Emerging Compassions

Chapter 7: From Humiliation to Espionage

(Cindy's POV)

"What are you talking about, Nerd-Bomb?" I protested, hands on my hips.

His hand temporarily leaving his mouth to speak while trying to stifle his laughter, Jimmy snickered, "Vortex, YOU should know! Don't you feel an unwelcome breeze, and the same with the rest of you?"

We looked down and saw that, from the waist down, we were in our birthday suits except for footwear! "EEEEEEEEEKK!" we all shrieked at once, covering ourselves with the pillows on the floor and sitting down immediately!

When I happened to listen to Jimmy right then, I heard him laughing hysterically, so I looked over at him and saw him in a fetal position while kicking his feet wildly and holding his stomach.

"Jimmy, my mom isn't gonna LIKE this!" Carl exclaimed, clearly embarrassed like most of us were.

"Ya know, this is kinda neat! This is just the perfect opportunity for Libby and I to-...," Sheen began, but was interrupted by Libby.

She gasped angrily and scolded, slapping his cheek with the hand that wasn't holding the pillow over herself, "Sheen, you PERVERT! KNOCK it OFF!"

"Neutron," I demanded furiously, "Either get us our clothes RIGHT now or I'm gonna SUE you for everything you own! Why, if I were properly clothed right now, why, I'd knock you SILLY!"

He had stopped laughing long enough to listen to what we had to say, then responded firmly, "Sheen, cut it OUT already! That's highly out of the question! Don't be such a pervert!

"Vortex, just HOLD your horses! I'll get them right away! Goddard, retrieve their articles of clothing, please!" he added, instructing Goddard afterwards.

He barked and rocketed into the tunnel above us, returning after 2 minutes had passed. He then passed them out to each of us, which we immediately put back on, much to our relief.

Then, once I had my clothes back on, I got up and marched over to Jimmy and smacked his face. "THAT was for laughing at our embarrassment, Nerd-tron!" I snapped.

"Chillax, GIRL!" Libby informed me, "He got our clothes back! Isn't THAT what matters most?"

I sighed and admitted, "I guess you're right, Libs."

At that moment, Commander Baker decided to come back to us so he could explain what he wanted from us. He motioned for us to enter the meeting room, which was conveniently right next to the landing room, which had all the pillows in it for a soft landing. We walked in and took our seats at the long table.

Once seated, with Jimmy and I on either side of Baker, he began, "I've brought each of you here for one reason and one reason only..."

"Which is...?" Jimmy questioned with a suspicious look on his face.

"Your mission, Agent Neutron, with all your friends, is to find Jet Fusion. He's gone missing... Again...," Baker informed us.

"What? How could that be?" I gasped in disbelief.

He pressed a button in front of him and a screen lit up behind him, soon displaying the image of Professor Calamitous. "We believe he's been kidnapped by Calamitous and Gorgeous again. Your job is to find Agent Fusion, discover Calamitous' evil plot, put a stop to it, and bring Agent Fusion back unharmed to BTSO. Are you in?"

"It would be my honor, Commander," Jimmy said proudly, his hand on his chest. Then he additionally asked, "Could my friends come with me?"

"Very well. You and new Agent Vortex shall bring them with you," Baker told us, "Just be careful around Calamitous and his evil daughter, okay?"

Woah! I thought, Agent Vortex? Don't I get a say in this mission? The LAST person I'd want to partner with is Nerd-tron! Besides, Jet's Neutron's hero, NOT mine! Why must I be included in this?

"Whatever...," I muttered, glaring at Jimmy, my arms folded.

"Understood, Commander Baker," Jimmy said respectfully. Then he looked at me rudely and stuck his tongue out at me. I did the same back at him.

"Oh, before you go, you might need this," the commander finished, handing him a keg of plutonium.

"How'd you know my rocket was out of fuel?" Jimmy wanted to know, accepting the plutonium, clearly puzzled.

"I have my ways of knowing things like that," Baker replied coolly, then pressed another button that sent us back to the beach we'd deserted previously.

Jimmy put the plutonium into his rocket, then boarded it with the rest of us and Goddard. He started it up and we were soon on our way to rescue Jet Fusion!