Chapter 60: The Spelunkers.
#60 of Pokemon Rangers 2: Eddies: A pokemon story.
Many things about the entire situation remain confusing, even to this day.
As an example, after the initial fallout following their arrival had subsided, where did the creatures go? Given only speculation remains as to their eventual fate, was the government involved, or had they simply vanished as mysteriously as they arrived?
Or are they living amongst us still, hidden from the prying eyes of the general populace by those sworn to protect them?
Perhaps we'll never know, just as it's as unlikely we'll ever be told the real truth as to their mysterious presence in our world. The government has covered it up, the people involved remain mute, and the creatures themselves; these pokémon; are the biggest enigma of the lot.
At least their presence here has answered one important question that's plagued humanity since the dawn of its creation.
We are not alone.
Perhaps we never have been.
Eddies
Chapter 60: The Spelunkers.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
_________________
Eddies 60
The convoy of vehicles reached the checkpoint set up by the police just before 6am. Located just outside the CBD proper, the area was adjacent to the docks; it's history as a warehousing precinct obvious in the size and shape of the building structures dominating the region.
The surrounding streets were almost empty. With the operation occurring so early on a Sunday, the late night partygoers had already staggered home, and no early morning commuters bustled through the sidewalks as would have occurred on a normal business day.
Still, as they were waved through the blockading barriers, a large group of reporters and media jostled beside the vehicles, attempting to take photographs of the occupants while they bombarded the police officers on duty with endless questions on the nature and reason for the secretive operation.
Things had been going smoothly, with Chris and Bill ensuring the pokémon in the bus kept their heads down to avoid the press. However, when the cattle truck approached, no cajoling from Scott could make the recalcitrant typhlosion duck his head out of view. The truck's side windows were lightly tinted which, added to the early morning light diffused by the surrounding buildings, helped mask the vehicle interior. But the huge, furred and fanged profile visible through the glass still had the reporters stunned; at least till they recovered enough to break out in a further cacophony of speculation to the beleaguered police.
"That's not helping, Storm" grumbled Scott, but the pokémon shrugged, dismissing his objections.
"Things are about to get insane here, and I have no intentions in adding to my stress by pretending to these humans I don't actually exist. They're going to find out one way or another, so let 'em do whatever they like."
Scott made to comment, but then decided against it. His partner was right, after all, and there was no point pretending otherwise. Sometimes, the pokémon's pragmatism was spot on target.
Rodney snorted, and said "Least I was the second most interesting thing in the vehicle. It's odd, for a change, not being the centre of attention."
Confused, Scott made to ask what the man meant, but was forestalled by their arrival at the final police checkpoint.
A block away from the initial barricade, it was thankfully out of sight of the media contingent, and disembarking from the vehicle was a simple enough affair. While aware of their existence, a number of the officers had not visibly seen the pokémon before, and a few startled gasps were thrown at them, especially the legendaries, who took the shock with nothing more than an ironic glance. However, the officers had all been thoroughly briefed on the situation, and nothing untoward happened.
Temporary HQ had been set up in a warehouse around the corner from the Sinnotech building which, from all accounts, stood ominously silent. No security personnel or staff; in fact no one whatsoever; had been seen within the structure; something that had Scott tightening his lip. Last time they'd tackled this organisation back on his home world had been no different, and he hoped history wouldn't repeat itself this time.
With Storm and the legendaries occupied with Cameron and his senior officers, Scott took the opportunity to slip to the building corner and steal a glance at their objective.
It wasn't a reassuring sight. The structure rose high above the squat converted warehouses dominating the streets, a black, gleaming glass edifice to evil out of place in the areas architecture.
"Jesus!" said a quiet voice at his shoulder, and the Ranger spun to confront Chris and Skyy behind him, as they peered around at the ominous structure that was their intended target.
"Weren't you supposed to be waiting with the others?" Scott muttered, and Chris grinned suddenly.
"Weren't you?"
Chuckling, Scott returned to peering at the darkened building before them. "Looks familiar?"
"You mean, the fact it's scarily deserted?" said Skyy, looking past his shoulder doubtfully.
