Chapter 15: A Hunter, A Scourge, An Agent of Justice

"You can't cross the line, but I can…" The thought reverberated in Kim's mind as her consciousness failed to take her back into the real world. Her body could only feel the gentle breeze of the night. Over time, a muffled sound of a person talking through a communicator had found their way towards her. 'Requesting immediate evac.'

'What have I done?' She pictured herself walking up to Ron, the innocent smile on his face, the nonchalant tone in his voice. How she talked to him, he didn't show signs of any psychotic tendencies, he wasn't a sociopath either. He wasn't that quiet, he voiced out some concerns he had. The blonde boy was smart and dare would she say… interesting.

'This isn't… is this really…' That innocent smiled formed into a look Kim knew all too well in her line of work. Devoid of empathy, disregard of the lives he's taken. But somehow, he saw fit to entertain himself, taunting them, smirking, reminding all of them of their weaknesses. To him it was just a mission, a means to an end… and nothing else.

Kim wiggled her fingers and toes, a flare of her nostrils and she woke to a bright light. Her arms felt weak as she used one of them to shield her eyes. She sat up, still adjusting to the brightness, recovering from combat.

"You're in no shape to get up." A voice said to her. She turned to see fellow agent Will Du placing some medical supplies back into a kit. Sporting an annoyed look on his face, she could see that his bottom lip was cut and his cheek was bruised. "I could be with the director discussing Global Justice concerns, but after losing Hoodie, I've been delegated to provide backup to a mission suited for amateurs." He said under his breath. After closing the kit, he placed it back where it was found, not even sporting a passing glance towards his fellow agent.

"The vigilante…" Kim groaned. Her eyes closed for a couple seconds.

"Got away… Jack's throat is slit, several men were killed in an explosion and the investigation is a cold case. That's not even mentioning Drakken and Shego's escape." He opened a dossier related to the case, pictures of deceased victims and reports.

"I know who he is." She continued.

"I don't care." Will remarked callously. "The director placed this on your shoulders, not mine. My objective is to simply get you back home… nothing else." He left the medical bay, leaving Kim to huff in frustration. She lied back down.

A guy like Ron… at first glance, he's normal and innocent, but after this mission… she saw a different person altogether. Will may not care about this investigation, but she does.

He can't go about slaughtering the guilty unchecked. Kim knew she had to get back out there, she had to slip away from Will and hunt Ron down… if he's gonna strike again. She knows where he lives, his identity, it will enough to stop him, bring him down. But somehow, a doubt crept into her mind… exposure of his identity; could it be enough? Drakken, Shego, Duff Killigan, most of her rogues gallery happens to be known to the law. It didn't stop them, since Ron may as well be added to the list, what difference would it make if one more was added to the list.

Difference…

"Everything used to be so simple." Kim mumbles to herself. There was a routine, a pattern followed… but now it's different. There's more bloodshed, more risks… all it took was one guy about her age to bring it about. If that was the case, what will happen if they face off again? Would she be able to stop him, or just another body count? A fear like that wasn't to be ignored, for her right arm trembled, leaving her left hand to grip it. Despite what Ron said at the diner, a part of her doubted if there was any truth to his words… as she did before.

"You said he kills bad people right? You're obviously not a bad person so maybe that's why. I mean you save the world, so you've a got a lot of respect… from the good guys at least."

Was there by any chance that he respected her to a point where he didn't want to kill her, or that she didn't cross the line like the others did? Kim wanted to lock Ron up, that's a given. If he wanted to hide his identity from people who would stand against him, it would've made sense for the blonde boy to get rid of any loose ends. Kim had to figure it out for herself, his reaction had confirmed it. He was after criminals and no one was going to stop him, not even Kim.

So why did Ron let her live in the first place?

There had to be more than what he was letting on, that's the idea. She looked through her pockets and found her Kimmunicator. She sat up and threw her hair back.

"Kim! I'm glad you're okay." Wade said. "I heard about what happened."

She looked around, peering outside to examine the cockpit, checking if anyone was watching her. To her relief, no one was…

"Wade, I need you to track the vigilante again, he's planning to strike again."

"Ok, but where would he go? We gotta narrow down the search first." He suggested. Taking a sip of his soda, he then went to typing.

"Before he was killed, Jack mentioned something about trafficking young girls. A shipment was made and there could be a chance that's where he's headed."

"Ok…" Wade quickly did a search. "So far there hasn't been any shipments that left the Middleton area yet. When there's something off I'll let you know."

"Ok Wade, thanks." She ended the transmission and lied back down. 'Ron… wherever you are…' she huffed under her breath. 'I'll find you and I'll put a stop to this.'

