The Fox and the Sloth
Chapter 2
Kim slid her arm through Ron's as they left the Eiffel Tower and crossed the Pont d'lena. It had been a glorious evening. The dinner had been beyond delicious and Ron had been as elegant and handsome as he had ever been. She could not help but notice the envious glances of several women in the restaurant. She had no doubt that they had checked him out and noticed that he didn't have a wedding ring on. She made it a point to be very noticeable in the attention she gave him. She even gave a table of women who had been staring at them all night a wink. It was a challenge to them that this man was hers and hers alone. The snarls that came from some of the faces had really made her evening.
There had even been one woman who made it very clear that she was interested in Ron. The oversexed harlot even had the nerve to come by their table and drop something. She made a show of trying to bend over to get it before Ron, being evermore the gentleman that he was, picked it up for her. Her gown was open down the from and Kim was sure Ron got an excellent show as she stood up. He had handed her back her purse. The witch had thanked him again and again as she stroked the front of his jacket and licked her lips. However, the one thing that had NOT changed about Ron was he could still be totally oblivious to the actions of someone like that woman. Kim had watched as the raven-haired enchantress had walked away hips swinging. As she turned back to Ron he had all of his attention right on her just as he had the entire evening. A quick glance back at the woman, who had by this time turned around to see how effective her show had been, enabled Kim to slip her shoe off and gently caress Ron's leg with her foot. The expression on that tart's face had be worth it.
"Did you have fun playing with those ladies at the other table and especially the one who came by the table?"
She jerked her head to stare at him.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Ron giggled.
"Karen, I saw the little game you were playing back there. You were enjoying yourself immensely showing off. I maybe a little dense at times but remember a major part of my training was how to integrate into any society. Part of that was the little game of flirting. I knew what was going on but ignored it. I was having a better time watching you."
Kim's face started to burn with her blush as he keep talking.
"You mean YOU knew what was going on and let me make a FOOL of myself?"
Ron paused for a moment.
"Come on KP. What guy is not going to dig a bunch of beautiful women vying for his attention? Especially when he knows that the woman of his dreams is sitting right in front of him? Let the others take a shot. I don't need to look around when all the answers are in front of me."
He came to a sudden stop when he realized what he had just said.
"KP, I...I..."
Kim's heart was beating faster than as if she had just run a marathon. Her face felt hot as she stopped and looked out over the Seine River.
"It's okay Henry. Nothing that I haven't thought before. But..."
Kim stopped talking. Something was wrong. Her senses went on alert. Ron saw her stiffen and knew something was up. He stepped to her side and put his arm around her. Anyone would normally think that it was just a boyfriend putting his arm around his girlfriend. But in reality, he was getting closer so they could talk and so they could take up their search areas.
"What's up?"
She turned to face him and started to play with the lapels of his jacket. She started to scan the area behind him as he watched the area behind her.
"We are being followed. I am not sure how close, I feel it more than I know."
Ron put his arms around her slim waist and started to slowly sidestep to his right. She followed his lead and they started to slowly turn in a circle. This allowed them to look like a couple enjoying each others company but allowing the two of them to steadily scan the area. Ron saw something and stopped to lean over as to give her a kiss. He whispered into her ear.
"At your three o'clock at the start of the bridge. Someone is standing the shadows of one of the pillars where the statue is at the foot of the bridge."
Kim pulled him into an embrace and took a good look in that direction. She could see someone standing the shadow of the large pedastal at the end of the bridge. At first she couldn't get a good look at the person. That was until the figure moved into the light. A deep growl came from her throat. It was that tart from the restaurant. Apparently she still wanted to get her nails and everything else on or into Ron.
"Okay, I got a good look at them. Let's split up. Now jump back and I'm going to act like I am mad. I will slap you. At that point we will break up you go over the bridge and up park and into the city. I'll cross the street and back over the bridge."
Ron stiffened.
"KP, what is going on?"
He turned and looked back up the bridge.
"Hey isn't that...?"
Kim nudged him hard and hissed.
"Yes, it's that tart from the restaurant. We can't have her following us around or mainly you!"
Kim thought for a moment.
"Okay, this is how it's going to go."
