Chapter summary: Abby, now aided by a skeptical Hoagie, continues to search for Wally and Kuki as Father's plan begins to unfold. Meanwhile, Wally is determined to fight the TEENZ when his friends mysteriously vanish.

Now Loading...

Code: [RESTRICTED]

Operation: S.E.C.T.O.R.-V. (PART TWO)

Secret

Evacuation

Certifies

Team's

Old

Recruits

Voluntarily

Written by OfficiallyWrong with properties owned by Cartoon Network and

Tom Warburton

RESUMING TRANSMISSION...

Episode 3

March 31st, 2015.

Kuki was late for school, which was never a good sign. Wally lit his lighter, Midnight Oil blasting from his headphones which sat around his neck. Everyone around him had their headphones in, so they didn't mind. He knew she had it rough with her parents. He hoped nothing bad had happened. Wally decided, trying to be the best boyfriend that he could possibly be, to wait until she got to school before going to class. He had called her many times with no response. Worry began to settle into his stomach. He turned off the music, allowing his mind to roam freely without distraction.

He inhaled, letting the smoke fall out of his mouth like hot steam from an engine. Kuki would be much more relaxed if she would just smoke a bowl every once in a while. He knew that wasn't going to happen, though. His girl was clean, and if he was honest with himself, he preferred her that way. She provided the kind of joy and optimism that he could get behind. She often took pride in her positivity, trying to hide her own insecurities, even from him. Part of him wished she would just accept herself for who she was, even when her parents clearly didn't. Part of him also understood that her maturity would come with age. She was much smarter than he was, so he was confident that she could do it.

Wally went to inhale again when he heard someone shout his name.

"Wally!" A girl ran up to him, tall with dark skin and the thickest black hair he had ever seen. Her red hat made her stick out like a sore thumb in the sea of black and denim. She slowed down as she stood in front of him, a desperate look on her face. "Wally..."

Wally was stunned. He squinted his eyes, trying desperately to remember where he had seen this girl before. He had to have seen her, or else she wouldn't remember his name, right? "Do I know you?" He asked, pointedly. Politeness was never his strong suit.

The girl looked at him as though she had been smacked in the face. Finally, she stood, taking on a completely different demeanor. "Wallabee Beetles?" She spoke as though she were a police officer.

"Yeah?"

She offered her hand to him, firmly. "Abigail Lincoln."

Oh. Lincoln. He had thought he saw her before. She was always winning academic awards, making speeches and whatnot to the rest of the student body. Why someone like her would associate with someone like him, though, was anyone's guess.

"Listen," she said in a hushed tone. "I need to talk to ya."

"Get lost!"

Wally slammed the door shut behind him, his entire body covered in sweat. He made a face in the window and sprinted away from the door as fast as he could. He knew you had to be crazy in order to be a straight-A student, but he had no idea how insane it would make some people. He wasn't sure if Abigail Lincoln was a psychopath or just a paranoid freak, but he wasn't going to stick around and find out. He skidded down the hallway, nearly running into a boy carrying wire cables on his way to class.

He managed to slip past the Hall Monitors with ease. They had doubled up since he had last skipped class (the previous day). He dialed Kuki's number once again. This time it went straight to voicemail. Annoyed, he put his phone back in his pocket, Abigail Lincoln's warning still circling around in his head. Not safe? Sure, school was a place that sucked out individuality, but if anything that made it "safer" than the outside world, didn't it? He stuffed his hands in his pockets. This whole thing was a load of bullshit. Kuki probably left her phone at home by accident. Nothing exciting ever happened at school.

Wally, late as usual, arrived at his classroom. He pulled on the handle, realizing with dismay that it was locked. He groaned, leaning his head on the tiny window. Slamming his hand on the wooden door, he peered into the room. Come on...he thought. Open up. He pounded on the door again.

But nothing happened.

"Hello?" he whined. No one looked up. "Hey! Are you gonna let me in or what?" Not a single student had moved out of their seat. Normally, there was at least one snide look, one hand raised, some kind of indication that he was there. But here, there was nothing. Wally got an uneasy feeling as Abigail's warning came barreling back.

He shook his head, putting his hands back in his pockets. Whatever it was, he was done with it. As he turned, he found himself face to face with a Hall Monitor, who had been watching his every move.

Fuck.

"You there," he said with a low voice. He was a tall, lanky fellow with dark brown hair and one crooked tooth which stuck out against the others. His nose scrunched up as though it were being attacked by a foul stench. He had the physical appearance of a senior, but the demeanor of a freshman. The boy crossed his arms and puffed up his chest. "Class has begun. Where is your hall pass?"

Wally beamed at him. "I got your hall pass right here, Mate." Wally turned around, smacking his butt with a cheeky grin. He proceeded to walk away from the Hall Monitor, who sped after him.

"Uh...Buddy!" He wouldn't relent. "I'm gonna need to see your hall pass or else-" Wally walked faster. "You're going to have to come with me-"

Wally stopped walking. "Look, Buddy. I dunno if you're new around here or what, but let's get one thing straight. These are the halls of the people. You'n your corrupt politics and your filthy badges, you make me sick!" The boy wilted, unsure of what to say. "So you can take your hall pass and you can shove it up your bloody ass!" He turned to walk away again.

The trembling boy continued his pursuit. "But!" Wally didn't stop. "Wait! If you don't come you could get expelled!"

Wally rolled his eyes. "Couldn't give a shit," he called back. A Hall Monitor who wanted the best for him? Now he had seen everything. Still, he felt bad for the kid. He genuinely thought joining the force was going to make a difference in the world. It was cute, if not a little naive. Wally felt someone grab him by the arm. "Hey!"

"I'm sorry! But if you won't come then I'm going to have to bring you myself." Genuine guilt was in his voice.

"You freak!" Wally screamed. "Lemmie go!"

Suddenly, the boy's communicator started to buzz, forcing him to take the call. Wally used the opportunity to stomp on the boy's foot and make a run for it while the Hall Monitor was listening to the message. He managed to hear what was being said on the other line:

"Attention all units. Report to the Office immediately for a special mission briefing. That is all."

Wally busted out the door, grateful for the lucky timing. He walked down the concrete steps. Annoyed, he pulled out a fresh pack of cigarettes. Where had that Lincoln chick run off to anyway? He was glad to be rid of her in any case. As he stepped into his usual hangout spot, a sickening feeling washed over him. The noise from the area had silenced. He stood immobile at the threshold. The cigarettes crashed to the floor. What was once an area buzzing with life only ten minutes prior was now completely barren. The concrete walls had been scrubbed clean of all cigarette buds and soda bottles, sharp glass and dirty jackets. No voices, no bodies, nothing but the lingering smell of a newly smoked joint. Wally felt his knees buckle. This didn't feel like a typical suspension or hall cleanout. His friends had completely vanished. And somehow, he knew they weren't coming back.

"Looks like we missed one," a voice said behind him. He turned around to see a TEEN in black gear approaching, speaking into a communication device. "Yeah, he looks strong enough. Kind of short, though."

"What...what the hell is goin' on?" Wally backed away from the TEEN. "Where did you take my friends!"

