Transmission 38: Trail of the Past
"Attention all Section Chiefs and Agents involved with Sector V2's Treehouse operation, please come to briefing room 2 on the 31st floor immediately for an emergency meeting, I repeat…"
As the meeting announcement echoes in the hallways of the Gihugeacarrier, Wally, Kuki, Hoagie, Ted, Kimberley and Numbuh Omicron enter briefing room 1, where Rachel, Nigel, the other chiefs, the Kid and Charles are waiting.
"So, where's the fire, Commander?" The Science Chief asks as he and the others salute Rachel.
"There you are. I'm sorry I had to call this meeting, but this is urgent. Please be seated so we can begin." Rachel gestures everyone to sit down and then walks over to the speaker's box, while Nigel joins his teammates in the front row.
"Now, the reason why I asked you to come here is because of a reconnaissance report the Intelligence Section received earlier. Based on the information in this report, both Father and Numbuh 1000 are planning something big for the last day of May, one week from now."
"So, what are they scheming?" Patton asks from the back row and Rachel shows a short extract from the report to everyone.
"Father plans to implement something he calls, "re-education" on Graduation Day. We don't know what it means, but Numbuh 1, Numbuh Gamma and I came to the conclusion that it's related to the Delightfulization chips he used to take over the Teen Ninjas." A general murmur echoes in the briefing room as everyone begins to ponder what it means.
"Is he planning on Delightfulizing others too?" Kuki asks cautiously and Rachel shakes her head.
"We don't know, Numbuh 3. However, we do know exactly what Numbuh 1000 is planning to do on that very same day." Rachel steps back and let's Numbuh Gamma take the floor.
"Before we go any further, I think it's about time you all learned something important about our enemy. The coup that Numbuh 1000 staged in late March, was not his own doing. For years now, the KND has been under the influence of the Splinter Cell. I'm sure you've heard of them?" Numbuh Gamma's words stun everyone in the room, who wasn't present in the Deciphering Room last Sunday.
"Splinter Cell?! Those guys are still around?!"
"All of us thought that too, but no, they never left. I won't go into specifics but you should know at least this: Numbuh 1000, along with many other members of the KND, even those you all served with during your time as KND operatives, are a part of the Splinter Cell, and their ultimate goal is to wipe out all adults, just as Numbuh 1000 said in his 'inauguration' speech."
"So, they've been pulling the strings the whole time?!"
"Yes, and they were the ones who framed Sector V three years ago." Rachel says sternly.
"They've twisted the KND into something it was never meant to be. That is the true face of the enemy we are fighting against." A strengthened sense of conviction fills the room as Numbuh Gamma clears his throat and continues.
"Now, according to reports, Numbuh 1000 and the Splinter Cell intend to equip the KND with "Erasure" weapons. While some of you have heard about it before, but to those who haven't, I'll explain it in simple terms: Numbuh 1000 has come up with a way of removing people's memories permanently and has tested it on multiple 13-year-old operatives and many Adult Super Villains. Numbuh 23 or Virginia Sims is one of Numbuh 1000's victims, as was his older brother, The Steve, who is currently in an insane asylum, with no idea who he is or was." Numbuh Gamma's explanation shocks everyone present, and both Wally and Patton become enraged.
"That cruddy bastard wants to perma-wipe everyone?! We gotta stop him!"
"I agree with Numbuh 4, he's out of his mind. We should attack ASAP."
"Calm down you two. We would do excatly that but we're on thin ice right now."
"That's why we need to come up with a fool proof strategy to take out Numbuh 1000 and Father." Numbuh Gamma replies, but Rachel remains cautious.
"Then should we ignore the Treehouse and head for the Moonbase instead? Taking out Numbuh 1000 directly would knock the KND out of his grip."
"Numbuh Omicron's right. Numbuh 1000 controls the KND and if he's out of the picture, we can gang up on Father." Numbuh Rho, the Chief of the Armory puts her hand up.
"I'll have to disagree on that. We should stick to our original plan." Nigel stands up and looks at everyone with a determined expression. "Have you forgotten that V2's Treehouse holds the mind-control signal tower? Taking it down before going after the Moonbase should be our priority. That way, we would only have to deal with the Moonbase itself."
"It's a valid point, Numbuh 1, but that original plan was made before we had to flee. How do you intend to take out the KND's strongest base on Earth now?" Numbuh Omicron asks as a faint smile appears on Nigel's face.
"Because we know the entire layout of the Treehouse." Both Kuki and Hoagie realize what Nigel means.
"Wait, you mean Bradley succeeded?!"
"Yes, he did, Numbuh 2. He scanned the entire base inside and outside."
"Mommy's so proud…" Kuki sheds a small tear but Wally rolls his eyes in disgust.
Then, Nigel looks at Numbuh Gamma, who shows the external and internal layouts of the Treehouse on the big screen. "We never intended to attack the Treehouse with all of our forces in the first place, remember? A small infiltration team sneaks inside, while the T.S.-W.R.A.S.L.E.R. keeps the enemy occupied outside, that was the plan all along. And, didn't we agree that only my team would go in there?"
"Of course, we do, but you're missing a member, aren't you?" Numbuh Rho's question silences Nigel, but then, someone else speaks up.
"No, they're not." The Kid puts up his hand, surprising everyone. "If it's a new member you need, I'm your guy." he says confidently.
"Agent Halcón, you're a member of the air units. We need you here." The Kid shakes his head at Rachel.
"Last time I checked, I've got free hands here, so I can do whatever I want. Besides, you guys could use some extra air support."
"He's got a point, my W.A.S.P. might not be enough to support the T.S.-W.R.A.S.L.E.R. the whole time." Hoagie remarks, prompting Nigel to think about the possibility.
"I was in from the beginning, and I'm not backing out of this. Fanny's there, and I promised her I'd save her."
"Uh…if our Chief's in, then I'm comin' too!" Charles shouts from the backrow.
