Chapter 3

Numbuh 5 woke up, though the first thing she saw was that she was on a rooftop with several KET Operatives, who, to her surprise, are now wearing Roman Soldier armor instead of that re-painted Teen Ninja Battle Ready Armor she remembered them wearing. Numbuh 5 also saw Tony Antonio, who standing with 2 KET Operatives next to him, Tony looked somehwat stressed and agitated, Numbuh 5 could tell something was bothering him, and she knew that his troops captured Maurice, so it must have something to with the TND. Numbuh 5 wondered where they took Maurice and hoped he was alright. Numbuh 5 then noticed 2 clusters of KET Operatives, which the way they were standing so close, it was obvious that each the clusters of troops were hiding something behind them, but Numbuh 5 couldn't tell what they were hiding.

Numbuh 5 heard slight groaning and turned to her side to see her friends, Numbuhs 1, 2, 3, 4, and even Numbuh 27 lying with them, who were also just waking up.

Why'd the KET bring the rest of my team over? Numbuh 5 asked herself, They don't know a thing about the TND, unless... maybe Mr. Antonio wants them to know!

Numbuhs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 27 all shortly finished waking up, they all looked around, showing that they're very, very confused.

"Alright," Numbuh 4 said, later looking at the KET Operatives standing vacantly, "What the crud do you want-" Numbuh 4 stopped himself, and noticed how all the KET Operatives accept for Mr. Antonio were dressed alot like Roman Soldiers. "Hold up, let me change my question, what the crud are your guys wearing?"

The KET Operatives, even Tony Antonio, said nothing for a few seconds, Tony turns away from the KND Operatives and gives out an audible sigh.

"What's going on?" Numbuh 1 asked, "Why'd you drag us here, Mr. Antonio?"

"I'll put it this way, Nigel Uno," Tony finally replied, "I've seen the KND do many good things thoughout the 7th Age, if more people saw what they've been doing that way I do, the KND would be marked as heroes by child and adult alike. There have been some bad things, but such acts were for the sake of a greater good. But I have witnessed 1 act from members of the KND that marked me disappointed beyond measure."

Numbuh 27 Looked around and said, "hold up, where's Numbuh 74.239?"

"You mean your scientist friend?" Tony asked.

"What did you do to him, father?" Numbuh 27 asked. Numbuh 5 kept quite, she knows that the KET spies must have told Mr. Antonio how she knew about the TND.

"He's safe, unharmed, healthy, and will likely be brought back to Moonbase shortly, that's all you need to know at this point." Nick's dad replied, "But speaking of him, I just recently gained evidence that he is part of a certain conspiracy, not the Splinter Cell, but still something Global Command, from what we've learned, would want to know about, something called, a 'Teens Next Door', we believe they've been conspiring to allow afew, and only few operatives, to go undecommissioned. The ironic thing is, based on my findings, they seem to be against my people's rebellion, makes it seem like a borderline elitist approach to decommissioning, don't you think?"

Numbuh 1 asked Mr. Antonio, becoming somewhat agitated with not getting much of an answer, "But where the heck do we fit into this?"

"We recently apprehended an Operative, who we believe works for these 'Teens Next Door', I got hold of a copy of his dossier via my spy network within the KND, it told me that he was in Sector V, the very KND team consisting of the 5 of you. bring him out."

1 crowd of KET Operatives scatter to reveal Maurice handcuffed and with his mouth sealed by a strap of duct tape, Numbuh 5 was shocked to see him in this position.

"I assume the 5 of you know this boy?" Tony asked, "Former Kids Next Door Operative Numbuh 9 of Sector V, real name Maurice. we believe he is an agent of those 'Teens Next Door'. But he's been too resilient, whether he was an agent, or just another decommissioned KND Operative, it was impossible to get him to even hint on either matter. Perhaps you can do both the KET, and Global Command, a favor by helping us determine who he really is?"

My father captured this guy, Numbuh 27 thought, yet he doesn't know whether he's one of those so-called Teen Operatives or not? I know my father can be paranoid, but that doesn't make much sense.

