A/N: Thank you all so much for following and reviewing. I wanted to say that I'm glad you liked this fic, because plenty more like this are coming around. The next project? Phantom Planet. But more on that soon. Enjoy chapter two.
36 hours earlier...
Atlantic City
In the bustling nighttime gambling scene of Atlantic City, many famous and high society people have gathered in a hotel restaurant for a special event. Someone was being awarded the Hero Award and the key to the city. That someone was backstage, wearing a shy but excited smile on her face that goes great with her little black dress. That someone was Kim Possible. A multi media presentation began to play on the big screen, explaining Kim's heroic origins.
"Kim Possible. Modest. Compassionate. Tough. Heroic." A deep male voice narrated as pictures from Kim's early childhood were shown. "Even from an early age, the daughter of rocket scientist James Possible and brain surgeon Ann Possible was already making a huge difference in the world. At age four, she was rewarded the Most Polite award from her Pre K class. At age eight, she was on the top of her school's honor list. And at age 14, she became head cheerleader at Middleton High."
Kim couldn't help but blush under her smile as she looked back on those fond memories. "Then, Cuddle Buddy collector Paisley had contacted Kim on her website, originally designed for odd jobs. After saving him, Kim had used her skills and special weapons to help people in life dangerous situations and save the world from super villains. With help from her friends Ron Stoppable and Wade Load, Kim helps usher in a new age for heroes everywhere, winning global approval with her kindness and confidence. Today, Kim Possible has helped make the world a much safer place."
She then began to straighten her hair a bit as her celebrity friend, pop superstar Britina, came to the podium. "About two years ago, I contacted Kim on her website to help save my Chicago show from a horrible backstage fire. Ever since then, I've had the most fabulous honor of being part of Team Possible's favor network. She is my super BFF. Ladies and gentlemen, Kim Possible!"
With that, Kim came onstage wearing a really big smile as she was met with applause from everyone, including Ron and Rufus, who were in the audience, wearing tuxedos, per Kim's advice. After all, this was a high society event, and Kim didn't want them to embarrass her with gross antics. For once, they were being well mannered. Well, until Kim came onstage and accepted her award. "Go KP! Boo yah!" Ron yelled excitedly.
"Whoo hoo!" Rufus squeaked.
Kim rolled her eyes playfully at that before she began to make her speech. "Wow. This is huge. Well, I just want to thank the entire Atlantic City for this amazing honor. I've never thought I would receive an amazing award like this. First of all, I wanna thank my parents for keeping me grounded and teaching me to stay true to myself. They've been the best in raising me. I also wanna thank my BFF Monique, my principal Mr. Barkin, my fellow cheer squad, and my little brothers, the Tweebs. Finally, I wanna thank three very special people for helping me save the world: Ron, Rufus, and Wade."
"You got that right, Kim!" Ron cheered, happy that his best friend mentioned him. He then knocked down a glass and spilled water on a lady's dress. "Oops. My bad."
An hour has passed since Kim received her award. She was currently in a photo shoot with many other famous celebrities and such. In the sidelines, Ron and Rufus were talking among themselves while also eating off of a cheese plate. "Well, I can definitely say that Kim deserves it. Heck we even saved the world many times, especially after we cleared her ancestor's name," Ron conversed with Rufus. Rufus only responded with some squeaking noises. To anyone else that were listening to the conversation, they wouldn't be able to understand what Rufus was talking about, but Ron was able to. "Yea, that's exactly my point!" he seemingly agreed to whatever Rufus said.
Just then Kim walked back to Ron and Rufus, exhausted from the day's events. "Augh, I know being a hero is exhausting and all, but being both a hero and in the spotlight is just a whole new level of tiredness." Ron allowed Kim to lean on his shoulder, with Rufus being on his other shoulder, as they walked back to the hotel room Britina provided for them. They made it to their room on the second floor, and unlocked the door to get in. Once inside, Kim collapsed on the bed closest to the door with a yawn. Ron turned on the TV, with the news from today's events being shown.
"Ron, how is it heroes can keep up living double identities without going crazy?" Kim suddenly asked out of the blue. Ron gave her a confused look as she asked this to him directly. Kim then looked at the look he gave her, prompting her to elaborate. "Oh, come on Ron. The heroes you read in your comic books all lead double lives, yet they don't seem to be exhausted like I am."
Ron cleared his throat to answer her question. "Well, young lady, all heroes that I read have people not knowing who they really are." As he said this he put on a horrible impression of an old television announcer, making Kim laugh at his antics. "Wha- what'd I do?" he asked obliviously to her laughing. It took him a few minutes to realize what got her laughing before he laughed along with her. They went at it for a few more seconds before calming themselves down.
