Dinner parties and Lemon Squares

Disney owns all characters associated with Kim Possible.

"So we should talk to the grandmother…" Tom said, "Just like that? Hi, your granddaughter and daughter in law may be alive, and oh by the way, ma'am, would you like us to take you to the hospital for that nasty heart attack?"

"Hmph." Shego said, "Did you read the file on the family?"

"Skimmed it."

"Read it again. The grandmother is not the heart attacking type." Shego turned, following the instructions of the on board map computer. Thank God this came standard. Normally the bean counters would prefer you drive around in circles all day rather than let you rent a model with something extra…

"There we are." She pointed at a house—a very nice house, Shego had to admit. She ran more towards apartments, easier to take care of, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd actually spent more than a week a time in hers—it was often easier to catnap at the office.

"Am I staying in the car?" Wade asked, hopefully.

"Nope. You're our bonafide technical assistant." Shego said.

"But…I don't know these people…" Wade said, nervously. Sitting in a lobby, immersed in a laptop was one thing, but talking to strangers, strangers that were close to him…

"I'm training you in the art of not freezing, Algebra Lad." Shego said unrepentantly, "Some day you'll thank me when you can unbutton your girl friend's shirt without fainting."

"Guh." Was Wade's answer.

"And you might even be able to explain what you're doing when daddy comes in the door."

"Gah!"

The three trooped up to the front door, where Sheila blinked at what looked like some hastily repaired blast damage to the door.

"Guns?"

"No." The former heroine said. "Plasma of some kind. Like a blaster."

"Okay…." Tom commented, moving to one side of the door. Not that he was expecting some crazed grandmother to send a bolt of ravening destruction through, you understand…

But in his time with Shego, he'd learned to be prepared. Shego stood to the other side of the door, and snagged Wade and pulled him to her side before she knocked on it.

"Coming." A voice said.

"She doesn't sound crazed." Tom said.

Then the door opened to a slight, gray haired woman, in well…the kind of clothes grandmothers the world over wore.

"May I help you?"

"I'm Agent Shiela Go with the FBI." Shego said, "Can we come in? We have… some questions to ask, and some information to give."

"Very well." The lady looked at the three and smiled, "Oh, don't worry—we weren't shooting at anyone through the door. The Twins just had an experimental snow vaporizer…that got a little out of hand."

"Okay…." Tom said again, looking if anything, less reassured by that news.

Cindy Possible stood in her room. It was richly appointed, with a small bed, that only she had lain in. It was a fantasy of hers that it would remain that way if someone wished otherwise, but at least they respected…or had chosen to leave her that scrap of dignity. Her enforced whoring was done in other rooms. They didn't leave her the only key to the door, of course, or the key to the second lock on the door, the one that only locked from the outside. The clothes in the closet were of the best, brought in to her, or much more occasionally, bought by her when she was allowed to go shopping.

The doctor sighed as she looked at them. All expensive, not a floppy set of slippers or a comfortable sweater in the lot. She'd used to wear sweaters, sometimes, or her white lab coat, but those weren't… allowed. The lab coat stayed in the small lab where she worked on criminals or did tests on drugs, or whatever her chore for the day was. Anything that the Oyabun didn't want coming to the attention of the authorities and was medical in nature were sent to his tame doctor.

At first she'd been scared…but not enough. Not nearly enough. When they'd come and got her and Kim from the house, she'd been preparing to flee on her own. No reason to try and fight, not with such clear evidence that it was the authorities who were framing her.

And the men had been scary, but for a moment she'd hoped they were some other government organization…and they hadn't dissuaded her until they were far away from Middleton, until they had all her ID, her bank passwords, everything. Until she was securely in this…place that had been her prison in all but name for the last twelve years. She'd begun to be afraid, for herself, for Kimmie, who was frightened enough…so she'd told the Oyabun that she was leaving, regardless of the danger to herself.

The Oyabun had expressed disappointment…

And then two men had come and taken her away for a day. The five year old Kim had been told… something. Cindy didn't know what, even to this day, but it had been the start of turning her against her mother.

Cindy hadn't dared protest. Those two men had shown her, that day, and in the days after when she'd…mis-behaved, just how much pain could be inflicted without leaving mark or doing permanent injury…physical at least. Pain, humiliation, degradation…they were experts in their field, and they'd plied their trade well on her body. When she'd come here, James had been the only man she'd ever slept with.