One of the KET Operatives hands Tony a handheld Decommissioning Device, Tony looks at it and says, "Aha! there's a thought, if his was already decommissioned, this device wouldn't affect him, but if he isn't, his behavior will change based on his lack of KND-esique memories." Tony starts pointing the device at Maurice, who starts struggling, trying to break free. Numbuhs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 27 figured if Maurice was decommissioned, he might be panicking because he didn't know what was going on or what's being done to him, while he might delibrately be trying what he can to avoid decommissioning if he was undecommissioned. Numbuh 5 knew what Maurice really was, but she tried to keep silent to avoid letting her team know how she knows his secret, which she figured was exactly what Tony was trying to get her to do.

"This would work in our favor even if he is undecommissioned," Tony added, "to clarify, if I decommission him now, if the amount of TND Operatives are as scarce as I suspect they are, as if would explain why so far none of them have been rooted out, his TND friends may try to take him to have him recommissioned, it would be our key to setting a trap for those Operatives and putting them into the spotlight for all in KND Global Command to see, with Maurice ending up being the bait."

This was something Numbuh 5 didn't count on, if she keeps her mouth shut and lets Tony decommission Maurice, it would lead to the TND being rooted out, as Tony described, by a trap. While if she reveals that she knows who Maurice is, she'd be breaking her promise of secrecy to Maurice, and there was no telling how her team would react to learning about how she hid this from them or how Tony would use this infomation. Tony looked as though he was genuinely about to decommission Maurice, so Numbuh 5 decided she had no choice...

"Wait!" Numbuh 5 called out, "Maurice IS a TND Operative, he told me himself!"

Tony grins slightly, points the handheld decommissioning device away from Maurice, hands it to one of the KET Operatives, and says, "There now, that wasn't too hard, was it?"

Numbuh 5 hang her head down in shame as Numbuhs 1, 2, 3, and 4 looked at her with surprised expression, but showing no signs of anger, much to her surprise.

Tony quickly tears off the duct tape covering Maurice's mouth, he turn turns to Sector V and says, "I already learned about Numbuh 5's knowledge of the TND when my spies overheard her talking about them to Numbuh 74.239, I figured the TND would notice as soon as they lose contact with Maurice that it could only mean we captured him, I placed my KND spies in Moonbase on full alert, looking for anything suspicous to suddenly happen just shortly after Maurice's capture, as those events would end up most likely connected and may prompt any KND contacts the TND may have to react accordingly. My spies managed to catch wind of Numbuh 74.239, a Global Command Operative, and KND Head Scientist to boot, talking with Numbuh 5 about Maurice's capture just shortly after it happened," Tony turns his head to his son, Numbuh 27, "though I honestly didn't expect my son to have taken notice of Numbuh 5's talk with 74.239, which is somewhat why he has been brought here."

Numbuh 1 turned to Numbuh 27, "you found out about this too?"

"Just shortly before I was knocked out," Numbuh 27 said, "I might've said something a little earlier, but somehow it seemed like a bad idea, at least with my father around."

"I heard that," Tony quickly said, "just do you know." He then turned to Maurice and asked him, "tell me, how do you feel about the cat being out of the bag on individuals you didn't want this revealed to?"

"You dragged them here just so you can reveal my secret to them?" Maurice asked.

"I wanted to know if Sector V already knew about you TND," Tony replied, "would've made sense, given that Numbuh 5 here knows, it also would've made sense given how they refused to aid me and my people in our rebellion, but clearly it was just out of loyalty to the KND, which in my opinion, is a noble enough reason. Besides, Sector V aren't the only people I wish to reveal this to."

the other cluster of KET Operatives reveal Cree, who was handcuffed and restrained by 2 teen KET Operatives. Sector V, Numbuh 27, and Maurice gave out shocked expressions.

"I believe you heard our little talk quite well, didn't you, Cree?" Tony asked.

Cree said nothing, but looked at Maurice is shock and shook her head in disbelief, she now knew that her 'boyfriend' has been spying on her all along.

"You should know," Tony said, "It was actually thanks to you, somewhat, that we were able to root out Maurice, I mean, you know he was a KND Operative, an awfully popular one at that, right?" Cree continued to remian silent, so Tony continued to talk, "After he was quote-unquote 'decommissioned', you started dating him while you were a Teen Ninja, right? that was his opptunity to spy on you." Tony turned to Maurice and said, "Indeed, you, a 'decommissioned' ex-operative dating a high-ranking Teen Ninja, and a traitor to the KND no less, I know 2 decommissioned ex-operatives incidentally getting together has been somewhat common, if strange, Nigel Uno's parents are a good example, but you were with someone like Cree, who I should add was also one of your teammates back when both of you were KND Operatives, there's nothing about that which would make me convinced it's a coincidence."

