Songs featured:
-Shrike arrives: "Archange" by Keiki Kobayashi
Transmission 24: Rising Curtains
2 hours after receiving the orders, Patton and Keith have boarded a S.C.A.M.P.E.R. along with four TND Combat Troopers and are heading towards Oregon in the dead of night while The Kid is serving as their escort. "We're approaching the target, Commander Numbuh Zeta." the pilot says as they fly over a thick conifer forest, towards a small town near a river.
"So let me get this straight, mon, Moonbase wants us to capture Numbuh 20.000, drag his butt back to space so we can Recommission him? This don't make any sense."
"I don't like it either, but don't forget that Numbuh 20.000 is the only Splinter Cell member who wasn't Erased. We Decommissioned him to seal his memories away." Patton replies to Keith as he sits opposite to the Jamaican agent with his arms crossed. "I'm guessing those memories are now pretty valuable…" he mutters and looks out of the window, remembering how Numbuh 20.000 had manipulated Fanny a year back to sell him and Rachel out to the Splinter Cell. "Honestly, I was hoping I'd never have to see him again…"
"I hear ya, mon. That guy was sick in the head." Suddenly, their conversation is interrupted by The Kid, who moves his Valkyrie II closer to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
"Ey, I'm gonna swing over the target area and check it for any bad guys, just in-case."
"Roger that. Numbuh Xi-47, take us lower to the tree line."
"Yes, Sir." the pilot replies to Patton and the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. drops down to the treetop level while The Kid accelerates past them and swoops over the town, but his fighter's sensors are not picking up anything.
"It's way too quiet here…" The Kid squints out of fighter's canopy while the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. silently enters the town's airspace.
"Our target is a large house on the outskirts of town. Intelligence reports say there are only three people besides the target inside the house. Agent Hermit and I'll sneak in and Stupefy the target before extracting him to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. You troopers will guard the ship, understood?"
"Yes, Sir!" as Patton barks out his orders, the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. lands on a clearing near Numbuh 20.000's two-story house. Then, the side door opens, followed by Patton and Keith sneaking out while the troopers form a perimeter around the ship and above them, The Kid hovers over the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., keeping an eye out for any threats.
"Follow me." Patton whispers as he turns on both his B.R.A. and stealth cloak while Keith activates his own cloak, as he still refuses to use a B.R.A., claiming it does not suit his style.
"Right behind ya, mon." the teenagers then sneak through a thicket before arriving in-front of a steel fence. "Man, these guys like their security."
"This is nothing compared to the fence my dad built. It's got CCTV cameras and…*cough* anyway, there's the window." Patton points at the second-floor window before flying over to it with his jetboots with Keith in tow. Using the X-Ray vision of the orange coggles on his helmet, Patton peers through the curtains and sees his old comrade-turned enemy lying asleep on his bed. "Target located. Let's go." Patton presses his finger against the window frame and with help of the magnetic touch of his B.R.A. gloves, he manages unlock the window from the outside. Then, after slowly opening the window, the boys sneak inside and go to both sides of the bed. For a moment, they watch over the sleeping 20.000 before Keith pulls out his Stupefier pistol. But then, a burglar alarm goes off, waking up 20.000 immediately.
"Urgh…wha…?!"
"Dammit!" Patton shouts as Keith fires at Numbuh 20.000, but only manages to Stupefy his legs.
"GAH! WHAT'S GOING ON?!" he panics before Patton restrains him and drags him out of his bed while still remaining cloaked. "HELP!" Keith grabs the struggling ex-operative and they fly him out of the room just as 20.000's father and guard dog rush into his room but it's too late.
"Why didn't ya check for alarms?!" a furious Keith shouts at Patton.
"I did! There weren't any sensors in the window!" Patton yells back as they struggle to keep 20.000 restrained while also trying to stay in the air.
"LET GO OF ME!" 20.000 yells as the manages to get over the fence right before the guard dog is released to the yard. Then, The Kid contacts Patton.
"Yo, you guys better outta there. We've got unknowns approaching your position. I'll intercept."
"Unknowns?! Oh that's just great. Come on, move it!" Patton shouts as he and Keith start running through the thicket towards the idling S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
"WHO ARE YOU?! LET ME GO!" while 20.000 cannot see his captors, he can hear them, and it only makes him struggle more. Then, he sees the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. through the darkness. "Wha…what's happening?!"
"You'll learn soon enough." Patton replies silently as 20.000 is taken aboard the ship, where Patton and Keith decloak "Everyone accounted for?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Then take-off! We need to get outta here!" he says as he puts 2x4 cuffs on 20.000 and sits him down on a passenger seat.
"Who are you people and what do you want with me?"
"Let's just say we used to be friends." Patton says as he sits down opposite the blond-haired, green-eyed 20.000, who is still in his pajamas. "We're with the Teens Next Door, not that you've ever heard of it."
"The Teens Next what?! This has gotta be a dream…"
"Not a dream. This is reality." Patton frowns before the pilot gestures to him.
"Commander! We've got 6 more unknowns coming our way. They're not Ninjas."
"Let me see." Patton walks over to the pilot and looks at the radar screen, which shows 6 blips approaching them. "If they're not Ninjas, then who?"
"I'm identifying them now…" the radar operator says before her face turns pale. "No way…Sir…we're being targeted by 5 E.S.C.A.P.E.R.S. and a C.O.O.L.B.U.S.S."
"KND ships?! How's that possible?!"
"Mon, I think somebody doesn't want us to take him to the Moonbase."
"And by somebody, you mean the GKND. Xi-47, full speed ahead! Get us outta here!" Patton shouts as the pilot applies full thrust, causing the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. to shudder as it flies away from the town. "We gotta call back Agent Halcón right now!"
Slightly to the north, The Kid receives an urgent message from Patton to return but before he can turn around, a green laser beam flies past his fighter and he can instantly tell who is behind it. "Grr…it's you again!" he shouts as another laser flies overhead and sure enough, The Kid recognizes the menacing silhouette of Numbuh Shrike's black R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R.
…
3 hours earlier
"You called me, Numbuh 74.239?" a stoic Numbuh Shrike says upon entering the GSF's Treehouse's Science Lab's side room, where the plantiform alien is waiting in-front of a holographic projector.
"Yes. I know you just arrived here but we have…a problem that needs to be dealt with."
"What kind of problem?" Shrike crosses their arms as 74.239 turns around and shows Shrike a projection of Numbuh 20.000.
"Those teenagers are about to make a move on this former KND operative. He is a former colleague of mine and he has knowledge about us that must not be allowed to reach the teenagers. I want you to head back to Earth at once and…make sure he is…neutralized. Preferably by terminal memory erasing but if nothing else works then…"
"You want me to kill him? You are aware I'm not a hired gun. I am a spy." Shrike responds coldly, angering 74.239.
"I am well aware! But our intelligence reports say that the teenagers are sending 'him' to retrieve this operative and you are the only one here who has combat experience against him. It is imperative that my former colleague does not fall to the enemy's hands!" Shrike notices the urgency in 74.239's voice and they can tell that something is not right. However, Shrike does not voice his suspicions and simply nods.
"Fine. I'll go."
"Excellent. Here are the target coordinates." 74.239 hands Shrike a small data disc. "Do everything in your power to stop them."
"Right…but is Numbuh Exa aware of this?"
"I will inform him about this mission personally. Just get going already. Time is limited."
"Understood." Shrike replies silently leaves while an anxious Numbuh 74.239 starts typing on a small keyboard next to the projector.
