Kim, Ron, Zita and Rufus sat in Ron's room, between the three Kim and Wade, via kimmunicator, had heard the whole story of their adventures. On Ron's bed sat the Sword of Kells, simply to prove to Kim that they had it as well. Rather than her everyday clothing, Kim was decked out in her mission gear, something that didn't sit right with Zita.
On the outside Kim appeared calm throughout explanation, but Zita could tell that was anything from the truth. Ever since the five had been reunited in the Global Justice vehicle Kim had put on a calm face, but Zita could see Kim was way beyond pissed. Quick looks to Ron and Rufus seemed to show the two were either oblivious to this or knew how to handle the coming situation, and somehow she doubted it was the latter.
"This is all well and good but how the hell do we get Monique back?" they were the first words Kim had uttered since the tale had been told.
Ron shook his head, "we have no idea."
"Why not," Kim's words low, the rage almost palpable.
Seeing Ron squirm under Kim's gaze Zita jumped in, "given they're trying to kill us, we were a little more interested in survival then saving what we thought was a lone psycho with a whip."
"That's not an excuse."
"I'm not saying it is, but any gamer worth their headsets knows you have a better chance of surviving if you put together a good team, before you deal with the bid bad."
Getting to her feet, "this isn't a game Zita, real lives are on the line here, if Monique dies you can't just reset her."
Getting to her feet to face the red head, staring her in the eyes, "I know this is real, but…"
"Stop," Ron's word was simple, but carried an authority Kim had never heard in Ron's voice till that day. Sighing, "Kim's right, we should have been focusing on the hosts rather than ourselves, if the Sentinels don't have bodies, we won't need the others." Shaking his head and under his breath, "I should have thought of that."
Kim slipped into leader mode, "so we're in agreement we rescues Monique and free her?"
"Yeah," Ron nodded in agreement, Rufus imitated his master after a moment of self debate.
Zita looked at the pair for a moment then sighed, "OK," not liking the plan, but agreeing only for Ron's sake.
Looking zita over then picking up her kimmunicator, "Wade, I need to know where Monique is," her words more an order than a request.
"Your asking a lot Kim, I mean Global Justice couldn't do it find the Sentinels, so the odds of me doing it are slim," looking away from the webcam and typing on his key board.
"Yeah but they don't have you, so make it happen."
"Ok given what we know about Gemini and his bases, and the briefly reports of unidentified air traffic over Middleton Global Justice hasn't erased, I might be able to extrapolate where they might be right now, but I'm not making any promises."
"Just get us as close as you cam and get us a ride ready, time is of the essence so call in whatever favors you have to get us there, I'll contact you with what equipment I might need."
"Done, I'll have a ride outside waiting for you in a few minutes."
"Ron get geared up, time to go," looking at the Knight of Water, "your staying here, I can't take time out to protect you."
Zita looked at her midway between shock and anger, "excuse me, who do you think was saving your ass today, I can handle myself in a Sentinel fight."
"Whatever you think you are Zita, your not ready for this, your staying here," Kim was daring her to defy her order.
"Tell her Ron," as Zita looked at the Forest Knight for support.
Eyes down cast, "she right Zita, you need to stay here, we'll handle this."
Zita looked at him with disbelief, "fine, " getting to her feet and walking to his door before turning, and looking at him, shaking her head one final time and leaving.
'Don't do this to yourself Ron, don't let her control you,' as Zita walked through his house.
"I'll be outside, I don't plan on waiting long," as Kim left Ron's room so he could dress.
Rufus sat on Ron's dresser as his owner slipped into his gear. The part of him that was Rufus understood what Ron was doing, Kim lead they followed that was how it had always been. But the part of him that was Pyre was furious, this girl had no right to tell any Knight what to do, she was no equal or superior, she was child who was full of herself, one who had no idea what she was facing, one who didn't have the experience to lead such a quest.
Ron finished dressing and slipped the Sword back under his bead, hoping it would continue to be safe, then stared at his ax before slipping into his backpack and taking it with him, something the mole rat/dragon was grateful for, finishing Ron put the rodent in his pants pocket.
