Legal Disclaimer: Disney owns Kim Possible; not me I just write about them. But...ah never mind. Ugh, want to rant but shouldn't.

Thanks to Ran Hakubi, Akinyi, CajunBear73, and LTAOZFAN for reviewing.

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Second Mission, Second Thoughts

Chapter 6: Morning on the Range

Surprisingly, Ron was up first and well into his shower when Kim awoke. She was taken aback to see that the cot Ron slept in was made, and their freshly washed and folded mission clothes were laid atop of it. It then dawned on her that Mr. Davis offered to have them laundered and ready for breakfast. She reasoned that the maid had come and cleaned up a little. The thought of someone seeing her sleep was embarrassing; particularly when Ron told her she had a tendency to snore. She was further embarrassed by the sight of a showering naked mole rat in the sink and even further when she almost bumped into a towel-only clad Ron. Kim decided to get showered quickly to avoid any further mortification.

She stepped behind the privacy screen, with Ron turning away politely in time, and dressed quickly. Ron sat on the bed and pored over the breakfast flyer. The red-haired teen was suited, combed her hair and put it up. She was about to reappear when she stopped and focused on one element of her appearance; her ponytail.

"…and you're both thirteen? I still can't believe that you're that young…" recalling the conversation from the night before. She looked at her "uniform" and then her ponytail again.

"…and you're both thirteen? I still can't believe that you're that young…" again, the memory sounded.

"Maybe…maybe it's time for a change…something not so 'thirteen-ish'" she muttered.

Since first grade, Kim had worn her hair in a ponytail. It helped her when she first started kung fu and it was just easier to deal with in general. Taking her pony tail and stroking it gingerly, she muttered, "Maybe something a little more sophisticated…" With brush in hand, slowly, she reached for the scrunchie that kept it in place and hesitantly pulled it off.

"Hey KP, they have huevos rancheros del davis! Sounds like a Bueno Nacho di––"

Ron's jaw dropped.

He had turned to see Kim stepping from behind the privacy screen, gently shaking her head from side to side, letting her now-free hair flow. As Ron watched – no stared – at Kim's beautiful red mane, time seemed to slow down.

"What was that Ron?" she asked combing out her hair. She hadn't noticed her best friend's expression.

"Uh…I…that is...uh ehh…you…wow," he stuttered.

"Huh?"

"Hair…" was all he could say.

"Hair? Ron! I just let my hair down. It's no big really."

"But, but it looks really really nice – makes you look pretty – er prettier. Not that you aren't pretty to begin with but it makes you look prettier."

"Really?" she blushed, looking shyly at her best friend.

"Yeah…" Ron said, letting his gaze hang a little longer than needed.

Rufus, who had witnessed Ron's reaction to Kim, looked back and forth between the two. "Hoo boy," he squeaked, slapping his forehead.

Suddenly, Ron realized that they both were staring at each other. And so did Kim.

"So…." Ron said, looking at his feet.

"So…." Kim said, gazing off to one side.

"Breakfast?" Ron asked.

"Sounds good to me." Kim hastily replied.

With that the teens rushed down stairs.

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Unfortunately for Kim, breakfast was much like the night before where Ron and Rufus literally shoveled down mounds of food. Kim could do nothing but watch the spectacle in silence. Despite having known him for eight years, she still wondered three things: one, how Ron could eat like that and not put on any appreciable weight; two, if the food that Rufus was eating was any good for him; and three, why she kept watching the two, especially Ron. Viewing him eat was, in a way sickening, but one really couldn't turn away. Kim was used to it but that was pretty much between them, their families, and Bueno Nacho. Plus, Ron didn't always eat like this. There were many times where he ate like a perfect gentleman, especially around the holidays or people they didn't really know. This was an unusual circumstance. As a result, Kim didn't have much of an appetite but ate anyway because she needed to. They would be out on the trail soon.

"So umm does your friend always eat like that?" John asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Only when the food's this good and there's plenty of it, sir," Ron managed to say in-between bites and without choking.

"I'm glad you appreciate Rachael's cuisine," The cowboy laughed then turned to a thin, fair skinned woman and with brown long hair dressed in a tee shirt and jeans, sitting next to him. "Ya think there's enough to go around after this boy's done?"

Rachael, who was also in a daze at this young man's appetite, replied, "Yeah…just give me…thirty minutes…to…whip up something."

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As the meal came to a close, Rachael collapsed in her chair and blew a few strands from her face. "Boy, that kid can eat! First, last night and then at breakfast," she mumbled.

