Chapter Summary: Earth Representative Nigel Uno knows he did the right thing. It's just not everyone seems to agree.
CONTENT WARNING: Discussing reproductive anatomy.
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Code: [RESTRICTED]
Operation: U.N.O.
Uneasy
Neurotic
One
Written by OfficiallyWrong with properties owned by Tom Warburton
and Cartoon Network
Location: The Center of the Universe
Episode 10
Far out into the deep reaches of outer space, there was a perfect paradise. The morning star neither rose nor fell, the light from the stars always illuminating the sky. Here, there was no war, no hunger, no fear, and no rules. And in the center of this great paradise, was a tree. The first tree of its kind. Tall and majestic, its roots spread across the star-studded map. It was a tree that bore leaves which never fell, and at its base were luminescent crystals which never broke. It was as though the tree itself was preserved in a bubble of time. For this was a place without aging, without authority, and without decay. In this tree, a towering building, the largest playground in existence, grew from its branches, as pristine today as it was when it was first built kajillions of years ago.
It was here where the Galactic Kids Next Door operated, bringing peace to all the Universe. And it was here, where Nigel Uno had spent most of his teenage years.
Nigel may have been a boy from Earth, but the moment he stepped foot into this sacred space, his life changed forever. This, he thought, is where I am meant to be. This is what I am meant to do. However, he was not like the others who operated on this magical base. He was a human, which meant although he came as a child to fight for children, soon he would grow into an Adult. While he was the first and only Earth representative on the council, he was given the option to have a consultant. There was, unfortunately for him, only one eligible candidate. He and his companion, also from Earth, had spent years developing their skills to assist, however possible, in the endeavors of the Galactic Kids Next Door.
Then came the day when his loyalties would be put to the test, the day he realized that even if he wanted to, he could never return to the life he once knew.
Nigel Uno rubbed his feet together beneath the sheets of his tiny bed. It was time, once again, for the invention sector to extend his bed once more. His knees knocked together as he raised his eyes up to the tall ceiling, which appeared to stretch up into the heavens. Despite being made up of children, the G:KND loved high ceilings. He clacked his knees together a couple times, feeling their lanky bony structure. He had grown yet another two inches since his last bed upgrade. His lips curved downward in a scowl.
It was becoming a problem.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes and reaching for his updated glasses. His tank top was also getting too tight for him as his growing chest and arms rubbed uncomfortably against his body. He would have to ask for bigger clothes again as well. He rolled out of bed, trying to forget the events of the day prior. He remembered it clearly: the meeting room, the wall of monitors from representatives from all across the galaxy, the troubled look Vine had given him when he made his case...
Chad.
He blinked, trying to get his mind off of his ex-partner. Chad Dickson, Former Numbuh 274 and former Soopreme Leader of the Earth KND, had arrived only moments after Nigel had, insisting that him going to the center of the Universe with no knowledge of the organization nor any formal training would be an absurd idea. Seeing that Chad really wanted to go and not being the overly cheap type, Nigel agreed to let him tag along if only for a few weeks. Those weeks turned into months, months to years, as was common with these things. And although Chad was now a full-grown Adult, he was still only two years older than Nigel. After all, it wouldn't be long before Nigel himself was 18.
Before he could think about it too much, he rolled himself out of bed, the pads of his feet rocking back and forth onto the floor. Rubbing his eyes, he stood, sauntering his way to the bathroom. He washed his face, glaring at his reflection. Dark circles ran beneath his brown eyes, brought forward against his porcelain white skin. His nose was red, his ears as well. He couldn't bring himself to smile, not even for his own sake. How could he when he knew this was what he had become? He stripped off his pajamas, then his underwear, stepping into the B.A.T.H.
Galactic Kids Next Door: B.A.T.H.
Bodies
Are
Totally
Healthy
His mind went back to Chad. What was the man thinking? His actions during the last few meetings were almost treasonous. Of course, Nigel understood. What they were calling for looked like a horrible betrayal of his home. But Chad didn't understand anything, nothing at all. Nigel supposed it was because of the Chad's evolving virus, which they still could not locate the source of. The sudsy bubbles formed around Nigel's pale body.
Abigail wouldn't approve of this.
