Hmm…not that many reviews…ah well, I'm used to it. (smiles gleefully) Anyway, this chapter is the most confusing and the longest one. In fact, it's so long, this is only part 1! Part 2 will come later of course. There'll be 1/5, 1/10, 9/10, 3/4, 12/13, and clones/clones. No Chad/362 or 2/14 in this chapter though. Some of the clones do NOT like the same people as their originals do. Readers out there, get ready for arguments, fight scenes, and so much more in this complicated chapter. Loads of stuff to look forward to, especially the awakening of ALL of the clones. Oh yeah, and Numbuh 4 will play a major role in this chapter this time around, 'cause I feel bad about him not being so much in the others. Yeah. So there'll be a lot of stuff, including a certain somebody's realizing his feelings for another person and a certain somebody confessing feelings about another. (Okay I'm just rambling now) And now the chapter! I don't own the usual stuff. If you thought you had enough of the clones, you haven't seen anything yet!
Now downloading Kids Next Door Mission…
Real
Evil
Situations
Cause
Unhappy
Experiences
Log 8—The Ties That Bind UsTime: 9:00 AM
Location: Delightful Children's Mansion
There were many things in the world that the Delightful Children from Down the Lane had never been able to get used to. Having one of their number, Lenny, walk around by himself in order to trick the Kids Next Door was one that took a little while to understand. Having more than one adult in the house with them now was another. However, having a walking, talking, Wallabee Beatles in their house was something else. It took them a few minutes to get used to the idea that this wasn't the real Numbuh 4.
"So run this by meh again," Wallabee turned around to look at Cyriel and Jeff. He had by now gotten dressed into an orange hoodie, blue jeans, and sneakers. "Ah'm the clone of some kid named Wallabee Beatles—which Ah 'ave ta add, is a really weird name—who jus' so 'appens ta be top priority on the death list?"
Cyriel nodded. "Pretty much."
Wallabee rubbed his chin. "Okay…an' whot are you guys lookin' at?" He frowned at the Delightful Children. "Do Ah 'ave a bug on mah face or somethin'?"
They shook their heads. "It's…nothing."
Wallabee accepted that answer and then his frown deepened. He brushed his blond hair out of his eyes but it fell right back into place. "Sheesh, whot is with this 'airstyle? Ah feel loike Ah'm wearin' a mangy mop on mah 'ead an' Ah can't even see straight!"
"You'll have to get used to it," Jeff muttered under his breath. "Your original has that hairstyle and there is no way you're changing it."
"Aw crud." Wallabee blinked. "Lemme guess…mah original says that a lot."
Cyriel nodded. One thing is for certain…we know he's not much different from the real Wallabee. She gazed around at the other green capsule tubes. Which means, he should begin to feel a certain way about the rest of the clones.
Wallabee only just then realized that there were other tubes, like the one he had broken out of, in the room. He walked around, looking at the humanoid children floating and sloshing in the greenish liquid. After stopping in front of one of the capsules, he spoke again.
"Are these guys supposed ta be mah brothers an' sisters?"
"Not really," Cyriel answered intelligently. "They are clones of the original Kids Next Door. Technically, the originals are your siblings, but you are the second-oldest of the clones."
He nodded. "Good." Then he pointed up at the capsule he was standing in front of. "'Cause Ah think Ah like this 'ere Sheila."
Jeff blinked and then turned his own eyes on the capsule. When he saw the young girl with delicate Asian features, he smiled knowingly. Oh of course.
Wallabee tilted his head to the side in order to look at the girl properly. Then he shook his head. "At least, mah 'eart is tellin' meh Ah loike 'er. Given mah own opinion, Ah ain't inta such mushy crud."
The Delightful Children looked at the monitor on the capsule tube nearest to them. It was starting to blink quite rapidly and the clone within was starting to stir. "Mr. and Mrs. Hartman…it appears as if another one of the brats is starting to come to life."
"Who are ya callin' a brat?"
They laughed nervously in unison. "Um…nobody Wallabee."
Inside the capsule, the clone slowly opened her eyes. She lifted her wire-clad legs up and shoved them at the front of the glass wall.
CRASH!
The wall shattered, sending the glass pieces against the ground. Liquid sloshed around her body, emptying out against the floor. She jerked her head from side to side, snapping the wires holding it in place. She pulled the cords from her arms and legs and removed the breathing device from her mouth.
Cyriel, Jeff, and Wallabee moved closer to the girl. She stepped out of the broken capsule onto the broken glass. Crunch. Her eyes traveled over them before she spoke.
"Okay…what is duh deal wit' ya'll lookin' as if you've seen a ghost?"
Jeff recovered first. "Um…nice to have you alive too Abigail Lincoln."
"Dat's mah name?" Abigail frowned. "Man, what's up wit' dat?"
"'Ey, Ah don't loike mah name eithuh," said Wallabee tersely. "But we gotta deal with them."
Abigail looked down at herself and her frown deepened. "Okay, why duh heck am I practically wearin' next ta nuthin'?!"
Wallabee noticed…and looked away. Cyriel rolled her eyes and then steered Abigail in the direction of the next room to change.
Jeff moved over to the computer and picked up a small package. "I'm going to deliver something." He also walked out of the room after his wife.
"This is really going to take some getting used to," the Delightfuls muttered under their breath.
Wallabee nodded. "Tell meh about it. You guys talk in unison!"
Two days later…
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: KND Headquarters (Sector V)
"Are ya sure ya can dodge this Numbuh 12?"
"Yeah."
"Positive?"
"Of course."
"Well…okay then. Dodge this!"
THWAM!
Eric flew backward and crashed into the wall of the room before dropping in a heap on the ground. Nigel and Wally hurried over to him.
"Ah thought ya said ya could dodge it."
"Yeah well…I didn't expect you to hit so hard."
Nigel shook his head. "Let's try this again."
"Oh…kay."
Over on the other side of the room, Abby was teaching Naomi a few more moves. "When you punch girl, you've gotta mean it."
"But that doesn't seem very nice."
"It ain't meant ta be."
"But I don't think I can do something that mean."
"Try it."
Matt was already perfectly fine and watched as Siri duked it out with Kayla. The training session was going fairly well...despite the fact that Kayla was not ducking or even putting up her hands to block anything.
PAF!
"Numbuh 13, you have got to block something!"
PAF!
"Okay, anytime today!"
PAF!
"Put up your hands!"
PAF!
"(sigh)" Siri stopped throwing punches and kicks. "Why don't we take a break for now?"
Kayla nodded, her body aching. "Works fer me. Ya'll know I'm not meant for close-range stuff."
"Well you have no choice," Matt told her firmly. "I'm willing to bet your clone will be an all-around, so you have to expect the worst."
"Great."
Siri nodded and picked up the pieces of equipment she'd salvaged for a new weapon. Zen, who had flat-out refused to join in the training, had given her a blueprint for an upgrade on the power levels of the other KND weaponry and she couldn't wait to test it out. Of course, making the upgrading module itself was a challenge.
