A big Boo-yah from the Middleton Mad Dog to campy, charzardag, demiryu, Zaratan, mattb3671, the real Violet Parr, cman1p2, Jokerisdaking, WhiteLadyoftheRing, Lil-Lyon, IncrediRaider8, x-forgotten-angel-x, warprince2000, demon-sword, the Shado Master, the Halfa Wannabe, and G-Go for their reviews.
A Super Slurpster, with complimentary brain freeze, to campy for his invaluable editorial assistance. Do yourselves a favor. Go read his story Essential Ronness. It's witty and it's funny and it's true to the spirit of the show. 'Nuff said. It's good stuff.
If you saw it on KP, Disney owns it. At least until I finish my Ray Gun of Doom AND TAKE OVER THE WORLD! Bwahahahahahahaha! Oops. My bad. You're not supposed to know about that hobby …
I.
"What is this?" Ron asked as Kim handed him a loose-leaf binder.
"The schedule of events for the opening."
"Schedule of events …" Ron said, opening the binder and looking at the table of contents. "KP, this has everything but clowns."
"No, they're there. 2:15. See? Right after the fire eater at 2:00 and the Governor's remarks at 2:45."
"Yo, Kim. It's just a Tex-Mex joint …"
"Ron, trust me, I know what I'm doing."
"Oh, and I don't?" he said, a bit miffed. Ron loved Kim but could still bristle when she assumed her "I know what's best for you" attitude.
"Ron, a couple of radio ads and a banner are so not the way to go. Considering you're the one who did focus groups to see how I should wear my hair when I ran for student council president, I would have thought you'd be into this."
"Kim, Kim, Kim," he said, unaware of how patronizing he sounded, "This is different."
Kim, her arms now crossed, asked, "How?"
"No competition here," he quipped without thinking. Kim now glared at Ron. She loved him but could still be annoyed when reminded of her humiliating electoral loss to Prince Wally back in their sophomore year. What made that defeat particularly galling was that it was facilitated by the defection of her then campaign manager, who happened to be her present-day beau.
Ron, realizing his mistake, held up his hands and laughed nervously. "O – Kay, that didn't come out right. How about the public doesn't have the chance to make the wrong choice here? BB is the only Tex-Mex in town."
"Nice try, burrito boy," Kim replied, now not wanting to be mollified. She'd put a lot of work into this plan and was disappointed that Ron wasn't showing more enthusiasm; that her efforts were unsolicited was immaterial.
They stood in silence.
"This is a ferociously stupid thing to be tweaked about," Kim finally said.
"Yeah, it is. Look, KP, I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek.
"And I appreciate what you're doing, but …"
"But what, Ron?" she asked, a little edge returning to her voice.
"Well, uh, it is my restaurant. And, uh, I haven't even opened the front door and you're running things. If there's one thing I think I might know how to do, it's run a Tex-Mex joint." Ron said, recalling how he had been promoted into the management ranks within days of taking a part time job at Bueno Nacho.
Kim sat down on her bed and hung her head. "You're right, Ron. I just know how much effort you've put into this and I want BB to be a big success. I'm sorry I slipped into take-charge mode, it's, it's just how I'm wired." she said looking deflated. "Forgive me?"
Ron gazed at Kim, then made a decision and sat beside her.
"Hey, maybe I'm being a little big-heady about this being my restaurant. We are Team Possible. Freaks, fajitas, what's the difference? Why don't you walk me through your plan?"
"You really mean that?"
"Yeah, really." Ron moved closer to Kim and put his arm around her.
Kim opened the binder on their laps and then, with great enthusiasm, she led Ron through her detailed vision for thirteen hours' worth of opening day activities.
"You really think we can do this, KP?"
"No big, Ron," she said with a confidence that to others might seem arrogant but to Ron was justified by past performance and was thus reassuring. "It'll be like Spirit Week, with spankin' food thrown in."
Ron looked at his girlfriend, the earlier tension forgotten. He grinned, "Well, as the bald guy on Space Passage: The Next Generation says, 'Make it so!'"
Kim beamed as she looked into Ron's eyes. "Ron, I promise you, this is going to rock!"
II.
And rock it did.
Kim had done a remarkable job. The C-5 flyover was awesome, the Middleton College marching band was great, Timothy North and Rudolph Farnsworth and the Ferret Mobile were a hit, the parade was a blast, and the unveiling of the six-foot tall Kimarito-wielding Rufus statue was the highlight of the day for the kids of the Tri-City area. Everything ran smoothly as the Possible and Stoppable families, not to mention all of Kim and Ron's friends, were given assignments, freeing Ron to greet customers and Ned to focus on restaurant operations.
As the day turned into night, the crowds got ready for the fireworks. Ron went to find Kim so they could catch the show. "KP, this has been badical. I can't even imagine how many favors you called in to make this happen. You are one bon-diggity girlfriend."
"I told you it would be no big," she said with a smile and a wave of her hand. "But I do have one more favor to call in. You know I like fireworks."
"Well, KP, I've got an in with management, so I think I can score us some badical seats."
Kim turned and put her arms around Ron's neck. "I think I'll enjoy them right here." She then gave him a slow, loving kiss.
After she was done, Ron smiled dumbly and asked, "Think you could grande size that?"
"With pleasure …"
III.
There was at least one person in Middleton who wasn't enjoying the BB opening festivities. Bonnie Rockwaller glared at the television. "It's like a stupid fast food joint! Don't they have anything better to cover?"
"Cheerleader, it's a stupid fast food joint opened by one of the town's two biggest celebrities, whose girlfriend happens to be the other one. Chill out. Besides, I thought the Shriner go-carts were actually a nice touch. The naked mole rat's a pretty good driver."
Bonnie was having none of it. Kim was basking in the limelight and she was hiding in a lair. This wasn't what she'd expected when she signed on with Shego.
Shego could see her protégé was annoyed and mildly depressed. "Okay, cheerleader, tell me, when you took those pearls from Princess, was it to hurt her or because you wanted some bling?"
"Duh, Shego," Bonnie replied dismissively. "Both."
Shego had to smile. The kid gave her lip. She wondered how Dr. D would have handled her. "Okay," she said, "I can't help you on the hurt front tonight. But maybe we can do something about the bling. I think it's time for a little field trip."
IV.
With the entire town attending the Badical Burrito fireworks, Shego knew it was the perfect night to pay an after-hours visit to the Middleton Jewelry Exchange, especially since Kimmie would be with Stoppable enjoying the show, guaranteeing that there would be no interference. Shego, much to Bonnie's surprise, told her to take the lead; she thought it was time to see how much her student had really learned.
