Mind, body, and Soul

Ron.

“Well buddy, here they come.” Ron, standing in front of his house the next morning, watched the stealth transport chopper beat the air with silent blades as it shot towards them. “Global Justice is here and Doctor Possible said he was on his way too. Things are finally moving buddy, Kim’s getting some serious backup in a few hours.”

“Uh huh!” Rufus chittered with excitement on his shoulder, watching the black helicopter. The Molerat sighed with relief and then yanked his master’s ear. As Ron turned, the Rufus glanced around. “Yori?”

“She’s around buddy. I think she said she was going to see the leader of the group in the USA. I’m glad they’re here. We’ll need our own Ninja’s to take the bunt of Kara’s attacks. The marines can handle Drakken’s henchmen and syntho-drones, but I have no idea if they’ll be any good against Ninjas. Plus, Yori and me won’t be around to rescue them if it turns ugly. After all, we have our own appointments to keep with someone.

Stretching, Ron sighed and gently ran a hand across his Khaki pants and black top, smoothing the fabric with his gloves. He felt so refreshed it was almost as if he had actually managed to get some sleep that night. In truth, the way he felt had been down to the tender ministrations of the softly spoken Ninja who was off talking to the figure he had managed to catch one glimpse of in the soft morning light.

Her skill with meditation is just unreal!Ron stretched again, yawning slightly and shaking his head in amazement as muscles that had been exhausted scant hours before now stretched and flexed with smooth power.

For three hours, Ron had sat quietly with Yori in the den of his home. She had unrolled a soft blue rug across the floor and beckoned him to sit with her. He had indulged her, thinking of everything that still had to be done. The calls he still had to make after Doctor Director and the… well, the others. He still had to check his own set of gadgets as well. Wade had given him a set of the same things Kim carried, adjusted for a man of course. The problem was that he had never felt happy using them. Now that was a different matter. But that had cut little ice with Yori.

The Ninja had smoothly placed a few strange smelling incense sticks from a tiny box next to her on the rug and had slid them into a brass burner. Soon the stick had been lit and the smoke had wafted gently around the room as Yori had shifted into her meditation position, legs crossed, arms folded on her lap. She breathed deeply and had only slid one eye open, after a few seconds of annoyed complaining from Ron, to look at him with her calm liquid eyes.

Ron had felt his resistance and annoyance crumble in that gaze. So, with a few vague sighs of irritation, he had pulled his legs and arms into the same position that Yori was using and closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

The warm scent of Jasmine and cinnamon had filled the air, although Ron could swear that under the familiar scents lay another. The third scent was strange, like nothing he had ever encountered before, being both bitter, sweet, spicy and floral at the same time. In fact, he could almost swear that the scent changed every time he had tried to pin it down.“Breathe and concentrate, Ron. Do not worry about such trivial things. Just inhale the scents and relax as I am.” Yori’s voice had been so soothing and understanding and so he had. The smoke had relaxed him, his body had slipped smoothly into meditation and three hours of his life had slipped by in peaceful semi-slumber. It had only been Yori, gently tapping him on the shoulder, who had pulled him from the mediative state he had been in.

Now, standing there watching the approaching helicopter, he felt refreshed, confident and determined. As he had done a few hours ago, making a call that would get his ass kicked for certain by a certain green skinned villainess.

Speaking of which… where are they? I told our little surprise group to be here ages ago!

Ron blinked as he felt tiny hands pat him reassuringly and he smiled. “Ruf, I’m fine. Really, I am. I’m not worried about fighting anyone in Kara’s lair. Nothing’s going to stop me saving all three of them. Nothing.”

Rufus watched Ron carefully, impressed by his master’s resolve. The previous night, Ron had been tired and lethargic. Rufus and Yori had both been worried by his stubborn resolve to keep looking for Drakken’s lair. Mara’s arrival with not only the location of, but also blueprints to the lair had perked Ron up immeasurably. The decisions and actions afterwards were quick and decisive.

Ron had called Doctor Director immediately, bulled his way past the GJ operator who told him that the Doctor was sleeping, and had calmly informed the sleepy and confused voice on the other end of the phone that they finally had Kara’s location. If the news had galvanised Ron, Rufus thought, it was pure adrenaline to Doctor Director.

Within minutes of Ron’s call, the leader of the GJ was dressed and giving orders to her captains and commanders, calculating the number of Marines she had access to and also the logistics of getting them all to the primary base of operations. Namely, Ron’s house. Eventually, after both She and Ron had gone through almost every option open to them, Ron had hung up, pleased with the way the discussion had gone.

The second call, with thanks to Wade taking time out from helping Doctor Possible find a cure for Kim and Shego, had not gone so well. Ron had been surprised that second team, people he had been certain would help him regardless, had had been reluctant.

Well, make that one reluctant member, who had to be browbeaten by the other three into helping. Sometimes I wonder what it’d be like to have a brother or sister. Then I see Kim’s response to her brothers, Shego’s anger when her brothers asked her for help- though they were far more dysfunctional compared to Kim’s family- and I can’t help but think it may be better to not have a brother or sister.

Anyway, the second team were also on their way and Ron kept scanning the sky for the multicoloured jet that he had travelled in with them before. It was while he was scanning the sky for the jet, that Yori walked up to him and gently rubbed his shoulder.

“Ron?” The Ninja watched as he turned and smiled vaguely. “Where were you?”

“Thinking, that’s all. I’ve been running the basics of our plan through my head, the usual stuff.” Ron shrugged. “I’ve never lead Team Possible on my own… hell, there’s only ever really been the two of us actually doing missions. Whenever Kim is knocked out or disabled, which is rare but it can happen, there’s only me.”

A quiet huff of breath, followed by a squeak of furry annoyance, made Ron laugh slightly. “Okay Ruf, okay. Two of us when Kim is out of it.”

“You are not alone this time, neither of you.” Yori murmured, rubbing Ron’s shoulder harder with one hand, and petting Rufus gently with her other. “I came over to tell you that Jasmine is ready and waiting for a command… she will not come to the briefing, as she considers herself a fighter, not a planner. I will pass on our decision. You can trust her to carry any order to the letter.” Yori sighed. “She has her own personal stake in this mission succeeding, just like you.”

And like me. I will not let anything happen to you, Ron…Yori thought, the blond teen relaxing slightly as she rubbed the tense muscles. We will rescue Kim, her mother and Shego. Kara will pay for the damage she did to Yamanouchi and your friend. She will pay, for there must be balance.

Both watched the military helicopter fly the final few yards before descending to land on Ron’s drive. The whirring blades had barely begun to spin down, when unseen hands slammed the side door back and a familiar one eyed, purple suited woman leapt lightly down and nodded at Ron. Behind her, three familiar faces stepped out from behind her, their identical jump suits now bearing the GJ symbol.

“Hey Doc!” “Ron nodded as Betty Director strode towards him. “Thanks for getting here so quickly as well. Oh and it’s good to see Team Impossible as well. Hi guys!”

“Ron Stoppable.” The three men all said simultaneously, nodding.

“So,” Doctor Director briskly announced her hands on her hips as she glanced around. “Is the GJ the only group you have willing to help?”

“No. The ninja’s that I contacted are here and ready to assist in any way they can. Once we have a plan, Yori will pass the instructions on to them and they will be ready and waiting for us to do our part.”

“I see… so where are they?”

“Doing what Ninja’s always do, Doctor Director.” Yori smiled, proudly. “Remaining hidden until needed. I will say that right now you are most likely being watched by their leader and her second in command.”

Blinking and her head snapping around quickly to take in the empty surroundings, Doctor Director forced herself to relax and a wry smile flickered around her lips.

“Mr Stoppable, I sometimes wonder why I put up with Team Possible’s unique… quirks.” The brunette sighed. “And then I remember what Kim has done for us, for the world… everyone and it doesn’t really matter that you have the strangest allies. Very well, let us formulate a pan as quickly as we can. I doubt Kara Fang and the Blood Jade will politely not mind control Kim while we plan and scratch our heads.”

“Yeah.” Ron glanced upward one final time, only to blink at the sight of Doctor Director’s raised eyebrow when he sighed in annoyance. “Oh, I had another team coming, but they’re not here yet. They’ll be the initial push, but I already have their section figured out with Yori’s help. So all I need to do is brief them. Still, I wish they were here.”

“Doctor?” Dash Deman, an imposing man who used to be the primary scout for Team Impossible, stood to attention as Doctor Director glanced across and raised an eyebrow. “With your permission, we’ll notify the marines to check their equipment, load them up and prepare for immediate departure.”

“Affirmative. Would you also let GJ headquarters know that I want a DRPR spy sat parked over that mountain? And I want it done like it was yesterday!” catching Ron and Yori’s questioning looks, Doctor Director shrugged. “I have one there since you told me last night, but it only has thermal and cam abilities. The second one I need has radar that can penetrate solid rock and outline pretty much everything inside, right down to a fork on a table. I want to be prepared for anything when we go in.”

“Wow… GJ always have the best toys. Well, the GJ and Wade.” Ron glanced around and then waved a hand. “Mom and dad have gone into town, but they’re happy for us to use the lounge to plan our attack.”

“And they are all right with you coming along?” Doctor Director raised an eyebrow. “Ron, this is not like your previous missions with Kim. There may be… I mean, you could be forced to kill someone.” She watched as Ron twitched and Yori closed her eyes on a sigh. “I see Ms Yori knows what that means, and so do you. Have you ever killed anyone… ever?”

“You know our reports as well as I do.” Ron muttered. “Kim won’t kill, and nor will I.”

“Then understand me when I say this is a situation where a person with a gun could point it at you and pull the trigger… what will you do?”

Ron glanced at Yori who inclined her head and the blond teen drew the shining blade still tucked in his trouser belt. “They can’t pull a trigger without fingers. I said I won’t kill, Doc. Beating someone unconscious or making damn sure they can’t use a weapon is another matter. Hell, I know Kim’s broken legs, arms… snapped fingers before. I never asked if she did it deliberately or by accident. After all, they were alive. Same goes for me.”

“And me.” Yori bowed. “But do not concern yourself Director San. I think you may be surprised how… hard it will be for Ron and myself to be shot at. Hai?”

“Very well, just so long as you know what you are getting into, and so do your parents. Have you told the-“

“I’m an adult, Doctor Director, I can make my own decisions. “Ron stared at her, his head tilted with annoyance and the one eyed woman grimaced. “But for your information, yes they know. Yes they want me to go and the reason is exactly the same as my own. They know Kim, her mother and, like me, want them both back safe and sound! They know I’m one of the few people who can do that, because I’ve been trained with Kim.” Ron closed his eyes and squeezed Yori’s hand at his own sudden realisation. “My parents know, and they’re letting me do this anyway. Because they trust me, that doing this is what I want.”

“Well then,” Doctor Director smiled and pulled a PDA from her belt. “We had better get started as I have about fifty or so marines waiting for an order.”

Nodding and glancing at Yori, the Ninja smiling and inclining her head at Ron’s wink, Ron lead the way into his home. Finally, things were beginning to move and Kara Fang was about to get a serious wake up call.

---

Kim- a few hours before.

Gasping for breath, Kim felt her lungs roar with protest as her body refused to believe it was having a heart attack. Her veins were on fire with what felt like lava pouring through her body, as she struggled to draw in air. Her vision had already begun to swim a while ago, and in defence she had clamped her eyes shut, only to find she couldn’t open them again and the darkness scared her as she fought to stay alive.

The pain in her chest worsened and she whimpered. A single strand of drool trickled down her chin, much to her shame. The dull thud of her heart beating so slowly that Kim could almost feel her blood lurch sluggishly in her veins and arteries. She blinked as she heard it let out one final stuttering beat and then, to her horror, there was a dreadful silence. The thud of the muscle tissue compressing, the gentle rushing sound of her blood as it shot through her system, And the faint ripple of her own pulse on her skin. All of these things she had taken for granted, and now all of it had just… stopped.

Her ears picked up the same damn gloating voice, the laughter, the amused tone… and then the sounds trickled away, her mind unable to process even that.

Kim couldn’t breathe and hadn’t been able to for some time. All she could feel was the horrific constriction of her chest, the screaming of her body, her brain… everything. Her body was begging for oxygen, for air! She was in so much pain, agony even, and nothing she did, or even could attempt to do, would stop it. Her life was in the hands of Kara Fang and Kim knew, with a terrible clarity, that her torturer didn’t care if she lived or died.

