A/N: I think I may actually finish in this chapter, that is if I decide not
to do an epilogue. This will more than likely be my absolute LAST Kids Next
Door fanfic for quite some time, so thanks to all future reviewers for any
of my three KND fanfics. Also, I hope some of you will check out my next
story, or maybe some of my finished ones. I know I'm interested in any more
reviews I can milk outta this crowd. A bunch of thanks to VTbots and TJ
Rose for their reviews for chapter 5, hope you enjoy this one. Review again
and let me know if there should be an epilogue. That goes for all you quiet
types too. Anyway, it's been real interesting writing this fic, I hope
you've all enjoyed yourselves. My next fic will be in fictionpress.net and
it'll be fantastic I'm pretty sure, so check it out.
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.19 swiftly woke each Kid Next Door with the same manufactured message, "The Delightful Freaks got Numbuh 5!"
"What?!" cried Numbuh 1, the last to be woken with the news. He promptly leapt out of bed and joined the rest of the shocked team in the common area.
"How could this happen?" Numbuh 3 murmured in sadness into the fur of a large teddy bear.
"Yeh," 4 agreed as he unconsciously patted the morose 3's arm, "Credited 5 wid more brains than that."
"What're we gonna do, chief?" Numbuh 2 said, turning to their leader.
"First," 1 started. He was so tired from playing solitaire four days straight, he could barely hold together a coherent thought, "We have to understand how it happened. You were there, .19, report."
"5 and me just stepped out for a magazine run," her voice was riddled with concern, just like she'd practiced, "We were on our way back when they just popped up and grabbed her with this claw gun thing."
"'Just popped up'?" Numbuh 4 said incredulously, "Na' that hardly sounds like the Delightful Tossers."
But his protest went widely unnoticed as .19 continued her heart- wrenching story, "I tried to hold her, I had her hand... but, but-" her voice faltered as a tear or two slid down her face. She lowered her head, "But I just couldn't hold on." Covering her face with her hands, she quietly wept into her palms. The four Kids Next Door said nothing as .19's bawling echoed through the common area.
:::
Numbuh 5 had a pounding headache which she tried to assuage by rubbing her forehead with shaky hands, and her stomach felt like it was one of Numbuh 3's origami mishaps. If she hadn't been ten, she'd have sworn she had a hangover. But as the memory of the past few hours returned, she probably would have preferred the hangover.
"Good morning, Abigail," the Delightful Children said in their insufferably polite way from beyond the cage's bars, "Ready for round- what is it? Five? Six?" They giggled lightly and one of them again pressed a button that controlled Numbuh 5's cage.
The Quiet One watched with growing anxiety as the burst of blue electricity scampered down the wire connected to the cage. She tried to curl up into a ball before it arrived, but it was too late. She didn't make a sound as the electricity invaded her body with a cold fire, only prayed she wouldn't lose consciousness again. She didn't like the idea of not being awake around the Delightful Children. Kind of like that saying, "The monster you know is better than the monster you don't know."
"I'm rather disappointed in you, Abigail," the Children pouted, "Such an uncommunicative plaything will never do. But, don't worry, I'll have four more soon enough. And after that, no more bothersome Kids Next Door at all." They giggled again and shut off the electricity, leaving Numbuh 5 to stave off the darkness alone.
:::
After .19 had pulled herself together, she mentioned she might have heard the Delightful Children talking about where they were taking Numbuh 5, "I think I heard something about a dungeon in their headquarters," she said and blew her nose once more into Numbuh 2's hanky before handing it back to the heavyset boy, "Here, thanks."
2 took a look at the soaked handkerchief, "You keep it."
.19 gingerly folded her new hanky into her lap, "Can you get in their mansion?" she asked Numbuh 1, who stood at his podium, but was staring out the window into the dawning day.
The Brit snapped out of his guilt-ridden thoughts of his final words to Numbuh 5, "Um, yes, we can, but it's no cake walk. And their dungeon," he shuddered, "I don't think I even want to go down there."
"But we have to!" Numbuh 3 insisted, "Numbuh 5's down there..." she trailed off and again buried her face in the teddy bear's soft fur.
"So what's the plan, boss?" Numbuh 2 asked.
1 was silent a moment, running through all their previous missions that had brought them inside the Delightful Children's mansion, "Hm, well, what would Numbuh 5 do?" he asked himself more than the team. She always came up with the best plans, he thought Even better than my own, usually.
"Go for stealth," Numbuh 4 answered.
"Correct, Numbuh 4. We'll go in Numbuh 5-style and rescue her before the Delightful Creeps know what happened." He smiled then, not a big one, but a strong one, and the other three felt a bubble of hope rise inside each of them as he spoke the magic words, "Kids Next Door, move out!"
:::
"Rainbow Monkey Princess and Point-Teen in position," Numbuh 3 whispered when she and .19 had lighted on the roof of the Delightful mansion.
"200 Mega Horsepower check," 2 said from inside the tunneling transport that would be their escape car. He glanced back at the medical supplies they'd brought along with a nervous swallow, "Bring 'er back safe, okay fellas?"
"10 4, Mega Horsepower, Big Enchilada and Hoobastank out," Numbuh 1 switched off his microphone and turned to Numbuh 4 with a raised eyebrow, "Hoobastank? What the heck is that supposed to mean, Numbuh 4?"
The Aussie glanced at his leader before returning to his binoculars, "Ya' wouldn't get it even if Ah told ya'," he said in a wistful tone, which served only to bring 1's eyebrow even closer to his nonexistent hairline.
The pair sat in a makeshift foxhole in the mansion's expansive, yet still creepy topiary garden that would be there shelter until Numbuh 3 and .19 gave the okay to move in.
The Asian girl was working on that as they spoke. Doing what she did best, 3 began to skip along every inch of the roof, tripping every defense sensor they had. Red lights and sirens began to flash and wail wherever she had stepped. Spotlights burst from various corners of the roof and followed Numbuh 3's every move.
"Sounds good up there, Princess," 4 said as he watched with his binoculars from the foxhole.
"La, la-la-la- huh?" 3 replied, then smiled and skipped all the faster once she'd figured out whom was talking, "Yup, too bad .19's not here."
"Come back, Princess," 1 said, pressing his earpiece in deeper as if he'd misheard, "What was that last part?"
"Can't find .19," 3 repeated as she nimbly dodged light fire from the guns attached to the spotlights, "Just disappeared as soon as we landed. Silly, she missing all the fun!"