Shego was impressed as the operation unfolded. Bonnie flawlessly scaled the building, disabled the alarm, and took the CCTV unit out of action. She stealthily led the way to the jewelry showroom. Shego's only moment of concern arose when Bonnie began greedily eyeing the goods.
"Psst! Cheerleader! We don't have all day. Pick something and let's vamoose!"
Bonnie finally settled on diamond stud earrings and a gorgeous emerald brooch. She then helped herself to some pearls, sure that they were far more extravagant than those Ron had given Kim. Shego looked at Bonnie's choices. "You've got expensive tastes, cheerleader!"
Bonnie responded huffily. "Well, I do deserve the best!"
Shego chuckled; Bonnie might be a brat. But she had gumption. And a lot of potential.
V.
The next morning's paper was dominated by coverage of the Badical Burrito opening day festivities. News of the jewelry heist was relegated to the inside pages of the paper. The police admitted they had no leads. In fact, they were confused. The job looked like the work of professionals, yet the haul was far smaller than one would have expected under the circumstances.
VI.
Two days later Kim and Ron were in Professor Dementor's latest lair. The diminutive scientist had once again stolen the Pan-Dimensional Vortex Inducer.
Kim and Ron were battling it out with some henchmen when the Kimmunicator chirped. Kim ignored it, but it wouldn't stop ringing. Finally, still bobbing and weaving, she answered.
"What up, Wade? We're kind of busy," Kim said as she pivoted and kicked a henchman in the stomach.
"Kim, I've got to talk to Ron. Now." Kim saw the look on Wade's face; she turned to Ron, who was in the process of using the Kimstick to take down another opponent.
"Ron, catch. It's Wade; he says it's urgent." Ron reached out and caught the device.
"Wade?" Ron asked, surprised by the ashen expression on the young tech guru's face.
"Ron, it's your dad. He's had a heart attack."
"Oh my God," Ron whispered. He dropped the Kimstick. Another henchman lunged at him, but was intercepted by Kim, who, doing a double flip, landed between Ron and his assailant, delivering a blow to the man's chin, which sent him sprawling.
Professor Dementor was still ranting. Kim looked up at him and glared. "Will you be quiet? We have a real problem here!" The mad scientist was taken aback.
"How is he Wade?"
"He's in the ICU. Kim's mom has got the hospital's top cardiac docs on the case. But you better get home quick. I, I'm sorry, Ron."
"S'kay, Wade. Bye."
Ron was shell-shocked. Dad, he thought. In the ICU. And I'm in a lair. For what? Because this midget can't keep his hands off this vortex inducing thingie?
Kim looked at her stricken boyfriend, then at Dementor. She walked up to the stature-challenged villain and looked at him with a ferocity he'd never seen before. "We so don't have the time for this. Give it to me. NOW!"
The little man quivered and handed the device over to Kim.
Within minutes Kim and Ron were on their way back to Middleton.
VII.
Barbara Jo Stoppable rose to greet Ron and Kim, who were still wearing their mission clothes. No words were exchanged. It was clear that Mrs. Stoppable had cried a lot but was now feeling spent.
Ron's father been alert earlier but had been in his present state since before they landed in Middleton. Mr. Stoppable lay in the bed, hooked up to machines and drips.
"Mom …"
"Did you get it?"
"Huh?"
"Did you get whatever it was you went to find?"
Kim held it up to show Mrs. Stoppable, who smiled weakly.
"He would be pleased to know that. He's so proud of you, Ronnie. Of what you've become …" Barbara Jo began crying again; Ron embraced her. He didn't know what to say.
Kim stood quietly by his side. She'd saved the world countless times, but this time she didn't know what to do. Quietly, she said, "Do you two want to be alone? I'll understand."
"No," Barbara Jo replied. "Kimberly, you're family, even if it isn't official. Please. Stay." Kim rested her hands on Mrs. Stoppable's and Ron's shoulders.
VIII.
They stayed at the hospital all night. The next morning, Don Stoppable briefly regained consciousness.
"Ron?" he asked, looking for his son.
Ron came to his father's side.
"Hey, Dad, I'm here. Mom told me that you'd want to know that we got the thingie back."
"Good work, son." He lay quietly for a moment, summoning the strength to speak. "You remember a couple of years ago when you were worried that you weren't a man because Rabbi Katz hadn't signed your Bar Mitzvah certificate?"
Ron nodded. Having a signature on that piece of paper had meant so much to him.
"You've earned it, Ron. I, I'm so proud of you. College. The music. The restaurant opening – that was fun. Kim." His voice was growing fainter. "Kim, is she here?"
Kim, who'd been sitting with Barbara Jo, joined Ron and his father. "You're a beautiful young lady, you know that Kim? My boy is lucky to have you."
"I'm lucky, too, Mr. Stoppable," she replied softly. She'd spent a summer walking the floors of this hospital, comforting sick, even dying, children. But now she wasn't an observer, she was part of the story. She wanted to do something, anything, to heal this man. And she knew she couldn't.
"Dad," he said weakly. "Call me Dad. You will someday, when you and Ron get married, so why not now?"
Kim's eyes were beginning to tear up. She smiled, then said the word softly, "Dad." This man was supposed to be her father-in-law someday. He was supposed to be at her wedding, watching her exchange vows with his son. But she knew he wouldn't be there, at least not physically. This is so ferociously unfair! she thought.
Barbara Jo watched what was going on. She sensed that her husband had said most of what he wanted to say, that he'd made his peace with the world. She got up and joined Ron and Kim by the bed. As often happens when people are ready to die, everyone present sensed the moment had arrived.
The dying man smiled. His voice was now barely a whisper. "Kim, that makes you my daughter. I always wanted a girl. A girl and a boy. Take care of Ron, Kim. And both of you take care of Barbara Jo. I …"
Ron's father lifted his head, gasped, then collapsed back into his bed. Donald Stoppable died with his family beside him.
IX.
Until the day of the funeral, Ron had never realized just how respected his father had been. The synagogue was full for the memorial service. As Ron and Barbara Jo sat in the first pew, the one reserved for family, Kim made to go sit with her parents and brothers, but Mrs. Stoppable took her hand and guided her to a seat next to her son. "Remember, you're family." And then quietly, "And Ronnie needs you now more than ever, Kimberly."
They sat through the service, the flag-draped coffin at the front of the sanctuary. Kim never knew that Ron's father had served in the military. Someday she'd have to ask Ron about that. A lot of people were crying, but Kim noticed Ron was not among them. She saw the set of his jaw, the pain in his eyes, and knew he was trying to be the man of the family. It isn't fair, she thought. He hasn't even graduated from High School. Why can't Ron enjoy being a teenager? Why does Mrs. Stoppable have to be alone at such an early age? What if Dad died? I couldn't handle that. How is Ron's mother handling this? What would I do if I lost Ron?
