Ron Stoppable stared at the order of super grande sized nacos in front of him. With a plastic spork, he prodded listlessly at the psuedo-Mexican food. “Nee’ tah eat!” squeeked Rufus insistantly.
Ron shrugged. “I know, Rufus… but… just doesn’t seem to be much point.”
Rufus nodded in understanding. Since Kim had left, apparently recruited into some ultra-secret government organization, Ron’s life seemed to have no purpose. As part of Team Possible, Ron had been a vital part of a group that had saved more people then Ron could count. Granted, most people never realized what an essential part of the team Ron was… or even remembered who he was… but Kim and Ron had known. Now, however, his life seemed to be a mindless, pointless mix of school, home, and Buenos Nachos, with only a talking mole rat for company.
“Let’s face it.” said Ron. “Without Kim, what good am I?”
“You are still the Monkey Master, Stoppable-San.”
Ron turned, startled, to face Yori. The girl was about Ron’s age, a member of a top secret ninja academy. Ron had first met her while briefly attending her school, where he had learned more about the mystic monkey energy which had merged with both Ron and Rufus.
“Oh, Yori… what are you doing here?” asked Ron.
“Sensei told me that you had reached a… “ Yori hesitated, searching for the right word. “It is not an American-style concept. Translated directly, it would be ‘point of no return’.”
“Oh, gee, thanks.” grumbled Ron. “Like my life wasn’t going bad enough already.”
“Ron-san, you do not understand.” said Yori. “These points are not to be feared. It means that you are facing a point where you must decide on a new future. You can not go back to being what you were, and to try is to only waste what you can become.”
“Kim’s gone.” said Ron. “Some government agency called and she went. It’s just… I always knew that Kim was too good to stay with me for long, but I never expected it to be this soon.”
Yori sat down next to Ron. “Stoppable-san, your path is different from that of Kim’s. That does not make you less or she greater; it is just her destiny is different. Perhaps she left so you could embrace the side you hid while you were helping her.”
“What side?” said Ron. “I’m the goofy side-kick.”
“Ron.” said Yori, for the first tame just using Ron’s fist name. “You are much more then that. But it that’s all you believe you are, that’s all you will ever be.”
Nobody spoke for several minutes, then Ron sighed. “What do you suggest?”
“Come back with me.” said Yori. “Sensei still has much to teach us.”
“Us?” said Ron.
Yori nodded. “You have been part of a great team. I wish to be part of a great team, too… one where we are equals. Perhaps… even more.”
Ron stared at Yori, not sure what to say or do.
Rufus grumbled and moved to the corner of the booth. Bracing himself against the wall, Rufus pushed Ron suddenly toward Yori. The two found themselves suddenly kissing, mouths pressing against each other.
“Finally!” chirred Rufus.
“Finally!” said Kim, as she was let into the Facilities Management Office. Several people had been in line before her; apparently, several new agents had been transferred to the training complex. Shego, when the two had arrived, had suggesting using her Triple-X status to get Kim to the front of the line, but Kim had refused. She still wasn’t comfortable getting favors from Shego, and wasn’t sure how far Shego’s authority extended. Shego had gotten bored after waiting with Kim for a few minutes; Shego had told Kim to call her when Kim was done, then Shego had left to go to the gym.
Kim found herself in a rather cramped room, with a large desk and computer terminal taking up most of the room. An imposing looking woman, reminding Kim of the Middleton High chief librarian, sat behind the desk. “You are?” she snapped.
“Kim Possible.” said Kim. “I need new quarters.”
The woman tapped rapidly on her keyboard, the keys clicking like machine gun fire. “You’re currently assigned to Room 9-17a. What’s wrong with it?”
“There was a plumbing problem yesterday.” said Kim. “I haven’t been able to get into my quarters since.”
The woman typed, then frowned at the screen. “Why didn’t you report last night? I could have assigned you a new room then.”
“I was unconscious.” said Kim. “Due to Shego… due to a training exercise.” Kim wasn’t prepared to tell this foreboding woman that Kim was partnered with a woman who apparently enjoyed having Kim helpless and unconscious.
“Where did you sleep last night?” demanded the woman.
“With… with my team leader.” said Kim. “She couldn’t find anywhere else to put me.”
The woman turned to look at Kim for the first time, moving her attention from the screen. “The problem is that all the empty quarters have already been assigned to the new incoming personnel. I suggest that you find someone to bunk with until your quarters have been repaired, starting with your own teammates first. “
“But…” said Kim, planning to object. As part of Team Triple X, Kim’s only teammates were Shavers and Shego. And, as much as Shavers reminded Kim of a grown up Wade Load, there was no way she wanted to share a room with him.