".19's missing," Numbuh 1 muttered. Numbuh 4 watched his leader with a similarly furrowed brow, "Strange."
"Yeh," 4 said, "Ah bet-"
"Okay, ready to go!" 3 reported merrily before jumping into the air and flying off in Numbuh 2's new wings, "Hey, Numbuh 2?"
"That's 200 Mega Horsepower here, remember?" the boy chided half- heartedly.
"Oops, well anyways, these wings work great!" 3 turned a quick, unseen somersault in the air with the agile new gear.
"Yeh, Numbuh 2," 4 added, "Nice work on these."
2 blushed from inside the mole-like sub, "Aw, thanks, guys-"
"Yes, very good work," 1 said hastily, "Now can we get back to the mission at hand: rescuing Numbuh 5?" He was all in favor for giving credit where credit was due, but they had bigger fish to fry. (A/N: Hey look, two sayings in one sentence! ^^ I'm awesome...)
"Oh, right, boss," 4 agreed quickly.
"Uh huh, we focus now," 3's repentant voice crackled over the microphone.
"Good," 1 said without waiting for 2's apology, "You said it was clear, right, 3?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
"Alright then, Kids Next Door, let's rescue our teammate." Pulling camouflage cloaks over themselves, Numbuh 1 and 4 sprinted from the foxhole and made for the mansion. The cloaks made the pair little more than two small, moving lumps along the impeccable lawn as they reached their destination along one of the mansion's walls. After a moment they were joined by Numbuh 3 when she landed silently next to them and retracted the wings with a smile at Numbuh 4 and 1. 4 was the only one to notice though, since 1 was crouched at the wall, gingerly feeling along its brick for their entrance.
"Ah ha," he said once he'd found the edge of the loose brick, "Just a moment and we'll be inside the dungeon." He pulled the brick out of the wall and let it fall to the ground. It was the first in a pile of six or so other bricks, the hole they left being just big enough to accommodate three ten year olds. Without hesitation, 1 slid into the hole. Numbuh 4 and 3 glanced at each other with unsure eyes, but then both remembered their reason for taking this insane risk, and followed their leader.
"The bees are in the 'ive, 'Orsepower," Numbuh 4 whispered as all three broke out their flashlights.
The area in which they had landed looked like your basic cellar with unfinished walls, a cold, blue-gray cement floor, and a door in the far corner. In fact, the only thing odd about it was that it was far too small to be the basement of such a gigantic mansion. The three kids crept up to the door, and, after 1 had listened for any movement on the other side, entered the dungeon.
:::
An infrared camera captured the trio's every move, sending the picture to a monitor just above 5's cage's controls. The Children all smiled the same excited smile as they watched their prey, "Here already? My, my, my, such friends you have, Abigail. Such silly, doomed friends."
A nervous looking guard entered the room, "Uh, your orders, um, sir...s?"
"Send a team to collect the fat one," the Children replied slowly, as if talking to a baby, "I can deal with the others myself."
"Yes, sir...s," he replied, still uncertain, and quickly exited the room.
Numbuh 5 watched him go silently. She wanted to cry, or scream, but she could barely move and it was all she could do to keep conscious. The last bits of remaining energy were put to that goal and none other, except breathing. Feeling even those final reserves begin to ebb, she closed her eyes, seeing no point in watching her friends' demise.
"Aw, poor Abigail," the Children crooned venomously, "Can't stand to see your little friends go? Don't worry, you won't be far behind." They sounded like they wanted to say more, but had already dissolved into giggles.
"I'm here," a voice said from the door.
"Ah, Danica, how good of you to come." The Children left 5 to her misery and approached the teenager.
.19 unceremoniously dropped the delicate wings to the ground, "Whatever, let's just do this quick, okay? She's creepin' me out worse than you guys like that." She jerked her head in 5's direction, where the dark girl lay flat and still as a dead animal in the cage.
"Have patience, Danica," the Children replied, "The end will come soon enough." They turned and watched the screen as it flickered from camera to camera along the dungeon's halls, showing them the image of the trio coming closer and closer to their doom.
:::
"We are NOT lost!" Numbuh 1 crossly declared as he led the others down another cold hall.
"We ain't?" 4 said dubiously, "Cuz all that aimless wanderin' we was just doin' sure SEEMED like bein' lost. Maybe it was just me."
"Nope, it wasn't just you," 3 concurred, "We definitely lost."
Numbuh 1 quit trying to refute the fact, since it was 100% true. He had no idea where they were, he just hoped it led to Numbuh 5. Nothing really mattered to him beyond getting to 5, not the plan, not his other teammates, nothing. It was bad enough he and she'd parted on such bad terms, but then she had to go and get kidnapped?! 1 couldn't believe his luck sometimes. And over a game to top it off! The boy hadn't stopped berating himself over what a complete imbecile he'd been, getting so wrapped up in a bloody game. What kind of leader was he?! But he didn't care about that now, since all his thoughts consisted of was getting to Numbuh 5, by any means necessary.
"'Ey, what was that?" Numbuh 4 stopped walking and tilted his head to listen, 3 did the same.
"What was what?" 1 asked.
"Sounded like a laugh, kinda," 3 answered vaguely, "But weird. Not normal laugh."
"Yeh, like... a MEAN laugh, or somethin'." Numbuh 4 swiveled his flashlight around the dark hallway, but saw nothing in either direction.
Then Numbuh 1 heard it too. 3 and 4 were right, it wasn't a normal laugh, and it had a cruel edge to it, making it sharp and hurtful. 1 instantly knew where that laugh had originated from, "The Delightful Children From Down the Lane, I presume," he said to open air.
"Why yes, Nigel. You are quite the clever one." Their serrated voices boomed over a hidden PA system, making them sound like some kind of twisted god.
"Where's Numbuh 5?! Let 'er speak!" demanded 4.
"Oh, Wallace, I'm afraid Abigail can't come to the phone right now, she's... well, let's just say indisposed, shall we?"
"What you done to Numbuh 5?!" 3 cried out, her voice jagged and piercing.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out, little Kuki," responded the voices, followed by their malicious laughter that made all three cringe and cover their ears against the onslaught, "Good bye, Kids Next Door," was the last thing they said.
"'Good bye'? Just what does THAT mean?" 4 said angrily.
"It means good bye, Numbuh 4," 3 replied softly. 4 turned to tell her he knew that, and was shocked to see her looking far down the hall with terror-filled eyes. He looked in that direction and couldn't help a shout of alarm as he saw the wall at the end of the hall rushing at them at an incredible speed.
