Title should give away what this episode is about. Also, I don't know how I keep forgetting to talk about this but Firecracker's Numbuh of 451? Not actually random! It was originally gonna be Numbuh 10 Second Countdown but that's a mouthful even if I do still like it. But I went with the more clever connection of 451 being the same number used in the classic novel Fahrenheit 451, which is the temperature that books are stated to burn at in the novel. In order words, things destroyed in a fire, which just so happens to be Firecracker's specialty (she'd probably find the in universe irony of her picking a codenumbuh based on a book where the government wants to control people via burning stuff when she works for a rebel group hilarious).
"Alright losers, listen up!" Chloe yelled into a microphone. Everyone turned to stare at her, some because they were actually interested in listening to what she had to say. Others because they were interested to see if Chloe made an idiot of herself.
Cree and Firecracker both fell hard into the second category.
"So, as it turns out, Mallory manages to arrange a location for us to have the greatest teen party ever! You all know that super massive mansion near the end of Main Street?" Chloe began. Everyone nodded, but Cree and Firecracker, as well as a few other teen spies, all shared nervous looks. A party at Father's mansion sounded dangerous. "It's gonna be there and it's gonna be awesome! Turns out the owner is out for the day. And because I'm so nice, we're letting everyone come! Even losers! So you better be there because this is the best party you will ever get!" With that, Chloe jumped off the table she had been standing on, letting the lunch room chatter return, only now it was only about the party. People began to group up to talk about plans, which included the teen spies.
"So…" One operative finally spoke up. "Are we going?"
"On the one hand, partying at FATHER'S place sounds like playing with fire," Firecracker noted before chuckling. "On the other hand, what other chance do we have to trash Father's mansion?"
"Now that sounds like fun…" Another operative chimed in with a grin. "Besides, everyone will be so out of it that anything we do most likely can't be blamed for anything we do!"
"Besides, might be a good chance to find any dirt on the flaming jerk," Cree couldn't help but speak up. In truth, she thought this was a horrible idea. But at the same time, it was one of those ideas that was the fun type of horrible.
"So we're all in agreement to attend?" The first operative summarized.
"Heck yeah," Firecracker said with a mischievous grin. "I'm putting a firework under Father's pillow."
"Firecracker no,"
"Firecracker YES!"
"You got the goods, Firecracker?" Chad asked as he, Firecracker and Cree all strolled up to the Delightful Mansion. Maurice had been forced by Mallory to go earlier, preventing him from joining his friends.
"Uh, duh!" Firecracker replied as she held her jacket open, revealing several fireworks and explosives attached to the inside. "Gonna stick 'em in the worst places for Father and his stupid little brats to deal with!"
"By the way, I think they're still here." Chad noted. "Guess Father didn't wanna bring them on whatever he was doing."
"Eh probably some boring adult thing," Firecracker declared before her ears suddenly perked up. "Wait, they actually got the Upper Crust for this!?"
"I thought you hated loud noises?" Chad questioned before realizing how stupid that question was to ask an explosive expert.
"Chad, she makes explosives. Of course she can handle loud noises," Cree pointed out.
"For the record, it's not the noise. It's getting overwhelmed by too much going on," Firecracker corrected. "Anyways, I wanna go listen to them so…later!" With that, Firecracker rushed inside.
"Should we be worried?" Chad had to ask.
"I can promise you that she'll be fine," Cree assured him. "That girl might be a handful, but she knows how to handle herself."
"Really gotta stop worrying about you all," Chad admitted. "You all wouldn't be in the Teens Next Door if you couldn't handle yourselves."
"Guess that's still the Supreme Leader in you coming out," Cree replied with a fond grin, before pointing to the inside of the mansion. "Still, I'm not letting Firecracker have all the fun. Shall we head in?"
Chad let out a chuckle at that. "Lead the way."