The figure answered him by pulling out a giant gun of sorts. Wally grit his teeth. He knew he had to get out of there, to find Kuki and make sure she was safe. But he couldn't leave his friends behind either. Was this what Abigail Lincoln was talking about? Something bad was going to happen? "Bloody Hell," was all he could think to say before a small dart whizzed by his face, barely missing his temple. "Holy f-!" He shouted as he sprinted away from the scene. The TEEN shot again, but his aim wasn't very good. Wally screamed out profanities as he escaped, bounding as fast as he could to his motorcycle. More shots were fired, this time by all of the armored devils. Wally danced around them, rearing onto his toes as he ran. Finally, he made it to his motorcycle, turning on the engine and whisking away at turbo fast speed.

When he could no longer see the shooter, he relaxed his hand from the gas. He started to head the direction of his neighborhood. It would be best to go home and grab a few things before venturing off again, he thought, especially if he was going to have to beat up a few punks to get to Kuki...wherever she was. As he pulled up into the street, the lights were on at his house. That was normal. What wasn't normal was the car that was sitting in the driveway. His dad's car. His dad who was normally at work at this time. His dad who never, ever, missed work.

Wally walked in the door with cautiousness. He knew he would most likely get in trouble if his parents saw him out of class, but he figured it was better to take the risk. There was an old baseball umpire's uniform that his dad had laying around from his old days on the field. Left over baseball bats and helmets would also be in the garage. Wally knew that if he was going back out there, he would need all of the supplies that he could find. He gathered the items, running down the stairs at lightning speed when-

"Wally!" A little voice called to him.

"Joey!" he exclaimed, nearly falling over and dropping everything. "You little...don't do that!"

But Joey didn't understand. He simply jumped up and down, the same stupid grin on his face. "Wally's home! Wally's home!" he sang. "Daddy and Mommy and Wally!"

"Okay! Okay!" Wally pleaded with his little brother. "Shh. It's a secret. I'm not supposed to be-"

"Well! Hey there, Sport!" Sid's voice sang from the living room. "You nuggets home for the Holiday, too?"

Wally tilted his head, completely confused. "Holiday?"

"Well, sure!" He grinned. Sid walked over and picked up little Joey, who hugged him tightly. "It's all ovah the news! They're makin' today some big Holiday! Your old man got to miss work, and your Mum's makin' a big ol' feast to celebrate!"

"Celebrate? Celebrate what?" Wally still didn't understand what was going on.

His dad shrugged. "I Dunno! But it's gotta be somethin' pretty important. The whole world's takin' it off!"

"There's gonna be a party!" Joey exclaimed.

Despite the wide smile on his father's face, something didn't seem right about this whole thing. First, he couldn't get into his classroom, then the mysterious figures started cleaning out the Underbelly, and now it'd been declared some sort of world-wide holiday? The pieces weren't adding up. He needed answers. He frowned.

He needed to find Kuki.

"I'm gonna step out for a bit," Wally told his Dad, who was stupidly making goo-goo faces at his now six-year-old son.

"Your Mum's in the kitchen. Say hi before you go."

Wally ignored him and went back outside. He scratched the back of his neck. At least his parents were okay. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew that his dad wasn't the sharpest. If something happened, he wouldn't be able to defend Joey or his mother. Not even if their lives were in danger.

Suddenly, a black bike whooshed past his house, fully armored. It was a TEENZ bike. He grimaced. He flipped open his phone, calling Kuki one last time. Again, she didn't answer. He hung up the phone in dismay, pressing it to his forehead. Storming back into his house, he slammed the door behind him. There was one more thing he needed to take with him: an old 1996 BB gun his father bad bought him from the pawn shop for his fourteenth birthday. The TEENZ were psychotic. Who knew what kind of scheme they had cooked up in their heads?

"Hiya, Son!" Wally heard Sid call out to him. "Back so soon?"

Wally groaned. "Dad, not now."

But as he pushed through the front hallway, there was a strong knocking at the door. His body grew tense. Sid made a comment about how they never got visitors during the day, his naive grin still slapped onto his face. When he opened it, Wally's body was suddenly cast in shadow. He looked up to see a giant metal robot staring him down. The items in his hand crashed to the floor. It was like something out of a science fiction story. Its legs were long, like solid tubes of metal, its hands giant steel claws. Wally screamed, slamming the door shut. His body pressed against the side, as though it would prevent the thing from entering the house.

"Wallabee!" His father sauntered over. "Don't be rude to our guests."

"B-but Dad!" he complained. "I-It's...It's a-"

Sid re-opened the door, giving the machine a bright, cheery greeting. "What can I do for ya?" His grin grew wider, lifting Joey up to see. "Hey, look, Son! It's a Robot! Isn't that somethin'?"

But Wally was too stunned to do anything. He backed away from the scene, hugging himself. "D-Dad...G-get away from that thing!"

"Oh, come on now, Wallabee," his dad assured him. "It's just a Robot. It's not gonna harm ya."

The robot narrowed its large red eyes on Joey, who was kicking in Sid's arms. Its voice was pre-recorded but turned up to a high volume. "Sensors detect CHILD in your area. Child is under thirteen. Please hand over the child."

Sid stared at the robot, dumbfounded. "What?" He lifted his son up. "You mean little Joey? Well, Jeez, Mr. Robot. I can't just give you my son. How's about you come in for a nice cuppa tea instead."

But the Robot was persistent. "Please hand over the child," it said as it scanned Sid's face. "Mr. Beatles."

A metal claw reached towards them. Joey trembled. "Daddy...I'm scared..."

"Now, you listen here," Sid's voice was beginning to grow stern. "I already told ya once. I'm not gonna hand a strange robot my son. I'm sorry. If you really want one, go to an adoption agency! They'll set ya up right!"

The Robot didn't react. It repeated its phrase for a third time. "Sensors detect CHILD in area. Please hand over the child."

Now Sid was getting angry. Wally couldn't remember a time when he had seen his father angry. Typically, his mother was the one who did the disciplining in the household. "Now, I've tried to be civil!" Sid remarked, pointing a free finger at the Robot. "But I keep tellin' ya I just can't-" Suddenly, the Robots eyes began to glow a bright red. Sid's eyes were caught in the hypnotic beam. As though in a trance, he lifted Joey up to the Robot. "Here you go."

Joey let out an ear-piercing scream as Wally jumped in and snatched him out of his father's arms. "Dad! What the hell is wrong with you?" he gasped. "You're just gonna let this freaking Robot take Joey?"

But Sid just stared into space, his eyes dull, his body unresponsive. "Father has given an order. We must obey."

Wally scrunched his nose. "Father? You're the Father!" But Sid said nothing. He did nothing. He simply reached his hands out for the thing to take Joey out of his possession. Wally held his brother close to his chest, the boy's arms wrapped tightly around him.

"Wally..." Joey asked as his brother started to head toward the back door. "What's happening?"

