Transmission 20: The Past That Caught Up
The night goes by quickly and the morning sun shines in to the room where Wally and Kuki are sleeping. Slowly, Wally opens his eyes and sees Kuki, still lying on top him. She had wrapped her arms around his body and her head rests on his right shoulder. "Aw crud, she's still there…" Wally mutters and tries to get up but Kuki's grip is so powerful he can barely move. "Oh, come on, will ya let go already! This ain't funny!" Then, he hears the sound of footsteps from behind the door. "Of all the cruddy…come on Kuki, let go you stupid…!" But then, the door opens, freezing Wally.
"Uhm…are you guys still asleep?" Hoagie peeks in through the door, but then he sees Kuki laying on-top of Wally, who is stiff as a board. "Ohh…sorry if I interrupted…"
"Wait, this ain't what you think!"
"The cafeteria is in the 10th floor, come down there when you're…decent…"
He slowly closes the door, while Wally shouts. "Come back! Ya gotta help me! NUMBUH 2!" He then looks down at Kuki, who, despite the screaming, has not woken up. "For crud's sake! Let go!"
"Hmm…no…five more minutes…"
"KUKI! WAKE UP!" Wally's shouting finally causes Kuki to react and she lazily opens her eyes.
"Huh…oh, good morning Wally, did you sleep well?"
"I did, but can ya please let go already?! I gotta go to the bathroom!"
"Oh…ehhh?! Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…" Kuki's face turns red as she realizes what she is doing and let's go, while Wally mumbles and marches to the toilet.
"Stupid girls and their stupid eyes and stupid…" He mutters as he closes the door, leaving an embarrassed Kuki by herself.
After 5 minutes, they board the elevator and go to the 10th floor cafeteria. As they walk in, they see Nigel, Hoagie, Rachel, Patton and to their surprise, Abby, eating breakfast. When they notice the couple, they begin to snicker.
"Oh crud…" Wally mutters as he goes to get food, with Kuki in tow.
"Why are they looking at us like that?"
"Ask Hoagie…" Wally grumbles as he takes two pieces of toast on his plate and a cup of coffee while Kuki takes a bowl muesli and tee. They then sit down with their friends.
"Soo, how was your night?" Hoagie nudges Wally, trying hold his laughter.
"Cruddy…" He mutters.
"I slept like a like log!"
"Heh, I could tell since you looked so comfortable lying on top of him like that." Wally's face turns red, while Kuki remains oblivious.
"What? Why are you hiding your face, Wally? It's not like anyone saw or anything…" Kuki falls silent and sees that the others are trying their best not to laugh.
"…Numbuh 2 saw the whole thing, genius…" Wally mutters, grasping his face with his right hand, while Kuki realizes what is going on.
"Huh…EHHHHH!" She also hides her face as the others break out in laughter.
"I'm sorry Numbuh 3…but you are a real airhead sometimes…" Hoagie holds his stomach and Wally slams his head against the table.
"That's pretty bold of you, Kuki…does that mean you guys are…?" Rachel asks, causing Kuki to blush even harder.
"Eh…well…"
"WE'RE NOT!" Wally shouts, surprising everyone and especially Kuki. "Why do you guys always have to jump to conclusions like that?! Argh, this is embarrassing!"
"Wow dude chill out." Hoagie gestures him to calm down, as the others notice that Kuki is clearly hurt by his instant denial.
"Man, ya really are a dummy sometimes…" Abby thinks and takes a sip from her cup of coffee while Wally calms down.
"Oh crud…sorry about that…"
The table falls silent for a while until Kuki tries to start a conversation. "Uhm…Numbuh 5, are you feeling better…?"
"My arm still hurts but I'm fine…at least physically…"
"Sorry, I just…"
"Is okay, Numbuh 3. I ain't gonna let what happened bring me down. We still got loads of work to do, right?"
"You are quite correct, Numbuh 5." Nigel nods.
Breakfast in the cafeteria goes by quickly as the group continues to chat, though noticeably, Wally and Kuki are less talkative. Once they finish their breakfast, Rachel stands up. "Commander Numbuh Alpha asked us to come to her briefing room. She wants to make you joining the TND official."
"Is that so? Well then, we'd better go there." The others nod and the group follow Rachel out of the cafeteria and into an elevator which takes them to the lower levels. After exiting the elevator, they walk along a corridor where, from behind a corner, a familiar face approaches them.
