REIGN
By FAH3
It wasn't one of the best dresses she had or that she even liked, but she wasn't trying to drive anyone's hormones wild tonight. She was wearing a simple black dress with a small suit jacket that had a very feminine design to it. It had only been a few minutes since she got off the phone with Miss Amanda Waller, but she knew she had to hurry. The super brat was going to be here at any minute. She had to convince this kid to work exclusively with her company and get a DNA sample at the same time. She was actually wishing that this was someone older that she was meeting. If it was, then she could just get the DNA sample in what she thought would have been a much more easier and fun way. But this was a kid. And despite looking like a teenager, this clone was only a couple of weeks old. So she had to put on the face she saved for going out into public and pour on the charm. Some times she wished she were still a super villain. Hold on, what the hell was she saying? She was a powerful CEO of a major cooperation in the world of cooperate business. She still was a super villain.
Shego checked the table and appetizers that were laid out. Since she wasn't trying to get in between anyone's legs, the candles were out. But since this was a teenager, she knew the perfect way to persuade her. Girl or boy, the one way to get to them was through their stomach. And since we were dealing with a clone that had at least half of Kimmie's DNA, some of the dishes Kim used to like may work. If nothing else, at least she had something else to keep the kid distracted so she could convince the teenager that a job with her is a good idea. As she made sure everything was in place and in order, she looked up when she heard something flying close by and getting closer. All the times Kim had used to visit her before they had their falling out, she could recognize the sound of a flying person anywhere. Time to put her happy face on and hope this brat didn't give her a reason to smack her.
As she turned to the balcony as the young woman landed, she let out a small gasp as her eyes grew wide. She could swear she was actually looking at Kim when she had first met her in Middleton all those years ago. Déjà vu was making her head swim as she slip open the door and entered the office/apartment.
"You're Miss Gough, right?" the young girl asked the older woman. Sherri gave herself a good mental slap as she made herself straighten up and put on the chipper face that she loathed so much.
"Yes, I am. I'm so glad you got my invitation." Sherri said as she walked up to the young girl and offered her hand.
"Invitation? Some crazy lady drove off a bridge, screaming for help. When I caught the car and set it down, she told me you wanted to see me. And if I didn't show up, she'd knock me into next Thursday." The young woman said as she shook Sherri's hand.
"Really? I apologize for that. My assistant can be a little – eccentric at times." Sherri said with an apologetic smile. "Let's see how Merci likes going a month without sex." Sherri thought to herself. "My assistant was supposed to give you an invitation. I wanted to offer you a job." She said.
"No offence, but I already have a job. Recognize the S on the chest?" the young woman asked.
"But the last time I checked, being a hero didn't pay that much. Am I right?" Sherri asked her.
"Well – you may have a point." The young woman said sheepishly.
"Why don't we discuss this over dinner? I've already had some food prepared." Sherri said and motioned to the table that had already been set.
"I am a little hungry." Supergirl said as they walked toward the table.
"I'm glad to hear that." Sherri said. "I usually hate to eat alone." Sherri said as she snapped her fingers.
Within moments, a man in his early thirties entered the room with long dark hair that was tied back into a ponytail and his skin had a healthy tan to it. His chest was almost too wide for the white suit he wore, with the obvious muscles that lay underneath almost threatening to tear the fabric. Sherri smirked when she saw that Supergirl was almost drooling as she saw the sight of their waiter for the evening.
"Jean-Luc, could you please bring a bottle of Merlot. Perhaps a '64." Sherri said as they took their seats.
"Sounds great to me." Supergirl said as she kept her eyes glued to the broad, handsome servant.
"And a soda for our young guest." Sherri added.
"Yes, Madame." The man said as he turned and left to get what Sherri had requested. "Superwoman's clone or not, you're still underage kid." She said.
"Uh – I was chest choking." Supergirl said before her face began to blush a deep crimson and she quickly turned to look at Sherri. "I mean I was – just joking!" she said as a nervous smile appeared on her face.
