Transmission 16: Traitor's Fate
"…urgh…ow…" Chad groans and slowly opens his eyes, quickly realizing he is lying the floor of a small, dark cell. "Figures…ouch…" he clambers up and looks around the cell: it has a steel mesh door, and light is coming from the hallway behind it. Other than that, the cell is completely empty. "This makes the Void Prison look like a hotel…"
"About time ya woke up." a familiar voice speaks to Chad, startling him.
"Huh? Corvus?"
"You really love getting yourself caught, don't ya?" the frowning Corvus says as he floats down from the ceiling.
"You followed me again?"
"You know why." the gray and blood-red colored, bird-like alien hisses at Chad, who slumps back to the floor and leans his elbows against his knees.
"Right…so where are we?"
"I don't know Earth geography, but somewhere near an ocean. You got caught by those Teens Ninjas and they flew you here on a ship. They were arguing about holding you in a cell, you know?"
"I see…you haven't looked around this place at all?"
"Didn't feel like it." Corvus replies coldly but Chad is reaching his limit of tolerating Corvus' attitude.
"Look, I know you won't forgive me for what happened to you, but can we please put the past behind us? We've got bigger problems to deal with…"
"'Put it behind us?'" Corvus' eyes glare at Chad as he floats down to Chad's level and grabs his collar. "I lost everything because of you! My friends, my comrades, my body, everything! Because you sold me out to the GKND!"
"I didn't know it was you, Corvus! I was just ordered to locate the base of a teen rebel group; I had no idea you were the leader!" Chad shouts, causing Corvus to shake from anger.
"Like I'd believe that!"
"It's the truth! Yeah, I was in the Galactic Intelligence Division and yes, I located your group, but that's all!"
"And to think I called you a comrade once…" Corvus hisses and let's go of Chad, who stands up.
"We can still be comrades, Corvus. But you're so damn focused on the past! You can't forgive me for what happened to you, and you can't forgive the GKND for destroying Avialus Proxima, I get that, but if you keep wallowing in the past, it's gonna eat you alive!"
"Shut up! As if you could ever understand how it feels to lose your planet, your family, your friends! You're just a…GUAGH!" Suddenly, Chad punches Corvus in the beak, staggering him. "Grr…you damn…"
"I lost my parents too!" Chad shouts furiously as Corvus holds his beak. "They were erased by the Splinter Cell! They've got no idea who I am! Sure, they were Adult Super Villains, but they were still my parents! *pant*…You're not the only one who's suffered in life. I betrayed the KND, was branded a traitor twice and now even the TND don't trust me. But unlike you, I'm not gonna let the past decide how I live my life! The only thing that matters to me is that I can stop the GKND from doing to Earth what they did to Avialus Proxima." Chad's sudden angry outburst silences Corvus, who looks away before disappearing into the hallway's electric lamp. "Fine, be a coward and run away. I'll figure a way to get out of here by myself." Chad shakes his fist but then, he sits back down on the floor. "But how the heck am I gonna do that…"
Suddenly, he hears footsteps from the hallway, alarming Chad but then, his eyes widen as a familiar face appears before him. "So, you're awake, Chad." Chuckie says coldly, wearing his B.R.A. as he stops in-front of the steel mesh door.
"I slept pretty well, considering your friends attacked me." Chad replies as he stands up and looks Chuckie in the eye.
"We had no choice…"
"I thought we were friends, Chuckie."
"I thought so too…but…now I'm not so sure…" Chad notices Chuckie's pained expression and grits his teeth as he realizes that his old friend might've caught wind of his deception. "Be honest with me, Chad. We've known each other since the KND times. You wouldn't…sell us out, right?" Chuckie says with a slightly shaky voice as Chad clenches his fists. While had gone through this scenario in his head for years, now that he is faced with the prospect of blowing his cover, he can't make up the words to give Chuckie a reply.
"…"
"Because if you did…you'll regret it. You're one of us, Chad. The best Ninja I ever knew. We went through so much together, man."
"…stop it…"
"Huh?"
"I don't…I'm not who you think I am, Chuckie." Chad's reaction startles his old friend, who presses his hand against the mesh door.
"What do ya mean?!"
"I wasn't the best! I'm not some legendary Teen Ninja you guys look up to! I wasn't back then, and not now. It was all an act."
"Act? So you really…you're in cahoots with the Teens Next Door! Damn it…how could you do that to us, man?!" Chuckie yells as he punches the mesh door while Chad remains stern.
"Because I was never on the Ninjas side to begin with, Chuckie."
"Huh? Wait, you don't mean…"
"My loyalty has always been with the Kids Next Door."
"But…but what about the whole 'throwing the Moonbase into the sun' thing?! You nearly did it!"
"I did it to make the KND brand me a traitor so I could join the Ninjas without any suspicion. After that, I just sabotaged you guys as best as I could." Chuckie's eyes widen upon hearing Chad's revelation and his body shakes from fury.
"DAMN YOU! YOU WERE TRICKING US THE WHOLE TIME! AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE ONE OF US, DAMMIT!" he pounds the door, but Chad does not even flinch. "WHY?! WHY'D YA DO IT?! I THOUGHT YOU HATED THOSE KNDORKS!"
"I did it because I was given an offer I couldn't refuse. To be the best."
"What? What the heck does that mean?!"
"I wanted to join the KND's mother organization, the Galactic Kids Next Door."
"The Galactic what? You aren't making any sense! Those KNDorks brainwashed you!"
"I'm not crazy! Why don't you ask your sponsors about them." Chad's words silence Chuckie instantly and he takes a step back from the door.
"Shut up. I don't wanna hear any more of your crap, traitor. We're done here." Chuckie looks away but before he can leave, Chad speaks up.
"Are you going to keep me locked here and torture me, like you Ninjas did with the others?"
"…"
"I know about what happened last year, all of it. Just answer me, did you…take part in that? Because if you did…"
"None of your business…" Chuckie hisses at Chad and marches out of the cell block, leaving Chad by himself. As the adrenalin fades away, his legs give away and he collapses on his knees, his head hunched down.
"…I'm sorry Chuckie…but I had to come clean…dammit…dammit…DAMMIT!" he screams in anguish while punching the cold concrete floor.
…
As the sun rises over the small forest east of the hotel, Patton and Rachel wake up and quickly leave the hotel, making sure not to wake up their friends but, Hoagie's nightmare has left Rachel worried. "Let's hope their dreams won't get worse…"
"Focus, we've gotta get to Cleve ASAP. You can worry about that later." Patton says sternly as he starts up the SUV, activates it's stealth cloak before transforming it to flight mode and the pair take off towards Cleve. Upon arrival, they notice that the main hangar is awfully quiet. "What the heck? Where's our ships?" Patton exclaims as they exit the SUV and run to the Switchboard, where they are greeted by Angeline, Numbuh Nu-5, Keith and much to their surprise, Maurice.
