Anna smiled softly as she stared down at the sleeping baby in the crib beneath her. Her restless mind had finally forced her awake earlier in the morning and at first the fear of waking up the other members of the household kept her confined to the guestroom where performed a few stretches and practice moves to see how well she could utilize the memories in her head. Like everything in her fresh life, it felt odd to “know” the techniques for years but just start to put them into practice today. Still, in spite of that, or more likely because of it, she felt she mastered the techniques enough to get her by in a fight. After all she was able to break out of a W.E.E. compound just seconds after being “born”.
Unfortunately, the exercises did little to calm her troubled mind so after she was done she decided to explore the house a little more. She did feel a little bad about sneaking around someone else’s house, but in a way it was her house as well so she shouldn’t feel that bad. Besides, Kim told her she was family and what did family do best other than snoop around each other’s homes?
Her exploring led her to the basement where she found the main room had been converted into a exercise/training room filled with training dummies, punching bags, weights and various other things that any crime fighting cheerleader or former thief would need to keep in shape. She was tempted to let out some of her frustrations out on the punching bags, but again the thought of waking up the others put a halt to that plan. Instead she went back upstairs and eventually found her way into Shin’s room. She had practically tip-toed over to the crib then leaned against the railing to stare down a the sleeping infant.
She didn’t know how long she had been in standing there like that and she really didn’t care. For some reason looking at the small, pale green baby calmed her troubled mind. She wasn’t sure if it was Kim’s motherly instincts towards Shin that did it or just Shin herself, but either way she was happy.
“So I guess if I am Kim’s sister than that would make me your aunt, huh?” she asked softly, more to herself than the baby. “But I guess in some way since I am Kim’s clone I could also be considered your mother. Or one of them at least.” She sighed and hung her head. “This whole thing is confusing.”
She looked back down at Shin to see her fidgeting slightly in her sleep and the smile returned.
“But you really don’t care do you?” Anna asked again, this time reaching down to carefully stroke the small tuft of red hair standing out amidst the more dominate black hair. “Nope you just care about your own little world. Must be nice. Selfish little thing.”
“Better be careful, that’s my daughter you’re talking about,” a good natured scolding came from behind her.
Anna turned to see Kim leaning against the doorframe with her arm crossed over her chest. Like Anna she was still dressed in her sleep attire which also consisted of a light tank top and a pair of sweat pants. Kim smiled at her clone/sister before pulling herself off the doorframe and walking over to the crib as well.
“Hey I didn’t mean anything by it,” Anna defended herself.
“I know, I was just joking,” Kim replied as she looked down at Shin herself. “Still, you can’t blame me for being a little overprotective.”
“After everything you went through just to see that she was born? No, I can’t.”
“So you remember too, huh?”
“Yeah. Like I said, the recent memories are the most clear, it’s the earlier stuff that’s fuzzy.”
Kim nodded a bit absently as she continued to look down at Shin.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” she asked, though it was more rhetorical than anything else.
“Yeah. You’re very lucky,” Anna replied.
“You know I never thought I’d be a mom this early in life but when I look down at her like this I don’t have any regrets at all. Course when she wakes up crying at three in the morning that’s another story, but still I’m glad she came into my life.” Kim then shook her head as if in a daze and looked back at Anna somewhat sheepishly. “Sorry I didn’t mean to ignore you there.”
“Hey it’s no big. Believe me I can understand,” the other redhead remarked. “But what are we gonna do about…this,” she questioned, gesturing between the two of them.
“Well for now I had Wade contact Global Justice last night and I just got a message this morning that they’ll be sending a ride to pick us up,” Kim explained as the two exited the room. “I called Ron too so hopefully he’ll be here before the GJ shows up.”
“OK, so then what-”
Anna stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Shego walking a bit groggily out of the bathroom. Like the two younger girls she had on her sleeping clothes which was mostly an oversized dark green T-shirt that hung a little past her thighs. What had stopped the clone girl though was the very surprising sight of the former villainess wearing pink bunny slippers. She pointed to them as Shego walked past them and started to say something when Kim cut her off.
“Don’t ask,” she advised.
“They’re comfortable. Let’s just leave it at that,” Shego added, having guessed what Kim was talking about.
“O…kay,” Anna remarked as the three stepped into the living room.
She stayed near the archway they had just passed through as Shego headed directly for the couch and Kim headed towards the kitchen. Shego had just picked up the remote for the TV and right before her butt hit the soft couch cushions, the doorbell rang. She growled a bit before forcing herself back up into a standing position and placing the remote back on the table. She spotted Kim walking out of the kitchen but motioned for her to stay there.
“I got it, I got it,” she grumbled as she walked towards the front door.
She pulled it open and wasn’t very surprised to see Ron standing there, already in full mission gear. His timing always did seem to be the worst.