True to Wades words a car was waiting for them when Ron got to the door, all the way to the airport Kim outlined the plan. Take a plane to where the base should be in the ocean, parachute down, then swim to the base. Blow a hole in the air intake values climb through, slip in the base, use gas to put Monique to sleep, escape, most likely in an escape pod, sub or plane, then bring her back to Global Justice to somehow free her.
Through out the trip Ron just sat agreeing, as usual Kim's plans made sense, and compared to the ones he'd been coming up with they were flawless. 'But they are her plans after all,' he thought. And he couldn't help but notice there was a distinct lack of him using his axes, or him as anything but a distraction in the plans.
It wasn't long till the three were standing outside of the airplane Wade had secured. Ron stood by it, looking at it as the fears that had been mounting since he got in the car reached a fevered pitch, while Kim told her plan to the pilot.
"This is a mistake," the words were quite but they still hit Kim's ears.
"Meaning," she asked turning to him, leaving the pilot to his work preparing the plane.
Looking at her but not meeting her gaze, "I don't think this will work."
"It'll work, now get on the plane."
"Just because you say it will, it doesn't make it true."
The barley controlled anger that had been building in her was released in a flood at Ron. "Well if you had brought me into this in the first place, I would have had this solved already!"
"YOU would have?"
"Yes, 'I would have'"
"You make it sound like this is your responsibility."
"It is my responsibility Ron, its always my responsibility," fire in her eyes.
"No its not," meeting her gaze, "this is my responsibility, and Zita's and Bonnie's, no where are you part of the equation."
"Well its obvious I have to be because your not getting the job done!" growling at him.
"I'm doing the best I can!"
"If that was the case Monique wouldn't be in the middle of this!"
"Well it would help if I knew she was even part of it, hell if you hadn't been monopolizing Wade I might have found some of this out and could have prevented some of this."
"Don't you dare turn this around on me Ronald Dean Stoppable, this is in no way my fault, just because you can't do things on your own…."
"But I wasn't on my own, we were a team everybody through in their two cents, 'Miss my way or the high way.' Did you even ask me what I thought of this damn plan!"
"Fine what the hell do you think!" on the verge of attacking the boy who in her mind was on the verge of throwing a tantrum.
"It's a bad plan, your anticipating the Sentinels will act like their hosts will, they won't, and don't you think they might be anticipating a rescue of Monique?"
"Of course not, not this soon, not in small numbers."
"Wake up Kim if you'd been listening you might have heard me, Ice has Monique's brain now, Monique knows you'd come for her in a heart beat, so Ice knows it too, hell they probably have every WEE agent in the base armed to the teeth ready to kill anything that moves. We can't act like we normally would we have to use our heads."
"Fine, then what would you have us do, wait for them to attack again?"
"I don't know what I'd do off the top of my head, but it would be better than this."
"So you'd sit on your ass like a coward," poking him ribs with her finger.
"Bite me," turning around and walking away.
Snarling, "Where the hell do you thing your going!?!"
"It's my turn to walk out on you Kim, go on your little suicide run if it makes you happy, I'm staying here, and I dealing with this my way."
"FINE I'LL SAVE HER MYSELF!!" storming into the plane, "TAKE OFF!!!"
As per Kim's instructions the plane began to move the second it received clearance.
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Ron sat in the car, a million thoughts running through his head, he was still angry at Kim, but guilt was setting in at the things he had said to her over the last several hours. The adrenaline and the confidence boost Zita gave him were gone, forcing him to be alone with his thoughts.
In his pocket Rufus sat, not making a move or a sound, knowing full well the next move had to be Ron's alone, either he would pull himself out of this depression or he would keep sinking into it, either way it had to be his decision. Up till now everything in his life had been someone else's call Kim, Sensei, King Fin Varra, in one way or another they had made the big decisions in his life, this was the first real decision he had to make on his own in a long time.
Ron just watched as the scenery went by in a blur lost in his own mind, his ax in his lap, his finger lightly tracing the design on the blade.
