Transmission 29: Shattered Plans
The members of Sector V, along with the three former Cadets, enter an eerily silent briefing room and look around. "Wow, it's like a funeral in here..!"
"Not funny." Abby glares at Hoagie disapprovingly.
"Oh, right…sorry…" Hoagie apologizes frantically while Abby huffs.
They then walk over to where Patton is standing, on the left side of the room. "So, what did we miss?" Nigel asks Patton, who is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Numbuh Alpha explained the situation to them and gave them a choice to join the TND, or be decommissioned and return to their normal lives."
"Isn't that kinda risky? If they're decommissioned, wouldn't that make them easy targets for the Ninjas to recruit?" Hoagie asks.
"Numbuh 5 agrees, there's only one answer to this question." Abby says as the ex-KND operatives talk amongst themselves. Then, the silence is broken by a voice.
"The Tommy will join the Teens Next Door!" Tommy declares and puts his fist up. "Numbuh 1000 and Father must be stopped and The Tommy shall give his assistance to this cause!"
"Assistance…your bro's a riot." Abby chuckles and nudges a visibly embarrassed Hoagie.
"Uhm…I want to join too! Even if I'm only 12…" Sonia also stands up, prompting Lee to do the same.
"Heck, if those kids are gonna join, I ain't just gonna sit quietly. I'm in too!" Charles stands up, as do his two friends as well.
"Me too!" Kimberley puts her right hand up, as her left arm is in a sling.
"Count us in too!" Numbuh 58 puts up both hers and Numbuh 59's hands. Then, one by one, the other ex-operatives agree to join, except for Joey, who is still fast asleep on a chair near the back of the room.
Rachel and Eliza look at them with satisfaction. "That settles it then. Numbuh Gamma, I'm leaving them in your hands."
"Yes, Ma'am." Numbuh Gamma salutes Eliza and walks over to the door.
"Please follow Numbuh Gamma, he will take you back to the hangar for orientation and screening, after which, you'll be placed into the Section that's fits you the best." Rachel says and the ex-operatives stand up, but then, Eliza stops Charles and his two friends.
Kimberley also stops and looks over her shoulder. "Numbuh 34, wait."
"Huh? What is it?"
"I was told that you three were decommissioned two years ago. Now, this is of course completely up to you, but we can restore your memories of your time in the KND, if you want."
"Really? Wow…I wasn't ready for that…" Charles looks at his friends and crosses his arms. The members of Sector V and Kimberley listen with intent. "I dunno about you guys, but I uhm…I don't need 'em." Charles' answer shocks the others, especially Wally. "I mean, it'd be cool to like remember all the things I did as a kid and all but, I haven't missed them. I'm totally fine with not getting my memory back. Now I can start this whole thing fresh and move forward!" Charles explains and his friends also refuse.
"I see…well, if you get second thoughts, all you need to do is ask." Eliza says as Charles and his friends leave the room, but in the hallway, they see Kimberley waiting for them.
"Heh, we'll go on ahead."
"Don't start makin' out in the hallway!" His friends grin at Charles, who starts to blush.
"HEY! Quit it!"
"Hahaha." As his friends walk away, Kimberley speaks to Charles.
"Are you uhm…sure about not wanting your memories back?"
"Yup. I don't need them to enjoy life. Besides, I'm here now, so it doesn't really matter if I had them or not."
"You're weird, you know that?"
"Huh? What do ya mean?"
"Heh, nothing. Come on, let's go to the hangar." Kimberley goes ahead, prompting Charles to run after her.
Meanwhile, his words have left an impression on Sector V. "He doesn't miss those memories…man, I've never heard anyone say that." Hoagie mutters.
"You said it…" Abby replies.
"It's completely understandable but for us, who haven't lost our memories, it's unthinkable." Nigel says as Wally steps aside and goes to pick up his sleeping brother.
"Hey, where are ya goin' Numbuh 4?"
"I gotta take Joey home…and somehow explain to Mom and Dad what happened…"
"You're not saying they saw the whole thing?"
"Yup, every second…how the crud am I gonna…"
"They won't remember."
"What do you mean, Numbuh 3?" Nigel asks.
"The ghost hamsters can make people's memories fuzzy and sleepy, so I used them on your parents. They won't remember anything about tonight."
"Wow, that's a pretty handy ability."
"Oh…thanks Numbuh 3." Kuki doesn't reply but nods.
"Are you gonna fly back to your place?" Hoagie asks as Wally eyes his sleeping brother.
"What other choice do I have? I ain't gonna ask for…"
"I can teleport him to your house…I'll take him there along the way…" Kuki says silently.
"Wait, Numbuh 3, are you going actually going back home?"
"I have to…Mom and Dad aren't going to be happy if they see that my bed is empty…besides, you don't need me around you 24/7, right?" Kuki mutters, her remark not left unnoticed by Abby.
"Hoo boy, you are on thin ice, Numbuh 4."
"Numbuh 3, wait!" Rachel shouts but Kuki teleports away, leaving the others puzzled over her behavior.
"I don't think I've ever seen her like that. Did she seem kinda…angry to you guys?" Hoagie asks as Nigel looks at Rachel and Eliza
"Not just a little, Numbuh 2…Do you girls have any idea?" While they both shake their heads, Abby remains silent. "Well, whatever it is, I hope she gets over it soon…" Nigel lets out loud yawn. "I think I'm gonna go to sleep…I'm super tired."
"Yeah, I think we should all get some rest." Hoagie says as Abby becomes alarmed.
"What about school? We can't just skip."
"Don't worry Numbuh 5, we'll keep you guys covered." Eliza says.
"Oh okay…" Abby also yawns.
"Numbuh 2, where was that open sleeping quarters again?"
"I think it was in the 5th floor, Numbuh 1."
"Great, let's go there. I'll probably fall asleep the moment I put my head on a pillow…"
Nigel and Hoagie begin to leave, as do Eliza, Patton and Rachel but Abby stays with Wally, who is still confused about Kuki. "Ya do realize why she was like that?"