"Don't worry, kid. Why do you think I hired him." Sherri said, relieving some of the embarrassment from the young woman.
"Out of curiosity, why do you want to give me a job?" Supergirl asked her.
"I suppose you know all about the original Superwoman, am I correct?" Sherri asked her.
"Of course I do. Cadmus programmed everything they could about her adventures in my head." Supergirl said.
"Good. You see, Superwoman has saved just about everyone in this city at least once. Me included. I always wanted to find a way to repay her, but she never accepted money or any kind of a reward. She had always said that helping others was reward enough." Sherri said as she began to think about the friendship she once had with the late superhero. Her trip down memory lane was interrupted when the waiter returned with her wine and poured her a glass before opening a frosted can of soda for the young superhero.
"Have you decided what you would like for dinner tonight, Madame?" he asked her.
"I'll have Eggplant Parmesan with a light salad. What would you like?" she asked Supergirl and smirked again as she saw the young girl looking at the waiter's backside. "Supergirl?" she asked which immediately got the young girl's attention.
"That's Superwoman." She said in an annoyed tone of voice.
"I apologize. Would you like anything in particular?" Sherri asked her.
"Well – do you have any Nacos?" she asked which surprised Sherri. Kim may have acted like she wasn't fond of eating Stoppable's creation, but she secretly loved them. Maybe there was more of Kim in this little girl than she thought.
"I think they can whip that up. You have our orders Jean-Luc." She said and sent the waiter along his way. "Where was I?"
"You said you wanted to repay Superwoman, but she wouldn't accept anything."
"Right. Well, and no offence, but you're young and still new to the hero game. And there are a lot of people that are going to try and take advantage of you. I want to make sure that doesn't happen. My company can keep you informed of situations that need your immediate attention, and also let you know about some of the more dangerous individuals out there."
"Wait a minute. You said job offer, but you want to help me?" the young girl asked; obviously confused at what Sherri was proposing.
"Kid, there are a lot of people who feel guilty about not being able to help Superwoman when she died. Me included. With you being her clone, I see this as a way to finally help her. To make up for not helping her when I should have." Sherri said as she saw that her words were starting to have an affect on her. "If you take me up on my offer, I will also provide you an apartment for you to live in and a small allowance. I'll pay for the rent and the utilities, and all you have to do is uphold what your – mother – stood for." Sherri said.
"Mother?" the young woman asked.
"You are her clone. What else should I call her? Your sister?" Sherri asked her.
"I guess it does make sense." The young woman said as Jean-Luc returned with a pushcart with two covered dishes. "But it sounds – I don't know. I never thought about it." The young girl said.
"The choice is yours, of course. But just remember what I'm offering you. A better way for you to help people, a place to live, and money to spend. That's a lot more you'll get than just being Superwoman twenty-four seven." Sherri said as Jean-Luc placed the dishes on the table and removed their covering.
"I don't know. I'm going to have to think about this." The young woman said as Jean-Luc removed the dish covering, and the smell of the freshly prepared Naco filled her nostrils. A small smile appeared on her lips as she saw the hot meal in front of her. Picking up the fork that was beside her plate, she scooped a hefty portion and carefully began to eat it. A very satisfied smile appeared on her face as she swallowed and savored the taste of the Naco. "Can I have these whenever I want?" she asked Sherri.
"I think I can arrange something." Sherri said as she sipped her wine.
When she looked back, she was surprised to see that the Naco that had been there a second ago was now nothing more than a few crumbs and a few specs of nacho cheese on the plate. She quickly glanced at the young woman and saw that she was doing her best to wipe away a few smears of nacho cheese from her mouth as a large belch escaped her lips.
"Excuse me." She said with a bit of a blush and finished wiping away the remnants of her Naco. "I think I'll take you up on that job." The young Superwoman said.
"Excellent. I'll make all the arrangements tomorrow morning." Sherri said with a smile. "Hook, line, and sinker."
