Chapter 19
The Space Plane arrived at the Middleton Space Center without mishap. Mr. and Mrs. Stoppable were there to greet them, along with Nana, Jim and Tim.
As technicians looked over the plane and removed the samples and other gear, everyone went to the main building, and back to the conference room. Ron stayed with Kim, steadying her with an arm around her shoulders. Tears would occasionally fall from emerald green eyes, and she dabbed at them with the towel. Thompson and Young were waiting for them.
"Congratulations are in order for a job well done," said Thompson without preamble. "We are here to fill you in with regard to the government's stand on events."
He opened his briefcase and pulled out some papers. "Since your efforts resulted in removal of the threat, rather than just the reduction of it, the official position is that there never was any threat."
Kim dabbed her eyes. "I have a question," she said, and the agent looked at her.
"What about Shego? She destroyed the asteroid, and lost her life doing it. She deserves something for saving the world," said Kim.
The man picked up some different papers.
"Ah, yes, Shego..." he said, glancing through them. "You'll be happy to know that the negotiations with the countries where she was wanted were successful. All charges against her have been dropped, and her record in the U.S. wiped clean as well.
The official story is that she went with you, and was lost when her space suit malfunctioned. Team Go has already been informed, and I understand they are planning a private funeral."
"That's it? No medal? No parade?" asked Kim, her face darkening, tears threatening to fall again.
"Sorry. This was a secret operation," he replied.
"I can't believe this," muttered Kim.
"I really don't like this," said Wade.
"Let me make it clear. Shego was the hero. She saved the world. I think she deserves some recognition for it," said Kim.
"Look. I understand. I really do. And I agree with you. She was a better person than reports made her seem. But we've done what we can for her," he said. He looked around the room. "If there's nothing else...?"
The crew looked at each other, but said nothing.
Thompson stood up, as did his silent partner. He put away the papers, and closed the briefcase. "Then I will bid you all good day. Congratulations, once again," he said, and they left the room.
Wade signed off with an angry expression.
There was a long silence, then Mr. Possible said, "Well, let's go. After days with that astronaut food, I want a real meal."
There was more enthusiasm for that idea. So they went to the locker room and changed clothes. Kim opened Shego's locker, and retrieved her jumpsuit, gloves, and boots, crying all the while.
A day later, the debris from the asteroid arrived, resulting in the most spectacular meteor shower in hundreds of years. But no one at the Possible residence could bear to watch it. Ron came over and stayed with Kim, comforting her as he could.
Two days later, Ron and Kim attended the funeral for Shego held by her brothers. At the graveside she told them of their sister's heroics, and that she had saved the world.
Eventually they had a life-sized statue of her in her jumpsuit put up by the grave. The plaque read: "Shego: Sister, Hero, Villain, Friend, World-Saver".
A week later, the Possibles and Stoppables were summoned to a lawyer's office. Once seated, Mr. Howe, of Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe, got to the point.
"I represent the interests of the person you know as Shego," he said, "I asked you here today because you are the beneficiaries of her estate."
They all looked at each other, then back at Mr. Howe.
"Unless you just want to hear it, I'm going to skip the legalese, and give you the bottom line," he said and paused. No one said anything.
"I've been instructed to tell you that Team Go and her family are expressly excluded from receiving any benefit whatsoever. Also that all the money comes from legal sources.
Shego's cash assets totaled some 120 million dollars. 50 million of that is to go to Middleton General Hospital, to be used for research at the discretion of Mrs. Possible. Another 50 million goes to the Middleton Space Center, to be used for research at the discretion of Mr. Possible. Of the remainder, 10 million each go to James and Timothy Possible, to be held in trust by their parents until they reach eighteen. Part of that money is to be used to finance their college education.
That takes care of the liquid assets..."
Kimberly Ann Possible and Ronald Dean Stoppable, she has left to you her investments. Control of them will be given you when you reach eighteen, but you will start receiving dividend checks next month. Some of this money will be used for your college education, and some of it to finance the operations of Team Possible."
"How much is it worth?" asked Kim, visibly shaken.
"Well, if you were to liquidate it all now..." said Mr. Howe picking up some other papers and studying them, "It would be worth in the neighborhood of... oh, three hundred eighty million."
There was a long, stunned silence.
Kim and Ron looked at each other. He slowly recovered his trademark goofy grin, and raised his fist. "BOOYAH!"
Kim raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Thanks, Shego," she said quietly.