Chapter VIII: Kim's Distress

Somewhere in Middleton Night

Kim calmly, although had a hard time of it, checked Ron for other injuries. Aside from the burns, she found little. Some scratches and bruises, nothing serious aside from his eyes. She steeled herself from the emotional assault that was threatening to emerge. She could not break down when Ron needed her the most. She needed to be brave for him.

As he was brave for her.

Kim took out her Kimmunicator and dialed up Wade. The tech guru saw the concern on Kim's face when the screen turned on.

"Wade! Emergency! I need an ambulance and I need it yesterday!" she almost shouted.

"The nearest ambulance is ten minutes away and it's headed for the lab. I'll see what I can do," Wade began typing on his keyboard but that didn't remove Kim's apprehension.

Ten Minutes? The longer Ron was out there the worse his eyes would get.

A loud roar of an engine echoed through the still night. Hope flared in Kim. That was Seraphim! And if what Ron told her was true, it could find them.

"Seraphim!" she shouted. At once, she heard the squealing of the tires and the roar became louder. Before she knew it, the black Skyline stopped beside the car Ron was laying. At once, the driver side door opened and Shego emerged to help them.

"Shego? What are you doing in Seraphim?" Kim asked as she saw Shego look at Ron in assessment.

"I'll tell you later, what happened?" Shego asked. "I heard the explosion and suddenly this car drove me here."

"Ron's hurt. We need to get him to a hospital and fast," Kim said as she opened the passenger side door.

"Can we move him?" Shego asked as she checked Ron's legs.

"I can't see but I can walk," Ron said as he slowly stood on his own feet. "I'm not that invalid." He proceeded to walk towards Seraphim, only hitting his knee on the door before he entered the car. Both girls looked at him in surprise proceeded to enter the car. Kim sat beside Ron in the back seat while Shego sat on the driver's side.

"Best way towards Middleton Hospital and step on it," Kim said. Seraphim lurched forward even before Shego had a chance to fasten her safely belt.

"Crazy car! Are you trying to kill us?" Shego asked not really expecting an answer. "This thing's got a mind of its own."

"KP? My eyes burn," Ron said as he moaned in pain. In truth, Ron wanted to scream in agony and despair. He had just lost his sight and he was taking it cool. Vincent taught him that by being calm, one would avoid to worsen matters. Inwardly, Ron scoffed the teaching. He was already blind, how could things be worse?

"Hang in there, Ron," Kim softly said. Ron could feel her worry and his heart melt. And when he felt her lips on his forehead, it liquefied.

If he had lost Kim, then it would have been worse.

"Shego? How did you end up with Seraphim?" Kim asked as she faced the villainess.

"The Wraith shoved me in here and told the car to find you," Shego crossed her arms and leaned back. So far, Seraphim was the one driving and doing one hell of a job at it. "The man confuses me on the verge of irritation!" If truth were told, Shego relished being in Seraphim.

The car smelled like Vincent Credible for some reason and it relaxed her. It had been months since she smelled him and she missed him. His voice, his touch and his smell. She determined that Angelic was the appropriate term to describe his scent.

"Hang on, Middleton Hospital coming up," Shego announced as the hospital came into view. In a few moments later, Seraphim stopped in front of the Emergency entrance and opened the passenger side door. Kim guided Ron slowly out and called for help. Then she noticed Shego still inside Seraphim, grumbling.

"Aren't you going with us?" Kim asked.

"If you haven't noticed, Kimmy, even though I helped you this one time I'm still wanted in eleven countries," Shego said with a sigh. "Plus, this car won't let me go. The seatbelt's stuck and I think he wishes me to stay. I'm tempted to destroy the thing to get out."

"What? No way!" Ron said as he turned towards the ladies. "Mr. C's going to be angry if Seraphim got scratched."

"Mr. C.?" Shego asked as she noticed the hospital personnel come towards them. Suddenly, the door closed and the window rolled down. "See you later, Kimmy. And don't be fooled with Ron's demeanor, he's in terrible pain and is trying hard not to panic." Seraphim sped away taking Shego with him. Puzzled by Shego's words, Kim turned towards Ron who was sheepishly looking away.

"What's wrong?" one of the doctors asked as soon as she reached them. "Miss Possible? Should I call you mother?"