Usually, there was at least some amount of satisfaction whenever Ron would label an open case closed. But right now, it didn't give him any comfort at all. His mind was still drifting back to the matter of his best friend and lover, Kim Possible. He was so sure that she was alive. The vision he had when he had died for a moment from the wound the Joker had given him. With her body missing again, it only supported that idea. But it had been several weeks, and there were these four pretenders instead of the real Kim returning. The cyborg he didn't trust. A large memory gap, unexplained origin of Kryptonian components. That thing was hiding something, he could feel it. The young Supergirl wasn't really anything like Kim at all. Kim never helped people to get the attention. In fact, attention was the last thing she had wanted. Even after she went public as Superwoman, she still didn't want the attention.
As he sat there in the dark, he had time to finally think about how he had been acting since he was shot. Dick and Hannah were at a movie, and Wade was still doing his project in Metropolis, and Barbara Gordon was upstairs working on some of her homework. Every so often, she would bring her homework with her so she could work on it when she took a break from working the computers in the Batcave. Ron examined everything he had done from the point of view of the detective he was supposed to be. If this had been anyone else, Ron would be telling Jim to get a padded cell at Arkham ready. He had been acting so ridiculous and idiotic, he was amazed he hadn't gotten himself shot again. He didn't want to admit it, even though everything inside of him was screaming not to even think it. Kim was dead, and she wasn't coming back. Instead of looking for a living Kim Possible walking around, he should be looking for some sick grave robber.
Ron leaned his head back and tried to think. Who would have the means to take Kim's body without a trace? Who could bypass all that? Sherri Gough? It was her alarm system after all. But why? He knew Sherri was really Shego, and she and Kim were friends once. Would she take Kim's body to remember their friendship? Or as a trophy like Lex Luthor would? No, not even she was that demented. The thief Lophole? What was he thinking? Loophole was a joke! Loophole was a half-ass inventor who tried to create a device that would allow him to walk through walls. On the first test run of his invention, he tried to rob a bank in Gotham City. And as he walked out, the device shorted out and left him half in and out of a thick wall of concrete. What about Mirror Master? No, it wasn't him. He was brilliant, but stuck to snatch and grab thefts.
The more Ron thought, the more worn out he felt. He hadn't gotten a lot of rest since he started trying to track down the Scarecrow. With Crane back in Arkham, maybe he could actually get a moment to try and rest. A quick nap might help him think clearly. Ron leaned his head against the head rest of his chair and began to take deeps breaths as he let his body relax. He could feel his eyelids become weights as he felt sleep begin to wash over him. Rest was all he needed. Just a little bit of rest.
"Ron?" someone asked him, making him begin to open his eyes. Hanna and Dick weren't supposed to be back for at least another hour or so. "Ron?" someone asked him again.
Ron opened his eyes and couldn't believe what he saw. Kim was standing in front of him with a concerned look on her face. He couldn't believe it. It was really her, even down to the clothes she was wearing.
"KP? Am I dreaming again?" he asked her.
"I think so." She told him.
"Then how do I know if you're Kim, and not some part of my head?" he asked as he stood his feet to talk to her. That was when Kim wrapped her arms around his neck and softly grasped his lips with her own. It wasn't rushed or hard, but it was soft and gentle that still conveyed their love and passion for each other. It was their kiss, and he could feel every part of it.
"It is you." Ron whispered as their kiss broke and he held her tight. It was just like all the other times he had held her in his arms. He could feel the warmth of her skin, the smell of her hair, and even feel her warm breath against his shoulder. This couldn't be a dream, it was just too real.
"Kim, where are you? No one knows what happened to you." Ron said.
"I wish I knew, Ron. Every time I try to wake up, it feels like something is forcing me back to sleep." She said to him with a frustrated look on her face that made Ron hole her closer to him. "But I know I'm alive. I have to be."
