Darev: This chapter lays the foundation for several subplots. Each character has his/her own drama to deal with, which will make Kim's job a lot harder. Not much action, but plenty of drama. The next chapter's almost done and I might put it up just in time for Halloween.

Thanks to Daydreamer9, CajunBear73, VivaNewVegas, and Angel-of-Energy for leaving reviews.

Removing Drakken and Shego from sight became first priority for the last thing the frightened patrons of Smarty Mart needed to see were the bloodied bodies of two of the world's greatest supervillains lying in plain sight. Moving the table out of the way so as to make space, Kim placed Shego's unconscious form on the nearest couch. Mr. Barkin had set Dr. Drakken down on the adjacent sofa, the two pieces of furniture forming the letter L on the far corner of the wall.

After checking Shego's pulse, Kim found herself looking at her greatest foe. This was Shego, the most dangerous woman alive. She was a living nuclear reactor, able to harness raw plasma in her hand and wield it with the efficiency of a martial artist. In addition to her enhanced speed and strength, she was also brilliant, possessing a keen mind for strategy and tactics. Add to that her unreasonably sharp tongue and even sharper wit and it was no wonder why Kim respected the woman so. Seeing her in this state, broken and beaten, was an image Kim would not forget in a long time. Even when she had kicked Shego into the radio tower after finally defeating her atop of Bueno Nacho headquarters last year, the woman had appeared none worse for the wear. Shego healed remarkably fast thanks to her comet-induced powers. She never stayed down for long and when she came back she hit harder than ever.

But it was more than just her body, Kim knew, for she was there when Shego stumbled through the door, carrying Drakken on one shoulder. The look on Shego's face would stay with Kim until the day she passed from this world. It was the one thing Kim believed that she would never see on Shego's face. It was fear. Shego had been afraid. No matter what the situation or how dire the straits, Shego did not get scared. All that changed less than five minutes ago. Whatever Shego saw out there before the mist had enveloped the parking lot and trapped them all inside the Smarty Mart, it had shaken the usually unshakable villainess to her core.

Now here she was, helpless, defeated, and at the mercy her number-one teen nemesis. Kim imagined she had been her only teen nemesis. She wondered if Shego had anything but nemesis. The woman was a loner. How and why she stayed with Drakken was anyone's guess. Perhaps the mad scientist had something on her. Maybe he paid her well. It could be that of all the villains Shego knew, Dr. Drakken was the easiest to manipulate.

Or maybe it was something else. Looking at Drakken, who was in far worse a shape than Shego, Kim could only guess. Either way, they were hurt. Despite their shared history, Kim Possible helped people and she would not turn her back on anyone, even her enemies. Mr. Barkin, who had some first-aid training thanks to his time in the military, was in the process of helping Drakken as best he could. "How is he?" She asked, knowing that the prognosis wouldn't be good. Barkin was doing his best, but he was no doctor. Drakken needed some serious medical attention.

"He's in bad shape, Possible," Steve answered as he removed the upper half of Drakken's coat to reveal scarred and bloody tissue. The extent of the damage was not lost on them. Drakken's chest was bleeding profusely and unless they stopped the bleeding he would not last the day. "I'll do what I can, but I'm no doctor."

Kim thought of her mother. She could fix Drakken up in a heartbeat if she were here. Perhaps Kim should go get her. She remembered where she'd parked the sloth. She could find it using her key's built-in tracker even in the mist, drive home, pick up her mother and her brothers and bring them back here where it was safe.

Safe? Kim wasn't sure if it was safe anywhere. The mist first appeared in the morning right after the storm. Kim recalled seeing it in the distance, slowly making its way to her neighborhood. No doubt mom would have the house locked down tight. Between her and the tweebs, there was probably no place safer than the Possible house right now. Then she remembered the gaping hole in her bedroom window. The mist could creep in through there. Kim closed her eyes at the image. Then they flashed open. It was only mist, she told herself. There was no sense in getting herself worked up over a little fog. Mom and the boys had faced their share of dangers in the past. They could look after themselves. They were tough. They were Possibles. They will survive.

Then Kim remembered the screams coming from the mist.

"Damn!" Steve's outburst made Kim jump in her place. She stepped back as the large man stood up. "Whatever did this wasn't human."

Looking down at Drakken, Kim felt something bordering on bile making its way up her throat. Drakken's chest looked like it had been hit by a meat cleaver. Blood and puss oozed up from the lacerations and it looked like it would never stop. Kim looked away, horrified. She made it over to the trash bin where she then let out her disgust with audible gags.

Steven Barkin, who had seen his fair share of gore and guts in his days as a soldier, turned away in disgust. "What the hell's going on out there?"

Still puking, Kim put a hand against the wall to keep herself from keeling over. Once she'd finished emptying her bowels, the teen heroine turned to regard Barkin. "Wha...?"

"I can't save him, Possible. Not like this." He looked at her. "The best thing I can do is try to stem the bleeding."

"C-Can you?" She stammered, bile still lingering on her lips.

"Yes. But I'll need your help. Go into the office and see if you can find a first-aid kit. Look for a pin; a paperclip will do just fine, too. So long as it's small and metal and sharp. Also see if you can find some yarn or string. I'll try to sew this man back up after I'm done treating his wounds." Barkin then regarded the gash on his forehead. "This isn't as serious, but I'll need to treat it as well. The last thing we want is infection seeping in."

"What about Shego?" Kim held her stomach as she spoke. She'd never felt so sick in her life.

Barkin observed the sleeping villainess. Her gut went up and down at regular intervals, indicating that she was sleeping. It was far from pleasant, however, and Barkin could see her beautiful face contorted with lines of anguish. She wasn't just asleep, he knew. Shego was having nightmares. Stains of blood, probably more of Drakken's than hers, intermingled with a black substance that smelled of brine and copper all at once. The scent was as unfamiliar as the liquid. Mr. Barkin tentatively traced a finger though the black stuff and held it up for closer inspection. He rubbed it between two fingers.

"Mr. Barkin?"

"I couldn't tell you, Possible." He smelled the tar-like substance. "But you know her better than I do. What do you think her chances are?"

"Shego's tough. I'm sure she'll pull through alright."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

Kim looked at him.

