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World Adventures
Will, Jack, and Killigan flew above the Gobi Desert in Global Justice's self-flying jet. "This is the best they could do? We could have taken my private jet," Jack said, disdainfully looking around.
"This one is easier to bail out of," Will replied.
"Wait, bail out?" Jack asked, quickly looking at his son with eyes wide in disbelief.
"Aye. We bail out en the middle o' the desert. We canno' very well land a plane here. We'd nevair find et again," Killigan said.
Jack blinked blankly then grinned. "Hey, I'll tell you what. You two go have fun searching for our desert blossom and I'll man the plane. Make sure it doesn't fly off without us."
"Dad, why do you have to be so lame?!" Will demanded of his father. "Ugh, I am so relieved I didn't attend regular high school. It would have been humiliation nation."
"Will, I'm a business man, not a secret agent or supervillain," Jack defended. "The field jobs are what my people handle. They're what you and your mother handle. I just sit back, observe, and occasionally step in to ensure nothing happens to any of you."
"Ach, yer hopeless laddie," Killigan said to Jack as he rolled his eyes, putting on a parachute.
Will harrumphed, grabbing one of his own, and put it on. "Just put on the chute already Jack! We need your direction." Jack groaned but nonetheless rose, going to the wall of parachutes. Will blinked blankly and facepalmed, scowling.
"What?" Jack demanded, put out by the boy's attitude.
"Hench, you're looking at the ones that need repairs," Will said. Jack started, paling a bit, and looked nervously back at the rack before moving away from it and taking one of the functional ones. "Ugh, what did I do to deserve this?" Will complained, throwing up his hands.
"Mommy said go and ye' went, laddie," Killigan mocked with a cruel grin.
"I do not do everything my mother says!" Will defended.
"Oh really?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.
Will withered. "Um, I mean, that is… Okay, so I usually do everything she says, but sneaking those few times helped my stealth skills!"
"Sneaking out?!" Jack demanded sharply.
Will bit his tongue savagely, staring at his father in horror. "Um, I, uh, I mean, they…" he trailed off on seeing Jack's unimpressed glare. He moaned and shut up before he sank himself deeper into hot water. "Sport, when we get back, you, me, and your mother are going to have a long talk."
"It wasn't anything bad!" Will insisted.
"Ach, yer such a mommy's boy. Apparently a daddy's boy as well," Killigan taunted.
"Shut up, Killigan!" Will shot. Immediately he leapt out of the plane. Killigan grabbed a reluctant Jack's arm and threw him out of the plane as well. The man cried out in terror. Killigan jumped after them both.
Jack gaped at the ground in horror. "Pull the cord, laddie!" Killigan yelled over to Hench as they caught up to Will.
"Cord? What cord?!" Jack exclaimed in panic, unable to look away from the ground they were coming up on entirely too quickly for his liking.
"Dad, quit embarrassing me in front of my foes!" Will whined, moving towards his father and yanking the cord. Jack cried out in alarm as he suddenly jerked back. Killigan and Will rolled their eyes and pulled their own cords right after.
Elsewhere
"Where's our first stop?" Monique asked Fukushima as they poured over a map.
"Here. In the African country of Zambia," Fukushima said. "Stay close to me. I do not know what to expect there."
"You don't have to ask me twice," Monique replied. "You just stay close to me right back. I'll blend in better than you will, that's for sure." Fukushima grimaced a bit. She had a point. He would probably stick out like a sore thumb here."
The door from which they would jump opened. Fukushima double-checked Monique's parachute, then his own. Satisfied, he nodded. Monique swallowed and fearfully took his hand in a vicelike grip. The two ran for the door and leapt together, Monique screaming. Fukushima signaled for her to pull her cord and they both did so. The parachute's spread wide, setting them down safely in a wide-open savannah.
Taking off her gear, Monique looked around. "Hey, this place looks like the setting for the Lion Prince," she said.
"The what?" Fukushima asked.
