Kim Possible’s House, 9 45 PM.
Kim sat on the soft covers of her bed and stared mutely out of the window, the reflection of moonlight playing over her features. Around her, various packages and gifts were stacked carefully against the bedding, and her fingers toyed with a keyring and the single key that lay attached to it.
She should have been happy, sitting on her bed. After all, her family had thown her a party that anyone else in Middleton would be jealous of.
Her mother had been relieved when Ron had brought her back home, a worried expression on his face at her glazed eyes. It had taken her mother giving Kim a strong cup of coffee to make her look up and smile faintly, to tell her she was fine.
Ron had wanted to know what had happened in the Lair while she was alone with Shego, but Kim had been unable to tell him. Worse, she had found that she didn’t want to. But, she could tell that the people around her were worried about her, and that had pushed her into faking that she was okay.
She had laughed at Ron’s jokes during dinner. Not, she’d had to admit, that it had been hard to do so. She had oohhed as her mother proudly brought in enough food to feed her, Ron’s and Monique’s family, and also any passing army. She had clapped her hands as everyone toasted her nineteenth birthday and had genuinely blinked in surprise as Ron and Monique had brought in a huge cake, Ron grinning as he told her he’d made it. She had blown the candles, made a wish and smiled as they cheered… Then to round it off, she had pretended to be enthusiastic as she peeled the paper from her presents.
The huge surprise had been left until they had all settled into the front room, Kim had been thanking everyone for her gifts. Their sister hugging them had horrified even the tweebs. The micrograppler wristband they had built, delivered inside a huge amount of wrapping, had been received with a smile, as she had thought back to Duotronics… and how useful it would have been.
Then, Her mother, her father and Ron had all stood up and as Ron and her father had smiled, her mother had handed her a tiny envelope.
She’d opened it, and inside had been a small key… a key that had her eyes widening. A car key! Kim had looked up, a question on her lips, but even as she had begun to ask, Ron had grabbed her hand, yanked her to the door and made her look outside.
There, sitting in the driveway had sat a sleek blue car… hercar! She’d walked out, unsteady on her legs, and had touched it, almost imagining it was a fake. But the dark blue metal was cool to the touch. It was real… and as Ron had hugged her Kim had sighed. It was hers.
But, even as she walked back into her house. Had hugged her parents, Ron… everyone and thanked them for the gift, her mind kept wandering back to one single thought. It had been the same thought that had assaulted her all evening.
She kissed me and said she… loved me.
Now, Kim sat on her bed and stared at the ceiling of her room. She’d asked for a few minutes alone, much to the surprise of her family, and had wandered to her room. But as she sat in the dark, the whisper of one thought flooded into a torrent.
She loves me.
Her mind slipped back to those few minutes as Shego’s lips had touched hers. She found herself running through it from end to end… and it wouldn’t go away!
It worried her. The way she’d felt something slip, almost like it was alive, from Shego’s lips to assault her system. She could remember the sensation of heat pouring into… no, outof her! Her heart had raced, and something had made her body writhe under the green skinned woman. She’d almost felt… pleasure.
Kim groaned, her hands sliding through her dark red hair. I can’t have enjoyed it! I’m not… not… well,”She closed her eyes. I’m notGay! There, I said it! I’m not!
She swooned over men as much as Monique!
But you never said hello to many of them, ignored almost all of them… Always played it safe.
She’d dated Josh Mankey! The one guy who made even Bonnie green with envy!
And it fell apart.
She’d even dated Brick for a few days
Yeah, that wasRon’s doing, not yours! Reaching a little, Kimmie.
She’d dated Ron! For months! Kissed him!
And despite him being your friend since pre-school, you couldn’t make it work! You kissed him every night, hoped for sparks… hoped to feel what you felt with Sheg-
“Shut up!” Kim yelled, blinking as she realised she was screaming into an empty room. Sighing, Kim slid to the edge of the bed and ran a hand over her eyes.
As her palm slid away, she found herself gazing at her image in the mirror. it gazed back at her, soft green eyes almost questioning. As it tilted its head at her, Kim licked her lips.
“I can’t be…” She whispered to the mirror. “I mean, if I was… why not Tara or… or Bonnie… or any of the squad. I’ve never felt any desire for them… Or for Mon!”
Her reflection looked worried, conflicted and as desperate as she did. Kim shook her head, staring wryly at it.
“And you have no answers for me, do you?” She paused. “And I’m talking to the mirror… great. I’m turning into a nutball!”
“I hear that, girlfriend!” Monique’s voice made Kim jerk and she turned to See Monique staring at her from the doorway.
Her friend hadn’t changed in the last two years, and why would she? Monique had always been at the forefront of style, a fact that had helped Kim keep up to date about the latest styles, even when her time was taken up with saving the world.
She was set to go to college like Kim, but her degree was tied up with Club Banana as they were giving her money to help attain it. The manager had told her she saw great potential in Monique… and the brand happened to agree.
So, for the last year, she had also remained in Middleton, working at the local Club Banana store, getting experience. Experience that the club valued enough to make her junior manager, and promise her a similar job when she finished college.
Now, her friend opened her mouth, worry in her eyes. “You okay?”
Kim opened her mouth. “I’m fi-“
Then, she paused. Was she all right? Her mind kept slipping back to Shego’s soft kiss and the hurt she’d seen in the green woman’s eyes as she’d scrabbled backwards. Her body shook even now with the feel of the kiss. It had been like nothing she’d felt with Josh or Ron… or anyone. Anyone at all… and then she’d ruined it.
Kim’s lower lip trembled, and she felt a sudden shocking need to cry. “Mon… I…”
“Kim?” Monique darted the final few steps and slid next to her on the bed. “What’s the matter? I thought you were enjoying today?”
“I was…” Kim whispered. “But, something happened earlier. Something big… It’s been preying on my mind all day.”
“Oh, you mean the big ego with a capital SH, right?” Monique shook her head as Kim nodded. Ron had filled her in as best he could. “Girl, she lied to you about Drakken and this new,” she waved her hands in a ghostly manner. “Uber chick called Fang. She wanted to set you up to take a fall on your birthday… now, that’s so low it scrapes the barrel. Even Bonnie’s left you alone today.”
“She didn’t know it was my birthday…” Kim whispered, hugging herself. Blinking, as Kim defended Shego, Monique sighed.
“She set you up though, didn’t she?”
Kim’s bitter laugh made Monique blink a second time. “Oh yeah… she set me up all right. But I don’t think she meant to, not the way you mean. Still, I’ve not felt so… so helpless about a situation before… I’ve never questioned myself before…” Kim looked away. “I’ve never been so worried, about the answer I’ll find, before.”
“Kim, you ain’t making much sense to me right now…” Monique grabbed her gently and shook her until she looked up. “Did she do something to you? Did she hurt or threaten you?”
“No… If anything, I… I hurt her!”
“Well, you areenemies, right? That’s what you’re supposed to do…”
“But that’s the point Mon!” Kim looked up and Monique could hear the conflict in her voice as she stared at her, uneasy. “I wish I knew if we… I mean if she-”
“Girl, I am seriously worried for you now!” Monique slid to her feet. “I want your mom to come and have a look at you… I think you’re ill.”
“Mon, I’m fine… physically.” Kim muttered, yanking her down onto the bed once more. “Look, I need to tell someone, and you… well, you’re my closest female friend.”
“If it’s friends you need to talk to, what about Ron?” Monique protested, worried at the intense expression in Kim’s eyes. “He’s even closer to you than me, has been since you were kids, and-”
“I said female! I don’t even want to think what Ron would say about this…” Kim broke off and suddenly gripped Monique’s hand. “You can’t tell him! Not about this! If I tell you, we keep it here, between us, until I can sort it out! Promise me!”
Monique tried not to wince as Kim’s hand vised over hers. Licking her lips, she nodded. “Sure, Kim. You can tell me anything… I won’t blab. Girlfriends for life and all that.”
Kim felt the fear inside her face slightly at Monique’s expression. “You mean that?”
“Girl, you could tell me your greatest desire was to skate naked at the Rockerfeller centre, and we’d still rock together, I’d keep my lips sealed!” Monique grinned suddenly. “So, is it that?”
“This is bigger than that.” Kim whispered. Monique’s eyebrows raising as she did so. “We’re talking… SO a drama!”
Monique fought against a desire to shake Kim. “Well, come on gal… spit it out!”
Kim licked her lips, nervous as she looked up into Monique’s worried, sympathetic eyes. “This morning, when I was alone with Shego… she…”
A sudden chime of four tones interrupted her, and Kim swore softly under her breath, the Kimmunicator flaring to life. Wade’s face appeared on it, and he looked worried.
“What’s the sitch?” She sighed.
