Tian Cai
By mkusenagi2
The story concept © 5-19-2006
All Marvel characters are © Marvel Comics.
All DC characters © DC Comics.
Kim Possible and other Disney characters
are © Disney Co.
Level 4: Jian (Mage)
Part IX
5-16-2006
Condor 1/SHIELD
Helicarrier flagship
The Director's Office
0432 hrs
Wade Load, PhD sat before one of the greatest military minds on Earth and was stumped…
"Sorry Sir. I've tried everything… There's no sign of Drakken anywhere."
The Specialist (Fury) looked at the young genius. "It's ok. Ya did yer best. Just do what ya can…" 'Helluva heart he's got… I can see why Ron loves 'im… Kim too…' "Look…" he pulled an ID out of his pocket and slid it across his desk towards Wade. "As of this moment you're one of my guys… and the real Director's too. Don't wear it out."
Wade looked at the ID… and visibly shook. "Sir… after what i did… the datacore incident… This is an Alpha 5 ID… with full core…"
"Ya earned it the day we faced off… ya admitted ya did wrong… 'granted it was at gunpoint', but ya worked hard ta make up fer it… Just my way of sayin' ya did good…" Wade's eyes bugged. "Don't push it." He rose to leave.
"yes sir."
The Specialist stopped before his door. "Wade." He threw over his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"If ya got a problem… Dugan, Jones and Evans'll do their best. Besides Kim, Sheila, and Ron they're the ones to trust."
"Uh Sir…Aren't you afraid I'll look through The Director's stuff…when you leave?"
"Nah. You're trustworthy. Here anyway…" he turned and grinned at Wade. "But if I were you I'd nix those cams in the women's quarters. If they find out…"
"YES SIR!" BEETROOT Wade.
The Specialist left.
---
'Now ta see if I can help a friend and honor a promise. Hope they don't send me ta jail fer this.' … 'Or they kill me…'
---
At that same time…
Kimberley Ann Possible was thunderstruck.
Her cheeks were wet.
Gut wrenched.
Heartache rampant.
She hardly noticed.
'So many…god…so many.' She thought as she sat before the workstation in her quarters.
She'd decided to take a look at SHIELD's list of war dead…
And her war dead.
Her search was easy to implement since she'd been given Alpha clearance…
It spread from the agents listed by code… to their survivors… also by code… to…to the ones she was supposed to protect…
To the ones she did protect on her missions…
A good number of her friends had lost a child… grandchild… cousin… best friend…to the thing Drakken had infected the population with…
She'd never felt this low in her life…
'How could I even believe i was… all that…even with being a demigoddess… I… we couldn't save them…' she shut off her station and sat…
Weeping…
"Knock."
"Go away." She sobbed.
"Knock."
She ran to the door, Jade Fury in her eyes…
The Door popped open.
"I Told You To Get The FUCK AWA…" she stared at her visitor. "Sorry Sir."
"Kim. Can I come in?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"Here." He said as he handed her a hanky and sat.
"Thanks Sir." She said as she wiped her face. "Sorry. I was just going over some things when you knocked. Is there something you need me for?" she asked as she perched on a seat.
"No." Logan said. "I'm here ta help…what were ya lookin' at?" 'Poor Kid… can't help it… I like her… she's a good egg…"
Kim stared at the floor… everything but Logan. "Nothing important… just some SHIELD stuff…OH!" reluctant eye lock. "Where are my manners, would you like something to drink? Water?"
"Nah. Kim. It's set in… hasn't it? The Reality." He looked her in the eye.
She looked at the floor and nodded.
"It's ok. If you're wonderin'… your scent drew me here… despair… sadness have a smell. It's not your fault…whatever it is…" he said.
"Yes it IS!" she wept. He rose and knelt by her… then sat.
"No it isn't. I know. You're lookin' at the World Expert on regret, self blame… and self-loathing." He said as he hugged her shoulders.
"What do you know about it?" she growled, pushing away.
"Everything. I've had to suffer with things for a long time… people I couldn't save… like Miko." Fractured.
"You loved her."
