I do not own any Disney characters named herein, and am only borrowing them to tell a nonprofit tale meant for entertainment purposes only.
Kim Possible: Marvels
By LJ58
21
"You okay, sweetie," a familiar face looked down at her as she slowly woke.
Green eyes fluttered, and Kim slowly opened her eyes at last as she stared around in confusion.
"My hands," she gasped, and lifted both hands to stare at them as if unsure they were real.
"The cybertronic regeneration seems to still be working," her father said gruffly as he sat in a chair near her bed, thumbing through a tech manual.
"Duh," the twins huffed. "We helped her build the nannites," Jim concluded. "Of course it still works."
"What about….the cancer," Kim asked uneasily.
"Still no sign of it returning. The cells may have been completely purged," Ann told her warmly.
The younger redhead groaned, and pushed herself upright, and lifted her hands again.
"Thank God. In that case, I need to…."
"Not just yet, young lady," Ann Possible cut her off with a formidable expression of her own that even Dr. Director could never manage. "You lost a lot of blood, and were severely injured. While you may have healed, you have yet to fully recover from that trauma, or the resulting dehydration," she added, nodding at the two IVs that were filled respectively with blood and saline.
"How long," she grumbled.
"At least forty-eight hours," Ann said with a firm nod.
"Mom, I may not have forty-eight hours."
"But….aren't you physically okay?"
"I'm okay," Kim told her father. "But I'm guessing Drakken is working with Gemini if Bebe is any indication. And if he could bend Viv's work to evil purposes, what might he do with something like my control bands?"
"Aren't they genetically coded to only work with you, though," James Possible frowned.
"That wouldn't stop someone like Drew, honey," Ann sighed. "She's right. Only she's also staying in bed. Whatever that sad, little man does or doesn't do is someone else's problem until you're fully recovered.
"Mom," she groaned.
"No arguments," she shot, and gently nudged her daughter back down onto her pillows.
"This tanks."
"Even you can't run off without recovering properly, Kimberly," Ann lectured. "And if you weren't so upset someone beat you, you'd understand that."
Kim's green eyes flared for a moment, and she glared potently.
"It's not that, mom. One, they cheated. Two, Betty Director may be trying to use GJ to take this freak out, but he and Drakken just made it personal," she spat.
The twins shared a knowing look, and Tim declared, "Well, we'll just be in the lab, and…let you rest."
"Right. Rest. Lots of rest," Jim smiled a goofy grin. "While we go have fun."
"Tweebs," she grumbled as their father only chuckled.
"Sounds like you should be fine, Kimmie-Cub. I'll just leave you to your rest," he said, snapping his manual closed as he rose. "I have the niftiest idea for hydraulic flow sensors I want to try implementing before they launch the new Kepler."
"Fine," she grumbled.
"I mean it, Kim," Ann eyed her sternly as she started to turn to go, "You stay in bed, and rest."
"Okay," she muttered, and turned over to stare at the wall in her room. The one with a poster of the world on it, and the telling statement that declared 'Only You Can Help!'
She knew it was an ecological message, but she had taken it to mean much more when she had found it at an environmental summit. She loved the simplicity of the message, and the fact they showed the globe as a single world, without cutting it up into all the silly distinctions everyone loved to stress without cause.
Sometimes it seemed that only she saw that they were all one people. One family. That what hurt one, hurt them all. Just as helping one, helped everyone.
She sighed, and heard her door close.
She lay there another full minute, and listened carefully.
It was closer to two minutes before the sound of her mother's steps departing could be heard. Kim was out of bed, pulling out her IV lines, and heading for her closet the moment she heard the first steps. It was the effort of just a moment, but she quickly confirmed her fears she couldn't access the Armor Protocols without her bands. Unfortunately, they were one of a kind, too, and unlikely to be duplicated anytime soon. Certainly not in time to help her.
She eyed her room, and after a moment's pause she rummaged through a lot of her clothing before she pulled out the set she had not worn in years. Not since that insane Olympics sitch that had almost had her trapped in a hostile nation, and escaping with her friend's family by the skin of her teeth.
Still, she knew a lot of people had been furious over her daring. It wasn't long after that she knew that she had suddenly contracted a rare cellular cancer. She froze, eyeing the sturdy, purple top with the equally sturdy cargos she once favored.
