Chapter 21: Revenge
Ron stepped out of the dressing room and approached the Upperton University swimming pool. He paused for a few moments, watching his fiancée swimming laps. At this early hour, he would much rather be either sleeping or eating. Come to think of it, his favorite activity would have been to be sleeping and dreaming about eating. However, watching Kim swimming laps was a pretty good consolation.
It wasn't that she was wearing a provocative swimsuit. Actually, her competition style one-piece was modest. However, like he had noticed a couple of months ago when he took Hanna skating on Christmas Eve, Kim looked her best when she was dressed casually and doing something she enjoyed. As with any physical activity, she was the picture of grace and efficiency; her smooth movements giving only the slightest hint of the sheer strength Ron knew her limbs possessed. Finally shaking himself out of the very pleasant contemplation, he walked up to the edge of the pool and waited for Kim to reach the end of her lap.
While waiting, he gave the on-duty lifeguard a slight wave. The collegiate junior waved back, with a guilty expression. Ron had no doubt that the lifeguard had also been staring at Kim. To his surprise, he was actually all right with the idea. If he couldn't stop staring at Kim, he couldn't blame another guy for not being able to peel his eyes away. Besides, the guy was supposed to watch the swimmers and Kim was the only person in the pool.
"Aren't you a little overdressed for swimming laps?" Kim asked, as soon as she reached the end of the pool. Ron was in mission gear.
"I just got a call," Ron shrugged. "Dr. Director wants me to talk to someone. She says that it'll be a guy talk kind of thing and at GJ Headquarters, so it's probably best that I take it solo."
"Hey!" A shout sounded from his pocket.
"Sorry Rufus, it's best that the two of us deal with it."
"Fair enough," Kim shrugged.
"Y'know KP," Ron mused. "This isn't a very typical way of spending the first day of spring break. I mean, swimming is typical but it should be at a warm beach, not in a university pool."
"The squad has competitions coming up," Kim reminded him. "So I have to be here to work out. Since we work out in the afternoons, it gives me time to swim laps in the morning."
"Okay, that makes sense but why the ice?" Ron gestured to a corner of the poolroom, where a pushcart held several large, empty plastic bags. "Why did you dump four hundred pounds of ice into the pool before you started swimming?"
"I thought you were going to join me."
"Okay, that one went right over my head."
Kim glanced at the lifeguard, noting that he had hopped out of his elevated seat and wandered to the far corner of the room once she had started talking to Ron. He was clearly a decent sort, giving them some privacy once they started to talk.
"Ms. Hatchett's going to be staying in the house all through Spring Break," Kim told her fiancé.
"I knew that."
"Haven't you been feeling a little…frustrated…because she's around?"
"More than a little," Ron admitted.
"Cold water sort of squelches the drive, at least in me."
"I'm still not getting the picture."
"Let's just say that if you were to put on your suit and jump into a warm pool with me, it would be like dangling a raw steak in front of a shark."
Kim delivered her message with an absolutely smoldering expression, causing most of Ron's higher brain functions to shut down.
"Head in the game, Ron," she told him. "Remember your mission."
"Uh…yeah…mission."
"When's your ride picking you up?"
"There won't be a ride," Ron grumbled, forcing his brain to operate again. "Dr. Director said that I should just walk towards the Student Union building and GJ would take care of the rest."
"Transport tube?"
"Most likely. I hate those things!"
"Buck up Ron, it's for a good cause. Are we still on for sparring this evening?"
"We should be. I can't picture a 'talk to a troubled youth' mission taking very long. If Lisa doesn't drive you into exhaustion, I'll be ready."
"Good enough. One last thing."
Kim gave a strong kick and rose up out of the water, catching the collar of Ron's shirt and giving him a quick peck on the mouth. Ron was reminded of a trained dolphin jumping from a tank to grab a treat from a trainer.
Kim went back to swimming laps and Ron forced himself to leave. As the blonde boy expected, halfway between the gym and the Student Union, the ground fell out from underneath him, leaving him sliding down a smooth tube. The tube deposited him into a cylindrical canister, which a robot arm inserted into another tube. Ron shrieked in terror as Global Justice's underground transportation system shot him from under Upperton to its headquarters under Middleton, in a matter of moments.
"No way," he gasped, staggering out of the canister and leaning against the wall while he fought down his nausea. "There's no way those tubes are more cost effective than just leasing some busses."
"Ah, Mr. Stoppable," Dr. Director addressed him, stepping into the receiving area. "I trust your trip was uneventful."
Ron answered her with a dirty look.
"I see. Anyway, I thought I'd brief you on the way to the meeting room. This way please."