"I'll be in Numbuh 5's room if anyone needs me."
She walked past the others and strolled down the hallway to the room with large number "5" on the door. The door slid open for her and she pushed back the draperies.
CRAAAAAAASSSSHHHHH!!
A package flew through the window, shattering the glass, and landed at her feet.
"What the—?" Siri dashed to the window and looked out through the broken panes, but she didn't see anything save for the usual scenery of the suburbs. "That was weird."
She moved back towards the package, crunching broken glass along the way. Man, Numbuh 5 is gonna be peeved when she sees this. She picked up the package. Okay…there's a 50 chance this thing is a bomb…a 25 chance this thing is worse than a bomb…and a 25 chance this thing is harmless. Well…only one way to find out.
Siri slowly unwrapped the package, keeping it an arms length away from her just in case she needed to toss it right back out the window. To her surprise, the wrappings fell away, revealing a mechanical hologram device. Huh?
The device blinked and a small hologram rose from its depths. It fizzled from snow for about a second before two faces materialized. Two faces she wished she would never have had to see again.
Her shoulders shook as Siri stared into the fizzled faces of her hated foster parents.
"Hello Syria dear. No doubt you are the one who was curious enough to open this package and I believe you are wondering what is going on. Why on earth was this sent to you?" Jeff's face smiled coldly. "Ah well, think of it as a way to check up on you."
"We know you and your friends are probably trying to harbor ways in order to defeat your unwanted 'siblings'," Cyriel picked up from where he left off. "Well I regret to inform you that any methods you are taking are futile. There is no way you will be able to defeat the clones…even if you trained."
Siri's jaw dropped. "Now wait just a—"
"If you are thinking of using your own weaknesses against the clones, I assure you that you're being both rash and foolish. The clones know their weaknesses just like you do, but they know far more about each other than you will ever know. Using your own weaknesses against them will prove to nothing since…they don't actually have your exact personalities."
Now Siri was freaked. That can't be right.
"Oh there is something important Cree and Chad no doubt forgot to mention to you dearest," Jeff went on. "Not only do we know your weaknesses and have your Moonbase under control, we also have the security defense grids on all of the treehouses around the globe. The Code Module Andrea so generously gave us allowed us access to all of the information on every Kids Next Door operative in the world, and it didn't take us long to hack into their locations and their treehouse defense systems. Now all of them are virtually powerless…and trapped. The biggest surrender in all kid-kind is currently underway."
No… Siri shook her head. Please tell me this isn't true. Hey wait…if they managed to get all of the security defense grids on everyone then how come we're still okay?
"You're probably wondering why your defense systems haven't gone down and why you're still operational and safe." Now both of their faces looked sour. "You have your genius friend Zen to thank for that. He modified everything in Sector V's treehouse using his brilliant mind so that no one would be able to take it down except for him, you, Nigel, Matthew, and Abigail. Oh yes, and Hoagie too. Therefore, you are the only Kids Next Door in the entire planet that are standing in the way of victory or defeat."
Her parents went on. "Don't feel so relieved then Syria. Just because you're safe inside that giant treehouse doesn't mean you'll be safe wherever you go. Your organization is falling to the hands of the adults and we won't stop until every operative is taken down. Including you." They smiled sadistically. "Don't think we care about what happens to you and that's the reason we're sending you this message. We just want you to take heed on what's happening to your fellow agents. It doesn't matter who destroys you in the end…whether it be us or your clone."
They moved to the side and Siri could see a tank filled to the brim with greenish liquid. Within the depths, clad only in underwear and a clingy tank top, was the mirror image of herself. Electrical wires coursed down through the clone's brain and her chest moved up and down in an easy rhythmic breathing pattern.
"You're not our real daughter to begin with so we feel no remorse in your twin 'sister' taking you down. She'll be a much better you than you could ever be. So what can we say Syria…maybe if you hadn't joined the Kids Next Door to begin with, none of this would have had to happen…and maybe you and your friends wouldn't have to die. Until then Syria…we look forward to seeing you again face to face."
The hologram fizzled out and the echo of Cyriel and Jeff's laughter pounded in Siri's ears. She dropped the mechanical device and sank to her knees, her hands pressed to her head in a way that made her want to crush it. A strangled cry tore away at her throat, releasing from her mouth in one long wail.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
There was the sound of feet pounding against the ground. Someone was running towards the room.
No…leave me…leave me…leave me here…
The draperies were pushed aside. "Numbuh 10? What's wrong?" It was Abby.
"Leave me alone!"
"Numbuh 10, are ya okay? You don't look so—"
"I said, LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Abby blinked and moved closer, reaching out to touch Siri's shoulder. The blonde operative jerked her head up and slapped her hand away. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"
"Oh baby, dis don't look good at all." Abby looked down and saw the hologram device in front of the girl. She picked it up and backed away slowly until she reached the draperies in front of her door. She closed them and then walked out the sliding door with the number "5". "Man, I can't believe dis."
"Numbuh 5!"
She whirled around to come face to face with Nigel and Matt. Behind them, Wally and Kuki, as well as the other Kids Next Door operatives, looked worried.
"What was that racket?" asked Hoagie curiously.
Abby bit her lip. "It was Numbuh 10. I don't know what's wrong wit' her now, but I believe dis thang has somethin' ta do wit' her new behavior." She held out the hologram device. "Think we should check it out?"
"Good idea Numbuh 5." Nigel took the device and stared at it. "Hmm…I think we can put it on a larger screen. Numbuh 11, if you please."
The Genius lifted his head from behind his book and nodded.
Time: 10:45 AM
Location: Delightful Children's Mansion
Matthew Pluto, not the real Matthew Pluto of course, leaned against a beautifully-carved table in the cloning machine room, his eyes traversing over the two newly-born clones. Of course, Wallabee was far from newly born but still…
"Ah Matthew, you decided to join us once again," the Delightful Children spoke up. "How was everything on the Moonbase?"
"The same," Matthew replied, holding out two strands of hair. One was the blonde strand of Andi and the other was the red strand of Fanny. "Two more clones coming right up."
Cyriel nodded and took the two hair strands.
"So yo' supposed ta be Matthew Pluto right?"
Matthew turned his head to the side, facing Abigail Lincoln…well, the fake one obviously. She looked like the same Numbuh 5 except her hair wasn't gathered in a braid. It trailed in wavy curls down her back from beneath the red hat.
"Yeah, that's me."
She smiled. "You seem pretty cool…an' yo' kinda cute too."
He blushed a bit but his insides writhed horribly. Oh no…don't tell me she's starting to have a crush on me.
Her smile faded and she pointed at one of the clones floating in the capsules. "I find it so stupid dat we don't really have our own feelin's. Fo' example, I'm supposedly in love wit' dat boy in there, but I don't see why I am. I mean, I don't lak him but it seems mah original does."