"Hmm? Hey, it's The Kid!" Hoagie shouts and goes to greet his old rival. Ace The Kid, a formidable pilot of Spanish descent, is wearing a brown pilot's jacket with a black t-shirt underneath it, jeans and black sneakers, black aviator sunglasses and his hair is pulled back and dyed orange apart from a tuft right above his forehead which is dyed yellow.
"Gilligan, I was wonderin' where ya went. I heard from Miss Commander that you guys came back yesterday evenin'.
"Yeah, we had to do a detour though…"
"Yeah, I heard. My condolences, Numbuh Sigma was a cool dude. He and Miss Commander got me to work with the TND."
"No way, you too?"
"Yup, though I'm more of a, how you say it, a pilot for hire. I give these guys a hand now and then and they give me free use of the hangar and the armory. Gotta keep my plane flyin' somehow ya know?"
"Yeah, I totally get ya. But hey, looks like we'll be sharing the same sky again." Hoagie offers his hand to the Kid, who obliges and the two shake hands.
"Just make sure you keep up, okay, hombre?"
"Hah, right back at ya." The two boys share a laugh as The Kid then eyes old his rival.
"But I gotta say, you've seriously lost weight. Did ya drop those chilidogs or something?"
"Hehee, not a chance. I'm a teenager now, that's all. Oh, by the way, this is my team." Hoagie turns to face his team and Nigel steps forward.
"Greetings, I am Nigel Uno, but call me Numbuh 1. I'd like to thank you for getting us out of that jam yesterday."
"No problem, that's my job." The Kid shakes hands with Nigel but then, something catches his eye.
"Hmm…well, well, looks like you've got a real looker in your team." He walks over to Kuki and takes off his glasses, as Wally becomes visibly annoyed.
"The name's Kid, what's yours?"
"I'm Kuki…" Kuki is slightly embarrassed while Wally gets even more annoyed, which is noticed by his teammates.
"Then you must be the girl with the pretty voice from yesterday. A pleasure to meet ya." The Kid kisses Kuki's hand, which causes her to giggle, while Wally stares venomously at the flirtatious pilot. "I'd love to stay and talk with ya more, but I've gotta a report to deliver. So, if ya need company, hook me up, okay?" The Kid winks at her, while Wally is close to choking him. The Kid starts walking away but turns towards Hoagie one last time. "Gilligan, you're gonna hafta show me later how you made that dinosaur fly. Hasta luego!"
"Oh, I'll give you a real lesson on how to make a proper plane."
"Hahahaa, I'll keep that in mind." The Kid laughs as he walks to the elevator while the group continues their trek to the briefing room, but Wally is still fuming, which Abby is quick to point out.
"Looks like you're gonna have some competition from on, lover boy." She chuckles.
"Wha…competition? Nnnno way! I don't know what you're talkin' about!" Wally shouts and crosses his arms, his cheeks glowing red.
"Man, he's really bad with this stuff." Hoagie nudges Nigel who nods back.
"You know, he was pretty cute." Kuki words strike Wally's heart like a knife while the others snicker. "I wonder what he wanted to talk about?"
"They're both idiots." Abby says to Hoagie as they arrive in front of the briefing room, where Eliza is waiting with two guards and Herbie.
"Good morning everyone. I hope the cafeteria was to your liking?"
"That food was delicious I tell ya. Where'd you guys get it from?"
"I'm glad you liked it, Numbuh 2; our Provisions Unit consists of restaurant school students."
"Sweet."
"Now, please take your seats, we've got important matters to discuss." Sector V sits down around the table while Patton and Rachel join Eliza, who is standing between the end of the table and the large screen. "I am well aware that happened yesterday is something that will be very hard to deal with, to all of us, but I hope that your team is willing to continue to work with us." she asks cautiously.
"No need to worry about that. It would be a waste of time if we moped about it for too long. What matters now is how we respond."
"Numbuh 5 agrees with Numbuh 1. Just give us the next job to work on. We ain't got time to mourn."
"It's good that you haven't lost your motivation. Alright, first off, I'd like to thank you for bringing Numbuh 42 and the rescue team back in one piece. Though I was told that Numbuh's Psi-A and Psi-B where less than co-operative."
"Tell me about it. I had to stop one of them from shootin' Numbuh 1." Wally says as he leans back on his seat, his hands in his pockets.
"All recovery agents follow strict protocols regarding the safety of their team and the runner, considering the dangers they have to deal, so their actions were justified." Herbie says coldly.
"Who points a gun at the people who rescue 'em?!" Wally is irritated by Herbie's callousness.
"There is also the fact that your team is not officially part of TND, so they were understandably distrustful, knowing your reputation."
