Part IV
Shego ducked under the sudden blast, it sailed over her head and decimated the back wall of the bank. ' Being on the other end of this blows. Normally it stops when I want it to.' She thought while scanning the room for an advantage. The desk Shego used for cover suddenly exploded, sending the lone occupant for alternate cover.
" Hey stud, I like it rough and all but this is ridiculous!" Shego yelled over her shoulder as she started searching through some desk drawers. ' Come on! Doesn't anybody bring guns to work anymore? ' A gun of course was not Shego's style but she desperately needed something for a distraction. Seconds later a computer screen flew across the room. The large mongrel of a man swiped away the screen in annoyance. He didn't notice the large cyan blast trailing behind it until it was too late. The man monster was blasted back taking out a desk as he landed on it. ' Now's my chance. ' Shego thought. She tossed yet another computer monitor , this one making contact, and landed on her helpless foe. Two bare fisted blows reigned down on the Man's face. His eyes rolled up and he was unconscious. " You're lucky I didn't explode you." Shego said as she stood up. The truth of the matter was Shego had no clue if she could explode him or not. She did know ,after some practice, that majority of things she shot at either blew up or away. A shudder went over Shego's body as she reflected on that night she attacked Ron. She didn't know then how easy it would have been to kill him.
" So you little devil, what's your story? " Shego asked eyeing the sleeping giant. He was about eight feel tall and riddled with muscles. His face was scrunched in like it was sucking itself in, and he had a mechanical attachment on his right hand which ,of course, shot lasers. ' So do I string him up and make a pun about him hanging around? ' Shego looked around for some cord or something but thought against it. ' I'm not a hero! ' a look of consternation graced her face. ' I'm just a concerned citizen. Right cause that doesn't sound lame.' Shego let out a long sigh. ' So what do I do?'
Several squad members from the local S.W.A.T. team entered the bank with riot shields in place. After several minutes of silence the order to breech and clear had been given. The smoke grenades had their pins pulled but weren't thrown on account of the team leader holding up a stiff closed fist. Slowly he stood up and the others followed suit, repinning their smoke devices. The anti-terrorist team looked at the scene in awe. The office space itself was in shambles. A few bits of paper still cluttered the air and a small fire burned in the background. What was most alarming however was the large hulk of a man hanging upside down from the ceiling.
" He's decided to 'hang out'." Shego blushed.
For reasons Shego didn't want to think about, Kim had left the communicator in her apartment. And the half naked mole rat. Neither one bothered Shego but she wasn't sure what to do with the communicator. Her initial response was to do the responsible thing and auction it on Ebay. Her savings account was depleting and a normal job sounded...well normal. As for Rufus, he had to go back sooner or later. Shego was surprised with the deep conversations she could have with the little rat. In fact it was close to some of her conversations with Dr. Tash. Although Rufus mostly listened so that could contribute to the 'intensity' of said conversations. In fact, the most Rufus ever talked was when he explained his initial plan to Shego. Rufus had Ron in mind ,of course, when he had left; so Ron could work out the drama. ' And I'm just so damn charming.' Shego added in with a thought. In the middle of her thoughts the communicator went off. She ignored it. And then again. With a hope of it being Ron on the other end she finally answered. It wasn't Ron. Surprise came over the young man's face as he had expected Kim Possible. Of course the recognition was instant, but Wade couldn't recollect ever personally dealing with Shego.
" Where's Kim? What did you to her? " Wade's bravery was transparent.
" Not sure, let me check my pockets. " Shego replied with years of practice at being a smart ass. She went so far as to actually pat herself down.
" You're not gonna get away with this! " Wade furiously clicked away at his keyboard.
" Calm down bojingles. I didn't to anything to Kimmie. She left this " Shego motioned at the communicator " thingy behind. " Wade stopped typing and a look of concentration crossed his face. He had profiled Shego enough to know when she was telling a lie and why. And the chance that she was now seemed minimal. After all he checked her on the GPS and she was in 'her' apartment under 'her' name.
" I'll check her cell, you mind hanging onto that for her? " Wade asked while taking a sip from his cup. Shego didn't care much for her nemesis but she was still particularly fond of Ron so reluctantly she nodded. After the screen blacked out the thought of calling him overwhelmed Shego. But it could only ruin things. From what she had seen in the tabloids 'Kon' was a power couple ,yet again, with no signs of slowing down. For years Shego had basked in her own selfish desires taking whatever was in her power to do so. After the whole 'reform' thing it just didn't feel right to pick up the old habit. The communicator went off again and Wade's face popped back on. This time with genuine concern.
" I can't get a hold of her. " He said looking expectantly at Shego.
" And I'm caring because..." Shego retorted with her own expectant look.
" Kim hasn't left the city Shego. Which means 'something' happened. " Wade shot her a suspicious gaze. Shego pinched her thumb and pointer finger together and rubbed them back and forth.
" It's the world's smallest violin! " She said in a baby voice. Wade wasn't amused.
" So let me get this straight. You didn't 'do' anything to Kim, but you have her communicator. You're not trying to hide the fact that you do, and you're not trying to hide where you are either. So what did happen? Something tells me Drakken wasn't telling me the whole truth. " Wade was having trouble piecing together the story. He was a genius but he wasn't clairvoyant. Despite all this advanced technology and spy equipment his own personal boundaries prevented him from knowing too much of his friend's personal lives. Wanting to be free of this intrusion Shego started to break things down.
