A clear blue and muggy morning greeted Sector V's treehouse. The rain last night had made everything damp and hot.
"A perfect day to go to the beach." Number 5 mused as she sat in the kitchen eating a bowl of rainbow munchies. After Number 1 left, she was usually the first one up. She was about to read the Official Kids Next Door newspaper, but just then Number 4 stumbled into the kitchen and with sleep still in his eyes poured himself a bowl.
Although Wallabee Beatles hated the Rainbow Monkeys with a passion, even he had to admit their cereal kicked some serious butt. Sector Leader and Second in Command said very little as they ate their breakfast, which suited both of them just fine. Neither were in the mood to talk on most mornings and on mornings like this the two felt they could have a bit of a breather.
Wally grunted for the milk, so Abby handed it and grunted back. She flipped through a copy of the Kids Next Door newspaper and was quite alarmed at some of the headlines.
"Better A Tithe Than A Teen"
"Teenage Siblings: when it's okay to tell an adult instead of trying to deal with it yourself."
"Juvies: the teenage enemy, not ours!"
It was starting. Whatever that Roberta woman was up to, she had already infiltrated the Kids Next Door. Abby shuddered, flipping the page. The next news story filled her with more curiosity than fear.
"Famous Candy Pirate Captain White Coat to voyage to the Candy Round, where he made his Fortune. Henrietta Von Marzipan to serve as quartermaster."
Abby smiled at that last part, "Good for her" she thought with a smile. The Candy Route was a stretch of coastal territory along The Red Sea where the richest Sugar Sultanas of the East moved their wealth of sugar. It was dangerous route which most Candy Pirates didn't even mess with. Why try to rob heavily armed big ships on a salty ocean where you could rob the suburbs?
Because it was the most profitable route any Candy pirate could ever take! White Coat had been infamous for taking not one, not two but three galleons laden with Turkish Delight that was worth more than any other prize before or since. The infamous Pirate had been only thirteen at the time and had lived a king's life, his only true rival being Sticky Beard himself.
"Old Sticky Buns, for all my time at the Candy Bar lately I haven't seen him, need to pay him a visit later."
As Abby was musing over Candy Pirates, Miracolina stumbled into the kitchen, took a closer look at the cereal box and gave an audible sigh.
"Rainbow Monkeys! Really? Is that all this world is made out of?" Miracolina sat down with another sigh, looking morosely at the cereal box.
Number 5 looked up from the paper. "Number 5 takes it that you're not the biggest fan of Rainbow Monkeys."
"Number 5 takes it that you're not the biggest fan of Rainbow Monkeys." she said with a wry smile.
Miracolina shook her head.
"Ever since I got here it's been Rainbow Monkey this, and Rainbow Monkey that, everybody has something Rainbow Monkeys and look!" Miracolina held up a Rainbow Monkey that had been tucked in beside her by Number 3. " I'm just so sick of Rainbow Monkeys. They're just so , so , s—"
"Stupid?" Number 4 interrupted, grinning excitedly.
"Well, I was going to say
saccharine, but now that you mention it, Rainbow Monkeys are pretty stupid."
"What does saccharine mean?" Wally asked.
Number 5 was about to answer when Miracolina held up a hand. "Oh you know, cloying, soft, overly emotional, The Rainbow Monkeys."
Wally laughed at that and Miracolina laughed too. Numbuh 4 pounded his fist against the table, shaking the cereal bowls.
"Rainbow Dorkys are saccharine! That's a good one!"
"Rainbow Dorkys? Is that what you call them?"
"Yeah, Rainbow Dorkys, and if you're going to live around here you better get used to them. There was one time where it was raining cruddy Rainbow Monkeys!"
"You're joking, right?"
"Wish I was. Number 3 picked up all the ones she could carry and brought them inside!"
Miracolina smiled. "Did any of them fall on their heads?"
Another round of laughter. Wally had tears streaming down his face as he pretended to be a Rainbow Monkey falling from outer space right on its head, but they were soon interrupted by Number 3 clearing her throat.
"Good morning." Kuki said, glaring. Wally thought that she was staring at him when really she was staring more at their teenage guest.
"Someone's in trouble." Number 5 cackled through her newspaper. Kuki said nothing as she poured the milk into her cereal.
Breakfast continued in silence as Kuki practically stabbed at her Rainbow Munchies. Miracolina grabbed a bowl and got Wally's attention as she bit the head off a Rainbow Monkey-shaped bit of cereal. Wally giggled, Kuki said nothing. This was all very amusing to Number 5 as she flipped though the funnies.
"Where's Number 2?" Abby thought to herself until a horrible thought ran through her mind. She had the terrible idea that maybe he had gone back after the thumb drive after all, but just as Number 5 was about to check his room(and if need be, drag his tubby butt back to the treehouse by his goggles) Hoagie P Gilligan made his appearance.
The boy was wearing his fedora hat and that stupid green clip-on tie he always wore when he played detective.
On most days Abby would let out a sigh at the thought of one of his big detective speeches, but she was too relieved that he wasn't at the Delightful Mansion all alone. Number 4 and 3 looked up and so did Miracolina with a bit of curiosity.
"Guys, I have some good and bad news." Number 2 announced, tilting his fedora up dramatically. The atmosphere in the room, which at been relaxed despite Number 3's anger at Number 4 and Miracolina, suddenly became very tense. Was it about the Delightful Children— or even worse, Number 1?
Number 2 took a deep breath, letting the rest of the Sector hang on his every word. "Good news is that I did some shifting though the Kids Next Door communication grid and I think I found this Agent Devine's contact. Oh and also I was on the phone with the Kid earlier. He says he's been doing some scouting and there's something big going on down on Chicken Pox island, lot of build up. The Kid thinks that they're going to move against the Juvies soon."
"Man, Chicken Pox Island… that is some bad news." Number 5 murmured softly, thinking of her sister. The Teen Ninjas were pawns, she had decided(well they WERE ALWAYS Father's pawns), but unwitting pawns this time. Poor Cree, would she believe her when she told her the truth?
"And now for the bad news—"
"Bad news? A force of Teen Ninjas massing for a big action isn't the bad news?"
Number 2, who was unusually unfazed, simply said "Harvey Mackenzie and Sector W are coming over right now."
A collective groan went through the room at the mention of Rachel's little brother.
Miracolina had no idea what they were talking about. "Who's Harvey and is he really worse than an island named after a disease?"
When they explained it to her, Miracolina lit up. "Ask him, ask him!" she said excitedly, suddenly seeming more awake then before. "His big sister's being tithed, he'll probably tell more than his parents ever will."
Number 5 flinched. Looking at the teenager's eyes, she saw a knowing expression that gave her a terrible feeling that Miracolina was all too familiar with the ways of families who tithed.
Abby looked down, avoiding the teenager's gaze.
"Why us?" She said quietly "why today, why him?"
Then she looked up and nodded her head. Taking a deep breath, she looked around the kitchen. "Alright, let's get started. Number 2, make sure the hangar's clear for landing. Number 3 and Number 4, go to the Bridge and wait for me and Sector W to get there. Miracolina, get downstairs and go see Mr. Uno, it wouldn't do for anyone to see you here. No telling what Moon Base would do to you."
Miracolina nodded and began walking towards the staircase, still unsure if she was going to listen to Abby or not. "Ask him!" she called over her shoulder, and Abby gave her a nod back.
With Sector V scrambling around, Abby felt like she should say "Kids Next Door, Battle Stations!"
But there was no battle (although dealing with Harvey Mackenzie was probably ten times worse than any battle. Some kids swore that even dealing with Grandfather would be better...)