"I'll have to call some reinforcements…if those teenagers learn what 20.000 knows, our Earth spy network will be compromised…"
…
Now, from the cockpit of their fighter, Numbuh Shrike stares down at The Kid's Valkyrie II and a sense of excitement fills the spy. "I guess I should thank that nerd for this. I get to face off against Vermillion's offspring once again!" Shrike exclaims as their fighter flies past the Valkyrie II at high speed. "Now, let's have some fun!"
"Damn you!" The Kid curses as the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. instantly changes direction and charges at him again. The appearance of the black, manta ray-like craft has reminded The Kid about the battle at the Ice Cream Factory where his fight with the fighter had cost the TND and KND dearly and now, he is consumed by vengeance. "It's your fault I messed up back there! There's no way I'm gonna let you escape this time!" The Kid performs a Cobra maneuver to dodge Numbuh Shrike's attack and then opens fire with the Valkyrie II's nose-mounted laser guns, but Shrike evades and deploys a green energy blade from the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R.'s long tail.
"Let's see you handle this!" the spy rushes in again and swings the tail, its blade aimed directly at the Valkyrie II's fuselage.
"Ghh!" seeing the green blade approaching him, The Kid rolls and performs a Split-S to evade but the moment he completes the move, Shrike is already coming at him head-on. "No way!"
"Gotcha!" Shrike swings the tail blade once more while The Kid applies full left rudder and rolls to the left but he can't evade in time as the blade slices off the tip of his right wing, causing him to plummet towards the forest below.
"Urgh, no…come on…" as the fighter spins uncontrollably, The Kid tries to reach for the transformation lever but the g-forces make it difficult, until finally, he manages to pull it and the fighter changes to its robot mode, allowing The Kid to stabilize the craft. "Grrr…you got lucky…it's not gonna happen again!" now forced to use the Valkyrie II's robot mode, The Kid flies up and unleashes a hail of 2x4 micro-missiles on the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R., forcing Shrike to fire a laser barrage to counter them.
"Are you really going to fight me with that damaged thing? Interesting." as Shrike levels their fighter, they deploy the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R.'s bird-like mechanical legs and attacks The Kid, who is so focused on his fight that he has not registered Patton's frantic calls over the radio.
…
"Argh, dammit Halcón, where the heck are you?!" a frustrated Patton shouts as his team's S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is attacked by the gray E.S.C.A.P.E.R.'s and the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. "He's supposed to be our damn escort for Pete's sake!"
"We're just gonna have to deal with these guys by ourselves, mon. Hey, lemme take that seat." Keith takes over the gunner's seat and deploys the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.'s roof-mounted F.R.A.P.P.E. freeze ray turret and the side-mounted laser turret. "You're in for it now…" he mutters and opens fire, forcing the E.S.C.A.P.E.R.'s to split up while the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. hangs back and fires its own laser cannons at the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
"Just what the heck is all this?!" 20.000 continues asking questions, further frustrating Patton.
"Look, we'll explain everything later, once we get away from here. So for now just sit tight." he snaps at 20.000 and orders the pilot to give him the controls. "I'll take it from here! Everyone, strap in!" Patton immediately turns the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. around and performs a high-speed barrel roll while passing the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. "SHOOT!" Keith aims all of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.'s weapons at the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. as they pass it and he scores multiple hits on the ship, engulfing it in smoke.
"Hah-haa, take that!" Keith pumps his fist in the air but then, to everyone's shock, the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. emerges from the smoke without a dent, surrounded by a green energy shield. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me, mon!"
"Dammit…" Patton bites his lips just as the E.S.C.A.P.E.R.'s swarm the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., forcing Patton to evade again. "This isn't getting us anywhere! Call for backup!"
"Sir, all the channels are being jammed! I can't even reach Agent Halcón."
"Grrr…we're on our own then but we're not gonna go down without a fight!" Patton turns the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. around again and leads the E.S.C.A.P.E.R.'s on a high-speed chase over the forest while Keith fires back at their pursuers, managing to down two of them but then, the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. deploys a long cannon from under its fuselage and fires mustard at the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., scoring a direct hit on the ship's left engine. "Ghh…no! We're hit! Brace!" Patton shouts as the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. glides into the woods and dIgs into the ground, creating a long trench behind it before grinding to a halt near large pine.
"Target down. Secure objective." an operative wearing black full-body armor and a mirror visor samurai helmet says in a monotone voice as the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. slows down and starts hovering.
"*cough* Urgh…everybody okay?" Patton asks as the dust and smoke clears. Despite the heavy impact, the ship is still intact but not flightworthy.
"Been better, mon. But that was a pretty good landing." Keith replies but two of their fellow agents are injured while two others are unconscious. "So…what now?"
"That C.O.O.L.B.U.S. is jamming us…unless we take it out, we're screwed." Patton replies as he turns his B.R.A. back on and checks on the injured agents. "Agent Hermit, try to get the weapons back online. Numbuh Xi-47, tend to the wounded and move everyone to the front of the ship."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to swat down that fly." Patton replies sternly and walks over to the weapon container next to the gunner's seat. "We still have this." he opens the container and pulls out a weapon made up of a reinforced external battery with a socket on top of it and a jackhammer with only one handle and its hammerhead has been replaced with a shiny silver drill.
"What the heck is that?" Keith asks as Patton grabs the weapon's upwards pointing handle and plugs the rear-mounted battery's socket to his right arm gauntlet.
"It's a weapon the science guys built from that E.N.R.O.A.C.H.E.R. that attacked the Moonbase. They call it the L.A.N.C.E.R. and in theory, it should pierce that shield…let's hope they're right about it." Patton says and moves over to the side hatch, but Keith stops him.
"Hey, you're not seriously gonna go out there by yourself?!"
"I'll be fine. You just focus on getting that weapon system working. Once I take out that shield, that C.O.O.L.B.U.S. isn't gonna survive another full salvo and the jamming will go away." Patton replies and opens the hatch.
"…Okay, you heard the man. Let's get those weapons online, mon!" Keith takes over command while Patton stands alone in-front of the downed S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
"There you are." Patton booster jumps and backflips on top of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., his eyes fixated on the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. "This thing better work…alright, you Galactic freaks, you pissed off the wrong teenager!" Patton takes off and flies towards the C.O.O.L.B.U.S., which immediately unleashes a hail of lasers at him. "RAAAAH!" he weaves through the barrage and grabs the L.A.N.C.E.R.'s secondary side handle with left hand before pulling the said handle back, causing the weapon to rev loudly. "EAT THIS!" Patton points the drill at the shield and rams it at full speed, but the impact repels him backwards. "Ghh…I'm just getting warmed up!" like a tenacious wasp, Patton begins ramming the shield from every direction but then, the E.S. .E.R.'s arrive and begin firing on him.
"So that's how you wanna play huh?! Then try this on for size!" Patton's frustration boils over and he turns his attention on the E.S.C.A.P.E.R.'s. "GRAAAAH!" he rams the one closest to him and the L.A.N.C.E.R.'s drill pierces the fighter's left wing and engine, sending it plummeting down to the forest but its pilot does not eject. Then, Patton uses the speed he gained to take down another E.S.C.A.P.E.R. before the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. opens fire on him again.
Meanwhile, a tall plume of smoke rises from the forest further north. Hovering over the plume is Numbuh Shrike's R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. in fighter form while below it lies the wrecked Valkyrie II and crawling out the destroyed fighter's cockpit is The Kid.
