Chapter 3: Frantically Fighting Failure

- - -

Everybody inside the space center's lab had their eyes glued on the giant main screen even though there was nothing new to be seen. The understandable scientific awe was mostly outshone by the lingering and gut-crashing feeling of helplessness.

During the last 24 hours, the Middleton space center personnel had been watching with apt interest various attempt from all around the world. China had launched a missile containing a prototype neutron spike that was supposed to shatter Lakhesis. The European Union had opted to use ten smaller rockets that would be placed around the Martian meteor and extend an energy net in an attempt to deflect it. Japan had used a shuttle, which would attach itself on Lakhesis and use its thruster to alter its trajectory. Professor Dementor had surprised everyone by sending a rocket that unfolded into a deathray cannon and managed to shoot a total of ten times before its hastily assembled circuits fizzled.

At exactly T minus ten hours, Dr. Possible and his crew had launched Plank Thorn IV, the Antimatter warhead reaching the target one hour before collision and exploding in a radiant display of force and light that managed to overwhelm and hide the sun's glow for a full minute.

Now, after the sensors had had a chance to reboot and recover from overload, they revealed the source of everybody's dread. The attempt, however spectacular, had failed as much as the rest. Lakhesis had proven to be immune to anything earth's best minds could throw at such a short notice.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, everybody started talking at once. However, their murmurs were not exclusively scientific in nature but rather prayers, whispers of denial and shouts of outrage. Ron snapped back into reality and realized Kim was not next to him anymore. Moving his arms and legs that seemed numb and heavy, he passed through the chamber's gates and entered the adjacent corridor. There, on a tacky blue couch framed by potted plants she rested, although he initially had problems recognizing her.

The usually energetic redhead was sitting slumped at the end of her seat, her arms hugging her lithe body, her frame shuddering, her face ashen pale. Not sure how to deal with a panicked Kim, he slowly proceeded and sat next to her. When she failed to acknowledge his presence, he hesitantly extended his arm and cupped her shoulder. As soon as his hand made contact, she leaped like a jack from the box, landing on his lap and clasping him in a painful death grip, one of her small but powerful hands grasping his shirt like a lifeline. Burying her face in his shoulder, she started sobbing silently, biting her lip to the point it bled.

"KP…", he tried, his voice raw after what seemed like hours of silence. Not knowing how to continue, he simply caressed her back.

Kim found herself grateful, perhaps more grateful than the last time he had saved her life during a mission. Settling down a bit, she turned her head to the side, content to remain seated on his thighs and keep his face into her peripheral vision.

"I don't want to die like this", she breathed, her voice devoid of its usual bravado. "I always knew there was a chance one or both of us would die during a mission", she went on. "I had accepted that risk. If I were to die, it would at least happen during what I do best; it would have had a meaning." She paused for a while shaking her head, although Ron was not sure if it was to clean her thoughts or to embrace denial. "But getting killed by a dumb alien rock is so… pointless. It… it might sound selfish, but I…"

Ron interrupted her by lowering his head on her own shoulder and taking a sniff of her hair. She managed a smile while he sighed contently. "Wade told me our chances to miss it became better, you know. Right now it's fifty-fifty. With the Ron and his factor in the house, no pebble will off my lady", he joked.

Rufus popped out of his pocket adding a "Yep, yep no problem" as if on cue, patting Kim's leg then retreating.

"Always a silver lining, baby", she responded huskily, her mood changing for the better. She wiped the tears off her eyes and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "I don't dare to think where I'd be without you", she whispered meekly.

"You'd still be a sun among stars", he shot back teasingly.

She sighed introspectively. "So not. More like a falling star. I wouldn't last a second." She remained silent for a while, her small smile widening then changing into a pout. "You know, Ronnie, we still have enough time to find some private place and have a very very private party. No need to dress up, either. We'll be losing our clothes fast-like", she cooed seductively, making sure to rub against her boyfriend.

Ron gulped then licked his lips, feeling quite overwhelmed. "Are you trying to take advantage of me, Kimila?" he teased and she stuck her tongue out.

"At least we wouldn't die virgins", she riposted, cuddling against him tightly and reveling in his touch. They remained like that for a long time. "Thanks" she added at length, looking directly into his eyes.

"For cheering you up?" he asked in genuine curiosity.

"For snapping me out of panic. I have accepted there is a great possibility we'll be hit and there is nothing we can do, so no need to sweat over it."

