The Distraction: Chapter 9

I.

Dr. James Timothy Possible paced the Stoppable living room in frustration, fury, and fear. The boy/man he had known as a third son was upstairs in pain and difficulty and he had been politely ordered by his friend to 'stand by'. James knew he should call his wife, but Ronald's pleading gaze had begged for his compliance.

"Ronald! What are you..." James was shocked when Ronald removed his supporting arm as they reached the front door.

"It's ok, Mr. P., just 'till we get to the car." Seeing the older man's worried look, Ron explained, "Somebody might see. Can't have gossip getting back to KP or Mrs. Dr. P., they'd never let it go."

James walked bedside Ron, poised to grab if the boy collapsed, but Ron's characteristic slump, and slouching walk never faltered. The boy even laughed as if James had told a joke. When James pulled out of the driveway and turned the corner, however, Ronald slumped so far that James was certain he would have melted into the floor if the seat belt hadn't restrained him.

"Ronald, I really think we need to..."

"Just get me home, Dr. P., just...get me...home."

James continued to cut sideways glances at his passenger until he pulled into the Stoppable driveway and stopped. He was certain he would have to carry the collapsed boy into the house, but as the car stopped, Ronald came upright.

He left the car smiling, turning back to say, "Let me tell my Dad what's going on, Dr. P., and we can go on to the space center. Come on in and have a cup of coffee while you wait."

James followed Ron into the house, where Dean met them on the threshold.

"What's going on?"

"No big, Dad, just..."

As James shut the door, Ron collapsed into his father's arms, a marionette with the strings cut.

Dean lifted his son like a baby, turning wordlessly to the stairs.

"Just a minute, Dean, I want to know what's going..."

"Stand by, Jim." Dean's anguished eyes met Jame's, "Just...stand by." Without another word, the elder Stoppable carried the younger upstairs, leaving James to gape at his retreating back.

James stopped pacing, shaking his head in determination, something was going on, and he was by God going to find out what it was. He glanced down at the couch arm to see Rufus looking back at him. In a measure of his worry, he asked "Rufus, do you know what's going on?"

Rufus large eyes stared back, before the naked mole rat made a zipping gesture at his mouth and muttered, "Uh uh, nope."

James slapped his forehead, "What am I doing, talking to an animal!" He continued his pacing, ignoring the angry look Rufus sent his way. "The rat I need to talk to is upstairs and I"m going up."

He turned toward the stairs, only to have Rufus rush by him and assume a martial arts stance on the sixth step. "Uh uh, no...no."

"Rufus, get out of the way. I'm going up there and..."

"James," Dean's voice came from the stairs above Rufus, "go back and sit down, I'll be right there."

The rat and the rocket scientist glared balefully at each other, until James shoulder's sank and he went to collapse in an easy chair. Rufus continued to stand guard point until Dean came down the stairs, telling Rufus, "Go on up, Rufus, he needs company."

Rufus nodded then scampered past Dean and vanished up the stairs. Dean continued down to sink onto the couch. "All right, James, you have questions, ask them."

James frowned, then asked the most important of his questions. "How is Ronald?"

"He'll be all right. He just lost too much blood, then the trauma this morning reopened his wound. Fortunately, a friend sent over a couple of units of whole blood. As soon as Ron receives them, he'll be ready to go."

"How did you get blood?"

"Can't tell you."

James temper was beginning to fray. "Dean, I don't know what's going on, but I do know Ronald needs competent medical care. If you won't, I will. I'm taking him to the hospital."

"I'm competent, and you can't."

"Competent to administer a transfusion? You're an actuary!" James temper exploded, "Now I'm calling Anne and I'm taking Ronald to the hospital."

"You can't call Anne, and Ron's not leaving."

James jerked to his feet, fists clenched."Dean, that boy is almost a son to me, and I am not going to see him hurt by neglect. Now..."

Dean rubbed his forehead with one hand, waving the other in a calming motion. "Sit down, Jim. I promise Ron is in no danger." He raised his eyes to his friend. "Sit down, please. I'll tell you the story, but it goes no farther. Not Anne, not Kimberly."

James slowly sat back. "All right, not Kimberly, but Anne..."

"I know, husband and wife, you will be able to tell her eventually, I'm sure, just not yet."

James finally nodded, "All right, you have my word, conditionally. If I'm not satisfied, Ron goes to the hospital and I tell Anne everything."

"Agreed."

II.

"You've been awfully quiet, Kimmie, is something wrong?" Anne Possible looked at her daughter as she pulled up to Middleton High.

"I don't know, Mom, just...somethings been bothering me. It's right at the front of my mind, but..."

"Any idea what?"

"No, it's just..."

"Ron?"

"Yeah, something just..."

"Kimmie, he seemed all right, considering his bruises and ribs. His appetite certainly hasn't been effected." Anne smiled, "That boy does love my pancakes."

