HOORAY!! :biggrin:
As I hoped, with my exams over, I sat down and wrote Chapter 53 over the last few days. I really hope this is up to standard, as it has been so long since the last chapter I've become a bit rusty. Looks like there will be a few more chapters before the book ends, though, which doesn't worry me; in fact, I can't wait to sink my teeth into the rest of it, the ending to this book is all there, swimming around in my head even as I write this, and I can't wait to write it.
Really good timing on my behalf too (if I do say so myself ) as Lisa the Legend has been nominated for quite a few categories in the 2005 Golden Pen Awards, so hopefully this revives it a little. Thanks to everyone who nominated LTL for the awards, it really does mean a lot to have people think my writing is good, it makes it feel more worthwhile than ever. Remember to get all your votes in by October 1!
Anyway, without further ado, and after a seven month hiatus, HERE IT IS! Chapter 53 of Lisa the Legend, for your reading pleasure!
Cheers!
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Chapter 53 The Defector.
When she looked back, even a month later, Lisa didnt know why she did it. If she had stopped to think about it, she would never have made such a stupid mistake such a blind, foolish error but in the heat of the moment, faced with the ruthless intensity of the beasts glare, she shunted aside all traces of rational thought, all notions of caution, and leapt fearlessly for the best course of action she knew: action.
Surprised by her own boldness, she shrugged Gavin off and took a step toward Lunanine, winding up her arm and hurling out a red orb before her; it arced through the air and landed close to where the black, wolfish beast stood. Lunanine paused, and Lisa knew he was waiting for a flash of white light to erupt he thought it was a pokéball but it did not come.
Lisa didnt idle: hoping it would work (she could see no reason why it shouldnt) she focused her gaze on the Buzzball on the rocky ground and screamed, ELECTRIFY!
There was a loud bang: the ball erupted in a burst of crackling yellow sparks, all of which rent the air and connected instantly with Lunanines colossal form. It happened so quickly that, had Lisa blinked, she may have missed it all. As it was, though, she saw, in a stunned haze, everything that unfolded: the flash of understanding in Lunanines greenish yellow eyes the moment before he was struck by the electricity; the haphazard streamers of electric charge surging through the beasts body, immobilising him; the burst of sand and dust flying into the air as his hulking mass collapsed into the ground.
A sudden, artificial silence pressed in on the glade. Lunanines body lay in a heap on the ground, motionless.
Howd you Gavin spluttered from behind, and Lisa wheeled around to find him. He was still pressed against the rock wall, his ashen face incredulous. What was all that about?!
Lisa tried to generate some kind of response, but it died on her lips. She had not expected Lunanine to be caught unawares and be beaten so easily, but the scene before her eyes blew her expectations away. A single electric shock from the Buzzball had taken him out completely Lunanine, ten feet tall, a legendary pokémon.
This isnt right Lisa mumbled. Lunanine shouldnt have been taken down so easily; it made no sense at all. And where were the rest of the contestants? And Paddy?
Gavin was being uncharacteristically quiet, but Lisa assumed that he, too, had picked up on the strange atmosphere in the clearing. Desperate to explain the eerie feeling that was plaguing her, she scanned the area closely, and, quite unexpectedly, her eyes fell on something on Lunanines body. A discolouration. Without haste, she crept closer and examined the mark: it was a dark red wound, a bleeding hole, on his underbelly.
The realisation hit her like a bullet.
Gavin? she cried, fighting to keep the fear out of her voice, but it didnt work. Things were rapidly slotting into place, things that did not make her feel any more in control of the situation. Gingerly, knowing now that there were dozens of eyes on her, she knelt down and closed her hand around the idle Buzzball.
The silence pressed on. Gavin had not replied. Shaking all over, petrified beyond her wits, Lisa stood up, still facing in the direction of Lunanines body. She spent an entire second staring into the grove of trees a few metres away. There were several shadowy figures that, now she was looking for them, she could spot quite clearly.
