author's note: sorry it took me so long to get this next chapter up. i hit a roadblock, and then suddenly the story started going in a completely different direction, quickly converting the ending i had already written into garbage. this, unfortunately, is not the last chapter, there will be one more after this one.

special thanks again goes to Cybra, beta-reader extraordinaire! may the Golden Plot Bunny always smile upon you!

Chapter 5

Once the echo of the engines and his own scream died out, Chad turned immediately to the boy he had just tried to kill, and begged for his help. "Please, Nigel, I have to follow her."

Numbuh One scrutinized him for a long moment, rubbing his still-raw neck.

"Fine. Come with me."

---

Chad followed Nigel up the long, spiral staircase to Sector V's Mission Prep Room. The younger boy kept glancing at the katana that had been held to his neck not long ago.

Chad looked at the sword at his side. While he still felt guilty about the murder attempt, he made sure to retrieve it. Somehow he felt he needed it. Even so….

"How's your foot?" he asked tentatively.

There was a long space of time when the boy said nothing. Then he said, "You know, your katana was confiscated by Global Command when you were taken in before your decommissioning."

Chad paused at the change in subject then answered, "I didn't know that."

"It disappeared mysteriously almost six months ago."

Chad took in this information in surprise. "That long ago?" Had Father been planning this for that long?

They were nearing their destination at the top of the stairs.

"Where do you think Cree's headed?" the young leader asked, changing gears again.

"To Moonbase," Chad answered certainly. "I don't know why, but destroying it has always been one of Father's top priorities." He paused after he said this. Father hadn't asked him to do that this time. Was destroying Moonbase really Father's ultimate goal?

They arrived at the Mission Prep Room and Numbuh One set off the mission alert. In under a minute, the other operatives raced into the room.

The other KND stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Chad.

"What's that cruddy teenager doing here?!" Numbuh Four shouted, diving forward to attack him.

"Stand down, Numbuh Four!" Nigel ordered as Abby quickly grabbed the furious kid by the hood.

Chad realized his hand had flown to the hilt of his katana at the prospect of an assault. He removed his hand guiltily, hoping no one saw.

Wally was still growling at him. Chad began to appreciate how lucky he had been this past year when all Numbuh Four did was glare at him.

"Numbuh Two?" requested Nigel.

Hoagie obviously had been in this situation countless times and knew what was required of him without needing to be asked outright. He walked over to Numbuh Four and sat on him.

"Oof!"

"All right, team," began their leader now that order was restored, "we have strong evidence that someone is planning to attack Moonbase. We need to get there before that happens."

"The STARWRECK is available," suggested Numbuh Two. "And the COOLBUS is still equipped with escape-velocity rocket boosters."

Numbuh One considered briefly. "We'll take the COOLBUS. Everyone be ready to leave in ten."

"Yaaaaaaaay! I'll get the snacks and a mix tape!" squealed Numbuh Three, dashing from the room.

Abigail headed for the door as well, saying, "Numbuh Five will ready the weapons." She paused briefly before exiting. "I suppose I don't have to ask who is attacking Moonbase?" she asked in an even voice.

Chad's heart sunk. "I'm sorry," he said softly. It was all his fault….

She drew in a slow breath before answering, "You don't have to apologize to me." Her last word was emphasized ever so slightly. She left the room.

---

The Moonbase was in full alert when they arrived. Numbuh One had called ahead to warn them of a possible attack, and now the entire base was trying to find the intruder before she could do any damage.

Numbuh One was about to dispatch orders to his team when Chad made an appeal:

"Please, let me do this. I'll stop her."

He looked into five sets of eyes--one set so much like Cree's, another scowling, the next bright and cheerful, still another was doubtful, and the last set serious and meditative.

"I won't let her destroy Moonbase. I promise."

The meditative eyes focused on him. "We'll give you thirty minutes."

---

He rushed through the dim, metal corridors of Moonbase, aimlessly searching, hiding whenever he encountered an operative. They certainly wouldn't tolerate his presence there even with their attentions focused on the raid. A small part of him couldn't help but be impressed with the turmoil Cree had been able to cause in such a short time. She certainly had been the best.