"Is there anything you can tell me? Anything you've noticed?" he asked her, pulling each other slightly apart.
"Let me think." Kim said and concentrated. She was trying to remember even the tinniest thing that may be helpful. It was just so aggravating to her. "Every time I get close to waking up, it almost feels like I'm floating in something. Maybe water or – something. And I can hear voices. One sounds familiar, but I don't know who the other one is. I don't know what they're saying because it's muffled. Ron, I'm going crazy! I need to wake up!" she said to him.
"It'll be okay, Kim. I'll find you." He said to her.
"I hope you hurry, Ron. Because my gut is telling me that something bad is about to happen." She said to him.
"I will find you." Ron said to her as they began to lean into each other for another kiss.
"Ron?"
"Yeah?"
"You have to wake up."
"I don't want to."
"You have to. I'll be waiting." She whispered to him before softly placing a kiss on his cheek. "Wake up, Ron."
"Ron, wake up." Dick said as he shook his mentor awake.
Ron's eyes opened as he took a deep breath and tried to remember where he was. He was in the chair in front of the computer inside the cave. He looked to his side and saw Dick and Hanna were standing there, and he recognized the look in both of their eyes. They were worried about him again. They had been ever since he told them about the visions he had been having of Kim. As he saw the worried expression in the face of the boy he had been raising as his own and in the face of his own daughter, he came to a decision that he should have made a long time ago.
"I need to go." He said in his Bat voice as he stood and walked to the vault that housed his various uniforms.
"Go? Go where?" Hanna asked him.
"I need to talk to someone." Ron said as he entered the vault.
"Wait a minute. It hasn't been that long since we caught Crane, and you want to go back out there?" Dick asked him.
"This is something I have to do, Dick." Ron said from inside the vault.
"Can you at least tell us where you're going?" Hanna asked him.
"No." Ron said as he emerged as Batman.
"Then when are you coming back?" Dick asked him as he leapt into the tumbler and activated it.
"When I have answers." He said as the canopy closed, and the massive assault vehicle sped away from them and through the secret exit.
"Should we follow him?" Hanna asked.
"No. Let's get Barbara to activate the tracer on the Tumbler." Dick said as they made their way to the large staircase that lead to the library inside the mansion. As the secret door opened, they were surprised to see Barbara was sitting in front of the door and waiting for them.
"The comm system was on. I heard everything." She said to them.
"Then let's track him. If Ron is doing something stupid,"
"I already tried, Dick. He's disabled the tracker on the Tumbler. I don't know where he's going."
Metropolis
Night had fallen over Centennial Park as a massive crowd in blue robes had gathered around the base of the statue of Superwoman that was also her supposed tomb. On top of the base of the statue, standing directly in between the statue's legs was a man in his late forties as he stood before a pulpit that wad been crafted into the shape of a large pentagonal S shield. The left side of his face had been painted gray with the hair on the left side of his head shaved away. Parts of his painted face was also decorated to look like it was a machine as he faced the large crowd before him. Behind him, two large posters stood. The poster to his right was a large photo of the cyborg Superwoman that had been directly taken from the photo of her with the president when she stopped an assassination attempt. The poster to his left was a picture of the Superwoman with the visor with a large red circle sprayed around her head and a diagonal lane crossing through it. The crowd before him were chanting the name Superwoman over and over again as he looked at the gathered masses. As he raised his hands in the air, the crowd became quiet.
"Brothers and sisters, fellow true believers! Look upon the face of our savior not with fear!" he said as he pointed to the poster of the cyborg Superwoman. "Even though she bears the scars of her battle with the monster Doomsday, it is through her deeds that we know the truth. Through righteous deeds and her mercy, she has proven herself to be the one and true Superwoman!" the man shouted as the rest of the crowd cheered him on. The crowd before him had decorated themselves to look exactly like him. Half of their heads were shaved, with half of their faces decorated and painted to look as if it were a machine half. Others were wearing cheap Halloween masks that looked like machines, or old terminator masks in order to make the illusion complete as they all wore blue robes with the pentagonal S shield on the chest.