As suddenly as she could, she spun on her heel and screamed, INFLATE!
It was all over in a second or two. Cold air rushed past her face as the Buzzball swelled, but Lisa knew she had no chance. A few invisible people barked out vague words. A pokémon growled loudly. Several attacks whizzed and exploded through the air. Something caught Lisa from behind, spearing her leg and knocking her to the ground, flat on her face.
Got her! cried a mans voice.
Lisa tried to snort the dirt out of her nose but failed. Blood was running down her face. Her head felt like it had been cleaved in two.
Get up. Heavy footsteps reached her side. Someone grabbed her roughly, not seeming to care where they put their hands. Lisa kept her mouth shut. She couldnt think of anything strong enough to say to these people and in any case, her head was spinning too much for her to think up some kind of verbal abuse. She struggled without really trying, for she knew that she was caught now.
Im so stupid, she mumbled aloud, still blinded by pain. The man carrying her snorted and hoisted her over his shoulder, leaving her upper body dangling over his back and her backpack swinging wildly, the straps digging into her underarms.
Lunanine wasnt angry with us. He knew the Union was hiding there, waiting to strike. He was there to protect us.
But I attacked him, she said bitterly, not caring that the man could hear her. I knocked him out.
Unexpectedly, the man answered. You didnt knock him out. We shot him. You just took his attention away from us. Well done.
Lisa punched his back uselessly, and he guffawed.
The pain was beginning to ease. Lisas vision came into focus more clearly. Beyond the mans buttocks, she could see the rough, rocky ground passing below, but where she was being carried, she didnt know. Around them, several other voices male and female were discussing something in low tones. Occasionally one of them would burst into laughter and it was this, more than the fact that they were abducting her, that annoyed Lisa.
They walked onwards downwards for what seemed like an hour. Lisa gave up on some kind of help coming to save her. Similarly, any thoughts she had of the contest on Mount Fairfax were well and truly history; the only concern she had about it was what had become of the contestants including Daniel and Paddy, though she had a sinking feeling that the Union might have already disposed of them somehow.
And as for Gavin, who knew what they might do with him? Lisa shuddered as she recalled her dream. If Gavin was being abducted again by the Union, surely he must be flooded with terrible memories? Indeed, wouldnt they be all the more vengeful, seeing as he had escaped them only two weeks previous?
A thought suddenly occurred to her.
Gavin? she called out unhesitantly.
And there came, from not very far away, Gavins cheery reply, Oh, hi Lisa! Great piggyback rides eh?
Silence! No talking! a foreign-sounding woman barked suddenly, but Lisa grinned.
After a long time walking in the dark, still unable to see anything but a few feet of passing dirt and a mans rear end, Lisa heard a man a few metres further down the track call for everyone to halt. He spoke sharply into a two-way radio. The man holding Lisa tensed. The man switched his radio off.
OK everyone, looks like weve been sprung already, the cops are here. Adrian, take your group and follow me, well get rid of them; Ana, you and Derek and Karl wait here with these two. Well radio when the coast is clear and you can call base.
There were general murmurs of assent throughout the group. Lisa gazed down at the loamy ground, incredulous: they were going to fight the police off? Just how strong were they?
The contingent dispersed quickly. Lisa sensed that there were only a couple of Union members left with them. There was a tiny spark of hope in her, but she knew that they could have her dead before she had finished throwing a pokéball.
After a long silence, Gavin piped up, Can you guys put me the right way up now?
No, snarled a womans voice, the same foreign-sounding voice that had ordered them to be quiet earlier.
But my head is really full of blood.
Lisa snorted loudly, prompting the man holding her to grip her legs tighter.
and? said the woman sardonically.
And all I can see is this guys butt ouch!
Shut up!
Apparently Gavin took the hint after that, as he fell silent.
But his point had been valid: Lisa could feel her head really aching now. She had been hanging upside down for quite a long time. In the empty, drawn out wait, it became one of those things: once she noticed it, all she could do was focus on the discomfort, the pressure building in her head. It began to drive her to distraction.
