"Come on, guys, we really need to get to work!"

Nice was one of those words Georgette was aware of in her vocabulary, but not one she ever cared to show an example of.

"Uh, Numbuh 12th Guard? I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Being nice was something a sector leader did when they were at the end of their rope. Being nice was something a leader did when they were desperate for results. Georgette spat on the idea of putting up a front of niceness just to get a simple task completed. There was being polite, and there was being a pushover.

"Numbuh 1-8-5-7, could you please stop napping backstage? The set's not even finished."

Georgette peeked out from behind a bale of hay, eyes narrowing as she watched Numbuh 80 spin his trade. Everything about the boy made her teeth grind. From how he fast-talked his way out of trouble, from how he knew how to butter up a crowd to get what he desired, from how he inadvertently taught her the lesson about being a pushover the hard way.

"Come on, Numbuh 9-Film. Operatives everywhere are counting on us. Could you please just do what I ask you to?"

When 80 began chatting up a hard-balling customer, she made her move. Georgette rolled out from her cover, staying low to the ground and circumventing large groups as she inched closer to her goal. She ducked behind a fence, gliding past Numbuh 80, and allowing herself a smirk when she noted the Crazy Lemonade Machine just sitting up in the open. Oh so very defenseless.

"It's, uh, funny material, Numbuh 11.10, but I think we should focus more on news than jokes…but I guess if you really want to…"

Georgette glanced around, thankful that the excitement of the luncheon was providing the perfect distraction. She chuckled. The girl knew everything about drawing and diverting attention. A few whispers here and some fake gossip there, and everyone managed to just herd themselves away from machine like mindless sheep.

"Numbuh 80, that's not-ugh! Why won't you guys listen to me?"

She flipped her hair and walked up to the machine, everything about it reminding her of its creator and everything that doofus represented. Numbuh 80's inventions were nothing more than flashy extensions of the big con he was always trying to play. Always worming his way into people's hearts, always being that puckish rogue and squeezing out of trouble, always somehow managing to skirt around the edge of authority with a wink and a smile.

Georgette's grip around her LEMONADE tightened the more the memories came back. In the beginning days of her time in sector L, she thought she had the perfect team of talent to make television history, capped off with the deviously popular Numbuh 80 in her corner. It was going to be great and they would all get along fabulously.

She was going to be a fair and open leader.

"I'm tired of you all never listening…"

"What do I keep telling, ya? Just gotta think of interesting stuff to listen to! Takes more than a pretty face to draw in the viewers, Georgy. In fact, I got an idea that will-"

The whole fair and open thing didn't pan out so well.

Not with her sector knowing of their talent and thinking they were too good for her.

Not with Numbuh 80 feeding the fire by being a living affront to her leadership every waking hour.

A very tiny part of her deep down knew it was never intentional. A part of her knew that despite all his flaws, Numbuh 80 had big aspirations and couldn't help it if his personality clashed with his own.

But it was only so long when even that last, tiny part of her who knew just couldn't bring itself to care anymore.

"That is IT!" she remembered a younger, inexperienced version of herself screaming. She remembered how on that day, the entirety of sector L shut their traps as she went down the line. "You two quit slacking off, you pony it up, you can it with the jokes, and you," she remembered hissing as she turned on a Numbuh 80 whom realized too little too late that he had pushed his leader too far. "YOU'RE-"

"Going to be begging for mercy before I'm finished with you," Georgette chuckled, moving behind the Lemonade Machine and fiddling with her LEMONADE. "Not long now."

"Numbuh 10."

She tensed at the voice, the angry haze surrounding her lessening a smidgen upon realize he was here.

For a brief second, she actually worried what he must think of her; crouched over, holding a bomb, and looking like an all-around mess.

But she was too close to let that deter her, so Georgette never faced him as she greeted with a curt, "Numbuh 60, sir."

"What in the Sam Hill do you think you're doing?" he asked. His voice was stern, but also low enough to not draw attention and she was almost touched at how considerate he was being despite it all. "This is crazy, even for you!"

"You of all people should know about desperate measures," she muttered, slowly forcing herself to arm the LEMONADE and refuse to admit he had a point. "I'm not in the mood to listen to your moral high-ground right now."