Just as they started calming down a newscaster was announcing the news. "And in other related news, Anthony "Tony" Stark was absent to receive his "Innovator of The Year" award. Instead his long-time friend and business partner, Obadiah Stane, went up to receive the award on Stark's behalf," the announcer stated. Kim and Ron were both listening to the report themselves as they watched. Kim was in utter disbelief at that. She knew Star and his company, and what they're famous for.
"I can't believe that smug, rich jerk won an award like that. His company are practically known terrorists for attacking and selling weapons of mass destruction!" Kim ranted, furious at Stark winning an award of any kind. Ron didn't say anything as she kept going on and on about how Tony Stark is a terrible person this and a terrible person that. After what felt like hours she fell on the bed again, this time exhausted even more than she was before.
Ron walked up to her and sat next to her on the bed, patting her back. "There there, Kim. Hey, who cares about this Tony Stark, huh? Not like we'll ever meet him." Just as he finished talking, the Kimmunicator went off, making him speak too soon.
Kim sighed as she picked up the Kimmunicator and answered it. "Go Wade." Kim said.
"Hey Kim. Congrats on the award." Wade said with a smile before noticing Kim's tired look. "You look exhausted."
"I am. Thanks." Kim said, rolling her eyes. "It's just with saving the world, cheerleading practice, and all these press interviews that I almost never get any sleep. So, what's the sitch? Drakken and Shego? Killigan? Professor Dementor?"
"Actually, it's been pretty quiet on the villain front." Wade informed. "It's just that there's this special military troop who want you to come to Afghanistan and entertain some kids at a local village."
"Afghanistan?!" Ron asked, more than a little nervous about entering a war torn country.
"Ron, relax. We're not gonna get shot at." Kim said, rolling her eyes at her bestie. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of security." She then turned back to Wade. "Okay Wade. We'll do it. But it's the last non world saving gig we'll take for awhile. After that, I'm going home and crashing on my own bed."
"Understood." Wade smiled. "Colonel Dick will be greeting you at the base tomorrow."
"Spanking." Kim said with a smile, before she noticed Ron and Rufus giggling. "What's so funny?"
"Colonel Dick." Ron said, bursting out laughing with his naked mole rat.
"We'll be there." Kim said before hanging up. She then picked up a cell phone to call her parents. "Hi mom, hi dad."
"Hi honey." Ann said on the other line. "How did ceremony go?"
"Pretty amazing." Kim said with a smile. "Anyway, I got one more thing I have to do before I go home tomorrow. Gotta go entertain some kids in Afghanistan. After that, I'm gonna be taking a break."
"Okay Kimmie Cub. Just promise us that you'll try to get some sleep tonight." James said.
"Thanks daddy." Kim said before seeing more news about Tony Stark, making her groan.
"What's wrong, Kim?" Ann asked.
"Sorry guys. I'm just a little tweaked over seeing news about that smug rich jerk, Tony Stark." Kim said.
"Ah, Tony Stark of Stark Industries." James said with a smile. "That man can build missiles and rockets. I used to write to him." He then frowned. "But that smug rich jerk never wrote back."
"I feel your pain dad." Kim said with a grin. "Well, I better get some sleep."
"Okay honey. Sweet dreams. Love you." Ann said.
"Love you too." Kim said with a smile before setting her phone down and going to sleep.
Meanwhile...
Las Vegas
At the Ceaser's Palace, another award ceremony was being held. This one for Tony Stark, who was receiving the Apogee Award. A multi media presentation about Stark's life plays on the screens. "Tony Stark. Visionary. Genius. American patriot." A deep male voice narrated. "Even from an early age, the son of legendary weapons developer Howard Stark quickly stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind. At age four, he built his first circuit board. At age six, his first engine. And at 17, he graduated summa cumm a laude from MIT. Then, the passing of a titan. Howard Stark's lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane, steps in to help fill the gap left by the legendary founder, until, at age 21, the prodigal son returns and is anointed the new CEO of Stark Industries. With the keys to the kingdom, Tony ushers in a new era for his father's legacy, creating smarter weapons, advanced robotics, satellite targeting. Today, Tony Stark has changed the face of the weapons industry by ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe."
James Rhodes walked up to the podium to present Tony Stark's award. "As a liaison to Stark Industries, I've had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot. He is my friend and he is my great mentor," he announced to the crowd before him. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present this years Apogee Award to Mr. Tony Stark." The crowd starts clapping as classy jazz music plays in the background. After a few more seconds, the clapping started to down and James held up the award. "Tony?" he asked, not seeing his friend anywhere in the crowd.
As he searched the crowd his eyes fell on Obadiah Stane, who shook his head to answer the silent question that was asked. James started to feel slight embarrassment creep up on him as Stane walked up to accept the award on Tony's behalf. Stane graciously accepted said award as he began to speak at the podium into the microphone.
