Numbuh 24.5 had expected something to happen between Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 362, but kissing each other hadn't exactly been on her list. However, she could care less at the moment; they had a real situation on their hands.
"Ahem," she said loudly, causing the two to jump with surprise. They detached immediately, Numbuh 1 looking more shocked than anything, while Numbuh 362 looked furious with herself. They did, however, have one thing in common: their faces were redder than tomatoes.
Both opened their mouths to speak, but Numbuh 24.5 beat them to it. "There's a traitor in Adlenir's KND, Numbuh 362. They're after you."
Numbuh 362's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't look the slightest bit nervous. "Do you have a plan?"
The gears in Marcela's brain were already whirring; she had some idea for protecting Rachel. The pieces were already beginning to fall in place, and she was certain that she could thwart Numbuh Infinity's intentions.
"Right," she said, drawing herself up. "Numbuh 1, please go find Cadet Hapray; I want him in my office in half an hour. Jasper, tell Numbuh 842 that I've ordered a lock down. Numbuh 362, come with me."
She whipped around, not bothering to see if Numbuh 362 was following her or not. She felt slightly nervous- but then, every operative was when they went to see him.
She practically speed-walked out of the computer lab, but slowed to a more leisurely pace once out in the passage. Rachel caught up on her right, her expression now neutral. Numbuh 24.5 regarded this with some amusement.
"You don't need to be at attention now, Rachel, and you're welcome to call me Marcela; you've earned that privilege," she said to her, smiling slightly. "I haven't been able to have a simple girl-to-girl talk in ages."
Numbuh 362 grinned back at her. "Believe me; I know what that's like."
"So, Rachel," said Marcela, trying her best to sound innocent; in truth, she was doing her best not to laugh. "Any reasons for what happened in the computer lab?" A small giggle escaped her; it was a relief not to have to act strict for once.
She enjoyed the sight of Numbuh 362 spluttering indignantly. "He kissed me," she muttered, looking away.
"I'm so sure that's what happened," said Numbuh 24.5 sarcastically. She knew that if Numbuh 1 had really been the only one acting on his feelings, then she and Jasper wouldn't have had time to walk in on them kissing.
Rachel scowled at her. "Like you wouldn't do that with Jasper."
That gave Marcela pause. She froze for a moment, long enough for Numbuh 362 to continue.
"It couldn't be more obvious that you're crushing on him. You don't get that mad at a guy- even if he was a coward- unless you seriously like him. He's the only one who ever threw you off balance."
Numbuh 24.5 thought about that for a moment. It was true; after working under Jasper as his protégé, she began to develop feelings for him. Since she had entered the Kids Next Door training program late, she was only a year younger than him. At first, it had been a simple admiration of him. All the girls had had it; he was the dashing Supreme Leader, after all. Later, however, it became more personal- she started to notice things about him that she'd never seen before, and she had felt like she knew him more than anyone else.
She began to notice how his jet black hair fell slightly over his eyes, and that he'd constantly run his fingers through it when he was impatient. She saw how his sapphire eyes flickered with amusement whenever one of the younger operatives reported to him nervously, afraid of embarrassing themselves in front of their supreme leader.
She noticed that when he laughed, it only seemed real one out of five times.
The thought saddened her a bit; she knew herself that as leader of an enormous organization of kids, she had to hide her emotions the majority of the time. She wasn't allowed to have nervous breakdowns, she wasn't allowed to cry, and she wasn't allowed to joke around. People admired her for this, but she had very few real friends. Rachel seemed to notice her sudden silence.
"He broke you, didn't he?" she asked quietly. "When he turned coward."
Marcela shrugged. "More like he made me… stronger, at least on the outside. I became so determined to never be like him, to be an honorable leader for the Kids Next Door. His disgrace gave me the strength I needed to deal with being Supreme Leader."
"But it hurt you, too," said Rachel, her brown eyes never leaving Numbuh 24.5. Marcela almost found her stare unnerving.
"I suppose so," she replied slowly, aware of how tired she suddenly was. "Just like Numbuh 1's departure hurt you."
Numbuh 362 didn't try to deny it this time; instead, she just nodded, her head bobbing up and down. Marcela smiled slightly.
"At least the two of us can relate," she said, clapping Rachel on the shoulder. Glancing around, she became aware of their surroundings, realizing that they had arrived at her destination. A small cave entrance was off to the right, with a curtain draped over it. Numbuh 24.5 was aware that the inhabitant enjoyed working in the dark.
She composed herself, pushing away her previous feelings of remorse and putting on her leader's face. Any signs of weakness in front of him only served to amuse him, something she found rather irritable.
Numbuh 362 seemed to notice her sudden change in expression, and changed her own to become similar. Numbuh 24.5 pushed aside the curtain mercilessly, letting the torchlight flood the small room.
The twenty year old young man cowered, jumping behind his desk in panic. He only peeped at her after about a minute of heavy breathing, his wide gray eyes slowly focusing on her, eventually recognizing her face.
The man straightened at once, brushing off the ratty sweater he wore, and saluted. "Numbuh 24.5, sir." He cocked his head to the left, narrowing his eyes at Numbuh 362, who Marcela heard shift uncomfortably under his gaze.
She knew that he disliked small talk, and was about to go straight to the point when he strode around the desk and walked right up to Rachel. Numbuh 24.5 had nearly forgotten about his need to inspect people when he first met them.
"Small signs," he said as he walked slowly around her, frowning. "The black attire you wear suggests that you're a reconnaissance agent of some sort… hair is uneven, suggesting that you've cut it yourself and therefore have been alone for a long time. You hold yourself in the same way Numbuh 24.5 does, suggesting you understand the burden of leadership and have practice hiding your emotions."
Marcela was impressed; Rachel didn't show any sign that she was unnerved by his analysis, apart from a small flash of surprise in her eyes.
