The Mist

by Karon19

After a freak storm, a mysterious mist envelops Middleton. Kim, Ron, and other residents are trapped in the local Smarty Mart, waiting for help to arrive. But as tensions rise, the real monsters reveal themselves.

8. Revelations

Darev: I feel like I've abandoned this site. I've posted on a couple of forums, reviewed a few fics, but haven't been writing as much as I've used to. I did finally finish my masters degree and am now an out of work writer. Well, there's something in the works but I won't find out for a couple of weeks. I'm giving freelancing a shot and am trying to design my own website. I've also finished my book and have sent out a few queries to publishing houses. So things are in the works and I'm thankful for that.

As for this installment, Shego's back, Barkin's life is hanging by a thread, Justine and Bonnie are found out, and Ron's going into a very dark place. Revelations abound!

Thanks to zzzoo9, madmopar, the real sidekick, cajunbear73, taechunsa, angelus-alvus, daydreamer9, uberscriber, and the mysterious guest for leaving reviews.

KP

People were scared. Their sanctuary had been violated by the onslaught of the mist monsters, destroying their false sense of security. They'd strengthened the barricade and posted double watches along the line, arming everyone with a various assortment of sharp tools or blunt objects should another breech occur. They needn't have bothered, though, for the swarm had moved on and with them the birds of prey. The dactyls were only interested in the dragonflies, after all, and not the terrified humans hiding behind plain glass and stacked piles of manure.

No one slept easy that night. When morning came, and they were only able to tell that by the large clock in the lobby, the mist still blanketed the front of the store, blotting out any visibility. The monsters could be just a few feet in front of them and the onlookers would not have been able to tell. Surely no one was crazy enough to go looking for them, not after what happened. Shego's warning, about there being something in the mist, seemed almost prophetic now and no one questioned Ron's loading dock experience any longer. They may have not seen what those two had seen, but there was no doubting that there were a whole lot of things out there, and they wanted in.

With order restored, the leaders of the stranded band of people had collected themselves in the waiting room outside the manager's office. The two couches were occupied. One of them held Dr. Drakken, still out cold, still wheezing, the mark on his chest having to be cleaned again for it had gathered an ungodly amount of puss without attendance. The blue man slept uncomfortably, and while he may not have been tossing and turning like his female companion had been only a short time ago, it was clear that his experiences had been traumatic. His chest moved slower and his breathing slowed. If he lasted another night it would be a miracle.

The other couch held a new occupant, Steven Barkin. Unlike Drakken whose injuries could be covered, the wounds suffered by Barkin were not so easily hidden. The man had suffered second-degree burns on his face, chest and hands. The close-quarter fight he had with the dactyl had left horrendous scratch marks along the front of his body and shoulders. He had wrestled with the thing, pinned it down, and beat it to death with his own hands while his clothes were still aflame. It was the most amazing feat of human endurance Kim and Monique, who had been there when it happened, had ever seen. He was a remarkable man and it pained them greatly to see him this way.

Ironically enough, it had been the couch's former occupant who now tended to him, displaying an extraordinary degree of medical knowledge that increased Kim's respect for the woman tenfold. "How is he, Shego?"

"Dying." The woman's tone left no room for ifs, ands, or maybes. It was direct and to the point, a trait that stole the heart from Kim's next question.

"How long will he live?"

"I'm not a doctor. He might live through the night, or he might not."

"Funny," Monique began. She had been standing at the far wall, arms crossed, watching Shego look over her teacher. "He said the same thing about you yesterday. You came out of it."

Shego's green eyes fell on Monique and the ebon girl straightened up. "He's not me," she said before going over to Drakken. "He doesn't have my healing ability. It's amazing he remained conscious for as long as he did while he was on fire." She looked at Kim. "You say he beat the bird to death?"

Kim nodded. "Like a man possessed."

"Tough son of a bitch." She shook her head. "It's too bad he won't make it. We could use him."

"He will make it!" Kim latched onto Shego's arm and turned her around roughly. "He never gave up on you when you were lying there, near death, and going on and on about the mist. Show him the same respect."

"It's called being a realist, Princess." Shego detached herself from Kim's grasp with barely a shrug. She may not be at full strength, but she was still in peak condition. "Look, it's not that I want him to die. Far from it if he looked out for me the way you say he did. But we have to face facts. None of us here are emergency personnel with a doctorate in human physiology. I've patched up a lot of bodies in my day, though I was usually the one breaking them, but even I can't repair damaged tissue. That man has suffered second-degree burns, which means he was within an inch," she held up her thumb and index finger, pinching them together as if holding a strand of hair, "of meeting his maker. Under normal circumstances we can call and have an ambulance cart him off to Middleton General. But things aren't normal around here, are they, Princess?"

Kim said nothing.

"That's what I thought." Concerned, she looked at Drakken. "I'm amazed he hasn't kicked the bucket yet. I guess the doc's made of tougher stuff than I gave him credit for."

"He won't die," Kim told Shego. Her mind was made up. Mr. Barkin had saved her life twice in the span of heartbeats; first when he knocked that dragonfly off her back and the second time when the dactyl leaped out of the fire. Had Kim been thorough and made sure that the dactyl was dead then Mr. Barkin wouldn't be hurt like this, his skin horribly burned. She blamed herself for what happened but she refused to give up. This was her mistake. Only she could fix it. "We're going to save him. And Dr. Drakken."

"Can't say the same for that Patrick guy." Monique had referred to the man who died when the dactyl tore out his throat at the onset of the fight. Ron had told them that he couldn't save him, that Patrick was dead before he'd ever gotten close and chased after the dactyl. The man's name had been Patrick...something-or-other and they put his body in the loading dock under a protective tarp. Some of his closest friends and neighbors had held a private ceremony for him.

Kim turned on Monique, eyes flaring. "We're not going to lose anyone else, Monique! First Mrs. Vespers, then Junior, now Patrick," she clenched her fists. "They're the last ones. The only ones."

"So sayeth the great Kim Possible."

Kim turned around. "We saved your life, Shego! How about a little gratitude?"

"Saved my life?" Shego scoffed. "Really? As I recall it, I saved my life and the doc's when I ran away from the mist. I was tired, lost consciousness and woke up when all hell was breaking loose. I stumble out of bed, not sure of where I was, come down the stairs and find myself in a Tim Burton remake of Jurassic Park. One of your boys was about to be eaten. He'd have been dead if I hadn't stepped in and saved him. From what you told me you and your girlfriend needed saving today as well."

"We helped you."

"He helped me." Shego pointed a finger at Barkin. "And you. As far as I'm concerned he was the most useful person here."

