It was roughly one month after the dire events that occurred in the French Andes Mountains. It had included weeks of meetings and briefings at home and at GJ. Gracie had spent her sweet sixteenth birthday in a GJ isolation room telling what she knew of the events leading up to the final battle with the Proconsul and his forces. After that she had argued for weeks with her parents about this very day. She had reasoned, had threatened, had flattered, had pleaded, and had finally swayed them into bringing her along.
Now she stood in the observation room outside the Raider's cell in a GJ maximum security prison. She stared through the two-way mirror at the Raider, her brother, who sat unmoving on a small bed attached to the cell wall. If it wasn't for his occasional blinking she would have thought him a statue. The only other furnishings in the cell were a small wash station, a single chair, and an untouched tray of food that sat on the chair. She had watched him for some time now and he hadn't moved an inch.
She was not alone in the observation room. Both of her parents were there as well. Shego Possible, leaned against the wall at the far end of the mirror only occasionally looking into the cell to watch the Raider. However, her mother, Kim Possible, stood at the middle of the mirror continuously looking at the Raider. She had rarely seen her mother this focused before. She couldn't tell if her mother was angry, worried, resolved, or just plain vexed. Kim appeared almost totally emotionless.
The other person present was Doctor Betty Director of GJ. She didn't actively watch the Raider but consulted a mobile computer pad as reports were streaming to her device.
"The genetic test results have been confirmed and reconfirmed several times. The person in that cell, AKA the Raider, is genetically your child", said the Director.
"How is that even possible, no pun intended", said Shego.
"The only reasonable theory we have is the one that he has confirmed. That he is the adult form of your baby that was sent into the future. Later he then returned to the past when he stumbled on the very same time displacement equipment that sent the baby forward and that was then itself sent forward in time".
"Do you believe him?" asked Shego.
"We can't argue with the genetics. Also so far he has cooperated with us in everything we have asked for. He helped us locate most of the stolen money and technology that remained. In fact, we actually managed to acquire far more money than we have on record as the Raider having stolen. Still it appears that the majority of Drakken's or the Proconsul's wealth disappeared or was transferred away just before or during the final battle in France. Our IT recovery and financial staff have been unable to recover the missing portions or even trace their whereabouts. As for the technology he stole we have acquired most of it but some appears to have been lost or destroyed in the creation of the Proconsul's weapons and the time displacement equipment".
"What about the time displacement equipment? Can we reproduce that thing?" asked Shego.
"Not with the Proconsul gone. The Raider provided the instructions but he is not its designer. Drakken and Dementor each worked on part of the project but not all of it. Without the Proconsul or the Raider's Journal there doesn't seem to be a way to duplicate the technology".
"Good", said Gracie as she hugged herself and shivered as if cold.
"We could use that to get the baby back, Gracie", said Shego.
"I'm afraid I agree with your daughter. I sympathize with you about your loss Shego but that kind of technology is just too dangerous for anyone to have", said the Director.
"Besides we don't have to recover him. He is already here", said Gracie indicating the Raider.
"Do you truly believe that", said Kim speaking up for the first time but not looking away from the Raider.
Gracie came up to stand next to her mother. "Yes, I do. No one interacted with the Raider more or closer than I did. That is why I chose to help him. Even before I knew he was my brother, he was my friend. I know that choice has hurt both of you and I'm so sorry". Gracie drew a deep breath and continued. "It turns out I was the one that asked him to come back in time and that set all the events that followed in motion. I can't hide from this. In the end I am as much responsible for everything that happened as he is".
Kim didn't turn to look at her eldest daughter as Shego frowned and turned toward the Director.
"Didn't you know who and what he was Betty?" said Shego.
"The Raider had revealed himself to me but he told me only a half-truth. He said he was a descendant of Kim and yourself from the future. He didn't tell me he was your direct descendant", said the Director.
"That is the whole point in my opinion, the half-truth, we can't trust anything he says or does", said Shego.
"Why not?" asked Gracie turning to face her momma.
