Note: If you want to spice up the upcoming fight between Numbuh 4 and his nemesis, play KMFDM's song "Ultra" in the background when you get to that part. I found the song highly inspirational while planning and writing that scene. (Totally optional)
Transmission 24: Matador's Requiem
At the Switchboard hangar, the two air units receive the order to attack and a fleet of KND ships and a force of Battle-Ready Cycles takes off, accompanied by The Kid and his "Valkyrie" fighter. "Okay, let's get this party started."
Under the protection of their decoy drones, which fly over the aircraft and provide them with a stealth field that keeps them out of sight, they make their way towards the city center. The Cycles break off and fly to a higher altitude, along with The Kid, who has been placed in charge of the Cycles while the diversion force is led by Bartie Stork, former Moonbase scout and S.K.I.D.O.O.D. pilot Numbuh 35, in his personal C.O.O.L.B.U.S.S. "This is Clay Pidgeon Leader, Numbuh Lambda to all Clay Pidgeon units, deactivate your decoy drones and follow me. Once the Ninjas take the bait, turn starboard 180 on my order."
"Sir, Yes Sir!" The other ships respond and the ships remove their camouflage. Inside the Teen Ninjas Hideout's command center, their presence is immediately recognized.
"Hey Captain! We've got like a huge group of KNDork ships flyin' towards us." A Ninja in charge of the CIC tells Ernest, who is lounging on a sofa.
"What?! Lemme see." He walks over to the monitor and sees the fleet approaching the Hideout. "Soo, those brats wanna fight us head on? Heh, then I'll gladly oblige. Send out the Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors to take 'em down!"
"You mean all of them?"
"Yes, all of 'em! Are ya deaf of somethin'? Were gonna swat them down and lock 'em in the dungeon." Ernest puts a lollipop in to his mouth and smiles confidently.
"I'll stay here and watch the show. Tell Chuck he's in charge in the air."
"Got it Captain."
"Hehehehe, this is gonna be a good day."
…
High above, in the KND Moonbase, Global Command also notices the fleet of ships approaching Cleve. Global Tactical Officer Numbuh 105 immediately informs Supreme Leader Numbuh 1000 about it.
"Hm, what is it?" Numbuh 1000 responds nonchalantly from his quarters.
"Sir, there is a large formation of 2x4 ships heading towards the Ninja Hideout in downtown Cleve."
"What?!" Numbuh 1000 jumps up and walks over to the large window behind his desk. As he looks down at the Earth, he speaks with Numbuh 105.
"Are they ours?"
"They are using valid KND IFF's but we have no idea where they came from."
"Whatever they are, they're not friendly. Sector V2 is in charge in there and I haven't given them orders to attack."
"Then what should we do?"
"Contact Sector V2 and tell them to prepare the Array for combat. This might prove to be an advantage for us if we can take out the Ninja's air units at the same time."
"Understood sir."
"Oh, and have them deploy the Teen Hunter unit as well. Order them to observe the situation. We'll use the Array to wipe out the Hideout afterwards."
"Yes, Sir!" Numbuh 1000 hangs up and smiles with glee.
"This is getting very interesting indeed…"
…
Down on Earth, Sector V watch as a swarm of Ninjas take off from the parking garage. Then, Numbuh Theta-9 contacts them from the Switchboard.
"This is Switchboard CIC, do you copy Commander?"
"Loud and clear." Nigel responds.
"They took the bait, begin the attack."
"Roger, over and out." Nigel then looks at his team with a confident smile. "This is it. Let's go." They stand up and run through the park and over to the side alley that leads to the Mini Mart. Abby gets up on the roof of the building opposite the mart while Wally and Kuki hide behind a dumpster. Nigel and Eliza hide behind the corner while Hoagie guards the rear. Standing in front of the door are four Ninjas, guarding the entrance.
"Four sentries at the door, how do ya want us to proceed?" Abby says from her vantage point on the roof.
"Like I said, no need for subtlety. Numbuh 4, let them know we're here." Wally nods and a grin appears on his face.
"Gotcha…heheh, this give 'em something to think about." He takes aim with the Accelerator Rifle and fires a shot directly at the door, blowing it apart with a loud boom as everyone de-cloaks and attack.
"TEENS NEXT DOOR, BATTLE STATIONS!" Nigel shouts as they storm the entrance, stupefying the guards in the process. They run inside and before the clerk can react, he is also stupefied.
