Chapter 11

Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, Location 78. 10 am

The GJ jet landed on a remote airstrip on small, but beautiful island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Overflowing with palm trees and every flower color imaginable, the only sign of civilization was a small dock with a few patrol boats, a small airstrip, a hanger, and an outpost every few hundred yards with 3 armed guards at each one. The Kims and Shegos with Ron and Dr. Betty Director exited the jet, stepping into the warm South Pacific sun. Present Shego knew that if it were any other time, she would love to just lie out in the sun for days and laze about on the beautiful island. However, this wasn't like any other time. This time, they were visiting a secret prison-slash-torture chamber with her and Kim Possible future selves, the buffoon sidekick, Dr. Drakken, and, worst of all Shego felt at the moment, the Director of Global Justice.

At that moment, the Director of Global Justice was leading the group of people, a group of people she least expected to be with yesterday, towards the entrance to the underground prison.

"Sir," said a guard, saluting the Director, when they reached the entrance.

"As you were," the Director said with a wave of her hand. "Everyone stand on this square please," she instructed the group. Everyone squeezed together and waited for a few seconds, then were suddenly surrounded by thick glass, then plummeted underground.

"God, I hate this kind of transportation," future Shego mumbled as they sped through the Earth.

"It's the fastest and most discrete way to get around," the Director defended.
"Whatever, it still doesn't make it easier to get used to," present Shego added.

"Anyways, when we get down there, follow my lead. The interrogating rooms are on the deepest level, which would make it harder for them to escape were to break free of their restraints and get passed the guards. We need to walk down four flights of stairs once we reach the last level of the tube," the Dr. Director explained.

"Is all of this really necessary?" present day Kim asked. "I mean, not only are they underground in a near escape proof prison, but they're on an island in the middle of the ocean surrounded but several guards with guns."

The Director looked down at the teenager. She truly hoped, before yesterday, that she would be able to convince the girl to join GJ and even groom her to take her position when the time came for retirement. However, after meeting the future Kim Possible, she knew it would never happen, especially if she's teamed with Shego, who would also never work for Betty Director. She was very saddened by that idea. No one, not even Will Du, had the potential for greatness than Kim Possible.

"Yes, Miss Possible, it is. Every single inmate is a complete sociopath. They will kill, lie, do whatever it takes to leave and will commit, and have committed, unspeakable acts of evil. I won't even begin to tell you all the vile things that Eclipse alone has done to earn him a place here," the one eyed woman answered. The present Kim remained silent after that.

A few more minutes of silence later, they reached the last level. The people who hadn't been there before took everything in. It reminded Ron of the dark, dank dungeons that were in video games that took place in medieval times. Built from several feet thick stones, the halls and floors were dark and seemed to shine with water. It was dimly lit by yellow tinted lights on the ceiling. It smelled like mold and earth.

Present day Shego looked at it the eyes of a thief and saw very, very few weaknesses. She knew that she would never find herself in a cell because she's never done, or plan to do, anything to earn herself a spot at Location 78.

Drakken was having a revelation of sorts. As he saw the cells of the prisoners, all in strait jackets, mumbling and muttering to themselves and all of them desperately needing a shower and daylight, he realized that if he succeeded in hurting a large group of people with his plans to take over the world, he could end up in this prison. Well, that's what he thought. Betty Director knew that he would never be able to pull off such a stunt, but Drakken, who believed he could, knew he could end up in Location 78 if he did and got caught. He began trembling at the thought.

There was a loud thud that caused Drakken to scream like a loud girl, his screech echoing off the stone walls. Everyone turned to where the thud came from and saw a prisoner with pale, sickly skin. His face was gaunt and pale, almost yellow eyes sunken in. He looked crazed in the strait jacket. Suddenly, he pulled his head back and slammed his forehead against the Plexiglas that held each prisoner in.

"Meet Reverend Joshua "the Carver" Battle. He killed, that we know of, nearly 200 women and 100 children, carving religious symbols and versus onto every inch of their bodies while they were alive before we caught him," the Director explained.