Finally, she cleared her throat and asked, as politely as possible, Could we please get down?
*********
Nice one, Gavin whispered.
Youre welcome, Lisa replied, gazing at the world the right way up. She and Gavin were now sitting beside a thick shrub, bound together by a thick cord, back-to-back, guarded by two men and a woman; their backpacks were piled up beside them.
Quiet, said the woman blandly.
Now sitting the right way up, without the giddiness of hanging upside down for an hour, Lisa felt the reality of the situation begin to weigh down on her. There was definitely nothing funny about what was happening.
Lisa watched her captors closely. The two men seemed to meet the typical criteria for Union agents they were tall, well-built and looked capable of any physical task. The woman, meanwhile, was not as resilient-looking as other female Union agents Lisa had come across before. This woman was tall and very slim, so much so that she came across as a stick insect. Her swift, slippery movements seemed to accentuate this image. Meanwhile, her face was almost deathly pale, quite as white as snow, except for two rather pink spots on her cheeks.
A painful, suffocating silence pressed in on them for what felt like an hour, and may actually have been that long. Lisa strained her ears for the sound of a struggle somewhere, but there was nothing. Indeed, had they not been held captive by Union agents, everything would have seemed quite as idyllic as ever.
Ana. Karl.
Lisa jerked her head up from her chest; she had been dozing off. She glanced around the tiny clearing and her eyes fell on the man who had carried her down the mountain after she was attacked on the plateau. He was beside a cluster of low-lying shrubs, staring with astonishment at something that was apparently hidden within them.
Ana raised a thin eyebrow and, leaving Karl to guard Lisa and Gavin, strode quickly to the man. She muttered something to him and they each whipped out a small, black handgun. The man began to reach into the bushes when suddenly something seemed to catch his eye; he pointed frantically at something behind Karl and bellowed, Look out!
Karl spun on his heel, as did Ana, and, with both of them facing the other way, the third man raised his pistol and fired two well-aimed shots at each of them.
Ana choked on her scream; Karl went soundlessly; in a second, their bodies were lying on the loamy ground, motionless.
The man who had shot them wheeled around to Lisa and Gavin, still bound in the middle of the track. Lisa flinched automatically, but he had lowered his gun. He hastened over to them, whipping out a knife from a pocket that Lisa didnt even see. It took a long, silent minute for the rope to snap.
Quick, kids, get up, we have to get a move on, the man said to them.
Gavin obeyed but Lisa remained stubbornly on the ground. Who are you?
My names Derek, the man said obligingly. Im not going to hurt you, but if you dont get out of here right now, youre screwed.
Lisa felt herself rise to her feet. Gavin thrust her backpack at her and she shouldered it without thinking. At once, Derek began to charge down the mountain along the rough track. Lisa and Gavin followed dazedly.
You just killed your friends, said Lisa to Derek as they negotiated their way through the dark.
Derek plunged on down the steep track. They werent my friends, he called back, without turning, his gun held out, threatening the silent black night. If you knew what they got up to you wouldnt be friends with them either, believe me.
Ouch! Lisa dodged the branches of a nearby box-thorn only to plunge her arm straight into another one. The scratches on her arm immediately began to bleed.
Dont stop! Derek called back. You can get treated for that later but if these bastards shoot you you wont have much hope!
Hes right, came Gavins voice from just behind.
Biting her lip, Lisa ran on. So you really are good then? she called down the track, aware of how lame it sounded, but she had to hear the answer.
Uh yeah, Derek called back. As good as any of us are anyway.
Where are you taking us? asked Gavin.
Somewhere safe, I hope! the reply came.
They pelted on downwards, the night air chilling them to the bone. Lisa shivered. Her sleeve was covered in drying blood. It was so dark that she could see nothing further than the fringes of the track. The ground was becoming more level, but this was obviously a temporary adjustment, as they had not gone far enough to be at the base of the mountain yet.
After some time, Derek called to them, Better be quiet from now on, just in case!
