"Well, I'll be. So the story about the shiny Pidgeotto was put out by these two as well." Vance set down a diary. The man's doings were all written out in it.
The pair were from the Black Dragon Gang, and this Brother Dragon had even been its deputy boss. He had been out that day and had not gone back, and so by sheer luck had escaped what came; after that he had drifted about in this forest putting out stories and then picking off Trainers who were alone or on the weak side.
This time he had run into Vance, and that had been the end of him. Thinking of the man claiming to be Team Rocket and dragging the name out to frighten him with, Vance wanted to laugh.
This was the impostor running into the genuine article.
"Murder and arson really do pay the best. What will this lot fetch when it's sold? My fortune's going up again."
Vance packed the goods away and hurried back into the city, where he went to the so-called "black market" and disposed of most of it, keeping a portion to sell in his own shop — it was all his anyway.
That evening Vance went over what he was worth and found he had over five million in cash on hand, and that the rest of it — energy cubes, treasures and so on — came to three or four million more. He could fairly be called a multimillionaire now, financially free; he would not have to worry about money for a good while, and it was enough to raise two Pokémon on.
A fair part of that fortune he owed to Wilder and to today's pair, who had all delivered a great wave of supplies.
Vance had taken to calling these "good men" his supply-transport commanders.
In a cheerful mood he went to Vigoroth's training room and found Vigoroth sitting upright on the floor, apparently in Calm Mind, with Psychic power still radiating off him.
In the games, using the move Calm Mind raises Special Attack and Special Defence; in reality it raises mental force during a battle and so increases the power of moves, and outside of battle it can be used to train mental force.
Beside him stood a tumbling machine with stones that gave off spatial energy set into it. Switched on, it let its user roll and turn through centrifugal motion in the way pilots train, and so develop a feel for space.
Vigoroth opened his eyes, saw that it was Vance, and went back into Calm Mind.
Vigoroth's aura had risen to a threshold as well; before long he would break through it and join the ranks of Advanced strength.
When that happened his system would have a reward for becoming an Advanced Trainer. What the reward would be he did not know, and that left Vance rather looking forward to it.
Vance found a place to sit and adjusted the training plans for both Pokémon. As things stood, the progress of the two of them was very good indeed, better than he had expected.
The night passed quickly, and the next day Vance did not take Vigoroth out into the wild for training either, but stayed in the training room.
...............
"Director Oswin. A pleasure, a great pleasure."
Sylas, in a well-cut suit and perfectly correct in his manner, had come to call on this Director Oswin.
"Hello." Oswin answered without warmth. He was not at all clear what the scholar Sylas had come to see him about; the two of them had no dealings that he knew of.
"I come from here." Sylas wrote the letter "R" on the table in tea, and the Director's face changed.
"I'd never have thought the researcher Sylas, whose name has risen so fast lately, really came from there. Aren't you afraid of coming to grief here? All I have to do is raise my voice — do you think you'd walk out of this government building?" Oswin said it with a darkening face, and his hand tightened on the teacup.
"Heh. Ten years ago I certainly wouldn't have dared. Today I do. You don't get the tiger cub without going into the tiger's den, after all — high risk, high return. That much I do understand."
Sylas was not in the least ruffled, and the smile did not leave his face as he looked at the man in front of him, all bluster and no backbone. "Director Oswin, I don't see the point of saying things that lead nowhere. Let's get to the heart of it."
Oswin was silent for a few seconds, then sighed. "Say it. What do you want?"
"I want to know about this consignment of starter Pokémon. As head of the Organization Department, I imagine you would know."
Sylas said it smiling, with the look of a man who had him where he wanted him.
"That's a matter for the Pokémon Center. I have no hand in it."
"Now that isn't right, Director, sir. Is this modesty? Concealing your capabilities? Don't worry — help us this once and we'll give that precious child of yours back to you as well."
"Really?"
At those words Oswin started.
"Really, of course. We're quite willing to work with you. What happened before was simply something that couldn't be helped. And once this business is over we can arrange a few pieces of credit for you as well, to help you get promoted. Both sides gain."
A little while later Sylas walked out of the office smiling. This Director could be counted as taken.
And the intelligence he wanted would not be long in coming.
Sure enough, an hour later Sylas received what he had asked for.
"Here it is." Sylas grinned, with the look of a man who had known all along.
Vance, at that moment, was in the shop at the Pokémon Cottage.
"A rare visitor. I did wonder why the wind was in the east today — and here's the Boss himself keeping the place in person."
Ambrose came in at his leisure, saw that Vance was already there, and teased him with a laugh.
"How are those two Pokémon of yours? Caught them?"
"Naturally. Think about it — whose man am I? Two little Pokémon. Of course I got them." Ambrose said it happily, poured a cup of tea and set it in front of Vance. "Have some tea, Boss."
"That's decent of you."
"Heh heh. I've nothing else going for me, but conscience I've got plenty of."
"So have you collected any intelligence lately? Remember to submit it on schedule. We may be able to coast on this posting, but not too far. If we take it too far it looks bad."
Vance's face turned serious as he said it.
"Don't you worry, Boss. It's all in hand." Ambrose thumped his chest and gave his word.
"That's fine, then."
Seeing there was no problem with the mission, Vance was easier in his mind. Now he could put still more of his energy into training his Pokémon.
"Oh, and Boss — there's a party next Sunday. Do you want to go?"
"I'll pass. I've seen what there is to see. If you've got the time, you go." Vance shook his head to show he was not interested.
"I'm not going either."
While they were talking, Emery came in from outside.
"Is that so? I think you'd better go. You might even stop being single. Look at you — a shut-in, worse at people than I am, and not as good-looking as the Boss. You'll never find a girlfriend. Your brother here worries about you."
"There's no need. I am the way I am because I'm waiting. Waiting for someone worth loving. Love should last from beginning to end." Emery said it with a perfectly serious face.
Across from him Ambrose snorted and burst out laughing.
"Pff— you're a regular god of pure love, aren't you? Ha!"
"Better than your taste for married women."
Emery fired it straight back.