Ron found her in an out of the way corner of Paris, sitting on a stone railing over looking the Seine. Ron approached her cautiously, not certain who he was going to meet when he got there.

As he got closer, he relaxed a little. The figure sitting on the railing was slouched over, resting her arms on her knees. She looked tired and weary. Faye never looked tired, no matter how long she had been awake. Ron's stride became more confident, but as he got closer, the figure stirred and turned sharply. Ron yelped and slid back into a combat stance, just in case he'd been suckered.

There was a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Ron." Kim said. Ron let out the breath he'd been holding and climbed up onto the railing next to Kim.

"Hey, KP. How you holding up?"

Kim gave him a rueful smile. "I'm tired. Extremely tired. Honestly, if I felt like I could get away with it, I'd go home and sleep for a week."

"I bet." Ron replied. He felt the sedative-filled syringe in his pocket that Kim's mom had given to him. He really didn't want to use it, but he had no way of finding out if Faye was still awake or not.

"Are Drakken and Shego taken care of?" Kim asked suddenly. Ron blinked.

"You don't know?" he asked.

Kim frowned as she realized that she had no memory of anythig that happened after Shego hauled her out of the dumpster in the alley. "No. No, I don't. Hang on a second."

Kim closed her eyes and mentally probed around her mind. Nothing. If she concentrated she could still feel Faye's presence, but it was dormant and quiet. No snide comments, no running commentary. She opened her eyes.

"She's asleep. Finally." Kim signed again and collapsed against Ron, who automatically put his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him. "So, Drakken and Shego?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Um, yeah. Well, I kinda somehow reprogrammed all of Drakken's chiropractor bots and last I saw he was piloting that hovercar of his away from them as fast as he could."

Kim smirked as she pictured the mad scientist trying to escape from a horde of crazed robots with eyes on forcibly realigning his spine. "And Shego?"

"Yeah...Shego..." Ron swallowed and told Kim what Faye had done to the villainess. He outlined every detail, knowing Kim wouldn't want him to sugar coat it. When he was done, Kim pulled away from him and looked down into the dark flowing water of the river.

"First Bonnie...now Shego," she whispered. She looked up at Ron. "And then who? Monique? Wade? The Tweebs? You?"

"She's been following the rules," Ron began.

"But she's getting stronger! And she knows it. Why do you think she ditched the Kimmunicator when we switched? She's testing her limits. Seeing what I'll do."

Kim stood up on the railing, looking down into the rushing waters of the river. "I can't let her loose, Ron. She's getting more and more dangerous, and if I lose, there's nothing that can stop her."

Ron stood up and took Kim's arm. "Actually...there may be."

Kim looked at him. "What?"

"Your mom and Wade think they've figured out a solution. They wanted me to get you as soon as we were sure Faye was asleep."

"You...you're serious?" Kim asked. "They really think they've found a way?"

Ron smiled. "They sounded pretty sure to me, KP."

His smiled broaded as the despair left Kim's face, replaced by hope and her usual optimism. "Okay, then. Let's get Wade and get a ride home!"

Ron handed her the Kimmunicator, Kim strapped it on and hit the button to contact Wade.

All they got was static.

"Wade?" Kim asked, her frown returning. "Wade, are you there?"

"Is there a signal here?" Ron asked.

"Ron, we got a signal from Wade six miles below the surface of the Earth, we should be getting one in the heart of Paris." Kim pressed a few more buttons, but the static didn't leave the screen. "Try your phone."

Ron pulled out his cell and dialed Wade's house. "It's ringing, but nobody's picking up."

"Try your folks. Maybe they've heard something. I'll try to get ahold of mine."

Kim pressed a few more buttons, trying to get the Possible home, but all she got was more static. Meanwhile, Ron called home.

"Hello?" came the voice of Ron's mother.

"Mom?"

"Oh, hey, sweetie. Everything going all right?"

"Yeah," Ron said. "We took care of it."

"Well, that's good."

