I do not own the Disney characters named herein, and am only using them for a nonprofit tale meant to entertain only.
Kim Possible: Rogue
By LJ58
14
"Ron's okay," the Stoppables asked as the twins filled in their parents on what they learned from Shego.
"He's fine," Shego assured them. The little kid that was Ron's sister just sat watching her with disturbingly bright eyes that never once looked away from her.
Unlike most, she didn't look frightened, or even wary of her. She just stared.
"You have to be Hana. Uh, Ron's fine, honest."
"That is good," the young girl merely nodded at her, and she immediately got the impression she was older than she looked.
"O-kaaay. So, look, guys. We really need to bail before the wrong people show up. Stoppable wants us to regroup, and plan some way to start really sticking it back to….."
"What about Kim," Anne Possible asked curtly.
Shego sighed, then looked at the obviously worried mother.
"It's….complicated. We think…. We think the same people targeting all of us were behind her disappearance. But…. Well, I can't prove it, but….. I still feel she's alive. Somewhere."
"I take it from your tone that you…..haven't stopped looking."
"I'll be honest. It was meant to be a surprise. A good surprise. But….before she vanished, Kim and I were seeing each other," Shego finally admitted.
"So, you were getting close," Anne asked quietly, studying the complicated woman from her daughter's past.
"Very close," Shego admitted, and pulled off the glove on her left hand to reveal the golden band.
"Is that…?"
"You got engaged," Tim finished his brother's strangled exclamation.
"Married," Shego said after a glance at the gaping Mr. Possible.
"Kim got married without telling us?"
"It's part of the complicated end," Shego said. "We had a….very powerful local hotshot that wanted to wed us as proof he bore us no ill will despite some…..earlier issues. He was the type you couldn't say no to without creating more…..issues."
"Triads," Jim and Tim suggested far too knowingly.
"How do you know about….?"
"Dad, we're not lame," one of the boys huffed.
"We planned to have another marriage, just for you guys, so you wouldn't feel…..neglected. But our Chinese marriage was still necessary. I hope you understand."
"So who was the bride….?"
"And who was the groom," the twins predictably leered.
"Boys, behave. Shego," the rocket scientist asked her. "Let's be honest. We've heard a lot about you since you and Drew….helped my Kimmie-cub beat those aliens."
"Dr. Possible, consider who is likely telling those tales. As I said, I don't think Kim is dead. And I'm doing what I must to lure out the puppet masters so I can make them talk. And hopefully lead us to Kim. I…."
"Just a minute," she told him, her belt buzzing as a small cell she carried in that pouch vibrated loudly. "This might be important."
She pulled out the device that faintly resembled a cell phone, unfolded it, and pressed a button.
"It's me."
Shego glanced around her at the two families staring at her, and nodded.
"Yeah," she went on. "It's safe. I with the Possibles now."
She listened again, and nodded again.
"I was about to get around to asking….. Wait, what? He did? What did he say?"
Shego, already a pale green, turned even paler as she considered the update from Senior's side.
"I'll be back as soon as I can. I suggest entry Zeta. Scrap all other vectors in case they exploit them if they were able to figure out our security patterns."
She listened again, and just grimaced.
"Orange eyes?"
The correction came.
"Right. I'll check now, just in case. Don't call me back. And scrap this line. I will use our backup channel if I have to call you before my return. And, thanks for the update," she told Junior.
Hanging up, she crushed the phone in her hand, and looked around to drop the pieces in a nearby waste can. "Let them track that," she growled.
"What's happening," Mr. Stoppable asked. "Is Ron all right? Have you heard….?"
Shego held up a hand.
"A little piece of pertinent information. Everyone line up, please," she asked them as she stepped back, noting no one was wearing sunglasses, or anything else that might hide their eyes. Still….
She started with the twins. Just in case.
Then moved to the Possibles.
Then the Stoppables, and lastly Hana.
"Okay, it's safe. I just found out there are dimensional invaders out there that can look like us. Any of us. They're shape-shifters, but they can't mask a trait that betrays them. Orange….rings around the pupil. If you see someone like that, you know he's a baddie."
"Dimensional….invaders?"
She nodded at the rocket scientist who just frowned at her.
