Disclaimer: All Pokemon characters are copyrighted by Nintendo. No permission has been given to use their names. Exceptions: The characters of Red Rockets Annie Masterson, Severin Salyavin, and Seth Bramwell are my creations. The characters of Red Rockets Michael Morgan and Constance were created by Angela and appear in her fanfictions "He's My Son" and "Generation K". Many thanks to Angela for allowing me to use these two wonderful characters!
PLEASE NOTE: This story is set approx. 5 months after the events in "Generation K Part Two"
"It is the dark hours of the soul, when the nightmares take their toll.
When the shadows come to mock against the ticking of the clock.
When the demons of the night come like vultures for their bite.
In the dark hours of the soul, when the nightmares take their toll."
The covers rustled as the figure in the cot rolled over, waking up to face another day. Another day, that is, of confinement, of humiliation, of torture.
Annie's eyes slowly opened to the same sight she had been seeing for the last 26 long years-her small cell in this little Team Rocket-owned hellhole jokingly referred to as "The Resort". It was a dumping ground, a refuse bin for agents too unstable to use, yet too valuable to kill.
And with each passing day, Annie knew more than ever that she did not belong here. She could not belong here.
She was far from insane... sometimes painfully so, as she was all too aware of the ugliness and horror of the place she now found herself trapped in. She was also all too aware of the way she had fallen from her glory to the level of these pathetic, feeble Rockets who could barely even form a sentence.
A Rocket since age 12, Annie Masterson had worked so hard and taken no crap from anyone for so many years until she had finally achieved her ultimate goal- she was a Red Rocket- one of the elite- and Giovanni's closest lieutenant. She was the quintessential Red Rocket, the best there had ever been. Her trademark, along with her proficiency with firearms and her sheer, unrelenting attitude, had been her flawless mission record.
Of course, that had all come to a violent, crashing end with HIM.
James Morgan, that simpering coward of an agent, had been the one to mar her perfect record and cast her down into the shame he had known all too well... the shame of failure. From the mission he had botched with her to the revenge plot he had escaped with the help of his former partner Jessie, James Morgan had been a constant thorn in Agent Masterson's side that had ultimately driven her to a screaming breakdown.
That was when, in the ultimate betrayal by the Team she had known and trusted for so long, Giovanni had relegated her to the dreaded "Resort", thinking Annie blindly insane.
He could not have been more wrong.
Had Annie been insane- truly insane- there was a chance that she could have adjusted to-or even accepted- the Resort as home as the other fallen Rockets had.
Life at the Resort was a stark contrast to it's nickname...the Rockets who had been sent there were subjected to constant experimentation, psychological intimidation, abuse, rape, and various other terrors. When Annie had first arrived, the doctors and orderlies had eyed her eagerly, as fresh meat, as another fallen soul they could torture, control, and ultimately own.
They had been wrong. Dead wrong.
Annie had shown them all how wrong they had been through out her first year at The Resort, killing five doctors and wounding many others who tried to control and use her for their own twisted ends. After approximately 14 months, Annie was classified as a dangerous, uncontrollable psychotic and was permanently locked away, to be let out only for one meal an exercise period each day.
For almost 24 years since that day, Annie had existed alone in her cramped cell, only allowed out in heavy chains and manacles that kept her well-trained, lethal hands behind her back where they could do no harm.
With each passing day, Annie's anger and hate grew- hate for the Team that had let her down, hate for the doctors who kept her a prisoner and reminded her daily that the only way out was a signed release from Giovanni, and most of all, hate for the catalyst of her downfall, White Rocket James Morgan.
Annie knew the release would never come. Giovanni would see to that. She passed the days, the weeks, the months, and the years simply by imagining the horrors she would inflict on Jessie Randwhyte and James Morgan if she were ever released, but those were all mere pipe dreams..... or so she thought.
The Vendetta
By Allan North
PART ONE - ENTER SEVERIN
"It is the center of the storm, Something Magic being born,
When the world is torn apart, by the beating of a heart.
