They both looked at her flashing watch.
"That'll be Numbuh 1." Kuki whispered, as if she was worried somebody would hear.
"Then leave it." Wally said under his breath, just as quiet as she did. "It won't be important."
"It might be." Kuki pressed the button on the side of her watch, the face changed to show Numbuh 1's face.
Wally stepped back as soon as he realised how close he and Kuki were. He then sat on the swing next to her and patiently waited as Kuki conversed with Nigel.
"Where are you Numbuh 3?" Nigel asked quickly.
"We're just in the park." Kuki shrugged.
"Can you get back soon? moonbase wants Numbuh 4." Nigel replied solemnly.
"Now?" Kuki whined.
"Yes, Numbuh 3, now. End transmission." The screen on her watch turned to fuzzy snow. It went black when she pressed the button again.
She looked up at Wally with wide eyes.
"What's wrong?" He asked her softly.
"We've got to go." She replied quietly. Jumping off the swing and gently taking his hand.
He allowed her fingers to entwine in his as they walked down the road. It wasn't a very slow walk, but it wasn't too quick either.
Kuki knew that Nigel wanted her back at the treehouse soon, but she was savouring the time she had with Wally.
As they entered the treehouse, they let go of each other's hands, neither were entirely sure why. Nor were they sure why they were holding them in the first place, they just did.
"Where have you been? We've been waiting for you." Nigel shook his head. "Never mind, come on, Numbuh 5's in the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. get in and let's go."
They did so, Numbuh 1 was about to take off when Numbuh 2 ran into the C.O.O.L.B.U.S.
"Numbuh 1, wait, don't you need me to fly you there or something?" Hoagie whined.
"No Numbuh 2, I've asked you to stay here and look after the treehouse." Nigel sighed.
"But why can't I come?"
"Moonbase haven't asked for you Numbuh 2, I'm sorry."
Hoagie stormed out of the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. and Nigel shut the doors and set it to auto pilot. With that, they flew off.
The flight was pretty long, and quiet all the way.
The silence was actually starting to scare Wally, he wasn't often asked to go to moonbase, many thoughts and questions ran through his head.
'Why have they asked for me too this time? Why couldn't Numbuh 2 come? Why's Abby Nigel and Kuki so...tense?'
He chose to drop it and just remain silent throughout the journey. Although he was silently relieved when they finally arrived.
"Welcome Sector V." Rachael saluted as they walked in. They saluted back.
"You asked for us Numbuh 362." Nigel asked as he lowered his hand from his head.
Rachael nodded.
"Through that room, follow me." Rachael gestured. They followed her into a small, dim room.
"Numbuh 4, take a seat. You guys, just stand around for a while." Rachael said, before walking out.
Wally did as he was told and turned to look at his teammates in confusion, none of them were making eye contact, just looking down at their feet.
Wally looked back in front of him when a light above him was turned on.
In front of him, an auburn haired boy was sat on the opposite side of the table.
He was around 7/8 years old, he had a rash of freckles across his cheeks and nose and was wearing a headless blue cap and a blue tracksuit to match.
"Alright." The kid started. "You're a bully, right?"
"What's it to ya?" Wally snapped, leaning back into his chair and folding up.
He'd seen interrogations like this on TV, dark rooms with only a light above the table. He didn't like this kid and wasn't going to take any nonsense.
"Just co-operate Numbuh 4." Nigel groaned.
Wally turned back to look at the kid.
"So, I'll say it again, you're a bully." He stated.
"Used to be!...A bully." Wally corrected.
"Don't you ever get the urge to bully kids?" The irritating boy questioned.
"No, why would I?" Wally said through gritted teeth. Mentally preventing hi8mself from showing the kid what bullying is.
"You're not even thinking about punching me right now?" The irritating asked with a smirk.
Wally just shook his head.
The kid got out a huge red folder and opened it about halfway.
"January the 4th 2006, Numbuh 4 used his fists to threaten two smaller children out of a line in the fair." He read aloud.
"That was back when I used to be the MATADOR." Wally told him calmly.
"Okay, let's get to something more recent." The kid flicked to the back pages.
"October the 16th,, last year, Numbuh 4 attacks King Sandy when he sweet talks Numbuh 3."
"That was a mission. King Sandy is also a villain in the KND files. " Wally defended.
"December 23rd last year, Numbuh 4 beats up an eight year old kid so that he can take the rainbow monkey necklace which he had just purchased."
"It was the last one in the shop, I gave him the money for it."
When Wally said this, Kuki gasped, so quiet nobody could hear. Then lightly fingered the necklace which he had given her that Christmas.
"January 13th, this year. Numbuh 4 meets up with Gripper, Crusher, and Laser, all former bullies."
"What's wrong with meeting up with old friends? It's not like I bullied when I was with them, we just hung around." Wally shrugged.
"This just proves it. Once a bully always a bully. I'm done with him. Just take him to the decommissioning room." The kid stood up and looked at the rest of Wally's team.
"What!?!" Wally yelled.
" You never said that he'd have to be decommissioned!" Kuki said, shocked.
"Numbuh 3's right. We never agreed that he'd be decommissioned." Nigel stood forward.
"Yeah, he's still a member of our team, bully or not." Abby shouted.
The snotty kid looked down his nose at them.
"Well, you can talk with Numbuh 362, I've done my job. You should take my advice and save many kids by wiping his memory." He said and walked out.
Wally sat silently in his chair. Then he leant forward and took the folder which was on the desk, and looked through it.
"They've got every single time I've acted like a bully in here." He said in shock. "How did they get..."
He turned around to see his guilty looking teammates. They were avoiding eye contact with him and shuffling around on their feet.
"You guys?" He said in disbelief. "You recorded every time I've been a bully?"
None of them said anything. Nigel and Abby got up to walk out.
"Well, we're going to have a word with Numbuh 362." Nigel said as he stepped out of the door. It just left Wally and Kuki trying to avoid eye contact with each other.
"Kuki, tell me the truth. What's all this about?" Wally asked her sternly.
"When you came into the KND, you already had a reputation as a bully. The Kid who was in command in moonbase had this theory that bullies never change. That's why me Abby and Nigel would often have those meetings, we had to do rotas to follow you and take note of any bullying to did. " She told him truthfully.
Wally nodded in understanding and sorrow.
"What about Numbuh 2?" He asked.
"He joined after you, they didn't tell him." Kuki said quietly.
"But, you came after me, you knew all about it?"
Kuki nodded and then turned her face away, wiping a tear away from her eye.
"She didn't know at first. But then we realised you got pretty close with Numbuh 3. We got her in on it. She could get any information we needed from you." Rachael answered for her as they walked in.
The cold look that Wally gave Kuki melted her heart. She leant back against the wall and looked down at her feet, hair covering her eyes.
"Look, I'm sorry Numbuh 4. I've said all that I can, but the boss' at command want to decommissioned. Believe me, I tried to get you out of it, I really have." Rachael apologized to Wally.
"It's okay, I'd rather forget than go back." Wally turned and glared at who he used to call his friends.
"So are you going to come without a fight?" Rachael asked hopefully.