Chapter 4

"Ron," Kim asked pleadingly, "are you sure you don't want to come with?"

"Kim, need I remind you of the major wrestling extravaganza tonight?"

"You added the words, 'major' and 'extravaganza,' didn't you?"

Ron shrugged, "Okay, maybe 'major,' but 'extravaganza' was totally there! Besides, I'm sure you'll be fine: you've gone on missions without me before. And, I mean, we don't even know if Mercenary is doing anything."

"Ron, he yanked Joe Barracuda out of a limo. He's on to something."

"Something bad?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow. Kim groaned and waved goodbye. She quickly went into a bathroom at school and changed into her familiar mission clothes. Kim pulled out the kimmunicator, about to ask Wade for directions.

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Mercenary scouted an area in front of a night club; his helmet was fitted with an automatic binoculars. He zoomed in, hoping to spot someone he recognized. Mercenary's stealthy act was interrupted by the redhead teen hero, Kim Possible. She walked up behind him.

"You think I can't hear you back there?" he asked sourly. "I assume you've come to stop me; I mean, that's what goody-goodies like you do, right? They attack guys like me without a reason? Oh, right, you'll find something on me eventually."

Kim groaned with frustration, "Your sarcasm is hilarious. Maybe we don't have to fight, Mercenary. Just tell me one thing: what did you do to Joe Barracuda? I'm confused."

"Barracuda wasn't my target, Kim."

"Then who is?"

"I'd rather not say, but I'll be doing society a service by finding him. I'm after someone called the Jade Claw, a former drug-lord who has seemingly started up again."

Kim raised an eyebrow, "Drug lord? What kind of drug?"

"He ran an organization called 'The Slashers,' and they manufactured a mind-numbing toxin that has the street name: 'Death Drug.' They use death drugs to enslave people into their organization, which suspiciously looks like a cult more than anything else. Death drugs are the newest thing on the street, and anyone who tries it gets addicted almost immediately. After that, it's not long before they're brainwashed.

"Does my hunt sound legit enough for you now?" Mercenary continued, "I don't pick sides, Kim. I only go after what pays the most. You saw that when I turned on Drakken and helped you out."

Kim's arms were folded the entire time, "Hmm, your story is somewhat convincing. Maybe I should accompany you… just to be sure you're not lying. You have lied before, you know."

"True, but I honestly don't care if you tag along. Your approval won't stop me from hunting the Jade Claw. I only told you about this job because now we don't have to duke it out, which saves me a lot of time."

"So what are you doing now? You think the Jade Claw's in that night club?" Kim asked as she pointed to the neon-lit structure.

"No," Mercenary replied, "for one, the Jade Claw isn't exactly active, and he doesn't have an address listed, if you get my meaning. I'm guessing that someone in The Slashers knows where he is."

"Then, what's with the night club?"

"I thought I should start small. Perry Syte, one of this city's dealers, often frequents a casino… but not on every night of the week. I'm checking to see if he's here tonight."

Kim suddenly understood how Wade found a lead on Mercenary: this wasn't his first time around this night club and casino. She didn't say anything for a while, and Mercenary had to break the silence, "So… are you, like, coming? Or are you just going to stand there and stare at me?"

She looked sad for a second and said, "You're really miserable, aren't you?" Kim's voice was with compassion, and she saw that Mercenary was somewhat taken aback by the question. "Why do you have this life?" she asked kindly.

Mercenary grunted and turned around, ignoring her. Then, he flinched, "I just saw Syte enter the night club! C'mon, we don't have much time."

"I'm not letting you kill anybody!" she shouted as she jumped down with him. They landed right outside the club's entrance, startling a view of the bystanders. "Sara," Mercenary said, "I need this building's schematics right now."

Kim arms were akimbo after hearing that, "Who's Sara?"

Mercenary turned around, "My wife."

Kim's eyes shot wide open in shock. Mercenary chuckled, "Just kidding, she's actually a computer program that gives me the information on anything I ask for. Her 'sparkling' personality was a bonus." Then, Mercenary looked away and nodded several times, receiving information from Sara.

"Okay, let's go," he said to Kim with determination.

"Wait, we're just going to barge in there? Doesn't this Perry Syte guy have any bodyguards?"

"Mm-hmm, he has a local gang for protection, but that's the fun part! No, Kim, I'm not going to go in there waving my blasters."

