Ever since Shego and Ron had led the raid to destroy the WEE R&D facility in the Rocky Mountains when Kim was pregnant with the twins, EM resistant tech had spread like wildfire throughout GJ. Especially in high profile areas such as Auckland, the building, computers, even the handheld radios they carried were specifically shielded from electromagnetic interference. It was one of Global Justice's closest guarded secrets, the process for shielding something so small. Even Kim herself didn't know their process. After they'd failed to steal the technology, WEE had been trying to duplicate the process. By all reports though, they were several years behind with several road blocks yet to come.
That made the base's EM defense systems Kim's first priority on her and Gracie's inspection. Common sense and basic military strategy dictated that the first objective in any attack was to disable the target's defenses if at all possible. Shego was really the ideal person to check base-wide systems and spot any backdoors or wormholes but Kim was no slouch. As far as she could see, the system was sound, the firewall was intact and no clear way to disable it, at least none that she could spot.
The defense turrets themselves were manned practically non-stop. 3 4-person teams manned each of the twin rail guns on eight-hour shifts. Gracie had thoroughly enjoyed devising a few challenging test scenarios for each of the crews. Commander Weiss and Major Crown certainly weren't blowing smoke. As far as Kim and Gracie could tell, their external security measures were top rate.
All the hard stuff is officially over, Kim thought to herself, heaving a contented sigh as she swiped her security card to gain access to the research facility itself. True to her word, Gracie had in fact been a VERY good girl and had actually been a tremendous help. So true to Kim's word, Gracie had earned the reward of a preview of the mech suits. More than that though, Kim was very curious about this alleged engineer that seemed to know her so well. She'd been over nearly every inch of the base except for the research facility. A lot of the tech people knew her by reputation, either as the female James Bond as the media sometimes referred or as the author of what the literary world referred to as the best military science fiction novel series since David Weber's Honor Harrington. But not a one of them knew her on personal terms.
The doors slid open and Mother and Daughter were greeted by a spectacle of mechanized military wonder. Betty's drawings had been very accurate. Kim wasn't the aerial enthusiast that her wife and daughter were by any means but the fully assembled suit was VERY impressive. She turned to her daughter and…HA! Gracie may as well have been a kid in a candy store. Honestly, when Kim was fourteen her eyes only got that big for a boy band. Gracie…boy, Gracie would have the boys eating out of her hand when she reached adulthood.
"Now muffin, this is a very big place. I think you'd better hold my hand so you don't get lost," Kim couldn't resist getting that little jibe in. After her and Shego's little field trip to the wilds of Northern Ontario, Gracie had always been a beacon of safety and caution around equipment.
"So not funny Mom," Gracie sighed, rolling her eyes and batting away Kim's hand.
"Ooooooh, look at the emotional teenager," Kim shot back. "Way too cool to hold her mother's hand."
"Darn right I am," Gracie chuckled. "I love you Mom but there are some things that just aren't acceptable to do with your parents in public, at least not in teenage society. I mean, would YOU have held Grandma's hand when you were fourteen?"
Okay, Kim couldn't really argue with that. When she was Gracie's age, practically being seen in the same room with Mom and Dad was enough to make her cheeks glow in embarrassment. Sure, the square dancing, costumed bowling leagues, and couples mime classes didn't really help matters any. But Kim still liked to think that she and Shego were doing SOMETHING right on that parental front.
A few of the scientists and the engineers gave the teenager in the testing facility a sideways glance or a raised eyebrow but one look at the older redhead, quite obviously an agent, convinced them to let it go. Kim and Gracie were admiring one of the completed prototypes without any weapons attached when the chest plate lifted up revealing…what the HELL?
"Boo!" barked James Possible Jr. Contented that he'd surprised them, he detached himself from the control harness and climbed down, pulling his big sister and his niece into a bear hug. "I was wondering when you guys would show up."
What…what…what was Jim doing here? Did…Betty know about this? And if so…why did she keep it from her? She…she WOULDN'T do that. Betty would've…wait a minute! This base was a possible target for WEE…and her little brother, a respected and wealthy engineer just happened to be on base…no; her kim-sense was tingling. Something didn't seem right here.