Like a dam about to burst, like a drunkard's crazy thirst,
In the center of the storm, Something Magic being born…"
Severin Salyavin climbed out of the helicopter he had just landed and walked away as the rotors decelerated to a halt. It was a beautiful day today. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. This would be the day that would begin it all... and end it all at the same time. The weather was typical for the Orange Islands this time of year- nice and warm. A cool breeze blew across his face, carrying with it the scent of the orange farms of nearby Valencia Island. It cooled Severin down and he paused for a moment to open his red jacket, allowing it to flutter casually in the breeze as he walked to the small building that looked like an abandoned visitor center for the island- but was actually the top floor of The Resort. Severin took a deep breath, ran his fingers through his short blond hair, and closed his jacket once again. His whole plan revloved around the successful completion of this phase. Severin released his deep breath and marched into The Resort, as the two Rocket Grunts guarding the door snapped to attention at the sight of a Red Rocket.
"At ease, Grunts." Severin said authoritatively, making the grunts search awkwardly for a posture that would look relaxed while still maintaining respect for their superior.
"Can we help you , sir?" the first grunt asked, his eyes hidden by his cap.
"Of course." Severin snapped indignantly. "I have a priority order from Giovanni himself here for the release of an agent. Get me your head doctor at once."
"Yes, sir!" the grunts replied in unison. They ran off down a hallway to fetch Doctor Anthony Pike, the Resort's chief psychiatrist and (rather unofficially of course) head torturer.
The Grunts, while annoying, could not be faulted for their efficiency, and within five minutes Severin was in Pike's office with the orders in his hand.
Pike eyed Severin nervously. He was always nervous around Red Rockets ever since almost being killed by one… a psychotic woman whom he had ordered locked away some time ago. But this Severin seemed stable, if not full of an overconfident attitude. "Now, Mr. Salyavin, sir, I understand that the Boss has ordered a release?" he asked with a smile that hid the disappointment he held at the prospect of losing one of his many human playthings.
Severin eyed Pike with a satisfied smile. This would be easier than he had anticipated… he could already tell that he had Pike spooked simply with his rank. "That's correct, Dr. Pike. Giovanni has ordered a release and he wants it carried out with the utmost of speed." Severin passed the paperwork to Pike, and watched as Pike unfolded it and read over the form for the name.
Pike skimmed the form disinterestedly. Everything looked correct… then he saw the name. The mere mention of it sent shivers down his spine and made his eyes open wide. "Uhm, Mr. Salyavin, sir, am I reading this name correctly? We are to release Red Rocket Annette Baines Masterson?"
Severin smiled darkly on the inside, while maintaining his look of authority on the outside. He was close now…. "That is correct, Dr. Pike. Is there a problem?"
Pike looked at Severin as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "Sir, Agent Masterson is a dangerous, uncontrollable psychotic. We can barely contain her."
Severin looked at Pike angrily. "So you can't do your job? That is hardly my concern at the moment, Doctor. All I know is that I have priority orders from our Boss to collect and deliver Ms. Masterson at once."
Pike mopped his brow with a red handkerchief. Suddenly, it was far too hot in his office… "All I'm saying, Sir, is that Agent Masterson is very unstable. Does Giovanni realize this?"
Severin's eyes narrowed to slits. "Are you questioning the will of our leader… not to mention the authority of a Red Rocket?" he growled angrily. Pike leaned back in his chair and swallowed hard.
"All I'm saying is that in my opinion…" Pike began.
Severin produced a long knife from the holster on his belt and stabbed it into Pike's desk. "I don't give a damn about your opinion!" he snarled threateningly. Now you have a choice, Doctor. You can release Agent Masterson to me, or you can contact Giovanni yourself and tell him all this… and I'm sure you know how our Boss feels about questioning orders."
Pike stammered to find the words. "Ver- Very well. I'll begin the release immediately. Agent Masterson will accompany you off the island as soon as possible."
"Excellent, Pike. Don't keep me waiting long." Severin said lightly as he removed his knife from where he had stabbed it into the surface of the desk and snapped the paperwork back from the Doctor.