"My parents?" Numbuh 1 suddenly said in surprise, "I already know who my dad is, you mean my mom's an ex-operative too?"

"Indeed," Tony replied, "Remember I was still a child myself when the KND reached the 7th age, the identities of Numbuh 0 and those he was close to was common knowledge for Operatives back then. But I wish to stay on topic," He continued talking to Maurice, "anyway, I didn't think about it until Ling, one of my best KET Operatives, brought it up, she told me she personally was a fan of yours, so I guess it made sense she took the effort to observe your little senario, it's far too convenent for it to be coincidence, so unless you genuinely were betraying the KND, you'd have to have been working with an outside group, I would've known if you were within the ranks of the Kids Eternally There, but you were neither a fugitive trying to escape decommissioning nor an ex-operative that was recommissioned by us, so you're not. So I'm sure Global Command would love to pass judgement on that little conspiracy you, Numbuh 74.239, and all your other friends, whoever they may be, cooked up."

Numbuh 5 took afew steps toward Tony Antonio in protest, "You can't do this to them! you said yourself they aren't betraying the KND even though they're pulling this conspiracy, yet you don't consider yourself to be a traitor even though you're doing this rebellion!"

Tony was silent for a few seconds, when said, "indeed... however these TND, as I said, protest my rebellion, the given fact that I'm pulling this rebellion and the KET stirctly accept ex-KND Operatives would leave the KET vulnerable to infiltration by their hands, they could pass on KET intel even Nick wasn't able to give Sector V."

Nick Antonio gave a horrified response, he had no idea his dad already knew how he gave KET info to Sector V earlier.

Tony, without a pause, proceeded with his talking, "We may be able to finally defend ourselves from the Decommissioning Sqaud, but if we become infiltrated as the TND no doubt would try to do, they could sabotage us and cripple the whole rebellion in who knows what moment they'd be able to strike. This is a risk I can only barely risk taking if for any good reason I must. If I reveal your whole gag to Global Command, however, the Decommissioning Squad will start coming after you all, which would work in the KET's favor, as it would cut down on the amount of opposition we'd have to deal with in rescuing fugitives."

"You can't do this!" Numbuh 5 exclaimed.

Tony turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Can't I?" Tony asked, "Care to explain why?"

"You said yourself you owe us for saving Nick's life!" Numbuh 5 exclaimed, "You don't want to repay us? do it now by letting Maurice go!"

"Technically," Tony replied, "It was Nigel that saved my son, not you and your team as a whole... But I see your point, you want me to release your old friend? very well, you may have your wish granted."

Numbuh 5 sighs in relief.

"However," Tony quickly, "Don't expect to see your sister anytime soon."

"Right," Cree said sarcastically, "You dragged me out there from that cell you put me in just to let me know my boyfriend has been spying on me for a bunch of snot nosed brats all this time!" Cree spoke with emphasis toward Maurice before turning her head back to Tony, "And you're gonna drag me back to that cell again 'till you wait for me to decide I'm gonna stop fighting those KNDorks, fat chance I'll ever do something like that!"

"You may think that not being a child anymore justifies what you're been doing," Tony said, "But you're still a teen, which in ways marks you as still a child!"

Cree tried violently to break free from the KET Operatives to no avail, "You trying to mock me?-!"

"Not at all," Tony replied, "It's the cold hard truth, whether you want to believe it or not. If you really were not a child anymore, I'd have thought you were fully prepared to be out on your own, but you're 16, which I know isn't the legal adult age in your country, also, you still have much to learn about the part of the world that's outside this war, your rather nasty attitude, I think, might be the most notable sign on that matter. that's one reason why I choose to lock you up when I could've very well just stake you out for the Decommissioning Sqaud for your evil deeds, I thought the revelation that even people your age and older are against you and your ilk and what you've been doing would help you reflect on the error of your ways, turns out so far I underestimated your stubbornness, which is somewhat common for people of your age group."

Numbuh 4 scoffs somewhat, "that's an understatement."