"In the mood to listen to a direct order?" he threatened. "Because I can and will order you to stand down."

"Last I checked, this contest isn't officially KND regulated," she said. "Pretty sure that falls outside your authority."

"And last I checked, this is a KND sponsored luncheon," Patton growled. "So contest or no, you still gotta do what I say."

"Nu-uh," Georgette childishly rebuffed. "This is sector A, and due to their special conditions, Numbuh Jebediah gets final say at what goes while operatives visit sector A."

"You're pulling out flimsy excuses and you know it!" Patton snapped, more than past fed up with this. "It'll never hold up in court!"

"Says you! I've Numbuh $1.50 an Hour on speed dial," she countered. "Besides, I don't care if you marshal me over this or not. By the time it's all said and done, that fraud will have lost!"

"I can't believe how obsessed you are with this contest," Patton said as he quickly closed the distance between them. Georgette squeaked, holding up the LEMONADE while using her free hand to swat at Patton. "Give it here!"

"Fat chance!"

"Gimmie!"

"No no no!"

"Last chance, Georgy," Patton said as he flexed his fingers. "Or else this gets ugly."

Georgette furrowed her brows before they shot up. "Y-You wouldn't."

"Oh," Patton said as he tickled up her sides. "I would!"

Georgette burst into mad laughter, Patton aiming for all her weak spots as her giggling intensified. "Th-That's hehehe un-tehehehehe-FAIR!"

"Maybe," Patton grinned, eyes watching her like a hawk. Seeing his opening, his hand snatched the LEMONADE before he jumped back away from the redhead. "But it gets the job done!"

"Why you little," Georgette said before tackling him to the ground, doing her best to reclaim her prize. "Give it back, it's mine!"

"This is unregistered 2x4 tech and I'm confiscating it," Patton heaved as they rolled around, tucking the grenade underneath his body as Georgette's hands frisked his body. "So it's mine now!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not times infinity!"

"Grrr," Patton squirmed out from under her, standing up and facing her cheeky grin. "That's dirty!"

"Don't dish it out if you can't take it, Patty-kins," Georgette said, slowly crooking her fingers as she fluttered her eyes. "Now hand it over."

Patton huffed, extending his arm and presenting the LEMONADE. Just as Georgette was about to grab it, Patton hocked a massive loogie and spat right on the bomb.

"Ew!" Georgette hands whipped back and she flinched away from the grenade. "That's just gross!"

"What's the matter?" Patton said, teasingly waving the LEMONADE back and forth. "Don't you want it back?"

Georgette's hand gingerly moved towards the LEMONADE, but despite all her willpower, she just could not allow her hands to come into contact with such vulgar yuckiness. The redhead fumed, stomping her feet before slumping over. A moment of silence passed before she let out a defeated sigh.

"Fine," she said quietly, raising her head but avoiding eye contact as she rubbed at her arm. "You're…you're right. I took this way too far."

Patton blinked, wearily regarding the girl. "No way you're giving up this easily."

"Patton, it's been a long day. I don't have a story, I'm about to lose this contest, and I'm covered in lemonade," Georgette meekly said. She took a deep breath, held her chin up and outstretched her hand. "So let's, y'know, be mature about this and put this stupidity behind us."

The boy wasn't convinced, frowning at the hand she was offering and getting the feeling he should just make a break for it while he had the chance.

"Patton, please." He did a double-take, looking up to her face to find her expression soft as she stared him down with sad eyes. "Don't kick me while I'm down."

"Well…I guess we all kinda go crazy every now and again," he admitted as he scratched his neck. He gave her a nod as he took her hand and shook it. "Thanks for listening to reason."

"No, thank you. YOU SUCKER!"

Georgette harshly gripped his hand and managed to yank off his glove. Before he was even aware of what happened, Georgette swept her foot behind his ankle and watched as he fell on his butt.

The LEMONADE went flying, and Georgette quickly adorned Patton's glove and leapt up to catch the grenade with her newly covered hand.

"You're such a gullible dork, it's adorable," Georgette snickered as she took off running back towards the machine.

