I don't own Kids Next Door, but you are all smart little cabages, so I think you all know that now, that's why I write fanfiction, because I don't own anything......sigh

2. Doing Business

The afternoon air was stuffy and oppressive to any normal person, so imagine how it must have felt to anyone in a suit. The girls of the Delightful Children from Down the Lane didn't have much to worry about, but a suit got very hot, very fast. If the Delightful boys were feeling miserable, they hid it masterfully. The day was hot and humid, good chance for rain, but the merciless sun burned right through the clouds. They had run out of good ideas to destroy the Kids Next Door, so they decided to take a break and get drinks at a local pub. They were glad Father had approved this place, as going anywhere without his permission was practically suicide. They were in good company, as many of the Kids Next Door's enemies were there. They were glad to see that Knightbrace had finally gotten out of the hospital, and that new plans were being formed to finally destroy the Kids Next Door. Being the obedient, adult-fearing children that they were, they didn't point out the fatal errors in their plans. They never did.

"That will never work."

Everyone turned to see who had said that. It was an Italian girl, with long cherryred hair. She wore a black hoodie with the word "ZERO" emblazoned in silver block letters. She had a black spiked bracelet on each wrist, red and black SOAPS shoes. She wore wire framed retangular sunglasses.

"Never put a self-destruct button outside of your robots."

"Pesky girls shouldn't talk while the grown-ups are talking. Go run and play." Mr. Wink said.

That got her furious. She kicked the chair right out from under him and grabbed him by the neck. She hissed furiously at him, "WHAT DID YOU SAY?! Pesky Girl?! I look like a girl?! Is that what I am?! A woman?! I'm a fucking woman, is that it?! What made you think I'm a woman?! Do I look like a woman? Do I look like a woman to you?!" He was screaming by now. Okay, so the Italian girl is actually a long-haired Italian boy. And a sensitive one at that. Mr. Wink was too suprised to speak. The boy calmed down; he let go of the terrified old guy. The whole group stared at him.

"Oh! Excuse me. Where are my manners? My name is Michelangelo V. Ragazzi. I hate the Kids Next Door. All who feel likewise should hear me out." And with that, he sat down.

#######

The Kids Next Door were unsuccessfully looking for he suspects from last night. So far, nobody heard anything, nobody saw anything. All who were there a the scene were too preoccupied with the fire. The trail was getting cold. The operatives sat in their tree house talking about today's failure. The forecast predictions were right. It was raining one of those summer monsoons. The kind that terrify small children and Numbuh Three. She was hugging her stuffed animals.

"ARGG!" Numbuh Four was tearing at his hair and pacing around. "We look all day, and we don't get one measly clue! This is CRAZY!"

"Aw, C'mon Numbuh Four. Someone must know something. We just need to keep looking!" Numbuh Two said.

"WE"VE BEEN LOOKING ALL DAY!" Numbuh Four countered.

"Have we asked every kid in the neighborhood?" Numbuh One barked.

"Every kid, Numbuh One. But we can ask teenagers. Or If we get really desperate, we can ask adults.." Numbuh five said.

"NO! Teenagers and adults are the scum of the earth! Who knows what false information they might give! They could lead up into a trap!" Numbuh One ranted.

That's a good one, Numbuh Five thought. All kids are good. All teenagers and adults are bad. Never mind The Delightful Children from Down The Lane or Lasso Lass. Numbuh Five sighed. Rules were rules. They really couldn't ask anyone over twelve years of age for their help, that was the KND law. Asking help from teens was taboo, and asking help from adults was decommission territory.

"Hey, Kids Next Door, looking for someone?" said a voice from above. The Kids Next Door looked up and saw the boy in red from Lime Ricky's. His swords were out, and he kneeled from the rafters.

"You're the guy who tried to cut me in two!" Numbuh Four yelled,"AND you're friends with the guys who torched the place!"

"Why, yes, yes I am." The boy from the rafters said.

"Is your name Kazuo Vincenzo?" Numbuh One asked.

"That's what my mom calls me. But everyone else just calls me Spyder!" he yelled, jumping from the rafters and landed in the middle of the group, "Come at me!" he challenged.

Numbuh Four and Numbuh Five, who knew martial arts, ran to meet his challenge. Everyone else ran to arm themselves.

"Just two? That's fine!" Spyder said as he tried to decapitate Numbuh Five. She ducked under the katana and attempted a punch to the chest. Spyder blocked with his katana as Numbuh Four came in for a head shot. The blow struck Spyder in the back of the skull. He felt his vision blackend for a second, but recovered to try a slash from behind. Numbuh Four jumped away just in time to avoid being slashed open. Numbuh Five karate chopped Spyder across the bridge of his nose. He screamed in pain and was temperarily blinded. The damage might have been worse had he not been wearing his sunglasses, but his gaurd was dropped nonetheless. In his blindness, He felt strong arms lock around his own.