"Stop it!" Cree shouted, "I'm not a kid anymore! I'm a teen! there's a difference!"

"Were you even listening to me?" Tony asked, "Yes, there's a differenece between being a child and a teen, but not as much as you think, you want me to acknowledge you as 'not a child anymore'? perhaps I should stop treating you as one, perhaps being exposed to the United Nations, charged with Crimes Against Humanity, and marked as a terrorist will show you what it can be like to be treated as an adult?"

Secotr V, Numbuh 27, Maurice, Cree, and even some of the KET Operatives were shocked to hear what Mr. Antonio just said.

"You can't be serious!" Maurice excalimed, "That would make this entire war known to the public! even you must think that's crossing the line!"

"And what good has it been keeping it a secret?" Tony asked, "The KND's existance is known to the public already, only the decommissioned ex-operatives dismiss them as some sort of fantasy, if the public knew what the KND were really fighting, they may very well see the need for the defeat of Father and his ilk as I, the KET, and the KND do."

"But many adults would try to stop KND Operatives from fighting!" Maurice excalimed, "Not everyone sees the KND the way you do!"

"The KND is a powerful force of good," Tony said, "Attempts to stop it's operatives would do little good, and if I must, I will see to it that nothing bogs down the KND's victory, as I know only their victory against Father and the scum under his employment will secure the existance of childhood. I can garentee you that I will allow every nation in the world to collapse into anarchy before I let the KND face another collapse, that's an example of how far my people and I will go." Tony turns to Numbuh 5 and asks her, "So what will it be? Would you rather I exposed your friend Maurice to Global Command? or I expose Cree to the world? If you can't choose either of them, I will, and I make it so that they're both exposed."

"Stop it, Mr. Antonio!" Numbuh 1 said while trying to approach Tony, only to be stopped by some free-handed KET Operatives, "This isn't right! you know this! weren't you thinking the same way when you decided to rebell against decommissioning?"

Tony balantly avoided answering Numbuh 1 and merely said to him, "At this point it doesn't concern you, Nigel, Abigail is the one I'm allowing to make this decision, not you."

Maurice thought for a moment, then turned his head to Numbuh 5 and said, "Abby! choose me!"

"What?" Numbuh 5 claimed, both confused and worried, "But that would mean you'd be-"

"I know what it would mean!" Maurice exclaimed, "But things would be worst if Antonio here exposes Cree. You know that! I'll figure something out once they expose who I am, if not, at least we'd have avoided the worst of it."

Numbuh 5 was horrified to be in this position, if she let's Maurice be exposed, the TND's whole operation will be compromised and they'd be reduced to a rogue operative status, Maurice would be no exception. But if she let's Cree be exposed, Cree would be regarded as a terrorist by the U.N for her world-wide attacks on children, but also it would make the entire public as completely aware of the KND's fight against Father as Operatives both KND and KET are, which easily could have serious repercussions on both sides. But then, Numbuh 5 realizes something, and chuckles slightly, much to the confusion of pretty much everyone on the rooftop except Mr. Antonio.

"haha! you're not gonna expose Cree at all, even if Numbuh 5 chooses her, are you?" Numbuh 5 asked, " 'Cause where do you think you'd be if the whole fight becomes exposed? you'd risk exposing youself!"

one of the KET Operatives suddenly responed, "She's right! If the public becomes able to notice any of the KND's actions, they'll likely end up noticing ours as well, and therefore so would the KND!"

A afew awkward seconds of silence passed, before Tony started chuckling himself, he finally said, "I was half-expecting you'd figure this out, you're right, I have no intention at all of exposing Cree, I'm rather surprised that you're the only one who saw through my ruse."

"Now you're just wasting our time!" Cree exclaimed, "That how you get your kicks or something?"

"I'll admit I was doing it mianly to mess with you all," Tony replied, "But it was because I wanted to see your reactions, mainly Maurice's." He turned to Maurice and said, "And those reactions told me that despite a strong determination to hide yourselves and what my people perceive to be an elitist perspective on decommissioning, there are certain lines you won't cross. but also, there was another thing I believe you all overlooked."

"And what might that be?" Maurice asked.

"That the KET are devoted to protecting the undecommissioned," Tony replied, "I thought my troops would be smart enough to take a stand at me and point that out," Tony turns to his men, who all hang their heads down in embaressment, "But apparently not.." Tony suddenly hears a beeping sound from his earpiece, he turns it one, "Is Phase 1 complete?"