Before Kim could complete her objection, however, the woman was yelling “NEXT”. A somewhat confused looking young man, carrying a ruck-sack and a map of the underground complex, walked in.
Kim sighed and stood up, to locate Shego and give her the bad news.
“Bad news, sir.” said Agent Steele.
“What is it, Kyle?” asked Gibbons, examining a security vid of a gym. The gym wasn’t very crowded, and most of the people in the gym were trying to surreptitiously stare at one gym-user in particular. This one was attacking a heavy weighted punching bag, with her long, black hair held back by a piece of green ribbon. Occasionally, when she whirled to deliver a kick to the bag, her pony-tail would fly up to reveal a red and black ‘xXx’ tattooed on the back of her neck, the scarlet colors contrasting dramatically with her green-tinted, pale-white skin. The tattoo, which several in the gym knew the significance of, was one reason for the attention. The other reason was that, even through the thin black sparring gloves she had on, her hands were visibly glowing with green light. “It looks like our Triple X is trying to work off some… excess energy.”
“We lost another agent.” said Steele. “His body just washed up on the shoreline; apparently shot several times, then his body torn apart by some form of underwater creature. Forensics can’t seem to agree on if it was a mutated octopus or sharks with laser cannons on their head.”. Steele placed a file folder in front of Gibbons.
Gibbons sighed, glancing over the contents of the file. The first sheet was plain white paper with six stark words printed on it. ‘HISSS INVESTIGATION, ATTEMPT EIGHT. STATUS: FAILED’.
“All right.” said Gibbons. “This is the fifth agent we lost in a month. Get Triple X and KP in my office. I’ll call in Hilda.”
“Do you think they’re ready?” asked Steele. “This is kind of dropping them into the deep end.”
“They’re Team Triple X.” said Gibbons. “The deep end was made for people like them.”
“You’re kidding.” said Shego, glaring at Kim.
“Afraid not.” said Kim. “Apparently, all the new trainees are filling up the quarters.”
Shego turned and slammed a palm-strike, hard, into a nearby punching bag. Her hand glowed with green fire, but fortunately the bag’s fire-retardant covering kept Shego’s plasma from burning a hole through it.
Kim frowned. “Look, is it so bad sharing a room with me?”
“I like my privacy.” snapped Shego, not wanting to admit the real reason. She had always found the other, younger woman attractive, if only because Kim was one of the few people Shego knew who could match Shego on a purely physical level. The thought of sleeping in the same room with Kim, and not able to do anything about those feelings, was already making Shego antsy. In several weeks, Shego would likely be turning punching bags to leaking sieves, plasma-resistant covering or not.
“Look,” said Kim. “It’s just until they free up some rooms, or get the plumbing fixed. It might even be fun… think of it as a sleep over.”
Shego groaned. SO many naughty thoughts… and Kim seemed completely oblivious. It was ridiculous, didn’t the girl ever go on the internet?
“Triple X. KP.”. The two women turned to face Agent Steele, who had just walked into the gym. “Gibbons wants to speak to you.”
Gibbons looked up as Kim and Shego entered the office. The month of training had changed both of them. Both women had been in excellent physical shape when recruited, but working with each other and various NSA trainers had brought them to their ultimate peek. The change was most noticeable in Kim; the last remaining traces of baby-fat were gone, with her face now narrower. Both women’s eyes were constantly busy, searching for possible threats, escape routes, and implements which could be used as weapons. The two women sat down, subconsciously positioning themselves so they could keep track of different parts of the room, and so they wouldn’t get in each other’s way if they had to react suddenly.
“We have a mission for you.” Gibbons said, calmly.
The two women glanced at each other, then Shego spoke for the pair. “I thought you were planning on two months of training for us.”
“Plans change.” said Gibbons. “Consider it the Gibbons test of how… flexible you two are. You’ll have one week of special training, then go into full mission mode.”
“What’s the mission?” demanded Shego.
Gibbons pressed a set of buttons. Part of his desk flipped up, to reveal a large LCD display. Images of young women, ranging from about 16 to 25, flashed past. “These girls were all kidnapped.”. The images changed to show the young girls, now dead. Kim shivered, but Shego only stared grimly at the screen. Even shocked by the images, however, Kim continued to scan for possible threats. “They were used for sexual purposes, and then killed. We believe others… many others… remain in captivity.”
“That is sick.” said Shego, calmly. “But where do we come in?”
