RON STOPPABLE:
CAPTAIN AMERICA
"We really need him now." – Joe Simons, co-creator of Captain America
Issue 7: Team Possible Back Together
"I always figured work as an Avenger would be more … exciting …" Kim said dryly as she sat back on the couch between Tony and Ron as they watched Price is Right.
"Villains and terrorists have to have off time too you know?" Ron smiled before glaring at Tony who was doing the old stretching and letting arm drop over shoulder trick on Kim.
"Yeah if Doc Doom wasn't so butt ugly under that mask he'd probably be married with kids," Spider-Woman said walking into the living room while sipping on a soda. "Unlike some armored inventers, Doom has charm."
"You know, I've got a theory about you, Stark." Kim said turning her gaze on Tony Stark, "All that fancy armor and this tall tower of a home… you're compensating aren't you?"
Tony looked shattered and tried to find a counter, but settled for bowing his head and standing up. "I'm going to go get a beer."
"I thought you were clean now, Tony?" Ron grinned.
"I am …" Tony sighed as he walked into the kitchen. A moment later Tony bellowed from the kitchen. "DAMN IT, MATT!!"
"Mail's run," Daredevil said from his corner of the living room with a satisfied smirk. "Paternity clinic is opened Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays, Tony."
"Poor Tony," Ron snickered, before reaching for his vibrating pager. "Oh goodie, Fury's calling. Great big Booyah for that…"
"Colonel Fury?" Kim asked curiously as Ron stood up.
"Yup, as Fury often likes to throw at me …" Ron said before covering one eye and mimicking Nick Fury's voice. "Captain America! America needs you!"
"Tell Nick I can bring you up," a feminine voice spoke from the bedrooms and Kim and Ron spun to see SHIELD Agent 13 Sharon Carter dressed in only an oversized ARMY tee-shirt. "Just let me get some coffee."
"Agent 13/Sharon?" Ron and Kim blinked and spoke in unison, "What are you doing here?"
"She came from Steve's bedroom," Peter Parker said walking out behind the blond, stretching as he moved. "Did you wear the poor Super Soldier out, Share?"
Kim and Ron looked at each other and blushed as Steve Rogers came out in jogging pants. "Wonderful morning isn't it, all?"
"Steve!" Ron scolded with wide eyes. "That's not really a role model behavior."
"What? I'm not the walking American Flag anymore, Ron," Steve smirked, "So I don't have to worry about running it through the mud anymore."
"That's beside the point!" Ron flushed slightly.
"Drat," Sharon said coming back with a mug of coffee, "I was hoping the new Cap wouldn't be as much of a stick in the mud as the old one. Did you and Colonel Fury train him up to be just as much a wishy-wash as you were, Steve?"
"They had nothing to do with it, Sharon," Kim smirked up at Ron. "Even in high school he was obsessed with rules and guidelines. I remember when he was sure that his anamology book was the key to him finding his one true love!"
"Kim, you were just as bad as me!" Ron countered flushing slightly. "And let's not forget the whole food chain thing!"
"Don't go there, Buster, only ones in the whole school that followed that were you and Bonnie," Kim countered.
"I was not that bad," Ron waved, "Anyway I have to get ready to see what Colonel Cyclops wants to talk to me about. You're still on standby with the others KP, but don't go anywhere in this tower alone with Tony or Logan. That's a good rule of thumb to follow." Ron suggested and Spider-Woman and Sharon nodded in agreement.
"Why's that?" Kim asked before rolling her eyes. "Oh yeah… good point."
(A)
SHIELD agents stopped and saluted as Captain America walked down the hall of the SHIELD Helicarrier mobile fortress with Sharon Carter, Agent 13, walking beside him. 'Wonder what Bonnie would say if she saw me now and knew who I was?' America thought as he stopped at Colonel Fury's office and Sharon pressed her palm at the access panel.
"You wanted to see me, Colonel?" Captain America asked as he and Sharon walked into the office.
