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"Mysterious ship? Out at sea… no wonder there's been no trace of the missing people. With this endless ocean, finding someone is easier said than done."
Hearing the old fisherman mutter, Sato's eyes narrowed. His gaze shifted toward the boundless horizon, thoughts stirring.
He now understood why the Slateport police had mobilized so many officers but still found nothing. Clearly, the Oceanic Research Institute staff had been taken out to sea by their captors.
And once at sea, even the best-trained police dogs were useless — the ocean erased every scent.
The kidnappers' methods were professional, leaving no trail behind. Expecting the police to find them under such conditions would be absurd.
"Thank you for clearing things up, sir. I've got other matters, so I won't trouble you further."
After getting the information he wanted, Sato bowed politely, then left the small fishing village. With a little money, he hitched a ride heading toward the city.
On the way, he used his communicator to call Captain Reggie, recounting every detail of Prof. Todd's disappearance.
Reggie and Prof. Todd were clearly close friends. The moment Reggie heard his old companion was missing, he couldn't sit still. He rushed ashore and made his way to the Pokémon Center in central Slateport, arranging to meet Sato there.
By the time Sato's taxi pulled up to the Pokémon Center, Reggie had already arrived, flanked by two sharp-eyed, capable sailors. He was currently in a room with an Officer Jenny, who wore a strained smile while speaking with him.
"Tyler, you're here! The captain's fuming right now — hurry in and help calm him down."
At the entrance, a burly man greeted Sato with a laugh, then whispered by his ear.
This was Rico, the ship's first mate. Orphaned long ago, he had been raised by Reggie, said to be the son of one of Reggie's fallen comrades. Loyal to the core, he had stayed by the captain's side for decades, treating him like a father.
Since the ghost ship incident, where Sato had fought bravely and even saved Reggie's beloved cruise liner, the first mate had viewed him very favorably — buying him drinks and meals over the past two days.
"Brother Rico, come on. If the captain's angry, I'd better stand aside too. I wouldn't dare cross that line."
Sato grinned sincerely at Rico's words, replying with a bit of humor.
Rico sighed, "Mr. Todd's gone missing — the captain's beside himself. Todd is one of his few remaining old friends. When he asks you questions later, just don't go into too much detail. The captain's getting on in years, his health isn't great, and he was injured not long ago. I don't want him collapsing from anger."
Hearing this, Sato's expression sobered. He nodded, signaling that he understood.
Reggie noticed Sato's arrival at once. Letting the sweaty Officer Jenny off the hook, he turned to question Sato about the Oceanic Institute.
But Sato didn't know much more than what he had already told Reggie over the phone. So, he simply filled in the details he hadn't mentioned, and added his own deductions — that the kidnappers wanted something important from Prof. Todd and his colleagues, though their lives likely weren't in danger.
Reggie's rigid face eased slightly.
"Didn't expect you to be such a sharp thinker, Tyler. Your guess lines up with what the police here have been fumbling with. Todd and the others must've been taken out to sea. Damn it… but how the hell are we supposed to find them in this endless ocean?"
He spoke bluntly, right in front of Officer Jenny.
She, however, didn't flinch. Knowing Reggie's standing in the League far outweighed her own — and considering her team hadn't made any breakthroughs yet — she endured the scolding with a calm face, as if she hadn't heard a thing.
Then, her sharp eyes shifted to Sato. She had already heard about the cruise ship's ghost ship incident two days ago, and the name "Tyler" had crossed her desk.
Before being assigned to brief Reggie on the Oceanic Institute situation, she had investigated Tyler through League channels. She knew he had once been a top student at Goldenrod Academy, his recent misfortune, and his miraculous recovery from a hospital bed.
And after hearing his sound deductions just now, she was convinced: this young man, who had already brushed shoulders with death, was no ordinary person. His background as a Goldenrosd Academy elite was undeniable.
"Hello, Mr. Tyler. Thank you for your heroic actions the other day. I'm Officer Jenny, a detective with Slateport City's League Police. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Recalling what she'd read, Officer Jenny softened her tone and extended a hand.
"Hello. I'm Tyler."
Playing the withdrawn character of Tyler, Sato kept his face neutral. He shook her hand briefly, giving no more than a flat introduction.
Officer Jenny didn't take offense. She knew how trauma and brushes with death could reshape someone's personality. She simply nodded and smiled in return.
Her report to Reggie soon ended. With a formal salute, she excused herself and left the room.
Since he had joined midway, Sato didn't catch every detail of her briefing. But when he heard the words Team Aqua, he immediately grasped the severity of the case.
Though Jenny hadn't explicitly said why Team Aqua had kidnapped the researchers, it was clear they had not only taken people but also stolen something of great value.
And that item was dangerous — if it fell into the wrong hands, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Evidently, Team Aqua's true goal had been to steal that valuable object. But realizing midway they lacked the means to use it, they abducted the researchers as well.
"Captain, what do you plan to do? I'm afraid this is beyond what we can interfere in. Please, don't act rashly."
After some thought, Sato looked at Reggie's stormy expression and urged him to remain calm.