----
BOOM! BOOM!
Several smoke bombs exploded outside the Goldenrod Radio Tower. Thick white fog rolled out, clouding the view and drawing the full attention of the Team Rocket agents stationed inside.
The moment the Rockets saw police forces making a move on the main entrance, they sprang into action. Reinforcements were rushed downstairs to fortify the lobby ready for a last stand.
A fierce battle erupted. Pokémon clashed in a chaotic frenzy of moves and flashes. The police were highly trained, but the Rockets were fanatical fighting like they had nothing left to lose. Even after minutes of combat, the police had yet to break through the defensive line.
But while all eyes were on the front…
CRASH!
From above, a Dragonite dove at blinding speed, its wings cutting through the foggy skies. Riding on its back, Kai and Erika. The towering Pokémon smashed through a glass pane atop the Radio Tower's upper levels, sending shards flying.
Kai leapt off midair, landing in a crouch. Without pause, he sent out two Poké Balls. Blue light flared as Gardevoir and Jolteon appeared at his sides. A shadow shimmered ahead Gengar, already hovering in front of him. Behind, Dragonite gently lowered Erika before standing guard at the rear.
Four Pokémon forming a perfect protective diamond around their Trainers.
No words needed.
If anyone dared to threaten their partners, they would have to go through them first.
The observation deck was silent. Empty. Just overturned chairs and abandoned paperwork scattered about proof that the station staff had been evacuated or captured earlier.
Good. At least they wouldn't be discovered immediately.
Kai's earpiece crackled to life. Looker's voice came through, distorted but audible. "—zzzt—How's the situation?"
Kai whispered back, "We're in. No one's noticed us yet."
"Perfect," came the reply, a sigh of relief in Looker's voice. "I've already cut their internal power grid. The surveillance feed is down. You have a few minutes before they regroup. Make them count."
"Copy that."
Kai gave Gengar a silent signal. The ghost Pokémon sank through the floor like a shadow in water its phasing ability allowing it to scout ahead unnoticed.
With Gengar checking for danger, Kai and Erika moved forward, descending deeper into the tower.
Erika released Leafeon and Bellossom, flanking them as they advanced. Their team, though compact, was more than a match for an entire squadron of Rocket grunts.
This was exactly why Looker had been so relieved to see Kai arrive. A Champion-tier Trainer infiltrating with full stealth? It was like sending an elite special ops unit compressed into one person.
As they progressed, Gengar took down two patrolling Rockets before they even knew what hit them. Kai quickly stripped them of their uniforms, gagged them, and used the handcuffs Looker had provided to lock them to a railing.
No alarms triggered. No one noticed.
With most of Rocket's numbers fighting downstairs, their infiltration was going even smoother than expected.
Eventually, they reached the main building through the central connecting shaft. Here, in one of the lower meeting rooms, they found the first major group of hostages dozens of tower staff, bound and guarded.
About a dozen Team Rocket members were posted here more than expected.
A frontal assault would reveal their presence. But at this point, it no longer mattered.
Kai glanced at Erika. She understood immediately.
They flanked the meeting room Kai from the rear, Erika from the front.
Just before storming in, Kai pulled out something he hadn't worn in a long time his Gengar mask. He placed it over his face.
A whisper crackled through the comms.
"Go."
With that single word, their Pokémon burst through both doors at once.
Flash. Boom. Thunder. Petals. Shadows.
Attacks rained from all sides in a chaotic explosion of color and noise. Rockets and Pokémon were blasted backward before they could even react. The chaos was over in seconds.
Screams echoed as hostages ducked under the tables for cover.
When the smoke cleared, the entire Rocket squad was unconscious.
One surviving grunt, panicked, reached for his communicator and called for backup.
And just like that, the entire Rocket operation realized they had been flanked.
They weren't just under siege from the front.
They had been infiltrated.
Panic spread through the ranks. The coordinated front they'd maintained began to falter. Looker, watching from the command line outside, saw the opening and seized it.
"Full assault—GO!"
The Johto police forces surged forward. With the frontlines collapsing and the upper floors compromised, the Rockets had no choice but to fall back further inside the tower.
Their "stronghold" was becoming a cage.
Inside the meeting room, Kai could hear the distant sound of battles echoing through the stairwells. The police were gaining ground fast.
He and Erika stayed behind to guard the hostages. This close to collapse, the Rockets might try to use them as leverage or worse.
Eventually, Looker himself burst into the room, flanked by officers.
"You did it. Any casualties?"
Kai shook his head. "They weren't much of a challenge."
Looker exhaled. "With the hostages safe, we can finally press the advantage. But... we've got a new problem. They're retreating to the tower's upper floors—and intelligence suggests some Rocket Admins are with them."
Kai's eyes lit up.
Rocket Admins.
Last time he'd encountered one, it was Petrel, one of the four Executives, back at the Sevii Islands warehouse.
Now another might be waiting at the top of this tower.
He didn't say a word. But the way he straightened, the gleam in his eye…
Erika noticed.
This wasn't over.
----
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!