"You're shaken up, Possible." He glanced at Shego. "I realize she's strong. I've read up about her on the newspapers and seen her in action on TV. Anyone that can give you a run for your money is someone worthy of respect."

Kim didn't know what to say. It was the closest thing to praise Mr. Barkin had given her.

"Which is why," he went on, "I believe you're so worried. Seeing her in this state has got you wondering what could possibly have done this to her." He leaned over to observe Shego's leg. The scar ran right over her right calf, which had caused her to limp into the store. "All I can say is that whatever it was, she was able to survive and make it here." He looked back at Kim. "Though she may not, and her guy pal will definitely not, if we don't stop talking and try to help them."

Kim took that as her cue. "I'll check the office."

"And I'll try to scrounge up some clean towels." He turned away and added, "This is going to be one of those days."

The office next door belonged to the store manager and was much better furbished than the waiting area. Kim went through every shelf, every drawer, every place one could put a pin or a needle or anything Mr. Barkin would need to stitch Drakken back up. This was crazy. Two of her most dangerous enemies were lying, dying, next door and here she was trying to find a means to save their lives. It's not that Kim regretted doing so. She did save people afterall. It's just the irony of it was not lost on her. If the situations were reversed, would Drakken or Shego or any of the villains Kim had fought and foiled over the years have done the same for her?

Where's that damn first-aid kit? Shouldn't it be somewhere obvious like, I don't know, a glass case with a sign that reads "IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BREAK GLASS"? Well this is definitely an emergency. Drakken and Shego are dying and here I am tearing this room apart to find the means to save them. I don't care what they've done. Nobody deserves to die. No one. A Possible would never let this happen. My mom would never...

That's when Kim stopped. It hit her just then that she was more concerned with saving Drakken and Shego than her own family. What was she still doing here? She should be out there, at home, with her mother and brothers...and her father.

"Possible!" Barkin's voice barked from the doorway. Apparently he'd found what he was looking for and had just returned to the waiting room.

"Still looking." Kim had created quite a mess already. Finding a box of paperclips had been easy and she'd also uncovered a ball of rubber bands. She imagined the manager would not be pleased to find his office in this condition. Unless he'd been one of the employees who fled the scene right after Shego's dramatic entrance...

"Got it!" Like a video game character removing a priceless treasure from a chest, Kim held the first-aid kit high above her head. Sadly, musical accompaniment did not come with the discovery. Why anyone would stow such a valuable item in a desk shelf full of old magazines was beyond her. Perhaps the manager thought he'd be keeping it safe. Safe from everyone...including those who would need it at the appropriate time.

Running back to the living room, Kim found Mr. Barkin using a pair of scissors to cut through the layers of Drakken's coat. "Where'd you get the scissors?"

"Store policy, Possible. All employees must carry a pair of scissors in case of emergencies." Once he had removed the tatters, Barkin motioned for Kim to approach. She did not get too close for the sight of Drakken's wound still affected her. Instead, Kim offered the kit and the items she found and had him take them from her. Opening the kit, the first thing Barkin took out was a bottle. He opened up a towel and began pouring the contents into the fabric. When that was done, Steve began to wash the wound, sanitizing it. Drakken groaned slightly.

"Is he okay?" Kim asked.

"Hardly. This is going to take some time." Barkin offered Kim a look over his shoulder. "I want you to find another pair of scissors and do the same thing to the green lady over there. Watch where you cut. Take a towel and apply the sanitizer carefully before applying it around the wound. Once you've cleaned her up, I'll get around to stitching that cut on her leg."

"You want me to cut her clothes off?"

"There's no telling where else she may be bleeding. We're either thorough or we don't do this at all." He continued to sterilize the wound. "Their lives are in our hands. Now hurry up."

Kim did as she was told and found herself an extra pair of scissors from the office. By the time she'd returned, Drakken's upper body was completely exposed and Barkin had just wiped the wound clean. He made sure to do the same to the gash on his forehead before closing it up using that bandaged he'd pulled out of the first-aid kit. Now came the part that Kim did not want to watch: stitching the wound together. Instead she focused on dealing with Shego and turned her back to Mr. Barkin. The man may be a hard ass sometimes, but he knew his stuff.

Following his instructions, Kim cut the fabric off of Shego's leg. Sanitizing it was easy enough, though the black goo was surprisingly sticky and Kim had to go through a few towels before she managed to remove it all. She then went about searching Shego's sleeping body for any hidden wounds. Barkin was already deep into his surgery and could not look up. Bit by bit, needle by tenuous needle, he began to sew together the pieces of Drakken's severed flesh using rubber band shreds he had cut. It was an unorthodox operation and one surely to go down in history in the Guinness Book of World Records. Steven Barkin: former soldier, high-school teacher, Smarty Mart employee, rinky-dink surgeon. The man's resume must go on for a mile.

By the time he had finished, Kim had backed away and was staring at Shego. She didn't even hear him come up behind her and did not sense him until he placed a thick, heavy hand on her tiny shoulder. "I'll take it from here, Possible."

"Thanks, Mr. B." Kim gave him all the room he needed and more. She didn't want to here when he went to work on Shego. Removing herself from the room, Kim went out into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. Lying back against the door, she let out a heavy sigh. In a short span she had seen enough things to give her nightmares for years to come, and it wasn't even lunch time yet.

Kim felt sick, too sick to be thinking about food right now. She grabbed her stomach as an uncomfortable burp escaped her lips. The remnants of bile still lingered on her breath and she fought the urge to gag again. Seeing Drakken and Shego, hearing the voices of terrified people as the mist enveloped them, not knowing what became of her family...it was just too much.

Fearing the worse but hoping for the best, Kim tried to use her wrist Kimmunicator. She dialed in the signal for home and got nothing but static. Defeated, Kim shut off the device.

"Kim!" Monique came running down the hall; her face showing more concern than Kim was used to seeing on her best friend. "You've got to come downstairs. Now!"

Before Kim could respond, Monique had grabbed her by the hand and was pulling her towards the stairs. "What's going on? What's happened?"

"There's a woman trying to leave the store."

That was all she needed to hear. Untangling herself, Kim rushed by her friend and flew down the stairs, Monique right on her tail.

"You can't go out there!" Ron pleaded, standing between the door and a thirty-something woman with platinum blonde hair. Rufus was on his shoulder, waving his tiny pink arms frantically in an attempt to dissuade the woman from leaving. "It's suicide!"

