Part 09: Downtime

The endless ocean passed by underneath them as the large WOOHP spacecraft streaked over the slowly descending waters. It would be a while before they descended back to their regular levels, and even then Sam wasn't sure if they would be able to rebuild the world. How many people were left? How much equipment was left? How much food? Were all of the animals drowned? Crops destroyed? Did they survive only to starve to death?

"You okay Sammy?" Alex asked softly. Sam blinked and looked at her kind, brunette friend with the deep brown eyes. She smiled and nodded her head.

"Yeah, I'll be okay. Just taking stock, y'know?" Sam replied. "We haven't really had times to sit back... think about what it all means." She fell silent for a moment, tapping one fingernail against the cool glass of the window. "Maybe... maybe we didn't save the world this time. Maybe it was already over... and we just didn't see it."

"Awww." Alex wrapped her arms around Sam's waist and pulled her into a tight hug, resting her cheek on Sam's shoulder. "Of course we did Sammy. Jerry's still alive, and that means WOOHP is too. It also means Arnold's still there." She grinned and stared at Sam teasingly. Sam looked out the window as she felt a blush sweep across her cheeks.

"You know, my love life isn't really any of your business." Sam said.

"Neither is Clover's, but she tells us about hers." Alex pointed out.

"Like I WANT to hear about what she does with those boys..." Sam shuddered lightly. She'd heard more than enough stories from her friend to last her a lifetime.

Alex giggled. "See? Everything's not so bad is it? We have each other, our health, and Jerry." She smiled brightly. "So calm down... we'll be able to put our lives back together soon. Okay?"

"Okay, Alex..." Sam smiled back. She wasn't nearly as sure as Alex tried to sound, but she didn't want to depress her friend. "Everything will be fine." Alex grinned and sat down on the seat beside her. Up in the pilot's seat Lady Luna was flying, having the most experience with spacecraft after her training at Nasa for her not-to-be space flight.

"Twinkle twinkle little star..." Lady Luna sang softly to herself as she made minor course corrections on the panel in front of her. "You're so near and yet so far..." Clover looked up from the co-pilot's seat. Professor Zero was thoroughly tied up on the floor behind the seats, completely unable to move.

"What is it with you and the stars anyway?" Clover smirked. "You're totally obsessing over a bunch of useless crap if you ask me." Sam watched the exchange curiously from the back. Honestly, she'd been wondering about that too. She just didn't have Clover's sense of subtlety, or lack thereof.

"Say what you will sunspot, I know my star is going to start shining soon. I just know it." Lady Luna replied coolly. "And when it does, maybe I'll finally be able to get away from everyone without having my home hurled at the Earth. Speaking of which, you remember your promise to me don't you girls?"

"Don't worry." Sam said from the back. "I'll talk to Jerry about letting you off from the jail time. He's done it before, I'm sure he'll understand this time." Lady Luna sighed in relief and nodded, turning back to her console.

"Good. And don't forget, you said they would supply me with the living essentials too." Lady Luna said.

"One step at a time, okay? If I can keep you from being locked up for stealing a multi-billion dollar rocket from Nasa, I'll see about setting up pizza delivery for you." Sam smirked. Lady Luna let out a laugh and shook her head, looking down outside the front windshield.

"I'm just making sure I get what I deserve." Sam had a few less-than-supportive thoughts, but decided to keep them to herself. "Ah... it looks like we're here." Sam looked out her window to see the edge of the giant 'W' that served as WOOHP headquarters. She could see several people standing around the landing pad, including Jerry and Arnold.

"Take us in." Sam took a deep breath. "It's time to face the music..." Lady Luna guided the vessel down toward the landing pad, putting it into hover mode and slowly lowering it down on the roof. The gathered crowd watched them patiently, though Arnold looked jittery and anxious. Sam had to admit to a few butterflies in her own stomach as she stood and hefted Professor Zero off the floor.

The door opened and the stairs lowered to the ground. As soon as Sam, Alex, and Clover emerged pushing Professor Zero in front of them, applause broke out from the crowd. Sam blushed and searched for something to say as Jerry approached. Words failed her though. She hadn't expected this kind of welcome, especially with how much damage the world had suffered.

"Professor Rasputin Zero." Jerry watched the girls make their way down the steps. Lady Luna waited inconspicuously behind the three girls, obviously not eager to confront the man who would decide her freedom. "I never dreamed a man of your convictions would be behind this... what ever were you thinking?" Jerry demanded.