Scott nodded. "It seems we've found their signature move, perhaps. Hmm, let's get back to the others. I need to have a word with Storm, Raikou and Cameron."
Returning to the group, Scott pulled the three aforementioned aside, not minding that Chris and Skyy kept them company.
"Is there any other way into that building, Cameron?" the Ranger asked, unsurprised when the officer shook his head.
"Apart from the main entry, and a rear dock ramp to the underground car park, the place is a fortress. Even the blueprints on the structure were difficult to obtain, and contained only scant information, once Council were reluctantly willing to hand them over. I'd be surprised if they hadn't bribed someone in Council to make the information vanish. Even our copies, obtained through the Department of Natural Resources are likely out of date."
"How do the services enter the building? Sewerage, power, communications, etc?" Storm growled, and Cameron raised an eye at the big pokémon.
"You're not thinking....? Hmm, we have those schematics somewhere. I can't vouch for their accuracy, however."
Chris, following the gist of the conversation, muttered "Oh, you're going to persuade Suicune and Entei to wade through sewerage to enter the building? That's going to be a fun conversation for you!"
Grinning broadly, Storm winked at the youngster, and said dryly "Not likely they'll fit down there. But entering via such a back door might lay a little surprise on the bastards they're not remotely expecting!"
It turned out the typhlosion was right on the money. Comparisons of the subterranean schematics with those of the buildings revealed a few secrets that the builders of the structure hadn't considered concealing. An abandoned subway tunnel, now reappropriated for major communication lines, ran from the city centre to the river crossing, immediately below the basement levels. Even more fortuitously, the original subway station and platform were located less than a few meters beneath the foundations of the structure above.
"Is it accessible?" wondered Storm, trailing a lazy claw along the passageway to the open area thoughtfully.
Hailing a police engineer from his contingent, Cameron questioned the man, who nodded with a gulp, wary of the blue furry monster who asked the question.
"Umm, yes err... sir! A service entrance comes out less than three hundred meters from here, behind that warehouse over there. It's big enough to drive a work utility vehicle all the way to the platform!"
When the pokémon slapped him on the back in thanks, he near fainted, but managed to gasp out "Won't we be needing explosives to get through all that concrete?"
Smirking, Storm snorted, letting a trail of smoke escape his toothy mouth and said with a growl "Oh, I think we'll manage somehow."
That was enough for the engineer, who left in a near panic.
"You do understand if you keep traumatising my staff, you're going to be out there on your own, don't you?" said Cameron dryly, and the pokémon guffawed.
"Naah, they're tougher than that. Besides, better I prepare them than letting Entei do so. He hasn't learnt the finer art of subtlety that I have!"
"Heaven help us all!" muttered the police chief, but called out to his lieutenant to ready the troops who were accompanying the group that they'd be mobilizing within the hour.
_________________
Trudging through the dark, stinking tunnel towards their goal, the group didn't feel the need to exchange much in the way of conversation, instead concentrating on the uneven footing beneath them. The ancient rail tracks had grown slick with moisture and, while rust tarnished their surface, were slippery when stepped on. More dangerous, water seeping down from above had rotted the timber sleepers beneath them, producing a hazard to the unwary stepping incautiously without checking before placing a foot.
On top of everything, the place stank. Effluent seeped down from above in several places from cracks in the city sewerage system above, leaving dark pools of slippery filth that could send the unwary sliding to their knees in muck.
All in all, it was about as unwholesome a place as the Rangers could have imagined.
Storm was less than impressed. "Fuck me, if this is the epitome of human civilisation, I'd rather be back home. Least then, I won't spend my life reeking of human shit!"
Avoiding a dead rat corpse floating in a nearby puddle of something unmentionable, Scott sighed, giving his partner a pat on the shoulder. "It could be worse."
Grumbling, the typhlosion didn't reply immediately, before pointing backward with a claw to the struggling raichu who, while clearly exhausted, was doing her damnedest to keep up with the group.
"Did she really have to come?" he demanded of his human partner, who paused a moment, giving the pokémon a long look which she studiously ignored.
