Red Raider stood naked and wet over the sink. The small washroom in the lair was one of the few places where he could take off his armor.
He hated looking in the mirror seeing the person he had become. The plan seemed so smart and straight forward in the beginning. He had been a soldier so he understood plans even though they had always been plans that he hated. Plans filled with so much despair and death that he had been so desperate for anything else that he had acted without thinking. Like a drowning man he had reached out to grab for the only hope he had. Now he was the one making plans filled with pain. No matter how many showers he took he never felt clean.
He had stood over her bed. He had stood in their house. He could have told them.
No, it was too soon. Even those who might be his eventual allies would not understand. The schedule. He had to remain on schedule. Things needed to happen and they needed to happen in the proper order and at the proper time. No matter how many people's lives he now played with.
The flash drive had been delivered that was the first step. Now he had to complete the device, gather the final components of the project, and prepare the bag. He must keep the wheels of time in motion. Time, it was almost a joke.
When did I become such a monster?
The com signal chirped on the panel next to the mirror. "Audio only. Raider here."
"Guten morgen, Raider. I have finally located the iridium radioisotopes that we have been looking for" came the voice of Dementor. "They are kept in a small American Army Research Lab in Maryland USA."
"Very Good, Doctor. Do we have a tactical layout of the installation?"
"It was not easy to obtain but I have procured the necessary plans that should allow us easy access, containment, and extraction."
"We will prep the first three squads of drones and then you and I will obtain the iridium."
"Why so many drones. We have never needed so many before. No one has been there to stop us."
"I believe this time there will be. This time "they" will be there." The Raider turned off the com and once again stared into the mirror. His reflection made sense now. He still hated looking in the mirror.
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The call had come in that morning while Shego was driving to work. Apparently GJ had detected an alarm at an Army Research Lab in Maryland and before the site went dead the security system detected an energy signature that matched the Red Raider. She immediately called the school to arrange coverage for her classes and dropped Gracie off at school. Kim and Ron had already been called and would meet her at the airport.
Shego mashed the accelerator and sped through the city to the airport. GJ had a jet transport standing by already prepped and waiting on the runway with a squad of elite commandos on board. Kim and Ron stood outside the Jet already in their mission gear.
"Love the teacher outfit Shego. Kind of got that bad teacher vibe going", joked Ron.
"Careful Stoppable or I might decide to give you a lesson." Kim rolled her eyes and sighed as she threw her wife her mission gear and they all boarded the jet.
"Everyone on board pilot, you can take off whenever you get clearance", said Kim as she sat down next Shego.
"Are you alright?" asked Kim.
"I'm worried about Gracie."
"What do you mean?"
"It is one thing for us to climb in a plane and jet off to a situation that will most likely end in violence. We've been doing this for years but not Gracie."
"Shego our daughter is far better trained than I was at her age and she has us. She can fly jets, shoot guns, and beat the stuffing out of some of the most trained agents in the world." Kim grabbed her wife's hand and squeezed. "We will keep her safe no matter what she decides to do."
"Kim's right Shego." said Ron from where he sat across the plane. "Gracie is one tough cookie."
"I know but this guy got close. Too close, and it pissed me off" said Shego.
"Then make him regret it", said Ron as he leaned over and offered his fist. Shego laughed, leaned forward and fist bumped Ron. "Booyah", they all three said in unison.
The jet landed at Andrews Air Force base and the team transferred to two Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Stealth Helicopters. Shego checked the team and found it to be good one. Team Possible had led many high speed insertions raids before but Shego had the suspicion that this time they were heading into a real fight.
Kim had rarely seen her wife so keyed up on mission. She knew that the incident the other night had upset Shego. Kim suspected it was for the same reason she herself was upset because it was too close to her family.
"Two minutes. Satellite footage shows no movement at the facility but an unidentified vehicle we suspect as some form of hovercraft is still parked in a hangar next to the main laboratory. This means our target may still be present. Commando team will cordon and secure the area. Our team will secure the hovercraft to prevent the subjects escape. Use of lethal force is authorized." said Shego.
Ron secured his flash bombs and checked his modified Smith & Wesson 460V Revolver while Kim secured her combat vest harness with concussion grenades and her expandable fighting batons.
