I do not own the characters named herein from either Disney, or D.C., and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only.
Kim Possible: Sacrifices
By LJ58
12
Kim walked into the cave after changing on the way down, and froze when he realized it wasn't empty. Nor was it Bruce standing there in a dark costume as stopped, and realized a stranger was talking to Alfred.
"…..really need to see…..Bruce," the tall stranger in a black, form-fitting suit with a birdlike motif was saying as he paused, turned to frown at her, and asked in a lower voice. "I thought Barb quit."
Alfred barely glanced at her, in full costume as Bruce insisted when in the cave now, and merely drawled, "That is not your former companion, sir. That is….someone else."
"I didn't think he was taking new partners."
"I rather doubt he…..conscripted this one. She simply showed up, and added herself to the master's extracurricular activities. Much like someone else, as I recall."
The man eyed Kim again, and shook his head.
"Still, isn't she kind of young….?"
Alfred didn't bat an eye.
Kim, as Vixen, walked forward, and stood before him, eyeing him up, and down.
"You look like someone I should know. Have we met?"
"Well…"
"My mistake. All you pretty-boys look alike," Kim scoffed. "Alfred, I'm going out. I've got something I need to check on," she said, touching something on her gauntlet as she spoke.
"As you wish, Miss. I shall inform the master when he checks in," he replied as blandly as ever.
"Good. Thank you."
She glared at the costumed stranger, and then walked over to the side of a chasm, and jumped.
"Hey!"
Even as he watched, the girl vanished, then the sound of muted turbines sounded, and he noted the access hatch for the Batwing opened, but he saw nothing leaving. Or entering. Just a rush of wind, and the faint hum of engines from an unseen vehicle.
"What was that," Dick, as Nightwing exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, Master Dick," Alfred told him. "It's really not my place to say."
"Does she have something to do with that Possible girl Bruce took in," he asked curtly.
"As I said, sir….."
"Fine. Fine. I swear, sometimes you can be as bad as….."
"Alfred," a curt tone sounded over the computer's radio link just then. "I need you to run a search for me. Now."
"As you wish, sir," he replied after walking over to answer. "And what has attracted your attention tonight?"
"Check out any links between Sheldon Director, Ra's, and Janus, Industries. That name kept coming up, and I am beginning to suspect it has something to do with Ra's," the Bat's voice growled. "Has Vixen come in yet?"
"Yes, sir. She just left. Something about an errand."
"I see."
"And by the way, Master Dick stopped by….."
"Batman," Dick cut in. "Nightwing. I've had a lot of activity with gangs over in Bludhaven of late. Only they aren't fighting. They're organizing. I thought you might know what was going on, but now Alfred just mentioned….."
"Yes. He's in play again. I thought we would have more time after his last bit of folly. Apparently, not."
"So, who's this Director character."
"The man that arranged for the murder of the Possibles."
"And the girl with the attitude that just took off out of here in an invisible…..something?"
"Need to know," the Bat shot back. "Right now, no one needs to know."
"Right," Nightwing murmured as he shook his head. "So, business as usual? What about those gangs?"
"Another piece of the puzzle. We've been trying to figure out what Ra's is up to, and it looks like all the area gangs have been organizing here, too. Check with your friends. See if other cities have area gangs behaving atypically, too? This could be one part of a greater plan knowing these madmen."
"I'll get…on it," he sighed, the channel already closed.
"He hasn't changed much, has he," he complained to Alfred.
"Did you really expect change, sir," Alfred asked dryly.
"Right," he sighed. "So, he's really keeping his cousin here?"
"For the moment. She has a penchant for going her own way, though."
"I've heard. When I checked up on her, I couldn't believe what I found. No wonder someone targeted her."
"I suspect there is something more than her heroic diversions involved. As does Master Bruce," Alfred admitted.
"It's not connected…."
"That has yet to be discerned. You'll have to ask the master of that."
"So, where is she now? Or do I already know," Nightwing asked.
"I believe she's likely just left school by this hour. Given her usual routine, she is likely 'hanging out,' as the kids say."
"Not in a while, Alfred."
"Well, slang is not really my forte," the man drawled. "Now, I've work to attend. The young lady is much like you were, Master Dick. She doesn't know what cleanliness is, either," he complained blandly.
