Weeks later, at a shady island retreat...

As an inconspicuous boat pulled up to the dock, a green-suited figure stood on the deck, a knapsack at her side, her face plastered in anger. Once the boat stopped, the figure walked off the ship, down a nearby path, and up the steps towards a large building. Outside, a bouncer stood at attention.

"Welcome to the Bermuda Triangle!" the bouncer said. "Your name?"

"Shego." the woman replied. After a moment of checking his clipboard, the bouncer nodded in approval and stood aside, letting her in.

This was the Bermuda Triangle Club, an out-of-the-way dive that served as a hot spot for some of the worst villains from around the world. The Club prided itself on its animosity, allowing all sorts of wicked deals to be made in secret, without fear of interference. As Shego made her way across the main hall, she gave nods towards some of the familiar faces at the tables, eventually stopping at one specific table. A lone woman sat patiently, a red-haired woman in shades wearing an equally red suit with a notoriously short mini-skirt.

"Hello, Penelope." Shego greeted.

"You better have a good reason for dragging me all the way out here, Shego." Penelope spoke impatiently. "You know I've got business elsewhere."

"Sorry, but it's Guild business." Shego replied. With a sigh, Penelope got up from her seat and walked through a door, with Shego following. After a while, the two women entered a room, where a notoriously heavyset man sat on a beanbag chair.

"Hello, Miss Penelope." came the deep voice of "Big Daddy" Brotherson, the owner of the Club, and one of the criminal underworld's number one information brokers. "To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

"Lay off, Brotherson! You know as well as I do that you're just the front man for the true Boss!" Penelope threatened. "Shego and I need to talk business in private, and we have no time for your games, so let us through!"

Not very many people were allowed to speak to Brotherson like that and remain intact, but Penelope was a rare exception, as the fat man gazed at his bodyguards and nodded. A moment later, they had moved, allowing the two women to enter into a lone, empty room. This was the meeting place for the Mercenaries Guild, a specialized union consisting of some of the world's finest soldiers of fortune. Normally, this room was reserved for their union meetings, but today, it was empty.

"So, Shego," Penelope began as she took a seat. "How's Drakken workin' ya? Last I heard, you left him in prison for some alone time."

"Yeah." Shego answered as she sat as well. "Between two different breakouts by two different criminals, I figured I'd take some time to cool my heels. Besides, there was this spa in Greece that I heard good things about, so..." she finished with a shrug.

"But, Drakken's out now." Penelope replied.

"Oh, don't go there." Shego scowled. "I come back to him, curious as to who busted him out, only to find that he's got some kinda alien replacing me!"

"Alien?" Penelope raised an eyebrow at that.

"Yeah, flying saucers and all that." Shego grunted. "You believe that?"

"I can believe a lot of things." Penelope said, an evil grin creeping across her face.

"Anyway, I was gonna break him out once my vacation ended, but he goes and blames ME for not getting him out sooner, then tells me to take a hike. Needless to say, I was furious!" Shego continued. "I got rid of the freak, went back to the spa. After a couple more days, I head back, and find Drakken on the shoreline of his island lair, gazing at the rubble. I tell him that I'd be willing to let it slide, IF he agreed never to pull that sort of thing again!"

"Hmph." Penelope grunted. "Should've left him, that moron."

"Yeah, well, he wanted five years of me, so I'm giving him five years." Shego explained. "It's just one more year at this point, but I've never walked from an employer before, and I've got a reputation to uphold. Besides," she added with a grin. "He's actually a pretty good boss."

"HIM?!"

"Yeah. So long as he knows not to cross my personal boundaries, I get along with him quite well." Shego finished.

"Okay..." Penelope said in disbelief. "But, let's change the subject. Why'd you want to see me?"

"Because I want to see about getting a new merc recruited." Shego answered as she reached into her knapsack and pulled out a series of records. Taking them, Penelope looked through them in interest, muttering at the key spots.

"Camille Leon... actress... former heiress to the Leon Kitty Krunchy cat food fortune..." Penelope looked at Shego in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? We've got no use for wannabes!"

"Keep reading." Shego said. "It took hours to get a hold of those credentials." Sighing, Penelope continued reading.

