Ron could not take his eyes off the man. So this was him, the man who had held Kim for so long. The man whom Ron wanted nothing more than to tear from limb to limb. He did not look particularly threatening, being of the more refined branch of villainy. He looked like someone's respectable grandfather, even kindly. But Ron hated him. He hated the very look of the man and the way he sat at his expensive desk surrounded by his nice things with his hands clasped together and his surprised expression on the gathering of sneaks before him. Ron didn't think it was possible to feel this much hate.

Kim. It was the one piece of logic in his head that was more than gibberish and emotions. Just "Kim". This man had stolen Kim away from him and everyone. This man deserved to die. And that was something Ron rarely thought of people. He was not cruel; at least, he did not think he was cruel? But the past few days had shown him, to his horror, that he could no longer be sure.

Hadn't he so recently wished Kim had stayed here?

But now that wish was gone in the wave of hatred he felt now. He was so close to this Garrison Wiles, this white collar criminal of no deadly threat who Ron had so rarely thought of before now. Ron's brain hurt from the blood pumping through it in a desperate attempt to find reason and motivation (it found those in plenty) before streaming to the rest of his body.

Ron felt ready for anything.

And yet nothing was happening. Jackson, Wade, and Brick were all still. Jackson and Wade, well, Ron could understand that. But Brick? Brick has a man of action, or at least he had been even though one would expect fairly the same from a cop. Ron half wondered that if he began an attack Brick would follow.

"Well," Garrison Wiles finally said in his deep, smooth voice. "I must say I'm a little surprised to see… guests here when I have no recollection of inviting anyone over this evening."

"We have news," Wade began.

"I tend to be a rather private person," Garrison continued, as if he had not heard Wade. "I have friends, of course, and I do try to be respectively social. But my nature is simply private and that is something that goes into the creation of the underwater home you see before you. My wife doesn't particularly care for it, so I'm not always here. But we've known each other long enough to feel that we don't always have to be together for a healthy marriage and I do care for her dearly and even miss her right now."

"Sir, we have something you need to know," Wade said more firmly.

"Breaking and entering." Wiles shook his head. "Such a classic. A lowbrow classic, but a classic nonetheless. My own fault for not investing more in security. I will admit I'm impressed you managed to get yourselves in. Unfortunately, you still broke into my property."

"Sir, we've reason to believe there's a bomb aboard," Jackson said.

"So now you expect me to believe you're members of some elite bomb squad. I don't believe that and in fact I'm rather insulted."

Ron stood through all of this in greater and lesser ranges of listening. What he heard told him enough. Wiles was the kind of person Ron did not like. A snob. Probably saw no harm in what he did to Kim. Didn't care when facts were staring him straight in the face. And suddenly he had heard enough.

"You kept my girlfriend here," he said. His voice was probably a whisper, but it sounded like a scream to his ears. "You kept her here for six years."

Wiles nodded, seeming glad to be away from the other conversation. " Ah. I'm beginning to see what this is about. A revenge party. Don't know why you needed to bring up a bomb. Yes, I did keep a young lady here for about that amount of time. Was not very pleased with her. Then again, I suppose villains like me are never pleased with heroines like her. Kimberly Anne Possible."

Wade had gone still. Ron almost felt bad for him.

"You do realize she left this facility only a matter of days ago."

He looked so calm, so pretentious, that Ron could not hold himself back any longer. He leaped over the desk at Wiles and knocked him to the ground. His hands found their way around the old man's neck, and the eyes stared at him in surprised and horror.

"Ron!" Brick screamed.

A pair of hands grabbed Ron's shoulders, but Ron twisted away. This man had taken Kim from him, from everyone who cared about her, scared her, kept her caged, made the whole world believe she was dead.

He was no longer upset Kim had come back. Why had he ever dared think that? He was glad Kim had returned, he was jubilant. Even if things were weird and confusing and a mess. He was so glad she was back because it meant she was alive. And as long as Kim was alive she could do anything. So things had changed. He was in love with Monique. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Monique.

But Kim meant everything to him, too. She always had, she was one of the best things in his life. He would rather die before letting this man get away with what he had done.

Now Garrison Wiles lay in his power and if there were ever a time Ron wanted to kill someone it was…

"Ron! Stop!"

Ron was torn away from Wiles and thrown to the floor, the weight of Brick pushing down on him. From the corner of his eye he saw Wiles sit up, rubbing his neck, and gasping for air.

