I do NOT own Kim Possible
Ron and Shego and the Science Fair
Ron stared at his plate. Even for mystery meat this is ... He didn't have a word of describe it. He touched it with a fork, seeing if it would move. Prodding it may not be the safest thing is the world to do, he considered. If it's alive who knows what it could happen. He shuddered at the possibilities and considered he'd seen too many strange things in his short life. It gave him a very vivid imagination. He pushed the plate far away from himself and wondered where he could find food. There was no Home Ec. class today to fill the void that was his stomach. He sighed. Then he turned his eyes back to the papers he's been studying. Blueprints for one of the buildings on Middleton's Research and Development Campus.
"Hey Ron."
He looked up, it was Mark greeting him. "Hey Mark." He greeted the guy back. No flipping out, he reminded himself. His eyes peered around, looking for Kim.
"She's talking to the cheerleaders about a new routine. She's having lunch with them today." Mark answered the unspoken question.
"Oh." Ron answered back. Then he remembered the papers. He quickly folded them and put them in his backpack, trying to seem casual about it. He wanted no one to see that he had those. He felt a twinge of panic as he considered what he had planned for the night. Hope there's no missions, he thought.
"Mystery meat too disgusting even for you today, huh?"
Ron considered the question. Did it mean Mark thought he was disgusting, usually eating the stuff, or was it an actual question? "Even for me." He answered.
"Me too." Mark sighed as he sat down across from Ron. He studied the blonde haired boy closely. Glad he's back on the missions, he thought to himself. Makes them a lot easier. Wonder what I was doing wrong? Still am doing wrong for that matter. Still he couldn't bring himself to ask the question. He didn't want to do anything to upset the delicate balance that had been restored between the boy and Kim. He truly loved the redheaded girl, but he also understood Ron's position. He noted the overally casual way some papers that had been scattered about were gathered together and placed in a backpack. Wonder what that's about, he thought. The movements had been too casual.
"We're going to do some sparring this evening, after cheerleader practice. Want to join us?"
"Nay." Ron answered. Seeing those two together wasn't too good for his sanity. Besides, for once, he had plans. He suppressed to the need to gulp nervously.
Mark considered the response. He hadn't really thought the offer would be accepted. On the other hand he knew Ron was very effective as a team member and thought some practice fighting might be good. He's obviously working out now, Mark noted as he observed Ron's form. During the six months he'd been here at Middleton he'd observed the boy fill out and build up a lot of muscle. Still wiry, but well developed. He could guess the reason for the change.
"So, what did you and Shego do? Four whole hours in that room alone." He paused. "I think I would have wet my pants if it had been me in there. She scares me."
Ron shrugged. "We sat."
"Sat? Just sat? No fighting."
"What was the point? I knew she could beat me in an instant. She knew she could beat me in an instant. We both knew Drakken's plan had been foiled. Besides, as the sidekick, I'm probably beneath her notice. She'd rather have a serious fight."
He still considers himself the sidekick, Mark noted. He considers me to be a full member of the team, so why not himself? He wondered what he could do to change Ron's view of himself. He sighed.
"At least tomorrow is pizza day." Mark commented. He looked at the mystery meat and shuddered.
"Yeah. But has anyone ever learned what those black spots are on the pizza? Or why they glow in the dark?" Ron asked.
Mark gulped. Maybe it's time I started packing a lunch, he thought. Wonder why he doesn't? With his culinary skills he could make a lunch fit for king."
Shego sat back in her chair, reading the latest gossip magazine. It wasn't much but as a way to pass the time it was better than listening to Dr. D. ranting. Much better, she thought as she ignored his voice and flipped a page.
"Shego!" The mad scientist was saying. "Shego!" Again no response. He drew in a dee[ breath and yelled, "Shego!"
The green tinted woman sighed and looked up. "You say something Dr. D?"
"Yes Shego. I said something. Weren't you listening?" He knew she hadn't been. "There's a new exhibit at the Middleton's Research and Development Campus. The SDUCHR Meteorite is there." He waved a paper in front of her, much too fast for anyone to read.
