Chapter - 10

"Thanks again, Professor" Tommy called back as Holly pulled him

out into town.

Ryan sat beside Addison and her Eevee. The two Eevees sniffed

each other and began to touch each other's tails with their paws.

Ryan's looked back at him and cheered loudly.

"I think I'll follow your plan" Addison said thoughtfully. "I'd rather my

Eevee trust me fully instead of just spending time in a Poke Ball."

Julia cleared her throat. "Well, unfortunately, I have a conference call

I need to get into."

"But Julia" Ryan called to her. "We still need some help with the

tough stuff."

"Don't worry" Julia assured the young trainers. "I won't be leaving

you guys completely in the dark. I've got a substitute teacher for you

three to learn from."

"Really?" Addison asked. "Who is it?"

"Who do ya think?" a voice called from nearby. The three turned and

saw Michael emerge from the entrance to his and Julia's house,

yawning loudly.

"MIKE!" Ryan exclaimed. The boy ran over to his older cousin and

flung his arms around him, letting his Eevee jump from his arms in

the process. The Eevee looked up at Michael and smiled, nuzzling

up to his feet.

"Easy there, Ry" Michael exclaimed.

Matthew followed his brother over to Michael's side. "We thought you

were gonna end up too busy."

"A promise is a promise" the Champion proclaimed. "I can't be the

Champion if I don't keep my promises, even to my own cousins."

Addison sheepishly walked up to the Champion, her Eevee cradled

in her hands. "Michael, I-I-I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm-"

"Addison" Michael answered.

Addison beamed. "How did you know?"

"I've known your mother since we were kids" Michael explained.

"Didn't you ever wonder where the "Michele" in your middle name

came from?"

Addison laughed shyly. "I didn't know."

Michael nodded proudly. "Now you do. And now it's time to take your

training up a notch. Once you guys are all set, meet me by the end

of town so I can show you three more about what it takes to be a

trainer."

"All set?" Matthew asked. "What do you mean, Mike?"

Michael pulled out his Poké Gear and cleared his throat and began

to read to them, "Michael, when you get this message, please send

Matthew and Ryan home. I need to talk to them about 'time

management'. Lots of love, Aunt Alison." He looked at his cousins

with a wry smile on his face. "Seems like you boys went off without

telling your Mom."

Ryan and Matthew looked at their shoes sheepishly. "Well, we-"

Michael shook his head. "I don't need an explanation. Just go and

see your Mom." He then turned to Addison. "You should probably go

to see your parents, too. Let them know you're setting off soon."

Addison nodded. "Okay. We'll meet up again on the edge of town."

Addison took her Eevee with her and ran outside.

Michael turned to the boys. "I talked to your Mom, guys. You

shouldn't be in too much trouble, but I'd be extra nice to her for a

little bit." He patted Ryan on his head and scooped up his cousin's

Pokemon. Handing the Eevee to him, he sent both boys out of the

lab. "Go on, I'll meet you."

Ryan and Matthew looked to each other and walked outside to go

and see their Mother.

Holed up inside an interrogation cell in the Arcana Police Precinct in

Taghwan City, Cassius sits patiently waiting for whomever Elezar

would be able to convince to be his defense attorney. He vehemently

refused to answer any and all questions until his lawyer was present,

as most who are in police custody tend to do. Cassius had nothing

he felt he needed to hide, at least permanently. He was always a

man of science and was willing to do anything and everything he had

to in order to complete his research. If it came to torturous

experimentation on Pokémon, he was willing to make that sacrifice.

Kidnapping? Extortion? Murder? Well, he was ready to do all in

pursuit of his academic angles.

Elezar can play his political games, Cassius thought to himself. And

the others can very much do as they please. I am a dedicated

member of the Syndicate for the research potential. It should come

as a surprise to no one, though. Cassius had been notoriously

expelled from virtually every single finishing school he went to for his

cruel and twisted work on controlling the minds of humans and

Pokémon. Since no school would accept him, he chose to take on a

more roguish approach to his studies and found himself a pupil to

the Elezar, the son of Arcana's most revered scientist: Balthazar. He

had hoped to study more underneath Balthazar himself, but the

betrayal of James Kingston and Balthazar's destruction at his own

friends hand cost him that opportunity. He had avenged his mentor

when he used the abducted Michael Kingston as a test subject for

the first Crimson Stone branding, which had seemingly succeeded in

forever making James's grandson a slave to the power of the

Crimson Moon. But Giselle's failure to keep their captive imprisoned

impeded his work and the destruction of his first lab prompted him to

have to begin his research all over again.

Thirteen years had passed since that fateful day. Rebuilding his lab

and avoiding the authorities took a great deal of time and thus, much

of his experimentation was put on hold. And as he felt he was on the

verge of a breakthrough, one of the Syndicate's former flunkies gave

away the location of his mountain lab. And his research was now in

the hands of his archenemies. We were so close. If that wretched

Michael and his friends hadn't intervened, I would have had the

perfect formula written down!

The door to his room was flung open and an older man walked in

with a slim, black briefcase in his hands. He was clearly a seasoned

man, with a neatly shaven beard as white as winter and a toupee so

fake, one would think he had a Pokémon sleeping atop his head. To

counter the white in his beard, he wore a suit as black as coal and a

tie the color of blood. Though Cassius could not say he had ever met

the man, it was all too clear to him exactly who Elezar had managed

to get to assist him.

"Claude Jacques?" he asked, almost in surprise.

"You seem surprised" he responded in a voice as cold as death.

"Well, you are good friends with the Kingston Family. Why shouldn't I

be surprised?"

Claude placed his briefcase on the table and began to polish his

monocle with a handkerchief. "As a lawyer, my personal feelings

must not be made a part of the trial. Only facts. And the fact is,

someone recently sent me a generous amount of money to ensure

that you aren't convicted of any of the ludicrous crimes you've been

charged with."

Cassius laid back in the small stool they had provided for him to sit

on. "But how can I be certain I can trust you?"

Claude stopped his work cleaning his monocle and returned it to it's

place in front of his right eye. "How can I be certain you aren't guilty

of any crimes, Cassius Sinclair?" Before the accused could answer,

Claude waved him off. "As it happens, I don't usually take up criminal

cases. The last time I did, if I am not mistaken, also involved you,

when Michael Kingston accused you of kidnapping and forced

experimentation, while Giselle and the rest of the Kingston Family

believed him to be guilty of destruction of property and murder."