Kim Driver: Graduation Ch. 01

Chapter – 1 The Beginning

Day one of their journey through school they met; Kim Driver one of prettiest girls, the most athletic and the toughest kid in kindergarten, Ron Clark squirt kid afraid of nothing, tried anything but always got hurt and Lori Ferst little princess, teachers pet and didn't like to get dirty. They hit it off and became friends. Ron loved doing everything that Kim was interested in and Lori was curious about why they did the things they did. The three carried on that way until middle school playing and studying with one another. Kim took them on adventures searching for answers to all of her questions of the world. Ron would try to do all the things Kim did and more and usually end up with cuts and bruises. Lori would stop them and play teatime every day while she inquired why they insisted on doing all the things that got them filthy and injured every day.

Things changed a bit in the fifth grade when the two girls went out for cheerleading. Lori's parents were quite wealthy with family money and didn't really like the constraints that having a child put on them, so with their daughter in middle school, grown up enough for them, they started traveling quite often leaving her alone with the nanny. Quickly the young girl started to feel unloved and essentially had no guidance. As a defense pretty little Ms. Ferst became a deviant appearing to be the model person and student in front of authority figures but when those people were not nearby she would take advantage of willing schoolmates controlling and leading them around like subordinates trying to prove that she was loved. Kim didn't like what she saw as lack of respect that Lori had for her knew friends and tried to talk to her about it, but Lori would just dismiss it with 'That's the way they like to be treated and they love me for it.' Being so young they could not see the dynamics and psychology of the total situation to appreciate the delicate state Lori was in. So, the two girls drifted apart.

Ron, still a small kid, played Pop Warner football, swam, wrestled and ran track developing himself into a good athlete and was now able to keep up with Kim on their ventures of discovery without sustaining as many injuries. He enjoyed reading and collecting comic books as well as playing video games in his free time, which was more than Kim's since he didn't put much effort into schoolwork. Ron was smart enough to skate by in class without doing much homework and still get B's and C's on his report cards.

Kim and Ron continued on as best friends playing and taking adventures. The two of them really liked kung fu movies and programs, so their parents let them take martial arts classes. She developed into quite an acrobatic weapon. Being a natural athlete and leader along with all the skills she was learning led her to become the captain of the cheer squad.

During the next two years Kim was becoming concerned with the welfare of school kids from her personal experience with Lori and all of the stories on the news. Kids feeling disconnected from other classmates, teachers or parents and taking it out on people with violence, or young people drinking, taking drugs, having sex and the now present threat of terrorist organizations recruiting kids. She was so alarmed with these problems she came up with the idea of starting a support website nicknamed "The Community" that involved students chat rooms, counselors setting up guidance sessions, teachers and parents listening to suggestions from the students and offering their own on improving relationships. The entire group of people would help with problems, offer advice and provide constructive activities for kids to do to help them relate with others, like book clubs, hiking groups or any of the countless things kids enjoyed to do.

Freshman year found Lori with a lapdog boyfriend hanging off her side all the time due to the fact that most of the boys wanted to date her or Kim since they were the most beautiful girls in school. Lori looked like a Hollywood model with blue eyes, long blonde hair hanging past her shoulders, long tan legs and firm features that enhanced the look of any thing she wore. Kim was her counterpart from the East coast, with jet black hair usually in a ponytail to the middle of her back, emerald green eyes, light skin and a very toned figure giving her a sophisticated elegance. Although the boys wanted to date Kim most of them were intimidated by either her honorable demeanor assumed from her website activities and community involvement, or the fact that they were afraid of her since there were few people in school that would stand a chance in a fight with her. Kim's two tries at dating did not work out. The poor fellows just didn't measure up to the standards she had set in her head.

Ron still the smallest kid in school gave up four inches to his best friend as she stood at five eight. He was teased relentlessly, but other kids found out quick it was alright to just with him verbally but if you tried to push him around you better have a lunch and a lot of back up cause he didn't 'appreciate' people getting physically abusive. In the three altercations he was involved in the antagonist walked away with the majority of injuries and a little freshman that wanted to help them with the issues that led them to the conflict.

The website gained national recognition with most public schools as part of the community along with many private ones. The maintenance, services and logistics of the ever growing size of the help network drove Kim to find help from college students studying computers science and graphics to help with the site. She also sought out finance and marketing students to acquire sponsors to help pay for all the equipment and upkeep. These efforts proved very successful the students were able to list this time as internships providing excellent programming and navigational tools, plus they signed many corporate supporters and obtained numerous governmental grants.

Although Kim felt great gratitude from helping any if just one person with a problem she was aware that violent assaults were still taking place. Knowing a more assertive approach was needed she set up a meeting with Sierra, a seventeen year old college senior getting a degree in electrical engineering and another in programming, Nick, a professor of criminal psychology and Ron. The outline of meeting was to develop hardware and software to covertly gather information on profiled behaviors that lead to criminal and violent outcomes. Along with the electronic surveillance, the group decided that they would need unique personnel that could keep all of this information confidential, respect the civil rights of fellow students and perform on site personal intelligence work surreptitiously. A plan was laid out to recruit regional supervisors that would in turn find kids on campuses in their area. The first step to the plan, get guidance from their lawyer, District Attorneys and law enforcement advisors to make sure they did things by the book and not violate anyone's rights.

