Pokémon XYZ: Life, Death, Order, and Chaos (book 2 of the HBoD series)

Chapter 51: Infiltrating Team Flare's HQ

"Go fish."

"Ugh, not again."

The waiter was bored, extremely so, so he and his fellow employee were playing Go Fish with a stacks of cards they found left behind by a customer. With business slow that rainy evening and nothing else to do, they begun a game. If only a cust-

The bell situated above the door jingled and both the waiter and waitress jerked up from where they rested their elbows on the red counter. Someone wearing a soaked trench coat and trilby hat. He tipped his hat at them and spoke in a accented voice. "Coffee, please," he took a seat close to the counter, heaving a sigh. "Extra sugar, black."

The waiter nodded and started a brew. The brown-haired waitress, not wanting to seem like she was being lazy on the job, pretended to make herself busy by going behind the counter and bending low to move stuff around in the cupboards. The customer glanced around him, getting up and moving over to the cabinet housing antique glassware. He appeared to admire them, which the waiter took notice of when he turned his head.

"Oh," he looked surprised, his eyes narrowing for a second. "You have an interest in our old teapots? We're quite proud of them here." He delivered a soft kick to his fellow employee and her hand drifted to beneath her apron.

"Yeah, actually," the customer traced a finger over one, noting the dust and plastic.

"Now," the waiter took a step to lean over the counter. "We don't allow customers to touch those. If you would please step-"

"Fakes," the customer removed his hat and sat it on a table, brushing his short bangs. "I mean, if you're going to use this as a secret door, you don't want to accidentally drop real antiques now would you?"

He heard twin sounds of Pokemon being released and he glanced back to see a Scrafty on the counter and a Liepard standing between him and the entrance. The waiter glared at him. "Who are you and how much do you know?"

The man grinned, putting his hand into an inside pocket and pulling out a wallet, flipping it open to reveal a badge. "I'm Agent Looker of the International Police. As members of Team Flare, you two and your Pokemon are under arrest. It's advised you come quietly."

The two Cafe employees, aka grunts of Team Flare, glanced at each other before both shaking their heads, the waitress speaking this time. "That isn't going to happen. In order for our new world to come to pass, we'll have to silence you."

Looker sighed. "I was afraid it would come to this." He glanced regretfully around the cafe. "Shame. Aside from the fake antiques, I would hate to ruin the decor. I do like the red."

In an instant, Scrafty was carried from the counter and slammed into the wall behind the waiter, knocking the brew of coffee on the ground. Both Flare grunts looked shocked when a Pokemon materialized into existence on a table, finger outstretched like a gun. 

"Inteleon," Looker nodded and the Pokemon flipped into the air, hand covered in darkness. Liepard crouched, ready to pounce, but Inteleon slammed his fist into her side before she could react, sending her skidding along the floor, knocking over several chairs. 

Looker raised his fists as both waiters leaped over the counter, evading both blows. He punched the waiter in the gut and kicked the waitress' feet off the ground. Liepard shook herself and lunged forwards, claws elongated. Inteleon went to one knee and shot out his finger, a concentrated bullet of water blasting into Liepard and sending her through the glass doors and outside into the rain. He leaped back as Scrafty's knee collided with the floor where the Water type had just been, flinching at the pain.

Looker had got the guy on the ground and had clipped a handcuff onto his wrist, connecting the other part to the table leg embedded in the ground as he looked back at his Pokemon. "You doing okay, Inteleon?"