Hello valued patrons. Today on Disclaimer Theatre we present "Kim Possible is property of Disney" starring Clint Eastwood, Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, and of course David Caradine. Please keep your seats until the end of the performance.

Chapter 7: MADDNESS

London: Present

The train came to a stop in an abandoned railway station. Dust and cobwebs covered everything in sight. The well maintained track was the only evidence that anyone from the world above even knew about its existence. Daniel Steele, a.k.a. "Ox", was waiting outside of the door where Ron, Leon and a strange woman were meeting. Daniel was a big man. At 6' 10", he towered over his teammates. His 250 pounds of muscle made him an intimidating figure to just about anyone who crossed his path. His crew cut hair was a reflection of the no nonsense attitude he took in life. Even though his presence was overpowering, Daniel was surprisingly kind-hearted. He had no problem listening to other people's worries and trying to offer advice. He came from the ideal American family. His father was a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army and his mother was a high school science teacher. They were a loving family and always encouraged him to do his best in whatever he tried. Daniel was an athletic phenom. He excelled in every sport he ever tried. His first place achievements included: football, baseball, swimming, wrestling, weight lifting, tae kwan do, and even archery. The only thing that kept him from earning even more trophies and titles was the limited hours in the day. He had just accepted an athletic scholarship to Notre Dame when Leon recruited him. Although it wasn't the life he had imagined for himself, Daniel could never resist a challenge. He saw his recruitment as a chance to test his physical limits and do some good for the country he loved so much.

Across from him, a small Asian girl sat in an armchair furiously typing in her laptop computer. She was "Dragonfly", a.k.a. Yuri Himura. She was a very petite young woman. She kept her hair shoulder length, but nobody could tell what color it was going to be from day to day. The colors ranged the entire gambit from bright orange to purple depending on her mood. Currently she had opted for her natural black accented with red streaks. She was barely 5'5" and 115 pounds, but only a fool would think that made any difference. Only Kim Possible matched her speed and agility in the field. Yuri served as the team's resident computer and technology specialist. Her parents were among the top software engineers in Japan. As a result, Yuri always had the latest technology to tinker with at home. She became quite adept at assembling circuit boards and other hardware. It was a way for her and her parents to share time together even while they were busy. As the years passed, Yuri developed into a very quiet young woman. She liked to watch and analyze people before interacting with them personally. She didn't speak much either. When she did, it was rarely in sentences; she often expressed herself in no more than three words at a time. Anyone who didn't know her might characterize her as cold and distant when in fact, she was just trying to be efficient. Why should she use ten words when one would do just fine? Most people didn't know what to make of her right away. The only person she stuck around on a regular basis was Ox. They were exact opposites, but she liked him for some reason. He was interesting to observe. He never seemed bothered by her lack of expression. He often spoke enough for the both of them. She would contribute a word or two to let him know where she stood on issues. Even though their conversations seemed one-sided, they worked well as a team, often not needing to speak at all to accomplish a task.

Ox sighed as he waited for Ron and Leon to exit the room. He didn't like the waiting. It seemed like a waste of valuable time to him. It was during these times that he wished he knew more about technology and things of that nature. The techies in the outfit never seemed bored. They were always working on something, just like Dragonfly.

(Author's Note: I just wanted to remind you at this point that Dragonfly doesn't talk much. So much of her part will be expressed through her physical movements and mannerisms.)

Daniel: "Hey Yuri, what do you think they're talking about in there?"

Yuri: Shrugs her shoulders.

Daniel: "Do you know who's in there with them?"

Yuri: "Shego."

Daniel: "No foolin'? Wasn't she that wacko's assistant a few years back? I thought she was locked up for fifty years or something like that. You gotta wonder how she got mixed up in something like the Maddness Project."

Yuri: Continues typing.

Daniel: "Hey, where's Chameleon?"

Yuri: Points towards the infirmary.

Daniel: "Of course. I'll never understand what Kim sees in that guy."

