Welp, here I am...my first ever self-published story. Feedback is greatly appreciated! If you think my stuff is awesome or crap then just say so as long as you say why! If you're going to berate my work then at least I'd like to know what things I didn't do so well. Similarly, a comment saying "that's a great story!" does little for me if I know what I did that was considered "great". This is a long term project I'm working on so this'll drag on for quite a while! Anyway, here's my story.

Disclaimer: I do not own C:KND (unfortunately)

Operation A.F.T.E.R.M.A.T.H.

All
Future
Timeline
Events
Resonate
Massively
Altering
Teammates'
Habits

Chapter 1 - After

Chapter 1-1 – Split Apart

One year after the events of I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S.

You wouldn't be able to notice any difference in Sector V at first glance. The team has been busy as usual, in fact, a lot busier since Numbuh 1's departure. They have been called into Moon Base several times by Numbuh 74.239 for various reasons from tactical assessment advisement to extra grunt work around the base.

Lately, the team hasn't been getting much field missions to do and they knew why. Although it would seem stupid for Sector V to be hanging around the Moon Base, where Numbuh 362 is, it's better than going out into the field where various operatives will notice and wonder why Numbuh 1 isn't with them.

So they buried themselves in their work most of the time avoiding any contact with the other operatives around them. If anything, Numbuh 1's departure only increased the team's work rate but it was only a distraction to deal with the loss of their leader and close friend.

While they unknowingly set themselves up as an example to younger operatives diligently doing their work, if any one of them were to catch them on their break there would be an obvious air of sadness around them. It was something they hoped no one would notice.

Slowly, the team drifted apart. The lack of missions meant that they were never together most of the time, and the constant calls from Moon Base meant they never hung out at the threehouse and were always separated from each other. After a while, they barely talked, let alone acknowledged each other.

They all knew though, that at some point they have to tell Numbuh 362. It's been a whole year and they were lucky there weren't any big missions or else Sector V would've been called immediately. There were a couple of close calls when the Supreme Leader approached them but somehow they were able to manage a flimsy explanation as to why Numbuh 1 wasn't with them.

It wasn't a particularly good day today. It was just one of those days where the realization that Numbuh 1 isn't with them just hit them hard.

Numbuh 2 was in the lab with the other scientists, researching on more powerful energy sources to power their 2x4 tech.

"Umm…Numbuh 2…"

"What is it Numbuh 71.562?" Numbuh 2 shot back.

"C-C-Could you p-pass me th-the–"

"Come on man just spit it out man I'm busy!" Numbuh 2 waved his hands in an exasperated motion and threw down the screwdriver he was holding. "I don't have for this." He mumbled and walked towards the door.

"Ehem. Numbuh 2 where do you think you're going?" said Numbuh 74.239. He was the leading scientist behind the Earth division of the Galactic Kids Next Door.

"I'm just going out for a walk. I need some air." Numbuh 2 grumbled. He wasn't in the mood to be talking to anyone right now.

"Well don't stay out too long. We need your help here, and…you know…" Numbuh 74.239 trailed off. It was the last thing he wanted to mention and it didn't take a genius to know it was the reason behind Numbuh 2's mood. The last thing anyone wanted was for the Supreme Leader to spot Numbuh 2 alone…and in the Moon Base!

"Yeah. I know."

"Listen Numbuh 2," he put his hand on his shoulder and Numbuh 2 was surprised by the contact and looked at him. It wasn't something nerds usually did to each other. They were never really good comforters, "I understand you're miserable about this. But you have to know this information is top priority and we can't have anyone knowing about it. Most people aren't just ready to accept the fact that there are aliens or an organization like us out in space. It's too much! We have to respect the Galactic KND, and by an extension Numbuh 1's, wishes for us to keep silent about all this.

"Everyone here is worried about you. Not just you, the rest of your team too. I know that there aren't many people here that you can talk to but if you need to talk…then talk. I…I don't really know how it feels to have such a close friend, if I had my precious lab taken away I'm sure I would only feel a fraction of the hurt you're feeling right now. But I'm sure Numbuh 1 wouldn't like seeing you like this. And in the end, we're all fighting the same fight. You're doing your part and he's doing his."

