A/N: Shout-out to Sagittarius12 and Gracekim20 for leaving their thoughts on the last chapter! The support is much appreciated!

Chapter 20

"All right, dude! Look at you go!" Jason cheered on Aaron as he expertly played an arcade game, hooking an arm around Maurice's neck and jerking him closer. "Isn't this cool, dude?"

"Uh...yeah. Yeah, this is...tons of fun," Maurice said, trying to keep a smile on his face as he drank from the soda cup in his hand. Aaron and Jason had decided to take him to one of the arcades in the mall to help him, in their words, 'teach him the finer arts of how to chillax like a pro, little dude!' Their idea of that included showing off their ship, going to the movies, and now playing games at the arcade all day long.

He was sure they meant well, but...it was starting to get annoying. He hadn't been able to investigate anything since those two popped up, and he was itching to get started.

"Oh! There goes another one!" Jason said excitedly as he let go of Maurice, clutching the headrest of Aaron's arcade chair. "Keep this up, and you'll totally get the high score, dude!"

"Uh-huh," Aaron said, his full attention barely leaving the screen as he pounded on the controls.

"Can you imagine the bragging rights if you do, dude?" Jason went on, completely engrossed by watching his friend play the game. "It'd be so sweet to lord it over the nerds if you beat this game, dude!"

Maurice watched the two older teens for a minute, making sure that they were too caught up in the game to notice anything else before taking one step away from them. Then another, and another, and another, until he finally let himself melt away into the crowd, with Aaron and Jason being completely oblivious to the fact that their charge had disappeared.

From there, Maurice easily walked out of the arcade and exited the mall, making his way to the nearest bus stop and sitting on the bench. It took a while, but he finally managed to lose those two.

He was waiting for about ten minutes before his cell finally rang, and he quickly flipped it open after checking the name, affecting the classic lazy teen drawl. "Like, hey?"

"Hey, dude. This is, like, Jason over here. Where'd ya-"

"Wait!" Jason was suddenly interrupted by Aaron, and even though he was clearly trying to be quiet, Maurice could still hear when the other teen hissed, "The password! Do the password thing first, dude! To make sure it's not that fake-voice guy!"

"Oh, yeah!" Jason cleared his throat before he spoke over the phone again. "Like, uh, the...the weather's like, totally sweet today, huh? Really cool for like...fishing...I guess?"

Maurice almost smiled at how obvious the other teen sounded. "Yeah, it's pretty cool, but...I always pack a raincoat. Just in case, y'know?"

"Oh, sweet! It's all good, Aaron, dude! He said the thing, so everything's cool!" Jason switched back over to Maurice, clearly relieved. "So, anywho, where'd ya go, dude? One sec you were chillaxing here with us, and the next sec, you, like, pulled a total vanishing act on us, dude! What's up with that?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, man, but I didn't have time to let you guys know before I had to leave." Maurice said, reciting the excuse he'd come up with. "See, my mom called me up, and she's making me go to the dumb grocery store to get some stuff. I tried to say no, but, well...you know how annoying moms can get."

"Oh, yeah, yeah. Totally!" Jason said, immediately understanding. "There's not a whole lot you can do to fight back against your parents, dude, so we, like, totally get it! Are you, like, gonna come back once you get that all done with?"

"I don't think I'll be able to, man, sorry," was Maurice's practiced answer as he eyed the steadily setting sun. "She's also decided to slap a whole bunch of chores on me, too, and she's been on a real curfew kick lately, so there's no way I'll be able to finish it all in time to come back. No reason to try rocking the boat, y'know?"

"I hear that, dude." Jason said, and Maurice was about to hang up when the older teen's voice came through the phone again. "But, hey! Do you, like, need any help with all that, then? Because me and Aaron here are pretty good with all that stuff, so you'd get done way quicker, and then-"

"Uh, no. No, but thanks, man," Maurice said quickly, shaking his head. "My mom's been pretty short lately about me having friends over, even if they help, so I don't think that'd work out so good. Sorry."

"Oh, okay, dude! Then, good luck with that! Oh, but wait! What if you-"

Maurice flipped his phone shut just as the bus rolled up to the station, and he got on, sighing with relief as he sat down. Without those two hounding him up and down the block, he could do his job, and get some real digging done. The first stop was Sera's house, the one place he was sure she had to have stored some intel before she was taken. Everything could go off without a hitch now.

