~o0o~
The large hovercraft flew silently through the inky darkness of space, soaring over the world far below. It was traveling faster than any man made craft had a right to, unaffected by the tremendous stresses and heat of its journey, but that was the joy of mad science. Its metallic-blue hull gleamed in the moonlight as it crossed the coast of the United States, a shooting star in the vastness of the night's sky.
Within minutes, the craft was clearing the Rocky Mountains and nearing Middleton, its progress now tracked by various satellites most interested in its movements.
"Really?" Kim said, astonished. "That's why Drakken's blue?"
"Really, really," Shego replied, grinning.
I'll never look at sardines the same ways again, Kim thought with a wry smile.
"We're a few minutes from the lair," Shego said, "you better pop your clothes back on, as it's gonna get chilly." Kim nodded her head and stood up from the co-pilot's seat, feeling an unexpected twinge in her legs.
Oops, guess the drugs are wearing off. Moving to the back of the craft, she sat down on the padded seat and gingerly dressed herself. I know I'm going to hurt tomorrow with everything we've done, but it was worth it. Jeans and tank top pulled on over her bikini, she slipped into her shirt and sweater, and last came the thick socks and shoes.
Shego leaned back in her seat, her gaze directed at the twinkling stars above. Maybe I'm not completely... alone? Her quiet meditation was interrupted by a small beep from the console. Dragging her gaze back down to the mundane, she flicked a dial, and the hovercraft dropped out of autopilot. She engaged the cloaking device as she flew the craft towards the highly classified entrance to the Omega Lair.
"Your turn," Kim said as she sat back down in the co-pilot's seat, Shego's clothes in her hand. She was itching to get her hands back on the controls, hoping that Shego would indeed get dressed and leave the piloting to her.
"Sec, Princess," Shego said as she leaned over a touch display, entering her authorization and commands. There, she thought, all the flight's data is gone. Let's see GJ find my getaway now. Looking up, she saw the expectant look on Kim's face. I've created a monster. She chuckled quietly to herself as Kim handed over her clothes.
"All yours," Shego said. Kim gleefully took control of the hovercraft.
Kim was so focused on the joys of flying that she never noticed the bikini placed over the back of Shego's vacated seat.
~o0o~
"Betty, this doesn't count," Agent Linda Goodman said loudly to her friend as they entered the noisy Global Justice hangar bay.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Dr. Director said as she looked over at their ride, a silvery-grey Global Justice transport jet. It was designed for speed, its sleek outline capable of carrying a minimal number of agents to their destination at the fastest speed possible.
The two women strode towards the jet, one in her officers dark blue-grey uniform, the other in her medical maroon-grey. They carefully followed the yellow demarcation lines on the floor to their shuttle, the busy hangar going on around them. Linda watched as a plane's engines roared to life, the jet rolling down the underground runway.
"A night out and away from the office doesn't count if it's a mission," Linda said a bit louder as another jet's engines began warming up. She brushed her shoulder length blonde hair out of her eyes and grinned at her friend.
"I beg to differ," Betty replied, smiling. They both knew she wouldn't win the argument, but it was the light and friendly banter they enjoyed. Stopping, Betty turned to Linda and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Are you sure about this?" she asked.
Linda promptly nodded, hoisted her travel bag over her shoulder, and walked towards their waiting jet.
Reckless and stubborn as always, Betty thought with a wry smile.
For Dr. Director, Global Justice, and most international agencies, Shego was still classified as a wildcard and highly suspect. The loss of all communications and monitoring from Dr. Lipsky's Omega Lair only made this trip that much more suspicious. Still, Dr. Director had decided not go in with a full contingent of agents, since that could only exasperate an unknown issue.
Entering the transport, Dr. Director looked at the four hand-picked agents she was bringing along for this reconnaissance mission. Agents, Moore, Walker, Hall, and Vimes were strapped in at the back of the craft, their bags stowed securely under their feet.
"Ma'am," all the agents said at once.
"Agents," Dr. Director said, nodding.