"Yo, nice of you guys to drop by." the former teen spy greets Rachel and Patton.
"Numbuh Sigma? Why were we called here?" Rachel asks, prompting Maurice to sigh before he explains what happened last night. "HE DID WHAT?! ARGH I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Rachel's face turns red and contorts from rage while Patton shakes his head in disbelief.
"You gotta be kidding me…"
"Save your complaints for later. You guys are comin' with me to Moonbase right now." Maurice points at Rachel, Patton and Keith. "We know where Numbuh Delta is, so now we gotta go bust him out."
"And where is he?"
"Just inside the biggest S.I.N. factory on this side of the Atlantic. Now come on. Everyone's waiting for ya at the Portal Hub." Maurice then leads Rachel, Patton and Keith out of the Switchboard while Nu-5 and Angeline stay behind. "Global Command is prepping for an all-out assault on that place."
"Have they made contact with Numbuh Delta?" Patton asks as they board an elevator.
"Not yet. That blockhead left his B.R.A. and communicator behind." Maurice takes the aforementioned items from his pocket and shows them to the trio.
"Well that's just great." Rachel mutters as the elevator stops and the four teenagers head for the Portal Hub.
"I'm guessing he didn't wanna make them suspicious of him?" Patton says, prompting Keith to nod immediately.
"Honestly, mon, that's what I'd do too." Then, they arrive to the Portal Hub, where Kimberley, Ted and Charles are waiting, along with the members of Scout Team W: Former KND operatives Sonia, Lee and Fanny's younger brother Paddy, all wearing pink, deep blue and lime green TND B.R.A. along with Hoagie's younger brother, Tommy Gilligan, donning his own custom dark blue and black B.R.A. that is covered by a dark blue trench coat. Lastly, Bradley is standing on Sonia's shoulder.
"Commander Numbuh Epsilon! You made it!" Kimberley greets Rachel, who nods sternly.
"Are you coming to the Moonbase?"
"No, Numbuh Eta-4 and I will be helping with the operations logistics from here and Numbuh Tau-6 is staying with the Heavy Troopers in-case something happens while you're gone."
"Lucky for the Ninjas. I'll make 'em pay me back for my leg and arm later." a disappointed Charles says as Patton pulls Maurice aside.
"Don't tell me we're going to charge into that place blind?"
"We have to. Unless Numbuh Omicron and the O.M.E.G.A. Numbers manage to contact Numbuh Delta before we start the attack."
"Great…" Patton shakes his head as Rachel walks over to the Portal platform.
"Okay, we can't waste any time. Activate the portal!"
"Yes, Ma'am." the Hub operator salutes her before turning on one of the portal gates, allowing the teenagers to go to the Moonbase but they are joined by Scout Team W.
Upon passing through the portal, the teenagers arrive in the Moonbase's massive Portal Hub, which consists of multiple floors lined with portal gates. "Finally! The Tommy returns to the Moonbase!" Tommy declares loudly, promoting his teammates to chuckle.
"You were here last week, Tommy." Sonia says while covering her mouth and Paddy rolls his eyes.
"Yeah, you don't have to make a scene every time we come to the Moonbase." the red-haired, freckled 14-year-old remarks.
"Uncool." Lee nudges Tommy, who isn't happy about their comments.
"Hey! I'm the team leader! Show some respect!"
"Let's leave 'em be, guys. Global Command is waiting for us." Maurice says and leads the others away while Tommy and Paddy start arguing loudly. "This is gonna be the biggest operation since R.E.T.R.I.B.U.T.I.O.N. Numbuh Alpha and Numbuh 81 managed to get the KND to help us on this too."
"Really? Did they have to beg?" Patton says jokingly as they board another elevator that carries them to the TND Central Operations Room, where a stone-faced Eliza is overseeing the preparations from an observation deck above the holo-projection table.
"Numbuh Alpha!" Maurice shouts, catching her attention.
"Hmm? Guys! You made it." she gets up from her chair and walks over to Rachel, who nods back.
"Why weren't we informed about this when he was captured?" she asks sternly.
"Because we didn't know the whole picture. Besides, you guys were with Sector V. We can't arouse suspicion, Numbuh Epsilon." Maurice answers in Eliza's place but Rachel is not satisfied.
"But still! This isn't how you…" she suddenly stops herself upon noticing Patton's disapproving expression and clears her throat. "Uhm…sorry, I was out of line. When does the operation start?"
"We're still in the middle of getting everything together." Eliza points at the projection table below them, where the TND chief's have gathered. "We need to have every Section in sync if we want to succeed. Early reconnaissance reports say that factory has a stronger defense than the Delightful Mansion."
"*whistle* Yikes, that doesn't sound good, mon. Is the KND really gonna help us take it down?"
"Yeah. It took some persuading, but the KND will join the operation. They want all the ice-cream in that facility as a trophy." Eliza's explanation doesn't sit well with Patton, who shakes his head.
"Really? That's their condition? Yeesh, what the heck is up with them? I thought we shared the same goal." his comment causes Eliza to sigh slightly.
"We do…but maybe this operation will make them realize that we have to work together." Then, Eliza gets a message on her wristwatch.
"Numbuh Alpha, Numbuh Omicron here!" Kieran speaks with his Scottish accent.
"What is it?"
"We've got the connection working!" Eliza's eyes light up immediately and a confident smile appears on her face.
"Excellent! That's great news! Don't call him yet!"
"Aye, Ma'am." Kieran hangs up and Eliza grabs Rachel's hand.
"Come on! We need to go the No. 10 Hangar right now!"
"Wha…why?!"
"Numbuh Omicron and the O.M.E.G.A. Numbers have been trying to contact Numbuh Delta through his O.L. Ring and now they've done it! Let's go!" Eliza yells and starts pulling Rachel towards the door behind them, prompting Patton, Keith and Maurice to follow.
