Darev: This is my favorite chapter so far. It really sets the mood for what's to come, and I love the calm before the storm. Actually, this chapter is the storm before the calm. Middleton is devastated by a freak storm and James Possible's worst fears become all too real. Part of the appeal for me in writing this story is having all the characters, especially Kim, come face to face with their own mortality. There will be many instances in this story when one of the characters almost bite it...and some when the really do.
I'd also like to thank DayDreamer9, CajunBear73, and Muzzlehatch for taking an interest in this story by leaving reviews. It's Halloween, people, so get in the spirit!
It came without warning. The sleepy residents of Middleton were unaware of the nightmare about to befall their idealistic piece of Americana. To any who witnessed it that night, it was a freak storm. One moment the skies were clear; the next, a thunderous cloud of black enveloped the stars as if the End of Days had come to pass.
The wind kicked up as if the air itself was fleeing in terror from the darkness. People poking their heads outside their windows were taken aback by its ferocity. Trees as ancient as the earth itself, defying time and the elements with their stoic resistance, swayed like blades of grass. An old proverb came to mind considering that the grass would be there the following morning, having bent in the wind rather than stand to face it like the stubborn trees. However, this proverb said nothing about the aftermath of said storm, in which the trees would have been the lucky ones. The leaves would envy the trees as the living would the dead soon enough.
Kim Possible was halfway into a restless sleep when something banged against her window. It sounded as if a madman was trying to break in, but her room was three stories up. The intruder took the form of a tree branch as it bore, spear-like, through the window. Glass shattered and fell; a shower of torment that nearly bathed Kim Possible in inglorious cuts. The room's sole resident received the shock of her life when it happened. Fortunately atrophy had taken its toll on her weary body and she was slow in approaching the window. When the branch came through, she was far enough away that it didn't impale her. Kim had enough sense in her to step back anyway as more of the tree came in. Part of the wall had caved in as the full weight of the tree came up on her house. The intrusion was preceded by a second unwelcomed guest: the wind. Like a besieging army taking advantage of the gap in enemy lines, it swept in, tossing lamps and books and any loose piece of furniture on the floor.
Kim fell backward. Luckily her bed was there to cushion her fall. She heard a cry coming from downstairs. "Kim? Kim, are you okay?" It was her mother's voice. The ruckus was enough to wake everyone in the house. Her hair tousled, Kim had to forcefully push it back in order to see. More wind came in. Kim felt like she was staring into the maw of a giant, its breath blowing through her window. The storm followed suit and soon even her mother's high-pitched cry was drowned out by something not of this world.
Heaven itself was screaming.
"Mom!" Kim cried out. She knew she screamed, but couldn't hear her voice. So powerful was the storm that all other sound became mute. Kim did run to the stairs leading down to the second-floor hallway. Her mother was already there and the two Possible women almost slammed right into each other. Kim felt her mother's comforting arms around her before she could surmise that she'd made it downstairs. Standing back, Kim saw blue eyes widened in fear. Anne Possible was the family's foundation, an unshakable woman set in stone and as strong as any mountain. Right now she may as well have been a child in the night, so great was the terror in her eyes.
"Your brothers!" She exclaimed but need not have worried. The Tweebs were already up and about. They were actually behind Anne when she turned around to get them.
Their combined voices expressed their panic as the whole house shook. Grabbing her children and wishing that her husband were there with her, Anne Possible took her family to the basement.
"What's going on?" One of the twins, Kim knew not who, had asked when they reached the cellar.
"A tree came through my window," Kim said. She left out the part where it nearly skewered her like a kebob. Mom was scared enough as it is. "This storm came out of nowhere."
"Get inside." Anne closed the door and pressed herself against it, as if that would help deter something that could shake her house from getting inside. After tense moments, she allowed herself to join her kids in the cellar. Explosions bombarded the house from the outside, too powerful for any man-made invention to produce. Still shaking, Anne pulled her children into a corner and into a tight embrace. Kim felt so small. She used to be scared of storms when she was a kid and would usually seek safety in her mother's arms. She also felt safe, which is why she didn't fight back but embraced her mother in turn. The Tweebs did the same.
Several minutes passed and still the storm persisted. If Doomsday had indeed come, it was all they could to take strength in one another's touch. The added absence of a prominent member of their family made their shield seem weaker and Kim found herself, more than ever, fearing for what tomorrow might bring.
Tomorrow did come.
The weary people of Middleton cautiously poked their heads out of the sanctuaries of their homes to access the damage. It seemed that while there was a considerable mess made of their town, Middleton had survived relatively intact. There were many broken windows, though, and barely a tree remained standing. Several garbage cans and recycle bins littered the streets. Debris was literally everywhere with one not being able to take two steps without having to avoid tripping on something. The collateral damage to homes was extensive. A tree had literally cut one home in half down the block from where Kim lived, the family consoling one another as they looked upon the gaping hole where their living room had once been.
The Possible roof had been chipped away as if scraped by some large blade. The tree that bore through Kim's window slumped like a drunkard against the roof. It was a massive oak, and while Kim knew her family's insurance could cover it, she knew she wouldn't be sleeping in her room for a couple of days. She was still getting over the shock of almost being impaled. Last night she dreamed she didn't move fast enough and her mother found her the next morning with three feet of bark protruding from her back. Kim shivered at the image.