Tears in her eyes, her voice frantic, the woman did not seem to hear him. Maybe, she just didn't care. "I have to go. Let me out!"

"You can't. It's not safe out there."

"I don't care." She made to go right through Ron. Ron was not a confrontational man and he would never on his best day lay a hand on a woman he didn't know, but concern for her safety took precedence and he was forced to stand in her way, shielding the door with his body. A crowd had gathered not far off, watching the drama unfold but making no move to hinder or support him.

She tried to push him away. Ron grabbed her by the arms. "Stop it! I'm trying to help you."

"Let go of me!" She tried to pull away, but Ron was just too strong. Still she struggled. "You have no right. Let me go!"

"Crazy bitch," Bonnie said. She was standing a few feet away with her arms crossed. Ned was beside her, looking between Bonnie and Ron and wondering if he should get involved. He agreed with Ron's assessment, that it was just far too dangerous to step outside with the mist and everything, but seeing as how no one was doing a thing to aid Ron in stopping the woman, the group mentally affect had taken hold and Ned reserved himself to being the spectator.

Luckily, help came in the form of a redhead with stunning green eyes. Kim wedged her way between the crowd and moved to intercept the woman, Monique bringing up the rear. Fearing it would come to blows, in which case the lady would get violent and Ron would be forced to subdue her (a very real possibility), she went to fetch Kim in the hopes that the woman would listen to the local heroine.

"Kim!" Ron's voice exuded relief upon seeing her. "Help me out here."

"What's going on?" Kim put herself between her boyfriend and the woman, whose eyes widened at seeing her. "Why are you trying to leave?"

"Kim. You're Kim Possible." The woman grabbed her arms. "You help people, right? That's what you do."

"Yes. I help people." She tried not to react as the woman's sharp nails dug into her. "Now what's this all about?"

"My children. You must help my children."

Now Kim's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"They're all alone." That revelation seemed to stall the blonde woman. Her mouth hung open as her statement hung in the air. She released Kim, looking to the ground, and stepping back. "I left them...all alone." The first tears began to fall. "I left them all alone," she repeated. "I...I left them...they don't know any better...they're all alone."

Now it was Kim grabbing the lady. She forced her to look up. "Madame, you have to tell me. Where are your children? Did you leave them in the car?" Kim turned to look outside the doors. The mist prevented any visibility and she did not fancy going out there. However, if there were lives at stake, they would have to chain her down before...

"No."

Kim looked back at the woman. "They're at home. I left them at home."

Kim's heart sank.

"I told them I'd be right back." She spoke to Kim as if she was trying to absolve herself of some crime, that she hadn't dun it. "I told Cathy to watch out for little Michael. I told them I was just going for some groceries and candy and that I'd be right back. I didn't mean to take this long. I was just doing some shopping. It wasn't supposed to take this. I just..." sobs cut off her next words.

Ron looked at Rufus. The mole rat moaned sadly. They both knew where this was going.

In the crowd, Monique held her hand to her chest. Bonnie, for all her cynicism, could only look away, saddened by the truth of the matter. Ned gawked, not believing what he had heard. What would Kim do?

"Please," the woman begged. "You have to help me get them. They're not safe."

Kim gathered up the courage to speak. It would be a trying task indeed to convince this woman not to go. "Listen to me. I know you're worried about your children, but it's not safe outside. You have to stay here."

The mother looked at Kim as if she'd just told her that her children were dead.

"You said they're home, right? Well right now that's the safest place to be. So long as they're inside they will be okay."

"N-No...no they..."

"It's alright. They'll be fine."

"No! You don't understand!" Her shout silenced Kim immediately. "Michael likes to play in the yard. He likes being outside. Cathy, she..." the mother looked away again. "She likes to watch TV. Sometimes...sometimes she forgets to watch Michael. She leaves the door open and forgets to check up on him. The back door is always open when I come home. Michael is always outside." Her face shot back. "Oh God! You have to help me! Help me, please! I'm begging you. Help me!"

She was grabbing at Kim, like she was drowning and Kim was the life raft, shaking the teen violently. "You have to help me save them. That's what you do. You save people. Help me save my children."

"You can't." Monique rushed to her friend's aid, pulling the hysterical woman off of her and spinning her around. "Miss, if you go out there, you will die. You can't help your children if you're dead."

"How do you know that? How do you what will happen?"

"Did you not hear the screams? Didn't you hear the people dying?"

"What about the green woman," Ned spoke for the first time, "and the blue man that came in earlier? Do you want to end up like them?"

"Oh my God!" The woman lost control. "Whatever did that to them could still be out there. It might get my children. It might get Cathy and Michael. Let me go! I have to save them!" She lashed out at both Kim and Monique, forcing them away. They tried to calm her to no avail.

Bonnie glared at Ned. "Nice move, retard."

"But I was only trying to help."

"How about you stay silent for rest of your life? That will help."

Ned didn't say anything else.

Oscar came through the crowd at that moment. "What's going on?" He asked Ron while watching the three women tussle. When Ron filled him in, Oscar couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "But she can't go out there. Good heavens, Ron, that cloud could be poisonous."

"Mind telling her that?" Monique called from where she tried to hold onto the screaming mother.

Oscar rushed in to help. "Miss? Miss! You can't leave. That could be radiation out there for all we know. It might be what killed the people in the parking lot. If you go out there you might die."

"Michael! Cathy!"

"You're no good to your children dead. You must stay here with us where's it's safe." Oscar tried to be as reassuring as possible. "Trust me. Someone will come."

"I won't!" Breaking free of Monique, the mother swung her hand around and slapped Kim in the face. Shocked more than hurt, Kim grabbed her injured cheek and stepped away. They all did, as the distraught mother made her way toward the door. She looked at them and everyone who had stopped to watch the confrontation. But then her gaze fell on Kim. "I thought you helped people." She backed away one step at a time. "You're a lie."

That statement stung Kim more than she cared to admit. "Now you listen to me," she addressed everyone. "I'm going out there...to save my little girl and boy. I'm going to hold Michael in my arms. I'm going to brush my hand through Cathy's beautiful hair and tell her that everything is going to be okay." She was crying freely now. "I'm a single mother whose only purpose in life is her children. And I would rather risk it in an attempt at saving them...than spend another moment in here with you. You're all cowards - each and every one of you." Her eyes fell on Kim. "You can all go to hell."

