Transmission 13: Enemy Revealed
Up in the KND Moon Base, the control room is in complete disarray as the Supreme Leader, Numbuh 78 and her Liaison Officer, Numbuh 81, enter. The massive screens as well as the smaller 2x4 computer terminals all flash red and the panicked operatives run around the room until the Liaison Officer lets out a loud order. "ATTENTION!" With a single word, he silences the control room and the operatives all salute Numbuh 78 as she sits down on a large rotating easy-chair with a control console on its left arm-rest and a small screen on its right arm-rest. "Alright, settle down everyone. Numbuh 105, give me a report." The Moon Base's Operations Commander hands her a clipboard and stands next to her.
"Ma'am, the entire KND Global Command Communication Network is down. We have lost contact with all of our Earth-based Sectors."
"That's impossible! Are we completely cut off?"
"Not completely. Our orbital stations are still within the grid but everything else is gone. All attempts to re-establish contact aren't working."
"How? Or rather, who is behind this? Father?"
"We have no idea." Numbuh 78 removes her Samurai helmet and scratches her head in frustration.
"Okay, continue with your efforts. We'll have to send ships down to the surface and see if we can get info from them."
"We've already tried Ma'am but we lost contact with them the moment they broke through the atmosphere."
"I see…" Then suddenly, one of the 2x4 computer operators shouts across the room.
"Supreme Leader! We are getting a transmission from Earth."
"What?! From where?!" Numbuh 78 stands up and runs to the operator's terminal, followed by her Liaison Officer and Numbuh 105.
"It's…Sector V2, Ma'am."
"V2?! Good, put them through, hurry!"
"Roger." The operator flips a switch and the big screen lights up, showing none other than Numbuh 1000. "Numbuh 1000, thank goodness it's you! The Global Communication Grid has crashed. Do you have any idea what's going on down there?" Numbuh 1000 gives the Supreme Leader a cold glare and smiles.
"Well, you see…that would be my doing."
"What are you saying?!"
"It's very simple really Ma'am. To ensure that our many years of planning haven't gone to waste." He reveals the P.O.W.U.H.- G.L.O.V.E. in his right hand and snaps his fingers. Immediately over half of the operatives inside the Command Center begin to shake, including Numbuh 81, who proceeds to pull out his S.P.I.C.E.R.-I.I. and puts it against Numbuh 78's head.
"Numbuh 81, what are you doing?! Lower you gun this instant!" But Numbuh 81 stares at her with a blank expression.
"Don't bother. They won't follow any orders you give them." Numbuh 78 looks at the Decommissioning Squad Commander with rage.
"Numbuh 1000, this Coup of yours isn't going to last!"
"Oh, I wouldn't say it's a Coup. More like the passing of the torch. Don't take this the wrong way, you have been an excellent Supreme Leader…or to be blunt, puppet but I believe it's time for me to take center stage."
"Puppet?! Why are you doing this, Numbuh 1000? Was living in the shadow of your brother too much for you?"
"Do not mention him! No, my motivation is much more justified than that. Have you ever wondered why the KND is always fighting a losing battle against the Adults and Teens?"
"A losing battle? Most of the biggest evil adults have already renounced their deeds and have retired."
"Evil adults? Hah, don't make me laugh. There will always be more. No, I believe our enemy isn't simply evil adults but everyone who oppose us!"
"Then that means you're with the Splinter Cell…"
"Well done, you've figured it out. Numbuh Eleventy Billion tried to keep it a secret but he knew. He knew the Splinter Cell was real. That's why it brought me so much enjoyment to Decommission him. You know, I told him the very same thing I've told you now. Oh, you should've seen his face! But now he's nothing more than a high-school student somewhere."
"You really are twisted Numbuh 1000. This is not over. The KND will never yield to your rule!"
"Who said anything about doing it willingly? Everyone I deemed worthy is already under my command. Take a look around you Numbuh 78." She stares into the blank eyes of the mind-controlled operatives
"You're a monster!" She hisses at him but Numbuh 1000 simply scoffs.
"You can thank Nigel Uno for this. The data he brought from Father made everything much easier. Take her to the detention block along with the others. Oh, and remove her helmet and the Supreme Leader's key card. She won't need them anymore." Two guards grab her and begin to drag away from the room.