Ron's house seemed to have fared better. Aside from some peeled paint and some roof damage, the Stoppables would have little refurbishing to do. Ron met Kim halfway between their homes, right in the middle of the street. There was so much debris that they need not worry about cars running them over anytime soon. Kim was still in her pajamas though she wore her shoes to avoid cutting her feet on the glass. "How's it going, KP?" Ron saw the tree in her window and was worried about her. Little did he know how close she came to biting the big one? Unlike Mom, however, Kim confided in him and Ron's brown eyes widened in shock. "Holy..."
"Yeah." Kim lowered her head in resignation. "Imagine a tree doing what no super villain could have. I tell you Mother Nature can be a real bitch sometimes."
Suddenly, Ron wrapped his arms around Kim's neck and hugged her tight. "Don't even joke about that, Kim. I'd be lost without you."
"Ron. What's with all the sentiment all of a sudden?" She asked with blushing features. "I almost die on a daily basis." She found herself returning the hug nonetheless, taking comfort in Ron's affection.
"But I've always been there. I'm always there to bail you out."
Kim held her tongue. She didn't want to remind Ron that usually it was the other way around with him needing her help. "What would you have done? Jumped in front of me?"
There was a long pause before Ron stepped away. There was a look on his face that Kim didn't recognize. He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah well, I guess I could have pushed you out of the way."
"Thanks Ron."
"Anytime."
"Ronald. Your phone is ringing," Mrs. Stoppable called from their lawn. In her arms she cradled baby Hana who cooed lightly at the mention of Ron's name.
"Be back in a sec, KP."
Kim watched him run back inside. She waved to Ron's parents who asked her if everything was alright on her end. Kim gave solace to their worries, indicating that everyone was okay and their insurance would cover it. Kim returned to her own clan. Her brothers were already discussing ways they could improve the house, making it storm-resistant and perhaps even adding aquatic features in case of flooding. She left them to their own devices and turned her attention to her mother who was sitting on the curb of their front door, brooding.
Kim sat beside her. "You okay?"
She sighed. "I just wish I knew what you father was up to."
Kim's ears twitched at the mention of her father. Last night's conversation with dad left her feeling sick inside. Mom was distraught enough as it is. If she told her, she may well go off to the center and drag him kicking and screaming out onto the street. Mothers were crazy like that. Kim hugged her knees together, thinking on whether or not she should tell her mother the truth.
"What happened last night?"
Mom's question sent all of Kim's alert signals going off. Did she overhear her talking with Dad? Did she know that Kim was holding out on her?
"Where did this storm come from? You'd think a tornado swept through Middleton."
Kim visibly relaxed.
"I've never seen anything like it. It was such a beautiful week."
"Global warming," her daughter suggested, and had half a thought to slap herself right then and there.
"Incredible." Anne Possible regarded the neighborhood. Across the street, Ron Stoppable left the house and was walking toward them. He paused once to greet Mrs. Dr. P before turning to Kim.
"That was my boss," he said, indicating his phone. "He wants me at Smarty Marty pronto. People are going to be swamping the place for food and supplies. General's going to want every soldier on the front lines."
"Need a ride?" Kim stood up.
"Kimmie!" Anne did not like the idea of her daughter going out in this mess.
"Mom, we're going to need to stock up. It may be a while before the authorities get this place up and running again. I'm guessing the power's out for most of the Tri-City Area so we need to be prepared. We've been meaning to go shopping anyway so might as well get it over with."
Anne considered Kim's words. "Okay, Kim. But be careful."
"Mom. Ron's with me."
Anne looked at Ron who gave her his goofy smile. The look on her face was not one of confidence in his ability to keep her daughter safe. She grabbed Kim by the shoulders, gently shaking her. "Please. Please be careful."
Kim smiled. "I'll be okay. You wrote up a grocery list, right?"
"It's on the table."
"Great. I'll get changed." Kim went to do just that. She grabbed the shopping list on her way upstairs. Walking into her room felt weird. It was the one place a teenager could truly claim as her own. Seeing the tree there, that awful branch poking through the window, it felt like a violation of her privacy and her right to feel secure in her own home. She nervously watched the tree as if it would try to come at her again. Listen to yourself, Kim scolded. It was a close call and nothing more! Stop acting like some frightened little girl!
Kim raided her closet, donning a short-sleeved blue shirt and beige pants. Putting on her shirt, Kim realized she had a bit of hard time because something was stuck in her sleeve. It was her Kimmunicator, the wrist device Wade gave her to replace the clunky portable she used to carry. Thinking of him made her pause for a moment. She knew Ron was waiting for her but she had to do something first. Sitting on her bed, Kim tried to contact Wade. There was no signal.
Strange, she thought. Wade had gone silent before, but Kim had a strange feeling there was more to it than that. Kim tried again and failed once more. If only she knew where he lived. It struck her as foolishness that here she trusted a preteen to oversee her website and she didn't even know how to find him. Wade's level of secrecy bordered on the paranoid. There was a time when she wondered if Wade was no more than a computer program living inside the digital world and would have gone on believing it had he not made his first appearance, aiding Kim and Ron against the unscrupulous Team Impossible a few months back.
"Damn." Kim blew out a long-winded breath. So much for that idea. Then her father came to mind. Should she try to get in touch with him? Against her better judgment, Kim dialed in the Middleton Space Center and waited...waited...waited...nothing. It was too much to hope for. Wade was her only means of connecting with her father and if he was AWOL...
Kim put it out of her mind. Strapping the device on her wrist, she grabbed the green jacket she had draped over a chair and rushed downstairs. She had just finished tying her shoes and walked outside when she found her mother, the tweebs, Ron and Rufus (the latter which seemed to show up out of the blue at any given moment) and about half the neighborhood looking to the east.
