UNDERCOVER
A Kim Possible fan fiction
By Michael Howard
(Author Note: This story takes place during the Memorial Day weekend of Kim and Ron's Junior Year in High School and is rated T for adult themes, language, and violence.)
10. Taking A Stand
Sunday Morning:
"Is there a problem here?" asked Kirk Gleason. "It seems like there's still a problem."
Ron Stoppable looked briefly at his best friend, but found no encouragement in her troubled eyes. "Ah, it's cool, dude. Whateley's been captured and his demons are... all in pieces."
Kirk pointed at the window. "And the paramilitary forces coming out of those helicopters? I shouldn't worry about them having different uniforms from the two of you?"
"We're special, Kirk. You should have picked up on that by now."
"All right but it-"
"Can you give us a head count?" interrupted Ron. "Let us know the exact numbers we're dealing with."
"Do you mean people or weapons? Because it looks like each of the soldiers down there have three or four guns."
"People," was the unhappy reply.
Turning his back and lowering his voice, the teen said, "Kim, if I've become the team optimist then maybe you're right, it's panic time. But before we start writing our epithets-"
"Epitaphs," she corrected automatically, and then when her grave expression was replaced with a faint smile he completely forgot what he was going to say.
Kim took a deep breath and shook her hair back behind her shoulders. Then in a completely normal tone she told him, "Call GJ. Find out what the sitch is."
As Ron pulled his cell phone into view, Kim gestured Kirk over to them.
"I counted fourteen people but I may have been off a little because of their camouflage gear. And I can only see one side of the house right now so we should probably at least triple the count. "
Kim Possible placed a finger up close to her lips and then pointed at her best friend.
Man, does she look hot when she does that, thought Ron. But then, really, when doesn't she?
"Agent Tagore speaking," came a male voice over the line.
"Yeah, it's uh, ah... "
"I know who you are, Mr. Stoppable."
"Well, that's always a pleasant surprise. So, we were just wondering what the latest was on our requested backup."
"The GJ team is still about... fifty-five minutes away but Delta Green should have arrived by now."
" 'Delta Green' ", he repeated for Kim's benefit. He saw her consider this for a moment, then nod with approval. "But isn't she married to one of those guys from Simon & Simon? I'm not sure that's exactly the kind of assistance we were looking for-"
Kim snatched the phone away from him. "Is this Agent Tagore?" Her eyes narrowed as she listened intently. "No, that was good work on your part... Right... Just make sure they know the house has been secured... Okay, thank you."
She handed the phone back to Ron. "I've never worked with Delta Green before, but I've heard of them. They're a top secret Federal organization created to combat supernatural menaces. You'd know that too, if you spent less time watching TV and more reading the emails I forward to you from Global Justice."
"Uh huh. Okay. But there's something I still don't understand."
"Which is?"
"Why do they only show up after we don't need 'em anymore?!"
"Well, that's one way to look at things. But my take on tonight is that all the back-up, all the support I needed... " She paused to place a hand up to his face for the briefest moment. "Was here with me all along." She cleared her throat softly and added in a more business like tone, "Now put your shirt back on and let's go greet our visitors."
Fifteen minutes later the team leader of the Delta Green field unit was staring up at the still unconscious Gideon Whateley and smiling broadly. "Gotcha, you ugly son of a bitch." Major J. R. Legrasse turned to Kim and said, "He's been on our high priority target list for decades now."
"But you didn't know where to find him?" asked Kim.
"We knew. The problem was getting permission from the politicians to move against him. He's had some highly placed protectors over the years, people who are going to have some very embarrassing questions to answer when the contents of this house are revealed."
"Their assistance may not have been entirely voluntary, Major." Kim pointed up at Whateley. "That ring on his right hand has, uh, had certain mind control properties."
The team leader pushed her helmet back a little and let out a low whistle. "I don't impress easy, young lady. But I'm admitting to it now. I know Whateley is only a twenty-five percenter, but with the amount of magical weaponry at his disposal here, and a Type VI demon horde for back up... Well, what you accomplished tonight is something I won't soon forget."
"Like I said, it was a team effort." Kim turned to Ron and beckoned him to her side. Then to his great surprise she put her arm on his shoulder.
What's that about? We're not playing a married couple now, and while she's a lot better at sharing the glory than she was when we started the world saving game, it's still not something she does very often.
When he felt her start to lean heavily against him, understanding dawned on him.
