“WHY DIDN’T ANYONE THINK OF USING UP ALL THEIR GRENADES BEFORE YOU USED UP ALL OF YOUR BAZOOKAS?” bellowed an exasperated Sergeant Warburton.
“We don’t know, Sir!” came the response from Unit Eight’s Lieutenant. “Heat of the battle?”
“Enh, it’s not that big of a deal, soldier. You did your best. But next time – think a little better?”“Sir!”
“Shego! Are you okay?” asked Kim as Shego ran towards her position under the heavy cover fire that was still being provided for the 1st and 2nd Units, despite that everyone in those Units were now lying on the ground, all of them knocked out cold. She let the Battle Suit’s shield down temporarily so Shego could pass through to her, then re-activated it once Shego wrapped her arms around her waist tightly. “You’re not hurt?” she asked Shego again, her voice full of worried care. “They didn’t hit you at all?”
“Kimmie, I’m the 2nd most dangerous woman in the world,” Shego said. “They never even touched me.” Kim tilted her head, giving the look Shego knew all too well, for having done it herself to Drakken more times than she could count. “Alright,” Shego broke down. “So one of ‘em grabbed my shoulders. But that’s as far as they got, I swear!” She ran her fingers through Kim’s hair. “Trust me on this one, Kimmie-cakes. I used to be a superhero. I’ve dodged more bullets than this in a Port-A-Potty.”
“Er…why?” asked Kim, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
“Believe me, you don’t wanna know about that villain, Pumpkin…”
“HOLD YOUR FIRE! ALL UNITS, HOLD YOUR FIRE!” yelled Sergeant Warburton.
It took a second or two, but the silence that suddenly followed what had been a near half-hour din of M16 fire caught everyone off guard. “What is it, Sarge?” Private Cole asked. “Sir?”
“I don’t know, son,” responded the Sergeant. “Soldier’s instinct, I guess. Somethin’ smells fishy here.”
“Maybe it’s the fish in the landfill, Sir.”
“Hmm…You may be right, son. But I’m still not going to resume fire just yet.”
“Why not, Sir?”
“They’re regrouping. We can catch ‘em with their pants down.” Sergeant Warburton turned to his radio man. “TELL ANYONE WHO’S BEEN LEFT ALIVE IN THE 1ST AND 2ND UNITS THAT WE’RE ABORTING THE FORWARD ASSAULT! FALL BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL POSITIONS!”
“Sir!” the command was acknowledged with a salute.
“GET THE POLICE CHIEF ON THE LINE! TELL HIM TO GET ALL HIS MEN THE HELL OUT OF HERE! TELL ALL UNITS TO PREPARE THEIR MK19-3’S! WHEN THE POLICE HAVE CLEARED THE AREA, ALL UNITS FALL BACK AND PREPARE TO FIRE ON MY ORDERS!”
“SIR!” The second soldier in line at the radio console saluted and quickly began carrying out the order.
“Lieutenant Sullivan! Lieutenant Storms! Do you copy? Over!”
Lieutenant Sullivan, head of the 1st Unit, had barely come to when the voice cut through the static.
“Lieutenant Sullivan! Lieutenant Storms! Do you copy? Repeat – do you copy? Over!”
“Lieutenant Sullivan here! I copy, over!” the Lieutenant hastily answered. She groaned, clutching her jaw where Kim Possible’s boot had connected with it. She checked her weapons. Her grenades were gone. Her M16 lay on the ground, the barrel damaged beyond any quick repair in the heat of battle.
“Lieutenant Sullivan, 1st and 2nd Units have been ordered to abort the forward assault on the target! You are commanded to collect all survivors in your Unit and fall back to your original positions! Over!”
“Lieutenant Sullivan – orders acknowledged! Collecting survivors and falling back! Over and out!” When the radio clicked off, she sighed. “Aw, shit – so they’re bringing in the heavy artillery after all…”
“Waitaminute –” Shego let go of Kim and cocked her head to one side, listening. “You hear that?”
“What? I don’t hear anything,” said Kim.
“Exactly!” exclaimed Shego, looking around nervously.
