A/N: Well gang I know some of you have been waiting on me to finish "Going Home Book II. Well just so, you know working on it but at a bit of a road block. However as I was going thru my old files I found I've already written out chapter II for this story. So edit it and decided to post it.
Enjoy
Chapter II
Upperton Science Center Lab 14 Conference Room
Sara was sitting at one end of the table of the conference room; she was upset if not down right scared right now. Whoever had broken into the lab had knocked her out and then tied her up. It was not the best way to come to the waking world to be tied and gagged to your own office chair. Neither was the fact that only hours after she was attacked this GJ agent was interrogating her.
"Now, Mrs. O'Connell, lets go over this again."
The agent's tone was sarcastic and very condescending. She had already told them everything she knew five times already, yet it was as if he didn't believe her. The female agent that was in the room, as well, just sat there and observed. It kind of unsettled Sara being watched by this woman.
"What's left to go over Agent Du," Sara responded as strongly as she could given considering the situation. "I have already told you everything that I know. I as working at my desk when someone walked up behind me and knocked me out."
"So you're saying that you have no idea who it was that took off with a multi-billion dollar Satellite?" Will said back in a tone as if to say 'yeah right'?
"Yes, Agent Du, that's exactly what I'm telling you. I never saw who it was that came into the lab and knocked me out." Sara's nerves where shot as it was, and this Yank was not making anything better for them.
"Well I have a little hard time believing your story, Mrs. O'Connell," Du said then started pacing again. "We found no signs of forced entry, so that means that one of two things happened. Whoever pulled off this job, knew how to pick the electronic locks, or an employee of the lab let them in," he said looking dead at her.
"I'm not a thief, Agent, and your accusations are offensive," Sara spat back at Will.
Sara could see that he didn't like the tone she had used towards him. However, right now, Sara didn't care. She just wanted to get back to her place and try to forget about the day. She watched him spin around and march right up to her and was about to say something, but he was cut off by his partner.
"Ma'am, you have to understand that it's a little funny that with no evidence of forced entry by the thief that it would point to someone who worked in the lab," said the younger female agent.
Her tone was softer and a lot more understanding towards what Sara had been through. Sara was grateful that she was not as rude as her partner was. However, they were both making her out to be the primary suspect in the theft. Sara, for one, was glad that she was just in the US to help NASA with this project. With the way she had been treated in the past few hours, she could not see herself living in the US.
"Well, my dear, that is not my problem, it's yours." Sara stated matter of factly.
This upset Will even more. He did not care one bit for the way the woman was acting, and he was convinced that she had something to do with the theft. Everything about the crime, from her being the only one in the lab, to how easy the thief got in and out with little to no evidence. It stunk badly of an inside job.
"It will be your problem when we haul your ass off to a Federal Pen for stealing US Government Property." Will said almost yelling, shoving his fore finger in her face.
"I see you're the same self righteous prick you use to be Agent Du," said a voice from the doorway.
The voice in the door was calm, cool, and very steady with a slight hint of a British accent. It had everyone in the room turn towards the door to see who it was. The owner of the voice was leaning against the doorframe. He was a man in his mid twenties; he was dress in black dress slacks, a tie-less button down navy blue shirt, with a dark brown leather jacket.
For Will Du, the man in the doorway was nothing but trouble, and he didn't care one bit for the interruption in this interrogation. Will was even going to say something about him leaving. However, that changed when he noticed the woman behind the man in the doorway. If the eye patch didn't give away who it was then certainly the look Dr. Betty Director gave her top field agent was enough for Will to keep what he was going to say to himself.
The women in the room were another story. For Sara, she was overjoyed to see the person her government sent over to look into the theft. Granted, Agent Stoppable was a born Yank, but as far as Sara was concerned, he was a fellow compatriot. She knew that he had spent most of his adult years in England, and he was a full British citizen as well as an agent for Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). Not only that, but Sara had known Ron since her college days. So seeing him there in the doorway was great relief. She watched him walk into the room and, like so many other times she had seen him work before, she admired how he took control, as if he owned the place.
In fact, Sara was so overjoyed in seeing Ron walk in that she got up from her chair and almost ran over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. For Sara, it had been too long since she had seen him, not since she had come to the States to work on this project.
"Ron, I'm so glad you are here, thank you," Sara whispered into his ear.
Ron was also happy to see Sara again after so long from seeing his friend. However, her reaction to him being there made him look like he was to close to the investigation, and it could cause problems for him later. Therefore, Ron gently pulled her arms from around his neck and whispered back to her.
