What if they all worked together to grab Piers and present him to Shiro? If everyone showed enough sincerity, maybe they could beg for mercy. After all, the next gym leader had yet to be decided, and it was only wise to prepare for whichever way the wind blew.
Some of the Team Yell members looked around and instantly confirmed they were all thinking the same thing. No surprise, they were well-coordinated.
Bang, bang, bang…
Piers was still hammering at the buttons on the phone, the frantic motion bordering on desperation. He even looked ready to lift the receiver and smash it against the floor.
Why wasn't it responding?
"This phone..." He finally slammed his fist onto the table, making Kennya, who stood closest to him, wince.
She supported him and said, "Master Piers, if we truly can't make contact, we can try leaving through the roof."
He shook off her hand at once.
"Why can't we?" He snapped and then lifted his fist to hit the keypad next, startling the grunts who were creeping closer from behind.
They exchanged looks again, then pounced without hesitation.
His raised fist never reached the keypad. One of them grabbed it midair. With his lack of strength, he had no way to fight back.
Two of them held his arms on either side. Three others closed in and shoved Kenya away.
As Piers struggled in surprise, Kennya, pushed against the wall, shouted sharply, "What are you doing?! Are you rebelling?!"
The five who had seized Piers had once feared their squad leader, but now none of them had Pokémon at hand, and their lives were on the line. Who would care about that anymore?
"Do you think sticking with Piers will keep you alive?" one barked.
"I'm siding with Shiro. He's the real heir to Spikemuth!" another declared.
"Out of the way! Anyone who wants in, follow us!"
They called out to the others nearby. A few low-ranking members at the door flinched but, after thinking it over, joined their march.
Kennya, both shocked and furious, watched them head down the corridor toward the main hall and quickly followed. She yelled, "Master Piers is the gym leader's son! He's the League's chosen successor!"
"Who says so? The League already revoked the leader's title!" someone in front retorted immediately, drawing agreement from others.
"Doesn't Miss Marnie have the right to inherit?"
"If she can inherit, then Shiro can too!"
"I just want to survive!"
The group swarmed toward the main hall.
* * *
In the air, Malamar using psychic power was baffled. It had just located the Piers' group, and now they were charging over like maniacs... What in the world were they planning?
The group had barely burst out of the corridor when Malamar's psychic barrier trapped them. They found themselves stuck inside a small space composed of transparent walls in the hall, unable to push through.
Shiro and Felix looked at each other in puzzlement. Why were these Team Yell grunts dragging Piers out here? And why were they yelling like lunatics? Had they gone mad after being held for only a short while?
Stepping forward, Felix questioned, "What are you trying to do?"
The grunts didn't recognize him, but they saw he was standing beside Shiro. Realizing they were restrained by a Pokémon's power, they quickly tried to curry favor, "Sir, we caught Piers! He's the real killer! He ordered Firth to assassinate the Gym Leader!"
Piers's pale face flushed red upon hearing this. Spotting his uncle, he struggled to speak in a panic, "Lies! You dogs… Uncle, help me! Uncle…"
The moment his voice came out, the group fell silent. Their eyes, mixed with confusion and doubt, darted between the people in the hall. The ones holding him relaxed their grip a little.
What was going on now?
These grunts had always been quick to read a situation, but even they were thrown off. If the man with Shiro was Piers' uncle, then when Shiro left earlier, he must have gone to find him?
Could it be that Shiro wasn't the one who killed their leader, but had just left to bring someone to handle the matter and keep order?
If Piers had some connection with these two, should they still hand him over or just back off and stay out of trouble?
Their formation loosened.
Kennya seized the opportunity, rushed in, and helped Piers up. He also took the chance to shout, "Uncle! Hurry, save me! Get these people—"
"I was the one who controlled Firth to kill your father," Felix interrupted flatly.
The words hit like a thunderclap, making Piers freeze. His mind, cornered by reality, refused to accept what deep down he had already suspected, that Felix was behind everything.
This was his uncle. A powerful Gym-level trainer. His father had introduced him personally, saying they had always been close. How could he be the killer?
The surrounding grunts grabbed Piers once more, their eyes growing firm with renewed purpose.
Shiro found the scene amusing and said, "Hurry it up. I still need to report back to the company."
Felix gestured toward Malamar floating above.
Receiving the signal, the Pokémon's psychic power swept over. The Team Yell members, along with Piers, soon fell asleep.
Once they woke, their memories would be rewritten according to the planned story: Firth, long resentful toward Silas, had been exposed for harming fellow Team Yell members. When Silas tried to punish him, Firth snapped and killed him.
Firth himself was then torn apart by the gym leader's enraged Pokémon.
Shiro, returning to his hometown, and Felix, visiting to watch his nephew's gym challenge, were both alerted by the incident. After calming everyone, they reported the matter to Macro Cosmos...
"There's... one more," Felix murmured, turning halfway to look at Marnie, who was crouched by the door, hands over her mouth.
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she shook her head. "Don't... don't kill me. I won't say anything."
She thought her brother and those Team Yell members were already dead.
Felix said nothing, instead glancing at Shiro.
He nodded and urged, "Do it quickly."
It was only a small memory adjustment, not killing them all. He didn't understand why the man was hesitating.
Felix gave a slight nod. He realized he had misunderstood, he had thought his niece had some connection to Shiro. Apparently not. What a pity.
He flicked his hand, and Malamar flashed forward in an instant. A pulse of psychic energy enveloped Marnie, and she collapsed into the same deep sleep like the rest of the people in the hall.
**
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