The plane began its descent, a subtle shift in pressure and angle. Eliana looked out the window and saw a coastline materialize out of the darkness, a rugged, mountainous landscape that was unfamiliar to her. The plane touched down with a gentle bump, rolling to a stop on a secluded runway.
She blinked, through the window, Eliana saw a private airstrip carved out of a dense, mist-shrouded forest. There was no terminal, no control tower in sight, just around three runways in total. Another black car was waiting for them. This one led them away from the small airport and down a winding coastal road. The sea was a black, churning presence to their right, the waves crashing against the rocks below. They drove for nearly an hour, passing no other cars, no signs of life, before turning through a set of imposing, wrought-iron gates.
The gates opened onto a sprawling estate, bathed in the pale light of the moon. It was a magnificent, old-world mansion, all dark stone, towering turrets, and gothic arches. It looked less like a home and more like a fortress. Eliana felt Sabrina invading her mind,
Eliana turned to give the older psychic her most innocent face. Sabrina raised an unimpressed eyebrow,
Sabrina's telepathic presence gave her a final warning before leaving the teen's mind. Eliana gave a small smile, she wouldn't be promising anything. From inside his PokéBall, Gallade pointed out that this place was most likely heavily monitored. But Raichu countered that they could just place the blame on someone else. Strarmie was as silent as it usually was.
The car pulled up to the grand entrance of the mansion, where five figures were waiting. As they walked up Eliana took stock of the silent, formally-dressed servant. The servant stood rigidly to one side, a ghost in the grand design. But the other four commanded space with an unspoken authority.
One was a man whose face was a roadmap of harsh experiences, skin tanned and weathered like old leather. He wore a simple white lab coat over a practical shirt, a stark contrast to the opulent surroundings. His eyes, sharp and analytical, missed nothing. Eliana wasn't completely certain but this man was either Blaine or Fuji. She didn't really pay attention to the differences between the two old men but those two are the only scientists she remembers that could be high rank.
He was flanked by a girl who didn't seem like she was supposed to be here. Her posture was a little too stiff, her gaze fixed on some point just beyond them. Her orange hair was pulled back in a severe top knot, and she held herself with a nervous energy that she was clearly fighting to suppress.
The other pair was a study in boisterousness contained. The man was a mountain of a person, tall and broad-shouldered, with a shock of blond hair that seemed to defy gravity. He wore a camouflage military-style jacket, adorned with pins, over a white tank top. An easy, confident grin was plastered on his face, but Eliana could feel the coiled power in his stance. That had to be Lt. Surge, there was no mistaking the eletric gym leader for anyone else.
Beside him stood a boy, perhaps three years her senior, with a lean, athletic build. His hair was also yellow, but a darker shade than the military man. And as Sabrina and Eliana walked closer, he seemed to be flirting with the other girl, who seemed pretty uncomfortable with the attention.
"Oy there, Sabrina!" Lt. Surge called out, his voice echoing in the quiet courtyard. "Was wondering when you'd show, thought you got lost in your own head!"
Sabrina's expression remained unchanged, though Eliana felt a flicker of irritation in her mentor's otherwise placid aura. "Surge, your energy is as unrefined as ever."
"You must be Eliana!" Surge boomed, ignoring the older woman's response to turn his full attention to her. His gaze was appraising, sizing her up like a new piece of military hardware. "Heard a lot about you. Tough little cookie, ain't ya?"
Before Eliana could even formulate a sarcastic reply, the boy at Surge's side stepped forward, a smooth, practiced smile on his face. "Don't mind the boss, he gets loud when he's excited. I'm Helio. It's a pleasure." He extended a hand towards Eliana. She stared at it, making no move to take it. The smile on Helio's face faltered for just a second before he smoothly withdrew it, turning instead to the orange-haired girl.
"And this is Gisele, Blaine's apprentice. Don't let the quiet act fool you, she's got a nasty bite." Helio winked at the girl, who simply scowled and looked away.
Eliana curiously brushed against Gisele's mind, the older girl was currently thinking about burning Helio alive. Eliana decided that she would have to keep an eye out for those two, if she instigated some kind of situation she'd have a free drama to watch. The weathered man beside Giselle, Blaine, cleared his throat, a low, gravelly sound.
"Enough frivolity," Blaine said, his voice dry as kindling. His sharp eyes darted from Sabrina to Eliana. "So this is your chosen successor. She seems... young."
Blaine grunted, a noncommittal sound. "Talent or not, she'll be tested. You all will."
The silent servant, who had been standing by the massive oak doors, now pushed them open. "You were the last to arrive, the Boss will be out soon," he said, his voice as devoid of inflection as his face. He gestured for them to enter.
The entry hall of the mansion was cavernous. The stone floor was polished to a mirror sheen, reflecting the light from a grand crystal chandelier that hung from a ceiling lost in shadow. A sweeping double staircase carved from dark mahogany led to an upper floor, its banister lined with what looked like gold-plated claws. The air was cold, and smelled of old stone, wood polish, and something else... blood.
Eliana blinked, Well that's not a surprise, I knew these people were a gang. They probably have a jail or something in the basement. Eliana smiled to herself as she made sure her thoughts were completely private, Maybe even a lab that has information on Mew's clone. I haven't sensed anything so it's unlikely.