"Because no matter what, he is a villain and he has proven we can't take a chance on trusting him".
"You were a villain and Mother took a chance on you", said Gracie. Shego's jaw dropped in surprise at her daughter's reply. "My grandparent's took a chance on you. Aunt Betty took a chance on you. The world took a chance on you!" Gracie's voice level increased with every sentence until she was almost shouting at the end.
Kim's head had swung away from the Raider to look at Gracie. Her expression and voice were still almost void of emotion. "Gracie don't disrespect your parents". The coldness of Kim's response was not lost on Gracie and she lowered her head and drew in a deep breath.
"I apologize. I don't mean to disrespect either of you. Saying that, I still plan to stand up for what I believe. I recommend that both of you get used to it".
Shego was both angered and impressed by her daughter's viewpoint. I am so proud of you Gracie but this is about more than pride, thought Shego. "Gracie he has deceived, tricked, manipulated, coerced, kidnapped, and placed us all in terrible danger from the moment we met him".
"When I healed him in France I saw some of his memories because what I did helped heal his psyche as much as his physical body. The time and place he came from was horrible, momma. It was a nightmare that I don't think I would have been strong enough to endure and he did it as a baby. I'm not saying that everything he did was right but I now understand why he did it. He bears the weight of all he has done. That is why he hasn't asked for any leniency".
"Exactly what are the legal ramifications of what he has done?" asked Shego of the Director.
"Well he has dozens of charges pending from a dozen countries. I have theft, assault, terrorism, obstruction, kidnapping, and the list goes on", said the Director.
"As you said most of the things he stole have been returned or found, right", said Gracie.
"Most but not all and that still doesn't begin to cover all the charges we have against him".
"He helped stop the Proconsul and save the world doesn't that count for something", said Gracie.
"He helped bring the Proconsul here in the first place and helped establish him here", said Shego.
"Never directly. The Proconsul used him. He never helped him and actively worked against him once he knew he was here".
"He may have helped but he also mislead us and delayed action against the Proconsul that could have cost us greatly", said the Director.
"He had his reasons", said Gracie.
"Yes, he did. He was waiting to kidnap my child", said Kim in almost a whisper.
"Which is why we can't trust him", said Shego.
"Listen to me. If you would just talk to him and listen to why he did what he did. All I ask is just give him the chance", pleaded Gracie.
"How can we take anything he says at face value? He will just try to save himself", said Shego.
"Like he did at the lair when he didn't fight back. How was that saving himself?" Shego's head jerked as if she had been struck. Shego remembered her rage of how she felt and the memory of it brought her shame. Gracie was immediately sorry she had said what she did but she needed to get through to them.
"There may be a way", said Kim as she turned away from the mirror and faced them all.
"How?" asked Shego.
"You still have Drakken here don't you?" Kim asked the Director.
"Yes, he is in another wing of the prison facility".
"Bring him I think we may be able to use him to test the Raider". Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator. "Wade are you there?"
"I have been standing by as you asked", said Wade as he appeared on the Kimmunicator's screen.
"What have you been planning?" asked Shego.
"My own little interrogation technique. Wade this is what I'm going to need", said Kim in that strange almost emotionless tone.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
He still hated mirrors. The large one that sat opposite him was how they could watch him. He knew someone was there, someone was always there. They will watch. They will ask their questions. They will try to understand. Then they will debate. Then he will be sentenced. The prospect of punishment never frightened him before because he felt that he had nothing to lose. Now he knew differently.
Like his parent, the angry green one, he had let someone inside when he hadn't planned too. By doing that he had finally allowed himself to feel connected to someone but that connection left him vulnerable. He hated feeling that way and he suspected his parent did as well.
He hated waiting. It wasn't that he didn't have patience. He just hated inefficiency and since he knew he was guilty and they knew he was guilty what was there to debate. However, he would welcome someone, almost anyone now to break the silence because this waiting was just boring as hell.
The door to his cell opened and the Raider allowed only his eyes to move to indicate he had noticed. He tried to guess which GJ flunky it would be this time. The psychiatrist, the medical doctor, the interrogation agents, the guards, or maybe the Director herself had come. He just hoped it was someone interesting. He was wrong on all counts.
