"Boss? Hey Boss, you okay?" Numbah 5 gently shook Numbah 1.

"What?" asked Numbah 1, rubbing his eyes. "How long have we been here?"

"'Bout an hour. You were sleepin' like a baby!" she shook her head.

"Oh...I sort of feel sick to my stomach" he admitted. "I'm going to go get a soda" and he went to the boat and popped open a rootbeer.

Meanwhile, Numbah 4 and 2 were checking out the teenagers sitting on beach chairs. Numbah 4 whistled.

"Aren't we a little young for them?" said Numbah 2.

"Older women sometimes date younger men" replied Numbah 4.

"Well..."

"C'mon!"

"Allright already I'm coming" he said and they walked over.

"Hey foxy ladies, can I buy you a soda?" asked Numbah 4. The girls just stared, and gave each Numbah 4 and Numbah 2 a good whack across the cheek.

"Well thanks a lot Mr. Let's Go Check Out Older Women To See If They Will Get Attracted To Us!" said Numbah 2, rubbing his sore cheek.

"Gr" grumbled Numbah 4. "No good teenagers!"

In the meantime, Numbah 5 had to go to the bathroom. There was a coed bathroom at the beach and Numbah 5 rapped and rapped on the door. "C'mon I really gotta go!" she screamed.

"All right I'm com-" Numbah 1 came out of the bathroom looking a little green.

"Numbah 1?!"

"Yes?"

"You look like you've been throwing up...what's the matter?" she demanded.

"Uh...food poison. Yea, those cupcakes really can take a toll on you" he stuttered.

Numbah 5 ignored him and put her hand on his forehead. "You're burnin' up! That's it I'm rounding everyone up to go home!"

The others groaned knowing their beach day was ruined but they did feel a little selfish knowing their leaduh was sick and all they cared about was finishing their precious day at the beach. The mossituoh was pretty much quiet during the ride back. Numbah 2 drove silently. Numbah 3 was laying on the floor coloring. Numbah 4 read a comic book. And Numbah 5 stayed and comforted Numbah 1.

"You need to tell us when you don't feel well" she said.

"Well actually I-" Numbah 1 began but was cut off by a sharp stabbing pain on the left side of his belly. He gritted his teeth. "Numbah 1! Here let me get you an asprin" said Numbah 5, handing him a soda and an asprin. Usually the gang avoided medicine but in this case, Numbah 1 really needed it.

"Thanks...N-N-Numbah 5" he said and placed the pill on his tounge and swallowed.

They arrived home and Numbah 5 put Numbah 1 straight to bed. "Now you just relax, and if you need anything at all, call, okay?"

"Mmmph" he said in a sleepy voice.

The others hung out in the living room. Numbah 3 was interested in some Rainbow Monkeys show, Numbah 1 played his video game, and Numbah 1 was working on his toy plane which had lost a wheel.

Numbah 5 checked her watch, then rose from the table. ÒI'm going to check on Numbah 1.Ó

ÒGive him a break, he'll call when he needs youÓ said Numbah 4, looking up from his video game

Numbah 5 ignored them. Looking back on things later, she was glad she did. She was barely out of the dining room when a strange feeling of unease crept up on her. Something was wrong, but she didn't know what. She paused, listening to the familiar and normal sounds of the house. The soft thud from behind the closed door of the bathroom wasn't normal.

The agent grasped the knob and turned it. Numbah 1 was on the floor, curled into a fetal position. "Oh my god" she said and dropped to her knees next to him and carefully turned him onto his back. ÒBoss? It's me, Numbah 5, can you hear me?Ó

Numbah 1 squinted up at her. ÒIt hurts . . .Ó He gasped and squeezed his eyes shut. ÒMake it stop.Ó He moaned and rolled away from her, onto his left side.

ÒWe will,Ó Numbah 5 assured quietly. ÒGUYS COME QUICKÓ Her voice was louder and more urgent this time. ÒIT"S NUMBAH !Ó

She turned back to him. She was 10 years old and didn't exactly know what to do. "Help is on the way" she comforted him.

The others came running. "Call an ambulence and hurry!" she cried. "He fell on the floor and something hurts" Numbah 2 grabbed the phone and dialed 911.

ÒOur friend . . . he's 10 . . . vomiting earlier . . . severe pain . . . I don't know when it started. . ..Ó

ÒThis morning,Ó Numbah 5 informed him. "It happened at the beach!"

ÒIt started this morning. Would you just get someone out here?Ó Numbah 2's normally calm tone was wearing thin. ÒI'm sorry. . . it's hard to stay calm in this kinda situation.Ó

Numbah 4 took charge. "Numbah 3 go and wait for the paramedics at the front door..."

ÒWhat's wrong with Numbah 1?Ó she asked

ÒGo, Numbah 3,Ó Numbah 5 ordered. ÒPlease.Ó She briefly watched her as she stood and left the room. Then she turned back to her boss, feeling helpless and hating it.