"You know, the Lion Prince? A movie," Monique replied. Fukushima blinked blankly. Monique frowned. "Boy, how isolated have you been up in that secret ninja school of yours?" Fukushima shrugged. Monique rolled her eyes. "Whatever, let's just get the bark we need and move." Fukushima smiled and bowed.
The two began walking through the savannah toward the solitary rock mass poking high above it. "It is beautiful here," Fukushima said, looking around in wonder.
"Look at all the animals," Monique agreed, grinning at the huge herds gathering by watering holes. "Zebras, giraffes, elephants, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, everything."
"As long as we do not disturb them, we should be fine," Fukushima said. "They have no interest in us it would seem."
"I'm totally digging the impromptu safari," Monique excitedly said, grabbing his arm. He started at the action and flushed deeply. Just then they heard a truck motor revving and gasped, looking toward it. They dropped to the ground, concealing themselves in the tall grass. All at once, a truck roared into sight and raced just inches away from them! They gasped, paling. "Oh no, they have guns. I think they're poachers! Fukushima, we've gotta stop them!"
"Monique, it would be a death sentence!" Fukushima protested.
"We can't let them slaughter the animals!" Monique insisted, leaping up. "Hey losers, get back here you bunch of cowards!" Fukushima gaped at her in horror. She had no clue the kind of fire she was playing with! You did not confront poachers unless you wanted to join their trophy collection! Fukushima shot to his feet, still gaping. There was no way the men had heard her shout after them, right? He could still get them out of here unscathed!
Of course, no sooner had he thought that when one of the poachers decided to look back and spotted them, Monique looking livid and Fukushima looking horrified. The man yelled to the others and the car suddenly turned around, heading back towards them! "This is not good," Fukushima groaned.
Jack, Will, and Killigan
Will and Killigan were panting and gasping, pulling themselves across the desert sands. Jack looked back at them, annoyed, and rolled his eyes. "H-How es the man who canno' free fall far the life o' him the only one still standin' en the desert?" Killigan panted.
"That, my dear Killigan, is for me to know," Jack replied, smirking and returning to the two. He knelt, taking his son's arm and pulling Will to his feet.
"W-water," Will begged.
"If I told you once I told you a thousand times, only one swallow and only when you really, really need it. Did you listen? No," Jack said to his son, shaking his head.
"I thought we were closer than this!" Will protested.
Jack harrumphed. Fortunately for his companions, he'd anticipated something like this might happen and had brought lots of extra water. What? He was a father. He needed to ensure he cared for his own. He gave the boy one of the extras, and another to Killigan. "Get rehydrated with these, then stop wasting our resources and do as I say," Jack said. Killigan and Will downed the two canteens quickly, grateful for the relief. Jack handed them each another. "One swallow. Capiche?" he asked. Will and Duff nodded meekly. Jack climbed to the top of a sand dune and observed there surroundings. "There's the oasis," he said, pointing it out. The other two joined him and looked, then gasped. "It's about ten minutes away. Now, I must warn you that..."
"The flower is there! Let's grab it and go," Will exclaimed, instantly rising and racing towards it. Jack gaped after him in shock. Well that was the quickest second wind he'd ever seen.
"Warn us about wha'?" Killigan more guardedly asked. Judging by the terror written on Hench's face, it wasn't good.
Jack shook his head and blurted, "The people who call that place home aren't friendly! Will! Will!" Quickly he went after his son. Killigan blinked blankly. Not friendly? Oh wonderful. Guns and death. The golfer sighed in exasperation and began racing after the other two, his golf balls and clubs ready to go.
Will burst into the oasis and ran straight for the flower. Grinning, he stopped to pick it up. All at once he heard guns cocking and froze, paling. In an Asian language, fortunately, one he knew, someone said, "Do not look up. Put your hands on your head." It took him a moment to put together which language it was. Mongolian, he soon determined. Slowly he moved to obey, not daring to try and peek at whoever it was that had accosted him.
