"Quick."
May grabbed the escalator railing and rushed upward. Her foot had barely landed on the second step when the steel door behind her locked with a dull clunk.
Lin Hao did not look back. He pressed down lightly on Pikachu inside his jacket and looked toward the end of the corridor.
Giovanni emerged from the shadows, his gray suit dark beneath the emergency lights, a gold tie resting against his chest. The Poké Balls at his waist knocked together with each step. Half a cigar burned between his fingers, its ash falling beside his shoes.
He stopped opposite Lin Hao, glanced at the Team Rocket members slumped against the wall, then turned his gaze back to him. "The Kanto Champion. The League certainly spared no expense this time."
Lin Hao tugged at his backpack strap. "Team Rocket really goes all out, too. The boss himself hiding underground to watch a fake bird hatch an egg."
Giovanni's cigar hand froze in midair. The ash broke off and fell to the floor. "That is not a fake bird."
He looked toward the core chamber, his voice growing heavier. "It is the new order Team Rocket has prepared for this world."
"Your new order is stuffing a monster that couldn't pass inspection beneath Goldenrod City, then blaming the League when things go wrong?" Lin Hao kicked an access card on the floor aside. "Quite the business plan. No wonder you're the boss."
Giovanni did not answer. He crushed his cigar against the metal railing, and the blackened stub rolled to his feet.
"People who know too much usually don't leave this level." He took the Poké Ball from his left side and pressed its button with his thumb. "I've watched your matches. Your Pikachu is fast, but unfortunately, there's no arena here