"Numbuh 4, secure the perimeter, Numbuh 2, hack their systems, Numbuh 3, cover Numbuh 2, Numbuh 5, disable the defenses, Numbuh Alpha, with me!" Nigel barks out his orders and the others do as they're told. Wally stands guard at the door while Hoagie runs to the clerk's computer terminal and connects his 2x4 scanner into it. Kuki watches over him while Abby fires her grappling wires into a power box, short-circuiting the mart's defenses. Nigel and Eliza then run to the "employees only" door and kick it down, attacking the four teens sitting around a table.
"Hey, who are you AHHHH…" Before they can react, all of them are stupefied by Nigel while Eliza runs to the broom closet and cleaves it open with her sword.
"Stay there Numbuh Alpha, wait until the security's down. We need to keep the element of surprise."
"Roger." Eliza nods and goes to guard the door they came from. Then, the rest of Sector V join their leader in the break room.
"I got in. Their internal alarms are out of business, all bio-metric scanners included."
"Good. It's better for us if they're caught by surprise."
"Are we going through there?" Kuki points at the ladders inside the broom closet.
"That's correct. Numbuh 5, lead the way."
"Gotcha baby." Abby nods and jumps down the shaft, followed by Wally, Kuki, Hoagie, Eliza and Nigel. They fall down a fair distance until Kuki uses her telekinesis to stop the group mid-fall.
"Excellent timing Numbuh 3. Numbuh 5, Numbuh 4, clear the room. We'll wait until the coast is clear."
"Right." Kuki releases Wally and Abby, who grab on to the ladder and go down until they stop just above the break room. Abby uses her armor's sensors to scan the room.
"5 Ninjas. Heh, these chumps aren't even wearin' their armor. Stupefy 'em."
"Alright!" They let go of the ladder and fall to the break room, startling the occupants.
"Huh, like, who are yo…" They stand no chance as Abby stupefies the two closest to the ladder while Wally fully activates his armor.
"Sound the alarm! Those KNDorks are…!" The three others are silenced by Wally's Stupefier Cannon. Abby then runs to the door and gives Wally the all-clear sign.
"Room secure!" Wally gestures to the others and they descend into the room. Then, Nigel has everyone gather around him.
"Good work team. Time for phase 2. Numbuh 4, Numbuh 3, Numbuh 2, Numbuh 5, commence Assault Formation Z-7-9."
"Aw yeah. Let's give 'em heck" Wally cracks his knuckles and readies his Accelerator Rifle.
Hoagie puts both his Stupefier and his scanner into his pockets and takes a deep breath. "Alright Betsy Mk II Custom. Time to go to work." He hits his belt buckle, and his light blue and silver Exo-suit folds around him. As the goggle-like visor moves over his head like an over-sized helmet, he slams the suit's massive arms together. "Numbuh 5, get on my back. We're going for a ride."
"Heh, just watch we're you're goin', Robo Butt." Abby chuckles and jumps on the suit's back, magnetizing the soles of her jetboots and putting her left hand on its left shoulder.
"I take back what I said about you, THAT is impressive."
"Why thank you Commander. Hit me up sometime if you wanna take ride…OW!" Abby slams her fist into the suit's helmet, causing Hoagie's head to bounce around inside, while Eliza breaks out in laughter.
"Numbuh 5, don't do that! Betsy's a delicate lady!"
"Will ya just concentrate on the job instead of talkin' outta yo butt?"
"Okay okay…sheesh…" Hoagie mutters as Eliza turns towards Nigel.
"Uhm…remind me, what is Assault Formation Z-7-9?"
"Oh, that's very simple, it's…" Before Nigel can finish, Wally aims his rifle and blows apart the break room door, startling Eliza. "…Maximum Shock and Awe." Nigel says with a smirk as first Wally and Kuki and then Hoagie and Abby fly out of the room and dive down into the Teen Hideout's central hall.
"Oh, I see." Eliza chuckles as Nigel takes out his pistols.
"Shall we?"
"Let's go see how they'll entertain us." The cousins nod to each other before following the others into the fray.
"Enemy attack! Like, fight back!" The Ninjas are caught off guard as Wally dives headlong into a hail of laser fire, responding in kind with his rifle and Stupefier Cannon.
"It's payback time ya bastards!" As he goes down, Kuki sticks close to him, covering his rear with both her magic and the shields in her arms while Bradley sits on her back and fires wildly with his eye-laser.
"Wow, Hoagie out did himself…now I can fight properly!"
Charging down the left side of the central hall are Hoagie and Abby. While he fires the Exo-suits finger Stupefiers at anything that moves, Abby jumps off from his back and is the first one to land on the very bottom of the hall. She is then immediately attacked by four Ninjas.