I… I can’t do this anymore. Kim thought, feeling her dying body shake and convulse one final time. She knew that the same darkness she had felt each time was coming. The terrible darkness where for a few moments everything was so silent, so cold, and so lonely… where nothing existed. Perhaps this would be the time when she would finally die.

And maybe… that won’t be such a bad thing. Kim’s mind whispered, part of her so shocked that she was even considering such an idea. But she was so, so tired of what was being done to her. So very, very tired.

She knew that the device Kara had attached to her breast was what had allowed the evil woman to bring her back the past eight times. Each time, the agony had been far, far worse and she knew her body really couldn’t take much more.

That left her two choices… The first was to give in to the dark that pulled at her. To just give in and die. Of course, this was actually impossible, as Kara wouldn’t let her succumb. It was Kara who controlled the ability for her to live or die. As well as this, the idea was also frightening. She was so young, she had so much she wanted to do, and she wanted to be with the person she loved for years to come.

That left the second option. The only option left, now that her body couldn’t take any more. Submit to Kara. To tell her she would inject Servus into her own damn body! Submit to her rules for the rest of her life! If only she would stop the terrible, agonising, unending pain! She would agree toanything… if Kara would only just stop the pain!

“Bull!”A deep velvety voice, feminine but strong, independent, and sarcastic echoed out of the darkness. It broke Kim’s desperate consideration of giving in, and made her jump. She scanned the gloom as the voice echoed into the air once more. So silky, full of life, and familiar, it made Kim’s heart ache with terrible need.

“You’re stronger than this and Kim Possible does not give up! For all the times you’ve pissed me off, I’ve always admired your spirit and determination! And now, after so much fighting, goading, and pain… I finally worked out that I love you, Kimmie! Don’t make me love a loser!”

Kim blinked as a tiny speck of white light flickered in the darkness, and with it came the soft scent of orange and spice. She knew that smell. The same spicy perfume that gently slid around her whenever they fought. It was so fitting, so dangerously enticing. She knew, right there and then. Oh, she knew.

“That Perfume…”

“Yeah, I’ve always like this perfume too. Which is why I always steal it whenever I can.”Kim felt a shiver run through her, the dark so very cold now compared to the warmth of the voice. Unable to help herself, Kim wished she could be held by whoever was speaking. Just for a little while.“Well then, just walk forwards, Kimmie. Stop being such a dumb ass!”

The cold of the dark was freezing now, she could feel it on her skin. Trembling, more with apprehension than the cold, Kim ignored the vague burning in her lungs and stepped towards the light.

With a flash, she found herself standing in her room, her own room at home! But, as she glanced around at the familiar furniture, the objects… something was very wrong. The details were fuzzy, somehow and it worried her. As she stared harder, she realised where the feeling of uneasiness came from. The walls were faint, too faint to be real. The wallpaper was the right colour, but it lacked texture, as if nothing were there, same for the doors and windows as she turned to gaze at them. In fact, Kim could almost swear she could see stars flickering through the wallpaper itself, as if it were thin tissue paper.

As she turned, her eyes caught the vague notions of her belongings, but like the room itself, the details were fuzzy. Her telescope a blurred lump of copper and wood, nothing defined or usable. Her computer, the same grey as it usually was, but it sat there, an unformed blob. The books on her shelf had the same spines as they always did. She could see that. But the words printed on them had bled and run together, illegible.

Indeed, the only real and defined thing she could see in the whole room sat on the lump that suggested it was her bed. A figure, cradling something in its arms so gently that Kim couldn’t see what it was.

“Like it?”The figure, clad in her trademark green and black cat suit glanced up from the tiny thing she held cradled in her hands, still shielding it from Kim’s view, and winked. “You know, I expected your mindscape to be… well, more impressive.”

“My… what?”

“Mindscape, Kimmie. The way your brain is turning whatever this is into something you can understand. So, you used your own room and house as a sort of interpretation of your mind.” Shego sighed and shook her head, grinning. “Figures I’d be linked with someone who couldn’t picture, oh I don’t know… a desert, or a beach maybe. You and me in Bikini’s and holding some ice cold drinks. Hell, even the moons surface would have been more interesting.”

“I’m dead… right?” Kim whispered, glancing around. “Kara screwed up and she killed me with that last heart stop. I died right? So, is this heaven? Or… or…”

With a gulp, Kim glanced around once more. She had always wondered about hell, if such a thing existed. What if this actually was hell? Had her love for Shego dammed her, like the so many raging priests had screamed warnings about on late night television? Kim had always paid no attention, scowled at the intolerance of some people, but the thought remained and it frightened her.

“Oh, come on!” Shego glared at her, almost as if she had heard every word going through Kim’s head. “With your karma? You honestly think you have a date down there? If anyone does it’s me. But I’ll put your mind at rest Pumpkin, you’re not dead. Or at least I think not. I mean, would you trust a figment of our imagination telling you that? Or am I an echo of someone you love very much? Are we really here? Am I talking bullshit now?”

“Shego… what the hell is going on?” Kim asked, confusion and uncertainty slipping onto her face as she watched the green woman snicker at her own words

“Well, for a start lets just say that this could, and I mean could, be a dreamscape.”Shego watched as Kim’s face remained blank and sighed. “Or to put it another way, you and I are linked and because the lovely and charming bitch Kara Fang has sent you into a sort of… space between death and life, here we are. Soul mates, Pumpkin… Always have been,”Again, Shego glanced down and smiled softly at the tiny thing in her hand and Kim blinked as her hands twitched, as though the tiny thing had moved. “Always will be. We’re exact opposites Kimmie. Bound to one another through time, space… life and death.”

“Okay, that sounds like bull!” Kim muttered, earning a laugh from Shego as the thief stared at her with amused emerald eyes. “But then I’m standing here, talking to a woman who may either love me or hate me, something I still can’t decide on either. And while I amtalking to you, a horrible oriental woman has stopped my heart and let me slip into a coma. I’m willing to consider all options, though I still say that sounds like mystical or hallucinogenic rubbish.”

“Oh, I agree. However, out of them all, I prefer this one out of the four remaining options.”

“Which are?”

“One, you’re actually going through the final stages of brain death, and this is one last jumbled, screw up of weird crap before you actually die from lack of oxygen.” Shego watched as Kim’s face paled. “Which I think we both don’t want. The second possibility is that you are hallucinating, big time, until Kara starts off the little pump in your chest once again. The third is that you have stumbled across one of the big secrets of the universe. Everyone really does have a soul and what happens to it is anyone’s guess. The forth is that all the times you and I have been blasted by various types of ray and energy has done something odd to us, which means we can talk this way.”Shego shrugged. “But for now, as neither of us are dead in here, we can have a little chat about how you are going to fight, and live, to save everyone you care for.”

“Why you, Shego? Why all this… if I’m not dead? I mean I-“

“Four options, Kimmie, take them as you will.” Shego interrupted, shifting slightly, uncomfortable. “I’ve never been comfortable with this crap either, even after I survived a meteor impact and became bonded to a energy source that has even Drakken baffled. Regardless, you’re dying and while I’m trapped in my own damn body, here I am. To keep you company and to also tell you something very important. Take it as Shego in the real world reaching out to you somehow… a message. No, more a need… something so deep inside her that she doesn’t know how far it runs.”

“Yeah, right… she can just do that to me.” Kim waved a hand. “Suddenly Shego’s pyschic.”

“Kimmie, Shego, me, will have no memory of this conversation. None. This is between you and me, and no I have no idea how I know that. Just listen to me Pumpkin. Or you can take it as part of your brain trying to warn you somehow and using me as a way of doing that. Who knows? The only thing I want to know is if you’ll listen to me?”

“Okay, fine… what do you want?”

“I want to stop you giving in to Miss ‘I like needles’ out there. I want to try and help you find the courage to fight her again and again. Because unlike the Shego you know out there, in here I can be frank.”Shego sighed and stared down at the tiny thing in her hands before continuing. Kim wanted to see what it was, but Shego turned slightly as she moved forwards and obscured her view again. “Before I worked out my real feelings for you, it was about superiority. Who would be the best fighter? Who would win. Now I love you, terribly. And despite all my tries to stop myself needing you, it has only gotten worse with each fight… each taunt. Until I couldn’t take it anymore and, well, that kiss we had a few weeks ago. I’m weak, Pumpkin. How often did you think I’d say that? I need you to be mine, Kimmie. Because I really do love you.”

Kim swallowed. “So do I…” The smile that lit up Shego’s face made her flush. “I’ve been trying for the past week to build up the courage to tell you that it’s changed, our relationship has changed, and that… that I… I-“ She flushed.

“Shh.”Shego shrugged and let out a sigh.“Kinda guessed that, when I felt someone brush her lips against mine while I lay bleeding on her mom’s blankets.”Shrugging, Shego sighed.“Not that my ‘conscious’ self has any idea of what happened. She’s still waiting for you to tell her if you love her… which it seems you do. Look’s like the old proverb is true, damn it! The hero, or heroine in this case, always gets the girl in the end.”

Kim stifled a snigger. “I’d hardly call you a heroine, Shego.”

Shego smiled her, oh so familiar, smile. The one that still sent the same thrill into Kim. A thrill she had once misinterpreted as the anticipation of a fight, and then ran a gloved hand through the redhead’s hair.

“Who said I was talking about me?” Shego purred, the words making Kim flush. “Sadly, as much as I’d love to hold you, kiss you and make sweaty love to you, I can’t. At least, not until my conscious self can damn well finally work out that you feel the same way. Or that you tell her how you feel. No, Kimmie, I have to talk to you about that little idea you had that caused all this.”

“Shego, I…” Kim turned away and began to pace around the fading landscape of her room. “I’ve felt nothing like this. Never! This Kara, she’s well…”

“Deranged? Psychotic? Oh! How about a nutball?”Shego watched her pace.

“No, I was going to say that she reminds me of an animal… rabid and dangerous. Something that bites anyone who comes close, even those nice to it. Know what I mean?” At Shego’s nod, Kim swallowed. “Sometimes, when facing one of these animals? The only way to survive it is to act submissively. Maybe I can do the same with Kara and-“

“No!” Shego’s voice was stern and Kim blinked. “Kimmie, listen to me. Whatever the hell happens, you must not give in to Kara… and I’m going to show you why. That’s why your mind… or our minds… hell, whatever the hell this is, pulled us together. I dunno if I’m your mind, trying to warn you and using me as a way of making you listen. Or if this is genuinely some sort of out of body crap, where part of me can talk to you, but you will listen. If not for me, then do it for… this.”

Kim blinked as Shego stood and gently tilted her arms towards her. “Do it for her…”

In Shego’s arms lay the most beautiful female baby Kim had ever seen. Only a few months old, the baby lay sleeping softly in the green woman’s arms. Even as she stared with delight, Kim noticed that the colour of the child’s skin was a faint green and the fuzz, which would one day grow into a full head of hair, was a very familiar red. It was hers, as were the soft green eyes that stared up at her. Unable to resist, Kim reached out a hand and gently touched the wiggling bundle, pausing as the baby let out a sigh of happiness at her touch. Kim stared up at Shego and her eyes were moist.

“Shego… this can’t be! I mean, is this?”

“Our daughter?” Shego smiled and tucked the baby’s blanket tighter, so proud. “ It could very well be… if you listen to me. Kimmie, please listen to me… please. We could have such a good life together, despite the problems, the missions… all of it! But right now, you have to know what will happen if you give in!”

Kim glanced around as the room slowly faded from view. The sudden steel of Shego’s tone, mingled with desperation, made Kim nervous. With one last long look at the baby in Shego’s arms, Kim nodded. “Okay… shoot.”

“If you give in, Kara will either have you injected or will ask you to inject yourself with that damn shit she’s shoved into me. Now, you’re thinking that you can fight it off, because you’re like me Kimmie, you think you can beat any damn thing with enough willpower.”Shego watched Kim’s determined expression fade as she stared at the redhead and shook her head. “Servus is like nothing you or I have come across. If we both couldn’t break the neural chips last time, this is worse. Drakken reallyhas outdone himself.”

Kim blinked as, suddenly, she was standing with Shego in her own home. It was dark, the moonlight shining in through the windows of the entrance hall the only illumination, as she glanced around. As her eyes slid across Shego, she gasped. “Whaa… what…”

Shego looked up at her and Kim realised that the child in her arms had vanished. The long dark hair, one of three things that she had always loved most about Shego, was now far thinner and lacked the lustre that it had a few seconds ago. The pale green skin was even paler, practically white, if that was possible. Shego’s face was gaunt, the bones of her cheeks making her look emaciated and a single scar traced itself over her right eye and stopped a few inches from the edge of her chin. From the white thinness of it the scar was an old memory. Kim swallowed, realising that Shego’s clothing had changed as well. Where her usual green and black cat suit had been, now the woman in front of her was clothed in a black uni-suit, the only colour on it a blood-red print of the number two on her back. Catching her expression, Shego shrugged.