“Ron,” she greeted with forced hospitality.
“Shego,” he greeted back with the same forced politeness.
She stepped aside to let him in and he nodded politely but kept his attention focused on Kim, who was still standing in the small hallway leading to the kitchen.
“Ron, you’re here early,” she said with a hint of surprise.
“Yeah well, since this is the last summer before I might go off to college my mom is forcing me to do years with of neglected housework everyday day now. To be honest, getting the mission call was a life saver. So now what’s the problem?”
He inadvertently answered his own question when he happened to look over his left shoulder when he noticed somebody else out of the corner of his eye. His mind stopped so quickly at the sight of another Kim standing at the other end of the room he could swear he heard tires squeaking. His jaw practically dropped to the floor and for the next several seconds his head snapped back and fourth between the two identical girls. At his friend’s odd movements, Rufus poked his head out of Ron’s pocket and he too was struck by the unusual sight, even by their standards.
“Bu-wha-ha-who-ah-HUH?!” Ron stammered as he tried to remember English.
“Clone,” Shego said nonchalantly.
That one word seemed to be the only explanation the boy needed as he instantly snapped out of his daze and the confused look left his face.
“Oooh,” he mused in a knowing fashion. “See I would have said long lost twin sister who just now recovered her memories.”
“That’s because you watch too much ‘Agony County’,” Shego remarked as she walked back over to the couch.
“Only to stay current!”
“Even though we’re not in high school anymore?” Kim countered.
“Hey, people in college could watch it too.”
“I’m amazed anyone still watches it. Show hasn’t been good since Dylan left,” Shego said dryly.
Ron pointed an accusatory finger at her and acted like he was about to say something, but stopped when Kim placed a calming hand on his shoulder and shook her head gently. He relented and turned his attention to the second Kim still standing on the other side of the room.
“So…you’re a clone, huh?” he asked.
“That’s what they tell me,” she tried to joke.
“And you’re sure she’s not one of Drakken?” Ron asked, looking back at Kim.
“No we already figured that out,” Kim informed him.
“Yeah when someone sprayed a kind of soda in my face!” Anna growled, glaring at Shego.
“Hey I said I was sorry for that!” Shego protested.
“No you didn’t!”
She sighed. “Fine, I’m sorry I sprayed cola in you face. Happy?”
“It’ll do.”
“OK if she’s not one of Drakken’s then where did she come from?” Ron asked.
“W.E.E.,” Kim replied matter-of-factly.
“Oh right. Guess they would have the technology to do that,” the blonde remarked before looking over at the second Kim again. “So what do we call you?”
“For now I’m just going by ‘Anna’,” the girl replied.
“That fits. I guess,” he mused. “So what’s the plan?”
“Well Wade said that after he contacted you he got a hold of Global Justice and said that they’d be sending a carrier to pick us up sometime in the morning. I was hoping I’d at least have time for breakfast first,” Kim explained.
Ron gave her a worried look. “Uh…is that a good idea? Last I heard you still weren’t all that good in the kitchen and much fire was involved.”
“I wonder who could have told you that?” the redhead replied, casting a suspicious glance towards Shego, who merely shrugged in return. “Anyway, I was just going to get a bowl of cereal, no big.”
“Oh Kim that won’t do for a proper breakfast. Now if you have some eggs, cheese, veggies and some ham laying around I can whip you up some of my famous Stoppable omelets.”
Before Kim could reply to Ron’s generous offer, a loud whirling sound came from outside and the sudden kicking up of wind in a condensed, circular patter told them all that the GJ hoverjet had arrived. She sighed and gave him an apologetic look.
“Sorry Ron looks like I’ll have to take a rain check on the omelets,” she said.
“No problemo, we’ll just schedule it for later. Trust me, I’m gonna be up in the mornings for awhile,” Ron replied with a sight and a slight slump of his shoulders.
“You’ll make it through. Now can you tell them to wait a few minutes while Anna and I get changed into our mission gear?”
“You got it KP.”
“Good,” Kim nodded then looked over to her “sister”. “Come on, I think I have some spare mission clothes I can lend you.”
“Actually, if it’s all the same to you I’d rather pick out my own set of mission gear,” Anna said.
“Well I guess that’s not a problem. Can I ask why?”
“I just figured why make this any more confusing than it already is?”
“Good point.”
Anna nodded and then the two walked back into the master bedroom for Kim to get her mission gear and for Anna to pick out something of her own. It took her only a minute or so of digging before she found something she felt would work then quickly went back to the guest room to change. She reentered the living room a few seconds later to find Kim and Ron already waiting for her. As she did, Kim cast a rather doubtful eye on the outfit she had chosen. It wasn’t much different than what she had worn the day before, she still have the blue hoodie and black pants, but now she was wearing a red long sleeve shirt underneath the hoodie with a pair of red gloves that Kim forgot she even had. The standard mission belt hung around her waist as well as it did on Kim and the outfit was topped off by a pair of black boots. Anna’s hair was also pulled back into the pony tail she had worn yesterday.