"Afternoon, Captain, how's the new recruit in the Avengers doing?" Nick Fury asked, lighting a cigar.
"I'm not at liberty to say, Colonel," the Captain responded standing with his arms crossed. "Officially the Government or SHIELD has no authority in the Avengers anymore. Of course you already know that, Colonel."
"Can't blame an old soldier for trying," Fury grinned, "Anyway, I thought you'd like to know we've analyzed the information Elektra and Spider-Woman received from the HYDRA hideout. We've discovered someone who's possibly been funding not only HYDRA but the Red Skull's operations."
"Oh really?" Cap's brown eyes widened curiously. "Anything to take a chunk out of their operation. So do you want me to go in solo or bring in the Avengers?"
"This is complicated, Cap, and you may want to sit down for this." Fury said looking at the papers in his hand, "Sit and read for yourself. I don't have the heart to tell you."
The Captain did as told and took the paper but a moment later shot to his feet and slammed the papers back down on Fury's desk. "No, this is bad Intel." Captain America said in a low, almost threatening voice.
"According to this, Erik and Kimberly Cyrus have both got off-country black accounts that are connected to not only HYDRA but also Red Skull's side organizations." Fury resided.
"Kim'd never do this; I know this for a fact." Captain America growled slamming his fist through Fury's solid oak desk.
"Captain …"
"No, I refuse to listen to this garbage," the Captain's brown eyes narrowed in anger. "Someone's trying to set her up."
"Captain America," Fury growled, standing up himself, "That's enough. Don't forget yourself and the oath you made. You can't let your personal feelings get in the way while you're in that uniform. Yes this does feel like someone's setting THEM up, but what would be done if this was anyone else? A normal everyday couple you wouldn't know from Adam?"
Captain America's jaw twitched. "They'd be brought in for full interrogation and investigation, after 9/11 and the Avenger Disassembly even heroes are to be questioned by SHIELD should they come into question." He recited from memory, almost spitting out the words as he went.
"Good memory, Captain, but I'm going to do something here that won't leave this office." Fury said narrowing his good eye, before turning his attention to a huge stack of papers and files. "This'll take me at least two weeks to go through all this mess," he said stuffing the file with the Intel on the Cyrus family at the very bottom. "You have two weeks to get me proof that this file is bullshit." Fury nodded his head, "You were her childhood friend, Ron. If anyone can get it out of her, it's you. But don't forget it's been years since you two spent any time together and a lot of shit has happened to that woman. Shit like that changes a person, sometimes it might make them better, sometimes the other way."
"Why? Why are you giving them special treatment?" Cap asked a little confused by the usual cold and calculating SHIELD commander's actions.
Fury silently pulled a file from his desk and flipped through it before reading out loud. "Why do I wanna be the new Captain America? The subject replied to the question, golly that's a tough one … I guess it's because of my best bud KP. She's always fought bad guys to make things better for everyone else. And well … she's getting married ya know, she's happy. I figure before long she'll … she'll have a family of her own … the subject pauses for a moment and wipes his eyes before continuing … I want to make sure her family is safe in this country." Fury closed the file before smiling softly at the young hero. "I want this to be bullshit as much as you do, but we have to check it out. If Kim and her husband have gotten into some shit, do it for Kim's lil'n… make sure her family is safe in this country."
"I didn't sign up for this, Nick …" Cap replied in Ron Stoppable's voice as he sat down and let his face rest in his gloved hands.
Sharon placed a hand on his shoulder. "I believe its garbage too, Ron, but we have to dig a little. And I think it would be better for everyone involved if you proved it false quietly than for Kim and Erik to be terrorized by our interrogators."
"Yeah … yeah you're right," Captain America nodded before standing up, "I need a mission. Preferable something out of the country. That would give me and Kim time to talk."
"You got it," Fury smirked. "Doom's got gutsy and raided the American Embassy in Latveria. Normally I'd just call Richards and let the Fantastic Four handle it, but this looks like Doom's just trying to show he's still alive. It'd be a good exercise for Kim as an Avenger."