"How did you losers find our Hideout?! This is a no KND allowed zone!"
"Too bad we ain't with the KND! We're the Teens Next Door!" Abby shouts and knocks out two Ninjas with two well placed chops.
"The what?!"
"I don't hafta repeat myself to a bunch of Father's lapdogs!" She launches a grappling wire into a female Ninja, and knocks her out with an electric shock, startling the others as they realize they aren't fighting the KND.
"Call the Captain! These aren't the KND! They're…" Before the Ninja can get the order through, Abby kicks him so hard he flies into the wall behind him. "…Teenagers…" he mutters before he loses conscience.
Wally, Hoagie and Kuki also arrive to Abby's side while more and more Ninjas jump down from the upper floors, laser guns blazing. Nigel and Eliza go down level by level, taking out any Ninja that they see. They then join the others in the center. "Numbuh 2, your turn."
"You got it Boss." Hoagie responds and walks over to the massive computer behind them. He then opens the Exo-suits chest armor and reaches to the keyboard. "Okay guys, cover me while I work on this. I've never hacked a Teen mother computer before so I've got no idea how strong the firewall is."
"We'll buy you as much time as we can. Team, Legion Formation." The rest of Sector V form a circle around Hoagie and the computer.
...
Meanwhile, Ernest, who has been completely oblivious to the events outside, hears loud explosions coming from within Hideout. "What the hell's goin' on?!" He gets up from his sofa and just as he is about to open the door, a Ninja pries it open instead.
"CAPTAIN!"
"Stop yellin'. What's all the ruckus about?!"
"The…the Hideout's under attack!"
"WHAT?!"
"They just showed up from nowhere! They're not the KND!"
"Then who?!"
"I dunno! Some of the guys said they were…teenagers like us!"
"Don't be stupid! All teenagers join the Ninjas!"
"But Boss…" Ernest grabs the Ninja by his collar and lifts him.
"Grrr, no more buts! Just get rid of them! At least Chuck is doin' a better job up there then you losers." Then, Ernest's wrist communicator rings and he drops the Ninja to the floor. "Yeah, what is it?"
"Boss! We were tricked! These ain't the KND…ARGH…!" The call ends abruptly as Ernest stares blankly at the floor.
"Boss?"
"ARGH! Fine, whoever these punks are, they just made the biggest mistake of their lives! Send the Knightamatons to patrol the tunnels, secure the hangar and the armory and tell Slade to make sure the computer is safe! Me and the Hooligans are gonna pay these losers a visit!"
"U…understood Boss!"
…
To the east of the Hideout, high in the clouds, the entire Ninja air group that was sent after the diversionary force has now come under relentless attack by the TND's Battle-Ready Cycle force with The Kid leading the way. "Alright amigos, let's make this a real turkey shoot!"
"Yes, Sir!"
"And drop the "Sir". I'm a freelancer after all." The Kid dives down on the Ninjas below him and shoots down 6 in a single pass, using both the Valkyrie's nose-mounted lasers and a long-barreled laser cannon mounted on a swiveling hydraulic arm between the cockpit and the engines/legs. The TND Cycles follow him and they start cutting their opponents numbers down one-by-one.
Meanwhile, underneath the city, Patton leads the Combat Force through the tunnels. "We're getting close! Numbuhs Psi-A and -B, scout ahead."
"Yes, Sir!" The twin brothers run to the next t-intersection and look around. Then Psi-B picks up something on his acoustic headset.
"Hold up! I've got movement in the right-side tunnel."
"Then we're on the right track. This part of the tunnel network was cut-off from the rest when they abandoned the bookstore base. If the Intelligence Section did their math right, that tunnel leads to the hangar. Activate your armors everyone. From here on out, it's gonna get rough."
"Roger, Commander Numbuh Zeta!" The members of the Combat Force respond and don their Battle-Ready Armor. Patton also activates his own, military camouflaged B.R.A., which has a military helmet instead of a samurai helmet and reinforced gauntlets, similar to the ones on Wally's B.R.A. The helmet also features a set of goggles that fold over Patton's eyes, giving him night, heat, x-ray and infra-red vision.
He then arms his heat-laser rifle and orders the Combat Force to begin the approach. They sneak along the wall of the right tunnel's wall until they arrive at a door. "This is it. Heavies, bring down that door." Two agents, wearing heavy duty sets of armor, pry the steel door down. Then, the Psi brothers peak around the corner and find the source of the noise Numbuh Psi-B heard.
