The Price.

Chapter Two

Kim surveyed her room she couldn’t believe her mother had touched nothing in her room save for dusting and keeping it tidy. All of her things were still here and on display. She shook her head and walked back downstairs and confronted her. “You kept my room intact?”

“Yes, why do you ask?” Kim’s mother said smiling and continuing to cut into a tomato. She had planned for a large salad for supper.

“Mom its been 9 years...I didn’t expect you to keep it up. Why didn’t you use it?”

Still smiling she said softly, “Its your room.”

“You didn’t keep the dweebs room I see.”

“That’s different, they are not coming back here anymore.” She moved away from her cuttings and put her hands on her daughters shoulders, “I know you won’t stay too long but for now that room is yours for as long as you need it. It’s a familiar place for you, enjoy it while you can.” Anne Possible kissed her daughters forehead, “Welcome home sweetie.”

The world had changed a lot in the nine years that Kim had taken residence at the prison. She had kept up with the news and like all the prisoners grumbled when things were at their worst. She was allowed computer privileges but they were strictly monitored. All her emails were read first and then printed and given to her, she wasn’t allowed to view them online. It was just another thing that reminded them they were all prisoners.


The worlds super villains still tried their evil plots but a new player had taken the stage; one that Kim knew well. Monique had stepped up in a big way, taking on a hidden identity and thwarting the evil doer’s plans at every turn. Wade had taken Kim’s battle suit, modified it and given it to her; It seemed it was Monique’s destiny. Kim shrugged who would have known; Monique hadn’t seemed the type. Since things had gone awry for herself; Monique had filled the gap she had left. Although it seemed that superhero business had calmed down quite a bit since her days in the foray. She knew she was going to have to look her up and talk with her soon. Monique’s visits to the prison had been sparse as of late but her life was a busy one.

In the corner of her room on a shelf Kim spied her communicator. She picked up the small device and turned it on, it displayed nothing but static on the small screen. In her mind she had hoped to see a familiar face but that wasn’t to happen.

Wade had left town to designing rockets for the space program. Seems the world had decided that a space station was a good idea and a moon base even more. So Wade had applied for a job there and was immediately accepted. He was extremely busy from what Kim had read from his emails to her at the prison.

All her mail was screened extensively for any secret messages, codes or anything abnormal; nothing however was ever found. She had played by the rules and was rewarded with an early release. She was about to put down the device but a face appeared on it, one she knew well. He was older but she knew him none the less, “Wade!”

“Hey Kim.” Wade said with a big smile.

“How...?” She shook her head in question.

“My computer is tied to the communicator, when you turned it on a notice came up on my screen. I was surprised to see its activation. Its good to see you.” He smiled a broad smile.

Kim was happy to see a familiar face, he was so good to her during the beginning of her long stay in prison. “You too, its been awhile.”

“Sorry about that, several projects have really close due dates.” He paused for a moment then spoke again, “Kim I... I... really wanted to be there when you got out.” He truly was sorry, Kim was his friend; a lifetime one and this was something that he should have done but there was no way it could.

“No need to apologize, I know you too well.” Kim smiled, “You would have been there if you could.”

“Thanks, I have some time off coming so I will see you in person soon.”

“That will be great.”

“So how’s it feel?” He didn’t really want to ask the question but he felt it was a safe one. There were others he’d would have liked to ask but those would have to remain for another time.

“Weird, everything is still here.”

“Huh?” He didn’t understand.

Kim sighed, “Mom never packed up my things, my room looks the same as it did nine years ago.”

Now he understood, “Oh...that would seem strange.”

“Yeah all my clothes are still hung up.”

“Oh...well at least you can do something you like to do; shopping.”

“Yeah, shopping that’s on my list to do’s.”

Wade laughed, “I’m sure you have a lot of those. Oh you might like to know that I’m sorta working with the Tweebs.”

“Really!” This surprised her. Although she knew the Tweebs were geniuses in their own right; off the scale the testing teams had said. She wished some of that had rubbed off on her, smart in her own right but no where near their scale.

“Yeah they are testing some stuff for me, they are pretty good at doing that.”

“Yeah I remember.” Kim heard a phone ring through the communicator.

“Sorry Kim have to take this call, I’ll get back to you soon.”

“Ok Wade take care.”

“Bye.”

The communicator went dead and Kim sighed, it was back to real life again. She thought it might be best if she sorted out her clothes, it would take her mind off things. She spent the afternoon organizing and deciding which things needed to be sent away. There was a lot of stuff she was going to have to replaced and she didn’t have any money. This was going to be a slight problem, she went downstairs and into the kitchen. She didn’t see her mother there, however she was thirsty. A cold glass of milk should hit the spot she thought. As she sat at the table with her glass her mother came into the room.

“Oh here you are.” Anne said.

“Yup I was looking for you. Seems we must have crossed paths.” Kim said taking a sip of her cold milk.