Not daring to ask what he meant by just in case, Lisa nodded, even though he couldnt see her do so.
The path downwards steepened once again and it was back to negotiating the rocky descent. Lisas arms and face took another half a dozen blows from various plants and trees, including another box-thorn. She began to consider how much easier it would have been if she had never attacked Lunanine on the plateau.
Finally, after about a ten minute descent, Derek came to a halt in the middle of the track. Lisa and Gavin jogged up to him, breathless.
Im gonna have to leave you guys here, he said calmly.
Right here? Lisa burst out, before he could go on.
Keep your voice down, Lisa, he said, not harshly, Not exactly here he pointed to the left of the track, directly into solid, impenetrable darkness. Walk a few metres that way, theres a cave there, you should find it easily enough. I want you two to wait there until well, just wait there, OK?
OK, said Gavin.
Alright, Lisa said tentatively.
OH! Derek said suddenly, as if he had suddenly remembered something vital. I found this on the plateau its yours, isnt it? He produced the Buzzball from his pocket and thrust it into Lisas waiting hands. And another thing, when you get picked up from the cave tell the people who pick you up that Ive got the OMalley file and all its contents, except the third chapter, can you remember that? Lisa and Gavin nodded. Good. And once youre completely safe, once youre completely away from this area, tell Lance and ONLY Lance that I know where the Second Key is, OK?
Lisa saw her own surprise reflected in Gavins eyes. Lance?
Yeah, Derek looked confused. Oh right, you dont know anything yet, dont worry, just can you remember that message?
Youve got the OMalley file except the third chapter and Lance needs to know youve found the second key, whatever that is, Gavin recited.
No! Derek said. I havent found it, but I know where it is!
Uh OK, got it, said Gavin.
When you say Lance, you mean the Champion Lance? Lisa said, still confused.
Yes, but dont tell anyone else! Derek stressed. Listen, I know you guys must be exhausted but please remember all that and be careful. If someone starts attacking you in the cave, for Gods sake, fight back. OK. So, go quickly now, to the cave! He pointed in the direction of it for a moment, to remind them, and without further ado began to jog back down the track.
Just before he disappeared into darkness, Lisa called, What do you have to do?
He called back. My job.
But what if you dont make it? Lisa knew she was being too sentimental, but it would seem like a terrible thing for such a good man to be killed.
He turned to face them, and Lisa could just see his face in the shadows. Im not going to die, he said, quite lightly, oh, but if I do, tell my wife and daughters I love them! And with that, he disappeared.
Lisas heart hurt as watched him go, not sure whether he had been joking or not.
Gavin touched her shoulder. Lets go.
Trying to be discreet, they left the track and pushed through a mass of sticks and thickset shrubs. The moon, which had bathed the track in a faint blue light, was invisible through the canopy of the dense forest; the darkness was almost total.
They plunged ahead blindly, unable to see anything much at all; the leaves at their feet felt like strange creatures groping at them, trying to trip them up.
Light the Buzzball, panted Gavin, his white face covered in beads of sweat despite the coolness of the night air.
I dont think we should, Lisa said. Wed be seen too easily. Derek said we should find the cave easily enough, anyway.
You think hes for real?
I think so. I mean, he saved us and told us where to hide.
But he might just be doing that to corner us I mean, he seems to be all right, but
He gave us the Buzzball, Lisa argued, brushing what felt like a huge, slimy leaf from her face. He wouldnt arm us if he wasnt dinkum. And he gave us all that information to pass on Im sure hes on our side whatever that is.
Lance, said Gavin curiously. Thats really weird
I reckon, said Lisa. Who would ever think Lance would ever be involved with the Union?
I dont think he is it sounds like Derek is defecting to some other group maybe.
True Lisa trailed off. Initially she had been shocked to hear Lances name even brought into this strange situation, but her mind had immediately deviated to Lances son, Darius. Did he have anything to do with this? Did he know about his fathers connections? Indeed, did anyone realise the Champion of the Elite Four, one of the most powerful and respected pokémon trainers in the world, had contacts within the Union?