Dick tried not to smile as Alfred simply turned, and walked away.
He didn't fool him for a minute, though. The old faker liked having someone to clean up after. Bruce was so rarely around, he knew there was never much for him to do. Alfred was just a doer, and he wasn't happy unless he did have something to do, or someone to take care of.
Still, knowing Possible's reputation after that web-search on her, was she really just…..hanging out?
He considered the masked girl, and the invisible vehicle, and shook his head.
Wasn't her style, he knew from studying her web site, which was pretty inclusive so far as he could tell. Then again, Bruce had a way of molding people around him.
But if they wanted to play mysterious…..?
Well, that was Bruce's style, too.
Walking over to the computer, he first contacted Kid Flash, then sent a message to Victor. Only then did he bother calling the Big Capes via the League, and asked if they had noticed anything. Because if Ra's was involved with anyone, or anything, he knew it was going to end up being a global threat. That man was nothing, if not consistent.
On impulse, he went back to the inventory, and checked the recent vehicle maintenance records, and status.
Batman had nothing that could explain the invisible craft that had flown out of that chasm. So, who, and what was it? Really?
KP
Kim was about to leave class when she heard three of the boys behind her talking.
"I'm telling you, the Dragons are recruiting, and they are paying, dudes," someone was telling his companions. "Hard cash."
"You mean the Golden Dragons? I thought they were all Asian hardcore types. Not community employer types," someone commented.
"Maybe they decided to get with the program, and bring in locals? Who cares," the voice went on. "They are paying cash," the boy stressed. "I made five hundred just last night."
"For what," someone asked. "I don't want no trouble. You know the Bat is all over these guys all the time?"
"The head guys, maybe. But all we're doing is unloading barges, and distributing the goods."
"What goods? I ain't doing drug crap," the same boy complained. "No matter what it pays."
"No drugs. Don't know what it is, but it ain't drugs. Heavy boxes, and lots of them, and that's why they need extra bodies. They need them shipped all over town."
"Why?"
"Don't matter. I don't care. It pays, dude. You been trying to save up for that car, ain'tcha? So, here's your chance. It's real cash, dude."
"Count me in," the third boy finally added. "Hell, my old man ain't gonna help me even pay for college. I gotta get some extra green, or I'm stuck frying dead cows for life."
"How 'bout you, Jake?"
The second boy sighed heavily.
"I don't know….."
"You wuss. C'mon. No one will bother you. We're just unloading boxes, and delivering them. The Bat won't even be around. Let's go."
"Where," the boy finally asked.
"Dock Nine. Four sharp. You in, or out? Guaranteed cash, bro," the first boy grinned.
"I'll…..think about it."
"You're in, or your out," the first boy spat. "But you rat, and you're dead. Got that? Dragons don't play."
"Screw it. I'm out. I've got a scholarship anyway," the boy said, stalking off.
"Yeah," the spokesman sneered. "See how far that gets you."
"I'm in. Let's go," the other said.
"Hold on. Possible, what did you hear," the big boy from the back of the class demanded as he stopped beside her, roughly grabbing her shoulder to shake her where she had been sitting, just staring out the window.
"Huh? What," she mumbled, looking as if she had just woke up.
"Forget her," the other boy at his side sneered. "She's still messed up from her fam getting whacked.
"I saw her fight a few days ago. She didn't look messed up."
Kim stared at him.
"What are you talking about? Are you following me," she asked coldly, rising to her feet after shaking his hand off.
"Never mind," the third boy told her. "Roy was inviting us to a party after school. How about you? Up to it?"
"I don't party," she muttered, and reached for her backpack. "Especially not with Neanderthals," she huffed.
"I don't think she was even paying attention to us," the boy said as all three walked out one direction, and she went the other.
"Maybe. Better keep an eye on her. Just in case she tries any of that hero crap."
"Her? Like I said, she's messed up. I didn't see her fight, but I heard that green woman kicked her butt."
"I was there. It was close. Real close."
Kim was out of range of their voices after that, but she was already moving faster.
She opened her Kimmunicator band, activated her Roth, and arranged for it to fly cloaked to her position. She had, at least, talked Alfred out of picking her up with the Rolls of late. That was an attention magnet she didn't really like.