"That does suck," Matthew agreed, knowing fully well what she was talking about. "I'm supposed to like that girl over there." He gestured towards the floating blonde girl. "And I guess I do, but I don't even know her. It's weird that we already have these instant thoughts and feelings about each other and we don't even know each other." He took a breath. "I feel like I've known you longer than just a few minutes."
Abigail nodded. "An' I feel lak I've known dat boy in dat tube fo' practically forever." She sighed. "An' Wallabee…I feel I've known him a long time too. I know so much about him."
Matthew nodded. I can relate to that. He could see how Numbuh 5 and Abigail were similar. They were both easy to talk to.
CRASH! SMASH!
Two more capsules shattered at the exact same time. Abigail pushed up her hat. "Who's alive?"
Wallabee, who had been helping himself to some cheese fries that Jeff had brought along, turned toward the clones making their way out of the capsules and liquid. "Let's see…if Ah'm roight, it's Eric Onze an' Hoagie Gilligan."
Cyriel looked up from where she was splicing the genetic hairs from within Andi and Fanny's strands. "Actually, we've given them their own first names in order to not confuse them with the real Eric Onze and Hoagie Gilligan. This way, you'll know who's a clone and who isn't. They will respond to either name though."
"Eric Onze" or "Aaron Onze" as he was called now flipped back his messy wet hair. "Dude, like I'm soaking wet and in my underwear!"
"Hoagie Gilligan" or "Hank Gilligan" acted like any 11-year-old boy hearing that: he laughed like crazy.
"Okay settle down. I can remedy that." Jeff grabbed both boys and hurried them into the other room.
Abigail sighed and leaned back next to Matthew. "All o' these thoughts runnin' through mah head. I'm supposed ta have a bad habit o' talkin' in third person…I seem ta love candy…an' I have a lotta common sense but nobody takes mah advice seriously."
"Why not?" Matthew shrugged. "You seem smart to me."
She laughed. "It's not me; it's mah original. Man, talk about confusin'." She cocked her head at him. "You sho you don't have a girlfriend or somethin'?"
"Yeah, I'm sure." Matthew frowned. "Why?"
Abigail started and blushed, looking away. "Ah…no reason. Jus' felt lak askin' ya."
Cyriel and Jeff continued to monitor the remaining tubes while the freed clones busied themselves. Wallabee and Hank (now back from the room) were eating a plate full of cheese fries that Jeff had brought, and Eric was gaping at the floating replicas. The Delightfuls had gotten bored of watching the births and had left for their luncheon.
As for Matthew…he was trying to keep Abigail from staring at him all the time. Geez, I know she said I was cute but come on! This is ridiculous! He stared at the tube containing the clone of Nigel Uno. Wake up already!
No sooner had the thought entered his head, the clone's eyes shot open.
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: KND Headquarters (Sector V)
The Kids Next Door of Sector V and Sector F stared at the hologram device without speaking. Matt had insisted on playing the hologram twice in order to confirm the message's accuracy. Zen had checked up on the status of the other teams around the world using his book/computer, and assured the others that Cyriel and Jeff had been telling the truth.
"I can't believe they would do something like that," Hoagie whispered in a frightened voice.
"All of those kids out there…this is unreal," Eric agreed.
Abby crossed her arms. "Well, now we know we're duh on'y people heah dat can stop them now. We've got ta defeat 'em, fo' duh sake o' kids everywhere."
"So in othuh words, no pressure," Wally cracked sarcastically.
Nigel paced up and down for about two minutes before he glanced at the direction of Numbuh 5's room. Then he walked towards it.
Matt saw him. "Hey Numbuh 1, where you goin'? We need a new plan."
Nigel kept walking.
"Numbuh 1, that's Numbuh 5's room," said Kuki.
He ignored her and stopped at the sliding door. Abby laid a hand on his shoulder, trying to prevent him from going in.
"She don't wanna have anyone in there wit' her right now."
"Look, I made a promise to her that I would always be there for her no matter what." He turned around and Abby let her hand fall off his shoulder. His face softened. "I just want to see if she's okay. Her being in there alone isn't safe."
Abby sighed and then nodded. "Maybe yo' right."
"I know I'm right." Nigel grinned and walked through the sliding door. Abby stared after him before turning back to the others. Seeing their worried faces, she forced a smile on her face.
"Don't worry guys. He'll be back."
I jus' wish he wouldn't always jump ta attention whenevuh Numbuh 10's feelin's are concerned.
Nigel slowly crept into the room, pushing aside the draperies covering the doorway. He could see Siri on her knees on the floor, holding her head in her hands. She was sobbing quietly and murmuring to herself. With her long blonde hair draped around her wet face and her shaking body, she looked more lost and alone than he had last seen her.
Yet that wasn't what shocked him. What shocked him was that scattered around her were the remains of one of her old unsuccessful weapons. It looked like she had broken it into pieces, and judging by her scraped hands had used all means necessary to destroy it. The bandage that had been wrapped around her arm from before had been torn off. She's been at it again.
"Numbuh 10?"
Siri gave a shudder.
"It's okay Siri. It's just me." He started walking over to her. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."
She shook her head. "Go away Numbuh 1. I don't wanna talk to anybody right now."
"I'm not going to leave you alone," Nigel replied firmly. He halted in front of her and took her hands away from her head. She tilted her face up at him. Her eyes were swollen and red, and her face was streaked with tears. It hurt him so much to see her like this. "I made a promise to be there for you remember?"
Siri hiccupped and gulped down some more tears. She gave another shudder and her golden hazel eyes glared at him. "Please (sniff) just go away Numbuh 1. How much more of this…do you think I could (hiccup) take?" She tore her hands away from his and tried to push him away, but failed. "Oh God…please just let me die!"
Nigel shook his head and grabbed her hands again, drawing them firmly away from her. The act drew him strangely closer to her, but he didn't notice. "No…if you think all of this is your fault, I'm telling you once and for all to stop thinking that way. None of this is your fault. Your parents were just playing with your emotions. They know the buttons…and they pushed them." He let go of her hands and gently wiped away the tears trickling down her face. "They'll pay for it Siri. I can assure you that."
She sighed and leaned against him, her face buried into his shirt and clinging to him as if he were her last lifeline. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, smoothing the fluid blonde hair away from her damp face. They just fit together so perfectly. "It'll be okay," he whispered against the smooth shell of her ear. Luckily, she didn't see him roll his eyes. I can't believe how much like my mom I sound.
And yet in a way, he felt such warmth and tenderness around her. No words needed to be said…just this closeness…this fact that he could be here for her. To have her reach out to him and for him to still be close…for the moment…he truly felt complete.
As complete as he'd felt around Numbuh 5 when she'd talked to him about Lizzie…
Nigel's head snapped up, his mouth twisting into a puzzled frown. Why on earth did he keep thinking about Numbuh 5? Being near Numbuh 10 didn't make him betray Numbuh 5's friendship right? Right?