“Kim, um… I thought you ought to know. GJ SatCom picked up an explosion in downtown Middleton about forty or so minutes ago. The spectrum shift of the light suggests a explosion of jet based fuel.”
Kim frowned. “I don’t know how to fight a fire! Is someone trapped?”
“No… but…” Wade sucked on his soda, only to realise it was empty, and Kim recognised that as a sign of nerves. “The only reason the SatCom even locked onto the explosion, was due to the unique signature of something else. The jet that exploded had a dyna-fusion core. It’s very experimental, and only three prototypes of the jet that can carry it were ever made.”
“So? Is it dangerous? Isotopes or something?”
“Kim… listen to me. It’s a development that remains classified, and the jets were carefully guarded. At least… they were. Now, one is currently in the hands of GJ for flight dynamic testing. One was destroyed in a preliminary flight due to a faulty core module. The other was, well, stolen.”
Kim felt her blood chill. “Stolen by who?” She asked, but her expression made it clear she knew who had the skill.
Wade nodded. “Shego… she didn’t exactly try to hide it either, considering she painted it in green and black checks. But, you know she said she was being hunted and that people were out to kill her?”
Kim nodded and Wade sighed.
“Well, if her jet has been destroyed… then maybe she-.”
Kim gasped, as Wade’s words slammed into her stomach like a fist, her face paling to almost bone white. Oh god… I’ve killed her! I pushed her away and it killed her!
“Where?” She demanded and the young genius typed in a set of co-ordinates. “Thanks Wade.”
“I can have transport waiting in-”
“No need this time.” Kim muttered, pulling the keys from her table. “No time to wait either… This is across town, so I’ll drive there.”
“Oh!” Wade leaned forwards. “Kim, before you do that, read the manual!”
“Okay, okay,” Kim managed, wondering why Wade had sounded so worried. “Later…”
“But!” He managed before Kim cut him off.
“Girl?” Monique slid to her feet. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Kim turned to her, eyes wide. “I think… I think someone may have killed Shego.”
Her friend’s face blanched. “You gotta be kidding me! Shego can handle herself…”
“She came here, Mon. She came here and was… worried.” Kim sighed. “I’m not going to say scared, nothing scares Shego… but she was worried. I went with her, I didn’t listen to her and now she could be dead. It’s my fault!”
“No, Kim.” Monique watched as her friend dashed around her room, stuffing various gadgets into her pockets, green eyes pale. “Listen, it’s not your fault, remember that. Besides, I bet Shego’s fine. Always has been before… even fighting you.”
“Not this time… she’s never asked me for help before!” Kim leaned against the wall and glanced across at Monique. “And I’ve… I’ve never wanted to see her again so much until now.” Kim turned to Monique, and her eyes were haunted. “Mon, she… if she’s dead because I told her I couldn’t and she left… angry and didn’t watch her back…my fault! Mine! Oh man!” Realising she was stuttering and making Monique uneasy, Kim turned away. “I… I’ve gotta go!”
With that, Kim Possible, her green eyes filled with guilt, ran out of her room, and slammed the door. Monique stared after her, mouth open.
What the hell was that all about?
Sitting in her new car, Kim slid the keys into the ignition and glanced over at Ron. Her friend sat quietly, taking in the smell of new fabric and plastic as he bounced in the seat slightly. She would have smiled, but she couldn’t… not right now.
“You don’t have to come, you know.” Kim licked her lips slightly, desperate to drive. “I know you wanted to enjoy the party a little more. I know how disappointed your parents were that I had to go, to say nothing of my mom and dad.”
“Yeah, but they let you go, didn’t they. My parents trust me that it’s important, and it is important to you, I can tell.” Ron glanced over at Kim, took in her pale face and glazed eyes, and shook his head. “Kim, we’re a team… You think Shego’s in trouble and, though I think it’s way peculiar, you want to help her. So, lets go!”
Kim sighed and smiled weakly. “Thanks.”
“Kim, no need. As I said this morning, what we have it goes beyond friends or anything… I’ll always be there if you need me. Now, lets shift this sweet machine and go find Shego!”
Touched, Kim stared at Ron and then gently squeezed his hand. “I was wrong… you would understand. I think you would…” She whispered softly. “Maybe Mon’s right, I should tell you both. Maybe together we can…”
“What?” Ron frowned. “Kim?”
“Nothing… We’d better see what this thing can do then.”
Turning the key, the car roared to life and Kim flicked on the headlights. She’d been driving her other car, only slightly less a piece of junk then Ron’s, for quite some time. To hear this car purr into life made her smile slightly, only for it to vanish at the memory of Shego’s fondness for her jet.
This is my baby… all mine.The grin had been smooth and happy.
Forcing the memory to the back of her mind, Kim slid the car into gear and gunned the engine. With a roar of power, it glided off into the night, headlights gleaming.
Five minutes into the fifteen-minute drive to the co-ordinates that Wade had outlined for her, Kim heard the familiar chime of the kimmunicator. “Ron, can you get that?”
“Um, yeah… hang on.” Ron arched in his seat, trying to pull his Ronuminator from his pocket. As he struggled and Kim frowned, concentrating on her driving, a female voice echoed into the car’s cabin.
“Would you like me to answer that for you and put it on the windscreen Kim?”
Kim blinked, and her eyes darted around while Ron jumped slightly and grabbed his belt tightly. “Kim… I think this car is haunted!”
“Hardly.” The female voice sounded amused, and, Kim realised in shock, it was coming from the car itself! “Kim, your heart rate and respiration have increased to levels assigned to shock, would you care for me to drive while you recover?”
“Wh…what is going on?”
“Ah, Yes, I think that is why Wade wanted to talk to you. We were not supposed to be introduced until tomorrow morning.”
“We? Who’s we?”
“Yes, I think Wade should explain this… switching to autodrive.” Kim blinked as the wheel clicked slightly and suddenly she was unable to turn it. Before she could protest, the windscreen in front of her flickered and Wade’s face flashed onto it.
“Kim, you okay?” He asked. “I commed your mom and dad, but they said you left in a hurry before your father could warn you. Is everything okay?”
“I…”
“Of course it is, Wade.” The female voice interrupted before Kim could speak. “I am driving right now. You shouldhave warned her!”
“I never had a chance Mara! You two were supposed to meet tomorrow… But something came up.”
“Yes, I am well aware of that, being tied into the system you use to communicate.”
“Hey! Can we focus on the fact that I have a talking car!” Kim blurted. Wade coughed slightly and she narrowed her eyes. “Explanation like, now!”
Wade smiled weakly. “Well, you’re a busy hero and your father and mother decided that you couldn’t keep asking for rides for the rest of your life. They wanted you to have your own transport and decided that the car you had wasn’t safe enough for what you were obviously going to end up doing. So, they asked me to call in a few favours.”
“From who?” Kim blinked, glancing around. “This is some piece of technology! It’s gotta run into the-“
“My price is none of your business, even if you are my owner.” The car politely interjected. “Regardless, I have various creators… fathers if you will. Wade and your own father are two of them.”
Wade nodded. “A hero needs a car that can keep up with her, Kim.”
“Yeah!” Ron grinned, glancing around with new respect at the vehicle. “Like, even Shego’s family had the… what was it? The Go-Jet?”
Just like when somebody decided to become a villain, she needed her own unique transport.Kim thought. Sighing, she nodded.
“Who landed the bill?” She asked, ignoring the car’s cough of irritation. “Wade…”
“Oh, various people, all of them wishing you a happy birthday by the way.” Wade smiled. “Don’t worry about it. She’s a present, and she’s yours.”
Kim closed her eyes. This is too much… but at least it’ll get us to the jet wreckage. I can always sort this out tomorrow.
“Fine.” She managed, glancing across at Ron. She blinked. “What are you doing?”
Ron, who had been examining the car, while Rufus was taking an interest in the glove compartment, looked up guiltily. “Um… nothing?”
“Ron….” Kim warned him softly.
“Well, it’s just the buttons on this panel are kinda… cool.” Ron pointed to a recessed panel between them. “Check it out! Active camouflage, all terrain, grappling hooks… lockdown? What the heck is lockdown?” He reached out.
“Don’t touch, until you have read the manual!” The car and Wade snapped in unison at Kim and Ron. The car sighed. “Really, you two are unbelievable!”
“Great, a car with attitude.” Ron pulled his fingers back from the panel and looked out of the window while Kim shook her head.
“I dohave a name!” The car snapped suddenly. “I am not just a… a thing, thank you! And I dohave feelings!”
“What is your name?” Kim asked, part of her cringing at the thought of even bothering to ask, while the rest of her knew that annoying the AI driving the vehicle you were in was a bad idea.