"Yeah. She was special. Not because she was Japanese Royalty… she had a way about her that I hadn't seen in a while… She knew what I was… and loved me… Monkey Fist killed her before we got married…" he sat… shadows in his face. Then he grinned. "I got Her Justice… his 'friends' handed him over… he did the rest in combat…" he grew still. "ron was there."
She gasped. "He told me everything but that… he talked around it… said you'd had to defend yourself… that someone had killed a friend of yours… and came after you… i didn't know…"
"Yer guy's great like that… when it counts he'll keep a secret…" a tear rolled down his cheek.
"Does it get easier? Knowing you helped someone… even though you couldn't save everyone… do you think it'll get better?"
"Most of the time… fer me… no… what gets me through is I'm stubborn. You…" he looked at her. "You and Ron believe. When you and Ron started your missions… Me and the Xmen were impressed… as you went along… I started keepin' tabs on you two… You 'cause you're gutsy… Ron 'cause he's like Imi was… When he decided to go solo… I couldn't let 'im go alone…"
Kim saw a flicker go through his eyes… something.
"Why?" Kim.
"Sobibor. Imi got me out." Logan was open… "He knew. Said the World needed me… He was scrambled like Ron is at times… but when you listened… there was truth there… and love… he loved… everyone… truly… even those Nazi bastards… he'd had to kill…"
They sat.
He smiled.
So did she.
Kim hugged him.
As did he, her.
He kissed her forehead. "Go see 'im. He's in Al's cabin."
"I will." She said. Kim kissed his cheek. "Thanks… for keeping Ron safe."
"You're welcome."
"Could you tell me more about his Great Grandpa?"
"Nah. That's Ron's job first. After…" she started to pout. "I'll tell. Promise." The Pout disappeared. 'Oughta be a law.' He thought. She smiled. 'Then again… maybe not…' "Uh. I gotta go. Crap to do."
"Yeah." She said with a deeper smile.
Kim and Logan rose to leave. "Logan… I hope someone finds you… someone worthy. You deserve it."
"Thanks." He said as they left. 'Ron's one Blessed Bastard.'
---
And…
"Man! CAN'T sleep! Al's on detail so I can't hang with him…" he rolled out of bed. "Guess I'll just study some more…"
"Ron. Knock. Knock." He answered the door…
"!" he stared. "Cap!"
"Hi. I hear you're studying extra hard these days…" he handed Ron a thin package. "This should help. It's my backup set… one of them."
Ron opened it.
It was a SHIELD PDA. He turned it on as he waved Cap in… His eyes bugged. He looked at Cap as he shut the door… "Steve… I can't take this… I'm not worthy…"
"Yes you are."
"Dude… The collected works of T. E. Lawrence… AND your notes… I… It's…"
Steve Rogers aka Captain America looked at Ronald Dean Stoppable.
"Someday… I won't be sharp enough, or quick enough. Someone's got to carry the torch. You're it." He grinned before he opened the door. "Besides. You'll need 'em. She's Nan's Granddaughter."
"Thanks Dude."
Steve saluted and left. Ron dove in…
With a Vengeance.
---
Also…
Al sat in one of the many conduits that ran throughout the Carrier…
'Heh… gonna have to make a call…' he thought as he tapped the comnet's major trunk line.
He dialed a number.
A phone rang… somewhere in America.
"Hello?" a young man said. "Hi. It's Al. Can I talk to Brenda?" "MOM!" the man yelled, you could hear the edge of his impending leap into maturity in his voice…
And the reason for it…
"Boy, what have I told you about manners on the phone…! for that matter period?" a woman's voice quietly said. It was a voice rich with hard earned wisdom…
And power. Such a voice when heard, had the edge of Authority… and hard won Humor. You could tell the person wasn't to be taken lightly, and at the proper time…
Not totally seriously either.
An image came to mind as Al waited to speak. A woman… Svelte African Earth Mother…
Her smile. Her Wry, Sunbright smile.
And a dash of twinkle in her eye.
"Brenda?" he said. Grinning in the dark conduit.
"Al… Percy? How are you?"