" I saw Drakken to..clear.. some things up. It goes without saying that I am no longer in his employ and he's not happy about that. " Wade reflected on the news reports of several appearances of synthodrones in the past several months. He nodded for Shego to continue. " The rivalry between Kim and I has always been ...intense..." She wasn't sure where to go from there. " But after she 'invaded' my place and attacked me I was able to convince her that she had been fooled by Dr. D. " ' That'll work.' " I guess she felt kinda dumb about the whole thing." ' That and her boyfriend filling me with his chi-seed.' " Did you think to check back with Drew? " A surprised look crossed Wade's face.
" Well I..I..I didn't think that...well I gotta go. " The youth stammered back and discontinued the transmission. Shego laughed with delight. Keeping the device in her hands she started to toy with it. 'It's kinda bulky.' She thought. The beeping went off, again.
" Prove to me you didn't do anything to Kim! " Wade's face popped up. Again. Rufus jumped to the rescue this time and landed on Shego's shoulder, with a thumbs up. Wade was forced to concede. The concept of a fake Rufus being created for the sole purpose of convincing him that Shego wasn't a threat was too much. Wade was going with the flow at this point no matter what. " Okay I give. But we have a problem! "
" What's this 'we' business? " Shego said with a mock disgusted look.
" Shego, whether you want to admit it or not Kim provides an important service. And her sudden vacation or kidnapping isn't going to go over well. "
" Ever heard of Global Justice? "
" That's not the point. It's the symbolism behind it all. " Shego looked confused as Wade talked. " If an average teenage girl can stand up to evil than anyone can. If something happened to Kim however it would undo all that we've worked for. It's probably nothing but please just look for her. " Shego squeezed her eyes shut. Rubbing her temple she let out a sigh.
" I'll look " 'For Ron's sake.' " but don't be surprised when it turns out you over reacted. After all Kimmie is the 'average teenage girl'. "
And that's how the whole thing started. After a quick jaunt through her closet, Shego dressed herself into a black and green track suit and embarked. Having no clue where to go or what to look for she ended up wondering around aimlessly for an hour.
" This ain't gonna happen. Try someone who cares or turn on a tracking device." Shego was having another pleasant conversation with Wade.
" Tracking device? " Wade tried remaining vague.
" Well it's either that or a broom stick that's up her ass. " Shego held her hand up in mock deduction. Wade couldn't help himself and guffawed through his closed mouth.
" Long story short, those methods aren't an option. Besides you've got a mission." Wade was avoiding eye contact on purpose.
" Hold on fatty mcfattertin. I said I'd look for her not replace her. " Shego was starting to get agitated. Wade shrugged.
" I just thought .."
" You thought nothing! And you'll continue to think nothing. " Shego interrupted. Wade continued anyway.
" I just thought " He paused waiting for the protest that didn't come " that you could use some help with your public relations. " Shego winced when she thought about her latest tabloid exploit. To put it bluntly they didn't like her. " Not to mention if you do this who knows what job opportunities will come your way. " 'Job opportunities?' Shego thought but before she could ask Wade interjected. " I'm looking at your bank account right now." His face held an almost piteous look to it. Of course it was all an act, for the sake of getting things done.
" One job, but I expect to get some kind of payment for this. " Wade visibly relaxed after Shego responded.
" Sure sure. You'll have a ride there in a few minutes. " Wade said punching away at his keyboard with unfathomable fury.
" Okay. What about the side kick? " Shego did her best to sound uninterested.
" Well Ron's off in Japan and all. Wait, why do you care? " It came out differently than Wade planned. " I mean I just don't think you and Ron would work out too well. "
" You're not the only one. " Shego replied sarcastically. Wade gave her a funny look but than let it go.
" So anyway, " Wade had gone off track " It's a bank heist in progress. I cleared your name from the 'not allowed on premise' list so you're all good. " Shego was impressed. ' Maybe it won't hurt to make some friends.' She thought.
" Alright. Thanks fatty. Or.. " Shego paced herself " What's your name again? "
" It's Wade, and your welcome. "
The ride to the bank was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Of course this guy had been called thinking doing a favor for Kim Possible meant giving Kim Possible a ride. ' I guess you got the shit end of the deal huh buddy.' Fortunately it was a twenty minute ride down town and it was all over before too long.
" Thanks . " Shego said out of character.
" Well it's the least I could do after Kim Possible helped my wife deliver our newborn son in the back of that car. " The man rambled on.
" I'm surprised Kim did that! I mean with her condition and all. " Shego couldn't help herself. The driver looked back with a befuddled expression.
" Condition? "
" Oh I thought you would know. Kimmie has herpes. " Shego leaned in to whisper the rest. "And not the good kind. " And with that she excused herself from the vehicle.
Apparently Wade had called ahead because Shego was greeted with at least pretend respect and was kindly escorted to the bank doors.
'And that's how I met the man of my dreams. ' Shego scoffed at the thought of the man monster.