“Mara.” The car replied quietly.
“Mara?” Ron asked, puzzled.
“Mobile Armoured Recon Assault.” Wade supplied from the windscreen. “Mara is a prototype military chassis that your father convinced the… developers would be tested to the full in your hands, Kim. We took that chassis and… added some things.”
“Such as?”
“Me, for one thing.” Mara’s voice sounded pleased. “I was added to the car first, thanks to Dr Freeman. He has great respect for you, Kim.” The AI paused as it adjusted the wheel slightly. “The other technology is varied, but most comes from Wade and your father. My engine is your fathers biggest contribution.”
“Yeah… about that.” Wade leaned forwards. “Your father asked me to tell you notto flip the tip of the gear stick up, and especially not to press the red button. He’s not tested that fully yet.”
Both Ron and Kim’s eyes were dragged to the gear stick as it clicked into another gear, Mara slowing to turn. Before either of them could speak, the car coughed. “Kim, we are approaching the site. My sensors are picking up GJ troopers.”
“The GJ? Oh great…” Kim muttered.Well, what did I expect? Shego did steal their jet… Oh Shego… I hope… I hope there isn’t a body. Please be alive… please!
Hey!” Ron blinked, pointing through the window. “Isn’t that Dr Director?”
Kim’s eyes flicked to the area he was pointing at, and she nodded. “Yeah… great. I didn’t know Shego was that ‘popular’ with the GJ.”
“Well, you learn something every day…” Wade muttered. “Look, I gotta go, but comm me if you need any help, okay?”
“Thanks Wade.” Kim watched as his face faded from the window. “Mara, can I… um.”
“Drive?” Mara’s voice was amused. “I am your car, Kim. If you want to drive manually, I am here to obey. Manual control online. Oh, if you want, you can override my autodrive by pressing the green button on the right of the wheel. It’s an override even I can’t block.”
The wheel clicked as Kim gripped it gently, and she glanced across at Ron. “What’d you think?”
Ron grinned. “A talking car? Kim, this is the coolest thing I’ve seen since I bought you that jet!” He sighed. “Though I bet Mara can’t dispense peanuts… or snacks.”
“I am not a vending machine!” The car snapped. “And kindly remove the hairless rodent scrabbling around in my glove compartment!”
Ron glanced down. “Ruf, cut it out! You’re making the speaking car angry.”
The mole rat shrugged. He had only wanted to see what made the car speak… his owners car didn’t speak and Rufus thought it was an improvement, actually.
Kim drove the car slowly towards the pool of light and activity and as a soldier held up a hand, she opened the window. “Hi.”
“Authorised personnel only, Miss.”
“Possible. Kim Possible.” Kim watched as the soldiers faced went still and then he blinked. “I need to talk to Dr Director, it’s urgent.”
Dr Director stood over the burning wreckage and frowned. What a mess, whoever did this was trying to either kill her or make one hell of a statement with the jet. I wonder which it was…
“Sir?” A male voice made her blink and she turned around to see a soldier standing next to familiar pair of young faces. “Sorry, Sir. Miss Possible said she needs to speak with you.”
“That’s fine.” The head of the GJ turned to the young red head. “Miss Possible, what can I do for you?”
Kim stared, mild horror on her face, at the sight of the smoking wreckage of the jet and she felt herself begin to shake. No…no… no!
“Miss Possible?” Dr Director asked her again, watching with surprise as the young girl started to shake.
“Is there a body?” Kim blurted. “Is she dead? Is she dead because of me?”
Ron quickly walked over and slid a hand around his friend. “Dr Director, Kim had a visit from Shego. She said she was in danger…” Ron swallowed. “I think Kim wants to know if you… found a body.”
“No, there was no body…” Dr Director said quietly. “Though I’m not telling you any more… Personally, I’d like to know how you came to be here?”
Kim felt the tension in her body ease, the trembling in her hands steady slightly. She’s not dead! Not yet… Oh thank god!
“So, what happened?”
Dr Director raised an eyebrow. “Miss possible, as much as you’ve given the GJ assistance in the past, may I ask why I should tell you anything? After all, did you let me know that Shego came to you saying she was in danger? Have you explained who she was in danger from? Much as it surprises me, this being Shego. Have you explained how you know this was her stolen jet? No… and yet you want me to tell you all the details of a government operation. A highly top secret government operation.”
“Oh, please… a dyna fusion core in a jet, whatever that is. So not big!” Kim snorted. “I’m talking about a persons life!”
“How did you…” Dr Director broke off at Kim’s expression and leaned in close. Her voice dropped. “Very well, I’ll not pry. But I can’t help you Kim, not with this. My hands are tied. The jet was top secret and as such if any of my superiors were to find out that I’d told you what we know, I’d be answering to myboss. He’s not usually inclined to be sympathetic.”
“But…. Please.” Kim gripped her suit and Dr Director blinked at the need in the young woman’s face. “She came to me for help! Me! I turned her away… I have to find out something, anything!”
Dr Director stared at her and then gazed across at Ron, who looked worried. She sighed. “No, I can’t give you my report, nor will I help you find out any details.” She watched as Kim’s face crumpled and then coughed. “But, I suppose if you wanted to, oh I don’t know, walk around the site for a bit. I can’t really stop you. After all, Team Possible, in this case you, Mr Stoppable and his… pet, are linked to the GJ as free agents. I see no point in making you leave.”
Kim stared at her and a feeling of relief washed over her. “Thanks.”
“For what, Miss Possible?” The director of the GJ wandered smoothly away and Kim turned to Ron.
“Spread out! Look for anything, no matter how small! I failed Shego once, I’m not doing so again!”
“Sure, KP.” Ron watched as she walked quickly over to the burnt jet and began to examine it.
Something’s going on…He thought as he wandered over to a wrecked car. She leaves with Shego, then when I find her, she’s almost in tears… She won’t speak, her eyes are glazed and Shego’s not there. Now we find out she’s missing and Kim’s panicking. This is way more than just guilt over not believing her… almost as if she and Shego-He glanced back, watching as Kim kneeled down, ignoring the filthy tarmac, and began to prise the metal shards aside, hunting… almost frantic. I’ve got to ask her, I can’t bear seeing her like this.
With that last thought running through his head, Ron bent down and started to examine the car wreck.
Kim stood up, brushing her soot and oil covered hands on her trousers and the light from the mobile floods reflected in her eyes. Nothing… Nothing to suggest Shego was dead or, as she prayed quietly, alive.
She turned and noticed that Ron was walking back to her. As she tilted her head soundlessly, he shook his. Sighing, Kim wandered back to Mara and slumped on the car’s bonnet. “Darn it… nothing!”
Hearing the bitterness in her voice, Ron slid next to her. “Shego is one of the most dangerous people we’ve gone against. She’ll be fine, Kim.”
“And if she’s not?” Her voice snapped at him, venom adding to the bitter tone. “If she dies, Ron. It’s my fault! Don’t tell me it won’t be, like everyone keeps trying to do! I know what I did…” She slumped. “I ran away, like I alwaysdo with the tiny number of things that scare me. She’s the brave one… she told me… she told me!”
“Scare you?” Ron reached out and slid a supporting hand onto Kim’s shoulder. “KP, what happened to you and Shego? It’s almost like you…”
“What?” Kim whispered.
“Like you’ve become friends… well, maybe that you’ve just decided not to fight anymore.” Ron watched as she shivered. “Is that it? Shego doesn’t want to fight anymore?”
“Sort of…” Kim turned to him. “She told me something… something that I think I’ve only just worked out was hard for her to admit, and I threw it back in her face. I didn’t think, or listen… I ran way. I ran away and I told her it was because of how it would affect my life! She was right, I never thought to believe her about it wrecking hers. Now she’s missing and I have no idea how to make it better…”
“Kim?” Ron felt Rufus scramble up his trouser leg but ignored him. “What did she say?”
“I…” Kim broke off and turned away. Her red hair covered her face, and the look of anguish that slid over it. “Not tonight. I… I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
“Ronald…” The voice of Mara echoed into the night air. “Why is the molerat trying to tug your shirt? And what is that he has in his paws?”
Ron glanced down, and he frowned. “What you got there, buddy?”
Rufus squeaked and held up a tiny metal cylinder. “Under car! Uh huh!”
Picking it out of the molerat’s fingers, Ron examined it and his eyes widened. “A dart?”
Kim’s head snapped up. “What did you say?”
“Here… it’s a dart of some kind.” Ron handed it to his friend and Kim’s eyes widened. “KP?”
“Oh my god.” She looked around. “Damn it, I needed to scan this… it’s a knockout dart of some sort!”
“Then Shego’s still alive?” Ron blinked. “What about the Kimmunicator?”
