Chapter Two, in which the Kids Next Door discuss and implement sabotage plans! Read on!
Disclaimer: I do not own Codename: Kids Next Door or its fantastic characters. They are the property of Mr. Warburton and Curious Pictures.
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Chapter 2The news spread fast from the students in Miss O'Dell's third period class. The subsequent period was lunch, so from each corner of the cafeteria, the word of the play spread like wildfire, although no one seemed as perturbed as the kids of Sector V.
"It's disastrous! Terrible!" Nigel declared, standing from his seat when he'd heard. "We're twelve! Why should we be doing Romeo and Juliet?" he sneered.
"You make it sound like it's some adult plot," Hoagie said, taking a bit out of his hoagie.
"And you don't?" someone posed in an Irish accent. The group of three turned around. Francine "Fanny" Fulbrite, a.k.a. "Numbuh 86" stood behind them. A young lady with flaming red frizzy hair and freckles, she was head of decommissioning. She wore a green turtleneck and an orange skirt. Loud and impatient, a visit from her wasn't always the most pleasant. "Why else would we be persuaded to do a romantic-tragedy for our school play?" she asked, looking down and grabbing a cheese curl out of Nigel's paper bag lunch.
"Oh, please, man!" Abby said, popping a potato chip into her mouth. "This is Miss O'Dell we're talkin' about. The woman can barely get herself into class every morning, let alone facilitate our doom."
"Or maybe that's just what she wants us to think!" Fanny suggested, tapping her temple with the cheese curl before eating it. "She's an adult! Loopy and spaced out, but still an adult!"
"Look, Fanny. I ain't sayin' I wanna try out for the lead role- I still think it's a stupid idea and a stupid play. But there is no way this play is going to be a threat to kid-kind!"
"You say that now, but somebody has to make sure that this show does not go on!"
"What do you suggest?" Nigel asked.
"First we'll have to try out for the play-," Fanny started.
"Excuse me?" Abby exclaimed. "Now I know you did not just say that we have to try out for that play!"
"If we are going to sabotage the play, we have to be as close to it as possible, which means we have to be in it," Fanny answered. "In fact, it would be easier if at least one of us got the lead."
"Fanny, I'm not sure I could play Romeo," Hoagie said, glancing down at his stomach.
"Don't worry, Hoagie," Nigel said, puffing himself up. "I think I'll be able to take care of that."
"Heh… Denied thy charm and refused thy beauty…" Abby chuckled. Nigel shot her a glare, and Hoagie started snickering too as Fanny rolled her eyes.
Across the cafeteria, in the Ala Carte line, Kuki and Wally had prepared trays of chips and pizza. Wally grabbed a slushee. "Da-nana-na! Buying cherry slushy! Da-nanana! Gonna freeze my brain!" Wally sang, as he did so often. He slid down to make room for Kuki, so that she could get her slushee. Instead, she continued sliding on. "Hey, Kuki, why aren't you getting a slushee? They only sell them on Thursdays!" he asked her.
"Oh, I forgot to ask my dad for the money this morning. You know how it is," Kuki answered, waving her hand. Her oversized sleeve flew around as she did so and hit the person behind her in line. "Oh! My oopsie!" she exclaimed, turning to apologize. A short darkly tanned girl glowered at Kuki, emitting a low growl from the back of her throat. Kuki's bright smile dulled for a fraction of a second. "Oh, hi, Lluvia. Sorry about that," she said.
"Debes ser. You should be," Lluvia spat, pushing out of line to the cash register. Kuki let out a sigh of relief.
"Man, that girl is annoying! Why does she always have to say something in Spanish? What's wrong with plain, old English?" Wally asked.
"Yeah, I bet she'll get an easy A when she starts Spanish in eighth grade," Kuki answered.
"Yup, so ready to check out?" Wally asked.
"Yeah, let's go. I'm hungry!" Kuki answered, though she cast a look of longing at the slushees. She started for the register, but Wally had noticed her glance at the slushees and grabbed her arm.