The floor sensor felt her weight and the door slid open. The mother turned to face the darkness and everyone held their breath, literally. After a few tense seconds, the mother stepped outside, the doors closing behind her. When it became apparent that the mist was not toxic, an audible sigh escaped the crowd. Kim made to go after the woman, to try to convince her otherwise, but a hand stopped her. It was Ron. Her boyfriend's eyes told her there was nothing she could do and that it was pointless to try.

Looking back out the door, Kim watched as the woman hugged herself, like she was cold. She was alone, Kim knew. She was alone and would probably die alone. Kim wanted to go with her, to help her.

"You're a lie."

"No..." Kim reached out to her but the mother was gone, swallowed up by the mist.

News of the woman's departure - it was later learned that her name was one Margaret Vespers - had circulated throughout the store. Many had considered leaving as well but remained inside for fear that the mist was some kind of poisonous fume. Despite learning otherwise, only a handful continued to entertain thoughts of leaving for while the mist was not lethal they still remembered the screams of those who ran out to their cars. Patrons huddled far from the doors and windows. Parents consoled their children. Lovers held each other in their arms. Friends and neighbors cringed in fear, wondering what fate could have befallen their loved ones. They were cut off from the outside. It's as if the world had left them behind and they were all that remained of what once was.

Kim and Ron walked side by side. Margaret's parting words, the look of betrayal on her face as Kim revealed that she would not help her, weighed heavily on the young woman's heart. Kim had never turned anyone away in her life. She may as well have cut her own arm off and throw it away for it felt like she was missing a piece of herself. Peace of mind? Strength of character? Whatever it was, Kim knew that there was a void in her soul and no manner of consoling, even by the best boyfriend in the world, could fill it.

Not that Ron could be criticized for lack of trying.

"She was going," he went on, "with or without you. Any mother would have done the same. Yours. Mine. Monique's. It's how they're built."

"I turned her down, Ron."

"She was asking for too much. Having you kill yourself for her sake wouldn't have helped anybody." Ron grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her cold. "Kim, you realize that we're never going to see her again, don't you?"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"No. I'm just pointing out the obvious. No one who goes out there comes back. You heard the screams. You saw Shego." Ron lowered his voice. "There's something out there, Kim. I don't know what it is but I know it kills people. If you went with her, we'd have never come back."

She looked at him. "We?"

"Duh! What, you think I'd let you go out there all by yourself. We're a team. You go, I go."

Rufus chimed in. "Me too!"

Despite the circumstance, Kim smiled. Her boys had a way of making everything better no matter how bleak things were. "Thanks. Both of you."

"Always." Ron slid his hand down to her fingers. They walked together now. "So what's our next move?"

"What do you mean?"

"Lot of scared people here, Kim. Someone's going to have to take charge."

"And you think that's me?"

"There's no one better. You're Kim Possible. People listen to you."

"Ms. Vespers didn't."

"It was her choice, Kim. You can't be responsible for everyone."

"Isn't that exactly what you're telling me to do?"

"That's different. The people here, they're still alive. We can only worry about the here and now."

"And what about our parents, Ron? Our siblings? You're saying we don't worry about them because they're not here?"

"I am worried." Ron's face fell. "Mom. Dad. Hana. I'm worried about all of them. Don't you think a part of me wants to pull a Ms. Vespers and go running out of the store to see if they're okay? I'm scared for them." He looked up. "But my dad's an actuary and he told me that you have to weigh the risks in any given situation. I can go off into the mist...and die...or I can bunker down, keep my head low, and wait and see how things play out. My chances of survival are better knowing where I stand. Any good actuary knows that. If my dad were here he'd say the same. Besides, he's the smartest man alive. He'll keep my mom and Hana safe until I get back. They'll be alright."

Kim heard his voice break slightly at the end of that sentence. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself of his own words. "Ron." She smiled when he looked at her. "You're right."

"I am?"

She nodded.

He was relieved. "Good because I'm not good with pep talks."

"You did just fine back there."

"Only when you're around, KP. It's like you bring out the best in me, you know."

"Right back at ya." Kim nuzzled her nose into his cheek.

"There you are." Mr. Barkin came up to them before they could continue any further shows of affection. "Thought you might like a status report."

"How are they, Mr. B?"

The gruff man stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "I patched them as best I could, but I won't lie to you, Possible. They need surgery, which is far beyond my range of skill."

Ron chuckled. "Too bad your mom ain't stuck in here with us."

Kim glared at him.

"Or not." He turned away.

"How long do you think they'll last?"

"The woman wasn't as bad. She must have some advanced healing abilities to go along with those powers. Her breathing has returned to normal and she was sleeping soundly last I saw her."

Relief flooded Kim. Strange that she should feel so much concern over her mortal enemy.

"But it doesn't exclude the chances of contamination. I have no idea what that black stuff is and some of it might have seeped into her wound. There's a strange pigmentation forming around her leg. If I were a betting man, which I'm not, I'd say it's infected."

Kim inhaled sharply.

"The blue man is another story. He's needs emergency EVAC ASAP."

"Did you and Monique go to the same school?" She asked.

Ron clarified. "He means he needs to be evacuated as soon as possible."

"I knew that!"

"Sure."

Turning back to Barkin, Kim repeated, "So what's the prognosis? How much time do they have?"

"Hard to say with the infection and my lack of..."

"Just give us a ballpark estimate."

"Two days. Three at the most."

Damn. That's not enough time.

"My thoughts exactly," Steve said as if reading her mind.

"We have to help them." Kim began to think aloud. "Doesn't Smarty Mart have medical supplies?"

"Smart Mart has everything. But Kim, even if we have the tools we don't have the training to perform surgery."

"We don't," Kim told Ron, "but maybe somebody else does. Ron, can you and Mr. Barkin go around and see if there's a doctor in the house?"

"Good call, Possible." Mr. Barkin regarded Ron. "I'll take the east wing."

"And me the west."

"I'll ask around, too. Middleton's full of smart people. We might get lucky." Kim nodded to Barkin and Ron as they split up, all heading to different parts of the store.

