This is a revised release : I've been away from this story for quite a while, and now that I'm back, I've gone back through a tweaked a few things to better match what I've got planned. Sorry for the delays in continuing this story.
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KIM POSSIBLE: FUTURE IMPERFECT
Chapter One
"Prelude"
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Brilliant light. Icy coldness. The stink of ozone. Pain.
"-rth to KP. Anybody home?"
Kim Possible blinked, turning her head slightly to look at her best friend and crime-fighting partner Ron Stoppable, who was sitting across from her and waving a hand in front of her face. His pet naked mole rat, Rufus, was perched on his shoulder, imitating Ron's actions and softly squeaking "Anybody home?" in unison with his owner.
Kim straightened and looked around, momentarily disoriented. She was sitting in the high school cafeteria. She rubbed her hands over her arms, which had broken out in goose bumps. "What?"
"You zoned out there for a minute, KP." Ron explained, cocking his head slightly to one side. "You feeling okay?"
"I... I'm not sure." she replied, putting a hand to her head. What had just happened? She had been sitting with Ron, talking about her upcoming date with Josh, and then she had.... what? She shook her head slightly, then looked at Ron again. "I'm sorry, Ron. I don't know what came over me there."
"You got that look on your face that I get during Barkin's class," Ron said, stabbing his fork into the rubbery lump masquerading as meatloaf on his plate. "You sure you're okay?"
She smiled at him, the odd feeling that had swept over her fading from her memory. "I'm fine, Ron. Thanks."
"It's no big," he smiled back before shoving a large piece of meatloaf into his mouth.
"Slide over there, would you Kim?" a new voice said. Kim turned to find her friend Monique standing behind her with a tray.
"Sure, Monique." Kim slid over quickly, giving Monique plenty of room to sit down beside her.
Monique placed her tray on the table and quickly sat next to Kim, nodding a silent greeting to Ron, who was busy shovelling mashed potatoes into his mouth. "I can't quite muster that much enthusiasm over a school lunch, especially today." Monique stated, turning to face Kim. "What about.... are you okay?"
Kim sighed. "Why is everyone asking me that?"
"Girl, your face is all flushed and your hands are shaking." Monique narrowed her eyes in concern. "Are you coming down with something?"
Kim looked down at her plate, which had thus far remained untouched. "Now that you mention it, I don't have much of an appetite, either. Maybe I am coming down with something, after all."
Ron looked up from his meal, concern evident on his face. "Think it's contagious?"
Kim smiled at him. "I'm sure it's nothing serious, Ron."
Monique smiled as well. "Perhaps she's just got pre-date jitters."
Ron and Rufus both made a face at that.
----
She stood silently in the empty house, breathing deeply, inhaling the familiar-yet-forgotten scents that permeated every nook and cranny. She lovingly caressed the photos adorning the walls, pausing to examine each one, careful not to disturb them lest she betray her presence. Pictures of a family, her family, the people most important to her. They were the reason she had come back. Turning away from the pictures she clenched her hands into fists. No, this time it will be different. she thought.
If only Will hadn't interfered, she mused. If only he hadn't shown up at the worst possible moment and tried to stop her. If only he hadn't knocked the control from her grasp. Fortunately, she hadn't missed the intended time period by too much, arriving a full 5 years further back than she had wanted. Better earlier than later, I suppose.
She wandered through the house, stopping in each room, letting the sights and smells wash over her. The kitchen, the dining room, the living room, each one held special memories and long-forgotten emotions. She lingered in the twin's room, smiling at the chaotic scattering of clothing and assorted gadgets that they had created. An unwanted memory bubbled to the surface and her mood instantly darkened. Turning quickly, she stepped out of the room and closed the door.
She walked apprehensively into her parent's room, eyes downcast and solemn, not really wanting to but knowing that it was something that had to be done. She fought back the wave of recollections that bombarded her, refusing to allow them to swamp her. She paused at the door, eyes drifting across the pictures arranged on her mother's dresser, a sorrowful smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
When she entered her old room, however, the weight of events threatened to overwhelm her and she was forced to her knees. Clutching her sides as the old wounds throbbed and ached, she suppressed a groan and forced down the bile that rose in her throat. She rolled into a fetal position and slowly rocked back and forth, fighting against the images that tore through her mind. Flashing green, dripping red, thrusting pain.