“Welcome to me, as Assassin Number Two in Kara’s personal little army.” The voice had lost its usual silky deepness and instead was harsher. “Oh, and for your information? Kara now controls pretty much ninety- percent of the world crime as Supreme Leader of the Jade. Lovely woman, even worse in this possible future than she is now. Shia died a long time ago by the way… of ‘natural’ causes. With her gone, Kara’s got no brake on her more charming side.”

“What happened to you?” Kim asked, staring in horror as Shego conscientiously tugged at her thinning hair.

“Kara mainly. A little malnutrition here, too much work and too little sleep there… and sometimes Assassin Number One when Kara’s bored and wants to hurt me more than usual. Well, more than physically. In fact, here comes her favoured little drone now.”

Kim turned to where Shego was pointing, the dark doorway that lead to her families kitchen and the figure that stood in the gloom. In the glow from the moonlight, the kitchen knife that the figure held gleamed viciously, while the red hair that cascaded down the figure’s shoulder looked like solidified blood. Kim felt her stomach tighten and she knew exactly who stood there.

“That’s my partner in all our sordid little adventures. For five years now we’ve been a team, killing anyone who gets in Kara’s way. She’s grown up while I watched. Become a hell of a lot stronger, and the stuff in her mind has evolved too. It’s developed a ruthlessness that I can’t stomach sometimes. Not that I can turn away when she kills. Once, she sprayed so much blood around my vision went red with it. Not pleasant, I can tell you.”

Kim backed away as the figure took a step forwards, the light gleaming off a face in it’s mid twenties. Unlike Shego, the face was unscarred or damaged. But it held a certain thinness that Kim found abhorrent. The green eyes that surveyed the hallway of her home were no longer soft and full of life. Instead they were dull, a puppet dancing to something else’s tune. She should know, as it was her face that stared into the gloom.

As the moonlight caught her eyes, Kim backed away from her older self. Though they were still the same green as they had always been, something had changed in them. Her expression was colder, and Kim could almost see a cruel smile tugging at the edge of her lips. Her older self suddenly held up the blade and as she gazed at it, the cold expression became one of ruthlessness and… evil. She could almost swear that the gaze was one of pleasure, she was staring with pleasure at the blade as a single finger ran along its length. Her older self was enjoying the act of killing!

Kim knew there and then that whatever stood there may have looked like her, sound like her, and act like her. But she knew as the gaze swept around, and remained dull despite the malevolence in her eyes, that it wasn’t her in there. Servus was in control, and who she was now, had been consumed by it long ago.

“What the hell was I thinking?” Kim whispered, shivering as for just a second, her older self winked cruelly at her and smiled in the moonlight, pure white teeth gleaming in the darkness.

“Sis?” The quiet tone made Kim gasp in horror as Jim, older and slightly taller, wandered down the steps, rubbing his eyes. He stared at the cold, black uni-suit covered figure and paused, licking his lips in sudden fear. “Sis? We thought you were dead… or… or… oh no.”

“Target two of one and three confirmed. Initiate protocol.” It was her voice! But so empty and cold it made Kim’s spine turn to ice. “Do not struggle and I promise to make it quick. Resist and suffer.”

“NO!” Her brother screamed the word at the same time as Kim did. As her brother pelted up the stairs and Kim’s darker alter ego watched him leave, she ran up to the older version and aimed a punch.

“Kimmie, this isn’t real… you can’t stop it.”Shego sighed, watching as Kim’s fist passed through her other self as if it were smoke. “This is what could happen…”

Kim felt the tears trickle down her face as the dark her began the slow march up the stairs, the screams and cries of anger and fear from her father and brothers echoing in the house. Collapsing to her knees as the terrible sounds echoed around her, Kim looked up as Shego’s hand slid onto her shoulder and squeezed.

“What happened to mom?”

You don’t want to know. Shia protected her for as long as she stayed alive. Made her a personal physician and kept her away from Kara. When Shia died… no, I won’t tell you. Trust me that youreallydon’t want to know.

“Why is all this happening?”

“Because you gave in to her in this world. Submit to her, Kimmie. And this is your fate… and mine. Your parents and family, everyone you ever cared about. Don’t do it… fight Kara.”

The screaming had stopped and Kim watched as her older self trotted nimbly down the stairs. To her horror, the black uni-suit that her older self sported was drenched, literally dripping with gore and blood. The blade that she held in her right hand was also red, up to and over the hilt. Kim staggered backwards, feeling sick.

Suddenly, an arm snaked around the gore coated woman and Kim watched, the sick sensation in her stomach lurching violently, as anther woman slid into the moonlight alongside her older self.

“Good work, Kimmie.”Kara Fang, older, more powerful and decked out in her usual blood-red cat suit, hugged Kim’s older self and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “See Shego? See what happens when I send Kimmie in? Everyone knows who called, and what happens to those that I deem to be traitors or enemies of the Jade. Kimmie always comes through for me, don’t you sweetheart!”

“Yes, Mistress Fang. I am a good girl.”

Kim swallowed violently, the vomit threatening to lurch up from her stomach. “You have got to be kidding!”

Even as she whispered the words, Kara leaned over and instead of a second kiss on the cheek, the oriental woman pulled her older self into a full on kiss. The knife fell from older Kim’s hand, and in automatic response her arms curled around the older oriental woman, pulling her tighter.

“Do you have any idea what it’s like to watch this?” Shego glared at the two figures as the kissed and hissed as Kara’s face tilted back with a moan of pleasure, the faint whisper of ‘Princess…’ slipping from her lips as Kim’s older self ravaged the front of her cat suit and kneaded her breasts. Shego clenched a fist, and for a second Kim could see plasma curl around her fingers. “She does this to make me suffer. Not because she loves you, or even finds you sexually attractive. No, Kara hates me enough to force me watch you make lov… No! You don’t make love to her! She makes you screw her! She makes you fuck her! She does all this while forcing me to fucking watch! Because she knows how much it hurts me, and there’s nothing I can fucking do about it!”

Kim stared in horror as Kara leaned back with a sigh and glanced knowingly, a cruel gleam in her eyes, as she glanced at Shego and then leaned forwards and licked the older Kim’s neck clean of the blood that had spattered her suit. Kim felt sick and slid one hand up to cover her mouth. “She’s just so good to me, Shego. Such a good girl! Who’s my little bitch, Pumpkin?”

“I am, Mistress Fang.” Her older self responded dully.

“Bitch…” Shego whispered, and Kim glanced over to see her eyes shimmer with what looked like tears. “And every time she lets us be together, when she puts her hands on you and… molests you, she taunts me by using all those names I use. See Kimmie? You have to fight her, stop this. Please! For me, for your family… for our baby! Please Kim… please! Don’t leave me in the hands of this woman.” Shego’s normally strong and sarcastic tone was desperate, and Kim closed her eyes.

“How?” She whispered, only to clutch her heart and gasp in pain as a thudding pain slammed through her. “Oh! Oh god!”

“Our time’s running out Kimmie.” Shego pulled Kim to her feet and stared deeply into her eyes. “You’re going to wake up and this… all of this will be forgotten. The only thing you can do is keep one idea, one goal in your head for when you wake up.”

Kim gasped, the hammering in her chest was so painful it was almost making her blackout. Her lungs had begun to burn and she opened her mouth soundlessly. “Ss…h…”

“Don’t talk.” Shego whispered, hugging her tightly as the darkness consumed them both. In an instant, the green arms had vanished and all that remained was a whisper. “Kimmie, I love you… help me!”

Kim shivered, choking on the air around her, as the burning in her lungs became so intense she let out a whimper. Suddenly, another voice replaced Shego’s faint whispering and the memory of what she had been through with the green woman began to fade. Kim desperately tried to hold onto what she had seen, focusing on the one thing she wanted to stop after watching herself walk upstairs to kill Jim, Tim, and her father.

“Okay, I’ve got her on a richer oxygen supply and her heart rates fine. No sign of damage thankfully, on the brain or the heart. Still, that was very close indeed Mistress Fang.”

Kim flinched at the name, but her memory was becoming increasingly fuzzy. She had to… had to remember to hold on. She’d end up killing… someone special if… if… she had to… to…“IS she coming out of it?”

“Yes, heart rate is steady, her brainwave pattern is fine… It look’s good. Another few minutes before you dragged her in here and she would have been brain damaged. As it is, she should be fine… though she will have a nasty headache.”

I need to… fight… fight. Yes. Kim’s mind whispered the words, confused as memories vanished around her.Shego…

“I understand, Doctor. Now, all I need to know from you Drakken San is will this stop us usingServus?”

“Well, no… I don’t think so. Your Doctor is quite proficient and if he says she will be fine tomorrow then I don’t see why not. The new control and adaptation systems that her mother has kindly given to me will minimise the strain of the integration. So, yes… I think we can use it. Though I think she should have a few hours sleep.”

“Very well. It is only three in the morning anyway. We will let her sleep and recover in her cell. I think we can begin to inject her with Servus at, say, eleven o clock?”

Resist… was all Kim could think as her head throbbed with agony.

“Certainly, Miss Fang. Everything is ready, especially myself. I can’t wait to see Kim Possible become our slave! The whole prospect excites me so much!”

“Yes Doctor… but we should both get some rest as we have a busy day tomorrow.” Kara’s voice took on a commanding tone, replacing the honey that had filled it when she had talked to Drakken. “Guards, drag Possible back to her cell and make sure she rests. I want her capable of taking Servus when I come for her.”

As she felt herself being picked up, Kim found herself giggling softly, for no reason she could work out, other than the knowledge that she was alive…. Alive and she had won this round, despite everything Kara had flung at her.

“Is she giggling? Why is she giggling!” Kara’s voice asked, suddenly becoming annoyed and almost angry. “What does she have to laugh about? I broke her… I broke her and she laughs as though something is amusing!”

“She may just be laughing due to various reasons, Mistress Fang. I doubt it is anything to do with you.”

“Yes… well I am tired of hearing her. Guards, take her away!”

“Yes Mistress Fang!”

Kim felt herself being picked up, the muscles and bones of her body complaining under the strain. Her head was swimming from exhaustion and lack of oxygen, and Kim managed one thought before she fell into true unconsciousness.

Resist… for Shego… for the child.

---

Kara’s Personal Office

In her personal office, now built into an extension next door to what had once been Shego’s quarters, Kara Fang, clothed in a sharp and tightly cut business suit, relaxed in her office chair, her feet propped on something under the desk.

As she sipped coffee and gently nibbled on the curious American style pastry balanced on a napkin, Kara stared at the predicted outlay and intake from her provinces with a faint smile. Cocaine and LSD intake were up nearly five percent, and her investment in some of the new ‘chemical styled’ narcotics that were coming out of Japan were doing very well indeed. Yes, she was very good at what she did, better than anyone she knew.

Pleased, Kara ripped a tiny piece off the pastry and gently rolled her chair back to toss it under the desk. Instantly, a green hand shot out and grabbed it, yanking it backwards. Kara smiled as she heard the faint sound of someone eating and she patted Shego’s green and black cloth covered back, before rolling the chair back and propping her feet up once more.

“Good girl.” Kara whispered, only to snigger with amusement as she pulled her own piece off the pastry and chewed slowly. “Having you as a pet instead of killing you is more fun than I thought it would be.”

Sighing with pleasure, Kara let her mind wander from the statistics displayed on the screen of her computer.

Only another few hours and then Kim Possible is mine! And with her and Shego, the Jade will be mine also! Mine to rule and do with as I please. Finally! After years of bowing and scraping to fools and others with a lack of vision, I can finally do as I wish… and I wish to have it all. There will be no more hiding in the shadows when I come to power. No skulking in the dark. No, the Jade will rise up from where we have hidden and wipe away the other pathetic criminal groups and become supreme! The world governments will tremble.

Sighing with contentment at the thought, Kara pressed a button on her desk and tapped a pen lightly as she waited. A quiet rap at the door made her look up and she cleared her throat. “Yes?”

The door hissed open and in the corridor stood her personal assistant. “You called Mistress?”