Bonnie finally found the restroom after asking for directions. Smarty Mart was huge. It was a wonder people found anything here. All the signs were in different languages––just how many Mayas lived in Middleton?––and it was a quest just to find one in a language you could understand. After closing the door and choosing the nearest stall to do her business, Bonnie sat down and finally had some time to think.

What am I doing here?

All she'd wanted was to go cruising. Now she was stuck in a hand-me-down mall filled with people she didn't know, minus the nuisances from school, and surrounded by a thick fog that apparently ate its victims alive. Fate was always cruel to her. If she had to be stranded it couldn't have been on some private beach with bronzed waiters serving her caipirinhas. Or at least Junior's island; that place was as self-reliant as a government bomb shelter. She would have had access to a pool, a sauna, and maybe even take in a mud bath. The Seniors lived in a palace, the kind of place a princess like her belonged. She may have lost her chariot to that fender bender fiasco with that fool Ned, but at the very least she should have called Ju...

Wait a minute.

Still sitting, Bonnie pulled out her cell phone. She was getting no signal whatsoever. Bonnie had half a mind to flush it down the toilet with all the other waste.

"You're wasting your time," a female voice said.

Gasping, Bonnie looked every which way for the originator of the voice. Looking down and to her left, she spotted two feet with a pair of panties hanging between them. "Who's there?"

"Justine," the girl on the other end replied. "Justine Flanner."

Bonnie thought on it a moment. "Justine. The portal girl?"

"If you're referring to my kinomatic continuum disruptor, then yes. That would be me."

"What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I'd imagine." Bonnie saw Justine's feet shuffle as she moved to grab some toilet paper. When she was done, Justine got up and flushed, pulling up her underwear before exiting the stall. "Need I explain how things work down there?"

Grimacing, for Bonnie did not like to be criticized, the brunette finished up and flushed. She came out to find the blonde-haired genius washing her hands by the sink. Looking up at the mirror, Justine's stoic face did not waver under Bonnie's scrutinizing stare. "What?"

"I asked what you were doing here." Bonnie washed her hands as well. "And I wasn't talking about the potty."

One of Justine's firm eyebrows went up.

"Why are you at Smarty Mart?" Bonnie asked in frustration. "I thought geeks like you didn't leave your caves."

"I live in a two-story, colonial-style house with a white-picket fence on Emerson Street. Hardly a cave. Though I take it you were using a metaphorical adjective in reference to my room."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Being a nerd."

"Nerds and geeks are two different things, Bonnie. Though I don't expect you to know the difference." Justine went to dry her hands. "And since when do you care where I choose to spend my time?"

"I don't." Bonnie shut off the faucet. "And you did not choose to be here."

"Oh?" Justine looked back at her. "And you know this how?"

"I know your type. You're like the ants in the fairytale who are prepared for anything. There's no reason for you to leave your house because you already have everything you need."

Knowing the fairytale she alluded to well, Justine said, "Maybe I'm still foraging for the winter."

"Don't give me that. I saw you earlier. You weren't shopping. You didn't have a cart full of groceries. You were just there."

"And now I'm here."

"Why?"

"Why?" The blonde turned on her. "Why do you care why?"

"I don't." Bonnie crossed her arms. "I'm just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat, Bonnie."

"Yeah, well I'm one tough pussy. So spill."

Despite her attitude, Justine felt herself smile. "You're not as dumb as people say."

"Who says I'm dumb?"

"You're a cheerleader. It goes with the territory."

"I'm not dumb."

"A D average says otherwise."

Bonnie bared her teeth.

"What I mean," Justine began in an attempt to avoid a fight, "is that for all your flaws, you are quite perceptive. You were right in that I did not come here to shop." The smile disappeared. "I followed Kim Possible."

Oval eyes widened at the revelation. "Kim? Why?"

"It is my belief that she knows more about what's going on that she says. I spoke to her yesterday and she admitted that her father was working on a top secret project at the space center. The mist which has trapped us here originated from that area and I have reason to believe that the storm last night was a direct response to whatever it was they researching."

"You mean Kim's dad is responsible for this?"

"I don't know. She denies it, of course. Truly, I think she doesn't want to consider the possibility."

"You confronted her?"

"Twice. She denied me both times." Justine smirked again. "Once more and I can call her Judas."

"Why do you think her father has anything to do with this?"

"Think for a moment, Bonnie." She resisted the urge to add "Although it might be a stretch for you." "Dr. James Timothy Possible is the top scientist at the space center. The military comes in and practically takes over the town due to the activities at the facility. Now don't you think that if there's one person in the Tri-City area who has inside knowledge of those activities, it would be the head of research and development?"

Bonnie had to give her that. "Okay. So maybe Dr. Possible did know something. Even if he told Kim, what makes you think she'd tell you?"

"She wouldn't, which is why I'm trying to unearth the truth."

"You think that Kim's dad is the reason we're all stuck here?" The look on Justine's face told Bonnie she had hit the mark. "You're serious."

"Deadly."

"Look, I may not like Kim or her family, but I've been to her house and met her folks. They are the nicest people on earth. They'd never do anything to hurt a fly let alone the Tri-City area."

"Maybe he made a mistake."

"What? He hit the wrong switch?"

"Or he trusted the wrong people."

"He's too smart for that."

"It sounds to me like you've got a soft spot for the Possibles."

"The only soft spot I have is the part that's not going to come in contact with your face if you don't start making sense."

Justine did not appreciate being threatened. She was the same height and weight as Bonnie, though the brunette was better-toned thanks to her cheerleading activities. In a fight, she'd no doubt that Bonnie would defeat her. Instead of fisticuffs, Justine fell back on her greatest muscle: her brain. "Look. Maybe Kim does not know everything. She might not know anything at all. But I know it in my gut that a Possible is somehow connected to all this. She's the key to figuring this all out and I won't leave until I learn what was going on."

"So you're going to spy on her?"

"I don't trust her."

"That's one thing we have in common."

"That and we're both being kept in the dark. Talk to her, Bonnie. Ask questions. You might learn something."

"I don't take orders, Justine."