"Just because you dated him doesn't mean you know him."

The green-eyed woman rolled her eyes as she knelt down beside Drakken, feeling his pulse. Hang in there, Doctor D.

"Shego!" Kim's tone indicated she had called her name earlier and was irritated that she had to repeat herself. "Did you hear me?"

"Obviously not." Shego got up. "What do you want now, Pumpkin?"

"I asked you what happened to you while you were in the mist. When you first got here you shouted something and blacked out. For the past several hours you've been saying 'There's something in the mist' like you were having a bad dream. I need to know what's out there. What are we up against? What did you see in the mist?"

Shego touched her forehead like she felt a headache coming along.

"Well?" Kim said impatiently.

"I'm not sure."

"What?"

Shego turned around. "What are you deaf? I said I'm not sure."

"Did you lose your memory?"

"I wish." She regarded Drakken once before saying, "Look, it's not that I don't remember. It's just that...I don't want to."

That made both girls shiver.

"All I care to remember is that when the mist hit Dr. D and I were leaving Middleton. We were in my hovercar. The mist came at us and we lost power. I was able to crash us safely on the ground. The mist was all around us then. We couldn't see a thing." She covered her eyes. "We got lost. We didn't know where we were." Her words became whispers, like she was back in the mist and she feared to speak too loud less she draw unwanted attention. "That's when we heard them."

"Heard who? The bugs?" Monique asked.

But Shego shook her head. "No. Not bugs. Something bigger. A lot bigger."

Seeing the distress reminiscing was doing to her, Kim walked up to her and said in a cautionary voice, "What did you see?"

"I told you we didn't see anything. The mist was too thick." Shego became irritated.

"Fine. Then what did you hear?"

Reaching back to that moment in her mind, Shego sighed. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the memory, or discard it altogether. "It...it got Dr. D first. I was right next to him. We fumbled around for a while when we heard it coming toward us. At first we thought it was behind us but then we heard a sound in front of us. When we turned to go the other way, there it was, just feet from where we were standing. It was like it was playing with us, circling us like we were its prey." She paused a moment. "I don't know what happened next. One moment Drakken's right next to me and the next he's on the ground screaming. I felt him being pulled away and reached out to grab him. I started firing plasma blindly into the mist, hoping I would whatever it was that was holding him. He screamed..." Shego dropped her hand, her eyes globes of anguish. "I never heard him scream before."

Kim looked at Drakken. The man had loved to taunt his foes and boast about himself. He was a clichéd villain in every sense of the word. He was a pain and surely Kim enjoyed foiling his schemes one after the other, but the thought of him in pain, to be hacked and chewed like a piece of meat, it almost sent tears down her cheeks.

"I hit something," Shego went on, oblivious to the moisture forming around Kim's eyes. "It made a sound like nothing I ever heard. It was horrible. I almost screamed myself but Drakken was clawing at my ankle, begging me to get him up. I did. I swung his arm around my shoulder and started running."

"Where?" Monique asked.

"Anywhere. Middleton. China. Mars. So long as it was away from whatever was attacking us, I couldn't care less. Drakken said he was bleeding. He said the thing had stabbed him in the chest and that there was a lot of blood coming out. He was holding himself together, whining like a scared kid. I tried to get us out of there but then something attacked me. It wasn't as big but damn it was fast!" Her hand went reflexively to the scar on her thigh. It was bandaged up but she could still feel the sting. "I cried out and fell. I knew it was death to stop moving but I couldn't help it. I've never been caught off guard like that."

"And Drakken?" Kim asked.

"He screamed my name. Funny, but I think he was more concerned with me than with himself at the moment. The guy can surprise you now and then."

"Go on."

"I remember hitting the ground, hard. I felt something over me. It tried to grab me but I turned around and blasted it right in its face."

"You saw its face?" Monique said.

"Or its ass, maybe, I don't know. I was shooting at anything that moved. Whatever I hit, it backed off and into the mist. I went to get Drakken when I fell back down, realizing I'd been hurt." Her fingers caressed her thigh. "I couldn't access the damage right then so I picked Drakken up and started wobbling as fast as I could. I..." Shego stopped and left her mouth hanging open. She closed it and looked to the floor.

"What is it?" Kim was almost leaning into her.

"I remember...running...running and shooting. I don't know how long we were in there but it seemed like hours. I was so exhausted. It became difficult to think, to breathe. All I knew is that if I had stopped we were doomed. They were all around us then. Hundreds of them. Some sounded no bigger than your average dog, but the others, the big ones, they towered over us. Several things lashed out at us and I used up most of my energy by the time I finally found a break in the mist. Even then I didn't stop running. Both of us were bleeding and tired but I could not stop. I wouldn't stop. It was still behind us." Her knees became weak and finally Shego slumped to the floor. "We crested over a hill and that's when I saw the Smarty Mart. A strange horn started sounding when we entered the driveway. I saw people coming out, running for their cars. I didn't warn them, too tired. The last thing I remember was stumbling through the doors and collapsing to the floor." She looked up. "That about cover it?"

Kim fell to her knees in front of her. It occurred to her how human Shego looked at that moment, scared and tired. Of course she was too proud to admit it, but Kim knew that deep down whatever she saw in the mist would scar her in ways she could never imagine. Mr. Barkin had said so. She spared a glance at him as if hoping he'd sit up, brush off his burns, and become the rock that, she realized, she had grown to depend on since this whole thing started. Kim usually relied on herself, but there were times when having another strong rock at your side made you feel that much stronger. Mom and Dad weren't here, and Ron was lost in grief. Monique was distracted and the only other person Kim could depend on was laying near-death on the couch.

"So we don't know what's out there."

"It's better it stay that way, Princess. I don't know about you but I saw just about enough to last me a lifetime, and I couldn't even see anything."

"It's been a day since the mist arrived. We're cut off from the outside world and have no idea how far the mist has spread."

"You think it could be global?" Monique's terrified question sent Kim's mind spinning.

"I don't think it's gotten that far, yet. Before it hit Smarty Mart, I remember seeing the mist from my house. It was coming from the east and it took at least a couple of hours before it reached us." She looked at Shego. "If you were able to outrun it then it can't be spreading that fast. If it remains low to the ground then there's a good chance that the mountains surrounding the Tri-City Area would be enough to contain it, to keep it from expanding. The government is probably on full alert by now and has this whole region quarantined. They'll figure that there must be some people still trapped inside and are preparing a rescue as we speak."

"That's some sound reasoning, Princess," Shego said. "But consider my hovercar. It lost all power when the mist came up. If that's the case then it might generate some electro-magnetic pulse that disables most machinery. I doubt the government could get anything with larger carrying capacity than a jeep in here."

