Chapter Seven

Everything was set up for Mr. Boss's decommissioning. He was strapped in, Numbuh 007 was at the switch, and Numbuh 6 was silently crying next to him.

"I love you, Fanny." Mr. Boss said.

"Aye love ye, too, Daddy." Fanny sputtered.

"Monsieur Boss, before we proceed, I haff some questions." Frederic said. "Do du know the name of der Switz banker who blackmailed du?"

Mr. Boss shook his head.

"Do you know vhat he looks like?"

He has short blond hair, brown eyes, and is six feet tall." Mr. Boss replied. Numbuh 007 raised an eyebrow. This narrowed the margin to twenty-six people, including his father.

"Thank yuo fur the info." 007 said before flipping the switch. The plunger came out and stuck to Mr. Boss's face, removing some of his memories. Once it was done, the plunger retracted and the seatbelt was released. Numbuh 86 went to her father, who had a dazed look on his face.

"Where am I? What happened to me?" Mr. Boss asked.

"Let's go, Daddy. I'll explain on the way home." 86 said, leading her father away. Another KND operative, Numbuh 23, came in and headed to Numbuh 007.

"Numbuh 007." She said. "Numbuh 1thru10 wants to see you immediately."

"Danke, Numbuh 23." 007 said. And with that, he left the decommissioning chamber and headed to the medical branch.

-o0o-

When he arrived, Numbuh 007 found Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 362 there. The head doctor was also there, holding a clipboard with documents and a pen.

"Numbuh 362, your request to resume your duties has been accepted. I have checked your health and I think you are healthy enough. Just sign here." The doctor said, handing her the clipboard. 362 signed and handed them back.

"Numbuh 007, now that Numbuh 362 is back, you must inform the organization and step down." The doctor said. 007 nodded.

'Finally.' He thought, full of relief.

"Alright, everything is set. Have a nice day, you three." The doctor finished before walking away. The three left the medical branch and headed to the control room.

"All Keeds Next Door operatives must report to die Arena immediately!" Numbuh 007 ordered. All of the nearby operatives heard and complied, leaving the Moonbase empty.

"I'll see you afterwards?" Numbuh 1 said. 362 answered with a nod. After Nigel left, Numbuh 86 arrived, looking confused.

"Aye've heard ye call fer an announcement." She said. "Anything wrong?"

"Nein, nein. Numbuh 362 is returning to her duties." Numbuh 007 said. "Eet is time fur mich to step down."

He leaned closer to whisper in her ear.

"Now ve vill haff more time togezzer." He said. Fanny giggled, causing Rachel to raise an eyebrow.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Frederic said to Rachel. "Ich will explain later."

Rachel nodded and the three KND operatives made their way to the Arena.

-o0o-

The announcement in the Arena was quick and simple. Rachel was active in her role once more while Frederic was relegated back to his original position as the leader of Sector S.E.S. Rachel met up with Frederic and Fanny later, a smirk on her face.

"Fanny, since when did you giggle? I don't remember hearing you do it, especially not to what a boy said." She said. The Irish girl froze, as if she were a deer caught in the headlights. But Frederic, always the one in control, came to her rescue.

"Ve are together now." He said, wrapping an arm around Fanny's waist. "Just like du und Numbuh 1"

"Oh." Rachel said, looking awkwardly away. "Congrats?"

Fanny caught Numbuh 60 in the corner of her eye, who stopped to eavesdrop several yards away. Her sudden shyness disappeared as fast as it came.

"Thank ye, Supreme Leader!" Fanny said animatedly. She kissed Frederic, making sure it was in full view of Numbuh 60.

"Shall ve go celebrate Numbuh 362's recovery?" Frederic asked giddily.

"Oh we shall." Fanny said.

"To Lime Rickey's!"

"Ter Lime Rickey's!"

As the two went for a drink, Patton stood there, unable to comprehend what just happened.

"Did Fanny just…?" He said to himself. After a moment of putting the pieces together, a realization hit him.

"86… is dating… Numbuh 007?" He said slowly. "No…"

He ran out of the area and found a quiet, secluded area.

