Chapter 3-Benchwarmer
After a few days, Numbuh 7 felt a bit more comfortable with his surroundings. He, of course, knew that he would never be friends with the others as well as they were friends with themselves-the bond just wasn't there. They had been together for years, he was just "the new kid" who may never entirely fit in. He saw what Numbuh 1 meant when he called his team a well oiled machine. They coexisted together quite nicely.
Approximately one week after he joined Sector V, numbuh 1 gathered the team into the mission briefing room. "Hello Team…and Numbuh 7. Today we are going on a very important mission." He said.
Well duh, Thought Numbuh 7, Of course it's an important mission! If it was unimportant we wouldn't be going on it, now would we?
He was so busy thinking that he missed most of what Numbuh 1 was saying, but he caught the last part.
"While Numbuh 5 and I make our way around the back way, Numbuhs 3, 4, and 2 will draw their attention to the front of the building. Kids Next Door, move out!"
"Wait a second..." Numbuh 7 interrupted before they could actually 'move out', "What about me?"
"You…ah, yes. You will stay behind and make sure the tree house is protected from adult attacks. This is an imperative duty, Numbuh 7."
Yeah, right. He was telling Numbuh 7 to sit back and do nothing while his team did all the dirty work. It was completely obvious. Every operative knew it as well.
"Now, move out!" said Numbuh 1 again. They did as they were told.
After the ships had left, Numbuh 7 decided that this was a good opportunity to get some work done. Some real work. None of this "protect the tree house" stuff.
Well, first thing first. He wanted to exercise his computer skills. He was worried that, unused, his tech-savvy mind would get rusty. And, of course, what better place for computer work then, duh, a computer. He logged on as himself on the giant Kids Next Door computer in Numbuh 1's room. He decided he wanted to figure out more about his new leader, and why he held this grudge against Clyde.
So, he hacked in to Nigel Uno's files. He was ashamed that the leader of the Kids Next Door had such feeble computer barriers. Getting into his files was as easy as snapping your fingers. As he looked through the files, mainly what he saw were Kids Next door "secret" files that any cadet half way through the training program already knew. He found a file called, "Diary". He's more of an idiot than I thought. You should never record your private thoughts anywhere where they could possibly be found and read. Clyde (Numbuh 7's name, in case you forgot) thought.
( The following is what Nigel wrote in his diary for the past week, since Numbuh 7 got there. Since he writes his diary at weekly intervals, it is all in one entry)
Some pathetic operative was transferred here today. I intend to get rid of him as soon as I can. What possible reason could Numbuh 362 have for transferring new operatives to us? We already have a team that works al too perfectly. And besides, he has no skills, save the ability to imitate seemingly anyone. I can only hope that he doesn't start to work his way into the team in some obscure manner. The last thing I need is a worthless operative who has wriggled so far deep into the lives of my team that they all want him to stay. This is without doubt a test to see what I can do with a near-worthless agent.
(End of diary entry)
"Worthless, huh? I'll show that little punk who's worthless!" he said, logging out of the computer. He returned to his own room. Not that it was really "his". It was pretty much bland of all personality. He hadn't really "moved in" yet. And he might not get the chance to. I guess that the kids in Sector G weren't the only ones who didn't like me. He thought.
Behold, the Flashness of the backness!
"Come on, NERD, let's get going. This mission is really important." Said Bruno, the not-too-bright fighting expert of Sector G.
"I'm coming!" shouted Numbuh 7, running down the hallway. Suddenly, a foot stuck out from behind the corner, tripping him.
"Oops, it looks like he's still as clumsy as ever!" laughed a girl, coming out and running towards the garage. Her name was Sonia, and she especially liked to torment Numbuh 7. Her blond hair flew out behind her as she ran past him, laughing her head off. She snorted when she laughed. Clyde HATED that. The snorting was really annoying, because she laughed a lot, and it was normally at him.
Clyde just lay on the ground, growling. He should have expected that. He was supposed to be the smart one, not the one who gets outsmarted al the time.
"Are you alright?" a soft, female voice asked him from behind.
"I would say I had a bruised dignity; but I don't think I have any dignity left to bruise." He replied.
"I'm sorry" she said. "Sonia can be a real jerk sometimes. Especially, for some reason, to you." She said, a hint of sadness in her voice. She offered him her hand, and she helped him to stand.
"Thanks, Molly-I mean, Numbuh 9." He said, blushing slightly.He inwardly yelled at himself for betraying emotionalweakness."We better hurry up, or Sonia's going to yell at us for being late.
"You're right." Molly said, going down the hallway. Clyde watched as the black haired girl slowly disappeared into the garage. He sighed. "Just an average day. Again." He said, rushing off to follow his teammates.
The end of the Flashing of The Backness!
That was his last day in sector G. He mised his team. Not that he misse dbeing mocked on a regular basis. He missed recieving kindness on any kind ofbasis. Oh, the people here were kind, all right. But they didn't have the raw, untainted kindness that he got from Numbuh 9 on that day. It was the first and only time anyone had been so kind to him. No. thought Clyde. You are not allowed to ask the impossible. She hated you, as did all of them, but felt sorry for you. Wanting the kindness of others is weakness. He told himself. It is the people who can survive being constantly treated with cruelty that are strong. She weakened you that day, Clyde. You had the strength to withstand teasing. She took it away from you. She made you soft and weak.
"Maybe Numbuh 1's right. Maybe I really am a worthless operative. But that changes today. Today, I stop being worthless. Today, I prove Numbuh 10 wrong. She thought I was worthless too. I'll show everyone just how useful I can be!" he exclaimed. "I need to do this. Not just for the Kids Next Door, but for me. And for the one person who, even when I was being pushed around, believed in me. I do this for me. And…for Numbuh 9." He said.
But…." He said, realizing the sad truth of the matter, "How can I prove myself worthy if I don't even get a chance?"
The end! The end of this chapter anyway. As always, reviews are welcomed, but please do not send flames. Constructive criticism is welcomed though. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that constructive criticism is encouraged. But that doesn't mean that you can't compliment me or anything.