Had Gemini been one of those that she had angered? She knew she had blundered into a real doomsday scenario that time since the man she had rescued was held in a secret lab of some kind which had blown up in her wake. Suppose, she now mused somberly, Gemini had been involved? From what she had learned during her brief stint at Global Justice, the guy was seriously in spite, and overblown payback.
"Looks like this one might just be more personal than even I knew," she frowned, even as she considered that Betty had to know if it were true, or not, and yet never gave her a word of warning.
She grumbled for a moment, but then shrugged, and pulled on her clothes, selecting a pair of her favorite hiking boots with the reinforced steel toes, and climbing cleats installed. She eyed herself in the mirror, and then smiled.
"Now, I just need a few essential items," she murmured, and went over to carefully open the door, and eye the hall both ways.
Five minutes later she was in her personal lab after using the air ducts in the building to bypass the usual security, and ensure her mother didn't find out she was bailing too soon.
The redhead was sifting through old equipment when the door behind her suddenly opened, and she heard a smug voice declare, "Told you she was already here."
She spun around to find her brothers walking into her lab, carrying a small box.
"You win this bet," the other boy grinned. "Even I thought she'd wait at least another hour," Tim told his sibling as they closed the door, and grinned her way.
"You're not going to rat on me," Kim asked guardedly.
"Are you kidding? This is personal. No one takes on a Possible. Not without consequences. We have our satellite back tracing every suspicious flight, and any activity for the past two weeks. We're also using that special signal to confirm a few things. By the time we finish equipping you, sis," Jim smiled.
"You'll be ready to seriously kick ass, and get our tech back from those posers," Tim finished.
"Equipping me?"
"Well, you obviously don't have access to Armor's systems just yet," Tim huffed.
"How did you know….?
"Please," Jim laughed. "If you could still activate the Centurion Systems, you'd already be flying out to take some serious payback. Trust us, though, we cobbled together a few things to help you get by until you get your bands back."
"Oh, really," she murmured, eyeing the small box they put on a lab table between them.
"Oh, yeah," Tim smiled, and opened the small case.
"First up, a new and improved Kimmunicator based on your own work. It'll amp your base strength tenfold. It's not Centurion level, but it will help amp your speed, and reflexes, too. It also has an onboard grapple, so you can toss that silly hair dryer you were about to pack…."
"My grapple is not silly," she frowned at Jim, eyeing her first personal invention she had created when she was ten that lay nearby the things she was considering. "It's….unique."
"More like an antique," Jim and Tim both snorted.
"Okay, okay. So it's a bit clunky," she admitted. "It still works."
"Ours is steamlined, and built-in. Also, we have a special ring with a multi-purpose blue laser built in to the stone. Just press the sides between your fingers, and you activate it after you press the stone down. Just release your fingers to switch it off," Jim said as he pulled out the Kimmunicator band like those she had given her former team, and a small apparent class ring.
"Power source?"
"Nanno-fusion power cell. It's good for days until you have to recharge the battery," Jim grinned.
"I suggested that one. It beats solar, since you might be in the dark sometimes."
"True," Kim nodded.
"One last thing," the boys said as one, Tim concluding by saying, "We also put in stealth mode, but it's limited. Five minutes max. Because most of the tech went to building the magnetic soles and gloves that let you climb any surface."
"But if some surface isn't metallic…."
"Any surface," the boys said as one.
Jim chortled.
"Our own newest invention," the boy crowed. "We created a molecular pulse that magnetizes any surface sufficiently to let you climb up it like taking the stairs," he grinned in tandem with his twin. "And it's all neural-based tech, so you already know how to use, and activate it. Now, ready for the last bit," Jim asked as he reached into the small box again.
"Let's have it," she said, sliding on the ring, and the Kimmunicator without saying anything else.
"This one has four levels," Tim said as Jim pulled out what seemed a small water pistol with a tuning fork barrel.
"Level one, a basic EMT pulse. The emitter fires a pulse that gives you a five hundred yard perimeter of destruction," Jim smiled happily.
"I take it…."
"Anything except our tech is instantly shut down," Jim smiled on.
"I put in level two," Tim grinned. "A turbo-taser that can be adjusted to knock out up to ten grown men with a single burst."
"Spankin'," Kim had to smile as she considered how handy that could be at times. "I'll have to incorporate that one into my Armor when I get it back."