"Be warned my people, do not be fooled by the smooth and unblemished face of this visored imposter. For I say onto you that she is a fraud!" he shouted as he pointed to the poster of Galatea. "She has ruthlessly tortured and wantonly murdered! But because she attacked those that were of the criminal element, some decided to turn a blind eye to her actions. But do not be deceived, true believers! She must be sent back to the hell she came from! SHE MUST BE DESTROYED!" the man screamed.
"DESTROY THE VISORED ONE! DESTROY HER! DESTROY THE VISORED ONE! DESTROY HER!" the crowd began to chant over and over again. They were so engrossed in their chant, they did not see the crowd of Superwoman cultist that had marched behind them. The difference between them and the cultist that had just arrived was that the new arrivals were all wearing yellow visors.
"YOU FOOLS!" the leader of the visored cultists shouted through a bullhorn and drew the attention of the chanters. "WHAT YOU WORSHIP IS LESS THAN HUMAN! LESS THAN MACHINE! WHAT YOU WORSHIP IS A GRAVEN IMAGE COME TO AN UNHOLY LIFE!" he shouted.
"Why don't you worship a golden calf and make a clean job of it?" one of the visored cultist shouted at the opposing cultists.
"You – dare – mock our lord?" one of the cyborg worshipers asked in shocked at what he had heard as others began to gather around him and looked very, very angry. "There is only one answer to such blasphemy! DRIVE THE DEVIL WORSHIPERS OUT!" the cultist shouted as the others began to join him and the others.
"IT IS YOU WHO HAS LOST YOUR SOULS TO THE DEVIL! WE SHALL BE HEARD! WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED!" one of the visored cultists shouted before he was bashed in the face with a sign that had Superwoman's symbol painted on it. Immediately, the two factions began fighting one another in a brutal fist fight. Some were using their signs as weapons while the rest were using their fists to drive the others away.
As the cultist fought amongst each other, several in both factions shed their robes and signs, revealing the police uniforms of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit. The officers that had hidden among the crowds, and officers that emerged from the surrounding brush, immediately began running into the massive brawl and immediately began prying the cultists from each other. All of them were angry at the fact that not only that one faction accusing the other of worshiping a false messiah, but those non-believers would dare pose as their fellow believers. They weren't just attacking other extremists cult members now, they were also unleashing their rage at the police officers that were trying to break up the fight. Despite wearing riot gear, the cops could actually feel some of the punches and hits the Superwoman cultists were throwing at them. The visor of several riot helmets cracked as the cultist decided to use their signs as clubs in an effort to try and drive them away. But slowly, the SCU were making a dent in the separating the crowds. After a long, and very pain filled half hour, they were able to keep the two factions apart. But both were still trying to break free of the police barricades so they could attack their rivals, and the officers didn't know how much longer they could hold them back.
"THIS IS INSPECTOR SAWYER OF THE SPECIAL CRIMES UNIT!" Maggie Sawyer said into a bull horn as she and Dan Turpin stepped in between the two factions to try and resolve their dispute. "THIS IS HOLLOWED GROUND, AND NO PLACE FOR A TURF WAR! I DON'T CARE WHO YOU PUT YOUR FAITH IN, BUT ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES!" Sawyer shouted so hard that her face was actually turning into a dark shade of deep purple. "I KNEW SUPERWOMAN! AND IF SHE WERE HERE RIGHT NOW, SHE WOULD TEAR OFF HER SYMBOL AND BURN IT IN DISGRACE BECAUSE OF WHAT ALL OF YOU ARE DOING! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU DOESN'T DESERVE TO WEAR HER SHIELD AT ALL! IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING NOBLE WITH YOUR LIVES, THEN GO HOME AND CALM DOWN. AND TRY AND DO SOMETHING DECENT WITH YOUR LIVES!" Sawyer screamed as she through the bullhorn to the ground and shattering it.