Ron fell in step with the assertive redhead, trying not to stumble.
"Global Justice doesn't concern itself with most criminals," she began, as she strode purposefully down a corridor. "Our interest is with those criminals whose activities threaten worldwide stability. Therefore, the apprehension, conviction, punishment and rehabilitation of most criminals, even would-be murderers, do not concern us…unless such cases affect Global Justice operations."
"We are also a secretive operation," she continued. "Certainly, the general public knows that we exist, but the general public doesn't know the extent of our operations, resources or personnel. We are even secretive within the organization, taking care to distribute information strictly on a need to know basis."
By this time, the pair had reached Dr. Director's office. Dr. Director ushered Ron inside and motioned for him to take a seat. Ron stood next to the chair.
"A case in point is Drew Lipsky, the former Dr. Drakken," Dr. Director explained, rounding her desk and settling into a chair. Once she was seated, Ron took the chair she had offered him. Betty Director smiled at the teen's display of manners and continued her lecture. "Within Global Justice, only myself, Will Du, and two administrators know that he has become the new Jack Hench. Outside of Global Justice, you, Kim, Shego and Montgomery Fiske are aware of his new life. Drew's cousin Edward, otherwise known as Motor Ed, knows that Drew is somehow affiliated with Global Justice, but he doesn't know the details. Drew's personal assistant, Hank Perkins, and four other Henchco administrators also know Drew's identity. Beyond the small group I just detailed, the general public, to include the President of the United States and the Secretary General of the United Nations, has no idea of Drew Lipsky's whereabouts."
"Unfortunately for me, Drew Lipsky cannot live in an informational vacuum and remain effective. He has a small number of people who he cares about, deeply. His mother hasn't been a major problem, since it has been an easy matter to launder some of his profits and funnel them to her under the guise of royalties he earned as a radio talk-show doctor. Shego is perfectly capable of handling herself, especially in partnership with Lord Fiske. I drop Drew the occasional piece of information about the duo, just to keep him motivated. However, one of his former compatriots could prove to be a distraction."
"Motor Ed," Ron supplied.
"Exactly," Dr. Director nodded. "To his credit, Drew is very concerned about his cousin, hoping that at least one Lipsky can put together something resembling a productive, respectable life. However, Edward is having some problems."
"I don't suppose this could have something to do with the relationship issue conversation Kim had with SADI a couple of weeks ago?"
"This has everything to do with that relationship. Ron, Ed seems to be infatuated with SADI. I'll admit that I don't understand the mutual attraction but I know that it has the potential of getting Ed in a great deal of trouble."
"Uh, Dr. Director. I assume that you've taken a biology course so you should know that it's impossible for Ed and SADI to…"
"I'm perfectly aware of biology's limitations,' Dr. Director interrupted Ron, in a very stern tone. "I'm talking about the legal situation. SADI is, legally, Dr. Freeman's possession. Every time Ed touches the car, he's technically trespassing."
"Even if SADI drives to his garage?" He inquired, trying to understand.
"That's the only thing that has saved him up to this point. If you were to drop your wallet in someone's house, very few people would fault him for looking through it to find your address. Since SADI is driving herself to Ed's home, Ed has a shield."
"I sense a "but" approaching."
"But he's starting to abuse that shield," Dr. Director had to work very hard to keep from smiling at Ron's comment. "Mr. Stoppable, what would you do if you were to find someone else's property in your yard…assuming you could contact that person?"
"I'd call him and let him know that it's at my place."
"Exactly. That is the proper, responsible action. Ed isn't letting Dr. Freeman know that SADI is in his garage. The police are hesitant to make a complaint since SADI is clearly driving into the garage without any help from Ed. Still, before too much longer, Dr. Freeman may file suit in a civil court. Such a suit will have a negative impact upon Ed's parole status, which will have a negative impact upon Ed and, by extension, Drew."
"Which affects your organization," Ron concluded. "Now that you've explained the problem I'm wondering just where I come in."
"Like I said earlier, Global Justice is a highly secretive, compartmentalized agency. While I could bring in one or more competent, highly trained counselors, such counselors will inevitably wonder why Global Justice is taking an interest in Ed Lipsky. That's a major problem with running secret operations; you want intelligent people in your operation but intelligent people tend to deduce more than you want them to."
"Wait a minute. Wait a minute! You want me to talk to Motor Ed about his relationship issues?" Ron shook his head. "Dr. Director, are you aware that Ed's something like twelve years older than me and he has an engineering degree?"
"Indeed, Mr. Stoppable, I'm aware of both issues."