The boys nodded, and then Tim added, "Levels three and four get serious. Level three is a lethal pulse that shuts down human neurology. Complete brain death."
"Whoa," the redhead paled.
"Needless to say, the 'rents don't know about that," Tim told her.
"Or level four. A genuine, and fully functional disintegration ray. Well, technically."
"Technically?"
"The pulse kind of opens a dimensional rift, sucks anyone or anything targeted into it, and poof, instant vaporization. Dimensionally speaking."
"How did you even think of….?"
"Please," Jim huffed. "It's just an extrapolation of a basic EMP amplified to increase wave frequencies to higher levels. We found out in research it opened that disintegration portal….."
"If they're being pulled into a portal, how is that disintegration….?"
"Well, based on our probes we used to test it," Tim told him, "Anything hit destabilizes at the molecular level, and the resulting particles are then sucked into the vortex that simultaneously opens. So, don't use level four unless you want to permanently vapor anything you target?"
"Right. I'm surprised the military isn't all over you for this one," she said with a grimace.
"Please. Even we don't publish all our findings. We save the best stuff for ourselves," Jim chortled again.
"Hicka-bicka-boo," Tim grinned.
"Hoo-shaw. Anyway, we'll just check the satellite, and get you started, because we should have a general idea of where the Control Bands are since we do have quantum beacons installed, and we can track the pulse."
"I almost forgot about that," she realized, and slid the innocuous weapon into her leg pocket on her cargos with a few other tools she was bringing along just in case.
"Well, obviously, they didn't know about it, since the signal was moving the minute we started tracking it. The amateurs didn't even try blocking it. Once they settle, we'll know where they are, and maybe where that loon Drakken is, too," Tim nodded.
"I'm going to have to borrow transportation, too," Kim frowned now. "Think dad will miss the Roth."
"No need," the boys grinned again. "Trust us," Jim added.
"We have our own hyper-turbo," Tim beamed.
"Fully decked-out," Jim added.
"Most awesomely rocket-powered ATV in the world," they finished.
"Really?"
"Hey, we can call it….."
"The Kimminator," Jim finished, and they high-fived as Kim mouthed, Kimminator?
"It's got power to spare," Tim explained.
"Can drive, fly, even go submersible,"
"I'm pretty sure it could go suborbital, too," Tim put in, "But we haven't tested it yet," he admitted.
"Do you have an operator's manual," she asked earnestly.
"No need," Jim smirked.
"We put our new AI into the computer systems, so just tell ANI where you want to go. Boom, she's there."
"Annie," Kim frowned.
"A-N-I," she was told. "Autonomous Neural Interface. A fully aware, self-learning AI," Tim beamed. "She's great."
"I'll bet dad doesn't know about it."
"Her. Her," Tim stressed as Jim only rolled his eyes. "And are you kidding? He'd want to stick her in one of his rockets, and blast her into space for those posers at NASA. No way are we doing that to our baby," he declared hotly.
"I'm not complaining."
"So, that's it," Jim said, pulling out what looked like an oversized PDA, and checking it. "Think you can manage alone on this one, or would you like us to follow you?"
"I think I've got this one," Kim said, eyes narrowing as she patted her pockets. "So, hangar?"
"Roof," Jim smiled. "We park her there so no one realizes we're taking off when we head out."
"You are clever," she laughed now, heading for the door, then pausing, and eyeing the air vents again.
"Stealth, genius, remember?" both boys sniggered.
"Oh, like you never forget anything," she sputtered, and activated her new Kimmunicator, and the battlesuit flowed around her.
"Blue and white," she sputtered, eyeing herself. "I look like a race car," she scowled at the blue stripes down the white material.
"We didn't think much about colors. It was design happenstance," Tim shrugged.
"Whatever," she declared. "Tell me you have the coordinates?"
"They stopped moving as of five minutes ago," Jim nodded, and held out his PDA. I'll transmit the coordinates to ANI, and you can jet as of now," he told her.
"Thanks, Tweebs."
"Just make sure you teach those freaks you don't mess with a Possible," both teens growled.
"Oh, you can count on that one," she said.
She vanished an instant later, and the door opened, closed, and then she was gone.
"Haven't seen that look in her eyes since Bonita told her didn't belong on the cheer squad," Jim chortled.
"Someone is going down," Tim agreed.
"I'll keep tracking her through ANI. If we need to back her up….."
