Chapter Fourteen: Family First
Kim sighed as she walked over to her locker and prepared for the day. A part of her wanted to run to Shego and stay there by her side, but Kim also knew this part of her to be a reflection of Shego's own instincts. With a small smile at her thoughts of the thief. The thoughts seemed to relax and allow her to think more clearly and understand the content of her textbooks. After Kim gathered the books, she smiled and gently shut her locker. Something inside Kim flared a moment before the Mandalorian turned.
"If it isn't The Kimminator," Bonnie sneered. "What? You kill your last date, Mistress of Camelot?"
Kim closed her eyes and let the moment of rage flow over her before she could seriously wound or even kill the walking STD repository. The Mean Girl Cliché only brought a sigh from Kim. "Why do you do this, Bonnie?" Kim probed. "Why do you drag me down? Do you have such low self-worth you can only survive by attacking me to heal from your wounds?"
Bonnie stared at Kim in shock, completely unprepared for the question. "I-is it really that obvious?"
Kim shrugged. "Not really, but my line of work favors an ability to read body language." Kim smiled at the girl. "If I couldn't read people as well as I do, many of my jobs would go poorly."
Bonny felt a shiver crawl through her. Though she tried to suppress it, a true spike of fear sprang up in the Queen Bee. Whether survival instinct or a moment of intelligence, who can say? Bonnie nodded slowly and turned. Then, she walked briskly to class while trying and failing, in Kim's eyes, to hide the panic in her locomotion.
A part of Kim celebrated at Bonnie's defeat, but the warrior pushed that part of herself down and walked to class with a neutral expression. Barkin turned and gave a slight nod to the girl before his gaze passed to Ron in a moment of confusion. Kim walked over and tapped Barkin's desk. "K SCARED R." When Barkin looked at Kim, she shrugged. It would take more time than she was willing to give to communicate everything with Knock Code. Kim wanted to tell the man more, but now was not the time for explanations as it was. The warrior Bast down without anymore words.
After Barkin began his lesson, Kim focused on him and pushed everything else out with practiced ease. Ron stared like a lost puppy at the redhead. This caused quite a stir, but only a moron would allow the chaos to be telegraphed openly to Barkin as he continued to teach on Act One, Scene One of Hamlet. Notes passed back and forth like an underground network and even spread beyond Barkin's class when a student from down the hall caught a glimpse of the note sheet.
By the time Barkin's class ended, the halls buzzed with gossip of the new rift between Kim and Ron. The rumor blazed like a wood pile doused in JP-5. The story mutated from telling to telling, one variant that held Ron tried to shoot Kim's mysterious lover and another to say Kim became the subject of experimentation with the one at school as nothing but a clone whom Ron spotted as the imposter she allegedly was. The whole thing made Kim question why GJ didn't employ some students for intel gathering.
Kim laughed softly, Bonnie as a BlackOps intel officer? More thought on the possibility brought a disturbing realization. That actually scares me.
When Kim closed her locker, Monique seemed to appear out of the aether. "Damn, GF," Monique said with a look of worry when Kim whirled, ready to attack, at the other girl's touch. "WOAH!"
Kim blushed and looked at her feet instead of her friend when she came out of Attack Mode. "Sorry, Mo," Kim said with an apologetic smile. "Things have been tense on the home front, and it's difficult to turn that off."
The fashionista didn't nod but frowned, "What's going on with you and Ron, Kim?" The black girl sighed. "I thought he was cool with you and Shego."
Kim shook her head and balled a fist. "He does not understand, Monique." Kim looked at her. "He thinks The Mark I have is affecting my mind."
Monique gave a slow nod this time; she knew enough to have a basic grasp of the concept. "Yet, from what you've been taught, that's not the case?"
Kim blushed. Part of her questioned if she approached too close to taboo for Draconian norms. "As far as I know, only intense emotions can cross over the Bond involuntarily." Kim said as soothing calm markedly different from Shego's gently washed over Kim's mind. Before Kim could question the feeling, it left her mind. "Even then, the emotions rarely override reason in the person who receives the influx."