“So what do you think?” she asked after seeing the odd look on Kim’s face.
“It’s…alright I guess. But it’s not much different from what you’re just wearing,” Kim stated plainly.
“Yeah I know, but this…feels right somehow.”
“I think it looks badical,” Ron spoke up.
“Spankin’!” Rufus cheered from Ron’s pocket, giving a small thumbs up.
“Personally I think it’s too many layers,” Shego remarked from where she was now standing by the hallway leading to the kitchen.
“You would,” Anna retorted, a small smile betraying her annoyed tone.
“Yeah, well anyway, here Princesses catch,” the former thief announced as she tossed them both a power bar. “Not a real breakfast, but it works.”
“Those motherly instincts are really starting to kick in, huh?” Kim quipped with a playful grin.
“Just making sure one of you will come back to help me be a mother,” Shego replied as she walked over to Kim. “I love Shin and all, but this is definitely a job I don’t want to do by myself.”
“Have we found something even the might Shego’s afraid of?” the red head asked as she took a step closer.
“Not afraid, just not stupid enough to think I can do it on my own.”
“Uh…not to break up this romantic, but still somehow very creepy-at least to me-moment, but the GJ guys are signaling for us to go,” Ron spoke up.
Shego let out an annoyed sigh and glared at him out of the corner of her eye.
“Always know how to spoil the moment, don’t you Stoppable?” she muttered then turned back to Kim. “Anyway, have fun and make sure to kick someone in the head for me.”
“I will,” Kim said.
The two shared a quick kiss before Kim and Anna joined Ron by the door. The latter two waved a quick goodbye to Shego before exiting through the doorway and into the awaiting hoverjet. Shego watched through the window as the high tech vehicle lifted off and zoomed out of sight in less than a minute. The peace of it’s departure lasted less then a second before it was replaced by the high pitch cry coming from Shin’s room. Shego let out another sigh and stared at the spaced where the GJ jet sat just moments before.
“Sure Kim, leave me with the really hard job,” she joked to herself before going to tend to her child.
When they arrived at Global Justice headquarters, the three were escorted to the main debriefing room where they found Dr. Director waiting for them along with another agent sitting across from her at the large, rectangular table. What shocked them was that the agent present was the “number one”, Will Du, that they had met before but rather a man in his late 20's/early 30's with spiked, black hair and looking much more relaxed and friendly than the uptight Du. He was, however, dressed in the standard blue GJ uniform. He looked up with Dr. Director as the three entered the room gave them all a polite nod and smile.
“Kim, Ron, nice to see you again,” Dr. Director greeted as she shook each of their respective hands then turned to the third member of the group. “And you are…?”
“Going with Anna for the time being,” the girl replied, taking the offered hand and shaking it.
“Pleased to meet you as well. Though from what Wade told me we’ve already met in a fashion,” she flashed a quick, and surprising, grin before turning towards the other agent. “This is agent Edward Fynn, our second best agent.”
“Just call me Ed,” the man replied as he stood and shook their hand as well.
“Dude if you’re the second best agent, doesn’t that mean-oof!” Ron started to asked, but was stopped by a double set of elbows to the ribs.
Ed let out an exasperated sigh as he sat back down. “Yes, it means I lost out to Will Du.”
“How?” Ron asked before either Kim or Anna could still him.
“I’m afraid that’s classified Global Justice information about our training procedures,” Dr. Director spoke up.
“He did better than me on the written tests,” Ed admitted, ignoring the rather cold look Betty was giving him. “Which is why I hate those things cause they never really give realistic scenarios.”
“Dude, don’t even get me started,” Ron sympathized.
“So then you understand.”
“Oh yeah. Word problems? Never made any sense to me at all.”
“At least they weren’t your eligibility to handle top secret, high tech weaponry,” Ed remarked, tossing a glance towards Dr. Director. “Could cause some problems for people who aren’t that good at them and others who’re good at faking their way through them.”
“I assure you the results of those tests are highly scrutinized, Ed,” she replied, placing an emphasis on his name as she glared at him again with her single eye.
“And yet somehow they helped promote Will Du to the top of the list.”
“Despite his certain…lack of people skills, Will is a very competent agent.”
“Coulda fooled me,” Kim found herself muttering.
While she looked completely surprised and appalled by herself-and earned funny looks from Ron and Anna-Ed simply gestured to her in the classic “Thank You!” posed.