No more. Now, a suggestion from the leader or his lieutenants that someone might enjoy a night with the redheaded doctor was an order, one she dared not defy. Kim despised her for that, and she dared not, could not tell Kim why. Especially since she doubted Kim would believe her now.

And even if she had been brave enough, Cindy thought with sick certainty, what would it get her? She might have been framed, in the beginning.. but now, she knew enough criminal secrets to go to prison for life, and Kim…Kim…

Had kil-murdered. Maybe she could break free and run, but leave her daughter to face trial, life in jail, or more likely death when she refused to surrender? After all the other ways she had failed her? No.

Not that Kim would thank her, the mother thought. Kim was obedient to the Oyabun… along with Yori, his soldier, or more honestly, hunting dog. That had started nearly the first day they'd come here, and almost before Cindy had realized it, her daughter had been taken from her with a skill that had astonished her. The poised woman, looking at the world through those emotionless green eyes… could that be the girl she'd taken to Pre-K? Was there anything left of Kimmie? She never, in a million years, could have feared her daughter, her brave daughter who nonetheless was timid at the thought of going to Pre-K.

She feared the woman that daughter had become.

She closed her eyes, sighted, and started dressing for the dinner, paying special attention to her makeup and hair. It wouldn't do to embarrass her superiors, and depending on who was attending, such embarrassment would come at a very high price.

"So. What is it you are here for? Is James' security clearance under review again?" She said after offering them all lemon squares and looking at Wade with disguised curiosity. The Grandmother act didn't fool shego for one second—this was a very observant, intelligent woman, and she'd bet money that there was a good chance that that innocent looking hand bag might conceal at least one small, unpleasant and fatal surprise in it.

Shego looked around the living room. There were pictures all over the walls, or her, a her son, the two twin boys. Some other people she didn't recognize and of course, Kim and Cindy Possible.

Rather a lot of those, especially over the fire place.

Shrine. Her mind said to her.

"No." Shego said, "I'm reviewing some new information about the case involving your daughter in law and granddaughter." The older woman's face became set.

"I'm afraid you have had a wasted trip, Agent Go." She said, quietly, "We have worked very hard, over these lasttwelve years to get on with our lives, and put those days behind us… with little success, I might add. Kim is dead. Her mother is dead." She paused, and sighed, "And I do not wish to recall the day I helped my son bury his wife and child."

"Mmm…." Shego said, looking over at Wade, with his ever present laptop. "Captain Calculus…call up the video file." Wade blinked, and did so, handing Shego the lap top. She swiveled it around to show to Ann Possible.

"This was taken by a…. concerned citizen who was…"

"Watching to make certain nobody assaulted those poor girls?" Nana said.

Oops, started the feed a bit early.

"Yeah—wait though." Shego waited as the video went to the end, showing their mystery killer.

"She was very fast." Ann said.

"Yes, and looks to be a teen—possibly." Shego didn't smile at the pun. "We found one other thing at the crime scene." She paused, "Oh, yeah, this…individual, has been involved in at least 7 murders that we're aware of." Honestly, she continued, "or there are a group of them, with the same MO."

"And this is important to me?"

"It may be—we found a single hair at the last scene—enough to get a DNA read off of it." She looked at her, and continued, "The DNA was a match with Kim Possible's hospital records, and I was interested to find out that no DNA had been taken from their bodies."

The dinner was just beginning when Cindy arrived. There were several regional bosses, and someone from Japan, and…

Oh God. Him. The first man that it had been "suggested" she sleep with. The one Kim had come in the room unexpectedly to see. Cindy shuddered. Beyond everything else, he was a brute in the bad sense of the term, someone who enjoyed showing his strength. Cindy had recalled having to set the bones of several prostitutes who had…. Displeased him. At least one other she'd heard, had been beyond her help—or anyone else's help for that matter. As the Oyabun's tame doctor, she knew that she was safe from his more brutal past times…but even so, she'd had to carefully apply make up to her face and wear long sleeved dresses for several days to disguise the bruises he'd inflicted on her, after any of his... sessions. Not only that, but her seat was next to his. She sat down, her expensive silk, gold and red dress, brilliant against the dark carpet of the floor. She didn't wear earrings—most of the other women did, but Cindy didn't…

A little defiance. All that was left in her.