…
At the same time, Chad remains locked in his cell. After Chuckie left, he has been left by himself and Corvus is nowhere to be seen. "Dammit, Numbuh Sigma was right, I should've thought this through…" he thinks, having inspected every nook and cranny of the cell but just like the one the GKND Void Prison, it is secure. "Not even a S.C.R.A.M.B.L.E.R. is gonna get me out of this place…" pacing back and forth, his options are starting to run out. He has no idea what the Ninjas plan to do to him, but he has no intention of finding out. "Corvus could bail me out, but he's gone…maybe I could talk myself out…no way, Chuckie's probably already spilled the beans about me to everyone…dammit…this is what I get for being naïve…"
"You look like you're being possessed." Chad is snapped out of his deep thoughts by Corvus' emotionless voice, and he makes eye-contact with the O.M.E.G.A. Number, who is floating in-front of his cell, with only his electrified outline visible.
"And you must be enjoying every second of this, aren't you?" Chad hisses at him and turns his back on the O.M.E.G.A. Number. "I thought you left already."
"Oh, trust me, I'd love to leave you here to rot, but you have my O.L. Ring, so I can't do that."
"Ironic ain't it? You're stuck to the one person you hate the most."
"You're high on my list, but I don't hate you as much as I hate Omnius and Aleph Zero." Corvus replies silently and moves closer towards the steel mesh door. "Your friends said that Omnius is here on Earth, right?"
"Huh? Why are you asking about him?"
"ANSWER ME!" Corvus shouts, startling Chad but then, he notices a change in the O.M.E.G.A. Number's expression.
"…yeah, he's here. Though only Numbuh S-26 saw him face-to-face. He's probably the one pulling the strings behind everything."
"So, he is here…" Corvus clenches his three-fingered hands and looks Chad in the eye. "That means I'll get the chance to face him if I stay with you and the TND."
"It's the same with the GKND. We're not planning to lose to either of them, Corvus." Chad stares back intensely which makes Corvus to become fully visible.
"All I know is revenge, Numbuh Delta. It's the only thing that has kept me going till now."
"But what then? What are you going to do after you've gotten your revenge? Have you thought about that at all?" Chad's question silences Corvus who looks away, unable to give him an answer. "You've got lots of time to figure out what you wanna do, Corvus. I know what I want and that's to protect Earth from the GKND and Omnius. I used to be the Earth KND's Supreme Leader for 5 years, Corvus. I want to prove to everyone I'm one of them. That's why I fight."
"Yuck, you're sounding like an adult…" Corvus gags and Chad let's out a hearty laugh.
"Hah-hah, well, I'm 19, so I'm getting close to becoming one." Chad replies and looks into Corvus's eyes once more but this time, he doesn't sense the same unbridled hatred in them.
"You humans are weird."
"I could say the same about you Orninyxians."
"I'm not a…never mind." Corvus snaps at Chad, amusing the teenager.
"Hah-hah-hah!"
"Hey, quit it!" Then, suddenly, Chad's O.L. Ring's Omega symbol starts blinking, before a yellow vein-like line starts growing from it and starts rapidly climbing up his arm.
"Huh? What the heck is this?!"
"Don't ask me!" the yellow line reaches Chad's shoulder and moves along his neck before stopping in his ear.
"…ssszzzzhht…an…you…ear me?" a static, disembodied voice crackles in Chad's ear, as if a radio receiver had been planted into it.
"A voice? How am I hearing this?" Chad puts his right hand over his ear as the voice becomes clearer.
"….mbuh Delta? Are…ou…ere?...Numbuh Delta?!" Kieran shouts in Chad's ear, much to his discomfort.
"Gah, hey, stop yelling?! Who are you and how the heck are you talking in my ear?"
"Eureka! It worked!" Chad hears muffled cheering as Corvus moves closer.
"No way…they're speaking through the O.L. Ring."
"Numbuh Delta, this is Numbuh Omicron speaking. What's your status?"
"My status? Why don't you explain first how you're talking to me?"
"There's no time for that!" Eliza interjects, startling Chad. "You should be doing the explaining, Numbuh Delta, but anyway, answer Omicron's question!"
"Okay, okay, you don't have to yell! I've got no idea where I am, but the Ninjas locked me up in a cell. That's all I know." Chad replies but doesn't get an answer. "Hey? You there?"
"…Right. Numbuh Omicron, you're up."
"Thank you. Numbuh Delta, is Corvus there?"
"Yeah, I'm here."
"Currently, you two are at the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, inside an Evil Adult Industries Ice Cream Factory that the Ninjas have refurbished into a base. Corvus, can you find the floorplan for the facility? The TND and the KND are going to conduct a join assault and it would help if we knew what the facility looks like." Kieran explains and Chad glances at Corvus.
"…I can do that. Give me a few nano cycles." Corvus replies and turns himself into electricity before disappearing back into the ceiling lamp.
"Numbuh Delta, once Corvus returns, have him transfer the data through your O.L. Ring. It is connected to Libra's ring and in theory, we can access the data with it."
"In theory?"
"We haven't had time to test this. Libra come up with it a few hours ago." Kieran replies just as Corvus returns.
"I found a computer terminal and downloaded the floorplan into my memory. What's next?"
"Your turn, Scorpius." Kieran hands to call to Scorpius, who's monotone voice makes Chad feel uncomfortable.
"Alright Corvus, listen closely. You need to transfer the data you just acquired into Numbuh Delta's O.L. Ring."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"You and Numbuh Delta are now connected by the ring, which means, you should be able to interface with it. I know this sounds illogical but right now, we are in unknown territory and we must take the risk."
"Fine, I'll try." Corvus closes his eyes and focuses his thoughts. "Ghh…no, nothing."
"Try again. We cannot proceed if you do not pass this hurdle."
"Remember, Corvus, this isn't about just you anymore. We are in this together." Libra joins in, much to Corvus' displeasure.
"Oh don't you start. Gah, come on, I'll do it this time." Corvus attempts to interface with the ring but to Chad, it looks like he just constipated. "Grrr…come on…" Then, Chad also closes his eyes and tries to do the same thing. "Huh? What the…" Suddenly, the Omega symbol on Corvus' chest and the symbol in the ring glow, followed by yellow energy letters flying out of Corvus' eyes and into the ring.
"Wow…that was weird…" Chad says as Corvus shakes his head.
"How the heck…whatever, now it's your turn." Corvus points at the ring and Chad speaks to Scorpius.
"Okay, it's done. Now what?"
"Pass the data from your ring into Libra's ring." Chad eyes the ring and after a bit of trying, the ring glows again and the symbols appear into his eyes, as if they had an in-built Heads-Up Display.
"Gah, there's letters in my eyes!"
"Excellent. Use your eyes to move the symbols into the small folder that has the Omega symbol in it." Despite not understanding what is happening to him, Chad does as he's told. "…transfer complete. Libra, Numbuh Omicron, we have succeeded."
"Aye, that's brilliant! We've got the floorplan for the entire facility."
