The rain starts to lightly drum the black sedan's windshield as it navigates through the winding streets of the city of Lense. The wipers turn on and immediately start their rhythmic dance upon their glass dance floor. For a few minutes, the hypnotic noise of their dance infiltrates the driver and his passenger's minds and allows them to drift into a peaceful state of oblivion until a familiar beeping draws them back to the restless state of existence.
Kim, coming back to reality, hesitates for an instant before quickly reaching into her pocket, and pulling out her kimmunicator. "Go, Wade," she answers.
"You're only a few minutes away from the warehouse," Wade states. "I've done some checking on the warehouse and it's just that. It's used as a holding place for the empty storage crates used for shipping."
"Wait," Ron says trying to grasp what Wade has just said. "So this warehouse is filled with just empty crates."
"Well, empty wooden crates to be specific," Wade says. "You have to keep them somewhere, Ron."
"Anything else, Wade?" asks Kim.
"I've finish my analysis of that substance and I can tell you it's a synthetic dye engineered to be highly detectable to certain scanning programs and scanning instruments."
"Such as the kimmunicator's," adds Kim.
"Yeah," says Wade. "Looks like Gill's shy and mysterious liberator anticipated your involvement in this case."
"More like hoped for it," Kim says in a harden tone. "It's way beyond coincidence that those tires were lased with a dye that makes it easy to follow it using the kimmunicatior and its scanning program. Whoever this liberator is, he or she wants us to be at that warehouse."
"Stupid question coming," warns Ron. "Why?"
"Standard answer," Kim replies, "it's a trap."
"Looks like my feeling was right," states Ron. "Maybe we'll get to find out what the real point is too."
"Whatever the case, we're going to do this right," Kim says. "Wade, contact the authorities and the lab and have them at that warehouse."
"Way ahead of you, Kim," Wade states. "They'll be there in twenty minutes. I also did some scans on the warehouse and it looks like you're expected."
"How many?" questions Kim.
"One and it's the mutant of the hour," Wade answers.
Ron leans forward in his seat. "How about you guys?" Ron asks the two agents. "You want to help us bust a mutant."
"This is outside our training," replies Agent Johnson without turning to face Ron. "Besides, our orders are only to fulfill the favor the agency owes you and this favor only consists of transporting you to and from locations in order for you to accomplish your current mission. Once we drop you off at this warehouse, the agency no longer owes you anything and we will no longer offer our services to you unless ordered to."
"So, that's a no on the whole mutant takedown invite huh?" asks Ron.
"Affirmative," says Agent Johnson, who keeps his eyes forward.
"Don't know what you'll be missing," Ron says as leans back into his seat.
"I'm sure they're so disappointed," says Kim as a small smirk develops on her face.
"They hide it well," Ron says.
Kim asks Wade, "How about your rumor research?"
"Nothing yet," Wade says disappointedly. "Without something to go on, I'm pretty much looking for a specific drop of water in the ocean."
"Keep trying Wade," says Kim. "In the meantime, we'll handle Gill. He knows more about his liberator than us. I mean, he has to because we know nothing."
"Sure will, Kim," Wade says. "Good luck." He signs off and the kimmunicator's screen goes black. Kim places it in her pocket as the sedan stops a few feet in front of a warehouse.
"Miss Possible, we arrived," informs Agent Johnson. "Good luck."
"Thanks," replies Kim as she opens the door and steps into a streaming wall of water now pouring down on the city. Ron soon follows and is greeted immediately by a rush of falling water as he closes the door. They both have a difficult time seeing anything through the rain. Turning back, they catch a glimpse of the sedan's red tail lights driving off into the thick curtain of falling rain. Quickly they run towards a metal grey door with a small light hanging above it. Kim reaches it first and slowly opens the door just enough so she can peer inside. Scanning carefully, she checks for any immediate dangers. Satisfied of no present danger, although she knows what's hiding in this warehouse, she opens the door wider and enters the warehouse. Ron follows closely behind. She quietly closes the door behind them and rejoins Ron who has removed his shoes in order to pour out the water that has collected in them.
