I do not own the Kids Next Door or anything related to them. Now enjoy the story.

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Kids Next Door mission:

Operation: C.O.R.E.

Controlling

Opponent

Raises

Emergency

If it weren't for the giant tree house standing just down the street from it, the Delightful Children From Down the Lane's mansion surely would have been the eye-catch of the town. Ornate spires and Victorian trestles stood out awe inducing against the humdrum suburban background. But the feelings it instilled in five particular hearts were hardly respectful. In fact, the sight only set their minds to disgust and loathing.

The agents of the Kids Next Door waited silently in the bushes outside the superstructure. Numbuh 1's bald head and shiny sunglasses poked out of the foliage. His eyes tightly scrutinizing the layout before him. Signaling to the red cap nearby, he secured his weapon and rushed across the lawn. His team followed suit, planting their backs firmly against the brick wall.

"Alright team." He started sternly. "The Delightful Children have been receiving their shipments at this entrance."

"Roit, which means it's time we do a little research an' demolition." Numbuh 4 held up his weapon eagerly.

The heavy double doors were locked shut, but that was hardly their concern as Numbuh 5 gently forced the nearby window open and waved her hand to signal that all was clear.

"Let's go." She whispered before slipping in.

The pint-sized warriors followed their spy into the large plush interior of the mansion. The room was piled high with boxes and crates. The Kids Next Door searched for incriminating evidence, but found nothing but packing peanuts, which only served to make Kuki happy.

"Nothing here Boss." Numbuh 2 concluded.

"They must have unpacked it all already." Numbuh 1 answered back.

"Then we gotta 'urry if weh gunna stop those dorks." Numbuh 4 punched a fist into his open palm.

"Looking for something?" A choir of voices spoke from behind.

They spun around simultaneously to face the eerie blue eyes of their enemies. The Delightful Children's faces all shared the same malicious grin as they stepped silently into the room.

"All right Delightfuls," Numbuh 1 shouted with an accusing point. "We know you've been getting shipments to build a new weapon and we've heard all about how you plan to use it to attack Kids Next Door Moon Base!"

The smile never left their devilish lips. The children spoke calmly.

"Is that so?"

"That's right you snobs," the fearless leader smirked, "So where's the weapon?"

The prim fivesome chuckled softly and continued their knowing grin.

"Why Nigel, our supreme weapon is in this very room."

The young operatives tensed themselves searching with their eyes for the deadly armament they now knew was hidden in plain sight.

"Well, where is it?" Numbuh 4 demanded impulsively, "Th'soona we destroy it, th'soona you can get us kickin' your butts ova' with!"

"Oh, there will be plenty of butt kicking to come Wallace." The Delightfuls responded, their faces becoming even more sinister. "But if you're feeling impatient, we can gladly give you a preview."

The floor began to rumble and vibrate as a trap door slid smoothly open before where the Delightful Children were standing. Out rose a mechanical monstrosity best described a something out of a Japanese B movie, only diminutive enough to fit within the confines of the mansion walls.

An elevator door opened on the back of the robot allowing the children to gain entry and take position in the domed cockpit. The Kids Next Door made movements to retreat as the spiked claws and metal tentacles came to life and headed straight for them. They swiftly dodged the first swipe and readied their weapons for battle.

"Kids Next Door!" Their leader commanded, "Battle stations!"

Without further words, ammo was sent flying in a fury of anti-Delightful savagery. The sudden impact sent the robot reeling back a few steps. It recovered itself and aimed a spiked tendril at its attackers. Numbuh 1 saw the thorny appendage and back-flipped from its path. The impact with the floor set the room to tremble as splinters of the hardwood floor flew about. Numbuh 4 cried out a screech of battle and pelted the robot's backside with gumballs at rapid speed. Numbuh 3 did the same with the teddy bears from her THUMPER. Numbuhs 2 and 5 weren't far behind with weapons of their own.

The mechanoid spun its arms rampantly, rotating in a deadly oscillation. Numbuh 5 dodged its whipping fervor and managed to tangle the arm in one of its own tentacles, causing both to break off in a spectacular phantasmagoria of electrical sparks.

"That's it team," Nigel encouraged "take it down!"

As if on cue, all five operatives lunged forward. No longer afraid of the imposing robot of doom, increasing their attack tenfold. Aiming particularly at its newly revealed weak spot. Oddly the expression on the Delightful Children's faces never altered.