“See? That’s what I’m saying,” he said triumphantly. “Will may be a descent agent in your…eye but he’s still got his flaws. The biggest of which is walking around like he’s got a huge stick shove right up his-”
“Ed!” Dr. Director shouted, cutting him off. She then took a moment to compose herself. “We can discuss the merits of Agent Du in later in private. For now, I think we should get to the matter at hand.”
“Alright,” he agreed with a shrug.
“Good. Now then,” she turned back to the three still standing teens. “Why don’t you three take a seat and we’ll begin our debriefing.”
The three nodded before taking their seats as Dr. Director sorted some papers in front of her.
“Now from what Wade told me, I understand that Anna there is a clone of you Kim, correct?” she asked in a clinical manner.
“I think that’s pretty obvious at this point,” Kim retorted.
The older woman quirked an eyebrow at the oddly sarcastic remark from the redhead.
She might be spending a bit too much time with Shego, she mentally noted. Out loud she continued: “And you think W.E.E. was behind this and still have a clone of Shego?”
“I don’t think, I know,” Anna said forcefully. “I was there. I saw her.”
“And you want to go save her?”
“Yes.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on!” Ron shouted, having his hands in front of him. “That’s what this mission is?! To save another Shego?!”
“Yes Ron, that’s the mission,” Kim admitted in an somewhat exhausted voice.
“But…why?!”
“Look I know you and Shego still have problems getting along, but ask yourself this, would you rather have another Shego on our side or on W.E.E.’s side?”
Ron took a moment to think of the two alternatives and shuddered a bit at the latter.
“Our side,” he said reluctantly.
“Exactly,” Kim replied with a small grin. “Besides, it’s not right that W.E.E. thinks they can just create people and program them to believe whatever.”
“I agree,” Dr. Director spoke up. “Which is why I’m allowing you the use of whatever resources we have at our disposal.”
“I appreciate that, but really we just need to find a way back to the island Anna said the lab was on.”
“If that doesn’t sound like an entrance cue I don’t know what does,” a voice joked from behind the main door to the room.
All eyes turned to watch as it slid open to reveal another man in a Global Justice uniform. This one had short, cropped light brown hair and a pair of thin rimmed glassed with rectangular lenses that accented his sapphire eyes. A playful smirked tugged at his face as he waltzed into the room with a confident stride.
“Ah, right on time,” Dr. Director smiled. “Kim, Ron, Anna, I’d like you all to meet Roy Hughes, head of our intelligence division.”
He smiled and waved at the three at first, then gave Kim and Anna a serious, inspecting look for a few seconds.
“So which one of you is the real Kim Possible?” he asked with his hand on his chin.
“That would be me,” the redhead with her hair down replied, holding her hand up a bit.
“Well then I’ve really got to shake your hands,” Agent Hughes said enthusiastically as he held out a hand towards her.
Kim gave him an odd look at first, but quickly recovered and held out her own hand towards him, which he shook with vigor.
“I’ve got to thank you Kim, you’re the whole reason I have this job,” he confessed.
“I am?”
“Yeah. After that incident with Professor Green, GJ realized their intel department was a little…let’s say lacking so they brought me on board. Really a sweet gig actually.”
“Well then I guess you’re welcome Agent Hughes.”
“Oh please, call me Roy.”
“Well, Roy you think you can share some of this precious intel with us?” Ed asked with a slight edge to his voice.
“Never like me having fun, do you?” Roy quipped before he pulled out a small remote control from a pouch on his waist.
With the press of a button the lights in the room dimmed a bit as an overhead projector slid down from a panel in the ceiling. It flashed to life with a low hum as an almost blinding light filled up most of the bare wall near the table. The empty, white square was soon filled with an aerial image of a small island covered with almost completely with trees.
“This is a small island off in the Atlantic that most people don’t pay attention to because it’s suppose to uninhabited,” he started to explain. “But given the situation we have here, that obviously isn’t the case.”
“How can you be so sure this is the island?” Dr. Director asked in a clinical tone.
“Because the shipping lanes of the trolling that Anna said picked her up cross very close to the island. Certainly close enough for her to float over to them if she had jumped off one of the cliffs like she said she did.”
“Trust me, I did,” Anna remarked.
“Oh I believe you. Especially since upon closer investigation we found some odd energy readings coming from the island.”
“Odd, how?” Ed asked.
“You mean other than the fact that they’re there in the first place?” Roy quipped with a smile. “Well…we’re not quite sure what they are yet, but definitely looks like could be some kind of defensive system.”
“But I didn’t notice any when I left,” Anna pointed out.
“Ah, but I’m sure since that spectacular failure they learned to redouble their efforts.”
“And they could do that this fast?” Kim asked in amazement. “I mean it’s only been a few days since Anna escape.”
