There was light dusting of snow outside the Possible palace. It was Christmas morning and the house was jumping with excitement. Shego was enjoying herself immensely. She was sitting on the edge of the living room coach with Kim sitting on the floor between her legs. Abby and Gracie were on the other couch and Abby was making a video of Nicholas viciously attacking any Christmas present he could get his little hands on. The youngest Possible girls Emily and her twin sister Zoe were themselves scrutinizing each other presents and trying to show how each of their own presents was better.
Kim was fourteen weeks pregnant and just into the second trimester. Most of the worst symptoms of the first trimester were over and Kim was glad.
"How did you talk me into this pregnancy?" whispered Kim to Shego.
"Me! Oh, no Mrs. Kimberly Anne this was first and foremost your plan", Shego kissed the top of Kim's head. Shego reflexively rubbed the new emerald necklace that Kim had gotten her. Kim held up new maternity wear that she had received from Shego.
Gracie and her sisters were looking at the new laptop computers their uncle Wade had sent them for Christmas.
It was then that the Kimmunicator suddenly buzzed.
"You've got to be kidding me?" Shego said in irritation.
"Maybe it's just Wade wishing us a merry Christmas?"
"Wanna Bet?" The whole Possible family looked at Kim as she picked up the Kimmunicator and opened the call.
"Trouble", said George, the mole rat, as he lovingly caressed his Christmas wheel of cheese.
"Hello Wade, merry Christmas".
Wade appeared with a Santa hat and beard. "Merry Christmas Possible family. Did the girls like their presents?"
"Yes, they did. Girls thank your Uncle Wade." said Kim.
"Thank you Uncle Wade", all three girls said in unison.
"You spoil them Wade. Where did you find such high-end computers?"
"Find them? I made them, Kim".
"Sorry, forgot who I was talking too. Is this a purely social call?"
"Sorry Kim, I wish it was. You might want to turn on your television to a national news channel".
"Why, what's up?"
"It seems that the hiatus of the three musketeers is over. Dementor and the Red Raider are celebrating Christmas morning by destroying downtown San Francisco".
"Cool", said Gracie as she picked up George, reached for the remote, and turned on the television.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
(Just a little bit earlier in San Francisco)
At a software company off of Market and 2nd street in San Francisco Dementor waited impatiently while his henchmen secured the building. With it being Christmas morning there was minimum of staff present. He and a dozen of his henchmen had gained entrance and neutralized the security alarms and what little security personnel was left on site. After that it took little time to hack into their computer servers to find the data he required.
This company was providing software for the neural interfacing of pilots with remote drones for the military. This software would prove useful in linking the neural interface between himself and his new armor. With this last piece, his technological terror machine would be ready for deployment.
"Vas is taking so long", complained Dementor to his chief tech henchman.
"Almost ready sir".
It was then that the fire alarm began sounding. The alarm Klaxons sounded throughout the building as the inert gas fire suppression system deployed in the computer area. Outside the computer areas the sprinkler systems came on dousing the outer corridors with water.
"I thought we deactivated the alarms?"
"The security alarms, not the emergency systems", said one of the henchmen.
"We must leave before the oxygen is depleted", warned Dementor.
"We have it, sir", and the chief tech pulled a disc from the server and handed it to Dementor. He was no fool. The timing of the alarm was too convenient.
"Go secure the floor", he ordered his henchmen, except the two nearest to him, "not you two, stay close to me".
The other henchmen left the room and spread out securing the floor. The water from the sprinklers was ankle-deep now and the alarm was still sounding. It was then that a ceiling panel fell away and a figure in red and black armor hung down wielding two glowing metal batons. The batons were of an advanced duralloy metal and each emitted a short-range high intensity electromagnetic force field. The Raider plunged the batons into the water and released the charge of the force fields. The water erupted in electric current and the ten henchmen did a dance of shock and then all fell to the water-logged floor. The Raider then dropped from the ceiling and began to approach Dementor's room.
