I'm standing on a bridge
             I'm waiting in the dark
            I thought that you'd be here by now
            There's nothing but the rain
            No footsteps on the ground
            I'm listening but there's no sound

            Isn't anyone trying to find me?
            Won't somebody come take me home?

            -Avril Lavigne, I'm With You

            Ratigan strolled into the entryway of KP College. With benches on either side and the door at the end of the hall, Kim Possible's logo over the doorway, it was normal. Was being the operative word. He did a quick mental check of the building. Everyone was there. Except one person.

            Veeken

            ~          *          ~          *          ~          *          ~

            Veeken turned to thank the pilot as she and Ron exited the plane. "Thanks for the lift, Mr. Geminini."

            The pilot smiled. "Don't worry about it. Oh, and tell Kim thanks."

            In the airport station, she found Ron and Rufus at the Bueno Nacho booth. "So, where do we go now?", she asked.

            "Well, I called a taxi to take us to the Yamanuchi school, which should be here about-." A honking noise was heard from outside. "Now", Ron finished.

            The taxi arrived at a bend in the road next to a steep hill. "This is the Yamanuchi school?", Veeken asked.

            "Actually, it's up the hill", Ron replied.

            Veeken looked up, and up, and, well, you get the idea. "We have to climb that high?!"

            "Yep."

            A long way up the hill later, they reached a waterfall. "How long have we been climbing?", Veeken sighed.

            "Who cares? I don't...", Ron replied. Veeken was about to ask why he stopped talking, when she noticed the ninja in their path. Taking a karate stance, she prepared to do battle with it. But Ron stepped forward before she could stop him, and said in a loud voice "We don't want to hurt you. I am a friend of this school. My name is-"

            "Stoppable-san!", the ninja cried out, in a girl's voice.

            "Yori?", Ron asked, amazed. The ninja pulled off her hood to reveal that it was indeed Yori, the girl Ron had told Veeken about.

            ~          *          ~          *          ~          *


            "And when I got up to her room, she was gone", Ratigan said, finishing telling his story to Basil, who listened attentively, as if nothing had changed since the days when Ratigan and Basil were still arch-foes.

            "Did you check the Possible's?", he asked.

            "No luck, and Kim isn't there, so I couldn't ask Wade of her location through the Kimmunicator."

            Suddenly, Ned spoke up from behind the counter. "Is there a James Ratigan? I'm looking for a James Ratigan."

            "I'm coming", Ratigan sighed, walking over to the counter. "What is it?', he asked.

            "I have a phone call from a 'Wade'."

Ratigan held out his hand, and Ned placed the receiver in his hand. "Hello?", the voice said on the other end.

            "Wade?", Ratigan asked. "What happened?"

            "That's not important. Ron asked me to get her and Veeken to set up a ride to Japan. It's kinda suspicious, but..."

            Ratigan pondered the statement for a moment. "Say, Wade, can you send over a Kimmunicator? Kim has hers with her on a mission, and Veeken probably brought hers with her."

            "No problem", Wade said. Ratigan turned to Ned, who handed a Kimmunicator to him.

            "Thanks", Ratigan said. Giving the receiver back to Ned, he sat back down in the booth.

            "Well?", Basil asked.

            "Well, Veeken's in Japan, and Wade's setting up a ride so I can go find her... But I can't do it alone." His eyes unfocused for a moment, then turned to Basil, a grin on his face. "Maybe I need a Plan B!", he finished.

            Basil raised an eyebrow. "I'm Plan B?!", he exclaimed. Suddenly, Ratigan took on expression that Basil recognized immediately, and Ron couldn't escape, much less Ron. The infamous puppy-dog pout. "No!", he shouted, covering his eyes. "You're puppy-dog pouting!"

            "No, I'm not", Ratigan replied. Finally, he slowly uncovered his eyes. "All right", he sighed. "I'm in."

            "Boo-ya."

            "And one more thing, Ratigan?", Basil asked.

            "Yes?"

            "Never let Kim teach you any of her persuasion techniques again", Basil moaned, laying his head on the table. Ratigan merely grinned. The Puppy-Dog Pout. Gets 'em every time.

AN: Click on the link to see a pic of Ratigan puppy-dog pouting... If you DARE!!! http://www.geocities.com/ratigans_daughter/g1432.JPG