IV
Will Du entered the lair from the same shaft Kim and Ron had come in on and in the same way. He came up to Kim and swatted Rufus out of the way absentmindedly and ignored his angering chattering as he turned Kim to look at him. "Kim Possible," he said in a deep voice, "report."
She stirred. Sleepily, she said, "So not the drama."
He shook her lightly. "Kim, I need you to talk to me." When Kim just closed her eyes, he gently laid her back down and pulled a metal wand that at his touch flipped out what looked like an exotic fork. He touched her head with it and it made a whining noise. Kim's eyes began shifting crazily under her eyelids, as if she were experiencing REM sleep.
Suddenly, she opened them and sat up. "Owww," she cried as she rubbed her head with both hands.
"Kim Possible," repeated Will Du, "report."
She blinked annoyance at him and was about to tell him off when instead she calmly told him how it went down, glossing over most of the fight.
"Is it true the Tomorrow Project was destroyed?"
"Sorry," said Kim.
Will sighed, putting the strange device away. "It's not a major problem, but we will need to get you all moved. And those pods are expensive and hard to make on this world."
"This world?" asked Kim with raised brows.
He nodded. "The technology comes from another world. They avoid bringing their technology over here as the transfer is complicated and they like to avoid the possibility of the sick world targeted for curing gaining access to their technology before saturation reaches optimum levels."
"Ok," said Kim, still rubbing her head. "Can you explain what it was you've just said?" She finally put her hands down and paid attention.
"On a parallel world, the people had a different history. No religions rose up powerful enough to go around burning libraries and smashing inventions as happened in our own time line, and they had their industrial revolution centuries before ours. The downside to them is that their additions included various weapons. Their world had been hit with nuclear and biological strikes more than once, which set them back. But they are still ahead of us. The powers that be, desperate to avoid another apocalyptic threat, found a way to make peace: by curing humanity."
"Curing humanity? Of what, being human?" She took to rubbing her head again.
"Exactly." He gave her a moment to finish rubbing her head. "You've been injected with those nanites. Right now they are assimilating and rewriting your DNA, which is why you feel very tired. The nanites will make you faster, stronger, even smarter. They also make it impossible to cause trouble."
Kim shook her head. She felt like she should be afraid, but she wasn't. "Really? How?"
"They affect your brain, spine, and endocrine glands. When you obey and go with the plan, you will be rewarded with endorphins. When you work against that, you will feel yourself in despair and grief. It doesn't take that long to socialize under this system."
"Soooo," started Kim, feeling very confused, "You're turning me into something like a killer Bebe? That's not only too weird for words, that sounds really evil," said Kim, though she still wasn't afraid.
Will shrugged. "It's a matter of perspective I suppose. But think about it: most people WANT a unified world, one that is full of conformity and predictability. Most people want to be loved and will do anything for that feeling. Many pursue drugs, legally and otherwise, that give them feelings of happiness and pleasure. And they want to be taken care of. This advanced world that cured itself does all that. And if the people at the top ever abuse that power, what of it? They have eradicated crime and warfare, which is far more than our own fallible leaders have done. Think about it: how many times have you saved the world? Well they've saved their own world for all time, and are now saving other worlds."
"Why? We didn't ask for their help," replied Kim.
"Because eventually we'll learn to cross over into parallel worlds, too. I think we're only a decade or so from that now. We could make trouble for them. So by curing us of our humanity, helping us to evolve, they preserve the peace and order of their own world, while spreading their enlightenment and liberation."
"Yeah, yeah," said Kim, with only a trace of sarcasm and went back to rubbing her head, "slavery is freedom and all that. But slavery is evolution? How twisted is that?"
"It's not twisted. It's a singularity. Think about the last one to change humanity: the advent of writing. Writing changed us forever, made civilization possible. Now this is the next advent that will change our species, and make the SURVIVAL of our civilization possible. We're already cyborgs almost anyway. How could we live without our cars and buses and hoverjets? How could we live without our cell phones and communication devices? And how many people have prosthetic devices and devices put inside their bodies when they get sick? There's even Norplant, inserted under the arm of women to provide safe, effective birth control by providing continuing low doses of hormone treatments."
"Ok, too much info. But all that is by CHOICE."