At last, she slowed down her tears. "I'm so sorry Nigel," she sniffed. "I'm sorry I'm placing so many burdens on you. You've got a lot of stuff to deal with already…you don't need this too."
"It's okay," Nigel replied, easing her face away. His shirt was drenched but he didn't really care. "Your problems are my problems Siri. It's not a burden." He stood up, pulling her along with him in the process.
Siri tried to look away but Nigel tilted her face back to his. Her eyes were shining with pain, guilt, and confusion. "You're so good to me," she whispered, reaching out to touch his face. Her hand felt so soft against him. "I don't deserve a friend like you."
He laughed quietly. "Yes you do. You, of all people, deserve the best after what you've been through." He nodded earnestly. "Everyone needs a friend to be there in their time of need."
Listening to his sincere words, she looked up into the eyes appearing from behind his sunglasses. Eyes never lied, and his were just as honest and patient as his words. She could see sympathy and understanding in those blue depths…and…love.
Love…no that's impossible.
"We can't win Nigel," Siri told him seriously. "You know that right? With everything that they have…we can't win."
Nigel sighed. "No we can't. But we can try. And in the end, that's all that matters." He smiled at her. "Your parents aren't going to get away with this. This isn't your doing Siri, it's theirs."
"Yeah…you're right. But I still don't know if—"
Nigel placed a finger gently over Siri's lips. "I don't want to hear another negative thought about this being your fault or anything. Okay?" He tipped her chin up and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. For some strange reason, a flashing image of Numbuh 5 zipped through his brain. "I'll be here…no matter what."
Siri blinked…and then she smiled. It hurt but it felt more relieving than painful. "Thanks Nigel."
As for Nigel, he was trying to figure out exactly what compelled him to kiss her on the forehead. No doubt, it was just his way of acting towards a friend that was a girl. But why did he still think of Numbuh 5 while he did? Shaking his head, he pushed Siri slightly away so she could steady herself. "What are friends for?" He gestured towards the draped door. "Now how about we get out of here and find a way to defeat these copies of us?"
She laughed and grabbed onto his hand. Nigel blushed but otherwise, let her. "Yeah…let's go find a way to kick some major butt."
Time: 11:15 AM
Location: Delightful Children's Mansion
Matthew waited outside the door to the changing room for "Nigel Uno" to come out. It didn't take long for the clone to appear, dressed in the typical red turtleneck and gray shorts. Black sunglasses were placed over his blue eyes.
"Must I wear these?" the clone asked Jeff in his thick British accent.
He nodded. "Your original wears that outfit all the time. You'll have to get used to it Nig—I mean, Nick."
Nick sighed. "If I must." He glanced at Matthew over the sunglasses. "Stupid things…why do I even wear them when they're not needed...oh, you're Matthew right?"
Matthew inclined his head. "Last time I checked I was."
"Nice to meet you…I mean, well nice for me to meet you." Nick rolled his eyes. "My original's feelings tell me I already know nearly everything about you…well…your original that is."
"That's about right," said Matthew cheerfully. "Welcome to life. How's it faring you?"
Nick snorted. "It's fair…except for the fact that I'm bald. What is the deal with that? Didn't my original used to have a full head of hair?"
Matthew blinked. Maybe at one time…
Abigail, seeing that Matthew was over near the changing room, wandered over. Her honey brown eyes landed on Nick, traveling over him. "So…yo' Nigel?"
"Yes and I'm called Nick as well," said the clone. He stared at her as if she were a dream. "And…if I'm not mistaken…you're Abigail."
She laughed. "Right. Yo' not as stupid as ya look."
"Hey!"
She turned to Matthew and playfully swatted his arm. "So are ya jus' standin' heah, waitin' fo' someone else ta wake up?"
He nodded, flinching at the feel of her hand against his arm. What is with this girl?
Abigail laughed again. "I'll leave you boys ta get acquainted." With that, she turned around and left to watch the other boys invade the cheese fries.
Nick stared after her and then at Matthew. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"Why…when I look at her…why do I have such a strange tingling sensation inside? I feel like…there's something special about her."
Matthew grinned. "Oh well…I think you're taping into your programming. See, I have the same feelings and emotions as my original, so I'm in love with that girl there." He pointed at the capsule in front of him.
Unfortunately, the capsule in front of Nick wasn't the same capsule in front of Matthew. "Uh…" He pointed at the freckled redheaded clone of Kayla Markham in front of him. "You don't really have good taste."
Matthew pulled him away from the tube. "Not that girl! This one!" He pointed at the clone of Syria Kaldorei. "If my guess is correct, your original likes the original of Abigail Lincoln."
"Oh." Nick stared at Abigail and then back at Matthew in disbelief. "What…you mean…me and…her?"
Matthew nodded.
Now the clone's face wrinkled in disgust. "Oh disgusting!"
Huh?
"I mean, no offense to her but why?" Nick shook his head. "I don't feel attracted to her but my heart is pulling me towards her. Can't I decide my own feelings?"
Now that Matthew thought about it, he wasn't altogether sure. He still felt the same attraction towards Syria Kaldorei as he knew his original undoubtedly felt. Yet going back to Abigail…she hadn't felt the same way towards Nick as Abby obviously felt towards Nigel. Truth be told, she seemed to like Matthew more, a whole lot more.
She's overriding her own programming, thought Matthew. She's not supposed to have these feelings for me…but maybe…they make her more human if she has choices. He groaned. But why me?
He turned away from Nick and stumbled over to Cyriel and Jeff. "Tell me another clone's alive now."
They stared at him. "Not that I wanna be impatient," Matthew informed them. "It's just…Abigail is the only girl around here. I don't like the way she's overshadowed by us guys."
Cyriel smiled as warmly as her face would allow her to. "You're in luck Matthew. We do have another clone in the waking stages now. And…" her smile turned mischievous. "You'll be pleased to see it is a female clone and one your original is well aware of."
Matthew rolled his eyes and walked over to the capsule he knew she was talking about. Nick followed him.
"You know…" Nick gestured towards the capsule at the floating blonde. "She's actually very beautiful for her age."
Matthew groaned. Oh don't you start overriding your programming too.
"But it's strange really," Nick went on seriously. "I feel something towards that girl in the capsule…sorry, I know you like her. But…is this my own attraction…or my original's?"
"To be honest…I'm not sure anymore."
SMASH! CRASH!
No sooner had the words left his mouth; the clone tumbled out of the liquid-filled capsule and into his arms. Only for a moment though.
She managed to get used to standing and pushed him away so she could do it properly. Cyriel and Jeff came over to her and helped her steady herself. Her gold-flecked hazel eyes bore into theirs before she spoke:
"Hello…Mom…Dad."
And that's when the rest of the clones came to life.