Kim raised a brow when he briefly shuddered. "I think it's my time to freak out Kimbo", he noted, chuckling weakly. "Panic rising, breath deepening, eyes dilating, shock imminent…", he ranted and Kim was torn between laughing and trying to calm him down. They were interrupted when an alarm filled the space center's empty corridors.

"No time now, freak-out boy", she declared with her normal perkiness. "That was the two minutes warning and we have to get back", she added, dragging him along.

"Right!" he gasped, regaining a semblance of integrity and following.

- - -

Back in the launching chamber the only sound disrupting total silence was the soft humming of high-tech equipment. Everyone was inanimate like so many statues, glued in their places, their eyes on the main screen, their fingers crossed. Kim noticed how Dr. Xandra's clothes and lab coat was in disarray and she blushed, since she had a very good idea about the cause. When the female scientist turned and smiled weakly at one of the younger technicians, the redhead averted her eyes embarrassed.

"Thirty seconds", declared Wade, knifing through the silence. Everybody stiffened.

"Twenty seconds." Kim glanced towards her best friend-boyfriend, only now noticing how their hands were entwined.

"Ten seconds." Everyone except Wade instinctively left their seats, their hands clasping desk edges, rails or their own clothes.

"Five." Kim once more bit down at her lower lip.

"Four." Ron shuffled his feet.

"Three." Dr. Possible gulped audibly.

"Two." Everybody took a deep breath.

"One." Everybody held said deep breath.

When time is of essence, nobody can help but philosophize a bit. Too little or too much, when the seconds seem like years or the years like seconds nobody can help but ponder at how relative and intangible time really is.

"It missed us! It touched the outer layers of the atmosphere and missed us!"

For a total of two seconds everybody remained very still, as if any motion would dispel the good news. Then realization hit and everybody started talking at once, some cheering, others laughing maniacally or dancing or thanking their gods and ancestors. Kim, in an uncharacteristic display of affection while her father was present, tackled Ron to the ground and landing on him she started showering his face with kisses.

No one noticed Wade's tearful smile as it changed to a frown of disbelief, to a mask of fear. He hastily printed his screen's content's, grabbing the output and rushing towards James. The good doctor watched his daughter's display and for once failed to feel apprehensive. As soon as he saw the teen genius approaching, he attempted to arrest him in a friendly hug, which Wade dodged like a pro.

"Dr. Possible, there is still danger!" he exclaimed and it took James a whole five seconds to come down from the collective high. Blinking a bit, he studied Wade's results and nodded while frowning. Kim and Ron, being used to abrupt chances of mood, returned to their feet and rushed to the two doctors, game faces on.

"What's the sitch this time", demanded Kim, peering at the printer paper and futilely trying to understand the advanced writing.

James decided not to try to be heard above the ambient festival that was still in development around them. He indicated the door and the other three nodded in accord. As soon as they found themselves in a relatively quiet environment, in this case the same corridor Kim and Ron had found refuge before, he turned to his daughter.

"We were very lucky Lakhesis missed us. A couple clicks lower and we'd be done for. A good thing gravity does not effect it as much as normal matter. With its current trajectory, our Martian piece will spiral around the sun for five weeks, then plunge right in", he started.

Ron blinked at that. "But that's good, right? There is nothing it could do to a star… right?"

Wade sighed. "This energy around the meteor, this… shield is the problem. It absorbed each and every attack, it de-atomized anything getting close and nothing had an effect on it. In fact, only once did an unusual reaction happen."

"The Russian fusion bomb", exclaimed Kim. "You said it was much stronger than it should have been."

"50 times stronger", followed Ron, a hint of recognition in his voice. "And the sun is…"

Wade nodded. "The sun is nothing more than a slow-burning, self-sufficient fusion reaction."

Kim gulped. "The sun is enormous compared to Lakhesis. What could possibly happen?" she wondered in apprehension.

Her father shook his head. "If the energy around Lakhesis really acts like a catalyst, an insignificant amount could have a staggering effect. We still have research to do, but a chain reaction will be devastating."

The redhead's eyes narrowed. "Stop beating around the bush, please and thank you."

Wade glanced at her father then nodded in resignation. "Stars fall in two general categories. Small ones like our sun that have a life span of close to ten billion years in which they gradually cool down and die and those that are three and a half or more times heavier. The second kind usually lasts less than a billion years, then consumes all of its fuel at once, starts producing elements heavier than helium and explodes."

