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KP © Disney

Chapter 25: Not So Final Exam

I.

"Yo, Wade!"

"Oh, hi, Ron. How's Kim?" asked the young tech guru as he sipped his ever-present Slurpster.

"Undergoing her tests. We thought we could surprise her with some answers!" he said enthusiastically.

"Don't we have to ask the questions first?" Wade asked as he looked quizzically at Ron.

"Aw c'mon," the teen hero's partner whined.

For good measure, Rufus chipped in. "Yeah, c'mon!"

Wade, with a good-natured smile, relented. "Okay, we'll do this together."

"Uh, yeah, okay, I'm just the big ideas man," Ron confessed uneasily. "I think you want to talk to my big data lady, who's not my la-dy, because that's Kim, not Fern."

"Riiight," Wade said with a roll of the eyes.

Fern, with a smirk on her face, took the device from Ron. "Hey, Wade."

"Uh, hi," he said before his eyes opened wide. "You're Burn Berman's sister!"

"Or he's my brother," Fern said. "Is that a problem?"

"I don't know. Is it?"

"Still miffed about how TI spiked your system?" she asked impishly.

"Yes! No!" Wade sputtered, then sighed. "Yeah, I am."

"Look, if it makes you feel better, you really did a number on them in response. It took them weeks to get back up and running. They'd never experienced anything like that!"

Wade considered the matter, then allowed himself to look pleased. "Well, I guess if Kim and Ron vouch for you …"

"Pardner?" Fern asked, looking to Ron.

He smiled back. "Oh yeah, she's cool, Wade."

"So campus security is okay with me looking at their system?" he asked, wanting to be sure that everything was on the up and up. Hacking the college's system was something he could have done in his sleep but he didn't want Kim to get into trouble and was relieved when she told him that she was going to get approval for a search.

"Yeah, the right word and they were cool," Ron answered. "Right, Rufus?"

"Uh huh!" He gave Wade the paw's up, to confirm this.

"Okay, then I'd better get to work. This will take some time …"

II.

Kim was lying still in the MRI. She was frustrated. She wanted to be better. She wanted to move. She wanted to do something, anything. She satisfied herself with some breathing exercises. As she settled into a rhythm, she began to empty her mind. She then let her thoughts wander but ultimately they came back to one question: Why would somebody want to do this to her?

That in turn led her back to one person: Troy. He had the motive and he had the reason.

But something bothered her. As smart as he was, Troy just didn't seem like an inventor of villain tech. A user, perhaps, but not a creator. Further, as she reviewed the past few days, she couldn't recall when the two of them were alone.

So that meant someone else had invented whatever it was that left her as the klutziest person on campus. And that, in turn, meant that the inventor had deployed whatever had hit her – or had some third party do the dirty work.

Kim furrowed her brow as she considered the situation. She knew one thing though. Whoever was responsible, whether it was Troy or somebody else, was so going to pay.

III.

Tim Morel was looking around at the other researchers and caregivers. When they had looked in the opposite direction, he slipped a data stick into one of the computer terminals and made sure it loaded up. He had needed only a few seconds. He nodded at this handiwork, then removed the device.

Once the MRI was turned on, the program would be activated and the virus would hit. That in turn would change the imaging device into something else: a device that would deprive its target of his or her voluntary motor skills. Kim Possible, one time world-saving teen-hero, would be permanently rendered helpless, dependent on others for her very survival.

IV.

Wade had started reviewing the records from the beginning.

He tracked Kim's movements against the security cameras from the time she woke up the morning she was affected. While a few moments were partially obscured, most were unobstructed. All things considered, he had an excellent view of her day.

He was watching things at high speed, but he still took everything in, from breakfast, to classes, to interactions with her classmates. Throughout, she moved with superlative grace and ease. Finally, he came to cheer practice.

Wade watched as Kim headed into the girls locker room to change into her uniform. Much to his relief, the actual changing area wasn't under camera coverage, though he knew this posed some problems. However, he decided that rather than fret over the lack of coverage, he would see what happened and, if necessary, come up with a solution.

He soon saw her headed out to the field and watched her do her routines with her classmates. Wade still didn't know much about the mechanics of cheerleading, but there was no doubt in his mind that Kim, objectively, was by far the most able member of the squad. He also had a pretty good idea of who the Bonnie-wannabe was after just a few minutes of viewing.

Wade then watched Kim return to the locker room, and again was grateful for the lapse in coverage. A few minutes later, Kim was hustling out, still looking graceful. Which was why Wade did a spit take when she walked into the door.

"Whoa!"

He backed up the recording, and this time watched it in slow motion. He saw Kim pass by the camera – and, in the shadows, a figure pointing what appeared to be a gun. Moments later, the camera caught Kim making her sudden transition from epitome of grace to walking disaster as she made contact with the exit to the locker room.