The voice in Tony's earpiece was this time loud enough for everyone on the rooftop to hear instead of just Tony, "Yes, Commander, all materials related to Cree's days with the Teen Ninjas has been removed from her room. We're starting with Phase 2 right now."

"Perfect," Tony replied, pleased with what he heard, "Notify me as soon as Phase 2 is complete, Eternally Here!"

"Eternally There!" Exclaimed the voice from Tony's earpiece before he turns it off.

"Now what the heck's going on?-!" Cree asked, getting more agitated with her captor.

"It's quite simple, really," Tony replied, "And I think you have only yourself to blame for it happening, since you persist on refusing to stray away from this path that Father has been walking you down, I came up with the idea of instead rendering it impossible for you to continue that path. Can you guess what 'Phase 2' involves?"

Maurice and Abby already figured what it must involve, But Cree figured it out what it might be in a few seconds and asked, "You framed me?"

"Correctto!" Tony exclaimed, in a somewhat cheerful voice, "I always enjoy seeing a person capable of basic logic," He briefly moves closer to Cree and whispers so only she can hear him, "Between you and me, it's the sort of thing that I sometimes find rare to find from of a good amount of my troops, as you might've observed earlier." Tony quickly moved away from Cree and spoke normally, "I've learned recently that the Teen Ninjas, after all their forces had confirmation on the KET's existance, regarded us to be as large a threat as the KND, I hear the call us, and those are their exact words; 'Hypocritical and overly-fanatical pro-kid cultists.'" Anyway, my spies with the Teen Ninjas have given us the position of a group of Teen Ninjas doing recon on us and trying to tap into our communications channels. That particular group will, incidently, tap into a conversation telling them that you gave us vital infomation regarding them and went to our side, in other words, they'll think you betrayed them."

"Why you!" Cree exclaimed, managing to break free of the KET Ops holding her just long enough to punch Tony in the face and knock him off his feet to the floor, which caught Maurice, Sector V and Numbuh 27 by surprise. The KET Ops that restrained Cree earlier grabbed her and pulled her back away from Tony, all the other KET Operatives, except the ones holding Maurice, were so ticked at her that they pulled out their weapons and started to approach.

"Stay your weapons!" Tony commanded in a rather sharp, dark, and somewhat intimidating voice, it was intimidating enough that all the KET Operatives shook nerviously and obediently stayed where they were, while Sector V and Maurice only flinched slightly in response to how Tony said that line, but his son Nick, oddly enough, also appeared intimidated to hear his dad talk. Since his father usually, for the most part, is calm and collected, even while Sector V made their escape from T.H.E.R.E that while ago, it would make sense if Nick wasn't used to seeing him that much angry or agitated.

"Wow," Numbuh 2 said, looking at the now nervious KET Operatives, "those other times we ran into those guys, they acted all tough and determined, I didn't think anything could intimidate them."

Tony stood back up and said to Cree, "You think this path would be worth the prices you'd have to pay? You even remember what kind of creature Father is? if allowed to to go and return to serving him, you'd be going along marrily with your evil ways, but the next thing you know, your hands would be stained with your sister's blood!"

The KET Operatives shutter uneasily at the last few words Tony said, one of them said, "To actually kill is considered by many KND Operatives to be worst than betrayal, but Father having Cree commiting sororicide? that sounds like there is no low he won't stoop to..."

"You KET are all a bunch of hypocritical lunatics!" Cree exclaimed, "I hope Father turns your underground clubhouse into a crater!"

"That's your moral sickness talking, young Cree," Tony replied, he then said to the KET Operatives, "Gas her."

One of the KET Operatives holding Cree pulls out the same respirator-like device the KET Spies used on Numbuhs 5, 27, and 74.239 earlier on Cree, after a few seconds of Cree having to breath knockout gas, the respirator-like device was removed from her face and let her go. Cree gradually was appearing more and more groggy.

