A/N: For those who have read the story on AO3, besides the grammar and continuity edits, I've added in a little scene with Zoe towards the end. For those of you who have just come on board, I hope you're enjoying this AU twist to Kim Possible. There's A LOT more to come!
Schloss Markhaus—the Bavarian Alps
Hope, looking absolutely stunning in her red Dior dress, Gucci shoes, gold necklace and earrings, and full length mink fur coat gasped at the Alpine view she saw from her vantage point on the cable car carrying her, Tara, and David to their destination. "This is beautiful." She said in a hushed tone as her eyes fell on the snowcapped mountains.
"Takes your breath away, doesn't it?" Tara, wearing a dark blue designer dress with a white mink coat replied as she inclined her head to their destination. "Schloss Markhaus. Built in the fourteenth century by Rudolph von Wittelsbach. Granted to the von Stassel family during the reign of Ludwig II. Heinrich took possession from his brother five years ago under suspicious circumstances and has since quietly converted it into a fortress."
"Someone's done their homework." David chuckled as Wade's image appeared on their phones.
"There are mines scattered outside the castle and enough electricity runs through that fence to fry an elephant." Wade reported. "Fortunately, I was able to hack into one of Kramer's lieutenant's files and attained a map of where most of the mines are located."
"Most?" Tara raised her eyebrows.
"Sorry." The computer genius apologized, "I had to get out before triggering an alarm. His security systems make Drakken's look like J. P. Bearymore's in comparison."
"It's okay Wade." Hope said in a consoling voice.
"Yeah." Tara interjected, "What you got for us is more than enough."
"Thanks." The young boy replied as he sipped his cola through a crooked straw. "I'm picking up on four anti-aircraft emplacements on the turrets and what looks like hatches for the missile batteries. You need to knock those out for the GJ assault teams that will be coming in when you give the signal."
"Right." David nodded his head as the cable car neared the castle. "Is there any danger of your transmissions being intercepted, Wade?"
His lips turned up in a wide grin, the young genius let out a brief chuckle, "Not a chance. I'm using an ultra-ultra-high frequency that would take very specialized detection gear and I have an encryption program that will take them forever to crack."
"Okay, girls." David smirked as he slipped his arms around his two escorts who leaned into him, "It's showtime."
"Good luck!" Wade said, "I'll continue monitoring. Be sure you set your Kimmunicators to vibrate."
"Hmmmm…" Tara purred, causing the young boy to blush, "…you really know how to turn a girl on."
"Ummmm…" Wade stammered, "Yeah….uhhhh….later."
"You scared the poor boy." Hope chuckled as the cable car came to a rest at the castle entrance. Taking a deep breath as the door opened, the lovely dark-haired young woman whispered, "Here we go."
Exiting the cable car with his escorts clinging close to him, David greeted the security officer standing by the gate.
"Invitation, please." The guard, wearing a grey uniform that bore more than a passing resemblance to an old Wehrmacht uniform and carrying a submachine gun in a sling, requested in a polite, yet no-nonsense voice.
Handing the guard the sealed envelope containing the invitation, David waited patiently as the sentry opened the envelope and entered in a key code on a small keypad in his booth. Nodding his head once, the guard returned. "Thank you, Mr. Bruckner. You and your companions may proceed. An officer will meet you and escort you to your room. The reception is at 1800 hours in the main hall."
"Thank you." David replied. "Girls? Shall we?"
"Can't wait 'til we get to our room, baby." Tara giggled as she kissed the man next to her on his cheek.
"Yeah, honey…" Hope pouted as she nibbled his ear, "I'm cold."
"Mr. Bruckner?" A man dressed in a uniform similar to the outside guard's, but with braid and what appeared to be rank epaulettes and rank insignia on the collar, called out to the newcomers, waving them towards him.
"I guess von Stassel didn't get the message about World War 2 being over." Tara quipped.
"Apparently not." David agreed through tight lips.
"Another good reason to take care of business here." Hope whispered as the trio approached the officer.
"Herr Bruckner?" The officer, a man in his early thirties with a well-chiseled face, blond hair, and blue eyes—the ideal SS recruit Hope noted, hiding her disgust behind a bored look and pout. "Leutnant Hans Gruber at your service."
"Leutnant." David inclined his head slightly.
"If you will follow me, Herr Bruckner…" The lieutenant requested, "I shall escort you and your…companions…" the stern-faced officer coughed, "…to your room. Cocktails will be at 1800."
"Thank you." David replied as he allowed himself and his escorts to be led to their room. Upon entering the luxuriously appointed suite, Tara raised a finger to her lips, receiving in return nods of understanding from her companions. Taking out the cigarette case given to her by Wade, she opened the lining and touched the screen. Pointing at a vase, she looked at the flowers and smiling, signaled for Hope and David to join her.
At once recognizing the bug, David pointed it out to Hope who nodded her head. Tara repeated the procedure, picking up on two other bugs—one in the bathroom and another the bedroom. Pointing to the balcony, the trio stepped out as Tara again swept the area for bugs or long-range monitoring equipment. Nodding her head, she took out a cigarette and, lighting it, put the case away.
"We're safe here." She declared as she took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled. "God, that tastes good…first cigarette I've had since we boarded that cable car."
"We'll meet the rest of the players at the cocktail party." David conjectured, "That'll give the two of you a chance to scope things out while I keep von Stassel and the others occupied."
"Right." Tara nodded her head and then explained to Hope, "What we're going to be doing is mingling around, talking to the other escorts and the staff. Be careful…no doubt von Stassel has made sure everyone there is loyal to him, but you might be able to pick up something useful. Pay attention to who goes in and out of each door and take note of any special instructions the valet or head bartender or chief security goon gives the rest of the staff."
"Right." David nodded his head, offering his advice as well, "From them, you can find out things that might not seem important but can be very useful like wake up times, whether that person likes a nightcap and what that drink is, who has a do not disturb sign up in their room, shift schedules, details like that."
"All that stuff's going to come in handy when it's time for us to make our move." Tara said as she activated her Kimmunicator. "Wade…you pick up anything from your end and can you do something about the bugs?"
"I'm picking up some interesting comm traffic between the castle and the Slovalkan capital. Running it through decryption…" The computer genius reported, "Got it. It reads: N-Day on schedule. Twenty-six hours and counting."
"Right." David took a deep breath, "We're on a timetable. We've got twenty-six hours before von Stassel and Prozylka make their play."
"As for the listening devices…" Wade interjected, "I can use your Kimmunicators to set up a damping field for one of the bugs—preferably with as tight a space as possible."
"Bathroom would probably work best." Hope suggested.
"Good." Tara chuckled as she put out her cigarette. "I don't feel like coming out here and freezing my arse off every time we need to talk."
"If we're done out here…" David suggested as he shivered from the cold, "Why don't we get back inside. We need to get ready for the cocktail party and dinner. The invitation said formal attire."
"Does that mean we get to see you in that tux?" Hope purred.
"I always loved a man in a tux." Tara remarked with a flirty wink.
Middleton High
"Can you believe it!" Bonnie Rockwaller ranted as her court, Liz and Marcella, stood quietly and listened along with the other cheerleaders including an increasingly irritated Kim and the team mascot, Ron. "The Dirty Pair win some sort of special scholarship program for two weeks in Europe while I'm stuck here! It's not fair. My grades are just as good as theirs! And since I'm higher on the food chain, I should be the one going to Europe, not them."
"Well…they're both doing pretty good in geography and Tara's getting good grades in English and history…" Jessica began only to be silenced by the brown-haired cheerleader's glare.