"But…why?" present day Kim asked, completely aghast. Future Kim touched her shoulder and her younger self looked up.

"Because he could, Kim. There's no other reason. He didn't do it for money or because someone told him to. He took pleasure out of it. Just like Eclipse. He does what he does because he can. And we're the only ones who can stop him," she explained. The teenager looked at the floor, deep in thought. Ron's arm found its way around her shoulders and pulled her in close, for her comfort, and his own, as he suddenly felt weak. She automatically held him close as well, seeking her own comfort.

"Come on. I don't want to be here any longer than needed," Future Kim said after a moment of silence.

The group continued down the hallway until they reached a staircase. The walk down the four flights of stairs was a silent one. For the seventeen year old Kim Possible, she spent it deep in thought. She always knew there were really horrible people out there; serial killers, terrorists, etc. However, she had never come face-to-face with one. The villains she dealt with were mainly egotists and attention seekers. None of them were actually a threat to taking over the world. She was just there to make sure it wasn't done, just in case. However, now that she knew that she was about to face a great evil, one that scarred her and Shego's future selves, both mentally and physically, made her think. Is that something she wanted to do for the rest of her life? To be terrified of someone out to kill her and everyone she loved? To be at the risk of torture and relentless pursuit? If she wanted to chase these kinds of people, she'd join GJ, but she clearly had some type of problem with Dr. Director and she was obviously in Shego's life.

The last thought made her heart beat quickly. However, before she had time to analyze that further, Dr. Director cleared her throat. Kim looked up and saw that they had arrived at the interrogation room.

It was an almost empty room with a window showing another room. There was a chair that held several buckles and hand and ankle cuffs on the arms and legs. There was a table with two chairs facing the window in the room they were standing in.

"Eclipse will be brought into the room behind this two way mirror. He will not be able to see you, but you will see him. You can ask him questions, but he has never answered a single one of ours before. There will be two armed guards in with him and he'll be completely restrained," the head of GJ explained.

"Go get him, Cyclops. I want to get this over with," future Shego demanded. Dr. Director hesitated.

"If you find out that this man is the one you spoke of, what will do about it?" she asked. Future Shego was about to answer, but her partner spoke before she did.

"I will go into that room and I will shoot him in between his soulless eyes," she whispered so quietly that she almost wasn't heard.
There was a shocked silence that followed the reply.

"K-Kim—" future Shego stuttered, clearly stunned. "I will do it. I can't have you do that."
"Why should you do it?" the scarred one demanded, her eyes turning angrily her partner. "Because he controlled your mind? Because you hurt me because of him? I'm sorry Shego, but you know what he did. You know who he took from me. I will not let that happen if I can help it and if that means killing him, you know damn well I will not hesitate."

"I know you won't. I don't doubt for a moment that you could take a gun and pull the trigger without a second thought," Future Shego stated. She grabbed onto Future Kim's cheeks and looked her dead in the eyes. "However, even after everything he's done to you—to us—you would regret it for the rest of your life. I won't let him have that control over you. I will not let him take away the one last piece of innocence you hold onto."

Present Kim stared at both of them, shocked at the conversation that was happening, as was everyone else.

"He—he kills someone I love?" she asked quietly. Everyone looked at her.

"No. He won't," Future Shego stated with conviction. "Kimmie is right. He's not living past the next 10 minutes. But I'll do it. I've already got blood on my hands. I won't let you do that to yourself."

Present Shego gasped. She was telling Kim the truth when she was Miss Go. She had never killed anyone and never planned on it. Even during the very dark year after quitting Team Go, she had never taken a life. To hear that that changes in the future strikes a very deep and sad chord within her. She didn't have a lot of morals, but one she always stood by was to not kill. It pained her to hear that she breaks that. She was taken out of her reverie by the leader of Global Justice.

"Now wait just one minute here!" she exclaimed. "Eclipse is my prisoner and if you think for one second that I will allow you to just shoot him then we are going back immediately. I won't stand for—"

She was cut off suddenly when a hand shot out and slammed her against the Plexiglas, holding her against it by wrapping fingers tightly around her throat, giving her just enough leeway to breathe. She stared, not into the fire-y emerald eyes she expected, but the blazing, scarred forest green ones of the future Kim.