Yuri: Nods her head "Anomalous."

Daniel: "Huh?"

Yuri: Tosses him a pocket dictionary.

Daniel: "Oh, yeah. That about sums it up. I mean, I know he's a part of the team and all, but I just don't trust that guy. He acts like he's always sizing people up. I'll tell you what, if we were just regular dudes on the street I would have called his bluff a long time ago."

Yuri: "Likewise."

Inside, the interrogation continued. Leon and Ron knew they couldn't trust Shego. She was one of the most cunning mercenaries in the world, her reputation was well known in the underworld. Heaven only knows why she stuck around with Dr. Drakken for all those years. Some theorized it was because he crossed paths with Kim Possible regularly. Kim had been the only person to ever beat her. It had been a mark on her otherwise spotless criminal record and had undoubtedly hurt her pride. Regardless of the past, Shego was their only lead now that Amereshk was dead.

Leon: "So I gather that you know what the M.A.D.D.N.E.S.S. Project is and it's effects."

Shego: "Oh yeah, I know about it. Mental Augmentation Detrimental to Development of Neurological Empathic and Synaptic Systems. Put simply, it's a bio-weapon that can turn your enemies into vegetables. But it doesn't stop there, even if somebody is not directly affected, it continues on into the gene pool until a vaccination is administered. Babies are born with little or no brain activity. You hold your enemies' future hostage until they give in. Pretty nasty stuff."

Leon: "Which is exactly why the project was terminated. All research was said to have been destroyed. That was supposed to include the only remaining sample of the pathogen."

Shego: "Look, I don't know how he got it. But I do know what he wants to do with it."

Dr. Drakken's Laboratory: 2 months ago

Shego opened her eyes. The pounding in her head wouldn't go away. She began to take in her surroundings as her vision cleared. The room was large and luxurious. Fine furniture and sculptures accented the contemporary design. The bed she laid in was large and elegant. Her prison jumpsuit had been replaced with emerald green silk pajamas. Her hair had been brushed and braided. Slowly she pulled the heavy covers off of herself and got out of the bed. The black marble floor was cold to the touch and a chill hung in the air. Slowly she crept to the large wooden doors at the other end of the room. She opened them only slightly so that she could see into the hallway. Two figures stood outside of her door. They were both feminine and dressed in black leather. Shego shut the door as a quietly as she could. Wherever she was, it didn't seem like she was free yet. She tried desperately to remember how she had gotten here.

The last thing she could remember was lying down to sleep after another day of never-ending routine inside the prison walls. Her head was pounding as another migraine began. It was an unwelcome side effect of the chemicals used to inhibit her energy bursts. Many doctors had tried to ease her pain, but nothing worked. She had learned to deal with the pain. Sleep was elusive. At best she could manage about two to three hours a night. She had woken with a start when she felt the presence of somebody in her small cell. A dark figure stood over her and sprayed a foul smelling mist in her face. After that, she couldn't remember anything. Suddenly, the large oak door groaned and swung open. With reflexes forged by a life of violence, Shego leapt back and assumed a fighting posture. Her piercing eyes soon recognized the figures entering the room. The first two were clearly not human, their metallic features and glowing red eyes could only belong to androids. Behind them, a ghost from her past followed.

Drakken: "Hello Shego."

Shego: "YOU! How did...aren't you..."

Drakken: "Come now Shego, did you really think they could lock me up? I'm not some two-bit hood that can be jailed and forgotten by the world."

Shego: "How did you get out?"

Drakken: "Oh please, I never went in to begin with. The authorities are currently detaining a well programmed clone."

Shego: "A clone? So that means... You bastard!"

Drakken: "Don't be upset. You're the one that never wanted anything to do with my cloning research. As it is, it was quite an undertaking to create a Syntho-drone that looked like you. And the programming, I couldn't tell you how many nightmares-"

Shego: "You made a Syntho-drone of me?"