"Ah…I'm ok. The Old Man…"
"Needs our help. I heard. HYDRA's newest stepchild's gone rogue… and she's in love with him. Drakken and Viper." She said, dripping disdain.
"Yeah. Kim's…"
"Help? She's got it. I like the girl. What she represents. Her partners are ok too. I'll get the data Wade can't. Who are you going to line up?"
"'Cisco… some of my guys… and him."
"You know… everyone from 'the day' thinks he's dead. Still do." You could hear her nostalgia for old, old friends in her voice. They smiled.
"Yeah. 'huh…' I know where he is… I'll ask him. Just do what you can…" he smiled. "Still got it." Statement of fact.
"Yeah. You've gotta be the best at Counterintelligence… that's what parenting's all about anyway. I'll have my rig up and running just in case." "Thanks." She paused. "Al. Gotta go. … Boy what did I tell you…click!"
Al took time to relax…
Now they had a chance…
A better one.
---
Somewhere in the Caribbean…
Herr Smith was livid…
The base had suffered a terminal casualty rate of 50 percent…
For starters.
Their coffers had been raided.
Armory mostly destroyed.
The Bioforges were offline.
AIM techs stated that they would have them operational in two months.
Now he stood safely inside his hidden Bunker.
Quietly enraged.
He turned towards Zola and Strucker.
"My friends… I haven't felt this… 'angry' since that verdamnt… Captain America… and the Fuhrer… each… destroyed one of my key schemes." He smiled causing a chill to run through his partners. "It is but a minor setback. I take pleasure knowing that SHIELD and the World's powers are suffering as well." He turned to Zola. "Tell your AIM lackeys that they have three weeks… or else. ALL resurrection protocols are to be jammed and offline until one of us is victorious!"
"Yes mine Herr!"
"Strucker."
"Jawohl."
"It is time for you to make a trip."
"Yes Mine Herr."
---
Earlier…
5-15-2006
Project Pegasus
Hangar 1
0745 hrs
The Second most intense standoff since Pegasus faced off against Sublime was taking place in the most secure Supervillain MaxSec facility on earth…
'It's bad enough that Mary scratched my armor… Thank God it's Flowmetal™ tech… but… … THAT BITCH TORCHED MY JET! … Just wait 'til I get my…' she took a deep breath… 'Head in The Game…' Pulsar thought as she, Binary (Col. Linda Danvers, Pegasus' Warden), Etrigan, Mr. Fantastic, Jocasta, Jack of Hearts, and SHIELD's 10 man Riot Squad (in newly released Stark Industries™ War Machine IV armor) faced off against…
The Abomination…
The Human Link…
Sandman…
Electro…
The Beetle…
… and Senor Senior Junior.
"I won't say this but once. Give up." Binary said as the Riot Squad prepared to fire.
"Up YOURS. Tovarich!" The Abomination roared as Sandman, Beetle, and the Link "BAM, BAM, WRANGGG!" hammered and wrenched the doors open.
"SCATTER! FIRE AT WILL!" Binary roared. 'Thank God the vehicles are locked down… else it'd be a lot worse… hope Nick's got my corner… gonna have some explaining to do to the UN SecGen… I hope we can get a handle on how to stop this… Some of the guys that went berserk were good friends of mine…'
Sandman and Junior slid through the gap while Beetle, Link, Abomination, and Electro covered their escape by throwing shrapnel and hunks of flooring at them.
"BAM! WEEEOOO! BLAM!" was heard as the crossfire began!
Pulsar weaved around the debris and formed a plasma blade…
Etrigan followed…
Jack of Hearts formed a Zero Shield and ran towards their foes…
Binary went incandescent; plowed through the debris and bowled the Link and Electro over as she ran a quick assessment of Sandman's location below… then blasted back inside! 'Charles! Tell Ben they're making a break for it! A VTOL's arrowing in from the North!'
'I will.' He sent.
"You got this?" Pulsar cried as she and Etrigan gave chase. 'Damned AP and AA cannon are offline… SHIT!'
"Yeah." Binary shouted back. 'Good Luck Girl.'