When the service concluded, the family exited to a waiting limousine. Kim had ridden in limousines before, but never in a situation like this. She held Ron's hand, watching him as he stared out the window. The large car and its retinue proceeded to the cemetery. There, Kim listened as Rabbi Katz intoned the ancient burial prayers. When he was done, she watched Ron take a shovel, which he pushed into a mound of dirt. He then tossed then dirt onto the coffin, which had already been lowered into the grave. Ron then looked at his mother, who nodded, and beckoned to Kim's father. James did as Ron had done, as did some others. Then it was time to leave.
X.
The mourning period lasted seven days and over that week Kim and Barbara Jo cemented their relationship. When they returned to the Stoppable home, Barbara Jo had been prepared to serve as hostess, but Kim would have none of it. "It's no big, Mrs. Stoppable. Just leave it to me." Ron's mother relented, having seen at the BB opening just what Kim was capable of. But in a sign of her affection for her son's girlfriend, she couldn't help but say with a smile, "Just promise not to burn down the kitchen." Kim was able to honor that request since Henri and Ned insisted that they would tend to the food.
Kim kept things moving smoothly during the visiting hours. But she felt her most important task came each night after everyone left, when she would sit with Ron, who would spend the days and evenings greeting people, making small talk and being the man of the house. Her parents had told her she should stay as late as she needed to; it was the first time, outside of a mission, they had ever lifted her curfew.
That first night she recalled what her mother had said, "This is when your relationship matters most, Kimmie. He needs you, even if it's just to be near him." Kim could see that he was doing now what he had done when he lost the Lotus Blade: refusing to share his pain and sorrow. She was worried about him, but knew not to push him, not now. All she could do was be at his side.
XI.
"How's he doing, Kimmie-cub?" James asked a tired looking Kim the morning after the funeral.
She had come home at 1:30, after making sure that Ron went upstairs to bed. The last person had left at 10:00. They then cleaned up and, after Barbara Jo went up to sleep, Kim and Ron talked about any number of things – with the exception of the huge event that had just altered Ron's world. Kim tried to draw him out, but he would deflect the subject, time and again.
"I'm worried," she answered. "You saw how he was with all the visitors. He was 'on' until the last one left – and then stayed that way until I left. I never knew Ron could make so much chit-chat; you'd have thought he was running for student council president …"
Ann could see her daughter was upset by this.
"… He's keeping everything bottled up inside. He won't cry. He won't rant. He won't show that he's hurting. It's like he thinks he has to be Mr. Stoic." Kim, with frustration in her voice, added, "I so want to help him, but he won't let me."
"Honey, just by being there you're helping him," her mother responded. "But this is something you need to let him work out on his own. Sometimes things will happen in your lives that aren't about each other. Ron isn't shutting you out. He's in partial denial, even if he doesn't know that yet. It's his way of coping."
"I know," Kim acknowledged, resignation in her voice. "This is so much tougher than a mission."
"Yes, it is, Kimmie-cub," James observed. "You know, even when death's expected, it's still a shock." He looked at his daughter who earlier in the year was choosing to grow up faster than he had wanted and was now being forced to grow up faster than she had anticipated. He couldn't help but be impressed with what he saw when he looked at her; he was proud of her. "Kim, remember, you're not alone in this. We're here for him and for his mother, too. Don't let them forget. We're family, even if we don't have the paperwork," he said with a reassuring smile.
Kim leaned over and gave her father a kiss on the forehead. "Thanks, Dad, you rock."
XII.
Kim and Ron, as had been their wont throughout the week, sat on the couch. This had been the last night of visitations. The last of the visitors had left and Mrs. Stoppable had gone to bed. Ron stared blankly at the wall for a long time.
"KP, hold me."
Kim reached over and took Ron in her arms.
"I miss him, Kim. I miss him so much."
"I know Ron," she said softly.
"Why'd he have to go?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"I don't know, Ron, I don't know."
Kim had waited for this moment to arrive. She wanted him to acknowledge his pain; only then could he begin to deal with it. It began slowly, but soon enough Ron was convulsed in tears, sobbing, unable to restrain his grief any longer. She stroked his hair, and unable to think of anything else to say, could only reassure him that she was there for him and always would be. That seemed to strike a chord, for Ron held onto Kim as if his life depended on it.
XIII.
It had been almost two weeks since Mr. Stoppable died.
"Go. Now."
"But Mom, this doesn't feel right."
"Ronnie," Mrs. Stoppable said with exasperation. "I don't know how else to say this so I'll be blunt. You are living the life your father wished he'd led. The romance, the adventure. The excitement. Do you know how excited he was when he digested the fact that you were training to be a ninja? Ronnie, you never know how long you'll get to enjoy the good times. The best way to honor your father's memory is to live your life to the fullest. That doesn't mean you stop grieving or missing him. But go out. Try to have some fun. Live. It's what he'd want."
"Mom …"
"Don't 'Mom' me, Ronnie. You've got a beautiful, loving girlfriend and it's Saturday night. You're only young once. Go and enjoy yourselves. Your father would be spinning in his grave if he saw you moping around the house. You have a life to live. Now live it. I won't feel abandoned."
"Okay," he said, acknowledging defeat. "I love you." Ron kissed his mother on the cheek, then left.
This was going to be their first real date since the funeral. A quiet dinner at Chez Henri seemed less inappropriate to Ron than a trip to the mall or doing cheer routines at the basketball game.
As sad as he was about his father, his heart still leapt when she opened the door. She wore the pearls he gave her and what she knew to be his favorite dress. And he couldn't help but grin when she smiled.
Ron entered the house. James and Ann came out to greet him. The tweebs also showed up to say hello. Everybody sensed that this was a difficult but important moment for Ron. He took his girlfriend's hand, then looked at everyone and took a deep breath.
"Okay, Possible clan. Here's the deal. You've been badical since, since …," Ron began to choke up, but maintained his composure, "… Dad died." He took another deep breath. "But here's what I need from you now. Mr. Dr. P. I need you to start threatening me with black holes again. Jim and Tim, you need to be causing mayhem. It's been at least a month since you shot me with anything. Mrs. Dr. P. I need snackage next time I come over. That'll be tomorrow morning, assuming KP wants me to …"
Kim gave him a 'well-what-do-you-think?' look and squeezed his hand, which elicited a grin.
"… Kim, well, you just keep being you," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Now I'm going to take this beautiful daughter of yours out on a date that would do Dad proud."
XIV.