Ducking into a supply closet to avoid a small group of operatives, Chad knew he was wasting time. Almost ten minutes had already passed. He was blindly running through the base in the hopes of encountering her. He wasn't even sure if he should be running in the direction that the KND were heading or in the opposite direction. He needed to think this through.

Cree was here to destroy Moonbase. Pushing the "why" out of his mind, he asked himself how she intended to do it. How would he do it? Explosives, probably. Where would he plant them to do the most damage? After a moment of contemplation, he raced from the supply closet.

Never had he been so grateful for his time spent as a Moonbase officer. He was privy to passageways and secret alcoves that no regular operative would be, making it possible to reach the roots of the enormous space plant without being seen by another member of the KND.

Chad was finally rewarded for his frantic minutes of searching. The mere sight of her was pure relief.

"Cree!" He rushed up to her and tried to hold her, but she shook free without even looking at him. Oddly enough, she didn't seem that surprised by his presence.

"Don't." She spoke in a low, barely audible voice. "I'm sorry. But this is the way it has to be. Please, leave." She started to walk away, her quiet footsteps didn't even echo in the empty hall.

Doubt sprung in Chad's mind. What if it was too late? What if he had already ruined everything? What if she hated him now? But he knew in his heart to ignore these thoughts. He grabbed her by the hand. "No. You can't do this. It's…not like you. Why are you obeying Father's orders?"

"You don't understand." Her voice quavered.

He felt her hand trembling in his. He cradled it in both of his. "Then talk to me."

She finally turned to face him, tears streaming from her eyes. "It's my fault this happened. If I hadn't brought you to Father back then—"

"What? Is that why--?"

"If it hadn't been for me, you'd be happy, it's my fault—"

"No, it's not." He couldn't help smiling. He couldn't believe that after all this, he would be the one reassuring her. "It would have been the same even if I'd never met you. No--it would have been worse. I would never have been able to get out if it weren't for you." He held her hand to his heart. "You're the one who saved me."

She was listening to him now; his words were getting through. She wiped away her tears. "But…he'll never let us go. That's why I have to do this. He said—he said he'd leave you alone if I did this for him."

Chad let out a sound that was almost a laugh as tears welled in his own eyes. "He told me he would leave you alone if I did what he said."

It was Cree's turn to laugh as she cried. She flew into his arms, and he held her there, safe. "We're both such idiots."

Their happy reunion was cut short by the sound of a throat clearing. The couple turned to see Nigel.

"You'd better get out of here; a team of operatives will be here any minute."

Chad stared. "How did—"

"What about the explosives?" Cree gasped.

"Already taken care of," called a voice from the shadows. Numbuh Five stepped towards them, carrying the dismantled bomb.

"Abby!" Cree broke free from Chad and ran to her younger sister, hugging her tight. "I'm so sorry."

"That's okay, sis, I understand."

As the sisters exchanged a few more hurried words, Chad looked at the two young operatives with admiration. He and Cree may have been the best, but the torch had clearly been passed. He walked up to Numbuh One and held out his hand.

"Thank you. For everything."

Numbuh One took the hand. "You're welcome. Old friend."

Chad and Cree ran into a hidden passage, hand-in-hand. The sound of their retreating footsteps had long since faded into the distance by the time others charged in, only to be greeted by Numbuhs One and Five, who informed them that the situation was under control, and the Moonbase was no longer in danger. Unfortunately, the teens had managed to escape.

---

The trip back from the Moonbase was far more pleasant than their last one together had been, for this time they weren't in a converted trash receptacle.

Chad sat at the controls, eyelids drooping. He kept nodding off for a half-second then snapping awake only to drift off again.

Finally Cree shoved him aside, muttering, "After all we've just been through, you're gonna get us killed now?"

He gratefully let her take over, resting his head against her shoulder. He felt her kiss him lightly on his forehead as he slipped into slumber.

-

He stood alone at the border of light and dark, looking to the light, finally ready to cross. But then he felt them—the eyes watching him from the darkness. They bored into him, reading his mind and soul; angry, hateful.

Chad gathered his courage and faced the eyes.

"You've lost," he called out to them. "You can't control us anymore."

Chad saw the eyes narrow then slowly move closer. Chad watched tensely at first, then with growing horror when he recognized the figure moving towards him.

It was himself, with strange, pale eyes.

The other him glowered. "Surprised?"

-

Chad shivered awake to find that they had landed on Earth.