"The SDU what?" She asked.
The mad scientist sighed. "Just go to the largest building on the campus. On the ground floor there will be a rock. Get the rock."
"And you need this SDU thingy for?" Shego let her curiosity get the better of her. She knew by now that she should have known better as Dr D. launched himself into a rant that only half made sense. She sighed and went to get the hovercraft. He was still ranting as she left the lair.
It took her twenty minutes to get to the campus. Why are his lairs always so close to Middleton? She thought. Doesn't he know how much easier that makes things for Princess? For that matter why are the things he wants me to steal always in Middleton? You would think he's crushing on the Princess or something he's so obsessed with Middleton. Middleton this and Middleton that. Bleh! She landed the hovercraft, her mind in its own rant about Middleton.
Walking in the building she noted a front counter, empty, with three hallways leading left, right, and straight ahead. The one to the left was marked 'High Security Area - No Public Access Allowed.' She took that direction, figuring anything Dr. D. wanted had to be in that direction. The thought of getting to use her plasma to get through a bit of security made her feel good.
She was disappointed when she made the turn and found a guard sitting behind a counter. He was out cold, snoring loudly. She had no excuse to use plasma. She sighed and observed him for a few seconds. Something struck her as wrong, he was surrounded by several takeout boxes and his sleep was just a bit too deep. She frowned. There was a camera on the far wall, a little above the guard. There was a device covering it which she recognized as a miniature LED screen. Interesting, she thought. Someone else is here.
The corridor took another turn and as she rounded it she saw a figure dressed in black busy working at a laptop. His back was to her. "Hey Shego. Fancy meeting you here." It said.
Shego blinked. She'd been quiet so how ... He set up his own cameras to watch the entrance, she realized. She studied the figure. Dressed in black from head to toe she had no way to tell who he was. Though he seems to know me, she thought. She considered the number of people who might greet her like that and also be in the process of breaking into a high security area. She knew a few who might break into such a place, but none who would greet her that way.
"So, what's up? Drakken send you to get something?" It asked.
Buffoon. The thought came to her and she knew it was insane. He wouldn't be here. Couldn't be here. For one thing he had no skills at break and entering, well other than lairs. Plus he was a good guy. A goody two shoes. There was no way he would break into such a place. No way he could. But that is the name that popped into her mind. "Buf..." She started to say.
The figure interrupted her. "Shhh, Shego. You might not mind people knowing you were here but I would rather they didn't know I was here."
It was the Buffoon she realized. Even with some device distorting his voice it was still recognizable enough for her to be sure. She sighed. That surreal feeling she often had when the Buffoon was around had returned. This couldn't be real. "What are you doing here?" She simply asked.
Ron was sweating. Of all the people he had never expected Shego to show up. Not now and here at this critical point. A mission sure. He had been expecting a mission any second now to ruin this. But Shego?" He sighed. At least she hasn't fried me yet, he thought.
"Just something I gotta do inside." He answered.
"I don't guess you're after the SCHR something or other meteorite?" She asked. He was using the laptop and seemed half way sure of himself. Still she could tell he was being extra cautious. He knows what he's doing, but he's not used to doing it, she realized. He's never broken into a place like this but he's done his homework. Wonder how far it will get him? The security here is first rate.
"The SCHR ...? Oh the SDUCHR Meteorite. Nay. Not actually planning on stealing anything."
"So, just what are you planning?" She asked. She really wanted to know. She wasn't bored at the moment. This was certainly out of the ordinary, even for her life.
Ron paused. "I'll tell you if you keep it a secret." He offered.
"I could force it out of you." She calmly answered.
"I know." He sighed. "Why of all times and places did you have to show up here and now? Thing is Shego if I say it here the listening devices might hear it. Sure I've got them covered and a quick look at their records won't show a sound but someone might be able to get something from them if they actually knew to look. And if they do then saying what I'm doing would give away who I am."
