Even on overcast days, Mt. Battle's threads of lava glowed through the clouds. Chatter floated from the lobby. Outside, challengers and Trainers sat on the grass with their Pokémon. No-one was surprised when Aiko's Crobat flew over their heads and into the lobby. She didn't bother knocking on the door of Lyndon's office. She let herself in. The cabinets were covered in photos of her, Kazuki, Courtney and Trip and his family.
'Hey, Dad. Can I have a fake passport?'
'Oh.'
Lyndon gestured distantly to a locked filing cabinet. 'They're in there.'
He passed Aiko the ring of keys from his belt. She flicked through the passports, looking for one that vaguely resembled her or another member of Team Magma. She frowned. There was no charger cable to trip over. When Lyndon he wasn't subjecting his Trainers and their Pokémon to rigorous drills, he was usually staring at his laptop. The charger perpetually dangled from the desk. Neither that nor the laptop were anywhere to be seen. Lyndon was staring at the wall.
'...Dad?'
He didn't even hear her that time. She hesitantly pulled an armchair from the corner to the desk.
'Is everything OK...?'
'Could we talk later, Aiko?'
Lyndon never dismissed her or Kazuki when they needed him. Aiko didn't want him to dismiss his own troubles if he needed to talk... but it was clear he wouldn't say more than he had to.
'I have to get back to work, but... if it's really serious... you will call me, right? Dad...?'
'Yeah.'
Aiko wasn't convinced, but she did need to get back to work. Her lunch break was almost over. She had to set a good example for her employees, especially if Yan was coming.
Grunts and their Pokémon, except Camerupt, ran laps around the parking lot. Camerupt would always be too slow to move faster than most other Pokémon, so Kazuki gave them exercises to maximise their power while keeping them as slow as possible for Trick Room strategies. He watched his sweaty employees with the same vacant look as Aiko.
'Did you...?'
'Left it on your desk... and locked the door, obvs.'
'Thanks.'
Kazuki hadn't just locked the door to Aiko's office. His Camerupt guarded it. She petted it as it stood to let her through. Two files, so crammed with fresh printouts they looked about to burst, sat on the desk. Inside were records from the hospital closest to Gatas Prison. Kazuki had already marked those of interest with colourful post-it notes. One deliberately stuck out over the others. Aiko pulled it from the pile.
It was from seven years ago. A hobbyist photographer discovered a soaked and unconscious Gatas guard, Oliver Cooke, in the tunnel near the dock. He showed signs of being drugged by Sleep Powder, but was anxious about missing his shift, so chose not to file a police report. The next time he saw a doctor, he was fine.
Stapled to it was that day's employee report from Gatas. Kazuki circled two notes in fluorescent orange highlighter.
Before Aiko could get excited, she had to check the records for herself. She was partly testing Kazuki. It didn't surprise her that he was capable of hacking the hospital or prison, but if he supplied a modified record, she would know he was up to no good. The printout matched the online records. There was no evidence they were ever tampered with.
But... he did find this pretty quickly... faster than the International Police. Does that tell me something? No... why would he just hand me the details? Knowing I'll tell everyone who could pose a threat to Cipher? Unless he thinks that will put me off the scent...
Whether there was something suspicious about Kazuki – something beyond Aiko – or not, she now knew when Ardos escaped. There was no other logical explanation for this. The guard was found unconscious in the tunnel, before his shift, yet at the same time as he was at the hospital, he left work because of vomiting and diarrhea. Then, after the hospital recorded that he was anxious to return, he showed up.
GoD could have imported a Pokémon that knows Sleep Powder... but it was most likely from here. What Pokémon available in Orre can learn Sleep Powder?
Aiko took her P★DA from her pocket. She loaded the Pokédex app. There were only four Pokémon families found in Orre that could learn Sleep Powder: Oddish, Venonat, Tangela and Hoppip.
Oddish evolves into Vileplume... and Ilirian stepped on a Vileplume turd. Jamie has a Vileplume... but he was there in Phenac at the same time as GoD... so he can be ruled out. Ilirian wasn't. No... how can I suspect my best friend and my brother?
Who else owned Pokémon that could learn Sleep Powder? There was an Elite Four member, Chobin. His Jumpluff evolved from Hoppip. Suspecting him would be ridiculous. He was about to turn 71 and a foot too short to be GoD. Holly's dad Wyatt used imported Exeggutor at his Gym in The Under. They could learn Sleep Powder by breeding and Wyatt was a decent Pokémon Breeder. He was also 5'10", so almost tall enough, but... why would it be him? Rustie owned a Tangrowth. Did Chess take it to divert blame from himself? Now Aiko was suspecting her other bandmate.
This is all ridiculous. It's none of them. It's someone else. It has to be... but anyway... we know now that Ardos has been out for seven years. There's a Pokémon that knows Sleep Powder involved... and they'll be using Sleep Powder again, so we'll need Safety Goggles.
That was no problem. Team Magma's cabinets were stocked with items useful in both battles and fieldwork. There were enough Safety Goggles to protect every employee and their Pokémon.
Aiko's mind wandered back to Lyndon. She contemplated hacking him to find out what was going on, but his devices were too heavily protected.
Everyone else thinks Yan is suspicious... and I know he isn't... but maybe I should prove it.
Yan was capable of basic hacking, but he wasn't at Aiko's level. Remotely accessing any of Team Magma's devices in Hoenn, via their network, was easy for her. It made her feel bad. There were many times she almost hacked Yan just to spy on him, but guilt stopped her.
I'm doing it for a good reason now... right?
There was no doubt Yan was in Hoenn. His edifying speeches, every morning at 11AM, were indeed live from his office there. The only IP addresses currently associated with his professional and personal devices were located at Team Magma's HQ in Jagged Pass. Aiko was surprised to find that CCTV footage from his office was only as well-protected as the rest of the hideout.
He was there, working late at his computer. There was a map of Orre beside his passport on the table. Aiko couldn't hold back a giddy smile. She wanted to stare, but she forced herself to drag her eyes away to access the computer he was working at. Files were meticulously arranged on a Team Magma wallpaper. There was nothing suspicious or even personal on there. He was writing about volcanic activity. His personal laptop could only be accessed if he switched it on, but he did, to briefly add to his report before retiring to bed at exactly 10:30PM. That was equally bare. So was his Pokénav, the Hoennian equivalent of a P★DA.
See! He's not even a little suspicious... and he isn't dating anyone, either. He's married to his job. Hmm...
'What if he's got a kid?' Wisteria asked later, 'Like Maxie?'
'What?!'
'Well, no-one knew Maxie had a kid, did they? Maxie himself didn't know Yan existed, or at least that's what you said. What if his kid's a weirdo?'
'He doesn't have a child! Look... if you really don't trust Yan... we'll only take my Grunts. And I won't tell Kazuki. But first...'
Aiko picked up her fake passport. 'I'm going to check in to the Selenite Resort.'