Chapter 4

And just as quickly as the pain started, it was sucked away in a sudden vortex of colour and sound and smells that overwhelmed her senses and sent her mind into overdrive. She gasped as she saw unfamiliar images flash by at a thousand miles per second. It was too much for her to absorb, yet it seemed that her mind wasn't exactly absorbing all of this from an unknown source. It was more like all these images, feelings, and occurrences had simply been locked away in an overstuffed closet and had come tumbling- no, rushing- no, exploding out of the tiny cracks and fissures in her brain, filling it up to the top. She heard the tinkling of an ice cream truck, the monotone voices of two figures- "Isn't that right, Mr. Wink? Most indeed, Mr. Fibb"- and loudest of all, "Battlestations!" She tasted soda, orange creamsicles, a flavour she'd never tasted before but knew the name- burbleberry- and so, so, so much candy that she felt her tongue burn. Her fingers brushed against plushy after plushy, the controls on a keyboard, and an orange hoodie. She saw who was wearing the hoodie and her body jolted as if she had been electrocuted. She knew him. She saw a treehouse- their treehouse. She saw Nigel and Hoagie and Abby and Wally and herself. She felt it all in a single flash, and then just like the pain, it was suddenly gone.

She sat up with a gasp, spluttering and coughing, tears streaming down her face. Abby rushed to her side, patting her back. Hoagie ripped off the disc on her forehead and she briefly experienced a stab of pain as the disc disconnected with her skull. Nigel approached her carefully, watching her in concern. Concern. For her. His teammate.

"How are you feeling, Kuki? What do you remember?" he asked.

"A little… shaken, but really good. I remember everything. And call me Numbuh 3, Numbuh 1." He grinned at her, and she managed a shaky smile in return, wiping away her tears. But soon his smile turned into a frown.

"Now, onto more pressing matters. We have to recommission Numbuh 4."

"How we gonna do that, Numbuh 1?" asked Numbuh 5 innocently, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Well, Numbuh 3's going to do it, obviously."

"Me? Talk to Numbuh 4?" Numbuh 3 asked, voice two octaves higher than usual.

"Yeah. He loves you," added Numbuh 2, grinning.

"No he doesn't!" Kuki protested.

"Gurl, since we was like, nine he had the biggest crush on you," retorted Numbuh 5, laughing.

"No way!" exclaimed Kuki, blushing.

"Oh puh-lease. He likes you just as much as you like him-"

"Yeah Numbuh 3! Don't deny it," added Numbuh 2.

"But…"

"Numbuh 3. Please, no more arguing," Nigel interrupted gently, patting her shoulder awkwardly. "Anyways, back to business. We need to find Numbuh 4 immediately. The sooner we get him back, the better. Numbuh 2, get the R.O.A.D.S.T.A.R. ready."

"Aw, but how come we can't use my new flyin' machine?" he whined.

"Because kids don't drive flyin' machines," Numbuh 5 retorted, air-quoting sarcastically, "to high school."

"I do…" Numbuh 2 muttered under his breath.

"Precisely, Numbuh 5. You and I will accompany Numbuh 3 as back-up. According to our internal sources, Numbuh 4 will be playing in this afternoon's football match on the back field of the local high school. We are to act as students from another school simply coming to observe the game. Be enthusiastic but don't cause any trouble."

"Why can't we just stay in the shadows like usual?" asked Numbuh 5 crossly.

"Because that is sketchy," Numbuh 1 replied, closing the subject. Kuki stifled a laugh. Numbuh 1 turned to her. "Numbuh 3, obviously your job is by far the most essential. You are to speak to Numbuh 4 in a non-suspicious manner and invite him to your 'house'." His tone made it clear that he didn't actually expect Numbuh 4 to go to her house. "Your 'house' will actually be my house. We will meet there and proceed with the recommissioning. If all else fails, we use Plan B."

"What's Plan B?" questioned Kuki curiously.

"We club him over the head, drag him into the car, drive him to my house, and if anybody asks, he has severe hangover and is passed out cold." Numbuh 1 grinned at his teammate's stricken expressions. "What?" He shrugged. "I decided it'd be the most efficient." Numbuh 2 whooped, and the two girls burst out laughing. Numbuh 1 gave a sly grin.

"Let's do this!" Numbuh 3 yelled, jumping off the bed, swinging up into a triple-tuck somersault.

"Dang, gurl, you still got it in you!" exclaimed Numbuh 5. Numbuh 3 did a back-flip in reply.

"Alright. We move now and we move fast," Numbuh 2 said, punching his palm.

"Five!"

"…" There was an awkward silence.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!" Nigel yelled. "Battlesta-" There was a sudden bang and a crash. They heard thundering footsteps and looked nervously at one another, already in battle stances. A voice called out in the darkness.

"Let Kuki go!" demanded a very familiar voice. The four of them stood agape as a blond and very angry looking boy raced out of the shadows and stepped towards them.

Plot twist! Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! Don't forget to review, follow and fav- the more there are the faster I update!

-happynomnom