“The criminals running the kidnapping are apparently part of an international organization… ones we believe who operate in dozens of countries, providing young girls for depraved tastes of rich, powerful men… and women.” said Gibbons. “We believe that some key members of the FBI and CIA may be involved. Every attempt by agents we know to be non-corrupt have ended in failure and the death of the involved agents. The president has personally asked for the help of the Triple X project.”
The screen changed to show an image of a large club. A couple, the woman dressed in a black, low-cut dress and the man wearing a pair of cuffs and a leather harness, exited from a limo and walked into the club. “We believe the group is working out of a chain of fetish clubs, called ‘Extreme’. The only thing we know about the leader is the pseudonym he uses… ‘Hisss’. With an extra S.”
“So, where do we come in?” said Shego.
“We want you to get in.” said Gibbons. “Get the info on who this Hisss is, and take him out any way necessary.”. He pressed several controls.
The screen turned off and the main lights turned on, illuminating the room. A young woman walked into the room. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Her stiffly starched outfit and long skirt, along with her black horn-rimmed glasses, gave her a forbidding ice-maiden look. “This is Hilda.” said Gibbons. “She will be in charge of giving you two final training before you begin the infiltration.”
Hilda nodded. “It will be my pleasure.” she said, her cold tone belying the friendliness of her words. “We should begin immediately.”
Shego frowned and pointed at Hilda. “SHE is going to teach US how to blend in at a fetish club?”
“Hilda is a woman of many surprises.” said Gibbons, with a little half smile on his face. “I’m sure you’ll be impressed.”
Shego rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Bru-Hilda.”
Gibbons placed his thumb on a fingerprint scanner, opening a sealed drawer. He took out two folders and handed them across the desk, one to Shego and one to Kim. “Shego, you’ll be going ‘undercover’ as yourself, pre-recruitment. Kim, we’ve selected several covers you might use, especially if Shego decides to send you into the pipe-line as a victim.” Gibbons paused, then smiled slightly. “Bruhilda can handle the rest of the briefing.”
Hilda led the way to one of the small conference rooms that were scattered through the Triple X complex. Kim and Shego had received a wide variety of classes in rooms just like this one, ranging from advanced bomb-defusing to defeating electronic security measures.
“Look.” said Shego as she followed Hilda into the room. “I don’t know why Gibbons saddled us with you but…”
The rest of Shego’s comment was cut off as Hilda whirled and grabbed one of Shego’s arms. Before Shego could react Hilda had twisted, sending Shego’s body flying toward one of the padded, sound proofed walls.
Kim responded immediately, slipping between Shego and Hilda and moving into a standard defensive crouch. Hilda made no aggressive move, just standing calmly as Shego got to her feet.
“You SUCKERED me.” snarled Shego. She gestured, her hands lighting up.
“Maintaining a cover is all about suckering others.” said Hilda, calmly. “I’ve lost count of the number of times when the only thing between me and a slow, painful death was my ability to maintain a cover. If you want to have the benefits of my experience and training, you will not threaten me and you will not underestimate me.”
“What are you?” snapped Kim.
“The best damn chameleon you’ll ever meet.” said ‘Hilda’, slipping out of her madam-librarian character. “Ya listen at me, ya jus’ MIGHT not blow ya’ covers.”
Shego frowned. “I’m going as myself. Not exactly a cover I’m likely to blow.”
“Bull shit.” said ‘Hilda’, then shifted. “You’re going in as Shego, sure… but a Shego who is willing to do anything for cash.”
“And that doesn’t describe me… how exactly?” asked Shego. “You better believe I’m getting a salary from Gibbons.”
“Fine.” said Hilda. She pulled several hundred-dollar bills from a hidden pocket, tossed them on the table, and then pointed at Kim. “Hit her, hard enough to make her bleed, and that five hundred is yours.”
Shego frowned, glaring at the money. “What’s your point?” she snapped, making no move to attack Kim.
“My point is… you just blew cover.” said Hilda. “If you did that on a mission, they would know Kim matters to you… a lot… and they know you weren’t what you claim to be.”
Shego frowned. “Look, we’re co-workers. I don’t slap around someone I work with.”
“Bull.” said Hilda. Her accent shifted, to one more arrogant and upper-class. “My dear, I have studied your fi-hiles extensively. You have done considerably more then just slap Doctor Drakken while he was your employer.”
Shego growled.
“There’s something between you two.” said Hilda, flatly. “I don’t know what it is, and I don’t care. Figure it out, and then either incorporate it into your covers or never let it show. But do NOT think it isn’t there, because it is”
Kim and Shego glanced at each other, getting ready to deny their mutual attraction, but before they could speak Hilda was already talking. She scooped the money up from the table and put it back away. “Agent Possible, your cover identities consist of…”