"Now pray. Kill him!" a second voice ordered.
Will went white. "Dad!" he cried without thinking it through.
"Fore!" a voice echoed.
Guns went off. Will cried out but didn't feel anything. In fact, he heard the men shouting in alarm and shock. He looked quickly back and gasped. He was behind a force field! He looked around, then down at the ground. His eyes widened. At his feet was a small orb-shaped device! A HenchCo invention! His father and Killigan were here! He looked up swiftly and saw Jack and Killigan standing behind the armed men, who had now noticed them. Both were scowling. Killigan still had his golf club brandished high.
"Shoot them!" one man shouted to the others.
"Jochi!" Jack sharply said. They froze. "I need to speak to Jochi," Jack said in the Mongolian tongue. Will's jaw dropped. Killigan looked ready to let loose with explosives, but Jack put a restraining hand on his arm. "Easy, Killigan. I have this," he said. Killigan raised a confused eyebrow, but Jack didn't elaborate. Just put on his smarmy smile and went into schmooze mode. "Now people, why don't we all just calm down and try to work this out? Let me speak to your chief," Jack smoothly said. They were silent, warily eyeing the man up. "No? How about now?" Jack asked, pulling a sizable pouch out of a pocket and tossing it toward the group. It landed at their feet. After a moment, the one currently in charge but who clearly wasn't this 'Jochi' bent down and opened it up. The man gasped, pulling out a handful of precious gemstones! Rising quickly, he shouted something to the others, holding them up to the light. The rest of the men began to cheer Jack, practically hailing him a hero, then a couple scrambled off to fetch the guy Jack had called their chief.
Will glanced down at the flower then snatched it and tucked it away before any of the men noticed, then took the opportunity to grab up the HenchCo device and dart to his father's side. He hated how smug the man looked right now. Honestly, he was a bit embarrassed too at having been caught so off-guard. He looked nervously up at his sire. Jack smirked and ruffled his hair. "International language, son. International language," Jack said. Will got the feeling this was more than that, though. Especially if Jack knew one of these people by name.
Monique and Fukushima
Monique and Fukushima raced towards the rocky outcrop as fast as they could, bullets showering behind them. "We're never gonna make it!" Monique exclaimed.
"I told you to leave well enough alone!" Fukushima yelled.
"At least they forgot about the animals," Monique replied.
"Great, they have stopped chasing animals, but now they are after us!" Fukushima yelled. Monique gasped and tackled Fukushima to the side, causing them both to hit the ground as the truck barreled down on them. It just missed hitting the duo, then came around in front of them, cutting them off. The two looked up, gasping.
"Move and you die," one man said in a heavily accented voice.
"You there, boy, stand!" another ordered.
"Don't," Monique said to Fukushima. Fukushima squeezed her hand reassuringly and rose anyway, hands up. He didn't dare take his eyes off the men.
"You and you, get the girl!" the obvious leader shot. Monique gasped, paling. Fukushima went to move but was stopped when guns were cocked. Monique shrieked as she was roughly dragged up. Fukushima scowled, murder in his eyes. If they dared attempt anything with his tigress, they would pay.
They dragged Monique to the truck. She looked up in terror. "Let me go!" she demanded, trying to struggle.
The man put a machete to her neck. "You will be the prize we take. Kill the young man."
"No!" Monique screamed as guns went off. She yanked free, turning. She gasped. There was a cloud of smoke from a smoke pellet, and Fukushima was nowhere to be seen! Wait, she should probably fight. Immediately she spun on one of the men, grabbing his gun and kneeing him in the groin. She swung him around, throwing him into another, and tried to run for it. She was grabbed before she got far, though, and screamed. Oh man, she really needed to learn how to fight. Unfortunately, it looked like she was a bit too late for that. "Help, help! Fukushima!" she shrieked, struggling.
