After seeing her sister get upstaged and classic elementary school theater being butchered by the new lead, Kuki prayed for something to happen so she had an excuse to leave. Like stray space debris threatening to plow through the moonbase. Or maybe the new Sector Z going missing. Heck, she would even take the Mozzarella Mafia harassing another kids' pizza parlor. She was that desperate. She would take anything. Anything at all!
Anything except this that is.
"Numbuh 3, m'am!" Two guards saluted as their Supreme Leader marched forward. The two kids made up a very minor part of the large security detail flocking around the Decommissioning Branch of the moonbase. After bringing in the biggest teen haul of the decade, they weren't about to slack up.
"At ease, guys." Kuki quickly batted off. The girl's pace never slowed, and she only gave a quick salute of her own as she made her way past the metal door. Her main concern was to get to the bottom of what was going on. She had been quickly bewildered by the news. It showed since she didn't even bother to change out of the dress clothes she wore for Mushi's play.
It happened during the second intermission while she was in the bathroom trying to calm Mushi down about being replaced by the untalented brunette. Her emergency communicator went off and she was 'proudly' informed that the mission had been successful and the Decommissioning Squad had brought back a truckload of teenagers for mind wiping. She didn't see what there was to be proud of, considering she never recalled sending the Squad out in the first place! But then the shock was replaced by dread when she was told Wally was among the imprisoned.
Being in one of her rare moods, and having some understanding of what was going on, Mushi had agreed to cover for her while she went to deal with the situation. 'Or maybe she let me go so I wouldn't stop her from beating the snot out of her replacement.' Eh, didn't matter. So after calling down her personal S.C.A.M.P.E.R and a quick flight through the atmosphere, here she was.
The slid open allowing her easy access and she was greeted with the sight of the busy bay. The deck was littered with operatives moving about. Squads of three moved into the containment center where the teens were housed. While one squad filed in, another came out dragging a struggling teen. The adolescent snarled and cursed, spewing words Kuki felt no kid should have to hear. But it didn't deter the operatives from their jobs. They just moved to one of the doors near the back wall, taking the teen into one of the chambers. Even after they closed, she could still make out the screams and flashes of light. Once it was over, the kids led the dazed and confused teenagers out the other end of the room, planning on sending them on the next shuttle home.
Kuki glanced around the bay before moving towards the doors of the containment center. Any kid who wasn't occupied gave her a quick salute as she passed. Finally, the girl stopped right outside the 'In' door and turned to the boy behind the glass. "Tell Numbuh 85 I want to see him."
"Right away, m'am." The boy nodded as he allowed her entry. While Kuki waited for the security scans to finish, the operatives turned to his mic. "Numbuh 85, you better be ready to greet the Supreme Leader!"
"On my way!" Patrick yelled. As soon as he got the message, he sprinted to the other end of the hall. Weaving around an incoming squad, the redhead skidded into a salute the moment the light above the door flickered green. "ATTENTION ON-"
"As you were," Kuki muttered the first step in. The girl continued down the long hallway, Patrick falling in step beside her. Her eyes trailed across the walls. Cells were heavily locked to keep the teens inside them stowed away. Soup can cameras picked up every second of movement from their places on the ceiling. The girl found her nerves getting worse. She wasn't expecting this many teens here. "What's going on here? I didn't tell anyone to shoot up a high school!" She raged. Kuki did not like being left in the dark.
"Sorry ma'am, it was too good a chance to pass up," Patrick answered with his hand behind his back. "We got a tip this afternoon about a possible teen deal going down at the abandoned Breezedale dock down on the coast near the state line. After sending in a scout to make sure there was no-fooling, we mobilized as quickly as we could."
Kuki snapped her head to the younger boy, slightly surprised by the story. "Who would send you a tip about-" Her words clogged her throat before she could speak the rest. 'Wally.'
She clenched her trembling fist as she tried to control her emotions. She knew giving him that kind of access was a bad idea. He never told her he was going to use it! And now...
"Who were among the captured?" She asked hiding her fear. Maybe that report was wrong. Perhaps the operatives made a mistake and mistook Wally's name for some other teen. I mean there are other names that sound like Wally. Right?