"Yeah. Listen, Mom, have you heard from Wade or Kim's parents? We're having a problem getting through on the Kimmunicator."

"No," Mrs. Stoppable said. "Nothing over here. One second, I'll get your father to give the Possibles a call. Dear? Oh, one sec, Ronnie, he's answering the door..."

Suddenly, there was a sound of smashing wood and breaking objects. Ron's eyes widened and he motioned for Kim to come over. He activated the speaker phone and the two of them listened as Ron's mother screamed, her father yelled, and Hana began crying.

"Ronnie!" came the voice of Mrs. Stoppable. "Strange men are here! They've knocked out your father! I've got to get Hana!"

"Keep calm, Mrs. Stoppable!" Kim said. "Get Hana and get out. Try to get to my parents, they'll call the police. Keep on the phone as long as you can."

"I've got her now. They're in the living room. Oh, God, what do I do?"

"Where are you now?" Kim asked.

"I went up the back stairs. I'm in Hana's room right now."

"Mom, get up to my room and go out the window. The fire ladder's rolled up next to it. You can use that to get out." Ron said.

There was no response except for muffled whimpering coming from Hana, follow closely by a series of thumps, presumably Mrs. Stoppable making her way to Ron's attic room. Han's wails started up again, and they heard the window being opened.

"Mom?" Ron asked. "You okay?"

"Yes," Mrs. Stoppable's voice was distant. She had probably put the phone down to have both hands free. "I've got the window open, I'm pushing out the ladd--"

There was a violent crash and a loud voice started yelling. "ON THE FLOOR! HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!"

"DON'T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER!"

"I SAID ON THE FLOOR!"

"RON! KIM! HELP US! THEY'RE FROM GLOBAL JUS--!"

The phone clicked and went dead. Ron and Kim looked at each other, incredulous at first and then anger began crossing their faces.

"GJ has gone too far." Ron said quietly.

"Totally." Kim replied. "We need to get a ride, fast."

They made their way back to the main road, looking for a cab.

"Do you have any cash on you?" Kim asked.

"Yeah, I've got about 50 Euros. Wade thought it would be a good idea in case tracking you or Faye down took longer than expected."

"Should be enough to get us to the airport then." Kim said. She stuck out a hand "Taxi!"

No sooner had a cab pulled up than a large van roared from a nearby alley. Ron saw it coming.

"Kim, VAN!"

The two of them dove in opposite directions. The van clipped the taxi, causing the driver of the cab to roar off. The back doors of the van burst open, disgorging a squad of GJ agents. Ron and Kim got to their feet as the agents pulled large caliber weaponry and pointed it at the two teen heroes.

"On your knees!" barked the squad leader. "You are under arrest! Put your hands on your heads and make no sudden moves!"

Kim's lip curled up in a sneer. "Well, time to see if this is as fun as Faye and Shego seem to think it is. Ron?"

"Yeah, KP?"

"Manuever 33!"

Kim leaped into the air, somersaulted and planted both feet into the chest of the squad leader. At the same time, Ron handsprung into three other members of the squad catching two with his feet and another with a fist. The remaing member sof the squad began opening fire. Kim and Ron dodged out of the way, rolling under the van.

"Hold your fire, you idiots!" the squad leader ordered. "ICAD One wants them alive!"

"ICAD One?" Ron asked. "Who's that?"

"No idea, but ICAD is who's after Faye." Kim answered. She rolled on her back and pressed a button on the Kimmunicator. A laser beam shot out and Kim began moving it around, severing lines, wires, and pipes. She clicked the beam off. "Ready?"

Ron nodded and the two of them rolled back out from under the van, got to their feet and started running. The GJ agents took a few warning shots, then piled back into the van. The van started up and began following them, ramping up in speed until the driver suddenly lost control, the brakes went out and they plowed into a nearby building.

"KP," Ron began as they dashed into an apartment builduing. "Are they okay?"

"You know something, Ron?" Kim said as they ascended the stairs. "Given that they shot at us, and they've kidnapped your family, I'm not really sure if I care."