"And if you need more technical expertise, I'm your girl!" Kimberley also puts her hand up.
"The…then I'm in too!" Even the normally withdrawn Ted puts his hand up as Nigel is taken aback by their enthusiasm, and so is Rachel, who finally relents.
"Okay, but this is going to be the hardest mission yet. I want all of you to come back, no matter what."
"That's the plan, Numbuh Epsilon." Nigel nods confidently while Patton stands up.
"Then are we going to attack the Moonbase as a follow-up like we originally planned?"
"Well?" Numbuh Gamma looks over his shoulder towards Rachel, who hesitates slightly but then, replies with a confident smile.
"Yes. Now that we know what the Splinter Cell is planning, we can hit them where it hurts." Rachel confidence starts to come back, after many years of being used, deceived and hurt by the very organization she swore her life to. Now, she has finally regained that same smile she had when she led the KND 3 years ago.
"I'm sorry I haven't been myself lately, but since you guys haven't given up, I can't give up either. So, let's show Father and Numbuh 1000 that nothing is gonna bring the Teens Next Door down." Everyone returns the same, confident smile back to her, as if they were waiting for Rachel to finally accept her new position. "Alright, so, we have exactly a week to bring down Numbuh 1000 and Father. We should prepare a timetable."
"Then I suggest we attack V2's Treehouse as soon as possible. We can't leave this late, since Father is our ultimate target."
"We'll leave that to you, Numbuh 1. You and your team are the ones attacking the Treehouse after all."
"Hmm…then maybe it would be for the best if we left the base completely…"
"Huh? Leave here? That's crazy, we'd be captured immediately!"
"But the Treehouse is in Cleve, Numbuh 2, and we're above the ocean near the East Coast. Attacking the Treehouse from somewhere closer we'll give us a better chance of taking them by surprise. It's a long way from here to Cleve."
"I could teleport us there!"
"Yes, that's true but then you couldn't join the operation immediately. And I need everyone in top condition."
"Oh…right…"
"We could leave the day before the attack."
"But we don't have anywhere to hide, Numbuh 2."
"Ah…good point, Numbuh 4."
"If it's a hideout you need, leave it to me. I know an old abandoned KND repair hangar in the outskirts of Cleve."
"Then that's settled." Nigel stands up and looks at Rachel with determination.
"If we leave and prepare for the operation in Cleve, that would make it easier for you to prepare for the Moonbase assault, don't you agree?"
"Hmm…you've got a point but it's still very risky. We don't know what's happening in Cleve right now. What if you're noticed?"
"Commander, If I may?"
"Yes, what is it, Numbuh Omicron?"
"I've got a suggestion. Numbuh Eta-4 and I have been working on something on the side and I think it's time we show it you. It could prove useful for all future operations."
"Alright, explain, Numbuh Omicron." The Science Chief stands up and walks over to the speaker's box.
"Thanks to Numbuh 2, the Science Section has made leaps in our 2x4 and Teenage technology. Your Portal Gun proved to be very important."
"Wait, you guys have been messing with my Portal Gun? It was just a prototype."
"Yes, but we've managed to develop this." Numbuh Omicron takes a small disc form his pocket.
"This is the Portal Disc, that creates a portal that's connected to this base. Just put it on any surface and it takes you back here. We built an identical copy of your prototype, and connected it to our base's Sodarium reactor. Now, we haven't tested it yet, but in theory, it should allow free travel between our base and anywhere this disc is used." he explains with his Scottish accent.
"Wow…even I couldn't come with something like that…"
"So, you mean if things get hairy, we simply use that disc to flee back here?" Nigel asks to which Numbuh Omicron responds with a nod.
"Yes, in theory. It also means we can send agents directly to the target, as long as the disc is deployed."
"I like that. We wouldn't have to worry about extracting our recon teams anymore." Numbuh Gamma remarks.
"Good work Numbuh Omicron. I want you keep working on that, once the T.S.- W.R.A.S.L.E.R. is finished."
"Don't worry about that, Commander. We only need to install the cockpit and it's done."
"Then that makes all of our bases covered. Commander, if possible, we will leave tomorrow." Rachel again hesitates but relents.
"Okay, Numbuh 1. Then I'm putting you in-charge of the Treehouse operation. Numbuh Gamma and I will begin planning the follow-up attack on the Moonbase. Numbuh Omicron and Numbuh Rho, I want your sections to work together in arming our troops. Any objections?" The other chiefs shake their heads in response.
"Alright, then I think we can call this meeting adjourned. Get to work everyone!" One by one, the chiefs start leaving the briefing room, while Nigel and the rest of his strike team stay behind. Then, he gathers everyone around him.
"Now that our overall strategy is set, I want all of you to study these blueprints thoroughly. We'll go through our own strategy once we've secured a base of operations in Cleve. So, prepare yourselves for tomorrow. We'll leave the carrier at 12:00 AM sharp. Is that clear?"
"Roger!"
"Fine with me, amigo."
"Good. That's all." Nigel salutes his teammates and leaves, followed by Patton.
"Hey, you guys wanna come to the test hangar? We can run some last-minute checks on your equipment."
"Good idea, Numbuh Pi-2. I was gonna suggest the same thing. You two still need to practice using the T.S.- W.R.A.S.L.E.R. anyway, so I need you guys there."
"Eh, sure. I'm always up for some trainin'."
"Me too! That simulator was so much fun!"
"Yeah, just try to hit something next time."
"Hey! At least I didn't have to reset it 5 times because somebody kept falling over."
"It was practice! I can control that thing no problem!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Wow, you two gotta calm down, it's just a simulator."
"The Kid's right. If you want to get the best out of the T.S.- W.R.A.S.L.E.R., you need to work together, not argue." Kimberley breaks up their argument while Hoagie gestures everyone to follow him.
"Come on guys, we've got a ton of things to do today."