"What did ya just say?!" Herbie's comment almost causes Wally to attack him but Hoagie and Abby pull him back down.
"Will ya calm down? This ain't the time and place to start a fight!"
"That's enough, Numbuh Iota-3. That last comment was uncalled for." Eliza says with a cold voice.
"My apologies, I was out of line."
"Anyway, with Numbuh 42 successfully recovered, we will begin questioning him once he regains his strength."
"What happened to him, and why was escaping the KND? Isn't he still 12?"
"Unfortunately, Numbuh 2, according to our intelligence, he had his 13th birthday earlier this week. He had been on the run for 3 days before they caught him. Our recovery team raided the transport he was in and escaped. However, we don't know the details before our raid. He was found unconscious, gagged and blindfolded in his containment cell. We'll have to wait until he wakes up."
"But why would the Decommissioning Squad resort to such extreme methods on a decommissioning target? I know Numbuh 1000 has used questionable tactics before but all that for a single operative. It doesn't make sense." Nigel looks puzzled and crosses his arms.
"It wouldn't make sense if he was any normal operative but Numbuh 42 has held an important position since last year. He is the head of the Science Division."
"WHAT?!" Sector V shouts in surprise.
"Correct. He was recommended to the role by Numbuh 78 after Numbuh 275 was decommissioned. Our intelligence reports say that he has been in frequent close contact with Numbuh 1000 since he was given the job."
"Wow, he's really gone far since that Nerd-Zombie incident." Hoagie crosses his arms while Nigel snaps his fingers.
"Well of course, no wonder they would resort to that. He knows something, something that Numbuh 1000 doesn't want others to know. Did he have a chip?"
"No, there were no signs of a chip anywhere in his body, thought he did carry a 2x4 transmitter and a level 7 key-card. The transmitter was in pieces when the team recovered him and our own Science Section has confirmed that the key-card is his personal one." Herbie says with his hands behind his back.
"Then it's important he's questioned."
"It is, Numbuh 1, but since he hasn't woken up yet, there is nothing we can do on that front. However, that doesn't mean we'll just sit around. Our intelligence has located a target of potential importance. Take a look at his." Eliza steps aside from in-front of the screen and a map appears on it. "That red dot there is a Teen Ninja hideout. A lot of traffic has been detected within it and we believe it is important to both the Ninjas and Father. Its location is also of value: it lies midway between Father's Mansion and McClintock High school. We also believe it was used as the staging area for the attack on your Treehouse. This morning, we held a meeting with the other TND commanders and agreed that it should be cleared out and taken over. However, because our organization is still in turmoil due to the loss of Numbuh Sigma, we decided that your team should lead the attack." Both Sector V and Herbie are equally surprised by Eliza's declaration.
"What is the meaning of this? Why weren't any of us Section Chiefs informed beforehand?"
"Because the meeting ended right before we started this briefing."
"I see…but I want to discuss this later."
"Very well. Now, if you are unsure, let me say this: Numbuh Sigma informed us about the high-level encryption in that data disc you took from Father. Now, all Teen Hideouts have their own computers, that could be used to easily crack that encryption. If you get your hands on that computer, you might just find the answers you're looking for." Hearing about breaking the disc's encryption causes a sense of urgency in Sector V, who look at each other with a reborn sense of confidence.
"I think you already know the answer, Numbuh Alpha. After yesterday, giving the Ninjas the payback they deserve, is something we'll gladly do." Nigel gives his cousin a sharp look which makes her smile confidently.
"Then that's settled. Now, we won't be attacking them today, we'll need to prepare a plan so I would like your team to be present when I hold the next meeting with the other Commanders. It will be held tomorrow, so, if possible, stay for another night in the base."
"Understood." Sector V salutes Eliza who salutes back.
"Feel free to look around the base and get to know it's layout. We'll be very busy from here on out."
"Then we'll do just that." Nigel stands up and his team do the same. He then leads them out of the room but as they open the door, a group of TND agents of different ranks are waiting on the other side. The appearance of Sector V startles them and they step aside, eyeing them with suspicion as they walk past. The TND agents then go into the briefing room and close the door. Their glares aren't however left unnoticed.
"Man, those guys didn't seem to like us very much…"
"You said it Numbuh 2. Considerin' our "reputation", I'm guessin' we haven't convinced everyone."
"But we saved their agents? And Maurice vouched for us. Isn't that enough?"