"A suggestion then." Justine stepped around her. They were ear to ear now and close enough to whisper and be heard. "The shit will hit the fan, Bonnie. The mist is only the beginning. People are scared, and when you get enough people scared they begin to turn on each other. When that happens, they always look for something, or someone, to blame. Chances are all that blame will fall on one person. Who do you think that's going to be?"

Bonnie said nothing.

"Exactly." With that, the blonde left the brunette mulling it over in the restroom. Bonnie couldn't see it but Justine had been smiling when she left. She may have lacked physical power, but Justine was a genius. Planting the seeds of doubt was the first step in harvesting a crop of loyal allies.

Apparently there wasn't a doctor in the house. Kim looked everywhere, asked everybody she saw if they were doctors or knew someone that was with no luck. Something her mother had said came back to her then, about how during times of trouble emergency personnel were to report to the hospitals, police stations, and firehouses. That being said, it was unlikely that any of them would have been running out for supplies. Mom would probably have gone to Middleton General Hospital, a place of sanctuary if there ever was one, and that gave Kim tremendous relief.

Earlier, Kim had been afraid of the idea of her family being stuck at the house when the mist came. If mom left for work, she would have taken Jim and Tim with her. They would be safe in Middleton General. Yes, Kim convinced herself, that's exactly what she would have done. If anything, the Tweebs were probably safer than she was stuck here in Smarty Mart. No doubt they'd be more worried about Kim and her whereabouts.

With that idea in mind, Kim was able to concentrate more on what she had to do. It didn't help worrying about people that weren't here when so many people that were here needed her help. Funny, didn't Ron say something along those lines earlier? His pep talk really had done wonders. She'd make sure to mention that to him when next they regrouped.

Yet there was still the matter of what happened to his family. It would be shameful of her to rejoice in her family's safety while his might still be in danger. At least Ron didn't have a tree sticking through his window, Kim thought. Their house was secure and Ron's parents were nothing if not vigilant.

She was just passing a door that said EMPLOYEES ONLY when she heard someone crying. Pausing, Kim swore she recognized the voice. It was a girl's voice. She gently pushed the door open and peeked inside. It was the employee's dressing room and there were lockers on either side of the entrance. Standing at the far end, her back to Kim and in the arms of her lover, was Tara Strong.

"Tara? Josh? What are you doing here?"

Tara stopped sobbing long enough to look back at Kim. Josh looked up from where he'd had buried his face onto the top of Tara's head. Judging from the dried tears on Tara's face she had been crying for some time. The blonde wiped them away as best she could with her hand. "Hey, Kim."

"Are you okay?" Kim entered the room. She knew it was a pointless question. Josh and Tara were trapped here just like everyone else. They were no doubt worried about their families and wondering if they'd ever see them again.

"Not really," Tara answered. She pulled away from Josh as if embarrassed all of a sudden, hugging her arms like she was cold. "I'm scared, Kim. There's just so much happening."

"We're all scared, Tara." Kim came to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Who wouldn't be in a time like this?"

"There were too many people around," Josh explained, "so I tried to find a place private enough where we could talk."

"As you can see, we didn't do much talking." Tara insinuated with another wipe of her eyes. "Josh just wanted to comfort me."

"That's nice," Kim said. Then she was taken aback when Tara offered her a pained stare. "Tara?"

She looked back to Josh who just smiled. It was a smile that could like up a thousand rooms, Kim noticed, and had been one of the features she so admired about Josh when they had dated.

"What is it?" Kim asked.

"Nothing." But Tara was lying. It was too obvious to Kim.

Josh knew it too which is why he said, "Come here, Tara."

Tara didn't. In fact, she moved away from both of them, out of their consoling circle. "Please. Kim. Josh. I...I think I want to be alone for a while."

Tara could have kicked Josh in the gut and it wouldn't have hurt as much. He was asking him to leave her in a time like this? What was going on? "Tara?"

"Please." Tara moved over to the opposite corner to grieve, her back to them.

The talk they had the other day replayed in Kim's mind. She figured she knew what was going on but had to be sure. "Josh." Kim escorted him toward the door and when they were out of earshot from Tara, told him in a private voice, "Let me talk to her. I think I know what this is about."

"But why won't she tell me?"

"Sometimes girls are confused." Actually, it's a lot of times, but she didn't tell Josh that. "They don't how to speak to boys. There are some things you can only talk to guys about, right? Well it's the same for us."

"But I'd never judge her. If she can't trust me..."

"It's not she doesn't trust you. It's just that she's embarrassed." She let Josh look back at Tara who was still crying in the corner. Then he looked back and Kim said, "Girl stuff."

"You're telling me she's distraught over personal hygiene issues? Kim, I hardly think that matters here."

"To a guy, maybe. But girls are always worried about things like this." She grabbed his arm in an attempt to hurry him along. "Look, I'll calm her down. Why don't you go outside, see if there's a doctor in the house?"

"Why would Tara need a doctor?"

"It's not for Tara. You remember that man and woman that stumbled into the store? They need medical attention. I was looking for one when I heard Tara crying. If you can find one for me, it'd be a big help." She whispered to him as she nudged him toward the door. "I'll fill you in later. Trust me, Josh."

Against his will, and seeing as it was Kim Possible telling him to leave, Josh left reluctantly. Alone with Tara, Kim made sure Josh was gone before approaching her. "Okay, Tara. Josh left. What's wrong?"

"You know what's wrong, Kim."

"I'd rather hear it from the horse's mouth."

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

"Tara."

She finally turned around. "What do you want me to say, Kim? I'm scared. I'm worried about my parents. I'm afraid that whatever happened to those people in the parking lot might happen to them. I wish I'd stayed home. I wish I didn't leave with Josh."

"Why did you leave? For that matter, what are you two doing here? I thought the consensus in the squad was that Smarty Mart was a no-go zone."

"Why are you here then?"

"Ron needed a lift. He works here, remember?"

"And Bonnie?"

One of Kim's eyebrows went up. "You knew we were all here? Were you hiding from me or something?"

Tara shook her head in frustration. "Josh works here, alright!"

Kim gawked.

"That is, he's supposed to. His family's been hit hard financially and they need a little extra money coming in." Tara hugged herself again. "His paintings weren't selling so he tried to get a job at Smarty Mart to help his folks pay the bills."

"Oh, Tara." Kim covered her mouth.