"What is it?" Kim joined them on the sidewalk. "What's everyone looking at?"
Ron pointed. "Check it." She followed his line of sight. "What is that, Kim?"
Kim saw it...and didn't know what to say. Off in the distance where there was once a perfect view of the mountains all she could see was a thick fog. It blotted out the horizon in that direction and continued to gather as if emanating from the earth itself. "Got me," she shrugged.
"It's some kind of mist," Anne Possible said.
"More like a fog," one of the twins, Tim, said.
"Yeah," agreed Jim. "It's too dense, and besides we're too far from the coast for the air and water temperature to be right enough for mist."
Ron studied it some more. "Looks like a cloud to me."
"It's too low-lying, Ron. Cloud particles are too light to be this close to the ground."
Ron didn't know which brother said that, but he shrugged. Meteorology wasn't his specialty. "I call it like I see it. Ready to go, KP?"
She nodded. "I'll pull the sloth out."
When Kim backed the car into the driveway, she waited for Ron to take the shotgun position. Anne Possible came up to her window. "Come home as soon as you can," she said. "I can't handle your brothers by myself."
Kim held up the grocery list. "I'll return bearing gifts. And don't worry, Mom. We'll be fine. We've got Rufus with us."
At that, the little molerat gave off a salute to Dr. Possible.
"Now that I can take solace in." She smiled, albeit weakly. Her hand touched Kim's shoulder. "Be careful, Kimmie," she said before kissing her daughter on the cheek. Kim accepted the sign of affection with a smile of her own. She gave her mother's hand a reassuring squeeze before backing the rest of the way.
"Look after Mom," Kim told her brothers.
The boys saluted her and Kim offered one right back. She would be as worried about them as she would any member of her family but she blew them a kiss just the same. The boys gagged, one of them ducked behind the other at the supposed projectile. "Tweebs." Kim looked to Ron. "Ready?"
"Gotta make the money."
Kim took her time backing up and would have to maneuver through an obstacle course of scattered debris. She regarded her house and her family once more before driving off to Smarty Mart, trying to ignore the fact that the mist or fog or whatever it is was coming in the direction of the space center.
The ride would usually take less than ten minutes, but with all the debris it took them just that long just to go down two blocks. Along the way, Ron spotted a familiar trail of black hair walking down the sidewalk. Kim honked the horn. "Monique!"
Kim's friend turned at the mention of her name. She smiled as Kim pulled up to the curb. "Where you headed?"
"Just looking around. Trying to get the lay of the land." She leaned onto the edge of Ron's window. "You?"
"Smarty Mart. Ron's boss is calling all hands to battle stations."
"Smarty Mart, huh? Now why didn't I think of that?"
The two occupants, plus Rufus, stared at her questioningly.
"I guess you didn't hear." Monique sighed as she explained. "I just got off the phone with Carrie, you know the new girl who works the morning shifts at Club Banana? Anyway, she says that the mall got hit pretty hard."
"How hard?" Kim's voice stressed genuine concern.
"It looks like a bomb went off. Half the place is trashed beyond recognition."
"And Club Banana?"
Monique's face said it all. "It's gone, Kim. Carrie told me so herself. She says the storm must have had some personal grudge against us because it looked like the store was chewed up and spat out."
"You're kidding!"
"I wish. Looks like we're out of a job."
Kim slumped in her seat. "I can't believe it."
Monique shrugged. "Anyway, if you guys are heading to Smarty Mart, you mind if I come with? I could grab a few things while I'm there."
"Sure. Hop in."
Monique jumped in the back and they were off seconds later. Kim had to take numerous detours to reach the part of town where the mega retail store was located. Kim, Ron and Monique counted their homes the lucky ones. Several residents would have to take refuge in the convention center...if that wasn't destroyed too.
"What was that storm last night?" Monique asked all of a sudden as Kim circumvented a tree that had fallen in the street. "Girl, I was scared out of my mind."
"A tree fell through Kim's window," Ron said.
"Were you okay?" She asked Kim.
"I was fine," she lied. It was the scare of her life. "Window took most of it, though I doubt I'll be staying in my room for a while."
"You can always bunk with me, Kim."
"Thanks, Mon. But I think Mom's going to need me more than ever."
"How so?"
Kim was hesitant to go any further but if she couldn't trust her friends than who could she trust? "Dad was stuck working at the center last night. There was some kind of lockdown. No one allowed in or out." She glanced outside at two men who were trying to clear the rubble from a driveway. A woman observed them quietly at the door to her house. "He said something about an emergency. I asked Wade to check in on it. Turns out that there's a communications blackout over Middleton. We're cut off from the outside world."
"So Justine was right." Ron whistled.
"You mean Justine Flanner?" Monique asked him. When Ron relayed everything she had told them, the ebony girl whistled too. "Sounds like a conspiracy to me."
"I told you, Kim!"
"Moving on!" Kim hated when Ron got stuck on something. He wouldn't let up unless she agreed with him or he proved that he was right; none of which was often. "Wade was able to contact my dad last night despite the blackout. He said that things weren't looking too good." Kim steadied herself, fighting back the urge to turn this car around and head straight for the center. "He warned me that if a klaxon were to sound out that I should take Mom and the tweebs far away from here. Evacuate Middleton."
"A klaxon?" Ron asked, bewildered.
"A warning siren use to alert people to danger," she clarified. "I hope he was overreacting." For all our sakes.
"Dude." Ron looked at Rufus who was sitting on the dashboard. "This is heavy."