All at once, the leader of the group cried out in pain, falling to the ground. The others turned quickly. Suddenly they were hit as well and cried out, dropping Monique. Monique turned quickly and her eyes widened. Ninja stars! She turned quickly and spotted Fukushima on the rocky outcrop! He beckoned her quickly then vanished. She ran towards the cliff as the group of men tried to reorganize themselves and treat their injuries. Very bad injuries at that. Monique leapt onto the rocks and began scrambling up them. One gave way and she gasped, almost falling, but suddenly the ninja's hand was around her wrist, holding her up. He pulled her up to where he was, smirking.
"You're okay!" Monique exclaimed, hugging him. "I totally thought you were a gonner! Boy, you're practically a ghost!"
"Arigato," Fukushima replied. "Quickly. We must leave this place before they are able to recover. Swiftly they clambered the rest of the way up. They spotted the bark they needed. Monique pulled a knife and quickly cut through, tucking it away in their little pouch.
"Score! We did it!" she cheered. "Well, you did it. Guess I wasn't much help."
Fukushima opened his mouth to reply, but all at once a bullet rang out and he screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground and clutching his side! Monique gasped and turned quickly. One of the men was right there, gun aimed at Fukushima's head! "You will pay, boy," the man growled.
"Oh I don't think so!" Monique shouted, suddenly lunging and seizing the man's gun, forcing it up as it fired. The two struggled with each other. The man viciously kicked her and she almost collapsed, but adrenaline drove her to keep fighting back. If this guy got free, Fukushima would be killed and she would be kidnapped for who knew what? "No one touches my man!" Viciously she pulled the gun out of the enemy's hand and delivered a powerful kick right between his legs. The man screamed in agony and collapsed. Monique aimed the gun at him. "Oh yeah, that's how I roll!"
Fukushima staggered up clutching his side, gaping at Monique in awe. "Monique…" he began.
"Contact the Global Justice jet before you bleed out," Monique ordered. Fukushima obeyed, struck speechless. In seconds the jet was hovering above them and GJ agents had surrounded the poachers, rounding them up. Others busily treated Fukushima's injury.
Jack, Will, and Killigan
Will gaped in appall at his father casually conversing with a guy who could only be described as a warlord like they were old friends. "Are you flipping kidding me?" he said in disbelief. Killigan chose not to comment. Soon Jack laughed along with the warlord, shook his hand with a grin, then returned to the stunned Will and the totally unfazed Killigan. "Are you actually serious right now?" Will hissed angrily at his father the moment the man was close.
"You should be thanking me. I've now established a steady supplier for this particular ingredient," Jack said, smirking.
"I can't believe this!" Will said.
"Believe it, Sport," Jack replied.
Will scowled and looked about ready to retort, but just then he heard the communicator he'd been given signaling that someone was contacting him. Probably Monique. His mother had informed him of the goings on around that whole situation and arrangement. He pulled it out. "Will Du, go," he said.
"Will, this is Monique. We have the bark from Africa. Had a run-in with some poachers, Fukushima got shot, but we're good," she said.
"Good. We just walked out of an encounter with a group of gunwielding nuts. We have the flower we needed from the Gobi Desert. Where are you heading next?"
"Hey Fukushima, where are we headin' next?" Monique asked.
Fukushima, now patched up and looking over the map, replied, "Iran."
"Ooh," Monique said. That was not good. Especially not for her.
"I would switch with you out of pity, except we're heading into Syria," Will dryly said.
"Give me that," Jack said, taking the device from his son. "Monique, Jack Hench here. Tip for you. Wear the Burka if you go out, hope that whatever Fukushima decides to put on hides the fact he's East Asian, and just go with the flow feminism be damned. You pull any sassy or defiant crap there, you'll get the both of you killed. And for the love of all things good and evil, keep a leash on that ninja. He'll end up stoned to death if he doesn't watch himself. If anything his personality is more of a risk to you than anything else."
"Hey!" Fukushima shot.
