Hello there! Yes! I'm back! I did not forget about this story! Oh man is this update over due.
So, I realized it's been over a year since I began the Legends Universe, so I've been trying my best to hurry up and complete this story. So forgive but I cut some planned story. But it still retains the majority of what I intended.
I hope you enjoy it!
88.37.04 After Incident
Chad Dickson awoke in the Moon Base Medical Wing. He found himself laid out on a bed, wires running down from his arm to the heart monitor beside his bed. Chad attempted to sit up, only to find his entire chest burn in pain. Chad leaned back, recalling what had happened involving the explosion.
He hadn't seen it coming, but Chad wasn't surprised someone took a shot at him. He looked to the door of his room where two operatives stood guard. The operatives were talking to another operative, one whom Chad distinctly recognized.
Numbuh 60 walked past the guards and approached the bed. "How you doing sir?" Patton asked sincerely.
Chad struggled to answer but managed. "Been worse." He joked. "What happened?"
"We found him." Patton said sadly. "But…we lost one of our own."
01.03.19 After Incident
Fanny and Patton glanced at each other then back to Numbuh 416. "See, we believe you were in the Computer Lab." Patton admitted.
"We spoke ta Numbuh 9-Lives." Fanny chimed in. "The lass' story matches up which yours."
"Glad to see I leave an impact in people." Numbuh 416 smirked.
02.14.56 After Incident
"I was flirting with Numbuh 802." Numbuh 57 blushed.
"If that's so. Why wasn't 802 near the scene?" Patton questioned.
"I got shot down." Numbuh 57's head hanged low, her face burning red out of embarrassment. "Afterwards I made my way to the Computer Lab."
"Lay off the lass." Fanny glared at Patton.
04.38.15 After Incident
"I was in the Observatory, hanging out with Numbuh 49." Numbuh 2030 shrugged, not really paying attention.
Fanny leaned forward in her seat, studying the boy's features. He looked sickly like he needed to spend the day home and take a day off from school kind of sick. He had bags under his eyes and seemed like he could just fall over anytime soon.
"The observatory. Numbuh 274 walked right by there." Patton spoke. "It was part of his path. You could have easily snuck up behind him."
"Except I didn't." Numbuh 2030 frowned.
05.25.56 After Incident
"We're getting nowhere on this!" Fanny pulled at her hair.
Patton stood watching the gathered operatives like a hawk, watching their every movements. He was sure they had the assassin in the room with them, but weeding him or her out has proved quite troublesome.
They all had an alibi, one that interlocked with the other. And that was where the real trouble stemmed from.
"What if they all did it?" Patton said aloud.
"Pardon?" Fanny did a double take.
"What if everyone in this room did it?" Patton repeated. "Like, what if they were all in on it?"
"That's crazy talk!" Fanny exclaimed.
Patton didn't turn to away from the window. "I know you're trying to protect your friends Fanny, but you need to think objectively."
Fanny raised a brow. "I don't 'ave to protect them. Cause I know they didn't do it."
"Hm." Patton grunted, refusing to turn and face Fanny.
Patton looked around the room, from the Sector X operatives to those from the Spy Sector consisting of Numbuh 362 and C4. Patton glanced over to Sector Q, where the most interaction was occurring.
What caught Patton's eye was that Numbuh 58 was constantly glancing over to Numbuh 59. Numbuh 2030 was tapping his fingers against the metal lightly as not to upset any other individuals as he entertained himself. Numbuh 416 still had his headphones, despite the operatives confiscating his iPod. The Sector Leader was moving his hand a lot, oddly too. Maybe he had another music player on hand. He'd have to frisk the operative again to be sure this time.
Numbuh 59 sat stoically, of all the people present, he knew holding him the longest would only stir a political uproar. It was common knowledge that the Sector Q operative had become romantically involved with the child ruler of New Chloris. Numbuh 57 was sitting completely still, looking around occasionally while lost in thought. Numbuh 99 appeared to be napping, from what they've discussed with other operatives, he'd been asleep in the Computer Lab.
"Let's work on Sector Q." Patton suggested. "They have a dodgy lot."
"Sure." Fanny muttered.
05.42.35 After Incident
"I was in the Observatory with Numbuh 59." Numbuh 58 admitted. "I thought it would be romantic." She said sheepishly.
"Romantic?" Fanny raised a brow. "Isn't he yer best friend?"
"And he's also already taken, last time I watched Numbuh 11.0's nightly recap." Patton remarked.
"Look, I like him alright!" Numbuh 58 shouted loudly. Her eyes widened and glanced at the window. "No one can hear me right?"
"Positive." Fanny muttered.