As she ran, Georgette did the best she could to finish arming the LEMONADE as she picked around Patton's saliva. Once it beeped with confirmation, she allowed herself a victorious fist-pump as she closed in on 80's invention. All that was left was to set it, tuck it under the machine, and run before the fireworks went off. It was a brilliant plan.

But alas, even the most brilliant of plans had their hitches, or so Georgette figured when she fell to the ground and looked back to see a crawling Patton grasping her ankle.

"This ain't over," Patton said as Georgette continued crawling towards the machine. "Not by a longshot!"

"It's about to be," Georgette growled as she inched closer. "Once this baby goes off, Numbuh 80's precious machine will be a footnote in tonight's news."

"Is that all you care about?" Patton asked as he parried her kicks and made his way past her hips to reach for the bomb. "Just some drama to fill your news slot?"

"All I care about," Georgette groaned, using her free hand to push Patton's face back, "is making sure Numbuh 80 gets what he deserves!"

"It's just lemonade!"

"It's not just lemonade! It's him thinking he can just show up whenever he wants and steal my spotlight!"

"Are you that vain? Do you really care that much if he's better than you!?"

"YES I DO!"

Patton continued to fight against her hold, but stopped when he noticed as her posture went limp. He pushed her hand out of his face, and looked up to see she had stopped crawling altogether. Her hand with the LEMONADE had lowered to the ground, the grenade laying loose in her hand just ticking occasionally. Georgette seemed to care not about it, for her eyes stared at her messy reflection in the Lemonade Machine's steel.

"Yes, I do care if he's better than me," Georgette admitted, looking away from her distorted image with a frown. "Because sometimes…maybe I sort of, kinda -just a teeny tiny bit- think he…he might be."

Patton frowned as he rolled off of her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Like you'd get it," Georgette grumbled. "You've never had to deal with someone like him. Someone acting all uppity and challenging your authority."

Patton shot her a dry look. "What the heck do you think I've been doing these last five minutes?"

"Ugh, see!? I knew you wouldn't understand," she huffed as she slowly moved into a sitting position, clutching the LEMONADE and tucking her legs in. "I tried playing nice when I first started out, but Numbuh 80 never failed to remind me how much of a pushover I was. Every stinking day all I heard was, 'what about Numbuh 80's idea,' 'I wanna work on Numbuh 80's show,' 'Numbuh 80's taking an another break so why can't I?' Never mind he didn't care about the real news. Never mind he was more concerned about making money than finding the real answers kids deserve to know."

Georgette looked over to see Patton sitting beside her, arms crossed and face neutral as he listened. She looked away from him and continued, "So I stopped pretending to be nice and made them shape up. Too bad so sad if I'm mean and strict, it was the only way to get real potential out of them. The second Numbuh 80 fell out of line again, I made an example and fired him."

Patton rolled his eyes. "Georgette, the KND isn't a business. You can't just fire operatives off your team."

"Yeah, well, he was getting in the way of our mission and I gave him the boot," she huffed. "Like it matters. Seems no matter where I go, he's always there. I have to spend hours maintaining this amazing perfection you see nightly, but all he has to do is show up in a raggedy suit, show off a trinket and people are eating out of his hand."

"Wow," Patton whistled. "Jealous much?"

"How would you feel?" Georgette said as her thumbs massaged the base of her temples. "My own team still likes him better than me."

"So what if they like him better?" Patton said with a shrug. "Not every team can be one big happy family like sector V. Besides, that's never bothered you before."

Georgette shook her head. "You just don't get it."

"You think I don't? Half of my cadets can't stand me. But that don't matter because at the end of the day, as long I bring the best out of them and see them to graduation, I've done a good job." Patton looked to the clouds. "Yeah, it gets to me sometimes, but hey, I'm just a kid."

"Well I'm not just a kid, I'm Numbuh 10," Georgette insisted. "It shouldn't get to me at all."

"The contest you started proves that it does," Patton argued. "Look, your team? Even if they don't like you, they respected you enough to not go AWOL when you got strict. Heck, I think Numbuh 80 respects you enough to stay away despite the fact you firing him is unofficial as far as regs go."

