Emerging Compassions

Chapter 6: A Minor, Embarrassing Setback...

(Jimmy's POV)

"...Commander Baker!" I exclaimed, hardly believing my ears.

"Yes, Agent Neutron, it is I...," came his calm reply, and with that, he flicked the lights on.

I saw that we were in a large room with, as I'd previously suspected, the floor covered in a blanket of pillows to cushion our fall.

"Where are we?" Carl wanted to know.

"You and your friends are in the Pacific headquarters of BTSO," Commander Baker informed us.

"Oh, well, that makes logical sense...," I muttered, rising to my feet. But I couldn't help but notice that Baker was trying extremely hard to keep a straight face while staring at me. It sounded like he was trying hard not to laugh, so it came out as a snorting noise while he covered his mouth. "Commander Baker, may I ask what is making you sound like that?" I politely asked him.

He just kept covering his mouth as he rushed to a far off location, probably to try not to embarrass one of us by laughing at him/her.

I watched him run off in confusion, pondering aloud and shrugging my shoulders, "What's gotten into him?"

Then I noticed that my companions were trying not to laugh, as well, as they stared at me with wide eyes and their mouths covered.

Finally, Cindy couldn't seem to hold it in any longer, and burst out laughing while pointing at me for some reason. After she calmed down enough, she roared, "Neutron, isn't it OBVIOUS why he was trying not to laugh? Just LOOK at yourself!"

I looked down and saw that, aside from my t-shirt, socks, and shoes, I wasn't wearing anything! "YAAAAAHHHHH!" I shrieked, picking up one of the pillows and covering myself up with it, extremely embarrassed. I plopped down onto the other pillows and covered myself up as best I could, feeling my face turn bright red out of embarrassment.

Then my embarrassment turned to fury as I glared at Cindy and snarled, "Vortex, did you have anything to do with this humiliating situation I'm in?"

"WHY would I do something like this, Freak-tron?" she protested, pointing upward, "Something clearly happened as you were sliding down that tunnel up there!"

Hmmm... I thought to myself, She must be right, because I don't see my garments anywhere! I do remember getting caught on something as I was sliding down, forcing me from sliding on my back to on my stomach... Then I felt a strange breeze on me the rest of the way. Oh..., NO! I've GOTTA send Goddard back up there so I can properly cover myself up! That way, Commander Baker can focus and tell me what exactly he was expecting me for! Then I ordered Goddard, "Goddard, head back up the tunnel, find my garments in it, and bring them back to me, please!"

He barked his reply and headed back up the tunnel a fair distance. Then he returned with them in his mouth a minute or two later.

I took them from him and put them back on, a sigh of relief escaping my mouth as I felt my embarrassment leave me.

"Wow, Jimmy!" Sheen commented, "I'm surprised that it didn't happen to the rest of us!"

Getting up after I'd dressed myself, I noted, trying hard not to laugh, "I wouldn't say that, Sheen! Or the rest of you guys!"