So, kind of abandoned this poor, defenseless story for a bit. Real life has a tendency to ruin writing time like that and writer's block is no help at all. I've got a couple more chapters after this one finished, and I'm absolutely open to suggestions about where you would like to see this story go or little ideas and subplots you think might be interesting to add in (I definitely have a story worked out, no worries, I just love the ideas!). And with that out of the way, onward with the story!

Time Until the End of the Earth: 4 Days, 17 Hours, 28 Minutes

Gwen stared down at the half dozen reports fanned out across the table in front of her, a frown creasing her forehead. Her finger trailed along one of the pages as she read, Bubbles's loopy handwriting detailing an odd lack of fusion activity around Pokey Oaks Junior High—strange, considering that the area was well known for being Fusion Bubbles's aggressively coveted territory.

Even stranger were similar reports from the Deedee, stationed at Dexter's old lab, who had for months been under siege by Fusion Dexter as the evil genius struggled to gain access to the highly coveted secrets concealed within the old lab.

When placed side-by-side, the reports read almost identical, both outlining the same basic plot.

So far in those territories, both highly volatile areas caught in fierce tug-of-wars between Fuse and Earth's forces, there had been one thing either side could count on—a never ending string of unpredictable attacks and counter attacks. Sometimes they were just to test defensive lines, sometimes attacks on supply shipments, occasionally it was a full on assault hoping to claim or reclaim the territory once and for all. Whatever the cause, there was constant inconsistent strife.

Until now.

All of a sudden two completely separate areas, both known to be of high value to both Fuse and his Fusion copies, were under a different kind of attack. Rather than Fuse's usual chaotic bursts, the morning had begun with a systematic series of attacks against Earth's lines. According to the reports, which had been flowing in nonstop since just past sun-up, single groups of fusion monsters had stuck out against Earth's forces in both locations using an identical strategy—they would ambush a group of soldiers, carry on fighting until reinforcements showed up, quickly retreat, and then a short time later attack elsewhere, following the same pattern of quick attack, quick retreat.

While a seemingly sound attack plan, it was anything but normal for Lord Fuse and his minions, especially considering that reports on both fronts claimed that there wasn't, and hadn't been since the strange attacks had begun, any sign of Fuse's commanders. Endowed with the magnificent ego of his namesake, Fusion Dexter was in no way one to let another take command, and, like the Powerpuff Girls she so resembled, it was simply not in Fusion Bubbles's DNA to simply sit out and watch a fight.

And, as if these two reports weren't confusing enough, Peach Creek Estates and the forces outside Madame Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends were reporting almost identical attack patterns as well.

Gwen sighed, picking up one of the reports and looking at it more closely for a moment, hoping it might reveal to her the secrets hidden behind this strange behavior. When the paper failed to further explain itself Gwen let it drop back to the table, her chin falling into her hands.

She felt certain that the information before her was significant, revealing a sinister plan hidden beneath a benign cover of seemingly normal attacks. What significance it held, however, was well beyond her.

I wish Kevin was here, she thought. He would be able to figure this out.

"Gwen?"

Blinking in surprise, Gwen looked up, worried she'd accidentally mumbled her thoughts out loud, disturbing the others quietly working their way through their own paperwork around the large table.

But no one was looking her way and, confused, Gwen wondered if she'd simply imagined her name being called.

And then she spotted the pair of wide grey eyes watching her curiously from two seats away.

"Oh," she breathed, smiling at the younger boy. "Hi Mac." Dexter had commandeered him from his usual message delivering services to sort files for him. It was simple, mindless work that Dexter simply didn't feel like doing himself, but Mac had been thrilled none-the-less at getting to work in the command center alongside the war's epic heroes.

His pile of half-sorted files was going ignored right now, the boy's whole attention seemingly focused on Gwen.

"Is everything okay?" he asked her. At her raised eyebrow, he quickly added, "you looked like something was bothering you."

"Oh, no, it's nothing," she said. Mac frowned at her, disbelief written all over his face. The young boy's perceptiveness surprised Gwen. His expression, which carried just a smidgen of concern, seemed just a little too mature for an eight-year-old to be wearing. Gwen couldn't help herself—she laughed.

This was clearly not the reaction the younger boy had been expecting. After a moment of looking shocked, Mac quickly took on a look of confusion, tinged with the worry that he'd done something wrong. Noticing the boy's distressed expression, Gwen quickly smothered her laughs, which only seemed to make Mac look even more unsure.