"Stop him," Dementor shouted at the two remaining henchmen as he ran in the opposite direction. The two henchmen quickly closed with the Raider pulling forth electrical stun rods. The henchmen were well-trained and knew how to fight together. One attacked low and one attacked high. The Raider blocked each first strike with his batons. The henchmen then began to circle the Raider each trying to flank him.
"If you leave now you can probably clear before the authorities arrive and still be alive to collect your money. I won't offer this a second time," warned the Raider. The henchmen seemed to consider the offer but then they each lunged in from opposite sides. The Raider dodged backwards at the last second and each henchman stabbed the other producing an electrical stunning shock. The Raider followed through with clubbing each in the head and they fell unmoving to the floor.
"Now for you my little toaster strudel". The Raider followed where he thought Dementor had fled. He found an emergency stairwell leading down and he followed it until it finally exited the building. He found himself on Market street and this early on Christmas morning there were some, but few, pedestrians and cars on the street. Sirens sounded in the distance so he knew emergency services were responding to the fire alarm he had triggered.
Where did you go? The only other vehicles on the street were a few buses and one large covered supply truck. The Raider started to edge toward the supply truck when the rear end of the vehicle exploded outward.
From the raining debris of the truck a towering armored form unfolded. When it finally stood it was twenty feet tall and bristled with a covering of armor, gears, and weapons. The Raider could see some elements of his former armor in the machine but also saw major changes that meant his original armor was beyond reclaiming.
"You ruined it you ignorant ape", shouted the Raider.
From inside the armored torso Dementor could see the Raider on his forward monitor. From Inside he could control the armors movement and all its weapon systems. "You sound jealous my friend. Don't worry I can give you a demonstration of how my genius has turned your suit into the Juggernaut".
"Alpha command override Phi Beta three six emergency shutdown", shouted the Raider. Nothing happened. "Emergency purge all systems command override Vega One". Still nothing happened.
"Sorry, I was forced to delete all your command systems. It slowed my work but it is better this way as only I can issue commands. Let me show you". The left arm of the Juggernaut raised while it deployed the Raider's original plasma cannon.
The Raider jumped behind a parked bus as the cannon fired slicing through the vehicle. The beam cut through the bus until it hit the gas tank and then exploded. Dementor's screens were momentarily blinded by the blast and when they cleared he saw the Raider emerge from the smoke of the explosion and hurl strange disks at his Juggernaut. The blue disks struck and stuck to the forward chest plate and blue and white sparks radiated from the disks. However, they lasted only a moment and then the energy faded out and the disk dropped off.
"You didn't expect me to fall for the same trick you did Raider?" The Juggernaut turned toward the Raider and over its right shoulder a Gatling gun emerged and rapid fire 20 mm rounds began tracking after the Raider.
The Raider had no choice but to close on Dementor. He ran under a swipe of the Juggernaut's right arm and grabbed hold and swung up the arm. Quickly he clamored up the arm to the shoulder, narrowly avoiding the Gatling gun. He drew his sword, which itself emitted a short-range force field that created an edge only a few molecules thick that could slice through almost any metal. Dementor swung the Juggernaut around trying to shake the Raider free but to no avail. The Raider reached the back of the head and stabbed down between the armored plates through the gears into the central chest cavity. The blade passed through and Dementor cried in alarm when the blade appeared just in front of him and into his forward control panel. The Raider moved the blade back and forth trying to enlarge the whole.
"Close my friend but no cigarillo". Dementor flipped a different control and the exterior of the Juggernaut flashed with electrical energy.
"Arrrrgh", the Raider cried and fell from the Juggernaut striking the hood of a smart car on the side of the street. Armor insulated some of the shock, thought the Raider, but my legs are still numb. Need to move or I'm done.
Dementor turned the Juggernaut around and raised an armored foot into the air above the Raider's prone form. The Raider drew out his grapple and fired to a building across the street where it latched and began retracting. As the Juggernaut's foot came down the Raider was pulled roughly on his back across the street.