With the dishes put away and the table cleared, John sat back at the table. "So y'all ready to start?"

"Yes, we just need a few things and we're ready to go."

"Ya better dress warmly, it might not be raining but it's cold out there," suggested the cowboy.

"Could I get a couple of these omelets, like, to go?" Ron asked.

Kim and Rachael looked at Ron incredulously. "What? These omelets were badical. Plus, there's no Bueno Nacho out there."

"Uh, sure," she replied, "…Wait, did you say Bueno Nacho?"

"Yeah," the blonde answered, wiping his face.

"I LOVE Bueno Nacho!" Rachael beamed.

"Really? So do I!"

"Yeah, they make a mean chimmerito!"

Kim turned back to John and asked, "So, how long has Gertie been missing?"

"About five days. Last we saw her; she was with the herd over by the west ridge. We'd have noticed her being gone sooner but this cattle drive has really kept us busy. I was thinking of tagging my cows down the line…She could be in the foothills to the west."

"Any foul play?"

"I don't think so. I didn't get a ransom note or anything. I don't know anyone that would want to hurt the ranch."

"I'll need to know where the herd was last when Gertie disappeared. We'll also need a ride in and out of there."

"Well, I can show you the trail on a map in the study. Seeing that you're too young to drive, can you ride a horse?"

Kim smiled but Ron winced.

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Kim and Ron's horses plodded along the grassy north Montana plains. The back country was scenic. The view from the parachutes was one thing; this was another. Being at the beginning of April, it was still very cold and cloudy, and to the far north, dark clouds moved ever eastward, dumping its moisture near the Canadian border. Rain wasn't forecasted in their part of the state, but they could hear the distant rumble of the not-so-distant thunderstorm. The winds didn't howl; only whispered and rustled the leaves of the scattered trees. The northwestern plains were a sea of tall green grasses with the winds causing wave-like ripples. Wildflowers were in bloom and danced with the wind. The last bits of snow remained at the highest points of the Cascades. One would say that the relative placidity would be soothing.

Unfortunately, this didn't help Kim's troubled mood.

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"What's the sitch, Possible?" she asked herself internally, "You've had this weird feeling since yesterday whenever you and Ron are close together. But…it hasn't bothered you before but – something's different…It's almost…like…I'm…crushing on him?!? No, no, no! I can't be crushing on him – he's Ron – my best friend. That would be just…awkweird!"

Drawing in a deep breath, she continued, "Even if I did, wouldn't that ruin our friendship? I don't want to lose that; he's my best friend...Besides I don't think he's ready for a girlfriend yet – he still kind of acts like kid."

Kim looked back at the object of her private discussion and saw him laughing with Rufus – who had been riding in Ron's warm jacket vest pocket – as he pointed out funny shaped clouds.

"But…that's part of his charm isn't it? And he's kind, loyal, and funny. He knows when I stress out and helps me chill…and I help him in school. It's like we…complement each other. And he cares about me…a lot. Do you think anyone else would have stuck up for you like that? Do you think anyone else would come out here? Ron did and that means a lot especially since he's afraid of a lot of things."

Then, almost if someone had heard her, Ron started screaming "Aaaaah, monkey! That one looks like a monkey!" and covered his whole head with both arms. He whimpered as his horse carried on unaffected by the cries of his rider. A few seconds later, peeking out between his arms, he exclaimed, "It's still there! Bad monkey! Ohhhh!"

Kim slapped her forehead.

Then, a few more seconds later, she heard, "Huh? Oh yeah, you're right Rufus, it's gone now. No monkey there! Hah!"

The red-haired teen looked back again to her blonde-haired friend. He gave her a goofy smile and a timid wave.

"Though, he is, in way, cute; with that smile and those freckles...Wait, did I just think Ron was cute?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head again, "Maybe it's something that I didn't – No, its gotta be the mission…And being out here with him...alone. This is all so…confusing. Me and Ron? I…just…don't know."

"I really don't know"

"What?"

"I said I don't––" she exclaimed but cut herself off realizing that the last part of her train of thought was spoken aloud.

"Don't what KP?" Ron asked, bringing his horse close to hers.

"Err...I…don't know…where to…start. Yeah, start…I don't where to start looking…for Gertie."

"Well, we're in the right place, right?" Ron pulled his horse off to one side and stopped to survey the land. Rufus, trying to keep his hairless body warm, braved the cold and poked his head out, copying his human's actions. He looked up to Ron with his small, black eyes and then chirped, "Uh huh, uh huh, right place!" He quickly retreated back to the comfort of Ron's pocket.