"He doesn't want to. He knows what people might think of him, and me, if they knew he worked at Smarty Mart. He applied for a position last week and was accepted. After the storm hit, all employees were supposed to report for work. Since it was his first day, Josh asked if my family needed anything. Now that he worked here, he figured that he could get me a discount on supplies. We needed a few things and since this was an emergency I decided to forgo the whole 'no-go zone' thing and accompany him." Tara stopped for a moment. "He's so sweet, thinking of me and my family even when his own is having trouble."

Kim had no idea. She never knew Josh was in such dire straits. One would not think that Josh Mankey, the supposed sweetheart of Middleton High, was having financial troubles. It just goes to show that you can't judge someone based on looks or popularity.

"We'd just arrived. I spotted you and Ned on line when we came in. I wanted to say hi, because I knew you wouldn't judge me considering that your guy works here too. But then I saw Bonnie and I backed off. She's the last person I want knowing about Josh's troubles."

"Good call. She'd have the gossip machine run you over when we got back to school."

"I mean she's my friend, but she can be so cruel sometimes. She thinks it's great that I'm dating Josh, but if she found out what was going on she'd tarnish his reputation, and by association, mine. She lives for the food chain. So Josh isn't as stable as everyone thinks he is. He's still a great guy. Who cares where he works?"

"She wouldn't understand." Wouldn't care, more like it. "Is that why you're hurting, Tara? Because you're afraid of what Bonnie might say if she found out?" Kim hoped it wasn't so. Tara shouldn't have to live her life based on what Bonnie thinks. The brunette can be mean, but that's because she didn't know any better. Besides, if after what Kim learned of her personal life, being picked on by two big sisters who were ten times the bitch Bonnie will ever be, is it any wonder? Kim actually felt sorry for her.

But Tara shook her head. "No. I'm still thinking about breaking up with Josh."

"It's not because of his family problems, is it?" When Tara didn't say anything, Kim stressed, "Is it?" Surely Tara couldn't be that shallow?

"No. But, Kim, we talked about this the other day. I just don't feel the same way about him anymore. But I'm afraid to break up with him. He's too good for me. He thinks about me even with all that's going on at home. If I broke up with him now, after everything that's happened, what would he do? I think he loves me, Kim. He spent the last twenty minutes being with me, brushing my hair, telling me that it was all going to be alright and that he'd keep me safe, that he'd take me home to my folks. He's just too perfect." Tara leaned back against the locker. "What do I do?"

"That is a dilemma. But Tara, you've got to come clean with Josh. Pretending you two are still an item isn't fair to him. He's a wonderful guy and seeing as how you're willing to take his feelings into consideration shows that you're a wonderful person too. You have to be honest. Tell him how you feel, but don't lead him on. That will only make it worse."

"But how?"

"Just talk to him."

"You mean dump him right now? I can't do that."

"But Tara..."

"Kim. It would devastate him."

Kim believed that Tara was giving herself too much credit. Sure Josh may be hurt, but he'd live. "Okay, maybe not now. But when this is all over and you two are back home safe and sound, you have to tell him. Seriously, Tara."

Tara held one of her arms in a nervous gesture. Finally nodding her head, she looked at Kim and said. "Okay."

"Good." Then to Kim's surprise, Tara jumped into her arms and gave her a hug.

"Thank you, Kim; for listening and understanding."

Kim returned the hug. "You're welcome."

Outside the room, a spectacled boy had been listening on the whole exchange. Ned covered his mouth as he leaned back against the wall outside the door. He had been walking by when he saw Josh Mankey leaving the employee's only room and wondered what was going on. He looked troubled and Ned, being naturally curious, decided to poke around.

He opened the door slightly and saw Kim and Tara talking to one another. After finishing their discussion, Ned could not believe his ears. Tara was thinking of breaking up with Josh! This was big news. Coming from a boy who lived at the lowest rung of the Food Chain, to know that two higher-up like Josh and Tara had problems like everyone else was an empowering experience. The question now was what to do with this knowledge? Ned wasn't a gossiper by trade, but he imagined that Bonnie would love to hear about this little tidbit.

Then again, Bonnie treated him like crap so screw her.

But to speak of this would be like betraying Kim's trust. Ned liked Kim. She was one of the few popular girls who treated him with respect. Okay, she was the ONLY popular girl to treat him with respect. To go blabbing on about this to the general public would be a horrible thing to do. Hence, Ned decided to keep this a secret. Perhaps if he admitted this to Kim, to show her that he was a trustworthy man worthy of keeping her secrets, she might put in a good word with him with a certain young woman that he had his eyes on for a while.

Yes, Ned decided. He would do the honorable thing. Hearing Kim and Tara approaching the door, Ned moved to disappear, taking the hidden conversation with him.

"Ron!" Looking over his shoulder, Ron was pleased - and genuinely surprised - to see his friend Felix Renton closing the distance between them on his highly-modified wheelchair.

"Felix! Dude!" Ron and Felix pounded their fists together.

"I thought I recognized your goofy haircut." He spotted Rufus on Ron's shoulder. "What's up, Rufus?"

"Hi!" Normally any friend of Ron's was a friend of Rufus (not that Ron had that many friends to begin with) but the fact was that Rufus really did like Felix. As a naked mole rat living in a human's world, Rufus had to live with daily handicaps. He couldn't get anywhere without using Ron as a mode of transportation, pretty much like how Felix relied on his wheelchair to get him from place to place. They both had a similar outlook on life in that they didn't let their conditions get in the way of living it. Despite his gentle appearance, Felix had an animalistic quality that Rufus truly admired. Like Ron, Rufus saw Felix like some kindred spirit. The three got along like they were born brothers.

"So what brings you to my neck of woods?" Ron asked.

"I'm stocking up on some essentials. Mom usually does the shopping, but she's stuck at the space center so I pretty much had to look after myself for the past few hours."

"That's right. Your mom fixes robots."

"More like she builds, upgrades, and maintains all of the space center's high-tech equipment. She's the head of their cyber-robotics division." Felix tapped his armchair. "Who do you think gave me this puppy?"

"Wanna trade pets?" Ron winced as Rufus playfully jabbed him in the cheek. "Just playing with ya, Rufus. So did you find what you were looking for?"

"I only came here to get a few things. I was in the back when I heard the siren. That's when I came upfront to see Kim screaming at us to get out of Dodge."