"Ha! It'll take more then your cruddy robot de jour to defeat us!" Numbuh 4 proclaimed loudly.

The Delightfuls remained as calm as ever.

"Impressive Kids Next Door." They droned, "But how well can you handle us without your leader?"

They chuckled flatly and eagerly pushed a button on their console. Suddenly, the floorboards beneath Numbuh 1 opened up and swallowed him into a dark void below.

"Numbuh 1!" The remaining operatives shouted with worry as his surprised screams vanished into the depths. Numbuh 5 rushed to the hole just as the floor replaced itself, blocking any chance to reclaim him. She turned an angry glare to the proper quintet. "What are you going to do with him?" She demanded.

The Delightfuls only started their robot up again, two more tentacles emerging from its chest cavity, ready to attack.

"Never mind him." they smiled, "You should be more concerned about yourselves."

Numbuh 1 slid down the slick metal surface, unable to see in the shallow darkness, unable to stop the force of gravity on him. He tumbled clumsily until he popped out the black tube onto the hard floor below. Groaning, he rubbed his head and took in his surroundings. He saw that he had been deposited into a very well decorated home office of some kind. Plush oriental carpet laid neatly out on the polished redwood floor. A bronzed globe sitting in the corner. An oak desk by a closed, curtained window. A large black leather chair stood behind that desk, its back turned to the room.

"Where am I?" Numbuh 1 mumbled, regaining his bearings.

"Hello, Mr. Uno." A despicably familiar voice flowed from within the turned chair. The KND leader cringed with fear and hatred, bitter in the deepest sense, as the seat spun around silently, revealing its owner in all his black, evil glory. Father's yellow glowing eyes laid on the boy with malignant intent. "How nice of you to drop in."

"What do you want Father?" One spat disrespectfully as he took a few steps back, getting ready for anything the adult demon might dish out.

"Well Nigel," the grown up replied calmly and sweetly. "I believe it's past time you and I had a little talk."

"What's there to talk about?" The Brit snarled, "Trying to distract me from my team?"

"This isn't about your team Nigel." Father slowly rose from his chair. "This is about you."

Numbuh 1 tried to resist becoming intrigued, but a raised eyebrow betrayed him. Father smiled.

"I've had an eye on you for some time now. Ever since you first encountered my children, in fact. You're different then most children Nigel. You're smarter, more mature…"

"So's Numbuh 5." One interrupted, "I don't see her here." He secretly wished Numbuh 5 was there. Although he didn't show it, Numbuh 1 was beginning to feel nervous in the direct presence of the most evil of adults.

"Of course," the dark one's buttery voice continued. "But you have certain qualities that even Abigail lacks. Qualities that if properly utilized could be a great benefit to the adult cause."

Nigel sneered, nauseated by the very idea Father was insinuating.

"You're deluded enough to think that I'd actually consider joining the adults? You're more sick then I thought."

"Why not?" Father took a few steps closer. "You've seen what our side is like, Mr. Uno." Nigel clenched his teeth, anger boiling inside at the mention of that painful memory. "And many of your former teammates have already accepted the benefits of the winning side."

"How DARE you compare me to those traitors!!!" Numbuh 1 screamed, his emotions bursting. "What I did during those two weeks was a mistake. A mistake I've since rectified and repented for. I'll never join your side! Never!!!"

Father rolled his pipe to the other side of his mouth.

"I expected as much from you Nigel." He lifted his hand. A ring of fire sprung up around the two. Separating Numbuh 1 from any nearby exit.

"But you will be helping the adults. With or without your consent." Father made a fist, and the ring began to shrink. Nigel too made a fist, ready to fight back.

"You're not scaring me into submission so easily." He declared.

"Always so eager to play with fire, aren't you Nigel. But this time you lack the advantage of being an adult. Or your team's aid."

A ball of flame popped into Father's open hand. Numbuh 1 ducked as the projectile sailed over him, its heat grazing his scalp.

"Is that the best you've got?" The boy teased. Personally Nigel had wanted to take Father on for the longest time. And now he could finally do it on an even playing field, in his true form, and without needing to worry about the safety of his teammates. But the Kids Next Door leader had missed one important detail; when fighting Father, the playing field is never even.

The sudden heat to his hienie reminded Nigel of the still shrinking battlefield. The ring of fire locking him and Father into tighter quarters.