Drakken: "Well of course. Empty cells raise too many questions. As long as everyone knows where we are, they have no need to look for us."

Shego: "So what's the deal? Why'd you wait until now to spring me?"

Drakken: "I told you. The drone was-"

Shego: "Don't give me that crap! You may be a cut-rate scientist, but you know Syntho-drones better than anyone. You could've had one ready in a year."

Drakken: "Very true, it did take only a year to create."

Shego: "So why did you wait."

Drakken: "Because Shego, I wanted you to cool your heels for a while. You needed to know what it is to be truly defeated. You needed to fell the crushing weight that is being completely helpless. Maybe now, you'll be a bit more appreciative of what you have here."

Shego: "Excuse me? I'll admit that I'm glad to be out, but don't think for a minute that makes me indebted to you. If you want to hire me, you know my rate."

Drakken: "That's not the way it works Shego. You see, I also have something you might find interesting."

Shego: "And just what would that be?"

Drakken reached into his pocked and pulled out a small glowing green syringe. He sneered devilishly as Shego watched him with a curious eye.

Drakken: "I can give back what they've taken from you."

Shego: "You mean..."

Drakken: "That's right. You can have your powers back and make those nasty side effects go away. You see, I managed to hack into the prison's medical files. They've tried just about everything in the pharmacy haven't they? But I can guarantee that this will work."

Shego: "So what's the catch?"

Drakken: "I see you haven't completely lost your edge. The catch is that this serum is not permanent. Even with my superb intellect I couldn't repair the cellular damage caused by the inhibitors. Your body can no longer sustain the power needed to generate your energy attacks. But this serum should be enough for a few hours."

Shego: "How do I know you're not just jerking me around? Who's to say you just didn't make the serum that way to keep me here."

Drakken: "You're welcome to seek a second opinion. Should I drop you back at the prison infirmary?"

Shego: "I guess I don't really have a choice. You actually covered all the bases this time."

Drakken: "You have no idea."

Drakken tossed the syringe to Shego. She caught it without ever taking her eyes off of him.

Shego: "You don't want to do the honors?"

Drakken: "Oh no. It's never been tested. I'm not sure how it will react in an active metabolism. That's just the chance you're going to have to take. But my calculations haven't been wrong for some time now if that's any consolation to you."

Shego: "I guess it will have to do."

Shego lifted her sleeve and let the needle slip into her vein. She closed her eyes as she pressed down on the plunger. She took a deep breath and waited. There was nothing. She tried to ignite her hands but they remained the inert. It was obvious to her that the incompetent doctor had failed again. She was about to speak her mind when she began to feel strange. Her arm was starting to feel warm. The sensation spread across her chest and down her spine. Suddenly she doubled over in pain. It felt as if somebody had plunged a hot knife into her stomach. She could feel her blood begin to boil and churn in her veins. She tried to scream but pain clenched her mouth shut like a vice. Then just as quickly as it came, the feeling subsided. Shego knelt on the ground trying to catch her breath.

Her hands began to tingle slightly. The tingling became an itch. The itch became a warm sensation that she was familiar with. The closed her eyes and concentrated. The power erupted from her core and out into her hands. The green glow she had longed for was back. She flexed her fingers and played with the dancing flames. With an evil grin she turned her attention to the android standing to the left of Drakken. Without warning, she let fly with a barrage of energy bursts. With lightning fast reflexes, the android removed a metallic whip from its forearm and began lashing at the onslaught of green orbs. When the dust and smoke cleared, Shego's target was still standing. It was a bit singed, but standing non-the-less. The other androids had taken defensive positions around Drakken who was snickering contently behind them.

Shego: "I see you've been making improvements all around."

Drakken: "Oh yes. Lighter and stronger composites, a limited AI system, and no more hive mind control. Each unit operates individually but they can work together quite nicely as you can see."

Shego: "What else have you been up to?"

Drakken: "I thought you would never ask."