Of course. She's not being Moodulatish here. It's her leg. She's having trouble even standing up now. Oh KP, I've gotta get you out of here before you collapse.
Kim asked, "So, Major, what exactly is a 'twenty-five percenter' ?"
"Only three of his grandparents were human."
"Hmm... " She inclined her red head upwards to give Whateley a thoughtful look. "That explains a few of this mornings' nasty surprises."
"Yeah," exclaimed Ron. "Like why a house as big as this doesn't have any bathrooms!"
Apparently he spoke a little too loudly because suddenly it seemed everyone in a fifty foot vicinity was staring at him.
There was a pitying look on the Major's face as she said, "You're, uh, welcome to the use of the head in the main chopper, son."
"No, I didn't, I-I don't, I mean I do a little but it's not urgent-"
Kim silenced his stammering with a quick squeeze of his shoulder. "You know, Major. I would appreciate a place to clean up a little." She managed to keep her voice level as she added, "Ron, can you bring both backpacks, please."
"Right." Ron slung her pack over one of his shoulders and lifted his own to do the same but its extra weight reminded him of something. The teen walked back to the DG team leader and handed over the book he had found upstairs.
"What the hell is this, the Mexico City phone book?" asked the Major. But as soon she read the books' title, the skepticism left her, replaced with utter amazement. "Sweet Jesus, boy! Do you know what you've got here?" Without waiting for a reply she called out, "Farmer! Eckert! Lai! Over here! The list of unsecured copies of the Necronomicon have just been reduced by one!"
"There's a strange sort of key I stuck inside it that you will want to handle very carefully," said Ron, but he wasn't sure if anyone in the crowd that suddenly formed around the Major heard him.
Yeah, well, they'll find out soon enough.
He turned back to Kim and realized she had observed all of his actions. Moving back to her side he said, "Man, you'd think it was the ultimate listing of computer game cheat codes or something."
With a shake of her head and a smile Kim asked, "Do you know what being best friends with you is like? A roller coaster ride. There are highs and lows but it's never boring."
"And there's also the frequent bouts of nausea," he added cheerfully.
"You're the one who gets sick on rides, not me."
"Lucky for you. And ever more lucky that the attraction of your choice almost never has a line to ride it."
"You just make sure I'm the only girl who gets a ticket." As soon as the words were spoken, an alarmed look came over her and she quickly faced away from him. In a muttered voice she said, "Let's go find that 'copter."
Ron sensed that he should give her a little space after that but when her left leg gave out and she almost fell down the stairs, he moved close again. Without saying a word, Ron pulled Kim's arm over his shoulder and locked his own arm around her waist. She stiffened a bit but made no attempt to pull away.
The stairwell and the vestibule were empty but when they exited the Whateley House there were a number of Delta Green soldiers in view. Kim froze in place as several of them looked their way.
"Ron, please," she said in a barely audible tone.
"KP, It's gonna be more embarrassing to fall flat on your face than to get a little help from me." But he followed her wishes and moved about eighteen inches to her left.
It was roughly fifty feet to the largest DG helicopter and they walked it in a slow, deceptively casual manner, with nods to the uniformed men and women they passed. If anyone noticed the limp Kim could not completely hide, they chose not to comment on it.
There was a steep ramp without railings leading up to the interior of the chopper. Kim considered it for several seconds before turning to Ron and raising her shoulders in an apologetic manner.
"Pride before all else, KP. Just crawl up there." He didn't wait for the inevitable glare as he grabbed hold of her waist and half lifted, half dragged her up the ramp.
Inside the cabin they looked to the right, the left, then right again.
"This way, I think," said Kim as she moved gingerly down the aisle between the soldiers' benches.
At the lavatory door, she stopped and turned to him. With an amused expression she said, "Okay, mister 'I do a little but it's not urgent'. I'm going to wait out here while you... "
"No, Kim. I'm good."
"Okay." She hobbled through the doorway and gave him an expectant look as she peeled off her gloves.
"Ah, right." He started to pull the door closed between them but she halted it with her palm.
"First aid kit. My backpack."
After a moments rummaging, he handed it over to her. She set it down on the edge of the sink and started sorting through the medicine containers it held. "Dig out another one of those pastries for yourself," she told him.
"You need those pills a lot more than I do, KP." After she gave him a look of displeasure he added, "But I'll take them!"