…
The rest of the day goes by quickly as everyone prepares for Sunday's departure. Hoagie puts Wally and Kuki through rigorous simulations to ensure they can use the robot efficiently, while Charles helps out Ted, Kimberley and the other agents assigned to build the T.S.- W.R.A.S.L.E.R. in installing to cockpit and the Shrinkifier generators, that allow the machine to be stored in a tandem parachute pack, that Wally and Kuki have to wear in order to use the robot in combat. Nigel and Patton meanwhile fine-tune the plan Rachel originally came up with before she had to take over command.
As the clock nears 11 in the evening, Nigel has gone to an observation deck, where he is gazing at the clear night sky over the Atlantic. He puts his hand against the glass as his thoughts drift to his cousin, Eliza.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't save you back then…but I promise I'll free you and make Father pay for doing this to you…" Then, he hears footsteps coming from his left.
"Hmm? What are you doing here?" To his surprise, it's The Kid.
"Ah, sorry, looks like you found my secret spot. I'll just go somewhere else."
"No, no, it's okay. I was just thinking…"
"About Miss Commander?" Nigel is surprised by The Kid's sharpness and sighs.
"It's been a week…and now Father has her made his second-in-command…"
"Damn…that's rough. Is there anyway to…you know, make her normal again?"
"Yes, by removing the Delightfulization chip within the B.R.A. that attached to her."
"Hmm, that so? Doesn't sound too hard."
"Hah, that would be true if it was a normal Ninja. But this is Eliza Solis we're talking about. Even though she was mostly a TV personality while in the KND, she was no pushover in a fight. Her sector, Sector L had the second highest mission success rate after my sector, and even that was mostly thanks to her."
"Hah-hah, I can believe that, amigo. You know, Miss Commander was the one who recruited me."
"Really? Heh, she's always had eye for spotting talent."
"Nah, she just happened to capture me when I was lookin' for parts from a downed 2x4 ship. Turns out, it belonged to the TND, so she kicked my butt before I could get back to my plane. Then she jailed me."
"So, you struck a deal with her?"
"More like she blackmailed me, but hey, I don't regret takin' her offer. Though, I was in it for the parts, but once you guys joined, well, I guess I started to get behind your cause. It ain't about me anymore, it's about the bigger picture. And, I've gotta pay her back for dragging me outta the mud. If I hadn't joined the TND, I got a feeling I might've ended up running with the Ninjas."
"Yes, she has that special way of seeing through people. Maybe she saw something special in you."
"Heh, maybe. Before I took this job, I've always flown alone. But, since I started running with the TND, I think I'm starting to get why you guys are so dedicated and why hate Father so much."
"You have no idea. But he hates us even more. He is someone who is driven by so much hate, there's really nothing else in him. And he doesn't care how many innocent people he has to use to get what he wants. Even torture kids…and brainwash them…like he did with the Delightful Children and many others…"
"What about those Splinter Cell dudes? Are they like him too?"
"Yes, except they're doing it to get revenge on the adults who wronged them. They see all adults as evil, not just the actually evil ones."
"Wow, there's all kinds of people in the world, I guess…"
"That is true. It's just about how you look at the world. In the past, I might've said something along the lines of 'there is no place for evil in this world' or something grandiose like that. But now, after all the things that happened to me and my team since we fled the KND, I can't say that with a clear conscience. But I believe that people can change, move on from the past and look for the future, instead of living a life where nothing ever changes, like what Father and Numbuh 1000 desire."
"I gotta agree with ya on that. Life's way more fun when ya got somethin' to look forward to. *yawn* Wow, all this philosophy talk is makin' me miss my bed, heh. I'm gonna hit the hay, we've got a tough day tomorrow." The Kid salutes Nigel and heads back the way he came from, his hands in his leather jacket's pockets while Nigel stays behind.
"We've reached the point of no return, Eliza. When we meet again, I'll save you, no matter what."
…
The next day, Nigel and his team have gathered in the hangar, where members of the Armory Section are loading the W.A.S.P. with supplies, including the now complete, Shrinkified, T.S.- W.R.A.S.L.E.R. Near the ship's loading ramp, Hoagie, Ted and Kimberley are going through the checklist with Numbuh Omicron while the others are talking with Rachel and Numbuh Gamma.
"Once the ship's loaded, we'll take off. The sooner we get to Cleve, the better."
"Alright. Make sure to contact Switchboard before you begin the operation, Numbuh 1, so that we'll know when to head to space."
"We'll do just that, Numbuh Gamma."
"And make sure you won't get discovered before you attack."
"Don't worry, Commander, the hideout is somewhere the KND or the Ninja's will never think to look, trust me." The Kid says casually.
Meanwhile, hiding behind a supply crate, are Tommy, Sonia and Lee.
"I don't know Tommy…they'll get mad if we sneak in…"
"But they're going to leave! We're supposed to be a recon team but they haven't let us do anything since we left."
"That's because we're not 13 yet. We're still kids…"
"Then let's prove to them that we're TND material. I wanna have action, and sitting here twiddling my thumbs is not how The Tommy does things. You guys can stay here, but I'm going to fight adult tyranny!" Tommy proclaims and sneaks inside the W.A.S.P. by hiding behind the supply crates that are being rolled in.
"Oh no…come on, we can't let him go alone!" Sonia grabs Lee's arm and they sneak in as well. As this is going on, Numbuh Omicron hands Hoagie his Portal Gun back.
"You'll be needing this for the operation."
"Yeah. But next time, warn me before you start messing with my inventions."
"You can't stop an inventor from doing his job, you should know that." The two 2x4 technology officers shake hands as Kimberley ticks the last item on the list.
"That's all of them." she hands the list to Hoagie, who then waves it to the others.
"Hey, Numbuh 1, we're all set!"
"Good. Well, this is it. We're off." Nigel and his team salute Rachel, who does the same but before Nigel can walk away, she stops him.
"Nigel?!"
"Yes?" As Nigel turns to face her, Rachel gives him a tight hug, surprising everyone present.
"Aw, that's so cute…" Kuki smiles warmly while The Kid whistles.
