Mind, body, and Soul

Hands blazing, Shego glanced around and then turned as a slate fell from the roof above her. She looked up, her eyes widened in shock and she stepped back.

“You!”

There was a quiet click.

Kara Fang smiled down at Shego, over the rim of her rifle muzzle and sighed with delight.

“Yes. Me… Hello, Puppet, did you really think I’d forgotten about you? Because I haven’t, as you can plainly see. You know, I was worried that you’d left with Kim San. A shame if you had, you might not have been here, waiting for me to spring my little trap.”

“The accident at her fathers lab… you set it up, didn’t you!” Shego watched as Kara shrugged and nodded. “Why?”

“Oh my. Why else, Puppet? Because it’s the one thing that would make Kim Possible San leave you alone. Alone and vulnerable.” Kara smiled as Shego ground her teeth in rage and leaned forwards on the rifle. “Alone… where I could spring my trap.”

Kara’s sadistic laughter grated against Shego’s mood and the green woman snarled, hands curling into claws. “Come down here! I’ll show you what happens when you try to trap me!”

“No, no. I have a better idea.” Kara’s hand gently stretched out and Shego blinked at the small black box in her grasp. Before she could even open her mouth, the Blood Jade Mistress gently pressed a glowing red button. “Time to lose your free will. Time to be mine.”

“Wha- Arrrgh!” Shego fell to her knees, her emerald eyes wide, as agonising pain shot through her. The tips of her fingers went numb, almost freezing with a cold that made her teeth chatter. As she looked up, her vision blurred to a mix of colour and vague shapes, Kara’s form lost in a swirl of red. Her lungs suddenly needed air and she choked. “Whaa’ve you dnne!”

“Activated Servus, Assassin of mine. Why? Does it feel different to how Drakken’s last chip affected you?” Kara tilted her head and leaned forwards, almost eager. Cruel delight slid onto her soft features and she grinned, malevolently. “Oh, yes… it hurts… I can tell. Really hurts! Almost agonising to you?”

“Gahhhhkk….” Shego spluttered, the sounds escaping her convulsing lips against her will. “Burrnnning!”

“I’m sure this is just part of the integration process.” Kara winked. “New technology will have bugs, some design flaws and all that. Still, even if it’s not, I can watch you writhe in agony for a few hours, and then have the pleasure of watching you die! Though I really do hope Servus is working… I want your torture to last for years, by being my slave!”

Shego fell forwards, unable to speak, her body convulsing in pain. Tears spilled from her eyes and drool trickled from her slack lips, as she felt her mind burst into a agony so exquisite, it felt like liquid fire. Coursing down her spine, faster than anything she had ever felt before, it swirled around the base of her spine, making her arch her back and jerk once more.

If she could have, Shego would have forced her own fingers into her skull and ripped at her brain with her fingers. Anything, anything at all to stop the pain!

She screamed, or tried to, as the sensation spilled into her muscles, running along the fibres that formed it like liquid magma, criss-crossing over her skin like red hot wires… As her body burned, Shego could only quiver. Her fingertips warmed, heated and then burned and her legs kicked violently, the muscles overloaded with nerve impulses that shattered through her like shards of metal. A whimper slipped past her slack mouth, the last sound her free mind uttered, and then her body fell still.

As the hot, skittering, aftershocks pounded inside her, Shego felt her eyes blink, just once. Her vision suddenly wavered and then slid upwards, to stare at the delighted form of Kara. Shego fought the lure of unconsciousness, willed herself to call for help, but her body ignored her and stood slowly to attention in front of Kara.

To her mounting fear and horror. To her anger, shame and helplessness, Shego knew that she was trapped inside her own body… inside her own mind. As she had been once before, at the will of Drakken.

She blinked as she felt her own lips move, heard her own toneless, emotionless voice echo into the dusk air. “I live to serve you, Mistress Fang.”

Closing her eyes in the darkness of her mind, Shego swallowed a curse. She was at the will of Kara Fang, and as the Mistress of the Blood Jade slid down the tiles and landed in front of her, she knew the terrible truth.

Her hell had just begun! Her freedom to pursue Kimmie, to explore her love for the redhead and chase the goals she had set in life… was over! Kara Fang was her Mistress, in every way. Shego knew that now, she lived to serve the will of this woman and the one thing Kara Fang desired at that very moment, even above even Shego’s own debasement, was Kim.

Shego wanted to blink as Kara leaned close. Wanted to watch with satisfaction as her glowing fist smashed the bitch’s head clean off her shoulders. But all she could do was stare ahead as Kara’s lips gently brushed over her cheek.

“Yes, I know you live to serve me. I’m glad you do… or your body does at any rate.” Kara tilted the green thief’s head and leaned closer to her ear. “I know, from Drakken, that you are still in there, Shego… still ranting and fighting to free yourself. So, while you do such a futile thing, I shall take pleasure in knowing you are in there. Helpless, screaming… scared. Not of just me… but of what I intend to do to your precious ‘Kimmie’.”

“Screw you, Kara! You psychopathic bitch!” Shego screamed at the oriental woman. Screamed the words into the emptiness of her mind, where Kara would never hear them.

“Or rather, should I say… what you will end up doing to her.” Sighing, Kara waved a hand. “So, I think we should get started with destroying Kim Possible’s hopes and dreams… to make her easier for you to subdue… yes?”

“Destroy her?” Oh, good luck with that Kara. Kim’s the strongest person I know, apart from myself. What you going to do? Leave a threatening note on her pillow?” Shego muttered inside her mind. “When she finds me, when she frees me, she’s going to kick your ass all over Middleton. Then, once she’s had her fun… I’m introducing you to my plasma! Up close and personal, I swear to god!”

“First things first… I need a little help with something back at the lair. Possible San happens to know someone who will be a great aid to Doctor Drakken as he works on it. You Shego, will obtain her for me.”

“Yes, Mistress Fang.” Shego’s voice dully replied, while inside, Shego felt a ball of ice form in her belly.

“Oh god… no! No! You can’t be serious! Kimmie’ll think I did it and… no!”

“I want you to go back inside, get dressed in something more suitable and then wait for Doctor Possible to come home. When she arrives, knock her out, leave the weapon and one of your gloves at the scene and then call me. I will come and assist you in carrying her to the hoverpod I have cloaked and waiting.” Kara tilted her head at the glazed eyes of Shego’s body. “Do you understand?”

“I won’t help you, Kara! I won’t I… You’re setting me up!” Shego screamed the words into her mind, visions of whatever trust she had managed to form with Kim, evaporating.

“Yes Mistress Fang.” Shego replied, earning a gentle pat on the shoulder from the amused woman.

“Very good. Now, off you go…” Kara watched as Shego climbed back into Kim’s room and slid the door shut. A cruel smile flickered over her lips and she sighed into the evening air. “Perfect… it has worked perfectly. Oh, this is going to be so much FUN!”

Inside, as her body slid a green and black cat suit from the bag, ignoring the crumpled one on the floor next to the window, Shego fought with every inch of willpower she had, to free herself. It was a futile gesture. She knew that, even as she willed herself to stop dressing. But, the idea of assaulting not only Kim’s mother, a member of her family, but also the woman who had saved her life from Kara’s brutal torture, made Shego’s spine freeze and a sick sensation writhe inside her.

“I have to stop this… I have to!” The words echoed inside her mind, into the dark, and were swallowed.

But nobody could help her, and nothing was listening. She was trapped once again, in a prison with no bars and no doors. But this time, nobody could help her.

---

Ron’s car- 8PM.

“So, not to sound rude, but…” Ron, driving his car slowly home, glanced behind them to the rear seat and the vast number of packages that sat on it. “Did you get enough shopping?”

The dark haired Ninja beside him smiled, her almond eyes twinkling, and she inclined her head gently. Ron blinked as dark strands fell into her eyes and he felt his heart beat a little faster.

“Yes, it is hard to find a Club Banana store in Japan. Especially at the top of a mountain. Besides, it has been a while since I could use my bankcard. I had no idea that much was in my account.” Her attention was drawn to the landscape, shadowy and mysterious in the dark. “Thank you for a most interesting day… it was, fun.”

Ron glanced over at the young Ninja and winked. “Sure, I had fun too… But I’m sorry about the film, never occurred to me that you’d find an action flick dull.”

Yori turned to him, a look of surprise on her face. “I never said I found it dull, Ron. I just do not understand your fascination with such things.”

“They’re fun… exciting!” Ron sighed. “They take you away from the here and now. Reality if you wanna call it that.”

“But you often perform missions far more dangerous that anything the film writers could produce. You are gifted with a power that could make you one of the most powerful forces of good on the planet. I do not understand why-”

“Because, when I see a movie, nobody needs me, Yori! Nobody’s in danger or calling for help… Kim and I are both safe there.” Ron bit back the flustered tone in his voice, clamped down on the worry. “Whenever I go on a mission with Kim, do you have any idea what goes through my mind? What if she’s injured, or dies? My best pal, bleeding to death or breathing her last in my arms. What would happen to me… to her?”

Yori blinked. It has never occurred to me that Ron would struggle. I have faced these demons, Sensei has aided me in fighting them and coming to terms with what may be, compared to what is. I never thought that Ron does not have that… Nor does Kim. Yet they do what they do… I wonder how they cope?

Ron, oblivious to Yori’s thoughts, continued to mutter.

“What if someone I try to save dies… when I’m inches away from them?” He watched as the Japanese woman’s eyes widened in understanding. “Now you’re here… and I find myself worried too. What if you’re injured or die or, I dunno… something happens? I like you Yori… I like you a lot. The thought of seeing you injured makes me feel as uncomfortable as when I dream of Kim being hurt.”

He thinks of me the same way as Kim? Oh, my… I am, flattered? Am I blushing? Yori blinked, hoping that the warm sensation on her cheeks was nothing. “You have never told Kim your worries?”

“Oh sure… but she’s always been, well, confidant of our abilities.” Ron sighed and focused on the road as he gently steered the car round a bend. “The only time I saw her at a loss was during the Beuno Nacho incident. When the Synthdrone had knocked her out and Shego had tied us up. She was totally at a loss about what to do. The only thing that shook her out of it was… well.”
“What?”

“When I told her that I, um, liked her.” Ron swallowed. “Course, it didn’t work out. But that’s not the point. Kim has always been confident that she and myself are always going to come out on top. I think it’d take a lot to shake her conviction of that. She… believes in herself.”

“She believes in you as a team, Ron.” Yori gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “Never forget that… she has risked her life with you on many an occasion, and survived. As have I whenever we have been together as a team. But I think you need help to deal with the demons that haunt the calling you have been given.”

“Oh?” Ron glanced over and blinked. Is she blushing? “How?”

Yori turned away, wishing the heat on her cheeks would vanish. “I would suggest that I school you in the art of deeper meditation techniques. With a guide such as myself, you could face that which you fear and find a solution. It will also assist in your other problem…”

“Monkey power.” Ron muttered. “My suddenly fluctuating monkey power. Why now? Why, just when I find I’m good at cooking, does it have to pop up?”

Why indeed… if you are unaware of recent developments at Yamanouchi. “Ron, you and I will need to talk soon, preferably when we are alone and you are sitting down. There are things that you must know for the future!”

Ron glanced over and wth no warning, twisted the wheel. The car screeched into the side of the road, making Yori’s eyes widen in surprise. As the car came to a halt, Ron turned to her.

“What things? Things I have to keep secret… from everyone again? Even Kim?” Ron watched as Yori found the view fascinating once more and sighed. “Damn it, Yori, even I know something’s up! Monkey Fist came at me about a year ago… and the guy was frantic! He was truly out to kill me that day… and Kim! It took both of us to stop him that time… and then he vanished from prison. I’ve not heard or seen him since, nor has Kim or Wade. Now, I find my abilities are increasing dramatically. What the heck’s going on?”

“You have not told Kim, have you?” Yori muttered, and Ron shook his head. “Not about the real secrets of the gift you have been given, nor of the Lotus Blade.”

