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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 11 (NI)
Numbuh 539, as she often did when she was stressed, was pacing her office.
In the past few days, 10 more recomissioned operatives were taken POW by the Teen Ninja forces.
In the past few days, 2 search-and-rescue squads were deployed to retrieve them. All but 2 were recovered.
In the past few days, random street wars between the two armies had increased throughout the nation, those uninvolved none the wiser.
In the past few days, 27 operatives were sent to the medical wing for a number of reasons: 12 broken arms, 9 broken legs, 4 dislocated miscellaneous bones, and 2 cases of shock and minor wartime insanity.
In the past few days, her fellow spies and previous commanders were running daily searches for Numbuhs Infinity, 362, 74.239, 1, and Chad Dickson all over the country.
In the past few days, her second-in-command and closest childhood friend Numbuh 794 was among those sent out.
In the past few days…nothing was looking up for the Kid Army.
She sighed. Being leader of the losing side was never easy. Unless you could magically pull a miracle out of thin air, you're pretty much done for. And Numbuh 539 had been waiting for that miracle since Father first attacked, since the KND way of life had first been threatened.
Ever since the previous Sector V had been deployed to find Numbuh 1, she'd done almost nothing. Sure, she'd overviewed weapon prepping and made sure outgoing teams were prepared, but other than that, she'd had no voice in the war. It worried her; the past month, ever since she'd started assembling their forces, she'd been bugged to death about this and that, never a moment to herself. Now…
She needed somebody to talk to. War-related or not, she needed another human being to vent to. Venting to yourself, not so useful. It's pretty much just thinking, and she needed to do anything at this point than think.
Reaching up, Numbuh 539 removed the large green bow atop her head, the same one she'd had ever since she could remember, maybe even sooner. She pulled on a flap and her communicator became visible. Well, that feature hadn't been around the whole time, added not very long before her spy days. She dialed a number and waited.
"Numbuh 512, 2x4 tech weapons leaduh; talk to me," a voice finally said.
"Zoe?"
"…Boss? Hey, haven't talked to ya in forever!"
"Heh, wartime does that to ya. You busy?"
"Just finished a new supply of FIZZBOMB-X, whatcha need?"
"An ear…"
"…okay, I'll be right there. Your office?"
"Main bridge, I'm sick of this office."
"Gotcha, over and out."
The communicator died out, and she placed it back on her head.
"You doing alright, Boss?" Numbuh 512 asked, seeing the weary look on her friend's face.
The two of them were on the main bridge of the Moon Base. Normally this bridge would be the hub of activity, but wartime and lack of space on this particular bridge forced weapon prepping and strategical battle plans to move to the whisby deck, to the severe annoyance of many. So the main bridge remained empty, the second meeting point for commanders to discuss things in private (the first being Numbuh 539's office).
"I wish…and don't call me 'boss', Zoe, it's annoying enough with 50 some people calling me that every day."
"Pfft, I know what you mean," she replied, leaning against the railing. "No one's called me by my numbuh in ages. It's always "leaduh ma'am"."
"Makes ya feel like one of those business people."
"Amen to that."
Numbuh 539 sighed. "It's weird…I'm not exactly depressed about the whole war, but…I'm not feeling all that great either."
Shrugging, Numbuh 512 said, "You gotta figure, you've never actually been in wartime before, so of course you're gonna be confused."
"You don't seem to be going insane, you seen this kinda thing before?"
She was silent for a moment. "Let's just say…my childhood wasn't the easiest."
Giving her a quick hug, Numbuh 539 replied, "S'okay girl, I know…"
They stayed quiet for a while, just enjoying the silence for once. Without a million clueless operatives running around and asking questions, it almost seemed peaceful. As peaceful as wartime can be, anyways.
But silence can get maddening after a while, and the whole reason Numbuh 539 wanted to be here with her was to talk, not think.
Surprisingly, she wasn't the one to break the silence. "How you been holding up with all the crud lately?" Numbuh 512 asked.
"Hmm? Oh, it's been hard…I mean, so many people already in the hospital wing, plus everyone off looking for Numbuh 1 and the Invisibles." 'The Invisibles' was a codename between the commanders of the different sectors of war prep, referring to missing operatives of interest like Numbuh Infinity, who'd been missing since the failed "You Don't Mess With Us, We Don't Mess With You Treaty" 5 years ago.
"Oi, they better find them quick. Longer it takes, less people we got for the grand finale."
"Yeah…man, I wish Luke was around, haven't seen him in days…"
Numbuh 512 looked at her strangely. "He's right downstairs ya know, you coulda just went to talk to him."
"What?" She was absolutely shocked at this information. "I thought he was on a search mission for 1!"