Ron could barely think. He shook, and his own breath sounded raspy. Images of his attack on Wiles flooded his brain. What had he just tried to do? It had been for Kim. But what had he just tried to do?

Brick locked eyes with him. Brick, who had always held the calm of ignorant bliss, now looked completely knowledgeable.

Ron considered pushing him away. For Kim. If Brick cared anything for Kim, he would let Ron do this. Yet while the hatred was still there as strong as ever, the desire to kill was gone, replaced by weakness. What had he almost done?

"Calm down," Brick said hoarsely.

Ron nodded.

"He never tried to kill Kim. You may hate what he did. I hate what he did. But he never tried to kill Kim."

That was true. There were worse things than death, however. Had the imprisonment been? What would Kim have preferred? He didn't know. He would have to ask her. But Wiles had never tried to kill her.

"Darren will try to kill her," Brick continued. "I'm sure of it. Why bring her here plus the bomb? Save it for Darren."

Ron nodded again. That made sense. He hated the logic, but it made sense. First Darren. Then Wiles if need be.

Wiles gave a weak laugh as he climbed back to his chair. "I've upset a few people by my actions even after the girl is no longer in my custody. I suppose I should apologize for that. You want me dead, is it? Why didn't you come during the past six years when she was actually with me? That would have been more logical. I say let bygones be bygones."

"We're not here for you," said Brick as he stood up from holding down Ron. "What they said was right. There is a bomb somewhere in this place. The kind that will explode and kill us all including you."

For the first time Wiles seemed to believe them. His mouth turned down in a frown. "That's impossible."

"Oh, it's possible," said Wade. "We got in."

"Why would anyone want to blow me up? There are so many other ways of getting to me besides killing me. I'm the type people want behind bars, not necessarily dead. I contribute to charities! Albeit with dirty money."

"Does the name Darren Sharpe ring a bell?" asked Jackson.

Wiles cursed under his breath. "I haven't thought of that man in years."

"Do you have cameras?" Wade asked.

"Of course I have cameras, boy." He flipped a switch, and the surface of his desk became a large monitor displaying multiple screen windows."

"You should use them more often," Brick said.

"But so far I see nothing, officer." Wiles scanned through the windows, using a finger to examine each one, pulling them out from the row. "My men, nothing, nothing, my men…." His voice trailed off into silence before reverberating back with another curse. "Is it just you here? Is this a trap?"

"Darren," Jackson said under his breath.

Unless they were right and the girls were here. Ron leaned over the desk to see the window in question.

Two figures on the floor. Women. Monique and Kim. Monique was… hurt.

"What did you do?" Ron screamed. Maybe he would have been right to kill Wiles the first time. "What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing!" Wiles responded loudly. "I can't believe Kim Possible would return here!"

"Where is this?" Ron demanded, pointing to the window. "My fiancée is bleeding."

"If it had been the work of my guards I would have been informed." Wiles flipped off the screen.

"Turn that back on," Brick demanded.

"No. You've seen enough and I'll be happy to direct you where you need to go. I was paid for that girl, I'm a fair man, I no longer want a thing to do with her."

Darren had brought Kim and Monique, then. And then had shot Monique. All the anger Ron had felt toward Wiles found a new target.

"Out my office," Wiles instructed. "Go straight, then right, three more halls, right, second left."

"What?" Brick asked in horror.

"Got it," said Wade.

Leave it to Wade to remember it all.

"Then leave," Wiles said. "Get your girls and leave this place. I don't want to be involved anymore."

"The bomb?" asked Jackson.

"Take care of it if you find it. I'll put my own men to the task of finding it, but I'll be out of here shortly as well."

Getting shot in the leg was an entirely new experience for Monique. It wasn't spouting. That was good. Or so she seemed to recall. Slow blood flow was better than loosing it all. She tried to turn so the wound would be pressed against the floor. Staunch the blood flow. Meaningless first aid without the wonder of hands. At least she had Kim with her. Good old Kim. But Kim could not do much either, and Monique felt she had already talked plenty.

Though she could not hold back the "I'm so glad you're here."

Kim nodded.

More time passed.

"You should leave. Find help."

Kim's eyes responded with "What help would we find here?"

So it was going to be like this until something came along and changed the course of everything. They would be lying in this boring little hall, she with a bullet in her leg, slowly bleeding to death with her best friend at her side…

"Kim! Monique!"