Legs beginning to come back, thought the Raider, as he pulled himself up.
"You need to start fighting smarter", said Dementor as he picked up and hurled the smart car at the Raider.
The Raider didn't have any time to move and only raised his arms before impact. The car and the raider blew through the store front of a nearby building.
Neither the Raider nor Dementor had noticed a local television camera crew was now on site and filming the entire fight.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"No!" yelled Gracie as she watched the television showing the Raider smashing into the building.
"Ouch", cringed George as he watched from Gracie's shoulder.
"Calm down Gracie. This isn't some football game," said Abby.
"I can choose a side to cheer for and I choose the Raider".
"Good luck. Looks to me like he is getting his ass kicked. Good riddance to bad rubbish".
"Personally I hope they take out each other", said Shego from where she still sat hugging Kim.
"I just hope GJ doesn't call wanting you to go clean this up", said Kim wrapping her arms around Shego's arms.
"Don't worry. I have faith the Raider will win", said Gracie.
"Wanna bet?" asked Abby.
"How much?"
"A one day spa treatment of the winner's choice".
"You're on".
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Dementor maneuvered the Juggernaut closer to the building the Raider was blown into. He brought forth the Gatling gun and sprayed the area with random destruction.
"Come out my little Raider. Don't tell me you have succumbed to the Juggernaut already?"
A window in the building above exploded outwards and the Raider fell to the Juggernaut's shoulder. With his sword he sliced through the Gatling gun. Dementor tried to reach up and grab the Raider but missed and the Raider swung to the left arm and stabbed his sword through the plasma cannon. His victory was short-lived as Dementor's right arm punched the Raider away from the now inoperable plasma cannon.
The Raider flew off the Juggernaut and impacted the roof of another nearby bus and then landed on the street below.
"No hide and seek," said Dementor as he closed and picked up the bus planning to drop it on the Raider. However, when he saw the other side there was no one present. The Raider dropped down from the bus swinging to the Juggernaut and stabbed his sword into its right ankle.
Inside the Juggernaut, alarm signals began sounding as his controls screen displayed the damage to his armor. Dementor turned and threw the bus down narrowly missing the Raider. The Raider began fleeing up Market Street away from the bay area. Dementor could see the Raider was moving gingerly as if he was wounded. However, his own armor was damaged as well. His primary weapon systems were crippled and his right leg was also moving slowly from the damage done by the Raider. He pursued the Raider but was slowed down by the annoying control and electrical cables to those stupid cable cars.
The Raider suddenly turned and hurled several knives at the Juggernaut. Dementor raised the Juggernaut's right arm and blocked the barrage. However, only a second later several explosions detonated on his arm. The damage was cosmetic but he lost sight of the Raider. Then the Raider appeared right below him.
The Raider stabbed up under the front armor plate through the groin of the Juggernaut trying to reach Dementor inside. The strike was good the blade penetrated up through several gears but only pierced the seat Dementor sat on. The right arm of the Juggernaut grasped down and caught the raider by the left arm. He lifted him up and smashed him into the street before hurling him through the storefront of another building.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Crunch, looks like a spa day for me", laughed Abby.
"It's not over yet. You don't know him. He will never give up", said Gracie scowling with her arms crossed.
"Yeah", agreed George as he mimicked Gracie's stance.
"And you know him?" asked Shego.
"Yes, I do", said Gracie with conviction.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
This isn't going exactly like I planned, thought the Raider. Never meant for him to get inside that damned thing. Alright how bad am I hurt? Light headed and groggy so I probably have a concussion. Ribs broken moving of their own accord. Left arm dislocated and useless. Running out of options. I've only been able to make one real hole in that thing. That will have to be enough. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book but it's all I've got left.
Dementor and his Juggernaut armor limped up to the building he threw the Raider into and crouched down looking in. "You have done very well my little friend. But I can tell how badly you are hurt. Let us end this charade."
Several round grenades flew from the building to land at the Juggernaut's feet. They exploded creating a billowing cloud of black smoke. Dementor immediately switched his optics to infrared and rose up backing into the street where the Raider would have to come to him.
