Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 23: Hacker

Police surrounded the Pokémon HQ Lab after another Ardos sighting was reported. Jovi received the photo. Datan wasn't experienced enough in photo editing to tell whether Ardos was superimposed into the woods behind the lab. They forwarded it to Seth. He was sure it was fake, but couldn't analyse the data to prove it, so they sent it on to Jovi's brother in-law, Nett. He retrieved the history of edits to prove it was indeed fake. Jovi showed his email to Jusk.

'Here's a report from the most competent data analyst in Orre, Nett Watts. The photo is fake. We're being framed.'

'With all due respect, ma'am, Nett is related to your brother's wife. We can't use his report.'

Jovi wanted to bang her head into the wall. She could hardly sleep. Every night, she and Hop swore they wouldn't discuss whatever was going on once they got into bed, but their minds worked overtime. They ended up discussing it regardless.

'These "Ardos sightings,"' Jovi said with a sigh, 'They're obviously reported whenever he needs to go out in public. Whether the police are in on it or not... I don't know.'

'Nah. They're just dipshits. So much for Gwin's "re-training." I say we ring Anabel.'

'But she's busy chasing serial killers and traffickers and whatever else. I don't want to bother her with more of our ridiculous Cipher-ing if it's something that can be handled within Orre. We should be able to handle it! It's simple – investigate the fucking trailer!'

'I reckon they really have tried. They're just too shit. When you think of just Ardos in his caravan, it sounds harmless, but if Ein's involved... how long's he been out? 16 years? He could've been preparing the entire time. Now he's obviously joined forces with Ardos and that is bad news.'

'Why would he want to join forces with Ardos? He doesn't have any money. He can't have many followers. He has to get other people to recruit because he's a horrible person. Even Ein has a bigger emotional range.'

'He's a decent strategist. And a brilliant hacker. He's got the patience to listen to every word said around every phone he's bugged. And he'll get his hands dirty if he has to.'

'Yeah, I guess... he doesn't like to, but he'll do anything if it gets him closer to "world domination." Ein in his fancy car with his stupid hair flick, on the other hand... yeah. I guess he needs a desperado. But getting involved with Ardos is a dangerous business. People are tools to him. Doing anything includes killing his colleagues – or his own family – if they get in his way. Ein has to know that.'

'He wouldn't be the first to be cocky enough to think he can manipulate Ardos. Nolan, anyone? Even Evice thought he could oust the Luvaros once they ruled the world. How many of the original twats are out again?'

'Evice is dead. Miror B. is on our side. Dakim went straight back in for throwing that Geodude at Willie. He's got at least six months. Venus has another three years in Motostoke. Nascour had eight years on top of his life sentence, but he's still been out for eight.'

'Oh, great. I bet he's been working with Ein since he got his first breath of freedom. But how bloody old is he? Isn't he about to drop dead?!'

'I was about to say he's almost 90. That must make Cipher-ing a little harder for him. And he won't care about world domination if he's gonna die before it happens, so he's probably just out to get Wes, not the whole world.'

'Any of them got kids?'

'Ein, obviously, has the lovely Theta. I think Dakim had three...'

Jovi sat up. She wouldn't sleep. There was no point in trying. She fetched her laptop from her office. Dakim's three kids apparently moved to Alola and distanced themselves from their father. One gave Alolan sumo classes in a trailer park on Ula'ula Island.