Of course, Nova knew better than to say any of that out loud. He needed a different angle — one that would actually land with Jenny. She was the deputy captain of Forest City's Security Bureau, and she was exactly the right person to handle anything involving Origin Team directly.
"Think about it this way," he said. "If I step into this openly, we both become targets. Any chance of running a quiet investigation goes out the window. It makes more sense for you to work in the open — use your rank, use your authority — while I back you up from the outside. That way we cover both sides."
Working alongside Aresdra had given Nova a useful skill: he could construct a convincing argument on the spot, without preparation, and deliver it like he had been thinking about it for days. The logic held together well enough, and Jenny clearly found it reasonable. Security Officers used the same approach all the time when running undercover operations.
"All right," Jenny said. "I'll tell the others that I haven't seen you today."
"One more thing," Nova said. "Can you actually vouch for them? If not — and I say this seriously — should I just deal with them now? If Origin Team moves on us tonight, there's no guarantee they make it out regardless."
Jenny's expression turned sharp. If looks could use Glare, Nova would have been frozen solid on the spot.
"I mean it," he said, keeping his tone level. "Can you guarantee there are no informants among your team?"
"Yes," Jenny said, her voice steady. "I can guarantee it."
"Your guarantee doesn't help the other officers," Nova said. "Think about what our plan requires — if even one of your people is compromised, everyone else pays for it."
Jenny held his gaze for a moment. Then she nodded, once, and said nothing more.
At 5:30 PM, Jenny made her way back to the casino where the Forest City team was keeping cover.
She had recalled Arcanine into its Poke Ball two kilometers out, not wanting to draw attention, and covered the rest of the distance on foot. By the time she reached the casino entrance, the heat of the late-May afternoon had soaked through her completely.
As she approached the door, the security guard posted outside looked her over — tall, composed, an easy mark in his estimation. He was a broad man, built like a Snorlax, and he was already thinking about how to make his move. Before he could take a single step toward her, two men in fitted suits stepped out from the casino entrance and smoothly fell in beside her.
The guard watched them go. He spat on the ground, pulled his hands back, and told himself there was no rush.
He had seen this before. A well-dressed young woman walks in, loses everything she has at the tables, and eventually has no choice but to work off the debt right here in the building. He had watched it happen more times than he could count. The thought of it put a slow grin on his face.
Jenny didn't spare him a glance.
Inside, Pat and Sandra came to meet her.
"How did it go?" Sandra asked. "About Nova..."
"None of you saw him today," Jenny said. "Can you manage that?"
Sandra nodded immediately. "Whatever you say, Deputy Captain. I never saw him."
Pat gave a small, dry look. "What are you two talking about? I don't know what either of you means."
Sandra turned to look at him.
Right. So that's how we're doing it. Noted.
Jenny kept moving. "Good. My informant has passed along something serious. Pat, I need you to take the rest of our team and clear out of this casino quietly, one at a time. Once everyone's out, establish a perimeter at every intersection more than one kilometer from the ruins we swept this afternoon. Make sure you hold the high ground. Sandra, stay with me."
Pat's expression tightened. "Deputy Captain — what about the arrest operation here at the casino?"
"That can wait. What we have now is more important."
"This operation is under direct command from the General Bureau. If we deviate from the plan without authorization, I'm worried about—"
Jenny cut him off. "I'll take responsibility. Pat, we've worked together long enough. Trust me on this one."
Pat looked at her for a moment, then turned without another word and went to quietly reach the other team members.
Sandra stood very still, clearly unsure whether to ask anything. After Pat left, he settled for looking at Jenny with wide, uncertain eyes.
"How's your Zubat?" Jenny asked. "I need it for a search."
"It's in good shape," Sandra said, straightening. "What are we looking for?"
Jenny didn't explain. She gestured for him to follow.
They took the stairs to the roof. A few people were already up there — the kind of people who had lost too much inside and were standing at the edge thinking about what came next. Jenny paid them no attention.
Sandra released his Zubat. On Jenny's instruction, it began sending out Supersonic pulses, using echolocation to scan the building for Pokemon — specifically any that weren't moving.
The Zubat was well-trained. Within a few seconds, it had something, and Jenny had it lead them to the nearest signal.
At the end of the fourth-floor corridor, buried under a long-undisturbed pile of rubble, a Voltorb lay perfectly still, fast asleep.
Jenny stared at it.
There it was. She had needed to see it for herself — not because she had doubted Nova, but because the claim had been too serious to accept without confirmation. Now that she had found one with her own eyes, the last of her uncertainty was gone.
At 9:57 PM, the command and dispatch center of the Public Security General Bureau was fully active.
With midnight approaching, all units were checking in and coordinating their positions. Everything was running smoothly — except that the Forest City team had gone quiet. Several dispatchers had tried to reach them, but the responses that came back were brief and identical: "All clear. Ready to move on schedule."
Probably just nerves. Border teams were always a little stiff on big operations.
One of the dispatchers allowed herself a private thought: it didn't matter. Once they stepped into Lune Town, there was nowhere to run anyway.
She was a Origin Team informant, placed at this post specifically to monitor the operation and make sure nothing went wrong at the critical moment.
As far as she could tell, everything was on track. She reached for her teacup.
Then her headset let out a sharp burst of static.
Someone had opened the public channel.
Jenny's voice came through, clear and urgent: "Attention all units! I have located the Origin Team leader — the Grand Master — at the Origin Team sub-base! All units, converge on my position immediately!"
The tea went everywhere.
She stared at her console.
How had Jenny found her boss — again? And why had the word "again" come to her so naturally?