"Even if you're right, the pulse can't be that strong." She motioned to the room. "We still have power."

"But for how long?"

"Oscar said that Smarty Mart can run for weeks even off the main power grid."

"Oscar?"

"The bald guy. He's been an employee here for more than thirty years."

Shego recalled the portly gentleman who greeted her after successfully repelling the attackers. "He sure looks it."

"Anyway, I'm sure GJ at least has some transport that can..." It then hit her. "GJ!" Kim shot up so fast she startled Shego. "I forgot all about them."

"Then consider yourself lucky."

"I'm serious, Shego! They can help us."

"But do we want it?"

Monique raised her voice. "Um...hello? OOTLH!"

"Is she okay?"

Kim smiled. "Monique has a unique way of talking. It means OUT OF THE LOOP HERE." She turned to her friend. "I'm not really supposed to talk about them given that they're a top secret government agency and all."

"But..." Monique pressed.

"But, they're an organization that specializes in taking down super criminals like Monkey Fist and Professor Dementor."

Shego scoffed. "'Super?' Those spats are almost as incompetent as Drakken. No offense, doc," she told his sleeping form. Amazingly, Drakken seemed disgruntled by her comment and bared his teeth momentarily. Shego smiled at that as if it had been his secret way to let her know that he was still fighting.

"GJ has all sorts of high-tech gadgets," Kim went on. "I'm sure they have equipment that can defend against electro-magnetic pulses. Their secret base looked like it could have withstood a thermonuclear blast."

"Not so secret now," Monique commented.

"What I'm saying is that if we can somehow contact them, to let them know that we're here, they'll be able to send help." For the first time since this all started, Kim was genuinely smiling. She slapped a fist into her open palm. "Betty will help us. I know she will."

"Betty?"

"GJ's head honcho," Shego said for Monique's benefit. "You know for her best friend, she sure keeps you out of the loop."

"Tell me about it."

Kim grimaced. "Okay enough! We have a plan. I'll need to speak to Felix about this."

"Felix?" Shego scratched her chin. "He's the boy whose chair Motor Ed tried to steal, right?"

Kim nodded. "He's also one of the smartest guys I know. He tried to build a long-range satellite earlier but it fell apart. He just didn't have the right tools for the job. I'm sure he'll figure out a way to call GJ."

A thought crossed Shego's head. "What about that fat kid you're always talking too...the geek who never leaves his room?"

"Wade."

"Yeah, him. Can't you call him and have him send a message to Betty?"

Kim sighed at that. "I tried contacting Wade earlier. There was no signal. It's like he disappeared."

"Then we're screwed."

Kim glared at her. "I told you Felix can do it!"

"If you say so." Shego got to her feet. "Because if he can't, I don't care what you say or what anyone else says, I'm getting Dr. D out of here if I have to hike all the way through Middleton to do it."

"He won't survive out there."

"He won't survive in here. Face it, Kimmie. You guys may have food, water, and power but if there's one thing you're lacking it's medical supplies and the know-how to use it. Good wishes aren't going to save Drakken...or your teacher. I can't wait around hoping Betty or some other government schmuck will arrive on a white horse and a stretcher. Your boy either gets someone on the other line or we're out of here. Capiche?"

Kim nodded. "You won't be disappointed." Kim looked at Monique. "Can you tell Felix I need to see him?" Kim looked at Shego and motioned to the other room. "In the meantime, there's someone else I need to have a serious talk with."

Kim and Shego headed to the manager's office while Monique made her way to the exit. "Guess I'm just the messenger girl now." Monique knew she was out of her depth here. First she watched her friend almost get stung by a giant flying cockroach and then she just stood by while Mr. Barkin fought for his life against a burning dinosaur. Now that Barkin was down for the count and Shego in the picture, she could tell that she had been bumped down the chain of command. She wasn't even the sidekick anymore, only the errand girl. She glanced over her shoulder at Kim and Shego and wondered if she should even come back at all.

KP

In the manager's office, Ron Stoppable hovered like a warden over Justine and Bonnie. The two girls sat in individual chairs with their backs to the desk, facing the door. He had to change again, Ron, after having finished off that dactyl using a pair of lawn scissors with frightening effect. This time he picked off the rack and donned a long, brown shirt with red cuffs. He had kept the scissors, however, the tool-turned-weapon down the back of his pants with the handles sticking out. After having washed it of the dactyl's blood Ron found it pleased him having them around. The thing could be quite useful in case he needed to vent any future frustrations.

The girls only hoped he wouldn't vent anytime soon because he looked at them dangerously. Bonnie had remained silent for most of the exchange, leaving the talking to Justine. It didn't take a Wade Load to realize who was calling the shots here. What struck Ron as incredible was how submissive Bonnie was during the whole thing, keeping silent mostly, only speaking whenever Ron spoke to her directly. It wasn't like her and that irked Ron all the more. Bonnie's bitchy, higher-than-thou nature was part of what Ron perceived to be normal. For her to act against her nature only reminded him of just how F'd up this whole sitch was. Nothing was the way it should be. People weren't being who they were. They had all changed and Ron wasn't sure if it was for the better.

He heard Kim and Shego enter the room, which made him turn around. "It's about time." He didn't sound impatient but there was a coldness to his voice that stopped Kim her tracks. Shego raised an eyebrow, not afraid but noticing the change that had come over the 'buffoon.' Looking back at his prisoners, Ron said, "Go on. Tell her what you told me."

Justine just glared at him, defiantly.

"Fine." He looked to her left. "Bonnie?"

"Why don't you tell her?" The brunette asked. "I didn't know half the things Justine did until a few minutes ago."

"But you knew enough and said nothing."

"Can you blame me?"

"Yes." Ron narrowed his eyes. "I can blame you for a lot of things, Bonnie. There's too much crap going down for us to hold onto old grudges right now, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and remind myself that I help people."

"Tough man," Justine smirked. "When Kim's around."

Ron didn't smile. He didn't twitch. He didn't back down to Justine in any way. "I can hold my own."

"When you have a weapon on hand, it seems. I wonder if you would have been able to handle the monsters without those scissors. Tell me, Ron, did it feel good to have the choice of life and death in your hands? Did it feel good killing something? Did you like it?"

Ron's stare was just cold.

"Well?" Justine said. "Did you?"

"What are you doing?" Bonnie whispered, though it was pointless given that Ron was only a foot away from them.

"Making a point."