Kim rolled her eyes and walked through the doors with him. The place was brightly lit and had a haunting motif of purple. There was loud music booming in the background as well, but it suddenly ceased as soon as Mercenary entered. Kim sighed.

There were whispers throughout the room, chattering about Mercenary. Sounds of fear and hate could be heard in the corners of the club. All eyes were on the two. Mercenary approached a circular bar in the middle of the room. The bartender gulped, "Want a drink?"

"I'm looking for someone." Mercenary's raspy, cold voice cut the silence bitterly. It sent chills down one's spine just to hear that voice of death. Yes, people knew of Mercenary's reputation here.

"You came to the right place," the bartender responded weakly.

"A low-life death drug dealer, just came in here."

"Well, a lot of people come through here, friend."

"Listen, friend," he said callously, pulling out a pistol and pointing it at the bartender's head, "I'm giving you a chance to save your club."

Kim couldn't believe her eyes! She thought she told him 'no killing'! What the heck was this!

"Don't shoot! I'm just the bartender! I don't want any trouble; I'm just trying to run a clean place, y'know?"

"Fine," the hunter coarsely growled, "Now, where is he?"

"H-He took a lift up to the casino," the bartender said at last.

"Call it down!" Mercenary retorted in a loud voice, making everyone in the room cower except Kim. She was slightly startled, though.

"Okay, okay, I'll call it down. Hold on."

Mercenary looked at a dumbfounded Kim. Her mouth was hanging open. Mercenary had to wave at her to get her to start functioning again. He gestured toward the elevator at the back of the club, and Kim nodded as the two walked towards it.

"Think you were a little harsh back there?" Kim asked.

"Meh, it gets the job done. It helps if you've got a reputation for killing people."

"You know you have to stop that."

"I do?" Mercenary asked sarcastically, pretending to be naïve. He pressed the button and the elevator's door opened. He made a 'ladies first' gesture, making Kim smile. She walked in, but Mercenary didn't join her. Before Kim could react, Mercenary had got the door to close and sent her up to the casino's floor.

Kim groaned, "Oh, great!"

She pressed the button to stop, but nothing happened. Mercenary must have jammed it somehow. Now was one of those times she wished Ron was here: she could use the backup. Kim soon felt the elevator slow down as it reached its destination, and she prepped herself for a fight.

The door opened and five people turned around. One of them was Perry Syte; the others were supposedly his henchmen. "Who the…?" Syte cried, "It's that teen hero – Kim Possible! Get her!" The four lackeys pulled out handguns and aimed. Kim crouched down, readying herself to jump. Syte backed up against the window.

When her enemies started firing, Kim leapt into the air, almost hitting the ceiling. On her way down, she thrust a foot into a guard's face. The others turned to her and fired some more. She flipped out of the way and continued with a flipping maneuver as a means of evasion. Kim didn't want to get shot, after all.

Perry Syte was trembling. Why did Kim Possible come for him? Oh well, better kill her before you find out the hard way. Mercenary, meanwhile, was flying up the side of the building. He had apparently exited the night club and decided to ascend in a way that was more comfortable to him. When he reached Syte's floor, he smirked at the sight of Kim fighting off the goons.

There was an explosion behind Syte, creating a gaping hole in the wall and shattering glass everywhere. Syte shrieked when he glanced over his shoulder. Mercenary shot his whipcord around the dealer and rocketed upwards, toward the roof. Kim made some grumbling noises as she watched Mercenary do that. The perfect gentleman? So not!

Mercenary threw Perry Syte, who was still tied up, on the roof. He then pointed his pistol at Syte's nose, and then spun it. "Who do you work for?"

"What!" Syte objected, "I ain't tellin' you nuthin'!"

Mercenary growled in frustration. "You're not worth my time dead or alive, punk. I'm after someone else. TALK! Or I'll kill you right here."

Syte started whimpering, "Okay, okay! I work for Paul Lution; he's a smuggler for The Slashers."

Kim kicked the last bodyguard in the gut before he fell out cold. She exhaled as she looked around the room, wondering if there was anyone left to challenge her. Then, she remembered that Mercenary yanked Perry Syte out of the small-roomed casino and left her to be the distraction.

She ran to the window, stuck her head out, and looked up. A few moments later, she heard a cry as Perry Syte was thrown over the side. He was still tied up and screaming like a little girl. Kim caught him before he fell past her floor, grunting as she did so. She looked at the sky, seeing Mercenary fly away and leave her to clean up the mess.