Time: 11:15 AM
Location: KND Headquarters (Sector V)
Sometimes I wonder why Numbuh 10 always looks to Numbuh 1 to talk to, Matt thought to himself. He was watching as his best friend chatted with the leader of Sector V, keeping her eyes on no one but him. Okay, he's a nice guy but…what am I, a duck?
"Hey Numbuh 9. What's wrong?"
"Huh?" Siri was standing in front of him now, looking a little concerned. Apparently, she'd finished her conversation with Nigel a while ago. "Oh I'm fine."
She looked unconvinced, but didn't question him further. "All right." She leaned forward and poked his nose. "You seemed a bit tense."
He blushed. "I'm fine."
Siri grinned at his reaction. "Sure you are."
"When you two have finished flirting, please tell us."
Siri and Matt both blushed. Nigel and Abby stood in front of them, an amused grin etched on both of their faces.
"What's up?" Matt asked them, changing the subject away from him and Siri.
"We've been puttin' our heads together an' we've come up wit' some ways on how ta go about our rescue mission," said Abby. "Numbuh 5's compiled a list o' duh thangs we need ta take care of an' duh top priority is ta rescue duh Moonbase an' all o' duh kids down heah on Earth."
Siri nodded. "Sounds pretty good to me."
Nigel went on. "However, we don't really have a good idea on how we're going to manage that so if you have any ideas, we'd be glad to hear them." Abby nodded alongside him.
"I'm kinda out of ideas at the moment," Matt said reluctantly. He looked at Siri, who shrugged.
"I'll have to think for a little bit, but I'm sure something will come to me eventually," she replied. "Hand over the list."
Abby handed it over and Siri quickly skimmed it, her eyebrows furrowed in a neat frown. "This could take a while," she muttered under her breath.
The other three operatives nodded, silently agreeing with her.
"Well…since we need to restore the Moonbase, we'll have to find a way to sneak onto it without attracting any attention from the Delightfuls or my parents or the rest of our clones back here on Earth. Anyone have any ideas on how to make a cloaking device?"
Now she was met with eyes that all said one thing: No.
"Fine. I'll research on Numbuh 11's book/computer on cloaking devices. He's bound to have the Internet on that thing." For some strange reason, her eyes began to twitch slightly.
Matt noticed. "Hey Numbuh 10…you okay? Why are your eyes all twitchy?"
"Huh?" Siri turned to him. Her eyes stopped twitching. "They were twitching? Since when?"
"Uh…never mind."
She shrugged. "Okay then." She began to jot down a few notes, every now and then asking Nigel a few questions.
(ALERT ALERT This next part will be very, very, complicated so be prepared. I will be switching back and forth constantly. )
Time: 11:25 AM
Location: Delightful Children's Mansion
It took the other clones a total of ten minutes to change into their appropriate outfits (amidst groans and complaints). Only "Zen Chou" or "Zao" as he was now called did not complain. This was probably due to the fact he didn't care what he wore anyway so long as it matched.
The Delightful Children were even more uncomfortable than ever, as now it seemed as if their archenemies were all under the same roof.
"This is the most annoyin' thang Ah have ever put on in mah life."
Aaron laughed. "Not as annoying as your accent Tex."
"Kayla Markham" or "Kay" spun around, her hat lopsided. "What did ya jest call me that fer?"
"I…I dunno. Intuition?"
"You guys are really weird," said the youngest clone. "Naomi Cloud" had flat-out refused to wear her hair in braids and her black hair hung loose. "And I have the worst fake name! Why Nami? Can't I be called something different?"
Abigail shrugged. "How about Natalie? Dat's pretty close ta Naomi."
"It's okay."
Matthew looked over his new teammates with a sort of approval over his face. Copies but with their own personalities. The perfect essence of clones. The only thing that bothered him was that they had separated themselves soon after the final awakenings; boys on one side of the room, girls on the other.
I guess we're still not used to each other.
The clone of Kuki Sanban—called "Kyoko"—was getting adjusted to her new surroundings and of course, her look. Unlike the other girls, she wasn't disappointed with anything. "Wow, I'm cute!" she chirped, checking her reflection in the mirror. She tilted her head in Abigail's direction. "You're cute too!"
"Uh…thanks?"
"Syria Kaldorei" tossed her blonde hair to the side, making it fall over one eye that somehow made her look sophisticated. Her hazel eyes traveled over the other two girls. "Not used to compliments like that Abigail?"
Abigail shrugged. "Guess not…judging by what I'm feelin'. But you look lak yo' used ta comments lak dat."
"I feel like I am," the other girl replied. Her eyes traveled over the boys before they rested on Matthew and Nick. She whistled. "Wowee. Are those guys cute or what?"
Abigail followed her gaze. She snorted. "If yo' askin' me if Nick is cute, then I beg ta differ."
Syria giggled. "You didn't say that Matthew was ugly though."
"I…I…"
"What's that I see on your face? Could it be…a blush?"
"Aw shut up!" Abigail snapped though her face was still warm. Her eyes began to glow faintly. "I don't like Matthew in dat light at all. I like Nigel."
Now Syria was curious. "Um…did you say you liked Nigel? I thought we were calling him 'Nick' for now."
"His name is Nick. I jus'…jus'…" Now Abigail stopped talking, closed her eyes, and concentrated deep within her mind. She could barely make it out but thoughts coming from her twin, the real Numbuh 5, were running through her head. Faintly.
"I think I have a really great idea all of a sudden. We might not need Numbuh 10's cloaking device…uh, if she can even make one dat is. Man, speakin' of which, what happened between her an' Numbuh 1 in mah bedroom anyway? She's givin' him sweet little smiles an' he's returnin' 'em. What is up wit' dat?"
Abigail opened her eyes again and grinned. "I can hear mah original's thoughts."
"You can?" Syria was intrigued.
"Yup. An' I believe dat's what's makin' me say I like Nigel. Well two can play dis game. I'm a lot stronger than she is." Abigail's grin became more malicious. "Let's see how she likes seein' things through mah eyes!"
Time: 11:25 AM
Location: KND Headquarters (Sector V)
Abby patiently tapped her foot against the ground, waiting for the rest of her teammates to settle down so they could listen to the plan that Siri and her and cooked up. Unfortunately, most of the others weren't paying her an ounce of attention, save for Siri. Matt and Nigel were trying their best to pay attention, but they were too busy settling the others down.
"Guys, come on. We have to focus here," Siri told the others sternly.
Almost immediately, the others settled down on the couch.
"That's better. Take it away Numbuh 5."
Abby nodded. "Okay gang, listen up. Numbuh 10 an' I found a way ta get inside duh Moonbase without anybody noticin' us. Basically, all we have ta do is—" She blinked, and suddenly felt her forehead. She felt so dizzy. "Um…all we have ta…do…is…" She began to sway back and forth.
"Numbuh 5?" Nigel blinked.
"Oh…dizzy." Abby took a shuddery breath and closed her eyes. Another pair of thoughts was invading her brain, pushing her own thoughts out.
