{"id":349,"date":"2014-12-30T06:38:26","date_gmt":"2014-12-30T06:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/?page_id=349"},"modified":"2022-01-31T22:16:38","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T04:16:38","slug":"part10","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/episodes\/episode8\/part10\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 10"},"content":{"rendered":"

Episode 8: \u00a0FANthrax<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Part 10<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for all your help. We couldn\u2019t have done this without you,\u201d Red said the next day as she and Nick prepared to leave. She smiled, shaking Julilly\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was glad to help. Hopefully, we won\u2019t have to meet like this again.\u201d Julilly nodded. \u201cBut if we do, I don\u2019t know anyone else I\u2019d rather work with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red chuckled. \u201cI feel the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julilly looked over at Nick, giving him a small smile. \u201cIt\u2019s been fun, Nick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick stared at her for a minute before taking her hand and tugging gently. \u201cWalk with me,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n

Red rolled her eyes, turning and joining everyone else at the waiting van that would take them home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve really enjoyed our time together,\u201d Nick said, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure you have. You say that to all your women, Nick; I wouldn\u2019t stop to think for a minute that you mean that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I do. You\u2019re special, baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah? How special?\u201d Julilly questioned, raising an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally special. You\u2019re my Canadian woman\u2026 the one and only.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julilly groaned. \u201cOh lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick winked. \u201cYou love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julilly said nothing, merely smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo can I look you up the next time I come to Canada, maybe go to a hockey game? You do like hockey, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Julilly gave him a look of exasperation. \u201cI\u2019m Canadian; of course I like hockey.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen it\u2019s a date.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t flatter yourself, Carter. I don\u2019t date co-workers.\u201d She crossed her arms over her chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we\u2019re not co-workers. We worked on a special assignment, and now we\u2019re just two adults going to a hockey game\u2026 and maybe a nightcap after.\u201d He grinned.<\/p>\n

Julilly chuckled. \u201cI should\u2019ve known. I\u2019ll think about it, okay? Hold your breath until I call.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick raised an eyebrow. \u201cI\u2019ll have you know, I\u2019m a licensed scuba diver; I can hold my breath longer than you\u2019d imagine, and that\u2018s without the tank.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julilly stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and tugging him close to her, their lips only inches apart.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah? Prove it,\u201d she murmured before kissing him deeply.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cYa know, I\u2019m really gonna miss Canada,\u201d Nick sighed as he and Red made their way into HimTak\u2019s headquarters.<\/p>\n

Red had been unusually quiet on the trip back, side-eyeing him every so often. \u201cReally?\u201d she dead-panned, walking through the door Nick held open for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely! I mean, I feel like I\u2019m part Canadian now. And the women — so welcoming\u2026\u201d He chuckled.<\/p>\n

Rolling her eyes, Red slipped quickly through the door ahead of her and let it close behind her without bothering to hold it open for him. Nick, who was off in his own world, didn\u2019t notice and ran right into it with a muttered \u201cOw.\u201d<\/p>\n

He rubbed his nose absently as he followed her down the hall. It took a moment before he realized that everyone who passed him seemed to be staring at him. Some snickered behind their hands; others just burst out laughing. He smiled uneasily the first couple of times, but as they got closer and closer to K\u2019s office, he started to grow more and more suspicious, his smile fading into a grimace. \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d he kept asking people, but no one would respond — they\u2019d just started laughing harder.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is some welcome for a couple of agents who just saved the world from a deadly virus.\u201d Nick frowned. \u201cThey should be thanking us, not laughing at us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not us<\/em> they\u2019re laughing at, Nick; it\u2019s you.\u201d Red grinned.<\/p>\n

Nick furrowed his brow. She seemed to be enjoying this, and that was not cool.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know they\u2019re not laughing at you? How do you know that they\u2018re\u2026\u201d Nick stopped suddenly.<\/p>\n

