The Mercenary

Keith dropped silently to the floor. "Amethys, use shadow sneak, scope it out."

"Kchtchch" Came the chittered response from the Sableye perched on Keith's shoulder. Her crystal eyes shimmered and her shadow extended across the floor.

Keith knew the Driftveil port house would be well guarded by Pokémon Rangers, and he was frustrated when his client was unable to get him detailed guard positions. Fortunately, Amethys was always useful for this sort of thing.

He waited patiently in the shadows, waiting for Amethys to come out of her trance. On his own, he was able to identify a ranger standing guard outside the room he had infiltrated. Something in this room was important, but it wasn't what Keith was here for.

"Hchchch" Amethys kritched in his ear, signaling she had what she needed.

"Ranger outside the door, when I open it, use brick break." Keith instructed. Amethys nodded and gave a toothy sneer.

Keith pulled open the door and Amethys lunged, swinging her clawed hand in swift chop, she caught the ranger in the neck and crippled to the ground in a heap. Keith knew he heard a snap when Amethys made contact.

He slipped past the body and made his way down the catwalk. He walked past room after room, each adjacent to a sliding conveyor belt. Amethys Kritched in his ear and he stopped, ducking down. Ranger ahead. Keith knew he couldn't risk being seen. These were skilled battlers, they would easily take out Amethys, and he wouldn't be much of a challenge after that.

"Use shadow sneak." Amethys's eyes shimmered, her shadow darted across the ground, rising up behind the ranger and knocking her out. Keith darted forward, catching the body before it made any noise.

Keith looked at the door to his left. "Locked with a fingerprint scan, just like Willy said." He lifted the unconscious body of the ranger and pressed her finger to the scanner.

Negative. The scanner let out a loud beep. "Shit." Keith breathed. He ripped away the scanner, exposing the wires beneath. This wouldn't take long, but still, he was worried it wouldn't be fast enough. He began examining the wires.

Stolen novel; please report.

"What was that?" He heard a voice call. The clock was ticking. The ranger's pokégear chirped, "Ashley, what's going on over there?"

Keith traced the wires carefully, checking where they led and how they connected to the circuit board.

"She's not responding, Vance, go investigate." The pokégear chirped. Keith heard footsteps coming along the catwalk. He carefully took a wire in his hand, looping the copper end around another wire.

"Just one more..." He muttered. The footsteps were getting closer. Keith took careful hold of the last wire, looping the copper around the other two. Carefully he touched it to the power source.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

"Amethys, power gem." Immediately the gemstone on Amethys's chest glowed and produced a beam of light which threw the ranger from the catwalk. The door clicked open, and the alarms to the warehouse began to go off.

Quickly Keith ducked inside the door, clicking it shut behind him and re-engaging the lock.

The room was full of securely locked crates and the walls were lined with filing cabinets. He remembered Willy's instructions. "The opposite wall from the door will have a section free of cabinets, break through it. Team Rocket will be breaking through from the other side, but we won't get through if both sides are not breached."

Keith quickly identified the breach point. "Amethys, use brick break, right there." He pointed at the exposed section of wall. Amethys began chipping away at the wall. Her attack wasn't very strong, but her dedication was unbreakable.

The wall crumbled after seven strong hits, opening the hole and letting in the night air, as well as several Team Rocket grunts. Keith stayed for only a moment, to watch what it was he had been hired for.

The grunts pried open the side of one of the shipping crates, revealing a store of Pokéballs kept inside.

Keith grunted. "Figures." He gave a sharp whistle and a majestic pokémon of pale blue and white fur leaped down from the roof, her nine tails swayed softly in the breeze and her coat shimmered in the moonlight. Keith climbed onto her back. "Let's move, Breeze."

Breeze gave out a proud "Nine!" and raced forward past the Team Rocket trucks.

Keith was dialing Willy's number into his phone when he heard police sirens pick up. He groaned. "Wonderful. Breeze, high gear." Amethys gripped her claws into Keith's coat and Breeze picked up her speed.

Keith looked as one of the approaching cop cars peeled away from the squad and headed in his direction. "Damn it." He hissed, crouching low on Breeze's back. They needed to head for the port.

The squad car was clearly faster than any Ninetales and it was quickly gaining on them. "Breeze, ready!" Keith shouted over the whipping wind and the wailing siren. Breeze called back in response, the proud Ninetales ready for any order.

Keith waited until the absolute last moment before yelling out "Breeze! Ice beam!" Breeze skidded to a stop and opened her mouth, shooting a beam of cold towards the pursuing car, forcing it to peeter to a stop as the insides instantly froze.

Keith lightly kicked Breeze's sides. "Tales!" She cried, turning and racing for the ship docks. Keith quickly scanned each ship. “Come on, come on, destination… Castelia city! Breeze, get on that ship.” Keith pointed Breeze towards a small ferry ship headed for Castelia.

Breeze cried and then leapt over the water onto the boat just as it was pulling away. Keith slid off of Breeze’s back and leaned against the side of the boat. A crewmate approached Keith but was cut off by Breeze, who gave him a menacing growl. “Stay on course. I’m just a passenger.” Keith ordered, his voice held a clear threat.

The crewmate went pale, nodding and hurrying off. Keith rested his head against the gunwale. Breeze curled up against him, her fur helping to warm him in the cool night air. “You did good girls. Both of you.” He gave Amethys a few scratches on the top of her head and let himself drift off.