"Hee hee. Well looks lak it worked. Time fo' some fun!"
"Numbuh 5?"
Abby opened her eyes. "Huh?"
Nigel and Matt stood beside her, ready to catch her in case she fell. "Are you okay?"
Slowly, Abby stood up straight, and then reached out to touch Matt's face. "I dunno. I think I musta been struck by lightnin', 'cause I've never noticed how cute you are."
THE HECK?! Matt back-stepped. Abby giggled. "Um…Numbuh 5?"
Nigel blinked. "What's going on here?" The others were non-plussed.
Abby turned around and glared at him. "Hey, can't ya see I'm tryin' ta talk ta someone heah? Go bother Numbuh 10 or somethin'!"
"Don't talk to Numbuh 1 like that!" Siri exclaimed in shock.
Abby ignored her and placed both of her hands on Matt's shoulders. "Whassamatter baby? Not used ta any girl holdin' ya lak dis?" She giggled again and poked him on the nose.
Matt began to sweat bullets. Okay, something is really really warped here. He found his voice. "WHO ARE YOU?!" He wrenched himself out of her grasp and ran to hide behind Nigel.
Nigel glanced at him, and then at Abby. "Okay…would someone like to tell me…WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!"
In response, his best friend placed her hands on her hips. "What does it look lak? I lak Numbuh 9. Plain an' simple."
"You what?!" Matt yelped.
"You what?!" exclaimed Nigel.
"You what?!" cried Siri, her eyes growing to the size of side plates.
"SHE WHAT?!" Everybody chorused at the same time.
Abby looked undisturbed by their cries of alarm. "Yeah, so what's duh big deal? What, ya thought I would go fo' someone lak Numbuh 1 heah?" She laughed cruelly. "Why would I go fo' someone dat's bald and bossy? I mean, look at him; he doesn't have an ounce o' hair on dat cranium o' his, an' I'm surprised if he's got any brains eithuh. An' what's duh deal wit' actin' lak he's duh only one who knows best? I mean, every time somethin' bad happens, he's runnin' away lak a little schoolgirl. Some leaduh if ya ask me."
"NUMBUH 5!" Siri and Matt chorused in unison. They couldn't believe the words that were flying out of her mouth.
Nigel didn't say anything, only stared at his best friend with a look of utter disbelief on his face. His sunglasses had slipped down his nose, revealing his shocked blue eyes. This is how she really thinks of me?
Hoagie whistled. "That's harsh Numbuh 5."
"Well it's duh truth ain't it?" she demanded. "I mean, I have never seen a more pathetic sight. Now you on duh othuh hand," she pushed the stiff Nigel out of the way and wrapped an arm around Matt, "Are much more worthy."
Matt's face lit with a fire. "Please Numbuh 5…quit it!" She giggled and tousled his brown hair. "I mean it!" he squealed. "Quit it!"
Kuki and Naomi blinked cluelessly. Kayla and Eric tried to keep from laughing—and failed. Zen narrowed his eyes.
"I think dat's enough playtime fo' now."
Time: 11:35AM
Location: Delightful Children's Mansion
Abigail opened her eyes and rocked back on her heels. Syria stared in a bemused way at the satisfied smirk on the dark girl's face. "I take it things went well?"
"Better than well," the other girl answered gleefully. "More lak awesome!"
"Cool." Syria giggled and walked over to Nick. She whispered something into his ear. He looked confused for about a minute, and then his face brightened. She nodded excitedly.
"What did you tell him?" Abigail asked her.
Syria grinned. "To do the same thing you did."
Time: 11:37 AM
Location: KND Headquarters (Sector V)
Almost immediately, Abby felt her head grow dizzy and hot again, and she shook her head to clear it. Ugh, what happened? She glanced around at her teammates, all of whom were staring back at her in alarm and apprehension.
"Whassamatter wit' you guys?" She glanced at Matt, who blushed a dark red and moved away from her.
"What's the matter with us? What's the matter with you?" Wally shot back.
"I don't understand."
At this, Nigel finally spoke up. His blue eyes were now icy and filled with cold fury. "Oh really? What part don't you understand Numbuh 5? The part about you becoming openly smitten with Numbuh 9? Or perhaps, the part about me being a crummy leader and having no brain underneath my hairless scalp?" His words cut through the air like a knife.
Abby blinked. "What are ya talkin' about Numbuh 1? Numbuh 5 never said anythang lak dat."
"Oh don't try to lie Numbuh 5. We all heard you."
"What are ya'll sayin'? I am not in love with Numbuh 9. He's so not mah type—no offense."
"None taken," Matt whispered shakily. "Really."
"An' I would never say anythang lak dat about you Numbuh 1." She looked into his angry eyes and flinched. He's really ticked. "You gotta believe me. Numbuh 5 would never make fun o' yo' brains or yo' baldness." Considerin' it's mah fault yo' bald.
He continued to glare at her. Abby turned away from those hurt and furious eyes, and her own eyes landed on Siri. Siri chewed on her bottom lip. "He's right Numbuh 5. How could you say those things about him?"
"I have NO idea what you are talkin' about!"
"Yeah right!" Nigel snapped angrily.
"Don't you be callin' Numbuh 5 a liar! I don't lie!"
Nigel rolled his eyes…and then felt a pain enter through his brain. "Ow!" He clutched his head, closing his eyes tightly.
Siri blinked, concerned. "Numbuh 1? You okay?"
What's going…on? What's happening to me?
"Hmph. Abigail was right after all." Nigel opened his eyes and stared at his teammates. A small smirk played across the corners of his mouth. "Now you're going to get it Numbuh 5."
"Numbuh 1? Are you okay?" Siri repeated her question.
He squared his shoulders and smiled at her. "She's just as beautiful as the Syria I know." Out loud, he said, "I'm okay Numbuh 10. I just never realized until now how your hair reminds me of evening sunlight." He reached out and touched her blonde strands.
Siri stepped back, her face growing hot. Um…is he hitting on me?
Matt's surprised expression gave way to jealousy. Is he hitting on her? "What?"
The boy continued to gaze at Siri as if she were a dream. "Sorry Numbuh 10. Not used to anyone commenting on your beauty?"
He is hitting with her. Matt bit back the insane urge to yell and instead focused on what was going on with the leader of Sector V.
Nigel turned to Abby, his evil smile widening. "I wasn't going to call you a liar Numbuh 5. I was, however, going to call you an annoying tomboy."
Abby's jaw dropped—and then she bristled. "Say dat again," she muttered through gritted teeth.
"Very well. You are an annoying tomboy," he replied, emphasizing the last words of his sentence.
Wally blinked. What the heck is goin' on with these two?
"It's funny. You say I'm a bad leader. But really now, you think you could do any better tomboy?" Nigel continued, watching the effect his words were having on Abby. "I'd like to see you try to get people to listen to you and your idiotic way of talking in third person. You never were good at getting people to listen were you?"