"Why is it every time I face Gill, I'm never dry?" asks Ron as he shakes the last remaining drops of water from inside his shoes. Rufus pops his head out of Ron's pocket and spits out a stream of water unto the floor.
"Focus, Ron," Kim says as she wrings out the water soaked into her red hair, which hangs limp due to its wetness.
"Oh, I'm focus, KP," Ron says as he puts on his shoes. "I'm the one Gill wants."
"Got that right, squeeb," calls a familiar menacing voice that seems to resonate around them.
Instantly, Kim and Ron freeze. Their eyes alertly scrutinize their surroundings for the any detail that can expose Gill's location as they slowly and carefully move deeper into the warehouse.
"Look at you two," Gill taunts from somewhere, "so scared that you're soaking with sweat."
"It's water," says Kim. "It's pouring outside. You can hear it."
"Besides, if we are sweating," remarks Ron, "it's pretty hard to tell since we're soaked."
"Least of your worries Ronnie-boy" Gill threatens. His voice sounds closer. "When I'm done with you they'll need a week just to sort all your parts."
Kim narrows her eyes in frustration and anger. "I've so had enough of this," Kim says as she reaches into her pocket, quickly pulls out her kimmunicator, and presses a button. Wade appears on the screen. "Wade, I need you to scan…"
"Don't bother," says Gill from behind them. Kim and Ron turn around just in time to see Gill's form slowly separate itself from the warehouse's metallic grey wall. Gill's red orbs burn with hate and anger as they focus squarely on Ron, who, along with Kim and Rufus, stares in shock as to how big Gill has become. He now is a good foot taller than the last encounter at Camp Gottagrin. "Boy, Possible, you sure know how to ruin a guy's fun."
"Only when that fun involves hurting my boyfriend," Kim retorts as she places her kimmunicator back into her pocket. She steps up and stands besides Ron.
"Oh, I'm not just going to hurt him," Gill threatens as a sinister smile slowly develops on his mutated face, "I'm going to do so much worst."
"Okay, before you start with the handing out of the serious pain and more," Ron says, "I have one question to ask you."
Kim sighs and rolls her eyes. "Here we go."
"Are you or are you not a shapeshifter?" asks Ron.
"What?" asks a perplexed Gill.
"He wants to know whether you can change your appearance to those of other people," Kim dryly says as she enlightens Gill.
"Oh," replies Gill. "Sorry no I can't."
"Ha, told you," Kim says to Ron with a triumphant smirk.
"Whatever," Ron shoots back at Kim as he crosses his arms across his chest.
"Ah, hi," Gill says drawing the Kim and Ron's attention back to him, "if you two are done, I would like to have my revenge now." Gill immediately shoots a massive muck steam at Kim and Ron, who dive in opposite directions avoiding the first of many assaults.
Kim dives and rolls back unto her feet and quickly turns around to see a smiling Gill focusing on her. She gasps as Gill rapidly fires muck ball after muck ball at her. Instantly, Kim performs a series of backflips and narrowly avoids the barrage of muck balls, which crash into and destroy the wooden crates behind her. The wall of crates behind Kim begins to wobble. She faces Gill once more.
"Plenty more where that came from," Gill says. He prepares to fire another muck barrage.
"And I was beginning to worry," Kim sarcastically says as she prepares for the upcoming assault.
Gil launches a muck ball, which Kim quickly sidesteps. She then performs a backflip onto a wooden crate avoiding another muck ball. Immediately, she pushes off the crate with her feet and narrowly avoids yet another muck ball, which shatters the wooden crate into pieces. Kim lands on her feet but notices a huge shadow looming over her. She turns around and gasps as a huge wall of wooden crates begins to tumble onto her.
"Kim!" Ron yells from the opposite side of the warehouse.
Kim quickly dives and rolls out of the path of the falling crates just as they crash onto the warehouse's floor. A few crates fly into the base of another wall of crates on the opposite side of the warehouse and causes another avalanche of wooden crates to fall onto the floor creating a wall of wooden crates dividing the warehouse in two halves. Kim sits up from her curled position and stares at the massive wall of crates a few feet in front of her.