"You listen to me, Betty," the furious woman spat, her name sounded like a curse on the future woman's lips. "You will go and get Eclipse," she continued, her voice eerily calm, sending chills down the one eyed woman's spine. "You will chain him to that chair. If he is the one we have been looking for, then you will not get in our way. He will not leave that room without a bullet in his brain."

Dr. Director stared at the woman with shock and horror written all over her face. This was not the young naïve girl whom she had hoped would be her protégé. This was a fully grown, completely jaded woman. Future Kim leaned in so she was almost nose to nose with Dr. Director.

"I know what you did to her, Elizabeth," the twenty four year old whispered in the shocked silence that prevailed over the group. Dr. Director's eye widened slightly. Kim raised her left hand and barely touched the older woman's face with her fingers. "I know what you plan on doing to me. It will never happen. I will never be yours." Kim's voice dropped even lower. "I belong to her."

Dr. Director took a moment to try and understand what the scarred woman was saying. Then, a glint of light caught her eye and saw the future Kim's ring on her left hand. She stared at it, then at future Kim, and then over to future Shego only to go back to future Kim, her eye going even wider in realization.

"When we are finished, you will leave Kim alone. You will not touch her. Do I make myself clear?" future Kim asked, her eyes never leaving the Director of Global Justice's brown eye. Kim felt the woman swallow and then saw her nod almost imperceptibly. Kim let her go.
"Good," she stated. "Now go and do as I asked."

Dr. Director stared at the woman and realized that she never truly knew Kim Possible and, which a very dejected twist in her gut, realized she never would. She pushed her emotions down and nodded at the future Kim one last time before leaving to carry out her task.

Silence. No one dared speak after watching the interaction. No one that is, except for the short haired woman.

"Kim," she whispered, gently touching her shoulder.

"I'm sorry you all had to see that," future Kim said. "But I need to get this over with. I've waited three years for this moment and I just want it done."

Future Shego didn't say anything else, but dropped her hand to her partners and gave it a squeeze of support.

Present Kim was too afraid to say anything. To watch her future self do and say what she did made her really realize how much what ever happened had affected her completely. It made her terrified and curious at the same time. She was more determined than ever to find out what the future women were not telling them, especially now that she knew someone she loved was killed by Eclipse.

The younger Shego stared at the future ones for a moment before looking over at present day Kim. The girl looked shocked and horrified, but there was something in her eyes, a fire-y purpose that she had never seen before. Shego copied her future self and laid a hand on the teenager's shoulder. Kim looked over at her, slightly taken aback. Shego didn't say anything, but simply kept a comforting hand on the girl. Kim's face changed to one of slight appreciation and then looked away.

The group waited in silence for the director to return with the man whom they all hoped would bring an end to the seemingly unending mission.

Ron and Dr. Drakken jumped when they heard a loud screech from behind the Plexiglas. Everyone looked through the two way mirror and watched as two heavily armed, Asian Pacific men escorted a prisoner into the interrogation room. The prisoner had long, unkempt hair and a bushy beard that reached his chest. His clothes were in tattered rags, hanging off his emaciated body. He kept his head bent, staring at the floor as the guards shackled him to the elaborate chair, making sure that there was no way he could break free. Then, they took a spot behind the prisoner and stood guard, watching and waiting for him to make even the slightest wrong move.

Dr. Director rejoined the group and stared at the man before them.

"I need to see his face," future Shego stated quietly, her eyes never leaving the prisoner's form.

The older woman cleared her throat, and then spoke a strange language into the microphone in the wall. One of the guards took one step forward and roughly grabbed the prisoner by his hair and forced him to face the mirror.

An expressionless face stared back at the group. His eyes were lifeless pools for black against a pale, sunken face. His features might have once been considered handsome, but years of abuse and sun deprivation made him appear sickly and old.

Future Kim and Shego gasped at the same time and the twenty four year old fell to her knees in anguish and placed her head in her hands. Future Shego immediately knelt next to her, holding her close.