"So your plan was to jeopardize KND foreign relations, is that what I'm hearing?" Patton said,
"No, no, not at all!" Numbuh 58 held her hands up defensively. "But I was in The Observatory."
"So your saying Numbuh 49 can corroborate your story?" Patton asked.
"Yes. He was there looking through the telescope." Numbuh 58 nodded.
"An Numbuh 2030? He saw you there too?" Fanny asked.
Numbuh 58 looked at the pair confused. She leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. "Numbuh 2030? Nolan wasn't in The Observatory."
Fanny and Patton glanced at each other with knowing looks. What Numbuh 58 just said, it contradicted two previous testimonies. "Thank you for your cooperation, Gwen."
"I told you. I was in The Observatory, with Numbuh 2030." Numbuh 49 sighed, looking at the mix matched pair of interrogators through pitch black shades.
"Which has been talked to death." Fanny began. "We're more interested in everyone else in The Observatory."
"Numbuh 58 and 59. Gwen Tucker and Doug Murphy." Patton stated. "They claimed to have been present in The Observatory as well."
"They walked in a couple minutes before, yes." Numbuh 49 sighed. "They're Nolan's team mates, so I know them. Heck, I think everyone knows who Doug is." Numbuh 49 shrugged. "She was making goo goo gag a faces at him, but I don't think he took the hint."
"We talked with Numbuh 58." Fanny stated.
"And then with Numbuh 59." Patton began taking charge where Fanny left off on. "Neither of them saw Numbuh 2030."
"Your own words lad." Fanny looked at the operative with disgust. "You said twenty thirty was there. Two there's, you admit were present, say otherwise."
"So, would you like to come clean?" Patton asked, leaning forward intimidatingly. "Numbuh 2030 wasn't with you was he?"
Numbuh 49 let his head hang low. He shifted in his seat like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The astrocartographer looked at the window, looking at Numbuh 2030 tapping away in silence.
"Nolan called me earlier today." Numbuh 49 turned to Fanny and Patton. "He said he needed me to say I was with him if anyone asked."
"Did he tell you what he was doing? What he was actually doing?" Fanny questioned.
Numbuh 49 shook his head. "I never asked."
"Thomas confessed." Patton looked Numbuh 2030 in the eye from across the table. "Where were you? Where were you really?"
Numbuh 2030 looked at the duo unfazed. The 2x4 specialist looked around the room and gave a hearty sigh. He calmly leaned downward, taking hold of his left boot. Numbuh 2030 undid his laces and placed the boot on the table.
"Remove the sole." He said simply and leaned back in his seat.
Fanny glanced to Patton. Patton gave her a nod. Fanny reached out and took a hold of the operative's boot. She held her nose, not wanting a whiff of the boyish odor emitting from the shoe. Fanny found a hidden latch at the base of the sole. She pried it open, revealing a thumb drive.
Fanny looked back to Numbuh 2030, demanded an explanation.
"I wasn't anywhere near The Observatory." Numbuh 2030 stated. "I was busy sneaking into the Spy Sector. I was supposed to plant that in Numbuh 206's personal computer."
"What were you hoping to accomplish from this?" Patton looked at the operative with an accusing face.
"Expose a conspiracy, I guess." Numbuh 2030 shrugged.
"Who were you workin' with then?" Fanny asked. She raised the thumb drive up in the air, presenting it to Numbuh 2030. "This is a two way port. I recognize the model. You needed another person to pull off the job. Who is it?"
Numbuh 2030 sighed once more.
06.01.03 After Incident
"You lied to us, Numbuh 416." Patton shook his head.
"I didn't lie." Numbuh 416 said, looking down at the pair of operatives. The boy was older than them, he was twelve. His age came with a growth spurt which he was now using to his advantage. "I said I was in the Computer Lab. I didn't say what I was doing in the Computer Lab."
"So what were you doing?" Patton pressured.
"Something unrelated to the incident." Numbuh 416 leaned forward. "I will gladly answer to Numbuh 274 or whoever later. But right now your wasting time trying to pin this on me."
"We'll see." Fanny glared at the boy.
06.15.12 After Incident
"I walked around for a bit." Numbuh 99 recalled. "Got some grub and decided to go to the computer lab."
"You and everyone else it seems." Fanny rolled her eyes.
"I got to the lab, sat beside Numbuh 1. You know. The bald kid." Numbuh 99 gestured to the bald brit sitting outside.
"Yes, we know who Numbuh 1 is." Patton sighed.
"I looked up a video on cats and cat adoptions." Numbuh 99 shrugged.