"You won't get away with this! Mark my words Numbuh 1000, this isn't over!"
"For you it is, my dear." As she is moved out of the control room, Numbuh 1000 addresses the others.
"Begin sweeping the base for any un-chipped operatives. I'll arrive shortly for my coronation but first, I have some personal business to attend to."
…
Down on Earth, at Sector V's Treehouse, Hoagie has landed the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H.-W.A.S.P. to the secondary hangar as everyone begins to disembark. Kuki rushes out first with the unconscious Rachel, Joey and a reluctant Nigel, who insists on going to the command room first. Wally meanwhile has jumped down from the roof of the bridge and follows them to the infirmary. Abby on the other hand rushes to the control room to see if Maurice is alright, leaving Hoagie and Tommy alone in his room but as he closes the hangar doors, Hoagie notices Tommy's sad expression. "Hey, you okay?"
"Of course, uhm…are they gonna be alright?"
"If Numbuh 3 can't do anything, we'll send them to the hospital. Don't worry."
"Yeah but…I should've done more! I was the lookout after all." Tommy looks down at the floor dejectedly but Hoagie places his hand on his shoulder.
"Come on, don't be like that. You did great."
"Really?"
"Absolutely. Why don't you go to the armory to work on that Battle-Ready Armor I told ya about?"
"Oh yeah. I'll go do that right now!"
"Don't make a mess and don't rip the blueprints!"
"I know!" As Tommy runs out of the room, Hoagie's smile fades away while he turns his gaze towards the W.A.S.P.
"Heh, looks like you made it in one-piece, old friend…" He says solemnly and slumps down on a chair. "Tommy, you're wrong…I should've done more…"
Meanwhile, Abby has made her way to the control center where she finds Maurice and Bradley in one piece. "Maurice! Thank goodness you're okay!" She runs to his side and grabs him by the shoulders.
"Whoa calm down, I'm a-okay."
"What the heck happened here? Who attacked ya?"
"…Cree…"
"WHAT?! No way! Why would she…"
"She came looking for that box she gave ya. And…It looks like I'm officially her enemy now."
"Don't tell me ya told her about…"
"Of course not. I told her I got recommissioned. Anyway, somethin' was really off about her."
"Was she bein' controlled?"
"No, she was way more vicious than she used to be. This ain't the same Cree we knew…"
Abby leans against one of the control consoles and lets out a loud sigh. "Oh, that's just what we needed…"
"Looks like things didn't go well on your end either."
"Nope. Numbuh 1000 is one nasty guy…he chipped Numbuh 4's brother and beat up Nigel pretty bad…He's even got Numbuh 86 on his leash now…" Abby says with a grim expression. Suddenly, the base intercom comes to life and Maurice presses a blinking red button with the words "Infirmary" in it. At first, the screen is black but they can hear sounds coming from the speakers.
"Numbuh 1! You need to stay in the bed!" They recognize Kuki's voice first and then they hear Nigel as well.
"Let go of me Numbuh 3! Just give me the headset, I need to speak with Numbuh 9!" Then the screen starts showing the video feed. "Numbuh 9, do you copy?!"
"I hear you loud and clear, Numbuh 1."
"Numbuh 1, why aren't ya restin'?!"
"Now is not the time for that! Numbuh 9, you need to put the D.E.F.E.N.S.E.-G.R.I.D. on maximum defense mode right now!"
"Way ahead of ya Numbuh 1. I kinda expected that they'd come after ya. The G.R.I.D. is armed and ready to take on any comers." Maurice glances at the large radar screen and sees multiple objects approaching the Treehouse. "Right on time…" Abby also takes a look and becomes alarmed by the number of enemies on the screen.
"Damn, don't tell me they're sendin' every KND unit here…"
"Yeah, but it looks like they ain't gonna pick a fight, not yet at least. Takin' on an operational Treehouse, especially this one, is gonna be pretty hard." Just as Maurice says that, the various KND vehicles stop and form a perimeter 3 kilometers wide around the Treehouse. Then, the center's door open and Nigel slowly limps in, followed by Kuki, Hoagie and finally Wally, who has deactivated his armor but hides his eyes under his blond hair while Patton has stayed behind in the infirmary and Tommy has lost himself in the B.R.A. blueprints.
