Arc 4 - Reign of the Ultra Beasts

Chapter 39

Troll's face twisted as he stared at the computer screen. A combination of fear and anger. Sweat radiated off him in a cloud of stench that Socket could smell from her view behind the one-way window. His paw trembled over the touch screen panel, occasionally brushing against it and bringing up random text on the holoscreen.

The gothitelle's eyes wandered to the timer, not for the first time. Thirty seconds. The croagunk criminal had only thirty seconds left, and he was losing them rapidly. A small movement caught her eye and she watched a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his neck and over his hunched shoulders where it vanished into the modest chair cushion.

"I don't think he's got this." The grumpig officer took a bite out of his donut. It was a good thing the croagunk couldn't hear a word they said. "Either that or he's willingly throwing his life away."

Socket hmm'd and pursed her lips together. "Or he's on to me."

"I doubt that," said the officer. "You were pretty convincing. I don't even think our lie detectors could have given you away."

Socket hmm'd again then leant back in her seat. It creaked loudly and she leant forwards again, fearing the flimsy furniture would give way.

"Always told you ya should've got a job in acting." Tweak hopped from the donut box and shook himself loudly, sending sprinkles all over the table. "That snack should last me until tea time."

Socket recoiled and raised a paw to dust stray sticky strands from her velvet fur. "I brought you here understanding you were taking notes."

Tweak didn't so much as flinch at her warning note. Instead he beamed and nodded to her bag.

"I would, but you never returned my notebook," he said.

Socket shot him a leer and looked back out of the window. The timer let out a loud ring, snatching her attention away from Troll's trembling body.

The officer silenced it with a heavy paw then switched on his microphone.

"Time's up," he said. "Step away from the display."

Troll muttered something incoherent and pushed himself to his feet. He shuffled backwards from the computer and shot a leer at the one-way window.

The three pokemon flowed from the soundproofed room and gathered around the croagunk. He gave them a venomous look but didn't move from his spot. The three psychic types were a gentle reminder that he didn't need cuffs to be restrained. His severe weakness alone was his restraint, and he was greatly outnumbered.

The officer checked the display and nodded slowly.

"Looks like you failed," he said.

"Were a weird-ass test." Troll sneered at the mayor. "Those stakes spoke numbers that you want me dead. You know I ain't guilty, you just want to fry us poison types in your sick chair."

"I take no pleasure in killing you," said Socket. "Your plight is in your own paws."

"What you talkin' about?" Troll balled his paws into fists. "You know full well you could help us but you just don't wanna."

"I'd watch what you're saying when your life is in my paws." Socket folded her arms and locked her icy gaze on his, putting out the fire behind it. "You failed the test. You were meant to succeed."

Troll's lips curled into a sneer. "You're a real sicko, you know that?"

The officer turned his back on the computer and leant against the desk. "Every single attempt was a fail. You weren't even close. It's as though you don't even know the basics."

"And you do?" Troll rounded on the grumpig.

The officer shrugged. "I know a little. I have to, given this is my job. I couldn't even begin to hack government files, however. Those fire walls and barriers... That's advanced stuff."

"I feel like you three set me up." Troll clenched his teeth together and roared. "Right, fine! Take me back to the cell. Do me in. Do whatever you flippin' well want. Anythin's better than livin' in this toxic dump!"

"No." Socket moved towards him, daring not to breathe as the toxic sweat from his body permeated the very air around him. "You failed that test. That means only one thing."

"I'm a dead 'mon."

"Not at all. It means you weren't the one who hacked into my systems."

"Eh?" Troll's jaw went slack.

"You don't have a clue, do you?" Socket tapped her claws along her arm as she examined the dumbfounded amphibian. "This was a test. Of course you'd hack if your life depended on it. I needed to give you those stakes to get answers."

"So you tricked me?!"

He span to face her fully and the officer leapt back from the desk to her aid. Socket raised a paw and the grumpig backed down, standing no more than two feet away from her and the criminal.

"Yes, I tricked you," said Socket. "Your life is safe. But!" She froze his words before they left his mouth, leaving it hanging open like a victreebell's trap. "That doesn't mean you're off the hook. If you want a reduced sentence, you have to give me some answers."