"That trick won't work on me Raider". Dementor continued to scan the ground expecting the Raider to try to close again but seeing nothing.
"Looking the wrong way, dude," said the Raider as he ran like a tightrope acrobat across a cable car line. The Raider leapt once again to the back of the Juggernaut and this time shoved one of his batons down the whole his sword had cut earlier. The Raider then discharged the baton's energy into Dementor's control cockpit. The effects were devastating. The Juggernaut swayed and turned until it slowly but finally fell over on it back. The Raider rode it down swinging to the front chest plat as it fell.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"There it is. The Raider takes it to the house. Spa day for me. Yeah, spa day for me", Gracie danced before the television.
"Booyah", said George as danced his own happy dance.
"Gracie, please sit down, I want to see this", said Kim.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
After the Juggernaut crashed, the Raider took a short bit of line from his cable gun and wrapped it around his left wrist he then tied it off to a piece of the chest armor. He then counted to three and pulled hard wrenching his arm back into its socket. The pain was incredible and he nearly passed out. I definitely must have a concussion. Then the Raider heard the sound of approaching sirens and knew he did not have long to act.
The Raider used his sword and quickly severed the front chest plate of the Juggernaut removing it in one piece. The interior of Dementor's creation was a smoky ruin. Dementor himself had lost his helmet and his hair stood on end.
"You could have killed me!" Dementor screamed.
"I was trying awfully damned hard." The Raider reached down and grasped Dementor about the throat. "The only thing that is going to stop me from finishing the job is you telling me where Drakken is."
"I don't know", said Dementor who began to choke as the Raider's grip tightened. "All I found was some communication correspondence between Drakken and whoever is backing him."
"Who is backing him? I need to know."
"I don't know a name. It's just that they act like…"
"Act like what?" Demanded the Raider.
"They act like Drakken only older, smarter, and more evil. That's all I know, I swear."
The Raider suddenly looked away from Dementor. His blood turned to ice. That's how Drakken was able to do it. It can't be. I blew the room. The explosives were set and they couldn't have stopped it. There would only have been moments left. There was only enough power for one or …two jumps.
"Nooooooooooo!" screamed the Raider into the sky as the large crowd that now surrounded the street battle watched the exchange. "Gracie, I'm so sorry. What have I done?"
The Raider now leaned in close to Dementor. He grasped part of the control panel and with strength Dementor did not think was possible he bent the panel trapping Dementor.
"You will wait here to be arrested by the authorities. What you tell them is your own affair but if I were you I would beg to be placed in the deepest darkest prison they have. Because if you interfere with me again I will end you, permanently. Got it." Dementor merely nodded not trusting his voice.
The Raider now grabbed the armored chest plate and ran/stumbled into the crowd. No one stopped him as he made his way to a nearby building. He entered the building as the police arrived outside. Although it hurt very much he made his way up the stairs to the roof where his hovercraft was waiting. He uncloaked the craft entered it and took off quickly disappearing into the sky above.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Proconsul sat in his very comfortable chair watching the main view screen. He was enjoying the battle in San Francisco immensely. The Raider and Dementor were tearing each other to pieces was simply delicious.
Doctor Drakken stood to the side of the Proconsul also watching the screen with the Proconsul. The sight of the Proconsul still unnerved him. He looked very much like Drakken himself but with a few differences. The man had blue skin that had lightened with age. His hair was white as a ghost and his arms and legs were frail looking. However, his eyes shone with intelligence and such malevolence that Drakken could not hold his stare.
The video of the battle had drawn to a close and Drakken could see the Raider was victorious. Good, he didn't mind seeing that little German shrimp get his comeuppance. He then saw the Raider scream something and then run off with a piece of whatever Dementor had built from his armor.
"He has finally figured it out," said the Proconsul.
"Figured what out?" asked Drakken.
"Figured us out. He now realizes how you bested him and that I am here."