Those were Chad's words, and Nigel couldn't help but agree. He knew that she wouldn't understand either. Only a crazy person would wish for the end of the world. However, Nigel's decision was final, and his reason sound. The truth of the matter was, there was a virus, an evil virus eating away at the people he loved. It would be crueler to continue their suffering. Abby wouldn't understand. She wanted to save everyone. It was who she was.
But it didn't matter what she thought now.
In fact, he was quite certain she didn't think anything at all.
Adulthood had taken his friends, taken them far away to a place Nigel could no longer go. The time to grieve for them had passed. Even Abby, who he knew had held onto her memories until the bitter end, was cut off from him. He knew it was for the best. She could never learn the truth, and this was the best way to protect her from it.
But the broken seal on the barrier had him worried.
Chad also had him worried. The G:KND was never casual when it came to traitorous behavior, and on top of his aging, his growing resilience and attitude had made the Aliens overly cautious of the Earthling. Nigel had done everything in his power to maintain a good relationship with the G:KND, attempting to prove that despite his disease, he could still be useful to them even in his old age. However, Chad was becoming bitter and dissatisfied with child life and had been for a few years now. He had joined the program later in his teen years, which meant unlike Nigel, there were things he actually missed about being around other teenagers. His rebelliousness manifested itself more and more as he aged, developing a dry and sarcastic temperament. Still, he was an outstanding agent and never went against his orders.
That is, until that meeting.
He couldn't blame Chad for tackling him in the middle of everyone, demanding he change his mind. They were technically a team, after all, and Nigel had come out of the blue with the decision to end the Earth Kids Next Door on his own. But Chad wasn't the Earth representative. Nigel was. It was within his jurisdiction to quarantine the planet and it was, in his mind, the most logical plan of action. Chad was restrained and taken into custody until a proper decision could be made. He was currently under the examination of the scientists, who believed Chad's condition was worsening. Once the host of the virus turned 18, after all, it started to take on a newer and more dangerous form: one heading toward complete maturity.
That's when he felt it, the strange sensation that had now become a part of his everyday lifestyle. He tried to think of something other than Chad. It always seemed to happen when he thought about Chad. However, like almost everything, the more he tried not to think about it, the more his thoughts engulfed him. Fearfully, he looked down, and upon noticing the illogical mis-position of his...equipment...screamed in response. Everything about getting older was confusing, but this was perhaps the most humiliating thing of all.
It never got better, not since the very first time six Earth years ago...
"It's called a boner, Dude," Chad had explained, wiping the sweat from his neck after a particularly hard training session.
The newly turned twelve-year-old just stared at him in confusion. He looked down at the issue, then back up at his friend. "But there are no bones in there...are there?" He poked it, curiously, his cheeks flushing. "Is that what happens to Adults? They grow more bones?!"
Chad just laughed. "No, Man. Your dick is hard. It feels like a bone. And it makes you wanna bone. Hence, boner."
"Dick?" Nigel couldn't form the word properly.
"Weiner."
"Oh. But why is it doing this?" Nigel whined.
"It just does it sometimes," Chad said. He stripped off his shirt, which was sticking to his skin. "Your body's still trying to figure itself out, it doesn't mean anything every time."
"But how do I stop it!" Nigel begged. "It's making me feel...weird."
"Just jerk it off. That's all you really can do."
Nigel's eyes went back down to his body. "You want me to tear off my wiener?!" Nigel gasped, horrified. "Why?! Is it infected?!"
"N-no...Nigel..." Chad shook his head. "You have to, you know, rub it out?"
"Rub it?" the little boy frowned. "Like..." He rubbed his hands together, simulating what he thought Chad was referencing.
"You do know what's going on, right?" Suddenly, Chad's eyes widened. "Oh my god you have no idea what's going on."
"Well, at first I thought I had to pee super bad, but when I'd go to pee nothing came out. So I thought the pee was stuck in there, so I drank lots of water, but it just kept coming back." He lifted an eyebrow. "You're saying my pee isn't stuck in my wiener?"
But Chad was clutching his stomach, writhing from laughter. "You thought...you thought it was pee?"
"Well it can't be poo, can it?!"
Chad couldn't control himself. Tears started to stream down his face. "I just...do you even know what sex is?"