"I can't believe you slept through reentry," Cree smiled before noticing his troubled expression. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

He wished more than anything that he could say "nothing." He wished that they could continue the life they had before their memories were returned. He wished he could hold her close to him and not feel the guilt and darkness closing in.

He gazed at her sadly. "I'm—" he began before correcting himself. She was a part of this, and he knew now that to leave her out would be stupid. "We're not done yet."

---

They stood outside the mansion gates together, gazing at the large building that once served as a training ground for them.

Cree glanced at Chad, trying to read his expression. Fear, yes. Determination, definitely, but there was something else…what…?

Her hand reached out to take his, and he squeezed hers tight.

"We don't have to do this," she whispered without actually intending to. "I mean—we don't have to right now. Maybe it would be better if we rested first. We're both so tired."

"No," he replied, just as softly. "It has to be now." He turned to look into her eyes, and for the briefest instant she caught a glimpse of what earlier she couldn't identify in his eyes: a sense of destiny and ultimate purpose. She blinked and it was gone, and afterwards she couldn't be sure if she actually saw it. But it terrified her.

She had to fight the urge to pull him away and run as he took a step forward to open the gate.

---

The darkness and dread inside the mansion was palpable; it felt as though they were pushing forward in a bog of fear.

Cree could feel Father's presence all around them, and every fiber of her being reacted in horror and revulsion. All her energy was focused on trying to shut him out.

Chad once again knew where to go. It was almost as if Father was calling him, pulling him nearer.

"This way," he directed, still holding her hand.

Cree looked at Chad, surprised at the certainty with which he led her through the ominous passages. She had been Father's apprentice for longer than he, yet even she had occasionally gotten lost in these halls. How did he know exactly where to go?

Chad grasped her hand, both thankful for and worried by her presence. He doubted--no, he knew he wouldn't be able to do this without her. But what if she got hurt? What if she…?

No. He had to force that thought from his mind. Together, they were strong. Stronger than Father. He hoped….

Cree continued to study Chad, focusing now more on him than where they were going. She wished she could confirm the too-brief flash of foreordination she had seen in his eyes. What did it mean? Was it just her imagination? She couldn't shake the foreboding in her heart.

They had stopped in front of a set of double doors. Cree was pulled from her meditations, realizing they had arrived. She jerked her head around to look into Chad's eyes, opening her mouth to say something--what, she didn't know. A final attempt to convince him to turn around? A proclamation of love?

The words never fell from her lips, however, for right then the doors slowly opened before them.

"Hello, my children," Father's voice emerged from the black depths.

The address raised Cree's ire. "Don't call us that, we're not--" she began, when Chad released her hand.

He stepped in front of her and slowly unsheathed his katana. He stared into the darkness, and slowly a pair of gleaming eyes emerged. As he adjusted to the absence of light, he began to make out the faint red outline of a body.

Cree, behind him, couldn't see the deadly serious depths in Chad's eyes.

But Father could. He laughed, low and derisively. "What's this, Chad? Are you going to kill me with that toy?"

Without a word, Chad rushed forward, raising the sword over his head, focusing on the evil, glowing eyes, aiming right between them....

He should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

In an instant, the entire room blazed with a fiery intensity. The horrible pain Chad felt in his entire body was nothing compared to the searing agony in his hand. He looked down to see a melted stump of a hilt where his katana once was. Every nerve in his system screamed to release the still-red-hot weapon, but it had seared onto him. All he could do was stare at it, paralyzed, in shock.

It was Cree who finally pried the thing from him, a second or an eternity later. He could hear her flesh sizzle as she ripped it from his melted skin. The now useless lump of metal clattered to the floor, and he stared at it, devastated. What could he possibly do now?

The room now smoldered in an orange glow. Chad gazed at Cree, staring an apology into her eyes. He could feel his energy draining from him; he was afraid he might pass out. And then it would be over. Father was just too strong. He would win.

Cree could see the defeat in Chad's dilated eyes. She could feel his weight against her; she doubted he could stand on his own anymore.

Why? Why are we here? Why didn't I run when all my instincts told me to do so? Why didn't Chad listen to me when I asked him to leave, recuperate, and do this another day?

She was practically carrying him now. His eyes were unfocused, staring but not seeing, eyelids lowering. He was there, but he wasn't.