Monique sighed and shook her head with a small smile. "Ron is trying to understand it with movie logic and a mark like the ones you and Shego share usually indicates a form of control over the person marked."
Kim raised a brow as she and Monique began to walk to the class they shared. "By Ron's own logic, I should be able to exert a measure of control over Shego just as he thinks she does over me."
Monique laughed, "Good luck with that one, GF."
Kim raised an eyebrow in confusion at the comment. "What? You've never met her."
Monique smiled at her. "Are you serious, girl?' The ebony young woman put a coutiouis hand on Kim's shoulder. "You've told me enough about your Green Goddess to know that much about her."
Kim blushed, "MONIQUE!"
Monique just grinned Ike the cat who swallowed the canary. "Am I wrong?"
Kim sighed and moved to shake her head but noticed a strange ball at her feet. The Mandalorian grabbed her friend and dove away from the ball a moment before it exploded.
"I heard what ya did to Motor Ed, lass," The Mad Golfer said with a shake of his head. "That be just poor form, Possible."
Duff finally seemed to notice Kim's armor. "What are ya wearing?!"
Kim raised a brow and pushed Monique away with a note in her hand. "Get that to Mr. Barkin." Kim said with a flat look. "I will be ok." Kim said with a reassuring nod. "This is not my first fight with him." It is my first showdown with him in Beskar.
With Monique in retreat, Kim turned her full attention to Duff Killigan. Kim walked up to the man and shook her head as the man tired to line up a second shot. "Since when have I gone after you guys like that monster?" Kim asked as she closed the distance between their faces. "I prefer hand-to-hand," Kim reached up and backhanded him with a Mandalorian iron gauntlet. The man stumbled back and to the side in agony, his cheek and jaw fractured audibly on impact. "You want to talk about a lack of respect between enemies? What are you doing at my school, Killigan?"
Duff spat blood and teeth before he nearly shit himself when the redhead looked him in the eyes. The man realized too late how much an attack on his adversary equated to a death sentence here. "F-Fuck!"
Kim raised an eyebrow at the man. "What? Did you not comprehend the idea I would be volatile if you attacked me at school?"
Instead of a response, Killigan's eyes rolled back while he slumped to the floor. Kim then frowned and checked bounty listings for Killigan. Kim sighed when she saw competing prices on his head: one from the US military and others from various international agencies like Interpol and even GJ. The surprise came in the form of a bounty on her and Shego's heads. Killigan wants in GJ's good graces… The warrior sighed and frisked Killigan, removing his weapons. I think this can turn to my favor. "Wade, contact Betty. I have some questions only she can answer."
Wade knew the tone from his long-time friend and co-worker. "Give me just a sec, Kim, and…you're patched into her comm."
Kim nodded and growled under her breath, "Hello, Director," the irate teen said as calmly as she could manage. "I hear you are looking for me."
Betty raised an unseen brow. "Oh," the leader of GJ. "What gave you that idea?"
Kim sighed and glared at an out cold Killigan. "Villains usually have a code, an unwritten law to keep personal and professional separate." Kim sighed. "Pick up your trash without taking me along with him, and I shall forget the fact you put a price on my and Shego's heads since the last time we talked. Otherwise, GJ's reputation will go down in flames. I mean, seeking to incarcerate a minor based around unfounded rumors when said minor takes on threats GJ should be more than equipped to handle without her. Think about it, Betts." Kim said with a smirk that seemed to be extremely Shego-like. "Possible, out."
Wade shivered, "I doubt Killigan would be the only one to take advantage of the bounty on your head, Kim."
Kim nodded in agreement and sighed, "As if my life wasn't complex already." The redhead shook her head and pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind for the time being. Distraction gets warriors killed. Kim thought even as she walked into her World History class.
Veronica looked around the hospital. After the little bit of anger from Kim, Veronica couldn't shake a feeling of discomfort over the Karadim.
Relax, Kimmie. Veronicatried to soothe her Sola Myn. No one will get to Mom without severe pain.
Veronica closed her eyes and focused on the area around the hospital through The Bog'shla. In her mind's eye, no one flickered with a signature she recognized for the time being from a place atop the hospital out of sight. I don't like this. Veronica thought. It's too simple, too easy.