He set the recording back a few moments and watched again. And again. He stopped the image and zoomed in. There definitely was a face in the background. The image was grainy and dark. But that wouldn't pose much of a challenge for him. He typed in a series of commands and slowly the picture grew lighter. More importantly, it grew crisper. Finally, Wade grinned, took a sip of his soda, then sat back in his chair. "We have a winner."

V.

Since Kim was in the MRI, Wade called Ron with the news. "We gotta tell her!" Ron exclaimed. He was grateful for the report but had already shifted into Best-Friend-in-Trouble Mode; he had no doubt she needed to know everything and now.

"I agree," Fern said.

"How long will it take you to get to the Med School?" Wade asked

"Fifteen, twenty minutes," Fern answered.

"Okay, I'll have the data ready to go when you're there," Wade said.

Ron looked uncomfortable.

"What is it?" Wade asked.

"I, well, KP wanted to know pronto." He couldn't explain it but he felt a weird vibe.

"You want to call her? She's about to undergo an MRI!" Wade said dubiously.

"Yeah, I know it's kind of silly—" Ron said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Nope," Fern said, catching the attention of both young men.

"Ron, you're Kim's partner and I trust your instincts," Fern said to Ron's relief. Left unsaid was that blue aura she'd seen around Ron—something told her this was all connected to what she'd noticed earlier. "You say call, we call her. Wade?"

"Okay, I'm putting you through."

VI.

"There's a call for you, Dr. Possible."

"A call? For me?" Ann looked up from the data pad she was consulting. On it were Kim's medical records.

"Well, it's actually for your daughter, but—"

"Put it through," Ann said. "Hello?"

"Hey, Dr. P," Ron said. "Is KP there?"

"She's in the MRI. We're about to run the test," Ann explained.

"Oh …"

"Is it important?"

"Well, we got the results from the camera thingy."

"Oh, well, that is important." Ann took a peek out into the examination room.

"She's good to go, Doctor!" a tech called out.

"How long will it take you to get here?" she asked.

Ron told her and Ann considered. "Why don't we run the test? We'll be done when you get here."

"Uh, sure, okay," Ron hesitated. "See you in a few."

VII.

Tim was doing everything to keep his excitement under wraps. In just a few minutes, the MRI would begin and Possible's neural system would be scrambled beyond any hope of repair. She'd lose all control of her body. True, she'd be a hapless invalid for the rest of her life, but that really didn't concern him. If he was able to take her out one of the most physically able people in the world, he'd be able to sell his device to the highest bidder. Or maybe he'd use it himself, taking people hostage. He never realized how satisfying being evil could be.

VIII.

Fern was having trouble keeping up with Ron. She had run track in high school and hoped for a place on the JV team at Llenrock but he was simply too fast and she suspected this wasn't just his time as a running back or even crime fighter paying off.

"H-hold up," Fern huffed. "Why the rush?"

"Bad feeling," Ron said. He sounded … panicked.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Don't know but all these years hanging with Kim must be rubbing off on me and it feels like there's a bug in my naco."

Ewww, Fern thought. But if it's that vivid … "Go on," Fern panted. "I'll catch up."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Go on."

"Okay," Ron said. He called over his shoulder, "See ya soon." Then, much to Fern's amazement, he began to run even faster than he was running before.

IX.

"Okay, let's begin this," one of the physicians said.

"Kimmie, we're about to start," her mother said through a microphone. "Are you ready?"

"Not going anywhere, Mom," Kim replied in a friendly tone through the speaker.

Just then, the doors flew open and Ron ran in. "Where is she?" he asked frantically.

"Ron?" Ann asked, surprised by the sudden appearance of her daughter's boyfriend.

"KP? Is she okay?" he asked, barely able to keep control of himself.

"Ron? Are you okay?" a concerned Kim asked through the speaker.

"Kim? Where are you?" he asked, sounding worried.

"In the MRI tube," she said, wanting her BF to calm down. It was sweet that he cared but sometimes he could be a bit much and everything was under control. "It's so not the drama."

"What's wrong, Ron?" Ann asked. She was concerned at the distraught expression on his face.

"I, I don't know. But something's wrong here," he said, looking around.

Tim was watching with mounting frustration. This goofball was about to ruin everything. Then he realized he had other, more imminent problems. He looked around and realized that his exit was being blocked. If they connected him with what was about to happen, and he was still there, he knew he would be in big trouble.

Ron looked around. "Come on, come on," he said. "I know this is nuts but something's wrong."

"Shut it down," Kim ordered.

"Honey?" Ann asked.

"You heard me, Mom," Kim said. "Turn off the MRI."

Moments later, two medical assistants were helping Kim from the machine. She gingerly made her way out to the medical area.

"What is it, Ron?" she asked. She was prepared to be put out with him but she had only seen him this upset when he was freaking out about the L'il Diablos – and she remembered how that turned out.