She fought down the tide with a savage growl. Slowly climbing to her knees, panting softly, hands shaking slightly, her eyes focused on a newspaper lying on the floor near the bed. A photo on the front page caught her attention. She picked up the paper and read the article quickly, a frown spreading across her features.
"So," she whispered, "Junior's having a birthday party." She put the paper back where she had found it and stood up, stretching slowly as she did so. Turning towards the computer, she flexed her fingers. "Guess I'll have to find myself a ride."
----
The scene inside the Bueno Nacho was one of an animalistic feeding frenzy.
Kim cocked an eyebrow as Ron started working on his seventh chimmarito with unwavering gusto. Beside him, Rufus was busy devouring a bowl of cheese-covered nacos, matching Ron's satisfied noises with his own. Kim watched with a mixture of disgust and amusement as both Ron and Rufus finished simultaneously, leaned back, and groaned contentedly.
"Where in the world do you put all that?" she asked, deciding that it was safe to start on her own burrito. She's learned a long time ago that when Ron was in full face-stuffing mode, any food on the table was fair game, and any fingers that got in the way were in mortal peril.
Ron smiled lazily and patted his stomach. "Takes a lot of fuel to keep this love machine running, KP."
She nearly inhaled her burrito. Pausing to clear her throat, she couldn't hide her smile. "Love machine?"
"You bet," he countered. "Somewhere out there is a lovely lady lost in a sea of mundanity. Have to keep myself fueled and ready to go when I finally meet her." He thumped the table as he added, "She won't know what hit her when the Ron-man comes to her rescue!"
"I'll say," Kim replied, sipping from her drink. She looked at Ron a moment, trying to see him as a womanizing 'love machine.' The absurdity of the thought brought an uncontrollable grin to her face, which she quickly hid by taking another bite of her burrito. Ron was a good friend, no, her best friend, and she adored him dearly, but she just couldn't quite see him as stud material. Now, Josh, on the other hand...
"What are you smiling about?" Ron asked.
She sat up with a start, suddenly aware that she hadn't hidden her smile as well as she thought. "Oh, nothing, nothing at all."
"Hmmmm...." Ron murmured, steepling his fingers in front of his face. "Grinning about nothing, zoning out in school, this is most curious, grasshopper. Most curious indeed."
"Grasshopper?"
He shrugged. "Been watching that old 'Kung Fu' TV show. It's a veritable fountain of timeless wisdom!"
She leaned back and smirked. "Example?"
He stared at her blankly for a moment. "Can't think of a single thing. Except that somebody would be stupid to try and carry a red-hot barrel with his bare arms. That sort of thing leaves marks."
"No doubt," she replied. Glancing out the window, she sighed. "It's getting dark, we should probably head home."
"What, and rob these lovely ladies of my manly presence?" he asked, arms gesturing to encompass the interior of the restaurant.
Looking around, Kim smiled. "There's no ladies here at the moment, Ron." she pointed out, then added in a softer voice, "Unless you're counting the individual of indeterminate gender over there in the corner."
Ron turned in his seat, then quickly turned back to face Kim, his cheeks flushing bright red. "Oh, uh.... well, home it is, then."
Kim chuckled softly as she rose to her feet. "Come on, stud, let's get out of here."
"Gladly," Ron said, casting a worried glance over his shoulder.
----
Agent Will Du staggered down the side of the road, hissing in pain with each step. He stopped briefly to adjust the temporary splint he had tied around his left ankle, took the opportunity to once again curse his rotten luck, the failing light, and life in general, then began hobbling again, slowly making his way towards Middleton.