"I don't care where you put me I will never divulge my greatest secrets to you", said Doctor Drakken as he entered the Raider's cell. Although his age was just over sixty years Drakken still stood tall with his back straight indignantly taunting his captors. That was until he saw who was in the cell with him.
The Raider did not move from his bed but his eyes narrowed and hardened and his hands clenched into fists. Drakken screamed and turned back toward the cell door.
"I'll talk. I'll talk. I'll tell you anything you want to know. Please let me out! Mommy!" Drakken collapsed to the base of the door and began whimpering like a baby.
The Raider sat looking at Drakken for several minutes before he relaxed unclenching his fists and looking away. The Raider felt the universe must hate him.
Drakken finally looked up from his fetal position and noticed that the Raider had not moved or threatened him. Once he found himself not in immediate danger the middle-aged villain got up and dusted off his clothing tugging his vestment tight. Drakken walked over to the chair and seemed to wait for an invitation to sit. When none was forthcoming he slowly picked up the tray of food and sat down. Drakken searched for a while for some place to set the tray and finding none he finally sat the tray on his lap. After a few minutes of silence Drakken began to fidget and whistle softly until he seemed to notice the food on the tray.
"You don't mind do you?" said Drakken pointing to the food on the tray. The Raider said nothing and still did not move so Drakken took that as consent and he dug into the meal. He ate in silence, except for rather avid chewing sounds for several more minutes.
"You don't have to worry. I've gotten out of much better prisons than this one", said Drakken between mouthfuls.
"I will not try to leave", said the Raider.
"Of course it was much easier to escape when I had Shego coming to help me", said Drakken.
"I will not try to escape".
"For prisons like this the more guards and doors they put in the way sometimes the easier it gets to beat the system".
"If all the doors were open and no guards were present I still would not leave".
Drakken actually stopped his chewing in mid-bite. "Why?"
"Because this is what I deserve".
"Well some people learn to love the walls of their cells", said Drakken while rolling his eyes and making circular motions around his head with his hand indicating mental illness. Drakken went back to eating until he had finished all the food on the tray. When he finished he wiped his hands on his vestments and sat the tray down on the floor. "So you came from the future?"
"One possible future".
"Possible future! You made a funny", said Drakken as he began to laugh until the Raider's head came up with a frown and he quickly shut up. "So why did you come back, in time that is?"
"I was asked to help save the world".
"By the Possible girl?"
"Yes."
"And you agreed to do it just like that?" asked Drakken sounding incredulous.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time".
"Does it seem like a good idea now?"
"I admit it wasn't the most thought out plan but it was worth it to save Gracie and stop the Proconsul".
Drakken seemed to think for a little while before he seemed to come to a conclusion. "You care deeply for the girl don't you?"
"Not that it matters to you but I believe I felt in love with her from the first moment I saw her".
"With your own sister that's just, ehhhh…."
"Not love in a romantic sense you buffoon. She was the first person I felt a familial attachment too and not merely a professional one that had encompassed all my relations up until then".
"That must have been lonely?" said Drakken almost appearing sad.
"It was all I had ever known and until I came here and found myself among them did the reality of my life before seem so lonely".
"So you came back to change the future and save her?"
"Yes".
"I don't mean to be indelicate but if you were trying to change the future and save it from my future self why didn't you just kill me in the now". The Raider smiled at Drakken's question and the villain seemed to realize he was an in an enclosed room with nowhere to hide. Drakken screamed and once again fell to the floor whimpering and sobbing.
The Raider's smile faded quickly as Drakken's antics grated on his nerves like fingers running down a chalk board. "Please Doctor, cease I have no intention of hurting you at this time".
Drakken slowly stopped his whimpering and once again sat in the chair opposite the Raider.