"Hey, save the lover stuff for later, Uno." As everyone snickers, Nigel's face turns red from embarrassment but Rachel ignores the noise.
"Uhm…Rachel?"
"Promise me you'll come back, okay? I don't want to lose anyone, anymore."
"O…of course. We'll see you in space." Rachel let's go of Nigel, who smiles confidently at her before he turns his back and joins his teammates, who are boarding the W.A.S.P. The Kid meanwhile pulls Kuki aside.
"Hey, you wanna be my co-pilot? The view's way better from my fighter." Wally notices what is going on and his face turns green from envy.
"Huh? What crud is he…?!"
"I don't know…I'm in charge of communications…" Kuki looks back and Kimberley winks at her.
"I can cover for you."
"Oh, thanks! Okay, I'm in!" Kuki replies excitedly, while Wally can't believe what he's seeing.
"Alright. Right this way." The Kid takes Kuki's hand and escorts her to the "Valkyrie".
"Nu…Numbuh 1, we can't just let him…"
"It's fine, isn't it? Unless you want to stop them?" Nigel looks sharply at him.
"I…Gah! No way I'm gonna let him do that!" Wally shouts and jumps down from the ramp, to Nigel's disbelief.
"Numbuh 4, I was kidding! Get back here!"
"Calm down, Numbuh 1. We've got enough people to man all the posts onboard."
"But…this is supposed to be a top-secret stealth mission!"
Seeing the commotion before them, Rachel and the other chiefs can't help but laugh.
"Hah-hah, that's Sector V alright."
"You got that right, Numbuh Gamma." Rachel chuckles as Wally reaches the 'Valkyrie' just as The Kid lowers the canopy.
"Hmm? Wally?" Kuki looks to her left and sees Wally standing next to the fighter, facing the massive hangar doors.
"Hey, isn't he supposed to be in Gilligan's ship?" The Kid and Wally exchange looks as Wally places his right hand over his wristband.
"There's no way I'm gonna lose to you, you cruddy wannabee pilot." Wally mutters and activates his B.R.A. and changes it to High-Altitude Mode, hovering a few inches from the hangar floor while Hoagie boots up the W.A.S.P.'s systems.
"Is he really going to fly all the way to Cleve?!" Kimberley asks as she looks out of the window.
"Once Numbuh 4 makes a decision, he's not gonna back down, no matter what. Don't worry, I'll catch him if he tires out." Hoagie says casually but Nigel is still fuming that the ship's designated gunner is not onboard.
"I should've expected as much…alright Numbuh 2, let's go."
"You got it, Boss." Hoagie's starts up the W.A.S.P. six heliojets while The Kid activates his fighter's engines.
"This is Numbuh 2, requesting clearance for take-off."
"This is Switchboard Flight Control Center, roger that. You're both cleared for take-off. We'll open the hangar doors shortly." The controlled replies as the hangar's massive doors slowly start opening. Then, one-by-one, the Treehouse strike team takes-off.
"Agent Halcón, I'm off!"
"Numbuh 4, takin' off!"
"M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H.-W.A.S.P., launching!"
The trio take off at the same time and fly out of the hangar, into the warm, late spring sky high above the Western Atlantic. As the hangar doors close behind them, Rachel and the other chiefs head to the Switchboard. "Okay guys, it's time to do our part. Our future depends what we do in the next 7 days."
…
As the strike team leaves the Wild Child's stealth field, both crafts and Wally activate their stealth cloaks.
"Steady as she goes, Numbuh 2. We need to stay on course."
"Roger that. Hey, Numbuh 4, you sure you wanna fly all the way to Cleve?" Hoagie asks jokingly on the radio while Wally flies slightly ahead of him, trying to follow The Kid's fighter.
"Hah, this is a piece of cake for me!" Wally replies and performs a barrel roll.
"Numbuh 4, I didn't give you permission to fly by yourself, so you better make sure you stay with us, or else."
"Yeah, yeah, Numbuh 1, I'll be careful." He accelerates slightly and starts flying in formation with The Kid's "Valkyrie".
"Hi Wally!" Kuki waves from the backseat of the fighter while The Kid scoffs silently.
"This guy is way too stubborn…hey, Kuki, mind sending the hideout coordinates to the others?"
"Okay!" Kuki nods and types on the small keyboard that folds down from The Kid's backrest. Aboard the W.A.S.P., Kimberley receives the coordinates on her communications console that is usually manned by Kuki.
"I've got the hideout location from Numbuh 3."
"Good, input it into the nav-computer and we'll be on the right trail."
"Roger, Numbuh 1." As the location appears on the big-screen, Nigel notices something.
"Hmm…it is an abandoned KND facility alright, but why does that location seem so familiar?" He takes a closer look at it while Ted recognizes it instantly.
"Hey, that's one of the relay hangars for the Central Bike Hub! It was removed from the Bike Tracks 4 years ago."
"A relay hangar? Interesting…" Nigel crosses his arms as The Kid contacts everyone.
"Yo, we're closin' on the shoreline. There's a KND patrol ship flyin' overhead so we gotta go below the clouds. Try to keep up."
"Oh-hoo, you just watch me!" Hoagie replies as The Kid dives into the clouds, followed Hoagie and then Wally, who was caught off-guard by The Kid's sudden move.
"Aw crud…I can't see a thing!" He shouts as he plummets through the thick cloud layer and when he finally does clear it, he can't see the fighter or the W.A.S.P. anywhere. "Oh, that's just great!" Wally curses and levels himself into a stable altitude. "Where'd they go…?" He looks around but can't see them, nor is his HUD's IFF picking them up. Instead of trying to look for them, he decides to follow the coordinates showing on his HUD.
"Numbuh 1's gonna kill me…" Wally thinks as he accelerates and flies low towards Cleve. Meanwhile, The Kid and Hoagie also break through the clouds and level their crafts but, Ted, who is in-charge of the radar, notices that someone is missing.
