Aaron watched the patrol routes of the security guards and the movement of the surveillance cameras, quickly forming a rough plan in his mind.
"Sceptile... use Instant Teleport and get us over there."
Sceptile nodded.
SWISH!
The two instantly vanished from sight.
Aaron carefully observed the interior through the windows, then had Sceptile continue teleporting between surveillance blind spots.
Ceiling corners, the undersides of tables, maintenance areas...
All of them were outside the cameras' field of view.
Before long, Aaron had successfully infiltrated the building.
Watching the scientists hurrying back and forth through the corridors, Aaron fell into thought.
The place was enormous.
Finding Rookidee here would not be easy.
Just then, someone pushed a handcart out of the elevator.
Several strange metal containers were stacked on top of it.
Aaron's pupils suddenly shrank.
Through a narrow gap in one of the containers, he caught sight of a Pokémon corpse inside.
A cold killing intent flashed through his eyes.
"These bastards really deserve to die..."
Aaron suppressed the murderous impulse in his chest and silently followed the worker.
The man pushed the cart all the way to a storage area.
Then he skillfully loaded the containers onto a truck while muttering to himself,
"Damn... another batch dead."
"At this rate, karma's definitely coming for me someday."
"Please don't blame me... I'm just moving the bodies."
The man wore a Corestone uniform and a work cap, his face full of reluctance.
"Scep..."
Suddenly, a green blade rested against the man's throat.
His body instantly stiffened.
"Don't make a sound."
"Or I'll kill you."
Aaron appeared behind him, speaking in an icy voice.
"Do-don't do anything crazy!"
"Please don't kill me! I haven't done anything!"
Cold sweat streamed down the worker's face as he desperately begged for mercy.
"Enough."
"I ask. You answer."
Aaron stared coldly into the man's eyes.
"O-Okay... ask whatever you want."
"How did these Pokémon die?"
"T-This... I don't know everything."
"I only know they're conducting some kind of experiment on Pokémon underground."
"If the experiment fails... the Pokémon die."
The worker swallowed nervously, his face pale.
The look in Aaron's eyes grew colder.
"Have you seen a Rookidee?"
"Rookidee!?"
The man froze.
"That's right."
"Have you seen one?"
"Where is it?"
Aaron's voice sharpened slightly.
"I-I think I saw one underground..."
"It was locked inside one of the laboratories."
"It might... might be used as experimental material."
Cold sweat continued dripping from the worker's forehead as he carefully answered.
BOOM!
A terrifying pressure suddenly burst out from Aaron.
The worker instantly felt a crushing pressure bear down on him.
His body turned ice-cold, and even breathing became difficult.
Aaron forcibly suppressed the killing intent raging inside him before knocking the worker unconscious.
"There's no time..."
"I need to get the little one out of here."
Aaron quickly stripped off the worker's uniform and changed into it himself.
After putting on the cap and work ID, he lowered his head and pushed the cart toward the elevator.
When he arrived, he used the worker's ID card.
BEEP.
The elevator doors slowly opened.
Aaron pushed the cart inside.
"Hold it."
Just then, two suited men suddenly called out to him.
Aaron's pupils contracted slightly as he silently prepared for the worst.
The two men entered the elevator, casually glanced at Aaron beneath the lowered cap, then pressed the button for the underground laboratory.
"The boss gave the order."
"Headquarters already approved everything. We're transporting the research data out soon."
"Got it. When are we moving?"
"In a few days."
"Damn Hualis police have been watching us so closely lately I can't even sneak out for a foot massage anymore."
"Seriously. Those Hualis bastards are a pain in the ass."
...
Standing behind them, Aaron's eyes turned ice-cold.
The ones who deserve to die are you people.
Trying to run?
I'll make sure none of you leave this place alive.
The moment he thought about the dead Pokémon packed inside those containers, the killing intent inside him nearly exploded again.
DING—
The elevator finally arrived underground.
The two suited men walked out first.
Aaron lowered his head and silently pushed the cart after them.
At the same time, he carefully observed his surroundings.
The hidden camera on his communicator had already been activated.
"RRAAAH!"
"Awoooo!"
Aaron looked around in shock.
Inside the glass chambers lining the laboratory, Pokémon were roaring in pain as thick red mist poured into the enclosures.
Moments later, bright Evolution light erupted from their bodies.
The sight completely stunned him.
"So this is what Corestone's been researching..."
Aaron's eyes narrowed sharply.
But not every Pokémon survived.
Some collapsed immediately after evolving.
Their bodies twitched a few times before going completely still.
Only a small number managed to survive the violent energy infusion.
"Hey, you there!"
"Hurry up and drag this one away!"
At that moment, a researcher in a white lab coat shouted toward Aaron.