“Jet! Wake up!” Jet felt a large strong hand shaking him awake.
“Baba? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong, just get dressed.”
Jet rolled out of bed still drowsy. He slipped on a pair of jeans and an old t-shit and then his flip-flops. Jet looked out his bedroom window. Cool, misty air washed over Jet. The shades were drawn but it didn’t take a genius to tell it was the middle of the night.
Jet’s dad seemed frantic. The man normally moved with the smoothness and speed of a Scizor. Not at the moment. At the moment he was all shaky. Even Jet could tell something was wrong.
“Baba. Where is mom?”
“She’s moving the sick Pokemon to Professor’s lab. They can’t be here right now. We can’t either. We need to hurry and get you over there next.”
“What’s going on?”
Dad grabbed Jet’s hand and led him across the waiting room and to the front door. The large man threw open the door. Jet saw lights as a large black SUV pulled up into their yard. Several Jeeps followed behind it.
“There he is!”
“Kumshambulia!”
“Kumshambulia!” The men called the word to attack Baba.
“Koko ni iro watashi no aizu o mate!” Another man shouted in a language that Jet had never heard before.
Jet’s baba slammed the door. He grabbed the nearest bookcase and tossed it down over the door barricading it. He pulled a belt from by the door, three Pokeball’s hung from his belt. Baba dragged Jet back into the waiting room. He pulled up a rug that was on the ground and lifted up the trap door.
“Get in,” he simply said.
“Baba what’s going on?” Jet could feel his heart beating in his chest.
“Get in and stay silent.”
He threw Jet down into the crawl space and slammed the trap door in his face. Jet her movement as Baba moved something heavy over the trap door. Jet got up and pushed on the door. It didn’t budge. “Baba please!”
“Stay silent!”
Jet heard the doors smash open and men rushed into the room. Jet moved deeper into the crawlspace. He could only see through the cracks in the floorboards and had to move so he could see what was going on.
“Rhydon!” That was baba. But it didn’t sound like Baba. His voice was gruff and angry. “Kill ‘em! Kill ‘em all!”
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The Rhyhorn Baba had caught and evolved, and it was nasty. Every step it took reverberated through the house. Jet saw through the cracks in the floor as Rhydon picked up a man and tossed him like it was nothing. Aba was fighting too. Punching and kicking the men that rushed into the house in waved.
One man reached for his pokeballs only for Rhyhorn to catch him. It smashed the man’s hand and a scream echoed through the building. Jet had to move again to see.
“Noo! Please, God no!”
There was a loud CRACK and another man went silent.
“Not like this! Not like this!” WHAM! The entire house shook from the force of Rhyhorns blows.
“He’s so fast! Get your pokemon out you–UGHHHH!.”
“Please, I’m sorry! I didn’t know! I didn’t know! AHHHH!”
There was the sound of more scuffle and one voice cut through everything. One voice with a thick accent.
“Tentacruel, use Hydro Pump!”
“No!” Baba screamed.
Jet heard a gush of water. Rhydon screamed and the house reverberated yet again this time with the sound of Rhydon slamming against a wall.
“Another Hydro Pump!” This voice had a thick accent. The sound of the attack came again. Drips of water splashed over Jet’s face from above. “Another!”
“Stop it you bastard. Rhydon has already been knocked out! It’s unable to battle.”
“Tentacruel…” the voice said again. “Another Hydro Pump.”
Jet tried to move to see what was happening but he couldn’t. All he could hear was Rhydon’s screams.
“You bastard. I’ll kill you.” Baba spat.
Jet heard distinct footsteps. The fighting had stopped and this man was walking into the house.
“I also have a Rhydon--well its Rhyperior now. They are very strong. Very loyal. Too bad about the 4xs weakness to water. Tentacruel. Use hydro pump!"
"Stooooop!!" Baba screamed.
The attack went off again. Jet felt the mist as water from the attack sprayed across his face. Rhydon didn't scream this time. It was silent.
"Hello, Uragirimono. I wish I could say I’m happy to see you.” The man said.
“How dare you come into my home!? I thought you changed! I thought you were a better person now?!” Baba growled.
“I am. When I was your boss my goal was power. Now my goal has grown so much higher. However, I need people like you. You were the best tracker we had. Join me. Join Team Obsidian.”
“What are you after?”
“You know what I want.”
There was silence for a long moment. Jet could feel his heartbeat in his throat. Whatever it is they want, just give it to them Baba. Just say yes so they go away.
“You won’t win. Last time you were beaten by a 10 year old and his friends. Do you think Trainer Red won’t stop you? Again!”
It was Giovanii. It had to be. Jet’s dad had been a member of Team Rocket. Giovanii was the former leader of Team Rocket but after his defeat by Ace Trainer Red years ago he disappeared. Was he back? Was Giovanii back after all this time!?
The man (Giovanii) with the weird accent just sighed. “Beat him. We'll charge him with poaching and send him to Ewon City.”
“You Bastard!” Baba screamed.
Jet heard his Baba scream and the sound of a fist slamming against his Baba’s face. Jet covered his mouth to not scream. To not alert the men who were beating the shit out of his father. He didn’t cry. If he cried they would find him. So Jet stayed silent. Even when he heard the cars drive off into the night. Even when his mother came home Jet stayed silent. For hours. Jet stayed silent. It’s what his father had asked him to do.