Girl with a Broken Smile
"That," muttered Numbuh 1, "is the last straw." The familiar Kids Next Door team from Sector V were worn out from escaping the deadly wrath of Father once again. At first it was just a simple mission to retrieve a KND 2x4 L.U.N.C.H.B.O.C.K.S from the Delightful Children, but Numbuh 4 had blown their cover. He had been doing that a lot lately.
Numbuh 4 – Wallabee Beetles – was a born and bred tough guy. He was brash and impulsive, and couldn't help it. It all started with his brother, Brad (now an adult, married, and living in Melbourne) and his little cousin Joey. They were hanging out in a trailer park when Wally was 8 and doing half-time training at the KND Antarctic base. Joey was tossing rocks into a nearby lake, and Brad was skipping stones professionally, trying to impress a girl leaning out of a trailer window. Wally just couldn't understand it. His brother was ignoring him more and more every day, and they were growing apart.
"Come on," said Joey. "Try it, it's fun!" "Huh?" Wally replied. "Throwing rocks, dummy," said Joey with a pout. "Nah," said Wally. "Why not?" Joey asked. "I'm scared I might throw one too hard and hit something else." "You won't," replied Joey. "Watch, I can throw really hard and..." Joey picked up a small stone and lobbed it hard across the lake. Or at least he tried to. Instead, he hit Brad, who was on the bank to the right of them. "Joeeeeey!" whined Brad. "Stop cramping my style." "What style?" Joey yelled back. "Ya ain't got any." Annoyed, Brad whipped up a rock and hurled it at Joey. Joey ducked and it crashed through a window of the trailer behind him. "Uh-oh," Brad breathed. He picked up his backpack and started running back in the direction of home.
Just then, a huge, burly man stepped out of the trailer. "Do you realize how much that cost me?" he shouted at Joey. "I didn't do it!" Joey screamed. "Yeah right," he laughed, picking him up. "And ya have proof?" "HE did!" Joey insisted, pointing in the direction Brad was in. Emphasis on the WAS. The man sniggered. "There's no escaping, kid."
Wallabee shuddered. Just the thought of being picked up seemed intimidating to him. He should save Joey...but that meant the guy would pack a punch to him too. But it was his cousin – he was defenseless. Just then, the man glared fiercely at Wally. That made up his mind. Wally ran.
That night, Mrs Beetles told Wallabee that Joey had gotten a broken nose and a fractured wrist, and did he know anything about it. Wally shook his head and went into his room.
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Wally lay on his bed, staring at his wrestling posters. How could he have been so stupid? He should have rescued Joey, no matter what. Now Joey would be disfigured for his life because of him. Wally sighed, and sat up. From now on, he'd have to be quick. Regardless of the circumstances, he should do what first comes to him. Even if it meant he had to rush into things.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" demanded Numbuh 1, staring at Numbuh 4. "I'm....I'm sorreh," said Wally, staring at the floor. "That's the seventh time you've done that, and Numbuh 5 is NOT amused." Numbuh 5 said, lying on a couch. "Yeah," Numbuh 2 agreed. "You're not trying hard enough." "I tried as hard as I could," Numbuh 4 said defensively. He looked to Numbuh 3 for support. And for the first time, Numbuh 3 avoided his gaze and stared in the opposite direction. "Numbuh 1, we've been through this before. Remember that hamster, Numbuh 4b? Remember how THAT turned out?"
Nigel sighed. "I think," he said, "That you're more of a drawback to the Kids Next Door than an asset." He glared at Wally, who glared back. "I am NOT. Think of all the missions you've successfully completed because of me." "What missions?" countered Numbuh 1. "Besides, I don't; think our team would work just as well without me." "It definitely WOULD."
Wally stared in surprise at Numbuh 1. "...you just don't care about me, do ya? Ya probably wouldn't notice if I just disappeared." "Oh, we would notice," said Numbuh 1. "We just wouldn't mind. "Fine!" said Wally. "Fine. I might just leave ya all and this popsicle stand tonight and you would probably all love it." "We probably would." Nigel's stony gaze hit Wally like a poison dart. Wallabee couldn't believe it. He stormed out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him. Wally strode into his own room and made the door lock behind him. And, for the second time in his life, Wally began to cry.
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Numbuh 4 body-slammed one of his fighter robot sin his boxing ring angrily. They couldn't work without him. But maybe they could. Numbuh 1 said so, and when Numbuh 1 says something, he means it. This was the last straw for Wally, too. He had been contemplating the prospect of running away for some days now. And this made him decide to do exactly just that. Wallabee switched off the robot and climbed down the stairs to the main part of his room. He started to toss a few things into his bag and sat patiently, waiting for the KND to fall asleep.
