It's not about us anymore
It's all about the reasons
That we think we're fighting for
It's not about hate
It's not about pain we always feel
I know we have our problems
But we're not the only ones
It's not about you it's not about me
It's not about anger
It's more about the loneliness we feel
It's not about us
It's not about hate
It's more about the loneliness we feel, can you feel it
It's not about anger
It's not about wanting
I know we have our problems
But we're not the only ones, we're not the only ones
It's not about you, it's not about me...
"Not About Us" by Genesis
Divided We Stand
Wade awoke slowly and groaned. If his groan attracted any attention from the guards standing nearby they didn't show it. Taking a quick look around the room he found himself to be on a cot in the corner of some sort of lab.
"It's about time you woke up Mr. Harris. You were beginning to worry us. Sorry about the method, but we require your services." A man said as he entered the room and headed towards him. He was obviously unapologetic and immediately sent warning bells off in Wade's head. "My name is Mr. Grissim."
"What do you want with me?"
Grissim chuckled to himself. "Straight to the point, I like that. In that case I'll be straight to the point as well. The equipment my 'scientists' need to combine some specific chemicals safely simply doesn't exist. You're going to build something that can do it."
"There are plenty of people you could have gotten for that, so why me?"
"What is this twenty questions?" Grissim shook his head grinning. "You simply had the credentials and were convenient. And as an added bonus I was able to pin your miraculous escape from Global Justice custody on Stoppable. More fuel for the fire!"
Wade summoned up all the courage he could and looked the imposing man straight in the eyes. "I'll never help you!"
Grissim's grin changed slightly and a glint in his eyes came making him look even more sinister. "I was hoping you'd say that. Oh Amy!"
A woman was led over from the other side of the room by two guards. What little skin was exposed was covered in bruises and fresh scars. The obese woman had obviously lost a great deal of weight recently. She looked at the floor, completely broken.
"Just do what he asks. Don't end up like this." His fellow prisoner looked up at him pleadingly. She may be a villain, but at heart DNAmy didn't want to see people get hurt.
---------------
The large warehouse like complex was surround on three sides by shear cliff overlooking ocean. The sun was setting displaying a beautiful array of colours across the sky and reflected in the waters. A truly amazing sight from such a remote location.
Ron wasn't there to see it though. He was deep inside the complex in a windowless room hunched over a computer screen. Around his neck he hung a second silver ball identical to his own. One of the two things Kit had handed him. The other was a small key. There was something etched on it but was too wore to read.
That's why Ron was at this computer trying to enhance an image of the key. He may not be anywhere near Wade's level when it came to technology, but he had learned a thing or two living with the super genius.
Ron found it funny that he hadn't even had to buy the equipment for the hideout himself. For something Monkey Fist had built it was surprisingly high tech. As it turned out, Fiske made a great deal of money from building hideouts and either selling or leasing to other villains. An English lord as a businessman shouldn't have really surprised him, but Monkey Fist in super villain real estate was still an amusing thought.
The computer chimed signalling the end of the sequence. Ron couldn't suppress his grin as he read the inscription. It appears Kit had a sense of humour after all. The key was for a lock box in Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas.
His amusement was short lived as he caught sight of one of the security monitor and saw a Global Justice agent outside. Where there was one there was bound to be more.
---------------
Kim didn't want to be here. She shouldn't be here. All the years of friendship with Ron should have automatically got her off this mission. With the exception of the first time going after Ron it had. Unfortunately after the battle at that mercenary Caesar's mansion the choice had been taken from her. After the beating the agents received Kim was amazed that one of them was able to slip a tracer on Ron. He and Caesar had injured twenty-three agents and killed four. They were a little shorthanded.
That's how she found herself walking down one of this complexes hallways with Will Du. They were part of a twelve man team that had split into groups of two and searching the complex. The two soon came to a large room in the centre of the building with computer equipment and security monitors set up in a corner.
Just as Kim stepped through the doorway she caught sight of Ron. She barely had time to register it before he slammed his fist on a large red button on the wall. All the doorways to the room suddenly sealed shut, cutting off Will who was only a few steps behind her.
"Hey Kim." Ron said calmly as he walked to the centre of the room.
"Ron, please just give yourself up! They might go easier on you if you do!" Kim said pleadingly.
"I didn't do anything wrong!" Ron exclaimed as he walked closer to Kim, stopping at an arms length. "I didn't kill anybody!"
"I saw the tapes Ron! They have your fingerprints on the murder weapons! They have evidence Ron!"
"You think I did it." Ron said barely above a whisper, but still powerful enough for Kim to hear. He'd been hoping to reason with her, he certainly didn't expect this. "After all these years, all we've been through together you actually think I'm capable of cold blooded murder!"
"Just come quietly, please!" Kim tried again, tears welling in her eyes. "Don't do this to me."
Ron looked her straight in the eyes in a state of complete shock. "Don't do this to you! You're not the one on the run for things you didn't do! You're not the one who can't contact the people you care most about for fear of bringing them into this!
This isn't about you Kim! It's not even about me anymore! Something big is going down and I need to find out what. My gut tells me people could get hurt if this thing isn't stopped and I won't let that happen! I need to get out of here to do it."
"I don't want to fight you, don't make me." Kim said desperately.
Ron just looked at her coldly. "You knew it would come to this before you walked through the door."
Almost as one Ron's fist and Kim's leg shot out. Both were able to block the attacks and began to exchange blows more feverishly. It was more one sided though as Kim stayed more on the defensive. That would be a mistake. With blinding speed Ron's fist shot up and caught Kim with an uppercut that lifted her off the ground and dropped her straight on her back.
Kim slowly shook off the dizziness and began to sit up. She winced and touched her lip. She looked at the blood on her hand in disbelief.
"I'm not gonna hold back on you Kim." Ron told her from few feet away. "This is bigger than us. So either fight or get outta my way!"
She didn't get the chance to choose as a gunshot rang out and Ron flew backwards. He rolled with the momentum and landed in a crouch clutching his wounded shoulder. Will Du stood in the pried open doorway, pistol drawn and levelled at Ron.
Ron didn't let the pain stop him though. He sprung up into a run as Will unloaded the rest of his clip. Most just missed him, but he felt one just barely graze the side of his head. He didn't stop despite the pain and barrelled into the small office that was part of the large room.
Will calmly walked forward replacing his clip as he went. There was no need to hurry. Stoppable himself had sealed all the room's exits and now cornered himself in the small office. He grinned. Too easy.
The grin was wiped off his face when he entered the room and found it empty.
---------------
A section of grass suddenly came apart from the ground to reveal a tunnel. Ron painfully pulled himself up the rest of the way with his one good arm. He was glad Fiske had installed an escape tunnel in the office, Ron wasn't stupid enough to lock himself in a room with no way out after all.
He also made sure he had an escape plan when he came here and had purchase something just for the occasion. The money that Mr. Benoit had put in the offshore account for saving his daughter was coming in useful after all.
Ron grinned as he came to the green tarp at the cliffs edge. The grin disappeared as he pulled the tarp off to reveal his new hang glider's wings shredded. Worse than that were the two Global Justice agents with their weapons trained on him.
Looking back he saw the other ten quickly coming up to him. All trained their weapons on him with the exception of Kim.
"There's nowhere left to run!" Agent McCarthy yelled. "Just give yourself up Mr. Stoppable!"
Ron locked eyes with Kim. Both could see the same thing in the other. Fear.
"Wrong!" Was all Ron said as he turned and jumped off the cliff.