CONTINUING TRANSMISSION...
KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION
OPERATION:
F.A.R.R.A.H.
Family
Acquaintance
Returns
Reporting
Alarming
History
TRANSMISSION SIX:
GOOD INTENTIONS & BAD MEMORIES
WRITING OPERATIVE:
Sgamer82
Numbuh Five looked through a two-way mirror into the small room. It was nearly empty except for a table, a light hanging from the ceiling, a couple of chairs, and a young girl, about 10 years old. Light skinned, she had brown hair, which she wore in pigtails. She wore a white nightdress, not surprising being she was kidnapped out of bed. A pair of glasses was on her face as well. Numbuh Five had grabbed them on the way out. She looked around the room contemptuously, unable to see the Kids Next Door watching her.
"Will you be okay?" Numbuh Two asked Five as he walked up beside her. He was carrying a small bundle in his arms, which Five took in her own.
"To be honest... no. Interrogation ain't really ever been Numbuh Five's thing."
That was true. Interrogation involved doing a bit of talking, and Numbuh Five was very much the silent type. She usually didn't say anything unless it was something she thought was cool, important, or funny. She was a bit nervous about what she was about to attempt. She'd give anything to not have to. Unfortunately, the situation forced Numbuh Five to be the one.
"Well, here we go..." Numbuh Five took a deep breath, and walked into the interrogation room to meet with Pigtails.
"Um... hey..." she said to the 'guest', "I brought some clothes fer ya... Numbuh Two was the only one with... well, with your size. I made sure it wasn't nothing to boy-ish. Don't strike me you'd like that kinda thing."
The Delightful Girl remained quiet, not even looking at the t-shirt and shorts Five laid on the table. Numbuh Five had at least hoped for a "Thank You." The Kids Next Door had gotten that much when they and the Delightfuls had cooperated in escaping the Kids' Zoo.
"I hope you don' expect Numbuh Five t'do all th' talkin'. It ain't my thing."
"What is the meaning of this?" the girl asked angrily. Five was a little bit startled to hear her speak without her siblings backing her up.
"Well..." Five began. How do I explain this?
"We wanted to help you?" she tried.
"Help me how? I was in no need of your assistance."
"Sure. You say 'dat now. But Numbuh Five thinks I know what been goin' on in yo' house."
"You'll have to let me in on it." Pigtails said, with a strange sort of sarcasm to her voice.
"Well, fer starters, what about how yer pop's been treatin' ya."
"My father," said Pigtails, emphasizing "Father", "treats us exactly how a parent should treat their child."
"Says who?"
"Father."
"Of course."
"Don't you dare disrespect him!"
"From what Numbuh Five heard he ain't worth respectin'!"
Pigtails stood up from her chair quickly, knocking it to the floor as she did so. The anger in her eyes was clear. Five had clearly gone too far. She decided to stop. She didn't want to get Pigtails so riled that she wouldn't be open to what she was about to hear.
"Okay, okay. Numbuh Five apologizes. Didn' mean t'offend ya."
"Good. Now, I'll ask again. What is the meaning of this?"
Take two... Numbuh Five said to herself as Pigtails picked up her chair and sat down again.
"Okay... Numbuh Five don' know how to explain it, so let's just start from the beginnin'...
"A few days ago, a lady came to Numbuh Five's place an' tol' her a story. She said that Numbuh Five had been friends with her kids back in their preschool days. In fact, Numbuh Five was especially tight with one girl in particular."
The Delightful Girl tried not to look curious. She nearly succeeded. Numbuh Five thought this way might do it.
"Yeah, the lady tol' Numbuh Five that me an' that kid became good friends 'cause we found out we both had the same first name. 'Parrently we thought it was jus' the coolest thing ever. Seems silly now, but then again, we was only three. Now, you're pro'lly thinkin', 'What's this got t'do wit' me?'"
Pigtails nodded. She was wondering just that. Numbuh Five reached into her pocket and pulled out the photograph she had been given. Pigtails looked at the photo. Her eyes seemed to widen behind her glasses as recognition flared. But it was quickly replaced by her usual demeanor.
"That photograph is a fake!" she exclaimed.
"Now ya don' really believe that? Do you, Abigail?" asked Numbuh Five.
Pigtails seemed to jump a little in her seat. As if hearing her proper name was an uncommon occurrence.
"Well..."
Pigtails clammed up.
"Look, you obviously know who the people in this picture are. Otherwise you wouldn't have been so quick to call it fake."