"I'm as surprised as you are that they got it, Bonnie." Kim interrupted, "But they did get it, so…how about feeling happy for them."
Crystal, picking up Kim's intent and realizing that it wouldn't fly if it came from the redhead, interjected, adding a little sweetener, "Doesn't this make us all look better, Bonnie, since they're both cheerleaders. That should boost your place on the food chain—right?"
"Hmmm…" Thinking about the matter for several moments, Bonnie slowly nodded her head, "You've got a point there, Crystal. It does boost us on the food chain."
"So not the drama." Kim whispered to her best friend as the pair walked away from the other cheerleaders, "Still…don't you think it's kinda weird that they just all of a sudden landed that scholarship? A scholarship neither I nor any other honor student knew about. Even Kevin Guberman didn't know about it. Something's not right here. Tara and Hope get this special two week free ride trip to Europe…Francois did an emergency style for a British woman named Tara King who just happened to have long blonde hair recently…that terrorist attack involving a nuke at the Space Center…there are just an awful lot of coincidences."
"Maybe have Wade do a quick background check on Tara?" Ron suggested, sharing his friend's suspicions.
"That's not a bad idea." Kim replied as she walked to her locker and contacted the Team Possible computer expert on the PC in her locker.
"Yeah, Kim?" Wade appeared on the screen, "What's the sitch?"
"Can I get you to do a background search on Tara King for me, Wade? Please and thank you."
Not liking having to lie to his friends, Wade, after a suitable amount of time, transmitted the cover dossier for Tara provided for him by Mother and Global Justice. "Here you go, Kim."
Reading over the information on the screen, the young redhead shook her head, "Everything seems to check out, but…something just doesn't seem right."
"You sure you're not feeling a little jealous yourself, Kim?" Ron asked, then seeing the expression on his friend's face, the blond sidekick quickly backpedaled, "Whoa, Kim! Bad choice in words! Not that you really are jealous or anything. You know, it could be because we've been really busy and when the offer came up, we might have been on a mission or something…yeah…" Ron sighed as that seemed to mollify his friend, "That's it, we were just too busy."
"Maybe." Kim reluctantly conceded, "But still…there's something in the back of my mind that tells me there's more there."
As soon as Kim and the other cheerleaders had departed the locker room and Bonnie knew that she was alone, she slumped down on a bench and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Thank you, Crystal." She muttered to herself, "The last thing I needed was to have Lonnie and Connie using that damned study trip to put me down any more than they're already going to do. I can at least tell them that my place at the top of the chain is still solid. If Kim had won, it would have been a complete disaster." As she sat by herself, alone in the empty locker room, Bonnie muttered softly to herself, "Is being at the top of the food chain really worth it?"
Schloss Markhaus
"You really do fill out a tux nicely." Hope, wearing a black evening gown slit up to her thigh and an ermine stole grinned lasciviously as she adjusted David's tie.
"Absolutely smashing, darling." Tara, elegant in a burgundy evening gown with sable stole agreed.
"Well…" David's lips turned up in a slight smirk as he slipped an arm around each of his companions, "Shall we?"
"Let's." Both girls replied in unison as the attendants opened the door to the main hall, allowing the threesome to make their entrance.
"Nice…" Hope said as she eyed the expensive antique décor.
"von Stassel might be a wannabe fascist dictator, but one thing I do have to say about him…" Tara quipped, "…he does have good taste."
"Speak of the devil." David murmured to his escorts, "Showtime, girls."
"Herr Baron." David politely greeted the crime boss with a courteous bow.
"Herr Bruckner." Von Stassel correctly acknowledged. "Your reputation precedes you. And these lovely ladies I take it are your…companions?"
"Yes, Sir." David respectfully replied as he introduced Hope and Tara.
"Welcome to Schloss Markhaus." The villain said as he made a sweeping gesture with his right hand, "Please, mingle. Get to know your fellow guests. I think you'll find that you have much in common with each other."
Bowing, David politely took his leave, "I look forward to it Herr Baron."
"Tara…this is Wade, can you talk?"
"Nnnn…" The blonde muttered in a low voice.
"Understood, I'll do the talking. Kim's getting suspicious. She had me do a background check on you. I gave her the cover file. I think it bought some time, but she's going to find out sooner or later."
"Uh…Huh." Tara agreed.
"I don't like lying to Kim." Wade declared, "Sooner or later, her and Ron are going to have to find out. Better you tell them than they find out on their own."
"Uh…Huh." Tara vocalized, again signaling her agreement with the young boy's analysis.
"I'll keep monitoring. So far, so good. Wade out."
"What did Wade have to say?" Hope whispered as the two girls made their way to the bar.
"Kim's getting close. We're going to have to bring her in on things soon, I think." Tara replied.
Nodding her head as the pair reached the bar, Hope noted, "Kim was bound to put two and two together eventually."
"Frauleins?"
"Gin and tonic, please." Tara requested.
"White wine." Hope replied.
Taking a sip of her cocktail, Tara grinned, "Now, it's David's show. All we have to do is look pretty, watch, and listen."
As the two girls mingled with the other escorts, a burly chestnut-haired man with a faint scar on his cheek and wearing a uniform with plenty of braid on his epaulettes and collar insignia came in from a side door on the opposite side of the hall from where the girls stood and approached the Baron. On reaching the German aristocrat, the man whispered in his ear, his eyes almost imperceptibly turning their attention to David as he spoke.
"Kramer." Tara whispered. "I don't like the looks of that. See what he's doing?"
Paying closer attention, Hope picked up on the head and eye movements of the security chief, "Yeah." The dark-haired cheerleader whispered back, "You think he knows who David is?"
"We'll know in a moment." Tara responded as she took out her cigarette case, giving Hope a gentle nudge with her elbow as she did so, "Be ready in case."
"Right." Hope answered back as she took out her own case.
Watching the two men talking while giving the appearance of opening their cigarette cases, the two women paid very close attention to the movements of both the Baron and his security chief. Then, catching the Baron's subtle shake of the head, Tara relaxed as she took out a regular cigarette.
Imitating her friend's actions, Hope took out a regular cigarette as well as Tara lit first hers and then her friend's. Forcing herself to take a small drag, Hope quickly exhaled.
"Sorry, luv." Tara whispered, "But we've got to make it look good. Just hold it and take a puff now and then and don't inhale. After a few minutes, you can put it out. Remember…" The blonde said as she took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled, "The play's the thing."
"Ms. Sampson's English." Hope smirked as she took a sip of wine and a second small puff. "This is one habit I don't think anyone has to worry about me picking up." She said, keeping the smile on her face. "No offense, T, but it tastes awful."
"Everyone has their own vices." Tara chuckled as her eyes scanned the room, "We're missing one VIP. Where is General Prozylka?"
It didn't take long for Tara's question to be answered as a set of double doors opened, revealing a barrel-chested silver haired man with tinted glasses wearing a Slovalkan dress military uniform laden with medals and gold braid. "That must be our general." Hope remarked with a crooked grin, "I'm surprised he hasn't tipped over from all those medals on his chest."
"Definitely overcompensating for the lack of something." Tara agreed with a smirk. "Looks like our three baddies are getting together for a confab. Wade? Do you think your devices are sensitive enough for us to listen in?"
"I think so…" The young hacker pounded at his keyboard for several moments before joyfully exclaiming, "Ta Da!"
As the static gave way first to voices and then to words, Tara vocalized, "Remind me to give you a kiss, dear boy."
Blushing, Wade responded sheepishly, "Ummm…I'll settle for a Slurpity cola."
