{"id":1065,"date":"2022-01-31T20:21:51","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T02:21:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/?page_id=1065"},"modified":"2022-01-31T20:53:20","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T02:53:20","slug":"part5","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/episodes\/episode12\/part5\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

Episode 12: \u00a0Mr. Body Beautiful<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Part 5<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Outside K\u2019s body, inevitable death lingered at the other end of a shock.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s get the petri dish ready to catch them. It looks like they\u2019ll come out of K\u2019s mouth.\u201d Red watched the yellow Beetle hurtle up K\u2019s trachea, pretending not to hear Nick\u2019s high-pitched screaming from the car\u2019s interior feed. \u201cPearl, what do you want Leo to do with them once they\u2019re out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTake them to my lab. Set up the decontamination shower for the car, then Nick and Styx, then the trunk and Jay in the exosuit, then Jay out of the exosuit.\u201d Pearl couldn\u2019t hide the grin on her face at Leo\u2019s look of disgust. \u201cAfter you unshrink them and do the initial wash on the car, they should be able to handle the rest themselves, and you can go to Vegas to catch up with FANS.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leo nodded firmly, though his face was still an unsightly shade of green.<\/p>\n

\u201cHear that, Jay?\u201d Pearl continued. \u201cTwo showers. And a shower for the trunk. After that, tell Styx to go wash and detail my car since he probably can\u2019t hear me saying it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGot it. Got it. Does your car have any buttons that will keep me from having to listen to Nick screaming?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCover your ears.\u201d Pearl shrugged. \u201cLeave the containment receptacles in my lab. I want to study them when I get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? I can\u2019t hear you! I\u2019m covering my ears, and it\u2019s really effective!\u201d Jay laughed, but Nick\u2019s endless screams drowned it out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are we gonna do? What are we gonna do?\u201d Lancy paced dramatically again as Archie pumped K\u2019s chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you go get K a glass of water for when he wakes up?\u201d Red suggested — more to remove the panicking Lancy than to provide K any additional comfort after waking.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, good thinking, Red! I\u2019ll get him a bubbly water to help soothe his throat after having Pearl\u2019s car all over it!\u201d Lancy skipped out of the infirmary, his pinafore shimmying along with him.<\/p>\n

Red breathed a sigh of relief at one distraction gone. At that same moment, a yellow speck flew from K\u2019s mouth and hovered in the air above his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I die? Everything in Heaven looks so big\u2026\u201d Nick mumbled.<\/p>\n

As she laughed, Red held out the petri dish beneath the tiny helicopter. \u201cJust land here, then Leo will take you to Pearl\u2019s lab and unshrink you. Great work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re alive!\u201d The tiny Bugicopter landed on the petri dish with a tiny tap. On the video screen beside them, Nick visibly kissed Pearl\u2019s steering wheel.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely needs a detail,\u201d Pearl grumbled.<\/p>\n

Leo gently took the petri dish from Red and exited the room. Another sigh of relief now that the second distraction was gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we still watch?\u201d Brian spoke up calmly beside Pearl. During this mission, he was a man of few words monitoring from states away.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as you\u2019re quiet,\u201d Red answered calmly as she quickly grabbed the defibrillator pads and placed them on K\u2019s chest. After charging the machine on her crash cart, she ensured Archie had removed his hands from K\u2019s body. \u201cClear!\u201d She pressed a button on the defibrillator, and a shock jolted K\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n

Archie restarted his chest compressions as Red monitored K. Seconds after the shock, the readings on the heart monitor normalized as it beeped in a recognizable rhythm. A good sign. K\u2019s chest began rising and falling against Archie\u2019s hands. An even better sign. When K\u2019s hand twitched, Archie stopped pumping.<\/p>\n