"Oh, no ya don't! Grab a slushee. On me!" he grinned.
"Are you sure, Wally?" Kuki asked.
"Sure as a slushee," he winked. Kuki beamed and placed a slushee on her tray, following Wally to the register and then out to the cafeteria. The made their way down the aisles in the direction of the table. "What's the verdict, then?" Wally asked the group, referring to the play he assumed they'd been discussing.
"When you get back to your English class, I want each of you to sign up for an audition for that play," Fanny instructed. "I have Miss O'Dell next period, so I'll sign up first. Start practicing your lines. At least one of you has to become Romeo or Juliet." She turned and walked back to her table.
After staring after for a few seconds, Abby shot a sly glance at Wally. "I nominate Blondie to be Juliet," she said.
"'Ey!" Wally exclaimed. "What makes you think I'm going to run around on stage wearing tights?"
"Because you have to. Orders are orders," Nigel answered. "Don't worry, you can probably get by with being a soldier or something. We need someone in this group who can act to play Romeo or Juliet though." He looked around for volunteers. "Well, if no one else is up to the task…"
"Then I'll be brief," Abby said, picking up the spork from Kuki's tray. "O happy spork! This is thy sheath! There mold, and let me escape this fool!" She imitated stabbing herself in the gut with the utensil amidst laughter from Hoagie, Kuki, and Wally. Nigel fumed silently and ate his cheese curls.
Sixth period rolled around, finding Kuki, Wally, and Abby shuffling unwillingly back into Miss O'Dell's class. The bell finally rang and Miss O'Dell stood up at the front of the classroom. "Well, students, I hope you have all started thinking about the play," she welcomed them. "Would anybody like to sign up for an audition yet?" Kuki, Wally, and Abby glanced between each other before Abby slowly stood up. The whole class gasped.
"I'd like to audition…" she said reluctantly.
The whole class gasped. Miss O'Dell looked like she had died and gone to heaven. "Why, Abigail! I didn't know you were an actress!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, wha'd'you think I'm doin' right now?" Abby murmured.
"My, you and Francine are just full of surprises today. Well, then, here is the audition sheet! I'll just let you pick a time slot!" Miss O'Dell said, bringing the clipboard to Abby, who painfully signed her name. "Oh! And before I forget, you'll need a copy of the audition monologue!" She returned to her desk and took out a packet of papers with a long paragraph printed on them. She handed on to Abby before taking back the clipboard. "Would anybody else like to sign up?"
After a moment's hesitation and a quick glance, both Kuki and Wally raised their hands. Miss O'Dell squealed with delight as the two signed their names and took their monologues. A dull murmur went around the room before another boy raised his hand, "Miss O'Dell, I'd like to try-out as well."
"Me too."
"Me three."
Miss O'Dell excitedly went about the room, allowing the students to sign the audition sheet. "Good Lord, what have we done…?" Abby muttered, sliding into her chair.
"Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form–fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell compliment!
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,'
And I will take thy word. Yet if thou swear'st
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers' perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.
Or if thou thinkest I am too quickly won,
I'll frown and be perverse and say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
And therefore thou mayst think my havior light.
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
Than those that have more coying to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou hast overheardst, ere I was ware,
My true-love passion. Therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which the dark night hath so discoverèd." (Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 85-106)
"Okay, so we think that it should be Numbuh Three we work on for Juliet," Numbuh Eighty-six said a few seconds after Numbuh Three had finished reading through the monologue. The kids of Sector V had made it home from school, joined by their favorite head of decommissioning, and were sitting in the living room of the tree house.
"And it's agreed that Numbuh One will not be our focus for Romeo," Numbuh Five said.
"Why not?" Numbuh One asked.
"Talent from thy lips? O trespass sweetly opposed," Numbuh Five replied, laughing. The rest of the team laughed as well.