"Sh, it's okay, Kim," the short haired woman said gently. "It's okay."

"Is that him?" Dr. Director asked, unsure of what the future Kim's reaction was.

Future Shego sighed deeply, but didn't answer. She instead walked out of the room, down the hall, and walked into the interrogation room where the prisoner was held. She sat down across from the severely unkempt man without a single emotion displayed on her face. He stared at table, having been released from the guards hold. Shego continued to stare at what she could see of his face.

"Look at me," she quietly demanded. No response or movement. "Look at me!" Shego yelled. Still no reaction. Her face suddenly contorted into rage and she grabbed his face from across the table. Soulless black eyes met flaming emerald ones. Shego searched his eyes for what seemed like hours before her lips curled in disgust.

"Where is your son?" she asked calmly and quietly. Future Kim gasped and everyone watching almost missed the slight widening of eyes, but what caught their attention was the sudden alertness found in the previously dead eyes. The future plasma wielder shook him. "WHERE IS YOUR SON?" she screamed desperately. After several moments of staring, the prisoner began laughing. Quietly at first, but then it grew louder and louder till he was full out convulsing with laughter. It was the kind of sound that would keep one up at night, terrified out of their minds. It sent chills down the future Shego's spine, but she remained where she was, showing no fear. "Answer me!" she demanded. The man stopped laughing and smiled hauntingly at her.
"You will never find him," came a hoarse whisper of a voice that sounded like it hadn't been used in years. The prisoner began laughing again, unable to stop. Shego let go of him, disgust written all over her face. She stood and regarded the uncontrollable man before her and then she raised her hand and backhanded him so hard, his head whipped to the side, completely unconscious. Shego then left the room to rejoin the group.

The future green skinned woman disregarded the group as she quickly went to her partner's side and hugged her close. Future Kim was cried silently into her shoulder.

"Shh," Shego said. "Don't worry, Kimmie."

"We were so close, Shego. I was—I had hoped—" future Kim stuttered.

"I know. I know. Me too," Shego replied, rubbing her hand up and down her back. "But we'll get him, Kim. I know we will. Just a little while longer."

"I don't understand," present Kim stated, unable to grasp what had just happened.

"Shego and I know what Eclipse looks like, no matter what clothes he'd wear or how his hair looked. That's not him," future Kim explained, nodding to the unconscious form in the other room. "As soon as we saw his face, we knew he wasn't the one we are looking for."

"How can you know he had a son?" Dr. Director asked Shego.

"His eyes," the emerald eyed woman explained. "His eyes looked familiar and once I stared into them, I knew immediately that, while he wasn't the Eclipse we know, we are looking for someone related to him; someone younger. A son was the most logical conclusion."

"And you think his son is the one who tries to destroy the world?" present Shego asked.

"It has to be. I can't think of another explanation," her counterpart answered.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes before future Kim spoke.

"Let's get out of here. We need to inform Wade of the new information and continue in our search for the real Eclipse as well as make preparations to fight any enemies he sends back," she said.

"I'll give you everything we have on this Eclipse," Betty offered, nodding to the prisoner. "The information that's not in the report."

Future Kim simply nodded her head.

"Come on," future Shego said, allowing for Dr. Director to lead them out. Present Shego walked with the seventeen year old Kim.
"Shego, what do you think will happen now?" Kim asked the plasma wielder, who took a moment to answer.

"I'm not sure, Kimmie, but I will tell you that I'm in this with you. I know we have our differences, but whatever happens, I've got your back and I'm not leaving until Eclipse is gone," Shego answered. "Or for however long you'll need me," she added quietly.

The teenager stared at the villainess, surprised that she wasn't completely surprised to hear her say that.
"Same here, Shego. What do you say? Partners?" Kim asked, holding out her hand. Shego looked at it and gave her a smile.

"Partners," she agreed, taking the offered hand and shaking it.

The two young women didn't let go and stared at each other for several moments. Both shared a small smile and, while neither of them admitted it, felt a tingle from their hands that went up to their hearts, making them skip several beats.