"Yeah right!" Georgette snapped. "The guy's a hack."

"You don't believe that. You just don't like him."

"And how would you know?"

"Because I know you, Georgette," Patton firmly said before pointing to the LEMONADE. "And I know you're better than this."

The girl looked down at the LEMONADE, her rage from earlier bubbling up the longer she stared at it. It would be so easy. So easy to just let it go off, crush Numbuh 80's hopes and dreams, and sit back and sip on his tears. It would serve him right, the stupid jerk.

But the longer she thought about it, the more the rage faded leaving her feeling empty. It would be easy. So easy.

But Georgette was never one for the easy way out.

"Fine, Patton," she grumbled as she stood. "I'll let the hack off the hook. Just for today."

"Guess that's the best I can ask for," Patton said, allowing himself a moment of relief. He was actually worried about her for a moment. "And hey, we still got about ten minutes left. I'm sure if we hunkered down, we might still win this thing."

"Where was that enthusiasm before?"

"What can I say? Juggling a bomb around builds adrenaline," Patton joked. "Speaking of which, you gonna disarm that thing or what?"

"Oh yeah," Georgette said as she idly chuckled the LEMONADE over to Patton. "Go ahead."

Patton frowned as he cupped the LEMONADE. "Uh, disarming these things isn't exactly my area of expertise."

Georgette rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Patton."

"I'm serious."

"So am I, disarm it."

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"What I mean is you made this thing," he said, quickly shoving it back into her hand. "You disarm it!"

She wildly shook her head as she gave it back to him. "I don't know how!"

"Oh, making a bomb? That's easy. Un-making it? Guess that's asking for too much," Patton stewed as he awkwardly fiddled with the wiring. "Uh, maybe it's the blue wire?"

"Just give it here," Georgette snappily said as she jerked it away. "It's gotta be the red wire."

"You're insane," Patton said as he tried to wrestle it back. "Haven't ever seen the movies? It's never the red wire!"

"Which one of us would know more about movies?" she growled as she tried to gain control of it. "Hand it over before you blow us up."

"No, you."

"No, you!"

"No, you-"

BEEP BEEP!

Both operatives screamed and let the LEMONADE fall to the ground. The moment it hit the grass, they held on to one another and braced for the lemony explosion. Patton clenched his eyes shut, and Georgette positioned herself behind him, counting down the seconds before they went boom.

Only, after a solid minute had passed, there was no earth shattering boom.

Not even a tiny one.

Georgette risked a peek over Patton's shoulder. "Is it a dud?"

"Not sure," Patton said as he cautiously looked down. "The light's still blinking."

Tired of waiting, Georgette moved out from behind the boy and bent over to pick it up.

"Don't touch it!"

Georgette flinched as Patton's hand caught her risk. "Why not?"

"We don't know if it's armed and the slightest touch could set it off."

…bzzzzzz…

Georgette's attention was torn from Patton when a buzzing whished past her ear. She looked over and groaned upon seeing a fly. Great. Just what she needed right now.

"I think I saw Numbuh 78 around here," Patton continued to say, oblivious to his redheaded companion's sudden attention with the passing insect. "She knows a thing or two about explosives, so I'll stay here while you go find her…"

Georgette ignored him as she watched the fly zip around, highly intrigued by it for some odd reason. It cut through the air, sailing around the hull of the lemonade machine before it slowed its paced and began hovering dangerously close to the LEMONADE.

"…Patton."

"-just say Numbuh 60 sent you and she should-"

"Patton!"

"What?"

"It's a fly."

Patton tilted his head, looking at the bug before turning back to Georgette. "So?"

"So," Georgette said, feeling an odd sense of dread in the air. "there's a fly buzzing very close to the LEMONADE. The LEMONADE you said could go off at the slightest touch."

Patton paled. "Uh, shoo, fly? Shoo," he said as he swatted his hand at the bug. "Go on now, shoo."

The fly buzzed around Patton's head and zipped right up to Georgette's face. The girl flinched, preparing to slap at the fly when an odd feeling overcame her.

