The third executive

"But your luck ends here."

At Lance's words, the Team Rocket members released their Pokémon, packing the corridor in an instant.

Xia You and Sabrina stood tightly back-to-back, not daring to let their guard down for a moment.

"What now? Should we run?" Sabrina asked softly.

"Of course not." Xia You shook his head, then took a Poké Ball from his waist and tossed it into the air. "We've come this far. How could we give up halfway?"

With a flash of blue light, a golden Pokémon with a wingspan of nearly three meters appeared before them, electricity crackling all over its body.

"Is that Zapdos?!"

"Wow, I've never seen one before!"

The Team Rocket members cried out in surprise. Even Sabrina couldn't help turning around, her eyes full of astonishment as she looked at Zapdos.

A Legendary Pokémon like this was incredibly rare. Ordinary people might never see one in their entire lives, let alone catch one or battle it!

"Don't panic!" Seeing his subordinates stir, Lance shouted to steady them. "So what if he has Zapdos? Everyone, attack together!"

Xia You gave his own command. "Zapdos! Use Thunderbolt!"

Zapdos hadn't intended to obey Xia You's command, but attacks were coming from both ahead and behind. To protect itself, it let out an angry cry and launched an indiscriminate attack in every direction.

Fierce electricity erupted from Zapdos in an instant. Not only did it cancel out the other Pokémon's moves, it continued spreading until it engulfed more than half the corridor.

The instant Zapdos unleashed Thunderbolt, Kirlia took Xia You and Sabrina by the hands and used Teleport to carry them to the other end of the corridor, out of the attack's reach.

The electric light was blinding. Amid its crackling, they could even hear the Team Rocket members screaming and wailing.

By the time the light faded, Team Rocket members and their Pokémon lay collapsed all over the corridor.

"Damn it!"

Lance turned to look at Xia You, his expression dark.

Standing far behind the crowd, he had narrowly escaped being hit by Thunderbolt. Gritting his teeth, he released his own Pokémon.

"Unless you take me down, don't even think about leaving!"

His Pokémon were Zubat and Weezing-the very same species used by Lambda, the other executive Xia You had encountered aboard the S.S. Anne.

Footsteps kept coming as more Team Rocket members ran in from the stairs and gathered behind Lance.

"Tch." Xia You sighed. "They just keep coming. What a pain."

Just then, Sabrina stepped forward and stood in front of Xia You, leaving him with a view of her alluring figure from behind.

"All right, leave this to me. Go do what you need to do."

"Well..." Xia You hesitated briefly, but he knew the situation was urgent. This was no time to stand around being polite, and Sabrina was more than capable. He really didn't need to worry too much.

"All right. I'll leave Zapdos and Gastly here to help you. Make sure you stay safe!"

Without waiting for Sabrina to agree, he took Kirlia with him and ran straight toward the President's Office, meeting no further resistance.

"Damn it! Stop right there!"

Seeing Xia You leave, Lance tried to intercept him. But he had only taken a few steps when Sabrina calmly tossed out her Poké Ball, blocking his path.

Xia You pushed open the office door and found an old man slumped on the sofa. Apart from him, the entire office was empty.

Huh? Giovanni isn't here?

Remembering the helicopter that had just departed, Xia You already had his answer.

There was no time to dwell on it. Judging by the old man's bearing and clothing, he clearly wasn't with Team Rocket, so Xia You hurried over and helped him up.

"Are you all right?"

The old man opened his eyes and looked at Xia You, letting out a relieved breath.

"You police took far too long..."

"Sorry." Xia You shook his head. "I'm not a police officer. Someone asked me to come here and check on the situation."

"What?!" The old man's eyes widened in disbelief. "You made it all the way here without being a police officer? That's incredible! Then those Team Rocket members outside..."

"That's right." Xia You paused, letting the old man hear the screams still coming from the corridor. "They're still out there. We'd better hurry and leave."

But just as he was supporting the old man and preparing to have Kirlia use Teleport to take them away, a woman's voice suddenly rang out inside the room.

"I knew that fool Lance couldn't be trusted. He actually let a rat slip through. What a waste of the boss's trust."

Xia You spun around and discovered a woman standing in a corner of the office. He had no idea when she had appeared. She wore a white Team Rocket uniform and had red hair and eyebrows!

Her arrival was like a ghost's, eerie and utterly silent.

"Who are you?" Xia You asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself." The woman wore a petulant, vicious expression. "My name is Athena. I'm a researcher, and, just like that useless fool outside, I'm also one of Team Rocket's executives."

"Another executive?" Xia You looked her up and down. "And a researcher, too?"

Athena nodded with a smile. "My main field of research is Strange Sound Waves that force Pokémon to evolve. I came here today hoping to see the legendary Master Ball, but I never expected this old man to be so tight-lipped."

Seeing that the woman clearly meant them harm, Xia You quietly put himself on guard while replying with a smile. "Since you're a researcher, getting into a fight would hardly be fitting for someone in your position. How about this? We pretend we've never met, and you let us leave safely."

"You certainly have a way with words, boy." The woman gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Would you mind telling me who you are?"

"I'm afraid I can't." Xia You shrugged. "My mother warned me never to tell my name to nasty-looking, unpleasant older women."

They seemed to be joking, but in truth, they were trading barbs, and neither was willing to back down.

"..." Athena's face darkened. She was clearly angry now. "Is that so? Then I certainly can't let you leave."

As she spoke, she took out two Poké Balls and released her Pokémon.

One was Arbok, a Pokémon with a coiled body that resembled an enormous cobra.

The other was Murkrow, a pitch-black Pokémon resembling a large crow, with feathers shaped like a wizard's hat on its head and a tail like a broom.

At this point, Xia You stopped wasting words on her and tossed out his own Poké Balls.

Blue light flashed one after another, and a moment later, Ivysaur, Squirtle, Charmander, and Jolteon all appeared in the office.

Tension filled the room. An all-out brawl seemed inevitable!