Red took K\u2019s hand and turned it over, pressing two fingers to the radial artery in his wrist. She breathed a sigh of relief when she felt a strong pulse fluttering against her fingertips. \u201cI told you I\u2019d see you when you woke up, K.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad you\u2019re okay, Cous\u2019,\u201d Brian\u2019s voice hitched from the video feed behind her.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Nick paced Pearl\u2019s lab, waiting for Jay\u2019s excruciatingly long second decontamination shower.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust leave without me, dude,\u201d Jay called over the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! We all have to be there for K!\u201d Nick shouted back, secretly horrified that Jay would suggest otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe all this scut work I have to do as a shadow agent!\u201d Styx grumbled. \u201cSitting in the back seat doing nothing for a whole mission! Washing giant boogers off a car just because Pearl says so! At my old job–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, Styx\u2026\u201d Nick started, feeling a little bad when the rookie looked up from his scrubbing hopefully. \u201c…I think she\u2019d want you to address her properly. Professor Pearl, you know?\u201d That was a complete lie, but her face would be hilarious when he did.<\/p>\n

Returning to scrubbing, Styx continued grumbling to himself about his old job and responsibilities.<\/p>\n

Nick felt a little guilty for playing pranks at his trainee\u2019s expense, so he clapped his hand on his shoulder as he picked up a sponge of his own and started scrubbing beside him. \u201cK will notice all the hard work you\u2019re doing. You\u2019ll definitely get missions of your own soon.\u201d When Styx smiled, Nick quickly changed the subject to something much less sentimental. \u201cI wish Leo-nerdwad had washed the car when we were in it. How cool would it have been to ride in a giant bubble?\u201d He grinned gleefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarter, I thought you hated flying?\u201d Jay laughed as he exited the decontamination shower while towel drying his hair, back in his ridiculous shirt with the inner tubes and blowfish\u2026 or red and white blood cells, whatever.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah\u2026\u201d Nick frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about falling out of one if it popped?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick felt his heart clench. Did he have ventric-you-whatever? Probably not, because he could still wonder if he did. If nothing else, he\u2019d probably die of a heart attack before he ever hit the ground in that scenario.<\/p>\n

\u201cForget I asked.\u201d Jay laughed. \u201cLet\u2019s check on K.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah!\u201d Nick dropped the sponge and ran from Pearl\u2019s lab.<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you going to wash your hands?\u201d Styx shouted after him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Why?\u201d Nick shouted back as he tore down the hall. The long hallways and staircases blurred as he hoped K had woken up and would yell at him for running around HQ. Guilt quickly replaced that hope when Nick remembered that he\u2019d momentarily forgotten K while he thought about riding in a giant bubble. Then worry replaced that guilt — what if he didn\u2019t make it to K in time? As these thoughts raced through Nick\u2019s head, he careened around a corner, nearly knocking Lancy over.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou made it back safely! I\u2019m so relieved!\u201d Lancy bounced up and down on his heels as he caught his balance, triumphantly holding the still-full glass of sparkling water.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo time, Lancy!\u201d Nick shouted as he slid into the infirmary Risky Business<\/em>-style. As was typical, he slammed into the foot of K\u2019s bed.<\/p>\n

When Nick caught himself, he scanned the quiet infirmary. No beeping machinery, no medical tools, no video feeds with Pearl\u2019s face, not even Red. Had K\u2026 died? Nick swallowed the lump in his throat and crept to K\u2019s bedside. Had he done something inside K that killed him? Was it the flippers? Or speeding through his heart? Nick sank to his knees as he cupped K\u2019s hand. It was still warm. He must have just died.<\/p>\n

This can\u2019t be happening,<\/em> Nick thought to himself. I can\u2019t\u2026 lose K\u2026<\/em> There had to be something he could do. Maybe annoying K back to life would work like Jay suggested. Not that Nick found himself annoying, but K definitely did. Knowing what he had to do, he took a deep breath and began to sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cDarkness falls.<\/em>
\nI thought I heard you call,<\/em>
\nor was it just a dream?<\/em>
\nI\u2019m a little scared,<\/em>
\nknowing you\u2019re out there<\/em>
\nso far away from me.<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been so long<\/em>
\nsince you\u2019ve been gone.<\/em>
\nEvery day I miss you more.<\/em>
\nNow I wanna know.<\/em>
\nWhy did you have to go?<\/em>
\nWhat were you looking for?<\/em><\/p>\n