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Numbuh 3 was bawling her eyes out. "We didn't have to be so mean to Numbuh 4," she said tearfully. "He really did try." "He deserved it," snarled Numbuh 1, switching on the TV. "No," said Numbuh 3 defiantly. "He didn't." "Give it a rest, Numbuh 3." Numbuh 2 returned from the kitchen, holding a large pack of chips. "It's not like he's really gonna run away or anything," he said through a mouthful of tortilla chips. "I think he might," Numbuh 3 whispered, trudging back to her Rainbow Monkey-ridden room.
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The digital clock in Wally's room beeped. It was 1 AM. He should start going now. He silently slipped through his door. Numbuh 4 slowly walked along the hallway, and stopped in front of Numbuh 3's door. He could hear her breathing through the silence of the treehouse. Wally wiped a tear away from his eye. It hurt him so much just to leave without saying anything to Numbuh 3. He started to scrabble around for something in his backpack to leave for her, and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen. He started to write. Then he slipped it under her door, and started to climb down a rope ladder under a window in front of her door.
Wallabee was both angry and sad. He wanted to get away from the Treehouse as fast as possible. He jumped down from the ladder, and started running as fast as he could down the street. He wasn't really sure where he was going, but he wanted to go there as fast as he could. He reached the candy store three streets over, closed his eyes, and fell into a fitful, nightmare-filled sleep.
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Dear Numbuh 3,
I'm sorry, but I have to do this. Last night really made up my mind. I hate doing this to you – just leaving without saying goodbye, I mean. So...bye, I guess. Oh, and before I go, I want to finish what I was going to say in what Numbuh 1 put down as Operation: U.N.D.E.R.C.O.V.E.R. Numbuh 3 – Kuki – I like you. As in, I LIKE like you. I really do.
- Numbuh 4
"No," said Numbuh 3. "He didn't." She tossed the piece of paper on the floor and hugged one of her Rainbow Monkeys. She sobbed and flung herself down onto her bed, a giant soft toy. "How could he have been so stupid?" she whispered, clutching her Rainbow Monkey. Then she smiled through her tears. "He likes me," she muttered. "He LIKE likes me...I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! He is SO obvious." Numbuh 3 grinned, watery-eyed, and rolled over on her bed. "Numbuh 4 was never any good at making decisions anyway. He probably couldn't help it."
Just then, a knock rang through Numbuh 3's room. "Hey, Numbuh 3." Numbuh 5's voice drifted to Kuki's ears. Numbuh 3 stifled a sob. "Are ya gonna come out and eat your breakfast or does Numbuh 5 have to drag ya out?" "Coming," said Numbuh 3, tucking her Rainbow Monkey into its bed. She wiped her eyes and came out of her room.
"Finally," Numbuh 5 said, relieved. "Now Numbuh 5 has to wake up Numbuh 4..." "Don't," said Kuki sadly. "He's not coming." Abby looked puzzled. "I...I talked to him earlier." "Okay..."Numbuh 5 replied. "Come on," she said, grabbing Kuki's hand. "Let's go." Numbuh 3 sadly walked down the stairs and into the dining room.
Kuki sat down next to Numbuh 2 and Numbuh 4's empty seat. "Hey Numbuh 3," Numbuh 2 greeted, shoveling cereal into his mouth. "Where's Numbuh 4?" "Wallabee's not coming," she said, starting to tear again. "She called him Wallabee? Something's gotta have happened. I have a feeling," Hoagie whispered to Nigel. Numbuh 1 nodded. "I wonder what..." Nigel whispered back, casting a worried glance at Numbuh 3. Kuki poked at her Rainbow-O's and then put down her spoon, leaning back in her chair. Numbuh 5 looked nervously at Numbuh 3. "Numbuh 3 –"she said, shaking her gently. "Tell me what's wrong."
Numbuh 3 tightly grabbed Abby's arm and pulled her to the landing where the KND's rooms were. She dragged her into her room, and shoved the note in her face. "Look what Wally did," she sobbed. "That...ugh, Numbuh 5 doesn't believe it..." "You better," Kuki said, sitting down on a lime green sofa. "Well...do you know where he went?" Numbuh 5 said, joining Kuki on the sofa. "No," she replied, shaking her head. "Well...let's go see what he took with him," Numbuh 5 said, walking out of the room. Numbuh 3 followed her into Wally's. "Now look around for what's missing." "Okay," Kuki replied, looking around the room.