Author's Note: I'm into my third chapter and I've just now discovered that I've been calling the K.N.D. members Numbahs 1-5 when I should be calling them *Numbuhs* 1-5 instead. Oops. Think anyone will notice?=) By the way, thanks again for the reviews.

CODENAME: Kids Next Door

"OPERATION: N.I.N.J.E.R.K."

Nearly Invincible Ninja Joins Enemies Rivaling Kids

Part 3: "Paper Cut"

"Kids Next Door, battle stations!" Numbuh 1 ordered as the four kids prepared themselves for whatever the ninja may throw at them, as that is exactly what happened. In the blink of an eye, Ginsu had leaped into the air and tossed the whirling blades of paper in the direction of his enemies. The four origami throwing stars whistled through the air as they closed in on their targets, twirling in loops as the evening wind blew around them. "Ha! You're gonna' to have to do alot better than chuckin' them sissy paper stars at us!" laughed Numbuh 4. Just then, one of the stars struck Numbuh 4's hood and cleanly seperated it from the rest of his orange sweatshirt. Numbuh 4's laughter stopped when he failed to find his hood as he reached behind his shoulder. "Whoa! Those things are sharp!" Numbuh 5 said as she picked up Numbuh 4's hood and stuffed it into her pocket. Realising the true nature of their enemy's "attack", Numbuh 1's eyes went wide. "Everyone! Off the roof! Now!" he shouted. The four kids barely managed jump as the other paper shuriken buried themselves deep into the surface of the roof where they once stood.

"Ow... what just happened Numbuh 1?" said Numbuh 2 as he rubbed his posterior while getting up from his fall butt-first. Numbuh 1 adjusted his sunglasses and surveyed his surroundings. "That ninja is a master of origami, Numbuh 2. That means he can turn any piece of paper in his possession into a deadly weapon just like that." the British youth exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. "I suggest we be very careful from now on people. Like with all of our enemies, we cannot underestimate him or else we are done for!" "Hey, what about me??" cried Numbuh 3 as she dangled helplessly from the side of the house in her paper chains. "Right. Numbuh 2, assist Numbuh 3 in getting her out of those chains." "You got it!" replied Numbuh 2 as he ran off in Numbuh 3's direction. "Numbuhs 4 and 5, it's up to us to stop this lunatic before he causes anymore trouble." said Numbuh 1 as Numbuh 4 and 5 cracked their knuckles. Then, all three of them were thrown through the air and onto the ground as something hard struck them. Groaning, Numbuh 5 looked up as the green and black ninja stood a few feet in front of them with his arms crossed. "My name is Ginsu... and trouble isn't the only thing I intend to cause." he said with a cold look in his eyes.

"Argh! Sorry Numbuh 3, but I just can't seem to get these darn chains off! They're paper, but it's like they're almost real!" grunted Numbuh 2 as he tried to rip off Numbuh 3's bindings. "They sure are neat though!" Numbuh 3 said with a smile. "Say, why would that mean boy want to take me away from you guys anyway?" "I really don't know Numbuh 3. I thought those Delightful jerks were the only other kids who hated us? Guess I was wrong." said Numbah 2 as he searched through his pants pockets. "Geez, with all the stuff I make, you'd think I'd be carrying around a simple pair of scissors?"