"It goes Nova", provided Ron, causing everybody's eyes to gather on his person. "What? I remember it from a Captain Constellation episode."

"Right on Ronald", cheered James, letting a bit of humor in his voice before turning grim again. "Sol is currently in the middle of its lifespan and normally too small to produce a Nova reaction. If Lakhesis reaches its core though, the reaction will be rapid, spectacular and merciless."

"The sun will explode?" gasped Kim in disbelief. The two scientists nodded, even though the notion felt too outlandish on their ears. She remained very still for a couple of seconds and Ron thought she'd be regressing back to depression, but then her eyes acquired a glint reserved for the most serious of missions.

"Kim, what..?" tried Wade but the redhead would have none of that.

"Wade, I know you'll be very busy here for the following weeks, but I need some fast favors. I want a line to Dr. Director's office, full access to your person database, both villains and those that own us favors and the theory behind Lakhesis' effects in the Kimmunicator", she requested levelly.

Not waiting for a response, she performed an about face and marched towards the exit. "What's the mission, KP?" inquired Ron, following right behind her

She managed the phantom of a smirk. "You know how many of the scientists we know, both the good and the evil ones, can be oblivious to the important stuff, such as the sun exploding." She held the Kimmunicator to his face, displaying a very long list. "We're going to find every last one of them and inform them of the sitch. Also I'll make sure GJ gives temporary amnesty to any supervillain that wants to help and needs to use other technological resources. One of them might have a solution. It's egghead open season, Ron!" she finished exited. "My second chance to do something," she added under her breath.

- - -

"And so, Shego, my new giant robot will be firing mental deliberation beams that will temporarily turn everyone around it into mindless zombies ready to be manipulated."

"Brilliant…yawn… If you use it in the congress, you won't even have to turn it on."

Dr. Drakken nodded happily. "Yes, yes, that's exactly the idea." When the ironic smirk on the green skinned woman's face failed to wane, he blinked in retrospection. "Wait, you were being sarcastic again, weren't you? Or was that a parable?"

Said master thief sighed, deciding to detach her eyes from her magazine. "Philological brutalizing aside, I can't help but notice that ever since your flower-ator or whatever that thing was called, you seem to be in creative limbo. Perhaps you should take a longer vacation to recharge those batteries."

"I have all the energy I would ever want!" he responded miffed, snorting when a vine erupted from his neck, extending and sprouting a single very large leaf from its tip. "And I didn't mean that literally", he snapped at his wayward appendage, causing it to recoil and shudder.

"See, KP? He's still in flora funk like I told you", came a voice from behind them, prompting the villainous duo to turn as one.

"Kim Possible!" came the usual incredulous and redundant cry, then Drakken blinked. "Aren't you a bit early, though? I haven't even had the power source acquired yet."

Kim raised a brow. "Not sure what you're talking about, but we didn't come here for a fight."

Shego frowned. "How cute, she's not here to fight. What will it be, Dr. D? Cookies and Cocoa-moo or should I open a can of whoop-ass on them anyway."

Drakken regarded the two visitors carefully. "Not to be inhospitable, but to what do we own the visit?"

"You are next on the List. It took us four days to reach 'L'", replied Ron, sighing while rubbing his weary, bloodshot eyes.

"'L' as in leader?" he asked hopefully.

"'L' as in Lipsky."

Kim didn't waste any more time, plugging the Kimmunicator into a convenient USB port and uploading the 'Lakhesis' data. Drakken balked at first due to her actions, but as soon as he realized what was on his screen, his skin color cascaded towards white.

"Is this true?" he asked meekly after a while. Kim nodded gravely. "We are doomed, doomed I say! Have to write my will. Oh wait, there will be no one to read it!" he raved, pacing back and forth relentlessly.

While Kim tried, awkwardly, to get him to settle down, Shego grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him aside. "Ok Stoppable. Since I'm not about to bother deciphering the technobabble involved, I want you to explain what the hell is going on and why you and Princess seem like you have passed through a medieval gauntlet. In small simple words. No need to strain your... that thing between your ears."

Ron appeared offended for a second, then smirked. "Big sphere go zap. Mars go boom. Rock misses earth. Rock will hit sun. Sun go boom too", he responded in a painfully fake, baritone voice.

Shego's eye twitched. "Very funny, sport. Now why don't you..." she started, igniting her Go glow on her free hand. That only lasted for a second though, the time it took for what he said to sink in. "Whoa, whoa, wait! What do you mean 'sun go boom'?" she asked incredulously, letting go of his arm.

