Bad Hand

By mkusenagi2

The story concept © 5-19-2006
All Marvel characters are © Marvel Comics.
Kim Possible and other characters
from the show are © Disney Co.
I don't own Dark Horse Comics'
characters either.

Part IX

9-24-2006
Roxxon Central
1 Roxxon Plaza
The corner of
Liberty and Cortlandt Sts
New York, NY
The Boardroom
1330 hrs

It wasn't every company that could defy the United States Government, have the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's block renamed after itself to the aforementioned Bank Director's disgust, AND have ALL of the law enforcement agencies of the World dancing to their tune …

Roxxon Oil was that corporation.

Well… Almost all of them…

The Law Enforcement agencies' dancing that is…

SHIELD refused to cave in.

PERIOD.

And it vexed Roxxon's board so…

Especially its NEWEST member.

Varnae of Atlantis.

A Twisted, yet DISCIPLINED mass of hunchbacked, malevolent, undead flesh.

Right now he was INFURIATED, because his enemies had a copy of the data that could be his undoing. The technicians responsible had been consumed in the latest casting of the Vampiric Verses from the Ebontome so he could strengthen his hold in this reality. Ironically they had supplied enough energy to 'stabilize' his 'condition'.

Now he was worried because he had a major thorn in his side that refused to be removed…

Bad Hand.

From what he'd been able to find out this 'Bad Hand' was a mage in his own class, in some ways more powerful than even he was. Every time he sent his Shadows after him they lost.

And his partner… with that accursed green flame of hers…

She HAD to be one of HER children…

And if SHE got wind of his whereabouts, even though SHE was bound by SOME of the rules…

It would be disastrous.

'ARRRG!' Varnae was in pain!

'Just you wait VARMINT! My Niece an' her friend'll STOP ya… an' when they DO…'

'Quiet FOOL! You are nothing but a speck!'

'Y'all got it wrong… Speck huh? If I'm a speck why can't y'all beat me? Just a voice in yer head right? You just wait an' see… Days are numbered… VARMINT.' Slim disappeared.

'Now that it's ceased I'll have to figure out how to obtain what I need so I'm free of this curse… It's a shame that Roxxon the Younger has those wards in his person… It'd make things EASIER."

So mused the former Terror of North Atlantis.

---

9-24-2006
The Mano Malo
Bermondsey Docks
Bermondsey Parish
London, England
Sheila Sherman's
Bedroom
1835 hrs

"Thornton Paisley! He was our First Mission! I'll need everything you've got Wade. So how is it that he's involved?"

"I wouldn't say he's involved Kim. More like he's in the crossfire. According to what I could glean from my sources, he's been going toe to toe with Roxxon for years… Their latest battles have been in pharmaceutical research, with Paisley's conglomerate in the lead. Plus it helps that he's good friends with the Cousteau and Pasteur institutes. That's how he was able to get samples of the crinoids."

"Pasteur has the biochemical knowledge and Cousteau has the equipment… So what does Paisley have?" Kim asked.

"Money and one of the most sophisticated supercomputer networks on the planet." Sheila said.

"Oh." Kim and Wade.

"How…" Wade started.

"It pays to know who the heavy hitters are." Sheila said.

"Ok. So… Kim I've got a ride set up, ready to go?" Wade asked.

Kim Looked at Sheila who shook no.

"That's ok Wade… tell 'em thanks. We've got it covered."

"Ok. Fury?"

"Tell him that I found my 'fairytale', and that he needs to get our papers in order… Something tells me it's not over yet."

"OUR papers?"

"Ron's and mine. He's gonna have to cover our asses BIG time."

"Right. Wade out."

Both women looked at each other.

"…"

"…"

"So how's it that you ended up stopping the Hulk? I've always wondered and Ron refuses to talk about it." Sheila asked.

"Welll… Dr Banner and my Mom dated in college… it was before she met Dad. He'd heard a rumor that she was working on a way to control his condition, and stopped by to see if it was true… Someone recognized him, panicked, and called the military…"

"Uh oh." Sheila groaned.