"Actually, maybe it's best if only Fukushima goes. You back him up from above," Jack said. "If you're not there for him to be protective of, he might stay quiet. If not, at least you'll be ready to get to him before he's hung. As for us, let's just say Will certainly won't be leaving this jet when we reach Syria. I'm not going to see my son blown up or shot."
"I can handle myself!" Will insisted.
"Laddie, ye' were almost shot t' death en the Gobi Desert," Killigan argued.
"I…" Will began.
"No buts!" Jack barked sharply. Will blinked then scowled, folding his arms.
Monique and Fukushima
Fukushima gasped as he was thrown down to the ground. He gaped in horror at the men standing ready to stone him to death. Him and his big mouth, he realized. Note to self, avoid areas that looked like military bases in future. That was if he had a future. All at once he spotted the jet. It was flying low. He lit up hopefully. The men surrounding him turned with gasps and cried out in terror, fleeing the area while trying to shoot it down. The door opened and Fukushima leapt up, diving inside. Quickly it shut.
"Did you get it?" Monique asked quickly.
"I am fine, arigato," he grumbled in reply.
"Great, you're fine, but did you get it?" she asked again. He saw the concerned glint in her eyes, though, so let it go.
"I did. It was heavily guarded. I entered and exited the base without difficulty," he replied.
"Then how…" she began.
"I struck a man who raised his hand to strike me," Fukushima answered dryly. "He was high-ranking."
"Ooh, ouch," Monique said, wincing.
"How far do Hench's tendrils reach? I believe I actually saw some Hench Co products. You do not think that he would…" Fukushima began.
"Fuku, when Hench's weapons leave his factories, he doesn't care where they go," Monique said. "The man is after money. If his devices end up handed off to terrorist cells or drug cartels, he couldn't care less. It isn't his business. He only deals with his clients. Same with any gun merchant. I can guarantee you half the weapons they use down there were made by American companies. Hench isn't any different than any of them. Now excuse me while I contact Will and let him know we got the ingredient." Fukushima rolled his eyes.
Jack, Will, and Killigan
Jack and Killigan ran desperately through the streets, dodging everything that came their way. "Ye' led us int' a crossfire!" Killigan shouted.
"At least we have the ingredient!" Jack defended, hoping and praying his force field kept holding up as it tanked a blow from a rocket launcher that staggered them but didn't penetrate. The jet flew low overhead, alarming both sides of the civil war. It paused and hovered long enough to Jack and Killigan to leap in, then tore off rapidly, leaving the country behind.
Will glared coldly at his father and Killigan, then rolled his eyes and took out his communicator, contacting Monique. "Monique? Will here," he said. as Jack and Killigan started recovering from shellshock or whatever they were going through right now.
"Good. I was just about to contact you," Monique replied.
"We've got the ingredient," Will said. "Am I safe in assuming you did as well?"
"We got it," Monique confirmed.
"There is only one more place left on our list," Fukushima said, speaking up.
"One more thing on ours too," Will replied. "Then we meet in Ireland."
"Where's yours?" Monique asked.
"New Zealand," Will replied. "You?"
"We're en route to Antarctica," Monique said, shuddering at the thought.
"Good luck," Will said.
"To you as well, Du-san," Fukushima replied.
Monique and Fukushima
Monique and Fukushima stood shivering in the icy wind. "Th-th-th-this is-is un-unbelievably c-c-c-cold," Fukushima said through chattering teeth.
"Man up, boy," Monique replied, not shivering nearly as much. Of course, she'd had a better idea of how to dress here than Fukushima had.
"Wh-wh-wh-where i-i-is i-i-it?" Fukushima asked, desperately trying to keep warm.
"Signal says just over this ridge," Monique replied. The two came over a snowy hill and looked down. There it was, the ingredient they'd been seeking. "Whoa. Good coordinates," she remarked, impressed.
"C-c-can w-w-w-we ju-just ge-get it?" Fukushima asked. Monique shot him a reproachful glare, but her eyes softened a bit when she saw the state he was in. The poor sap looked like he was going to freeze to death.