"N-n-numbuh 1?" he said with a quaking voice, but got no response. The other boy was facing the opposite direction in equal panic as he watched the other wall also coming at them, "Numbuh 1, what do we do?!"
At the sound of his teammate's plea 1 snapped out of his daze. He looked along the quickly-diminishing walls to find a single door on one side, "There!" he shouted and they all ran to their only hope. Numbuh 1 tried to turn the knob, but it was locked. He pulled on it with all his might, but the door remained obstinately shut. Another glance at their approaching doom sapped any strength he had and he fell away from the door.
"Lemme at it," 4 growled with determination. Backing up a few paces, the boy let out a loud shout and launched himself into the air. He landed a resounding kick on the center of the door and it snapped clear off its hinges, falling into the room beyond. 1 and 3 dashed into the room while 4 continued to stand in the hall, boasting over his victory, "Ha! Didn't stand a chance! That was for Numbuh 5. Should uh let me do it in the first place, Numbuh 1-"
"C'mon, silly!" 3 yelled at the proud boy and yanked him into the room just before the walls crashed together with a tremendous SLAM! All three kids stood amazed they were still alive.
"Kids Next Door, you just don't know when to quit," came five spiteful voices in unison from the far side of the room.
"Oh this just figures!" 4 cried in frustration, "The ONE room we find ta 'scape those cruddy walls, 'n YOU'RE in it!"
"They planned it that way, Numbuh 4," 1 said solemnly.
"What? But 'ow-"
"I can answer that," another voice said, an older, female voice. .19 stepped out from behind the Children, who stood smiling smugly.
"Traitor!" Numbuh 4 shouted, "Ah 'ate traitors! No betta' than adults, givin' up what you believe in, that's weakness right there! 'N sellin' out ta' the adults? Well, that jis makes you even worse than them!"
.19 flinched at Numbuh 4's scathing tirade, "You don't understand, Numbuh 4..."
"That's Wallaby Beatles ta' you, traitor!"
"Make us understand, .19," Numbuh 1 said calmly, though his eyes were full of sadness behind his sunglasses.
"You don't know what I've SEEN!" .19 yelled, close to real tears this time, "Remember what I told you, Numbuh 1? You can't save a dead game. Do you remember? Well, the Kids Next Door is a dead game. You fight against adults usually when all they want is the best for you, to keep you safe. I've seen what happens when kids aren't kept safe, and, please believe me, you DON'T want that!" her voice had turned pleading, and the tears were falling. Her voice was just above a whisper in her next words, "And even if it means a few losses," she walked to a shadowed corner of the room, where Numbuh 5 lay motionless on the floor of the cage, "so be it, if I can keep kids safe." She gently stroked 5's arm, to which the girl didn't respond.
"You're mad!" 4 cried in astonishment.
"Numbuh 5!" 3 shrieked in alarm.
"What the bloody hell have you done to her?!" 1 hollered over 4 and 3, and began to run to Numbuh 5. He was stopped when he ran straight into a force field that surrounded the entire corner of the room and enclosed the cage, "No!" the boy slammed and kicked at the field for all he was worth. Nothing did any good, "But, how did you-?" he looked to .19.
The teenager lifted a hand to reveal a band on her wrist, "Lets me through." 1 slumped against the field, ignoring the slight burn it sent through his skin.
"If you're all quite finished," the Children said, sounding exceedingly bored, "I believe we have business to attend to." They pressed a button on the cage consol, and three other identical cages fell from the ceiling, instantly trapping the remaining Kids Next Door.
4 immediately went to throw the cage off, but the moment he touched the bars he jerked back, "This metal's electrified."
"A very astute observation, Wallace," the Children said their voices thick with sarcasm, "You should be proud, these were made to house Holocaust prisoners of war, but were decided to inhumane and disposed of. It is a very good thing Father is so resourceful."
"Oh yes," 4 scoffed, "fantastic." 3 sniffled in her cage and 1 continued to watch 5.
I'm sorry, Abby, he told her in his mind, I failed you. He hung his head in shame, unable to look at Numbuh 5's statuesque face a second longer.
:::
"Guys?" Numbuh 2 said into his microphone, he received nothing but static, "Guys?! Hellooo!" he tapped his earpiece, "Where are they?"
Just then the hatch of the sub blew open, and three uniformed men jumped inside.
"What the-?" 2 cried, and ducked the men as they grabbed for him.
"Come with us, son," one of them said sternly, "And you won't get hurt."
"Yeah, right," 2 responded from behind a stretcher that was part of the medical supplies, "You know the first rule of the Kids Next Door? Never trust adults." He pushed the stretcher sideways towards the men, catching them off-guard and knocking them over. 2 immediately climbed out of through the hatch, only to be confronted by the business ends of four or five guns.
"Aw man," he grumbled as he was hauled the rest of the way out of the sub and marched into the mansion. They walked down into the dungeon, and soon joined the Delightful Children, .19, and the rest of the Kids Next Door.
"Hello, Hoagie Junior," the Children cordially greeted him.
"Sup, super freaks?" he answered and struggled a little more against his assailants, "You okay guys? I couldn't hear you on the com link."
"Seen betta' days, Numbuh 2," 4 answered grimly. He nodded to their respective confinements.
2 glanced around at the cages, and his eyes suddenly sparked with interest, "Hey, are those-?"
"Leave," the Children instructed the guards, and 2's question was halted as the men roughly released him. But he continued to eye the cages with a exploratory look, "There will be time enough for you to examine one of my cages up close and personal, Hoagie Junior," the Children were saying to him, but 2 wasn't listening. His eyes traveled along the wires connected to the cages to the consol, and a small smile graced his face.
"Nah," he said nonchalantly, "Not that curious." With those last words he dove for the consol and started searching for the control that would release his friends. He KNEW he'd read something about these cages, possibly when searching for information on the gun.
"Danica, stop him!" commanded the Children. The teenager was at the consol in seconds and 2 ducked and scrambled out of her reaching arms, not bothering to be shocked at .19's apparent perfidy.
"Stay still, you little brat!" she screeched, "This is for your own good!"
"Yeah, like I've never heard THAT before," Numbuh 2 said, fighting off doctor's office memories. The screens above the consol changed from security camera images to a control menu for the cages. Numbuh 2 smiled wider as he pressed the final button to free his teammates.
The cages immediately lifted into the ceiling, and each kid swiftly went into action. Numbuh 4 drew his mustard gun on the Children, "Move 'n those preppy clothes get a new dye job," he said triumphantly. The Children stayed stone still.