Abby looked like she'd beenpunched across the face. Siri noticed and laid a hand on Nigel's arm. "Numbuh 1, I know she hurt you before with those taunts about you but I don't think that insulting her back is the answer."
He ignored her, continuing to speak to Abby and Abby alone. "I don't understand why you can't act like or look like a normal girl. Is that so hard to do? Then again, your hair is probably horrible underneath that stupid hat of yours so maybe it is."
"DAT'S IT!" Abby exploded. Her teammates jumped, fear etched on their faces. Numbuh 5 rarely raised her voice into the higher decibels and usually when she did, it was a sign that she was really really ticked off. "Nobody makes fun o' Numbuh 5's hat or her attitude an' gets away wit' it!"
"Oh really?" Nigel laughed quietly under his breath. "So what are you gonna do about it?"
"Simple. THIS!"
"Okay, change back to the real Numbuh 1 now!"
POW!
Abby's fist slammed against Nigel's face and sent him spinning against the ground. Kuki and Naomi screamed; the others gasped.
"Numbuh 5!" Matt shouted.
Wally winced…and then felt a strange sensation enter his skull. What the…? What's goin' on? He could hear a faint voice speaking to him. It was his voice…and yet not so. He shook his head. Ah. Forget it.
Nigel lifted a hand to the side of his face, shaking his head. Ugh, what's going on? He lifted his head and glared at Abby, who was staring down at him in utmost fury. "What was that for Numbuh 5?"
"Oh so yo' tryin' ta play dumb now huh?" Abby snapped angrily. "An' act lak as clueless as I did befo'. Well dat ain't workin' Numbuh 1!"
He narrowed his eyes and leaped to his feet. "Okay, I don't understand exactly why you punched me but—"
"Oooh, you want an apology now?"
"I think more of an explanation, but yes an apology would work quite nicely," Nigel replied coldly.
Abby snorted. "Well Numbuh 5 ain't gonna give ya an apology 'specially as you won't apologize ta me fo' what you said! Oh dat reminds me," her expression hardened. "I shouldn't be speakin' in third person 'cause it makes me sound idiotic right?"
"Oh so you hitting me is my fault?"
"If ya want duh honest truth—yes!"
Siri flung herself between them before Nigel could actually take matters into his own hands and do something regrettable (not that Abby hadn't already). Nigel gently pushed her to the side. "Stop it Numbuh 1! Stop it Numbuh 5!" she cried, her eyes darting back and forth from Abby to Nigel. "Stop fighting!"
"Yeah, save some of that energy for the clones," Hoagie piped up. "Can't we all just get along?"
Nigel and Abby turned furiously on him. "YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!"
"Eep! Okay."
Matt groaned and buried his head in his hands. What is wrong with everybody?
Time: 11:55 AM
Location: Delightful Children's Mansion
"You were right Syria. That was fun," Nick told the blonde girl with a small smile. She grinned, blushing.
"Told ya." Her eyes glinted with anticipation. Matthew watched her warily. What's going on in that head of hers?
Syria smiled widely. "I wanna try something now." She closed her eyes and stood as stiff as a board. Nick watched her admiringly.
Matthew sighed and shook his head. I don't understand what the fuss is about.
"Whassamatter Matthew?" Abigail poked his shoulder. "You ain't havin' any fun wit' dis?"
"It's not that," he replied. "It's just…how long do you think it'll take them to figure out what's wrong?"
"Who knows? And frankly, who cares?"
Time: 11:55 AM
Location: KND Headquarters (Sector V)
SLAP!
POW!
BIFF!
SMACK!
"STOP FIGHTIN' YOU TWO!" Wally yelled at the top of his lungs. Minutes after they had silenced Hoagie, the pair had begun whaling on each other and not just with words. At the rate those two were going, their bodies weren't going to be bruised alone. "YA'RE SUPPOSED TA BE FRIENDS!"
"Friends don't lie to each other!" Nigel snapped angrily. His sunglasses were askew on his face.
"An' friends don't insult one another an' don't apologize!" Abby added heatedly. Her hat had fallen off of her head and her braid was slowly becoming unraveled.
Siri and Matt gritted their teeth. Darn it, you two. This is pointless, thought Matt.
Oh man, at this rate the clones won't have to finish us off. Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 5 will kill each other quite nicely, Siri thought to herself.
"Sounds nice that Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 5 will kill each other off."
Huh? Siri blinked. What the heck?
Over on the other side of the heated fight, Kuki clutched her head. Ow! I'm starting to hurt a lot! She fell to her knees. "Owie! Owie! Owie!"
"Numbuh 3!" Wally broke away from Nigel and Abby (breaking up their fight was futile as it was), and raced to her side. "Ya okay?"
Kuki's face became oddly slack for a second before she blinked her violet eyes. She giggled and flung her arms around him. "I'm okay now!"
"GAH!" Wally's face turned the color of ripe tomatoes. "Numbuh 3!" He tried to pull himself away but she had a death grip on him. "Let go!"
At this, Hoagie and Eric chose to laugh. "Oh come Numbuh 4. You know you like it."
"Ah…DO…NOT!" Wally insisted angrily. Mah circulation's bein' cut off! He struggled again and managed to free himself from the overly cheerful girl's grasp. She immediately bounded off, skipping and humming under her breath. "What's the matter with 'er?" he asked the other two boys.
But Hoagie and Eric were no longer listening to him. Hoagie poked his stomach as if suddenly aware of his own bulk. "I need to lose some weight." He shook his head seriously. "I wonder if we have any celery."
As for the "Athlete", he was staring at Kayla as if she were the prettiest thing on the planet. "Wow, y'know that hat really suits you. It gives you kind of a rustic appearance and tones down the redder than red of your hair."
"What in kid's name are ya talkin' about?" she replied, her face turning the same red as her hair. "Ya're actin' even weirder than ya usually do."
He smiled in a bemused way. "You have such a cute voice when you're freaked."
Kayla stepped a few paces away from him. "Okay, jest stay a few feet away from me freak!"
Wally blinked in confusion. HUH?!
Meanwhile, Matt and Siri were still trying to compromise with Nigel and Abby. It wasn't easy. "ENOUGH YOU TWO!" Matt grabbed onto Nigel and Siri grabbed onto Abby. The pair continued to exchange a heated staring death match. Lightning crackled between them.
Siri shook her head. "Can't you just stop and think about this for a second? Numbuh 4 is right. You're supposed to be friends. We're all supposed to be friends."
Almost immediately, a strange pain seared through Abby's head. Her eyes flashed and narrowed in dislike. "Man girl, you have got ta be one o' duh most annoyin' thangs on this heah planet. Why can't you jus' let thangs go as they are instead o' tryin' ta solve everythang? Ya think Numbuh 1's gonna be here fo' ya forever? Girl, get a grip on yo'self. If ya want any respect around here, start actin' lak a normal second-in-command instead o' lak a messed-up child."