There were no paper cups in the lavatory so Kim had to swallow her own allotment of pills with water from the faucet and her cupped hands.
With a mouth full of cheese danish Ron said, "Why don't you sit down? And take that shoe off."
She considered the toilet behind her. "Well, the sitting idea is good. But I was going to wait until you were done eating for the other part."
He shoved in the rest of the danish and used the tip of his own shoe to push down the toilet seat and lid.
She lowered herself to a sitting position and stretched her left leg out as far as the narrow confines of the lavatory would allow. At a slight nod from her, Ron untied the shoe and slowly pulled it off. He was as gentle as he could be but it was still obviously painful.
When Ron had set the shoe over by the sink he asked, "What if it's broken, Kim?"
"Even I couldn't walk on a broken ankle, Ron. It's just... overworked. And speaking of work, how are you at doing laundry?"
"I manage," he replied. Ever since I started letting Rufus separate the loads and adjust the controls of the washing machine.
"Good. Because this will go faster with your help."
Kim's idea was for him to fill the sink basin with water and rinse the goblin blood from his shirt first. After the stains were gone and the shirt had been wrung out, he handed it to her and she used her hairdryer grappling gun on it. Even at its lowest setting it took no more than ninety seconds for the device to completely dry the garment.
"Umm, would it be okay if I wore this for a little while?"
"Yeah, sure, KP."
She moved her leg out of the way so he could close the door and then he stared at the doorknob until his peripheral vision told him she had placed her own mission top on the edge of the sink.
As he filled the basin with water again Ron looked at Kim in the mirror over the sink. I suppose your Dad would prefer to see you in a shirt that reaches down to your hips like mine does on you, but it sure isn't going to get my vote.
"Put this on one of the door hooks, please."
He took the equipment belt from her and hung it up.
"And this can go by the other shoe."
"Right." Ron looked toward her again to see if she would be handing him anything else and noticed her fingers were now hovering near the fastening of her mission pants. He faced forward but realized she was now visible in the mirror and he forced himself to stare down into the sink.
After he had been working on her shirt for a time Kim asked, "Stains coming out?"
"Yeah."
Several seconds later she added, "But I think the memory of how those stains got on my clothes will take longer to, uh, clear up."
Ron fought the urge to look at her. "KP, don't tear yourself up about this."
"Right." There was another pause before she said, "Ron, umm, I have a question for you."
"Uh huh."
"And I don't want a best friend fudge kind of answer. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Those demon things we fought. Do you think they have... souls?"
"Kim, I really, really want to tell you no. But if you're gonna hold me to an uncharacteristic honesty here, then I will just have to say I don't know. But there are things I'm absolutely certain of, KP."
"Such as?"
"You have a soul. And I do. So does Kirk. Y'know, probably."
She let her breath out slowly and gave him a half smile. "Nice reframing, Ron. When we get you to college, maybe you'll major in philosophy."
"Hey, interesting idea. 'Mom, Dad, it's not that I don't want to work for a living. But there's just no jobs out there in my field' ."
"Oh, man. What have I done? The last thing in the world you need is another excuse to be, uh... Well, anyway, are you about done there?"
He gave her mission shirt a final wringing out and exchanged it for her pants.
"There's still stuff in the pockets," said Ron, facing forward again.
"All waterproof," she assured him.
"And some of the blood I see here is yours, isn't it?"
"A little bit."
"So when were you planning on telling me that your leg is still bleeding?"
"Ron, it's a very small amount. Especially considering the kind of workout I've had over the last hour or so. But I agree it's time to change this bandage and I will do that before I get dressed again."
She switched the hairdryer back on, bring the conversation to a temporary halt.
A minute or two later Ron said, "All right, Kim. I think I'm done." He handed her pants back and reached for the door handle.
"Wait." He met her eyes and she continued, "This is a deja-vu moment, huh?"
"Yeah, and it seems like we just went through this."
"Uh huh. So, for like the hundredth time this weekend, I need to, no, I want to say thank you."
"Ditto, KP. Double ditto."
"Your pills kicking in yet?"
"Starting to."
"What hurts the most?"
"Three way tie."
"So head, knee, back?"
"Yeah, but all pretty minor."
"How about you? Starting to feel some relief?"
"Yes." She held a hand out to him and he helped her stand up. Kim looked down at her stockinged feet as she experimentally shifted some of her weight from right leg to left. "Oh, yeah. Getting better."
