"Are you absolutely certain there are no more Team Rocket members around?" Ethan Cross asked cautiously.
"If there were, I'd have told you by now," Carl replied with a shrug. "Relax a bit."
Ethan was a bit exasperated. Could you blame him for being overly cautious? Given the number of Team Rocket members present, he had to be vigilant.
"I'll handle Leah," Lorelei said, walking towards her.
"Don't worry, Lorelei. I'm not going to do anything reckless," Leah assured, raising her hands in surrender while keeping her Pokémon calm inside its Pokéball. She understood her situation well—Ethan and Professor Oak were seasoned champion trainers. Add in Lance and Cynthia, and unless she had some extraordinary powers or a psychic Pokémon, she wasn't going anywhere. Even someone as skilled as Aiden was easily subdued, so she didn't stand a chance.
"You're an Elite Four member, maintain some decorum," Carl suddenly interjected, looking slightly embarrassed. Leah was dressed in sporty denim shorts and a short shirt, showing off her toned midriff with an unmistakable charm.
"Oh my, did we find a shy boy in the crowd?" Leah teased, noticing Carl's reaction and leaning forward provocatively instead of backing down.
"Hey! Cut it out!" Carl broke into a cold sweat. He noticed Aiden's dagger inching closer to his neck—not because Aiden was making a move, but because Sabrina and Caitlin had loosened their control, clearly warning him.
"Darn it!" Aiden was more frustrated than Carl. He felt underestimated, stating coldly, "If it weren't for you two suppressing me, I would have succeeded."
He knew there was no escape. The masked figure had shown him what a champion-level trainer was capable of. Teleportation was useless; there were countless ways they could track him. Especially with Caitlin and Sabrina, two psychic masters, present.
His original plan was to take Carl hostage and make his escape. But he couldn't truly harm Carl, knowing the masked figure wouldn't forgive him if he did. Unfortunately, his plan failed as Sabrina and Caitlin had already anticipated his move and were ready to counter him.
------------------------
Patreon Advance Chapters: p@treon .com / kirekky
"You thought they wouldn't act and you could succeed?" Carl smiled mysteriously, secretly communicating with Cosmo.
"Isn't that right?" Aiden asked, unwilling to accept defeat.
"What do you think?" Carl's voice suddenly echoed in Aiden's mind.
Aiden's eyes widened in shock. "You're a psychic too? And so powerful!"
Watching Carl reappear behind him with no warning was terrifying. This kind of teleportation was on a heavenly level.
Ethan and the others weren't surprised. After all, this was the all-knowing Carl.
"Now I get it," Aiden said bitterly. "They coordinated their actions on your cue, didn't they?" He realized, feeling frustrated. "Did you alert them to guard against me through telepathy?"
"Of course!" Carl replied with a knowing smile.
"I heard rumors you might know everything, but I didn't believe it until now. Today was just bad luck, running into you."
"I should have fled at the first sign of trouble," Aiden thought, regretting his decisions.
Since Team Rocket's exposure in Kanto, the masked figure had warned them to be wary of Carl. But Aiden had dismissed it as fear-mongering. Now he was paying the price.
"Did the masked figure tell you I know everything?" Carl mused, rubbing his chin. "He knows who I am?"
"Given his position, he could find out my identity without raising suspicion. Unlike Giovanni, who lost his source after leaving Kanto and had to send Sabrina to investigate."
"Interesting," Carl chuckled.
Aiden, hearing this, felt both shocked and intrigued. "You know his true identity?"
From a young age, Aiden had admired the masked figure, considering him a mentor. Yet he had never seen his face, nor dared to investigate out of curiosity.
"The masked figure's identity?" Carl nodded. "Of course, I know."
Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to Carl. Even Ethan held his breath.
"But I won't tell," Carl said, changing the topic.
"Why not?" Lance asked urgently.
He had always wanted to bring the founder of Team Rocket to justice.
"I have my reasons," Carl replied calmly.
There was no need to give information for free; this wasn't a charity.
Want information? Fine. Bring something valuable in exchange!
Otherwise, it all depended on his mood.
As for the masked figure, this was a great opportunity for leverage.
"Lance!" Professor Oak and Ethan both intervened to stop Lance from pressing further. Their experience told them the situation was more complicated than it seemed.
"My apologies," Lance quickly realized, apologizing.
"No problem," Carl replied with a smile.
"So, what would it take for you to reveal the masked figure's identity?" Ethan asked directly.
"Now's not the time," Carl refused decisively.
"Can you at least tell us why?" Ethan asked gently.
"Can't say much," Carl paused. "But it's in your best interests."
Professor Oak chimed in, "Carl, could you elaborate?"
Carl glanced at Leah and Aiden, then turned to Lance. "You must be wondering why I only mentioned Archie?"
Lance nodded; that was indeed his question.
"It's simple," Carl explained. "They're not on the same side."
This revelation left everyone stunned. Granny Joyce tightened her grip on her cane. "You mean there are factions within Team Rocket?"
This realization made everyone aware that the situation was more complex than they imagined.
"Team Rocket is indeed divided into two factions," Carl confirmed.
He hadn't planned to say so much, but explaining bit by bit was tedious. Since the conversation had reached this point, he decided to lay all the cards on the table.
"Don't rush with questions," Carl raised his hand to stop Ethan and Professor Oak from speaking. "I'll tell you everything. Just listen."
"It all starts with Team Rocket's two founders."
"Founders?" Everyone perked up, even Leah and Aiden, who were Team Rocket members, were all ears. Although Team Rocket had existed for over thirty years, its origins were still a mystery.
"Lorelei, hurry up," Grace urged, nudging Leah to focus on the story.
Lorelei sighed, placing custom handcuffs on Leah and putting her Pokéball into a blocking case. These cuffs restricted psychic abilities, and the metal box could isolate the Pokémon's senses.
"Hurry it up!" Aiden urged Bruno. To him, hearing these secrets was far more interesting than any battle.
Lance personally secured Lt. Surge. Once all three were restrained, Carl continued, "The two founders were a masked man and Giovanni's mother. One from Johto, the other from Kanto. They met while searching for legendary Pokémon."
"The masked man needed manpower to complete his plans, while Giovanni's mother loved money and wanted to build an empire. Together, they founded Team Rocket when Giovanni was just a young boy."
------------------------
Patreon Advance Chapters: p@treon .com / kirekky