And I hope you find your way,<\/em>
\nbut I can\u2019t wait to say\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

As Nick sang, only one thought ran through his mind. If K wakes up, I\u2019ll work hard at being a better, less annoying agent.<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re home now, not alone now.<\/em>
\nThese arms are here to hold you.<\/em>
\nDon\u2019t need to be afraid.<\/em>
\nSo come in \u2018cause I\u2019ve been<\/em>
\nwaiting for the moment<\/em>
\nto open up this door,<\/em>
\nand I know that it\u2019s not much.<\/em>
\nWelcome to my heart\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Normally, K would find Nick\u2019s incessant singing annoying. However, he had to admit, the effort Nick went through to contribute to his recovery was touching \u2013 even after Nick had woken him from his nap by throwing himself against the infirmary bed. Though Nick wasn\u2019t always conventional, everything he did was from the heart he wore on his sleeve. K chuckled at the ironic sentiment of the idiom.<\/p>\n

\u201cK!\u201d Nick shouted. In an instant, he wrapped him in a hug.<\/p>\n

\u201c008, I am your–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really glad you\u2019re okay.\u201d Nick spoke slowly, trying to hide the shaking in his voice.<\/p>\n

Instead of finishing his gut reaction to remind Nick that they were in the workplace, K simply smiled and patted Nick\u2019s back as he returned the hug. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cK! I knew you\u2019d make it out on the other side!\u201d Jay\u2019s voice rang through the infirmary.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh good, you\u2019re both back to normal size!\u201d Red called.<\/p>\n

Nick sheepishly released K from the hug, allowing K to sit up and see the faces of his employees — and friends, though he would never admit that to them. \u201cThank you,\u201d he repeated again.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, thank you.\u201d Jay grinned. \u201cNow I don\u2019t have to be a bargaining hostage for Dr. Rough. Vitruvian should be on his way there, and Pearl has Styx washing her car.\u201d<\/p>\n

K did his best to hide the smile on his face. Of course Pearl would demand her car be washed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d Jay continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cTired, but otherwise fine. I\u2019m starting to think the bomb in my heart was just a weird dream.\u201d K uncharacteristically squished his face, trying to move his nose. \u201cExcept something in my nose is bothering me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething in your nose?\u201d Nick squeaked, hurriedly looking at the floor.<\/p>\n

Red handed K a tissue, which he took moments before sneezing into it. \u201cThat\u2019s better,\u201d he mumbled as he snuck a peek at the contents. Mostly clear, plus a small, blue speck. K furrowed his brow as he stared at it and muttered. \u201cBlue? Why is there a blue speck in my tissue?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick tensed like a cat arching its back as he turned red from the tips of his ears to his nose.<\/p>\n

Jay laughed hysterically, then he patted K\u2019s shoulder. \u201cIt definitely wasn\u2019t a dream, K.\u201d He continued laughing loudly. \u201cAlso, we\u2019re gonna need some new flippers for our diving suits.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a few moments, Red\u2019s infirmary was dead silent as Nick slowly slunk backward toward the door. Then K started laughing loudly. One by one, Jay, Red, and finally Nick joined in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just knew this mission into K\u2019s heart wouldn\u2019t beat<\/em> us.\u201d Nick grinned.<\/p>\n

