James sat sullenly at the gleaming metal table he’d been handcuffed too. His eyes only occasionally sliding over to the clock hanging up on the wall, its slow ticks the only sound in the room other than his occasional sighs and fidgets.

  They’d been caught. It was bound to happen sooner or ter, and he was under no illusion as to why they'd been brought in. They… weren’t ‘good’ people. He wasn’t sure about how they got a hold of their pns to steal the adamant orb from Eterna City’s museum, but they wasted no time tracking them down before they even had the chance to try. They weren’t even in the city yet! Only barely having made it to Floaroma Town before getting snagged in a net. Dozens of Rangers, Police, and even the Eterna City gym leader were there, waiting for them the moment they arrived. Their disguises were useless when they knew what, or more precisely, who, they were looking for.

  The sound of the door hastily swinging open caused him to jolt upright, knowing him from his thoughts. A man in a long trench coat—An investigator?---entered inside with a clipboard. He looked rugged, with slightly unkempt brown hair, a five o'clock shadow—He’d be shocked if the man didn't smoke just by his appearance. It would be hard to copy his look if the need arose… Facial hair was always hard.

  The man unceremoniously sat down opposite of him, then looked up from his clipboard with tired eyes. “James Kojirō?”

  “Ye-Yes, that’s me.” He helpfully supplied as he leaned forward. “Listen, I think there’s been a huuuge misund—”

  “Growlithe are a great pokemon. Your parents chose well.” The man cut him off as he looked back down towards his clipboard, idly flipping several of the pages as he scanned their content.

  “What...?” James uttered, baffled and slightly shaken. A sinking feeling, like a ball of lead, formed in his gut as he waited awkwardly for the man to answer.

  “Growlie, your Growlithe.” The man looked back up from his papers with a hint of confusion. “They’re a great choice. Good on you for keeping him out of harms way. The path in life you’ve chosen isn’t the safest. Isn’t that right?”

  He… didn’t know what to say. It was like all thoughts flooded out of his mind the instant he understood that this was it. There was no out. They knew too much.

  “Tell me.” James’ lost eyes snapped back to the investigator. “Why join Team Rocket? You had a nice life in the past. Wealth, connections… You had what most people would dream of. Why throw that all away?”

  His eyes darted down to the clipboard, spotting the pages of handwritten information sprawled out across what must have been two dozen pages. “Freedom.” He answered, softly.

  The man nodded, then finally introduced himself. “I am Agent Looker of the International Police.” Agent Looker leaned back in his chair and rested his hands on his p. His eyes searched James’ face for a moment before they softened. The agent continued. “You are an interesting man, James. Do you ever take the time to imagine what your life would have been like if you just got married like your family wanted?”

  “My past has nothing to do with my work.” James said, not wanting to talk to a stranger, name or not, about his troublesome childhood.

  Looker nodded once, then leaned forward again to look over his papers. “I suppose you’re right. It was simple curiosity. Do you know why you’re here today?”

  James looked down at the giant red R embzoned on his uniform. “I have a pretty good idea.”

  “No. I don’t think you do.” The agent, once again, threw him a curve-ball. “I have spoken with your companion, Jessie. We’ve come to an accord with one another. As much as I would like to try your little group for your crimes, there’s bigger fish in the sea. We want Giovanni. Help us, and you’ll be free to go—With strict supervision, of course.” He finished with a rueful smile, and James wanted more information.

  “May I speak with her? To… make sure you're telling the truth?” He asked, and Looker once again gave him an inspecting, curious look.

  “No reaction to the name drop? The head honcho?”

  James shrugged, handcuffs linking him to the table cnging against the metal table. “If I got to know who he is, it can’t be that big of a secret.”

  Looker snorted, then nodded with a slight smile. “That’s not as true as you might think. We had inkling of his involvement, but not the whole picture. You’re not loyal to them, you’re loyal to Jessie and Meowth, is that right?”

  His past was troublesome, he knew that, and apparently so did this agent. After fleeing from his arranged marriage and being picked up by Jessie and Meowth, he joined Team Rocket because of them, not some foolhardy pn for world domination. Although he wasn’t the sharpest of minds, he was practical and resourceful. Going from a life of luxury to nothing did that to someone. He’d done his best to make sure that they never did anything too egregious as a group, and he still wasn’t proud of a lot of the things they’ve done, but he wasn’t evil. Jessie and Meowth weren’t evil either. They did… bad things, but If he needed to throw Team Rocket under the bus to save them, he would, without a second thought.

  At the end of the day, he was in it for his friends, the sense of adventure, and freedom to live how he wanted. Not Team Rocket.

  With a nod, James spoke. “That’s right. Can you let me talk to Jessie? Confirm what you said? Also, where is Meowth?”