"You really think you can get in and out without anyone knowing?"
The figure froze. "I'm thinking a fifty/fifty chance." It eventually said.
Shego decided to be reasonable. She really wanted to see how far he could get. This was way more interesting than listening to Dr. D. ranting. Or even her magazines. "Okay, I'll keep it a secret." She agreed. "But you got to spill all the details as soon as we're out of here. I'm guessing just blasting in and making a run for it is out of the question?"
"Yeah. Don't want anyone to know I was here. That means getting in and out without setting off any alarms." Ron felt a sense relief. She was going to keep quiet. For now, at least.
"So what happened to the guard?" She asked. He might be willing to at least tell her how he was doing stuff.
"Food coma." Ron answered. "Plus an extreme lack of sleep. I sat up a speaker for the last three nights outside his apartment window and played some subsonic vibrations. Nothing he could consciously hear but it would have kept him awake. Then I swiped his lunch from his car when he arrived, so he was hungry. Then had a box of donuts delivered. He ate them and was out like a light. No drugs necessary."
"Oh." Shego thought the guard had been pretty stupid to eat the food in that situation but with a lack of sleep thinking right might not have been ... She let the though fade. She noted the three days and was surprised the Buffoon could handle a plan of any sort that took that long to implement. Still he had taken out the guard in a way that left no traces. "You know the security system?" She finally asked.
Ron nodded. "I researched it. Spent two weeks analyzing it."
Shego was shocked. Two weeks!
Ron pointed at the corridor. "They open at 6 a.m, close at 9 p.m. No way to enter when they're open. Would be spotted in an instant. To open for the morning a guard phones into a security centre getting permission. Walks down the corridor, setting of the alarm. Punches in the access code. Turns off the alarms. If the alarm goes of without the phone call or at any other time then the security centre reacts, sending more than twenty guards here. They got some pretty neat stuff here so security is tight."
He paused to take a breath and continued. "Anything heavier than one ounce on a single floor tile sets off the alarm. There are eight camera along the walls. Plus there are motion detectors. That's in the corridor. For the keypad to key in the access code you need the code, plus its DNA sensitive, plus the keyboard scans the fingerprints, plus there's an eye scanner."
Shego blinked. This was pretty hefty security. "How you getting past the cameras?"
"LED blimps."
"Huh? LED blimps?" She was curious.
"Got balloons, exact same color as the walls. No way to see them clearly. A few robotics and they are just miniature blimps. They float the LED screens in place. That's already done and seems to be working. They moved so slow they didn't register with the motion sensors."
He continued to explain without her prompting and pulled out a glove. "Got his finger prints imprinted on the gloves, plus some of his DNA which I got a sample of and cultured. Isn't high school biology wonderful. The things you learn. Also got a high digital scan of his eyes for the eye scanner. That leaves getting over the tiles. That's pretty basic work."
Ron paused. "By the way Shego are you sure Drakken said to get the SDUCHR Meteorite?"
"Yeah. Why? That isn't why you're here is it?"
"Nay. Just... Well... There's a newspaper out on the guard's desk that has an article in it about that meteorite. You might want to read it?"
"Why?" She really wanted to watch and see if the Buffon could make it past the system.
:"Well." He answered, taking out a balloon with some robotics attached. "The meteorite isn't kept here."
"But Drakken said it was." She interrupted him.
"Drakken was wrong. They do keep replicas of the meteor out in the other wings for tourists. There's a museum in the right wing. But the actual meteor isn't here."
Shego sighed. Ron hoped she wouldn't get pissed and set off the alarm. Or fry him.
"You sure." She asked. Not that she could trust him. She would have to check.
"Read the article. Pretty amazing rock, that meteor. The SDUCHR means, super high density, unknown composition, highly radioactive."
"Radioactive?" Drakken hadn't mentioned anything about that.
"Yeah. It's kept in a mine shaft in Alaska that's filled with water. Plus it's rested on an artificial diamond platform at the bottom of that shaft. It so high density it would sink right through normal stuff like steel. It might be only a cubic foot but it weighs over three hundred and twenty tons."