"Deal." Hope whispered as she and her companions listened in on the conversation between the two archvillains.
"Herr Baron…how are we progressing?"
"We are proceeding according to schedule, General. In approximately twenty four hours you will be the new leader of Slovalka."
"And you will have access to the rare earths you need for Project Gotterdammerung."
"Excellent."
"Well…Herr Baron…I shall take my leave now. I must ready our forces to move on your signal."
"No need to hurry, General. We can have you at your staging area in plenty of time." As the Baron snapped his fingers, a rather well-endowed blonde woman wearing a white evening gown that clung in all the right places approached, coming to a halt at the general's side. "I've arranged some entertainment for you. Stay…enjoy the evening."
"Thank you." The general leered as he slipped his arm around the woman's waist, "I believe I shall."
"Not good." Tara muttered into her comm unit. "If we're going to move, it'll have to be tonight."
"At least the bimbo will keep the General occupied for a while." Hope pointed out with a smirk.
"Could be the distraction we need." David agreed and then cautioned, "Looks like Kramer wants to talk with me. Monitor just in case things go south."
Plastering a phony smile on his face, the handsome secret agent greeted von Stassel's chief of security. "Colonel Kramer, I presume?"
"Herr Bruckner." The colonel responded coolly, but correctly. "I trust you are enjoying your stay here?"
"I am." David suavely responded, "But my companions do feel a bit cold. I fear we shall have to make our exit soon."
"Understandable." The security chief answered back, his lips turning up in a leer. Cocking his head to one side, the mercenary commented, "You remind me of someone. Have we met before?"
"No Colonel." David shook his head, "I don't believe we have. But…in the business we're in…"
Kramer responded with a nod of his head, "Yes…we are a rather close-knit community—aren't we. Well…enjoy the rest of your evening."
"You pick up on that?" David vocalized as he mingled through the crowd.
"Yes, luv." Tara replied, "I think it might not be a bad idea to take our leave sooner rather than later."
"Agreed." Then the undercover agent heaved a dejected sigh, "Looks like I'm about to be collared by a couple of the other guests. I'll meet you at the bar once I get free of them."
Joining his girls after a lengthy conversation with a Russian diplomat and a South Korean financier, David held the two women close to him as he whispered, activating his link with Wade. "Had an interesting conversation with Misters Anatoly Apraxin and Dae Hyun Min. It seems that MALUS's tentacles are wrapped around more than we thought. Besides trying to take over a country, MALUS is planning on engineering a crash of the South Korean stock market. If they succeed, it could leave at least one automotive and one electronics corporation open for takeover."
"And what did Mister Apraxin have to say?" Tara asked.
"He let slip plans by a rogue element of the FSB to destabilize the government of Santo Markos in order to gain control of its port facilities. He says that they're looking to hire mercenaries and will need a reliable source of arms that cannot be traced."
"Nothing like an coup in a Mediterranean paradise." Tara snorted. "You get all that, Wade?"
"I got it and am forwarding it all straight to the Director and to Mother." The young boy replied.
"We picked up some useful tidbits too." Hope said as the trio made their way to the exit.
"Right." Tara agreed, "They've upgraded their security system to include besides the standard laser grid and motion sensors, a sensor that will detect changes in airflow patterns. That's going to make it difficult to come in from above using a harness and wires and pulleys."
"We're going to need to find a way to knock out the power at least partially." David postulated as the group exited the hall and made their way to their room.
"Right." Tara nodded her head, "We're going to have a busy night tonight."
After changing into their work gear of catsuits for the women and black shirt, jacket, and pants for David, the three adventurers checked their equipment in the bathroom, the only room not covered by von Stassel's surveillance devices. "Right…Wade…can you call up a floor plan?"
"Sure." The techie cautioned, "I've updated it as best I can, but there might be new changes that I couldn't account for."
"I've color-coded Prozylka's suite in green, Kramer's in yellow, and von Stassel's in red." Wade declared as the named rooms changed colors appropriately. "The intel we need will be in one of their rooms—most likely von Stassel's."
"Still worthwhile going through the other suites." Tara commented, "Who knows what sort of goodies the others have."
"Right." David nodded his head before grimly stating, "If Prozylka and von Stassel escape, they will most likely carry out the coup anyway. I also don't like the sound of this Operation Gotterdammerung those two were talking about."
"Gotterdammerung…" Hope racked her memory for a moment, "The end of the world. You're right. That doesn't sound good."
"We can't take the risk of von Stassel and Prozylka carrying this out." David said in a grave tone. I'm sorry, but I don't see any choice where those two are concerned other than termination."
As the full impact of the spy's words sunk in, Wade protested in a hushed tone, "There has to be another way. Can't we turn them over to Global Justice or the Bundespolizei or something?"
"I wish we could, Wade." Tara said in a soft voice, herself not looking forward to the concept of killing someone in cold blood. "But…David's right. We can't afford to let either of those two men escape. The stakes are just too high."
"I'll do it." David volunteered. Raising his hand as Tara took a breath to object, David stated, "I'm the trained assassin after all. After we neutralize the security systems, you two will be busy enough breaking into the suites and securing the intel. I'll track them down and do what has to be done and meet you here." He then pointed to an apparent blind spot on the wall, "We'll rappel down the wall and navigate through the minefield and extract. If something happens to me…" David trailed.
"We'll take care of von Stassel and Prozylka." Tara said.
Hope announced in a low voice, "We'll do what has to be done."
Addressing Wade, the blonde adventuress inquired, "Any ideas on how we can take down their security alarms?"
"Yeah." Wade replied, "There are two nodes that have to be deactivated. I've highlighted their locations on your mini-maps. When you get to the nodes, you'll need to deactivate them simultaneously. They're activated and deactivated by a turnkey. If one is turned off before the other, the general alarm will go off."
"There's probably a guard close by with the key with each one." Tara conjectured. "We'll have to take him out first." Turning to Hope, she instructed, "We'll wear coats and just walk up to the guards. The worst thing that can happen is for them to catch us sneaking around. If you run into any roving patrols, just tell them that you're on your way to entertain one of the guests."
"Got it." Hope nodded her head as she slipped her coat on.
"Anything else we should be aware of from your end, Wade?"
"Yeah." Wade reported, "I'm picking up on increased traffic in vehicular and air traffic in your area. It looks like they're already beginning to preposition for their coup attempt."
Looking down at his watch, David announced, "We're now on the clock. Ready?"
"Ready." Both girls replied in unison as they both put coats on over their catsuits.
"Ready." Wade responded, "Counting down…now."
Exiting their room, the three spies went about their separate tasks. Moving swiftly, they came to an intersection where Tara went left, Hope took the right corridor, while David proceeded straight ahead.
As she continued down her corridor, Tara heard voices and footsteps approaching. Proceeding confidently ahead, she added a little sway to her hips as she walked.
"Halt!" One of the guards called out as he and his partner approached the young blonde.
Doing as she was told, Tara waited until the guards arrived before asking in a sugary-sweet voice, "Is there something wrong?"
"Why are you outside your quarters now?" The first guard demanded.
"I was told to go to the General's room." Tara winked, "It seems our general has a thing for blondes as the one that Baron von Stassel provided for him wasn't enough to completely take care of him. Herr Buckner sent me to…well let's just say seal a deal—if you know what I mean luvs."
Laughing, the second guard motioned with his submachine gun. "Down the corridor and to your left. You'll find a guard at the door. We'll radio ahead and tell him you're coming."
"Heinz?" A…lady…is coming to your post. The General is expecting her. Let her in."