"What answers?" The croagunk folded his arms and met her icy stare head on. "What could a humble little dealer livin' in the outskirts have to offer System's Mayor?"

"Oh, you could offer me many things," said Socket. "The location of every single wanted criminal living on System Ground, for example. The source off all your toxic sludge dens." A small smile spread across her lips and she stared at the croagunk until he cowered back from her. "But that's for another time. Right now I want you to tell me everything you know about Surge."

His eyes widened and he looked back up at her with a start. "Surge? What do you wanna know about her?"

"Given I've foolishly hired her," said Socket slowly, "I want to know everything."

...

"I know I said I wanted you gone..." Macro's voice cracked. "But this isn't what I meant!"

It wasn't the first time he'd said it. He'd lost track of how long he'd been sat beside DL's bed watching her. Waiting for any sign she might wake up.

But there was none. The only thing that reassured him she was alive was her breathing. She looked just like she was sleeping, except there were no eye twitches. Nothing moved except her chest with every breath she took.

It pained him. His mother often told him to be careful what he wished for. He'd spoken off the cuff... and look what had happened.

He let his head fall into his paws and rubbed them over his face, trying to stem any tears. He wasn't even sure he had any left.

The door whirred open and he snatched his paws from his eyes, looking up to meet Anchor's concerned face. The granbull strolled across the room and his eyes went from Macro to DL.

"Not woken up yet?" It was a rather redundant question to ask.

Macro sighed and shook his head. He leant back in his seat and let his paws flop into his lap.

"I'm at a loss of what to do." He looked over at his computer lying on the bedside table.

Matrix hadn't a clue how to 'fix' DL. If it was an issue with the database, then it was a computer issue. But one that was out of the ribombee's expertise. If it required hacking into her to examine, there was only one pokemon he knew could possibly help them. And she'd not been answering his calls. It had been well over an hour since he messaged her to call him urgently.

"I think we're all at a loss," said Anchor. "If it's any consolation, Matrix has been tryin' to look for problems in the disks. But he says he can't see anything in the code that rings any warning bells. They all look alike. Nothing alien about them."

"It could be hidden amongst it, camouflaged," said Macro. "Anyone could have jeopardised the disk to get back at me."

"What makes you think they'd be getting back at you? It's DL's memories, not yours."

"Because I'm the one who wants them!" Macro's violet glare locked on Anchor. "Not her! I'm forcing them on her!"

"It ain't your fault, you got her best interests at heart. Right?" Anchor paused as he watched Macro sigh and look away. "You ain't seriously still thinkin' Jumper did this are you? Or someone else in Cyan City?"

"Yes. I am. It's where we got the disk from, and that frogadier went from refusing to give me the disk to rewarding me with it." Macro rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I shouldn't have trusted them so easily."

"Well I still don't think it were them," said Anchor. "What if they didn't even know there were something wrong with it? You said there were too many locations on that list to match the number of disks. What if this one were a fake one?"

Macro jolted. "You mean this could be the red herring?"

"Maybe. Or the right disk but coded wrong. Matrix thinks it could be something as simple as a typo in the data."

"How can someone's brain have a typo?" Macro asked sourly.

Anchor shrugged. "I dunno. We all so easily make them." When Macro said nothing, he went on. "Matrix described it like this. When you install a new operating system on your computer, if something goes wrong where it don't read right, it can cause the whole system to fail at start up."

"This failed while it was downloading."

Anchor scratched his head and sighed. "Look. He's tryin' to help. We all are. But we ain't gonna get answers without a thorough search. Have you found anyone who can help her?"

"I might have. But she hasn't got back to me."

"Ah. Well, let's hope she does soon." Anchor turned to the door, then paused to look back at Macro. Just A heads up, Cookie rang the lunch bell fifteen minutes ago. If you're quick, there might still be some left."

"I'm not hungry."

"All right." Anchor cleared his throat and tucked his paws behind his back. "But you also missed breakfast."

Macro shrugged his shoulders.

Anchor sighed and scratched his mohawk. "I know it ain't easy, but you have to eat something."

"I'll eat when I'm ready."