The damage he had sustained from Shrike's tail blade proved to be too much and he was brought down in the brief dogfight that followed, for only the second time in his life. "*cough*…urgh…*pant*…dammit…" he groans as he falls to the ground and limps away from the smoking wreck. His left leg is hurt while a small piece of shrapnel is poking out of his left shoulder. "Urgh…how…how the heck…did I…?" The Kid's strength gives away and he collapses next to a tree but he manages to lean against it before looking up at the black R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R., which seems to mock him.
"That was disappointing. I guess you weren't at your best today." a displeased Numbuh Shrike thinks before turning the fighter's nose towards the south-east. "I was hoping for a more entertaining fight, Ace The Kid. You're being weighed down by your inferior side." Shrike says over the loudspeaker, angering The Kid.
"What the heck are you sayin'?!" *groan* You don't know anything about me!"
"Oh I know plenty, like the fact you aren't from this planet." Shrike's words stun The Kid at first, but he quickly brushes them aside.
"Shut your hole, you alien pendejo! I'm a human and always have been!"
"Hmph, sure. Let's leave it at that then. But I wonder what your 'friends' will think when the truth is finally revealed, son of Vermillion." Shrike says callously and flies away, leaving The Kid both enraged and confused.
"SCREW YOU! YOU DON'T KNOW ME! YOU DON'T!" he screams while shaking his right fist at the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. before he slumps down against the tree. "…*pant* you…you're lying…I'm…I'm human…urgh…" with the last of his strength, The Kid presses the TND Emergency Beacon button on his 2x4 wristwatch before losing his conscience completely.
With The Kid taken out of the way, Numbuh Shrike turns their attention towards the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. and flies towards its location. "Now then, time to mop up the…huh?!" but just as Shrike arrives, they see Patton finally breaking through the C.O.O.L.B.U.S.'s shield.
"HAH-HAA! GOTCHA!" Patton rejoices but does not let up on his attack and rams the weapon through the C.O.O.L.B.U.S.'s roof-mounted main engine, which brings the large ship down as well. "*pant* Alright…that should take care of the jamming…huh? Oh great…" Patton sees the pitch-black R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. approaching him but he is not intimidated and revs the L.A.N.C.E.R again but he doesn't notice faint sparks and smoke coming from the battery. "Reinforcements…"
"Looks like 74.239's backup didn't last that long…did they all get shot down by that one teenager?" intrigued, Shrike transforms the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. into robot mode, which dwarfs Patton, but notices how the machine transforms in a similar way to The Kid's Valkyrie II.
"Halcón…so you shot him down?!" not deterred by the robot hovering before him, Patton prepares to attack again while Shrike points the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R.'s left arm-mounted laser gun at him.
"I'm not a hitman…but orders are orders." but suddenly, the forest behind Patton unleashes lasers and freeze ray blasts at Shrike, startling them. "Huh!? Where is that coming from?!"
"Now's my chance!" Patton applies full boost and flies directly at the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R.'s torso, but Shrike moves it's right arm in-front.
"Trying to be sneaky huh? Human!" but now Shrike is on the receiving end as Patton's L.A.N.C.E.R bores through the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. right arm, to the alien's disbelief. "What?! Impossible!" Shrike quickly purges the arm off completely but they can't attack Patton because the barrage is too thick. "Grrr…fine, I blow you all away!" angered, Shrike transforms the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. to fighter, climbs up and points the fighter's tail down towards the wrecked S.C.A.M.P.E.R. "Bye-bye!"
"No!" Patton shouts and tries to attack Shrike again but the battery shorts out, making the L.A.N.C.E.R. unusable. "Gh, of all the rotten…!" unable to do anything, Patton can only watch as the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R.'s tail starts glowing when suddenly, the weapon is sliced off by an orange energy sphere.
"Urgh! What the…?" Then, Shrike turns the fighter around and sees an armored, blond-haired teenager hovering in-front of them. "*gasp* That's…an O.M.E.G.A. Number…in Anti-Adult Soldier form!" staring down at Shrike is none other than Chad, having assumed his and Corvus' Overlay form.
"Took you long enough!" Patton shouts as Numbuh Shrike realizes they are at a disadvantage.
"Grr…better get out of here!" frustrated, Shrike quickly flies away before Chad can go after the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. but as they retreat, Shrike receives a message.
"Numbuh Shrike is the deed done?" 74.239 asks, angering Shrike.
"Take a wild guess! Your 'reinforcements' are all taken out and I'm missing an arm! I'm heading back!"
"No! You can't! The teenagers cannot get their hands on 20.000's memories!"
"Then deal with that yourself! Not my problem anymore!" Shrike hangs up, causing the GKND scientist to slam the table in-front of him.
"Grrr...that fool…fine, I'll handle it myself. Damn you Numbuh S-26, why did you have to meddle in our business? This could've all been averted if you hadn't gone to Earth and exposed us!" Numbuh 74.239 curses as he types on a keyboard once more, while the computer screen behind it shows various KND codenames. "Luckily those teenagers didn't remove all of our agents…" He then selects four codenames and clicks on the option "Activate Chip".
…
A few hours later, Patton's team and The Kid are taken to the Moonbase, while 20.000 is kept in a cell under constant observation. However, while The Kid is taken to the medical wing for treatment, Patton and Keith have gone to meet with Eliza, Chad and Herbie to discuss what happened. They have gathered around a round table and none of them are pleased by what happened. "Well, that was a complete fiasco…" Patton mutters as Eliza crosses her arms and stares at the mission report lying on the table.
"How did our mission plan get leaked? Wasn't our communication network's security reinforced after the Yucatán battle?" she turns her frustrated gaze towards Herbie, who nods.
"Yes, Ma'am. We installed multiple security updates, so it couldn't have been an external breach."
"Yet the GKND sent an entire strike force after you guys. Though what really irked me was that black fighter…" Chad frowns and brings up a holographic picture retrieved from The Kid's destroyed Valkyrie II's gun camera. "I've seen this thing before."
"So, what is it and what was it doing there?"
"Well, Numbuh Zeta, that was a R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. A fighter used by the GKND's Galactic Intelligence Division, and it's only given to the best, the elite. Only 20 were built, so whoever was piloting that R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. was a really dangerous guy."
"And they sent someone like that after Numbuh 20.000…which means he DOES know something about the GKND that they don't want us to learn." Herbie adjusts his glasses before receiving a transmission from the Intelligence Section's vice-chief. "Make it quick, I'm in the middle of a…huh? Really? Well send it to me now. Good, over and out." Herbie then hangs up and looks at the others stoically. "Supreme Commander, the Intelligence Section finished their work on the wrecked C.O.O.L.B.U.S. and the E.S.C.A.P.E.R.'s. They're sending their report to us now."
"About time, mon." Keith remarks as the report appears on the table's holoprojector and it's contents shock the teenagers.
"Wha…this has gotta be a joke!" a stunned Patton shouts as he jumps up while Eliza shakes her head.
"The C.O.O.L.B.U.S.'s crew were all chipped KND operatives…"
"They used the same chips as the Splinter Cell did…unbelievable. I thought we destroyed them all…" Herbie says while Chad remains quiet.
"And those E.S.C.A.P.E.R.'s were unmanned. No wonder they were actin' weird…so what do we do now, Numbuh Alpha?" Keith asks Eliza, who squints at the report.
"We've go to speak with Numbuh 20.000 right away. I'd prefer that he'll let us recommission him, we'll probably have to use force."
"Leave him to me. I've known him the longest." Patton says quickly, but Eliza can sense hostility from his voice.