Shego was sitting at Drakken's old desk in the lair, leafing through one of Jack Hench's catalogues – he may have turned out to have been a creep, but she had to admit, he still sold the best stuff in the business – when something caught her eye. Hmmm. Me likey! This will speed up the cheerleader's progress and getting it will give her some more experience in the field.
She picked up the phone. "Drew? Shego. Can I have a rain check on dinner tonight? Of course it's for a good reason. A good evil reason. I thought you'd understand. See ya' tomorrow." She smiled. Life was pretty good right now. She and Drakken had been exploring new facets of their longstanding partnership; they both continued to be pleasantly surprised. In a few short weeks, they would take over the world. And as a bonus, she was going to get a little payback. Nobody dumps me, she thought. Nobody.
XV.
The two men danced around the ring, sweating, grunting, throwing jabs and punches at one another.
"You've come quite a way, Jimmy!"
"It was that or continue to have you knock me down … Gerald!"
James Possible and Gerry Katz were enjoying their sparring. They'd become good friends since the day a forlorn Dr. Possible wandered into the Rabbi's study. But that said, they were both incredibly competitive, and each sought out every advantage over the other. Once each man had discovered the form of first name his friend most despised, each happily began to annoy the other by using it in the ring.
"So, how's Kimberly doing with Ronald?"
"Great. I've never been prouder of her. I never imagined my daughter could be so devoted to someone. You know, they're a great couple."
"Tell me about it. I look forward to our visits so much I've been thinking of telling them they have to come in every other week!"
"I feel bad for Ronald, though. Not having a father has got to be tough. He's grown up so much so fast, yet there are still so many things he doesn't know."
Gerry Katz signaled for the boxing to end. He wiped his brow with his towel, then put his hand on James's shoulder. "And that, my friend, is why he is so lucky to have Kimberly. Because he also gets you in the package."
XVI.
It was the first time that Ron and James had ever really spent time alone together, if one didn't count house chores or the dust up with Drakken at the Crooked D.
James insisted on treating Ron to lunch. The conversation began awkwardly at first, but Ron and James began to relax in each other's company, leaving aside any awkward relationship dynamics. They had things other than Kim in common: Rabbi Katz, a fondness for the Fearless Ferret, and a love of bacon. They had talked for awhile when Ron straightened up and placed his hands on the table. James could tell that Ron had something important to say.
"Dr. P. I have a name for the spaceship." James' face betrayed his curiosity; he had been wondering what Ron would choose. "I had planned to name it after Kim …"
James smiled; the boy really is a hopeless romantic, he thought.
"… but I think under the circumstances, I'd like to name it after Dad. If you build another one, maybe I can convince you to name it after Kim. But this one will be known as the Donald Stoppable; we can call it The Donald for short. I know he'd think it was pretty cool."
"The Donald it is." James grinned. "And Ronald, we'll make sure she lives up to her namesake."
XVII.
The two women wore black. They were equipped with night-vision goggles, grapplers, laser cutters and a variety of other equipment one could order on-line from Henchco, Villains Я Us, eCrime, and many other fine internet businesses that supported the villain industry.
"So, like, what is my job here? Am I the sidekick?" Bonnie asked Shego as the older woman scoped out their target. "I so don't want to be a sidekick," Bonnie muttered petulantly.
"Oy," Shego said with a roll of her eyes. "Cheerleader, let's get something straight. Sidekick isn't necessarily a bad thing. I was Dr. D's sidekick for years. And there was no doubt that I was the competent one. He knew he'd be out of business without me. Stoppable was Princess' sidekick, and she made him her partner. And as much as I can't stand Miss Goody Two Shoes, I have enough respect for her professionally to know she promoted him because he earned it, not because she's got the hots for him. So chill out. Sidekick's not a bad place to be. You don't see Fukushima here, do you?"
Bonnie grudgingly acknowledged Shego's point with a faint nod.
"Besides," Shego added, "It's not like I'm asking you to crack jokes or something." She then chuckled. She'd never tell Stoppable, but she actually thought he was kind of funny sometimes. Too bad he didn't have a future. He was going down along with his precious Kimmie on May 16. Then again, maybe he could be a court jester or something. Running the world wasn't going to be easy and Drew would need some entertainment.
XVIII.
Shego and Bonnie made their way into the Henchco facility. Shego ignored the warehouse and factory floor. What she wanted could be found in a display wall in Jack's office, where he showed off his latest products. This would actually be easy. The patented Henchmen would be child's play. As they dropped out of the ceiling and emerged from the walls, Shego assumed her fighting position and signaled Bonnie to do the same. Shego knew she'd have to take the lead, but she wanted to test Bonnie – it was one thing to fight in a gym, another to deal with real foes in a live situation.
Shego raised her now-glowing hands, smiled wickedly, and said, "Showtime!" She lashed out at the henchman to her right, then swung around and took down the one to her left.
Bonnie was confused and a bit scared. She wanted to run. But her training quickly kicked in. And when she imagined she was fighting Kim, her fears melted away. What she lacked in experience, she almost made up for with sheer animosity. When the fight was over Shego clasped her hand and congratulated her. "Nice work, cheerleader!"
Bonnie couldn't help but grin with pride.
They made their way through darkened corridors, disabling security equipment along the way, using smoke pellets when necessary. Finally, they reached Hench's office suite. The prizes were behind a sheet of glass. Shego used a small device to scan the display area, located the security circuitry, pulled out a small laser, cut away a wall panel and disabled the system. Next, she carefully placed a suction cup on the pane, then used a laser scalpel to cut a circle, which she removed. She reached inside and removed the two rings. Then she placed the piece of glass, without the suction cup, in the center of Hench's desk. "C'mon, time to go, cheerleader."
Back at the lair Shego looked at the rings. She'd give them to Bonnie and Fukushima soon. But not just yet. She told Bonnie she needed to continue to hone her skills before she was ready to use the ring. But in reality, Shego was being cautious. Bonnie was training to be a villain, after all, and had already shown a reckless sense of initiative. It never hurt to be careful. Bonnie would get the ring when it suited Shego, not before.
XIX.
Shego sat at her desk, looking at the two rings. The more she contemplated the matter, the more she decided she needed to take extra precautions. Bonnie was getting good. Right now Shego had no doubts about her ability to take Bonnie down if her protégé tried something. But if Bonnie had the benefit of the molecular reflex enhancer, she wasn't so sure. Shego was fast, but not that fast. And Fukushima was just plain unstable. Trusting those two with the rings would be a gamble, one she wasn't prepared to take.
She booted up her computer and logged onto Cyrus Bortel's website. Shego placed an order for two mind control chips with SPD blockers and paid the extra fee for overnight shipping.
XX.