He sighed, sobering up. "It means that if we don't stop the thing, the sun will go nova within days after the collision. Not sure how that works, but it has to do with that explosion in Brazil last week."

The green-clad woman blinked. "If that happens..."

"Yep, zero survivors. Earth will be snuffed like a candle in a typhoon. Kim and I have been running around the globe for the past four days, only sleeping during transit. Since Global Justice has been hiding the threat to avoid riots and panic, we want to make sure everybody that can help knows the score."

Shego sighed, rubbing her temples and glancing at the still wailing Drakken with disdain. "Why are you here then. Even if Dr. D. agrees to help, we are still both wanted, despite the UN nonsense two weeks ago."

The blonde smirked. "Actually, Kim talked to Dr. Director about that. Everybody willing to help and their associates are granted temporary amnesty as long as they behave and until the crisis is over, one way or another", he explained delivering the last line with a sigh.

She raised a brow. "Kimmie thought everything, didn't she? Knowing the doc, he will jump at any chance if it means saving his skin."

"Shego!" came the blue-skinned scientist's voice as on cue. "Pack lightly. We're going to Middleton to help. I'll be needing the space center's resources if I am to take action."

Said mercenary responded a bit too eagerly, eyes glinting. "Of course Dr. D. I'll make haste. Wouldn't dream of keeping you from saving the world. Again!" The last few words were delivered entirely too loudly.

Drakken snorted. "Of course not!" he exclaimed indignant. "I'm just interested in the peculiar shield around the meteor."

"Dude, that doesn't change the fact you will save the world if you succeed", observed Ron.

"No, no, don't say it like that! I'm in for the challenge. The challenge!" he tried, quite a bit desperate. "And what's with the blatant and unnecessary outdoors voice?"

Ron smiled. "Hey, this is fun. No wonder you do it all the time", he beamed at Shego. "The challenge of saving the world, of course! I know the feeling, I can tell you all about it", he added, turning to Drakken once more.

"La-la-la-la, I can't hear you!" returned the not-so-good doctor, keeping his ears covered.

Kim groaned while Shego snickered in amusement. "Stop playing with the villains, Ron. Even with the Sloth, we still have half of the list left", stated the redhead flatly, grabbing her partner's wrist and dragging him away.

"La-la-la-la..."

"They are gone, you can stop now you know", tried Shego after a while.

"La-la-la-la-la-la..."

"Yo! Talking here!"

"La-la-la..."

Shaking her head, she prepared to reintroduce her employer to the meaning of 'ouch' when a better idea dawned in her mind. Smiling mischievously, she walked behind him and pinched his derriere with enough force to make him squeak in pain.

"Shego!"

- - -

"Thank you for both the ride and the news, Miss Possible, however grim they might be. Thanks to you, I will start helping in the Middleton space center a day earlier than I thought."

"No big, Professor Zyzian. Anything to make sure the sun is saved."

The elderly scientist nodded, her visage becoming amused as she exited the Sloth. "After this crisis is over, I would very much like to meet the ones that tricked out your car. I find their work intriguing."

Ron nodded. "Will do, Prof. As long as they are not at school."

As soon as the scientist walked away, Kim let out a huge sigh and slumped back in her seat. "It's your turn to drive Ron. I'm completely drained", she stated yawning.

Her partner shook his head. "Don't think so, Kimbo. We are done."

"What do you mean done?" she asked, sounding tweaked.

Ron sighed. "Done as in mission is over. Zyzian was, obviously, the last one in the List."

Kim blinked. "Are you sure? It's too soon."

"One week hopping around the world without stopping at all is not exactly 'too soon' in my book", he retorted, raising a brow.

She refused to concede. "There must be someone else. Perhaps Wade has another list or perhaps we forgot someone."

He shook his head. "Come on KP. We even asked Frugal Lucre's help, for all the good his cheap computer skills will do us. Francis' mother's cookies were worth it, though", he added as an afterthought. "My point is, we did what we could. Everybody that can help does so. We have four weeks. They'll find a way."

Kim left the car, walking and reaching one of the space center ground's trees. She sat on the bench below it with a huff. "Should I try to take an aeronautics Ph.D. within the month?" she contemplated after a while, not really talking to Ron.

He regarded her incredulously, hoping to see she was joking. When he concluded she was serious, he decided that whacking his head on the tree trunk looked like a good idea.

