Chapter 1: Attention Moonbase
It had been six months since the disappearance of Numbuh 1. Many things had changed. For one thing, Numbuh 5 was now sitting in a seat previously occupied by Numbuh 362, who had decided to retire as Supreme Leader of the Kids Next Door to go back to being a regular officer. For all intents and purposes, she had traded places with Numbuh 5, since Numbuh 362 now led Sector V.
Numbuh 5 liked the position, even if it kept her away from her friends most of the time. She had the whole of the Kids Next Door at her fingertips, all their technology, all their information on adults, she could even keep tabs on every operative at any given time, though she didn't abuse this power.
Today was starting off like any other when Numbuh 86 came running into the Command Centre. "Numbuh 5," she yelled. "We're picking up a distress signal."
"Well, answer it," said Numbuh 5. "If we're being contacted by some helpless kid, we need to do our best to help them, right?"
"That's the thing," said Numbuh 86. "The distress call is coming from deep space, where no operative we know of is known to be."
"That's imposs…" started Numbuh 5, then stopped. Could it be… Abigail dared to hope it might be him. "Answer it," she said. "The tracking system's probably just playing up. We'll ask them where they are and be right there."
"A'right ma'am," said Numbuh 86, pressing a button on the control console to answer the call.
An image appeared a large screen at the front of the Command Centre, showing what appeared to be a pot plant turned upside down with a pair of beady white eyes. "Hello? Hello?" came a distorted voice. "Kids Next Door? This is Numbuh Vine."
"Numbuh who?" asked Numbuh 5.
"Numbuh Vine," said the voice. "Listen, there's not much time. There's a dangerous laser coming right for your planet, you need to do something to block it right now."
"Dangerous laser? Who is this?" asked Numbuh 5. "Numbuh 86, run a check on this Numbuh Vine. I've never heard of no Numbuh Vine before."
"THERE'S NO TIME!" yelled Numbuh Vine. "You need to do something now, or else horrible things are going to happen to your planet."
Numbuh 5 thought about what this 'operative' was saying. "Numbuh 71.562," called Numbuh 5. "Is there anything on our radars?"
"Not that I can see," said Numbuh 71.562. "Wait…what's that?"
"Intercept it," ordered Numbuh 5. Numbuh 71.562 immediately hit a button that launched the Kids Next Door M.I.R.R.O.R. (Massive Image Reflector Reflects Offensive Rays). "Come on, come on," muttered Numbuh 5 to herself.
"Ten seconds until impact," said Numbuh 71.562. "Nine…eight…" The kids in the Command Centre watched nervously as the seconds ticked down. "The .R.O.R.'s in place…three seconds…two…one…laser deflected." The kids all let out a collective sigh of relief.
"That was too close," said Numbuh Vine. "Okay, I've gotta go. We'll be in touch."
"Wait. Who are…" started Numbuh 5, but the feed went dead. "Numbuh 86, any luck finding this Numbuh Vine?"
"No ma'am," said Numbuh 86. "There's never been a Numbuh Vine, not even among the deactivated operatives. But somehow, they knew what frequency to hail us on."
"That's impossible," said Numbuh 71.562. "Only members of the Kids Next Door know that frequency."
"What should we do Numbuh 5?" asked Numbuh 86. She waited a moment for an answer, before realised Numbuh 5 seemed distracted. "Err, Numbuh 5?"
"Huh? Oh, right," said Numbuh 5. "Numbuh 71.562, do you think you and your science friends could run a trace on that transmission?"
"Puh-lease," said Numbuh 71.562. "Give me ten minutes and some pizza, I'll know what the last candy they ate was."
"Excellent," said Numbuh 5. "Numbuh 86, have all operatives on High Alert. Whoever or whatever that was, it'll probably attack again, likely sooner rather than later. I want everyone ready for it."
"Okay," said Numbuh 86. "But what are you gonna do?"
"There are some people I need to talk to," said Numbuh 5. "They'll be interested in this."
"Who are…" started Numbuh 86, but Numbuh 5 had already left.
"Nigel Uno, what have you done?" Numbuh 5 asked to herself. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she was sure her former sector leader had something to do with it. It had to be. The beam had come from somewhere in deep space, where no human operative had ever been. No operative, except Numbuh 1.
Numbuh 5 entered her private chambers, and immediately started dialling for the only group who knew the truth about Numbuh 1's disappearance. "Calling Sector V. Come in Sector V," said Numbuh 5.
"Numbuh 362 here," said Numbuh 362. "Hey Numbuh 5, how are you finding life as the Supreme Leader?"
"Oh, you know, pretty sweet," said Numbuh 5. "Except when we're getting fired at by lasers from deep space."
"Deep space?" asked Numbuh 362. "What are you…?" Realisation dawned on her quickly. "Nigel."
"My thoughts exactly," said Numbuh 5, then jumped into an explanation of what had just happened.
"The laser was about to hit us?" asked Numbuh 362. "But…Nigel would never do that. Would he?"
"Before he left, I would have agreed with you," said Numbuh 5. "But who knows what those Galactic Kids Next Door are capable of."
"You have a point," said Numbuh 362. "I'll tell the others. Numbuh 2 might even have some way of finding Nigel before disaster strikes."