"Good job guys! We'll send you a mission plan once we're ready. Stay put in your cell until then." Eliza says excitedly.
"But what if the Ninjas move me or something?"
"Numbuh Delta has a point. Corvus, you should stay outside the cell and be on the lookout for any movements." Libra says but Corvus is not pleased about taking orders from them.
"Normally I'd tell you to shut up, but this is an exception. I can't afford to let anyone else get their hands on that ring." he replies and glares at Chad. "You owe me for this, remember that." Corvus says coldly before flying away, causing Chad to sigh.
"Well, it's better than nothing I guess…okay, I'll leave the rest to you guys…and sorry for causing this mess." Then, he hears a different voice in his ear.
"You should be sorry. Because of you, Numbuh Zeta and I were forced to leave Sector V unsupervised. If anything happens to them, it's on you." an irritated Rachel says, causing Chad to lower his head as Maurice interjects.
"Hey, give the guy a rest. Don't take it the wrong way, buddy. We aren't gonna abandon ya."
"That's right. You're one of us now, Numbuh Delta." Patton joins in, as does Keith.
"Mon, next time, you better let us in on your plans, okay? Doing everything by yourself isn't gonna cut it anymore."
"Yeah, hombre, I haven't even seen you in action yet. So, get ready to prove yourself, because I only work with the best." The Kid says jokingly as Eliza takes over.
"The Teens Next Door never abandon their own. Not even you. We'll get you out of there, that's a promise."
"Right…thanks…"
"We'll end the transmission now. Wait for the next call. Moonbase out." Kieran hangs up as Chad slumps down on the floor, taken aback by his comrade's words.
"You guys…"
"Hey, look sharp. Someone's approaching this cellblock." Corvus tells him through the ring, causing Chad to stand up.
"Who and how many?"
"One, human female. Brown short hair." Chad's eyes widen as he realizes that the person approaching the block is none other than Stacey Cane, his ex-girlfriend. "Want me to take care of her?"
"…No! Just stand by and call me if anyone else shows up. I know this one."
"Suit yourself." Chad takes a deep breath and waits, his eyes glued towards the armored at the end of the hallway to his right. Then, with a loud creak, it slowly opens, and Stacey enters by herself. She is wearing the same clothes she wore at the hideout, apart from the slightly oversized black and red college jacket she now has over her red t-shirt. Her hands are buried deep in its pockets and her expression is grim. As her footsteps echo in the cold cellblock, Chad takes a few steps back from the steel mesh door and composes himself. Then, the sour-faced girl appears before him, staring coldly at his eyes.
"…Stacey…"
"Chad…" she says silently and lifts her head. "Chuckie told me about you."
"…so he did…"
"You were a double agent this whole time?"
"…"
"ANSWER ME, CHAD!" Stacey kicks the door, startling Chad. "If you say it isn't true…then…"
"It's true." Chad says bluntly, causing Stacey to physically recoil.
"How…why…why did you…?" she can't get the words out of her mouth, and she starts to shake but Chad remains stone-faced. "You were on those KNDork's side this whole time…everything that you did for the Ninjas…was just…an act?"
"Yes. I was a double agent and I had planned to become one since I was 11."
"You sold out our Hideout earlier too?!" Stacey asks with tear filled eyes and Chad nods silently. "Chuckie was right…"
"You didn't believe him?"
"I didn't want to…so I had to hear it from you…you…you TRAITOR!" Stacey kicks the door repeatedly while Chad watches on, clenching his fist. "You were one of us! How you could you use us like that?! I thought you were…"
"Someone special? No. I'm not special. I'm just a dumb kid who thought he could become the best." Chad says while hiding his eyes under his bangs. "I know you won't forgive me, but…can I at least tell my side of the story? Chuckie didn't give me that chance."
"Why should I listen to you!? You've been lying to us this whole time!" Stacey hisses at Chad, who steps forward and looks her in the eye.
"Just listen, please! We're dealing with something that's bigger than the Ninjas or the KND! Right now, you're the only person I can talk to about this!" Chad pleads but Stacey shakes her head and turns her back on him.
"No, I'm done listening to you. You don't know what we've been through since the KND captured The Steve." she replies and glares at Chad over her shoulder. "They erased his memory, Chad. He's got no idea who he is. Then they went after the others. All mindwiped!"
"…I know…I know what happened to them." Chad replies, causing Stacey's eyes to light up from rage and she kicks the door so hard Chad has to step away from it.
"DON'T TALK LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND! While you were off who knows where, we lost everything! Now we're nothing but lapdogs to that guy who gives us S.I.N.! Everyone is addicted to it, Chad! But without it, we can't fight against the TND!"
"Why do you fight them?! Do we have to be enemies, Stacey?"
"Because the KND took our friends! There's no way we'll forgive them for that!" Stacey shouts back and Chad walks up to the door, pressing his arms against it.
"That's why you must listen to me! I'll tell you everything! About me, why I became a double agent and who is giving you the S.I.N."
"…"
"Please. You can do whatever you want to me afterwards but let me speak. You deserve to hear the truth." Chad bows in-front of a speechless Stacey, who looks away but then, their eyes meet, and she can't sense any dishonesty in his eyes. Clenching her fists, Stacey looks furiously at Chad before opening her mouth.
"…fine. I'll entertain you." she says silently, causing Chad's face to light up.
"Thank you…"
…
After 30 minutes, Stacey walks out of the cellblock. What Chad has told her has left her conflicted. What if everything he said was true? Or was it just another lie? She looks back to when Chad was with the Ninjas and slowly, everything begins to make sense. The Footbomb, the failed takeover of Gallagher Elementary, the failed treaty with the KND. Chad had been involved in all them and they all failed. It all boils down to why the Ninjas and teenagers in general became enemies with kids. "I believe in a future where kids, teens and adults don't have to be enemies." Chad's words echo in her mind as she boards an elevator.
"…you think it's that simple, Chad?" However, what concerns her most is the part about the GKND. A mother organization that has controlled the KND from behind the scenes and Chad had been with them ever since he disappeared after the treaty failed. "Are you saying we too were…just tools…?" shaking her head, Stacey can't make heads or tails of Chad's story. Was he telling the truth? Or was it just another attempt to trick her? She can't tell. Then, the elevator stops and Stacey disembarks before entering a massive hangar, filled with Knightamatons, Battle-Ready Vans and docked Teen Ninja Air Ships.
"Stacey!" a girl Ninja waves next to a nearby van and Stacey approaches her. "You should've told us you were here!"