"Sir, they've got the tunnel full of Knightamatons."
"Knightamatons? Damn, Father must've supplied them. Okay, if they wanna play like that, we can do that too. Combat Force, ATTACK!" Patton stands up and runs around the corner, followed by the rest. They unload their lasers into the first Knightamaton, ripping it apart. They then storm the next tunnel, moving like an unstoppable avalanche of destruction, their sights set on getting to the hangar as fast they can.
…
Inside the Hideout proper, Sector V has turned the center of the main hall into a shooting gallery. Any Ninja that has tried to break through has been taken out time and time again. "Status, Numbuh 2?"
"Almost there…GOT IT!" Hoagie shouts as he breaks through the firewall. He then takes out his scanner and plugs it into the console. "Okay you rascal, time to give up all your secrets!" he starts copying every bit of information the massive mother computer has. Then, a laser beam almost hits Nigel but it's blocked by Kuki's shield.
"Uhm guys, we've got company." she points at a walkway three floors above them where eleven burly Ninjas stand, wearing custom red, white and gray B.R.A. emblazoned with the emblem of the Hendrie Hooligans. Wally immediately recognizes their leader and his blood begins to boil.
"So, ya finally show your face, Ernie…"
"Alright Hooligans, let's send these suckers home!" Ernest, wearing a much more heavily armored set of B.R.A. with same color as the others, shouts. He then pulls out a large pole-arm mace from his back and jumps down, followed by his teammates. "RAAAAAHHHH!" They roar as they land on the bottom floor, where Sector V is waiting.
"Numbuh 2 needs more time. Let's make sure he gets it." Nigel says as he readies his pistols.
"11 v 6, those are kinda bad odds."
"Yeah, bad for them, Numbuh 5!" Wally shouts and fires repeatedly with his rifle, forcing the Hooligans to split up. "You guys can play with these losers! Ernie's mine!" Wally activates his jetboots and flies straight at the Hooligans.
"Numbuh 4!"
"Don't worry Numbuh 1, I'll watch his back!" Kuki says and goes after Wally.
"Alright. Numbuh 5, protect Numbuh 2. Numbuh Alpha, we'll attack them head-on as well."
"Just the way I like it!" Eliza smirks as she draws her sword while Abby jumps on top of Hoagie's Exo-suit.
"I'll cover ya, but ya better work fast!"
"I'm doing the best I can!"
Wally meanwhile has closed the distance with the Hooligans. "ERNIE!" he shouts and aims at the Football Team's Captain, but two others get in his way.
"You think you can take us all on?!"
"Runts like you ain't no match for…"
"OUTTA THE WAY!" Wally stupefies the other Hooligan mid-sentence and rams the other with full force, knocking him out cold. Then, Ernest recognizes Wally's armor's color.
"Huh? Hey, you're that punk who attacked us last Saturday! You got lucky last time but now, I'm gonna pound you to the ground!" He brings up his mace and slams it into the ground, creating a shockwave that goes into every direction.
"What the crud?!" Wally barely dodges the attack and flies over his foe, landing behind him. "I've been waitin' for this, Ernie!" Wally puts his rifle into a holster in his back and activates his arm shields into knuckle-mode.
"Hahahah, ya think I'm scared of your little gloves?"
"You should be!" Wally charges at Ernest who readies to strike him with his mace, but Wally closes the distance too quickly and lands a powerful uppercut square into Ernest's jaw, stunning him.
"Guargh!" Then, he maneuvers around him and grabs his left arm before throwing him over his shoulder.
"Raaah! The big Captain lands on the stone floor with a mighty thud, startling his teammates. "Had enough, Ernie?!" Wally pants, and stares furiously at Ernest, who is helped up by two of his teammates.
"Are ya okay Boss?"
"LET GO!" Ernest shoves them aside and looks at Wally, finally recognizing his opponent.
"Wait…YOU! YOU'RE WALLABEE BEETLES!"
"Heh, did ya miss me, Ernie?" Wally pulls back his helmet and smirks at Ernest, who's face contorts from rage.
"IT'S ERNEST! I don't know where you crawled out from, but I'm gonna make this hideout your coffin!"
"I'd like to see ya try it, Ernie!"
"RAAAARRGH!" Ernest roars and lunges at Wally, who brings back his helmet and fires with his arm laser, but the lasers do no damage against Ernest's heavy armor and the two lock arms.
"Hah, no laser is gonna hurt me! I'm gonna rip you apart Beetles! This is payback for what you've done to me!"
"My words exactly, Ernie!"