Lancy stood outside K\u2019s office, staring intently at him. Nick had grown used to the way Lancy stared at him, but not like this. It was as if he were undressing him with his eyes. There was a longing, a hunger in his eyes that Nick had never seen before. He turned quickly, checking to make sure his fly was zipped before turning back around.<\/p>\n

Lancy continued to stare at him, his eyes never leaving Nick as he and Red made their way into K\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the hell was that all about?\u201d Nick asked, looking at Red.<\/p>\n

She shrugged, still grinning. \u201cI have no idea; I\u2019m as lost as you are. Well\u2026 maybe not that lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShuddup!\u201d Nick groaned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno, you\u2019ve always been the product of his fantasies\u2026 Maybe he\u2019s just gotten really good at fantasizing about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just sick, you know that? I haven\u2018t done anything different to feed his, uh\u2026 whatever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red simply smiled.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cIn other news, we\u2019re told that the plague that had been sweeping through Canada was caused by a biochemical weapon dubbed \u2018FANthrax.\u2019 Although it shares some common characteristics with the similarly-named anthrax, FANthrax is viral, not bacterial. We\u2019re told that the antidote developed by scientists at Canada\u2019s Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control is currently being distributed across the country. More doses will be manufactured to ship to other countries to prevent a global pandemic.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cToo bad that couldn\u2019t have happened before I caught it.\u201d Brian smirked as he watched the news from where he was lying on the couch.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d been back home at his country house in Virginia for about a week now. Ashavari had even come with him, taking her work with her so that she could help nurse Brian back to health. He could hear her in his kitchen, preparing a batch of homemade chicken and dumplings. He smiled. It was nice being pampered. Although he was doing better, he was still weak from the effects of FANthrax. Red had warned him he\u2019d need at least two weeks of rest before even considering going back to work. Of course, his boss and Opal had gotten wind of that and were holding him to it. He sighed. He wasn\u2019t fond of being stuck on bed rest; he\u2019d always been an active guy, and being confined like this was going to drive him crazy soon enough. He\u2019d give them two weeks. Three wasn\u2019t an option; he\u2019d start acting like Nick if he was confined that long. At least he\u2019d survived one already\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026The Canadian Service Intelligence Agency has repeatedly denied rumors that the virus was bioengineered by a terrorist organization, claiming it was created by an anarchist acting alone. Sources report that the culprit is believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash during a pursuit by both the Canadian and American Air Forces\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Brian muttered to himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, it\u2019s funny how HimTak has their fingers in every global problem, yet no one has any hint of their existence,\u201d Opal remarked as she came into the living room, carrying a bowl of piping hot soup.<\/p>\n

Brian chuckled softly. \u201cI know, but that\u2019s how the UN wants it.\u201d He smiled as his girlfriend set the bowl on the TV tray before him. The aroma tantalized his nose and reminded him of just how good it felt to eat real, home-cooked food again.<\/p>\n

Ashavari sat beside him on the couch. \u201cSo working for the UN isn\u2019t just a rumor spread to enforce authority.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot the way Kev tells it, and he\u2019s always been honest with me since I started liaising with HimTak. The UN figured they\u2019d be nothing but a powerless figurehead without something to back it up. I\u2019m sketchy on the details\u2026\u201d He smirked as he sat up on the couch. \u201cIn fact, I\u2019m pretty sure I\u2019m not allowed to know what I do, but it led to HimTak being born, a police force to keep the world at peace, for the most part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ashavari nodded. \u201cMakes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian dug into his soup, blowing on the spoonful of chicken and dumplings before he shoveled it into his mouth. \u201cMmm\u2026 this is so good, baby,\u201d he said as he swallowed.<\/p>\n