"Uhm, guys, I'm not picking up Numbuh 4…"
"WHAT?! I told him to stay close!" Nigel shouts in frustration.
"Maybe he got lost in the clouds?"
"Or he smashed into the sea."
"I certainly hope it's not the latter, Numbuh Tau-6." Nigel sits back down as Hoagie decreases the ship's thrust while The Kid contacts them again.
"Hey, why are ya slowing down? Ya got engine trouble?"
"No, Numbuh 4's missing."
"Oh great. Why'd you guys let him fly in the first place?"
"Hey, he was on your wing! You should've kept an eye on him."
"He ain't my responsibility!"
"Knock it off, you two. Agent Halcón, your fighter's faster, so do a rear sweep. Squawk his IFF and try to find him. We'll go low and do the same up-front."
"Alright, leave it to me." The Kid nods and ends the call while Nigel becomes increasingly alarmed.
"You better be okay, Numbuh 4. I promised we'd all come back…"
As The Kid turns his fighter around, Kuki looks out of the cockpit frantically. "Wally…where are you?!"
"He either got lost or fell into the sea. Either way, this ain't lookin' good." The Kid tries to get a contact with his radar and sonar but he gets nothing.
"Oh no…Wally…" Kuki is close to panicking but then, she sees something black approaching from the clouds.
"Look!" The Kid lifts his head and sees the bow of a KND C.O.L.O.S.S.A.L.I.N.E.R. coming at them.
"Wow! Hold on!" He pulls up and just barely misses the ship as it levels off. Thanks to his fighter's new stealth cloak, no one onboard notices them. "Great, they must've seen the holes we made in the clouds. We can't hang around here anymore."
"But we can't leave Wally! He's still out there!"
"If he didn't crash into the sea, he's probably headin' for the hideout. Unless he's a total loco and starts a fight with these guys."
"But…"
"You wanna get caught by the KND?!"
"No…but…"
"He'll show up." The Kid says silently and turns his fighter around once more as he flies away from the patrolling KND ship. As he rejoins the others, Nigel contacts them.
"Well? Did you find him?!"
"Nope. But the KND found us. That patrol ship saw the break in the clouds and was buzzin' all over the place."
"Dammit…"
"So, what do we do now? We can't go back anymore." Hoagie asks as Nigel weights their options.
"Gh…I know…okay, resume course." Nigel bites his lip in frustration but Kuki tries to protest.
"No! Numbuh 4's still out there! We…we can't just leave him!" she screams over the radio and while Nigel and the others agree, they have no choice but to continue forward.
"I'm sorry…but knowing Numbuh 4, he couldn't have fallen into the ocean, it's just not possible…so all we can do is hope that he made it and is heading for the hideout…" Nigel tries to ensure Kuki that Wally is alright, but in his mind, he is equally worried.
...
As the rest of the team resume their original course, Wally begins approaching Cleve's outskirts, after flying at maximum speed for an hour. "Aw crud…flyin's really not meant for me…" He mutters as his body begins to feel the strain from the g-forces. Then, out in the distance, he sees the dark, looming silhouette of Sector V2's treehouse. "Hey, I'm getting close…" As he flies past the heavily defended Treehouse, he gets a good look of what's waiting for him and his teammates.
"Holy crud, these guys aren't messin' around…I gotta show this to the others!" He activates a recording camera on his HUD and films the Treehouse. Through his visor, he can see four buildings surrounding the Treehouse, which are connected to it by tunnels. Atop each building are small turrets while on their sides are two large hangar doors. Then, Wally, turns away and heads towards the designated coordinates.
Soon, he reaches a small esker that runs along the south-east border of Cleve. "Huh, this is the place but I'm not seein' anything. That stupid pilot must've messed up the coordinates or something!" he lands into a small landfill near the root of the esker and looks around, staying hidden under his stealth cloak. Then, he deactivates his armor and walks on the sandy landfill, towards the slope. Suddenly, he sees something familiar on the ground. It's a disused KND Bike Track, that seems to run directly into the esker.
"Hey, this takes me back. Ah-haa, this must lead to the hideout!" he starts running alongside the half buried brown Bike Track. However, he stops when he realizes that the track runs directly into the near vertical granite slope jutting from the esker.
"Aw crud. Now what am I gonna…Huh?" Wally sees the unmistakable shape of a KND-NA biometric scanner embedded into the wall. "What's a scanner doin' here? Hey, wait a minute, this must be the hideout! But…how the crud am I gonna get inside?" Wally knocks on the granite but it doesn't feel hollow. After 10 minutes of searching around, he returns to the scanner in frustration.
"Gah, this is just a waste of time…hmm…nah, there's no way it's gonna work…" He eyes the scanner again and, despite knowing that his DNA won't work, he tries anyway. He spits into his right palm and plants the spit-covered hand into the scanner. At first, nothing happens, but then, he hears a faint beep from the scanner and a laser scans his hand.
"DNA confirmed, welcome, Operative Numbuh 4."
"What the crud?!" Wally shouts as the outline of a door appears into the granite wall next to the point where the bike track stops and it slides away, revealing a dark passageway inside. "How the heck did it recognize me? I'm not in the KND anymore…eh whatever." Wally mutters and goes inside as the door closes behind him, and he is plunged into darkness.
"Wow! Ah crud, doesn't this place have any lights?!" he activates his armor again and uses the spotlight on the right side of his helmet vizor to illuminate the steel lined passage. As he starts walking deeper, some of the security systems begin booting up, and he is immediately detected.
"Alert, Teenage presence detected. Analyzing intruder, preparing counter measures"
…
While Wally wanders inside the abandoned KND Bike relay hangar, outside, the W.A.S.P. and the "Valkyrie" have arrived into Cleve and land on the opposite side of the steep sloped esker. As they were flying towards their home town, the W.A.S.P.'s IFF had momentarily detected Wally's signal, sowing hope to his teammates. "Take us down nice and slow. I want the perimeter scanned before we depart, Numbuh 2."