"So how in the heck am I going to straighten him out? He's been there and done that, while... I haven't." Ron started to feel a bit uncomfortable admitting this. "I don't think that he's going to take any advice that a teenage boy gives him very seriously…seriously."
"You may be surprised, Mr. Stoppable. Edward Lipsky has a very odd mind. He is capable of making use of an engineer's analytical mind…when it suits him to do so. While he is much more interested in tricking out his rides and having fun, he's beginning to realize that he might be going about it in a wrong manner."
"And I'm doing things right?" The blond replied scrunching up his face in confusion.
"Exactly, Mr. Stoppable, compare your life with his. Edward is a mechanical genius, yet the only notoriety he has earned has been for a string of petty crimes and the attempted murder of a teenager. You have neither his education nor his aptitude, yet you enjoy a positive, public perception."
"Uh, Dr. Director? I don't think most people know I exist."
"You'd be surprised again, Mr. Stoppable. While the mass public doesn't know your name, most people think of 'the young man who helps Kim Possible' in a positive light. Anyway, Ed realizes that his attempts to 'show the man' and seek self-gratification left him living under a New Jersey junkyard, before being incarcerated. He contrasts himself with you; you don't have his mechanical aptitude, his engineering education or his imposing physique, yet you've performed feats he hasn't. You defeated both Warrick Loward and DNAmy, even though Warrick easily overwhelmed Ed. You also have a stunningly attractive fiancé…congratulations by the way."
"Thanks," Ron smiled.
"Anyway, Ed is bright enough to realize that since he has skills and physical gifts that you do not, he must be utilizing his assets poorly. Knowing that you've applied your assets in a more efficient manner than him, he'll listen to you."
"I still don't know if I'm the guy for this job."
"I'd just like you to get him to talk. That's the key to good counseling, getting the subject to analyze his own situation and work towards a solution. Also, you are not a law enforcement official, so he might be willing to open up to you. In any event, his cousin will be here shortly and with any luck, Drew will be able to talk him into a saner course of action."
"I'll give it a try."
"Thank you, Ron. He's waiting through the door to your left."
"Woa, one more question? Will any be watching or recording what we say?"
"No, you have my word. Unless Mr. Lipsky admits to an illegal action that is…serious…it won't go any further than that room."
Dr. Director pushed a button on her desk, causing the aforementioned door to open. Ron stood up and walked through, finding himself in a conference room. Ed sat in one of the chairs, with his hands behind his head and his feet on the table. The big blonde man got to his feet when he saw Ron.
"Whoa, Skinny Dude!" He said, offering Ron his hand. "I never thought I'd see you here, seriously. How's the bike handling?"
"Great," Ron answered, watching with some amazement has his large paw simply vanished inside the bear trap that Ed called a hand. "Of course, as cold as it's been, I haven't been riding much."
"Yeah, that's seriously bogus. If I hadn't put a Harley engine in my snow blower, I'd never get to ride."
"A Harley engine? In a snow blower?"
"It's a sweet ride, Skinny Dude! That baby can seriously throw the snow!"
"That sounds like fun," Ron mused, imagining what the machine must feel like. Then, he forced his mind back to the matter at hand. "So, how's the parole going?"
"Dude, it's been running smooth, for the most part. Some of the neighbors didn't dig my tunes, but I dealt, you know? I like my job and it pays some serious coin. The officer even let me build a robot for the Robot Rumble, so I had some serious fun doing that. The only real problem has been with Mr. Smutz."
"Is he anyone I know?"
"Naw, he's some seriously stuffy dude who lives something like three blocks away from my pad."
"So what's his beef?"
"I think he's seriously cheesed off about getting hit with the snow."
"Of course," Ron muttered. "So, everything's going fine?"
"Seriously no," Ed admitted, dropping back onto his chair. "I've got some serious woman troubles."
"Or car troubles?" Ron asked, spinning a chair around and sitting backwards, leaning on the back.
"I guess you've heard about it. Bro, I can't understand how I got into this mess."
"Care to tell me the story?"
"Well, I'm waiting for my cuz, but I might as well. It's been awhile since I've had a friendly ear. It all started at the Middleton Robot Rumble. I had seriously smacked down this little guy with red hair and a whiney voice when I saw this total babe. I went over and talked to her and found out she was a serious brain as well as a serious babe! Anyway, Red's old man and her bothers showed up and the old boy wasn't too happy about the way I tried to take her out. I can't exactly blame him," here, Ed's shoulders slumped and he stared at the floor.
"Hey, we've dealt with it," Ron told him. "I think I know the babe you're talking about but how did this…hook you up…with SADI?"