Marie Jean Champal watched as the little red hair twit hung on to that handsome rouge. She had been watching him since he stepped into the restaurant earlier in the evening. He spoke French without a bit of accent and had the manners of aristocracy. He was also the handsomest man she had seen in a long time. She had watched as he held the chair for the auburn haired woman that was with him. Marie had sneered at the girl pretending to be a real woman. That man desired a real woman to give him attention. She had stepped my the table where the man and woman were seated and dropped her purse. The man had turned, picked up her purse and returned it to her. She bent over to be sure that he would be able to see down her dress. He was not the first man she had pulled this particular trick on.
She had taken her purse back from him a gave his hand a slight touch as she did. Then turning she put some extra sway in her hips to emphasize the invitation she was giving. Almost all of the men in the room seemed to watch her as she made her way out of the restaurant. Turning back to give a final invitation she got the shock of her life. Not only was he not looking, unlike just about every other man in the restaurant, but he was totally concentrated on the auburn haired hussy he was with. That little strumpet glanced her direction with a slight smile and proceeded to slip off one of her shoes and rubbed his leg with her foot.
She had followed the couple as they left the Eiffel Tower and started over the bridge. She watched as the two stopped about halfway across the bridge. They embraced for a moment. Marie burned with envy as the little witch hung all over the man. Then she shrieked and jerked back from him. The girl proceeded to give him a resounding slap and ran up the street and off of the bridge. He quickly followed her. Marie smiled this is working all the better. All she had to do is quickly find him and make him hers. She followed both of them and they crossed the street and disappeared into the park.
The man disappeared around one of the buildings trying to follow the girl. She followed him into the streets of the city. The area was getting dark with fewer lights when she turned the corner of one building only to trip over something. She would have to thank her Karate instructor later as his training was the only thing that kept her from falling to the ground. She turned to she what she had tripped over when she realized that red headed tart was standing in front of her.
"Why you little..."
Marie struck out with a blow that would have made her instructor proud except it hit nothing but air. A quick blow landed on her arm that caused it to go numb.
"Just a word of advice. Following us is a big mistake."
Marie laughed.
"Oh really dearie, afraid that I'll steal him from you. I will by the way."
She spun and threw a kick, but before the kick was half way there she pulled the blow and spun the opposite direction with a blistering crescent kick. The kick never landed. The air left her lungs as a blow struck her chest. The pain radiated out from the center of her chest as she went down on her knees struggling for breath.
The other woman bent over and snatched her head back.
"Who do you work for?"
Marie's eyes widened when she realized that she had gotten into something she hadn't counted on. The other woman reached down and touched something on her neck. Pain radiated out through her body but she was unable to scream as her vocal cords seemed to be frozen. She looked up into the green eyes that stared back down at her. She could see death and pain waiting for her there. Finding her voice she spoke.
"I ...I don't know what you are talking about."
The pain came back as the red haired demon hissed.
"You followed us. I want to know why, and surely it's not just because you think you can wave your boobs and your butt in my partner's face and get in his pants."
Marie was terrified. This was not what she expected. Something was really wrong here. By a miracle she found her voice.
"I work for a law firm. I wanted your friend. I couldn't get his attention at the restaurant so I decided to follow you. Then you seemed to have a fight and split up so I followed him. I thought..."
The demon spoke again.
"That you could get you hands on him. Let me give you a piece of advice. Let it go. We don't like people following us. I'm going to let go now and leave. If you try and follow us again I will find you and finish this little discussion. And if I hear one word of this in a police report, well you don't really want to do that. Do we understand each other?"
Marie swallowed and nodded. The pain stopped and the hellion disappeared into the darkness. Marie sat there on the ground for a few minutes as she gathered her wits about her. The pain slowly ebbed from her body. She looked around and saw no one. That..that women had taken her down without breaking a sweat. Thinking for a moment she realized she must have crossed on the the drug king pins that were causing so much misery across the country. The threat of what that creature had told her made her think of the bodies that had been found floating in the river just days before. Gathering her purse from the ground she stood up, brushed the dirt from her knees and started to walk away. Her eyes glanced into the shadows for a few seconds then she began to run. She ran like the devil himself was behind her.
Ron waited outside of the Metro station where they had agreed to meet. If the stich had been more that expected she would have beeped him on her Kimmunicator. If not, then she was going to handle it and meet with him later. He hoped she would be gentle with the other lady but be firm as to deliver the message that following the two of them was not a real good idea. Looking up he saw Kim walking toward him with a smile on her face. Her hair was a perfect as it ever was. Maybe she only had to talk to the other woman. That is when he saw the scuff of the left sleeve of her dress. Apparently the other woman required a little extra persuasion. She walked up to him and brushed some lint from the lapel of his coat. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Message delivered?"