"Ron!" Kim exclaims as she realizes he is, for the moment, facing Gill alone.
"Kim!" Ron yells as he rushes toward the wall of crates. Before he reaches the wall, Gill jumps between him and the wall.
"Just you and me now, squeeb," Gill says with glee. He fires a muck stream at Ron, who evades it by ducking. Then Ron dives forward head first and slides through in between Gill's legs. Ron quickly gets up and runs away from Gill.
"Ahhhh!' Ron screams as he runs.
"He always does that," a frustrated Gill says through gritted teeth. Then a smile quickly crosses his face. But at least he has no where to hide now.
Ron quickly scans for a place to hide but cannot find any. He turns around and sees Gill, wearing a menacing smile, stalking him.
"No where to hide and no where to run," Gill says.
He did it. That ugly, smelly mutant did it. Now, give me a target.
Kim stands up just as Ron's screams reach over the wall of crates. Kim attempts to climb the wall but finds the wall unstable and quickly falls back on the ground as a crate follows after her. She easily dodges the crate. Her heartbeat begins to race as she tries to think of another way over the wall.
Then Kim looks up and sees metal rafters supporting the ceiling. She quickly takes off her backpack, unzips it, and rummages through it looking for her hair dryer grappling gun.
That's it.
She quickly finds it and pulls it out, ready to aim it at a rafter.
Now!
Before she can fire her grappling hook, Kim feels a shape pain in the back of her shoulder causing her to drop her backpack on the ground. She simultaneously lowers her hair dryer and reaches behind her shoulder pulling out a small embedded object. "A tranquiller dart," Kim softly says to herself as she looks at the small dart in her gloved hand before her vision blurs. She staggers back a few steps as she drops the small dart on the floor. She grabs her now throbbing head with one hand while her other hand loses its grip on her hair dryer, which crashes down on the floor. Unable to maintain her balance, she falls backwards and lands hard on the floor, but she barely feels it. Lying on her back, she stares at the ceiling. An overwhelming daze and sleepiness overtakes her. The ceiling seems to slowly race away from her into a blurry abyss where details become lost as the light falls helplessly into it. Soon, a dark, black shadow eclipses the fading light. She could almost see a smile develop on what seems to be a head and hears a muffled, distant chuckle as her eyelids grow heavy and yield to the compulsion to close.
The man just looks down on the sleeping redhead. Her face becomes a picture of peaceful tranquility.
If only she knew what I have in store for her. Come to think of it, what am I going to do? I was so busy with this part of the plan that I never gave it that much thought. I mean I have a general idea but… all well, I'll think of something. I always do.
He stoops down and rummages through her pockets until he finds her kimmunicator and discards it. He then removes her utility belt and gloves and quickly places them on the floor beside her sleeping form. He looks her over once more. Satisfied, he places one arm under her neck while the other arm slides under her knees. He picks her up and carries her off into the shadows that hid him and a metal door from her detection. Swiftly, he opens the door and carries her into the damp night.
Gill comes closer and closer. Ron yields ground and backs up as he looks for a way out. He finds none.
"Looks like this is the end, squeeb," Gill says as he takes another step toward Ron. "I've dreamed about this for years. Part of me is overjoyed and yet another part of me is disappointed that this is the end." He takes another step as he savors the look of dread plastered on Ron's face. "If only I had a camera so I could always look at the expression on your face any time I wanted to."
"You know, we could do this another time," Ron nervously says as he takes a step back. "That way you can bring the camera and I bring the army. What do you say?" He glances back and finds he's running out of floor as he backs closer to a tall stack of wooden crates.
"Nah, I'm good," replies Gill as he lunges at Ron.