"IT'S ERNEST! RAURGH!" They two teenagers are forced into a deadlock as Kuki tries to come to his aid but is stopped by three Hooligans.
"And where do ya think you're goin', girly?"
"This ain't no place for weaklings like you!"
"Now why don't ya just give up! We'll give you a really good time in the dungeon."
Their words drive Kuki into a blind rage. "RAAAAAAARRGGHH!" she screams and electrocutes the three Hooligans and then turns her fury on a group of Ninjas who have just arrived. "Who's next?!"
...
As the fight between Wally and Ernest continues, Hoagie slowly copies the computer's data banks. Abby has already knocked out a Hooligan who sneaked around them but she's getting frustrated. "Come on, hurry up!"
"I said I'm doing my best!"
"Then do it better!"
Before Hoagie can respond, his Exo-Suits sensor picks up an attacker right above them. "Abby, look out!" Abby turns her gaze upwards and sees a Ninja, wearing a burgundy and black B.R.A. with energy tonfa's in his hands, getting the jump on them. Just as the Ninja is about to hit Abby, Hoagie grabs his Exo-suits left control stick and blocks the attack with its left arm gauntlet. The Ninja jumps away with his jetboots and lands a few meters away from them while Abby jumps down from Betsy Mk II Custom's back and brings out her claws.
"Wait a minute…I thought ya looked familiar, you're former Numbuh 206!"
"WHAT?!" Hoagie shouts as Slade tries to hit him from behind but Abby grabs his tonfas and pushes him back.
"I shoulda know you'd hook up with the Ninjas. Boy did you pick the wrong side." Slade doesn't respond and spins his tonfas before engaging Abby in intense close-quarters combat.
"Too bad you're way outta my league!" Abby shouts as they clash but to her surprise, Slade holds his own against her.
"Heh, I'll take that back. Looks like he might be a better challenge than those jokers."
...
Nigel and Eliza meanwhile have moved slightly away from the others and are fighting three other Hooligans. "My, these guys are hardly a challenge." Eliza says casually as she cuts open a Hooligan's chest armor with her sword, filling her foe with fear.
"Be glad you're wearing that armor, Ninja. Otherwise, you'd be in way more PAIN!" She hits the paralyzed Hooligan with her left palm, generating a compact shock wave from the gem in her gauntlet and sending her enemy into a wall, knocking him out.
"Wha…who are you guys?!"
"The Teens Next Door!" Nigel knocks the other one out with a chop to the neck. Then they turn their attention on the last Hooligan, who is so afraid that he turns tail and flies up towards the exit.
"Hmph, coward." Eliza puts her sword over her shoulder and looks around. "Your team is doing a really good job."
"It's to be expected. My team is the best." Nigel smirks and gets a call from the observation base.
"This is Operations Commander Numbuh Epsilon. All teams, status report."
"This is Clay Pidgeon Leader. Those Ninjas are falling down faster than I can count."
"Agent Halcón here." These guys are on their death rows. It's only a matter of time before the skies are clear.
"Combat Force here, we've run into heavy resistance in a tunnel just before the hangar."
"Infiltration team here, we've engaged the Hooligans near the mother computer."
"Understood. Air units, continue with your mission. Once their Cycles are taken care of, capture or shoot down anyone who tries to escape the Hideout via air."
"Understood, Clay Pidgeon Leader out."
"Roger loud and clear, Agent Halcón out."
"Infiltration team, can you provide support for the Combat Force?" Nigel looks at Eliza and then his team, who are holding their ground against the remaining Hooligans and Slade.
"…This is Numbuh 1, we will provide support. Combat Force, hang in there."
"Thank you. Operations Command out." Nigel then changes frequency.
"Sector V, this Numbuh 1. The Combat Force is having trouble with the enemy in the tunnels. Numbuh Alpha and I will go and help them. Once you've secured the information we need, head to the dungeon and then regroup with us in the hangar, understood?"
"ROGER!" Everyone except Wally reply, as he is too busy fighting Ernest.
"And remember, everyone comes back, understood?!"
"ROGER!"
"Good, Numbuh 1 out." Nigel turns towards Eliza and nods to her. "Let's get going."
"Right. Lead the way." she nods back and they run into a hallway on their right, that leads to the hangar.
Meanwhile, Wally and Ernest continue their fight. So far, they've been evenly matched, with neither gaining the advantage. "Haaahhh…you little runt…how can you keep this up…"
"I can do this all day, Ernie…As long as I get to kick your arse, I don't care."
