"I wish there was some way to put that thing out of comission," Bjorn cursed as the ever-present camera continued filming the OCIB's prisoners.

He knew there wasn't much time left; sooner or later, regardless of whether he said anything or not, Ursula would be found. Not for the first time, two questions kept echoing in his mind - "who?" and "why?" What could have possessed someone to betray two twelve-year-old children to an organisation which regarded them as little more than lab specimens, and illegal ones at that?

His thoughts were interupted by the door being opened, followed by three people being hurled roughly into the Holding Cell. He immediately recognised the two females as Ursula and Natasha, but the male's identity eluded him for a moment.

It was the youth who spoke first. "Bjorn?" he asked, shocked by the younger boy's dishevelled appearence. "Bjorn Olsson?"

On hearing his name, Bjorn recalled a meeting in the backstreets of Violet City and how desperation had forced him and Ursula to put their trust in a stranger. "Matthew, I - I can't believe it," was all he could say. "What are you guys doing here?"

"They caught us," Ursula replied grimly, wishing fervently that everything that had happened lately was just a bad dream.

"Who caught you Ursula?" This question was from Richard Gregg, who was seated on the bed, his mind fighting the answer he and Bjorn both knew was coming.

"The OCIB," explained Matthew. "Natasha and I stole a couple of uniforms, hoping we'd be able to use Ursula to trick our way in - only, we were spotted . . . Sorry," he added, realising he hadn't introduced himself. "I'm Matthew Bates . . ."

"There was a man who asked for a password," Natasha went on, picking up to thread of Matthew's story. "And, when we couldn't give it, he - he sounded an alarm and these agents came and caught us all . . ." At this point, she broke down in tears and sought efuge in her uncle's arms.

"Sorry," she said when she could speak coherently again. "But the . . . way they treated Ursula! One of them - they called him Agent Hope - kept calling her "hybrid" all the time, like she wasn't even human . . ."

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They had been in trouble before, but never to this extent. Imprisoned inside a fortress, they knew only too well that they were living on borrowed time. Gregg sat studying the two Chimera Children, marvelling at how, not yet thirteen years old, they had managed to endure so much and still retain an air of childlike optimism. But even that seemed to be wearing thin - right now, Ursula sat hunched up on the floor and Bjorn seemed unusually preoccupied with the security camera.

Suddenly, he looked away from the camera and smiled furtively. "I think I know how to shut that thing off," he explained. "Natasha, do you still have my Pokemon?"

Natasha nodded, grateful that she, Matthew and Ursula had not been frisked for Pokemon on being captured. Clearly, the OCIB were so anxious to get all this over with that they had become lax about that particular aspect of security.

"Good," Bjorn said. "Just . . . help me find Yanma's Poke Ball and I'll do the rest." He and Natasha turned their backs on the camera and rummaged through the Poke Balls the latter had in her pocket. It did not take long to find Yanma, although that was hardly surprising since every Poke Ball that held a Pokemon gave off barely detectable but totally unique vibrations, a system somewhat similar to fingerprinting.

Bjorn held the Poke Ball above his shoulder and prepared to cast it down. "You may want to cover your ears," he warned the others as he pressed the button to activate the Ball. "Yanma - I choose you!"

Seconds later, the red dragonfly-like Pokemon emerged, unsure what was going on but ready to receive her trainer's instructions. "Listen, Yanma," Bjorn told her, "there's a security camera in this room and I need you to wreck it for us. Can you use Supersonic to knock it out?"

Yanma nodded and flew up into the ceiling, where she promptly flapped her wings so rapidly that they became little more than a blur and emitted a deafening high-pitched wail. At once, Ursula knew why Bjorn had warned everyone to cover their ears - it was bad enough when Supersonic was used out in the open, but in a confined space like this the noise was almost unbearable. Ursula kept her hands clenched tightly against her head, wishing the Supersonic Attack would hurry up and do its job . . .

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Unknown to Bjorn and the other prisoners, Agents Steed and Hope were watching what was happening on tv monitors in the control room. Or at least that was what they were doing when Yanma's Supersonic wasn't causing the camera in the Holding Cell to malfunction . . .

"Damn!" Hope cursed. "What's wrong with that thing?!"

Steed looked at the monitor for the Holding Cell - seconds before it blinked rapidly and went blank. "Camera's down," he said dispassionately. "And only a Supersonic Attack could cause such a malfunction . . ."

"Could it have been one of . . . those kids?"

"What kind of OCIB agent are you?" Steed snorted impatiently. "They're Ursaring hybrids - and the Pokemon Attacks Database contains no reference that says an Ursaring can use Supersonic. Some other Pokemon was behind that . . ."

"Well, anyway - I'm gonna go investigate," Hope went on. "It'll give me chance to say what I've got to say for one thing."

"And what are those children to you?" Steed demanded hotly, unable to figure out why the young agent should be so concerned about two more products of an illegal experiment. "They're just hybrid trash, after all - why not just put a couple of bullets through their brains and have done with it?!"