"Huh? How the crud am I supposed to know why?!"
"Numbuh 5's just gonna say this: She was pissed off about you."
"Wha…why?! I didn't do anything to make her angry…I think…"
"You can figure that out yourself. Just make sure ya clear things up with her fast. Seein' her like that isn't something Numbuh 5 likes seein'." Abby says over her shoulder and walks away, leaving Wally by himself.
"The crud…HOW THE HECK AM I GONNA FIGURE THAT OUT WHEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID!" Wally shouts after her but Abby ignores him.
…
While the TND begins to assign the new agents, the KND is in complete disarray. In the Global Command's Control Center, the normally calm Numbuh 105 is panicking.
"What do you mean we've lost contact with the Re-commissioning Base? Didn't Numbuh 090 contact the Supreme Commander just an hour ago?!"
"Affirmative. However, all contact was lost at 04:30 am." A communications operative replies coldly.
"Contact Sector V2 right now! The Teen Hunter Unit was deployed in the base and we can't afford to lose them!"
"Yes, Sir." As the operative walks away, Numbuh 1000 enters the control room, startling all the non-chipped operatives.
"Su…Supreme Leader?!"
"At ease." He sits down on the Commander's seat and yawns loudly.
"What brings you here, Sir? I thought you were asleep, Sir."
"I couldn't sleep, that's all. Give me a status report, Numbuh 105." The Global Tactical Officer begins to sweat and takes a deep breath.
"Well Sir…it's not good news."
"Hmm?" Numbuh 1000 glares at his subordinate.
"There's been an…unforeseen development…We've lost all communications with the newly established Re-commissioning Base at Cleve."
"WHAT?!" Numbuh 1000 stands up and walks over to the visibly scared Numbuh 105.
"Explain, right now!" his eyes seem to spew fire at the Global Tactical Officer, who clears his throat.
"Well, it is as I said. We have no idea why, but at 04:30 am, the coms feed was cut. But don't worry Sir, Sector V2 has already been contacted and we are waiting for a response.
"Need I remind you that without that base, we'll be at a disadvantage against all those teens! Numbuh 090 assured me that the base is impenetrable!" Before Numbuh 105 can respond, the communications operative gestures to him from his station.
"Sir, Sector V2 is on the line, shall I put it on the big screen?"
"Ah, yes, do it, right now!" Numbuh 105 replies frantically as he and the irate Supreme Leader turn their attention to the massive screen. To their surprise, the person appearing on it is none other than Numbuh 090, his cheeks and nose covered with bandages.
"Numbuh 090?! Why are you like that?! And why are you at Sector V2's Treehouse?!"
"Well…Sir…I…they…the prisoners escaped…"
"WHAT?! How? They were all locked in their cages when I talked with you!"
"They were! You have to believe me! If I knew how they broke out, I'd tell you, honest! But they did and raided the armory, stole the B.R.A.'s meant for the new Hunters and escaped with…with…" Numbuh 090's lips begin to quiver as he tries to muster the courage finish his sentence.
"With what?!"
"They…they stole the 'Kid's Revenge'…" Numbuh 1000 begins to shake from rage but tries to contain himself.
"Now…Numbuh 090…you better give me a better explanation than that…how…could…they…escape from their cells, stage a riot AND steal the latest model K.O.L.O.S.S.A.L.I.N.E.R.?" Numbuh 090 scratches his head, fearing that if he can't take the blame from himself, he'll surely be chipped. Then, he remembers something.
"Oh, that's right! Sir, it was them!"
"Who? Give me names?!"
"The traitors of Sector V! I don't know how but they were among the prisoners when they attacked the hangar! I saw Matador and Dread Pirate with my own eyes! And, and…AND those traitors Numbuh 362 and Numbuh 60!" Then, a visibly enraged Numbuh 1000 kicks a table filled with folders, sending it and the files flying.
"NO! OF COURSE, IT WAS THEM! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!" he stomps the floor and slumps down on his chair. "They just have to interfere all the time…Please tell me the Array hit them at least."
"Well…Sector V2 told me that they fired repeatedly but were unable to hit them. They disappeared from all scanners above downtown Cleve."
"How could they just disappear?! No matter…What about the base?"
"Uhm…it's…unusable Sir…they destroyed both the main transformer and the control room's control panel before they escaped Sir…it's just an open hangar at the moment. Also…I suspect Matador destroyed the Implanters, all three of them…"
"RAAAAARRGGGHHH!" Numbuh 1000 roars, scaring all the non-chipped operatives in the center and Numbuh 090.
"That does it…change of plan. Inform Sector V2 to begin aggressive recon around Cleve. Release a list of all the escapees, including everyone we saw in that broadcast earlier. I want all of them chipped on sight! ALL OF THEM!"
"But Sir, that would mean diverting resources from other areas and…"
"I don't care! We can't let these…these…traitors run around like they own the place! I want the Array on full alert and have them fire on anything not using a friendly IFF! I want those Teens chipped and out of the picture as soon as possible!" Numbuh 1000 issues his orders and begins to walk away.
"Sir, where are you going?!"
"To my quarters! I have to do some planning. And Numbuh 090, you'll be assigned to Sector V2 as its new commander!"
"Tha…thank you Sir!"
"An important prisoner will be moved there, so this is your last chance! Fail me again, and the Teen Hunters will chip you on the spot, do you understand?!"
"Ye…Yes, Sir!" Numbuh 1000 doesn't answer and stomps out of the control room. He marches all the way to his own quarters and stares out of the window. However, the rage on his face is starting to fade.
"I won't fail you…I've come too far…worked more than anyone…I won't allow them to ruin everything! I'll follow your last command no matter what, Numbuh 74,239. We need to get rid of the adults and teenagers. If we don't…they will come." He walks over to his desk and opens his computer. "I'll need to accelerate the next phase of Project: Never Grow, otherwise, I won't be able to complete my duty, OUR duty."