Finally to himself more than the driver, "I never wanted to be a hero, I just wanted to make a few extra bucks. And look where it's gotten me, I've been thrown off buildings, nearly drowned, attacked by moneys, henchmen, robots, and mutants; and shot at more types of guns than most people know exist. So why do I keep doing it, I don't get paid, no one ever remembers my name, I'll never get the girl, so what's in it for me? Am I just some masochist who's not happy unless he's in a life threatening situation, or do I just want to die?" the driver knew full well it was a rhetorical question.
Shaking his head a bit then looking out the window as he drove by the high school, a small smile on his lips. 'The line between bravery and cowardice is razor thin, and which side you will fall on can not be known until you drop, and every time we have no choice but to get back up and straddle the line again, that is the human condition the balancing act we all perform. You can try and stay off the path of danger but it doesn't matter if your fighting for your life or walking down the street it's always there.' It had been part of a rant Barkkin had gone off on during a World War II lessen, and it had always stayed with Ron.
"I can get off this path but the line will still be there," closing his eyes and sighing before slowly opening them, "then so be it, I don't want this responsibility but I'll carry it the best I can what ever the obsequies are. Stop the car."
At first the driver had no clue if Ron was speaking to them, but after moment slowed and stooped and let Ron out.
It took Ron a few minutes to get to Zita's house and knock on the door, not surprised when her Dad answered it.
"You have some nerve coming back here," the older man told Ron
Not for the first time Ron noted that this man was indeed scarier than anything he had faced before, including the Sentinels and a hoard of monkey ninjas. "I'm just here to see Zita, it's important, please tell her I'm here."
"Daddy," Zita's words stopped the man before her could talk as she slipped by him, "I can handle this." The after a moment he relented and closed the door leaving the two on the porch, but still lingered by the door just in case.
"No Kim," she said accusingly.
"She's on the plane, and don't start I've already had enough guilt trips for one day."
Raising an eyebrow, "I take it things didn't go well after I left," putting an arm on his shoulder.
"A continuation of the last conversation, which didn't go to well either."
"I got that much from the vibe she was putting off. I take it you want my help?"
"Yeah, if your still willing," part of him was ready to hear her tell him to go to hell.
"One condition," a smile on her lips
"You want to lead?"
"I want you to stop being the red's errand boy. Your better than that despite what she says, you're a good leader and a good planner, hell you kept me from repeatedly hospitalizing Bonnie that alone deserves a medal. Where you lead I'll follow, but if you fall under Red's power again well, your on your own," pausing for a moment, "partner."
Caver her hand with his, "Thanks Zita," a smile on his lips.
"So what do we do now?"
"If we can find some place private I have a few ideas."
"Your place, my dad's pretty ticked at you."
"General fatherly protection or.."
"Me coming in pissed, your name on my lips."
"Understood," as he watched her duck her head in told her family she was leaving for a little while, opting to leave the trident safely hidden in her room and then the trio headed back to Ron's place.
For the most part the trip was made in silence, there was brief discussion of grabbing Bonnie, but they decided to leave her alone for the moment and continue letting her cool off.
In Ron's room, the three gathered around his kimmunicator as Wade came up on screen, the Sword of Kells once more resting on his bed.
"Somehow I figured there's be some friction between you and Kim," the image said, "so what can I do for you?"
"At the moment information, I need to know if there are any similarities between Zita, Bonnie and myself"
"Location, genetics, history what?"
"How all of the above," as Zita leaned back on the bed
The snake like scanner on the kimmunicator came to life, "Zita put your hand over the scanner for a quick genetic sample and I'll see what I can do about the request for the two of you at least as far as genetics go."
"Lets just go all wild," Ron said pulling out his ax, "scan this and the sword to, see if anything weird pops up."
A quick scan later, "done and done, give me a few minutes to see what I can find out," as he began to type on his key board.
Zita turned to Ron, "So what are you looking for?"
