The World Without Them || Original Pokémon Fanfiction ✓

Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Truth Untold

 Chloris is watching you, he always has been. 

 Frost couldn't help but scan the warehouse walls for cameras as they weaved their way through the aisles. The alarm was still blaring, although the farther they got from the entryway they had came through the fainter it became. The Pokémon they passed were nearly rioting in their cages from the horrid noise, the clanking of their shackles and their cries forming a chorus audible even over the siren. 

 Mew was curled up in Frost's arms, still unconscious. It had given no sign of waking up since they had rescued it from near death, which worried the boy and Mana, who looked down at the pink creature from her partner's shoulder. Its skin was cold to the touch and it was much paler than Frost remembered. He gritted his teeth.

 Hang in there just a little longer, he internally pleaded, hoping that by some slim chance Mew would be able to hear him. We'll get you out of here.

 "We're almost there," Sage suddenly said from her place ahead.

 Frost looked up. Sure enough, the wall that had once seemed leagues away was fast approaching, as was the door that had just come into view. He felt his heart begin to beat faster. 

 President Chloris was somewhere beyond that door.

 And he was waiting.

 Frost glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was following them. He could barely make out the sounds of shouts coming from where they had came. It was only a matter of time before the officials found Scozzari knocked out cold beside his operating table, the result of mouthing off to Sage as they had been preparing to depart. He knew that it wouldn't take long for the place to become flooded with police, and they'd be trapped.

 Sage slowed her pace so Frost did the same. They were only a few yards from the door at that point. The brunette gazed around warily as she sheathed her knives and exchanged them for a handgun. Frost also had his pistol at the ready in his free hand. It felt heavier than the other times he had held it, and he wondered nervously if he would actually have to put it to use for the first time. 

 They approached slowly despite their awareness of the growing number of officials flooding the other side of the warehouse. When they reached the door, Sage looked back at Frost with a serious expression on her face.

 "If that scientist was right and the president really is in there somewhere, then don't let your guard down for a second, okay?" She took a deep breath and reached for the handle. "We could be walking straight into an ambush."

 Frost felt a lump form in his throat, so he just nodded in response. Mana peered over at him worriedly, to which he replied with a fake, less than reassuring smile. He knew that Sage was correct -- the possibility of them heading into a trap was high, especially if Chloris really had been keeping tabs on them. However, he did his best to force those thoughts to the back of his mind as his partner pushed down on the handle and opened the door.

 The area beyond the entryway was pitch black. The only reason Frost knew they were in a hallway was because of the light filtering in from the warehouse that illuminated the space just past the door. 

 Sage crept in first, her pistol positioned out in front of her. Frost held the door open for as long as he could to try and see if the dim illumination could help with navigating the first part of the hallway, but quickly followed when he realized it was of no use. He reluctantly let the door close behind him and, as soon as it shut, the cries of the imprisoned Pokémon died away and the light disappeared completely. It was also with a heavy heart that he heard the lock switch into place, and one quick tug of the handle told him that going back that way was not an option.