The ground started to shake, flakes of wood floated down as the Beatles' roof was lifted high into the air. Scraps of debris crashed down into the hallway. "We're gettin' outta here," Wally told Joey, but the debris made a barrier between him and the back door, preventing his escape. He closed his eyes, covering Joey with his entire body. He felt a pair of soft hands reach under him, picking up the child. He looked up to see his Mum standing there. Joey hugged her tightly, relieved to be back in his mother's arms.

"Thank God..." Wally heaved. "Mum! Somethin's wrong with Dad! He tried to-" But the woman didn't look down at him. She walked past him without a word. "Mum?"

She lifted Joey up into the air. "We must obey Father, Wallabee."

No. Not her too. Wally could feel his blood begin to boil. He ran to get Joey, who was screaming the entire time. However, his attempts were met with failure. The robot snatched the child up in his claws, sucking him up through his tube-like arms and into his stomach.

"Joey!" he called, but the Robot knocked him back with the vibrations of his steps. When the robot was out of sight, his mother collapsed in the middle of the room. His father held his head in agony.

"Whoa..." Sid groaned. "I feel dizzier than a wombat on roller skates."

"My house!" His mother cried. "Wallabee...what happened to the house?!"

Wally was quiet. He didn't know what to say. Deep down, he knew that it wasn't their fault. That they were forced to do it. That didn't stop his rage from building.

"You..." Wally finally found his voice. "Gave him away." He could feel his stomach twisting, his heart beating faster and faster. "You gave him away to that thing out there. You didn't even fight. You just let them take him. Like it was nothin'."

Sid crossed his arms. "Now, Wallabee. Don't talk that way to your Mum."

"Who are you talkin' about?"

Wally's heart sank. "You're spineless. Both of you," he hissed. "Where's your sense of fuckin' courage? That Robot took over your mind like it was nothin'! Joey was cryin' and you just gave him away without a second thought!"

His mother stared at him blankly for a moment before putting the pieces together. "Joey? You mean your little brothah?"

"Yes! That's exactly who I mean!"

Sid laughed. "Oh, Son. You know he won't be ready for years yet."

"R-ready?" Wally coughed. He didn't feel well. Had he entered the twilight zone? What the hell was going on? "Ready for what?"

"To be born again," His Mum said. "Son, are ya feelin' alright? You know children aren't allowed out of the incubator until they're thirteen. Then you can see your brothah. I promise." Wally's jaw dropped to the floor as his mother looked at him with concerned eyes. "Wallabee...?"

"I...uh..." Wally stumbled backwards. This was too much. He had no idea what was going on or where those freaks had taken his brother. Suddenly, his mind latched onto something. There was one person who knew what was happening, who knew what was going to happen before it even started. She would know where to find Joey and who this Father person was. "I gotta go."

He left the house, going into the garage and grabbing the BB gun, which thankfully was still exactly where he left it from the last time. He stuffed in a backpack and went out the front door, giant robots still grabbing children out of their houses. Wally didn't have time for them right now. His parents were useless, bumbling buffoons who could only do what they were told. But not Wally. He would find this girl, this Abigail Lincoln. He would make her talk. He loaded the BB gun one pellet at a time.

He would make her squawk like a canary.

On his motorcycle, Wally didn't have any trouble with the robots. They wouldn't attack him, even if he attacked them first. Why? He didn't have time to debate it. He was on his way back to school, to try and find Lincoln and fix this mess. Once he found her, she would have to help him save Kuki, wherever she was.

He stopped. What was he doing? If Abigail was smart, she wouldn't go back to school, would she? And if she was with the TEENZ, she wouldn't have warned him about the whole thing to begin with. Wally winced. He was never a good problem solver. Logic wasn't his strong suit. He wished he could be that person who could deduce and speculate and use big words like deduce and speculate properly. Instead, he would drive around aimlessly until he found something that might give him a hint or clue what to do next.

Today, however, luck was on his side. He spun the bike around, heading for the interstate. Normally, he wasn't allowed to drive his motorcycle on the highway, let alone a main highway, for fear that his mother might have a heart attack if she found out. This time was an emergency, though. The asphalt was damaged beyond repair, the impact from the robots too much for the poor street to take. He stopped under the first overpass, which was crushed by the metal contraptions. He rode past a red car, whose top had been completely torn off. The thing was smashed to pieces, having taken a nose dive into the street from the overpass that hung above him.

Wally could see himself through the cracked windshield, his black jacket frayed, his hair sticking up by static. The robots had about cleared this area, he realized. He looked into the car, thankfully noticing that no one was in there. He rode his bike around the freeway and up the exit, jumping over the debris and cracked asphalt to get over the pass. When he arrived, he noticed a small speck of red in the distance. He recognized it instantly.

"Hey!" he called, but no one could hear him. He rode closer, panting as he did. Sure enough, he was right. He slammed on the break, hammering his foot down onto the ground. For the first time today, something was finally going right. "You."

The girl turned around, shocked. She stood next to another boy. He was the exact opposite of her- large and pink, with a nervous disposition, his glasses sitting crooked on his nose.

Wally hopped off the bike. "You an' Me got some stuff to talk about."

Abby didn't know what to say. It was a miracle. Wally had found her again with no tracking system or knowledge of her existence. Hoagie folded his hands together awkwardly, letting her through.

"Wally..." she tilted her head. "What happened to you? Wh-what are you doin' all the way out here?"

"Shut up!" he snapped. "Tell me what's goin' on, now!"

Hoagie's brows flattened. "You just told her to shut up-"

"You knew..." he staggered over towards them. "You knew this was gonna happen."

"I tried to warn you," she said bluntly.

"What is this? You bettah start talkin', Lady!" He reached into his backpack and grabbed the BB gun. Abby didn't seem to be affected by the gun aimed her way.

"Whoa!" Hoagie gasped, his own anxiety taking over. "D-dude...calm down."

Wally pointed his gun at Hoagie. "Who are you? Her accomplice?"

Hoagie wasn't amused by that statement. He suddenly became relaxed, staring into the barrel. "Is that a BB gun?"

"That's right!" Wally said, hysterically. "And I'll shoot your eye out if you don't tell me everything you know!"

"Alright!" Abby got in between the two. "That's enough. Put the toy down, Wally."

"No way!" He moved his target over to Abby. "Not until you talk!" It took him a while to understand what she said. "This ain't a toy! I killed a crow with this thing once!"

"Right." Abby rolled her eyes. "Abby'll do all the talkin' you want. You don't have to wave that thing around."

Wally narrowed his eyes, looking back at Hoagie. "What about him?"

"What about him?"

Wally pursed his lips, moving the barrel of the gun to Hoagie's face. "Who is he?"

Abby folded her arms across her chest. "Same as you."

He snarled. "What does that mean?"

"It means we're all just tryin' to get out of this in one piece. Now you're either gonna shoot that thing like a maniac or shut up and listen to what I have to say." Abby's calm in the situation was impressive. Hoagie shot her a look of gratitude.

Wally lowered the gun, his anger and frustration cooling. "I wanna know what's goin' on. Where are my friends? Where did that thing take my baby brother? Why'd you come after me this morning?"

Hoagie's eyebrows lifted as he pointed his thumb toward Wally. "Wait. You approached him? This guy is part of your plan? Seriously?"