“Hey I’ve only been at this a few hours and I’ve already figured this much out.”
“So what kind of options are we looking at as far as entry points go?” Ed asked, steering the conversation back on track.
“Well without further info on what exactly their defensive capabilities are, I suggest a straight landing right along this cliff back,” Roy replied, using a laser pointer to indicate a small clearing on the edge of the landing.
“That’s the cliff I jumped from,” Anna said, more to herself than any of the others.
“That works out perfectly then, since you know the area already.”
“OK since I’m usually the one who does, I’ll go ahead and ask the stupid question,” Ron spoke up. “Won’t they see us coming?”
“Actually that’s not stupid at all, I was just about to ask that question myself,” Dr. Director stated.
“Really? Cool!”
“I thought that already and that’s where the R&D really love my plan,” Roy said. “They want to use it a chance to test out the new cloaking device.”
“Cloaking device?” Kim repeated.
“Yes,” Dr. Director nodded. “Remember that invisible base Dr. Drakken used to evade for a time?”
“You mean the one he used right before trying to sell that weirdo, mind controlling shampoo?” Ron asked in his own unique way.
“That’s the one,” she confirmed. “Among other things we’re able to salvage from the wreckage was the main control console to Drakken’s cloaking device. Our tech department has been working on it for months to adapt it to some our ships but last I heard they’re still in the beta stage,” the one-eyed woman remarked, staring expectantly up at Roy.
“Hey don’t look at me, tech’s not my department,” he replied with a shrug.
“Actually, as luck would have it, I was just talking to Tapping about this the other day and she’s convinced that the one carrier they have done is ready to go,” Ed spoke up. “Should be enough to hold me, those three and few other agents.”
“And you trust her judgement on the matter?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time I put my life in her hands.”
“Expect this time it’s not just your life,” Kim pointed out.
“Thought you liked throwing yourself head first into danger?” he asked mischievous smile.
“I do, but I’m not very keen on throwing other people into danger along with me.”
Ron was about to remark on that comment, but stopped himself when he realized it was best just to leave it alone.
“I appreciate that concern Kim, but all my agents are highly trained for just this kind of thing,” Dr. Director reassured her.
“Besides, I’m willing to let you guys go in first. Just think of us as your backup,” Ed clarified.
Kim leaned back in the chair as she thought about it for a moment. In truth, she did have Wade contact Global Justice because they knew more about W.E.E. than she did, but she was just hoping for information on what they were capable of and more importantly a ride to the island. Going in there as part of a GJ unit felt a little…off to her, but it was kind of reassuring to know that someone besides Ron had her back if something did go horribly wrong. Not that it would, but having a backup plan never hurt.
“Alright, I guess that sounds fair,” she conceded.
“Excellent,” Dr. Director remarked with a nod. “Now then, Roy, why don’t you show them to the hanger and let them look at the carrier they’ll be in for the mission.” She paused for a second in thought. “Also stop by the cafeteria and let them get something to eat. We might have in advertently interrupted their breakfast plans.”
“That’s an understatement,” Kim muttered.
“Well then let’s see what we can scrounge up,” Roy said cheerfully as he lead the three out the door. “Now mind you I can’t promise much…”
The door slid closed as soon as the last of the small group was out of the room, leaving Dr. Director and Ed there by themselves. There was a moment of silence as Ed repositioned himself to look over at her with a critical eye.
“You have something to say?” she asked.
“Just want to make sure you think this a good idea,” he stated.
“I believe so. Ethical issues aside, having another Shego-one that’s not trying to loose baby weight at the moment-on our side would be a huge advantage. At the very least it would strike a critical blow against not only Gemini’s forces but other would-be world conquers as well.”
“That’s assuming of course either Shego actually wants to go back to playing hero.”
“I know the real Shego does at least. Having that baby changed her fundamental ways. I’m positive that once she’s back in shape she’ll fight alongside Kim and strengthen Team Possible in ways we can’t even imagine.”
“And this other Shego?”
Dr. Director took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she propped her elbows on the table and tented her hands over her jaw.
“That…I don’t know,” she confessed.
“Exactly. There’s a lot of things that could go wrong with this idea. Now I’m not saying that in theory it’s a bad one, and you know I’ll support whatever plan you come up with, but I just want to make sure this isn’t something you’re going to learn to regret later.”
“Ed, if we don’t get to that other Shego in time, I think it’s something we’re all going to regret.”
After a trip to the cafeteria, where Ron and Rufus scarfed down unhealthy amounts of cheese, and another trip by the hanger to see inspect the carrier they would be riding in-which included much technobabble from Agent Tapping that went over all their heads-Kim, Ron and Anna stepped into the vehicle along with Ed and five other Global Justice agents. It was a little cramped but everyone was still able to find a seat and make themselves relatively comfortable.
