Get Back

Chapter 1: "This Is Gonna Be Hell, Isn't It?"

It was a cool evening in the Outback. Wally had spent the entire day training. He had even boxed with a few kangaroos. He used to spar with his teammates, but they couldn't keep up with him anymore; he trained so much and so vigorously that they'd be exhausted and unable to do anything else. A week ago, Dingo had told him to drop the training and find a girlfriend. Not realizing how much that would hurt Wally, he was completely unprepared for the thorough beat down he received. Dingo was good, but these days no one could match Wally.

So after Dingo had regained consciousness, he set out to ask Wally why he had flipped on him. He found him sitting on the top part of the airship, smoking a cigarette and staring at he setting sun.

"All right Wally, what's up? A good leader doesn't pound on his comrade for an insult as small as that," said Dingo.

"Sorry, Dingo, I lost my temper. It's just...when I left Sector V, I also left behind the only girl I ever really loved. And I never even told her I loved her."

"You're talking about that Kuki girl, aren't you? For heavens sake, Wally, it seems the two of you were made for each other! Why the hell didn't you say anything?" asked Dingo.

"Why! I'll tell you why! Because if I had told her, and if, for whatever reason, she loved me in return, then she'd demand to come with me. Numbuh 1 can do all right with me gone, he'll manage, but how the hell could he stand losing Numbuh 3 as well? The whole bloody team would collapse!"

Dingo opened his mouth to say something, but finding he couldn't say anything particularly profound, he muttered a "Sorry" and went down into the airship. They never talked about it again.

And so Wally continued his insane training regimen. He was training for his planned rematch with Crow, whom he vowed to kill one day. If he killed him, then perhaps he could finally sleep at night, no long tormented by the guilt he felt.

Deciding he had trained enough for the day, he signaled the airship Boomer to pick him up.
He entered the airship, grunted at his teammates, and pulled out a beer from the fridge. He'd never been able to get beer in the suburb he'd lived in back in the U.S. Why, he remembered the time he tried to snag a beer with Numbuh 2, back when they were eight–

Wally froze, and his stomach clenched. Suddenly a beer didn't sound so good right now. He sighed and put it back in the fridge. It had been three months since he left Sector V. He hadn't contacted any of them, and never informed them how to contact him. If it was up to him, he'd never see them again, because he knew it wouldn't take much for them to convince him to come back.

His teammates here, while grateful for his assistance, hoped he would go back too. They felt bad taking him from Sector V. They wouldn't have taken him at all, if he hadn't agreed to be the leader. To Wally's surprise, he'd led them well. He wasn't as good as Numbuh 1 or
Dizzy, but he took what he knew from both of them and did what he could with it. Still, he longed for the days where he could act rashly and not think about the consequences. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stand being a leader.

And worst of all, he missed his parents, his brother, and his former teammates: Nigel, Abby, and especially Hoagie and Kuki. How much longer could he stand it all? He gazed over at the other Aussies. Silo, Walker, and Jackknife were playing poker, while Dingo was perfecting his aim by shooting empty beer bottles. Wally decided to grab a beer despite his stomach, and was about to take a swig when Numbuh 362's image suddenly appeared on the screen next to the fridge.

"Numbuh 4! I trust you are doing well?" asked 362.

"Aah!" cried Wally, spilling some beer down his front. "Oh, Numbuh 362! You, uh, kind of surprised me. Didn't expect you to call so suddenly. Yeah, things are going all right, the Darling Children from Down Under are a right pain in the tookus, but other than that–"

"Is that beer?" asked 362 incredulously, looking at the bottle in Numbuh 4's hands.

"Uh, well, um, you see–"

"Good Lord, you're not even thirteen! Well, anyways, I've come to tell you you're needed in America." Wally's insides froze.

"America? As in, the United States of America?"

"Yes. The leader of the teenagers, Crow, has requested a meeting with the KND, and we need representatives from each country to be there. Numbuh 4, your team is the most decorated in Australia, so I've decided for you to attend."

"A meeting! Uh, is that with me mates, or just me?"

"Only you are required, though you may bring your comrades if you wish. It's in two days. Sector V will be hosting this little shindig, this should give you a chance to catch up with them," she said, smiling. Evidently, she thought she was giving Numbuh 4 a treat.

"There's no way I can back out of this, can I?" asked Numbuh 4.

"Well, no," said Numbuh 362, frowning. "But why would you–"

"I'll see ya in two days, boss," said Numbuh 4, turning off the display screen. Wally was strongly tempted to ask Dingo to break his legs for him, but then it clicked. Crow was going to be at the meeting. Now was his chance! But how could he come up with a plan? "Boys, we're heading to the US," he told his teammates.

"This is gonna be hell, isn't it?" sighed Walker.

"Got that right," growled Wally. He downed his beer, tossed it into the sink, and pulled out another one.

One day earlier

"You want us to host a meeting with the teenage leader? With operatives from around the world attending? IN THREE DAYS!" cried Numbuh 1. He was talking with his own leader, Numbuh 362, on a computer display. Oh, this was going to suck. Big time.

"I'm sorry for the short notice, Numbuh 1, but he suggested the spot himself. He says he likes the area," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "It is an ideal spot. Many other areas are caught up in other problems; you'd think things might have settled down after Father's death."

"Well, the Delightful Children From Down the Lane havebeen pretty quiet lately," interjected Numbuh 2. "I wonder what's happened to them? Haven't heard a thing since they swore vengeance against Crow three months ago. Which reminds me, I've been planning my own little vengeance ever since he cheap shot me back at the moon base."

"If you know what's good for you, Numbuh 2, you won't even blink at him, or I'll personally kick your ass!" shouted Numbuh 362. "For all we know, this is our only chance at peace!"

"Oh, please," scoffed Numbuh 5. "You really think a guy like Crow is going to want peace? He's a cutthroat. He'll talk peace and pretty flowers, and then he'll betray us just like he did to Father."

"It's a good thing he did betray Father, or we'd be dead right now!" retorted Numbuh 362. "If he wanted the KND gone, he would've killed us back at the Moon Base. I know he seems, well, shady, but he's our only hope at peace with the teens. You will follow the orders I've set for you, Sector V. No buts!" She ended the transmission.

Nigel sighed and turned to his teammates. "Well, this is an interesting turn of events. Numbuh 3, you haven't said anything, what's your opinion on this?"

Numbuh 3 was sitting dejectedly in a corner, staring at her knees. She hadn't been her usual self since Wally had gone. In fact, none of them had. They were all shaken by Wally's sudden departure. But she and Hoagie were hit the hardest, and both were wondering if he'd ever return.

"It doesn't really matter to me, Numbuh 1," she sighed. "I know he's the reason Numbuh 4 left and all, but–wait a minute, Numbuh 4!" she cried.

"What are you talking about?" asked Numbuh 5.

"If all the KND countries are coming to this, then that means that Australia's coming too!" cried Numbuh 3.

"Great Scott, you're right!" shouted Numbuh 1. "This might be our chance to convince him to come back!"

"Well then, that's that! We've got to host this meeting with Crow!" exclaimed Numbuh 2. "Do you think Wally will come?"

"Well, it's about time we find out. Let's get this party started!" said Numbuh 5.