Eight years later...

    A young man groaned as he felt someone shake him awake. Rayn woke up and rubbed his eyes.

    "Kit ... let me sleep!"

    "It's 0500 hours, Rayn," replied his girlfriend, as he swatted her away. "We've got two hours before we have to get moving. Everyone else's up!"

    Rayn started to wish for the time a few years ago when his life had been so carefree. Just roaming from city to city collecting badges and Pokemon with Pika at his side and Jaise as a companion. Then he went and accepted Team Rocket's invitation. It wasn't what he thought it'd be. Not a group of criminals. In fact, most of the people were pretty damn decent. It was a pro-revolutionary group. The Pokemon League was becoming corrupt after the long-time Elite Four retired, and Team Rocket had been revived three years after it was put down by a young boy by the name of Ash three years before Rayn had started his own Pokemon journey. The ironic thing about the situation was that Ash was now working with Team Rocket as a freelancer. In a similar way that Rayn and his friends were working for Team Rocket.

    "Get, up NOW!" yelled Katlyn, shaking him out of reverie.

    Rayn jumped out of the bed he shared with Katlyn, and stretched his arms.

    "Uhhhhrgg..." he said intelligently.

    "Okay, I'll go grab you some coffee." Katlyn could almost read Rayn's mind when it came down to it. She was his best friend, lover, companion, and partner. Rayn knew that he couldn't find his way around a tree without her.

    "Thanks," said Rayn sleepily, heading off toward the bathroom. Ten minutes later he walked out of the bathroom, hair dripping wet, the rest of him toweled and clothed in his traditional black shirt and khakis. He took the mug of coffee from Kit and downed it in a single gulp.

    "Let's get going." Rayn said as he grabbed his essentials out of drawer in a table beside his bed. A well beaten in Pokegear, containing the latest upgrades, even a Pokedex chip and a personally built mini-computer. A belt on which to attach his Pokeballs. At least, all five of them that would go into balls. He'd long since realized that Darker, his Houndoom would never leave his side. And finally, a well used all-purpose hacker's utility card. It was a nondescript bluish white card. However, using it, numerous computer nets had been hacked, had viruses planted in them, had vital information stolen, and much, much more.

    Not bad for a day's work, mused Rayn. Well, we gotta get going.

    Rayn put on his gear and braced himself. With much forced bravery he reached toward the door to open it.

    "Just do it," said Kit

    "Easy for you to say!" contorted Rayn, walking out the door. Immediately after doing so, Darker jumped at him knocking Rayn to the ground. All of the other members of Rayn's squad sitting around the kitchen table started laughing uproariously.

    "Darker! Get ... ooofff!" Rayn exclaimed as Darker licked his face. "Get off!"

    Darker released Rayn, who grunted, rising to his feet.

    "Oh, yeah, real funny guys! How many times have you been hit by a flying Houndoom? Jaise? Utika? Reece? Elec?" Silence. "I didn't think so."

    Darker yupped with laughter - or what passed as laughter for the Dark/fire-type dog.

    "Want some breakfast, Rayn?" asked Utika, a woman in her late teens. She was the most recent to join the group aptly named Covert Ops Alpha. The team consisted of the most stealthy, intelligent, and secretive members of Team Rocket, most around the age of 17. Rayn was the epitome of expertise when it came to stealth and fighting with any number of knives and swords. His knowledge of computers was surpassed by none. He was also an expert Pokemon trainer who had at one time collected all 16 of the official Pokemon League badges. Shortly after that, at age 16, Team Rocket approached him.

    Utika on the other hand was a descendent of ancient ninja. Proud of her heritage she was also an expert in stealth, rivaling Rayn in speed, dexterity, and agility. She was a smallish person, about 5' 4" and not one to mess around with.

    Pondering the question, Rayn decided not to eat.

    Too much to do today, he though, don't have time to eat.

    "Nah," he said out loud, "Gotta get ready to go. You guys packed?"

    Yes, they said.

    Maybe I should've woken up at an even more ungodly hour than I just did. Seems like everyone else did.

    Yawning, he went back into his room to pack up.

    "Didja eat?" asked Kit.

    "Nope," replied Rayn, suddenly regretting his answer. He braced himself for the lecture he knew he was going to get.

    "Rayn! It's been only a week since you were shot! You need your health back. I know you've got fast healing abilities but ... " she paused, "I don't want to lose you." Rayn sighed and kissed her gently.

    "Look, I know you worry," He said breaking the kiss, "but, I can take care of myself."

    He opened a drawer and pulled out a backpack to pack his things in. Further argument would be pointless. He pulled out two pairs of pants and some shirts and undergarments and stuffed them into his backpack.

    "Let's roll," he said, walking to the wall. He pressed his hand against an area known only to those who he had entrusted with the knowledge and shifted it slightly. A panel flipped out of the wall, revealing an assortment of knives, daggers, and guns.

    "Grab everyone else and get in the car, I'm gonna gear up, I'll be right there." Rayn said to Kit as she walked out of the room.

    "Drivin'?"

    "If no one else wants to," he replied

    "Do you have any idea why the boss wants us to go to Chartreuse City?"

    "Absolutely no idea." Kit walked out of the room, and with the others out of the building as Rayn equipped himself with an arsenal of hidden throwing knives. Finally, he reached out for the one gun that he carried on his person. Looking at it, he sighed.

    Looks like it's gonna be one of those missions. With that final thought, he left the room and headed out of their apartment in Saffron, determined to do his best on his next assignment - no matter what it was going to be.