Nigel blushed. "Of course I do!" He cleared his throat. "I have a wiener, so that makes me a boy. Girls have..." He stopped, puzzled. "I dunno but I know it's not a wiener. When I accidentally kicked a ball into Muffy Jenkins' private place during recess, she didn't even cry! Mom said it's because girls don't have wieners and I asked why not and she said-"
"Okay, no," Chad stopped him. "Sex is...You know where babies come from?"
"Philadelphia."
Chad blinked twice. "What?"
"Babies come from Philadelphia."
"Uh...no."
"Cleveland?"
"No, Nigel." He sat the boy down on the bench. Chad was about ready to turn fifteen. He wasn't exactly the best choice to explain such a complicated idea to the innocent, wide-eyed boy. "Okay so...when you have a hard, uh, wiener, that means it's filled with...stuff. You gotta get the stuff out or else it will make you really uncomfortable. And that stuff mixes with other stuff that girls have and it makes babies."
Nigel stared at him. "The stuff in my wiener makes babies."
"Um...more or less?"
"Chad," the boy stated with a bemused grin. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear."
Chad blushed. "Y-you're one to talk!" He grumbled. "And anyway, you asked! I'm just telling you the truth!"
But Nigel chuckled. "Oh, poor sweet Teenager," he shook his head. "Corrupted by the lies Adults tell us every day. It's a good thing you're here now or else you might have started to believe in all sorts of nonsense. Like taxes."
"Whatever, Kid," he retorted. "Just know that you're not gonna get any help from these Aliens. You n' Me, we're on our own out here." He rubbed Nigel's head. "You ever wanna talk, or have feelings you can't explain, I'm here for ya. Mkay?"
Nigel scoffed as Chad exited the room. "I don't need your stoopid Teenager help!"
But sure enough, an hour later, the area below began to gain pressure, the blood vessels visible from outside the skin from the de-oxygenated blood. He felt as though bugs were crawling all over. Pretty soon, there was a discomfort followed by soreness. Flushed with embarrassment, Nigel went into his bathroom and took Chad's advice. Images flashed through his mind that day, things he never ever wanted to see again, yet desired for every day. It started to become a habit, his thoughts turning more and more vulgar upon each return to the bathroom. When they were alone, Chad showed him his magazines, which were taboo on the Base and would have gotten them certainly kicked off. It was actually sort of fun, Nigel admitted, sneaking around with images that would cause the rest of the G:KND to faint upon viewing.
However, it soon started to take over the child's mind. He couldn't focus on anything and looked forward to his time alone more than his missions. This was basically unheard of for him, and he began to wonder what kind of curse Adulthood would actually bring him.
That was when he first knew he was truly infected.
Nigel, coming out of the memory, looked back at his 'erection' as Chad called it. And, reluctantly and with great shame, proceeded to do the only thing he could think of to calm it.
"Hmmm..."
Nigel sat and waited patiently as a tree-like Alien sized him up. His weight and height were taken down and recorded into the system. Numbuh 74.23, who used to be a spy for the G:KND stationed on Earth, was the expert in the branch for all things Adult. They claimed it was due to their years of experience studying the aging virus, however in truth they were quite fascinated by Adults. Nigel knew this because every time he stepped into the office, Numbuh 74.23 always appeared a little too excited to see him.
"How often does this happen?" they asked.
"Uh..." Nigel felt his face burn. He didn't want them to put him out of commission like Chad if they knew how bad the virus was getting. "Once a day?" He lied. Numbuh 74.23 looked at him sternly. "Week! Once a week...maybe not even that, actually I barely even notice it-"
"Well, you are moving into the penultimate stage of existence," Numbuh 74.23 said. "The aging takes on new symptoms after the eighteenth year."
"I can't seem to stop myself from, you know," Nigel tried to explain. He did the hand gestures, but that felt embarrassing too.
"Not to worry, Uno," Numbuh 74.23 assured him. "I've seen practically every symptom of Adulthood. You don't have to be coy around me." They leaned in. "Just don't go around tellin' the other Kids. They're not equipped to handle this stuff. Bunch'a sissies."
"I've tried the magazines that Chad brought from Earth," Nigel explained. "But they don't seem to work. Perhaps I'm getting better?"