“No, when I got the powers… she was with Wade and I had an AI version tagging along with me.”

“I humbly beg your pardon?”

“Long story. Look, what’s going to happen to me?” Ron closed his eyes. “Look, just tell me if it’s bad, okay? I mean, am I gonna change into a giant monkey or something?”

He blinked as Yori stifled a giggle. “Oh, Ron. You and your humour!” She sighed and settled back in her chair. “No, I doubt that you will turn into a monkey. It is a martial art and spiritual power, not a curse. No, Ron, what may happen to you is something wonderful, something that will aid you for the rest of your life. If what I have read becomes true.”

“What you've read?” Ron blinked. “Hang on… what do you mean ‘what you read’? What’re you talking about?”

Yori smiled. “As I said, when we are alone, Ron. However, I will say that I see my path in life mingling with yours. I intend to help you control and understand your power as much as I am able.” The Ninja glanced across and Ron blinked as she nibbled her lip apprehensively. “If you wish?”

Ron was once again struck by the elegant beauty of the woman next to him. Someone who was so like Kim, and yet… different. He found himself smiling back at her, and as her eyes widened and glanced down, realised he had slid a hand gently onto hers. Coughing, Ron snatched his hand away and turned to start the car, cheeks blushing.

“Um, yeah… yeah! Anything you can do to help me keep an eye of this thing… well. Booyah to that and, um, everything.”

Yori remained quiet, but her almond eyes sparkled with delight. I think I could love this strange man… love him with all my heart.

The sudden chime of the Ron Com made both of them jump slightly. Ron, already driving away from the side of the road, cursed and arched his back, scrabbling to grab the small device. His fingers curled around it after a few minutes of fumbling, and the screen flickered to life.

“Yo, Wade… busy here, driving and-”

“Ron, it’s… it’s Kim.” The voice that slid from the small speaker of the Kimmunicator was quiet, worried, even a little scared. It was so unlike the woman he knew that Ron risked glancing at the screen. He blinked in shock, as the pale, glazed expression on his best friend’s face as it stared at him.

“Kim? What’s happened? Are… are you okay?” Ron found it hard to concentrate, both driving and also staring at the Ron Com. As he seriously pondered pulling over once again, a soft hand gently plucked the device from his fingers and tilted it away.

“Kim San. Are you all right?” Yori frowned at the sight of Kim in such distress and angled the screen so Ron could see it safely while he drove. Unbidden, Ron’s foot pressed down on the accelerator and the car picked up speed. He shot round a corner, turning off to head for Kim’s house, rather than his own.

“No… I’m not okay.” Kim, rubbing at her eyes, and stared at her best friend and the young Ninja who sat with him. “Ron… Yori… I… It’s Mom, she’s… been taken!” Suddenly, Kim’s eyes moistened and Ron bit his lip at the sight. “She’s been taken from me, from us, Ron! Someone took her! Kidnapped her!”

“Someone kidnapped Doctor P? Ah hell, KP!” Ron wanted to reach into the screen and hold Kim gently, tell her everything would be okay, but he couldn’t. Instead, his foot pressed even harder on the pedal and the car shot along the road. “Kim, what happened?”

“I… I was called away to rescue dad and his work from a hydrogen gas build-up. Dad had a look at the valves on the tank… there’s no way it was an accident, something or someone had welded them shut, deliberately. Anyway, when we got back home… it was dark. I mean really dark, Ron. I’d left Shego there and Mom’s car was sitting in the driveway… its bonnet was still warm too. So the first thing that worried me was why the lights were all off. I went in while dad and the twins stayed behind me.” Kim closed her eyes, a shuddering gasp slipping from her lips. “The house was empty… totally empty! Then, that’s when I noticed. Blood on the carpet next to the stairs. Blood, and the maglight we keep on the fridge, dented and streaked with red, sitting next to it.”

“What about Shego? Was she injured? Has she been kidnapped too?”

“That’s just it, Ron… I… I.” Kim broke off and the Kimmunicator’s screen wobbled as her fingers trembled. “I found something else next to the torch… also streaked with blood. One of… of, oh god! One of Shego’s gloves!” Kim broke off and she collapsed into one of the kitchen chairs. “Oh Ron! I think Shego attacked and took my Mom! Shego!”

“Shego?” Ron blinked, and to his own surprise one thought ran through his mind. I don’t buy it. It’s not Shego’s style. “But… but she said she wanted to be with you… she loves you. This is… no way!”

“I… I… It could have been a trick. Her love for me, what she said.” Kim whispered. The agony of such an admittance swirled through her, ripping at her soul with cold claws. “ I was so confused, Ron and she could have used that against me. She… she could have been faking, faking it all! Oh god, it’s all my fault! I believed her! I bought her lie… I’m…. I’m the one to blame!”

“I cannot believe that.” A voice echoed softly inside the car and Ron turned to see Yori shaking her head. “Kim, after our conversation you convinced me that you knew Shego’s heart. Do you really believe that you were wrong?”

“I… but the glove… and my Mom… and Shego was the only one in the house!” Kim’s face wavered on the screen, confused and worried for her mother. “If she didn’t do it on purpose, then why would she… she…” Kim broke off, her hand waving at the screen.

Ron pursed his lips and glanced at Yori. “Kim, we’re already on our way. Don’t jump to conclusions until we get there, okay?”

The redheaded teenager nodded, mutely and the Kimmunicator flickered off. Ron turned to the dark haired Ninja and watched as she stared into the night, her almond eyes frowning.

“Yori?”

“Do you not find it odd that Shego would do such a thing?” Yori tilted her head. “Think as she would. Think as a thief. Why spend so much time integrating yourself into Kim San’s life, have the opportunity to learn her innermost secrets given time, secrets that in a fight would cripple her ability to fight effectively. If you were Shego, why throw that advantage away by kidnapping her mother? It has upset and disturbed Kim San, that we both can see but it has not-”

“Destroyed her… If Shego had come up with this, then yeah I can see her wanting to completely wreak KP. She knows Kim, knows that half measures like this, are a sure way of making Kim even more dangerous, not weaker. Even though she’s shaky now, KP’ll recover, set her sights on getting Doctor P back, and then god help anyone who gets in her way… Shego would know that! She’s been her nemesis for years! Yeah, yeah I thought it wasn’t her style… and that means that-”

“There is a very good chance that it was not her. Or rather, it may have been her, but someone else was controlling her body.” Yori nodded, as Ron became thoughtful. “You said Shego was under the impression Drakken or, more accurately, Fang intended to control her.”

“You mean her mind? Shego told Kim that she thought Drakken had chipped her. But Doctor P said there was nothing there. Kim told me last night!” Ron frowned. “How do you control someone without a chip?”

“There are ways I can think of. Hypnosis, drug induced suggestion… Pavlov control methods… “Yori leaned back in the seat, a frown of concentration on her face. “Many things I have studied at Yamanouchi and learned how to counter. I would suggest that Drakken San and Kara Fang might have many other means. Technology is Doctor Drakken’s strong point, you told me that.”

“Yeah…” Ron swallowed. “Look, we’re both pleased that Shego’s in love with Kim, or so she said. What if we’re wrong? What if Shego has done this on her own? What if she did it willingly and is still working for Drakken in secret. What if she’s lied… to all of us?”

Yori sighed. “Then we are wrong. However, when you consider her injuries in hospital, the fact that Doctor Possible was certain she was on the edge of death, it seems unlikely. Also, I hope to find something, anything, which will support our theory to Kim San. Ron, we need her as capable as possible if she is to go against Kara and win. If she wishes to save Shego.”

Ron nodded and grunted as his car rolled up the Possible driveway. “Well, here we are.”

“And there is Kim.” Yori told him gently, pointing to a figure in the doorway of the house, arms wrapped against the cool air. The Ninja’s eyes flicked to the police car that slowly drove past them along the driveway, and she frowned. “Come, we must hurry, before the police return and disturb that which they cannot see. You and I must be fast and look for that which wishes to remain hidden!”

“You know… you are so cool when you talk like that.” Ron muttered, missing the look of surprise on Yori’s face as he turned and slid from the car.

Nobody has ever said that to me, ever. But I… I liked it.

The two crime fighters walked swiftly towards the open door, the light spilling into the darkness. Kim, her arms wrapped tightly around her, looked up as Ron approached and shuffled her feet.

“Police were here, dad thought it best. They’ve taken samples of the blood, statements and placed the torch and glove into evidence. At the moment, Shego is… is. Oh, god Ron. She’s the prime suspect right now.” Kim stared into his compassionate face. “I let her get under my skin and she-”

“Yori has another idea.” Ron whispered, rubbing her shoulder to cease the babbling that he knew came from shock. Not once had anyone attacked Kim’s family at their home. “I think it’s far more likely. Look, Kim, You’re not thinking straight. Come on inside and let’s get some coffee into you. Kay?”

“Okay… Ron, if I am wrong. If she doesn’t… I mean, if Shego-”

“Kim, shush. For once, let me take care of you. Please?” Ron turned to Yori. “Can you give me a hand here?”

“Yes, Ron San, However I suggest that we… we…” Yori paused, a sensation of being watched slid across her skin, making her shiver. She blinked. “Strange… very strange.”

Ron, steering a shocked Kim into her house, turned. “What?”

“I do not know…” Yori whispered. “Maybe I am sensing nothing, but… then again…” The Ninja turned, her dark eyes scanning the gardens around the house

Feels like eyes… in the dark. But when I turn, nothing is there. Odd, and unsettling.

Turning back, she walked quickly up to the dazed redhead and slipped her own supporting arm around her. “Come, Kim San. Let us get you into the warm.”

“Yori?” Kim tried to focus her shocked eyes on the Ninja as they staggered into the kitchen. “You… you don’t have to be here if you don’t want to. I can get Mara to take you home and-”

Yori leaned forwards and her lips slid next to Kim’s ear. “I do not believe Shego in responsible for your mother being taken. I think it was Kara Fang.”

She stepped back, hearing Kim’s intake of breath and nodded as the young hero straightened. “Say that again.”

“I believe Kara Fang took your mother. To upset and disrupt you perhaps. I do not know her full reasoning behind it, but I believe it was Fang who took her.”

“But Shego’s glove… it was.” Kim blinked. “No… wait. Wait! Why didn’t I consider anything else? Shego could have been taken with her…” Kim began to pace the kitchen, her shock giving way to determination. “No, hang on. If she was, then why isn’t anything messy? She’d never go down without a fight.”

“Mind control.” Ron told her softly and Kim’s eyes swung to his. Almost clung to them. “You said Shego thought she was being mind controlled, or at least Drakken had done something that made her worried she could be. Now, if that’s true then-”

“She could have taken my mother… but not willingly.” Kim whispered the words, and both Ron and Yori heard the desperation in her voice to believe them. “Why didn’t I think of this before? Oh, Shego… I jumped to thinking that she-”

Shego… forgive me. I jumped to the first conclusion that popped into my head. Stupid! Stupid!

“Kim, though you are slowly coming to terms with being in love with her. Both your growing relationship and your trust in each other, is only just forming.” Yori gently placed a hand on Kim’s shoulder and shook her. “Kara Fang knows about Shego’s desire for you and she certainly now knows you return such feelings, considering you saved her life. I believe that all of this is partly designed to make you doubt Shego’s own feelings and intentions. Fang wishes to disturb you on a fundamental level. Why, I do not know.”

“I… I want to believe this.” Kim whispered. “I really do… I have to believe this… But there’s no proof and-”

“We need to find some.” Ron cut her off, Yori nodding in agreement.

“Yes, the glove cannot be taken at face value. We need to search for that which does not wish to be seen.” The Ninja walked up the kitchen door and peered around it. “The police have investigated?”

“They took the glove in as evidence and a team are coming to dust for prints.” Kim stood up. “You’re both right… we need to cover the house as much as possible before they arrive. Ron, you know what to do, right?”