"I hate to admit it, but Chloe throws a mean party!" Cree internally said to herself as she threw back yet another soda as she walked around the mansion. She ended up walking past a painting of the big man himself. With a smirk, Cree dragged her prosthetic along Father's face, ripping the piece to bits. "There. Looks a lot better if you ask me!"
"Cree!? What are you doing here?!" A voice from behind Cree exclaimed. Cree wound up spitting her drink all over the painting, coughing as she turned around to face her sister.
"Abby!? What are YOU doing here!?" Cree managed out in between her coughs. "This party is for teenagers only! And it's not like we're hurting any kids!"
"Actually, this whole thing kinda is. The Delightful Children called us in. Kinda have to help them since the KND's whole thing is protecting kids from adults and teens," Numbuh 5 pointed out. "Love what you did to that painting, by the way."
"Thanks," Cree said with a smile before getting serious. "Abby, you know that you don't have to help evil kids, right? That's an exception to the rule."
"Maybe but they sounded desperate, they'll owe us one after this and we're gonna flood this place with mashed potatoes so…win for us either way!" Numbuh 5 declared with pride.
"That's more like it!" Cree declared as her smile returned to her face. "Still, let me know before you're gonna set everything off. Don't really want to get caught in that."
"Numbuh 5 doesn't have a problem with that," Numbuh 5 promised before turning to walk off. She did have to make sure that Mallory didn't take anything too dangerous from Father's inner sanctum after all.
"Abby wait!" Cree called out after her sister. Numbuh 5 turned around, only to meet with a mischievous looking grin on her big sister's face. "So…did you guys really steal Mallory's deodorant?" The look of utter dismay on Abby's face sent Cree into a fit of laughter.
"Some party, huh, Cree?" Firecracker asked as she drunkenly slung an arm around the other girl, soda bottle firmly clutched in the other hand. "Chloe is the literal worst but she can throw a party!"
"You said it," Cree agreed, wondering how Firecracker had gotten so much more hammered than her.
"I feel bad for whoever's gotta clean all this up," Firecracker said before taking another swing from her drink. "But, listen, I gotta be kinda honest with ya."
"What did you do?" Cree asked, trying to keep her tone playful.
"So I saw those little Delightful brats trying to stop the party since, ya know, we are kinda trashing their house and I was thinking that they kinda look like how Sector Z did." Firecracker drunkenly rambled. "I mean, like, not completely, but it's kinda creepy how similar they look. I think Father might have cloned them or something to make his creepy little kids or whatever. I mean, it's not like they're actually Sector Z, right?"
"Probably not," Cree agreed. "I actually thought they looked kinda like Sector Z too."
"Awesome! I'm not crazy!" Firecracker cheered. "Well, I'm still kinda crazy, but not about this one thing." Cree couldn't help but let out a laugh at that remark as Firecracker took another sip of her drink. "I really miss those kids, ya know? I mean, I know why you hate them, but I have a lot of good memories with them."
"So I've heard," Cree admitted. In trust, she didn't actually know Sector Z personally, only their reputation. They just got paired up for that warehouse mission on a whim really. Still, if Firecracker, who was usually really tight lipped about her relationship with the famous sector, was willing to share, maybe Cree could finally understand why they abandoned her that night. "So, you got any stories about them?"
"Oh plenty!" Firecracker cheerfully declared. "Where do you want me to start?" Cree opened her mouth to respond, but a panicked teen suddenly rushed in.
"Dudes! Father's car is down the street! We got to bolt!" He yelled out. At that point, Cree's self preservation instinct kicked in and she decided that learning about Sector Z took a complete backseat to getting out of the mansion before Father could unleash his wrath on her. From what she could tell, Firecracker had the same idea, having already booked it out of an open window. With everyone scattering, Cree opted to just head home. Sure, she may not have gotten answers, but she did have a pretty fun night.
So…would anyone object to me giving Firecracker her own story? Like one that puts her in the "canon" universe so to speak and sort of reveals her backstory more and goes into what made her like this?