Art of War: Game of Chess

Chapter- 24: Not involving Ash

"Come in, Drake, Steven, Agatha, Bill. " Samuel Oak welcomed his guests.
Hoenn Champion Steven Stone sat down on a chair. Hoenn Elite Drake Genji and Kanto Elite Agatha Creepey followed suit. Bill Montgomery glared at Oak before sitting down.
"I'm sure you're not really aware why I've brought you here. But, considering that you're already in the equation, I had to call you. A teenager named Ash Ketchum, a great student of mine, is in potential danger. "
"Ash Ketchum? We don't know of any Ash Ketchum. Who's he?" Drake asked, "Sam, be a bit more specific. Besides, what sort of name is Ash? No, I haven't met any Ash. "
"Well... as Drake so wisely explained, " Steven added snidely, "Ash is a Name that would stick with us for generations. "
Only Bill smiled.
"Somewhat longish black hair, really chocolate eyes, goes by the name Red, sound familiar?"
A look of comprehension dawned on everybody's faces.
"Wait! So his real name wasn't Red?" Steven asked, "He's lying?!"
"You stupid boy, haven't you heard? Had he been lying for fun, Sam would've confiscated his license long ago. " Agatha elicited a howl from Steven by wisely whacking him on the head, "And manners!"
"Ah! Anyway, why did he lie? Uncle Derrick practically named him second in command to me, and with Bill's endorsement, the kid controls both Silph and Devon. What's the catch? I Don't understand. "
"You named him Heir?" Oak burst out in shock, "And Bill too?"
"Uncle Derrick gave him the brother of my Metagross. It was premeditated. That particular Metagross line usually goes to powerful members of my family. Metagross live for centuries. So Uncle told me that the one who could control my brother is the next in line after my father and myself. " Steven explained. "And Bill's father seems to have passed the particular Master Management Card, that only members of the family get usually. These practices are generation- old norms. What changed?"
Truly, what changed? What kind of game were Robert Mazor Montgomery (the rumors that he had been killed abroad the SS Anne was untrue) and Derrick Stone (now replaced by Simon Stone) playing? He vowed to meet them after they returned from the business conference at Commerce City. He had a meeting scheduled with them at Star City after the event.
"Drake, you and Steven better keep an eye on him. I don't know, pick him up on a ship between Cinnabar Island and Fuchsia City, Drake? Or maybe you're hunting fossils in Cinnabar Island, Steven? I can't say that I want him to be involved in danger. Bill, you keep contact with him, too. Agatha... you contact Lance. "
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Samuel Oak cursed his luck at the ongoing events.
Catching a private jet at Commerce City, Robert and Simon had been coming to Star City.
In the meantime, the flight exploded in a tragic fuel accident.
Foul Play was suspected, but definitely not spoken of aloud in the investigation.
Lance had to publicly dismiss the matter at face value.
Samuel Oak held no Illusions as to what exactly Team Rocket had been up to, and that hardly consoled him in any way.
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(A/N: 1. So Devon Co and Silph Co have ulterior motives. I wonder what they can be? Also, Team Rocket killed them. This must tie into the plot.
2. Oak wants to watch Ash for his own, rather benevolent reasons. )