"Nothing really, but you know the old saying, knowledge is power, and I'll hoping Wade can find something linking us together that might lead us to the other Knights and the crossbow."
"You could just ask for where the crossbow is," Wade said not looking at the camera as a new image appeared on the kimmunicator screen. "I found it an hour ago, it's in France part of a family's personal collection, an heir loom I believe, it's been in the family for at least three generations."
"Way to go Wade, now all we need are the other two Knights," as Zita high five'd Ron and Rufus.
"One piece at a time Zita, let him work," Ron told her running his fingers along the Sword of Kells.
For a while the others were quite, till Zita finally brook the silence.
"Are you ever going to stop mopping?" she asked the Forest Knight
"I'm not mopping," not turning away from the window.
"Yes you are, whatever you said to Kim or she said to you, it's eating at you, it's plain as day all over your body."
Turning to look at her, at first not sure what to say, then relenting and opting for the truth, "I basically called her a self important bitch who can't look past herself, and she accused my of being a coward who can't do anything without her holding my hand."
"Ouch"
"Yeah, I'm afraid things aren't going to be the same between us."
Coolly, "from what I've seen, I think your relationship with her needs to change, I know she's your friend, but lets face it the girl has a bit of an ego problem, she treats you like a door mat, can range right under Bonnie in the bitch department, not to mention she's a magnate for creeps and psychos that want to blow up major sections of the city."
His face red and his words barely controlled, "WHAT, there's a line Zita and your pretty close to crossing it." Taking a deep breath his face returned to its normal shade, " yeah Kim can be a pain and a times real bitch, but she's still my friend. She's just going what she thinks is it right, even if she twists it so it's a pure ego boost, she's still trying to be a good person and help people. And even if the next time I see her she flips my off and knees me in the groin, it doesn't mean I'll let you talk about her like that. Whatever comes I'll still think of her as a friend, and I'll be damned if I'll let you bad mouth her."
"Yeah," Rufus added
"Easy boy calm down, I get the message," the Water Knight told him a phantom smile on her lips.
"Sorry to break up this little spat, But I have some news," Wades' face once more appeared on the screen.
"Anything good?" Ron asked the aggravation in his voice gone.
"Not really, as far as I can tell there's nothing linking your histories or your family trees together aside from the weapons and your current location, and there's nothing genetically special about either of you that might attribute the weapons choosing you. I also finished scans on the two weapons, same thing, nothing special about them if I didn't know their origins I'd say they were just normal metal weapons."
Continuing, "I also tapped into the Global Justice files, they say the same things about the weapons, but I did find some things out on Rufus, he's not really a mole rat anymore, he has some really weird organs, I can't even identify most of them, but I'm pretty sure one is the method by which he breaths fire."
"Great, thanks for trying Wade," Ron said a bit defeated.
"I'm not done, I did find something. The trident was never meant to come to Middelton, it was substituted for another one the day after you found the ax, I'm not sure why though, nothings listed in the transfer manifest. Same way with the chalice it was sold to the antique store two days after you got the ax, and it wasn't put out till the day Bonnie's mother bought it."
"So what's that mean?" Zita asked a little skeptically.
"Usually I'd say this was coincidence, but if we are dealing with magic, then I think the weapons are being drawn to those who will use them."
"It is possible," Ron said after a moment, "there are a lot of people in the world, it only makes sense that they would be drawn together rather than rely on luck." Looking at the sword, "which means one of two things, by taking the sword I either interfered with the weapon finding its host, or by moving it, I've brought it closer to it's goal."
"Or like Wade said it could all just be a coincidence, its remote possibility but still a possibility," Zita said trying not to bring Ron down.
"True," looking at the screen, "Wade, we need a trip to France for two for tomorrow, and directions to the crossbow. Give us what ever information you think might be useful in obtaining the weapon."
"That's not going to be easy, what about the term 'possible family heirloom' didn't you understand," as Wade glared through the screen.
"I'm not talking about money Wade, information about the people, anything in their past that we might be able to use to convince them to let us guard the weapon, and failing that, blue prints of the home and any security systems they have."
