Pokémon Homecoming | A Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 72: Innocence

No-one slept much on the cramped floor of the ambulance. Raihan, feeling unbearably guilty, insisted on doing lookout duty alone. The police didn't come. Charizard had led them away... at what cost? Leon regained consciousness once Harpreet performed CPR, but she apologetically told Abbey and Hop he was at high risk of infection now. He was inconsolable. Raihan's clothes were dry, so he gave Hop his paramedic's uniform, but Hop quaked even in dry clothes. They had no idea how Anabel was doing. Hop began to panic the videos would somehow be intercepted by Cipher and wouldn't reach her. Abbey tried, as she stiffly held Leon quietly sobbing into her shoulder, to work out when Nanu would arrive. It had been 19 hours since it sounded like he was going through security in Alola. If they could survive another 12 hours... but, as Hop asked when he gave up on sleep as the sun rose, how would they know? Abbey tried to assure him, to convince herself, Anabel's intuition would lead her to them. She was right the whole time...

***

Anabel, weary eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, squinted at that same blood red sunrise. It seeped around the hotel room's thin blinds. Looker, sitting beside her on the floor with his laptop, stood to open them.

'Might help us stay awake...'

Motostoke's cranes and chimneys were black silhouettes. Abbey thought red sky in the morning was a bad omen. Perhaps she wasn't wrong this time. Anabel rubbed her eyes. The video she prepared blurred in her exhausted vision. They spent all afternoon and night compiling Leon's most incriminating clips from the factory and Battle Tower; as well as Anabel's interview with Rose and CCTV footage Looker retrieved from Integer Tower. Cipher were cocky enough to believe he still suspected Leon. He didn't have time to break the code required to view footage from Alfie's office, but they did have Naps repeatedly referring to Cipher and, when they turned the volume up, a muffled record of Alfie's rant about saving Orre. Abbey sent a comparison of Leon's signature on his credit card and on the deeds. No-one could deny the latter was forged. Anabel closed her laptop.

'We must show this to the others now... we can't risk a Flying Taxi. Are you ready to fly?'

'Of course, but... are you sure? After what happened to Charizard...'

'Poor Charizard... but he was without his Trainer. We'll be able to battle properly if we're attacked, at least...'

She looked down. Looker laid a comforting hand on her arm. 'It's not your fault, Chief.'

'I just wish I could have stopped him... but Carlton wouldn't have listened to me. He really believes Randal is more trustworthy than I am...'

'Not for long. Let's hasten to Wedgehurst!'

The tired receptionist glanced up as they passed. Trains and buses rumbled outside. Anabel released Latios. Looker clambered onto its back after her. She passed him goggles and adjusted her own. Wind whistled as they took off. Sooty rooftops rushed by. Commuters craning their necks blurred. Latios accelerated. When it tucked in its arms, it was capable of flying faster than a jet plane. They reached Wedgehurst in less than 15 minutes. Latios tilted for landing. They aimed for an empty stretch of Route 1. Looker clung to Anabel's waist. Dust and mud exploded as Latios skidded to a halt. The blistering speed left their faces red raw.

They jogged on to the lab. No-one answered Anabel's knock. She unlocked the door with the spare key Sonia gave her, but it was bolted shut. Alakazam used Teleport to get them in. Randal glanced sharply up from the table where he sat opposite dozing Carlton.

'Good morning, Mr. Knight. Please forgive our intrusion. I need to discuss an urgent matter with my colleagues. I hope you'll understand why I'm obliged to ask you to leave.'