Kim Potential…
Summary: A desperate Dr. Drakken has sensibly reviewed his Files of Past Plots to find the most effective weapon yet used on KP and improve it with unexpected results. Ron and company find they have a new partner.
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.
Part XLV…
Middleton High…
"So, sorry we're late today…" Potential, warm smile… "But I hope the note covers everything…"
Hmmn…Frown as Mr. Barkin, the day's substitute principal, scanned note with careful eye. Ron looking nervous…
Would be the day he subs as principal…
"Signed by the UN Secretary General, the Vice-President of the United States, and the Dalai Lama…?"
"Well…" Potential, her most innocent and winning Possible expression… "We did have to take most of yesterday…I thought we should make sure we had a proper excuse note for being late this morning. And to explain all the troops and surveillance copters and drones hanging round today."
"World endangered, absolute necessity, eh?" Barkin, shaking head.
"And you included in this, Stoppable?" grim look…
"Ron is essential, Mr. Barkin. The Dalai Lama stresses that in his part, there…" Potential pointed.
"I see…Too bad this 'essentiality' doesn't translate to your performance here, Stoppable. Very well, get to class…"
"Thanks, Mr. B." Ron, eagerly…
Uh… "Mr. Barkin…" to Barkin's grimly narrow look…
"Possible…A moment…" Barkin, as the two turned to leave.
Hmmn…? Potential turned back, a bit nervous…
Trouble? Or are my alluring charms, heightened by my enhanced Evil nature, having their effect…?
"And you, Stoppable…See me after your last class." Glare…
"Ok if it's after tuba practice, sir?" Slight quail…
"Naturally…The arts have their place. I'll be waiting." Icy stare.
"Yes, sir."
"Possible?" Barkin indicated a chair.
"Sir?" nervous stare…
On the one hand, any opportunity for Evil exploitation of my charms to seize power…It's kinda my nature…
On the other…I got a boyfriend…And my dad and EStM would freak if I got into any trouble with a teacher…
"It seems…" Barkin glanced out the principal's office window to watch several helicopters passing over… "There's more going on than usual in your extracurricular activities. As Acting Principal for the next two days, I have to ask if there's any real threat to the student body."
Oh…
Hmmn…So, my charms aren't quite as alluring as I thought…
Well, nice that Mr. Barkin can be trusted…More or less…Until I choose to ramp up to my full Evil voltage.
Though God, Dad would freak…And Mom…er, EStM, would be pretty disappointed…
And come to think of it, it was kinda uncomfortable with that creepy old millionaire even though things didn't go anywhere before I blackmailed him with those photos.
"Possible?" sternly quiet questioning…
"Uh, yes, sir. I don't think it's really dangerous but the fellow we're dealing with is a little rough. But it looks like we've got plenty of protection."
"Uh-huh…Possible, these children mean everything to me. I don't want to see them placed in harm's way, even for the greater good of Humanity. Do we understand each other?"
"Sir?"
"I mean…My children are not villain bait. I want notice if there's an immediate threat…And I want to know you'll see that said threat is removed from school grounds." Hard stare.
"Oh…So, no fighting the decisive battle on school grounds? So, I should go…If there's trouble coming?"
Nod. "We understand each other…Excellent. And remember, Possible…I don't give a free pass to come and go as you need lightly. I expect full accounting of any further absences…And proof of necessity."
"Uh, yes sir." She rose.
"Good…Off you go…And Possible…" attempt at kindly smile. "As an old Army man…The best way is to always have someone watching your back. Just make sure he's up to the job."
"He is, sir." Smile.
"I've my doubts. But, his taking on the challenge of the tuba, the most manly of musical instruments is a hopeful sign." Pause… "And, Kimberly? Be careful, sweetheart, whatever this is all about. You are one of those who mean everything to me."
"Careful, Barclay…" Shego eyed the lair viewscreen… "Keep our drones in the clouds…They may be radar-cloaked but they might be spotted with all the government patrols."
"Yes, ma'am…" Barclay, maneuvering drones 25, 141, 250, 35, and 72 with care to maintain cloud cover.
"Shego?" Drakken came up to the control bench where she and Barclay watched the various images on screen… "Kimberly off to school ok?"
"Uh-huh…No problems so far except a slew of government surveillance craft and soldiers all over the place."
"Well, good they're not taking the Throwback lightly…As we are not…And Stoppable?" casual, light tone…
Earnestly worried stare…
"Behaving himself…As is our little girl…"
Drew…She eyed his frown…
The idea of impugning my daughter's…
"You know it's far more likely she'd start something…If anything were to be started, which it is not going to be, beyond the bounds of normal teen romance…So long as I am her mother…"
"Shego…"
"We made her what she is, Drew…Though she'd never do anything to upset you, I'm sure."