Or, at least, things were supposed to go off without a hitch. Unfortunately, Maurice had forgotten to take one detail into account: Sera wasn't just an ex-spy, she was also an extremely paranoid conspiracy theorist. And as such, that meant that, unbeknownst to him, her seemingly-innocuous home was completely riddled with traps she'd set up when she'd left for security's sake that he had the surprise of dealing with first-hand.

First, there was the spring-loaded welcome mat at the back door that he just barely managed to jump off before it flung him into the air, then the facial-recognition scan in the kitchen (he obviously failed), coupled with the motion sensors and laser-light grid in the living room he had to evade and deactivate at the risk of being gummed to the wall by Silly String dispensers that were hiding in every potted plant in the room.

On top of that, when he made it to the basement staircase, he found himself absolutely bombarded by a mess of weaponry that had been set up to shoot at him from almost every angle. Arrows and spears that had razor-sharp DIY papier-mache tips; origami throwing stars, knives, forks, and sporks that were skillfully folded until they were almost as sharp and dangerous as the real things. And the paper cuts from one of those were no joke. By the time Maurice managed to make it out of that particular trap, the palms of his hands were stinging from the resulting cuts, along with a few good scratches on his face.

The worst of the damage had gone to his jacket, though, what with it looking like it'd had a bad encounter with an office shredder, which was really too bad. He'd had it since his old KND days, so it was pretty important to him in terms of the memories attached with it. As it was, though, he'd probably end up having to toss it out when he got home, since his mom wasn't exactly big on sewing anymore (or doing anything that didn't have to do with getting on his back about his chores, or his curfew, or his grades, or his friends, or his attitude, or-well, you get the idea). Which was a bummer, but he'd gotten used to having to sacrifice stuff he cared about lately. After all, it was basically part of the job.

Anyway, he finally got to the door to the basement, and he thought he was home free. Unfortunately, it turned out Sera still had one more trick up her sleeve before he could get in. Apparently, she'd taken it upon herself to invest in what had to be the toughest door lock in the state, because he just couldn't get it open, no matter what he did. He'd already snapped two KND-issue lock picks, and-

SNAP!

Make that three KND-issue lock picks. With the loss of this last pick, Maurice finally had to admit defeat. He'd picked his fair share of door locks, but this one was on a whole other level. He wasn't going to get anywhere if he kept this up. He'd probably have to get a small bomb and just blow the door open. He just hoped the explosion wouldn't mess with any files that would help him find out about the rogue cell, or where Cree and Sera might be-

"Hey there, little dude! Fancy seeing you here!"

Maurice flinched not only at the sudden voice, but also at the hand that suddenly slapped him on the shoulder. He whipped around to see, much to his surprise, Aaron and Jason right behind him with matching bright smiles.

The teen spy honestly had no idea what to say to these guys popping up out of nowhere. All he could get out was a stuttered, "Wh-what are you guys doing here?" How...how had they even found him? And in Sera's basement, no less!

"Well, it's, like, the craziest thing, dude," Aaron started off. "So, I got the high score on that awesome arcade game, right? Well, after that, us two dudes played a few more games, but then, guess what? We got kinda bored 'cause there wasn't, like, a whole lot else we were looking to do up there, so ya know what we did? Well, we go over to Jason's crib to hang and chillax, right? Then, we were, like, in his room, and I look out the window for just a sec, and do you know what I, like, saw, dude?"

"I know what you saw, dude, because I was, like, there, dude!" Jason interrupted. "So, he looks out, and, like, lo and behold, he sees you, little dude! Just walking down the street like it was nobody's business! And then, he was all like to me, 'Whoa, dude! Like, check it out!' And I was all like, 'Like, what is it, dude?' And he was all like, 'Like, it's totally Maurice out there! He's, like, totally here to see us, dude!' So I was all like, 'Whaaaat? No way, dude!' And he was all like, 'Yeah way, dude! Would I, like, lie to you, dude?' And then I was about to say something else, but then-"

"Wait a sec. Let me get this straight." Maurice interrupted, holding up a hand. "Jason, you...live around here?"

"Oh, yeah, totally! Just down the road that way, dude." Jason said, pointing his arm one way before furrowing his brow, and pointing it in a different direction. "Or...wait, no, maybe it's the other way? Kinda hard to tell down here. Not like there's any windows or whatever, dude!"

