Thank You For The Music to my ears for all of the reviews for the last chapter from Eddy13, Redemption13, CajunBear73, Katsumara, Gomro Morskopp, Liselle129, rufus3000, LTAOZFAN, campy, slipgate and Mr. Wizard. And Danke Schoen to everyone else for reading. Rufus3000 gets to take a bow for guessing the Mozart work in the last chapter: the Piano Sonata in C major, 1st movement. (Sonata #16, K.545 to be exact.) And so, with no further vamping on my part, it's on with the show!

When Kim and Ron arrived at 123 Verdi Street, they discovered an old abandoned house in a rundown section of town, obviously unoccupied for years.

Kim shivered. "Creepy much?"

"You said it, KP." As soon as Ron stepped onto the porch, his foot went right through the rotten floorboard, sending up a small cloud of dust. Rufus responded with a tiny sneeze.

Ron whispered, "Gesundheit, little buddy."

Kim shook her head. "This is so not a lair, Ron."

Ron agreed, "Yup. It looks more like a bon-diggety haunted house."

The door was slightly ajar. Kim stuck her head inside the musty-smelling room.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Kim could just make out an ancient light with a rusty chain dangling from it. She pulled it, and an old bare incandescent bulb flickered to life. Attached to the chain was a note.

"Welcome, Miss Possible! Congratulations for discovering my "Old Kentucky Home," if you'll pardon the pun, since I was born and raised here. If you hope to find my lair in order to deliver the ransom before tomorrow's noon deadline, you'll need to decipher several musical clues, each of which will lead you to your next location and your next clue. I suspect your boy genius will be helping, which is only fair of course. So here's your first clue: what key do you get if you drop a piano down a mine shaft? Good luck! Dr. Maestro."

Ron twirled a finger around his head. "This guy's a loon, KP. What kind of clue is that?"

Kim shrugged. "Well, there's one way to find out."

She flipped open her Kimmunicator. "Hey, Wade. You better be slurping a caffeinated soda, because I have a feeling it's going to be a long night for all of us. Dr. Maestro's giving us musical clues to challenge us in finding him and his lair, and each clue will lead to another. The first one is, what key do you get if you drop a piano down a mine shaft?"

Wade guffawed. "That's easy, Kim. The answer is a-flat minor!"

The look on Kim's face told him she was not amused. Rufus simply muttered a tiny "Oh, brother!"

Ron however was in stitches. "Oh, I get it! The miner gets flattened by the piano! That's pretty good …"

One look at Kim's face caused him to quickly change his tune.

"… or bad, depending on your POV."

Kim turned back to Wade. "So, any idea where the location is? Let's start with any mines that are close by."

Wade's fingers danced over his computer keys like a concert pianist. In a moment, he had the answer.

"Bingo. There's an old abandoned mine just south of Lowerton, previously owned by the Flatt Corporation. That sure fits the bill, Kim. According to the map I'm uploading to your Kimmunicator, the only level still open is the A Level, right below the main floor."

"That's our next destination, Ron. Let's roll!"

Without a moment's hesitation, she was out the door with Ron and Rufus in tow. But what greeted their eyes stopped them all in their tracks.

Kim moaned, "Oh, great! Someone's just stripped my dad's car!"

Mr. Dr. P's car was up on blocks, with all four wheels missing.

"But how could anyone do this so quick without us hearing anything, KP?"

Rufus chattered and pointed at a tiny note that had been placed beneath one of the windshield wipers. Ron picked it up and gave it a quizzical look. A few Kanji characters had been carefully scribbled on it.

"Kim, this is in Japanese. The first symbol looks like the one for Ninja, but I don't recognize the other one."

Kim's face brightened. "Still, I'm impressed that you'd know that, Ron. Maybe Wade can tell us what the other symbol means. Wade?"

Once again Wade's artful fingers danced across the keyboard. "Got it, Kim. And Ron's right. The first character means Ninja, and the other one can be translated as either Fluster or Shame."

Kim growled, "Or perhaps embarrass? I think we've just been struck by the Embarrassment Ninjas!"