“Spectroscopic sunglasses, not a problem, KP.” Ron winked and breathed an inward sigh of relief as a faint smile appeared on Kim’s own lips, before a look of determination replaced it.

“Guys, thanks for setting me straight back there…” Kim turned to them. “Thanks for making me realise that I’ve still got a chance that what she said was true. That this could all be a set-up. I just… have to know the truth now, whatever it is, and deal. But I’ll be dammed if whoever has my Mom keeps her for long! So, thanks.”

“It is nothing.” Yori blinked as Ron slid a pair of sunglasses into her hand. “We should be looking for clues now. With these?”

“Spectroscopic sunglasses. Pick up footprints, hand prints… energy signatures and organic materials.” Kim fumbled in her mission pants and pulled out her own. “Hit the button on the side and let’s get started. Ron, take the place where… where mom was knocked out. Yori, can you cover outside? I’ll go to the last place I saw Shego, which was upstairs.”

Nodding, the three spit up and began to search.

---

­Nothing… Well, lots of stuff actually, just none of it useful. Ron stared at the glowing mass of footprints around the patch of blood on the carpet. No way I can work out who’s who here… Only thing that I can scan cleanly is the blood, and we know who’s that is.

Sighing, Ron called up to Kim. “Not much I can do here, KP. Too many people walked by.”

“Okay… can you cover the lounge? I’ve got one set of footprints here, from where I left Shego. They’re going into my room, which follows. I told her the bag with her suits was in there.”

“Right…” Ron wandered into the lounge and blinked as Doctor Jonathan Possible looked up, misery and shock on his face. The Tweebs sat next to him, so quiet that Ron stared in surprise. “Oh, hi. Doctor P… Jim, Tim.”

“Ronald… hello.” Doctor Possible’s voice was quiet, subdued. “Are you here to help my daughter? I know Kimmiecub’s promised to find her mother, but she’s as shocked as we are by this. I’m sure she will need all the help you, and that young lady you were with, can give her.”

Swallowing at the sight of someone he respected looking so lost, Ron nodded and tried to look determined. Oh, Yori… I could really use some of that confident calm you radiate about now.

“Don’t worry, Doctor P. We’ll find Mrs Possible. I promise too. And don’t worry about Kimmie, she’s determined to find her Mom.” Ron snapped the sunglasses down. “Just taking a look around.”

“Just… tell my daughter to do her best. Tell her I love her and that I know her mother will be fine. They’re both so alike, survivors.” Ron paused and stared at Doctor Possible. He had never seen Kim’s father so lost before. “I’ll, um, go and put the twins to bed and then get some rest myself. Jim, Tim, come on.”

The Tweebs brushed past the blond youth without a single word and Ron watched them move slowly up the stairs, their father gently nudging them forwards when they passed Kim’s room. Sighing, Ron cast one final glance around the lounge and then walked upstairs.

“Nothing in there, KP and-” Ron broke off, his heart lurching at the sight of Kim sitting on her bed, the bag that had held Shego’s suits in front of her. Scattered around the floor, on the bedcovers and on Kim’s lap, lay the various cut-outs of herself and Shego that Ron had discovered the first time he had opened it. Cursing inwardly, Ron stepped into her room. “Kim?”

“Ron… how could I even think she’d have taken my mother deliberately? Look at all this, it must have taken her months! There are even a few here of me during the matches, cheerleading. Actual photos! How dangerous would it have been for her to take these? But she did, and there I am. She even,” Kim paused, her voice cracking. “There are a few here with damn smiley hearts in pen! How unlike her is that? How much did she drink before she wrote them?” Kim choked, the small laugh breaking down into a stifled sob. “But they’re here… in this bag. Oh god, Ron… Mom and Shego… if either of them are hurt or… or if Shego is under the control of that… woman or Drakken. What am I going to do?”

The redhead looked up, and Ron walked quickly over to her as the first tear spilled down her cheek. He knew that Kim almost never cried, no matter the circumstances, so when she did, it was powerful. Gathering her in his arms, Ron held her tightly and hugged her as she shook.

“Shhh, it’s okay. We’ll get your mom back. She’s so like you, she’ll be fine. And we’ll get Shego back too… I promise.”

“What if she’s mind controlled?” Kim sniffed, the warmth of Ron’s arm’s calming her. “What am I going to do?”

“We’ll find a way to reverse it. But first things first, we have to know what happened… did you find anything?” Holding her gently as she shook her head and pointed at the bag, Ron flipped his sunglasses down and frowned. “Okay… so she walked here, opened the bag… then the footprints lead towards the dresser and then… hey, she stopped and then turned on the spot.”

Kim blinked, wiping her tears away, and the same determined expression slid back onto her face. “What? Sort of, like, if something had… distracted her?”

“Yeah… they turn to the window and she starts walking towards it. Wait a second… her footsteps have changed.” Ron stared at the faintly glowing distortions. “Longer, and her feet have slid sideways a little.”

Kim slapped her own sunglasses down and she frowned. “That’s her battle stance or rather, the stance she goes into when we face off. Wary… careful. Ron, something had her worried and it wasn’t to get my Mom. She saw something in the window.”

A sudden thump and knock on the glass made the two teens jump and look up to stare through the glass. There, wearing her own spectroscope glasses stood Yori. The Ninja tapped the glass and her muffled voice made Kim frown in speculation.

“I think you should both come out here… it is urgent that you see something.”

Sliding open the window, Kim and Ron both slid gently onto the ledge that ran alongside Kim’s bedroom window and joined Yori at one end.

“How’d you get up here?” Ron asked, puzzled.

“It’s not hard, Ron. You can jump up and climb the wall, it’s got a few handholds, and then work your way along the side until you get to this ledge. I know about it, which is why the glass of my room is tempered and bullet proof, and the lock is deadbolted. I’m not stupid about the chance this gives my enemies.” Kim glanced at the Ninja. “What’d you find?”

“The wall has footprints climbing up it.” Yori explained. “I followed them to this point here, where there is space enough for two to stand.”

“Right, where the roof slants down to this catcher gutter. So, what are we looking at?”

“More footprints join the ones I followed along the wall.” Yori smiled. “They came from your bedroom, I presume they are Shego’s. Mine ascend the roof and stop right where a tile has been dislodged. Observe the way the ones from your room step back and then the stance becomes fully defensive.”

“Shego… she looked up.” Kim guessed, picturing the scene in her head. “She looked up, saw someone or something that surprised her, making her become defensive.”

“Yes, then look the footprints here blur badly…” As Kim frowned, Yori waved her hands gently. “Someone fell… From the way the footprints on the roof circle the fallen figure, it was Shego who fell while the other watched. I know it was Shego as there is a small trace of blood on the concrete and tiles… and I found this.”

Yori held out her hand and a white band of plastic, inscribed with the name S. Gordon and a serial number, lay in her palm. Staring at it made Kim’s heart flutter. “She was up here… and something made her fall over… maybe, I dunno, scrape her body across the tiles to cut her and rip off the band. But what? Ron, any ideas?”

Realising that Ron had been quiet for some time, Kim glanced over and her eyes widened at the sight of her friend glaring at the bushes near her home. “Ron?”

“Movement!” Ron hissed, making Kim blink in shock and Yori turn quickly and stride across to stand by him. “In the bushes… there! I can see them!”

“Where?” Yori asked quietly. Monkey power… “I cannot… and nor should you.”

Ron pointed, his eyes never leaving the two black cloaked figures that he could see in the bushes. “Right there… see them? Ninja’s and technology. Wait… something’s going on.”

Yori and Kim both stared into the shrubs and bushes, almost shadows in the dark of evening.

“Ron, you’re joking.” Kim shook her head. “You can’t possibly see anyone there, it’s too dark and it’s too far away!”

“Ron San, do they know we… you, can see them?”

Kim glanced across at Yori as Ron shrugged, blinking in shock as the Ninja slid her red fans from hidden pockets. As the razor sharp edgessnapped open, Kim glanced at the bushes again. “Okay…whatis going on?”

“Shhh.” Ron whispered, his entire being focused on something only he could see. “Damn, Yori… they’re moving! Moving away from the house!”

The young Ninja ran towards the edge of the roof and leapt, pirouetting gracefully to the ground below. As Ron ran forwards to join her, Kim stared in disbelief, only for her own legs to push against concrete and tile.

As all three hit the ground running, Ron leading the way, a sudden hum of antigravity repellers echoed across the garden. Kim gasped in shock as a hoverpod erupted from the dark undergrowth and shot into the night, shimmering into nothing as it did so.

Slowing, Ron watched the vanishing pod with her and he snarled in frustration. “Damn, KP, I was so close! With those bastards, we could have found Shego!”

“Who were they?” Kim asked, confused and Ron shrugged.

“I have no idea, but from the looks of them, Ninja’s, like Yori.”

“No, they were nothing like me.” Yori’s voice was bitter and the two heroes turned to see her staring into the dark shrubs and bushes. “They were Jade, and I can see why they were here now. Fang, you are not only dishonourable, a liar, and psychotically cruel. You are also a voyeur. They have been watching you, Kim. I should have realised.”

Kim walked up to where Yori stood and glanced past the young Ninja’s shoulder. There, sitting on the grass, sat a high-powered video camera with telescopic lens, a directional mic and night vision equipment. Kim paled. “No way… how long have-”

“Probably as soon as Kara decided you were worth the effort. Or when she realised that Shego was interested in you. Regardless, anything that you, Shego, or your family has said in the past few weeks has probably been recorded.”

Ron blinked. “Hey… that might mean we can also see what happened to Shego.”

“Maybe…” Kim closed her eyes, tried to resist the faint blooming of hope. “But look at this stuff… half the tapes are missing and whatever they couldn’t take quickly, they destroyed.”

Yori walked into the centre of the wrecked equipment and her eyes gazed at a Katana blade thrust into one of the storage devices. “Yes, to hide Kara Fang. To leave information behind would mean instant death.” She reached out, yanking the blade free, and gently tested its weight and balance. “I could use this… but to use such a dishonoured blade, it feels wrong.”

Preoccupied with investigating the damaged technology, Kim nodded. “Well then, don’t use it. Stick with the fans, you’re lethal with those, I know.”

Yori smiled with genuine pleasure, something Kim missed as she picked up the remains of a smashed video camera.

“Look… the LCD screen’s been broken, but it’s still displaying a date… and a time. Today! This is the one we want… or rather the one that may hold the answers.” Biting her lip, Kim stared at the camera and then shook her head. “Even if it shows Shego kidnapping Mom, I have to know the truth.”

Reaching into her pocket, Kim drew the Kimmunicator out and flicked it on. “Wade, I need some help here.”

Wade’s face flickered onto the tiny screen, a mug of coffee steaming by his arm. “Sure, what do you need Kim?”

“Got a damaged video camera here… I need to see what it recorded. It may have… have recorded something about my Mom’s abduction.” She held the wrecked device up to the Kimmunicators camera and winced at the look of astonishment on Wade’s face.

“Are you serious? Look at it.” Sighing, Wade typed a few keys and his expression became thoughtful. “Okay… okay. I may be able to directly jack the Kimmunicator into the camera’s memory storage. Though the memory stick inside its been damaged I should be able to get something. But it’ll be fragmented. I can’t guarantee a full sequence.”

“Do what you can.” Kim whispered, blinking as Ron’s hand gently slid around her shoulders and Yori quietly appeared next to her, calm and focused as always. As her best friend hugged her, Kim nodded to the two of them. “I have to know… one way or the other.”

“We know.” Ron murmured. “And no matter how this plays out, we’ll be there for you.”

“Kim, I got something… well actually, I got a lot.” Wade sipped his coffee. “I’m running a search now… trying to find an undamaged time index that corresponds to the rough time that your mother was kidnapped.” A chime sounded and Wade nodded. “Got one… So, ready?”

“Yeah… play it Wade.” The flicker of the screen made Kim draw in a breath and as the outside of her home appeared, she let it out, slowly. “When is this?”

