LOG 15: The Suspicion

From Charlotte's perspective

The morning came as if even the clouds have inner grins. The lines of glare that shot for my eyelids awakened me. Virgo, Zeal, they were still asleep, and sigh, I should probably say Luna is too. Me, I must get up right of as today is another session with Domino.

I prepared my coffee at the cafeteria and went to Domino's office at the same time as always, eight in the morning. It was only her free time before her obligation as a secretary begins. So far, I've been taught of the basics of technology, even if I know it already, but it would be inappropriate to tell her so I shut my lips and went with the flow.

It is, I must admit, at least helpful for the stimulation of my brain. I was able to be refreshed of some terms and their meanings, particularly the long ones with acronyms that are just too hard to be remembered as days go by like CRO or Conversion Rate Optimization. My tongue would always stumble and say Conversation instead of Conversion.

She also gave me a stack of modules for me to read and learn about hacking and stuff like that. I am not a bibliophile nor a bookworm, but as apprentice, I must push myself into this. By doing so, I sacrifice the time I have for Virgo and Zeal. But at least they aren't bummed out or annoyed by it. Zeal's got herself a new friend who's a boy, Virgo's busy with research and Luna? Still in a distant place.

"Hi, Ms. Domino! Early as always!"

"Oh, Charlotte!"

I was wondering why she was walking around with a face scribbled with an anxious expression.

"Is there anything wrong?"

She pointed at the clock. "It's eight fifteen."

"Yup. Like always?"

"No, this isn't about you! It's Madam Boss. She said she's off to have her tea in a Castelian Cafe, but look at the time! Eight fifteen!"

"What's wrong with that?"

"She's usually back here in headquarters by seven!"

"Traffic?"

"She doesn't bring her car. It's just two blocks from what's above here. I'm beginning to suspect something went wrong."

"Don't worry, she'll be back soon enough."

"I do hope. Team Plasma's still out there. I'm sure of it. What she did, to send Luna away was an absurd move! I know I'm loyal to her, but this, just this decision, pisses me off!"

"Why is that?"

"Luna's made colonel, Team Rocket's got generals, people with eye-patches! Bulky men who could absorb ten bullets! Why did she choose Luna?"

"Because she's powerful and strong, she does things without forgiveness, strikes whenever she wants, and hurts people who she thinks doesn't matter to her."

"Exactly! Don't you get the point? Madam Boss is greedy for power. What better way to avoid her place being taken some day but by sending a powerful agent to an impossible mission only to suffer from the dreaded authorities? Sadly, Luna didn't figure this out. I also gave her a device that wouldn't make anyone spy at her like what I gave you. So far, she's wearing it because I checked the camera and it doesn't seem to give any data."

"You shouldn't speak to the leader like this, nor overthink. They could hear you."

"Don't worry, I got the chip on. And... And it's just a hunch. But that's not the point. Where's Madam Boss?"

"Miss Domino, she's fine. Pretty sure Luna's her pet, that's why she chose her."

"Probably. Sigh, I didn't mean by my previous assumptions. Madam Boss isn't greedy for power. Maybe she's just training Luna, she wants Luna to go through hell. Maybe... She wants her to be her successor."

I laughed in disbelief. "Luna? Leader of Team Rocket?"

"It's possible."

"Luna's not the strongest of us. Not the smartest too."

"Strange. I thought you were going to agree with me. But Madam Boss's time is far from passing, by then, Luna would be stronger. She could be sent there so she could harness her skills, improve them. With her disorder and all the stress, her rage would be infinite, she would be stuck at that state. That probably is what Madam Boss wants to see."

I had to disagree. "I prefer Luna to be kind! If she's cruel, she might as well end me and her friends if we object to her rule!"

"Then hope not," Domino muttered.

"Plus, Luna called Virgo and she doesn't seem stressed one bit!"

"Of course," Domino said and searched her shelf for more modules. "That's only the start. I've worked for Team Rocket longer than she did and is the only agent who came back from the Arid Archipelago, second was someone named Valery, but technically, she didn't come back."

"You were part of the mission?"

"I was called the Black Rose. Must've heard of that before during the early expeditions to find Mewtwo."

"Yes, I had."

"Those officers there, sometimes they play dumb. The more trust and confidence the enemy has towards the unexpected, the weaker the enemy is as anything beyond from what they expect would turn against them. They're not police for nothing. Except the PIP, I have to agree, most of them are feeble. These soldiers aren't."

"I must warn her about this!" I panicked.

"No, don't. That would be cheating to Madam Boss. If she's entered a check point already, then she's entered the Bureau's game. I almost got myself killed. These Looker Bureau kinfolks are merciless like her. Just like what they did to... Lysander aside from the help of foreign trainers."