Operation: F.A.T.E.
F – FateA – Already
T – Told
E – Eternally
Special Thank You: To blackmonday who suggested I do recaps to help her and others remember the last chapter. Sorry for not doing it last chapter. The flu and my mother ensured that my computer time was limited and that had me in a 'tizzy' (to put it real nicely). The last chapter was just a way for me to let readers know I'm still around. I know it wasn't my best work.
Recap: Wally and Jerry reconcile but Wally flees Jerry's presence when he feels feelings that he's never felt before. Are they new feelings or are they just existent feelings getting stronger the longer he and Jerry are around each other? Abigail gets the news of Nigel's death and takes it badly. Father uses this as an opportunity to get Lenny closer to Abigail. Lizzie tells Hoagie she can't be friends with him after being told the complete truth and someone unexpected sneaks in the underground where Hoagie and the others are hiding.
Time: Part OneA year had now gone since sector v had found out their shocking fates. Wally and Jerry now lived at a centre for disadvantaged kids. Thanks to a bribe Father took from Nigel who had found out the truth about how his dad had died and how he himself was almost assassinated. Wally and Jerry now stayed at a place where Jerry could get the best care. Wally still helped in smaller ways. Plus he was also learning how to be a nurse and even volunteered to help care for some of the other kids there.
Today was Jerry's birthday and now at 1 pm Jerry was ready to blow out the eleven candles and make a wish.
I wish for my birthday to be extra special, Jerry wished, especially after all the shit I've been through, you OWE me.
Jerry then blew out the candles and everybody cheered.
Jason Stern, a teenage nurse, fed Jerry his birthday cake.
"You're beaming," Jason said as Jerry grinned and opened his mouth for more cake.
Wally meanwhile was sitting with a bunch of boys his age. He had turned eleven four weeks before Jerry did. Wally recalled that he was the youngest in his old sector, sector v. So everyone else was eleven already.
Except Kuki, Wally thought sadly, she'll never grow older, he thought sadly, no one ages when they're dead.
"So," West Peterson a Caucasian blue-haired boy spoke, "notice how happy Jerry's looking over there?" he asked.
"It's his birthday," Wally said frankly.
The other boys looked at him as if he were stupid.
Wally continued feigning ignorance. He knew boys at the centre were noticing that Jerry had a particular attraction towards males. And many weren't taking it lightly.
"That's not it," Harry (West's twin) said darkly, "he likes him," he said.
"I'm going to sit with the birthday boy," Wally said coldly and rose to go over to Jerry.
"Make sure you're not a fag," West said and voice his hid no threat.
Wally looked at West dangerously.
"Say that again," Wally challenged.
West became silent. He wasn't dumb enough to challenge someone as strong as Wally.
Wally walked over to Jerry.
"Hey Birthday Boy," Wally said.
"Wally," Jerry said brightly, "come on, take a piece of cake," he urged.
"He's already eaten chicken, pizza, soda, candy…" Jason started to list.
Wally stuck his tongue at Jason who laughed.
"Wally can eat as much as he wants," Jerry declared, "he helped save my life," he reminded Jason.
Wally rubbed the back of his head and smiled. Jerry always told anyone who'd listen how Wally and Laura helped rescue him from the tyrannical KND.
"Maybe I should give Wally your birthday present," Jason suggested, "since he's so special and all," he teased.
"He's not that special," Jerry said loudly, "it's present time!" he shouted, "gimme," he immediately said to Jason.
Wally slapped his hand upon his forehead.
He's gonna give himself away! Wally thought, I can't protect him twenty-four seven if the boys here all decide to beat up on him.
Jason smiled and got Jerry five presents.
"This is mine," Jason said and picked up a gift wrapped in purple wrapping paper and a sky blue bow, "hope you like it," he said and unwrapped it.
"Wow," Jerry said when he saw it.