\u201cCAR<\/em>-TER!\u201d They all shouted but continued laughing.<\/p>\n

Even with Nick\u2019s stupid puns, the laughter relieved any lingering tension from their latest mission. After all, only Nick would get sent into someone\u2019s body to defuse a bomb and leave his flippers behind.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Dr. Rough paced the floor of his private chamber, wearing a path into the plush, purple rug at the foot of his bed. Dr. Twitches was perched on his shoulder. He stroked the ferret\u2019s sleek back maniacally as he waited for word from his human minions.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, he heard the crackle of static coming from one of the many monitors on his wall and lifted his head hopefully as the screen came to life. \u201cTimmons\u2026 Fatone!\u201d he exclaimed, happy to see the Rough Riders he had sent to Las Vegas to apprehend one of Himitsu Takana\u2019s top agents. \u201cTell me you have good news. Is McLean in your custody?\u201d<\/p>\n

The two minions looked at each other. \u201cSorry, Dr. Rough. No sign of him yet,\u201d said Joey. \u201cBut there\u2019s still plenty of time for him to show. Seven hours, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCurses!\u201d fumed Dr. Rough, wishing he hadn\u2019t allowed Jay such a wide window of time in which to turn himself in.<\/p>\n

Jeff must have been thinking the same thing. \u201cWhy did you give him ten hours, anyway?\u201d he asked, frowning. \u201cThat seems like a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I thought it would take him at least two-and-a-half hours to drive to Vegas from the Himitsu Takana headquarters — more like three if the traffic is bad or he has to stop for gas,\u201d Dr. Rough reasoned.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, but then why not make it, like, four<\/em> hours?\u201d<\/p>\n

He bristled, feeling Dr. Twitches\u2019 claws dig into his tense shoulder. \u201cI wanted it to be a nice, round<\/em> number — not four.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine\u2026 five, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFive is not a round number!\u201d Dr. Rough screeched, causing the frightened ferret to squeak and scurry down his back. \u201cRound numbers end in zero! Ten\u2026 Ten<\/em> is a round number!\u201d He was breathing hard by now, his heart hammering inside his heaving chest. He could hear his pulse pounding behind his eardrums as his blood boiled. How dare one of his underlings question his decisions?<\/p>\n

Jeff seemed to sense he was skating on thin ice. \u201cRight\u2026 my mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Rough\u2019s eyes narrowed as he glared into the camera mounted over the wall of monitors. \u201cDo not make another one, or it will be your last,\u201d he warned the minion, struggling to keep his voice calm. \u201cContinue your surveillance of the casino and notify me at once if anything changes. I\u2019m going to check in with our mole and find out what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeff and Joey nodded. \u201cWe will, master,\u201d they agreed. Seconds later, the screen went dark again.<\/p>\n

Dr. Rough took a deep breath, then turned to look for his favorite companion. \u201cTwitches!\u201d he called, ducking down to check beneath the bed. \u201cYou can come back now! Daddy didn\u2019t mean to get so mad!\u201d<\/p>\n

There was no sign of the ferret in his bedroom, so he poked his head into the bathroom. Thoughts of Dr. Twitches disappeared momentarily from his mind as he remembered the sight of Donnie trembling in his white briefs\u2026 Rachel\u2019s blood-soaked body lying in the bathtub\u2026 and the abomination she had given birth to before she died.<\/p>\n

Dr. Rough shuddered. His faithful minions had cleaned the bathroom, disposed of the corpse, and preserved the fetus for further study, but beneath the scent of bleach, he could still detect the faintly metallic smell of blood. It was enough to turn his stomach. Gagging, he dropped to his knees in front of the toilet and hovered there, on the verge of vomiting, until he gathered himself together again. Then he got to his feet and staggered back into the bedroom.<\/p>\n

Sliding open the secret panel on his black wrist cuff, which doubled as a communicator, Dr. Rough sent a short text message to his undercover agent: \u201cContact me ASAP.\u201d<\/em> Then he resumed his pacing.<\/p>\n