Kara nodded. “I need the ledgers for the past three months on immigrant smuggling please, Tashi. Oh and I understand Doctor Drakken wants to speak to me?”

Tashi, a thin man with an angular and cold face, inclined his head. “Yes, Mistress. He wanted to inform you that Kim Possible San’s Servus injection is ready and waiting. He also wished to give you the vial that you requested.”

“Ah, the Doctor is so prompt. I thought he was a fool to be tolerated at first, but he is growing on me. Please let him know he can see me as soon as he wishes, and let him in when he arrives would you Tashi?”

“Yes, Mistress.” The thin man bowed and Kara leaned back as he quietly closed the door. It is all coming together, finally!

Sighing and adjusting her feet on Shego, Kara turned her attention to prostitution figures and became so engrossed she didn’t notice the time pass quietly by. It was only when a second knock at the door made her glance up, blinking in surprise as she realised thirty minutes had gone by.

“Come in!” The door to her office slid open and Kara’s face fixed itself into an ingratiating smile as Doctor Drakken walked into the room, flushing visibly as he glanced around at the dark walls of red. The artwork on the wall, all powerful and sharp slashes of colour, slightly disturbed him and he fixed his attention on the woman who stood up and came around from behind her desk to bow deeply. “Drakken San, how may I assist you?”

“Well, ah… I was actually going to ask you if you had everything you need? The group you work for has been very generous. I’m finally working on projects I had to place in the pending files years ago due to lack of funds.”

Kara smiled and her hand waved gently at the black leather sofa in the corner of her office. “Please, sit.” She asked, moving across herself and sinking into the leather. “I am pleased that we are able to assist you, Doctor. And to answer your question, I have everything I need on a personal level, thank you. And you?”

“Oh, fine… fine. I’d like to gloat a little more over Shego sometime, and I do hope I can certainly gloat over Kim Possible as well… but other than that I have everything I need, and my lair has never had so many troops or resources!”

Kara watched Drakken smile and inwardly amused herself by wondering how long it would take her to have him screaming for mercy. Five seconds, she calculated. “Well, I am sure I can arrange it for Shego to be available for either of us Doctor. After all she is your ex- sidekick, it would be wrong for me to monopolise her all the time. I do apologise if that is how it seems, but she is so useful for keeping Kim San under control.”

“Oh, I completely understand.” Drakken nodded and his scarred face creased into a smile. “How is Possible by the way? I would have loved to have been there last night, watching her beg and suffer. Such a shame I was busy.”

“Yes, I apologise for not inviting you, but I was impatient to make her suffer for everything she did to you.” Kara lied smoothly, watching in amusement as Drakken preened. “Actually, I wish you had been there Doctor. I got a little carried away and that is why Kim San ended up in the medical bay. I am so glad there was no permanent damage to her body. A lucky escape for her… and myself! I doubt the Jade would appreciate any setbacks at this moment in time.”

“Well, you know about them more than I do.” Drakken shrugged and then he blinked as something came to him. “Oh, I almost forgot, I have the two ampoules you requested. One for each at the moment. I have to confess, why do you want them?”

“Because I’m a very cruel woman, Doctor. The thought of one day holding one of these,” Kara held up the tiny glass vial and stared into the purple liquid with silver flecks that was contained inside. “Right in front of Shego’s eyes… telling her what it could do if only she could reach out…” Kara shivered with delight. “I can only dream about how that would feel.”

Drakken shifted uncomfortably. “Yes, well… Do you have to do that? I mean okay, so she betrayed me. But even that seems a little… well, harsh?”

“Doctor, Shego is-“ Kara began, only to turn her head in irritation as the echo of Tashi’s desperate voice echoed through the steel of the door.

“You cannot go in there! Mistress Fang is in a meeting!”

“What the-“ Kara began, only to scowl at the next voice.

“Get out of my way, Tashi! I have things that I need to discuss with my sister and they cannot wait! Get out of my way!”

“No! Shia, stop! Don’t touch… I demand you take your hand of that control panel!”

Drakken shuffled on the sofa slightly, flushing a deeper purple at how angry Shia sounded. For all his conversations with her, this was the first time she had sounded so emotional.

“Get out of my way Tashi.” Shia’s voice was cold and a sudden thump of flesh on metal made both Kara and Drakken blink. “Move… now!”

With a quiet hiss the door to Kara’s office slid open and Shia walked into the room. Her eyes passed once over the objects and furniture that were inside and stopped as soon as they fixed on Kara’s annoyed face. Shia moved smoothly across to where her sister sat primly on the sofa and then stood, staring at her with cold eyes.

“Well?” Kara asked, her tone full of irritated anger. “I am having a discussion with Doctor Drakken, and you barge in here without permiss-“

“Doctor Drakken, leave!” Shia murmured, her eyes still fixed on Kara with the same cold gaze. She glanced over as the blue scientist sat self consciously, his hands gripped tightly together in his lap. “Doctor!”

“Oh, you meant me!” Drakken managed, hopping out of the sofa as if it were on fire. “Right, right… I’ll just, um. Well, I’ll just go and do something then, shall I?”

Neither woman looked at him as he got up and sidled to the doorway. Nor did either of them glance up as Tashi coughed once at the door, finally giving up after waiting for another minute. As the door hissed shut, Shia tilted her head slightly at her sister.

“Where is Shego? I know that she has been at your pleasure, as her room is empty.” Shia glanced around the room and fixed her eyes on the desk. “Shego, rise!”

“Yes, Mistress Shia.” Shego’s muffled voice echoed around the room as the green woman slid out form under the desk and stood upright.

“You dare to-“ Kara hissed and Shia held up a hand.

“What I have to say is personal, for both of us. Even Mind controlled, you would wish Shego to listen to what we have to say?”

“Shia… god. I wish you could hear me! I need to know how Kim is. Kara practically dragged her out of her room, and she wasn’t breathing!” Shego’s panicked voice echoed around her as she stared at the blond woman. “I have to know if she’s alive! I… have to… please!”

“No, I suppose not.” Kara muttered, looking away. “Whatever you have to say to me had better be very important, Shia.”

“It is.” Shia turned to Shego once more, a brief look of pity crossing her face. “Shego, I want you to go and see Doctor Fah Lo in the medical bay. Tell him I sent you and ask for a full report on Kim Possible’s status. I want you to then take that report to her mother.” At the intake of breath from her sister, Shia turned. “I think her mother has a built in responsibility for her health, she will be more reliable for telling us if there are any long term problems. Plus, it will take her mind off watching Kim San sleep in her cell.”

“She’s alive…” Shego whispered. “Thank god… well, I would if I believed in him. Damn Kimmie, you’ll always fight to stay alive, no matter the odds.”

“Shego?” Shia glanced back to where the green woman stood. “Well? Go!”

“Yes Mistress Shia.” Shego’s voice dully responded and her body walked smoothly from the room.

“Shia, I owe you one… even if you did stab me.” Shego whispered, feeling a part of her unfreeze with the knowledge that Kim was alive. “You’ve got to snap out of this devotion to Kara, it’s gonna get you killed!”

As the door slid shut one final time on her impassive body, both women, sisters, employer and employee stared at each other once again. After a few minutes, Shia turned away from Kara and walked quietly across to where a bottle of water lay on a side table, along with a bucket of ice and glasses. She quietly helped herself and then sipped the glass, watching her sisters growing fury. Eventually Kara’s temper snapped.

“What the hell do you think you are doing!”

“I would ask you the same thing!” Shia responded her voice so cold Kara blinked. With a whisper of leather, Shia’s katana slid from her back, and the blond Ninja placed it gently against the wall. “For it seems I know you even less than I thought I did…”

“What are you-“

“Tell me again, how you found me.” Shia turned away from her sister, who stated at her over the nonsensical question, and opened the ice bucket. She carefully took another cold cube and dropped it into her glass. “Tell me again, why you were there, Kara.”

Kara strode around the sofa and walked across to her desk. As she sat into the soft leather, she turned to regard her sister. Shia had remained where she was, sipping her ice cold water. With a shrug, Kara leaned back.

“I was on a mission for the Jade. Assassination actually. We had received information that someone working for the Tang had been stealing rather large sums of money and getting away with their ill-gotten gains. I was sent to resolve the situation when we had discovered who it was.” Kara watched as Shia sipped, not meeting her eyes. “While there, I came across a file on you. Petty theft, thievery… they were very unhappy with you, Shia. But then I noticed the name of your mother, the same name that had been on my birth certificate, and I decided to meet you. When I found out that they had caught you and locked you into that slavery pen. Well, I acted as quickly as I could. You know the rest and how it has benefited us both.”

“Yes…” Shia whispered, and Kara blinked at the anger in the quiet voice. “I know very well how it has benefited you!”

Kara blinked at her tone and her eyes narrowed into thoughtful slits. What had she done to annoy Shia this way? Though Shia was in no way irreplaceable, having a half sister as a bodyguard had true advantages. One of which was the fact that as semi-family, Shia was nigh impossible to bribe. No, she had to try to be conciliatory, and the only thing that Shia had asked for recently that she had ignored had been…

“Are you angry because I missed our tea appointment? Because if that is so then-“

The sound of the glass in Shia’s hand cracking made Kara pause, eyes wide. Her sister’s head snapped up and the look of ice was thawing, rapidly. “No!”

“Then what is wrong? What has made you act this wa-“

“I heard your conversation with the Grandmaster. Sister!” Shia snarled the last word and Kara leaned forwards in her chair, shock on her face. “All of it! So, tell me again, Kara! Tell me how you saved my life!”

“I-“

“For the last few years of my life, I have lived a lie!” Shia stared at the cracked glass in her hand and turned until her sister could see the rage in her eyes. Unable to restrain it, Shia flung the glass.Kara flinched, even though she was fighting the urge to do so, as it shattered against the wall, spattering her with water. “You created the lie! Moulded me to be a killer, a killer! And all so that you could rule the Jade, be unchallenged and use me as a tool to help achieve it, sister!”

“I took you under my wing! I saved your life!” Kara countered. “If you heard what I told the Grand Master about your uses to me, I can understand your anger. Listen, I had to make it sound as if I were reluctant to judge you. You know our plans and-“

“Tell me again, sister of mine.” Shia interrupted, her voice harsh. “Tell me how my mother died… tell me that, and this time I want the truth.” Shia turned and her entire body was smooth as silk, the muscles so tightly controlled that Kara could tell that Shia was so enraged she was forcing herself to maintain such a pose.

“I…” The earlier part of her conversation with the Grand master filtered into her brain, and this time she fought against the urge to place the desk between them. She knew that her sister was deadly, and so she should be as her bodyguard. This time however, the knowledge that Shia had discovered, from her own lips, who had killed her mother, who had set her up, made Kara apprehensive. “Someone killed her, for the Tang.”

Shia whirled and her right hand snatched up her Katana. With a hiss, the blade unsheathed and she slapped it down on Kara’s desk, the noise echoing around the room. “You lie!”

“No, that is the truth.” Kara sat cautiously. “How much did you hear then?”

“ALL!” Shia snapped, both of her hands slamming onto the wood. Her eyes blazed with anger. “How could you lie to me? ME?”

“As I recall, I have never lied to you … not in the strictest sense.” Kara sighed, a quiet sound that had Shia staring at her in disbelief. “I am sorry you listened to me in there. It must be very confusing for you.”

“Confusing?” Her sister took one step back, hands trembling. “I am not confused, Kara, I am angry! You killed her!”

“Our mother? Kara leaned back in her chair, steepling her hands. So, she finally knows. Perhaps for the best. “Yes.” “Yes, I did. And do you know why?”

“Why? You are trying to explain why you killed our mother?” The trembling hands slid up to tug gently at blond hair as Shia stared at Kara in absolute horror. “You are actually, standing here, trying to excuse-“

“She was never my mother!” Kara hissed violently, her own eyes turning to slits. “She birthed me, she was a womb that produced me! Nothing more! When I was two, she left me in the care of my father and he hated me! Hated me! He threw me into a orphanage a few months later, may he burn in hell! But she abandoned me! So, yes… I killed the woman who birthed me, threw me away and betrayed me! She deserved it!”

“That is not the woman I knew!” Shia countered, her own eyes burning. “She loved me! Cared for me! The woman you talk about was not my mother!”

“And yet, she was! So who lived in a dream world Shia? You or me?” Kara slid from the seat and carefully made her way around the desk. “The woman we both knew was a liar and a thief. A con artist who used me to draw money from the Jade! A person who then used you to perform con tricks for her! How do you know she loved you? How? Maybe if you just took a step back, you would realise that when I killed her, I did you a favour!”

