Pokemon Heroes: Sinnoh Saga [Book 1]

Chapter 60: Seaside Route 213

"Should we have taken our time as we did on Route 213? Probably not, but the white sand beaches and the warm water lapping at the shore was enough to draw us in. The sunsets were fantastic, and the dawns were even better. It was one of the southernmost shores of Sinnoh, and every here could agree it was one of the prettiest. As life-long citizens of the region, nothing—save for the Resort Area. Besides, we needed the time to swallow the information we were given by Looker and his interrogation of the Galactic Grunt. The Grunt got hauled off to jail, and he's likely still rotting there. But he gave us information invaluable to bringing down Team Galactic."

Sam and the others rode their Rapidash towards the white sand shore.

They stopped as their Rapidash's hooves touched the water. They'd camp here; just a few feet from where the waterline would be once the sun had gone down.

It would provide them a large space for them and their Pokémon.

As well as ample room for a fire pit, some rocks to sit on, and a place to sit and discuss the information Looker had gleaned from interrogating the Team Galactic Grunt.

He had learned much.

It was a mix of what they already knew, coupled with some new information.

It was an hour before the group had finally set up camp and got the fire roaring. They and their Pokémon sat there, around the fire, talking about everything Looker had shared with them.

"Galactic Commander Alexios, huh?" asked Jeremy.

"Yup," nodded Sam, "Seems so. Head of Research and Development; he works closely with Galactic Admin Charon, Head of Science and Experimentation."

"That was them we saw at the Galactic Eterna Building then...those two people doing experiments on Pokémon and people," added Niya, "That's horrible...fucking terrible."

Sam nodded again.

They had learned that Team Galactic was an organization that had originally been founded under the guise of creating renewable energy sources. They had constructed the Valley Windworks and paid for most of it until selling it off to the Sinnoh Region.

Their headquarters was the Galactic Veilstone Building, with a warehouse entrance and a hidden street entrance.

They had a secondary headquarters in Eterna—the Galactic Eterna Building. But intervention from Sam and friends had reduced their Eterna building to an empty, abandoned husk of its former self.

Team Galactic left nothing behind of value or of import. Nothing was learned from excavating that building.

Interpol still planned to make an attack on the Veilstone Building in the near future, but for now it was impregnable save for Looker's investigations.

The Grunt also divulged the team's hierarchy. At the top was the boss, a man named Cyrus, he was seconded by Galactic Commander Jupiter. Following Jupiter was a man named Saturn, who was often tasked with watching over the Galactic Veilstone Building when Cyrus was absent. After Saturn was Commander Mars.

The group was familiar with Saturn as the woman leading the Eterna operation. Mars was there too, but they had first come across her at the Valley Windworks where she stalled the group long enough to achieve their goal of stealing energy from the Windworks.

Saturn had apparently been the blue-haired man Sam and Jeremy had seen in charge of Team Galactic's takeover of the Pokétch Company in Jubilife City, though they hadn't met him personally or battled him head on.

Saturn seemed the type to sit back and let his grunts do the work, rather than Mars or Saturn, who were far more direct in their approaches to leadership.

The Grunt was never able to confirm whether Saturn, Jupiter and Mars were their real names, or nicknames developed to protect their real identities.

Rounding off the Galactic Leadership were Commander Charon and Commander Alexios. Charon was, as previously mentioned, Head of Science and Experimentation. Alexios was the Head of Research and Development. He was also one of Team Galactic's two leading experts on the ancient Pokémon of Sinnoh's legends.

Cyrus himself was the other.

Team Galactic's true pants were not revealed, however. The Grunt claimed he didn't know—whether or not he told the truth was still to be seen. But all he could say was that Team Galactic's plans involved the Legendary Pokémon and making the world a better place.

As for their operation in the Great Marsh and the massive explosion, all the grunt knew was that the explosive device was known as the Galactic Bomb. The explosion at the Great Marsh had only been a test...a test of something yet to come.

Alexios had developed the Galactic Bomb, and it was his brainchild. He had recruited the grunt randomly along with a few others to assist in the testing of this bomb.

They had planted it several days before it went off and made their escape in the confusion. Unfortunately, the group of Galactic operatives had been discovered right as they were making their escape—and while most of them escape, Sam had managed to capture the grunt whom Looker interrogated.

The information in regard to the Galactic Bomb terrified not only the group, but Looker and the local police force as well.

Team Galactic could strike anywhere, at any time, with a force stronger than any known explosive yet.

To what end? No one knew.

Sam and the others armed themselves with this knowledge and were now on a constant lookout for suspicious activities out in this direction of Sinnoh.

This was the way that Team Galactic had gone when they escaped Pastoria City. The van was found abandoned just outside the city as well, meaning Alexios and the other grunt had escaped on foot—or using other means of travel. Like Pokémon or a second getaway vehicle.

Some part of everyone wished that they could come across Team Galactic on their way to, and through, the Valor Lakeside Resort. If luck was with them, they'd confront and Alexios and be able to stop him and catch him before he set off another Galactic Bomb...or had the chance to make more.

Sam thought it most likely that Alexios was either heading to the next location they'd be setting off the bomb, or back to the Galactic Veilstone Building where they could regroup and report in.

At this point, either was most likely.

They'd find out soon enough.

If they were striking next in this direction, it made most sense to hit the Valor Lakeside Resort.

But why? What would they gain from it other than senseless destruction and widespread terror?

Unless...no that was another possibility to ponder later, for now, they had dinner to worry about. Their Pokémon had eaten, but now it was time for the four teenagers to do so.

"Come on," sighed Sam, standing up and going over to where the saddlebags sat in the sand, "Let's start cooking. It's getting late and we're all hungry."

"Hey Sam," started Alyssandra as she followed him to the saddlebags.

Sam grunted in response.

"Do you think we'll be able to stop Team Galactic before they set off another one of those Galactic Bombs?" she asked, remembering the images of horror and destruction throughout the Great Marsh and Pastoria City.

All the people and Pokémon dead or wounded because of a single explosive device...it was horrible.

"I think we will," smiled Sam, trying to reassure his friend. The truth was, he wasn't as sure as he made himself look. He was just as worried about not stopping Team Galactic again the next time.

All he could do for now though was cook and hope and try with a burning passion—and do his best to get there first next time.

The world didn't need a repeat of the Great Marsh.