"But-"
"But I'm not going to push it. Blah, blah, blah. Ready for your shirt back?"
From a distance of perhaps three feet he nodded and waited.
Now what's going on with Kim? She's just standing there looking amused and nervous at the same time. And why is she starting to breathe so fast?
Ron suddenly realized that she was waiting for him to leave before removing the shirt. He spun around hastily and made a grab for the door handle, mumbling, "I'm gonna go wait outside here."
He opened the door just wide enough to squeeze through sideways and closed it again behind him.
Ron gave a heavy sigh. And we have a new winner for the weekend's most embarrassing moment contest. What kind of pervert is she going to think I am?
The door opened a few inches. "Ron?"
He cleared his throat. "Yeah, KP?"
"Here's your stuff. Now I'm gonna try to be fast but you know how that goes for me. So don't wander too far but find a comfortable place to sit."
"Okay."
"And keep your knee elevated!" she added just before the door clicked shut.
She doesn't sound too weirded out. Maybe she's so distracted right now, she didn't even notice. Sure, Ron, that's why she was about to start hyperventilating.
He pulled on his shirt and gloves and sat down on the nearest bench. Yes, I'm disobeying orders again because this is actually not a very comfortable place to sit. I suppose that's just as well because otherwise I might fall...
"Ron?"
His head lifted off his chest with a jerk. "Was that the bell?"
Kim's smiling face came into focus a few feet above him. "We aren't in school, Ron. This isn't even Middleton."
"Oh. Right." He stood up and asked, "Just what time is it now, anyway?"
"Not sure. I never did go back for my watch."
"Okay, KP. Give me a minute in the bathroom and we'll go find it."
Kim was able to maintain a slow, steady pace on the walk back inside the Whateley House. They had just returned to the second floor when a soldier approached them hurriedly.
"Ah, Miss Possible. The Major's been asking for you."
"Dude, we're undercover. Watch the use of her real name."
"It's all right, Ron." She gave the man a reassuring smile. "No harm done but we would prefer that the gentleman over there not learn too much about us. He lives in the town where we've been posing as tourists. Although after tonight it's probably going to be a lot harder to maintain that cover story."
The soldier looked around at Kirk and then back to Kim. "Well, so far all he has shown an interest in is getting a government job. If I hear one more question about dental co-pays... "
"I see the Major," said Kim. "We'll go talk to her." As soon as the two teens were alone again, she gave Ron a speculative look. "So, I'm thinking one of us needs to be designated as the Kirk sitter until GJ shows up."
"Yeah, 'one of us'."
"You seem to get along well with him."
"Not really." Even a sidekick has to draw the line somewhere.
"You'd be doing me a huge favor, Ron."
"I'm gonna stick with no, KP."
She tilted her head to one side and for a moment he wondered if her neck was also bothering her. Then her eyes became bigger and her lower lip started to protrude.
He turned his gaze away from her as if she had suddenly transformed into a Medusa but the image of the Puppy Dog Pout was seared into his brain.
"Gahhh! All right! Turn it off!"
"Thanks, Ron," Kim called out over her shoulder as she walked away. Well, that smile almost makes it worthwhile. Almost.
"Hey, there, Mr. G. How are you doing?"
"I haven't been attacked in more than thirty minutes and I'm very happy about that," Kirk Gleason remarked emotionlessly.
"Right. Y'know it just occurred to me that you have got to be starving, being locked up all that time."
"Three different soldiers offered me some of their emergency rations if I would leave them alone and that took the edge off."
"Okay, good. Thirsty?"
Kirk considered the canteen the teen held out. "How many feet would you need me to move away?"
"It's not like that, dude. No strings attached here."
Warily the man took the water container and after a moment of hesitation he drank from it for several seconds. When he started to give it back, Ron told him, "Don't rush yourself. Get it back to me later."
After a few more swallows, Kirk nodded appreciatively and said, "Thank you."
"Yeah, any time. So, Kirk, have you lived in Stars Hollow long?"
"All my life."
"And you're sure you don't know an Amy Hall?"
"Yes."
"Maybe you've seen her but didn't know what her name was." Ron described DNAmy in detail but Kirk again denied any knowledge of her.
"Well, in the last couple of weeks have you noticed any unusual or unexplained activity around town?"
"Only the Luke and Lorelai break up."
"No, I'm not asking for gossipy stuff. I'm talking about... Do you mean Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore?"
"Yes."
