Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening. Welcome to Numbuh 9-Lives! The fifth story in my series of stories I affectionately refer to as 'The Legends Universe'.
Unlike other original characters represented in my works, Numbuh 9-Lives, Violet McCleary is owned by another author. I just asked permission to write the character and her supporting cast into my Series.
Numbuh 9-Lives was created by Dynamite Girl, who no longer is an active member of . To this end, owner ship rights have been given to author Gamewizard2008, who to this day since the characters inception uses her in his own fantastic works which I strongly advise you to read.
Legends Universe: Story 5
Numbuh 9-Lives
15 August, 2005
Cleveland, Virginia
McCleary Household
It was a Monday. She hated Mondays.
The day began with an awful noise. A young girl sat up in bed and muttered a series of angry verbs. The girl glared at the source of the noise that had awoken her from her slumber. It was her alarm clock.
It was more impulse than reflex. The girl grabbed clock and chucked it at her wall. It was Summer vacation in Virginia, there was absolutely no point for waking up early. The girl pushed a blond lock aside off her face.
The girl didn't recall setting her alarm the day before. Maybe she did in her sleep? The girl glanced at the trash can overflowing with snot covered tissues beside her bed. She'd been ill for the past couple days, a run in with The Common Cold had left her bed ridden.
The girl was named Violet McCleary. She was a Kids Next Door operative. Most importantly, however, she was a kid on summer break. No one likes catching a cold during summer vacation.
Violet got up from bed and took a deep breath. Her sinuses were clear. She checked her forehead, feeling no fever. She felt good, not great, just well enough to be up and about.
She walked to her house's kitchen and poured herself a bowl of cereal. She glanced into the living room. A familiar girl with brown locks in green pajamas sat on the couch munching on a granola bar as she watched cartoons. Violet grabbed a spoon and took her bowl to couch, taking a seat beside the girl in green.
"What'cha watching?" Violet asked as she ate her breakfast.
The girl in green was Violet's maternal cousin, Scarlet. Scarlet glanced at Violet and shrugged. "Just something I turned on." Scarlet took another bite out of her granola bar. "You feeling better?"
Violet nodded. "Being sick sucks."
Scarlet nodded. Scarlet shuffled in her seat, pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to Violet. "I found that this morning." Scarlet shrugged. "It was attached to a hamster."
Violet gently set her bowl on her lap, aiming not to spill any of the contents as she took the piece of paper. "What'd you do with the hamster?" Violet asked as she unfolded the paper. Scarlet glanced up to the ceiling and smirked. She gave Violet a toothy grin and scratched at her teeth, her eyes giving off a dreamy tint as if she fondly recalled a pleasant memory.
Violet cast a glare at Scarlet. "You need to stop doing that. It's unhealthy."
Scarlet merely shrugged again.
Violet rolled her eyes. The two brown eyes belonging to Violet held their glare as they drifted downward to the unfolded paper in her hands. It Read: 'REPORT TO MOON BASE ASAP FOR ASSIGNMENT'.
Violet raised a brow in confusion. It was a simple mission assignment by the sound of it. Violet held a unique position in the KND. She was a solo-operative, an operative who functioned in the field without the aid of a Sector. Normally when missions were passed her way, she'd receive them via radio transmission. This was a note off the back of a Hamster. It was snail mail by comparison.
"Any chance you see who slipped the Hamster inside?"
Scarlet shook her head. "I woke up to the sound of those blasted engines your friend's space ship things. I lost some sleep over that." Scarlet let out a fake yawn and reclined on the couch in a mocking fashion.
With Scarlet's story, Violet assumed the paper was legitimate. "It was probably a S.C.A.M.P.E.R. you heard." Scarlet shrugged in response. "Well, best be off then." Violet quickly scarfed down the last of her cereal and drank the remainder. Violet then shot off the couch and dashed into the kitchen to drop her bowl into the sink for cleaning.
"You're not leaving are you?" Scarlet's features shifted from relaxed to concern fluidly. "Auntie Victoria will want to make sure you're feeling better.
"Is Mom even up?" Violet asked as she rinsed her bowl.
"She's sleeping. She had to work a double shift last night." Scarlet sat up. "She didn't get home until three."
"Mom's a very understanding person." Violet finished cleaning her bowl. She set it down in the clean pile of the sink and moved to dry her hands. "Just tell her I felt better and wanted to enjoy the summer."
"I don't like lying to her." Scarlet frowned.
"You're not lying." Violet said persuasively. "You're just not telling her about the Moon Base or machine gun mounted space ships."
Violet expertly rushed out of the kitchen, keeping her footsteps from making too much noise and waking up her mother. Violet pushed open her door and jumped into her room. She swapped out of her pajamas and tossed them into her hamper. When she returned she'd have to do the same with her bed sheets in order to remove any trace of her illness.