“I can use it to scan the dart… but that’s not really what I was hoping for. Rufus,” Kim turned to the molerat. “Where’d you get this?”
“Uh huh! Follow me!” The rat squeaked and dropped onto the floor and the two young heros followed the rat to one of the abandoned car wrecks in the empty car park. Rufus pointed. “Here!”
Nodding, Kim flipped the Kimmunicator out of her pocket and Wade’s face slid onto the screen. “Kim?”
“I need a scan of this, Wade. DNA and also chemical composition.” She held out the dart and Wade nodded.
“Sure, not a problem. Hold it in front of the Kimmunicator and keep it still, okay?”
With a click, the sensors of the Kimmunicator slid out and the dart was bathed in a spectrum of colours as it was scanned with every sensor Wade had installed into it.
“Okay… I’m getting DNA and also a chemical of… what the…” Wade’s voice became strained. “This chemical, it’s one of mine!”
“What?” Kim flipped the Kimmunicator around and stared at him. “What do you mean, its yours!”
“It’s a drug I helped create. How did it get in this dart?”
“What’s it do?” Kim asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
“It’s a muscle relaxant. I helped the GJ design it not too long ago. They wanted a drug to assist in capturing dangerous criminals, like Monkey fist or Adrena Lynn… or Shego. The drug is fast acting, designed to make someone hit with it, lose all muscle control. A secondary agent can be used, when applied, it knocks the person out.”
“And Kara Fang used it…” Ron’s voice was surprisingly worried. “She used it to capture Shego.”
“How’d she get it?” Wade asked, horror in his voice. “It’s GJ only! All stores are kept locked away, tight!”
“Maybe her reach is greater than we think…” Kim whispered. “Wade, is the DNA Shego’s?”
The young genius frowned and typed frantically. “I’m running a template match now…” A sudden chime made him look up, and his face was troubled. “Yeah, it’s hers.”
“Oh no…” She has her… Fang, a woman who enjoys breaking people into tiny pieces.“Okay… no big about the drug, Wade. Now, if only I could work out the trajectory of the dart, maybe there’s more evidence at the point of firing.”
“Well, I could always-“ Wade began only to pause. “Hey, I know! Mara, you could-“
“Kim, the dart was fired from the roof of the factory. Trajectory suggests that a high powered rifle was used… one that uses a gel based charge, rather than powdered.” Mara’s voice interrupted. “My sensor systems indicate that the dart itself is possibly hypersonic in nature. This young lady, Shego, would have had little chance of evading it. Indeed, I am picking up footprints on my spectral sensor that indicate she was dragging one foot, and the dart was fired as her footsteps moved away from the rooftop. We can extrapolate she was hit in the back… possibly the neck, but only after being shot another single, or possibly multiple times, in her body.”
Kim glanced across at the car. “Thanks… the roof you say?”
“Mmm. Central support bar, next to that air conditioning unit. Possibly two, maybe three, metres from it would make an excellent sniper point.” Mara’s voice finished.
“Great. I’ll take a look.” Kim moved away, only to pause and glance back at the car. “Mara, thanks.”
“Hurry, Kim.” The car prompted. “May I also suggest that Ron takes a look by the doorway of the factory? The doorway that the GJ is ignoring, in favour of the jet wreckage. I’m picking up an energy source next to the rubbish pile.”
“I’m on it, KP.” Ron told her, moving swiftly off, Rufus scurrying behind him.
Kim walked swiftly along to the ladder set against the wall of the abandoned factory and glancing around, she slid her gloved hand around the nearest rung and started to climb.
Ron had reached the doorway and glanced around. “Now, energy source… energy source.” Frowning, he pulled out his Ronuminator. “What the heck does an ‘energy source’ look like?”
Mara’s voice sighed. “I have no idea… try rummaging around.”
“Right, right…” Ron glanced across as Rufus plunged headfirst into a load of garbage. “Dude… that’s just sick and wrong!”
With a squeak, a pair of molerat hands shot out, holding a tiny device. “Got it!”
Ron took the small device and frowned. “Good going buddy… anything else?”
“Dunno…” Rufus shrugged, and disappeared back into the rubbish.
Ron examined the device and tentatively hit a button on the front of it. The screen lit with a flicker, and Ron’s eyes widened at the tiny video of Kim and Shego fighting. The tinny echoes of grunting and an occasional taunt made him blink.
Why the hell has Shego got this? It’s got to be hers… who else would want a video of themselves fighting Kim? Shego and her ego maybe… what a surprise.
The sudden squeaking of Rufus made him look up once more. “Ruf? Buddy?”
Walking over to the pile of rubbish, Ron began to fumble around, pushing packages and foul smelling… things, to one side. Eventually, he found his molerat, yanking a handle from the darker recesses of the pile. Reaching in, Ron gripped hold of the bag and pulled. The bag slid from the pile of rubbish and he blinked at it.Bright green, with a black stripe… no guesses who this belongs to.
Glancing around and finding nobody looking at him, Ron opened the bag as Rufus scrambled up to prop on his shoulder. Inside lay a few scattered belongings, a few DVD’s… jewellery, makeup and shampoo and two green and black checked cat suits. On top of these, making Ron’s eyebrows raise, were newspaper cuttings of Kim. Sometimes fighting, more often than not smiling.
Okay, odd much!Ron thought, closing the bag. So, Shego had been on the move when Fang had jumped her… The bag obviously contained everything she thought she would need from her hideout, or at least… the possessions she thought were important to her.
Almost as if Shego was… nah, that’s stretching it, Ron. They could be pals, maybe… but Shego couldn’t be that way inclined towards KP. Nah… Though it would explain KP’s attitude recently…
Ron glanced over at his Molerat. “Seem odd to you?” Rufus Shrugged and nodded. “Me too. Still, doesn’t help us much with finding her. Except that whoever took her didn’t want anyone finding the bag. I doubt Shego chucked this in the trash. Ah well, won’t help the GJ much either, so lets stick it in Mara’s boot.”
Pulling out his Ronuminator once more, Ron glanced around at the distant and busy forms of the GJ troopers. “Kim? I found a bag that belongs to Shego. She’d shoved things into it, was obviously on her way to somewhere else when they jumped her.”
“Okay Ron… What was in it?” Kim’s voice came over, but the screen remained blank. Obviously, she was climbing the ladder.
“Um… haircare, some beauty products… some other stuff that she thought was valuable and some… well.”
“Well what?”
“Um, photos of you.” Ron heard the intake of breath. “Not of you fighting or anything… just pictures of you. Smiling in a lot of them.”
“Oh…” Kim’s voice was strained. “Right… put it in Mara would you?”
“Sure Kim.” Ron nodded and sighed. “You okay?”
“Sure, just… surprised me a little.”
Not as much as you’re making out though.He thought as he put the device away. Oh, come on, Ron! They can’t have. Mortal enemies… well, usually. Kim’s never been that interested… Maybe it was Shego, I mean, we know so little about her. Would also explain the pet names every single time they’ve faced off.
He sighed. If it was what he was beginning to suspect, then it explained a lot. Ever since he and Kim had broken up, he’d wondered if it had been his entire fault. If he’d somehow made it so bad, Kim hadn’t been able to stomach it. Though they’d parted ways amicably, and even now remained the best of friends… almost to a sister/brother level, Ron had still wondered, to this day, if it had been something to do with him.
Now, as he walked back to the car, he wondered if it had been that Kim had been… waiting for something else. Someone else, maybe.
If Shego had… done something to her while they were in Drakken’s lair, and it jolted Kim to face something that had shocked her to the core, then it explained an awful lot. Though, without talking to KP, he was probably reading too much into things.
Still, would explain the look on Kim’s face when I picked her up. Maybe that’s what she wants to tell me…
Shaking his head, Ron moved to put the bag into the car.
Kim climbed over the edge of the roof and looked down. Quite a view… Perfect to catch someone if they were trying to reach the jet. Especially if they were… angry and not paying much attention to their surroundings.
Wandering along, she noticed Ron walking back to Mara, holding a green and black bag in his hands. Kim sighed, she knew what was in the bag, Ron having told her, and it had been both pleasant and shocking to hear.Pictures of me. How long has she had these feelings?
A sudden crunch made her look down. As she raised her boot, she noticed the glass and liquid tricking onto the metal roof, reflecting in the moonlight. A dart…
So, she did strike from here… or one of her men did. This was all a trap to catch Shego, not kill her.Kim felt a shudder ripple through her.
She wants me! And I don’t think it’s to offer me a job!Shego’s words slammed into her and Kim jolted.And I left you alone to face her…
Kneeling, Kim examined the area around her for any clues. Apart from the broken glass and liquid, there was nothing. Quietly, Kim cursed and slid to her feet.
