Chapter V: Closer to home

Centrum

….

Shego watched the news. It was impossible to see what was happening with all the chaos. All she could see from the footages provided with personal cameras were less than ideal. It only showed that something was attacking the robots from behind.

She had been catching up with her current events ever since she woke up from the soft, comfortable and fresh queen sized bed she had. In truth, she never wanted to get up.

Only the aroma of freshly baked bread, sizzling bacons and eggs and freshly squeezed orange juice made her sat up.

It was like living in a dream. The past years in that dark cell melted away only to live in pure bliss.

Now if she could get the one who got her out of prison in her bed.

Shego shook her head when she thought of it. It was not wise to fantasize about him. The man's got honor, breeding and manners. She wouldn't be surprised if she found him a true gentleman.

She wondered what he would be like in bed. She actually laughed at the thought. Sexy, intelligent and sharp. She wouldn't mind a piece of that action. She wasn't fooled by his outfit. Though at first she thought that he was her lawyer. He had the demeanor though he also had something military in him.

"What the hell does he want with me?" Shego asked as she watched TV. After the news she realized that there was something the man wasn't telling him. She got up and took a shower, looking lovingly at the bathtub and the different bath soaps on the counter. If she wasn't in a hurry she would lavish herself to a bath.

Though, a private shower was good as well.

After toweling off, she approached the walk-in closet and smirked. Obviously this room belongs to a man with exceptional taste but she also knew that this wasn't his home. It was like a small pad away from home.

Oddly enough she saw a set of women's underwear. And it was something she would wear herself. Black lace with garter belt and stockings. And from Victoria Secret Autumn collection. If it wasn't still in the pack she would have sworn that he was a perv.

"And how did he know my size?" she then looked for a suitable change of clothes.

There was nothing in there to wear. Nothing in her taste. She saw a clean white shirt on the rack and smirked. "Oh well, at least it's not that dreadful prison garments." Wearing the undergarments, she also wore the shirt and when she did, she felt a sense of pleasure she had never felt before.

She never thought that silk could be that… erotic. She smiled at the word. She never had a chance to relieve herself since GJ prisons were not the ideal place to get caught with your pants down. Sniffing the shirt, she could smell the fabric softener and something more masculine.

Something that reminded her of the man who got her out of prison.

"What is it about that man?" Shego sighed as she buttoned the first few buttons of the shirt. "Must be really horny if I want to get laid with the first man I met." She looked at the full length mirror on the closet's door and smiled to herself. She had worn the underwear and due to the darkness of it was visible through the shirt.

Satisfied with what she was wearing, she then walked out of the closet and out of the room.

She followed the scent of breakfast. For years she had endured prison food. She hoped that what was prepared was as good as it smelled.

She found the kitchen right away. It wasn't that difficult. The first day that she arrived, her rescuer had shown her around. It was a simple place. He said it was his quarters and she was welcomed to anything in it. It annoyed her when she was forbidden outside the rooms but she understood the necessity. Someone might recognize her and report it to GJ.

She hoped that she could get out. At least a few minutes of fresh air was enough. Perhaps he could take her outside for today.

Shego smiled at that. She was surprised that she wanted this man. She just hoped that he was available.

"Good morning," the man greeted as Shego entered the kitchen. His back was turned towards her as he cleaned his frying pan. It was evident that he was used in living alone but he had enough upbringing not to be a slob. In fact, the whole place was spotless.

"Hey," she greeted back. "What's today's agenda?"

"Agenda?" his tone was curious. It was like he didn't know what she was talking about.

"You know? The reason you got me out of that dump. Don't tell me you got me out of there without a reason. That'll be insane," Shego's hand rested on her hip, awaiting for an answer.

The man turned and instantly blushed as he saw her. He knew she was gorgeous but with what little she wore made him swallow. He never encountered a woman like her before. So dangerous, so sexy and so out of reach. He inwardly smiled sadly at that. He was a geek that didn't think he had a chance with any woman. All he wanted was to be left alone in his workshop or testing another weapons system.

Shego smiled at his reaction. She never expected this. She was expecting lustful eyes but not a look of sadness. Initially the man was surprised to see her wearing what she did but then she noticed his sad eyes. It as like he gave up before he started.

"Is that my shirt?" he asked, trying to end the uneasy silence.

"Didn't have anything to wear," she teased. "Plus I liked the smell."

"I'll get you some of the fabric softener that I use," he focused of her face because focusing anywhere else was dangerous. "As for the agenda. You're right. I got you out for no reason at all."

Shego smiled at this. His tone was teasing and kind. IF he had an ulterior motive, he was good at hiding it.

"If you wanted a date you should have asked," she said as she took a bite of her toast. She groaned out loud at the pleasure of eating such heavenly food. Who knew that a simple toast could create such pleasure.