"Well, Red's old man decided to seriously bury the hatchet he had with me, so he invited me to hang with him and some of the other brainy types that chill out after a rumble. We get to this café and while I'm headin' in, making sure to keep close to the babe, I hear this engine just a bit out of tune. Since the guy driving the wheels was one of the brains and they had been seriously cool with me, I offered to deal with it. That's when the car talked to me."
"Okay…" Ron said, once it became obvious Ed wasn't about to elaborate. "How did a car talking to you make you forget Vivian?"
"You DO know who she is!" Ed grinned, "she's a complete babe, isn't she?"
"Yes, but back to you and SADI."
"Okay, I've worked on my share of rides, seriously. I mean, I've made all kinds of rides, from the cheapest subcompact to the sweetest luxury model, purr like a kitten or roar like a lion, if you know what I mean. But this was the first time that a ride actually told me how well I was doing the service. I seriously didn't know how much knowing how much she was digging it would make me dig it…dig it?"
"I think I get the picture," Ron mumbled, thinking about a wonderful week in Upperton, before Ms. Hatchett arrived.
"That doesn't run dude, you either know it, or you don't. I mean, there I was doing what I really wanted to be doing and knowing that she wanted me doing it. She's telling me that it's good for her and that makes me dig it even more and that made me work even harder. That makes her dig it even more and that makes me dig it more. I'm digging it, she's digging it and I'm digging that she's digging it. She's digging that I'm digging that she's digging it and I'm digging that she's digging that I'm digging that she's digging it. Then she's digging that I'm digging…"
Ron's awareness seemed to shrink away under the unrelenting assault.
"Ah, Drew, you've arrived right on time," Dr. Director addressed her underling, as he stepped into her office. "I trust you had an uneventful trip?"
"The first leg, on a passenger liner, was just fine," the blue man grumbled. "The last three miles, via your blasted transport tubes, nearly made me soil myself! Why can't Global Justice make use of elevators, stairwells or buses? They would be considerably less expensive!"
"We have our reasons," Dr. Director informed him. "I assume that you've read your briefing report and know why I've called you here."
"Yes, there seems to be some trouble with my cousin and his…somewhat…relationship."
"Relationship? Drew, he's fallen in love with SADI!"
"I assure you, that I've read that portion."
"So you know how unorthodox this happens to be."
"It's a little out of the ordinary," Drew shrugged.
"A little? Drew, I don't think you understand! Your cousin has fallen in love with an inanimate object!'
"Yes, it can be quite disconcerting…the first couple of times."
"Wha…Drew…you?"
"Okay, fine! I admit that I've lost my heart to a non-breathing female before!" The blue man confessed. "I was young, away from home for the first time and coprocessors had just come out. It was confusing, overwhelming! She was such an upgrade over the 8088s and 8086s that I was used to!"
"Coprocessors…8088s…Drew, did you fall in love with a computer?"
"Everyone I knew had the same, narrow view that you have right now! 'It'll never work,' they said. "She's silicon while you're carbon. Her keyboard will give you Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and you can't handle her high voltage before her step-down transformer. Besides that, she's bi…nary.' I sometimes wonder if we could have made it work with a little support, rather than ridicule."
Betty held her head in her hands as she asked, "but Drew…a computer?"
"In the end, it just didn't work. We had some good times; we generated brilliant revelations and explored our differences, but we just couldn't interface. After a time, she refused my downloads and linked with some glitzy mainframe. I hear they went on and generated a whole batch of innovative subroutines. I'm happy for her, I really am but I sometimes wonder where I'd be now if it had worked for us…"
"Drew!" Betty snapped at him. "This is no time to reflect on past…romances. We're here to deal with your cousin!"
"From what I understand, he's developing a consensual relationship. What's wrong with that?"
"She's a machine!"
"So? Eddie relates to machines better than to people."
"But a machine? Can't you see how wrong it is?"
"A relationship with no chance of an unwanted pregnancy or an STD? A relationship with no conflicts due to religion, ethnicity or other demographics? You're correct, Dr. Director, I cannot see how wrong this is."
"Fine! SADI is Dr. Freeman's property! Every time Ed…performs his checks and services, without Dr. Freeman's permission, he's trespassing. If someone can prove that he's influencing her to leave Dr. Freeman's vicinity, he's going to be guilty of grand theft. This will have devastating consequences for a parolee!"
"Okay, I'm beginning to see the problem."
"Thank you. Now, can you see how terribly important it is that you convince your cousin to break off his…romance…with SADI? It's only a matter of time before his natural enthusiasm takes this to a point where he's going to be re-incarcerated and that is going to distract you!"