Shego was offered a ride back to her apartment by a police officer. It was the first time she had sat in the front seat of a cop car.
" Thanks for helping out back there. Christ could you imagine a normal person trying to handle that 'thing'?" The police man had broken the silence with his comment. Shego was lost in her own thought.
" Yeah sure. " She said continueing to stare off into space. The officer picked up on her disinterest but carried on.
" I was pretty bad when i was younger you know. " No she didn't know. " I stole cars and stuff, but I had things happen to me and I decided to change myself. "
" Sounds like a good story. " Shego's voice was drenched in boredom. The cop looked slightly agitated.
" Look Ms...Go? All I'm saying is that I know what it feels like, to be the bad guy. It's easy at first because you're being fueled by whatever it was to make you act so selfishly. But than you get to a point where you are spent and just don't care. Maybe a lot of bad guys would stop at that point. " The cop put his hands up in mock resignation. " But they won't let em quit will they. " He looked at Shego. She looked back knowingly. " Those people, those 'better than thou' bastards. They know what you did, and they know that you're just hurting or scared. But instead of trying to help they just look down from their tower. " The cop was talking more to himself now. " How are you supposed to be anything other than a 'bad guy' when those bastards won't let you. Everyone who listens to 'them' starts looking at you the same way. " He shook his head than made eye contact with Shego. " But don't worry, cause they'll get there turn. One day that little glass house will come tumbling down and they'll get what's comin. " The passion behind his little monologue came as a surprise to Shego. She could relate to this man on every level.
" And yet you're 5-0. " That was the only piece that didn't fit. The cop nodded back with a stern resignation.
" You goddamn right I am. Now I'm the 'man'. And of course it's all the same. I still point guns at people, I still ruin lives. Even the pay balances out after you factor in court fees and jail time when you get busted. Yeah I quit my old life, dropped off ta' face of the earth. And I moved away with a fresh start. A fresh start is an incredible thing. Especially when you know the right people. " He gave Shego another knowing eye. " Don't miss understand me Ma'm, I may not be the sharpest pencil in the box but I have no delusions about what I'm doing. But I figure if I can counter balance what I had done I might be able to move on with my life. That's the tough part, the moving on. " Shego nodded in agreement. She had never expected to meet someone with the same conflict, let alone a cop.
" You know I could use something to eat. " Shego tried sounding casual. The cop looked surprised.
" With all do respect Ma'm, I'm worried as shit about my past being exposed. I know our government intelligences may be limited but ta' paparazzi " he waved his hand in disgust. " it just wouldn't be a good idea for a former thug and a former evil force of destruction to be seen together. " The logic behind the refusal kept Shego from feeling rejected. Coupled with months of therapy she was even okay with it.
" Not the sharpest pencil huh? " She shot back at the cop.
" Ms. Go please." The cop blushed a bit and focused more on his driving.
" You're still angry aren't you? I mean about 'the better than thou' types. " Shego inquired. The cop tilted his head and shrugged in resignation.
" You of all people should know. "
" Stop here. " Shego said pointing. She rifled through the glove box ignoring the opposition from the officer. " Here, " Shego handed him a card she had just written on " I know it's weird but he's done a lot for me. " It made her feel a little weird. The cop read the card. " He's a ther... counselor. For fucked up people. " Shego explained. The officer slowly nodded in acknowledgement. " Thanks officer ..." She glanced at his tag " Pepper."
" Please call me Charlie." They shook hands and Shego took off.
After feeding Rufus, Shego gave her apartment a once over. The prior mess had been cleaned and all but forgotten. As she thought about what to do next a startling realization came to her. Sleep had been easier lately. Which meant Ron had been as quiet as a mouse fart. ' He's a big boy, I'm sure he's fine. ' In fact the more she thought about it the more it made sense. Although distance had never really messed with the 'connection', being half way around the world might change that. After a few minutes Shego's curiosity got the best of her and within a minute she was calling Wade. The dark skinned teenager's face popped into view. He didn't seem surprised at her call.
" Any luck with Kim? " Shego was trying to refrain from using the other pet name ,Kimmie, which in her opinion was a sign of aggression. ' It's better than 'Stupid Bitch'. '
" Yeah, well kinda. " Wade pushed his finger against his chin in thought. " She's taking a vacation. " He said frankly.
" Whoa wait. What kinda crap is that? " The news didn't sit well with Shego.
" Hold on! " Wade had his hands up. " That wasn't exactly the situation. The truth is Kim has kinda gone on hiatus. I don't know what or why exactly, but as she put it 'something vital had come up and she wasn't going to repeat the same mistakes'. I even told her that you were out doing her job!" As Wade talked Shego started to notice the mental exhaustion he exhibited. ' She quit. And from the looks of it Wade fought with her to the bitter end. And ended up with the term hiatus to comfort them both.' Shego thought.
" What did she say to that? You know the whole me doing her job thing. " She asked.
" I don't know, something that didn't make sense." Wade was dismissing the idea but Shego's look brought him back to it. " Something like 'it was bound to happen' or something like that. " Shego rolled her eyes.
" What about the side kick? What does he have to say about this? " Shego applauded herself for flawless delivery.
