Transmission 10: Double Crossed
It's 8am, Monday morning and almost all members of Sector V are still asleep when Nigel's voice echoes through the hallways.
"Attention everyone, please come to the briefing room ASAP. We will begin in 10 minutes."
Reluctantly, Nigel's teammates and their guest wake up. Wally and Kuki had been cleaning far in to the evening and he had simply collapsed on his bed the moment Kuki left. She tried to sleep in her the common but instead she sneaked into Wally's room and spent the rest of the night on his boxing ring bed. Tommy had gone to Hoagie's room and they had similarly spent the rest of the day working on the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. and on more weapon upgrades, including a better version of the Stupefier Rifle Hoagie had made the day before. However, he couldn't sleep much because of the argument he had with Abby.
Maurice had arrived early and actually woke up Nigel since his alarm had run out of battery. Just like Hoagie, Abby couldn't sleep well either and she sluggishly leaves her room with her hat slightly tipped.
As they all converge towards the elevators, Wally and Kuki are arguing over the fact that she had slept in his room without him knowing. Hoagie is too drowsy to interfere in their quarrel and simply ignores them. But as Abby boards the same elevator, an awkward silence falls as even Wally and Kuki stop their argument. This silence follows them all the way to the briefing room, where Maurice and Nigel are waiting. Nigel however, is not impressed that all his teammates are so silent.
"I am aware that this is a Monday morning but you don't have to be so cheerful."
"Some of us didn't sleep so well." Abby remarks coldly as they sit down on the sofa. Like yesterday, Hoagie and Abby sit at the opposite ends and neither even looks at the other.
Nigel clears his throat and begins the briefing. "Alright, I will now commence the meeting. Yesterday, Maurice, Tommy and I formulated a plan regarding my meeting with Numbuh 362. The time will be at 1800 hours at a disused KND outpost near the city's main power-lines." Nigel activates the holographic projector in the center of the circular sofa. The holograph shows a three-dimensional model of the outpost and the surrounding area. "I will meet up with Numbuh 362 and Tommy will position himself in a tree overlooking the left side window. As the building's façade is that of an abandoned industrial warehouse, he will have a perfect line of sight inside. I believe you worked on some equipment with Numbuh 2, am I right?"
"Yes, The Tommy has the tools needed to cover you." Tommy nods with his arms crossed.
"Good, now onto to part 2. While I am conversing with Numbuh 362, the rest of you will stay at the Treehouse and if something happens to either of us, you come to our aid."
"And how do we know if something happens to ya?" Wally asks while leaning back.
"I have given Tommy one of the communicators we took from the Ninjas at the Arctic Prison. Both mine and his are connected to the main computer's global GPS. If you lose either of our signals, you will know to take action."
"Hmph, sounds like a plan." Abby says with a dry voice.
"Numbuh 2, do you have a transport prepared in-case something happens?"
"Me and Tommy finished working on the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. I had left in my room. Thanks to my upgrades, it's faster than any ship the KND has, trust me."
"Excellent. Now then, I'll end this briefing here. Once again, feel free to use our kitchen if you need breakfast. That is all." He shuts down the projector and steps down from the podium. Everyone, except Maurice, goes down to Nigel's house to eat breakfast. Kuki seems more excited than usual.
"Why the happy face Numbuh 3?" Abby asks as she sips her coffee.
"I'm super excited! This is the first time in three years that we all go to school together. I can't wait." She says with a wide smile. The others feel a bit guilty as they remember what Kuki had to go trhough when they were separated.
"Let's make great memories together!" She says cheerfully.
"Those teachers are gonna chew me out for not bein' at school for 2 weeks." Wally mutters.
"Numbuh 4, I don't think they can really punish you since your parents did say you were missing for that time." Nigel says, trying to assure him.
"Whatever, school's never been my thing anyway."
"Oh, you'll be fine Numbuh 4. I'll help you if you're having trouble." Kuki says and pats him on the back playfully while Wally shrugs and jugs down his coffee.
…
At Hendrie Middle School, the members of Sector V try to adjust to a normal life. All of them are 8th graders and this is because, due their Teen Villain activities, Abby and Hoagie, who are a year older than Wally and Nigel and two years older than Kuki, had to repeat their 7th grades. Kuki on the other hand started school at the age of six instead of seven, thus being an 8th grader despite having just had her 14th birthday. But in just 2 months they'll graduate to become high school students. The biggest surprise for the other students is that Wally is back after two months and is being friends with Nigel, Abby, Hoagie and most of all Kuki.