The rodent nodded his approval.
"That's scary, Kim."
Kim glanced at the rearview mirror. "I'm sure my dad can handle it. He's a Possible."
If her friend took strength from that, Monique showed no signs. "Yeah well..." And she hugged her arms in the back, rubbing them as if cold. "If things are going down, I'm getting my folks and my brother out of here."
"They'll be fine, Monique. You'll see." Kim tried to sound as confident as she could.
"Kim!" Ron hurried to grab her attention. Up on the neck block where there was a major intersection, there was a car accident. Two vehicles, one the two teens at the front instantly recognized, were smoking from a head-on collision. The drivers were outside, apparently not injured. One of them was yelling at the other from the top of her lungs.
"Is that Bonnie?" Kim asked though she already knew the answer.
"Poor boy," Monique said from the back. "Who's she grilling now?"
It was Ned. The dorky boy from Bueno Nacho was backed against his car as Bonnie riddled him with verbal insults and threats. Kim pulled the sloth to a stop beside the accident. From her window she said, "You guys okay?"
Bonnie turned on her. Her face was one of unbridled rage. Ned, relieved that her attention was elsewhere for the moment, pleaded with Kim to save him by clasping his hands together in prayer. "This idiot," She motioned at Ned, "almost killed me!"
"Looks to me you gave as good as you got."
Monique's comment did nothing to quell the brunette's fire. "This is why nerds shouldn't be allowed to drive!" She reared back on Ned, her fists above her head. Ned cringed against the driver side of his car, hands up to protect himself. The fists did not fall, but Bonnie's wrath is enough to send anyone trembling in fear. "What the hell did you think you were doing? I had the right of way."
"B-B-But I had the r-right of way," he managed to stutter.
"No. I did!"
"But..."
"You had crap! When I'm through with you, geek, you'll never set foot behind a wheel again. You'll have to ride the bus like all the other losers!"
"Geez, Bonnie. Chill out. It was just an accident."
"When I want your opinion, Kim, I'll ask for it."
"The important thing is that neither of you are hurt. Considering everything else that's been happening, I'd say you're lucky to be standing." As Kim said that, an emergency vehicle sped on by. The siren died down as it rounded the next corner. "Some people aren't so fortunate," Kim lamented.
"It was a brand new car!" Bonnie stomped her foot. Her balled hands shook at her side.
"Junior can buy you another one. Didn't you say he was rich?"
A sudden change came over Bonnie and all the anger seemed to leave her all at once. She paused to consider Kim's words. "True. His dad is loaded."
"Like a nine-millimeter," Ron whispered to Monique. She smirked at the comment.
Bonnie regarded the car. The front half was pancaked against Ned's, which, she noticed with distaste, was a wreck even before the accident. Kim was also right in that it could have been far worse. Bonnie was wearing her seatbelt when the hit took place, sparing her an unwanted facial with the asphalt. The only reason she'd been wearing it at all was due to the heightened presence of police authorities who were trying to get the town back in order.
That didn't exclude Ned's recklessness as far as Bonnie was concerned. "I want your insurance information. Now!"
"But it's my mother's car."
Bonnie threw her hands up into the air. "As if you weren't pathetic enough."
Kim had had enough of this. "Let it go, Bonnie."
"Uh...Kim." Ron waited until he looked at her before pointing to his watch. "Make the money."
"Right. Sorry, Ron. Bonnie. Ned. Why don't you hop in and we'll give you a ride?"
"We?" Monique asked. "I don't recall being asked my opinion."
Kim ignored her. Obnoxious as she was, Bonnie needed help and Kim helped people. Plus she couldn't leave poor Ned alone with the girl. Kim stopped Bonnie before she could protest. "Come on. You going to wait out here all day? Believe me when I say that the city has bigger issues to worry about than your little fender bender."
"Fine." Bonnie huffed. "But I am not sitting next to him." She threw Ned a dirty look and made for the backseat. Monique begrudgingly resigned herself to being the meat in the sandwich as she scooted in to make room.
"Thank you, Kim."
"You are welcome, Ned. You too, Bonnie."
"I didn't say anything."
"I know." Kim winked at her in the sideview mirror.
Back on the road, the sloth found fewer obstructions in its path but no less traffic. They passed numerous military caravans heading in the opposite direction.
"Is it just me or are they in a hurry?" Monique asked in general.
"A big hurry. They're heading out of town." Kim narrowed her eyes. That nagging sensation at the back of her mind, the one that warned her of impending danger, was going off like someone had lit a fire under it. "What do they know that we don't?"
"Maybe we should follow them." Ned regretted the suggestion as soon as he said it, feeling every eye on him including Kim's, which gawked at him through the rearview mirror. "I mean if there was trouble they'd us know, right? They wouldn't just leave like that?" That he said it as a question and not a statement meant he wasn't so sure of what he was saying. In truth, Ned wanted to be comforted, to be told that everything was okay. He was scared just like the rest of them.
"I don't know. Maybe." Kim watched the next convoy go by. Not one of the soldiers so much as looked at them. It's as if they'd already given up and were counting their losses, putting Middleton and its people out of sight and out of mine. Her fingers clenching the wheel, the sensation in her neck increased to a level that could turn her skin red.
Like a flashing emergency light.
Their spirits waned even further upon arriving at Smarty Mart.
"S.R.O," Monique said when she saw the rows of cars lined up, some illegally, in the parking lot. It looked like half of Middleton had the same idea. From their vantage point on the other side of the lot, they could make out a crowd looming just inside the store. No doubt Smarty Mart would need every one of its employees to deal with this debacle.
