"Of Friends and Foes"

Chapter 7: Theories and Realizations

Kim sat in a booth at Bueno Nacho staring at the crystal shard she was spinning in her hand. Rufus was on the table chewing his way through a tray of nachos. "I thought I would find you here." Kim looked up as Monique sat down across the table, "But to tell you the truth, this is the last place I expected to see you."

"I didn't plan on coming here, I just wound up here," said Kim. "I had some things to think about, so I went out for a walk to help clear my mind." Kim looked at the crystal shard in her hand again. "Besides, for some reason I'm feeling like my old self today."

"You're finally coming to terms with Ron's death then?" asked Monique.

"No, it's nothing like that," said Kim, shaking her head, "It's more like Ron is here with me. I've had this feeling ever since I woke up this morning holding this." Kim showed her friend the crystal shard.

Monique starred at it with wide eyes. "Wow girl, is that a ruby?"

"A ruby? Yeah, yeah I think it is. I think it's a piece of something call a Ruby Heart Pendant, but I'm not sure how I know that," Kim replied.

"Well, where did you get it?"

"Do you remember me telling you about a guy Ron and I met called T?" Kim asked.

"You mean that guy from the giant robot mission?"

"Yeah that's the one," said Kim. "He was with us on that mission when I got hurt."

"I've heard that story from Ron. He didn't say anything about that guy giving you a ruby," interrupted Monique.

"We decided not to let anybody know about that because of what occurred." Kim looked into the shard and took a deep breath. "I don't know what really happened, but according to what Ron told me, T had put this into my shoulder to draw out venom that was used on me."

"When that creepy guy grabbed you?" Kim nodded. "But what good would a piece of ruby do for something like that?"

"That's why we never told anyone about it. The doctors never found a poison of any kind, and they could not pull it out of my shoulder. It came out on its own a while later."

"That is kind of weird," said Monique, "He died in that explosion and you were left with that shard."

Kim nodded, "Yes, and that's not all. I have what GJ found in the rubble as well. Half of the pendant and a medal or badge of his rank."

Monique took the shard from Kim, "And this little thing now has you feeling that Ron is here with you?" Monique looked at Kim and a smile spread across her face. "Maybe it's because you were in love," she said.

Kim flinched at the remark, "What makes you say that?" she asked, her face turning a bright red.

"Well let's look at it," said Monique, "This shard was placed in you to draw out venom that the doctors say was never there in the first place. But you were burned by something and the mark completely disappeared, right?" Kim nodded in agreement. "Then maybe it's like some sort of magic rock that is powered by emotion. More than likely love, you did say it was called a Ruby HEART Pendant."

"Come on Monique, magic?" Kim laughed.

"Yeah. Don't tell me you don't think it's possible? What about Monkey Fist? Wasn't he exposed to magic from some monkey idols?"

"And Ron too," added Kim.

"You see, and if that's not enough for you, how about the time you turned into a monkey because of a pendant," said Monique.

Kim thought for a moment, "Are you saying that you think T was in love with me?"

"I can't really speak for him, but I know Ron was."

Kim blushed again, "Ron? Are you sure?"

"Yep," came a voice from below. Kim and Monique looked down to see Rufus nodding his head with a big smile on his face.

"See even Rufus says so," said Monique. "And you loved him too."

Kim turned her head away. "Now that you mention it, he did try to look out for me. The last thing he told me was, don't cry on my account, it will all be okay. It was only after that I realized I loved him."

"That proves my point," said Monique. "This little thing is powered by that emotion and it heals. That is why you are beginning to feel more like your old self. Is something wrong Kim?" Monique asked when she noticed the look on Kim's face.

"I was thinking about that night again. What you said made me think about something I didn't realize before. All day I have been trying to remember something, something important, and I think that it may have something to do with it." Kim closed her eyes in concentration. Monique sat quietly as Kim thought. "Something was off with Ron. It was what he said, or more importantly how he said it. It was almost emotionless, like he didn't care one way or the other."

"What are you trying to get at?" asked Monique.

"I know this is going to sound funny, but I don't think that was Ron." Kim went back into thought.

"You're right that does sound funny. The doppelganger is in the Global Justice prison. If that wasn't Ron, then who was it?" asked Monique.

"It would have to have been one of the other clones. There were four of them because of the robberies all being at the same time. Hmm, clone? I wonder." Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator and turned it on, Wade's image appeared on the screen.