For the past three years, none of the five had been in any contact with each other. Back when they escaped Decommissioning, Nigel had been the first to leave, after declaring his intentions to find the the truth but upon learning that this meant he became a servant of Father, one by one, the others lost hope and went their separate ways, which had the worst effect on Kuki, who, without the support of her friends, ended up being bullied. Hoagie, Wally and Abby meanwhile became bullies in their own ways while Nigel kept a clean public image.
The events of the day went as follows: Wally slept through most of the first period and was yelled at by the teacher. Abby and Nigel continued to pursue their goal of getting honor student status while Hoagie had to help Wally with the math problems. Kuki however had a huge smile on her face all the way to the lunch period, when some of her old bullies from the previous year tried to get to her again.
This time however, Nigel, Hoagie, Abby and especially Wally stood up for her. Wally even gave some of them a thorough beating and was promptly given detention.
…
After school, the five friends walk back to the Treehouse. Even though the atmosphere is rather cheerful, Hoagie and Abby are still not talking to each other. Once they arrive, the time is 15:30, two and half hours until the meeting. In the elevator, Nigel gestures Hoagie to come closer so he can speak to him.
"Numbuh 2, have you explained all the upgrades you did to their equipment."
"Not really…You want me to go through them?"
"Yes, and if possible, give them a chance to test them so that there won't be any risk of malfunction or us getting caught or or the like."
"*sigh* I'll do what I can." He turns around towards Kuki, Wally and Abby.
"Hey guys, can you come to the armory after you're done with any school stuff. We need to go through all the upgrades I made. I just need to test if everything is working properly."
"Are ya sayin' you gave us half-finished stuff?" Abby crosses her arms and glares at him but Hoagie tries his best to ignore her angry gaze.
"Why would I give you unfinished equipment? Just come to the armory when you're done okay?" He says and leaves the elevator in the next floor. Abby lets out a loud huff as the doors close.
"Numbuh 5, how long are you two gonna keep fightin'?" Wally asks.
"It ain't Numbuh 5's fault that he thought something stupid and insulted me!" She responds angrily.
"But he did act that way because you…"
"Hey, are sayin' you're on his side, Numbuh 3?" Abby cuts Kuki off, who is a bit scared by her angry expression.
"She ain't on anyone's side! And don't shout at Numbuh 3! She's just tryin' to help." Wally immediatly goes to Kuki's defense.
"All of you stop this right now!" Nigel shouts, silencing the others. "I don't know what happened between you two, but I don't want it getting in the way of our teamwork. We have to stay together if we want to succeed. So, I expect that the two of you clear whatever is troubling you and move on." Nigel says sternly.
"Hmpf, tell that to him." Abby says angrily and leaves the elevator as it reaches another floor.
Kuki looks at the floor sullenly. "Why do they have to fight? I thought they could talk this out."
"They're both too prideful to admit anything, that's why." Nigel replies. The three teenagers ride the elevator all the way to the common room's floor. Once there, Wally jumps on the couch while Kuki and Nigel go to the kitchen. Kuki starts doing some school work while Nigel contacts Tommy and tells him to come to the Treehouse to prepare for the operation.
"The Tommy will be there as soon as possible." After about 15 minutes, he lands to the secondary hangar a.k.a. Hoagie's room. Tommy then leaps out of his 2x4 rocket and heads to the armory. Once there, he goes to the main room where Hoagie is working on a large weapon that's hanging from two heavy-duty chains. "What are you working on now, Hoagie?" He asks curiously.
"A little added firepower for Numbuh 4. He is the weapons specialist after all." He replies and puts on a welding mask as he welds a rail-like piece of steel on to a cylindrical piece.
"Isn't it kinda late to make new weapons? We only have 2 hours left until the mission starts."
"It would be late if it wasn't me doing the work. You know I'm a master of technology, right?" Hoagie puffs his chest and continues to build the large weapon.
"Do ya need help?"
"Absolutely. Here are the blueprints I made earlier. Start building the other accelerator rail while I fix the magnetic flow in the main barrel."
"You got it!" Tommy salutes his brother and starts working.