"Fuck THIS!" Beetle cried as he dove through the gap!
"I Agreeeee…" Abomination said as he leaped through…
---
So this ain't the end - I saw you again today
I Had to turn my heart away
You smile like the Sun - Kisses for everyone
And tales - it never fails!
---
Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic, squared off against Electro as he tried to sneak aboard a Harpy. "Going somewhere?" he said.
"Yeah Asshole…" Electro growled "Through YOU!" he cried as he threw a bolt of electricity at Reed!
"You'll have to do better than that my friend!" he said as he flowed around his bolt and hit him with a mallet shaped fist!
"Ungh!" Electro reeled as he was pummeled by Reed's elastic body… fists formed into maces… Reed repeatedly slammed Electro against the Harpy's hull…
Out of desperation Electro flashed an arc at Reed…
"Agh!" Who was blinded…
He sank to the floor and formed his legs into a sheet…
Electro leaped onto Reed and tried to throttle him!
Reed flowed over Electro and smothered him!
"ZZAAAPPPP!" was heard as he tried to fry Reed.
…
…
Electro collapsed.
'Not too smart attacking a man whose body's like rubber…' Reed thought as he surveyed the room. 'I hope our trap's in place…' he thought as he and Jocasta took Electro into custody.
---
You lying so low in the weeds
I Bet you gonna ambush me
You'd have me down, down, down, down on my knees
Wouldn't you, Barracuda? Ohhh
---
"Hold STILL Bug!" The Human Link said to Jack as he dodged his attacks.
'Gotta thank Iron Fist for those lessons… WHOA! THAT was close!' he thought as he was nearly tagged by the Link.
"I've Beaten The Hulk… You're NO Match for ME!" he bellowed as he "WRAMMM!" slammed his hands and feet into the hangar floor.
The wind was knocked out of Jack as he was slammed by the shockwave! The Squad and others through the complex were knocked about! "NO!" Binary cried as The Link reared over his fallen foe. She streaked to his side…
"WHAP!" was heard by Jack as The Link surprised her with his speed and slapped her aside!
'BASTARD!' he thought as she landed in the wreckage… 'Fucker's a semi-petrified Gamma-powered freak…' he thought as the Zero Fluid in his body took on a life of it's own… 'Let the Fluid do it! It worked on the Hulk…'
The Link strode over to her…
Jack levitated… and receded internally!
A spike of Zero energy hit the Link!
Fractures sundered his form.
Soundless screams…
Cinder and Ash…
Jack ran to her… scooped her up…
He flashed out of the bay into the Infirmary…
"I've got her." Xavier said as he and a team placed her on a gurney and tended her wounds…
Jack fidgeted as the team ran a miniCAT over her and assessed her injuries.
"She'll be fine… 3 ribs are broken." Xavier looked into Jack's eyes. 'I'll make sure she's fine. Go.' He thought to the hero.
Gratitude showered from Jack's eyes…
Compassion and Firm Resolve flowed from Charles…
A God of War flashed back to the Field…
---
Back over Time we were all Trying for free
You met the porpoise and me, uh huh
---
Earlier inside Pegasus…
'Charles they have Junior in tow, which means…' Binary thought while her team was in pursuit of Junior and his cronies…
'Which means Senior's waiting for them. I'll notify our 'ace'. Ben's in place as well, in case they manage to give you the slip. They're shielded… It's Beetle's doing I'd say.' Xavier sent as he tended the wounded. 'I'm surprised at the number of casualties amongst the prisoners.' He thought. 'What did this? I've been feeling something… different… here at Pegasus.'
'That's Hego's 'minder'. Merlin's Demon… Etrigan. Dr Strange will be here when he can… 'til then I'll accept his 'help'. Trust me the less you know the better.' She thought; her innermost thoughts heavily shielded.
'I understand.' He sent back. Shielded. (That explains the rage… and lust for battle I felt…)
'Do you?' she thought as she and her team chased the escaped felons. 'Do any of us?'
---
No right no wrong…selling a Song-
A name whisper game.
---
Pulsar surveyed the plain…
First in normal sight.