At least it's not broken, he mused silently. Not that it mattered. Global Justice hadn't been able to pinpoint Kim's lair in time, and he hadn't been able to stop her from entering that damned machine. Indeed, his attempt at tackling her had resulted in the two of them being cast into the temporal vortex.
He didn't remember anything about the passage itself, apparently having blacked out almost instantly. When he came to, he'd found himself in a snow-covered field, cold and shivering, with no sign of Kim beyond a set of tracks that led to the road. To top it off, he'd apparently sprained his ankle during the transit, which meant that he'd have one hell of a time catching up with Kim now without help.
A siren sounded behind him and Will turned to see a police cruiser pull to a stop on the side of the road. He offered a friendly smile as the driver stepped out of his car and adjusted his hat. "Hello, officer. Nice car."
----
Señor Senior, Jr., known to most everyone a simply "Junior," stared sullenly across the banquet hall. The massive room was filled with people. Mostly old people, he noted with a sniff of dissatisfaction. Not the kind to get down and dance, not like Junior had wanted. His father had insisted on a big party to celebrate Junior's birthday and, true to form, had completely overridden Junior's own suggestions about what kind of party they should hold.
Junior looked around at the massed crowds of wealthy dance-haters his father had invited. Rich. Powerful. Connected. Decidedly rhythm-deprived. His father had used phrases such as "people in high places" and "industry insiders" and "political elite" to justify ignoring Junior's more down-to-Earth request for a simple dance, instead telling Junior that they needed to keep the powerful people entertained, so that they could be called on for help later on if the situation demanded. Another one of his father's criminal schemes, no doubt. Looking around, Junior couldn't find one single thing that he would consider entertaining.
Junior shifted uncomfortably as his father walked over, leading yet another well-to-do person of importance over to shake hands with him. Wonderful. He hated it when his father decided to introduce him to people that Junior could really care less about.
"Presidente, may I present to you my son, Señor Senior, Jr." his father said, gesturing towards Junior with one wrinkled hand. "Junior, this is Edwardo Thomas, the President of Bolivia."
The President, decked out in a dark gray sport coat and matching pants, extended a hand. "A pleasure."
Junior caught the warning look from his father and reached out to shake the President's hand, trying hard to keep his boredom from showing. "A pleasure," he replied, having no desire to really talk to the man, whoever he was. Just another of father's connections who probably couldn't dance to save his life. For his part Junior's father seemed pleased. He steered the President away, chattering on like a love-sick schoolgirl.
Junior sighed and turned away, his eyes meandering around the crowd until they fell upon a woman Junior did not recognize. Porcelean-skinned, eyes the color of sapphires, blonde hair falling in luxurious waves down over her shoulders, clothed in a scarlet dress that clung to her trim body in all the right places, revealing just enough to hint at the pleasures located just beneath the sheer satin fabric. Junior found himself smiling for the first time since the party had started.
Glancing over in his direction, the young woman noticed Junior's unabashed stare and matched it with one of her own. One delicate eyebrow arched slightly, one corner of her full lips twitched up in a smile. Junior felt himself stir and decided that if he couldn't have the dance party that he had wanted, then a more private sort of dance was better than nothing, father be damned.
Junior expertly retrieved two glasses of wine from a passing waiter and began making his way over to the beauty that had caught his eye.
----
Will Du crouched in the bushes across the street from Kim Possible's home, surveying the structure through his thermal imager. Mr and Mrs Possible were in the kitchen enjoying some quality time together while she made dinner, the twins were in the living room watching television, and Kim and Ron were upstairs in her room, sitting on her bed and talking, about what he couldn't say, but judging from the way Ron was gesticulating, it was something close to the boy's heart.
Lowering the imager, Will took a moment to survey the neighborhood. Plenty of places for someone to hide, plenty of shadows to mask the presence of an intruder. Even with the imager, he wasn't entirely certain that he'd be able to detect her approach. 'The Reaper' had consistently demonstrated an aggravating ability to avoid sensing devices in the past. No, in the future. Well, his past, their future, at least. Damn, he thought, rubbing his face with one hand, This is giving me a headache.