"Yeah… ya gotta know that prior to this I'd NEVER met Dr Banner or The Hulk…"

---

9-18-2002
Middleton, CO
The Possible Residence
Kim Possible's Room
1430 hrs

"Kim! Ya Gotta SEE This!" Ron cried through the trapdoor to her room from the bottom of her steps.

"What is it, RON?" she replied as she leaped down the steps and landed beside him. 'He's NEVER sounded like 'THIS' before… It's like he's terrified AND excited about something he knows he shouldn't be…'

"C'mon Kimberly Anne… someone needs your help… and they haven't even asked yet!" Ron cried as grabbed her hand and ran into her living room.

'Kimberly Anne? Someone needs my help and hasn't asked yet?' Kim thought as she was planted on the couch and waited while Jim turned up the audio on the TV.

"Man Sis…" Jim started.

"You're SO…" Tim added.

"Slow!" Jim finished.

"Shhh!" Ron.

"This is Anna Ji reporting…" the svelte agate eyed Chinese Journalist began, "coming to you live from Middleton Medical Center where the Army is engaged… OH!" "WHOOSH! BAM!" Ms Ji and her crew ducked as a car that had been thrown overhead crashed in the street behind them! "As I was saying we're live from Middleton Medical Center where the Army is in pitched battle with the Hulk!" The cameras zoomed in to show the Hulk was throwing around several troopers in Stane International Hulkbuster™ battlesuits and crushing tanks as only he could.

'OHMIGOD! MOM!' Kim thought as she ran to her room. "Ron! Get Ready!" she threw over her shoulder.

"On it, KP." He replied as pulled his SHIELD armor kit out of the hall closet and got dressed.

"Beep Beep BeDeep!" The Kimmunicator chimed. "Go Wade."

"Kim! Are you watching?" Wade asked.

"I saw… Ride?" Kim said as she pulled on her SHIELD special issue kit.

"A SHIELD Harpy transport's on its way with a full company on board. You have a plan I hope?" Wade said.

"No. But Dr Banner's a friend of Mom's… I'll think of something…" she replied. "Get Fury on the horn, tell him I'm enroute and I need full field clearance."

"Gotcha Kim. Good Luck. Wade out."

'I'm gonna need it.' She thought.

---

'Thank God we've got the powered versions of SHIELD's suits…' she mused as they flew to the ongoing battle, 'But how're we gonna stop him? The Hulk's a Force Of Nature!'

"So what's the plan?" Ron asked as he flexed the Monkey Power through his armor while checking their gravchutes.

"Uh… I…" Kim started as she gazed into Ron's Chocolaty Eyes, 'Pull it together Possible!' "Standard plan… You distract him and lure him away from the hospital, and I'll see what we can figure out in terms of stopping him…" 'Such as how he fired up… I hope Mom's ok.'

"Coolio!" Ron said as he finished with their gear and resecured the Lotus Blade. A somber look passed over his face. 'Wish Rufus was here… he'd get a kick out of this…' "KP, I'm sure your Mom's ok. We'll handle this the best we can, like always."

Kim smiled at Ron and ruffled his hair. "Ron… I'm sorry about Rufus… And how I snapped…"

"KP… Kim… It's ok. Drakken had it coming… I wish there had been another way… but he got what he EARNED… bastard." A tear rolled down his cheek. Kim reached up and wiped it away.

"Ron… about us… the prom… where we are… The Dating…" she said.

"Yeah KP?" Ron replied.

"We've reached the dropzone Ma'am!" The jumpmaster declared.

'Shit!' "Ok, People! Let's do this as only SHIELD troopers can! Alpha Squad; secure the area as best you can and get any casualties to safety. Beta; assist the locals. Delta; stay in stealth mode, keep an eye on Ross, he's been known to get 'footloose' when 'collateral damage's' an issue. Ron and Gamma, you're with me." She said before they jumped out of the Harpy with their gravchutes on.

"YES MA'AM!" they roared.

"GO! GO! GO!" she roared over the link. 'Heckofa way to skydive… Just let the box do all the work. RIIIIGHT! Fury's right. The lab boys ARE crazy!'

"Hey KP! Look!" Ron cried over the link as he sailed and looped with the air currents like a hawk, "Pretty Cool huh?" 'Taxpayer's dollars at work! How sweet it IS!'

