The Protagonist System

When Bonnie said that the villains now knew where I lived, I realized she was right. When I looked at Kim's face, I saw a lot of guilt there.

“Did you lead Drakken and Shego here or did you give them my address first?” I asked and she winced. I sighed and thought about removing Shego, then thought about how she flew their hovercar all the way here. “It's in their GPS, isn't it?”

“Their what?” Tara asked.

“GPS is short for Global Positioning System.” I answered and took out my cell phone. I started the app and it used the local satellites to pinpoint my location and I showed her.

“We have that, too?” Tara asked and all the cheerleaders took out their phones and checked.

While they were busy, I used one of Dragon's simple tracking programs and pinged Drakken's hovercar, which was currently located at Senior Senior's island lair. Damn, that thing could move fast. “Well, it doesn't matter anyway. Shego's already at another villain's hideout and is probably telling them about what happened.”

*Beep beep beepbeepbeep beep.*

Kim's Kimmunicator went off and she took it out. “Wade, what's the sitch? I'm kinda busy here.”

“I just called to warn you.” Wade said. “I monitor all the known villain frequencies to try and figure out the next thing they're working on and I just got word that the address of a member of Team Possible has been leaked and it's been spread all over.”

A few of the cheerleaders gasped when they heard that.

“If it's your house, you need to warn your family to clear out. It's no longer safe there.” Wade told her.

Kim glanced at me and back at her Kimmunicator. “What if it's Ron's house?”

Wade shrugged. “His parents are never home and it's only him and Rufus there, so there's no real need to warn his parents or have them move out. Let Ron know to stay away for a few days until the initial heat dies down and he can move back in without much trouble.”

“Et tu, Wade?” I asked and by his paling face, he totally got the Julius Caeser reference.

“Uh... emergency! I gotta go!” Wade said and hung up.

“Ron...” Kim started to say.

I held up a hand to stop her and dialed a specific number and put it on speaker.

“Global Justice Network's switchboard. How may I direct your call?” A woman's voice asked.

“Emergency Agent Relocation Department, please.” I said.

“One moment.” The woman said and soft elevator music played.

“Huh. Catchy.” I said and tapped my foot to it.

After a minute, the phone clicked, then clicked again.

“Please speak your agent code phrase in the voice you most often speak it.” A computerized voice asked.

I glanced at the cheerleaders and decided I had to take the social hit by saying it out loud and in the right style. “Boooyaahh!”

Tara winced and the rest of the cheerleaders gave me squinted looks.

I briefly covered the phone with a hand and whispered. “It's an old recording and I can't change it until I physically go in and record a new one.”

Tara glanced at Bonnie for approval, whom let out a sigh as she nodded. Tara smiled at me and nodded as well.

The phone clicked a few more times and a man's voice came on the line. “Describe the situation and the nature of the emergency move.”

I took a deep breath and told him that a henchman and a known villain had discovered my home address somehow and it was now compromised, spread to the others as a way to get revenge for said villain's demise on those same premises.

“What is the position of the current residents?”

“I'm here with my pet and my parents have been globe travellers for years that only return here for two weeks a year.” I said and a few of the cheerleaders gasped. None of them knew I was a latchkey kid.

Tara walked over to me and took my free hand.

“Minimum resources required?” The man asked.

“A panel van for an hour and a safe house until a more permanent residence can be secured.” I responded.

The man was silent for a moment and there was another click.

“You're being very accommodating for having your home severely compromised.” A stern woman's voice asked.

“It also almost burned down, so I've been dealing with a lot today.” I said and then recognized her voice. “Dr. Betty Director? Is that you? I'm honored you're taking time from your busy day to check in on me.”

Betty chuckled. “I'm only stepping in because we monitor Wade Load's communications for any potential leaks and this was a huge one.”

“Because of Team Possible being mentioned and not me specifically.” I said in understanding.

“Oh, you're mentioned.” Betty said. “It's very interesting to me and to everyone else that heard about it.”

“Well, damn.” I said with a sigh. “Am I still getting the minimum requirements I asked for?”

“No, Mr. Stoppable. You are getting the full treatment, as is your partner.”

“Rufus doesn't need his own place.” I joked and she laughed.

“As funny as always, even now.” Betty said. “For clarification, I mean Miss Possible. It is well known you've been friends since you were toddlers. Also, only one of the many people in the town needs to be asked about you and they will say you two are next door neighbors.”

Kim gasped and walked over to me and Tara. “I'm here, Director.”

“I know you are, Miss Possible.” Betty said. “The extraction and movement teams will be there in fifteen minutes.”

Kim sighed. “Thanks for the warning, Director.”

“Don't thank me for this. Your lives are about to be uprooted for an unknown period of time, from days to weeks. I doubt either of you are going to enjoy the experience.”

I glanced at Tara and she looked sad. “Dr. Betty Director? Can I bring a plus one?”