Wally grimaced. "That so hard to believe, Pork Chop?"

"Alright! That's enough!" Abby snapped, standing between the two boys. "Now, I approached both of you cause I need both of you. That's all."

Wally tilted his head. "Why?"

Abby didn't hesitate. "I just do." With that, she started to walk off. "C'mon. If you're comin' we gotta move quick."

"Hey! Wait! I have to get my-" Wally shouted after her. WHAM! A robotic foot came down on his bike, crushing it into tiny pieces. "N-nevah mind." It looked like they would have to find another mode of transportation. Wally slouched, his eyes downcast. He was wasting time. "Jeez. What a bitch."

Hoagie sighed. "Don't take it personally," he assured Wally. "She's been strangely cryptic since this whole thing began."

Wally didn't know what cryptic meant, but nodded anyway. "She tell you anything?"

Hoagie shrugged. "I know enough. Basically, this guy Father is taking kids and performing some kind of menticide. Then when they're thirteen, they'll be released into the work force. It's probably some radical economic reform."

A hand went up to Wally's head. "I...huh? Menti...what?"

"They're brainwashing children."

"Oh."

"Abigail says she's part of this...Kid's Next Door...which is like a union for kids. I think. Although, she absolutely refuses to explain anything beyond that."

"I told ya," She called back. "Abby'll explain later. When we don't have a million people after us."

Wally gasped. "What?!"

"She's being hyperbolic," Hoagie explained.

"Then tell her to calm the fuck down!" Wally insisted.

Hoagie blinked, confused. "N-no. I mean she's just saying that because..." If he was honest, he didn't know what the TEENZ were after, but he knew that the reason they couldn't just freely go wherever they wanted was because of him. "We are in a bit of trouble."

"...Kids gettin' kidnapped, my friends gettin' kidnapped. Now you're in trouble! Why the hell is everyone in trouble?!"

Hoagie turned to face him, surprised. "Your friends?"

"Yeah," Wally pouted. "It was those rat bastard TEENZ. Cleaned out the Underbelly like it was nothin'. I barely made it outta there."

"Abigail, did you hear that?" Hoagie called to Abby, who was a good five feet ahead.

Abby didn't look back. "Yep."

"Do you think it has something to do with-"

"Nope." Was her immediate response. "Stop thinkin' about it."

Hoagie shrunk. "But...don't you think considering the circumstances-?"

Abby stopped, her eyes darting directly into his. "I said drop it." She hissed before turning around and picking up the pace. Hoagie shivered as Wally grit his teeth.

"Man," he whispered leaning in towards Hoagie. "She is terrifying."

Hoagie nodded in agreement.

After fifteen minutes of walking, Hoagie finally found a usable car. The keys were in the ignition, so he didn't have to jump start it. They all piled in, Hoagie taking the driver's seat as he insisted he was much more comfortable doing that than riding passenger. Wally was thrilled. He had always wanted to steal a car, but his moral center had prevented him from doing so. That and Kuki would have some choice words to say about it. Suddenly, his eyes popped open.

"Wait! We gotta go back!" He shouted, just as Hoagie was about to turn the key. He jumped up, nearly having a heart attack.

"Why?" Abby turned to him. "What's the matter?"

"My girlfriend! I've been tryin' to get ahold'a her all day! She could be in trouble!"

Hoagie pressed his palm to his forehead. "Are you kidding me?"

"Please!" he begged. "Those freaks might be after her too! I'll never ask for another thing ever in my life! I swear! We just gotta save her! That's the whole reason I came out here!" Wally's chest moved up and down, the wind scraping against his throat as he hyperventilated.

"Alright! Alright! Calm down..." Abby nodded. "We're gonna save your girlfriend. Just chill."

Hoagie turned to look at Abby, who was in the passenger seat. "We are?"

"Of course," Abby said. "It just so happens, she's our last pickup."

His eyebrow lifted. "Don't tell me..."

Abby propped her feet up onto the dashboard. "Just shut up'n drive."

A smirk appeared on her face as Hoagie reached for the clutch. He put the car into drive, stepping on the break. His face soured as he reached his hand over, pushing Abby's legs off the dash board. She glared at him for a moment before acquiescing to his request. He made sure everyone's seat belts were fastened before speeding off back towards town.

"So," He started. "Where do we find this girl? Should we check back at school?" Wally was staring out the window at the destruction. "Hey."

"He's talkin' to you, Bozo Brain," Abby chimed in.

"I know!" Wally said, his face reddening with frustration. "I was thinking!"

Hoagie sighed. Clearly this boy was going to be no help at all. "You haven't heard from her all day. She might just be at her house."

Abby shrugged. "Only one way to know fo' sure," she said, holding her hand out to Wally. "Lemmie see yo' phone." Wally grumbled, but handed her his iPhone. "If you got a phone number, we can track the general location of her cell phone."

Hoagie mentally slapped himself. "Duh," he muttered under his breath, embarrassed.

Abby grinned, satisfied with her deduction. She went to his contacts and copied the number. "We find the phone," she announced confidently. "We find Kuki."

"Yeah!" Wally exclaimed. Suddenly, his face fell. "Hey. How'd you know my girlfriend's name?"

"It's best not to ask questions," Hoagie said, a small smile on his lips. "Just assume Abigail knows everyone and everything and will never tell you how or why. That's just the way life is going to be from now on."

Abby smirked back at him. "Boy, you cannot stand not knowin' every little thing, can you?"

Hoagie laughed. "If it involves you, I don't want to know. It actually horrifies me that I might find out one day."

Abby leaned back, staring at the loading screen. "I guess some things never change..." He didn't have time to respond before Abby shot up again. "Got it!" Her hand shot right in front of Hoagie's face. "Turn here!"

Hoagie pulled the car into the driveway, his eyes scanning the house. It was the largest, nicest house on the block, to be sure. Brown and modern, with a perfectly manicured yard with green grass sparkling in the sunlight. He tilted his head. There was something familiar about it that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Wally jumped out of the car, running to the front door. His fist pounded on the wood until his knuckles were sore. Abby and Hoagie followed behind. Finally, the lock un-latched and the door crept open, revealing a short disheveled Japanese girl dressed in a long pink bathrobe. Her black hair was knotted, sticking up as though by static electricity. She rubbed her eyes, which were blood-shot red, the same color as her dripping nose.

"Wally?" She snorted up the rest of the mucus. "What are you doing here?"

Wally, overjoyed with tears in his eyes, fell into his girlfriend's arms, telling her how sorry he was for not coming sooner. Kuki, of course, did not know how to respond to this. "Kuki! Where have you been? Why haven't you answered my calls? I was so worried when you didn't come to school!"

"I'm sick," she said simply. "I texted you."

Wally flattened his face, pulling out his phone, which he had gotten back from Abby. He scrolled down. "I never got a text..."

Kuki leaned over. "There," she said. "It was on my mom's phone."

Abby and Hoagie gave him an angry stare. Kuki caught a glimpse of Abby, her cheeks immediately blushing pink. She covered herself up and hid behind the door. "Wally! You should have warned me you were coming!" She pulled a fly away hair around her ear. "I'm indecent." As she turned away from Abby, she saw Hoagie, who had politely turned his head away as soon as he heard the word 'indecent.' She started to move away from Wally. "Hoagie Gilligan?"

