Chapter Eleven: On the Hunt
Later that day, Nigel and Zelda had dinner plans and Zelda promised it was only just the two of them. She was cooking some barbeque ribs with potatoes salad and fried rice. "Hey Nigel, do you like anyone at school?" Zelda asked.
"Well no but I used to have a girlfriend." Nigel said.
"OH REALLY! YOU HAD A LOVER BEFORE I DID!" She screamed.
"Zelda, you are too loud." Nigel said.
"I can't believe it." Zelda said, sitting beside him. She then started to hug him. "So what was her name?"
"Lizzie, she was a nice girl but I took her for granted. I am not good at relationship and love stuff." Nigel said, letting out a sigh. "Lizzie is better off without me."
"Well, you are still young." Zelda said. "But I think you will get the hang of it. I don't know if I am doing this girlfriend thing right."
"Hey Z, did you like someone when you were a kid?" Nigel asked. Chad informed me that her decommission wasn't done properly. Maybe I can help remember.
"Hmmm… Well, it is all a blur to me but I believe that there was someone that like a lot when I was a kid." She said, cuddling him. "I think I remember a little bit of my childhood. I remember a little boy with blonde hair. He will always come over with his bike and I didn't know how to ride a bike at the time. I don't remember his face but I remember him teaching me how to ride a bike."
"Really?" Nigel said. Blonde kid… That has to be Chad.
"Yeah, I don't really remember anything else but I think he was my first crush." She said, smiling.
"Can you remember anything else?" Nigel asked.
"Hmmm… well… I remember…." She said, rubbing her head. "I remember him crying and screaming out my name…" I remember… She then a painful headache hit her head. "Ouch…"
"Zelda, are you okay?" Nigel said, grabbing her head.
"Somehow I am getting a headache." She said. Then there was a knock on the door. "I wonder who that can be. I told Chad that I am spending time with you tonight." She walked to the door and opened it. It was Sector V. "Oh hi kids, are you here for Nigel… I mean Number 1."
"Affirmative but I also came for you Zelda." Hoagie said, grabbing her hand and kissing it. Abby hit him on the head. "Hey what was that for?"
"We need to talk to him about school stuff." Wally said.
"I see… I will get him for you." Zelda said. "Hey Nigel, your friends are here." Nigel walked towards the door.
"Here, I brought you some Tylenol for your headache and a glass of water." Nigel said.
"Oh thanks Nigel, you are the best." She said, taking her pills. After swallowing her pills, she checked her watch and let out a sigh. "I have to go and check the ribs. Be right back…" She left them be.
"Hey Number 1, there is something urgent we need to discuss with you." Abby said.
"Yeah, it is super urgent." Kuki added.
"Fine, come in…" Nigel said. His friends walked in the house. "Hey Zelda, we are going to go to the game room."
"Okay, I will call you when dinner is ready." Zelda replied. Nigel escorted his team to the game room.
"Whoa, this is the game room." Wally said. "It has ice hockey and a flat screen."
"She even has the latest games and consoles." Hoagie said. "Where did she get all these stuff?"
"Well, the Delightful Children from Down the Lane will get new stuff every month so the old stuff will be discarded. Father will give it to Zelda. Zelda doesn't use it unless I come over." Nigel explained. "While she gets the games, I am stuck with their stupid clothes. I burned them before my mother sees it."
"Good call…" Wally said.
"But Zelda gave me her PS4 and also her Xbox One and 3DS Excel so I think I am good with consoles." Nigel said.
"Cool…" Kuki said.
"So what is this urgent thing you want to talk about?" Nigel said.
"KND operatives are going missing even TND operatives." Abby said. "I got the word from our leader plus my sister told me the same thing."
"Do we have any leads?" Nigel asked.
"Negative Number 1, we can't track them down and we can't even get a hold of any one of them. Number 362 advice every operative to stay home and stay away from the Moon base and also the treehouse." Hoagie said.