"Grrrr, you're so damn cocky. It's time I cut that down to size!" Ernest lifts his mace and strikes the ground again, but this time, the shockwave travels forward, straight at Wally, who is forced to jump to evade it.
"Again, with that…"
"GOTCHA!" Ernest swings his mace in the air, creating a shockwave from nothing and catching him off guard.
"AW CRUD!" The shockwave slams into Wally, stunning him and causing him to fall to the floor.
"PIN HIM DOWN!" Ernest orders the last Hooligan to hold Wally down while brings the mace up over his shoulder. "I told ya, you're a just weakling! You were back then, and you still are!"
"You bastard…"
"You know, looking back, it was a real blessing your KND buddies raided my Bully Fighting Ring. Then, I wouldn't have been accepted into the Ninjas. All teenagers should join us. We get to do what we want, especially us Bullies. All we gotta do in return is beat up kids when Father tells us. It's too bad you chose the wrong side!"
"No…I chose my team…MY FRIENDS!" Wally shouts as he is reminded of the things he did as a Bully Fighter, when the only emotion he felt was anger and how he didn't care who he hurt. But now, he's channeling all that anger towards Ernest, the one who talked him into returning to his Ring and made him commit horrific deeds to other people.
"Hahah, how cute. Now, let's see how many times I need to hit ya to break that thick skull of yours, BEETLES!" Wally begins squirm but the shockwave has temporarily weakened him and the Hooligan holding him down is strong. Then, Ernest brings up his mace but before he can strike, it refuses to move. "Huh? What the…HUH?!" He looks over his shoulder and see Kuki using her telekinesis stop him from moving.
"Don't…you…dare…hurt…WALLY!" she screams and sends Ernest flying into a skate-ramp to his left.
"UAAAARRGGHH!" The Bully screams as he slams into the ramp.
Kuki then fires an electric shock into the last Hooligan, throwing him backwards and off of Wally's back. "Are you okay?" Kuki runs to Wally's side and helps him up.
"I'm fine…where the heck did he get that thing…?" Wally says as an enraged Ernest roars and throws the destroyed skate ramp at the pair. "Get back!" Wally shouts and uses his shields protect them from the wreckage.
"That does it…I've had it with you and "friends". Hooligans! On me!" Ernest shouts but he gets no response. "Huh? What's a matter with you?! Your Captain gave you an order! GET UP!" he shouts but every other member of the Hendrie Hooligans is either knocked out or has run away.
"So much for your Elite Team, Ernie."
"YOU WEAKLINGS!" Ernest screams and strikes the ground with his mace, launching a shockwave at Wally and Kuki.
"Look out!" Kuki steps forward and neutralizes the shockwave with her telekinesis.
"Just who the hell are you people?!"
"Don't you know? WE'RE THE TEENS NEXT DOOR!" Wally responds and flies towards the Captain.
"YOU'RE DEAD MEAT!" Ernest prepares to swing his mace horizontally at Wally but Kuki grabs it with her telekinesis and wrestles it from his grip.
"WHAT THE?!"
"RAAAAAHHHH!" Wally deploys his shields and rams Ernest into the stone wall behind him, creating a huge dust cloud. But, as the dust fades, the two teenagers are again in a deadlock.
"Haah…you might've taken my mace, but I don't need it to gouge out your eyes!" he frees his left-hand from Wally's grip and tries to grab him by the head, but Wally grabs his wrist with his right hand. Then Ernest actives his right-hand heat laser and tries to move it towards Wally's head instead.
"Too bad Ernie…but I got ya right where I want you!"
"Tough talk from a runt who's gonna get his head blown off!"
"I don't think so!" The sphere in Wally's chest armor starts to glow and he fires a blast from the Destabilizer, short-circuiting Ernest's B.R.A. and subjecting him to a powerful electric shock.
"AAAAARRRRRGHHHHHH!" he spasms and squirms as his armor forcefully shuts-down. Wally then let's go of him as the Football Team's Captain slumps to the ground.
"That's for all the crud you made me do…" Wally spits at Ernest and turns around but then, Ernest somehow regains consciousness and grabs Wally's right leg.
"The crud?!"
"Haah…you ain't goin' anywhere you piece of shit…I ain't done with you…" he pants as Wally steps on his hand and forces him to let go.
"You're way too persistent you bastard."
"I…I…I'M GONNA END YOU!" Ernest stands up and in a fit of mad rage, runs towards Wally, who brings out his Stupefier Cannon and takes aim.
"Go back to sleep, you rat." he repeatedly fires at Ernest, stupefying him a limb at a time.