3 and 2 together easily restrained .19, a two-handed grip on each of her wrists, "You don't know what you're doing!" she continued to protest, "I was just trying to help you!"
Numbuh 2 jerked her arm and said harshly, "Save it." Even Numbuh 3 looked at .19 with anger-filled eyes.
Numbuh 1 made for the consol and deactivated the force field and cage. This disabled the lock as well, since it was really only a highly electrified door which could possibly kill the prisoner if they tried to open it themselves. He opened the cage door with mounting fear as Numbuh 5 hadn't moved the entire time. Her face was ashen and he couldn't detect her breathing. A few burns trailed up her exposed arms and legs. He gently as possible eased her out of the cage, and she hung limply from his arms. Biting the inside of his lip, Numbuh 1 sank with 5 to the floor of the dungeon and hugged the girl tightly too him.
All my fault, he told himself again and again, but paused for a moment. Pressing her against him, he quieted the urge to leap for joy as he felt a faint but steady heartbeat in her chest and, as her head lolled onto his shoulder, shallow breathing on his neck. He lifted his head to take in the other Kids Next Door.
"Numbuh 5 okay, Numbuh 1?" 3 asked fearfully.
"No, but she could be," he replied, "We have to get her out of here."
"Right," 4 said, "Alright, Delightful Losers, stay where you are, and DON'T try ta' follow us or you'll get worse than a few mustard stains, that's a promise." He edged out of the room, keeping the gun on the Children, with 3 as Numbuh 1 and 2 carried 5 ahead of them. .19 watched them go without protest, just a sad sigh. All five Kids Next Door gratefully exited the mansion together.
:::
The doorbell rang through the treehouse at 8:45 in the morning. This time Numbuh 5's easy slumber was the first it penetrated. She stifled a groan when she caught sight of Numbuh 1 lightly dozing in a chair near her bed in the sick bay of the treehouse. Utilizing all her covert abilities, she silently exited the room and hurried toward the door. She knew she had to be quick, since 1 would most definitely freak out if he found out she had left her bed. 5 had repeatedly told her teammates she was fine, but all four stayed stubbornly in agreement that she needed bed rest. And far be it from her to say she wasn't enjoying all of Numbuh 1's attention, but that bit she kept to herself.
Opening the door, she had to squint into the bright blue sky to see the faces of the two male teenagers.
"Morning," one of them, a freckle-faced brunette, said with a polite smile, "I'm .33, and this is .12, we're from the Teen Division."
Numbuh 5 eyed the pair suspiciously, not having forgotten their last encounter with a Teen Division operative, "Can ya' prove it?"
.33 glanced at his partner with an amused look, "Geez, the last place you'd expect to get carded, huh?" .12 smiled at the joke, and .33 turned back to 5, "Yes, we can." He pulled out a wallet from his back pocket, and after flipping past his driver's license pulled out a similar card.
5 examined it closely once he'd handed it to her, her gazing flicking from the small picture on the card to the teenager, "Dis don' look like you."
.33 laughed again, "Yeah, growth spurts. Got that picture taken when I was fourteen," he shrugged, "What're you gonna do?"
"Well, looks pretty official ta' Numbuh 5," she said after also scrutinizing .12's ID, "What's your business here, though?"
.33 looked uncomfortable and sad a minute and didn't speak. .12, in little better a condition, spoke this time, "We're here about .19."
5 nodded knowingly, "Ah, I see now. Well, best c'mon up den."
In five minutes the rest of the team, along with .12 and .33, sat in the round of couches. Numbuh 1 had held off on the chastising of Numbuh 5 for getting out of bed until after the teenagers left.
"We understand that you Teen Division operative turned on you-" .33 said, all business.
"That's not entirely accurate," Numbuh 1 interjected, "It is at least my belief that she wasn't on our side from the beginning."
"Is that how the rest of the team feels?" .33 asked, glancing at the other kids. Each ten year old nodded, "I see," the sad look returned to .33's face, "Well, there is that danger when you're in close contact with Teen Division missions."
"So she was a real operative?" Numbuh 3 said timidly.
.33 turned his heavy gaze on the Asian girl, "Yes... she was a part of my team." He lowered his head and .12 gave him a warm rub on the shoulder.
"It'll be okay, man," the other teenager said solemnly.
After taking a few deep breaths, .33 looked back up, "IHQ has decided from this incident that Teen Division operatives are, for lack of better words, better off alone. You'll probably receive a communiqué saying just that soon, but we felt it more proper to tell you in person. Make sure you understand that this is a confidential matter of the highest kind. .19 doubtlessly told you Teen Division doesn't get invited around much." No bitterness tainted his voice at the words as they had when .19 had informed them, it was just a fact, nothing to get upset about, "So, we're asking for your cooperation in putting this all behind us."
"Make like it neva' 'appened," Numbuh 4 said. The blonde didn't look much happier than .33 at the moment. He had been truly hurt by .19's betrayal, especially since it meant every moment he'd spent with her had been a lie, everything she'd told him only said to distract him from the truth. He wasn't sure he'd be able to listen to the wonderful gift of music she'd given him without thinking how it was all a part of her deception.
.33 didn't sugar-coat it, "Yes, like it never happened."
"What was she like before she was bad?" Numbuh 3 asked.
.33 smiled, much like .19, at the girl's innocence, ".19..." he began, the sadness on his face slowly fading into nostalgia, "She was something, one of the best operatives we had. She really cared about what she did, apparently too much I think, but that's besides the point. We all looked up to her, that IS the point, and I know she would've served you all with the same dedication she served Teen Division, if things had been different," he paused a moment, lost in the past, before saying, "I think we've used up enough of your time. C'mon .12, we got more to do today than rehash old times. Nice meeting you all. Remember: like it never happened." He and .12 let themselves out.
"Like it neva' 'appened," Numbuh 4 repeated quietly, "Gotcha." He thought about what .33 had said about .19, and the times he'd spent with her. He could see what the teenager had meant, and decided then and there he would try to think about .19 as she was. He remembered listening to her sing. That was the real .19, he thought That wasn't a trick, that was real. He also decided he wouldn't let his anger ruin any chance for him and music.
"Guess dat's how it works in secret ops," 5 said. She felt strange about the whole thing, but didn't say anything. She thought about her future. Would she go into the Teen Division when she got too old for the Kids Next Door? Could she, after seeing its possible effects on a perfectly normal girl? 5 silently thanked the Lord she was only ten, and didn't have to make those decisions for a while yet.