"Thanks, luvs." Tara smirked as she blew the guards a kiss, making sure to add even more sway to her hips as she walked away. "David, there's a guard at the door at the end of the corridor you're going down. Stay out of line of sight."
Making her way quietly down the corridor, Hope paused for a moment as she marveled at how quickly her life had changed. From high school cheerleader to international spy and jewel thief…talk about your extracurricular activities. Her lips turning up in a grin, the dark-haired cheerleader took a deep breath and exhaled as she reached her objective with a guard standing next to it. "Okay, I'm at the node and there's a guard there."
"Same here." Tara reported as she opened her cigarette case and took out one of the green tipped cigarettes. "Time to see if your gadgets work, Wade, darling."
"They'll work." Wade responded confidently.
Proceeding down the main corridor, David stopped as he spotted a guard standing before a door. Crouching low, the trained assassin waited patiently for his companions.
"So far so good." Wade muttered in an almost inaudible voice. "Let's hope we can keep it up."
Hope grinned as she approached the guard standing before his station. "Hey honey!" She called out to him as she took one of the green cigarettes out of her case. "My lighter crapped out. Can you give me a light?"
"Sure." The guard grinned lecherously as he fished for a lighter out of his pocket with one hand while motioning for the raven-haired beauty to advance closer. "Come here."
"Thanks!" Hope sighed with relief as she drew within range of the guard and, putting the cigarette to her lips, quickly blew, sending its dart into the man's neck. Almost instantaneously the sedative worked as she watched the guard slump unconscious to the floor. "My man's down." The cheerleader reported.
"Mine is too."
"Okay…" Wade instructed, "Remember, you need to turn the keys at exactly the same time."
"Won't we trigger an alarm once the system goes down?" Hope asked.
"Good point." Tara agreed, "Surely it'll appear on some security monitor."
"You'll have a very brief window of opportunity to get in and get the intel and then get out." Wade replied, "Approximately five minutes."
"Right." Tara nodded her head, "Okay, David, can you get close enough to that guard to take him out with one of the cigarette blowguns?"
"Yeah." David answered back. "Give me sixty seconds to get into position and then start the countdown."
"Ready?" Wade asked, beginning his countdown, "Three…Two…One…Turn!" As both keys turned simultaneously, Wade exclaimed, "It's down. You've got five minutes…go!"
Opening the door and moving swiftly, the three spies, after a quick search, found von Stassel's empty office. Placing her Kimmunicator next to the computer terminal, Tara took out a thumb drive and slipped it in one USB port while Hope did the same with a second drive. "Downloading into the drives…got 'em!"
Taking the tiny drives out, Tara handed one drive to Hope while keeping the other. "We're going to have to conceal the drives in case they search us." Tara stated. "We need to hide them where they can't be found by a regular shakedown search."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Hope inquired with raised eyebrows.
Her lips turning up in a crooked grin, the blonde adventuress replied as she slipped the thumb drive into a plastic cylinder and closed it tight, "Those drives are about to go into a place where all of the boys at Middleton High wish they could go."
"I was afraid you were going to say that." Hope remarked with an eyeroll as she did the same thing with her thumb drive.
"I'll just watch the door while you hide the goods." David smirked as he turned around.
Hearing the sound of zippers being unzipped from the Kimmunicators, Wade asked, "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine, Wade. Those thumb drives are on their way to paradise." David joked as both Tara and Hope laughed.
"You say the sweetest things, luv." Tara joked as she zipped herself back up.
Zipping herself up, Hope came up to the handsome spy and caressed his cheek, "You do know I'm legal, don't you?"
"She is." Tara chuckled.
"You also said you didn't mind sharing." Hope remarked with a mock pout.
"I did indeed." Tara smirked as she gave David a quick kiss, "But let's get outta here first, shall we."
"Good idea." A blushing David responded as Wade coughed.
"I don't want to know what all that was about, do I?" The young boy asked.
"I'll tell you when you're older." David laughed as he opened the door to be met by the barrels of two submachine guns wielded by two guards with four other guards and Colonel Kramer behind them. Slowly raising his hands, David said in a rueful tone, "Looks like I'm going to have to wait a bit before my trip to paradise."
"Party poopers." Tara pouted as she raised her hands.
"Yeah…you losers sure know how to ruin a girl's good time." Hope quipped as she also raised her hands.
"Herr Bruckner…" Colonel Kramer's lips turned up in an icy grin as his men took station around their prisoners. "I knew you looked familiar so I ran you and your companions through our database…your resemblance to your brother is striking. And Ms. King…you realize you've got quite the price on your head. The Russian mafia and the Iranian government would pay well to have you delivered to them dead or alive. I regret they'll have to settle for dead. Ms. Rossi…" The hardened mercenary shook his head, "It's a shame such a promising career is about to come to an abrupt close, but such is the game." Turning to a sergeant, he ordered, "Search them and take them to the dungeon. Baron von Stassel is waiting for them."
"Jawohl, Herr Oberst!"
After being searched and relieved of their Kimmunicators and other gadgets, the three spies were led down into the depths of the castle dungeon where Baron von Stassel, standing on a raised podium before what seemed to be a pool consisting of a chemical compound stood. Pushed into a cage, the threesome found themselves being lifted and then hoisted into a position above the pool.
"Place their toys on the table there." The Baron ordered. "I'll have our scientists examine them later."
As the guard did as he was ordered, the Baron gloated, "Colonel Kramer had identified you fairly early. Once the security system went down, we quickly figured out what your intent was. I know that you copied the data on the computer—most likely on to one or more of those thumb drives I have heard about and I have a pretty good idea as to where you hid them." His lips turning up in a lascivious grin, the archvillain chuckled, "Don't worry, young ladies. I won't order an invasive search. You see…I won't need to. That foaming soup below you is a special compound that will freeze you in your current form forever." He then gestured at five statues all looking panic-stricken and frightened. "You will join the others in my collection."
"One question…" David called out to the villain, "Since we're going to be part of your collection anyway, there's no harm in answering it…"
"By all means, Herr Bruckner." von Stassel replied with a smarmy grin, "Ask your question. I may even answer it."
"Gotterdammerung. What is it?"
"Why, my dear Herr Bruckner…" von Stassel chuckled, "It's the end of the world. You should be able to figure out the rest."
"Hold tight on to the bars." David warned as the Baron pressed a button, opening the floor of the cage.
"I see your reflexes are quite good." von Stassel gloated as he pointed to a camera, "But, I'm afraid it won't help you." As he said his words, the cage lurched as it slowly, very, very slowly began to drop down to the soup. "But please, do put on a good show. I'll be watching."
"Sorry, luvs." Tara muttered as the villain and his henchmen left the dungeon, "Looks like we're not going to have our little romp after all."
"None of that negative talk, Ra-Boom-De-Ay." David quipped, "I've got a luxury suite at the Hotel Sacher Salzburg waiting for the three of us when we get out of here." As he said his words, the power suddenly went out cloaking the dungeon in darkness, and more important, deactivating the camera.
"I have an idea!" Hope exclaimed, "But it's crazy."
"Right now's the time for crazy." Tara quipped. "Go for it, luv."
Keeping her grip on the bars, Hope maneuvered to the bottom of the cage. Estimating that she had just enough clearance, she hung by the bottom of the cage, her feet mere inches from the toxic, bubbling brew.
"You can do it, Hope." Tara cried out encouragingly as the lithe young woman clambered up the outside of the cage to the top.
"You've got this love." David said with confidence.