…
As Thursday morning changes to afternoon, the members of Sector V are keeping themselves separate from each other. Nigel has been forced to go through more tests after sleeping for nearly 9 hours. Hoagie slept a bit less and is down in the Science Section's lab, rummaging through the teenage technology they took from the Hideout while Abby has been resting as well. Wally meanwhile has kept to himself, his mind in a frenzy as he tries to figure out why Kuki's angry at him, but also trying to come up with a way to tell his friends that he is going to move.
Kuki on the other hand, had gone to school, as she was unaware that the others had stayed in the base. Now, she returns via teleportation and appears in the hangar. As she looks around, she is greeted by a familiar face. "Hey, there you are! I was askin' around about ya but they said you left in the morning."
"Oh…hi Kid…" Kuki replies silently.
"Hmm? What's with the frown? Everything okay?"
"I'm fine…just tired…I teleported one too many times…" She mutters.
"Well, if you're tired, I can take to the sleeping quarters if ya want."
"Oh, I'm not going to sleep yet…I want to see my friends first…" Kuki yawns loudly, visibly tired from the school day.
"That's not what your eyes are sayin'. Come on, let's go." The Kid takes her hand and leads her out of the hangar.
"No really, I want to see my friends first!" She yawns again and her whole body feels heavy.
"You sure?"
"…Okay…I think I'll go to sleep…" She nods as they enter the elevator that takes her and The Kid to the fifth floor. Once there, they head towards the door but before they go in, Wally walks out of the sleeping room. As if by instinct, Kuki pushes The Kid behind a corner and peeks out.
"Hey, what was that fo…"
"Shhhh!" Kuki glares at The Kid and peeks again. She can see that Wally has very serious expression, as if he was in deep thought. For a split second, she is tempted to go and greet him but then, a voice is heard from the opposite end of the hallway.
"Hi Wallabee!" Kimberley approaches him, her arm still in a sling.
"Huh? Oh, it's you…" Wally mutters.
"Hmm? What's wrong? You're looking kinda…off for some reason."
"Just too many things in my mind, it's drivin' me nuts."
"Wanna talk about it? I've got some time to kill since the Science Section wouldn't let me do anything, until this arm is healed."
"So ya got assigned there?"
"Yup, it was a no-brainer. Numbuh Omicron was really adamant about it."
"I see…sorry about your shoulder."
"Why are you apologizing? It wasn't your fault."
"Yeah, but I coulda stopped Numbuh 86 from attacking you."
"Ah, don't sweat it, it's in the past now. But anyway, what's in your mind?"
"I uhm…ah forget it, ya wouldn't understand."
"You don't know that."
"Well…I made my teammate angry and I don't know what I did wrong…"
"Oh, so it's about Numbuh 3?" Kimberley's sharp deduction startles both Wally and Kuki, whose medallion blinks once again.
"Ha…how did you…?"
"Woman's intuition."
"Right…" Wally scratches his head as he puts his other hand into his pocket.
"Did you talk to her about it?"
"I didn't get a chance! She just left right after that briefing! She's been like that since I left her at her house yesterday evenin'…"
"Well, why don't ya try talking things out with her then?"
"But I'm not good with things like that!"
"Yeah, but that's really the only way. Think about it." Wally crosses his arms and takes a deep breath, while Kuki listens with intent.
"Crud…why did it have to end up like this…" Wally is reminded about what his parents told him and a sense of hopelessness hits him like a ton of bricks.
"Hmm?"
"I…there's no way I can tell 'em about…us (my family) …"
"Us…?!" Kuki's eyes widen as Kimberley looks at Wally with a puzzled expression.
"What do you mean by that?" Wally looks around at both ends of the hallway and whispers into Kimberley's ear.
"Don't tell anyone but…my parents are gonna my make me move to Australia once summer starts…" Kimberley takes a step back and is surprised by what she's heard. Kuki meanwhile doesn't hear what Wally said, sending her thoughts into a frenzy.
"That's…crazy…"
"Tell me about it…but please, don't tell anyone, okay? I'm gonna figure out a way to tell 'em myself."
"Okay, my lips are sealed!"
"Thanks…" Wally nods and walks away while Kimberley walks past Kuki and The Kid, without noticing them. Then, Kuki stares at her feet in shock and confusion, not sure what to think.
"Hey uhm…you okay?"
"Who me? I'm fine, totally fine. I uhm…I think go and take a nap now…thanks for bringing me here, bye!" Kuki says with a stony expression and runs away while slamming the sleeping room's door shut behind her, leaving The Kid by himself.
"You ain't fooling me. You think I didn't hear what they talked about?" The Kid looks at the door with a serious expression and walks over to the door but is stopped by the sound of faint crying from the other side. "Thought so…" he mutters and grits his teeth but doesn't open the door, instead, he goes back to the elevator, taking a final look at the closed door and leaves. Inside the sleeping room, Kuki is lying on a pile of beanbags, crying her eyes out. She is utterly confused by what she heard and at the same time, frustrated.
"Stupid Wally…I don't know what to think anymore…"
As she presses her face against the beanbags, she is enveloped by the dark purple aura and the other beanbags start hovering slightly.
…
A few hours later, Kuki leaves the sleeping room, having been unable to sleep for a second, her mind fixated on what she heard. As she boards the elevator, she bumps into Abby and Hoagie, who had ridden it up to the 5th floor.
"Huh? Numbuh 3? Nice timin'."
"Oh, hi guys…"
"We were told you'd be in the sleeping room but I guess you were a step ahead, heh." Kuki doesn't respond and stares at the floor as the elevator takes them to the 31st floor.
"Where are we going?"
"To the big briefing room, Numbuh Alpha wants to have a meeting about our next target. She said it's really important."
"Okay…" Kuki replies but Abby can see that everything isn't alright with her. Once the elevator reaches the 31st floor, they walk through the corridor and enter briefing room 2, where Wally, Nigel, Patton, Rachel, Eliza and the Chiefs have gathered.