"Very well, I shall attempt to make him see reason."
"Excellent! He's through that door." Dr. Director motioned towards the door Ron had recently went through and reached for her hidden release.
"What? You're not going to accompany me?"
"I'm an authority figure," Dr. Director explained. "And your cousin doesn't open up to my sort. I'm hoping that you will be able to make him see reason and thus prevent Global Justice or any other law enforcement agency from becoming involved…at least officially."
"I guess that makes sense."
Dr. Director opened the door to the Conference Room and the former Dr. Drakken stepped through. He found his cousin animatedly telling the buffoon something.
"…and she's digging that I'm digging that she's digging that I'm digging that she's digging…"
The conference table's highly polished surface afforded the former villain a slightly distorted view of Stoppable's face. The youngster appeared to completely mesmerized by the younger Lipsky's tirade. Realizing that he would have no better opportunity, Drew Lipsky closed in, undetected, behind Ron Stoppable and took his revenge.
As she promised Ron, Doctor Director had turned off the conference room's cameras and recording devices, giving give the three men a modicum of privacy. However, she clicked on the microphones too monitor the conversation, just in time to hear Ron Stoppable shriek. Thinking that the two Lipsky's had assaulted the teen, she readied her stun watch and barged through the door…
…only to be confronted by the sight of Ron doing what appeared to be some kind of jig while Drew smirked and Ed stared in open-mouthed wonder.
"…that's only a small piece of what I owe you, boy," Drew was gloating. "This doesn't settle the score, not by a long shot!"
"What's going on here!" Dr. Director demanded.
"It was completely gnarly," Ed chuckled. "Cousin Drew seriously turned the skinny dude's boxers into a thong!"
"Drew!" She demanded of her subordinate. "Did you just give Ron Stoppable…a wedgie?"
"He started it!" Drew protested. "At least I didn't see fit to tie his limbs with the garment!"
"Urmph…meep…" was all Ron managed to say.
"Mr. Stoppable, the door behind you is a washroom, if you need to…adjust…certain…things," Betty told the younger man. She glared at the two Lipsky's, as Stoppable shuffled off, to the aforementioned room. "We're here to deal with Edward's self-control issues, not indulge in petty pranks and revenge!"
"He started it!" Drew repeated. "I had to be cut out of my undergarments and when that happened, the elastic snapped me in the…"
"Enough!" Betty roared, her voice belying her slight frame. "Sit! Both of you! As soon as Mr. Stoppable…recovers…we'll deal with the real issue." The head of Global Justice glared at the two, now thoroughly cowed, cousins and wondered if all males could be so petty at times.
"It was so nice of you to invite us out here for the down time," Bonnie gushed at Ellie.
"I think I should thank you," the slightly older woman shrugged her shoulders. "It will be nice to have someone besides Junior and (shudder) Camille around. Trudy makes it out whenever she can, but she's been busy lately."
"Bite your tongue," the younger woman chided her friend. "Sorry Bonnie, but I still need to keep some secrets. I'm not completely on the right side of the law."
"I don't care," Bonnie smiled back. "What someone else does is her own business. I just want to have some fun!"
"That's something I can do without worrying about security," Trudy agreed. "Look, we're almost there!"
Bonnie and Will looked out of the private jet's windows to see Senior's Island approaching. Since there was no other air traffic, they were quickly on the ground. Servants quickly wheeled a portable stairway to the jet's hatch and Ellie led the small procession down the ladder, where Bonnie saw a familiar figure. Deciding that it was only polite to thank her host, the brunette steeled herself and approached him, not noticing Ellie's subtle gesture to stay away.
"Junior," Bonnie addressed the young man in front of her. "I would like to thank you for letting me stay on your island."
"I'm not Junior," the young man replied. While the high-pitched voice was just like Bonnie remembered, the accent was American.
"Then…" she stammered.
"It's me, Camille," Junior's eyes rolled up, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world that she should be wandering the island's airstrip, in Junior's form, as the sun set. "I've gotta go!"
With that, the shapeshifter ambled casually towards another building, where Bonnie spotted the real Junior's (at least she assumed it was the real Junior's) silhouette.
"Come," Ellie ordered the small group. "You don't want to be around here in a few minutes…trust me. I'll take you to Senior so that you can thank your host properly. He'll be glad to see you."
"Just what…" Bonnie began to ask.
"Junior has this fantasy about meeting a gorgeous stranger at the airport and experiencing a night of wild passion," Ellie shuddered. "And he considers himself the most gorgeous being in the universe. The two of them play out the fantasy, at least as close as they can on the island, about once a week. Trust me, you don't want to be there when they perform the 'love at first sight' moment." She shuddered again.
