"Big Time"
Story Written by Freedom Fighter
Can you believe this story started exactly one year ago today? Trust me, I wasn't planning to have it still going at this point, but that long hiatus and this biweekly release schedule after its resumption hasn't helped much.
Anyway, I'm starting to plan out the end now... at my best guess, and this is just a guess at this point, this'll probably need four more chapters after this one to wrap up. Good thing, too, because this chapter was a struggle to write until virtually the last minute... hopefully things will run smoother as I try to finish up.
With that out of the way... here's Part Twelve!
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 Twelve - So Even Evil Secret Agents Get Benefits, Huh? (05.31.07)
Global Justice Headquarters, Conference Room One
16 Hours Until the Senior Class Graduation from Middleton High...
Agent Will Du and several other top operatives of Global Justice were sitting down at the table as Dr. Director entered the room, carrying a compact disc case in her left hand. She handed it over to the operative closest to the DVD projector screen, who immediately went to insert it.
"Gentlemen, we've done a thorough background check on Tonio Louenthal, the so-called new leader of the Worldwide Evil Empire. This is what our researchers came up with..."
With that, the DVD began with a picture of a black-and-white wanted poster of Tonio Louenthal.
"Born in 1980 in Florence, Italy, but was raised in Hillsborough, California, just outside of San Francisco. He mysteriously disappeared for almost two years after being stripped of his title of heir to the family fortune at age 16."
A photo at age 18 of Tonio, attempting to take an old lady's purse in a dark alley nestled amongst a cluster of shops and restaurants.
"He popped back up in October of 1998 in Rochester, Minnesota, where he was arrested for attempted robbery. He would've spent several years in prison if not for the efforts of a set of lawyers who somehow convinced the jurors to rule in the favor of Louenthal's innocence."
The letters CAIR appeared next, vertically on a white screen.
"The name of the organization that paid for the lawyers was CAIR. Criminals Against Innocent Robbers. How they got away with it, nobody really knows... but because they followed the law to the letter, several attempts by the prosecuting attorneys to appeal the decision were shot down by the state courts. And, boy, did they try... for several years, in fact."
The next 'slide' had the letters CAIR in a circle, which then shrunk down and was joined by other circles with other acronyms for other evil organizations, forming a big flowchart.
"Meanwhile, to thank CAIR for their efforts, Louenthal decided to join the organization. As the years passed, he worked his way through CAIR and into bigger, more evil organizations that better served his talents, as well as provided him with the necessary tools to succeed as a villain. Eventually, he made his way to the big time."
All of the 'branches' of the flowchart merged at the end at one final circle. One with the letters WEE inside.
"The Worldwide Evil Empire!" Agent Du exclaimed.
"Correct," confirmed Dr. Director. "The very organization that used to be run by my twin brother, Gemini..."
Somewhere high over Northeastern Florida...
Back on board the experimental pilot-less jet, Kim and Ron were also learning about Tonio Louenthal through Wade. Or, as he was known when Gemini controlled WEE... Agent Kappa.
"So, this man who now leads the Worldwide Evil Empire," Kim said, looking for clarification, "was a former operative?"
"That's correct," Wade replied.
"Then I guess it's safe to assume that this Agent Kappa... pardon, Tonio Louenthal, is one of the two agents who eluded capture at Cape Canaveral?"
"Wait, wait," Ron interrupted. "If those two were the only ones who escaped, how did Gemini's evil organization survive?"
Kim perked up, remembering what they had learned on the way to see Gemini near Canaveral.
"Noirish Pak Incorporated! Wade, what can you tell me about them?"
"Well, let's see," Wade said as he began a search on his computer. "Founded in 2001 by a man named Anri Pak, the creator of the energy drink Jam it Up, which instantly was a hit locally and quickly spread across the country in five months, the world in a year and a half. The company makes other novelty beverages and energy drinks, but none have been anywhere near successful on the market."
"That's because nothing is better for chasing the boredom blues than Jam it Up!" exclaimed Ron, in a fashion similar to a radio ad. "Jam it Up! It gets you up, up, UP!"
"Ron! Will you stop sounding like you've been sponsored to endorse their silly product and focus! My future is at stake here!"
"At stake? KP, everything went back to normal after we stopped that invasion at GJ! All of the colleges you were admitted to said there was a computer error, and it's been fixed!"
"These two men were within hours of ruining my life, Ron! I'm not gonna stand by idly and let them get away with it!"
"Uh, Kim..." Wade butted in this time. "I'm pretty sure it's just Louenthal behind this."
Wade then presented his proof... an obituary of Anri Pak in an edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. It was dated February 24th, 2005.
"Unless he's a zombie, or he faked his death... neither of which seem plausible given a coroner's report two weeks later that confirmed he died of natural causes... he can't be part of the scheme."
"That's not entirely true, Wade. I sent most of my college applications in during December and January. Like most high school seniors are SUPPOSED to do."
She then shot an angry glare at Ron.
"What? I was still weighing my options!"
"Two weeks BEFORE graduation?"
"Heh heh," Ron laughed nervously. "Did I mention it was a whole LOT of options?"
"So given the time frame," Wade deduced, "they could've been in on it together. Naturally, there's no way to know for sure unless we pinpoint the exact date and time when each of the school's systems were hacked into."
Kim then came to a realization, and slapped herself on the forehead.
"What?" Ron asked, confused.
"The first 'rejection' I got was from Cornell, and it was dated March 14th. Which means, at best, Anri Pak was only around for the planning stages. He wasn't alive when this all actually happened!"