"NIGEL!" Abby shouts and comes to her leader's side.
"What the heck are ya doin' in here?"
"Sorry Numbuh 5, but I couldn't simply lay there and do nothing."
"But you ain't in any condition to fight!"
"Yes, but if the enemy wanted attack they would've already done so. Right now, we need to plan our next move." Nigel says as Abby helps him to the circular sofa.
"Man, he really did a number on you Numbuh 1."
"This is nothing compared to what Numbuh 1000 did to Rachel and Wally's brother."
The very mention of Numbuh 1000's name makes Wally shake from rage. "He's gonna pay…" Kuki comes to his side and tries to hold his hand but Wally does not react to her, he is too enraged.
"So, then what happened here Numbuh 9?"
"Well, Numbuh 1, we got a visit from an old friend…" Maurice quickly explains what happened while everyone else was helping Nigel.
"Cree? But I thought she quit being a Ninja…" Hoagie ponders.
"Not anymore. She really wanted to tear this place down." Maurice says grimly.
"I guess we really are being attacked from all sides…but how did she get past the D.E.F.E.N.S.E.-G.R.I.D.? Why didn't it stop her?" Hoagie walks to the command console and looks at the screens.
"This is her former Treehouse you know? She knows all the secret entrances…" Abby crosses her arms.
"Nah, she didn't sneak in. She just ran her Cycle through the 3rd floor bulkhead. Most likely she came in so fast the D.E.F.E.N.S.E.-G.R.I.D. didn't have time to respond. But let's worry about her later. We've got bigger problems to deal with."
"You're right. What's the enemy's status?"
"No change Numbuh 1. They're still hangin' back, I'm not sure how long…" Maurice presses another button and the center console begins displaying a hologram of the enemies surrounding the Treehouse. As everyone except Maurice gather around the center monitor to observe it, another alarm is sounded, this time from the communication system. "Huh? What the heck is this?" Maurice looks at the console in confusion.
"What's up?" Abby stands and looks over his shoulder.
"It's a message from the KND Moonbase but it's bein' broadcast from a global channel to all KND Treehouses…Should I put it through?" Maurice looks at Nigel who crosses his arms and has a stern look on his face.
"Put it through." Nigel's decision surprises the others.
"Are ya sure about this Numbuh 1?"
"I am…but Numbuh 9, you should stay out of sight. The KND must not know you are here; it would jeopardize the Teen Spy Operation."
"Heh, ya always think ahead, don't ya?" Maurice chuckles and puts the broadcast through before he moves away from the console. The hologram in the middle of the circular sofa changes and begins displaying a video.
"Attention all KND Operatives. This is an emergency message to every single Kids Next Door operative on Earth from our new Supreme Leader, Numbuh 1000."
"SUPREME LEADER?!" Hoagie shouts in disbelief.
"No cruddy way…" Wally begins to clench his fists again while Kuki puts her right hand on Wally's left shoulder.
"This is so wrong…" Abby shakes her head. Then the video shifts to a view from the Moonbase's main ceremony hall where thousands of kids have gathered. In the center of the hall stands Numbuh 1000, wearing the Supreme Leader's helmet, his black trench coat, military trousers and landing boots. He has a serious but confident look on his face as he waves at the crowd who cheer for him in an eerie manner. Then, Numbuh 1000 walks to the speaker's booth and addresses everyone.
"My fellow Kids Next Door. It is with a heavy heart that I must inform that our beloved Supreme Leader, Numbuh 78, has been attacked and kidnapped by the Teen Ninjas. Just like 3 years ago, these disgusting Teens were let in thanks to the recently escaped former members of Sector V!" A unified gasp is heard from the hall while the people in question are furious.
"That bastard!"
"You said it, Numbuh 4. Numbuh 5 can't believe that slimeball is spoutin' that crap!"
"How in the world did he suddenly become Supreme Leader?" Nigel says while trying to keep himself calm. After a pause, Numbuh 1000 continues his speech.
"As such, the duty of Supreme Leader has fallen on my shoulders and I will use any means necessary to rescue Numbuh 78. In order to do that, we must attack the enemy head-on and without mercy. The enemy which I speak of; is Father, his Teen Ninjas and all those who oppose the KND! We have fought a losing battle against the adults and their evil minions for far too long but not anymore! We will no longer be the losers!" Numbuh 1000 shows the Book of KND to the crowd, who cheer louder.
