Chapter 7 - Risky Business
(...a cargo plane...about a half hour later...)
The back is loaded with boxes on their way to various destinations. They are bound up in nets so as not to slide about the cabin. Among the cartage are three teens, all in dark shirts and cargo pants. It never hurts to have a few Kim-style outfits for back-up.
"So, you can just call anyone in the world and get a ride?" Josh is understandably awestruck.
"It's a gift."
Ron folds his arms and glares a little. "Yeah, amazing."
Kim turns to the middle-aged pilot. "Thanks for the lift, Fiona."
"Think nothing of it. It's not every day I get to help out a teen hero."
She shrugs. "Well, it's really no big."
Fiona motions to Josh. "And who is that young man?" She raises an eyebrow. "A boyfriend, perhaps?"
"Oh, no. He's just a friend."
Ron exhales in relief.
Kim returns to her partners. "Well, boys, it looks like we're off to Canada."
"It's too bad, though." Josh shifts a little in his 'seat'. "I left all of my Canadian change at home. I've got, like, five dollars worth."
The ladies start to laugh. Ron, though, resumes his glare. In spite of Josh's unfortunate situation, he wasn't too crazy about having him along on a mission. After all, three's a crowd.
Plus, he wanted to tell that change joke.
(...the streets of Toronto...an hour later...)
The plane had landed just outside the city; a cargo plane doesn't exactly jibe with the happenings of a big city.
The three teens were now in a car, which navigates through the city traffic.
The back window goes down. Ron glances out. "I can't believe how clean this place is. It's too bad American cities aren't this nice."
(...another car...)
Traveling in a different direction is a vehicle. Sitting in the back are Landon, Sheila and Sally.
He takes a drag from a cigarette. "Tonight can't get here quick enough." He turns to Sally. "I trust that there will be no more cack-ups?"
"Certainly not." She offers a half-smile as punctuation.
"Good." Landon checks his watch. It's 2:25pm. With his free hand, he takes a cell phone from his pocket and dials.
"Hello. No, no. I'll let you know when it's time. I'll be in touch."
He puts the phone away.
Sally looks up. "Business call?"
"You might say that."
"So, what happened to your errand boys?"
"If you must know, my dear Cutter, they're at the office, keeping watch."
(...a warehouse...)
The two lackeys gaze down at the workers milling about. One of them sighs.
"Is this how you pictured your life, Gabe?"
"Pretty much, except there was more money...and more women."
The goon known as Gabe sits down in a chair. His associate continues to stare out the window. "To be honest, I always wanted my own farm, you know? Ever since I was a kid; nothing but the land."
"Sounds sweet."
"How 'bout you?"
"Bouncin' seems like a good fit for me, Theo. Money, women, getting to meet people."
Theo sits in a seat. "The road not taken, huh?"
"Yeah."
They both laugh.
(...outside Middleton High...about twenty minutes later...)
The students pour out of the building. Among them is Tara, who looks around quite worriedly. She grabs the strap of her backpack. With her free hand, she reaches out to a classmate.
"Have you seen Josh?"
"No. Sorry."
She continues through the crowd. Her hand finds another student.
"Have you seen Josh?"
A young man of a nerdy stripe turns around. "I'm afraid I haven't."
Tara stumbles away, unaware of how she made that geek's day: a cheerleader touched him!
(...the streets of Toronto...minutes later...)
The vehicle carrying the intrepid youngsters approaches the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Ron looks out the window. "Wow. Now, that's a hotel."
The driver rears his head back. "That's the Crowne Plaza. It's one of Toronto's finest hotels."
Kim takes in the view. "Looks truly posh. Josh, take a look at this."
The other car stops in front of the hotel. Just as Josh sees the building, a pair of women exit the other vehicle. One with brown hair and the other with raven locks. Josh stares a bit at the latter. He's sure he's seen that head (or, at least the shape of it) before.
The cars take off in opposite directions. A cigarette flies out of the window of the car...and hits Ron in the face.
He clears the remnants away. "Hey, they're called ashtrays, pal!"
"You okay?"
"It's not like it's the first time I've been hit with something, though I must say that a cigarette is brand new."
(...outside the Mankey home...about ten minutes later...)
Tara figured that Josh may have already made his way back to his house. As far as she knew, the trail in the case of Mrs. Mankey had gone cold. Neither she, nor her boyfriend, had any idea what had happened to her.
The blonde knew that she had to be there for him. She regards the unfamiliar vehicle in the driveway with suspicion before slowly approaching the door. Her finger finds its way to the bell.
The door opens. Surprise registers on Tara's pretty face.
It's Lila. "Hello. May I help you?"
"Yes. Is Josh home?"
The co-ed shakes her head. "Sorry, but I'm the only one here."
Tara looks down. She knew that Josh was still feeling blue. For a brief moment, she thought that...no, she couldn't think that. There's so much more for which to live.
"Did he call?"
"No, he didn't. You think if he went somewhere, he'd keep in touch with his sister."
"Yeah. I...you're Lila?"
"I'd better be. That's what it says on my driver's license. How do you know me?"
"Josh talked about you a couple of times."
"How sweet. And who might you be?"
"I'm his girlfriend, Tara. Do you mind if I wait for him here?"
"Sure. Why not? It'd be nice to have someone to talk to."
Lila welcomes Tara into the house...but that car is still across the street. The driver is still watching...
(...Denny's office...five minutes later...)
The teens look about the room, which has been made a mess of in the investigation.
Kim stands at Denny's desk. "So, what can you tell us about the attack?"
"What attack? I was just going over some papers."
"Is there anyone who may want to see you dead?"
"Miss Possible, a better question would be 'who doesn't want to see me dead?' It's a short list."
"How do you mean?"
He takes a seat. "I was elected two years ago. I had a personal mission: to do what's right for the city and the people. And doing what's right for the majority is bound to rile a few people."
"For some reason, there are people out there who feel that problems would be better solved with shoot-outs than with things less...fatalistic. My plan was to, if not get rid of all the guns, then limit the amount of guns out there. But ours is a violent society. They'll find a way around this."
Ron chimes in. "But what about that bowling movie?"
"A movie can only show you so much, even a documentary."
"Well, we're here to help protect you." The redhead spreads her arms to indicate her classmates.
"That's very kind of you. Now, I need to get ready for the gala."
She shakes her head in surprise. "Wait. What gala?"
"The one honoring the city's humanitarians."
"This may be just me, but wouldn't attending such a public function so soon after an assassination attempt seem a touch...foolish?"
"There are three tenets I hold myself to as a local politician: to help the people, to do what's right for the city and to never miss an event where I can get shrimp puffs."
The three teens eye him strangely. "Once you've had a few, it's a hard habit to break. Besides, the creme of the city's de la creme will be there. If any of them were to try something, it'd get out."
"And if anything should happen to you...?"
"Gotta die of something."
Kim couldn't help but gaze at the politician; so determined, yet so very...aloof.
Her hand finds her face. "So, where's the gala being held?"
"It's tonight at the Crowne Plaza."
Josh perks up. Perhaps he would get to investigate the barely-recognized woman that went inside.
"You're welcome to stay, if you wish."
"I'm sure that the sitch is well in hand, here, so--"
Josh stands up. "He's right. You never know what might happen. I think we should stay."
They turn to Ron, who is still looking out the window. "Well?"
"Well, what?"
"Are we staying or going?"
"This is a nice place. Maybe we should stay."
Kim wasn't sure if Ron knew to what he was agreeing. Maybe it didn't much matter. After all, working security wasn't a new thing for her. But there were guns involved here, wielded by someone who may or may not know what they're doing.
This was going to be a long night.