"You guys see anything?" she growled over her link as she flew over the sandy terrain… 'God's country. Little dry for a Garden of Eden. Just right for a nest of Vipers'
"Nay." Etrigan said as he flew with her. "But I Smell them." He veered south towards a cave. Pulsar followed.
"No." Jack said as he slid along the surface on a runner of Zero energy to the West.
"Nah." Ben Grimm said. "Ya gotta watch it. Sandy's at home here. This is perfect turf to 'im." Eyes watched him as he walked around the Mesa's base.
'No shit. Gonna do you right.' Sandman thought as Ben walked by him. Sandman was masquerading as a boulder. "Why can we not make a break fommmph!" Junior tried to whisper while hiding inside a cavity Sandman had formed from his bulk. "Gonna settle some biz." He wrote on the inside wall of Junior's hiding place before he pulled a sand clog from his mouth.
"Oh." Junior said.
Ben felt a crawly sensation. 'He's here.' Then he heard… the grind of stone!
"BAM!" Ben was clipped as he rolled out of the way!
"UNGH!" he groaned as he was swept up in Sandman's fist! "GONNA CRUSH YOU!"
Junior ran for his father's stealthed VTOL as it landed. "POPPI!" he cried as he ran across the terrain.
"Hurry My Son!" Senior cried through the craft's PA as it landed and the belly ramp opened. "Our windows closing!"
A figure watched as it crept closer… senses ablaze. 'Urrr.'
Junior was closing on the craft…
A figure in desert camo slid into the jet as Junior blinked.
He raced onboard…
To see…
An Abattoir!
He glared at the figure as it set a charge and lunged at him!
"NOOOOO! POPPPIIIIII!" he screamed as he ran off the jet into the scrub brush…
A figure loped off the craft and gave pursuit with an easy gait as the craft exploded.
'I wonder if he tastes like chicken too? Nah. He'll taste like Pork…' Sabertooth smiled. 'The other white meat.' "Urrr… Heh, heh, heh … I kill me."
A new hunt began…
---
And if the real thing don't do the trick
You better make up something quick
You're gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick
Ooh, Barracuda? Ohhhh…yeah
---
Pulsar and Etrigan stood before the cave mouth.
"Lifeform/low level Gamma source overhead. An armored suit in stealthed mode is attempting to hide 20 feet inside this formation according to passive scan." Her armor purred in Ron's voice. She confirmed it with her 'sight'. 'God I miss him… them… Fuck this! 1st chance I get we're straightening this out!'
She raised her visor, looked overhead, then at Etrigan. He nodded.
A green blur "WRANGG!" smacked into Pulsar!
The Abomination had struck first!
"UNGH!" she grunted as her armor absorbed the brunt of the impact. Wetness… from her nose! "!" anger. To put it mildly…
"GET… 'ZZZZ…' THE… 'OW! OW! OW!' FUCK… OFF!" she roared as she went incandescent!
He dropped her. 'Fucking BITCH! That BURNS!'
Etrigan, "WAP!" smacked him away! "WHOOM!" was heard as he landed in a pile of scree…
The Demon followed.
A purplish blur flew out of the cave and slammed into Pulsar as she shakily landed… "WHUNK!" was knocked back into the cave and proceeded to struggle with the Beetle as he slammed her into the cave roof… hair flying… then sidekicked her into the cave mouth as it crumbled…
"Rummbbllleee." "That'll take care of you. Who says my armor isn't The Shit?" He said as he scanned for an exit.
The Demon meanwhile was having the time of his life…
Fighting one that was nearly as strong as he.
"HHAHAHAHAHA! T'is folly… you seek." He growled as they rolled across the desert floor, wrestling for an advantage.
"NGH!" The former Soviet agent grunted. "Why?"
"Why?" Etrigan said as he… 'crack.' Broke the mutate's ankle with his toes. "T'is your day…" Hellfire blazed from his eyes as a vision formed within…
Emil Blonsky knew fear… True Fear as he broke free in adrenalin fueled fury and hobbled/ran.
"To Die."
---
"Sell me sell you" the porpoise said
Dive down deep down to save my head
You…I think that you got the blues too.