Numbuh 2 stared at Numbuh 74.239 for a second before sighing and walking out. "Thanks…" though he wasn't feeling that much better.

"Out of the way! Move it!" The doctor shouted. The cart carrying the patient whizzed through the corridors, the nurse frantically pushing the cart as fast as they could crashing through the double doors of the operating room with a loud bang.

"Come on! Let's get this patient onto the table! Hurry up! Nurse, get the equipment. We're gonna lose him!" Numbuh VO5 put on his gloves while Numbuh 3 rolled the surgical cart toward him. All the while the patient slowly moaning in pain.

"Ok we have to be quick. Scissors." Numbuh 3 quickly passed him the scissors and watched as he furiously worked on the boy's haircut. It was another classic case of parental cutting. The poor kid's father trying to cut his son's hair himself instead of taking him to a professional. It was a standard case, but it seemed his situation came out a lot worse than usual cases.

Numbuh 3 covered her face and looked away only sneaking glances through one eye as she saw glimpses of Numbuh VO5 feverishly navigating the patient's tangled and messy hair.

"Numbuh 3!" He suddenly shouted, "You're not supposed to look away! How else will you be ready for when I need you? This poor child's hair is ruined and you are sitting back because you can't handle looking at this?"

"I-I-I'm sorry. You're right." Numbuh 3 felt ashamed. She was in the Kids Next Door to help kids! How can she do that if she's afraid of a bad haircut? Shaking out of her spell, she stood upright. "Ok! I'm ready to help!" She said confidently.

"Great! Let's do this. Now, hand me the hair cream!"

It was a painfully long operation and both of them were exhausted. Unfortunately, they were not able to save their patient's hair and Numbuh 3 looked defeated, especially after all this time determined to save their patient.

"Can't we do something?" Numbuh 3 pleaded to the doctor.

"I'm sorry Numbuh 3. But we did everything we could. We have to take it all off. It would probably take a few months for his hair to completely grow again but for now we have no choice." Numbuh VO5 wiped the sweat of his forehead and took off the surgical mask. "Please pass the humongo-scissors."

Numbuh 3 slowly gave it to him and in one swift movement she saw him use the scissors to cut of the remaining of their patient's hair. The screen stopped beeping and showed a straight line. With that, Numbuh 3 went outside, tired and crushed after the exhausting ordeal.

Numbuh 3 found a seat and sat down by herself. Since the operation took so long it was already late at night and the outside looked dark, the sky illuminated only by the moon.

She didn't understand why Moon Base kept separating her from her teammates. They were Sector V! They were supposed to go on missions together and hang out at their treehouse and joke around with each other. It wasn't that she didn't like working in the hospital, but she missed her teammates immensely.

She wondered what the rest were doing. Are they having fun without me? Of course not! That's ridiculous! She thought. They missed her and she knew that. But those thoughts were beginning to come to her more and more now. Since Numbuh 1 left there were times where she would break down at the thought of their last time together. And it only showed her how much her friends meant to her.

Numbuh 1 was one of the few KND operatives that took her seriously and treated not only as a friend and confidant but also valued her as a team member. Sure, she knew she could act a little clueless at times but it hurt her to think that was all most people could see about her. To have Numbuh 1 leave so suddenly was heartbreaking.

She needed to find out what the others were up to. It's been a while since they last hung out together and just realized how little time they have been spending. She had to see them, especially Numbuh 4. She had to see Wally. Why do I miss him so much? She wondered. She liked playing with him, even though he would think that she's 'a cruddy girl' she didn't care. Sometimes he could be really sweet if he showed it and she knew those rare moments where Numbuh 4 would show his soft side.

I need to see Wally. She had to see him, and the others.

The Arctic Treehouse was more than happy to accept anyone willing to volunteer to train recruits. It was a tough job and you needed a tough guy to do it.