"Hey, that's the…" Hoagie points at the screen.
"The Book of KND…he must've swiped it from the Sooper High Security Safe…" Nigel crosses his arms, but the former keeper of the book does not seem to mind it.
"The previous Supreme Leaders, however great they were, were also naïve! They thought that we would defeat adult tyranny with minimal effort. No more! I pledge that We will defeat them, no matter who or what stands in our way. All this is necessary to fulfill the dream of all kids: freedom from adults and the disease we call adulthood! Thus, from now on, you must treat every non-KND operative as an enemy, be it teens, adults or old people! Do not obey them, do not follow them but resist them. I hereby declare war on all those who are not part of the KND and especially Father! Never forget Operation: Father's Day! The adults caused it and now they will pay for it! KIDS NEXT DOOR FOREVER!"
Numbuh 1000's speech is received with loud applause and cheering as all the gathered operative stand up and salute their new Supreme Leader. Then the message ends, leaving everyone in the Sector V Treehouse's control center with a flurry of emotions. However, before the teens can voice their shock, the hologram changes again and another video feed appears in it. Abby gets up and walks to the control console. "No way…Someone is trynna contact us on a private channel, and it's comin' from the Moonbase. Numbuh 1, should we answer?" She looks at her team leader who, like the others, has not recovered from the shock of the speech.
"…do it…" Abby nods and presses a green button on the console. The hologram's feed begins to make a buzzing sound and then a person appears in it. The teens become outraged when they see that it is non-other than Numbuh 1000.
"Good evening, traitors. I hope you had a safe trip back to your Treehouse." He says calmly with a smug look on his face, but he receives no reply as the teens are speechless with anger. "As the newly appointed KND Supreme Leader, I wanted to send this message to you first, since everything that has happened so far is because you escaped the Arctic Prison. If you had stayed there, I wouldn't have had to take such drastic measures."
"You have no right being the Supreme Leader! What did you do to Numbuh 78?!" Nigel confronts Numbuh 1000 but he doesn't react.
"What? Not gonna answer, you son of a bitch?!" Now Wally stands and stares furiously at the stocky boy but Abby gestures him to calm down.
"It's a recording Numbuh 4, sit down." While she tries to act cool, underneath her hat, she is equally enraged.
"Since the up-coming war against the real enemy will require much of my time, I am willing to give you traitors a choice: Go back to your normal lives and we'll simply ignore you, but, continue to resist and I will have you all captured and your precious Treehouse wiped from the face of the Earth. As you are hearing this message, half of the KND Orbital Weapon Systems orbiting Earth are pointed at your Treehouse. Make the wrong choice and your Treehouse goes: boom, no more Sector V. After this of course, you'll be captured and decommissioned. Think about it carefully. Oh, and Nigel, thank you for the book." Numbuh 1000 smirks as the message ends, leaving the teens even more confused.
Nigel shakes his head in disbelief and puts his hands over his face. "This doesn't make any sense! It hasn't been more than an hour since we escaped that warehouse and he's become the new Supreme Leader! How?! How did he achieve so much in such a short time?!" His teammates look dejectedly at their leader but Maurice steps forwards and speaks to the bewildered Sector V.
"I know how ya feel Numbuh 1. This ain't something a kid like him could do so quickly. I'm guessin' he had this whole thing planned for a while now. But what doesn't make sense is why he isn't attackin' this Treehouse right now."
"Yeah. If he's the Supreme Leader, why can't he just blow this place up with the KND Orbital Weapons?" Abby sits down next to Nigel and puts her left leg over her right leg.
"Hmm…maybe he's scared?" Hoagie ponders with his arms crossed.
"Scared? Why would he be scared?" Nigel lifts his head and likewise crosses his arms.
"Think about it: He almost caught you Numbuh 1. But we still got away from him and gave him a bloody nose. He's known from day 1 that we are a threat to him, but now that he's got the entire KND under his control, he doesn't attack us. Why? Because he's afraid. Maybe he didn't show it then but I'm guessing that fight left an impression or something."
