----
On a wall of monitors, the chaos unfolded in real-ti Kai and his team tore through the base like a storm. Their Pokémon overwheld every grunt in their path, not even slowing down.
Jas scowled. "Doctor Gamba, we should—"
"Namba. It's Namba!" the scientist snapped, shooting daggers at him. "You two imbeciles couldn't even capture Lugia. Now you've brought those pests straight to our doorstep!"
"But it wasn't us—" Jessie started.
Jas tugged her sleeve, eyes pleading. Now wasn't the ti to argue.
Jessie huffed and crossed her arms but said no more. Jas gave Namba an apologetic grin. "Of course, sir. So… what now? Should we retreat?"
"Retreat?" Namba scoffed. "Not yet. There's too much data stored in this base. We need ti to transfer it all. You two take the remaining forces and hold them off. Do not let them reach the core systems!"
Jessie and Jas exchanged a look.
"…Us?"
They weren't exactly thrilled at the idea, especially after their last defeat. Still, they knew what was at stake.
"Yes, you! Or do you expect to go fight them myself?" Namba growled. "Stall them—buy us ti!"
Grumbling under their breath, Jessie and Jas obeyed.
After they left, Namba turned to one of the techs nearby.
"Prepare the escape sub. I'm leaving."
"Huh? But sir, you just told them what about the data?"
"The data is up here," Namba tapped his forehead. "As long as I make it out alive, our work survives."
"Then… why even send Jessie and Jas—?"
"To punish incompetence," Namba said coldly, turning to the monitor. "Besides, I left the intruders a little parting gift. Let's see how they like it…"
---
Inside the base…
Kai and the others were fighting their way through the upper levels.
Since breaching the second floor, resistance had grown intense. Grunts were around every corner. But it didn't matter. Ash's Pikachu blasted through waves of enemies. Erika's Bellossom danced between strikes. Ritchie's Sparky held the flank, while Brock and Misty backed them up with precision and teamwork.
Sparks flew. Smoke filled the hall. Damaged walls crackled with exposed wires. Team Rocket agents and Pokémon lay defeated behind them.
Then—they saw them.
Jessie and Jas, flanked by reinforcents, blocked the path ahead.
"So you pests really did follow us all the way here…" Jas growled.
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Surprised?"
"You should've known we wouldn't just let you escape after what you did in the Whirl Islands."
That struck a nerve. The duo had escaped last ti via submarine, thinking they were untouchable beneath the sea. But they hadn't expected pursuit all the way to their secret underwater base.
Still, Jessie and Jas weren't here to win they were here to stall.
They didn't engage imdiately.
Instead, they kept the team talking.
"They're stalling," Erika whispered into Kai's ear.
"I know," Kai nodded, lowering his voice. "But whatever they're buying ti for we're not letting it happen."
Just as he prepared to order the attack—
RUMBLE.
The entire base shook beneath their feet.
A vibration spread through the walls, growing stronger.
"Kai! Look outside!!" Misty shouted, pointing to a corridor window.
Kai rushed over.
What he saw made his breath catch:
The sea was falling away.
Or rather—
The base was rising. Fast.
Like a submarine rocketing to the surface, the entire structure was being lifted, propelled upward through the ocean depths.
Ash pressed his face to the glass. "What's happening!?"
They looked toward Jessie and Jas only to see them just as stunned.
Even they didn't know.
The floor lurched beneath them again. Jessie stumbled. Jas nearly lost his balance.
"…This wasn't part of the plan," Jas whispered, catching his breath.
Jessie muttered under her breath, "Is this the ergency escape system? Why now!?"
Jas shook his head. "If it is, then Dr. Namba just triggered it on his own."
Their expressions turned grim.
They knew what this ant this base was no longer safe.
----
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