"Hoenn. I smell something that belongs to me."
Groudon's murmur still echoed through system space when Lin Hao released his grip on the Poké Ball.
The SUV stopped at the mining area's entrance. Tunnel Three lay fifty meters ahead, with severed wire fencing and deep tire tracks scattered outside.
Steven got out first and crouched to feel the tire marks. "Heavy transport trucks. At least two. These tracks are no more than three days old."
"Where is everyone?" May stood at the tunnel entrance, peering inside.
The tunnel was pitch-black. Wind blew out from its depths, thick with the smell of sulfur. "Gone." Lin Hao surveyed the area around the entrance.
The ground showed signs of a hasty cleanup, but several scraps of torn silver-gray uniform fabric had been trampled into the mud and left behind.
"Team Galactic uniforms." May picked up a scrap and examined it.
Steven stood and brushed the dirt from his hands. "Faster than I expected."
"What do you mean?"
"I leaked the news that you were coming to Hoenn yesterday, and they pulled out today." Steven looked at Lin Hao. "That means the mole reacted faster than I thought."
"It also means this really was Team Galactic's hideout."
"Right. They took the bait."
Lin Hao crouched to inspect the entrance, and Mewtwo's voice sounded in his mind.
"The Relay Node signal has disappeared. They destroyed their communications equipment during the evacuation."
"Can you track them?"
"The residual signal points toward Mt. Pyre, but precise localization is no longer possible."
Lin Hao stood.
"We can't catch them. Let's head back."
Steven nodded, and the three of them got back into the car.
On the way back, Steven took a phone call. After hanging up, he turned to Lin Hao.
"Drake wants to see you."
"Drake? The