Hoagie sits down next to Wally near the back while Kuki and Abby go closer to the front. Eliza then walks over to a speaker's box between the first row of seats and the large screen. "Alright, now that we have everyone here, we can start this meeting. Now, I know we just finished a major mission and a very successful one at that, but we can't rest on laurels. Our enemies have not been defeated, not by a long shot. I had a meeting with other TND Commanders earlier and we came to the conclusion that we'll shift our focus from Father to the KND."
"Is that wise? With their main Hideout gone, Father's wide open for a follow-up attack." Numbuh Gamma asks.
"That would be pure suicide." Nigel stands up.
"Why is that?"
"While I don't like mentioning this, I did serve Father, so I know how he operates better than most. He is most likely focusing on buying more time for his next move. That means, all his efforts are concentrated on defense and attacking him directly would not be wise."
"Exactly, Numbuh 1. If we wish to bring down Father, we need to have the KND on our side and to do that, we need to defeat Numbuh 1000 and more importantly, free all the enslaved operatives."
"AND, find Numbuh 78!" Ted proclaims.
"Heh, at least now he's talkin' about a person, not about a Yipper card." Abby whispers to Kuki but she remains quiet.
"Indeed. While we don't know if she has been chipped, if we can find her and free her, she could rally the KND behind her, since many of us know her very well."
"However, first, we must deal with a more imminent problem. Take a look at this." Rachel presses a button on her wristwatch and a picture of Sector V2's Treehouse appears on the big screen.
"Hey, that's the Treehouse I flew past when I was chasing Numbuh 86!" Wally points out from the back row.
"Yes. Now, focus your attention on that structure surrounding the Treehouse. Can you guess what that is?" Rachel looks around the room and as expected, Hoagie has an idea.
"That looks like some sort of an artillery system but I've never seen anything like it before."
"That's because it was never approved by KND Global Command. What you are looking at is a massive, 8-turreted C.L.A.M.M.A.H.- Cannon system."
"C.L.A.M.M.A.H.? Doesn't she mean the Clam Cannon?" Wally whispers to Hoagie.
"That was an early model, this thing's in a totally different league…hey, can I say something?" Hoagie puts his hand up and Rachel nods.
"Isn't that one of the so-called "Super Weapons" Numbuh 74.239's Science Team wanted to build?"
"Indeed, it is. It was part of Project: "Never Grow", a plan put forth by the KND Scientists led by Numbuh 74.239. The idea was to create new, more power ways to fight adults and teens. The Unpoppable Zit was the very first weapon made under "Never Grow". However, Numbuh Epsilon had it cancelled when it was draining valuable KND resources, that could've been put to good use elsewhere."
"And I'm glad I did, but it really doesn't matter now, considering Numbuh 1000 has built it."
"So then, our target is that weapon?"
"Not just that, Numbuh 1. There's something else, extremely important in that Treehouse."
"After all, it is the place where the Earth's main mind-control signal emitter is located." Ted says, shocking everyone.
"No way…" Abby whispers again to Kuki, who is equally surprised.
"What's the catch?" Nigel asks with a sharp expression.
"Heh, I knew you'd ask. The "catch" is that Sector V2 is right now, the most heavily armed and protected KND facility on Earth, rivaling the Moonbase. If we were to attack it, it would require careful planning and once again, co-operation between Sections, not just from our base, but from other TND bases on the continent." Rachel changes the picture to that of the map of North-America."
"First and foremost, the sheer range of the weapon. Here is our location, and here is the estimated range of the cannons." A red ring covers the entire US and reaches all the way to the coast of western-Europe."
"Damn…"
"You said it Numbuh 4…if it's horizontal range is that big, I bet it could fire all the way to the moon…"
"Good observation, Numbuh 2. It is highly probable that it has that sort of vertical range. Now, that's just the first hurdle. Next, we'd need to get past the Treehouse's proper defenses, get inside, fight through waves of brainwashed KND operatives, who have no qualms about using lethal force at this point AND get past the Teen Hunters. Our intelligence says that they have been relocated there, and are on continuous stand-by." Rachel's explanation leaves everyone puzzled.
"Hmm…so attacking from long-range is not possible…what about infiltration?" Nigel asks.
"A small team could get in but, like I said, the defenses are strong, even inside."
"I say we just blow those cannons right in-front of their faces." Wally mutters.
"And how would we do that? Those cannons can take out anything over a gazillion mile radius." Hoagie replies but Patton catches on to what Wally meant.
"Wait a minute, aren't those cannons meant for long-range combat? That means they're useless at close range."
"Yes, but that would require something with enough fire power to destroy them AND strong armor that can withstand anything else they have." Eliza replies.
"Hey Numbuh 2, can't ya build that giant wrestling robot again? I bet that could bring those things down no problem."
"The W.R.A.S.L.E.R.? Numbuh 4, you know I stopped developing it because it was too much for one pilot to handle."
"Yeah, but if ya had two?" Then, the gears start moving in Hoagie's head.
"Of course, if we build the W.R.A.S.L.E.R., with a tandem cockpit, it could rip those cannons apart easily."
"Numbuh 2, that is an excellent idea."
"What do you mean, Numbuh 1?"
"Well, Numbuh Alpha, think about it: If we were to attack the base with something as big as the W.R.A.S.L.E.R., it would not only eliminate the threat posed by the cannons but would also distract everyone within it, giving the rest of us a chance to attack the Treehouse from within. While the W.R.A.S.L.E.R deals with the cannons, we could then destroy the emitter and free every Earth KND operative from Numbuh 1000's control, leaving the Moonbase open for a full-on assault." Nigel explains enthusiastically.
"That's a plausible idea, I'll admit, but we'd still need to prepare heavily. Not to mention the logistics. The KND will surely notice something big as the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. approaching."
"Not a problem, Numbuh Alpha. I designed the original to be portable and easy to deploy. All we have to do, is to get the two pilots as close to the Treehouse as possible, and activate the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. right there. They'll have no idea where it came from."
"It's as Numbuh 2 says, all we have to do is build it."
"Well, can you build it?" Numbuh Alpha asks Hoagie, who fidgets slightly.
"Uhm…I kinda destroyed the blueprints before we were…captured."
"You what?" Nigel turns around and stares at him in disbelief.