She smiled. \u201cAs good as your mom\u2019s?\u201d<\/p>\n

He hesitated before giving her an honest answer. \u201cAlmost.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed. \u201cWell, I\u2019m learning, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I\u2019m not complaining.\u201d Brian took another bite.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d she said as he continued to eat. \u201cI got a new assignment the other day\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced up, raising his brow. \u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust before I rushed up to Canada. It\u2019s from the Feds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian frowned. As much as he loved serving his country as part of the Central Intelligence Agency, he wasn\u2019t fond of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He felt there was too much overlap between the FBI department that dealt with unsolved cases and unexplained events and his own division of the CIA. As a result, the FBI tended to interfere with Brian\u2019s investigations.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally? What do they want with you, Ash? I know they have their own cryptographers\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember your Playboy mission?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlien central? Sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the technology they took\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill can\u2019t believe they were allowed to keep it all when my branch could have done more with it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re borrowing me to see if I can crack the alien language. My department approved it. It\u2019s supposed to rank above all other assignments — and stay highly classified\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian chuckled. \u201cSo I don\u2019t count then. Nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ashavari shrugged. \u201cYou\u2019re getting too scruffy,\u201d she teased, her hand brushing against his sideburns. \u201cYou know you need to shave. You\u2019re starting to look like the Wolfman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian recognized her attempt to change the subject, but he went along with it, howling playfully. He loved to make her laugh.<\/p>\n

Before they could continue their conversation, Brian\u2019s phone began ringing. He didn\u2019t recognize it at first because the ringtone wasn\u2019t the one he normally had. Yet, it absolutely came from his phone, which was vibrating beside his soup bowl on the TV tray in front of the couch. Brian\u2019s eyes narrowed as he listened to the lyrics of the song that was playing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wanna know what you get<\/em>
\nWhen you play a country song backwards<\/em>
\nYou get your house back<\/em>
\nYou get your dog back<\/em>
\nYou get your best friend Jack back<\/em>
\nYou get your truck back<\/em>
\nYou get your hair back\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t know how Nick had done it, but he was definitely going to get him back for this.<\/p>\n

Opal covered her mouth as she laughed.<\/p>\n

Brian stuck his tongue out at her, causing her to giggle more. Fighting the urge to laugh himself, he finally picked up the phone. Before Canada, he would have been furious. Now, he found it hilarious, but damn if he was gonna let Nick know that immediately. \u201cCarter,\u201d he said, trying to sound stern.<\/p>\n

And what did Nick do? Instead of answering like a normal person, he started singing. \u201cOh itty bitty dinky one\u2026 come on and talk to me\u2026 Oh itty bitty dinky one, I\u2019m down on my kneeeeeeeeeee\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Finally, it was too much. Brian burst out laughing. \u201cHow\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I change your phone? I called down and asked Pearl to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian raised his eyebrows, stifling a chuckle. \u201c\u2026You actually went to the trouble of getting Pearl to hack my phone? You mean, you couldn\u2019t just have changed it while I was, oh\u2026 I dunno\u2026 comatose<\/em>??\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a pause. Then Nick\u2019s sheepish voice replied, \u201cUh\u2026 yeah, well\u2026 shitballs. I didn\u2019t think of it at the time!\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian snickered. \u201cFail.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot for Pearl,\u201d Nick insisted. \u201cShe got a kick out of it, too\u2026 once she was done yelling at me about the car. She wanted to kill me for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you seen K yet? I need to call my dear sweet cousin. I have such a story to tell him about that car of yours\u2026 oh, and that bumblebee, gas-guzzling Hummer\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was ALL they had, I tell you!\u201d Brian could hear him laughing, too. \u201cI kinda miss Canada\u2026 had to say goodbye to Julilly\u2026 damn, and she was fun, too.\u201d Brian shook his head. \u201cBut how are you feeling?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter. They got me down on bed rest for two-and-a-half weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAight, then that\u2019s when I\u2019ll come up, and we can wrap up this file. I just, you know\u2026 had to call.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian got the meaning. It was strange, that feeling of camaraderie that had popped up between them during this mission. Yet, there it was, undeniably. Nick had been there for him in ways Brian would never have expected. He was actually a better agent than Brian had ever thought. Strange. Just like everything else in Himitsu Takana.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Nick. Or should I say\u2026 008?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou suck, Country Boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBye.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLaters!\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian flipped the phone shut, and Opal kissed him gently on his cheek, giving him the smile he adored. \u201cI told you he wasn\u2019t the Anti-Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShush.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust admit I was right, Bri\u2026\u201d she sing-songed.<\/p>\n