"Looks like it." Kim replied looking around. Unexpectedly, her emerald orbs came to rest on her best friend. "Cute…" echoed softly in her mind but Kim uttered a very low grunt in response. "Focus, Possible."

"KP?"

"WHAT?" she snapped.

Ron looked as his best friend strangely but quickly dismissed it as mission frustration.

"So, where do we start looking? I mean, this is not going to be as easy like back in Middleton. Look at how big this place is." Ron extended his arms to emphasize the point. Just then, his horse unexpectedly dipped causing Ron to lose his balance and spill onto the ground. Kim quickly dismounted her horse and rushed to where Ron had fallen. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said rubbing his head, "And you wonder why I have horse issues. Rufus?"

The naked mole rat had leaped to the side at the first sign of falling, was also on the ground close to his human. He dusted himself off and scrambled back to his nice warm pocket. He stuck his hand out and signaled a naked mole rat version of a thumbs-up.

"But you were riding one and doing well at that."

"Thanks. Well, at least Calvin isn't a mechanical horse …" Ron visibly shuddered.

"Ron…" Kim muttered, "It was broken and – never mind. Let's just get you back on that horse and – tire tracks!"

"Tire tracks? Where?"

"You're practically standing in them," she said pointing to the set right next to Ron. "That must have been why your horse threw you."

Kim stared at the marks before her. The long grasses made it difficult to see and if it weren't for Ron, they would have missed them. Studying the ground intensely, she saw that the tracks lead northward but soon disappeared as they hit rocky ground. Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator and hit the quick dial button to the team's tech genius and soon Wade's face was on screen. "Hey Kim! How's life on the range?" he asked, and then taking a sip from his soda.

"Good so far. We spotted some tire tracks. Do you know if there's any traffic out here?"

The young computer genius/techie did his trademark magic and within moments, Wade looked up. "Well according to Mr. Davis' itinerary, there's no note of any vehicles. In fact, he doesn't use vehicles on cattle drives. Hasn't for years."

"Hmmm, are there any other places around here that might have vehicles?"

Once again, Wade stared into his computer screen, typing furiously but briefly. "Nope, it's pretty empty out here. Could be the occasional off-roader but let me look at the tire tracks. I got something I wanna try. Point the Kimmunicator at the tracks."

Kim did as instructed and a pale blue cone of light illuminated the tracks for a few seconds.

"Badical, ya put a scanner in the Kimmunicator," Ron exclaimed, "Scan on Demand!"

"Not exactly but close," Wade replied as he watched the data stream in, "The Kimmunicator is too small for a sophisticated scanner so I built a simple full spectrum emitter and rudimentary receiver that transmits the data to my mainframes here. I can process the data and send the results back to you. It can take a while though"

"Umm okay. So…could you go over it again in case Kim here didn't understand?" Ron grinned sheepishly.

Ron received eye rolls from the two other members of the team.

The tech guru sighed. "I can scan stuff from here using the Kimmunicator, like a probe, and I linked it to my computers here."

"Probe? Oh! Like a space probe on 'Captain Constellation'. We can't send the whole ship but we can send a probe, get a sample, and send what it finds back to the ship, right?"

"You got it," Wade replied.

"Booyah! The Ronster comes through."

"Nice Ron," Kim smiled, "More mad skills?"

"Oh yeah KP, I'm full of mad ski––"

"Sorry to interrupt guys, but I just got the results back," Wade interjected, "It's not a typical off road vehicle track and it's too small for a personal vehicle. This track is more of a large flatbed or cargo vehicle."

"Out here?" Ron asked.

"It's possible. The places out here need stuff trucked out to them but…" Wade paused to enter more data, "The last one was about two weeks ago. Mr. Cutter's is the next scheduled shipment but he isn't scheduled to start delivery until this afternoon. These tracks are about five to six days old."

"Wade, could these trucks carry animals?" Kim questioned.

"Hmm. I see where you're going with this." Wade returned to his keyboard and within in a minute, "Several other ranches are reporting missing animals. Which means––"

"Cattle rustlers," both Kim and Ron answered.

To be continued…

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Chapter End Notes: Yep, this rescue mission just got more complicated. Kim's got some internal struggles as well as trying to figure out what's going on. They've found some clues and it looks like they may have found out the answer to the mystery. The teen pair have an idea but who's behind it all? You'll have to wait until the next chapter...