Chapter Twenty-Eight

Nigel's POV

We had contacted the others and now awaited their presence. Out of nowhere a ship crashed into the ground near us, leaving a hole.

"Well couldn't you have done a more subtle landing?" I asked annoyed as 362-T, 60-T, 86-T, 23-T and 35-T.

"Oh well sorry." Fanny said sarcastically. "So what's this big emergency."

"Numbuh 5-T is in there and ah have no idea whot they're gonna do ter her!" Wally waved his hands in the air.

"Right. Well I guess there's only one thing to do." Said Rachel.

"Whot's that?"

"Barge right in and rescue Numbuh 5-T. Teens Next Door, BATTLESTATIONS!"

We all enthusiastically screamed and Fanny knocked down the door with her new and improved M.U.S.K.E.T.

"SHH!" Rachel whispered. "We have to be subtle. We can't let the Delightful's know we're here."

We all nodded and snuck our way through the mansion, tightly clutching our weapons. It was dark but the light of the moon glowing through the windows helped us see our way through.

"Man is this place big." Whispered Virginia.

"Stay close." Bartie whispered back. "It's easy to get lost in here."

"You're not worried about me are you Bartie?"

"Yeah... well... I... you know..."

Virginia seemed amused by his reaction.

"Shh!" Patton hissed violently. I turned away from my teammates and took a look around. All of a sudden I felt something or someone move on the side of me. I turned towards whatever it was, holding the S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. out in front of me.

"Numbuh 1-T? Are you okay?" Asked Kuki.

"Yeah..." I replied. "I just thought I saw something."

"What?" Rachel perked up.

"It was probably just my shadow."

"It's dark in here, there couldn't have been a shadow." Said Hoagie. Rachel immediately held out her D.A.R.T.

"Come out... whoever or whatever you are." She whispered.

We all stood around waiting for someone to appear. It was quiet... too quiet. But no one seemed to be there. "Let's keep looking." Patton ordered us and we reluctantly agreed, lowering our weapons. Kuki was checking out a vase and giggling.

"Ooh pretty." She said.

"Numbuh 3-T, this is neither time nor place." Rachel growled in a low whisper.

"Oops, sorry." She replied. She walked over to us and out of nowhere, someone kicked her square on the back and she fell forward.

"Numbuh 3!" Wally shouted. He knelt down beside her.

"I'm fine Wally."

I took my gaze off Kuki while she got up with the help of Wally and looked ahead of what kicked her and I couldn't believe it. Abby stood there, breathing heavily. Her eyes no longer that bright amber but cold icy blue. On her neck seemed to be a collar. "Numbuh 5..." I whispered.

Abby growled and jumped towards us. She grabbed my arm and held it tight and it was painful. "Numbuh 5-T... I don't want to fight you." I said, holding back the tears. She threw me away and I landed hard on the floor, a good 5 metres away from my teammates.

"Please... Numbuh 5-T... we don't want to fight you..." Rachel said.

Abby ignored Rachel and pounced on her, grabbing her collar. Rachel fell backwards and Abby was on top of her, punching and scratching. Rachel had no choice but to fight back. Patton did all he could to pull Abby off his girlfriend but she was too strong. She seemed to get annoyed by Patton's attempts so took a swing at his face and hit him square in the face. Patton held his nose and took a few steps back. He let go and I saw red blood all over his hand and dripping into his mouth. It didn't take much to make Patton bleed and that's when I came to the conclusion that Abby was now stronger, faster and better thanks to the collar sitting around her neck. She was being brainwashed. When she decided Rachel had enough she got off and started looking for her next victim. Rachel seemed to battered and bruised to move.

"TAKE THIS!" Virginia yelled and jumped on Abby's back. Bartie literally screamed. Abby tried pulling Virginia's hair and wriggling around to knock her off, while Virginia was kicking and punching Abby. Abby fell backwards on top of Virginia. She screamed and groaned in pain.

"Oh my god, Numbuh 23!" Bartie shouted. He tried to run to her rescue but Abby stopped him by jumping in front of him and grabbing his arms. She smirked evilly as Bartie gasped. Abby jumped up and kicked him square in the chest and he flew across the floor. I couldn't watch any more. I buried my face in my knees. I felt helpless but I was too shocked to move. I could hear screaming, groaning, yelling and cussing and then… silence. I looked up. All my teammates were lying on the floor beaten and bruised, all too weak to move with Abby standing in the middle of them. I shakily got up and faced her. She started walking very slowly towards me.

"Well, well, well. You seem to have met the new Abigail, Nigel."

I'd recognize those monotonous voices anywhere. It was The Delightful Teenagers From Down The Lane. "Show yourself!" I demanded.

"Why we're right over here."

A light flashed on and I could see the Delightful Teen's standing on a balcony with Albert and Cree. "Destroy him!" They said.

I turned back to Abby and she pounced on top of me causing me to fall backwards. She started punching and scratching away at me. I spotted the collar and reached my hand out to grab it, but she bit me. I retreated it back and shook it. I tried to wrestle Abby off but she was too strong. The punches were painful and I could feel my cheeks bleeding. I attempted again to grab the collar, this time being successful. I tried to pull it off but it was too strong. Abby pulled her hand back to give me one last blow in the face. "Abby… please." I begged. "Don't. I'm your best friend. Don't you remember? It's me… Nigel… please Abby… snap out of it."

Her eyes went wide. "No." She whispered. "No… no… no… no… no…" She swung her fist towards me and I shut my eyes tight. "NO!" I heard her scream. I opened my eyes to see her fist only inches away from my nose. I pulled at the collar again and it fell off.

"Oh Nigel." She said. "I'm so sorry."

"No." I replied. "It wasn't your fault."

We smiled at each other for a brief second before realizing the position we were in. We both blushed and Abby scrambled off me and I got up.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Delightful Teen's shrieked.

"It means…" I said turning to them. "We're going to kick your butt!"

"Uh… I don't think so." Chuckled Cree. "You see, there's seven of us… and only two of you."

Then all of a sudden, as if on cue, my teammates got up unsteadily. They may be bruised and weak, but they somehow found the strength to fight on. "Who's out numbered now?" Rachel smirked.

I grinned triumphantly. "Teens Next Door… BATTLE STATIONS!"