Disclaimer: I do not own Codename: Kids Next Door and I never will.

I updated again! Not that anyone actually reads this anymore. –Tear- Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Explanation

Harry looked like he was going to choke, Melissa's eyes were alarmingly wide and Kellie's hand was clasped so hard around her mouth that she was surprised there were no red marks around it. Thomas had his lips pressed together tightly, Truman was shifting his feet nervously and Celeste didn't seem to really care. They were all staring at the person in front of them with their S.C.A.M.P.E.R. wires clutched in their hand.

Finally, Harry managed to say something. "A-Anne-Marie?"

Anne-Marie's smile widened as she twirled the wires. "Yeah, yeah, I did everything and now you're gonna get me, blah, blah, blah." Her expression became more evil when she caught sight of Celeste. "But of course, your little spy figured everything else out before now, didn't she?"

"Of course I did. I'm not the spy for nothing." Celeste was now standing on the second highest step to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., her eyes narrowed. "Last night everything fell into place, and even more when we got the mission today. You planted that note in my locker because you wanted to trick Numbuh 361 into giving you details about the Kids Next Door. You thought that I, being the spy, would figure you out easily if I still hung around him, so you chased me off. That's when the others started trying to find out what was wrong with me, which meant they were preoccupied. That left you to flirt with Harry and get your information. He told you about the equipment we use, and that's how you were able to know which wires to cut. Anne-Marie, what's your last name?"

"Uh..." Anne-Marie hesitated before answering. "Santles."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kellie asked softly.

Celeste's firm expression didn't waver. "Sanban and Beatles. Santles. It's not that hard, is it? I'm guessing you wanted some of your identity still intact. But, I never really figured out who you were."

"I'm from a different universe. The one you made when you went back to the past. I'm the first daughter of Wallabee and Kuki Beatles." Anne-Marie puffed out her chest in pride.

"No you're not, I am!" Kellie's voice was shrilly and almost hysterical.

"In this universe," stated Celeste, still staring down Anne-Marie. "In the other universe we made, she's their daughter."

"And I dated her? That would be like... Like dating Kellie!" Harry was nearly as hyped up as Kellie. Thomas gave him a glare that would have reduced him to ashes if looks could kill.

"How did we make another universe?" Melissa asked, scratching her head. "We can't possibly do that."

Anne-Marie grinned at the crowd gathered before her. "Yes, you can. The rule is that time goes forwards, never backwards. You guys broke that rule and went back in time by accident. You met your parents and interfered with the past, which is dangerous. When you came back, you could have ended up in one of the two timelines existing. There was this one, where you originally came from, and the one you made when you went back to the past. You were lucky enough to end up back here. I'm from the other timeline, as you may have already guessed." She sounded as if she had practiced her speech for some time.

"Let me guess, you work for Father?" Truman guessed. When she nodded, he moved forward, suddenly looking angry.

"Oh, I'm sorry, am I hurting the little traitor's feelings?" Anne-Marie teased.

Truman shut his eyes tight, not wanting to remember the pain and suffering he'd endured while working for Father. He had constantly been reminded of how he was nothing compared to the grown Delightful Children from Down the Lane, all the while wondering whether he was fit to be Father's servant. As he became older, he realised Father's true intentions to others his age and wanted to break free of the strong chains trapping him. He didn't think he could until that fateful day in the past.

"Leave me alone!" Truman demanded, opening his eyes and closing his hands. "Don't you see what you're doing is wrong? Father only wants to use you because you're so gullible! Why are you letting him brainwash you? You stupid idiot!"

The others had never heard Truman yell at somebody else before. He had normally only spoken when it was right for him to. They had all aged together since the age of four, so they were all used to each other. He hadn't been with them that long, but he was still the most comfortable when he was around them. If this had been a normal enemy, he would have kept quiet. His lingering memories of Father haunted him so much that he would never even simply pass the Kids Next Door archives for fear of seeing certain documents. He wouldn't have been able to take it if he saw the hundreds of files on "Son." It surprised them so much that he would mention it now.

"You're calling me an idiot?" Anne-Marie screeched in disbelief. "You're the one who betrayed Father, the most powerful being in the universe!"

"Who cares if I betrayed him?" Truman's voice rose with every word. "He betrayed Numbuh 0 at the very beginning. That means he also betrayed Numbuh 1, then Numbuh 361, and then the rest of us."

Harry shot him a grateful smile, but then frowned in worry. "It doesn't matter, Numbuh 40. I just want to know why she came over here in the first place."

Anne-Marie's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Father believes that the timeline you created is the right one. I'm here to destroy this one. Don't worry; we made sure we made a special spot for you guys."

Her hand dived into her gold handbag and rummaged through the objects inside. Everyone's eyes were intense as they watched the bag. Eventually the hand was withdrawn, clutching a silver box. Anything that was alive was now focused on the box, not daring to stray. If they did, something might happen to them.

"This," began Anne-Marie, "is the box that you will be trapped in for the rest of your days. You won't age, become ill, or suffer anything. Bon voyage."

Anne-Marie pressed something on the side facing her. A whirl of gray smoke invaded the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., making the team cough and splutter. There was a pain in their chests and they screamed in pain. It lasted for a minute until their lungs gave way. They collapsed onto the ground, falling into a deep sleep they weren't sure they were going to wake up from.

However, they did, but they weren't in the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. anymore. They weren't anywhere they recognised. They were floating in what seemed to be a sea of silver and purple clouds. There was no ground, so they weren't in the sky. There were no walls, so they weren't in a building of some sort. Not even a door could be sought, so there was no way of leaving.

"Where are we?" Harry's voice didn't echo, instead sounding softer than usual.

Everyone else shrugged at him, still gaping at the different shades of purple. Kellie reached out to touch one of the clouds, but was grabbed by Thomas. She gave him a look that told him she wanted to enjoy the place while she could. He stared her down, not wanting her to hurt herself. She wriggled out of his grip and touched the nearest cloud, just to annoy him.

"Numbuh 43," he started, but never finished. The shades of purple rippled, as did the silver. They were replaced with dark blues that gave the impression of a storm. The cloud started morphing into different objects. A table, a saucepan, a pair of earrings, a computer and a rose all took shape before the "cloud" rested on what looked like a box with flashy buttons. On the side there was an inscription that read:

KND TIME TRAVELER 300
2029

"What's the time machine doing here?" Melissa wondered.

The copy of the time machine changed again, turning into a large plate with a round hole in the middle. The hole was very wide and tall and all of them could see through it without having to strain themselves. Colours started swirling and an image appeared.

Yeah, it sounds weird to me too. And another cliff-hanger! Teehee! Review!