The young man stepped back, then chuckled. "I like her."
"I am here because there is a traitor in the Kids Next Door," said Numbuh 24.5. "I want you to hunt them down, Numbuh 650."
Numbuh 650 already looked bored. "Is that all?" he asked, his voice crisp and intelligent. "I was hoping for a more… difficult case- a missing operative, perhaps. A traitor is quite simple."
"You already knew about the traitor, didn't you?" asked Numbuh 24.5, frowning slightly.
Numbuh 650 blinked several times. "Of course I did, but how did you know?"
"Your eyes narrowed slightly," said Marcela, aware that she sounded like she was reading a list. "This constitutes that you recognized what I was talking about. Also, you were not working on a project as we entered, indicating that you were instead giving the matter quite a bit of thought."
"You have learned a thing or too, Supreme Leader," he praised, looking impressed. "Your observational skills have grown."
Numbuh 24.5 nodded in acknowledgement, trying not to show how surprised and pleased she was; it was difficult to receive a compliment from Numbuh 650, even on his good days. That day didn't seem to be good or bad for him, really. Just as he had said, it was boring.
He looked from one person to the other, raising an eyebrow. "Well," he said, "Anything else I am required to do?"
"Actually, yes," replied Marcela. "Tell me everything you know about the origins of the KND."
Shadows were his ally this time; it was ironic, how before he used to put himself in the spotlight so often, doing everything he could to get the attention of his superiors. Some might call him a typical power-hungry moron, who was greedy enough to betray any friends he ever had in order to seize the position of Supreme Leader.
He merely saw himself as the savior of the Kids Next Door on Adlenir. Numbuh 24.5 was ruining the organization by standing up and fighting the GKND. He would've done the smart thing, and allied with them- but nooooo, he couldn't give an opinion, could he? He didn't matter to anyone anymore.
The challenge had yet to pass; Numbuh 362 still roamed free, rather than being in a prison cell at GKND headquarters. He was confident, however, that the mission could be carried out, seeing as how no one seemed to know about the presence of a traitor in the Kids Next Door.
He glanced down at the old prototype weapon gripped tight in his fist. He had always carried this, ever since he'd seen it in use that one day. In his opinion, it had been a stroke of luck- the day when he began his revenge against the girl who had always eclipsed him.
He planted it, the galactic timer attached in order to override the timing system already in place inside the bomb. He dashed away, thinking:
Phase one: complete.
"The beginning of the Kids Next Door is a tricky subject," said Numbuh 650, speaking carefully and delicately as though he was afraid the words would break. "Few know the entire story; even I am unaware of the whole truth. However, I believe that this is how it goes.
"There was a girl. Not too young, not to old really. Brilliant, genius, that sort of thing. Back then, adult tyranny was fought by small, local groups. There wasn't yet a worldwide threat at the time, and all the teams found it difficult to cooperate anyhow. This girl- her name is unknown- was merely taking a walk in the park. She was a part of one of those smaller factions, but she was just a common fighter. She often hid her intelligence; her mother used to imply that it made her sound insane. She could remember everything- every tiny detail of her life, and it drove her half-mad.
"Once in the center of the park, a remarkable occurrence happened. The girl went to sit by her favorite tree, and lying between the roots was a book- the book of KND."
"Hold on a moment," said Numbuh 362, frowning. "The book of KND was found by Numbuh 0 on my planet, not yours."
Numbuh 650 opened his mouth to argue, but Numbuh 24.5 cut in, impatient to hear the rest of the story. "Then there are probably many copies of the book, Numbuh 362. Please continue, Numbuh 650."
He sighed and nodded, beginning to speak animatedly once more. "As she was reading through it, she was attacked by A.K. members- the acronym stands for, 'Against Kids'. Thankfully, several of her teammates happened to be nearby, and they fought. The adults didn't want her to have the book, and were hell-bent on destroying it there and then. The girl read as fast as she could, but before she could read the last page, a stray laser burned the book to cinders. Thanks to her gifted memory, she was now- effectively- the book."
Marcela slapped a hand to her forehead. "That explains why we don't have the same decommissioning rule as everyone else. She never read about it."
Numbuh 650 raised an eyebrow; a perplexed look came onto his face. "Is that why you even asked?"
"Among other reasons, yes."
"Very well… she gathered the fighting group she belonged to, and proposed her plan to them. Their leader at the time was an intelligent kid, and agreed give the Kids Next Door a chance. He realized that if it succeeded, it would be better for children everywhere. So he sent messages to every major leader on the planet, requesting that they meet peacefully in the very caves that we now inhabit.
"The meeting was lengthy and arduous, but the rewards were great. Her leader managed to convince all of the groups to band together, except one rather large one. They insisted that they worked alone, and didn't need any assistance from others. A sudden attack by their enemy adults, however, convinced them to band together in order to defeat them. And that was that. Typical story of unity, wouldn't you agree?"
Marcela chose not to answer the question, knowing that he would simply begin to rant on about the subject. Numbuh 650 looked slightly amused, as though he knew exactly what she was thinking.
Without so much as a goodbye, she wheeled around and left. She didn't need to check and make sure that he would do the task assigned; he solved all the cases she put before him out of pure boredom. Rachel kept her neutral face on all the way into the hall, before it crumbled away into a completely bemused expression. "What was with him?"
Numbuh 24.5 sighed, letting her relief creep back onto her face. "Numbuh 650 is of an… unusual character. Let's just say that he's seen some things that are better left unmentioned, and it had a strange effect on him."
Numbuh 362 didn't pursue the subject, a fact that Marcela was grateful for. Everyone was a little uncomfortable talking about his past, and she could remember a time when he used to go on missions. He'd been a good operative, until his sector leader reported that he'd somehow made the adult they were fighting scream with insanity. She had decided to retire him from field work after that incident.