"Things are just getting warmed up." Father smirked, sending another fireball at his young victim. Numbuh 1 continued dancing about, avoiding the flame. The room to move decreasing by the second. Before he could realize it, he and Father were only a foot apart, and the look in those demonic eyes told him; this was right where the adult wanted him.

"I believe this game is over Nigel." The monster drew back a flaming fist. "Time we moved things up to the next level."

Numbuh 1 grunted in pain as the fist made contact with his stomach. A burning ache lingering, so powerful he could swear his guts where on fire. He opened his tensed eyes and beheld the horrible truth.

Father's fist, no, his entire arm, was buried deep into Nigel's body.

"What? No!" The boy gripped the arm with both hands and tried with all his might to dislodge the frightening appendage. Father only laughed manically as his body part sank deeper into Nigel's torso. He took great joy in the child screeching in anguish, the burning getting worse and spreading.

---------

The giant robot wobbled on its remaining leg as Numbuh 2 had successfully blown up one of them.

"Looks like you're on your last leg, Delightful Children." He smirked, taking pride in the pun.

The evil fivesome would have made a comment over the corny line had Numbuh 4 climbing onto their robot not distracted them. He grinned with malice, prying a panel of metal up with his bare hands, aiming to rip out some wires.

"Hey! Cut that out!" The Delightfuls protested, swinging their robot's arms, tying to smack him off.

"Gunna hafta catch me first dorks!" The Aussie laughed, leaping from his position and climbing farther up, mounting himself on the clear dome on top. With Wallabee in full view, the Delightfuls were witness to his tongue being presented to them in all its raspberry glory.

"Get off of there!" They demanded, swinging a tentacle upwards. Four chuckled with superiority, jumping off in time for the whip to come crashing through their very own cockpit.

The mechanoid teetered with sparks for a moment or two before collapsing into a hunk of useless metal junk. The remaining Kids Next Door cheered and hollered with victory. Their joy was sliced by the sudden pained cries of a familiar voice. All faces melted from happiness to fear and concern.

"Oh no! Numbuh 1!" Numbuh 3 whimpered loudly.

"He must be in trouble!" Numbuh 5 shouted. The boys shared her serious expression. "We gotta find him!"

The four rushed through the mansion, following where they had heard the scream. Fortunately their helpless leader was not far away. They came upon him in a hallway, crawling in his hands and knees out of the shadows of a large room. He coughed and groaned, clutching his chest as he struggled with himself to get to his feet. His teammates did not fail to notice his burns and torn clothing. He looked like he had been through hell.

"Numbuh 1?" Numbuh 5 kneeled to help him up. His body spasmed wildly a moment before she took him in her arms. "Are you alright?"

He swayed on his feet, silent as he steadied, propping himself in the nearby wall with one hand and removing his other from her shoulder. He opened and closed his fist with a satisfied look.

"Yes," he choked out. "I'm fine now."

"What happened?" Numbuh 2 asked.

Numbuh 1 adjusted his sunglasses, clearing his throat. Her expression was shaky and fearful.

"It was awful you guys." He whimpered. "I was just trapped in a fight with Father." His teammates gasped in horror as he continued. "I was barely able to escape with my life."

"Is he still after you?" Numbuh 4 inquired, peering around for any evidence of the demon adult.

"No," Numbuh 1 answered. "He got away. What about the Delightful Children?"

"Oh, we totally demolished their so called 'ultimate weapon'!" Numbuh 2 recounted their triumph.

"Is that so?" Numbuh 1 sounded quite intrigued.

"Yeah!" Numbuh 4 proudly added. "We showed those snots who was boss. We took 'um without even breakin' a sweat."

The bald one smiled.

"I expected as much from them." He paused a moment to fiddle with his sunglasses again. "Shall we get back to the tree house?"

"Sure thing boss!" Hoagie saluted as the reunited team headed for the exit. "We can order a victory pizza!"

"Yay! Pizza!" Kuki clapped.

Numbuh 5 gave her leader one last look over.

"You sure you're ok boss?" She checked.

Numbuh 1 grinned,

"Of course. I'm very glad to hear that everything today went according to plan."

If his sunglasses hadn't been placed just so, and his teammates hadn't been so preoccupied with their win, they may have noticed a yellow spark in their leader's eyes as he smirked knowingly.

To Be Continued