"Do you hear that?" Numbuh 1 asked. All five kids cocked their ears, "New mission's here."
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A/N: This chapter is over twice as long as nearly any other chapter I've ever written. I hope you all like it. Oh, and you don't have to bother saying in your reviews whether I should put in an epilogue or not, since I kinda already did. But review anyway, and hopefully I'll see ya' in my next fic!
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.19 swiftly woke each Kid Next Door with the same manufactured message, "The Delightful Freaks got Numbuh 5!"
"What?!" cried Numbuh 1, the last to be woken with the news. He promptly leapt out of bed and joined the rest of the shocked team in the common area.
"How could this happen?" Numbuh 3 murmured in sadness into the fur of a large teddy bear.
"Yeh," 4 agreed as he unconsciously patted the morose 3's arm, "Credited 5 wid more brains than that."
"What're we gonna do, chief?" Numbuh 2 said, turning to their leader.
"First," 1 started. He was so tired from playing solitaire four days straight, he could barely hold together a coherent thought, "We have to understand how it happened. You were there, .19, report."
"5 and me just stepped out for a magazine run," her voice was riddled with concern, just like she'd practiced, "We were on our way back when they just popped up and grabbed her with this claw gun thing."
"'Just popped up'?" Numbuh 4 said incredulously, "Na' that hardly sounds like the Delightful Tossers."
But his protest went widely unnoticed as .19 continued her heart- wrenching story, "I tried to hold her, I had her hand... but, but-" her voice faltered as a tear or two slid down her face. She lowered her head, "But I just couldn't hold on." Covering her face with her hands, she quietly wept into her palms. The four Kids Next Door said nothing as .19's bawling echoed through the common area.
:::
Numbuh 5 had a pounding headache which she tried to assuage by rubbing her forehead with shaky hands, and her stomach felt like it was one of Numbuh 3's origami mishaps. If she hadn't been ten, she'd have sworn she had a hangover. But as the memory of the past few hours returned, she probably would have preferred the hangover.
"Good morning, Abigail," the Delightful Children said in their insufferably polite way from beyond the cage's bars, "Ready for round- what is it? Five? Six?" They giggled lightly and one of them again pressed a button that controlled Numbuh 5's cage.
The Quiet One watched with growing anxiety as the burst of blue electricity scampered down the wire connected to the cage. She tried to curl up into a ball before it arrived, but it was too late. She didn't make a sound as the electricity invaded her body with a cold fire, only prayed she wouldn't lose consciousness again. She didn't like the idea of not being awake around the Delightful Children. Kind of like that saying, "The monster you know is better than the monster you don't know."
"I'm rather disappointed in you, Abigail," the Children pouted, "Such an uncommunicative plaything will never do. But, don't worry, I'll have four more soon enough. And after that, no more bothersome Kids Next Door at all." They giggled again and shut off the electricity, leaving Numbuh 5 to stave off the darkness alone.
:::
After .19 had pulled herself together, she mentioned she might have heard the Delightful Children talking about where they were taking Numbuh 5, "I think I heard something about a dungeon in their headquarters," she said and blew her nose once more into Numbuh 2's hanky before handing it back to the heavyset boy, "Here, thanks."
2 took a look at the soaked handkerchief, "You keep it."
.19 gingerly folded her new hanky into her lap, "Can you get in their mansion?" she asked Numbuh 1, who stood at his podium, but was staring out the window into the dawning day.
The Brit snapped out of his guilt-ridden thoughts of his final words to Numbuh 5, "Um, yes, we can, but it's no cake walk. And their dungeon," he shuddered, "I don't think I even want to go down there."
"But we have to!" Numbuh 3 insisted, "Numbuh 5's down there..." she trailed off and again buried her face in the teddy bear's soft fur.
"So what's the plan, boss?" Numbuh 2 asked.
1 was silent a moment, running through all their previous missions that had brought them inside the Delightful Children's mansion, "Hm, well, what would Numbuh 5 do?" he asked himself more than the team. She always came up with the best plans, he thought Even better than my own, usually.
"Go for stealth," Numbuh 4 answered.
"Correct, Numbuh 4. We'll go in Numbuh 5-style and rescue her before the Delightful Creeps know what happened." He smiled then, not a big one, but a strong one, and the other three felt a bubble of hope rise inside each of them as he spoke the magic words, "Kids Next Door, move out!"
:::
"Rainbow Monkey Princess and Point-Teen in position," Numbuh 3 whispered when she and .19 had lighted on the roof of the Delightful mansion.
"200 Mega Horsepower check," 2 said from inside the tunneling transport that would be their escape car. He glanced back at the medical supplies they'd brought along with a nervous swallow, "Bring 'er back safe, okay fellas?"
"10 4, Mega Horsepower, Big Enchilada and Hoobastank out," Numbuh 1 switched off his microphone and turned to Numbuh 4 with a raised eyebrow, "Hoobastank? What the heck is that supposed to mean, Numbuh 4?"
The Aussie glanced at his leader before returning to his binoculars, "Ya' wouldn't get it even if Ah told ya'," he said in a wistful tone, which served only to bring 1's eyebrow even closer to his nonexistent hairline.
The pair sat in a makeshift foxhole in the mansion's expansive, yet still creepy topiary garden that would be there shelter until Numbuh 3 and .19 gave the okay to move in.
The Asian girl was working on that as they spoke. Doing what she did best, 3 began to skip along every inch of the roof, tripping every defense sensor they had. Red lights and sirens began to flash and wail wherever she had stepped. Spotlights burst from various corners of the roof and followed Numbuh 3's every move.
"Sounds good up there, Princess," 4 said as he watched with his binoculars from the foxhole.
"La, la-la-la- huh?" 3 replied, then smiled and skipped all the faster once she'd figured out whom was talking, "Yup, too bad .19's not here."
"Come back, Princess," 1 said, pressing his earpiece in deeper as if he'd misheard, "What was that last part?"
"Can't find .19," 3 repeated as she nimbly dodged light fire from the guns attached to the spotlights, "Just disappeared as soon as we landed. Silly, she missing all the fun!"
".19's missing," Numbuh 1 muttered. Numbuh 4 watched his leader with a similarly furrowed brow, "Strange."
"Yeh," 4 said, "Ah bet-"
"Okay, ready to go!" 3 reported merrily before jumping into the air and flying off in Numbuh 2's new wings, "Hey, Numbuh 2?"
"That's 200 Mega Horsepower here, remember?" the boy chided half- heartedly.