…
An hour passes by and Maurice arrives to the Treehouse. Nigel orders Kuki and Wally to get Abby and go to the armory for the equipment check. As they walk towards Abby's room, Kuki nudges Wally. "Hey Wally, I'm kinda scared…"
"Why's that?"
"I'm afraid they're going to start fighting again…"
"Aren't they fightin' already? Come on Kuki, ya gotta trust them a bit more."
"It's not about trust. I just want them to get along."
"They'll sort themselves out eventually. At least that's what I think."
"You've really changed Wally. In the past, you couldn't care less about our problems."
"Wha…I did care about other people's problems! I just had other things in mind back then." He stutters and his face turns slightly red while Kuki giggles.
"What's so funny?!" Wally says in embarrassment.
"Nothing…"
They reach Abby's room but Kuki is hesitant to open the door. "Wally, can you go on ahead? I'll bring her with me." Wally nods and walks away, leaving Kuki standing in front of the door. She takes a deep breath and knocks on it. "Numbuh 5?"
"What do ya want Numbuh 3?" Abby answers coldly.
"Uhm…Numbuh 1 ordered us to go to the armory. We need to test the equipment."
There is no response but Kuki can hear sounds of movement inside the room. Soon the door opens and Abby walks out. "Let's go then." She says and they walk through the hallway.
"Numbuh 5, are you angry at me?"
"Nah, Numbuh 5 ain't mad at ya. Sorry if ya thought that." Abby replies.
"Oh…"
"Numbuh 5's just pissed off, that's all."
Kuki can sense the anger from Abby's tone of voice. "You know you could just talk to him about it."
"I ain't talkin' to him until he goes on his knees and begs for forgiveness." Abby snaps.
"But he just misunderstood the whole thing. We all make mistakes, don't we?"
"Yeah, but this is different. Like I said, Numbuh 5 ain't talkin' to him." Kuki sighs and the conversation dies off.
Meanwhile, Wally has already entered the armory. Hoagie performs a few tests to see if the upgrades work. "I've added a new High-Altitude Mode to the armor so you can now fly higher and faster without sacrificing mobility. In theory you could engage in a dogfight with a KND fighter if necessary. But I haven't had the time to actually test it…"
"Heh, that's sounds pretty cool. What else did ya put on this thing?" Wally asks enthusiastically as Hoagie smiles wryly.
"Well, I did some upgrades to the Destabilizer."
"Destabilizer? What's that?"
"It's that thing on your chest armor. Have you been using this without even knowing what it's equipped with?"
"Uhm…of course not! I totally knew the Desta...Des...Desbillilizer…"
"Heh, good joke. Anyway, that thing is a counter against B.R.A. I guess Father was expecting to fight against them at some point. Now, you can alter the spread of the blast with those four magnetic controllers around the emitter. The more open they are, the wider the blast but its range also becomes shorter."
"Got it." Wally nods.
"And I also modified the shield system so you can cover your hands with them, just in case you need to get up close and personal in a fight. Now, can you activate your armor so I can see if the armor's movement response works better?"
Wally activates the armor and performs some basic combat moves while Hoagie uses a small 2x4 scanner to see if the upgrades work. Suddenly the door flies open rather violently as Abby marches in, followed by Kuki. Abby doesn't say anything and sits on the tinkering table with her arms crossed while Kuki takes the mask out and speaks to Hoagie.
"So Numbuh 2, why did you make this mask?"
"Well, Numbuh 1 did say you needed something too so I came up with that. It reinforces your role as the diversionary tactics specialist since you can now spot enemies better." Kuki smiles and goes next to Wally, who is still testing his armor. Hoagie's attention then turns towards Abby, who looks away with a scowl on her face. Hoagie then lets out a heavy sigh and walks up to her.
"So, you want me to explain the upgrades I made to your armor as well?" Abby doesn't respond and looks away.
"Yeah, I kinda figured. At least take this." He reaches down to his left pocket and hands her a small device. "If you don't want to speak to me, then use this. It's a basic 2x4 holodisc that has all the info you need." Abby glances at him and swiftly takes the disc from his hand. Remaining silent, she stands up and leaves the room while Kuki and Wally look at Hoagie, whose shoulders slump down slightly. He slaps his hands together and turns towards the others."Okay, let's finish this so I can continue my project."
"What kinda project are ya workin' on now?"
"Actually, it's a new weapon I'm making especially for you Numbuh 4. It just needs a few more tweaks and it's good to go." Hoagie takes out his scanner and they finish up the upgrade test.