"Of course…" confident nod. "But…Just in case…Barclay, I want surveillance at the Possible home tripled…"
"Boss?...That'll leave us kinda thin stretched here…If the Throwback attacks…" Barclay, nervously…
"Please…I've no intention of fighting the Throwback…Not with our staff, anyway…If an army could barely drive him off, our people wouldn't stand a chance…" Drakken eyed the screens, tapping on keyboard…
"What's that?" Shego stared… "You think the Throwback might be in…Canada?"
"Sally's mom needs high blood pressure medication…I'm buying it from Canada…The prices here are outrageous." He noted.
"We're not fighting the Throwback?" Barclay asked…
"We'll keep a skeleton crew to convince him we're here…And I may try out a few new weapons while I have such a fine target..." Drakken frowned at another screen.
"Can't believe those Tea Party people…Just a minute." He typed a comment on screen. "Raising the minimum wage is essential, you idiots. Any good businessman knows it's better to have people able to buy his products…"
Shego eyeing Barclay…
"And there's that 'Pizza King' guy again…What a piece of work…Who cares if their pizza goes up a dime so long if it means people get health coverage? What kind of an employer are you? We know what you're about you…" he glared…
"Of course, as a commander, I'd be willing to sacrifice countless lives to win…" he turned back to Barclay and Shego…
Yeah, right…Shego grinning at Barclay…
"But it would make no sense to throw our people away…Our best chance is to go ahead with Operation Gotterdammerung…My little ironic stick-it to our Nazi friend…Much as I hate the idea of having to blow this place…" sigh…
As do we all…Barclay, sighing…
Best lair we ever had…Swimming pools, full gym…Fantastic kitchen…Lovely grounds…
"But that's life…And the life of our daughter, if we can lure that maniac in here, hoping to capture me and my 'process'…"
True enough, Barclay nodded as Shego beamed at Drakken…
Drew…
"But what about Kimberly…?" Shego asked…
"I mean…Original?"
"Already set…She and her tank and Stanley's are being shipped out right now to the new place…She'll be fine."
"Good…" Shego nodded…A little crumb of good works thrown to the Fates in desperate hope of placating them…
"Drew?...How's that shock-induced amnesia project coming along?...You know, another Kim…" she eyed him.
"We're a ways yet from fully working that one up. And from our tests, we'd need two days to safely thaw her out in any case…I'm keeping it in the cards as a final option. But, Shego, you know if she is released, as she is…And learns about our Kimberly."
"I know…" Shego sighed.
"Anyway, I've good hopes in our current plan to blast our friend to kingdom come here. In fact, I'm about to throw something into the mix that's sure to whet his curiosity and bring him to us…" beam…
"Oh?..."
"He is anxious to build an army of supermen…And perhaps a brain-dead army of subservient superwomen?"
Shego eyed him…
"A clone army?..." Drakken, arch smile.
The new underground lair of Professor Dementor and…Friends…Henchthugs' barracks and training room…
"What is up with this? No women in battle duty?" the female squad leader, in Dementor team red, who'd confronted Ron at the state archive museum frowned at the nervous hench commander, reading the order handed her.
"Wendy…It's new orders. Issued by the Boss' ally…"
"And we're takin' his orders?"
Jesus, girl? Have you seen the guy? Or the videos of him in action? The Dementor team commander eyed her.
"Wen…His status…Approved by the boss…He's in temp charge till the Professor gets back."
"What? So what are we supposed to do, kitchen duty and cleaning? This is crazy, I'm a better fighter than 99% of the men here…" she glared. Other female henchpersons nodded in agreement.
"Pardon me?" a surprisingly silky, polite voice coming from such a source… All looking his hulking way in the doorway… "Is there a problem, commander?"
"Uh…No, sir…Just issuing the new directives…"
"Ah…" Lindendon smiled. "And it seems some of the ladies we employ find them…Unfair? Unreasonable? Perhaps a tad…Throwbackish?" a grin which on his huge features was simply terrifying…
Odd…Wendy, staring at the blonde, blue-eyed, eight floor creature politely beaming at them…I think it's that he still kinda has a little of his handsome old features on that body that makes him so really scary.
"Perhaps it is a bit old-fashioned…I haven't kept up with the times, it's true." Lindendon, patiently. "Maybe it's time I tried to…Expand my horizons?"