\u201cShush.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMake me.\u201d<\/p>\n

His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close against him, her lips only inches away from his own. \u201cOh, I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

At the FANS headquarters in the heart of the Florida Everglades, Dr. Rough\u2019s henchmen had gathered in their meeting room. They sat silently in solemn rows with their heads down, avoiding looking at the flower bouquets and large, framed photos of their leader that lined the four walls.<\/p>\n

The man in the pictures was much smaller in real life than he had been portrayed, but as he stood before them, Dr. Rough had never looked more menacing. His left eye twitched as he looked across row after row of his minions. He had collected these forgotten agents after other agencies had rejected them, casting them aside like pieces of trash. All were faithful to him. Yet, as he surveyed their fearful faces, he realized there was only one he could truly count on. His eyes landed on Drums, who was sitting in the last row. Drums alone deserved to be rewarded, Dr. Rough decided, remembering how his right-hand man had rescued him during his recent brush with death.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Rough watched as the helicopter carrying the exasperating 00Carter and another agent neared his aerial escape. The female agent was better at flying the pursuing helicopter than he ever would want to have admitted. He needed to find a way to shake them.<\/em><\/p>\n

He glanced below and noticed he was flying over what he believed to be Lake Erie. Staring ahead, he knew he was flying right into U.S. airspace, but it was a risk he was willing to take to shake his tail.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sweat on his palms caused his hand to slip from the collective and down onto a panel of buttons he had not noticed originally. Quickly grabbing hold of the collective again in order to keep control of his helicopter, he glanced down and grinned to himself. Now he knew exactly how he would get away from those meddlesome kids and make them believe he was no longer a threat.<\/em><\/p>\n

Timing his turn, he veered back towards Lake Erie, the perfect place for this plan. In order for it to work, he needed to fly low.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDrums!\u201d he barked into his headset as he held on to the controls, contorting himself to reach just what he needed from behind his seat. He could feel the helicopter dip sideways, tilting objects inside to the right; he hoped the agents were still far enough away that they did not catch that flying blunder.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYah, boss?\u201d Drums spoke back.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Rough detailed his brilliant plan to his right-hand man. He knew Drums would fulfill his part. Now he just had to make sure his end worked as well as his mind had envisioned.<\/em><\/p>\n

He tried desperately to pull his arms through the air tank\u2019s straps so that he would be prepared. Using only one hand, he thought he had control, despite his right arm getting caught on the strap.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGar!\u201d he shouted as he lost control of the helicopter. Just then, he heard gunfire coming from the pursuing chopper. He would have cursed his foolishness, but the sudden swerve of his own copter saved him from being hit too soon by the agents.<\/em><\/p>\n

Both hands now on the collective, Dr. Rough purposely swerved and sped forward, searching for the perfect place for his feigned demise. It was not long until he found the spot and turned his copter so that his door was on the far side. Staring out the passenger window at the oncoming helicopter, he jimmied the steering to hold position and jammed his hand down on the self-destruct button.<\/em><\/p>\n

He grinned as he saw them fire, as he hoped they would. He pulled the breathing apparatus around his face and clung tightly to the air tank. As the missile struck the flank of his helicopter, he lowered himself through the trapdoor in the floor and dropped, freefalling towards the water. He could feel the heat from the hit, followed by a fresh burst of fire from the explosion as the helicopter self-destructed.<\/em><\/p>\n