She usually walked, or just took a bus out to the manor.
Today, she was in more of a hurry.
Only when she arrived at home, Bruce wasn't around, and Alfred with some new guy in a mask.
Not sure if he was the trustworthy type, even if he was in the cave, she put a wall, and just kept the guy from getting too personal. Frankly, she had trouble with guys anyway. Ron was an exception, and after all her issues with dating, and other complications, she wasn't ready to change her current standing.
Ron.
She was going to have to talk to him, again, too. Things had gotten way past complicated, and of late, she just didn't feel…..anything any more.
It didn't help that her entire life had been bulldozed.
Or that she had not seen her best friend since forever since that night she went ballistic on him.
She shoved those thoughts aside, and chose to focus on her current mission.
Putting even the pretty-boy from her mind, she drew the Roth in, still cloaked, into the cave since Batman was still away. She jumped in, and took off, not giving anything else but Dock Nine her consideration.
"Go," the Bat's low growl sounded when she opened his channel.
"It's Vixen. I'm headed for the Docks. Dock Nine."
"Why," he demanded.
"I overheard something interesting in class."
"Could be a trap," he immediately pointed out.
"More than possible, no pun intended," she added curtly. "I overheard three boys talking about the Golden Dragons hiring muscle to unload barges, and deliver mystery crates throughout the city. They might have been testing me, but it won't be Kim Possible that shows up either way. Still….."
"If Ra's and Gemini are behind the gangs organizing, this may be a lead. Observe only. I'm on my way. We want to see where these crates are going."
"Understood. I'm cloaked, and I'll stay that way. Call when you arrive, or you won't see me."
The Bat said nothing, but the channel was closed anyway as Vixen flew low over the city, headed for the city docks.
She dropped down behind several piles of huge shipping containers, and climbed out of the car, her own battle-suit now cloaking her, and stayed low all the same as she moved to a position overhead where she could see, and hear the more than fifteen teens gathered at a dock where a long, but only half-loaded barge was just nudging the docks.
Behind them, in the shadows, five men in gang colors were watching with automatic weapons at the ready.
Her IFR scanner in the visor picked out two more bodies on nearby rooftops, both holding sniper rifles.
She noted the location of every body, and sent the feed directly to the Roth's onboard AI to transmit to the Batman. She moved lower, and listened long enough that she knew the gang members weren't talking.
Not a word.
She glanced back when she was three trucks rumbling down the narrow drive lined by crates, and containers, and saw more older teens behind the wheels.
Likely, she now guessed, to keep anyone from guessing this was a gang operation.
"'Bout time you got here," the boy from class demanded even as the stacks of crates on the dock grew as the boys set to unloading quickly, and without debate. "You're behind schedule."
"Pileup down on the interchange," the first driver complained, jumping out to open the back. "We had to wait for them to clear it."
"Never mind. Let's get these boxes loaded, and out of here, before someone notices us."
"No one's gonna notice us," the driver smirked. "We've been doing this for weeks. We're under everyone's radar. Even the Bat don't know about us."
"Don't mention him," one of the gang members spoke now. "To mention that devil, is to draw his gaze."
"Superstitious, much," the older teen laughed.
"He's right," the boy from class said. "They say that guy ain't human. Who knows what he can really do?"
"He's human," someone else sniffed. "I seen him almost killed once. He's not so tough."
"Silence," the gang member spat. "Do your job, and say no more."
"Whatever," the boy obviously filled with bravado huffed.
"Let's just do the job, and get gone," the second driver complained. "JoJo's right. We are behind schedule."
Kim waited until the first truck was about to pull out, and pointed her left arm at the canvas cover of the old cargo truck. Her Kimmunicator loaded the pneumatic dart armed with a tracker, and fired it from her vantage point.
She eyed her Kimmunicator, and noted the faint dot glowing on a GPS grid she brought up, and nodded. Arming another dart, she fired a second tracker.
She was about to arm a third when a voice crackled in her ear.
"I'm here."
Whispering softly, she told him her location, and what she had done.
"Tag the truck, just in case, but we're intercepting it. The first two can deliver, and lead us to their destinations. We need to know what they're delivering, though. Be ready to move."
