Brettles' submission for GCEA short story contest "A Father's Duty"

[Brettles]

A Father’s duty
John Masters finished packing his bags ready for 2 weeks on the new construction site in Pewter city. He didn’t like to leave his family, but it was a father’s duty to provide for his family. Carefully packed in the bags were his most precious possessions; photos of his wife and 5 children. It would be hard being away from them for 2 weeks, but he was needed on site.

He had tucked 3 of his children into their beds already, and Jemma wasn't sleeping through the night yet, so his wife was looking after her.

He walked into his oldest son's room to say goodbye to him. Brett was nine and excited about turning ten in two months’ time. He was preparing to start his Pokémon journey. The young boy looked up as his dad entered the room. He had his favourite book "The Lone Pokémon Ranger" in his hands, ready for his dad to read to him. John got the boy into bed and then sat down next to him to read the book.

Brett loved when his dad read the book, he always did the funny voices, and the Pokémon sounds were his favourite parts. He listened to his dad's voice and relaxed, ready for sleep. When the story was over Brett sleepily asked, "Dad, can people really ride on Pokémon like the ranger in the story did?"

John smiled; this was Brett's favourite joke, so he played along. "I don't know son, but I can't ride on my Rhyhorn."

Brett burst out in laughter as he said, "Well, when it evolves you can 'ride on' your Rhydon!"
John laughed and kissed his son on the forehead and told him goodbye.

Before he could leave, Brett's voice hesitantly asked, "Dad. On my Birthday when I get a Pokémon and I leave on my Pokémon journey... um... will I still be part of this family even though I have left home?" The young boy's eyes were starting to tear up with worry.

John gave his son a great big hug. "You will always be my son Brettles. In fact while I am gone, I am going to name you 'Man of the house'. This means that I need you to look after your younger brothers and sisters and help your mother until I return. When you leave on your journey I will still be with you, right in here." John reached down and taps Brett’s chest right above his heart. “And you will be right here. Always!” he touched his owns heart. Brett was comforted by his dad's words. He loved when his dad called him Brettles. It made him feel safe and loved. He drifted off to sleep.

John walked out of the room to find his wife playing with their youngest child. Jemma was only 3 months old and enjoying a fun game with her Clefairy doll.

John stopped and watched his wife for a few moments, remembering the first time he had met Belinda, and how she had changed his life.

.....

Twelve years earlier

John was a genius. He had won every award for science that his school had offered, and then the same at university. He had been recruited by a huge organisation and was in charge of their Research and Development department. He was responsible for many large and powerful experiments and was pulling in more money than anyone in his family's history had even imagined. Life was going great, he had his lab with many assistants and the freedom to research whatever he wanted.

Then one day a strangely dressed young lady burst into his office demanding his latest research. Although he was taken aback by the demand, he was instantly enchanted with her eyes. She challenged him to a Pokémon battle and easily defeated his Rhyhorn. She then demanded his research and he had no choice but to hand it over. Before she could leave security flooded the room and arrested her.

Despite the shock of the events, he would always remember, the exact words that the security had said, "No-one messes with Team Rocket you stupid girl!" John had been shocked. Team Rocket? What were they talking about?

The security team dragged the young lady out of the room, and that should have been the end of it, but John was intrigued. What had just happened? Who was that girl? She had an incredibly pretty smile! What did they mean 'Team Rocket'?

Hacking into the security system that he had designed himself was an easy task. He watched and listened to the interrogation of the young lady and learned two very important things. Firstly, the organisation dedicated to ‘world peace’ that he had been working for, for the past year and a half was actually a front for Team Rocket. Secondly that girl was brave and passionate and everything he had been missing in his life.

He watched through the security vision as the girl was thrown into a cell. He knew he had to act. The lights and locks of the whole building were linked into the security system. Switching off the lights and locking the desired doors, led to chaos. It also led the girl through a path that right back to his office. At first she wanted to fight again, but he convinced her to listen. In the years to come he would not remember the details of that conversation, although she would, and would bring it up as often as possible during the next twelve years of their relationship. By the end of their talk she had convinced him to travel with her and eventually give evidence against Team Rocket in a Grand Jury trial.

Witness relocation had settled them in Celadon city. A wedding and 5 births later confirmed to John that his life had changed for the better.

.....

Present

Belinda looked around to see her husband looking at her. "Why are you standing there? Jemma wants to play with her daddy before you leave." She smiled her perfect smile and John almost got lost her eyes once again.

"Just thinking about how perfect life is, now that I have you in it", he said smiling back at her.

"Flatterer" she accused with a grin. "Come here and kiss your wife and daughter goodbye, and I'll see you in two weeks once your work is done."

He kissed his wife, played with Jemma and her dolly and left.

The journey was uneventful. It took most of the night to drive to Pewter city. Most of the crew had arrived the day before but John didn't mind travelling all night. It allowed him a few more hours with his family.

John loved the construction work, the supervisor valued his advice, and the physical labour was relaxing. His Rhyhorn was the perfect Pokémon partner for digging and transporting stone. Having a good knowledge of physics also helped to ensure that what he built stayed built!