"Sorry, I uh…I just got here myself…" Stacey replies, trying her best seem cheerful. "Uhm…where's Chuckie?"
"He's having a meeting with the other bosses. You're not gonna believe this, the sponsor showed up in person!"
"Really?"
"Yeah. No one has seen them yet though, but the bosses looked pretty scared…"
"Oh…right, well, I'll go wait for him." Stacey replies and quickly leaves. "You haven't told anyone about Chad…" Stacey thinks, based on how calm her friend looked. Had Chuckie told everyone, they would've acted differently.
Meanwhile, the Teen Ninja leaders have gathered in a large oval room lined with sofas, waiting for someone. Chuckie is among them but so far, he has only received mocking glares from the others. "Come on, if you guys are gonna roast me, get it over with."
Then, an well-built Ninja wearing an ornamental, jet black and red B.R.A. with a long cape enters. He has two scars on his right cheek and his appearance causes everyone to stand up. "Commander!" the other leaders salute him, prompting the Ninja to gesture with his hand.
"Ease up on the formalities, dudes. We're all buddies here." he says casually and sits down on the closest sofa. "Looks like I'm the last one."
"We're still waiting for the sponsor to show up, Commander Piggy."
"Hey, I told you it's just Piggy. I hate usin' ranks." the teenager snaps at the Ninja next to him and looks around. He is the former drummer of The Steve's rock band, ScumBucketPunks and an old friend of Chad and Chuckie, who also played the bass in the same band. "Hmm? Hey, if it ain't my old buddy, Chuckie Cavallaro!" the burly Piggy shouts upon seeing Chuckie and walks over to his sofa. "I knew you'd get here."
"Yeah, good to see ya too…" Chuckie replies as Piggy slaps his back.
"Man, I thought ya turned tail when the TND took out your Hideout in Cleve. How the heck did they find it anyway?"
"…you're asking me…" Chuckie mutters as Piggy grabs his shoulder and pulls him closer.
"A little birdy told me you also met up with an old friend, right?"
"…yeah…"
"So it's true! Chad Dickson did really come back. Man, it's been so long since we last heard about him. How was he?"
"He quit." Chuckie replies bluntly, silencing the crowd around him.
"Huh? What do ya mean he quit?"
"He told me he was through." Chuckie clenches his fists as he realizes he can't tell the truth to the others. However, before Piggy can ask more questions, an eerie voice speaks up.
"Excellent, you have all gathered here. Let us begin." the voice says, causing everyone to sit back down. "Now, why don't we get down to business?" Suddenly, a black vortex appears in the middle of the room and shadowy figure rises from it. The stranger is clearly a teenage boy, tall and lanky but much to the Ninjas shock, he is covered by a black Silhouette Suit with a red outline.
"…no way…is that…Father?!" Chuckie thinks, unable to look away from the stranger, who bears a striking resemblance to the Adult Villain who only a year ago Delightfulized the planet. However, upon a closer look, Chuckie realizes that the stranger doesn't have the same hair style and his eyes are not visible.
"You have all been called here, so that we may discuss the next phase of our joint operation. So far, everything has gone according to plan."
"Then why don't ya enlighten us about that plan of yours? All you've done is bark orders to us!" A Ninja shouts but he is immediately knocked out by a telekinetic pulse, shocking the others.
"I did not give you permission to speak. Don't forget who has kept you Ninjas afloat this past year." the stranger says coldly but this doesn't sit well with the other Ninjas.
"Hey, you can't do that! Aren't we on the same team?!" the leaders start protesting but then, Piggy stands up and silences them.
"Shut yer traps! Let him talk."
"Hmph, at least one of you has a brain." the stranger then points at the screen in the backwall, causing it to light up and display the Earth. "Thanks to the portal network we've established, we have been able to distribute S.I.N. across the globe. Now we do not have to worry about any more interceptions by the TND. That means phase one is complete."
"So what's next?" Chuckie asks silently, prompting the stranger to look around the room.
"We will begin our counterattack. I will provide you with the plan in due to time. Until then, you Ninjas will stand by and wait for further orders. Evil Adult Industries will handle the KND and the TND in the meantime."
"Wait, are you benching us?!" Piggy shouts and the stranger nods.
"Yes. You have done your part in this act. I will call upon you once the time is right." the stranger says callously, as if waiting for the leaders to start protesting.
"This ain't right! We've got a score to settle with those traitor teenagers! If anyone's gonna take 'em down, it's us!"
"Yeah! They're the reason we don't got any places to hang out anymore!"
"They mindwiped our members!"
"You can complain all you want, but my decision has been made. You are all dismissed." the stranger envelops himself in a faint cloak of fire, causing the leaders to back down.
"Grr…fine. Let's go." Piggy says and leads everyone out but then, before Chuckie can leave, an invisible force grabs him from behind.
"Chuckie Cavallaro. Might I have a word?" Chuckie does not reply, knowing full well that he can't talk back as the door closes in-front of him. Then, the stranger turns him around and floats across the room with his hands behind his back. "As we discussed, your cell will be disbanded. Or have you forgotten?"
"No." Chuckie says, as fear starts creeping up his spine. He hasn't felt so afraid since Grandfather was resurrected.
"Good. Now, there's something else I want to discuss." the stranger lowers his head slightly and looms over Chuckie. "On your way here, you managed to acquire a very valuable prize, correct?"
"…"
"You can't hide it from me, Chuckie. You have Chad Dickson locked up in an isolation cell in this very facility. I want you to bring him to me. There are some questions I want to ask him."
"W…why? He's…"
"A traitor." Chuckie freezes in place as the stranger continues. "He appeared out of the blue after being gone for 6 years. He is the reason you lost the Hideout. But that's not all. There are things he knows that you couldn't even imagine. And it would be for the best if we kept him here. The knowledge he carries is dangerous, Chuckie. I'm sure you understand?"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want to hear any questions. Only a simple 'yes', understood?"
"…I'll bring him…"
"Excellent. Now, off you go." the door opens behind Chuckie and he walks out of the room, without saying a word. Then, the stranger turns back towards the large screen. "Preparations are complete. The TND are approaching as we predicted."
"Good. Now that they're focused on this facility, the Moonbase will be wide open." a composite voice speaks to him through the screen.
"And we can retrieve the item we desire."
"Yes, indeed. This is also the perfect chance to remove any unneeded Ninjas from their ranks. Remain there and await for the TND's arrival. If she appears in person, deal with her directly."
"Of course."