Tony casually walked closer to Cree and said to her, "The moment you wake up, you'll know that you can officially kiss your career with the Teen Ninjas goodbye, since the Teen Ninjas and Father will be lead to believe you're helping the Kids Eternally There, they'll think you betrayed them and won't accept your help, while the KND won't exactly know all the circumstances, they'll eventually find out you're no longer with them, putting the Teen Ninjas in a weakened position which the KND can take advantage of. But on the bright side, you'll have your freedom back and your parents will remain none the wiser of what you've been doing, but it will only stay that way as long as avoid even trying to do any more evil. And perhaps someday, you'll thank the KET for turning your life around like this and be grateful enough to atone for your sins."

"Geez, Nick," Numbuh 4 exclaimed, "Does your dad always talk so much?"

Nick replied to Numbuh 4, "Si, I've heard him make enough long speeches to put some politicians to shame."

Cree finally passes out and one KET Operative catches her before she could fall to the floor.

"Bring Cree back home to her room," Tony ordered the KET Operative, who uses his earpiece to call for a transport.

Tony then turns to Sector V, "I thank you for your time, Sector V, and I apologize for crudely bringing the 5 of you hear, but I wanted to know for certain whether you all knew about this whole TND gag as your teammate Abigail did, and I suspected, given the unforeseen first run-in we had, that a regular communications channel however secure would have been delibarately ignored to avoid potential complications. And even though it's become clear the other 4 of you didn't know, I wanted to see how you'd react to finding out that Numbuh 5 here knew."

Numbuh 5 turned to her 4 friends nervously, but Numbuh 1 walked over to her and places his hand briefly on her shoulder, giving a small smile in forgiveness, Numbuhs 2, 3, and 4 also looked as though they weren't really bothered by Numbuh 5's secrecy.

Tony, who gave a small grin, said, "I can see you're taking it rather well."

"We sort of already knew Maurice was Numbuh 5's friend," Numbuh 1 replied, "Doesn't really surprise me that Maurice would trust her enough to keep that kind of secret from us for him."

"Me neither!" Numbuh 2 said.

"Not me!" Numbuh 3 exclaimed cheerfully.

"Meh," Numbuh 4 said, "I ain't got a problem with that."

"Funny," Tony replied, briefly nudging his head toward Maurice, "I wonder if your TND friend thought about that?"

Maurice said nothing, he still wasn't convinced that Tony has proved him wrong about anything involving his role in the TND and still wasn't convinced that the KET's rebellion, however benign it seems on paper, was a good idea. He, if anything, was now getting slightly annoyed with Tony's brief snark, but was somewhat relieved that Cree will no longer be able to help the Teen Ninjas, it wouldn't stop her from trying to take out the KND on her own, but she'd be completely on her own, and even she can't destroy the KND all by herself.

"Speaking of Maurice," Tony said, "I can assure you my plans are actually quite different, I cannot tell you what it is, as it is something I have to talk to him about in private, but rest assured he will be neither exposed nor imprisoned by the KET, And Numbuh 74.239 will be brought back to Moonbase shortly. But Sector V, there is just 1 thing I want the 5 of you to do."

"Okay!" Numbuh 3 exclaimed precisely after hearing what Tony said.

""Whoa there, Numbuh 3!" Numbuh 1 exclaimed, "You didn't wait for him to say what he wants us to do."

"Indeed," Tony said plainly, "But what I wish from you is strictly harmless, I want the 5 of you to do what I suspect Maurice would want you to do; keep what you found out about the TND a secret, just as Global Command wants you to keep my rebellion a secret."

"Numbuh 5 thinks we can do that easy," Numbuh 5 replied, but suddenly eyes at Nick, "But what about Nick?"

"Indeed," Tony turned to his son curiously, "What about Nick?"

Nick Antonio knew what his dad was gonna ask him, and spoke to him in Italian, telling his dad he can't bring himself to keep what he learned about the TND a secret. Obviously, no one on the rooftop except Nick's father could understand what he said.

Playfully, Tony pretends he doesn't understand what Nick is saying, and said to Nick in plain English "Excuse me? can you say that again? I didn't catch you."

Nick again tried to speak to his dad in his native Italian tongue, but Tony would not respond in the same language, instead speaking in plain english, much to Sector V's confusion, he said, "I'm sorry, I don't get what you're saying, can you repraise that?"

"What the heck are they doing?" Numbuh 4 asked, "I can't understand a single word Nick here is saying, and his dad's pretending that he doesn't understand a word."

"Yeah," Numbuh 2 said, "Aren't they both Italian?"

