Learning Curves

Kim waited until Tara's car disappeared around the corner before she reached into her Brown-Bear backpack and got her Kimmunicator out. She clicked it on and pressed the call button.

"What's up Kim?" Wade asked.

"I need you to track Ron for me. Every step he takes, every move he makes… I want you watching him."

Wade sighed as he began to work on implementing her request. "He's hanging out with Tara again, right?"

A determined looking Kim nodded her head silently.

"I thought you said he was just helping her get through that Brick thing." Kim didn't answer him so he asked. "What's so bad about that again?"

Kim's eyes blinked once, "Nothing… I guess." She considered the sitch for a moment. "Wade just forget about doing what I asked… And don't tell Ron about it. Ok?"

"Ok Kim, I won't… and Kim… don't worry. She's not going to steal him from you… But, you knew that already, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Kim's head nodded slightly as she smiled. "Thanks Wade."

"Later Kim." Wade said switching off the link from his end. He pushed back from his desk and cracked his knuckles before leaning back in for a hard afternoon of spying. Ron was going to be watched that afternoon. A map overlay showing the Tri-City area popped onto the computer screen.

Wade had learned a great deal more about Kim and Ron than they would ever know, thanks in large part to his creative use of their tracking chips as well as Kim's Kimmunicator and Ron's Ronnunicator. The always on even when they're not feature he had incorporated into them came in handy on more than one occasion.

"Tara do you think we could stop at my house before we go to the mall?" Ron's transmitted voice asked.

"Sure Ron." Tara's very happy transmitted voice replied.

Wade sat back, a large perverted smile gracing his eleven year old face.

Subjects: Ron Stoppable and Tara Mathews.
Current location: Eastbound on Friedle Avenue.
Destination: Ron's house.

"Oh yeah." It would appear that he was going to learn a great deal today.

Mom

'At least it's Tara he's hanging out with. She's far enough out of his league… I just hope he doesn't get the wrong idea about her friendliness. It'd break his heart…'

A beeping car horn pulled Kim from her rumination. Her ride had arrived. Kim stepped off the curb to open the door. "Mom?"

"Hi Kimmie. Where's Ron? I thought maybe he'd want a ride home." Her mother asked glancing over Kim's shoulder looking for Ron.

"He already left…" Kim replied impassively.

"He's walking home in this downpour?" She asked, concerned Ron could catch a cold if he got all wet. "I didn't pass him on my way here."

"No." Kim's voice took on a displeased tone. "He left with Tara… They're going to the mall… together."

"You like him a lot don't you?"

"Of course I do." Kim answered unconsciously as she buckled her safety belt. "He's my best friend…" A comfortable moment of silence followed. "I don't want to see him get hurt by her."

"Mm-hmm." Mrs. P hummed as she checked her mirrors, signaled, and pulled away from the curb.

First Stop

The baby blue convertible came to a stop in the driveway of Ron's home. "I'll just be a minute Tara." Ron said as he unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for the door handle.

"Can I come in Ron?" She asked tentatively. "I've never seen the inside of your house… and I… I kinda want to."

He paused. 'Mom and dad aren't at home. They'd freak if they ever found out I had a girl over when they weren't here.'

'Kim's at your house all the time…with you…alone… What's so different about Tara?' The little voice asked.
'Kim's my best friend… Tara is… Tara is a girl.'
'Just like Kim.' The voice pointed out.
'Kim is not a girl.' Ron retorted, noting. '…at least not that kind of girl.'
'Whatever you say, Spanky.'

"Ron?" Tara asked, waving a tantalizingly delicate hand in front of his face. "You ok? You sorta spaced out on me for a minute there. So can I come in? Or should I just wait in the car…" Her voice growing faint. "…alone."

Ron silently agonized over his predicament for a very few seconds before deciding. "Sure, why not? It won't hurt anything to have you come inside." With that settled the pair braced themselves for the rain and scrambled out of the car toward the front door.

Do It Right

Bonnie pulled her car into the parking ramp at the Middleton Mall, she had told Chris to meet her here after school. 'Where is he? If he's stood me up I'll…' She spotted him sitting on the tailgate of his illegally parked truck.

"You don't look very crippled to me." She remarked, adding. "You're going to end up getting a ticket."

He smirked, holding up a forged handicapped parking permit. "No, I won't."

"Very slick… You have one of those for me?" She asked sweetly.

"No." He said, pocketing the duplicitous tag.

She pouted, if there was one thing she hated it was unnecessary walking. "Please…"

He shook his head. "One thing at a time Bon-Bon." He stepped down off his seat and walked over to her, leaning in close. "So when is she supposed to get here?"

"I told her to meet me here after she got out of practice. So it should be any minute now."