Instantly, Rufus climbs out of Ron's backpack and pulls out Ron's hair dryer grappling gun. He hands to Ron, who immediately aims it up at a metal rafter and pulls the trigger. A grapple hook rockets toward the rafter and wraps securely around it. Ron then flies up toward the rafter just as Gill is about to spear him through the bottom crate. Instead, Gill just misses Ron and crashes through the wooden crate, which sends the wooden crates above it crashing down on him. Ron, hanging from the rafter, looks down to see where Gill is, but only sees a pile of wooden crates. Suddenly, Gill explodes out of his wooden grave all the while roaring in pain and anger.
"Aw, man," Ron disappointedly says.
Gill slowly climbs out of the debris and staggers a few feet before collapsing. He lies prostrate on the ground unconscious.
"Booyah!" Ron shouts victoriously. He throws a big smile toward Rufus, who stands on his shoulder.
"Yeah!" Rufus exclaims.
A slight tinge of disappointment surges through Ron. "You know, part of me is kind of disappointed."
"Huh?" confused Rufus questions.
"When you have a battle with a hate filled mutant determined to unleash a painful vengeance on you, you kind of expect it to be a little more difficult to win. Oh well, any battle from a mutant you can walk away from is…" Ron stops his sentence short because he notices that he can't see Kim anywhere from his vantage point. "Rufus do you see Kim anywhere?"
"No," replies Rufus as he searches for her.
"Kim!" he yells as he scans the other side of the crate wall. Then he immediately spots her backpack on the ground. He flips a switch on his hair dryer and slowly descends down. Still, holding onto the hair dryer, he carefully scales down the wall of wooden crates. A few crates fall and tumble down as he touches them with his feet. Within a minute, he lands on the other side of the wall of crates. He quickly rushes over to Kim's backpack and also discovers her gloves, utility belt, and kimmunicator on the floor. He picks up and gathers each item while Rufus notices something else on the floor. He quickly jumps down to investigate.
"Okay, now I'm worried," Ron says as Rufus draws his attention. "What's that, Rufus?"
"Dart," Rufus tells him as he holds it up to Ron.
Ron quickly puts Kim's backpack on the floor and places her gloves and utility belt on top of it. He still holds the kimmunicator. With his free hand, Ron grabs the dart from Rufus, brings it close to his face and examines it. Fear and dread begin to build within him. "Now I'm definitely worried. Something went seriously wrong here, Rufus." Suddenly, the kimmunicator beeps and Ron quickly answers. "Wade!"
Surprised because he expected Kim, Wade begins to ask about Kim until he notices the fear and concern Ron's face informs him. "Ron? What's the matter? Where's Kim?"
"Kim's totally not here. That's what the matter is."
"Hold on. Tell me what happened."
"Gill attacked us and Kim and I became separated by a huge pile of wooden crates. After Rufus and I beat Gill's biscuit, we came over to the other side of the pile to join up with Kim but she wasn't there. All I found were her backpack, her belt, her gloves, and the kimmunicator while Rufus found this." Ron shows Wade the dart. "My panic meter is at critical here, Wade."
Wade leans forward in his chair. "It's a dart. Ron, point the kimmunicator at it and I'll scan it." Ron points the kimmunicator at the dart lying in his open palm. A red light engulfs the dart and his hand. Within a few seconds, a message reading "scanning complete" flashes on Wade's monitor screen. Wade begins to type a few commands on his keyboard. "All right, let's see what we have here." The scan's readout fills his screen. Wade's eyes rapidly move from side to side soaking up the information.
"Well?" asks an impatient Ron. Hope laces his voice. "Anything?"
"The scan picked up some DNA from the tip," Wade informs. A grim expression forms on his face as his computer quickly compiles a match. "It's Kim's."
"Darts don't hit people by themselves, not even in our world. Someone else was here and he or she shot Kim!"
"He or she must have a way of blocking my scans because all they picked up when I scanned the warehouse was Gill."
Ron's mind begins to work in overdrive. Fighting through the turmoil created by the fear, concern and dread he feels for Kim, a realization pushes to the forefront of his mind.
The real point for this entire Gill caper was Kim. Gill was just bait to lure Kim into a trap and the distraction to keep us occupied until… Bang! Kidnapping by dart point!
