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Codename: Kids Next Door

Operation F.I.N.I.S.H.

Finding

Indecisive

Nigel

Is

Sure

Hard

DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor have I ever, owned the Kids Next Door or its franchise. If I did, this fic would have become an episode.

Chapter 4

When the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. was finally out of sight, Numbuh 539 left the dock and headed back down the corridor to a door they had passed earlier. On the door was a small square pad, which glowed green. Pressing the palm of her hand firmly on the pad, it glowed even brighter. A click was sounded, and the door swung open. She stepped inside and pulled the door closed tightly.

This room was the only place she could truly be alone to think. No other operative had the same Ring as her, so it was completely safe for her to relax and try to focus calmly on the war on the outside world. Half of the room was a mock balcony (since she couldn't have a real one, for obvious reasons) with a window panning around, like on the main deck. Another wall had a desk piled high with papers, attack and defense plans, and her set of 2x4 technologies. And on the last wall was a large bulletin board covered with paper and thumb tacks. But unlike her cluttered desk, not one of these papers pertained to the war. They were all person items of hers, and the only place they were safe.

She walked over to this bulletin board, looking over all the papers and photographs posted on it; it was something she did to calm her, remind her of happier times. One photo showed herself on the original Moon Base (the one before Grandfather came back), saluting and smiling proudly, with other operatives surrounding her. My graduation, she thought to herself. Another photo looked almost exactly the same, though the girl was saluting with the opposite hand, and her clothing differed slightly. This was her little sister Allai's graduation, about a week before joining the Spies. In one corner of the board was a certificate, signed by Numbuh 274, declaring her a Spy for the KND. In another corner was a letter from her mother, whom Lexi sent on a trip to Honduras when she found out Seattle was on the list of to-be occupied cities; her mother had no clue about the war, and believed Lexi was at college and Allai was at Summer Camp (both of which were merely decoys, since their mother knew nothing about the KND or the TND, or the fact they were operatives for that matter).

Sighing, Lexi walked away from all the memories over to the large pane window, staring out into space, wondering. Wondering if this plan would work, wondering if they could save the organization, wondering if they wouldn't all be making rice pudding by the end of the week (though Grandfather loved tapioca, his son wasn't as thrilled about it). She closed her eyes, sighing again; secretly wishing someone else had taken the job, despite everyone else's lack of leadership know-how. Maybe when, and if, Sector V could find Numbuh 1, he might choose to be their leader, and a great stress would be lifted off her shoulders, a burden she had had to carry since Father's first invasion in Texas, her original home state. She suddenly felt a light breeze blow through her hair, and it reminded her of the many summer days she had spent aimlessly wandering the park in Seattle, before all of this had started, before-

Her thoughts stopped dead, and her eyes flew open.

A breeze? In space?!?

She whipped out a few M.A.R.B.L.E.s out of her pocket and spun on her heel, and was about to throw them at the door when she realized who it was. Standing in the doorway was her long-time best friend, Numbuh 794, or as she simply called him by his real name, Luke Masters.

She stood frozen in her fighting stance, M.A.R.B.L.E.s still aimed at him. "Well, you know it's me, you gonna put those things down?" he laughed.

Lexi looked down at herself, and instantly went back to normal, a little sheepish. She had forgotten that the other Spies could get in her room, since they had matching Rings.

"Uh, yeah, sorry 'bout that…" She rubbed her neck awkwardly.

He shrugged. "Eh, no worries. Any one of us woulda done the same thing. Although," he smirked a bit, "some of us probably woulda put our M.A.R.B.L.E.s away by now." She quickly pocketed her weapons, and he laughed.

"Alright, alright, they're away, laugh all ya want, Masters." She rolled her eyes playfully at him. He definitely was one of her favorite Spies, heck, one of her favorite people in the world; he wasn't one you could stay mad at for long. "So…you gonna tell me what you're hiding?"

He smirked again. "Geeze, nothing passes your eyes, Hantell." She knew he hated when she used his last name, and he often did it back at her as playful revenge. He whipped out the hand from behind is back, revealing a small cupcake with green frosting, and she could see he had attempted to spell her first name in more icing. Though Alexandra obviously wouldn't have fit, so he just used Lexi instead. Stuck in the middle was a lit candle.

He stuck out the cupcake, which she took from his hands and held in her own. "Just thought I'd give a little something for the birthday girl."

Up until this point, she'd been staring down at the little cake in her hands. Now, she shifted her eyes up to meet his. "You…you actually remembered?" she asked him.

He smiled at her. "Like I'm gonna forget my best friend's birthday. War or no war, it's your day, and you deserve some type of cake." Her eyes shifted back to the cupcake. "Well, go on, make a wish!" he urged.

Lexi took a moment to think, then took a deep breath and blew out the little candle. She then placed the cupcake so it rested in one hand, and gave him a half hug with her free arm.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," she told him.

"Eh, no problem," he said, hugging her back. They pulled away after a moment, and she poked her index finger in the icing. The icing stuck to her finger easily, exactly the way she liked it, and when she had enough, she stuck it in her mouth to taste.

"Mmm, just like mom used to make," she said, though it sounded more like a mutter because of the finger in her mouth. She popped it out, and stuck her pinky this time in the icing. "Here, try some!" She wiped her pinky on the tip of his nose, which made him cross eyed when he looked down at it.

"Hey! What was that for?!" He stuck his own finger in the icing, and tried to wipe it on her nose. But she moved to quickly, calling behind her, "Oh, no you don't!"

They chased each other around the room, trying to wipe frosting on each other's noses, totally carefree like they were so many years ago. For just that brief time, they completely forgot about everything outside that room.

Short, I know. But I just wanted to point out that today was my OC's birthday!!! Next chapter soon!