With Will Du in Africa handling the misuse of Lowardian technology, Dr. Directory had chosen four of the agency's best to accompany her on this mission. Agents Moore and Walker were both over six feet tall and well built, both men in their early twenties. Moore was well versed in counter-espionage, while Walker an expert in computers. Agents Hall and Allen, the two female agents, were both just as accomplished. Hall was an engineer, and Vimes a weapons expert.
To Dr. Director, their specialties were just icing on the cake of already excellent agents. They had been through many firefights over the last year, each performing above and beyond the call of duty. They were the best of the best, and yet, they would not stand a chance against either Kim or Shego. The thought of them working together on some nefarious scheme of Shego's broke Dr. Director out in chills, but that was almost her preferred scenario to most others her analysts had come up with.
Dr. Director sighed to herself, still unsure what she wanted the outcome of this mission to find. Turning to an intercom, she pressed a button and said, "Carl, we're ready to go."
"Yes, ma'am," came the pilot's reply.
~o0o~
Kim glided the hovercraft down into the Omega Lair's access tunnel. The shaft was easily sixty feet wide and heavily angled. Twin staircases ran along the passage's sides, its well-lit and smooth stone walls covered in steel-ribbed gantries all the way down. Both women sat quietly, lost in their thoughts, the muted hum of the hovercraft the only sound to be heard as they descended into the mountain.
Arriving at the base of the tunnel, Kim stopped the hovercraft before a reinforced blast door. She quickly entered the access codes, since Shego had already explained how many defense lasers would be trained on them. A soft beep from the console said the codes had been accepted, the door ponderously opening.
With the door half open, Kim felt rebellious. She turned the craft on its side, slipping the hovercraft through the narrow gap with a grin on her face. Glancing sideways at Shego, she could see the amused smirk on her face.
Shego felt a small lurch as Kim flicked the control stick, the grav-plating automatically compensating.
"I'm all for showing off, but don't you think this is a bit much?" Shego said.
"Nope," Kim replied as she glided the craft down the lair's main hangar bay upside down.
She stopped the hovercraft next to its docking bay, flipping them over and carefully backing the vessel into the hangar. Lowering the hovercraft over the heavy brackets in the bay, she cut the power, the cushioned shock absorbers flexing as they took the full weight of the vehicle.
Um... which? Kim thought, wracking her memory as her eyes scanned the console. Then, before Shego could chastise her for forgetting, she leaned over and pressed a button, dropping the hermetic forcefield around the cockpit. Kim instantly shivered as the cool air of the hangar flowed into the cockpit, glad she had dressed warm.
"Geez, it's meant to be warm this far down," Kim grumbled, standing up.
"That it is, Princess, but certain areas like the hangar here, we keep cool."
Has to be for all the vehicles and machines, Kim reasoned. Turning, she found Shego had her hands full with all their paraphernalia from their day at the beach. Kim held out a hand and flexed her fingers, offering to carry some items.
Shego simply shook her head to say no.
Kim rolled her eyes and grumbled, "I'm not that injured."
"Get over it."
Shego stepped up on the rim off the hovercraft, and dropped to the floor below. Kim turned to the middle of the craft and pulled up its trapdoor, rolling out the rope ladder.
As soon as I'm better, Kim thought, I'm putting her through the wringer. Climbing down, she fantasized about sparring with Shego after so long, a wonderful thrill running through her. She was halfway down when she felt another twinge in her leg, her shoulder flaring in sympathy. Biting her lip, she tightened her grip on the ladder, only for the pain to shoot along her arm until her fingers went numb.
Shego flexed her shoulders and looked around the silent hangar, noticing how big and empty it felt. It was a feeling she was not used to. Dammit, she silently grumbled, knowing full well where the feeling came from.
She turned around to chastise Kim on her slothful decent, only to see Kim's eyes go wide as she fell from the ladder.
"Kimmie!" Shego yelled, dropping everything and leaping forwards.
