Chapter Six
Francine ran down the street in the early hours of the morning. She knew this would have to stop, but at this point in time it was too risky. Looking around for the last time that morning, she began maneuvering up the branches and reached the living area windowsill, landing as quietly and as stealthily as possible. She dropped down onto the couch, and thought she was home free, until she felt the presence of another beside her. The light flicked on, and Wally was sitting on the other side, arms folded tightly across his chest tightly.
"And where have you been?" He asked forcefully.
"That is none of your business." She snarled back, noticing a glint of fear in the blonde's eyes. Though he didn't back down.
"I knew you wouldn't tell me, so I followed you when everyone else went to bed. You know that batting for both teams is wrong."
"I have no idea what you're talking about shortie." She fumed. "I've been on this couch the whole time while you're playing footsies with me."
"I am not playing footsies; I've just been warming my foot." He replied. She ripped the covers off for a brief moment, only to find Wally was rubbing his toes against the soles of her feet. She flicked the cover back over, and stared amusingly at the blonde's sheepish face. "Oh, right then. But if we've been here the whole time, then who…?"
They both looked at the window and jumped up in surprise. Wally gawked. "So, how'd you stay on the couch and jump through the window at the same time?"
Francine scowled and dragged him away. "Stupid boy and his stupid imagination." She stopped and turned to face him. "This is how it works. You assumed I had come through the window, when infact we actually have an intruder in this tree house on the loose…"
They both looked at each other in surprise, and quietly rushed down the hall. Both sliding along the floorboards from their socks, they stopped at a corner. Francine poked her head out first, followed by Wally's underneath her chin. Both saw a dark figure sneaking down the hall towards a room.
"Hey, they're heading for Abby's room." Wally whispered to the red head. She nodded in agreement as they both wrapped back around the corner.
"Right, we'll quietly go around this corner, and enter the room with extreme caution. Then, once we have them cornered, we pounce." She explained, making sure the blonde had registered everything.
"Wait, who's gonna get em?"
Francine rolled her eyes. "I'll do it if you want. Ok, let's go."
They both looked behind them before heading around the corner. As they both turned, they collided with Nigel and Kuki and all scared each other. As the girls went to scream, the boys covered their mouths.
"Shhh, you want the intruder to hear us?" Nigel hissed at Francine. She merely shook her head and pried is hand off her mouth.
"Wait, you know about the intruder too?" She asked.
"Yeah, we heard you two downstairs." Kuki added. "So we decided to help you. But we don't know where they…"
She was cut off by the sounds of a girl just experiencing and intruder in her room. The four stumbled over each other to reach Abby's room, and didn't think twice as they barged in. As Nigel and Kuki went to calm her down, Francine and Wally both gave chase out the window. As they stood on the balcony, they both noticed the figure looking up at them before making their descent. Francine climbed up on the railing and took a flying leap down upon the intruder. She missed, and hit the ground hard with a thud. The intruder calmly landed beside her, and went to run off. A hand shot out, and the intruder came crashing down. Francine pinned the person down and removed the cloak they were wearing, and gasped at the face.
She couldn't believe who she was staring at right at that moment; she couldn't bring herself to speak.
"Numbuh 86, you alright?" Wally called down. When he received no reply, he called again. "Numbuh 86, I'm coming down to help whether you like it or not!"
Francine loosened her grip on the intruder; her body numb from the delayed shock of the fall. And as Wally reached the bottom, the intruder was nowhere to be found.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
"So, you say they got away before you could catch them?" Nigel asked for about the fourth time that night. Sector V and the Moon Base operatives were all sitting in the living area, Francine retelling the story. She merely nodded as her body shook.
"I didn't see who they were." She muttered quietly. "I went to grab their cloak, and missed. That's when I hit the ground and they escaped." She attempted to stand, but her legs told her otherwise. "I'm really sorry Numbuh 1; I truly thought I had them."
"It's quite alright Numbuh 86; you were only trying to do your job." Nigel replied, pacing the floor. "But if you find out anything, you must tell me. You're all dismissed."
The operatives got up to leave, and Abby decided to go and hang out on her favourite tree branch. After a few moments silence, a second presence was beside her. She turned to find Kuki looking at her with deep concern.
"You alright?" She asked, noticing her friend's sadness. Abby began to tear up slightly.
"I could've stopped that intruder; I could've prevented all this." She sighed, rubbing her eyes. Kuki reassured her.
"Don't worry Abby; it's not your fault Fanny decided to jump out the tree. It's not your fault that the intruder came in the first place. Don't blame yourself, alright?"
"Numbuh 5 guesses you're right Numbuh 3. there's no point in dwelling in the past."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The room was dimly lit as the intruder stood in the center; clasping a roll of paper in their gloved hand. In the darkness, a disguised voice wisped.
"Did it all go well?" They asked.
"All according to plan. Nobody suspected a thing about the blueprints." They said, holding the roll of paper out. "Although, the operative Numbuh 86 discovered my identity."
"Hm, that won't do at all." The voice whispered, the venom of their words penetrating the intruder's brain and making them nervous. The voice spoke again. "No matter, there'll just have to be a change of plans."
"You wish for me to assassinate the operative?" the intruder asked hopefully.
"No. She's very valuable to the young one Numbuh 5." The figure stepped out, their body completely covered in a weird samurai metal outfit. Their eyes glistened. "For now we'll lay low. Let them believe we've given up. Once we have the 2x4 technology up and running, the new plan will commence. Chad."
From another part of the darkness, a blonde teenage boy stepped out, the grin on his face of pure evil. "Yes boss?"
"Take the 2x4 blueprints and begin construction immediately." The armoured figure replied. "See to it that the other kids pull their weight. And make sure you have everything under control."
Chad saluted his boss, before prying the blueprints from the gloved hand. The armoured figure spoke again. "You and I will prepare for our next operation." The boss could see that her spy was getting restless. "Don't worry Apprentice, in due time you'll make your debut. Until then, we wait."