"Doesn't that make him more dangerous?"
"Yes it does".
"Isn't that a bad thing? He just beat Dementor".
"We are not that simpleton. The Raider now knows he was played. He now knows he has worked for us this entire time. His pain, frustration, and helplessness will be like sweet ambrosia to us."
The Proconsul now rose from his chair and began pacing the room. "He has alienated all those who might aid him, except one. We will deal with her and her family soon enough."
"Will we then eliminate them?"
"At the proper time, yes." The Proconsul now moved toward the exit of the room. "Who would have thought that after all these years of searching I would find the perfect sidekick in myself."
After the Proconsul had left Drakken just stared after him. "Sidekick?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Nooooooooooo! Gracie, I'm so sorry. What have I done?"
Everyone in the Possible living room sitting before the television heard the Raider speak these words. They saw the Raider say something to Dementor that the camera didn't pick up. The Raider then picked up a piece of Dementor's machine and hurried off into the crowd. The camera quickly lost the raider when he slipped inside of a building just ahead of the police.
Gracie watched in silence as every head in the room turned in her direction. Her parents, sisters, and Abby all looked at her with questioning faces.
"I'm going to my room", said Gracie as she quickly escaped the scrutiny of her family.
"What the hell just happened?" asked Abby.
"I don't know but I'm going to find out", Shego said as she stood up.
"Not without me", said Kim as she reached out her hand and Shego helped her to stand.
Gracie held her favorite large stuffed bear as she rocked back and forth on her bed. George sat next to her trying to comfort her but not knowing how to fix this. Oh, please don't let anyone make anything of this. Maybe no one caught what he said. Maybe they will just write it off as chance. As if.
There was a tentative knock at her bedroom door. She considered not responding but they knew she was here so what did it matter. "Come in".
Kim Possible opened the door and saw her eldest daughter sitting and rocking back and forth on her bed. The girl was trying to put on a brave face but Kim knew fear when she saw it. She entered the room and Shego came in after her. Gracie didn't raise her eyes to either of her parents so Kim and Shego exchanged worried glances. Kim sat on the bed with Gracie as Shego pulled up a chair from Gracie's desk and sat next to the bed.
"Gracie dear is there anything you want to tell us?" Asked Kim in a soft and controlled tone.
"About what?"
"About what we saw on the television earlier".
"You mean about the fight between Dementor and the Raider. That was cool wasn't it?"
"No, Gracie I mean about when the Raider said your name".
"I'm not the only Gracie in the world you know", Gracie dissembled.
"That's true but you're the only Gracie we have here and the only one that has a history with the Raider". Kim could see that Gracie was very uncomfortable about this.
"Yeah, we went on that thing together to rescue grandfather. Lots of fun".
"We know about that. Is that the only thing?" asked Shego.
Gracie was silent for several seconds. This is what she had dreaded all along. She had told herself she wasn't lying as long as they didn't ask her directly about the Raider. But now they were asking.
"No." Gracie said meekly.
"Oh, Gracie," said Shego as her palm struck her forehead. Kim quickly held out her hand forestalling anything further from Shego.
"What do you mean honey? Have you dealt with the Raider other than that time?"
"Yes". Gracie knew the jig was up. She put down her bear and turned to face both her parents with her back straight. Both Kim and Shego noticed the change in Gracie's demeanor.
"When?" asked Kim.
"You remember when we went to the mall trick or treating this Halloween. I found the Raider following us in the mall." Gracie indicated a picture on her desk. The photo was a selfie showing Gracie in her Raider outfit and mask with another person dressed in a Raider's costume. As Kim looked closely she realized the significance of the picture and that it wasn't a costume.
"What was he doing following us and why didn't you tell us?" asked Shego her voice rising. "The girls and Nicholas were there they could have been in danger".
"He wasn't there to fight. He was only keeping an eye on us and I think he might have been protecting us".
"Protecting us? Why would you think that?" asked Kim.
"Something he said about being invested in our family. Somehow I believe we're part of whatever it is he is doing".