Meanwhile

Getting back to Middleton wasn't difficult for Ron, but what he's going to do next won't be pretty either.

The goal was of course to see the director of Global Justice, Felix was on the job of tracking her down, but there wasn't any progress… yet.

Despite this, Ron had to make a stop… normally this called for a discreet and subtle approach. This is no exception… even as he crouched onto the roof of the home and knocked on the window door. From the sound of it, someone was watching tv. He knocked on the window with his knuckle. Ron could hear the person jolt up, sneaking towards the window. Once their eyes met, he wave friendly, leaving the other to breathe a sigh of relief.

Opening the window, the figure looked at him in surprise "Y'know, you could've used the front door." Monique said to him. His eyes were cast downward, twiddling his thumbs.

Immediately after seconds of her finishing her sentence, he came out with these certain words. "I can't stay." Looking back up at the fashionista, his eyes contained guilt, yet absent of sorrow and regret.

"You can't stay?" She scoffs at the statement blissfully unaware. "You came all the way here to tell me that? C'mon, baby boy, what's going on?"

"Look um… when I went with Kim to the mission, everything was ok but…" He looked away for a bit. "I feel like you need to hear this from me."

Monique became silent. Based on his deadpan expression, there was something important he wanted to say. Something happened during the mission, did Drakken actually get the upper hand this time?

Three words were uttered from his mouth. "I'm the vigilante." The world just suddenly paused for almost a second.

A silent chuckle came from Monique's lips. "Okay, so you're the big bad hero…" Her tone wasn't denial but disbelief. "Ok 'vigilante'…" She air quoted the word. "Prove it." Folding her arms she awaited a response.

But he didn't put anything into words, Ron merely took off the strap of his blade and showed her the blade still in the sheathe. Placing it onto the edge of the window. "I'm not lying to you." His eyes showed a form of sincerity as he looked upon Monique's own, still in shock.

"Wait… wait, wait, wait… why would you tell me this, why not just keep it a secret?"

Ron only shrugged his shoulders. "I guess you deserved to hear it from me than anyone else. I know we're not best friends… but still." His voice sounded drained. His eyes looked away from her.

"Is… is Kim…" Monique wanted to know… was the redhead okay? Did he kill her or did Drakken's goons do it? Knowing the latter would've been difficult, it certainly wouldn't be impossible.

"She's ok, don't worry. Kim's heading back home." The silence came back, Ron clenched his left hand into a fist, then released it. "Look, I don't wanna cause anymore weirdness after this. I understand if you don't wanna… Y'know."

Monique covered her face and let out a sigh. "How long?" She asked. She wanted to look at him, yet found it difficult. How long was he a vigilante, how long has he trained for something like this, how long has he been killing bad guys?

Ron answered all of those questions with the simplest of words. "Too long." Gently arming himself with his blade. He wanted to reach out, to place his hand on Monique's shoulder, yet he was refrained from it, fearing that it would make things worse. "I'm sorry." He murmured.

Monique, her back still towards him, drew a shuddering breath turned to him. "Ron I…"

She failed to finish her sentence as the blonde boy vanished from sight. She peeked from the window, from side to side. She found no one there.

"Hey Felix, did ya find the Director yet?" Ron asked him.

"Yeah, but here's the thing…"

Ron pinched the bridge of his nose. "There's always a thing isn't there?"

"She's still in Global Justice headquarters, she's about to leave, so you'll have to corner her in the parking lot there."

He sighs. "This tanks, man." Now he had another trip, he hoped there would be some amount of pleasantry in this.

An Hour Later

Sifting through files and reports, the Director was so keen onto the vigilante. This unhinged individual piqued her interest, professionally at least. Being an agent of GJ isn't always about reveling in victories and showing power over their adversaries, lines had to be crossed just as hard calls had to be made. This person may as well have done both, considering his actions as of late.

Team Impossible would be back on active duty tomorrow, Kim and Will are still active, but reeling over the failure of the mission that was the capturing of the vigilante and Hoodie's protection respectively. Things should be back to something that's considered a normality… if only that was true. She had an eye for talent and this person met the criteria.

Would it be smart for her to let him slip through the cracks? Allow an opportunity that dared to knock go unanswered? One week barely passed and already around thirty people were murdered by him. Criminals to be precise.

Arriving at her vehicle, she was about to unlock the car doors before the lights of the parking lot vanished. As the car glowed for a second, there was a barely visible silhouette appearing behind her.

She slowly turned to see the vigilante standing… still, undaunted and eerily calm. A light flickered from the side, yet she didn't dare to take her eyes off of him.

"I didn't come to fight you." That was his statement.