“Shego, what – the gunfire!” Kim gasped.
“Yeah –” said Shego. “Either we’re about to be ambushed, or they’re about to fire everything at us – well…again – and of course, everything that they have left, that is…”
“KP!” Someone tapped Kim on the shoulders. Instinctually, she grabbed the arm and flipped whoever it was over her back and onto the ground in front of her – where she was about to deliver a knocknout punch when Ron threw his hands up in protest. “Whoahwhoahwhoahwhoah! KP! Chill out! Chill, girl!”
“Ron, goddammit – don’t do that again!” Kim hissed.
“Sorry – I just wanted to tell you the pigs are packin’!” said Ron.
“The pigs are packin’?” Shego asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kim whirled around and activated the Battle Suit’s long-range sensors. She quickly spotted the line of police and SWAT vehicles, hightailing it out of the combat area. “The police, Shego. They’re leaving.”
“Question – why?” asked Ron.
“Shit…” Shego muttered. “I think I know what’s goin’ on.”
“What?” queried Kim.
“Check right below us. Are the soldiers that we all KO’d poppin’ off back to the main Army line?”
Kim peered out over their hiding place. Just as Shego asked, the soldiers were retreating. “Yeah. Why?”
“Okay – once the cops are gone, the Army’s gonna drop back all their units and bring out the heavy guns. Probably start with their MK19-3’s, then tack on a few buckets of M-29 fire directly at us-”
“Hold on – explain the numbers, please – some people don’t know much about the military,” Ron cut in.
“MK19-3: 40mm Grenade Machine Gun,” Kim started before Shego could respond. “Capable of firing 350 grenades per minute and is effective to ranges of over 2200 meters. M-29: 81mm mortars.”
“Nice, Kimmie – very nice…” Shego grinned.
“I do my research,” Kim grinned back.
“Sooo, wait – in essence, they’re just wasting their time and ammo?” asked Ron. “I mean, didn’t Wade build this place and all of its hologram electronics to withstand like twenty daily nuclear attacks over the course of two whole weeks?”
“Ten daily nuclear attacks, actually,” Kim corrected. “And yeah, he did. However, the Battle Suits’ shields can’t sustain more than a day’s worth of even light heavy artillery fire.”
“Shit…so, we’re basically stuck here?” asked Ron.
“Yes, it would appear we are under siege,” Shego grumbled. “Think we should duck back into the training facility? I mean, isn’t the door to it like right behind us?”
Kim whirled around, scanning the area with her Battle Suit’s sensors. “Shego! You’re right!” Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Yeah…yes! C’mon! Duck back inside! I got an idea!”
“Huh? Kimmie!” Shego huffed as Kim disappeared behind the secret entrance. Ron dove in, and Shego followed, quickly shutting it behind her. She stayed silent while they took the elevator back down to the main area of the training facility. “Okay, Kimmie – what exactly do you have in mind?” she then asked.
“Kim?” Wade’s face appeared on the giant screen on the back wall. “Kim? You guys okay?”
“Hold a tic – why haven’t the police stormed your house yet, Wade?” Ron asked.
“Who says they haven’t?” Wade grinned.
“We’re fine, Wade – stay low for now,” said Kim. “The army’s got us under siege, but I have a plan to end that. Ron, can you go back up top, tell us when they start to pull back their positions?” she asked.
“Sure, why not?” Ron answered, running back to the room with the elevator shaft in it.
“I’ll notify you if anything weird comes up here!” Wade gave a thumbs up & the screen went blank.
Kim turned to Shego. “Look, this probably isn’t the best way to do this, but it’s the only way I think we can break past the siege, Shego. Can you change back to your black tank top and green shorts real quick?”
“Kim, what –” Shego began, then it dawned on her. “Kimmie – no! No! You can’t do that! “Not after what you told me!” she protested. “I won’t let you do it, Kimmie! I won’t let you turn into me!”
“Shego, LISTEN TO ME!” Kim shook her lover’s shoulders violently. “IT’S TOO LATE! THIS IS THE ONLY WAY! WE CAN’T SAVE OURSELVES USING ANY OTHER METHOD!”