Despite this, Kim managed to find a spot at the north end of the lot, far from the main entrance. Ron had one foot out the door before she finished parking. "Come on, KP! I'm going to be late," he urged.
"Settle down, Ron. Smarty Mart's not going anywhere."
"If only we were," Kim heard Bonnie mutter from the backseat. She was acutely aware of how Bonnie felt about the megastore. In truth, Kim shared her sentiments. It's not that she had anything personal against it, only that she was a slave to her reputation. Kim was captain of the cheer squad and one of the most popular girls in school. That position demanded she make an effort to be at the head of the trend, making it so that nothing but the finest fabrics and garments touch her skin. She had been to Smarty Mart before only on dire emergencies, such as the case when she needed a new pair of pants or to see if they had any of her old mission clothes still in stock; but other than that, she gave it a wide berth. It didn't help matters that in addition to working at Smarty Mart, Ron frequented it like his own Mecca, believing it to be the next best thing since Pot Porter's Corndogs. She was happy Ron had found work, but she hoped, even prayed in private moments, that he would not make a career out of it.
"Why are we here?" Bonnie asked when she stepped out of the car.
"To do some shopping. Why else would we come to a retail store?" Kim shut her door harder than she intended, frustrated for having Bonnie tag along. If she was going to complain the whole trip, she may as well have left her where she found her. "The power's out and people need to stock up on supplies. I suggest you do the same." She brushed by her rival and led the group toward the main entrance. The doors slid open, and the teens found themselves in the middle of a scene from the End of Days. People lined the store in droves. The aisles were packed with items scattered all over the floor from reaching hands and careless contact. There were arguments as patrons tried to form some semblance of a line, those with children trying to sneak their way ahead of the person in front of them while feigning innocence of their attempt. Some children looked about wide-eyed; not fully understanding what was going on but knowing full well that something was spooking the adults.
One of the store employees, a stocky gentleman with a receding hairline, approached the group as they entered. "It's a good thing you showed up, Ron. The animals are going crazy. They need help moving them to a more secure location."
"I'm already on it, Oscar. Tell the boss the Ronman's on the case."
"He'll be happy knowing you're here. We're operating at only half strength," Oscar went on, leading Ron by the arm away from the others. "Our people are scattered throughout the Tri-City Area and some can't get pass the debris. Looks like we're on our own for now."
Ron looked over at his friends...and Bonnie. "I'll see you guys in a few. Remember anything you buy is on my employee discount."
Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest. "That's sweet." Cynicism dripped in her voice.
Monique mimicked her gesture while looking at her. "Who said he was talking to you?"
"That goes for you too, Bonnie!" Ron called before Oscar pulled him into the crowd.
Bonnie gave Monique a smug smirk. Monique rolled her eyes. She made it a point not to sit in the backseat with her when they left.
Pulling out her shopping list, Kim looked it over. "Okay. I think it's best if we split up."
"Fine by me." Bonnie went off on her own. "Try not to take too long, Kim." She brushed back her hair. "Some of us are here against our will."
"Let's ditch her," Monique said to Kim when Bonnie was out of earshot.
"Monique!"
"Don't act like the thought didn't cross your mind."
Kim admitted the point by saying, "Not in the last ten seconds."
The friends shared a knowing smile.
"Uh, Kim." Ned stepped forward. "You mind if I stick with you?"
"Everything okay, Ned?"
"Yeah it's just...I don't feel comfortable being alone right now."
Monique gave him a condescending stare but held her tongue. After a brief exchange of looks with Kim, she shrugged and walked off. "See you in a few."
Kim grabbed one of the few remaining shopping carts and together with Ned went about their business. "Here," she offered the list to him. "You can cross things off as we go."
"I don't have a pen."
Kim rolled her eyes. She knew something was bugging Ned which is why she allowed him to accompany her. She knew him as an associate from when she worked at Bueno Nacho as an employee. Ned was a slave driver, and Kim found herself hating him the longer she worked there. Overtime, when she finally retired from the fast food business and Ned was her server and not her boss, she began to see a different side to him. Ned was sensitive and kind when he wanted to be. He wasn't that popular in school, which Kim surmised was the reason he was so hard on her. Lording it over the head cheerleader was a strange turn of fortune for him. For once he was in charge and being her boss provided him with a measure of power that he abused to his heart's content. It just seemed that some people were prone to big headedness.
Take Ron for example, whom she loved dearly. Naco realties had turned him into a millionaire overnight; how he loved showing of his newfound fortune in front of others. Getting a new haircut had made Ron full of himself, even arrogant beyond measure. Donning a strength-enhancing ring had made Ron a muscle bound hunk (his words, not hers), and a top-secret experiment that had supposedly given him super intelligence, which turned out to be Rufus in the end, made him believe he was the smartest living being on the planet. Add to that the Ron Factor incident and a major flaw in his character became apparent.
Kim knew in the case of both Ron and Ned that it came down to a lack of confidence. They were both gifted men for sure, but that they thought so little of themselves projected onto others. Some, like Bonnie, would take advantage, berating them as a means to cover up their own insecurities. Others, like Kim, wanted them to see that they had a lot to offer. Sometimes it worked and other times, such as the case in Bueno Nacho the previous day, proved that no manner of kind words could help people believe in themselves. It would take something more drastic to for them to prove that they were worth something.