"That's it!"

Anne stared at her suddenly animated daughter, "What's it?"

"Ron's appetite, and the pancakes. I need to see him, right now. Somethings wrong."

"Because he likes pancakes?" Anne asked in confusion.

"He didn't eat his pancakes."

"He certainly did, Kimmie, his plate was clean."

"Uh-huh, and Rufus cleaned it."

Anne's eyes narrowed, "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

With a curt nod, Anne retrieved her cell phone. "Hello, this is Mrs. Possible, could I speak to Dr. Possible, please." She paused to listen, "You're sure?...all right, have him call me when he gets in, please and thank you." She closed the call and pushed another button for quick call. She began to drum her fingers on the steering wheel. Finally she snapped he phone closed and restarted the car.

"Mom?"

Anne eased out of the parking area and turned onto the street before answering. "Your father and Ron haven't reached the space center. James is also not answering his phone. I think you're right, something is definitely wrong."

"What do we do?"

"They can't have gone too far, we'll find them."

III.

"Who are you?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"My friend, Dean Stoppable," James began, "is an actuary. A nice, almost pacifistic man who takes pride in his work and his son."

"That's me."

"But the man sitting in front of me is an ex-S.E.A.L., a medic..."

"Corpsman." Dean interrupted.

"Corpsman, then." James gritted, "Who trained in the green beret medic's camp, performed classified, hazardous missions, and retired..."

"I didn't retire." Dean said mildly, "When you retire, you get a check. I don't."

"Quit then," James glared, "to train his son to become the most dangerous man on the planet?"

"Ron may not be the top, but he's in the top ten. I don't know them all."

"Right. I'm calling Anne."

"I knew this wouldn't work." Dean muttered under his breath. "Before you make that call, James, you need to know that if our cover is broken, we disappear."

"What?"

"Rather quickly, too. Barbara will get a sudden transfer, probably to Norway," Dean shuddered, "the house will be sold, and the Stoppables will cease to exist. Oh, there'll be a few post cards and letters to friends, but like a lot of long distance friendships, they'll get later and later, and finally stop."

James was stunned. "So...so, what is this? Are you in some kind of witness protection program or something."

Dean laughed, "No, no, nothing like that."

"Then I don't understand." A sudden thought struck the scientist, "You said 'the Stoppables will cease to exist'. Does that include Ronald?"

"I'm afraid so, and with him will go Kimberley's safety." Dean frowned, "That may be difficult to do, convincing Ron to leave, I mean."

Jame's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Dean, are you threatening my Kimmie-cub? Because if you are..."

"Threaten a girl who's almost my daughter?" Dean's head shook in reproof, "James, how can you even ask?"

"I'm sorry, but this story of yours has gotten me...if you're not threatening Kim, exactly what are you implying?"

Dean's eyes crinkled in amusement, "James, you're a good man, and you love your daughter, but I don't think you know precisely what goes on on these 'missions' of hers."

"Of course I do. Kimmie always tells me if anything important happens."

"Um hum, did you ever hear of something called a 'spinning top of doom'?"

"What?"

"Or how about a giant mixer?"

"Why would anyone build a giant mixer?"

"Falling out of a plane without a parachute? Explosive tick? Giant cockroaches?"

"Wait, wait...and I saw the cockroaches."

"Sorry, of course you did, everybody did. Do any of the other's ring a bell?"

"No, but Kimberley Anne and I are going to have a long talk when she gets home tonight."

"Well, just don't tell her who spilled the beans." Dean laughed. "I don't want that particular red head to come looking for an old man."

"Temper like her mother," James joined in the laugh, "but Dean, do you seriously expect me to believe..."

"James, I know exactly what actually goes on on the missions. I have to debrief Ron after each one, and he's been trained to give as accurate and unemotional recounting since he was five. You don't realize how many times Ron stepped between Kim and debris, or took a hit from a henchman, or a cut from a laser. Did you ever wonder why you never see him without a shirt?"

James scowled in puzzlement. "Not really, if I thought of it at all, I thought he was modest or ashamed of his build."

"Not hardly."

James stood and began pacing again. "All right, Dean, you've told me just enough to pique my interest and caution, but not enough for me to fully believe you. What's the rest?"

"For that, my friend, you'll have to wait until I contact some people. Then, if all goes well, you can tell Anne and I can tell you both the full story. But not Kimberley. Not until she's older."

"That's all you can tell me?" James glared.

"Except that if I can arrange it, you and Anne will be offered the opportunity to join something that I am very proud of."

"Sounds like a pig in a poke deal."

"Maybe, but I think you'll like it."

IV.

When the car stopped, both women glared at the innocent vehicle in the driveway.

"I don't know what's going on, but they're here." Anne said.

"Let's go, Mom, 'cause I, I mean we, are going to find out."

"Agreed." The two redheads threw open their door's and stepped out.