Perched on the top of the cage, Hope felt her way up to the cable to the pulley and then, using her arms as she dangled over the chemical soup, the young cheerleader muttered to herself as she pulled herself across, the strain showing on her face as sweat rolled off her, making a hissing noise as it impacted with the brew. "You can do this, Hope. You placed in the Middleton Unified District Gymnastics Competition. This is a breeze when compared to having to beat Sherry Rosen on the uneven bars." Reaching what she figured to be the best point, Hope swung herself back and forth to get as much momentum as possible, releasing her hold at the furthest point forward. Carrying out a double somersault, the gymnast cried out in triumph, "And she sticks the landing!"
"Way to go, Hope!" Tara exclaimed. "Now, get the lipstick and David's pen from that table.
"Take that Kim Possible and Bonnie Rockwaller." Hope smirked as she dashed to comply with her friend's command.
David whispered to the blonde next to him, "You know you could have done that easily, don't you?"
"Of course, luv. But she needed to do it."
"To prove to herself that she could." David concluded as Tara nodded her head once in acknowledgement. "Now, she won't feel jealous of or inferior to Kim."
"Or Bonnie." Tara added. "She's just taken two giant anchors off from around her neck."
As Hope stopped at the edge of the pool, David instructed. "Okay, Hope, love. First, shoot the foam from your lipstick container into the pool." Doing as she was told, Hope smiled as a thick foam covered the vile brew.
"Now, luv." Tara commanded, "Take the adhesive lipstick and use it to make a bridge from the cage to where you are."
"Got it." Hope said as she did as she was told, the adhesive forming a slim bridge connecting the cage to safety.
"Right, lover." David muttered to the blonde next to him, "Ladies first."
"Ever the gentleman." Tara quipped as she slid down the cage and on to the makeshift bridge, moving quickly across to the other side. "You're turn, baby." Tara called out to the secret agent.
As David reached the halfway point, he felt a sudden lurching. "Shit!" He exclaimed, picking up his pace as the bridge began to dissolve. Leaping over portions that had already dissolved, David, seeing that the end was now two feet shorter than it was with even more liquifying, took a running start and leaped, clearing the hissing brew and landing in the arms of the two girls who both hugged and repeatedly kissed the handsome agent.
"Let's not do that again." David chuckled
"What?" Hope teased, "The death defying leaps or us kissing you."
"The death defying leaps!" David laughed, "You two can kiss me all you want."
"Wade? What happened?" Tara, activating her Kimmunicator, asked.
After a delay of several seconds, the African-American child appeared on the screen. "Sorry. I was talking to Kim. Senor, Senor, Senior killed the European power grid. He's demanding the Balearic Islands along with the Canary Islands, Malta, Rhodes, and Crete. Kim and Ron are on their way to deal with him. What's been happening with you? I was worried when you were cut off."
"We avoided being immortalized as statues." Tara replied with a crooked grin. "Can you give us an exit point?" She asked as she opened her cigarette case and revealed the screen. "I have a feeling the old one's not going to do now."
"Wait one." Wade requested as he typed on his keyboard. "Here." He said as a path lit up. "That will take you to the courtyard."
"Right." Tara replied, "Do you have possible locations for von Stassel, Prozylka, and Kramer?"
"I can't give you exact positions, but I can give you approximations." The computer genius replied as color coded circular areas appeared on the screen.
"Thanks." Tara said in a grim voice as she turned to her companions. "We can't leave until those three are dealt with."
"Right." David agreed, nodding his head.
"No argument from me." Hope remarked.
"All right then." Tara said as the threesome began to make their way up the dungeon stairs, "Let's get to work."
Middleton High—earlier
Her locker opened, Kim gazed on a picture of her and Ron taken last year at a picnic both families held at Lake Middleton. She sighed as the naked mole-rat perched on the edge of her locker made a sympathetic "Awww…" sound. "I miss the old Ron too. I shouldn't have tried to make himself into something he's not." Smiling at the rodent as he climbed up on her shoulder and nuzzled her, Kim confessed, "I didn't do it for him. I did it for me."
Seeing the questioning look Ron's companion was giving her, the redhead explained, "I thought if I helped him get a new image, it would mean that Bonnie and the other girls would stop calling him a loser and that would make me look better."
"Not loser." Rufus reproved as he shook his head, "You like him. Dirty Pair like him. Who cares what mean girl and friends think."
"You're right, Rufus." Kim replied as her lips turned up in a warm smile, "I'm going to apologize to him the first chance I get."
"Good." Rufus smiled as Wade beeped the young hero's Kimmunicator.
"What's the sitch, Wade?"
"I thought you told me that Senor, Senor, Senior was harmless." The techie exclaimed.
"He is!" Kim replied, "He's just this little old man…"
"A little old man who sucked out all the power in Europe and is demanding a bunch of pretty little islands." Wade announced as his attention was distracted by a beep. "Wait one, Kim." Several moments later, the young boy's image returned, "Sorry…but something came up." Taking a breath and exhaling, he remarked, "They're obviously new at the whole villainy thing." Especially when compared to monsters like von Stassel and Kramer. Wade didn't say.
"Yeah…well…" Kim drawled, "It might not be a bad idea to put an end to his villain career before it gets out of hand. I'll get Ron. Can you score us a ride to Europe? Preferably a fast one. Please and thank you."
"Will do, Kim." Wade replied as he said silent prayers for both his teams.
In an experimental supersonic VTOL transport plane flying over the Azores
"Thanks for the lift, Major." Kim said in a polite voice as she and Ron adjusted their parachutes and scuba gear.
"Think nothing of it, Ms. Possible." Major Esteban de Luna, USAF and test pilot, responded. "I owe your father a favor for recommending me for the space program." Eying the landing zone, the major announced, "We're going into VTOL mode. Ready?" Seeing the two thumbs up from the members of Team Possible, the major shouted, "Go!"
Diving into the water, Kim and Ron quickly swam to the coordinates Wade had given them as being the location for the access to the Senor's secret lair. "So…I hear footsteps behind me and it's Amelia shouting Brad Pitt! She taps me on the shoulder and…"
"Ron!" Kim hissed a warning, "We're trying to be sneaky here."
"Sorry." Ron sincerely apologized, "But…Brad Pitt! Kim…" The young teen shook his head, "Brad Pitt. Not loser or geek or buffoon or idiot. It…felt good."
The twinge of regret she had felt on hearing his words quickly subsided as Kim laid eyes on the fortress with spotlights shining before her. "Damn." She whispered. Glancing at her friend, she gave him a cross look, "Missile launchers? You had to suggest that he get missile launchers?"
"It was a joke, KP!" Ron protested, "How could I know that he'd take me literally? You're going to blame me for that?"
"Yes!" Kim snarled as the pair jumped the wall and spotted the device being used to drain the power. "Crap. We've got to get this sorted out—now."
"What?" Ron bitterly responded, "You're blaming me for taking Senor taking what I said as a joke literally or this mess?"
"Both." Kim spat out in response.
"Okay, then…" Ron countered, "So, how are we going to get in, KP?"
"Knock on the front door." Kim shrugged her shoulders. "How else."
Schloss Markhaus
Testing the door at the top of the dungeon stairs and finding it securely locked, David took out the tiny breath spray that was actually a squirt gun that shot acid. Adjusting it to the narrowest setting possible, he sprayed into the ancient lock, smirking as the tumblers dissolved from the acid. Carefully opening the door a crack, he surveyed the immediate area, spotting a guard. Taking out a cord, he motioned for the girls to hold their position as he crept stealthily up on the guard.