Shego moved as fast as she could, but it still wasn't fast enough. There was a loud thud as Kim hit the steel floor, her breath exploding from her as she crumpled to the ground.
Shego slid to a stop on her knees next to Kim. "Princess?" Shego said, louder than she expected. She gently lifted Kim's head from the cold floor and brought it to her lap.
For a split second, as Kim was falling, Shego had seen another face, another body falling. It was a vision from a day in her past she had tried very hard to forget. She had watched as sky blue eyes, wide with fear, had jumped, strawberry blonde hair flying in the breeze. The heart wrenching memory ripped through Shego's iron will, the fear exploding within her.
"Kimmie... Cupcake...?" Shego whispered, her heart pounding in her chest.
"...Hey... Shego," Kim softly replied through clenched teeth, her eyes shut in pain.
"What the fuck, Princess!" Shego said, once again louder than she wanted. Her fingers found their way to Kim's face, tenderly wiping away the moisture at the corner of Kim's eyes.
"Fingers... went... numb," Kim explained, once the pain became manageable. She opened her eyes to see the worried face above.
Shit! Shego thought to herself, realizing they would not be heading home tonight. "Your miracle pill's wearing off," she said, distracting herself in the mundane.
"My... pill?" Kim queried, remembering her time in the medical bay.
"Yeah, your fucking miraculous HenchCo drug Kimmie slipped you. It's great, it's wonderful, until it starts wearing off, then everything you've done while it was in your system catches up to you."
"Another?" Kim asked, her breath catching in her throat from the stabbing pains shooting through her body.
"No. That pill plays havoc with your nervous system," Shego explained. "Okay, maybe havoc isn't the right word," she added quickly, seeing Kim's alarmed expression. "It puts a lot of stress on it, so no more than one a month and you're fine."
Kim nodded in understanding, her brief moment of worry disappearing.
"Guess- guess I just needed a small fall to get you as my slave, hey?"
"Whatever," Shego replied, her voice distant.
She did not like the feelings that Kim's fall had brought up. Her hand gently cupping Kim's head was steady, but her other was clenched against her leg and shaking. Better alone. Never trust! It always ends in pain and loss, she silently screamed, her heart thudding away in her chest. Taking a deep breath to calm down, she wondered what to do next? Here she was, with Kim on her lap and no idea what to do.
Gawd, I hurt, Kim silently mused. The fall itself had not been too bad, but the impact on her injured body had paralyzed her from the pain. She was wondering how long she would have to lie here when tentative fingers made their way through her hair.
Oh...!
Kim opened her eyes and looked up. Shego's head was turned away with a strange look on her face, her jaw firmly clenched, but the hand running through Kim's hair was smooth and steady.
She's really not used to this, Kim thought. She closed her eyes and relaxed back into Shego's lap, waiting for her body to stop aching.
Shego sat there quietly as she ran her fingers through Kim's hair. She could not avoid the heart pounding terror she had felt when she saw Kim fall, or the memories of loss and heartache it had dredged up from her past. NO! It- it's not like Rachel. It's not! she silently screamed as she felt that day surfacing. She focused on something, anything else, finding that the soft and silky feel of Kim's hair beneath her fingers eased her troubled mind.
After a few minutes, Kim felt her aching body was well enough to stand. The slight twitch in her muscles as she moved was enough for Shego.
"Better?" Shego asked, her hand stopping in Kim's hair.
"Yeah, better," Kim replied, smiling up at her benefactor.
Slowly, and with a lot of help from Shego, Kim eventually made it back to her feet. She had both hands firmly holding onto her crutch while her body adjusted and the dizziness went away. She could see the worry that Shego's was trying to suppress, so Kim put on her bravest face.
"Shall we head home?" Kim asked, hoping to distracting Shego with a simple question.
"Not tonight, Pumpkin."
"What?"
"The drug's wearing off, your body's adjusting, and you've just taken a fall. There's no way you're riding home."