Shia span away from Kara. “A… a favour? You killed my mother! Arranged for me to be placed in that slavery pen! You did it… you! You call all this a favour? We are sisters! You killed our mother! Someone I loved! Lied to me! How could you do this?”

Kara stared at her, for the first time she was at a total loss of how to handle the situation so that it could come out in her favour. She could call Quia to come and deal with Shia, with five or six of his best Ninja’s, but it would be such a terrible waste! Shia was, or had been, loyal and Kara was so loathe, as before, to lose her. She had to turn this to her own advantage.

“Shia… I did it for the best. You were under the wing of a thief and a liar and I had to get you out. I… apologise for the slavery pen, but it was going to happen anyway. After I killed her and I heard that you would be handed over to them, I did not want them charging me money for you and-“

The slap came from nowhere. Shia’s hand slammed across her cheek with a resounding crack and Kara tasted her own blood as her head slapped to one side. A second blow came after the first, smashing her face back the way it had come, and her ponytail waving after it. As she blinked and swallowed the iron taste, her eyes met Shia’s, who stood there panting and wide eyed. A single hand reached up to caress the bruised and damaged flesh, one finger swiping the single bead of blood that had trickled down her chin.

“I could have you killed for what you just did. Was it worth it?”

Shia curled her aching hand tightly and Kara could almost swear that she could see tears in her sister’s eyes. The blond woman nodded, teeth drawn back in a snarl. “The same could be said for me! I could kill you for what you have done to me! You left me to be sold into slavery, Kara!”

“No, I would never have allowed that to happen.” Kara explained. “You know me, Shia. I did not know if you were really my sister, so I had to act from a position of power and-“

“Power? Power? Kara, you sold me to the Tang! I would have been taken to some fat man or woman and made to do… anything! You are… I…” Shia swallowed, words were not enough. “You betrayed me, in every way! And that is an insufficient word for what you did, have been doing! You killed my mother! Betrayed me, took away my freedom, fooled me into thinking I owed you my life, hurt me in a way you can never understand, and now, when I want you to be my sister, I find you cold and so… so… reclusive!”

Shia’s hand slid to her blade and Kara’s body tensed as she picked it up. “I should kill you for what you have done! Kill you and revel in it as the Jade command! The only reason I do not is that you are my sister, someone I lov…. I loved! You are someone I swore, as a fool does, on her very soul to guard against all attack! And… and finally, I have morals!”

“I do not seek your sisterly love. Now that you know, I can end the times where I had to endure our bonding sessions. But I can offer you incentive to continue as you have been doing.” Kara told her, ignoring the intake of breath from Shia. “I want you to take what I offer and do your job.”

“You expect me to stay? Knowing what you have done to me? Kara, I left Yamanouchi because of you! I betrayed them, all of them! I was happy there! What could you possibly offer that equals how I felt with them, how much I loved my mother and she loved me? How can you equal how Jas-“ Shia broke off and turned on her heel. Everything she had been fighting to deny to herself the night before, everything she had stood up for, was a lie… a lie! “I am leaving!”

“Fifteen million a year, Shia!” Kara called asher sister walked towards the door without a backward glance. “Your own personal army. Everything you could ever want, I will give you if you stay by my side. If you wish to return to Yamanouchi, we can… as conquerors! We can make it our own school, Shia! And if we do, it would mean you could meet all those you left behind, including Yori, and convert them to serve us!” Kara watched as Shia paused, hand tightening around the hilt of her blade. She was winning!

“Return to Yamanouchi…” Shia whispered, the blade trembling. “I…”

“I also give my eternal thanks for staying when I needed you most, and the knowledge that you will be next in line to rule when I am gone. Do not leave over this, Shia. I am your sister, half sister, and we have been so powerful together! I did save your life, because the Tang would have come for you both eventually, I just removed the woman who lied to you and brought you here, where you could learn to be someone! ”

“You lied to me…” Shia pushed, her voice hoarse and unbalanced.

“Yes I did and I am sorry I had to.” Kara tapped her hand gently on her desk and decided to use one final fact about her that Shia thought she had managed to keep secret. “My offer includes Jasmine as well. I know how you felt about her.” Shia’s head snapped round, her eyes wide. “How you feel about her actually. I know the truth about why you didn’t come with the rest of the Jade clan when we stole her, why you did not cut her finger off, everything. I know that my own sister has fallen in love and I have been keeping it secret, Shia for you! Secret from the Jade as I felt it would make them distrust you.”

As well as being something I could use to my advantage, like now. I need you, Shia. Say yes…

“Jasmine…” Shia whispered the words, making Kara strain to hear them. “You hid that I was in love with Jasmine and now you offer her to me? How? She hates me! What you ordered me to do made her hate me! There is no way I can make her love me again!”

“There is, if you wish. I know she was special to you, I can accept and admire you for taking such a risk for someone you consider more important than a loyal friend. Besides, Jasmine would make a powerful ally, especially as Drakken can adapt Servus to do more than just control people. He claims that with a few tweaks, Servus could rewrite their memory and parts of their personality. Jasmine, and even that annoying Yori girl, could be your lover and friend again quite easily. They all could.”

“I…” Shia sagged.

Jasmine… a slave to my every whim and… no! But… my friends… Jasmine in love again, Yori had to lie before so I need this, but it is wrong! Sick… Evil! But if I throwyourofferaway, I will neverbe with jasmine… ever!Oh, what do I do?

“I… I shall have to think.”

“Of course, take all the time you need. But I hope that despite all this, you will be in the main chamber in one hour for Kim San’s Servus injection? I need my bodyguard to be there, a sign of strength and union.”

“As I said…” Shia whispered, the hand clutching her Jade honour blade so limply the point had hit the floor. “I will need… time to… to think.”

“That’s fine. Just…” Kara sighed and leaned back on her desk, staring at the back of her sister. “Do not take too long to decide, Shia. I need you to carry out this plan or we both die. The Jade will not give us mercy.”

Shia nodded slightly and walked out of the office dragging her sword behind her. Once outside, she leaned against the wall and swallowed, breathing as deeply as she could. Her stomach rolled at the matter of fact way that Kara had admitted to killing her mother, allowing her to fall into the clutches of the Tang, everything. Now she offered something so very tempting. Jasmine, hers… every sin wiped away and the two of them could be free to pursue their love. Was it wrong to want that? Need it? Servus would take away Jasmine’s freedom!

What do I do? I am already dammed, do I damn myself further? Do I accept what Kara offers? Wipe the slate clean between us and somehow deal with the knowledge that she was responsible for my mother’s death, betraying me? Yori says Jasmine forgives me for betraying her, but she must have lied! Nothing would make Jasmine forgive me. Nothing! So what do I do about Kara, her offer… my life?

Shia slumped down and her head slid into her hands. “Oh, on my honour. What do I do?”

In her office, Kara sat in her office chair staring out at the view in the windows that lay behind her desk. As she watched the blue waves crest on the edge of the mountain, her chair swivelled gently.

If anyone had been in the room, they would have seen a rare site. Kara’s face was troubled and as she swivelled her hands steepled together once more and she pursed her lips. After a few minutes, a single arm reached across to the communications device on her desk and a single button was pressed.

“Yes, Mistress Fang?”

“Have Quia come to my office, as soon as possible.” Kara sighed. “Tell him it is to do with that… problem I have been having. It seems I may have to decide on retirement sooner than I thought.”

“Yes, Mistress Fang. I will let him know right away.”

Kara let the button go and leaned back with an annoyed sigh.

Shia, why did you have to lose faith in me now? You should never have heard that conversation. Such a pity… sister.

---

Stoppable Household

“So, there we go.” Ron glanced around the room at Yori, Doctor Director and the recently arrived Doctor Possible and his sons. “What do you all think? Too subtle, direct, dangerous?”

Doctor Director hummed for a second and then shrugged. “The only drawbacks I can see are three main points. Firstly, you have no idea if Mara can do what you say she can. Secondly, we have no idea what you will find on the roof, there is no guarantee that they will not detect you. Finally, you want my team to be part of an assault on the main hanger, which I can understand. However, we have no idea what is inside, even with Mara’s comprehensive mapping. If it’s Ninja’s? My team will be cut to shreds. They’re good, but not that good against trained people like this. Add in the Henchmen, battledroids and syntho-drones that Drakken has, and you’re leaving us carrying one large ball. One we could drop easily.” The one eyed woman glanced across at Yori. “No offence to your team.”

“None taken, Doctor. I know that what Ron San has planned seems reckless in places, but without better information we cannot plan better than this. Also, my ‘team’ as you called them will stand by you if I so wish, which I do. They will stand by, and defend you from the Jade, while I hope you will assist in defending them against the people with guns?”

“Of course.” Doctor Director smiled slightly. “My other points stand though.”

Ron sighed. “I can’t promise that they won’t detect us on the roof. I can only promise that Yori and me will do everything we can to remain undetected and find Kim. Also, I can’t promise that Mara will be able to break past the hanger door but-“

“I can.” Doctor Possible answered quietly.

All heads turned at the quiet voice to see Kim’s father, a genius in his own right, staring at the plan to rescue his wife and daughter with exhausted eyes. The last any had heard, he was still working flat out to concoct the cure for Kim and Shego and possibly his wife. As doctor Director opened her mouth to comment, Kim’s father shrugged.

“We’re done at the lab and I got Mara to get me here as fast as she could. Anyway, as I said, we’re finished and I’ll brief Ronald with what he needs to know when he has briefed you all here. As for Mara getting into Drew’s lair? She has some rather impressive firepower at her disposal, although we designed it to be used only in an emergency. I’m sure she’ll explain it to you in greater depth sometime.”

“My worries about this plan stand. We still have little to go on. Far less than I would be happy with normally.” The leader of the GJ muttered, tapping her foot.

“Well,” Ron began, clearing his throat. “Then I suppose-“

“Ronald, it’s a great plan.” Doctor Possible interrupted, turning to Ron and smiling as genuinely as he could in the circumstances. “I may not be a military expert, Doctor Director was it?” The one eyed woman nodded gently. “But I do have experience with flight plans, mission directives and planning. You can never plan for everything, but you can plan for the worst outcomes. I believe Ron has done that, by looking and listening to his idea, and we really should put it into action. If you run into problems, then you’ll have to do what any good team does. Improvise.”

Doctor Director pursed her lips and the whole room held its breath as she studied the plan one last time. The holomap floated softly and she reached out one gloved hand and gently pushed a finger into the outline that Ron said was the main audience chamber. The chamber where Kim would most likely be turned into a puppet. Mentally raped by something she couldn’t fight, turned into a puppet like Shego. At the thought of that happening, even to woman like Shego who she had little love for, and then to Kim, Betty Director scowled.

Well, you know what they say.’ Nothing ventured…’ and besides, do I really want to live forever? Even if this fails in the worst way I can think of, I’ll die trying to rescue an innocent woman and her daughter the hero. There are far worse ways to go.

One nod made everyone sigh in relief and Doctor Director glanced around with resolve. Standing next to her, Dash Deman could only blink as his Director pulled the GJ100-EXP rifle he was carrying and began to check it over. “Very well. The GJ and myself accept this plan, Ron Stoppable. Dash, let’s tell the marines it’s time to go to work.”

“One moment…” Yori whispered suddenly, making all eyes turn to her. “I have just noticed that the most important part of Ron’s plan is missing. Where are Team Go?”

“No way! Team Go? You have to be kidding!” Dash looked up at the name and to his boss’s surprise, smiled like a child who had found candy. “Oh wow! I always wanted Team Impossible to help them out on a mission, and we finally get to work with them with the GJ!

“Yeah, We helped them out not too long ago and they owe Kim a favour.”

Ron decided to quietly keep the fact that they also had a certain sister, with a taste for thievery, involved in Kara’s plans quiet. Shego would undoubtedly be angry that he had called them and Ron had no desire to anger her further by letting the GJ, even though they probably knew already, that she had once been a hero.

“Well, much as I can applaud the superhero penchant for being late,” Doctor Director muttered. “Where are they?”

Ron did not have an answer for that and was about to say so when a trooper from outside burst into his lounge. All the people in the room stood and watched as the out of breath trooper waved a hand.

“Sir! You’re not going to believe it, but Team Go are here! Their jet just came into view.”