“Nothing…” She felt her control slip and a hand slapped impotently against the concrete of the wall. “Damn it, Shego… where are you? How can I find you and stop Fang from… from…”
Kim broke off and she felt her stomach clench violently at the thought of Shego being tortured. The sick feeling remained and desperate, Kim bent over, breathing deeply.
She had to find Shego, had to! It was her fault the young woman had left on her own, left and been captured… all because she, the great Kim Possible hadn’t been able to tell her that she had enjoyed the kiss! Enjoyed it, wanted more and had felt something powerful slam into her at the touch of Shego’s soft lips.
I can’t lie to myself anymore… I liked it! I liked Shego kissing me! There, I can admit it, finally, to myself!Kim laughed softly. To myself, on a roof, as far from anyone else as possible. While the woman who kissed me has been taken away by someone who wants to… hurt her or worse… use her in some sick way. My timing sucks, in the most amazing way.
Kim slid to her feet. So, I liked Shego kissing me… what does that mean though? Is it a physical thing? Or… or am I in love with her too and I can’t bring myself to admit it? It scares me to even think that I could be gay, me of all people.She walked over and stared down to the small people walking underneath her.I… I can’t be! Maybe I’m just confused and I need help to work out what’s happening to me. Or is that the fear speaking… Fear of rejection, fear of being different, even more than I already am. I found it hard to fit into school as it was, goddamn Bonnie and her acid tongue! How could I fit into college when I’d not only be a hero, saving the world, but also be a…a…
Her mind span around itself in a familiar arc, denial and counter argument, until the Kimmunicator chimed. She blinked and slid it from her belt. “What?”
“Um, KP… you going to be long up there? It’s just, it’s been ten minutes and we were starting to worry. The GJ has started to go through the factory. They’ve found a fusion generator, but nothing else… nothing that can help us find Shego. What about you?”
Kim stared at the picture of Ron. Ten minutes?
“Nothing up here except another dart. This was where she struck from Ron. But there’s nothing to tell us where they took her!” Kim moved over to the ladder and slid a smooth leg over to hit the rung. “Shego did say that Drakken had a new lair, but she didn’t know where it was. He was supposed to show her the day he kicked her out and Fang took her place. Damn it Ron, she was telling the truth. This was her hideout, this is where they attacked her!”
“Well, nothing more we can do here. I asked Dr Director and she says we can go when we’re ready. So, you coming down?”
“Already on my way.” Kim finished, sliding down the ladder. “Ron, ask Wade to hook up a constant SatNav search for Shego would you?”
Ron blinked and Rufus frowned. “KP, a search like that… even localised to Middleton wouldn’t do much. What’s he going to set the system to search for?”
“How about a woman with green skin?” Kim muttered. “How many of those are there in Middleton, let alone the world?”
Wades voice came onto the com. “Kim, even with that distinctive feature, it’s got a ninety percent chance of missing her. That’s even if they are stupid enough to let her near a window or move her outside in daylight.”
“I didn’t want to know about the chances!” Kim snapped. “I want it done! Please Wade, do it for me!”
Wade’s voice sighed. “Okay Kim… okay. I’ll set up the search to do a grid by grid hunt, face by face… for all the good it’ll do.”
Slumping, Kim walked back to her car, only for Dr Director to waylay her.
“Miss Possible, did you find anything interesting while you went on your… walk?”
Silently, Kim passed the director of the GJ the dart that Rufus had found. “Just a few… fireflies. They have a nasty bite.”
“I see.” The woman slid the dart into an evidence bag. “Anything else?”
“No… we’ve looked, I mean we’ve walked all over the site. I think I want to go home now. It’s rather late.” Kim began to walk towards her car once more, but paused and glanced back. “If you find anything out about… Shego. Would you let me know?”
“Kim, I already said that-“ Dr Director watched the young woman crumple and sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“I’d be grateful.” Suddenly she paused. “Dr… do you anything about a woman called Kara Fang?”
Dr Director frowned. “Not really.” She pulled out a small palmtop and flicked it on. “Let’s see. Kara Fang… Fang. Hmmm… Well we do have a file, but there’s not much to go on. No ID, no bio… only thing that we have is that she wasunder suspicion of assassination about a year ago. Evidence was a small tag with her name on it, left on the victim. He’d been shot through the head. Other than that, the name has nothing linked to it except rumours. She is supposed to belong to the Blood Jade.” Dr Director snorted.
“The what?”
“It’s a mythical Japanese crime syndicate. Ties to well… pretty much anything illegal that you can find on the planet. Personally, I think it’s a load of smoke. The GJ has the most comprehensive files on the planet… and even we have found nothing.”
“ Well, regardless of the Blood Jade, Shego said Fang was after her.” Kim muttered. “Said that Fang had it in for her for something that happened in the past.”
“Well, I can set up a search and see what comes up… but unless you know where Fang is… or where Shego’s gone…”
“I don’t. If I did know where Shego was, I’d go and see her.” And tell her I am so sorry.“If I knew where Fang was… well, lets just say you’d not have to find her. I’d haul her in.”
“I see…”
Dr Director watched as Kim walked away. Well, that was interesting. Since when does Kim Possible care about Shego?
Shaking her head, the head of the GJ walked back to the devastated scene of the jet, carefully placing the evidence bag into a pile of them as she walked by.
The drive home was uneventful and almost all of it was spent silent except for the five or so minutes as Kim filled Ron in with what she had found on the roof and her discussion with Dr Director. Ron had tried to cheer Kim up, only for the red head to glance up once, smile slightly and then return her gaze to her hands. He had remained quiet then, the uneasy silence between them making Rufus wince and slid into his pocket.
Finally, the car pulled up into Kim’s driveway and Mara’s voice slid quietly from the speaker. “Well, you’re home. I’ll park myself, don’t worry about that. You go inside Kim. You look like you could do with something hot to drink.”
Kim nodded wordlessly and slid from the car, glancing back at Ron who returned the look with worry in his eyes. “Mara… could you drop Ron off first?”
“Oh, certainly. Sorry, Ron.” The car coughed.
“No big.” Ron told her, only to glance up at Kim once more. The haunted expression on her face made him worry. “Look, we’ll find her, or my name isn’t Ron Stoppable.”
“Sure Ron.” Kim shrugged and Ron felt the worry double. “I’ll see you tomorrow…”
“Kim, wait… Look, do you want to tell me what happened? I’ve always been a good listener and-“
“Not tonight, Ron.” Kim sighed and felt part of her ache at his expression. “I… I do need to talk to someone tomorrow. How about Beuno Nacho? My treat?”
“Sure, KP.” Ron watched her nod and then walk to her house, the door opening as she did so to show a worried Mrs P in a dressing gown. Kim stood for a second speaking quietly, Ron unable to hear the words, and then was pulled inside by her mother, who cast a worried glance at Ron before shutting the door.
As the car drove away, Ron leaned back in the seat and made a decision. They needed help. Someone almost as good as Kim… and he knew who to call. “Yori, I really hope you aren’t busy…”
Shego.
Blackness. That was all she could see. Cold, that was all she could feel. Even her breathing was silent, here in the dark. She could not see, hear, feel or move… She was in her own personal hell.
Suddenly, a flicker of light, a voice… echoes of the past trickling through her.
“Hey, greenie! Wake up!”
Shego’s eyelids slowly slid open and her emerald gaze blurred with pain. Her body ached, ached and burned, and she remembered the feeling of the darts slamming into her body. Damn Fang and her vendetta. So, she supposed she was a prisoner now.
But as she looked around, as she saw the old building with its familiar windows, heard the sound of the people around her, felt the tarmac under her body, she blinked. This was… was…
“I said get up! I didn’t push you that hard!”
Groaning, Shego slid to her feet and shivered. It couldn’t be. This was the past, a past she’d tried to forget! Wanted to forget!
“Finally. Next time, watch where you’re going greenie.
She turned to see a familiar face leering at her. Very familiar… A face she had hoped to never see again.
“Brock?” Shego coughed and winced at the feeling of her ribs aching. “But, but how is this possible?”
Out of the way, greenie! Brock slammed into her again, and Shego fell, fell onto the tarmac outside of the school she had once been part of. Her past, as much as she hated it and tried to forget it, had come back to haunt her.
“This is a dream! Its gotta be a dream, cause of that shit Kara pumped into me.”
Clumsy!Brock’s voice was amused. That’s the second time you’ve bumped into me you freak. Stay away in future!