The redhead threw him a withering glance. "I could do it", she tried, sounding decisively unconvinced. He shook his head as he sat next to her and she sighed again. The stress and fatigue overtook her and she leaned on him dejected. "I should be able to do anything…" He responded by hugging her affectionately.

For the first time in the week, Kim felt content. The physical contact between them seemed to dispel her doubts and diminish her worries and she found herself lost in her best friend's embrace. She felt hope and happiness and a desire to rest.

She felt that she did not deserve to feel like that when she was, in her own eyes useless.

Kim stiffened and pulled away from Ron, frowning severely. "No time for that. We should be doing something, anything!" she declared frantically.

He tried to sooth her. "We are both exhausted and stressed. If you keep this up, you'll only torture yourself."

"I don't care! There must be something we missed, some other way to help. This is so a repeat of last week", she shouted. "It feels like the movie after the preview. Like last week, we are to sit on our butts and wait for others or luck to save us. Only this time luck won't help us. Lakhesis won't miss this time.

"KP…"

"No, listen to me! I can't stand a month of waiting. I'll go crazy in a month. I can't accept that, I just can't."

"Kim…"

"We must think of something, figure out a way. Whatever the cost."

"Kimila…" he tried yet again, his hand running along her shoulders.

She once again felt the effect he had on her, the sweet, serene feeling she wanted to give into completely. The call of her blissful, secret place. A moan threatened to leave her lips.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped harshly, recoiling away from his reach. She almost choked at his hurt expression.

"Damn it, Kim", he swore disheartened. He was as tired as she was and his patience was shorter than usual.

"I…I need to be alone for a while Ron", she more whispered than said, not daring to meet his eyes.

He opened his mouth then snapped it shut, changing his mind. "Fine!" he shouted. "See you tomorrow. Perhaps a full night's sleep will put things into perspective", he added only a tad more gently, stomping away afterwards. He stopped when he heard her almost silent sobs from behind him. He wanted to turn around and console her but he hesitated. "Coward…" he muttered, disgusted with himself before walking away.

Kim tried to hold her sobs but almost stopped when she realized he wasn't walking away anymore. She wanted to run to him now and say how sorry she was, but something held her back. The guilt was heavy, but she felt she deserved it as a form of self-punishment. She sighed and sniffled some more when he resumed walking. "You are a damn nutcase, Possible", she chided herself. "You'll make some shrink rich some day…"

- - -

Shego yawned, wondering once more what exactly she was doing here. She had followed Drakken three days earlier as they moved into their old Middleton lair and her employer had been spending most of his time working in the space center. At first she had tried to help him, but she could only stand being around a crowd of borderline lunatic scientists for only that long. Currently, she was chilling on a bench under another tree, enjoying her ice coffee.

The green-skinned beauty was surprised when Ron slumped down heavily a seat over, nursing a tin of cold Cocoa-moo. "And you are here why?" she inquired, secretly eager to talk to somebody.

She expected him to either cower away or give a sheepish response and she was surprised when his eyes narrowed. "It's a public place and your name is not on my seat", he spat.

Her right brow arced upwards all the way. "O-kay. Trouble in paradise, sidekick?" she teased.

His smirk was unkind. "Last time I checked, paradise was not supposed to expire after a month, henchperson."

Shego regarded him intrigued. "Hissy fits don't look good on you, Stoppable. What did princess do this time?"

He frowned at that. "How do you know it's about Kim?" he asked.

She had to snicker. "Forgot who you're talking to, slick? I know more about you than you'd think. If it weren't about Kimmie, you would be with her trying to solve it. Not to mention that only she can affect you that much", she explained.

Ron sighed. "No big, she is just suffering from 'I-can't-sit-on-my-ass-and-do-nothing-to-help' syndrome. She'll come to her senses in no time."

Shego smirked. "Oh, I know that kind of thing firsthand. Harsh, especially when you feel guilty and push everybody away."

"You know it how?" he inquired suspiciously.

"Hello! Former superhero here. Did you forget, Stoppable? I'm hurt", she returned mockingly.

"Oh yeah, that. Why did you quit that, anyway?" he asked earnestly.

The green-clad thief eyed him incredulously. "You have met my brothers", she reminded him.

He smiled, his quarrel his Kim temporarily forgotten. "If that was the reason, you would have gone solo not evil. It would take more than that, so spill."

"I'm sure Hego told you everything."