--

"Anything, Wade?" James said, pacing the living room. "Anything at all?"

"Sorry, Dr. Possible. Last thing I have is Ron saying Faye was running around loose and ditching the Kimmunicator." Wade answered form the TV screen.

"James, calm down." Anne said, coming up behind her husband. "Ron knows what to do, and if Kim is in control, the first thing she'll do is get ahold of us."

"I know, but still, it's been two hours. We should have heard something."

The sound of a doorbell came from the TV. Wade looked over his shoulder.

"I'll be right back," he said. "Mom's out tonight, so I ordered a pizza." The preteen genius left the screen.

"Pizza." Anne said, smiling slightly. "You know, that doens't sound half bad. If we're going to spend the night worrying about Kim, we might as well be fed."

"Good idea, hon." James said, picking up the phone. "Boys? what do you want on the pizza."

"Pepperoni!" said Jim.

"Anchovies!" said Tim.

"Well, good to know they don't think alike on everything." James muttered to himself. "Hello? Yes, I'd like to place an--"

At that moment, the front window exploded as a squad of Global Justice agents burst through it. James threw his arms over his head while Anne grabbed the twins and forced them to the floor. The GJ agents dashed trhoguh the house, yelling "Clear!" to each other. After a few seconds, the agents who had left the room returned, and joined their fellows who were training their weapons on the Possibles.

James was the first to recover. "Who the hell are you people, and what in the name of God are you doing in my house?"

"Keep your hands on your heads!" barked one of the GJ agents, a burly man with three day stubble and a clear belief that the word "bad-ass" was tattooed across his face.

"I will do no such thing." James replied, folding his arms. "You people expect us to cooperate after you've just broke into our home--"

"I'm warning you, SIR," the agent began, gestruing with his rifle. "I'm only going to count to three...ONE!"

"That's quite enough, Kemmerer," came a new voice. The Possibles turned their attantion to Will Du as he came into the room. "Stand down."

The GJ agents relaxed but still remained alert for trouble. Anne and the twins got to their feet. Anne frowned as she recognized the squad leader.

"Agent Du. I take it you're in charge here?" she demanded. Du nodded.

"I wish it could be undere better circumstances, Dr. Possible. I'm afraid you're all under arrest."

"Arrest?" James asked. "What for?"

"Harboring a dangerous fugitive, for starters. One Faye Morgan."

"Faye Morgan?" Anne said. "We don't know anyone--"

Du held up a hand. "Spare me the obligatory denials, Dr. Possible. We know about Morgan, and where she came from."

"Then why aren't you helping us?" James demanded. "All the times you've asked Kim for help, you should be firs tin line now."

"That isn't my concern." Du replied. "My orders are to bring her...and all of you...in."

Anne folded her arms. "Why don't you spare us the obligatory pretending that we're going to be anything but bait?"

"Fine." Du replied. "Will you come with us, please?"

"No," the Possibles replied in unison.

"As I thought. Kemmerer?"

The burly agent stomped across the room with surprising speed and grabbed Jim and Tim by their necks. Anne yelped and tried to get theboys but was held back by another female GJ agent.

"LET GO OF MY FAMILY!" Jame roared, turning on Du.

"Dr, Possible, as the cliche has it, there's an easy way to do this and a hard way. Personally, I'd much rather do it the easy way. I promise you that neither you nor your family will be harmed if you decide to come with us willingly."

"What about Kim?" James asked.

"yes...unfortunatley, she's a bit of a wild card. Rest assured though that as long as I am in command of this operation, I will make sure that minimum necessary force is used. Will that be satisfactory?"

"You people out of our house would be satisfactory." James said.

"OWWWW!" the twins cried out as Kemmerer tightened his grip.

"KEMMERER!" Du barked. Kemmerer snarled but relaxed.

"And that goon stays the hell away from my children." Anne said, finally breaking free of the GJ agent holding her.