Shego closed her eyes. Her childhood had never been happy. How could it have been? She had been a troublemaker, even then. Nobody had wanted her as a friend, nobody wanted to talk to the odd girl who had come from some backwater to the big city. Nobody…
Shaking her head, Shego slid to her feet once more, ignoring the trickle of red leaking from her mouth. Suddenly, she was slammed back to the tarmac, the ground scraping her green skin as she did so. A second pair of feet had joined Brock’s and she groaned.
“Watch where you’re going, Sheeego!”A female voice sneered.
“Oh, Hi Jodie. Dunno what’s wrong with her today… she’s so clumsy.”
“Well, being hit by a meteor can do that, can’t it freak?”
“Damn it, no… I don’t wantto remember this!” Shego whispered, closing her eyes.
“What did you say? The events of her past continued without her. You think that you’re special? You’re not special, you’re a freak! With a stupid name! Why the hell did you let your brother give you such a stupid name? You should have kept your first one… though it wasn’t much of an improvement.
“Stop it…”
Freak! A green glowing freak!
She remembered this… two weeks after that meteor had hit her home… and had changed her life forever. She had been fifteen. A sudden kick to her ribs… yes, she remembered this, making her cry out.
“Not happening… I have to wake up!”
Freak!Others, various accents various ages… all joined the single voice. All filled with scorn for someone who had been different to them and now, now that the universe had dammed her, so different now. Freak! Freeeakkk! Stupid green freak!
“Stop it!” Shego cried out, clapping her hands over her ears and opening her eyes, staring up at the shadowy figures that surrounded her, faces blurred. She’d never actually seen them when she’d been a teenager either. Another kick… another surge of pain and fear.
Her hands burst into flame, as they had done all those years ago. The reaction of the group… so familiar. The screams of shock, the sound of running feet… the smell of the tarmac as it bubbled under her hands.
She’s on fire! Keep away! The freak’s on fire!Voices swirling through her head. She could feel the tears pulling at her eyes. Green glowing freak! Stay away from us… forever!
Shego lay curled in the fetal position, shivering while the voices blurred into the distance.
A sudden sharp prick of pain against her neck made her gasp. It was followed by something cold, like ice, filling her bloodstream… and a blurred sensation of reality slowly leaking back into her mind. As she struggled to free herself from the drug-induced nightmare, Shego could only feel apprehension.
“Fang…”
Drakken’s New Lair- Location Unknown- The next day.
Kara Fang pulled the hypodermic out of Shego’s neck, gently, and prised up an eyelid as she did so. She smiled as the pupil contracted slightly at the bright light and nodded. Yes, soon Shego would be awake.
Though I am sure she’ll wish she won’t be. Not when she realises who has her.
Smiling cruelly, eyes gleaming with anticipation, Kara walked across to the chair she had been sitting in, and sank into it once more. The hypodermic was placed gently on a table and she crossed her legs, the blood red Kimono she wore brushed gently down. She would look quite beautiful, if it weren’t for the needles that gleamed in a row along the Kimono’s belt.
The room they were in was quite large, built into a rectangle and plushly fitted. The walls were a light green, the carpet a dark black and the furniture around them matched the colour scheme by being a mix of various greens and blacks. Around the walls, small spotlights illuminated the small works of art that Drakken had instructed to be placed there. The main lighting, a series of spotlights set into the roof, were switched off. It suited Kara’s mood. On the rightmost wall, providing a smooth yellow glow to the room’s darkness was a small fire.
The crackling and flickering yellow light that it provided illuminated the huge ring of silvery grey metal that sat upright in the middle of the room. Bolted to the floor, the ring itself two or three inches thick, it was the size of a person. To Kara’s eye, it reflected the dull warm yellow of the fire, while remaining cold, menacing… impersonal.
The flickering yellow light also played across the pale green skin of the person, manacled and spread-eagled, in the middle of it.
It played across the dark hair, so carefully bound to the top of the ring with cord. It reflected in the huge manacles that gripped the green woman’s limbs so tightly that the fingers and toes were pale, as the heart fought to pump blood to them.
It reflected across the tightness of the muscles of the young woman stretched with such little give on the frame that her skin was smooth, flawless, without a single ripple. The athletic frame and smooth firm breasts down to the well-defined thighs, covered with a lightweight shift of white cotton.
It reflected in the emerald eyes that blinked as Shego awakened and her eyelids fluttered open. A low groan echoed around the room, followed by an intake of breath at the cold touch of the manacles.
“Wha… wh… where am I?” Shego slurred, blinking as her vision cleared. “What the hell? Hey!”
Kara smiled again, sitting back in the dark, and she reached over to pick up her wineglass, filled with a dark red Shiraz. She sipped, amused as the emerald gaze took in its predicament.
Shego stared at the clamps binding her feet and hands to the huge metal ring and tugged. She grunted as the manacles resisted and as she tugged again, realised how tightly her body had been bound to them. Not a single inch of give in them. Nothing… I’m not going to wrench myself free from these. Still, that leaves other ways of escaping. Got to escape before Kara comes back!
Closing her eyes, Shego focused her mind and she felt her hands and feet burst into plasma induced flame. Not so clever, Kara… I’ll burn through these manacles and then I’ll…
The sensation of pain was unexpected, and it made Shego wince and then hiss in pain as the pain turned into a burning sensation. Shaking and biting her lip, Shego stopped concentrating and the flame flickered out. What the fuck?
“Hurt’s. Does it not, Shego?” Kara watched with amusement as Shego’s eyes flicked to the dark corner she sat in. Her own eyes gleamed in the dark, almost with a sadistic thrill, as the emerald stare widened into shock. “Dr Drakken is quite a genius when… motivated. It took him only a few hours to craft this.”
“Kara…” Shego breathed. She felt her adrenaline spike as the dark eyes stared at her with an almost delirious desire. She was trapped in a room with a woman who made murderers seem friendly. “So, getting your daily dose of excitement sweetie?”
“Not yet. For it will be with you… soon.” Kara smiled her voice smooth and filled with honey tones. “Do you not wish to know about the manacles? I promise you, they are genius.”
“Oh, well. Only of you wantto tell me.” Shego managed, feeling her blood heat with fear. Anything that Kara said was genius was genius for one reason… it was designed to hurt people. The fact that she was going to be Kara’s fun for tonight filled her with dread. She fought it down. “If you tell me, I could escape and then kick your ass!”
“I doubt it. The manacles respond to the plasma you generate. When they do, the frequency of said plasma is converted…” Kara smiled. “I do not understand how, Dr Drakken is not very good with explanations. Suffice to say it is altered to a frequency that is designed to stimulate the nerves that cause pain. The more plasma you generate to escape, the more intense the pain.”
“So all I have to do is generate enough plasma to crack these things, while enduring pain?” Shego smirked, a sly smile of revenge on her face. “Kara, you know how high my tolerance is!”
“Oh yes…” Kara whispered, ignored as Shego’s hands burst into flame once more and the young woman began to sweat as she battled the sudden agony in her hands and feet.
Shego gritted her teeth as she focused on making her plasma flame hotter and hotter. The device responded by making the pain in her hands become burning, burning to sheer agony, agony to the feeling that her very flesh was being stripped by molten lava.
Unable to help it, a cry slipped past her lips, and her agonised expression caught the look of pleasure that flickered over Kara’s face as it echoed around the room. Finally, unable to bear the absolute mind numbing pain, Shego collapsed, her muscles going limp, her body sagging in the frame. For a few moments, all that could be heard was her harsh panting.
“If you had let me finish, I would have mentioned that this metal is found in rocket engines. It is designed to absorb heat to an amazingly high level. I asked Drakken to make these especially for you and provided him with all the information I could about you. I doubt you would be able to generate enough plasma to go past that level… well, with the pain generator in each of them. I am sure the plasma you would need, it would feel as if your entire body was swimming in burning mercury.” Kara paused. “Though, if you wish to try, please do.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you!” Shego managed, breathe still heaving. “You can kiss my ass!”
“A shame.” Kara settled back in the chair and sipped. “I was hoping to see you try again. The sweat on your body really does make it shine and your scream was quite pleasant.”
Shego raised her head. “Shut up, Kara.” She glanced around, trying to ignore the throb in her hands. “Where are we?”
“Drakken’s new lair.” Kara whispered, sliding to her feet suddenly and walking across to Shego’s helpless form. “I thought you would be more… comfortable while I indulge myself, by being in your own home.”
Shego bit back panic at the word ‘indulge’ and stared at her nemesis. “Home?”
“Why yes. Would you care for a tour?” Kara slid around behind Shego and her hand caressed the young green woman’s dark hair. She forced her hand into it gently, letting the dark strands wrap themselves around her fingers, and then gripped it tightly. Even as Shego hissed in pain, Kara yanked her head around to the right.