"Thank you colonel. Thanks for the save," Stane half-jokingly said. He then looked at the award as he began to speak again. "This is beautiful. Thank you. Thank you all very much. This is wonderful." He then looked at the crowd and said jokingly, "Well, I'm not Tony Stark." This got the crowd to laugh at his joke. "But if I were Tony, I would tell you how honored I feel, and what a joy it is to receive this very prestigious award." And he sounded very sincere when he said this. "Tony, you know… The best thing about tony is also the worse thing. He's always working," he said in a very reassuring tone.
But that however is not the case as Tony was not working. He was at the casino, playing caps. He had a group of people around the table watching him, with two women on both sides of his. He rolled a pair of dice and the others cheered, as it was a perfect score. Tony then turned around and headbutted Happy Hogan's shoulder. The woman on his left side rubbed his chest seductively as Tony looked at her. "Why don't we just stay till morning?" he asked her in a flirting tone. He failed to notice his best friend James Rhodes come up behind him unfortunately.
"You are unbelievable," he scolded him, angry at him not showing up for his award. Tony then looked at her, almost looking drunk.
"Oh no! Did they rope you into this?" he asked, not really caring what he had to say.
"No, nobody roped me into anything," Rhodes responded back, trying to not argue with him. "But I told them that if I presented you with an award you'd be deeply honored."
"Of course, I'll be deeply honored. And it's you, that's great," Tony said back, sounding very sincere with that. But that changed when he then asked, "So when do we do it?"
Rhodes shook his head at his antics as he then said, "It's right here." He gave Tony the award he earned. "Here you go."
"Ah there it is," Tony sarcastically said, not really caring as he has plenty of these. "That was easy." He then just off-handedly gave it to the woman on his left as he said, "Well, would you look at that. That's something else. I don't have any of those floating around."
Tony went back to playing caps as he held the dice. He brought it to the woman's face as he said, "Would you blow on that. Give me a little something-something." She happily blew into his hand as he then brought it to James face. "Come on, you too." James wasn't having none of that.
"I don't blow on man's dice," he told Tony, who was still telling him too. Having enough of it, James lightly smacked Tony's hand, making the dice roll on the table. The result was ultimately two craps.
The two are then walking to the exit as they shook hands. "Ok this is where we exit. Tomorrow morning don't be late," he reminded Tony, as something was to happen the next day. "I'm serious."
Tony kept telling him he knows as he walked with his bodyguard Happy. They walked past a group of people as he said, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. There you go." He then gave his award to somebody dressed in roman attire.
They were then walking to their car as Happy opened the door for Tony. He was about to get in before he was stopped by somebody trying to get his attention. "Mr. Stark excuse me! Mr. Stark!" a feminine voice yelled. She ran up to Tony as she introduced herself. "Christine Everheart, Vanity Fair Magazine. Can I ask you a couple of questions?"
Tony and Happy were discussing is she was cute before Tony turned around to face her fully. "Hi," he greeted in a friendly tone. "Yea. Okay, go." He walked up to her to get close to her.
"You've been called the da Vinci of our time. What do you say to that?" she questioned Stark.
"Absolutely ridiculous. I don't paint," he jokingly answered.
"And what do you say to your other nickname?" she then asked, getting a little more personal. "The Merchant Of Death."
"That's not bad," Tony answered honestly. "Let me guess. Berkeley?"
"Brown actually," the woman retorted back.
"Well, Ms. Brown, It's an imperfect world, but it's the only world we got," Tony shot back, being honest for now in his answer. "I guarantee you; the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace, I'll start making bricks and beams for baby hospitals."
"Rehearse that much?" Christine sarcastically asked.
"Every night in front of the mirror before bedtime," Tony sarcastically replied back.
"I can see that," Christine said in a mocking tone. Tony then went in for the kill.
"I'd like to show you firsthand," he said, trying to flirt with her.
Christine silently scoffs as she said, "All I want is a serious answer."
"Okay, here's serious. My old man had a philosophy, 'Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy.'," Tony answer very sincerely.
"That's a great line coming from the guy selling the sticks," Christine sarcastically stated.
Tony was getting slightly irritated at her as he said, "My father helped defeat the Nazis. He worked on the Manhattan project. A lot of people, including your professors at Brown, would call that being a hero."
"And a lot of people would also call that war profiteering," she shot at him.
Tony took off his glasses as said to her, "Tell me, do you plan to report on the millions we've saved by advancing medical technology or kept from starvation with our intelli-crops? All those breakthroughs, military funding, honey." As he said this he felt like he put her in her place.
"Wow," she said, seemingly impressed at that response. "You ever lose an hour of sleep your whole life?"
"I'd be prepared to lose a few with you," Tony answered, flighting his wat to her. Christine smiles slightly, and next thing you know she's on his bed, kissing him hungrily as she lays on top of him. They go at it for a few more seconds before they roll onto the floor, Tony laughing at that.
Next chapter, Kim and Tony meet face to face before they get captured. Once in captivity, they meet a kind soul and learn about the militia who captured them. Will they come up with a plan to escape?