Ron smacked one hand into the other. "Those sneaky fiends! I'll bet Dr. Maestro found out about them from Drakken and Shego before we sent them back to Cell Block D!"

"No doubt, Ron. Which means we're going to need a ride real quick, Wade."

"No problemo, KP!" Ron interjected. He smirked proudly as he opened the trunk of the car. "My scooter is primed and ready to go, allegro con brio!"

Kim nodded with smile. "Cancel that request, Wade. I think Speed Racer here will get us to the mine in no time flat, no pun intended. Oh, and while we're on the mission, could you have a tow truck come and pick up my dad's car, please and thank you?"

Wade replied with a snort, "I'll make a note of that, Kim!"

Ron donned his helmet and goggles with a dramatic flourish and revved up his scooter's engine. With a devilish grin, he announced, "Show time!"

As soon as Kim climbed on the back, Ron took off with a screech of burning rubber as she held on to him for dear life. With the wind screaming in her ears, she yelled, "Ron, please slow down! I'd really prefer getting there alive if you don't mind!"

Ron yelled back, "No worries, KP! Time is of the Evanescence!"

Rufus for his part was just enjoying the ride, the wind blowing back his tiny naked mole rat cheeks.

"WHEEEEEE!"

A mercifully short time later they arrived at the mine, none too soon for Kim's taste.

Screeching to a halt in a flurry of dust, Ron cheerfully announced, "Well, here we are, KP!"

Kim unsteadily got off of the scooter and replied, "Remind me to bring my airsick bag the next time, Ron. But at least you got us here in one piece …"

She gave him a queasy look. "Barely."

A flicker of light caught their eyes, and a dim glow could be seen just within the mine's entrance. They cautiously approached and entered the passageway. Kim crinkled her nose at the damp, musty smell.

"I sure hope that every location we find isn't going to be old, abandoned and smelly."

They found a decrepit tram just within the entrance. A white letter 'A' had been hastily painted on the first of three open cars. A map was taped onto it, which Kim grabbed and looked over. It matched Wade's upload, revealing that they were on the main level, with the A level immediately below them.

"Okay, Wade. So what next?"

From within the first car, a jazzy tune was playing, which Wade quickly identified.

"Guys, I think you simply need to … Take the 'A' Train!"

Kim quipped, "I'm so not In the Mood for Dr. Maestro's musical puns, Wade."

Ron snickered, "Good one, Kim."

As soon as they had all settled into the rickety mine car, it automatically started up. Quickly gathering speed, it soon was traveling as fast as a roller coaster, shooting around corners and twirling upside down as it wildly headed for Level A. Ron immediately began to look a little green around the gills.

"Ooh, KP, I'm starting to feel a little crummy in the tummy!"

Kim looked surprised. "What, you mean that wild motocross trip you just took us on didn't upset your stomach, but now you're about to toss your cookies?"

Ron grabbed the side rail as he groaned back, "Yeah, this topsy-turvey upside-downiness is a lot different than just some bon-diggetty speed, Kim."

"Just hold it together, Ron. It looks like we're slowing down."

Ron breathed a sigh of relief as the tram shuddered to a stop. Rufus on the other hand had thoroughly enjoyed their little excursion and excitedly asked, "Do it again! Do it again!"

Kim unsteadily replied, "We will, Rufus, just as soon as we find the next clue."

Directly in front of them dangled another piece of paper, hanging off of an electric lantern right where they had stopped. Kim snatched the note and read it aloud.

"Congratulations, Kimberly Ann! Your next clue can be found in Swan Lake, Act III, No. 15."

Kim cocked a perplexed eyebrow. "Well, that's a weird clue, but it's par for this sitch I guess. Wade, do you have any idea what it means? Wade, come in. Wade?"

She quickly realized what the problem was. "Duh! We're deep inside a mine. We'll need to get back to the main level before I can get a signal."

She turned her attention back to the several buttons and levers on the panel. "Now, how do we get this thing to go in reverse?"

