Note to reader: Before reading any further please make sure you have read the updated version of chapter 3. If you do not you may be lost as to what is going on. If you have read the recently updated chapter then please continue. Have a nice day.
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Numbuh 86 ran swiftly as she tried to keep up with the fleeing Father. Nothing that her years as decommissioning head hadn't already conditioned her for. The flaming body came to a stop before the large doors of the defense grid nerve center and turned to face its attackers.
"Ha! We've got you cornered." She trilled arrogantly. "Fire at will!"
The fighting squad unleashed its payload without mercy, ready to make this their final stand if the need be. But stone hard expressions of valor quickly faded to confused grimaces as scoops of rapidly flying ice cream passed straight though their target as if he weren't really there. Where the ice cream hit, flame dissolved until there was nothing standing but trails of steam and the befuddled firing squad. It took a few seconds for Fanny to realize what had just happened.
"It was a decoy." She gasped, "Then, Father could be anywhere."
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Swollen with self-satisfaction, Father gazed his sight upon the doors that kept him only a few measly feet from his goal. At first he considered simply burning the barrier down, but he decided that it might attract some unwanted attention. Something he didn't want especially if his ingenuous decoy was still in play. Instead, he opted for the subtle, and much to his liking, ironic approach.
"Just a few simple steps to victory." He smiled. Lifting the child's hand to the security scanner panel. The hand resisted, pulling away with a tremor. The dominating adult snarled at the disobedient limb, forcing it back where he wanted it.
"Hand print scanning…" The sweet computerized voice chimed from a local speaker. "Kids Next Door operative recognized; Sector V leader, Numbuh 1. Access approved."
The twin doors slid open giving father entrance to the round empty steel-walled room. Standing alone in the vacant silver void was a large cylinder mounted to a computer console. The massive glass tube extended from the console to the ceiling, humming quietly as brown liquid slowly bubbled within.
"The Kids Next Door Moon Base Cola power core." Father spoke of the awesome device. He had only heard about it from his spies, and was barely able to keep himself from admitting its ingenuity. Instead of relying on the footwork of hamsters like the earthbound bases, the moon base depended on the carbonation of a buhmillion gallons of caffeinated, sugary soda to keep things up and running. Much more advanced are far less messy then maintaining thousands of short-lived rodents. The core simply needed a single computer to monitor over it, and one determined, fire-manipulating adult to blow it all the kingdom come.
Placing his hands on the container, he superheated himself, flaming aura surrounding his body. He smirked as the bubbling of the tubed beverage began to pick up pace.
"Soon we'll be saying goodbye to the Kids Next Door…"
"You'll be wishing you said goodbye a lot soona af'ta dealin' with us!" A strong Australian accent roared from behind.
Father stole a glance over his shoulder. Standing in the doorway were six battle ready children, anger on their faces, staring him down. 362 pulled her communicator to her mouth.
"Numbuh 86, we found him. He's in the carbonated cola core."
"You're too late children." The warped vocals chided, "There's nothing you can do to stop me."
"We can try." The dark skinned second in command declared. She and her teammates drew their hastily grabbed weapons and aimed them at him. He laughed and turned back to his business with the core.
"Don't make me laugh. I have better things to do then play with you and your toys. Things like destroying this base."
He increased his heat, boiling the sticky fluid even more fervently. The Kids suddenly realizing what he was up to.
"He's overheating the core!" 362 gasped turning to the less informed. "If the pressure gets too high the entire Moon base will go supernova!"
"How do we stop it?" Numbuh 4 asked, near panicking. The blond girl exchanged his glance.
"First we get him away from the core."
A sneaky smile grabbed Tommy's face. He rushed past the others and headed straight for Father's field of vision.
"Hey match head!" The foolishly daring youth called out. "Are you too chicken to fight us like a man?"
"Tommy, what are you doing?" Hoagie called to his brother. The cloaked child ignored his older sibling and continued dancing around their enemy.
"Come on, I bet you've been wanting to get a piece of me. I've beaten you twice and I'm not even a Kid Next Door."
The bragging caught the enemy's attention. Yellow eyes glared at him as Father abandoned the bubbling core, stepping slowly towards the boy.
"Well, I have wanted an opportunity to reprimand you for getting in my way before." A casual ball of fire popped into his hand. "If that's your death wish."
