Operation R.O.S.E.
Thank you to those who reviewed, especially GoldenFlither who has been reading all the way so far! It's all the encouragement I could get!
Disclaimer: I do not own KND or the song 'Are you happy now' by Michelle Branch (or so, last time I checked) :)
A/N: I couldn't wait to type this chapter… so I just flipped a coin and decided to make 23… O just read, you'll find out anyways ;)
Now, don't just walk away
Pretending everything's ok
And you don't care about me
And I know there's just no use
When all your lies become your truths and I don't care... yeah, yeah, yeah
"…She wouldn't…" 86 gasped.
"My army, the Delightful Children, and I wish to thank you for your approval to join us in our conquest. You will be needed to meet at the factory mentioned to you during the briefing. Till then, good luck," Sheila read the note out. "And there is a symbol here, I think it's the Dragon Mark thing… Lady Li trademark I guess."
"Really? I think it looks more like a lizard… Dragons aren't two inches long! It's more like… this…" Numbah Three stretched her hands out and hit Numbah Four in the eye.
"I wouldn't bet on it, anyone could have just slipped that into her pocket or something," Numbah Two defended Abby.
"Are you saying someone faked this all? It seems like a very large coincidence! Or are you saying that I put it there? Are you saying that I, knowing that it will damage my position in the KND organization, went to kill some girl who I've not met before just to appear real cool? AND that I wrote this letter out myself and casually slipped it on Abigail Lincoln just to have some fun?" Sheila accused, narrowing her eyes.
"No but…"
"That's ENOUGH thank you. Numbah One, I think I heard you say that you had everything under control? May I ask why I wasn't informed that one of our ex-operatives is in contact with our arch-nemesis?"
"Arch-nemesis? I don't think I even heard of this Lady Li person."
"Of course you wouldn't, Numbah Four, there had just been a report of huge gatherings of teenagers in the Hong Kong area and the team there has been exterminated in the past half hour."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"O… Does that mean we are all going to die?"
Nobody answered Numbah Three. Though the question was naïve, nobody wanted to think of the ending the KND would face against this new rival.
Could you look me in the eye
And tell me that you're happy now, ohhh, ohhh
Would you tell it to my face or have I been erased,
Are you happy now?
Are you happy now?
Back down on Earth, Abby was just waking up. It was an angel who saved me… an angel… "…angel…" she muttered dreamily.
"You're awake…" A voice came from her left.
"Who?"
A boy, no older than twelve stood up. He had jet black hair that was messy all over (like a hurricane just hit it) which covered some bits of his eyes but not like Wally's, Abby could still see the distinct features of his eyes. He looked pretty normal and trustable.
"Hi, I'm Francis Rozario. Pleased to meet you."
"Where is Num… I mean where am I, Francis?"
"In the hospital."
"Hospital?"
"Well yes, and if you wanted to know, you practically collapsed just outside my back door."
"O… Sorry for that…"
"You might also be interested that you've been in coma for three days."
"THREE? What happened?"
"The doctor suspected that you were suffering from a brain tumor but when he conducted a MRI scan or whatever it's called he said that it was this," Francis pulled out a small microchip from his pocket, "that was causing the pain in your head."
"That? How…"
"I do not know. Your father had been contacted and he was waiting by your bedside for the past two days but he left last night. I took over his shift. Mr. Lincoln has been most worried."
"He trusted you to take care of me?"
"Well I did save you from getting run over by a truck and I did send you to the hospital personally and I asked your father for permission to come."
"Ah… Can you call the doctor to ask when I can leave?"
"Sure, press that red button next to you."
Abby pressed it. Francis sat down next to Abigail on the hospital bed. He smiled gently and said, "You know, you were muttering angel throughout your days in coma, you mentioned KND and Nigel a few times too."
Abby blushed and snapped, "That's none of your business."
"Well I guess so, but will you tell me more about you?"
"Why are you so interested?"
"I…I… don't have friends."