"Wow…the legendary Kim Possible rendered speechless by the appearance of her beloved and oh so charming younger brother," Jim chuckled, letting the two women go. "I honestly never thought I'd see THAT in my lifetime."
"Mom? Mom, what's wrong?"
Oh…what WAS wrong? She needed to talk to Betty, SOMEBODY who would have answers.
"Agent Possible to Communications please. Agent Possible to Communications."
Oh what fresh Hell was this?
KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP
"We received the transmission a few moments ago. GJS Trafalgar, a battle cruiser enroot to our location, reports heavy contact with unmarked cruiser."
This was it! The whole time…it had been Auckland the whole time and…DAMN IT! Kim's own daughter and her younger brother were right in the middle of this!
"Commander, we've got a priority transmission coming across the bay from Sydney. They're requesting a conference with Agent Possible."
Commander Weiss gave the order and Kim's heart leapt as an image of Betty and Shego materialized on the main screen.
"Oh thank God," Kim gasped, unable to hide her relief at the sight of her wife. "Where are you guys?"
"We just touched down at Sydney when we got the report about the Trafalgar being attacked. We're prepping a security regiment to head to your position as soon as we can. Are you and Gracie okay?"
"As good as can be expected Eme," Kim replied, trying to reassure herself as much as her wife. "Listen; there's more. Jim is…"
"We know," Betty interrupted, looking thoroughly guilt ridden. "That was what tipped us off in the first place. Kim, you have to believe me that I didn't know he was there…he wasn't even supposed to BE there!"
"Betty, I…it's okay…wait…what do you meant that he wasn't supposed to be here?"
"We uncovered a mole at GJ, the Director of Personnel himself," Shego explained. "He forged Betty's access codes to get Jim authorized to consult on the project. We think WEE wants Jim as much as they want one of the mech suits."
But how were they going to get them, Jim or the mech suits? Try as she might, and she'd run every plausible scenario for attacking the base, Kim couldn't find a single scenario that made sense. WEE may be a merry band of second rate mercenary misfits and their leader/employer may be one big inferiority complex liberally seasoned with extreme sibling rivalry but even they wouldn't be foolhardy enough to mount an attack on a target without a reasonable chance of success. So what was their game plan?
"Okay…Betty, I have absolutely no idea what their play is here," Boy was that hard to admit. "This place is secure six ways to Sunday so…"
"There's nothing for it the. Commander Weiss," Betty focused on the woman to Kim's left. "Activate Condition Black. Bring all crews to full readiness in preparation for an attack. With any luck, four hundred commandoes will be dropping in before anything dire happens."
Weiss barked a few quick orders and a siren began blaring, calling for everyone to report to battle stations. Kim couldn't shake the feeling and went to check on the defense systems one last time. Their lives…GRACIE'S life depended on them!
"Commander, what's the status of my daughter?" Shego asked.
"I believe she's in the testing grounds with her Uncle, Mrs. Possible," Commander Weiss replied. "Rest assured it's the safest place in the area."
Without warning, the transmission blinked out. The sudden quiet pulled Kim back towards the screen as if yanked by a leash.
"Run diagnostics immediately," Commander Weiss barked. "Get the transmission back!"
No…they wouldn't get the transmission back. Dollars to donuts WEE was jamming any and all communications out of the base. It was directly out of their playbook. So…this was it. But WHERE were they coming from?
Agent Possible, I've got something on radar here," One of the techs piped up. "I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking at." Kim marched over and looked at the radar screen. "It appeared just a moment ago, bearing 191 and has been drastically increasing speed since. If their speed keeps increasing at this rate, I put them ten to fifteen minutes out."
Bearing 191…the direction of the Trafalgar attack; but…at that bearing, they would be heading right at the solid rock cliff face that the base was built on. Were they planning to climb? The tech brought up the radar signature, not one that Kim could readily recognize. Definitely too big for a pleasure craft, too small for an attack craft; that little feeling in the pit of her stomach was telling Kim that it was some kind of lone amphibious assault vehicle.
"Is the vessel in range of the sensor buoys?"
"Just barely ma'am," The tech instantly began making the keystrokes, anticipating Kim's thoughts. "It'll be a little rough but I think I can get an image."
