Operation: F.A.T.E.

F – Fate

A – Already

T – Told

E – Eternally

Recap: A year had now gone since sector v had found out their fates. Wally and Jerry now stay at a centre for disadvantaged kids as a result of Nigel bribing Father. Today was Jerry's birthday and he celebrated it with a nurse he crushed on Jason, Wally, and other boys at the centre. Unfortunately homophobia put a dent in his party and he decides to go around the park outside the centre with Wally and Jason. Jerry's safety is even put into question. Nigel considers leaking top rated information of the KND to the adults. Laura's lost her mind by the time Lenny comes to her rescue. He brings out the Big Badolescent. But when they're caught by KND operatives, death and destruction results.

Time: Part Two

Hoagie P. Gilligan sat with his brother Tommy as they went over details of what Hoagie and the rest of sector v had seen in the future.

"They're several inaccuracies," Hoagie noticed.

"Inaccuracies!" Tommy cried incredulously, "you call things like Kuki being dead in the future you saw because she was killed on a mission unlike now when not only is she dead but her Dad as well an inaccuracy!" he shouted.

"Okay, okay," Hoagie admitted, "things are really not adding up okay."

"And what about the Hoagie in the future being happy to see you while the others were surprised?" Tommy asked.

Tommy stared at Hoagie when he didn't answer.

"What?" Hoagie demanded.

"Well you're Hoagie," Tommy told him.

"I'm not the future Hoagie meathead," Hoagie responded in annoyance.

"I'm not a meathead," Tommy whined, "I'm The Tommy," he declared.

"You're gonna be the former Tommy if you keep getting me upset," Hoagie muttered angrily.

"Oh yeah," Tommy said, "I'm not afraid of you."

Hoagie glared at Tommy angrily.

"Okay," Tommy conceded and moved over his stool, "maybe I'm a little afraid," he admitted.

Hoagie stopped glaring and sighed.

"There's also the issue of Numbuh 362 being dead," Hoagie stated.

"Rachel?" Tommy asked.

Hoagie nodded.

"Um, you saw her alive in the future?" Tommy asked.

"She was one of those working for me to bring back an organization that takes care of kids," Hoagie told Tommy.

"Oh," Tommy said, "well, why's she dead?" he asked.

"Search me," Hoagie responded.

"One thing I don't understand," Rebecca said as she walked in.

"Rebecca!" Hoagie cried angrily, "I told you this was a private discussion last time!" he shouted.

Tommy meanwhile giggled.

Hoagie looked at him darkly.

Tommy immediately stopped laughing.

"Anyway," Rebecca said never minding that Hoagie had spoken, "I don't understand how Jerry; according to you, claimed that only he was supposed to be able to use the time machine," she pointed out, "why'd he claim that if you were able to use it to go into the future?" she asked.

"Simple," Hoagie said, "he miscalculated."

"How come a machine taking him to the past sent you to the future?" Rebecca asked him.

"Um," Hoagie said, "uh, he set it wrong?" he asked.

"Wrong," Rebecca told him, "someone changed it, made it take you to the future instead of the past," she said.

"That's ridiculous," Hoagie told her, "the lever was too high for any of us to reach it," he explained, "and the controls were in a room that Jerry had already locked."

"Then who reached up and changed it?" Rebecca asked.

"None of us were tall enough," Hoagie said, "Jerry said he only made it so when he was older he could start up the machine without having to go in another…."

"Room?" Rebecca when Hoagie stopped talking.

"My future self went back in time to change it!" Hoagie shouted angrily, "that's why he was so happy to see us!" he realized, "his plan had worked."

"Dense much?" Rebecca asked Hoagie.

"You want to start living outside?" Hoagie countered.

Rebecca pouted.

"How come Freeland and Jade don't come out much?" Tommy asked suddenly.

"Cause each of us are allowed a little 'me' time," Rebecca explained, "this week is my week," she said proudly.

"Must be a sad week," Hoagie muttered.

"That's not funny!" Rebecca cried angrily as Tommy fell on the floor laughing.

"Nothing's funny right now," Hoagie said seriously.

The seriousness in his voice evaporated all happy emotions inside the room.

"The future's changing," Hoagie said seriously, "things can happen like before, things can change, things can still happen but even worse," he listed, "like Kuki," he added.

The other two looked at their feet worriedly.

"Could I die?" Tommy asked feebly.

"What!" Hoagie shouted, "I mean, um, no of course not."

"Like of course not with Kuki?" Tommy countered.

"Like of course not I'm your big brother," Hoagie said firmly, "I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you," he declared, "I promise," he promised.

"Don't you see that fate's written in stone?" Tommy demanded shrilly, "that your future self's messed with it and broken it!" he exploded, "we might all die thanks to some idiot who wanted a better future!" he screamed, "I bet I was actually unafraid before this," he stated.

Hoagie suddenly looked away.

Tommy could pick up that something was wrong.

"Tommy," Hoagie said in a tight voice, "I think I went back in time because of you," he said suddenly.

