In the morning we went back to the gym. Sabrina wasn't surprised to see us but she did look relieved.
She nodded at me first. "I think you'll be good for this job. You have a very strong mind. Not for psychic powers, but strong anyway. Stronger than the people in that gym, I hope."
She turned to James. "You're more... innocent... but that should have its advantages as well."
James looked up. "Innocent?" he asked.
Meowth chuckled. "She means you're stupid, James."
James settled down as if he were willing to accept that.
Sabrina just shook her head. "No, he isn't stupid. But nevermind."
"Your job here is mainly to retrieve my Alakazam. I raised it from an Abra and I am not letting my brother try to keep it. Obviously none of your Pokemon can defeat it, but it's really my brother you'll have to defeat, one way or another. The Alakazam won't be weakened while it's asleep, but my brother will be. But he'll still be very, very dangerous. I wish I could prepare you better but I don't know enough anymore. My last spy in the area disappeared into the gym. And I can't get anywhere near there without my brother sensing me."
"Do we need guns?" I asked.
"Guns won't help much. The other people there will be weak already, after all this time under my brother's control. And my brother can deactivate a gun in seconds."
I nodded. I was liking this less and less. But she was right, it was a challenge.
"Does your brother have a name?" I asked finally.
She looked surprised. "Yes. Karl. His name is Karl."
We decided to set off right away. We didn't want to spend any time sitting around worrying about what was going to happen. Besides, that should get us there just before nightfall.
We took a plane; Sabrina's money had some advantages. Then we walked out of the city and set off toward the gym, which was isolated in the foothills.
James and I talked quietly as we approached.
"Have you ever been around a psychic before?" he asked me.
"No," I admitted.
James looked at me. "I'm not... the bravest person in the world, you know. If someone can get into my brain, it's not going to be pretty."
"Sabrina seemed O.K. with you," I said.
He shrugged. "Maybe Sabrina doesn't know me so well after all."
Now was the time for me to say something idiotic like "Be brave!" or "Do your best!" Or more likely to tell him that yes, he was pathetic. But I didn't believe that anymore. Finally I just said, "You may not know yourself perfectly either."
"What about you?" James asked me.
"I try to spend as little time as possible examining about my own mind," I said.
That wasn't entirely true. Someday, if our relationship continued the way it was (and already I had trouble thinking about it ending) I would have to contemplate myself, and James.
When we reached the gym, we could see two people wandering around on the outside. We were sure they couldn't see us, but after a while we realized they weren't really looking at anything.
The people went inside around nightfall, and a few hours later we decided we couldn't postpone entering the gym any longer.
We felt strange about just marching in the front door but it wasn't locked and no one could think of a better idea.
We thought Karl might be in the main gym room so we explored the other rooms first. One was a dormitory, with people sleeping in it. It seemed to hold no decorations or personal effects and I found it terrifying, worse than a hospital.
The next room held a few pokeballs scattered on a table. Clearly this was no longer a real Pokemon gym. In the corner slept a Meowth.
"Meo..." whispered Meowth.
James nodded to him. "Go, see how she is."
But before Meowth could make a move, someone came around the corner, followed by an Alakazam. It was obviously Karl.
Karl stared at us. His eyes weren't blank, but he didn't look normal either. "New people," he murmured. Immediately I felt my muscles paralyzed, and I couldn't move. I couldn't see James but I was certain he was receiving the same treatment.
Meowth could still move; I could hear him trying to run back down the corridor.
But Karl spoke again. "Alakazam, the Meowth!" And the psychic Pokemon disappeared and reappeared somewhere that I couldn't see.
I heard Meowth yell something, then silence.
Karl turned to James. He stared at him, then closed his eyes and said, "You're afraid. Oh yes, you're afraid..." I heard James whimper and then a sound that could only mean he had fallen to the ground.
Then Karl turned toward me, and began to speak again. "You're very sad," he said. For a moment I felt nothing, then I began to remember too much at once. I found my muscles could move again but that only meant that I also fell to the ground.