Ever so slowly, the image began to materialize. Certainly no amphibious vehicle that Kim had ever seen…and one she suddenly wished she hadn't seen. The image was indeed rough but rough as it was, Kim was still able to recognize a Hench Co Model 79 laser enhanced terrestrial drill mounted on the front of the vessel.
By the Grace of God and a good sharp stick! They are actually going to TUNNEL into the facility? The slim design of the vessel would be perfect to slide through a cave or tunnel! Sheldon Director, I'd tip my hat to you if I didn't want to strangle you even more.
"Commander, take a look at this."
Kim could see the wheels turning in the older officer's mind, arriving at the same inevitable conclusion. While the Commander completed the same mental journey Kim had just been on, Kim began doing some reevaluations of their strategy. This was now officially a delaying action. WEE had been unusually clever thus far and Kim thought it was a reasonable assumption that they had enough troops in that vehicle to put up a fight. The base's best hope was to try to delay them until Shego and Betty got here with the cavalry. Now was the time where her Kim-ness, her obsession with and attention to detail paid off."
"What are you thinking?" Commander Weiss inquired, noticing Kim's determined gaze out the window. "We hold them off until the Director gets here with reinforcements?"
"But how best to do it?" Kim agreed, speaking more for her benefit than to anyone in particular. "The defense turrets are designed for aerial targets or ships so they're out of the question. I think we've got one good choice here. Commander, you take Alpha Company to the cliff face ASAP. Try to slow them down. When they decrease speed to start drilling open up with everything you've got. I'll take Bravo Company and secure the testing grounds. If they get by you, pull your troops back to the testing grounds and we'll make it our last stand."
While Commander Weiss began issuing orders, Kim pulled aside Major Crown and began explaining the worst case scenario. WEE's primary targets were Jim and one of the mech suits. Thank God for small mercies; the vessel didn't look like it was large enough to stow a mech suite or at least stow it before they could be stopped. Major Crown agreed and ventured that short of a suit, their likely target was to steal the hard drives.
"Okay Major, here's what we'll do," They were pressed for time but if they acted now, they could just about do it. "Give the order to start pulling the hard drives. Anything related to the mech project, anything that can compromise GJ, pull it and see to it that it is stored in my craft. If the fight turns south, my daughter will fly everything out of the base and rendezvous with the Directory in Sydney."
Major Crown barked a command into his radio. Thankfully the jamming field only suppressed communications out of the base and not within it. Content that his orders would be carried out, Major Crown turned to Kim. "All due respect to your daughter Agent Possible, but is it wise trusting something like this to a 14 year old? My security can handle things here. Surely you would…"
"Let me stop you right there major. At 14, my daughter already has more combat flight time than someone twice her age. She piloted an F22 Raptor during the Montreal Affair; she's survived a jet crash in the Canadian wilderness and walked away clean."
Speaking of, if they were going to make this work, she'd better get down there and actually fill her daughter in on the plan.
KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP
This…this wasn't at all like she thought it would be. Every time Gracie had been on a mission with Mom or Momma, she'd had a couple of hundred pounds of aircraft surrounding her. When your enemies had to get by an M61 Vulcan Gatling gun, you tended to have a warm and fuzzy sense of security. But now…now Gracie was very aware of their situation. A Possible or no, she was a 14 year old in the middle of a base that was about to be attacked by who knows what. Was Mom this nervous when she was just starting out? But…she could do this! She WOULD get used to this. She was heir apparent to Team Possible and she would NOT turn into some kind of simpering milksop. If Mom was ever going to trust her in the field or take her seriously, if Gracie was ever going to prove that she was ready to go on missions next year, now was her chance not just to prove it to her parents but to herself as well.
"Nervous kiddo?"
"Uh…man; is it that obvious Uncle Jim?"
"Hey, there's nothing wrong with being a little nervous," Uncle Jim patted her on the back and took a seat beside her. "When your Mom and I were younger, your Grandma always said it was better to by edgy before a big job or project. It keeps you focused."
"I just…I just…"
"Gracie, remember that your Mom, the Great Kim Possible, really just fell into this accidentally. At your age, she was looking for babysitting jobs, not extractions or retrievals." Uncle Jim pulled her close. "Gracie, you are so young. You've got forever and a day to decide if this is really what you want to do. I know being an international singing sensation may not be as ultra-glamorous as a super spy but all that truly matters is that you're doing something that makes you happy. That ESPECIALLY matters to your Moms."
