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Gunner made a mental note to look into DEREK HOFFMAN. He didn't know the man, but he would soon enough. Information on former gym leaders and current Rangers was always well documented by the HBIC.[break][break]

"You're right," he said to Greyson. "So what do you propose should be done?"[break][break]

Gunner crossed his arms and leveled a stare at the other man. There was no challenge in his expression, no hostility, but merely a sense of expectation.

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If Gunner noticed the disarray of her workspace, or the pillow and blanket in the corner, he did not comment on them. He knew better than that. After all, his own cubicle was in a sorry state. Disorganized chaos.[break][break]

Penelope's answer brought a frown to Gunner's face. The longer the women went missing, the higher the chance of their deaths. Even if Team Rocket kept them alive to squeeze every ounce of information from them, the crime syndicate's methods did not often leave people alive.[break][break]

In the low light, Gunner saw what may have been bags under Penelope's eyes. Exhaustion lined her face. How many late nights had she endured of late? How much sleep had she lost?[break][break]

He took another sip of his coffee and decided, for once, to be a fellow human instead of her employee. "How are you holding up?" he asked. "Is there anything I can do to help lighten your load?"

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Gunner eased the office door open slowly. Penelope's desk lamp was on, but the room was otherwise bathed in darkness. It made for a cozier atmosphere than any office had the right to possess.[break][break]

He sat down in the chair opposite her, but not before handing her the second cup of coffee. "Made the way you like it, but it's no Sawsbucks," he said of the drink.[break][break]

A small smile curled his lips, as if he'd just made a joke.[break][break]

"I wish I could say I'm finishing up, but I don't think my work ever really ends," he said in response to Penelope's question. He sipped his own coffee, trying not to grimace at its bland flavor.[break][break]

"I'm still trying to determine possible locations Miss Henderson and Miss Anderson could be based on their last sightings." Him and the rest of the Bureau.[break][break]

Gunner sat up a little straighter, glancing at Penelope's desk. "Have you had any luck or new reports, ma'am?"

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Late nights at the Hoenn Bureau of Intelligence and Counterterrorism meant strong coffee. Gunner poured himself another cup of the dark liquid, brightening it with a dash of sugar and cream. The flavor was subpar compared to what his favorite cafés served, but he wasn't going to complain. Not when he still had a mountain of work to tackle.[break][break]

He tried not to stay late at the office anymore, especially with a baby on the way. But with the disappearances of Elinor Anderson and annalise henderson, it couldn't be helped. The safety of Hoenn and its citizens was his job. Surely Summer Atreides would understand.[break][break]

Gunner was halfway to his cubicle when he paused. Yellow light seeped through the crack of PENELOPE LIVY's office door. So Miss Livy is working late, too, he mused.[break][break]

After a moment's consideration, he went back for a second cup of coffee. Then he knocked on her door — awkwardly, so as not to spill any of the hot liquid on himself.[break][break]

"Miss Livy? Are you still here?" Gunner asked. He kept his voice low, just loud enough so she could hear him through the door. Something about the darkness of the building late at night promoted a sense of quiet.

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As much as Gunner hated to attribute any positive qualities to Team Rocket, he had to agree with Greyson's assessment. A ferality existed within those terrorists, an insane and single-minded drive. It possessed them to do terrible things. Torture. Murder.[break][break]

Near-suicidal operations in the heart of an alien realm.[break][break]

"We need people to care," Gunner said with a sigh. "Team Rocket will continue to trounce us at every turn if we don't commit to the protection of Hoenn as much as they commit to its destruction."[break][break]

But how? He put the tablet down and stared through it, pensive.

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Once again, Gunner found himself in the world beyond the rift known as Ultra Crater. A thick forest of bamboo stalks crowded around him, their leaves blocking out the sky. Carefully, he wove his way between the plants.[break][break]

The Wilds realm was a dangerous place for a solitary human, but it was the perfect place to train his Iron Valiant. The mysterious Pokémon was the newest addition to his team. As a result, it wasn't used to Gunner's commands — or to obeying him in general.[break][break]

"Keep your eyes open for anything unusual," he instructed the Iron Valiant, who he'd named Kahadin. "We always want to be on high alert, especially in hostile territory."[break][break]

The Pokémon said nothing. Instead, it glowered at Gunner as if offended to receive orders.[break][break]

Before Gunner could say anything else, however, the ground rumbled. A mini earthquake, perhaps. Or maybe it was another Celesteela rocketing off to an unknown location. He waited until the tremor passed, then continued forward.

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