Ron gave a cursory glance at the controls and smirked, "Leave that to me, KP. I'll just twist this little doohickey here, throw this lever thingy into reverse, and …"

Much to Ron's surprise, the tram suddenly shot forward instead, breaking through the wooden barrier and heading straight for the end of the tunnel. An old Western tune sung by Roy Rodgers began to play from the speakers as a large sign came into view, painted in highly reflective red paint:

"Happy Trails to You! It's the end of the line, Kimberly Ann!"

Ron wailed, "Whoa-ho-ho! KP, I swear that lever said Reverse!"

Kim quickly grabbed the handle and thrust it forward, and with a squeal of metal wheels against the rusty rails, the train began to slow down.

"It's Maestro's twisted reverse logic, Ron. I think he meant for us to crash."

But it was too late. The tram's momentum was too great to stop in time, and it smashed through the guard rail and began to plunge down the deep shaft. But luck was still with them as the last car caught the edge of the shaft, stopping the tram from its nose dive and keeping the now precariously perched heroes from falling headlong into the abyss below. Rocks and debris could be heard bouncing off the sides of the shaft, echoing within the narrow passageway as Kim and Ron grimly held on. But the old car, fatigued by one too many years of hauling rock and ore, began to splinter. With a loud crack, Ron yelled as he started to fall.

"Kim!"

She swiftly reached out and grabbed her friend by the arm, preventing his plunge toward certain doom. Slowly climbing back into the car, he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Kim. That's two I owe you for today."

"No problem, Ron. But we better get out of here quick before this whole car collapses. Try climbing up."

But no sooner had Kim begun helping Ron up toward safety, than the entire tram began to slip again. Rufus scurried out of Ron's pocket and ran up the precariously hanging cars. In a flash he reappeared at the top of the shaft, a coil of rope held tightly in his mouth. He wasted no time in dropping it into Ron's waiting hands.

"Way to go, Rufus!"

Ron immediately wrapped the rope underneath his arms and prepared to do the same for Kim. But with a sickening groan of metal and a snap of splintering wood, the tram finally gave way, beginning its final plummet to the bottom: with Kim still in it. With a desperate gasp, they both reacted instinctively and grasped each other's arm.

"Hold on, Kim, I've got you!"

Grunting with the effort, she managed to gain a small toehold on a beam protruding from the wall. Suddenly, they both began to be pulled back up.

Ron's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Whoa, Rufus must have been eating his Wheaties today!"

As soon as they were pulled to safety, they observed Rufus operating an electric winch, a small yellow construction helmet topping his tiny head. Kim and Ron collapsed in a heap at the edge of the shaft, exhausted but thankful to still be alive.

Panting heavily, Ron shot Rufus a look of gratitude. "Quick thinking, Rufus! Thanks, buddy."

Kim likewise offered Ron a grateful look. "Thanks for grabbing me back there, Ron. I really wasn't looking forward to becoming a permanent resident down there."

A look of concern then came over her face. "Unfortunately, Dr. Maestro's been one step ahead of us every step of the way, not to mention that he has one spankin' mean streak. And despite trying a little too hard to fit the mold of a supervillain, his twisted imagination sure seems to be a cut above our usual megalomaniacs."

"You said it, Kim. But I just know we'll get him. You can do anything, and remember that I'll always have your back."

Ron winced just as soon as he had said that. "As long as I don't throw the wrong lever, that is."

Kim offered him a wan smile in return. "Not you fault, Ron. Maestro planned that. So we'll have to be on our guard for any extra tricks of his along the way."

Ron quickly added, "Or any trap traps!"

It was now Kim's turn to wince, as she recalled Drakken's recent convoluted logic of unexpectedly setting a trap so obvious that they wouldn't be expecting one. With a tired look, she got up and brushed the dust off of her mission outfit.

"Right, Ron. So let's get out of here before anything else blows up in our face."

As they both carefully made their way back toward the mine's exit, Ron's thoughts again began to wander.

"Yeah, looks like I saved her this time, and she noticed it, too."

He smiled in satisfaction at the thought. As Kim continued to walk in front of him, he began to look at her in a newer, different light. For the first time, he took careful note of her slender figure, and of her long, thick red hair, cascading down over her shoulders like a crimson waterfall. In spite of the sweat of their terrific exertions, he was still able to catch a whiff of her hair's beautiful, fragrant scent.