"Numbuh 5 still doesn't get it. If he's afraid, why not just blow us up now?"
"Hmm…" Hoagie scratches his chin and pulls up his goggles. Then Kuki joins in the conversation.
"Maybe he wants to fight Father first." The others look at her in surprise and she becomes annoyed. "What?"
"That's it! Numbuh 3, you hit the nail right on the head!" Hoagie slaps his hands together.
"Care to elaborate, Numbuh 2?" Abby leans slightly backwards on the sofa.
"Okay look, remember what he said in the speech? He said that adults and Father specifically are the KND's enemy and declared war. Numbuh 1000 wants take out Father first so he can't spare resources to get us. That's why he opted to threaten us at gunpoint, because he hopes we'll stay out of his way while he sends the KND after Father and the adults. He correctly thinks that Father is a bigger threat than we are."
"That makes sense Numbuh 2. No doubt after he's defeated Father he'll come after us, but that's where he's made a mistake. Since he chose to threaten us instead of attacking, he's basically let us slip from his grasp." Nigel and his team become filled with determination.
"So, while he's busy fightin' the adults, let's get to the Moonbase and kick his ass!"
Wally gets up but Abby shakes her head. "As much as Numbuh 5 wants to agree with ya, not gonna happen."
"Why not?!"
"Numbuh 4, we just got back from fightin' him. Don't ya remember that Numbuh 1 is still injured, and your bro's in the infirmary along with Rachel?"
Wally tries to argue but then he sits back down, albite begrudgingly. "Dammit…" He clenches his fists while Kuki looks on with a worried expression.
"We all feel the same way you do about this, Numbuh 4, but right now, we are in no-condition to stage another operation…" Nigel says dejectedly.
"I got an idea." Maurice joins them on the sofa and sits down next to Hoagie. "I know this sounds crazy, but how about you guys do what Numbuh 1000 told ya to do?" His words shock the others. "Now, before ya say anythin', lemme explain: Like Numbuh 2 just said, he ain't comin' after ya. So, you guys should take the best outta this and lay low for a while."
Maurice looks at Nigel first, who nods back. "Go on…"
"That's why I'm here. We've been keepin' an eye on you guys ever since you fled 3 years ago. When we heard of your capture and escape, I was ordered to get in contact with ya'll."
"But why would the Teen Spies want to get in contact with us? We've been teen villains for 3 years. I understand why you would but why them?"
"Numbuh 2, let me tell ya, the 5 of you aren't as alone as ya think. Now obviously I was prepared if ya were hostile so I called Abby first." Maurice gives Abby a sharp look, causing her to remember what he said on Saturday evening. "Of course, I was pretty much sold the moment I spoke to ya but I wanted to confirm that you guys were still legit. So, I kinda used Cree as a sorta excuse."
"Heh, I thought so." Abby chuckles.
"So, what do you have in mind, Numbuh 9?" Nigel removes his sunglasses and puts them on the center table.
"For the last 3 years, our Teen Spy organization has become more independent from the KND. It was actually Numbuh Eleventy Billion gave us the go ahead, though he made sure only he knew of our arrangement. Technically, what he did goes against the KND rules, but he agreed that we needed more people on the field to deal with Father. So now, we've started to fight our own battle against adult tyranny, but with our own rules."
"But how did you manage that? Weren't you Teen Spies a rather small group?"
"That was 3 years ago, Numbuh 1. I don't mean to brag but, we've got eyes everywhere these days. Anyway, what I'm tryin' to say is, we want you guys to join us."
"What?!" Hoagie and Abby shout in unison while Nigel crosses his arms.
"You guys where the best team in KND no question, so getting Sector V on our side would make our chances of beatin' Father once and for all, way better."
"Oh man, that sounds so cool! Imagine, us becoming Teen Operatives!" Hoagie stands up excitement.
"Hmm…I appreciate the offer Numbuh 9 but…" Nigel looks sternly at the floor.
"You're not convinced, are ya Nigel?" Abby leans back on the sofa. Hoagie tries to voice his opinion, but decides to just sit back down.
"What do ya mean, Numbuh 1?"
