Seeing this, Hora reached into his bag and pulled out a water-blue stone. The stone's surface shimmered with a moist luster, looking exceptionally bright under the moonlight—it was the Water Stone he had found earlier in Viridian Forest.
He pinched the Water Stone between his fingers, twirling it lightly as he spoke with a voice full of temptation. "I can give this Water Stone to you. While it may not be as valuable as a rare Pokémon, its worth is surely much higher than the common Pokémon you originally planned to steal. Take it back to report your mission; it can at least offset some of the blame for your failure, and maybe even net you a small reward."
"A Water Stone!" The eyes of the trio were instantly glued to the crystal, their breathing becoming ragged.
James couldn't help but mutter, "The legendary Evolution Stone from Route 1... you actually got your hands on it..." They had searched for traces of evolution stones in the forest before but hadn't even seen a shadow of one. He never expected Hora to not only find one but dare to use it as a bargaining chip.
"Naturally." Hora tossed the Water Stone lightly in his palm, his smile carrying the composure of someone in total control. "This is just a greeting gift. If you're willing to help me join Team Rocket, there will be more benefits to follow."
The warehouse fell into a dead silence. Jessie, James, and Meowth exchanged looks, their eyes filled with hesitation. Hora's offer was too enticing; a Water Stone was enough to turn their fortunes around. However, they couldn't gauge this kid's background—what if he was an undercover agent sent by the League, intentionally setting a trap to lure them in?
As if seeing through their concerns, Hora's tone suddenly turned cold, carrying a trace of undeniable pressure. "If I wanted to catch you, I wouldn't have intentionally shouted for the doors to be opened back at the Pokémon Center, nor would I have come to find you alone. After all, if I bundled the three of you up and handed you to Officer Jenny, I'd receive a League commendation and even a bounty."
He paused, holding the Water Stone up to his eye level. The moonlight refracted off the stone with a chilly glow. "You have only two choices now: either believe me and take a gamble—I'll give you the Water Stone first, so you have nothing to lose and can gain more benefits through me later; or, I call Officer Jenny right now and let her come 'collect' you."
The trio's faces shifted between pale and flushed. They remained silent for a full thirty seconds.
Finally, Jessie gritted her teeth, seemingly making up her mind. She stared at Hora and said, "Fine! We'll trust you this once! But if you dare play any tricks or try to backstab us, my Ekans's fangs won't be merciful!"
James and Meowth followed with nods of agreement. Seeing them compromise, a faint, imperceptible smile played on Hora's lips. The first step was finally a success.
With a flick of his wrist, Hora tossed the Water Stone toward Jessie. The azure gem arched through the air, shimmering in the moonlight. Jessie instinctively reached out to catch it, her movements a bit frantic. When her fingertips touched the icy texture of the stone, she froze for a moment, her eyes filled with disbelief. "You... you just gave it to us like that? Aren't you afraid we'll just take it and run?"
After all, this was a precious evolution stone. Any other Team Rocket member would likely have been tempted to keep it for themselves.
Hora smiled, his tone candid. "I don't think you're those kinds of people—at least, I can tell from Meowth. Even though he follows you in doing bad things, there's no malice in his eyes; he seems more like a child wanting to prove himself. Of course, if you really take it and run, there's nothing I can do except admit I misjudged you."
This statement was half-truth and half-tactic—giving them an out while subtly emphasizing the weight of "trust."
Jessie held the Water Stone, looking down in silence for a while. When she looked up again, her gaze toward Hora held a hint of complexity. "For some reason, I feel like you aren't a ten-year-old kid at all. Your mind and your way of speaking are far too mature for your age—sturdier even than some of the low-level Team Rocket Elites I've met."
James and Meowth nodded along. From the moment they first encountered Hora in the forest, every move he made showed a level of calculation far beyond his years. It was truly impossible to associate him with a "common trainer."
"People grow up through experience." Hora didn't offer a direct explanation, merely giving a faint smile. He couldn't exactly say he was a transmigrator whose soul was no longer that of a teenager. Some secrets had to be taken to the grave.
Jessie stared at him for a moment and seemed to give up on questioning him. Gripping the Water Stone, her tone became serious. "Since you've shown such sincerity, we in Team Rocket aren't people who break our word. I'll take you to see mine and James's direct superior—Dr. Zager. As long as he nods, you'll get your Team Rocket member badge."
"But I must warn you," Jessie looked at Hora with a solemn caution in her eyes, "Dr. Zager's temperament is famously eccentric, especially toward people who try to be slick. When you see him later, you'd best put away those clever tricks and answer his questions honestly. Whether you can stay depends entirely on whether you can catch his eye; we won't be able to help you much."
"Dr. Zager?" Hearing the name, a bright spark flashed in Hora's eyes. It really was him!
He felt inwardly relieved. Having Dr. Zager as their direct superior was much luckier than encountering a standard combat squad leader. If it were any other combat-oriented Elite who only cared about battle records, they would have been skinning the trio alive for today's failure, let alone entertaining a new recruit.
But Dr. Zager was different. He didn't much care for his subordinates' "minor blunders," as long as they could provide help for his research.
Hora understood Team Rocket's hierarchy well. At the top of the pyramid was the Boss, Giovanni. Below him were the five Great Commanders in charge of core affairs, with codenames like "Iron Mask," "Secretary," "Instructor," "Special Agent," and "Tulip," controlling combat, intelligence, training, assassination, and logistics respectively. Further down were the four Generals and nine Captains—the backbone of the combat sequence.
But aside from those who rose through military might, there was another force that couldn't be ignored: the Research Team.
High-end researchers like Dr. Zager held a "special" status. In terms of raw combat power, they might not even match a regular grunt, but in terms of influence, they could rival the five Commanders. This was because many of Team Rocket's core projects—human-made Pokémon, rare energy extraction, and high-tech weaponry against the League—depended on these doctors.
More importantly, every research doctor had the authority to cultivate their own exclusive followers to serve their research. This was exactly the opportunity Hora needed. If he could get under Dr. Zager's wing, with his own strength and knowledge, becoming at least a "Captain"—the smallest rank of Elite—shouldn't be too difficult.