Bonnie lay in her bed, thinking about the molecular reflex enhancer. With one of those, she'd be able to crush Kim. The thought made her smile. She entertained this fantasy for a while before something occurred to her.
If I can beat Kim, I can beat … Shego.
And if I know that, Shego must, too.
And Shego didn't get to where she is by being careless.
So she won't take any chances with me.
The former Middleton High student got up out of her bed and locked her door. Then she sat down at her computer. Something told her that if there was a market for mind control chips, there had to be a market for mind control chip resisters.
Bonnie was able to take advantage of one of the weaknesses to which Shego had succumbed: the busy CEO often was not abreast of the latest developments. Cyrus Bortel may have thought he was clever when he began selling his chips with a silicon phase disruptor blocker. But just that day, one of his competitors had begun selling another product that could resist the mind control devices, the Universal Mind Control Resister Transistor. The producer was trying to keep a low profile, not wanting to call Bortel's attention to a competitor's efforts to thwart his newest product – and thus encourage the development of a profit-killing fix. But Bonnie suspected that what she wanted would be available somewhere and, after some searching, found the web-site for the UMCRT. She was relieved when she saw the vendor had very thoughtfully provided ghost return addresses so one could keep the nature of one's order secret from prying post office employees and villainous colleagues. Bonnie chose the fashion accessory option. Shego wouldn't be surprised if something like that arrived in the mail for Bonnie.
XXI.
"Okay, KP, I think we should have something for you in here," Ron said as he placed his Movie Make Up Magic Kit on her bed. He lifted up the lid and began pulling out masks. "Let's see …"
"Ron, this is so not the drama," Kim said with a wave of her hand. "We're just going to Smarty Mart; it's not like I'm trying to infiltrate a top secret facility."
Ron was stunned. Has Kim finally overcome her Smarty Mart phobia? He knew she'd been making strides ever since the Frugal Lucre incident when she discovered she actually liked bargains (though she also still liked labels and continued to insist that black was not a suitable substitute for onyx). He hoped that someday she'd be make that final step to discount shopping nirvana and stop hiding the Smarty Mart circular in the Club Banana catalog.
Alas, this was not to be that day.
"I think this will do just fine, don't you?" she asked as she adjusted her Middleton Mud Hens baseball cap and put on a pair of sunglasses.
"You sure, KP? If you want, I've got a Margaret Thatcher mask in here …"
KP crossed her arms. "Ron."
"Okay, okay," he said.
"Just remember. Anyone asks who I am …"
"You're my cousin Wanda Stoppabilski, no relation to Kim Possible," Ron said with a roll of the eyes.
"Good boy," Kim said kissing him on the cheek. "You take instruction very well!"
XXII.
Kim and Ron had talked. It was time to start a family.
A naked mole rat family, to be exact. Hence the trip to Smarty Mart.
Rufus looked in the cages. He was sure that finding a partner was not going to be easy. He'd spent most of his life waiting for Kim and Ron to find their perfect mates, and they'd not needed to look any further than each other. Yet it still took them years to see what everyone else, Rufus included, had long recognized
Rufus also knew that he wasn't your average naked mole rat. He'd never met one that could actually communicate with humans, fix outboard motors, or do any of the many things he routinely did. And he knew he was the only naked mole rat on earth to possess mystical monkey power.
And so, when Ron suggested the time might have arrived for Rufus to find his own Kim, Rufus was skeptical. Though he thought it was a great idea, he wasn't optimistic.
But sometimes lighting really does strike.
They had been there just a few minutes. Kim was the one who noticed her first. She was younger than Rufus, but still a bit older than some of the others. Rufus and the other naked mole rat began chatting. And much to Kim and Ron's surprise, this one, while clearly not as articulate as Rufus, was definitely many notches above the average naked mole rat in the verbal abilities department. Extraordinary intelligence was such a rare condition in naked mole rats, perhaps a one in fifty million occurrence, that scientists had not even noticed it. The meeting of two such creatures would ultimately have profound consequences.
Kim and Ron may have each needed more than twelve years to realize they had found 'The One', but not Rufus. He was smitten. And when he squeaked "hicka bicka boo" and she replied with something that sounded remarkably like "hoosha," Rufus, amazed and delighted, looked at Ron and nodded. "Un huh! Partner!" he squeaked while giving his friend a paw's up.
As they headed to the check-out counter, Kim flirted with Rufus. "So, handsome, does your girl have a name?"
"Uh huh!" he nodded. "Rufina!"
Hicka bicka boo. Hoosha.
Indeed.
XXIII.
Kim and Ron were enjoying a quiet evening at the Stoppables. It had only been a few weeks since Mr. Stoppable had passed away, but Kim now found herself feeling as comfortable around Ron's house as he had around hers, and that was saying a lot. Mrs. Stoppable had made it very clear that she meant what she said when she first told Kim that she was family.
Kim was curled up next to him, his arm around her as they watched Pals. Kim had just begun to eat a slice of pizza when the Kimmunicator chirped. Ron swiftly grabbed it, pressed the answer button, and thrust it in his girlfriend's face. Wade was greeted by the image of Kim gulping down her last bite of pizza, tomato sauce smeared across her lips and chin.
"What up, Wade?"
He couldn't help but chuckle. He took a sip of soda, then answered, "Got a hit from Jack Hench. He needs help; he wasn't specific but asked if you would see him. You and Ron up for a visit tomorrow?"
"I am, but I'm not sure pizza boy here will be when I'm done with him. Later, Wade." Kim ended the call, then fell upon her laughing boyfriend, tickling him mercilessly. "Stoppable, you are so busted!"
Barbara Jo Stoppable, who was in the kitchen, couldn't help but smile. She knew Don would have very much enjoyed hearing Kim and Ron's laughter.
XXIV.
"Thanks for the ride, Mr. Smith!"
"My pleasure, Kim. It's the least I could do after you and Ron saved my flock of prize-winning merino sheep from that hail storm."
"No big. Rufus always wanted to know what it was like to be a sheep dog!"
"You sure you don't want to go to the airport? I can arrange a ride for you from there."
"No, we'll get off here." Kim turned to Ron. "You ready?"
"As ever, KP." I love you, he said to himself. But why, just once, can't we be like everyone else and exit an airplane AFTER it's landed!
Kim jumped out of the plane, followed by Ron. They began free-falling. Kim rode the thermals so she could hook up with Ron. She took his hands and smiled at him. "I'd swear I just heard you screaming, 'I love you.' You are so sweet!" She knew he hated free-falling but that he was indulging her. "I promise that I'll find a way to make this up to you!"
Ron grinned at his girlfriend. "You've got me wrapped around you little finger, you know that KP?"
"Got a problem with that, Ron?"