“About two hours ago… maybe more or less. Too much damage to tell.”

“After I’d gone to help dad…”

Kim watched as the image flickered slightly, a sign of the damage the camera’s memory had taken. Suddenly, a hoverpod appeared close to her home and landed quietly on the grass. With a flicker, it vanished, but not before Kim noticed the figure carefully and stealthily creeping towards the wall close to her room. A figure dressed in a red cat suit, a silver rifle behind her back and her dark hair bound into a ponytail. Frowning, Kim shook her head. “Who is that?”

“I have my suspicions…” Yori murmured, her dark eyes gleaming with anger. “It is too early to tell, but I do know that is not Kara’s bodyguard. She has blond hair, and I know her well… Yes, it is not Shia. But as I said, I have my suspicions.”

The screen flickered, and suddenly the figure crouched above Kim’s bedroom window, the gun gently being unslung from behind her. As Kim watched, the cat suited figure stilled. Her body slid into a pose that reminded her of the way panthers lay on rocks, ready to pounce on prey. She shivered. Suddenly, Kim’s bedroom window illuminated with light and the figure on top of the roof shifted slightly. Sliding onto her belly, the figure on the roof gently held the rifle over the edge of the roof and then swung it hard against the glass.

“That had to be what made Shego turn… and become wary.” Ron murmured, Kim nodding in agreement. They watched as a figure, hands glowing green, dark hair waving behind her, appeared at the window. “Well, there she is… and she looks suspicious, rather than evil or plotting anything.”

“Mmmn.” Kim whispered. Come on, Shego… gimmie something here. Please…

Shego gently popped the window open and the video lurched forwards suddenly. Kim blinked as Shego now stood gazing up at the figure on top of the roof, the rifle pointing right at her. Suddenly, the rifle-toting figure peeled off the hood she wore with one hand, revealing a blurred face and dark hair.

“Darn it. Wade, the resolution sucks!” Kim sighed in annoyance. “Can you do anything?”

“No… this is the best I can do, the memory here is even worse. You’re going to start getting sections that cut out soon.”

“Look… Shego is backing away. She knew the person up there.” Yori murmured. “It shocked her.”

“Kara Fang…” Kim whispered. “Jeez, it’s her! She was at my home and-” Kim’s voice trailed off as all three heroes watched the fuzzy figure hold out a hand, and Shego collapse to her knees. Kim blinked. “No… no, she can’t have been! Mom said there wasn’t a chip and-”

The screen flickered forwards, and Shego now lay on the floor, her entire body jerking like a marionette as the red suited figure now walked around her. Suddenly, Shego stood, but the way she did so, the way her stance had changed to a rigid parade stance, made Kim pale.

“Oh god… they got her. She was being mind controlled, she took mom because-” Kim watched as Shego nodded and the figure in the catsuit laughed with delight. Suddenly, the video flickered and she saw her mother’s car pull up. “No… Mom.”

“Kim, stop watching.” Ron whispered.

“No!” Her green eyes widened as the video shot forwards again, and Shego was there, stiffly carrying a figure in a white labcoat from the house, the red figure carrying her legs. “Damn it… she did it. But she was under mind control! You all saw it! You saw it!”

Yori gently placed a hand on Kim’s shoulder and nodded. “Yes, we did. Anything Shego did from the time she lay writhing on the floor was not of her own will. We all saw it. Now, come on, back inside.”

“But… I have to find them!” Kim whispered, blinking as the Kimmunicator spluttered and Wade’s face reappeared. “Wade? There has to be something else, anything! Something that tells us where they are!”

“Sorry, Kim. There’s nothing left on the videotape, I promise. You were lucky to get what you did, and that took all my computers processing power. It’s so fragmented.”

“Damn…” Kim whispered. “I have to find them, maybe if I drive around in Mara. I know they have to be after me too! Maybe if I drive around, they’ll try for me. When they do, I’ll be waiting!”

Kim turned to Yori, eyes too wide, and the shadows under them so deep Yori could almost see the veins. How long has she gone with such little sleep?

Yori nodded soothingly. “Yes, maybe that it for the best.” She ignored the gasp and look of horror on Ron’s face. “Now, before you do that, it would be best to go back inside and get as much equipment as you need. Maybe a hot drink before you go as well.”

“Yeah… yeah! I’ll need some stuff before I go. Thanks Yori, Ron.” Kim started back towards her home. As her red haired figure strode along the grass, Ron turned to the Ninja, his face angry.

“What the hell do you mean ‘for the best’?” He snapped the words out and Yori closed her eyes. “KP is running on fumes! Even I can see that! You, telling her to go another sleepless night driving around Middleton, is just great. First, Shego confesses that she’s falling for Kim, and that causes her to have sleepless nights. Then Shego goes missing, and she spends even more nights with little sleep! Now her Mom and Shego are both missing. Yori, she can’t keep doing this!”

“I know. So, come with me.” Yori turned, trying not to sigh at the compassion in Ron’s voice. I have my reasons, Ron. Trust me. Trying to stop her with reason now would be impossible.

As the two teenagers walked into Kim’s home, the redheaded hero jogged down the stairs. Her eyes were too wide, and as she staggered slightly against the wall, she cursed. Ron walked up to her and gripped her arm.

“Kim, stop. Look, I know you have to find your Mom, heck I would too, but you need rest!” As Kim started to shake her head, her mouth opening, Ron shook her. “KP, listen to me!”

“No!” Kim pushed against her old friend, making him step back slightly. “I can’t! I have to find Mom and Shego, it’s what anyone would do! I can do this, just a couple of hours and then I’ll rest. But not before I find them, save them!”

“But Kim,” Ron blinked as she pushed past him. “KP, wait!”

As Ron moved to catch her up, Yori appeared by the kitchen door, and Kim paused. There, in the Ninja’s gentle grip, lay a cup of fragrant tea. The steam wafted into the air and Kim blinked. It smelled delicious to her and she suddenly felt thirsty.

“You need to drink something before you go…” Yori smiled. “This will help, I promise.”

Kim stared at the tea, licked her lips without thinking. “I don’t know, I should go and…”

“Please, it will take you just a moment to drink this. It will do you good and give you all the energy you need to stay awake.” Yori held out the cup, her breath gently wafting more steam towards the redhead.

“Okay… Yeah, okay.” Kim walked up to her, Ron frowning and shaking his head as she did so. Gripping the cup, she drank deeply, draining the cup in seconds. With a sigh, Kim handed the empty cup back to Yori, who bent quickly and placed it on the carpet. “Kim San. I know this will be hard for you to do, but I beg your forgiveness.”

“Forgiveness?” Kim blinked, wondering why Yori’s face began to blur. Suddenly, she felt her legs turn to jelly and her hand shot out to try and steady herself against the wall. “No… no! Wha was in thaa tea?”

Ron stared in sudden understanding as Yori sighed and reached out to steady the redhead. Quickly, he strode up behind Kim and gently gripped her waist, felt her muscles begin to relax.

“Many things, Kim. Mostly herbs designed to help one relax and sleep. Something you need right now. More than you could possibly know.” The Ninja flinched as Kim glared at her, the hero’s head lolling onto Ron’s shoulder. “You have to be alert to fight Kara Fang, to save your mother and Shego. This will give you eight hours of sleep, peaceful, uninterrupted sleep and allow you to wake refreshed.”

“R… Ron, stp hr.” Kim murmured, her eyes closing slowly. “Hlp me.”

“I am…” Ron whispered, gently picking her up into his arms. “Believe me, I am. So is Yori. You need sleep, Kim. I promise, I’ll sleep on the couch tonight after I drop Yori off at home. You’ll not be alone.”

“Nnn uhh.” Kim tried. Her eyes remaining closed, even as she struggled to open them. The world was slipping away from her, away into a smooth darkness that called to her. With a final slight struggle, Kim slipped into a deep sleep.

“Yori, look… I’m-” Ron began.

“Sorry, but it is not necessary to apologise, Ron. I could not tell you, Kim would have known, the two of you have been together so long, I doubt you could lie convincingly to each other now.” Gently stroking Kim’s hair, Yori inclined her head. “Come, we need to put her to bed.”

“Yeah…” Ron carried Kim gently across to the stairs and carefully began to walk up them. Reaching the landing, Ron walked into Kim’s room and carefully lay the redhead on her bed. Draping the sheets over her slumbering form, Ron smiled. “Sleep well Kim. You can beat me to a pulp for letting Yori do this to you tomorrow.”

As Ron walked back down the stairs, he paused. Yori sat at the bottom of them, head in her hands. To his shock, the Ninja sighed, a sound of misery.

“Yori?”

“Oh, Ron.” Yori slid to her feet. “Kim is in bed now?”

“Yeah, but I’m more worried about you.” Ron touched her shoulder and watched as she flinched. “Yori? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just, I am sorry… I am so sorry.” Yori turned away. “When you picked Kim San. You were so careful, I cannot help but wonder what…”

“Wonder what?” Ron asked as Yori paused. “Yori?”

“What it feels like to have someone who cares for you that way.” The Ninja sighed. “I have never had anyone like that for me. Well, except for fellow female Ninja’s such as Jasmine. I am sorry, it was selfish and foolish of me to feel that way.”

Oh Yori… you never said anything the last time we met and it was Kim who explained that you liked me. Well, maybe now I can show you.

“No, I don’t think it was foolish or selfish. I can’t think of anyone who’s less selfish or sweet as you.” Ron watched as she turned towards him, almond eyes blinking in hopeful surprise. “Or anyone as cute. Well, apart from KP, but she’s kinda taken.”

“I… thank you.” Yori smiled, a blush appearing on her face. “So, now what happens?”

“Well, I can’t leave Kim. When she wakes up, she’ll be ticked and I mean ticked. So, I’d rather have her here, where I can see her coming, rather than at my home. So, I’ll bunk down on the sofa as I said. Never liked their guestroom… the beds lumpy. Anyway, I know where Kim and her family keep the sleeping bags here.”

“Good, then you can obtain two.” Yori smiled. “It is my fault Kim is sleeping now instead of driving around half unconscious. Therefore I should share the blame tomorrow morning.”

“Don’t be daft.” Ron smiled. “You’re not responsible for Kim being like this, it’s my fault. I should have forced her to get some sleep way before this. Besides, wouldn’t you be happier at my house, in a soft bed?”

“Not if it means leaving you to face Kim San alone. Now, sleeping bags please.”

Yori strode into the Possible household’s lounge and Ron watched her leave, his eyes sparkling. For just a second, his mind wondered exactly what the smooth curves he saw, flexing under the soft cotton of Yori’s outfit, looked like. Felt like.

Careful Ron. She hasn’t exactly asked you out or said she likes you that way. Wondering about, well… ‘that’, is bound to leave you in Frustration City.

“Ron?” Yori’s soft voice broke into his thoughts. “Sleeping bags?”

“Oh, um… on it.” Sighing, he walked upstairs and headed to the spare room, knowing that Mrs Possible kept sleeping bags in the closet.

Better let Mom know what’s happened here… and that Yori and I will stay here tonight to keep an eye on Kim and her Dad. Shaking his head, Ron walked into the empty guest room and slid open the closet. Shego, Doctor P… wherever you are, stay safe.

---

Doctor Possible.

“Wow… I mean, wow! Kim Possible’s mother in my grasp. This is just amazing.”

Voices… voices cutting through the hazy darkness of her mind.

“All thanks to my newest recruit, Doctor. Isn’t she amazing? So much anger, so much rage and now that, and her power, are docile, controlled… ours. Your technology was a total success. I am very pleased and congratulations are in order.”

“Well, I knew Servus would work.”

Servus? What were the disembodied voices talking about?

“Why hasn’t she woken up yet? It was not that large a blow to the head. Doctor?”

“Well, I gave her a quick once over when she arrived. The blow to the head was minor, but I know Shego’s plasma attacks. Looks like she used one of her alternatives on Kim’s mother here.