"Humanity has worn out its welcome..." Professor Zero replied darkly. "Sacrifices must be made for the good of nature..."

Jerry shook his head. "Take him away." Two of his suited agents approached, grabbed Professor Zero, and quickly dragged him toward the rooftop exit of WOOHP. Jerry watched them go, then turned back to his spies with a broad smile on his face. "Welcome back girls, and very well done. I'm so proud of you girls right now..."

"Proud of us?" Sam gestured to the ocean that still rose high on the building, though it was falling. "We failed Jerry... the damage is done."

"You've failed when you've given up, Samantha." Jerry approached her and put his hands on her shoulders. "You never have given up in your life... so you have never failed in anything." Sam sniffled and smiled slightly. "That goes for all of you. You've performed to the best of your abilities under the most trying circumstances imaginable. You all deserve a rest."

Sam looked back at Clover and Alex, who both nodded, their eyes masks of determination. Sam turned back to Jerry. "If it's all the same to you Jerr, we'd rather get back on duty as soon as possible."

"Pardon me?" Jerry said in confusion.

"We want to find our parents... they were on vacation when this all happened. We can't stand not knowing where they are..." Sam said.

"I understand your feelings... but for now, rest. You've done so much, you girls look exhausted." Jerry said. Sam opened her mouth, but Jerry raised one hand to stop her. "I won't take no for an answer. You won't do WOOHP or your parents any good in this condition. Now please, Arnold will show you to your rooms." He gestured to Arnold standing behind him.

Arnold approached them dutifully, holding his back straight and his head high for once. Sam stared at him in astonishment, amazed by the difference. Something had obviously happened while she was gone. "I'm glad to see you again Sam..." Arnold said softly.

"Arnold... I'm... glad to see you too." Sam ran one hand through her hair. "You look... different."

"I volunteered for training." Arnold explained.

"You're in training to be a WOOHP agent now?" Sam asked.

"He's a bright pupil too, if a bit useless in combat." Jerry said. He looked past her and saw Lady Luna loitering beside the spacecraft the spies had been using. "I see you girls picked up a guest on your way home." He commented. Sam looked back. Lady Luna noticed them and coughed, straightening up and fluffing out her hair.

"Yeah... she helped us find the source of the gravity field that was bringing the moon down." Sam turned back to Jerry. "She confesses to a few crimes... but given what she's done for us I request leniency."

"Yes, leniency, that'll work." Lady Luna moved between Clover and Alex to reach the conversation. "I didn't mean to do anything wrong, I didn't have a choice. And I more than made up for it by saving humanity, you know." Jerry stared at her drolly, then glanced at Sam.

"She did." Sam smirked. Jerry looked back at Lady Luna again.

"Then I suppose we have no choice but to thank you." Jerry nodded. Lady Luna grinned, but that faded when Jerry next spoke. "But I can't let you go scott free. A crime is a crime. I'll put you under a shortened sentence." Jerry snapped his fingers to signal more WOOHP agents.

"Hey... hey hold on!" Lady Luna struggled as the agents dragged her toward the rooftop exit. "You girls promised I wouldn't have any jail time! Let me go!"

Sam looked at Jerry as the woman disappeared into the building. "Jerr..."

"I understand, she'll be out by morning." Jerry nodded. Sam blinked in surprise. "I said it was a shortened sentence, I didn't say how short it was going to be." The three spies chuckled. "Now please, get some rest. At least for the night." He told them. Sam nodded. "Good. I obviously have some things to take care of while you girls get settled in for the night. So I'll bid you girls goodnight." Jerry turned and went into the building, leaving the girls on the roof with Arnold.

"Right this way ladies." Arnold gestured toward the entrance, not taking his eyes off of Sam. Sam coughed and walked toward the door, trailed by her two friends. Arnold caught up to her and walked beside her to guide her down the hallway.

"So... WOOHP trainee huh? How's that working out for you?" Sam asked as they walked companionably through the hallways.

"Not too good, honestly. I don't think I'm cut out for this, but Jerry offered and after he saved my life, it didn't seem like I could say no." Arnold replied. "We haven't really done much 'training' anyway. Everyone's been so busy with the disaster and all..."

"Don't give up Arnold. You'll get used to it." Sam said.