Hoagie turned to face the girl, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "Sanban?"

Wally clenched his jaw, frantically looking back and forth between the two. "You...you know him? He knows you?" He stammered, stepping down the stairs toward the two.

"Sanban is your girlfriend?"

Wally grimaced. "Of course she is!"

"Oh my gosh it is you!" Kuki mused, completely forgetting her unfortunate wardrobe situation. "Look at you! You've gotten so tall!" She squealed.

Hoagie scratched the back of his neck, a light blush on his cheeks. "Well, it's been like...two years," he said with a goofy grin.

Abby crossed her arms. "Hold up. I'm confused."

"Mrs. Sanban used to be my Mom's boss in the accounting firm," Hoagie explained. "Before she, you know, took over the whole company."

Kuki smiled. "I haven't seen you in so long!" She giggled, her cheeks like roses. "How are you?"

"Ahem," Wally interrupted.

"Oh! Hoagie, this is my boyfriend, Wally. His dad works at my Mom's company too! Isn't that funny?" She took Wally's hand and pulled him over.

Wally gave an awkward smile. "Hilarious."

Kuki nudged him, her face hardening. "Wally don't be rude."

"I'm not bein' rude!" he protested.

"You are," she whispered. "Hoagie is a good person. So be nice."

"I'm bein' nice!" He looked at Hoagie for help. "Aren't I?"

Hoagie put on a fake smile. "Yeah, totally," he lied. "If sticking a gun in my face constitutes as nice," he added under his breath.

Kuki sniffled again, the snot cascading down her nose. "But wait..." she sniffed. "What are you doing at my house? It's great to see you! Really great. But school doesn't end for hours. I mean, I expect Wally to cut school, but you? I didn't even know you two knew each other."

Hoagie's brow twitched as he gave a wonky, lopsided crack. "Recently acquainted."

That's when Abby stepped in, knowing she was going to have to explain the situation. She held out her hand, with a gentler approach than she did with Wally before. "Abigail Lincoln," she introduced herself. "Nice to meet ya."

Kuki mantled, her skin glowing. She took her hand. "Hi..." she spoke in a high voice, rocking back and forth from her heels to her toes. "I'm Kuki. I like your hat."

Abby grinned, tipping her red cap up just enough that Kuki could see the top of her head. "Much obliged. I'm quite fond of it myself." Kuki giggled uncontrollably. Wally rolled his eyes, having gotten used to this behavior.

"Oh gosh!" Kuki held her cheeks, which were burning hot. "I should really go in and change. I'm not suited for company!" She slowly backed away from Abby, her hands now folded in front of her. "I'll be back real quick!"

But Wally grabbed Kuki's hand. "No! There ain't no time for that! We gotta go!" He tried to pull her back but was met with great resistance.

"Go? Go where?! Wally, I'm not dressed!" She argued, pulling back.

"Ain't you seen the news or nothin'?!" He shouted. "The entire planet's gone cuckoo for cocoa puffs!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Tell her!" His hostile voice was now directed towards Abby and Hoagie. "Tell her what you told me!"

Hoagie grit his teeth. "Well...uh...you see..."

"It would take too long to explain," Abby cut him off. "For now ya just have to trust us. We'll get you someplace safe."

Wally nodded, leading his girlfriend to the car, her slippers dragging along the rough concrete.

"Wally? What's going on?" she quivered.

He opened the car door, helping her inside. "Some bad people are doing bad things, Kuki. Really, not nice things." The door closed behind her as Wally took her other hand. "But don't worry. I ain't gonna let anything happen to ya." Hoagie got in the driver's seat, Abby riding passenger as before.

"Where to, oh All-Knowing One?" He joked.

"Just keep headin' north on this road. The PuzzleTown's right around the corner, up a few blocks," she replied, fastening her seatbelt.

Hoagie smirked. "Really? There's no other random pick up you want me to make? No cat stuck in a tree that's vital to your master plan?" Abby looked at him with indignation. "No? Well, alright then."

He pulled out of the driveway onto the main street, rolling up to a stop sign, and waiting for traffic to calm down while Wally tried to poorly explain to Kuki what was going on. Hoagie looked in his rearview mirror, a black blob appearing in the distance about one hundred feet behind him. "Uh oh," he whispered. The black blob was soon accompanied by another black blob, then another and another until there were five in a row. He inhaled. "A-Abigail...your friends are here."

Abby shot up, checking the mirror on her side. "Oh, that's just great," she mumbled. "That's just what Abby needs right now."

Wally turned away from Kuki. "What's happening?"

"We got company," she said.

Hoagie stepped on the gas normally, hoping they wouldn't hone in on their location. However, as soon as he turned the corner, the bikes sped up, right on their tail. He felt his breath move from his stomach to his chest. "What do we do?" No answer. "Abigail?" Abby's eyes were glued to the window, her eyes intently narrowed in on the bikes.

"Make a U-turn," she directed.

Hoagie shook his head furiously. "No. Huh-uh. We are not doing that."

"No, listen!" Abby snapped. "The TEENZ always use the same attack strategy. They start off in a line to make the target feel trapped. In about two blocks they'll break off. That's when you pull a U an get the hell outta here." She started rolling down the window. "How close can ya get to one of those bikes?"

"Moving? No less than five feet away. And not for more than a couple seconds."

Abby nodded. "That's fine." She tossed Wally her phone. "Follow those directions. Whatever you do, don't get off course!"

Kuki peered through the back window. "They're splitting!" She cried.

"Go now!" Abby shouted to Hoagie, who took an immediate turn. The tires skidded along the road, leaving behind black track marks. The car let out a nasty squeal. "Veer left." Hoagie did.

"Okay, now what?" He asked.

Abby smirked, flipping her hat around so he knew she meant business. "You keep drivin'."

"They've got high-powered engines. There's no way we can outrun them!" Hoagie shouted.

"I'll take care of it," she said with a smile. She started to climb out the window.

Wally groaned. "What's she doin' now?!"

"Abigail!" Hoagie called. "Get down! What are you doing!"

"I said I'll take care of it!" She announced to him from outside the car, climbing her way to the roof. Hoagie tensed, things being very different now that he knew he was driving with a human being on top of the vehicle. One black bike was already turning around.

Kuki gasped. "Be careful!" She called.

Hoagie gave the bike room to pass, just as he had been instructed. He stepped on the gas as hard as he could so that he was level with the bike for a bit longer. Another bike came riding up to the right. Suddenly, the bike on the left careened toward the side of the road. Wally and Kuki rushed to the side as much as they could without removing their seat belts to see what was happening. Abby had jumped onto the bike and had it wide open. They couldn't see the fight, only the TEEN fly out the back of the bike, the window slowly closing back over it. Hoagie saw the window roll down.