"Not to everyone Numbuh 3. We've been villains for 3 years and all of us are guilty of crimes against kids. It's a past we can't just ignore and I don't think they'll ignore it either." Nigel says solemnly but as the others walk away towards the elevator, Wally stops and looks back towards the briefing room.
"Hey Numbuh 4, let's go. We're gonna go to the hangar to check on Bradley and the W.A.S.P." Hoagie waves at him but Wally ignores his teammate and walks back to the door.
"Where the heck are ya goin' Numbuh 4?" Abby and the others see Wally stop by the door and put his ear against it.
"Numbuh 4, what are you doing? Eavesdropping on them isn't going to make the TND accept us any faster."
"Ssshh…" Wally gestures and listens to the conversation. His teammates stay still for a second but then, their curiosity gets the better of them and one by one, they join Wally with Nigel being the last one to do so.
"They are not going to like this…" He mutters as everyone gathers around Wally and listens intently.
On the other side, the conversation is heating up. "Isn't it about time for you to stop making decisions by yourself?" Herbie says with an agitated voice as he and the other agents look at her with disapproval, except Patton and Rachel.
"What do you mean by that?" Eliza replies with her arms crossed.
"I am talking about this whole 'let Sector V join us'-scheme you've been running. While I am aware that Numbuh Sigma vouched for them, the fact that you allowed him to give them our base's location, let them in, showed them the Switchboard and accepted them to the TND without our approval, goes against what we agreed when we began operations."
"That's right. Have you forgotten that all five of them are criminals, regardless of their circumstances? You gave them a Signal Receiver before they'd been properly screened, like we do with every new agent. Many of us have here are victims or have friends or relatives who've suffered at their hands in one way or another. Yet you give these criminals this much freedom?" The Chief of the Science Section says with an angry Scottish accent.
"Hey, they've already proven that they aren't evil! It's true that they we're the biggest teen villains of them all for the past 3 years but that's not true anymore! Without them, both me and Numbuh Zeta would've been decommissioned or chipped!"
"That may be true but, your opinion is biased, since you have personal feelings towards them."
"You can't say that, Numbuh Iota-3! She's known them longer than any of us!"
"It doesn't matter how long you've known them, Numbuh Zeta, because the fact remains that they are a security threat to the entirety of the TND. Letting Father's second-in-command in here should be a good enough reason to not allow them to join just like that."
"Numbuh Iota-3, your comments are going to get you into trouble if you keep this up."
"We are simply saying the truth, Commander. You made these decisions by yourself and didn't mention that to any of us Section Chiefs. Had it been up to us, we would've at the very least, decommissioned them first, before recruiting them. That would remove the chance of them turning against us."
Rachel can't believe what she is hearing and angrily glares at Herbie. "You can't be serious! What makes you think they would've joined us if they didn't have their memories? We share the same goal! They want to take down Numbuh 1000 as much as we do!"
On the other side of the door, Sector V look at each other, each reminded of the things they've done.
"But what then? What makes you think Nigel Uno won't just scurry back to Father and send his troops against us? You can't trust them! Do I have to remind you all what they've done to us? My father has a permanent limp because he was drugged with coffee and fought Wallabee Beetles in the Bully Fighting Ring 2 years ago!" Herbie shouts.
"My sister's pet hamster was resurrected by Kuki Sanban and used to torment the neighborhood kids!" The Chief Doctor says with her arms crossed.
"Hoagie Gilligan captured all the customers in two family restaurants downtown and forced them all to work in his cheese mine. Both of my parents have PTSD from that place." The Science Chief says coldly with a Scottish accent. As the accusations increase, Rachel is reminded of what she said to Nigel while fighting him on the island a month ago.
"Nigel Uno tortured my older brother during Father's Day with a branding iron!" The Combat Forces Second-In-Command agent yells while clenching her fists.
"Abigail Lincoln forced my sisters 1st-grade class to work on her ship, feeding them nothing but sugar-free candy, NOTHING ELSE!" The Armory Chief shouts with a tear in her eye.
Suddenly, their argument is stopped by a furious Wally, who forces the door open.
"Wha…what are you doing here?!" Wally glares at Herbie and walks towards him, but his friends grab hold of him.
"Numbuh 4, stand down!"
"Don't do it Numbuh 4! He's not worth it!"
"Please Wally, calm down!"
"All of us feel the same but this ain't the way to make 'em understand!"
"Let me go!" Wally struggles and manages to break free. He then walks over to a visibly scared Herbie but just as Kuki is about to drag him back with telekinesis and Eliza is about to draw her sword, Wally says something, that shocks everyone present.
"Punch me."