Numbuh 4 had been helping Numbuh 60 with the recruits for a few months and he fit right at home. It felt good to boss around the little kids and train them to be tough guys just like him.

For the past week he was working on two new recruits who were coincidentally found in Australia. Today he was going to take them to the hardest obstacle course in the training facility.

Strutting right to their dorms while the recruits were on break, Numbuh 4 kicked the door down and shouted, "let's go recruits! Get up! No time to waste!"

The kids, obviously startled at their trainer's grand entrance, leapt up in surprise and gave a quick salute.

"Come on! Today's the day you're going on the super-extra-hard obstacle course so I hope you're ready." Numbuh 4 grinned at Madison and Max, the two recruits. He did a pretty good job of them, probably the best recruits he's ever seen in fighting ability and weapons combat. He saw a bit of himself in these two when he was younger.

"Private Madison and Max reporting for duty sir! Ready and willing to take on today's challenge!" Madison confidently said.

"Then let's go then you cruddy worms. March!" And they made their way to the super-extra-hard obstacle course.

Over the past year there were many recruits that were taken to the Arctic training facility. The overwhelming amount of potentially new operatives was a positive thing to see. Many of the new recruits passed and were quickly assigned to existing Sectors, or made new Sectors with at least one experienced member.

However, it was clear many of the new operatives weren't up to scratch with the KND and most of them were sent to early decommissioning. As a result, the Arctic base and the Moon Base set up a revamped recruitment test, making it more rigorous and demanding. While it meant a lot less operatives, the quality of the KND operatives returned.

"Ok guys, remember what I taught you. Get the package and get back. Everything around you is a distraction. If you fight, then focus on one target and finish them of quick. Stay on your feet and look out for each other. This obstacle course was made so you have to work together. So no one gets left behind no matter how cruddy the situation. You're going to do great. Ready?"

"Yes sir!" The recruits both chanted in unison. Numbuh 4 couldn't help but feel pride for the recruits. Something that didn't happen to every recruit he taught.

Sure enough, Madison and Max did extremely well. Their teamwork was phenomenal and was more than adept in hand-to-hand combat situations. They preferred to get up close when they needed to fight but was able to point and shoot when needed. They ended up beating the course in record time.

"You guys were great!" Numbuh 4 said as he ran toward them at the finishing point. "You couldn't have done any better." He grinned.

"Really?" Max said.

"You guys broke the record time for the course!" Numbuh 4 said and gave Max a bit of a rough noogie on his head.

"Well, we learnt from the best sir." Madison shyly said.

"Now you're a pair of grade-A suckups!" Numbuh 4 laughed. "But you guys did great and I'm excited to see you guys finally be in the Kids Next Door. Now we should report to Numbuh 60 we can get you guys graduated this second!"

Madison thought for a moment before speaking, "Numbuh 4, you're in Sector V right?

"Yeah." He replied. "We're the best Sector there is and everybody knows it. And the adults that don't get a good taste of my knuckle sandwich!" and Numbuh 4 beat his closed fist against his open hand as reinforcement.

"Then how come you never hang out with them anymore and do missions and stuff together?" Max asked innocently.

"Well, it's complicated Kids Next Door stuff." Numbuh 4 looked down and spoke just a bit softer.

"Can you tell us when we become operatives?"

"Please?"

"Ah crud. I'm sorry guys but I can't." It was then he realized it was ages since they hung out together. "Come on guys. We should go to Numbuh 60."

As he walked he wondered about his fellow teammates. He liked teaching recruits here, but he didn't realize until now he missed kicking adult butt with his friends until now.

The times when he and Numbuh 2 would play video games and Yipper cards all day long. He even missed Numbuh 5's constant picking on his stupidity in class and when doing homework, and their constant fights. The days before Numbuh 1 had to leave and join the cruddy Galactic Kids Next Door. As much as hated him leaving, he missed him too. Numbuh 1 was a good leader and he knew it. They would spend time together practicing hand-to-hand combat and even though most of the time he got the better of Numbuh 1, he was still good-natured toward it and he missed the times they would practice together.

