DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODENAME: KIDS NEXT DOOR
A/N: Aiight guys, super short chapter, but just as before, I feel bad about how little I've been able to work on this, so I'm updating this chapter in parts. Please note that I'm only doing this for "Through The Eye"… once I get to the next full chapter, we'll be back to full-length chapters, since I should be back to concentrating on this by then. So, again, sorry for splitting it up, I just didn't wanna keep y'all waiting for too long. And, again, if I go overboard with Abby's dialect, please let me know. I do tend to go overboard with things.
CHAPTER 9: THROUGH THE EYE... (Part 2)
Minutes after his fight with Wally had come to an end, Trent stood next to the couch in the TV room, watching as Wally and Hoagie played Modern Warfield: Opposing Force against Numbuh 419 and Numbuh 522. They weren't doing too well. But, they were putting on a good show, both in-game and in reality, jumping on the couch and unable to contain their growing frustration (especially Wally). The rest of the Sector loitered around the couch as well, watching and sniggering at their performance. Trent made sure to stand on the opposite side of the couch from Kuki.
"What the crud? That's always works!"
The two commandos on the couch laughed at their opponent's misery.
"Apparently not," Numbuh 419 retorted.
Trent sipped on his can of soda, smirking at the show. It was thoroughly entertaining, and a good distraction from his earlier debacle with Wally. The Aussie seemed to have already forgotten about that, but Trent was too much of a worrier to drop such a thing so easily.
"Oh, c'mon!" Hoagie yelled out, throwing his arms up in frustration. "How did that not get you?!"
"You're pretty easy to see coming," Numbuh 522 replied, his voice filled with delight. "Besides, Numbuh 419 and I are an unbeatable team in anything."
There they go with the "team" thing again. I'm definitely starting to think Numbuh 419's initial summary of the commandos was just to intimidate me or something...
Hoagie and Wally groaned as the game ended. Numbuh 419 and Numbuh 522 just smirked and high-fived each other. Abby shook her head at the boys, chuckling as she turned to leave the room. Trent watched her, and decided to follow her into the hallway that led to both of their rooms.
"Numbuh 5!"
She twisted around in surprise. "Oh, hey, Numbuh 81. What's up, boy?"
"Uh, not much," Trent said, catching up to her. "How're you?"
"Eh, Numbuh 5's alright. Just headin' back to the room to enjoy some quiet time."
"Ah. So, I guess I'll leave you alone, then.."
"Nah, you're good, baby. C'mon."
Trent nodded, and followed her down to her door and through it. Her room seemed to be more of a lounge than a bedroom, though he couldn't say he was surprised. They walked over to a bar at the far corner of the room. Abby stepped behind the counter, and Trent sat down on one of the stools.
"Care for a beverage?"
Trent examined the lines of various bottles lining the shelves. Sodas and juices and flavors; an impressive collection.
Just the kinda thing Numbuh 5 would have in her room.
"Sure."
"Whaddaya want?"
"Uh..." Trent gave the selection another looking over. "Mixed drinks an option?"
"Of course."
"Hm... how about a... uh... Mountain Mist... mixed with orange. Please."
Abby chuckled as she started making his request. "Like the citrus, do yah? How interestin'. And fittin'."
"Huh?" Trent cocked an eyebrow at the back of her head. "What's that mean?"
She didn't respond, allowing him to revel in the pouring and swishing sounds of her mixing her concoctions. He knew she heard him, so he didn't repeat himself, just waited patiently for her answer. After a minute, she turned around, a glass in each hand.
"Abby means," she said, handing him his glass, "that you're not the average operative."
"True," Trent replied, nodding in appreciation as he accepted the glass, "I'm a commando."
Abby laughed, shaking her head. "No, no, that's not what Abby means. Look, we've worked with all sorts of kids. And, yeah, every kid is different. But not all of 'em stand out. Especially not like you."
Trent just stared at her, sipping on his drink.
"We've known you, what, a couple weeks now? And already you've manage to shake up Sector V like a bottle a' Fizzilla Cola."
Trent took another sip, and held the glass just under his nose. He breathed in, appreciating the scent of orange wafting up into his nostrils, and exhaled with satisfaction.
"I'm not sure I follow, Numbuh 5."