"I'll believe you on that one," Bonnie muttered, noticing that the normally unflappable Du was looking a little ill. The faux couple followed the consultant to Senor Senior Senior's office, where they were immediately admitted.
"Ah, Miss Rockwaller," the elderly man greeted his guests from behind his desk. The old man rose slowly and Bonnie nearly gasped at how frail he now looked. "It's wonderful to see you again. I understand that Miss Minated has invited you to stay for a short time. It's very kind of you to keep her company. I fear she has too few companions to associate with here on my island."
"Mr. Senior, You're always the charmer," Bonnie smiled back. "Extending hospitality while making it sound like I'm doing you a favor. I really appreciate you letting me stay here." She quickly sat down in the chair the old man indicated, so that he could return to his own seat.
"Your manners are only surpassed by your beauty, my dear," he countered. "My island is yours while you are here. All of you, please let me know if there is anything I can provide to make your stay more enjoyable."
"Perhaps you could answer a question," Will replied.
"What is your question, young man?"
"I understand that you indulge in certain activities that you…like to keep secret. Would you be so kind to let us know where we shouldn't go, so that we don't abuse your hospitality?"
"A very considerate young man," Senior remarked to Bonnie. "I must commend you upon your choice of companionship." Turning back to Du, he answered, "such areas that hold my secrets are always locked. In my business, if one does not safeguard his own secrets, he does not deserve them. Simply refrain from passing through any locked door and you will not abuse my hospitality. Do any of you have any questions? No? Then please feel free to enjoy the humble luxuries I have provided."
As manners dictated, the frail man struggled to his feet to see his guests out of his office. All of the young people left as quickly as possible, so that he could sit once again.
"Let's all meet at the beach in an hour," Ellie suggested to the others. "The staff will have the buffet ready by that time and my boyfriend should be here by then."
"You have a boyfriend?" Bonnie asked. "Details! I want details!"
"He's on a trial basis right now," Ellie answered. With a sidelong look at Du, she continued, "I haven't found a permanent one, like you have. We'll just have to see if he's ready for the promotion."
"What about you?" Bonnie asked Trudy. "Do you have an applicant for the title of 'Trudy Dementor's steady boyfriend' showing up?"
"Not this time," the younger woman shrugged. "It's fine, I'll just have to track one down for the next party."
A butler showed up and showed Bonnie and Will to their suite while another showed Trudy to hers. The criminal physicist had no sooner closed the door behind her than a heavy knock sounded upon it. She recognized Hendle's knock.
"Boss," the big man rumbled to his employer, as soon as she opened the door. "Could I have a word with you before you get ready for the party?"
"Of course," she stepped back and let him inside her spacious accommodations.
"There's something wrong about Bonnie's boyfriend…Bill," he grumbled, as soon as the door was shut. "Something about him asking Senior where he shouldn't go made me suspect that he wanted to know where he should go, if you understand what I'm saying."
"Hendle," she said, rolling her eyes. "We've been meeting with Bonnie and Billy for months. Why the sudden suspicion?"
"This is the first time he has been at one of your bases of operations," he answered. "At the clubs, the only thing he could find out was anything you might have blurted out. Here, you're vulnerable since Elisabeth keeps records of your operations on this island. Now, this mystery man wants to know where he can find Senior's secure locations."
"Is it so hard for you to believe that he wants to make sure that he won't wander someplace that he shouldn't, that he doesn't want to get into trouble?" Trudy was impatient to get to the beach and take a quick swim before the party started.
"Actually, yes," Hendle challenged her. "Boss, the type of young man you and your friends attract aren't the polite, respectful sort. They want to have fun and they want everyone around them to have fun, as well. Now, maybe he's just what you think he is, a guy who wants to know his boundaries so he doesn't step over them, but it's my job to look into things like this. There's also some other things going on."
"Like what?" Trudy asked. She had learned, long ago, to respect her guard's judgement in such matters.
"Okay, there's the fact that Henchco warned us that there's some sort of connection between Club Banana and Global Justice. Bonnie's modeling for Club Banana and this Billy guy's dating her. That provides a link between him and Global Justice."
"Billy to Bonnie to Club Banana to Global Justice," Trudy shook her head. "That's a pretty flimsy link. Besides, Bonnie's on a fashion tour! Henchco reported that Club Banana's going to allow Global Justice agents to operate inside its retail outlets!"
"Not completely true," Hendle countered. "Henchco's report stated that they were certain that Club Banana was cooperating with Global Justice but suspected that it would involve placing agents inside Club Banana stores."