Meanwhile, the other Kids Next Door were having problems of their own. Ginsu was proving to be a much tougher opponent than Numbuhs 1, 4, and 5 had ever expected despite him being outnumbered. Punch after punch, kick after kick, it seemed that the three K.N.D. operatives were merely being toyed with. Numbuh 4 had managed to land a solid punch on Ginsu's jaw, but ate dirt after he was tossed with a shoulder throw. Numbuh 5 had swept Ginsu off his feet with a low kick, but was hurled several feet back as Ginsu got right back up and landed a bone-jarring kick of his own. Numbuh 1 tried using a S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R., but had found himself the vicim of his own weapon after Ginsu grabbed it, flipped over Numbah 1, and smacked him hard in the back with it, sending Numbuh 1 sprawling to the ground. Ginsu broke the wooden weapon over his knee and brushed the ends of his green scarf off of his shoulders. "You three are pretty good. Not that many people can put up that good of a fight against me, but it won't make any difference in the end. I'm still going to see to it that your butts are promptly handed to you AND I'm going to make sure that Sanban comes with me." Numbuh 4's face became red as a tomato with rage. "KEEP YOUR HANDS OFFA' NUMBUH 3, YA' FREAK!!!" "Whoa, calm down Numbuh Fo! We'll take this twerp down, but ya' gotta' keep your head on straight if we're gonna' do this." said Numbuh 5 reassuringly as she patted the shaking Numbuh 4 on the back. Breathing deeply, Numbah 4 slowly regained his composure and looked over at Numbuh 1. " ... so Nigel, got any bright ideas?" he asked in a cynical tone. Numbuh 1 thought deeply as he looked into the eyes of Ginsu, who was fashioning a long Japanese sword out of sheets of paper. "I honestly don't know, Numbuh 4. It appears that we are in a bit of a pickle." he said as he glanced over his shoulder and realized that the three of them were cornered up against the side of a large tree. Ginsu suddenly lunged at the three Kids Next door and swung sideways with all his might. They barely managed to dodge the paper blade as they all rolled to the side. Ginsu growled in frustration as the Kids Next Door picked themselves up off the ground and readied themselves for another attack. "Ha! Ya' missed us! Not such a scary ninja now, are ya'?" Numbuh 4 smirked. Ginsu looked at Numbuh 4 and dropped his sword. "Numbuh 5 smells somethin' not quite right here..." she said as she looked at Ginsu. The ninja's actions became more puzzling to the dark-skinned operative as he tapped the side of the tree and calmly began walking away. "Hey, where are you goin'?! We're not through with you yet!" shouted Numbuh 4. Then, it hit Numbuh 5 like a sack of jawbreakers. "Numbuh 1! Numbuh Fo! Get outta' the way!" she cried. As the two boys looked back at Numbuh 5 confused, they didn't notice that the tree began to slide off of a very clean cut that had been made near its base. Before the three kids could react, the tree toppled over with a thunderous crash and buried them all in its thick branches.

"Oh no! Numbuh 5! Numbuh 1! Numbuh 4!!" cried Numbuh 3 as she looked on in horror as the tree buried her friends alive. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Numbuh 2 took a sharp rock off of the ground at started hammering away at the chains. "Don't worry Numbuh 3! I'll have you out of here soon, and then we can help out the others!" "That isn't an option." said Ginsu as he flung a surprised Numbuh 2 away like a rag doll, knocking the wind right out of him. Numbuh 3 shrieked as Ginsu broke off the chain suspending her over the side of the house and hoisted her over his shoulder. "Yer' not gonna' get away with this you... you... big dumb jerk!! My friends will come and find me and beat you up!!" "Believe me Sanban, I'm counting on that." he said in a chillingly calm voice as he took off down the street, the two of them dissapearing into the night.

Minutes latter, Numbuhs 1, 4, and 5 slowly rose out of the branches of the downed tree, groaning and holding their heads as bruises covered their bodies. "Oh man... somebody get the bloody numbuh of that bus..." moaned Numbuh 1 as he looked around to make sure that his teammates were all in one piece. "Numbuh 4, Numbuh 5, are you two alright?" The other two operatives simply nodded their heads, defeat written all over their faces. "Speakin' o' which, where in Numbuh 2 anyway?" asked Numbuh 5. She got her answer when Numbuh 2 came running up to them, shouting while trying to catch his breath. "Numbuh... 3... he... took her!" he coughed and sputtered. Numbuh 4 shouted with animalistic rage and kicked the tree hard. "GRRR!! I shoulda' tried harda'!! I shoulda' pounded that creep!!" The others looked down with guilt as Numbuh 4 continued to vent his anger on the side of the tree. It was then that Numbuh 5 noticed a small white card laying on the ground near her feet. "Hey guys, check this out!" she yelled as she picked up it up and then motioned for the others to gather around. They all let out one collective gasp as they finished reading what was printed on the card. "What was that Ginsu-guy doing with a business card from the Delightfuls?" asked Numbuh 2. Numbuh 1 took the card and put it in his pocket. "Ginsu must be working for them, Numbuh 2. That's the only possible explanation." "I knew those Delightful dorks had somethin' ta do with this! They're behind almost everything!" cried Numbuh 4. Numbuh 1 looked down the street in the direction that Ginsu and Numbuh 3 had went. "Well then, that settles it. Tomorrow at precisely 2 p.m., we pay the Delightfuls a visit and get our Numbuh 3 back" "Tomorrow?! We're gonna' wait until TOMORROW?!" protested Numbuh 4. "Yes. In our condition right now, we wouldn't stand a chance against either Ginsu OR the Delightfuls. We must wait until tomorrow when we are fully prepared and at our best." Numbuh 1 replied. He then put a hand on Numbuh 4's shoulder and smiled confidently at his team. "Don't worry. We'll get Numbuh 3 back, then we'll kick those Delightfuls' rears straight into orbit!" "But... what about Ginsu?" asked Numbuh 2 solemnly. Numbuh 5 crossed her arms. "We'll think o' somethin'. We just gotta'." she said determinedly.

TO BE CONTINUED...