"Well, that is kind of interesting but what I want to know is... Uh, were they together long?"
"It depends on what you mean by together."
"How's that?"
Kirk said, "Luke and Lorelai have known each other for ten years now but they considered themselves 'just friends' for the first eight."
"Why do you say 'just friends' like that?"
"Because it's the term people in town always used when they talked about them. The true feelings Luke and Lorelai had for each other were always there below the surface."
"And finally they bubbled up?" asked Ron.
"They got engaged to be married last year but something happened recently and the wedding's off. I haven't been able to find out exactly what yet."
"So they're back to 'just friends', I guess."
"No. Avoiding each other completely. Lorelai doesn't come to the diner any more and she used to go as often as I do."
"Ten years of friendship is gone just like that?" Ron looked at Kirk but realized he couldn't provide an answer to the question.
"So what's the story with you and the redhead?" Not getting an immediate response, Kirk added, "You can tell me. I'm very good at keeping information on a need to know basis."
The teen stared at the man for several seconds, them over at Kim again and saw she was looking directly at him. That gave him a start until he realized that even with her exceptional hearing she was too far away to have made out any of their conversation.
"Come on over here, Kirk. Looks like something is going on."
They walked to where Kim was talking to the Major and Ron asked, "Is anything wrong?"
"Not really," said Kim. "Some of the DG soldiers out on the perimeter found a man approaching the house. He seems to be a local but we were wondering if Mr. Gleason might be able to identify him."
On the walk back outside Ron stayed close to Kim while Kirk was asking one of the Delta Green sergeants about retirement eligibility requirements. She was moving a little slower than was normal for her, and he noted that she kept a tight grip on the railing as they descended the stairs, but to a more casual observer there were probably no signs at all now of her injuries.
But I know different. And even if her physical condition wasn't an issue, it was just a few minutes ago that she came as close as I've ever seen to having a meltdown.
"Will you stop that!" Kim hissed at him.
"Stop what?" he whispered back, although he was perfectly aware of what was bothering her.
"Constantly watching me out of the corner of your eye, like I'm going to collapse any second now."
"Sorry," he replied in a tone that showed he wasn't. Laying on the sarcasm even thicker he added, "I guess I miss TV more than I thought."
She pointed a finger at him and made a slashing gesture to indicate he was to walk ahead of her.
"Kim, this is just-"
"Go!"
Her tone was harsh but a sudden upturn at the corners of her mouth told him she wasn't as angry as she seemed.
Ron started walking ahead and whenever he turned back to look at her, she would stop and not move again until he faced forward once more.
They rounded the rear corner of the Whateley House and a dozen yards beyond that a pair of soldiers were standing on either side of a man seated on the ground.
"Uh oh," said Ron.
"What's the mat-" Kim stopped abruptly when she saw Luke Danes. She turned to Ron and said in a low, aggrieved voice, "You know, there are supposed to be over nine thousand people in that town. Why do we keep running into the same handful?"
"The question is what do we do about this guy?" The indecision on her face prompted him to ask, "Want me to run back to get our packs? The wig and the beard, I mean."
Her eyes flicked down to his knee momentarily. "I don't think you're up to doing any running right now. And I know I'm not." Surprise must have showed on his face at the admission because her manner became more brusque, the way she sometimes got when embarrassed. Grabbing his sleeve, Kim dragged him forward while muttering, "Let's get this over with."
When the diner owner saw the four of them approaching, he started to stand up. This caused the soldier on his left to bark out an order to stay put and Luke reluctantly complied.
Kim said, "Sergeant, could you and your men give us a little space, please?"
The three soldiers moved back out of earshot although they maintained a visual observation.
Kim leaned down with her hand extended to Luke and pulled him to his feet. As he studied her face and then Ron's she said, "Hello, again, Mr. Danes. I told you we'd be seeing you some time today, but I didn't think it would be this soon or this far from Stars Hollow."
Recognition finally seemed to come to his features but he made no attempt to return her smile. "What the hell is going on here?"
Kim looked briefly at Ron, as if she needed a momentary respite from the anger showing on Luke's face. "What's going on is that you have accidentally stumbled into a Global Justice criminal investigation."
Luke pointed at each of the teens. "You two are actually cops?"
"Sort of," replied Kim, her smile replaced with a look of contrition.
"The donated food must have been good for a few laughs when you got back to the station."
"It wasn't like that at all," protested Ron.
