43. Master Ball

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Despite his efforts, he pushed several times, but the Team Rocket member showed no signs of waking up.

Startled, he was about to cry out when he suddenly felt something behind him. Whipping his head around, he found a large, round black face pressed against his own.

Before he could scream, a thick, slobbery tongue licked his face.

In an instant, he felt his head spin, and like his companion, he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

"Jie jie..." Gastly cackled mischievously. "Enjoy your nightmares!"

Having incapacitated the two Team Rocket members, Gastly turned its attention to the array of surveillance equipment in the room.

A Shadow Ball began to form before it hurled at the main control console. With a burst of sparks, the monitors flickered and went dark.

"That should do it."

Satisfied, Gastly nodded at its handiwork and prepared to vanish, but just then, the walkie-talkie on the desk crackled to life.

"Monitoring room? I thought I heard something just now. What's going on over there?"

Gastly's form shimmered and morphed until it perfectly resembled one of the unconscious Team Rocket members. Picking up the walkie-talkie, it mimicked the original voice flawlessly. "Report: Everything's normal here. The noise earlier was just me bumping into a chair."

"Understood," came the voice from the other end, without a hint of suspicion. "Continue monitoring!"

On the fifteenth floor, Kai peeked cautiously down the corridor. As soon as the red light on the monitor faded, he knew Gastly had succeeded.

Gesturing to Sabrina, the two began making their way toward the stairwell.

In their current situation, taking the elevator was too risky. If discovered, they'd have no chance of escape.

However, luck was not on their side. Just as they reached the stairs, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from below.

Kai froze. The footsteps were alarmingly close, and there wasn't enough time to retreat to their previous room.

Before he could decide on a course of action, Sabrina grabbed his sleeve and pulled him into a nearby room.

They barely managed to close the door before several Team Rocket members emerged onto their floor.

Realizing they couldn't afford to be discovered, both quickly scanned the room for a hiding spot.

It appeared to be a recreation room belonging to Silph Co., with several pool tables, sofas, and potted plants scattered about. In the far corner, a row of tall lockers stood side by side.

Hurrying over, they attempted to open the lockers, but each one was locked.

Just as Sabrina was about to use her psychic powers to force one open, Kai managed to tug a door loose.

It was just big enough for the two of them to squeeze inside. With footsteps growing louder, Sabrina ducked in first.

Kai quickly recalled Kirlia into its Poké Ball and joined her in the cramped space.

Although the locker accommodated both of them, it was still tight, forcing them into proximity.

Their breathing was shallow and audible, mingling in the confined air.

They had no time to dwell on the awkwardness. The activity room door creaked open as several Team Rocket members entered.

"Search the place thoroughly," one of them barked. "Leave no stone unturned!"

"Captain," another protested, "haven't we already swept the entire building? Why go through it again?"

"Fool!" the captain snapped. "This place is massive, and those scientists are crafty. They might still be hiding somewhere. Our plan cannot afford any slip-ups, so stay sharp!"

Footsteps approached the lockers. One grunt tugged at a locker door but found it firmly locked. Grumbling, he moved to the next one. The same result.

When he reached Kai and Sabrina's locker, Kai braced himself, expecting the worst.

However, the grunt yanked at the handle only to find it immovable, thanks to Sabrina's psychic powers.

"Why are all these lockers locked?" he muttered before moving on.

Across the room, the captain called out, "What's the situation? All locked? Fine. Move on to the next room."

"But, Captain," one grunt complained, "can't we take a break? We've been combing floor after floor without stopping."

"Yeah, just a short rest," another chimed in.

After a moment's hesitation, the captain relented. "Alright, five minutes. Then we resume the search."

The grunts cheered softly and slumped onto the sofas.

Inside the dim, stifling locker, Kai and Sabrina remained silent. The air was growing stuffy, and the temperature steadily rose in the enclosed space.

Meanwhile, in the room, the grunts took advantage of the break to chat idly.

"Captain, what's the big deal about this operation anyway?"

As lower-ranked members, they weren't privy to the details of Team Rocket's mission. Curious, they pestered the captain for answers.

At first, the captain was tight-lipped but eventually gave in. "Fine, fine. I'll share a little. But keep it to yourselves."

Clearing his throat, he continued, "The assets of Silph Co. are valuable, but our real target is the Master Ball they've been secretly developing!"

"Master Ball?" one grunt echoed, confused. "What's that?"

The captain's expression lit up with excitement. "It's the ultimate Poké Ball. They say it can catch any Pokémon no battle, no effort required, and with a 100% success rate!"

"No way!" one of the grunts gasped.

"Believe it," the captain chuckled. "That's why Team Rocket has gone to such lengths to seize this place. If we get our hands on the Master Ball, capturing rare and powerful Pokémon will be child's play!"

The grunts murmured in awe at the revelation, their fatigue momentarily forgotten.

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