"Funny you should say that." Faster than their eyes could follow Ron reached behind and brought out the scissors. He spread the blades out and held them around Justine's thin neck, startling the blonde. Behind him, Kim and Shego let out gasps and Bonnie shrieked. "I have a few points to make myself." There was almost a sadistic glee in his voice that sent shivers down Justine's spine. She could feel the razor's edge on her skin and held still for fear of it tasting her flesh. The blades were very close to a major artery.

"Stop it!"

Lucky for her Kim rushed over and pulled Ron back. "What the hell's the matter with you? You might have hurt her."

"And that would be wrong?"

"Yes! We don't hurt people, Ron. You said it yourself, you help people."

"You mean like Junior?" He looked at her. "I helped him."

Kim pulled him to the side and spoke in a voice that only he could hear. "Ron, now isn't the time for this. I need you to keep a cool head and not go all psycho on me. Can you do that?"

"You didn't hear what they said. How can I not be angry?"

"Cool it, Ron!"

"Fine." He pulled away from her, roughly. "But you may not think that way after you hear what they have to say." He walked to the other side of the room, passing Shego who had a dark smile on her face. "What are you looking at?"

"Down boy," her smile widened. She had to admit that she liked this newer, darker version of Ron. It almost made him look good.

Ron leaned against the wall by the door and crossed his arms. Kim shook her head and knew that she must deal with him eventually. Their past conversations and interactions were proof that everything was coming apart at the seams. Turning to the girls, Kim approached Justine first and said, "What do you have to tell me?"

"Nothing," Justine said. "Save that it's all your father's fault."

"Not this again."

"Again?" Shego said. "Am I missing something here?"

"Justine thinks my dad has something to do with the mist. We talked about it before. Argued, actually. I told her to let it slide, that my father would never knowingly put the town in danger." She looked at Bonnie. "Just as I told you, Bonnie."

"Kim..." Bonnie seemed hesitant at first. She looked at Justine who just glared daggers at Kim. Shaking her head, Bonnie said, "Just listen to what she has to say."

"That's a first," Kim said. "You're letting someone else speak for you? You must have hit your head pretty hard after that car crash."

"Joke all you want, Possible! I know what I saw."

"Which is...?"

Justine smiled at last. "Your father was doing some dangerous research at the center. That research was responsible for the mist." She tilted her head to the side. "And I can prove it."

"Justine,"

"What's the matter? Can't help knowing that Daddy Possible was imperfect?"

Kim grabbed Justine by the collar and pulled her up. "Enough! I won't have you slurring his name."

"Touchy! You going to do what Ron promised a moment ago?"

Kim tossed her back in the chair. "Start talking sense!"

"Very well. I told you about my hacking into the center's secure files, correct? Before I was permanently locked out?"

Kim recalled their first conversation at the Bueno Nacho. "Yes."

"I managed to pull a few files onto my computer. Most of it was logistics; names of the people working on the project, your dad among them, military checkpoints to and around the space center, what was on the menu for lunch that afternoon, etc. But a few things stood out. I downloaded some very interesting pictures."

"R-rated I hope?" Shego said.

"This isn't funny, Shego," Kim shot at her. "If you can't contribute to this in any way then why don't you take a cue from Bonnie and keep your mouth shut?"

"Yes, Mistress." Shego was still smiling when Kim looked away.

"Go on."

"Some of the photos were renderings of things I'd never seen before. I think I recall seeing something that resembled those flying dinosaurs that broke in here, though based on their sketches I'd say they were perhaps five times as large."

"Are you saying those things we killed might have been just babies?"

Justine shrugged. "Could be."

"They die easily enough," Ron said from his point on the wall.

"Then I hope you have a really large pair of scissors, Ronnie Boy. I saw other things that made those dinosaurs look like tweetie birds. Whoever had drawn those renderings had obviously seen some things that were literally out of this world. Some had multiple legs, appearing crustacean; others were as big as a six-story building and walked on bulbous legs as wide as Redwoods."

Behind Kim, Shego seemed to shrink back a little, like she was remembering the things that attacked her and Drakken in the mist. Ron noticed this. He watched her.

"I didn't take them seriously at first. How could I? I'm a woman of science and this looked like science fiction to me. But then I found something. We did." She nodded at Bonnie. "Back in the loading dock."

"You were at storage?" Kim asked Bonnie. "After what happened?"

"I was following her," Bonnie said in her defense. "She wanted to find some evidence tying your dad to the mist so I went with her."

"Why?" Kim asked harshly.

"I was curious," Bonnie said, though didn't seem to believe her own words.

"She hates you, Kim. Always did. Putting the blame on your father would have been the perfect way to bring you down."

Kim glared daggers at Bonnie. "Is that true, Bonnie?"

"No! Well, I do hate you. But I have nothing against Dr. Possible."

"But you're still willing to smear his name."

"I just want to know what's going on."

"I'll tell you what's going on." Shego spoke at last. "The world's gone to hell and we're right in the seventh circle. That about cover it, princess?"

Kim turned around. "What did I do?"

"Not you. That princess." She pointed at Bonnie. "I can tell a girl who thinks she's all that just by looking at her. I mean come on. I fight one all the time."

"Oh, then...hey!" Kim narrowed her eyes.

"Don't give me that look. You and her have a lot more common than you think."

"We do not!" Both girls said together before looking at each other.

"I rest my case."

"Why don't you rest your mouth as well, Shego!" Kim turned back to Bonnie. "Do you hate me that much that you'll hurt my family to get to me?"

"I told you I don't hate your father." She turned to the side, "Just you."

"Why, Bonnie? With everything that's going on, why do this now?"

"Can we not get into this right now?"

"That's right, Bonnie." Justine chuckled. "This is all about Kim, not you."

"Wrong!" And Bonnie turned on her. "This is all about you!"

"Tell her what you found," Ron said from the back.

"I found a monster," Justine went on, "near the loading dock that resembled one of the artist depictions I pulled from the center's mainframe."

"Did you kill it?" Shego asked.

"It was already dead. Or dying, anyway. Once it stopped moving, Bonnie and I dragged it back to the front and put it in the ladies restroom."

"You mean to tell me one of those things is inside?" Kim's eyes went wide.

"It's dead!"

Kim turned to Ron. "Have you checked her story?"

He nodded. "I had them take me back to the restroom. The thing's dead alright. I cut it with my scissors just to make sure. It kind of looks like a flying saucer or a kite with legs."

"Honestly, Kim. The thing was dead." Bonnie pleaded with her rival. "You think we'd be stupid enough to bring something alive back to the front where it could have hurt someone?"

"Knowing you, Bonnie, you're capable of doing most anything. And you, Justine, I don't know you as well, but your character says a lot about you."

"As does yours, Kim Possible."

