Chapter 3: Things revealed
"Who was that brute, anyway?" Kim wanted to know.
"Bleak? He is Looten Plunder's lackey," Ma-Ti replied.
"Plunder? Why would he have men like that working for him?" She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I thought he's an honest businessman."
"He's far from honest, Kim," Cap told her. "We've dealt with him many times." He looked the woman over. "What's this I see? Someone hasn't gone for a dip in the lake at all, hmm?" The superhero quirked an eyebrow.
She grinned. "Who me?"
"Yes, you." He touched the tip of her nose. "Like I told Wheeler, going swimming means you get wet." With that he grabbed Kim around the waist.
"Put me down!" she screamed as Cap walked to the jetty, realizing what he was about to do. "Planet! Put me down now! I ca-."
But before she could finish the superhero dropped the woman in the lake. Luckily for her, the spot where she landed was shallow enough so her feet reached the bottom. Standing up, Kim directed an angry look at him that would have wilted flowers.
Cap grinned. "Getting wet never hurt anybody, love. Would you stop with the death-stare already?"
Kim didn't think it was so funny, though. "If you had let me finish, wise guy," she told him, splashing water in his direction. "I would've let you know why this could've been a bad idea." Especially if he had dunked her further from the beach.
The grin faded. Had he gone too far? Cap could both see and sense how upset she was. "What is it, love?"
"I can't swim, that's what," the soaked woman informed the confused superhero.
That possibility had never crossed his mind, having assumed that since there was a lake on her property the woman could swim just as well as anybody he knew. If he had known otherwise, he would never have done what he had.
Cap jumped back into the lake and hugged her. "I'm sorry, honey. Had I known, I wouldn't have pulled that stupid stunt." He was glad he hadn't dropped her to where the water was deeper. On his short diving expedition the superhero had seen how steep the bottom was. It was far from even. If he had dropped her at the end of the jetty, the woman would have probably... No, better not to think about that.
Kim could see how shaken the superhero was. "It was my fault, really," she admitted. "For not telling you. I guess I thought it didn't matter." Now she knew how wrong she had been. How could she have known what he would do? They really should get to know each other better.
"It matters to me," he told her, holding her close. Such a little thing that could have caused something serious. Maybe the woman would have told him if he had asked her to swim with him and the incident that followed would have been prevented. "From now on, please tell if there's anything I need to know," Cap requested, stroking the woman's wet hair. "No matter how trivial it seems."
Kim nodded, telling herself to remember that. "I will."
Gi, who was at home in the water, suggested she could teach her so the brunette would be able to enjoy her lake with them. Figuring it was about time she learned, Kim agreed.
"But that will have to wait till tomorrow," Cap pointed out. It was getting dark.
Gathering their stuff, the group went back inside. The Planeteers decided to make their beds ready so that they wouldn't have to worry about that later. First, they put their towels out to dry in front of the fireplace though, which Cap lit with a blast of fire. Then the five went to put on T-shirts and shorts and put the swimsuits with the towels.
Cap helped with the mattresses, carrying the two that Kim had to the guestroom. There was a bed for two, so the rest would have to sleep on the mattresses. The Planeteers dug the bedclothes from their bags and made the beds ready. They realized two would have to share.
A giggle from the bathroom, followed by Cap's voice. "Really, Kim. You can't be that sensitive."
"Just get out of here and let me dry my hair in peace, alright?" Kim said.
The superhero offered to give her hair some heat treatment to help her but the brunette didn't want to take advantage of his abilities at every turn. And she was afraid too much heat would ruin her hair.
"But thanks for offering, anyway," she said with a smile.
Leaving the woman in peace to take care of her hair, Cap joined the Planeteers in the guestroom. The five were still debating who was going to sleep where. He stayed out of that, letting them settle it themselves. He knew where he would be spending the night.
"We have to settle this somehow," Kwame said. "How about you two share the bed," he suggested to Wheeler and Linka. "And Gi and I will share a mattress. That OK with you, Linka?"
The Russian nodded. "Just remember to behave yourself, Yankee," she told the redhead.
That settled, the group went back downstairs and sat on the couches or on the floor. Kim snuggled up to Cap and he put his arm around her. Buddy crowded in beside them, putting his head on Kim's lap.
"What would you like to do, guys?" she asked, stroking Buddy's head. "I do have games that we could play."
"How about a movie?" Wheeler asked, checking her selection.
"Alright then, if you find one you want to watch." The American did and they settled down to watch.
It wasn't long before Kim yawned. "I shouldn't have gotten out of bed so early today," she said. "I think I'll turn in now." The brunette looked at Cap. "Want to stay down here for the night or join me upstairs?"
Cap smiled. It had been a clear reference to when they had met. "The couch doesn't feel very appealing so I'll join you." He stood up with her. "G'night, kids. Don't stay up too late."
Promising they wouldn't, the Planeteers decided not to ask what that exchange had been about. Whatever had happened between them was their business.
Cap and Kim climbed the stairs to the second floor. Buddy limped after them. The pair snuggled close to each other on the bed.
He gave her a kiss. "Good night, love."
"Good night," Kim replied and closed her eyes.
Gazing at her for a minute, Wheeler's words came back to him. The superhero hoped they would be left in peace. Sighing, he closed his eyes too.
After about an hour he heard the Planeteers going to bed as well.
Earlier that same day…
Bleak went straight to his boss, after being pestered by the secretary, who told him Mr. Plunder didn't want to be disturbed. "Trust me, he'll want to hear what I have to say," Bleak told her, opened the door and went in.
Looten Plunder was on the phone. "Hey, boss," the baldy said. "I think you…"
"Shut it, Bleak," Plunder said, annoyed. "Can't you see I'm on the phone here?"
Bleak muttered something under his breath, lighting a cigar. He sat down on a chair.
Plunder finished the phone call. "What do you want, Bleak? I have things to do so make it quick."
Bleak put down the cigar and told his boss what he had seen at the lake while checking his traps. Until he mentioned a certain superhero and a group of environmentalists, the businessman looked disinterested. "They were with some sheila. Planet was actin' all chivalrous toward her. Saw 'im smoochin' her and all, too. Seemed totally smitten, the both of 'em."
"Is that so?" Plunder asked.
"I know what I saw, boss," Bleak said. "I was thinkin' that…"
"I don't pay you to think," Plunder interrupted. "But remind me to give you a 10 percent raise."
Bleak grinned. "Yes, sir."
At that moment, a woman in a pink jumpsuit walked in, not even bothering to knock. "I need to talk to you, Plunder," she said by way of greeting, waving a binder above her head.
"As a matter of fact, I want to talk to you too, Blight," Plunder told her. "Sit down."
Blight insisted what she had to say was important but Plunder didn't seem that interested, insisting that his piece of news more important.
With a glare, Blight sat down on the other chair. "What is it?"
Plunder leaned forward, elbows on the table, fingertips together. "We want to get rid of Captain Planet, right?"
Blight nodded. "Right. And those annoying Eco-Brats, too."
"Bleak here has just given me information that you might like to hear as well."
Impatient, Blight demanded to hear what it was so Plunder told her what Bleak had told him, but not in so many words. A grin began to form on Blight's face as she listened to what the man was telling her, a plan already forming in her head.
A/N: So much for a vacation, huh?