"No, he hasn't been on one since…well I don't think he's ever been on one…"
"B-but he said…"
They suddenly heard what sounded like a door opening on the opposite side of the bridge.
"Yo!" Numbuh 512 yelled over. "Private meeting, go find another commander!"
"Find a commander? I don't think I need to find a commander, Zoe," the new arrival called back.
"Oh, it's just you Luke," she replied, realizing it was Numbuh 794.
He ran over to where they were, smirking. "Yeah, that's exactly what every guy wants to hear, thanks."
"Ahem?" Numbuh 539 cleared her throat noisily.
Numbuh 794's smirk faded. "Oh, Lexi. Hey…"
"'Hey'? Why'd you freakin' tell me you were gonna be out on a mission when you weren't?"
He held up his hands defensively. "Okay okay, calm down, you're getting hyped up again."
"I told you, telling me to calm down DOESN'T. WORK. And whatever happened to no lies, no secrets?" It was obvious her temper was quickly shortening, as it often did whenever he did or said something stupid.
"I've got a perfect explanation this time, swear it."
"Like I haven't heard THAT before…"
Numbuh 512 shook her head. "If you two are going at it again, I'm gonna go pack up some more M.A.R.B.L.E.s or something."
"No it's fine Zoe, it'll only take a minute," Numbuh 794 assured her.
"It's NOT fine! You lied to me! What if there had been an emergency or something, and I sent out a team to go find you and they got lost or something?"
"Hey, I had a priority to cover first, not lying woulda messed everything up."
"Esta loco, priority!" Numbuh 539 yelled back, her Spanish roots showing up in her anger. "Your friends and family, and now your position as leaduh, those are your priorities, idiota!"
"And who said it wasn't because of one of those things?"
"Well let's see, obviously not friends cuz you lied to me. Our families are on 'vacations' and you don't need to pretend you're not here to deal with that, plus Justin's probably out with the other spies. And how lying could help out our side, well, no tiene sentido!"
"Look, even if I told you, you probably wouldn't get it cuz you're so riled up," he said simply, unwavered by her anger. He'd delt many a time with her temper; since their Cadets Next Door days, something would happen to infuriate her, and he was usually the cause.
"Mi dios, just tell me!" she exclaimed, throwing up her hands in frustration.
He sighed. "I figured, I could take over your leaduh stuff –writing out plans, overseeing battle training, that kinda stuff – so you'd get a break."
That definitely wasn't expected.
"I've been watching you this past month," he continued, "go from practically care-free all the time to downright stressed out. This war is getting to you, Lex. You needed a break for once."
Numbuh 539 was utterly speechless. Normally, this wasn't how one of their little spouts went; usually they'd just start arguing, then yelling, ignoring each other for about an hour, then freak out that they'd gone too far and make up. Never had either had a legitimate reason for what they'd done wrong. Odd, as far as best friend relationships go, but it worked well enough for them. They'd been best friends since they met, and didn't look like they were ever not going to be.
"If I woulda told you I was still here, you'd complain that it's your responsibility and I shouldn't and all this crud I woulda just tuned out anyways. Besides, I was gonna tell you in a couple more days."
Numbuh 539 stood there silent for a moment. Then she smiled. "Looks like you really do know me as well as I know you."
"So…am I forgiven?" He already knew the answer before she even said it.
"Course ya are. Ya know, the job isn't that bad…I've actually gone insane not doing anything." She smirked. "How you ever managed all that crud the past few days, I'll never understand."
Numbuh 794 smiled back, and held out his arms. "Celebratory 'end of fight' hug?"
Another part of their little spat tradition, the only real positive part.
"Wouldn't be an argument without it," she said, wrapping her arms around him. "Thanks, by the way…" she said more quietly. "I really do appreciate it."
"Heh, no prob Boss."
"Ugh…no more 'boss', please?"
Numbuh 794 laughed.
So the two of them were just standing there, having their regular hug, when Numbuh 512 snickered and said, "So, should I leave you two lovebirds alone?"
Embarrassed, the two of them jumped apart, rubbing their necks awkwardly. Another part of the tradition: Numbuh 512 cracking relationship jokes, though she very well knew they were friends, that's all. Still, neither could help blushing whenever she said one.
"Common Zoe, can't ya just lay off once and a while?" Numbuh 539 whined. It felt good to whine for once.
"Hey, it's not like I'm Numbuh 2 where I can crack a random joke at will. I stick with one topic, and make sure they're actually funny."
"Ugh, just like old times, huh?" Numbuh 794 laughed again.
And it was just like old times, long before any of this crud had ever affected them, before what would be known as The War in future times had even become a thought. When it never existed.