Chapter Two

Father had bid Venn good night, calling the butler in to take away.

"Take him to his room and make sure he is provided with a change of clothes. And get him a razor, will you Jeeves?" "Yes, sir," replied Jeeves dully.

"I want you cleaned up by tomorrow, and get someone to cut your hair; you are not presentable," Father scolded.

"Yes, Father." Jeeves led him to his room in the attic and opened the Door for him. "Anything else, master Venn?" "No thank you, Jeeves."

"You will find a razor in your drawer, and I have made sure your affairs are in order, since you were gone, master Venn."

"Thank you." As Jeeves left, Venn walked over to the drawer and opened it, finding the razor.

As he looked himself over, he noted that he had changed rather drastically, even growing facial hair.

The only thing left unchanged on his face were his pale blue eyes. His hair had darkened, a stark contrast to the pale blond of his siblings.

He stubbornly pushed away thoughts of how he had done wrong, instead focusing on how to get himself back in order.

His life before had been filled with opportunity, every thought of those Kids Next Door and teaching them to obey adults', the rightful rulers, commands, but the Kids Next Door had to come ruin it for him and his family.

And to make it worse, they imprisoned him for a month, the prison run by snot-nose kids who only cared about stupid baseball cards.

He had found ways of amusing himself, though, and placed a few Kids Next Door operatives into his debt.

They had only risen up the ladder because of his advice. And they had learned little indeed when asking for details as to how to fight Father.

He soon became bored, though, and escaped, returning home, only to be sent to a boarding school by Father.

He began shaving and cut himself. 'Things will be changing around here, and that is a promise.

The first to suffer will be the new Kids Next Door, only this time, I will not be defeated,' he thought as he want to bed.

The Delightful Children From Down the Lane had each woken up, brushed their teeth and headed downstairs for breakfast. They were just walking by the stairs when they heard the Door open.

Stopping short, they each turned to look up the stairs, watching the Door open.

They were shocked, watching with gaping mouths, as their long-lost brother yawned and walked down to join their formation.

He spoke casually, as though he had not been gone for four years, and this was a perfectly normal day.

"Are we having breakfast, or have you all forgotten what I taught you about manners?" he asked cheerfully.

"No, brother," they all murmured in a monotonous tone. "After breakfast, I would like to see all reports and recording of your battles with the Kids Next Door, and any profile on them, please,"

Venn stated bluntly. They walked into the dining room where a table was prepared for them with a light English breakfast, complete with tea.

They waited for five minutes until Father turned up. Only agent Venn rose his head to him.

"As you all know, your older brother has returned to us, and now we more powerful than ever," Father greeted.

"Father, the food getting cold and my siblings look hungry." "You will wait until I arrive before eating, and never before.

Understood?" Father replied tersely. "I understood because you drilled it into me long before my siblings where born," Venn answered.

"When are you going out to the barbers?"

Father asked. "After breakfast, and Father, I might take a bit longer because I would like to visit Ian."

"You may visit him, but be back by one 1:00. Understood?" Father ordered. "Yes Father," replied Venn.

"And Edward, I do not want the Kids Next Door finding out you're in the area," Father demanded. "Don't worry, I be careful, Father." Venn replied.

Venn had put on a black overcoat, covering part of his face, though it wasn't much of a bother because so few people knew him, and those who did were his enemies.

He walked past the Uno house, where the new Kids Next Door tree house was, and looked at it, trying to see any differences since the last time he saw it, aside from the fact that it was in a different place.

He was wondering if anybody was in, when he noticed two kids walking toward him.

One of them saw him. "Hey, what are you doing, teenager?" shouted an orange-clad boy with an Australian accent. "I'm just trying to figure out why this tree is growing out of a house" Venn said.

"Well, this is none of your business," the boy answered shortly. "Yeah, teenager, none of your business, because this is Kids Next Door H.Q.," added the other boy.

"This is Number Four and I'm Number Two." "Number Two, keep quite," Number Four muttered. "Okay, I'm sorry, I just wanted to look at your stupid tree house,

" Venn said. "What was his problem?" sneered Number Four. Venn was still thinking about their encounter when he went into the barbers and asked for a haircut.