He missed Numbuh 3 too, oddly enough sometimes even more than Numbuh 1. Everyone knew he had a crush on her but that was all he thought. She's just a cruddy girl. What else could it mean? He's only 11 years old so what else could he possibly do about it? But however how hard he tried he did miss her whenever she wasn't around and now it hit him like a freight train just how much he did.

Numbuh 4 didn't realize he was standing still until Max and Madison turned around to call him. They were already ahead.

"Hey Numbuh 4 are you coming?" they shouted.

"Umm…no guys you go on ahead first. I need to do something." Numbuh 4 shouted back.

The pair turned around and continued. Numbuh 4 took out his communicator and dialed.

"We need to get them to work together!"

"You know that's never going to work! They wouldn't go within 5 feet of each other even if we give them a candy raise!"

"It doesn't matter. They're KND operatives and they should know better than to not cooperate over petty disputes."

"Maybe if Numbuh 65 can actually cooperate with Numbuh 417 then we wouldn't have this kind of problem!"

"You're only saying that because Numbuh 65 is a boy!"

When Numbuh 5 started to work alongside Global Tactical Operations leader Numbuh 86, she thought she would be adding valuable insight and information to the KND's current tactics and give a sense of organization, which unfortunately, was non-existent because of Numbuh 86's hatred of boys.

Instead, it felt like she was babysitting Numbuh 86. Numbuh 5 had no idea how immature 86 could be. Sure they were kids but it wouldn't hurt to be a bit more mature about all this. She was leading one of the biggest organizations in the world and was letting her 'girls are better than boys' superiority complex get in the way.

A sizeable teen army was gathering in Belgium and due to adult politics a Treehouse couldn't be established there. They were both trying to get Sectors F and G to attack using a double front advantage but neither side was willing to cooperate.

Numbuh 5 was getting tired of Numbuh 86's excuses. She knew she was difficult to work with, but she didn't know how bad until now and it was only a few months.

"You're darn right it is! It's because of those stupid boys." Numbuh 86 drawled out the word 'boys' just to show what she meant. "If both the Sector leaders were girls we wouldn't have this problem!" She shouted. "I'm calling Sector G to get ready for attack."

As Numbuh 86 reached down for the communicator her hand was sharply pulled back by Numbuh 5.

"Numbuh 5 is getting sick of this. There's nothing that says girls are better than boys or that boys are better than girls! There's plenty of capable boy operatives that were in the Kids Next Door. Numbuh 100 and Numbuh 9 for instance. And of course…" Numbuh 5 stopped before mentioning Numbuh 1. She didn't want anyone asking questions and luckily Numbuh 86 didn't pay attention.

"Yeah well that's different! I'm calling Sector G now so if you'll excuse me–"

Numbuh 5 grabbed Numbuh 86 by the collar and pulled her until they were staring eye to eye.

"Now you listen to Numbuh 5 real good because she ain't going to say this again." Her tone was quiet but extremely menacing. "Numbuh 5 is going to Sector G to personally tell them to work with Sector F to stop this teen threat. And you are going to Numbuh 65 and you're going to tell him that Sector G has agreed to work with them. If I catch you saying anything bad about Numbuh 65's abilities just because he's a boy then you're going to get it. Got it?"

Numbuh 86 gulped and only managed a small nod.

"Good." Numbuh 5 pushed 86 away. "Let's go."

A couple of hours later both Numbuhs 5 and 86 successfully convinced the two sectors to work with each other against this threat. On the way back to Moon Base it was clear Numbuh 86 was still shaken by Numbuh 5's threatening response.

Arriving just in time for a dinner break, 86 didn't want any hard feelings between them and cautiously went to Numbuh 5.

"Emm…listen. Do you maybe, want to, get some d-dinner with m-me?" 86 stuttered.

"No thanks. Numbuh 5 needs some alone time. We can talk after dinner." With that she took of to the cafeteria.

Haha I guess that's it for this chapter. Please tell me what you think! When it comes to writing I'm addicted to constructive feedback! If you made it this far, thanks for reading!