"Roger that." Hoagie does as he's told and gently puts the W.A.S.P. down on a circle shaped opening in the forest that surrounds the south-east side of the esker. As The Kid's fighter lands next to it, Ted presses a button on his console and the W.A.S.P. deploys a decoy drone, that covers the opening in a stealth field, protecting the ships from they ever present eyes of the enemy.
"Alright guys, stay on your guard. We have no idea if the hangar's systems are online or not." Nigel stands up and contacts The Kid. "When was the last time you came here?"
"Uhm…maybe 3 years ago. Before I was 13, so the security system didn't attack me when I was scavengin' parts."
"Well, none of us are under 13, so we'll need to prepare for anything. Numbuh Tau-6, Numbuh Zeta, you two come with me. Numbuh Pi-2 and Eta-4, you stay here with Numbuh 2 and keep an eye out for anything unusual. Agent Halcón, you and Numbuh 3 are also coming with us."
"Got it." Kimberley and Ted salute Nigel and remain on their stations while Nigel, Patton and Charles head to the lower ramp. As they wait for the ramp to open up, Nigel readies his Stupefier pistols while Patton and Charles activate their Battle-Ready Armors. Then, as they depart the ship, they meet up with Kuki, who has donned her Battle-Ready Armor and The Kid, who is carrying a new, customized heat laser rifle with a scope. "Okay, everyone, be on your toes. Agent Halcón, you've been here before, so you lead the way."
"No problem, hombre. Follow me." The Kid nods and leads everyone towards the esker and just like on the other side, the uncanny shape of a KND bike track is clearly visible on the ground.
"So, what the heck is this thing?" Charles points at the brown track on the ground as they approach the esker's slope.
"It is…or was, a part of the Global KND Bike Track. These things used to run everywhere but I guess they aren't in use anymore." Patton replies while Nigel starts feeling nostalgic.
"Most likely because of the Splinter Cell. I do admit I miss riding my bike on these tracks. They could take you anywhere, anytime."
"And they were really fun! I loved all the loops and spirals and…" Kuki starts rambling but is soon silenced when The Kid stops in-front of a wooden hut.
"This is it. All we gotta do is go inside that shack."
"Of course. Every relay hangar had an outside checkpoint that controlled the doors. I'll go in first." The others nod as Nigel carefully steps on the porch and uses his custom sunglasses to scan the shack. "Everything seems to be in order…follow me." Nigel opens the door and lets the others in before he closes it. Patton, who was the first to go in, runs to the steel locker that stands against the back wall and pulls the door open. Inside the locker is an unassuming kids' lunchbox.
"Bingo. A standard KND Security L.U.N.C.H.B.O.C.K.S. I've got this one covered." he opens the terminal's lid and attaches a wire from his right gauntlet into it and in no time, hacks the terminal, causing a section of the back wall to open, revealing an eerily dark corridor behind it.
"This maintenance path should take us into the hangar. Numbuh 3, scout ahead for any traps."
"Okidoki!" Kuki summons two ghost hamsters, startling both Charles and The Kid, who had not seen them before.
"Whaa! What the heck are those?!"
"Don't mind them, they're just ghost hamsters. Very useful for reconnaissance." Nigel replies nonchalantly as Kuki sends the ghosts into the corridor. "Numbuh 3, you take the lead, but keep your guard up. Let's go." Nigel says as Kuki leads everyone into the corridor and the group begins moving deeper into the abandoned hangar.
…
At the other side of the maze-like relay hangar, Wally is slowly making his way through the tight corridors, not aware that his friends have also arrived. Soon, he sees an open door and goes to investigate. As he peeks inside, he sees a room littered with toys, worn-out chairs, sofas and beanbags. On the wall are posters of Yipper and Rainbow Monkeys and a dart board with the picture of Mr. Boss taped on it. "Man, this has gotta be a playroom or somethin'…" Wally notices a tattered Yipper trading card on the floor and picks it up.
"Heh, it's a Yipper #66…I never had this as a kid…" A sense of nostalgia hits him as the room reminds him of his time in the KND. It's as if he was staring into a time capsule from 5 years ago. Then, he sighs and moves on, putting the card into the small storage slot on his belt. Further along the corridor, he arrives at a T-intersection and scans both ways with his HUD. But just as he is about to choose which way to go, he hears a loud, screeching alarm.
"Teenage incursion! Analysis complete, activating D.E.F.E.N.C.E.-G.R.I.D.-L.I.T.E.!"
"OH CRUD!" Wally yells and starts running along the right-hand corridor as multiple S.P.O.T.F.I.T.E.S. pop out from the walls and open fire. Using his shields, Wally blocks the incoming laser and forces his way through the barrage until he arrives into a large room. Before he can do anything, the door behind him slams shut, as do the other doors leading out of the room. "Oh great! This cruddy place's is out to kill me!" Wally readies his heat laser cannons and looks around the huge. Its walls are lined with lockers, benches and empty bike racks.
"Where the heck am I? Is this some sorta locker room?" he moves slowly, looking for a way open the doors. "Guess I'll just blast myself outta here…" Before Wally can go through with his plan, he hears banging and screeching mechanical noises from the row of lockers right behind him. Just as he turns around, the five lockers transform into two legged robots.
"Crud…L.O.C.K.A.H.S.O.C.K.A.H.'s…" Wally mutters as the five locker robots take aim with their arm-mounted cannons. However, he isn't worried about their weapons.
"You think a bunch of gym clothes are gonna hurt me?!" Wally puts his shields up, but instead of a surge of sweaty, dirty gym clothes, he gets a face-full of lasers that send him flying across the room.
"Gah! Argh…dammit…so that's how you guys wanna play?" Wally gets up as the locker robots prepare to surround him. "Then let's dance! RAAAAHH!" Wally deploys his shield knuckles and charges at the robots, who do the same.