Numbuh 74.23 shook his head. "Sex is a complicated thing. It's not always clear why or how it works the way it does."
Nigel frowned. "Sex again? I don't want to have babies! Can't you turn it off?"
"It's not just for having babies," Numbuh 74.23 explained. "We've had this conversation before. I don't think your body is responding to the biological need for your kind to reproduce." They pushed up their leaves out of their 'face'. "You are reacting to something else. It's something that the body craves as it gets older. It creates an error of judgement, a brief euphoria, and leaves you ultimately dissatisfied. It's like a sugar addiction, engrained into your very DNA."
Nigel wasn't impressed. "But how do I stop it?"
"That's what we're here to find out, isn't it?"
He groaned. "You mean I have to find the whole cure for Adulthood just to not want to have babies!"
"It's not about having babies..." they repeated for perhaps the bumillionth time.
"If they would just put me on a mission again," he started. "I could find the cure. That's why you came to me in the first place, wasn't it?"
"You know that's impossible," they replied. "Particularly with your family history. Which we are still closely monitoring."
Nigel pouted. "Yes. I know."
"Everything else seems normal," they continued. "Continue to keep your reactions under control and you should be alright. You want a lollypop?"
"That's it?" Nigel whined. "That's all I get? Some advice and a lolli?"
"We have cherry..." Numbuh 74.23 teased him.
He sank down, kicking his feet. "Fine." He was presented with his candy, sucking on it. "Hey. Numbuh 74.23..."
"Yes?" the Alien had gone back to work, not really looking back at Nigel.
"I was wondering...you know more about Adults than anyone in the whole Universe." He rubbed his feet together. "How come so many of them turn out to be so dreadful?"
Numbuh 74.23 sighed. "They have to deal with those things, for one-" They said, gesturing to Nigel's crotch. The Teen covered his privates in embarassment. "I suppose it mostly has to do with survival, although there is a staggering amount of questionable behavior that acts against this impulse. For most of Kid-kind, the things that Adults do would seem unfathomable. Even some of the words I'm using to talk to you right now simply aren't necessary for our lifestyle. There's more to the aging virus than we could ever hope to understand, and it is deadlier than we could ever imagine, and not just because of the death part."
"Do you think..." Nigel half-mumbled. "There's any chance that my friends will become like that? Now that the Kids Next Door has left Earth?"
"It's best to not think about that."
There was a pause.
"Even Chad was infected," he whispered. "All the way out here." He sat up slightly. "What is the worst thing you've seen an Adult do?"
"Nigel," Numbuh 74.23 addressed him with his first name. Only four beings on the base ever did that. "If you knew, you'd never want to look at an Adult ever again, let alone become one."
Nigel exited the office, leaving the scientist to his work. It was becoming more and more apparent with every passing day that Numbuh 74.23 shouldered the burden for the entire Galactic Kids Next Door of what really happened when people got older. Nigel himself had this question burning in his mind since Chad's outburst. Or maybe it was before that. Either way, the Tree-like Alien wouldn't simply give out that kind of top-secret information, nor should he. Some things, Nigel thought, were better left not knowing.
"Nigel!"
And speaking of that...
Another green plant-Alien made their way down the hall to catch up to him. They were much shorter than he was but managed to catch up with relative ease. They were richly bright green in color, as opposed to the dark green and brown of Numbuh 74.23's bark. It was a warm season back on their planet, so small pink buds were starting to appear on their crown.
"Nigel..."
"What is it, Vine?" He didn't really look at them.
"You saw the doctor again?" they asked. Nigel said nothing. "What did they say?"
"What do you think they said?" he snapped back. "I'm dying."
"You're not dying," Vine replied, pointedly. "You have another half a century in Earth time at least."
"Well, I'm gonna die eventually, aren't I?"
"Not if we find the cure by then."
Nigel ignored them, continuing to walk.
"Nigie, everyone is worried about you-"
He spun around. "Oh, so it's Nigie again, is it?"
"I-"
"And just who is worried about me? Your new love?" He emphasized 'love' immaturely.
They frowned. "After what happened with Chad and what's happening on Earth, I just thought you might need someone to talk to."
"I'm fine. You're not my babysitter."