"Oops, well anyways, these wings work great!" 3 turned a quick, unseen somersault in the air with the agile new gear.
"Yeh, Numbuh 2," 4 added, "Nice work on these."
2 blushed from inside the mole-like sub, "Aw, thanks, guys-"
"Yes, very good work," 1 said hastily, "Now can we get back to the mission at hand: rescuing Numbuh 5?" He was all in favor for giving credit where credit was due, but they had bigger fish to fry. (A/N: Hey look, two sayings in one sentence! ^^ I'm awesome...)
"Oh, right, boss," 4 agreed quickly.
"Uh huh, we focus now," 3's repentant voice crackled over the microphone.
"Good," 1 said without waiting for 2's apology, "You said it was clear, right, 3?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
"Alright then, Kids Next Door, let's rescue our teammate." Pulling camouflage cloaks over themselves, Numbuh 1 and 4 sprinted from the foxhole and made for the mansion. The cloaks made the pair little more than two small, moving lumps along the impeccable lawn as they reached their destination along one of the mansion's walls. After a moment they were joined by Numbuh 3 when she landed silently next to them and retracted the wings with a smile at Numbuh 4 and 1. 4 was the only one to notice though, since 1 was crouched at the wall, gingerly feeling along its brick for their entrance.
"Ah ha," he said once he'd found the edge of the loose brick, "Just a moment and we'll be inside the dungeon." He pulled the brick out of the wall and let it fall to the ground. It was the first in a pile of six or so other bricks, the hole they left being just big enough to accommodate three ten year olds. Without hesitation, 1 slid into the hole. Numbuh 4 and 3 glanced at each other with unsure eyes, but then both remembered their reason for taking this insane risk, and followed their leader.
"The bees are in the 'ive, 'Orsepower," Numbuh 4 whispered as all three broke out their flashlights.
The area in which they had landed looked like your basic cellar with unfinished walls, a cold, blue-gray cement floor, and a door in the far corner. In fact, the only thing odd about it was that it was far too small to be the basement of such a gigantic mansion. The three kids crept up to the door, and, after 1 had listened for any movement on the other side, entered the dungeon.
:::
An infrared camera captured the trio's every move, sending the picture to a monitor just above 5's cage's controls. The Children all smiled the same excited smile as they watched their prey, "Here already? My, my, my, such friends you have, Abigail. Such silly, doomed friends."
A nervous looking guard entered the room, "Uh, your orders, um, sir...s?"
"Send a team to collect the fat one," the Children replied slowly, as if talking to a baby, "I can deal with the others myself."
"Yes, sir...s," he replied, still uncertain, and quickly exited the room.
Numbuh 5 watched him go silently. She wanted to cry, or scream, but she could barely move and it was all she could do to keep conscious. The last bits of remaining energy were put to that goal and none other, except breathing. Feeling even those final reserves begin to ebb, she closed her eyes, seeing no point in watching her friends' demise.
"Aw, poor Abigail," the Children crooned venomously, "Can't stand to see your little friends go? Don't worry, you won't be far behind." They sounded like they wanted to say more, but had already dissolved into giggles.
"I'm here," a voice said from the door.
"Ah, Danica, how good of you to come." The Children left 5 to her misery and approached the teenager.
.19 unceremoniously dropped the delicate wings to the ground, "Whatever, let's just do this quick, okay? She's creepin' me out worse than you guys like that." She jerked her head in 5's direction, where the dark girl lay flat and still as a dead animal in the cage.
"Have patience, Danica," the Children replied, "The end will come soon enough." They turned and watched the screen as it flickered from camera to camera along the dungeon's halls, showing them the image of the trio coming closer and closer to their doom.
:::
"We are NOT lost!" Numbuh 1 crossly declared as he led the others down another cold hall.
"We ain't?" 4 said dubiously, "Cuz all that aimless wanderin' we was just doin' sure SEEMED like bein' lost. Maybe it was just me."
"Nope, it wasn't just you," 3 concurred, "We definitely lost."
Numbuh 1 quit trying to refute the fact, since it was 100% true. He had no idea where they were, he just hoped it led to Numbuh 5. Nothing really mattered to him beyond getting to 5, not the plan, not his other teammates, nothing. It was bad enough he and she'd parted on such bad terms, but then she had to go and get kidnapped?! 1 couldn't believe his luck sometimes. And over a game to top it off! The boy hadn't stopped berating himself over what a complete imbecile he'd been, getting so wrapped up in a bloody game. What kind of leader was he?! But he didn't care about that now, since all his thoughts consisted of was getting to Numbuh 5, by any means necessary.
"'Ey, what was that?" Numbuh 4 stopped walking and tilted his head to listen, 3 did the same.
"What was what?" 1 asked.
"Sounded like a laugh, kinda," 3 answered vaguely, "But weird. Not normal laugh."
"Yeh, like... a MEAN laugh, or somethin'." Numbuh 4 swiveled his flashlight around the dark hallway, but saw nothing in either direction.
Then Numbuh 1 heard it too. 3 and 4 were right, it wasn't a normal laugh, and it had a cruel edge to it, making it sharp and hurtful. 1 instantly knew where that laugh had originated from, "The Delightful Children From Down the Lane, I presume," he said to open air.
"Why yes, Nigel. You are quite the clever one." Their serrated voices boomed over a hidden PA system, making them sound like some kind of twisted god.
"Where's Numbuh 5?! Let 'er speak!" demanded 4.
"Oh, Wallace, I'm afraid Abigail can't come to the phone right now, she's... well, let's just say indisposed, shall we?"
"What you done to Numbuh 5?!" 3 cried out, her voice jagged and piercing.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out, little Kuki," responded the voices, followed by their malicious laughter that made all three cringe and cover their ears against the onslaught, "Good bye, Kids Next Door," was the last thing they said.
"'Good bye'? Just what does THAT mean?" 4 said angrily.
"It means good bye, Numbuh 4," 3 replied softly. 4 turned to tell her he knew that, and was shocked to see her looking far down the hall with terror-filled eyes. He looked in that direction and couldn't help a shout of alarm as he saw the wall at the end of the hall rushing at them at an incredible speed.
"N-n-numbuh 1?" he said with a quaking voice, but got no response. The other boy was facing the opposite direction in equal panic as he watched the other wall also coming at them, "Numbuh 1, what do we do?!"