Pike picked up the phone on his desk. This was a horrible mistake and he knew it… he could only hope he'd live to regret it…. or live at all. "Processing?" he said suddenly. A pause. "Anders? This is Pike. Pull up the personal effects for Red Rocket Annette Baines Masterson, Inmate Number 598742/P." Another pause. "And prepare-" Pike choked on the words- "Prepare release papers for her at once." Another pause. "Yes, you heard me correctly." Another pause. "No dammit, I'm NOT joking! I have a Red Rocket here with an order from Giovanni himself! Now get her ready!" The phone was slammed back down on the hook with violent, panicked force.
Severin sat back and smiled as he watched the normally unflappable Pike sweat buckets as the wheels were set in motion for Annie's release.
Annie heard the footsteps marching to her cell. Strange… not that there were any clocks down here but it seemed far too early for her usual ten minutes out of her cell… The footsteps approached her door and stopped.
The timid voice came. "Miss Masterson?" it called inquisitively with a thinly disguised fear.
Annie smiled darkly. Even after all this time, after all her years of captivity, she could still scare the hell out of her captors, even if they did seem to hold power. "What?" she barked, hardly caring about her violent tone.
"You- you need to come with me." The voice said, it's tone hardly determining if the statement was a request or an order. Annie greedily lapped up the fear in the orderly's voice.
"Oh, really? And why should a Red Rocket listen to a Grunt like you?" Annie demanded through the door.
Outside, the Grunt shivered. Even through a door, Agent Masterson knew him for what he was… a young Team Grunt, assigned to orderly duty at the Resort. Silently, he reminded himself who was in charge here. "Inmate Masterson, you must come with me. Get your hands behind your back and back up to the door for your restraints." The Grunt attempted in a commanding tone.
Annie snorted, holding pure disgust for this pathetic fool.
The Grunt heard the snort, and knew what she was waiting for. It was the same thing she ALWAYS waited for. No, he said to himself. I won't do it again. Not this time. Not one more blasted time. She's the prisoner, not me. The Grunt folded his arms and stood at the door defiantly. Suddenly, the radio on his belt crackled. "23! Where is Masterson?" Pike demanded over the radio. The Grunt knew he had no choice.
"Please, Madam?" he asked, utterly ashamed of his lack of strength.
Annie smiled broadly. "That's better, Grunt." She said smugly as she backed up to the opening in the door at waist level and placed her hands behind her back. Like countless times before, the heavy cuffs were clicked into place on her wrists, locking them in place.
The door opened, and Annie turned to face the Grunt. "Satisfied?" he asked sarcastically.
Annie smirked at him. "No. You're still alive."
The Grunt rolled his eyes and drew his sidearm. "Let's move." He said.
Annie glared at him. Move? As if she was to be commanded! Hah!
The Grunt lowered his gun. "Please?" he asked desperately.
Annie smirked again and began walking down the hall. When they reached the elevator, she spoke again. "Where are we going, Grunt?"
"We're to see Doctor Pike. And I'd watch my tone with him if I were you, Inmate Masterson." The grunt replied uneasily, surprised by his own boldness.
"Yeah, sure." Annie replied bitterly. Pike? What a joke. She had beaten him down long ago. What could he possibly want with her now?
The elevator doors opened, and the Grunt led his quarry down the hall to Pike's Office. He opened the door and led Annie inside. Annie looked around the office disinterestedly. It hadn't changed much since she had last seen it, some 24 years ago. Neither had Pike, for that matter. A bit more bald, perhaps, and most certainly fatter, but still just as ugly and scared as he had been the day she had jammed a syringe full of sedative into his chest. Had she done what she had wanted to do that day, she would have jammed the plunger home and killed Pike then and there, and Pike knew it all too well. It had been the job of four beefy orderlies to pin her down and sedate her and then remove the syringe from Pike's chest. Later that day, she had been classified as an uncontrollable psychotic and banished to her tiny cell, deep in the bowels of The Resort.
Annie looked to the couch in Pike's office and saw a strange sight… A Red Rocket, about 25 or so, with a dark goatee and short, spiky blond hair was sitting there holding some official-looking paperwork. Pike's voice brought Annie's hard gaze around to him.
"Agent Masterson?" Pike said shakily, his stomach churning as he envisioned the full syringe protruding from his chest, a droplet of his own blood seeping from the edge of the wound….
"What do you want, Pike?" Annie asked impatiently.