“Doctor?”

“She can generate a small charge that disrupts neural activity and shocks the neurones themselves into a kind of stasis. How much charge she uses equates to how long the victim is out.”

“So, Doctor possible could remain unconscious for how long?”

“No longer than a day I would think. Still, to be on the safe side, I’ll give her a shot of neural stimulant. Something else I created due to Shego’s short temper. Right Shego?”

“Yes, Doctor Drakken.”

“Oh, I love that… isn’t it sweet.” Laughter, laughter she recognised.

“Drew Lipskey. Annoying man.”

“Doctor… she tried to say something. A pain in her arm, something very cold trickling into her. “What did she say?”

“Nothing very important.” A cough, a cough of embarrassment. “Nothing at all.”

“Hmm, very well, Doctor. Now, what to do while I wait for Doctor Possible to awaken…” This voice was female, cold… frightening. “I suppose I could always spar with Shia, or maybe Shego. Yes, I could spar with you, couldn’t I?”

“If that is what you wish, Mistress Fang.” She knew that voice as well… familiar, but so emotionless it made her want to cry.

“My fault… should have spotted it.”

“Look, she said something again. Maybe she is more conscious than we thought?”

“Perhaps… still, nothing coherent. Look, speaking of what to do while we wait for Doctor Possible to awaken. Could I… could I have Shego tonight? There’s something I want to see her do.”

“Doctor… that would be inappropriate for you.”

“Not anything like that!” The voice of Drakken was shocked. “Look, I… if you must know I have a little grovelling session planned for Shego. I wondered if I could have her? Please?”

“Oh very well. It would seem we all have things Shego owes us. You may have her for tonight, doctor. But may I have her tomorrow… I want her there when I question Doctor Possible.”

“What?” Drakken’s voice sounded confused. “Why do you want Shego there? And what the heck do you mean ‘question’? She won’t tell us what we need to know in a few minutes. I need her for as long as possible. That’s why I created the-”

“Doctor… I wish to question Doctor Possible about her daughter. Although the information you have given me, along with Shego’s own musings and other sources, have given me a picture, I wish to know even more. Who else but Kim Possible San’s own mother could give me an insight into her soul? Plus, she is part of the genetic makeup of Kim San. Anything Kim has, her mother will probably have.”

“I don’t follow.” Drakken sounded worried. “She’ll never tell you about her daughters mind. No way! As for the genetic thing, what does that have to do with-”

“I need to know how far I must push Kim Possible before she will break. How much pain she can stand… how much agony. My hobby doctor, demands it. As does the mission I am performing for the Jade.” Cool hands stoking her hair, almost tenderly. “I really will have to torture Doctor Possible to know.”

“You can’t!” Drakken’s voice, horror in it now. “I need her in one piece! I need her to help me finish Kim Possible’s own servus system. If you torture her…”

“The pain will not be permanent. The techniques I shall use will not leave anything lasting or visible, I assure you. But I do need to do this. As I did with Shego, Doctor.”

“Oh…. Very well. But you can’t have too long with her. We need to get started as soon as possible on developing the tech needed to control her daughter. Besides, having her here frightens me a little. If Kim Possible wants her mother back and we’re not ready… she’ll do more than blow up my lab, considering we have her mother and her lover!

Lover? Who was Drakken talking about? If they had also captured Ron while she had been out, then they were wrong. Kimmie and Ron were friends, but not lovers anymore.

“True… I shall not take long, Doctor. Now, what to do with her while we wait? Does she require any special aid?”

“No, she’s knocked out, not physically damaged. She’ll be fine no matter where we put her.”

“Very well. Shia, place her in the cells. Gently, mind you. I do not want her hurt… yet.”

“Yes Mistress Fang.” Another voice. So similar to the cold and frightening one, yet strangely reassuring with its calm, confident tones. “Your will is my command.”

“Now, if you will all excuse my departure, it has been a long day. I wish to have a bath and some food. Goodnight Doctor Drakken. Enjoy your time with Shego.”

“Oh, I will. Come Shego, you have a lot of crawling to do… starting with a nice little kissing of my boots.”

“Yes, Doctor Drakken. I am yours to command.”

Doctor Possible, alone in the cold darkness, groaned as soft hands gently curled under her back. Slowly, they lifted her off something hard and cool and she found herself being carried. The murmur of voices and the sound of machinery all that reached her as she struggled to regain full consciousness. The memory of a green glove, touching her forehead, was all that remained of the last few hours. Doctor Possible swallowed. She had no idea where she was, except that she seemed to have fallen into the hands of Drakken, and Shego had been responsible, though not willingly.

“Kimmie… Kimmie help me.”

“Shh, Doctor. Do not pray for your daughter to aid you… please. If she does come to save you, I fear for her freedom. Despite everything I have done for the Jade, I am honourable or I try to be. My sister is not and will rape your daughter’s mind and make her like Shego… a puppet.” The same calm voice, but now it whispered, a slight tinge of fear in the tone. “I should not have said that… Sleep, Doctor. Sleep and recover. I am sorry for wh… what will happen to your daughter. But there is nothing I can do.”

“Kimmie, Oh god… no. Someone help me… stop this!”

She felt another sharp prick in her arm. “This will help you sleep.”

No… No! I have to warn Kimmie, I have to do… have to… Shego, my fault, gotta… no.”

Her body still fighting the trauma of Shego’s plasma attack, Doctor Possible fell into a deep sleep. As she slumbered, her mind missed the final words that echoed around the cell she had been placed gently into.

“Damn you, sister. Damn you for what you have made me do…”

---

Shego

“Well, here we are once again. Right Shego?”

“Yes Doctor Drakken.”

In his main lab, the destruction cleared away and the half rebuilt communication system sitting against the wall, Drakken turned to the green and black clad woman and grinned. The smile was triumphant, amused, and cruel.

“So, how does it feel?”

Shego frowned, the control system in her brain uncertain how to respond. Inside, Shego’s mind snarled.

“How does it feel? You son of a bitch! I can’t move my own body and I have to watch as it does what you and Fang want. How do you think I feel? Betrayed, pissed off and vengeful. I swear to you, Drakkie when I get free, I’ll give you such a beating you’ll be sucking dinner in through a straw!”

Her voice however, calm and docile, responded with a soft question. “I do not understand.”

“How does it feel to know that your betrayal has failed?” Drakken whirled on her, and Shego inwardly sighed at the look of anger and hurt on his face.

“Oh grow up.”

Drakken paced the room, ranting. “How does it feel to know that I have control of you once more, better even and that your plans to leak everything I ever create to Kim Possible so she can stop me, have failed totally.”

“Idiot.”

“I never betrayed you, Doctor Drakken.” Shego’s calm emotionless voice responded, making the blue man glower.

“Don’t lie to me, Shego… you, you’ve been sleeping with her! Haven’t you!”

“No Doctor Drakken. I am not lying. I have not slept with Kim Possible.” Her body paused, the Servus system confused, as it’s master, confirmed by the presence of a remote, stared at her in shock. “I apologise if this is not what you wish to hear.”

“Shocked you, didn’t it blue boy? No, I haven’t been banging Kimmie, asshole!”

“You do love her though,” Drakken stared at Shego, his anger still present but cooling. Have I made a mistake… has Shego been loyal after all? Maybe… just maybe there’s a chance that she and I…

“Yes, Doctor Drakken. I am in love with Kim Possible.” Drakken’s face paled. “Shego wishes to stay in love with Kim Possible.”

“Oh god… shut up! Shut up! Listen to me, I sound so pathetic, like a scorned puppy.” Shego closed her eyes in the darkness. “Besides, that’s not how I really feel about her.”

The mind control system was right, in a dull and basic way. She was in love with Kimmie, that she was certain. But it had not told Drakken that she liked the way Kim smiled at her now, or the way she sipped coffee, absorbed in Shego’s tale of her past. Liked the feeling that she could trust the redhead to never repeat anything she had confessed.

It had not told Drakken that when she gazed at Kimmie’s red hair, it made her fingers itch, a need to burrow them throw the dark red tresses. It had not told him how much Shego wanted to hold Kim, hold her tightly and run her dark lips across the soft skin, plunder her lips… make her sigh and groan with need.

No, it told Drakken nothing by saying that. Nothing at all.

“I don’t believe you!” Drakken whined his blue face paling. “You can’t be in love with her! You fight all the time, I’ve seen you draw blood from Kim Possible, and she from you! You even broke her ankle once!”

“Yes, Doctor Drakken. Initially, I had wished to defeat her.” Shego stared blankly ahead, her dull emerald eyes watching the blue scientist pace. “However, this has changed. You must have noticed that our last few battles have been sparring at best.”

“But… Duotronics.” Drakken muttered helplessly. “You were going to make her fall and die.”

“The grapple on the platform gave way, Doctor. I slid over the edge and gripped it. As we ascended, I clipped the grapple claw onto a passing girder. Kim Possible lived because I saved her life. Because, even then, I was in love with her.”

“You… you lied to me after all… you saved her life.” Drakken snarled. “Damn you!”

“I do not wish to attack her any more. I am sorry Doctor.” Shego bowed her head, the faint smile fading. “If you command me, however, I will attack her at your will.”

“Yeah… yeah you will and I’ll make sure you do!” Drakken turned to her, eyes wide. “I don’t care if I was wrong about you sleeping with her, you are in love with her and I still can’t believe that you didn’t pass information to her!”

“I have never-” Shego began, only for Drakken to wave her off.

“Shut up.” Shego’s mouth snapped closed. “I don’t need you anymore as a loyal free thinking partner in evil now, Shego. All I need you to be now, is what I wanted initially… hired you to be… obedient help. “

“Yes, doctor Drakken.” Shego’s voice replied, cheerfully.

Inside, Shego saw red, and a snarl echoed into the depths of her mind. “Obedient help? You… you… asshole!”

“Anyway… while I have you for the rest of the evening. I’m going to have some fun.” Drakken walked up to the docile Shego and rapped the side of her head. “Bet you never thought that I’d be able to make you pay for all the insults, physical attacks, and times you threw plasma at me, did you?”

“No Doctor Drakken.”

Smiling, Drakken slid into a chair and cackled maniacally. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun!”

Inside, Shego blinked. “Don’t you dare!”

“Shego… you want to be a good girl, don’t you?” Drakken muffled a laugh as Shego’s head nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, Doctor Drakken. I do!”

“Good. Now, kneel!”

Shego fell to her knees with a thud, the smile on her face making Drakken’s eyes gleam.

“No… stop it you son of a bitch! Stop it!”

“Crawl towards me, Shego and say ‘Yes Master’.”

“Yes, Master.” Shego crawled forwards on her hands and knees. The laughter of the blue scientist as she did so echoing around the laboratory.

“Damn you… Damn you!”

“Now, lick my boots… and after that, I want to here you beg me, and I mean beg me, to keep you as a little mind controlled slave!”

“Yes, Doctor Drakken.”

As Shego felt her tongue gently reach out and touch the leather, she screamed into the darkness of her mind. Trapped, as she had been before when Drakken had chipped her, she could only watch, feel and know that her body betrayed her.

She was Shego, and she was helpless.

---

Kim Possible Household: 8AM.

The sound of movement and of murmured voices echoed up the stairs that lead to the kitchen. Kim Possible stirred as they trickled over her ears and moaned. She was so very tired, so tired and yet her body kept urging her to rise, to meet the day.

Slowly, her green eyes opened, dulled and gritty with sleep. Yawning, Kim stretched, and blinked at the bright stream of sunlight that spilled over her bed. Morning… morning already.

As she pulled back the covers, Kim paused. She had a vague taste in her mouth. Something floral, something… familiar. The rest of the evening was a blur, but something nagged her. Odd, wonder what I drank last night.

Pulling back her covers, Kim jumped up, and blinked as she reached up to scratch her neck. She was still wearing her mission top. Glancing down, Kim stared.

