"Big Time"
Story Written by Freedom Fighter
A major revelation that's a long time coming shakes the story up as "Big Time" continues on!
Disclaimer: The characters and places of the TV show 'Kim Possible' do not belong to me. They are property of Disney and the show's creative staff.
Part Ten - There's No Other Explanation (05.03.07)
Global Justice Headquarters
20 Hours Until the Senior Class Graduation from Middleton High...
Kim and Will were walking towards Dr. Director's office when they met her near Sector A-4.
"Agent Du... good," she said, handing him a key. "I changed my mind. Take her with you to Conference Room One."
"Conference Room One? But, and pardon me for questioning an order, why?"
"Just do it!"
With that, Dr. Director opened the door to a nearby room and walked in.
"Uh oh," teased Kim sing-songedly. "Maybe I'm not the one who's in trouble after all!"
"Let's just go," growled Will, leading the way. "I bet your sidekick is waiting for us there."
A few minutes later, Kim and Will arrived at Conference Room One, where they were greeted by an agent who was guarding the door. Flashing his credentials, the lower-ranked agent immediately opened the door for them. Once they stepped inside, they saw Ron sitting at the conference table, chatting it up with another agent.
"Little did she know that I was leading her into a trap, to be zapped by another agent!" Ron exclaimed. "She didn't even see it coming!"
"Really? The way I heard it, you were running in fear for your life and that agent just happened to be there to save you!"
"He only said that just 'cause he wanted all the glory."
"Hmmm..." Kim interrupted, smirking. "Why does that sound like somebody I know?"
"KIM! You're okay!"
Ron jumped out of his seat and ran over to Kim, giving his girlfriend a hearty hug.
"Why wouldn't I be? Say... were you worried about me?"
"Not really! Well, okay, a little..."
"Thank you," Agent Du said to the other agent. "You're dismissed."
Ron's 'companion' quickly exited the room, leaving Kim, Ron, and Will alone.
"So..." Ron asked. "What are we doing in here?"
"Why don't you ask Mister Secret Agent here?" Kim said with a smirk on her face.
"Oh, so it's MY fault that you disobeyed orders that I gave you?"
"Orders? You locked me in a room and called it 'standard procedure!'"
"Settle down!" commanded Dr. Director as she entered the room and shut the door behind her.
All three of them noticed that she was holding a stuffed manila envelope in her arms as she approached them.
"Kimberly? Ronald? Will you please have a seat?"
Kim and Ron did as they were told as Dr. Director took a seat across from the them. Will leaned against the nearest wall, already realizing what was up and satisfied with just standing aside and letting things play out.
"If this is about me failing the physical, I won't give up Bueno Nacho no matter what you say!" Ron yelled.
"Ahem!" coughed Kim. "I doubt your eating habits play that much importance in the whole recruitment process."
"Indeed," agreed Dr. Director as she pulled the contents of the envelope out and placed them on the table.
"Does this mean..."
"Allow me to be the first to formally welcome the both of you to Global Justice! Congratulations!"
Kim and Ron gasped in surprise.
"Really?" Ron asked. "You mean we finally get to be real secret agents, blue uniforms and all! Did ya hear that, Rufus?"
Rufus emerged from underneath Ron's shirt dressed in a tuxedo, hopped up onto Ron's right shoulder, and assumed a 'Bond' pose.
"I'm... happy," Kim said happily, yet hesitantly. "A little shocked after what just happened... but happy."
As Ron and Rufus ran around the room in celebration, Kim leafed through the huge packet in front of her, which was basically their employee contract, as Dr. Director explained some of the finer points to her.
"I have to admit, despite your famed reputation, even I was surprised how well you and Ronald excelled at all of the tests."
"Oh, really?"
Dr. Director nodded. "None of the other recruits scored anywhere close to you two! It's unbelievable!"
As Ron ran past again, Kim grabbed him by the collar and shoved him into the chair.
"Could you AT LEAST act like a real secret agent and go over this contract with me? Signing this could dictate the rest of our lives, you know!"
"Wow..." Ron said, calming down. "I didn't know you were taking this so seriously, Kim."
"Huh?" Dr. Director wondered out loud as she and Agent Du glanced at Kim. "What does he mean by that?"
"Well... you see, I wasn't completely sure if this was what I wanted to do with my life. Sure, I get to keep saving the world and help people. But... I'm in the middle of trying to figure out what college I wanna go to, and... well..."