"What would you have preferred? We leave her behind with the humans? I trust Cameron, but not many others. She's safer with us."
Returning to his trudging march, Scott muttered in a low voice. "Besides, she insisted, as you well know. If you want to tell her she's not welcome, then go right ahead. Me, I value my life more than that."
Giving a harrumph, Storm went to reply, but swore as his short legs caught on a hidden void beneath the sleeper, near sending him to his face in the muck. Cursing loudly as he went over, it was only the quick reflexes of Entei, who shot out a paw to grab him by the shoulder, that saved him from falling.
"This is your idea of fun, is it, Ranger?" grumbled Entei, steadying the typhlosion as he regained his footing. The legendaries voice echoed down the long chamber as he let the typhlosion again precede him, followed behind the smaller pokémon and human Rangers.
"Would you have preferred being knee deep in human effluent, rather than ankle deep? We could still take the larger sewerage tunnels? You might just fit, with a bit of squeezing?" said Scott dryly, as his torch illuminated the filthy, cable laden tunnel ahead.
"Story of my life, Ranger. What do you think it's like for us pokémon living back home, surrounded by you lot? You just described the entire planet!" the legendary retorted wryly.
"Why is your mind always in the sewer, Entei?" complained Suicune, then froze suddenly, causing those behind the big pokémon to nearly plough into his rump. When the others spun at him in alarm, his open mouthed face outlined in torchlight, he turned wide eyes to his onlookers and said "I just made a funny, didn't I?"
Rolling his eyes, Raikou resumed his march, pushing past the blue and white pokémon to continue trudging towards their target. "Why me, father? Why me?"
Snorting suddenly, Storm slapped the pokémon on the arm and said "Well, can't choose your family, but at least you can pick your friends. Oh, and you can pick your nose. Just don't pick your friends nose!"
"Are we all finished being children, people? This is rather important!" asked Scott dryly, as the light ahead broke through into a large tiled chamber beyond.
Storm gasped despite himself, as the huge opening glimmered dimly in the lights from their torches. While coated heavily in the muck from decades past, the tiled walls reflected the lights reluctantly, scattering muted reflections into the darkness beyond. While generally intact, here and there large piles of rubble surrounded newer concrete pylons that had been pounded through the area to make up the foundations of the buildings above, although as a whole the roof ahead appeared stable. A maze of wires and plumbing crisscrossed the vast space, heading down the abandoned railway tunnels from the many platforms, snaking their way to unknown destinations within the city.
Decayed and ruined it may have been, but the Ranger's had to admit, impressive it was too.
"Shit!" swore Storm helpfully, and Scott didn't reprimand the pokémon, in awe himself. "This is bigger than anything I've seen back home!"
Chris, lagging behind the pair to give Sparky a helping hand to climb wearily onto the nearest deserted platform, chuckled. "This is nothing. Most of the newer stations in the city have double the number of tunnels, and even they're insignificant compared to some of the big cities overseas.
Sniffing deeply, Suicune wrinkled his nose and complained "Smells of human urine, and worse!"
Bill gave the legendary a nod as he climbed to join the others on the station platform, followed by his fellow officers and Shadow, who lithely jumped to the concrete surface with a graceful bound. "A lot of homeless people used to live down here, and had for decades. The toilet facilities don't work anymore, unfortunately, and this is the result. But the tunnels were sealed the past few years, to ensure vandals didn't disrupt the power and communications lines to the city. Terrorists, you know." he said sagely, and the pokémon nodded, although he had no real idea what the human was talking about.
Staring up towards the ceiling a good twenty feet above, Raikou rumbled "My concern is will it hold if we disturb it, or will it come crashing down around us? It does seem sound, but I think a little caution would be advisable, Entei. I believe it wise to keep your enthusiasm in check, especially around all that wiring and suchlike. We do not want the city disturbed above."
"Yeah, they're disturbed enough as is." muttered Storm, but was ignored by the others as Entei moved to an adjacent platform, spread his legs for support and raised his head to study the ceiling above.
Pausing, he turned to the rest of the group. "I would suggest moving back a pace" he added helpfully, returning a keen gaze to the concrete above. "This is going to get a little hot."