The barber did a good job on his hair, cutting it evenly shorter, just like he used to have it. He paid the barber as he left.

He walked down the lane, noticing the arcade and walking in. It was full of kids and teenagers,

and he was about to leave when he saw Ian. Venn went up to him, smiling. "Hello Ian, how are you?"

"Agent Venn I thought you where in the U.K." Ian shuddered. "Don't call me that in public," Venn hissed, looking around to see if anybody heard him. "Just call me Edward," said Venn. "Okay," Ian relented.

"Do the Kids Next Door know you're in the area?" "No, not yet, I hope. Have you still got the disk?" asked Venn. "Yes I still got it but I have to warn you that a member of the KND lives right next door to me.

And she can be a bit nosey, if you know what I mean; she is Cree's sister," replied Ian. "Abigail. I always thought she'd get into the Kids Next Door just like her sister.

So how is the old Kids Next Door gang?" Venn asked. "From what I heard, John is at this art school and Liz has gone to live with her aunt in New York, and Bate and Ron are still around and are finishing high school.

So is Cree, and I heard she joined your side." "You're kidding!" Venn gasped.

"No, you better ask your father." "I will; so what can you tell me about the new Kids Next Door?" Venn asked once again. "Well, they're even worst than the last lot.

Foiling the adults' plans, and they have even defeated your own father and TDCFDTL." This came as a big shock to agent Venn. If Father had got involved, than the Kids Next Door had become a huge threat to his plans indeed.

He could understand his siblings being defeated, but not Father. "So may I ask what you're going to get up to now? You can't take on the Kids Next Door, they will crush you.

Cree tried taking them on and she was defeated by them. And if I remember correctly, she was as good as you where," Ian said. "To tell you the truth, I just want a normal life, but father will want me to take on the Kids Next Door,"

Venn murmured quietly. "So which high school are you studying at, Ian?"

"Keyhole High, the same as Bate and Ron." "Anyway, I'll probably see you next week,"

said Venn calmly.

"Bye." "Yes, I'll call on you tonight and give you the disk" replied Ian. "Are you still using the same number?" Venn asked. "No, actually," said Ian,

"I changed it. Let me write it down for you?" Venn was walking down the lane when he saw Mrs. Uno walking up.

She saw him and stopped, smiling broadly. "Is that you, Venn? I haven't seen you around for ages!

How your music going along?" "It is very nice to see you,

Mrs Uno. I've been away too long, and I'm glad to be back – I just returned last night from the U.K. How is Mr. Uno?"

"Oh he is fine; still reading the newspapers and he trying to spend more time with Nigel. Oh, speaking about Nigel,"

Mrs Uno said suddenly, as if remembering something important, "his babysitter is on holiday and I was about to call someone else.

I saw you and remembered you used to baby-sit him when he was younger, and I was just wondering if you where up for baby- sitting him for tonight." "Okay,"

Venn replied cordially. "It has been kind of a long time, but I'm up for it."

"Good," said Mrs. Uno happily. "We'll see you 8:30 tonight, and it's $4 per hour, same as last time." "Okay, I'll see you tonight.

Thanks, Mrs. Uno." "No, thank you," Mrs. Uno returned warmly. Venn finally reached the mansion and opened the door.

He was about to walk up the stairs when he heard Father's voice.

"Agent Venn, I need to see you now," Father called. He walked to his study and knocked on the door.

"Come in," was the cool reply. Venn walked in and headed straight for a chair, facing the table, his father sitting at the other end.

"You're needed for a new mission, to gather intelligence on the Kids Next Door and their activities. It very important that they do not know you're an agent. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Father, and I have the perfect opportunity to do it. Mrs. Uno wants me to baby-sit Number One tonight."

"Good. Soon those cursed Kids Next Door will learn to fear use once again. But hopefully," Father warned,

"the local members don't know you're even in the area, and if so,

they will be unsure that you pose a threat to them until it to late. "Soon, the Kids Next Door will be destroyed," laughed father.

"Yes, and soon things will charge around here," said Agent Venn under his breath.