"There were a lot of high schoolers," Patrick reported. "Whatever they were selling or buying must've been huge. Other than that, nobody notable." At those words, Kuki let her guard down to let her old worries leave her- "Oh! We also managed to catch Numbuh 4." -only for a new and more horrible batch to enter. "He had someone accompanying him, but the guy got away."
Kuki tried to remain calm despite what she was hearing, but the more she pieced the tale together, the more distressed she became. From what she got, Wally had somehow been cornered by the Decommissioning Squad and got captured while Nigel managed to get away. But she couldn't get how. Wally had to of been the one who tipped them, so that meant he had prepared for them. He was careful, always was. He promised her he would be. But then how was he caught?
The Supreme Leader quelled her inner turmoil enough to ask another query. "Has he been decommissioned yet?" It seemed to take the boy forever to answer and did not help her at all.
"Not yet." He finally responded. "Only a handful of these losers are ex-KND. We're holding off on them for a while so we can interrogate them for any information they might be able to spill. Last I checked, the idiot is being grilled right now."
Kuki fought the urge the deck the kid for insulting Wally. If he was such an idiot, then how come it took them this long to get him? But Kuki only stoically looked on as they kept pacing down the hall. "Take me to his cell." Patrick was a bit put off by the coldness of the order, but like a good operative, he kept his mouth shut and followed it.
As they delved deeper into the containment center, Kuki watched as three figures exited a cell. Two of them were Sonia and Lee, while the third was a slightly chubby African-American wearing Sunday clothes and holding a large book tucked into his arm. Kuki found the sight interesting and was only more surprised when Patrick had them stop there.
The redhead glanced at his former Sector W teammates and then at the other operative closing the cell. "Did ya have any trouble, Numbuh Divine 7?"
"No, everything went well." The boy answered as he adjusted his glasses with his free hand. "Numbuh 4 was very cooperative. He answered all our questions as best he could. In fact, with his information, we now know where the teens have planted the stink bombs around the charity playground construction site."
Patrick's face shined with complete surprise. "Why would a teenager tell us all that?"
"His way of redemption perhaps." Numbuh Divine 7 calmly explained. "In their final moments, some traitors may feel the need to make amends before they 'move on'." He said with finger quotes, referring to decommissioning.
Kuki would've rolled her eyes at the silliness had the situation been different. She then turned to the two Sector W members with curiosity. "Why are you two here?"
"Extra security," Sonia explained carefully. "Plus Numbuh Divine 7 thought seeing someone from his past may make Numbuh 4 more agreeable."
"He's in bad shape." Lee quietly uttered. He said no more as he buried his hands in his pockets, turning away to look elsewhere.
"What's wrong with him?"
"He shows signs of depression. But it's common with all teens before their 'time'." Numbuh Divine 7 answered, again with finger quotes.
Kuki stole a glance to the side. She knew that wasn't it. Wally had been upset long before he was ever captured. Steeling her nerve, she turned to the four kids and gave a stern expression. "I'm going in to see him. Alone." She added when she saw Sonia and Lee moving towards the door again.
Some alarms went off in Patrick's mind as he frowned. "Are you sure that's wise, ma'am?"
"Let her be, Numbuh 85." Numbuh Divine 7 intervened. "Numbuh 3 is Numbuh 4's last teammate. Allow them time to make peace with one another."
"Thank you." That was all Kuki said as she moved to the door. But before she could enter, Numbuh Divine 7 held out his palm to halt her. She waited as his hand moved to his pocket and pulled out a small pouch. He then lifted it over her open hand and gently dropped five pieces of candy before closing her fingers over it.
"May the Reese's Pieces be with you." The boy prayed. Kuki gave a curt nod and then moved into Wally's cell. After it closed, Numbuh Divine 7 moved on to another cell to continue his work, Sonia, Lee, and Patrick following.
The red-headed boy spared one more look over his shoulder and couldn't hold back his frown. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Leaving the two of them alone together?" He asked inquisitively. It wasn't like Kuki and Wally's history was a secret.
"Lay off, Paddy," Sonia replied. "You know Numbuh 3 would never do something like what you're thinking."
"How do you know that, huh?" The boy asked on the defensive. "Look at it this way; would the Numbuh 3 from a few years ago be acting like she is now?"