"Well, I didn't want anyone to use it against us later…"
"Don't worry about that, Hoagie! We can just make new ones."
"Are you sure about that, Numbuh Eta-4?"
"Of course, I am. We'll have them ready by the end of the day!" Ted looks at Hoagie expectantly and he adjusts his goggles.
"Well, if ya put it that way, then let's do it."
"Good, Numbuh Omicron, once the meeting is over, gather everyone from the Science Section and begin work on that project."
"Yes, Ma'am." The Science Chief replies. Then, Eliza takes over from Rachel, who steps aside. Eliza then shows a new picture of the Treehouse and the briefing continues.
"Alright, we've got that side covered. Now, we need to look at the infiltration plan."
"Numbuh 5's got a question: Do we really have to attack with everyone? If we're gonna hit the Moonbase next, wouldn't it be better if we didn't concentrate all our forces against that Treehouse?"
"She has a point, Commander. If we only send the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. and a small team to attack it from within, we could then attack the Moonbase with our full strength." Patton interjects.
"I see…well, based on your tone of voice, I guess you'd want to be a part of that team, right Numbuh 5?"
"Yup. Infiltration is Numbuh 5's specialty."
"Then why don't we leave the Treehouse op completely to Sector V? If I'm being blunt, they are our ace in the hole after all." Numbuh Gamma asks Eliza, who turns her gaze towards Nigel.
"Indeed. Numbuh 1, what do you think?"
"It would be an honor. My team is more than capable of doing that, right?" He looks at his teammates, who nods, though Kuki does so less enthusiastically.
"I'm going too." Patton puts his hand up."
"Numbuh Zeta? But you're the Chief of the Combat Force, we need to lead them in the follow-up attack."
"I'm sorry if I sound selfish, but if the Teen Hunters are in there, then that mean Fanny's there too. I made a promise to myself I'd get her back, no matter what." Patton says with determined expression.
"I understand how you feel, Numbuh Zeta, but you should leave this to Sector V…"
"NO, I WON'T!" Patton shouts and stands up, surprising the others, especially Rachel.
"When I fought her in that base, she spoke to me…I don't know how, but for some reason, she broke through the mind-control for a split second and begged for help. There is no way I'm letting her serve Numbuh 1000. Even if she did sell us out earlier, she's still one of us, not a slave!" Rachel is taken aback by Patton's determination and stares at the floor. Nigel then stands up as well.
"I have to agree with Numbuh Zeta. Getting Numbuh 86 back on our side should be part of mission as well."
"But Numbuh 1, she's the reason you were…"
"That doesn't matter anymore. She had her reasons back then but now, she's not in control of her actions. We've all known her since we were kids after all and fought alongside each other, especially you, Numbuh Epsilon." He looks sharply at Rachel who takes a deep breath and regains her composure.
"You're right. We need her, no, I need her. Since you put it like that, then I'll take command of the Treehouse op." She turns to face Eliza, who has a slight smile on her face.
"Heh, I knew you'd say that. Very well, I'll leave Sector V in your care. Are there any objections?" She looks around the room but no one protests Rachel's decision.
"Good, now that we have our overall strategy mapped out, we can start working on the details. Numbuh Epsilon, start planning on the operation with Sector V. Numbuh Gamma, increase surveillance around the V2's Treehouse and keep both Numbuh Iota-3 and me informed of all changes. You are all dismissed." Everyone salutes Eliza who salutes back and walks out, followed by Numbuh Gamma and Herbie. Numbuh Omicron and Ted also make their way to the door.
"Numbuh 2, come to the Science Lab when you're ready. We'll gather the others and start working on those blueprints."Numbuh Omicron says as they leave while Hoagie nods but joins his teammates as they huddle together with Patton and Rachel.
"Alright everyone, this is going to be a totally different operation compared to the Hideout mission. While the Teen Ninjas where more, shall we say, willing to use force and so were we, this is the KND we're dealing with."
"As in our enemies are kids between the age of 7 and 12. That means we can't fight them with the same mentality as the Ninjas. They are for all intents and purposes, hostages." Rachel says as Abby crosses her arms.
"So ya want us to wear cotton gloves, right?"
"Exactly, Numbuh 5. If we go in and use too much force, we might injure them severely, and that's not what we want."
"Ya mean we can't beat the crud outta them?"
"Absolutely not. Taking them out of the fight quickly should be our priority." Rachel also crosses her arms as Nigel takes his Stupefiers from his pockets.
"That's why we have these. I know my team fought the KND before, for 3 years no less but now, they aren't our enemy and we have to keep that in mind when we go in there."
"No problem. Once we take down that emitter, we'll be in the clear, right?"
"Yes, Numbuh 2, but only after we pass both the external and internal defenses. Sneaking into that place is also going to be a challenge." Rachel replies and shows them another picture of the Treehouse.
"Man, the more I look at it, it reminds me of that freaky Treehouse those DNK freaks had…"
"Yes, it's eerily similar. Regardless, Numbuh 4, am I right in saying that you're going to pilot the W.R.A.S.L.E.R.?"
"Heck yeah!"
"Then we need a second pilot as well. The main flaw with that machine was that the weapon system was too much for one pilot. If we build it, the 2 pilots need to work together, one controls the machine itself and the other controls the weapons. I'll probably have to figure out a way to make it slightly smaller as well…" Hoagie mutters and starts making a to-do list on his 2x4 scanner.
"Well, if Numbuh 4's gonna be piloting it, who's gonna go with him? I can't cuz I'm sneaking in."
"As team leader, I can't do that either. Numbuh 2, what about you?"
"Oh believe me, I'd love to kick butt with that thing but I've got this hunch we'll need the W.A.S.P. for this job as well, so I'll have to decline."
"I'm infiltrating too, so count me out." Patton says.
"Then that leaves just you, Numbuh 3." Everyone's eyes turn to Kuki, who stares at the floor.
"Say, that's not a bad idea. You two have great chemistry, so operating the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. shouldn't be a big problem." Nigel says but Kuki doesn't respond.