ÒI don't . . . think . . . I can. . ..Ó Numbah 1 gasped and seemed to pull further in on himself. ÒTake . . . this. . ..Ó

Numbah 5 grasped his hand. "It's gonna be okay"

ÒHe's in here.Ó Numbah 3's voice echoed from the foyer, followed by the clatter of wheels and heavy footsteps on the tile floor.

ÒWhat's his name?Ó a male voice asked.

ÒNigel Uno aka Kids Next Door agent Numbah 1. He's really, really sick,Ó Numbah 1 responded.

ÒWe'll take good care of him,Ó a female voice this time.

Numbah 5 stood as the paramedics wheeled a stretcher laden with equipment into the hall.

ÒPlease . . . don't leave. . ..Ó Numbah 1's voice was weak.

ÒI'm just getting out of the way.Ó Numbah 5 knelt briefly next to him. ÒI'll be right here,Ó she promised, then moved out of the way.

The female paramedic knelt on Numbah 1's left side. ÒNigel, we need to put you on your back.Ó She began gently guiding Ryan back toward her male partner, who knelt to Nigel's right side.

ÒNo . . ..Ó Numbah 1 moaned as the woman moved him.

ÒSorry,Ó the woman said quietly, ÒIs it your right side?Ó

He groaned, then nodded.

ÒWe'll have you fixed up in no time, pal,Ó the male paramedic assured him.

ÒI'm just gonna take your pulse,Ó the female paramedic advised, lifting his left arm and placing two fingers on the inside of his wrist.

The male paramedic was moving boxes and equipment from the gurney to the floor of the room. He opened the first box, which looked like a radio. The second box looked like a tackle box filled with I.V. bags, syringes and small bottles.

ÒHOAG, this is County 26, we have a white male, age 10, severe abdominal pain, fever, vomiting.Ó The male paramedic paused and turned to Numbah 5. ÒWhen did the symptoms start?Ó

ÒThis morning at the beach. All we thought was he had a fever..Ó Numbah 5 knew how irresponsible the statement sounded. ÒI found him on the floor" That was when she noticed the bottle of aspirin on the counter. ÒOh, God.Ó She stepped forward and picked it up. She realized she'd grabbed the first thing she found in the medicine cabinet. ÒI've been giving him aspirin, instead of ibuprofen for his fever.Ó

The paramedic took the bottle. ÒHOAG, symptoms are worse since this morning. Advise the patient was given aspirin for fever. Stand by for vitals.Ó

Ò10-4, 26.Ó A female voice came from the radio, which surprised Numbah 5. Ò26, how much aspirin was ingested?Ó

ÒWell, I gave him one on our Moss-I mean boatÓ Numbah 5 answered the radio's question.

"Good only one pill. It's a good thing you called when you did" she said.

The female paramdeic put a hand on the center of Numbah 1's stomach, then moved it to his left side, then to his right.

ÒNo . . . don't,Ó he moaned, wrapping his arms around his stomach and curling to his left.

ÒSorry, honÓ The woman gently guided Numbah 1 back to his back.

The male paramedic finished writing, then picked up the radio handset. ÒInsert the fluids through vial"

"Okay, hon, you're going to fee a pinch" she said

ÒHate . . . needles,Ó Numbah 1 mumbled.

ÒSo do I.Ó The woman smiled down at him. She tore open the set-up package, quickly swabbed a spot on the back of Numbah 1's left hand and poised above it with the needle.

She inserted it into his hand and he let out a cry of pain.

"Okay now the hard part is over. For now. Let's get you onto a stretcher and tp the hospital.

ÒNo . . . please . . . don't.Ó Numbah 1 weakly shook his head.

ÒWe're sorry, pal, but it's the only way to get you better.Ó The male paramedic patted his shoulder. ÒWe'll be real careful.Ó

ÒNo,Ó Numbah 1 protested weakly.

Numbah 4 stepped into the room and knelt next to the male paramedic. ÒYou heard the man, it's gotta be done.Ó He offered his hand. ÒWanna squeeze my hand?Ó

Numbah 1 reached for his partner's hand but was interuppted. "Get him on a stretcher and let's go!" the female said.

ÒGot it.Ó The male paramedic placed a clear mask over Numbah 1's nose and mouth while his partner closed the radio and drug box and placed each of them at the foot of the gurney. A green oxygen bottle went between Numbah 1's knees, on top of the blankets.

ÒWe ready to roll?Ó The female paramedic asked.

The male paramedic took a brief look around the room, then nodded. ÒReady to roll.Ó

The paramedics dropped the wheels of the stretcher, rolled it out of the room, turning it in the hall toward the front door.

"I'm riding with Numbah 1. Numbah 2 you take 3 and 4 in the Mossquitoh and we'll meet you at the hospital" Numbah 5 called over her shoulder following the paramedics.

The paramedics were already on the driveway and Numbah 5 had to hurry to catch up to them as they rolled Numbah 1 toward the open doors at the back of the ambulance.