CHAPTER 1: Around the World in 12 Hours and 22 Minutes
HOTEL DE LA SOL, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
(7:30 AM Middleton Daylight Time)
"Ah, yes," Senor Senior, Sr. said into his elegant and highly expensive cell phone. "So the…merchandise I requested will be in place in three days time?"
He listened to the response and grinned. "Excellent. I trust there were no difficulties in arranging the placement?"
In the deck chair opposite the multibillionaire-turned-upervillain, his son, Senor Senior, Jr., looked up and snorted. "Hmph. Why always with the innuendos, Father? You own the satellite and the company that is placing it into space. I am the only one here. Why are you talking to your foreman as if someone is watching our every move?"
Senior frowned. "One moment, please, Mr. Robinson," He took the phone away form his ear and covered the small speaker with his free hand. "How many times must I tell you, my son? A villain always implies elements of his diabolical plan on public communication devices. It's –"
"—Tradition." Junior finished, sighing and going back to his magazine. Senior's frown deepened, and he returned to his phone call.
"I apologize for the interruption, Mr. Robinson. The laser was attached with no difficulty? Good. And the programming? Wonderful. You can expect to see an increase in your paycheck this week. Keep up the good work. Goodbye."
Senior clicked the phone off and looked at his son. "How is it, Junior, that you take an interest in villainy when it appeals to your ego, but not when it could secure your future as the ruler of the world?"
Junior yawned. "I do not wish to rule the world, Father. It is too much of a…how do the Americans say?...a hassle."
"Nevertheless," Senior replied, "Tradition requires at least one world domination plot be made at some point in our careers and it is time we made ours."
"Not interested." Junior responded. Senior sighed.
"Let me put it to you this way, my son. If we are successful, you will have the rest of your life to fritter away on whatever things you decide to amuse yourself with." With that, Senior picked up the newspaper and sat back, letting his words sink in.
"How long until the launch?" Junior asked.
EN ROUTE TO MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLETON, USA
(8:42 AM Middleton Daylight Time)
Kim Possible groaned and rubbed her eyes. After the ngihtmare she had, it had been almost impossible for her to get back to sleep.
It was so real, she thought, and Shego was…frightening. God only knows what would happen if she really DID get to be that powerful.
"Hey, KP, you okay?" Ron Stoppable, Kim's best friend, sidekick and, she supposed, boyfriend asked. "You look beat."
"Sorry, major nightmare last night. About a 9.7 on the Weirdity Factor."
"Wow. Must have been some nightmare." Ron paused. "It wasn't the one about being locked out of the locker room in your underwear again, was it? You know, the one with the ferrets and the dancing cheeseburger?"
Kim quriked an eyebrow. "That was your nightmare, Ron. You had it last week."
"Oh, right." Ron said, "So what was this one? Bonnie get elected principal and have you expelled?"
"Total destruction of the world and a nearly godlike Shego." She didn't mention Ron's own death in her dream, nor the overriding sense of hoplessness and futility that accompanied it.
Ron whistled. "Sure leaves the dancing cheeseburger in the dust."
"Oh yeah." Kim agreed.
"Still, just a nightmare and you're awake now. It can't hurt you anymore, right?"
"Right…" Kim trailed off. He's right. It was just a nightmare.
So why can't I shake this feeling that something really bad is going to happen?
SOMEWHERE IN THE JUNGLES OF ZAIRE, AFRICA
(10:37 AM Middleton Daylight Time)
Lord Montgomery Fiske, more commonly known these days as Monkey Fist, made the final swing over the gulley separating him from the legendary Hidden Temple of the Silver Monkey God. Years of searching had finally paid off. Soon, the Scepter of Mandrilla would be his, and from there the power of the ancient simian sorcerer O-oook would be his to command.
"And once I have the scepter," he said to himself, "I will use it to call forth O-oook and use his Mystical Monkey Power to wipe homo sapiens from the face of the earth and once again take this planet back for monkey kind!"