"Why not? You're a nice person."
"Because I've been kept in my house for most of my life… I only got to come out because my parents are both overseas and my cousin left me to my own today."
"I see… Ouch…"
"You okay?"
"Yeah… except I realized that I can't move my head too much."
"Well, you've just been operated on, of course it'll hurt."
"Is there a phone here which I can use?"
"Well, no, but I do have a cell phone… wait…" Francis grabbed his cell from his backpack hanging from a chair.
"Here."
"Thanks."
Abby dialed Hoagie's number, knowing that Hoagie kept his phone with him everywhere he goes… or at least what he calls a phone. It was more of a original creation by Hoagie which he calls a T.E.L.I.F.O.N.
T. ransmission (on)
E. levated
L. evel
I. nterception Device
F. or
O. perative's
N. eeds
(I think that's my creation so please send me an email if you have other thoughts about that)
"Hello? Numbah Two?"
(On the other end)
"Numbah… um… hold on…" STATIC
"Ouch!"
"Sorry Numbah Five, I had to get away from 86 and the rest to talk to you safely. Listen, YOU ARE IN HUGE TROUBLE…"
As Hoagie explained more about the situation, Abby's head started to hurt again. At that moment, the doctor chose to rush in.
"I'm sorry, I was on lunch duty when you rang. She's awake?"
"Well she looks like it to me."
"Abigail, Abigail Lincoln isn't it?"
"Yes," Abby said as she returned the phone back to Francis. "I want to ask when I can leave the hospital."
"We have to keep you for another 48 hours and if your condition is stable, you may leave."
"Thank you, doctor."
"Now, I need to check your wounds to check for bleeding and such."
The doctor unraveled the bandages that bound Abby's head. She watched as the bandages, some parts stained in blood, dropped to the bedcovers. Then she let the doctor apply some medication and he left. Throughout all this, Francis remained dead-still.
"What's wrong?" Abby asked.
Francis shook his head before saying, "Abby, I think you need to have a look at this. But promise me… Don't freak out."
"I promise."
Francis took out a small mirror for Abby. She took it and looked into it. Then she saw what Francis had wanted her to see. Abby whimpered.
She was bald.
You took all there was to take,
And left me with an empty plate
And you don't care about it, yeah.
And I am givin' up this game
I'm leaving you with all the blame cause I don't care, yeah, yeah yeah,
BACK IN MOON BASE
Hoagie looked around before joining the group again. They eyed him carefully. 86 stared maliciously at Numbah Two before saying, "We heard your whole conversation. You forgot, this whole place is under KND control. I intercepted your call."
Numbah Two gulped. He got Abby into trouble. He dropped to his knees.
"Numbah One, don't do this, you know it's not right…" Numbah Two begged. Numbah One stared back at him, stone-hard expression set. When he saw Numbah Two's hurt look, he felt horrible but he promised 86 that he would deal with Numbah Five and he failed.
"Numbah Three? She is your friend… You will help her won't you?"
"I-I…"
"Numbah Three, if you help Numbah Five, I will consider decommissioning you too," 86 shot daggers at the usually cheerful Numbah Three.
"I'm sorry, Numbah Two…"
Numbah Two went over to Numbah Four. The Aussie suddenly found his shoes very interesting.
"What about you, Numbah Four? She helped you so many times… Please… You will won't you… Say yes…"
"That's enough Numbah Two, you should be glad that Numbah One is not considering kicking you off the team. Why do you ask your fellow operatives to join a rival, unless you are working with her?"
"Who are you to say that? You could have been the one framing Numbah Five. I know she won't do that. You know, you ALL know. Why are you all being so mean to her? I thought we were all friends. FRIENDS DON'T HURT THEIR FRIENDS. Why are you all being so… inhuman!?"
"Won't you look at facts, Numbah Two? All evidence proves that Abigail has joined the enemy. You have two choices now, join us, or join her."
