II
Kim and Ron were being led by a Mr. Macklin through the corporate headquarters of Leap Technologies. He was telling them, "The Tomorrow Project is in our best facility where we can test and store the project until it's completed. We're almost finished, simply going through the final testing phases before we're ready to market it. It must be a terrible temptation to one such as Dr. Drakken."
"So what made you think he found out about it?"
"Just something we heard. That's why we thought we'd call you in, since you have the most experience at thwarting this particular villain. We believe our own security may be compromised, and until we can fix that, we thought it would be best if we could get you to cover our latest creation."
"I'm more of a world saver rather than a property protector," said Kim. "But I'll manage. But it would help if I knew exactly what it was I was protecting."
"Not a problem," said Mr. Macklin. "Let me show you the Tomorrow Project. We keep it in our underground facility. I think you will find it very helpful. I bet your parents would love to look at it, too. Maybe after this job, you could show it to them. I'm sure someone of Dr. Possible's technical expertise and Dr. Possible's profession will both find it most fascinating."
"That's nice," replied Kim, "but they've got enough to do. But if you want to forward the specs or share some notes, I'm sure they wouldn't mind looking it over." She sounded a little bewildered by the offer. Wasn't the Tomorrow Project supposed to be ultrasecret? Wasn't the point of her mission to keep it from getting out before it was time, before all patents were gained? Maybe they've done this before, and the wrong people learned of it, and they sold the information to Drakken, thought Kim.
He stopped by a door marked Leap Technical Facility, with a maglock to the side. Turning to Kim, he answered, "Oh, I think you might change your mind. Your parents just must be among the first to learn about how the Tomorrow Project works." He punched a number into a keypad and then swiped a card through the maglock and it silently cracked open.
"What?" said Kim, bemused, "No print scanners or even greater security?"
"Normally, this is quite sufficient," said Mr. Macklin, giving no sign of offense. "We wouldn't have even thought to call you except for the tip we got that Drakken was planning to hit this place. And from what we understand, he and his partner are more for grandiose displays of power and force, and clumsy brute force attacks."
Kim smiled at Shego being called Drakken's partner, mainly thinking of how she'd react upon hearing it. It might be better than a sidekick, but she'd probably find the idea of being partners with Drakken to be more insulting. Kim never understood why Shego hung around with him. Even Team Go showed more sense than Drakken. At least Kim was pretty sure of that. "Pretty much," said Kim after a moment. "They're more likely to drill a hole with some amazing, if impractical, device and just take it rather than waltz in gracefully and take it through stealth. I really don't understand why Drakken just doesn't patent his technologies, get wealthy off the civilized uses of them, and then just buy off Congress, rather than his crude assaults with whatever gizmo he managed to get a hold of that week, at least until I smash it."
"What is it, little buddy?" asked Ron as Rufus make an excited noise, turning to look inside the doorway. He opened the door more and then narrowed his eyes as he looked to where Rufus has pointed and said dramatically, "Looks like Drakken's already here." The evil doctor was pulling a metal box off a shelf, with a bored-looking Shego standing next to him.
"Oh, no!" shouted Mr. Macklin, "this wasn't expected at all! You must hold them until I can get help!"
Kim forgot all about their guide's eccentricities. "We're up. Let's go, Ron." They entered the facility.
"Kim Possible!" shouted Dr. Drakken surprised.
Shego sighed. "Does she ALWAYS have to show up? I mean really, I should get a restraining order against her."
"Funny, Shego," said Kim, not laughing, "I was thinking the same about you."
"Whatever," said Shego, and then approached Kim, seeming jaded and bored. Kim knew better than to be fooled. As Ron took his place besides Kim, making his mad monkey noises and taking up a fighting stance, she didn't pause or even spare him a glance.
"So how did you get in without making a mess?" asked Kim sarcastically. She didn't think Shego would answer, but Drakken was prone to gloating over every little success, no matter how trivial.