The fireball soared at Tommy with frightening speed. The small boy only had a split second to press the button on his wrist gadget, deploying a grappling hook to the ceiling. Pulled upwards, out of harms way, he breathed a sigh of relief as the fire scorched the wall where he had just been standing.
Numbuh 2's heart did a somersault seeing his brother narrowly escape becoming crispy. 362 inwardly applauded his cunning.
"Guys, you help Tommy." She ordered Numbuhs 3, 4 and 5. She then gripped the stunned pilot's chubby arm, "You come with me." And pulled him along to the core's main computer.
The temperature reading was anything but comforting.
"This is not good." The leader muttered as she typed. The background noise of battle hardly distracting her, but filling her goggled cohort with much distress. "The core is way too hot. I'm initiating an emergency cooling procedure."
"That'll stop the core from exploding right?" Numbuh 2 asked, a ray of hope raising his voice.
"It may stop the temperature from rising anymore. We have to keep Father away from the containment unit." She slammed the enter key and a soft hissing sound filled the tubes coiled around the glass tank, the song of coolant entering the cola core. She sighed, "This better work. That coolant is the coldest stuff available in the moon base."
Hoagie's interest piqued. His train of thought was rattled by the sudden call of Fanny and her team.
"Numbuh 362," The red head shouted into the room, "Do ya need ar' assistance?"
362 yelled over the battle raging in the small room.
"Sound the evacuation alert!" She ordered, "The core is overloaded, it may explode! Get everyone you can out of the moon base."
The operatives behind Numbuh 86 all at once turned a shade of pale white and quickly followed the order to get the hell out of the doomed space tree. An emergency claxon blared over every load speaker and light within the massive base.
The sound hardly bothered the four children intensely occupied with keeping Father distracted. Numbuh 3's barrage of spicy yellow condiment was retorted with several blasts that singed the edges if her pretty hair. She whimpered in mourning as Numbuh 4 leapt out ahead of her, SPLANKER ready to taste heinie. The wooden weapon became a rod of crispy ash in his hand within seconds.
Tommy used an arm mounted slingshot to propel marbles at Father, but the glass spheres only melted into slop and hit the ground harmlessly in the demon's fiery barrier. The same effect occurred on the ammunition of Numbuh 5's gumdrop gun.
Not content to simply bare witness to this travesty of so-called fighting, Numbuh 86 rushed into the arena. The thought of retreat absent from her mind.
"Don't think I'm gonna leave the safety of Kids Next Door moon base tah you goofs." She addressed, joining the melee.
"Whateva'," Numbuh 5 glazed over her shoulder, "jus' watch yo back."
The added annoyance of another brat frustrated Father to no end. His tolerance as short as his temper was scorching, he sent forth a wave of blaze that forced the group away from his personal space.
"You're really getting on my nerves, you know that?" He asked with a deceptive calm, "I expect to not be bothered while I'm working, but you kids seem to be asking for trouble."
"Oh yeah, well… you started it!" Tommy sneered childishly.
Father's gaze narrowed at the chubby boy. He had just enough of that meddlesome cub getting in his hair.
"I tried to be patient with you boy, but it looks like it's time to deep fried a little meatball."
Hoagie snarled and decided now was as good as ever to unleash his plan.
"Hey! No body calls my little brother a meatball!" The zaftig pilot shouted, gaining all attention to him. Father turned to see the vengeful gumball shooter aimed right for him. He chuckled.
"You think that toy scares me? You're weapons are totally useless against me."
Hoagie didn't falter, even as Father made his way closer. His skilled hand tightened on his weapon. Just a few steps closer…
"Maybe so," he replied "But you're still under arrest. For breaking and entering, destruction of property… and grand theft Uno."
The faces of his friends who had just a moment ago shared a look of fear, contorted with shame and disgust over the corny line. Even Father cringed at its lameness.
"That was…that was simply horrible." The adult stammered, for once the youths around him agreeing. "I should cut out your tongue just for you saying it."
He was close enough now; the boy knew just what to do. He just needed to deliver the right line to go with it. Despite anyone's potentially sour reaction.
"You've got quite the temper," Numbuh 2 snorted, "It's about time you cooled it!"