“Yes, apparently we have been expecting them for some time.” Doctor Director’s wry tone made the marine blink and he stared at her in shock. Ignoring him, the one eyed woman turned to Ron and tilted her head. “As they are so vital to your plan, I suppose we should go and greet them Mr Stoppable.”

“Yeah. They should have been here ages ago. What kept them?”

As the older woman and her entourage left to head outside, Ron remained, staring at the holographic display from his Roncom and the blue, red and yellow arrows and symbols that outlined various areas and lines of attack. As he stared, Yori quietly came up beside him and with only a sight hesitation, gently rubbed his shoulder.

“It is a good plan, a very good plan considering what we know and can speculate about. Kim San would be proud Ron, very proud of you indeed.”

“I want to believe that Yori, I really do. But I let her down when I let this madwoman take her.”

“Ron, it is not your fault that Kim was taken. How could any of us know?” Desperate to reassure, Yori swallowed and leaned in close. “You have done nothing but impress me since I arrived in America. I am proud of you and I… I need you to know that I love you Ron.”

Ron blinked and turned to her, eyes wide and a shocked smile flickering on his lips. “Did you just say that you-“

“Yes, because it is the truth, has been the truth for some time, and I will not remain quiet about this any longer. I have been feeling attraction to you ever since we first met. When we worked together to save Sensei and I met Kim, I knew that I would never be able to match her in your eyes.” Yori sighed and turned away. “So I left you to discover that which I already saw in Kim’s heart. I was saddened to hear that it did not work, very sorry indeed. I… I want you to know that I also did not start to draw close to you, when I came here to help, in an attempt to sway you before someone else-“

The sudden pressure of Ron’s lips against hers had Yori’s eyes widening, breathe shuddering in her lungs, and her entire body going lax. The Ninja instinctively curled her arms around the man holding her so tightly next to his body and let out a sigh as her curves fit neatly against him. For a tender moment, nothing mattered to Ron or Yori other than the person so gently kissing them. Finally, after what felt like years, the kiss broke.

“Wow.” Ron managed, staring into Yori’s dark eyes and grinning as the young Ninja flushed a deep scarlet.

“Ron, I am so sorry! You are worried about Kim and I draw you into kissing me with my words. Foolish, selfish and-“

“Yori, stop whipping yourself, okay? To be honest you have no idea how good that felt, no idea at all. That helped me… a lot.”

“It did?” The young woman flushed deeper. “Oh. Well, my beliefs make me wish to assist the monkey master in any way I can.”

Ron grinned, quietly pushing the various ways that he’d like Yori to help him to the back of his mind. Not only was it wrong to think about her that way, though he was having a hard time not doing so as her outfit hugged curves he wished they didn’t, but he had to stay focused. Reluctantly, Ron took a step back and sighed.

“Well, better go and meet our aces in the hole. What about you?”

Yori walked across to the sofa and quietly picked up the two red fans on the cushion. Even close to the door, Ron could see the gleaming razor edges. Yori had spent hours honing them to obtain it. With a snap, the two fans whirled through the air, collapsed into the grips at the edge and were slid into the holsters on either side of the Ninja woman’s waist.

“I will go and check on our Yamanouchi shadow team, as well as run over your plan with their leader.” Yori walked up to Ron once more and surprised him with a gentle brush of her lips on his. “Kara Fang and the Jade will regret taking Kim Possible and tarnishing my schools honour, I know this as I stand next to you.”

Nodding, Ron watched her leave. “Yeah, Fang has a lot to answer for.”

With a deep breath, Ron walked out of his house and glanced around. Spying the Jet that he had been waiting for sitting at the far edge of his lawn, half propped on the road and half off. He moved to walk towards it and the figures that stood close to the vehicle, the sound of arguing echoing from them.

“Ronald, wait!” Doctor Possible ran towards him, the twins in hot pursuit. Ron hadn’t even known that Doctor Possible had brought them along. “I need to talk to you before you leave, which seeing that everyone is loading guns and supplies onto those helicopters must be soon.”

Ron nodded and waited as Kim’s father walked towards him, his hand gripping a silver briefcase. Jim and Tim hovered next to their father as he finally reached the blond teen. With a sigh, Doctor Possible raised the case up on one arm and released the locks with a quiet snick. As the case lid opened, Ron stared inside. There, nestled in soft grey foam, lay another Kimmunicator. The only difference compared to Kim’s and the one that Ron carried was a tiny red button set above the usual four-point control.

“I won’t keep you Ron, just listen to me.” Doctor Possible pulled the Kimmunicator out of the case. As Ron examined the device, he handed the case to Jim and held out a hand. Understanding the unspoken request, Ron handed his Roncom over and took the new device. “This has a tiny frequency disrupter built into it, thanks to my two boys here. If we programmed it correctly, it should be able to disrupt the Servus system if Kim has been infected.”

“Should?” Ron muttered. “Doc, if it doesn’t then I’ll be facing Kim as a enemy. That scares me, and that Shego will stand with her frightens me even more.”

“The frequency for each Servus control system is different. The nanites we had to work with came from Shego and so the disrupter has her frequency built in as a start point. If Kim and Shego are both infected you’ll have to decide which to try and free. Either you use the frequency that has been preset for Shego, or you take a risk and let it try and find Kimmiecubs.”

“Just great. Could this get any worse?” Ron groaned and stared at the Kimmunicator.

“Um, yeah.” Jim piped up. “The generator only has enough juice to try and disrupt one person meaning you can chose one person to free. Once it’s locked on, the field has to self regulate or the generator spindle will burn out, as well as a huge field being dangerous as it could cause any explosive machines Drakken has to nuke.”

“And we also aren’t sure what’ll happen if you disrupt an infected person.” Tim whispered. “If we got it wrong, then Shego or Kim could end up dying as their brain fries or they could end up being vegetables if the nanites go haywire. Also if it’s turned off while they’re still infected? We have no idea what that’ll do either.”

Ron stared and Doctor Possible ran a hand through his hair at the young man’s horrified expression.

“Ronald, this has to be used as a last resort. Get the GJ to give you some powerful tranquillisers and an air-pistol as an alternative. Only use the disrupter if there’s no other choice, okay?”

Ron nodded and Kim’s father relaxed slightly. “Good. Now you’re still using Mara, yes?”

“Yeah, along with my other surprise.” Ron glanced across at the arguing figures and sighed. Where there had been three, now five stood arguing. “Why?”

“Have you unlocked her battle mode? Without it she’ll never manage to get into the hanger.” Doctor Possible asked and nodded when Ron stared blankly at him. “Ron, Mara is heavily armed thanks to Wade and the team that helped us put her together. To be honest, I think my wife and Kimmiecub would both be wary to know how well. To counter that we designed Mara’s more… powerful weaponry to be used only in a life or death situation and it has to be activated by people we trust. Right now, that’s Kim and you.”

“Guns?” Ron managed, staring at the sleek blue car with faint worry. “Does Kim know that Mara has-“

“Not yet.” Doctor Possible sighed. “Look, after seeing Sadie and her disintegration cannon, Wade and myself decided that it was something you and Kim would need. Mara has a few weapons like that, yes, but the rest are more specialised. Relax Ron, you’ve not been sitting in a tank. But the GJ decided, and I agree, that we won’t send my Kimmie, my daughter, out there to face worse villains than Drew, Dnamy, and all the others without backup. ”

“So, what does she have?” Ron asked.

“Um, the list is quite comprehensive. She has Sadie’s cannon, albeit souped up and with various settings now. It can vaporise anything. But Wade and I know Kimmie, so it can also be set to vaporise certain materials only, like metal, while leaving flesh intact. The other things… well, see for yourself.”

Ron nodded and glanced across as Yori came running smoothly towards him from behind his house. In the distance, the arguing figures were now being held apart by GJ marines, with little success.

Oh for the love of… Still just as dysfunctional as when we last met them. I really can see why Shego left.

“Ron, our Ninja’s have begun to move to the planned area of attack. They will wait there for our distraction.” Yori was barely out of breath as she stood by his side and bowed slightly at Doctor Possible. “Jasmine was impressed with your plan, Ron. She will follow the Monkey Master anywhere.”

“Monkey Master?” Doctor Possible stared as Ron flushed. “Ronald, what… Um, should those people be fighting?”

Doctor Possible pointed behind Ron and Yori and both turned to see the figures around the multicoloured jet trading blows. With a sigh, Ron ran off towards them while Yori shook her head in dismay. Doctor Possible glanced at the young Japanese woman and shrugged.

“I’m glad you’re going with him, Yori. From what I’ve seen? He’ll need your help, as well as the GJ. Take care of him, and please bring my daughter and wife back alive.”

Yori bowed. “I promise we will do all we can. If there is a chance, I shall bring them back, we will bring them back! My honour demands it.”

“Thank you.” Doctor Possible glanced down at his sons, who stared at the Black clad Ninja with awe. “Jim, Tim, come on. I promised Wade that I’d help out with the hacking attempts here at Ron’s.”

Yori watched the older man walk away with his sons in tow, both of them giving her backward glances as they scurried after him. All she could think of, was the mingled look of hope and fear in their eyes. Fear mixed with exhaustion.

I will bring them back… or I will die trying. I promise.

Ron ran into bedlam. There, standing a few feet apart in front of the multi-coloured hull of the Go jet, stood Hego and Mego, clad in their usual Team Go jump-suits. What was not so usual, was the bleeding jaw of Hego and the scraped knuckles that Mego sported. The Wego twins stood to one side, watching with a look of awed terror as the two brothers snarled and spat at each other.

“Why did I ever agree to work with you again? What the hell was I thinking! Shego had it damn straight when she left… and I bet it was all to do with you!” The thin gangling man, clad in purple, screamed at his bulky opponent as they were held apart by GJ marines. “Glory seeker!”

The blue clad man snarled. “Moron! We could have gotten them all out ourselves! We don’t need an army of Steroid rejects and that blond teenager to-“

“Hego?” Ron yelled, making the Blue man pause and turn. “Mego? What’s going on?”

“Hey Ron.” Mego managed, glaring at Hego. “You want to know? Ask blue boy here…”

Hego rankled. “Why you… Our sister is in danger!”

“Yeah, she is! Which is why we’ll need all the help we can to save her. Plus that Kim woman, the one who got our powers back, is in just as much danger!” Mego shook of the Marines holding him and stormed over to the Go jet, kicking one of the wheels in anger. “You wanted to go it alone, Hego! Just us! Even the twins know that’s suicide, let alone a death warrant for the people we’re trying to save!”

Ron stared at Hego who shifted uncomfortably. “You were going to go in alone? Alone? Have you any idea who Fang is?”

“Do you?” Hego countered angrily. “She’s just a two bit criminal, just like all the others that Team Go dealt with. We could have gone in there, cleaned house, and brought Shego and Kim back safe and sound!“

“Are you insane!” Ron stared at him. “You would walk into Drakken’s lab alone?”

“Glory seeking, that’s what he wanted. Rescuing Shego alone, she’d have to respect him then.” Ron glanced at Hego and saw the blue man glower at his younger brother. Mego ignored his expression and waved a hand. “I had to slap him a few times just to make him turn the Jet around.”

“Hey, we helped too!” One of the Wego twins piped up.

Mego glanced across and shrugged. “Yeah. Okay I did it with a little help from you two I’ll admit.”

“You’re all idiots, being frightened of this woman!” Hego grumbled. “If we can take Aviarius, then we can handle this two bit wannabe!”

“You have no idea what we’re dealing with.” Ron countered, his hands clenching. “Shego was taken, then doctor Possible and finally Kim herself. Yori and myself nearly died trying to help her free your sister. Fang is dangerous! That’s why I need you. All of you!”

“Humph, some mad case Ninja wannabe with delusions of grandeur, I think we can take her.”

“Fang is nothing like that Hego!” Ron snapped the words, worry for his friend, her mother, and even Shego making his voice harsh. “From what Shego told us, from what Yori has told me, Fang is so massively powerful she makes presidents of countries look pathetic! She has an army of professional Ninja’s, people trained to kill in cold blood, at her beck and call. Now she has Drakken and all his twisted genius. If you had gone in alone, without us, I doubt you’d have got far. Super strength, shrinking and duplication aside. Fang knows we’ll be coming, she’ll have factored you trying to save Shego because I bet she knows Shego’s past better than I or Kim does!”

“Look, all I was trying to do was-“ Hego began, flushing as he realised that Ron was deadly serious.

“I don’t want to hear it!” Ron snapped. “Mego is right, you need all of us! We all need to work together to save those we love. I’ll be dammed if you’ll screw this up, Hego. I need you man, but I need you to follow the plan! If you can’t, you’re more of a danger than a help.”