---
Ben struggled as he was smothered…
"Gonna kill you… then that rubber freak… the Torch…" he whispered as he squeezed…
"Then I'm gonna take my time with your black slut and…"
Anger.
Unbridled.
Cosmic Ray Fueled.
A n g e r.
A blast shook the mesa.
1.x… or 2.x Richter.
Ben Grimm…
The Thing.
Waited as William Baker aka Flint Marko, The Sandman pulled himself together…
He cracked his neck while he waited.
"Whoom!" Ben caught Sandman's fists… and 'crunch' crushed them to powder.
"Y'know Sandy." "BAM!" "You Talk Too MUCH!" The Sandman flew into the side of the mesa.
"Oh YEAH!" he rumbled as he merged with the desert floor and towered over Ben. "What's The Matter Rocky? Touch a Nerve?" Ben picked up a boulder. "Us Guys In The Joint Call You Nig…'POW!'"
Sandman's head exploded as the boulder sailed right through it!
Jack of Hearts flew to Ben's side. "Is he dead?"
A wave knocked him aside as Ben was tossed headfirst into a boulder and knocked senseless.
"NO!" Jack cried as he turned into pure Zero Fluid and merged with the Sandman.
"AGGGHHHHHH!" Sandman cried as he was encapsulated. "Lemmegoooo…"
"No." he said as he began to squeeze.
"Let 'im go junior." Ben said as he stood. "You're not a killer at heart."
"Ok." Jack thought… and made a choice. "FLASH."
A statue sat amidst the rubble.
It was made of ultra dense… time frozen glass.
The Sandman.
Sat within.
And…
Screamed.
"Not Bad Kid. Ya Got Potential." Ben said, as he gave him a cigar.
"Thanks Sir." Jack frowned. "I couldn't let that slide… what he said… it's wrong."
"Kid… When this is over we're gonna hang with Reed. Maybe he can get those powers of yours under control." He smiled. "'Licia's got a Sis… looks like a cross between Beyonce an' Storm. Single too."
Jack thought and said what any guy would.
"Wow." Grin.
---
All that night and all the next, swam without looking back
Made out for western pools – silly, silly fools
---
"HA, HA, HA, HA! I've defeated one of SHIELD's finest! Now if I can find a way out of here…" The Beetle said as he looked for an exit past the battle outside.
Flowmetal oozed from the cave in…
It leaped onto the Beetle and proceeded to short out his battle suit!
"GOD…DAMNIT!" he cried as he shed his armor.
A pernicious green and purple glow seeped through the rocks that blocked the entrance…
"Now what?"
"BOOM!" Pulsar arose.
She landed before him. Dirty, disheveled… She looked at herself and shook her head.
It vanished.
Sweat ran down his back.
"Let's just keep enough light so we can see…" she said as she blasted a hole soundlessly through the living rock.
Light slid in.
Sheila Goble-Baux stood before her 'foe' hand cocked on hip.
"Let's see. You're a has-been mechanic/engineer named Abner Jenkins…" he lunged at her, "'bop' Don't interrupt me when I'm talking." She smiled at him. "Besides… my guy did better when he was 'the buffoon'. Now 'bam' I'm 'oof' going 'aggh!' to say 'no moorreee…' this once…" she said to the trembling wreck of a man before her.
"What's that?" he husked from behind swollen eyes.
"Go straight or die. Take Gyrich up on the 'offer' to join the 'bolts."
"Ok." He collapsed.
She blasted the rock from the blocked entrance, lit a cheroot, shook out her hair, and walked out with Jenkins in tow (by her armor).
"Booyah." She softly said. 'Ron eat your heart out.' Deep inside. 'wish you'da seen… i was at my best.'
---
If the real thing don't do the trick, no
You better make up something quick
---
Sheila exited the cave to see…
Etrigan slam The Abomination into a cliff wall…
He turned to look at her.
She was shocked by what happened next.
"Sis! You're OK!" he said with Ted Goble's voice.
"!" she thought before Etrigan returned.
"Mercy." Blonsky cried.