"That is true," Numbuh 1 replied, "This doesn't make any sense. but wait, Nick, just say what you were saying in English."

"I- I can't!" Numbuh 27 exclaimed, "Not in front of you guys! it's abit too sensitive."

"Come now, Nick!" Numbuh 27's father said, "What you've got to say, you can say so that your new friends can understand."

"That's exactly what you want isn't it?" Numbuh 5 asked, "for us to hear what Nick's saying?"

"Precisely," Tony replied, "I think that way you can help out in persuading him."

"I can't hide this," Numbuh 27 somewhat begrudgingly said in English, "It reminds me too much of the whole KET fiasco, it's secrecy toward Numbuh 362 is a spit on her name, and it's just something that Global Command wouldn't want me to do."

"Si?" Tony asked, "Well so is dragging a KND sector of significant reputation to T.H.E.R.E and revealing to them the existance of an anti-decommissioning rebellion."

"Come on, Nick," Numbuh 1 said, "you owe us that much at least."

"Don't get me wrong," Numbuh 27 said, "I want to repay you guys for helping me after I dragged you into that mess earlier, but I think I've been in enough trouble already, and even if I agree with you guys that this should be kept secret, how do you expect me to hide this from Numbuh 362 of all people?"

"Hmm... perhaps you can look at it this way; Numbuh 362 will know about this," Tony said, but quickly added before Maurice could react in protest, " promised her I'd help her verify rumors of false decommissionings, but I did not specify when, could be years before I find out, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah," Nigel said in agreement, "You can think of it as you don't have to tell her because she'll know eventually."

"Like, say, 13," Tony added, "When either she ultimately decides to accept the KET's help to avoid decommissioning or just moments before she makes the decision to willingly face decommissioning." Nick thought for a moment just before his dad quickly added, "And if she found out about how you got pulled out of Moonbase temporary, there is the possibility that she might decide you should stay at Moonbase longer than she intially planned."

Numbuh 27 quickly said, "Alright, I'll keep it a secret."

Tony walked closer to Nick, crouched to his eye level, and gave out a small grin as he tussled his son's hair and said, "Now we're talking." Tony nudged his head slightly toward Maurice and asked, "I have just 1 question, and I want you to speak the truth about it, Does the TND have any consideration of adding Nick to your ranks, any at all?"

Maurice responded, "We had thoughts about it, but haven't decided for certain."

"In that case; don't," Tony replied, standing up and facing Maurice, "I want none of the TND to make any attempt at recruiting him. Want to know why? I know you only accept operatives of certain precise standards, if my son starts considering the idea that only certain people with unfair advantages should be entitled to something, if he starts judging people by their abilities, what's to stop him from deciding people should be judged by ancestry? by religion? by nationality? or even unfairly by age?"

"That's being a bit unrealistically paranoid, don't you think?" Maurice asked.

"I don't wish to take any chances," Tony said, "One of the reasons I made sure Nick joined the KND was because I knew that they, unorthodox as they are, a good influence toward him and they have taught him a lot about the values of teamwork, moral high ground, good work ethic, and many other things, I can't risk that all going to waste with him hanging with what can be potentially considered a bad crowd."

"I don't think you'd have to worry about that, dad," Nick said, "I think this whole rebellion you're doing is frustrating enough for me, and I think dealing with people skirting around it would only make things complicated."

"You hear that?" Tony asked Maurice, "Even my son believes it's a bad idea to have him join up with you, though it is for different reasons than why I want him not to, they still count." He then turns to Sector V, "Anyway, I thank you for your time, Sector V, I do apologize for these rather rude meetings that got us a bad start, I hope the very next time we cross paths will be... less confrontational."

"Aw crud!" Numbuh 4 said, "We'll end up having to put up with you Skirts Eternally There again?"

"Aw man!" Numbuh 2 said somewhat jealously, "I wanted to use that pun! sure, it's a diss, but I think you know what I mean."

"It will not be official KET business that will cause your next meeting with me," Tony said, "It's in truth merely a meeting with us Antonios on a more casual level, but I can say no more for now." Tony then turned to Numbuh 27, and said to him, "Which reminds me, Nick, once you're allowed to leave Moonbase, there's something your mother and I wish to discuss with you personally, so head home when you get the chance."