Sonia opened her mouth to retort but paused as she thought of Patrick's logic. When she would think back to the cheerful carefree nurse and diversionary tactics officer of the old Sector V and compare her to the strict, serious Supreme Leader they had now, she would be hard-pressed to call them the same person without the knowledge she had. The blonde sighed before she spoke. "You have a point, but she's gotten older. People change when they grow up."
"That's what worries me. We all saw what happened when Numbuh 4 changed." Patrick snorted as he crossed his arms. "Besides, I'm older and still the same."
Sonia rolled her eyes, but Lee chuckled and spoke up. "Sure you are, freakshow." That caused both him and Sonia to erupt into giggles from the memory.
"Aw c'mon guys! I thought we agreed not to talk about that!"
While the kids had their small ruffle, Kuki silently stood composing herself in the gateway to Wally's cell. Behind her was the door she came in by, and in front of her was the security door that kept Wally in. Between the two doors was the small room her body was preoccupied. Her eyes flicked to the side to see a small box controlling security measures inside the cell. Without any guilt, her hand moved to type in a series of numbers. Soon, the box dinged and a small finger slot popped out. Groaning at the prospect, Kuki placed a finger up her nose and produced a small bit of mucus from it, sticking it in the slot right afterward. After the system accepted her DNA Kuki typed in her final command, and the computer's voice boomed out.
: SUPREME OVERRIDE GRANTED. SURVEILLANCE HAS BEEN DISABLED:
Nodding her head in satisfaction, Kuki calmly entered the cell, anticipating seeing the person that dwelled within.
The lighting was bright, but not blindly so. There were no windows, just sterile gray walls with no pictures of any kind. It felt so empty. But with Wally in here, Kuki didn't mind. Speaking of the Aussie, he was all that was in the Asian's line of sight. He was slouched on the bed frame attached to the wall, not really doing anything. He sat against the wall blankly staring at the opposite one. Legs dangled carelessly over the side, and his arms just lay unmoving at his side. The sadness she could feel coming off of him was heartbreaking. Part of her was glad that his beautiful emerald eyes were hidden behind his fringe. Just so she wouldn't have to see the anguish flowing within them.
It hadn't been long since she entered, but Wally had yet to take notice of her presence. She didn't know why she felt lost for words, but before she could say anything, the blond beat her to the punch. "Whaddya want now?" He asked as his lips tightened. "I already told ya everything I know."
Kuki shook her head at how hollow his voice sounded. She only blamed herself for letting him get this way. "It's me, Wally." She finally uttered softly.
It seemed her voice had more effect than she expected. The Aussie's head snapped at whiplash-inducing speeds towards her. His wide eyes were now visible under his golden tufts of hair, and she couldn't help but take private joy at how his expression brightened slightly once he realized it was her.
"Kuki? Hey!" He gasped when he was suddenly glomped by the girl. His arms would have curled around by instinct, but he had to hold it back for outside reasons. "Do ya really think you should be doin' this?" He cautiously questioned as he glanced to the camera hanging above. "I don't think the guards are cruddy romantics."
"I took care of it." He heard her mumble into his chest. Wally could have sworn he also picked up a tiny sniffle as she gripped him for dear life. "Do you know how scared I was? I thought...I-I thought..." She couldn't finish her sentence for her tight and strict demeanor finally broke away and she was reduced to a trembling mess.
"I'm sorry Kooks," Wally soothingly uttered as his arms pulled her closer now that the danger of exposure had been taken care of. His hands made comforting circles around her back as he tried to take solace that she was here. But the fact they were in a prison cell, with him the prisoner, kept him from fully enjoying it. "I didn't mean for this ta happen." He let his eyes close in order to try and gain some peace.
BAP!
"OW!" Sadly, he got the exact opposite. Rubbing at the back of his noggin, the Aussie's mixed expression of hurt, anger, and confusion could not hope to match the intensity of Kuki's features. "What the heck did ya do that for?"
"For breaking your promise!" Kuki raged after pulling away from him. "You told me you would be careful! I never wanted you to do this stupid type of work, but I only agreed because you swore you would play it safe!" He knew she was upset, but he could make out the slight wetness edging around her pupils. "Now you've been captured, and they're going to make you forget about everything!"