"BEETLEEEESSS…!" His screaming stops as the last shot fully Stupefies him, leaving him encased in a crystal, his eyes still mad with uncontrollable rage. Wally glares at him and walks back to where Kuki is.
"Come on…let's help the others…" Wally says with a pained but a steely expression and Kuki nods.
Just as Wally finishes his fight with Ernest, Abby continues to duel Slade. Like with Wally and Ernest, the two are equally matched.
"You're gonna tire out at some point, you freak." Abby says calmly and launcher her wires at Slade but the former fugitive cartwheels to the left and fires his heat lasers at Abby, who dodges, but the shots land just short of where Hoagie is, startling him.
"Woah! Hey, Numbuh 1 said to cover me!"
"That's what Numbuh 5's doin'!" Abby shouts and tries to draw Slade's attention, but the Ninja has his eyes set on stopping Hoagie from finishing his work. Slade launches himself forward, determined to strike Hoagie in the back, but Hoagie sees him coming and using his left-hand control stick, changes the Exo-suit's left back booster into arm-mode and blasts Slade into the air with the booster's exhaust, giving Abby the chance, she's been waiting for: She aims her grappling wires at the helpless Ninja, ensnares him and slams him to the floor. "Why didn't ya do that earlier?"
"I need two hands to type!" Their argument is interrupted as Slade stands up but before he can attack, Wally and Kuki come to Abby's side.
"What took ya guys?!"
"Ernie was bein' stubborn." Slade overhears what Wally says and looks to his right, seeing the stupefied Ernest standing near the east wall, right below the first floor's lounge. He shakes his head and jumps away from his foes, towards Ernest. Then, four Ninjas run to his side while the Hooligan Kuki knocked out regains his conscience.
"Ow my head…BOSS!"
"What did they do you, Boss?!" The Hooligan runs to Ernest's side and tries break him out of his crystal prison, but to no avail. Slade then gestures for the others to pick up their leader and flee.
With their enemy running away, Abby and the others can relax, at least for a moment. "Hah, yeah, that's right, run you sorry losers!"
"Numbuh 2, are ya done?"
"Just a second…huh…WHAT?! A system trap?! Nonononono…!" Hoagie shouts as Abby walks to his side.
"What are ya screamin' about?"
"These Ninjas are smarter than they look. They planted a system trap into this thing!"
"Wait what? How did they…?"
"What's a system trap? Kuki asks as she peeks over Abby's shoulder.
"They rigged the computer to crash if people mess with it!" Abby shouts.
"And if I don't stop it, it's gonna shut down the computer AND wipe out it's memory banks…"
"Can you stop it, Numbuh 2?" Kuki continues to peek over Abby's shoulder as the latter is staring at the huge screen, filled with red error alerts.
"Yeah, I can…at least I think so…come on…dammit…It's no good, it's already erasing the data."
"Well did ya get anything out?" Abby crosses her arms and looks grimly at the screen.
"I got about 70%, but not the last bunch of files. I decrypted the data disc at least. But the rest of the info in this computer is probably long gone by now." Hoagie says dejectedly and detaches the scanner from the computer as it shuts down.
"Well, ya did your best. Now let's go find that dungeon. Numbuh 4, you clear the path."
"You got it, Numbuh 5!" Wally nods and takes the Accelerator Rifle from his back.
"Come on Numbuh 2, that thing's useless now."
"…Alright…" Hoagie mutters, but before he closes the Exo-suit's chest armor, he types something on the keyboard with a grin on his face. He then closes the chest plate, switches his Exo-suit to hover mode and flies after his teammates, who are already about to enter a corridor that leads to the dungeon.
…
Meanwhile, Nigel and Eliza have fought their way through three floors and finally, they arrive at the door that leads to the hangar proper. "Okay Numbuh Alpha, cover me. I'll contact Numbuh Zeta."
"Roger."
Eliza takes a combat stance as Nigel kneels and calls Patton. "Numbuh Zeta, do you copy?"
"This is Numbuh Zeta…what took you so long?!"
Nigel can hear the battle raging through the communicator, alarming him. "What's your status?"
"These Ninjas brought some extra firepower into the base. The whole tunnel leading to the hangar is filled with Knightamatons, and they just keep coming!"
"Do you have casualties?"
"Just slight injuries. These tin cans don't have any ranged weapons but some of them are those damn fiery versions. We can't move forward unless you take them down from the source!"
"Roger, leave them to us. Numbuh Alpha and I will clear the way."