Du nodded and Kemmerer stepped back away from the boys. The two of them glared up at him.

"Did you know the melting point of Kevlar is between 427 to 452 degrees Celsius?" Jim asked.

"That's about 800 to 900 degrees Farenheit." Tim stated.

"We once made an instant marshmallow toaster that can reach temperatures that high in less than three seconds." Jim continued.

"GJ still using Kevlar plating for their pants?" Tim finished.

"Boys, that's enough." Anne said, taking them from Kemmerer. She leaned over and whispered, "Besides, Kevlar takes too long to melt. I'll get some ipecac later."

Du sighed and turned back to James. " Anything else, or do we go to the hard way?"

James nodded. "We'll go, but I really hope you people know what you're getting into."

--

Kim and Ron burst onto the roof of the building. Ron slammed the door shut.

"There's nothing to barricade this with!" he yelled over to Kim.

"Working on it!" Kim called. She was standing next to an old TV antenna. One quick roundhouse kick and she dashed back to the roof access with the antenna. The two of them wedged the antenna under the knob and forced the opposite end against the roof.

"Now what?" Ron asked. Kim shook her head.

"No idea. They've probably found the car, and they're going to be watching the airports."

"Well, we can't just keep running! They've got our families, Kim!"

"I know that, Ron! Can't you please just give me five seconds to think?!"

"We don't have five seconds! There's a horde of big guys with guns coming up the stairs behind us! Guys with guns who have BRAINS!"

"Will you please stop panicking?" Kim snapped.

"I'll stop panicking when you come up with a way for us to get out of this!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Kim yelled at the top of her voice. "I HAVE NO GOD DAMN IDEA WHAT TO DO, RON! OKAY? AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, WE'RE SCREWED! HAPPY NOW?!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!"

"DON'T YOU YELL AT ME!"

"How about you both stop yelling, and surrender?" came a stern voice. Kim and Ron turned their heads to find a platoon of Global Justice agents lining the nearby rooftops. The roof access door had been forced open while they'd been arguing and another twenty agents had made their way in. The squad commander, a tough woman in her 30s, looked at them amusedly.

"Surrender?" Kim asked quietly.

"It would reall ybe the best way, Miss Possible. We only want to help you with your condition."

"Is that what ICAD One told you to say?" Kim asked. The squad leader's expression changed to a frown.

"Where did you hear that?"

Kim smirked. "One of your goons downstairs let it slip. So what's ICAD One want with Faye? Some half-baked super soldier idea or something?"

"Probably is," Ron said with smirk of his own. "Dude probably wants to take over the world himself or something like that."

"I find it interesting that he's not out here himself," Kim responded. "Let me guess, he never goes anywhere in public."

"Keeps to his office at work." Ron said.

"Probably communicates exclusively by phone or radio." Kim continued.

"Or one of those cheesy backlit silohuette things on any video communication." Ron added.

"Oh yeah, the whole thing screams 'I'm a supervillain wannabe.'" Kim saisd. She looked at the squad leader, who was not looking amused by the teen heroes banter. "So, I guess that would make you the cheif henchman...or does Dr. Director have that slot filled?"

The squad leader breathed in heavily through her nostrils. "I'm giving you one more chance, Possible. Give up quietly or we're going to have to take you in by force."

Kim folded her arms and llet out a short laugh. "Look, you MUST have seen the files. Especially the ones after the Lorwardian invasion. Do you really think Ron and I are going to be intimidated by an army of big guys with guns pointed at us?"

"No, not at all." the squad leader said. "Henderson! Monitor!" A GJ agent came over, pulling a small portable video monitor out of his pack. He turned it on and handed it to the squad leader. She gfiddled with a couple of the switches on top of the unit and turned it towards Kim and Ron.

Kim and Ron's eyes widened as they saw their families and Wade sitting in what looked like a large conference room. They looked anxious and worried. Wade and the Tweebs appeared to be trying to override the security lock on the door, but didn't seem to be having much success. Ron's mother was holding Hana in her arms, rocking her softly, looking somewhat shellshocked.