Drakken turned and exited the room. The android that Shego had attacked, beckoned for her to follow. Not seeing any other options at the time, she reluctantly followed. She followed Drakken and his escorts into a labyrinth of corridors and chambers. It didn't take long for Shego to lose her orientation. All the while, Drakken was boasting about how he had accomplished this amazing feat. As usual, Shego wasn't really interested. She had learned a long time ago to filter out the pretentious and egomaniacal gibberish, hanging on to only the important tidbits of information.

Apparently, Drakken had stashed a sizeable portion of the profits from his brief control of the Bueno Nacho franchise in various accounts in the Caiman Islands. He laid low until he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. When he was satisfied that nobody was looking for him, he liquidated his assets and made his way into Western Europe. He had a small lab in the region where he set up his new base of operations. He was able to use the stolen profits to buy his way into the arms trade. Warlords and terrorists were always anxious to see what devastating weapons he could create for them. As a result, they showered him with every bit of new technology they could get their hands on. It was a lucrative business that afforded him the time and technology he needed to develop his research. Within two years he had built a small army of androids and syntho-drones. It was during this time that Drakken had met the Sumauri Defense Minister, Khaleed Amereshk. Amereshk took great interest in Drakken's work and was able to provide him with government funding, technology, and intelligence.

Drakken: "...but I know you're interested in any of this are you?"

Shego: "Not really, no."

Drakken: "Then allow me to cut to the chase and unveil my latest plan."

Shego: "You've just been aching to say that to somebody haven't you?"

Drakken: "Don't ruin the moment Shego."

Shego: "Ok, go on then. Dazzle me and make me stand back to admire your brilliance in total awe and wonderment."

Drakken: "You really know how to kill a mood, don't you?"

Shego: "Would you just get on with it?"

Drakken: "Fine."

London: Present

Shego stopped in mid sentence as the door to the private room opened. Kim Possible entered on shaky legs while holding onto Nicholas Hunt's arm. Ron stood up with a concerned look on his face. Leon remained indifferent as usual. Shego took a sip of her whiskey sour as she studied her old rival. This guy didn't seem like her type. He was the complete opposite of Ron. A lot had certainly changed over the years.

Leon: "Shouldn't you be in the infirmary Ms. Possible?"

Kim: "It's no big. I can't spend the rest of my life in a bed now can I?"

Ron: "You don't need to push yourself KP. We can handle this until-"

Nick: "She said she's ready. That's all I need to know."

Ron: "That's about all you do know, you son-of-a-"

Leon: "We really don't have time for this. Chameleon, this meeting is Codeword Clearance or higher, leave now so that we may continue."

Nick: "Yes sir."

Nick exited into the corridor. As the door closed behind him, he gritted his teeth. After all this time Leon still referred to him by his codename while calling everyone else by name. It could only mean that Leon still didn't trust him or respect him for that matter. He looked to his right and saw Ox and Dragonfly looking in his direction. Both had smug smiles on their faces.

Nick: "You got a problem there 'cow-pie'?"

Daniel: "That's 'Ox' to you pal."

Nick: "Whatever. And just what are you smiling about 'bug'? Are you still imagining what it would feel like to have my hands on your thighs and down your back?"

Yuri: Looks Nicholas dead in the eye and slowly raises her middle finger in his face.

Nick: "Classy as ever."

Daniel: "You can't fault a girl for getting to the point. We both know what kind of a guy you are. We just can't wait until Kim figures it out for herself."

Nick: "You may be Stoppable's bitch, but don't think that means you get to fight his battles. Kim is right where she wants to be. The sooner all of you figure that out the better."

A tense moment passed as they stood toe-to-toe. It was no secret to anybody that Nicholas and Daniel never liked each other. They were complete opposites both on and off the job. Try as he might, Daniel could never find any redeeming qualities in Nicholas.

Inside of the secured room, Kim had been brought up to speed while Shego was having her drink freshened up. Shego was bored as the small group recapped and discussed everything she had just said. When they were done, Leon motioned for her to continue on with her story.