"Wait, what about the rest of your team?!"
"She and I will be enough, trust me."
"…Okay, just hurry up, at this rate, it's gonna hurt our schedule if we can't proceed!"
"Understood, Numbuh 1 out." Nigel hangs up and stands up. "Did you hear that?"
"Loud and clear. So, what's your plan?"
"I'll need to survey the area first." Nigel activates his new shades and using the infra-red vision function, he looks through the reinforced steel door. "Hmm…those Knightamatons are pouring through the armory and it looks like they're only there so the Ninjas can escape."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Take them by surprise."
"Just the way I like it. Allow me to open the door." Eliza smirks and energizes her sword's blade, before piercing the door with it and cleaving it in half.
"Hmph, that's one way of doing it."
"As long as it works. Now, shall we?"
"You're really enjoying this aren't you?"
"I told you, I haven't been in combat for a long time." Nigel chuckles and the cousins charge into the large hangar. On their left is the tunnel and they can hear the Combat Team inside. On their right, is the entrance to armory, from which, an endless stream of Knightamatons is pouring out.
"You help the Combat Team; I'll head into the armory!" Nigel shouts and runs to the right.
"But Nigel!"
"Go! I'll be fine!" Nigel waves at her but Eliza is not convinced.
"Dammit…" she mutters and runs to the left, cleaving her way through the robotic knights, who do not even react to her attacks and simply march forward. "Combat Force do you copy? This is Numbuh Alpha. Here's your opening, now get moving!"
"Yes Ma'am!"
They respond and start running, using the break in the stream of Knightamatons as their chance to storm the hangar. While Eliza attacks the approaching robots, Patton and his Combat Force reach the hangar. "Spread out! Group 1, head to the dungeon, Group 2, close the hangar door, Group 3, you're with me! We're gonna turn this place into a scrapyard!" On Patton's order, the Force splits in three and go in three directions. Patton himself comes to Eliza's side. "Well, took your sweet time."
"Quit your whining, we came here as fast as we could!" Eliza shouts as she slices a Knightamaton in two while Patton fills another one full of holes with his laser rifle.
"Where's Numbuh 1?!"
"He went to the armory!"
"Didn't we agree not to lose sight of him?!"
"I was just about say that we should go to the armory too!"
"Alright, then let me clear a path!" Patton takes a firm stance and two large rotary heat laser cannons fold out from his back armor and go over his shoulders. "EAT LASER, YOU METAL FREAKS!" he mows the robots down with ease and starts running towards the armory, with Eliza behind him. As they fight through the horde of robots, Nigel as managed to enter the armory through a side door. He looks around and sees an odd machine, that continuously creates Knigthamatons seemingly out of nothing.
"That must be it." he mutters and runs towards the computer next to the machine. As he starts typing on the keyboard, something hits him in the back of the head and he is sent flying across the room. "Ghhh…"
"Well, well, well…it's been a while, hasn't it, Mr. Uno or should I say, Nephew." A cold, sinister voice speaks to him.
"…No…you…" Nigel's eyes widen as a black, burning Knightamaton stares down on him and stands up as the voice speaks again.
"You've been very sneaky for the past three months, haven't you? And now you decide to show up. You should've told me you were in the neighborhood."
"…"
"What's the matter? Are you so glad to see your dear uncle that you're speechless?"
"What the hell are you doing here…Father?!" Nigel takes out his pistols and aims them at the Knightamaton.
"A little birdy told me you were here so I just had to see. I couldn't come in person but I'm sure you don't mind." The Knightamaton moves closer menacingly as Eliza and Patton arrive into the armory.
"Numbuh 1! What the…?!"
"Nigel!"
"STAY BACK!"
"What is that thing?!" Patton aims his rifle at it and fires, but the robot creates a wall of fire around it, blocking the laser.
"Your weapons won't work on it! That…that thing is Father! He's using the Knightamaton as a medium!" Eliza and Patton gasp as the robot takes a step closer towards Nigel.
"Oh, you figured it out? Very clever. Now, let's quit with the pleasantries and get down to brass tax. There is something very important that I came to get back."
"If you're talking about the data, you're too late!"
"HAHAHAHA! Fool! That data doesn't matter! What I want is YOU!"
End of Transmission 24
Note: Wohoo, that's a bombastic chapter. I really enjoyed writing this chapter especially, since I really wanted to pit the Teens Next Door against the Ninjas in all out battle since in the show, the Ninjas only fought against the Kids Next Door (kids).
The climax of the second arc is slowly approaching and then, arc 3 beckons.