Hey! Look at that! I met my deadline! So, Story #2 In the Legends Universe as I call it. This one focusing primarily on the title character, Numbuh 362. There are OCs, but they are all in supporting roles of, well, filing roles and stuff.
So, I've been thinking about the theme song for this story. One to represent Rachel. And one that can also represent this story. So, for all intents and purposes because I'm sleep deprived at this point in time...I'd go with "Starships" by Lindsey Stirling and Megan Nicole.
Legends Universe: Story 2
Numbuh 362
28 June, 2004
Kids Next Door Moon Base
Short golden yellow locks flowed on stage below the spotlight. The girl they'd all one day recognize made her entrance to meet the Supreme Leader face to face.
"Rachel T. McKenzie." The Supreme Leader said her name, his brown hair seeping out of the kitchen pot helmet he wore on his head. "You have displayed tremendous moral judgment far more than any other cadet in the Arctic Training Program. You have passed every test with atmosphere shattering results. You have displayed the tremendous ability of covert operations deep behind enemy lines. You have a bright future in this organization."
Rachel T. McKenzie as all would know her, stood there on stage, her face emotionless as not to make herself look a fool in front of the Kids Next Door Supreme Leader. "Thank You sir." Behind the face she put on, Rachel was jumping for joy. She'd come so far, from Arctic Training, to here, in space. On the Moon, standing before the greatest child run organization ever to exist. Here she stood. It was amazing.
"Now. Cadet McKenzie. Do you swear to uphold the rules of the Kids Next Door, to forever hold yourself up to the standard your fellow operatives hold themselves to? To forever right the wrongs done to children by others, to forever hold your life to the pursuit of a world where kids can act freely without the threat of outside interference? Do you so ever swear to protect all kid kind?"
"Sir, yes sir."
"Good." The Supreme Leader motioned to a nearby red computer module. "Insert your genetic material into the C.O.D.E.M.O.D.U.L.E"
Rachel did just that. She strut proudly to the module. She dug a finger into her nose and pulled out a booger. She inserted it into an opening in the module. With a cold computer voice, the module spoke. "Welcome, Rachel T. McKenzie." Rachel smirked, breaking her emotionless streak. This was the fun part. "Please, select code number." The module asked.
"I choose…" She'd put a lot of thought into her number. She'd tried to go for something that represented her in some fashion. And so, she chose this number. "I choose…I am Numbuh 362!" She said aloud triumphantly.
"Welcome, Numbuh 362." The module said. "Welcome. Assigned Sector: Spy."
It wasn't a surprise. Not in the slightest. "Welcome to the rest of your childhood, Numbuh 362." The Supreme Leader smirked.
27 June, 2005
"Welcome to the rest of your childhood…"
"Where the devil could she be?" A boy with the number 802 written in sharpie on his helmet asked aloud. "The report said she'd be here on time. The new Supreme Leader said so himself. 'She'll be on time. She's good like that.' He said that. Those were his words."
"I asked Numbuh 274 for your assistance only in case we ran into trouble. You're opinion and your complaining was meant to be left at home." A girl with red hair and dark clothing spoke harshly. "Trust me. She's my partner. She'll be here. With the package. Just you watch."
"Alright." Another operative shrugged as he kneeled beside a S.C.A.M.P.E.R. "We'll see."
Overlooking a ravine, the operatives waited, watching the fireworks down below. Down below in the ravine was what looked like a stone fortress. Watchtowers stream lights all across the compound, sirens wailed as teenagers wearing Battle Ready Armor ran through the halls of the interior, weapons raised.
"Numbuh 362 respond. Where are you? You're evac bird is here. Just waiting on you here." A voice cackled on Rachel's jacket communicator.
Rachel T. McKenzie hid behind a crate, a case filled with teenager documents held within. With the compound on high alert, scouring for her, Rachel had to resort to hiding. 'In a bit of a pickle here now aren't you Rachel?' Numbuh 362 thought to herself. When Rachel initially signed up for this particular assignment, it was initial an in and out kind of operation. Goal was to obtain the documents and get out. Things just didn't pan out that way.
The documents Rachel held in her hands were supposed to be somewhere near the offices within the teenager compound. That's what her intel from KND Global Command said, but they weren't. Thankfully, Rachel was flexible. She acquired her objective and was now Enroute to her predetermined escape route, only to find it had been sealed off. An alarm was raised and now, here she was hiding.
