----
Kai and Erika followed closely behind Anabel as they exited the Pokémon Center.
Now that Interpol had officially mobilized, Kai wasn't about to sit on the sidelines. He was going to help take down this Rocket base.
Jimmy, Marina, Eusine, and Kudō remained behind to monitor Raikou's condition.
Before leaving, Kai exchanged contact numbers with Jimmy just in case anything came up, they'd be able to coordinate quickly.
Outside the Center, parked in neat rows along the roadside, were seven or eight black, armored Interpol vehicles.
Standing in front of them were over forty officers in full tactical gear, helmets, riot shields, and batons at the ready. Their eyes were sharp, expressions stone-cold.
Their Pokémon partners stood beside them, equally focused Growlithes and Machamps ready to deploy.
Just as Koffing, Ekans, and Golbat had become synonymous with Team Rocket, Growlithe and Machamp were almost emblematic of law enforcement in the Pokémon world.
Seeing the hardened discipline on their faces, Kai knew immediately this wasn't some ordinary squad. These were elite agents.
Even nearby Trainers passing through couldn't help but gawk in awe.
Anabel scanned the group and nodded, satisfied by the professionalism on display.
"Move out."
Her command was calm, but absolute.
Officers and Pokémon alike began boarding the vehicles. Kai and Erika followed Anabel into the lead jeep.
With Gengar providing navigation, the convoy set off toward the hidden Rocket facility.
On the ride, Kai learned from Anabel that her unit had originally been on assignment nearby. After Looker's emergency message, she had rerouted her entire force to respond.
Kai smirked.
Dropping a special mission to prioritize taking down Team Rocket? That spoke volumes. Clearly, Rocket's threat level had reached critical.
That's what you get when you mess with Legendaries.
The convoy eventually left paved roads and entered dense forest. The terrain became rugged, slowing their pace and jostling the vehicles.
Anabel, seated in the front passenger seat, braced herself with one hand on the grip handle. She turned slightly to speak with Kai.
"Thanks to your report, we've uncovered another Rocket research site. If we can neutralize this base, we'll have effectively dismantled over half their operations in Johto. At this rate, it won't be long before they're rooted out completely."
Kai wasn't so optimistic.
Sure, it sounded promising, but he knew better. No matter how many grunts you took out, as long as the higher-ups remained free, especially Giovanni, Team Rocket would just regroup.
Yes, this would hurt them. But if their leadership survived, they could still rebuild.
Still, Kai wasn't about to rain on Anabel's momentum. Not when morale was high.
Eventually, the convoy came to a stop at the edge of the Rocket base perimeter.
Beyond this point, they'd be entering enemy surveillance zones, cameras, guards, and sensors.
Anabel split the task force into three groups, sending two squads around the sides to form a pincer maneuver.
She was confident.
The Rocket agents didn't know they were coming. With proper timing, this would be a clean sweep.
Kai, Erika, and Anabel took cover behind a large boulder, peering toward their target.
The Rocket base had been carved into the side of a small, bald hill deep in the woods. All surrounding trees had been cleared, leaving the entrance completely exposed.
Stealth was off the table.
Any approach in open view would instantly trigger an alert.
Not that Anabel cared.
They'd already made it this far undetected. Even if they were spotted now, Rocket wouldn't have enough time to respond.
Anabel turned to Gengar.
"What's the layout? How many personnel inside?"
Although Looker had already passed along the basic intel, she wanted to confirm everything firsthand.
Gengar grinned. "The mountain's practically hollow. The base is built right into the rock. I counted over a hundred people inside—but relax, most are scientists. They won't put up a fight."
A hundred?
Anabel frowned slightly. That was a lot. Even if half were noncombatants, subduing the whole base with her current numbers would be tough.
"Entrances?"
"There are three," Gengar reported. "Oh—and there's a helipad on top of the hill. Rocket's got a helicopter parked there."
Anabel glanced at Kai.
"We're a bit thin on anti-air coverage. Can I count on you to handle that chopper if it tries to take off?"
Kai smirked and pulled a Poké Ball from his belt. "No problem."
With a flash of light, Charizard emerged, flexing its wings and letting out a low growl.
"If that helicopter lifts off, Charizard will ground it before it goes anywhere."
Kai then reached into his coat and handed Anabel a folded map.
"I drew this last night from Gengar's report. It's rough, but it should help with internal navigation."
Anabel nodded gratefully. "Thanks. This'll save us valuable time."
She studied the layout carefully. "I didn't expect the base to be this large. Who knows how long they've been operating here…"
Ten minutes later, the flanking teams reported in: they were in position.
Anabel raised her hand. "Go!"
With a burst of motion, the strike teams surged forward.
They barely made it a few steps before a patrolling Rocket grunt spotted them.
BZZZZT!
Alarms blared instantly, flashing red lights activating across the compound.
Inside the lab, Doctor Sebastian, the scientist responsible for the Red Gyarados project, looked up from his instruments in alarm.
"What's going on!?"
A panicked assistant burst into the room.
"Doctor! We're under attack!"
"Attack!? By who!?"
"Interpol!"
Sebastian's face went pale. "Interpol!? How did they even find us!?"
His stomach dropped.
He had no time to panic. "Evacuate the data now! If anything can't be moved, destroy it! Do not let it fall into enemy hands!"
----
Don't forget to drop some PowerStones!💎💎💎
For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon.
P@treon/iamxeno
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!