Mom always told such unbelievable horror stories about growing up with Uncles Jim and Tim but…nah. Stories or no, Uncle Jim always knew just how to make her feel better. Here was one grown up she had absolutely no problem giving a hug in public and she elected to demonstrate exactly that right this second.
"Ah don't worry about it kiddo. What are favorite uncles for?"
Gracie was about to shoot back a jibe about him having pretty stiff competition and her not being that easy to buy when one of the other engineers hauled him up and informed him they'd been ordered to start pulling the hard drives from the computers and the suits themselves. A short time later, Mom burst in looking for Gracie.
"What's up Mom?"
"I've got a mission for you sweetie," Mom got straight to the point and pulled Gracie to her feet. "It's likely to get a little messy in here in a few minutes. I want you in the hovercraft. We're loading all of the hard drives inside. If things get really bad, you need to fly to Sydney and meet up with your Momma."
Mom…Mom wanted her to…leave her behind? "But…but what about you? What about Uncle Jim?"
"Uncle Jim is going in another craft. I have to help defend the suits, keep WEE from getting any…"
"Mom, are you CRAZY?" Mom…Mom really expected her to…to leave her behind? "I…I can't leave, not without you!"
Mom pulled her aside down an empty hallway. "Gracie, if I tell you to, that is exactly what you need to do." Gracie opened her mouth to object but was quickly silenced. Young lady, this is without a doubt the most difficult lesson you will ever have to learn. Sometimes…sometimes you have to put the mission first. It sucks, it's massively unfair…but it has to be done. If I'm taken prisoner, my best hope is for you and Momma to come and rescue me, which I have absolute faith that you'll do."
She…Gracie didn't know if she…if she could do this. How could she leave Mom behind? What was she saying; how could she leave AYONE behind?
"Gracie," Mom took her by the shoulders and looked her in the face. "What did General MacArthur say when he left the Philippines?"
"I…I shall return."
"And that's what I need you to do sweetie," Mom pulled her into a hug. "I need you to be my General MacArthur."
Gracie blinked and suddenly realized that they were outside, right next to the hovercraft. She…she'd been really locked inside her own head. The last thing she knew was Mom grabbing her by the shoulders and…she hadn't even realized that they were moving.
"Gracie, you're the only one that I trust with this."
"Trust"; Mom just HAD to use tht word. She…she wasn't sure if she could…"I…I'll wait as long as I can Mom."
"Everything's going to be okay sweetie," Mom gave her another hug. "Ol' Mom's still got a few tricks up her sleeve. Now, run the start-up sequence. I give the word, wheels up!"
KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP
"Kim? KIM?" Nonononono…what happened!?
"Running diagnostics now ma'am."
Please God…Shego needed to get out there! That was her wife and daughter out there and all she could do was just sit here like a slug. She couldn't do anything and she HATED that feeling. If she had to, she'd steal GJ transport and fly to…NO! She had to keep her head straight, had to keep it together. If she was going to be of any use, she couldn't be a wife and mother right now. The Shegophone chimed, pulling her out of that very dangerous train of thought. Wade and Minnie; they'd know what to do! They'd have the answer.
"Minnie…we just lost communications. Tell me…tell me my girls are okay."
"It's okay Girl," Minnie assured. "Kim and Gracie are still okay. Wade's managed to hack a WEE satellite and we think we know how they're going to get in."
"Hang on; I'm gonna put you on the big screen."
Shego fixed the phone into the USB station. Almost immediately an image of some kind of attack boat materialized and began rotating.
"Alright Minnie; what exactly are we looking at?"
"It's a heavily modified version of their nautical sapper ship," Minnie explained. "This pointed tip on the bow is actually a Hench Co laser enhanced terrestrial drill. Auckland is on a relatively small island and the base is built on a solid granite cliff so GJ intelligence never really considered tunneling to be a potential security threat and logically so. You'd have picked them up before they ever got close. But this…this has to be a prototype specifically designed for this objective."