…
Abby goes back to her room and sits down on her bed. She hesitantly presses the green button on the holodisc and it opens. Hoagie had made the instructions easy to follow, with all the important features highlighted, such as the new wrist-mounted grappling wire launchers and additional heat laser cannons on each gauntlet. Hoagie had even equipped the B.R.A. with a stealth camouflage system he had copied from Wally's armor. Wally himself was never aware his armor had that function.
A slight smile appears on Abby's face as she goes through the holodiscs' information. "He really likes bein' thorough with his work." Her smile fades as she stands up and throws the disc on her bed.
"But why the hell can't he say anythin'?! It ain't that hard to say sorry." She slaps her cheeks with her hands and takes a deep breath. "Alright Abby, ya gotta keep ya cool. We got a big mission to deal with today. You can worry about that jerk later." She starts stretching and does a few fighting moves to prepare herself for the operation.
Up in the briefing room, Maurice and Nigel go through the plan one more time. Maurice can sense that Nigel is a bit worried about the meeting. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yes, I'm just a bit anxious. I really hope this isn't a trap to lure me out so the KND can storm the Treehouse."
"Don't worry about that man. We've got ya covered."
Suddenly the door opens and Wally, Kuki and Tommy walk in. After a few minutes Abby also arrives and she immediately notices Hoagie's absence. "So, where the heck is Numbuh 2?"
"He stayed behind to finish Numbuh 4's new weapon. Said he'd come here once everything was done." Kuki says.
"Right…"
Abby jumps on the sofa and puts her arms on the back rest while Nigel goes on the podium. "Alright everyone, it's almost time for me and Tommy to go. There is one more matter we have to discuss. If the enemy attacks us while we are there, which of you will form the recovery team? We can't have all six of you leave the Treehouse unattended."
"Well, I think the three of you should go." Maurice points at Wally, Kuki and Abby. All three nod in response.
"Good, now who will be the team leader?"
"I vote for Maurice. You can be our leader if we need to leave." Abby says.
"Nah, it's gotta be Numbuh 2."
"What?!" Abby stands up but before she can say anything, Maurice stops her.
"Aren't yall forgettin' someone? Numbuh 2 is the only one who can fly any of the ships we have here. He'll be the field leader. Me and Numbuh 6 will stay behind and guard this place, 'kay?" Abby tries to protest but she quickly slumps back down on the sofa and keeps quiet. "So, do we have a plan now?"
"I believe we do Numbuh 9. Alright Tommy, go to this location and hold position unless something happens." Nigel points at a location on the holo-projectors map.
"The Tommy will keep his eyes open!" Tommy replies and heads out. Nigel walks up to Maurice and hands him his Stupefier.
"Take this. Should something happen to me, I want you to make sure none of these fall in to wrong hands." Maurice nods and puts the weapon in to his hoodie's pocket.
"Well, wish me luck." Nigel salutes everyone and leaves the briefing room.
…
In the outskirts of town, Rachel and Patton are waiting in front of an old warehouse. They look around cautiously; making sure no one had followed them. Suddenly out of nowhere, Nigel appears before them. He has his Silhouette Suit on, which startles the Teen Operatives. "Whoa, don't scare us like that." Rachel hisses at him.
"I merely took the fastest route and before you ask, I have my suit on simply as a precaution."
Rachel quickly collects herself. "Alright, let's not waste any time. Follow me." She signals the two boys to follow her to the warehouse. Observing from a large tree on the left side of the building, Tommy keeps an eye on the situation. He can clearly see everything through the scope of his Stupefier-Rifle.
The building is old and it hasn't been used in a long time but small details reveal that it has seen at least use in recent years. As Patton closes the door behind them, Rachel sits down at a table located in a small room in the right corner of the warehouse.
Once both Patton and Nigel have taken a seat, she puts her hands on the table. "Now then, why don't we start this "meeting"? The quicker we can get this over with, the less time well spend being at risk." Nigel says callously. Rachel and Patton exchange glances and she begins to speak.
"Okay, I think you already know why I called this meeting. I want to clear any misunderstandings between us. If possible, I'd like that we wouldn't treat each other as enemies anymore."
Nigel lifts an eyebrow. "That could be difficult. I can't promise you anything until me and my team have identified who framed us."