"Truck's tagged," she growled. "I've got the driver," she side, standing up, and racing for the edge of the roof even as the driver was climbing into the cab of the last truck as a teen shut the back of the cargo truck.
"I'm….taking the snipers now. Be wary of the….."
"On it," she said, and jumped.
The driver was just settling into the seat when something slammed into the hood of his truck.
"What the hell?"
"The Bat," someone shouted, looking around even as one of the nearby men fired at something, but they saw only shadows in the setting sun.
"No," Vixen growled, dropping her cloak, and staring through the windshield at the man, going for shock. "I'm worse," she said, and smashed her gloved hand through the glass, grabbed the man, and flung him out of the truck.
The surviving guards were shouting for backup even as they came running, and the teens scattered like roaches, several diving into the water to try to escape.
Kim jumped over the truck, dropped both feet into the nearest teen trying to run, and noticed it was Roy. The boy from class recruiting his friends.
She dropped him quickly with a combination, and left him as she somersaulted into the open truck, and saw only one teen between her, and the stack of crates.
"You…. You're not…. Batman. Who are you," he wailed, not even trying to fight.
"You're worst nightmare," she growled, and knocked him senseless by slamming his head into a nearby crate.
"Nice line," the Bat grumbled as he climbed into the truck behind her.
"I was about to check….. Whoa," she said, eyeing the crate she had just pulled open with a slight amping of her muscles to give her a grip that could pull off the wooden cover.
Nails creaked, and wood splintered, and then they were staring down into a box filled with gleaming, black steel.
"Those are military," the Batman said coolly. "Experimental ordinance."
"I've seen them before," Vixen admitted. "Blue lasers. They fire high intensity bursts that cut…..anything."
"Who had them," she was asked. Although the words were more demand than query.
"Army officers, in the real Area 51."
The Batman's jaw clenched.
"And now they're here? I don't see that as coincidence. Someone is selling them."
"Someone inside," Vixen agreed.
"We need to check….."
"I have an idea," she told him. "If you don't mind me calling Wade for this one?"
"Follow through. Then meet me at the first truck's coordinates. I'm going to track it."
"What aobut the….."
"The police are inbound. They'll pick up the rable," he growled, and launched himself out of the truck after tucking one of the sidearms into his belt.
On impulse, she took one herself, and then went stealth again even as the first police cars came screaming up.
Even as she fired her grapple to carry her up to the roof, and back to the Roth, she heard a detective complain loudly, "Let me guess, the stinkin' Bat?"
She smirked at that, and kept going.
"Wade," she called once back in the Roth.
"Kim," he asked uncertainly.
She pulled back her mask, the Roth still cloaked anyway, and nodded. "I need a favor, Wade. It's big."
"Uh, does he know?"
"He knows. We just intercepted a shipment of military-grade blue lasers. They're being shipped through area gangs. I've got a serial number from one, but see if you can find out how they're getting out here. The last time I saw any of these….."
"I know," he nodded. "They weren't supposed to even be in production yet. Certainly not outside of….that place," he said, not even mentioning the name of the very real, top secret military research center.
"Find out. It looks like it may be a big part of this puzzle."
"I'm on it, Kim. You know you can still count on me," he told her.
"Wade. For now, call me Vixen," she told him. "Kim Possible is still incognito."
"Uh, right, Ki…. Vixen. Right," he said as she watched him pull her mask back on before the picture on his monitor switched off.
Kim adjusted her visor again, and then started the Roth, easily pinging the first two signals, and following the first.
"I'm moving," she reported through Batman's frequency.
"You have the first signal?"
"I'm flying toward it now."
"The second?"
"Headed west, toward...looks like Bludhaven."
"Nightwing was asking about gang activity earlier," he remarked.
"Nightwing, huh? That was the pretty-boy in the cave?"
"A….former acquaintance. He can be trusted."
"I've learned not to trust pretty-boys," Kim scowled.
Batman said nothing to that.
"I'll call him. Tell him what we've found so far. He can track the second truck when it reaches Bludhaven."
"Your call," she said. "I just want Gemini."
Batman said nothing to that, either.
To Be Continued…..