"Then there is only one option we have if we want to stay together and capture this menace." Nigel said.
"And what is that?" Wally asked.
"Nigel, you know very well that it is a school night and I don't think any of their parents will want them to spend the night here." Zelda said.
"Please, it is just for tonight. Your dad, my dad, and Father I mean Uncle Benedict are having a guys' night out and my mom is on a business trip. Can you please let this slide for once?" Nigel said.
"Please Zelda." Hoagie, Wally, Kuki, and Abby pleaded, giving her puppy eyes.
"I don't know. I thought you wanted this night to be the two of us." Zelda said.
"I do but I just remember we have a huge test tomorrow and we all need to study for it." Nigel lied, turning to his friends. "Right guys…" They all backed him up.
"Well, if it for school purposes then I guess I will let you all stay here. You guys can stay in the game room." Zelda said. "But I want to see some studying."
"Thanks Z, you are the best." Nigel said, hugging her.
"Ahh, I am not all that great. But I have to contact your parents." Zelda said. "I hope they don't mind."
"My mommy and daddy loves you Zeddy." Kuki said.
"My dad and mom are cool with you." Abby said.
"Same with my parents…" Wally said.
"Also my mom and grandmother… well I don't know about my grandmother." Hoagie said.
"Thanks kids but I still have to call them." Zelda said. "Where did dad put the phonebook?" She walked out the room.
"Here is the plan. We will set traps around the house and take turns keeping watch." Nigel said. "Also I want cameras in every room. So Number 2, you are charge with the cameras and Number 3 and 4, you are in charge with the traps but make sure that it doesn't harm Zelda."
"Got it…" They said, walking out the room.
"Number 5, I want you to get all the weaponry we need. The kidnapper is crafty and we can't take any chances." Nigel said.
"Sure thing Number1…" Abby said. "But what are you going to do?"
"I am going to call someone that owes me." Nigel said.
Chad was doing his homework in his room. Damn, it is hard to concentrate without being near that girl. I must be losing my mind. I feel like those mushy lovebirds. Then his phone started to ring. "Hello…"
"Chad, give me some info about the missing operatives." Nigel said. "You owe me so spill it out."
"So you heard… KND is missing 300 operatives and TND is missing 350. Cree assigned me and Maurice to investigate and so far that the kidnapper is fast and clever." Chad explained. "To make matters worse, even adults are going missing."
"The bad ones…"
"Both good and bad…" Chad said. "I am still trying to find out the kidnapper's objectives."
"That's a lot to take in." Nigel said. "My team is setting traps around Z's house to capture the kidnapper."
"WHAT?! ARE YOU INSANE?! YOU ARE PUTTING HER IN DANGER!" Chad snapped.
"Everything is going to be fine. I am going to be with her in her room." Nigel said. "I will protect her. I promise…"
"Fine, she is your cousin just please keep her safe." Chad said.
"I know Chad." Nigel said. "Before I hang up, there is something else I want to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Did you teach Zelda how to ride a bike?" He asked.
"Yes, I did. It was a long time ago. She kept on hitting a parked car but she manages to get the hang of it." Chad said. "How did you know?"
"It was just a thought…See you later…"
"Hey wait…" Nigel hung up on him. Chad gritted his teeth with frustration. "Damn that kid…" I can't help but worry about her. Cool it Chad, she is not a TND agent so she is safe… I hope. He let out a sigh. "It wouldn't hurt to check up on her." He then started to text her.
So how is your night with Nigel?
It turns out to be the ultimate sleepover. All of his friends are in my house.
Do you want me to come over?
No, it is fine. They are not a problem.
Call me when you need me babe.
I need some loving 3
He blushed and gushed out blood out of his nose after reading that. Did Zelda just use the intimate card on me? He then took a deep breath. Zelda is not like that…
"Caro Mio Ben, please make me feel good." Zelda said seductively. She crawled towards me in red sexy lingerie. "Please, I need some loving."