Betty chuckled. “You know what? Sure, why not? At least you won't only have your pet as company if you bring Miss King along.”

Tara beamed a smile at me and I smiled back.

“Thank you, Dr. Betty Director.” I said and hovered my thumb over the hangup button.

“Be sure to bring a case or two of those new cell phones. I have some discretionary funds that need spending.” Betty said.

I chuckled. “I'll bring a few other goodies with me, too. Bye, Director.”

“See you soon.” Betty said and hung up.

“I need to call my mom!” Tara said and let my hand go to do that and walked a short distance away for some privacy.

“I need to call my parents, too.” Kim said and looked at her Kimmunicator, then at me.

I handed her one of the exclusive cell phones and she dialed her mother as she walked away.

“So, you're running away and going into hiding.” Bonnie commented.

I turned and smile at her. “No, I'm leaving the local area for a short time to not endanger the people I care about. As soon as we're extracted, they'll put the word out that coming here won't accomplish anything.”

Bonnie gave me a searching look. “You're being noble and not a coward?”

My smile became a smirk. “I stopped running from my problems a few days ago.”

Bonnie huffed and crossed her arms. “You still act like a dork.”

I leaned in and whispered. “You know I have to act this way, just like you do, or no one would believe it.”

Bonnie didn't look surprised at me saying that. “Did that helmet thing make you smarter?”

“No, it just gave me the excuse to change things without people questioning it.” I said and glanced at Kim's back. “Well, most people. Kim and Wade didn't believe it for a second.”

“You can fool some of the people some of the time; but, you can't fool all of the people all of the time.” Bonnie said, wisely.

“You're doing well for yourself.” I responded and she turned her head slightly away, giving me a clue that she wasn't, not really. “You know you can do what I did, right? Be the bitch everyone expects when it's necessary, then when in private, let your friends see the real you.”

“This is the real me.” Bonnie said without meeting my eyes.

“Then tell me you don't want Tara to be happy with a dork that adores her.” I challenged.

Bonnie looked right at me and we locked eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, as if she was really going to say it, then she heard Tara's giggle as she told her mom she was being kidnapped by her boyfriend for a few days and she would call or text every day so she wouldn't worry. Bonnie closed her mouth without saying anything and pouted at me instead.

“I won't tell anyone how adorable you just were.” I stepped close and kissed Bonnie's cheek, which surprised her and she put a hand on the spot. “I promise.”

“I'm ready to go.” Tara said and took my hand. “I'll help you pack.”

“Thanks.” I said and kissed her cheek, too. “Rufus! Buddy, let's go!”

Rufus squeaked and ran over to me, climbed up my leg, and slipped into the inside breast pocket of the tuxedo.

“Ladies, thanks for coming and I'm sorry it was ruined. It was a blast before the mess and I hope we can do this again sometime.” I said and the cheerleaders looked happy to hear that. “You can see yourselves out and I'll see you next week.”

Bonnie led the cheerleaders out of the house and I led Tara upstairs to my room. I didn't have much to pack, only a few mementos that I needed to keep. The moving van was mostly for the things my parents had in their bedroom and a few things in the living room, which was mostly pictures of them in different places around the world.

Tara helped me and we were done in only five minutes, even with adding the things Rufus wanted, and we went back downstairs. The extraction team arrived right then and I directed them to the bedroom and the living room, since everything else could be replaced. A smaller team entered behind them and asked about the need for cleanup and I told them where the ballroom was.

A man I recognized as the driver that usually dropped me off after missions, poked his head in through the front door. “Your ride is just outside.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” I said and he smiled.

“You always do, Stoppable.” He said and held the door for me and Tara.

“We should probably stop at Tara's place to pick up the suitcase her mom definitely didn't pack for her.” I said and the man laughed.

“That's not a problem. We'll stop there after a quick run to Bueno Nacho.” He said and led us to a nice town car.

“It's a little sad we can't eat the food you made for supper.” Tara said as I helped her climb into the backseat.

“Don't worry about that. It's just food and easily replaced.” I said and climbed in with her. “I'm just glad you and the other girls are safe.”

Tara smiled warmly at me. “That's only because you fought a raging fire all by yourself.”

“That's because I had something precious to protect, didn't I?” I responded.

Tara slid next to me and leaned her face in close. “I hope you mean me.”

“Of course I mean you.” I said and kissed her.

Tara let out a soft moan and wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back.

The driver and guard exchanged knowing looks and the guard hit the button to close the divider between the front and back seats. It was tinted, so it gave us some privacy.

Tara was still wearing my jeans and she easily slid onto my lap and straddled me. Her kissing became more intense and involved, her tongue happily battling mine, and she wiggled her hips to get me hard and to feel it for herself. She broke the kiss and almost had hearts in her eyes, because tuxedo pants and boxer shorts were barely adequate to cover my size and shape.