If she didn't know any better, it seemed like the fly was staring at her.

If she were crazy, she would claim the series of buzzes it was making sounded as if it were trying to communicate with her.

"Uh," Patton coughed when he noted the girl having an odd staring contest with the bug. "Georgette?"

"Call me crazy," she said slowly as the fly went back to hovering over the LEMONADE, "but I get the strangest feeling it's…upset with me."

"…you're crazy," Patton flatly said. "Even if it were true, what the heck would a fly be mad at you about?"

While the two fell to petty arguments, the fly in question continued its hover over the LEMONADE. It stared at Georgette, seemingly transfixed.

If one were to hazard a guess, one would say the fly almost seemed vengeful.

If one also happened to understand fly, one would have translated the fly's buzzing towards Georgette as, "My name is Inigo Buzztoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

As the fly dive-bombed the LEMONADE, one could only think that it was a shame no one in present company understood fly.

BOOM!

The relatively quiet calm of the Lemonade Luncheon was shattered as an explosion thundered from Numbuh 80's camp. Surrounding operatives scampered away screaming, those unfortunate enough to be standing too close to the rupturing Lemonade Machine getting soaked in the rain of lemon juice that fell from the sky.

From their position across the field, sector A and L paused their activity to watch the explosion from a safe enough distance. The Amish operatives looked on with awe, never quite seeing such a display before in their entire lives.

Sector L looked a bit more unimpressed, Numbuhs 11.0 and 12th Guard shaking their heads while a grumbling Numbuh 1-8-5-7 smacked five of her best Yipper cards in a grinning Numbuh 9-Film's hand.

Not long after the explosion settled, Patton and Georgette slowly walked back up the hill. Georgette looked even more wet, if that were possible, while Patton could only curse his luck for having to mirror her appearance.

"Patton, have I told you that I hate bugs?" Georgette muttered as she drained the lemonade from her hair. "Because I really, really hate bugs."

"You may have mentioned it once or twice," he said. "Can't believe after all that, it still went off."

"Hey, it went off accidentally. Not on purpose," Georgette felt the need to say. "So cheer up, you still talked me out of it."

"If this is what I get for talking you out of stupid crud, remind me not to care next time."

"What in the blazes is going on?" The two looked over to see Numbuh 80 running up the hill, overlooking the destruction as his fingers wildly combed through his hair. "My beautiful lemonade machine…IT'S RUINED!"

Numbuh 9-Film walked up behind him, awkwardly patting him on the shoulder. "That's gotta suck."

Numbuh 80 slowly fell to his knees, watching as his glorious invention was reduced to nothing more than a smoldering pile of steel and duct-tape. He briefly looked away towards Georgette and Patton, and his eyes narrowed as they settled on the redhead. "Now why do I get the feeling you had something to do with this?"

"Me!?" Georgette said, appearing shocked, though Patton was close enough to note the fake hitch in her tone. "Where do you get off accusing me?"

"Evidence speaks for itself; you're covered in lemon juice!"

"No duh, genius. You were there when you spilled it all over me!"

"You spilled it over yourself," Numbuh 80 corrected before aiming his cane at Patton. "And that does not account for why Numbuh 60 is covered in the stuff too."

"Poor Patton was on his way to help with my dilemma when he got caught up in your explosion," she said, fawning over the boy as she leaned in close. "Here I thought he wouldn't come back in one piece."

Patton awkwardly waved and smiled as he gave the girl a side-glance. "Seriously?"

"It's not a lie," Georgette said quietly through her grin.

Numbuh 80 stood up and walked over Georgette, straightening his hat as he glared down at her face. "I don't believe that pile of dog doodie for a second."

"Oh would you get out of my face," Georgette said as she pushed him away. She crossed her arms, huffed, and finally said, "I'm sorry about your stupid machine. Happy?"

Patton blinked. "You're-"

"-Sorry?" Numbuh 80 chimed in, equally surprised. He pursed his lips as he regarded her suspiciously. "Now what would you be sorry about if you didn't do it?"

"What? I can't be professional and offer my sympathy?" she said, clearly not amused of having to go so far to dig herself out of this hole. "Trust me, jerk, you need all the sympathy you can get."