"What?" Tommy asked.

"I recall asking my future self about you." Hoagie said, "he looked away," he told Tommy, "I wondered, then I worried, but when I went back and you were alright," he said, "I thought everything was fine," he said his voice sounding distant.

"What happened to me?" Tommy asked.

"I don't know," Hoagie said honestly.

"Do you think I died?" Tommy asked fearfully.

"I don't know Tommy," Hoagie said angrily.

"Why are you mad at me for?" Tommy asked tearfully, "you're the one who told me this," he said and started to cry.

"Tommy…" Hoagie said but stopped, "come here," he said hugged his sobbing brother.

I love you so much Tommy, Hoagie thought, so much that I have to make you forget this conversation, he decided, if I don't, you'll probably try to go back in time and end up only sacrificing yourself when you undo what my future self had done, he thought, I might be destined to be a great leader, but I'd rather be a big brother, he decided, always a big brother.

Half an hour later at 3pm at Lizzie Devine sat at the table with the rest of her family at the Devine residence. She had decided to go home three months ago.

Nigel doesn't want me, I don't want Hoagie, I still have no memory therefore being the outcast of my family, Lizzie listed, can my life suck any worse?

"Did you hear about how Mr. Beetles told off Mrs. Gilligan the other day?" Mrs. Devine asked anxiously.

Adult gossip, Lizzie thought despairingly, God, please, kill me now.

"No dear," Mr. Devine responded in a bored voice.

"Well," Mrs. Devine said excitedly, "Mrs. Gilligan asked Mr. Beetles about his son Wally," she started, "Mr. Beetles told her as far as he was concerned he had one son named Joey," she told her husband as Lizzie groaned, "honey, do you need an anti-acid?" she asked to which Lizzie shook her head for no, "anyway, Mrs. Gilligan mentioned that her son Hoagie was okay and she even got a letter the day before from him telling her about him being fine and that Wally was doing well at that centre he now stays at," she continued, "Mr. Beetles asked her why she was telling him this since both he and his wife decided to disown Wally and leave him to child services weeks after he first disappeared," she said, "Mrs. Gilligan said she thought he might want to know how his first son is," she said recalling the exact words, "then she added that if he didn't maybe Mrs. Beetles or even baby Joey might want to know how Wally was doing," she said, "then Mr. Beetles exploded," she emphasised, "telling Mrs. Beetles that she had no business telling him and wife how to treat their family and that if she wanted to keep her worthless runaway of a son Hoagie then it was her business accepting and reading letters sent home by her stupid weirdo son Tommy," she said, "he even told her that she needed to get a life and if Mr. Gilligan were home maybe she wouldn't have such strange sons unlike him who was able to salvage one good son while the other one finally ran off after long going to waste," she said completely taken in by her own excitement, "Mrs. Gilligan was only able to go um, um, um, and her eyes filled with tears as she ran away and soon you could hear that she was crying," she concluded, "it was all a crying shame really," she added.

Then Mrs. Devine started to eat, signifying the end to another dinner table discussion.

How did I survive here? Lizzie thought, my Dad's boring, my mom's nuts, GOD, I know what teenage angst is like and I'm only eleven.

It was 5 pm and Nigel had decided to do the unthinkable.

"Hello," a lady said kindly on the other line.

"I need to speak to Mr. Benedict Uno," Nigel told the receptionist.

"Father is busy right now," the receptionist told him.

"Tell him it's possible to end the KND," Nigel said seriously, "now," he added.

After a pause he heard a different voice.

"Who's this?" Father demanded angrily, "I told that bubblehead receptionist I wanted no calls!" he shouted.

"I need to talk to you," Nigel said humbly.

"You!" Father shouted angrily, "listen to me you little cretin," he snarled, "you've bribed me…" he said but stopped, "hold on," he told Nigel who suddenly heard nothing else.

After a few minutes he heard someone pick up.

"Okay," Father said taking a deep breath, "just tell my what you want," he conceded.

This surprised Nigel.

Why is he being so helpful and charitable all of a sudden? Nigel wondered.

"Actually it's something you'd want," Nigel confessed, "how do you feel about destroying the KND?" he asked.

There was a moment of silence on the other line.

Nigel could feel his resolve diminishing. He wanted to back out.

"Are you serious?" Father asked him.

"Um, yes, I mean…yes," Nigel responded.

"So you'd destroy the KND?" Father asked him testing Nigel's statement.

"I have information, things I stole off Global Command's database," Nigel told him, "and other useful information to help infiltrate and neutralize the Kids Next Door forever," he said and could feel a pain in his chest.

Why do I feel like I'm making a big mistake, Nigel thought, I have to keep strong and save kids from Numbuh 49.5, he reminded himself.

"You do realize that by doing this," Father said, "you'll be making yourself a traitor to the KND forever?" he asked Nigel, "well, if they find out it's you," he added.

"That's another thing," Nigel said, "I want to come out of hiding," he revealed.