Abby tilted her hat upward, and gazed at him in amusement. "That's because yo' too modest. It's a quality Numbuh 5 likes about you. But let's just fo'get about that fo' a moment. You're different, Numbuh 81, and not just 'cuz of yo' history. It's who you are."
Trent considered her words. Sector V had welcomed him in, sure, but he didn't believe it was because he was an especially swell guy. His short time in the KND had been anything but regular so far, so he didn't feel he could really compare his experience with anyone else's.
"Stop bein' so dense," Abby said, mostly in jest. "Numbuh 1's got a lotta respect for yah since you've been here. Numbuh 2 thinks yo' a genius, Numbuh 3 considers you one a' her best friends, as does Numbuh 4; plus, he thinks yo', like, the coolest kids he's ever worked with."
Trent grinned and jokingly scoffed at her words. "Yeah? And what does Numbuh 5 think?"
Abby smirked as his disbelief, still very much amused. "Numbuh 5's just glad to have someone else with common sense around. It gets lonely sometimes."
The two shared a jovial laugh. Trent wasn't entirely sure why he laughed so hard, but he didn't really question it. It was the heartiest laugh he'd had in a while, and he was enjoying it, especially sharing it with Abby. He appreciated the mutual respect between them, and considered her to be the most mature of the group (you know, in that "cool to talk to" kinda way, not the annoying "adult" kinda mature). He respected, even admired her, and very much desired her approval.
"So, how do you know what the others think?" He asked. "Or were you just guessing?"
"Nope. They all said these things themselves. Don't know why you have such a hard time believing it, but we all really like having you around here, Numbuh 81. And Numbuh 5 gets the feelin' you like being here, too. For whatevuh reason."
Trent raised a brow at her last statement. She stared at him with a mischievous smirk.
"Oh," He said, realizing her implication. "Right. That. Hey, it's not like-" He paused. "Wait, I actually need to talk to you about that."
"Hm? About what?"
"Her. What is it you know about her that I don't? There's obviously something going on. I'm tired of being in the dark. What is it?"
He did his best to give her a hard stare, the kind that said "I'm not dropping this until I get an answer". Her smirk faded away, and she just stared back at him. He wasn't sure how long this exchanged lasted until she finally sighed.
Yes! I'm finally gonna get some answers!
"Guess yo' common sense ain't the greatest, eithuh…"
Dangit!
"What? Why's that?"
Abby grinned. It was friendly, if not a bit patronizing. "You'll see, Numbuh 81. Numbuh 5 believes you'll figure it out. Care for anothuh round?"
Trent raised his glass to eye level, and realized it was empty.
"Sure," He said, handing it to her and chuckling at his own inobservance.
"Seriously, though," Abby said as she poured them both new drinks. "Things have been rough. But it ain't yo' fault. Yah can't be thinkin' that. Numbuh 5 is tellin' yah, things don't always go down smoothly, especially when big things start happenin'. Yah gotta let things go, and move on. Our story continues, if you will."
Trent stared at the back of her head.
'Our story continues'? Our story…?
He thought back to Numbuh 419's exact words on the C.O.O.L.B.U.S.
"Remember that you're not one of them. You're just a guest... don't go thinkin' you're a part of their story."
Trent considered those words, and then weighed them against everything Abby had told him.
Maybe… maybe she's right…
She turned back to him, again handing him a glass.
"Appreciate it," He said as he took the glass from her.
"It's my pleasure," Abby said. "Really."
Trent smiled. He looked down at his cup, and then raised it up in her direction. "Here's to you, Abby. May you never grow old."
Abby smiled, a little surprised by his toast. After a second, she raised her own glass. "And to you, Trent. May you always be the hero you'll never admit to being."
They clinked glasses, and chugged their respective drinks. Trent was still smiling, though his stomach churned at her words.
I'll do my best…
A/N: Word. Not the greatest, I know. This story is actually relatively close to finishing, and there are some things that need to be said before then, which is the main purpose of the "Through The Eye..." chapter. Please remember, the purpose of this story was for me to get used to writing in the KND universe, which is why the pacing is all over the place. But I've really enjoyed writing this, and I do take the plot & all the details seriously. Maybe sometime when this is finished I'll go back and fix up the crappy/rushed parts.
Still, I've gotten some great feedback, all of which I sincerely appreciate. You guys are awesome, even those of you who haven't reviewed. Thanks for reading.
Take care everyone,
- Marty