"Keep your cool, Numbuh Zeta. Don't forget, we need him to cooperate with us."
"I will."
"We know for a fact that the KND has been infiltrated by the GKND, so I think it's high time we flush 'em out. I'll go meet with the O.M.E.G.A. Numbers and ask their help." Chad explains and the others nod back.
"You do that. Numbuh Iota-3, as head of Intelligence, can you assist Delta?"
"Of course. We'll help in any way we can."
"Thanks a bunch. I'll go to the hangar and talk with 'em right now." Chad stands up and leaves the room as Eliza gets up from her chair as well.
"Then let's end this meeting and get to work. Numbuh Zeta, remember, control yourself."
"Yeah, yeah." Patton replies but Eliza is not fully convinced he can do that, as Patton still holds a deep grudge against 20.000 for his part in getting Fanny chipped during the Splinter Cell War.
"Hold on, mon, I'm coming with you." Keith says to Patton they leave the meeting room.
"Sure, maybe that's for the best…" Patton replies over his shoulder as he and Keith start walking to the elevator and Herbie goes up to the TND Central Operations Room while Eliza heads to the medical wing, to see The Kid.
The Latino pilot has been kept there for an hour now and is confined to a hospital bed, bandages covering his left shoulder and right shin. Sighing heavily, The Kid looks up at the ceiling as his mind wanders back to what Shrike told him: that he is not human. "Dammit…that ain't true…that guy was just trying to mess with me…" he mutters and clenches his right fist.
However, he is then reminded of the strange phenomenon that happened during the Indian mission and during his first fight with the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. How time seemed to slow down for him whenever he was in mortal danger, which allowed him to dodge or counter an otherwise certain hit. This had never happened to him before, even during the many tough dogfights The Kid had fought over the years, so why now? "Gah…I ain't an alien…no way…"
Then, The Kid hears a faint knock on his door. "It's open." he says as Eliza walks in. "Oh, it's just you."
"'Just'? Hey, don't be so excited. Or is this a bad time for you?" an irritated Eliza eyes The Kid, who rolls his eyes.
"*sigh* No…do whatever you want." The Kid replies indifferently as Eliza shakes her head and closes the door behind her before sitting down on The Kid's bedside.
"Sorry about Numbuh Zeta." she asks, reminding The Kid how right after they were picked up, Patton gave him an earful about abandoning them and leaving his team without an escort.
"Forget it. He was right, I screwed up and we paid the price for it." The Kid replies silently, his solemn expression surprising Eliza, who had never seen him give her such a look.
"Well would you look at that, you CAN be humble sometimes."
"Not funny. If you came here just to mess with me, then don't. I ain't in the mood for jokes." The Kid snaps at Eliza, who lifts an eyebrow, but instead of cracking another snide comment, she gently puts her hand on The Kid's injured shoulder.
"How bad is it?"
"Just a small wound, that's all." The Kid says without look Eliza's way and she can tell that the injury is not the reason he is acting so distant.
"You know nobody's blaming you for what happened back there, right?"
"…why not? If I'd just stuck with the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. we coulda escaped. But that black fighter got into my head again and I…" clenching his right fist again, The Kid is reminded that this was the second time the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R.'s appearance caused his friends to get injured.
"Again? Wait, you fought that thing before?!" Eliza jumps up as The Kid nods silently. "Then why didn't you mention it in any of your reports?! When did you fight it before this?!"
"…three weeks ago…at Yucatán…that thing attacked you guys, remember?" The Kid says grimly, and Eliza immediately remembers how the W.A.S.P. had come under fire from green laser beams before The Kid broke off.
"So that thing showed up back then too…" Eliza starts connecting the dots as she realizes that because the R.A.Y.-W.I.N.G.E.R. drew The Kid away, the orbital drop was left without air-cover. However, she refrains from berating The Kid any further. "Well, that's water under the bridge now, Kid. Don't worry about that anymore." she tries to touch his elbow again but then suddenly; The Kid slaps her hand away.
"Don't give me that! You know damn well it was my fault the orbital drop failed AND why Zeta's team got shot down! I wasn't doing my job!"
"Stop kicking yourself over it, Kid! Gosh, why do you have to put up that tough guy act every time?! I was just trying to make you feel better…"
"Well I didn't ask! I don't need you to worry about me!" The Kid shouts at Eliza, who is visibly shocked by his words.
"Wha…why are saying that?! Aren't we friends?"
"…that's got nothing to do with this…besides, you've got your own problems to worry about." The Kid points at Eliza's Delightfulized left eye. "Focus on that instead of tryin' to pity me uGUAH!" Eliza slaps The Kid violently, causing his aviators to fall off and as he lifts his head up, The Kid sees Eliza's sad and angry expression staring down at him and for a split second, her long orange hair turns pitch-black with a blue outline, before reverting back to normal. Then, Eliza slaps him across his face again as a tear forms around her Delightfulized eye.
"You jerk…you insensitive jerk." she says coldly to The Kid who can't look back at her anymore. Then Eliza kicks the stool next to his bed aside and marches out of the room. Now alone, The Kid picks up his aviators and leans back against the large pillow behind him.
"…dammit…went too far again…" he kicks himself but as he closes his eyes, the only thing he sees is Eliza's distraught and furious expression, which only makes him feel worse. However, he does not notice the green, transparent feathers that appear in his right arm for a few seconds before disappearing into thin air.
…
Down in the Teen Extension's cellblock, Patton enters an interrogation room while Keith and Bartie, who joined them along the way, are watching from behind a mirrored glass. Sitting behind a small table, Patton remains stoic as the door opens and a struggling 20.000 is brought in by two guards. "Urgh, let of me! Who the heck are you people?! Why'd you kidnap me?!" Numbuh 20.000 complains loudly as the guards force him to sit down opposite Patton before his cuffed hands are freed.
"You can leave." Patton gestures to the guards and turns his attention to a furious 20.000. "First of, sorry things went down like they did. We did expect to get ambushed."
"I don't care about that! Tell what the heck is going on! Why are you acting like you know me?"
"Because I do." Patton replies and places a file on the table. "I'm Numbuh Zeta of the Teens Next Door. We used to be buddies, years ago."
Numbuh 20.000 lifts an eyebrow and picks up the file, which has a picture of him from 5 years ago, wearing a wetsuit. "Huh? Wha…what's all this about? KND? Numbuh 20.000?"
"Relax, I'll explain everything to you." Patton says before telling 20.000 about his past life as a KND operative, stunning the blond-haired teenager.
"No way…this has gotta be a prank or something…"
"Not a prank. All of this is real. I've got more proof if you need it." Patton places photos on the table which all feature 20.000 at various points of his KND career, up to Rachel's birthday. It is the group picture taken on that very same day that catches 20.000's eye. In it is a large group of kids posing for the camera with Rachel sitting at the center while Patton and 20.000 are both saluting side-by-side.
"Why…why are telling me all this?"
"Because we have to recommission you, Numbuh 20.000. Your memories hold crucial information that we need to protect the Earth." Patton leans forward and looks intensely into 20.000's eyes.
"But what if I don't have what you need?"
"Yes you do. If you didn't, we wouldn't have gotten attacked back there."
"Attacked? Wait, you mean they were after me?"
"Yup. They were the Galactic Kids Next Door and they intend to destroy Earth. They were prepared to kill you."
"Wow…" 20.000 is taken aback by Patton's explanation but he still finds it hard to believe what he is hearing. "But…how do I know you're telling me the truth?"