"I'm kinda curious about that." Patton joins the conversation. "You're saying that you where framed but can you prove the video footage wrong?"
"That footage was staged, we were unconscious during the whole time!" Nigel stands up and stares angrily at the former drill sergeant.
"I understand, no need to get angry. Like I said, do you have any proof that someone framed you? I just want make sure this wasn't a waste of time." Rachel glares at him briefly as Nigel sits down.
"Yes, I have proof. I didn't spend three years in Father's mansion for nothing." He reaches down into his pocket and using telekinesis, he shows them the key card. "This card was used by the Ninjas to infiltrate the Arctic Base's security and to detach our cell block."
Rachel and Patton inspect the card and she immediately recognizes its level. "This is a level-8 card. How did the Ninjas get their hands on it?"
"And what does this have to do with what happened three years ago?" Patton asks skeptically as Nigel smirks and turns the card around.
"Why don't you read the fine print?"
Rachel squints her eyes and reads the small text in the bottom-right corner. Her eyes suddenly widen as she moves her gaze towards Nigel.
"This is…impossible." Patton also becomes stunned when he finishes reading.
"You better believe it. This card was only given to the one in-charge of the security on floor number 66, the very floor where the C.O.D.E.-M.O.D.U.L.E. was kept. All we have to do is run a DNA analysis on it to figure out who not only shut down the security system but also opened the vault. As you remember, even though we were guarding it, none of us had that specific card."
Both teenagers sit in silence while Nigel lets his revelation sink in. Suddenly Rachel slams her fist on the table."So, there was a mole inside the KND after all. Why would anyone want to sell you out like that?!"
"And how did those Ninjas get their hands on this card?" Patton inspects the card one again.
"Most likely Father gave it them. After all, this card is universal."
Patton crosses his arms and stares at the table in deep thought.
"I guess you were right then…" Rachel says sullenly. "I should've believed you when you said it earlier. I'm sorry…"
"None taken. Back then, we didn't have any solid evidence to prove our innocence." Nigel gives her small, forgiving smile.
"So, what do you plan to do from here on?" Patton asks.
"As I've stated before, me and my team will identify and hunt down the one responsible." Patton nods in response and goes back to thinking.
"There's another reason why I called this meeting. Something is troubling me about the current situation." Rachel looks firmly at the two boys.
"What is it?"
"Well Patton, haven't you noticed that the overall atmosphere in the KND has changed? We haven't received any new orders from Global Command or any new information for that matter. Not to mention, the Decommissioning Squad have moved their members to sectors they weren't assigned to before."
Her last statement immediately piques Nigel's interest. "What do you mean by that?"
"They've started to take roles that used to be handled by their specific departments. They say they have even formed their own, independent combat units, on the pretense of securing fleeing operatives more easily."
"That must be Numbuh 1000's doing. Only he'd be in a position high enough to do such a thing." Patton says as Nigel crosses his arms.
"But why now? Surely the Supreme Leader would have some say in that?" he ponders.
"From what I heard, she's too busy dealing with increased activity from the Ninjas."
"Perfect setting for a coup d'etat..."
"What?! That's kinda farfetched Nigel. I don't think Numbuh 1000 would be that ambitious. Sure, he's a bit strict and by the book but he wouldn't try anything like that."
"Think about it Rachel. We escaped right under his nose and the Supreme Leader forbade him and you to continue pursuit. Don't forget, he IS Numbuh 100's younger brother."
"That just doesn't make sense…perhaps it's something else?"
The room becomes silent as they ponder the topics they have discussed. All of a sudden Nigel stands up. "Well regardless of what he's planning, it seems awfully suspicious to begin expanding the operational authority of the Squad out of nowhere."
"I agree. Maybe we should stay in contact, so if anything important happens, we'd all know?" Rachel offers her hand to Nigel who responds by shaking it. Patton also nods in acceptance.
"I believe it would be for the best if I leave now. My team is waiting for me." Then Nigel's communicator comes to life and he quickly answers it. "What is it Tommy? Have we been compromised!?" He can hear Tommy's frantic voice howling from the speaker.
"Numbuh 1! You need to get out of there now! Two black C.O.O.L.B.U.S.S.'s just landed right in front of the warehouse! Hurry, go to the back…" A heat laser blast hits Nigel's communicator, destroying it. His suit ignites and he scans the dark building.