Ron looked up at her. "I know you're strong but there's no way you're carrying that out in your hands."
Shego growled. She left and got the newspaper. Just as the Buffoon had explained. She sighed. Dr. D. was going the pay for this. She went back to the Buffoon. The alarm system had already been fully deactivated and she had missed it. Dr. D. was going to pay.
She walked into the room beyond the corridor. Lots and lots of rooms, more corridors, and tons of equipment. Not one freaking meteor. She sighed. The Buffoon was in one of the larger room. She looked around and what she saw was ... She blinked. High school science projects! No freaking way! Just what were high school kids making these days that required that sort of security?
The Buffoon was using a small ladder and climbing above one of the projects. He removed the top from a fire alarm sensor, and put another in its place. "All done here." He simply said.
"That's it?" Shego felt that surreal sense again. Actually it had never left her. It just got worse. "Just to replace a ..."
"Shhh Shego." Ron went.
Shego sighed. She would get the full story eventually. Or she would fry him.
"Now to get out and remove all traces we were here." He smiled. "I'm guessing I now got better than a seventy percent chance of pulling this off. Assuming." He looked at her. "You keeps quiet about it."
Shego shrugged. "Give me all the details and I will."
It was still an hour, backtracking out, removing all the signs of tampering.
"You know." The Buffoon commented. "If I can get past that system I bet anyone can. I was wrong about it being tight. That's way too lax."
Shego shook her head in disbelief. They were about twenty meters from the building, hidden from it by an ordinary brick fence. The Buffon shed his black clothes and removed some padding that had altered his basic form. If they had got a picture of him they would be looking for a guy with the wrong build. Plus between the way he had the hood and those boots he added over four inches to his height. She let the thought pass through her mind. All in all it had been the perfect disguise.
"I'm hungry." The Buffoon commented. He looked at his watch. Three a.m. The job had taken four hours. Given how nerve wracking it had been he was weary, very very weary. And still worried over being discovered. And worried over the green-skinned supervillainess beside him. He sighed.
"Food can wait." Shego said. Her stomach rumbled. Her comet powers really did demand a lot of calories. "Wait here." She ordered. She entered the hovercraft and changed clothes. A bit of makeup to hide the green. A fancy gel Dr. D. had made that instantly changed her hair color and she had her own disguise on. She opened the hovercraft door and hauled a surprised Buffoon into it. She then set course for the nearest Bueno Nacho. It was her favorite place to eat. High calorie food with quick service.
Ron gulped as they sped over the city. The person before him no long resembled Shego at all. Instead she had a normal complexion, blonde hair and resembled nothing more than a normal young woman. They landed less than five minutes later at a Bueno Nacho. He started to drool. Food.
Inside Shego pulled him into a corner, far from the checkout, and went to get food. She lit one finger with green plasma as a warning for him to stay there. Five minutes later she was back with two platters of food. One she place in front of him the other she sat down on the other side of the table where she sat. "Speak." She ordered.
Ron grabbed the food and started munching. Swallowing, seeing Shego was impatient, he started. "Well, see there was this science competition at school. There were four main entries. Rest was just normal high school stuff. I did mine on how much a mole rat could eat. Rufus helped a lot with that." He took another mouthful of food.
'The four were?" Shego prompted.
"Justin Flanders, she's the top student at our school. Felix, well he's a robotics genius. Then there was Kim's. Between her and Mark they had a pretty good entry though nothing compared to the other two. Then the fourth was Bonnie's. That's where the problem was. She cheated." He took another bite of food.
"Cheated?" Shego thought she might like this Bonnie girl.
Ron nodded. "She sabotaged Justin's and Felix's projects. Then she hired a top scientist to help her with her own. Actually he did it all for her. So when it came to the judging Justin and Felix, who should have got the two top places, had their projects fizzle on them. With the help she had from the scientist Bonnie got top place with Kim getting second. Felix's project, even though it fizzled, got third. Parts of it still worked and it wasn't like there was much else for the judges to choose from."
