Captain Possible and The Centurion Legacy

Chapter Fifteen: Madness Shall Reign

The subway beneath New York City was vast and dark, with trickles of water and vermin constantly running along the tunnels. It was also where Kim's cousin Larry had set up his resistance base, where he and his fellow role players turned resistance fighters planned their attacks against Drakken's forces.

"Why would Drakken test out a new weapon on Olthar's crew?" Ron asked, balancing along one of the subway rails. With the exception of himself, Kim, Wade, and Rufus moved carefully through the tunnel in their battle armor with weapons drawn. "I mean, it's not like he's a major threat."

"That's the problem with only getting a small part of any conversation, Ron." Kim replied in a whisper as she gestured Wade to move forward. They didn't know the nature of the weapon, when it would hit, or why it was going to be used on Larry's team. Maybe there was a reason, maybe it was random. The whole Diablo War brought more and more surprises that Kim never thought Drakken was capable of. Though, she supposed, attitudes can change when your brain is cybernetically linked to an alien computer. "Maybe it's because they're underground. If Drakken's found a weapon to penetrate this deep, we might all be in trouble."

The team of four approached the entrance to Larry's base and Kim held them back a moment. "Ron, Rufus, you two stay here and keep a lookout. Wade and I will go in and scope out the sitch."

"You sure, Kim?" Ron asked with a frown. "If there is some kind of weapon in there..."

"Wade and I can handle it. Stay put." Kim ordered, gesturing Wade onward and following him in.

Ron waited until Kim and Wade were out of earshot before speaking. "I don't get it, Rufus." he said, his eye catching a canteen that had been left on a junction box located on the wall of the tunnel. "Haven't I shown Kim I don't need protecting like I used to?" he asked, taking the canteen and smelling the liquid inside. "Meh, it's not soda, but it'll do."

Rufus turned, popping open the face plate of his robotic body and chittering a string of questions.

Ron shrugged. "I don't know, maybe one of Larry's crew left it here. It's just water." he insisted, taking another drink.

Rufus held his arms out and squeaked a number of questions.

"Well, it was half full." Ron replied with a relieved sigh. Turning the canteen upside down and shaking it, he added. "Of course, that also means it was half empty."

Rufus chittered in irritation at him, placing his forepaws on his hips, which caused his robotic body to do the same.

Crazed screams echoed through the subway station, accompanied by crying, panicked moans and inhuman growls. There were tables overturned, and bullet holes in several of the concrete pillars, resulting in an eerie feeling that reached deep down into Kim's gut. There was no sign of a synthetic attack. There were no energy burn marks anywhere, and no synthogoo to be found. Just blood in small spatters where it appeared someone had been beaten near to death. "Kim, over here!" Wade shouted, as he approached a shivering man that cowered away from Wade.

"What have you got, Wade?" Kim asked, stepping up beside him.

The cowering man was shaking and whimpering, as though tired of brushing imaginary insects off of his body. "Hard to say, Kim. Every one of them seems pretty helpless. At least the ones that are still alive."

Lord Drakken watched through the eyes of a commando synthodrone that was designed specifically for stealth. The holographic projection in the center of his throne room showed a sadistically clear image of Kim Possible frowning at her surroundings. "That's right, Kim Possible. Learn and despair." Drakken laughed. "Learn that no matter how hard you fight, I, Lord Drakken, will always be one step ahead and taking away all you've ever cared about. Then despair in the knowledge that you will never be able to..."