While Kim discussed strategy over with Ed and the other GJ agents talked amongst themselves, Ron looked over at the girl sitting next to him. Except for the different mission clothes, she looked exactly like Kim when she had her hair tied back. Course they shouldn’t be a surprise since she was a clone of his best friend, but it still felt a little weird. While having two Kims around was definitely a good thing for the world, he wasn’t sure exactly how he felt about it. On the one hand it would be cool to have someone like Kim to hang around with since the original was going to be doing the mother thing with Shego, but on the other hand hanging out with a KP look-a-like who was single might bring up some old feelings he was really trying to suppress.
Course since she’s a clone she’s probably single as well so maybe… part of his mind told him, only to be quickly blocked by his more rational side. No! I can’t do that, it would just be too awkweird. For Kim and for me. Plus it’d show I can’t really move on and make me seem pathetic, which is something I really don’t want to do with Shego around. The best thing to do is just leave it be and focus on the mission.
Unfortunately, as is often his problem, Ron’s mouth decided to act freely from his mind.
“So Anna, I take it you’re single, huh?” he asked.
Dammit! he scolded himself mentally.
Anna gave him an odd look for a second before she answered.
“Well…yeah. I mean I was just ‘born’ a few days ago so it’s not like I’ve had time to go out and look for someone,” she replied in matter-of-factly.
“Right, yeah, sorry. Wasn’t thinking there.”
She nodded absently and they were quiet again. At least for a few seconds until Ron’s mouth decided to act up again.
“Well I’m sure when all this is settled and you do try to find someone special you’ll have no problems there,” he said, adding a nervous laugh at the end.
“I guess. Just haven’t really had time to think about it, or much at all for that matter,” she confessed, not really sure why she was airing so much, but it felt natural. “Actually now that I do think about it, I’m not really sure if there is anyone for me out there. I mean, really who would want to date a clone?”
“You mean a clone of Kim Possible? I think that line would go around the block. Twice.”
“Maybe. But then that just brings up the question of if they’re actually dating me for me or for the fact that I look like Kim,” Anna countered with a heavy sigh.
“Ah, don’t be down. I’m sure there are plenty of guys out there that would appreciate you for you. You know, out there…in…here,” Ron muttered, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.
Anna’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open a bit at the very clear memory of the last time he had used those words and what they’re not-so-hidden meaning. When she recovered from her initial shock she glanced over at him to see him still looking at her sideways but with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. What she was about to say next also brought up bad memories, but she knew it was better to get it out of the way now rather than hurt him more by stringing him along.
“Ron,” she began delicately.
“Oh,” he sighed, cutting her off and slumping his shoulders.
Anna found herself a bit annoyed at his presumption.
“You don’t know what I was going to say,” she argued.
“Yes I do. I know that tone of voice, that’s the ‘I have really bad news but I don’t want to say it in a bad way’ voice that always leads to someone getting dumped. Trust me, I’ve heard it enough to recongized it. Especially with that particular voice.”
“Right I guess you would. But I’m not trying to hurt you just for the sake of hurting you.”
“I know. And it’s my own stupid fault for thinking this time would be any different.”
“You’re not stupid,” she said softly as she placed a hand over his. “I could understand the reasoning behind it and I’m a bit flattered, but you have to remember I have Kim’s memories of why you two didn’t work out and they’re just too strong to work past them. I’m sorry.”
“It’s-it’s OK. I guess I was just trying to…”
“You’re trying to get Kim back, I understand that. But I’m not Kim. In fact, no matter how this mission turns out, afterwards I really want to try to find my own way not just rehash thing the things Kim did.”
Ron gave her a funny look at that statement which made her reflect on her choice of words.
“That didn’t come out right,” she remarked.
“No it didn’t,” he agreed.
“Look, I’m sure you’ll find someone out there for you. You just need to find away to move past Kim.”
“That’s easy for you to say, you’ve got the memory of how she moved on,” he replied, sounding more bitter than he meant to be.
“Yes, I do,” she said firmly. “And it’s not as easy as you want to think. Do you know why she didn’t talk to you for a few weeks after you two broke up?”
He shook his head.
“Because she couldn’t even think about you with out breaking down into tears. It hurt her so much to do what she did, but she knew it was for the best. She realized that she after awhile she wouldn’t be able to return the love you’re giving her and she knew it wasn’t right to do that to you.” She paused to swallow the lump that was forming her in throat. Apparently those memories where a lot stronger than she thought. “To be brutally honest here, she thought she was the one failing you and that you deserved better.”
