Chapter 2: What About the Ones We Love?
1 week later-
"Delia, honey.  I'm going to be gone for a week at a meeting with a prominent 
business leader," Giovanni spoke softly before climbing into his limo.
"Be careful," Delia whispered, holding Giovanni close.
"I will," Giovanni replied, kissing Delia lightly on the lips.
Breaking the embrace, Giovanni slid into the waiting limo.  With the slam of the door, 
Delia felt as if chains had been broken.  Now she had a real chance to get away.  The limo 
pulled away quickly, leaving Delia alone in the driveway.  Early heat caused a thick haze to 
hang in the air.  Delia turned to the closest Rocket, "I'm going for a walk."
"Are you sure you want to m'lady?"
"Yes."
"Would you like anything?" the Rocket asked politely.
"No thank you.  I would just like to take a peaceful walk," Delia sighed, removing her 
vest, "Oh please call Rebecca out for me."
"Would you like her to join you?"
            "Yes, please."
At that, the Rocket scurried off to find Rebecca, and deliver the verbal invitation.  
Alone……a single tear ran down Delia's cheek.  "Why?" she sighed angrily, "Why did he have to 
change?"
Shaking her head, she knew why.  All because of a single bullet.  
 
*flash back*
Cops snuck up around the building, guns drawn.  They burst through the door, fanning 
out to cover the whole building.  Delia and Giovanni played in the back yard.  Soon, cops had 
them out by their cars with a lady from civil services.  A few gunshots were heard but soon 
two cops yanked, Giovanni's father out onto the driveway.  Machine gun fire erupted from the 
forest, killing the two cops, but soon more cops flooded onto the scene firing their pistols.  The 
children had to cover their ears from the racket.  Then it happened.  It began with the cops 
fleeing from a large task force of Rockets gunning down any cop stupid enough to be alone.  A 
single cop rushed out the door, placed his pistol at the back of Giovanni's father's head and 
fired.  Tires squealed, as the cops fled their botched sting.  The head of the small organization, 
Team Rocket, well face first into a pool of his own blood and brain matter, dead.  Little 
Giovanni stared, tears welling up in his eyes.  "Why?" he asked in his quiet voice, "Why my 
daddy?"
 *end flash back*
 
'If Team Rocket hadn't showed back up, he would still be so perfect.'
 Delia shuddered uncontrollably, kneeling down to keep steady.  "You ok?!" Rebecca 
screamed, rushing out to Delia's side. 
"Y..yes," Delia whimpered, "Rebecca," she continued, looking up at her friend, "I have 
to get away from here."
"Then I'll come with you."
"But I can't leave my son," Delia sobbed, thinking about her little child in a small 
nursery with the scientists scurrying around doing tests on his tiny body. 
"We won't leave without him," Rebecca reassured, pulling her friend close. 
"But how are we going to get him out?" Delia contested, "They're too many people 
there."
"We'll think about it, but now lets take that walk you wanted."
Both women stood and strolled off to the back of the building.
 
Dim light cast large shadows against a wall as Delia and Rebecca sat at a small table.  
"Do you have any ideas?" Delia asked weakly, looking at her friend with hope in her eyes.
"Kinda," came the reply, a frown adorning Rebecca's face.
"Wh-what is it?" Delia stammered, seeing the frown.
"I'm thinking the only way your going to get your baby back is by k-kill-killing 
someone," Rebecca choked on the words.
"KILL?!  Are you crazy," Delia screeched, jumping from her seat, knocking the chair to 
the floor.
"Shhhh!" Rebecca hissed, "Can you think of a better plan?"
"No," Delia sighed sadly, "But are you sure I have to kill?"
"I see no other way."
Bowing her head, Delia let out a sob-ridden sigh.  Sliding her hand off the table, she 
reached under the table and pulled at something.  The table jerked as the object dropped into 
Delia's hand.  When Delia pulled her hand back above the table a gun sat in the palm of her 
hand.  "A Browning 9mm," she sighed, "He always kept it there just in case."
"Any more guns in here?"
"Three more."
"Perfect.  Two for each."
"Ok, but what about after we get away from here?  We'll need supplies and clothing."
"Don't worry about the supplies but pack all the clothes you can and we'll toss them 
out the window and pick them up on our way out."
"When do we do this?"
"Tonight."
"Tonight?! Its already 2 in the afternoon!"
"I know, pack fast and then we'll meet again to make real plans."
Rebecca rose from her seat and rushed out the door at a stiff walking pace.  "Ah all 
the trouble I go through to get away from trouble," Delia sighed, setting the gun on the table.
 
