Boots pounded on the treadplate floors, sending chills of fear up the researchers' spines. Someone was approaching, and it was nothing good. Heads lowered as they tried to keep their eyes to themselves. But, of course, the newcomer was determined to have herself heard.

"Alright!" a thick Irish voice bawled. "Progress report!"

"We-We've had a few setbacks sir," the nearest unlucky soul turned up from his workstation. "The commission process is not easy to reverse on the scale Numbuh 362 needs."

"Why not?!" Fanny Fulbright, Numbuh 86, yelled.

"Well for starters- eek!" the scientist didn't have time to finish, as she grabbed him by the collar.

"Get the point!" she demanded, not in the mood for a lot of technobabble.

"It's the p-power sir," he struggled to explain, "According to the reports we need eleventy-billion units, but we don't even really know how much that is."

"'ty' on the end means add a zero, dunnit?!" she shot back. "So ya just take eleven, then a zero, then a billion. Ain't hard."

The scientist looked around; his colleagues shrugged or nodded slowly. He finally managed to break free of Fanny's grip and stumbled back over to his computer. He typed in the number slowly, to the point where steam might as well have been emanating from 86's ears.

"Th-That might work…" he trailed off. "But-"

"But what?!" Fulbright demanded.

"We can't generate that much power here, e-even with the upgrades," he stammered. "It just isn't feasible."

"Well then make it!" she barked. "We need results 'ere, not setbacks." She turned to leave. "Dismissed!"

She strode out of the moonbase 2x4 R&D labs, heading straight for the command deck. No doubt Rachel McKenzie, Supreme Leader Numbuh 362, would be up there overseeing operations. The news wasn't good, but it was still the first breakthrough in weeks. Maybe they could soon finally take this project off the backburner.

Fanny made quick work of the walk, arriving up top in minutes. As expected Rachel was there, in the middle of giving orders to a sector from Japan. They quickly finished up, scattering at the sight of an irate Global Tactical Officer striding across the treadplate decking.

"Anything?" Rachel turned to her friend, worry and hope both etched into her young features.

"Nah," Fanny shrugged, "They hadn't even worked out eleventy-billion in numbers 'till I showed up. Apparently these new upgrades are useless, since they can't generate that much 'ere."

"Oh," the light faded from Rachel's eyes for a moment. She placed a hand on her chin, pondering the next move. The moonbase had the highest power output of any treehouse on the KND network, and even that wasn't enough. That couldn't be it, could it? There had to be some other way.

"Y'alright Rachel?" Fanny asked, far softer than usual. She was pretty much the only one who still used 362's real name, even if it was only rarely. She didn't let Harvey use it, and as much as she wished otherwise Nigel Uno still called her simply 'sir' or 'Supreme Leader'.

"Yeah," she let out a long sigh, "I'm fine, I just need a moment to think." There had to be another way, a place where they could draw eleventy-billion units of power. How did their enemies even generate that much… wait, of course! They'd just have to go to the source.

"Numbuh 86," she snapped, suddenly all business once again, "Tell 2x4 that I want a prototype capable of withstanding over eleventy-billion units ready by next week with adaptors for all major power connections available. We're going in within a fortnight."

"Aye sir," Fanny's guard went up in tandem, and she snapped a quick salute before spinning in her heel and striding away across the deck. Although Rachel couldn't see it, her heart swelled with new determination.


The prototype was far from what Fanny had been expecting. She'd been ready for some kind of massive death ray based on the power requirements. Instead 2x4 had created the bizarre offspring of an old-timey camera and a bicycle.

The body was long and mostly wooden, with a short brass barrel at the end. A chain drive ran from a point halfway up the weapon down to the stock, which was a rebuilt bicycle frame using the seat as a shoulder rest. Six large lightbulbs were mounted either side of the sights, tilted to forty-five degrees. Power cables dragged behind it, ending in a variety of plugs.

What on earth could such a clunky weapon be used for, especially if powering it required the KND to infiltrate an enemy facility and literally plug it in? It was times like these she wished Rachel would tell her more, given how reluctant the scientists were to talk to her.

"So," she rounded on the unfortunate boy standing next to her, "Does it work?"

"In theory," the kid said quickly, "It functions correctly at regular power levels, and is capable of functioning at up to two-hundred-billion units of power."

"Two 'undred?" Fanny raised an eyebrow. "Dunnit just need to take eleventy?"

"And we're taking 'eleventy' as one-hundred-and-ten, per your orders," he explained, "If that's the regular output then we need to be prepared for massive surges."

"Fine," she said bluntly. "362 'ad better be happy with this."

She spun on her heel, heading away from R&D and towards the command deck once more. With the prototype ready maybe Rachel's apparently crazy plan would work. Fanny just wished she knew what it was.

"Is it ready?" 362 greeted her as she entered the room.

"Aye, it is." 86 saluted. "They've finally stopped being useless."

"It was a tall order," Rachel checked her. "Anyway; I want you to contact Sector V and tell them that they're to come aboard on the next night they're all available. This is of the utmost importance now."

"Aye sir," Fanny saluted again. She strode away with all the respect she was supposed to show to the Supreme Leader, but as soon as McKenzie was out of earshot she let out a snarl of rage and stormed off.

Sector V again? Really? It was always them, regardless of what needed to be done. The thought of Nigel at this point made her want to punch something. She worked her rear end off to get where she was, while Numbuh 1 could just waltz in there and take whatever he wanted. The number of times he should've been decommissioned alone made her blood boil.

