As soon as Damalanchi disconnected the transmission, A-Bo's fawning expression vanished, replaced by a look of sheer disdain.
"Hmph, Damalanchi. You can barely protect your own skin, yet you still act like the word of the League President is law," A-Bo sneered to the empty room. "Your vision is too small. Why obsess over a brat like Feng Che? Gringey Base is firmly in my grip."
"The underground black markets of Gringey City and the illegal transport channels are all mine. I live like a local king here. Why would I ever want the 'honor' of being a League Elite Four member? Too much work, too little profit."
A-Bo leaned back in his chair. "Still, a command is a command. I've already ordered the highest state of alert. Every stranger is to be scrutinized. This city houses my hard-won Poison-type breeding grounds and my contraband trade routes. I have to be careful; I can't let the other Special Investigators find out what a goldmine this 'wasteland' truly is."
"They think Gringey City is a dump. Fools. With a few high-end air purifiers, I provide my 'little darlings' with the perfect habitat while the rest of the world rots."
The Desperate Ally
Step... step... step.
Footsteps echoed from the corridor. A-Bo looked up to see his subordinates leading a young man with a buzz cut into the room.
"Mr. Sakaki Tsuna! You've arrived," A-Bo beamed, his greed surfacing. "Tell me, what treasures have you brought me this time?"
Whenever Tsuna visited, he brought more than just profit; he brought rare gifts. A Toxic Orb, a high-aptitude Poison-type—Tsuna knew exactly how to play to the "local king's" hobbies.
"Haha, I think you'll find this particularly exquisite, Investigator A-Bo." Tsuna clapped his limbs. A woman in a black dress stepped forward, placing a Pokémon egg on the desk.
"A Dragalge egg. Recently, the leader of a Dragalge colony in Kalos laid this. I knew of your interest, so I... 'liberated' it for you. Both parents have Azure aptitude; this child is guaranteed to be a monster."
A-Bo's eyes twinkled. "An Azure-tier Poison/Dragon-type. Truly a masterpiece. However," he leaned forward, his gaze turning sharp behind his glasses, "a gift this valuable means a request just as heavy. Speak your price, Mr. Tsuna, before I decide if this egg is worth the trouble."
"Investigator, I know Damalanchi has ordered you to arrest Gym Leader Feng Che," Tsuna said, his voice dropping to a low, venomous growl. "I have a personal vendetta against him. I want you to capture him personally—and ensure he is branded a Team Rocket traitor before the League. Do this, and the rewards following his 'disappearance' will be immense."
"I recall the man who first reported Feng Che to the League was also named Sakaki Tsuna," A-Bo mused. "That would be you, wouldn't it? The 'missing' member of Team Rocket."
"I am he," Tsuna admitted. "I want him destroyed. If you help me, I will reduce my cut of our future transactions by five percent."
"Five percent is a pittance," A-Bo countered greedily. "Make it ten."
"Done," Tsuna agreed instantly.
A-Bo felt a twinge of regret; Tsuna had agreed too quickly. I should have asked for fifteen, he thought. "Haha! Well then, Mr. Tsuna, please make yourself at home in Gringey Base while we wait for our guest. But be warned, Rocket has a Ditto that can mimic anyone. He could be hiding in plain sight."
Tsuna's jaw tightened. "I know. I'll stay alert." Suddenly, Tsuna's body began to convulse. Thick, worm-like veins bulged around his eyes, and he broke into a cold sweat, gasping for air. A faint blue psychic aura flickered around him, stabilizing his condition.
"It seems the 'silence' curse of Team Rocket is quite severe," A-Bo observed.
"Because I am a psychic, I can mitigate the backlash," Tsuna wheezed, his shirt soaked with sweat. "But the cost is high—I won't be able to use my powers for a long time. That is how much I hate Feng Che."
"Understood. I love a man with conviction. The hunt is on. I want Feng Che, dead or alive."
The Trojan Horse
This city is a fortress, Feng Che thought, walking through the smog. Every 'pedestrian' is an observer.
Thanks to Mewtwo's telepathy, Feng Che had successfully avoided several traps. He was currently disguised as Uncle Hali, a local hardware factory owner. Through a "deep scan" of the real Hali's mind, Feng Che discovered that the old man was actually a low-level fix-it man for Gringey Base, responsible for smuggling contraband through his factory.
The real Hali was currently a statue in an alley, his memories safely copied. Feng Che knew that inside Hali's factory was a private elevator leading directly into the heart of Gringey Base.
"Come out, Magnemite."
Feng Che released Hali's personal Pokémon. The grey, mechanical sphere floated before him, its horseshoe magnets twitching. This Magnemite had been well cared for, coated in a specialized anti-acid film to resist the city's rain.
The Magnemite blinked its large, central eye at Feng Che, its magnets spinning slowly. It hovered there, looking at its "master" with a look of slight, mechanical confusion, sensing that something was fundamentally... different.
Feng Che is standing at the elevator to the lion's den. Should he use the Magnemite to hack the base's security and cause a distraction, or ride the elevator down and prepare an "Origin Pulse" welcome for A-Bo and Tsuna?