Hego glanced at Mego and noticed his brother’s arms were crossed. His glance slid to the twins, and they too were standing there, annoyed. With a sigh, Hego nodded. “Fine… we do this together.”

“Good…” Doctor Director’s voice piped up from behind Ron and the young man turned and stared in surprise. Gone was Betty Director’s normal skin suit. In its place lay a camouflage-coloured version, matt black patches of some flexible plastic built into the weave. On her back lay the rifle she had taken from Dash and on her wrists were two grey gauntlets. Combat boots emphasised her military clothing and as she stared at the jump-suited figures of Team Go, her one eye narrowed. She glanced across at a flustered Ron and inclined her head. “Mr Stoppable, as we have sorted out that little problem, shall we go?”

Ron glanced at the staring member of Team Go and hid a smirk. “Yeah, thanks Doc.”

With almost a flash of a smile, Doctor Director turned to the Marines and members of Team Impossible. She watched as they stiffened and saluted with a thud of stomping feet and weaponry. With a single nod, she raised a hand and let it fall. “Go.”

The black transport choppers behind the troops began to spin up and Ron, as well as a fascinated crowd of neighbours, watched the teams of Marines load into each transport, followed by their leader.

“Wow, now that is one impressive woman.” Mego whispered in awe as the door to the transport slammed shut of Doctor Directors determined face. “I’d hate to disappoint her! Speaking of which, Ron, we need to get going if the first stage of the plan is to work.”

“Right. If those of us trying to be the hero have stopped for the moment?” Ron stared at Hego who coughed. “Come on then.”

“One thing I don’t understand is why we can’t go in the Go jet?” Hego murmured as he walked along. “It’s got some pretty hefty weaponry in it and would make a better distraction than-“

“It’s too large to manoeuvre inside the hanger!” Ron interrupted, sighing. “Mara, that’s Kim’s car, is just as well armed and is small enough to manoeuvre around. Look, I’ve been working with Yori on this plan for over a day, trust me.”

“I still say-“ Hego began, only for Mego to snarl.

“Shut up! Ron’s plan made sense when you briefed us in the tower. Why’d you have to do this every time you sense a chance to cover yourself in glory? Damn, why did I ever agree to work with you again? Why?”

“You missed the prestige being a Team Go member gave you.” Hego muttered, ignoring Mego’s choked annoyance. “And I’m not in this for the glory. I have my own reasons for trying to save Shego, as well as Kim Possible.”

“Can we hurry up?” One of the Wego twins whispered. “I want to get to my sister while she’s still alive! Besides, we miss her.”

That quieted Hego and Mego, and Ron walked the final short distance along his drive to where the gleaming blue sports car lay parked. Pulling open the driver side door, Ron slid into the seat and tapped the steering wheel. “Mara it’s time. Ready to rock?”

The holographic image of Mara’s face slid into existence on the dash and she nodded. “Ready, willing and able. Though I do need you to do one thing for me before we can go.”

“What?” A panel inside the car slid up and Ron stared at the red plate with an outline of a human hand drawn on it. He glanced up at Mara’s shimmering face and recalled Doctor Possible’s conversation. “This is the override, yeah?”

Mara nodded. “I can’t use anything potentially lethal without it, Ron. If you want me to do my part, then I need your help to activate my battle systems. Otherwise I have about one third of my abilities available to me.”

“So what do I do?”

“Just put your hand on the plate and confirm that you want my battle systems to activate. I’ll handle the rest and then we can rock. Miss Kara Fang is going to pay for blasting a hole in my bonnet!”

“Right.” Ron slid his hand on the plate and felt a line of warmth slide across his skin. At Mara’s nod, Ron cleared his throat. “Um, activate battle systems?”

“What the-“ Hego’s shocked voice made Ron glance up to see the members of Team Go stepping backwards as something hummed inside the car. Mara herself seemed unaffected and she nodded with satisfaction and then paused.

“Clearance granted, please wait… All systems active.” The tone of her voice was emotionless as Mara’s holographic face stared into the distance for a few moments. Suddenly, she blinked and smiled with excitement. “Thanks Ron, now I really am ready to rock!”

“Booyah!” As he slid from the seat of the car, Ron blinked and stared in surprise. The car he had got into had been blue, the one he had just slid out of was now a deep red. Blinking, he realised why Team Go had taken a step back. Leaning in, he cocked an eyebrow. “Um, you changed colour.”

“Yeah, I have haven’t I?” Mara grinned and her expression was one of amusement. “Everyone else got to change into their combat outfits, so why not me? Oh, and for a final finishing touch…”

The top of the bonnet flickered and Ron stared, a faint smile curving his lips, as Kim’s web logo, the stylish K and P of her initials, appeared with a snap. Another faint snap on either door made Ron glance around to see the same logo appear there as well. He glanced back in and sighed with amusement. “You are so cool.”

“It’s a gift.” Mara told him, grinning. “Oh, by the way, I almost forgot. Wade has left you a little present in my boot. He’s busy right now trying to hack into Drakken’s systems for Doctor Director, but he wanted you to have this. Thought it was time and everything.”

The boot slid open and Ron walked around to it, Hego and Mego following him with interest. Inside, lay an anodised case and Ron flipped the locks. As the lid slid up, Ron heard a murmur of appreciation from the people behind him.

Inside the case, lay a black combat suit. The gleaming red stripes down the side of the matt fabric jolted Ron’s memory and he pulled the clothing gently from the case, noting the control panel on one arm. Wade had made him his own combat suit. His own combat suit! He’d asked for one nearly every month for the past year. Wade, it seemed, had either grown tired of his moaning, or had always been building one in the first place.

As he slid the fabric into the case, the Roncom let out its usual chiming tones. With a flicker as Ron pulled it out, Wade appeared on screen, grinning. “Surprise!”

“Wade, this is… just wow!” Stroking the fabric, Ron glanced down. “Thanks, really!”

“No problem. It has different powers to the one Kim has so I better run over them. First, this one is more defensive than Kim’s. I designed it to take a beating and protect you while it does. The fabric is engineered from a single strand polymer in places, which makes it very strong and also frictionless. Anyone trying to grab you is going to have a hard time.”

Ron felt his fingers run across part of the suit that was darker in colour. His fingers felt nothing as they slipped over it. The smile came naturally. “So cool!”

“It’s also got a-“ A sudden chiming around Wade made the yougn genius look away from the screen. After a few seconds, he turned back and his face was worried. “Ron, look I’m going to have to leave you to find out about the rest of the suit. One of Drakken’s firewalls just came down like a ton of bricks and I’ve got to work on it if I’m going to be any help.”

Nodding, Ron gazed at the suit one final time before turning to Wade’s tiny face and nibbling his lip. “We’re going to get her out, right?”

“Yeah, we will Ron.” Wade gave him the thumbs up and winked. “You’ve never let her down yet. You won’t let her down now. Ron, got to go… good luck and I’ll speak to you soon, hopefully.”

With a flicker, the Roncom died and Ron turned to see the members of Team Go all staring in different directions in an attempt to give him privacy. With a faint smile, Ron coughed. “Lets go.”

“Right, Team Go?” Hego turned to his brothers, a smile appearing on his face, a smile mingled with anticipation. “We have a sister and a teenage heroine to save. Lets do this!”

Rolling his eyes, Mego watched as Hego’s bulk slid into the car. He glanced at Ron, shrugged at the blond man’s tilted head, and strolled across to the passenger side. “For Shego then.”

“Hey!” One of the Wego twins complained. “What about us?”

“Here you go boys,” Mara’s voice, full of anticipation, echoed around them as her rear doors slid open. “Non stop to Drakken’s headquarters. All those who desire to kick some ass, please board now!”

“Cool!” They both exclaimed, jumping in. As the door slammed shut, Ron leaned into the passenger side window.

“You know what to do? All of you?” The question was met with a nod from the holographic image of Mara and various agreements from Team Go. “Right, then good luck and it’s up to you all to give us an opening. Crack open the door a little, guys and we’ll take care of Kara Fang.”

The engine inside Mara roared into life and as Ron stepped back, the gleaming red car shivered for a second and then roared off along the main road, leaving a set of burning tyre marks on the tarmac. Sensing eyes watching him, Ron turned to see Yori quietly standing next to a black jet transport, the familiar black clad figures of Yamanouchi sitting in the cockpit.

“You realise, Ron, that we have the most dangerous part. You did not seem to inform anyone of that fact. However, I distinctly recall mentioning that to you.” Yori smiled as Ron shrugged and quickly moved to stand next to her. “Distinctly.”

“You did, Rufus did,” the Molerat shot out of his pocket and scrabbled up to Ron’s shoulder and squeaked in agreement. “But what good will it do everyone to know that Rufus has the most dangerous job, followed by us? We need them. We desperately need them to do their part as much as you and I have to fulfil ours. If we don’t, then this is going to turn into a massacre. Shego, Kim and Mrs P will die. You know that.”

“Yes, I do. Yet, you never once mentioned it.”

“Doctor Director knew, I could see it in her eyes, Yori.” Standing in the backwash from the jet, Yori realised how mature Ron seemed. Had he changed that much in the past few days? Had she failed to notice? “Everything has changed right now and we’re moving into the realm of a real villainess. No… not a villain, a psychopath. If we fail, there’s no second chance and I suppose I’ve kinda got to accept that.”

Rufus sniffed and as both of them turned to look at him he waved a hand. “Kim, our job to save!”

“Yeah, you’re right, Ruf. It’s not about making Kara pay.” Ron glanced across at Yori, who steeled her expression into one of neutral interest. “It’s about saving the people I care about, as I told Hego. Everything else is just part of that. So, we have a job to do… lets do it.”

“Uh huh! Lets go, lets go!” Rufus chittered.

“Very well. It will be your honour to help me into the jet?” As Ron laughed and held out a hand, Yori glanced down at the case. “By the way, and excuse my insatiable curiosity, what is that?”

As Ron helped her jump smoothly onto the Jet transport’s open bay before jumping on himself, he smiled. “New clothes.”

With a roar, the Jet transport pitched into the air and within a few seconds was nothing more than a tiny black speck in the blue lake of the morning sky. While many eyes watched it dwindle to nothing, only three sets watched it with anxiety.

“Bring them back to me, Ronald.” Doctor Possible whispered, watching from Ron’s lounge window. “Please bring them back to me.”

---

Doctor Possible,

It was so cold in the cells. Mrs Possible glanced around in sad dismay, shivering as part of her bare skin brushed against the cold bars. Shia’s outfit did fit her, but the tank top left her midriff exposed, much like her daughter. In defence, Mrs Possible tugged the thin fabric down as far as possible and then tugged the thin blanket, wrapped around her shoulders, tighter around herself.

This is hell! What did I do to deserve this? Doctor Possible thought, shivering once more. What did Kimmie do to deserve this? All she has ever done is fight to save people! My daughter… Oh Kim.

Mrs Possible swiped at the tears that had grown at the side of her eyes, before tucking the sheets and blankets that she had scrounged through the bars, around the foetal lump laying on her bed. Her own flesh and blood. Her daughter… her own daughter. Hurt, tortured, unconscious.

Shego had been the one to drag her into the cell, Shego. Someone that Kim had tried to help. Someone, if she was to believe Shego’s own words, that loved her daughter. She had watched, frightened despite herself by the green and black suited woman, as Shego had dumped Kim on the cold floor, too afraid to pick her up until Shego had left.

Afraid, you were afraid of her without Kim. Mrs Possible glanced down. Well, without a conscious Kim. Frightened because of what she could… do.

The thought made her quiver and, unable to help herself, she pulled the blanket tight and crossed her legs. Mrs Possible’s hand slid out and gently touched the pool of red hair that lay on her pillow. The need to comfort, and be comforted in return, so strong.

Kim’s injuries had, after Doctor Possible had gently examined her, been treated. Though ‘treated’ was a bit of an exaggeration in her opinion. Her daughter was badly dehydrated and though a needle mark on her wrist had indicated intravenous fluids, what had been pumped into her had not been enough, not nearly enough at all. The bruises were still fresh and her expertise could tell that there was some nasty deep tissue damage, electrical in nature, which would have to be treated in the near future if Kim were to regain all her athletic abilities.

“We’ll get away, and you’ll be fine.” She reassured the pool of red hair. “I promise.”