"You're only telling us this now?" Shego said as her voice went up an octave.
"It's only a feeling I have. I don't known for certain".
"Was that the only time?" asked Kim.
"No. I also took him Thanksgiving dinner on black Friday".
Shego now buried her face in her hands and Kim inhaled deeply and placed her hands protectively over her belly. She suddenly felt like she could be very ill. Kim took a few deep breaths to steady her nerves before speaking.
"Gracie we were not the only ones to see what just happened in San Francisco. What if someone connects you to the Raider? You could be viewed as aiding him since you knew his whereabouts but didn't inform anyone. This could ruin your future".
"I know I'm sorry. I really am. It's just that I don't think he's like all the other villains".
"He is a villain and a killer Gracie. I have fought enough people like him to know", said Shego.
"That's not true. He could have killed me. He could have killed either of you. You've seen him fight. You've seen the weapons he had at his disposal. He could have left a trail of bodies a mile wide by now, but he hasn't".
"That doesn't mean he is not a ruthless villain Gracie", said Kim.
"He is not ruthless. He is certain. There is a difference".
"What do you mean Gracie?" asked Kim.
Gracie knew this was the moment of truth. If she was ever going to explain what she had felt about the Raider this would be the time. She was just so scared that she was going to mess this up.
"Alright. This is what I think. He, the Raider, knows of something or suspects something really terrible is going to happen. Whatever it is he thinks it will affect the entire world. Therefore, he believes that anything he does to prevent it is justified as being the lesser of evils. Because of this he is certain that what he is doing is necessary. I think he is ashamed of what he is doing. That is why he appears to be cold and insensitive at one moment and caring at another".
"If it's so terrible why doesn't he ask for help?" asked Shego.
"Because he is certain that what he has to do will not be approved of."
Kim saw how much this meant to her daughter. But Gracie was only fifteen years old and the Raider might be using her age to manipulate her. Regardless of Gracie's feeling on the matter this had to end.
"Gracie listen to me. I want you to promise me that you won't seek out the Raider ever again", Kim said in as much of a stern voice as she could muster.
"I won't. He already made me promise him that I wouldn't. So I expect I'm in trouble now?"
"Young lady you are in so much trouble that I doubt your mother and I will ever be able to adequately express our feelings on the matter. But I assure you we shall try", said Shego as she rose from her chair and sat down on the other side of Gracie. Both parents then hugged their daughter and held her for several minutes with no one willing to break the silence. Kim and Shego looked into each other's eyes over Gracie's shoulder and both were in agreement that ultimately they were just happy their daughter was safe.
"Does this mean I don't get my Spa day?" said Gracie.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The hovercraft was on autopilot as the Raider sat in the central cabin as he winced in pain. He was bandaging his ribs by himself and that was both difficult and painful. He had applied over a dozen stitches to various cuts on his body and his medical scanner did confirm that he had suffered a concussion. His shoulder hurt and he probably needed to go to a hospital but knew that he couldn't.
Serves you right you arrogant prick. You are far too used to being able to power your way through everything. It almost cost you this time.
The Proconsul here. How could I have been so stupid? I built it all for him. The project. The device. He just sat back and let me do all the dirty work. Now he has it all and what have I got? The Raider looked to the large chest plate from Dementor's armored suit. The leftovers and the remains.
He has anticipated my ever move perfectly. So what am I going to do now? I'm going to have to find him and take the project from him. Which means I am going to have to do what he doesn't expect. There is no way around it, I'm going to need help.
The Raider staggered into the cockpit and activated his communication equipment he punched in a set of codes and had to hope that she was alone.
Suddenly Gracie's face appeared on the screen as she answered her Kimmunicator.
"Hello, Gracie. Are you alone?"
"Yes. But I shouldn't be talking to you". The Raider could see that Gracie was apparently distressed and upset that he had called. "You outed me to my parents today".
"I did? When?"
"When you beat Dementor there were television cameras on you and they recorded what you said and you mentioned me".