"Okay then, I see how they plan to get in," Shego murmured, taking in all aspects of the vessel. "But the thing pops up in the middle of the base…how's it going to leave the island? You put enough firepower in the base and the ship's a pile of scrap inside a few minutes. Or is this meant to be a suicide mission?"
"Well…that's the VERY interesting thing," Minnie sighed. "According to my hubbie's scans…this thing has been even FURTHER modified to allow for flight once it comes out of the ground."
A wave of silence descended over the CIC room. It…flight…drill…WHAT!? Shego could barely believe her ears. This was the kind of half-baked hodgepodge of an invention that Drakken would come up with and would reliably blow up in the blue nerd's face. Betty's "older" brother was only marginally better than Shego's former associate but still. Shego expected better from the head of an international evil organization. She turned to Betty, expecting to see her about to crack up…when she saw the steely gaze still fixed on the vessel.
"Mrs. Load, can you give me any kind of figures as to how many of these vessels WEE might have?"
"Well like I said, my hunch is that this is a lone prototype," Minnie explained, minimizing the diagram and bringing her face back into the projection. "But now that Wade and I have a clear idea of what we're looking for…we can have a full count for you in maybe two hours, three if we want to make absolutely sure."
"Okay, better to be accurate in a situation like this," Betty sighed, still focusing on the screen. "Forward the report to Deputy Director Du when it's complete," Betty turned to Shego. "Can I have a private word Shego?"
Was…was there something she wasn't seeing here? Shego had spent enough time around inventions like this to actually be a little amused at the prospect of seeing the device in action, even more so if her daughter wasn't in the crosshairs. But Shego had also seen that look on Betty's face before, usually when something was terribly wrong. Her friend pulled her to a quiet corner and looked her in the eyes.
"Betty…what's going on? Are you worried about this?"
"Shego…I…this is just wrong," Betty broke contact and brought her over to a map. "Look at this; this is the Auckland base," She continued, indicating a position. "And this is the course the ship traveled on. Back track it and it leads you right to where Trafalgar is currently engaged. The WEE vessel was using the fight as a smoke screen, making us look in every direction except the one we should've. And look at the plan of the attack, skimming along the water safely under the rail guns' field of fire and then flying out with the package and likely hostages to keep us from blowing them out of the sky."
Slowly Shego was beginning to see Betty's train of thought. Something…something DID feel very wrong here, like she and Betty were completely missing the big picture.
"I mean, we can assume that Jindal was able to get Sheldon at least a basic report on the base's defenses," Betty explained. "But even with good intelligence, Sheldon is definitely not THIS good. He's almost a modern day Colonel Klink in that regard."
The more Shego thought about it…Betty was making sense. Betty was most definitely the authority on the subject matter here but looking back on all their missions that involved WEE and on all of her past associations with them as a villain…damn it; Sheldon WASN'T usually this good and all the times he came close, especially in recent years, it had been somebody smarter pulling the strings.
"You think there's some kind of hidden hand in all of this?"
"Sun Tsu says to know your enemy," Betty nodded. "And I do know Sheldon."
A cry from one of the signals techs brought them back to the screen. "The vessel's beginning to drill!"
Ma'am," the base security chief stepped up and saluted. "All chalks report ready to fly."
Thank God for that, Shego thought to herself. "Get me out there as soon as humanly possible."
"Not without me," Betty barked, taking off after Shego.
KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP
Things had gone bad very quickly. Alpha company had been in position just in time but contrary to the plan, the vessel had in fact increased speed and opened up with the drill only moments before it would've collided with the rock face. From there, the vessel moved like Bugs Bunny through the ground. Now…now Kim and Bravo Company could only wait for the monster to come out.
Not for the first time, she took another look at her little brother. Man, she was torn. She was torn between wanting to clap him on the back for refusing to leave his sister's side…and wanting to club him upside the head and dragging him back to the transport! At this rate, her kids and her younger brothers were going to make her prematurely gray before she hit 40.
"When we get home, I am SO telling Mom. And then SHE'S going to tell your pregnant and hormonal wife."
"Well, we always say that anything is possible for a Possible," Jim shot back, adjusting the strap on the P-90 Kim had issued him. "You never know. I might just survive it."
Ugh…it had to be a twin thing. Jim and Tim; Em and Zoe; all of them always seemed to succeed in throwing the family motto back in her face.