"I don't mind, if it's fine with you, Numbuh 3?" Wally says but Kuki clenches her fist and shakes her head.
"…No…"
"Huh? What do ya mean, Numbuh 3?"
"I said no."
"Oh come on, don't tell you're scared or something?" Wally's comment causes Kuki to snap and she sends Wally flying through the room with her telekinesis, shocking the others.
"Wha…Numbuh 3, what do you think you're doing!" Nigel shouts but Kuki ignores him.
"Ow…what the crud was that for?!" Wally stands up but Kuki forces him against the wall, the back of his head hitting it with slight force. He lands on the floor as Kuki stares at him with fury in her eyes.
"I don't want to work with someone who lies and goes back on his word!" Tears start forming in her eyes and Abby realizes what is happening.
"You told Nigel not to do everything by himself, yet you're doing the exact same to me! You liar! I HATE PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" The word "hate" drills deep into Wally's heart and he can't respond. Abby tries to talk to Kuki but she creates a telekinetic field around herself, forcing everyone away from her.
"Kuki!" Abby can only say her name before Kuki storms off, leaving everyone utterly stunned, especially Wally, who's head slumps forward and his blond hair covers his eyes. "This ain't good! Kuki, wait!" Abby goes after her friend while Hoagie runs over to where Wally is sitting.
"Hey, you okay?!" he helps Wally up, but he doesn't respond.
"Numbuh 2, Numbuh Zeta, take him to the infirmary. Numbuh Epsilon and I are going to look for Numbuh 3. Come on!" Nigel says and runs out of the of the room, followed by Rachel while Patton and Hoagie walk Wally attempt to walk Wally out of the room, but he lets out a painful gasp.
"Huh?" They notice blood pouring from the back of his head and become alarmed.
"Oh hell, this isn't good!" Hoagie panics.
"Hold on, I'll call help." Patton grabs his communicator and shouts over the base's intercom.
"Attention, this is Numbuh Zeta! We need medics to briefing room 2, right now! I repeat…"
…
At the same floor, The Kid is just returning from the hangar, having done some tuning on his "Valkyrie" when he hears Patton's voice through the base's loudspeakers.
"Huh? What heck happened there?" He mutters and notices Kuki run past him, her telekinetic field pushing him aside and causing him to fall on his behind.
"Ow…huh? Was that Kuki?"
"Kuki! Wait!" He hears Abby's voice and looks to his left, seeing the African-American girl running towards him.
"Oh man…hey, you okay?" She asks, having seen him fall just seconds earlier.
"Yeah I'm fine but what's up with her? She pushed me to the floor without using her hands."
"That was her telekinesis actin' out."
"Telekinesis? You telling me she's go magic powers or something?"
"She does, and if Numbuh 5 doesn't find her soon, she might go outta control! She already threw Numbuh 4 across the briefing room!"
"Damn…okay, I'll help ya."
"Fine, but try to keep up." Abby says and runs to the direction where Kuki went, followed by The Kid. As they run through the corridors, they notice other agents lying on the floor, pushed aside as Kuki ran past them.
"No, no, no…hey, you guys alright?" she asks an agent closest to her.
"Yeah but what was that all about?"
"Just tell me which direction she ran?!"
"Uhm…I think it was towards the leisure room…"
"Of course! Thanks." Abby says and heads towards another hallway but The Kid grabs her arm and pulls her to another direction. "Hey, what the heck are ya…?!"
"Shortcut!" He shouts and leads her through two empty corridors.
"Boy, if this wasn't about Kuki, I'd beat you up for grabbing me like that!"
"Heh, then I'll count myself lucky, bonita." The Kid replies with a smirk and let's go of her hand. Soon, they arrive in-front of the leisure room and notice the steel door frame is slightly cracked.
"Numbuh 5's not likin' this one bit…" Abby mutters but then, she hears a familiar voice coming from the other end of the hallway.
"Numbuh 5! Did you find her?!" Nigel shouts as he and Rachel arrive.
"Yup, she's there alright…"
"Is that so…do you have any idea what would make her snap like that?"
"Numbuh 5's got a hunch, but I ain't gonna say anythin' yet." Abby replies and grabs the door handle. Her heart beats intensely as she opens the door. The moment she does, they are greeted to a shocking sight. Kuki is sitting in a corner, her back towards the door and her head leaning against her knees. Every piece of furniture in the room is hovering, forming a barrier around her. "Kuki, can ya hear me? It's me, Abby."
"Go away…" Kuki mutters as a dark-purple aura surrounds her.
"Please, I just wanna talk to ya."
"I said, GO AWAY!" She shouts as a sofa flies towards Abby but Nigel covers his hands in his Silhouette Suit and stops it with his own telekinesis.
"I'll cover you Abby, go!" He says and Abby nods back at him.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Kuki yells and sends a beanbag at Abby but she kicks it aside. Kuki then bombards her with more furniture but Nigel protects her while Rachel and The Kid can only watch as Abby slowly walks over to where Kuki is.
"Kuki, just calm down…whatever's troubling you, you can tell me. We're friends, right?" she approaches Kuki, who's resistance is weakening. Kuki then looks over her shoulder and sees Abby right behind her. Her eyes are red from crying but when she sees her friend smiling warmly at her, she breaks down and the aura around her disappears.
"ABBYYYY!" She screams and jumps into her friend's arms.
"There, there…is okay Kuki…" Abby gently strokes Kuki's hair and pats her back. "Shh…that's right, just let it all out…" Watching on from the entrance, Nigel, Rachel and The Kid step back slightly.
"This doesn't make any sense…why did she lash out like that…" Nigel crosses his arms and looks at Kuki, who is crying her eyes out.
"Maybe she's been stressed out? This week hasn't been the easiest."
"No, I think I know why." The Kid says and explains what happened when he met Kuki in the hangar a few hours ago.
"You two saw Numbuh 4 talking with Numbuh 202?"
"Yeah, I didn't hear the whole thing but seeing her react like that, I guess she didn't like what she heard." The Kid says with a stern expression and looks at Kuki, her crying making him feel equally miserable.
