Pokémon Fool's Gold | Orre & Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 29: Five Prisoners

Parvor joined celebrations at a Highway 1 diner. He'd won his Gem Badge along with Seth and Lumir. Zane texted Amber to tell them where they were, but it couldn't be delivered. Cassia twizzled one of her fries in her hand.

'They've gone off for a shag, I'm telling you.'

She didn't hesitate to say it in Leon's hearing. He looked uncomfortable. Zane heard him whisper to Hop that he hoped they were being careful.

'I'm sure they are, Lee. She's smart and he's a nice lad.'

His reassurance didn't help. Zane wasn't sure he agreed with Cassia. Trip went with Amber to keep her safe from that weird reporter, not to get into her pants before their friends had even finished battling. Why was her phone off? He didn't dare tell Leon. His uncle hated being considered fragile, but everyone drilled it into Zane that he was prone to debilitating panic attacks and heart problems since his accident.

'Hey, Seth, Lumir. I challenge you both! A multi battle against me and Cass!'

Seth spoke through a mouth full of pancakes. 'Now? We've only just...'

'Our eyes met! You can't refuse! Come on!'

'Zane!' Jovi called after him as he steered Seth and Lumir outside, 'Your food will go cold!'

'I'll have defeated them in a minute, mom!'

Cassia didn't join them. Zane didn't expect her to. His smile faded when he turned to his friends.

'I don't really want to battle. I'm worried about Amber and Trip. But I don't want to say it in front of Lee.'

Seth frowned. 'It is kinda weird. But where would they have gone in broad daylight?'

'Everyone was in the colosseum. Anything could've happened.'

He held up Trip's gym bag. 'Trip didn't even have all his Pokémon. His wallet and P★DA are still in here, too. Sorry, but I don't believe they eloped without his stuff. They've been kidnapped.'

***

Amber knew now there were eight guards. One clearly hated his job. He grumbled about Znider and took his time starting his shift. In those minutes of absence she befriended a Backpacker, Draven, in the cell opposite. He was tracked down after photographing the lab while wandering off the beaten track in Fool's Gold Regional Park. That was why she was here, too. April unwittingly discovered the lab when she needed somewhere to hide with the stolen van, which the Chasers who originally stole it apparently planned to sell to Cipher. They'd tracked April since. Amber and Trip happened to be with her when they came.

Neither Amber nor Bianka wanted to listen to April. They huddled together to stop her prodding and questioning Amber while she slept. There was no passing of day or night in the cells. They didn't even have a clock. Amber broke a piece off a plate and scratched lines, indicating guard changes, into the floor to tell the time. She was tracking something other than just the time, too, but she didn't tell Bianka or Draven that. It had been three days. With every hour that passed, her concerns for her Pokémon and Trip grew. She didn't ask even the nicer guard. She wanted to seem as helpless and compliant as possible so they didn't expect her to escape.

Her questions about Trip were answered regardless. On the morning of the fourth day, he was dumped in the cell on top of his crutches. Amber contemplated running, because it was the first time the door opened fully, but the guard was accompanied by three Cipher Peons. Then it was locked again. They departed with a sharp warning to Trip.