Pike gestured to Severin, who still sat on the couch, relaxed and waiting. "This is Agent Severin Salyavin. He's brought us some interesting news today." He said, his whole manner seeming as if the strain of sounding official would cause him to collapse at any moment.
"Oh? And why do I care?" Annie demanded. She hated Pike's mind games… she always had and she always would.
"You're being released by order of Giovanni, Miss Masterson." Severin said.
Silence. Utter silence dominated the office for a moment, broken only by the Grunt's nervous breathing.
Annie was stunned. "Released?" she asked quietly.
Severin rose from his place on the couch. "That is correct, Ms. Masterson. Giovanni himself has signed for your release, and I am here- complete with a new uniform for you…" Severin patted a brown paper bag he had carried in with him. "…to escort you back to Viridian City and return you to your former position as a Red Rocket."
Annie's eyes darted from Severin to Pike to the Grunt and back. How could it be true? How could she be released? This was the impossible dream… wasn't it? Perhaps Annie was finally slipping into madness and this was all an unreal dream…
Pike's voice brought her out of her stupor. "Agent Masterson?" He asked cautiously.
"Huh? What?" Annie replied, still stunned and trying to take in all that was happening to her suddenly. Her abnormally complacent, calm tone surprised even herself.
"I was saying, if you sign your release forms, we can get you processed and off to Viridian City." Pike said with a half-hearted smile.
Annie glared at him. "Twenty-six years, and that's all, Pike?" Annie snarled. "Just a smile and we send Agent Annie off on her merry little way?"
Pike's face fell. "But- but- isn't this what you've always wanted?" he asked.
"What about retribution! Compensation! A friggin' apology!" Annie demanded.
Pike stammered as Severin's stomach tightened. Masterson's ego was legendary, and now it was endangering the whole deal! "Agent Masterson, I'm sure apologies will be forthcoming upon our arrival in Viridian City. The Team more than realizes the error we made in locking you away, and-"
Annie interrupted Severin furiously. "The error!" she repeated. "I was not a miscalculation! Giovanni knew exactly what he was doing when he threw me in here without a second thought! 11 years of my life given for the good of Team Rocket, and they throw me away like a piece of rotten meat! And now, 26 years after the fact, they send a Red Rocket to bring me back with open arms? No! Something stinks here!"
Pike looked at Annie angrily. "Masterson! This man has brought you your ticket out of The Resort! How dare you treat him this way!"
Annie turned to Pike. "You're far too tense, Pikey. Need another sedative?" she snapped. Pike shrank back.
Severin looked at Annie. "Ms. Masterson, I am truly sorry for what has happened to you. But the Team needs you and is willing to welcome you back. All you have to do to make it happen is sign the form." Annie looked to the floor. "Please bear in mind that many agents never get out of the Resort, and that the chance to get out is very, very rarely offered twice. In fact, it never has been." Severin added.
Annie looked at Severin, at Pike, and at the form. "Get these cuffs off so I can sign." She said in a low voice. The Grunt looked to Pike, who nodded. In a minute, the cuffs were off.
Pike looked at the Grunt. "23, go to processing and collect Ms. Masterson's personal effects from Anders." Grunt 23 nodded and left without a word.
Annie turned to look at Severin. "Got a pen?" she said casually.
Severin reached in his pocket as Annie's hand shot forward and grabbed Severin's long knife from his holster. Annie spun around and pointed the knife at Pike's chest.
Severin was impressed. He stood there, wondering what would happen. "I should kill you." Annie growled like a demon. "26 years of hell… you deserve to die."
Sweat ran down Pike's head like a river. "You'll never get out of here if you do." He whispered in a pleading voice.
Annie held the tip of the blade over his heart and leaned forward, till she was an inch from Pike's face. "I know." She whispered. With that, she leaned back and used the knife tip to pull a ballpoint pen from the Doctor's jacket pocket. It flew up in the air and landed in Annie's hand as she lowered the knife to her side. Severin laid the papers on Pike's desk, and Annie signed her full name with a flourish.
Pike smiled broadly, and reached for the papers. "Congratulations, Red Rocket Masterson. You're free."
Annie cocked an eyebrow and suddenly swung the knife over her head in a large arc, slamming it home into Pike's desk- and right through his hand. Pike screamed savagely as the fresh wound burned with pain and blood spilled from it, staining the release papers a dark crimson.