Jasper awaited them up ahead, his face full of the old seriousness that he'd had back when he was in her position of power. Recalling her conversation with Numbuh 362, Numbuh 24.5 could feel a blush beginning to creep up on her cheeks. Stoically ignoring it, she stopped and waited for him to report.
"The lockdown's been initiated," he said, saluting her. She could feel his eyes searching for her own, and forced herself to meet his gaze. "Hannah's worried, but she's waiting for your orders."
"I'll find Numbuh 86," said Rachel quickly. She flashed a smirk at Numbuh 24.5. "I haven't gotten the chance to talk to her in a while."
Marcela sent her a 'you're going to pay for this' look, which Numbuh 362 promptly ignored. She wondered if she was the only one who felt the tension increase as Rachel left; it was odd how just the presence of one other person could balance out her nerves. Was it a coincidence that she was suddenly having difficulty breathing?
For a moment, she and Jasper stood in silence; then she began to walk at a brisk pace. Her companion's long legs allowed him to easily keep up, and she thought she saw him glance at her out of her peripheral vision. His hands were shoved in his pockets, the picture of a typical teenager, except she knew that he wasn't typical at all. Being the leader of the Kids Next Door made you stand out, even to people who had no clue what you were.
The return trip to the office went at an agonizing pace. She couldn't tell if he wanted to speak or not, so she just kept her own mouth shut. She didn't trust her voice not to shake if she said something, and she was not about to show weakness. Especially in front of him. She clenched her fists, trying to ignore how sticky they were. She let a curtain of her hair fall between the two of them, glad that it was long.
They met a few operatives along the way. Those who were older and recognized their former leader shot glares at him; the rest just sent confused looks toward their current supreme leader.
Marcela wondered what people would think if they knew she was on speaking terms with him.
About five operatives awaited her in her office; she shooed them away when she learned that they had nothing useful to say. Most of them sent Jasper dirty looks on the way out, and one person even bumped into him without so much as an apology; she wasn't sure whether she wanted to thank the operative, or send him flowers.
Their receding voices died quickly; sound didn't travel here like it did on the moonbase. Jasper once again gazed at her intently, and Marcela tried her best to ignore it. However, she was forced to as he abruptly asked a question.
"Anything else I can do?"
Sapphire eyes met emerald, and she felt like she was drowning, but managed to surface in time to speak. "Not at the moment," she said, nearly sagging in relief when her voice didn't break. Even Numbuh 362 was wrong now, she realized; she was way past crushing on him.
She wished she had an excuse to walk behind the desk and look away from him. This was possible on the moonbase; there, the back wall of her office was glass, and she could see all of the traffic coming and going. It would have been a sight that soothed her, had it actually been there.
She couldn't deny that there was a spark between them, and yet at the same time, she had to. She had the Kids Next Door to look after, and they were in the middle of a war. To begin a relationship now would be disastrous. And, of course, there was the likely fact that he didn't feel the same way.
She felt sick at this thought.
"You aren't okay," he stated quietly. Why couldn't she still hate him, like she did earlier? This thought angered her, and gave her the strength for a reply.
"And you know this… how?" she asked sarcastically. "Got any mind reading powers lately?"
He winced at her dry tone, and gave a sheepish smile. "I suppose I deserved that one."
"You suppose correctly."
The silence returned for a bit, with Marcela studying the cave wall in front of her. She didn't know why she suddenly found all the scratches and bumps fascinating, but each one seemed to stand out to her. She thought she heard Jasper move, but she wasn't entirely sure. At last, she managed to wrack her brains enough to think of something for Jasper to do.
As she turned around, however, the unexpected happened. One might think that the supreme leader always has to expect the unexpected, but there are exceptions to that rule. Jasper did move around, and Numbuh 24.5 didn't imagine it. The result?
Their lips collided.
Her reaction should've been instantaneous. Her logical side was screaming at her to push him away, but it was quickly drowned out by the flood of emotions rushing through her. Jasper didn't seem to mind at all; if anything, he pulled her closer. Her own physical reaction surprised her even more, as she wound her arms around his neck. For a moment, there was nothing in her mind; all her worries about being Supreme Leader were wiped clean, and it was just her and him.
For some reason, it was that thought that kept her from indulging completely in the intimacy of their contact. She had a monstrous group of kids to look after, who needed help. Did she have time for her own personal desires?
At that moment, they broke for air. She was drowning in his eyes again (why did they have to be such a beautiful blue?), and his whisper sent shivers down her spine. "Marcela…"
The words didn't come out of her mouth, but they burst into her mind with a force she'd never felt before. DON'T CALL ME THAT!
It wasn't her name. Not here, not now.
She pushed him away- gently, since some part of her was telling her to take pity on him. Still, she wasn't sure who she was angrier at- him, or herself. To her surprise, he didn't take her moving away as badly as she thought he might. Instead, he looked at her almost sadly. She tore away from his gaze and walked (struggling not to run) from the room, trying to ignore the euphoric feelings she was currently experiencing in her gut.
Preoccupied was a word that could describe Numbuh 1 at the present time. Others would be worried, angry, impatient, and anxious. Of course, if Numbuh 362 knew that he was worried about her, she'd probably yell at him for thinking she couldn't take care of herself.
It had taken him a little while to find Wesley Hapray, who had been busy taking notes on some drill simulations going on in one of the larger caverns. From what Nigel could see of his notes, he was the kind of person who didn't like to leave out any details. Hapray didn't protest as Numbuh 1 led him out, despite the fact that his notes were incomplete.
The memory of Rachel came up once again, and he subconsciously lifted up a hand to his face. He still wasn't sure what happened- one minute they were yelling at the top of their lungs, the next they were kissing. He couldn't remember- did he always feel this way for Numbuh 362?