"Oh, whatever. As long as Numbuh Three gets her role, there's no reason for me to use my talent when I hate the play anyways," Numbuh One answered.
"Then save my ears the sin they have heard," Numbuh Five added, causing yet more laughter from her teammates.
"Oh, all right, all right. Just remember that if Numbuh Three doesn't get the part of Juliet, it will be that much more difficult for us to sabotage this play," Numbuh One said. He stared over at Numbuh Three over the rim of his glasses. "This will be a lot of hard work. Are you sure you're up to it, Numbuh Three?"
"Of course, silly!" Numbuh Three answered.
"Good. Now for pre-audition sabotage," Numbuh Eighty-six said.
"What's that?" Numbuh Two asked.
"It is better to be proactive than reactive," Numbuh Eighty-six answered. "If we can stop this play before it starts, no one will even have to audition."
"How do we do that, Numbuh One?" Numbuh Four asked.
"We start by…"
Early Saturday morning, while all the other kids were either sleeping or watching cartoons, Kids Next Door Numbuhs One through Five and Eighty-six were scattered about the entrances to the Hendrie Middle School Auditorium. Numbuh Eighty-six was stationed at a side door near the back, peering through the small window. The entire room was dark. "Sector V, report status," Numbuh Eighty-six spoke into her headset.
On the other end of the auditorium, near the stage, Numbuh Four had a small camera slipped beneath the crack in the door and was viewing inside with a screen while Numbuh Three kept look out. "Nothing near the stage," Numbuh Four relayed through Numbuh Three's walkie-talkie.
"Maintenance is still trimming the hedges near the gate," Numbuh Three added to Numbuh Eighty-six.
Numbuhs One and Five were hidden in the brush outside the greenroom and dressing room windows. Numbuh Five gave her leader the thumbs-up. "Backstage is all clear," Numbuh One reported.
"Good. Numbuh Two, commence Operation Leftovers," Numbuh Eighty-six said, looking up to the B.-A.I.R.-R.E.L. (Barge Above Intended Rogues Relays Essence Lightly) hovering over the school.
From the pilot's seat of the B.-A.I.R.-R.E.L., Numbuh Two nodded his head. "I'm on it, Numbuh Eighty-six," he said, pressing a few buttons. The big underbelly of the barge opened up, releasing a large drill that dropped to the roof of the kitchen, right next-door to the auditorium. After a few moments, there was a goodly-sized hole in the ceiling. The drill retreated, and a large pipe dropped down in its place, fitting its mouth through the hole.
A small camera was placed inside the mouth of the pipe, allowing Numbuh Two to see where he was aiming the gigantic thing. "All right, cupcake. Let's find the freezer…" he said, taking the joystick in his hand. He maneuvered the pipe around the kitchen. There were several large counters and ovens, can openers and blenders. "Aha! Jackpot!" he exclaimed when he finally locked on the gigantic freezer. He used the tube to nudge the door open. "Bingo." Numbuh Two flipped a switch and began sucking all of the leftover lunches from the icebox.
"Who would have thought Grandma Stuffum cooking so much more food than we can eat would ever turn out to be a good thing?" Numbuh Two remarked.
"Nicely done. How long until the freezer is empty?" Numbuh Eighty-six inquired.
"Should be another two minutes, Numbuh Eighty-six," Numbuh Two answered.
"All right. Keep your eyes open, operatives," Numbuh Eighty-six instructed. "Especially you, Numbuh Three and Four. Keep an eye on those gardeners."
"Okie-dokie," Numbuh Three answered. She looked up to check on the gardeners. "Wha-!" she exclaimed. "Numbuh Four! They're gone!"
"What!" Numbuh Four cried out. "Where'd they-!" They both spotted them heading for the shrubs behind the auditorium. "Numbuh One! Maintenance is heading your way with a couple of hedge clippers!" Numbuh Four called into the walkie-talkie.