He was surprised to hear his communicator beep before his ferret returned. He tapped it to answer the call. A moment later, his mole\u2019s face filled the screen embedded inside the cuff. \u201cCan you talk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t have called you if I couldn\u2019t,\u201d the minion replied shortly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d Dr. Rough pressed another button to cast the video to one of his blank monitors. \u201cSo,\u201d he said, turning to face the camera, \u201cI\u2019m told Agent Jay has yet to arrive at the casino. Do you have an update on what\u2019s been happening at the headquarters?\u201d<\/p>\n

The other man nodded. \u201cI do, but not one you\u2019re gonna wanna hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Rough frowned, feeling his heartbeat accelerate again. \u201cTell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The minion took a deep breath. \u201cThey managed to remove the bomb from K\u2019s body — without killing him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d raged Dr. Rough. \u201cHe\u2019s alive? How could that be? It was set to automatically detonate if the temperature dropped below ninety-five degrees!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey defused it first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut how? That bomb was practically microscopic! There\u2019s no way they could have defused it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey made themselves<\/em> microscopic to do it. Turns out Pearl has a shrink ray,\u201d said the minion with a sigh.<\/p>\n

Dr. Rough\u2019s jaw dropped. \u201cA shrink ray?!<\/em>\u201d he screeched. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me this before?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know, master. I had never seen or heard of it until today when Pearl told Carter how to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCarter\u2026 of course.\u201d Dr. Rough seethed as he turned away from the camera, his eye twitching at the mere mention of the man who constantly meddled with his plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but it was actually Jay who defused the bomb.\u201d<\/p>\n

He balled his hands into fists as he pictured the face of his former friend, the one who had betrayed him by joining the secret agency that had rejected him. Somehow, Himitsu Takana had foiled every evil plot he had conceived of so far.<\/p>\n

No… not every plot.<\/p>\n

He took a calming breath and cleared his throat before turning back to face his mole. \u201cNo matter,\u201d he said. \u201cI have a new mission for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The minion bowed his head. \u201cWhat is it, master?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need you to steal something for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man looked up, knitting his brow as he frowned. \u201cReally? Breaking into K\u2019s bedroom and injecting him with that bomb was one thing, but petty theft?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Rough raised his own brow. \u201cYou believe you are above \u2018petty theft\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, no\u2026 I mean, yeah\u2026 maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI assure you, this is not just petty theft. Should you succeed, this will change everything.\u201d Again, he pictured the alien baby currently floating in a tank of formaldehyde in his laboratory. Then, speaking in hushed tones, he began to explain his latest plot.<\/p>\n

By the time he finished, his undercover agent was smiling. \u201cYou\u2019re right, Dr. Rough. It will change everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Pearl hated packing. Or her version of it. What did it matter if the clothes she already wore were folded or not? She\u2019d have to wash them anyway. Maybe she could find a way to invent microchips that would create self-folding clothing — something to look into when she was back in her lab. While the break had been nice, she was eager to get back. HimTak was the only family she\u2019d ever had. She was anxious to see K, even though his face was on the screen of her still open laptop in Brian\u2019s guest room. He was smiling, thank goodness. It had only been a day since Nick and Jay\u2019s fantastic voyage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell done overseeing the mission, Pearl. As far as anyone can tell, no lasting damage was done. Vitruvian has returned from Las Vegas, and there was no sign of FANS or Dr. Rough. I suspect they realized their plot had failed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd my car?\u201d<\/p>\n

K chuckled. \u201cIt\u2019s being detailed as you asked. Are you finished in DC?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick\u2019s head popped up from the left before she could answer. \u201cYeah, Pearly, are you coming back home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not done, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

K\u2019s thick brows rose. \u201cYou\u2019ve been cleared to stay as long as needed. I\u2019m recovering, and Red has kept an eye on me for any issues, not that any have occurred.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl reached up and tightened her ponytail. \u201cI know, but now that I know that the system is partially<\/em> cracked\u2026\u201d The annoyance was evident in her face as her eyes narrowed. \u201cI want to update it immediately. Make sure that\u2019ll never happen again. Find out how<\/em> it happened.\u201d Her real meaning was clear.<\/p>\n