She dug into her closet and threw on a white tank top and blue jeans. She pulled out of her closet her favorite article of clothing, a black button up jacket with the number '9' and the letter 'L' stitched to the back. Violet slipped on a pair of white sneakers and grabbed her standard KND Combat Satchel off the side of her bed.
Coolly, Violet left her room. She closed the door behind her and quietly walked to the front door. "Don't wait up for me." Violet smirked.
"I don't for you." Scarlet waved her off. She heard the door close and lock. Scarlet looked over her shoulder. Violet was out the door.
Kids Next Door Moon Base
The Kids Next Door Moon Base was a chilling environment. There was a level of distrust in the air, operatives were keeping to themselves. It was obvious. Something cataclysmic happened while she was out sick.
"Freaking Mondays." Violet scowled.
"Welcome back, Numbuh 9-Lives." Violet glanced over her shoulder. Behind her stood a boy with the holy cross stitched to the front of his shirt.
"Numbuh 3:16." Violet acknowledged the operative.
"Numbuh 274 is personally handling assignment distribution." Numbuh 3:16 shifted slightly and gestured to a hallway behind him. "He is currently expecting you."
With a simple 'let's go', the duo walked off, Numbuh 3:16 leading the way.
"So what happened?" Violet asked. Numbuh 3:16 raised a brow. Violet saw the religious operative form an honest and confused expression on his face. "I mean, what happened while I was sick? The Moon Base feels cold, everyone's so distant."
"Ah." Numbuh 3:16 chuckled briefly. "I'm sorry Numbuh 9-Lives, I've been absent minded lately. Recent events have certainly messed with our better mental faculties."
Numbuh 3:16 made a right. Violet followed. The operative led Violet down another corridor, past what looked like laser burns on the metal walls. It was an obvious sign, there was a firefight in these halls. Violet could tell, there were burn marks on opposite sides of the hall, stray shots missing and eventually hitting the curved metal at the end of the hall.
"When did this happen?" Violet asked as they walked past the Decommissioning Squad Quarters. There was a small amount of dry blood on the ground. There even appeared to be an incisor laying discarded near the door of the Decommissioning Squad Quarters.
"I think it was a day ago." Numbuh 3:16 answered. He thought for a moment. Numbuh 3:16 scratched his chin and shrugged. "Less than a day ago. But it feels longer than that."
Numbuh 3:16 led Violet to an elevator. He hit the button on the control panel, calling the elevator to their floor. The doors opened, an operative with a Scottish accent, in the middle of a heated conversation with an operative with buck teeth and what could only be described as nerd clothing.
"-And get the cleaning crew down here!" The operative with the accent shouted as she stepped off the elevator. "My Squad can't work out of these types of conditions!"
"Of course, Numbuh 86, ma'am." The nerd sighed.
The pair, Violet and Numbuh 3:16 stepped into the Elevator. "Another one?" The nerd addressed Numbuh 3:16, noting Violet in his company.
"Numbuh 274 wants the KND back to running at full capacity." Numbuh 3:16 simply shrugged hit the button labeled 'Command Deck' on the elevator floor panel. "There are kids in need of saving, Numbuh 65.3."
The elevator quickly ascended to the Command Deck. The doors opened and the pair departed. Within the Command Deck, dozens of operatives monitored missions and provided tactical assistance when needed from behind computers and desks. Numbuh 274 stood in the center of the room, conversing with an operative who was around the same age as Violet.
"Get some rest, Numbuh 322." Supreme Leader Numbuh 274 saluted a girl with curly hair and what appeared to be a 2x4 sniper rifle tied to her back. "You've earned it." The girl saluted back. She spun on her heel and walked off, passing by Violet and Numbuh 3:16.
"Numbuh 274, sir." Numbuh 3:16 greeted Numbuh 274. "Numbuh 9-Lives, as requested." Numbuh 3:16 gestured to Violet.
"Ah, yes." Numbuh 274 took a step back and reached over to a nearby workstation. An operative sitting at the workstation happily handed Numbuh 274 a vanilla folder with Violet's call sign labeled on it.
"Numbuh 9-lives, has anyone informed you of yesterday's events?" Numbuh 274 asked, earning a 'no' in response from Violet, who merely stood at attention before the Supreme Leader. "Some operatives took it upon themselves to expose years of corruption within the KND. It stemmed all the way from the Decommissioning Squad to even the Spy Sector. Even now we're busy rooting out any other traitors hiding amongst our ranks."
"Have we gone ahead with background checks, sir?" Violet asked.
"We have indeed." Numbuh 274 nodded. "We're currently in short supply of trust worthy operatives. Numbuh 362 is good friend, she's taken the liberty of screening all of you solo operatives first. You popped up as clean."
"Thank you, sir." Violet smiled. "I would never betray the Kids Next Door."