"What!" Numbuhs One and Five exclaimed. They looked out through the leaves.
"What do we do?" Numbuh Five asked.
"Numbuh Eighty-six, please advise!" Numbuh One whispered into his walkie-talkie.
"Numbuh Two, can't that machine go any faster?" Numbuh Eighty-six asked.
"Not without blowing out the engines," Numbuh Two answered.
"Don't you give me any lip!" Numbuh Eighty-six shouted. "We've got trouble!"
"Numbuh Eighty-six…!" Numbuh One called.
"Hey! Mr. Gardener-men!" Kuki ran up to the maintenance workers. Numbuhs One and Five went silent and peered out at their teammate.
"What are you doing here, little girl? It's a weekend. Why are you at school on a weekend?" one groundskeeper asked.
"My kitty got stuck up in the tree! You have to help me get him out!" Kuki pleaded. The gardeners glanced between each other and followed her toward the outer wall of the schoolyard. Numbuhs One and Five sighed in relief.
"Crisis resolved," Numbuh One reported.
"Check, Numbuh One," Numbuh Eighty-six answered. "Numbuh Two, how is that transfer coming.
"I'm just getting the last meat-oaf out of the freezer…" Numbuh Two said. "Got it. Commencing transfer!" he flipped a few more switches and pulled the pipe from the kitchen room. The drill lowered to the auditorium and made another hole before the pipe dropped again. "So much for the no food in the auditorium rule! We're breaking it on a grand old scale!" Numbuh Two laughed before pressing a large red button.
"Oh, man… That was pushin' it!" Numbuh Five slapped her palm to her forehead and shaking her head.
When the button was compressed, there was a loud sound similar to mechanical bowel movement. The pipe swelled as the leftovers the B.-A.I.R.-R.E.L. had collected were dropped. Within moments, the auditorium was filled with meat-oaf, scream of spinach, and filet of squish.
A bit of slop slipped underneath the door Numbuh Eighty-six was guarding and she grinned. "Mission accomplished. Operation Leftovers is a success. Operatives, fall out," she ordered, heading out away from the school.
"Roger that," Numbuh Two answered. He retracted the pipe and took off the B.-A.I.R.-R.E.L.
"Let's go," Numbuh Five said before she and Numbuh One took off in the opposite direction of gardeners.
"Meow. Meow," Numbuh Four repeated from the thick leaves of the tree in the corner of the schoolyard. He was well hidden among the branches.
"Got it, Numbuh Eighty-six," Numbuh Three said. She turned to the gardeners who were staring up the trunk of the tree, looking for her "kitty." "I'm sorry, Mr. Gardener-men. I just remembered I don't have a kitty!" she smiled at them innocently.
"Then what's making that mewing sound?" one of the groundskeepers asked.
Numbuh Four dropped out of the tree. "Oh, hi there!" Numbuh Three greeted him. "My oopsie. That's just my friend. He can only talk like an animal."
"Ruff ruff!" Numbuh Four barked. The gardeners stared on in confusion.
"Okay, thanks for all your help!" Numbuh Three said. "Bye-bye!" She grabbed Numbuh Four by the hand and ran off.
When they were out of earshot, Numbuh Four turned to her. "'Can only talk like an animal?'" he asked.
"Why else would you be up in a tree making cat noises?" Numbuh Three asked.
Numbuh Four smirked over at her and purred in the back of his throat. They both laughed as they continued running back to the tree house.
ckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndckndcknd(Purrs in the back of her throat.) He was kidding people... sort of. So, who else is not allowed to have food in their school auditorium? Who happens to be in drama and eats in there anyway? Yeah, Grandma Stuffum works at their school at intervals. How will this affect the play? Keep tuned to find out. There probably won't be another chapter for a week or so because I have A.P. testing next week. XP But, when you do get an update, you'll like it... I hope. Okay, R&R, guys!
Oh, btw, now Kuki really does owe Wally a quarter. :P