"You can't. That's why I have a proposal for you. We'll recommission you, get the information we need and then decommission you again before sending you back home. Then you can go back to living your normal life. We'll never come after you again, that I can promise."
Despite his doubts, 20.000 can tell that Patton is being serious and there is not a spec of dishonesty on his face. "…you'll take me back home after this?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"You heard me." Patton replies bluntly as 20.000 falls silent and eyes the brown-haired teenager. But, after a few seconds of silence, Numbuh 20.000 agrees.
"Okay…it's a deal then."
"Thank you." Patton then shakes 20.000's hand before the interrogation room's other door opens and Keith and Bartie enter, carrying a Recommissioning Module.
"Here ya go, mon." Keith says and hands the device to Patton, who stands up while Bartie cuffs Numbuh 20.000 to the chair.
"Huh? Hey why'd you…?"
"Don't worry, this is just in case your old self gets any ideas." Patton replies and starts cranking the Recommissioning Module, causing 20.000 to panic and squirm.
"NO, LET ME GO! HELP! UARRGH!" Patton fires the Recommissioning Module as Numbuh 20.000's scream echo in the small room. Then, he falls silent and slumps forward on his chair before the teenager starts chuckling silently. "He-he-he…never thought you guys would go this far for little old me…" Slowly, Numbuh 20.000 lifts his head and smiles slyly at Patton, Keith and Bartie. His face has become gaunt and there isn't a trace of the confused teenage boy left and now, before them sits the real Numbuh 20.000, the last remaining member of the Splinter Cell who'se memories are intact. Eyeing his former comrades, Numbuh 20.000 notices Patton's clenched fist and smirks. "Hmph, I guess you're still pissed off at me."
"You have no idea…" Patton snarls at 20.000 as Keith nudges him and shakes his head.
"Don't lose your cool, mon. That's what he wants." Keith says and glares back at 20.000, who only laughs louder.
"Hah-hah-hah-hah! Man, what a reunion this is turning out to be! Say, how're the others doing? Is Fanny just a normal teenager now?" Numbuh 20.000 strikes a chord, forcing both Keith and Bartie to restrain Patton, who is about to assault the former Splinter Cell agent.
"DAMN YOU!"
"Zeta, stop it!"
"Ya mon, we didn't drag him outta his house to beat him up!"
"Ghhh!" Patton struggles to free himself while Numbuh 20.000 finds his reaction hilarious.
"Numbuh 60, you're a riot!"
"Grrr, quit stalling and tell us what we want to know!" Patton shouts as 20.000's smile fades away.
"What's the point? Not like you guys can do anything about the GKND."
"Yes we can, and we have already." Bartie says sternly, but 20.000 simply shakes his head.
"Maybe for now, but you won't last. The GKND can destroy this planet with the push of a button. That's how powerful they are."
"When did you learn about the GKND?" Patton presses 20.000, who shrugs.
"Why don't you ask that silver-haired guy? He already probed my mind when I lost to you." he eyes Patton, who becomes confused.
"Wait, what do you mean? You don't mean…Numbuh Gamma?"
"I dunno what his name was, but he probed my mind right after he told you to leave my cell. Oh-hoo, wait a minute, you didn't know? HA-HAH-HA!" As 20.000 breaks out into laughter again, Patton clenches his fist as he remembers what 20.000 is talking about: A year ago, after the Moonbase had been freed, Patton had confronted 20.000 about his allegiance while the latter was held in a cell. S-26 had however interrupted them and told Patton to leave.
"…so that's why he showed up back then…"
"What the heck does he mean, Numbuh Zeta?" Bartie asks as Patton shakes his head.
"It doesn't matter anymore. Look, Numbuh 20.000, stop making this any more difficult and just answer our questions."
"Heh-heh…*hick* I'd love to, Numbuh 60, but what difference does it make? You can't defeat the GKND, that's a fact. And by the sound of it, they're already here, so might as well give up." Finally fed up with 20.000's nihilistic attitude, Patton grabs the teenager by his t-shirt collar and lifts off the ground.
"Let's get one thing straight, Numbuh 20.000: WE ARE NOT GIVING UP! All of us here in the Moonbase, no, every KND operative and TND agent on Earth knows what we're up against, but that isn't gonna stop us from fighting back. Just because you've given up doesn't mean we have. So, I suggest you start talking right now, or we'll pry it out of your head."
"Ooh, scary. And how exactly are you going to 'pry it out'?"
"We've got our ways, but I'd rather not resort to that." Patton glares directly into Numbuh 20.000's eyes and then lowers him down, but the Splinter Cell agent remains unfazed by Patton's threats. But before they can continue, the interrogation room's lights go out.
"Huh? Why'd they turn off?!" Bartie shouts as Keith tries to open the door but it won't budge.
"Guys, the door's jammed." he says to his comrades, prompting Patton to activate his B.R.A. but then suddenly, the other door that Bartie and Keith used to enter flies open and four strangers charge in, wearing gray armor and helmets that cover their faces.
"Oh no you don't!" Patton reacts instantly and attacks the assailants, who dodge and Stupefy Bartie before he can do anything. Then, they turn their attention on Keith, who pulls out his Stupefier pistols and opens fire, but his shots miss as the assailants tackle him and knock him out cold.
"Ghh…" Patton grits his teeth and activates his armored gauntlets as the four attackers stand between him and the cuffed 20.000, who looks on silently. "They're with the GKND…" Patton eyes the assailants and rushes towards them, knocking one of them off their feet but his legs are instantly Stupefied by another assailant, causing Patton to fly head-first against the wall behind 20.000.
"Urgh…damn you…no…" stunned by the impact, Patton can only watch as the assailants gather around Numbuh 20.000, all drawing silver-colored pistols.
"Removing threat." all four speak at the same time and point their weapons at Numbuh 20.000, who closes his eyes, accepting his fate. But before the assailants can pull the trigger, all four are knocked to the floor as Scorpius phases through the ceiling thanks to his oscillation powers.
"Neutralizing targets." vibrating his pincers and his smaller arms, Scorpius strikes all four assailants in the chest at the same time, destroying their armor instantly and knocking them unconscious. Then, the other door flies open as Chad and Corvus arrive.
"Looks like your hunch was right, Corvus." Chad says as he runs over to Patton, who is suffering from a concussion. "Hey, you okay?"
"Been better…urgh…my head…thanks…you guys really saved our butts…"
"It was Corvus' idea. He said the GKND would make a move again only after you guys had Recommissioned Numbuh 20.000." Chad replies and eyes the Splinter Cell agent, who can't believe his eyes.
"Huh? Nu…Numbuh 274…what are you doing here? I thought you were with the…"
"That's old news, Numbuh 20.000. I guess the Splinter Cell told you about me too?" Chad eyes 20.000 sharply, prompting him to look away as Eliza arrives with medics.
"Numbuh Zeta! What the heck happened here?!"
"The GKND tried to silence Numbuh 20.000 for good…" Patton replies as Bartie's Stupification is reversed. Meanwhile, Scorpius and Corvus examine the unconscious assailants.
"Well, what do you think?"
"The logical explanation is that these four are Earth KND operatives who were under mind control. Most likely, they were ordered remotely to attack this room." Scorpius says to Corvus as Chad joins them.
"They're not the only ones, right?"
"Most likely. My scan indicated that all four possessed E.J.E.C.T.O.R.'s. and thus, I aimed my attacks in their chest armor, which housed the said devices. The next logical step would be to examine their equipment further, which may lead us to other GKND agents hiding among your organization."
