Well, whaddya know. I didn't. But I'm back. And this will be a very intense chapter.

Out of touch with Reality: Yes. I hate how evil I am.

almostinsane: This is becoming almost hyptonic...

Ranma Higurashi: Okay!

StoryCrafter: Heyyy, I remember you! You're from back in the Urtrip 2 days! Whazzup? And thanks.

Velvet Panther: Heh, that's okay. Cats aren't that well subject to commands.

Chapter 18: Father Cheats

As sweet revelation filled his mind, Numbuh 1's fear slowly went away. It was replaced with anger, pure rage, just unspeakable madness. He smiled knowingly, and leaped on Amber, wrestling her to the ground.

Amber wasn't afraid either, but for totally different reasons. She smiled evilly, her eyes glinted oddly...

Her eyes. They were the key.

Hoping he was right, Numbuh 1 formed a fist. Then, sweating his bald head off, he took aim and socked Amber square in the left eye.

This knocked her out-for half a second. Numbuh 1 leaped away. As Amber staggered to her feet, Numbuh 1 could see something black fall from her face.

It was her eye. Sort of. Actually, it was the black contact lens that covered her eye. Underneath, her eye was that hyptonic blue of Delighfulization. Or in this case, Warriorization.

The little black disc landed in Amber's hand. She stared at it in shock for a moment, then crushed it, looking angrier by the second. The one on her right eye crumbled away, melted by fury. Her entire face seemed to go into stress overload as she staggered up.

BA BOOM! Columns of molten fire scorched through the floor, darmatically setting the air ablaze. Parts of Amber's outfit began of burn and fringe. She looked like one of those mummies you see in overbudget movies, walking forward to finish off Numbuh 1, face drawn tight.

"Hah!" Father laughed. "So I am controlling them! Smart, kid, real smart!" As he said this, the other four Warrior Juvrniles released their grips on the very beaten Numbuhs 2-5. Their masks fell from their faces, as did the black contact lenses.

"Wait..." Numbuh 5 said, on the last of her breath, "How...did...did you...come up with...with a plan...like that?" She collapsed, although not dead.

"I built off yours," he said. "I have to admit, when you and my Delightful Children combined their plans, you made one that I'm surprised you're smart enough to make. But I'm always two steps ahead of you. I found the contact lenses you gave them, and decided to use a similar plan against you. And now, the Kids Next Door will fall, all because they were too trustworthy. And your parents? They'll think you died in a car crash. I've got everything all set up. There's no escape."

"Oh...yes...there...IS!" Numbuh 1 ran to Amber. "Please, Amber! Show me a sign you're still there!"

"I don' know what you're talking about." She threw him to the ground.

"Good job," Father said. He began laughing again. "You'll never win! The children are absolutely unable of breaking free from my control now! The only way you could is if you got this controller-" He held up a large device with a button- "And you'll never get it! Hahaha! Huh?" As he had been laughing, Numbuh 3 had staggered up, grabbed the device, and pressed the button.

Father slapped his forehead. "Should've seen that coming," he mumbled.

As the button was pushed, Amber's eyes glowed quite bright. She screamed as white light erupted from them. She fell for a second, and slowly came up. Her eyes were black again.

"Oh...ohh...what..." She gasped. "Numbuh 1!" She jumped up and ran to him. "Y-you shouldn't be here! The SOS...it..." She looked around. "Well, I guess you know it was a trick. And that Father knows everything."

"Yes. But...how did you allow it to get this far? I mean, this room's going to collapse in 30 seconds."

There was a pause as that sank into the people's minds.

"THE ROOM'S GONNA COLLAPSE!" Pandemonium broke loose. Delightfuls tripped over operatives, operatives tripped over Father, Father tripped over everyone. They were all trying to get out. "HEY! OUTTA MY WAY! MOVE!"

They were out the door in 29 seconds. Just as they got out, the main room of the Delightful Mansion exploded, bringing a lot of the rest of the mansion with it. Whatever wasn't splinters was fire, and whatever wasn't fire was charred black. The lawn was good and flame free, however. Everyone clamored onto there.

"Okay..." Numbuh 4 said, "Where were we?" He pounded his fists together.

"Actually, I'd like to settle this," Amber said. "I don't want any of you in any more danger than you already are. Go back to the treehouse and find homes for yourselves. I'll be along."

"Amber, no!" Miachel and Numbuh 1 said at the same time. "You'd only be throwing your own life away!" The two stared at each other. "Okay..."

"This is my problem. I got you all into this mess..." Her eyes flames yellow, "And...I'm...getting...you...out!" She ran to Father, who had been slipping on the grass this enitre time. "You."

"What?" Father said.

"How could you. How could you endanger the lives of your own flesh and blood just to wipe out the Kids Next Door? It's called child abuse, and there are laws against it."

"Supervillans don't have to abide by laws, Amber." His hands were beginning to sizzile, as were Amb's. "You, of all people, should know that."

"Shut up." She hurled flame at Father, which he blocked. "Guys, RUN!"

"Didn't have to tell me twice." The others made a break for it- except Numbuh 1. He just looked on sadly, then made a break for it.

"Oo hoo hoo!" Father said. "Bad little girl! Your'e gonna get in TROUBLE!" He exploded into flame. Both flew into the air...

Woah. Story is coming to a close soon! -SP