"Which means we need to squarely focus on this Louenthal guy. He's the only one..."
Wade typed away at his computer again, searching for some new information.
"Wade... what are you doing?"
"I'm trying to hack into the Worldwide Evil Empire's database... to see if I can come up with anything on Louenthal."
"In the meantime, we'd better head for San Francisco."
"Ah, San Francisco!" Ron sighed. "America's Finest City!"
"That's San Diego, Ron."
"It is?" Ron said, snapping his fingers. "I always get those two mixed up!"
"Actually, Noirish Pak Incorporated is based in San Mateo, about 15 miles to the south of San Francisco. And that just happens to be just miles from..."
"Hillsborough, the town where Louenthal grew up," finished Kim.
"Aw, man!" Ron complained. "First Gemini, now this guy. What's up with the agents of WEE and their problems with their families?"
With that, the jet changed course and sped towards the West Coast.
The hangars at Global Justice Headquarters were busy with activity as flight crews were preparing several jets for a very important mission. Several agents came running in, already suited for flight. That included Agent Will Du, who quickly ascended the ladder into his cockpit and began on-board preparations.
As he did, he reminded himself of everything Dr. Director had said at the meeting...
"Tonio Louenthal co-owns Noirish Pak Incorporated, a producer of novelty beverages and energy drinks," Dr. Director informed her agents.
A picture of the corporate headquarters building, located in San Mateo, was shown on the screen, with an adjacent factory on-site.
"If he has indeed created his own version of the Worldwide Evil Empire, which probably irks my brother Gemini to no end, then the mostly likely place for a base of operations would be here. At the company's headquarters in San Mateo, California."
With that, the DVD projector was shut off, and Dr. Director finished her mission briefing.
"It's very likely he's aware that his latest mission to eliminate Agent Du has failed. Therefore, we must strike back before they begin to suspect a counterattack plan. We're working on satellite imaging right now to give you all the best infiltration point. Other than that, we're not sure of what to expect. Thus, you will be going in with A-rank equipment."
Agent Du reached under his seat and pulled out a small aluminum case. Unlocking it with a small key from his pants pocket, Will pulled out a small handgun, with a silencer, as well as three magazines of bullets.
"Remember," Dr. Director's warning blared through Agent Du's head, "This is to be used as a last resort in self-defense. The mission involves using non-lethal force unless necessary to do otherwise."
With that, Agent Du nodded and loaded one magazine into his gun, locking it into place.
"First time I've ever held a gun outside of the training facility," Du remarked to himself. "I just hope I won't have to use it."
BEEP-BEEP-BOO-BEEP.
Kim answered the Kimmunicator as she and Ron listened in on what Wade had found out about their bad guy.
"Okay Wade, what've you got?"
"Well, after hacking into WEE's database, which wasn't easy, mind you, I found out that Louenthal was brought into WEE six weeks before your first encounter with them. He was designated Agent Kappa because, naturally, that was the first available Greek letter designation that hadn't already been assigned."
"Then why didn't we see him the day he kidnapped Ron?"
"According to their records, he took the day off as paid vacation."
"So even evil secret agents get benefits, huh?"
"Some guys have all the luck," Ron said sourly.
"Anyway," Kim stated. "Were you able to confirm that he was one of the two agents who escaped in the failed Cape Canaveral plot?"
"Even better!" Wade smiled. "I was able to downloaded NASA security footage from that very day!"
Wade quickly switched to said feed, and Kim and Ron watched as their villain in question, with the other unidentified agent, standing guard by NASA's front gates. Suddenly, alarms started to go off in the background, and the two agents ran their separate ways, pretty much abandoning their fellow comrades at that point.
"Not very loyal, were they?" smirked Ron.
"Nuh-uh," agreed Rufus, shaking his head in agreement as he popped out of Ron's pocket.
"After Gemini's capture, it was assumed by the World Conglomerate of Evil Organizations that the Worldwide Evil Empire was to be folded and absorbed by a sister operation. But somehow Louenthal had convinced them that he had taken over and that he had or was in the process of obtaining the needed resources to stay in function. Two weeks later, the WGEO confirmed through a personal inspection that WEE was healthy and well, and so they dropped any further attempts to have WEE folded."
"How did he manage to keep WEE running with such a small force? Even in that short time frame, there's no way he could've recouped WEE's losses."
"Oh, he did more than that. He upped it tenfold. Two weeks prior to the failed Cape Canaveral operation, WEE was listed with a working capacity of 25 members. Two weeks after it, the listed membership was over 250!"
"But aren't most organizations of that size have somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 to 90 percent that work on-site. As in, they aren't field agents?"
"Precisely! Of course, the only way to fund WEE at that size..."
"Would be to attach the payroll as a department under a much larger, public company! Like, say... Noirish Pak Incorporated?"
"So we've connected A to B and B to C," Ron stated. "CAN WE STOP RAGGING ON THE COMPANY THAT PRODUCES MY FAVORITE ENERGY DRINK?"
"Whether the whole company board of directors knows about this is irrelevant," Kim thought out loud. "What matters is that one of its co-owners is at the top, and I'm gonna bring him down for what he's done!"
The jet continues its cross-country flight towards California...
"After that, we are going home, right?" Ron asked. "I mean, tomorrow IS graduation day! I haven't picked out what I'm wearing under my gown, what I'm going to say when I get my diploma, figured out how many kisses and cheek tugs from distant relatives that I'm gonna get..."
Ron continued to ramble on as the pair raced to keep the sun from setting before them over the western horizon...
To be continued in Part 13 - Coming in two weeks!