Ron blinked as he just sat there and stared at her. If it was anyone else saying that he would just assume they were telling him what he wanted to hear. Truthfully, Anna could be doing that as well, but the hurt behind her eyes told him more than he needed to know. It was the truth. The truth that even Kim couldn’t bring herself to him. He could be mad at her for that, but seeing how painful it was for someone who just had the memories of that event he could imagine how painful it was for someone who actually lived it. In fact, he didn’t have to imagine it, he knew that pain all too well. Still, to hear her side of it…
“That’s…” he tried to find something to say.
“Not what you’re expecting?” she ventured.
He shook his head. “But…thanks. I…I think I understand now.”
“You’re welcome. But I think you need to talk to the real Kim about it at some point.”
“Yeah, I know. Not right now though. Game time and all that.”
Anna nodded in understanding as they both took deep breaths to try to push those feelings down and get back into the right frame of mind.
“What were you two just talking about?” Kim asked suspiciously.
“Oh, you know, just shooting the breeze. Hoping to get to this other Shego on time,” Ron said rather unconvincingly.
Kim narrowed her eyes a bit at the two, but decided not to press the issue any further. At least not right now. Instead she decided to refocus their attention on the mission at hand.
“Alright, well, Ed and I have worked up the best way to approach,” she said.
“It’s really not the most eloquent plan I’ve ever come up with, but it should get the job done,” Ed admitted.
“So what is the plan?” Anna asked, leaning forward to look at the map laying between Kim and Ed.
“Basically, we’re going to set down in the cliff you said you jumped off of and let you out there. After that you’re going to make your way back to the compound to find this other Shego and bring her back here.”
“You’re right, that’s not really much of a plan,” Ron pointed out.
“Yeah I know, but we figured it was the way to proceed,” Ed remarked. “The three of you can get in there a lot easier than a squad of Global Justice agents. Even if it is just a squad of six.”
“But you’ll have our backs, right?” Kim asked.
“Yep. Once you disembark I’ll give you an hour to contact us before we storm the place, guns ablazin’. So if that happens you might want to duck.”
“Guns? I thought GJ was non lethal?”
“Strictly stunners. They’ll wake up with a headache, but nothing serious.”
“Isn’t an hour kind of a tight schedule?” Anna wondered.
“Actually, considering the present company I thought it was kind generous,” Ed retorted with a sly smile.
“Yeah here’s got you there,” Ron agreed. “With one KP this mission would be easy but with two it’ll be a breeze.”
“Well…I’m not sure about that,” Kim stated modestly.
“No time to worry about it, we’re here,” Ed informed them as the ship suddenly came to a stop.
With a hiss of decompression, the main entrance slid open and the three teen heroes rushed outside.
“Remember, one hour!” Ed reminded them before disappearing as the door close.
Ron let out an impressed whistle as he stared at seemingly thin air.
“Gotta admit, that’s a nice cloaking device,” he mused.
“No time to admire their handy work Ron, we gotta go,” Kim ordered then looked over at Anna. “So which way?”
“Uh…” she stalled as she tried to remember the direction she had come from. After a moment she pointed slightly to her right. “That way.”
The other two nodded and followed her lead into the dense forest. Relying more on the instincts of what felt like the right direction rather than her hazy memory, Anna hoped she was leading them all in the right direction and more importantly not into the waiting clutches of any W.E.E. agents patrolling the woods. Surprisingly, the forest itself provided the most resistance with it thick patches of shrubs and vines. Even dealing with that, it only took them a few minutes to make it insight of the compound. They each took a place hiding behind a tree as they surveyed the area.
“Wade, can you shut down their security systems?” Kim asked into the Kimmunicator’s view screen.
They clicking of the keyboard was the immediate answer, soon followed by Wade’s disappointed head shake.
“Not at all at once, no,” he told her. “But I can shut it down section by section. Just keep the Kimmunicator on and I’ll be able to track you and tell you when to go.”
“Right. So can you work on the front door?”
“Already on it.”
The group waited only for a few seconds before the door slid open. Kim motioned for the other two to follow her and without a moment’s hesitation they covered the small ground from there hiding place to the door and slipped through just as it closed again.
“Which way?” Kim asked Anna hurriedly.
The cloned girl looked from right to left as she tried to remember exactly which way she had come from when escaping this place.
“Uh…that way,” she decided, pointing to her left.
“You’re sure?”
“Mostly.”
“It’ll have to do it. Wade?”
“On it Kim!” the enthusiastic reply came.
Again there was a slight pause before the signal was given to go and they ran down the corridors as quickly as they could. It was a pattern that continued for several more minutes; running, stopping; running, stopping. It was certainly more tedious than what Kim was use to, but if kept them off of W.E.E.’s radar than it was worth it. It did strike her was odd that they had only seen a few enemy agents patrolling the hallways and those they did see they were easily able to avoid. The most reaction they had seen was one of them looking over his shoulder at where they had run from, but he shrugged it off and went about this business. She supposed she should be thankful for that, but something about the whole sitch was bugging her.