"Oookayy," Kim said, slowly nodding her head in agreement. She totally agreed with the assessment. It would be foolish to risk a ride back in the dark with how she was feeling. "So where-"
"Sec'," Shego said, turning to look at the hovercraft. "Gotta organize things here first, then we'll talk about where."
Kim opened her mouth to ask why, but shut it again as Shego called out, "Kimmie. Avatar!" The lair's AI instantly appeared beside the two women.
"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," Kimmie said with a grin on her face. At the blank looks on the other two women's faces, she huffed. "You two really need to watch more TV. That was comic gold," she grumbled. "Medical bay?" she inquired, her face serious.
"Maybe," Shego replied. "First, I want to make sure you'll be giving the hovercraft a full clean."
"And the rest?" Kimmie asked, pointing to the picnic and beach supplies sitting on the floor.
"Wash or destroy, just as long as there's nothing left behind."
"Why on earth do you need to do all that?" Kim asked. That's a bit of a drastic reaction for a day at the beach. This isn't all because of Global Justice is it?
"Well, when GJ shows up, and they will, I don't want them being able to trace where we were," Shego explained. "I don't fully trust Nerdlinger, but I know neither he nor you will be giving out where we were."
You're no longer running, Kim thought. I guess... It's just so much of who you are. You're never going to trust any government agency, too many years of mistrust. But there's something else, I just know it.
Shego walked over and picked up the beach bag, turned, and nodded at Kimmie. A hole appeared under their beach wear, the items fell through, and the floor sealed behind them without a sound. Kim was suitably impressed that Drakken had gotten around to employing Global Justice/W.E.E. portal technology. Hearing the sound of hydraulics, she looked up to see a glass screen slowly descending in front of the hovercraft. As soon as the hangar was secure, it was filled with high-pressure steam.
"Impressive," Kim said.
"Yeah, much better than henchmen cleaning it by hand."
She's still upset, Kim realized, noting Shego's body language and distance, Well, time to say thank you. Gripping her cane, she walked up next to Shego, watching the wary look in her eyes. "Thank you," she said, resting a hand on Shego's shoulder. She watched the muscles tense and the hands clench at the contact, but neither did she pull away or retort.
"It's fine, Princess," Shego said, her face still expressionless.
She cares, Kim thought, dropping her hand. Baby steps. It's good enough for now. I can't expect her to open up- It finally clicked to Kim. Open up! She looked over and spotted what had been eluding her.
"What's that door for?" Kim asked the other two.
"What door?" Shego and Kimmie both replied, looking to where Kim was pointing.
"There's no door there," Kimmie said authoritatively.
Shego looked into the hangar bay that Kim had pointed to. She knew the Omega Lair back to front, knew that Kimmie was right, that there was no door. Still? she thought. Anyone else and she would be scoffing at them, but this was Kim. Walking over to the bay with Kim in tow, she crouched down at the back wall behind a covered hovercraft.
"There," Kim said, pointing out the faint scuff marks on the floor.
Shego nodded that she had seen the marks, her hand tracing along the floor to feel the faint grooves in the steel surface.
What the hell?
~o0o~
The Global Justice transport flew through the night sky, its destination the far side of the United States.
"We're at cruising altitude, ma'am," the pilot called out from the cockpit.
"Thank you, Carl," Dr. Director replied. Unclipping her harness, she stood up, hand holding onto a support above her head as she swayed slightly from side to side with the movement of the aircraft. She glanced down at Linda before she turned to the back of the craft. "All right, agents, please open your mission briefings," she called out to the cabin. The four Global Justice agents immediately pulled out a plain grey folder from their backpacks.
"As you can see, we will be interacting with Kim Possible, Shego, and a hard light variant of Ms. Possible at the target location. Now, you're all familiar with Kim and Shego, but please reread our dossiers on each. Also, familiarize yourselves with the Omega Lair's layout, its hard light technology, and its capabilities."
"Do you have any new questions?" she asked, directing the query to Linda sitting next to her.