"Please," the man said as he poured her a glass of juice. "A guy like me with someone as gorgeous as you? I have a better chance of winning the Nobel Prize than going out with a goddess." He suddenly paused and blushed. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"Yep," she smiled as she took a sip of the juice. "It's kinda cute."

"Sometimes cute doesn't cut it," he said. "When you're finished with breakfast we'll talk about the reason I got you out. I'll get you some clothes."

"If you get me a pair of pants to go with this lovely shirt, I'd be eternally grateful," Shego said. "Just as long it isn't in your size."

"I'll see what I can do," the man said and went out of the kitchen.

"Didn't catch your name," Shego called out. Indeed, she wanted to know ever since he got her out of prison.

"Chapel," he said. "Keith Chapel."

"Keith," she smiled. "Thanks for getting me out of that dump."

"Trust me," he stuck his head by the door. "In a few days you'd be wishing I'd left you alone." Shego chuckled at that. One thing was of certain. Things were about to get interesting.

/////////**888888

Zita sighed as she worked the console of Operations. It was hard monitoring the world in case Doc Drakken decided to wreck havoc again. Harder still when the people down below didn't know about them.

She had heard from the wire that the boys were to be arrested on sight.

Typical.

She knew that it was GJ that gave that order. And she knew that the boys were taking a risk every time they went out with their assault units. She also knew that GJ would like to get their hands on those assault units.

It was her job to keep the boys and the system safe.

Too bad they were still working in an unofficial capacity. Otherwise they wouldn't worry about breaking the law.

"Everything's quiet?" Felix asked as he entered operations center.

"Too quiet," Zita sighed as she leaned on her chair. "Like the calm before the storm. I don't like it."

"Me neither," Felix agreed. "Keith's on his toes. He's been tuning the rest of the systems. He said he was going to take a short break before returning to his duties."

"They're probably on a date," Zita smiled. Felix sighed and mirrored her smile.

"Probably. Knowing Keith he'd treat her to breakfast then soften her up before dropping the bombshell on her."

"Probably," Zita sighed. "The man's going to get hurt doing that."

"Believe me. He agonized over the decision to break her out and make her help us," Felix said as he looked at Earth from the window.

"For how long?" Zita asked knowing full well that Keith always thought things through.

"For about half a second," Felix smiled. "Then he was fast at working on a way to get her to cooperate."

"Somehow I don't like the sound of that," Zita said as he console chimed. "Incoming beam transmission from Centrum." The familiar hum of the beaming pod echoed the empty Operations Center. Felix walked towards the beaming chamber and found that the robotic arms were already holding the delivered package.

"What the hell is this?" Felix asked as the arms retracted and stored the package.

"Keith's been developing something that would give him an edge against fast moving enemies," Zita said as she worked the console. Suddenly, the beaming pod activated again and she worked fast to clear the pod.

"Now that's something wicked," Felix smiled as the second package was taken away by the robot arms. "He's been busy." The pod activated again and this time, he whistles at what he saw. "Heavy," he quipped. "Z? Did you know why GJ fired Keith?"

"It was in his personnel file," she said. "It seems that Global Justice didn't like the way he utilized some of the weapons he created for their Weapons and Armaments Division."

"Meaning?" he asked as the robots took away the last package.

"He had developed a weapon system that uses four breast gatlings, Two twin beam gatlings and about a hundred missiles," Zita said calmly.

"What's wrong with that?" Felix asked.

"He was given a target in the firing range and he expended all of his ammo in under five minutes."

"So?"

"Felix, he used all his ammo on a single target."

"Okay, I'll admit he's a bit trigger happy at times. But surely that wasn't the only thing that got him sacked," Felix said. He knew that when Keith was testing the targeting on the Fireforce he had drained his pack by using his pulsar cannon on a target and making a hole about three inches in diameter. Though he was quick on the trigger, he was also very accurate.

"He used Will Du's car as the target," Zita said with a smile. Felix laughed out loud. All of them thought Du as an arrogant SOB. But to hate him to an extent of humiliating the man in front of the others, that's taking it a bit further.

"I like his style," Felix said. "I hope he doesn't antagonize GJ enough to get him thrown in the slammer."

"Keith's too smart to do that," Zita said. "He'll carefully plan it with the most minimal personal risk and the highest gains. Then again, he was known to be reckless."

"Trust me, I've seen him reckless," Felix said. "Ron and Keith were testing a new jet when Ron heard that the Oceanographic Center where I worked was suddenly attacked by Dementor. So they 'borrowed' the prototype, flew to the Center and saved everyone there."

"Though stealing a jet would be considered reckless, that's not the only thing he did," Zita smiled.