"I understand that this is a tough time for you, but openings in GJ don't come up every day. If you two don't jump on this opportunity right here and now, it may never come up again!"
"She's right, KP!" Ron assured his girlfriend. "We've come this far! Might as well go all the way!"
"Hmmm... I guess..."
"All you need to do is sign on the dotted line," Dr. Director told them out loud. "Once you do, you'll join the ranks of the most elite secret crime fighting organization in the world!"
Kim and Ron placed the contracts on their laps and went over them together. As they did, Agent Du spoke up for the first time.
"It's an honor for me to be here to be the second to welcome you to the team, Agent Possible. And, yeah, you too... Stoppable."
Dr. Director and Agent Du then glanced at each other before she reached for her phone and dialed up another office in the facility.
"How are we doing on coming up with a codename for Ron Stoppable?"
"Not good! We can't find a last name that's compatible with his first name!"
"How about Ron the Invincible, a.k.a., Agent Invincible!" Ron suggested. "It's not that hard..."
Kim elbowed Ron in the arm.
"Tense moment here!"
Dr. Director held out a pen, which Kim reached for and instantly brought down on the top page of the contract. But once it got there, it froze in place! Kim looked as if she was ready to sign on the dotted line, but she couldn't move her hand to do it.
"I... can't... DO THIS!"
"What?" Ron and Dr. Director both shouted.
"Do you understand, Kimberly?" Will scolded as he walked over to her side. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"I know, I know! But... I just can't!"
"Are you sure?" asked Dr. Director again.
Kim thought about it for a minute, then nodded her head.
"I appreciate everything GJ has done for Ron and I, and everything we've done for you. But, truth be told, as much as I like helping people... saving the world and all that was just a hobby! I never expected to make a career out of it. I thought that way a few years ago... and I feel the same way today."
Dr. Director nodded in agreement, acknowledging her concerns. She then turned to look at Ron.
"And, what about you, Stoppable?"
"I say... if that's Kim's decision, then I stand by her! I'm not joining up, either!"
"Ron! You don't have to do that just for me!"
"Actually, he does," corrected Will. "It was a package deal. Either both of you are in or both of you are out. There is no in-between."
"Ron... are you sure?"
"Yes. I've always wanted to be by your side for the rest of my life! If you're not here in GJ, then I'll be stuck with people like him."
Ron pointed to Agent Du.
"No offense, Will."
"None taken."
"It won't be fun 'saving the world' without you! So, whether it's with Global Justice, or by ourselves on our own time, I'm your sidekick... forever and ever!"
"Awww... that's so sweet! That's why I love you, Ron."
"I thought it was because I make a great distraction?"
Kim laughed. "Yeah... that too..."
Kim and Ron handed the contract booklets back to Dr. Director, who took them without any objections and stuffed them back into the large manila envelope.
"Even though you're not part of the organization, we're always here to help if the need should arise out in the field."
"That's very much appreciated," Kim thanked Dr. Director. "Hopefully, we'll take you up on that offer one day."
Dr. Director shook hands with Kim and Ron, then headed for the door.
"Agent Du, please help Miss Possible and Mr. Stoppable prepare for their re-entry to the world above."
"At once, ma'am!" Will obeyed, saluting.
An hour later, one of GJ's helicopters landed in the Possibles' front yard. Kim and Ron hopped out and bid adieu to Agent Du, waving goodbye as took off and flew back towards HQ.
"Is it just me or did he seem... sad?" asked Ron.
"I think he would've loved to have me as a fellow agent," Kim replied. "He'd just never openly admit it."
"So... now what?"
"Well, there's still some mondo prep work I have to do for graduation tomorrow, this nagging feeling that maybe we should delve deeper into those invaders, and... really sit down and figure out where my life will go from here."
BEEP-BEEP-BOO-BEEP.
Hearing her Kimmunicator ringing, Kim took it out of her pocket and answered it. To her surprise, she found her mom on the other line.
"Kimmie, where have you been?" she asked worriedly. "I've been trying to get in touch with you all day!"
"Why, Mom? Has something happened to Dad? The Tweebs?"
BEEP-BEEP-BOO-BEEP.
"I didn't know this thing had call waiting," noted Kim as the Kimmunicator went off again. "Hold on a sec, Mom."
Kim switched to another line... and found her Dad waiting.
"Kimmie!" he yelled. "Do you know how long I've been trying to reach you?"