He thought of all the times when she had contacted him for mission reports, debriefs, or sometimes lectures. Yes, his heart had beaten the slightest bit faster when she appeared on the screen, but he had constantly brushed it aside when he turned thirteen. Merely a minor childhood infatuation, he thought; nothing more. Yet each day that had gone by in the Galactic Kids Next Door had had at least one time when he'd be thinking about Rachel. She'd tasted like mint when they'd kissed earlier.
A breathless Numbuh 24.5 suddenly rounded the corner, looking dazed. Cadet Hapray was immediately at her side, looking concerned. "Sir?" he asked. "Are you alright?"
She straightened and looked more like her old self again. "Just fine, cadet. Are you aware of the time?"
It took a few moments for Cadet Hapray to realize what she was saying, while Numbuh 1 instantly felt a sickening feeling in his stomach. The lookouts had confirmed that a new day had begun, and today Numbuh 24.5's plan went into action.
They would be commencing their attack on the GKND. He had just noticed how every operative was now sprinting about, either shouting out orders or following them. Nigel wasn't sure how he felt about going into battle against the organization he had sworn to fight alongside, but he had always done what he felt was right.
This definitely fit into that category.
"Numbuh 24.5…" A new voice popped up, one that raised the hairs on Numbuh 1's neck. He turned to see an adult (of all things!) striding toward them, a smirk was on his face, and he held a kicking and struggling Numbuh 545 in his grasp.
"Here you go," he said, shrugging. "My methods will remain a secret."
Numbuh 1 saw the flash of shock and pain in Numbuh 24.5's eyes, but she mostly hid it. "Thank you, Numbuh 650," she said. "I'll handle it from here." The adult dumped the operative on the cave floor, still smirking with triumph, and wheeled away. It was then that Nigel remembered that Adlenir didn't have the same decommissioning rules as Earth; of course there would be adult operatives here.
Marcela now looked down upon the usually formidable operative before her. She felt different emotions churning within her, foremost being anger, hurt, and surprisingly, pity. When Numbuh 545 opened his mouth to speak, she raised a hand, silencing him instantly. Ah, so he did still feel some loyalty to her.
"Numbuh 650 was right when he said that I picked up a few things from him," she began quietly. "I can hazard a guess as to your motives, so I'll just list them now. You feel underappreciated, like you deserve more in this organization. You are jealous of my position, feeling like someone who's such a troublemaker should not have become the Supreme Leader. You feel like your opinion of matters is undervalued. Now, I have a question: you think you're the only one?
"There are others in this organization who have about the same rank as you, and who are treated the same way as you. They do not complain. They do not betray the rest of us. You're a disgrace, Numbuh 545, and you will be decommissioned immediately."
She lifted her right hand, holding her watch up to her mouth. "Numbuh 914, get up here. We have a traitor that needs to be wiped of his memories."
"Right away sir," came the reply. Numbuh 545 looked up, eyes burning in anger as Numbuh 24.5 slowly turned away from him. A few operatives stared at him as they ran past, but for the most part they largely ignored the traitor. Numbuh 1 placed his hand on her shoulder, knowing that Numbuh 545 used to be a good friend of hers.
As for Marcela herself, she just couldn't wait until it was over. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.
The enormous space station that housed the Galactic Kids Next Door was anything but quiet. The ships used for travel flew all around the place, and operatives of hundreds of different species were everywhere.
The preparations had begun, and no one noticed the solitary scamper that landed on one of the outer rings of the station. Two small figures floated out, using the magnetic 2x4 technology to stick to the metal hull. One motioned to the other, who instantly brought forth a small device that looked like a drill of some sort. Space dulled the grinding sound it made, and no one saw the two operatives drop into the corridor.
The shorter pulled off her helmet to reveal Numbuh 362, a smirk on her face. She spoke into her watch communicator.
"362 to 24.5. We're in."
"Good work," was the reply. "Remember your first mission?"
"Crystal clear," said Rachel, still grinning. She wasn't sure why, but sneaking around always gave her a thrill. Beside her, Numbuh 86 pulled off her own helmet.
"Don't know why you're so excited, lass," muttered the Irish girl. "This place is a hellhole. I'd rather be in Father's mansion."
Numbuh 362 sighed. "Sorry Fanny, but you don't know how long I've been waiting for this day."
On another, less deserted area of the base, Numbuh 1 was crawling through the ventilation passages. He had hoped to falsely display that he was still on Numbuh Infinity's side, but Numbuh 24.5 had pointed out that Numbuh 545 had probably reported his 'betrayal' to his boss.
"1 to 24.5," he hissed, keeping his voice low so as not to alert the strange tentacle aliens marching below. "I'm headed for the main hangar."
Numbuh 24.5 and Jasper prepared to get in near their objective: the command bridge. Marcela knew that if they managed to capture Infinity, it would make their job a lot easier. She did her best to ignore the awkward silence between them.
"Calling all operatives," she said into her watch. "Kids Next Door, battle stations!"
On planet Adlenir, hundreds of spacecraft zoomed into the sky.
Rachel and Fanny ran through the station, praying that they wouldn't run into anyone and give them away. The fact that they remain secretive was crucial to the entire mission.
"Wouldn't it have been better if 24.5 had sent the fleet before we snuck onboard?" groaned Numbuh 86. "I never thought I'd say this, but… stupid girl. She's acting like a boy!"
"Quiet, 86," said Numbuh 362, in the same tone she'd often use as Supreme Leader. "Marcela knows what she's doing." They had finally reached the prison block; Rachel didn't think she'd be back here so soon. "Start searching through each cell for a potential ally."
Numbuh 86 grumbled as she looked through each of the small windows that provided a glimpse into each cell. Most of them didn't even hold prisoners, but she eventually came to a larger room- one that shocked her to the core.