"Hey Kim, how have you been doing?" he asked.

"I'm doing better Wade. I would like you to do something for me," Kim said.

"Sure, what is it?"

"This is a strange request, but do please humor me a moment. I'm sure you still had a chip on Ron, could you please run a check to make sure he is where he is supposed to be? I want to test a theory of mine."

"Oh, okay. Sure, just a second," said Wade, "But I'm sure it's gonna tell me that . . . Whoa, that's weird."

"What is it?" asked Kim.

"I'm getting five different signals. One from the cemetery. One from Global Justice and three others grouped together. And they're moving, toward Middleton."

"Okay," said Kim, "Our mystery villain knew about that. One more thing Wade, can you get an enlarged image of our mystery man from that video on the internet?"

"Already got it," said Wade, "Here it is." Kim gasped when she saw the image.

"What is it Kim? Do you know who that is?" asked Monique.

"Yeah, I do. I have been seeing that face for a week now. He looks like T except for the hair. This guy's hair is longer and it's striped. T's was short and brown. This must be that Akuma mentioned in T's letter."

"Who is this Akuma supposed to be?" asked Monique.

"The only thing I can get on it is the Japanese word akuma that means devil," said Wade.

"T mentioned that there was someone that looked like him, his name is Akuma. Akuma is a bad guy according to T. I get a funny feeling that Akuma is a clone of T, just like those doppelgangers of me are. You said that three other Ron's are heading this way, right Wade?" Kim asked.

"Yeah, that's right, and judging by the speed that they're moving they will be here by tonight."

"All right Wade, one more thing I need you to do. Contact Dr. Director and tell her to get everyone she can spare out here. Tell her I need her to evacuate the town, and if she gives you any grief tell her I'm pulling rank," Kim told him. He said OK and signed off.

"Do you really think its necessary to evacuate the town?" Monique asked.

"He is coming after me. He has three more clones of Ron and me. If he is as bad as I think he is, he will do everything in his power to get me. Even taking hostages." Kim picked up Rufus and handed him to Monique. "Take Rufus with you. If something happens to me, at least he'll be okay. You should go on home and tell your family to get ready to leave. I'm going to go by the Stoppable's to warn them before I go home. Global Justice should be here shortly."

"Be careful Kim, the world can't afford to lose another hero, and I don't want to lose another friend," said Monique. The two girls hugged goodbye and left the restaurant.

Kim raced home as quickly as possible. As she was about to open the door, a sense of dread came over her. "Mom, Dad," she called out as she opened the door. No reply came. She began searching the house, "Jim, Tim are you guys here? Is anybody here?"

"I'm here Kimmie."

Kim turned around, "Shego. What have you done to my family?"

"I, have done nothing to them," Shego spoke, "Don't worry about them though, they are being rounded up and taken to a safe place."

"A safe place? Are you helping me?" asked Kim.

Shego laughed, "Not quite princess, I'm here to help myself. If I can beat you, then maybe he'll choose to give the power to me." Shego fired a bolt of energy at Kim who quickly dodged it.

"Let's take this outside," Kim said as she ran out the door.

"He's coming here, you know," Shego shouted as she followed Kim out the door, throwing another energy bolt as well. "He wants you for some strange reason."

"Who is 'he', and what does he want me for anyway?" Kim asked as she traded blows.

"Don't you know? It's the reason he killed your sidekick," Shego taunted, "He seems to think you two were in love or something." She blocked a punch from Kim and backed off some.

Kim charged Shego with fire burning in her eyes. "Ron is not dead!" screamed Kim, and she leapt into the air. Shego tried to block the kick, but Kim's momentum was too great and she was knocked back into the wall of the house. She fell to the ground, groggy from the hit. She looked up to see Kim standing over her. "That was not Ron," Kim spoke in a quiet, angry tone, "That was one of the doppelgangers from the robberies."

"Do you see now why I chose Miss Possible, Shego?" asked a voice from behind. Kim whirled around to see who spoke, but there was nobody there. She felt a hand touch her, she began to feel herself fall and someone catch her. As she slipped into unconsciousness, she could hear someone talking. "Shego, I am very disappointed with you. You were only to retrieve her, not attack her."

"I'm sorry Master, please forgive me."

"We'll talk about that later, now finish your task and return to base." When Global Justice arrived minutes later, they found the Possible house burning in a blaze and the Kimmunicator laying on the ground in pieces.