Chapter 10

To Ron and Drakken, Kim seemed to disappear. A second later, so did CeCe. Shego didn't see anything, being preoccupied with forcing air back into her uncooperative body.

"Shego!" shouted Ron, and knelt beside her. He quickly glanced over her, but saw no obvious injuries. Then he touched the back of her head, and it came back sticky with blood.

"You've got a head wound," said Ron.

Shego nodded. "Bleeds a -gasp- lot but -gasp- not serious. Lucky I -gasp- didn't get -gasp- a concussion."

Ron pulled a moist towellette from his utility belt, and pressed it against the wound.

"You're having so much trouble breathing, should I give you mouth-to-mouth or something?" asked Ron.

Shego eyed him. "Try it and -gasp- I'll breathe hot plasma -gasp- down your throat -gasp- and show you -gasp- how Baked Alaska -gasp- feels."

Drakken was still laughing. "Met your match at last, Shego! And now I've got an assistant who doesn't talk back and give me grief!"

"You're about -gasp- to get all the -gasp- grief you can -gasp- handle," said Shego. With Ron's help, she got to her feet. Ron pulled the bloody towellette away from her.

Drakken stopped laughing. "Um, you're not mad about me firing you, are you?"

"Of course not. -gasp- That was strictly business. I'm not even -gasp- mad about your toy's -gasp- love tap. I am working for -gasp- your enemy, after all," said Shego.

She took a deep breath, and straightend up to her full height. "But what I AM mad about is that you called the other villains, and now I can't get evil work!"

"Oh, come on," said Drakken, "It's not like you're hurting for money!"

"Beside the point! It wasn't your decision if I work or not!" shouted Shego.

"What I did was in the best interests of the evil community! You're dying soon! Why should anybody be saddled with you and your medical bills?" Drakken shouted back.

"It still wasn't your decision!" shouted Shego even louder.

The two of them got in each others faces, and continued to shout.

Rufus popped his head out of Ron's pocket and looked up at him. Ron looked down at his little friend, and rolled his eyes. He made his way past the arguing couple, and went into the other cavern. He found a control console, and some pipes connected to boxes with obscure functions. Several pipes were driven into the floor of the cavern.

Ron stepped over to the console, and looked at the maze of buttons and lights. "Hmm.. self-destruct, self-destruct..." Ron put a hand out, and was about to press a button when he was distracted by the voices from the other cave.

"Oh, yeah?" shouted Drakken.

"Yeah!" shouted Shego.

"Boy, that's original," thought Ron.

Kim made her way down the tunnel. The walk had loosened her electrically-tightened muscles a bit, but she was still very sore. The tropical sun had somewhat dried her out, but she was still mostly wet. She felt like a drowned naked mole rat.

She heard familiar voices raised in anger ahead, and forced her tired body to move a little faster. At the end of the tunnel, she found Drakken and Shego nose to nose yelling. Ron was nowhere in sight.

"Well, then, I suppose I'll have to- KIM POSSIBLE!" yelled Drakken, catching sight of his foe.

The console was immediately forgotten as Ron ran back to the other cave. He saw Kim leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"How did you... what... where's CeCe?" said Drakken, rather incoherently.

Kim smirked. "She had to go, but she did WAVE goodbye!"

Drakken threw up his arms in frustration.

Shego gave Kim an odd look, but decided to leave that cryptic comment alone for now. "You okay, boss?" she asked.

"Kim Possible, boss," muttered Drakken, "That is sick and wrong on so many levels."

That earned him a sharp glance from Shego.

"So not the drama, Shego," said Kim, stepping into the cave and past her, trying not to let her pain show.

"Well, then, let's see what you were up to," said Shego, turning Drakken around and shoving him toward the other cave.

"I tried to find a self-destruct button, but couldn't," said Ron, presenting the console.

"That's because I didn't install one, boy," said Drakken.

"Ooohh... well, that explains- oh, no, wait, it doesn't. What gives? You ALWAYS have a self-destruct button!" said Ron.

Drakken shook his head. "Not this time."

"Well, don't worry about it," said Shego, "I've got it covered." She drew back her arm, and green plasma enveloped it.

"NO!" shouted Drakken.

Shego threw the plasma ball, and the control console melted into slag.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" shouted Drakken.

"Stopped you from making this volcano erupt," answered Kim, stretching her arms and wincing at the pain.

Drakken turned to her. "You don't understand!" he wailed, "That machine was the only thing keeping the volcano FROM erupting!"

There was a moment of stunned silence, followed by a rumbling sound deep underground.

"Ooops!" said Shego.

"LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" shouted Ron, and ran for the cave entrance.

"Good idea," muttered Shego, and turned to follow.

The four of them ran down the tunnel, trying to keep their feet as the volcano shook under them. Large chunks of rock started falling from above, and Shego had to use her plasma bolts to blast them before they got hit.

Once they were outside, Kim pulled out the Kimmunicator. "Wade? Wade, you there?" she was getting nothing but static.

"Forget your computer buddy. The piezoelectrical fields are destroying the signal," said Drakken.

"We've got to get off this island!" said Kim, "And we need Wade to do that!"

"I guess you have a point," conceeded Drakken.

"When you came here, didn't you have a plan for getting away quickly if you had to?" yelled Shego.

"Well, I-" started Drakken, then he brightened. "Of course! Come on!" He turned and ran toward the growth beside the cave mouth, followed closely by the others.

Concealed in some bushes was a large flat crate. Drakken pushed a button on the side, and the top flipped open and the sides fell flat. Inside was the old blue hovercar.

Another quake hit, stronger than any before, and threw them all flat.

Ron happened to look toward the cave, and saw red light coming from it. "Uh, guys, I think we'd better hurry..."

"What is it, Ron?" asked Kim.

"That!" he said, pointing, "Liquid rock! Coming at us! Now!"

Shego jumped into the pilot's seat, Kim beside her. Ron and Drakken took the back seats. Shego had some trouble starting the engine, but it finally kicked in, and they rose from the ground.

The hovercar sped away from the island at top speed. Out in the open air, they headed for the mainland. A few minutes and several miles away, Shego put the craft into hover mode, and the five of them watched the volcano.

Without warning, the volcano blew its top, sending lava, smoke, and steam high into the air. Thirty seconds later the sound arrived, accompanied by turbulent air. Shego dived for the controls, and fought with the craft until it was stable again.

For several minutes they all silently watched the spectacle of Nature's fury unleashed.

Finally, Rufus volunteered a low "Wow."

The other four agreed with that assessment.