"We were really touched by what you did for us," Kim added.
"Well, you're on your 'honeymoon'," he growled. "It was the least I could do."
"Dude, you're acting like this was all some kind of teenage prank to con you into giving us free food. We were not trying to play you." Ron considered his words for a moment and added quickly, "And we're not teenagers, either!"
Kim gave him a fast look of displeasure before turning back to Luke. "We are sorry, very sorry, that we mislead you about some things, but when you are on an undercover assignment you have to do that." Her smile came back, although not as brightly as before. "Even with the good guys."
Luke was silent for a long moment and when he spoke again most of the truculence was gone from his voice. Pointing at the house he asked, "Is Whateley in there now?"
Kim nodded.
"And he's under arrest?"
"Yes."
"What's he done?" Luke waved a hand to indicate the soldiers and their helicopters. "I don't think just being an eccentric hermit has brought in this kind of attention."
"I'm not the person who makes decisions about prosecution," said Kim evasively.
Kirk put his hands on Kim and Ron's shoulders. "And the details of this operation are for authorized personnel only."
"Like you, Kirk?" asked Luke skeptically.
"Well... "
"What the hell are you doing out here anyway? God knows why but Lulu has been worried sick about you."
Kirk dropped his hands to his sides again. "I would have called her but the goblins took my cell phone away."
"Did you say 'goblins'?" Without waiting for a response Luke turned to Kim. "Did he just say 'goblins'?"
"That-that's what I thought I heard."
Luke faced toward Ron who said, "Yeah, sorry, I've got a really short attention span."
Luke gave Kirk a thoughtful appraisal before asking the two teens, "Was he sleeping when you found him?"
Ron replied, "Actually he was."
"Now I understand at least part of what's going on here," murmured Luke.
"You mean my night terrors?" asked Kirk. He considered this for several seconds. "Well, if this has all been a dream, that would explain why I haven't had any panic attacks over the last few hours... "
Kim asked, "How did you end up out here, Luke?"
"I had a few hours to kill between sixteen hour work shifts this weekend and I thought, what the hell, I'll go out for a drive on some of the worst maintained roads in the State of Connecticut."
"He was looking for me," translated Kirk.
"That's right, Kirk. I was looking for you. And I found you. I'm not going to say right now whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, but it happened. And as it turned out, this night has been an educational experience for me. There were times in the past when I wondered what it would be like to stumble through a pitch black forest and suddenly have people jump out at me. Not just anybody, mind you, but guys wearing military uniforms I don't recognize, carrying weapons I don't recognize. I'm not sure why I didn't recognize those weapons because I know a little something about guns. Maybe it's just harder to identify weapons if they're being aimed at your head. There you go, another life lesson. So we have that and we have the new found knowledge that I don't particularly enjoy being told I'm going to have some new holes blown in me if I so much as hiccup."
"Okay, dude, better take a breath now," said Ron. Man, you could give ranting lessons to my mother.
Luke stared at the teen through narrowed eyes, then turned to Kim. "Am I allowed to go now?"
"Of course. Our sincerest apologies for the misunderstandings tonight."
"I'm regretting this before I even ask it, but can Kirk come with me?"
"Yes, you're certainly not prisoners. Umm, but before you go, and I know I'm really pushing things here, can I ask you two questions?"
Luke stood up very straight and eyed her with his head tilted back. "Go on."
"First, have you ever heard of a woman named Amy Hall?"
"No."
"Hmm. Second, is it still okay if Ron and I come back to the diner again this weekend?"
Luke scratched his bristly chin before answering softly that it was. He gave the two friends a slight nod and started to walk away. "Come on, Kirk. I'll give you a ride back to where I found your mother's car."
"So Luke, can I put you down as a reference on my application for Global Justice?"
"Yes you can, Kirk. As long as you promise to move away when they hire you."
"Actually, I hadn't considered the possibility of relocation. And I'm starting to have second thoughts about the working conditions, too. I mean if they make you go out on dangerous missions on your honeymoon, what would a regular work day be like?"
"Uh, yeah. Let's go break the news to Lulu, Kirk."
After the two men disappeared into a stand of trees, Kim said, "There's a little bit of Steve Barkin in that man."
"Kirk?"
"No! I mean Luke." Her eyes took on a mischievous glint. "Actually Kirk reminds me of someone else at my school."
"Right," said Ron taking his place next to her as they started back to the Whateley House.