For several minutes, nobody did anything. Not the police, and not the cultists. Everyone that was still wearing a Superman robe looked down as they realized that Inspector Sawyer was telling the truth. That had shamed the name of Superwoman with what they had just done. All of them. Even the leaders of both factions. Slowly, the cultists dropped their signs and began to disperse. Within twenty minutes, all the Superwoman cultists had left the park, leaving only the police officers to assess their bruises and pick up the pieces. As the SCU began to make their way back to their own vehicles, Dan Turpin just let out a slow whistle.
"Damn, Maggie. You've got enough lung power to make Pavarotti shut up." He said with a small chuckle.
"I guess." Maggie said as she placed her hands inside her jeans pockets and began to make her way ack to the car she and Dan drove up in.
"What's with the long face? We were able to break them up with only a few bloody noses."
"This time, Dan. What about next time? Or the time after that?" Maggie asked and let out a deep sigh. "This is getting worse, Dan. Each day, these nut cases keep getting more violent. If we can't find a way to contain this soon, we're going to have a Holy war on our hands." Maggie said to him.
"I'm glad Superwoman ain't alive to see this mess."
"Are you sure?"
"Maggie, don't tell me you're buying this crap." Dan said to her.
"I don't know. The last time someone dies and came back to life, most of the world decided he was the messiah. With the mess these four Superwomen are creating, a lot of people are thinking she's the second coming of Christ."
"I refuse to believe that." Dan said as he rubbed the medallion of the Star of David that was under his shirt.
"You know that guy that was on the statue? The leader of the cyborg cultists? I did a background check on him. He was a highly respected Catholic priest. He was fixing to be made a Bishop, and was known for avoiding violence no matter what. Now look at him, Dan. He's preaching that the Cyborg cultists should rally together and kill the Superwoman with the sunglasses." She said to them as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "To tell you the truth, I really hope Superwoman is still dead. I don't know what I would think if she did come back." Maggie said as she walked off to their car.
As Turpin let out a sigh of his own, he glanced up at one of the SCU officers that passed him. As he saw the officer remove his helmet, he saw the officer grasp a medallion that was around his neck and kiss it. At first, he thought it was a small crucifix at first, like several officers wore. But his eyes widened slightly when he saw that the medallion was actually a silver pendant of Superwoman's shield. "I hope she's dead too." Dan said and soon followed her.
The engine of the Tumbler roared like an angry dragon in hate as it roared through the deserted road. Only very few knew of this road and where it would lead, and even fewer were allowed to know what would await them. It was late at night, and the covering of the massive old trees didn't help visibility much at all. He had the flood lights on almost at full power to help him see along with the radar to make sure he didn't run into a tree or run over an animal. He could hear the leather in the gloves stretch as he gripped the wheel even tighter. His face was just about frozen in a frown as he kept his concentration on the path in front of him. Out of all the people he had known in his life, and everyone he had met since he created his costumed persona, this was the only person that could help him decide if he was crazy or sane once and for all. Of course, the fact that he dressed as a giant bat didn't help the question of his sanity at all. When he saw that the radar systems were starting to go static and went out, he knew he had arrived at his destination.
He brought the Tumbler to a stop and killed the engine just as he broke through the last few trees and overgrowth, and found himself in a large, lush, green meadow that seemed to be constantly in the spring season. In the center of the meadow stood a large obelisk with several ancient symbols from every culture around the world carved into it. The obelisk looked like it had just been carved and placed in the meadow only hours ago while it also looked to have been there four thousand upon thousands of years. This was what he had been looking for. He just hoped the person that he wanted to talk to was at home. As he leapt out of the Tumbler and made his way to the ancient relic, he could feel the air around him was charged with a strange energy. It almost felt like static electricity, but different. It was almost like the air itself was trying to see if he was a friend or a foe. He stopped a few feet from the obelisk and looked at it.