They shopped in silence, with Kim filling up the cart while Ned made a slight tear beside each item on the list to indicate that it had been found. After a while, Kim noticed Ned fidgeting. He had something to say but didn't know how or when to say it. She decided to open up the conversation. "So, everyone at home okay?"
"Huh? Oh yeah. Everyone's fine."
"And the Bueno Nacho?"
"It's still standing," he added with a hint of pride. If nothing else, Ned took pride in his work. Few teenagers could say that at this point in their life.
"That'll make Ron happy." Kim picked up a box of cereal. After looking for the date, she paused a moment, and asked, "And what about you? You okay?"
"Well...that's what I wanted to talk to you about."
Finally. "What's on your mind, Ned?" She placed the cereal in the cart which was almost full.
The boy took a breather to gather his thoughts. "Some soldiers came into Bueno Nacho the other day." He looked at her. "It was after you left. There were three of them. They took a booth and started talking. I was close enough to hear them but was careful to not let them know I was eavesdropping." Ned smirked. "You hear a lot of things you're not supposed to when you're mopping."
Kim froze at that. How many things had Ned heard when she and Ron were eating at Bueno Nacho. She looked upon him with newfound suspicion, wondering if Ned wasn't as innocent as he appeared.
"They were talking about some experiment going on at the space center. Word was some four-star general was coming into town that day to check up on the project. That's why there was so much security."
"Did they say who?"
Ned shook his head. "They were pretty vague on the details. I don't know if it's because they were being careful or because their superiors didn't tell them much. I think it was the latter. I know what it's like being kept out of the loop." Ned looked up. He scanned the aisle they were in as if afraid someone was listening. They seemed to be alone, but even with no one in the vicinity Ned still leaned in close and rose his voice into a whisper. "They sounded real worried. Whatever was going down at the center had the grunts spooked. One of them was even considering a reassignment to a new post so as to get out of town. Rumors at the center were that they were working on some kind of secret weapon."
"The center is meant for peaceful exploration of space. It's not a weapons factory."
"Then maybe they're building a spaceship, I don't know. All I know is if the military has something to do with it, you can bet that peaceful exploration isn't on their agenda. The way those guys were talking, you'd think the world was about to end."
A shiver wormed its way through Kim's body. End of the world? It couldn't be that bad...could it?
"Your dad works at the center, right?"
Kim turned on him, green eyes flaring. "My dad's a scientist! He would never build a weapon for the military."
Ned held up his hands apologetically. He backed away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply..."
She looked away.
Ned proceeded cautiously. "It's just that if anyone would know what's going on it would be him. I just figured he might have told you something is all." He rubbed his arm. "Things are pretty tense, you know."
"Yeah." Kim approached Ned and placed a forgiving hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. We're all a little on edge since this thing's started. Just know we're all going to make it through this okay."
Despite his misgivings, Ned found himself smiling. "Thanks, Kim. It feels good hearing you say that."
"That's touching." A female voice caught both their attention and they followed it down the aisle and to their left. Justine Flanner was standing there with a stoic look upon her face and arms folded in front of her. Kim inwardly gasped. How did she manage to sneak up on them so easily?
"Why don't you tell Ned the part where the military has erected a dead zone around Middleton, cutting us off from the outside?"
Ned, eyes widening, gawked at Kim. "Is this true?"
Kim sighed. "Yes." Then she said, "You remember when Justine sat with us yesterday? She's the one who told us about it. I confirmed her suspicions when I got home."
Justine fixed her eyes on Ned. "Those soldiers you mentioned, did they say anything else?"
"Nothing. They finished their meal and left."
"Need you any more evidence, Kim? Something illegal is going down at the space center. We have to confront them."
"Confront who, Justine?"
"The military. The scientists. Whoever's running this operation; we have a right to know what's going on in our own community."
"The center's heavily-guarded. We won't get within a stone's throw without being stopped."
Justine stepped up to Kim. The redhead reared back as if she meant to hit her. All she did was point a finger in Kim's face. "Don't give me that! Maybe you haven't noticed but the army's getting out of Dodge. They're high-tailing it out of here and I think it has something do with the storm last night." Justine stepped back, but never released Kim from her scowl. "I was still awake when it happened. I was on my computer trying to find a way around the army's communication blockade when everything went dead. The storm emitted some kind of electro-magnetic pulse that short-circuited my hardware. I still had other tools, though, and I scanned the storm just as it hit."
"You went outside?" Kim asked in disbelief. "Justine, that was very dangerous!"
"I was in my room. I take smart risks, not stupid ones. Anyway, the readings I got were off the charts. There were composite materials in that storm that I'd never seen before. In fact, before I had to take cover in the basement, my mother literally dragging me from the window, I could swear I saw green lightning."
"Green lightening?" Ned repeated.
"Otherworldly," was the only adjective Justine could come up with to describe it.
"Are you sure about that?" Kim asked.
"I have eyes. Seeing is believing afterall."
Kim wasn't convinced. "And you believe that storm was a direct result of the project going on at the space center?"
"What else could it have been?"
"Oh, I don't know. A crack in the ozone layer, perhaps?"
Justine's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
The blonde sighed aloud. "Look Kim, I know you don't want to entertain the possibility that your father might have had a hand in this..."
"Let me stop you right there before you say something you'll regret."
But Justine continued. "But I believe it's safe to assume he knows more about this than he told you. In fact, I'd bet on it."
"Justine,"
"If this is a result of his work, then he is responsible whether you like it or not."
"Justine!"
Ned's eyes darted back and forth, questioning which female would snap first. He suddenly wondered if he'd have been better off going off on his own.