"Somehow, the Army invited them here with a piece of tech from the Lorwardian ship they salvaged," Shego scowled. "Unfortunately, using it again would only let more of them in, so we can't even use it to look for Kim if that's where she went. Which, it sounds likely," she added with a very grim expression.
The twins shared a mischievous glittering gaze.
"Hicka-bicka-boo?
"Hoo-Sha," the other grinned, and they both ran for the stairs.
"Boys," their parents called after them.
"Just a sec, mom," one of them called back, disappearing up the stairs.
"You guys should get ready. I have to get you out of here before they can come after you."
"They couldn't get through our security," Dr. Possible grunted. "Frankly," the scientist told her, "We're safer staying here."
"Until your food runs out, or they cut off your utilities to try to make things as bad as they can?"
Anne eyed Shego.
"You think they'd go that far?"
"They tried to kill Drew. They wrote off our Kimmie. They just killed two more men that might have led us to the truth, and they were both their own allies. Mrs. Possible, I'm still surprised they haven't just started nuking us."
"Oh," the redheaded neurologist grimaced. "Would they….do that?"
"Probably not except as a last resort. From what Drew could tell us, they're here for our resources. All of them. They're like….dimensional locusts. Going from place-to-place, scavenging all they can before moving on, leaving nothing but wastelands behind them."
"Dear God," Mr. Stoppable rasped.
"Then….they are evil," Hana murmured, sounding surprisingly mature for her age.
"Considering all they've done to date, that's a given," Shego nodded at her.
"Then, we must stop them. How can we help?"
"First, we need to get you to….safety. And, Dr. Possible," she said, turning to him. "We need one of your space planes. It's integral to our next plan of attack."
"Plan of attack? Where," he frowned.
"The moon," she told him earnestly. "So can you get us into that hangar again….."
"No. Not with the Army having sent us all home."
"Damn it, we really need….."
"Fortunately, me and boys have one of my spare rockets housed in our underground bunker here at home," James Possible grinned.
"You did what," Anne exclaimed, looking horrified by that admission.
"Honey, it's perfectly safe. There wasn't any rocket fuel, or flammables involved."
"Then how do we launch it," Shego complained. "We'll need fuel…."
"Oh, it's already powered up. We used one of Dr. Romanski's cold-fusion reactors to….."
He trailed off when Anne Possible's expression turned utterly chilling.
"Nothing….to worry about," the wife and mother growled at him. "You think giving our sons a cold-fusion reactor to tinker with was nothing to worry about," she demanded.
"Honey, it was perfectly safe. I worked with them every step of the way, and keep them locked out when I'm at work. Trust me…."
Shego thought those two were going to having a long chat soon. Still, now wasn't the time.
"So we can launch the bird? Now?"
"Anytime you want," he smiled.
"Good. We'll leave my jet behind at the airport in case anyone is watching it. Which they likely are by now. Once we are airborne, I'll plot the coordinates to our sanctuary, and we'll rendezvous with Stoppable, and our other allies."
"We'd better pack," Anne finally sighed.
"Fortunately, we're already packed," Mr. Stoppable declared practically.
"We won't be a sec….."
"You go get the rocket ready. Your wife can pack for you," Shego told James. "Time is of the essence if we're going to keep the element of surprise."
"I think she's right, dear. Don't worry," the brain surgeon told him. "I'll pack all you need."
Her tone made the man grimace again.
"Thanks, honey," he smiled conciliatorily.
Anne Possible said nothing as she headed for the stairs herself.
"Guess we'd better go get our bags ready, too," Mrs. Stoppable nodded, and followed him up the steps.
"Is Ron really all right," Hana asked as her parents headed upstairs.
"He's been a real help already," Shego nodded. "But you know how good he can be as well as I do," she told the girl, not treating her like a child.
"Good," the dark-eyed girl said, nodding before she turned to leave.
Shego had the feeling that girl was more than she appeared as she trailed after her parents. Then again, you met all kinds in her experience.
KP
"We have incoming," Bonnie said as they all now anxiously watched the radar since the fifth infiltrator had been found.
Fortunately, he was the last, but there was still no telling how much they had been compromised. Which was why Senor Senior wanted to abandon the island, and go elsewhere.
