Operation: F.A.T.E.

F – Fate

A – Already

T – Told

E – Eternally

Recap: Jason, Jerry and Wally were celebrating Jerry's birthday in the night when they were told they had to hide. It's discovered that West is really Wintry, a girl. And Wintry is on the run from testifying against the mob. Plans are made to hide her and anyone else necessary on Bully Island. At first most of the boys wanted to throw West to the mob but Wally and Jerry ensured that didn't happen. Jerry's speech especially strikes a chord with Wally. When questioned Jerry didn't want to talk about and Wally dropped it. Meanwhile at the Moon Base there's chaos because no one wants to be leader. Hoagie's contacted and offered but refuses. Sonya gets mad but it turns to shame after she doesn't back up her own teammate Lee who volunteered to be leader. Lee leaves after telling those present a startling revelation and one operative's still obsessed with getting Hoagie as leader much to the dissatisfaction of nearly all present.

Mental Capacity

It was 11 pm at a mental institution. A baggy eyed Mrs. Genki Sanban lay in bed in a room for twenty-five that packed over forty on hard dry cots. She had been there for nearly a year. She knew she wasn't crazy. But it was made clear to her that she had to stay and take her medicine.

"Mushi," Mrs. Sanban whispered tearfully, "oh, I miss you so much."

Mrs. Sanban got periodic news on her daughter's condition as long as she co-operated. Anytime she didn't equalled to solitary confinement for violent erratic behaviour. She knew it was because they put something in her food. But she couldn't refuse to eat. Not if she didn't want to be force-fed which was always made to be intentionally painful and at least sixteen women died a year from it. Sixteen women in an institution that housed only three-hundred. The hospital was only three small floors. The top floor holding nearly all the patients. But everything there was strict. Break a rule and you'd pay the price.

Her co-operation granted her a few incentives including being known as Mrs. Sanban despite the fact that her husband was dead. Unfortunately this was also used by doctors to claim that it was all part of her delusion to keep her dead partner alive.

The walls in the sleeping quarters were black. It helped make everything extra dark when lights went out. Lights out was at eight for those twenty-five and under and nine-thirty for those between the ages of twenty-six and forty-nine. No one fifty or over was admitted to this hospital.

The second floor was a few things. But one of the split sections was the game room, which was used in shifts. The colour of the walls in there were grey and white. You had the choice of television, physical games like twister, ring games, and checkers. That was it. The same thing everyday.

"Why did this happen to me?" Mrs. Sanban asked softly, "I never did anything horribly wrong," she continued, "why is fate being so cold and cruel to me?"

The following afternoon at 2pm Tommy Gilligan was walking down the street to where he'd meet his brother.

Suddenly a limousine stopped and blocked his path.

"Wha…" Tommy started.

The door swung open and out stepped Mushi.

At least Tommy was certain she was Mushi.

Gone was the big purple sweater and pigtails. Everything even her happy demeanour was replaced.

Mushi had her black hair in a ponytail with perfect bangs that stopped well over her forehead not eyes. She had on a pink cotton shirt, floral skirt, white shoes, and a wristwatch. She looked less like a kid and more like a little adult. Her stoic behaviour didn't help either.

"Hi," Mushi said brightly but Tommy could tell her voice reeked with venom, "want to go for a ride?" she asked him.

"Um, I have to…to….to…to go home," Tommy stuttered.

"Well you're a long way from your neighbourhood," Mushi teased, "Gilligan," she snapped.

Tommy stepped back fearfully.

"What do you want?" Tommy asked fearfully.

"Two things," Mushi told him, "first a face to face with the one Hoagie Gilligan," she started.

"But Hoagie would ne…" Tommy started.

"Silence!" Mushi shouted.

Tommy fearfully hugged himself.

"Secondly," Mushi said pleasantly, "I want you," she revealed.

"What?" Tommy asked.

"I've realized that I need someone with a mind, a personality," Mushi said almost flirtatiously, "King Sandy was an idiot and a bore," she said dismissively, "others, well, they haven't appeased me," she said sounding disappointed.