"Nope. Suits me just fine. I just expect an extra-large helping of those fine KP kisses when we're on the ground."
"You're on!" she promised as she let go of Ron's hands. It was time for them to finish their jump. They deployed their chutes and drifted to the ground below. Once they packed up their parachutes, Kim came over to Ron and gave him a long, slow kiss. "That's just the down payment!"
Ron grinned goofily. "Where's the plane? I'm ready to jump again!"
"Sorry, big boy," Kim said with a sympathetic smile; she'd really enjoyed making that down payment. "But it's time to get our heads in the game." Henchco headquarters was just a short walk from their drop zone.
XXV.
Kim and Ron did not have to wait long to be shown into Hench's office.
"Welcome, Miss Possible, Mr. Stoppable," Hench said as he extended his hand in greeting. "Or may I call you Kim and Ron," he asked in his oily salesman's tones, "Since we've already established a professional relationship?"
"Miss Possible and Mr. Stoppable will be fine," Kim replied coolly but professionally. She did not like having dealings with the villain sector's number one equipment supplier. But the fact that Hench had felt the need to call for help was a cause for concern; the last time he'd turned to Team Possible both Drakken and Dementor were involved and the fate of Nevada ultimately hung in the balance. Whatever Hench was involved with could be big; Kim set her uneasiness aside. "How can we help you?"
"Miss Possible, as you know, we at Henchco pride ourselves on being the industry leader in terms of price, quality, and innovation …"
Ron was nodding; that earned him a surprised look from Kim. "Hey," Ron said defensively, "you gotta admit, that Attitudinator worked pretty well."
"I'll give you Cousin Sean, though I prefer you the color you are," she retorted.
Bemused, Hench continued. "… Our flagship product is, of course, the 'Henchman'. We put the 'hench' in henchman," Hench noted, trying not to sound like he had used that line a thousand times before. "Our latest upgrade to the henchman accessories line is this." He handed a ring to Kim. "This is a molecular reflex enhancer."
"And let's say I didn't know what that was," Ron asked.
Hench smiled. "It is a henchman's best friend. It will increase reflex speed by up to 100 percent."
"So if I were an eleven year old girl in the Olympics who wanted to cheat but didn't want to take steroids …"
Kim rolled her eyes, yet found herself wanting to hug Ron. It was goofy remarks like that that could drive her batty yet also made him so irresistible. "Or, Ron, you were a henchman seeking an advantage going into a fight," she offered.
"Aaaah," Ron replied. "Twice the punches in half the time and all that!"
"Exactly," Hench said with obvious pride.
Kim saw Ron looking at the ring in her hand. He had the look of a small child standing before a huge stash of presents on Christmas morning. She then looked at him and said more sharply than she intended, "No." She still remembered the last time Ron tried a sample here. Ron looked disappointed and a bit hurt. Kim then found herself looking a bit sheepish. Hench looked at them both; like everyone else in the villain community he was surprised at how long it had taken Kim and Ron to get together. I hope they have better luck than I did, he thought. At least if it doesn't work out, neither of them throws plasma bolts.
Hench cleared his throat. "Two of these were stolen from my office last night."
Kim turned back to Hench. "Do you have any suspects?"
"No, though we did record an image on one of our security cameras before it was taken off-line." He handed Kim a disk. She pulled out her Kimmunicator, popped in the disk and called Wade.
"Hi Kim," he said, before taking a sip of soda.
"Hi Wade. We're at Henchco. I'm downloading some security camera pictures."
"Got them. They're pretty grainy, Kim. Would you like me to enhance them?"
"Please and thank you!"
"Mr. Hench, would I be correct in assuming …"
"Whoa!" Wade exclaimed.
"What is it?" Kim asked.
"Kim, you'll never believe this! The person in the picture is Bonnie Rockwaller!"
XXVI.
Kim and Ron were riding the elevator down to the reception area. They were both stunned by Wade's discovery. Kim wanted to talk about the news with Ron, but not at Henchco. And, there was something else on her mind.
"Ron?"
"Yeah?"
"Sorry for harshing on you up there."
"Hey, no big, KP. I wasn't exactly Responsibility Boy the last time we were here."
"That's not the point. Rabbi K said how we talk to one another is as important as what we say. Besides, I like you just the way you are. No giant muscles, no super fast reflexes ..."
"That's because you'd never win a tickle fight again, K …" Kim placed her hand on Ron's shoulders, he looked into her eyes, and they brought their lips together. They were quickly lost in the moment. The elevator door soon opened and standing in the lobby, ready to board the car, was DNAmy.
"Oh, aren't you two so cute! Nobody cuddles like a cuddler, right Kimmie?"
Where's a transportulator when you need one? Kim wondered as both she and Ron turned beet red, much to the mad geneticist's obvious delight.
XXVII.
Kim came home feeling discouraged. After yet another afternoon of shopping with Monique, she still had not found the right dress for the Senior Prom, which was little more than a week away. She knew she could show up in a sack and Ron would still gush over how beautiful she was, but she was determined to wear something special for the big night. Her mood didn't improve when she saw her brothers had obviously sorted through her mail. She was about to lay into them when their conversation distracted her.
"We could create an army of Tims and Jims …"
Kim shuddered.
"… and they could take the fall for anything we did …"
Kim rolled her eyes.
"… just mix in a little of our DNA …"
Kim shuddered again as she contemplated the horrifying thought of Drakken with the tweebs' genetic material.
"… and it's Fall Guy City!"
Kim was worried. Her brothers were now 12 and they were already contriving stuff like this. Her concern was somewhat ameliorated when she saw they were looking at a catalogue; at least the inspiration for the idea wasn't original. The world might still be safe a while longer from the full force of her brothers and their imaginations.
"What are you tweebs reading?" she asked.
"This catalogue of yours." Ever since Ron had left her name on that list at the villain's trade show she had been receiving an endless stream of junk mail. Her eyes opened wide when she saw the title: "We Be Synthodrones." She'd never seen this one before.
"Give me that!" she exclaimed as she grabbed the publication. She began reading aloud. "The Synthodrone 3000: The next generation solution. New blended material offers stasis for DNA – enabling you to share the 'credit' for your act of villainy with that special someone or simply 'eliminate' yourself when it's just not convenient for you to be around. And with solid fill, not goo, no more muss or fuss if your synthodrone meets an unpleasant end. Fully programmable. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back."
Shego! Kim began thinking. Shego "killed" herself as soon as she knew I had learned of her connection to the Senior extortion. That meant she was hiding her connection to the Space Center. Why? Oh my … Drakken! Shego "died" in an accident that left little but some DNA-laden remains. And so did Drakken!