" Oh I can't get a hold of Ron. He's probably training right now. " Wade suddenly got excited. " That's it! You just need to take over until he gets back! " Shego let out a loud throaty laugh. It cut out when Wade showed a bank statement on the screen.
" What's that? " Shego asked.
" It's your bank account. " Wade said nonchalantly.
" Where did you get that kind money? " Shego was already on her computer pulling up her account.
" Well I'm glad you asked. See it's a simple system of..."
" Forget I asked. " Shego interrupted. Wade looked down disappointed. The Green Skinned Lady lost herself in thought, mulling over her options and her bank account. " Alright you got yourself a deal. "
" Great! I was.." Wade started.
" But only until Kim or Ron get back. " Shego insisted. Wade looked back at her with a curious look on his face.
" Of course! A love triangle! " Shego glared back wide eyed.
" What did you say? " Shego said pestered at Wade.
" It all makes sense! First off there was Ron's road trip gone wrong. Although you hadn't turned bad you two did engage. " Wade blushed " I mean you two fought each other. And yet for some reason you started traveling together. " He looked down lost in thought. " I couldn't figure out why though. But I digress. It was about that time that Kim started getting anxious about Ron. " Shego shook her head, she had to admit he was smart. " Shortly after the two of them started acting strangely. Kim was like a phony happy and Ron just wasn't there at all. " A small part of Shego rejoiced. " Now back to you, " Wade pointed at Shego " Kim was making this latest encounter more than personal. In fact upon hearing your name she blocked out everything else. " Wade paused trying to deduce something. " And so you two fought, and something happened to make her lose it. And that's why she left! "
" Congratulations, you figured out it was Shego in the library with her mitts. " Shego was trying not to act impressed. " So when did you catch on genius? " Wade straightened up in his seat.
" Well it was two things, " He held up two fingers for emphasis " the first is that when I asked for your help to find Kim, you didn't ask about him. Obviously you were trying to avoid the subject of Ron. And secondly you kept referring to him as 'the side kick'. But of course that was all a ruse cause just a second ago you slipped up and called him by his name. Not to mention you're not a very good actress. " Wade sat back putting his hands behind his head, he put on a look of triumph.
" Lemme guess, you still put on your pants one leg at a time? " Shego quipped. Wade leaned forward so that his face covered the monitor.
" I'm not wearing any. " He said this with a raised eyebrow. Shego didn't know how to respond. It was Wade's laughter that broke the silence. Shego ,not being able to help herself, joined in lightly. They joked a little bit more and held a conversation for another five minutes. The sensation was new to both of them. Shego wasn't used to relating to people or even trying for that matter. Wade had his own group that he would talk to but through the communicator the conversations were about business. Unnoticed between the two of them was a developing bond of friendship.
" Alright kiddo, why don't you go put on your pajamas of plus one damage and get some sleep. Or at least let me go. " Shego teased. Wade's eyes widened.
" You play Lairs and Demons! "
" No, but I grew up with nerdy brothers so I know of it. Just like I know that you have a high saving throw against angry women. So goodnight. " Wade chuckled at Shego's lame little joke.
" Alright good night, and Shego? " He made sure she could see the sincerety on his face " thanks. " Shego was a bit taken back.
" Yeah yeah. Just make sure the money keeps coming." She was going to turn it off to prevent further embarrassment but she wasn't sure how. So Shego just tossed it onto her bed.
One quick shower later Shego was snuggled in bed, Rufus laying on her head. It annoyed her a little that he chose to sleep in the nude. This was due to the fact that he rested his little mole balls on her head. Shego thought about bringing it up again, but every time they argued Rufus would always win. ' What are you up to Ron? ' Shego thought to herself. She had got so caught up in her conversation with Wade she forgot about asking what she called to ask. ' Is that a good thing or bad thing? ' Even though she had rat genitalia resting upon her dome Shego felt alone. ' Ron... I miss you. ' It was the fist time she had admitted it to herself. Sleep came shortly there after.
The sunlight cascaded across the living room floor of Shego's apartment. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the apartment as the coffee maker went to work. Shego and Rufus were in the bathroom going through the morning ritual. As she brushed her teeth, Shego watched the half naked mole rat with interest. ' Why doesn't anybody question his intelligence? I mean surely somewhere along the line somebody has had to stop and say something. ' She thought.
" Hey Rufus? " Shego waited for the mole rat's attention. " You ever thought about a fast paced career as a lab rat? " Rufus looked a little annoyed but beyond that ignored her, spitting in the sink. Shego laughed and drooled a bit of toothpaste out of her mouth. It was classic 'Odd Couple' between the two. Shego was a morning person, while Rufus was not. However the two did enjoy coffee, and after the daily brushing the two convened onto the coffee pot. Shego poured Rufus his and then hers. After adding the sugar and cream they both phased out to focus on that first sip in the morning. Rufus had not particularly enjoyed the classic American beverage when he first started living here. But time changes all things and Rufus was no exception.
One thing Shego was particularly proud of was how well she took care of the reformed nudist. Of course she started doing so on behalf of Ron. But a bond soon formed and before Shego noticed the two had fallen into deep friendship.