Cree realized then that now was not the time to despair. If they did, they surely would be killed.

She glared into his eyes, trying to get his attention.

"Chad, look at me. Look at me! You can't give up now, not yet. There's still a chance. You're stronger than this; I know it. Stay with me, Chad. I need you."

The darkness was closing in, overtaking him, even as he struggled against it. It reached out with hundreds of grasping arms, wrapping around his feet, his legs, his neck, his entire body, pulling him in.

Far, far away, he could see a light. And from that light, he sensed more than heard her call:

"I need you."

His eyes snapped open. He tore free from the bonds that held him, and reached for her.

He found himself gaping into her eyes by the light of the slowly dying flames. "I…heard you…" he whispered.

He saw her eyes well up in relief. She embraced him, and it felt wonderfully healing. But just as he felt the gladness fill his soul, a thought entered his mind:

Why was Father being so quiet?

Chad looked up at the gathering shadows on the other side of the room. There the eyes watched them with growing hatred.

Chad opened his mouth to shout a warning—too late.

He had gotten almost the entirety of Father's last attack, as he had been standing in front of her and had managed to shield her. But this time, even though he tried to swing her around behind him, she was in the direct line of fire.

Chad saw her eyes widen in pain. Her mouth opened, but not a sound escaped from it. Chad felt her knees buckle as he tried to support her, but he was in no condition to carry her, and they fell to the ground together.

He realized then that Father's previous strike was merely disciplinary, a slap on the wrist for disobeying him. Even that was almost unbearable, but this attack…Chad knew this attack was meant to kill Cree.

He tried to pull her up, but a sharp gasp from her told him not to. He kneeled in front of her as she lay on the ground, peering up at him helplessly, taking in shallow breaths.

"I should have done that a long time ago," mused Father

Chad could only stare as a horrible emptiness grew inside him. His worst fear had come to pass. Cree was hurt, possibly dying. It was his fault, and there was nothing he could do to help her.

Cree could say nothing as she lay there, weak and broken. She no longer felt pain, just very, very tired. Was she dying?

No, she couldn't think that. She needed to be strong for Chad. He was watching her desperately, and she wanted more than anything to be able to tell him that everything was going to be all right. But it was a struggle to even breathe….

"It's a pity, really, she was an excellent apprentice. Far more useful than you, child. But it couldn't be helped. She was a necessary sacrifice."

Cree…a 'necessary sacrifice?' How could he call her that? The emptiness inside Chad began to fill with anger and hatred, twisting and boiling within him. The world drained of color and grew eerily silent. He would make Father pay. He would kill him, even if he had to do it with nothing but his own two hands.

He felt an untapped power rise within him. It felt completely foreign, yet familiar. It gave him monstrous strength. If he unleashed this power upon Father—

Cree felt displaced from the present—from the room, the situation, even from her own body. In her current state, she was able to see everything more clearly. She observed Chad as his despair changed to rage. She saw the color fade from his eyes, and she realized she had seen this before in the past. But worst of all was Father, who watched from his corner of the room. He seemed pleased. Something terrible and ugly was growing within Chad, and it was exactly what Father wanted.

She had to stop Chad. More than just their lives were at stake, more than just his soul.

Chad had turned to Father and was focusing everything he had on him. All his fury and bitterness—

He felt a hand lay on his. He whipped around to see Cree watching him intently.

"Chad…don't…."

She had wanted to embrace him, but that was the best she could manage.

"Cree…."

She could barely speak, but her eyes spoke volumes. Looking at her, Chad felt a change inside him. Emotions battled inwardly, the turmoil was excruciating. He was caught between two very powerful feelings which threatened to pull him in two. He shut his eyes tight and hunched over.

Cree watched him struggle and tried to summon the strength to help him. She could see Father glaring at them, livid. She knew he would finish her off if he could, but Chad was directly in the line of fire, and much too close to her. And she knew then that Father needed him alive.

Chad battled within himself. He realized then what he had only vaguely felt before—that there were two very different hims, and his fate depended on which one won. The fight was no longer with Father. It was with himself. He knew then that he had to face the dark depths within. He turned inward and walked….

---

---

author's note: so, clearly that wasn't the last chapter. i'll get the next one up faster than i did this one, i promise!