Kim looked at her watch. If she left now, she could just catch Ron before he went to Chez Henri, where he was filling in for the evening. She smiled at the thought that Henri was having more 'emergencies' these days, knowing the chef wanted to keep Ron engaged – and away from the baleful influence of Badical Burrito and its offensive cuisine.
Kim ran the few blocks to Ron's house, grateful that she was finally almost back in pre-accident condition. She knew she could have called, but this was too important not to discuss face to face. She rang the doorbell; a surprised, but obviously pleased, Ron answered the door, wearing his restaurant clothes.
"Hey, KP! What up? Am I lucky enough to have you escort me to Chez Henri's?"
"Ron, it's Drakken and Shego. I think they're alive!"
XXVIII.
High up in orbit, Frederick prepared to take his space walk. He had spent weeks observing the work and sleep patterns of the Space Station personnel to learn when the optimal time would be to exit the station without being noticed. To ensure that what he was doing was not detected, he hacked into the station's internal security systems; digital recording systems enabled Frederick to replace real-time pictures with a continuous image loop that would make a viewer think nobody was walking down a corridor, entering an airlock, or exiting to take a walk on the exterior of the orbiting research platform.
The brilliant monkey put on his extra-vehicular activity suit and made his way to the port airlock. He entered a series of codes and after two minutes, the space began to depressurize. The outer door opened. And then Frederick was looking into deep space. He would have liked to enjoy the view, but there were more important things to do. He had to investigate the far side of the station.
XXIX.
There was no doubt in his mind that the Space Station had been converted into a giant weapons platform. Frederick now knew he had to make his escape. He had to get word to Ron or Dr. Possible. And the only way to do that was by sneaking off the station. An intercepted email at this point would lead to his apprehension and the probable acceleration of whatever sinister plot was being hatched.
To escape undetected he couldn't use a space vehicle. He would have to use an escape pod. And for that to be successful, he would have to make its departure look like an accidental launch. He quickly began to make a check-list of everything he would need to do.
XXX.
Kim, Ron, Wade, and Rufus sat around the Possible kitchen table. Now that they suspected Shego and Drakken were still alive and involved in something big, they needed to decide what to do next. A phone call from Bob Chen to Kim's father only added to their unease. The astronomer was convinced that the Space Station had been modified; he was unable, however, to say for what purpose. Kim knew, however, that if Drakken was involved, it could only mean trouble.
"I think its time to pay a visit to 'Andrew Drake,' Kim said.
"What?" Ron exclaimed. "KP, we just can't walk in the door and say, 'Hey, Lipsky, we know the score, your scheme's foiled, please turn yourself in.'"
"Ron's right, Kim," Wade agreed. "Everything we have is circumstantial. There's a big black hole of shell companies and fronts that even I haven't been able to penetrate. All that we can prove now is that money went from Señor Senior to some entity, which then transferred it elsewhere. And since he signed all the paperwork it's technically legitimate unless Señor Senior taped his visits with Shego and can prove he was extorted."
Kim shook her head. "No such luck. I called and asked; he said recording one another's conversations was against the supervillains' code." She furrowed her brow and thought, then spoke. "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but I need to look at him." Kim saw the doubtful expression on Ron's face, then said tartly, "Do you have a better idea?"
"We could turn it over to Global Justice?" he replied weakly.
Kim pulled a face. "So they can waste two weeks, then call in the 'amateurs' when things get dicey? That's so not happening." Kim was tweaked that GJ seemed to have been fooled regarding the now-suspect demises of Drakken and Shego. And she still hadn't forgotten the whole incident with Dementor the previous summer.
Ron looked at his girlfriend. He knew she'd already made up her mind. He couldn't tell her this with Wade around, but he really liked it when she got feisty. "Looks like we're going to see Blue Boy," Ron said. "But something tells me he's not going to give us rocket booster cookies."
XXXI.
Kim and Ron had passed on mission outfits for their visit to the X Institute and instead wore the most professional clothing they had. Kim couldn't help but look admiringly at Ron in his suit. He looked so, well, handsome. It could still take her breath away when Kim realized she was looking at her childhood friend this way. But she also knew he was uncomfortable. Ron seemed at ease in a blazer, but he had never been a suit man, and the last time he'd worn one was for his father's funeral. She hoped a little flirting might boost his spirits. "You look pretty sweet, business boy," she purred.
Ron, who couldn't help but look at his girlfriend and be caught in the moment, returned the compliment. There were definitely other places they wanted to be right then.
They had arrived without an appointment, deciding to try for the element of surprise. If Drake refused to see them, they would resort to a more unorthodox means of entry. To their mild shock, the director agreed to see them and they were shown to his office.
A distinguished-looking man rose from behind an imposing desk and came to greet them. He introduced himself and showed them to a low sofa. He himself sat in a chair that enabled him to look down upon his guests, giving him a psychological edge in any meeting.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of a visit by the famous Kim Possible and her partner, Ron Stoppable?" he asked in a polite, yet dismissive, manner.
"Mr. Drake, this is a delicate topic, but one I'm sure you'd like to know about." Kim couldn't believe she was shadow boxing with Drakken. She wanted to take him down right there and then, if only to punish him for the way he'd humiliated her father. But she knew she had to remain calm. "It's come to our attention that the money used to fund the privatization of the Space Center was stolen."
"Really? This is fascinating. And tell me, Miss Possible, can you substantiate this allegation? It is quite serious you know. If word got out, the X Institute's reputation would be severely damaged, which would be most unfortunate given the amount of effort we have put into recovering from that unfortunate Hephaestus business." Take that, Kim Possible!
Kim bristled but maintained her composure. "Mr. Drake, here's what I know: $5 billion was extorted from Señor Senior by Shego …"
"Shego?" Drakken was enjoying this. He felt like a cat toying with a ball of yarn.
Kim raised her eyebrow. Fine. You want play, we'll play. "Yes, Shego. She's a very dangerous criminal who used to work for a highly unstable and ferociously incompetent scientist. She was the only thing that kept him from hurting or humiliating himself, and he usually managed to achieve the latter anyway." So there.
Drakken looked at Kim for a moment. You think you're all that …
"Shego transferred the money to a shell company," Kim continued. "A short while later, an entity nobody had ever heard of offered to fund your privatization efforts."
"An interesting story. But let me tell you another one. There was a very angry teen-aged girl who couldn't accept that her father was a bad man who did bad things. Instead, she chose to spread gossip and lies about the organization that her father had almost destroyed through his own misguided efforts, perhaps to draw attention away from whatever nefarious projects he had underway at his new lab."
"That is so not the truth!" Kim said indignantly.