"Shima, get back to the plane. I'll handle this," she said. She jumped over the edge and slid down the hill laughing in delight. He watched after her, teeth chattering, wondering how anyone could enjoy this. Monique reached the bottom giggling and ran towards the ingredient. A small smile crossed his lips, and he felt a little bit warmer suddenly. She looked back at him beaming. Eyes lighting up, she grabbed a snowball and threw it at him. He dodged and gasped, losing his footing and slipping down the hill with a shout of alarm. He crashed into her, knocking her down on top of him, and they continued sliding a bit. She burst into laughter as they slid to a stop, and lifted herself on her arms, grinning down at him. He blinked then blushed deeply, grinning back. She bit her lower lip then suddenly pecked his nose, shot to her feet and ran. He looked after her in shock then stood, beaming.
"Don't let it get to your head!" she called back. "I'm just in a mood." He wasn't complaining about that mood, he decided.
Jack, Will, and Killigan
The trio hiked over the mountains of New Zealand. "I feel like we're reliving a scene from Lord of the Earrings," Will complained.
"We even had a Scottish hobbit," Jack poked, nudging Killigan.
Killigan scowled at him. "Why ye' wee…" he began.
"Is that it?" Will asked, pointing down towards a dark and foreboding-looking swamp.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah it is," Jack answered, frowning a bit.
"Right. Ah've go' this laddies. Ah used t' play en the moors. Learned as a wee lad how t' navigate quicksand and marshes," Killigan stated, beginning the descent down the cliff. It wasn't too steep, but it was steep to require some degree of mountain climbing skills.
The golfer and the agent climbed down the cliff with relative ease. Jack, however, unsure of even how to do this, suddenly slipped. He cried out in terror. Will gasped. "Dad!" he exclaimed.
Jack felt his hand brush a vine and instinctively clung to it, hanging off the cliff in terror and looking down, mortified. He hardly dared to move from his current position. Will sighed in relief. Killigan, at the bottom, frowned up at them. "Jump, Jack! Et esn't tha' bad a fall! Ye might break a leg, but tha's no' a problem. Ye never go' out o' tha' office anyway."
"Shut up!" Jack yelled down, heart still pounding.
"Come on old man, can't handle a little climb?" Will teased. Being called an old man deeply offended his father and often prompted the man to display some real skill.
Jack started then scowled. He looked down, judged his options, then suddenly shoved off of the cliff, jumping. Will gasped. He hadn't meant for his dad to freefall the rest of the way! He expected to hear a bone snap—though at least Killigan was right in saying the fall wasn't fatal—but no such thing happened. Jack landed on a boulder not too far down, then jumped from rock to rock the rest of the way until he was on solid ground. He smiled boastfully up at his son. Will, gaping, hurried the rest of the way down.
"What's that term you young people use, son? Oh yes, served," Jack said.
"Owned, dad. Now owned is the thing. And powned," Will grumbled.
"Whatever," Jack replied, ruffling his son's hair. Will frowned at him and brushed the hand away, looking annoyed. Jack chuckled affectionately, trailing after Killigan. Will harrumphed and pursued.
Gingerly, Killigan led them through the swamp. "Step where Ah step and ye' will no' be sucked en," he said. They weren't about to disobey.
Will winced as his foot sunk deep in some muck. "Ugh, I hate this," he said.
"Hmm. You know, this mud could sell as a beauty product if anyone had half a mind to slap a label on it," Jack remarked, picking some up ponderously, then dropping it and shaking it off his hand.
"Thinking of expanding your market, Jack?" Will asked dubiously.
"I'm just saying!" Jack defended. "Then agan, I could say it was poisonous or self-expanding mud and pawn it off as a death trap."
"Ah hate ye," Killigan bit, narrowing his eyes at the man.
"Anyone with a bit of resourcefulness could turn the mud into a deathtrap anyway," Will grumbled.