"Wha…"
Herbie and everyone else is speechless as Wally stands before him and points at his face. "Come on, hit me right here!"
"I…"
"If hurtin' me makes ya feel better, do it. Hit me with all you've got! That goes for all of you!" He eyes the other section chiefs, who stare back with a mix of fear and shock. "I ain't gonna beg for you all to forgive me for what I did back then. We all came here, because we know damn well what we've done! You have no idea what crud we've had to go through!" Wally pants and Nigel, Kuki, Hoagie and Abby come to his side.
"I'm sorry Numbuh Alpha, but we heard everything."
"I see…"
Nigel then turns to face Herbie and the other section chiefs. "We've been aware of your distrust of us, since we came here. Actually, we expected that when Numbuh Sigma first asked us to join. What we've done, will not go away. All of us have done unforgivable deeds, be it torture, violence, stealing, you name it. I understand exactly why you wouldn't want us to work with the TND. However, like Numbuh 4 said, we came here because we know better than anyone else what we've done. We are victims in this as much as you are."
"Don't try to use the victim card! Regardless of your reasons, you still hurt many kids and adults!" The Science Chief shouts but becomes afraid when Sector V turn their gaze on him.
"You're right, science boy, we are guilty of doin' all those things. And that guilt ain't ever gonna leave, believe me."
"Even with the guilt, we'll keep moving forward. We aren't here to ask you all to forgive us, we're here to make things right."
"The last 3 years have been the worst years of my life! We all suffered, and we spread that pain on others. That pain won't go away, no matter how hard I wish. So, you guys aren't the only ones who suffered!"
"You might not know this, but we had a condition when Numbuh Sigma asked us to join the TND." Nigel crosses his arms and looks firmly at Eliza and the Section Chiefs.
"What do you mean? Were you aware of this, Commander?"
"Unfortunately, no, Numbuh Iota-3."
"Our condition was that once this whole mess is over, we would go our separate ways from the TND. That way, if there would be repercussions, we'd take the fall and not endanger your organization."
"So, that's what Numbuh Sigma meant…" Eliza looks at her cousin solemnly while the other Chief's are unable to say any counter arguments.
"We'll carry our burden, our guilt and our pain, but we won't let others suffer because of it, never again. I hope this has made things a bit clearer for you all." The Section Chiefs remain silent, some feeling slightly guilty.
"Oh, and if makes ya feel any better, after this thing is over, I'm gonna march straight to a decommissioning chamber! Unlike you, I'll face it head-on! So next time ya got somethin' to say to me or my friends, SAY IT TO MY FACE, HERBIE!" Wally glares furiously at Herbie one last time, turns around and walks out of the briefing room, followed by the others, who all glare at Herbie and the other Chiefs.
Nigel then looks back at Eliza before he walks out, prompting Rachel and Patton to exchange looks and follow Sector V, saluting Eliza before they disappear in to the hallway. Eliza meanwhile slumps down on her chair as the Chiefs are left speechless. "I hope you at least somewhat understand why they are here. The other Commanders agreed with me when I proposed letting them join. I understand if you don't agree with me, but without them, our chances of defeating both Numbuh 1000 and Father are zero. That is a hard fact, whether you like it or not."
"We'll have to discuss this amongst ourselves one more time."
"Do as you wish, but they are our allies now. That won't change."
"Understood Ma'am…"
The Chiefs salute and leave Eliza by herself. She looks to her right, to a seat that Maurice used to frequently sit on. "If only you were here…I'd be able to make them understand…I'm just a pretty face…not a Commander…" she puts her left wrist over her eyes to stop the tear running down her cheeks as she leans back on her chair.
…
Meanwhile, Rachel and Patton catch up to Nigel and the others as they prepare to board an elevator. "Hey, wait up!" Seeing them approaching, they hold the door open, letting Rachel and Patton in.
"I'm glad we caught up…" Rachel pants slightly. "We are you guys going?"
"The hangar, like we originally planned…" Hoagie says silently and both Rachel and Patton can feel the tenseness in their friends but they stay quiet for whole trip down to the 31st floor, the hangar level. In total silence, the group leaves the elevator and walk through the corridor and into the hangar, which is bustling with life.
Various ships of 2x4 and Teen technology fill the hangar, with many mechanics swarming over them. Every few minutes, different craft, including Battle-Ready Cycles, large 2x4 ships such as modified S.C.A.M.P.E.R.'s and C.O.O.L.B.U.S.S.'s and smaller, sleeker S.K.I.D.D.O.O.D.'s enter and leave the facility. Among these ships, stands the M.O.S.Q.U.T.T.O.H.-W.A.S.P., towering over the other ships since the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. itself has mostly been withdrawn from use in the KND and by extension, the TND.