"While I agree 100% that Father is the biggest threat to all of us, that's not why we're here. No, we reformed our team because we want to clear our names. We all made a promise when we escaped that we would, no matter what, find the culprit. Don't forget, all of us were teen villains. We've all done things that make us ineligible to fight adult tyranny. You understand what I mean, Numbuh 9?" Nigel takes his broken sunglasses and puts them back on, while his teammates look on in silence because deep down, they agree with him.
"I thought you'd say that. Now, if the situation was different, I'd just say okay and walk away, but not this time. Now that Numbuh 1000 has thrown a major wrench in the gears, the plans changed. I ain't asking that your team would be permanently part of us, I'm sayin' we both got something to gain from this. We're willin' to give you a hand in clearin' your names, if you guys help us fix this mess. We gotta bring Numbuh 1000 down. With him in charge, I don't even wanna think about what's gonna happen next." Abby turns to face Nigel, who remains silent.
"He's got a point Numbuh 1. You know we can't take on Numbuh 1000 by ourselves anymore, right?" Nigel does not reply but his mind is conflicted.
"I say we join 'em." To everyone's surprise, Wally finally speaks up. "After what he did to my bro, I ain't gonna let him get away with it." Wally clenches his fist and looks at his teammates with determination.
"I've gotta agree with Numbuh 4. We'll take out two birds with one stone. We'll clear our names AND stop 1000 at the same time. Besides, I know we're not in the KND anymore, but I can't just let him turn the KND we all fought for to become a mindless army." Hoagie also turns to face Nigel, who is taken a-back by his words.
"I'm with you guys! All the things we did back then are gonna be for nothing. Don't you remember all the fun times we had here? No kid is going to experience all the things we did if he's in charge of KND." Kuki joins her friends and stares intensely at their leader.
"Numbuh 3's right Nigel. Numbuh 5 ain't gonna let that scumbag lead our KND. But, it's your call, Leader." Abby crosses her arms as the others wait for Nigel's response. Then, he takes a deep breath and a confident smile appears on his face.
"All of you are right. This is something we can't just ignore. We all devoted our childhoods for KND and we can't just let it fall apart, even if we are not members anymore. Very well Numbuh 9, we accept, but on one condition." Maurice lets out a hearty laugh and puts his hands into his pockets.
"I knew ya wouldn't just outright agree. What's your condition?"
"After this is over, we'll decide our own fate. We won't join your organization, unless we want to, understood?"
"You've got yourself a deal. Welcome to the Teens Next Door." Maurice offers his hand to Nigel and they shake hands.
"Teens Next Door?"
"That's our new, official name, Numbuh 2. We're gonna prove to the world that we teens want to be free too."
"Man, this is gonna be awesome!" Hoagie rejoices while Kuki cheers. Abby has a faint smile on her face but Wally remains stoic.
"So Numbuh 9, when do we begin?"
"Well, Numbuh 1, like I said before, you guys should lay low for a while. We need everybody in top condition if we're gonna deal with Numbuh 1000. So, for now, just live your normal lives."
Maurice's words surprise everyone, but before anyone can protest, Abby speaks up. "He's right guys. If we go and fight now, we'll get our asses kicked. You all know that, right?"
"What we need now, is information. Figurin' out what Numbuh 1000's ultimate goal is, not to mention what Father's response is gonna be. I'll contact ya again in a month, that way we'll have more intel on both of them."
"A month? What are we supposed to do for a month?"
"Regain your strength, upgrade your gear and prepare yourselves. We have no idea what's waitin' for us."
"Then we should also prioritize on figuring out who framed us." Nigel says firmly.
"Yeah of course. Sorry I couldn't unlock the data disc you guys gave me."
"Don't worry, we'll figure a way to crack it." Abby replies.
"Good. Just make sure not to draw any attention. I think it's best if you use only the lower levels of the Treehouse, otherwise, Numbuh 1000 is gonna figure out somethin's up."
"Makes sense. If he knows we're still in the Treehouse, he'll get complacent because he has us in his sights 24/7." Hoagie puts his hands to together.
"Then it's decided, we'll prepare ourselves so that we'll be ready once you contact us again." Nigel says and his teammates nod in unison.
"Alright then. I'll tell my superiors that we've made a deal. Now that I've confirmed that you guys are our allies, I'm gonna head out. I've got work to do elsewhere."