"Nigel, you quarantined the planet."
"It's only temporary."
"Everything is in chaos!" they exclaimed. "Benedict Uno has risen to power! That couldn't have been what you wanted! There has to be another way to handle this!" They sighed. "Look, I know you're mad at me-"
"Oh no, why on Earth would I be mad at you?" He pretended to look around. "Wait. We're not on Earth, are we?"
"Nigel-"
"You know what, Lizzie?" He used her Earth alias. "I've forgiven you over and over again. For lying to me, for tricking me, for breaking my heart twice now. I'm sorry, but I kind of don't want to do it anymore."
"You're going to let those innocent children get hurt-"
"They're not Children. They were never children." he sneered. "Of course, you already knew that, didn't you?"
"I'm just saying that if this is about us-"
"Puh-lease."
"Oh, quit acting so dramatic. You know, you were no saint in our relationship! Do you know how many times you stood me up on Earth when we were together? It became a running joke amongst everyone in the G:KND. When is Vine gonna get dumped next! Ooh! Let's bet on candy on it! It was so embarrassing!"
"That was what you wanted though, wasn't it? To turn me away from girls forever!"
"Oh, stick a pop in it, Uno."
"Were you really that unlikable or was that part of your plan too?"
"You were just going to leave anyway!" they snapped. "So what does it even matter now?"
"I would have stayed for you!"
Vine stopped. In all their years knowing each other, he had never once said that. It surprised even Nigel himself. He hadn't thought about Earth in years, he never imagined a scenario where he would have stayed, not once. But that day when his girlfriend broke his heart, he truly believed he had deserved it. However, it turned out that she was playing with his emotions, all part of the test to be accepted into the G:KND. He thought at least that meant they could be together now. He didn't care what she, or they as he soon realized, looked like. They were just as empowered by the plight for Kid justice as he was, now there seemed to be no obstacles between them.
He left his home.
He left his friends.
His family.
But maybe, just maybe, he was really trying to leave her.
Because she left him first, and he couldn't take it.
If she hadn't...
"Someone will stop Father," he said after a while. "The book of KND still exists. Someone will find it, just as before. And when I have the cure, and believe me, Vine, I will have it, I will save this Universe from the disease of Adulthood. Compared to that, who cares if people forget us for a blip."
He walked away from them then, not able to look back.
"Nigie..."
He heard them speak but spit out a raspberry in bitter reply.
"Oh you...you...Doo-doo Face!" They stuck their tongue-like vine out, stomping off. "That's the last time I try to reach out to you!"
Nigel slowed his gait. He knew why they couldn't be together. He knew that they were a completely different species, one untainted by his ailment, that loving him would be difficult and that they were just doing their job. But no matter how hard he thought about it or how many years went by, it still cut him deeply. Now they had finally moved on, to another kid who wasn't sick. But really, Nigel felt more ill than ever after they left.
Heartbreak. Was that also a part of growing older? He clutched his chest.
He needed to find the cure as soon as possible.
This was becoming unbearable.
Nigel slipped into the suit, putting on the heavy layers of protective gear required to enter the G:KND sanitation zone, or as they called it: Q.U.A.R.A.N.T.I.N.E. Sure enough, Numbuh 74.23 was there to greet him along with a few other scientists and two traditional guards posted at the entrance.
Galactic Kids Next Door: Q.U.A.R.A.N.T.I.N.E.
Questionably
Unwell
Adult
Restricted
Areas
Need
Treatment
In
Nearly
Everything
Numbuh 74.23 looked at him, pitifully. "You sure you want to do this?"
Nigel swallowed, but his voice was firm. "He's my friend."
They sighed. "Very well."
The guards stepped aside once Numbuh 74.23 showed them his pass, waving Nigel in through the gate. Suddenly, echoing through the corridor came a barreling scream. Nigel took a few steps backwards, startled and disturbed by the sound. The voice was all too familiar. He stood frozen for a couple of seconds before a prompting from Numbuh 74.23 caused him to snap out of it. Stepping through the threshold into the Q.U.A.R.A.N.T.I.N.E., he jumped as the gates slammed shut behind him, locking him inside. Of course, he could get out if he wanted to.
For now.