  Looker looked to the mirror wall on the side of the room and gave a subtle nod. It was a two way mirror. He’d already figured that out on the way in, going by the door that led into the room next to them. If they were smarter, they’d put the entrance to the spy room in a different hallway.

  A few seconds ter, the door opened once again. Entering inside first was a Machamp. Its rippling muscles gave him no illusion as to why it was here. Right after the Machamp, held in one of its hands, was the connecting link from Jessie’s handcuffs. Waddling alongside her was Meowth. Nothing bound him, but Meowth was no match for the fighting type pying security.

  He also didn’t have a pokeball to lock him away, being a wild pokemon and all.

  James watched as Jessie’s defiant gre softened into one of relief at his sight. Her testing tugs stopped immediately, seeing that he was safe. It warmed his heart, but they had more pressing matters to attend to.

  Looker took over leading Jessie from the Machamp, causing the body-builder to stand off by the doorway with crossed arms and a protective gre. He attached Jessie to the table by the handcuffs, as Meowth jumped on top of the table. The agent then sat back down across from them in his original seat, motioning for them to ask their questions and to speak with a zy wave of his hands.

  Meowth spoke first. Surprising, given his attempts at hiding it most of the time. Although James suspected that everyone here already knew of his special ability. “Not that I'm compin’in, but why am I the one not locked up?”

  “Not the time.” Jessie bit out. She turned to James and searched him up and down for any harsh treatment. “They know.”

  James nodded, his blue hair bobbing with the movement. “Indeed. Did you… make a deal?”

  She slid her gaze to Meowth, who narrowed his eyes at the implication. “We ain’t no rats!”

  With a sigh, James responded. “I think we might have to be. They already know who the boss is.”

  Looker jumped in before Jessie could add in her piece. “We do. Tell me, Meowth. Were you ever given the chance to be his…” The agent raised his fingers and did some air quotes. “Top cat”

  Meowth transferred his narrow-eyed gre to the agent, causing the Machamp to grunt from the other side of the room in warning. “If it weren’t for that pissy-puss, I would be!”

  “Would you? I don’t think Giovanni cares that much about you, if what information I have is to be believed.” The agent shot back, patting his clipboard.

  As Meowth’s confidence faltered, Jessie got her chance to speak. She looked uncomfortable for a fraction of a second before asking James about what she’d been told. “Did you tell them about Arbok and Wheezing?”

  “No?” “No.” Both James and Looker responded at the same time.

  James shot the man a gre before asking a question of his own. “He said we were making a deal?”

  “Yes.” “Yes.”

  Jessie shot a venomous look towards the now smirking agent. “Will you stop that!”

  Agent Looker shrugged. “Prepare for trouble, make it double.” The agent then sent another nod towards the two-way mirror. A few seconds ter, the door opened once again.

  James, Jessie, and Meowth’s faces paled and fell into despair as their eyes nded upon the blonde hair, confident gait, and fabulous dark coat the woman wore as she made her way in.

  “Oh, FUCK!” Jessie practically shouted, as the champion of Sinnoh approached them.

  Cynthia stared imperiously down her nose at each of them in turn, before unceremoniously raising her wrist and clicking a button on her watch. After a minor fsh, she tapped some more on the attached touchscreen then smirked. “That picture alone is going to make this trip worth it. Even if you three don’t py nice.” Her smirk remained, but her eyes… They were cold.

  She walked behind them, the only one able to keep eyes on her of their group being Meowth as he wasn’t bound. She rested an arm on each of their shoulders, causing them both to flinch. “Do you want to py nice? I think our deal is the best you’re going to get…” Her grip tightened, causing James to release a very undignified whimper. “The only reason you aren’t being subjected to some of the league's psychic pokemon—which we have the right to do, as you’re known terrorists—is because someone very special has spoken on your behalf. Only after confirming your past deeds. Take the chance they gave you.”

  She lowered her head over Jessie’s shoulder, her blonde hair blocking most of her face. “Do you still want fame, fortune, and recognition? To be a Pokemon Nurse? Maybe a little bit of a fashion model for some advertisements? We can make that happen.”

  She then leaned over, putting her above James’ shoulder. “Freedom? You won’t have it here. Not with being locked away forever. Adventure? You could have gotten that without Team Rocket. There’s adventure to be had… Will you earn your freedom to go after it?”

  She then looked at Meowth, who was struggling to look confident beneath her gaze. “Do you want the two people who took you in, who care for you—Truly care for you, unlike Giovanni—to not achieve their dreams? The only thing it costs you is information.”

  After a tense second of silence, Meowth spoke shamefully, but with purpose. For his friends. “What’cha wanna know?”