Ron's patience snapped. He was not going to watch Drakken bait Kim any longer. He rose from the couch and moved closer to the still-seated Drakken. Ron was now looking down at the man. "Note serious face. I'm tired of you playing Kim and her dad ..."
Kim noticed that Drakken actually squirmed, if only a little bit. But it was enough. That and the small hands confirmed her suspicions: Drake and Drakken were one and the same.
"… You're going down, Blue Boy."
Drakken pressed a button on the arm of his chair. Six burly security guards appeared. "I believe our meeting is at an end," he said, smiling with confidence now that his muscle was there to protect him. "Please show our guests out. Now."
As Drakken watched Kim and Ron be rudely shown the door, he smugly thought, You think you're all that, Kim Possible. But you're not!
Ron was looking at the pavement as they walked to the car. "Sorry I lost it in there, KP. I didn't mean to blow it. I just couldn't take him anymore."
Kim curled her pinky with Ron's. "No big, Ron." She knew that in the wake of his father's death, Ron had been feeling especially protective of those he cared about. "Besides, you actually made him twitch, which was all I needed to see. He's Drakken." Then, walking closer to Ron as they approached the car, she added affectionately. "Besides, even we tough teen heroes think it's sweet when our hottie boyfriends want to stand up for us. It makes us feel so … girly."
Ron couldn't help but grin at that. Not everybody could make someone who saved the world on a regular basis feel 'girly'. Boo-yah! he thought. Score one for the Ron factor.
XXXII.
"So, have you given any thought to what happens to us on May 16?"
"I think of only one thing," Fukushima hissed. "Defeating the Outsider and punishing him for cheating me of the power of the Lotus Blade."
In talking with Fukushima, Bonnie realized that in a world of drivers and passengers, Shego, Kim, and she were drivers. Ron had been a passenger who had become a driver. Fukushima, however, had always been and would always be a passenger. But she needed him to be a passenger in her car, not Shego's.
"Like, hello, Fukushima, listen to me." Bonnie told the erstwhile ninja about the rings. "She so obviously expects us to be helping out."
"Yes, and as my reward, I will be allowed to crush the Outsider," he snarled.
Bonnie shook her head. She could not believe she'd actually been attracted to this dolt.
"Hello! May 15, Shego and her buddy take over the world with our help. May 16, they've, like, taken over the world and you and I with those rings are a threat. There's only one way we can help and not pose a risk. Mind control chips."
Fukushima's eyes opened wide. "How do you know this?"
"I don't. It's just what I would do. And if I thought of it, Shego, who's been at this a lot longer than me, has too."
"Then what do you propose we do?"
Bonnie reached into her pocket and withdrew the mind control chip resisters and smiled evilly. "I thought you'd never ask …"
XXXIII.
Frederick was the smartest monkey in the world, leading an existence that was literally beyond the comprehension of every other monkey on earth. Even the intelligence of Monkey Fist's monkey ninjas paled in comparison to that of the diminutive astronaut. He knew he was fortunate. But there were occasions, and this was one, when he wished he was just a run-of-the-mill monkey swinging from tree branches and eating bananas.
Preparing the escape pod for its 'accidental' jettisoning was nerve-wracking enough. But witnessing the arrival of the latest batch of crew members was truly unnerving.
From a hiding place, he'd watched them come aboard. He knew they weren't supposed to be here. Surely they would have contacted him beforehand.
Rattled, and fighting to maintain his composure, Frederick made his way to his escape pod. Getting off the station was now imperative. He slipped into the capsule and launched the sequence he had programmed. Moments later the capsule was ejected from the station. He was heading back to Earth.
XXXIV.
With the arrival of the new personnel, the prior crew was able to return to Earth. The Drake Star was now manned solely by synthodrones.
As the new crew took their stations, a console light began to flash red. Synthodrone 1006, wearing the familiar red suit and reflective glasses of Drakken's personnel, called out to his colleague, "Escape Pod Alpha has just been launched. Check all systems and personnel."
Synthodrone 1017, similarly attired, replied, after performing his review, "All personnel present; we have experienced a system malfunction."
Synthodrone 1006 said, "See that the problem is identified and isolated before Dr. Drakken arrives."
"Dude, I would strongly urge you to do that," added Synthodrone 3002 who had just entered the command center. Unlike his colleagues, he was wearing a black shirt and gray cargo pants and had blond hair and brown eyes.
"Yes. It will be so the drama if Dr. Drakken arrives on the station and finds anything wrong," agreed Synthodrone 3001. She had red hair and green eyes and was wearing a white body suit with blue markings.
XXXV.
"Harris, I have good news for you."
"What's that, sir?"
"To thank you for all of your hard work, I have decided that you've earned a little vacation."
"Why thank you! It would be nice to have some time off after we finish the demonstration."
"Actually, Harris, I thought you should take off beginning right now …"
The surprise of the manager of Project Ares at this news was quickly displaced by great unease as he saw the wicked grin spread over his boss's features. The unease was replaced by fear when his arms were grabbed and pinioned behind his back.
"… By the way, Harris. Have I told you about Project Snowman Hank? I've long been fascinated by cryogenics. I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion …"
XXXVI.
Drakken and Shego were enjoying a late night dinner in his lake front house. Being director of the X Institute had its perks. He was going to miss the place. But since he planned on moving into the White House on May 16, he was willing to make some sacrifices.
"Oh yes, Shego. It was quite the little visit. Other than when the sidekick called me a nasty name. Can't he tell that I'm no longer blue?"
"Oy, Drew, focus. Even if they can't prove anything, they're still onto us." Shego slapped the palm of her hand. "We were so close!"
"Now, now, Shego. Do not lose faith in your vision. Our teen-aged foe may well have figured out our identities, but she still knows nothing of our plan. She will spend the next several days trying to determine just what we are up to. When her little computer friend hacks into our systems, he will find nothing. And to really stick a pin in it, Kim Possible will not even be able to focus all of her attentions on us since she will be preoccupied with her Senior Prom and her desire to make sure that she looks just so for the buffoon, what's his name …"
"Oh come off it Drew. You know his name. Everybody knows his name!"
"Bah. He's nothing more than a fifteen minute wonder."
"Drew!" Shego said with a laugh. "You're jealous!"
"Well, why not? All I want is for the world to bow down before my genius but instead all they talk about is my teen-aged foe and her one-time sidekick-now-boyfriend, who's famous only because I was disqualified from American Starmaker! And after I gave that judge all of that free shampoo!" Drakken pouted, but then brightened. "Well. Anyway, by the time Kim Possible knows what we are planning, we will already be on the Space Station, our plan will be underway, and global domination will be within our reach."
Shego looked at Drakken and thought, Maybe, just maybe, Drew is right. We may just pull this off after all …
TBC …