Shego: "You sure? Cause I want to get this over with."

Kim: "Don't be a pain."

Shego: "Fine. So as I was saying..."

Dr. Drakken's Laboratory: 2 months earlier

Despite Shego's less than enthusiastic attitude. Drakken continued on to unveil his latest plan. It was a routine that Shego had not missed while she was incarcerated. But, it was a small annoyance to endure for her freedom. She watched Drakken as he walked over to a small console and pressed a few buttons. A small cylinder rose up from the panel and Drakken gingerly picked it up.

Drakken: "Shego, I give you MADDNESS."

Shego: "You were giving me that a long time ago Doc."

Drakken: "No Shego. This is a pathogen developed by the United States military. It is the ultimate weapon and it is now in my grasp."

Shego: "So what's it do?"

Drakken: "I'll spare you the details. In short, it turns entire populations into brain-dead vegetables. And even if some manage to escape the immediate effects, it still damages the DNA to a point where their offspring will be born with little or no brain function."

Shego: "So, what? You're going to hold a few countries hostage until they cough up some cash or do you just want their unconditional surrender as usual?"

Drakken: "Don't be so short sighted Shego. At this very moment, I am duplicating the pathogen and arming two hundred warheads with it. When I'm finished, I'm going to launch them at every country in the world. Without any warning, of course."

Shego: "So you want to-"

Drakken: "Now you're getting it. I'm going to end this world. I'm going to see that every human is freed from this mortal coil. When I'm finished, we will be the only ones left. We'll be free to remake this world however we see fit."

Shego: "I think that's going a bit too far."

Drakken: "Don't tell me you're getting soft on me."

Shego: "I don't want to rule or remake anything. I just want money and to be left alone."

Drakken: "Well I'm sorry, but I have more important things planned for you. And as long as I have these, you're really in no position to argue." Drakken reaches into his coat and pulls out a small case filled with green vials.

Shego: "That's all I needed."

Without warning, Shego ignited her right hand and slashed at Drakken. Her claws dug into the sadistic madman's face and the smell of burned flesh filled the air. Shego could feel the skin tear and peel under her fingertips. As Drakken screamed in pain, she reached out and grabbed the vials from Drakken's hand. She immediately put a knee into his gut and ran into the twisting corridors outside of the room.

London: Present

Shego: "To make a long story short, I escaped. The lab he was holding me in was some abandoned factory in Germany."

Leon: "Ron get a team together and-"

Shego: "He's long gone by now."

Ron: "I thought you said you knew where he is."

Shego: "What the hell do you think I've been doing for the past two months?"

Kim: "I don't buy it. We've been on this case for two years. How do you just find him like that?"

Shego: "Number one, I knew who was really behind it. Number two, I know how Drakken thinks. And number three, I'm not a little-miss-perfect who goes by the book and has a huge stick up her ass."

Leon: "Fine, can you lead us to him?"

Shego: "Sure, but it'll cost."

Ron: "There's a surprise."

Shego: "I want my sentence reduced to time served and I'll bill you for the rest when the job's done."

Kim: "No way-"

Leon: "Fine, whatever you need. Ron and Kim, I want you both to work with Ms. Shego and get to the bottom of this."

Ron and Kim: "WHAT!"

Leon: "You heard me. Time is critical. Assemble your team and be prepared to move out in two days."

Ron: "Not a good idea Leon."

Kim: "You don't know her."

Leon: "And I don't care. We don't always get to choose who we work with. Now get it done quick and quite."

Leon stood up and left the room without another word. Kim and Ron both sighed as they looked towards Shego with nervous anticipation. Shego finished her drink and gave them a Cheshire-cat-gin.

Shego: "So, are you going to introduce me to your new friends or what?"

To be continued...

Sorry this chapter took so long. I've been busy with school and two new jobs. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Until then, happy hunting Space Warriors.