"Yes, I did originally intend to kill you once the time displacement project was complete. I knew that outside of the villain scientific community I would have scant chance of creating the project and keeping it in my control. You are relatively unstable but still a scientific genius so I needed you in the beginning. However, when the Proconsul arrived it altered my original plan and I was forced to include you in my work against him. After that it just didn't feel right to kill you. It didn't seem like the "Possible" thing to do".
"Well I for one am glad you decided that". Drakken seemed once again to sit and think for a while until he appeared to happen upon another idea. He actually seemed to become excited and smiled when he asked his next question.
"Did I really conquer the world in your future?"
"Yes".
"What was it like?" asked Drakken as he leaned forward in excitement.
"It was cold, dark, and lifeless. It was a world full of strife that would in the end lead you to rule an ash filled graveyard". Drakken seemed taken aback by the description.
"Why wasn't it better once I ruled?"
"Do you think the whole world rolled over just like that? Do you believe that everyone just capitulated and gave up all they had that easily? There was decades of resistance where entire regions of the world were consumed to fuel the vanity of one man".
"But once I had won, why didn't the people embrace me?"
"Do you think that everyone would just forget everything you did? Do you think everyone would just blindly forgive and accept all the terrible things you did, just like that?" shouted the Raider as he stood up towering over Drakken. The older villain didn't even flinch before the Raider's remarks or stance.
"Are you talking about me or you?"
The Raider stood silent and motionless before Drakken for many seconds before slowly sitting back down. "Touché, Doctor, touché. Perhaps I have been mistaken and we are more similar than I once thought".
"How so?" asked Drakken appearing very interested in the Raider's response.
"My dreams of acceptance and forgiveness are as empty and as hollow as your dreams of world conquest. We are both cut from the same deluded cloth".
Drakken suddenly leapt from his chair and knelt before the Raider staring into his eyes. The Raider didn't know what the villain was doing and for a second contemplated striking him but relented. Putting up with morons like Drakken would be a fitting part of the punishment her deserved. Drakken stared until he seemed to make a decision and he reached down and twisted the bracelet he wore on his left arm. Immediately the holographic image changed and instead of Doctor Drakken kneeling before the Raider it was Kim Possible.
The Raider sat back until his back touched the wall behind him and he could retreat no further. The visage before of Kim Possible looking stern and unforgiving was one from his deepest darkest nightmares. "Mother…."
"Don't call me that!" said Kim, her voice the coldness of a winter blizzard. "You haven't earned the right to call me that". The Raider's face flinched as if Kim had struck it.
"I apologize Mrs. Possible for speaking out of turn".
Kim stood up slowly and turned her back on the Raider and faced the mirror. "You have so much to apologize for I couldn't even list all the reasons if I tried. Besides, I don't want to hear any of your excuses right now."
"I did let my guard down around Drakken. Such subterfuge, it is out of character on your part. I am impressed", said the Raider as he once again sat forward on his bed.
"I am not here to impress you".
"Then why are you here?"
Kim turned around and spun the chair until its back faced the Raider and she sat down resting her hands on its back. "I have come for the truth".
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I don't think she adequately captured my character in her performance", said Drakken as he watched through the mirror.
"You're right Dr. D. She was way too smart in her questioning to be mistaken for you", said Shego.
"Now Shego we have discussed how words can hurt".
"We haven't spoken about that in over a decade", said Shego.
"That is something else I want to discuss".
"Discuss what?"
"Speaking together, you and me. If it's not too much trouble could you come and speak with me sometime? Maybe have a cup of coffee?"
Shego turned away from the Kim and Raider to look at Drakken. "You know I just might like that".
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"You seek the truth when you should seek understanding", said the Raider.
"You don't get to tell me what I should or should not do", said Kim as she rested her chin upon her hands. "I'll tell you what I understand so far. You have always thought of yourself first and everyone else second".
The Raider raised his head and straightened his back. Where before his demeanor seemed cowed by Kim's presence now he radiated defiance staring her in the eye. There you are at last, thought Kim.
"Let's take for instance the ever so glorious final battle against the proconsul. When you kidnapped me, and took my baby. Was your first thought to my safety or your own need to finish your precious circle of events?"