Ducking into a nearby abandoned ticket booth, they'd barely made it safely before a blast of superheated air swept past the tiny office, lightly scalding the exposed skin of those who loitered too near the doorway, as Entei began his excavation.
Relatively immune to the flames, Storm stuck his head out, eyes squinting in the hot wind as he narrated the progress to the awed occupants.
"Not fucking around, is he. He's through the first layer of concrete, and heading through the bedrock above. Shit, it's dripping to the floor like melted ice cream! S'okay tho, it's just pooling down the tracks below the platform, and flowing back down the tunnel to the far right."
"Will it take long?" sweated out Cameron, as the human's sweltered at the office back.
Noticing the problem, Suicune shot a beam of ice towards the building walls, coating them in a thick layer of ice that began melting almost immediately. While adding to the room's humidity, it did regulate the temperature somewhat, and Chris lay a hand on the white furred chest in thanks, receiving a return smile from the pokémon.
The noise was incredible; the closest Chris could compare it to was what he'd experienced during a school excursion to a steel works foundry several years earlier. The noise rang through the chamber, deafening them to all but shouted words.
"How's he going?" Chris yelled to Storm, who continued his supervision, receiving a thumbs up as the took another look towards the huge legendary, surrounded by molten rock and metal as he kept up a steady stream of plasma upwards.
The sudden silence as the bombardment of the roof ceased was a shock to the group. Scott stepped gingerly back onto the sweltering platform, avoiding still smouldering lumps of shattered debris that had escaped the legendary's attack, when Entei's huge whiskered face popped into view around the building corner as he casually shook off the molten rock still flecking his whiskers.
"Done?" said the Ranger, and Entei nodded.
"I can sense there is now less than a meter between the opening I created and the void of the space above. I thought it best to stop at this point. Melting anyone in the room above might have caused problems."
Snorting in amusement, Storm pushed past the pokémon to march towards the platform beneath the opening, but stepped back hurriedly as the intense heat made him wince.
"Fuck, that's a bit toasty, even for me! Suicune... would you mind?"
Nodding, Suicune slipped gingerly past the typhlosion, mist already enveloping his body as he touched a paw to the tiles before him, sending a crackling sheet of ice outwards to encase first the tiles beneath, then to creep up the walls on all sides to harden the molten rock above into a dark, slagged cavity. Soon, all that remained of the work was a dark, congealed and quite cold mass, glistening icily in the torches reflective beam.
Stepping cautiously onto the slippery surface, the police officers approached the overhead opening, shining their lights into the gloom above. Even with all the work done by Entei, it was a long way up, and they began holding a hurried conversation as to how to proceed, broken as Suicune again stepped up and told them to move right back.
Taking a deep breath, he again shot a bright blue beam of light firstly towards the floor, then progressively upwards as he created a spiral ramp of ice reaching first to the ceiling, then into the waiting space above. The work of only a few minutes, he finally stepped back, admiring his work with a critical eye as the others watched on in awe.
"You're a handy lot to have around" muttered Rodney, tossing the butt of his cigarette onto the tracks beneath them, before grinning at the surprised Suicune.
As the legendary made to reply, he let out a startled meep as Raikou shouldered past his brother, peering up at the darkened hole above. With a satisfied grunt, he turned towards the group, pupils wide in the semi darkness as he announced he was ready to break through to the building space above.
As the policemen adjusted and checked their gear, Scott gave Chris and Skyy a tight grin, stepping close to mutter "You all ready for this?"
The pair exchanged a look, and Skyy shrugged, not meeting the Ranger's eye as he said "I suppose we had better be."
Laying an arm across the lucario's shoulder, Chris gave him a welcome squeeze, and said to Scott in a mock cheery voice "Better we get this over with now, before I start getting nervous."
Storm's bark of laughter nearby had the group of human police start, as he wandered to them, accompanied by Raikou and Suicune. "Just a walk in the park, kiddo." he joked, broad grin plastered across his muzzle. Suicune snorted, responding wryly "I'd prefer some of that fresh forest air, myself!" but didn't object when Chris gave his neck a stroke, smoothing the ruffled, slightly moist fur down with a gentle hand.