Kim's head jerked around, and Monique laughed. She was going crazy. She was hearing things. Who in the great ocean would know she was here? Too much blood loss.

But Kim had clearly heard something, too.

Kim was on her feet now.

"Monique! Kim!" Nice little switching of the name order. Only Ron would think that way. If it were Ron.

If it were a delusion, it was a good one and she might as well play along. "We're over here!"

The pounding of footsteps became real. There was a rush of color and faces and suddenly Monique was no longer on the ground but up in the arms and staring into the face of the man she loved.

"Ron!" she said in disbelief.

"You're bleeding." Once again stating the obvious.

"I was shot." Had he noticed that part. She kissed him. "You came. You're incredibly late and you were supposed to call this morning or even last night would have been great but you came! You are in fact here unless I'm dead or hallucinating."

"You're not hallucinating," he said, kissing her back.

"How did you get here?"

"Wade called in a favor."

"We still have those?" Brick had removed the gag from Kim's mouth and that was the first thing out of it. That girl, sometimes, good grief.

"Of course we do," said Wade. "You have a long list of aids that are still good."

"All the good they're doing us now."

"Wade, I thought I would never say this, but thank-you."

"Don't mention it. Really."

Ron set Monique down on the ground. "It doesn't look too bad, though it might be really nice to get that bullet out of there. Is this bullet still in there?"

"Yes!"

"Just had to check." He ripped the sleeve from his shirt and tied it around her leg. "There. We need to get you off."

It was the oddest thing, but Monique felt gleeful. Or maybe it wasn't odd. She had just been rescued by her fiancé. This was good and wonderful and romantic. Of course she would be gleeful. But there was something else. Ron had come to her first. Of course she was the injured one, but Ron had come to her first. She met what she had said to Kim. At a more appropriate time she would tell Ron to call off the engagement and wedding until things made more sense. But for now… things seemed to be in her favor. It wasn't spiteful toward Kim, it wasn't even proud. It was the success of a fair win.

Besides… something else seemed to be going on.

Brick still stood by Kim, talking to her in a low voice.

It couldn't be. Could it?

"We need to leave," said Professor Sharpe. Ron's mentor? What was he doing here?

"But we just got here," Monique said. Fine time to be attempting joking.

"This place could blow very soon."

"There's a bomb?" Kim demanded. "Here? With us? So that's what Darren had meant."

"You saw him?"

Kim nodded. "He… he brought us here and he left."

"Damn it. I was kind of hoping for revenge."

"I vote we leave," said Ron, picking up Monique again.

"I think that sounds like a great plan," she said. "I'm so not going to end my bad day with being blown up."

"But if we can find the bomb," said Wade. "We could-"

"Protect everyone here," Brick finished.

Ron shook his head. "Monique is hurt and I don't think Kim even wants to be down here. She doesn't deserve to be down here."

Kim beamed. "Why, thank-you, Ron, but I can handle myself."

"Then what do you vote?"

She paused a long time. "I say we leave. To your submarine."

The shuttle was small, barely a speck making its way through the darkness of the ocean, yet Shego was feeling rather alert at that moment. The craft she operated was much more impressive than a mere little travel sub. And what kind of craft would be zooming away at such speed from the very direction of Garrison Wiles? She smiled to herself as she flicked on the radio. She didn't even bother with protocol.

"Is this someone I know?" she asked.

She tried a new tactic, one even more fun. "Lost at sea. Sprung leak. SOS." And all that jazz, she added mentally.

Still nothing.

Well, she would be taking this little bug back to Wiles until she learned the truth. She turned on the pressure gun, designed to sent sound waves strong enough to pus anything in what ever direction she so desired.

"You're not going anywhere until we have a little chat, Darren," she said.

The little shuttle struggled against her power, but this was Drakken equipment. He had loaned it to her just hours before. He could be surprisingly generous when he felt like it. Besides, it was babysitting collateral. Brexton was the least bit upset when she returned, and this thing was going to be in she repair shop for awhile.

"You're going with me," she whispered to the little shuttle.

"Who is this?" Darren's voice crackled over the radio.

"Brexton's mom."

"I never thanked you, Ron, for coming." Kim's voice sounded too stiff even to her, but then again running to the dock of a submarine wasn't the best time to be discussing feelings. "I'm so glad you came."