Etrigan looked at Sheila. "Ok… (eye roll) Go ahead."
"Mercy… Nae. Not 'til Judgement Day!" 'Crunch!'
It was finished.
"Not Bad Kids. Not Bad." Nick Fury said as he walked up. "Got something for ya to see. Orders bedamned." He tossed a minicomp at her.
She caught it and read. "Ok. So what am I looking at?" she growled. Her eyes bugged. "NO!" she cried as she glared at him.
"It's true. If the SecGen finds out I told ya… we're both in hot water."
"Dad was a test subject for Weapon X?"
"Yeah." He said as Etrigan walked over. "And three women… one's Viper. One's your…"
"Mom…momma…" Sorrow. "How long?"
"I found out two days ago. Wade uncorked the file. I snatched a copy and corked it so they don't know." He turned away.
"Don't you walk away from me…BASTARD!"
"Sis. It's not his fault." Ted. Etrigan left…
"They deserved better. Had enough. I'm gonna resig…" Fury started. Sheila rushed him, tackled him in the sand and growled…
"no you aren't…you fucker… you're gonna ride this out to the end…honor bedamned… I've earned the right…" she sagged, releasing his collar. "i…we need you nick…stay for daddy's…momma's sake…"
They held her 'til it was over.
Later…
"Gotta go. Company's comin'. Check the file. You'll find out some things. The datakeys…" Nick said before he faded away.
Later still…
The Pegasus Infirmary.
Binary's bedside.
1230 hrs
"You ate him!" she growled at her old beau.
"Yeah." Sabertooth grunted.
"Lay off Sheila. I told him to terminate both of them." Linda said. "Senior's been shoring up certain interests… that's come to an end; now he's dead. The son would've taken up his hobby. Where do you think that Colonel came up with the money to buy that tanker during the Monaco mission?"
"Ok. How long do you need me here?" she said with a glint in her eye. '?' 'Hmmm. I can feel them… it's coming back!'
"Two more days."
"Fine."
---
You're gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick…
Ohhh, Barra…barracuda! Yeah
Barracuda
Heart
---
Drakken's New Lair…
He glared at his minions as they finished their preparations.
"Release them."
Viper smiled as his clone army was released…
And as his pathogen was shipped…
Inside Little Diablos.
---
Meanwhile…
Team House, The Drs Possible, Dr Richards, Xavier, Bobbi Morse-Barton, and Stark stood in Condor 1's Lab before Col. Dugan. "Sorry folks. Lockdown's in effect except for cleared personnel 'til this is over."
---
5-16-2006
Condor 1/SHIELD
Helicarrier flagship
Officer's Country
Special Agent Al Evans
Quarters
0132 hrs
'Tap. Tap.'
Ron rolled off the sofa and trudged to the door. '?' 'KP?' He opened the door.
"Hi." She said.
"Uh… heh. Hi." He said. Sheepishly. "C'mon in."
She entered.
They sat on the sofa.
Kim tackled him.
Tears drenched him. Torrential downpour. Kisses.
"Wait." Ron. He hugged her close.
Al peeked out of his room. Ron gave the high sign. Al nodded and went back to bed.
"why?" she asked.
"kp…you need a friend… more than a lover…" he hugged her 'til tension eased.
Al chose a tune on his rig by remote and let fly…
They listened and fell asleep.
For the second time…
At ease…
Because they could feel each other…
And for the moment were safe…
In A good and honest place.
If you search for tenderness
It isn't hard to find
You can have the love you need to live
But if you look for truthfulness
You might just as well be blind
It always seems to be so hard to give
Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you
I can always find someone
To say they sympathize
If I wear my heart out on my sleeve
But I don't want some pretty face
To tell me pretty lies
All I want is someone to believe
Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you
I can find a lover
I can find a friend
I can have security
Until the bitter end
Anyone can comfort me
With promises again
I know, I know
When I'm deep inside of me
Don't be too concerned
I won't ask for nothin' while I'm gone
But when I want sincerity
Tell me where else can I turn
Because you're the one that I depend upon
Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you
Honesty
Billy Joel
TBC