Rachel moved her jacket collar to her mouth and spoke into it. "Numbuh C4, I'm pinned down here. The plans been foiled. My escape path is blocked. I need a new way out."
"Copy that. I'll see what I can get you from up here." The redheaded girl, Numbuh C4, replied. Up top on the ravine, Numbuh C4 turned to an operative with a sniper like 2x4 weapon. "You, I need your weapon." Without a word, the operative complied, handing over his weapon. Numbuh C4 took a resting position on the ground and took a look down at the compound through the scope of the rifle.
"Alright. Let's see…" Rachel heard Numbuh C4 over the communicator. "I think I see an opening. But it's not one you'll like."
"Well what is it then?" Rachel asked, peering out from behind cover to see a team of teens run by.
"I see a blind spot in the Watchtower left of the face of the compound. It's a ten second window from where the guy manning the light looks to and from. Once you're at the feet of the tower, scale it, from there you can climb over the wall. We'll have the ship standing by and ready to make a mad dash in case of the worst outcome."
"Good to see you have a backup plan, Carol." Rachel spoke into her communicator jokingly, eyeing the watchtower, getting ready to make her move.
"It's desperate, but you have limited options. Good luck."
"Thanks." With that said, Rachel eyed the watchtower. Timing was key. Making her move in front of all the teens was suicide. They'd eat her alive like a pack of wolves. But she couldn't focus on failure. No. This was succeed or succeed. That was her mission. And she will succeed.
Just as the spotlight pivots ever so slightly to the right, as all the teens and their search teams make one final timed roundabout the compound…Now! Rachel took off running, hidden in the ten seconds of darkness she had. Teens overlooked her in her dark, slick, ninja-like outfit. At the end of her time, she found herself at the feet of the tower. "I'm by the Watchtower. Beginning to scale it now." Rachel spoke into her jackets communicator.
"Enroute now." Numbuh C4 replied. The redhead motioned to the operatives to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. "Everyone load up, we're going to make a dash for Numbuh 362! I want all weapons ready to go, making sure she gets on the ship is our primary objective!" With that rousing statement, the operatives boarded the 2x4 ship and took off into the air.
By the time she was up the tower, it was already too late. A teen called out to the others, having spotted her dark outfit out of place against the stone grey shade of the tower. Rachel took cover as a hail of laser fire struck the tower. She watched as the tower staff was struck by their own as they attempted to tackle Rachel. "Friendly Fire." Rachel muttered.
She was almost in place. Rachel looked up and out into the sky, she could see the engines of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. in the distance. There was her ride. Time to leave.
Rachel jumped up and ran, the case held against her chest as she jumped onto the wall. She was a sitting duck up there. There was no cover. There was only a one foot wide wall to walk on. It was times like this where Rachel would associate her enemies with storm troopers, finding their aim to be rather…off. But, to their credit, it was dark out. There was also the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
The ship turned in the air, side door opening for Rachel as the operative stuck their weapons out of the door and peppered covering fire down onto the teens below. Rachel leapt off the wall and to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., safely making her way inside.
"Hit it!" Rachel shouted to the pilot. The girl behind the instruments of the ship nodded and hit a variety of switches, closing the door and directed the ship away from the compound.
"Everyone grab a seat!" The pilot shouted. They did as they were told, each operative buckling down, ready for the magic. The engines rocketed, propelling the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. through the air, speeds the kind one would never think of before.
"So, Rachel, how was it?" Numbuh C4, Carol, asked.
"Mission accomplished." Rachel said with a sigh of relief, motioning to the case in her arms. "That was, oh boy…I had to climb that tower…that was not easy."
"Well, you did it! Nice job partner!" Carol smirked.
"Alright then. Time to deliver the package." Rachel spoke aloud. "Where's the boss now, anyways?"
"Arctic." Carol answered. "He's checking out the recruits."
"Then that's where we need to go." Rachel turned her attention to the front of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., to the pilot. "Pilot! Take us to the Arctic Facility!"
"Yes ma'am." The pilot nodded. Adjusting her course, the pilot made a slight turn and rocketed towards the Arctic.
Same Day
Kids Next Door Arctic Base
Deep in the coldest part of the Arctic, there is a single Christmas tree, decorated with a red bow covered in snow. Unimpressive on the surface, but beneath that, going down one thousand feet below the ice, is the KND Arctic Base. 42 floors devoted to the generation of prime Kids Next Door operatives. Twenty floors devoted to the detaining of the Kids Next Door's various villains. And thirty two floors devoted to the creation and experimentation of state of the art advancements in science for the use of the Kids Next Door.