A promise that she had no idea how to fulfil, and she knew why. Around Kim’s left breast were odd marks. Marks that, after she had examined them carefully, she realised had been needles. Terribly thin, long, needles that had wormed their way to rest above Kim’s breastbone. Whatever had been done to her daughter by Fang had involved her heart and that worried Doctor Possible terribly. What if Kim had sustained permanent damage? What if Fang had wrecked her heart out of spite or simple stupidity? How could she hope to get both herself and her daughter out of this place if Kim had trouble with her circulation, let alone walking, due to a damaged heart valve or muscles?

The older woman, despite her skills and knowledge, had no answer for either of them, or for Shego. So, for the past few hours, all she could do was tuck the blankets around Kim’s shivering, bruised and beaten frame and watch her carefully for any signs of distress.

She wanted to cry, that was the natural instinct of the mother inside her. She wanted to be able to heal her daughter, and that was the doctor inside her. A tiny part wanted to scream itself hoarse for what had been done to her, to Kim and that was the fear inside her. But she had never felt to helpless as she did now. Helpless and afraid.

A sudden movement near the door to the cellblock had her eyes widening and Doctor Possible stood smoothly, her body pressing against the metal bars of her cell wall. The corridor to the cells was dark, the strip lights still not having been lit and Kim’s mother strained her eyes against the glaring brightness of her own cells single strip trying to see what had moved.

“Hello?” She called, wishing her voice were more steady and less trembling that it was. “Who is there? Hello?”

“Doctor.” A familiar, quiet, and softly spoken voice echoed along the corridor. A voice she knew, that had shown her kindness and then a cold indifference that clashed.

“Shia?” Doctor Possible whispered. “What are you-“

“I came to calm your fears about Kim Possible. She was badly hurt due to my sister becoming… overexcited, but I promise to you that she did receive medical care. The best we have.” Shia’s slender figure blended so well with the gloom of the corridor that Doctor Possible had to strain to see even the outline. “I can assure you that while she was badly beaten and dehydrated, the injury you are most concerned about was fully treated. Kim San’s heart is fine. She will recover.”

The mother in Mrs Possible wanted to feel relief, but she pushed that emotion down and gazed at the immobile outline. “How do you know I was worried about-“

“I have been watching you for some time, listening to the encouragement you gave your daughter.” Shia’s voice paused, almost cracked slightly. “You love her very much.”

“Yes, I do… she’s my daughter.” Mrs Possible answered simply.

Shia came closer, just close enough that Kim’s mother could see her eyes. A dull gleam as they reflected the light. “I came to tell you that I am sorry for what must happen.”

“You said as much when we shared tea.”

“Yes, but this time I feel the… shame, even more than I did when you stood before me, almost raped.” Shia watched her shiver and sighed. “I am sorry, I have brought up the bad memories. I just wanted you to know that you were… you were right.”

“Right? About what?”

The figure remained silent for a few moments, the sound of steel on leather echoing along the corridor. A sudden wooden snap made Doctor Possible jump and back away from the cell bars, only to be almost blinded as the lights along the corridor of the block snapped on.

There, standing right next to her on the other side of the bars, stood Shia. Despite her own fears, Doctor Possible gasped at the sight of the young blond woman.

The young ninja was pale, terribly pale, as though she had barely slept at all through the night. Her soft eyes were wide, almost as though she were walking in shock and Doctor Possible could only wonder what it was that had made her look so haunted and conflicted. The disarray of her clothing, her usual cool, smart, form of dress something that Kim’s mother had decided she prided herself on, only enhanced the aura that Shia gave off. She looked like a young woman under terrible stress, sorrow and worry.

“What happened to you?” Doctor Possible managed.

“I asked for the truth.” Shia whispered and to Doctor Possible’s shock, bit her lip as she ran a gloved hand over her face. “I was granted far more than I thought was possible.”

“What-“

“You were right, Doctor. Right about my sister. She has killed… and killed family.” Shia watched Doctor Possible’s face pale. “My mother, a woman who regretted her choices in the past and loved me terribly, was killed by her own daughter. My sister…”

“Oh my…” Kim’s mother stared at the anguish that Shia only partially managed to hide. “Kara’s been getting worse, hasn’t she?”

Shia nodded and Doctor Possible closed her eyes. “Ever since she saw Shego again… Shego was the trigger that shattered whatever frail hold she had on her psychosis.”

“Yes.”

Kim’s mother stared at her calm face. “You have to leave! Now or you will be a victim, and soon! Get us out and let’s go… Kim can protect you from her, Shego can… the government they could-“

“No… I cannot go.” Shia held up a hand. “As much as I wish… no, desire it to be different, I cannot go. I still owe Kara my life.”

“What?”

“You think this is insane, and I would agree.” Shia smiled bloodlessly at the horror in the redhead’s face. “But without my honour, what am I? I would be nothing in my own eyes. Nothing more than a brutal killer, Doctor, a person who takes life for no reason at all. I would be nothing to myself and if I am nothing, why should nothing exist?”

“You can’t be serious! Shia, forget honour! I-“

“No, I cannot forget my honour. Have you not been listening? It is all I have left to me that Kara has been unable to corrupt! I have to do my duty.” Shia shifted and Doctor Possible could see the fear in her eyes. “If I do not have self control then I am nothing more than a pale copy of her… I would be like her and-“

“No!” Kim’s mother leaned forwards and gripped Shia tightly, much to the shock of the blond Ninja. For a second, she wondered if quietly dismissing the guards had been a wise idea. “You are nothing like her at all! You’re trapped by this organisation, by what you believe and it’s killing you! Shia you have to go!”

“I cannot. Shamefully Doctor, I am frightened of my sister and the Jade.” Shia whispered. “You cannot understand what they would do to me. Nor would you ever be able to discover why. I doubt anyone would recognise me after they were done… and the dreams that have plagued me on occasion, live with me all the time now”

“You’re frightened, that’s a sensible reaction to-“

“I refuse to go. As much as I hate myself over my cowardice, I must do my duty, though I do not expect you to understand my reasoning.” As The older women opened her mouth, Shia shook her head. “I do not expect you to understand me Doctor. The truth is I do not understand why I stay myself.”

“Then we’re at the same place we were last time. I need your help so that my daughter can live, and you refuse to help me.” Doctor Possible turned away. “Damn you Shia. Damn you! You claim you know the truth, that you know Fang is insane and yet it’s frozen you into doing what you were going to do anyway!”

Shia regarded her for a moment and then turned, walking towards the exit. She paused at the main corridor and glanced back.

“You are more right than you know, Doctor and I wish it could be different.” As Doctor Possible glanced across, Shia felt her eyes moisten as the older woman gently touched the slumbering figure on the bed. “You have no idea how much I hate myself for being too weak to go against everything I believed, no… believe in. I am… sorry Doctor. More sorry than you will ever know.”

As Shia left, Doctor Possible moved back tot he cell bars. She waited, listening for any movement that might indicate Shia was still there. When silence reined for a few minutes, she sighed.

So you found out the truth about your sister… and instead of freeing you, I fear it may destroy you. Damn!

A sudden quiet groan made Doctor Possible jolt upright and glance around. The pool of red hair and the young athletic body wrapped in blankets had begun to stir. Feeling relief pour into her, Kim’s mother strode across to her shivering, moaning daughter and gently picked up the metal cup of water that had been sitting under the cot for hours.

“M…m… mom?” Kim managed as her green eyes tiredly gazed out from an exhausted face. Her hands pawed at the blankets she was wrapped in. Where was Shego? “Wha… what happened to me?”

“You had a very nasty evening with Fang, Honey.” Doctor Possible tilted the metal cup gently and watched her daughter gulp the cold water like it was wine. “Easy… easy.”

Gasping, Kim licked her lips and her eyes focused on her mother with a clarity that had been missing. Doctor Possible nodded with approval.

“Thanks, Mom.” Kim sighed and shivered. “I feel awful.”

“You’ve got bruises on your bruises, Kimmie. Some deep tissue damage that I need to treat when we get free and… and…” Kim stared at her mother’s upset face and waited. “You also had some sort of… something… done to your heart. I have no idea what but it put a terrible strain on your system. You’ve been out since Shego dragged you in here.”

“Shego… Where-“

“I don’t know, Honey. She’s still under Servus control and I haven’t seen her since she dragged you in here.”

“I had… the strangest dream.” Kim whispered, sitting up with a groan of pain. She rubbed her arms, wincing at the bruises running along them, the burned skin. Felt the odd pressure in her chest, the strange ache. “I… it’s all so blurry. Shego… something about holding on? Fighting? Odd, I can’t remember much…”

“People who almost die are entitled to odd dreams.” Her Mother bit back a sob at the thought and wiped at the tears that dared to spill. “Kimmie, I almost lost you.”

“No Mom… never!” Kim managed, feeling her own tears form. She wouldn’t cry… not here, not when they were all still in mortal danger. “Listen, we have to-“

“Well, good morning!” A voice echoed along the corridor and Kim and Mrs Possible both looked across to see Kara Fang standing in the corridor, dressed in a neat black suit. One hand held a cup of coffee, steaming fragrantly, while the other toyed with a set of cuffs. She smiled and winked at the two women. “Did you sleep well, Kim?”

“That depends on your definition of ‘well’, you psychopath!” Kim managed, feeling her adrenaline kick in and wipe the pain and exhaustion away. “What do you want now?”

“Oh, everything.” Kara managed, smiling. “Especially from you, which is why we are here.”

“We?” Doctor Possible whispered, only to blanch as Shego stepped around the corridor, her emerald eyes so terribly blank as always. “Oh… oh no!”

“Oh yes.” Kara responded, grinning. Glancing across at Shego and gesturing to the guards on either side of her, Kara tossed the handcuffs into the air and caught them before sipping her coffee. “Now, easy or hard?”

“I-“ Kim began, struggling to stand and managing after the third attempt. “I’m not going to make this easy for you!”

“Well, that’s fine as I’m not the one who’s putting these on and dragging you to the main chamber for a little mind rape.” Kara tossed the cuffs to Shego, who caught them and stepped forwards.

“Do not resist… or there will be pain inflicted on your mother.”

Kimmie… you’re okay. Oh, thank god.

“Kimmie,” Doctor Possible managed, backing away with a shuddering gasp as Shego walked to the door and the guards next to her entered the code. Kim glanced across at her mother and noticed the way her entire body shook. She was terrified of Shego like this. “Kimmie, I can’t… I…”

“It’s okay, Mom.” Kim stepped forwards and gazed into Shego’s eyes. The vibrant emerald colour was glazed as it stared back. “Let one of the other guards take my mom, and I’ll come peacefully with you.”

Tugging the ripped blankets around herself, Kim stepped back as Shego walked into the cell. As the raven-haired women held out the cuffs, Kim turned around and closed her eyes. As the cold metal bit into her skin, so tight that it had her wincing, Kim nodded sadly.

“I forgive you, Shego… for anything she makes you do here. Always.”

Trapped, Shego could only feel the terrible fear lodge in her stomach and remain there.

Useless… weak… powerless. All the stupid choices I made, and now Kimmie has to pay for them as much as I do.

The words remained unheard as Shego escorted Kim past Kara, who sipped her coffee with a sigh of pleasure. Just for a second, Kim paused and glanced up at Kara with her own soft green eyes.

“I pray Shego never gets free… because if she does? You’ll die.” She said simply, the tone matter of fact.

Shego nudged her at that, and Kim moved past the oriental woman, followed by the Ninja dragging a cuffed and worried Doctor Possible. As the procession moved around the doorway and into the main corridor, Kara stood there, gazing into her coffee. For some reason, she had felt a terrible chill, as though a breeze had shivered through the corridor.

Foolish… soon Kim Possible and Shego will be yours. Everything will be in place and I will rule the Jade! Shego will be mine, victory… proof that I was better, always better, and she will suffer for the rest of her life!

Turning on her booted heel, Kara Fang walked towards the main corridor and a date with destiny. Hers.

As the sunlight splattered across the highway in the distance and warmed the cold rock of the mountain, nobody in Drakken’s lair could have anticipated what was quickly approaching them from Middleton. But soon even the Jade would learn that Team Possible had powerful friends.

---

Writers note: I know I promised action, I apologise. What happned was that people on the Kigo boards and email from here, asked about certain things I hadn't put in. After thinking and considering the requests/suggestions, I decided to put some in. The result was a chapter much larger than anyone could read.

So, 14 is now two chapters :) Stay tuned for 15. THAT has the action and Fang is going to regret the day she attacked Shego and Kim.

Love, Teh Hob.