"First theft, six months ago... attempted robbery of studio vault... multiple thefts... attempted framing of celebrities... shapeshifter, capable of altering appearence at will... hmmmm." Penelope looked again, then returned her gaze to Shego.

"You want ME" she asked. "To arrange to get an official contract for her?"

"Well, yes!" Shego said.

"You know how close I am to throwing you out right now?" Penelope threatened. "She's a bubble-head! I've seen her in those TV shows, and she's about the most conceited brat around! Powers or no, you can forget it."

"I'll admit, she is conceited." Shego replied. "But she's got the merc's drive."

"Drive?" Penelope asked.

"She's the type of person who, once set on a goal, will do anything it takes to succeed." Shego explained. "I should know. I was like her once. Anyway, all she needs is a push in the right direction. I can provide the push, I just need you to provide the contract."

"I don't know..." Penelope said hesitantly.

"Come on, Penelope." Shego suddenly said, as if addressing a friend. "You and me go back a long ways. Heck, you gave me my start to begin with. All I'm asking is that you give her a chance." With a grin, Shego came face to face with Penelope. "Whaddya say?"

"Hmmmmm..." Penelope thought. "I'll... have to take it up with the Boss. She's the one who decides this stuff, not me. I'm just her number two girl."

"You do that!" Shego grinned. "And tell her I said thanks!" Penelope only nodded in disbelief at this.

A few days later, back at the prison...

"This isn’t fair!" Camille complained from the bunk of her new cell. She was moved on account of the old cell needing repair. "She said she'd bust me out. She said we were friends."

"You're still expecting her to bust you out?" A nearby guard taunted as he walked by her cell. "Well, she won't get far. Besides, you're not getting out for anything." he added as he walked away, leaving Camille to bow he head in defeat.

Suddenly, a small package flew through the barred window. Camille took notice and opened it up, but raised an eyebrow when she saw what was inside. A small facemask, as well as a note. It said: Put this on right now.

At first, Camille was confused to what it all meant. Her answer came a second later as a gas bomb landed in her cell and went off. Quickly applying the mask, Camille realized that it was sleeping gas. As the gas knocked in the cell block out and put them to sleep, Camille noticed that there was also a key attached to the back of the card. Removing it, Camille saw more writing on the back.

This key will unlock your cell. I gave you a push, now it's up to you to take it. If you succeed in escaping, meet me outside the Cow 'N Chow three miles away. Good luck, kid! S. G.

S. G.? Shego? Camille wondered. Deciding to put it behind her for now, Camille unlocked her cell door and ran out into the hall. Looking down at herself, Camille realized that she was still wearing the prison uniform.

"Gotta ditch this!" Camille said as she ran back into the cell and removed the uniform. With nothing left on her to impede her shapeshifting abilities, Camille morphed a guard uniform onto herself and altered her face into a more stern-looking appearence. Hiding the uniform under her bunk, Camille walked back out into the hall, took an I.D. key card from one of the sleeping guards, and left the block.

Outside the Cow 'N Chow...

Behind a series of bushes, Shego sat behind the wheel of her hovercar (on loan from Drakken), patiently waiting for her pickup while enjoying a Cowburger for herself. Although Shego prided herself on her figure, she wasn't above a fast-food splurge every now and then.

"C'mon, kid..." Shego muttered, as she took a bite out of a burger. "Don't let me down. Your chances are all riding on this." For a while, Shego just sat there, eating her burger and trying to stay calm.

"She'll make it!" the merc told herself. "She can get out of there just fine! I know she can!" After a moment, however, Shego sighed in defeat and started up the hovercar.

"You know what they say..." Shego growled as she flew the car towards the prison, finishing off her burger along the way. "The best laid plans..."

Back outside the prison...

Camille had walked through the entire prison and was just making her way through the courtyard.

Almost there... Camille happily thought.

"Hold it!" came the voice of another guard. "Where you goin'?"

"Uhhhhh..." Camille moaned.

"Let's see your card." he said as he grabbed Camille's stolen I.D. key card and took a good look at it. "Where'd you get this? Who are you?" Suddenly, his radio belted out from his hip.