Without warning the room began shaking. This…this was it. The drill could come up from any…OOOOOOFFFF! The ground seemed to shoot upwards underneath Kim's feet, sending her up with it. There was a split second of weightlessness and with a loud thump, Kim hit the ground, covered in a pile of rocks and dirt.
"KIM!"
Kim was vaguely aware of a pair of arms prying off the larger chunks of rock and embracing her. A loud bang sounded throughout the room. Through it all…Gracie…she had to get Gracie…away from here. Her…her radio was…at her side?
"Gr…Gracie…take…off." Kim was vaguely aware of her daughter making some kind of response. "Take off…NOW!"
A wave of bright blue light seemed to creep over her, bathing her in a feeling of cold like she'd been dunked in ice water. She…she felt like she was being dragged backwards, the rocks and debris in her way scuffing and cutting through her clothes. Even in her dazed state she felt an extreme regret that her battlesuit was back in the hovercraft. With all the activity, she hadn't had time to don it. Cold steel soon replaced rubble. By now, Kim's senses were beginning to rapidly return to her and with them the clear severity of her situation. She was in the vessel! She'd been stunned by the collision with the ground and those in the vessel had activated some kind of tractor beam or harness and hauled her inside. She blinked her eyes several times, clearing out the cobwebs…and realized that the situation had gone from worse to total Hell; Jim! Jim was on top of her! He must have leapt to help her and gotten pulled in along with her. The dragging ceased, as did the blue lights, and brother and sister splayed out in a tangled mess of limbs.
"As I live and breath," a male voie taunted as Kim was hauled up by the scruff of her neck. "The mighty Kimberly Possible herself; this IS a surprise indeed."
"Sir, the shock grenade didn't last as long as expected. Security is starting to wake up. Do we make a grab for the data?"
"I think not Sergeant,' The man, most likely their leader, replied, voice dripping with a slimy arrogance. "No, I think we've got sufficient…leverage to make the package come to us. Be so kind as to make us a door. And as for our guests," He flashed that snake like grin at Kim. "Take special care to show them the courtesy due their postion."
Kim had a sinking feeling that she knew what was coming. Bracing for the swift blow to her stomach made it slightly less painful but the future corpses had knocked the wind out of poor Jim, sending him to his knees.
"JIM!" Kim gasped, fighting against those restraining her. "You BASTARD! And YOU," She poured every ounce of hate into that glance and turned it on their leader. "So help me, someday soon you are going to be looking up at me with my boot over your throat!"
"I look forward to it my dear. Though I think it will be YOU that looks up at me from your back."
KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP
"Take…off…NOW!"
The words were like a knife to her heart. She'd been trying to mentally prepare herself, trying to MAKE herself do it. She…she had to…but she couldn't just…please God!
"AARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH," Gracie let out a cry as she hammered the thrusters. The hovercraft began to rise. She…would…be…back! She would find Momma, they would come back…and Gracie WOULD BRING Mom home! If she had to fly through a squadron of fighter drones with nothing but a hang glider and a slingshot, she WOULD help Mom. But first she had to get to Momma. The thrusters were up and humming so Gracie brought the hovercraft into a climb. Mom didn't really specify how WEE had planned to get out but one eye was on the sky and the other on the radar. "This is Gulf Papa Gamma Juliet calling any friendlies in the area. Repeat, this is Gulf Papa Gamma Juliet calling any friendlies in the area."
No response; she had to get out of range of this jamming field! Gracie brought the craft into a bank and began circling around the base, increasing the distance each time. God only knew what was going on back in the base but if she could get word out…maybe she could bring help, the Australian RAF or…or New Zealand SAS or SOMEBODY.
"This is Gulf Papa Gamma Juliet calling any available…"
"This is Gamma Juliet Sierra Niner Seven. We read you loud and…"
"GRACIE!?"
Thankyouthankyouthankyou…THANK YOU; Momma could NOT have picked a better time. "Momma; oh thank goodness! Where are you guys?"
"We're on the tarmac about to take off. Are you okay? Where are you?
"I'm in the hovercraft circling around the base about…two miles or so out. There's some kind of jamming field around the base. Mom…Mom is still…inside the base. She…she told me to…take off."