Ron began to realize that Kim was no longer just a girl to him, but a woman. A beautiful woman. And he was starting to feel that she was no longer just a friend, but perhaps, just perhaps …

Ron stopped short in a panic. "Whoa! I really gotta watch thoughts like that!"

He shook his head vigorously to clear his mind, but just as he did so, a miniature Ron appeared on his shoulder with a small poof. Wearing a tiny halo and clothing of shimmering white, he also sported a pair of wings. Beaming with a broad smile, he began whispering into Ron's ear.

"Wow, Kim's really cute, and all grown up. I think she's ready for a real boyfriend. Someone just like you."

Ron sighed, "Yeah, someone just like me, but not me. I know her all too well. She just wants a hottie she can go gaga over, which leaves me out of the bon-diggety running."

His frown deepened as he came to a sad realization. "I'm just the sidekick."

The tiny angel patted Ron's shoulder and gave him an encouraging look. "Hey, don't put yourself down, Ron ol' buddy! And don't give up before you've even tried."

"Yeah, maybe you're right, but I've always been just buds with Kim. Best buds, in fact. So I … I wouldn't want to risk losing all that in case a romance between us tanked."

The angel Ron quickly replied, "So just take it slow at first! Start by asking her out to the Junior Prom. You two could make such bee-yootiful music together, ah-booyah!"

But before Ron could respond, another miniscule Ron appeared on his other shoulder with a tiny flash. This Ron was different, however. Garishly attired in a black and red cape, his skin glowed with a faintly blue color. A pair of tiny horns stuck out from beneath his purple cap.

"Oh, yeah? More like a funeral dirge to celebrate your, your oh-so-pathetic feelings over that self-centered egomaniacal Kimberly Ann. Get real, Ron. Like she really cares! You're just a sidekick to her, and always will be. And sidekicks need to know their place."

He continued with a dismissive wave of his hand. "So give up while you're still behind and save yourself from a humiliation worse than death, you pathetic loser!"

The angelic Ron wagged a warning finger. "Don't listen to him, Ron. He's the megalomaniac here, not Kim. And you know it!"

He took on a beatific appearance as he closed his eyes and began floating gently above Ron's shoulder. "Just use your power of imagination, and envision the relationship of your dreams …"

The devil Ron pinched his nose in disgust. "Eww, gag me with a musical spoon, you angelic wannabe!"

He scooted closer to Ron's ear and whispered suggestively, "Skip the imagination part and just stick with the power. Don't forget that power is the ultimate aphrodisiac, my friend. So just forget about Kim, she's not worth it. With my help, you can come up with some coolio weapons just like before, and then you can catch a real hottie, like Bonnie Rockwaller. Or even better!"

"Don't give in Ron!" the angel pleaded.

"Sure, go ahead. Live a little!" the devil taunted.

"Power of imagination!"

"Ultimate power!"

With a huge yell, Ron screamed, "BOTH OF YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Kim turned back to him in shock just as both of the tiny Rons disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Ron, what's gotten into you? What's your damage?"

Embarrassed at his sudden outburst, he blushed bright red and stuttered, "Er, uh, just a couple of big bugs, KP!"

With a disappointed look, Kim shook her head. "Ron, you really have to get over your bug issues. They're all over the place, so you just need to get used to them."

Secretly grateful that Kim had bought his hasty explanation, he ran with it. "Oh, sure, real nice. Just mock my weakness, KP."

Kim smiled and touched his face. "You're not weak, Ron. It's just a phobia. And you'll grow out of it sooner or later, I promise. Okay?"

Ron sighed and returned her smile. "Thanks, Kim. I know I will, eventually. On the other hand, monkeys might be a much harder nut to crack …"

Kim simply rolled her eyes and turned back to the mine entrance, now just ahead of them.

Ron exhaled quickly and thought, "Man, that was way too close. I really have to get my head in the game. Now, if I could just figure out which freakin' game I'm in …"

TBC …