“NO! IT’S NEVER TOO LATE!” Shego shouted. “WE CAN STILL SAVE US– WE CAN STILL S-”
“SHEGO!” Kim bellowed. She grabbed Shego’s face and looked directly into those deep eyes she’d come to love so much. She kept that face, staring into Shego’s eyes intensely, trying to get her to see.
Eventually, Shego broke down, crying, and embraced Kim’s legs tightly. “Please, Kim – there has to be another way… I’m back to being good now. I don’t want to lose another person like I lost my family!”
“Shego…” Kim picked the woman’s arms away from her legs, pulled Shego up, and wrapped the raven-haired woman’s arms around her waist. She didn’t care if Ron saw as she drew Shego’s lips against hers, then played with the pale-skinned woman’s hair after the kiss was over. “I promise you, I won’t leave you. But it’s not too late to save my family. Ron’s family. My friend. Wade’s family… Unfortunately, this is the only way I think we’ll be able to do so.” She put her finger to Shego’s trembling lower lip. “Shhh… I’ll make them take you with me. Ron, too I guess.” She smiled at Shego’s pleading face. “Shego - I promise upon my life, I won’t let them take you from me. Trust me on this one – please…”
Shego, who had been shaking her head, stopped, dropping her head with a sigh. “Alright…”
“May I inquire just what’s going on?” asked Ron, peeking back into the room, highly confused.
“Just go back and play scout, Ron!” Kim shouted.
“Alright, alright! I’m going! I’m going!” Ron mumbled. “You’re startin’ to sound like her now…”
“Over and out!”
“Sir!” The radio man turned to Sergeant Warburton. “All Units have fallen back to the line!”
“Casualties?” asked Sergeant Warburton.
“Units 1 and 2, Sergeant Warburton wishes for a casualty report, over!”
The radio crackled with static for a moment. “Lieutenant Sullivan, 1st Unit! We have suffered zero casualties in the forward assault! Over!”
“Copy that, Lieutenant Sullivan. Over and out!” The radio man reported to Sergeant Warburton. “Sergeant! 1st Unit reports zero casualties, Sir!”
“2nd Unit?” the Sergeant asked.
“Lieutenant Storms, 2nd Unit! Negative on casualties! Repeat, we have zero casualties! Over!”
“Copy that loud and clear, Lieutenant Storms. Over and out!” The radio man turned to Sergeant Warburton again. “2nd Unit also reports zero casualties, Sir!”
“Really?” Sergeant Warburton scratched his chin. “Odd…”
“Sir?” asked Private Cole.
“Nah – it’s nothin’,” the Sergeant mumbled to himself.
“What’s nothin’, Sir?” Private Cole inquired again.
“Yeah – nothin’…”
“Sir?” asked Private Cole once more.
Sergeant Warburton ignored him. “ALL UNITS, FALL BACK TO POSITION AND PREPARE TO FIRE MK19-3’S ON MY ORDER! READY A FEW MORTAR ROUNDS TO ACCOMPANY!”
“Kim! They’re droppin’ back!” Ron yelled down to her as he saw the Army vehicles hit Reverse.
“Shego! You finished?” asked Kim, knocking on the dressing room door.
“Yup – all dressed,” Shego said, emerging from the dressing room. Her somber face had not faded. “Kim, please – I beg you, dear god – there has to be another way…”
“No, Shego.” Kim shook her head. “I’m sorry, but – there isn’t.”
Shego sighed. “All right – let’s go…”
“FIRE!”
The silence after the din of the M16’s seemed to scream in agony as the din of the MK19-3’s roared into existence. Grenade after grenade hurtled towards its target, exploding with one tremendous BOOM! after another that rocked the ground several times over. Explosion after explosion pummeled the landfill. Smoke rose in thick clouds. Dust was thrown up along with the smoke. It all combined to make for one hell of a filter for the light of the sun to shine through. BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM! A row of grenades poured down from the sky and seemed to devastate the areas they hit with vicious precision.
A few short whistles were followed by massive explosions as the 81mm mortars plowed into the ground, exploding with devastating force. As much a beating Wade’s facility was designed to take, it still shook.