"Zelda, what are you doing?" I said. "We are not supposed to do this?" She was on top of me. Her barely covered body rubbed against mine and every nerve in my body jolted with excitement and lust. "Zelda…"
"Please Chad, I want you…" She said. "Oh Chad… I want to feel you in me…"
Chad was losing more blood. I think I am over thinking this. I hate having these stupid hormones… Then his phone started to ring.
Keep your head out of the gutter.
Then stop sounding seductive.
Aww… How cute… You think I am sexy…
He blushed after reading the text. Shit…
"Aww Caro Mio Ben, you are so cute." She said, licking my neck. "Do you really think I am sexy?"
Damn these fucking hormones…
Zelda, stop tempting me… You know I want you
There was no reply after that. Oh no, did I said something wrong? He thought. Shit, she probably thinks that I only want her for sex… Stupid….Then his phone started ringing. It wasn't a text from her, it was a phone call. "Zelda, let me explain…"
"Caro Mio Ben, I want you too." She said seductively. Chad froze. He has never heard Zelda said something so sexy in his entire life and here it is. He always imagines her saying things but never in a million years will she say it for real. "Maybe one day, I can finally have you."
"Zelda…"
"I have to go, I have to serve the kids but we will finish this conversation later." Zelda said. "I love you."
"I love you too." Chad said. She hung up and Chad stood there silent, staring at the phone and thinking of what just happened. Zelda…
"Maybe one day, I can finally have you…"
Damn it Zelda, your cheesiness is turning into a completely new level.
The kids already set their traps and cameras and their parents agreed to the sleepover. Zelda set up a mattress for them to sleep on. "Hey Wally, come see this." Kuki said, staring at some photos in the Game Room.
"What is it Kuki?" Wally asked, walking to her. She pointed at a photo. It was a photo of her as a kid in a Kendo robe. She was holding a 1st Place golden trophy and her mother was hugging her. "Is that Zelda?"
"It looks like her." Kuki said.
"Hey look at this." Abby said. They went to her and noticed a shelf filled with trophies. "Look at all of these 1st place trophies."
"She must be very good." Hoagie said. "I wonder what happened."
"It is a long story." Nigel said, walking in the room. "So everything is ready."
"Yes, we are ready to roll." Hoagie said.
"But Number 1, you have to tell us about Zelda." Wally said. "She won so many tournaments."
"Yes we want to know." Kuki added. "Why did she stop?"
"She was band from ever competing." Nigel said. "Like I said before, it is a long story."
"Please…" They pleaded.
"Alright, I think it is alright since Zelda is up in her room studying." Nigel said, letting out a sigh. "Zelda doesn't talk about it very much. You see her mother, Aunty Reina, was always pressure and force to do things perfectly when she was a kid. Zelda's grandparents were obsessed with perfection."
"So what does that have to do with Zelda kicking butt?" Hoagie asked.
"Aunty Reina was her teacher in Kendo. Zelda had other talents but she was always too shy to show it and her mother didn't want to pressure her like her parents did. So when Aunty Reina introduced her to Kendo, she fell in love with it." Nigel explained. "Zelda was only seven when she competed in her first tournament and she won 1st place." He pointed to the photo. "That is when that photo was taken."
"If Zelda fell in love with Kendo, why did she stop?" Abby asked.
"Well, it was like any other day. Zelda hurried home from school to get ready for a Kendo Tournament." Nigel said. "I was going to watch her too but things didn't go well…"
I was walking home from school with Zelda. She was eleven while I was seven. "Hey Infinite, are you ready to win another trophy?"I said.
"Of course Number 1, I can't wait for some action." She said, smiling. "I hope dad makes some pizza."
"Uncle Henry makes the best pizza. He should have his own pizza place." I said.
"He should…" She said. We made it home and found her mother in the kitchen. "Hey mom…"
"Z, you are finally home. Oh, Nigel is here as well. Hello darling, are you here to watch Z compete?" Aunty Reina asked. She was quite beautiful. She had long black hair and alluring shimmering eyes. She was a vision.