Then from the darkness, a silver projectile flies at him. He creates a fireball and throws it at the object. While he does score a direct hit, the outer shell simply breaks apart and reveals a small silver ring that continues on its path. Propelled by the momentum from the fireball, it clamps around Nigel's right wrist. Immediately his suit fades away and he's subjected to a powerful electric shock. "ARRRGHHHH!" He screams in pain and goes down on his knees. "A…Silhouette Brace…" He mutters while holding his right hand.
Then the entire front of the building is obliterated by a massive explosion. Patton and Rachel are thrown on the floor while Nigel barely keeps his balance.
Outside, Tommy watches as troops pour out of the two transports but he can't fire with his rifle because of the smoke. "This is not good!" He takes out his communicator and tries contact the Treehouse but he can't get through.
…
Back at the Treehouse, Maurice is the first to notice the connection loss and quickly presses the general alarm button. He then speaks through the intercom.
"We got a Code 1 alert people! I lost contact with Numbuh 1's and Tommy's communicators! Start movin'!"
He doesn't have to repeat it as Wally, who had been in Hoagie's room, pulls a lever on the wall. This activates the large ship catapult that Hoagie had installed 4 years ago. The M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. is already standing on the launch pad as Hoagie loads his new weapon onboard. Kuki and Abby jump out of the emergency chutes that run through the entirety of the Treehouse. Both run to Hoagie's room where the boys are waiting. As they hop aboard, Maurice contacts the ship."Alright guys, I ran a satellite scan of the place and it looks like there are two transports in front of the buildin'. I didn't see other ships but be ready for anythin'." Wally, Hoagie, Kuki and Abby all nod as their ship prepares for launch. Maurice then contacts Hoagie on a private line on his communicator. "Numbuh 2, you're in charge."
"What!? Why me!?" Hoagie becomes startled by Maurice's sudden order.
"Ya gotta make sure everyone gets back safely. I'll stay behind and keep guard. We can't have this place completely empty."
"Why not Numbuh 5?"
"She's in charge on the ground, but anywhere else, you're the boss. I'm leavin' Abby in your care."
Hoagie stares blankly at Maurice for a second but he quickly regains his composure. "Fine, leave it to me."
"Gotcha. Good luck guys." Maurice salutes Hoagie who salutes back. He pulls a lever that lowers the ships mechanical legs down, making it more aerodynamic. Hoagie then grabs the main accelerator.
"M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H.-W.A.S.P. taking off!" The massive ship is propelled along the catapult rail and it soars up to the sky. Unlike a normal M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H., this one has been extensively modified. It no longer has the large spherical rear section but instead it has a space shuttle welded to the rear of the yacht, which forms the middle and front of the ship. It retains the mechanical clawed legs but its wings have been swept back and it now has 6 heliojets instead of 2.
"Hold on Numbuh 1, we're comin' for ya." Abby thinks as they fly over the suburbs.
…
Back at the warehouse, the smoke begins to clear as Nigel, Patton and Rachel are surrounded by people who appear to be KND operatives. However, they all wear black and gray combat suits and their eyes seem empty. "Well, well, well, we meet again, Nigel Uno." Nigel immediately recognizes the voice as a stocky figure wearing a black trench coat and under it, the same black and gray combat suit as the operatives, steps forward.
"Numbuh 1000." Nigel says angrily.
"Bingo, you guessed right." Numbuh 1000 answers spitefully. He isn't wearing a helmet like before, revealing his slightly shaggy hair. He also has black landing boots and black leather gloves.
"I have to thank you, Numbuh 362. Because you brought Nephew here, I can now take him in to custody."
Nigel looks at Rachel with a murderous gaze. "Did you…tell him about this!?"
"NO! Neither of us had been in contact with him since last Friday!" She pleads.
"Now, now, there's no need to get angry Nigel. You didn't think something like this would go past the KND Surveillance? Of course, we had some additional help." Numbuh 1000 looks up towards the roof scaffolding and a dark figure wearing Battle Ready Armor jumps down. Patton and Rachel stare in shock as the person reveals herself.
"Why…why Fanny? Why did you do this!?" Rachel shouts.
"Because unlike you, I didn't just give up on our mission." Fanny retracts her helmet. While her B.R.A still retains the same green color scheme, it now features a launcher-like device over her left shoulder and a visible backpack.
"Our mission was to keep an eye on Sector V! Not to attack them like you did!" Rachel shouts in rage.