"All day?" Kim laughed nervously, "Mom's on the other line, and she said the exact same thing. Hold on..."
Kim tweaked the Kimmunicator so that she could have both of her parents on the line at the same time in a three-way conversation.
"So... what's the news, Mr. and Mrs. K?" asked Ron.
"Penn... Colombia... Southern California," recited Kim's mom.
"Cornell... Northwestern... Colorado," Kim's dad mouthed off at the same time.
"There's good news, Kim!"
"They all called today..."
"And said there had been a mistake..."
"Something screwy with their computers..."
"You know what that means?"
"I bet she does..."
"OUR KIMMIE-CUB'S GOING TO COLLEGE AFTER ALL!" they yelled in unison.
"Whoa, WHOA!" Kim shouted, quickly cutting her parents' celebration short. "Run that by me again?"
"It's all the schools that you applied to, dear," Mrs. Dr. Possible reminded Kim.
"You were supposed to have been accepted all along," added Mr. Dr. Possible. "Why you got rejection letters and not acceptance letters baffles them."
"They're all willing to send them to us to make it official, but because of how late it is in the enrollment process..."
"Almost all of them want an answer within the next day or two, or they'll give your slot to someone else."
"Really? That's wonderful!"
"Yeah..." Ron whooped, though only half-enthusiastically. "Woo hoo..."
"I knew making those phone calls was a good idea," Mr. Dr. Possible stated, complimenting himself.
"The phone calls were my idea, dear," chided Mrs. Dr. Possible.
"Think about it, Kimmie-cub, and give us an answer at dinner tonight!"
"We can't wait to hear your answer!"
"Bye now!" they said in unison, before both hanging up.
"Kim!" Ron said, grasping Kim in another hug. "You should be happy! Everything is right again! We've got a future... together."
"Yeah... together..."
Ron let go of Kim and turned around, looking saddened as he started to walk away.
"Ron, wait!"
"I know, I know! You're doing this for the good of our future! I'll manage at Middleton State for four... five... how many years it takes..."
"I don't mean about that! I mean... think about it for a second! The minute I decide not to sign up to be an agent at GJ, suddenly all of my college offers were accepted? As far as I know, they all could've been denied all this time because I was been scouted by other agents... even though the offer to become agent didn't come until yesterday..."
"Yesterday? Kim?"
"Yesterday, I came home and Dad told me I got a rejection letter from the University of Colorado! Even after they had sent me an acceptance letter several weeks ago!"
Kim instantly dialed up Wade on her Kimmunicator, looking for answers.
"So, you think someone's been tracking you for the last few months?" Wade concluded, after Kim told him all the facts.
"There's no other explanation."
"If you taken into account the simplest criteria, you could make a debate that more than half the world is tracking you on and off just because of your website and your reputation as a world-saver!"
"But how many people have the ability to hack into college admissions servers and falsely deny me entry into all of the universities that I applied to?"
"Not too many, but using that criteria, our perps are one of two underground organizations..."
Wade brought up a schematic of the first, an... energy drink maker?
"The first is Noirish Pak Incorporated, the creators of..."
"Jam it Up, the drink that puts the X in EX-treme!" Ron exclaimed, drawing odd looks from Kim and Wade. "What?"
"Didn't know you were into that stuff, Ron."
"Well, I only drink it on those nights when Felix and I have those all-night video game marathons!"
"Anyway," Wade continued on, "as you might imagine, it's a front for an off-shoot branch of WEE... the Worldwide Evil Empire!"
"You mean that whacko group of villains led by Dr. Director's younger twin brother?" Ron asked. "The guy who kidnapped me just because she wanted me first?"
"She wanted the 'Ron Factor,' Ron... not you," Kim growled.
"What? I didn't mean it that way, Kim!"
"Which makes it even more ironic that the other organization in question is... Global Justice!"
Kim smiled. "Well... that makes this choice real easy."
"Really? Because the obvious target would be G..."
"WEE!"
"Wait a minute... wha?"
"Global Justice would never do something that low just to get one recruit, especially someone like me. But GJ's biggest enemy, the Worldwide Evil Empire, on the other hand..."
"...would want you to think that way so they keep you from joining GJ! That's so him!"
"Wade! Can you get us some coordinates and a ride? I think it's time I have a talk about my future... with Gemini!"
To be continued in Part 11 - Coming in two weeks!