Chapter no.61 Threads of the Web

Green scrolled through the stolen Team Rocket files, her expression unreadable as lines of data scrolled past. The encrypted files weren’t just mission reports, they were blueprints for something big.

Something dangerous.

Austin sat beside her, eyes scanning the dense layers of information, packed with coded transmissions, personnel movements, and operational schedules. It was a mess of logistical jargon, but amidst all the noise, one name kept showing up.

Ariana.

Austin’s grip on the desk tightened.

That was it.

Team Rocket wasn’t in Cerulean City for recruitment, smuggling, or even the usual back-alley dealings.

They were here for her.

With Arianna’s high ranking, she had been processed through Pewter City Detention Center, awaiting transport to Indigo Penitentiary, Kanto’s most secure prison, built to hold high-profile criminals too dangerous to be kept anywhere else.

Escape from Indigo? Impossible.

Escape before getting there? Much easier.

Austin read through the attached operational report, his stomach sinking.

The transport schedule was airtight:

April 1st: Ariana would be moved from Pewter City Detention Center at 0700 hours.

The convoy would take Route 4, cutting through Mt. Moon Tunnel for additional security.

Upon exiting near Cerulean Outskirts, the transport would continue north along Route 10, through Rock Tunnel—a long, winding path notorious for its low visibility and isolation.

Finally, they’d reach Lavender Town, where a second team would transfer her to a League-secured vessel bound for Indigo Penitentiary.

A small footnote at the end of the report stood out: Expected civilian interference: Minimal. Threat of League involvement: Low.

Austin exhaled sharply. They knew everything. The exact route. The security detail. The personnel in charge.

Team Rocket had inside men.

His mind raced. Why Rock Tunnel?

It made sense from a security standpoint fewer civilians, natural barriers preventing outside interference, only one clear entrance and exit.

“A collapse.”

Austin glanced up as Green tapped the screen, highlighting key points along the tunnel route.

“This is where they’ll do it,” she murmured.

Her finger traced two specific locations on the map. “A controlled detonation here…”

She moved slightly forward. “And here.”

A slow realization crept up Austin’s spine.

“If they blow these supports, the tunnel comes down.”

“Yup,” Green confirmed. “And not just a partial collapse either—a full cave-in, under thirty seconds.” She leaned back, arms crossed. “Fast enough for a psychic to teleport in, grab Ariana, and blink out before anyone even realizes what’s happening.”

Austin’s jaw clenched.

The transport team would be trapped. Buried.

Kanto would scramble, believing it to be a tragic accident, diverting attention to rescue operations. Meanwhile, Ariana would already be gone. No direct assaults. No unnecessary casualties. A clean, precise operation.

Austin exhaled slowly, his mind racing. The plan was airtight—calculated, efficient. But why now?

Ariana wasn’t just another grunt, but she wasn’t exactly irreplaceable either. Giovanni wasn’t the type to gamble big on sentiment. He preferred to operate from the shadows, keeping Team Rocket’s true strength hidden.

But this?

This was reckless. This was high-risk for minimal gain. It didn’t add up unless this wasn’t about Ariana at all. Unless this was about sending a message. Austin’s thoughts darkened as he landed on the only explanation that made sense.

Mewtwo.

Had Giovanni already created it?

The timelines were messy.

In the anime, Mewtwo was fully developed, controlled by advanced technology.

In the manga, Mewtwo was unstable, needing Blaine’s DNA to stabilize its power.

Which one was it?

Austin didn’t know.

If Team Rocket was already making moves this big, it meant they were confident. It meant something had changed. And he had a sinking feeling that Mewtwo was at the center of it.

“So,” Green drawled, “what’s the plan, superhero?”

“…What?”

“You heard me,” she said, smirking. “You’re gonna stop it, right?”

Austin didn’t answer. Green raised an eyebrow. “Or are you just gonna let it happen?”

Austin exhaled slowly. The logical thing to do was walk away. This was way bigger than him. Stopping a high-level Rocket operation especially if they had Mewtwo was suicidal but putting your head down was going to lead to an even bigger problem later on.

Austin’s eyes darkened.

Green noticed the shift. Her smirk faltered.

“Wait, you’re actually thinking about it?”