"Is that so…but it can't be just that. Numbuh 3 said Numbuh 4 went back on his word."
"So, he's the one at fault for this?!" The Kid becomes agitated but Nigel gestures him to calm down.
"Don't jump to conclusions. Numbuh 4 has never been good with opening up to others and the way she said it, I think this is something that has been going on for a while."
"So don't go and start another fight with him, okay?" Rachel glares at The Kid.
"Then what am I supposed to do? If he knows why she's like that, why not ask him straight up?!"
"Like I said, we can't…" Nigel is interrupted by his communicator and he answers it.
"Numbuh 1 here. He's what? I see…I'll tell the others. Thank you." Nigel puts the communicator away while Rachel and The Kid notice a pained expression on his face.
"Who was it?"
"It was Numbuh Zeta. Numbuh 4…has a head injury."
"What?! Don't tell me it's…"
"No, no, it wasn't a fracture, nothing like that, but he's unconscious. And…Numbuh 2 is a nervous wreck."
"What do you mean?" Rachel puts her hand on Nigel's shoulder.
"He panicked when he saw the blood. He must've gotten a flashback of what happened to Maurice and…well, you get the picture." Neither Rachel or The Kid can reply to Nigel as he looks solemnly at Kuki.
"Should we tell her?"
"No, absolutely not. With the state she is in, we don't know how she'd react." Nigel shakes his head. Then he notices Abby waving her hand, gesturing them to leave and close the door, to which Nigel obliges.
Abby then turns her attention to Kuki, who has stopped crying but still weeps silently. "Hey, have ya calmed down?"
"…no…"
"Just relax and take a deep breath." Kuki does as she's told and let's go of Abby.
"Why don't ya tell me what's botherin' ya? We can work things out, right?"
"…it's all Wally's fault…"
"What did he do?"
"…he…he always pushes me aside when I try to help him…no matter what I do, he always says "you wouldn't understand or it's not your problem" …and then he keeps things to himself and gets hurt because of it…"
"It's about that dungeon, right? He wouldn't tell ya about the things they did to him?"
"I just…want to help him…because every time I see him do that, it hurts….it hurts so much…" Kuki puts her left hand over her right wrist and Abby realizes what she is referring to. She then takes hold of Kuki's hands and looks her in the eye.
"I understand how ya feel, Kuki. Seeing others keep painful things to themselves…and that feeling of uselessness you get while watching them suffer…I 100% get what ya mean. But, ya do know that Numbuh 4's always been like that? Now, don't get me wrong, you're probably the only person in this world who can make that knucklehead open up but if ya try to force it, he's bound to push you away, not cuz he doesn't want help or doesn't trust ya, it's cuz he don't want you feeling sad for him. That's just the way he is."
"But it's wrong! After all the things we've been through, why can't we just…talk about these things?"
"It ain't so easy, Kuki. He went through Father's Day AND got tortured by Nigel, remember?"
"But he's in so much pain because of it! When he took me home last night, he looked like all the happiness in him was gone…I don't want to see him like that!"
"I understand, Kuki, but ya gotta be patient with him. If anyone can make him talk about his problems, it's you. We both know that." Kuki looks away and hides her eyes under her hair.
"…not anymore…"
"Huh?"
"…I heard him talk with that Numbuh 202…"
"Oh boy…"
"And he told her something…something that he didn't want others to know…but he told HER! If it was so important, why didn't he tell us?!" Abby becomes alarmed as Kuki's medallion blinks red.
"Kuki, listen to me, what did he tell her?" She grabs Kuki by her shoulders.
"I…I didn't hear the whole thing but he mentioned something about not telling about "us" …" Kuki's eyes start tearing up again. "…what did he mean by "us"? Just thinking about it scares me…Abby, tell me, what am I supposed to do?" Abby instantly hugs her friend, who begins to weep again.
"Leave that to me. Ya don't have to worry about that. I don't think it's anythin' serious…" Abby says with a calm voice but in her mind, she's alarmed. "Boy, what the hell did you tell her?!"
"Now, why don't ya just lie down on this sofa here and rest, okay?" She helps Kuki up and walks her over to the only sofa that is still standing. As Kuki lies on her back, she grabs Abby by her hand.
"Thanks Abby…and tell Wally I'm sorry I…threw him…"
"Don't worry about that, he's tough. You just focus on getting' your strength back." Abby smiles gently and walks away, waving to Kuki as she closes the door, but in her haste, she leaves it slightly open.
…
On the same level as the leisure room, Nigel, Rachel and The Kid arrive to the infirmary's waiting room, where they see Hoagie sitting on a chair, holding his head.
"Numbuh 2!" Nigel shouts and comes to his friend's side. Hoagie is visibly shaking and he has taken off both his goggles and his beanie. "Hoagie? Hoagie, can you hear me?"
"…huh? Oh, hi Numbuh 1…" he replies with a trembling voice.
"Are you alright? Numbuh Zeta said you had a nervous breakdown."
"Yeah…I guess I did…sorry about that…"
"It's okay Hoagie. Numbuh 4 isn't in any danger."
"Yeah but…I just…when I saw that blood I just…I thought he was gonna…"
"Don't say it Hoagie! Wally just has a cut in the back of his head, that's all."
"I know…but I…" Then, Abby arrives, having ran the whole way there.
"Hey guys, what are ya…Hoagie?!" She notices Hoagie shivering and runs to his side.
"Hoagie, what the heck happened?!"
"He had a panic attack when he saw Numbuh 4's injury."
"Injury? Oh no, you don't mean…?"
"No, it's not a major injury, it's just a cut in his head but I guess even that was enough for him to…" Nigel looks at Hoagie, who continues to shiver.
"Sorry guys…I'll be fine…I just gotta pull myself together…" Abby pats Hoagie's head as Nigel stands up.
"You do that, Hoagie. Don't push yourself." Abby says but then, she's reminded about what Kuki told her.
"Oh yeah! Guys, we gotta find Numbuh 202! Kuki said Wally had told her somethin' and I think that's what drove her mad."