"Too obvious," Ron told him, denying the impulse. "If we stay here, reboot all our security, and dig in, they won't expect it until too late. Even while we solidify our defenses, they'll be waiting in vain to follow us elsewhere."
"That actually makes sense," Dr. Director agreed. "From what I have seen, Senor Senior, you've got very good security. You just need to close the holes punched in it by our unwanted guests. After that, the surprise remains on our side if they try to infiltrate again."
"Indeed, father. These people make very good sense. And it saves us having to close my studio, again," he sighed, sounding very put-upon.
No one didn't cringe at hearing that.
"What's the radar say," Ron demanded.
"It's Shego's last designated vector," Will reported. "And they're coming in fast. Faster than her jet should manage," he frowned.
"How about one of Dr. P's space planes," Ron suggested. "That is what part of what she went after," Ron reminded them.
"But how could she have already gotten into MSC? Even from here, it's plain the security at the Center has been tripled. The Inversers have all but taken control of that facility now."
"If there is one thing I've learned, Elizabeth," Senor Senior, Sr. smiled. "It is never to underestimate that willful, young woman. Or the Possibles."
"They're on final approach," Bonnie pointed out, though all of them watched the radar contact.
"I'll go down and meet them," Ron told them. "Everyone stay on alert in case someone tried to follow them in."
"I'll reactivate all auto-defenses the moment they land," Bonnie told him.
"Good. Hopefully, we'll have some good news waiting for a change."
"It is nice to hope," Junior smiled. "Just as I hope that one day my true genius shall be shown to all my many fans."
Again, no one commented. Not even his own long-suffering father.
His bride simply rolled her eyes.
KP
"Robbie," Ron nodded at the Hench who had helped them take down the last imposter. "The field."
"I heard a rocket landing," he nodded. "Think Shego really pulled it off already?"
"I wouldn't doubt anything she said she was going to do."
"Yeah," the man nodded, starting the cart, and heading for the airfield. "She's pretty tough."
"What's on your mind?"
"You think….? I knew some of those guys. You think the guys they….copied…..are still alive?"
"I don't know. But….maybe so. Why would they kill someone they didn't consider a threat," he suggested.
"Yeah. I know Todd. He's a good guy at heart. Just trying to feed his wife, and kids. You know?"
"Yeah," Ron nodded. "I can see that."
"I hope Possible is really okay, too. Funny they never tried copying her, though. Isn't it?"
Ron just glanced at him before looking ahead to the field.
"I mean it. This is…. Well, it's always been just a job. I'll admit, though, that girl…. That woman always struck me as admirable. She even treated her opponents fairly. More than Hench ever did," he muttered. "Frankly, best thing I ever did was sign on with the Seniors. The kid's a bit loopy, but the old man treats us well."
Ron just nodded as he saw the rocket already on the ground, the hatch opening even as they approached.
Shego was the first one out. With a familiar figure jumping out behind her.
"Ron!"
"Hey, Hana," he beamed, catching his sister who literally leapt out of the hatch to land in his outstretched arms. "How'd you like your first rocket ride?"
"It was great!"
"It was….nauseating," a very pale Mrs. Stoppable exclaimed as she wobbled down the stairs rolled up to the hatch, clinging to the stair railing. "Remind me never to do that again," she declared.
Ron only smiled, and greeted his parents as the Possible's came out next.
The older ones.
Behind them came the twins, carrying a strangely familiar device.
"What is that," he frowned at them, knowing their penchant for dangerous devices.
"That, Stoppable," Shego told him, "May just be the ace in the hole we've been looking for all this time."
"Huh?"
"It's our pan-dimensional viewer," one of the boys grinned.
"With this, we can tune into any dimensional rift out there, and see what's going on without anyone else even knowing we're peeking," the other concluded.
"Really," Ron exclaimed.
"Well, we've had a few successful tests," the first twin grinned as they loaded it into the waiting cart. "But only randomly targeted field tests. If we can get the exact vibrational plane located from the memory of the Matrix' last activation, we should be able to tune in on Kim, wherever she's gone."
"Sounds good to me," Shego shrugged when the ninja looked her way.
"Can it bring her back?"
