looked focused, sticking his tongue out. "Meowth came from Jessie?"
"I hope so," Seleca said. Meowth drew his tongue back in and brightened.
"Meowth come from Saffron City," Meowth said. He sat up some. "Sabrina nice."
"Sabrina?"
"Saffron City Gym leader," Meowth said. "Psycho Pokemon."
"Psychic."
"Meowth." He blinked. "Her Kadabra is weird. Meowth something about a Haunter being Meowth."
"Being you?"
"Funny," Meowth amended. Seleca patted him on the head.
"So Jessie is in Saffron City?"
"Meowth," he nodded. "Hiding in the Gym. Meowth. Meowth. Secondary headquarters."
"Figures," Seleca said. "Meowth, can you go back to James and tell him this?"
Meowth looked up at her. "No."
"Why not?" Seleca looked flustered.
"Forgot what I told Meowth," Meowth said. Seleca sighed.
"It's okay. I'll tell him for you," she said.
"Jessie-Meowth," Meowth said. He shook his head. "Jessie okay Meowth?"
"I hope so," Seleca said, standing up carefully. She flexed her knee and then picked up Meowth.
"James, you can't get drunk right now!" Marlequette was shouting as she chased after the leader of Team Rocket.
"I hate funerals," James muttered, stomping past the secretary's desk. He was unbuttoning the long black jacket that he'd worn to the funeral as he went past the water fountain and up the stairs.
"Dammit, sir, anyways, you know the police made the town dry!" Marlequette collected his jacket off the steps. She sighed and went back to the desk. Jaymes gave her a bored look.
"He doesn't want to get drunk," she said, halfway through a game of Solitaire. "He just wants Jessie."
"Yeah, I know," Marlequette sighed and flopped into the seat next to her partner.
"Desk job sucks."
"Sucks."
"Like a vacuum."
"Like a Jynx."
"Like yo mama."
"Like-" Marlequette stopped and looked up as Seleca came through the entrance. Meowth was clinging onto her.
"Hi Seleca, hi Meowth," Jaymes said.
"Dat's right!" Meowth said brightly, upside down on Seleca's shoulder.
"Our fearless leader?" Seleca said.
"Upstairs in his office," Jaymes said. She fished a bag of Pokemon treats out of the desk and gave some to Meowth. He munched happily as Seleca went up the stairs.
"Miss Seleca to see you sir," James' assistant said. He had barely just sat behind his desk.
"Yeah, send her in," James nodded. Seleca came in.
"Meowth, dat's Meowth!" the cat Pokemon leapt from Seleca's grasp and onto the desk.
"Meowth!" James said in surprise at seeing 'Jessie's' Pokemon.
"He came back from wherever Jessie is," Seleca said. "Said something about Sabrina and the Saffron City Gym."
"Mmm, yes," James said, looking thoughtful. His green eyes had become serious. "Saffron City is where the Pokemon League's secondary headquarters is."
"Dat's right!" Meowth agreed. "Jessie-Meowth." He sat in Jessie's empty chair.
"They didn't try very hard to make this difficult," James said.
"Hear anything yet?" Seleca asked, sitting down.
"I got an email just before the funeral," James said. "On Jessie's account."
"From?"
"We traced it to the League's network system," James said.
"What do they want?"
James looked over at Meowth. "They want me to shut Team Rocket down."
"When don't they?" Seleca sniffed.
"The League president also wants us to release all of our Pokemon into the League's custody. And certain members of the Team would be subject to questioning by the police."
Seleca scowled, looking down and adjusting the brace on her knee. "Which is just a nice way of stealing Pokemon and getting us arrested."
"Pretty much." He brushed a lock of hair from his face.
"And what can we do to avoid this from happening?" Seleca said.
His eyes were wide. "I don't know."
"It can't be just as easy as getting Jessie back," Seleca said evenly, hearing Meowth snore.
"It never is," James said. "But... Team Rocket has overcome adversity countless times. We'll make it, just like before."
Seleca closed her eyes, masking her expression. "We will."
End Chapter One