Austin stayed silent because in his heart he already knew. He couldn’t ignore this. But the real question was… Could he afford to get involved?

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The communication room was dark, illuminated only by the glow of monitors lining the walls. Executives of Team Rocket appeared on screen, their figures shadowed by poor lighting; Proton, Archer, Petrel, and, of course, the Boss himself, Giovanni.

At the center of it all stood Sabrina, silent and unreadable, her arms folded as she listened to the debriefing.

Proton was already running his mouth. “How the hell did you let a kid infiltrate the base and steal classified intel?!”

Sabrina turned to him, eyes cold. “Oh, you got me,” she drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Next time, I’ll personally invite the thief in, offer her tea, and hand-deliver the documents myself. Would that make you feel better?”

“You…”

“Enough,” Archer cut in.

Petrel chuckled, arms behind his head. “Relax, Proton. If you were gettin’ robbed by the Thousand-Faced Girl, I’d bet you woulda performed worse.”

“You know the thief?”

Petrel gave a lazy shrug. “Yeah, she’s made quite the name for herself in Kanto. Always buying up information, always looking for something. I even offered her a spot in Team Rocket once.”

That caught everyone’s attention.

“You offered her a position?” Proton asked, incredulous.

“Hey, when I see talent, I know it,” Petrel said smoothly. “She turned me down, though. Said she doesn’t work under anyone.”

“Hmph.” Archer leaned back. “Then this wasn’t an attack. This was a job.”

“And we were just in her way,” Proton muttered.

The room fell into silence, the only sound the soft purring of Persian from Giovanni’s screen. Then, finally, the Boss spoke.

“Sabrina,” Giovanni’s voice was calm, commanding, absolute. “Anything of value from the thief’s mind?”

Sabrina hesitated. “…It’s complicated.”

A long pause.

“Elaborate.”

Sabrina exhaled. “Her mind was… protected.” She frowned, recalling the sensation. “Something was there—a dark presence, parasitic. Not a normal psychic barrier. I’ve never encountered anything like it.”

Silence.

Persian’s tail flicked. Giovanni leaned back, fingers steepled under his chin. “Petrel,” he said smoothly. “Track her down. Ensure she doesn’t sell what she stole.”

“You got it, Boss.”

“With the possibility that this ‘accident’ may result in complications, I want captains from each division sent to assist Sabrina in the retrieval mission.”

“Understood.” Archer nodded.

“On it,” Proton muttered.

“I’ll see which one of my guys I can spare,” Petrel added casually.

One by one, the screens flickered off, leaving only Giovanni and Sabrina.

The boss studied her for a long moment.

“You were distracted during the meeting,” he observed.

Sabrina flinched internally. “…Apologies, Boss,” she said smoothly. “I’ve just seen… too many strange things lately.”

“Hmph.” Giovanni’s fingers tapped against the desk. “Take a few days off,” he commanded. “Get your mind in the right headspace.”

A pause.

Then, before she could stop herself, the words slipped out.

“…Maybe I should go on a date.”

The air in the room froze.

Sabrina immediately regretted it. She wasn’t sure why she said it. She wasn’t even sure what she meant. But there it was. Hanging. Waiting. She stared at Giovanni, expecting disapproval.

Instead giovanni smiled but it wasn’t a pleasant smile. It was a knowing one. A calculating one. A Persian watching a Rattata walk willingly into a trap.

“If it helps you succeed in your mission,” he said smoothly, “then by all means…” He tilted his head, voice dark with amusement. “Go on a date.”

Sabrina didn’t know why, but the way he said it made her feel like she had just made a deal she didn’t understand.

She swallowed hard, nodding once. “Understood, Boss.”

The screen flickered off.

Meanwhile…

Giovanni leaned back in his chair, stroking Persian’s fur, eyes narrowed in thought. His executives were soldiers, powerful in their own ways—but loyalty only went so far.

But this?

This was something different. Sabrina was strong. One of his best.

But now?

Now, she was interested in something. Or rather, someone. A small smirk curled at the corner of his lips.

Perfect.

A strong soldier was valuable. But a strong soldier with emotional ties? That was something far more useful.

“Power alone is never enough, Sabrina,” Giovanni mused, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You need more than just loyalty…”

His eyes darkened.

“You need something to lose.”