"Yes Aunty, I never got a chance to see her compete in a Kendo Tournament." I said.
"She has a talent in Kendo. At this rate, she might surpass me." She said, giggling. Then all of the sudden, she started shaking.
"Aunty, are you okay?" I asked.
"I am…" She mumbled, collapsing on her knees.
"MOM!" Zelda said, racing towards her. "What's wrong mom?" She was shaking very bad and she was foaming. I was scared and so was Zelda. She raced to the house phone and called for an ambulance and her dad. Aunty Reina tried to stop her but she was too disoriented.
"Z, you are… going to… miss…" She stuttered.
"No Mom, you are far more important than that tournament." Zelda said. She then turned to me. "Nigel, you don't need to be here."
"No, I am staying and you can't make me leave." I said, crossing my arms. She smiled yet I can still see the uneasy glow in her eyes. On the way to the hospital, Aunty Reina fell into a coma. She was send to the ICU and I heard stories that he ICU is not a good place to be. Many patients died there and I was worried that Aunty Reina will follow the same fate.
"Poor Mrs. Uno…" Kuki said.
"What was wrong with her?" Wally asked.
"She had a stroke and a blood vessel popped in her brain." Nigel said. "And to makes matter worse, she had high blood pressure."
"So the doctor needed to drain the blood out of her brain." Abby said. They all turned to her and she let out a sigh. "Hello, Number 5's dad is a doctor."
"Aunty Reina was in a coma for 10 days and every day Zelda will visit her before she goes to school and after. She will talk to her, sing to her, and also read to her. Aunty Reina was responding to her voice by moving her legs, hands, head, and chest. So there was hope that she was coming back to us." Nigel said. "Until…"
"Hey Mom, it's me Zelda. I came with Nigel today." Zelda said, sitting beside her bed. "Say something Nigey."
"Hi Aunty Reina, I hope you are feeling better." I said, grabbing her hand. She moved her legs the minute I touched her hand. "Did you see that?"
"Keep talking to her…" Zelda said, smiling.
"Aunty Reina, I told Uncle Henry that he should own a pizza place. He said that it was a great idea and when you get out of the hospital, he is going to share his vision with you. I told him he should call it Pizza Ritz. Catchy name right?"
"Alright kids, visiting hours are over." Doctor Lincoln said, walking in the room.
"But Mr. Lincoln, I don't want to leave her." Zelda said.
"I know that you are worried but your mother is going to be fine." He said. "With the moving and the shaking… She is going to be…" Then Aunty Reina jolted up and started shaking. "Oh no, kids get out of here. NURSE, COME QUICK!" He raced to Aunty Reina with a team of nurses. "She is having a seizure. We need to sustain her."
"Is my mom going to be okay?" Zelda asked.
"Children, please leave the room. We will try our best to help your mother." A Nurse said. We left the room and sat in the hallway. Uncle Henry found us.
"What is going on?" He asked.
"Mom had a seizure and they are trying to calm her down." Zelda explained.
"Oh no…" He said, walking in the room. I thought the minute Uncle went in, things were going to be fine but… "REINA!" Zelda and I raced in the room and found Uncle Henry hugging her and crying. "Please don't leave me… Please… Don't do this to me… You can't leave me now. You promise that we will grow old together… please come back to me my love."
"Mommy…" Zelda said, racing towards her. She grabbed her wrist and noticed that there was no pulse. "No… This can't be… You were just fine a minute ago…" She then started to cry. "Mommy…"
"I am sorry but when we were trying to sustain her, she stopped breathing. The seizure took a tow on her. I am sorry." Doctor Lincoln said. "We did everything we could but it wasn't enough."
"Mommy, wake up. This has to be a joke… Come on Mommy snap out of it." Zelda said.