She grinned at him as she pulled him around and took his arm. They started down the steps into the Metro station.
"Message delivered."
Covington stared at the report in front of him. Never in his life had he seen something that could have the repercussions than the words before him. His analysts had completed their work on the information taken from Brotherson's computer and the computer at the Chalet. Adding to that some other intelligence information along with some events that had been occurring recently in the Middle East all added up to the biggest mess he had ever seen. The Fox and the Sloth would be the only unit that would be able to handle the situation. They really did not exist. If something were to happen to them on this mission then the British government would disavow any knowledge of them. But it the worst were to happen and if any autopsy were done on their bodies the shit would hit the fan between the United States and Russia. Add the information in the report in front of him and you had a dandy start of the Third World War. There might be little left is everything went south.
He sighed and pressed the button on his desk to call in the driver. The man stepped into Covington's office. Covington looked up at him.
"When Fox and Sloth return have them come in immediately."
The driver nodded.
"Do you want me to call them in now?"
Covington thought for a moment.
"No, I promised them a little vacation and I intend to let them enjoy it. We need to complete a few steps before we call them in. I am going to extend their vacation for a few more days. Prepare to sanitize their apartment and all their records. This may require us to sanitize a number of targets within the United States. Let's hope not but dust off the plans and see if we need to update the plans or assets."
The driver nodded and left the room. Covington rubbed his hand through his thinning hair as he picked up his phone and dialed a number.
Kim stepped into the living area of their suite as she tied the sash to her robe. They had returned to the hotel and elected to get cleaned up and possibly order some late night snack from room service or just raid the little pantry available in the room. Ron was already stretched out on one on the couches as he watched the news. She stopped and watched him for a moment. He was dressed in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. His hair was damp and rumpled like he had just washed it and ran a towel over it without combing it. Her thoughts went back to what he had said on the bridge. There was one thing she could count on. When he spoke like that he meant every word.
She wished she could say the same about her own feelings. When he had said those words earlier if felt like her heart had would explode from her chest. She hoped she could count on her own feeling. What did she really feel for him? He was handsome in his own way. He could be as charming and elegant as any man she had ever known. He also made her laugh when she was feeling down. He put up with her tantrums and never criticized her when she made a mistake even when she would climb all over him when he made a mistake. Years ago, she had asked him to make the biggest sacrifice of his life at that point. He had given up everything and everyone in his life to be with her. How could she ever repay him for that?
The ringing of her phone pulled her from her thoughts. Stepping across the room, she opened her purse and pulled out her phone. A glance at her screen told her that it was Covington calling. She called out to Ron.
"It's Covington."
Ron turned from his place on the couch to look at her. She pressed the accept switch and answered.
"Hello?"
Covington's voice came over the phone.
"Karen, I hope the trip is going well?"
Kim held her breath. Calls from Covington were generally not happy calls.
"Everything has been great so far. We had dinner on the Tower tonight."
Ron stood up and walked over so he could hear what was going on. Kim pressed the button on the phone to put the call on speaker. Covington's voice filled the space between them.
"That is good to hear. We have finished going over the data from your last mission. I need to bring some other assets in before we meet and it's going to take a little time to get it all together. I am extending your leave for a little bit. Why don't you take a cruise or something. I would not be adverse to a trip back the the States if you wanted to."
Two sets of eyes went wide. He had never given them permission to go back to the U.S. before. He had in fact discouraged it. Kim cleared her throat.
"Sir, what's going on?"
Covington's voice came over the phone.
"What makes you think something is going on?"
Kim took a deep breath.
"Sir you have always stressed us to be careful where we went and now you are telling us we can go back to the States. Now what is going on?"
Convington's voice changed.
"Okay Karen. As I said. We have all the data in. I can't tell you more, but I want to give you this chance to go back to the States. I only ask one thing. If you do go back to the States go in one of your mission personas and undergo an appearance change."
Kim thought for a moment.
"Sir, is it that bad?"
Convington hesitated for a moment. This was not a secure channel but the chances of someone listening in were next to astronomical.
"Yes Karen, it is that bad."
Kim looked over at Ron and he nodded.
"Thank you for being honest with us sir."
Covington's voice relaxed.
"I thought you deserved to know Henry. Contact me when you get back to London but no later than the 15th."
Kim rubbed her forehead as she answered.