"We….didn't build a doorway. Just a kind of viewing port," the twin sighed. "But…with a little time…."
"We don't need a port," Dr. Possible cut in. "If you do still have that Matrix, all we have to do is enter the coordinates via the viewer, and open a gate right next to Kim."
"And let more of invaders in," Shego frowned.
"Not if they don't realize what we're going until it's too late," Dr. Possible huffed.
"It could work," Ron murmured thoughtfully.
"It will work," both twins huffed. "But to do that, we have to find Kim first, and fine-tune the gate so that it's right next to her, and only her."
Then let's get busy," Shego declared. "Because we also have a jailbreak to plan, and a world to save."
She paused, staring around at them, and shook her head.
"Gah, and none of you will ever tell anyone I just said that aloud."
Ron couldn't help but chortle.
KP
"Nothing we've tried can get us past the infernal security."
"But did you not say the Possibles left?"
The man nodded at General Flag, and shrugged.
"They left the home defenses up, and they're still impenetrable. Frankly, we can't figure how they're even powering the grid. We have their local power cut off, and even tried firing an EMP over the block. Not one neighbor has power left, but that house remains inviolate."
Richard Flagg swore, and shook his own head.
"Keep trying," he barked curtly, and switched off the communication panel before turning to face his own superior.
"What about the rockets we secured from the Space Center?"
"We can't get them to work," the man admitted.
"Why not," Flagg fumed, the orange rings around his pupils almost flaring reddish in the dimly lit room he favored to the brighter light outside the office.
"Apparently, before Possible left, he activated a code that shut down virtually everything in the Center. Without a reboot, or an authorized code, we can't get anything to work. None of the ships. None of the robots. We can barely keep the usual radar, and communications online."
"Do whatever you have to do, but get those rockets up and ready. We need them if we're going to fully exploit this new system. Otherwise," he grumbled coldly, "We have only traded one prison for another."
"Yet this is a fresh, lush world," the other replied somewhat smugly.
"And how long will it remain so once we reacquire the coordinates to open a new gateway so we can bring the rest of our kindred here?"
"I take your point," the other nodded, and turned away from the general to consider the map before him.
"Thanks to our spies, we now know where Senior has gone to ground. It is sure to be where Shego is taking her new allies, such as they are. Possibly where they are hiding the Matrix, too."
"Our spies have not confirmed it's location?"
"They were apparently caught. I haven't had a report in four solar turns."
"The very day the ninja appeared. I told you we should have neutralized him from the start."
"We tried. Your assassin failed."
Flagg growled at his superior. For a commanding officer, he was more of a figurehead than not.
"Viper has a primary task to manage, and we both know it. Now we are set up, and ready for global domination in less than a month's time. I will unleash Viper the next time the ninja dares show his face. Until then, remember the plan."
"You best remember who you address," the other shot back.
"With all respect, sir, none of us can afford to relax at this point. Between Shego, and this obviously competent Stoppable, we are yet in danger until we can access a new portal."
"Just tell me they cannot resuscitate the blue man."
Richard openly laughed now.
"Our assassin may seem common to you, but he knows his toxins. The man will never awake. Not in this world. Just as that weak link Hardcastle was disposed of, too."
"Fine. I will go back to Middleton to oversee our plans directly. I suggested you send your assassin now. Whatever they are planning on that island, we cannot afford to give them time to act. Tell your assassin to simply kill them all. Every last one. Nothing clever. Just death."
"I'll call him now," Richard agreed, feeling it was past time for subtlety himself. "And I'll have him secure that rocket the Possibles fled in, too," he remarked smugly.
"Good. We'll need every transport we can get if we are to leave this planet once we've harvested all it has to offer."
Richard Flagg, or the Inverser that appeared to be him, did not comment as his cohort departed.
If all worked out to his satisfaction, in the end, he would be the only leader for their people. It was, after all, his own courage and daring that got them a foothold in this dimension. And on this planet. Had they heeded their so-called commander, they'd still be cowering on that barren rock where their crashed hive-ship had left them marooned on a virtually lifeless rock.
Not that it had been so when they crashed.
But few worlds could support their host very long. Very few.
Neither, he knew, would this one.
To Be Continued…