----
On a wall of monitors, the chaos unfolded in real-time Kai and his team tore through the base like a storm. Their Pokémon overwhelmed every grunt in their path, not even slowing down.
James 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.
James tugged her sleeve, eyes pleading. Now wasn't the time to argue.
Jessie huffed and crossed her arms but said no more. James 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 time to transfer it all. You two take the remaining forces and hold them off. Do not let them reach the core systems!"
Jessie and James 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 me to go fight them myself?" Namba growled. "Stall them—buy us time!"
Grumbling under their breath, Jessie and James 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 James—?"
"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 James, flanked by reinforcements, blocked the path ahead.
"So you pests really did follow us all the way here…" James 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 time 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 James weren't here to win they were here to stall.
They didn't engage immediately.
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 time 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 James only to see them just as stunned.
Even they didn't know.
The floor lurched beneath them again. Jessie stumbled. James nearly lost his balance.
"…This wasn't part of the plan," James whispered, catching his breath.
Jessie muttered under her breath, "Is this the emergency escape system? Why now!?"
James shook his head. "If it is, then Dr. Namba just triggered it on his own."
Their expressions turned grim.
They knew what this meant this base was no longer safe.
----
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