"You ever try listening to classic music?" Tommy asked hoping for a way to escape.

"I already do," Mushi responded, "but excellent suggestion," she said happily, "I'm sorry if I'm acting a little strange though, I've been on some meds," she revealed, "nothing really mental, but the side effects can be harrowing."

Tommy dug into his pockets and found an old test.

Here goes nothing, Tommy thought.

"Um, want a memento?" Tommy asked.

Mushi's eyes widened in surprise.

"For me?" Mushi asked excitedly, "what is it?"

"It's just this," Tommy said and handed her the paper.

"Wow, you got a perfect Maths score," Mushi said mystified, "you'll make an awesome boyfriend."

"Um, your Dad Mr. Boss might disapprove," Tommy said hoping to change the subject.

"Actually he's quite alright with it," Mr. Boss said as he too stepped out the back of the limousine, "Mushi has taken a fancy to you," he told Tommy, "my eldest son went to live with relatives after that hair incident and disowned me, my other children are dead thanks to that blasted KND, my only child now is Mushi," he said, "and I'll get her anything she wants," he said firmly.

Tommy gulped.

"What is it you want to say to my brother?" Tommy asked.

"Mushi will see him, not me," Mr. Boss responded, "she has an interesting proposition."

"Hoagie will never…" Tommy started.

"Oh he will," Mushi said grinning, "with what I can give him," she said.

"What's that?" Tommy asked.

"Lizzie's memory," Mushi revealed.

Meanwhile at a lonely tree house Lee played with his yo-yo. Just as he finished walking the dog and started rock the cradle, Sonya walked in.

"Lee," Sonya said humbly.

Lee wouldn't answer.

"I…I heard that you joined up with Hoagie," Sonya said, "that you quit the KND."

Lee still wouldn't answer.

"The KND is children's only line of defence against adult tyranny," Sonya told him, "if it falls a part no one will help us," she said, "no one will protect children."

Lee stopped playing with his yo-yo.

"Hoagie discovered why the KND of the future had fallen," Lee revealed, "his future self told him."

"What was it?" Sonya asked.

"They're too isolated and outdated," Lee told Sonya, "when war comes they only have themselves," he continued, "no teens, no adults, heck even children lovers that aren't children are excluded," he said, "and they can all unify in hatred of us and attack," he said to Sonya, "when we have no parents, no one older than us to care for us," he said seriously, "how will we survive?" he asked, "how will we survive in the long run?"

Sonya just stood there shaking. She couldn't find an answer.

"We won't," Lee told her, "we'll grow up," he said, "we'll die out," he said to Sonya, "we'll lose," he concluded.

"NO!" Sonya screamed, "the KND was made to be children's toughest line of defence!" she shouted.

"When Numbuh 0 found the book of KND, the KND had been defeated before," Lee told her, "why do you think that is?" he asked.

"No!" Sonya shouted backing away.

"Sonya listen to me," Lee said kindly stepping forward, "the majority of the KND will never listen but you…"

"No!" Sonya shouted fiercely her eyes blood red.

Lee stepped back fearfully.

She's usually like this when she has to be in dark places, Lee thought.

"Take it back," Sonya snarled.

"Sonya I…" Lee started.

"Take it back!" Sonya roared and jumped for him.

Suddenly a projectile flew through the air and knocked her out.

Another person stepped out of the shadows.

"Whew," Lee said, "thought I was…"

"Yeah, I just didn't want her to see me here," Chad said as he put away his weapon, "I'd have too much to explain."

"Don't you mean Hoagie?" Lee asked.

Chad chuckled.

"Hoagie hid me after I decided to betray Father," Chad said, "Cree caught me before I could get to Abby," he continued, "I barely escaped with my life.

Lee sighed.

Everything's getting more complicated, Lee thought.

Twenty Miles To Drive

The next chapter will be two more years from now. Meaning three years since sector v discovered their fate. Thank you for reading and please review.