(A)
Kim stretched as she left the couch in Avengers Tower and started to look for a bathroom. She blinked as she entered the bedroom wing feeling the odd feeling that she was being followed. She took a few more steps and heard a small giggle. She turned back but found herself alone in the hallway. "Hello?"
"Hi!" A small voice squeaked right behind her head and she turned quickly again no one.
"Who's there?" Kim narrowed her eyes.
"Mayday, stop pestering people," Mary Jane Parker said walking into the hallway. "Hey Kim," Mary Jane said walking into the hallway before a little black haired toddler literally flipped off the ceiling into her arms.
"Long time no see, MJ. So this is May, how ya doing munchkin?" Kim smiled as she ruffled the little girl's dark hair, who giggled heartedly.
"I didn't know you two knew each other?" Tony Stark asked leaning against the wall with a flirty smirk. "Perhaps we can get to know each other even more together …"
"Number one, Mr. Stark," Mary Jane took her and Peter's child around to hold her on one hip. "Kim and I are both married which you KNOW."
"And number two, we're cousins." Kim added with a cocked eyebrow.
"Cousins?" Ron said walking in at the tail end of the conversation, sliding back his mask.
"I knew that, I could see the resemblance," Stark noted smirking.
"The hair?" Kim asked blowing a strand of red from her face.
"That and the tight butts, very distinguishable." Stark noted before Ron slapped him in the back of the head.
"Do you ever stop?" Ron asked with a slight eye twitch.
"Stop what?" Tony asked in confusion, causing the Sentinel of Liberty to roll his eyes.
"Hey KP, we got work, wanna see if we still got the two man team thing down?" Ron asked with a smile.
"Sure," her eyes lit up at the thought of a little action.
"Then get suited up, and meet me at the roof." Ron thumbed behind him. Kim nodded and made her way to her spare room. Once she was gone, "Stark, I want you to get the team prepped and be behind us, just incase we need backup. It's Doom, but Fury thinks it's nothing too bad. That and I need some alone time with KP for something." His brown eyes narrowed at Stark's grin. "Not that you rust brain!"
"What ever you say, Stoppable," Stark beamed, causing Ron to growl in frustration and stomp toward the roof.
"What kept Rogers from decapitating you I'll never know." Ron growled, leaving Stark, Mary Jane and little May in the hallway.
"Was it something I said?" Tony asked the remaining redhead.
Mary Jane just rolled her eyes and left the rich man standing alone in the hall.
(A)
Ron sighed as he sat in the back of the SHIELD jet across from Kim. He was staring off in thought, thinking about what he had learned and also planning ahead on what they were going into. He finally noticed Kim staring at him with her elbows on her knees and her chin in her palms. "What? Is my mask crooked?"
"No, it's fine, Ron it's just …" She sat back and hugged herself while searching for the right words. "You've changed so much since high school. I mean … look at you! You're Captain America. The Ron I knew was a little bit chubby and running and screaming at almost everything. Now, You're a rock, you have legendary heroes following your orders without question, and … I'm just so proud of you."
"I just do what we've always done, KP," Ron smiled with a faint blush, "It's nothing new. Not much different than you are now. I just get to wear a fancy costume."
"That's not true, I'm just a soldier, I settled down with a husband and a lil girl," Kim shoulders slumped. "Nothing much to look up to, but you … did you know Ronnie idolizes Captain America? And she wants to be just like you when she grows up?"
"Personally I'd rather see her as someone like her grandma or grandpa P, you know a scientist or a doctor," Ron noted with a smile. "Use her head not her muscles."
"I couldn't agree more." Kim nodded.
"So anything going on with you and Erik?" Ron said, his chest tightening at the thought of what he was being forced into investigating. "Everything ok there? Any money troubles or anything?" He asked before he could stop himself, and kicking himself for being too direct.
Luckily Kim didn't read anything into it. "We're … ok. Just kind of stressful with him working with his dad all the time, but we're doing good." She said somewhat forced.