"None," Linda replied, flipping through the small dossier for the umpteenth time. "You pretty much covered everything when we went through this earlier." Popping the file away in her backpack, she looked up at her friend, seeing the worry and concern on her face. "Betty," she said softly, under the cover of the plane's engines, "you're worrying too much. Surely they're allowed to associate with each other without the world coming to an end?"
Dr. Directors eyes flicked to the back of the plane where the four agents were dutifully reading their mission briefs from cover to cover. She sat back down next to her friend, strapping herself in and leaned across.
"There's more at stake here than I'm allowed to say," Betty said softly. Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose before saying, "It will be easier for all if Shego is somehow manipulating Kim."
Linda nodded her head in understanding, knowing her friend had skirted around classified information. "I see, but if what you're saying is correct, I still don't see how I'm going to give Ms. Possible a full checkup while Shego's around."
"We adjust and adapt to the situation at hand," Dr. Director said. Both women smirked at each other at the use of one of Global Justice's unofficial mottos.
"Ma'am, is this correct, no weapons?" Agent Vimes inquired.
"That is correct," Dr. Director replied. She leaned forwards and looked at all four agents in turn. "This mission is recon only. Under no circumstances are you to engage Shego, or god forbid Kim, without first being attacked."
"Understood, ma'am."
~o0o~
After a quick call to her mom to say she would be staying out again, Kim broke out all her persuasive skills to convince Shego that she was okay, and that she did not need to be rushed off to the infirmary for a checkup. She had found a surprising ally in Kimmie. Her twin said she was fine, no stitches pulled. Shego stood there staring at them for the longest time before she grunted and turned away, focusing on the mystery at hand.
This is way more interesting than some silly checkup or... bed, Kim thought. Yay, another mission for Team KiGo.
They all sat together around a hard light table and chairs that Kimmie had summoned up in the main hangar bay. A large holographic map of the complex floated above the table, showing every room, passageway, and conduit. Kim and Shego began looking for any access points to the hidden room that Kim had discovered.
"There's nothing on my building plans or internal schematics to indicate that there's a door there, or what's behind it," Kimmie said. She tilted her head slightly to one side in concentration, clearly flummoxed.
"I know." Shego gaze focused on the map as she manipulated it, looking for any signs of the door. "If I don't know about it, then you won't. This was put in without my knowledge, and all records of it have been wiped from the database."
"Drakken," Kim said into the tense atmosphere. Shego nodded, while Kimmie looked annoyed and angry. "Well then, let's try it old school," Kim announced as she pulled out her kimmunicator and twirled it around in her fingers. She placed it on the table and pressed connect, Wade's face instantly coming up on screen.
"Hey, Kim, what's up?" Wade said, a smile on his face.
"Hey, Wade, I need you to scan behind a door."
"Can do, what-"
"Hey, Wade," Kimmie said, popping into view and waving, then moving on.
"Umm... Kim, was that you, with you?" Wade asked.
"Just a hard light AI of me, Wade. So not the drama."
"Drakken cracked the hard light formula," Wade said, his face filled with awe and excitement.
Kim had never seen such hunger in his eyes before. With all the technology they had obtained throughout the years, this was the first time she had seen him almost speechless. She noticed the twitches around his eyebrow and the excited tapping of his fingers on the keyboard.
"Focus, Nerdlinger," Shego snapped from the side.
"Uh... yeah... door." Shaking his head, he focused and became all serious. "Show me."
"It's this-" Kim turned to stand, only to find Shego's hands on her shoulders, holding her in place. Looking up, she saw Shego shake her head as she reached out and picked up the kimmunicator.
"Injured," Shego said as a way of explanation. She kept one hand on Kim's shoulder until she saw Kim nod her head.
When I'm better, Kim silently huffed, I'm so getting some payback for all this mothering.
Kim sat silently as she watched Shego wander off with her kimmunicator. A twinge down her side made her bite her lip, and turning her head, she looked at Kimmie standing beside the table.
"Kimmie…?" she said softly, getting her twins attention.