"Hit the break!" She shouted. But Hoagie couldn't hear her. He did, however, see the other bike on the right side starting to ram him. He put the pieces together and pressed the pedal just enough to slow his speed but not enough to stop. The two bikes rammed into each other in front of him. Abby managed to lead the bike off the road before completely disabling it. Hoagie sped up and drove around the wreckage, Abby riding along the passenger side window. "Nice moves, Moss." She said cheerfully. "You make one hell of a getaway driver."

Hoagie smiled for a moment, before realizing their situation. "That's two down. You sure you can handle the others?"

"Don't worry about me. Just follow the GPS'n I'll meet ya there."

"But where is-" Abby sped off in the opposite direction. Hoagie sighed. "And she's gone."

Abby came at the other bike, skimming the side until the bike tipped over. It didn't seem as though she was trying very hard. Kuki stared wide-eyed at the scene. "Whoa. Who brought the sexy badass?" Her eyes sparkled, her hands clenching with excitement. "She's hot!"

"Fuck! Did you see that?" Wally exclaimed. "She totally took out that bike in one hit!"

Hoagie winced, seeing another bike gaining full speed on him. The rider's wheel skidded over one of the crashed bikes, flying in the sky, aiming for the spot where their car was. Kuki and Wally screamed as Hoagie quickly veered to the right, narrowly avoiding the crash. Hoagie was beginning to hyperventilate. This was way over his head. He had lost sight of Abby completely and was unsure which black bike was hers. One thing he knew: This one wasn't.

Wally, meanwhile, was finally looking at the GPS. "Okay so you turn left on Chestnut St."

"Left on Chestnut. Got it." Hoagie repeated, slowing down and moving away from the bike. However, the bike anticipated his move and was right on his tail throughout the turn. "Okay what next?"

"Uh..." Wally squinted. "In 100 feet turn left. On...83rd." Hoagie swerved over to the left lane, the bike now behind him. "No! Right!" Hoagie groaned, moving over to the right lane. "Right here!" Hoagie spun his wheel and took a hard right, unfortunately allowing the bike to catch up to him on the driver's side. "Oh..." Wally slouched. "It's recalculatin'. Guess it was left."

Hoagie clenched the wheel. He was going to lose his mind. He turned the car around on its heels, barely managing to skim past the bike. Kuki shook, all the tossing and turning making her nervous. Wally gave Hoagie another direction, one that wouldn't take into effect for another mile. Kuki noticed the window rolling down on the bike, but only slightly at the top. "Uh...Hoagie? What happens when the bad guys roll down their windows?"

This time Wally was the one to act. "Duck!" The two crashed to the bottom of the seat as small darts crashed through the windows, glass falling everywhere. Hoagie ducked as much as he could, but an arrow-like dart shot through the window and skimmed his cheek. He opened his eyes, his glasses still in working condition. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see the barrel of the gun, pointing right towards his head.

A strong female voice came from the bike. "This is your first and final warning. Pull over the vehicle or we will shoot."

Hoagie grimaced, trying to move the car, only to realize that the side was fastened to the bike by a cable. No matter how he swerved, they would be right by his side. Shit. He looked in the rearview mirror. There were no signs of Abigail anywhere. His shoulders arched over the wheel.

Just then, the back door flung open, Wallabee Beatles hanging onto it for dear life. Kuki called out his name in terror as he cocked his own weapon, shooting at the two TEENZ operatives. "Get off'a our car, you sickos!" He screamed, jabbing the back of his gun into the girl's face, causing her to drop her dart-gun onto the busy road.

"Alright, Wally!" Kuki cheered from the backseat while Hoagie tried to find his breath.

"Wally!" He finally remembered the punk kid's name. "Shoot the cable!"

"Already on it!" Wally shot the remaining BBs at the cable, severing the car from the bike and causing them to fly backwards. Kuki helped her boyfriend back into the car, slamming the door shut. Hoagie locked all of the doors, in case someone decided to do something crazy like that again.

"We missed the turn," He said breathlessly.

Wally, who was also panting and high on adrenaline, grabbed for Abby's phone, which was recalculating the route yet again. "Oh. Wait." He finally said. "I know where this is. It's right in the end of the neighborhood. Turn-" A hand reached up and grabbed Wally by the neck, choking him.

"Y-you..." The girl from earlier emerged behind him. "You little fuck! I'm gonna-"

Kuki grabbed Wally's BB gun, turning it around and whacking the wooden part in her face, repeatedly. Her cheeks were beat red. "Don't!" Whack. "You!" Wham! "Dare!" Oof! "Touch!" Boom! "My!" Bam! "WALLYBEAR!" She smacked the woman until she fell off the car. Unfortunately, this meant she also gave Wally some brutal hits as well.

The boy sunk down, his head circling with stars. "Th-thanks Kuki..."

Hoagie looked through his mirrors again. He didn't see any more bikes. He also didn't see Abigail. "Looks like that's it..." He sat up. "Is everyone okay?"

"A-OK!" Kuki gave the thumbs up.

Wally replied with a sound which resembled an upbeat moan, if such a thing were possible. Finally, he sat up. "Wait! We did it!" He grabbed Kuki, bursting into an almost hysterical laughter. "We beat those fuckers into oblivion!"

"Yeah we did!" Kuki said back, cheerfully.

"We're alive!" Wally exclaimed. He kissed his girlfriend forcefully, who responded in kind, the excitement from the day kicking in. Soon the kissing turned to fondling and continued...

"Uh...guys..." The kissing did not stop. "You guys!" Still no response. "Wally! The directions!"

Wally sprang up like a pop tart. "Right!" Hoagie groaned as Kuki giggled. Although, part of him didn't really blame them at all for getting caught up in the moment.

It had been a very weird day.

"Is...is that it?" Kuki asked, her head tilted to the side. "That's gotta be it."

"What is it?" Wally asked.

Hoagie frowned. "Severe property damage."

"Maybe we took a wrong turn somewhere?" Kuki suggested, fidgeting with her hands.

"We followed all of the directions," Hoagie said. "This is the location Abigail gave us."

"I thought we were going to a coffee shop," Kuki said, as that was what the others had told her before.

"That sure as hell's no coffee shop," Wally crossed his arms.

Indeed, what stood before them was not a coffee shop, or a shop of any kind. It was an average sized house. Its walls were painted bright white, its roof a fire engine red. It certainly stood out amongst the other houses in the neighborhood. Besides the color, the house was normal, two stories with a decent sized yard and a respectable but not flashy architecture. What the teens gawked at was not the house, but the monstrous tree that was sticking out of it. The thing grew up through the roof, its roots supplanted underneath the floorboards. They looked up in awe, not believing what was before them.

It was the biggest treehouse they had ever seen.

"Should we..." Hoagie started nervously. "Go inside?"

"How the bloody hell are we gonna get inside?"

Kuki folded her hands. "I don't like being out in the open like this. I'm still in my pajamas."

Wally rolled his eyes. "Nobody cares about your pajamas!"

"I care!" Kuki rebutted. "I didn't even fix my hair."

"Kuki, we're in the middle of a bloody battle! This is no time to worry about your hair!"

Kuki scowled. "Just because you don't put any effort into your appearance-"

"I put plenty'a effort in my appearance!" Wally snapped.

"Oh really? When's the last time you brushed your hair?"

