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Chapter 30: A Locker Room With A View

I.

Kim entered the locker room and surveyed her surroundings, wanting to ensure the coast was clear. Satisfied that it was, she strode purposefully down the corridor. As she made her way toward her quarry, she could feel her temper rising and knew she needed to calm herself. She stopped, paused, and took a couple of deep breaths. Still, her fists were still clenched; she was majorly tweaked. There was no doubt: when she passed through and onto the field, she was going to take Deb Utant down hard — even if it was only with words.

Though focused on the mission, she still looked around and appreciated the space — she had always thought the cheerleaders' locker room at Middleton High had been nice. Then she saw Llenrock's and knew that high school nice could not compare with college nice. This place, though, put both of those to shame.

Kim was taken aback when she heard sniffling mixed with some soft crying. Then she saw her. Sitting alone, to the side and in a corner, was Deb. Kim, being the caring, helping person she was, suddenly found her anger being displaced by concern. She never liked seeing anybody, even a villain wannabe, hurt. She resolved to deal with whatever Deb's problem was then deal with the problem that was Deb.

"Hey," Kim said gently, "What's the sitch?" she asked as she sat down right next to the clearly upset girl.

Deb looked up, her face a mixture of terror, mortification, and misery.

"Oh, no …" she stammered, looking like she wanted to flee. Kim put a stop to that by grabbing her forearm.

"So not the drama, Deb. I'm not going to hurt you," Kim explained calmly. Though I want to, she admitted to herself.

Deb gulped. "Y-you're okay?"

Kim smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Spankin'."

"I, I'm sorry …" Deb said before she was convulsed by sobbing. Kim was suddenly regretting banning Ron from the lady's locker room; this was like dealing with a crying Bonnie her senior year. And though he really hadn't anything to offer during the Rockwaller blubathon at J.P. Bearymore's, his presence had been welcome, reassuring and comforting. Her BF, though, was waiting outside, per her instructions. She would have to do this alone.

Reaching out, she put an arm around the girl and let her cry a bit longer. Then, she asked, "You ready to spill?" The question came out gently and encouraged Deb to respond.

"What?"

"I know you did it," Kim asked much to Deb's horror.

"How?"

"Security tapes. What I want to know is why?"

Deb's shoulders sagged. "I wanted to be a cheerleader and Sam told me that I had to do something if I wanted a spot."

"So she had you shoot me?" Kim said, unable to tamp down her sarcasm.

Deb shrunk into herself. "You must think I'm awful."

Kim sighed, as she had memories of her BF and his 'secret borrowing' escapade early in their senior year. What Ron had done was ferociously wrong but she had to admit it was weirdly romantic that he cared about her so much. People could go to extreme lengths to get something, she thought. Besides, what she really wanted to know was how Sam had gotten hold of such a dangerous piece of tech. Specifically, did Sam know Tim?

She made a decision. "That's not important," she said before asking, "Was it worth it?" The girl's answer would tell her how to proceed.

"No!" Deb spat out. "Sam used me. She should have known I couldn't hack being a cheerleader. Who knew it was so much work? And that you have to be so, well, coordinated …"

Kim refrained from rolling her eyes.

"… But she said, 'Sure, you can join. You just need to do one thing.' Which I did. And then I flopped in front of, like, 70,000 people! And that was after I hurt you."

Kim considered what she'd just been told. "Do you know where she got the gun?"

"Sorry," Deb said as she shook her head.

Kim began to consider her options. "Okay, here's the sitch. I should be really tweaked with you right now. What you did was ferociously wrong …"

Deb cringed.

"… But I'd rather try to be friends."

"What?"

Kim offered a wry grin. "Trust me, it's easier."

"You, you'll forgive me?"

Kim nodded.

"This isn't because I'm rich, is it?" Deb asked with a caution bred from having already been befriended for her wealth and connections.

This time, Kim did roll her eyes. "So doesn't impress me," she said. "For what it's worth, I've been wooed and kidnapped by the son of one of five richest men in the world."

Deb's eyes opened wide. "Senor Senior Junior?"

"You know him?" Kim didn't hide her surprise.

"Ugh. That whole Animology thing …" Deb said with a dismissive wave of the hand. "He kept going on at the Billionaire's Club about how I was his Blue Fox …"

Kim smirked. "And I thought I was his Blue Fox."

Deb snorted. "I was so glad when they were kicked out. The freezing thing was bad," she said, "but at least we no longer had …"

"…. To listen to Junior sing," Kim supplied. Then they looked at each other and laughed.

"So, you want to help take down the bad guy?" Kim asked.

Deb grinned. "What do I have to do?"

II.

Ron and Mr. Barkin decided that there was no point in standing in the corridor outside the ladies locker room and so made their way to the field. They emerged from the tunnel and emerged into a sea of enthusiastic fans, their cheers for and against the team with the ball washing over them like the tide.

As Ron gazed over the action thoughtfully for few moments, Barkin watched the young man. Finally, the high school teacher coughed.

"Er, um, Stoppable …"

Ron turned from the action. "Yeah, Mr. B?"

"I know I said I was, er, sorry about your letters but I want to say it again."

"Thanks," Ron said with a wan smile.

"You could be a starter for either of these teams," Barkin said before hastily adding, "Though they're such weak sisters, that's not saying much."

"Wow, Mr. B. You really care …" Ron said with wonder.

Barkin grimaced, then looked at his shoes, and then coughed. "Just don't tell anyone."

He was caught off guard when Ron's eyes popped open wide and his jaw dropped. That mystery was soon solved, however.

"What shouldn't he tell anyone … Stevie?" the newcomer growled.

Barkin's eyes, too, mimicked Ron's. As he slowly turned around, he found himself face to face with his twin brother, Reeve Barkin.

III.

Downfield, Deb led Kim out of the locker room and onto the field. The two watched as the Llenrock cheerleaders did a routine. Kim, as an observer, could see that they worked well together but, in truth, none of the girls was as good as she was. The squad finished and retreated to the sidelines, where Deb and Kim awaited.

"Hello, Sam," Kim said icily, her arms folded across her chest.

"Possible?" she replied haughtily. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be tripping over yourself right now?"

Kim responded by launching into a double handspring that brought her over Sneed's head, and directly behind her. The crowd, not knowing what was going on, began to heartily voice their approval. Midflight, Kim did a twist, and as she spotted a perfect landing, she wore the smile that was usually reserved for when she was about to land a world of hurt on a villain.

Sam turned around and gaped. "H-how …"

"Check the motto: I can do anything," Kim said pleasantly. Then with less warmth, she added, "No thanks to you."

"W-what are you talking about?"

"She knows, Sam," Deb said, taking up a position by Kim.

"Knows what?" came a shaky reply from Sam.

"That you gave Deb the Klutz Ray and in exchange for using it on me, she'd get my spot on the squad. I'd say that was so sophomoric, Sam, but you actually did something to me that none of my enemies ever managed to do."

Sam decided to try to brazen her way out. "How do you know Deb is telling you the truth? Maybe she decided to set me up!"

"And she'd need to do that why?" Kim asked.

"Be-because …"

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in excuses," Kim said as she grabbed Sam by the arms. "Now spill. Why did you have Deb shoot me?"

By now the entire cheer squad was gathered round the girls and looking quite hostile. Sam knew she'd lost. If she was going down though she wasn't going alone.

"Troy asked me to," she said.

"Troy as in Troy Bell?" Kim repeated.

Sam nodded.

So I was right! Kim thought. But that means … whoa! Her eyes narrowed to slits. "He is so beyond busted."

To Be Continued …