Numbuh 80 was quiet before a moment before he chuckled. "You know what, Georgy? Given your current sad state, I think I'll just give you this one."

Georgette sweetly smiled. "You have two seconds to get out of my face."

"Why, Georgette-"

"One."

"-I'd be happy to comply!" Numbuh 80 nervously said as he scooted back. "It's the least I could do, considering before my unfortunate mishap, I managed to sell three hundred thirty-seven cups of lemonade!"

Georgette's smile deflated as the reality of the situation came crashing down. "T-Three hundred and thirty-seven?"

"Yes, ma'am," Numbuh 80 winked as he tipped his hat. "What do you have to say about that?"

"I'd say you did a fair job, Numbuh 80." It was Numbuh Jebediah who spoke up as he came up from behind Patton and Georgette. He looked at the two, tsked, but continued on with his speech. "But considering the terms of the contest, I feel the need to inform ya it's past noon now, and our final count before time ran out was three hundred and thirty-eight cups sold."

"Three hundred and thirty-eight?" Patton quietly repeated while Georgette began shaking beside him. "Wow. Then that would mean…"

"That would mean WE WON!" Georgette exploded, positively bursting with joy as she pranced and skipped around the drill commander. "Yes! I knew we had this contest in the bag. I'm so happy, I think I'll include this moment in my biography!"

Numbuh 11.0 smiled. "Guess you could say this is one of your top ten moments, eh? Get it? Because-"

"Don't ruin it," she said, mouth thinning as the boy gulped. However, another grin broke through as she shook with gleeful giggles. "Ah, what the heck, make your jokes. Once again, sector L pulled through just as I expected them to."

Numbuh 9-Film nudged Numbuh 1-8-5-7. "Like we're gonna risk getting chewed out for not meeting our quota."

"This is going to be fantastic," Georgette said with stars in her eyes. "There will be interviews, press-conferences…ah, tonight's news story is gonna rock the KNN nation! It's practically Pulitzer worthy."

"Despite my disbelief, I do believe congratulations are in order," Numbuh 80 spoke up, calmly walking towards Georgette, an even smile in place. "Done the impossible once again, Georgette. I know when I'm beat. Tip of the hat to you, kid. Ya earned it."

"You bet I did," Georgette said, smirking as she trailed her fingers up his suit before spinning his bow-tie. "Don't think I've forgotten about our little arrangement."

"Come on, Georgette, really?" Patton said, walking towards the gathering as he voiced his thoughts. "After everything that's happened, you're still going to humiliate him on TV?"

"Humiliate him? Why, Patton, that would be unprofessional," Georgette cheekily said as she twirled a strand of her hair. "Tempers flared today and the mood got the best of me, it was so uncouth. No, the jerk can still flaunt his shoddy credentials all he wants. All I require is a good five minutes of him giving me praise where praise is due live tonight on KNN." Her smile grew as she leaned in closer. "You'll be my very special guest."

"As generous of an opportunity that would be," Numbuh 80 responded with a sly smile of his own, "I'm afraid I must decline. Some other time, perhaps."

Georgette frowned. "You have to do what I say. Remember our terms?"

"Dear oh dear, our terms! How could it slip my mind?" Numbuh 80 sighed, and Georgette smiled as he rose his head sullenly. Her smile, not for the first time today, disappeared when instead of groveling at her feet like he should've been doing, Numbuh 80 turned to shake Jebediah's hand instead. "Well, Numbuh Jebediah, a deal's a deal. What would you subject me to?"

"Wait, back up," Georgette said, eyes narrowing as she stepped in between the two. "Why are you asking him?"

"But, Georgette," Numbuh 80 said, mock shock painted across his expression, "I'm simply doing what we agreed on. I never go back on my word."

"The deal was that the loser had to do whatever the winner wanted," Georgette said slowly. "Those were the terms, so you should be talking to me."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Oh, Georgy, you and your word twisting," Numbuh 80 said with a cluck of his tongue. "The deal was that the loser had to do whatever the sector leader of the winning team wanted. Those were the terms you agreed to."