"Ron! Stop Playing Around! Keep Your Head In The Game!" she hissed over the link. 'Gotta love 'im though…!'

"Gotcha KP."

They touched down, surrounded the area and got to work. Kim, Ron, and Gamma Squad stealthed their suits and ran into the battlezone…

---

Kim and Ron watched the ongoing battle from the cover of the wrecked ambulance dropoff's collapsed roof while the rest of Gamma Squad watched from scattered positions in stealth mode…

"HULK SMASH YOU ALL! HULK HATE ARMY… YOU HURT NICE DOCTOR! AAAARRGGHHHHHH!" "BOOM!" he roared as he thrashed the Hulkbuster Armored troopers.

'Hurt nice doctor? … MOM!' "Gamma, stay in stealth mode and assist the troopers ESPECIALLY if they're injured and pulling back… Gamma 1… I'm sending you the codes for my Mom's chip. Maybe she can help with this mess!" Kim did so.

"Copy." They replied.

"Diva to Zeus… Diva to Zeus…" Kim linked to Ross.

'Dammit she's here… If she finds out…' General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross thought, "Go ahead Diva."

"What's the Sitch Sir?" Kim.

"A local ID Banner. We've been trying to capture or subdue him… You know the rest…" 'Little bitch.'

"In a HOSPITAL zone?" Incredulous Kim. 'I'll just bet it's that 'innocent', looks like we're gonna have to clean it up.'

"We DIDN'T choose the battlefield Diva. Now if you'll excuse me I've got some REAL WORK to do… Zeus out." ''She Can Do Anything' Right!'

---

"Ron. You ready?" Kim asked as she looked at her best friend with her heart in her throat.

"Yeah KP." He said as the Power glowed in his eyes.

"Go!" she said.

Kim and Ron charged the rampaging behemoth. Ron ran towards the Hulk and threw a chunk of masonry at the Hulk's head. "Hey Jade Jaws… over here!" he cried as he threw another piece at the Hulk… This time catching his attention since it hit his… 'nads.

'Gotta time this right…' Ron.

"!"

The Hulk dropped the troopers he was trashing and turned towards Ron.

The troopers retreated…

"WHY LITTLE MAN HURT HULK… WHY?" And with that the Hulk leapt at Ron.

"WHOOSH!" Ron rolled back, and lay down as the Hulk flew harmlessly over him.

"Ron!"

'MAN! He's FAST! Head In The Game Stoppable. What Now? Can't let him hurt anybody else… ESPECIALLY KP' he thought as he let the Power move him away, over, under, and through the Hulk's attempts to grab him! 'Can't use the Lotus Blade on him… He DOESN'T deserve to die.'

"LITTLE MAN HOLD STILL! RAARGHHH!" the Hulk cried as he slammed his fists into the concrete. "BLAMMM!"

"Yow!" Ron cried as he was thrown clear by the blast.

His suit guided his flight and switched on his gravchute to soften his landing.

The Hulk leaped onto Ron and attempted to pound him to paste.

"HUMMMM!" Ron's shields clicked on as his suit registered a high velocity impact and AUGMENTED themselves with the Power!

"Thank God for Tony Stark!" Ron cried as his armor's shielding deflected the Hulk's blows.

---

"…" "So let me get this straight," An Incredulous Sheila said, "Ron… OUR Ron… went toe to toe with the Hulk?"

"Yeah… I just asked him to be a distraction… He decided to go the extra mile…"

"wow." Sheila said.

"yeah." Kim replied.

---

"HULK SMASH YOU LIKE ARMY MEN WHO HURT DR POSSIBLE! ARRGGGHH!" he roared as he pounded away at Ron's Power augmented shields.

While this was going on, Gamma 1 had located and revived Kim's mother and extracted her from the ER rubble. "Ma'am are you ok?" he asked a dazed but unharmed Anne Possible. She nodded she was ok. "Gamma 1 to Diva."

"Mucho busy here. Make it quick!" Kim replied as she cartwheeled forward, kicked the Hulk's kidneys, and backflipped away in stealth mode. "UGGGH! RAGGGHH!" Hulk.

