12:45 pm October 4th ...

The E.L.I.M.O.N.A.T.E.R., a sleek limo turned aircraft, gracefully hovered its way into the Delightful Mansion's roundabout. "Easy does it, Number 2." Number 5 said, even though there was no need to say that. Abby knew he could pilot a cardboard box to the moon, but right now she was more nervous than that time back in the Temple of the Fourth Flavor (and that was pretty nerve-racking).

She sat in the front passenger's seat of the E.L.I.M.O.N.A.T.E.R. going over the objectives for this mission in her head. On paper the purpose of the mission was to get a piece of the Delightful Children's birthday cake and save some of it so the Kids Next Door's top scientists could analyze it. In all honesty, though, it was to grab Rachel and get out without having Father roast them alive with fireballs. Harvey took the conversation with Miracolina pretty well, all things considered. He didn't go into full meltdown mode and he only had to go to the bathroom to puke once. Miracolina, much to Abby's surprise and relief, did not mention Nigel Uno's name (or the Galactic Kids Next Door for that matter). It was bad enough that everyone in Sector V knew, but it would be worse still to have Harvey Mackenzie know that Nigel was rogue... She'd never hear the end of it. Not from him... Harvey and Sector W (much like Sector V SHOULD HAVE been in Abby's opinion) were on a need-to-know basis. And right now they didn't need to know squat.

Or did they? Abby had questioned not telling Harvey the whole truth, and by the way Miracolina gave her sideways glances it was clear that she thought Harvey had the right to know. But a selfish little part of Abby's mind told her to keep Harvey out of the loop about Number 1 until it was absolutely necessary. The part that was sense and not bravado told Number 5 that telling Harvey would be smart for a number of reasons.

One: If things did start to go down the drain up on Moon Base (the newspaper headlines worried her, almost as much as the stories that Number 2 was telling about his midnight flight) she and her Sector would have some other kids to back them up. The second reason hung heavier on Abby's mind though.

Two: Whenever you try to cut corners with a mission is the moment things really start to look bad.

Numbuh 5 wasn't the only one who was uneasy. Even though Numbuh 83 had been so excited back at the treehouse, she hadn't said a word the entire flight. Sonia was rereading the invitation over and over in the backseat until Number 84 finally convinced her to let him try to help. She put the invitation in her pocket and finally asked a question. "Do you think it's wrong for me to be going to this? I mean, I have a couple of years before I'm tithed... it's not supposed to be a party for me…"

Just like most of Sector W, Sonia had not been told much except that they were going to have a piece of the Delightful Children's cake and bring some back in a cooler for Moonbase to study. She seemed completely convinced that this time there wouldn't be any trouble.

Number 3 and Number 4 were sitting in the back seat of the E.L.I.M.O.N.A.T.E.R. enjoying the soda bar in the back. Neither of them were too keen on answering Sonia's question, but luckily Lee was there to save them.

"It's all cool, Sonia." Lee reassured her in his laid-back way. "It's not just a party for the Delightful Children and all the other kids who are going to be tithed, it's a party for everyone who can make it." Sonia smiled at this and Lee smiled back.

Harvey, who insisted on sitting up front with Hoagie and Abby, groaned. Number 5 slipped Harvey a soda from the back and gave him a sympathetic look.

Harvey looked even worse than Number 5 thought at first. Very deep dark circles rounded his eyes and the expression of entitled arrogance was replaced of one with despair. And the worst part was Harvey didn't even really know how deep they all were, but what Miracolina and Sector V told him did not do much to ease his nerves. His face turned pale green when he learned about camps from another world where hundreds and hundreds of teenagers would go to have their organs harvested, especially when he realized his big sister was bound for one if they didn't do something fast.

At last the E.L.I.M.O.N.A.T.E.R. was parked and ready to go (Number 2 had warmed up the engines for vertical take-off so they could make a getaway the second they were ready to get the heck out of there).

"Two times in one week!" muttered Number 4. "How the crud did we get so unlucky?" No one said anything while Number 2 made the final adjustments to the controls.

