Change Isn't Easy
by
Chapter 8: Intersecting Paths
Disclaimer: Don't own KP, RS, Drakken, Shego, or any other character from the series Kim Possible, nor am I making any money off this. Based on the number of reviews I'm getting, it wouldn't be much anyway...
--
Kim and Ron were enjoying the big Possible/Stoppable combined family cookout, the last chance of the year for grilling outside. The two families enjoyed spending time together, but schedules and different religious holidays made it challenging. When fate conspired to allow such gatherings, nothing was spared to make the occasion memorable. Also, since this was the first opportunity for a get together since the two teens officially started dating, there was an element of celebration to the event. The couple really didn't understand why their parents were so happy about their 'making it official', but they weren't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. They just wanted to enjoy being with their families and each other. The lull in criminal activity had continued, and expectations were high for a pleasant, uninterrupted evening.
"This is the life, KP. The most bon-diggity girlfriend in the world, not one but two sets of cool parents, and steaks on the grill. Even the bad guys are on vacation. The Ron Man is happy!" Rufus added a squeaky "Uh huh uh huh! Good day!" from his perch on the blond boy's shoulder.
"You said it, Rufus. This is one spankin' day. But don't talk about the bad guys, Ron, or you'll..." She was interrupted by the four notes of her Kimmunicator, and sighed. "Jinx it." She unenthusiastically pulled the device from her pocket and hit a button. "Hey Wade. What's the sitch, and can it wait until tomorrow?"
Wade raised an eyebrow at Kim's greeting. "Nice to know that you're glad to see me."
"Sorry Wade, but we're having a cookout, and it's been a really great day. And as for 'glad to see you', perhaps you remember me begging you and your parents to join us, but you didn't want to leave your room?"
The super genius managed to look slightly embarrassed. "Kim, you know I have severe agoraphobia. It's all I can do to handle being in a holographic image of the outside world."
Kim sighed again. She remembered the one time he had come out of his room was to get revenge on a rival superhero team that had spiked his entire computer system. After his anger had worn off, he almost went catatonic with fear, and needed two weeks of therapy to return to normal. "Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean I can't wish you were here with the rest of the team, right?"
Wade smiled. "I know. No need to get mushy. Save that for Ron. Anyway, you can relax. No mission today. But Dr. Director has one for tomorrow."
"And what does she want us to do?"
"Yeah," Ron peaked over Kim's shoulder to add in his comments. "Why do the paid professionals keep asking for help from us non-profit freelancers?"
Kim rolled her eyes. "Uh, because we get the job done when they can't?"
"Exactly," Wade agreed. "Besides, I think you'll want to go on this mission. It's in Go City."
"And why are we going there?"
"To see some 'friends' at Go Tower. They recently added a new resident."
Kim and Ron looked at each other, then looked back at the boy on the screen, waiting for him to continue.
"Shego's back."
Kim would have said some very unladylike things had her parents not been around, but she settled for a growl. "I knew she wasn't gone. I bet Drakken's out there planning something right now!"
It was Ron's turn to sigh. "I guess the vacation's over."
--
As Drew waited patiently outside the door of the only bathroom in the beach house, he pondered why he had invited Luisa and her daughter Maria to stay with him as part of her benefits. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but then most of my plans fall into that category, he thought to himself as he unfolded the newspaper.
It wasn't that he minded the company. Luisa was a hard worker, and she was a pleasant person to have around. She even helped him learn some very basic Spanish. Maria was every bit as nice as her mother, and was so well mannered that Drew initially thought something might be wrong with her. She was definitely a contrast to the other children he had encountered.
Having women in the house wasn't an issue either. After all, he had lived with Shego for several years, and she was much less understanding about his faults and idiosyncrasies. For that matter, Shego was much more vocal in general than was Luisa.
The problem was the bathroom.
Shego had always had her own, and the henchmen used a community bathroom, leaving Drew his own private facility. Now, with two other people in a small house, he had to share. It was definitely a learning experience.
The first time he had seen various bits of hand wash only underwear hanging in there, he blushed so badly that Luisa had offered to get the sunburn cream.
Another problem was scheduling. He would never have believed just how much time someone could spend in a bathroom. Luisa didn't seem to wear any make-up, nor did she have the usual assortment of creams, moisturizers, and such that most women refused to live without, yet she could be in there for what seemed like hours. Even little Maria managed to spend an inexplicable amount of time in there.
He almost asked them what they could possibly be doing in there, but decided against it. They just might answer, and he wasn't at all sure he could handle that knowledge. Besides, he didn't want to run off the best housekeeper he could find. He enjoyed having the woman and little girl around. Women are strange and exotic creatures, he thought to himself. Definitely worth studying. He turned to the 'news from home' section of his paper, which was an English language edition for the tourists frequenting the area. One report caught his attention.
Edward 'Motor Ed' Lipsky Found Dead
Edward Lipsky, AKA Motor Ed, mechanical
engineer and notorious criminal, was found murdered
in an apparent Mafia style execution along with his
entourage. No details were available about motives
or suspects at this time.
Poor Ed, thought Drew. What a way to go. I'm glad I decided to get out of that life. Drew never really knew his cousin, but the thought of a relative meeting a violent end bothered him. I do hope Shego gets out before something happens to her.