Okay… so I went to bed wearing my top, trousers and boots… right. Now why did I… Oh god… Mom, Shego! I was going to try and… Ron, Yori!

Eyes wide, Kim remembered the events of the previous night and her green eyes heated.Angry, she walked across to the stairs that lead down to the kitchen and thundered down them.

As the door at the bottom slammed open, Kim glanced around the kitchen table and the congregation of people around it. Spying the two people who had literally knocked her out, Kim snarled.

“Ron! Yori! I want a word with you two!”

Ron looked up from the cup of steaming coffee in his hand and smiled weakly. “Oh, Hi KP.”

“Don’t you ‘Hi KP’ me, Ronald Stoppable!” Kim fumed. “My Mom is missing, Shego is missing and you let her,” Kim’s hand shot out and pointed at Yori, who flushed. “Knock me out with some sort of drugged tea! What the hell did you think you were doing?”

“Kimmiecub, they did it for the best.” Kim blinked in surprise as her father tapped his mug on the table. “From what I hear you were almost drunk with exhaustion. I will not have my daughter, no matter how indestructible she thinks she is, driving and hunting for her mother half dead from lack of sleep!”

“But, Dad.” Kim began, trailing off as her father sighed and gently sat in the chair next to her. The Tweebs stared at their older sister, cereal in spoons half raised to their mouths. “Mom, I… I can’t just sleep and eat while-”

“Yes, you can. I can and your bothers can. Your mother would be cross to see you not eating or sleeping. How is that going to help you find her? How will you think clearly if you’re hungry and tired? Please, Kimmie, if you can come up with a good reason, I’ll let you go right now.”

“I…” Kim broke off, tried to turn away from the compassionate look on Ron, her father and Yori’s faces. Wordlessly, Kim sat down.

“You need to drink something, KP.” Ron broke the silence. “And get some food down you. Once you’ve done that, we’ll all help you find Mrs P.”

Kim stared at her best friend. “Was I really that out of it? So out of it you had to drug me?”

“Yeah.” Ron flushed. “You staggered down the corridor, KP. Look, you can’t keep doing this! How much sleep have you had recently?”

“Enough…” Kim whispered, flushing under the combined gaze of her family and her friends. “Okay, okay… about three hours a night in the past couple of days.”

“Well then. Yori did something I should have done myself.” Kim’s father muttered. He glanced over at where the young Ninja sat quietly, a deep red blush on her face. “Thank you. You probably saved my daughter from hurting herself.”

“It was a shameful choice.” Yori whispered. “I have such respect for you, Kim San. But what Kara has done was destroying you… has been for days. I could not let that continue. Please understand.”

She glanced across at Ron, who gently touched her arm in support. Kim, noticing that both were looking at her with apprehension sighed. “Look, I know that I can be a little, arrogant.”

“A little?” The Tweebs muttered, earning a glare from their sister.

“Yes, a little. Look, Yori, Ron… thank you.” Kim smiled weakly. “I know I can overdo it, though I’ve never been one to admit anything like that. Thank you both, for stopping me.”

Hey Kim, No big.” Ron breathed a sigh of relief and then gently touched her arm. “Look, we’ll find your mother, I promise. We’ll find them both!”

Kim closed her eyes, forced away the tears that threatened to spill while her father and brothers watched. “I know… Ron, I know. With you both helping me, how can we fail? So not the drama!”

She blinked as a bowl of something warm was slid in front of her and glanced down. A warm porridge lay in front of her and Yori sat back down quietly. Glancing up at the Ninja, she smiled. “Thanks.”

“You are welcome. Now, eat… for we all have much to do.” Yori whispered. She has forgiven me, thank the universe.

“Kimmiecub, I… your mother would want us to continue doing what we normally do. I’ll be at the lab, and I’ll send the twins to school.” Doctor Possible watched as his daughter nodded her mouth full of food. “I know you’ll call me if you find… anything at all?”

“Sure, dad.” Kim swallowed, trying not to burn her tongue. “Look, I’ll find her. I swear!”

“I know you will, Kimmie. I know.” Her father smiled, weakly. “Now, eat your breakfast, Ron and Yori are right, about you needing your strength. Okay?”

Nodding, Kim continued to eat her breakfast, while the others around her finished theirs. Yeah… we have a lot to do. Shego, Mom… I’m coming to get you.

---

Drakken’s lair- Shego’s Quarters- 9:30AM.

Doctor Possible’s blue eyes slid open gently, gritty with sleep and her pupils slightly dilated from the drugs she had been given. Blinking, she shook her head slightly and then gasped in pain. Her arms had been clamped into manacles of some sort and as she tried to flex her thighs, she blinked. Her legs too. Glancing around, Doctor Possible realised she was manacled to a round circle of steel that sat in the middle of a large room.

“What's going on?” She whispered.

“Ah, doctor… good morning.” A cool female voice echoed around the room and Doctor Possible craned her neck to see the person who had spoken to her. “Would you care for some breakfast before we get started?”

Kim’s mother blinked as she saw the young woman who had spoken. There, sitting in a soft black lacquered chair, sat a young oriental woman with pale blue eyes and dark hair. Dressed in a form fitting silver kimono, a black dragon, almost snarling in challenge, curling around the silver silk. As she stared, Kim’s mother glanced down towards the oriental woman’s feet and her eyes widened in horror.

“What the, Shego!” She managed. There on all fours and staring at the ground, lay the familiar dark haired, green and black cat suited figure of Shego. On her back, lay the soft-shoes of the young woman. “What are you doing to her?”

“Nothing… She’s doing what I told her to do.” Smiling, the oriental woman slid her feet off Shego’s back and stood. Picking up a glass of orange juice, she walked towards Doctor Possible. “I would be more concerned about yourself, doctor, than my little mind controlled assassin there.”

“You… you did this to her then.” Kim’s mother stared at the young woman. “Who are you?”

“Oh, I forget we have not met yet. I do apologise, I keep forgetting that you were unconscious when I carried your feet to the hoverpod.” For just a second, Doctor Possible saw a crazed smile twitch at the edges of the young woman’s face, before it smoothed to the same calm mask. “My name, Doctor, is Kara Fang, leader of the Blood Jade assigned to the United States, and the person who wants to obtain your daughter.”

“You… want my daughter?” Doctor Possible’s face paled. “Why?”

“Because, Doctor, she is perfect… the one person who has managed to keep my little assassin down there, in second place.” Kara waved at Shego’s kneeling form with a casual wave. “Together, under my instruction, they will be the perfect team to do my bidding. Do you really think anyone could stop both Shego and Kim Possible when they will work together?”

“No…” Kim’s mother whispered, straining against the manacles binding her to the ring. “No, you can’t! Not Kimmie, please.”

“Oh but I can, Doctor.” Kara sipped her orange juice and smiled. “I am, how would you say, ah… I am quite ruthless when it comes to obtaining that which I desire. As Shego found out, and I am sure as you discovered when you were tending to the wounds she obtained while escaping.”

“You? The dehydration, beatings… to muscle level, the slices with a razor, and neural shock. That… that was you?” Doctor Possible shook her head as Kara nodded, her eyes gleaming with the memory of Shego’s screams. “You are a very disturbed woman. Very disturbed. Have you considered mental treatme-”

The blow of Kara’s hand against the older woman’s face echoed around the room. Doctor Possible’s face snapped sideways, blood spattering the side of the far wall as her lips took the full brunt of the force. Disorientated, she could only gasp as Kara gripped her hair and shook her.

“You are a guest, Doctor… for now. Keep a mindful tone when you speak to me next time. I am a Mistress in the worlds most powerful criminal organisation, you will respect me!”

“Is that why you hurt Shego that way?” Doctor Possible managed, trying to ignore the blood spilling down her lip and spattering her white lab coat. “She had no ‘respect’ for you as a criminal?”

“I will not warn you again, Doctor.” Kara whispered, watching as she flinched. “To answer your question, however, no that is not why Shego was tortured by me. If you really wish to know, Shego and I have a past. A past that has lead me to want her as mine… and as I told you, I am ruthless when it comes to getting what I want.”

“What could Shego have ever done to you, that would warrant such abuse? Then and now?” Doctor Possible glared at Kara. “Well?”

Kara shrugged, a cruel grin flicking onto her face for a second. “Well, I suppose if you really want to know, I can tell you. It will delay the inevitable for you I suppose.”

“What? What do you mean?” Doctor Possible swallowed, wincing as her lip split once more. “I know you intend to use me as bait for my daughter. I can assure you, Kimmie will not fall for any trick you try to set up.”

“Oh, your wonderful perfection as bait is only part of why I wanted you. You see, I also want you to help us with a little problem Doctor Drakken is having with the technology that will control your daughter.”

“Wh… what?”

“Yes, Doctor, you heard correctly. You will assist us in perfecting your daughter’s prison. Just like Shego’s.” Kara smiled at the look of horror on Doctor Possible’s face as her eyes flicked to the kneeling woman.Oh, this is too good to resist. “Besides, If I really wished, I already have sufficient leverage to assure myself that Kim Possible will come when I choose. I have her lover you see.”

Already reeling at the thought of being forced to help destroy her daughter’s freedom, Doctor Possible blinked. “L… lover? Kimmie doesn’t have a lover. She had Ronald, but they broke up.”

“Oh no, Doctor, how sad. You do not know?” Kara sighed and waved a hand. “A shame… maybe I shall illuminate you to the person who has fallen for your daughters charms. Would you like that?”

“Wha… you’re lying. You’re trying to unsettle me for some reason.” Kim’s mother managed.

“No… no. Doctor.” Kara’s smile became venomous. “I am trying to destroy someone’s hopes of not only having Kim as a lover, but of also being accepted by you. No matter how much they think they have no interest in doing so.” With a sly laugh, Kara turned to Shego’s kneeling form. “Shego, get up and come over here!”

“Yes, Mistress Fang.” Shego slid to her feet and as she walked up to the two women, Doctor Possible gasped.

Shego’s face had been beaten once more. The bruises and blood from a split lip like her own, visible on the pale green skin. The remains of a fading black eye, as her healing power rapidly reduced the swelling, also visible. Shaking her head, Doctor Possible turned to Kara.

“Why do you keep doing that to her? What could she possibly have done to you? You sick-”

“Patience, Doctor!” Kara snapped the words, her anger boiling to the surface for just a second. “You have no idea what Shego did to me. Not a single clue.” her face twitched and then smoothed. “Besides, we were not talking about me… we were taking about your daughter and her lover.”

“I told you, Kimmie doesn’t have a-”

“Lover… yes I know. I disagree slightly. I think Kim San has someone in love with her and I also think that person has found that Kim San is slowly returning the same feelings.” Kara glanced over at Shego’s quiet form. “Shego, come here, come close.”

“Yes Mistress Fang.”

Inside, Shego stared at the confused and worried face of Kim’s mother. Her heart fell and she shook her head. “No, no… not this way. I never wanted them to find out this way… if ever. Oh god, Doc, what the hell have I gotten you involved in? Kara you bitch, I swear I’ll kill you for this. You’re trying to destroy anything I value!”

Kara sighed and sipped her orange juice as the doctor stared at Shego’s face. Stared at the calm, emotionless, and empty face.

“What did you do to her?” Doctor Possible whispered. “I know you have her under mind control, I know you do… but how? The medical scans showed nothing… nothing at all.”

“Yes, I know. That is what was supposed to happen. Doctor Drakken is a genius. Though I do not understand it all, it has something to do with nano-technology and neural nets. All it took was a simple injection of some silver fluid and the nanites in that liquid did the rest.” Kara rapped Shego’s head. “They are in there now, clinging to all the neurones in her brain and spinal chord that control her body functions. Clever, isn’t it? No chips… no need. They all work together to control her brain.”

“Oh god… that’s why the scans missed it. There was no chip! Nothing visible or implanted! But… but the MRI scan should have detected the metal in the nanites flooding her system!”