"I was just about to tell you about that. The Kid said he had been with Numbuh 3 when this happened.
"Huh?!" Abby turns around and stares at The Kid.
"You were with her?! Why didn't you…?!"
"Hey, hey, calm down! I didn't hear what he told her, I said it already!" The Kid takes a step back as Abby sighs in frustration.
"Is that so…well, then we gotta ask the girl herself. Someone get her here, right now."
"We can't use the intercom, it might upset Numbuh 3." Rachel says as Hoagie lifts his head.
"I'll go!" he stands up and puts on his goggles and beanie.
"Are you sure?" Nigel asks but Hoagie nods.
"Yeah. I'm not gonna sit around and weep for the whole day. I'll be right back!" He says and runs out of the waiting room.
"We should probably go see how Wally's doing."
"Good idea. Let's go!"
"Uhm…is it okay if I go keep Kuki company? You know, just in case something happens?" The Kid's question receives a glare from Abby but relents.
"Alright Fly Boy, but you better make sure you don't say anythin' stupid to her. If she snaps again, Numbuh 5 doesn't even wanna think what would happen."
"Gotcha!" The Kid gives her a thumbs up and walks away, but Abby is not convinced.
"I do not trust that guy one bit right now."
"Well, it's better than leaving her all by herself." Nigel says as he and the girls enter the infirmary. Hoagie meanwhile runs through the hallways and boards an elevator that takes him to 37th floor. Then, he runs past some members of the Science Section.
"Oh, there you are, Numbuh 2!"
"Numbuh Omicron and the others are waiting for you!"
"That's nice, but I'm in a hurry!" He shouts over his shoulder and enters a corridor that leads to the lab. Standing in-front of the door are Kimberley and Charles, who had just finished his orientation with the Combat Force.
"Ah, found you!" Hoagie shouts, catching their attention.
"Huh? Numbuh 2?" Kimberley notices that Hoagie is slightly tense as he runs up to them and catches his breath.
"Uhm, who is this guy?"
"He's also from Wallabee's team."
"Haah…Hoagie Gilligan's the name, but…call me Numbuh 2…" Hoagie straightens himself up.
"Okay…well, I'm Numbuh Tau-6…I think?"
"Yeah, I know you…a friend of mine served in the same sector…anyway, Numbuh 202, can you come with me?"
"It's Numbuh Pi-2 now, but what's up?"
"Numbuh 1 wants to talk to you…it's urgent…"
"Okay, sure. Just lead the way."
"Good, let's go…" Hoagie pants and turns around, followed by Kimberley, leaving Charles by himself but his curiosity gets the better of him and he runs after them.
…
Up in the infirmary, Nigel, Rachel and Abby return to the waiting room. They had visited Wally but he was unconscious, so they couldn't press the issue with him.
"At least it was just a cut and a concussion, nothing else."
"Indeed, but now we need to figure out why Numbuh 3 acted like that…"
"I don't know if you guys have noticed, but she's been usin' way more of her magic lately. Numbuh 5 thinks, that, combined with her worry over Numbuh 4, is havin' an effect on her or something. You guys saw that aura she had when she locked herself in the leisure room, right?"
"Yeah, that must be it. There's also the fact that she has teleported three times in a very short time and she said it herself that it's very taxiing. All the more reason why we have to settle this quickly. Somehow, I don't think that was all she could do if her powers went out of control."
"Hey, guys, I found her!" Hoagie shouts form the left side hallway as he runs towards his teammates, Kimberley in tow.
"Heh, you were fast."
"How was Numbuh 4?"
"Unconscious. But he'll recover." Nigel replies.
"Uhm, what happened to him?" Kimberley asks the others.
"Numbuh 3 flailed him around and he's got bruise in his head. It's nothing major." Hoagie explains as Abby takes a step towards a confused Kimberley.
"Why would she do that? He told me he was going to talk things out with her…"
"Why don't ya spill out everythin' he told ya, right now. Numbuh 3's not in good shape now and if this keeps up, she might go berserk."
"Berserk? Oh, okay, of course…" Kimberley explains her encounter with Wally two hours earlier.
"So that dummy actually wanted to clear the air with her. Heh, he's not as dumb as I thought. BUT, he told ya somethin' else too, right?"
"Uhm…he did but…"
"Listen here, Numbuh 3 heard you two talking and Numbuh 5 thinks she might've gotten the wrong idea about you two."
"Wrong idea? What do…" Suddenly, Kimberley realizes what Abby meant and gasps.
"WHAT? Nononono! It was nothing like that!"
"He mentioned "us". Why don't ya explain that, hmm?" Abby grills Kimberley, who looks away.
"I…I'm sorry…I promised I wouldn't tell anyone…"
"This is serious! We gotta clear this misunderstanding right now or…" Suddenly, a black ghost hamster with red glowing eyes pops out of the floor, startling the others.
"Hey, isn't what one of Numbuh 3's ghosts?" Rachel points at it but Nigel realizes something isn't right.
"Wait a minute, that's not a…" Then, without warning, the entire base starts to shake, alarming everyone and causing the general alarm to go off.
"What the heck is happening?!" Hoagie shouts as he tries to keep himself standing.
"It's…Numbuh 3!"
Meanwhile, in the infirmary, the shaking wakes up Wally and he struggles to get up.
"Aw crud…I can't…I can't waste time here…I gotta…find Kuki…and apologize…
End of Transmission 29
Note: Ooh, things are getting a bit crazy again.
Reference time! The C.L.A.M.M.A.H. Array that was properly introduced in this chapter, was inspired by the "Stonehenge" anti-asteroid railgun system from Ace Combat 04. I love Bandai-Namco's Ace Combat series very much, and I really wanted to incorporate the Stonehenge in some way to the story, so I decided to turn the ridiculous Clam Cannon from Operation: C.A.N.N.O.N. into a proper super weapon for Numbuh 1000's KND. The title of this chapter is also an unintended pun on Ace Combat 04's title, Shattered Skies.