Ron's sense of panic passed when he saw she was no longer in the MRI. But then he sagged, as if air had been released from a balloon. "I, I don't know. But I had this weird feeling that there's something wrong here. I, I can't explain it. It's, just, it's … man, you must think I'm losing it."

Kim had to admit, the thought crossed her mind. But then another thought occurred to her and she whispered, "Your monkey power."

"Huh?" he said.

"Your cold's gone," she stated.

"Yeah, I don't know what's going on with that but I'm not looking any gift baskets in the mouth, you know?"

Kim smirked but then turned serious. "I so can't believe I'm going to say this but I think you just went full monkey master on us. Sitch me, in detail, on what you felt."

"I, well, you see …" he was becoming flustered.

Kim, however, was focused. "Ron, what if you meditate?"

"You want me to meditate?" he asked.

"Please and thank you," Kim said.

"I, well, okay …" Ron said. Much to everyone's surprise save Kim, he actually dropped down to the floor and got into the lotus position.

"Is this really necessary?" Tim said. He really wanted to get out of here. This plot was going south.

Kim locked eyes with her secret assailant and glared at him.

"Hello, trying to meditate," Ron hissed, drawing everyone's attention. Moments later, to the amazement of all gathered save Kim again, who simply was impressed, he was hovering six inches off the floor. "It's … it's … whoa!"

"What is it, Ron?" she asked.

"I think the Mud Hens are gonna win the Series!"

"Ron …" she said, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

"… And the MRI machine is sick …" he replied.

"What do you mean, sick?" Kim asked.

"It's got a bug?" he suggested.

Tim now saw an opening and slowly made his way towards the door. He didn't know what was going on other than it was not good for him or his prospects. Quietly, he slipped out.

"A bug? A virus," Kim exclaimed. "There's a virus in the MRI!"

"But that shouldn't cause a red alarm," offered a winded Fern, who had joined them. She however wasn't surprised to see Ron levitating though she was looking forward to an explanation after everything else she'd seen.

"Unless it was a virus that did something to the MRI that would affect Kim," Ann said. She looked to the technicians. "Start a check of the computers. Now," she ordered.

They did as instructed.

"Do you see anything else, Ron?" Kim asked.

"No … wait … yeah … some guy with the bow tie and goatee …"

"What about him?" Kim asked urgently.

"… I don't know … an image of him stickin' a card in something."

"The virus," Kim said. "On a data stick. Here." This is so the drama, she thought. If Ron hadn't …

He sighed, wobbled, and dropped to the floor with a thud. "Sorry, KP. That's all I got."

She knelt and embraced him. "It was enough to save me. Thanks." She nuzzled him.

"Okay, I'm all about the hugs," Ron said.

"You goof," Kim said as she swatted him playfully. Then she looked at her mother, who smiled, almost wistfully, at her. "Mom?"

"Let me enjoy the moment, dear," Ann said. She allowed herself to soak up the scene of her daughter and her beau together. But then she looked around and her maternal smile turned into something cold and hard. "He's gone."

"Mom?"

"The researcher you were taking with before Ron began meditating. He had …"

"A bow tie and a goatee," Kim supplied.

X.

"I cannot believe this!" Kim spat out.

Kim had wanted to go after the research assistant but she knew she first needed to watch the video. She had watched it three times. With each viewing, the result was the same. The girl wielding the gun was her fellow freshman, Deborah Utant. She was without question the richest, prettiest girl in the class. She was smart and she was popular. She had only one drawback, as far as Kim could tell: though she dreamed of being a cheerleader, she simply wasn't good enough to make the squad. Now, though, with Kim out of the picture, Samantha had a slot to fill on short notice and the amount of good will that move would generate for Sam with Deb would be epic. She had no doubt a deal had been done.

"So what do we do?" Ron asked. "You want me to go full monkey on her?"

"More than you know, but this is still college, not big time, evil," Kim said, sighing, then taking his hand. "But thanks for offering." Then she sat and considered her options and made a decision. "We need to split up. Mom, can you and the Stoppables find the mad scientist in training?"

"We're on it, Kim," Ann said.

"Hey, what about Han?" Ron asked. "We can't leave her unsupervised "

"Mr. Barkin can watch her," Kim suggested.

"Uh, is that a good idea, KP?" Ron replied.

"He is a veteran," she replied with an arched eyebrow. "You up for a trip?"

"With you? I'm always about the travel with my lady," he said, grinning.

"Good," she said.

"What's the plan, Roomie?" Fern asked.

"There's a game in Go City," she said, still holding Ron's hand. "We're going to be there."

"You're not seriously going on a mission!" Fern said.

"Check the motto. I can do anything," Kim said confidently before she looked at Ron and smiled, "With a little help."

To Be Continued …