“That you will have to ask Doctor Drakken about. I am sure, once you have been chipped yourself, that he will be happy to answer any questions you have while you assist him.” Kara smiled, her blue eyes gleaming as Doctor Possible’s face paled to a deathly white. “Now… where were we? Ah yes… Kim San.”

“Leave my daughter alone!” Doctor Possible managed, staring in fear as the oriental woman sipped her juice once more. “I won’t listen to this!”

“Oh but you will.” Kara smiled and slapped the metal of the ring holding Doctor Possible. “See? No escape. Now then, Shego, tell Doctor Possible who’s in love with her daughter.”

“No, I won’t! I won’t tell her! Not this way… not this way. Please! Damn you Fang. Damn you!”

“I am, Mistress Fang.” Shego’s emotionless gaze fixed onto Doctor Possible’s shocked face. “I am in love with Kim Possible.”

“No… I…” Doctor Possible stared at the pale green skinned woman. Her mind rebelled at the thought of a criminal such as Shego being intimate with her daughter. “You can’t be in love with my daughter… you can’t! That would mean that you’d have to be… well, gay?”

“Answer the Doctor, Shego.”

“I prefer women, Doctor Possible. I do have a slight interest in men, but Kim Possible has been far more interesting to me than anyone else. That interest has changed to a need for physical and mental contact. I am in love with Kim Possible, Doctor Possible. I have been for some time now.”

“You… That’s why you came to her, wasn’t it?” Mrs Possible whispered, her mind reeling. “Kim was the one person you could trust to listen to you.” She paused. “Have… does… does Kimmie feel the same way? Is… is my daughter gay?”

Shego remained silent, until Kara sighed. “The problem with Servus is that they require constant orders… it can be a little annoying. Shego, you may answer Doctor possible until I say otherwise.”

“Yes Mistress Fang. I do not know, Doctor Possible.” Shego stared at her, eyes blank. “She has never clearly admitted to having the same feelings or being physically attracted to me.”

“Thank god…” Doctor Possible whispered, a tiny ball unrolling in her stomach. My daughter has a criminal in love with her… a female criminal. How… why did this happen? “Have you… told her how you feel? Well?”

“Yes I have Doctor Possible.” Shego’s voice replied.

“Doc, stop torturing yourself with this…”Shego's voice whispered, the raw pain at hearing Kim’s mother sigh with relief, unheard.

“Oh…” Doctor Possible stared at the young thief and felt a twitch of anger.

Shego is interested in my daughter and all I can say is ‘oh’? What am I going to do? What should I do? Be supportive? To Shego? To the both of them? No! No… Kimmie isn’t a… a… lesbian, she can’t be!

Suddenly, the conversations between her daughter and herself repeated themselves, but now her mind stared at them from a different direction and she felt her stomach shrivel.

“With Dad… How did you know? I mean, how did you know you were in love with him… or fancied him to the point that it could go way further than just… well.”

The words that were missing.

“I feel alive around the person I’m thinking of. They make me feel alive. Sometimes exhilarated, a little scared too, especially when I have to chase and… A few times, I’ve wanted to understand them. To maybe… Oh, I don’t know, help them.”

The words that were left unspoken and now were so obvious.

“I need to go and see Shego!”

The confusion, the need… the quiet desire.

I… Oh Jonathan, oh no. Doctor Possible felt her world shake, the foundations lurch. Where are you when I need you? Our daughter… our daughter could be… Why didn’t I know? She was trying to discover the truth herself! All those questions, all the pauses… the lack of sleep in her eyes, the worry and the guilt. Why didn’t I work it out? Why!

Anger, hot anger at her own ignorance bloomed, and found a target.

“So, you’ve been trying to seduce my daughter… you!” The words snapped out, lashed at the green woman who stared blankly at her.

“No, Doctor I-” Shego began, only for Doctor Possible to cut her off.

“My only daughter, a hero! And you, someone who has done nothing but wreak havoc on our family and her life! Now wants to be her… her… girlfriend?” The words echoed around the room and Kim’s mother blinked at the sound of resentment in her voice.

Why am I angry? Oh, why am I angry? It’s Kim’s decision! She’s old enough, old enough to make her own mind up. I made that choice a long time ago, not to interfere, to support any choice she made. But… but how could I have missed this? Kim can’t be interested in other women… can she? No… no! Shego’s trying to corrupt her! She has to be!

“How can you possibly love her?” The words came out in a whisper. Confused and conflicted. “How can you? Do you know her? Do you?”

Kara smiled, unheeded. She had watched quietly as a few words brought more pain and confusion to the two people in front of her than any physical torture she could devise. Oh yes, very good question Doctor.

“We have been nemesis for years, Doctor. I have fought her and she has fought me with everything we have.” Inside, Shego closed her eyes. It was the truth, pared down to basics. Emotionless and uncaring. “There is nothing except love that can bring two people to understand one another the way I understand your daughter.”

Bitter, pained, laughter echoed in Shego’s mind as the green thief watched Doctor Possible struggle to cope. Unable to move, to soothe, even to deny, Shego sighed.

“Or to put it another way, Doc, I’m falling for your daughter and I want to be with her. How amazingly mad and also unlikely to work is that? Hell, I don’t even know if Kimmie is even able to love me that way! She’s never said, never admitted it to me… I don’t know if your daughter loves me. I’m sorry.

Shego sighed, reluctantly admitting the foolishness of it all. The sheer incompatibility of the woman she desired so badly.

“You want to hate me, don’t you, Doc? After all, I am a villain and a thief. I’ve tried to kill Kimmie for years, well… the first couple anyway. Not the kinda person you want dating your daughter. Plus, I’m a woman… also going to be a big, big, no. I wouldn’t blame you at all for hating me.”

As the thoughts echoed in Shego’s mind, Doctor Possible shook her head, a throbbing pain lodged in her brain. “I think… I think that once Kimmie comes and saves us, you, she, and I are having a talk. A big talk…”

This is… too much to take in… too much. My… my daughter might be… a lesbian! And Shego is… is… I can’t… I just can’t!

“Yes, Doctor.” Shego’s body responded quietly. “I am sorry you had to find out this way.”

Inside, Shego blinked. Because what her puppet of a body had whispered, was how she felt. Which surprised her. Mothers had always been confusing and alien to her. But now she wanted to soothe Doctor Possible and apologise.

“Oh for fucks sake, I’m going soft on her parents now! What’s next? Stoppable? I’m gay, Doc! Kimmie may be too. Live with it!” But, even to her, the words sounded hollow.

“That’s enough for now I think.” Kara stepped between the two women and slapped Shego on the side of the head. “Shego, go and get my equipment.”

“Yes, Mistress Fang.” The green woman wandered away while Kara stared at the trembling Doctor.

“You know, that was amazing. I really will have to think about psychological torture more often. It’s wonderful to watch.”

Doctor Possible stared at Kara and a look of hatred slid across her eyes. “This has nothing to do with you! Don’t talk about it!”

“Oh, I disagree.” Kara sighed and waved a hand, missing the glare that Doctor Possible gave her. “You know, I’m not surprised that Shego fell in love with your daughter, Doctor. Oh no. If her looks are similar to yours, then I know why. Which is more than you do…”

“You-” Kim’s mother began only to break off as Kara whirled, her eyes bright.

“You see, Doctor, you remind me of someone I have been hoping to catch up with for years…” Kara’s eyes became dark with malevolence as she stared into the past. “I want revenge on her, for choosing Shego as her favourite, for tolerating me during training while she flirted with her, for telling me that I would never be as good as Shego in thievery, and then casting me aside for her!” Her voice heated, hot enough to scald. “What did she know? Stupid French slut! Blinded by the lure of Shego’s flesh! Her offers of sexual pleasure! Blinded and seduced! Weren’t you, Fox!”

Doctor Possible blinked as Kara snarled the last words into the air, as though the person she hated stood before her. with difficulty, she pushed aside the fears and worries about her daughter’s sexuality and focused on the ranting woman who had kidnapped her.

This woman is insane, by both medical and any other standard. Shego and myself are in dire peril with her around. I may have issues with Shego, but I’m a doctor… I have to try and keep as much control as I can over this Fang woman… she’s insane! Think Possible, think!

As her eyes focused once more in the present, Kara’s cruel smile returned and she glanced up at the manacled, redheaded, Doctor. “I do apologise, Doctor. While I will enjoy watching you scream for mercy, it has nothing to do with how much you look like… her.”

Scream for mercy? Kim’s mother repeated, the words breaking her train of thought. Oh god.

“Wh… what are you going to do to me?” Kim’s mother managed, swallowing at the sight of Kara closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “I won’t tell you anything… not about Kimmie, if that’s what you want.”

“Oh, partially, Doctor, yes. Nobody has ever managed to really get inside your daughter’s mind. She is quite a private individual.” Kara glanced over as Shego marched back into the room with her lacquered torture box. “I do confess, however, that I not only have a talent for this, but I rather enjoy it. Testing the limits of people is… fun.”

“Wha… no!” Doctor Possible managed, her eyes widening as Kara opened the box and sharp metal gleamed in the sunlight. “Don’t… please don’t!”

“I’m rather afraid I must…” The oriental woman held up a razor sharp scalpel and examined it in the light. “So much pain can be caused with these simple instruments, Doctor. You would be amazed how much can be wrenched from tissue with a simple scalpel such as this.”

Kara turned back to Doctor Possible and waved the scalpel in the air. “While you fight to heal the human body, to unlock the secrets to help it mend, I develop skills from the other side. I want to know how to cause it so much pain, people will tell me anything I want to know to stop it. Anything! Bank accounts, locations of hidden DEA agents and moles… a daughter’s innermost thoughts.”

Grinning as the older woman shrank back, Kara turned away and placed the gleaming blade back into the box. “Unfortunately, Doctor Drakken requires you in one piece. So, I shall have to fall back on my skills with pressure point manipulation.”

Doctor Possible swallowed, her mind dwelling on how sharp the scalpel had been, and how it had reflected the demented blue from Kara’s eyes for a second. To her mind, pressure point manipulation sounded almost as bad.

Try to keep control.

“Sounds fascinating. I always found time to visit the acupuncture specialists in the hospital.” Doctor Possible paled as Kara cracked her knuckles and rummaged in the box. “So, where did you learn to use it for… for…”

“Torture?” Kara finished for her, enjoying herself. “Oh, a little bit here and there. The Jade has a remarkable amount of talent working for them. You know, I was once able to actually experience the great Master Jyah Jung at work… He made me scream for mercy for over three hours and he used one needle. Amazing. I knew then, I had to learn how he did it.”

“Oh…”Three hours, Oh no… Is she going to… Don’t think about it! “Do you still stay in contact?”

“Mnn?” Kara slipped the sash with her acupuncture needles around her waist and smoothly slid on her favoured ultra thin leather gloves. The leather dyed a deep red. “Oh, no. Once I learned all I could, I demonstrated to my own master in the Jade how skilled I was. I did it by making Jyah Jung’s eyes bleed… with two needles in his foot. I felt the pain I had gone through, deserved him experiencing my skills in return. A shame though. The demonstration made him have a cerebral haemorrhage and he died on the slab I had him manacled to. Still, I got to become head torturer with his passing.”

Doctor Possible fell silent, her head turning away. She felt sick at the thought of what Kara had done. The ball of ice that had been growing in her stomach turned to lead and she shut her eyes. I’m going to be tortured… possibly to death.

The sudden sensation of Kara stroking her hair made Doctor Possible flinch and she opened her eyes to see the oriental woman grinning. “Don’t worry… I think I know what happened. So, I doubt that will happen to you.”

“Why are you doing this to me?” Doctor Possible pleaded, not caring. “To Shego. Why?”

“Because I want to rule the Jade Doctor!” Kara hissed the words, her full lips thinning. “I can’t do that with all the other Masters in my way. But just imagine, as I said earlier,if I have your daughter and that worthless bitch over there, doing as I say! Imagine how easy they could kill for me!”

