Rescue

(A/N: Last chapter in the story. Sorry there wasn't more action in it, for those readers who were hoping for some. I wrote this a while ago and lost motivation to write a battle scene, so it never really manifested. I hope, though, that for the most part it was good. Reviews appreciated, and constructive criticism.)

The infiltration was going well. 'So far so good', as it was said. Their plan was going off without a hitch, but then the best laid plans of mice and men and all that. James knew that all too well. He and Butch lowered themselves into the building silently, alighting to the floor without a sound. "009 to others," Domino's voice said over their coms.

"We read you, Black Tulip," Butch replied.

"Roger that," Oakley added from wherever her and her sister were.

"Us as well," Jessie's said.

"Tyson and I are tapping into the camera feeds. Annie and Oakley, you two are in a red hot spot. Exercise extreme caution. Even that might not be enough to get you out of this mess," Domino said.

"We'll see," Oakley replied, chuckling.

"James and Butch, your path to Holding Block A is clear. Jessie, Cassidy, you may have a few more problems. Be careful on your way to Holding Block B. Annie, Oakley, like I said you're in a red hot spot. Holding Block C is probably where they're being kept. Be careful," Domino said.

"Roger," all six replied together.

"Good luck, guys," Tyson added. "Err, just a suggestion, and it might hurt to hear, but… James and Butch, you two are… will be… close to their 'interrogation' rooms. Just another word for torture facilities. You may want to linger there if you find no one in Holding Block A."

James swallowed dryly and closed his eyes, willing back a wave of nausea. Hadn't Hun suffered enough in life as it was? "We're on it," he replied. With that they all cut contact for the time being.

"You ready to crash and burn?" Butch asked, smirking.

James chuckled. "It'll be nothing new," he answered. In more ways than one…

Past

James had made the error of coming out of his hiding spot too early and trying to get back into the cover of the woods. He'd hoped to find Hun. Instead Daniel had found him. Before he'd even gotten out of the marsh Daniel had found him. James screamed in terror as the man picked him up and brought him towards his truck. He threw James into the backseat and climbed in the front, chuckling. "Hun, Hun!" James screamed.

"Your sibling isn't coming back," the man replied, and James paled. No…

"You killed Hun, you killed Hun!" James shrieked almost hysterically as he burst into tears, shaking like a leaf from anger, fear, and misery all together.

"Shut up!" Daniel snapped sharply. He began driving away. James looked out the back window then started. Hun had just raced from the woods and was looking for him!

"Hun, Hun!" James screamed on seeing the other.

"I told you, Hun…" Daniel began.

"You lied! Hun's behind us, and my big sibling is going to hunt you down no matter what! You'll see!" James insisted.

"James, James, James. Hun couldn't hope to outrace a truck," Daniel replied, chuckling. James paled as the truth in this statement hit him like a ton of bricks. He couldn't rely on Hun, not this time. This time he was on his own because Hun couldn't be there… This time he had to be brave, like Hun said he could be. And he would be smart. Hun believed he could be. Was he smart…? Hun said he was, and so he would prove his big sibling right. He would! They were on a dirt road, careening down it quickly. James swallowed, looking out the window at a very steep ravine. Wait… That was it! All at once James pushed open the back door of the car and threw out his Pokeball. "Carnivine, help me!" he cried out as the carnivine appeared on the road looking confused. On realizing what was happening, confusion became alarm.

"Nivine!" it exclaimed.

"What the…?" Daniel began to say, but before he could continue James leapt forward and jerked the wheel hard towards the ravine. Daniel shrieked in horror as the truck flew over the edge! James screamed in terror. All at once vines wrapped around him and he was pulled from the truck. James looked up. Carnivine knew vine whip!

"Carnivine!" James exclaimed in glee. He gasped, looking down. The truck rolled a few times and suddenly Daniel's screams stopped. Then the car crashed violently. Then there was fire and James saw blood, or thought he did. James sobbed, burying his face in Carnivine and shaking. Daniel was gone. He never wanted Daniel to die, he didn't! He just wanted to get away!

"Vine?" Carnivine asked worriedly. James sniffled and smiled weakly up at the Pokémon.

"I'm okay, Carnivine," he said, wiping his eyes and forcing a brave grin. The grin fell, though, and he looked down. "I have to find Hun!" he said in determination. Quickly he returned his carnivine and raced back towards the marshes. He had to find Hun, he just had to! …He never did… He never saw Hun again…

Present

And now he may never see Hun again for real this time, James realized with sinking heart. The Holding Blocks had all been checked. There was no sign of Attila and Hun. "They can't have disappeared off the face of the Earth," Butch was saying to the others. "There's gotta be a room or a Holding Cell we don't know about. There are signs of recent torture in the interrogation room. They're here!" he insisted.

James looked around the Interrogation Chamber they were now in, searching for any hint at a clue. Not even a blood trail. Wait, what was…? His eyes narrowed curiously and he approached. He'd seen blood against the wall. At first glance it didn't seem to be anything, but there was something about it… He approached it and checked carefully. All at once he started, standing up. "One of them left a message," James realized.

Butch looked over at James. "Who?" Butch asked.

"Hun!" James exclaimed.

Butch started and quickly joined James. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's a… a skull and crossbones next to a D?" James replied, tracing the image carefully. Wait… He started. "Daniel…" he breathed.

"Who?" Butch asked.

James grimaced. How to explain it without arousing suspicion? "Daniel was the name of a notorious kidnapper. I learned about him from my tutors; very obscure, virtually unknown because he was never caught… But he hid the bodies below his house in a chamber beneath the floors… The children's remains were his trophies."

Butch looked appalled at this. "What are you getting at James?" he asked. "You telling me somewhere in this floor, or in a room nearby, there's a hidden staircase or something leading to an underground room?"