"Choice is the disease. If we are to survive, if we're to stop the endless wars and rebellions and crime, then we have no choice. We must be cured of choice, and evolve into a species without boundaries and without the chaos of individuality and demagoguery. Humanity, left to its own devices, is doomed. Humans are Neanderthals with access to weapons of mass destruction. But we are the utopian future that has come to make the worlds, all of them, a better place for all."
"Does the rest of Global Justice know about your new allegiance?"
Will smiled. "Global Justice has already been cured. We've had other pods stolen by other governments and agencies, too. After a few more loose ends are tied up, various governments will declare quarantines, even releasing inconvenient diseases if they must, and begin curing those towns and military bases in the quarantine zones. We're just waiting on a few more things before we begin in the United States, and then the rest of the world will follow. I think China may have even started already."
Kim made a skeptical expression, though she still felt calm. "By 'curing,' you mean 'infecting'."
"No, curing. Humanity is already infected. We are the cure. We've already gotten all of CDC, the FDA, and plenty among other agencies. We have some of the top brass, and we're slowly getting top politicians. Because they're watched more closely, we have to be more careful about them, curing their assistants and families first. Then we make our move of evolving the entire world."
"You get people to betray their families?" Kim felt a tiny bit of horror at the thought, but still felt insanely calm.
"Betray? No, we're not here to 'bring a sword' and 'set man against his father.' They help to cure us, and thus save our families as well as keeping their own worlds safe. In fact, since the nanites guard vigilantly against any virus or germs, disease will pretty much be a thing of the past. Just as you'll help to cure your family. They're top in their field and we want them on our side, or at least unwilling to stop us. You're our key to them. You'll be useful, too, teen hero. And so will Drakken and Shego's connections. Drakken may be incompetent, but he knows many villains with an impressive array of skills and tech that we want on our side. Plus, they may oppose global harmony."
"You mean, global domination."
"When you come right down to it, they're one and the same."
"I'm not helping you get my family." Then Kim held her head and felt like she was going to cry.
"Feel that? You will, Kim Possible. It takes a couple of days before the transformation is complete, but once it is, that feeling of grief and sickness in the pit of your stomach will be unbearable. As will the happiness and fulfillment you will feel when you act appropriately. Most are fully rehabilitated by the time the cure is complete, though those with stronger wills sometimes resist for as long as 2 weeks. After awhile, you get so used to thinking and acting appropriately, that you won't even recognize yourself. And you'll be much happier for it. Just as Wade is."
Kim frowned. "Wade is...'cured'?"
"We sent him a pod. His curiosity was his undoing. He didn't realize what had happened until the cure was done. He just slept through most of it. His talents and contacts, you not being the least of them, are most appreciated."
Ok, Kim, don't freak out, KP told herself. Think rationally. Use guile. Guile needs knowledge of the enemy. Keep milking him for information. She didn't allow herself to think about how confidant he was that she would help them, even to betray her own family. "If this other world is so advanced, why don't they bring skytanks over and just 'cure' us themselves?"
"The gateways are hard to maintain, and to get things across. Once enough of the government, military, and civilian population have been cured, then what we need of their technology will be sent over and the loose ends will be tied up. But they don't want to send any more than they have to before then. Early on they tried that, but some worlds managed to steal the tech and used it to fight back, before they were properly conditioned. One world even created viruses that undid our cures and made them ineffective in future attempts to cure them."
"Silicon Phase Disruptors?" asked Kim.
Will Du blinked, and then shook his head. "I don't see why that would work, at least once the transformation is completed according to specs. But some of the weapons they came up with were truly frightening, and convinced us that all worlds that could be reached must be cured. Since we started doing it this way, we've never failed to cure a planet of war and woe. By this time next year, Kim Possible, the world will be saved for all time. You won't need to save it anymore. Global Justice won't be needed, either. We will live in utopia."
"So when do I cure Mom, Dad, and the Dweebs?"
Will frowned. "I can tell you're not ready for that. Speaking of which, we need to get you all back to the facility for the process to be completed to specs. You will continue to be treated over the weekend, under the guise that you're protecting the Tomorrow Project, which in a way you will be doing. Afterwards, we'll send you in as soon as we think the conflict is over."
"Conflict?"
Will shrugged. "You'll feel love for the utopia to come. But until the cerebrospinal fluid is fully evolved, you will also feel love for those you loved before being cured, like with your family. This has caused problems in the past and we would spare you that pain."
"How about sparing my family?"