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The interior of the lab was populated by the unconscious bodies of military and laboratory personnel. The paralytic nerve gas worked perfectly and the base succumbed in minutes but an alarm was sent out. The security system was now shut down but it had probably registered their presence before they disabled it. The Red Raider surveyed the work of the drones as they retrieved the iridium. He contemplated his plan and the desperate nature of it. Sometimes you had to work hard to bait a trap. The drones were not affected by the gas and the Raider's armor was sealed but Dementor wore a suit and mask to protect himself.
"We have all we need now. So why do we linger?" asked Dementor. His voice was muffled behind the mask.
"The gas has dissipated Doctor. You can remove your protective gear."
"That's alright I'm fine."
"We linger because I'm expecting GJ."
"It is not wise to play with these people. Even for someone like you."
"I have more than one project to consider Doctor. You concern yourself with storing the iridium on the hover transport. I will take care of our guests. Alpha squad accompany me; Beta squad go with the Doctor and secure the transport." Seven drones escorted Dementor to the hangar while the Raider took his to the hanger.
"Commander, this is Gamma squad leader", came the voice of the third squad leader over the com.
"Go ahead Gamma leader."
"Two craft inbound contact time less than two minutes."
"Do not engage until I give the order. I want your squad to suppress any support personnel. Alpha squad and I will deal with the primaries."
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The team disembarked the helicopters and the commandos dispersed to cordon the area. Shego led the way to the hangar with Kim and Ron following close behind. The hanger doors were only slightly open as if someone tried to close them but failed. Sloppy thought Shego very sloppy.
Shego led them in the hanger and a hover transport sat powered up and Shego could just make out Dementor's head through the cockpit windows. However, her attention quickly shifted to the red armored figure standing at the base of the craft. Kim moved left of Shego and Ron right as they cleared the hanger doors.
"I am required by GJ regulations to ask you to surrender quietly but I am really hoping you chose not too", said Shego as she ignited her hands in burning plasma.
"I have been told it is impolite to refuse the request of a lady", said the Raider.
From the cockpit Dementor activated his control panel and the hanger doors slammed close by remote control. Shego and the others whirled toward the doors for only a moment.
"Gamma squad suppressive fire; Beta squad prep for extraction; Alpha squad engage the secondary targets, Primary is mine", ordered the Raider. Seven drones descended from the hovercraft and each expanded collapsible staves and charged. Shego hurled plasma at the leading drone and its exploded fragments rained throughout the hanger. Three drones broke toward Ron and three toward Kim.
"Team leader were are taking fire from multiple hostiles outside the hanger", Shego heard over her com from the GJ commando leader.
"Return fire and close on our position ", Shego managed to say before a white hot plasma blast caught her dead center in the chest and threw her back into the hanger doors. The blast had come from the outstretched arm of the Raider as he slowly began to close on Shego.
"Shego!" screamed Kim as she flipped over one drone and blocked another's staff with her batons.
"I'm alright Kim", said Shego as she collected herself, "this idiot should know better than to shoot me with plasma."
"Yes, I should," said the Raider and he and Shego closed on each other.
Ron dodged left and right until he had all three of his opponents lined up and he pulled out his secret weapon. He reached behind his back and pulled out a small seltzer like bottle and sprayed all three drones with carbonated soda. All three drones stopped momentarily and wiped their faces.
"Aren't you guys supposed to melt?" The drones merely spun their staves and continued to close in. "Oh, man that is just wrong."
Shego rarely felt the need to charge herself up to nearly full power but she did now. As she and the Raider closed she hurled her own plasma ball back at him. The raider raised his arm and fired as well. The bolts met and exploded in midair bathing the hanger in brilliant green light. Shego was blinded for only half a second by the blast but she nearly missed the Raider coming out of the explosion straight for her. From the Raider's right wrist a six inch blade had snapped out. Shego dodged right and avoided the charge her arm swung out catching the Raider with a beautiful right cross powered by plasma. The blow scorched the side of the Raider's helmet and cause him to retreat a step. Shego closed and blocking the blade are with an elbow and punched into the Raider's chest scorching the armor again. Now the combatants circled one another seeking an opening.
"You hit good for an old green lady."
"Old! Old! You stupid bastard I was just planning to maim you but now I'm really going to kill you."
Kim saw Shego and the Raider circling each other but she had her own problems. Since when had drones learned to fight so well? The three fighting her acted in unison and every time she gained an advantage on one the others forced her back. She was confident she could win in time but the others might need her help.