Number 83 smoothed out her white robes while Number 84 grabbed the cooler for the cake. Harvey finished his soda and silently handed Number 5 the empty bottle. Number 5 tossed the bottle in the wastebasket (which was on the other side of the ship) with great skill, took a deep breath and said "Alright guys! You know why we're here, but before we get this party started…" Everyone except for Number 2 laughed. "It's not that funny." Number 2 mumbled, swiveling around in his chair. Number 5 gave him a look. "We have a couple of notes to make first. Number 363, would you do us the honors?" Harvey nodded. "Number 83, you and Number 84 are on cake sample duty. Go to the cake and put a piece in the cooler."

The two operatives nodded and climbed out of the E.L.I.M.O.N.A.T.E.R. Harvey went quiet as he looked to Abby. Despite being a perfect little monster on most occasions, even Harvey wasn't going to order around another Sector Leader's team around. She gave him a nod and he went out after 83 and 84.

Abby turned to 3 and 4. "You two are on security detail. Make sure that the Delightfuls and Father aren't planning anything "special" for the party guests. Delightfulization chamber, Neural Suggestion Ray, anything…"

They all shuddered. After hearing Miracolina's stories of unwinding the idea of an operating room ready to unwind any of them was front and center in their minds.

"You see, you destroy. If you see Father and he wants to give you trouble, you know what to do." Wally and Kuki both gave their ice cream pistols a quick check and nodded. "Number 2 will be staying here while me and Number 363 are in the party room observing. If you guys need anything, we'll be there." Number 3 and Number 4 nodded as they disembarked.

Going to the Delightful Mansion to supposedly get a piece of their birthday cake seemed too good to be true. And they all knew it. As soon as they got out, Wally wanted to double check Kuki's ice cream pistol. "Don't be silly, Wally. I checked it a ba-zillion times. I don't know why you're so worried. Are you okay?" "Just want to make sure, Number 3." Wally finally said awkwardly. Number 3 held out her hand and Number 4 took the pistol, looking it over with a professional air of a boy who knew his weaponry. Suddenly Number 3 started giggling. "Hey! What's so funny?" Number 4 asked, going bright red. "You're still holding my hand, Number 4." Kuki said, giggling. Wally turned a couple of shades redder. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. Well, here you go, all set." "Thank you Wally!" Number 3 chirped, giving the smaller boy a bear hug (one very much like she gave him when we was forced to wear the Mr. Huggykins suit). "Come on Wally, maybe we can dance a little while we're looking for danger!"

Number 5 and Number 2 lingered in the car for a bit. Neither one of them said anything for a few minutes. Number 5 just sat there looking at her hands, which were starting to shake again no matter how hard she tried to hold them still. Number 2 got up and put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry Number 5! This mission should be a piece of cake!"

Number 2 recoiled from the whacking he was sure was coming from Number 5's hat (which she was still wearing even with her slick-looking blue tuxedo). But the swat never came.

Number 5 let out a sigh. "Number 2, what if we find Rachel the same way we found The Steve? Or even worse, what if we go in there and find Number 1 the way we found the Steve?"

Number 2 fidgeted with his goggles. "Number 5, that's one thing we don't have to worry about. You're not going to find Number 1 like that because he's working with that woman."

"And Rachel? What if she's down there?"

Hoagie gripped the steering wheel tightly, wondering if he should say what was on his mind. Finally he said flatly "If it's too late for her… then you'll do the same thing you did for The Steve."

Abby's heart skipped a beat. "How did you know about that?"

Her pilot didn't answer that question, but he did answer what he knew was hanging on Abby's mind. "We're the Kids Next Door. We have to do our job, no matter what, no matter how hard it is, no matter what it costs us, no matter what."

Number 5 unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out of the front passengers seat. She looked back over her shoulder at Number 2. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "When you come back, make sure you bring me back a piece of that cake!" He called after her. "Just make sure it's not as small of a piece as Steve was cut into."

For a second he thought he'd made a huge mistake, but Number 5 smiled wryly. "By the time I'm done with you, you WILL be in smaller pieces than The Steve!" And with that the doors to the E.L.I.M.O.N.A.T.E.R. closed and Number 5 entered the mansion.