"It's about your rebellion thing, isn't it?" Nick asked his dad.

"No, it's in truth mostly unrelated to it," Tony replied, again crouching down to Nick's eye level, "Nick, I know what I did to you that long while ago was far from pleasant, but keep in mind anything I do involving the KND, I do because I want to protect you, by no means at all do I want you to think you have to support my rebellion or even stand against it, you have the right to make that decision yourself, and neither of the choices you make will ever make me love you any less than I already do." Tony then hugs his son tightly.

"Awwww!" Numbuh 3 exclaimed, suddenly hugging Numbuh 4 and lifting him up, much to his surprise, "This is one of the most precious daddy-to-son moments I ever saw!"

"Eh, I'm sure it is, Kuki," Numbuh 4 replied, blushing nerviously, "but will ya put me down?"

A few KET Operatives chuckle as Kuki puts Wally down.

"What the heck are ya all laughin' about?" Numbuh 4 asked.

"C'mon man!" one of the KET Operatives said, who, just as all the KET Operatives as Sector V just now noticed, has a Roman Numeral on his helmet instead of a decimal number, he was numbered 'XCV' and talked as though he was a hippie, "everyone who knows you know's your feelings for that Asian cutie teammate you got! just confess to her, man!"

Numbuh 3 didn't know what the KET Operative was talking about, but Numbuh 4 did, despite not being able to hide his blushing, he tried to deny it, "Ah don't know what you're talkin' about! just shaddup!"

(Author's note: You thought KND fans like you and I were the only ones who were fans of the WallyxKuki pairing? think again! hahaha!)

"That's enough, Numbuh XCV," Tony said, "Now you and Numbuh M (1000) take Sector V and return them to their Treehouse."

The 2 numbered but nameless KET Operatives approach Sector V and start contacting T.H.E.R.E for transport.

Tony uses his earpiece and starts talking though it, "Numbuh 61, Has Global Command caught wind of anything that happened here?"

A voice from Tony's earpiece said to him, "No sir, no one even took the slightest notice yet."

"Good," Tony replied, quickly head on over and return my son to Moonbase before anyone can notice, then arrive to T.H.E.R.E immediately when you're finished so that no one who manages to notice will be able to root you out."

"Yes, Commander, on our way!"

(Author's note: I hope you enjoyed that, it took me forever to finish this. Next fanfic will mainly be placed in for the sake of filler and adding required plot elements, when I get tyhe chance I will also do remakes on OP:ROGUE and OP:JUDGED that fit better with the retcons I brought up in earlier fanfics, Let me know what you think of my KND fanfics so far, what your favorite part? which of my KND OC's you like most? Any advice you'd recommend for me in doing my KND fanfics with the elements I've been using. Also just 1 last thing, I know about this site TV Tropes, which does Trope examples with not only professionally made cartoons and such, but also Fanfics, so do you think my KND fanfics are worthly of being mentioned on TV Tropes? let me know if there's anything I should do to make it more note-worthy by the site's standards.)

(Author's note 2: One last thing, don't think I'm strictly putting my fan faction, the KET, strictly in positive light if you know what means, I have some darker, somewhat more negative elements I haven't brought up with the KET which I hope to flesh out in later fanfics. Also, and I hope 'Just a Reader', whoever he/she is, is reading this? but don't get me wrong, I'm in truth so far neither with or against decommissioning, I just don't see the logic behind the need for it. what is it that makes teen ex-operatives so likely to betray the KND, a group that in their universe eseentially brought childhood back to the world after bringing Grandfather out of the picture? What's the psychology behind an ex-operative doing this? Chad's apparent love for power and pride seem to help make his betrayal make sense, and I think Father's bad influence might have been the cause of Cree's betrayal, but not the majority of KND Operatives, what is it that makes being 13 automatically imply 'oh! I'm a teen now, I'm gonna betray the KND, oh well!'. I want to be able to understand the perspective of the pro-decommissioning individuals, but I find that very hard because I don't understand what makes people think loyalty to the KND is something you can just outgrow, what it is about the ex-operative's mindset that makes their betrayal likely enough for decommissioning to be required. And if you think you'd betray the KND if you were an undecommissioned ex-operative, what makes you think you would do so? If any of you reading can help answer those questions, it might help me in the long run.)