Pigtails was silent.
"You asked what Numbuh Five was doin', well here it is. Yer ma wants to get you away from yer father!"
The anger suddenly flared in Pigtails' eyes.
"Of course she would! That despicable Harpie wants nothing more than to make Father suffer! Don't you dare speak of her to me!"
Numbuh Five stood in place at a total loss for words. She had never seen any of the Delightful Children express that kind of rage. Her brief outburst earlier paled in comparison. Numbuh Five had to think of something quick, or any shot at getting Pigtails on their side would be lost.
"I musta heard somethin' wrong then..." said Five, thinking fast, "What makes you say that?"
"My mother is a horrible witch! Father told us that she left us when we were small! She doesn't care about us! She only wants to hurt Father! That's all! Father told us!"
Numbuh Five should've expected something like this. In fact, she remembered Numbuh One warning her of just such a possibility. Pigtails had been conditioned to hate her own mother. Five had to do something about this. Didn't stop it from getting on her nerves, though.
"Look at that photo an' tell me you honestly believe 'dat! She don' look like no witch there! And she didn' look like one when I saw her, neither!"
"You don't know her!"
"And you do!"
"Father told us!"
"Oh, and he can' never be wrong?"
"Of course not!"
"No matter what?"
"No matter what!"
"Even if he hurts you?"
"Even when he hurts us!"
Pigtails suddenly clamped her hand over her mouth. Her face had a shocked expression. As though she'd let something slip accidentally. Numbuh Five noticed it as well. She had said 'when he hurts us.' It pretty much confirmed that some bad stuff was happening in that mansion that shouldn't be. Numbuh Five knew if she was to get through to Pigtails, it was now or never.
"How can it be right if he hurts ya!"
"We deserve it!" Pigtails said, though not convincingly, "We fail at the responsibilities he gives us! We disappoint him!"
"That ain't no reason to ever hurt you!" Five yelled at the now teary-eyed pigtails, "Don't you get it! Father's the bad guy!"
"No! No he isn't! He can't be! Father is good! He teaches us when we're wrong! He teaches us how we're supposed to behave!"
"He teaches ya to fear 'im! He teaches ya t'be zombies!"
"No! That's not true!"
"Isn't it?" said Numbuh Five, as she pulled off her watch. She had hoped not to use it, but she knew what she had on that watch was going to be the final straw. Part of her knew she would, no matter how much she didn't wish to. She set the watch on the table and pressed a button.
"No... Father, please... don't... no..." said a young male voice, followed by that voice screaming.
"Recognize that voice?" Five asked.
"Ethan..." said Pigtails, identifying the voice of Slim, the tall Delightful Boy whose hair covered his face. She suddenly sprang up from her chair and backed away from the table.
"No... don'... I'm sorry daddy-no Father! I'm sorry Father! Father!"
"Brianna...?" said Pigtails backing into the corner as she named Pinky, the other Delightful Girl.
"Not my face... no... no!"
"Dylan...!" That was Dome.
"I'm sorry! I won't fail again!"
"Cade!" Pigtails cried out to Shorty. There was only one more to go, Pigtails herself.
"I didn't mean to knock it down... I'm sorry I'm so clumsy!"
That was it. Pigtails couldn't take anymore. She was sobbing loudly now, huddled in a fetal position in the corner of the interrogation room, her face hidden in her arms. With a pained feeling in her gut, Numbuh Five took her watch off the table and turned off the audio playback, stopping the voices of the Delightful Children Five had recorded talking in their sleep. She walked over to Pigtails... No, Abigail. She told herself. She walked over to Abigail, and kneeled down on the floor in front of her.
"Why?" Abigail sobbed, "Why did you have to make me see! Why didn't just stay out of it! You didn't need to get involved!"
"Yer wrong there, Abigail." Numbuh Five said, "Abby Lincoln don' ever leave her friends hangin'! Even if they the enemy! You had t'know. You had to know yer Father was the bad guy!"
"What good will knowing that do!"
"Because now that you know, you can help us get you, an' yer siblings, to a better place."
Abigail looked at Numbuh Five with a look of incomprehension on her face.
"I'll explain it all to ya, Abigail." said Numbuh Five, extending her hand out to help her old friend get up, "If you'll let me."
Abigail hesitated, then held out her hand. She'd let Numbuh Five explain. She'd help them help her and her brothers and sisters.
END OF TRANSMISSION SIX