…
Meanwhile, Chuckie walks silently through the hallways. He had told Piggy and the others that the stranger just chewed him out for losing the Hideout and that his cell was being disbanded but he didn't mention Chad. However, the fact the stranger knew about Chad disturbs him but even more so, the fact that he also knew that Chad was a traitor. "This ain't making any sense…"
"Chuckie!" he hears Stacey shout from behind him and Chuckie turns around to greet her.
"S…Stacey. What do you want?"
"We need to talk…about Chad." Stacey looks him in the eye and Chuckie nods.
"Okay, but not here." they head into a storage room and lock the door. Then, Chuckie explains his orders and describes the stranger to Stacey, who in turn tells Chuckie what Chad told her. "What? You gotta be kidding me…"
"I know right? He says he worked for some aliens all this time and the only reason he's here is because they branded him a traitor."
"Then...that means the sponsor's after him. Wait, you don't think that sponsor is working for that Galactic whatchamacallit?"
"Don't ask me…" Stacey replies, unable to make sense of the situation. Then, Chuckie grabs her shoulders.
"We need to keep this between ourselves, okay? I've got a feeling we aren't supposed know about this."
"Ye…yeah…but what about Chad? What if he's not our enemy."
"That guy sold us out, Stacey! Don't forget that. He was using us the whole time."
"But…"
"*sigh* I don't like this either, but he's still a traitor. And I don't wanna piss off that sponsor. He's got a Silhouette Suit like Father had!" Then, Chuckie let's go and unlocks the door. "Act like this never happened, okay? I'm gonna go talk with Chad one more time."
"And then what? You're gonna hand him over to that guy?" Stacey asks and Chuckie starts to hesitate.
"…it's either him or me, Stacey." he mutters and walks past her but then suddenly, the general alarm goes off.
"ALL DUDES AND DUDETTES! THIS IS THE CONTROL ROOM, WE'VE GOT ENEMIES INCOMING!"
…
High above, in the Earth's orbit, a massive fleet of 2x4 ships has arrived, centered around the KND Space Fleet's flag ship, the Rascal Ruler, a G.I.G.A.- K.O.L.O.S.S.A.L.I.N.E.R. and standing on its bridge is Kids Next Door Supreme Leader, Numbuh 81, Jacques Duval. "Supreme Leader, the fleet is in position." the ship's captain says to Jacques, who gets up from his seat.
"Good, Numbuh 141. Contact Numbuh Alpha right now, Numbuh 780."
"Yes, Sir!" the ship's first officer replies and passes the order to the communications officer. Then, Eliza's face appears on the bridge's main screen.
"Numbuh Alpha, the KND is ready and in position."
"Roger that. The TND is also in position. Let's begin the countdown. Good luck and thank you."
"We're just doing our duty." Jacques salutes Eliza, who salutes back but only some of the KND operatives on the bridge salute her before she hangs up. "Tell the fleet to start the countdown."
Meanwhile, out in the Caribbean Sea, a force of 2x4 ships fly low above the water and below the waves, the TND M.-B.L.U.B.B.E.R. moves silently through the water. Onboard, in the ship's large main hangar, TND Speciacl Operations Commander Numbuh Kappa-7, Patton and Eliza are standing on a podium while all the pilots and agents have gathered in-front of it. "Alright everyone, this is it. Thanks to Numbuh Delta, we've managed to get our hands on the Ice Cream Factory's floorplan. Take a look." Kappa-7 presses a button on his gauntlet and a hologram appears above the crowd. It shows both the facility, perched on the edge of large cliffs in the north-west shore of the Yucatán Peninsula. Then, Patton steps forward and briefs everyone.
"Our target is this Evil Adult Industries Ice Cream Factory. While it might look small on the outside, the facility actually covers the whole cliff, with 5 floors above ground and 10 below, down to the water line, where their underwater submarine dock is located. The facility is heavily defended both on the outside and inside, so this operation will require perfect timing from everyone and because we don't know the exact number of Ninjas guarding it, we can't take any risks.
The KND will start the orbital bombardment in 10 minutes, after which, we begin our combined attack on the facility. The TND Space Fleet, under Numbuh Lambda's command will perform an orbital drop along with the KND's Space Assault Unit. At the same time, we'll launch infiltration teams 1 and 2 from the M.-B.L.U.B.B.E.R. before surfacing. Then, we'll draw the Ninja's attention with our Soft-Serve To Ground Cruise Missiles and finally, the air units led by Agent Halcón will attack the factory to cover the orbital drop." Patton explains before handing the floor over to Eliza.
"Numbuh Lambda, Numbuh Rho and Numbuh Kappa-7 will lead the operation from the this ship and from space, while Numbuh Iota-3's Global Communications Command will support us from the Moonbase. This will be a cooperative effort from all us, so I want everyone to do their best. If we beat the Ninjas here, they won't be able to spread S.I.N. as efficiently. Is that clear?"
"YES, MA'AM!" everyone shouts back at her while saluting, prompting Eliza to do the same.
"Okay everyone, get into your positions! The operation will start soon!" Patton yells, causing the crowd to scatter while the trio step down from the podium.
"While I'm gone, you're in-charge, Kappa-7." Eliza says to the Special Operations Commander, who nods back firmly.
"I won't let you down." Then, Patton and Eliza head towards a large, bipedal ship which looks like a combination of a yacht and a space shuttle, with a split vertical stabilizer and variable-geometry wings.
"I'm guessing I can't persuade you to stay here?"
"Not a chance, Numbuh Zeta. I'm not going to watch from the sidelines this time." Eliza replies sternly to Patton as they walk up the ship's cargo hatch head for the bridge, where they are greeted by a serious Rachel, Keith, Bradley, Sonia, Lee, Fanny's younger brother Paddy and Tommy. "So, is everyone ready?" Eliza says as she sits on the captain's seat in the very center of the bridge.
"The M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H.- W.A.S.P. MK T is ready to go!" Tommy shouts from the helm, causing Eliza and Tommy's team members to chuckle.
"He's still calling it that." Sonia whispers to Lee, who nods.
"So uncool."
"You know this ship is your brother's, right?" a smirking Eliza say to Tommy, causing him to stutter.
"We…well he's not here, AND The Kid told me I could use the W.A.S.P. for this mission! So, when I'm in the controls, it's the MK T!" Tommy proclaims loudly while an unimpressed Paddy rolls his eyes.
"Okay, focus, everybody. Numbuh Chi-3, contact Cleve Sector."
"Yes, Numbuh Alpha." Sonia replies as she types on the keyboard of her communication console. Then, Angeline and Maurice show up on the screen above Tommy.
"Numbuh Alpha! We're ready when you are." Angeline says to Eliza.
"Good. Numbuh Sigma, you know what to do, right?"