It was a collage made up of pinecones, colourful stones, and photographs. The photographs included those taken with Jerry and Jason. Others had pictures of other boys at the centre, some of the workers, and even more with Jerry, Jason, and or Wally.
"Glad you like it," Jason said kindly.
"Thank you," Jerry said his eyes filled with tears.
"Faggot," a boy muttered from not very far away.
The happiness on Jerry's face immediately faded.
"Go to your room Sam," Jason ordered, "anyone who doesn't like it, join him," he said before anyone could protest.
Seven boys followed the redhead Sam Hunt out the room.
Jerry now was looking really upset.
Ten more boys now remained.
"I'll open my present," Wally spoke up.
Wally picked up a red and white wrapped gift with a white bow.
"Um I hope you like this," Wally said and unwrapped it.
It was a personalized red cap with Jerry's first name sewed on the front in white, a book on breeding and creating new species of animals, and several comic books.
"Wally," Jerry breathed, "this all…this is all for me?" he asked.
"I knew you liked science and I thought the cap and comics would be cool too," Wally said scrapping his foot across the floor.
"Thank you," Jerry said gratefully, "you really are my best friend," he said.
One of the boys in the room imitated a violin.
"Someone's hoping for room detention," Jason said warningly.
The other boys fell silent. No one wanted room detention.
"Let's open the next gift," Jason said with a sigh, "how about this one," he said and picked up a gift wrapped in green paper and a yellow bow.
This gift was a pin up of a sexy female swimsuit model. But the female's head was replaced with a male head.
Stifled laughter broke out in the room.
Jerry looked on the verge of crying.
"Maybe we should…" Jason started.
"No," Wally interrupted him.
Jerry looked at Wally his eyes filled with tears.
"Don't let them ruin your birthday," Wally told Jerry.
Jerry nodded.
"I have something to say," Jerry said loudly, "you may think 'cause I'm paralysed I can't do anything or defend myself," he said to the other boys, "but at least I'm not a coward," he spoke, "stop your anonymous gift bashing and step up," he challenged.
There was an ominous silence.
"Are you gay?" West asked straightforward.
"Not enough to like any of you," Jerry responded causing gasps from several boys.
West's face went red with anger.
"Bet you wouldn't be so brave if you were here with us alone," Trent Neederman an Asian kid with spiky multi-coloured hair spoke up.
"Why would he be in a room alone with you guys?" Jason asked, "planning an ambush?" he asked darkly.
"Nah man," Trent said, "we don't need to beat on a kid who won't feel it," he said and the room hushed for a moment.
"Detention," Jason said automatically.
Trent grinned.
"I haven't said what type yet," Jason said darkly.
Trent's grin disappeared.
"Anyone else have anything wise assed to say?" Jason asked.
"What type of detention do I get?" Trent asked.
"I'll tell you when I feel like it," Jason told him.
Trent sat down with an angry look on his face.
"Let's do something other than gift giving," Jerry said softly.
"Like?" Jason asked.
"Can you take me around the park outside?" Jerry asked Jason, "you and Wally?"
"Sure," Jason said kindly.
"Can we eat?" West asked.
"You already got one serving," Wally pointed out.
"Let them have it," Jerry said, "but let Mrs. Fetters put away some for us later," he continued, "and don't give them anymore cake," he added still angry at their behaviour.
"What about the others?" Mrs. Fetters a middle aged cafeteria lady asked.
"Let them eat crow," Jason responded in reference to those who left, "call Higgins and Redford if they try to touch anything," he added in reference to two of the roughest guards at the centre.
"Is that necessary?" Mrs. Fetters asked incredulously.
"Say Higgins alone and those little rats will run off," Jason told her, "call them only if they don't and still go for the food," he instructed her and she hesitantly nodded.
"My brother left," West spoke.
"Then he eats nothing," Jason responded.
West pouted but didn't say anything.
"Let's go," Wally said and he walked out first while Jason followed pushing Jerry's special wheelchair.
