The Misdreavus Menace

Chapter Twenty-Three — A Calculated Risk

At the police headquarters of Celadon City, Officer Jenny of Celadon called a meeting of over a hundred police officers to order.

"Attention, everyone. As you are aware, our city is facing the most serious challenge in its history. It is our job to defend it and bring to justice all who are involved in the threat against it. We're pleased to have with us the Chief of Kanto Special Forces, Chief Kelly, who will lead this operation. A special thanks to our fellow officers from Johto who have joined us here today at short notice. I'll hand over the meeting to Chief Kelly."

A plump, balding man of average height got up from a chair and took his place at the front of the hall. He greeted the men and women before him and began briefing them.

"As you have been informed, you will remain in the city in plain clothes. It is very important that you act as ordinary citizens until you receive a signal on the small radios that we'll give you after this meeting. The plan is to let the Rockets enter and believe the city has been surrendered to them. When their guard is down, we will act. Your task will be to disable and arrest them. At that time, our anti-Pokémon forces will arrive with vans for those who have been arrested."

Kelly paused for a minute and glanced at his audience to ensure that they were taking in the details. He continued.

"The anti-Pokémon Squad will be using a new weapon which reverses the effect of a Poké ball. Our squad are trained to use the new weapons and it should not be necessary or advisable for you to use them without training. For your co-operative assistance, however, you need to understand the important principle in their use is to wait until the enemy Pokémon is just weak enough to be captured by our own Poké balls. Shoot too late, and it risks wearing out our own Pokémon unnecessarily. Shoot too early, and we effectively have a wild, unpredictable Pokémon to deal with."

After a second momentary pause, he asked, "Any questions?"

One policeman asked, "Have those weapons been tested yet?"

"They have been thoroughly tested," answered Kelly, "but this is the first time they have had to be used in an operation as public as this. Up to now, their existence has been kept secret."

"What if Team Rocket gets hold of a weapon?" asked another police officer.

"An important role we will need you to exercise is to assist the Squad guard these weapons. If one does fall into the wrong hands, however, our forces have the power to destroy it remotely. This act will, unfortunately or otherwise, be fatal to anyone holding the weapon at the time. However, we cannot risk letting an enemy use it or reverse engineer it. The danger to the police and to society would be too great."

One female officer spoke up. "What about Team Rocket's threat to explode a bomb if we interfere?"

"This issue has of course been carefully considered," replied Kelly. "This claim to be able to attack 'anywhere, any time' is far-fetched, and we believe it to be a bluff. Forensics indicate that ordinary dynamite was used in last night's explosion. Since there is no evidence of anyone present in the building at that time, we can only assume that a time-bomb had been planted."

"That 'bluff'", continued the policewoman, "may've just been given to intimidate the public. That doesn't mean that they're not dangerous."

"As you know," Kelly replied, "all of Kanto and neighbouring areas are on high alert. Anything or anyone suspicious will be dealt with swiftly and firmly. It will be very difficult for them to try anything—"

"Yes, but is it worth risking people's lives?" called out a policeman. "I've got a wife and kids to worry about," called out another. The audience was noticeably agitated at that point, and Officer Jenny promptly brought the meeting to order.

Kelly continued. "Is it worth the risk, someone has asked. We have an opportunity to arrest what must be the bulk of the organization in a single evening. What is the risk to our city—in fact to the whole world—if we let this opportunity go? As I have said, their claim is unbelievable—we are taking the calculated risk that they're bluffing."

Officer Jenny took over immediately before the meeting could degenerate. "You will all now quietly go to receive your mini-radio. You will then be assigned your regions to where you will proceed after changing into plain clothes. Remember, take no action, even against crime, until you receive the signal to act. Dismissed!"