"FATE! I REQUEST AN AUDIENCE WITH YOU!" he shouted at the obelisk and heard his voice echo across the landscape. "I should have known he wouldn't make it easy." Batman growled in frustration. "THIS IS NO TIME FOR GAMES, FELIX! I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!" he shouted, even louder this time.
The obelisk almost seemed to tremble as beam of light formed a tall and wide rectangle in the wall Batman was facing before the stone split down the middle and opened to reveal a very shapely and feminine figure. The figure stepped forward from the open door of light and let herself be seen, with a small smirk on her face. Her long black hair was done up in an elegant bun as she wore a baggy yellow long sleeved shirt of Egyptian cotton, and a pair of red bell bottom pants made out of silk. A gold necklace with an Egyptian eagle hung from her tanned brown skin as she looked at the Dark Knight in front of her.
"Long time no see, Ron." She said.
"Is he home, Zita?" he asked her, not bothering to step out of his Batman mode.
"The doctor will see you now." She said with a small chuckle as she led him through the door of light. As soon as he stepped through it, the door sealed itself closed with no sign that it had ever been there.
When the light that was around him dimmed and allowed him to see, he found himself standing inside a massive library that looked to have every book that had ever been written throughout human history. Even several scrolls were on several shelves and neatly stacked in order. On the far side of the room sat two figures that were playing a game of chess. One was a tall man with a somewhat athletic build about him, wearing a what appeared to be a blue leotard with a yellow cape strapped to his shoulders that almost seemed to be made out of pure gold. The figure he was playing against made Batman clinch his fists and prepare himself for a fight as he took a good look at him. The figure was large, maybe eight feet tall if he were standing. His muscles were massive, bigger than anything he had ever seen a normal human body builder ever achieve. He wore a very dirty, tattered, and old pinstripe suit that should have been thrown away decades ago. His skin was pale white, almost like that of bleached bones and callused. His hair was oily and clumped with dirt and mud as his eyes were glazed over and milky white. The kind of eyes he had only seen on a dead corpse.
"What's he doing here?" Batman growled.
"Felix thinks he can help him." Zita told him.
"Correction. I think I can help him regain some of his intelligence and maybe some of his memories." Felix said as he moved one of the chest pieces on the board. "Checkmate." Felix said as the white giant gave a low growl.
"Grundy hate loosing." He said as he began to pout.
"We'll play another game in a few minutes." Felix said as he stood to his feet and walked over to where Batman and Zita stood. "No matter how many times I do this, I don't think I can get used to walking." Felix said with a smile.
"Remove the cape if you want to use your wheelchair again." Batman said to him in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
"I miss you having a sense of humor." Felix said.
"Why is he here?" Batman asked again.
"Believe it or not, Solomon Grundy was once a human. He was a notorious gangster in the forties until he was betrayed by a friend. They dumped his body in Gotham swamp, right into a peat bog. The swamp became a toxic waste dump a few years later, and the various chemicals were able to reanimate Grundy. But his mind was heavily affected by his death and rebirth. I'm trying to help him recover at least some part of whom he used to be."
"Bad idea." Batman growled.
"We'll see." Felix said to him. "Care for some tea or soda?"
"Felix, I came to"
"I know why you came here, Ron. But I was expecting your visit to be sooner than this. Zita almost gave up hope that you would come." Felix said as he took a seat while Zita left to fix herself and Felix something to drink.
"Ron, you have to accept that Kim is dead."
"I don't think she is."
"Ron, I haven't sensed her presence on this plane of existence." Felix said to him.
"Have you tried looking for her on the other side?"
"Well, no. I didn't see the need to,"
"Felix, I know she's alive."
"How Ron? How do you know?"
"I've been having dreams about her since she died. Dreams where she talks to me." Batman said as he stood in front of his old friend.
"Ron, that just means your subconscious,"
"I've been having them when I'm awake." Batman added.
"Oh?" This seemed to capture his interest.