"We're using full names now? Okay, Justine Flanner, let me ask you this: how does having a dead monster that you saw in a picture connect the mist to my father?" Kim leaned in when she said that, wanting to be in Justine's face.

To that Justine replied, "Alone? It doesn't."

"Then you have nothing."

"Not yet."

"Why do you want to do this?"

"Good question," Bonnie muttered.

"Quiet you!" Justine snapped before turning to Kim. They glared at each other for many tense seconds, drawing the eye of everyone in the room. Stoic by nature, Justine could stare with the best of them, her unflinching pride a driving force behind her success in the scientific fields. She came from a family of geniuses and this was no exception. Perhaps it was time to let the cat out of the bag, or at least let it poke its head out. "Alright, Kim. Do you want to know the truth? Do you want to know why I'm doing this?"

"We're all here, Justine."

She smiled. It was a knowing smile as if she couldn't believe the ignorance she was forced to deal with. "Have you heard of the Arrowhead Project?"

"What's that?"

"It's the name of the experiment that your father was working on at the space center."

"Wait a minute!" Shego spoke up. "You knew?"

Justine nodded.

"Then why all the secrecy? Why act like you were in the dark like the rest of us?" Kim asked.

"Honestly, I only knew bits and pieces. I'd done some work at the space center in the past, me being a genius and all." Justine leaned back. "You can attest to that, right Kim?"

"Keep talking."

"Fine. I'd heard rumors about a highly secretive project that was about to get underway. Sadly, even my credentials didn't allow me access to this privileged information. I had to go through a source at the space center, someone I helped who owed me big."

"You have a mole at the center?" Kim asked.

"Call her what you wish."

"Her?"

"Do want to hear this or not?" Justine waited until she was sure there would be no interruptions before continuing. "She was able to slip me some highly sensitive documents detailing certain aspects of the project. The Arrowhead Project, as it was called, entailed the building of a bridge between our world and another. From what I was able to gather, using the information I had on hand combined with a little common sense, the government wanted to create a portal to another world that would grant them access to natural resources not found on earth."

"Why?" Kim shrugged her thin shoulders.

Justine shrugged back, as if it were obvious. "Think about it. Having resources that no other country possesses would give the U.S. government a huge leg-up over its rivals. Besides, our economy is bad, so the bigwigs are desperate for any solution to their problems."

Kim crinkled up her face. "And they thought strolling into a world full of man-eating bugs, birds, and kites,"

"And tentacles," Ron said behind her.

"And tentacles," she added for his benefit, "would make things all better?"

"I don't believe they fully understood the dangers involved," Justine said.

Shego scoffed, causing everyone to look at her. "There's a big surprise." She looked at Kim. "And you want to ask Betty for help? She works for those morons in Washington."

Back to Justine, Kim asked, "What do you mean? I'm sure the scientists at the center sent something through the portal, a probe or a robot, to check things out before going in."

"I'm sure they did," Justine agreed. "And if that probe showed a pristine-white beach with surf and clear skies, do you think they'd have hesitated on sending someone through?" She chuckled. "Problem is, a door can swing in two directions. The idiots were so busy trying to figure out a way in that they didn't stop to consider what they'd be letting out."

"And you figured all this out based on a few pictures?" Shego asked. "I find that hard to believe."

"I don't care what you believe."

"You should." Shego walked past Kim and up to Justine. Raising a clawed glove, the villainess grazed a finger over Justine's soft check. To her credit, Justine did not flinch or show any fear. Shego enjoyed a challenge. "You see, I'm a bit smarter than Princess here, and I know when someone isn't telling me everything." Before Kim could protest her remark, Shego grabbed Justine's chin, hard, causing the prodigy to cringe and sputter through her lips. Beside her, Bonnie edged away. She was not about to get in Shego's way, even if Justine and her had been BFFs since childhood.

Raising Justine's face up so that she could look at her in the face, Shego leaned in close. "What is it, little fish? Hm? What are you afraid to tell us?"

Justine grimaced as Shego tightened her grip on her. Of course, this would make it impossible for Justine to respond but Shego did not release her just yet. She was having too much fun.

Kim came up behind her. "Let her go, Shego!"

"Stay back, Kimmie. You're new at this."

"At what?"

"Interrogation."

"You're hurting her."

"That's what interrogation entails."

At the wall, Ron smiled darkly at Shego's treatment of Justine. True enough, he wasn't sure if he was willing to go through with his threat to hurt Justine with the lawn scissors. Shego had no such compunctions. She would do what it takes to get the job done. Watching Justine squirm like this, not to mention Bonnie, Ron could not help but enjoy himself.

"Talk!" Shego shook Justine, making her groan.

Kim clamped a hand down on Shego's arm. "I'm warning you, Shego. Let her go. Now!"

Slowly, the raven-haired vixen regarded her teenage nemesis. "You threatening me, Princess?" To Kim's surprise, Shego did let Justine go. She turned to her full height, half a head taller than Kim was, and stared down the Possible girl. "After what I've seen the last few hours, do you really think you scare me?"

Kim didn't back down. She stared coldly at Shego. "I don't want to fight you, Shego. I just want to find some answers."

"Then let me do my job."

"Your job was to protect Drakken. Look how that turned out."

Hot anger flashed across Shego's lime-green face. At her sides, her hands trembled as if to strike out at Kim. Green fire ignited. "What did you say?"

Realizing she'd crossed the line, Kim softened her tone somewhat. "Look, I was out of line."

"Out of line? OUT OF LINE?" Shego growled like an animal. "You want to see out of line?" Before Kim could react, Shego grabbed Justine by the neck, lifted her off the chair, and raised her other hand. Shego blasted the window and carried Justine's body toward the opening. Dangling Justine outside, the patrons below, those who had heard the commotion and rushed to the site of the strewn glass, gawked up in horror as Justine's legs dangled over fifteen feet of air.

"Shego!"

"Stay back!" Shego warned Kim. "One more step and I drop her."

Kim stopped, fear all over her face. Back at the wall, Ron looked anxious, though whether it was over concern over Justine, which was unlikely, or supporting Kim, no one could tell. Bonnie leaped out of her chair. "That bitch is crazy!"

Kim shoved Bonnie aside. "Shego, please!"

Holding Justine by the neck, Shego glared daggers into her green eyes. "Care to talk now?" Justine grabbed feebly at Shego's iron-like hands, her legs kicking madly. "What's that? I can't understand you."

"You're killing her!" Kim protested.