Kujo put his arm around her, a breach of manners, and gave her arm a crushing squeeze that she was certain would leave bruises.

"You and I, we'll have some fun after dinner." The Oyabun didn't contradict him, and she saw Kim looking over at her, her eyes slightly narrowed.

Kim continued eating, giving light dinner conversation, as befit someone who was to never bring disgrace on the house…unlike her mother.

The first man you rutted with, after you decided to betray daddy again. Kim thought, letting no sign of her anger touch her face. You didn't even lock the door so I couldn't see him, or bother to try and stifle the voice that hadshown just how much you enjoyed it. It would be too much to expect that of her mother. Tono was right. Kim shouldn't be angry at her because she was weak and incapable of feeling loyalty…like Tono.

"And how are you doing with your studies, Kim-chan?" Tono asked. Kim swelled with pride. He'd addressed her using such a familiar suffix! Like a parent mght! Kim quickly schooled her face so as not to humiliate herself before him.

"Well, I thank you, Tono-sama." She said. "I am almost complete in my mastery the dialects of Chinese I have been learning." She smiled, "Though I must confess that Mandarin sometimes can be difficult."

There was a laugh from a man further down the table.

"Difficult—Tono-sama, she speaks it like a native, complete with accent!"

"I would expect no more from my little Ghost-cat." Tono said. Kim dipped her head in humble acknowledgement.

"It was no more than I could do to repay you, Tono-sama. The tutors and training were excellent."

"As was the student." Tono paused, "But there is another request I might make of you."

"Yes?" Kim now looked up, naked eagerness shining on her face.

I will do anything for you, Tono-sama. She thought.

Tono smiled slightly at Kim. He had taken great care with her, first to insure her mother would remain… properly obedient. But then, he'd realized she could be more—what, he hadn't been certain at first.

But that, of course had required measures to control her. He'd engaged in those measures, carefully, retaining skilled psychologists to map out the plan of attack. Unlike Yori, who had later arrived from school perfectly conditioned to obedience, Kim had a will and fire that could easily force him to dispose of her. So he'd planned to flense that will away from her, remolding her, no matter the pain it caused, into a useful tool.

And at every step of the way, the girl had never associated him with the punishments or cruelties, only her liberation from them. He'd been very careful, very clear in his instructions. Only he, or those he permitted, were to show her any undue kindness. Oh, her mother would never obey, but that had also worked in his favor—making her look powerless, weak, at fault for separating Kim from a father she now barely remembered…a father who benefited Tono, as he was safely absent and would never gainsay Tono's will.

When she had failed on her lessons, and been tossed into the cold room, naked, it was Tono who came and got the shivering, crying child, with a blanket and sweet, and a mild sense of disappointment, but sure she would do better. When one of her trainers belted her across the room, telling her how useless she was, how ungrateful for the protection she had received, it was Tono who picked her up and assured the individual that she would do better. And she did—eager for any sense of approval from him, doing ever better. A frown from Tono could crush Kim…and drive her to ever greater efforts to make up for her failings in his sight…

…And when Kim came upon her mother sleeping with another man, even having a (faked Tono was sure, but didn't care), orgasm, it was Tono who took her aside and wiped the tears from her eyes and explained, sadly, that perhaps her mother had not loved her father as much as Kim did…but that they should not hold someone to a standard they could not meet. It would be wrong, he said, to hold her to such a standard, that she, unlike Kim, and Tono, could never understand or even wish to understand. The flare of contempt when he'd first said that, in her nine year old eyes, had proven to him that any influence her mother had on her would be swiftly neutralized. He, of course, didn't bother to mention he'd been the one to order that she slept with the individual who'd been nastiest to Kim over the last month. Kujo. Who was about to serve again in a similar capacity, although one he did not expect. Unfortunately, Kujo had failed to understand his place.

"If that…" Ann said quietly, "is a joke, it is one in extraordinarily poor taste, Agent Go."

"It is no joke, and believe me, I was very surprised at the information." She paused, and decided to continue on that tack. "I have an incredibly skilled assassin, and a DNA strand that indicates she might be a dead girl—and more importantly, I'm assuming that Kim didn't exhibit any homicidal tendencies."

"No." Ann answered, "None. She was a bright, intelligent, loving five year old, who took after her mother." Now there was a bit of emotion, she pulled a tissue from her handbag and wiped her eyes. "Excuse me."