"Good to hear." Numbuh 274 gestured for Violet to take the folder from his hands. Violet caught on and took a hold of the folder, taking it from Numbuh 274. "I hope you're feeling better. We have a mission with your name all over it."
"If I wasn't up for it, I wouldn't have joined up." Violet flipped through the folder's contents, finding images of a mountain.
"One of our operatives picked up on a Teenager Science Lab in West Virginia. That operative has since gone missing." Numbuh 274 explained. "Before we lost contact with him, our operative gave us a detailed field report of the terrain but came up short on the precise location of the lab. It's a simple demolition job, minus the comfort of back up. With the security breach we can't utilize operatives whose loyalties remain unclear."
"I'm a solo operative, sir. I don't need backup." Violet closed the file and gave confident smirk. "I've been bed ridden for days. I'm ready to stretch my legs and put the teens back in their place."
"Head down to the Armory. You should get whatever you need." Numbuh 274 recommended rather than ordered. With a salute, Violet spun on her heel and proceeded to walk back to the elevator. Numbuh 274 and Numbuh 3:16 watched as Violet walked away.
West Virginia
Mt. Malladus
Violet landed her S.P.R.A.Y.S.H.I.P. on the outskirts of the mountain, on top of a nearby mini-mart. Violet it was a warm summer's day with a breeze in the air. Much to her displeasure, Violet found her heavy button up to bring her much discomfort with the current weather. She unbuttoned her jacket and let it flow against the breeze.
With that aside, Violet mentally summarized her arsenal.
The standard KND Combat Satchel worked like any other masculine handbag. It carried items to free up the operative's hands. The items currently residing within Violet's satchel, which she procured from the Moon Bas Armory consisted of twenty plastic shurikens crafted to pass off as protractors to the average passerby. Violet also carried a handful of 'Marble Bombs', plantable canisters filled with the standard throw able explosive M.A.R.B.L.E.
This was a standard demolitions job. All she had to do was sneak in, set up the explosives and get out before the fireworks began.
The only real problem Violet faced was actually locating the Teenager's Lab.
Violet was a little over the age of nine. She joined the KND when she was barely eight. In the years' time she'd spent with the KND, Violet had picked up some useful skills, she'd learned how to identify teen operatives.
Her choice of a makeshift landing pad, the mini-mart, was a common teen hangout. Violet peered over the edge, scanning the parking lot and taking sight of a pair of teens drinking slushies. The average teen operative carried themselves in a manner that emphasized their control over the environment. This mini-mart was their turf, it as a teen's job to defend it, to remain vigilant, to keep an eye out for trouble.
Violet dug into her satchel and pulled out one of her shurikens. Her aim was not to attack the teens sitting in the parking lot, but rather judge their reflexes and gauge their response time. Violet reeled back her arm and flung the shuriken at a bush at the edge of the parking lot. Violet kept her eyes on the teens, watching their every move. The shurkien struck a bush, cutting off a branch and falling to the blacktop with an audible 'clang'.
The teen's reaction was instantaneous. The looks on their faces like a guard dog silently growling and threatening an unknown presence. The pair of teens got up and went to investigate.
"A protractor?" One of the teens raised a brow as he retrieved the shuriken, holding it up for the other teen to see.
"I don't like this." The other teen rubbed his chin. "We should report this."
The pair of teens double checked their surroundings, once they were positive no one was watching them, they began to head up the mountain. Another thing Violet noticed on her missions, which came in handy on multiple occasions, henchmen do not look up. Violet remained where she kneeled, peering over the roof, watching the teens walk off.
With the teens leaving the parking lot, Violet hopped off the roof of the mini-mart. She landed into a roll and silently began to tail the teens.
Violet followed them from afar up the Mt. Malladus. Mt. Malladus had a special history in this part of West Virginia, in reality; the mountain was more than just ruble protruding from the Earth, but a volcano which has since gone dormant, maybe to one day erupt again.
Violet followed the pair up an unmarked trail, off the normal hiking path. The two teens approached what appeared to be the face of the mountain, only for one of them to pull a rock twice his size out of the mountain, revealing a metal door. The other teen pulled the door's handle and walked inside, followed by the teen with the rock, who walked in backwards, setting up the boulder to hide the door once more.
Violet approached the rock. Just by eyeing it, Violet realized the improbability of lifting it on her own. Violet reached out and felt the rock, only to realize it wasn't a rock. "Styrofoam?" Violet raised a brow. With ease, Violet lifted the Styrofoam rock and tossed it aside. "Clever."
With her obstacle removed, Violet opened the door and walked through. Violet found herself in a darkened hall and no sight of the teens she'd followed. Violet reached into her satchel and pulled out one of her 'Marble Bombs' and set it by the door.