Instruments lay everywhere. Samples that looked horribly like blood were lined up neatly on plain gray counters, which made the horrible scene stand out all the more. Nailed into the wall were cuffs, and the wrists that were scarred against those cuffs belonged to Patton Drilovsky.
Also known as Numbuh 60 of the Teens Next Door.
"Fanny, did you"- Rachel was cut off by her own shock as she noticed Numbuh 60. Her brown eyes widened, and the soda laser almost dropped from her grasp. Numbuh 86 was at the cuffs, trying to pull them from the wall. Numbuh 362 noticed that an encryption code was needed, however.
She wondered if her experience from the 2x4 classes she'd taken back when she was training for the E.L.I.T.E. would be sufficient to hotwire the system. She ripped open the box, studying the electrical cords for a moment before setting to work.
Just then, the room erupted as red lights flashed everywhere. "Intruder alert…"
"Were we supposed to get caught this easily?" yelled Jasper, shooting his gumball machine at alien operatives wherever he could.
"They were ready for us," Numbuh 24.5 shouted back, just as her splanker slapped another agent straight in what seemed to be a face. Her brown hair was flying everywhere as she put her Ree-Ting skills to use. As Ree-Ting was the main martial art on Adlenir, Marcela had been taking it since she was four. "I did expect that," she added.
"Now you tell me?" Jasper dodged underneath the tentacles of another alien, before kicking it away. His sapphire eyes were alight with concentration on the fight, as he and Numbuh 24.5 fought to get to the bridge. Their progress was slow, but they were waiting on the fleet arriving anyway.
Just then, her communicator beeped. Yelling for Jasper to cover her, she bent over in a defensive position. "Report!"
"Sir!" came the breathless voice of Numbuh 842. Marcela thought she could make out yells and the booms that often accompanied explosions in the background. "Half our ships made it through, and are engaging the fleet stationed at the GKND's base. The other half was intercepted, however."
"By what?"
"We're not sure, sir. Their ships just stopped functioning, and they're currently floating near that asteroid field we passed on the way here. I haven't received any communications from them since we were forced to leave them behind; it's very worrying."
Marcela had more pressing matters on her mind; with only half the fleet, there was a much smaller chance of her and Jasper receiving reinforcements. "Do what you can, Hannah. If you think you can spare some troops and send them on board, do it; if not, use your resources as best you can to ensure that we have enough time to capture Infinity."
"Yes, sir. 842 out."
Grinding her teeth in frustration, she ducked beneath an oncoming blow before jabbing the humanoid attacker just above the collarbone. Her assailant's reaction was unexpected; it shrieked in shock and began writhing. Marcela vaulted over the being using their shoulders.
"Jasper!" she shouted, and he raised a hand to show he was listening. "We need to push through, and fast. Half the fleet's missing, and this needs to get done quickly. I say Maneuver Effing-Important, now."
He punched another alien in what looked like its gut almost casually, and saluted.
Numbuh 1 held his breath as two of the scientists passed his shadowed corner. Had they known he was hiding there, they probably would've dragged him off for experiments of some sort.
He dove around the corner before they could wheel about and spot him. There was just one more elevator for him to find, and then he'd be in the hangar, where hopefully everyone would be too busy to notice him. He patted the pack that held his cargo, feeling almost feverish excitement. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, but he ignored it. It was his job to focus on the task at hand.
Glancing down each end of the seemly endless hallway, he entered the security code that unlocked the elevator. He was extremely thankful that Numbuh Infinity had not thought to change the security systems. There was a slight "ding", and the elevator opened silently, revealing no occupants; Nigel let out a breath of relief at this stroke of luck.
So far, so good. The question was, how long could this fortune last?
When the elevator doors whooshed open once again, the first thing he saw was a blur racing past him. He knew what species that was- a humanoid alien greatly resembling a leopard. Tail and all. More 2x4 pilots ran past, and shouting took place everywhere.
Gulping slightly, Numbuh 1 quickly dashed to a more secluded place, behind several enormous fuel tanks. High tech scampers were landing and taking off everywhere, along with stealth jets and the larger ships used for firing heavy artillery. He reached into his pack and pulled out one of seven items given to him by Numbuh 6, the 2x4 expert of Sector F.
It was, simply, a special version of the mustard bombs that Numbuh 24.5 had made famous when she was just a cadet. This one, however, would create a much larger impact, and was set to go off whenever he chose.
He planted the bombs in places where they were unlikely to be noticed- beneath the trash shoots they used (heck, he even threw one in a shoot), up on high places where he was just able to reach through many climbing days back in cadet training. He was about to set the last charge when the worst thing that could possibly occur happened: he was noticed.
A serpent like alien hissed at him. "You there!" it said, yellow eyes boring into him. "You mussssst get to your assssigned sssssssquadron, thisss inssstant."
Two emotions dominated in that moment: the first was panic that he had been seen, and was now being ordered to go out in a fighter. The second was relief; obviously the pilot didn't know who he was, seeing as how he hadn't really worked in the space travel field.
Deciding that the best thing to do would be to not make trouble, he saluted, trying to remember the names of the many squadrons. Ugh, he just needed to think of one…
Squadron Taffy! That was one; it was one of the stealth fighter squads, but that didn't matter to him. He could pilot a fighter if he wanted to, and it might give him a chance to aid the Adlenir fleet- which was at a disadvantage due to lesser technology.
He hurried over to where the jets were lined up. The alien in charge- another humanoid, with slightly bulbous eyes and a flabby mouth, barely gave him a nod, as he was yelling orders at the top of his lungs. Nigel took this as his go-ahead, and proceeded to climb into the cockpit of one of the stealth jets.
"Got it!" cried Rachel, reattaching two of the red wires. A sharp click came from the cuffs, and Numbuh 60 slid to the floor upon their release. Fanny did her best to prop him up, while Numbuh 362 pressed a button on her communicator.
"362 to 24.5."