"Not yet." Shego looked down. "A bit of a ways down." She looked back at Justine. "You could survive, you know, if I dropped you like this. Might break a leg or an arm, but you wouldn't die. Unless..." Using her enhanced strength, Shego flipped Justine over so that her head was facing down. Grabbing her by the leg, Shego held the girl out so that she thrashed upside down like a newborn babe fresh out of its mothers' womb. "Now if you were to fall from this angle, you might break your neck instead. What do you think? Hm? Which bone can you do without for the next few hours? Arm? Leg? Neck? Keep in mind," Shego persisted, "That if by some chance you do make it unscathed that there are no doctors around. You'd have to live with that injury for a long time. There's no guarantee help might come before you bleed to death, or puncture a major artery."

"You're insane!" Justine wailed.

"Of course I'm insane. I'm a villain."

"Shego!"

"Not now, Princess."

"Do something!" Justine yelled at Kim.

"Now you want her help? Before you were willing to disgrace her and her family and now you plead for her help?" Shego violently shook Justine. "People like you are worse than I am. You sit back and judge, point and accuse, yet when it comes to getting your hands dirty or facing up to your mistakes, you prove how chicken you really are." Shego raised her up. "I don't like chicken." She dangled Justine again. "Now squawk!"

"Help!" Justine cried.

"She's crazy!" Somewhere below a voice said. The crowd yelled and everyone was looking every which way for someone to do something, anything to stop this. Having just come back with Felix, Monique spotted the circus and ran toward the door that led to the steps to the office. Since there was no ramp, Felix had to stand back and gawk like everyone else.

"Squawk!" Shego shook Justine again. "What aren't you telling us? What do you know about the Arrowhead Project?"

"It was mine!" Justine wailed, her voice drowned out by the shocked cries below. But Shego and Kim heard her.

"What?" Shego asked.

Grumbling, her head filling with blood, Justine glared upside down at the two women. "It was my invention. My idea." Finally she said, "Your father stole it from me!"

"Shego." Kim placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, pleading with her. "Bring her back in. Please."

Shego did just that. She even went so far as to put Justine back in the chair, once she righted her up, however. Gasping, Justine struggled to reorient herself.

Kim now stood before her, Shego having played her part and moving back to Ron who observed with admiration her technique. The woman was a natural. Shego took her spot on the other side of the door, arms crossed much like Ron had done. When Monique came barreling in, she took one look around, saw Shego, and back away reflexively. "What were you doing?"

She felt Ron tap her from behind and when she turned he held up a finger to his lips to signal her to be quiet.

Back in the chair, Justine slowly raised her eyes toward Kim. "Well?" The redhead pressed. "Explain."

"Explain what?" Justine hissed like a serpent. "That your father and the fools at the space center took credit for my invention, my genius? That they stole my idea?" Heated, Justine shot up, kicked her chair backward. Kim did not budge, wasn't even afraid, as Justine stepped up to her. The prodigy was livid, her secret out, her truth exposed. "You Possibles think you're all that. But you're not!"

"She is smart," Shego commented. "If only the Doc were awake."

Monique turned to Ron. "Ron?"

"It's okay, Monique." He pulled her back by the arm, gently. "Justine's about to spill the beans."

Bonnie had gradually moved back to where they were, shocked by the revelation.

"What do you mean my dad stole your idea?" Kim asked Justine.

"Think on it, Possible! A portal to another dimension? Does that ring any bells?"

Kim didn't have to think back on it long. She'd seen enough strange things in her life to have a déjà vu moment, but what Justine just described opened up peculiar case she and Ron had to deal with a couple years ago. "Your kinematic continuum disruptor."

"I've seen the schematics for the Arrowhead Project. It's based on my design." Justine was speaking through grit teeth. "That day after we used the disruptor to teleport that dino-thing into another dimension, the military sent representatives to my house. They wanted to confiscate my invention for fear that it might fall into the wrong hands. I told them it wouldn't, that I had everything under control, but after seeing what that thing did to Middleton the night before and the damage the monster did to the school, they didn't want to take any chances. I was forced to hand over everything pertaining to the kinematic continuum disruptor, months of work gone in just a few hours."

Justine closed her eyes as if in pain. "I was so angry for what they did." She opened them. "But I didn't blame you. I didn't hate you then and I don't hate you now."

Kim's mouth gawked.

"I hated your father." Admitting the truth seemed to ease the enraged blonde and she sank into the vacant chair, the one Bonnie was sat in. "Those files I managed to graze off the space center mainframe, they told me everything. The one scientist who signed off on the acquisition of my disruptor for research purposes," Justine looked up, "was Dr. James Timothy Possible."

"What?"

"No wonder she held a grudge," Ron said.

Monique looked around at everyone. "Someone want to fill me in, please?"

"Just a sec, Monique," Kim said over her shoulder. Back to Justine, she said, "So my dad used your invention for the Arrowhead Project?"

"My kinematic continuum disruptor could tear apart the fabric of reality, creating gaps between dimensions. It's how we were able to contain that fat woman's mutant dinosaur."

"Who?" Bonnie asked aloud.

"DNAmy," Ron told her. "A crazed lady who had a crush on Dr. Drakken."

Beside the door, Shego shivered.

"I couldn't believe it when I found out," Justine said. "My invention, my dream, was being used by the government and the military." She glared at Kim. "And your father was the reason for it."

"But why would he take your invention?" Kim asked. "My dad never stole from anybody in his life."

"Dr. D might have something different to say on that matter," Shego said. "He hates your dad's guts."

"And so do I," Justine told Kim. "It's bad enough that your father took my disruptor from me. But then to find out that he used it for the Arrowhead Project, that he used it to allow the monsters to enter our world,"

"Now wait a minute!" Kim raised her voice.

Justine shut her up. "I know you're going to tell me he didn't do it on purpose, Kim. Maybe you're right." Justine hung her head. "But it doesn't matter now. What matters it was my disruptor that enabled the jokes at the space center to open up a door to whatever world these monsters came from. If I was at the helm of this project, none of this would have happened. I built the disruptor. I know how it works." Justine looked up. "None of this would have happened if your dad wasn't a damn thief!"

She stood up, fists at her sides. "That's why I'm angry, Kim. That's why I'm doing everything possible to blemish your father's name. He's a crook and I'll never forgive him for what he did!"

The shock on Kim's face was so great, that she didn't realize she'd been walking backward until she felt Monique's hand on her shoulder. "Kim, you don't know she's telling the truth." She glared at Justine. "She kept secrets from us before. Don't listen to her."

"Keeping secrets and telling lies are two different things, Monique. Besides, what reason would I have to lie to you?" Justine crossed her arms. "The truth hurts!"

"I don't...believe it," Kim said.

"Believe it," Justine spat. "Dr. Possible is the reason we're in this mess!"

