The thunderous roar of helicopter blades grew louder, slicing through the chaos of battle like a warning siren. Even in the middle of the fight, the sound was impossible to miss.
Attila and Hun looked up. Four black helicopters had breached the skies, rapidly closing in on the island.
As they got closer, the emblem on the side of each chopper became clear a silver badge overlaid on a world map.
The International Police.
"What!?" Attila hissed. "They called the International Police?!"
The two exchanged stunned glances. They had expected backup to arrive maybe local officers, maybe a few rangers but not them.
These weren't small-town cops. The International Police were elite highly trained operatives, some capable of standing toe-to-toe with the strongest Gym Leaders. They carried top-grade equipment, elite Pokémon, and often traveled with external task forces.
They only showed up for one reason: total dismantling of high-threat criminal operations.
And this mission? It was now officially compromised.
On the beach, the rumble of the approaching helicopters shattered what little morale remained in the Rocket ranks. Grunts hesitated. Many looked skyward with panic in their eyes.
The front lines, still locked in combat with Kai, Ash, and their teams, continued to clash, but those further back were already beginning to retreat mentally.
Even Attila and the Huns couldn't hide the cracks in their confidence.
"This wasn't supposed to happen… they weren't supposed to get here so fast!"
Hun's jaw tightened. "We lost the window."
And sure enough, they had. The timing was now dangerously close too late to finish the mission, too early to make a clean escape.
"We're pulling out!" Attila shouted. "Fall back—now!"
They quickly recalled their Pokémon and turned back toward the submarine.
But the sub was already submerging.
The crew aboard wasn't being heartless they were being strategic. The submarine was far more valuable than any grunt. With helicopters inbound, they couldn't afford to wait.
The sub's hull dipped beneath the waves, disappearing into the ocean just as the first International Police agents began fast-roping from the helicopters.
Black-clad officers hit the ground in perfect formation. Within seconds, they engaged, shifting the tide of battle in an instant.
Now the numbers were even.
And Rocket? Had no hope.
Some tried to scatter only to be tracked by drone surveillance. Others fled into the forest only to be intercepted and cuffed.
Attila and Hun made one last desperate sprint toward the cliffs but it was too late. A Gardevoir materialized before them, cutting them off.
Elsewhere, Kai stood atop a rocky ledge, eyes fixed on the departing sub.
He turned and called down, "Misty have one of your Pokémon tail them. We need to find out where that sub is heading!"
Misty called to her Poliwhirl, who immediately dove into the surf. The Water-type splashed forward, catching the edge of the current left behind by the submarine, following it silently below the surface.
Kai watched until Poliwhirl disappeared from view.
Let's hope it can track them far enough…
With the tide turning, Kai regrouped with the others. The battle was essentially over. Rocket grunts were now being zip-tied, processed, and rounded up. Erika, Misty, Ash, and Ritchie gathered their Pokémon, tending to wounds.
In the distance, Brock came sprinting back, panting but triumphant.
"You made it," Kai said.
"Just in time," Brock grinned between breaths.
The group turned as another figure approached tall, professional, dressed in a sleek black suit.
"Mr. Kai," she said with a cool smile. "Didn't expect to see you again so soon."
Kai nodded politely. "Thanks for responding. We owe you."
Anabel waved it off. "We should be thanking you. Thanks to your bait, we just caught nearly a full Rocket infiltration unit. Honestly, you're becoming quite the… lucky charm."
Kai gave a dry chuckle. Lucky wasn't the word he'd use.
Especially since this entire mess had revolved around Silver.
But for now, discretion was best. He had already ordered Shu to keep Silver hidden the moment the helicopters appeared. The less attention they drew, the better. While the International Police would likely find out soon enough, buying time could avoid unnecessary headaches.
As the group began treating their Pokémon, Kai felt someone watching him.
The boy's expression was complicated.
"That was close," Ritchie finally said. "Tell me something, Kai. What would you have done… if this had all failed? If the police hadn't arrived in time?"
Kai paused, then slowly reached down and rested a hand on his belt where two sealed Ultra Balls were clipped.
"If that had happened… we'd have gone all in. Whatever it took to keep Silver safe."
He didn't need to say more.
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