"What!" Father shouted furiously.

"Make up something, I don't care," Nigel told him.

"I care," Father roared, "Lenny and Abby have gotten so…."

"Either that or no information," Nigel said firmly.

"Why you little…" Father started angrily, "you know what?" he said suddenly, "keep your info," he told Nigel, "I don't really need it."

"What?" Nigel asked in surprise.

"You heard me," Father said superiorly, "I don't need your info," he said, "in fact," he continued, "I have a little revelation, an undisputed fact for you," he said feeling big, "Numbuh 49.5 is dead, accidentally murdered by Big Badolescent a.k.a. Laura Limpin," he revealed.

Nigel sat frozen.

"So stick your bribe up your ass and kiss those friends at the centre goodbye if you talk," Father said happily, "you wanted freedom and a good place for your friends in exchange for me not being exposed as your attempted assassin by you," he reminded Nigel, "you've gotten it and you better lay low for the rest of your life," he snarled, "bad enough my Granddad knows and ask for you every minute," he muttered angrily then hung up.

Nigel sat where he was unable to say a word.

He had nearly betrayed the KND. Given everything away. And the only reason he didn't do it was because Father had told him that Numbuh 49.5 had been killed. If Father hadn't….

I truly am a KND traitor, Nigel thought ashamed.

Nigel dropped the phone and started to cry.

At 7 pm Lenny said goodnight to Laura and Big Badolescent before he went to see Abigail. Laura laughed loudly and said hi while Big Badolescent who soon took over said goodnight and went to lie down on the huge specially made bed that wouldn't crack under the pressure of her huge weight. She soon turned into Laura who sighed and curled up under the covers. After a few raucous laughing she quietly drifted off to sleep.

Lenny carefully stepped out and locked the door.

Laura's gone, Lenny thought frankly.

Lenny walked until he reached the upper floors of the mansion and found Abigail's bedroom. He carefully knocked and waited.

"Who's there?" Abigail asked softly.

"Lenny," Lenny whispered against the door.

Abigail unlocked her bedroom door and opened it.

"Has it really been two months since you turned twelve?" Abigail asked instead of saying hi.

Lenny who was taken a back decided to take it in stride.

"Yes," Lenny responded, "two months, six days,…"

Abigail suddenly went on her toes and kissed his lips.

This was strange sine he wasn't that tall.

Lenny froze on his words.

"I…I…I…I just thought…" Abigail stuttered but stopped, "I just wanted to know if I'd feel anything," she said and stood back to her normal height.

"Did you?" Lenny asked his voice barely able to escape his throat.

"A little," Abigail admitted with a small smile, "not love," she confessed, "but I definitely like you," she said kindly and reached up to stroke his hair.

"Father got me special braces days after we skated at the amusement park," Lenny confessed.

Damn why did I say that? Lenny wondered incredulously, I am a self-sabotagist like Father said!

"I noticed," Abigail revealed right back, "and I'm glad," she said, "Abigail can't kiss no boy with head gear blocking me a mile from his mouth," she added.

Both Abigail and Lenny burst out laughing.

"Will I ever be really happy again?" Abigail asked suddenly.

Lenny's heart sank. Abigail always let her mind flow back to Nigel.

"I'm sorry that Nigel died," Lenny started.

"But I need to move on," Abigail finished, "I know."

"I can wait," Lenny said nicely.

"Thank you," Abigail said and smiled, "I really need the time," she told him.

"Take as long as you need," Lenny told her.

"You're such a gentlemen," Abigail said and laughed, "probably why I didn't notice you in the past," she said sadly, "or maybe it was that crusty helmet," she added.

"Don't put down the helmet," Lenny said wagging a finger at her, "I'm not always going to come see you without it," he added in reference to not wearing it now.

"Oh throw it away," Abigail said.

"No," Lenny refused, "I like it," he said happily, "makes me look daring," he added.

"More like endearing in reverse," Abigail muttered.

"No it doesn't," Lenny disagreed.

"Yes it does," Abigail disagreed.

"No it doesn't," Lenny fired, "I look brave and charming."

"If that's charming the cat lady's pretty and Grandma Stuffum should pose as a pin up," Abigail told him.

"Eww," Lenny said immediately.

"Okay forget the pin up," Abigail said immediately.

"Please," Lenny agreed, "God, my mind's eye still burning from that image," he said in reference to Grandma Stuffum.

"But seriously," Abigail said, "do you think it will work, us?" she asked.

"If we try, yes," Lenny responded.

"Father's real desperate for an…" Abigail started.

"Don't say it," Lenny snarled, "it makes me so…"

"Then let's pretend he doesn't exist," Abigail interrupted, "let's pretend that it's just us," she said and took his hand, "us and no one else," she whispered.

Lenny's face went bright red.

"Um," Lenny said unable to say anything else.

"Let's go for a walk in the garden," Abigail said and led him out her room.

Lenny still a bit dazed, silently followed.

Eighteen Tranquillisers Fired