Meanwhile, the others have also been detected by the security system and are running through the maintenance tunnel, towards the main hangar. "How the heck did it detect us?! I thought I disabled the alarms!" Patton shouts as he and Charles shoot back at the S.P.O.T.F.I.T.E.S. that are pelting Nigel's team.
"I don't know, but we have to keep moving! Numbuh 3, where's the main hangar?!"
"It's not far…oh no, look!" Kuki points at the reinforced steel door at the end of the tunnel, which is slowly closing.
"Dammit, it's trying to lock us out!"
"Can't we just blow it up?!"
"No, Numbuh Tau-6, those doors are too strong! It's gonna take forever to blast through it!" Nigel replies as Patton comes up with a simple plan.
"Then let's ditch the running and fly through it!"
"Alright, we'll do that! Charge!" Nigel activates his J.E.T.A.B.O.O.T.S. while Patton, Charles and Kuki use their own jetboots to fly. The Kid however isn't wearing the same equipment, but Kuki grabs him with her telekinesis and pulls him along.
"Wow, easy there, I ain't used to bein' carried like this!"
"Then get used it!" Kuki snaps at him as Nigel, flying ahead, covers his hands with his Suit and stops the doors from closing with his telekinesis.
"Move it!" Everyone accelerates towards the door and manage to fly through it before they slam shut.
"Ugh…well, that could've gone way worse."
"We're not out of the woods yet, Numbuh Zeta." Nigel says as they get up on their feet and form a defensive perimeter. "Is this the hangar, Numbuh 3?"
"Yeah…I think so…" Kuki replies as the ghost hamsters pop up from the floor, startling the others slightly.
"Waah! Man, I'm not good with ghosts…" Charles mutters as Kuki converses with the ghosts.
"Numbuh 1, my friends are saying this base is at level T alert status."
"Teenage incursion. That means we'll have to deal with the full might of the defense system."
"Teenagers detected in main bike station. Initiating removal."
"Speak of the devil…" Patton says as the S.P.O.T.F.I.T.E.S. pop out from the ceiling and massive spotlights shine down on the teens.
"TEENS NEXT DOOR, BATTLE STATIONS!" Nigel sounds the battle cry as his team begins firing at the S.P.O.T.F.I.T.E.S. Then, from the corner of his eye, Nigel can see some of the lockers starting to move, alarming him. "Look out!" he shouts as the lockers transform into L.O.C.K.A.H.S.O.C.K.A.H.'s
"Wow, where'd those things come from?!" Charles shouts as the robots begin firing lasers at them.
"How the heck are they moving without pilots?!"
"They must be autonomous models, Numbuh Zeta."
"Then we can smash 'em to bits, right?"
"Absolutely."
"Alright! It's time to rumble!" Charles pulls out his shockwave mace and charges at the lead robot, shattering it with a single hit. He then moves on to the others, but for every robot he destroys, two more appears from the hallways. "Aw man, they just keep coming!" He shouts as Patton runs to his side and opens fire with his laser rifle and shoulder gatling guns, ripping the robots apart.
"Numbuh Tau-6 is right, we gotta do something about this defense system!"
"On it." Nigel takes out his communicator and contacts Hoagie. "Numbuh 2, do copy?"
"Loud and clear. What's up?"
"We've been compromised by the defense system! Can't you do anything about it?"
"I could hack it, but you need to plug your communicator into a socket that's connected to the hangar's network. I can't do it wirelessly!"
"Alright, we'll figure something out. Numbuh 1 out." Nigel then turns his attention to Kuki, who is sending any robots that approach her flying, using her telekinesis.
"Numbuh 3, find us a terminal or a power box or something! Numbuh 2 can turn off the system if you plug your communicator into one."
"Okidoki!" Kuki replies and scans the room with her mask and immediately finds a terminal near the large bike track that runs through the hangar. "I found it!"
"Good. Agent Halcón, cover her!"
"No problem, hombre!" The Kid replies and runs with Kuki towards the terminal. As Kuki kneels in front of it and plugs her communicator into the terminal, The Kid begins taking out the S.P.O.T.F.I.T.E.S. on the roof with pin-point accuracy.
"Numbuh 2, I plugged it in."
"Alright! Just hold on a little longer. We're gonna crack this sucker!" Hoagie starts frantically typing on his console and so does Kimberley and Ted, who help him hack into the hangar's mainframe.
"This system is ancient, but it's got spunk. Too bad it's facing the three of us."
"You said it, Numbuh Pi-2."
Back in the hangar, Nigel and his team has managed to greatly thin the numbers of L.O.C.K.A.H.S.O.C.K.A.H.'s attacking them but they are still proving to be tough opponents. The defense system throws everything it has against them, but they hold their ground. Nigel instructs everyone to form a circle around the terminal and Kuki, who has to keep her communicator connected to it, so Hoagie can keep hacking the system. While Patton and Charles attack any robots that get past their laser barrage, Nigel and The Kid provide covering fire. Suddenly, a L.O.C.K.A.H.S.O.C.K.A.H. jumps out from a hallway close to the terminal and The Kid is the first to see it.
"Hey, one got through!" he shouts and begins pelting the robot with his rifle while positioning himself between the charging robot and Kuki. Before the other boys can do anything, The Kid is hit in the shoulder by an errant laser, followed by another to his knee.
"Argh…damn…" He falls on one knee but keeps firing, despite the pain.
"Oh no!" Kuki uses her telekinesis to push the robot back and then pulls The Kid next to her, while he continues to fire at the robots.
"He's been hit, Numbuh 1!"
"Don't worry about me. This is nothin'!" The Kid grits his teeth while Nigel moves to the cover them.
"We're running out room here…Numbuh 2, how much longer?!"
"Almost…this thing is putting up a fight…"
"Hurry it up! At this rate we'll have to retreat back to the ship!"
"We're doing our best!" However, before Nigel can reply to him, a loud bang is heard from a hallway that leads to a walkway above them. Then, a bright flash as a destroyed robot flies through the air and slams into the ground in a fiery explosion.