At the sound of his teammate's plea 1 snapped out of his daze. He looked along the quickly-diminishing walls to find a single door on one side, "There!" he shouted and they all ran to their only hope. Numbuh 1 tried to turn the knob, but it was locked. He pulled on it with all his might, but the door remained obstinately shut. Another glance at their approaching doom sapped any strength he had and he fell away from the door.
"Lemme at it," 4 growled with determination. Backing up a few paces, the boy let out a loud shout and launched himself into the air. He landed a resounding kick on the center of the door and it snapped clear off its hinges, falling into the room beyond. 1 and 3 dashed into the room while 4 continued to stand in the hall, boasting over his victory, "Ha! Didn't stand a chance! That was for Numbuh 5. Should uh let me do it in the first place, Numbuh 1-"
"C'mon, silly!" 3 yelled at the proud boy and yanked him into the room just before the walls crashed together with a tremendous SLAM! All three kids stood amazed they were still alive.
"Kids Next Door, you just don't know when to quit," came five spiteful voices in unison from the far side of the room.
"Oh this just figures!" 4 cried in frustration, "The ONE room we find ta 'scape those cruddy walls, 'n YOU'RE in it!"
"They planned it that way, Numbuh 4," 1 said solemnly.
"What? But 'ow-"
"I can answer that," another voice said, an older, female voice. .19 stepped out from behind the Children, who stood smiling smugly.
"Traitor!" Numbuh 4 shouted, "Ah 'ate traitors! No betta' than adults, givin' up what you believe in, that's weakness right there! 'N sellin' out ta' the adults? Well, that jis makes you even worse than them!"
.19 flinched at Numbuh 4's scathing tirade, "You don't understand, Numbuh 4..."
"That's Wallaby Beatles ta' you, traitor!"
"Make us understand, .19," Numbuh 1 said calmly, though his eyes were full of sadness behind his sunglasses.
"You don't know what I've SEEN!" .19 yelled, close to real tears this time, "Remember what I told you, Numbuh 1? You can't save a dead game. Do you remember? Well, the Kids Next Door is a dead game. You fight against adults usually when all they want is the best for you, to keep you safe. I've seen what happens when kids aren't kept safe, and, please believe me, you DON'T want that!" her voice had turned pleading, and the tears were falling. Her voice was just above a whisper in her next words, "And even if it means a few losses," she walked to a shadowed corner of the room, where Numbuh 5 lay motionless on the floor of the cage, "so be it, if I can keep kids safe." She gently stroked 5's arm, to which the girl didn't respond.
"You're mad!" 4 cried in astonishment.
"Numbuh 5!" 3 shrieked in alarm.
"What the bloody hell have you done to her?!" 1 hollered over 4 and 3, and began to run to Numbuh 5. He was stopped when he ran straight into a force field that surrounded the entire corner of the room and enclosed the cage, "No!" the boy slammed and kicked at the field for all he was worth. Nothing did any good, "But, how did you-?" he looked to .19.
The teenager lifted a hand to reveal a band on her wrist, "Lets me through." 1 slumped against the field, ignoring the slight burn it sent through his skin.
"If you're all quite finished," the Children said, sounding exceedingly bored, "I believe we have business to attend to." They pressed a button on the cage consol, and three other identical cages fell from the ceiling, instantly trapping the remaining Kids Next Door.
4 immediately went to throw the cage off, but the moment he touched the bars he jerked back, "This metal's electrified."
"A very astute observation, Wallace," the Children said their voices thick with sarcasm, "You should be proud, these were made to house Holocaust prisoners of war, but were decided to inhumane and disposed of. It is a very good thing Father is so resourceful."
"Oh yes," 4 scoffed, "fantastic." 3 sniffled in her cage and 1 continued to watch 5.
I'm sorry, Abby, he told her in his mind, I failed you. He hung his head in shame, unable to look at Numbuh 5's statuesque face a second longer.
:::
"Guys?" Numbuh 2 said into his microphone, he received nothing but static, "Guys?! Hellooo!" he tapped his earpiece, "Where are they?"
Just then the hatch of the sub blew open, and three uniformed men jumped inside.
"What the-?" 2 cried, and ducked the men as they grabbed for him.
"Come with us, son," one of them said sternly, "And you won't get hurt."
"Yeah, right," 2 responded from behind a stretcher that was part of the medical supplies, "You know the first rule of the Kids Next Door? Never trust adults." He pushed the stretcher sideways towards the men, catching them off-guard and knocking them over. 2 immediately climbed out of through the hatch, only to be confronted by the business ends of four or five guns.
"Aw man," he grumbled as he was hauled the rest of the way out of the sub and marched into the mansion. They walked down into the dungeon, and soon joined the Delightful Children, .19, and the rest of the Kids Next Door.
"Hello, Hoagie Junior," the Children cordially greeted him.
"Sup, super freaks?" he answered and struggled a little more against his assailants, "You okay guys? I couldn't hear you on the com link."
"Seen betta' days, Numbuh 2," 4 answered grimly. He nodded to their respective confinements.
2 glanced around at the cages, and his eyes suddenly sparked with interest, "Hey, are those-?"
"Leave," the Children instructed the guards, and 2's question was halted as the men roughly released him. But he continued to eye the cages with a exploratory look, "There will be time enough for you to examine one of my cages up close and personal, Hoagie Junior," the Children were saying to him, but 2 wasn't listening. His eyes traveled along the wires connected to the cages to the consol, and a small smile graced his face.
"Nah," he said nonchalantly, "Not that curious." With those last words he dove for the consol and started searching for the control that would release his friends. He KNEW he'd read something about these cages, possibly when searching for information on the gun.
"Danica, stop him!" commanded the Children. The teenager was at the consol in seconds and 2 ducked and scrambled out of her reaching arms, not bothering to be shocked at .19's apparent perfidy.
"Stay still, you little brat!" she screeched, "This is for your own good!"
"Yeah, like I've never heard THAT before," Numbuh 2 said, fighting off doctor's office memories. The screens above the consol changed from security camera images to a control menu for the cages. Numbuh 2 smiled wider as he pressed the final button to free his teammates.
The cages immediately lifted into the ceiling, and each kid swiftly went into action. Numbuh 4 drew his mustard gun on the Children, "Move 'n those preppy clothes get a new dye job," he said triumphantly. The Children stayed stone still.
3 and 2 together easily restrained .19, a two-handed grip on each of her wrists, "You don't know what you're doing!" she continued to protest, "I was just trying to help you!"
Numbuh 2 jerked her arm and said harshly, "Save it." Even Numbuh 3 looked at .19 with anger-filled eyes.