"So? You're still the loser!"

"And the sector leader of the winning team," Numbuh 80 said as he used his cane to pull Jebediah in front of her, "is Numbuh Jebediah."

"…what!?"

"I do believe this lemonade-off was between me and sector A," Numbuh 80 said as he dusted his knuckles against his suit. "Yes, you volunteered your sector to help them out, and might I say it was very neighborly of you to do so, but that does not mean you're automatically the new leader of sector A."

"But…but…" Georgette stammered, eyes shifting as she remembered the wording of the original deal. Her foot stomped into the ground and her glare became venomous. In spite of everything, the fraud managed to hoodwink her. "Grrr, you know what? Fine! I can respect oral contracts." She suddenly hooked her arm around Jebediah, patting his back as she encouraged him. "Go on then, Jebediah. Let him have it."

"Indeed, Jebediah," Numbuh 80 cried, dropping to his knees and presenting his wrists to the boy. "I am at your mercy!"

"Oh, there won't be no need for your dramatics, Numbuh 80," Jebediah said as he shrugged off Georgette and waved off Numbuh 80's antics. "We won fair'n'square. No need to rub salt in any wounds."

"You can't be serious," Georgette all but screeched as Numbuh 80 hopped up as if nothing happened. "You're letting this jerk get off Scott free!?"

"Poor fella's machine done gone and blew up, Numbuh 10. He's not leaving without a few scars," Jebediah said. Behind him Numbuh 80 bemoaned as he clenched his chest in pain, but the Amish leader ignored his outrageous display. "Besides, ain't right going and forcing a friend to make a fool of himself when he's already lost."

"…you're friends with this guy?"

"As I was saying before somebody got all self-righteous," Numbuh 80 said as he propped his arm on Jebediah's shoulder and leaned on him. "I had no plans of kicking sector A out of the lemonade business. That'd be a downright dirty thing to do to the kind people who took me in when a snooty someone kicked me to the curb."

Georgette's jaw dropped as she turned to the Amish boy. "You mean to tell me he's part of your sector now?"

"Not officially. He ain't Amish like the rest of us," Jebediah answered. "But we figured it was the least we could do for a fellow operative while he got back on his feet. While I don't quite agree with his ways, Numbuh 80 is mighty respectful of our traditions when he visits. Most of the time, anyway."

"Of course I am! I came here today with the purest intentions of helping my good Amish friends out of their lemony predicament," Numbuh 80 proclaimed while he leaned cheekily towards Georgette. "And if I just so happen to make a profit or two while doing it, why, I'd just call that moral incentive, wouldn't you agree?"

Georgette's jaw would've dropped to the ground at this point if it were possible.

"Well, it's been quite the morning," Numbuh 80 said with a stretch. He reached into his breast-pocket, whipped out a handkerchief, and wiped the edges of Georgette's stunned face before depositing the cloth in her hand. "But I do believe I shall make my exit. It's been a pleasure, Numbuh 10.

"Until our paths cross again, fellas," Numbuh 80 twirled his cane as he waved at sector L, wrapping an arm around Jebediah and walking down the hill. "Jebediah, old friend, it's been far too long since we've properly caught up."

"Is all that teasing really necessary?" Jebediah asked as he looked back over his shoulder to Georgette. "Numbuh 10's never going to let ya back on her team with the way you keep egging her on."

"Nah, sector L is Georgy's baby. I'm more of a solo-act, myself," Numbuh 80 chuckled. "I'm free to creatively expand the Crazy 80 brand! Speaking of which, I've got this super low-tech idea that you and your team have just gotta get in on."

"I'll respectively ask you to drop the matter," Jebediah said as he idly pointed to the rubble of the Lemonade Machine. "Think your doo-hickey's brought us enough trouble for the day."

"Ah, don't remind me," Numbuh 80 said, visibly deflating as he looked at the machine. "I haven't even paid off the loan I took out on that thing…"

As Numbuh 80 and Numbuh Jebediah disappeared into the crowds of the luncheon, Patton and sector L hesitantly surrounded Georgette, whom was still frozen from shock.