"Hey! If it wasn't for this 'stupid work' we woulda neva got this far!" He argued. "And I was playing it safe! I always did! I made sure I always had a straight field plan, then a whole cruddy alphabet of backup plans just ta make you feel bettah!"
"Really?" Kuki grated with her hands glued to her hips. "Tell me Wally, where does calling in the gosh-darned DECOMMISSIONING SQUAD fit into your master plan?" She scoffed, beginning to laugh hysterically. "Geez, if you want to get it over with that bad, then why didn't just drop by during a workday-"
"Just stop!" Wally vented while banging his fist against the wall. "They were supposed ta be a distraction!" The boy let out a sigh as he held a palm to his forehead. "...Numbuh 1 needed a way to get the traitor out without being noticed, but he didn't just wanna barge in there. That woulda have been 'uncoordinated'." He mouthed using the Brit's exact words. "We had a set game. He would take down the loser, drag him out while the kids and teens fought it out, and I planned on escaping with the chickens whenever I got the chance."
Kuki's anger dimmed after letting Wally speak his case, but it still left her hanging confused. "If that's true, then why are you here? How did it all go wrong?"
"We were ratted out." The girl paled while the boy unknowingly went on. "Someone figured me out. The teens were ready to blast us before the real stuff could even start. The Kids Next Door managed the buy us some time to counter though." His lids slowly shut as he recapped the night's events. "But that's the only real use we got outta 'em. Everyone was tryin' ta kill us when their hands weren't full."
Kuki felt dizzy while Wally went into detail. Her legs wobbled and she collapsed into the chair. She stared blankly at the floor, barely paying attention to her boyfriend anymore. She was riddled with too much guilt. She didn't even think should be in his presence right now. Because he was right. He and Nigel were ratted out.
She was the one who did it.
"Are you okay?"
No. She wasn't okay. Wally was sitting here a prisoner, and about to be ripped away from her. And it was all her fault. How do you think she felt?
"I'm...fine." She badly lied, hoping he didn't catch on. She peeked up at him, and quickly veered the conversation elsewhere before he could ask. "What happened to Nigel?"
At the mention of their bald friend, Wally's look darkened and he slumped into the wall more. "Probably back up in space by now." He muttered lowly. "We got cornered, and the nerd with the evidence was making a run for it. I held off the blokes off as long as I could. He he." He forcibly laughed as his hand swung about. "But hey! Why should I be so sad, eh?"
"W-What?"
"I got ta tag along with the world's number 1 operative on a super important big-time mission! I should be freakin' ecstatic!" He continued to mockingly proclaim. "At least I got ta be kinda important for a while. Yea. That'll be a story ta tell mum. I get thrown behind bars while one of ma best mates goes off leavin' us again. Oh, wait!" He suddenly shouted out in mock surprise. "I'm about to get my mind scrubbed by a bunch of kids. So I guess I don't even get to keep that memory! Or any of 'em." He quieted down, but that forced, faked smile was still there. "How stew-pid of me."
"But it's not supposed to be this way!" Kuki flipped, pulling at her hair. "Nigel was gonna stay and fix everything! H-He was supposed stop all the craziness, cause that's what he always did!" She fussed as she began to pace the floor rapidly.
Wally watched as the girl frantically fumbled around, getting a tad worried himself. "Kuki?"
"But he wasn't supposed to leave yet." The girl went on not even noticing Wally's concern. "None of this was supposed to happen! I-I just wanted to stall him. I didn't tell him to set you up and-" She froze and covered her mouth. Crap! She didn't just say that out loud did she? But, maybe Wally wouldn't pick up on it.
Oh, but that hot feeling on the back of her neck. The low growls the blond let off without even knowing it. He heard her, and he understood it perfectly. Kuki slowly turned, tears pricking at her eyes. But Wally's expression wasn't anywhere near as saddening. The coldness in those green eyes was glowering a hole through her. Then there was that snarl, the one reserved for people about to receive the brunt of his fury. It was all her's now. But despite all that, the thing that struck her the most was the amount of hurt his features carried. The feeling of pure betrayal.
