Redemption

Chapter 17

        Stressed was not the word that Gold could even begin to use to describe his current mood. In truth, he hadn't actually wanted to join the international police force as a temporary junior detective in the first place. The only reason he agreed to the offer was because he had been there on the day that the secondly risen Team Rocket met its end.

        In fact, he was working with Crystal to take down the organization as outside help for the Johto police force. He had initially been taking action against Team Rocket all on his own before the police approached him asking for his help. It was there that he met Crystal, a girl who was doing the same thing as him. He was supposed to work with her to investigate Team Rocket's inner and outer workings.

        As a part of their elaborate plan, Gold was to infiltrate Team Rocket as a member while Crystal made contact with someone from the inside to gather extra intel. Gold epicly failed his task, unable to pass as one of their own due to his innate sense of justice and a spy prevention system which left everything up to Crystal. All he was able to do after that was wait for her to bring back the information before he could use it against the organization.

        He hadn't been aware of how she got the information other than that she had made contact with a Team Rocket member by the name of Silver. According to her, he wanted out of the organization and was willing to do anything to achieve that goal. A win win situation, or so Gold thought.

        On the day everything took place, Crystal was sent to stop Team Rocket's plans below ground while Gold was sent above ground to handle any lose ends. He had wrapped up his own job and was heading to assist Crystal when the ground had begun to shake. It was then that his sense of justice kicked in once more. Without any regard to his safety or the warnings given to him, he went into the collapsing cavern to save both Crystal and Silver but ended up seeing something he wished he hadn't. All of that brought things to where they were now.

        "You mean to tell me that you have eyes practically everywhere, yet we haven't been able to locate Silver for four weeks?!" Gold tossed his folder across the desk. "Four weeks! He can't just disappear from a whole country without anyone having seen him. If we don't find him, he'll be in more danger!" More than anything, Gold wanted to succeed where he had failed about sixth months ago.

        Crystal had explained that Silver hadn't made it out of the disaster alive, and the police believed her. What reason did they have to suspect that she was lying? But Gold had seen everything from the moment Silver began to hold on to that ledge to the moment Crystal ran away as if she hadn't just turned her back on someone in cold blood. The only reason that he couldn't say anything was because Silver, as far as anyone was concerned, was dead, and he himself knew Crystal very well. She normally would never do such a thing. Team Rocket's members were all arrested, and the case was closed. That had been the end of it.

        Then just two months later, a group resurfaced calling themselves Team Remnant Rocket. Their purpose was merely to punish anyone left over from the previous Team Rocket that hadn't already been given a jail sentence. People and pokémon alike were still recovering from the damage left behind by the disbanded organization, and the citizens of Johto wanted someone to blame for it. Team Remnant Rocket was born from the lingering resentment. Their idea of punishment was none other than taking the lives of anyone on a list of confirmed former members, an act that was against the law on many levels. Gold was already trying to put the whole incident behind him when he got a call from the international police.

        Team Remnant Rocket had crossed national borders to hunt down these people. Through some means of investigation, it was discovered that Silver was actually alive and well, living a normal life in neighboring Kanto. So why was Gold called? The international police didn't want to scare Silver away and tried to bring in people around his age to convince him into entering protective custody. Of course, Gold jumped at the opportunity to right his wrong. Then he found out that Crystal had been recruited as well with the backing of the Johto police. No, she was still working with them trying to solve some other case.

        "I understand your concern, Gold. We've already had two more victims. We're doing well to put an end to Team Remnant Rocket, but we can't guarantee the safety of anyone on their list. Wherever Silver is, he's either safe or-"

        "Which is why we need to find him as soon as possible!" Gold interrupted. His superior gave him a stern look and sighed.

        "We have a lead, but after what went down last time..." Looker glanced around the small office. "I think it's best to send you in alone. My superior is based there, so I'll have you meet up with her and you two can locate him," he said in a quieter voice.

        "Huh?" Gold wasn't told about any of this. Then again, that probably was a good thing. The Johto police were investigating terrorism attacks that involved a mysterious pokémon. Apparently, they had a single photo of Silver being carried by that pokémon and had linked him to the incidents as someone who might be a suspect. To Gold, it was a load of Tauros crap. It was obvious that Silver had been injured in the photo, and Gold suspected that the pokémon was being framed.

        "You leave tomorrow morning. We're having you take an inconspicuous form of travel. You'll get there in about eight days."

        "Boat? He managed to get that far?" Gold asked. Looker only nodded. "And when I find him?"

        "Just do the usual safety procedure. After that, all we need is a report. If there aren't any Team Remnant Rocket members in the area and he's alright, then just come back here. We won't need to drag this case out any longer and my superior can have it brushed under the rug." Looker gave him a worried look. "You won't be able to keep in contact though. It's for his safety."

        Gold gave a slight smile. "I know. It's best that way. I barely know him anyway, so it's fine."

        Looker raised an eyebrow at him. "With the way you've been handling this case, it would seem like you were already a friend of his."

        "No," he looked off to the side hiding his face under his bangs and hat. "I just owe him, that's all." Looker felt otherwise, but didn't comment about it.

        "I don't want to hear any excuses Gold! We can't afford any slip ups," Looker suddenly said rather angrily. Gold looked up in confusion, but saw that Looker had opened the door to the office. With a wink, the man left without another word.

        "Ah, he's keeping up appearances. No wonder I didn't know anything," Gold thought. Looker was a pretty impressive undercover agent after all. "Just you wait. I'll be back in no time so we can get all of this over with and set things right."
____________________________________

I would like to say that I do not hate Crystal. In fact. I think she's great. I don't want anyone to think I'm hating on her. I just find it convenient to turn her into a villain (which is bad, I'm sorry). Until next time you epic readers!