Striking quickly, David caught the guard's neck in his garrote. Tightening the pressure as the guard wordlessly struggled, the deadly assassin only relaxed his efforts when he felt the other man going limp. Gently setting the dead guard down, David relieved him of his submachine gun, knife, and pistol. Handing the knife to Tara he remarked, "I know you prefer blades. Then, handing the pistol to Hope he stated, "You've gotten to be very good with a pistol on the range. Now, you get the chance to use those skills for real." Pausing for a moment, he placed his hand on the girl's shoulder, "I know you can do it."
Nodding her head once as the handsome man hefted the submachine gun, Hope asked, "Where next?"
"The General is top priority." David said, listing their objectives in order of importance, "Then von Stassel, finally Kramer. But…if we run into them out of order, that works too."
"This way." Tara directed as she pointed down the right hand path. "That's the way to Prozylka's suite." Glancing down at her watch, she growled, "We don't have much time. If we're going to get him, we've got to go now."
Proceeding down the hall ahead of the others, Tara signaled them to halt. Falling back to their position, she reported. "We've got four goons standing guard in front of the general's quarters. We need to take them out first, preferably without them alerting Prozylka."
"Lure them to the corner?" David suggested as Tara nodded her head, pointing to a shut off valve controlling the sprinkler system.
"Yeah. That laser of yours." Tara pointed at the pen in her lover's coat pocket. "Think you can hit that sprinkler and set off the sprinklers?"
Nodding his head, as Tara motioned for Hope to get ready, David aimed the laser and fired, setting off the fire suppression sprinklers.
"Was?" The guards cried out in German.
"Check out that corridor!" An officer ordered as the goons rushed towards where Tara and the others were waiting in ambush. As the guards rounded the corner, one guard was struck by a punch to the ribs by David who then quickly followed it up with a foot stomp on the man's head.
Hope lashed out at the second guard with a leg sweep that brought the thug down. She then followed it up with a strike at his windpipe, not even hearing the snapping sound of bone and cartilage.
Tara took out the third guard with a chop to the neck followed by a kick to the chest and then a stomp to the head of the downed man. Seeing the officer about to open the door to warn the general, the young blonde threw her knife, striking him square in the chest. Moving quickly, she followed up her strike with a blow to his windpipe, instantly killing the man as Hope darted into the general's suite catching him half undressed getting out of bed and reaching for his pistol. Instinctively she fired her gun first, hitting the man in the chest and then followed up the first shot with a second one.
Steeling herself, she uttered in as calm a voice as she could muster, her lower lip trembling as she came down from her combat high. "I didn't have a choice. I didn't want to do it. Honest. But if I didn't do it to him or that guard…"
"Then you'd be dead." Tara said in a soft voice as she placed a gentle arm around her friend's shoulders.
"It's good that you feel remorse." David said as he also gave the dark-haired cheerleader a gentle hug. "The moment you stop feeling regret about taking a life is the moment that it is time to leave this business."
"Right." Hope nodded her head, "I'll be okay, guys." She said as she wiped her tears away and forced a tentative grin to her face, "I just need to process it all."
"I know you will." David replied as both he and Tara made a wordless vow to each other to look after their comrade. "Let's go. One down…two to go."
"Is everyone okay?" Wade asked in a hushed tone as his face appeared on all their Kimmunicators.
"Yeah, Wade." Hope replied with a shaky grin. "Shit happened."
"She'll be fine, Wade." Tara said as she gave her best friend a warm smile, "Like she said, shit happened."
"Okay." The techie responded, "Just thought you'd like to know that Kim and Ron are at the Senor's lair. You need to get done what you need to before they restore the power grid."
The Senor's Lair
"Ah…Kim Possible…" The elderly villain practicing his new evil snicker, said as he greeted the teen hero, "And…" Racking his memory, the old man shook his head, "It's not important who you are…"
"Senile old goat." Ron muttered under his breath, Kim quickly hushing him as she heard him. He then spotted the pond in the center of the chamber and exclaimed in disbelief, "Hey! You put in a lagoon!"
"Do you like it?" Senor bragged, "The piranha are on back order I am afraid, but I assure you, the Koi are quite hungry." The old man further boasted, "I ordered a book for world domination on the internet. Fascinating reading, I must say. Soon, I will be even more infamous than that pompous von Stassel!
"Who?" Ron scratched his head as Kim abruptly waved him off.
"Shush, Ron." Raising her voice, she addressed her next words to the elder Senor, "Did you get to the part where you give yourself up?"
"No…" Senor retorted, "But I am at the part where I tell you that there's nothing you can do to stop me."
"Damn it!" Ron quipped, "I've got a zit on my nose."
"Shut up, Ron!" Kim, growing increasingly irritated at her sidekick, snapped.
"Well…" Ron fired back in a huff, "You do too!"
Spying the laser turrets activated out of the corner of her eye, Kim yelled out a warning as she pushed her friend to the floor and dodged just in time. "Lasers! He put in freaking lasers! Ron!"
"You're blaming me again!" Ron shouted as he ducked a laser beam and then dashed to cover, "I was just kidding with him! I can't help it if he thought I was being serious!"
Schloss Markhaus
"Be sure to take their ammo and any weapons you need." David commanded as both Hope and Tara armed themselves with submachine guns and pistols and all the ammo they could reasonably carry. As the alarm claxons rang out, he grimaced, "Looks like we're going to have to shoot our way out."
"Not the way I like a caper to go down., but if you have to, you have to." Tara growled as she handed grenades to David and Hope. "Ready, Hope?"
"Ready." The youthful cheerleader responded. "Let's go." Dashing forward, the threesome were met by four of Kramer's mercenaries all under cover. Diving under cover as they received heavy fire from the mercenaries, Hope followed her companion's example in just sticking her gun out and firing.
Readying his grenade, David whispered as the threesome ducked to avoid another fusillade of gunshots. "On three. One…Two…Three." Chucking the grenade, he heard panicked shouts as the fragmentation grenade went off. Hearing only the moaning of the wounded, the secret agent carefully poked his head up to take a look. "We're clear." He said as he leaped over his cover, motioning for the women to join him.
"Kramer's probably coordinating in security." Tara surmised as she activated her Kimmunicator. "Wade? Can you get us a route first to the armory and then the main security office?"
"Wait one." The dark-skinned techie replied, "Kim's in a sitch right now, she's trying to avoid spinning tops of doom."
"Spinning tops of doom?" Tara giggled.
"Don't ask." Wade replied with a cockeyed grin. "Okay…got it. There you go."
"Thanks, Wade."
Ditching the SMG and reloading her pistol, Hope joked as David handed her an assault rifle, "Figures. Kim gets the looneys and we get the psychos."
"That's about the size of it love." David grinned as he cocked the assault rifle in his hands.
The Senor's Lair
"Ah…the perfect target for my missiles. Middleton!" The elder Senor cackled as he locked in the target coordinates for downtown Middleton. "Junior! Activate the missiles!"
"Now I'm your missile launcher!" Junior grumbled as he combed a stray lock of hair back into place.
"Go after Junior, Ron!" Kim commanded, "I'll take care of Senior."
"On it, KP!" The blond sidekick responded as he dashed after the younger villain.
Watching as Ron dodged the missiles and leaped over the lagoon, Kim smiled down at Rufus who had just emerged from the young redhead's pocket, "Keep an eye on him, please." She implored, "I have a feeling that the Ron we grew up with is in there somewhere."
"Aye-aye!" The little mole rat answered back, snapping a salute as he took off after his human.