The Kids Next Door Arctic Base.
A layer of ice, carved and metallic below opened upward as the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. arrived. The 2x4 ship flew down into the hangar bay. After landing, Rachel and Carol disembarked from the ship, the package in hands. They reached a nearby elevator in the hangar and took it down to level '28'.
"Do you think he's down here?" Carol asked Rachel.
"He's here to see what the new blood has to offer." Rachel said with a reassuring tone. "He's on level '28'."
The elevator reached level '28'. The doors opened. To none of the girl's surprise, there out in a football field arena, was a bald boy their age taking the Kids Next Door entrance exam: a one on one fight with what the organization called 'The Behemoth'.
Rachel and Carol made their way over to a row of bleachers, where Numbuh 274 and Sectors V, Q and X were hanging around, watching the bald boy work his magic.
"He's talented, really talented." Numbuh 9, the Sector Leader of Sector V, a boy named Maurice said aloud, obviously impressed.
"Talented? The boy's extraordinary!" Numbuh 416, the leader of Sector Q, an eleven year old named Dylan exclaimed, happily.
"Certainly doing better than I did." Numbuh 78, the newly anointed leader of Sector X, a girl named Angelie agreed.
"He's exceeding beyond everyone's expectations." Numbuh 274, the newly christened Supreme Leader of the KND, smiled. He turned to the drill sergeant overseeing the boy's exam. "Numbuh 60, Patton, who is that kid?"
Numbuh 60 turned to Numbuh 274. "His name is Nigel Uno. He was recruited in by Numbuh 5 here, sir." Numbuh 60 motioned to Numbuh 5, a girl named Abigail who sat beside her older sister Numbuh 11.
"Nigel Uno, huh?" Numbuh 274 scratched his chin. "Well then, Nigel, looks like you have a future with this organization."
"Numbuh 274, sir." Numbuh 274 turned to see who was now asking for his attention. Not to his surprise, he found Rachel and Carol standing a couple of rows behind them, the case in Rachel's hands. "Another mission complete sir!" Rachel smiled.
"Fine work! Really fine work!" Numbuh 274 exclaimed, taking the case from Rachel. "Good job you two!"
"It was all really Rachel here sir." Carol gestured to Rachel.
"I-It was nothing." Rachel blushed, taking a moment to scratch the back of her neck.
"Well, anyways, good work, both of you." Numbuh 274 once more congratulated them. The Supreme Leader turned back around, witnessing Nigel Uno cave the Behemoth's face plate in. "Awesome."
"So, you wanna hit the mess hall? I'm sort of starved." Carol said to Rachel.
"Wait, hold on. Uh, Numbuh 274, sir?" Rachel said, asking for the Supreme Leader's attention once more.
"Hm. Yes?" Numbuh 274 turned back around to face Numbuh 362.
"Do you mind if I talk to you in private, there were some things that happened during the mission, things I'd like to bring up."
"Why of course." Numbuh 274 nodded. Rachel and Numbuh 274 walked out of earshot from the other operatives. "So, what's troubling you?"
"There were some moments during the mission, where intel was proven wrong. It ultimately jeopardized the entire plan. But, even then, we still came through."
"Where's this going Rachel?" Numbuh 274 asked, calling her by name, causing Rachel to blush slightly.
"Well, uhm, yes, you see I just think there's happening with our information gatherers, that the information they're bringing back is faulty or possibly, purposely wrong."
Numbuh 274's face grew dark, serious. "You know what you're insinuating, right Rachel?"
"I, uh, I know Chad." Rachel said, calling Numbuh 274 by his real name.
"Alright. I'll bring it up to Numbuh 206. He'll get to the bottom of this."
"Wholly smokes! Cree, didja see that? Nigel just destroyed the Behemoth!" Numbuh 5 exclaimed.
"Yeah, I saw sis." Numbuh 11 said, half truthfully. As the gathered operatives watched Nigel Uno pass his exam. Cree watches Rachel and Numbuh 274 from afar.
Ominous! Am I right? Yes? No? Okay... well so, the whole Arctic Scene is just more or less to show where all the characters you know and love are currently at right now. Nigel's still in training, yet he's the same age as Rachel and others. Numbuh 78 just got Sector Leader. A certain operative is still around, and Sector V is still pretty much intact, consisting of three members Maurice among them.
So, that's about it. This chapters done. Next chapter will be done and up soon. Till then, later days.