"Whoever sent them must've panicked. This whole attack was sloppy." Corvus notes as Patton and Keith are taken away on stretchers while Eliza comes to Chad's side.
"Maybe now we can flush all of them out."
"Let's hope so." Chad replies as Eliza frowns and turns her gaze towards a silent Numbuh 20.000.
"You saw what just happened, right? You know they'll come after you again eventually."
"…and? You guys are insane."
"How so?"
"You actually think you can stand up to the GKND…"
"We don't think, Numbuh 20.000, we know. Because it's not just us." Eliza points at Corvus and Scorpius. "We've got plenty of allies and we're not going to give up." Eliza's words remind Numbuh 20.000 of what Patton told him a year ago:
"I'll tell you the difference between you and me: You gave up. You all gave up, instead of trying to find a way to deal with your problems. We didn't give up. No matter what you or Father threw at us, we kept going forward, because we'll never give up our hope."
"Take him back to solitary confinement. We'll question him again later." Eliza orders two guards to escort a silent Numbuh 20.000 out of the interrogation room. *sigh*…things really aren't going our way, aren't they?"
"Don't say that. We haven't lost yet." Chad tries to encourage Eliza, who frowns sadly before leaving in silence.
…
As Friday morning arrives, Abby wakes up, feeling tired and groggy. She didn't sleep well, because her mind was troubled by the weird bra her sister had kept in her wardrobe. "Good mornin' Abigail. How's my honor student doin' today?" Abby's father greets her as she trudges down the stairs and joins him in the kitchen.
"Hi Daddy…" Abby yawns and sits down while Dr. Lincoln pours a cup of coffee for her.
"Is everything okay with ya?"
"Nah, I'm fine Daddy, it's just…I didn't sleep well…" Abby replies lazily.
"Now, now, don't try to fool your old man. I know that look." Dr. Lincoln sits down opposite to Abby, who stares at her coffee and then turns her gaze towards her father.
"Daddy…does Cree hate me?" Dr. Lincoln is visibly surprised by the question and must think for a minute before he responds.
"Now Abigail, I don't want ya to take this the wrong way but…Cree told us a year ago that she doesn't wanna see you ever again." Like a knife, her father's words stab deep into her heart and stands up, shaking the table.
"Wha…what do ya mean Daddy?! Why would she say that?! I…I'm her sister…"
"She didn't say…and ya don't know either, right?"
"Why do ya think I asked ya in the first place?!" Abby starts to shake as her mind is in total shock over what she just heard. Dr. Lincoln also stands up and puts his hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"Abigail, listen: I don't know the details, but when Cree dropped out of university a year ago, she'd gone through some hard times. She broke up with Maurice and ran away from home for four weeks. We tried to talk to her, you know, but she didn't want to talk to us, Abigail. But I don't want you to think badly about her. She's got her reasons."
"But…what if it was my fault she dropped out and…left…"
"No, no, no, don't even think about that! I'm 100% sure you had nothin' to do with it, trust your old man on this."
"O…okay…" Abby takes a deep breath and sits back down but no matter how hard she tries to push it away; she can't help but think that she had something to do with her sister leaving.
As the bell rings at McClintock Highschool, the students pour out of their classrooms, all heading to the cafeteria. One of the first people to get out of class are Wally and Hoagie, who have only one thing in mind. "Hurry! We gotta get to the front of the line! It's Taco Friday!" Hoagie shouts as the boys run down the stairs.
"For crud's sake, that's what you've been tellin' me since morning!" Wally replies as they round the corner and enter the corridor that leads to the cafeteria, followed by a huge horde of equally hungry students. Despite his poor fitness, Hoagie is somehow able to muster enough stamina to run the full distance and their hard work pays off: both teens enter the cafeteria first and get their food before anyone else.
As they sit down on the table next to the window, they grin at each other, proud and satisfied at their accomplishment. "Aw yeah, that's what I call a lunch rush! Hahaha, get it? Lunch, Rush?!"
"Yeah, I get it. Let's dig in before they get cold."
"Heck yeah!" As they eat their lunch with glee, Nigel arrives at the table. "Hey Nigel. Looks like you got your taco's too."
"Barely." Nigel replies and sits down next to Hoagie. "Patton called in sick again. I hope it's nothing serious."
"Yeah, he's been skipping school a lot lately…" Hoagie says as Nigel nods back silently.
"Indeed. It's the same with Rachel as well. She was absent yesterday and today too. We haven't been able to hold proper Student Council meeting with just two members present."
"So uh...anyway, let's meet up at the band club's room after Wally's tutoring is done, okay? I brought my "Beginner's Band" book. We can use that to pick songs and stuff."
"Hoagie, we can't do that without Patton. Let's save that for next week, okay?"
"But…"
"No buts, Hoagie. Aren't you forgetting the exams are close at hand as well?"
"How could I forget?" a disappointed Hoagie frowns while Wally finishes his tacos and nudges Hoagie.
"You're way too hyped about that party, aren't you?"
"Of course, I am! When are we ever gonna get a chance like this?"
"What "chance"?" Hoagie freezes as Abby pokes her head over his left shoulder.
"Whaaaaa! Hey, don't sneak up on me like that!"
"*chuckle* Lighten up, Goggleboy." Abby smiles cheekily as she joins the boys at the table, along with Kuki and a frowning Fanny. "So, what are you guys schemin'?"
"Oh, Hoagie and I were just explaining the Christmas Party to Wally, that's all."
"Ooh, I almost forgot we're gonna have it this year! I'm so excited!"
"Yeah, you would be. Just make sure you're not left without a date, Kuki." Abby winks, causing Kuki to blush slightly. "So Patton ain't here either?"
"No. He called in sick today."
"And he's left all the council work to us again." Fanny mutters and digs into her food. "He's gonna fail his exams at this rate."
"Ooh, is Abby hearin' right or are ya actually worried about him?" Abby grins slightly as she nudges Fanny, who nearly chokes on her lunch.
"*cough* Gah…*cough* Am not! I just…Argh, forget I said anything!" she looks away to hide her reddened face while Kuki and Abby giggle at her reaction.
"Girl, you're as easy to read as Wally."
"Oi! What's that mean?!" Wally yells as Nigel, Abby, Kuki and Hoagie start laughing at the two hotheads. "Why the crud are ya laughing?!"
"*giggle* Don't worry about it Wally, you wouldn't get it." Kuki pats Wally on the head jokingly while Fanny continues to look away. After a few seconds, they calm down and Abby clears her throat.
"*cough* Anyway, why'd you guys run outta class yesterday?"
"Obviously because we wanted to get that tutoring out of the way. What did you guys do then?" Hoagie replies as Abby and Kuki look at each other and then nod simultaneously.
"We uhm…we found somethin' at my sistah's room…"
"Found what? Wait don't tell me; you needed spare bra's or something? Hah-hah…OW!" not amused by his joke, Abby smacks Hoagie in the head while Wally starts laughing like a hyena.
"Hah-hah-hah-hah-haaa! Good one!"
"Get yo head outta yo butt! Abby's bein' serious here!"
"So, what did you find?" Nigel asks upon noticing that both girls are slightly on the edge.
"Uhm…how am I gonna explain this…she had some sorta weird…"
"She had a bra that transformed into Ninja armor in her wardrobe!" Kuki shouts excitedly, while Fanny and the boys stare at her and Abby in disbelief.
"Hah-hah-hah!" Wally laughs even louder while Nigel lowers his sunglasses.
"She had…what?!"
"Guys, that's the most stupidest thing I've ever…!"