"I'm sorry to bring this up." Shego said, "But I really don't have any choice."

"And you want to exhume the bodies." Ann said. Shego didn't insult her.

"Yes. When they were buried DNA analysis couldn't pick out enough intact material to get a match—now it can."

"James… James will never agree. If he was here right now, you'd probably have already been thrown out."

"I understand." Shego said, "But if those aren't Kim and her mother's body…there are two Jane Does up there, and likely, a family wondering what happened to their wife and kid."

"This will…" Ann shook her head. "I know what you're doing Agent Go, but what about my family?" She paused, "My son very nearly did not survive this… the waiting, the uncertainty, and then those accusations…"

"Which may have been faked." Shego said.

"Evidence?" Ann asked, in tone that Shego knew.

"None yet, but…thoughts. This is a very odd case." Ann sighed.

"I don't recognize the young man in the wheelchair." Tom broke in. Shego shot him a gaze, but subsided. It might be wise to segue a bit. "Is he a relative?"

"In…in a way." Ann said, "Felix Renton—Sarah Renton's son." She looked at Shego directly, "My son's companion. She lives here with her son. She had come to work at the space center after her husband died and son was crippled in an autowreck, at around the same time Cindy and Kim…died." She shrugged, "They had a great deal in common, both being single parents, and four years later she moved into the house." Ann paused, and looked at the three, "I approve. But if Cindy is alive, if Kim is alive, you will once again turn my son's life upside down. If they are not alive, but you lead him to think they are, or even raise the doubt, then you may very well have the same affect. I do not approve of that."

"I understand, but be that as it may… Wouldn't he prefer to know the truth about what happened."

"Yes. Can you give it to him?" Shego looked at her. There was iron in those eyes, but she was old.

You should be driving your daughter crazy being over protective, not talking about digging up the coffin in which she may, or may not be. Shego hated this part. Going to families, in some ways making them live the crime over again. She was always honest with them.

"As much truth as I know, you'll know." She paused, "I am sorry to do this."

"I know you are, dear." Ann said, "Are you staying at a hotel?"

"Yes."

"Give me the room. I'll be the one to explain this to James. He isn't… overly logical where police officers, of any stripe, are concerned."

"Thank you."

"Kujo, I am afraid, has dabbled in matters that were none of his concern. He has stolen from us." Kujo looked up at the words, face shifting into shock, and fear.

"Tono-sa-"

"Kim-san?"

"Yes?" Kim said, looking over at the man at the head of the table.

"Kill him." Before the 'him' was finished, Kim was in motion, a blur. A short sword appeared in her hand as if by magic, and she moved nearly too fast for the eyes to track her. Kujo hadn't even finished his protest as the blade was driven into his chest, through it, and into and out of the chair, pinning him like a butterfly. Yori smiled in approval at Kim's style, as for a moment, Kujo attempted to pull himself free, already dying even as Kim shifted the blade slightly, completing the destruction of his heart, where she'd driven it through. Moments later, she was standing by the twitching man.

I will recover the blade later. Kim thought, If I pull it out, there'll be blood all over the table and carpet. The Oyabun made a small gesture and two bodyguards, movements slow and uncoordinated compared to Kim, came up and pulled the corpse, still pinned to the chair, away. Kim's mother had raised her hand to her mouth, shocked at the sudden violence, looking at her shoulder where Kujo had last touched her.

Missing him already? Or are you deciding who will replace him?

"Kim-san."

"Yes, Tono-sama?"

"Your mother appears to be fatigued—perhaps the events have been too much for her. I believe you should return her to her chambers so that she may rest." Kim didn't let any anger touch her face.

Of course. You had to ruin it by mourning over someone who betrayed Tono-sama, your protector, didn't you mother.

Kim reached down and gently lifted her mother to her feet. Cindy didn't bother to say anything or try to resist. Kim was far, far stronger than she was, and she could feel the barely restrained anger in her grip…and if Kim wanted to, she could effortlessly drag her mother wherever she wanted.

"Come mother." Kim said, and Cindy could barely endure the emotions in her daughters gaze. "I'll take you to your room and come back to dinner myself." The dinner you ruined, mother.

At the head of the table, Tono allowed himself a small smile. Yes, it required forethought and planning.

But the results were well worth it.

To be continued.