By contrast, the water was cold as he sank beneath it and swam for the shore, where he knew Drums would be waiting. He hoped that the extra fireworks would prevent the interfering agents from looking for him.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr. Rough still thought his escape from the HimTak agents was one of sheer brilliance, but now he was infuriated. Drums may have had his back, but the other minions had failed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could this happen?!\u201d he shouted to the four Moffatt brothers who sat in the front row, quailing under his furious stare. They had only recently been his favorites. Now they would be eel fodder if he could just find an eel that would eat their flesh.<\/p>\n

\u201cTHOSE BLASTED HIMTAK AGENTS HAVE FOUND A CURE!\u201d he screamed, picking up the first thing he could reach to throw. Looking at the object in his hand, he thought better of throwing a picture of his mother. Instead, he snatched a vase filled with flowers and hurled it across the room. \u201cWHY DO WE HAVE VASES WITH FLOWERS, ANYWAY?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey make the place cozy,\u201d answered one of the identical ones — Dr. Rough could not remember which. It didn\u2019t matter — a moment later, his brothers were dragging him off to the medical wing, as the picture of Dr. Rough\u2019s mother did fly from his hands, hitting the minion in the nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne\u2026 two\u2026 three\u2026 four\u2026 five\u2026\u201d Dr. Rough counted in an attempt to calm himself down. He looked out at the crowd of minions gathered, awaiting the beginning of the meeting. Turning to business, he stepped up to his podium and began. \u201cAs we are all aware by now, Operation FANthrax did not complete its objective.\u201d<\/p>\n

He started up a slide show, which showed a picture of a Moffatts concert, followed by images of hospitals full of the sick, then onto the images of those once ill recovering, including a picture of Officer Littrell.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the infection of Officer Littrell, we weakened Himitsu Takana\u2019s regime only slightly. That is why you have all been called here today. It is time to embark on my newest scheme: Operation Let It Blow!\u201d He threw back his head and cackled maniacally as his minions clapped and cheered.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Back at HimTak, Red and Nick waited in K\u2019s office for him to debrief them after their mission. They both turned around when K entered the room, angrily slamming the door shut.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I need to remind you, 008–\u201d K began as he sat down behind his desk, glowering at Nick.<\/p>\n

\u201c00Carter,\u201d Nick corrected, wincing when Red elbowed him in the arm.<\/p>\n

K ignored the interruption and continued, \u201c–that you have a license to kill, NOT to break traffic laws. We\u2019re not paying these tickets off for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut K–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut NOTHING! You broke at least five traffic laws in two minutes! What were you thinking?\u201d K asked, waving his hand at Nick as he opened his mouth to answer. \u201cOn second thought, I probably don\u2019t even want to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t. Really,\u201d Red insisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe point is, you caused a lot of damage and could have made things worse if–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c–If I hadn\u2019t known you were a total blond and put in extra safety mechanisms,\u201d Pearl finished, interrupting K again as she opened the door of his office. \u201cDo you realize how long it\u2019s going to take me to make all of those repairs?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick looked back at her standing in the doorway, noticing her arms crossed over her chest. He had a feeling that if looks could kill, he would have been dead the moment she walked in. Just as that thought crossed his mind, Diamond entered the room behind Pearl. The tight red dress she wore made his heart race so fast that he thought he might have a heart attack and die anyway.<\/p>\n

\u201cLadies, this meeting is supposed to be private,\u201d K told them, then cleared his throat in an attempt to redirect Nick\u2019s attention to the matter at hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2019s this\u2026\u201d Pearl said, stifling a giggle as she strode over to K\u2019s desk and pressed the button on his nameplate, causing the projector screen to pop from within it. She then pressed a button on the remote in her hand. A picture appeared on the screen of Nick, in all his naked glory, standing in the hallway of the hotel, moments after his scuffle with Brian had caused his towel to fall down. Diamond wolf-whistled while Pearl laughed hysterically, and Red tried to look as innocent as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT THE–?! HOW DID–?! RED?!\u201d Nick exclaimed, jumping up from his chair and spinning around to face Red Jewel.<\/p>\n