"Don't worry, we'll find that stubborn guy, no problem." Maurice says casually before Angeline speaks up.
"Uhm, Supreme Commander?"
"Yes?"
"Are…are you sure those…aliens will…really help us?"
"They're on our side, and that's all you need to know for now, Numbuh Psi. Don't worry, we'll explain everything once this operation is over." Eliza gives Angeline a confident smile while Maurice pats the vice-commander's shoulder.
"We're all singing the same tune here, Numbuh Psi. That's all that matters right now."
"Yeah, okay. We'll do our part."
"Thank you, Numbuh Psi. Numbuh Sigma, it's time."
"Roger that, Supreme Commander. Cleve Sector out." Maurice hangs up before saluting Angeline and leaving the Switchboard. He then heads to the Portal Hub, where a cautious Ted is waiting for him, along with Cygnus, Leo and Numbuh 9L. "So, Numbuh Eta-4, is that portal thingy ready?"
"Uhm, it's uh…I think so. We haven't tested it yet though…" Ted says while fiddling with the repaired portal device they had taken from Chuckie's Hideout. "In theory, it should open a portal inside the Ninja facility's own portal hub…but it can't move organic matter."
"Then let us test that theory, Theodore! Risks are meant to be taken!" Cygnus proclaims, causing Ted to shudder.
"Please use my codename…"
"Meow!" 9L sounds her opinion while gesturing with her curly eyebrows.
"Of course, 9L. I was merely trying to give everyone confidence. We cannot fight our foes if our spirits aren't high."
"Numbuh Delta's friends are weird…" Ted whispers to Maurice, who laughs.
"Hah-hah, we're just as weird to them, Eta-4. Right, I know haven't really worked together, but you don't mind if I take command?"
"I won't mind. An experienced leader is always a bonus." Cygnus replies while Leo looks at Maurice with suspicion.
"Just don't weight us down. I don't like to fight with weaklings…ow! Hey!" Leo shouts, having just received a disapproving slap from one of Numbuh 9L's tails.
"Mrau!"
"That was uncalled for, Leo." Cygnus shakes her head but Maurice laughs his comment off.
"You just make sure you can keep up, Whiskers."
"Huh?! Who are you calling…OW! QUIT IT, YOU HAIRY…OW!" Leo is slapped twice by 9L just as the base's intercom springs to life.
"Attention all TND and KND forces. Commence Operation: P.O.I.N.T. B.L.A.N.K."
…
Unaware of the events unfolding in the Caribbean, back at the Hydro World hotel, as the clock hit's 8AM, Wally has woken up and is standing on the balcony, his back against the railing. What happened last night has kept him awake and he's hardly slept. "Aw crud…" he mutters and lets out a heavy yawn.
Then, Wally sees the boy's bedroom door open and to his surprise, Hoagie walks out. The two boys notice each other, and Hoagie greets him. "Oh…morning…" he says sheepishly.
"Mornin'. Feelin' any better?" Wally asks as Hoagie joins him on the balcony.
"I don't know…it feels like that whole thing last night was just a dream…"
"Trust me, you screamin' and waving yer arms around like a nut wasn't a dream…" Wally puts his hands into his hoodie's pockets as Hoagie leans forwards against the railing.
"I've had bad dreams before but that…that was different. It felt so real, like I was watching a movie or something…"
"What do ya mean?"
"Because, I saw myself in it. I looked younger, maybe middle-school age or something…at first, I didn't recognize anyone but then, one by one, their faces just, appeared."
"Damn…"
"Was it really just a nightmare…" Hoagie ponders as he leans forward against the railing.
"Nigel asked the same thing…he thought it had somethin' to do with our amnesia…"
"Wow, really? Because I've had that same thought in my head…was it like…a memory but twisted into a nightmare…"
"That's messed up man…" Wally sighs and looks at the cloudy morning sky.
"After seeing that dream, I think we should really start looking into our amnesia, don't you agree?"
"I dunno…I mean, we've only got those albums and old photos to go on…"
"Abby told me something yesterday after you guys went to sleep: She said that Nigel had a treehouse on his yard."
"What?!" Wally shouts as he looks at Hoagie in shock.
"And she said that it fell down in a storm on the spring of our 8th grade…a year ago."
"No cruddy way…my dad said somethin' about a treehouse too…that I spent all my time there when I was in elementary school…"
"Wow…maybe we should tell Nigel about…"
"No need, I overheard you." Nigel interrupts Hoagie, startling him.
"Wah! Oh, morning Nigel." he stutters as Nigel puts on his sunglasses.
"Morning. How are you feeling, Hoagie?"
"Uhm…I dunno, fine I guess?"
"…" Nigel nods and joins his friends on the balcony.
"How much did you…?"
"Most of it, I woke up when you left the room, Hoagie."
"Oh, sorry about that."
"Don't apologize. I didn't have much sleep anyway. Now, that treehouse you mentioned…it's quite intriguing…"
"So did ya have a treehouse on yer yard or something?" Wally looks to his right, over a hunched Hoagie, towards Nigel.
"As a matter of fact, I did…" Nigel nods back sternly.
"Wow…really?" Hoagie also turns his gaze towards Nigel who stares out to the forest, which is bathing in the morning sun.
"Yes, however, not anymore. A storm knocked down the tree it was in. But the fact our parents remember it so vividly means it must've have been important to us."
"Yeah, but what does a cruddy shack in a tree have anythin' to do with our memory loss?"
"Your guess is as good mine, Wally…I'll need to look into this further…and you're right Hoagie, we should figure out why we lost our memories. I must admit, I've had a similar dream myself."
"Really? No way."
"Yes, except in mine, I'm in a dungeon, torturing someone against my will." Both Wally and Hoagie are left speechless by Nigel's description of his dream.
"That's just…crazy…"
"How the heck is that a memory?" Wally says but without realizing it, puts his hand over his left cheek.
"I'm positive it is…I've had it a few times, each one more real than the last…" Nigel looks into his hands and closes his palms as Hoagie shakes his head.
"There's no way YOU would torture someone…right?"
"I'd like to think that too but…after what happened to you, I'm not so sure…"
"What about you Wally?" Hoagie looks at Wally, who lowers his head.
"…crying…I just hear someone crying, over and over…In one dream someone is crying in a boxing ring and then in a burning house…the places change but the same person keeps crying and it makes me feel like crap…"
"Burning house…what kind of a house?"
"What the heck does that have to do with anything, Hoagie?!"
"Because Hoagie's nightmare involved a burning building." Nigel says as Wally calms down and takes a deep breath.