"I'm putting your Mom online Ma'am." He replied.

"Kimmie! You need to back off! One of my staff called Ross, Bruce was trying to protect me and got shot in the process…"

"But Mom…"

"TRUST ME KIM… He'll calm down as soon as he sees I'm ok. I'm coming out now."

"Ok Mom." Kim switched her link to their common frequency, "This is Diva. Under the authority given me by Col. Fury I'm taking command. EVERYBODY PULL BACK, NOW PEOPLE!" she roared over the link. Agents and troopers alike pulled back and formed a 60' diameter ring around the Hulk. SHIELD troopers inside and Army troopers outside the ring. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS. THIS IS MY COMMAND!" Ross griped on the private command frequency. "Shut it now!" Kim. Ron went into stealth mode and floated away.

"Huh! Where little man go? Hulk not finished smashing him yet." A baffled Hulk asked as he turned 'flakes' of rubble over searching for Ron.

The agents stealthed themselves as Anne Possible stepped forward to stand behind the SHIELD part of the ring. "Hulk… I'm ok… They won't hurt you anymore. Just relax ok?"

"Dr Possible ok? Ross not hurt her?"

Anne smiled at the Hulk, "No Hulk I'm fine. Just relax." 'Please calm down Bruce.'

"Hulk like Dr Possible She's ALWAYS nice to Hulk." The Hulk started to relax.

'This is taking too long… 'Anything's Possible for a Possible'… Well here goes Dad!' "Delta Squad take charge!" Kim said on the link as she ghosted up to the Hulk, deactivated stealth mode, stripped off her helmet and stepped forward…

"Copy." Delta said as they made Ross' personal staff stand down.

"What the…?" Ross said as he was temporarily stripped of command.

"Who this? HULK…" He started as he turned and focused on Kim.

'Kim!' Ron thought as he ghosted next to her.

"STOP!" Emerald Glare Kim said as the Hulk stepped forward. "Dr…" The Hulk frowned, Kim's Glare softened "Hulk… I'm Kim… Kim Possible… Anne's daughter…"

"…" "!" The Hulk smiled. "Kim Possible… She Can Do Anything… Kim Nice to GOOD people… but… She crushes BAD people…" a LOOK of fear passed over the Hulk's face, "Has Hulk been bad?"

"No Hulk… You haven't been bad… Just calm down, ok…? I'll be your friend. I promise. Just stop…" she said as she walked up to him and held his hand.

"Where Ron… Stoppable? He ALWAYS with Kim Possible… he VERY BRAVE…" the Hulk asked as he looked around.

"Ron. I know you're here…" Kim began.

Ron turned off his stealth and removed his Helm. "Hiya Big Guy. Sorry about uh… hitting your 'Nads earlier…" A sheepish Ron said as he stood by Kim.

A frown flew across the Hulk's face… "YOU Little Man!" 'AWWWWW MANNNN!' Ron. "… It ok, Hulk know you protecting Kim Possible."

"I'll make Ross go away and you can see Mom…" Kim started.

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!" Ross Roared as he ran up with a bazooka. "THIS SHELL'S DESIGNED TO KILL THAT SOB!" "FUMP!" went the bazooka as Ross fired an Adamantium tipped, nanite cored shell at Kim, Ron and the Hulk.

The world slowed down…

The Hulk focused and hit the ground with his gargantuan fists as Ross fired the shell causing Kim and Ron to fly away from him and knocking Ross' aim off target…

Anne Possible said a silent prayer…

As did the troopers…

The Hulk leaped up and CAUGHT the shell… Then plummeted to earth, threw the shell 100' feet into the earth below and capped the hole with rubble…

"… … … whump!"

"What just happened?" Gamma 1 said.

"The Hulk just saved my daughter." Anne said. 'Thank God!'

"RRAAGGHHH! HULK SMASH ROSS! FOR TRYING TO KILL KIM!" He Thundered as he rushed forward and grabbed Ross with one of his Jade fists. "HULK CRUSH…"

"NO! STOP IT HULK! I'M OK! DON'T KILL HIM! Let him GO!" Kim said.

