Chapter 1
"Uh, Numbuh 600?"
"What!" The Aussie jumped and spun around. "Oh, it's just you Numbuh 5."
"Yeah." Abby gave her newest teammate a strange look. "What exactly are you doing?" They were standing in the briefing room. 600 was doing something with the computer.
"Trying to figure out what you guys are gonna do to find the Sixth member."
"Why?"
"So I can sabotage it."
Zoe had been a member of Sector V for almost a year now. She was a great fighter, and knew a lot about making and fixing their 2x4 technology. She liked music and comics, and Numbuh 4 found she was a great sparring partner. There was nothing particularly odd about her, except this whole thing with the Sixth member. Since she was so interested on the first day, the team couldn't figure out what was up with her.
"Excuse me?" Numbuh 5 was very prepared to launch the defense system.
"What I mean is, if this kid wanted to be found, they would've been by now. I think we should leave him alone."
Abby leaned on the wall. "The Sixth member may be the key to getting back Sector Z. Numbuh 5 thinks that's a good thing. Don't you?"
600 sighed. "I dunno."
"Just take it easy, Zoe. All we want to do when we find the kid is talk to him. 'Kay?" Abby left the room.
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of," 600 whispered. She waited till Numbuh 5 was gone, and went back to her hacking.
KNDKNDKNDKND
"Alright team, we seem to have a break in our search. The KNDNA Tracker has placed him somewhere in our—where is Numbuh 600?" Nigel stared at his team. No one answered. Numbuh 5 was the last one to see her, and that had been over an hour ago.
"600 don't want us to find the Sixth member. She's probably avoiding this meeting."
"Fine, we'll move out without her." He pulled out the tracker he'd, uh, borrowed, from Numbuh 101. "Using the DNA still stored in the Kids Next Door code module, I have located the Sixth member to be somewhere in our neighborhood. Let's go team!"
KNDKNDKNDKND
Their search took them, well, down the lane. The Delightful Children's mansion was vacant for whatever reason. Numbuh 1 didn't really care. He didn't feel like fighting the people he was currently trying to save anyway.
"We're getting close." He announced as they entered the house. "According to this we are- right above him?" He stared at the floor. "Those Delightful Children must be keeping him captive in the basement."
He led them down the stairs cautiously. They didn't find a hidden KND operative; just some of Father's evil stuff, but they weren't concerned with that.
"Numbuh 1, are you sure that thing's working right?" Numbuh 4 glanced around the room. Then he heard a scuff behind him.
The team snapped around. A figure was scrambling up the staircase. "Wait, wait!" Nigel was after the figure in a second, the rest right behind him.
In pursuit, they only caught glimpses of the person. Red hi-tops here, a backpack there. The kid was zigzagging so much they couldn't really get a good look at him. They were out of the Delightful's house and down the street, still way behind the sprinter.
"We just want to talk to you!" The Sixth member still wasn't stopping. At one point, he disappeared altogether.
"Where'd he go?" Numbuh 3 looked confused.
"Relax, I still have him on the tracker." They continued down the road until Numbuh 1 turned onto someone's lawn. Nigel started for the backyard. There was a porch, a gated garden, and a rather large tree. The tree was where Nigel went. "Uh, hello? Mr. Sixth member, sir?" He stared up into the branches.
"What are you guys doing here?" They all jumped. Zoe appeared behind them. "I mean, I'm all for my friends randomly showing up at my house and yelling at my tree, but it's kinda nice to know why."
"Numbuh 600, did you see someone run back here?"
"Just you guys." She raised her eyebrows. "Are you still on your search for that kid? You're never gonna find him."
"Funny you should say that," Numbuh 1 narrowed his eyes.
"Why?"
"Because the KNDNA Tracker puts the Sixth member right where you're standing."
"Well that thing must be broken."
"Zoe is there something you aren't telling us?" Numbuh 2 asked.
"Yes," she stepped backward. "That I want all y'all to get off my lawn."
Then Nigel saw something he recognized; red Converse hi-tops. "600, how old are you again?"
"Twelve, like you guys."
"We're all eleven. And how fast did you get through training again?"
"About 2 weeks. What does this have to do with anything? You skipped training altogether."
"How did you know that?" Kuki jumped in. "Numbuh 5 told us not to tell anybody."
"Yeah," Wally crossed his arms. "No one would have told you. What else do you know?"
She bit her lip. "I know that the Delightful Children are Sector Z."
"How do you know that?" Numbuh 4 was confused, as always.
"Because they were her team." Numbuh 5 stepped forward. She pointed at Zoe. "You're the Sixth member."
"Uh, can we move this discussion elsewhere?" 600's eyes darted nervously.
"You have some explaining to do, Zoe." Nigel said.
"If that is your real name." Wally shoved a finger in 600's face. She pushed it away.
"Oh, it's my real name. But I know Beatles isn't yours."
"What! Now you're just crazy." He was ready to swing. Numbuh 2 held him back.
"You really wanna try and fight me? You know I always win." She laughed. Both Aussies were glaring each other down.
"Maybe we should continue this conversation somewhere else," Hoagie offered.
"Come on in." Zoe sighed and stepped onto the porch, leading her upset and puzzled friends into her house. The room they entered had nothing but a couple couches.
"Why is your house completely empty?" Hoagie was still gripping Numbuh 4's arm.
"The couches were all I could afford. Back off, I don't have a job."
"600, why did you lie to us?" Nigel and friends settled on the couches. Zoe stood awkwardly.
"I didn't technically lie. I never said I wasn't part of Sector Z." That earned her a look. "Ok, I've been in hiding for almost 30 years, guys. I only rejoined KND because I didn't think anyone would be looking for me anymore. But of course, I got stuck with the nutcases who won't leave it alone. No offense."
"Continue."
"Think about it. Almost 30 years…" Blank looks. "I'm definitely way older than 13, even if I don't look like it."
Nigel thought for a minute. He almost spoke when there was a knock at the door. Hoagie opened it.
"Numbuh 2! I have received knowledge that your team is hiding an agent due for decommissioning. Where is she?" It was Numbuh 86 stomping through the door.
"Oh yeah, did I tell you guys it was my birthday today? Wow, how news travels fast. Well I gotta go!" Zoe was off. She sprinted down the street. Of course, Numbuh 86 followed. "What is it with people chasing me today?" She mumbled. "Gotta lose her."
She repeated her trick from earlier; darting left and right insanely, never going in a straight line. Soon she found herself at her old team's mansion. Without thinking, she shot inside, and watched her pursuers run by. She exhaled.
"Well if it isn't one of the Kids Next Door." Zoe turned. It was something she hadn't seen for 26 years- her teammates. "What might you be doing here Number 600?"
Zoe backed toward the door. Every time Sector V had gone to fight the Delightfuls she had faked sick or injury or something. The only times she'd seen them was when they attacked the treehouse, and even then she avoided direct contact. That's why they only knew her by Number, not name.
"Look…" She fumbled for the door handle behind her. "I don't want to fight you."
"Don't worry," the creepy unison voices answered. "It won't be much of a fight at all."
Something rose in their hands. Something made Zoe's vision go black.
hey peoplez… ok so not much action here, this was mostly an informative chapter… but I promise to make the next chap much more, in-teresting… still please review =D