The half man/ half monkey looked up at the massive gates of the temple, ornate stone and silverwork depicted a small monkey holding an ornate scepter. Lines radiated from the staff to a giant orangutan that stood towering over a burning village, tiny human figures running in terror around it's feet.
"I don't know who carved this, but I LIKE their style." Monkey Fist grinned and began scanning the doors, looking for the switch or device that would allow him access to the temple.
POIPU BAY GOLF COURSE, HAWAII, USA
(11:18 AM Middleton Daylight Time)
In the early Hawaii dawn, a short bald Scotsman complete with tam and kilt stood on the shore of the main water hazard of the 14th hole at Poipu Bay, gloating to himself.
"Time to show these Yanks why ye canna ignore the auld country when havin' yer so called 'Grand Slam.'" Duff Killigan smirked and clicked the remote control in his hand.
The surface of the water hazard roiled and bubbled as something large and metallic rose to the surface. A glistening snout dripped water over two rows of jagged metal teeth. As the robotic device emerged a hatch opened in the top. Killigan jumped into the cockpit of the behemoth and closed the plexiglass canopy.
"And now, the PGA will learn the wrath of an irate Scottish golfer! Take this, ye wee puny putting green!"
With that, Killigan's giant robotic alligator proceeded to destroy the back nine of Poipu Bay Golf Course. However, this would have no effect on the PGA Grand Slam, as the tournament was held in November and it was currently the middle of May.
Unaware of this, Killigan planned his next move, which was to take care of that little spoilsport Kim Possible before she could ruin everything like she always did.
"The lassie's gonna find herself in the keech this time, an' no mistake." Killigan sneered as he piloted the alligator towards the front nine and the club house.
MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLETON, USA
(12:48 PM Middleton Daylight Time)
"…Tempex Technologies has announced that they will be testing their new time travel device sometime in the next month. If the test is successful, Tempex believes safe and viable time travel may be possible in the next five years…"
Kim listened to the InSchoolNewz broadcast with half an ear. She was still worrying about her nightmare, especially the parts with Ron and Shego. Those parts were way too real to be just a dream. It seemed more like…a warning.
And what did Shego mean that the world ending would be her fault?
How can I cause the world to end? I'm the girl who saves the world. If anyone would cause the world to end, it would be Shego with more power than what she has right now…
"MISS POSSIBLE!"
Kim was started out of her thoughts by the teacher's shout. She blinked and found the entyire room staring at her.
"Would you care," said the teacher, "to tell us the salient points of today's news broadcast?'
"Uhhh…" Kim grinned nervously and blushed.
THE TEMPLE OF THE SILVER MONKEY GOD, ZAIRE, AFRICA
(2:17 PM Middleton Daylight Time)
Monkey Fist completed an astounding series of flips and handsprings over the sequence of stone columns set in a lake of boiling lava before the altar in the center of the Temple of the Silver Monkey God.
He landed in the First Position and dusted himself off, allowing himself a prideful smirk. Clearly the worshippers of the Silver Monkey God weren't expecting anyone without actual monkey power to reach the altar.
"Of course," Monkey Fist said to himself, "They probably weren't expecting a human/monkey hybrid to do it either." He let out his trademark chimp laugh and strolled up to the altar.
On a silver rack rested a three foot long golden staff, topped with a large crystal carved in the shape of a mandrill's head. The Scepter of Mandrilla. Monkey Fist frowned and stroked his chin, looking at the rack. This seemed a bit too easy, even if the worshippers of the Silver Monkey God didn't expect any non-simian beings to get this far.
He glanced down at the floor. The stone pillar the altar was supported on had a series of concentric rings grooved into it's surface, with the raised altar pedestal forming the center ring. The back of the altar featured a larger redision of a ailver ape whose long arms were raised, the fingers hovering over the altar about six feet above the scepter, almost protecting it.