Will shook his head sadly. "Can't you see that we ARE saving your family, and your world. It will be saved for all time, and you'll be part of that. This will be your ultimate victory." Then he sighed. "It doesn't matter, you'll see things our way soon enough. You'll ask your parents to examine a pod. The nanites shoot out when it detects DNA and begins curing the host immediately."
"Save the world for WHOM?" asked Kim.
"For all of us," replied Will slowly, as if it were obvious. "And it won't hurt your family. The moment they touch it, and they won't be able to help themselves given their intense curiosity, they'll feel a quick sting, then they're tired, they lay down to take a nap, and the next 2 days are a blur as they're cured."
"It didn't do anything to Drakken. At least not at first."
Will looked over to his sleeping form. "Must be the gloves. But when any sweat, saliva, or anything like that touched it, it activated and shot out. It works fast. Shego? I guess she must have some tiny tears on her gloves, or maybe she worked up a sweat and it dripped onto it. You, you touched it with your bare hands, didn't you."
"Oops," answered Kim.
"It's good. Now you won't get sick. Has Ronald been cured?" As Kim stuttered, he narrowed his eyes. "No, he hasn't. But until he is, don't kiss him. Until he is, then without the right equipment, your saliva could kill him by recognizing his DNA as an invading organism and replicate antibodies against his DNA, even within his own body, ultimately killing him. But when he's protected by his own nanites, they'll recognize each other and stay out of each other's way."
"Oh," said Kim, feeling the sadness in the pit of her stomach again.
Will continued, "There's a spray we use, though, but we need other equipment to direct the nanites to assimilate. Then those cured can use sex to cure others. It's another effective tactic. I bet you could save the world that way, too. At least until the world no longer needs saving."
"I don't know," said Kim with a faux laugh, "I can't imagine doing anything other than saving the world."
"You'll save the world, don't worry about that. And you'll love doing it, too." He shook his head. "Unfortunately, Shego managed to destroy the pod. We need to get you back to Leap Technologies until you're all stabilized. It's imperative. Shego and Drakken, too. Can you help me with them?"
Ron was back, holding blankets and towels, and black pants thrown carelessly on top. "KP! You're awake! What happened?"
"Um..." said KP.
Rufus ran to him and quickly climbed up his clothes and begin chattering agitatedly into his ear.
"Why do you keep that annoying animal as a pet?" asked Will. He turned to KP. "Pets are a passing fad, trust me." He winked and smiled.
Ron didn't know why, but Rufus really didn't like Will. Well, he couldn't blame the little guy for that, but he REALLY didn't like him. He told him he was a dangerous enemy that Kim needed to be saved from, though he couldn't understand the specifics of what he was saying. Frowning and glaring suspiciously, he walked up to Kim, putting down his load beside her with Rufus on top of it, but holding onto the blanket. "I got you some towels to dry off with," he said, glaring at Will. "And I found a pair of pants. I think they belong to Shego." And turning to Will with a serious, grim expression, he added, "And Rufus is not annoying. If anyone is annoying, it's YOU!" Then he threw the blanket over Will and held onto him.
Will kicked Ron's ankle and he cried out. Ron pushed forward and they both fell down. Screaming, Ron tried to hold Will under the blanket, but it was obvious that Ron wouldn't be able to last a full minute at doing that.
Rufus ran up Kim's arm and chattered to her pointing to Ron, his expression clearly begging her to help him. She shook her head and her breathing picked up. As she tensed to get up to help Ron, she felt black despair in her gut radiate out. She swallowed it down...but she couldn't move much.
And then Will made it out and punched Ron away. Kim wondered if he'd taser him again and then gasped as she thought of Will's sweat, or blood, mingling with Ron's, possibly infecting him with what would be like a deadly disease.
As he leaped after Ron, he was tackled by Kim. "Not my boyfriend you don't."
"Kim, get a hold of yourself!" He reached into a pocket, but Kim twisted his finger back, causing Will to cry out. Then he brought his elbow up to her chin and then struck out with his other hand, and managed to get his finger out of her grasp. As he got up, Ron kicked him, and he turned, and grabbing him, flung him across the room where he landed on Shego. Then he turned to face Kim's charge.
"Aaaaaaaarrrrrgh!" screamed Shego.
Will turned to look at Shego, wondering how much of a danger she might be, and failed to block Kim kicking him in the face. He fell and tumbled up.
Only to be blasted by Shego. Then Shego was upon him, her green fists blazing, and began pounding him furiously.
Kim and Ron shuddered and looked away.