"Please and thank you," Kim said as she smiled sullenly. "My friend needs help. It's his eyes…"

… …

Go City Hospital

Emergency Room

Midnight, Four Years Ago

"… it's his eyes…" a teenaged boy heard a sweet voice say, as he was wheeled in. As far as he could figure out, he was inside a hospital. He figured that the doctors must have given him strong sedatives to dull his senses. And it took a lot to dull his senses.

"He's stable… skin burns are minor… damaged cornea…" he could only get a gist on what was being said. Due to his injuries caused by the chemicals, he was blind.

"Isn't there anything…" he heard the sweet voice said but he fell into unconsciousness. He dreamt naught in his sleep but he seemed to have imagined some of the words that had been said.

"Nanobots are relatively new…" he heard as he slipped into consciousness. "However… I don't know what to say, Dr. Buncle said they were ready for medical surgery… the robots are destroying his eyes… he needs this Electromagnetic pulse generator to stop the progress of the nanobots. I don't understand… it was supposed to heal his eyes…"

Later, the teenage boy found out that the nanobots were preprogrammed to destroy the human tissue and everything organic. The nanobots Dr. Buncle gave the hospital were programmed to kill.

And he was the guinea pig.

"Are you okay, honey?" the owner of the sweet voice asked and it raised his ire.

"Would you be okay if you realized that you could not see for the rest of your life?" pure venom filled his words but none of it affected the woman.

"That would suck," she tried to lighten the mood but he, himself, was not in the mood for lightheartedness. "But there is a bright side. You're still alive."

"To do what?" he asked.

"To live your life to the fullest," she said. "Do not let this setback ruin your life. Conquer it and soar to the unknown."

"Nice speech," he said rather curtly. "But there are flaws in your reasoning. Forgive me for being blunt but you don't know the hell you're talking about." If the woman was shocked, he did not feel it. "Number one, how could I live my life to the fullest if I have to lug the electromagnetic pulse generator around. As I've heard, without it, I'm dead. Two; how could you perform an experimental procedure on me without my consent?"

"It was given to us by the director of experimental research at the laboratory," this surprised the teenager.

"That, I may understand since I'm his subordinate. Three; anything Carl Buncle does is always with an ulterior motive. Four; the nanobots are not his but mine."

"Then you could find a way," the woman had faith in his abilities even though he never met her before.

And it took the teen four years to realize that she was right.

… …

Middleton Hospital Present, Midnight

Kim paced back and forth as she waited for any word on Ron. When the medical professionals rushed him into the emergency room, Kim could do little but wait.

Vincent Carbuncle was sitting on the bench by her path and was smiling at her demeanor. It had been months since Ron Stoppable paced the same path waiting for word on Kim. Despite the obvious sense of seriousness, Vincent was amused.

"Stop pacing around, it's getting to be annoying," he said. "Your footfall's out of sync."

"Sync?" Kim glared at him. "Ron's in there which might have been serious injuries and all you can say is I'm out of sync? What if they're beginning to experiment new medical technologies to him?"

Déjà vu city, Vincent smirked as he thought. Slowly, he felt the vial in his pocket and sighed. If the procedure was not perfect, Ron may lose his sight forever.

"You're just being paranoid. I expected that reaction from Stoppable not from you," he said calmly. "He'll be fine."

"But what's taking them so long?" Kim asked.

"Ms. Possible, you've been waiting for only ten minutes," he said feeling that he had this conversation before with the other half of Kim Possible.

"Ten minutes without Ron is ten years lost in my soul," Kim mumbled as she slowly slumped down beside him. It took Vincent all he had not to laugh out loud. Kim and Ron were two of a kind and neither realizes that they needed each other.

"Kimmy!" Vincent heard Mrs. Dr. Possible before she entered the hospital and sighed. Mrs. Possible hugged her daughter tightly as they comforted each other. Vincent determined that this was no place for someone not from the family. Ever so silently, he stood and exited the waiting room before either one of them noticed.

"Mom!" Kim buried her head on her mother's bosom while the elder Possible stroked her daughter's hair. "What's the sitch? Is Ron going to be okay?"

"He's going to be fine," Mrs. Possible assured her. "They're seeing to his eyes now. So far, it's only a flash burn. He'll be fine." Her words reassured her daughter and she was thankful that Ron's wounds were minor.

