Belial nods, more or less in agreement with the younger Rocket. "Sometimes the best place to hide something is right under someone's nose." He smirks, tapping his own. "In any case, there are doors on the basement floor that even my staff hasn't been given access to. They're told it leads to old generator stations that aren't in use anymore, but I don't know how much faith I have in that."

Taking a moment to stretch his arms upward and flex his neck, S.P.E.C.T.R.A. co-captain smiles before looking over at the other. "You go check the launchpad. I'll handle the space station." He nods, striding ahead towards the building in question with his Litten in tow. "Try not to get caught." He adds, casting a half-hearted wave over his shoulder.

BUNKER 0071-MSC
PROJECT LOCKBOX: RECON
mint frost

Nodding with approval, Belial halts his advance when he sees Makoto summon a ZORUA. After some time, however, no warning signal was given. The coast appeared to be clear, so they step forward.

Switching on his flashlight as they approach, Belial takes a moment to answer his partner's question. "Not too far, I don't think. Far enough for the structure to utilize the layers of rock defending it. But not far enough that whoever made it would be unable to reach it in time." He adds, as their bodies are enveloped in shadow.

Slowly sweeping his beam of light across the inside, the S.P.E.C.T.R.A. co-captain eventually finds something in the distance: a large, circular vault door. "There it is."

BUNKER 0031-MF
PROJECT LOCKBOX: RECON
Makoto Kurumi

The PANCHAM didn't stand a chance against Chai. It being a wild Pokémon, its fighting style was quite basic and predictable. She had experienced enough of it with Belial's own Pancham, BETO.

A few evasions and a single AURA SPHERE was all it took to send the little cub running back to its momma. Afterward, the pair continue on through the forest in search of stronger game. Or, at the very least, something more interesting.

FIREKICKER
SAFARI ZONE
DARUMAKA - SCORBUNNY - TATSUGIRI

Slightly disappointed by Theo's lack of humor, but not surprised, Belial sighs. "Right. I can stop by the cleaners and get rid of the paper trail there. Burn his clothes, too, I suppose. You got things covered here?" He asks, pocketing the bill before taking a moment to sift through the other papers. Thankfully, there was nothing else with a trail.

Pulling out the drawer and casting it to the floor, so that it would burn easier later, he turns to the Underboss. "I can leave my Growlithe to keep watch for you if you'd like. Don't know who might come snooping around."

BUNKER 0058-LT
PROJECT LOCKBOX: INTELLIGENCE
THEO BECKETT

A SCORBUNNY proves to be an interesting challenge for Chai. It proves to be naturally gifted in martial arts when it COUNTERS her DRAIN PUNCH and kicks her away with a single foot. With a growl, however, Belial's trusty little fighter throws herself back into the fight and BOUNCES in the air.

As she descends in a spiral, pointing her feet at the Scorbunny like a torpedo, the little rabbit tries to avoid it with its great AGILITY. When Belial shoots it a sharp glare, however, it stops right in its tracks before being struck down.

Afterward, the ANVIL CEO produces a Heavy Ball from his pack and casts it down at the feisty little bunny.

FIREKICKER
SAFARI ZONE
DARUMAKA - SCORBUNNY - TATSUGIRI

The cabin is on the outskirts of LAVARIDGE TOWN and in complete disarray. Whichever Team Rocket operatives had been assigned to complete this ELIMINATION assignment had made a bloody mess of it. Quite literally.

Knowing his protégé on a personal level, however, Belial Stone was sure Felix Gallagher didn't mind so long as the job got done. Any would-be witnesses were likely already taken care of. It was up to THEO BECKETT and himself to ensure any trace of the victim disappeared so that the next team could SCOUT the hidden bunker nearby safely.

Leaving his GROWLITHE outside to keep watch, Belial steps across broken glass and a shattered table without care before reaching a cabinet nearby. He pulls out one of its drawers to reveal a stack of opened junk mail and bills. Picking one of them, he reads it before regarding the Underboss nearby.

"Hey, look," He says, facing the dry cleaning bill towards the man. "He shares your first name, too. What a coincidence, right?" He amusedly smiles, checking the bill once more. "Looks like he never picked up his dry cleaning from town either... tsk, tsk, tsk."

BUNKER 0058-LT
PROJECT LOCKBOX: INTELLIGENCE
THEO BECKETT

They'd just walked over from the sunny boardwalk of SLATEPORT BEACH, so Belial arrived to the LIGHTHOUSE with a snowcone in hand. He was well on his way through it, licking and nibbling pieces of sugary ice as they stopped on the stone-paved path preceding the structure. His MEOWTH followed in tow, though it, too, stopped to groom itself free of sand.

"A bunker in the famous Slateport Lighthouse," Belial remarks, looking up at the magnificent tower before casting jayden cross a glance. "Somehow I'm not entirely surprised. Though there doesn't appear to be any form of security aboveground."

The lighthouse keeper was probably asleep in his cabin nearby. The door to the structure itself was surely locked, but it was clearly nothing he couldn't lockpick. The entrance to the bunker itself, however, was likely to be fortified.