K nodded. \u201cAlright. We\u2019ll see you soon then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, Nick?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her friend grinned. \u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI better have a new couch by the time I get back!\u201d She smirked before she reached over and shut the laptop, cutting off Nick\u2019s playful reply. Sighing, she opened her purse and pulled out a small box, then walked out the door and down the hall. Brian had the kind of cozy home she wished she\u2019d grown up in. While she didn\u2019t have Nick\u2019s dysfunctional and dramatic upbringing, hers had been far from typical. Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she headed downstairs, where she could hear Opal giggling with Brian on the couch. They turned at the sound of her footsteps.<\/p>\n

She felt herself blushing. \u201cSorry, didn\u2019t mean to interrupt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian just grinned from where he sat, cuddling his girlfriend. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. Something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Pearl walked over to Opal and handed her the small jewelry box. \u201cI wanted to make sure I gave you this before I left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opal looked at her new friend with surprise. \u201cYou didn\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a tradition with me. Open it up!\u201d<\/p>\n

Doing as she was told, Opal let out a small gasp when she saw what was inside: a delicate gold necklace with a large and beautiful oval-shaped opal set within a halo of diamonds. \u201cPearl\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed. \u201cBefore you go on, the jewels aren\u2019t real. If you push the diamond directly at the bottom, it turns the \u201copal\u201d screen on. Two-way communicator to our private HimTak line. Yours is voice-operated to call whoever you need there.\u201d Pearl smirked. \u201cThis way, we don\u2019t have to keep sending encoded emails.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opal laughed along with her. \u201cWow. Thank you.\u201d She stood to hug the blonde. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you went through that trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another blush formed on Pearl\u2019s face, though she tried to shrug it off. \u201cI like taking care of people I like. Anyway, I\u2019m sorry I have to leave early, but with the latest issues\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to go back,\u201d Brian chimed in. \u201cWe get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly. But you guys can call if you need me. Though, I think you have it pretty much cracked, Opal; you shouldn\u2019t need me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another hug. \u201cThank you again.\u201d Opal\u2019s green eyes were soft and warm. \u201cFor everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl was going to miss working with Opal. While HimTak partnered with other scientists when necessary, it was an otherwise lonely department. It had been nice connecting with the cryptographer. They\u2019d formed a kinship that she didn\u2019t often find, even with those with IQs as high — or higher — than hers. \u201cAnytime! We geeks have to stick together, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Opal\u2019s grin matched Pearl\u2019s. \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Night had fallen at the FANS headquarters, yet Dr. Rough continued to prowl inside his private chamber, closely monitoring his minions\u2019 comings and goings through his network of surveillance cameras.<\/p>\n

He could see a gaggle of them playing a rousing game of Twister in the rumpus room, their arms and legs tangled up like tree roots. \u201cRight hand, red!\u201d called Abs, who held the spinner.<\/p>\n

That reminded Dr. Rough of his red-eyed right-hand man, whom he had sent on a top-secret mission with his newly-refurbished prosthetic hand. Hopefully, it wouldn\u2019t try to strangle him this time. He wondered how Drums was doing but resisted the impulse to contact him. He didn\u2019t want to jeopardize the mission. Drums would update him when the deed was done.<\/p>\n

His eyes roamed across the wall of screens, occasionally stopping to spy on different rooms within the compound.<\/p>\n

Donnie lay curled in a tight ball on the bed of his dormitory, his body trembling as he cried himself to sleep. Dr. Rough had assured him that Rachel\u2019s death would not be in vain; he was going to learn as much as he could about the alien baby that had led to her demise. Hopefully, the information he gleaned would help him in his quest for world domination.<\/p>\n