"Okay, Henchco has always been good about separating hard information from supposition," Trudy agreed, taking a seat and gesturing for Hendle to do the same. "What else has you concerned?"
"Several things that don't add up," Hendle replied, gently settling his bulk into a comfortable chair. "Like why Club Banana went out of its way to hire Bonnie for the European Tour."
"Cocoa Banana is sometimes too nice for his own good," Trudy answered. "You saw the impromptu interview Bonnie called. He met her about a year ago and felt sorry for her. This modeling job was done to help her out and it has worked out for both of them."
Trudy wasn't disagreeing with her employee so much as she was goading his reasoning. She had learned that when Hendle became concerned, she would be best served by listening to him. By prompting him to lay out his concerns, she had a good chance of either proving that his concerns were unfounded…or digging up an unpleasant truth.
"Okay, but why Europe?" Hendle retorted, with a tight grin that told Trudy he had already considered her argument. "Currently, Club Banana is also holding a promotional tour across the U.S. If Cocoa wanted to help Bonnie, he could have placed her on the American tour just as easily. Why send her across the Atlantic when you can help her out at home?"
"Okay, that sounds a little suspicious," Trudy admitted.
"Here's something more. Bonnie is still on parole for a crime she committed in the U.S. From what I understand, it is very difficult for a parolee to get permission to cross a state boundary, much less leave the country. While Cocoa Banana is a prominent businessman, I doubt if he'd have the pull to get the various U.S. courts to grant Bonnie permission to leave the country. Even if he did, it should be a time-consuming, expensive and tiring effort. Cocoa Banana wanted Bonnie in Europe so much that he was either willing to expend a great deal of effort to put her here…or he had cooperation from powerful figures within the U.S.'s various law enforcement agencies."
"That seems to be a sensible…and troubling…deduction," Trudy nodded. "Do you have anything else to add?"
"Yes. Bonnie was also on parole when she attended the contest on this very island," Hendle continued. "During that time, she didn't have Cocoa Banana's backing. Of course, Senior himself might have manipulated the courts. That's how Lynn was able to attend."
"But the U.S. authorities arrested Lynn as soon as she returned to the states," Trudy pointed out. "They didn't arrest Bonnie. Somehow, someone with a great deal of political power must have arranged for Bonnie to leave the country and return, without any repercussions. Do you have anything else to tell me?"
"Yes. What about…"
"Don't tell me yet," Trudy interrupted. "I'm calling Ellie! You've made some good points and I'm a brilliant physicist, but she's the criminal mastermind.
"That sounds fair enough."
Hendle waited while his employer contacted her friend. Minutes later, the smuggler's daughter arrived.
"What's so important?" She demanded. "We have music, good food, champagne and a crowd of cute guys forming up on the beach."
"There might be a wolf in the fold," Trudy told her, than paused to think a moment. "Maybe that's not a very accurate image. There might be a saint hiding amongst the sinners."
"What are you talking about?" Ellie was clearly confused. Trudy spent several minutes outlining the conversation she had just concluded with her bodyguard.
"…So I called you in here to take advantage of your expertise," she concluded.
"Your guard has made some valid points," Ellie murmured, taking a seat. "Has Bonnie ever complained about checking in with law enforcement officials in the various nations the tour has visited?"
"No," Trudy shrugged. "Why would she visit the police?"
"Standard procedure for paroled felons visiting foreign nations," Ellie answered. "Most of the time, police want to know when a convicted drug dealer is going to be inside their jurisdiction. The paperwork and hassle of 'checking in' can be mind-numbing, time consuming and frustrating. Bonnie doesn't strike me as having a great deal of patience so I think we can conclude that she isn't actually checking in with law enforcement agencies. Since she makes no secret of the fact that she's a former dealer and a recovering addict, we can conclude that the various national police agencies are allowing her to freely enter their countries. Given all of these factors, I think that we have to conclude that an international law enforcement agency is involved."
"Global Justice?" Trudy asked.
"That's one candidate," Ellie admitted. "However, you said that Hendle was about to bring up another point. I'd like to hear it."
"It has to do with Bill, Bonnie's boyfriend," the guard replied. "There's a couple of things about him that make me suspicious."
"Like what?" Ellie and Trudy asked, at the same time.
"First of all, look how quickly he and Bonnie got together," Hendle replied. "When Bonnie competed on this island, she was unattached. A few weeks later, she has hooked up with him to the point that they're sharing a room. Don't you think that's moving a little fast?"