"Okay, so maybe something is bothering me," she relented, hoping to circumvent any further confusion on the younger boy's part. She nudged her pile of reports towards Mac. "These are reports from locations around Hero's Square. They're all reporting the same weird movements from the fusion monsters and the sudden disappearance of two fusion copies, both of whom have, to our best knowledge, never left their territories before." Gwen shrugged. "It's really strange, and I know it's got to mean something, but I can't figure out what to make of it."

Mac looked at the reports pushed his way, and then glanced up at Gwen, brow furrowed. She motioned for him to take a look. Scooting the closest file towards him, Mac started reading through it. Gwen rested her chin in her hand, watching Mac as he read. He was frowning thoughtfully, occasionally following along with his finger. A few times he doubled back, reading and rereading certain parts. Gwen was impressed with his focus, and she found herself wondering if the boy before her really was only eight.

When he was finished reading Mac sat back, letting his hands drop into his lap as he continued to stare at the paper, collecting his thoughts. Thinking that he might be unsure about expressing his opinion on something generally reserved for the older commanders, Gwen figured a gentle nudge wouldn't hurt.

"What do you think?" she asked him. Mac blinked up at her in surprise.

"Umm," he stuttered, glancing back at the paper. He hesitated for a moment and then, bolstered by the encouraging look Gwen was giving him, he scooted the report back towards Gwen. He pointed to a specific line as he said, "I think it's some kind of diversion."

"A diversion?" Gwen repeated. She'd briefly considered that herself, but she hadn't been able to see how continuing to throw troops at enemies you were already attacking was diverting from anything. Hearing the faint note of doubt in her voice, Mac motioned to the place in the report that he'd indicated.

"I was thinking that was it because of something Double D said." Mac glanced at the page, reaffirming his thoughts before saying, "Double D noticed that the monsters attacking them at different places looked like they were the same monsters each time—they had the same damage and everything."

"Really?" Gwen asked, pulling the report towards her. She skimmed through the section Mac was reading from. She overlooked it twice before she spotted the little comment, quickly scribbled in, not among the main report, but in the margins of the supplies summary. It made sense to be there—Double D worked with Mandy in directing supply shipments in the field; he wasn't a field commander.

He was, however, very observant and Gwen didn't doubt for a moment Double D's claim. Rather, she applied it to the other territories under attack. Suddenly the picture she was looking at didn't seem quite so confusing.

"If the places where this stuff is happening are important," Mac said slowly, regaining Gwen's attention, "then wouldn't he have a lot of monsters there to attack with?"

"He would. He does," Gwen corrected. "We've been defending those spots for months, and he's always got a few hundred monsters ready to fight."

"So, if he's usually got all those monsters there, and he's only using a few of the same ones now," Mac said, frowning as he tried fitting together the puzzle pieces he had, "then what is he doing with all of the other ones?" Gwen frowned.

"Mac," she said slowly, "I think that's exactly what we need to find out."

The chair Mac sat in was really built for the older kids and the adults, and so his legs dangled above the ground. He kicked them slowly, his chin resting on folded arms as he looked up at Gwen, standing beside him. She was doing one last check of her reports, making sure she had her thoughts collected before addressing her fellow war commanders—or, her fellow commanders not currently in the field.

Numbuh One stood not far away from Gwen, his arms held firmly behind his back. Even from where he sat Mac could see the frown lines creasing the KND commander's forehead—he'd been in a constant state of anxiety since news of his teammate's distress call had come in that morning.

Across from the operative stood Mandy, also frowning, but more out of habit than stress (although she was certainly feeling the latter as well). Knowing she would have seen at least Double D's report, Mac wondered if Mandy already had an idea of what was going on in the area around Hero's Square.

Between the anxious KND and the scowling blonde the Professor sat, looking more calm and collected than anyone else in the room. He was flanked by two video monitors—a sleek, silver flat screen projecting its redheaded inventor; and a slipshod, clunky monitor showing a grainy image of its KND creator.

"I hope this will be brief," Dexter said around an unimpressed expression. The angle of the webcam mounted on the screen showed he was busy judging Numbuh Two's handmade communications device. "I have very important weapons work to be doing."

"If my theory is correct," Gwen said softly, "then you'll be doing a lot more of it very soon."

That gained her Dexter's attention, along with those of everyone else in the room. Mac couldn't help but be impressed by how the redhead was able to bring all eyes on her with only a few softly spoken, carefully chosen words.

"You're talking about the strange attack patters reported from the Cul-de-sac," Mandy said, gaze hard as it met Gwen's. Gwen nodded.

"It's not just the Cul-de-sac," she added. "Multiple areas are showing the same kind of irregular behavior." She went on to explain the basics of what was happening across the area. Numbuh One frowned as Gwen explained Lord Fuse's confusing tactical movements, and everyone looked startled at the thought that they'd possibly lost track of two of Fuse's more powerful fusion copies.