"I feel I should prepare you," Numbuh 74.23 stated as they moved further into the inky blackness of the tunnel. "What you are about to see has been kept secret from nearly every Child in the known Universe. Not even the high council comes down here."
"Are they not allowed?"
"Oh, they're allowed," they explained. "They just would rather put off the responsibility. Have someone else take care of it."
"Hey, yo, Pipsqueak!" A voice shot through the area, giving Nigel a heart attack. "You bring the goods this time or what?"
"And I don't blame them..."
They were now beginning to pass the sanitation room area, tiny yellow lights along the ceiling and floor were the only light emanating from the area. Nigel could only see the silhouettes of the larger Alien creatures, trapped behind thick glass doors, however their voices suddenly erupted.
"Ohh. Check out the meat patty-" one said, sizing up Nigel. "Hey cutie, you pay for that ass or'd you just get lucky?"
A few others began to whistle in his direction.
"I'd tap that."
"You can suck mine."
"Numbuh 74.23..." Nigel quivered. "W-what's going on? What are they talking about?"
"Ignore them," They retorted, not looking back once.
"Hey, come back!" the first called. "I just wanna spank you!"
Nigel spun around, continuing to walk backwards. His face was now the color of mars. "Spank me?! Good heavens why?!"
"Trust me," Numbuh 74.23 pulled him away. "It's not what you're thinking."
The Adult alien scoffed. "Little brat."
"Fucking Kids."
"Goodness!" Nigel reacted to the vulgar language. "What happened to them?"
Numbuh 74.23 rolled their eyes. "Nothing. They're just horny."
Nigel stared at them.
"Creatures of the mammal variety, on all planets, feel the need to copulate when past a certain age. Some individuals more than others. Some not at all, but that's rare."
Nigel's face soured. "Sex again..." he grumbled.
"Yes," Numbuh 74.23 said. "Sex again."
"Do you think it's right," he tried to change the subject. "Keeping them here? Couldn't we put them on a designated planet? Like what we are doing with Earth?"
Numbuh 74.23 shook their head. "These are Adults who have committed crimes against Kid-kind. Instead of sending them to prison, the Galactic Kids Next Door allowed me to study them, to perhaps find a way to cure the aging virus-"
The scream was louder, causing the hallway to go silent.
Nigel swallowed once more.
He took a step forward-
"Enjoy it while it lasts, Meat Patty-" someone shot into the hallway at Nigel. "Pretty soon you'll be just like us."
Nigel flushed. "I will never be like you."
And with that, he moved out of range.
"You're not one of them, Teenager! You'll be one of us before you know it!"
The rest of the walk was in complete silence, that is until Nigel finally got the courage to speak. "What exactly did they do?"
Numbuh 74.23 didn't bother looking at him. "Let's just say that the things you knew about on Earth, well, that was only a percentage of the evil Adults are truly capable of." Finally, they made eye contact. "Unthinkable, unspeakable things." They brushed it off. "But, let's not dwell on that. We've reached the research center."
Nigel wrung his hands together, staring at the final door.
"Don't worry," they reassured him. "You'll be fine."
When they entered the center, a bright white light flashed over them. Nigel squinted as the vision of Alien children in protective gear, like his, came into view. Numbuh 74.23 led him down to the room on the far left-hand corner. Through the glass door he saw what he had come here to see. He couldn't wait any longer. Bursting through the door he ran to the side of a small bed. Lying on the bed, skin pale and black beneath the eyes, a young man twitched. He was strapped down by the chest and arms, his veins pulsating a neon green.
"Chad?" He called down to his friend. "Chad it's me, Nigel."
The young man managed to open one of his eyes. His lips parted, chapped from dehydration. "Nigel..."
Nigel smiled with relief.
But Chad's face remained hard as he strained upwards. "You son of a bitch..."
Nigel stumbled backwards, startled by his friend's aggressive tone and language. Numbuh 74.23 entered the room just in time, getting between him and Chad. The man was still weak, but he spoke with ferocity.
"How could you...Earth is our home...You Bastard..." Then, a sharp pain went through his stomach as he sank back down.
Another Alien, this time a blue furry creature, appeared in the scene. "His body is still rejecting the Khlorophyll, Sir."