"You know, that ship is the only thing left from the Treehouse…" Hoagie says as they approach the ship.
"Yeah, I still can't believe we don't have a Treehouse anymore…" Wally clenches his fist slightly, as the mere mentioning of the Treehouse reminds him of both Maurice and his rising hate towards the Teen Ninjas. Kuki tries to take his hand but then hesitates and sighs.
"Is it really okay for us to be here?"
"I was asking myself that very same question, Numbuh 3, but we have nowhere else to go, even if we're not wanted." Nigel says grimly as Hoagie opens the W.A.S.P.'s center ramp but the moment it comes down, Kuki is immediately tackled by Bradley. "Bradley! I'm sorry you had to spend the night in there, but we needed someone to guard the ship."
But before they can board though, Nigel speaks to his friends. "There's something I'd like to discuss with you all? Can we talk about it on the bridge?" The others nod and Nigel leads them to the bridge and after sitting down, he continues. "I just want to make sure you are all alright with this. What the Section Chiefs said about us and their distrust is completely justified, we are former teen villains. That stigma won't go away."
"What do ya mean, Numbuh 1?" Abby leans back on her seat slightly.
"I mean, are you guys okay with us working with the TND even after what we just heard." Abby, Wally, Kuki and Hoagie look at each other and then nod at the same time.
"Like Numbuh 2 said, we ain't here to beg. Workin' with 'em ain't a problem either."
"Yeah, they use us and we use them."
"As long as we get to clear our names, it's fine, right?"
"Well, I'm glad we all agree on that. I just needed to be sure."
Hoagie looks around the bridge and takes the 2x4 scanner from his pocket. "Well, since we're here, I'm gonna do a thorough checkup on the W.A.S.P. We'll probably need her more from now on."
"Oh, then I'll go check on the medical bay's stocks!" Kuki jumps up and runs out of the bridge with Bradley, while Wally lowers his seat's backrest and spreads his arms and legs.
"I'm gonna cool off."
As Wally lounges, Rachel approaches Nigel. "If you're not doing anything, why not come with to the Switchboard with me and Patton?"
"Are you sure that's wise?"
"Now that the Commanders all agreed about you joining us, the Chiefs can't complain anymore. Besides, since you're the team leader, it would make sense that you see how the TND operates."
"You have a good point. Are you coming, Numbuh 5?"
"Sure, got nothin' better to do." Abby shrugs and stands up., before adressing Wally and Hoagie. "Try not to cause trouble and keep an eye out for Kuki."
"Whatever, Mom." Wally mutters, causing Abby to chuckle.
"Alright then, lover boy."
"HEY!" Abby's comment makes Wally jump up as the others snicker as Rachel leads Nigel, Abby and Patton out of the ship, leaving Wally, Hoagie and Kuki by themselves.
Wally slumps back down on his seat and tries to relax, while Hoagie's eyes are glued to his scanner. "You know, it's a really good thing we took that supply box with us. Imagine if the Ninjas had taken it."
"I don't wanna hear anythin' about those creeps. Just thinkin' about 'em makes me mad."
"Tell, me about it. But I still don't get it, how did they know we weren't inside? I left the holo decoys on and everything…"
"Doesn't really matter at this point…"
"Yeah, but it just doesn't make sense. The only way they could've done so was with a bug or something."
"Whatever." Wally slides down on his seat as Hoagie walks over to a small hatch which he opens and starts going through the wiring.
"Hey Wally, I've got a question for ya."
"Shoot."
"How long are you gonna keep this up?"
"Huh? Keep what up?" Unknown to the boys, Kuki had just finished checking the infirmary and is just about to enter but then hesitates and hides behind the corner.
"You know what I mean. You can't run away from it forever."
"Wha…what do ya mean by that?"
"Are you really that thick headed? I'm talking about you-know-who."
"For cruds sake, I have no idea what you're talking about!" Then Hoagie shows him three fingers, which makes Wally realize what his friend means. "Wha…whawhawha…what she got to do with it?"
"You've known each other for 7 years. You gotta do something, otherwise the chance is gonna slip away."
"Chance?" Behind the corner, Kuki covers her mouth with her hands and her face turns red, but she listens intently.
"I…You know I'm not good with that stuff!"
"Oh, trust me, I know that, but still, if you're not honest, you're gonna regret it later."