"We will sir. Thank you."
Ending the call she looked up at Ron.
"Care to join me in a drink?"
Ron smiled.
"I was just going to suggest the same."
Kim adjusted the large pair of sunglasses that covered her eyes. Pulling back the hair she had dyed a dark brown she glanced over Middleton Park now now as the Team Possible Memorial Park. Holding on to Ron's arms they approached the aging bronze statue that loomed over the central fountain. Ron's hair was still blonde but he was wearing blue contacts. She was wearing a pair of brown contacts and her hair was now brown. They also were wearing some pieces that changed the shape of their faces. It was something Ron had come up with with his new and better mask kit. The day was bright and sunny with just a few clouds in the sky. Whether or not that it was a good idea for the two of them to be here was up for debate but that was water under the bridge. They were here.
They were posing as a German couple vacationing in the United States. Part of their vacation was to visit the hometown of the great Kim Possible and her friend Ron Stoppable. The two of them hoped that they would not run into anyone that might have known them. Even with their appearance change someone might recognize them or think that they recognize them. But that would be a slim chance. It had been four almost 5 years now that they had "died" and they had changed a great deal.
Kim watched as a little black girl ran by her and Ron and stood gawking at the statue. She turned to someone behind them and called out.
"Aunt Monique tell me again how you knew them."
Kim gripped Ron's hand hard enough for him to grimace as a woman who had to be Monique walked by them to stand beside the little girl. It was Monique. Definitely older but there was no doubt in their minds that it was their friend from so long ago.
"Well Sugar, we went to school together. Kim and Ron were my first friends that I made after I moved here. Kim and I worked together at the Club Banana store and Ron and I would catch all the fights between Pain King and ."
Another voice called out.
"Monique!"
Monique turned to the side and waved to a person coming up from their right side. Kim gasped when she recognized face. Monique smiled and waved.
"Bonnie! You made it. How many of the others are going to come."
An older Bonnie stepped up carrying a bouquet of flowers and laid them at the foot of the statue. Turning she gave Monique a hug.
"It's been too long. The rest are on their way. I saw them pulling into the parking lot. Thanks for asking me. I know that I gave you and them a hard time back then."
Monique just shook her head.
"That's all in the past girl. You were one of us. Of all of us you were the one that really stepped up when they…."
Monique stopped speaking as she turned back to face the statue.
"Bonnie, I just wish I had one more chance to talk to them. Just to tell them … that they…. that I loved both of them."
A tear crept down Kim's face as she heard her old friend. Ron gently wiped the offending moisture away before someone noticed.
Bonnie was about to speak when she noticed a couple standing nearby. It was the man that first caught her attention. He was a fine example of manhood and if the occasion hadn't been so solemn and the fact that he was with someone she would have found a way to introduce herself. The woman had black hair and was about her height and had the body that she wished she could have. The woman wasn't voluptuous but clearly well filled out. The couple seemed to be embarrassed to be there. She took a few steps toward them.
"Excuse me. Have you come here so visit the statue? You are welcome to join us."
The man placed his arm around the woman and spoke with a German heavy accent.
"We thank you. We didn't mean to intrude on your gathering."
Bonnie smiled.
"It's okay. My name is Bonnie Rockwaller. I went to school with Kim and Ron."
The man nodded.
"Thank you, my name is Hans and this is Greta. We are vacationing in the U.S. and wanted to come to visit this place. Team Possible saved my wife from an avalanche when she was younger. She always wanted to thank them but never got the chance."
Bonnie thought for a moment that the man's voice seemed familiar but she had never known anyone from Germany. She nodded.
"We would be honored if the two of you would join us. Having you with us would be like having them back with us if just for this moment."
Kim forced a heavy accent out of her mouth.
"Vhank you"
Ron smiled.
"Greta doesn't speak English very well. I will translate for her. You honor us by letting us join you."
They looked up to see a group approaching the monument. Felix rolled up with Zita walking beside him. Marcella, Hope, Brick, Big Mike, Vinnie, Tara and Josh all joined the group. Walking behind them all was Mr. Barkin. Everyone seemed to be carrying flowers. They all gathered together for a moment before Bonnie waved Kim and Ron over.
"Everyone, this is Hans and Greta. They are here visiting the US and wanted to come here. Kim and Ron saved Greta from an avalanche when she was younger. They wanted to come here today to thank the two of them in the only way they could. I asked them to join us. To me at least, by having someone here that those two saved, it's like having them back with us. Hans speaks english well but Greta doesn't."