Numbah Two fell silent. He didn't believe his friends are actually doing this. They are going to capture Abby and wipe her memory out or worse… No one cares but him. Sheila gave Numbah Two a hostile look before continuing, "So?"
"I… stay… but I still think that you guys are being unfair."
The members from Sector V all looked grim except for Sheila who was practically beaming. 86 left the scene, nearly breaking the door down as she left.
"Team, we leave here. We go back to the tree-house. There is nothing for us here."
"But, Uno. Have you forgotten? Don't we get a part in getting Abigail Lincoln and Lady Li?" Sheila questioned her leader.
"Knowing 86, she would be extremely vexed right now, and she will refuse to see me. Also, we are one of the best teams around so I guess she will call us back, but not now. Now, we leave."
Numbah One said it in a tone that meant conversation had ended. But Sheila wasn't pleased. Not pleased at all.
Could you look me in the eye?
And tell me that you're happy now, oohh oohhh
Would you tell it to my face or have I been erased,
Are you happy now? Ohhh, ohhhh
Are you happy now?
Are you happy now? yeah, yeah, yeah.
BACK IN THE TREE HOUSE
The Sector V tree-house was unusually quiet. Numbah Three was crying in her room with Numbah Four sitting quietly beside her, trying his best to not show his concern for her, Numbah Two shut himself in his room and locked himself in for two days already, Numbah Five (Sheila) was lying in her couch, cutting up photos of Abby. Numbah One was in his room, his sanity about to crack.
Who can feel worse than me right now? I lost my girlfriend who is now terribly disfigured. I lost the trust of one of my operatives if not all of them. I lost a friend who could understand and kept most of us sane with her common sense. I lost my humanity towards my friends. What else can I lose? O of course, there is 86 who will find every opportunity to make things worse for me AND there is Sheila who has about 1000 ways of killing Abby by now…
Then, the phone rang.
SOMEONE pick that UP. If I'M made to GET UP AND WALK OVER THERE JUST TO GET THE PHONE… THAT PERSON IS SO GOING TO REGRET EVER CALLING.
In the end, he still picked up the phone.
"Hello?" Numbah One said frustratingly.
"Hello? Is this Nigel Uno?"
"Who is this?"
"I am Francis Rozario. Your friend, Abby, had almost died on my doorstep a few days ago."
"WHAT?!"
"You heard me."
"And what do you want?"
"She disappeared last night."
"…Francis, where do you live? I'm coming right over."
"O, don't worry about that, I'm right outside your door right now."
Numbah One slammed the phone down and opened his door. There stood Francis Rosario, looking neat and tidy, except for his hair.
"You are Francis?"
"Yes, I am."
"How did you get in?"
"I let him in."
Numbah Two looked weary and tired as he stood at Numbah One's doorway. Numbah One averted his eyes, trying not to look at Numbah Two. Sensing the tension between the two operatives, Francis spoke up:
"Would you let us into your room, Numbah One?"
"Numbah Two, you do know that you just let a stranger know about a KND sector location."
"No worries, he is a KND operative."
Numbah One raised his brow. A KND operative that was like… him? Numbah One made a mental reminder to contact Global Control later on.
"Numbah Twenty Two at your service."
"I see. Then come in, both of you."
When both of them had seated themselves comfortably in Numbah One's room, Numbah Twenty Two started to talk.
"I think Abigail was kidnapped."
Do you really have everything you want?
You can't ever give somethin' you ain't got
You can't run away from yourself
SOMEWHERE IN HONG KONG
"Who are you and what do you want with Numbah Fi… me?"
"I see you still remember the KND don't you?"
"I-I… That's none of your business."
"It is. I once was a KND operative too, until I turned 13 and they cruelly turned me out of the team. Since then, I needed and WANTED to get rid of the KND."
"Another fanatic," Abby muttered.
"What's that you say? Fanatic? Yes of course I am fanatic, but I am rich too and powerful. I WILL SUCCEED."