"Dr. Possible, please report to E.R. 2. Dr. Possible to E.R. 2 please," the P.A. suddenly blared out which surprised Kim. Her mother was off duty today but how come the hospital knew that she was here.

There was only one explanation Kim could think about that would make sense.

"Ron?" Kim asked as her mother looked at her sadly.

"I need to see what it is," Mrs. Possible tried to smile for her daughter. "It's probably nothing." Slowly, Mrs. Possible let go of her daughter and rushed towards the E.R. But Kim, as stubborn as ever wished to know what was happening. And she did what she had to do.

She followed her mother.

… … .

Ron Stoppable screamed in pain as the doctors, nurses and orderlies tried to subdue him. No one could make sense of it, an hour ago, he was fine despite his temporary blindness, but now, it was like his whole body was being torn from the inside.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Dr. Possible asked as she entered the room.

"Something's wrong with him," one of the doctors said. "He's having massive cardiac arrests and his brainwaves are off the chart. If this goes on, he will die!"

The doors suddenly barged open and everyone looked at the newcomer who walked towards them in full stride and purpose. He then placed his ear on Ron's chest and listened carefully.

"Stethoscope," he asked open palmed. No one seemed to move still shocked by his intrusion but Mrs. Possible handed him a pair from her pocket. He then used the instrument and listened closely. And in an instant, he cursed.

"What is it, Vin?" Mrs. Possible asked as he handed her the stethoscope.

"No time, hand me the hypospray," he asked and without question, Mrs. Possible handed him the instrument. He then felt the instrument and figured how to use it within seconds. He loaded a vial and grabbed Ron's arm.

"This is highly unusual," one of the doctors said but with a look from Dr. Possible, they knew it would be all right.

"Fight it, Ron," Vincent said as he injected the contents of the vial into Ron's system. Tossing the empty hypodermic spray, he then attached a bracelet on Ron's wrist.

"Come on," Vincent murmured and when he heard a soft beep, he sighed. "Good. Here goes, Mrs. Dr. Possible, get everyone out, now!" Quickly, she ushered everyone outside with promises to explain everything later. When he knew that he was alone with Mrs. Possible, he continued.

"Authorization S-5-h-1-e-9-g-2-o Credible, activate."

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Possible asked but what she heard next made her agape.

Authorization confirmed.

"Reconfigure DNA sequence. Subject, Ron Stoppable. Initiate Program." Mrs. Possible was shocked to hear those words but not because she was aghast but because she was surprised by his actions.

Program initiated. Threat detected. Initiating cleansing. Slowly, Ron's spasm subsided and his EKG readings were slowly returning to normal. Mrs. Possible sighed in relief but held her questions for another time.

"Ron?" Kim suddenly entered the room prepared to face the worst but when she saw the relief on everyone's faces, she ran towards her mother and broke down in tears.

"He's okay now, Kimmy," Mrs. Possible said as she looked at Vincent and led her daughter out. "He'll be just fine."

Vincent Credible sighed as he sat on the floor in relief.

"I must be crazy in giving him that," he said mostly to himself.

Cleansing completed. Initiating repairs.

"How long?" he asked.

State of damage, unknown. Estimated time for complete repair… unknown.

"Then what is known?" he asked rather sarcastically.

That he will live. Vincent smirked at the voice.

"Smart ass computer," he sighed. "Initiate Centurion program."

Program initiated.

"Well, Ron, let's see your life through interesting times," Vincent said and chuckled. "At least Ms. Possible's love for you is real. I wonder how you two would fair?"

… …

Kim Possible sighed as the fatigue of worry claimed her body. After assuring her for what had seemed like the millionth time that Ron would be okay, she finally relaxed.

Later, Ron will be transferred into a private room and, thanks to Vincent, she could stay with him. She did not know how Ron would react and she did not know how they would go on but what she did know that he was all right and alive.

And she knew that whoever sent the Hunter would pay.

…

(end of 8)

Next: What happened to Shego? Why did Seraphim held her after he dropped Kim and Ron?

Chapter IX: Shego's Dilemma

A/n: I hope no one hates me for any confusions. Trust me, the confusions will be ironed out in later chapters