"NOOOOO!" He shouted before his self-control gave way to sobs of heartbreak.

-o0o-

Nigel was having a good day. Rachel called him to her office for a celebration of her recovery, just between the two of them. He reached her office and knocked.

"Enter!" Rachel called from inside. Nigel entered, closing the door behind him.

"Good evening, Rachel." Nigel said. "You look lovely as ever."

Rachel blushed and giggled.

"Thanks, Nigel. I say you look dashing yourself." She said. She went to the minifridge in her office and took out a couple of sodas. She opened both and gave one to Nigel.

"How about a toast?" Rachel asked.

"To your good health." Nigel said, raising his bottle.

"To the Kids Next Door."

They clinked their bottles and began to drink. Just as they finished, the couple heard a giggle, then a click as the door gets locked.

"What the—?" Rachel said, going to her office door, but unable to open it.

"Hello, Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 362." Fanny said from outside. She sounded drunk.

"Haff fun at dus party." Frederic said, also drunk. It was clear that they locked the door, which can only be locked with a key. There was only one key to the Supreme Leader's office and it's in the hands of the KND's two heaviest drinkers.

"We won't let yew out—" Fanny said.

"—until du both kiss on die lips!" Frederic finished. They seemed to leave after that, for their drunk singing got fainter and fainter. Rachel and Nigel stood in the office, blushing at their new predicament.

"I knew I should have made a spare key." Rachel said, berating herself.

"Look on the bright side. We're stuck together for a few hours without anyone to disturb us." Nigel said. "There is no better person to be locked in with than you, especially with the lovely combination of your beauty and personality."

"That was smooth as heck." Rachel said, awestruck. "Where did that come from?"

"Practice. Lots and lots of practice." Nigel said guiltily, remembering all the times he had to talk his way out of trouble with Lizzie.

"Oh Nigel… I'm sorry, soldier." Rachel said.

"It's fine. I'm past that now. Besides, you are a much better girlfriend than Lizzie."

"That I am. C'mere soldier…"

And they kissed. Ten blissful seconds later, they broke apart.

"Wow, Numbuh 1… that was amazing!" Rachel said. "You are a great kisser."

"I appreciated it more with you, after all."

"I'm glad…" Rachel said dreamily. Both of them sat on the windowsill together, taking in the view of the Earth.

-o0o-

It would be two days before Sector V would get a new mission. During that time, Frederic sent his sector to Switzerland to find and question the suspects. He planned to return home as well, but needed to finish up a few things. Anyway, Sector V was hanging out in the Treehouse when a transmission came from the Moonbase. It was Numbuh 362 calling to deliver their next mission.

"Sector V, the time has come. Capture the Delightful Children and bring them to the Moonbase." She said. "It's time for Sector Z to come home."

"Yes, sir." Nigel said.

"And Nigel? See me in my office after Sector Z is recommissioned."

"Yes, sir."

The rest of the sector sniggered. Nigel didn't care, though. Unlike with Lizzie, he wasn't ashamed of his relationship with Rachel.

"Alright Sector V. Here's our chance to get rid of the Delightfuls once and for all! Kids Next Door! BATTLESTATIONS!" Nigel shouted. All five leaped into action and went into their S.C.A.M.P.E.R. and flew low to the Delightful Mansion Down the Lane.

-o0o-

They landed nearby, activating the ship's camouflage to hide it away.

"Alright, team. Here's the plan." Nigel said lowly. "Numbuhs 3 and 4 will go through the front and create a distraction. Numbuh 5 will enter the building through the back. I will enter through the roof. Numbuh2, you are the getaway pilot. We strike fast and leave fast. Understand?"

Everyone nodded.

"Alright Sector V. Let's go!"

They split up. Numbuh 1 activated his J.E.T.A.B.O.O.T.S. and flew to the top of the mansion. Numbuh 5 snuck around and reached the back door. Numbuh 3 decided to Ding Dong Ditch the mansion, Numbuh 4 hiding behind a pillar. Numbuh 3 rang the doorbell and ran away to hide. Father answered, still looking pretty ill.