The new clandestine side of the help site, appropriately nicknamed Community Watch, spun up to full speed in no time. They had an operative for all of the statistically higher risk campuses by mid summer. All of the new representatives went to a "Summer Camp" together where they received training from retired Navy Seals and professional detectives. Sierra provided everyone audio/visual secure channel satellite communication devices, surveillance electronics and laptops. By the time school started agents were trained and equipped tracking people that may pose a risk.

Kim did not lose sight of her personal experience with Lori that was part of the encouragement for this project in the first place. She spoke with counselors about her old friends situation. Then she would every so often talk with Lori about some of the advice relayed to her and would loan her books on the subject also. The two of them worked on Lori's abandonment and self esteem issues helping her to become a more well adjusted person and the two of them reconnected as friends.

Sophomore year was in session and most of the kids had not seen Ron since June therefore they didn't recognize him as he had grown during the spring and summer and was now an average height at five nine. Still a skinny guy he was barely able to add enough weight to match the growth spurt. Even though the girls seemed to like the taller frame of Ron Clark and began to show romantic interest in him, relationships did not go well. He tried dating a couple of nice young ladies but both attempts failed due to fact the girls could not deal with how much time he spent with Kim and his deep devotion for her.

Kim and Ron focused their energies on studying, sports, training and Community Watch duties especially. About a month in to classes the pair was called to a university campus to help stop a physics graduate student from chopping his professor in half with a laser he constructed.

On the drive to the airport to catch a ride on private jet, loaned to them by a parent of a student that was helped by way of services of the web site, with a flight plan for Irvine California Ron looked over to Kim "Why did they call us to go all the way out to the west coast? Don't they have enough agents in Cal to help with this situation?"

Kim not taking her eyes off the road since she was driving answered. "Ron that was my first question. Jack our man on campus remembered me...well us from training camp and how we scored the highest on all of tests and simulations."

Ron cut her off. "We did not scored the highest, you scored the highest."

"Ok whatever, so he thinks I'm the best agent to handle this problem, but there is no one else that I would want to have my back other than you. By the way, you were next in line or right up there at camp, so pipe down." Kim retorted as they pulled into airport parking. "Aren't you excited about going on the very first assignment needed?"

Ron turned to her. "I am fired up! I just wanted to know why they called us, but if they want the best well they got the best."

Kim held her hand up for a high five. "Now that's the spirit R.C. We're gonna go out there take that malcontent down, save the professor and see if we get him some help that he obviously needs."

They parked in a lot near the hangars, grabbed their backpacks filled with gear for the mission and went through security. Once on the plane they linked a conference call with Sierra, Jack and themselves going over the profile of their suspect, were he lived, went to class or had labs, the professor and his whereabouts plus any other relevant data that might help them avert danger and apprehend him. They had enough evidence on this guy to justify bringing him in, so Jack was instructed to go tail the guy after the class he was presently in. Kim and Ron planed to meet up with Jack and take the student into custody before he was able to get himself in any real trouble.

The plane was met on the airfield by a mini van that took the two to the campus. Climbing out of the van near the building for the suspects next class Kim called Jack. "Hey Jack what's your location?"

"I'm 140 yards North West of you and Charlie (Code name for suspects) gave me the slip 20 seconds ago." Jack responded.

Kim quickly answered back with new orders. "Copy. Go to his next class to see if he is there." Kim saw him start to move in that direction as her and Ron started towards the professor's hopeful location. "If he is not there make your way to the profs next lecture hall. Ron and I are on our way there now."

Ron and Kim sprinted two buildings down. As they went through the front door they received a "B" text from Jack. B-Bravo is the second letter in the alphabet and in their code meant two for no. They walked quickly to the door of the lecture hall. Kim told Ron the plan. "Charlie is not in class so he may be here. You take the main floor. I'll take the balcony." Entering the room quietly, Ron moved around the back of the class trying to spot their man. Kim made her way up the stairs were she saw no one, but did see the door for the projection room ajar. She snuck up to and peeked in. He was in there setting up his laser. She sent an A-Alpha-yes text out.

Ron received the message and made a b-line to the professor so he could get him under cover and instruct everyone to exit the room.

Kim tried to enter the room unnoticed but the door creaked. Charlie spun the laser towards her on the tripod. Kim jumped forward in a front handspring followed by a side flip. Crisscrossing a path towards the guy shooting at her. She flew sideways in a back handspring landing three away from Charlie to her left.

That disturbed individual did not how this girl got next to him by the time her side kick broke his jaw sending him to floor.

Kim pined him down with a knee and zip tied his hands behind his back. She had him standing reading him his Miranda rights and letting him know he was under citizen arrest when Ron came in and turned off the weapon. Jack walked in moments later.

Kim looked over to Jack. "Call the police and an ambulance."

Jack nodded his head. "Already done."

Kim turned to Ron. "Is everyone alright? Did you get them all out of the room?"

"Yes and Yes." Ron looked at the holes in the walls, floor and ceiling. "How are you?"