"We diid! See? It had a laser gun too!" Kuki says to Fanny and shows the others the picture of Abby wearing the armor just as the wrist gun fired, clearly showing the flash. The others and even Abby look at the picture in stunned silence.
"Holy crud…"
"You…you weren't kidding…" Hoagie's jaw drops as Fanny rubs her eyes.
"Is that really a…gun?"
"Yup…it left a pretty big mark on the wall. We had to move the wardrobe over it so Mama wouldn't notice…" Abby nods as Nigel takes off his shades and eyes the picture.
"I…I don't know what to say…"
"Please tell me you still have it?!" Hoagie eagerly pleads to Abby, who pushes him away from her.
"Get off my face! I was gonna get rid of it, but we agreed to show it to ya first. Abby left it under her bed…"
"Oh man, this is so cool. That's totally a laser of some kind!" Hoagie yells but Nigel immediately shuts him up.
"Shhh, not so loud. I don't think we should discuss this here. Once school ends, let's all go to Abby's home and look into it further."
"Uhm…you mean me too?" a confused Fanny asks and Nigel nods back at her sternly.
"Yes, absolutely, since you're apart of this whole thing too."
"Hey, what about the tutoring?!" Abby asks disapprovingly as Hoagie gestures her to calm down.
"You guys can do that at your house, right? Come on, we can't just ignore this!"
"Gah, fine! Ya'll can come…" Abby throws her hands in the air in frustration while the others nod, each of them feeling anxious over what the girls found.
…
The rest of the lessons go by agonizingly slow, as expectations grow among the group. Finally, the bell rings and Hoagie, followed by Wally, rushes out of the classroom. At the main hall, they open their lockers and pack their things while the girls also arrive. "Hey, I know ya'll are excited, but why do ya have to run?"
"But Abby, I've always dreamed of actually seeing something like this! Man, I can't wait to get my hands on that…" Hoagie rubs his hands together while Abby rolls her eyes. Then, Nigel and Fanny join them at the entrance.
"Okay, let's get a move on. This could prove to be important."
"I just wanna see if that thing really has a laser gun!"
"Me too!" Hoagie and Wally shouts excitedly while Abby shakes her head.
"You two are embarrassin' Abby! Can we just go already and get this over with…?"
"Let's go then." Nigel says and leads the others into the parking lot. Soon, the teens hit the road and even Hoagie drives a bit faster than normal as they make their way towards the Lincoln residence. Then, they park and gather around the door but as Abby is about to open the door, her mother opens it instead.
"Ah, mon cher!"
"Hi, Mama. Uhm, you don't mind if we have a study group here?"
"Of course not, mon cher! Please, come in, everyone." Her mother replies cheerfully and lets them in. As they remove their shoes, Mrs. Lincoln singles out Hoagie. "Ah, so you must be Hoagie Gilligan." she eyes him from top to bottom, causing Hoagie to stutter.
"Uhm, yeah, tha…that's me."
"Ah, what a handsome young man you've grown into." she puts her hands together while Hoagie becomes equally embarrassed and confused but Abby however, is not amused.
"Mama, quit messin' with him!"
"Oh-oh mon cher, your face is all red. But don't worry, Hoagie, Abigail just has no experience with boys, so you'll have to take the lead." Mrs. Lincoln nudges Hoagie with her elbow, causing his face to glow red.
"Say wha…"
"MAMA! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Abby grabs a speechless Hoagie by the arm and pulls him away from her mother, who chuckles.
"Mon cher, you're so adorable when you're embarrassed."
"Grrr, come on, let's go already!" Abby drags Hoagie up the stairs, while the others snicker and follow her.
"Have fun!" Mrs. Lincoln says but Abby doesn't answer.
"Is her mom always like this?" Fanny asks Nigel who shrugs as Abby continues to drag Hoagie through the corridor with the others in tow. She then kicks her door open and let's go of Hoagie, who's mind is filled with a million thoughts.
"Close the door, will ya?" Abby mutters and pulls her cap over her eyes while Wally waves his hand over Hoagie's eyes, who has a dumb grin on his face.
"Uhm, I think your mom broke him." Wally points at his friend, his grin infuriating Abby.
"Huh? Grrr, hey, snap out of it will ya?!" She wallops Hoagie in the back of the head, and he almost falls on his face.
"Ow! Hey, what was that for?!"
"Cuz ya looked stupid." Abby huffs as she crosses her arms and looks away while her friends look around her room. It's smaller than Cree's and has a similar desk and wardrobe, but a wider, canopy-less bed and very funky dark blue window drapes.
"This is a pretty snazzy room…" Wally says with his hands in his pockets.
"Oh, you should see all the cool stuff she has in the drawers! Come on, I'll show you!"
"Kuki! Abby don't remember lettin' ya just go through my private stuff!" Abby shouts, still feeling flustered over her mother's words.
"Calm down, Abby. Have you forgotten why we came here?" Nigel steps in and Abby lets out a loud sigh.
"Ah, right…okay, lemme just get it…" She kneels down next to her bed and reaches for the box while the others, especially Hoagie, look on expectantly. "Huh? Wait a minute…hey, it ain't there!"
"What?!" Hoagie shouts as Kuki's shoulders slump down in dissapointment.
"But I saw you put it under your bed…"
"Yeah, but it ain't there! Take a look, if ya don't believe me!" Abby rolls on her back and gets up as Fanny puts her hands on her waist and looks around.
"What do we now?"
"Hold on, this looks like a job for Detective Gilligan!" Hoagie grins and dives head first under the bed. "Aw man, there's really nothing here…wait! I think I found something…heh, Abby, are these yours? Man, you're bold." Hoagie asks and the tone of his voice causes everyone to fall silent while Kuki covers her mouth.
"HOAGIE! KEEP YO HANDS OUTTA MY THINGS!" Abby shouts as her face turns bright red and drags a grinning Hoagie out from under the bed. But before anyone can tell what he is holding, Abby immediately pries it from Hoagie's hand and stuffs into the cupboard next to her desk. "Why do ya always hafta embarrass me…AND WHAT ARE YOU CLOWNS STARIN' AT?!" She roars, forcing her friends to freeze in place.
"Uh-hum…sorry about that…Anyway, if it's not there, then did your mom perhaps take it by accident?" Nigel says as he adjusts his glasses.
"Nope, my Mama respects my privacy."
"She didn't do that downstairs." Kuki nudges Wally and both chuckle slightly while Fanny tilts her head.
"Then if your mom didn't take it, who did?"
"Don't ask Abby. Mama's been here the entire day and she'd know if someone came."a puzzled Abby replies as she crosses her arms
"Hmm…Then maybe someone snuck in without her noticing…I'm gonna do a little more sleuthing." Hoagie takes out his Swiss Army knife multitool and opens the magnifying glass. He then starts inspecting the room, much to Abby's annoyance.
"Hey, didn't I just say ya can't look at my stuff!"
"I'm not!" Hoagie pleads but after 10 minutes, he can't find anything that would point towards burglary. "Aw man, no dice. There aren't any fingerprints or other marks…" he says dejectedly.
"What do we do now?"
"I dunno, Kuki…" Abby replies but Fanny has an idea.
"Then why don't ya check yer sister's room again? That's where you found it, right?"
"But we already did that yesterday. Why do we gotta go in there again?"
"Fanny's got a point, Abby, perhaps we'll find something you two missed." Nigel gestures to Abby, who sighs again.
"Gah fine. Follow me." she then leads the others to her Cree's room and like before, she picks the lock and lets her friends in. "Wait, before we do anythin', Hoagie, you aren't allowed to look at her wardrobe, got it?!"