" If you were human you would make the perfect boyfriend. " Shego said to Rufus between sips. The rat made a weak sounding catcall not looking up from his coffee. " You don't really talk, you pay attention to me, and do things without me having to ask. " Shego listed while reflecting on the past few months. " Hell I wouldn't even mind having your junk on my head every night. " Rufus spit some coffee out his nose. Shego started laughing. The communicator on the counter went off and for the first time Shego didn't hesitate to answer it.
" Good morning Wade. Wh.. whoa what happened to you? " Shego looked the boy over. He clearly hadn't gone through any morning motions yet, with bad pillow hair and a pale look to his face.
" Hey Shego. " Wade stopped to rub his eyes. " I just woke up. " Stretching his eyes out he then squinted at the screen. " I never figured you for a morning person. "
" Well what can I say I have many talents. " Shego gave a shrug with her palms up. The action had too much energy in it for Wade's taste. " So why the call? Is it a job? " Wade slapped at his keyboard much like a zombie would. Somehow the computer still did what he wanted it to.
" It's Senior Senior Senior and his boy Senior ..." Shego held up her hand.
" Yeah I get it. When do I leave? "
" There's a chopper on the roof waiting. " The boy yawned. Shego looked impressed.
" Look at the big brain on Wade. Alright we'll be on our way soon. " Shego set the communicator on the counter still not shutting it off.
" What do you mean we? Is Ron back? " Wade seemed to wake up a little bit. Shego rolled her eyes.
" First off, Ron and I aren't like that. Second off I was talking about Rufus. " The communicator was still on the counter so Wade could only hear her. He let whatever questions he had pass and ended the transmission. Shego slammed her drink back like it was whiskey and wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her sleeping shirt. " Alright little buddy, let's go. " Rufus dragged his feet behind her.
" I thought you knew? Kimmie has zero bowel control. Some side effect from these diet pills she was taking a while back. " Shego waved one last time and shut the door to the chopper. As the duo made there way across the island Shego couldn't help but notice the beauty of it all. " Why would a man with everything turn to villiany? " Shego asked Rufus. To her surprise the little rat responded.
" Ron." He squeeked. Shego looked at him curiously.
" What, Ron told him he should be a bad guy? " Shego joked. To her surprise Rufus nodded his head. " I swear that boy. " Shego chuckled. The two eventually reached the gate, a lone guard stepped out to great them.
" Hello Ma'm. Can I hel... Oh Shego! Hey come on in. How have you been? " Nathan asked. The man was a member of the henchmen's union and had on more than one occasion been in Drakken's employ. He also happened to be one of the few henchmen that Shego liked. With a good head on his shoulders and a strong sense of loyalty to the cause.
" Wait, just like that? You know I'm working for the good guys right? " Shego said incapable of referring to herself as a 'good guy'.
" Come on, you think I wanted to work with these jokers? " Nathan said jerking his thumb behind him. " The sooner I get laid off the better. Granted with the old man's bottomless pockets I might be doing gate duty for a while.
" Why don't you just quit? " Shego asked while she rested an arm on the gate border.
" Well work has kinda slowed down. Although I hear there is this big job starting out west. Some new cat with big plans. " Nathan said while scribbling out the guest log entry he had started. " And me stop you? Come on you're like a legend in our ranks. "
" Well I wasn't the one signing the paychecks Nate. "
" Yeah but you were there with us, " He smacked his hands for emphasis, " on the front lines. Anyway you should get going before the goon squad notices. This place has a two gate policy. " Shego shook his hand and took her leave.
Of course the first place to check was the pool. When Shego had her short stay with the Seniors that was the go to spot. Upon arriving on scene she saw Junior in his usual tanning spot. This time he had a friend. The guards around the pool took little notice of her. Probably due to the fact that no general alarm had been given.
" Hey Junior. " The young man jumped up at the sound of her voice. He pulled down his glasses and looked at Shego.
" Ah if it's not my dear friend and former mentor. I've heard some things about you. " Junior said as he laid back down.
" Yeah well you know those tabloids, they love to make things up. " Shego smirked at him.
" They say, " Jr. grabbed his drink off a tray and took a sip, " that you stopped a bank robbery. They say that you were driven home by the police. And before that they say that you were hanging out with Kim Possible's side kick. " He let his glasses slide down his nose so he could make eye contact. " Is this true? "
" Yes yes and no. Listen I don't really have time for this, can I get that thingy you stole? " Shego tapped her foot in exaggerated impatience. Jr. scoffed and clapped his hands. Several large men and the guards that were already there started moving towards Shego. With a mock yawn Shego just stood there. Rufus however ducked out of her pocket and found cover.
" Listen guys, you know who I am. And you know what I can do. I'm not an obnoxious teenager who'll stop when you cry uncle. So the real question is what's your deductible on emergency room visits? " The guards all stopped. One by one they backed down, and lined up in front of Jr. Each guard took a turn to drop his badge on the table and then excused himself.
" Just give her what she wants sweetie. " Jr.'s guest complained as she rolled over to switch sides. Jr. bolted upright in protest.
" But dearest I can't just give in to her requests, that's not the villianous thing to do. " Jr. said with an extended index finger.
" Listen to your girlfriend Jr., or I can just kick your fucking teeth in. " Shego plainly stated. The couple stared back at her in shock.