"There," Jack pointed. The other two looked. Just ahead sat the mossy, fungal ingredients they needed.
"Ah've go' et," Killigan assured, picking his way carefully across the marsh. He grabbed them then returned. "Come on. Let's get out o' here befar the mist rolls en thicker and we canno' see two feet en front o' us."
"Right," Jack and Will agreed simultaneously. The thought of becoming lost in the mist didn't sit well with either of them. Who knew what could sneak up on them then?
Drakken's Lair
Drakken was working on a project, completely engrossed in it. He never heard the footsteps approach, but he felt the arms drape over his shoulders. He felt the soft kiss placed upon his cheek. He grinned, leaning back into the woman standing behind him. "Shego," he greeted softly.
"You've been working on this for hours, Dr. D. Take a break," she said.
"I can't right now. I'm on the verge of a breakthrough," he protested.
"I'll give you something more pleasurable to experiment with," she growled lowly. Drakken started and felt a shiver race up and down his spine. The woman was like a panther. The grace of a cat mixed with power beyond what one would expect. She began massaging his shoulders. He moaned in pleasure when she kneaded a stress point and practically melted.
"Hmm, maybe I should pursue this experiment of yours," he replied, turning around in his chair. She grinned wickedly and climbed onto his lap, straddling him. He put a hand behind her head and pulled her close, kissing her. Slow at first, but steadily getting deeper and more passionate. Mmm, he never wanted this to stop. She moaned softly against his mouth.
Eventually pulled back and she, breathless, said, "Drakken, where did you learn to kiss like that?"
"Not a clue," he replied, grinning a bit. She giggled and pulled him close again, kissing him once more and starting to undo his lab coat. His grini vanished. "Um, Shego, what are you doing?" he nervously asked, catching onto the implication.
"Relax, Dr. D, just follow my lead," she replied. He whimpered, but the whimper stopped the moment she kissed him again and finished undoing the coat. She pushed it off his shoulders and began toying with his waistband. Drakken caught his breath and broke the kiss, looking up at her with uncertainty in his eyes. She eyed his exposed chest in some surprise. "Whoa. Dr. D, you've been working out," she said, honestly surprised.
Drakken blinked confusedly then looked down at his torso. He wasn't as toned as some were, admittedly, but you could certainly see his developing muscle. He smirked a bit, low-key proud of it. "Chalk it up to all the action lately," he answered, looking back up at her a little more confidently. Grinning she kissed him again and went back to toying with his waistband. Standing once more, she pulled him up by it. He caught his breath and felt suddenly very warm. She paused before going further, drawing back with a wicked grin, and began to slide her green and black catsuit down her arms. He gasped when she revealed her upper half to him, face heating up rapidly. "Wow!" he exclaimed.
She grinned. "You approve," she more stated than asked.
"Shego…" he began, but suddenly couldn't find his voice. She laughed and kissed him once more, going back to his waistband, but this time, to her surprise, he caught her wrists and kept them back. She paused, looking curiously up at him. "I... Not now," he said.
Shego frowned and pulled back. "What?" she coldly asked.
"Um, I have a high moral standard?" Drakken lamely excused.
"Yours or your mother's?" Shego asked, annoyed.
Drakken winced. "A little of both, actually." He sighed deeply. He needed to be a man here and find the courage to step up. Gods help him with that. Gently he took her arms, tenderly letting his hands rub up and down her bare skin. He loved when he felt her shiver a bit at his touch. Bending forward with a sigh through the nose, he kissed her collarbone, then her neck. "I love you," he whispered to her.
"So then what's the problem?" Shego demanded, increasingly desperate to feel his body pressed against hers.
"Marry me," he suddenly said.
She caught her breath, all thoughts of intimacy instantly vanishing. After a long moment, she whispered, "What?"
"Marry me," he repeated.
"Dr. D…" she breathed.
"Oh please say you will," he begged, gazing adoringly into her eyes.
