Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 33: Businessman

Jovi was baffled. She didn't want to accuse Stella of lying, but if they were talking about the same person, she had no doubt Alfie's only female friend, Abbey, would never work with Cipher.

'Abbey...?'

'Who?'

'Sorry. I assumed you were talking about Alfie Addison. I should've asked.'

'Oh, no, no! It's... it's Rose. Rose Moore. Founder of Macro Cosmos.'

Hop blinked. 'Oh. I thought so.'

'I know... I look like him.'

'It wasn't that. It was the "convict stalker from Galar" that gave it away. I love how the worst person in Galar just has to come to Orre of all places.'

'It's my fault. I couldn't afford to live alone in Sunset City, so I came here...'

'No!' Jovi exclaimed, 'It's not your fault at all. It's his fault. Gosh. You'd think a life sentence would put him off causing more trouble...'

'They did let him out early. For good behaviour. But they should never have let him out at all. He's working for Cipher. The cops don't believe me, but it's true. He's running their mines. With Oleana Lloyd.'

'Their mines...?'

'I don't know exactly how many, or which ones they are, but it's at least 10. He invited me to work at one. I obviously said no. I was pregnant with Leroy, my son here... and I'm sure you know how my dad feels about young boys.'

'Of course. So Cipher never left the mines...'

'And it's been going on since long before the last Cipher incident.'

'Can we rewind a bit, Stella?' Hop asked, 'If that's OK with you? Rose was released six years ago, right? When did he come here? Was he invited? Or did he just head for the first lawless wasteland that came to mind?'

'He was allowed to travel after a year of "good behaviour." So it was about four and half years ago he got on the plane. I was living in Nascott then. He showed up at my apartment with Oleana and a pile of suitcases. I called the cops. They said they couldn't take action because he hadn't actually done anything wrong. He went and got his own place, but he kept showing up, saying he wanted to "know" his daughter and that my half-sister in Wyndon, Primula, wanted to know me, too.'

'Gosh. I didn't know he had any kids.'

'There are probably others. Ones he doesn't even know about. But he knows about Primula because she's Oleana's kid. And me because he was in a long-term relationship with my mom. Penelope Byrne. The actress. She kept breaking up with him and taking him back, but once there was a kid involved – me – she moved to Sunset City to protect us both.'

'Oh, yeah... I remember seeing them together. But the media never mentioned that she ran away from him. Just that they broke up.'

'She was ashamed she ever associated with him when he was exposed. So was her new husband. Kingsley Byrne.'

'The director, right?'

'Yeah. And I was this lump of physical proof she was associated with my dad that she couldn't get rid of... so naturally, my half-siblings got more love and Kingsley started to hit me. He wanted me to leave. So I moved to Eclo Town as soon as I turned 18. Then I met my ex and moved in with him in Nascott.'

Jovi shook her head. 'Wow. Isn't Kingsley Byrne considered one of the most virtuous guys in Sunset City? Yet here we all are automatically assuming any mischief is down to Alfie, me included...'

'But yeah, my dad kept showing up. I decided to give him one chance and met him for coffee, but he was as sleazy as ever and it was obvious he just wanted to use me. Everyone knew. My ex couldn't stand feeling judged. He threw me out.'

'Even though you were pregnant?!'

'Yeah. So I moved again, to Phenac. And my dad followed me there.'

'Why does he even care?'

'I mean, I never knew him, but I guess he gets high on approval. And he hasn't had a fix from anyone except Oleana since he went to jail.'

'So... when did you realise he's working for Cipher?'

'He cornered me one night after work, saying he was so sorry about my ex and he could support me financially if I needed it. I asked how when he left everything to Leon. He said he owned mines in Orre and offered me a job as a tour guide at one near the Outskirt Stand. I was kind of pissed. I asked how some convicted pedo walks in from Galar and gets offered a mining empire when I can't find decent work. He said he "knew people." I was like, "who do you know, Cipher?" And he said they were "working for a better Orre" and that I shouldn't judge people I don't know. Which basically confirms it, right?'

'That is very suspect.'

Jovi glanced back at Datan. 'What were you going to say?'

'Cipher – well, Nascour specifically – just attacked a diner, looking for Verzant Robel after he called the cops on them. Ardos' trailer went up in flames. The cop who went in found hard drives with Verzant's name on them, but there were a ton of calls about Ardos and Nascour, even before he showed up at the diner. They can't keep ignoring them and blaming it all on Verzant.'

Hop sighed. 'Do I even need to ask if the cops caught any of them?'

'No, Professor. They didn't.'

'Great. So Ardos and Aged Wind Machine are on the loose. In a bad mood.'

Jovi glanced at her P★DA. There were two messages from Michael. He relayed his discussion with Ein and Theta.

'So Ein and Theta, who live in Phenac, just happened to show up in Gateon Port right after the cops were called to Cipher's trailer. Not suspicious at all.'

Hop read over her shoulder. 'Ooh, he's going to the Pokémon League HQ. Everyone at Indigo Plateau will be shaking in their boots.'

'Anyway, Stella,' Jovi said, 'Is your dad after you, like, right now?'

'He suddenly stepped up the stalking, like, tenfold after that talk about the mines. He stopped being so nice and got threatening. He knows I know. The cops just laughed. They said "your dad can't stalk you" and insisted Cipher are gone. Oleana's Garbodor is a permanent fixture outside my apartment block right now.'

'I'm worried we can't guarantee your safety here. Hop and Lumir are very strong Trainers, but if there's a major Cipher attack, there are only two of them to protect us all. The local cops are up Ein's ass.'

'I know. I don't expect you to protect me against the odds. I just didn't know where else to turn... and I had to tell someone my dad is in Cipher. He's dangerous. Not just because he's a pedo... because he's such a cunning and manipulative businessman.'

Jovi sighed. 'I don't even know where to start. I think we need to arrange an urgent Orre League meeting. We have to work together if we want to stop Cipher. They're apparently still bigger than they were in Michael's day...'