It didn't take long for the rest of the nation, and the world, to notice the sudden disappearance of various points west of the San Andreas fault, one way or another. Someone somewhere made the decision to release the satellite image of the redefined west coast of America, and warn their neighbours around the Pacific.
Two people stood side by side in front of a large screen, watching the news since the initial broadcast of the story, until one of them could no longer take the growing tension from the other.
"I'm giving you the rest of the day off, Shego," Dr. Drakken declared.
The villainess looked at him sideways. "What? Why?"
"Well... so you can fly to Go City and-"
"Go City's gone, Doc."
"Still..."
Shego jerked her chin in the screen's direction. "Dr. D, the entire city took a swan dive into the ocean. Even I wouldn't survive something that big. Why assume my idiot brothers did?"
"Why assume they wouldn't?" Drakken countered.
Shego crossed her arms with a huff. "They didn't."
"Are you sure," the mad scientist pressed.
"Yes."
"Certain."
"Yeees..."
"Positive."
"Yes!"
"No doubts whatsoever."
The villainess turned on Drakken with a growl. "Why do you keep harping on about this?"
"Family, Shego. Family." The mad scientist remained silent a moment, then started walking in the direction of his personal quarters. "Do what you want with your afternoon. I have the sudden urge to give my mother a call."
It took several minutes after his departure for Shego to curse under her breath and stalk off in the direction of the hanger. "It's not like I ever wanted them dead, anyway..." she rationalized.
Five minutes later, a green and black jet was streaking westward. It would take less than two hours to hit California. Mountains and deserts slid beneath her as Shego rocketed across Colorado, Utah and Nevada. The damage caused by the earthquake became more and more apparent as she travelled. The desert east of Carson looked like a giant pane of glass that had shattered without falling to pieces, and what signs of civilisation remained in the city itself were surrounded by rubble, islands standing in a sea of devestation.
By the time Shego hit California, it was obvious that no amount of fortification against earthquakes would have been enough against this.
The Eldorado forest had been flattened. The land beyond was so ripped and torn, Route 50 was indistinguishable from the surrounding terrain.
Sacramento had been pulverized. Nothing remained above water after the ocean flooded the valley... what was left of the valley. For all intents and purposes, the jet was hovering over the new Californian coastline.
Shego's resolve wavered. There was nothing in the direction of San Francisco but water and dorsal fins. The presence of sharks made her realise the sun in her eyes was not responsible for the colour of the water.
Go City would be no different.
The villainess turned the jet north and sped up the new coast. It was so unfamiliar, she had to rely on the computer to tell her where the city used to be.
It was exactly as she had expected. She'd need a submersible to find anything of her hometown, and none of it would be even remotely recognisable. But at least now she had seen it with her own eyes. Now she had no doubt whatsoever.
Numb was the only word for what she was feeling. In some corner of her mind, Shego could see herself laughing at the fact that the mighty Hego had become shark food, assuming they could stomach him in the first place. Mego would probably shrink right down as a final insult, denying them a decently-sized meal. The twins... the twins. Thinking of them did make her feel something, but it seemed to be far in the distance. Or was she distancing herself from her emotions? "Probably," she muttered to herself as she stared down into the choppy ocean waters. The twins though... she could imagine a chain of Wegos growing westward, trying to outrun the destruction. If that would even work. Perhaps they had finally learned whether or not it mattered if the original pair survived, or if any copy would do at the end of the day.
Though she suspected it to be futile, she made a pass along the nearest stretch of the coastline, looking for signs of life. Her suspicions were borne out. Nothing moved. But for some reason, she felt better for doing it.
Shego's return flight was prolonged by more aircraft approaching from the east. She dropped below radar and moved to avoid them out of habit, not really caring who they were or what they were doing. There was a gap between the approaching craft that would keep them beyond visual range.
The green girl was operating mechanically, not really thinking about anything, until the onboard computer started fizzing and sparking.
Kim and her siblings had managed to tunnel their way to the ski resort, though the first aftershock buried them again while they were inside. There were few employees within, but they had told the teen hero that a maintainance crew had been out doing work on the ski lifts. Kim didn't like their chances, and she definitely didn't like risking the tweebs coming upon dead bodies, so she had Wade relay the information to the appropriate rescue service (that one with dogs who could find the missing men faster than Kim ever would) before taking the boys home. She felt guilty, not trying herself, but getting the family together seemed more important.
Their mother was waiting outside the house, and hugged each of them in turn. "They were saying on the radio that the earthquake was centered on the west coast," she told them with a tired, sad voice.
"Everything west of the San Andreas fault is gone," one of the twins elaborated in a subdued voice.
"Where's dad?" Kim asked.
"Inside." Ann tried to smile. "He thinks with all the rebuilding after the boys' experiments and Drakken's toy attack, the house should be structurally sound; but he wants to make sure..." Another aftershock rumbled through the ground, but it was weak and only lasted a moment. Ann took a deep breath once it passed. "I can't believe we're feeling it so far east, but... if the west coast... broke off..."