Returning his gaze back to the Possible home, he couldn't suppress the nagging concern that his quarry might have a different destination that night.
A sudden squealing of tires caught his attention as a cherry red Corvette screeched to a halt in front of the Possible home. He tensed as the driver's door swung open, then relaxed when a thin, wiry-looking man stepped out. The front door to the Possible home burst open and both Kim and Ron raced out, each dressed in their mission clothes. The three of them then leapt into the car, which shot down the road with a scream of tortured tires, leaving a cloud of blue-gray smoke in their wake.
Will sat back and forced himself to relax, slightly. She's not here, he thought. Maybe she's already been here. Had enough of a head start.
So where is she now? he added with a frown.
----
Junior walked down the hall, supporting the tipsy blonde on his arm with practiced ease. She was alternating between fits of uncontrollable giggling and bouts of horridly off-key singing, her slurred speech rendering the song unrecognizable. She staggered and nearly fell for the third time, but Junior grabbed her under the arms and set her back on her feet before continuing down the hall. Looking at her out of the corner of his eye, he wondered if perhaps he had misjudged the dosage.
Before he could think about it more they arrived at his suite. Pushing open the door, Junior stopped briefly and looked around. There was no sign of the man that his father had assigned to watch the room while Junior was away. Probably went to join the party, Junior decided, along with all the other stiffs. He shrugged and walked into the room, companion in tow, and closed the door.
The suite itself was rather tiny by Junior's standards, with only seven rooms and a balcony. Four large leather chairs were arranged in a semi-circle around the massive stone fireplace, which was roaring merrily, filling the room with a relaxing glow and the faintest hint of wood smoke. The bar had been well-stocked and several plates of hors'd'ourves and other exotic snacks filled a table by the fireplace. Quaint, and a bit rustic, but it would suffice.
He paused a moment to let his eyes adjust to the lower light in the room, then led his soon-to-be-latest-conquest to the bed and allowed her to fall onto it. She made a whooping sound as she did so and began giggling all the more. Junior sighed and began undoing his belt but stopped when someone coughed softly behind him.
Irritated, he turned around and spotted the shadow of someone sitting in one of the large leather chairs arranged around the fireplace. The chair was facing away from him, so all he could see was the outline of an arm, and the top of the person's head. Apparently the guard hadn't gone to the party after all.
Junior stalked over to the chair, mind racing as he tried to come up with a sufficiently angry comment, something his father would be proud of. Not that he thought it would matter much what he told some incompetent guard caught sleeping on the job, but at least he could tell father he had been practicing, which would make the old man happy, at least for a while.
Junior grabbed the back of the chair and spun it around with a mighty heave, an appropriately witty yet sarcastic curse ready to fire. The curse died on his lips as the guard's head flopped loosely on his neck and came to rest at an extremely odd angle, one that a living body could never achieve. Junior backed away quickly, the words he had prepared turning into a shocked squeal as the guard's body leaned forward and toppled out of the chair, landing on the ground in a tangle of lifeless flesh.
Junior's mind raced, hit a speed bump, stalled, and began racing again. The guard was dead. In his room. The room with unlocked doors. Dead. His room. Unlocked.
Unlocked.
Junior spun on his heel and raced for the doors, the woman on his bed forgotten, his only thoughts focused on escaping whoever it was that had killed the guard. Killed him and left the body in Junior's room. Which meant that the murderer had been and probably still was somewhere in the room. Junior reached the doors and threw them open. The hallway lighting dazzled him, causing him to stop short, eyes blinking against the sudden glare.
Someone was standing there.
Cast in shadow by the hallways lights, Junior couldn't make out any details except for the fact that the individual was crouched in a fighting stance, hands held flat like knives. Junior blinked and stammered, "Wha-who-wha...?"
The individual's eyes flared green, literally glowed a bright emerald green, casting enough light to highlight the person's face. A woman's face. A face that he recognized, even behind the lines and scars. "You!" Junior gasped.
Kim Possible gave him a predator's smile.
"Hello, Junior. Long time no see."
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End Chapter One
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