Gavin, dyou OW!
For the second time that night, Lisas nose ran with blood. She reeled back from the solid barrier in front of her, clutching at her nose as stars appeared before her eyes.
You all right?
Fide, fide, Lisa mumbled, pinching her nose and leaning forwards. I thing I foud the cave.
Sure enough, it took Gavin just a few seconds to feel along the rocky wall blocking their path and find a small opening in it, large enough to crawl into.
Youre not claustrophobic or anything are you?
Nuh, Lisa replied, just give me a sec.
Once her nose had stopped bleeding they got on all fours and crawled in; once again, Lisa found herself stuck staring at a mans rear end as Gavin led the way. The tunnel was very cramped and, once they had left the entrance, it was pitch black. Lisa had to keep her head tucked into her body, and even then it scraped the top of the tunnel. The floor of the tunnel was scattered with sharp fragments of rock, and Lisa felt her hands and knees becoming raw and grazed as she struggled onwards.
The tunnel was probably about five metres long, though it took a minute or two to get through. When it finally opened up, Lisa felt slightly sick: it was so completely dark that she could not see her hand before her face. The only way they could tell the tunnel had opened into a cave was that they no longer had to keep their heads down, and the walls of the tunnel were no longer right by their sides. As she put her hand down Lisa felt something crumble beneath it, and she barely stifled a scream.
I think now would be a good time to light the Buzzball, said Gavin apprehensively.
Lisa pulled the ball out of her pocket. I still think it might be a giveaway, she said reluctantly. I mean, it would shine out of the tunnel, it would be pretty obvious.
Cant you make it really dull or something?
I I can try, said Lisa hopefully, clasping the Buzzball. Illuminate but softly.
At once, a globule of light appeared from thin air, as bright as ever. For a second all Lisa could see was whiteness, though she sensed that the cave was actually quite small.
No, dimmer, darker! she hissed nervously at the red ball in her hand, but it stubbornly glowed on, the globule now a ring of light surrounding the ball. Darker no, stop!
Just as her eyes were adjusting, the light evaporated and darkness surrounded them again.
Sorry Gavin, no dimmer switch.
Thats OK, I had an idea maybe we could just chuck it under a jumper or something.
Oh good idea.
Once the Buzzball was completely enveloped in Gavins jumper Lisa commanded it to shine again; the result was much more satisfying, bathing the cave in a very weak, patterned glow that was not really bright enough to be obvious outside but was enough to see with inside, though there was very little to see. The cave was almost spherical, with sides that banked right up to the roof. It was not very much bigger than a very small room and the only way in or out was through the tunnel they had just crawled through.
So now we wait, I spose, Lisa said. She dumped her bag on the floor and curled up against the curved walls which, surprisingly, made a comfortable resting place. Almost instantly, she felt her mind easing out of consciousness. Her eyelids fluttered.
We shouldnt go to sleep, Gavin warned her seriously, though he sounded exhausted too.
Yeah. Youre right, Lisa mumbled, ignoring his words entirely. Her eyes closed and she began to slide into sleep.
It seemed like literally a second later when she heard Gavins urgent voice whisper, Stop glowing. Startled, Lisa opened her eyes to see the dim light of the Buzzball give way to pitch darkness once again. Oddly alert, she held her tongue and slowed her breathing, though her heart was hammering as she realised what had caused Gavin to turn the Buzzball off; beyond the cave entrance, there was the distinct noise of somebody approaching, and they were being anything but discreet about it, slashing through twigs and branches and mumbling quite loudly.
Suddenly, Lisa felt Gavins warmth on her. Lisa, you have to wake up but be very quiet, dont say anything, somebodys coming. His words came in a rush of hot breath in Lisas ear.
Im awake, Lisa said, but she was speaking so quietly that almost no noise came out. As it was, Gavin didnt seem to be awaiting a response. They were both silent and breathless, listening to the approaching noise.