“I'm sorry the fashion show ended before we could start the lingerie section.” I whispered to her.

Tara caught her breath and stared at me. “There was a lingerie section? Why didn't you tell the girls about it?”

“Because it was going to be a private show.” I told her and grinned. “Get it? A private show?”

Tara giggled. “You are adorkable, Ron Stoppable.” She said and kissed me again.

*

Kim had a lot to answer for as her family was gathered up from where they were and brought to the house to pack. Her father was a bit laid back about it, since he was a rocket scientist and was kind of used to being sequestered as he worked on government projects. Her little brothers were terrors, like always, and disrupted the packing up of their things from their room.

Her mother Ann, though? The look of disappointment and the slight anger at disrupting her emergency surgery schedule on a Saturday, really had Kim sweating. She knew she had screwed things up badly, it was only now that her family's lives were being packed up into suitcases that she realized her recent actions had some severe consequences.

“I need you to tell me again, Kim. Why are we being relocated to a temporary safe house for a few days and then forced to move permanently?” Ann asked and her voice betrayed how angry she was.

Kim took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. “Wade called and warned me that the address of Team Possible was leaked to the criminal underworld. Everyone that has a beef against me or Ron knows where we live and they can find us at any time. If we don't move and tell them the address is no longer viable, then some very bad things could happen to us.”

Her brothers Jim and Tim tried to trip one of the workers as they carried a large box of their toys, so Kim grabbed a throw pillow and whipped it at Jim's head. It hit and knocked him aside and bounced to hit Tim square in the face, knocking him backwards and allowing a clear path for the worker to pass through.

Ann nodded at the move and then frowned. “And how exactly did our address get into the hands of the various villains you've fought against over the years?”

Kim looked really embarrassed and ducked her head as her eyes dropped to the floor. “Well, about that.” She said and rubbed her toe into the carpet. “It may have... kind of a little bit... been my fault.”

After a brief pause, Kim went into the whole story of how it all came to be a few days ago, with the Attitudinator being broken, Ron absorbing Drakken's evil energy, Kim suspecting something being wrong with Ron's changing personality and behavior, and him not being Ron anymore.

Kim continued with how she confirmed the changes with Wade about what the broken helmet did, getting it repaired, and finding Drakken to get him to take his evil energy back. She paused there and the guilt almost overwhelmed her, then she admitted she brought both Drakken and Shego to Ron's house to save him.

*SLAP!*

Everything in the house stopped moving and all the workers, Mr. Possible, and his two twin sons gasped. Kim looked shocked as she put a hand over the red mark on her face. Her mother had just slapped her and she had never once raised a hand against her. Ever.

“Kimberly. Ann. Possible.” Ann said, her voice deadly. “How dare you endanger our family like that!”

Tears came to Kim's eyes and she couldn't say anything in her defense.

“You couldn't handle Ron growing up and possibly moving out of your shadow, so you brought villains to his house to save him from himself? Why didn't you invite him outside for a brief meeting at a park or some other place instead of where he sleeps!” Ann shouted.

“I'm sorry! I didn't realize...” Kim started to say.

“No, you didn't. And now our family has to move to another house, a house your father and I have lived in for our entire marriage, and we raised three children inside.” Ann said in a calm voice.

Kim cried more tears and stayed silent.

“This house might not mean as much to you, since you are a teenager and not quite capable of fathoming the depths of the huge mistake you've made; but to us adults, this house was where we built our lives, loved each other, and loved our children. Our lives were focused here and now we have to leave all those memories behind because you couldn't accept your childhood friend's new attitude.”

“B-but... but it was fake! A mad scientist's evil energy entered his brain!” Kim almost shouted and wiped at her tears.

“Kim, Kim, Kim.” Ann sighed and pulled her ignorant daughter into a hug. “It doesn't matter what caused it. You didn't even try to include Ron in your decisions and that's what led to this whole mess. If you had just talked to him, or mentioned what you were feeling or thinking, you could have avoided it all.”

“But, he would have refused.” Kim said and didn't mention him not wanting to give up his semi-popularity.

“Would he?” Ann asked and eased her hug to move her hands up and gripped her daughter's shoulders to look into her eyes. “Think about it, Kim. If you had asked him to do something, anything at all, what would the Ron-man do?”

Kim opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. No words came out, though.

“He would do everything that his best friend asked him to do, and he always will.” Ann said and leaned in and kissed the red mark on her daughter's face. “I'm sorry I slapped you, sweetie. I needed to get your attention and I hoped to knock some sense into you.”

Kim blinked her eyes at her and wasn't sure what to say to that.

“Maybe it needs some time to settle in.” Mr. Possible said and put an arm around his wife and daughter. “The movers are just about done, so let's get to the transport.”

Kim nodded and let him lead her and her mother out of the house and into the nice town car that would take them to a different safe house than the one Ron was using. She had a lot of apologizing to do and she would have to wait to contact him until they were settled.