"He said the more you fought evil, the more you liked it. I say I'm not buying."

Her smirk became feral. "You call my brother a liar, Stoppable? I'm shocked."

He smirked right back. "Hego might not be a liar, but he is an idiot. No offense."

Shego laughed out loud, the first time Ron had seen her do so. "Offense? Stoppable, I'm getting off when one badmouths my brothers."

"So what's the real story?"

The green-skinned woman sobered down and sighed. "I don't believe I'm actually considering talking about it. You are very devious in your own, unique way, you know. Very well, but a word about this goes out and it's buffoon open season", she threatened.

"Nice, I'm in no danger then", he chirped, gaining a death stare. "Story?"

"First of all, let me tell you I'm envious of you and Possible because you remind me what I have lost. I had two very close friends as a kid. We must have met before school during our daycare days and we stayed tight till… the end. In high school we were the Weird Troika. I was the green-skinned freak, he was an overachiever with a small telepathic gift and she was a slacker genius. He always had to keep moving and prevailing. She barely passed her classes because and I quote 'trying harder seems too much like work'. I was kind of the middle woman, keeping us together."

Ron laughed at that. "I never thought you'd be the saner one."

Shego couldn't help but smile. "Don't listen to Hego's steam. We three were the ones that got the team Go idea. My brothers were merely the muscle of the outfit and even that was questionable. The outfits, the plans, the Go tower, the jet, the gadgets, most of our fame, everything they owned to us three. Even though my idiot brothers shunned my friends they were utterly dependent on our troika. They didn't care about fame, they simply wanted to make a difference. In our Junior year we even stopped horsing around and acknowledged we were more than friends."

The blonde blinked in disbelief. "As in all three of you?" he asked tentatively.

He could swear he saw Shego's eyes gleaming. "Never heard of a three way relationship, sport? Things got physical very fast and we didn't give a damn about what my brothers or our peers thought of us." Her face went grim after that. "A year later, I got myself captured by a semi-intelligent villain, Metallos. He was a cyborg freak, half his body was machine. My brothers refused to listen to my friend's plan. In the end, my two friends died before my eyes while shielding me and getting me free.

Ron paled at that. "Um… sorry to hear that. I…"

A dark smile touched Shego's face. "Oh no you don't. When I start this story, nobody moves until I'm done", she declared her hands erupting with her green glow. Ron nodded frantically and she resumed. "My 'dear' brothers came late and the only thing they did was stopping me from killing Metallos. He is still in some stupid clinic; I left him a vegetable. For the following two years, I clamped down and dedicated myself to school and the team. I finished high school as well as a bunch of university courses in record time. I did my best to teach everything I knew about martial arts to my worthless brothers and I trained harder than ever. Then I discovered the terrible truth."

The freckled youth gulped. "The reason you quit I guess."

She nodded, her eyes unfocusing. "It's ironic really. Global Justice had secretly chipped team Go, including my friends, with tracer chips. Unfortunately Metallos figured it out and learned to trace the signal himself. That's how he caught me in the first place and that's how he knew my friends had come for me. I was furious, of course, but I really snapped when I overheard Mego and Hego talking. They were saying how good it was for me that these 'worthless friends' of mine were gone. They had the gal to say they were holding me and all of the team back! I smashed the door open, beat them both to submission and left that very night."

"So you blame GJ for what happened", he asked after a while.

Shego sighed, creating a tiny green flame on the tip of her index and staring in it. "Metallos might have killed them, but that was his job. He got what he deserved, but he never deceived us. Global Justice was supposed to be a trusted ally, yet their chips betrayed us in the end. I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't quite sane after they both died on me. Hell, I wasn't quite sane during the first two years as a mercenary, before I met Drew. I got better since then. Perhaps the numbskull made me soft. What I know is that I don't regret turning my life to the other side."

Ron appeared thoughtful. "You mean if you had a second chance, you would have done the same?"

She stretched royally, letting her guard down completely. "Exactly. If I could go back, I would of course try to keep my pals alive but other than that... I love my life, Stoppable. People fear my name. I am filthy rich. I'm an adrenaline junkie and I love playing whack a bitch with your girlfriend. No prison can hold me for long. My powers give me speed, strength, endurance and a tiny IQ boost in addition to the green Glow. Plus, until recently I had decided I would never find someone for me. Not sure if it's love or gratitude with Dr. D, but I haven't felt like that for a long while. They say that no one is truly free. What I say is that the bounds of my freedom are pretty damn wide. I can still play hero and save someone if I feel like it. I can see something shinny and steal it at a whim. I can be compulsive aggressive as long as I don't kill anyone. I can even sprout my life's cliff notes on a relative stranger just for the hell of it."