No… not my daughter!

“One by one they would fall to my little assassins. One by one I would control their sections of the Jade and finally… finally it would become mine!” Kara sighed. “But to do that, I need to obtain Kim Possible. So, as I said, you are perfect for bait, Doctor… and, as you have found out and reacted to perfectly, Shego is as well. I have the two of the small pool of friends and loved ones that Kim cares for. Plus, you have other work to perform.”

“I’ll never help you create a stable version of that neural net! Never!” Doctor Possible whispered, feeling herself shrink at Kara’s amused smile. “Not to control my daughter as you have Shego.”

“I think you will and hence the need to hurt you.” Kara grinned. “Not only will my torture loosen that tongue of yours, but the chip I know Drakken has waiting will force you to help us!”

“You are a sick woman!” Doctor Possible whispered terror in her voice.

“Yes, you said.” Kara glared. “Though I long for you to feel some of my skill… I feel a little demonstration, of how much worse I could make it if you keep insulting me, is in order. I shall show you why it is a bad idea to irritate me… especially to make me hate you. Now… who shall I use?” Kara laughed as Doctor Possible’s eyes flicked to the only other person in the room and paled. “Yes, Doctor. Shego, put the box on the floor and kneel in front of me, facing away from my body!”

“Yes Mistress Fang.” Shego whispered, placing the box on the floor.

“Oh shit…” Shego whispered inside.

“What are you going to do to her?” Doctor Possible managed, suddenly frightened for Shego’s wellbeing. “Leave her alone!”

“Doctor, Doctor… Compassion for the woman trying to… what is the American word? Ah… ‘screw’ your daughter? Tut.” As Shego walked quietly across to Kara and kneeled in front of her, back facing the oriental woman, Kara smiled. “Look up at the Doctor, Shego.”

“Kara, no. Leave her alone… Don't make her watch! She’s done nothing to deserve this. To you or me!”

“Yes, Mistress Fang.” Shego’s dull emerald eyes gazed up at Doctor Possible and Kim’s mother flinched.

“I don’t care how she feels about my daughter! She's Kimmie's friend! Leave her alone!” Doctor Possible shook her head and inside her body, Shego felt sick. “I won’t watch, I won’t!”

“You will, Doctor… because when Shego here screams… you’ll look. Despite how you feel about her right now… confused, conflicted and upset about your daughter, you are a Doctor first and foremost. So, when she screams, you will look!”

“Why? Why are you doing this to me?” Doctor Possible tugged on the manacles. “Stop this insanity! Why do you have to hurt Shego? Why are you going to make me watch and then do the same?”

“I enjoy it.” Kara shrugged and leaned close to Shego. “As for you, I know you can feel pain… I know that although your little mind control system will make you sit here docilely you’ll scream. I’m looking forward to it, Shego. This is a taster, you honourless bitch, about what life with me will be like. For every shame, for the scar I carry, for you taking away what should have my right! I will make you pay and listen to you worship me afterwards.”

“Fuck you!” Shego screamed angrily in her mind, knowing full well that Kara could and would carry out her vision. “I swear to you, Kara… if I ever get free, I’m going to hand Kim’s mom your eyes… and then I’ll melt the rest of you into a fleshy puddle… slowly! While you’re still breathing!”

Closing her eyes and focusing her skilful fingers, Kara reached out and gently began to touch Shego’s skin. As she found the first nerve cluster, a needle was swiftly removed from the sash and jabbed into her victims spine. Shego flinched, a quiet groan slipping from her lips, before her body stilled.

“Good, the first needle is in place for a variety of tortures. Now what to do to you? Oh, I know… ‘The drowning woman.’. That’s a good example of what I can do.” Kara glanced up at Kim’s mother, her eyes tightly shut and her body shaking. She grinned. “Yes, most painful… a terrible sensation for you, Shego.”

“Stop it, Kara… She’s not going to do anything to stop you!” Shego stared at the shaking form of Kim’s mother. “Doc, I can handle this bitch… keep your eyes shut! For Kimmie’s sake, don’t let Kara worm her way into your mind! Don… Arghh!”

Another needle slid into Shego’s neck and the agonising feel of it burrowing into her spine made the thief lose all ability to speak. Her world shrank to a tiny globe of agony as Kara pressed certain areas of her back and neck. The spurts of burning pain that poured into her with each touch of the gloved fingers were only separated by the slivers of ice that tore into Shego with each jab of a needle.

Despite her knowledge of what was coming, Shego’s mind shuddered, unable to cope and she felt a scream rip itself from her throat. The neural net allowed such pain sensations, considering them vital for the correct operation of her body. To Shego, she was trapped. Helpless as the agony poured into her.

As her scream echoed around the room, Kara smiled with delight and Doctor Possible’s eyes snapped open. The sight of Shego, jerking and twisting despite the restraint of the mind control system implanted in her body, made the ice around the Doctor’s heart melt. Unable to help her, Doctor Possible licked her lips.

“Shego, hold on! You hear me? You beat this sick psychopath once! You can do it again and-”

Kara rose smoothly and, for the second time that morning, her hand shot out and smashed across Doctor Possible’s face. As her lips sprayed blood once more, Kara shook her head at Kim's mother.

“Shhh, Doctor. You’re going to miss the big finale. Now… as you can see from the jerking of Shego’s body, I have managed to slightly block the nerve impulses that travel along her spine. Now, what do you think would happen if someone were to cut off her ability to send those impulses to her lungs?”

Doctor Possible raised her head, blood dribbling down her chin and a bruise forming on her cheek where Kara had struck her. She winced as her lips opened, blood and saliva trickling down her chin. “She’ll choke to death… you… you can’t.”

“Wrong!” Kara laughed, almost skipping the two steps required to slip behind Shego. “Watch this, you’ll love it.” She leaned close to Shego and her right hand kneaded a spot between Shego’s shaking shoulder blades. “Time to drown… bitch.”

Her fingers shot out, the glint of a needle flashing into the cold blue eyes, and it sank intro Shego’s pale green skin. Instantly, the thief’s eyes widened, even the Servus control system blinking in cyber shock as its host found herself unable to inhale.

“I… I… I can’t br… breathe! Oh f… fuck… Kimmie! Doc! Help me!”

Doctor Possible stared in horror, as the young thief’s lungs remained unmoving. Shego had started to turn slightly yellow. The blue tinge of asphyxiation blending with her green skin as Shego’s body fought for oxygen. Suddenly, Shego fell over, her green eyes wide and her body began to spasm.

Shego was in hell. Her lungs burned for oxygen but she couldn’t inhale, she couldn’t breathe! Her entire body writhed and her vision began to grey at the edges.

Suddenly, unable to take it anymore, Doctor Possible screamed at Kara. “Stop it! You’re killing her! Stop it!” Desperate, Kim’s mother struggled in her manacles. “You want someone to hurt, hurt me! But leave her alone!”

Kara grinned, her body carefully angled away from Doctor Possible’s eyes. Finally, I thought you would actually let Shego fall unconscious. Ah well, maybe you do care about my little green assassin after all. Still, I have what I wanted. Permission to hurt you, Doctor.

“Oh, very well.” Kara gripped the needle she had inserted into Shego’s body and yanked. As the sliver of metal slid from Shego’s skin, the green woman choked and her lungs exploded into life with a shuddering heave of air.

Shego blinked desperately as the colours that had started to bleed from her vision flooded back and the grey that had begun to creep in from the edges slid away. As the sweet cool air rushed in and out of her lungs, Shego groaned, noticing the unholy gleam in Kara’s eyes.

“Damn it… Doc, what have you done?”

“There, Shego is feeling much better.” Kara pulled the needles from Shego’s green skin one after the other, sliding them into the sash around her waist. “Did you enjoy my demonstration?”

Doctor Possible remained silent and Kara sighed. Turning, she walked up to the manacled redhead and leaned in close. “Now… what was it you said to me? Ah… ‘Hurt you’.” Doctor Possible shivered as Kara stroked her neck. “I thought you’d never ask, Doctor.”

“You… when my daughter finds me, I hope for your sake she’s in a good mood!”

Doctor Possible swallowed as the Mistress of the Jade nodded. The threat that Kim’s mother had used leaving her unaffected as she continued to stroke her red hair. Suddenly the dark haired oriental woman grabbed a handful and twisted it. Kim’s mother let out a cry as her scalp burned, breaking off into a sob as Kara gripped her bleeding chin with her other gloved hand and tightened her grasp until it ached.

As the two women stared at each other, Kara snarled. “When Kim Possible comes to save you, Doctor. It will be all too late. She will be mine and maybe I will show you how powerful Servus is by having your own daughter torture you!”

The hand that gripped Doctor Possible’s hair yanked tightly and Kim’s mother cried out as her head snapped back, exposing her neck. As the first needle slid into her skin, Doctor Possible shivered at the sensation.

“Now, listen to me, Doctor.” Kara hissed the words quietly into her ear. “You’re going to tell me everything I want to know… about Team Possible, about Kim Possible and her sidekick. Everything! If you don’t tell me, Doctor… I will do this.”

Shego, lying on the floor where Kara had left her, stared ahead. She could just see Doctor Possible out of the corner of her eye and inside her immobile body, Shego cursed as Kara slid another needle into the older woman’s neck.

Doctor Possible whimpered as the ice of the second shard of metal slid into her, chilling her at first, and then as it hit the nerve cluster Kara had been searching for, making her cry out as her skin and muscles began to burn.

“Do you feel that, doctor?” Kara whispered the words now, tenderly as she slid yet another needle into the woman’s neck. “Every time you say no… I will add a needle or use my rather impressive skills to show you another way to cause pain. Shego lasted quite a while, but The Fox did not train you, nor do you have her rather impressive constitution. So I doubt you will last for very long.”

“N… no. I won’t tell you anyth…” Doctor Possible stiffened as Kara twisted one of the needles in her skin and the burning fire ignited along her skin. Her sobbing gasp made Kara smile.

“Pardon, Doctor?”

Doctor Possible ignored her as she began to laugh. Ignored her with every ounce of will. Got to… fight her… fight it.

“Now, Doctor… tell me about Kim. Everything about your daughter!”

“No! I won’t betray my daughter to you!”

“Wrong answer, Doctor.” Kara slid another needle from her sash and the cold gleam of her eyes reflected in the metal. Flinching, Doctor Possible closed her eyes. “Wrong answer…”

Shego shivered as she heard Doctor Possible scream, long and loud. But she couldn’t do anything. Her body remained in the grip of Kara’s mind control. Unable to help, Shego forced herself to watch as Kara whispered and gently cajoled Kim’s mother, even as she twisted the needles already in her skin, inserted new ones and applied pressure to certain points. She endured the screams and whimpers that Kara pulled from Kim’s mother and felt a burning hatred for Kara rip through her.

Doctor Possible had saved her life and now she lay here, unable to do anything to return the favour. The knowledge of what Kara, someone from her past, was doing to Kim’s mother burned in her gut.

“I promise you, Kara. When I get free… you die! For what you’ve done to me, to Kimmie’s mom and to The Fox all those years ago.”

However, even as she promised that to Kara, the words echoing unsaid inside her mind, the screams of Doctor Possible echoed into the room. They continued to do so for hours, the older woman screaming for help that never came.

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Writers Notes: Unsettling, no? anyway… I promise that the next chapter things heat up even more. yes folks, combat is coming and Kara Fang is ready to rock. Coming as soon as possible. I hope you all enjoyed (as much as you could considering Ms Fang) the chapter.

Thanks for all the reviews as well. Raven, Rina, Claymourne, Kitty and everyone else who posted. THANK YOU! Oh, and for those who read the two rude and badly written reviews before I could nuke them into non existance, I apologise.Yori blinked, hoping that the warm sensation on her cheeks was nothing. “You have never told Kim your worries?” “Ron, you and I will need to talk soon, preferably when we are alone and you are sitting down. There are things that you must know for the future!”