"Well, I didn't agree with those orders in the first place! I'm simply doing what you couldn't do!"
"So, you sold us out to get to him? I knew you were dedicated to your mission but I never thought you'd become this desperate, Fanny." Patton says in disgust as Numbuh 1000 chuckles lightly.
"Why are you arguing? After all, the only one who was sold out was Nigel here. You three will share the credit for capturing him."
Rachel and Patton cannot believe what they are hearing. "Neither of us is taking any credit for anything. Besides, aren't you violating the same order the Supreme Leader gave to us?" Patton questions Numbuh 1000 who smirks nonchalantly.
"Well, the Supreme Leader's orders can be ignored if the circumstances are dire enough. I can't think that capturing the most infamous traitors in KND history could be any direr." Nigel lets out a loud huff and stares angrily at Numbuh 1000. "Hmm? Do you have something to say, traitor?"
"I find it funny that you keep calling us traitors when we were merely framed."
"You still believe that after 3 years? It didn't work back then and it won't work now. All the evidence was against you, not to mention the surveillance camera footage. Besides, even if you could somehow prove your innocence, it wouldn't help you anymore."
"And why is that?" Nigel glares murderously at the brown-haired teenager who simply smirks at him.
"You don't remember? You and your team escaped custody and became enemies to the KND. Especially you since you did join Father's side after all. Face it, the only thing waiting for you and your team is decommissioning. Though some might want to give you an even harsher punishment…"
Suddenly Nigel starts to laugh, which surprises not only Numbuh 1000 but also Patton, Rachel and Fanny. He looks down at Numbuh 1000 with a mocking smile. "Let me say this, Numbuh 1000. Me and my team have already found vast amounts of evidence that proves our innocence. Why do you think I immediately joined Father after we fled?"
"What are you saying?" Numbuh 1000 asks.
"Since he was the one behind the attack, all I had to do was steal as much data from him as I could."
"Ah yes, that data you had with you when you were captured. Because of it, the KND's science division has made leaps in weapons technology. Too bad there wasn't anything regarding that event among them." Numbuh 1000 says victoriously.
"Yes, but the one that holds all the proof wasn't among the things you took. Even as I speak, my team is deciphering a data disc that holds conversations between a KND operative and the DLCFDTL." Nigel exaggerates on purpose, to intimidate the boy.
Then, for a brief moment, face of pure shock appears on Numbuh 1000's face. Nigel doesn't miss the reaction but 1000 quickly recovers. "Hmm, you're bluffing. Enough of this! Troops, take him to the transport." Two tall operatives grab Nigel from his shoulders and start dragging him towards the huge hole in the wall but then suddenly, Rachel stops them. "What are you doing Numbuh 362?"
"I won't accept this! This is not how the KND that I commanded did things."
"Numbuh 362, stand down right now!" Numbuh 1000 shouts.
"No! As a Teen operative, I'm not obligated to follow your orders." She responds defiantly, having finally decided to let go of the grudge that shackled for so long.
"Well consider that rank revoked! Seize her!" Five operatives attack her and even though she tries to resist, they overwhelm her, which shocks Fanny. "We're obviously not on the same side anymore Numbuh 362."
"I don't think we were on the same side to begin with!" Rachel hisses at him as Fanny runs to her side.
"What are ya saying 362? Why do you want to turn against us?" She asks in disbelief. After all, Rachel had not only been her best friend but also the one person she looked up to the most.
"I was blinded by revenge for three years, for all the wrong reasons. I know for a fact that this is not right in any way." Fanny shakes her.
"No, don't do this 362! We're a team, right? That's how it's always been!" she tries desperately to talk Rachel out of it, but the former Supreme Leader refuses to accept what Fanny did and glares at her old comrade with eyes filled with disgust.
"I can't see you as a teammate when you sold us out to him, plain and simple."
Her furious expression leaves Fanny speechless as Numbuh 1000 turns his attention towards Patton. "What about you? Have you decided to betray the KND as well?" Patton looks at him with disgust.
"If you're going to take her in, then I'm going too." Promptly four operatives grab and subdue him, even though he doesn't resist.
"Numbuh 60, not you too!? Why are you both doing this!?"
"Maybe you should look at yourself and think why we did this." Patton says grimly. 1000 goes to Nigel and grabs him by the collar, despite being a head-height shorter than him.