"So just what were you doing there? For that matter why were projects done by highschool kids there?"
"You know the sort of projects people like Felix, or Justin for that matter, make for those competition? Trust me, that place has way too low security for those types of projects." Ron shuddered. "As for what I was doing. I was making sure Bonnie's project fizzled tomorrow when some scientists come to see it."
"How?" Shego asked, mouth still half full.
""Her project generates a lot of heat. I changed the sensor in the fire alarm. The sensor I put in is defective, way too sensitive. When she turns on her project the fire alarm will go off. Her project is pretty delicate, it will be totally destroyed. So long as I didn't leave any traces behind no one should be able to trace it back to me. The sensor is actually something that was manufactured, sold, and then recalled. They will just think it was put in by mistake."
Ron finished his tale and gobbled down food. Shego was astonished at the rapid pace the food on his plate disappeared. He might be a match for me in the eating department, she realized. "So you just sabotaged her project out of spite?" She asked.
"No. If hers fizzles then the judges might choose another. Justin has hers back up and running again. That means the three finalist will be her, Felix, and Kim. The three rightful finalists. I just fixed things so her cheating didn't get her anything."
"And you broke into a top security area just to do that."
"Yeah."
Shego sighed. Surreal really didn't start to explain things when he was around. She noticed he was nervous.
"Okay, I won't tell." She promised. It's not like anyone would believe me, she thought. I mean, the Buffoon breaking into that place. And there's no proof. He took care of that. Plus ... She remembered the cake.
"Hey Ron." The voice made the two of them jump. They both turned to look at the speaker.
"Monique." Ron exclaimed, surprised. "What are you doing here at this hour?"
"Was inventory day at Banna Club. Just finished up. Took all day and all night. Got bonus pay though." She smiled. "I was passing by and saw you. Thought I would drop in and say hi." She looked at Shego, eyes curious. She expected introductions.
"Ah... Um... She's..." He tried to come up with a story better than, 'She Shego, supervillainess wanted in eleven countries.'
Shego held out her hand and shook Monique's. "I'm Amy. I was just tutoring Ron here." She explained.
"Ah." Monique looked back and forth between the two. "Well I better be off." Tutoring, yeah right! She thought. Ron was way nervous. I wonder if it was a date? Be nice if it was. She looks nice, even if she looks a year or two older. And it would be a sign he's getting over Kim.
"Whew!" Ron felt giddy, he was so nervous.
Shego nearly laughed at him. "Come on, Buffoon. I'll give you a ride home. The least I can do for such an entertaining night. Then I got to have a heart to heart talk with Dr. D. over sending me out to get radioactive meteorites." She growled the last part.
Ron walked into his room. Rufus he saw was sleeping. He hadn't taken the mole rat with him because if he got caught he wasn't sure what would have happened to him. He dropped to his bed. He needed sleep, but he knew the nightmare would be there again. He sighed. Nightmare or no nightmare, a person had to sleep. He was asleep in a minute. Then the twisting and turning starting. Then the stillness as death.
Shego walked into the lair.
Drakken looked up. '"Where's the meteorite?" He asked.
Shego lit her hands. Drakken gulped.
"You sent me after a radioactive meteorite!" She stated.
"Oh. Hrm. Well see ..." He yelped as plasma nearly burned him.
Shego played with him for a few minutes but her heart wasn't into it. Last night had been nightmare number four. Just like the night before had been nightmare number three and tonight would be nightmare number five. The same eight repeated over and over, endlessly, for year after year. At least, she thought, tonight isn't number eight. That's the worse one. She felt like crying. She hated sleeping.
End of Chapter.
Ron is, well, trying to make things right. He doesn't want Bonnie's project to beat Kim's. Kim is, after all, the one he would do anything for.
Shego is just bored, and the Buffoon is providing entertainment.
Wonder if Monique will spread rumors. Wonder if Kim will hear them.