06.54.12 After Incident
"Numbuh 2030 and Numbuh 57 are the 2x4 specialists. Numbuh 416 is the leader. Numbuh 58 and 59 are the pilots." Numbuh 99 groaned. "What does that make me, you know? That's five people right there. That makes me the sixth wheel man!"
"Would you mind getting back on track, Numbuh 99?" Fanny asked, visibly displeased by the boy's ramblings.
"Do you know what it's like to be dragged off for something you don't want to do?" Numbuh 99 asked rhetorically. "It sucks. It just sucks. And now I'm stuck here being interrogated, again! It's boring. I could be home right now watching cartoons."
"Get back on track." Patton ordered.
"But then everyone else goes and has ulterior motives!" Numbuh 99 smacked the table. "Numbuh 57 has to go and flirt with Numbuh 802. She even makes him a present! She thought she could keep it a secret! But I saw it. She made that guy a stupid present!"
"Wait, mind backing up?" Fanny asked. "She never mentioned a present."
"The least you could have done was let me keep my gameboy!" Numbuh 99 shouted angrily. "You took everything except Numbuh 416's headset! Heck just put him in charge of this investigation! It'll be over in minutes!"
"You sound jealous of your leader's head phones." Patton pointed out.
"Numbuh 416 doesn't have head phones." Numbuh 99 deadpanned.
Fanny and Patton froze for a second. Glancing at each other, the pair turned to the window, taking note of the head phones Numbuh 416 wore atop his head.
"Say tha' again?" Fanny demanded, turning back to Numbuh 99.
"Numbuh 416 doesn't have head phones?" Numbuh 99 raised a brow. He gestured out the window to Numbuh 416, more specifically the head phones he wore. "It's called the H.E.A.D.S.E.T. With it he can just put everyone's alibis together and just find the guy easy."
It suddenly hit Fanny.
Numbuh 2030's tapping.
Numbuh 416's finger movements.
They we're communicating with each other.
Numbuh 416 had been listening in on the interrogations the entire time. He'd been comparing notes with Numbuh 2030.
"Those sly sods…" Fanny grinned, shaking her head. "Numbuh 416, I know you can hear us." Patton shot Fanny a questioning glance, only for the medic to hold up a hand to ease the Drill Sergeant. "I don't know if you're innocent, I don't know if you're guilty. If you're waiting to make a move, to either grab the one responsible or make a run for it, please, quit wasting our time and do it already."
Outside the command room, Numbuh 416 frowned. He removed the bulky head phone-like 2x4 device from atop his head. He glanced over to Numbuh 2030. The younger operative nodded knowing it was time. Numbuh 2030's eyes and Numbuh 416's slowly drifted to Numbuh 57.
Numbuh 57 shot a glance at the two, feeling their eyes preying upon her. Her features became twisted and ugly.
Patton and Fanny exited the command room, unaware of what was transpiring. In a blink of an eye, all three operatives, Numbuh 57, 416 and 2030 shot up and raced for the door.
"After her!" Numbuh 416 shouted.
"No…" Fanny muttered.
"I'm sorry." Patton said to Fanny before he began to give chase after Numbuh 57.
Two of the operatives guarding the room attempted to stop Numbuh 57, only for the 2x4 specialist to slip past them. Running out the door, Numbuh 57 drew a hidden baster pistol of teen origins.
Numbuh 416 and 2030 gave chase. Numbuh 57 had a small lead on them, but the two were determined more than any other to get answers. Patton, Fanny, and most of the other operatives in the room followed close behind and gaining.
Making her way to an observation deck overlooking the cafeteria, Numbuh 57 came to a halt against the glass railed balcony. She turned to face Numbuh 416 and 2030, weapon raised with her finger on the trigger.
"Cassie." Numbuh 2030 spoke tiredly, hurt in a way. "You betrayed the Kids Next Door. Dylan and Me. Why?"
"This was the mission they gave me." Numbuh 57 shook her head. "Eventually we all grow up Nolan, all of us. I'm just getting in good with my future employers."
"The teens?" Numbuh 416 asked, taking a step forward. Numbuh 57 turned the gun on him and shot at his feet, causing the Sector Q Leader to jump back.
"You honestly thought they wanted peace? They just wanted Numbuh 274 in a position to be killed." Numbuh 57 laughed.
Patton, Fanny and company approached cautiously.
"You betrayed us and for what?!" Numbuh 2030 shouted, stepping forward. This time Numbuh 57 shot at the operative, landing a hit in the chest, knocking the younger operative off his feet.
"Because I could." Numbuh 57 answered coldly.
No one saw Numbuh 416 make his move. The twelve year old had dashed to Numbuh 57's side, moving to tackle her. Numbuh 57 seemingly anticipated the move, easily countering the operative with her weapon, blasting the operative through the glass railings and over the side of the balcony. Numbuh 416 landed with a sick crack and piercing noise. No one heard him scream.