"We figured that Fuse wasn't using the full force of his troops at any of these locations," Gwen said, as her explanation wound to a close. "What we aren't sure of is what Fuse is planning to do with all of these monsters."

Thoughtful silence followed Gwen's words. It was eventually Dexter who broke it, although not with the kind of feedback Gwen was hoping for.

"You say 'we' figured," he said, frowning. "Shouldn't whoever you were working with be here as well?"

"He is," Gwen said. When Dexter raised an eyebrow, she motioned to Mac, who sat up a little straighter. "He was the one who found Double D's comment about Fuse using the same monsters to attack." Dexter's other eyebrow rose to join the first. Already Gwen could hear his next comment—undoubtedly concerning Mac's age and whether he was really intellectually mature enough to be participating in these kinds of war related matters. However, it seemed Gwen wasn't the only one to notice the impending criticism.

"The Kids Next Door inducts kids younger than Mac every day," Numbuh One said, heading off anything the young scientist might have said. "Some of them are out their fighting Fuse right now. I see no reason as to why Mac's input in this situation would be of any less worth than our own."

Dexter frowned at the KND leader, who was somehow giving the boy's video monitor a pointed look without actually taking off his sunglasses or looking at the monitor.

"I agree," Mandy said, turning the group's attention to the other end of the table. She had lowered herself into a seat, and was sitting with her hands folded in front of her face, brows furrowed in thought. "Mac's age isn't an issue here. What is an issue is thousands of unaccounted for fusion monsters."

"Was it just at Peach Creek where they noticed the lack of monsters?" Numbuh Two asked curiously, redirecting the conversation to the matter at hand. Gwen nodded, tapping the report on top of her file.

"Double D noticed it," she said. "He made a note of it down by the inventory summaries. That's why it wasn't noticed at first." Dexter frowned, and once again Gwen could see his rebuttal coming before it arrived.

"If that's the only time anyone happened to notice this, then how do we know it's a certainty?" Dexter asked, frowning. "According to his position, Double D shouldn't even be involved in the fighting. How can we be sure his observations are correct?"

"Double D isn't a field commander," Gwen agreed, having prepared for such an argument. "He's a bean counter, in charge of supply inventory for the base and in the field. He was in Peach Creek taking stock of what supplies the Urban Rangers had and what they needed. He wouldn't be participating in the fighting, or any of the action at all. He would probably be somewhere out of the line of fire, but where he could still observe at least some of the fighting. He would be in a perfect position to notice these kinds of details."

"Still," Numbuh One said slowly, "Even if it's correct, how can we be sure this is even relevant?"

"Have you ever read one of Double D's reports?" Mandy asked, looking across the table over her folded hands. Numbuh One met the blonde's look and shook his head. "I have," Mandy continued. "He's meticulous and precise with what he says. If it's not important, it's not written down."

"So, if Fuse isn't using all his forces to attack—" Mac started, only to be interrupted by Dexter.

"We haven't decided that Fuse is limiting his attack forces. Only one report claims this, and even Double D says he can't be completely sure of this."

Mac's frowned, and he turned to look at Mandy. She was openly scowling at the young scientist, and Mac was pretty sure he knew why. It wasn't often that Mandy was willing to step up and offer any kind of compliment for a person, let alone so openly support them in front of others. Mac liked to think Mandy didn't put her faith in a person thoughtlessly, and her support alone of Double D's word, and by extension Mac's own idea, convinced Mac that what he'd stumbled across wasn't something to be ignored.

That, and he was just plain tired of his young age earning him dismissal by the older scientist.

"No Dexter, you've decided that."

All eyes turned to the Professor, who was looking at Dexter's monitor with the kind of patient fatherly expression that parents usually reserved for kids below the age of five. While looking surprised and a little put off by the older scientist's proclamation, Dexter's admiration of his fellow man of science seemed to keep him from voicing his disagreement.

"I understand your thinking, Dexter," the Professor continued. "Scientists don't experiment to prove things, after all," he added, directing this comment to the whole room, "they're constantly trying to disprove. We're all trying to reach the same goal—understanding Fuse's plans and devising a way to counter them—we're just going about it in different ways."

"Understandable," Gwen said, "but unfortunately not something we really have the time for."

"Agreed," Numbuh One said. Something in his expression had shifted—while the Professor had worked to dampen Dexter's questioning, he'd continued contemplating Mac's original line of thought, and the conclusion he'd reached wasn't one he was all too happy with. "If Mac and Double D are wrong, then Fuse is simply using a new attack pattern. But if he's right, then that means he's regrouping a staggering number of his forces, most likely for a very big attack."