"Why are ya telling me this?"
"It's because of what happened to Maurice." Hoagie straightens his back and has a serious look on his face. "You know Abby liked him, right?"
"Yeah, didn't she like him back when we were in the KND too?"
"But she never got to tell it to him face-to-face. She's hiding it pretty well, but I'm sure she's regretting not telling him. The same goes for me." Behind the corner, Kuki shakes her head.
"You're wrong…"
"You? What do ya mean?"
"Back when we were framed, I missed my chance and I've lived with that regret since then. So now, before this "final mission" is over, I'll be honest about my feelings. That way, I don't have any regrets if I'll end up like Maurice…"
"NO WAY!" Hoagie is startled by Wally's reaction.
"I am not gonna hear that from you. We aren't gonna end up like him! I made a promise, so I'll make sure all of us are gonna make it through this."
"Oh yeah, well I'll do the same! I'll protect everyone even better than you!" The boys stare each other intensely but then, Wally slides back on his seat, his eyes hidden under his blond hair.
"Why the crud did ya say that…"
"Because you're too damn stubborn. I know for a fact you li…"
"SHUT UP! Don't say it! I…I can't deal with those kinds of things…I…"
"Sooner or later, you'll have to. Or you'll go to the decommissioning chamber with nothing but regrets." Wally is reminded what he said before about willingly getting his memories wiped and a pained expression appears on his face.
"Getting second thoughts?"
"…" Wally doesn't say anything but his mind is racing. While he wants to forget all the horrible things he did as a Bully Fighter, all the other memories he carries, feel too precious to lose.
"I…I don't know what to think anymore…It's just that…I still see 'em…those faces…all those dads I beat up in the arena and the kids I bullied at school…They just jump at me…They won't go away…"
"I know how you feel. Because of all the things that have been going on for the past month, I haven't had a chance to think about the things I did as the Cheese Shogun…It's kinda ironic that we pledged ourselves to fight for all kids but we ended up becoming their enemy…"
"Then tell me Hoagie…How do I make 'em go away…If I go to the decommissioning chamber, I'll forget 'em but…I don't want to forget you guys…without you all, I…would've ended up as a Ninja or something…"
"I think you're starting to get it…This pain isn't gonna go away but losing your memories over it isn't worth the sacrifice." Wally takes a deep breath and sits up.
"…You're right Hoagie…That's the coward's way out, and Wallabee Beetles is NOT a coward."
"I'm glad you finally understand buddy." Behind the corner, Kuki is gripped with a massive sense of relief. While she had not shown it to anyone, Wally decommissioning himself was something she could never bear to think and it had been bothering her ever since he mentioned it. "But still, what are you gonna do about "that"? Don't let it hang around too long. We have no idea what's ahead."
"I know but…how the crud do I do that?"
"You'll have to figure it out yourself."
"I can't just walk up and say I li…" Before Wally can finish, the Signal Receiver lights up and a voice interrupts their conversation.
"Hey Gilligan, you in there?"
"Huh? Kid, what do you want?"
"I was on my way to check up on my plane I saw your leader walk past. He said I could find you here. You mind letting me in?"
"Oh, uhm sure." Hoagie stands up and heads for the door at the rear of the bridge. On the other side, Kuki realizes he's approaching and jumps a few steps downwards, to hide the fact she heard their conversation. "Hi Numbuh 3. Everything okay in the medical bay?"
"Uhm…yeah, we're gonna need more bandages though…"
"Okay, we'll make a list of all the things we need later. The Kid called and wants to come in so I'll let him onboard." Kuki nods and watches Hoagie go down the stairs. She then takes a deep breath and enters the bridge, where Wally is sitting in his seat, his head slumped forward. Then, he notices Kuki, his eyes widening for a split second and he tries to act normal. Kuki meanwhile fidgets slightly and sits on her seat in front of the communications console. Bradley jumps on her lap but the bridge is filled with an awkward silence.
"Uhm…" Just as Wally is about to say something, Hoagie and the Kid walk through the door, conversing loudly.
"You seriously turned this ice-cream transport into a gunship just like that?"
"What's wrong with that? It's way more versatile than the C.O.O.L.B.U.S.S., faster than the S.C.A.M.P.E.R and can carry more than the S.K.Y.C.L.A.W. It's perfect in every way."
"But it's useless without any mobility, hombre. My Valkyrie flies' circles over this."
"You saw that those Teen Ninja Cycles didn't even dent the armor." The two aviators start arguing even louder until Hoagie throws his arms in the air. "Argh, this argument isn't gonna go anywhere, you know that, right? Besides, I need to finish the system analysis before I start the repairs."