"Thanks... but I don't think so." Arnold turned down another hallway and soon stopped in front of a steel door. "This one's your room... the two past it are Alex's and Clover's."

"Thanks Arnold..." Sam smiled at him sweetly. Arnold returned the smile, shoving his hands nervously into his pockets. Clover and Alex slowly poked their heads up over his shoulders from behind, whispering in his ear.

"Kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss her." They chanted softly. Arnold blushed deeply and Sam growled.

"Get away from him!" Sam lunged forward, trying to grab hold of her friends. They darted out of the way and quickly disappeared into their respective bedrooms. Sam meanwhile had plowed straight into Arnold, leaning against him and shoving him up against the wall with her arms on either side of his head. He was blushing worse than ever.

"Uhh..." Arnold grunted nervously. "I should... l... let you get some sleep then." He nodded. Sam pulled away from him, feeling her own face turning red.

"Yeah... I'll see you in the morning Arnold..." She nodded. Arnold stepped aside, allowing Sam to quickly move into her room and close the door behind her. Silently she cursed Clover and Alex for putting her in that position. Arnold wasn't that kind of boy, and she certainly wasn't that kind of girl. They weren't about to kiss now, just because they happened to be together when this happened. Relationships based on shared stress never worked. If something happened it had to be in its own time.

That didn't stop her heart from racing, or thoughts of them together from running through her head as she approached the bed and threw herself down on it. She pulled the blanket up around herself, letting out a massive yawn as her body suddenly remembered how long it'd been since she'd had a chance to rest. Once her heart had managed to stop racing, she fell into a deep, dream-filled slumber.

"Sam!" A yell broke through the darkness, and Sam sat straight up in bed, her eyes going wide.

"What? Who?" She suddenly calmed down and rubbed her eyes, looking up at Clover standing over her. The blonde girl was giggling into her hand mischievously. "So not funny." Sam smirked. A quick glance at the clock told her it had only been a few hours. The waters wouldn't even have receded completely yet. "What's going on?"

"Jerry said he wants us up on the roof ASAP." Clover smirked. "He's probably gonna push us off or something."

"We did vow our lives to WOOHP." Sam stood up and stretched. She took only a minute to brush her hair into some semblance of style before turning to follow Clover through the building. They made it to the roof in quick order, and spotted Alex standing in the dead center, staring out over the horizon in awe. Sam and Clover walked up to her.

"Alex?" Sam approached her, watching her face. "Alex? What's wrong?"

"Sam... look." Clover pointed past her. Sam looked at the water, focusing on it. There were dozens of ships... from small dinghies to military aircraft carriers crowded around the large WOOHP building. Every ship of every size was crowded with people. Hundreds... perhaps thousands floating on top of the water, all converging in on WOOHP Headquarters.

"You see girls?" Jerry walked up behind them and wrapped his arms around their shoulders. "You saved far more than you thought you did."

"All of these people...?" Sam muttered in awe.

"And this is merely those who were within range of this building. All over the world people remain... thanks to you." Jerry said. Sam, Alex, and Clover were all rendered speechless, staring out over the ocean. Jerry didn't miss a beat however, marching past them with a microphone and looking out over the ocean. Massive speakers extended from the sides of the building.

"Welcome one and all." Jerry's voice echoed from the speakers, drowning out the noise of the ocean, and drawing all eyes toward him. "I would like to thank everyone. You've all handled this crisis situation with all of the courage and selflessness I would expect from the greatest men and women in the world. You've all made an old man's heart soar."

"But I believe you all know why you're here." Jerry turned back to the three girls, whose faces had faded into a deep red blush as thousands of eyes all turned on them. Even Clover looked too stunned by the whole thing to revel in the attention. "Sam, Alex, Clover. You've all worked tirelessly and thanklessly for years, bringing the world back from the brink of destruction and chaos again and again."

"But this... what you've accomplished in the last week has not only saved the world... but given the entire human race a second chance. Thanks to you, the world can start over. Old wounds are healing as brother helps brother; countries once divided by war are helping each other through this time of crisis. The world is being unified in harmony... thanks to you." Jerry's face was kind, but the three spies still stood petrified, as if facing a firing squad.

"Sam... Alex... Clover... the world thanks you." Jerry saluted them and lowered the microphone. From the ocean below the girls heard a sea of applause erupt. People on every ship were applauding their approval, screaming and shouting. Sam swore her legs were about to snap from shaking so much, but she just stood with her friends, taking in the overwhelming applause.