Numbuh 57 allowed some form of sentimentality, keeping her weapon trained on the others as she glanced over the side, checking on Numbuh 416. What she saw caused her to gasp.
"Dylan?" Numbuh 2030 called out as he picked himself off the floor.
Numbuh 57 quickly reacted letting off a number of other blasts from her weapon as she made her escape.
Patton and Fanny dodged as did others. The decommissioning squad operatives gave chase, leaving everyone amongst the scattered glass. Numbuh 2030 raced to the lower floor, calling out Numbuh 416's name. The other members of Sector Q followed, Numbuh 59 in front, Numbuh 58 behind him as Numbuh 99 covered the rear.
When the three reached the cafeteria, they found Numbuh 2030 kneeling over their leader, who was sprawled over the table he landed on. Numbuh 58 held a hand against her mouth, holding the urge to cry while Numbuh 99 punched a nearby table. Numbuh 59 kneeled beside Numbuh 2030 and placed a hand on his shoulder. The members of Sector Q remained there in silence, wallowing in their tragedy.
Patton watched them from the balcony. He couldn't say anything. No one could.
89.23.19 After Incident
Moon Base Medical Wing
Chad Dickson, Numbuh 274 and Supreme Leader of the entirety of the Kids Next Door, sat up in bed, right arm in a cast, gauss wrapped around his stomach. He glanced at the wall clock, noting how long it had been since Numbuh 57 tried to kill him, how much pain he felt in those brief moments and the pain he now feels.
Had turned to see Numbuh 60 entering his assigned room. Chad smiled, happy to see a friend. The Drill Sergeant set his gear down and took a seat. Patton shot him a smile as Numbuh 86 in Decommissioning Squad gear walked in.
"Guess who got a promotion?" Numbuh 86 smirked.
Chad laughed. "Numbuh 501 was being nice?"
"Nah." Patton shook his head. "She just gave it to her to keep an eye on her."
"Hey! I earned this 'ere promotion fair and square!" Fanny huffed. "She said she saw a little bit of her in me."
"Sure she wasn't insulting you?" Patton raised a brow.
Chad laughed at the sight of the two. The Supreme Leader soon straightened himself. "As great as it is to see you both, I can't help but wonder why you're here."
"Just here to give you the final news." Patton said seriously. "The entire thing was a play by the teens to get at you. Cavallero and his teens were the bait. They'd open peace talks and open you up for an attack from within. Numbuh 57, under the promise of acceptance into the teens forces, would be the one to pull the trigger. She was supposed to flee, only thing that stopped her was the presence of her own Sector."
"How's Sector Q?" Chad asked sadly.
"Numbuh 501 opened up ta some of them, she offered them positions on the squad with me." Fanny offered Chad a smile. "They were gung ho 'bout it. The lot really want ta track Numbuh 57 down."
"You said 'some', who didn't she ask?" Chad asked.
"Not that she didn't ask, sir." Patton interjected. "Numbuh 2030's been black listed due to his and Numbuh 416's actions. They don't want him anywhere near the Moon Base."
"Well let's get off the topic, shall we?" Fanny suggested.
"No." Chad commanded. "I didn't approve that order."
"Due to your incapacitation, command fell to Numbuh 501 and 206." Patton stated. "Their actions are as if you made them yourself."
Chad let out a defeated sigh. He raised a hand and ran it through his disheveled mess of hair. "I knew Numbuh 416. Whatever he and Numbuh 2030 must've been big for them to go behind our backs."
"I can't be the only one feeling the walls closing in on us on this one, right?" Fanny noted.
"We've known about a leak in our ranks for some time." Chad muttered. "The incident with Numbuh 11 proved that much. But that was handled far too well. Too clean of an operation."
"So it's become apparent our mastermind has power in the KND." Patton stated. "Now the question is, which one?"
"We can't act on speculation." Fanny chimed in.
"Then watch them." Chad looked to Fanny. "Watch Numbuh 501. Get close to her. Report back to me if anything pops up."
"I guess I check things out back in The Arctic." Patton straightened himself.
Fanny thought for a moment before contributing to the conversation once more. "I'll talk to Rachel. See what she can do at The Spy Sector."
'It's a start." Chad sighed once more.
To Chad Dickson, there seemed to be a long road ahead filled with uncertainty. No doubt this would be the darkest age in Kids Next Door history.
Thank you dear reader for sticking with me on this one. The story continues, if you haven't guessed, in another story. (Think Marvel).
The Story Continues in: 'Numbuh 832'! (Which is currently out and completed).
'Til next time! later Days!