 
A soft rapping at the door came at about 3:30.  "Hello?" Delia called, tossing her 
suitcase into the closet and closing the door.
"It's Rebecca," the voice replied in a loud whisper.
"K."
The door clunked open as Rebecca tossed her suitcases on floor.  "Ready?" Rebecca 
asked reluctantly.
"I guess."
"Then lets do it."
 
Darkness settled over the country, a few stars fought through the heavy clouds.  
Almost all the windows of the Rocket compound hung open to allow the cool night breeze cool 
the hot interior.  A suitcase crashed against the ground with a muffled thud.  Several more 
soon followed all landing in a pile.  "That's the last one," Delia informed as she slid the last 
suitcase out the window.
"Then it's time."
Delia walked over to her friend and wrapped her arms around her.  "I hope we make 
in," Delia sighed, holding her friend tight.
"We will, we will."
They broke the embrace and walked out of the room in silence.  
 
"Ah, Delia!" a scientist jumped from his seat to greet the woman.
"Hello, Johnathan.  May I see my baby?" she asked, fidgeting with her hands.
"Sure!  But please calm down.  Your baby is just fine."
Slowly Johnathan lifted the baby from his crib, rocking him as he carried him to his 
mother.  The baby squealed with laughter seeing its mother.  "Hey there," Delia greeted, 
receiving her child and pulling him close.
Moving her hands, Delia held her child in one hand and reached into her pocket with 
the other.  Her hand shook as she pulled out one of the guns, pointing it at Johnathan.  "W-
what are you d-do-doing?"
"Ending the torment."
A single round burst from the pistol striking the scientist in the neck.  Johnathan's 
eyes hung wide open as he gasped for air.  Pocketing the pistol, Delia pulled out a small cloth 
piece.  She laid the child back in his crib.  Looking back at Johnathan, she hurried, setting up 
her makeshift baby carrier.  Throwing the straps over her shoulders she gently picked her 
child up and set him into the carrier.  "It's ok my child," she whispered, stepping over 
Johnathan's unconscious body.
The baby giggled with delight at being taken for a walk.  He was outside the nursery 
for the first time he could remember.  Around a corner Delia brushed up against a Rocket 
roaming the halls, "Out for a late night walk, m'lady?"
"Yes, Jeremy," Delia answered stiffly, as she kept walking down the hall.
The cold steel of the doorknob coursed with freedom as Delia turned it and stepped 
into the darkness of night.  The air was cool but felt so welcoming.  At last she felt as if the 
noose had been removed.  Two gunshots brought her back to reality.  She took off running to 
the back of the compound holding her baby close for comfort.  "DELIA!!!!!!!" a familiar voice 
screamed, an edge of pain in it, "GET AWAY FROM HERE!"
Lights from many open windows lit up the suitcases like a beacon, as Delia quickly 
rounded the corner of the building.  In the pile lay four suitcases.  Thinking quickly, Delia 
yanked two extra cloth strips out of her pocket and began tying the handles together.  
"REBECCA!" Delia screamed hoping her friend would answer.
"JUST GET AWAY!" Rebecca screamed back, her final few words muffled by a gag.
Delia grabbed the cloth straps and ran through the large back yard.  Each step grew 
heavier with the absence of her best friend.  Her heart lost the will to escape without Rebecca 
there, but Rebecca's last words rang out giving her the only strength she needed tonight.  One 
last obstacle slowly appeared, the wall running around the perimeter of the grounds.  With a 
grunt, Delia tossed the first two suitcases over and bent down for the others.  "HEY!" and 
angry voice shouted pointing a flashlight at Delia.  
Quickly Delia pulled out both pistols and fired at the light.  The flashlight bounced off 
the ground tossing its light in every direction, a scream telling Delia she hit.  Tossing the guns 
in her pockets, she heaved the last two suitcases over the wall.  With the toe of her shoe she 
found a small ledge.  Boosting herself up she grabbed the top of the wall.   A knee against the 
wall she pulled herself to the top.  Sitting on the top, Delia held her baby's head and dropped 
off to the other side.  A small wail came from her baby as the impact of the ground shook 
them both.  "It's ok baby, it's ok," Delia coughed, gasping in air.
Grabbing the suitcases she took off as fast as she could safely go.  The forest was 
unforgiving tearing at her clothes and skin.  A light appeared lightly in the distance, giving 
Delia a last burst.  Reaching the light it had turned out to be a small Pokémon center.  The 
doors slid open as Delia staggered through collapsing on her side, arms clutching her baby, 
"Rebecca," she sobbed, "Why did they have to get you."
To be continued…