"Need… five… seconds!" shouted a voice from the other end. In the background, sounds of thuds and yells indicating heavy fighting. Rachel could just barely make out the same alarm that rang out in the lab in the background of the communicator too.
Another thud occurred, this one louder than before, and then Marcela's voice rang out. "Yes, 362?"
"The prison block is mostly empty, apart from a few adult villains that the Galactic Kids Next Door apprehended and locked up. We did find Numbuh 60, however; he's in a state of unconsciousness, and looks fatigued and malnourished. We're not exactly sure what they did to him…"
A sigh. "Look, Rachel, I know that you're concerned for his well-being, but the mission is more important. I'm ordering you to move on to phase two; if you want, you can take him with you, but that's a big risk. If it's a choice between completing the mission and his safety… you know which I'd rather prefer."
"It's not going to come to that," she stated firmly.
"I hope not." There was another thud, and the padding of someone sprinting. "Jasper and I are coming up on Infinity; I'm going to have to cut you off."
"Good luck," Numbuh 362 murmured as the transmission ended. Fanny hoisted Patton over one shoulder, holding a mustard gun firmly in the opposite hand. Rachel led the way back out of the lab and down the hall, making their way to their next destination:
The power generator room.
Upon emerging on the bridge, Numbuh 24.5 was frozen in tracks for a moment by the awesome sight. Jasper was similarly affected.
It was a space with many levels, and had small transport tubes going up and down the bridge. Operatives zoomed through these at eye-blurring speeds. Before them was a giant window that stretched up and down, along the entire height of the bridge. Cubicles were set up on some places, while in others aliens sat wearing headsets, speaking into them in all sorts of different languages.
Jasper looked around, his gaze sweeping the complex, analyzing before acting. "My guess is that Infinity's office would be… somewhere up there?" he asked, gesturing toward the top of the bridge.
"Agreed." She bowed mockingly. "After you."
"Ladies first, I insist," he replied, smirking. Numbuh 24.5 felt a twinge of annoyance, but decided that there wasn't time to argue about it. She ran for the tube, ignoring the surprised cries of the desk operatives. Jasper followed behind her, and she thought she could feel his breath down her neck. She shivered at the thought.
Stepping into the tube, she was instantly caught in the surging updraft. Barely containing a yelp, she tried to make herself stiff and upright, not letting the wind throw her all over the place. Seeing the top approaching, she calculated her distance to the nearest opening. Just as it zoomed toward, she stepped out.
Getting out of the tube was even worse than getting in; she sank to the ground with a groan, the lack of air movement surprising for her body. She just barely managed to dodge out of the way before Jasper collapsed, panting.
"For some reason I always thought that that sort of thing would be more fun, and less painful," he muttered. Marcela helped him up, glancing around. Seeing no other option, she grabbed an operative as they ran past.
"Where's the ambassador's office?" she snarled, pulling the face of the alien close to her own. A part of her felt guilty, as she realized that she was holding a little girl captive. She had mostly humanoid features, though her eyes were cat-like and her skin was purple.
A sudden picture came, unbidden, into her mind. She saw the cadets that were back on Adlenir, the only hope of carrying on the Kids Next Door if this mission failed. This girl was no different; she was just a kid, following orders. Numbuh 24.5 hated to have to scare her like this.
"I-it's over there," she whispered, pointing. "But he won't be there."
Marcela blinked several times, wondering how a simple operative could've known that. Taking a more gentle tone, she said, "Do you know where he went?"
The girl swallowed, and nodded very fast. Her eyes were violet, she noticed, with the unusual slits dividing each iris. Quickly, the girl grabbed her hand and pulled her along. Jasper caught up, a frown on his face.
"Are you sure we can trust this kid?" he asked. "We don't know what she's capable of. We don't even know who she is."
"There's a simple way to find out," replied Numbuh 24.5. Seeing Jasper's disapproving look, she scowled. "I'm not going to hurt a little girl, Jasper. You know that. I have a duty to stop Numbuh Infinity's tyranny, yes, but I also have another duty. I protect kids. It's my job." She looked back at the young one who still pulled her hand. "It's what I was born to do," she added, more to herself.
Numbuh 1 swerved to the side, grinding his teeth as he managed to avoid another missile. He gasped slightly as he rammed into the side of the cockpit, the force of the swerve bruising his shoulder once again. He could really used Numbuh 2's piloting skills right then.
He could barely keep track of what was going on. Since he had emerged from the hangar in one of the GKND's fighters, the Adlenir KND was attacking him. So far, he'd managed to destroy at least five of the Galactic scampers, but clearly Numbuh 842 was still wary of him.
He just wished that they were on the same communications channel, but the stealth fighters weren't built with the ability to hack into other systems. He'd just have to wait until they hacked into his.
It didn't take very long.
"Enemy stealth fighter. Your action has been confusing, to say the least," came the voice of Numbuh 914, Head of Decommissioning. "Please identify."
"It's Numbuh 1!" he shouted into the microphone. "And I'd appreciate it if you concentrated your fire elsewhere!"
There was a pause, then Numbuh 914 yelled for whatever reason. A moment later, a new voice popped up on the comm. channel.
"Numbuh 1," said Numbuh 842. "Sorry, but we have to be suspicious. You're using an enemy fighter…"
"I didn't have a choice. I've planted the charges, by the way."
"Excellent. Prepare for detonation." He heard her yell for everyone to get clear of the station. "This blast won't be pretty, folks!" she shouted.
Five…
Numbuh 1 zoomed back toward the station, a sudden idea occurring to him. The GKND's space forces had by now discovered that he was really an enemy, and raced after him.
Four…
He set the thrusters on auto-pilot, before pulling his helmet back over his head. The trigger was clutched tightly in his left hand, and his thumb was shaking…
Three…
He caught sight of the hangar up ahead, and slammed on the eject button. He was thrown out of his seat, holding his breath as many other ships flew past him, still following the fighter.