" But of course! After all anything for a good friend. " Jr. clapped once and a butler appeared out of no where. " Please go get that Abdomitrix for our guest here. " The butler nodded and headed off. Shego looked around and another thought dawned on her.
" I'm gonna need a helicopter too. You still have all those black ones? "
" I think not young lady. " Shego turned to see Senior Senior Senior walking up to her.
" Old man! You're looking as half dead as usual. " Shego said. Senior smiled back.
" My dear, you were one of the best. What ever could have happened to convince you to pick up such intolerable work? " Senior said the last part with a look of disgust. Shego smiled. She always had a soft spot for the old man.
" What can I say? I got tired of failure. " Shego said.
" Whatever the case, it's a shame. Especially when..." He let the sentence trail off. " Give that to her. " Sr. motioned to the butler. With the gizmo in hand Shego looked at Sr. curiously.
" What gives? " She eyed him suspiciously. Sr. let out a low chuckle.
" In a few months I can just take it back. It really is a shame. After all you can't fail all the time. " A serious look crossed Sr.'s eyes. Shego looked back trying to read him but Senior's poker face was impenetrable. For some reason his serious tenor worried her.
" What do you have up your sleeve Senior? " Shego asked. The old man looked down like he was embarassed.
" I'm sorry, it's just the ramblings of an old man. " Sr. said. Shego put her hand behind her back and signaled Rufus.
" Hey you mind if I get something to drink before I go. It's hot out here. " Shego fanned herself with her hand. While locking her in a gaze, Sr. nodded slowly and then waved at the butler. Nobody noticed the mole rat sneaking off and into the compound.
Shego played with the instruments of the helicopter like she wasn't sure what she was doing. The escort just stood eyeing her wearily. She kept playing dumb until Rufus made his appearance on the roof top.
" Hey do you know what this thingy does? " Shego said pointing at a button. The large escort leaned over to look at the panel. It was then that Rufus made his silent approach and sneaked into the chopper. " Don't worry about it, I'm sure I'll figure it out. " Shego said giving the man a light nudge on the shoulder.
After the two had flown safely into the air and started their return trip Shego addressed Rufus. " So what did you get for mama? " Rufus responded by pulling a piece of folded paper out of his back pocket. Shego scanned the document then put it back down. " Get Wade on the line. " She kept her gaze on the sky lost in thought.
" Oh hey Shego. How did it go? " Wade said looking up from his screen. Shego grabbed the communicator from Rufus and put it at eye level.
" Everything went fine. You know how Sr. and the boy are. Listen I did some digging around " Rufus made an exaggerated coughing sound, " Rufus and I did some digging around. " Shego made a face at the reformed nudist. " The word is that Senior is involved with some new guy. " Shego looked at Wade expectantly. He responded with looking upwards and scratching the back of his neck.
" Well if you get me a little more info I might be able to find something. I've gone over Sr.'s accounts before and there's too much on there to easily narrow anything down. " Wade said. Shego smiled back like a cat that just ate the canary. " I take it you got something? "
" Well ," Shego eyed the mole rat, " Rufus here did. The name 'Ocean Side Arcade' mean anything? " No sooner had Shego said it Wade started reading off information.
" Small arcade located on the pier. Family owned and operated till about nine months ago. New owner is...ha figures. " Shego waited for Wade to continue. " It's a dummy corporation that bought it. "
" Which means? " Shego asked.
" Which means that it's a company that's a subsidiary of another fake business and so on and so on. Usually used for money laundering. Let me go over the numbers I'll get back to you. " Wade nodded and ended the transmission.
Shego sat back and looked at her tiny friend. " Well buddy mission accomplished. " She said with a warm smile. Rufus gave her a thumbs up, and laid himself back. There is no other satisfaction like getting something accomplished. But Shego didn't expect it to be this rewarding, this side on the train tracks and all. ' Maybe I'm not as bad as I thought. ' She thought while reflecting on her old way of thinking. She used to think that she got so much fulfillment out of what she did due to the fact that it was wrong. But in the end it really didn't matter. There was still an opponent and still a common goal that the side you were on shared. For the first time in a long time Shego started to feel like she fit in. Wade had come to accept her, she had a best friend; albeit a small rodent. And what was more was that Shego had a serious love interest, as implausible as their pairing was. She had finally rounded the corner on this long trip from bad guy to good guy. And though Shego would probably never admit that she was a 'good guy', she would never hide her intentions.
While thoughts of retirement occasionally danced around her head, Shego couldn't give in. It wasn't just the redemption aspect of it all. It was the adventure, excitement. She once watched a show about thrill seekers and one such man was quoted as saying " Once you let go, you can't turn back. " That was ,in Shego's mind, the best way to put her situation.
She had fought uphill and back in the most dire of circumstances. If anything she fought a losing battle which consumed years of her life. But when the 'fight' came to mind she was never sure what it was she was fighting for. ' Money...' The concept didn't sit all to well with her. Besides she had done work for Drakken with out pay at times. It wasn't this question that made her go good, but it was one that nagged at her day in and day out. Even working for the 'good guys' she asked herself this. As to why Shego made the switch in the first place. That was more simple than some might think. It was because the opportunity presented itself. All her fears and doubts were wrapped in a tight cure-all package. Something happening to Drew should Shego leave. Getting a chance to quit when she wanted to. ' Can't fight forever.' Combine that with the 'get out of jail free card' it was all too much to pass up.