Numbuh 74.23 acknowledged them. "Keep going then."
"You fuckers..." Chad spat. "You're all lying pieces of shit-"
"Chad please," Nigel went back to his side. "You mustn't swear like that."
"It's the virus," Numbuh 74.23 explained. "It appears to be getting worse by the day."
"I'm not swearing because of the virus you Jackass!" Chad's voice finally raised. "I'm pissed off! You fucking broke my planet!" A loud cry of pain escaped his lips as his veins became more and more visible. "And this fucking hurts!"
Nigel gripped the metal railing of the bed. "Can't you give him some sugar to calm him?"
"I'm afraid the experiment only works with a direct injection," the fluffy Alien said. "It's the only way to tell how his body is reacting to the virus."
"Sugar will only add variables to the experiment," Numbuh 74.23 stated.
"Liars..." Chad said weakly, his body glistening with sweat. "Nigel don't listen to them. They're liars. You have to get out of here...before it's too late..."
"I understand it's painful," Numbuh 74.23 said. "But we are doing everything we can."
"The fuck you are!"
"You must not take anything he says seriously when he is under the Khlorophyll," the Alien reminded Nigel. "He'll do and say anything to get the pain to stop."
"They hate Adults..." Chad's voice was almost at a whisper now. "All Adults. You have to stop them. F-Find Abigail...Find her and Sector V...Remember who you are." He seethed in. "Don't let them manipulate..." He closed his eyes before he could finish.
"Chad? Chad!" Nigel called.
"He's passed out now," Numbuh 74.23 approached. "We'll need to run more tests when he wakes up. I'm sorry you had to hear all of that."
Nigel swallowed. "But why...why would he turn treasonous like this?"
"Unfortunately," the blue Alien explained. "The Khlorophyll we've injected into his body brings out his Adult traits. Excessive cuss words, sexual feelings, and most of all, a strong dislike for Children. We are now his enemy. And as long as you are a member of the Galactic Kids Next Door, so are you."
"Now you see why we must keep the Humans at a distance," Numbuh 74.23 said solemnly. "Until the cure is found, this will be their fate. A life of misery before disappearing forever, sabotaging all hope that crosses their path."
Nigel leaned down toward his friend. "Don't worry. I will save Earth. I promise." He placed his hand over Chad's head. "I will save you."
He left the room.
Find Abigail.
Remember who you are.
Nigel's ears burned.
Who I am? He thought. Something came into his mind. Five words only.
Numbuh 74.23 watched as Nigel left. They looked at Chad who was still passed out. The other Alien doctor moved to their side.
"It doesn't make sense," Numbuh 74.23 said beneath their breath. "We've tried nearly everything."
"Give it time," the other reassured. "We just have to keep moving forward with the plan."
"We've tested nearly every Adult we can get our hands on. All of them have reacted the same way," Numbuh 74.23 glared at their partner. "You're sure Abigail Lincoln is the one who broke the barrier?"
"She's on her way as we speak."
"Uno could be dangerous," Numbuh 74.23 huffed, the leaves on his branches rustling in annoyance. "We need to handle this delicately."
"Yes, Doctor."
They looked sourly at the unconscious young Adult. "You better not mess this up."
Nigel wandered back to his room, thoughts floating around his head like bubbles. Around him, members of the G:KND were playing, laughing, eating junk food, as they usually did. As he passed, some of them stopped what they were doing to look at him. Others backed away in fear. They knew that the virus couldn't be spread from the air, or else he would have no longer been able to be a part of the group. However, none of them wanted to take their chances. He opened his door, ducking under just a bit to fit. He pulled out a small screen tablet and continued his work, as he did nearly every day. The screen flashed bright letters:
Now Accessing...
GALACTIC KIDS NEXT DOOR DATA BASE
Welcome: Numbuh 1
Password: XXXXXXX
He typed it in. It was this work that would save the Universe, he thought. The project he had been spending years trying to complete. The reason he was selected to the G:KND in the first place. The cure was somewhere out there.
Suddenly, he got a strange urge from out of nowhere.
An image flashed through his mind.
An unsightly image.
He set down the tablet.
He would definitely find that cure
Go back to being a child
And pretend this puberty thing never happened.
END TRANSMISSION