"Boys," their father met them before they managed three steps from Kim's lab.
"Dad."
"Let's talk about that EMP gun of yours, shall we," he asked ominously.
"You….overheard that one," they grimaced as one.
"You do recall that the house AI monitors for key words since that Barkin incident. Like death. Lethal. Gone," he stressed knowingly.
"Uh, well," Tim stammered.
"It was an accidental discovery," Jim cut in, nodding vehemently. "And we only tested it on probes. No humans."
James Possible nodded. "All the same, I want to see everything you have on it. Just in case."
"No big, dad," the pair relaxed slightly.
"Meanwhile," James said a little too casually for either of them. "Let's also discuss how you aided and abetted letting your sister run off."
Both of them grimaced as they heard, "Yes. Let's discuss that one now," as they cringed at the sound of their mother's voice from behind them.
"Busted," they murmured, sharing a look of impending doom.
~KP~
"Damn," Shego said, eyeing the remains of the Go Tower that looked like it had been torn apart in a virtual battle. The damning scorch marks had her growing suspicious, but then she saw a broken weapon, and lifted it, and eyed the device, and swore again.
"What is that," Ron asked.
"I'm not sure, but it's obviously Electronique's work."
"Electro-who," Ron asked.
"One of the Team's old enemies. That woman was a loon even before she gained powers, and now she could turn an electric toothbrush into a doomsday weapon without trying. That's beside her own electrical powers that are strong enough to even knock down Hego," Shego told her team.
"Evidence suggests he still resisted," Android pointed out.
"Obviously. But there's no telling what she did to the other boys. Or why."
Android eyed the device she held, and then told her, "Initial scans indicates the likelihood the device was simply a high-powered pneumatic syringe. One that likely delivered the mind-control tech we found in Hego's head," he told her. "It is notable that it carried a cartridge with five devices. Only one remaining."
"Did they think I'd be here, too," she frowned, eyeing the device that began to melt even as her hands flared into energetic life.
"My scan also indicates that it was damaged, likely after firing the fourth round."
"Well, no one is using that thing again," she growled, letting the molten metal drop at her feet.
"Sentry, come in," Wade's voice chirped over their comms.
"Go," Shego barked.
"I have an update you're going to want to know about, guys," the scientist told them.
"What's up," Shego asked. "Any lead on my brothers?"
"No," the potentially dangerous man told her. "I got a report that Viper attacked the consortium Kim was lecturing at yesterday. The report just reached us."
"Did she capture anyone," Patriot asked.
"Actually, they cut off her hands, and stole her Centurion Control bands. Her family took her home soon after, but at last report, she was in bad shape," Wade told them far too somberly.
Even Bonnie was pale before the man finished speaking, and Ron cringed, echoing, "They cut off her hands?"
"Her bands. They must have been after her tech after they realized what they could do," Shego realized.
"It won't do them any good," Android told her. "The bands are genetically coded to only work on, and for Kimberly's unique metabolism. Recall, they are merely regulators for the cybertronic tech implanted in her cells that keep her healthy, and stable."
"Damn. So, even if she survived, she's helpless now," Brick asked.
"KP? Helpless," Ron frowned.
"Whatever else, it does give us a viable lead," Android put out.
"Correct," Wade went on. "Even I know enough to know that Kim uses a quantum fusion cell inherent to the alien Centurion tech salvaged, and it has an energy pulse we can track if it's not being cloaked."
"What if it is cloaked," Shego grumbled, used to being disappointed.
"Again, the cloaking aspect is operational only if Kim is in possession of the bands, and using them," Wade told her. "Right now, I have a very clear signal, and it's leading us right to whoever took them."
"Viper," they all hissed.
"Load up. I'll seal off the tower for now, and we'll go find out what's going on," Shego snapped. "Because it's obviously not good news if they're trying to use Red's tech to build their own Armors."
"Could they do that," Ron asked.
"Unlikely. Still, there is one danger you're overlooking," Android pointed out.
"What danger?"
"That Kimberly herself beats us to whoever took her bands," the android scientist pointed out quite blandly.
"But….wouldn't she be in the hospital now. Uh, without hands," Ron asked.
"Load up," Shego snapped. "Wherever she is, and whatever is going on, the answers aren't here. Let's go find out if that one-eyed weasel finally slipped up," she said with a cold, feral smile.
To Be Continued…