He still had Monique in his arms, and to Kim's surprise she didn't care. Mostly. There was still something. She didn't understand what she was seeing, but now it was… whatever. Not a mean whatever, but a neutral whatever, perhaps even a good one. He was kind to her, and she was kind to him.

She'd have to think about it later.

"KP," he said with a grin. "Why would I not come?"

"Because you're an idiot," she said with a laugh. They had reached the submarine. "Here, get Monique inside."

Ron disappeared inside.

Ron. He was still Ron. Always would be Ron. She smiled to herself. That was something.

But before she could enter the submarine herself the water around it rippled.

"Oh, great," said Wade. "Now that the place is possible about to explode everyone shows up."

There seemed to be two crafts, by the looks of things, struggling for room.

They had better be able to leave despite these morons.

Then a figure popped up from the water. Apparently the bigger of the vessels had not managed to find room. Dark hair, pale face.

Kim stared. It was Shego.

And she had with her another figure. Darren. Her hands were on his collar.

"Shego!" Kim screamed.

Shego stroked toward the surface with one arm. "Not now, Kimmie. I brought you back a little present." With a final burst of strength she threw the gasping form of Darren to the dock. "Darren has something to say, doesn't he?"

Darren gasped for air, then shook his head.

Shego's fist lit up. "Say it. Basically, he's about to declare himself in a little bit of trouble. Kim, I suggest you get in your boat and leave. I'll be fine."

As if she were worried about Shego.

"Darren, you're still not speaking."

"I could have him arrested," said Brick.

"Boring. Jails are too easy to break from." She brought her fist closer to Darren's face. "Like I would actually let you kill Kim. Now tell them what you did with the bomb. What you told me."

Wade widened his eyes. "The test."

"It'll go off in a matter of minutes," Darren finally said.

"And where will you be?"

Darren stared at her in terror. "I'll be leaving with you. You wouldn't leave me here."

"Kimmie?" Shego turned to Kim.

A villain. One who had tried to kill her. Had kidnapped a child. Stolen, lied, everything. Killed Tara. It was a strange list of thoughts.

"Where's Jackson?" Darren demanded. "My son will…"

Jackson was already inside.

"I won't even bother telling him," said Shego. "After what you did to his son. He doesn't want to know your fate."

"No." Darren sat up suddenly and flung Shego away. She landed hard on the dock, but sprang back to her feet.

"I don't care about the bomb," Darren said. "I don't need to watch the bomb's demonstration." He began heading to the submarine.

Kim launched herself at Darren. She still had it, she still had it very much. Her hit was good, and she twisted her arm around his neck and forced both of them into the water. She was an excellent swimmer.

Darren gasped for air then with one muscular arm put his hand on top of Kim's head and pushed her down.

But in a moment she was above water and Darren was back on the dock, rolling under the attack of Shego.

Kim watched, wondering if she should help. Shego had come back. Who would have expected that?

But before she could decide, something faint echoed far in the distance of the facility. Kim turned. The boom came again, louder, followed by the barest glow of structure around her.

The bomb.

Brick leaped on top of Darren and pushed Shego away. "I'm stronger!" he shouted.

"Like hell you are!" Shego snapped back.

Never insult Shego.

But Brick had played football, Brick was a big guy, and Darren was an old man. And apparently Brick was a gentleman.

"Get in the sub," he commanded as he pinned Darren down.

Kim paused, but Brick seemed to be in control. "Shego, let's go."

"But I wanted to take him!"

"You're the sneaky one. Let him be blown up and that'll be revenge enough." Kim hopped through the submarine's hatch. The air was getting ridiculously warm and the booms were coming closer and closer. Wade jumped in behind her. "I wish I could see it in action—"

"You don't want to."

Shego stood at the hatch, but hesitated.

Kim shouldn't care. This was Shego. Shego who had betrayed her. But… "Shego, think of Brexton and come on. Tell Brick to hurry up."

"Yo, cop, hurry!" Shego jumped inside.

But Brick didn't come.

Instead a glow the color of fire swept over the top of the hatch. With a scream Shego closed it, and the sub began to descend.

"Brick," Kim breathed.

"We have to go!" Jackson said. "Or we'll all die!"

"No!" Kim grabbed the rungs on the ladder, but Ron pulled her back just as another final boom shook the sub.

It dove faster, apparently unharmed. The pressure rose to Kim's ears.

"No!" she screamed a final time.

Ron squeezed her to his chest.