“This is the lounge, and over there is the door to the corridor.” She yanked Shego’s head to the left slightly. “Kitchen.” She yanked again. “The doorway to the bedroom. Oh, it has a king-size bed and is decorated in a soft green I am sure you would love.”
“Kara!” Shego managed, only to be ignored. Another yank.
“Finally we come to the bathroom. Decorated in tasteful black marble.” Letting go of the handful of Shego’s hair, Kara walked around to stare at her. “He really did spare no expense for these rooms. If only you hadn’t betrayed him.”
“I didn’t.” Shego hissed at her, only for Kara to return a sweet smile. “You knowI didn’t!”
“Oh yes.” Kara leaned in close. “But you dolove the red headed Kim Possible, do you not?” She watched as Shego’s face creased with fear and laughed. “Oh, how sweet. You are worried I shall do this to her.”
“Fuck you!”
“I think it is quite lovely, when someone finds their soul mate.” Kara turned away and walked back to the table with her wine. She picked it up and turned back, tilting her head. “I unfortunately, have not yet found mine.”
“Probably because he or she is locked away in a mental institute for being a psycho.” Shego managed to return. The ice that had gripped her heart when Kara had mentioned Kim, loosening slightly. “That or they’re dribbling to themselves, dosed up to the eyeballs on drugs.”
The sound of the stem of the wineglass breaking made Shego blink. Kara glanced down and stared at the blood seeping from between her fingers. She looked up at Shego and her eyes burned. “You go too far… bitch.”
Shego pushed the fear she felt as deep as possible and shrugged. “It’s the truth though. I mean, come on. You have to be insane to want to kill someone over a little argument.”
Kara threw the glass aside and stalked up to her. “A little argument?” She yanked the kimono down and pointed at her breastbone. There, pale white against the tanned skin, a rough scar slid down to vanish into the Kimono. “You did thisto me!”
“You were attacking The Fox!” Shego countered. “You killed fifteen guards at the museum before that!”
“I did the job… the testshe wanted! I got the gem she needed me to steal! I was as goodas you!” Kara let the Kimono go and she grabbed Shego’s hair roughly. “How did she repay my effort? She told me I was insane, me!”
“You are! You’re a fucking psychopath!” Shego managed, only for Kara to snarl and slap her across the face so hard it echoed around the room. Nursing her knuckles, Kara turned away.
“She never said not to kill anyone! I did what she wanted! Those fools didn’t see me coming… I stole and was successful! I should have been her apprentice, not you! How dare she tell me I was insane! How dare she push me away!” Kara turned back to Shego, who stared at her with venom, blood trickling down her chin. “How dare you try to stop me seeking my revenge!”
“You would have killed her!” Shego snapped her own eyes blazing. “She knew you were bad news when she took you on. I’d never have even accepted you for training! The idea of being a thief is to be stealthy! You decided to become a mass murderer!”
Kara licked her lips and found her hands trembling with rage. “I did the job.”
“The gem you stole was so hot, she had to dump it! You covered it in innocent blood you sick bitch! You killed! The Fox doesn’t kill… and nor do I! I won’t kill, not with my hands! But you do… and you enjoy it! I had to stop you killing her and I don’t regret it!”
“You will!” Kara hissed. “I swear before this evening is out, you will! And then, when I have you under my control, mine,you’ll kill with your bare hands! In fact, I’ll make sure that’s how you kill allyour victims! I’ll make you pay for wounding me like this! For stopping me! I’ll see you drenched in blood until you die!”
Shego felt her anger chill to a sick punch in her stomach as Kara turned away. Shego watched her breathing deeply, fighting for control and unable to help herself, She recalled what She had told Kimmie.
She likes to be seen as cool, collected. The ultimate in refined evil… until she loses it. Once she does, all bets are off.”
Now, watching Kara breathe deeply and mutter to herself, Shego realised that Kara had lost it once again and she was the one who was trapped with her… She swallowed and flinched, despite herself, as Kara turned round. The young Japanese woman’s eyes were like ice and the smile that tugged at her lips was filled with venom.
“I apologise, I am getting ahead of myself.” Kara’s smile widened, the glazed look in her eyes the same as Shego remembered when she returned from the museum, smeared in blood. “But we both know the past… and why I intend to hurt you. It will be quite, quite painful, I’m afraid. I had to invent some new little pastimes when I knew who I would be meeting in Middleton.”
“You think this is a good idea, Kara?” Shego managed to whisper, turning away from the unstable gaze. “I doubt Drakken wants me wounded… he needs me alive, and you said the same.”
“Oh my dear sweet Shego. I have more refined ways of causing you pain other than cutting parts off… or causing permanent damage.” The Japanese woman walked back to the table and Shego watched as the hand pouring a fresh glass of wine shook slightly. “You are quite right, I need you alive and in one piece. Nerve damage or anything to impair your ability to fight is hurting out goals. However, that does not mean I cannot cause you more… refined pain.”
Refined pain? Oh god.Shego swallowed and tried to reason with her. “Kara, listen. Drakken is useless at science! Whatever he claims to have designed for me won’t work… it won’t!”
“The mind-chips worked on you… those tiny little pieces of silicon. He might not have made the first one, but the duplicate worked perfectly.” Kara turned back and slid into her seat carefully. She took a swallow of wine, a large one. “I believe what he intends for you… will work wonderfully well. With no chance of you escaping it! You’ll be mine to do with as I please. Obedient, docile… Every time I ask you how much you love to be mine, you’ll beg me to order you on another kill to show your obedience!”
“You… you…” Shego snarled, unable to help herself. The memory of being so… helpless while Drakken did everything he could to shame her made her rage burn. The thought of Kara having the same ability made it burn even brighter. “I swear to you! If I get free… I will make an exception to my no killing rule Kara. I will hunt you down and wipe you from the face of the planet.”
“I believe you would try… but you will not get free.” Kara placed the glass gently to one side and examined her blood-streaked hand. “Nor will Kim Possible.”Kimmie… No… Oh god no! I won’t have her anywhere near this psycho!
“Leave her out of this!” Shego managed her face paling. “She has nothingto do with our little argument. Its me you want! Me!” Shego pushed at Kara, trying to inflame the young woman. “ I was the one who dealt you the scar, I took your place with the Fox. Hell, Kara, I thrashed you in every possible way. I’m smarter than you, stronger… I totally thrashed you at being bad! I am the best and you’re second rate!”
Kara’s eyes flashed with venom and Shego grinned slyly, while inside she sighed with relief. It was working! “Come on Kara. This is between us! Not Kimmie, or anyone else. You want to hurt me, go ahead! But when I get free, you’ll be the one regretting it!”
Kara took a deep breath and smiled suddenly. The smile, almost as though Kara was touched, made Shego falter and she felt the ice grip her heart once again.
“Oh, yes… You worry for her, even though you try to hide it. But you can’t… not from me. You want to keep your little slut away from my hands, even if it means more pain for you.” She grinned. “Kim Possible must be something special for you to do this for her, Shego. I know you so well! You care about nobody… well, almost nobody. But you try to annoy me so that I will forget our goal of not only obtaining you, but also Kim Possible. Very interesting.”
Shego turned away, trying to ignore the fact that Kara was right. The anger she felt over their argument in the old lair was nothing compared with how much she was falling in love with her. She looked up as Kara slid from the chair with an amused sigh.
“I regret to say that, no matter howmuch pain it will cause you, she will be captured. She will become a puppet, like you, and she will kill for us! No free will… just obedience for the rest of her life.” She smiled softly at Shego. “I am so, so sorry I have to tell you this.”
Shego felt herself choke at the sly smile on Kara’s face. “You… you…”
Kara smiled as she spluttered, and ran a finger along the streak of red that had trickled down the side of Shego’s mouth when she had struck her across the face.
“So pretty… red on green.” She looked up into the emerald eyes. “I have an idea for you later. I want to see how pretty red on green can really be… I doubt it will be pleasant for you.”
Shego shivered slightly at her touch and Kara tilted her head.
“No snappy comeback? Come on, Shego… that is your trademark, yes?”
Shego stared at her and felt her mouth go dry at her taunting expression. She forced herself to break eye contact. “I only give that to people I think are worthy of it… you aren’t even close.”
“Good, but a little lacking in… punchline.” Kara strode back to the table in the dark corner and kneeled. “Now, it is time for me to play…. Though I promise you, I won’t break my toy this time. I want to see you realise how helpless you will be when Drakken comes towards you… I want to see you suffer!”
Shego closed her eyes… bracing herself. “I’m not scared of you Kara. How can I be?”
Kara laughed. The sound was light and amused. “You will be. Ah, perfect. Ice.”
Shego blinked and her eyes opened to see Kara carefully walking towards her with a bucket of ice. “What?”