"Felix, I've seen her. The dreams are almost real. I can feel her, I can smell her. My God Felix, it's like she's still alive."
"What about seeing her when you were awake?"
"Twice, so far. The first time was when we had her memorial service in Middleton. I kept seeing her and hearing her call my name. I followed her, and she led me to the school where we first met. She lead me to the exact spot and to where she had lost a hair braid several years ago." Batman told him.
"And the other?"
"When I was shot."
"Shot? Wait, you were shot?"
"It was when the Joker escaped from Arkham with his doctor's help. She became his partner. She was aiming at Robin, but I took the bullet. Robin was racing me back to the cave, and I could see her above me. Felix, I could feel her. I actually felt her hand on my face." Batman told him.
"What happened when you reached the cave?"
"My heart stopped. And I had this – I want to call it a vision. I was with her in a place we used to go. But she wasn't alone. Both of her father's were there, Felix. And,"
Batman stopped as he remembered the dream. Everytime he thought of the third person was there, he swore he could feel his heart ripping out of his chest. Everytime he felt that pain, he tried to dip deeper into his Batman persona to deal with the heartache.
"Ton, I can feel the emotional turmoil within you. Who else was there?" Felix asked him as he stood and placed a hand on Batman's shoulder.
"My – my daughter." Batman growled as he tried to bite back the pain. When he looked up again, he saw the shock in Felix's face. "Kim was pregnant when she died. I saw our daughter there with us. They told us to go back, that we were needed. I brought her back with me, Felix." Batman said.
"I won't lie, I have heard of this happening before. But Ron, you may have just."
"Don't say I dreamed it. I couldn't dream of anything like that." Batman growled.
"All right." Felix said to him. "Was there anything else in the vision you had?"
"Yes. They told us something bad was coming." Batman said to him and he could see Felix begin to think. "Felix, you know what I want." Batman said to him.
"What you ask is very dangerous, Ron." Felix said to him.
"I understand. But I need to know that I'm not going crazy. I need to know if she's alive." Batman said as he glared into Felix's eyes and saw him take a step backwards.
"All right, Ron. I'll look." Felix said as he raised his hands and placed them beside either side of Ron's head as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Think only of Kim and the vision you had when you died. Think of only those two things, and nothing else Ron. Think of only those two things." Felix said as his hands began to glow with a white light.
Felix's eyes opened and were surrounded by a white mystical energy. He could see everything Ron had gone through since her death. Every emotion and every dream was playing before him within nanoseconds. And then he saw the vision that Ron had described. Every image and syllable played before him. And as he saw their return and the latest of Ron's dreams, Felix gasped as he felt two things. Both caught him by such surprised that he broke his contact with Ron and fell backwards into his chair as he both began to gasp for deep breaths of air.
"FELIX!" Zita shouted as she rushed to his side, having walked back in when Felix began his charm. "Felix, what's wrong?" she asked him again while Batman tried to regain his sense of balance.
"I'm fine, Zita. I'm okay." Felix said as he tried to force his breathing to return to normal.
"What did you do?" Batman asked him.
"I scanned your mind. I thought your visions were dreams, but I was wrong. Kim has been in contact with you. Your visions are real. The only time I've ever seen such things is with soul mates." Felix said as he took one more deep breath and stood to his feet.
"Then what made you break contact?" Zita asked him as she stayed by his side.
"Because I felt her. With your last vision of her, the one you had before you came to see me. I felt her, Ron. You are right. Kim Possible is alive." Felix said to him.
"Where is she?"
"I don't know. But she is on Earth, somewhere. But there was something else." He said.
"What do you mean? Something else?"
"The warning you were given. There is a dark threat on the horizon, Ron. Part of it is already here. It's acting as a beacon for something larger. Something hideous is on its way. Whatever it is Ron, its intent is death and destruction. You need to find her as soon as possible, Ron. I feel that you and Kim are our only hope." Felix said to him.