Spotting a weakness in the laser's turret arcs, Kim dodged and weaved until she succeeded in getting the annoying turrets to knock each other out. "Okay, Senor. That takes care of your lasers. Ready to give up now?"
"Not hardly!" Senor snickered. "Behold my spinning tops of doom!" Farewell, Kim Possible!"
"Spinning tops of doom!" Kim exclaimed in disbelief as she barely dodged the blades of one of the spinners. "Spinning tops of doom! I'm so gonna kill Ron when this is over!"
Schloss Markhaus
"One thing I have to say for these bastards." Tara cursed as she fired off a burst from her assault rifle, "They don't give up."
"von Stassel is either paying them very well or they're scared to death of Kramer." David replied as he slapped a new magazine into his weapon and cocked it.
"Armory's over there." Hope said as she pointed at a steel door. "What are we looking for?"
"Heavy weapons." David replied. "Grenade and/or rocket launchers. Hopefully, a sniper rifle too."
Pulling the pin on a grenade, Hope yelled before tossing it into the midst of several mercenaries, "Fire in the hole!"
Her grenade throw was then followed by a fierce fusillade of shots from the trio until they were sure there was no return fire. "Right." David said as the threesome approached the armory and he took out his acid sprayer, squirting acid at the lock. "Not much left. Let's hope it's enough." As the locking mechanism dissolved, he pushed the door open.
"Time to go shopping." Tara declared as she eyed the shuriken on the wall.
"Take that grenade launcher." David advised as Tara picked up the weapon and several round.
"I've got my eye on that sniper rifle." Hope said as she hefted the weapon in her hands and loaded it.
"I'll take the rocket launcher." David announced as he picked the heavy weapon up. "In case they get to a chopper."
"You just want to make a big boom." Tara teased as the trio finished their little shopping trip.
"The bigger the better." David grinned back as they felt a tremor and then heard explosions. "Global Justice must be launching their assault."
"We better move then." Hope urged. The sound of fighting growing louder, the dark-haired cheerleader peered out a window, pointing at the incoming helicopters and VTOL craft. "Looks like the cavalry's coming."
"We need to get to security and knock out those anti-air missiles before they're massacred." Tara exclaimed as the trio reached an open area with an enclosed structure in the middle.
At once recognizing the man standing in the structure behind a console, David cried out, "Kramer, you son of a bitch! Come out here!"
"I think not, Bruckner." The mercenary retorted as he pressed a button, activated two minigun turrets. "If these turrets don't kill you." He sneered as several men took up positions behind fortified locations, "They will."
Barely ducking back into cover in time before the rapid fire bullets from the miniguns could shred him, the dark-haired agent turned to his blonde companion. "Tara love, would you hand me that grenade launcher."
"Sure, babe." Tara responded as she handed the weapon over to her friend.
"Hope, darling? Those turrets have an interface chip on their base. Do you think you can hit that with your rifle?"
"I'll do my best." Hope responded as she laid down in the prone position and took careful aim.
"That's all we're asking, luv." Tara grinned as she let out a quick burst from her assault rifle to keep the other side's heads down and then ducked back before the miniguns could shred her. "Damn. Those things are murder."
"Okay…here we go." David said as he fired his grenade launcher at one of the turrets while Hope fired at her target.
"Got it." Hope grinned as the minigun's barrels dropped down.
"Turret two down." David announced as his grenade impacted the other turret, turning it into a smoky ruin.
"That just leaves Kramer. Hope…" Tara smiled, "Will you do the honors?"
"With pleasure." The olive-skinned cheerleader replied as she took careful aim at the villain and fired her sniper rifle only to have the bullet impact against the bulletproof glass. "Damn."
"Not your fault, dear." Tara quipped as she lobbed another grenade while the thump of David's grenade launcher signaled that another projectile was on its way. As the grenade hit the glass it also exploded harmlessly against the material, although it appeared that the glass had weakened.
"Darling…you know you gotta." Tara smirked as her eyes fell on the rocket launcher.
"I was hoping to save it." David grumbled as he picked it up and aimed it.
"We'll get you another one, sweetie." Tara quipped as the secret agent pulled the trigger, sending the missile downrange at its target.
This time, the glass, already weakened by numerous grenade and small arms fire, finally gave way, shattering into thousands of pieces.
"Nice try, Bruckner!" A scarred and bleeding Kramer, wearing what appeared to be a powered armor suit and brandishing a minigun, scowled as he fired, causing the trio to dive for cover.
"Damn!" Hope called out in pain as she winced.
"You all right, darling?" Tara shouted as she emptied her magazine at the power-armor wearing figure.
"Yeah." Hope replied as she staggered to her feet. "He only grazed me." Loading her sniper rifle, she took a kneeling position. If you can get him to expose his head…"
"Right." David replied as he fired his grenade launcher, sending an incendiary projectile at the armor wearing villain, following it up with a taunt, "What's the matter, Kramer? That tin can you're wearing getting too hot for you?"
"Arrgh!" Kramer stomped forward in his power-armor, his minigun sending out a continuous hail of bullets until the last round was exhausted.
"Now, Hope. While he's reloading." David said as the young cheerleader, the mercenary's head centered in her sights, slowly squeezed the trigger.
"Got him." Hope whispered as the colonel, his head now a bloody mass, staggered for just a few steps before collapsing to the floor.
"Now we've got to take out the rest of the trash and get to that console." Tara grimly stated as she fired a fresh magazine at the retreating mercenaries. Advancing quickly to the security station, the blonde adventuress contacted their tech support. "Wade? How do we deactivate the missile defenses."
"Show me the console." The techie responded. "Okay, got it. Push the red button."
"That's it?" Tara exclaimed, "Push the red button?"
"That's it." Wade laughed.
"All right." Tara, cringing a bit, pushed the button. Moments later a voice came out of the speakers. "Missile defenses deactivated. Automatic self-destruct sequence activated. T minus three minutes and counting."
"Let's move it!" David ordered and then issued a command to Wade, "Warn off the Global Justice assault."
"On it." Wade replied, "Message sent. Global Justice forces withdrawing. You guys get going too." He added in a worried voice.
"Don't worry, darling." Tara replied, "We're outta here."
Grabbing a loaded rocket launcher lying on the floor, David echoed his blonde lover's words, "Time to make our exit."
Exiting into the castle courtyard, the trio saw two choppers lifting off. "I'll bet one of those is von Stassel." David swore as he readied his rocket launcher.
"You've only got one shot." Tara remarked, shrugging her shoulders, "Fifty-fifty chance."
"I'll take it." David replied as he fired the missile, the trio watching as the contrail made its way towards one of the helicopters, impacting it, bringing it down in an explosion of fire.
"Time to beat it." Hope shouted, pointing to a Global Justice VTOL, it's crew waving at them to hurry.
"Don't have to tell me twice." David replied as he took both girls' hands in his, the trio running together towards the aircraft, piling into it with the assistance of the crew.
"Where to?" A familiar voice called back to Tara.
"Scott?" Tara exclaimed with a big smile on her face.
"Your foster mother's here too." Her cover guardian grinned as the copilot turned her head about, revealing herself to be Janet. "Hey there…I hear you've been a good bad girl."
"Hmmm…" She grinned as she winked coyly at David and Hope, "Looks like I'm going to have to do something about that." She then snapped her fingers, "Oh…we've got a little something for Betty. Eye's front, Scott!" She commanded as she unzipped her catsuit.
"And you close your eyes." Hope told David, bending down and kissing him on the lips as she slowly pulled down her zipper, "Don't worry, baby…you'll get to see everything soon enough."