"Who's there?" He said. "Damned kids Ding Dong Ditching again."

He closed the door and five seconds later, the doorbell rang again. Father groaned and felt himself heating up, but kept it down. He opened the door to find Numbuh 4 standing there with a smirk.

"What the—" Father said before he realized it was that idiot boy in the KND. Before he knew it, Numbuh 4 punched Father hard in the crotch. The harsh pain dropped Father to the floor, enabling Numbuh 4 to swoop in and steal the pipe from Father's mouth.

"Gotcha pipe, yeh cruddy tool!" He crowed triumphantly. "Catch me if yeh can!"

And with that, Numbuh 4 made a run for it.

"Why you little brat! Get back here!" Father shouted, getting up. He at first stumbled after him before picking up the pace. With Father gone, Numbuh 1 and 5 entered undetected. After some searching, they found the Delightful Children in the kitchen, looking unhappy as they made tea for Father. Numbuh 1 took out a sleeping gas grenade and threw it in the kitchen. When it exploded, the duo donned gas masks and moved in. The Delightfuls tried to fight off the effects of the gas, but failed and fell asleep. The two operatives picked them up and rushed out of the mansion.

"Numbuh 2! We need pick up! It's time to go!" Numbuh 1 reported.

"I'm on my way."

Numbuh 4 managed to lose Father and waited in the yard, though without the pipe. Numbuh 3 was also there, waiting to be picked up. Numbuh 2 arrived at the controls and landed in the yard.

"Everyone in!" Numbuh 1 ordered. The operatives got in and set down the Delightful Children on the floor. They blasted off to the Moonbase, the Delightful Children guarded on the way there. After landing, Sector V exited the ship as decommissioning squad members rushed in and picked up the Delightful Children. Numbuh 362 and 86 awaited at the hangar, the former looking pleased.

"Excellent work as always, Sector V." Rachel said. "Follow me to our new recommissioning chamber. Numbuh 007 is waiting for us to recomission Sector Z."

The Supreme Leader led Sector V and the decommissioning squad down to the lower levels of the Moonbase, located under the moon's surface. The Delightful Children were stirring just as they were placed in the chamber. The door was shut and locked and the recommissioning chamber was primed to go.

"Okay everyone! Die chamber is set. Now, zis vill be bright, so vatch dus eyes." Numbuh 007 said. With some effort, he pulled the switch to the on position. The machine hummed to life and started rumbling. Inside the chamber, the Delightfuls were wide awake and in panic, trying to get out of the chamber to no avail. A bolt of lightning pierced through each of the five children as they screamed collectively. Smoke filled the chamber and the screams stopped. The operatives outside tensely stood beyond, as one of the most suspenseful and historic moments in KND history took place. Finally, the machine died down and the door to the chamber opened. Smoke billowed out and the silhouettes of the five children stepped out. Every KND operative was on their toes, as if it were the final moments of a big game. The smoke clears, revealing…Sector Z!

Celebration erupted from the crowd of operatives. The machine had worked!

"It verked! It verked!" Frederic shouted excitedly to Fanny, who hugged him tight. In no time at all, the new spread. Sector Z watched the crowd celebrate. One by one, the former Delightfuls saluted their colleagues. The crowd died down and saluted back.

"Kids Next Door." Numbuh 0.1, or Bruce, said. "Sector Z has returned!"

The crowd cheered again before quieting down.

"For three long years, we were trapped within our own minds by the delightfulization curse. Despite being briefly recommissioned to fight Grandfather, the curse was too strong to overcome, even by the previous recommissioning module. Now with our second and now permanent return, we would like to apologize for all the grief we pulled on the Kids Next Door during our delightfulization." Numbuh 0.3 aka Ashley said.

"You are forgiven, Sector Z." Rachel said. "Welcome home."

"Thank you Supreme Leader." Numbuh 0.4, aka David, said.

"Now how about a celebration at Lime Rickey's?" Numbuh 0.5, aka Lennie, asked. The crowd cheered once more and everyone headed there. The party has begun.

TBC…