"Let's hope so," said Numbuh 5. "Contact me when you know anything."
"Only if you do the same," said Numbuh 362, and the feed cut out. Numbuh 5 knew she was in charge and could punish Numbuh 362 for giving her an order and cutting the feed before her, but Numbuh 5 could never bring herself to get mad at the former Supreme Leader. Plus, she noticed something in what Numbuh 362 said. It was subtle, but Numbuh 5 had definitely heard it, and wasn't going to hold it against Numbuh 362. Numbuh 5 left her chambers and wet back to the Command Centre, in case there had been any updates in the situation.
"In you go," said one of the guards, throwing Chad into a cell. "Numbuh Gajillion will be with you in a few minutes." The two guards laughed as they slammed the cell door and left.
"LET ME OUT!" yelled Chad, banging on the bars. "When I get out of here, I'll…"
"You'll what?" asked a voice from a cell across the hall from him.
"Who said that?" asked Chad, trying to see who had spoken. "I know your voice. Who are you?"
"That would be me," said the voice, stepping out of the shadows to reveal herself.
"Cree?" asked Chad. "Wait, when did you get caught?"
"It was that darn Maurice," said Cree. "He was pretending to be on our side, even started dating me, then it turned out he never got decommissioned and was on a mission to capture me."
"But, why'd they send you here?" asked Chad. "Surely the Earth Kids Next Door would want to deal with you."
"Numbuh 362 said that she'd personally see to my decommissioning," said Cree. "But that nerdy one, Numbuh 74 point something, he convinced her I was too dangerous to risk their Supreme Leader against, so he took her place and had me sent here. Guess I'm an even bigger threat than I thought."
"He wasn't wrong. You were notoriously difficult to catch," said Chad. "But listen, we have to work together to get out of here. We may be the only ones who can save Nigel."
"Save Numbuh 1? Why would I want to do that?" demanded Cree. "That little punk and his friends have been messing with the teen's plans. Him and my sister have been such a pain in my…"
"Cree," said Chad in a tone that made it clear this wasn't up for discussion. "They're going to decommission us, then take us back to Earth, where we can't possibly survive now."
"And why is that?" asked Cree. Chad lowered his voice, and explained about the laser Numbuh 1 had just fired at Earth, and what affect it would have. "No way," gasped Cree. "But that means…"
"I know," said Chad. "We might have some time before the effects become permanent, but we have to act now, and we'll need all the help we can get. And that means…"
"Numbuh 1," said Cree defeatedly. "Okay, I'll help you. But as soon as we're out of danger, Numbuh 1 is going down."
"Fine, whatever," said Chad. "Now, all we need is a plan…"
"I think I've got one…" said Cree.
About ten minutes later, two guards entered the prison area. "Look alive people," said one of the guards. "Numbuh Gajillion is on his way."
"Ooooooooh…" groaned Cree, lying on the floor clutching her stomach. "I don't think I'm gonna make it that long."
"What's wrong with her?" asked the other guard.
"Who cares? She'll be decommissioned soon enough anyway," said the first guard.
"Please…help…" moaned Cree. "Please…"
"Maybe we should do something," said the second guard, reaching for his keys.
"What do you think you're doing?" demanded his partner.
"Come on man, she's not gonna do anything," said the guard as he opened the cell door. "She can barely sit up. Besides, Numbuh Gajillion will want her at full strength, otherwise it'll just feel like a hollow victory."
"Hmph, whatever," said the other guard. "But remember, if this comes back to bite us in the butt, I'll be the first to say I told you so."
"Nothing's gonna happen," assured the guard in the cell, kneeling down next to Cree. "Now, tell me where it hurts."
"It…it hurts…in YOUR FACE!" yelled Cree, punching the guard in the face. The guard stumbled back as Cree jumped up and kicked him backwards, straight into the bars of Chad's cell. "NOW!"
Chad jumped out of the shadows, and grabbed the stunned guard's keys off his belt. "I'll be taking these," said Chad, backing up into the cell.
"Why you little…" started the guard, trying to reach into the cell, but Chad stayed just out of reach.
"Cree, a little help please?" asked Chad, standing far enough back that his pursuers couldn't get him.
"Kinda in the middle of something here," said Cree, currently fighting the other guard. The guard dived at Cree, but she ducked out of the way. The guard flew over her head, and landed in her open cell.
"Guess I'll have to do this myself then," said Chad, running at his guard. He drew his left hand back as though to strike, but suddenly brought up his right hand, now with the stolen keys held between each finger. The guard fell backwards and landed in Cree's old cell, which Cree immediately closed behind him.
"Quick Chad," called Cree, as the two guards fought to escape. Chad worked through each key until he found the right one, unlocked his cell, then quickly helped Cree lock their guards in her cell.
"Come on, we need to get out of here," said Chad, grabbing Cree's hand and running out of the prison as fast as the two could run.
One of the guards scowled at the other one. "You know, I'd hate to say I told you so…" he started.
"Yeah, yeah, shut up," said his partner. "We need to think of a way out of here, before…"
"Before what?" asked a voice just outside their cell, a voice they were hoping not to hear so soon. The guards turned around hesitantly, and saw Numbuh Gajillion staring at them through the bars. "So, care to tell me why our prisoners are missing?"