"Ha!" He stood up triumphantly. "Last week!"

"Uh huh...and your teeth?" He had to think a little bit longer about this one.

Hoagie, who was no good with these sorts of conflicts, decided that he should try and do something to ease the tension. "C-c'mon you guys..." He walked up to the two. "We're alive, aren't we? Isn't that what counts in all of this?"

He was, naturally, ignored. Kuki huffed. "I just think if you wanted to make a better impression..."

"Oh. So now I don't make a good impression?" Wally scoffed. "I know what this is about. This is because I wouldn't wear a tie to that bloody dinner your parents had!"

"It was a gala event, Wally," she insisted.

"Who the fuck cares what it was? All your parents care about is a bloke who will show up wearin' a bloody tie to their prissy parties! It's bullshit! It's classist, prejudist bullshit!"

"My parents work hard for what we have!" Kuki snapped. "They wanted you to look nice. That's all. It's about respect."

"No. It's about money."

Hoagie blinked, adjusting his glasses. Something was appearing in the distance. "Hey...guys. This probably isn't the time..."

"Your parents don't want their fancy rich person friends to know that their daughter is dating some punk from public high school!"

"That's not true!"

"Of course it's true!" Wally came back at her. "An' you might be fine with them dressin' you up like a doll and paintin' your face so you can't see it no more, but leave me out of it!"

The black speck came into view. It was just as Hoagie hoped and feared, a black bike with a metal exterior around it. He gulped. "You guys..."

"I don't want to run around without clothes!" Kuki sneezed. "How am I supposed to run in slippers and a bathrobe?"

"It's better than a dress and pointy high heels," Wally grumbled.

The bike was now almost to where they were. Hoagie screamed. "Bike!" Wally turned and looked, watching the bike hurdle towards them. Without thinking, he pulled out his weapon, pulling his girlfriend behind him protectively. Hoagie grabbed Kuki's shoulders, surprised.

Wally had completely forgotten about the argument.

"...What should we do?" Kuki whispered. "Should we run?"

Hoagie shook his head. "Where? Anywhere we go they'd catch us."

Wally spit on the ground. "Then we fight," he spoke at the bottom of his voice. He cocked back the safety on the gun, even though there were no bullets left.

Hoagie swallowed hard. He never wanted to see Abigail Lincoln more in his entire life. The team sat, preparing themselves. Kuki's body quivered as Wally breathed heavily.

The door lifted.

"Well. Looks like ya didn't crash the car this time. I say that's improvement." The group let out a collective sigh of relief as Abby hopped out of the car. Hoagie tried to relax himself. Of course? Who else would it possibly be? Kuki, thrilled to see her new friend again, leapt out from behind Wally, running to her arms.

"Abby!" She cried, hugging her. She pulled away for a moment. "Can I call you Abby?"

Abby laughed. "Please."

"Abby, we were so worried about you!" She exclaimed, hugging her again. "How did you beat all those bad guys! You were like-" She proceeded to act out the action-packed events from earlier, complete with hand motions.

"It's a secret," Abby replied. "Want me t'tell ya?" Kuki nodded excitedly. Abby leaned in, whispering in her ear. "I'm the best," and she left her with that, making her way towards the boys from the flustered girl. She rotated her hat back to its backwards, relaxed position.

"Abigail, what is this place?" Hoagie asked. "I thought you were taking us to the TND."

Abby nodded, understandably. "Yeah, well, we had to take a detour. Abby couldn't risk leadin' the TEENZ to the base, and this was the only other place I could think of."

Wally slung the gun back in the carrier over his shoulder. "Makes sense."

"Is it safe?" Hoagie asked, nervously.

"Course it's safe," Abby insisted. She walked over to the house. "Safest place we can be right now."

"Okay but..." Wally was still examining the house, Kuki following close behind him. "How do we get inside?"

"Easy." Abby chuckled. "You knock."

Hoagie, Kuki, and Wally huddled behind Abby nervously as she knocked on the red wooden door. Kuki grinned awkwardly, preparing for a friendly greeting while the boys just stood uncomfortably staring, waiting for something to happen.

"What happens if they ain't home?" Wally asked, anxiously.

"Then we'll just use the key under the mat," Abby explained.

Hoagie furrowed his brows. "I'm pretty sure that's illegal."

"I'm pretty sure you were goin' 30 miles over the speed limit 'bout ten minutes ago, Smarty Pants," Abby reminded him. "Now, hush up."

They could hear the sound of scuffling from inside the house. Someone was definitely inside. After a few moments, a muffled 'just a moment' could be made out from behind the door. Finally, the lock turned, and the door crept open, a man peering out. As soon as he saw Abby, he swung it wide.

"Well, isn't this a surprise!" He said jovially.

"Hello, Monty," Abby said with a smile.

"Abigail! So good to see you!" He looked over her shoulder. "And with friends! Oh how delightful! You never bring your chums with you to visit! Come in! Come in! I just put the kettle on!"

The man was of medium height and a stoutly build. His thick brown mustache and eyebrows covered his lips and his eyes, so much so that at times it was difficult to tell whether or not he was speaking or could even see who he was speaking to. He had big hands, big feet, and a gruff but gentle voice, which his heavy British accent made even more endearing. The only hair on his head was on the sides and stuck up on end, starting to grey. He wore a red plaid shirt and a pair of green overalls, which he preferred to most all of his other shirts and overalls.

"You're lookin' dapper today," Abby said, walking into the house. The others followed, unsure of whether to sit down or just hang around in the doorway.

Monty blushed. "Isn't she just brilliant? She's a keeper, this one."

Abby gestured to her friends one at a time. "Monty, this is Wallabee, Kuki, and Hoagie. They're friends from school."

"Well, it's very nice to make your acquaintance!" Monty said. "Please! Sit! Sit! The tea is almost ready!"

"So..." Wally was the first to actually sit down. Abby followed suit, then Kuki. "Have you, uh, always lived in a tree?"

Monty grinned. "Why, certainly. Don't you?"

Wally's nose scrunched. "No..."

Monty let out a hearty laugh. "Most houses are made of wood, I suspect. So naturally we all live in trees, in a fashion? Wouldn't you say so?" He looked up, scratching the back of his head. "Though, no matter what I do the roof always seems to leak during the rainy season. Can't for the life of me figure out why! Been thinking about getting one of those new-fangled tile roofs but, you know, I'm not quite minted."

"Uh..." Wally looked up at the roof. "Is this guy mental?" he whispered to Abby, who just shook her head and smiled.

"Well, let's see now." Monty took a seat across from Abby. His eyes were locked on Wally. He lifted his eyebrows high, finally revealing a set of vibrant blue eyes. "Yes, I see. An Australian lad, well that's pretty special I'd say. Yes. You don't meet a lot of them in these parts. Quite a handsome young lad too. Strong, I suspect. A strong will and a strong heart. With the eyes of a fighter. I like him quite a lot." He leaned into Abby. "How long have you two been together now?"

All three of them blushed, but Abby simply shook her head. "N-no, Monty. We're not together." She scooted over so that Kuki could sit next to Wally, who took his hand.

"Wally and I are actually a couple," she told him.