Kim finally noticed the devastation caused by the new laser. Shacking her head she answered. "I'm good, thanks."

Ron looked at their captive. "Wow buddy, I bet you would have gotten a good grade for this bad boy." He tapped the weapon next to him.

Kim answered. "I don't think he's going to be able to answer for awhile. I'm pretty sure I broke his jaw."

"Well I think he got off light, no pun intended. If he would have connected I would have to be looking for a new best friend." Ron nodded and winked to Kim.

Kim smiled at Ron then looked back to Jack. "So, why did he give you the slip?"

Jack was shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I don't know he must have spotted me." Everyone saw Charlie shaking his head. "No. Okay maybe he's just paranoid and wanted to make sure no one was following him." They looked to him again to see him nodding. "Any how I need to work on my tracking skills. I'm glad I called you two out."

Kim frowned. "I don't know. Ron was right. I was pretty reckless flipping around in here I got lucky. I should have messaged for Ron to create a distraction down stairs and I would have been able to take him down a lot safer."

Ron piped up. "Hey quit your crying. This was our first mission. We got the bad guy and no one got hurt. So we need more practice, but we got a "W" today."

The paramedics and police showed up as Ron finished pepping up the team. The team handed over all of their evidence and made their statements. Then it was back to the airport and on their way home. During the flight the duo wrote their internal reports, recommendations for training and help for the student.

Word spread fast among the watch teams about Kim's heroics. Then the next mission was to a school in Kim and Ron's area where Kim took out four and Ron three kids, who were armed with guns, all at the same time. So, their reputation was pretty much that of the superior team in Community Watch. The next three missions were equally perilous. None of the other teams that went out and had the same threat as those that team Driver and Clark had completed turned out as well. From then on they were the go to team and were known as D.C. due to their names, the comic book company and/or a type of electrical current. The duo went on one to five critical missions a month for the remainder of the year.

The summer camp rotated teams old and new through for training all summer. Sierra improved all of the electronics. And, Kim's older brothers, the twins Brian and Brad she called them the B's, fixed up her car with a new engine and a number of other modifications, not all of wich were revealed to her.

Their junior year was a new version of the previous. They studied, cheered, played sports and went on dangerous missions. Attempts at dating ended for the same reasons. The two of them became experts of time management. Their only free time was during a meal.

Talk was circulating around school about Ron and Kim going out and saving the world because of kids catching pictures of them on the cell phones and then putting them on a blog. Kim denied it any time she was asked. In truth D.C. was doing a great job at stopping violent attacks. It wasn't until the spring when they were handed their first loss of not catching the perp.

They were chasing a couple in Chicago that had planted a bomb at one of the medical buildings that did stem cell research. The man and women fled in a car headed for the docks on lake Michigan. They jumped in a boat and off they went. Kim called her brothers to see if they had made her car amphibious. The twins misunderstood the questions and answered yes. Of course when they jumped it off the end of the dock it sunk. Although the couple got away a bomb squad neutralize the explosive apparatus and they were caught a week later by the ATF.

Team D.C. felt bad about letting the couple escape but perked up by helping Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms round them up, plus Junior prom was right around the corner. Ron was now six feet tall and had put on enough weight so he didn't look like a stick. The rumors of all the courageous situations he had been in during the year plus the fact his best friend was one of the hottest girls in school made it very easy for Ron to find a date, in fact the captain of the women's volleyball team. For the same reasons all of the boys were intimidated of Kim and didn't ask her to the dance. She finally had to take the initiative and find her own escort. She thought carefully about other people that were having a hard time finding a date. She decided on the president of the chess club he was also on student counsel. A senior, a friend and a nice guy just not elevated in social circles or dating registers, so Kim found it would be ironic to have what her peers thought was one of number one prospects and a person that no one would have thought had a chance to go together.

The four of them double dated to the prom and had a wonderful time. The gentlemen in black tuxes with Ron's date Jennifer in a knee lengthy sage green dress that huged her slender and tall physique. Jennifer looked lovely but not even Lori could out do Kim this evening. She wore a low cut sleeveless and backless black dress that dropped to just above her ankle and was slit on both sides to her mid thigh accessorize with a silver necklaces and ear rings and silver open low heels that strapped up her calves. With her hair French braded she looked like a goddess.

During the night Kim would only dance with her date Calvin and made it a point to kiss him on the lips several times. On the other side Ron dance with a number of girls but made sure Jennifer never felt left out. Calvin and Jennifer danced a couple of times and undisclosed to their dates they disgust how they had no chance with them and made plans to go on a date the following weekend.

Ron took them all home after the after-prom and breakfast.

Kim walked Calvin to the door. "Thank you for a fantastic night Calvin."

Calvin took her hands and gave her a peck on the side of her mouth. "You are amazing and a good friend. You really raised my credentials last night."

Kim gave him a peck on the other side of his mouth. "You raised your own creds."

"You're so modest Kim. The irony of our date was not lost on me. You're a good person." Kim was blushing. "I hope you don't mind, I made a date with Jennifer next week. Her and I talked and realize it is the Kim and Ron show. We're just happy to be included."