"Oh, I know, dude!" Aaron said before going on with the story, while Maurice silently filed away that bit of new info for later. "So, like, we thought you were coming to see us, but then, you'll never believe it! (Or maybe you will, because it was you doing this stuff, but whatever, dude!) All of a sudden, you were, like, totally walking right past Jason's crib, didn't even so much as look at it, dude! So, we thought we'd better go see what was up, 'cause you said you were doing stuff for your mom, and this, like, ain't your town, dude, so we thought-"

"-you might have finished that stuff real fast, and that you were, like, totally walking into a trap set up by those crazy, kidnap-happy kids running around because they can do that thing with the phone or whatever. So, I was all like, 'Whoa, we gotta go after him, dude! Something weird might be happening!' And then Aaron was all like, 'Oh, yeah, totally, dude!' And then I was all like, 'I know, right, dude?' And then he-"

"Just...just get to the point, please." Maurice finally said, doing his best to hold back an exasperated sigh. He couldn't help being a little impatient by their annoyingly long story that was way more dragged out than it needed to be.

"So, like, we totally followed you, and, like, here we are, little dude!" With their long-winded tale over, Jason adjusted his shades as he peered at the metal door that led into Sera's basement (which was still locked, of course). "So, like, where are we, anyway? Whose place is this, dude?"

"Yeah, why are you, like, here, dude?" Aaron asked next. "This, like, totally ain't your crib. And like this dude over here said, you, like, don't live here. So, like, what's up?"

"Oh...well, actually, it's because Sera Sage asked me to." Maurice said, his quick lie easily rolling off his tongue. "Not, like, now, but before she and Cree got taken, you know? Anyway, she told me that if something weird ever happened to her, that there was some stuff she has down here she wanted me to, like, take care of, or whatever."

"Oooooh. Okay, dude." Aaron and Jason nodded together, completely buying the story that had been whipped up on the fly. They didn't even think to question Maurice on anything else at all, which seemed to be a testament to their naturally oblivious natures. "Yeah, we get that. That's, like, real nice of you, dude."

"Yeah, well, the problem is, she never managed to get me a key or anything." Maurice nodded at the door, and Jason bent down to look, peering at the lock over his sunglasses. "I mean, it's not like it's a big deal, or anything, though. I just need one of those little bombs to blow the lock out, and then it'll be no trouble-"

"Wait, I know how to do this, dude!" Maurice was interrupted by Jason as the older teen whipped out his own pick and stuck it inside the lock. Sure enough, there was a small click as the door unlocked, and he turned to Maurice with a big smile as the door swung open. "There you go, dude!"

Once again, Maurice was left confused and dumbfounded. "H-how...?"

"Oh, don't worry for not getting it, dude! It's not your fault you don't know the super-cool and awesome wrist work trick you gotta use with this one. Seriously, this is, like, one of the best locks ever, dude, and, for real, if it weren't for my old man teaching me the wrist trick, I wouldn't be able to figure it out, either. So, like, don't beat yourself up about it too hard, dude!"

"...okay, fine. Just...try not to touch anything here, all right? This stuff's kinda delicate." The younger teen finally said, and the two captains nodded in unison.

With that out of the way, Maurice stepped into the elusive bunker with Aaron and Jason on his heels. The air inside smelled musky, and the piles of files and who-knew-what-else towered above their heads, high as ever. Maurice carefully picked his way through everything, aiming for Sera's usual desk. Thankfully, he was able to make it there without any mishaps, and he looked over what she'd left strewn on it.

There were sticky notes with half-finished messages scrawled on them, odds and ends of various gadgets, and, of course, another bag of random garbage yet to be sliced open. But none of it looked like it had to do with any rogue KND cell. Still, he knew she had to have something on it buried in all her junk. Maybe if he knew how she managed to actually organize it (if she even did)-

"Whoa! Heads up, dude! Like, timber!"

Maurice whipped his head around just in time to see one of Sera's mountainous piles of files tumble down, right on top of Aaron. Unfortunately, that started a chain reaction, with at least five more nearby towers following the first one's lead until Aaron was completely buried by the ensuing mess.

"Yo, dude! Are you, like, okay?" Jason said, immediately coming to his friend's aid, digging through the messy pile during his quest. Aaron finally poked his head out and coughed an affirmative, his sailor's cap having been completely knocked off.

"Yeah...yeah, I guess I'm okay, dude." He managed to struggle out with Jason's help, and Maurice could only sigh to himself as he watched.

"...I told you guys not to touch anything."

"Well, it's kinda hard not to in this place, dude. Like, for real, there's barely enough room for anyone to fit in here. I'd be surprised if this hasn't happened before." Aaron said as he looked himself over, his neck popping as he stretched it. "This place is, like, practically hazardous, or something. Not to mention I still need to find my awesome captain's hat, dude."