"Hey, what's up," Kimmie said, sitting down so they were eye to eye.
"That pill you have me... are there any side effects?"
"No, there's no side effects. Is something wrong?"
"No!" Kim said, louder than she wanted. Shego's head twitched. She's sooo listening, Kim thought, not fooled by Shego's casual body language. Gawd...! How- how do I explain what happened? I just... can't tell Kimmie everything. I can't! She leaned forwards and dropped her voice. "I... had a... very emotional situation while on the island," she explained.
"I'll check all the research, but there's nothing listed in the notes about such a reaction," Kimmie assured her.
"Thank you." Kim reached out a hand and rested it on Kimmie's.
What are you hiding? Shego thought as she surreptitiously watched Kim having a secretive heart-to-heart with Kimmie.
"All done," Wade announced, bringing Shego out of her musings.
"And?" Shego demanded.
"I'd... like to report to Kim as well," he said.
Shego just stared at Wade through the kimmunicator, her silent and unnerving stare making him sweat. Then, without a word, she turned and walked back to the table.
"Hey, what did Wade have to say?" Kim said to Shego as she approached the table.
"Ask him yourself." Shego dropped the kimmunicator onto Kim's lap. "He wants to talk to both of us." She sat down hard on her seat and threw her feet up on the table, an annoyed look on her face.
Well, I can worry about Miss Grumpy later, Kim thought. Resting the kimmunicator on the table's edge, she saw the slightly worried face of Wade looking back. Sorry, Wade, I never expected you to have to handle two mistresses. She threw the worried boy a huge smile, seeing a small one in return.
"So, Wade, what's the verdict?"
~o0o~
"Ladies, or should I say Shego and twins?" Wade began. "You're totally correct in that there's a door there, but it's resisting my scans, so there's no way to tell what's behind it."
Shego grunted and went to stand, stopping as Kim rested a hand on her arm.
"Wait for it," Kim said, nodding at the kimmunicator.
"That's right," Wade said, a gleam in his eyes. "There's always Team Possible's time honored tradition of entering a lair."
Shego looked at Kim for a second before her gaze rose to the barely lit ceiling far above. She focused on the massive ventilation ducts running along the walls.
"I've looked at the schematics," Shego said, waving her hand at the holographic projection of the lair, "there's no connecting ductwork or cabling."
"For you, maybe, but I'm detecting a slight fluctuation along one of the ventilation ducts, signifying-" Wade explained.
"A junction!" Shego said, her sullen mood evaporating now that she had a target.
"I'm not detecting anything," Kimmie said, a worried frown on her face. Kim found it strange watching her twin's face, her face, scrunch up in concentration.
"I've got a theory on that," Wade said, taking a small sip of his soda. "Since we're assuming Drakken built the room, then it goes without saying that he-"
"Hard coded into my matrix the inability to detect it," Kimmie finished.
"Correct," Wade said, raising his drink in a salute. "So, all that leaves for us now is-"
"How to get into the ventilation system," Kimmie said with a smile.
Kim and Shego found their eyes drifting up to the stone ceiling, lost in the darkness. The ventilation ducts were over sixty feet from the ground, with no easy access. Their gazes slid down the smooth stone wall, coming to rest on the small covered hovercraft in the bay directly under one of the ducts outputs. They both stood up, looking at each other.
Shego could see Kim practically buzzing with excitement at the chance to sneak in and explore the unknown. The look on her face was infectious, and she found the edges of her lips turning up in a smile.
She's injured, Shego reminded herself. Something in her face must have given away her thoughts, because a determined look came over Kim's face. It was a look saying 'just you try and leave me behind'.
Shego raised one ebon eyebrow in question. Are you sure?
Kim returned a small nod, her arms folded across her chest in defiance. There's no way I'm staying here!
"So, Princess," Shego said, smirking, "how does a night in with me sound to you?"
"Sounds perfect." Kim's frown disappeared as a smile lit up her face.