MJ the penguin splashed in an ice bath as he waited for his handler to return from the desert. Dr. Rough had summoned Joey and Jeff home; there was no reason for them to remain in Nevada now that the bomb had been removed from K\u2019s body. Himitsu Takana wouldn\u2019t give up Jay, but they would surely send agents to try to apprehend the FANS henchmen who had been waiting for him. After the double arrest of Danny and Jon in December, Dr. Rough wasn\u2019t about to risk losing more of his minions.<\/p>\n

Sexi sat at the vanity in her suite, meticulously removing her makeup. Her voluptuous body was wrapped in a scarlet satin robe. The slinky material gapped open in front, exposing her cleavage. Dr. Rough gazed at the curve of her breasts, his heart rate accelerating as his hand moved automatically toward his crotch.<\/p>\n

At that precise moment, his communicator beeped, causing his heart to skip a beat. As his breath caught in his throat, Dr. Rough raised his wrist and slid back the panel in his cuff to see who the incoming call was from. He was still waiting to hear back from his mole at Himitsu Takana.<\/p>\n

He tapped the screen, and his prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u2019s face appeared, the red eye blazing from the depths of the dark hoodie that hid his curly hair. \u201cDrums,\u201d said Dr. Rough, his heart resuming its pounding. \u201cDo you have news for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Drums nodded. \u201cMission accomplished, yo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Rough\u2019s face split into a sinister grin.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Pearl ran her hand along the shining metal of her tabletop, the wide surveillance screens depicting agents on missions, her plush black chair. Home. Though she\u2019d loved the time with Opal, being away from home drained her in a way she couldn\u2019t quite explain. For a moment, she sank into her desk chair and monitored the cameras. Leaning back in the chair, she smiled, appreciating the familiar and the comfortable.<\/p>\n

Her joy was short-lived when a sinking feeling crept into her stomach. Someone had put a microscopic bomb in K\u2019s heart. Someone who got past her surveillance. Someone who found a hole in the security she provided for her home. Someone who wouldn\u2019t like what she would do to them. It would make his other eye twitch,<\/em> she thought to herself as she grinned.<\/p>\n

Launching into work mode, Pearl pulled her keyboard toward her, but it scraped on a piece of paper. Pearl frowned and pulled the bright yellow sticky note from her desk. It had two words scrawled on it: My bad.<\/em><\/p>\n

Pearl laughed and spun around in her chair. The first thing that caught her eye was her shiny yellow VW Beetle, free of any remnants of its fantastic voyage. With a scrutinizing eye, she examined the interior and exterior. Clearly she had chosen the right trainee agent for the job of detailing it; she honestly hadn\u2019t expected him to follow through.<\/p>\n

When she rounded the corner toward the driver\u2019s side, she shrieked in delight. There sat a brand new bright blue loveseat. Pearl stroked the plush fabric, then flopped onto it. Under all the joking, Nick was really sweet sometimes. Or at least as long as she threatened him. Shaking her head, Pearl laughed, momentarily forgetting Dr. Rough. And in that moment, she remembered Opal.<\/p>\n

\u201cUgh!\u201d Pearl groaned and tightened her ponytail. \u201cEverything with K distracted me from what was really exciting about the encryption.\u201d Pearl grinned. More than the comforts of her lab, her clean car, and the new couch, one thing always excited her: new technology.<\/p>\n

She approached her lab table, noting the shrink ray and the lead-lined containment receptacles Jay had left on the edge. A mind wiping device lay beside them. Though the bomb had looked simple enough, studying it could reveal if FANS had created it small or had shrinking technology of their own. And knowing that could provide information on the types of people who worked for them and what they were capable of.<\/p>\n

But that could wait. She had figured out the cone of silence, but her encryption work with Opal could finally solve what the other alien device did. Decode exactly how it used brain waves. Pearl reached the end of the table and leaned down to the small safe beneath it. After the machine gun bra incident, extra precautions had become necessary. And it was an affront to technology to leave it out where Nick could break it before she could solve it. After typing in her code, she flung open the safe.<\/p>\n