"You sure?" Ron asked noting Kim's sudden stiffness.
"Sure I'm sure," Kim forced a smile before deflating. "Actually no I'm not, but I'm sure we're just going through a rut, we'll pull out of it. We always have."
"Wanna talk about it?" Ron asked, but they were interrupted by a beep and the pilot's voice.
"Captain America, Agent Possible, we're going to over the drop zone in five, prep for drop!"
"Well," Ron said his voice dropping into his Cap-tone, "It's time to go to work." He said holding out his hand to help her to her feet.
"So what's the game plan?" Kim asked, causing Cap to do a double take.
"Huh?" he asked in surprise.
"The Game Plan, you are the leader," she nodded for him to give his orders.
"Right … um… to tell you the truth I expected you to take charge, I guess you've changed too," he said with a wink, "Ok, Doom is inside the Embassy with around six Doombots, simply put, we go in and we take down. Questions?"
"Nope, lead the way, Captain," Kim said with a proud smile.
(A)
Doctor Doom stood in the central office of the Latverian US Embassy with six of his Doombots busy tying up the representative and workers. "Perhaps now the United States will respect Doom."
His eyes widened when the red white and blue shield flew through three of the Doombots sending them to the ground as scrap, before returning to Captain America's arm at the door way. "America doesn't respect bully's Von Doom, if you'd try to talk like a civilized person, maybe you'd get listened to."
"Captain America," Dr. Doom turned to the two intruders. "Doom was expecting Richards and his foolish family to come, it has been sometime, and he sees you are more confident in your roll then you were the last we met new comer."
"Look tin head, we'd rather not fight but if you want it, we'll bring it," Kim added making her presence known.
Doom showed surprise even through his mask. "Kim Possible?"
Captain America stepped toward Kim, with his shield at the ready. "That's my name," Kim said taking a defensive stance herself.
"Doombots, release the hostages, prepare to pull back!" Doom ordered causing all present to look in surprise.
"Guys, I think you need to get down here …" Captain America said into his mask's radio.
Not but a few moments later the remaining Avengers entered through every door of the office. "What's going on?" Iron Man asked his synthetic voice filled with confusion.
"Why are you falling back?" Captain America ordered, watching the dictator with keen interest.
"Doom falls back and release the Embassy as the returning of a favor." Dr Doom stated. "Some years ago Kim Possible and her sidekick helped save the lives of many Latverian oil workers when she stopped an oil rig from exploding. By standing down, Latveria and Kim Possible are even."
"It was no big," She said glancing to Captain America and nudging his rib. "It was Ron here's gum I used to patch the leak … oh crap."
Doom's eyes widened again in realization as the heroes stared at the horrorstruck Kim.
Dr Doom stomped up to Captain America and looked him dead in the eye. "Captain America, you are Ron Stoppable, Kim Possible's skinny goofy sidekick?" he asked only receiving a tight lip from Cap for reply. He reached for his belt and held up a card with his name, phone, and email. "Doom wants the contact info of your personal trainer. DOOM DEMANDS IT!"
He placed the card in the stunned Cap's hand, before turning and matching toward his remaining Doombots. "Doombots, back to the palace." He said before glancing back to Captain America. "Doom expects a prompt reply. And if Doom would be so bold. It is good to see Team Possible back together. The world needs more heroes like you two, Good day, Heroes." He said looking only at Cap and Kim.
The Avengers were left in silence, luckily the hostages were unconscious so Cap's secret wasn't broadcasted. "Ron … I'm so sorry …" Kim whimpered her hands over her mouth.
"It's ok, you just have to be careful, secret identity and all…" Cap said with a smile before the group fell into silence.
They stayed that way for a few moments before they glanced to Spider-Man, expecting one of his trademark one-liners about the situation.
"What?" Spider-Man said with a shrug as he turned to where Doom and his robots made their escape. "I got nothin'…"
To Be Continued …
In Loving Memory of Captain America Steve Rogers