"Hey, Kuki." He grounded out in that gritty voice of his, his accent more apparent than ever. "Mind filling me in on who he is, and what you told him to do?"
elsewhere.
...No. That doesn't add up either. Why is this so hard? Is it making fun of me? T-That's it, isn't it? Ha ha! Alright. I'll laugh. Even if it is a bad joke. A really bad joke. But it can't mess with me forever! I'll be done soon. How long has it been anyway? N-Not that long, I'm sure. Those people are just overreacting.
...What were their names again?
N-No! NO! DON'T THINK ABOUT THEM! It'll just distract you! Stop you from solving the problem! Because once I've figured it out, everything will be fine...
E-Everything will be just f-fine.
B-But, I wish those people wouldn't worry so much. Especially that girl. What was her name? I don't know. S-She was pretty though. Even when she's crying. She always cries when she comes to see me. Wonder why? Might be a little looney. Keeps mumbling about it being her fault. But what could she have done-
YOU'RE DOING IT AGAIN! YOU'RE NOT FOCUSING! Every second you waste, the further away the answer gets! You've. Got. To. FOCUS! FOCUS IS YOUR PRIME CONCERN! FOCUS! FOCUS! FOCUS! FOCUS-
Hey. That boy is back. Can't remember his name either. Want to, but it'd be a waste of brainpower. Need all that to FOCUS on the problem. Guy looks real upset though. Everyone around here is. Why? I haven't done anything. Or have I?
I-I get it! I really haven't done anything. I see it now! The thing I need to do is the problem! They're all waiting on me to solve it. To focus on it. Cause I was lacking focus. She said I needed more-
So much rain. Not enough visibility. But the target was in sight. All there was to do was focus on that. Those kids would die if-
Black. T-Too much black. Dragging me in. CAN'T SEE ANYTHING! He's laughing and it's scaring me for the first time! He's gone mad!
Fire. Flames dance along with the torrents now. So hot. Head hurts.
Falling...
...falling...
...fall...
AH! Losing focus again! Need to get back to w-work. Y-Yeah. That's it. Shoo boy! I'm busy!
It all led to a countdown, then I'm stuck. No matter how hard I think it won't come up!
Five. A girl. Kinda familiar. More than the rest. Play it cool. Play it cool. Doesn't hurt to be sneaky. The jokes aren't lame! I do focus! Not lazy! Now you're crying. Sorry for what?
Four. A boy this time. Short, but tall. Beat 'em up. Beat 'em down. Fists solve everything, huh? Mississippi doesn't have a 'Q' in it! Stop yelling at me! Look out for what? Why is your face wet?
Three. Another girl. Nice and bubbly. Rainbow Monkey! Rainbow Monkey! Fine, I can't say no to that face. I can't put thrusters in H.I.P.P.E-H.O.P! I don't want any sedatives! But I'm fine. Stop crying, please.
Two. I've figured this out. Why?
Two...is me. Isn't it?
Yes. I...I think it is. But what comes after that? I can't figure it out. Those numbers, they're im-important. They mean something! Five, four, three, two... Five, four, three, two... Why can't I get this? What comes next? T-That's the answer I know it! So close, just need to-
Go away, boy! I don't want a chili dog! What? Food will NOT help me think! If I eat, I'll have to focus on chewing, then focus on swallowing, and NOT focus on what's important!
S-So close. Head starting to hurt again. But I have to s-solve it!
Five, four, three, two... Five four three two... FIVE. FOUR. THREE. TWO... WHAT COMES NEXT? My head HURTS!
Stop yelling boy! It won't stop the pain! Who are you calling for? That woman again? When did she get here? Is that other girl here too?
Let go of me! I don't wanna go to bed! I too...t-too close!
...head hurts so bad. Make it stop...
NO! Don't focus on the pain. Focus on the problem! Five. Four. Three. Two... What...comes...next?
...it's dark...
...it still hurts...
Next chapter will be a fusion of two chapters to get the story moving. Why? Because I feel like I'm dragging this on. Nigel will finish business with Wally and Kuki, move on to his remaining teammates, more focus on the traitor and maybe I can finally call it completed. Reviews are appreciated.
Goodnight.