"What the heck was that?!" Patton shouts as Kuki immediately recognizes who's handywork that was.
"It's Numbuh 4!" The others also look up at the walkway and see Wally appear from the thick smoke. He's been fighting his way through waves of L.O.C.K.A.H.S.O.C.K.A.H.'s and reached the hangar by accident. However, he is so crazed by the fighting that he doesn't realize his friends are right below him. But he does see the robots filling the hangar.
"You cruddy robots are gonna get it now! RAAAAAH!" He jumps down from the walkway and fires his laser cannons into the swarm below, destroying any that come to his line of fire. Then, as he lands, he takes out his heat sword and begins hacking them in to piece, giving his friends much needed breathing room.
"Nu…Numbuh 4! Looks he didn't crash into the ocean."
"You were right, Kid. He came here, just like you said."
"Yeah, I guess I was…"
"Don't let up. Now that he's gotten their attention, we can bring them down!" Nigel unleashes a stream of fire from his hands and destroys the two robots closest to them while Patton and Charles join Wally in the melee. Kuki meanwhile starts tending to The Kid's injuries.
"Gah, I gotta stop getting banged up like this. It's getting embarrassing."
"Don't worry, I'll get you fixed in no time. Just stay still." Kuki uses her new healing powers to heal The Kid's burns in his arm and leg.
"Thanks…I owe ya."
"No, you don't, silly. I'm the medic, it's my job." Kuki giggles slightly and helps The Kid back on his feet.
"We got through!" Hoagie shouts victoriously over the radio and right on cue, the defense system shuts down, causing all the remaining L.O.C.K.A.H.S.O.C.K.A.H.'s to disengage and revert back to their locker forms. As the fighting dies down, Wally snaps back to reality when he realizes the machines aren't attacking anymore.
"Huh? What the…" he looks around and finally notices his friends behind him. "Gu…guys! Where the heck did ya come from?!" Wally asks in total confusion as he turns off his B.R.A.
"We should be asking the same question, Numbuh 4."
"What kinda detour did you take back there? We totally thought you slammed into the ocean or something." Patton asks Wally as he joins the others.
"I don't know. I just dove after you guys and when I got through the clouds, you weren't there."
"At least you stuck the plan, Numbuh 4. But how did you get inside?"
"There was a back door or somethin'. I dunno why but the system recognized me and let me in."
"Hmm...I see...well, I hope you'll learn from this." Nigel berates Wally, who simply shrugs.
"Eh, I got here, didn't I?" Nigel sighs but The Kid becomes infuriated by Wally's uncaring attitude and walks up to him. "Huh? What's your problem…gah!" The Kid strikes Wally in the jaw and knocks him off his feet shocking the others, especially Kuki, who covers her mouth with her hands.
"Hey! Stop it!" Nigel immediately goes between as Wally jumps up and tries to get back at him.
"What the crud was that for?!"
"You got some nerve acting like that! Do ya have any idea how worried your team was?! Especially Kuki!"
"Ugh…I…" Wally clenches his fist as he stares back at The Kid.
"Please, don't fight again! You promised!" Kuki pleads with them but it's too late.
"You must be a bigger dumbass than I thought if you wanted to show off that badly!"
"WHAT?! You cruddy…!" Wally lunges at The Kid but Charles and Patton restrain him while Nigel has to keep The Kid at bay, who is equally agitated. "Lemme go! I'm gonna give this cruddy pilot a knuckle sandwich!"
"Bring it on! You're due for a beating anyway!"
"That's enough!" Nigel grabs the boys with his telekinesis and lifts them a few inches from the ground. "This is no time for childish fighting! We're on a mission, and I will not have any in-fighting in this team. Now you two kiss and make up, or I'll force you!" he drops them on to floor but as Wally sits up, he sees Kuki run to The Kid's side, not knowing that he had just been injured. Seeing this infuriates him but he stops himself from reacting, albeit with much difficulty.
"You're still recovering, you idiot!" Kuki berates The Kid as she helps him back up, but he doesn't respond and keeps glaring at Wally from under his aviators.
"Alright, let's concentrate on the task at hand. Numbuh 2, the hangar is secure. We'll open the doors so you can move the W.A.S.P. inside."
"Roger, dodger."
"Numbuh 3, you go with Agent Halcón and help him get his fighter here. Numbuh Zeta, Numbuh Tau-6 and Numbuh 4, you three clear the hangar of all these scrapped robots. I'm going up to the control booth." Nigel orders his teammates sternly and heads towards a staircase next to the 4-lane bike track that runs through the hangar. As Kuki and The Kid head back towards the maintenance tunnel, Wally glares at him one more time and turns his anger and frustration towards the heaps of scrapped 2x4 tech before him, stomping and ripping them as he piles them in to a big heap almost himself, leaving nothing for Patton and Charles to do.
"Remind me to never get on his bad side, Boss." Charles nudges his superior, who nods silently. Inside the tunnel, Kuki looks back at the hangar and catches up to The Kid, who angrily marches ahead.
"Hey wait! Why did you have hit him like that?"
"Because he pissed me off. People say I'm a loose cannon, but that guy's outta control. You know he did that whole stunt just to show off to you, right?"
"What?! Wally's not like that!"
"Then why did he decide to fly using his armor instead of sitting in Gilligan's ship, huh?" The Kid stops and stares intensely at Kuki, who hesitates.
"I…well…"
"I thought he'd be smarter than that. I don't know how you guys put up with him."
"Don't say that! Wally's just different, like we all are!"
"He's a total loco, that's what he is. Makes me feel sad for the anyone who actually cares about him." The Kid's comment strikes a chord and Kuki violently slaps him across the face.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"Don't talk about my best friend like that!" Kuki shouts at The Kid, and he realizes he went too far as Kuki glares at him.
"Agh…I uh…" Kuki huffs and runs past him, leaving the stunned pilot by himself in the tunnel, looking on silently as she runs away. "Best friend huh? Yeah, right."
End of Transmission 38