O.P.E.R.A.T.I.O.N R.E.V.E.N.G.E

A taxi pulled up before the Delightful mansion, and a figure stepped out into a pouring rain, circling the car to claim his suitcase from the boot and doubling back to the front door to pay the driver.

Nothing was abnormal about the figure – he was only Edward Venn, oldest son of the Delightful Family,

just returning home from four years spent at boarding school in the U.K.

The storm was keeping the Delightful Children awake in their beds.

Weather such as this brought back memories of father training them late into the night.

But most of all,

it reminded them of their oldest brother, who always tried to make light of the rigorous training.

Their older brother was Father's true son and heir to his mansion and entire empire,

but they had not heard from him for years. Father assured them that Edward had only failed Father,

and been sent to a boarding school in the U.K. as punishment.

They had finally drifted off to sleep as another lightning bolt hit something outside the window.

Outside the Delightful Mansion, Edward watched the house with an eager willingness,

contrasting a strong feeling that maybe he shouldn't have come back at all. But he brushed aside this feeling and another,

more hateful one demanding that after four years of boarding school, he had every right to come home.

Seeing the mansion brought back torrents of memories, most of them bad, but after four years at that hellish English school,

even his old home looked warm and inviting. Sometimes, when nothing was there to distract him,

he thought of his days at the Delightful Mansion, remembering clearly his father ordering him to destroy the Kids Next Door nearly every night.

He wondered how his siblings were doing, and if their luck had been any better than his in destroying the Kids Next Door.

He had tried to stay in touch with them by writing, but he had never received any response.

He entered the servant's gate, and if memory served him, there would be a key under the stone slab.

He headed for the back Door, looking around at his surroundings as if they were new. A shock of lightning illuminated a window, and he could clearly see his father standing there, watching him.

Father was pleased indeed because his oldest son, special agent Venn, had finally returned, and no doubt learned his lesson for such failure.

"I see you have journeyed home at last, Special Agent Venn," Father greeted him sternly.

Special Agent Venn was not in the mood to be intimidated his father.

"It did not help that you sent me off to a boarding school in England when I returned from the Kids Next Door's moon base," Special Agent Venn replied bitterly.

"How was your flight?" father asked, trying to charge the subject. "You seem skinner than last time I saw you.

Did the school not feed you well?" "Apart from three meals a day and trying to work out what I did wrong, I'm all right, Father.

" "Now, for business. I want you ready to take care of a little problem your siblings can't seem to get rid of," said Father in a businesslike tone.

"Give me a rest, Father," demanded agent Venn, "I just came home." "No, are you disobeying me?" asked Father darkly, flames erupting around him.

"No, I will do as you ask, Father," Venn relented. "May I ask what this little problem is, Father?" asked Venn, trying to appear interested.

"It's those cursed Kids Next Door," Father shouted. "They are ruining my scheme for adults to rule the world."

"And you want me to get rid of them, is that it?" asked Venn. "Yes, and if you fail me, you will only wish you were being sent to boarding school," Father threatened.

"Yes, I will do as you command, it will give me a chance to finally get revenge on those Kids Next Door – John, Cree, Liz, Bate, Ron." He spat each name as though it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Yes, sweet revenge.

Reflectively, he noted that those five Kids Next Door had probably decommissioned in the four years he had been gone. But that was no problem at all.

The new Kids Next Door were to be defeated, and he would take his revenge on the old Kids Next Door.

He would take pleasure in destroying them all...especially Cree.