Two weeks, Dementor scoured his mind for a new plan and a means to pay for the newest scheme. If thIs could also involve vengeance on Kim Possible for attempts to take the power source he built himself and hand it over to GJ because it was "too dangerous to us". I am no fool, the man thought in stewing anger. I knew the operating parameters of that device, and yet, Possible still took payment and handed me over to GJ to rot in a cell! The villain growled and shook his head from deep within his lair in the German Alps. The man had been in a slump and needed something to spark him back into a useful state. If the rumors are true… Then, the diminutive German hacked into Global Justice mainframe to verify the buzz in the villain community. "Odd… Why is the good doctor searching for Fräulein Possible?" The man didn't need any further answers when he saw the price. The dwarf smiled. Karma is a sweet lady sometimes. The man thought with a wide smile."It would be quite fitting for Global Justice to finance my next plan to make the world bow to my rule and for Possible to to rot in my own cell, but how shall I do it?"
Veronica sniffed the air. The smells of Middleton greeted her. However, the scent of Dobermans also assaulted her nose. However, these creatures also smelled of synthetic splice proteins and other markers of genetic manipulation. I'm surprised, Dementor; Shego thoughtas Dementor's pets scaled the hospital to confront the green woman who the dwarfish man thought he could handle. You're not one to play with genetics. At sight of the dogs, Veronica irritably shook her head. "(I am a dragon!)" Veronica roared and glared at the supposed threat. Veronica watched as the dogs stalked up to her with low, deadly growl. Veronica took a deep breath and smiled at the dogs. When they jumped at her, Veronica moved to disable but not kill the unfortunate mutts. Inside Veronica felt confusion well up. Villains were nothing if not selfish and had an unwavering self-preservation instinct. This move from Dementor makes no sense unless…
A scream broke Veronica out of her thoughts. With instinct driving her, Veronica summersaulted over the edge of the roof and landed outside the front door without a sound.
Dementor stared at Shego in shock as he walked out with a weapon pointed in Ann's back. "How could you so easily betray everyone, Shego?"
The woman only hissed. "(Surrender my Sola Myn's mother or die, vile beast!)"
Dementor only looked at her with a momentary look of confusion before it turned sadistic. The man then tried to stab Anne. Anne frowned at the lose grip with which her attacker held his knife. With a glare she but led him hard enough to knock the knife loose and plucked the knife from the air by its tip. The elder Possible looked down at Dementor with a shake of her head. Then, Anne gripped the knife and turned it in an experimental fashion much to the shock of her would-be attacker.
The man paled noticeably when Anne shoved the knife into his throat with enough force to hurt but not enough to cut him too deeply. "Talk or I push a little harder and let you bleed out."
Dementor shivered, "What the Hell happened in a mere three weeks?!"
The dragon walked up to Dementor and looked him in the eyes. "Need to know, Demenz."
Dementor set his jaw and pulled a second hidden blade. Then, he lunged at the neurosurgeon who single-handedly shattered his notions of The Possible Clan. The woman turned fast enough to dodge the body of Dementor's thrust but caught the edge of the blade on her side. Anne hissed in pain at the gash but refused to show the madman he managed to land a cut.
Shego's eyes snapped from the blade in Dementor's hand, to the cut in Anne's side, and back to the man. Powerful drive filled Shego as her eyes narrowed dangerously on the man in front of her. "(I SHALL RIP YOU TO PIECES!)" Anne let go of a pained grunt as her clothes rubbed painfully against her wound. The sound of pain drew Dementor to Anne's face rather than her hands and allowed the warrior to pull something from her hip as the doctor fell to the ground in weakness from the gash in her side. Then, Axa smiled and fired the blaster at Dementor. The ionized plasma ripped through Dementor's right Solar Plexus like tissue paper. Dementor cried out in pain. Then, he fell to the ground next to Ann with a look of shock and disbelief in his eyes. "How…you….you are but a doctor, not a fighter!"