He eyed her carefully, scratching his neck. "Not that it's not exiting, but how came you just told me all that?"

Shego shrugged. "Don't know, don't care. Perhaps it's because we are probably going to die in a month."

"You really believe that, don't you?" he asked anxiously. As on cue, a grand explosion erupted from one of the center's buildings, sending a draft of hot air to caress their faces.

- - -

"Doodles, James! I never said I was ready! Why did you flip the switch!" came Drakken's voice from a newly formed and prominently gapping hole on the wall.

"Sorry about that, Drew. Someone, and I mean you Peter, crossed the cables while connecting the Inverted Intersignal Instigator with the Peripheral Pan-perpetual Polerator", followed Dr. Possible's voice, accompanied by a smog-induced choir of coughs.

Drakken sounded incredulous. "Why for all that is holy is there an Inverted Intersignal Instigator involved? We are trying to stop a meteor, not shred the very fabric of reality to ribbons! This thing wasn't cheap either!"

- - -

"Case. In. Point" declared Shego dramatically. "I don't trust them to save us further than I can throw them... while they are strapped on their homes."

"Homing missiles aside, I think you are a bit harsh on them", riposted Ron. "It is what they do, after all."

The green-skinned mercenary sighed tiredly. "I know their kind, Stoppable. Most are brilliant but stupid. They have knowledge but lack real imagination. Since they haven't solved this problem spontaneously, it will take them a long time and don't get me started on their teamwork or the obvious lack thereof." She finished her line with a yawn.

"They can't be that bad... I hope."

Shego nodded and yawned again, her eyelids threatening to drop any moment. "Now there was one of them I really respected, but he lasted only one day, even if he did kick ass. Perhaps it would take the 'Big Dog' to get this stupid pebble off its course." After a while, she shot up in a daze. "Did I fall asleep, Stoppable? Huh?" She turned around, quirking a brow. "Now why would the sidekick bail on me like that. And why do I feel I said something wrong..."

- - -

Dr. Betty Director stifled yet another yawn and tried to school her bloodshot eye and tired features back to a semblance of authority. Her body and mind both longed for rest, but she felt that leaving her post would be shrinking her responsibilities. Her subordinates had other ideas.

"Dr. Director!" demanded one of the senior agents at her side. "I must insist that you rest. There is nothing more you can contribute presently and you have endured the last 72 hours without sleep."

She turned to face him, her mind sluggish. "I appreciate the concern, agent Johnson, but we are still under red alert. Most of our resources are channeled to research and development and we only have a skeleton crew to deal with the usual crazies."

The agent seemed ready to back off, but then his features hardened. "I must insist, Dr. Director! I apologize in advance, but in your condition I doubt you would be an asset in case something goes wrong. Please be reasonable."

Elizabeth let a deep sigh and nodded. "Very well, you are of course correct. I will retire to my quarters but make sure I am alerted should something go wrong."

The agent appeared relieved. "Of course. Make sure you take your time and we will do our best to keep the world intact till then."

She nodded, offering the ghost of a smile, then stumbled away, marginally capable of walking.

Another agent turned to Johnson. "You are one lucky bastard, you know. If the boss was any less tired, she would have bitten your head off."

He sighed. "I know her kind. She needs someone to keep her brilliance and zest in check, or she'll burn out." A second later he blinked. "She was so tired she forgot to leave someone in charge as she usually does."

The other agent scratched his chin. "By default, the one in charge should be the ranking agent. That's either Denton, if he's back, or you."

Agent Johnson pondered that a bit. "Actually, because of the red alert status, the one in charge is the most capable agent", he added, his voice filled with dread.

His partner's eyes went wide. "No, not him! Tell me we don't have to deal with that arrogant, incompetent poser that keeps lucking out and has yet to screw up. He is a catastrophe waiting to happen!"

The other nodded gravely. "Afraid so. Unless he is not informed..."

At that point, the door to the command center opened and a new figure walked in. "According to the GJ protocol, I Agent William Du will assume command during Dr. Director's absence", he declared. "I will need a complete status report in five minutes."

The two agents groaned in frustration.

- - -

Ron lied on his bed inside his currently empty home, arms and legs inanimate, his eyes staring at the ceiling.