Ron immediately starts to share his realization to Wade. "Wade, I…"
"…figured out that whoever liberated Gill was just using him as both the bait and the distraction to lure you and Kim into a trap and then keep you occupied until the right time presented itself to incapacitate Kim and take her to who knows where," Wade says completing Ron's sentence as he too comes to the same realization. "But that's only half of the picture. The question now becomes…"
"… why does he or she want Kim?" Ron slowly says with fear and concern lacing his voice. "And what is he or she going to do with her?"
"I'll scan the immediate area. Maybe I can…" As Wade begins to scan the area, he gets a flood of hits. "Ron you have company."
Suddenly, men in yellow hazmat suits along with men in blue jumpsuits wearing body armor and helmets and carrying stun guns flood into the warehouse from all its doors. A loud roar hovers overhead. Seconds later, a small explosion occurs and pieces of the roof come crashing down on Ron and Rufus, who dive out of the way before the pieces crush and bury them. Through the small opening, lights from a large, black and red hover jet pour into the well illuminated warehouse. A rope drops through the opening and soon a man in a blue jumpsuit enters the warehouse via the hole in the ceiling and the rope. He lands on the pile of debris and scans the warehouse as the men in both the hazmat suits and body armor move around him in organized mayhem.
"Do you have the mutant?" asks the man through his two way ear piece.
"Yes Agent Du," the male voice says through his receiver. "He's on the other side of the wall."
"Other side of the…" Agent Du almost asks before he turns around and sees what the other man means. "Oh, right. You mean the other side of the large pile of wooden crates."
"Yes, sir," replies the same voice. "The mutant was and remains unconscious. It is being secured and will be ready for transport in five minute."
"Good. Any signs of the amateur?"
"Amateur, sir?" asks the male voice.
"Miss Possible," clarifies Agent Du. "She should be here."
"Agent Du!" Ron exclaims as he picks himself off the ground and walks toward him. Rufus dusts himself off before following Ron.
Agent Du turns around and sees Ron. He nods and returns to speak to the other agent via the ear piece. "I found her sidekick. She should be close."
He turns to Ron. "Mr. Stoppable, where is Miss Possible? She's been targeted by a very dangerous and most likely a very, very unbalanced man."
"Wrong," Ron corrects him. "She's been hit and like kidnapped by the man with the unlikable combination of adjectives!"
Agent Du stares at Ron for a second as defeat and failure fills him. He turns his attention to his earpiece. "We're too late. The Artist has her."
He unclips the small two way radio from his belt and turns it on. "Dr. Director."
"Report, Agent Du," Dr. Director orders as hope and impatience lace her voice from the other end of the radio.
"We're too late," Agent Du says with defeat. "The Artist has her."
"Wait," Ron interjects, "who's the Artist and why does this person want Kim?"
"It that Ron?" asks Dr. Director.
"Yes," answers Agent Du.
"Bring him back to GJ headquarters," commands Dr. Director.
"Yes, Dr," Agent Du complies. He turns to Ron. "Grab the rope and hold on," orders Agent Du as he grabs the rope.
"What about ans…"
"All your questions will be answered. Now grab the rope."
Ron waits for Rufus to climb into his pocket then he walks toward the rope and grabs it firmly. Agent Du then reaches into his pocket and pulls out his RCM and presses the button. Instantly, the rope quickly retracts and they fly toward the hover jet.
"Ahhhhh!" screams Ron as he is pulled up through the hole in the roof and into the hover jet. He lands in a clump on the metal floor while Agent Du lands on his feet and instantly walks to the jet's cockpit. He sits in the pilot's seat, buckles himself in, disengages the autopilot, and pushes the throttle. The jet violently accelerates to a breakneck speed throwing Ron, who has just gotten back on his feet, toward the back of the jet. He collides with the jet's back wall as it knifes through the damp, overcastted night. Ron slides down and, with his back against the wall, sits on the floor.
"What are you doing back there?" asks Agent Du as he glances back toward Ron before he quickly returns his attention back to flying the hover jet.