Wades eyes got big at last request, "your going to steal it?"
"Better we get it than the Sentinels, at least if we get it, we can make sure it gets back to them when we're done."
"I'm really glad this is the last weapon, your fascination with stealing is getting a little out of hand," as Zita laid back on the bed, arms behind her head.
"You didn't have a problem when we were stealing from Bonnie."
"That's different, that was Bonnie, she deserved it."
"Both of you do realize I'm required by law to turn you in for planning this right?"
Zita smiled, "you realize we have a fire breathing dragon right?"
"Touché"
Ron picked up the kimmunicator, "just make with the plans Wade, I'd rather not need them, but better to have them now than do this on the fly later."
"Your call Ron, but I still don't like this idea," as Wade started typing and a moment later the a hologram of a homes interior appeared.
"Thanks Wade," turning to Zita, "so how do you want to go about doing this?"
---------------------------
Lightning Bat sat in his quarters, staring at the screen before him, looking over the information that was feed to his terminal. Reports of artifacts that may or may not have been Tyrune's armor had been pouring in for the last half hour, each lead was promising but where the armor really was alluding him.
With great reluctance he pulled his eye from the screen, and rubbed it turning his chair in the process. When his vision returned he wasn't surprised to see Pepe, his host's pet. He still remembered his first encounter with the hairless creature.
The beast witnessed his transformation and rather than yip or run it just sat there looking at him without fear. For a time he entertained the idea of killing the beast, but he knew the men under his command expected him to have the creature and killing it would jeopardize his ruse, so he reluctantly let it live and tolerated it. If it had been a true dog like the trackers and guard of Tamra, it would have been easier, but over time the creature had proven its usefulness to him. Pepe had proven himself an excellent warning system, and his presence could intimidate the men into following any action without Lightning Bat having to resorting to using his powers. The beast was also an excellent sounding board, something for him to speak to and collect his thought, especially now that Ice had chosen to take over seeing the conflicts with the Knights, thus preventing him from questioning his Sisters actions with one of the others.
Picking the small dog up and scratching him behind the ears, "this is a fools errand, Tyrune is powerful true, but if we crush the Knights now we will have nothing to fear. Letting the Knights wander and plan is a tactical mistake, they are confused, attacking them all now would insure victory. We have to end them before they can add Fire and Wind to their side, they were always more powerful together, Ice has forgotten that."
Pepe yipped leaning his head his into the mans fingers.
"We are in agreement then, we kill the Knights first, find Tyrune second," another yip from Pepe. "Then its best to stop them before they can assemble their forces, and as history says it's best to strike at the head rather than the body, or in this case the weapon over the host." Turning back to the screen and bringing up a file, "in this case, my old enemy the Knight of Wind."
Laughing to himself, "play your games Ice, but when I'm done we shall see who our siblings will follow, and who is branded a fool."
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"Any word on Miss Possible?" as Agent Duu looked up from his screen for the first time in hours.
"She's currently on route to one of Gemini's bases sir," the Hispanic agent replied.
"She's what?!" getting to his feet "why wasn't I informed of this!" As much as Duu hated to admit it Possible had an uncanny nack of getting things done faster than they did, mostly because she didn't have to worry about rules and regulations. He had come to the conclusion that the best way to find Gemini was watch her, and be ready to swoop in before she got herself killed.
"You said to inform you of any movements of Team Possible, Stoppable hasn't left Middleton."
"I don't care about that buffoon, we need to keep an eye on Possible she's the brain, she's the one that will lead us to Gemini's master plan. Ready my hover jet, I'm going after her," as he ran to the door.
"Sir, it's Possible's plane……"
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Authors note 1- gee a cliff hanger ending, a bit cliché I know but it had to be done. And I know the chapter kinda dragged, but some things needed to be set up before I could progress
Authors note 2- I'm no longer lost on the next few chapters, so expect them to start showing up some time after Thursday
Authors note 3- if you think I'm being unfairly hard on Kim, well your right, I realized that looking back, but it's something that needs to happen, it'll make sense later