"Yeah, I'm thinking there's probably a family connection here. I'll ask Wade to research it when he gets back."
"Uh huh. This person who's just like Kirk, have you known him long?"
Kim blew air through her lips. "It seems like forever."
"Oh, so he's kind of aggravating?"
"More often than not, yeah."
"Then why hang out with him at all?"
"I ask myself that very question like ten times a day."
"What answer do you come up with?"
"I don't. That's why I have to keep asking it over and over."
"And this person you know has absolutely no redeeming qualities?"
"Well, that's not fair. There actually is one thing in his favor."
"Okay."
"He has an awesome best friend."
When Ron didn't respond, Kim stopped walking and gave him a searching look. "You all right?"
He halted too, smiled and nodded. "I just have nothing to add to your last comment."
It seemed to Ron that she was disappointed that he wasn't going to play the teasing game with her this time. But being Kim, she chose to act otherwise.
"All right then. Good thinking. 'Cause this is not the time to give me any lip... Ronald." She brought her thumb and forefinger up close to his mouth and made pincer movements. "I've used these already this weekend and can do it again if necessary."
Kim seemed to sway slightly as she stood there studying his features. I have got to get you back to the Inn, KP. While you still have the energy to move at all.
"No lip, no way," he assured her.
"Wise move, Stoppable. I'm tired, and dirty, and a little bit - a tiny bit - sore. So if there's any more trash talk about Smarty-Mart or marshmallows on hot dogs, I just might have to kick your-"
Kim noticed he was looking past her and turned to see the Delta Green team leader walking toward them. Instantly the playfulness left her and she was all business again. "Major, were you able to get though to Global Justice?"
"Their choppers should be here within a few minutes."
"That's good news. Umm, Major, Ron and I are very grateful for your help this morning."
"You two didn't need any help from us. Except maybe some mops for the demon clean up."
Kim gave her the slightest of smiles. "Maybe, but you didn't know that when you diverted here from your own mission. Is that going to have to be postponed?"
"If the transfer goes smoothly we should still be okay."
"Transfer?"
"Transferring Whateley into whatever sort of holding cell GJ will be arriving with."
A cloud seemed to come over Kim's features. "Will, uh, will your unit be able to stick around for that?"
"Yes."
"Glad to hear it. He may only be a 'twenty-five percenter' but he's... uh... well, I'm glad, that's all."
Wanting to distract Kim from what seemed to be some troubling memories of her fight with Whateley, Ron said, "So Major, what exactly is your mission tonight?"
The woman glanced around their surroundings before stating, "We're headed for an island off the coast of Maine."
"Maine, cool. Give my regards to the señoritas."
Kim said, "Yes, well, anyway, at least Connecticut wasn't too much of a diversion for you. Can you give us any more details about your assignment?"
"That depends. What's your security clearance level?"
"Three."
"Damnation. The head of Delta Green is only a Four."
"I agree it's a bit excessive but see, last year, through a strange set of circumstances, we happened to save the head of the NSA from kidnappers two weeks in a row. I suppose they thought the clearance level was a good way to show their appreciation."
"And cash is just so impersonal," added Ron.
"Well, that's decided it for me," announced the Major. "I am a firm believer in interagency cooperation - that's why I'm here now for Christ's sake - and I don't want to ruffle anybody's feathers. But it's obvious you don't have an exclusive relationship with Global Justice."
"That's true," said Kim with just a hint of wariness in her voice. Ron noticed her left knee was slightly bent and that heel was not in contact with the ground.
She's back to trying to keeping her weight off of her left leg. Covertly.
"Listen, I respect GJ," said the Major. "Really I do. It takes a brave and dedicated person to accept the lethal force restrictions the UN imposes on that organization's staff. But I think they are out of their league with somebody like Whateley.
"What I'm going to propose then, is splitting up my unit so that there's a good sized contingent of DG personnel here to back up the Global Justice team."
"Won't that leave you short handed for your own assignment?" asked Kim.
"It will. That's why I'm going to request that you come along with us, Miss Possible. And you too, Mr... ah... You, too, young man."
After an awkward silence Kim said, "That's a very flattering request, Major." She turned to Ron but quickly looked away from the disapproving look he was giving her. "What-what exactly is the objective in Maine?"
"We have solid intel about a colony of Deep Ones starting up there."
"I see," Kim replied but Ron would have bet every Fearless Ferret DVD he owned that she had no more idea of what that meant than he did.