"Kim said she spoke to her father last night."

"Impossible," Felix admitted. "The space center's on lockdown. No incoming calls or out."

"Impossible? Have you forgotten the name?"

"Touché. Go on."

"Mr. Dr. P said that if the siren went off, Kim was to take her family and leave. It's supposed to be some sort of doomsday warning or something."

"Well it looks like doomsday to me." Felix said that just as he was looking toward the windows. The mist swirled menacingly outside. Hard to believe that the only thing keeping the people of Smarty Mart safe was a few centimeters of plain glass. "I sure hope mom is okay."

"Momma Renton is good, Felix. Kim's dad would never let anything bad happen to this town."

"Then why the siren? Why did he tell Kim to leave if she heard it?"

"Just to be safe."

"Does it look safe out there, Ron?"

"No...I guess not."

Felix closed his eyes. "Mom was always hush-hush about everything that went on at the space center. She'd come home late at night, thinking I was asleep. But I was awake. I'd hear her footsteps as she came to my room to see me. I pretended to be sleeping and deep down I think she realized I was faking it. She'd stand there and watch me and I could feel the concern in her eyes. Each morning we'd sit at the table and have breakfast. Mom was always tired from working all those late shifts, but she tried to be upbeat. The last thing she wanted was to make me worry."

Ron could tell that his friend was deeply troubled by this turn of events. Ms. Renton was a lovely woman; kind, beautiful, who cared deeply about her son, the kind of woman boys would kill to call mom. She was all Felix had, but Ron never considered how close they were. He had two parents, a best friend, a girlfriend, and a little sister. The absence of a father or sibling meant that Felix relied more on his mother for tune-ups for his wheelchair. He relied on her for companionship. Having her at the space center all this time meant that Felix was alone in that house. All alone.

"I could see that something was bothering her. Whatever they were working on at the facility was top secret and she couldn't tell me, her only son, what was going on. All she told me was that they'd be done real soon and that we could hang out again. We haven't spent time together in a long time. I miss her." Felix looked at Ron. "It's hard when your only parent is a genius."

"Dude, why didn't you call me? I would have come over and we'd have hung out together."

"Thanks, Ron. But I had someone to keep me company."

Stoppable's eyes widened. "Who?"

Felix smiled. "Zita Flores."

Now his eyes almost fell out of their sockets. "Seriously?"

"She's been helping me study. That girl's a whiz in history."

"Dude! You and Zita?"

"Shh!" Felix looked around. "Keep your voice down."

Ron lowered his voice. "That's great. Zita's one of the hottest girls in school."

"It's not like that. I mean she is, and I like her and everything, but..."

"Felix, bro, there is no 'but' when you're with a hottie-hot-hottie like Zita Flores." Then it hit him. "Okay there is-but..."

"Ron." Felix shut him up. "So far we've only been study buddies. I'd like to be more but so far she's given me nothing but mixed signals. I don't know if she's waiting for me to make the first move or something else. All I know is that I'd like to ask her out on a date."

"Dude! You should do that."

"Yeah right."

"But you just said you liked her."

"I do. It's just that I..." Felix looked at himself.

"Come on. Zita won't care about that. She's not that kind of girl."

"How do you know?"

"The Ron Man knows a thing or two about the ladies. In case you haven't noticed, I'm currently hooked up with the head of the Middleton Cheer Squad."

"Humble much?"

"All I'm saying is that Zita's cool. She'll love being with you, man. You've got the whole Steven Hawking/Professor X thing going for ya."

Felix chuckled.

"I'm serious. Chicks dig the personality, not the physicality."

"In that case, Kim's 0 for 2."

"That's cold, man."

Felix chuckled louder this time. Even Rufus joined in.

"Et tu, Rufus?"

When Felix stopped, he asked Ron a very serious question. "You really think I've got a shot?"

"One shot is better than none. And trust me, dude, you're fully loaded."

A long silence pervaded the space between them.

"Please rephrase that."

"Yeah, that came out wrong."

"Stoppable!" Steve Barkin came walking up to them. He gave Felix a curt nod before addressing Ron directly. "Any luck on your end?"

"I'm afraid it's a bust, Mr. B."

"What's a bust?" Felix asked the two of them.

"We've been trying to find a doctor who can take a look at Shego and Drakken. Mr. Barkin patched them up as best he could but they need professional help. No offense," he offered Barkin.

"None taken." His eyes fell on Felix next. "Isn't your mother a doctor, Mr. Renton?"

"She's a doctor of cyber-robotics, not people. She was still at the space center when the siren went off."

"I see." While the man's hard face never changed, the boys could tell from his voice that he was a bit disappointed. He rubbed his chin in thought. "Worst case scenario, we have to go out there and bring back help."

"Out there? I don't meant to question your sanity, Mr. B, but are you insane?"

"We're running out of options, Stoppable. Those patients of mine won't last too long without help, and unless we get some news from the outside real soon people are going to start panicking."

"Like they aren't already," Felix muttered under his breath.

"Aside from the man and the woman upstairs, the rest of us have little to worry about. Smarty Mart is stocked with enough supplies to last us for weeks if necessary. We have food and water, beds, heating, lighting,"

The lights went out at that moment. "Or not," Ron said.

The backup generators kicked in and bathed the aisles in a dim yellow hue. Cries of panic rose up throughout the store and more than one child started crying.

"Dammit! As if we didn't have enough to deal with. Stoppable, go to the back and see what's going on with our generator."

"Why do I have to go?" The freckled boy protested.

"Because someone has to run damage control and I have a commanding presence."

"So? I can be in command."

"You can command many things, son. Respect isn't one of them." When Mr. Barkin turned around it was his signal that the debate was over. One glance over his shoulder and that was it. "The lights, Stoppable," and he was gone.

"Got to hand it to him, Ron, people do listen to him."

"One of these days I'm going to earn that man's respect." Hearing the ruckus the blackout had caused, Ron realized that he should hurry. "Come on, Rufus."

"Want me to come with?" Felix asked him.

"Nah. We'll be right back. It's probably a shorted wire or something."

"Are you sure? I might be able to help. I am a mechanical genius' son, afterall."

"It's cool, Felix. Whatever it is, I can handle it."