--
As fate would have it, at almost that precise instant Shego was reading an identical news report in the Go City Tribune. Since 'the incident,' as she referred to Drakken's destruction, she had taken to getting up early. Mostly it was because she simply didn't sleep very well anymore, but there was also a part of her mind that wanted to see the day begin. A side benefit of her early rising was an uncontested first shot at the newspaper. She had been idly browsing through it, waiting for the rest of the family to awaken, when she had spotted the article on Motor Ed. The only time she had spent around Ed Lipsky was during the failed attempt to steal and copy a cyber-robotic wheelchair owned by a friend of Kim Possible. In many ways Ed had been a lot like Drakken. In their particular fields they were both absolute geniuses. Drakken was unmatched in electromagnetic fields and radiation, and Ed was a master of mechanical construction. Get either one outside their specialty, however, and their skill level took a nosedive.
And now they're both dead; one from an experiment he couldn't control, the other from some gang he couldn't handle. Mama Lipsky, then Drakken, now Motor Ed. The Lipsky section of the cemetery is getting crowded... But there's always more room, isn't there? Before Shego's thoughts could turn too morbid, the twin Wegos made their appearance. They performed what had become a morning ritual once she had decided to stay at the Tower; they walked over to where she sat at the table and kissed her above each eye. She hugged them both, kissing their foreheads in turn. "So guys, what are you planning on making for breakfast this morning?" She had taken up the twins on one of their offers in exchange for her replacing the television: they would be making her breakfast for one week. Not only would it give the twins a feeling that they had done something to do earn the huge monstrosity, but they would learn to cook safely under her supervision. After her first night at the tower, and seeing the disastrous dinner they had attempted to prepare, she felt such lessons were definitely needed.
"We're going to try omelets this morning," stated the first Wego. "Yeah, it isn't quite as messy as the pancake batter," added Wego II. It had taken a rather long heart to heart talk with the twins, and a graphic description of the migraine headache their odd speech patterns caused, but Shego had gotten them to talk somewhat normally. There were still relapses, especially when they were excited, but they were trying. Shego could ask no more than that. They're really gonna slip when that TV shows up this afternoon, she thought to herself. Heck, even I'm looking forward to seeing it. It certainly cost enough.
As the twins gathered eggs and other ingredients for the morning meal, Hego and Mego found their way into the kitchen. Hego was his normal cheerful self, a morning person through and through. "Good morning, all. How is everyone today?"
"I need coffee. Lots of coffee." Mego, unlike his brothers, was clearly not a morning person. "A good breakfast wouldn't hurt either," he continued as he noticed the Wego's preparation of omelets.
Shego snorted at her self-centered brother's comment. "What, the great Mego can't cook for himself?"
"Hey, it's good practice for the twins, right? I'm just trying to help out with their education."
"Uh huh. Any excuse is good when you need one, right? There's coffee already made, still pretty fresh. Morning, Hego. Don't have to kill the eggs, guys, just a tap or two on the bowl is enough, remember?"
"Yes, Shego," the twins sounded in stereo. One was cracking the eggs, while the other was chopping up bell peppers and slicing ham.
"And be careful with that knife. I don't want a finger in my omelet."
Whatever reply the twins might have made was drowned out by a loud computer generated voice. "Attention. Global Justice aircraft approaching. ETA five minutes, thirty seconds."
Shego immediately became suspicious. "What's going on? Why are they here? You said it was okay for me to stay here, and then you turned me in, didn't you!" She glared at her oldest brother as she rose from her seat.
Hego put his hands in front of him in a calming gesture. "I don't know why they're here, Shego. I'm not expecting them. We haven't told anyone you're here, I swear!"
The twins had forgotten all about food preparation. "Sis, please. Calm down, okay? Hego wanted you to come home too much to turn you in!"
"Oh yeah? What about Mego?" She turned to her purple haired sibling.
"ME?" Mego backed away, and started waiving his hands in front of him. "Oh no. If I turned in my own sister, everyone would think I was the biggest bastard on the planet!"
"Then who tipped 'em off? How'd they know I'm here?"
Hego approached her carefully, as she had ignited her fiery green hands. "Sis, please calm down. No one is trying to turn you in. GJ sometimes just drops by to compare notes on criminal activity, okay? They don't even know you're here."
"Then call them and ask them what they want." Shego was relaxing somewhat; Hego's explanation did seem to make sense, but a decade of habitual suspicion was not easy to overcome. "If I hear one thing that doesn't sound right, I am outta here!"
Mego was already heading for the communications console in the main room. "It's procedure for us to contact them anyway, Shego. Relax, alright? You can listen from off screen. I'll handle it." He punched a few buttons, and the face of Dr. Betty Director appeared on the viewscreen. "Good morning, Dr. Director. How are you this fine day, and what brings you to our neighborhood?"
"I'm quite well, Mego, but I'm not here for small talk. I believe your sister is there with you, and we would like to ask her some questions."
Mego did his best to feign surprise. "Sister? You mean Shego? Betty, we haven't seen her since the last fiasco with Aviarius." He could hear Shego running for the top floor hanger.
"You're a terrible liar, Mego. We're not going to arrest her or try to take her in. We just have some questions about Drakken and Motor Ed. We're hoping that she might be able to help us figure out what happened to Ed, and we also have reason to believe that she might be in danger from his murderers."
"Betty, what are you talking about? Who is 'Motor Ed'? Why do you think someone might be after Shego?"
"I'll explain it all when we land. Just don't let her leave before I can talk to her, Mego. Her life may depend on it!"
From the door leading to the hanger bay, he heard his sister shouting "Out of my way, princess!" There was a loud crash, and the hissing sound of her plasma burning through the air.
"Betty, she isn't going to be easy to convince..."
To be continued...