"Precisely," James replied. "Wow that was a big leap."

Butch shrugged casually. "Hey, I can use deductive reasoning when I want. Look loser, you know how crazy this sounds?" he asked.

"We both know you've heard crazier," James replied, smirking.

Butch chuckled, closing his eyes. "True enough. Let's go," he said. "You hear all that guys? Meet us here," he added into the communicators.

"Roger," the others replied. Butch and James began scanning for a hidden staircase.

"Were they ever found?" Butch suddenly asked.

"They?" James asked.

"The children," Butch answered.

James paused, confusion in his eyes. "No one even knew they existed," he finally answered. "Daniel was an unknown killer."

"Then how did your tutors learn about him?" Butch challenged, sensing there was far more to this story than James was letting on.

James looked at him. After a moment he replied, "Honestly they didn't… But Hun, who I consider a tutor of mine, did…"

"How did Hun...? You know what, I probably don't want to know," Butch said.

"You don't… Trust me you don't…" James replied. Butch shuddered at the implications. All at once something moved under his fingertips. He frowned and pushed. A wall slowly slid open! Butch blinked. James turned in shock. The two looked down into the darkness uncertainly.

"Here goes nothin'," Butch murmured.

"I know," James replied. "Should we wait for the others?"

"Screw it," Butch said. Immediately he started down. Just then the rest arrived. Honestly James was relieved. He didn't like the idea of going down there without backup.

"James, we…" Jessie began. James put a finger to his lips and they all immediately fell silent, looking at the open wall in shock. Quietly they followed Butch and James down into the depths of the Plasma base…

PKMN

Hun and Attila looked up as the cell doors opened, expecting Team Plasma guards. Rather, Attila looked up from his position holding the fading and borderline unconscious Hun in his arms. "My partner needs help already!" Attila insisted. He caught his breath as an unconscious Plasma guard was tossed onto the floor and the door was unlocked. He looked up in disbelief to see who was there. "G-guys…?" he said, too relieved and grateful to even be able to believe what he was seeing.

"Attila!" Annie exclaimed, racing inside. Attila rose swiftly and caught her in his arms.

"Annie!" he said with a gasp, holding her tightly. She clung to him desperately.

"Hun!" Oakley screamed, seeing Hun's current state. She raced to the agent's side and fell to her knees, cradling Hun in her arms with tears slipping down her cheeks unchecked. "Hun, wake up. Oh Arceus, please, wake up," she begged.

Hun's eyes weakly flickered open and fell on her. After a moment the agent reached up, brushing her tears away lightly and murmuring, "You're slowing down."

Oakley laughed weakly and grinned down at the other, but the grin soon vanished. "You'll be okay… Please… You have to be okay. You have to make it…" she said.

Hun nodded and looked over at the rest, who were concernedly keeping their eyes open for Team Plasma. Except James. James's eyes were fixed on Hun, and he was silently crying without shame, teeth clenched. "Hun… okina kyodai," he said, voice breaking.

Hun nodded at him. "Otouto…" the agent said. James swallowed painfully. "I knew you would come through, James," the injured Rocket gently said to him. James sobbed and raced to Hun, hugging tightly and startling the others. Wait, since when was James close to Hun? After a moment Hun hugged him gently back.

"I'll get you out, I promise senpai, I promise!" James desperately vowed. "You'll be okay! Just hang on! Just-just hang on… Don't leave me…"

Hun chuckled. "Otouto… you don't need me anymore…" the agent replied.

"Don't say that!" James insisted. "Then you'll give up! I don't want you to give up, Hun!"

Hun gently rested a hand on his shoulder. "I never give up, James… You know that," the agent replied before slipping back into unconsciousness.

PKMN

Hun's eyes flickered open, revealing an emergency room. The agent's eyes closed once more, a sigh of relief escaping the lips. "Don't close your eyes…" a soft voice said. Hun opened them and spotted an obviously tired and disheveled Oakley beside the bed. How long had she stayed here for, the agent wondered? "Don't close them ever again…" she added.

"Never sleep never die," Hun murmured to her. She swallowed tightly and nodded. "You look awful." She laughed tiredly, hugging Hun. Hun held her back.

"Hun, you're awake!" James enthusiastically cheered, entering the room and seeing Hun awake.

"What happened after I passed out?" Hun asked.

"Tyson picked you up, we made a run for it, Team Plasma tried to interfere and we won the ensuing battle and managed to slip away before their reinforcements came. Otherwise we'd all be imprisoned now," James summarized.

"Sounds like I missed a lot," Hun dryly remarked.

"It wasn't all that exciting, actually. Well, maybe it was, but still," James replied, shrugging.

"You came through," Hun said to him.

James blushed and looked to the side. "I did what I had to do to get you and Attila out. We all did," he replied.

"I knew you would," Hun murmured, ignoring James's attempt at humility.

James stared at Hun, a lump growing in his throat. Hun was the only one who had ever truly believed in him... Hun had raised him up and taught him to become more than he ever thought he could be… "Thank you," James said.

Thank you for being my sibling, my mentor, my friend, my parent. Thank you for being so much you never should have had to be. Thank you for believing in me, for protecting me. Thank you for so much that words perhaps could never be enough to express my gratefulness.

Hun nodded, understanding James's meaning. "I regret nothing say for..." the agent began. Hun trailed off.

Say for perhaps losing you all those years ago and failing you then when you most needed me…

"It wasn't your fault," James replied quietly. "It wasn't either of our faults." Hun sighed through the nose, but nodded nonetheless.

Oakley was left to try and puzzle out what the two meant. She'd probably never know, no one would, but maybe no one else had to. What mattered now was Hun and Attila recovering from their ordeal. It was done… It was done and they were safe.

End