Empty! She recoiled. Who could have possibly figured out the code to the safe?<\/p>\n

\u201cShit!\u201d Pearl stormed back to her desk and yanked her chair from it. She slammed her fingers against the keys of her keyboard until a familiar face popped up on the screen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome back! You like it?\u201d Nick grinned back at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is it?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean \u2018where is it\u2019? Next to your car.\u201d Nick frowned. \u201cI thought it was the same couch. Is something wrong with it? The size? Should I have shrunk it so you could unshrink it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c008!\u201d Pearl\u2019s hands shook as she stared at the screen. Why was he focusing on the couch? Was he trying to distract her?<\/p>\n

Nick flinched back from the screen. \u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you messing around in my lab again?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said you wanted a new couch when you got back. I got you a couch. I mind-wiped the delivery guys. I haven\u2019t been in your lab since.\u201d Nick swallowed. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re lying!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI swear. The only thing in there is those radioactive bomb pieces. Why would I touch those?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know the code to my safe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat safe?\u201d Nick\u2019s eyebrows pinched in concern. \u201cPearly, are you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cP–\u201d<\/p>\n

She slammed the keys again, ending the feed to Nick. Her computer beeped as he tried to reconnect with her, but she ignored the page. With lightning-fast fingers, she switched all the surveillance cameras to one large feed of her lab.<\/p>\n

Fast-forwarding through it, she kept a careful eye on her main work table. Leo entered the lab with a small petri dish, then set it on the floor. He pointed the shrink ray at it until the bright yellow Bug reappeared in her lab. When he started setting up the decontamination shower, Pearl fast-forwarded quicker. She watched Styx wash her car with lightning speed and then watched him exit her lab.<\/p>\n

It remained empty but visible. Pearl groaned again as the lingering beep from Nick continued to page her. \u201cNothing\u2019s here!\u201d<\/p>\n

That was when movement entered the lab.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh-hah!\u201d Pearl shouted. But her relief was short-lived because the movement was a bright blue loveseat followed by Nick mind-wiping some delivery men. Afterward, the lab remained empty.<\/p>\n

Pearl switched off Nick\u2019s persistent page and leaned her head in her hands. If Nick was telling the truth, what could have possibly happened?<\/p>\n

A glint of light on the screen caught her eye, and her head bolted upright. The screen was black! Pearl gasped and hurriedly rewound the feed.<\/p>\n

At 19:27:43, her perfectly visible lab was empty. At 19:27:44, the feed went black. At 19:47:22, her empty lab reappeared on screen.<\/p>\n

With a shaking hand, Pearl tapped her fingers on the keys of her keyboard. Compared to her earlier aggravated strikes, these ones were practically silent.<\/p>\n

\u201cPearl.\u201d K smiled briefly on the call feed. \u201cWelcome back to headquarters. Are you ready to debrief about the bomb?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2026 no time, K\u2026\u201d Pearl\u2019s voice shook like her fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cPearl, I\u2019m really fine. We can return to discussing the mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need twenty minutes? Okay?\u201d K frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor twenty minutes, the feed in my lab is completely black but still running. No sound, no video, nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

K remained silent.<\/p>\n

Pearl knew he perfectly understood her meaning but couldn\u2019t let it go unsaid after starting. \u201cThere\u2019s been a breach. We need to shut down HimTak immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Behind the Episode<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Episode 12: \u00a0Mr. Body Beautiful Part 5   Outside K\u2019s body, inevitable death lingered at the other end of a shock. \u201cLet\u2019s get the petri dish ready to catch them. It looks like they\u2019ll come out of K\u2019s mouth.\u201d Red watched the yellow Beetle hurtle up K\u2019s trachea, pretending not\u2026<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":1005,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-onecolumn.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1065","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5xaHX-hb","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1065"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1065\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1083,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1065\/revisions\/1083"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}