Chapter 149: All Traitors Must Die
Seeing Giovanni in such a state, Archer immediately dropped to one knee. "Boss," he choked out, "it is all my fault. I should have returned with you. I could have covered your retreat."
Mars knelt beside him. "And I. Even if I could not have helped much, I could have at least taken a few blows for you, my lord."
Karle and the other recruits, though silent, quickly knelt as well.
Giovanni touched the deep, penetrating wound below his chest. If Persian hadn't intercepted that attack, he would be dead— but he did not blame them. The choice had been his.
"It is fine," he said, his voice a low rasp. "Do not concern yourselves. Am I not still alive?"
Archer opened his mouth to protest, but Giovanni raised a hand to silence him. "Where are Proton and the others?"
"They have been settled in the barracks, my lord," Archer replied. "Awaiting the assessment."
Giovanni nodded. "Where did you get off the bus?"
"Halfway to its destination, as you ordered. We wanted to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. We encountered no one on the path back to the base."
"Then this is interesting," Giovanni said, stretching his stiff, bandaged arm. His gaze swept over Karle and the other recruits. "If no one saw you, then how did they know I was traveling from Saffron to Pewter?"
Archer looked confused. "Perhaps it is because Pewter City is an unavoidable route back to the base?"
"Silence," Giovanni commanded, his gaze now fixed on Karle and his companions, a sinister light in his eyes. "I wonder which of you can answer that question for me."
The recruits looked at each other, their faces turning pale as they understood the implication. Karle was the first to cry out, "My lord, we would never betray you!"
Giovanni's gaze drifted past Karle, past the others, and landed on Nick, who stood trembling in the center of the group. Giovanni's chilling stare seemed to pierce right through him.
"You may not have," he said softly, "but that does not mean others are so loyal. What do you say, Nick? You truly are a cunning one."
The others turned to look at Nick. He waved his hands frantically, his face a mask of terror. "No, my lord! I didn't! I swear I didn't!"
Before he could finish, Giovanni was in front of him. His hand shot out, grabbing Nick by the neck and lifting him off the ground. With a flick of his wrist, he tore the Poké Balls from Nick's belt. The Pokémon emerged, but Archer and his men immediately released their own to suppress them.
"Ugh!"
Nick struggled, his face turning a deep crimson.
"Boss!" Captain Ank said quickly, "you cannot kill a team member within the base. If there is a problem, allow me to handle..."
At Ank's words, Giovanni slightly loosened his grip— a flicker of hope appeared in Nick's eyes.
Then came a sharp, sickening crack.
Giovanni's hand had tightened again with brutal finality. Nick's eyes widened in shock, his head slumping to the side at an unnatural angle. Giovanni casually tossed the corpse to the ground. "No one," he said coldly, "can save you."
Ank sighed. "Boss, that was too impulsive. This is not good. Fortunately, no one saw. I will find someone to take the fall..."
His words were cut short.
"Ank, you old fool. Still trying to muddle your way through?" An arrogant voice echoed from the end of the corridor. Captain Price, also wrapped in bandages, stood there, flanked by the cold-faced Raven and his men.
"As a loyalist, I have always followed the rules. As for those who violate them... you know the consequences."
"How did you happen to be here?" Ank muttered, his expression turning ugly. He quickly recovered. "That is merely your word against mine! We are rivals. Such baseless accusations are nothing but slander!"
Captain Price chuckled, then stepped aside. One of his subordinates walked forward, holding a small recording device. "What a coincidence. My subordinate just purchased a camera. And what a further coincidence that he just happened to record this little... incident."
Ank lost his composure. "You bastard!"
Price sneered, the motion pulling at a wound on his face and causing it to twitch. "What can you do about it?"
"A pity you are not dead," Raven said, his voice even colder than his expression. "It seems I will have to kill you with my own hands."
Ank and Archer moved to intercept, but Giovanni raised a hand, stopping them. He addressed Raven directly. "Are you afraid of me?"
Raven's eyes narrowed, a dangerous light gleaming within them. "What do you mean?"
"Otherwise," Giovanni said with open disdain, "why would you go to such lengths to try and bring me down with these petty games? You are simply afraid to confront me directly."
"Less nonsense," Raven retorted, unphased. "You committed the act. You will bear the consequences. We merely stumbled upon it."
"Useless," Giovanni snorted.
"You!" A shuriken appeared in Raven's hand, his killing intent boiling over. Giovanni, however, remained completely unafraid.
"Do not move," Captain Price said, placing a hand on Raven's arm. He was burly, but meticulous. "Right now, this is his problem. If you make a move, you fall into their trap."
Raven put the shuriken away, his glare fixed on Giovanni. "I would like to see what becomes of you."
Giovanni glanced past them down the corridor and sneered. "Then you can keep dreaming."
Captain Matt walked through them, his expression grim. He ignored the glares from Price and Raven and spoke to Giovanni. "Come with me."
Giovanni immediately followed. "Mm."
"Captain Matt, this is improper!" Price protested, blocking their path. "You cannot simply take him away. What about the body on the ground? What about the organization's rules?"
Matt shoved him aside. "The Boss wants to see him. Are you going to stop her?"
Price gritted his teeth, but still pressed his point. "He violated the rules. Even the Boss cannot simply protect him."
"How this is decided is the Boss's business," Matt said casually. "And there is one more thing you need to understand. The Boss created this organization.
The Boss is the rules."