Kim got to within an inch of Justine's face, practically breathing down her throat. "Enough! You said your piece. Now let it go."
Justine raised an eyebrow in defiance.
"I don't know what you're trying to prove but it ends here. You want to blame somebody so bad that you'd accuse a man who's done nothing but give to his community. My father isn't perfect, but he would never under any circumstances participate in an experiment that would endanger people's lives."
"And what if he was forced to?"
That question took some of the fire out of Kim's words. She inched away from Justine's face but did not relinquish her aggressive stance. Next to them, Ned was looking for somebody to intervene. You could never find a store employee when you needed one.
"Well?" Justine asked. "Would he?"
Kim's answer was immediate. "No." But then she looked away. "He wouldn't."
An uncomfortable silence followed with Kim and Justine just glaring at one another. Finally, the blonde turned to leave. "I hope you're right, Kim."
When she left, Ned breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought it was going to come to blows there for a sec. I mean Justine was pushing all your buttons and," He immediately stopped when Kim fixed her gaze on him, the fire far from extinguished. "That is...she went too far." He suddenly felt very small. The look in Kim's eyes emitted such power and emotion that even Bonnie's steely-eyed glare paled in comparison. What is it about him that had the ability to irritate pretty, dangerous women?
But Kim's view softened and she sighed. "She's just breathing smoke. Nothing to take seriously."
Ned wasn't so sure. After overhearing the soldiers' conversation at the Bueno Nacho, the sudden storm, and Justine's revelations, he just wasn't sure about anything anymore.
What was happening to their once peaceful town?
Kim found herself thinking the same thing when she and Ned made their way to the cashiers. The line was long and they hadn't moved for a good fifteen minutes when Ned spotted a familiar face walking up to them. He tapped Kim on the shoulder. "Hey look, Kim. It's Mr. Barkin."
Indeed Steven Barkin, the omnipresent authority figure and strict disciplinarian, was working his way through the crowds. "Possible." His baritone voice grated on Kim's ears but she smiled anyway. "Hey, Mr. B. How's it going?"
"Everything's five-by-five. Thanks for asking." He paused to consider Ned. "You're that taco guy, aren't you?"
"Ned, sir."
"Ah, yes. Ned." Turning back to Kim, Steve Barkin asked. "Mission?"
"Car accident," she explained. "Needed a ride."
"Ah." He suddenly understood. Steve was no supporter of the Food Chain, but even he understood the unlikely chances of a boy like Ned and a girl like Kim being in the same company. Hell even Ron's chances were far-fetched and Steven could not for the life of himself begin to understand that relationship. "Good to see you're okay, Ned."
"Why thank you, Mr. Barkin. I," Ned stopped when he realized that Barkin was no longer paying attention to him. As a Smarty Mart employee, his job was not to pass the time with idle conversation but to see to the needs of its customers. Already there was an argument brewing two lines down and people were edging away in anticipation of a fight. "If you'll excuse me." The brawny man made for the potential fight and people scrambled to get out of his way.
"How can you be so casual around him?" Ned asked Kim.
"He's more bark than bite. I think he's a pretty nice guy when you get to know him."
"If you say so."
"Kim!" Bonnie came striding up to her. "About time. Can we leave now?"
"Just let me pay for these and we'll be on our way."
Bonnie grumbled. "I can't believe you shop here."
"I can't believe you didn't do any shopping at all. It'd be a good idea to stock up while we're here."
"Uh, Kim. I'm dating a billionaire's son. In case the proverbial shit hits the fan, I have my own private island sanctuary to escape to." She grew restive. "There's just one problem." Bonnie removed her cellular from concealment. "My phone's dead. I've been trying to get a signal ever since I left the house but the damn thing's just not working."
Kim and Ned exchanged concerned looks. They knew the reason Bonnie's phone wasn't working but neither of them wanted to be the one to break it to her.
"Piece of crap." She put it away. "Should have stayed with Sprint."
"Hey, ya'll." Monique appeared behind them. She was pushing a cart of her own. "All set?"
"We'd better be," Bonnie directed at Kim.
"Did I ever tell you how much I love your company?" Kim asked.
The brunette stuck out her tongue.
Suddenly there came a noise. At first it sounded like a police siren, but as the din of the store died down it became apparent that it was some kind of horn. Soon all manner of conversation, argument, and general complaining came to a complete halt. The patrons looked out about for some explanation as to what was going on. Some of them began to ask the store employees but they were just as in the dark as the rest of them. Concerned murmurs began to build and heads turned every which way. A couple of people began to shake as if the noise cried out their sudden doom.
"What is that?" Bonnie asked.
Kim's face was frozen in mute horror.
"Kim? I'm talking to you." Bonnie snapped her fingers in her face. "Hello?"
Monique's expression was the same as Kim's. "Kim...is that...?"
"An air raid siren." The conversation she had with her father came back to her, like ghosts whispering into her ear.
"Listen to me. If there's an emergency, there will be an air raid siren to warn the civilians. If that happens, I want you to take your mother and brothers and get as far away from Middleton as you can."
"Why? What does that siren mean?"
"It means things have gone from bad to worse."
Mr. Barkin's voice overlapped the general muttering. "People! There's no need for concern. Rest assured we will discern the meaning behind the klaxon just as soon as possible. In the meantime, continue your shopping."
But Kim had other ideas. "We have to get out of here!"
"What are you talking about?" Bonnie asked.
She grabbed Bonnie by the shoulders. "Do not argue with me, Bonnie!" She shook her. "Just do as I say and get ready to leave."