Two…
"One," he hissed, pressing the button just as his fighter slammed into the hangar.
The explosion was beautiful and terrifying at the same time, lighting up the sky like a beacon. The spacecraft that had been following his ships were thrown away from the blast like rag dolls. He was also picked up and thrown about, barely aware of where the space station was anymore. He felt slightly sick as his body was rolled around like a rag doll, battered by the explosion.
He hoped that not too many space operatives had… perished in the blast.
Numbuh 24.5 trotted along as the girl tugged her firmly. She had attempted to ask the operating numbuh of the girl several times, but she had just remained silent throughout, not even looking behind her. Marcela was beginning to wonder if she still knew where she was going when the lights went out, followed by the floor rumbling and buckling beneath them.
Numbuh 24.5 twisted in order to avoid landing on her, but Jasper was not so lucky; he was thrown straight to the ground, with Marcela landing hard on his arm. Her breath went out in a sigh of relief when she did not hear a cracking noise as a result.
Jasper gave her an injured look as they picked themselves up. "You're pretty heavy."
"I find that insulting." She paused, activating her communicator. "Report. Responsible for the explosion?"
"Numbuh 1 was successful," replied Numbuh 842. "We've just picked him up. The idiot ejected from his fighter in order to draw the enemy fleet toward the blast. It's just… I feel terrible, Marcela. Kids and teens could've been…" Marcela heard her swallow, "killed in that."
Numbuh 24.5 felt the weight on her shoulders get just a little heavier. "I know," she replied quietly. "Have the medical team scavenge for any survivors, both enemies and allies. Order the rests of the Kids Next Door to board." Numbuh 842 agreed, and signed off. "Responsible for the blackout?"
"That was us," came Numbuh 362's answer. "We got here to the power generator room, and cut off the supply to the lights. They may have backup generators somewhere, but for now we have an advantage."
"You mean the elvens do," said Marcela, frowning slightly. "You can't see so well in the dark. See if you can find where most of the fighting is occurring, and try to stay unnoticed until you get there."
"Yes, sir."
The girl looked up with wide eyes, and pointed frantically at the door closest to them. Jasper and Marcela shared a look, before they slowly began to stride toward it, weapons at the ready.
"All right," she whispered. "Set…"
Before she could say go, the young cat girl strode straight in. Her chin was up and her pupils were huge, adjusting to the darkness. Marcela felt her own pointed ears quiver as the sound of the girl's footsteps reached her. She followed, hesitantly.
The door slid closed behind them with a slight thump. Numbuh 24.5 was immediately wary; she should've listened to Jasper. Her instincts were screaming that this girl was not what she seemed.
"Excellent work, Numbuh Ar-Ti," came Infinity's voice. He emerged from the shadows, wearing what he always wore: a crisp suit, his sunglasses positioned so that his eyes were not at all visible. Numbuh 24.5 cursed inwardly, realizing how easily she'd fallen into Numbuh Infinity's trap. Much like she and Jasper were doing, he was trying to subdue the leader of the enemy organization.
"They are fools," came Numbuh Ar-Ti's reply. Her voice shocked the two elvens, as it came out deep and mature. She face was neutral as she said this, and her eyes were now cold and calculating. "They were not aware that my species stops growing physically at age nine. For future reference, I am sixteen." Marcela suddenly noticed that she held some kind of device in her hands, which looked more like claws. Ar-Ti wasn't looking at them, and seemed to be speaking to thin air.
"I suppose you're wondering," she began abruptly, "what this is." She held up the small object. "To explain, it is a D.I.R.K., and it isn't like the usual 2x4 technology. This is my custom made weapon." She thumbed a switch on the device, and an iridescent blade protruded from it, shimmering silver. Jasper and Marcela instantly began to back away, realizing that Numbuh Ar-Ti was much more dangerous than most of the GKND operatives they'd encountered so far.
"D.I.R.K. stands for Destructive Incision Render Kapability," she said. "I'd take in that acronym as well as you can; it's the last you'll ever hear."
Without warning, she lunged, blade extended.
The fighting was thick, and Numbuh 1 was glad that his sunglasses included night vision. Some of the alien operatives were completely comfortable in the dark, while others stumbled around, blind. The elvens were having little trouble, easily navigating through the blackness that now consumed the station.
He fired off from his salsa gun, hitting another of the serpent aliens. Nigel's breathing was heavy, as he had been in combat for longer than most of the others. Numbuh 842's troops and he had been the first to arrive on the bridge, where the many space operatives worked if they had desk jobs.
He almost didn't notice another of his opponents creeping up on him to the left, but someone else did. They were slammed against the side of a cubicle by a staff with a boxing glove and a yield sign at each end.
"It's about time I got some action," muttered Numbuh 362, delivering a kick in the face to another of the enemies. Numbuh 1 couldn't help but admire the way she moved gracefully about, dancing with her unique weapon.
"Where's the thickest fighting?" she asked him, glancing around quickly. Before he could even answer the question, she sprinted towards the edge of the enormous bridge and dove.
"Rachel!" he shouted; was she crazy? One click of his heels, and he rocketed off after her. He made a mental note to thank Numbuh 6 from Sector F for fixing them up, as it was now much easier for him to control his flight path.
Righting himself just in time to hit the ground, he saw that Rachel was already kicking butt left and right, looking her fall hadn't affected her in the least. The fighting was more dangerous at the bottom, which consisted of a huge area. It was almost like it was meant to be a fighting arena- at least, it would have been, had there not been so many papers strewn about.
The Galactic Kids Next Door were beginning to utilize the space walkers, firing lasers at the inhabitants of Adlenir antagonizing them. Numbuh 362 was still moving around with lightning speed, wielding her staff with apparent ease. Once the majority of the surrounding enemies were subdued, she turned and gave a cocky grin to Numbuh 1.