"It's been honor having you here, Numbuh 9. I don't think we would've survived without your help." Nigel again shakes Maurice's hand, who smiles back.
"Don't mention it. I'm glad I could help. See ya all in a month." But before he can leave, Abby gives him a tight hug.
"Thanks for everythin', Maurice."
"Aw shucks, you're makin' me blush. You just keep your head down and don't do anythin' stupid, okay?" Abby lets go of him and nods with a smile on her face.
"Wait, what about Rachel and Patton?" Kuki becomes concerned.
"Don't worry. They'll be put under TND protection. I'll go talk to them before I leave." Maurice waves to Sector V as he walks out of the briefing room. But before the door closes behind him, he throws Nigel's Stupefier back to him.
"Hah, almost forgot about that!" He winks as the doors close, while Sector V remain in the briefing room.
"So…uhm…what do we do now?" Hoagie asks cautiously.
"Right now, all we can do is prepare. We'll have to avoid combat at all cost and just bide our time. I want the Treehouse kept at maximum lockdown 24/7 from here on out. Also, we'll need to…" Nigel is stopped mid-sentence by a sharp pain in his abdomen and presses his left hand over his left side, clenching his teeth.
"Numbuh 1, we need get you to the infirmary right now. How are ya supposed to lead us if your injured like that?"
"Sorry Numbuh 5…but as your team leader I…"
"Don't apologize silly. Come on, I'll take you there right now." Kuki uses her telekinesis and begins to levitate Nigel, despite his protests.
"I can walk there by myself! This is completely unnecessary…Ouch!"
"No, you won't! Just stay still." she starts to move Nigel towards the doors. "I'll take Numbuh 1 to the infirmary." She says and the others nod, while Nigel continues to resists. With both Kuki and Nigel gone, the tension between Hoagie and Abby reappears again and neither says anything, while Wally struggles to control the anger that still swirls inside him. He stands up and takes a deep breath.
"I'll go there too…I gotta see how Joey is doin'…" He mutters and leaves Hoagie and Abby alone. Hoagie stays silent and sits with his back hunched forward and his elbows leaning against his knees while Abby leans against the backrest with her arms crossed. As the suns setting rays shine though the room's large windows, both teens remain silent. Hoagie occasionally fidgets and tries to speak but he can't form any words.
"Dammit Gilligan, you need to fix this! This can't go on anymore!"
After a few minutes, Abby sighs and stands up. "…Imma head downstairs to see if Numbuh 1 and 362 are okay…" She says stoically, alarming Hoagie. Just as she is about to walk out of the room, Hoagie manages to gather his courage and opens his mouth.
"Numbuh 5, wait!" Abby stops and looks over her shoulder without saying a word. "I…what I'm trying to say is…I'm…I'm sorry!" Hoagie goes on his knees and bows his head, genuinely surprising her.
"No way…" She remembers that she told Kuki that she wouldn't forgive Hoagie unless he begged, but now, seeing him on his knees make her feel angry at herself.
"I don't know what got into me! I wanted to act tough but it just made everything worse and I got jealous and…" Abby walks over to Hoagie and puts her hand over his mouth, silencing him.
"That's enough Hoagie. I don't wanna see you do that yourself. Come on, get up." Bewildered, Hoagie stands up, but his head remains hunched down.
"Abby forgives ya. This whole thing wasn't your fault in the first place. I kinda lost myself when Maurice came back."
"Huh? But I thought you…"
"You misunderstood the whole thing, ya dummy." Abby looks away and adjusts her hat slightly.
"Oh…really? So, you're not…angry with me?"
"Of course not! But next time, ya don't hafta act tough, that doesn't suit ya. Now chin up will ya? We got work to do." Hoagie is left speechless but he quickly regains his composure and lets out a sigh of relief.
"*sigh*…I thought you'd never speak to me again…"
"You know Abby's not that kind of person." She huffs and turns her back on Hoagie.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to…"
"Will ya stop apologizin' already! Let's just forget the whole thing happened and focus on the mission, okay?!" She shouts, silencing Hoagie instantly. Abby adjusts her hat again and turns to face the door. "You comin' to the infirmary?"