"Sara, not in front of the Global Justice wankers," Ron said with a wink
For Sara, Ron's little joke made her have to hold back a chuckle. However, she soon straightened herself out once Ron spoke again, this time sounding more professional.
"Thank you for the warm reception, Mrs. O'Connell. It is always nice to be greeted by one of my fellow countrymen," Ron paused. "However, in this situation I don't think it is very professional."
Now for the other female that was in the room, she looked a little more confused by what she was seeing. She had a look on her face as if she had just seen a ghost, and for the redhead, it might as well be true. It had been five years since she had seen him. During which that entire time, there was no word about him. It was seeing him standing there that made her want to do just as Mrs. O'Connell did. Yet, with her boss standing right behind him, and due to the current situation, she held back. She tried to maintain a professional manner, but it was hard.
Kim could not help but look Ron over 'He's filled out nicely, and a sharp dresser as well. Ron has turned out to be one fine hottie.' Kim thought.
However, she had to give herself a mental slap. 'Come on Kim snap out of it. He walked out on you and has not even contacted you for five years. Kim sighed. 'True but that was only because he had caught me with another guy.'
That's when Kim noticed Sara almost run over to Ron and wrap her arms around his neck. Kim could tell by the brief look between the two that there was something between them. Whether if it was just a friendship or more, Kim could not say. All she did know was a part of her wished that was her with her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders in a hug.
'No I'm not jelling over this. Ron has every right to move on. I don't have any right to judge him anymore,' Kim thought.
--RS / SIS--
As soon as the door opened to the room, Ron spotted Kim right away. Granted, her hair was a bit shorter then he had last seen her, but he still knew it was her. He knew coming home and now dealing with GJ in an investigation that he might run into her. He just wasn't ready to do it so soon. However, his training had taught him how to hide his emotions when it came to stuff like this. So Ron did his best to ignore the looks she was giving him and move on.
'This is not the time or the place for it,' Ron thought.
Ron turned from Sara and looked to Dr. Director behind him. He spoke in a clear and commanding tone.
"Dr. Director, this interview is over with." Ron turned to look back to Sara. "Mrs. O'Connell, you are free to go." Sara just nodded to Ron and walked out the room. Ron waited until she was out of earshot before speaking again. "Now I would like to look at everything you have found so far."
Will was beyond pissed by now. He hated the way Ron had come into the room and took over, then only to have him dismiss the suspect. It was enough for him not to care that his boss was right there in the room with them now.
'Damn SIS, think you can just come in and take over any time you want?' Will thought. "How dare you? What gives you the right to just let her go like that?"
Kim could see that her partner was peeved. To be honest, a part of her didn't blame Will in the least bit. However, another part of Kim realized why and how Ron was able to do what he did. She knew that it had to be something that came down from the State Department being the project was a joint venture between the US and the British. SO that was why her next statement was in Ron's defense - that and the fact that part of her still loved Ron.
"Will, I'm sure Agent Stoppable is only following his orders, like we have to."
Ron didn't even respond to Will or Kim's comments; he just turned, nodded to Dr. Director, and headed out the door into the main lab. He started to look around for himself. Dr. Director watched him for a few minutes and then closed the door. She turned to her two agents. One was pissed, and, right now, she didn't care. It was her younger agent that had her worried. She knew this was hard on Kim, and it was about ready to get harder on her.
"Agent Du, Agent Possible is right. SIS Agent Stoppable has his orders, and he is following them."
"But-"
Dr. Director put up her had to cut him off. "No buts, this comes from the top. This is going to be a joint investigation, and I am pulling you off the field work Du," Betty said then looked over to Kim. "Possible will be working with Agent Stoppable to solve this case." Will went to object again but was cut off. "That is an order. Do I make myself clear? You're dismissed."
"Yes Ma'am," they both replied.
As the two of them got up to leave, Betty had Kim wait behind for a second. Once she was sure that Will was gone, Betty spoke up.
"Kim, I know what you must be thinking, but you're the only one I can trust with this and, beside,s you will be able to tell if Ron's holding anything from us."
"I understand Ma'am. I'll do my best."
"You always do Kim."
With that, Kim walked out the door to look for Ron, and she began to think how much he had changed.
'I'm not sure if I will be able to read him anymore.'
---RS / SIS---
Out in the lab, Ron looked around and surveyed the area. The room was fairly big and open with security cameras that looked to cover just about ever corner of the room. For the most part, everything looked to where it should be. Nothing too out of place, but Ron had been in the game long enough even before working with SIS to know nothing is as it appears.
