{[ Italics = inner thoughts/daydreams/flashbacks ]}
Chapter 3
"You Are Good, I Am Bad"
The night was quiet, an eerie sort of quiet that usually meant trouble was imminent. A flicker of a shadow swept through the air, the dark form then landing on the roof of a bank. The shadow, a mysterious young woman, then knelt down and pulled out a pen-like tool. Pressing a side button, a narrow red light short out from the tool's tip and she began cutting a large hole in the roof. Once completely cut through, the circle of plaster and wood fell to the ground of the building's interior, which then made way for her to drop through to the inside. The young woman crept through the building, making sure she didn't have any unwanted visitors. She made her way to the back room, using her laser tool once more to cut off the lock of the large metal safe. The door swung open, revealing many rows of cabinets of assorted valuables from various owners. She rushed from one drawer to the next, scooping only the most costly of deposits into the black pack she'd carried in on her back. She came to one drawer, pulling it open and great smile spread underneath her black mask. She hurriedly picked up the large blue-tinted diamond and stuffed it into her bag, zipping it shut. As she was about to leave, she turned and pulling out her laser pen yet again. With great speed and ease, she scribbled something on the door then sprinted back to the spot from which she dropped in and threw up a grapnel hook to shimmy up and escape without interference.
*~*~*~*~*
"Thank goodness you're here, Kim Possible, we're stumped on this one," the bank manager greeted the teen hero and her sidekick. "I hope I'm not taking away from anything."
"No big, sir, I go wherever and whenever I'm needed," Kim smiled her casual 'Look at me, I'm so great' smile.
Ron stood off to the side, wandering around the crime scene as he usually did while Kim got the information on the robbery. This is when he discovered the inscription on the metal safe door.
"Hey, Kim!" he called her over, pointing to the door.
Kim walked over to read the message.
"Infanta Truth… what, or who, is that?" she pondered, putting a hand to her chin in thought. "I've never heard of this before."
Just then, her communicator went off.
"What up, Wade?" she said to the small screen.
"Another hit on your website. A rare ruby called The Wolf's Heart was stolen just last night…" Wade went on with informing Kim of the details. "… And on the stand the ruby was on, the name Infanta Truth was carved into the stone," he added.
"That's the same name that was on the door of the safe here," Kim said, further considering the new information. "I guess this is a person… but the real question is who this person is," she wondered aloud.
Glancing at the time, Ron informed Kim they should be getting to school. Kim agreed, then turned to the bank manager for a last word before she and Ron took their leave.
*~*~*~*~*
"Yo, Ron!" Vicki called across the hall from her locker.
Ron turned around, a bright smile appearing on his face.
"Hey, Vicki!" he greeted, walking over to stand by her. "I didn't know you went here."
"I only transferred in the beginning of last year. It's nice to know there's another person I can stand at this school," she said, while casting an evil glare toward two cheerleaders that were passing by. "So where you off to?" she asked.
"Sign up for electives. I'm going to meet a friend of mine there right now," he said, aiming his finger down the locker-lined hall.
"Mind if I follow you down there? I was going down there anyways."
"Sure. You can meet Kim," he smiled.
As they walked together down the hall, Vicki couldn't help but think that she'd heard that name before… but it was probably a mistake anyhow.
As the reached the right room, Ron hurried up to a slender redhead in the line outside the door.
"Vicki, come meet Kim!" he called, beckoning for her to come over to him and the girl.
Vicki then got a sickening angry feeling in her gut once she got a good look at the redhead. It was the cheerleader from yesterday who she'd knocked off the pyramid with the spit wad. Without a word, Vicki ducked into the near front of the line behind her friend Juniper (more commonly known as 'Juni'). Juni had very long brown hair and bright almond-shaped brown eyes.
"What's up?" Juni said to her friend.
"Just peachy," Vicki muttered, throwing a brief glare back at Kim. "Any classes left?" she asked.
"Yeah, but I hear that 'Photography' is filling up pretty fast. I hope we get it!"
"No need for worry, my dear little Philippino," Vicki smiled, patting Juni affectionately on the head. "The luck of this Irish maiden shall see us through!" she joked with a triumphant note in her voice.
Meanwhile near the back of the line, Ron was puzzling over why Vicki had hurried away.
"I wonder what got into her," he wondered.
"Was that the friend you went to meet that one day?" Kim asked him.
"Maybe," he teased.
*~*~*~*~*
"ARRGG!" Kim groaned with disappointment. "How could I have not gotten Photography? I didn't think we were that late!" she complained.
"Calm down, Kim," Ron tried to still her fury. "I just filled up fast, that's all. You've still got a good one," he said.
"You call 'School Clean-Up Crew' good?" she grumbled. "I'd rather have 'Home Economics'."
As Kim pouted, Vicki and Juni walked by chatting happily about their elective class choices.
"Good luck, Kim!" Ron called back, running off to catch up with Vicki. "Hey!" he called.
Juni turned to see whom it was, then tapped Vicki on the shoulder and informed her of their follower.
"Oh, hi Ron," Vicki smiled. "What class did you get?" she asked.
"Photography," he answered, scratching the back of his neck nervously.
"What's wrong?" Juni piped up. "Didn't you want it?"
"Yeah, but Kim wanted it too and I got the last spot. So she got stuck with School Clean-Up Crew instead, so I feel kind of bad," he admitted.
"Tough shit for her then," Vicki put in, "You won out and she got stuck with a not-so-great class. That's not your fault," she said.
"What did you get?" he asked the two girls, in effort to change the subject.
"Photography," they said in unison.
"Awesome!" he cheered.
*~*~*~*~*
"Is this pose all right?" Ron asked Vicki, shifting in his seat on the stool.
"Yeah, you're- er, I mean… That's perfect," she stumbled with her words.
Juni nudged her in the side, winking at her, and getting a raspberry in retaliation. Vicki put her eye back up to the viewfinder, adjusting the camera's position to capture Ron's full person. She felt her cheek grow warmer, reddening just a bit, as she looked at Ron through the camera. *CLICK!*. She snapped the picture, staying bent over for a moment.
"You got it?" Ron asked, only his eyes shifting to glance at Vicki.
Juni nudged her again to bring her out of her semi-trance.
"Oh! Uh, yeah… you can go now…" she mumbled, straightening her posture and nodding to Ron that he could move again. "Thanks," she added.
"No problem! I live to serve," he smiled, walking over to his own camera to tinker around.
Juni snuck up behind Vicki and poked her temple.
"Drool much?" Juni asked, winking again.
"Shove it, Juniper," Vicki said, rubbing her sleeve over her mouth.