"Uhm, actually, I'll go to the armory. I'll just first reroute all command systems to the D.E.F.E.N.S.E.-G.R.I.D.'s terminal. That way it'll draw less attention from the KND." As Hoagie kneels down next to control console and begins to tamper with the wiring, Abby starts smiling gently.
"Okay, then Numbuh 5's gonna stay here. Reroutin' the system is by yoself is gonna take forever."
"Sure, thanks Numbuh 5. You can start by removing that cover over there and reconnect all the wires to that circuit board." Seeing Hoagie in full technician mode causes Abby to chuckle.
"I guess we were just too stubborn, that's all. I'm glad he's back to his old self again." She does as she's told and starts working on the wires.
…
Meanwhile, Kuki arrives to the infirmary, with Nigel in tow. She places him on a bed parallel to the one Rachel is in. Patton has remained by her side the whole and sits on a chair between the two beds. Kuki uses a 2x4 scanner to see if Nigel's injury has worsened.
"Oh no…Numbuh 1, we need to get you to a hospital!"
"Yeah, I guess charging up to the briefing room wasn't the best idea…" Nigel takes a deep breath and looks dejectedly at the wooden ceiling of the infirmary. "Things really have gone out of hand…"
"I'll go call an ambulance right now!"
"No! Not yet. I'll deal with that myself, Numbuh 3. If my parents see an ambulance come to our house without their knowledge, it's going be a big hassle. Don't worry about me."
"But I'm the medic! It's my job to worry about guys!"
"Yes of course. But I'm not the one you should be worrying about right now."
At that same moment, Wally enters the room, startling Kuki. "Numbuh 4?!"
"I just came to check on Joey…" He says with a monotone voice and walks over to the bed where his brother is laying. Nigel gestures to Kuki to go join him. Though she hesitates, she then nods and goes to Wally's side.
"Did ya know he was coming here?" Patton whispers to Nigel.
"I've worked with my team for so long, I can sense these things. Out of us all, I'm sure Numbuh 4 is the one hurting most." Nigel turns his head to face Patton. "How is she?"
"Still unconscious, but Numbuh 3 said she's not in any danger at least…" Patton looks solemnly at his comrade and clenches his right fist. "But still, I can't believe she would just…betray us like that."
"I understand how you feel Numbuh 60. I think she just couldn't let go of her anger towards us…"
"I mean, why? Why was Fanny so fixated on catching you guys? All of us where shocked when your team were declared traitors, but deep down, I think Rachel never really believed you guys did it. Truth be told, she didn't really smile during the three years we tried to capture you yet Fanny seemed to enjoy every second she hunted your team."
"It's because Rachel was hurt the most when we left. You know those two are the closest of friends, so I wouldn't be surprised if she blamed us for Rachel's suffering. That's just my theory though…Looking back, I could never imagine myself working for Father and I don't think my team thought they'd become fugitives. We dedicated our lives for KND but now, it feels like it was all for nothing…"
"Right now, Numbuh 1, I feel the same way. What happened three years ago changed all of us, for better or worse…"
Their conversation is interrupted as Wally picks his brother up. "I'll call home and ask dad to pick him up." Nigel nods in response as Wally leaves with Kuki in tow.
"Did you talk with Numbuh 9?"
"Yeah. He explained what happened and offered us a place with the Teens Next Door so I said yes for both of us. Right now, they're the only people we can trust."
"Good decision. That means we'll be working together from now on." Nigel offers his hand to Patton.
"Just like in the old times." As the two boys shake hands, they hear a faint groan from Rachel's bed.
"Rachel?!"
"…wha…where…"
End of Transmission 13
Note: Wohoo, this chapter was a real blast to write. It's amazing what you can do when you get the right motivation and inspiration. In the original version, Numbuh 1000 was supposed to work for Father, but then I realized it wouldn't make any sense and I was always intrigued by the Splinter Cell/GKND, so this is the "twist" I came up with instead.
You also might have noticed that there haven't been any appearances from other Adult Super Villains apart from Father. Well, the reason for that is that I never found any of them, except maybe Chester, Mr. Fizz (for one episode) and Father obviously, truly evil. Also, considering how strong Sector V is, with them being former Teen Villains and all, I doubt most of them would even stand a chance against, for example Nigel in his Silhouette Suit. So that's why Father will be the only prominent Adult Super Villain featured in this story.