"… … …" Something was happening… "Ok. I'll let him go Ms Possible." Dr Banner replied from inside the Hulk's body. "Are you SURE you're ok?"

"Yeah… Dr Banner…?" 'This is SO weird. Mom went out with this guy?'

"The One and Only. Thanks for helping me Kim." Banner said as he continued to hold a struggling Ross in his left fist. "I hope I wasn't TOO rough on you Ron. You've got some MAJOR guts to take me on like that…"

"No prob Dr B. When KP's cute as…" Kim GLARE, "uh… on the line it's no holds barred… Friends?" he asked as he reached forward to shake Banner's hand.

"Sure. Anne, I'll see to that exam in a bit ok?" Banner said.

"Ok. Maybe we can get things stabilized and you can get some peace for a change." Anne replied.

"Alright People! What'd I miss?" Colonel Nicholas J. Fury asked as he walked up and took a drag off his cigar. "Banner put him down, and go with Dr Possible."

"Yes Sir."

"The rest of ya… GIT TA WORK REBUILDIN' THIS HOSPITAL!" Fury Blasted to the assembled troops. "PROTECT AND SERVE REMEMBER?"

"YES SIR!" Communiqués were sent and equipment started to move…

"Col. Fury Sir! I uhh didn't see you standing there Sir. Uh, the Sitch is contained Sir!" Kim said. 'I think.'

"Excellent Agent Possible… or should I say Special Agent Possible? You carried out my instructions to the letter…"

'Special Agent Possible…?' Kim thought.

"SOLDIER! ARREST THAT… PERSON!" Ross said to an armored trooper as he pointed at Kim.

Fury stepped forward, his hand lazily holding his plasma blaster at his side. "On what grounds?" he asked. The trooper stepped back…

"Insubordination, treason…" Ross started.

"Treason? … Oh for 'siding' with The Hulk… Ross," Fury said as he holstered his sidearm, "Switch your link to Omega 1 code now." Fury replied with a tired voice.

Ross did so…

And Turned Ghostly!

Fury turned to Kim and Ron. "You guys'll be assigned to the rescue unit I'm forming 'til this blows over…"

"Coolio! Sir who's Ross talking to?" Ron asked.

"The President."

"OHHHHHH!" Kim and Ron chorused.

---

"WOW!"

"Heh." "Never a dull moment." Kim. "Ross got slammed for causing some deaths at the hospital, NOT Banner…"

"RINNGGGG!" went Sheila's link. "Hold on a sec K. Hello?" Sheila listened to the caller, "Yeah I can do that… Tell your partner that we're closing in. I'll stop by and fill you in over lunch. Bye."

Kim Looked at Sheila.

"Liz is in town." Sheila said.

"Oh."

"So if you kissed him at the prom and were dating him, why weren't you…? I mean how'd you miss out on being with him?" Sheila asked.

"Wait… How do you know about the kiss and…" Perplexed Kim.

"Hello… Mage to be AND Ninja."

"Right… I… was ashamed of what I did to Drew… He should have stood trial… it affected things… it affected ME, Ron wouldn't leave my side even though I put things on hold… He still loved me… But I had problems with killing Drew, ESPECIALLY since the Secret Court let me walk away without one reprimand… I was going to tell Ron that I loved him and wanted to marry him, but…" A teary Kim replied.

"He got dinged up, you and HB got dragged over to the Pentagon to be hung out to dry, and the rest is as they say history."

"yeah. Why…" Kim started, Sheila shushed her with a finger to Kim's lips.

"…" Sheila looked at her former enemy and made a choice. 'Guess Ron's rubbing off on me… Who've figured?'

"If you're wondering… I'm a ninja… We're taught that we should TREASURE the great people in our lives, not HOARD them. Besides I'd be a fool to stand in the way of what's going on between you two." Sheila said before she left to get her coat.

"oh."

Kim rose, left the kitchen, walked upstairs, opened the door to Ron's room, leaned against the jamb and watched…

As Ron levitated while meditatively studying the Book Of The Vishanti, while the Names of Marduk revolved around his person!

"!" Kim.

Sheila walked upstairs and entered Ron's room, pointedly looked at Kim while she hugged Ron, told him that she was having lunch with her sis and left…

End Part IX