"Suit yourself, hombre." The Kid shrugs but as he looks around the bridge, he notices Kuki sitting silently on her seat.
"Hmm? Well, this is a nice coincidence." Kuki also notices him and tries to smile.
"Hi…"
"Kuki was it? I didn't expect a girl like you to be here." The Kid walks over to her seat and puts his hand on her backrest, as Wally stares furiously under his hair.
"I'm the team's medic so I was in the infirmary…"
"Ah, gotcha." The Kid's attempts at small talk don't initially work, but slowly, he manages to start a conversation with Kuki, much to Wally's anger. As they talk, Wally becomes more and more annoyed while Hoagie has put a large headset over his ears, just to concentrate.
"So, you guys have been on the run from the KND for three years? That's a pretty long time."
"It was…"
"Judgin' from your tone, those years weren't fun, right? Sorry, didn't mean to, well you know, bring back bad memories."
"No, it's fine, what matters is that I'm with my friends now…"
"That's good. You know, you've got a real fire in your eyes, I like that."
"…thank you…" Kuki becomes slightly embarrassed by the Kid's compliment, but Wally is close to a boiling point.
"So how big is your team anyway?"
"Well, there's me, Nigel, who's our leader, Abby's the spy, Hoagie, who flies the ships and Wally, who does the fighting."
"Those names sound kinda familiar…did you guys go to Gallagher Elementary?"
"Oh yeah, all 5 of us."
"Heh, no wonder I recognized your voice. I went there too. But you said there were 5 of you, where's the short guy? I remember one of you was way shorter than the rest…did they call him Beetles?" The Kid comment angers Wally and he squeezes the armrests of his seat.
"That's Wally! Come say hi, Wally!" Kuki gestures to Wally, and he stands up from his seat and turns towards the Kid, his eyes consumed by anger and, unknown to him, jealousy.
"Wait, you're the shorty? Damn, I didn't recognize you."
"Sorry to disappoint ya…" Wally stares venomously at the Kid and turns towards the bridge door.
"Where are you going, Wally?"
"Dunno, didn't want to interrupt your chat."
"You didn't interrupt anything Wally. It's just small talk. Come on, you don't have to be so rude." Kuki stands up but Wally refuses to listen. "You can't just walk out like that, Wally!" She tries to take his hand, but Wally swipes it away, startling her.
"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS DAMMIT!" Wally shouts as a shocked Kuki takes a step back, her hands over her mouth.
"Wally…?" Realizing what he just said and seeing Kuki surprised expression, makes Wally sick to his stomach, but before he can say anything, The Kid steps between them.
"Hey, that's no way to talk to a girl!"
"…" Wally doesn't respond but his fists begin to shake. Then, The Kid grabs him by the collar of his hoodie.
"You hear me? Apologize! She's your teammate!"
"Keep your cruddy hands off me!" Wally grabs The Kids hands to try and force him to let go, but as he leans forward slightly, The Kid does a judo throw and sends Wally to the floor, to Kuki's horror.
"Guh! You...!
Hoagie also hears the loud thud of Wally hitting the floor and turns around on his chair. "Hey what's goin…HUH?!"
"I kinda sensed you had a problem with me! Too bad you don't have any backbone to say it to my face!" Wally gets up and finally snaps.
"What…did…you just SAY ABOUT ME?!"
"I ain't gonna repeat myself, puta!"
In the blink of an eye, he rams The Kid against the back wall with such force that his aviator glasses fall off and in return, he wrestles Wally to the floor and the argument erupts into a full-blown melee.
"Please, stop fighting!"
"What are you guys doing?! Stop!" Hoagie tries to get between them but he's swiftly pushed aside.
"Hoagie!"
Kuki helps Hoagie on his feet as Wally hits The Kid squarely on the nose at the same time as he himself get hit in the jaw. "YOU TAKE THAT BACK!"
"YOU THINK IT'S OKAY TO ACT THAT WAY TOWARDS A GIRL, HUH?!"
"SHUT UP, YOU DON'T KNOW ME!"
"MAYBE, BUT AT LEAST I TREAT OTHERS BETTER THAN A COWARD LIKE YOU!"
"BASTARD!" As the fight intensifies and realizing their words are going on deaf ears, Hoagie takes his communicator.
"This has to stop! I'll call Nigel!" As he types Nigel's number, Kuki can only watch, every hit causing her more pain.
End of Transmission 24