The female dragon ran up to to her Sola Myn's mother and knelt. "Keep still, Mrs. Dr. P…" Veronica knelt and ignited her right hand. Then, Veronica pressed her hand to the gash and looked at Anne in mild surprise when the woman didn't even flinch. What shit have you seen that makes cauterizing wounds an ignorable pain?
You'd be surprised, Firefly, Kim said with a smile and soothing sensations over the Karadim. There are only a few things in the universe that can make Mandalorians admit to pain.
Do I need to come over there?
Stay with Mom, Veronica, Kim said gently. The Mad Golfer cannot go anywhere with a shattered jaw and missing teeth. Kim brushed Veronica's side of their Bond with a smile. Stay with Mom. I shall call Dad and inform him. Kim pushed back tears, but a few managed to slip out of her awareness and land on her open textbook. Please, protect Mom until we know for certain the threats have passed.
In Class, the students alll shared confused and slightly scared looks. After all, Ron seemed to most of the school body the person who kept Kim sane. Without him, she would surely fall apart, or so they thought. With the end of the class period on approach, the room felt as if it could burst into flame with a simple word or wrong move. Finally, Kim could no longer tolerate the tension and growled, "WHAT?!"
Felix looked at Kim in worry. The two weren't particularly close, but Kim also wasn't one for sudden outbursts. This meant one thing for Felix. Kim was seriously tweaked about something more than a nutty golfer that tried to end her earlier in the day. As odd as it was to say, Felix knew battles didn't shake Kim. This was different, a deeper pain. Felix looked at his legs for a moment and sighed. He may not fight villains on a near fault basis, but he knew battle all the same and made the choice to move his chair to be next to her desk. "You want to talk, Kim?"
Kim sighed reluctantly and nodded at the young man. "Ron isn't taking my choice in romance well."
Felix raised a brow. "That doesn't explain why a Scott with a deadly golf obsession tried to kill you earlier today."
"It seems someone I trusted high in the criminal justice world has proven themselves an Ephialties or a Benedict Arnold. Take your pick. In fact, they put a bounty on me, and my family now stands squarely in the middle of the crosshairs for these bastards."
Kim, listen to me, Shego's eyes glittered with dark fury. Only Drakken is left, and unless I miss my guess, Drakken doesn't want to face me or you after the last time we met.
Kim nodded and refocused back on her schoolwork as best as she could, Still, there is the chance of him truly reacting so stupidly.
In any case, Veronica gently tried to assuage. We will be ready for him.
Felix noticed the change in Kim's face when she went silent and seemed to listen to someone else for a few moments. "Kim, you alright?" The boy gently put a hand on Kim's. "You don't have to worry. I'm sure they'll be safe."
The girl blinked for a moment as she came back to herself. Then, Kim looked at him with a bit of a dazed smile, "Y-Yeah…I think I will be, Felix." Absentmindedly, Kim rubbed her hand where Felix touched it. The sensation wasn't pleasant. It was as if thousands of ants crawled along the inside of her gauntlet. The feeling made Kim shiver in mild disquiet. "Felix, you remember Shego?"
The young man nodded. "Didn't she try to burn The Mullet Dude and Drakken after they tried to steal my chair?"
Kim blushed and nodded with a soft smile on her face.
"I see," Felix said with a knowing grin. "Shego is part of the protection detail for your parents you set up." Felix chuckled when Kim dipped down closer to the desk in response. "…and you're worried about her."
Kim looked at Felix in disbelief.
The paraplegic nearly laughed out loud but managed to contain it before the teacher noticed. "It's a gift, Kim;" Felix supplied. "I can read people well. You kinda have to when you're disabled because there are too many assholes in this world to give trust out without some sort of vetting."
Kim nodded, "That makes sense, but how can you trust Shego while Ron cannot?"
Felix smiled, "I never was the object of Shego's jealousy, Kim. Ron doesn't have that advantage to see your relationship from a distance. Give The Ron-Man time." Felix advised. "He'll come around, and don't worry about your folks. I'll get with Wade and work with him to create a series of security precautions to keep the villains away if they continue to get bolder."
Please Read and Review. I know Kim is a bit brutal in this chapter but remember: These two violated unwritten codes of honor and must therefore pay the appropriate price for their violations.
