The Gift
Chapter 3: Saturday Night
I.
Anne had finally forced Kim to accompany her to the hospital cafeteria. The food was good, not up to Chef Ron's standards, but edible. This late at night the menu was limited, but James had placed a cheeseburger in front of his daughter.
"Kimmie cub, you have to eat something," James said sternly, "you haven't had anything but coffee since last night."
"Not hungry, Daddy."
Barbara Stoppable looked at the teenager with sympathy. "Kim, Ronnie would not want you making yourself sick. I know you don't feel like eating, but please, for Ron, make yourself eat. You'll feel better."
Kim always liked Mrs. Stoppable, without understanding her. She had always seemed so quiet. Yet, Ron loved her deeply. "Guess that blows the old saying about all men wanting to marry their mother's ." "All right, Mrs. Stoppable, I'll try, for you and for Ron."
To Kim's surprise, with the first bite, her stomach growled, and she was suddenly ravenous. To her embarrassment, she finished the burger more in Ron's manner than her own. To her further surprise, she did feel better.
Cheeks flushed, she looked at her boyfriend's mother, "Thanks, Mrs. Stoppable, I guess I was hungrier than I thought."
Barbara rewarded her with a slight smile, "That's all right, Kim, I'm sure Ron would have enjoyed watching you."
"He would have never let me live it down." Kim blurted.
Small smiles blossomed around the table. "We won't tell him if you promise to go home and get some sleep."
Kim's face set stubbornly, "No, I'm staying. He might need me."
Anne broke in before her friend could argue, "Kim's right, Barbara, the only thing that settles Ron down when he comes out of this, even momentarily, is Kim's touch and voice. I'll have them set up a bed so she can get some sleep and still be close."
"You will try to sleep, ok?" Barbara asked Kim seriously.
"Yes ma'am, I promise."
II.
The parents were beginning to make noises about going home to bed when James noticed the newcomer. He immediately waved him over.
"Kim, this is Chief Steffer. He may have some answers for you."
Kim looked at the policeman curiously. "How do you do, Chief. Do you?"
Steffer smiled, "A few, Miss Possible, a few."
Dean asked anxiously, "Have you found out more since this morning? Any ideas on who it was?"
"A few things, Mr. Stoppable." He handed Kim a folded sheet. "Does this mean anything to you?'
On the paper was only a short sentence: Ron Stoppable is at 2200 Cherry Tree Lane.
Kim looked up in confusion. "I don't understand."
Chief Steffer passed the paper around the table. "I didn't really think it would, Miss Possible…"
"Please, call me Kim."
"Thank you. But, you never know."
The others were equally confused. "I don't understand, Chief, where did you get this?" frowned James.
"It was brought to my office at nine o'clock this morning by private messenger. I received it a few hours ago. My deputy took it from the messenger this morning. We've still got him, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't know anything."
"What does it mean?" asked a confused Kim.
"Kim, somebody wanted to make sure Ron was found."
Various versions of "What!" echoed around the table.
"If I ever meet your friend Wade," the Chief said in a seemingly random comment, "I'm going to make sure he gets first bid on any computer equipment we confiscate."
"Wade?"
"Yes, an amazing young man. He managed to hack into the computers, and reconstruct most of the destroyed files."
"What files?" wondered Anne.
"Who wanted him found?" asked Dean.
"But he was at my house at six." Kim burst out.
"All right," the Chief replied, "three very good questions. We don't know who, the files we found in the house's computers, and Kim, the reason Ron was at your house is that his second escape was both more destructive and more successful."
"What escapes? I don't understand."
"Kimmie," James interjected, "you weren't there when the Chief told us that Ronald had almost succeeded in escaping. I'll tell you all about it later."
Chief Steffer looked at them compassionately, "Mrs. Possible, I understand you have taken over Ronald's case. If you like, I will tell you later the exact timeline of Ronald's injuries but I would rather not…" his gaze slid to Kim.
Kim immediately pounced, "I want to know what happened to Ron."
Steffer shifted his gaze to the Drs. Possible. "Do you think that's wise? This is some pretty raw stuff."
Anne answered for them both. "Kim has a right to know."
"All right, I tried," Steffer muttered, "No questions until I'm through, please, I'd like to get through this as quickly as possible." His voice turned clinical. "Here's what we have. At approximately 11:45 PM Ronald was captured, probably taken by surprise. He was removed to the house on Cherry Lane. He was then clamped into a steel x-frame by his ankles and wrists. The first act was that all of his nails were jerked out. Hands and feet. Then the soles of his feet were burnt, we're not sure what with. It was just deep enough to remove the outer layer of skin and leave the nerves bare. His feet were then beaten with knotted cords, I don't know how long or how much, but it was pretty severe." He swallowed.
"Ron was then lashed with a Roman style whip, a multi corded whip with pieces of metal in the cords. I don't know if you knew, Dr Possible, "Anne nodded, "but part of what took the surgeons so long was that they were removing pieces of cloth out of Ron's back."
Only Anne remained pale, the others looked green with nausea.
"Ron was then repeatedly subjected to electricity. That's where many of the burns came from. There were other assaults, but the last was the worst. Ron was literally beaten to within an inch of his life. The device used has been found. Curiously, no vertebrae were injured, no teeth were knocked out, and although many of his bones were broken, including most of his fingers, nothing that would cause permanent injury or disability were broken."
"My God," Dean choked, "how did he manage to escape with that much…" he couldn't go on.
"His first escape he managed after only one finger was broken. We're not sure of the details; we think he somehow managed to get one hand out of its shackle. His successful escape? I honestly have no idea how he managed that one."
A sickened silence enveloped the table.
"Quite a remarkable young man you have there, Kim." Steffer mused. "He caused enough damage his first attempt that the system had to reboot itself. Probably what allowed him to make his second successful attempt. Of course, it also caused the program to repeat the process."
Barbara was holding Kim tightly, both quietly sobbing.
"Well," Steffer prepared to leave, hearing no questions. "By the way, Dr. Possible, when you think he's up to it, I need to talk to Ron, find out if he can tell me anything."
"I'll let you know as soon as he's able."
"Thank you, If any new information comes out I'll keep you all informed." The Chief turned and walked out.
III.
The Possibles' and Stoppables' stood outside the room, staring through the observation window, watching Kim keep her vigil. They had decided to return home for some rest and return first thing in the morning.
"James," Dean suddenly asked, "You understand computers, who did this, did the files say?"
Dr. Possible shook his head. "No, somebody is behind this, but the actual kidnapping and torture seems to have been totally automated."
"Is that even possible?" Barbara gasped.
"Oh, yes," James turned pontific, "the actual programs are relatively simple. The hard part would be the hardware, the mechanics that had to leave the house and kidnap Ron. Lots of variables there."
"I think that's enough, James".. Anne gently halted his lecture. "I suggest we all go get some sleep."
"Yes, dear." James acquiesced sheepishly. "But one more thing, Dean, Barbara, thank you."
"You're welcome, James, for what?" Asked Barbara.
"Anne didn't tell you."
"I'm sorry, I should have, but in all that's happened, I forgot." Anne blushed.
"Tell us now," Dean requested quietly.
"The reason Ron put himself through what must have been a taste of hell; he talked some in surgery, the reason…" Anne choked.
James spoke up, "What Anne is trying to say, is that Ron dragged himself, in the shape he was in, to warn our daughter. He seems to have been convinced someone was coming after her next."