"And the garbage isn't exactly doing it any favors, either." Jason pointed out, poking at one of the aforementioned piles on a nearby table. "Like, for real, this stuff is-hey, wait a sec! Like, Aaron, isn't this the brand your mom buys all the time?"

"Wait, what? Let me see." Aaron came over to inspect the open garbage bag next, pulling out various empty bottles of soda, shampoo, and cologne, just to name a few. "Hey, you're right, dude! This trash is, like, totally from MY house! This chick stole my trash! And here my mom thought it was raccoons this whole time! No way! This is...actually getting kinda weird now."

"At least a little bit, dude." Jason nodded, and Maurice turned his attention back to Sera's desk, tuning out whatever else those two were saying.

The teen spy opened the drawers slowly, giving himself time to jump away if they were also booby-trapped. Thankfully, that wasn't the case this time, but the drawers' contents didn't provide him with much. The first drawer was just filled to the brim with office supplies, the second one only held a manifest of some Girl Scout shipments later in the year (Girl Scouts again? Really?), and the third one held the thick Sherlock Holmes volume he'd gotten Sera.

He couldn't help but lift the book out, managing a small smile. It felt so long ago since he'd given it to her (even though it'd only been like, two weeks, tops). He checked if there was anything else in the drawer, only to be disappointed. He'd kind of hoped he wouldn't have to, but it looked like he really would have to go through her endless mountains of files to get anywhere.

With a sigh, Maurice put the book back where he'd found it, only to frown as he did. Something about the drawer...didn't seem right. He lifted the book out again, only to put it back again. He did the same thing a few more times, just to be sure he wasn't seeing things.

"Yo, Maurice, what's up?" Aaron said as he looked over the younger teen's shoulder, his captain's hat back on his head. "Like, what are you doing, dude?"

"Not much." Maurice said shortly, setting the volume on the desktop before reaching into the now-empty drawer. "Just checking something out."

He quickly ran his fingers along the drawer's bottom edges inside, a smile forming when he found what he was looking for. Wedging the tips of his fingers between the small space between the bottom and the drawer walls, he made sure to get a firm grip before pulling out what he now knew was a false bottom Sera had placed inside. And, sure enough, there was a stack of files hidden in the secret compartment.

Maurice picked up a few of the files, quickly skimming through them to make sure they were indeed what he was looking for. Sure enough, the phrase 'rogue cell' jumped out at him more than once, confirming his suspicions. He knew Sera wouldn't let him down.

"Whoa! Talk about cool, dude! Just like a magic trick!" Jason popped up behind him now. "Is that the stuff you were looking for?"

"Yeah. I think it is." Maurice quickly found a grocery sack to put them in for safekeeping. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he swiped the Sherlock Holmes book, too. He wanted to give it to Sera when he found her and Cree. And he would find them, no matter what. That was a promise he was intent on keeping.

"Thank you for the report, Numbuh 86. You may leave now." Numbuh 362 went back to dealing with her usual mess of paperwork as her Global Tactical Officer left the Supreme Leader's office. The work was really piling up these days. Everywhere she turned there was a new document to sign, or mission to authorize, or reports messily scribbled over with crayon to decipher. There were even times that she had to have her food from the cafeteria delivered to her office, because she barely had a spare minute these days, even with Fanny and Patton helping out.

Well, that was just part of the job. If there was one thing she'd learned after taking over from Numbuh 274, it was that the Supreme Leader's job was time-consuming, stressful, and, more often than not, thankless. Still, it wasn't a job she could or would imagine handing over to anyone else. She'd more than learned her lesson after that whole fiasco with Father.

As Numbuh 362 worked, the door slid open again, but she didn't look up, focusing on her paperwork. "Oh, did you forget something, Fanny?"

The door slid shut, but there was no answer, and Numbuh 362 finally glanced up...only to come face-to-face with The Steve, the Teenz' infamous leader, casually leaning against the door. Her jaw dropped in complete shock and surprise, and her eyes practically bugged out of her head before she got herself under control, narrowing her eyes at the intruder. "YOU!"

She immediately went to hit the emergency alarm button on her desk, only for The Steve to dart forward quick as a whip, grabbing her wrist in a tight grip.

"Ah, ah, ah." The Steve said as he shook his head, his sunglasses glinting down at her. He wore an easy smile, but there was definitely a warning tone in his voice as he spoke. "Don't think it'll be that easy to get rid of me, Little Miss Supreme Leader. I think it's about time you and The Steve set the record straight on a few things. Ya dig?"