'Who ever pulled this off knew what they where doing to get past the security,' Ron thought.
As he looked around the room, something caught his eye. Something the GJ had missed in their first run over the scene. Ron approached what looked to be like a piece of fabric. As he got closer, something didn't look right. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and squatted down to pick it up. As he held the object in his hand and looked it over, Ron realized whom it belonged to.
'I thought for sure they had locked him up and threw away the key by now,' Ron thought then he felt a familiar presence behind him. 'I don't need this right now.' Then he spoke to her without even turning around. "Kim, I know it's you, so stop trying to sneak around," Ron said flatly. "Just tell me what you have to say. I've got work to do." Ron stood up and placed the fabric in his coat pocket, turning around to look at Kim.
Kim was taken back a little by the tone of Ron's voice towards her. It was one of annoyance and very cold; it hurt her hearing him talk that way to her. Kim hoped that, with them working together again, maybe they could start to rebuild the bridges of their friendship. However, the way Ron just spoke to her, Kim was not to sure if they could be rebuilt.
'After all this time and he's still mad at me. Not that I blame him,' Kim thought.
She walked up to him, trying to hide the hurt in her eye and disguise it in her voice.
"Ron, Your work is also my work," Kim said but paused as she saw Ron stand up and give her a foul look. "Look Ron, Dr. Director has assigned me to work with you on this case."
Ron just looked at her - clearly not happy with working with Kim again, despite the reason that he knew Dr. Director has assigned Kim to work with him. Even though Ron didn't work with GJ, he was told by his superiors to work with them regardless of his feeling for them. He could have dealt with it a little better if it was Will or some other of Betty's lackeys, but the fact that it was Kim he was going to work with and given their past. It was going to make this case all that more difficult to get through.
"Agent Possible, I understand why the good Doctor assigned you to work with me. However, that doesn't mean I'm going to have to like it," Ron said flatly. "So just make sure you do your part in this investigation, and I will do mine." Ron didn't wait for her to respond before turning to look around the Lab more. "Now, if you don't mind, I need to get to my folk's place."
Ron had a million things on his mind right now, least of all seeing Kim again. He finished looking around the lab one last time. He was headed for the door, satisfied that he had looked over everything he needed to. He was making his way towards the door only to be stopped by Kim calling to him. He stopped at the door but never turned around.
"Ron...I...I'm sorry for everything before you left," Kim said weakly.
Her emotions were getting to her despite trying to hold them back. There was so much more that she wanted to tell him. Least of all, the fact that she still loved him and regretted every day that she had thrown away the best thing that had ever come into her life.
Ron didn't turn around; he just stood there with his back to her. He closed his eyes and fought back the emotions that where trying to surface. Hearing her tell him she was sorry for everything she did was something that Ron had wanted to hear for a long time. The thing was that Ron had forgiven her a long time ago. After all, he was just a loser back then, and she deserved so much more than him. However, that was a part of his life that was long closed, and he didn't want to reopen. Ron let out a small sigh.
'Thank you, Kim, you don't know how much that means to me,' Ron thought before speaking up. "Miss Possible, could you please forward any evidence that you all have gathered to my office." Ron opened the door. "If anything new comes up, you know how to get a hold of me."
Before Kim could even say anything more, Ron walked out the door. The loud slam of the door shutting on its own made her jump. She just stood there, staring at the closed door. She was flooded with emotions, which she had no more desire to hold back. She could feel the hot, wet tears rolling down her cheek.
'That's twice that he's walked out the door without me being able to stop him,' Kim thought.
She bent her head down and dried her tears with her hands. However, no matter how much she tried to get them to stop they wouldn't. When Will walked up to her, after Ron had left, he could see the distraught look on his partner's face. He had never seen her this upset before and was going to ask if she was alright. However, before he got a chance, Kim shoved some papers she was holding into Will's chest and took off, not even waiting to make sure he had them. Kim ran off sobbing while Will just stood there watching his partner run away with a dumb-founded look on his face.
"What the hell was that all about?" Will asked.
"I was afraid that this was going happen. I just hoped that she was going to be strong enough to hold it together," Dr. Director said walking up next to Will. She looked in the direction that Kim had run off in. "Kim's faced a lot of battles and hard times before, but I think this assignment is going to be one of her toughest."
Will looked over to his boss. "Then why didn't you assign someone else to this case?"
"Because the two of them have a greater chance of solving it working together than apart," Betty said before turning around and started talking to another agent.
--RS / SIS--