"Maybe you oughtta join the party, Nigel," she called. Her smile was still plastered on her face, and she didn't see it. There was no way for her to know, but he did.
Her name escaped his throat, but it had no effect. A simple word couldn't change the fact that a laser of the brightest green hit one of the support pillars near her. The resulting blast picked her up and threw her against the observation window, and she slid slowly to the floor. Next thing he knew, he was running like he had never run before. The only thought that ran through his head was, she can't be, she can't be…
She wasn't moving. He could feel her pulse, but she wasn't moving. The fighting around him seemed to slow, and he watched while tiny breaths came out of her mouth.
"I'll never have to live this down," he whispered, gently holding her up and pressing his lips against hers, briefly enjoying the flood of sensation that went through him. To his disappointment, she didn't react, but she still tasted good… almost like mint.
He knew that he had to get to the medical ship as quickly as possible, and there was only one way to do so. He remembered the last time he'd given her a 'lift', and how she'd been terrified for the majority of the time.
Gathering her up bridal style, he activated his rocket shoes once again, flying as gently as the technology would allow him.
Numbuh 24.5 cleared her mind of all her stray thoughts, focusing entirely on the situation at hand. There was only her, the dirk, and the outside factors: Jasper and Numbuh Infinity, who she was dimly aware were battling each other.
Ar-Ti sliced at her hip, which Numbuh 24.5 was barely able to back flip away from. Her flip was executed perfectly, every moment of it calculated. Her next move was an immediate cartwheel to the right as Numbuh Ar-Ti attempted to bring the dirk down on her head. For the first time, she felt a slight frustration that her hair was so long.
She sprinted away, hoping to get a split second to gather her wits about her once again. She hefted the splanker in her right hand, ducking a slash at her throat before shoving the end of the weapon into Ar-Ti's stomach and pulling the trigger. The alien's breath came out in a whoosh as she flew backwards. She ran forward, preparing to fire the knockout blow, when a cold voice stopped her.
"I really wouldn't."
Infinity had his boot placed on the back of an unconscious Jasper, and Marcela found herself wondering how he had been able to beat the former Supreme Leader so easily. She shivered at the thought. In his hand Numbuh Infinity held a trigger, not unlike the one that Numbuh One had been given in order to set off the mustard bombs.
"This will destroy the core of the station," said Infinity calmly. "Everyone will die." There was no regret in his voice, no remorse for what he intended to do. Marcela didn't know what he wanted with her, but she wasn't about to find out.
Normally, she'd have a probably with actually killing someone. It would seem inhumane, and usually there was an alternative. But the one instinct that had been driven into her- by her fellow operatives, by her leaders, by Jasper- was screaming for the death of the teenager before her.
They were all her kids. She'd go to hell before she'd have anyone hurting her kids.
Jasper wasn't really sure what had happened. All he knew was that upon returning to consciousness, Numbuh 24.5 was standing above Infinity's body, Numbuh Ar-Ti's dirk in her hand. Blood dripped down the blade, matching the dark stain that pervaded Numbuh Infinity's shirt. Something that looked like a trigger lay cut in half on the floor beside her.
Marcela looked on remorselessly.
It was over.
One month later
"… and I solemnly pledge to protect all kids, everywhere on Adlenir, so long as I am fit for this duty…"
"You sure that Numbuh 98's ready for this?" murmured Jasper, now reinstated as Numbuh 456 for his actions in the Adlenir rebellion. He was referring to the former Cadet Hapray, who was now being appointed as the new Supreme Leader.
"I wouldn't let this happen if I didn't think so," said Numbuh 24.5 with a shrug. "Besides, I feel more confident with him in office than with me covering both positions. Being the Supreme Leader of the GKND's bad enough- I barely managed to make time to be here."
"I'm glad things turned out right," commented Numbuh 842, who was currently resting her head on Numbuh 3 AM's shoulder. "I mean, we were really worried that Numbuh 362 wouldn't make it…"
Rachel had had to go through instant surgery when Numbuh 1 brought her to the medical ship; the result of being thrown into the window had been several broken ribs, one of which had punctured a lung. As such, adults were the only ones capable of performing the operation. While Nigel had had doubts, he trusted Hannah's word. Currently, Rachel was head of the galactic E.L.I.T.E. forces, and doing splendidly; her fighting skills were still unprecedented.
Numbuh 1 himself had gone back to Earth, taking up the position of Supreme Commander of Sector V once again. Marcela had a feeling that he and Rachel had some secret way of contacting each other, despite them being a long distance away from one another.
They still hadn't found the other half of the Adlenir fleet; the thought of this still made Marcela sick. She felt horrible for letting them down, and hoped they'd be successful in their search one day.
Numbuh 60 had recovered eventually, with Fanny snapping at anyone who attempted to bother him. They returned to their previous jobs on Earth.
As for her own life… she had instantly made the decision that the Galactic Kids Next Door should no longer hide from planetary organizations. By now, the Kids Next Door on every planet was aware of the GKND, and the Teens Next Door was allowed to reveal themselves to the KND. Marcela felt it was better to unite against adult tyranny, rather than remain divided by secrecy.
"We still have a problem, though," said Numbuh 456, frowning. "Numbuh Ar-Ti escaped in all the confusion."
"We can't afford to worry about that now," replied Marcela. "For now, we just need to focus on picking up the pieces of all of this.
"We need to focus on moving on."
Author's note: Oh man. That took an incredibly long time to write, and it was way longer than I originally intended. I know I left a little bit of a cliffhanger at the end, but I won't be writing a sequel to this story. It anyone else wants permission to write a sequel, please private message me.
I can't stress this enough… review! Please please please give me feedback about this story. I want to know that all those hours I spent writing it weren't a waste. Thanks!