SMACK!
Nigel reached past Matt and slapped Abby on the face. His dark blue eyes burned. "Take back what you said to her."
She smirked. "No."
"I said, TAKE IT BACK!" He wrenched himself out of Matt's grasp and tackled Abby, being careful not to knock Siri over. The blonde girl barely noticed as her eyes took on that of shock.
Abby grinned mischievously up at Nigel above her. "Well, dis is kinda cozy ain't it?"
"Take…it…back," he replied in a slow and deadly voice.
The black girl laughed coldly, looking over at Siri. "Oh what? Are ya gonna cry now lak earlier? Man, you are such a weak little fool."
"Shut it Numbuh 5," Matt snapped. He wasn't actually angry with her, really he wasn't. Moreover, he was confused how she automatically toned down her anger and instead became extremely sarcastic and rude towards Numbuh 10. The girls were normally on the best of terms with each other.
Nigel, however, was furious. "You better apologize to Numbuh 10 now!"
"Oh an' why should I? You mad 'cause I told yo' girlfriend duh truth?"
"That's not true! It's not even remotely close!" he cried. "And she's not my girlfriend."
Abby rolled her eyes. "Coulda fooled me."
"You are so walking on thin ice right now Numbuh 5."
Once again, her head began to feel hot and she shook it to clear it. Man, what's wrong wit' me? She widened her eyes and shrieked. "GET OFF O' ME!"
THWAM!
"NUMBUH 1!" Matt and Siri chorused in unison as the boy went crashing onto his back.
Abby leaped to her feet. "I don't understand what duh heck is wrong wit' ya, but I'm gonna make sho yo' missin' some teeth when I'm finished wit' ya!"
Nigel got up and glared at her…and then his expression suddenly changed. He smiled evilly. "Like you could ever make that much damage tomboy."
Matt grabbed Abby and held her back—with great difficulty.
"Numbuh 1, that's enough." Siri bit her lip. She was still hurt from Abby's remark, but she didn't want him standing up for her sake any longer.
He turned to her and laughed. "I'm just trying to stick up for you Numbuh 10. That isn't too much to ask for is it?"
"No but—"
Nigel laughed again and took her hand, pulling her towards him. "Good. I only take your feelings into consideration you know." He cupped the side of her face.
Siri flinched, her face heating up once more. Why on earth was he acting like this? Usually he was just normal like a friend except in the room when he was actually quite kind and tender like a brother. But now…He's really creeping me out. Does he like me?
Abby opened her mouth and no sound came out. Despite the fact that she was still angry, another emotion entered her heart: jealousy. Oh stop it!
Matt, on the other hand, was in shock. When Abby pulled away from him, he barely noticed.
"Numbuh 1, um, please…don't…" Siri's voice faltered and she blushed even more. She grabbed his hand and pulled it away from hers. "Don't do that…please."
Nigel blinked and his eyes suddenly seemed more alert and normal, rather than captivating. "Don't do what?" Why is she looking at me as if she's afraid of me?
"Don't do what? he says," Abby muttered angrily to herself. "I ask you." She crossed her arms. "Can't ya see yo' freakin' her out? An' duh rest of us as well?"
His blue eyes narrowed once more, recalling only what she had said to Numbuh 10 earlier. "You're the one freaking people out."
"Me? Me?! Come here you!"
"NO!" Matt snapped out of his reverie and stepped between them, preventing them from moving any closer and tearing each other apart. "Numbuh 10, a little help here."
Siri moved forward to help…and then closed her eyes. Her head began to feel really hot. Ugh, what is this?
"Heh heh. So much for not interacting with anyone kiddo. Now let's see how things will be when I'm in control!"
Matt looked over at his teammate. "Um…hello? Help?"
She rolled her eyes and smiled. It wasn't Siri's normal gentle smile but one bordering on the verge of a smirk. "Oh come on Numbuh 9. This is very entertaining as it is."
WHAT? Nigel and Abby stopped glaring at each other, and together with Matt, glanced at Siri in disbelief.
The "Sensible One" tossed her blonde hair and laughed. "Geez, what're you guys staring at? You've never a non-dumb blonde before?"
"What is wrong with you?" Matt demanded. First Numbuh 5, then Numbuh 1, now Numbuh 10? "Did Numbuh 1's—um—attention do something?"
Siri laughed again. "Numbuh 1's attention? Nah, I actually found it rather flattering." She winked at Nigel. "I always thought you were cute Nigey."
"Ex-cuse me?" uttered Nigel. Now it was his turn to blush. "N-Numbuh 10—"
She sauntered over to him and placed a finger over his lips. "Aw, you're stuttering. Can't have that can we?" She glanced over at the stunned Abby. "It's okay Numbuh 5. You can have Numbuh 9 so long as I keep this one."
"WHAAAAAAAAT?!"
Nigel bit his lip. "Numbuh 10…"
Abby shook her head. "Did ya do somethin' ta her Numbuh 1?"
"Me? What do you mean me?"
"Oh don't give me dat. You were so hitting on her an' now look at her!"
"You've got some nerve Abigail!"
"Duh name is Abby!"
Matt placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder, ignoring the other two. "Numbuh 10, are you sure you're okay?"
She rolled her eyes. "Gosh, I've never been better Numbuh 9. Stop worrying about me." She pushed his hand off her shoulder. "Ew. Look but don't touch."
Matt felt like he'd been slapped. Okay, I'll back off. He glanced around the room—and nearly shrieked.
The sectors of F and V had gone completely nuts.
Kayla was now running around the room, chasing Eric with her rope. She was giggling and he was running as if afraid of her, though judging by his red face; he wasn't really afraid. Naomi eyed Mr. Snuffles critically and then flung him at the wall. "Stupid stuffed toy!"
Hoagie was running in one spot. "Have to get in shape!" And Zen had lifted his glasses off of his nose and stared at them.
"Why don't I just get contacts?" he mumbled curiously before he dropped the glasses and—Crunch!—smushed them beneath his shoe.
Matt buried his face in his hands. "Am I the only sane one in this household?!"
"Um…Numbuh 9?" Wally's voice quavered from behind the madness. Matt turned around to him. The boy looked lost among his other teammates. "Ah'm still here."
"Numbuh 4?" Matt blinked. "How come you're not affected by this madness?"
Wally shrugged. "Ah dunno…maybe, Ah'm just lucky?" Kuki wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed her head against his, giggling. He blushed and pushed her away. "Why aren't you feelin' funny?"
"I…I dunno." Matt shook his head. "Nothing makes sense anymore!" He took a deep breath. "Listen to me Numbuh 4. We have to find out what's causing all of this and fast!"
The young operative nodded seriously. "Ah'm listenin'."
Transmission Interrupted…
To Be Continued in Part 2…
Well, that's all I have for you now guys. This chapter is really really long (the only one with two parts though) I'll try to get the next chapter out real soon. See ya and review! I'd love to hear from you.