The self proclaimed Master of Monkey Power tapped his lips with an index finger, then grinned as the solution presented itself. He somersaulted into another handspring and gripped the drooping fingers of the silver monkey statue with his feet, hanging upside down over the altar. He stretched out his entire body and snatched the scepter form it's holder.
His grin widened when the entire column began to shake and the rings of the pillar slid one by one into the lake of lava, leaving only the central altar pedestal standing. Monkey Fist transferred the scepter to his mouth, clenching it in his teeth, before using all four hands to climb to the upper side of the statue's fingers.
Taking the scepter out of his mouth he scanned the rest of the chamber and found, as he expected, a small opening near the top of the domed ceiling. A ledge ran along the far wall. Too far for any human to leap, but a piece of cake for anyone with the powers of a monkey at their disposal.
Monkey Fist stepped back, made sure the scepter was secured in the belt of his gi, the took a running jump across the lake of lava, managing to grip the ledge. He pulled himself up onto it, dashed along the wall, then used the conveinently placed hand and foot holds in the stonework to reach the opening in the dome. He squeezed through a small tunnel and found himelf emerging into the warm afternoon sun.
Monkey Fist pulled the scepter form his belt and held it aloft. The sunlight that poked through the jungle canopy refracted through the crystal mandrill head, casting rainbow patterns on the ground. He laughed again. The Scepter of Mandrilla was his, and soon, the world would tremble before the awesome power of the Simian Sorcerer O-oook.
Monkey Fist clutched the scepter close to his chest. But, first things first. There was still the pretender who claimed to be the true master of Mystical Monkey Power, and that annoyingly chirpy little brat Kim Possible to deal with.
He dashed back through the jungle to his base camp. Plans had to be made.
HOTEL DE LA SOL, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
(3:26 PM Middleton Daylight Time)
Senor Senior, Sr. let out a small chuckle as he hung up his cell phone. "Junior, pack your bags. It is time we move our operation to a new location."
Junior groaned. "But Father, Buenos Aires is so nice this time of year. The tanning is perfect. Why do we have to leave?"
Senior rolled his eyes to the heavens and rubbed his temples. "Because, my son, when the sattelite is in place, we are going to need to test it, and observe the Orbital Hypno-Ray in action on a smaller scale before we can use it against the entire world. Therefore, we need to relocate ourselves to the testing area."
Junior looked over his sunglasses at his father. "And where exactly would this testing area be?"
Senior grinned. "A good villain always knows when to kill two birds with one stone. We are going to test the Hypno-Ray and remove a certain teen hero from the equation in advance. We will be going to Middleton, Junior. Where, as I understand it, the tanning weather is quite excellent."
"I will need to buy more sunscreen." Junior repiled. Senior's grin faded.
"Yes, my son, you do that." he said, and went to pack his bags, wondering if the stress was truly worth it.
BUENO NACHO, MIDDLETON, USA
(4:39 PM Middleton Standard Time)
"All right, Rufus," Ron said to his pet naked mole rat, "On three…THREE!"
Rufus jumped into the air atop the mountain of nachos on the table. Beside him, Ron tore into his own equally impressive pile with both hands. Man and mole rat chowed down, sending splashes of molten cheese and tortilla shrapnel in every direction. 14.37 seconds later the nachos were gone, and a considerably bloated Ron and Rufus reclined, Ron in his seat, Rufus in one of the paper nacho containers.
"Well, KP, who won?" Ron asked.
"Yeah!" Rufus echoed.
"Huh?" Kim blinked, and looked at the two of them. "Oh. Sorry, Ron, I wasn't paying attention."
Ron frowned. "Okay, KP, spill it. You've been acting like a zombie all day. What's going on?"
Kim shook her head. "It's nothing, really. Just that stupid nightmare. It was really vivid. Almost real."
"Oh yeah, I know how that goes." Ron frowend as he remembered some his own least favorite nightmares. "Stupid tap dancing cheeseburger." he muttered.
"Huh?" Kim asked.
"Nothing!" Ron said, focusing on Kim.