Shego headed for the hovercraft, Kim mirroring her, and the two women met up at the vehicle. Reaching up, Shego grabbed the clear plastic sheeting covering the hovercraft, pulling it off with one big yank. They were both immediately engulfed by a cloud of dust. They turned away and closed their eyes, coughing lightly as they covered their mouths.
Seeing Kim roll her eyes, Shego said, "Hey, I'm a thief, not a cleaner."
Kim opened her mouth to reply, but a lungful of dust forestalled any comeback as she coughed violently. Wiping her eyes, she found Kimmie next to her, and Shego already halfway up a rope ladder hanging from the hovercraft.
"Here," Kimmie said, holding out a hand, and offering her kimmunicator.
"Thanks." Kim took the device and slid it into her pocket. Gawd! How could I forget this. You'll make me forget my own name next, she thought, looking up at a pair of pale green legs disappearing into the hovercraft. Placing a hand on the rope ladder, she turned to Kimmie.
"Are you coming?" Kim asked.
"I'd love to, but there's no holographic projectors in there," Kimmie said.
"I didn't feel the need for Kimmie here to have to go traipsing through miles of conduits," Shego said from right behind.
Kim refused to turn, maintaining her gaze on Kimmie.
"It's fine," Kimmie said, "Wade's got me patched in to your kimmunicator, so I'll be following everything. You two have fun now." She waved and disappeared.
Kim dropped her hand from the ladder and turned to face Shego. "And?" she enquired.
"Doy! I'm here to catch you if you decide to fall again." Shego walked up to the rope ladder and held it firm, gesturing for Kim to climb.
"Yeah, right, like that's going to happen," Kim scoffed.
Shego just stood there, that annoying smirk on her face.
"Fine! Here I go." Geez!
The small hovercraft was only ten feet or so from the ground, but Kim still took the climb seriously, making sure she put no undue stress on her shoulders.
Shego paid close attention to the way Kim's arms and legs moved as she climbed, ready for any change or slip. She couldn't help but notice the way Kim's jean covered behind flexed as she climbed, her mind drifting back to a certain bikini clad bottom from earlier in the day. Grinning at the sight, she found she couldn't help herself.
"Ohhh, Cupcake," she called out, the grin evident in her voice.
"Yes?" Kim replied. Don't you dare, she thought, very aware of her position.
Shego pursed her lips and gave out a very loud and piercing wolf whistle, the echoes reverberating throughout the hangar.
"Shego!" Kim growled, pausing in her climb. She leaned her head against the ladder and closed her eyes, breathing in and out a few times to control the faint blush on her cheeks. Just... focus... on the payback, she told herself. Raising a hand to a new rung, she continued climbing, ignoring the massive grin she could feel from below.
~o0o~
"Next time, you're going up first," Kim said to Shego, who was sitting next to her in the hovercraft.
"You say the sweetest things, Cupcake. Now, take us up."
Kim looked over the hovercraft's console. It was slightly different to the other she had piloted. There were enough similarities for her to quickly deduce what was where, and soon she had them hovering in front of the large grill in the side of the ventilation system. This close, the cold air flowed over the two women. Kim pulled her sweater tighter around her shoulders, unable to stop a small shiver.
Gawd! A tropical island to arctic conditions in one afternoon, Kim thought wryly.
"Right, let's get this party started," Shego said, her hands lighting up.
"How about we try something more surgical," Kim suggested, a twinkle in her eye. "We don't want to mess up your pretty little lair too much now, do we?"
At Kim's description, Shego's hands dropped, the glow going out. She called it a what? Before she could retort, Kim stepped in front, her back delicately resting against Shego's chest. Kim's arm dipped into her jeans as she retrieved her laser lipstick.
"This'll do the trick," Kim said, starting on one of the large bolts.
Kim's innocent maneuver completely threw Shego off-balance. Her world was suddenly dominated by the smell of washed hair and the feel of Kim's body lightly pressed against hers. She took a deep breath to calm herself, exasperating the problem as she pushed herself against Kim. Overwhelmed by the closeness of the situation, she scrambled mentally for a few seconds to get her bearings. When an arm grazed the side of her breast, Shego automatically stepped back, biting down on the growl that wanted to escape her lips.