"Mom, Dad! Are you okay?" Ron yelped running towards th emonitor. Henderson intercepted him and shoved him roughly back, causing Ron's momentum to wokr against him and caus ehim to fall onto the roof. Kim helpe dhim to his feet.

"Save your breath." The squad leader said. "It's one-way video only."

"So it's the 'we have your family, do what we say' bit, huh?" Kim asked.

"Sort of," the squad leader admitted. "Look above the door."

Kim looked above the door, where a vent could clearly be seen. "So what? We don't give up, you'll put poison gas in the room?"

"Give us a little more credit than that. We knew that wouldn't be enough to get you to give up."

"So what will you pump in there then?" Kim asked. "Nanites? SARS? Bubonic plague?"

"I think you'd better talk to Commander Du about that." The squad leader made a few more adjustments, and Will Du's face appeared. "We have Possible and Stoppable here, sir."

"Excellent. Let me speak to her." Will replied. The squad leader turned the monitor back towards Kim.

"This isn't going to work, Du." Kim said coldly. "I've been through this before."

"I know you have, Miss Possible. But, in this case, we're not threatening to kill your families."

"Then what are you doing with them?" Kim asked, "I don't think you arrested them for kicks."

"Of course not. We have no need to threaten you with their deaths." Du's face turned solmen. "Because we've already killed them."

"YOU WHAT?!" Ron dashed towards the monitor again. This time six GJ agents leaped into the fray, restraining Ron, who kept fighting against them with barely contained fury.

"Another outburst like that, Mr. Stoppable, and I will have them put a bullet through your head." Will said quietly. "I take no pleasure in the thought, believe me, but I only need Miss Possible alive, not you."

"You have ten seconds to explain what the hell's going on, Du." Kim growled.

"Your families, alone with Mr. Load, have been breathing in a odorless, tasteless, and otherwise viturally undetectable neurotoxin for the three hours we've had them in custody. In approximately 12 more hours, their entire nervous systems will shut down. It will be slow and very painful as I understand it. In the case of the baby...well, smaller bodies and all."

"YOU WOULDN'T DARE!" Kim snarled.

"Fortunately, given our technology, if you give up now, you can easily be here before the 9 hour mark is reached, which is the point where little Hana is going to start feeling the effects of the toxin. Once you've arrived, I guarantee you that your families will be adminstered the antidote immediately. However, if you are not at GJ Headquarters within those 9 hours, we will start increasing the amount of neurotoxin in the room."

"You tell Dr. Director that this is the most EVIL--"

"Dr. Director is no longer in charge." Will said cutting Kim off. "Now, once agian, the choice is yours. Surrender, or we can have another of your typical prolonged hand to hand conflicts, and all the time the minutes are ticking away on Hana's life."

Kim's fists clenched involuntarily. She looke dover at Ron, who was still being held by the GJ agents. Her expression softened as she saw Ron hanging his head. He looked up at her, despair etched on his face.

"Kim...please...don't let them do that to Hana," he said quietly. Kim nodded and fought to keep the tears in her eyes from flowing. She hardened her expression and turne dbakc to the squad leader and the monitor.

"All right, you win. For now." she said. "We surrender."

"Good. I'm glad to see you take after your parents. Squad Leader Lawrence?"

"Yes, sir?" Lawrence said.

"Do it."

"Sir." she handed the monitro back to Henderson and held up her hand. "Ready..."

The GJ agents raidsed their weapons. Kim's eyebrows shot up.

"WAIT! We surrendered, dammit!"

"FIRE!"

Kim had no time to react as hundreds of tranquilizer darts shot from the GJ weaponry. While most of them missed, plenty more struck he rbody. Within seconds she felt groggy and her vision was fading. As she fell to the rooftop, she heard Ron calling her name, but he was too far away for her to reach him before the blackness came crashing down over her. She tried calling out to Faye for help, but there wa sno response.

Faye was just as helpless as she was.