“I have performed many techniques while working for the Blood Jade, Shego. You recall I had a hobby for torture.” Shego nodded, the sick feeling punching her once more. “Well, I have made it more a passion now. But the thing I have been practising for quite some while now is pressure point based torture. More specifically, nerve based pain. My master in the Jade is an expert in it. I have seen him crack hardcore undercover cops with a few needles and finger presses in the right spots.”
Shego closed her eyes again. Shit… here we go. Maybe it’ll all be over soon.
“Let’s see how well I’ve been learning from my Master, shall we?” Kara leaned in close, and Shego shivered as her hands gripped the light cotton shift and tugged it roughly from her body. Naked, the yellow light reflected off muscles and green skin.
She fought down the initial impulse to be ashamed of her nudity, knowing full well that Kara had only one interest in her body, that it was a canvas for her to cause her pain.
As Kara’s fingers slid over her skin, smooth and precise, Kara licked her lips in concentration. She nodded to herself as her fingers drifted over Shego’s neck and her fingers spanned out to fit into four tiny area’s on her skin. Kara pressed suddenly, making Shego grunt in pain and she laughed. “Well, that’s stage one. The next requires one of these.”
Shego blinked and found herself staring at an acupuncture needle. “Get on with it, Kara.”
A cruel smile slipping onto her face, Kara jabbed the needle deeply into a point on Shego’s neck, making the green woman hiss. “There… now, if I’ve done this right… we should have an interesting result.” She picked up a lump of ice and gently licked the end into a point.
Shego watched her, feeling her skin creep at the sight and how oddly aroused Kara became when she caused pain. But then, she had always been strange, and both she and The Fox had decided that Kara had issues.
The young Japanese woman examined the ice and nodded. She held it out and looked up at Shego.
“If I have hit the right points and added the needle to block the right impulse… then your ability to feel cold,” She pressed the ice gently against Shego’s throat and watched as she stiffened and sweat blossomed on her face. “Should have changed to the sensation of burning acid… Has it?”
Shego bit back a scream, her fingers jerking helplessly in the manacles as the ice felt as though it was burning into her skin. She stared at the young woman helplessly, as she held the ice against her skin, sweat trickling down her forehead as Kara examined her clinically.
“I see it worked quite well.” Kara smiled. “Good, I’m getting better. Only last month, I had to allow my master to do it for me.”
“Nghhh…” Shego managed, eyes unfocused. The pain! Oh god… stop it!
Kara frowned and then pulled away the ice. Shego’s breath escaped in an explosive rush.
“I want to show you how it felt, Shego.” Kara whispered, licking the ice into a point once more. “I want to show you how it felt when you slashed me!”
“I… I…” Shego managed, trying to get her breath back as the burning sensation faded. “Kara… stop this.”
“No.” She replied. “I’m having too much fun!” Shego noticed the gleam was back. “You’re mine for the whole day! I intend to use this time to show you how much I hate you, Shego! I want to show you how it feels to be thrown aside!”
The ice slid onto her stomach and trailed up. Shego bit back a scream and her hands clenched in pain. It burned! It felt like Kara was using a hot coal of some sort rather than an ice cube and Shego shuddered uncontrollably.
“I want to show you how it felt to be told you were worthless, flawed…” The ice ran over Shego’s breasts, making the green woman thrash. “Pathetic. Her words! Hers and you stopped me from showing her how wrongshe was!”
Sweat dripped into Shego’s eyes and Kara paused from moving the ice around Shego’s body and held it once again on her throat. The green skinned woman stared at her, and Kara leaned in close, her lips almost touching Shego’s.
“I want to show you how angry that made me, how I came to hate you! How much I want you to pay! Not just for that, for this as well.” She pointed at the scar underneath the Kimono. “And you willpay. This was how it felt, Shego! This was how it felt when you scarred me!”
Kara forced the cube hard against Shego’s skin and ran it down between her breasts slowly. Her cold gaze stared deeply into Shego’s eyes and the madness she tried to hide was back in them. “Scream for me!”
Shego hissed, the breath escaping from between her teeth as she felt the ice cube trickle down her body slowly. Each rivulet of cold water like hot acid on her skin, the cube itself burning her to the bone as it slid down her. She shook her head.
“N… never.”
Kara snarled and added a second cube to the first, trailing it slowly over Shego’s stomach. “Scream… for… me! You know you want to!”
“No!” Shego managed, breaking off as something guttural ripped from her throat. She shook her head again, trying to resist giving Kara what she wanted. The Japanese woman snarled and slapped her face, the ice cube flying onto the floor in pieces.
“Don’t deny me, damn you! We have a whole day to get through, so I’ll hear you scream eventually!” Kara pulled another ice cube from the bucket. “Scream for me! Let me know how much this hurts! I have to hear you scream! I won’t stop until you do!”
Shego shook uncontrollably from the agony Kara was inflicting on her. She knew now, the way Kara’s eyes flashed that she had totally lost control of herself. But Shego refused to give her what she wanted. She refused with everything she had and managed, though she had no idea how, to shake her head.
“Damn you!” Kara whispered, and Shego’s eyes slid wide as she felt her fingers slide between her thighs. “You willscream!”
The young green woman arched on the frame as Kara slid the ice cube inside her body. Shego felt sweat drip down her entire body as she did so. Shame mixed with the pain that pounded into her like burning greasy waves,until she couldn’t feel anything else.
Kara’s laughter assaulted her and Shego felt her head toss uncontrollably as the cube started to melt, the cold water making the agony ignite into a pain so intense, Shego lost control.
The scream ripped itself from her lips before she could do anything. It echoed around the room, long and high pitched as her entire body jerked helplessly.
Kara Fang stepped back and smiled, a look of obscene pleasure on her face, as Shego screamed uncontrollably. This was what she had hoped for, and the day had only just begun. By the time Drakken San was ready to turn Shego into a willing obedient slave, she, Kara Fang. Would have sated her desire for revenge. Then she could finally watch, as Shego became hers.
And the first mission I will send her on, except for capturing her partner, Possible, will be to kill the fucking Fox! I shall enjoy seeing her return, maybe I will ask for a souvenir!
The young woman collapsed and Kara gently stroked her hair as Shego pulled heaving gasps of air into her lungs, trembling uncontrollably. Kara cooed softly, almost tenderly, only stopping when the emerald gaze slid to her eyes and burned. She smiled.
“Do not feel too bad, it was inevitable you would scream.” Kara sighed. “It felt good to hear. Plus, I am glad to see I have not lost my touch.”
Walking over to her chair, she reached down and pulled a bag from behind it.
“You know, we have so much time today… I was at a loss what to do with it all. But then I have had so long to prepare for this moment, I actually made a list all those years ago.” She turned back and Shego’s eyes widened at the tiny razor she held in one hand and in the other a tazer. “I refined it a little… and we have so many things to do before I’m finished. But I have to admit, I didn’t think about this until now.”
Kara sighed deeply and walked back to Shego, who stared at her with hatred. As torturer and victim stared at each other, a clock that sat on the wall next to the fire chimed softly. Kara smiled.
“You see? An entire hour has gone!” She watched as Shego paled, knowing that to her victim it had been far longer. “Where does the time fly?”
Shego just stared, sweat dripping down her spine and naked skin as she fought to regain her emotional control. Control that seemed very far away, as Kara leaned in close, gently caressed her skin, and smiled.
“Now, I really do want to see if green does look better with red.” She smiled, the cruelty in her eyes all to evident, and as Shego flinched, she giggled. The sound was… disturbing. “Now then… lets see.”
Kara gently played the razor over Shego’s skin and titled her head as she shuddered. “Scared?”
Shego glared and licked her lips. “You’re sick.”
The tazer sparked as it hit her skin, making Shego’s body wrench against the manacles holding it in place. As she did so, the razor blade sliced lightly into her pale green skin. Bright red blood trickled from the wound as Kara pulled the tazer away and she sighed as it spilled down Shego’s skin.
“Oh my… that really isbeautiful.” Shego stared at her in horror as Kara’s fingers gently wiped the blood away. “You have wonderful skin… and the colour is amazing.”
“Sick.” Shego whispered, but Kara ignored her.
“Let’s see how this looks…” She looked up into Shego’s tired emerald eyes. “on your entire body.”
Unable to help herself, Shego slumped in her bonds and a sob escaped her lips. The final though she had before the tazer hit her again was filled with desperation.For gods sake, Kimmie… help me!
Editors Note: Well, there you go. Kara Fang is quite literally insane. Nice lass, isn’t she sighs . Anyway… will Shego escape her clutches? Will Kim be fated to enjoy Kara’s… hospitality? Will Ron call Yori? Who knows… tune in and see the next exciting chapter (when I’ve written it LOL)