"That's what they all say."
"But do they have what I have?"
Lady Li opened the huge metal door that towered over them. Inside was a huge plain, or what was left of it. Huge tanks lay in neat rows, looking ready to declare war any moment. Bomber planes and what looks like a huge rocket lay on the other side. In all, it seems that there were enough planes and tanks for about a few tens of thousands.
"Then of course we have our soldiers."
Lady Li opened another door on the right, after walking for a while, they reached the camps. A huge number of tents lay in front of them, seemingly never-ending. Abby gasped. They were ready, very ready to take down the KND.
"So, will you join me or will you choose death instead? I do have to remind you, even in death, I can make use of your name to get rid of some people, like your beloved Sector V."
Abby was speechless. She couldn't take in everything that was happening right now.
"Why… Why… do you need… me?"
"For your skills and also to set an example for your fellow KND operatives, if they see you on my side, when they get desperate, they know which camp to run to."
"I… will not betray the KND."
"They chased you out, darling and if you want to know, they don't care about you anymore."
"I don't believe you."
"Then I'll show you."
Abby followed the teen into a huge room with a flat screen on one side and a projector. Li turned the lights off and turned the projector on. On the screen, an image from the Moon Base came into view.
"We heard your whole conversation. You forgot, this whole place is under KND control. I intercepted your call."
Abby watched as Numbah Two dropped to his knees.
"Numbah One, don't do this, you know it's not right…" Numbah One only stared back. Abby was hurt.
"Numbah Three? She is your friend… You will help her won't you?"
"I-I…"
"Numbah Three, if you help Numbah Five, I will consider decommissioning you too."
"I'm sorry, Numbah Two…"
"What about you, Numbah Four? She helped you so many times… Please… You will won't you… Say yes…"
"STOP! STOP!" Abby yelled, as she couldn't stand her comrades' coldness. Lady Li was right; they didn't even care about her. Li smiled, she had succeeded.
Could you look me in the eye?
and tell me that you're happy now, yeah, yeah
come on, tell it to my face or have i been replaced,
are you happy now? Ohhh, ohhhh
are you happy now?
BACK IN NUMBAH ONE'S ROOM
"What do you mean kidnapped?" Numbah One asked.
"She was in my house that night, when she came back from the hospital. Abby was never that happy, she said something about hospital jail cells but anyway, she wanted to spend the weekends at my house. She promised but then, that night…"
Francis woke up abruptly. He had dreamed of people killing him again and again, not a nice nightmare (Ok… so nightmares are usually never nice). Then he smiled. Tomorrow Abby, Mr. Lincoln, Cree and he are going to the beach together. Abby had promised that she would help him make some friends.
He climbed out of bed and went to get some water from the kitchen. As he descended down the stairs, he heard something heavy drop from Abby's room (it was usually his cousin's but she wasn't here). He ran all the way, worried.
When he entered the room, it was a mess. There were traces of a struggle here and there. The chair fell over and the mirror was broken and hung at a tilt. The window was open and the curtains flailing. And that… was when Francis decided he should call Numbah Two.
"She was at your house?" Numbah One asked, feeling a little down.
"Yes, but that's not important, what's important is that we find Abby."
"Yes, of course."
"Hem…" Someone cleared her throat as she stood at Numbah One's doorway.
"Numbah Five! Uh O…"
"I hope you know what you are doing, Numbah One, cause if you do, I suppose you have gone crazy. Whatever you do, I will make sure none of my fellow operatives see that girl. She is our enemy, make sure you remember that."
"And if I don't?" Numbah One challenged Sheila.
Numbah Five's eyes flashed with anger.
"You'll pay."
Would you look me in the eye?
Could you look me in the eye?
I've had all that I can take
I'm not about to break
Cause I'm happy now, ohhh, ohhh
Are you happy now?
Whoa! That was LONG. For me that is. PLEASE tell me what you think… I've been working till midnight to improve this!!!