"But..." Bonnie never finished as Kim let her go and forced her way through the crowd. She ignored the protests of people who thought she was trying to cut in line and made for the front. A thin, gangly man of African-American origin, almost emaciated, was working the register. He gasped as Kim hopped onto the shopping counter and lifted her voice so as to be heard by all.
"Everyone listen to me!" All heads turned toward her. "There's been an emergency at the space center. That sound you hear is an air raid siren warning you to get out of town. Drop what you're doing and leave here immediately. Get out of Middleton!"
A chorus of confused and unconvinced questions came her way. Many of them disregarded her warning altogether. "Please. You know who I am. You know who my father is. I would never make something like this up. He told me himself that if I hear the siren, I'm to take my family and leave. That's what you all should be doing." She gestured madly toward the exit. "What are you standing around for? Go!"
A few people did believe her. Those who knew Kim Possible's reputation heeded her advice. Parents grabbed their children; shoppers dropped their groceries; employees abandoned their posts. Even those who were just walking in did an about-face and went back the way they came. A small stampede of people, scared beyond their minds, rushed toward their cars. But the greater majority stayed; those who were just too confused or did not believe what she said.
"Possible!" Barkin came up to her, reaching for her hand. "Get down from there!"
She moved out of his reach. "Mr. Barkin! When have you known me to be a liar?"
Ron came rushing through the crowd at that moment, having heard the siren and remembering Kim's warning in the car. He was dressed in his Smarty Mart employee outfit. "Kim's right, Mr. B. We've gotta jet."
Barkin looked between them both. "I want answers, you two. Now!"
"There's no time to explain!"
"Start making sense, Possible, before I detain the both of you in the brig."
"We have a brig?" Ron asked.
"Actually it's the lost and found." Barkin turned on Ron and said in a low, menacing voice, "But I can make it so you stay lost...permanently."
Ron gulped.
"Mr. Barkin, please!"
"Someone's coming," a patron called out.
Kim turned around to see a figure approaching the entrance. You'd think seeing a host of frightened people running in the opposite direction would be enough incentive to turn around and go back, but no. Aggravated, Kim leaped off the counter and made for the door intent on dissuading any would-be shoppers. The surprise was hers, however, as she found not one person but two standing in the doorway. One of them was passed out with blood seeping from the forehead; his arm slung over the other one's shoulder. The Samaritan limped into the store, obviously having suffered grievous wounds.
What struck Kim the most was not their condition, but rather the identity of the two newcomers. Others gawked too for they were almost as well-known as Kim Possible. Strange attire aside, their skin pigments were enough to draw anyone's attention.
"There's something in the mist!" Shego cried, drawing a terrified gasp from the crowd. Her eyes were frantic. Her cat suit had been ripped in several places with a very nasty gash drawing blood down her right calf. Dirt and blood caked her face and a much darker concoction, a substance that was unfamiliar to Kim, painted her clothes a bluish-black. Hanging off her, Dr. Drakken was barely conscious of what was going on. He offered up a weak grunt as Shego dragged him into the store.
Barely able to walk, Shego stumbled in the last few steps and Kim had to intervene before the two of them fell over. Fortunately Mr. Barkin was by her side and he relieved Shego of Dr. Drakken.
Shego fell to her knees with Kim in front of her. The teen heroine tried to shake her out of it but Shego was erratic. Her words came out in a jumble and were difficult to interpret. "You're not making sense."
Even in her rattled state, Shego still possessed the strength to grab Kim by the arms and clench real hard, drawing a cry of pain from her. "Don't go in the mist!" She reiterated, or rather screamed. "It killed them. It tore them to pieces right in front of us!"
"Shego!"
"We tried to run. We tried to run but it caught us. We almost...almost...we..." Shego released her hold on Kim and fell into her arms, spent.
"Shego!" Kim placed her head gently on the ground. She lost a lot of blood, Kim realized. "We need medical assistance," she told the crowd. "Is anyone a doctor?"
Suddenly it seemed that everyone wanted to leave. What Kim's words had failed to do, Shego's entrance had done for her. Half the people still in the store dashed out the entrance and made for their cars. "Wait a minute! We need help!" But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Had she tried to follow them, she would have noticed a thick fog rolling over the parking lot. People froze in their tracks as the mist came in like the wrath of God. Those with enough sense to jump into their cars try desperately to start the engines. They and their vehicles are lost to sight soon after. Some ran back into the megastore. They are followed by screams of absolute terror.
Hearing those screams, seeing the mist, Kim dragged Shego's unconscious form away from the door. Mr. Barkin did the same for Drakken. "Everyone get back! Stay away from the windows!" For once the people did heed her advice. Everyone moved as far away from the front of the store as they were able. Kim and Barkin took their human baggage as far away as behind the counters before they stopped. Looking outside, neither of them could make heads or tails of what they were seeing. There were a few more screams but they were silenced abruptly never to cry out again. The air raid siren died out soon after that.
Inside the Smarty Mart, all was quiet as if death had been one of the few patrons to successfully run back inside. Kim could hear her breathing and was amazed at how high her heart rate had gone up. Feeling Barkin stand beside her, Kim whispered silently to him, worried that speaking any louder might bring alert the darkness outside to their presence. "Mr. Barkin...what do we do?"
He stood silently for a moment to consider their options. After many tense seconds he answered her with as much authority and confidence she had ever heard him speak. "Keep away from the windows," he said. "And try to keep everyone calm. Something tells me we're in it for the long haul, Possible."