"How were things in the hospital?" Kim interrupted her train of thought.
"Oh... a mess. A few casualties, more injuries... and that was before people started coming in. I guess we should count ourselves lucky..."
Her husband chose that moment to come outside, and another round of hugs ensued. "There's no power, but most of the house is intact," he assured them. "Since it's nearly dinnertime, I suggest we start by raiding the fridge before anything spoils."
Ann tried her best to make things as normal as possible, but the candlelit dinner comprised mostly of cereal, sandwiches and salad washed down with orange juice. She took heart in the fact that her children still had healthy appetites. Nana called James' cellphone during the meal; apparently it had taken her that long to get through with all the communications traffic that was going on since the earthquake. It left everyone wondering how many people were trying to reach people who would never answer.
The twins borrowed the battery from their dad's car and, with the help of a tinkered transformer, they managed to get the small television in the kitchen working in time for the nine o'clock news. The reporter behind the desk was having difficulty maintaining her composure, only succeeding thanks to ingrained habit more than anything.
"...The long-expected 'Big One' hit the San Andreas fault in California at about noon, Pacific Time. It was felt across half of North America and is the first magnitude ten-plus earthquake on the Richter scale in recorded history. The damage... has been catastrophic." A graphic of the western states came on screen, red dots identifying major cities along the original coast of California. They remained as the image switched to after the earthquake. "Go City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Mexico's Baja peninsula... are completely... have been completely destroyed. Over seventeen million lives, lost in moments. The number of casualties inland is unknown."
Three orange dots joined the four red ones, hovering off the new coastline. Two yellow ones also appeared inland. "Of all the pollution concerns due to seaside industry, the most alarming is radiation. The nuclear power stations at Humboldt Bay, Diablo Canyon and San Onofre are now in the water. The Homboldt Bay station was inactive but still contained radioactive materials. Scientists fear the worst for the ocean's ecology and its impact on the entire Pacific rim.
"Further inland, the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Alameda county, a nuclear research facility that fabricates radioactive source materials for medical and industrial purposes, took severe damage. The reactor there was small in comparison to those lost on the coast, but the area has been declared off-limits until the situation can be determined. The Palo Verde Nuclear Station in Arizona, the largest nuclear facility in America, has also suffered damage. We have yet to hear of any containment failures from there. There are also reports of extensive damage in Las Vegas and Phoenix... again, the number of casualties are unknown at this time.
"Mexican news broadcasts suggest the tidal wave from the collapse of the Baja peninsula has devestasted the northwestern coast of that country," the reporter continued as the graphic slid south to focus on the peninsula's former location, before expanding to show the entire Pacific. "The Canadian and Alaskan coasts suffered less damage, but the Californian tsunami is due to hit the Russian coast in... in four hours, Japan in six; the Philippenes, Papa New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand in nine... these are approximate numbers, since the speed of the tsunami has yet to be determined. Emergency actions are already underway in all countries."
The image returned to the news anchor. "With the ongoing evacuation of Tokyo, the global economy has ground to a halt. Economic leaders in New York and London are discussing the possibility of suspending all operations until the crisis is over. At home, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is attempting to organise search and rescue operations across... across what remains of California. Neighbouring states have been advised to request federal aid only for critical emergencies until more resources can be spared. In a televised address, the president has asked for people to remain calm and be assured that everything that can be done, will be done. His remarks were met with scepticism following the government's lacklustre response to hurricane Katrina."
The reporter stared a moment, then looked away from the camera. "That's all there is?" Apparently it was, for she nodded with resignation and took a deep breath. "This... is the greatest disaster of our lifetime. Of our civilisation. In the days of the Roman Empire, the destruction of Pompeii gave birth to the word 'volcano.' I doubt anyone can tell what effect this event will have on our own future-"
Ann turned the television off. James rushed across the room to wrap his arms around her and she buried her face in his shoulder before she began to weep. The children shared a look, then converged on their parents to join the embrace.
For several minutes, there were no dry eyes in the Possible residence.
"Oh," Ann breathed after she had cried herself out, "What are we going to do?"
"I don't expect any of us will be getting much sleep tonight," James replied softly, "But we should at least try to get some rest. What say we all bunk up in the master bedroom?" Ann nodded, and the boys murmured their assent.
"I'll just go get my duvet from upstairs," Kim decided. "It's safe enough, right?"
"Don't stay up there too long," her father suggested, "Better safe the sorry, until we have time for a proper structural analysis."
As soon as she was alone in her room, the teenager activated her kimmunicator.
"Hey, Kim," Wade greeted her. his voice lacked its usual enthusiasm.
"Wade... how're you doing?"
"Surviving. You?"
"The same. Mom..."
"Is she okay?" Wade asked when he saw Kim choke up.