Red tried not to laugh any harder than she already was, but the expression on Nick\u2019s face, both in the picture and in person, was just too priceless.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t resist, Nick\u2026\u201d she answered once she had contained her amusement \u2013 for the moment.<\/p>\n

Nick stared at her, appalled, and took a few steps towards the door before K\u2019s voice stopped him again. \u201cNot so fast, 008. We\u2019re not done here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut K, haven\u2019t I suffered enough?!\u201d Nick motioned to the picture still displayed on the screen.<\/p>\n

K glanced back quickly and tried to cover up his laughter with a fake cough. \u201cNo, you haven\u2019t,\u201d he stated flatly, motioning for Nick to sit back down, which he did, begrudgingly, slumping down in the chair and crossing his arms over his chest like a child throwing a tantrum. \u201cI haven\u2019t even gotten to how ridiculous that rental car was! You represent our organization when you go on missions, 008; you can\u2019t do something as outrageous as renting a bumblebee yellow Hummer to drive around Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it was all they had!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI highly doubt that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI swear, it was–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to hear it! You\u2019re paying for the car rental, too,\u201d K said, as Nick scoffed in disbelief.<\/p>\n

Before Nick could object, the door opened once again., This time, Emerald walked in.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh jeez!\u201d she exclaimed, immediately putting her right hand up to block her view of the picture. \u201cI didn\u2019t know you guys were watching Nick Jr. in here. Think of the children!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t hate, Em,\u201d Diamond said as she checked her reflection in the mirrored screen on the front of her cell phone. \u201cEveryone should get to enjoy it every once in a while, even you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Emerald replied, leaning against the wall near the doorway to avoid coming any closer to the disturbing picture. \u201cThough I wonder how anyone can find that thing without a microscope\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

This time, it was Nick who responded. \u201cJust admit that you could never handle me, Avril.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need a babysitter, not a girlfriend, Double-0-Streaker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew we shoulda dropped you off at home while we were in Canada,\u201d Nick grumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cENOUGH!\u201d K shouted, stopping both agents from erupting into yet another argument. \u201cEmerald does have a point, Nick: your behavior on this mission was unacceptable. You\u2019re a secret agent — that means your presence needs to stay a secret. Running naked through a hotel is not the proper way to stay incognito.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cK, that was a total accident! I just got out of the shower, and–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, I don\u2019t want to hear it, 008! I expect those expenses to be paid on time and you to remain fully clothed at all times during missions from now on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven when I take a shower or something?\u201d Nick asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about you try not leaving hotel rooms without your pants on, Nick?\u201d Red suggested, giggling as Nick glared at her again.<\/p>\n

\u201cGee, I wonder why I didn\u2019t think of that,\u201d Nick said sarcastically.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, you didn\u2019t.\u201d K nodded behind him at the picture, now trying to control his laughter even more. He looked up at the doorway and saw Lancy poke his head into the office.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry to interrupt, but I have Nick\u2019s notes — OH\u2026 MY\u2026 GO–\u201d Lancy fainted before he finished his sentence, having finally taken in the entire picture practically staring him in the face. Diamond shrieked as she rushed over to help Red aid Lancy, while K and Pearl glared at Nick as he finally started to laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay\u2026 now that was kinda funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

Episode 8: \u00a0FANthrax Part 10   \u201cThanks for all your help. We couldn\u2019t have done this without you,\u201d Red said the next day as she and Nick prepared to leave. She smiled, shaking Julilly\u2019s hand. \u201cI was glad to help. Hopefully, we won\u2019t have to meet like this again.\u201d Julilly\u2026<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":141,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"templates\/template-onecolumn.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-349","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5xaHX-5D","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/349","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=349"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1149,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/349\/revisions\/1149"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}