The Raider played back the fight in his mind and then remembered his lapse in the end where he spoke Gracie's name. "Unfortunate. I'm sorry, it did not occur to me".
"Why did you call?"
The Raider didn't want to expose her anymore but if his plan was going to work he needed help. "You said you wanted to help. Did you mean it?" He saw the internal struggle wage across Gracie's face.
"I promised not to seek you out ever again but nothing was said about you seeking me out. What do you need?" Asked Gracie as she smiled. That smile did more to wash away the pain of his injuries than all the medicines in the world. The Raider was stunned. This girl was made of stern stuff. She was worth thousands of him.
"I'm going to do something radical and I need you do some things for me".
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It was the day after Christmas and Doctor Betty Director of GJ sat in the conference room across from her office watching a replay of the Christmas battle in San Francisco. Special agent Will Du entered the room and set down a coffee cup next to Betty. She took the cup and sipped as she watched Dementor and the Raider tear Market Street and themselves to pieces.
"Hold replay", ordered Betty and the scene froze with the Raider poised over the fallen form of Dementor trapped in his armor.
"Status update?"
"We have Dementor and his henchmen in custody. We have what remains of his armored suit in evidence and the science division is going over it now", said Will as he checked his computer pad.
"Is Dementor talking?"
"Yes, but he isn't giving us much that we did not already know. He doesn't know the current locations of either the Red Raider or Doctor Drakken".
"What is you analysis of the situation?"
"You were right Director. They do seem to be feeding on each other. With Dementor out-of-the-way I expect the Raider's next target to be Drakken".
"That is my opinion as well".
"You're thinking of leaving him alone and seeing if he can succeed in finding Drakken".
"Yes".
"But if the Raider does succeeds in finding Drakken. Then he takes over whatever it is that they have put together. How do we know that situation won't actually be worse?"
"Because we have nothing that ties Drakken back to us".
"Do we have something that ties the Raider back to us?"
"Continue replay", said Betty and the video showed the end of the battle between the Raider and Dementor.
The screen showed the Raider saying, "Noooooooo! Gracie, I'm so sorry. What have I done?"
"Hold Replay."
"You think the Raider is referring to the Possible girl. The one he kidnapped and took with him when they retrieved Dr. James Possible".
"Yes, I do. I think she means something to the Raider and I believe they have had correspondence outside of the incident you mentioned. I believe he will try to contact her again so I want her monitored twenty-four hours a day. I want full surveillance while she is at home, school, wherever she goes. All communications connected to her I want our people hearing, reading, and seeing whatever it is".
"You realize her parents probably would not approve of this".
"I'll deal with her parents when the time comes. Until then carry out what I have said".
"Yes, director." Agent Du got up and left the conference room.
Betty stretched her arms and felt her back ache. She had hoped to have more time off for Christmas but work always seemed to get in the way.
Agent Du rushed back into the conference room. "Director, an urgent call for you. It's the Red Raider".
Betty's eyebrows went up in surprise. This was unexpected. She reached forward and activated the remote control on the rooms monitor. The scene shifted from the battle in San Francisco to one showing the masked red face of the Raider.
"Good afternoon director. The intelligence reports on you do not accurately describe just how striking a figure you are".
"Can the flattery. I'm not some fifteen year old girl". Betty saw the Raider flinch at her remark. She was right it was Gracie Possible and she did mean something to him. Betty drew first blood in this match and that made her happy.
"I apologize for interrupting your holiday season. But I believe you and I need to have a talk", said the Raider as he regained his composure.
"What are we talking about?"
"I wish to turn myself in to GJ in return for certain concessions".
"Why should we negotiate?"
"I offer you intelligence on what Drakken and I have worked on and the dangers of his current project. Believe me Director you want to make this deal".
"What kind of concessions?"
Author's Notes:
Darn this chapter seemed to go on forever. A new alliance is about to arise. A game of cat and mouse begins where it is not a question of if someone will be betrayed but only when.
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.