"All guards! We've got an escapee! Identified as Camille Leon!" announed the warden. "Repeat, Camille Leon has escaped!" Not needing any further orders, the guard tried to grab the faux guard, only for a shot of green plasma to smack him from above, dropping him to the ground unconscious.

Looking up, Camille saw a rope ladder leading up to some kind of hovercar. A sudden voice caught her attention.

"Well, you comin'?" Shego shouted to her old cellmate from above. Camille needed no further instruction as she ran over and grabbed the ladder. A few seconds later, the hovercar flew away from the prison. As Camille morphed back into her default form, with the blue-and-white tanktop and white pants, and took her seat, she watched as the prison, now on high alert, grow smaller and smaller in the distance.

Up in the air...

For a while, the two women stayed silent. Eventually, Shego began to talk.

"First of all, I just want to reiterate that you are quite the annoying little brat."

"Okay..." Camille moaned.

"And if you go telling anyone that I've been going all soft on you," Shego said. "I'll hunt you down and pound you for it. I've got a rep to uphold, y'know!""

"As if I'd betray my idol." Camille said.

"However," Shego continued. "I will admit that you've got spirit. With a bit of guidance, you'd go pretty far as a merc." At that, Camille smiled. "Oh, yeah. Got a gift for you." Shego said, directing Camille’s attention to a small box at her feet. As Camille opened the box, her face lit up as she saw a familiar friend inside.

"Debutante!" Camille squealed happily as her hairless cat crawled into her lap and began rubbing against her, purring loudly.

"Hope you’re happy, 'cause it was a challenge sneaking that cat out of your father’s house." Shego spoke. "There's also an envelope for you." Sure enough, there was an envelope in there. Opening it, Camille saw a piece of paper inside, with various lettering printed on it.

"Standard mercenary contract." Shego replied. "Shows your credentials to your employer, assures them that you're the real deal. Also proves that you're in the Guild."

"Guild?" Camille asked.

"Our little union, though they don't call it as such." Shego answered. "They offer dental, vacation days, protection from prison, and the like. You watch their back, they'll watch yours. Happy?"

"Oh, I’m happy." Camille said. "But one last question. Why me?" Camille asked again.

"Because, you’ve got promise, kid!" came Shego's simple answer. It was an answer that Camille Leon would never forget.

Several days later, outside Milan, Italy...

"Here you are, kid." Shego said as she dropped Camille off outside the city. "Tell the Fashionistas I sent you, and you shouldn't have any problems getting into their good graces. Just keep the cat with them while you're working, okay?"

"Okay." Camille replied, knowing quite well how her cat got her arrested last time. "Geez, Shego... Are you always this nice to people you like?"

"Don't know." Shego said. "You're only the second wannabe criminal that I've actually liked to work with."

"You mean that Senior Junior kid?" Camille asked, recalling Shego's mention of being a personal trainer to the villain millionaire's son one time.

"Him?" Shego replied. "I'll admit, Junior's a sweet kid, but he's a bit too much of a pappa's boy for my tastes."

"Anyway, I gotta go. Duty calls and all that." Shego winked. "Keep in touch." And with that, Shego flew the hovercar away, leaving Camille all alone.

Inside her purse, Debutante gave a meow. "That's right, baby. Say bye-bye." Camille spoke as she scratched her kitty. The hairless cat only meowed in happiness as the shapeshifter turned and walked into the city plaza.

"Well, c'mon Debutante. Time for mommy to go to work."

In the hovercar...

Nice kid, that Camille. Shego thought to herself as she was driving. She's like, the sister I never had... Aw, great, now I'm starting to speak like her. But at the very least, considering all the hell I've been through, she's got it easy. It was at that moment that Shego's cell phone rang. Aw, hell... now what does he what? she thought as she answered.

"SHEGO!!" came Drakken's ever-grating voice on the other end. "Get back here ASAP! I need the hovercar, now!"

"Yes, sir..." Shego moaned as she hung up.

Camille can change a lot, with the right training. she thought with a smile. But I guess some things will just never change.

IT’S OVER!