One swift jerk was all it took to dislodge the coolant hose from the cola tank. His hidden hand flashing out his secret weapon, spraying the surprised Father with frosty white foam jetting out like root beer from a freshly shaken bottle.
The dark one screeched as the cold pierced through him. The ice cream from before was sunshine compared to this. Even his stolen body's defenses couldn't hold off the paralyzing chill. He sank to his knees, crying out in pain. Weakened, he hit the floor, unmoving.
The members of Sector V stood in awe of their pilot's ingenuity with smiles of triumph.
"Alright Numbuh 2!" Numbuh 4 raised a victorious fist into the air.
Numbuh 86 curled her lip, marching over to the confident subordinate.
"Oh brilliant, just brilliant…" She dropped her sarcasm with a poke to his ribs, "Except now thar's nothin' left ta keep the core from overheatin'!"
"Hey!" Numbuh 2 defended himself, "It was either that or let him fry us all!"
"Well, that's not go'n ta be a problem if we all get ar'selves blown up!"
362 placed a calming hand on the irate 86's shoulder.
"Guys, calm down!"
She was ignored. The bickering between maladroit and rageaholic became a nebula of peacekeepers and naysayers filling the room with their protests.
"Stop yelling at Numbuh 2!"
"I can yell at whoever I want!"
"Guys, what about the core?"
"Are you gunna take that from 'er?"
"It was so a good idea!"
"A good idea for a moron!"
"Don't call my brother a moron!"
Amongst the fury and yelling, the core went unmonitored, its overheated liquid waiting for the proper catalyst that would mean either doom or salvation for the Kids Next Door.
His eyes slowly opened as the warm fog lifted. His arms wobbled as he lifted himself, shaking the shivers from his body. A hand to steady his clearing head. The core; he looked right at it, remembering what was going on. Desperation stabbed through as he rushed for the console. He scanned the readings and knew that only thing that could be done. He only hoped he could act fast enough.
Numbuh 4 was busily yelling in his friend's defense when out of the corner of his eye he spotted Numbuh 1's form rise from the foam and run to the core. The Aussie grew a snarl as the bald one began rapidly typing at the controls.
"Almost, just have to…" The English accented mumble was cut short by a pair of orange arms wrapped around his neck and weight born on his back.
"Ah, no yah don't!" Numbuh 4 cried, leaping onto his target, pulling him away from the core and its delicate mechanisms.
"Numbuh 4, no! You don't understand!" Nigel struggled against the small but skilled hands at his throat. An anger, a heat, rose within him. An anger that was not his own. "No, not now!" He tried in vain to suppress the take over, but it was Wallabee who received the most pain from his leader's loss of control.
Father roared, a blast of fire cloaking Nigel's body, sending Wally to the ground with singed flesh. The enemy turned to him with a pleased chuckle, the other children now turning to witness.
"I must thank you for the distraction Wallabee," the deep voice praised, "Nigel was being quite disobedient."
Numbuh 4 nearly swallowed his tongue. He had attacked the wrong persona; he had attacked his leader, and perhaps their only hope.
"Nice going Einstein," Numbuh 5 scolded, "Numbuh 1 was tryin' ta help us!"
Numbuh 4 climbed to his feet.
"Well, ow was I supposed ta know e was the one in control?"
Father's laugh grew more maniacal as the young ones stared on fearfully.
"That's the problem with kids these days," he smiled, "they simply lack experience. That's why we adults always will win!"
He raised a hand and sent a powerful blast of fire at the core. The temperature reading rose upwards, passing the red line into the "mega soopa danger level." An alarm sounded and a computerized voice intruded.
"Cola core overload. Imminent explosion in five minutes."
The deceptively sweet computer warning sent a shockwave of fear into the children's souls.
"You see?" Father gloated. "The Kids Next Door are doomed. It seems I've put you brats in your place."
He was expecting sad, pouting faces of defeat, or at least, more looks of terror. But instead he was granted a circle of gritted teeth, frowning lips, narrowed eyes, furrowed brows, and angry snarls.
"That's it!" Numbuh 4's fists couldn't get any tighter. "I am SICK of hearin' your voice commin' outta Numbuh 1's mouth!"
A mandarin blur welcomed the punch to Father's face. Wally no longer cared if Numbuh 1 could feel it too. He would have wanted it this way. Seeing this act of trusting fury, the remaining members of the fighting party joined their comrade in battle.