Kim growled. "Shut up!" She was lucky Monique was holding onto her, else Kim would have finished what Shego started. "Don't you dare say that again!"

"Kim no!" Monique pulled her back. Though Kim was the better fighter, Monique had more muscle tone and was able to keep her in check else she would have strangled the blonde. "Ron. Little help here!" Ron moved away from the wall to assist Monique with an angry Kim. They settled her down while Bonnie moved past them.

The brunette addressed Justine directly. "Is that was all this is about? A vendetta?"

Justine crossed her arms. "At least I have a good reason for hating the Possibles. What's your beef with Kim? The Food Chain?" She scoffed. "Don't judge me, Bonnie. Not long ago you were willing to do anything to bring down Kim without knowing anything at all."

"I know but," Bonnie seemed at a loss for words, which was a first. "But is this the right time for all this?"

Justine turned an incredulous eye on her. "Seriously?"

Justine was right. Right now, Bonnie was in no position to judge.

Once Kim was settled, Monique and Ron stepped away. She glared at Justine from across the room. Justine glared back, meeting the heroine glare for glare.

Seeing as how she was in a room full of adolescents, Shego spoke up to break the monotony. "Okay, kids. Here's what we're going to do."

All heads turned to her as she stepped into the middle of the room. "Now that we're all done sharing, it's time we face the facts. One: we're trapped in this Smarty Mart with no means of communicating. Two: Dr. D and Steven need medical attention, fast. Three: no help has come for us yet which means, A) the mist has spread farther than we've feared, B) they simply haven't found us yet, or C) they can't reach us, in which case we have to get to them first. Four: regardless of how well-stocked we are, our supplies won't last forever. I don't plan to stay here any longer than I have to, but anyone who does will have to deal with a lot of crazy people soon enough."

Kim spoke up. "What do you mean by that?'

"Kimmie, there are a lot of scared people out there." Shego pointed toward the broken window. "You said that you've only been here a day and just look at them. They're scared. All of them. It won't be long now before those sheep start becoming wolves and turn on each other."

"You're crazy!" Monique spoke up. "Those are people down there."

"They won't be for much longer."

"They're not animals, Shego!" Kim snapped.

Shego stuck up her chin at them. "Give them a while."

"Do you have so little faith in humanity that,"

"Humanity?" Shego cut her off. "Listen, Kim, those people down there will make the monsters outside look tame by comparison in a few hours. Growing up in your secluded piece of Americana, flicking your hair after every mission and saying crap like 'So not the drama' like it's a mantra...well I've got news for you." Shego stepped up to Kim so fast that the redhead physically jumped back. "This is the DRAMA! It isn't just you and the buffoon in the line of fire anymore. When people are scared, they're capable of doing anything, even kill. I've seen it happen and soon so will you."

Kim shook her head. "Not here. Not in Middleton."

Shego smacked her forehead. "Oh God! But you are naive!" She resisted the urge to grab Kim by the shoulders, shaking some sense into her. "People are people. It doesn't matter where they live, the color of their skin, or the size of their bank accounts. If Steven were still awake, I know he'd agree with me."

"Don't compare yourself to him."

But Shego scoffed. "Sweetie, I learned more about him in the short time we dated then you have in four years. He understood the world for what it was. He's seen more of it, the good and the bad, then you and me, and I've been around." Shego lowered her eyes to the floor. "I've seen some things, Kim. Things I wish I could forget." She looked back up. "But what I saw in the mist, nothing I've experienced can compare to it. Drakken and I barely escaped. You've been cooped up here, safe and sound, all this time. You have no idea what's out there."

"Neither do you," Kim said defensively.

"I know more than you. So let me tell you something," Shego placed a hand on her hips. "Those tentacles Ron saw, the bugs, the pterodactyls, the fire, the dead and wounded; one by one, each calamity is going to tear away at the sanity of those fools downstairs. Little by little, they'll start to buckle under the pressure. They'll look for ways to vent that will involve doing things they never imagined themselves doing in their worst nightmares. Look around you, Kim Possible." Shego regarded the room. "This place is a prison." She pointed up. "Out there is death. You put a group of mice in a cage and surround it with hungry lions and any mouse would gladly sacrifice the others if it meant escaping."

"We're not mice."

"Schematics!" Throwing up her hands, Shego turned around. "Think whatever you want, Kimmie. When the shit hits the fan, don't say I told you so."

"Where are you going?" Kim demanded of her enemy.

"To figure a way out of here," Shego entered the waiting room. "This is one mouse that isn't planning to stick around."

"Shego!" Kim followed her. "Ron," she motioned for him to follow her and he did, firing off a dark glare Justine's way while subtly patting his scissors.

Once they were gone, Monique grabbed Bonnie's hand and said, "Tell me everything that happened while I was gone." She glanced at Justine. "Everything."

KP

He found her in the very last spot they were together. Actually, Tara had told Josh to meet her in the employees' locker room, the place where she and Kim had their little 'girl talk.' Josh was smart enough to recognize a feint when he saw one. Whatever Kim and Tara spoke about, it somehow involved him and he knew it. Maybe now as Josh's chance to figure out what the hell was going on. Tara had given him the cold shoulder long enough. He was getting frostbite.

Things were, thankfully, quiet in the Smarty Mart and while everyone was on edge, no more attacks from the outside had come. After breakfast, Josh had been approached by Tara who said that she wanted to speak to him about something. She asked to meet him in the locker room in about twenty minutes. Twenty minutes exactly, Josh was knocking on the front door. Given that he was an employee he could have just walked in, privacy be damned. But this was Tara, the girl he cared about. She deserved special treatment.

Josh only hoped she felt the same way.

"Come in, Josh."

Tara was reclining against one of the lockers, her arms crossed and her head down. Above them, the lamp buzzed loudly at odd intervals. She didn't even look up as he entered. Never a good sign, Josh Mankey knew. Tara was usually so open about her feelings. That she was being so reserved around him sent warning lights up in his head. Had he done something, said something, or rather, not done anything to warrant such aloofness?

"What's up, Tara?" He tried to sound nonchalant, like this was their usual meeting place and there was nothing out of the ordinary. Josh knew he was just fooling himself. Checking to make sure the door was closed before speaking any further, Josh approached his girlfriend. There was a time when he would have just walked up to her and wrap his arms around her, but not this time. This time, Josh knew she wouldn't return the embrace. Something was very wrong.

Forcing herself to look up at him, Tara spoke in as serious a voice as he'd ever heard her speak. "I think we should break up."

Someone just shot Josh Mankey. He stumbled a bit, his breath caught in his throat, and gawked wide-eyed. "What?"