"Zelda…" I said, grabbing her hand. I was crying as well. "She is…"
"No, she can't be… She can't…" Zelda cried. She then raced out the room.
"ZELDA!" I screamed.
"Nigel, please go after her. She needs you." Uncle Henry said. I nodded and raced after her. I found her in the park lot, sitting next to a flowerbed. I sat beside her and hugged her.
"Nigey…" She cried.
"I am here Z…" I said. "I am here cousin…" She hugged me and cried even more. I sat there hugging her. She cried an ocean that day.
"Poor Zeddy…" Kuki said, frowning.
"Yeah, she must have gone through hell." Abby said.
"Zelda continued to compete in tournaments but her heart was never set on it. She lost tournament after tournament. I told her to stop but she didn't want to. Zelda became someone I didn't even recognize. She didn't have any emotions and didn't care if she had injuries. She was incapable of feeling." Nigel said.
Her last tournament… She was against a very tough opponent. I was worried that she will get hurt and yes she did. She got hit on the head and collapsed to the ground. "ZELDA, GET UP!" I screamed. The referee was going to call it until she rose up. "YEAH! GO ZELDA!" She raced towards her opponent and slashed him from every direction. I have never seen her fight this way. She was not giving her opponent any openings and also any mercy. Her opponent collapsed on the ground unconscious and she won but she kept on swinging. "Z, STOP IT! YOU WON!" I raced out the stands and into the arena. She was about to strike the referee. I stood in front of the referee. "ZELDA, STOP THIS! IT'S ME NIGEL!" She raised her blade in front of me. "Zelda… Please stop… You are scaring me…" I cried in front of her. I then noticed that her eyes were close. I knew right then she was sleep fighting. "You wouldn't hurt me…" She woke up and found herself in a position she didn't like. "Zelda…"'
"Nigel…" She cried. "Oh my gosh, did I hurt you?"
"ZELDA!" I cried, hugging her. "I thought I lost you. I thought you disappeared." She dropped her wooden sword and collapsed on her knees.
"Nigel… I am so sorry…" She cried, hugging me back. "I am so sorry…" She pulled back and cupped my face. "Nigel, please forgive me… I don't know what happened. I don't know what is wrong with me." She then hugged me again. "I am so scared."
"Zelda, I am here for you…" I said.
"She was band after that." Nigel said. "She stopped doing Kendo and it was hard for her because it was like watching her mother die all over again but she didn't want to hurt anyone anymore especially me." He turned to his teammates and found them crying. "What is wrong with you guys?"
"That is the saddest story ever." Hoagie cried.
"Poor Zeddy…" Kuki cried. He then let out a sigh.
"Zelda moved away to regain her sanity and help her grieve." Nigel said. "And now she is back, I have to be there for her no matter what."
"Hey kids, it is time for bed." Zelda said, standing at the door. "Why are you guys crying?"
"Nothing…" They all said.
"Okay, I am just here to say goodnight." Zelda said. "There is juice in the fridge if you guys get thirsty and also there is leftover dinner in the oven if you guys get hungry."
"Okay…" They said.
"Zelda, how about I sleep with you tonight?" Nigel asked.
"Are you sure? You don't want to be with your friends." Zelda said.
"No, I promise Uncle Henry that I will protect you." Nigel said.
"Oh Nigel, you worry too much." Zelda said, letting out a sigh. "It is not like I am going to die." Nigel let out a frown after he heard that. She kneeled in front of him and cupped his face. "Hey, I know that you were worried and mad when you found me in bandages yesterday and I know that it has been hard for you. But I am really fine."
"Zelda, let me protect you." Nigel said, smiling.
"Oh well, if it helps you then I have no choice. Protect away my hero." She said, kissing his forehead. "I am so tired." She then turned to the others. "Goodnight and if you all need anything, come up to my room okay?
"Okay?" They said.
Hours have passed and the house was quiet. It was dark and quiet. "I am not going to let that cruddy kidnapper strike…" Wally said, trying to stay up. Kuki found him and let out a sigh. "I am not going to…"
"Wally, it is my turn to keep watch." Kuki said.