"Oh, just developing a concussion," Ron answers while rubbing the back of his head. He slowly gets up, makes his way to the copilot's seat, and sits down. As he buckles himself in, his thoughts, not surprisingly, turn to Kim.
Hold on Kim! Just hold on! I'm going to find you and I'm going to save you. Just hold on!
With Ron wrapped up in his thoughts and Agent Du focused on flying, silence soon fills the cockpit as they fly toward GJ headquarters. After twenty minutes, Agent Du breaks it. "Put this on," he says to Ron as he hands him a black blindfold.
Ron takes it and wraps it around his head mistaking it as a bandanna. "You know, I kind of feel silly wearing this thing. Why am I wearing this again?"
As Agent turns toward Ron, he begins to explain. "It's standard pr…" He stops as he sees a perplexed Ron wearing the blindfold as a bandanna staring back at him. Agent Du covers his eyes with one hand while shaking his head.
"What?" asks Ron as he shrugs his shoulders.
"It's a blindfold," explains an irritated Agent Du, "you put it over your eyes."
"If I put it over my eyes then I wouldn't be able to see anything," says Ron who quickly realizes that's the point, "ohhh." He pushes the blindfold down until it's over his eyes, adjusts it, and ties it to once again secure it. The opaqueness of the blindfold allows Ron to see nothing but darkness. Suddenly, he feels the jet decelerate steadily until it comes to a stop in mid air. Ron then feels the jet bounce slightly up and down before it performs a smooth, slow descent. This lasts for several seconds before he feels the jet touch down on something solid. Ron hears the clicking of Agent Du's seat belt as he unbuckles it. Ron reaches down for his seat belt and does the same. "Okay so now what?" Ron asks before he is immediately pulled out of his seat. "Whaaaa!"
"Come with me," says Agent Du's voice as Ron feels a gentle, but firm pull on his arm.
"Oh, like I have a choice," Ron says. He hits his foot on something hard. "Ow! Hey slow down!" He hops a little on his uninjured foot before something hard hits this foot. "Ow! Ow!" Suddenly, he hears a loud whoosh sound. "What was that?"
"The door opening," Agent Du states in a matter-of-fact tone.
"There aren't any stairs, right?" asks a concerned Ron.
"Yes, there are," says Agent Du.
"This does not bode well," warns Ron. Suddenly, Agent Du removes the blindfold and Ron's eyes begin to adjust to the brightness that greets him. Once his eyes have adjusted, Ron sees that the hover jet lies within an enormous hanger concealed within a large mountain with large lights attached to the metal walls. Looking around, he sees several other stationary hover jets of varying size, and shape in alignment with each other. He witnesses one taking off as its boosters lift it straight off its pad and up through the massive opening in the ceiling while another enters the hanger through the same opening. Ron also notices technicians and mechanics checking, maintaining, or repairing many of the stationary ones, including the one he stands in. "Whoa," an amazed Ron states.
Rufus emerges from Ron's pocket and shares Ron's amazement. "Wow!"
"Come on, Stoppable," Agent Du says, "Dr. Director is waiting." He steps around Ron and walks down the mobile metal stairs.
Ron, with resolve painted on his face, says to Rufus, "Time for some answers." He takes a step off the hover jet and slips. "Ahhhhh!" Ron screams as he tumbles down the stairs. Agent Du turns around just in time to see a tumbling Ron heading toward him. Unable to avoid the collision, Agent Du finds himself at the bottom of the stairs in a pile with Ron on top of him. Rufus emerges on top as an irritated expression forms on Agent Du's face while he drums his fingers on the cool, metal floor. "Sorry," Ron weakly says.
Agent Du's only responds with a deep, frustrated sigh as he pushes Ron off of him and picks himself off the ground. He walks gingerly toward a set of medium size automated sliding metal doors, which open. He waits at the door's threshold for Ron, who slowly gets up and dusts himself off. Rufus climbs up Ron and perches himself onto Ron's shoulder. Then Ron makes his way toward Agent Du and they both break the door's threshold. Seconds later, the sliding doors close.