Tara blew out a breath. "I'm so sorry, Josh. I know..." she hugged herself, "I know you don't really need to hear this right now."

"Tara...why?" Josh couldn't stop gawking. "When did this happen? I mean, when did...I mean...why?" He blurted out.

Tara got off the locker. "It's not that I don't like you, Josh. It's just...I don't think we're meant to be together."

"Meant to be together?" Josh blinked his eyes repeatedly. "What does that even mean?"

"It means we're only together because people expect us to be."

Josh opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "Is that what Kim told you?"

"No, Josh."

"But you spoke to her."

"I did. She convinced me that I needed to tell you how I feel, that I shouldn't keep pretending and just tell you the truth."

"What truth?"

"I just told you."

Josh didn't accept that. "That we're meant to be together? Tara." He approached her. "I want to be with you. You think I give a damn about the stupid Food Chain?"

"It's not about the Food Chain, Josh."

"Then what is it?" He raised his voice, ire growing. "What made you decide to leave me?" He grabbed his Smarty Mart vest. "Is it because of where I work? Huh? You're too embarrassed to let others know that your boyfriend, who's at the top of the Food Chain, is an employee at Smarty Mart?"

"Kim knows."

"Who cares about Kim?" Josh threw up his hands. "Who cares about what anybody thinks. I'm here because I have to be, Tara. Not every family is as well off as yours."

Tara flared at that. "How dare you?"

"How dare I? You're the one who doesn't think I'm good enough for you."

"I do think you're good enough."

"Just not for you." Josh turned towards the locker. "I can't believe this. It's not my fault, Tara. My folks need my help. I thought you'd understand that."

"I do, Josh."

He glared at her. "Then why are you breaking up with me?"

"Because..." she hesitated. Tara had thought about this long and hard and now she had to say it else she might burst at the seams. "Because I don't love you. I never did."

Josh didn't blow up. He didn't react at all. He just stared at her hard and cold.

Tara rubbed her hand. "I'm sorry, Josh. I do care about you. You're a wonderful guy, but...I can't keep this up anymore. I can't go along with what everyone else believes I should be doing. You're the perfect guy, Josh. But you're just not for me."

"Tara, if you dump me like this, you'll be doing exactly what everyone believes you should be doing."

She shook her head. "I was thinking about this long before you started working here. It's just the way I feel, Josh."

"You... or Kim?"

"This isn't about Kim?"

"Oh is it? What about Bonnie? And Hope? Marcella? Liz?" Josh clenched his fist. "Who is it about?"

"It's not about you and me."

"Of course not!" he punched the locker. It hurt like hell but he didn't care. Nothing mattered to a boy when his heart was broken. Tara visibly jumped and stepped back as if afraid of him. Josh made no move to approach her. He was angry, but not enough to hurt his beloved Tara. Seething, Josh spoke through clenched teeth. "It's always been about you." Lowering his arm, Josh collapsed against the locker.

Tara moved toward him, tenuously at first, but then placing a hand on his shoulder. "Josh, I..."

He shrugged her off. "Don't, Tara."

"But I don't want you to hate me."

"How can I?" He looked at her. "You're the first girl who's ever made me feel this way."

Her blue eyes widened at that remark. "Oh Josh."

"Just..." he turned around, unable to look at her. "Just go! I'm not your concern anymore."

Tara wanted to say something else but stopped. She knew it was pointless. Maybe she should have waited. There was no need to hurry this confrontation. She just wanted to get it done with for her sake. Maybe she was like Bonnie, selfish. It was about her just like Josh had said. She did this for herself, not caring for what this would do to him.

"I'm sorry." She stepped away. "I really am."

Josh said nothing.

Slowly, Tara headed for the door. She then stopped in the middle of the room. "I meant what I said. You really are a terrific guy. I guess I'm just not that great a girl." She walked away again.

Josh struggled to keep the tears from flowing. He was so angry and sad at the same time. How could any of this had happened? Why did his life suddenly take such a drastic turn for the worse? What had he done to deserve such mockery?

Above him, the buzzing sound stopped and Josh could clearly hear Tara's footsteps as they approached the door. A part of him wanted to call out to her, to tell her she had made a mistake, that he would change, do anything to stay with her. But Josh's pride wouldn't allow it. Besides, what had he done wrong? Nothing. Tara was just being a stuck-up brat like all the other cheerleaders, Kim Possible included. They were all the same, shallow and self-centered. How could he be stupid enough to allow himself...

Wait. Oscar had that lamp fixed the day before. Why was it acting up all of a sudden? He heard the buzzing sound return in force, really strong now. Josh looked up, noticing for the first time that despite all the buzzing he'd heard, the lamp hadn't been flickering all this time. It was a brand new bulb. The buzzing had subsided somewhat as if it were moving away from him, away from Josh and toward the door. Towards Tara.

Josh looked in her direction. A small shadow had flown across the room and landed on her back. Startled at first, Tara looked around to see Josh's concerned face, her big blue eyes as beautiful as ever. "Josh?"

"Tara..."

Her next reply was a gasp as something dug into her exposed neck, just below the left ear. Tara gawked, eyes and mouth wider than ever before. She stumbled a bit, moving on wobbly legs before her whole body gave way. Falling to her knees, Tara collapsed like tossed sack, her face smacking the concrete floor hard. The thing on her back twitched, removing its poisonous barbed tail from the girl's alabaster skin. The alien dragonfly swiveled its eyes to take in the room, centering on Josh Mankey.

Feeling his anger turn into rage, Josh began to approach the body of his beloved, and her killer. "Tara?" He ran towards her. "Tara!" Charging, Josh didn't care how poisonous that barbed tail was. The insect took flight, but Josh just bashed it out of the air with his naked hand. It plopped against the wall by the door but managed to stay aloft, that is, until Josh physically grabbed it with both hands and threw it to the floor. Like a madman, he began stomping the dragonfly into a black and green pulp, stepping on it repeatedly and so hard that his feet began to ache. Josh didn't care. He wanted it dead. He wanted it to never have existed. He wanted to die instead.

After literally pasting the horrible bug into nothingness, Josh, his legs trembling with pain, stumbled over to where Tara was lying face-first on the floor. He fell to his knees and, reaching for her, gasped when he saw the growing bulge on her neck where the barb had stung her. It was an ugly black thing, made more apparent given that Tara's skin was so white. A red ring formed around it as smaller black bulges began to appear around the big one.

Josh was inconsolable. "Oh my god!" He grabbed her, lifting Tara and turning her around to look into that beautiful face, into eyes that would never open again. He didn't care about the bulge. She was still his beautiful woman. The love of his life. He cried openly.