Zita walked over to Kim and gave her a hug.
"You are welcome to join us."
Kim and Ron forced themselves to act their parts as friends they loved and missed came up to them to give them hugs. All welcomed them to the occasion. Barkin strode up to Ron and gazed at him and started to speak in German.
"You look familiar, but I can tell a military man. What unit?"
Ron thought for a moment.
"KSK."
Barkin snapped to attention and saluted.
"Sir, you and your comrades carry on the fight that these two used to fight. You honor me and them by being here today."
Ron nodded silently.
Barkin turned to the others.
"Hans here is a former member of a very talented special forces group within the German Army. Kim and Ron worked with people like him all the time doing what they did."
Barkin turned back to Ron.
"Please come join us."
The group parted and allowed Kim and Ron to the center of the group. All of them in turn stepped forward to lay their flowers at the bottom of the monument. After everyone was finished Bonnie started to speak.
"Hi Kim, Hi Ron. We are all here today, at least those of us who could make it. We miss you. We have some new friends with us today."
Bonnie turned and gestured for Kim and Ron to step forward.
"This is Hans and Greta. They came here to thank you for saving Greta years ago. All of us have thanked them for coming. They are a connection to the two of you."
Through all of this Ron whispered in German like he was telling Kim what was going on. Kim would nod at the appropriate time. Both of them struggled not to break down. Each of the group stepped forward to speak about something they had done with the two of them or some special memory that they had of the two of them. There were a lot of memories of the cheer squad or just school. Felix talked about the basketball games they had played and the games of Zombie Mayhem. As the last one finished a pair of shadows appeared at the edge of the ground. Kim and Ron heard Monique call out.
"Mr and Mrs. Possible! We were hoping that you would be able to come."
Kim squeezed Ron's hand so hard he had to struggle to maintain a straight face. They slowly turned to see Ann and James standing at the edge of the group. Kim whimpered when she saw them. Both had aged over the past years. There was a lot more gray in James' hair and Ann's hair was showing some gray streaks. Ann stepped forward to hug each of them in turn. She then turned to face Kim and Ron. Bonnie stepped up to her side.
"Mrs. Possible. This is Hans and Greta. They came to today to visit the statue. Kim and Ron saved Greta years ago and they wanted to come and thank them. Greta doesn't speak English but Hans does."
Ann stepped up to Kim and gently took her hand.
"Thank you for coming here to honor my daughter."
Ron slowly found his voice.
"We thank you for letting us be here."
James stepped up to Ron and shook his hand.
"Mr. Barkin just told me what you do. My daughter died trying to keep the world safe. Thank you for following in her lead."
Ron nodded slowly when whispered to Kim in German.
"We need to leave and now before we break up."
Kim nodded as Ron turned to the group.
"Greta is a little upset. She didn't know she would be so honored to meet not only the friends of Kim and Ron but Kim's parents also. We need to leave as not to miss our flight. We wish to thank all of you for letting up be here today."
Everyone in the group came up to them to give them a hug. Ann and James were last. Kim hugged her mom for all that she was worth and struggled to maintain her composure as her mother put her arms around her and returned the hug. Next Kim gave and received a similar hug from her dad. Ron shook James hand as they turned to go. Kim stepped back and took Ron's arm as she spoke in a heavy accent.
"Good-bye."
The two of them turned and walked back to the car. Ron could tell Kim was barely holding it together. He helped her into the car and hurriedly ran around and got in the driver's seat and drove away. Kim whimpered from the seat beside him.
"When I left that night. I was in such a hurry that I didn't even say goodbye them. Now this mission is coming up. I know Covington would not have allowed us back here if he wasn't concerned that we would not have a chance again. I know that we really shouldn't have come, but at least it gave me a chance to say goodbye."
Ron slid his hand across the seat and took hers. He looked back in the rearview mirror was the park disappeared behind them.
"Goodbye everybody. Know that we still and will always love all of you."
Well, sorry that it took so long but it is just a little harder to get chapters out now. Things are ramping up of Kim and Ron. They took the trip that they knew that they would have to take sooner or later, with or without Covington's permission. It will probably take a little while for them to give over this little trip but it was one that they had to make. Now, they have had the chance to say goodbye. Let's hope that it is not the final goodbye.
This is the Captain
Roger and out
Right hand salute.