"Now, the S.S. Anne is under the control of Team Rocket. We're currently in uncharted waters, and it would take at least two hours to reach the nearest land," Archer continued to 'reassure' the passengers with his calm voice.
He knew that some stubborn passengers would definitely try to find a way to call for help, but that didn't matter.
To ensure this operation went off without a hitch, the entire ship had been equipped with communication jammers. There was no way for phone calls or text messages to get through.
Even if someone managed to transmit a bit of location data through a special device, the S.S. Anne's route was completely random, and it would take time to locate them in the vast ocean.
Upon hearing Archer's words, some of the more delicate women began to sob, despair spreading among the passengers.
Aren't they just lambs to the slaughter for Team Rocket now?
"Then I believe everyone understands. Please obediently hand over your Pokémon and wait patiently for the S.S. Anne to dock."
Archer watched this scene through the monitor, a dark smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
"Are you kidding me?"
"If we give up our Pokémon, won't you be able to do whatever you want to us?"
"This is definitely a scam."
"Without our Pokémon, we have no way to protect ourselves."
The passengers weren't foolish. Their Pokémon were their last line of defense against Team Rocket.
Without their Pokémon, they'd be helpless, completely at Team Rocket's mercy.
"Everyone, please calm down~" Archer seemed completely unfazed, still speaking in a composed and unhurried tone.
"Don't get excited. I understand your feelings, truly. But please, take a look at this."
Archer gently soothed the passengers, gesturing for them to look ahead with a faint smile.
A large screen descended from the ceiling and lit up, displaying a scene to everyone.
"Hiss..."
The sound of people gasping filled the room, and many began to break out in cold sweat.
Even Brock and Misty had their pupils contract sharply. Ilene tightly grasped Dylan's hand.
Dylan gently patted Ilene's arm. He could feel that Ilene's body was trembling slightly—she was clearly scared.
And rightly so, because the scene on the screen was of the cargo hold of the S.S. Anne.
But the hold was filled with Voltorb and Electrode!
Who doesn't know these Pokémon? They're notorious for self-destructing at the slightest provocation, and now the cargo hold was crammed full of them, all in a deep sleep.
If one of them were to self-destruct, it would definitely trigger a chain reaction!
"How... how could they dare to do this!"
Misty's eyes widened in disbelief, fear making her voice pitch sharply.
"Team Rocket's madness truly lives up to its reputation," Dylan muttered in disbelief. This was exactly the kind of crazy stunt you'd expect from the largest criminal organization in Kanto, Team Rocket.
"This is..." Ash was stunned!
"They've probably used some special drug to keep the Electrode and Voltorb in a deep sleep. They wouldn't dare wake them up," Brock said, trying to remain calm, though he hadn't noticed his voice was trembling.
This wasn't a joke!
If that cargo hold full of Electrode and Voltorb were to explode, the entire massive S.S. Anne would be blown to smithereens, and everyone on board would be reduced to ashes.
Even Team Rocket wouldn't go that far, would they?
There's no need for such madness!
"But no one would dare take that risk. This is a game of life and death," Dylan nodded in agreement. Archer's tactic was indeed highly effective.
The psychological pressure on the passengers was now immense. There was no way they'd gamble against Team Rocket.
What if the worst did happen?
You only get one life, and once it's gone, everything's over.
At this moment, they finally understood why Team Rocket was considered an evil organization.
Red remained silent, his eyes fixed on the screen, his gaze flickering with a serious expression.
He was strong, but even he had limits. If those Voltorb and Electrode really did explode in a chain reaction, the devastation would be unimaginable!
"I believe everyone has calmed down. If you don't cooperate, hehe~"
Archer's laugh was low and grating.
"But you can all rest assured, as long as you cooperate, we'll definitely get you back safely."
In the captain's cabin, Archer's face twisted into a sneer, contrasting with the passengers in the hall. He was in a very good mood.
Giving them despair, then giving them hope—that's how fragile the human mind can be.
And this time, the hall fell silent.
"Well, let's begin."
As Archer's words fell, the Team Rocket members in the hall started moving forward with bags in hand, preparing to collect the passengers' Poké Balls.
Satisfied that everything in the hall was going according to plan, Archer nodded approvingly.
"Archer, we've located the target," a Team Rocket subordinate reported.
"Good. I hope Proton and that other guy succeed. This mission must not fail," Archer nodded. He wasn't interested in the passengers' Pokémon—ordinary ones weren't worth his time. This was just a distraction.
To ensure everything went smoothly, not only had he and another Executive, Proton, personally attended, but one of the three Admins had also been called in.
It's worth noting that the three Admins were the boss's secret weapons. They couldn't be used unless absolutely necessary, and revealing them would be a huge loss for Team Rocket.
"Tell Proton to wrap things up quickly."
Archer stood up and instructed the subordinate. Proton and the Admin's tasks were important, but he also had another crucial matter to attend to.
"Yes, sir!"
The Team Rocket subordinate responded and quickly left the captain's cabin.
"Hmm? What's going on?"
But just then, Archer noticed chaos unfolding in the hall through the monitor.
The passengers and Team Rocket members were fighting?
Weren't things under control? How did this happen in the time it took him to give a few instructions?
Were these passengers not afraid of death? How dare they resist?
Archer's expression darkened. Not even the threat of Voltorb and Electrode had cowed these people?
But Archer couldn't really wake up those Pokémon. While this mission was important, it wasn't worth risking their lives over.
Damn it!
Archer cursed under his breath, grabbing his Houndoom and quickly heading in a certain direction.
He had more important matters to handle. There was no time to deal with those damned passengers now. Once his own task was complete, he would make sure those passengers understood what it meant to face a Team Rocket Executive!
Meanwhile, in the hall...
"Wow, Ash really is something else."
Dylan glanced at Ash, who was now brimming with energy as he commanded Pikachu in a battle against a Muk.
Archer's plan wasn't wrong, but he had overlooked a special individual.
Someone who didn't care about threats and whose sense of justice and passion were infectious.
One rousing speech from Ash had woken the passengers up and sparked their rebellion. As for the threat of the Voltorb? It was just that—a threat.
If you have the guts, go ahead and explode!
(End of Chapter)