Numbuh 11.0 blinked, then started chuckling to himself. "Y'know, it just occurred to me…"

Everyone, including Georgette, looked at him and urged him to finish his thought.

"It's just, if Numbuh 80 did win, ma'am, then you would've gotten to decide what happened. You're still technically his sector leader" Numbuh 11.0 laughed. "Isn't that kind of funny?"

Patton and the rest of sector L took a step back as Georgette's eye twitched. She slowly turned her head fully towards Numbuh 11.0, her gaze getting more murderous by the second.

Numbuh 11.0 flinched. "Uh, m-maybe it's not THAT funny…"

Georgette glared at him for a long moment before finally sighing. "Take five, everyone."

Not needing to be told twice, sector L scattered as they finally went to enjoy the luncheon themselves.

Patton watched as the kids disappeared, somewhat impressed by their speed. He looked to Georgette, whom had sat down and stared out to the country-side.

"Some day, huh?" he asked as he stepped up beside her. "Probably one of the more interesting Lemonade Luncheons I've been to."

"Yeah," Georgette said quietly, her still gloved hand coming up to rub at her eyes. "Interesting."

Patton's eyes widened as he looked closely at her face. "Are you…are you crying?"

"No," Georgette said as she continued to rub at her left eye. "I'm not-"

"Ah, geez, don't cry, Georgette," Patton hastily said as he sat down beside her, awkwardly wondering how the crud he was going to fix this. "It's not all bad, you know? You, uh…you still got your story, right?"

"Patton-"

"And who cares if dumb old 80 got off easy," he continued, "he still lost. I mean, sure, you kind of did blow up his machine…b-but that was technically an accident near the end!"

"Patton-"

"And so what if your team likes him better? Not everyone likes him. Doesn't rub me the right way either. In fact, I actually like you WAY better than him-"

"Patton!" Georgette said, clasping her hand over his mouth. "I'm not crying. Really. Some of the lemon juice from the explosion got in my eye."

She slowly removed her hand and Patton blinked stupidly as he registered her words. After a moment, he looked away from her and simply said. "Oh."

"Yeah," Georgette nodded, turning her attention back to the roaming fields below.

The two operatives just sat there, the luncheon bustling behind them and most already forgetting about the contest and beginning to hanker for more lemonade. It was a never ending cycle that would no doubt continue into the Lemonade Luncheon of next year.

Georgette mused to herself, collecting her thoughts. A small smirk appeared as she nudged the boy beside her. "So you like me better, hmmm?"

Patton grumbled as his cheeks reddened. "Never going to let me live that one down, are you?"

"Probably not," she said as she leaned towards him, poking him in the chest. "But play your cards right, and I might decide to keep this juicy bit of information to myself."

Patton snorted. "And deny the public the truth? Not like you."

"I'll admit to being a bit greedy," she said as she pulled away and began straightening her hair. "Besides, despite you being a total sap, you did help me out today. I suppose you could say I'm feeling appreciative."

"That almost sounded like a thank you."

"I know, today really has gotten to me," she said as she ignored Patton's smirk. "But enough crying over spilt lemonade. I need to arrange an interview with Jebediah for my story tonight. Zero knows how difficult that is going to be." She pulled out her compact mirror, analyzing her messy state with a grimace. "Girl, we've got work to do. Eh, but nothing a little paint, glue, and a change of clothes won't fix."

"Speaking of clothes," Patton said as he held his hand out expectantly. "Mind giving me my glove back?"

"This little thing?" Georgette said, smirking as she leaned her head against his shoulder and she showed off her gloved hand high in the air for all to fawn over. "I was thinking of saving it as a keepsake. Something for the wall to remember our little misadventure with."

"That's not funny, Georgette," Patton said. The girl rose and began strutting off, Patton rising from his seat to follow after her. "Hand it over."

"How 'bout a trade? This glove for an interview," she teased as she flexed her covered fingers. "I'm sure the KND would love to know the secret of how their Arctic commander doesn't sweat under pressure."

"Oh, for the love of fluff, seriously?"

"That wasn't a no," she said in a sing-song voice as she wandered off.

"Georgette, get back here!"

end transmission