"Would you girls like to say something?" Jerry asked. Sam and Alex immediately stepped back, but Clover seemed to come to her senses. She leapt forward and snatched up the microphone, striking a pose on the edge of the tower.

"Thank you world!" Clover's exclamation echoed across the ocean. "We love you all! And if any of you happen to be Hollywood hunks, give me a call 'kay?" Jerry quickly pulled the microphone out of her hands.

"That's quite enough, thank you." Jerry said, but Clover grabbed it back.

"My cell-number is 555-" She was cut off when Jerry grabbed the microphone again. Clover tried desperately to shout into it, but he pulled it away and turned back to the crowd of boats.

"Soon the water levels will return to normal... and we can all begin building a new unified world as a single, peaceful, entity." Jerry told them. "Just be patient a little while longer." He lowered the microphone and turned back to the girls. "I felt it appropriate if this time, it was the entire world that thanked you. It is because of you that we have this second chance."

"Uh... th... thanks." Sam said numbly. Jerry simply smiled and walked up to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"No Samantha, thank YOU. You have done everything I ever expected of you, and more. Now, I believe you girls requested a new mission to Europe." He said. Sam brought herself back to consciousness when the tone turned to business, something she was mentally prepared to take in.

"Yes, we did. We really would like to find our parents." Sam told him.

"I understand completely. I'll ready a WOOHP jet to take you." Jerry nodded.

"Good." Sam said. She then paused a moment. "What are you going to do with Lady Luna after you release her from prison? Are you going to keep her in WOOHP?" She asked.

"Don't worry Samantha, I won't harm her in any way." Jerry smiled. Sam nodded.

"Good... thanks. We'll be downstairs getting something to eat, call us when you get our ship ready." Sam said. Jerry nodded, so Sam turned to head down into the building, flanked by her friends.

"Wow... that was totally unexpected." Alex commented as they walked.

"Yeah, and totally cool." Clover grinned. "I wonder if anyone's actually gonna call me."

"I just thought of something..." Sam mused.

"No!" Clover shouted suddenly, bringing them to a sudden stop in the middle of the hallway.

"No?" Sam asked in surprise.

"No! Every time you think of something we wind up getting dragged back into a mission we've already finished! What we went through was bad enough, I'm ready to find our parents and settle down!" Clover shouted.

"What if there's someone else out there ABOVE Professor Zero?" Sam demanded.

"What makes you think that?" Clover demanded.

"How could he hollow out a pyramid AT ALL without money, let alone in less than a year?" Sam demanded. Clover opened her mouth, thought for a minute, then slowly closed it again with a grumpy glare. "He must have had a benefactor. Someone to pay his bills and keep his project hush-hush. It's kind of hard to hollow out a world-famous national landmark without drawing attention to yourself."

"Jerry seems satisfied with how it went down. Isn't that good enough?" Alex asked. "I'm sure Jerry thought of it and came up with a good explanation."

"Yeah. No offense Sam, but I'm sure if YOU thought of it JERRY thought of it." Clover said. Sam thought about that for a moment, the nodded.

"Yeah... you're probably right." Sam replied. "Jerry probably though of it and if he has anything else we need to do, he'll call us."

"That's right... now let's just grab some grub before we go find our parents." Clover grinned and slung one arm around Sam and Alex's shoulders. Sam smiled and nodded, turning to walk with her toward the WOOHP cafeteria.

"Do you think they're okay?" Alex asked worriedly. "I mean... I'd hate to get all the way out there and find out... you know..."

"There's only one way to find out Alex." Sam reached over and patted her shoulder gently. "Don't worry, I'm sure they're fine. They're pretty resourceful, and they know how to take care of themselves if they really have to."

"Hel-lo Sam, these are the women who got lost in the mall once and had to call their DAUGHTERS for help." Clover smirked. Sam jabbed an elbow into her gut, knocking the wind out of her.

"Not helping, Clover." Sam growled. Alex sighed and hung her head sadly. "Ignore her. Just concentrate on the search."

"Okay... you're right." Alex nodded slowly. Sam shook her head and looked straight ahead, trying to convince herself to follow her own advice. Though she had to admit, things looked extremely bleak for their parents... they couldn't give up hope.

TO BE CONTINUED