"Fair enough." Anchor slipped from the room, letting the door hiss shut behind him.

Macro leant back in his chair and groaned, running his paws over his face. His stomach was in knots. He couldn't eat anything if he tried.

Suddenly, the room filled with a jaunty jingle. He sat bolt upright and groped for his computer. He almost dropped it to the floor when he saw the name. 'Surge', perched above the dancing symbol of a ringing phone. He pressed it to his ear and answered as confidently as his worn out voice would allow.

"Surge! Finally."

"What do you want, Macro?" Her voice was so icy it sent chills through his entire body.

"I don't know what's got your gogoat," he said, "but I've not been messaging you for a chat. I actually need your help."

"Oh?" She paused and for a dreaded moment he thought she'd hung up. "It's gonna cost you."

"You don't even know what it is yet," he said.

"No, but I don't do favors."

He grit his teeth together. "I got that much from my last request."

"Anyway. What is it?"

"Remember that living computer I told you about?" His eyes went to DL. "We've been trying to retrieve her memory disks and... well, something's gone wrong with the third one. She won't wake up."

"You've killed her?" Surge didn't sound remotely surprised, and along with her choice of words, it stabbed at him.

"No. I..." He paused and choked back a sob. "I don't know!"

"How do you expect me to help? I'm not a medic."

"No, but you're a hacker, right? You can get into that... computer thing... in her head and find out what's gone wrong. Right?"

Surge sighed and he heard her scratch her ear. "I don't know. That kind of goes beyond my realms of expertise."

"So you won't do it?" He let his disappointment hang in the air.

"I didn't say that. But we're not talking about a computer here, we're talking about someone's brain. If anything goes wrong and I end up killing her, I'll be tried for murder."

"It's not murder if you're trying to save her life. How many pokemon die in hospitals during surgery or resuscitation? It's the same stinkin' thing!"

"No it's not. I'm not a doctor. It'll be malpractice."

Macro clenched his jaw together. "Let's not get into the legalities behind this, considering what's been done to her is already illegal! I'm asking you to help her as best as anyone possibly can!"

Surge was silent for a long while, and he heard the creak of a chair or bed as she moved on it.

"Okay, Macro. I'll help her."

His heart leapt into his throat with such force he almost left his seat. "You will? Oh man, you have no idea-"

"But it's not free."

His heart sank again and he slumped into the chair. "How much? Where do you want me to take you this time?"

"We'll discuss that when you get here. I'm in Pulse City, staying at number twelve Neon House. It's opposite Moonlight Lounge."

Before he could reply, she cut him off.

His arm went limp over the arm of the chair, still clutching his computer. He looked up at DL, still 'sleeping'.

He reached over and took her paw in both of his. Still warm. Still alive.

So, Surge would help her.

Somehow the idea filled him with both hope and dread.

...

Surge stared at her computer, her claw still pressed over the spot the 'hang up' option had been. Macro's words still rang around her head.

He wanted her help, and he'd sounded desperate.

Everything she'd heard about Hunter, from long before her bounty hunting days, he'd never struck her as the kind of pokemon who'd genuinely care for another. And from the day he'd hired her, everything she thought she'd known had turned out to be a lie. Even his 'name'.

She stuffed her computer into her pocket and let out a long sigh. Her head was a mess. Socket had hired her to turn in the space pirate, even if it meant taking his life. If she didn't... well, Socket wasn't exactly the kind of pokemon you wanted to make angry. The thought alone left a bitter taste in Surge's mouth. Someone's life would be taken, and it would be Macro's or her own.

Yes, she'd help the pachirisu. But she'd be using her as bait for an elaborate trap.

...

Tracer puffed on his cigar, his eyes fixed on the sky. Or what he could see of it through the yellow smog. He stood with his back against his office wall, the cool brick penetrating the heavy leather of his trench coat.

He'd seen it take off, that strange pyukumuku-shaped ship. That meant the human had left System Ground, and going off the state of the house, so had the pokemon she'd befriended.

She was up to something. Something he felt he needed to put an end to. But it hadn't felt right to catch her and turn her in.