She did not just do that? Shego thought, feeling the heat in her face. She watched as an oblivious Kim moved to the other side of the hovercraft to continue with her lasering.
"There we go, all done," Kim announced, stepping back from the air duct.
With a grunt, Shego stepped forwards, refusing to allow her subconscious to dictate her actions. Spreading her feet for balance, she grasped the grill with both hands and pulled. Kim watched with wide eyes as Shego's muscles strained against the bars, until with a sharp crack, the grill came free. Shego angled the large piece of metal and threw it back inside the conduit.
It's amazing how strong she actually is, Kim thought.
Climbing inside the large ventilation duct, they found its curved walls big enough for both of them to stand upright, and two abreast.
"So...?" Shego said, looking up and down the darkened tube.
Kim pulled out her kimmunicator and pressed connect, Wade once again appeared on screen, ready to give directions.
"Twenty-three feet to your right," Wade said without prompting.
Kim nodded and followed Shego who was already walking away, her feet echoing on the steel floor. At the described spot, both women stopped, looking at the blank metal wall they had been directed to.
Nerdlinger's either dropping his game, or there's more here than meets the eye? Shego thought.
She reached out a pale green hand and rested it against the chilly metal of the wall, focusing intently on her tactile response. Closing her eyes and ignoring the arctic breeze blowing through the corridor, she slid her hand along the surface, feeling for any imperfections,
She brushed her hair out of her eyes and raised her head to query Wade, her gaze coming to rest on Kim, shivering at her side.
"It- it's def' here," Kim said through chattering teeth, raising the kimmunicator for Shego to see Wade's nodding head.
"This is where the fluctuations originate from." Wade's worried eyes flicked from Shego to Kim.
As Kim rubbed her arms to try and keep warm, Shego felt the strange urge to help. Uh... no, she thought, knowing what that would entail.
"It's also the only part that's shielded from my scans," Wade said.
"G'd j'b," Kim managed to say, her whole body beginning to shake.
No...! No fucking way! Shego mentally yelled. Another glance at a shivering Kim, and she found her will weakening. No! I'm not going to- Faaark! Dammit, I am soft. She clenched her hands in annoyance, knowing she was going to. Geez...! What I have to put up with, she silently railed at herself.
Kim's teeth were chattering uncontrollably, wishing she had much warmer clothes on. Her eyes went wide when Shego turned, sighed heavily, and wrapped her arms around Kim's shoulders, blocking out the worst of the breeze. With Shego's unnatural body heat warming her, Kim lifted her head and smiled gratefully. The two women stood there quietly as the conduit lit up in green, Shego's glowing hands sending the most wonderful warmth flowing into Kim.
Shego stood there stiff and unyielding, her muscles tense, yet her arms gently held onto Kim. Again, she was assaulted by the smell of Kim's hair, and the soft feel of the petite body disarmed her.
"Th-thanks, Sh-Shego," Kim chattered, her lips warming up. She meant more than just for the heat. She could feel the tension in Shego's body, knowing full well she had issues, and that she was forcing them to the side to help her.
"Hey, I'd be most remiss in my duties if I let my little bitch freeze to death." It was a situation straight out of Kim's phrasebook. Awkweird, she mused, but when did she run from a fight or challenge? If it was anyone else, Princess. She sighed the sigh of the put upon as Kim snuggled closer, her head coming to rest on a warm shoulder.
"Concealed projector," Kim murmured, her thoughts crystallizing now that she was warming up.
Shego started, realizing she had forgotten the reason they were in here in the first place. She then chastised herself that she had not thought of that. Moving a glowing hand from Kim to the wall, she ramped up the heat. They watched as the surface failed to react, both women knowing it had to be a projection and, after a minute, the wall blinked out as it overloaded.
Disappearing into the darkness was a much smaller ventilation system.
~o0o~