"That jet had carried a pod that was attached to its belly," Felix continued. "Ron launched that pod into the center. And parts of the pod retracted, revealing a heavily armed motorcycle charging towards Dementor's men."

"Let me guess. The man riding the motorcycle was Keith?" Zita asked and with a nod from Felix, she grinned.

"The man was crazy! I mean, normally you wouldn't get shot from a plane and then charge into the heart of the enemy with a bike," Felix smiled as he looked at her. When Felix was invited into this organization he was thrilled that Ron would be there and when he came aboard Sky Vault, he was ecstatic. Not because that he was in space but because she was there.

Zita and Felix had been going out since high school. When they entered college their relationship was tested to the limit when they had gone to different Universities. In the end, they decided to focus on their studies and when they had graduates then rekindle their relationship.

It took them longer than graduation but still, there was hope.

"Where's Ron-man?" Felix asked as he got a chair and sat beside her.

"Middleton," Zita said as she took his hand. "Trying to mend something that had been burned."

"Don't tell me you're eavesdropping," Felix said as he worked Sky Vault's monitoring controls.

"Please," Zita huffed with a smile. "I'm monitoring the status of one of our operatives. Anything else is an extra bonus."

"I'm surprised that you didn't monitor Keith," Felix said with a knowing smile.

"One, he's in Centrum. It's one of the most secure places in the world. And two…"

"Two he'll raise hell if he found out," Felix said, knowing the silent and calm man best.

"Hell would be the least of our worries," Zita said with a sigh. "Honestly. How could a sweet guy be so vindictive?"

Felix merely shrugged. He didn't know the answer to that question either.

////////888888888

Ron sighed as he walked the halls of Middleton Space Center. It was ironic that he had worked for the center for a whole year yet didn't bump into Mr. Dr. Possible even once. Was fate intervening or was it just pure luck? Ron didn't want to know.

Of all the Possible clan James Possible was the most protective of Kim. And Ron would hate to be sent on a one way trip to a black hole.

"Hey Ron," he smiled when he heard her voice.

"Hey KP," Ron waved as the redhead came over. "What are you doing here?"

"Going to visit Dad," she smiled. "And you? I would have thought that this was the last place you'd be. And it's not the day the rocketeers are scheduled to visit."

"Just meeting some friends before our lunch later," Ron smiled. "Used to work here for a while."

"You mean that test piloting you've done?" Kim blinked in surprise. He was so close and yet he didn't let her know. Kim smirked at that. Why would he since she practically shoved him away for another.

"Yep. And believe me, it was no picnic," Ron shrugged it off as if it was nothing. Kim smiled at this. Since when did Ron get all that confidence?

"Tell me all about it at lunch," Kim said as she squeezed his hand. "I've got to say hi to Dad and then we could go, if you're finished. Wanna come with?"

"Um, no." Ron smiled softly. "I kinda liked being on Earth."

"Ah," she smiled in understanding. "That whole black hole thing. Okay. See you in a bit," Kim waved as she rushed towards Dr. Possible's lab. He liked that they were talking again, and even though there was no longer a chance in hell that they'd be together again, he was glad to be with her.

Suddenly, his wrist com vibrated. He couldn't ignore it even though he was tempted to. He just hoped Kim would understand someday.

"Air. What's up?" he asked as he pressed the answer button.

"There's a large airship coming your way," Zita'c face came to the screen. "I've crosschecked with the space center's files. It's not friendly."

"Maybe they're testing something hush-hush," Ron said but suddenly, alarm klaxons erupted throughout the center.

"Warning! Warning! Unidentified hostile approaching. All personnel proceed to your designated stations. Warning…

"Or not," Ron sighed as he took out his exo-frame from his backpack. "How large is the ship?"

"Just as large as a medium sized aircraft carrier," Zita said. "Felix and Keith will be beaming to your location shortly."

"I hope we get this done before lunch," Ron sighed as he heard two figures materializing behind him.

"We'll get this done before your date," Keith said as he looked out the window. "Felix, you're in a disadvantage here. I don't see any water around."

"Which means I don't get to play with my new toy," Felix smiled. "Looks like I'll only get stragglers today."

"Perhaps," Keith said as he smiled to his companions. "But still, the most important job goes to you."

"Yeah," Ron said worriedly. "Like protecting Kim for me."

"As well as the rest of the people in here," Keith sighed as he shook his head. "Let's go hotshot. Time's a wasting." Keith literally dragged Ron outside. Felix just chuckled and called Zita.

"Z, send me Cruiser."

"Coming up," Zita answered. Felix was suddenly bathed in a yellow light and spread his arms and legs.

"Power Xtreme!"

It was time for work.

End of Chapter