Kim sighed. Might as well just ask him and get it over with, or it'll be bothering me forever.
"Ron," she began, "If something catastrophic were to happen to the Bueno Nacho, you wouldn't try to do something…stupid would you?"
"Castastrophic? You mean like this Bueno Nacho discontinuing the Naco like that stupid one in Go City?"
"No, Ron. I mean, if the Bueno Nacho were to get…well..destroyed—"
"DESTROYED!" Ron exclaimed.
"'Estroyed?" Rufus sat up in shock, but his engorged stomach caused him to fall over onto his back.
Ron frowned and fixed Kim with a steely glare. "Kim Possible, don't you even joke about such a thing. The Bueno Nacho is timeless. If it were to go, it would be..well…the end of the world as we know it."
Kim looked back at Ron with an expression he hadn't seen before. An expression that caused him to wonder just what had happened in that nightmare. An expression that bordered on the unthinkable.
Kim Possible was afraid.
"I'm serious, Ron," she continued. "If the Bueno Nacho were on the verge of being destroyed, you wouldn't do something stu-er-silly like go in to save a few packets of Diablo sauce, right?"
Ron blinked. "No…no! I mean that would be silly. I mean, the Diablo sauce is good but, I mean, jeez, to risk your life over it. That would be more than silly, it'd be downright stupid."
Kim looked at him some more, then her expression softened and relaxed, and her bright smile returned. "Okay…good. I just had to be sure."
"This is about that nightmare, isn't it?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, but I think I can handle it now." Kim stood up and looked down at him. "So, you think you and Rufus are up for a rematch? I'm paying."
"Booyah!" Ron and Rufus cried, all concerns erased in the prospect of a free nacho eating contest.
THE ISLAND LAIR OF DR. DRAKKEN, SOMEWHERE IN THE CARRIBEAN
(6:38 PM Middleton Daylight Time)
"Shego! SHEEEEE-GO!" Dr. Drakken cried as he stalked through the halls of his lair. "For crying out loud, what is the point of even setting the lab up if she's not even going to be around to show off?"
He went down a flight of stairs to where Shego's room was. Normally he didn't even come to this section of the lair, since Shego had let him know in no uncertain terms that she'd hang him by his nostrils from the highest rafter in the tower if he came anywhere near her room without permission.
But she's not answering and I've been busy in the labfor the last week or so. God, I HOPE she didn't take another tutoring job or get stuck with those brothers of hers. She's always in a rotten mood after that.
He stopped outside Shego's door and braced himself. He raised his fist and knocked gently on the door. "Shego? Okay, she's not here time to goAAAAACK!"
The "AAAAACK!" was because a green glowing fist had just grabbed Drakken's collar and yanked him painfully into the range of Shego's extremely irate expression.
"What did I tell you about coming to my room uninvited?" Shego said.
"Uh..you'd hang me from my nostrils from the highest rafter in the tower?"
"Right. Let's go." Shego started to drag Drakken down the hall.
"Oh come on, Shego! What was I supposed to do? I haven't seen you in a week, I just wanted to make sure you were here! C'mon, please?"
Shego rolled her eyes. "All right. Fine." She released the evil doctor. "Now, what's so important that you just HAD to risk serious sinus cavity damage by coming down here?"
Drakken grinned. "The final humilating demise of Kim Possible."
Shego quirked an eyebrow. "You have my attention."
Drakken began gesturing grandly as he and Shego walked back to the lab. "For the last couple of years I've asked myself, why is a nosy teenaged brat and her pet buffoon causing us so many problems?"
"Because your plans almost always border on the completely asinine?" Shego volunteered.
"Your sarcasm isn't making this any more dramatic, you know." Drakken said, frowning. Shego pulled a face and waved for him to continue
"No, the main problem is that Kim Possible is ludicrously agile, even for a cheerleader. So, I have come up with the ultimate solution." He reached into his coat and tossed Shego an oversized gun with an odd trumpet shaped barrel.