"We'll all be looking forward to that, I think. When this is over, I'm hoping you guys can take us on a bit of a tour of your home; given the most we've seen of your world has been a few cities, and a lot of forest."
"A road trip with legendary pokémon? Now that'll cause a few heads to spin!" grinned Scott, as Storm nodded vigorously.
"Might be in on that, myself!" the pokémon agreed, chuckling as Chris nodded.
Cameron broke up their musings to pull Scott, Storm and Raikou aside. "We're ready, gentlemen." he said solemnly, as Raikou nodded, stepping past the group to climb cautiously up the large, icy ramp. Giving the hole above and before him a searching stare, his brow furrowed, thick eyebrows meeting in a vee as he concentrated on the task at hand.
An ominous hum echoed through the space around him, as the air became charged in anticipation. Chris started as a small static spark shot from his hand to Skyy, causing the lucario to jump in surprise, until he spread his stubby fingers wide, marvelling at the web of sparks chasing through his raised fur.
"I think we're in for some fireworks" he muttered to Chris, motioning his head for them to make a steady, if hasty, retreat behind some nearby pillars. Nor were they the only ones affected; most of the officers were slapping at sparks shooting from their equipment in concern, unconsciously joining the young pair as they put some distance between Raikou and themselves.
Shadow shuddered, hackles raised as she stepped behind Bill, who gave his partner an amused look. "Now you know how I feel!" he murmured, caressing her fur, and receiving a droll look from both the luxray and Sparky, as the raichu, unaffected by the airs charge, snorted at his reply.
The air in the huge space changed, a sudden ozone-laced wind erupting from the dark tunnels to send circling trails of dust around them, culminating in a dark, lightening-etched vortex which whirled around Raikou, emitting thundery, crackling booms as it darkened steadily within.
It felt like an eternity, but was likely just moments before Raikou raised his head, jaws parting to bare a fang-filled mouth at the ceiling above. Along with his roar, a bolt of pure energy shot from his maw, momentarily blinding his audience as it powered into the hole made by Entei, incinerating what was left of the barrier above and raining debris onto the platform beneath.
The sudden shock as the echoing thunder stopped was overwhelming, and as their vision recovered from the intent display, the group looked through watery eyes up through the tunnel above into the equally dark void of the building basement.
"We're through!" Raikou said anticlimactically, breaking the stasis in which most of the group found themselves, as they shouldered their gear and followed the three legendaries up the icy approach into the opening above, disappearing into the dust-filled haze.
Storm gave Scott and Rodney an unusually solemn look, to rumble "This is it, then?" Scott nodded, and Rodney flashed him a broad smile, white teeth gleaming as he pumped the action of the shotgun he'd armed himself with, the noise startlingly loud and familiar in the echoing chamber.
"Lock and load, people!" he pealed out, to the amusement of the few police yet to make the climb.
Turning to the bemused typhlosion, the aboriginal man muttered with a grin "Bugger me, I always wanted to say that!"
"Why?" retorted Storm, confused, but had to forgo the lengthy explanation as Scott pushed his heavy rump into action, and the trio commenced scaling the icy path.
When a warm paw slipped into his hand, Chris smiled at Skyy, giving his friend's short fingers a squeeze, as they brought up the rear.
"Ready?" he said, and Skyy shot a slightly strained grimace back.
"Nope! You?"
Chris shook his head, and replied "Nope! So, let's do it!"
Trailing behind Skyy, he didn't object as the lucario gave him a hand up the first shelf of ice, and they clambered after their friends towards the unknowns of the building above.
_________________
Authors note:
Bit of a delay getting this out, again. New, if part time, position is busy as hell, and no time for the more enjoyable, relaxing aspects of life.
Not going to improve in the near future, unfortunately, so my plans on finishing the story by Xmas is fast becoming a pipe dream. Oh well, at least it's getting somewhere... eventually.
From here on, it's all happening. So, for everyone who has waited the 2 years for this story to get anywhere, think positive... the end is nigh!
It's going to be fun, I promise!