Ron swept the legs of one drone drew his revolver and fired decapitating a second before the third struck knocking his gun away. "We could really use some of that help in here", said Ron over his com.
"Trying sir but the opposition out her is determined to keep us out. We need about 60 seconds" came the commando leader.
"We may not have sixty seconds", said Ron as he dodged the remaining two drones fighting him.
Kim dodged an overhead slash from a staff and countered with rapid strikes to the torso and head of the drone. The drone twirled into the wall of the hanger and collapsed. Ron could be right, thought Kim, this was not going well. She turned to the remaining two drones threatening her and looked to her wife. Come on Eme, Kim's used her pet name for Shego, finish this.
Shego, breathing hard, her chest heaving stood in her fighting stance waiting for an opening. Who is this guy? She was faster than him but not by much. She got three hits to his one but he just took it and kept coming. The Raider circled, his right arm blade cocked back when he suddenly lunged forward. Shego ducked under the strike and grabbed the Raider's right arm at the wrist. She stepped into his body ignited her right arm with white hot plasma and drove her forearm into his armored chest. Once, twice, three times she struck and the glow of green plasma fire erupted with each blow lifting the Raider from the floor. She then released the arm and spun with a devastating kick that drove the Raider back a dozen feet. The Raider did not go down but his armored feet dug furrows into the hard surface of the hanger.
It was then that Shego felt the sharp pain in the side of her abdomen. A quick glance down showed blood spreading out along the right side of her suit. The Raider raised his left arm showing a bloody blade exactly like the one on his right arm. He flexed his left wrist and the blade retracted into his armor.
"Alpha squad switch to primary," ordered the Raider as he drew a cylinder from his armor and hurled it to the flood. The cylinder exploded into black smoke that began to fill the hanger.
"Kimmie look out!" yelled Shego.
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Doctor Drakken stood in the beta lair and watched the battle from the camera feeds on the hovercraft. He swayed from side to side as he watched the exchanges and imagined it was him giving Shego the beat down.
"We're winning!"
"It won't last." Drakken turned to his companion who was concealed in the darkness across the room.
"What do you mean? Why not?"
"The Raider isn't trying to beat them. He is trying to position them on the board like pawns in a chess game."
"Why would he do that?" asked Drakken.
"Because he believes himself to be the game master. He thinks everyone in this game are his pieces to move as he sees fit."
"But he is really just our pawn?"
"Yes, Doctor you are exactly correct."
"A quick question. Why do we need him now? Why not just eliminate them all now?"
"Because I am following the first rule of evil Doctor." Drakken's face momentarily clouded with confusion.
"What is the first rule of evil?"
"Never do anything that you can't get some dumb shmuck to do for you. Continue to watch and enjoy. Our time will come soon enough."
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Ron watched the two remaining drones he was fighting suddenly break off and run into the billowing cloud of black smoke. Ron had lost sight of both Kim and Shego but he quickly reached down and grabbed his revolver and raced off to find the others.
Kim collapsed her batons and with her foot kicked up the staff from the drone she had taken and spun it. Now with some reach she turned to the two reaming drones. It was then that she saw Shego clutching at the bloody side of her suit. Kim yelled out to Shego but then the black smoke obscured her vision. Her two opponents quickly disappeared as well. She heard Shego cry out a warning to her but she was not about to stop. She had seen the blood and she would make this guy pay for her hurting her Eme.
"Oh please, please, please, be alright", Kim thought as she advanced through the Smoke. A from materialized form the smoke and she almost struck out but at the last second she recognized Ron. "We have to help Shego."
"Working on it."
Suddenly a figure seemed too explode from the smoke. The Raider shot forward and slammed his shoulder into Ron. The impact threw Ron backwards and he slid across the hanger floor until he hit the doors. The Raider reached down and stopped himself by digging a deep furrow into the floor of the hanger with his left hand. The motion swung him around towards Kim.
Kim stood her ground as the Raider quickly advanced. Wrong move thought Kim as she quickly extended her staff jabbing into the Raider's abdomen. He tried to bull rush her with arms spread wide but Kim slid under the arms and reversed the staff backwards into the Raider. Kim followed up with rapid strikes to the arms and torso of the Raider. Every time the Raider tried to close Kim evaded his grasp and although the battle was taking only seconds Kim felt like this had been going on for hours. The Raider finally popped out a plasma blaster but Kim knocked the arm wide and closed swinging her staff around and driving it up between the Raider's legs. She heard the satisfying cry of pain from the Raider and using her momentum slammed her shoulder into her armored foe. The Raider staggered and actually went down on one knee.