"You really have a way of influencing people Nigel Uno. I didn't think that two elite operatives would turn against the KND for a traitor like you."
"Unlike you, they don't see the world as black and white." Nigel spits at him, prompting Numbuh 1000 to punch him with his right hand and Nigel falls to ground. The impact doesn't feel like a normal punch but rather as if he had been hit something made of metal.
"Nigel!" Rachel shouts as 1000 stomps on Nigel's back with his landing boot, causing him to scream in pain.
"I was going to let you go into the transport without doing anything, but that attitude of yours is really annoying me. You seem to think that you are above all others. Well, let me teach you something: you and your friends are nothing! You are nothing more than scum that should simply disappear!" No one in the building had seen Numbuh 1000 so furious. The always stoic and calm leader of the Decommissioning Squad was exhibiting a side that he had never shown before as he pulls Nigel up by his collar again.
"Now, it would be wise of you to keep your mouth shut, since the only things that are coming out of there are lies."
"Hmpf, look who's talking." Once again, 1000 punches Nigel in the face.
"Stop it!" Rachel's words fall on deaf ears as 1000 presses Nigel against the floor and kicks him in the stomach.
…
High above the city, the M.O.S.Q.U.T.T.O.H.-W.A.S.P. closes in the warehouse's location. The atmosphere inside the ship is tense and no one says a word. Wally, Kuki and Abby sit silently on theirs seat as Hoagie pilots the ship towards its destination.
"I hope Numbuh 1 is okay…" Kuki says worriedly.
"That's all we can do, Numbuh 3, hope." Abby responds, trying to keep calm.
"Come on guys; stop acting like all hope's lost." Wally tries to lift their spirits but silence returns to the ship. Suddenly, the radio comes to life.
"…mmy here…hurry! Thei'r…jam…ing…I'll…uy time…so…rry…up!" Tommy's voice becomes distorted by the interference as Kuki tries frantically to increase the signal but to no avail.
"I can't contact him anymore! Something's stopping the signal."
"Something or someone is jamming the radio frequencies." Hoagie says and applies more thrust. Abby walks next to him and slams her hand on the control panel.
"Can't ya make this thing go faster?" She asks angrily.
"I'm already using full thrust. I'd use the hyper-accelerator if I had time to build and install it."
"Are ya saying that we're flying in an unfinished ship!? I can't believe you! Why the heck didn't we use the C.O.O.L.B.U.S.S. we stole, huh?" She shouts at Hoagie, who tries to keep his cool.
"That thing was wrecked and it can't fly anymore. This was the only choice!" Hoagie shouts back at her.
"I swear, if something happens to Numbuh 1 because of your ship bein' too slow I'll…" Before she can finish her sentence, Wally grabs her by the shoulder and drags her away from Hoagie, who is trying his best not lash out at her.
"Will ya stop this stupid fight already!? Don't ya remember? Our job is to get Numbuh 1 back! This isn't the time to be insultin' others! Now sit down, we need to get ready." Wally sudden outburst surprises everyone and Abby quietly sits back on her seat in front of the radar screen.
Once again, the ship interior falls silent until they reach the airspace above the warehouse. Hoagie activates a downward facing camera that gives them a clear view of the situation. While they can't see inside the building, they notice the two transports waiting outside. Both are colored gray with a black and white camouflage pattern and appear to be more heavily armed than normal C.O.O.L.B.U.S.S.'s. Hoagie puts the ship in auto-hover mode and turns his seat towards the others.
"Okay, since Maurice put me in charge, let's go through with the plan. Numbuh 4, take that weapon next the floor hatch. It's an Accelerator Rifle that I designed specifically for your B.R.A. Use it to blow a hole into the roof of the building and jump through it. Numbuh 3, you're going to follow him and then the two of you will cover Numbuh 1. I'll land this ship behind the building and then Numbuh 5; you'll go through the rear door and join the fight. We can't waste much time here if the KND sends more troops. If you can't escape by any doors, make one. I'll keep the operatives outside occupied as long as possible but don't take too long." Wally and Kuki nod and head to the cargo hold. Before Abby can join them, Hoagie stops her.
"Numbuh 5, make sure everyone gets back, okay?"
"Obviously." She replies coldly and closes the door behind her as Hoagie looks at the floor dejectedly but quickly jumps back on the pilot's seat.
"Okay, let's do this."
End of Transmission 10.