It was 2 pm and Nigel sat in front of a computer contemplating. The KND was going down the tubes. Their power was insane and the leader even worse. Few kids knew the truth of what was really going on. Most thought Numbuh 49.5 was eccentric. Those within the KND knew the truth though. Numbuh 49.5 was evil. Nigel was one of the few kids outside who knew the truth. The whole truth.
Now Nigel wondered if his plan was for the best. Hoagie had immediately turned down his plan three and a half months ago. Calling it ludicrous and something Father would've done. This immediately caused and explosive verbal fight that ended with Nigel leaving.
But can I really do it? Nigel wondered, can I really take all the info I've hacked from the KND and give it to the adults?
Laura meanwhile sat in a corner of the cage singing. She had lost her mind two months ago. Most of her resolve disappeared after Toilenator was murdered right in front of her a month and a half before she went insane.
Suddenly the door to the cage opened. In stepped Lenny.
"I don't have long," Lenny said, "but I know you're in their somewhere," he said seriously, "come on Big Badolescent," he urged, "I know you haven't gone the way that Laura's gone," he said.
Laura continued to sing. Her mind distant to the world.
"Don't you want revenge for Laura's mental demise?" Lenny asked.
Laura kept singing.
"Don't you want to get your hands on Numbuh 49.5?" Lenny asked.
Laura kept singing. Swinging too and fro in her straight jacket.
"Don't you…?" Lenny started to ask.
Then he decided to take a different direction.
"Okay," Lenny said simply stepping back, "guess you were always a useless brainless freak of a child anyway," he said and turned to leave.
Suddenly he was slammed into the side of the cage. A huge hand crushing his body against the cage.
"I loved her," Big Badolescent said no longer the little girl in a straight jacket but now the giant pimpled monster girl many feared, "we were one before Numbuh 49.5's tortures and drugs to keep me from coming out split us," she told Lenny, "now I'm just a split personality that hasn't been able to come out for months," she said and she sounded on the verge of crying.
"I'm sorry," Lenny said but his voice sounded distorted since he was still crushed against the cage.
The Big Badolescent slowly let go of Lenny.
Lenny slowly stretched and got back his bearings.
"I know what you want me to do," Big Badolescent said, "the answer's no," she told him.
Lenny's eyes widened.
Big Badolescent chuckled.
"Numbuh 49.5 tortured Laura because she had murdered him in the future he saw," Big Badolescent explained, "I'm not proving him right," she snarled.
Lenny sighed.
"Will you take me from here?" Big Badolescent asked.
"Yeah," Lenny said disappointed.
"Not so fast," someone said suddenly and both turned around to see Numbuh 49.5 and several other operatives, "my, my, my," he said happily, "my prisoner and the son of the most notorious villain against children," he said, "wow, I'm real lucky today," he said as the seven operatives behind him cocked their weapons.
Big Badolescent roared and attacked the operatives. Afterwards none were conscious.
"Let's go," Big Badolescent ordered and turned to Lenny.
But Lenny wasn't moving. In fact he was staring at one thing horrified.
Big Badolescent looked in the direction where Lenny was looking.
"Oh no," Big Badolescent said softly.
Spread eagled on the ground was Numbuh 49.5. His head bust open against the wall that Big Badolescent caused him to fly into when she hit him in a rage like she did all the others. Two other agents also looked to be in serious condition.
"We have to go," Lenny said in a shaky voice, "now," he said loudly when Big Badolescent did nothing but stare at the devastation before them.
Big Badolescent grabbed Lenny and ran out of the dungeon. Fighting and beating more operatives as they made good their escape.
Seventeen Lives Unchanged
Thank you to all those who reviewed ch16. Imagine my surprise when I only saw three reviews Saturday but seven reviews Monday. Thank you. Hope this chapter has wetted your appetites. Plan to update by Wednesday if not tomorrow. Yes it's two parts. But trust me, this story is far from over. Thank you for reading and please review.