"…I dunno…it was big I guess…I don't cruddy remember."
"I see…" Nigel turns around and like Wally, leans against the railing with his arms crossed. "I don't like this at all. What exactly happened to us a year ago…?" he says as the frigid wind picks up.
"Brrr, let's go back inside, I don't wanna get a cold."
"I agree Hoagie. The breakfast buffet just opened, so we should wake everyone up."
"Sure…" Wally mutters as the boys leave the balcony but unbeknownst to them, Abby and Kuki overheard their conversation. Neither had slept well and they had noticed voices from the balcony, catching their attention. As the see the boys close the left-side balcony door, they quickly move in front of their bedroom.
"Ah, good morning."
"Mornin' Nigel." Abby replies, pretending to be still half-asleep.
"We were planning to go eat breakfast. The buffet is open until 11 am."
"Sure, we'll come with you. Fanny is still asleep though." Kuki replies.
"Then let's not wake her up. We'll just change our clothes and wait for you guys here in the lounge."
"Abby's gonna take a shower first…You guys can go ahead. We'll catch up…" Abby mutters as Kuki nudges her shoulder.
"Uhm…I'll take one too…".
"Oh, okay, then we'll do that. Let's go." Nigel says as the girls retrieve their towels and other essentials before they go the bathroom together.
As the boys leave, Abby pulls the shower curtain over the shower while Kuki waits near the door. "Hey Abby?"
"Yeah?"
"I…I'm scared…"
"What do ya mean?"
"Because…what if those nightmares really are our memories…?"
"I know how ya feel…" Abby says as she opens the tap. Kuki doesn't reply and the only sound they hear is the water flowing into the drain. "Uhm…Kuki, I gotta tell ya somethin'…"
"Hmm?"
"I think I had that same dream as Hoagie did…" .
"What? Really?!"
"The way he explained it…it was just like the dream I had on Friday mornin'…"
"Wow…"
"The only thing different was that I didn't see their faces…but I did hear a voice speak to me." Abby then sticks her hand out from behind the cutrain, reaching for her towel.
"What did it say?" Kuki asks as she hands Abby the towel.
"…Never give up…That's it…"
"Oh…that's kinda weird…"
"Tell me about it…but when Hoagie said he saw Maurice, it got me thinkin' maybe he was in my dream too…"
"…" Kuki keeps quiet as Abby leaves the shower and wraps the towel around herself.
"Well, whatever it was, we ain't got time to worry about now."
"Yeah, I know…exams…" Kuki says solemnly as Abby leaves the bathroom to dry her hair and put on clothes, allowing Kuki to take a shower but her mind is racing as she tries to process things she heard.
Abby leaves the girls bedroom, wearing a blue sweater over her blue top, jeans and light sneakers. Then, she notices Fanny, still wearing her pajamas, standing in the doorway. "What's up?"
"I uh…I wanna talk to ya…what happened to Hoagie…kept me awake."
"Yeah, it was pretty hard for all of us…especially Hoagie…" Abby hides her eyes under her hat.
"No, it's not about the nightmare…it's about what Nigel said…" Fanny fidgets as Abby remembers that she has amnesia too.
"We can talk about this with the guys later, okay? You still gotta take a shower, right?" Abby smiles slightly just as Kuki walks out.
"Oh, morning Fanny! The shower's all yours."
Meanwhile, at the breakfast buffet, Wally, Hoagie and Nigel are sitting in a four-person table, which is next to another identical table. Despite having planned to continue their discussion about the amnesia and the treehouse, they are unable to. Each of them is in deep thought and silently eat their breakfast. Then, the girls arrive in the breakfast buffet and notice the boys sitting in total silence. "The heck's up with them?" Abby asks as the girls go to the buffet to fill their plates. They then walk over to the tables. Abby sits next to Nigel while Fanny and Kuki sit on the empty table and move it slightly closer, so they can talk with the others. "So, why are ya guys silent all of a sudden? I thought ya wanted to talk about the you-know-what?"
"Oh…sorry, it's just that this food is so good, we haven't gotten the chance to talk at all." Nigel replies with a sheepish smile. "I mean, this is the best breakfast I've ever had…my mother never lets me have this at home." Nigel points at the meatballs and sausage on his plate while Hoagie wolfs down on his bacon and eggs.
"Oh man, this really hits the spot…" He says while Wally is unable to speak at all.
"Figures…so anyway, can we talk about last night?" Abby says, causing everyone to become serious. She then tells the boys that she and Kuki overheard their conversation on the balcony, after which they share it's contents to Fanny as well. Then, Nigel puts down his fork and looks at everyone.
"I know we agreed that we would put off looking into it until after November but after what happened to Hoagie last night, I'm not so sure…"
"Are you nuts? We've got exams and Wally's tutorin' to deal with! We don't have time to think about that!" Abby becomes agitated over the prospect of sacrificing precious exam preparation time.
"Of course, we have to prioritize those two, but we have to take this seriously, Abby. At least I will look into this on the side. The fact that my uncle is in an insane asylum because he lost his memories during that same week AND the fact that all of us have had some sort of nightmares about things that we can't explain is something that I simply cannot ignore!" Nigel gets equally agitated, alarming Kuki.
"Hey come on, calm down guys!"
"Yeah, stop makin' a scene. I say we just figure out the best way to do this, instead of fightin' about it."
"Wally's right! I'm sure if we work together, we can balance things out, right?" Hoagie gestures to Abby and Nigel, who clears his throat.
"*cough* Sorry about that."
Abby takes a deep breath and calms down. "Fine…but on one condition: you pass your exams. We gotta think about our futures too."
"Of course, silly! I'm gonna work extra hard."
"Heh, I've only got a few subjects I gotta work on, so I'll be fine.
"Good, that's more like it." Abby huffs while Wally stares at his empty plate with a sense of dread, because he has a hellish month of studying ahead of him. "Now why don't we swing by the mall before we leave? The checkout's at 12, right?"
"Yes, sounds like a good idea. Let's enjoy ourselves while we're still here." Nigel nods but Kuki frowns.
"Too bad Rachel and Patton had to leave…"
"They're already in Cleve by now…but don't worry girl, we can get some souvenirs to for 'em from the mall." Abby nudges Kuki, who smiles immediately.
"Yeah! I wanna get something cute for Rachel!"
"Betcha it's a cruddy Rainbow Monkey…" Wally whispers to Hoagie but Kuki has overheard him and her face takes on it's oni-like visage.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
"Guh! Nothin'…" a pale Wally replies, causing the others to let out a hearty laugh.
End of Transmission 16