Violet walked further down the hall, walking to end and finding another door. Violet slowly opened the door, keeping one of her shurikens handy just in case. Violet's eyes widened slightly as she walked into an expansive cavern. There were teenagers everywhere, some dressed in lab coats and others wearing metallic armor. There were cages filled with malformed animals and a red and white bullseye painted in the center of the cavern.
"Recent testing has improved." A male voice echoed from above Violet.
Violet rushed for cover, taking refuge behind the cages. The sight of the animals had startled her enough to cause her to forget her predicament. She glanced out of cover to see a pair of teenagers walking around on metal scaffolding above, one male and another female. The pair wore regular clothing, unlike any of the other teens.
"Excellent Darwin. I would like to see a demonstration." The female commended with a tone that commanded authority.
"Of course." The male signaled a pair of teens down in the cavern. The pair of teens nodded and walked off to what appeared to be a broom closet.
The teens opened the door and both reached in and pulled out a kid, who Violet identified as Numbuh 88. From the mission briefing with Numbuh 274, the Supreme Leader had confirmed the KND Spy to have gone missing after confirming the relative location of this very lab.
Numbuh 88 kicked and struggled as the teens pulled him to the bullseye in the center of the cavern. They threw him to the ground and shackled him to a metal hook near the center of the bullseye, before a protruding metal rod in the center of the eye.
The pair of teens above on the scaffolding walked to a metal control station above, where other teenagers were busy at work. The duo approached a command station, with the male teen reaching for the PA system.
"Attention, all hands. Subject Testing commencing, please report to designated safe zones." The male spoke into a microphone.
Violet remained silent as she watched, unable to avert her eyes as Numbuh 88 tugged at his shackles. The yellow bubble at the center of the bullseye began to grow, consuming Numbuh 88 in its light. The Spy screamed as the bubble appeared to pull him apart, shifting his very body into something else. Soon, Numbuh 88's screams began to sound like a chicken's cry.
"The weapon has exceeded parameters." One of the teen scientists spoke urgently.
"Shut it down." The teen Violet assumed was Darwin ordered.
The bubble decreased in size and dissipated. Violet gasped in shock as what was once before Numbuh 88 was now a chicken flapping its wings angrily.
"Test successful." Darwin reported to the teen with short blond hair, whom Violet assumed was in charge.
"Excellent work. A few more tests and we'll ship this to Father. He'll get a kick out of it." The blond haired teen dryly spoke. She turned to leave, only to freeze. In the corner of her eye, the blond haired teenager caught sight of Violet's blond hair sticking slightly out from behind the cages. "Your next test subject has arrived. Deal with it."
Darwin raised a brow. He followed the blond haired teen's gaze to the cages. "Intruder alert!"
An alarm went off. Violet glanced at Numbuh 88, who now in his chicken form, managed to escape his human sized shackles. The sound of unknown amounts of teenagers stomping their way towards her position rivaled the sound of the alarm.
Violet leapt out from behind the cages and attempted to run for the door. The teens in their strange armor had blocked it off. Violet spun on her heel and dodged a teenager who'd attempted to tackle her. She jumped forward and drew three shurikens from her satchel and flung them and three teenagers who'd gotten too close to her liking.
"You should go." Darwin muttered to his superior.
"No. I want to watch this play out." She stated dryly. "This could prove to be a learning experience. Draw her closer to the weapon; I want to see what would happen under these conditions."
Darwin nodded and quickly signaled the teenagers manning the weapon controls. "Prepare for weapon test!"
Violet hopped onto a nearby rock and summersaulted over a cluster of teens. Violet caught sight of Numbuh 88 once more as he was cornered by a pair of teenagers once more and held down in the bullseye.
This was intended as a demolition operation, not a rescue mission, but then Violet thought of the cages, how they were full of animals. It didn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together to realize they were all children. Violet ran towards the bullseye, throwing a pair of shurikens at the teens, flinging them away from Numbuh 88.
Numbuh 88 began to run away, scrambling with his new chicken features away from the bullseye. The chicken turned operative glanced upward and his eyes grew wide as he noticed the teens manning the controls once more. He jumped up and down attempting to gain Violet's attention, attempting to warn her.
As Violet drew closer to the center, the more Numbuh 88 panicked.
"Don't worry, I've got you!" Violet shouted, attempting to calm Numbuh 88 as she struck a teen in the head with a shuriken.
"Now." Darwin ordered.
The teens activated the weapon at the center of the bullseye, causing a yellow bubble to emerge from the center. Violet's eyes widened once more as the bubble engulfed her. Violet let out an adrenaline fueled scream as she felt the weapon rip her very being apart and mutate her into an animal. Violet's vision changed, slanting slightly as she fell to her knees.
Violet fell over no longer the same. "Damn Mondays." Violet uttered before blacking out.
And so concludes the first chapter of Numbuh 9-Lives! For more technical stuff about the Decommissioning Squad...that all happened in Numbuh 832. I hope you enjoyed it!