"Because . . ." Hope began. But he stopped himself before he could betray the close connection he had with Bjorn and Ursula.

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"Good work, Yanma," Bjorn said once Gregg was satisfied the camera was out of action and there was no danger of the escape being caught on film. "Return!"

"Now - to get that door open," he added as Natasha nodded towards Matthew. Since neither she nor the Chimera Children possessed a Pokemon capable of breaking down a door, they would need help from his Pokemon if they wanted to get out of here. However, Matthew shook his head and put his Hitmonchan's Poke Ball back in his pocket.

"I've got a better idea," he said. "Bjorn, Ursula - you've got Ursaring DNA so you should be able to use any Attack a real Ursaring can. One of you has to use Strength on that door!"

Gregg sighed. "I've thought about that," he said at length. "But Bjorn took quite a beating from the OCIB so I don't think he's up to using his powers right now. And Ursula . . . well, Ursula's a girl . . ."

Hearing this, Ursula glowered at the man who had created both Chimera Children, incensed that he would say anything so sexist. "So what?" she demanded hotly as, to prove she was just as capable as any boy, she yanked on the door handle with all her might, exerting force against force.

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It seemed to take forever - and every second made Ursula increasingly anxious that someone would come in and catch them - but, finally, the door came off its hinges and she could push it aside. Moving cautiously, she made sure the coast was clear before furtively beckoning to the others.

"Quick!" she urged in a nervous whisper. "Before someone comes . . ."

They elected to try and make their way out onto the roof, where they would steal one of the OCIB's helicopters and use it to fly to safety. Gregg had, during the past few weeks, developed a close bond with Bjorn and Ursula - rather like he might have done with his own children had he had any - and, as with any father, his instincts were to protect them. But neither Johto nor neighbouring Kanto could be safe havens for the Olsson children - the OCIB had jurisdiction over both lands and that meant their only chance was to get as far away as possible . . .

"But where would we go?" Bjorn asked as they tried to evade the agents on duty. He thought of Greenview, the place where he and Ursula had spent their early years growing up under Mrs Mather's no-nonsense care, and wondered if he would ever see his old friends again. Even enemies like Mr Braithwaite and Derek Holloway would have been a welcome sight.

"There's a place I know far across the Southern Sea," Gregg explained. "Amethyst Island - the OCIB have no jurisdiction there, so you and Ursula should be safe from attack. And I think you'd better join us, Natasha and Matthew, now that you've been caught abetting hybrids . . ."

Natasha nodded - now that she had resigned as Goldenrod City's Gym Leader, there was no reason for her to stay in Johto if her uncle left. But Matthew wasn't entirely sure since he had family in the nearby town, who might be concerned if he disappeared suddenly and left no forwarding address.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Gregg replied when Matthew voiced his concerns. "Hopefully, it won't be for long anyway . . ."

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He never had chance to finish his sentence - just as the little group of fugitives rounded the corner, several agents pounced on them. One agent caught hold of Bjorn before he had chance to resist and jabbed him hard in the neck, cutting off his circulation and causing him to pass out on the spot. Ursula watched horrified, unable to believe she was going to lose her brother again so soon after they were reunited.

"Oh no you don't!" she muttered angrily, grabbing Espeon's Poke Ball. "Espeon - I choose you! Use Confusion!"

"Esp!" Espeon hissed, arching her back as she launched into the powerful Psychic Attack. It had the effect of instantly disorientating the OCIB agent so that he promptly launched into a slurred medley of songs. Then, he staggered against the wall and slumped down muttering to himself. Ursula smiled in triumph as she stole the keys hanging on his belt and, spotting a nearby room, nodded towards Gregg.

Gregg calmly thrust the agent into the room and locked the door - the keys were labelled so it was easy to find the right one. Having done that, he turned back to the others.

"Good work, Ursula!" he said approvingly, resting his hand on the girl's shoulder. "But there's still plenty more where he came from . . ."

"Like me for instance?"

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Everyone whirled round at the sound of Hope's voice; the young agent had sneaked up on them while they were distracted and spotted Bjorn lying unconscious on the floor. The sight of the fallen Chimera had been too tempting to resist and Hope now stood holding his limp body against his chest and smirking to himself at the plan beginning to form in his mind.

"You . . ." Gregg searched in vain for an epithet strong enough to describe Bjorn's captor. "What have you done to that boy?!"

"Oh, he's safe - for now! But I need Ursula as well . . . so hand her over!"

"Never!" Gregg retorted. "I will never give these children to . . . to murderers like you!"

"Murderers, are we?" Hope asked with a mock-bemused look on his face. "Haven't you ever thought about what you did to my mother?"

"Your . . . mother?" echoed Ursula.

"Yes, little sister! MY name is Joseph Hope - and you two hybrids helped kill OUR mother!"