Numbuh 1 made for the consol and deactivated the force field and cage. This disabled the lock as well, since it was really only a highly electrified door which could possibly kill the prisoner if they tried to open it themselves. He opened the cage door with mounting fear as Numbuh 5 hadn't moved the entire time. Her face was ashen and he couldn't detect her breathing. A few burns trailed up her exposed arms and legs. He gently as possible eased her out of the cage, and she hung limply from his arms. Biting the inside of his lip, Numbuh 1 sank with 5 to the floor of the dungeon and hugged the girl tightly too him.
All my fault, he told himself again and again, but paused for a moment. Pressing her against him, he quieted the urge to leap for joy as he felt a faint but steady heartbeat in her chest and, as her head lolled onto his shoulder, shallow breathing on his neck. He lifted his head to take in the other Kids Next Door.
"Numbuh 5 okay, Numbuh 1?" 3 asked fearfully.
"No, but she could be," he replied, "We have to get her out of here."
"Right," 4 said, "Alright, Delightful Losers, stay where you are, and DON'T try ta' follow us or you'll get worse than a few mustard stains, that's a promise." He edged out of the room, keeping the gun on the Children, with 3 as Numbuh 1 and 2 carried 5 ahead of them. .19 watched them go without protest, just a sad sigh. All five Kids Next Door gratefully exited the mansion together.
:::
The doorbell rang through the treehouse at 8:45 in the morning. This time Numbuh 5's easy slumber was the first it penetrated. She stifled a groan when she caught sight of Numbuh 1 lightly dozing in a chair near her bed in the sick bay of the treehouse. Utilizing all her covert abilities, she silently exited the room and hurried toward the door. She knew she had to be quick, since 1 would most definitely freak out if he found out she had left her bed. 5 had repeatedly told her teammates she was fine, but all four stayed stubbornly in agreement that she needed bed rest. And far be it from her to say she wasn't enjoying all of Numbuh 1's attention, but that bit she kept to herself.
Opening the door, she had to squint into the bright blue sky to see the faces of the two male teenagers.
"Morning," one of them, a freckle-faced brunette, said with a polite smile, "I'm .33, and this is .12, we're from the Teen Division."
Numbuh 5 eyed the pair suspiciously, not having forgotten their last encounter with a Teen Division operative, "Can ya' prove it?"
.33 glanced at his partner with an amused look, "Geez, the last place you'd expect to get carded, huh?" .12 smiled at the joke, and .33 turned back to 5, "Yes, we can." He pulled out a wallet from his back pocket, and after flipping past his driver's license pulled out a similar card.
5 examined it closely once he'd handed it to her, her gazing flicking from the small picture on the card to the teenager, "Dis don' look like you."
.33 laughed again, "Yeah, growth spurts. Got that picture taken when I was fourteen," he shrugged, "What're you gonna do?"
"Well, looks pretty official ta' Numbuh 5," she said after also scrutinizing .12's ID, "What's your business here, though?"
.33 looked uncomfortable and sad a minute and didn't speak. .12, in little better a condition, spoke this time, "We're here about .19."
5 nodded knowingly, "Ah, I see now. Well, best c'mon up den."
In five minutes the rest of the team, along with .12 and .33, sat in the round of couches. Numbuh 1 had held off on the chastising of Numbuh 5 for getting out of bed until after the teenagers left.
"We understand that you Teen Division operative turned on you-" .33 said, all business.
"That's not entirely accurate," Numbuh 1 interjected, "It is at least my belief that she wasn't on our side from the beginning."
"Is that how the rest of the team feels?" .33 asked, glancing at the other kids. Each ten year old nodded, "I see," the sad look returned to .33's face, "Well, there is that danger when you're in close contact with Teen Division missions."
"So she was a real operative?" Numbuh 3 said timidly.
.33 turned his heavy gaze on the Asian girl, "Yes... she was a part of my team." He lowered his head and .12 gave him a warm rub on the shoulder.
"It'll be okay, man," the other teenager said solemnly.
After taking a few deep breaths, .33 looked back up, "IHQ has decided from this incident that Teen Division operatives are, for lack of better words, better off alone. You'll probably receive a communiqué saying just that soon, but we felt it more proper to tell you in person. Make sure you understand that this is a confidential matter of the highest kind. .19 doubtlessly told you Teen Division doesn't get invited around much." No bitterness tainted his voice at the words as they had when .19 had informed them, it was just a fact, nothing to get upset about, "So, we're asking for your cooperation in putting this all behind us."
"Make like it neva' 'appened," Numbuh 4 said. The blonde didn't look much happier than .33 at the moment. He had been truly hurt by .19's betrayal, especially since it meant every moment he'd spent with her had been a lie, everything she'd told him only said to distract him from the truth. He wasn't sure he'd be able to listen to the wonderful gift of music she'd given him without thinking how it was all a part of her deception.
.33 didn't sugar-coat it, "Yes, like it never happened."
"What was she like before she was bad?" Numbuh 3 asked.
.33 smiled, much like .19, at the girl's innocence, ".19..." he began, the sadness on his face slowly fading into nostalgia, "She was something, one of the best operatives we had. She really cared about what she did, apparently too much I think, but that's besides the point. We all looked up to her, that IS the point, and I know she would've served you all with the same dedication she served Teen Division, if things had been different," he paused a moment, lost in the past, before saying, "I think we've used up enough of your time. C'mon .12, we got more to do today than rehash old times. Nice meeting you all. Remember: like it never happened." He and .12 let themselves out.
"Like it neva' 'appened," Numbuh 4 repeated quietly, "Gotcha." He thought about what .33 had said about .19, and the times he'd spent with her. He could see what the teenager had meant, and decided then and there he would try to think about .19 as she was. He remembered listening to her sing. That was the real .19, he thought That wasn't a trick, that was real. He also decided he wouldn't let his anger ruin any chance for him and music.
"Guess dat's how it works in secret ops," 5 said. She felt strange about the whole thing, but didn't say anything. She thought about her future. Would she go into the Teen Division when she got too old for the Kids Next Door? Could she, after seeing its possible effects on a perfectly normal girl? 5 silently thanked the Lord she was only ten, and didn't have to make those decisions for a while yet.
"Do you hear that?" Numbuh 1 asked. All five kids cocked their ears, "New mission's here."
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A/N: This chapter is over twice as long as nearly any other chapter I've ever written. I hope you all like it. Oh, and you don't have to bother saying in your reviews whether I should put in an epilogue or not, since I kinda already did. But review anyway, and hopefully I'll see ya' in my next fic!