Removing the thumb drives from their hiding places, the pair dropped them in a container. "Betty might want to wash the cylinders first."
"We'll tell her." Janet laughed as the pair zipped themselves back up.
"So…anywhere in mind?" Scott asked as the VTOL lifted off the ground.
"Salzburg please." Tara smirked as she lit a cigarette. "And hurry. We've got all sorts of naughty things planned."
The Senor's Lair
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Junior." Ron said as he slowly advanced on the well-tanned dark-haired younger Senor. "You can step away from the console or I can make you step away."
"You back off!" Junior screamed back, "Just because you're styling doesn't mean you can tell me what to do!"
"Is this guy all there?" Ron said to himself as he readied himself before shouting, "All right! Option B it is!" lunging at his foe and tackling him.
As the pair scuffled like children at a playground, another, more deadly duel was taking place inside the lair as Kim, feeling the effects of fatigue from dodging the tops, paused for a moment to take a breather against a wall only to have to again dodge at the last minute the sharp blades of a spinning top. "Ron…" Kim pleaded to the empty air, "Hurry…please!"
Finally gaining the upper hand, Ron, his formerly neatly combed hair now a total mess, disarmed the missiles as Junior raced down the stairs. "Kim!" Ron exclaimed as he dashed back into the lair accompanied by Rufus.
"Shit!" Kim yelled as she dodged one top while running away from the others.
"KP!" Ron cried out as he saw his best friend in peril. Seeing one of the tops demolishing a ladder, inspiration struck the young man as he leaped down into the pit. Picking up a piece of broken ladder, Ron shouted, "Get down, Kim!" as he threw the metal fragment at one of the tops, causing it to slow down enough to collide with a second top. "Come on, Kim. Let's get outta here."
"Good idea." Kim replied her lips turning up in a smile as she saw that her friend's hair was back to its former wild self.
Taking his best friend by her hand, Ron guided the pair of them away from the colliding tops and to a still intact ladder with the two heroes exiting the lair just as the Senors emerged from a hidden grotto in a speedboat. "Secret grotto and speed boat." Kim shook her head, "Great for escapes."
"Kim…" Ron heaved a sigh of dejection as he shook his head. "You know…forget it."
Seeing that her last comment had actually hurt her best friend, Kim reached over and took his hand in hers. Her lips turning up in a warm smile, she said in a gentle voice, "Thank you, Ron. I had just about run out of gas. You saved my life." Sighing, she cautioned, "But you do need to be more careful what you say…"
"Like you need a new hairstyle." Ron interrupted.
"Yeah." Kim replied, her face reddening with embarrassment. "I'm sorry."
"That's okay, KP." Ron answered back, his lips turned up in a goofy grin. "You know what the worst thing is." The youthful sidekick said as he fidgeted, "Pleather doesn't breathe."
Laughing, Kim called up Wade on the Kimmunicator. "Hey Wade. Sitch taken care of. Can you get us a ride back? Please and thank you."
After a few moments of typing, the ten-year old computer genius said, "Your ride's on the way."
Hotel Sacher Salzburg
Beep…beep…da…beep
"Hey Wade." Tara, wearing a baby blue baby-doll nightie lay reclined on a big king-sized bed with Hope, wearing a black baby-doll nightie lounging catlike next to her. "What's up?"
His face turning red at the sight of the two young women wearing next to nothing, Wade coughed, "I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that Dr. Director has gotten all the intelligence and the coup attempt against Slovalka has failed. She sends her thanks and told me to tell you…" His lips turned down in a disapproving frown, "That the agreed upon money has been deposited to your accounts."
"And the bad news?" Tara prompted.
"While you got the General and Kramer, von Stassel escaped. Even though he's probably in hiding now, sooner or later, he's bound to return."
"Yeah." Tara nodded her head, "Well, we'll take care of him when the time comes until then…" Her lips turned up in a wicked grin, "Wade darling, don't call us for at least twenty-four hours—understand?"
"Uhhh…yeah." Wade stammered, "I guess."
"Good boy. Bye now." Tara said as she and Hope both turned off their Kimmunicators. Turning to Hope, she grinned, "Playtime." Then, raising her voice, she called out in a sultry voice, "Oh David…would you come in please. We need your help with a little something."
Her lips turned up in a lecherous grin as she eyed the handsome spy walking through the double doors, Hope purred, "Be a love, David, shut the door and come over here. We wanna play."
Kitty Kat Club
"Hey Max." Zoe let out a breath of air as she sat down at the bar. "Usual please."
"Here ya go, Z." Max, the club's bartender, fixer, and general manager replied as he handed the stripper a Canadian and Seven on the rocks. "How's your night been going?"
"Pretty good so far." Zoe responded as she took a sip from her drink. "Tips have been good—a lot of the regulars are here tonight—including Stevie."
"Yeah." Max grinned, "Barky came in for his usual scotch on the rocks and we bullshitted for a while about the old days. He was kinda disappointed Clea wasn't working tonight though."
"Ha!" Zoe laughed, "I knew he had the hots for her."
"So…" The wise bartender, seeing the look on his favorite dancer's face, inquired, "What's up, Z?"
"Hmmm…" The stripper hummed as she took a photo out of her purse. "Do you think you can get your hands on one of these."
Looking at the photograph of the statuette of Tiamat that Zoe had given him, Max replied, "Shouldn't be any problem. Just give me the details and I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks, Max." The Asian dancer smiled as she jotted down the information. "This has to be a clean buy from someone really wanting to sell it—okay?"
"Sure." The bartender acknowledged, "I'll check with Big Daddy—he owes me one and he might know of some collector looking to sell and I'll tell him to be sure it's legit." Refilling the dancer's glass, Max asked, "So…didn't you tell me that you just bought one of those. Why do you want another one? Trying to corner the market or something?"
Her lips turning up in a grin, Zoe took a sip of her drink and answered, "It's a gift for someone I haven't met yet, but I'm hoping to meet soon. I hope she likes it."
Middleton High—sometime later
As Kim and Ron walked down the hall, they noticed the Dirty Pair walking towards them. "They look like they're in a very good mood." Ron noticed.
"Tell me about it." Kim replied as the pair joined them, "So…you two have a good trip?"
"It was absolutely smashing." Tara grinned as her partner giggled.
"I never knew Salzburg could be so…sensual." Hope said with a chuckle.
"Yeah…" Kim shook her head, "Okay…whatever you say."
"So…" Tara remarked as she eyed Ron with his old hairstyle, oversized jersey, and cargo pants. "Back to the old look?"
"Yeah." Ron nodded his head. "It was too much of a pain to keep that hair up and pleather just clings in the worst places—if you know what I mean. Besides…" He remarked sagely, "It wasn't the haircut and clothes that made me popular. It was the confidence. So…I've decided to ditch the haircut and clothes and keep the confidence."
"Good." Hope nodded her head approvingly as Amelia turned into the hallway.
"Hey, Amelia!" Ron called out as he dashed up to the lovely senior. "We still on for this afternoon?"
"With you?" The snobbish senior sniffed, "And do what? Geek out?"
As a dejected Ron returned to Kim and the Dirty Pair, Tara remarked, "It looks like not everyone got the message." Her lips turned up in a smile, Tara took one arm while Kim took the other with Hope following close behind, "Come on, Ron. We'll walk with you to class and then this afternoon we'll all hang out at Bueno Nacho—my treat."
At the thought of the prospect of enjoying all you can eat nacos with three stunning girls, Ron's spirits soared. "Badical!"