As casually as if she had just swatted one of the many mosquitoes that frequent this part of the Orange lands, Annie turned to Severin and said, "Time to go?" Severin looked at her. Now it was his turn to be stunned. He tossed her the bag with the fresh uniform and pulled his knife free from the desk. Pike jumped up, screaming in pain and panic as Severin and Annie turned to leave.
At that moment, Grunt 23 walked back in with a plastic box marked in stenciled letters that read, "MASTERSON, ANNETTE BAINES, INMATE NO: 598742/P" Annie snatched it from him as the Grunt saw Pike's hand and ran to him to help him.
Somehow, Grunt 23 got the courage to say something. "You can't just leave, Inmate Masterson!"
Annie turned and looked at the office one last time. "Inmate Masterson is dead, Grunt. I am a Red Rocket, and you will not question me!" she snapped.
Five minutes later, Annie was in her new uniform dress- much the same as her old one- and she was climbing into Severin's helicopter with him to return to Viridian City, her box of personal effects on her lap as she quickly looked through the items there. As Severin started the helicopter, Annie pulled a white strip of cloth from the box and tied it around her forehead. Next, she produced a silver handgun and a loose clip of bullets, which she loaded quickly. It was so wonderful to hold her weapon again… the one friend who had never once let her down through her Team Rocket career. Next, a small gold locket that she quickly slipped on and under her uniform dress, checking to be sure Severin didn't notice as the helicopter lifted off.
Finally, she pulled her old red dress from the box, finding the imperfection in it and focusing on it right away… a bullet hole in the shoulder and a bloodstain. The noise of the chopper was dulled out as she heard Jessie's voice from 26 years ago… "Seems I'm not the only foolish one…" God, if I had only closed that damned gun cabinet! Annie thought. Disgusted, she balled the dress up and threw it in the box, and then roughly threw the box out the small opening window and down to the ocean below. She turned to look at Severin, who was staring ahead as he piloted the helicopter back to Viridian City.
"So, why you?" Annie asked.
"Excuse me?" Severin said.
"Why did you spring me?" Annie inquired.
"I had my orders from Gio-" Severin started to say.
"Drop it." Annie said simply. "Giovanni turned his back on me years ago, and he wasn't about to change his mind. I know that. I only signed that form to get out of that hell and away from that bastard, Pike. Now why did you spring me?" Annie asked again.
Severin looked at Annie with a smile. "How very perceptive. The records about you and your career were definitely not lying, Annie." He said calmly.
Annie was fast losing her patience. Severin was toying with her now. "Why did you do it?" she asked again, trying to keep her temper under control.
Severin smiled serenely at her. "Patience, my dear. It will all be revealed to you at the proper time."
Annie scowled, and raised her gun to Severin's chin. "I've had 26 damn years to be patient. I'm not gonna wait any longer." The gun's hammer clicked back, waiting to strike the firing pin. "Understand?" she growled.
Severin's peaceful smile never faded. "Let's just say I'm a fan of yours. An admirer. I've studied your files, your history, your career for some time." He said calmly.
Annie pressed the gun into Severin's jaw with more force. "And?" she persisted.
Severin gave her a hard stare. "And I want to help you." He said simply.
Annie's face clouded. "Help me? What are you talking about?" she asked.
Severin looked at her now with compassionate eyes. His hand reached to the barrel of the gun and slowly lowered it, silently cheering as he realized there was no resistance, not even a hint of resistance, in Annie's arm. "I mean that I know the truth. You are not unstable at all. Far from it, in fact. You have been wronged horribly, and the only way to erase the pain is to strike back at the person responsible."
Annie looked at Severin with fierce determination in her eyes, determination that erupted from deep within her being. "You mean-"
"Yes." Severin said.
"James Morgan." The two Reds said in unison.
Annie's face broke into a cold, wicked, evil smile, the type of smile she had worn 26 years ago, when she had approached James at Base Camp Delta, knowing that he was hers to destroy.
"Tell me more, Severin." Annie said as the helicopter flew onward to Viridian City.
Severin smiled darkly. Masterson was hooked. She was in.