"Didn't happen to bring a ROTOM, did you?" He asks of the Admin. "I have a feeling we'll need it."

BUNKER 0101-L
PROJECT LOCKBOX: RECON
jayden cross

A bunker beneath the MOSSDEEP SPACE CENTER? Belial Stone supposed it made sense considering the explosive takeoffs for each rocket. Anything built to withstand that needed to be fortified. Furthermore, one could almost be certain that no one would go near such a place or stumble across it by accident.

The intel gathered through PROJECT LOCKBOX had provided them with proof of the existence of a bunker here, but reaching its entrance was another matter. Perhaps infiltrating the space center itself was their next move. Or, perhaps, the entrance was to be found somewhere near the launch pad itself. "It has to be one of the two, right?" Belial brainstorms with his partner mint frost as they sit on a bench in a plaza preceding the space center.

"The space center or the launchpad... I suppose we can start with the one that's right in front of us." He grins, rising up. A small LITTEN that had been napping beneath the bench yawns as he stirs awake. "ANVIL provides security for this place, so I'll just tell them we're running an operations check." He adds.

BUNKER 0071-MSC
PROJECT LOCKBOX: RECON
mint frost

A mountainous region lent itself to the idea of bunkers naturally. METEOR FALLS was, perhaps, the best place to build them in HOENN. Sure enough, the intel they'd received from PROJECT LOCKBOX had pointed them in its direction. Traveling with Makoto Kurumi and the SHINY SPEWPA he'd brought along, Belial Stone guides them through the forest until finding a cave entrance. The bunker lies ahead within it.

"The entrance to the bunker should be just ahead in the cave there," Belial remarks, turning to the Team Rocket member he'd been assigned with a smile like a sealed envelope. "You ready to head inside? We could be up against anything." He warns, placing a single hand on the hilt of his sword while the other grips a flashlight.

BUNKER 0031-MF
PROJECT LOCKBOX: RECON
Makoto Kurumi

A CHINGLING hangs from a branch just ahead. Its constant ching-a-ring-a-dinging makes it an easy presence to spot. When Belial approaches, however, it tries to WRAP him up. Sneaky little bugger.

Thankfully, Belial backs away just before. He grins and even laughs at the attempt. By the time the Chingling dares to try again, Chai BOUNCES in and stomps it. They don't bother to catch it. They don't need something so loud and obvious.

FIREKICKER
SAFARI ZONE
DARUMAKA - SCORBUNNY - TATSUGIRI

A strange EXTRASENSORY sensation overcame them suddenly. A DARUMAKA above them danced on a tree branch, seemingly finding itself invincible against its bullying. Belial clicks his tongue sharply and points up at it. "AURA SPHERE!"

Despite feeling a bit woozy from the attack, Chai shakes her head and gathers a blue orb in her hands before launching it like a cannonball. The Darumaka tries to climb to avoid it, but it snaps the branch in two and connects. Afterward, the little golem collapses from above and hits the ground.

Pulling an empty Heavy Ball out from his pack, Belial casts it down at the unconscious creature.

FIREKICKER
SAFARI ZONE
DARUMAKA - SCORBUNNY - PANGORO

Being a CEO was a large responsibility. No matter how much TEAM ROCKET offered him, it was one he could not ignore. ANVIL was the foundation of his wealth and power, after all, and the culmination of everything he'd strived for as a youth. It was his life's work, and he would not endanger it needlessly.

That being said, Belial Stone was as eccentric and mercurial as one might expect from a Stone. Today he entered the headquarters far earlier than he usually did, garbed in a sharp navy suit with a green smoothie in one hand. A small LITTEN followed behind him dutifully, ignoring the occasional plea for attention from the office workers they passed.

When they strode down the hallway by the interview room, however, Belial came to a sudden stop upon hearing:

"I must admit, Mr. Lovato, your resume is impressive. The military experience is definitely a plus."

The door had been left ajar, so the man simply had to turn his head to look inside and set eyes on the interviewee. And, strangely enough, the sight of Sebastian Lavigne inspired a shark-toothed smile. He moves in without question.

"A-Ah! Mr. Stone, sir!" The interviewer stammers when he takes notice of his boss walking in. Sharply rising from his seat, the man then salutes. "I was just about to begin my interview with Mr. Lovato here... sir!" He adds, gesturing to Seb.

"No need for the formalities, Dave," Belial responds, walking around the desk as his Litten takes a sniff at Seb's pant leg. "I'll handle it from here. Give us the office, will you? Take a break, pal." He grins, patting the interviewer on his back and sending him shuffling outside.

Once the door closes, he takes his seat on the leather cushioned chair and sighs contently as he settles in. "My name is Belial Stone, I'm the CEO and co-founder of ANVIL Incorporated." He says, eyes set firmly on the man across from him. "I'll be the one conducting your interview today. How do you feel about that?"

A HAMMER FOR THE ANVIL
MISSION: EMPLOYMENT ACT I
Sebastian Lavigne