“Yes it seems so.” She sat down and smiled, “You did a lot of sorting I see.” She was impressed at how neat Kim had done it as well; very organized. Kim before all this mess hadn’t been the neatest of teens but now as a young lady; well things were different. It seems prison had taught her some things a least.

“Yeah I was coming to see you. I need new clothes, all those up there are too small now. I thought we could donate my old ones and then pick up some new ones. Although I’m going to have to ask a favor though.”

“Sounds like a good plan, favor...oh.” It occurred to Anne what that favor was and it wasn’t a problem. “Don’t worry about that Kim its ok; I’ll buy them.” She smiled, “We can go today if you’d like; I’d like some mother daughter time.”

“Sure, sounds good.” She was glad her mother had suggested they go together, she too wanted time to be with her mother.

The mall was crowded and around every corner Kim thought she saw people she knew; but all were false sightings. Her heart sank when she saw the shoe store that now resided where Club Banana once stood. She remembered the good times she had with Monique and all the great fashions that passed through the doors.

The clothes she bought were all on the conservative side, she didn’t feel the need to go really wild. She needed work clothes, in a couple of days she had an interview she hoped that would go well. She looked her mother up and down, she too had bought a new dress and was now wearing it; it looked really nice on her. Red always did her mothers figure good. “You look hot mom.” Kim said grinning.

“You think your father will approve.” Ann Possible said as she spun around in a circle in front of her daughter.

“Oh yeah, he’s going to flip.” She smiled it was so nice to be away from that dreaded place. Although this place, the mall, surrounded her with concrete walls; this place made her feel free.

Kim knew she had a lot to do, she was nine years behind the times and now she had to catch up. The first thing was the job. The interview had gone well, being a personal fitness assistant was something she thought she could do. Plus she had the body to go with it, she could do heavy exercises without really sweating. So she felt pretty confident she had the job. She liked the woman who interviewed her, the one thing she was asked that she was surprised by was the swimming question. Yeah she could swim but she wondered why; there was no pool at the facility. She asked about that and it seemed that the YWCA needed a stand in life guard for a period of a month or longer, if she was interested. She told her that would be ok as well, swimming was fun.

If she was going to do the life guard job though she needed a couple of courses and those she found out were being offered in the coming weeks. She immediately signed up for those, although she had to borrow more money from her parents to do it. There were things she needed, a suit, goggles some other clothes.

A month later she was a life guard at the YWCA and doing a great job, according to her manager. He was gay, totally, he never even looked at her as a guy might. With her tight speedo suit on his manner never really changed around her; so she was sure he had no interest in her as a woman. Then again she had been wrong about one woman in prison, that was very embarrassing.

Anne Possible sat beside her husband in bed knowing that she had to have that conversation they had been putting off so long. Kim had settled in and was adjusting well to her new surroundings. Although Anne knew she still wasn’t financially off to move out. Although that was one of the things she wanted to talk with her husband with tonight.

James Possible gently got into bed, he knew by the look on his wife’s face that she wanted to talk. He gave her a peck on the cheek then smiled. “You want to talk I see?”

“Yeah.” Anne knew her husband and his view. “We have to tell her.”

He looked at her she had brought up the subject again, he sighed. He relented, if his wife thought it was a good idea then he would support her. “She’s going to be angry, I still have reservations of what we did.”

“It was for her.”

“I know but...” He stopped, “Its done, we will tell her...tomorrow.”

Anne leaned into her husband and kissed him deeply. Tomorrow would change all their lives again forever.

Kim sat down exhausted, the seniors class had really pushed her tonight with a few accidents; nothing major but quick action had been required. She picked up the remote and turned on the TV it didn’t take long before she had drifted off. She awoke to her mother gently shaking her shoulder.

“Kim?”

It took her a moment to regain her composure and sit up, “Oh...hi Mom...sorry I drifted off.”

“Its ok, just thought you might like to eat with us.”

“Yeah food sounds good.”

It didn’t take them all that long to finish off the leftovers. Finishing up Anne spoke to Kim, “Kim, honey we need to talk to you.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah can you give us a few minutes.”

“Sure Mom.” Kim put away the two dishes she had in her hand then sat down at the kitchen table. “So what’s up?”

Anne moved in and sat close to her husband, she was going to need his support in this discussion. “Kim...honey.” She took a deep breath then began what she had practiced so many times in front of a mirror. “Kim honey, after the accident your father and I were visited by a spirit...I guess that’s what you would call him. A small little Asian man.” Her face showed an asking, seeing if she recognized any thing of what she had just said.

Kim interrupted, “Sensei.”

Anne looked at her husband, “Yes that’s what this spirit said he was. Anyway he told us something startling that we really found hard to believe. He told us Ron’s spirit refused to leave this world and...” Anne had a hard time trying to say this. “If we acted quickly we might be able to save him.”

Kim’s eyes went wide...”No...no... no this isn’t possible!” Kim put her hands to the sides of her head and shook violently, “I killed Ron!!!” She cried with tears flowing down her cheeks.

End of Chapter 2