"It's going to be okay Muffin," Momma's voice crackled back. "Everything's going to be okay. I want you to maintain that distance, report back on any changes in the situation."
A great burst of red light burst out and hammered into the hovercraft, hammering Gracie in all directions. Warning sirens sounded and beacons began flashing, and Gracie put a death grip on the controls.
"Gracie? Gracie, what happened?"
"I…I don't know," Okay, she had to run diagnostics and she had to be quick about it. Controls were only a little sluggish so the damage couldn't have been too bad. "I've been hit by something. I think it came from inside the base."
"Is there any damage?"
"No…not much," Gracie glanced through the readings, content that for the moment she was fine. "It was just a glancing blow. The rear right repulsor is at half power. I think the aft auxiliary power cupling was damaged." Before Momma could respond, a blip appeared on the radar screen. "Momma I've got something on radar here. I…I think it's coming out of the testing grounds. I'm going to go in and take a look."
"No Gracie, I want you to stay on the perimeter until…"
"Oh, crap," Gracie's blood went cold. The blip on the screen took a distinct turn towards her and the target alarm began sounding. "Momma, they've seen me and they are locked on. Momma? Momma?" Momma's voice was replaced by a dull buzzing. Either the jamming field had expanded or that craft was what was causing it. Momma…crap; with her luck, Momma probably thought Gracie had disobeyed her. The band was DEFINITELY not going to let her forget this. The hovercraft's radar systems were quickly able to build a profile on the…what the heck was she looking at? This wasn't any aircraft she was familiar with. It was long, almost looking like a boat…if it weren't for the wings jutting out from the sides. Strangest of all was the drill that appeared to be mounted on the front of the vehicle. But what was abundantly clear was the black and red WEE insignia.
"Not good," Gracie breathed, watching as the vehicle closed the distance. "DEFINITELY not good."
Her instincts were immediate. Taking a grip on the controls, she threw the hovercraft into an about face and hit the thrusters. This wasn't going to be easy. She didn't know anything about the other vessel but she was all too aware of the fact that she was in a hovercraft rather than a proper fighter. What she wouldn't give to be in an F22 right now!
Take the situation as it is; not the way you want it to be.
Mom's voice came through her mind so clearly that for a split second, Gracie thought Mom had come over the headset.
"Mom," Gracie asked tentatively. "Mom, can you hear me?"
The response, at least the vocal response, was only silence. The physical response however was far clearer. Whether by coincidence or something more, the radar warning intensified and a missile was fired. Bringing the defensive systems online, a volley of flares spewed out beneath the hovercraft. Gracie threw the thrusters to full power, pushing the craft to 200, 300, 400 mph. Thankfully, even while increasing speed, the missile shot wide. Now well clear of the jamming field, she got on the headset.
"This is Gulf Papa Gamma Juliet. I have been engaged by unknown WEE vessel. Repeat, I have been engaged by unknown enemy WEE vessel!"
Why aren't the rail guns firing? She and Mom had seen to it that they were on their toes so why…why wouldn't they fire on an enemy vessel that had just emerged from a friendly facility…and more than likely with prisoners. And Mom and Uncle Jim were…!
"Mom, please come in. I…I need to know you're okay."
She juked and jived all over the place, trying to get the vessel off her tail. She…what could she do? If Mom and Uncle Jim were on that vessel…?
"I'm afraid that your mother is unavailable," A voice replied. "I can confidently say that very soon…so will you."
Time seemed to freeze. The familiar burst of red light burst. A split second later, Gracie's whole world seemed to come apart at the seams. The hovercraft gave a great lurch and the safety straps dug into her shoulders. She'd been hit! She'd been hit by God knew what and she was going down. She'd been through this before and she knew she needed to act quickly. No telling how long she had. She grabbed the waterproof duffle containing the mech and most crucial hard drives. With her free hand, she hammered down on a nearby button. With a great heave, Gracie Possible shot into the open sky.
Author's Note:
This one took a little while to actually bring to an end. Hope you like it so far. Anyway, I think you might be surprised at who the hidden hand is behind WEE's newfound competence. But will it be enough to topple the mighty Team Possible? Will Gracie survive being shot down in the Pacific Ocean? Tune in next time, same Kim-time, same Kim channel.