"No Kuki, I got this." Wally said. She sat beside him and forced him to lay his head on her lap.
"Just rest here okay. I will take over." She said, running her fingers through his blonde hair.
"No Kuk…I got…" He mumbled, drifting away. In no time, he fell asleep and she let out a giggle.
"Goodnight Wally…" She said, kissing his forehead.
Kuki wasn't the only one up. Nigel was up as well, watching over Zelda. She was fast asleep, cuddling him. He let out a sigh and hugged her back. "I promise to protect you…" He said.
"Mom…" She mumbled in her sleep. "Please don't…" Nigel hugged her tighter.
She is probably having another nightmare. Nigel thought. Then his device started beeping. Someone is near the house. The radar is picking up a heat signature. That got to be the kidnapper. He maneuvered himself away from Zelda's embrace and walked to the window. A heat signature but I don't see anyone… He pulled out his communicator. "Number 3, do you read me?"
"Loud and clear Number 1." She replied.
"Wake up the team, there is something coming." Nigel said. The team was alarm and scanned the whole house but still no sign of anyone.
"I don't get it. Our radar indicates someone is here but there is no one here." Hoagie said.
"Maybe it's broken." Wally said.
"I made it so it is not broken." Hoagie snapped.
"Okay, I am just saying." Wally said.
"Maybe the kidnapper has some sort of invisibility cloak." Abby said.
"So he might be around us right now?" Kuki asked. Then she was pull to the ground. "NUMBER 4!" She then was pull to the kitchen.
"KUKI!" Wally screamed, racing towards her. He dove for her and got a hold of her hands. "I got you Kuki."
"Wally, I am scared. Don't let go." She said, holding back tears. Then floating knives from the kitchen swiftly raced towards him. "LOOK OUT!" Abby used a broom to deflect all the knives.
"Kuki, are you okay?" Wally said, helping her up.
"I felt someone grabbing my legs. It was weird." She said, hugging him.
"Someone is here." Hoagie said.
"Number 1, Number 3 almost got kidnapped and Number 4 almost got killed by floating knives." Abby said. "There is someone in the house."
"I will meet you all downstairs." He said, quietly walking out the room. But the minute he closed the down, he felt someone grabbing his shoulder. He turned and swung his fists but it felt nothing. "Stop messing me… If you want to fight, don't be a coward and come out of hiding." Then a stranger appeared in a red body suit with armor. "So you are the kidnapper?"
"Oh Number 1, you will do nicely in my collection." He said. His voice was low and deep yet his eyes were daggering.
"That is not going to happen." Nigel said. "Your kidnapping days are over. My team and I will stop you no matter what."
"That's cute but I don't do this job alone." He said.
"NUMBER 1, THEY GOT NUMBER 2 AND 3!" Wally screamed through the communicator. "WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"I see that my team already got some kids." He said.
"What are you doing with the kids, teenagers, and adults?" Nigel snapped.
"That is for me to know and you to find out." He said.
"You are not going anywhere and you are not taking my friends." Nigel said. They started fighting. Nigel swung his fists and but the kidnapper was too fast for him. He grabbed his arm and tossed him to the floor. The kidnapper gripped his neck tightly.
"You are too weak." He said. "But you will be perfection to my collection anyways."
"I am not… going to be…" Nigel said, grasping for air. "Part of your collection…" He punched his face and his mask flew in the air and landed a few inches away. Nigel froze in fear and shock. This can't be… Please tell me that I am dreaming… The person behind the mask was actually his own cousin, Zelda. "Z…"
"Mistress, we need to retreat. Father is entering the building." A voice said, coming out from the mask.
"Consider yourself lucky dumb kid…" She said, lifting her fist in the air. She launched a punch and he fell unconscious. She swiftly moved away from him and grabbed her mask. She disappeared into the night.