Kim spun away just before she felt the pain. She felt a sharp pain in her left side and looking down saw blood begin spreading out from the wound. Kim tried to move backwards and collapsed. Still kneeling on one knee the Raider held up his right arm and the wrist blade was bloody all the way back to his hand. The Raider snapped the blade closed and rose up towering over Kim.
"Hovercraft immediate evac. All remaining Alpha and Gamma drones cover extraction and then initiate destruct protocol", ordered the Raider as he jumped high into the hanger landing on the hovercraft.
Shego had suddenly found herself under attack by multiple drones. She blew the first one apart with a well-timed plasma strike but the remaining three just kept just out of range. She couldn't see anything else going on the hanger due to the smoke and the pain in her side slowed her down. Kim needed her help and these things were getting in her way. Time to take things up a notch. This was going to hurt. Shego quickly spun hurling plasma in all directions. She destroyed all three of the remaining drones. Even though her side hurt she quickly began searching for the others.
Ron staggered up from the hanger doors and could just make out the Raider standing over Kim. He drew his revolver and was about to fire when the Raider jumped away and disappeared into the smoke. The doors behind him began to open and he heard the hovercraft lifting off.
"Commando team the targets are rabbiting. I repeat the targets are rabbiting" said Ron as he ran toward the prone form of Kim. The smoke began to blow clear as the hovercraft passed overhead and out the hanger doors. Ron heard the sound of gunfire and reports as the craft was fired upon. He reached Kim's side and saw the bloody wound on her left side. He began applying pressure to the wound and his hands came away bloody.
"We need medical assistance in here stat", said Ron as Shego staggered up to him and Kim. Shego dropped beside Kim and Ron saw she was bleeding as well.
The GJ Commando's began coming in and its medic quickly arrived and began tending to both women.
"Commando leader the hovercraft?" asked Ron.
"Negative sir. The craft quickly cloaked when it cleared the hanger. We do not have it on visual or radar."
"Sir, we need to get these two to a hospital immediately", said the team medic. Ron stood up and decided to take charge.
"I want immediate medical transport for them and call in GJ support, we have people her that will need help as well. What is your squad's status?"
"Go Ron!" joked Shego from the floor of the hanger.
"Yeah, I kind of like the take charge Ron", said Kim as she lay on the floor in obvious pain.
"The drones outside have all been eliminated and no one was seriously hurt as they were using non-lethal rubber ammunition", said the commando leader.
"How considerate of them" said Ron. The squad brought stretchers for Kim and Shego and they were quickly moved back to the helicopters. The helicopter took off and the remaining commandos began to disperse through the base. Ron went back to the hanger and stared at the remains of the drones that littered the floor. He saw the bloody stain where Kim and Shego had lain. He then looked back out the hanger doors at the sky above.
"I don't know who you are or what you want but you just made a big mistake."
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The Red Raider climbed into the hovercraft and stood for a moment staring at his hands. Beta squad was on board and the craft was cloaked and they had made a clean extraction from the base. The plan had worked perfectly. So why then did he feel so unclean?
"You were magnificent Raider", began Dementor as he stepped into the small room from the cockpit. The Raider's left arm shot out and picked the small man up as his right arm cocked back as if to strike.
"What did I say?" screeched Dementor as his hands tried fruitlessly to free himself for the Raider's grasp. The raider released Dementor and took a moment to compose himself.
"We need to divert to alpha lair first. Then we will proceed to beta to deliver the iridium. "
The Raider moved away to the back of the hovercraft and entered a small lavatory. Once inside he retrieved a small medical bag and extracted three small sample tubes. He detached his left and right armored gauntlets and using the tubes he carefully collected blood from each of the wrist blades stored within. He marked them as samples "K" and "S". He then obtained a syringe and from his arm drew his own blood into the third tube. This sample he marked "R". He now stared down at the collected samples and pulled forth his journal and made an entry.
"Timetable cleared."
Author's Notes:
The motives of the Red Raider begin to take form. Remember the old saying about the path to hell paved with good intentions.
Kim possible and all characters associated with it are the Copyrighted property of the Disney Corporation and the creation of Bob Schooley and Mark Mckorkle. Any characters of Disney's Kim Possible are used without their permission but for non-profit purposes.