Shortly after the conversion wasn't difficult either. Sadly it was tedious. Drew had his goals on getting respect in the scientific community. And with his new 'plant powers' ,which faded away, he had a great chance to do just that. Even Shego had to admit that Dr. D had accelerated agriculture technology ahead of it's time. Throw in the bizarre relationship that the two had started and anyone could see they were due to split ways. Drakken had started to grow , so Shego took it upon herself to do some growing of her own. She thought back to those nights with him she had endured. The fact that she considered it enduring was enough in itself. Still leaving was very difficult for her. She knew that she could bully her way back to the side kick position. Force the relationship back into a platonic nature. But they would both know what had been. And at the very least it would haunt them. Time heals all wounds but sometimes leaves an ugly scar. The best way to keep that 'scar' from happening ,in Shego's opinion, was to be out of sight out of mind. From her last visit, however, Drakken had clearly not moved on, even in the slightest amount.
Shego looked down at the controls of the helicopter. All the little knobs and dials were familiar to her. ' If only it was all this easy. ' Shego thought running her hands across the panel. All she had to do was press a button or move the stick and get the results she desired. If something broke, it was visibly fixable or replaceable. Then again those intricate complications that made Drakken so difficult also made Ron so great.
The communicator went off pulling Shego out of her deep thought. She pulled it out from under a sleeping Rufus and turned it on. Wade's face didn't seem too pleased.
" I did some digging, it doesn't look very good. " The young man stated plainly.
" Well what's up? " Shego said with mild impatience.
" There are billions of dollars being funneled through that account. And it's not just Senior's money. As far as I can tell you've got at least ten or more players involved. " Wade paused and took a drink. " Though to be honest I'm not sure of some of these contributors. Heartless tycoons yes but other than that none of them have a record. "
" Wait. You're saying this goes beyond the usual suspects? " Shego hadn't thought of that.
" Well yes, and there's more. From what I figure there are at least four other fake business registered on that pier. That means if the numbers stay the same you'll have over forty benefactors. " Wade started typing away. Shego thought for a second.
" Then lets cut the head off the snake shall we. " Shego suggested.
" I wouldn't be so hasty. Please I know your style " Shego rolled her eyes," but you should consider a recon mission first. " Wade gave a sad sort of look, as if he was afraid of his idea being rejected. Shego relented.
" Okay we can do recon, tomorrow. " Shego said. Wade began to protest but she held a finger up to her lips. " Calm down there skippy, Senior mentioned a few months. " Another thought dawned on Shego. " Hey Wade, you ever get the idea that Senior isn't really evil?" Wade typed into his computer.
" His rating is pretty high Shego. " Wade said scanning his computer screen. Shego rolled her eyes.
" You've got to be kidding. A rating system Wade? " Shego gave a mocking smirk. " Well I know Senior and he isn't really evil at all. He just likes to play the game. I think he may have been warning us. The real question is.."
" What would scare Senior to not only warn us but also prevent him from backing out of a deal. " Wade interrupted. Shego glared back at him. " Sorry, I get too excited sometimes. " Wade said sheepishly.
" Alright, we go in tomorrow. " Shego said feeling the days activities catching up to her. It wasn't the physical exertion, limited as it was. It was her mind processing and taking it all in.
" Uh Shego? "
" Yeah. " She replied with a tired expression.
" Where did you get that helicopter? " Wade gave a concerned look.
" It was back pay, for services rendered. " Shego smirked back. " Do me a favor and call ahead so I have air clearance. " Wade looked like something was bothering him but he didn't share it. Instead the young man just nodded.
" Thank you Wade. Tomorrow. " And the transmission ended. Shego let out a long sigh. Alone with her thoughts she still had a while before she got home.
Shego stalked the roof tops in silence, clambering from one to the next in a timely manner. As she approached the last one before a drop below she stopped to check the time. ' I've got about an hour before sunrise. ' Shego thought to herself while scanning for a route. The pier was separated from her rooftop by a hundred yards or so of parking lot. Which at this time was void of all vehicles. ' Guess I'll risk it. ' And with that thought Shego jumped down the two story building grabbing a light pole on her way down. She swung around once, twice, and timed her release so that she would be launched over the fence and into the parking lot. With an almost silent landing, Shego continued her drive with a quick fifty yard sprint, diving into some bushes in a planter. She didn't move after that for a few minutes, instead she listened. The dead of dawn on the beachfront was all that greeted her. Shego bolted with all her might past the remaining parking lot. With out missing a beat she took two steps up the dividing wooden post and launched herself into the air. ' Shit I'm not gonna...' Shego relaxed when she caught the light post with her right hand. Although a fall from this height probably wouldn't hurt her, it was easy to forget that even a six foot fall without preparation could be hazardous. She grabbed on with her other hand and swung herself up until she could plant her feet on the pole. Still crouching on the lamp post Shego surveyed the area again. Her intended target was lit up from the inside, although it's neon sign was shut off. The place wasn't what Shego had expected, being a small shack that looked like the first strong wind would knock it over. She fell backwards, kicking her legs out as she did so. While still holding onto the pole she swung forward and landed on the pier itself in the shadows. She had to admit that the joy of sneaking and flying through the air was only second to fighting. ' Wait where does sex go? ' Shego quickly snapped out of her thought and continued to sneak in the shadows. She was about ten feet out when she stopped and pulled out her camera that Wade had delivered to her. After several pictures, Shego crept in for a closer look. As stealthy as she was, the wooden pier was unforgiving and all Shego could do was time the creaking with the breaking waves. She was all too glad to be underneath the window frame, no longer required to navigate the noisy deck. Slowly Shego peeked into the window, she was not prepared for what she saw.