"A weird-ass gun. This is your 'ultimate solution' to take out Possible?"
"No," Drakken said as they approached the door to the lab. "That gun fires a superstrong liquid adhesive. It sprays it liberally over the target so no matter whrere they come down, they aren't going to get back up again. You will spray down Kim Possible and the buffoon with the adhesive. Then once they're both laying on the ground…"
"Lying," Shego corrected.
"What?" Drakken asked.
"Lying," Shego repeated.
"Who's lying?"
"Possible and her little boytoy."
Drakken frowned. "They don't normally lie, do they? Even to us? It just seems out of character for them."
Shego rolled her eyes. "And Who's on first. So once they're lying on the ground…"
"Laying," Drakken said.
"WHATEVER!" Shego cried. "When they're stuck to the ground, then what?"
Drakken began to laugh. "Then I will unleash the final weapon that will spell Kim Possible's ultimate doom!"
He threw open the doors with a flourish, and Shego recoiled at the smell coming from the lab. Her eyes watered and she peered through the tears to see a massive expanse of chrome and gray. She wiped her eyes and blinked, making sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing.
"Elephants? You'r ebig plan is to trample her with elephants?"
"Correction," Drakken grinned. "Cybernetically enhanced genetically engineered battle elephants. She won't stand a chance!"
Shego glared at Drakken. Drakken's grin faded from his face.
"What!" he said, annoyed.
"Come on, you have a date with some severe sinus pain."
THE POSSIBLE HOME, MIDDLETON, USA
(7:04 PM, Middleton Daylight Time)
"All right, Kimmie," Dr. Lisa Possible said as she zipped up her overnight bag. "The number for the Institute is on the fridge. We'll be dropping your brothers off at Aunt Penny's. If there's any problems, just call the Institute and have Mrs. Johnson page either me or Dad."
"Okay, Mom." Kim said from the couch, "Say hi to Dr. Banzai for me. Oh and tell Reno he still owes me lunch for losing that darts game."
Lisa smirked. "Can do." She turned to the staircase. "Tim, Jim, Dear! Hurry up, we're going to miss our flight."
Tim and Jim Possible, or as Kim referred to them, the Tweebs, dashed down the stairs and out the door. Mercifully, they didn't stop to bother Kim on the way out. Kim's father, Dr. Timothy Possible came down shorty afterward with a pair of suitcases.
"Now, Kim, make sure the doors are locked, and that you're home by ten on those nights you aren't out helping somebody." he said, manuevering the cases to the door
"And Kimberly," Lisa said, a serious expression on her face. "Ronald is to be out of this house by ten as well. Understood?"
"Yes, Mom. Ron and I know the rules. Ron will be out of here by ten if he's over here."
"And no other visitors at the house." Timothy said. "I don't want you bringing hom anymore circus folk that that girl in the green and black. I didn't care for the way she looked at me."
"Yes, Dad." Kim got up from the couch and hugged both her parents. "It'll be fine. You'll only be gone for three days. What's the worst that could happen?"
THE POSSIBLE HOME, MIDDLETON, USA
(7:49 PM Middleton Daylight Time)
Kim had curled up on the sofa and was watching "Casablanca" on the Classic Movie Channel when the doorbell rang.
And rang.
And rang.
"Who the hell is that?" Kim said, turning the TV town. As she went to the foyer of the house, the doorbell ceased ringing and whoever was on the front step began pounding on the door, nearly causing it to break the hinges. Somebody wanted in. Badly.
But, no sooner had the violent pounding started, than it quickly stopped.
Kim frowned and instinctively fell back into a battle stance, one hand on the doorknob. "Who is it?" she called.
"Possible…open the door," came a faint but somewhat familiar voice. "I need to talk to you."
Kim braced herself and opened the door, allowing a battered, bloody, and half-dead Shego to collapse on the floor . Kim stared down in shock.
"I am SO glad my parents are out of town."
The clock showed 7:55 PM.