The Raider sat defiant but silent.
"How about the final battle itself, you never intended to survive did you? You planned for either the Proconsul to kill you or failing that Shego. I was there I saw how you goaded her on. Oh, you cared about satisfying your plan but in the end you couldn't live with the consequences could you?" The Raider lowered his eyes. "You were only first concerned with your own pain. Did you think about what would happen to Gracie if you had died there? She would have been devastated and blamed herself for not saving you. Did you think about Shego, my wife, your parent? If she had killed you, and then later found out who you were it would have destroyed her. She may come off as a hard-core bitch but I know what a caring person she is. She would give up anything for her children. But no, you didn't think of that did you, did you!"
The Raider's shoulder's slipped some and his look became haunted. "No, at the time I did not".
"So as I understand it you were an uncaring murderous bastard in the future and all you've experienced here in the past hasn't changed that a bit".
"That is not correct. I did make my plans originally before knowing any of you. But what I learned about all of you does make a difference to me".
"But not enough of a difference to change your plan did it?"
"No. The plan was all I had. If I gave it up then I would have invalidated all I had done".
"Exactly, always thinking of you first. Let's take the case of the Project Cradle device for instance". Kim got up from the chair and moved it out of the way as she began to pace back and forth across the room. "Let me just say that was a stroke of genius on your part. You constructed it by first stealing pieces of us and then leading us to it. Then you just let nature take its course and allowed us to choose to use the device on our own. No, you didn't hold a gun to our heads but you dangled it out in front of us like a carrot. Well played. What would you have done if we hadn't used it or destroyed it?
"I would have found another way", said the Raider sounding disgraced.
"Of course you would have because you think first only of yourself. You used us as your lackeys, your expendable troops, your guinea pigs, your breeding mares!" Kim shouted the last words into the Raider's face.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Momma please stop her", cried Gracie as fresh tears ran down her face as she watched the exchange through the room's mirror.
"She knows what she is doing honey", said Shego as she clenched her fists. Shego was frightened for Kim. She knew how hard the last few weeks had been for her wife. She suspected that both the individuals in that room were near the breaking point.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As Kim shouted each of her points into the Raider's face he flinched as if struck. When Kim finished and remained silent standing over him he looked back up into her face, eye to eye.
"You strike me with words harder than steel. I claim no innocence to the charges you level at me. I have asked for no clemency for my actions. I sense you do not do this for your own enjoyment so I must ask to what purpose does this interrogation serve? If you seek punishment, at a single word from you I am sure the Director would simply lock the door and throw away the key".
Kim stopped pacing and knelt down in front of the Raider and her voice this time dropped to an even level. "I want to know why in all my years of playing hero the one villain who took the best shot, whose actions hurt the most, who nearly ripped my soul apart was my own flesh and blood".
There it was at last, Kim's need for understanding. The Raider had been looking and waiting for that very look.
"This is not an excuse; it is merely the best answer I can give. I had only moments in my time to make my decision. I formed my plan in seconds and you above all people should know the dangers of making split second decisions. Once in your time, the fear of failure drove me to take actions that I was ashamed of but by that point I was committed. I tried to mitigate the damage I did but I know in the end I caused as many problems as I fixed".
The Raider reached out tentatively and took hold of Kim's hands in his own. "In the end, Gracie is saved, the Proconsul is gone, and the present and future world is better for it. I don't know if I truly altered the future for the better but I choose to believe I did. I know that I cost Shego and yourself your child and I admit out of ignorance I didn't understand the ramifications of that decision. I can't bring your child back. I can only offer you myself to do with as you will. Know that I accept whatever decision you make. My fate is in your hands."
Kim stayed there looking at the Raider's face and rubbing his hands for a long time. "I know I'm not yet ready to forgive you. However, I'm ready to listen to you, if you're willing to talk".
"I am ready", said the Raider as he rubbed Kim's hands.
"Good. Just not right now. I think we are both currently wrung out. I don't know exactly what is going to happen to you but you are facing some staggering legal charges. But no matter what we will speak again". Kim stood up and released the Raider's hands. She placed the chair back in front of the Raider and walked to the cell door and opened it.