Another long moment passed without speech and the Major said, "I know I'm springing this on you at the last minute and if there is some sort of scheduling conflict here... "
"Actually, ma'am, the thing is-"
"Can you give us just one minute here, please?" requested Kim, cutting off Ron with a covert pinch of his nearest arm. She led him several feet away and positioned the two of them so neither was facing toward the Major.
"Kim, you can't even be considering the idea-"
"Ron, Ron, will you just give me a chance to say a couple of things here." She took a deep breath and a rueful smile came to her face. "I totally agree with you that the timing of this invitation is not great. We've had one of the roughest nights of our careers and should be on our way back to the Inn right now for about twelve hours of sleep. That's still coming, Ron. Just not as soon as we would like."
"Get a rain check, KP. Tell her you'll go to Maine another day."
"They don't need us later. They're asking for now."
"You've already done more than your share tonight. Let 'em find somebody else."
"We don't turn down requests for help, Ron. Not ever."
"There's a first for everything, Kim."
"No, not always."
"Kim, even you have your limits. It's time, long past time, for you to be off duty."
"Hmm. What was I saying before about a deja-vu moment?"
"But there's a big difference between now and back at the Inn a couple of hours ago."
"Which is?"
"There's nothing you could say or do that will make me change my mind about this. We're sitting this one out."
"Ron, think. We'll have the whole ride out to Maine to rest. All that time off my feet and my leg will be almost as good as new."
"Sorry, not buying it."
"Then we've got a New England Standoff here."
"I guess we do. So, who tells the Major we're not going, me or you?"
Her eyes flicked over to the team leader who was engaged in conversation with a few of her subordinates, then returned to his. In a low, solemn voice she said, "Ron, you're my best friend. You get to... care about me. You even get to tell me when you think I'm wrong about something. But that's as far as it goes. You don't have veto power over my decisions. Not now, not ever."
The sudden pounding of his heart made Ron's voice a little ragged but there was no hesitation to his words. "Wrong, KP. I've always had the ability to shut down your mission work. Right from the start. But this is the first time in all these years that I ever felt like I might have to use it."
"Just what exactly is it you're saying here, Ron?"
"That you are not going to put yourself into any more dangerous situations tonight."
"Or else what?" she demanded. In the harsh glare provided by the floodlights of the DG helicopters, he could recognize the signs of a rising fury on her features.
Ron pulled the cell phone out of his pocket, pressed the keypad eleven times, and held it up so she could read the display. He didn't know what number she expected to see there but apparently it wasn't the one for her own house back in Middleton.
If it weren't for the dizzy nausea that had come to him from the moment he had made up his mind to do this, the look of total surprise that appeared on Kim's face might almost have been comical. The color drained from her cheeks, her eyes got big, and her mouth formed a near perfect 'O'.
She staggered back a step or two, then her eyes narrowed and she found her voice again. "You actually call that number, Ron, and we're... I swear I'd... That would change things between us forever!"
"You think I don't know that already?"
"Then why, Ron? Why would you do this to me?"
The quaver in her words seemed to push his stomach up further into his throat. In a scarcely audible tone, he said, "I'm not doing it to you, Kim. I'm doing it for you."
She had no immediate reply to that and seconds later the throbbing rumble of multiple helicopter motors caused them to turn away from each other.
He watched Kim walk stiffly over to the DG field commander and they had a brief conversation. When the Major's face assumed a crestfallen expression, Ron knew Kim had given in to him.
Congratulations, Stoppable. You are now a successful blackmailer. Yeah, and by the way, the friendship that you always considered the most important thing in your life, that's gone forever.
(More author notes:
If anyone got the reference to Farmer, Eckert, and Lai, I'd love to hear from you. Actually, whether you did or not, feel free to write me. Just because I haven't made a point of asking for feedback before, doesn't mean I don't like hearing from readers. Good comments or bad, send them in.
Delta Green is the invention of Adam Scott Glancy, Dennis Detwiller, and John Tynes. It was designed to combat supernatural menaces like those that appear in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. FYI, the surname Legrasse, the Necronomicon, and the Deep Ones all come from Lovecraft's work.
Kirk Gleason and Luke Danes appear in the Gilmore girls television program which was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable were created by Mark Schooley and Bob McCorkle.
All of the above characters and concepts are used here without the permission of the respective copyright holders but admiration rather than financial gain is the motivation.)