The crunching of leaves and twigs was threateningly loud now. Surely, the person had to be right at the tunnel entrance and if they were that close, then it would seem they knew exactly where the cave was.
Over the noise of breaking and crunching, however, there was a louder sound that took Lisa a few seconds to place: it was a humming sound.
Unexpectedly, the sound of footsteps ceased, though the humming continued, louder than ever. Lisa grabbed Gavins hand.
Without warning, a voice overrode the humming: You kids in there yet?
Lisa jumped, her heart skipping a beat before she realised that the female voice was unmistakeably there was no other word for it friendly.
Were here, Gavin called, without hesitating.
The humming became increasingly louder. The female voice muttered some indistinct instructions apparently there was somebody else with her. There was a dull thud, followed by a scrabbling noise. The humming was very close now, coming down the tunnel.
Ill leave him with you, said the unidentified female voice, the owner of which was clearly still outside the cave. Someone should be along soon to pick you up. Are you holding up all right? After what youve been through Im surprised you kids are still so calm and co-operative.
Lisa couldnt see anything, but she knew that if she could have she would be exchanging a significant look with Gavin: for the first time ever, here was someone who realised who understood that they had been through so much. She had no idea who the woman was, or how she knew they were in the cave, or even how she knew about how the two of them had come to be entangled with the Union, but to hear someone put into words what they were both feeling was the sweetest thing Lisa had heard in months.
Were doing OK, Lisa called back over the increasingly annoying humming. Um before you go who is this youre leaving us with?
Its Samuel Oak, came the reply. OK, take care kids. And with that, the voice disappeared.
Lisa knew that Gavins breath, like hers, had stuck in his throat. After all they had travelled for, since Port Valeo, here was the man they were looking for, right in front of them.
They sat in stupefied limbo, the source of the humming right beside them in the cave. There were inflections in the humming, chinks that made it less musical and more human. As Lisa listened, it seemed to become some kind of lament that she couldnt quite place.
Finally, she said, Professor Oak?
The humming stopped, leaving a ringing silence in its absence. Lisa held her breath.
You are Lisa Walters, arent you?
What surprised Lisa the most, more so than the fact that Oak knew who she was, was the simultaneous strength and frailness of his voice. His tone, deep and gravelly and pensive, revealed at once that he had been through some kind of intense trauma, yet there was a resistance, a resilience, in the way in which he chose his words; he spoke slowly and composedly, almost as though he had prepared the entire conversation in advance.
I am, said Lisa, and this is Gavin Luper.
Its good to meet you at last, said the old man. He sounded exhausted. Ive been looking for you, Lisa.
Lisa did a double take. You have?
Yes, said Oak slowly. You sound so surprised.
Its just that well, we were looking for you, actually, Lisa told him.
Gavin shifted uncomfortably on the cave floor.
You two were looking for me? Oak repeated softly. How strange we were both looking for each other, and now here we are, with all the time in the world to explain ourselves.
All the time in the world were not the words that Lisa would have chosen to explain their situation hiding from a still-unexplained enemy organisation however, it seemed to work for Oak. In any case, he either ignored their apprehensive silence or did not notice it at all, for he pushed on quickly.
I would like to hear why you were looking for me, he said composedly, and Im sure youd like an explanation from me about my absence, but, if you dont mind, I have some very important things to tell you both and they cannot wait a second longer.
You have something important to tell us? Gavin said, apparently amazed that such a bizarre night could become any more confusing.
Oh, yes, very important.
Well, what things? Lisa demanded, rather shortly. She was so tired after the events of the last few days that her brain had ceased to process information logically anymore. Every twist and turn seemed to bring a new, more perplexing problem to the situation. She didnt have a clue what was going on. All she wanted to do was fall asleep for a very long time and forget everything that had happened since October, when she first sighted Suicune in the Burned Tower. She wanted it to be all over.
But, as Oak began to relay his important information, she realised that there would be no rest for her tonight.
No, the night was only just beginning.