"First things first, Princess," said Shego, now only a couple of meters away. She burst into action, swinging at Kim, and kicking at Ron who was charging her from the side. Kim easily dodged, but Ron went flying across the room from the blow and fell, momentarily winded. Then she was fully engaged in fighting Kim.
Kim fought more defensively, giving herself a moment to warm up. Shego wasn't someone to mess up with. She sometimes suspected that if Shego wasn't as apathetic as she came off, that she'd have been too much for her to handle. Kim held Drakken in contempt, but she had a healthy respect for Shego's abilities, even before she resorted to the green glowing fists of death and power blasts.
Then one of Shego's kicks landed on Kim's face, a blow she hadn't expected as Shego normally didn't kick that high. But she went with the blow, using the momentum to help her flip over backwards, catching a table on her hands and then landing on her feet on the other side. She gasped and ducked as she saw Shego's hands glowing now; playtime was over. Blasts flew over her head, but she ducked fast enough, got under the table, and pushed it over, causing several electronic tools to fall over and make Shego jump back. Then seeing an extension cord, Kim picked it up and spun the last few feet of it before swinging it at Shego's legs. Shego jumped back and shot more blasts at her.
Kim rolled and swung the cord end at her more blindly, hoping to distract her. The cord caught around Shego's wrist and she jerked, causing Kim to be slung several meters. She quickly rolled sideways once she could to prevent Shego getting a good chance to aim at her and then leaped to her feet, her guard up.
But Shego and Drakken were running for the door. Ron had gotten back up but ducked as Shego thew a couple of blasts at him, and then ran out behind Drakken as Ron fell to the floor. Kim ran to help him up.
"They're getting away!" shouted Ron.
"We'll get 'em," said Kim, running for the door.
Then the door slammed and Kim bounced off of it.
They looked at the door and realized that there was a keypad along with a maglock here, too. They needed a card and the number code to open the door. Kim gritted her teeth as she realized that Drakken was going to get away.
"Oh, no, we're trapped!" shouted Ron.
"Only for a moment," said Kim with determination, as she pulled her Kimmunicator out. "Wade, Drakken got away, and we're trapped inside the facility that held the Tomorrow Project."
"Where's Mr. Macklin?"
"He ran off when he realized Drakken and Shego were already here."
"He should be back at any moment then," said Wade. "He'll let you out."
"But Drakken's getting away!" shouted Kim, letting some of her frustration show.
"Not a problem!" said Wade, "there's a specialized RFID on it."
"A what?"
"I'm tracking it. Looks like we'll finally find out where his new lair is."
"That's good. But we need a ride."
"Already taken care of. Will Du will be picking you up in just a few minutes."
Kim frowned. "Will Du?"
"You remember, Kim, Global Justice?"
Kim blinked at that. "I remember Ron, but how did you get Global Justice's 'top agent' to give us a ride?" She laid the sarcasm on thick as she said "top agent."
Wade shrugged. "Global Justice was the one to contact me on this after they turned away the job of guarding the project themselves. I guess they consider it important enough to have their agents help."
Kim shook her head in bewilderment. "If it's so important, then why beep me? They got enough people and resources of their own."
"I don't know. Maybe they figured since it was Drakken, that you were the best person to deal with it."
"Riiiight," replied Kim in a tone that made her skepticism obvious. "Wade, they could've had guards here. There was no one, just a token staff and security, save for the door here. And Drakken knew this place. He must've somehow gotten the blueprints to this place, maybe the help of the corporate security officer for Leap who knew all the systems and the passwords, or someone who cracked their system good. Either Global Justice doesn't consider this that important, or they've really fallen upon hard times. Same for Leap."
Wade shook his head. "I don't know what to tell you Kim, except find Drakken and make him talk. And be sure you get the Tomorrow Project back!"
"Right." Kim was annoyed by Wade's commanding tone of voice and cut him off rudely, hoping Will Du would be more forthcoming. This sitch just wasn't right. And she had a very bad feeling, as unbelievable as it was, that Wade was holding back on her. Maybe even lying to her? This sitch was just too weird to understand, and that made her cranky.