"Hendle, not everyone has had the moral upbringing your father imposed upon you," Trudy sighed. "Not every couple waits two and a half years before…"
"That's not it," Hendle interrupted his employer. "I haven't commented on your dalliances, I've just screened them to keep you safe. However, I've noticed something about such pairings; quick hookups don't tend to last very long and they're usually more about mutual fun than mutual support. I don't have anything definite, but I just think that any couple that hooked up that fast should be playing the field. Bonnie hasn't even looked twice at the large numbers of wealthy, handsome young men that infest the clubs you visit and Bill hasn't responded to any of the young women's flirting."
"Everyone's different," Ellie countered. "Maybe they got tired of playing the field and decided to try some stability. This isn't very much to go on."
"True, so try this; how did he take down two street toughs as quickly as he did, back in Madrid? I checked up on the two guys that jumped Bonnie, they're not just a couple of thugs, they were enforcers for a local loan shark. The typical party boy shouldn't have been able to handle them."
"Maybe he studies martial arts," Trudy shrugged.
"Okay, here's my trump card," Hendle replied. "He took charge of the crime scene. If he were just a typical boyfriend, he would have rushed Bonnie out of the area and back to their room. Instead, he secured the crime scene, made sure she was ready to make a statement and kept things as quiet as he could, which allowed the police to catch the other model by surprise. There's no way he should have behaved in such a professional manner. I've spent most of my adult life on the other side of the law, but I can recognize a capable operative on the enforcement side. Bill acted like a cop securing a crime scene for the detectives."
"Now, you have something," Trudy admitted. "Let's put everything together. First, we have Bonnie traveling to this island to compete in the contest, leaving the U.S. with no repercussions from American law enforcement. Had she won this contest, she would have gained a great deal of influence over one of the world's most established criminals."
"A couple of weeks later, she's suddenly back in Europe, with the apparent blessing of several national law enforcement agencies," Hendle added. "And she's modeling for a company that could have generated the same mutual benefit, with much less hassle, by keeping her in the U.S. We know that this same company has some sort of partnership with a major, international law enforcement agency. Finally, she's accompanied by a boyfriend who she suddenly found, and who shows impressive martial arts capabilities, solid criminal investigation knowledge, and an unsettling curiosity about where the crime takes place on this island."
"There's one other factor," Ellie pointed out. "Her criminal record could actually prove to be a benefit for any law enforcement agency. If Global Justice were to approach an established model, said model would probably tell them to take a hike. On the other hand, Global Justice could probably offer to expunge part or all of Bonnie's criminal status. That's a powerful reward to offer a young woman trying to straighten out her life."
"So where does that leave us?" Trudy asked.
"I think there are too many coincidences lining up to make this random chance," Ellie admitted. "Bonnie's here because Global Justice wants her to be here. However, I don't think that Bonnie's the Global Justice agent, I think that the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing must have been established to give Bill a reason to be with her. Since Bonnie's been friendly towards us, I think we have to conclude that one of us is Bill's ultimate target."
"She betrayed us?" Trudy gasped.
"Of course," Ellie shrugged. "It's business. You're becoming a major equipment supplier for the worldwide criminal element and I've established myself as your major financier. Global Justice would want to put an agent into position to infiltrate one or both of our lairs."
"What do we do about this?" Trudy demanded.
"We're criminals," Ellie answered. "We take our revenge."
"So we make Bill disappear?" Hendle asked, cracking his knuckles.
"No!" Ellie insisted. "If we eliminate a Global Justice agent, we've declared a war with them that we cannot win! We don't do anything…permanent…to Billy. Bonnie, on the other hand, is fair game. The question is, what do we do to her?"
"I've got just the idea," Trudy gloated. "About a week ago, I gave up on Dr. Bofox ever recreating his body-morphing procedure and kicked him out. Instead, I coupled my trans-dimensional work with an old scheme Dr. Drakken once used to nearly get Kim Possible to embarrass herself out of existence. In theory, this will generate a great deal of power for me to utilize, but I must use a human, a being capable of feeling embarrassment, as the subject. The process promises to be excruciatingly painful but should provide enough power to fuel my new operation."
"Your communications extortion scheme is ready to go?" Ellie asked.
"It's just lacking the power source," Trudy assured her. "Or I should say, it was. Even though Bonnie and Billy are very close, they're bound to mingle with other people during tonight's party. I suggest we take the opportunity to show Bonnie how we react to people who abuse our friendship."
A/N: Once again, I have to thank the ever-patient Joe Stoppinghem not only for his tireless beta work, but for coming up with the idea of Kim iceing the pool before swimming.
I hope everyone has been enjoying reading this tale as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Thanks for the reviews and suggestions, via PM's and until my next update, you have my best wishes.
daccu65