"I'll hold him Numbuh Five, you just kick his butt!"

"Awright!" the female said. Sight was restored for Spyder just in time to see Numbuh Five pummel him with vicious punches and kicks. Whoever meant 'hits like a girl' as an insult was never hit by one. Spyder thought as he went down.

He had one more trick up his sleeve.

Numbuh Four let go as the would-be assassin fell to the ground. "Numbuh Five thinks that's was too easy. This guy gets an 8.9 as a rating, and we drop him this fast? Nuh-uh, too easy." Numbuh five muttered.

Just then, the rest of the team arrived with various kid-made 2x4 technology. "Whoa! You got him! Good Job!" Numbuh Two exclaimed.

"Hold on, Numbuh Two, Numbuh Five don't think this is over." she said. Numbuhs One through Three lowered their weapons to the motionless boy on the floor. Numbuh Four rolled him onto his back.

The orange solar lenses flashed as something previously hidden dropped from the canopy of the treetop outside. It was the size of hippie-hop, resembling a scorpion, red and orange, with a powerful laser gun on its tail and huge pincher claws. It stood protectively over Spyder. It raised high enough to allow Spyder to sit up. He put his cap back on and pushed his sunglasses up his nose.

"Meet the AFOR-12, code name: DeathStrike." he said.

The Deathstrike picked its master up with one of those huge claws of its and placed him inside the cockpit; all black until the computers turned on to reveal a 360 degree view of the outside. Wires wrapped around him and connected to his glasses, encasing him in a tangled cocoon. The battle system initiated and man and machine were one. A duel voice of Spyder and the cybernetic monster voice of the DeathStrike growled, "LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED"

"Numbuh Five knew this was just too easy!"

#############

"Your idea is sickening and appalling. We refuse to take part in such an nefarious scheme! Good day to you!" The Delightful Children from Down the Lane said in disgust, getting up to leave. The thought of even considering participation in such an odious act appalled them all. This was a first, dispite their seeming communist nature, they disagreed quite a bit when nobody was looking or listening. The rain was pouring outside, so they called Jinkens to pick them up.

Mikey spoke up after the Delightful Children had left, "Prudes." he muttered, "Now, does anyone else have an objection?"

Big Brother spoke up, "Just explain it a little better." Mikey smiled. "Well..." "Wait a minute." The Tolinater interrupted. He was looking out at the rain under the canopy that covered the deck, looking glum. "Wouldn't the Kids Next Door be listening in on us? So now the plan is ruined."

"The Land Lubber's right, mate." Stickybeard pointed out.

"I-I am?" The Tolinater said, suprised that anyone would call him right for once.

"You are," Mikey said, "But I already have someone keeping them busy..."

########

The clawed demonic mech had the upper hand. With Numbuh Five and Numbuh Four in it's claws, it preceded to blast the remaining free operatives with it's tail. SpyderDeathStrike laughed manically as it tore apart the base. It was immobile at least, Numbuh Three had frozen the beast's legs. The DeathStrike threw its captive operatives at Numbuh Two and Numbuh One. They collided with a sickening thud. Numbuh Two had shot a rafter on impact and it fell on the DeathStrike.

"YAAYY! We won!" Numbuh Three clapped with glee. She leaped and danced on the immobile DeathStrike.

"Wait, Numbuh Three!" Numbuh One yelled.

Too late. The monster reared back up and grabbed the Asian girl.

"DID YOU THINK THIS WAS OVER?!" They yelled, "I'M JUST GETTING WARMED UP!"

Taking that as a pun, it shot the ice trapping its legs. Numbuh Three screamed, she shot her hand in the air to get the sleeve down, and spoke to the watch on her wrist. "Hippie-Hop! We've got someone to play with! It's a scary scorpion!" She screamed over the chaos. Seconds later, The giant rabbit bust through the wall. It lept through the air and slashed the claw right off the DeathStrike, freeing its master. "Thanks!" Kuki said as she lept into the cockpit.

"IT'S TIME TO PLAY!" Hippie-Hop bellowed.

I thinkI'll end it there. A bit of a cliff hanger for you. Next chapter: Mech vs. Mech. And Mikey's evil Scheme begins to take hold. By the way, AFOR-12 is a military designation. I made up the mech, but if it were real, the designation would identify what it is used for. A-attack, F-Fighter, O-obsevration, R- reconnaissance, 12 for the design number (numbuh?). So, until next chapter, SMILE UNTIL YOU STOP!