The didn’t have much time to think it over, however, as a frightened screech from Ron broke her train of thought. Both she and Anna jerked their heads towards him to see what was wrong, and found him laying face down on the floor with his pants around his ankles and suspended in the air slightly thanks to the hanging nail they were stuck on.
“Oh man!” he whined as he tugged at them.
“SHHH!” the two redhead warned as they each slapped hand over his mouth and leaned closer.
As Ron nodded eagerly under their hands, Rufus jumped out of his pocket and tugged the patch of cloth loose.
“Thanks buddy,” he whispered as he stood up and resecured his pants.
When that was done he looked back at Kim and Anna who’re looking around the next corner. He walked up behind them and peered over their shoulders to see that the next corridor was empty as well.
“OK, I know we’re not suppose to look gift horses in the mouth, but doesn’t this seem way too easy?” he asked against his better judgement.
“He’s right. I had a lot more trouble than this getting out of here, I can’t imagine it’d be this easy to get in,” Anna remarked.
“I know,” Kim agreed.
“So then this is probably a trap, huh?” Ron asked again.
“Yep,” both girls answered.
“And we’re just gonna keep going into it, aren’t we?”
“Yep.”
We seriously need to start thinking of better plans, the blonde thought in dismay.
Nevertheless, he continued to follow the girls’ leads and eventually they wound up staring at a door that Anna found very familiar.
“That’s it,” she whispered, inclining her head towards the door.
“Then we’re almost done. “With time to spare even,” Kim mused as she looked down at her watch. “Wade, can you get the last door open?”
“You know Kim, just once I wish you’d ask me to do something difficult,” the computer genius joked as he typed away.
“How about my parent’s taxes this year?”
“Hey I said difficult, not impossible. By the way, you’re good.”
She looked up with the others to find the door now wide open. They searched the hallways one last time for any agents, and upon finding none, ran for the door as fast as they could. The room they entered amazed Kim and Ron at the amount of incubation tubes within it and made them wonder just what exactly Gemini planned to do with them all. Anna, meanwhile, felt a shiver run down her spine at being back in the place of her “birth”. She pushed it aside, though, and continued on with the mission.
“Come on,” she waved the other two forward as she began to walk through the room. “If I remember correctly the tube holding the other Shego should be right…about…here!”
They stopped in front of a pair of tubes that were sectioned off from the rest. At least, at one time it looked like it held a set of two tubes, but now there was only an blank space where one had been broke while the other sat…
“Empty!” Anna shouted in shock and frustration. “We’re too late!”
She let out a small, irritated growl as she punched the glass cylinder.
“It’s alright Anna,” Kim said, putting a comforting hand on her clone’s shoulders. “We’ll find her. We just have to figure out where she is.”
“She’s right behind you,” an all-too-familiar voice called out.
The three heroes turned to find a woman who looked exactly like Shego standing in front of the doorway. Well almost exactly like Shego. The most outstanding difference was her choice of apparel. Unlike the mixed green and black body suit of the original, this woman wore what appeared to be a straight black body suit topped with a green, half sized business jacket that, while buttoned up, was cut low enough to reveal a generous portion of her cleavage. Black gloves hands rested at her cocked hips while her green, knee high booted feet stood firmly on the floor, ready to pounce into action at any moment despite the dominate pose she was in. Her raven colored hair framed her face from the long ponytail it was pulled back into and judging by the malicious grin on her face and the devious twinkle in her eye it looked like she wasn’t there waiting to be saved. Of course, the fifteen armed W.E.E. agents flanking her helped to verify that message.
“Boy have you lost your touch. Cause you three just walked head first into our trap,” she gloated, her grin growing even wider.
To Be Continued…
Author’s Notes: You know, this may be a first, but I actually don’t have much to say here. Well other than the usual, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, tell me what you think, all that good stuff. The story should only be one more chapter and I’ll try to get that up as soon as I can, but not only do I have to get back to the second chapter of “Kim In Exile”, but I also have a bunch of one shots just itching to be written. So I’ll definitely be writing something, just not sure what.
There is one thing I’d like to mention. As you’re probably all aware of by now, the Kim Possible Fannie awards are currently going on and this coming Wednesday January 31st, 2007 is the last day of voting. I have been nominated in three categories with two noms in one and would be very appreciative if some of you kind readers would go there and vote for me. You can find the website here: http://intbike.com/fannie2.html
Again votes are appreciated.
Oh, yes, I’m wondering if anyone can tell me why Anna’s mission gear “feels right”. It’s a homage to something. I know there are a couple of you out there that can get it.