Regaining her composure, she responded. "Imagine my surprise, my agents couldn't catch you, but you show up right on my doorstep."

"Well I just couldn't stay away… I wanted to dance with you again but ah… Y'know… duty calls."

"So you're Dean huh? The guy who loves the outdoors, who loves hunting?" She walked towards him.

For some reason, a lecherous thought came to mind. Should the Director walk closer, using her fingers to slowly remove some of the armor and clothing enough to expose his bare chest. The blonde boy, would unzip the suit she wore, slip his hand to feel her warm, supple breasts… pushing her body to the car, unlocking the car door for the passenger seat and ravaging her in order to satiate the inner lusts corrupting his mind. Intertwining their hands as he would thrust himself inside her folds, which in turn would swallow and grip him with delight.

He rubbed the corner of his eye and cleared his throat, a method to avert his mind from going any further. "Well, Dean Andrews to be precise. Sorry for dropping in like this. I couldn't really get your attention, you're not on a phone book from what I can tell."

The director pulled something out from her pocket in a steady manner. What she pulled out was a phone and turned it on. "I'd like to know if you have a good reason for being here. You've trespassed on private property, assaulted some of my agents and killed about twenty-five to thirty criminals, since I last checked. It hasn't been a week and already you're causing them trouble, just as you're causing me trouble. If I don't have enough of a good reason, I'll put this place on lockdown and I'll have security bring you in for questioning." Her thumb hovered over the button. Her confidence wavered slightly, she already knows what he's capable of could some average security guards actually bring him down? This is a guy who went toe to toe with Kim Possible.

"Jack Hench is dead and his company is not going to make it without him. The allegations brought onto him by a lot of people weren't good enough."

"Lack of evidence, I'm aware of that." She folded her arms, her thumb still hovering over the button.

"The story's gonna break anytime that Hench was killed to the public. He'll die as a philanthropist and legitimate businessman and that won't look good… for you I mean."

Her thumb inched closer to the button, this boy has already gotten her in enough trouble. Betty was poised to push it, but not yet.

"So what if I told you… I have everything you need? Evidence like his dealings, human trafficking, money laundering, the works. A confession, the torture part and the 'over the phone' part. Doesn't matter which, he admits it anyway."

She inched her thumb away from the button. "I'm listening."

Ron walks up to her and leans onto the car. "I'm hunting the same people you are, I want my attacks on these criminals to be more precise. I heard of this organization called the Worldwide Evil Empire. I want that."

Betty's hand relaxed, she huffed and closed her eyes for a couple seconds. "Let's say I consider this offer, I get this information, it benefits my organization and myself… what would you want out of it? Aside from the killings and the bloodlust?"

"Everyone has a lust, but I don't think I associate myself with a 'blood lust'…" his voice grew quiet as the sentence nearly finished. "But as I said, we're fighting the same enemies and that's enough. We can start with whatever's going on in the city right now."

The Director took a good look at him, while it may seem that his words, his actions were sincere. But there's another reason as to why he's out there… killing. It couldn't be helped that she was curious about the deeper meaning to it. Ron wanted his attacks to be more 'precise', he wanted to hit them where it hurts. Three low level gangsters weren't enough for him. He wanted the big leagues, he wanted the professionals.

If that's what he wants, that's what he'll get.

"If you want me to accept this deal, then you'll have a little something for me tomorrow." She gave him a headset. "I'll contact you in a given time… you show up late or with someone, the deal's off. What I'm going to suggest it unauthorized, so stealth is of the essence for the mission."

"So this means… I'm your personal assassin?" Ron asked.

She unlocked the door and started her car. "Don't disappoint me, talent like yours shouldn't go to waste. Also one piece of advice… you might need a haircut." Before she could shift her gears, the lights suddenly turned off and flickered back on, indicating his sudden disappearance.

An Hour Later…

After Ron finished up with his nightly expeditions, he tended to his wounds in the bathroom. Running his hands with cold water, he slicked his hair back. His back still shivered over the burning feeling of Shego blasting him.

Getting out of one doghouse, he lands in another. The Director of GJ, skeptical but eager to put his skills to use for missions that will spill blood. More so, the ops had to be covert. It should be easy for him right?

Not if Kim had anything to say about it.

The redhead knows his identity now, she'll be monitoring him, watching his every move. Even more, he even told Monique about it. A gossip queen and the girl he pretty much traumatized. While he felt guilty about the latter, even if he knew there's always a darker and unforgiving side to humanity, there was also one that still had hope… goodness. A side that Kim would try to make him see.

Even as he rubs water on his face, his mind kept going back to that day. Sighing in misfortune, he wanted to go to sleep but he took a pair of scissors.

"Maybe I can cut this short."