"Mrs. Possible one last question if I may?" asked the Raider who merely stared looking at his hands.
Kim stopped in the doorway but said nothing.
"What would you have named your baby boy?"
Kim expression didn't change but a single tear ran down her check. "I know the Possible clan has used this name a lot, and since Nicholas already had a first name, I would have liked to name him James."
"After your Father?"
"Yes".
The Raider closed in eyes as if he was in pain. "James is a good name. I would have liked James. Thank you for your visit Mrs. Possible".
Kim stepped out of the cell letting the door close behind her.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
When the door closed behind Kim she felt the weariness take ahold of her. She slumped back against the door and slid to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her knees and lowered her head and began to cry. The tears came like a waterfall expressing all the pent-up feeling she had since the day of the baby's birth. She didn't try to stop the flow because she felt she needed the release to help cleanse her system.
When strong warm arms wrapped around her, Kim fell into the embrace. She had long ago learned the feel of her wife's arms and took comfort from their familiarity and their care.
Shego hated seeing Kim cry and her natural protective instinct to lash out at whatever was responsible was hard to suppress. That was the one big problem with this whole situation. It couldn't be solved by just bashing through.
"It's him Shego. I know it's him. I held him for only little while but I know it's him. He is in pain Shego, so much pain".
Shego drew back from Kim and lifted her up from the floor. She held Kim's shoulders firmly and waited until Kim's crying had lessened to a level that Shego knew she had her attention. "Alright let's say it's him. What do you want to do?"
"What do I want? I want to open this door and beat him within an inch of his life and then hold, snuggle, and nurse him back to health. I want to sentence him to life in prison and then break into the prison to free him".
"OK, I'm only just picking up little bits and pieces here but I'm sensing some mixed emotions out of you."
"You think", said Kim as she started to giggle and laugh.
"You're starting to scare me Kim and that is no easy thing to accomplish". Kim rushed forward and hugged Shego.
"Please hold me Eme. I need your strength to keep me grounded right now". Shego held Kim and saw over Kim's shoulder that Gracie stood nearby obviously waiting to see what her parents decided. Doctor Director stood behind Gracie talking with Drakken but even she occasionally glanced in their direction waiting as well.
"You know I do not want to cause you any more grief but we have to make a decision on this Kim", said Shego as she hugged Kim.
"I know. I just know I'm not the person to make that decision".
"What do you mean?" said Shego as she broke the hug and held Kim at arm's length.
"I'm too close Eme. I can't make this choice. I need you to make this call".
"What!" Shego backed up but Kim quickly pursued her.
"I trust you. A little over sixteen years ago I made a choice to trust a villain and it was the best decision I've ever made. This time the choice is yours. This is our test, yours and mine. Possibly the greatest test of our lives together we have ever faced. I chose to trust your decision and now you get to make the choice on whether or not to give the villain a chance".
Shego looked back and forth between her wife and daughter. Both looked back at her with a mixture of hope and trepidation. "Kim, Gracie this is not a good idea. Both of you might not like the choice I would make".
"As long as the choice is honestly what you think is best I will accept it", said Kim.
"I will as well", said Gracie stepping forward to stand by her mother.
Shego turned away from both of them and walked over to Doctor Director. They weren't going to like her decision but she felt it was the correct decision.
"How many people owe us favors Betty?"
"Almost too many to count Shego", said the Director.
"I think it may be time we cashed in some of those favors. I'm going to need your help as well".
"If you're going where I think you're going, then you're absolutely correct about needing my help. Don't worry a lot of powerful people owe me favors as well. Perhaps we can look at this as a teachable moment?"
"My thoughts exactly".
Author's Notes:
What did you expect, Kim to guillotine him? If you think Shego is going to let him go without any punishment, think again.
Well we have finally reached the last chapter. In the next chapter we finally have a conclusion and if you've followed this story from the beginning you will understand why this journey has been a long and twisted way home.
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.