Kim checked her phone and saw the time. It surprised her to see it was early in the morning. With a yawn she put the phone away and watched Tim contently. The somber mood was soon broken as the front door opened abruptly. An enraged Shego strutted in.
Maybe it was all some kind of illusion, for as far as Shego could tell it was too weird. Kim sat quietly on a prop sailor's barrel. A plate of half eaten nachos sat in her lap. And her gaze was focused on a young man playing a video game. ' It's like four fucking thirty!' " Where hav..."
" What are 'you' doing here? " Kim interrupted Shego mid sentence.
" What am I..."
" Is this a friend of yours? " The young man had stopped playing and interrupted Shego mid sentence. Grinding her teeth she glared at the two of them.
" You , " she pointed at the young man " Shut it! You " Shego pointed at Kim " Where have you been? " Kim crossed her arms and looked away defiantly.
" That's none of your 'damn' business. " Kim replied hotly. Shego was about to yell back but a years worth of personal growth stopped her. She was here, the bad guy's house. Yet all she found was Kim Possible and some guy playing a game. Something was up.
" Kim, something happened to Wade, I think we should talk. " Shego motioned to follow her outside. Kim was taken back by Shego's sudden demeanor.
" I'll be right back. " Kim said to Tim. She quickly followed Shego out the door. However she had gone no more than a few steps until a firm grasp enveloped her arm and pulled her up. Shego deftly pulled Kim onto the roof, making a 'be silent' motion as she did so.
" There's something you need to know about this place Kim. " Shego whispered. She felt a little out of place collaberating with her long time foe, but she had done it before. Kim apparently was more uncomfortable with the thought.
" What are you talking about? Is Wade okay? " Kim eyed Shego suspiciously.
" Well yeah he is, I just needed to get you out of there. " Shego confessed. Kim scowled back.
" That's low even for you. You need to get out of here. " Kim started to ready herself for the jump down. Shego's firm grasp stopped her.
" No, 'we' need to get out of here. There's something wrong here. " Kim wasn't listening. " Look, Wade can explain it all to you. " Shego held out the communicator for Kim. Kim in turn looked at it, and reached out for it. As if a last minute thought she changed her reaching motion into a pushing motion and gently pushed the communicator and Shego's hand away.
" You wanted my life, it's yours. I'm starting over. " Kim said the last part with her gaze settling on a departure route. Again Shego's firm grasp came over Kim.
" I never wanted your life or anything like that. " Shego was getting desperate, she didn't like losing control of a situation. " Kim, I'm sorry about everything that happened and I'm sorry that the 'real world' isn't what you expected. But no matter how much I've always hated you, I've always respected you due to the fact that you don't give up. " Shego looked down not wanting Kim to make eye contact. Neither one spoke for a minute.
" It's not giving up if no one wants me around." Kim said to Shego's surprise." Ron was right, he doesn't need me to save the world. If anything I was holding him back. " Kim looked out at the moon lit sea as she spoke.
" Kimmie, you made Ron the man he is today. " Shego softened vocally and mentally towards her nemesis. In turn Kim stiffened up.
" That's the problem. I forced him to grow up before he was ready. It was only natural that he would find comfort in the arms of some reckless whore. " Kim locked eyes with Shego. The words stung but not as much as Shego thought they would. The fact that Kim thought of Shego as competition with Ron's affections was an honor in some bizarre fashion.
" So what now? You got yourself a new project down there? " Shego said pointing at the roof. " Kim this isn't helping you, if anything it's insane. I know you haven't been talking to anyone. I know you haven't been going to class or saving the world. " Shego motioned at the communicator. " You're throwing that all away okay that's fine, yeah. But what about Ron? " Kim moved away to the edge.
" You don't get it. He doesn't want me. " And with that, Kim jumped down and went back inside the arcade. Shego just sat there with the early morning winds whipping at her hair. Kim's words had left an impact. Shego was so stunned, that she abruptly gave up the mission. Dropping all pretenses of stealth she jumped off the backside of the roof and walked boldly through the parking lot. It was about a block away when Shego's thoughts started to organize. Despite what Kim had said, it wasn't what Shego had heard.
" You don't get it. He wants you. " Was all that she had heard.
Author's note* I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed typing it up. Ever since I first witnessed Shego's character I saw unlimited potential which was caged by censor ship and time restrictions. If anyone felt it was a little over the top I apologize. As usual this is dedicated to the many authors of this site. Thanks for the reading material. And once again a hearty thanks to Joe Stoppinghem, if you haven't read any of his work you should give it a once over.