“I BELIEVE THEY’VE STARTED FIRING AT US!” Ron yelled down as explosion after explosion filled the inside of the training facility with a noise not unlike 4 million gallons of rain washing over the roof.
“Uh, yeah - no shit, Sherlock…” Shego grumbled.
BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM! More grenades slammed into the disguised bunker. Were anyone to step outside into it, they would find the most intense heat.
Suddenly, Private Cole, watching through his binoculars, spotted movement. “Sir! I see someone! It looks like – SIR! THEY’VE GOT A CIVILIAN HOSTAGE WITH THEM!”
“WHAT?” Sergeant Warburton grabbed the binoculars from the Private and looked in the direction the soldier pointed at. “ALL UNITS, CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE! THEY HAVE BROUGHT OUT A CIVILIAN HOSTAGE! REPEAT – CEASE FIRE! THEY HAVE A CIVILIAN HOSTAGE!”
The new din of the mortar rounds and rapid-fire grenade attacks ended immediately. After the last few explosions disappeared, Kim came into view – her Battle Suit shield up – but holding Shego – wearing the black tank top and green shorts – against her, with what looked like a very sharp object against the pale-skinned woman’s neck. Shego looked genuinely terrified. Kim was impressed. She turned on the amplification system of the Battle Suit. “I HAVE WITH ME HERE MIDDLETON’S NEW LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HERO, SHENNEN G. O’REILLEY!” she yelled. “LISTEN TO ME, OR I SWEAR, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO DO THE WORST TO HER!”
In the cage in Drakken’s lair, Mrs. Possible gasped as she watched the new event unfold on the TV Drakken was watching. “Kimmie…no!”
“HAHAHAHAHA!” Drakken laughed hysterically, the situation even more hilarious to him due to his knowledge of the true identity of “Shennen G. O’Reilley.” But if the putzes in the cage were this oblivious, then it made it even funnier to not reveal Shego’s identity to them. More hurtful if they discovered it on their own. “So, James –” he turned to Dr. Possible in the cage. “Still think your daughter isn’t capable of murder?” He laughed some more, finding the whole thing hilarious.
“Whatever you’ve got planned, Drew, my daughter will come to her senses!” Dr. Possible snapped.
“Are you sure?” Drakken sneered.
“Positive!” Dr. Possible shot back.
“How positive?”
“100 per – uh…” Dr. Possible stammered
“Not completely, I see!” Drakken just laughed some more. “Oh, this is rich!”
“Our daughter will stop you, Drew,” Mrs. Possible glared. “Just watch. You never win.”
“Really? I seem to be the one who’s winning right now! And by a huge margin, too! AHAHAHAHA!”
“Kim will stop you, you freak!” yelled Tim Possible.
“Yeah, freak – Kim’s gonna shut you down! Why can’t you learn to give up?” Jim Possible added.
“I’d shut your mouth if I were you, boys…” Drakken growled, beginning to walk back to the lever that dropped the bottom of the cage out. Tim and Jim quickly closed their mouths.
“Tara…” Monique looked at her former friend, now just watching the cage with an evil glare. Below it, the dogs were still feeding, but quieter now that the screams had stopped. “Tara, how could you?”
Tara just grinned. “Sorry, but I’m saving that explanation for when a certain few people get here, Monique.”
The convoy of police and SWAT vehicles was halfway back to the station when about six or so monster trucks appeared up ahead. They were in all the lanes of the highway, completely blocking up the road.
“HEY, MOVE IT, PUNKS! OR YOU’LL BE UNDER ARREST!” the Police Chief barked at the trucks.
FWIPFWIPFWIPFWIPFWIPFWIPFWIPFWIP! Dozens of small objects zipped through the air, one lodging itself in at least one of the police or SWAT vehicles.
“What the hell?” asked the Police Chief. He looked down at the object driven into the dashboard. “A monkey wrench? Who the hell throws a monkey wrench at people? I mean, honestly! A monkey w-”
BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM! The Police Chief never had any time to react as all the monkey wrenches exploded, demolishing every single one of the police vehicles.
END CHAPTER SIXTEEN