'That mayor said something about taking me to a lab. I spent years with four white walls around me. I ain't bein' locked in no lab. Capiche?'

Her words had left him feeling cold inside. What was Socket planning to do? Was it really idle curiosity or something much more sinister? One thing was for certain. Something was going on in System, and his investigator instinct was itching to get to the bottom of it.

The door was thrown wide open and Widget strolled outside, struggling to fasten his mask over his face. He fixed a perplexed eye on Tracer and snorted, shaking the mask to the floor.

"I wanna call hypocrisy!" The eevee pointed an accusing paw. "You always tell me to wear a mask, and you aren't wearing one!"

Tracer blew out a stream of smoke, keeping his eyes on the sky. "I'm thinking, Widget."

"And the masks prevent that. Got it."

"It's not that." The delphox flicked ash onto the floor. "There's a lot to go over, and I needed to calm my nerves."

Widget sat down heavily and shook out his fur, briefly revealing the everstone embedded in his sternum.

"It stinks rotten," he said. "What happened overnight?"

"My guess is they dumped more waste in the back streets," said Tracer. "Even your mask wouldn't filter out the stench. Which you do still need to wear, by the way."

"I'll put mine on when you put on yours," said Widget. "Hypocrite."

Tracer glanced down at the eevee, receiving a playful grin. The delphox sighed and flicked more ash to the floor.

"This is about that human, ain't it?" Widget asked.

"Yes. I believe she's now in System Sky." Tracer looked back up at the yellow clouds. "How on earth we're meant to go after her now confounds me."

Widget made a thoughtful noise. "Surge has a ship."

"I know. But she's not been returning my calls."

"Keep mithering."

"That's not my style." Tracer took another drag of his cigar. "Nor is it hers to put up with constant badgering."

Widget let out a whiny sigh and sat back on his haunches to lean against the wall. "Well I'm at a loss."

"Join the club."

"You thought about hiring?" Defrag's head appeared around the door. Her nose twitched at the stench then almost retreated back into her face. "Okay, I was baffled enough when you used the term to begin with, but this is your idea of 'fresh air'?!"

"I needed to think," said Tracer. "And inside was too stuffy."

"At least the air is filtered." Defrag flicked her long ears back and fixed pink eyes on his. "Anyway. Like I was saying. You could hire a ship?"

"From who?" Tracer stubbed his cigar on the wall then pulled out another, prompting a raised eyebrow from the lopunny. "Ships are primarily a space pirate thing. Unless you're suggesting I ask Socket to lend me a government ship?"

"Couldn't hurt," said Defrag. "She's asked you to track this human down. If she still wants you to catch her, she needs you to get into the sky."

"Good point." Widget looked up at Tracer. "She does want this human, so I'm sure she'd be more than willing."

Tracer took a long drag of his fresh cigar and looked back up at the sky. Hiring a government ship? It wasn't an unreasonable request, given the circumstances. Of course, he'd need to lie a little. There was no way he was going to rush the human girl to Socket, not without better knowledge of what might befall the poor creature.

"Okay," he said. "It's a move I hadn't really considered. But I'm assuming Socket will lend me a ship given the human she's requested I catch for her has zipped off into the unknown."

"And you don't have wings," said Widget.

"Even bird pokemon can't fly all the way into System Sky, Widget."

"Do you even know how to drive one?" Defrag asked.

"As far as I know, air ships are pretty intuitive," said Tracer.

"All right, so long as you don't suddenly crash and burn."

Tracer shrugged and said nothing, fumbling in his deep pockets for his computer.

Defrag frowned at the dingy streets. "Well I've said my piece. I'm going back inside before my lungs rot."

"See ya later then!" The eevee watched the door slam shut then fixed Tracer with a grin. "So, we're hiring a ship, eh?"

Tracer made a grunt of acknowledgment and pulled up Socket's name on his computer, bracing himself for the potential earful he was about to receive.

"Ooh, this is so exciting!" Widget squealed and shifted his weight rapidly from paw to paw. "Can I drive?"

Tracer's cigar almost fell from his mouth and he cleared his throat before hitting the dial button. The eevee's sparkling eyes fixed on the side of his head. This all felt like a set up for potential disaster.