The first week passed without incident. Daily phone calls to the family let him know that they were all well.

Monday morning the construction site was empty when John arrived. That was unusual. There was no-one in the office so he walked to the museum extension.

The lights were out and the half constructed building was darkened by shadows.

"John! It's been a long time. We have missed you". John looked around surprised. Where did that voice come from?

A strange man in a trench coat stepped out from the shadows. "Isn't this job just a little below your education level, John?"

"I'm sorry", John said, feeling rather confused. "Do I know you?"

"Oh you know me, John. I used to be your lab assistant back before you left to raise your family". The stranger clicked his fingers and a Large TV screen that had been obscured by the shadows switched on. To John's astonishment the screen showed the inside of his house, where Belinda was baking bread for the family.

"You seem shocked; John "Let me change the channel for you”. He clicked his fingers again and the channel changed to show Brett in school, then each of the other children, finishing with little Jemma in her cot sleeping.

The strange man looked intensely at John. "You may have forgotten me John, but I know who you are John. I know where you live, I know all about your family. I know how much it will hurt you if I give the order to have an 'accident' happen to one of them."

The whole conversation had been unsettling and something inside John snapped at threat to his family. "Rhyhorn, take him down". John called out his Pokémon.

The stranger smiled, "Machamp, you’re up!" he called out the biggest Machamp that John had ever seen. "Crush that Rhyhorn please."

The poor Rhyhorn didn't stand a chance. The huge Machamp hit it once and the Rhyhorn was knocked out.

"Fine. I get the point. You can out-muscle me. What do you want?" John shouted.

The stranger smiled an evil smile. "I don't think you do understand me just yet". He looked at the knocked out Rhyhorn and then very casually called out another Pokémon. "Tentacruel, Machamp I want that Rhyhorn put down...permanently!"

"NO!" John screamed out as the Machamp and Tentacruel viciously attacked the helpless Rhyhorn. John felt physically sick when he saw the scattered rubble that was all that was left of the Pokémon that he had raised from an egg since childhood.

Falling to his knees John cried out, "What do you want?"

The stranger smiled and opened his trench coat, revealing a Team Rocket shirt. "You truly don't remember me do you? How disappointing. Since you don't remember me, my name is Samuel. I used to fetch and clean for you in your lab, but now I am one of the regional managers of Team Rocket. I am here to offer you a job."

"Why on earth would I come and work for a sick evil man like you?"

Samuel's eyes narrowed and he smiled. "Your choice John. If you say no, what happened to your Pokémon, happens to your family! You have thirty seconds."

John searched his mind for a way out but nothing came to him. The TV screen kept showing his family. He looked at Samuel and replied through a jaw clenched with fury, "Agreed, just leave my family alone."

Samuel clicked his fingers and pointed at John. Four men came from the shadows and grabbed him. He was blindfolded and bundled into a vehicle.

Hours later the blindfold was removed and he was in what seemed to be an underground laboratory. Samuel was there looking smug. The Television was showing the news.

"Repeating our breaking news. A large explosion at a construction site in Pewter city has caused the tragic loss of life with three workers confirmed dead. The deaths include foreman Joe Higgins and two workers John Masters and Roger White. This tragedy is magnified by the fact that one of these men has five children under the age of ten. For more details we cross now live to..."

Samuel switched the TV off and turned to face John. "That will explain your disappearance to the world. Out there you are dead. If you try to leave this facility. Ever! Your family will pay the price, and I know you are smart enough to understand what that means. You will use that marvellous brain of yours for the advancement of team Rocket."

Samuel's victorious laughter was the only sound running through the complex.

Devastated, John knew that he had no choice. He started his new life of servitude to this evil organisation.

.....

Nine years later

In the years since John’s Team Rocket has been blessed with the most advanced technology that any criminal organisation has ever seen. In order to keep his family safe, John has designed weapons and machines of great inventiveness and extreme viciousness for the advancement of Team Rocket.

Unfortunately for Team Rocket, despite the absolute genius of the machines being made, something always seems to go wrong when they are in the field. The incompetence of the grunts in their failure to use this technology properly has led to team Rockets losing a lot of its criminal hold over Kanto.
Samuel himself has been busted down to Grunt for his failures in the field, and was eventually to the authorities by the Team Rocket Leaders, and is currently spending the next one hundred and fifty years in jail.

It could be argued, if anyone thought deeply enough about the situation, that the new inventions were the root cause of many of Team Rocket's problems.

Perhaps one of the biggest failing of Team Rocket is that it has never occurred to the leaders that perhaps it was not the fault of the grunts in the field. No-one imagined that these malfunctions could be traced back in any way to the genius inventor who designed and created those devices. A father forcibly removed from his family, who would do anything to protect the safety of his wife and children.

His captors marvelled at how someone could be forced into such a desperate situation and yet maintain his sanity and drive even after 10 years of captivity.

John had a secret. Despite his current circumstances the love of his family kept him going.

He may be forced to act as a scientist and a researcher, but, John knew that he was first and foremost a husband and a father.

Making the world safe for his children was still his true job.

It was a father’s Duty.