"I'm sure the ladies understand…" the commander…Sweating now…
"Not at all…I appreciate an independent spirit in any creature capable of demonstrating its superiority…I know…" Lindendon, expansively. "We ought to give the ladies their fair chance to prove themselves…Absolutely…Only fair…" beam.
"You, miss, for example…I believe I heard you say you were a better fighter than the vast majority of the males here?"
"I'm good, sir…" Wendy, nervously… "I've led the guys in a lot of operations…"
"How wonderful…" nod. "Well, I think I need a lesson in what a modern woman can accomplish…Shall we?" he waved to indicate the sparring ring of the training section.
Uh…She blinked…
"Sir…" the commander, anxiously…
Christ, you take out armies…One-on-one?
"I feel certain the young lady will acquit herself well…Come, Miss…?"
"Wendy…" Wendy choked…
"My money is on you, dear…" he beamed… "Commander? Gloves for each of us? I do hope you try to go easy on an old man…" gentle smile.
Uh…She looked round…
Guys…?
"Sir…?" the commander, gulping…
"Commander? You have a problem?"
Uh… "No, sir…But…"
"You can hardly wish to deny your best…Woman…A chance to prove herself." Smile.
Oh, God…Wendy glancing round for an escape route…
Not much likely given the way I saw him corner Major US on film.
"Hey!" stern, if high-pitched voice… "I'm away a couple of days and you let my friends go unfed?!" angry glare as Avairius in costume and mask strides down from the entrance to the henchthugs' training room to confront a startled Wendy. "Well?! What have you got to say for yourself, Miss?! Women…" he turned to the surprised Lindendon. "Can't handle even a simple task like feeding a few pets…"
"Friend Avairius? What a surprise? How did you…?" Lindendon…
Ah…
"So, they let you go…"
"Naturally…" Avairius nodded. "As we expected, claiming they saw no reason to hold me, in hopes Dr. Avair might lead them to you. And naturally as Avairius, I lost them in seconds…" smile.
"Impressive, my friend." Lindendon nodded. "You are quite sure? Commander?"
The commander already at his bench, checking several monitors…As Wendy breathed…
Sensing rescue…
"He's right, sir. All clear."
"Excellent, very well done, my friend…I hope you understand my caution?" Lindendon, to Avairius…Friendly beam.
"Exactly as I would do…Don't mention it. Now as to you, Miss…." Avairius turned. "Go to my aviary and don't leave it without my permission, again! And feed those birds!"
"And clean the cages properly as befits our avian friends…" Lindendon added, rather amused.
"Can you believe it?" Avairius shook his head. "I don't know why Cyrus gives them a chance sometimes…"
Various henchthugs eyeing each other…
"Hows about some water? I've had a long flight…" Avairius frowned at several henchthugs.
"And some dinner, perhaps?" Lindendon suggested.
"Delighted…" nod.
"Up in a few, sir…" the commander, waving to his staff…
And, thanks…Quick glance at Avairius…
"Any reports from Friend Dementor?" Lindendon, expansively waving him to a chair…
"He'll be released soon. They don't fully believe the synthodroid tale but there's no evidence and they'll want a chance to follow him as well. But we should proceed as planned."
"Very good. And things seem very well organized here as well. I commend you and Dementor on your people. Our plans for dealing with Dr. Drakken are well laid…We should discuss over dinner."
"That'll be fine. I'll just go and change…A bit dusty from my flight." Avairius noted. "And I'd like to see if that fool girl manages her simple task. Commander, walk with me and fill me in…"
The commander, rising, bowing to Lindendon, who gave him a friendly nod.
"Glad to see you have things so well in hand with our inferiors, my friend. It's nice to see the right spirit still prevails with some of the modern villains." Lindendon smiled as Avairius rose and headed out with friendly wave, the commander following. "See you at dinner…"
Avairius gasping in the hallway… "Water…" he hissed to the commander who pulled out a bottle.
"Sir…Thanks so much…I didn't know what to…"
Avairius gulping, trembling…
Wendy, in hallway, coming forward…
"Wen, I'm sorry…" the commander began…
"It's ok…Boss…He was going to kill me, wasn't he?..." Wendy, trembling…
"With less consideration than he gave my eagles, yes…" Avairius nodded. "So tell the other ladies…And you tell them, too, Commander. There's a time for forthrightness…And a time when the only duty is to keep your head down and survive. And don't let them leave without me arranging it, if they're scared. He hates disloyalty more than women and he is famous for making examples. "
"Right…" she choked out. Heading off, hurrying back to give him a sudden peck on the cheek. "Thank you." she said, simply. "You're a good man, Dr. Avair."
"No. But in any case it's worth my life for no one to hear that." He eyed her and the commander, both nodding.