"Gentlemen, let's discuss the specific details of the mission," said Rox, addressing the three present.
Clearly, he had already placed himself as the leader of the operation.
Tenebris and Umbra exchanged a glance. Both could see in the other's eyes a clear disdain and restrained mockery.
The two of them sat silently in a corner of the room, watching Rox stand in the center, about to lay out his plan.
Cain, for his part, remained comfortably seated on his sofa, with an air of complete indifference, as if none of it had anything to do with him.
Rox's face tensed slightly, but he didn't explode.
He had recently disrespected Umbra, and now both were paying him back. At the very least, things were even.
Taking a breath to compose himself, he continued, "According to Team Rocket's internal information, the three legendary birds inhabit different mountains within the same archipelago."
"Based on our data, the most powerful of the three is Moltres, followed by Articuno, and finally Zapdos. The question is: should each of us face one separately, or should we go together, one by one, until we capture them all?"
Both strategies had clear advantages.
Facing the birds separately meant completing the mission faster, but it also carried far more risk.
On the other hand, going together for each one was safer, but much slower.
It was obvious that Rox preferred the first option. That way, he would have a chance to stand out, showcase his strength, and establish himself as a power figure within Team Rocket.
"So then... what suggestion does the great Rox have?" asked Umbra with a mocking smile.
Rox, pretending not to notice the sarcasm—or simply ignoring it—replied after a few seconds of thought: "I think the best option is to complete the mission quickly. We can't keep the research team waiting too long."
With that, he turned his head to look at Cain, who was still playing with his small black spheres—mental blockers—without paying attention.
"This gentleman is unfamiliar to me. What is his role in the mission?"
Since the beginning, Rox had felt uncomfortable with Cain's presence. In his opinion, he, Umbra, and Tenebris were more than enough to handle the mission without involving another Team Rocket member.
Upon hearing the question, Cain abruptly stopped playing with the small dark spheres between his fingers and stood up without saying a word.
That sudden movement startled Rox, who thought he had provoked him.
But Cain simply stood, scanned the three with his eyes, and said, "You carry on. I have another mission. I'm going to rest."
And with a casual gesture, he left. His black cloak fluttered softly as he exited, leaving nothing behind but silence.
His face remained concealed by psychic abilities, hiding the satisfied smile on his lips.
Inside the room, only Rox seemed confused by the situation.
Umbra and Tenebris, on the other hand, allowed discreet smiles to appear once Cain had left.
Even though Cain was no longer actively part of the meeting, they knew he would stay informed. Especially Umbra, who would probably report everything to him.
The island where the birds were located lay in the middle of the ocean. At the current speed of the aerial fortress, they would arrive in less than a day.
The true objective of the mission was to obtain the genes of the three legendary birds. That's why they had deployed the aerial fortress.
Once captured, the genetic data could be collected directly in the mobile lab onboard the system.
At that point, even if something unexpected occurred, the mission would already be complete and they could retreat without issue.
Moreover, the aerial fortress housed a large number of Team Rocket members. If necessary, they could conduct a thorough search of the island.
Unbeknownst to anyone, when the fortress took off from Cinnabar Island, a mysterious figure began following it from a great distance. They moved as if they could predict exactly where the aircraft was heading.
It was still unclear who it was, but they were riding a Charizard.
Their intentions were unknown.
And most concerning of all: no one in the fortress had noticed their presence.
...
In his room, Cain sat cross-legged on the bed, perfectly regulating his physical and mental state.
He knew that, when the time came, he would act alone. Anything could happen, and he had to be ready.
After a moment of reflection, he tossed a Poké Ball.
"Kekeke~!" Gengar appeared before him.
"Gengar, scout the inside of the fortress. Make sure no one notices you," ordered Cain.
The Pokémon nodded and vanished underground.
"It's a shame... I haven't had the chance to access the fortress's central system. If only I could..."
His eyes glowed with a strange light.
He was sure that, if he could connect his system to the central computer for just a few minutes, he could take full control of the aerial fortress.
Maybe he wouldn't be able to use it immediately, but it would definitely serve as an escape route in a future crisis.
Next, Cain summoned Slowking and Ralts, and asked them to place a spatial marker in the room.
A safety measure. An anchor.
Now, all that remained was to patiently wait for the battle to begin.
As night fell, the aerial fortress, despite its imposing appearance, moved at a steady pace.
It was only then that they approached the islands of the three birds.
That data came from years of Team Rocket marine research. They knew the birds moved between several islands. They had been sighted, but with little direct interaction.
Now that they were trying to capture them all at once, the task wouldn't be easy.
Still in his room, Cain took out his communicator.
Upon seeing the message on the screen, he smiled maliciously.
"So confident, huh? Thinking you can face the strongest, Moltres, on your own?"
It was a message from Umbra. Apparently, they had already decided how to divide the mission.
Rox would face Moltres, the most powerful.
Tenebris would take on Articuno, with intermediate power.
Umbra, lastly, would deal with Zapdos, considered the weakest.
Overall, the distribution was quite reasonable.
Though, of course, no one had counted Cain into the equation.
After confirming the details, Cain summoned Slowking once again.
"Slowking, I entrust this secret letter to you," Cain said with an enigmatic tone.
Slowking immediately understood. With a nod, he vanished using Teleport.
No one, except him and Cain, knew where he had gone.
Not long after, Gengar returned.
He emerged from the floor beside Cain and, through telepathy, transmitted everything he had discovered.
Since Gengar had reached Elite level, he had finally learned how to properly use his psychic communication abilities.
(End of chapter)