"Could he be planning to try and take all four places at once?" Numbuh Two asked. "Use one, big attack with everything he's got? After all this little attack stuff, we'd probably be worn down enough to do it."

"If that's his plan, then he'd need to make a move soon," Dexter said. While he didn't look entirely convinced of this idea it seemed he understood the gravity of the situation, and that, at least for now, what was needed was less talking and more action. "Even with no ulterior motive, this kind of attack would certainly prompt us to send in reinforcements to all fronts. If he waits too long, Fuse's troops will be up against soldiers who are fresh and ready to fight."

"Agreed," Numbuh One said. "If Fuse is going to act, it'll be soon."

"But what if he's not going to attack all those areas?" Mac asked. When everyone turned to him he faltered, but an encouraging look from Gwen got him going again. "You said he's waiting an awful long time to attack out there. Maybe that's not where he's going to attack at all."

"But if not out there, then where?" Numbuh Two asked.

Even as the question was leaving his lips an answer dawned on Numbuh Two. His expression, a mix of shock and horror was mirrored by all of those sitting around him. A terrible silence reigned as silent understanding shattered the air. Almost a minute passed before anyone could speak.

"Gwen," Mandy said softly, "begin siphoning troops back to base from all local fronts. Dexter and I will begin emergency preparations."

"We need to get eyes on Fuse's movements," Numbuh One said. "Dexter, we don't have any vehicles capable of the speed and stealth required for something like this. Do you?"

"I do," he said. "She's still in the test stages, so she's going to need a pilot who can think on their feet. I can have someone here within the hour—"

"No need," Numbuh One said, shaking his head. "You already have the best pilot you're going to get."

"Who?" Dexter asked, looking skeptical. On his own monitor, Numbuh Two straightened and saluted.

"Reporting for duty, sir!"

For a moment Dexter looked like he was going to complain, but six reproachful looks silenced him. He frowned, but didn't argue.

"Meet me at hanger 16 in twenty minutes," he said. Numbuh Two nodded, and then both monitors went blank.

"They're getting to work and so should we," Mandy said. "Gwen, Numbuh One, we'll work on getting soldiers and supplies back here as quickly as possible. Mac, you stick around," she added, noticing the younger boy was starting to look a little lost in the sudden rush of action. "Radio communications are assumed compromised right now—you're going to have to be our radio." Mac nodded slowly, a little overwhelmed at his unexpected raise in responsibilities.

"Mandy, everyone," the Professor said gently, speaking up for the first time since calming Dexter. "I understand the urgency of the current situation, but before we go any further, I feel like I need to share something with you all." He waited until four pairs of eyes were focused on him before continuing. "Dexter and I, while also building weapons and studying fusion matter, have been working on something else—a contingency plan, if you will, in the event of something like the events unfolding today."

"You mean suddenly finding out Fuse might be listening in on all of our communications and also planning a mass attack on Hero's square?" Numbuh One asked. Everyone flinched slightly as their current situation was finally summed up and laid out for all to see.

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean," the Professor agreed.

"What kind of contingency plan?" Gwen asked. The Professor's expression grew solemn as he rose to his feet.

"I believe there's something you need to see."

Standing at a massive computer bank, a green figure clad in red stood straight backed, its hand resting atop the computer's control panel. Or rather, its hand had melted into the controls, red eyes narrowed as information traveled straight from the computer and into its mind.

It wasn't until an alert was triggered by one of the monsters lumbering about outside that the figure looked up, pulling its focus out of the computer and back into the world around it.

Turning towards its equally green companion, the figure nodded once. The second figure, dressed in blue and hovering about a foot off the floor, narrowed its eyes. It then disappeared, nothing but a green streak of light vanishing upwards to show where the figure had gone.

Once alone, the remaining figure slowly pulled its hand from the computer, holding it in front of its face to watch as its fingers reformed. The Triceraclaw's message flashed through its mind—Intruders, Multiple life-forms detected, Intruders, Multiple life-forms detected, Intruders, Multiple life-forms detected.

The figure's eyes narrowed in a way that suggested that if had a mouth, it would be grinning.

Hefting the tool leaning against the computer—an over sized black wrench—over its shoulder, the figure turned to face the building's entrance, currently hidden from sight behind dozens of softly humming machines.

Intruders, Multiple life-forms detected.

From up above the figure's companion communicated to him, though it was more a sharing of thoughts and feelings than actual words. Either way, the message was clear.

Let them come.

The figure's invisible grin grew.