She covered her mouth as he slipped a vine around her finger, forming a ring there. The vine broke off, leaving the flowering engagement band on her hand. She looked up at him, eyes filled with love, and nodded fervently. "Yes. Yes, Drew, yes!" she exclaimed before throwing herself into his arms and kissing him. She released his lips, laughing in delight. "Of course I'll marry you!" she said.
"Really? Oh Dumpling, that's wonderful! Quick, we must inform Mother. The wedding takes place as soon as possible!" Drakken declared, beaming at her then pulling her close for a tight embrace. Some part of him knew this was a bad, bad idea. He understood full well what the Cupid Ray had done to the both of them, yet he couldn't bring himself to care! All he wanted was his sidekick! Shego took his hand and immediately raced out, dragging him behind her to the hovercraft so they could fly directly to Mama Lipky's house and deliver the good news.
KP
"Mother!" Drakken exclaimed excitedly, bursting into his mother's house. "Shego and I are engaged!"
Mama Lipsky gasped and dropped the plate she'd been carrying, immediately spinning. "Married?!" she exclaimed. "Ooh Drewbie doobie sweetie, that's wonderful!" She crushed her son and Shego in a hug so tight it made them both cry out in pain. "Oh baby, you've made mama so happy! Quick, when's the wedding? Where's the guest list? Who's designing the dress? What sort of cake?"
"We were thinking of a small wedding, actually," Shego said.
"Nonsense! Contact all your little friends and let Mama do the rest. Finally, I get a daughter and grandchildren!" Mama Lipsky said in delight. Shego and Drakken beamed at each other and kissed once more, throwing their arms around one another's bodies. Mama Lipsky watched on grinning, absolutely thrilled.
Ireland
Meeting up in Ireland, somewhere in a wide green field near the ruins of a castle, the two groups displayed their ingredients. "Good, that's all of them," Jack said.
"Will it be enough for all four of the Cupid Rays victims?" Monique asked. Oh Please let it be enough.
"Theoretically," Jack replied.
"Theoretically. Great," Will complained.
"I'll incentivize with bonuses and my science staff will step it up to work at optimal capacity. There shouldn't be any mess-ups," Jack assured.
"Here is hoping you are correct," Fukushima said. "Hench-sama, do you know that your devices have found their way into terrorist cells?"
"What?" Will icily asked.
"Where my weapons end up after they leave HenchCo's is none of my concern," Jack replied calmly like he'd practiced this a thousand times.
"Yer neither confirmin' nor denyin' treachery, laddie," Killigan pointed out in interest.
"Oh I'm a traitor all right, just not necessarily to the people and things and nations you assume," Jack answered. He understood full well that Will probably assumed he was betraying the country or some other ridiculous thing, but that wasn't his concern. Let the boy think what he would. Jack stood by his statement. It wasn't his business what his clientele did with the weapons and devices he supplied.
"Uh oh," Killigan said, suddenly pale.
"What?" Monique asked curiously.
"Ah hate t' be the bearer o' bad news, but Ah think Ah've just been invited t' a wedding," Killigan replied tightly.
The others paled. "Oh no, don't tell me," Monique said.
"Drakken and Shego," Killigan confirmed, showing the invitation.
Jack's cell rang and he picked it up. "Hello?" he asked. He listened a moment and his eyes widened. "What?" he asked. He listened a bit more then said, "Keep an eye on them, Betty. We're on our way."
"What is happening?" Fukushima asked.
"Our time's running out. Can you say secret marriage?" Jack asked.
"Monkey Fist and Yori?!" Monique exclaimed.
"Bingo. Let's get going. We get this antidote made up, cure those two, and then hope we make it in time to stop Drakken and Shego," Jack said.
"This is so messed! Okay, you three and GJ deal with the cure. Fukushima and I will try and keep Monkey Fist and Yori under control," Monique said, quickly hurrying with Fukushima back to the jet they'd been using. Jack, Will, and Killigan hurried to their own in turn.