Chapter thirteen: Cat's out of the bag
Kim sat at the table examining the photos. Shego waited impatiently behind her, looking over her shoulder every so often. They had been this way for over an hour before Kim finally set the photos down and stood.
"What is it? What did you find?" Shego questioned anxiously. Kim rolled her eyes and looked back at the green skinned woman and smiled.
"I'm just getting some water. Calm down."
Shego lunged forward and pulled Kim back. She sat Kim roughly in the chair. "You look at the pictures. I'll get you water." Shego rushed off into the kitchen. Kim shook her head and continued to examine the photos. She already knew exactly what they were taking and who they were selling to. The only reason she was still staring at the photos was because she loved hearing Shego squirm from the wait.
Her partner was notoriously impatient. Wait, her partner? She caught herself in mid thought. When did she start thinking of Shego as her partner? She was in this so she would need a partner ever again, when did she lose sight of this?
Shego came back in with glass in hand and something very shocking to Kim. It looked as though Shego had what looked like a genuine smile gracing her lips. But as quickly as it came it faded away before she reached the table.
"Did you figure it out yet?" Shego asked. Kim could help but notice the slightly high pitched tone of anxiety in the woman's voice. Kim set aside her thoughts for the time being and nodded.
"This one is going to be difficult. We're looking for something called the "Cat's cradle". I don't know who we're selling to, it's just a number and an address in Chicago." Kim said before taking a drink.
"Cat's cradle? What the hell, it's that like a game or something you play with sting?" Shego asked looking over the photos.
"Actually this is an experimental weapon. It's supposed to send a wave of sound so high pitch no one could hear it, it would temporarily disable the enemy. Sort of a last ditch effort kind of weapon but it was a failure and the project was dropped. It's very top secret. Heavily guarded. You know same old thing." Kim said nonchalantly.
"Why was it a failure?"
"Well the sound wave was meant to travel as far as four hundred meters. That all great but you can only imagine the force on those who are at a close range. It could send a two hundred pound man through a brick wall if he was close enough. The government thought it was too dangerous for war purposes, innocent civilians might be caught in the wave and it would cause more damage than good so the government dropped it and hid the weapon."
"How do you know so much about it if it is top secret?"
"Because I helped build it."
"When did this happen?"
"I can't tell you that. But I can say that I know where the weapon is hidden and if we can get it before Eve, we'll be sitting on more money then we know what to do with."
"Now that's what I like to hear. So where are we going?"
"I hope you don't mind the cold. We're going to Russia."
888
"Are you sure this is the address?" Ron asked as he stared at the number on the door. Their search had led them to a penthouse in London. Wade looked at the address and nodded. Ron shrugged and rang the door bell.
Moments later a young woman opened the door. She stared at Ron and Wade for a moment before addressing them. "Can I help you?" She asked in thick Italian accent.
"Are you Anastasia Lardo?" Wade asked pocketing the address.
The woman seemed to cringe at the mention that name. "Yes I'm Anastasia. What business do you have with me?" Her tone was becoming more defensive with every word.
"Sorry to bother you but we think you may have some information we about the Blue Fox." Wade replied carefully.
The woman visibly tensed. "I don't know anything about the Blue Fox."
"We're not cops if that's what you think. We're just looking for the Blue Fox; he's responsible for a string of robberies in America." Ron assured her.
She seemed to loosen up and stepped aside. "Come in then."
Ron and Wade stepped through the doorway and followed her to the living room. After a few moments of silence the woman gave them a sticky sweet smile. "I know you." She began. "You're Ron Stoppable and Wade Load."
"How do you know that?" Wade asked surprised someone would know who they were after so many years of being out of the spot light.
"I remember seeing your face all over the news, but that's not important. You wanted to know about the Blue Fox no?"
Both Wade and Ron nodded.
"Well you've come to the right person then. I taught her everything she knows." She sounded very proud of herself.
"She? The Blue Fox is a woman?"
"Yes. But I knew her before she became the Blue Fox. The whole world knew her before she became the Blue Fox."
Ron tensed. "What do you mean by that?"
"Come on Ron. You never thought about it. You never noticed how skilled the Blue Fox is? Always coming and going without a trace. The acrobatic skill that she used to get through the tightest of situations, you know deep down who the Blue Fox is. You've known from the beginning you just down want to believe it." She stood from her seat.
"Now if you would excuse my rudeness, I have to ask you two to leave. I have some important business to attend to."
Wade and Ron were rushed out. The door was slammed in their faces before they had the chance to protest. Wade turned to Ron. "So was she talking about who I think she was talking about?"
Ron nodded and sighed. "Yeah…she was talking about Kim."