The real cause for her hatred was more personal though. It was simple, and far too obvious; Rachel McKenzie had a crush on Nigel Uno. That simple fact rubbed Fanny the wrong way for so many reasons. Like how he always got better treatment, and more important missions. Or how he could get away with literally anything. Or how she herself-

Fulbright slammed the brakes on her train of thought. She wasn't going down that rabbit hole again. She was already fit to burst with rage, and whenever she thought about that her anger tended to go downhill fast.

Still, for all of her hatred, she would contact Sector V, have Numbuhs 1 through 5 come to the moonbase. But only because it was what Rachel wanted.


The S.C.A.M.P.E.R drifted lazily into the hangar, thrusters easing down under the watchful gaze of multiple turrets. The modified camper van landed with a soft thud on the decking, doors sliding open with a quiet hiss. From within the agents of Sector V stepped out, led by Nigel Uno.

Rachel was there to greet them, accompanied by Fanny. 362 cracked a slight smile at the arrival of a long-time close friend, but it quickly dissolved back into her regular seriousness. There was a sense of gravity in the air as the sector approached.

"You wanted us here, sir?" Nigel raised an eyebrow behind his sunglasses.

"Yes, Numbuh 1," she replied, "There's something I need to ask of your sector. Follow me."

She led the group quickly up to the command deck, ignoring the personnel muttering behind her. They'd all find out the nature of their mission soon enough. The journey was brief, and soon the seven kids were standing around a hologram projecting table.

The device flickered to life, displaying a green wireframe of a massive, ornate five-storey residence. The model rotated slowly, and the display zoomed in until the rooms up to the second floor could be seen in detail.

"As you may have guessed," Rachel began, "This is the Delightful Mansion From Down The Lane, as it was rebuilt after the Grandfather incident. All intelligence suggests that the floor plan has not significantly changed."

"We're goin' in there?!" Wally Beetles exclaimed.

"Numbuh 4!" Nigel quickly hushed him.

"Yes," 362 continued unfazed, "To test a new weapon against the Delightful Children From Down The Lane."

"No offence sir," Hoagie Gilligan interrupted, "But wouldn't that be easier during the day?"

"No," she cut him off, "Because in order to power this weapon you'll need to jack it into the power grid here."

She pointed to a highlighted room in the building, marked 'delightfulisation chamber'. The members of Sector V glanced at each other nervously.

"Numbuh 5 doesn't like this," Abigail Lincoln said darkly.

"That's crazy!" Wally responded.

"Calm down," Nigel interjected, "We don't even know what this weapon does yet."

"It doesn't matter what it does," Rachel spoke once more, "You wouldn't understand; even I don't really. All you need to know is that we absolutely must have over eleventy-billion units of power, or this whole operation will be for naught."

"Eleventy-billion?" Nigel was suddenly agape. "Against the Delightful Children? Is this-?"

"Yes," she butted in, "It is. Numbuh 86, I want you to retrieve the prototype."

"Aye," Fanny saluted quickly, hurrying off towards 2x4's area yet again.

She arrived in good time, barging into the R&D labs with her hatred brimming. A secret arrangement between Nigel and Rachel, where only they knew the true nature of the mission: was she being serious! That was it; 86 wasn't going to take it anymore. She'd take the prototype herself, go it alone, and return having destroyed the Delighful Children.

Then Rachel would see; she was just as good as stupid Nigel Uno. When she returned to moonbase a hero her transgressions to get there would be forgotten; it had always worked for Numbuh 1. And once she returned, well…

No, she wasn't going to think about that now, or ever if she could help it. She had to prevent her thoughts from wandering to that little subject of she wanted to complete this mission. She shook the thought from her mind, forcing herself to concentrate.

The researchers looked up for a second as she entered, then tried their hardest to ignore her.

"Right!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, seizing their attention. "Where's that prototype!"

"Over here sir," one of them said quickly, carrying over the weapon. She reached out as he slung it over one of her shoulders and released. The weapon dropped, the weight nearly pulling her over. "Y'alright?" he asked.

"I am fine!" she insisted through gritted teeth, despite the weight pulling her down. She staggered away, leaving the scientists to their work. Of course Sector V had a whole team, and could carry the great device between two people. She had to do it all alone, so she was better than them.

The walk to the hangars was agonisingly slow, and every time she heard footsteps on the treadplate Fanny found herself checking over her shoulder. Nobody followed her though, and soon she was standing in the entranceway of the moonbase's primary hangar.

The place was deserted, both of personnel and of aircraft, except for the S.C.A.M.P.E.R used by V to arrive and a few engineers milling about. She made a beeline for the dropship, slipping inside and finally dropping the weapon.

She hit the door button and shifted into the pilot's seat, ready to depart. She could fly; she'd done it before. This was going to be a breeze. She hit the engine start, watching as one-by-one the dials and lights flickered to life. The thrusters roared; she was ready to head out.


The research staff paused, looking up from their stations. One by one their faces contorted in confusion; Supreme Leader Numbuh 362 and the entire of Sector V were both entering the 2x4 labs.

"Did Numbuh 86 come through here?" Rachel asked, causing more confusion.

"Yes, uh, sir," one of the scientists replied. "We, uh, we gave her the prototype. What's up?"

"She's disappeared," she replied gravely, "And if that's true then she has the module."