Father fought them off like one would a spider's web accidentally walked into. He hissed at them.
"I was going to leave you the honor of being destroyed with your precious moon base. But if you pests wish to be exterminated now, it can be arranged!"
Flames spread to the walls in a flash. Momentarily knocking the operatives off their feet, but not stopping their campaign. Numbuh 362 grabbed 86 out of the way of a blast and looked her right in the eyes.
"I'm going for the core. Cover me."
The red-head saluted with a nod as the blond leapt towards the computer, quickly reading what had been typed during Numbuh 1's temporary control.
"He was trying to initiate a core purge."
"A purge of the cola reserves would cause us tah loose all main power." 86 reacted.
"But, it would stop the core from exploding." 362 explained, her fingers flying to the keypad. "I'm going to finish the command. You help Sector V."
86 left her leader's side and assisted in the flurry of futile combat against their powerful foe.
"Core explosion in one minute." The computer updated. All thoughts were on stopping Father from escaping. The coward would go down with them. He was only deserving, after all, he had the body of a Kid Next Door, might as well die like one.
362 hit the enter button. The computer began to process the command.
"Core explosion in thirty seconds."
86 chewed her lip with worry but refused to stop fighting.
Tommy shot a barrage of bottle caps out of a weapon he had pulled from his boot. He wasn't going to let his big brother down.
The computer buzzed and the emergency cola dump command open a compartment on the side of the console. 362's hand darted inside and grabbed the leaver that was now exposed.
"Core explosion in 5…"
Abby leapt over a wave of fire and pulled the trigger of her mustard gun.
"4…"
Wally grabbed Father by the leg, gritting his teeth against the blinding pain of his burning palm. He pulled, tripping the beast.
"3…"
Kuki blasted the newly disoriented enemy with her gun, keeping him down.
"2…"
Hoagie jumped into the air, performing a cannonball directly to Father's back. The adult cried out in pain.
"1…"
The lever was pulled. Bubbly brown liquid drained from the glass cylinder and was spilled out, a sticky, caffeinated blob, into the vacuum of space.
"Core purge successful, explosion avoided. Kids Next Door moon base switching to back up power. Have a nice day." The computer vocals distorted as all the lights, computer screens, televisions, communications, electronics of all sorts shut down throughout the moon base. The core containment room went completely black, save for the light from Father's flame.
He kneeled on the floor, regaining his composure. The children gathered around him, the crackling embers illuminating the anger in their faces.
Numbuh 5 placed her hands on her hips sternly.
"It's over Father."
Numbuh 2 glowered,
"We won."
Numbuh 4 demanded,
"So get out of Numbuh 1's body."
Numbuh 86 amended,
"An' git out of ar' moon base."
The red lights of the hamster powered backup generator snapped on. Giving the horde a better view of their vanquished.
"Admit defeat to children?" He growled, "Never! I'll destroy you one way or another. Even if I have to burn this place down plank by plank! And I think I'll start with you!"
He raised his arms to unleash his fury.
Then suddenly he stopped. Abandoning his threat to instead clutch his chest and head, gasping in pain.
"No…No more!" a familiar voice pleaded. "I won't let you."
The body forced itself to the ground, writhing in agony. Father found himself paralyzed by Nigel's pure will. The young boy commanded his muscles to recognize their true master, for the sake of his friends he had to regain control.
"That's it Numbuh 1! Fight him!" Numbuh 5 encouraged.
"You can't beat me!" Father's snarl rose from Nigel's throat.
"I will!" Numbuh 1 grunted. "I won't stand around while you hurt my friends any longer!"
It was HIS body, it HAD to listen; but Father's presence burned from within like a virus. He stood unsteadily, then fell back down again, flopping around like a marionette with wild strings. He again tried to stand, his flesh and blood finally yielding, but not without gut burning pain.
"Impossible!" The adult forced his protest. "You can't oppose me. I'm older then you!"
With his sunglasses lost in battle, the team could see the conflict in his eyes. He looked to his friends for solace, knowing what he had to do. As a leader, and a friend.
"You won't be bossing anyone around ever again." Nigel groaned, clumsily running out of the room, loosing himself and his parasite in the bowels of the darkened moon base.
His teammates followed, blinded by their concern.
TO BE CONTINUED