"Why, yes!" Came Monty's immediate response. "Of course you are! Yes, I see it now! How foolish of me. He's a fine gentleman, my dear. A catch if I ever saw one."

Wally grinned, whispering to Kuki. "See? A gentleman he says."

Monty moved on to Kuki. "Let's take a look, yes. Beautiful eyes, wide. Always keep wide eyes, children, or else you'll just see everything through the bushes like me! Haha!" He bellowed out another laugh. "Japanese women have lovely eyes I think, don't you think Abigail?"

"I think so," She replied, which made Kuki turn into a beat.

"And a gentle touch for a gentle soul. But fierce too. You have a powerful energy. Very powerful. Quite a good fit. Rebellious spirits aren't you?" He leaned back. "Yes, good. Quite good. Now, where's the other one? He hasn't wandered off, has he?"

Abby leaned her cheek on her hand. "He does that."

"Excellent!"

Monty stood and ambled into the next room, where he found Hoagie looking at the photos on the mantle. "There you are. I was worried you might've run away and joined the circus!"

Hoagie turned around, flustered. "I-I'm sorry. I just...I was looking at the tree and I got distracted." There was a pause. "We stopped getting family photos taken a long time ago."

"No need to apologize, My Boy!" Monty said, putting a hand on Hoagie's shoulder. "You're curious. I see it in your eyes. Wide with curiosity. Very important for a lad your age."

"Thank you so much for letting us into your home Mr..."

"Monty is fine. No need for formalities. A Chum of Abigail's is a son of mine!"

Hoagie smiled. He turned back to the picture. It was a frame of him with a woman, reddish hair and bright red lipstick. "Is that your wife?"

"Yes. Oh, she is beautiful, isn't she? Just the most stunning woman ever to walk the face of the earth. I would introduce you, but she is in England visiting her mother who hasn't been feeling well as of late. My lovely wife has gone to tend to her needs. I do get lonely while she's away, but Abigail visits from time to time, so I'm not terribly alone."

"It's just the two of you, then?"

Monty nodded. "Couldn't have any children, even though we always said we would. I've thought about adopting but I get busy and forget. Now, well, I'm a bit too old and with the new laws I suppose folks don't want to raise children the old-fashioned way. But I love to treat every person who comes to my house as a son or daughter! That's almost just as good I'd say."

Hoagie smiled. "Pretty good, yeah."

"Anyway, My Boy, we mustn't dally in here for long," he said leading Hoagie out toward the living room. "We have togetherness to attend to!"

Abby lifted an eyebrow as she saw Monty bring Hoagie in, arm completely around his shoulder. The boy blushed, not sure how to respond to all of the attention he was receiving.

Kuki giggled. "Hey you caught him!" she announced.

"I have indeed!" Monty replied, triumphantly. "I like this one. He's a big man. Like yours truly. Big hands. Big heart. Like the days of my youth." He pulled Hoagie's face down. "A great, broad smile, yes. Good teeth. Very important. Bright, curious eyes. Observant. Always looking. Yes, good. These...oh-ho, these...are the eyes of a dreamer." He looked over at Abby. "And a lover."

Abby leaned in towards Wally and Kuki, unable to hide her smile. "He says that about everybody."

"And a strong back!" Monty smacked Hoagie's shoulder blade. "Good for hard work! Yet, a gentle touch. You're not a Mormon by any chance?"

Hoagie grinned. "Jewish."

"Yes!" Exclaimed the man. "A fine, hard-working, man with morale. That's what I like to see! The ladies love a lumberjack!"

Wally couldn't help but crack up at that line, as Hoagie just stood there, confused.

"What about Abby?" Kuki asked, nearly jumping out of her seat.

"Yeah!" Wally chimed in after his giggle fest had ended. "What's her face look like?"

Abby leaned back in her seat. "Nah, y'all don't wanna-"

"Oh but we do!" Kuki begged. "Please, Mr. Monty!"

Hoagie leaned on the wing of another chair, looking over toward her direction. "Yeah, tell us. What kind of person is she?"

"Abigail?" Monty said. "Why, she's brilliant! Simply brilliant! I'm sure all of you know already. She's got the poise of a warrior, and the determined eyes of a leader. If she could, she would've proudly march beside Martin Luther King Jr. and The Suffragettes. She runs into battle, leading the charge! Because our Abigail believes in justice." He smiled broadly. Hoagie found his lips curving into a simper at the word justice. "That's why she's a leader. She's brilliant. Let me tell you. If I had a son...he would be with a girl like this one. I guarantee it."

Hoagie watched Abby's face fall slightly, and then pick right back up again. "Thank you, Monty," she said. He looked at Wally and Kuki, neither of them appearing to notice.

"Now, who would like a nice cuppa tea?" Monty said.

"A-actually," Abby interrupted. "I was gonna show them the Treehouse."

Monty chortled. "She calls my attic the treehouse. Such an imagination on this one! Yes, certainly. You must show them! She loves the attic. She will be up there for hours. Sometimes I don't even hear her leave!"

"But..." Kuki wasn't sure how to approach the subject. "You know there is a tree...in the middle of your house. And there's a treehouse-"

"A tree?" Monty looked around. "You don't say? Well, how the blazes did it get there, do you suppose?" No one spoke. "What a fun game this is! Let's imagine I live in an undersea castle! That would be a good time!"

Abby stood up. "I'd like to get my friends home by sundown," Abby lied. "So I think we're just gonna go on up to the...attic."

"Very good, then. If you decide you want a cuppa, just come on down. I know how hard you kids play!"

Hoagie walked around, holding out his hand. "It was wonderful to meet you Mr. Monty."

"Oh yes! Indeed!" Monty grabbed it. "I love a man with a firm handshake. Yes." He looked him over again. "Yes. You will do quite nicely."

"H-huh?"

"Goodbye!" Kuki bounded by, waving. "We'll come back and see you real soon, okay?"

"I would very much enjoy that," Monty said, releasing Hoagie's hand and waving to Kuki. Wally followed, waving silently. Hoagie then followed Wally as they went around the corner.

"Oh! Abigail!" Monty called, Abby already half way up the stairs. "Come here a minute, won't you?" Abby walked down the stairs, telling the others to meet her at the top. She wasn't gone for long, perhaps two minutes, but since has kept the conversation with Monty a secret. When she finally arrived at the top of the stairs, her friends were in a much more relaxed state.

"The man's loony," Wally stated. "But I like him."

"Does he really not know that there's a tree growing in the middle of his house?" Hoagie asked.

"Yeah," Abby replied with an almost melancholic tone. "He can't see it."

The others sunk down slightly. Perhaps the man had just gotten too old and forgot every day that the tree was there. Or maybe it was another part of the mystery that Abby wasn't sharing. They hoped that they would finally get some answers.

Abby put her hand on the bark of the tree, pushing on it to reveal a secret passageway. Cobwebs blanketed the doorway, leading to an upward spiraling staircase. "The elevator's deactivated, so we gotta use this."

"What is this place, Abby?" Kuki asked.

"This..." She smiled bittersweetly. "Is Sector V."

END TRANSMISSION