"Huh? Aw, why not?"
"Just cuz!" Abby shouts and explains to the others what places they looked at yesterday.
"So, you guys found nothing else besides that…bra?" Nigel asks as he leans against Cree's desk while Kuki is sitting on Cree's bed.
"That's right." Abby nods but then, Kuki remembers something.
"Hey, what about that metal thing in her closet?"
"What metal thing? In here?" Hoagie ask as he points at the door on the left side of Cree's bed.
"Oh yeah, that. We couldn't figure out what the heck it was. Check it out." Abby walks past Hoagie and opens the closet door before she points at the metal lined section at the bottom of the closet.
"What the heck is that?" Fanny asks as they gather around the closet before Nigel kneels down to inspect it.
"Hmm…this is very unusual…what you think, Hoagie?" Nigel looks up at Hoagie, who also kneels and pokes his head inside.
"*whistle* Yeah, this is some metal alright…let me do a little test…" Hoagie takes a look at it with his magnifying glass and his face turns white. "WOAH!" he shouts, surprising his friends.
"The heck you screamin' at?!"
"Abby, this is military grade titanium alloy metal coating! How did your sister get her hands on this stuff?!"
"Titanium what?" Wally asks with a confused expression.
"It's basically the same metal they use on military jets etc." Nigel explains, shocking Abby.
"What?! That's crazy! Why would my sistah have somethin' like this in her room?!"
"Don't ask me. But I bet this has something to do with that bra you found. My guess is, that this compartment is meant to hold container, like a drawer or something. That's why it has a locking mechanism in it." Nigel looks at the compartment sternly with his arms crossed.
"Wait, are ya saying Abby's sister was some kinda soldier or something?" Wally asks, prompting Abby to shake her head immediately.
"No way! That can't be! Mama and Daddy woulda told me…"
"Let's take a look around one more time. There must be something else…something we've missed." The others nod and scatter around the room, but Abby still refuses to let Hoagie peek into the wardrobe. After half an hour or searching, they come up empty handed.
"There's nothing here, Abby. We've checked everywhere." Fanny shakes her head while Nigel crosses his arms, eyeing the room sharply from under his sunglasses.
"Hmm…let's not give up yet."
Then, Kuki notices something under Cree's desk. "Abby, isn't this the note from the box?" she reaches down and picks up the piece of paper.
"Huh? Lemme see that!" Abby grabs the note and realizes it is the same paper. "You're right, Kuki. I musta dropped it when I put the…bra back."
"Oh, oh, can I see that too?!" Hoagie asks eagerly and Abby hands him to note. As he reads, his snickering becomes louder and louder until he starts to howl from laughter. "Hah-aha-ha! This is hilarious! Hey, guys, check this out." Hoagie holds his stomach and passes the note to Nigel who reads it with Wally and Fanny, who also start laughing uncontrollably.
"What the crud is this? Hah-hah…that's kid's stuff!"
"That's totally what my brothers do all the time!"
"This isn't a laughing matter, Wally, Fanny." Nigel says sternly, silencing both before inspecting the paper thoroughly. "Hmm…this isn't hand-written…but what intrigues me are these names…Teen Ninjas and the KND. I wonder what they mean…"
"Don't ask me. Abby just wants to know how a 13-year-old had a laser-gun-ninja-suit in her wardrobe." Abby replies and crosses her arms.
"Hey, maybe KND is short for something, like an acronym?"
"An acronym…good point, Hoagie. KND…it sounds so familiar…" Nigel says and begins to think while the others try to figure out what the letters mean.
"Kill…"
"Was that the first thing that came to your mind, Wally?" Abby asks disapprovingly.
"Hey, I tried!"
"How about: Kinetic, Nuclear, Destroyer?!" Hoagie's suggestion makes Kuki giggle, but Abby just shakes her head.
"Nuh-uh, there's no way KND stand for that. Lemme think…that note said somethin' about 13-year-olds and brats…K as in…Kid…maybe Kids…"
"Kids Next Door!" Kuki shouts, startling the others. "What?!"
"Kuki, how did you come up with that?"
"I dunno, it just popped into my head…" Kuki lowers her head while Fanny hits her hands together nad points at the note.
"Kids Next Door…hey, I heard my brother's mention that a few times."
"Is that so? Interesting…" Nigel crosses his arms again and looks at the note once more. "It does fit…but why does it feel like I've heard that somewhere…gah…argh…aaahh!" Suddenly, everyone is gripped by a stinging headache and their ears begin ringing.
"Aw crud…what the heck is this…argh…" Wally holds his head and collapses on his knees, while Hoagie presses his face against Cree's bed.
"I don't know but it hurts like heck!" he screams into the bed.
"Argh…ow…what's happenin'?!" Fanny shrieks in pain as her legs give away and she falls on to her side.
"Ow my head…it hurst…" Kuki collapses on the floor while Abby is leans against the wall next to the wardrobe but also collapses on the floor.
"Man, Abby's head is gonna split…"
"This…this must have…ow…something to do with our…amnesia…ugh…" Nigel struggles to speak through the pain, which feels unbearable as the teens struggle to remain conscious. Then, the headache fit slowly goes away, but it leaves them completely exhausted.
"*pant*…*gasp*…my cruddy head…" Wally collapses on his back while Abby sits up and leans against the wall again.
"Guys…this…Abby's had this before…"
"Me too…" Hoagie replies as he rolls over and stares at the ceiling.
"Just as I thought…saying those words must've triggered a reaction…" Nigel says as his vision clears.
"Like a trigger word?"
"Exactly, Hoagie. It's the same when we saw that picture…"
"So, what does it mean?" Abby asks as she takes off her hat.
"It means we may have just found another important piece of the puzzle." Nigel stands up but must lean against the wall to stay on his feet. "This…Kids Next Door…was definitely a part of our past…and maybe those Teen Ninjas as well."
"Guh…hey…my dad said we used play something that kinda sounded like that…" Wally pants and leans his back against the bed.
"No way! My Daddy said the same thing…" Abby says while Fanny nods.
"Shaunie and Paddy play that…with their friends…"
"So there definitely is a connection…but what does it mean…is the Kids Next Door something we knew very well?" Nigel eyes the note once more as Abby pulls herself up.
"Whatever it was, Abby doesn't wanna have anythin' to do with it. Are we…*pant*…done here? Abby still has to tutor Wally."
"Aw crud, why do ya gotta bring that up now?"
"Cuz, I agreed to help ya, and right now, we should be worryin' about school, not all this crazy stuff."
"You guys can go ahead. I need to think about this a little more."
"Abby, can you help me too? I've got a literature assignment due next week."
"We'll help too!" Kuki shouts and grabs Fanny's arm.
"Wha…why do I hafta?!"
"Aw for…fine, let's go down to the kitchen. Come on, you too, Wally."
"Stupid school…stupid cruddy make-up…cruddy…" Wally mutters as he gets up while Abby leads them out of Cree's room, but Nigel stays behind, the gears in his brain working frantically to figure out what all they've learned today means.
End of Transmission 24
Note: This chapter was a slog to write, because I'm still struggling with my burnout. There were times were I wasn't able to write a single word but I hope it'll go away at some point.
Anyway, this chapter referenced events from RETRIBUTION so if you were confused and haven't read RETRIBUTION yet, it's never too late to check it out.
Also, to anyone who follows me on deviantart or tumblr, I am currently working on a BIIG project, which is why I haven't released any new fanart in a while.