Kim nodded, clearing her throat. "Upset, but yeah. Any hits on the website?"
"There's been a surge of 'em. Most are requests for you to find people who they think were... I put up a notice saying you'd be spending time with your family for now."
"Thanks. Maybe tomorrow... I dunno..."
"Whenever," the genius said firmly.
"Yeah, Wade. Night."
"Night, Kim."
The heroine sat pandaroo on her desk while she folded up her duvet. She'd take the cuddle buddy downstairs too. She doubted even the tweebs would poke fun at her for it tonight.
She heard the jet before she saw it. She looked out her window to find it using the street as a landing strip... before pulling up in their driveway. Even if Kim didn't recognise it from the attempted kidnapping in Tokyo, the colour scheme made the identity of the pilot obvious.
While her rational mind told her to get ready for a fight, she felt a great swell of sympathy for the villainess. The tweebs annoyed the hell out of her on a good day, but she knew how she would feel if they were suddenly... gone.
Kim returned downstairs to find the family had gathered just outside the front door. They were watching as the jet's canopy opened and Shego pulled off her helmet, eyeing them warily before unbuckling.
"I think she lost all her brothers today," Kim whispered to the others. "I'll go see what she wants." She handed her duvet and stuffed toy to her father before walking over to the driveway.
The green girl was climbing down the side of the aircraft. No leaps or somersaults out of the cockpit; Kim took that as an indicator of Shego's mood. Reaching the ground, the older girl turned and it was obvious from her expression that she wasn't doing well. It even took her a moment to realise the redhead was coming to greet her.
"Stay back, Kimmie," she warned the teenager with a tight voice.
"It's okay," Kim told her, still coming.
"No, it's..."
Kim didn't even pause when she reached the villainess. She slipped her arms around Shego's shoulders and hugged.
"You better let me go, princess. I can't hold it in any longer..."
"Not on your life, Shego," the heroine assured her.
"Have it your way," Shego croaked before vomiting down Kim's back.
Ann wore medical gloves as she held Shego's hair while the green girl periodically heaved more of her stomach's contents into the toilet bowl. The brain surgeon had to admit to herself that she was impressed by the sheer amount of the stuff in her hands. In the candlelight, she could just make out its green tinge. Focusing on that curiosity kept her attention diverted from what the owner of the hair was doing. Normally it wouldn't be an issue, but her mind had been strained enough lately.
"Did you tell them?" Shego managed to gasp during a respite.
"Not to touch your plane because of the radiation, yes. How's your head?"
"Aches. And it's... foggy. Actually, I think that's due to... other stuff."
Ann freed a hand and pressed it against Shego's forehead. "No fever, as far as I can tell. Was it a brief exposure?"
"Musta been, the speed I was going." Shego paused. "I don't think I've anything left."
"There may be some dry heaving," the doctor told her. "but go ahead and flush. You should shower and wash your hair thoroughly. We have no electricity at the moment, so it will be cold, I'm afraid."
"No tricks?" the villainess asked. It sounded like she was trying to add a dangerous edge to her voice, and failing miserably.
"Not today," Ann murmured, patting her on the shoulder before leaving the bathroom. Shego could hear Kimmie's voice after the door closed, and appreciated Ann telling her to leave her be for now. This wasn't something she wanted her goody two-shoes archfoe to see.
She emerged an hour later, wrapped in a towel, her hair damp and tangled but as clean as she could get it. She had used her glow to heat the pipe feeding the shower, so it hadn't been as cold as Ann had feared. Shego thought she could hear movement in the back of the house, and headed to where she vaguely recalled the kitchen was located. It was lit only by a candle at the window and the glow of the television, which Kim was watching though it was muted. Images of California before the sun had set were a common theme on the screen.
"Where's the fam?" Shego asked.
"Bed," Kim responded, sliding a glass of water along the counter to the villainess. "Can you eat anything? You probably should."
"Water's fine for now," Shego said, taking the glass and sipping. It was room temperature. Probably for the best, Shego supposed. "Noone touched the jet, did they?"
"Thanks to my brothers, it's not even the first radioactive object we've ever had around here. Dad took some readings and the tweebs put some kind of special tarp over it. It'll be fine for now. We can decontaminate it in the morning. Dad says the onboard electronics might be salvagable."
"That'd be good, since I can't find the damn lair without 'em," Shego muttered.
"Your outfit?"
"Incinerated it."
Kim nodded, agreeing with the precaution. "You can borrow some of my-"
"Uh, thanks Kimmie," Shego interrupted, "But I'll borrow your mother's clothes. I doubt yours'll fit."
"...Kay."
Shego glanced at the girl before adding, "Sorry 'bout... y'know..."
"No big."
They watched the television in silence for a couple of minutes as images of the lost cities were displayed.
"I'm sorry about your brothers," Kim finally whispered.
Shego did not respond.