"Kim is right. Dying by a meteor is dumb. Something must be done" he declared to no one at all. "I should be able to use my monkey powers and stop it."

"Not likely", came the response and he turned to glare at his own image. Mystic-Ron was sitting in lotus position and levitating above the floor, blue aura all around him. "Even by summoning as much power as in our awakening, we'd need a few centuries of training to deal with something that big."

Ron sighed. "Maybe we'll luck out again. What is the probability of it being a false alarm?"

Odds-Ron, raised a brow from the chair he was seated in. He replied without even looking at the calculator in his hands. "What are the odds Wade AND Mr. Dr. P are wrong?" he snapped back.

Ron nodded dejectedly. "Point taken. They are never wrong. With them in the game, everything will be fine. No need for the Ron-man to worry", he muttered weakly.

Pre-K-Ron kicked him on the thigh. "No! Kimmie needs us. She is sad and she will be hurt by the bad rock. It will be worse than... than monkeys! We need to save our friend."

Self-centered-Ron nodded while leaning on the wall. "For once I agree with the squirt. You saw them. I like being alive just fine, thank you very much."

Ron slapped a hand on his forehead. "Talking to myself is bad enough. How about we find intelligent proposals?" he complained.

"Oh, I will be happy to oblige", came the voice from his desk and he turned to glare at Zorpox-Ron.

"And why do I see my intelligent ideas on your face?" he inquired annoyed.

Z-Ron crossed his arms defensively. "It's not my fault we are at our brightest when evil. I'm not even really what we become, just the echo of how you perceive us we are attitudinized."

Ron sighed. "Fine, just say your piece. You are more useful than these guys anyway", he said indicated the rest of his imagination's figments.

His counterpart smirked, eyes gleaming behind orange goggles. "We have to make a choice here, Ron. Just remember that doing nothing is also a choice. We can sit back and chillax. KP will sneak inside early tomorrow, feeling lower than dirt, and she will probably cuddle up to us while we are still asleep. If we are lucky, she will apologize without making us breakfast and thus we won't have to call the HAZMAT people again. Then she will spend the rest of the day hanging around us and trying to seduce us. As if she needs to try."

Ron blushed at that. "I don't think..."

Z-Ron snorted in laughter. "She has been dropping hints since Christmas. After her attitude yesterday and last week's stress?" He turned to Odds-Ron. "What's the probability of Kim wanting to go all the way within the next three days?"

Odds-Ron punched some numbers in his calculator, then grinned. "98 percent."

Z-Ron kept his laughter in check. "And what's the probability we'll manage to refuse?"

Odds-Ron discarded his calculator. "I don't deal with such small numbers. I'm not even sure they exist."

Ron sighed. "Fine, I get it. Kimila will be in the zone."

Z-Ron nodded. "The best month of our life, Ron. It will be a honeymoon in everything but name. We know how KP overcompensates for her blunders. After that... well we'll have to risk the very real possibility of dying in each other's arms along with everything and everyone. You know what the only other viable option is. We will be risking everything, of course. Even if we succeed, Kim might not forgive us. Plus, who knows what we will be capable of? She might be relatively safe despite our... attitude, but she will still be hurt mentally. We'll even have to fight against her."

Ron scowled. "Isn't that a bon-digitty array of choices?" he asked towards his desk, where a certain naked mole rat was asleep.

Z-Ron decided to go for the tiebreaker. "I fear the real question is this. What scares us more? Kim's death or Kim's rejection? Our death or our insanity? If we take our one month paradise, will we be able to look Kim in the eyes a moment before we die, knowing we didn't do our absolute best?"

Ron wiped a tear from his cheek and sat up. "In the end, it's not really a choice", he decided, examining the device next to his bed. It had taken him a half-hour to find the black helmet among the junk piled in his wardrobe. "Even if it's the most stupid thing I've ever done in my life and that's saying something."

With trembling hands, he placed the repaired Attitudinator on his head and pressed the activation monogram on his forehead.

- - -

And there you have it. Things will start heating up from the next chapter. Kim won't be the only one unhappy with Ron's choice and he will only have a month to act. I hope their quarrel in this chapter did not seem too outlandish. Mental fatigue is very bad and doubled with Kim's... kimness can lead to nasty situations. After all, perfectionists like Kim judge themselves even harder than their peers. As for Shego's story, I first thought of writing it as an actual story. I might do so someday, but don't hold your breaths.