A/N:Are you kidding me? The previous chapter is STILL screwed up, I'll fix it later today. Sorry for any confusion resulted from the past chapter, or even chapters.

I managed to contact Connor and now was back at the K.I.S.S. base, standing in front of the world's first giant steel Cheerio.

"Natalia, for the last time, it's not a giant steel Cheerio!" Connor said, exasperated.

"Well, that's what I'm calling it, until you tell me what it is!" I retorted in a very mature fashion.

"The device," Connor began.

"Cheerio," I muttered.

"No! Not Cheerio," Connor sighed. "As I was saying, the NOT Cheerio is a special, two way inter-dimensional portal."

"But didn't you and your super-mega-IQ-of-5000000 friends already make a device that can go in between dimensions?" I asked. During my newbie training, I was taught about a special bracelet that could travel between dimensions. The trainer person also explained it only works for R1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. I don't know why. What's wrong with four? Meh. This device can't go between rings, either. But still, it's pretty advanced technology. Because my mission didn't directly involve other dimensions, I wasn't given a bracelet.

"Yes, we did. But this one is very specific. It opens a direct connection between here and R5D1," Connor explained. I nodded in understanding. It makes sense. Make a portal that goes directly into enemy territory. I'm sure if the technology is stolen, there won't be any negative repercussions.

"But why are you showing me this?" I asked. "I'm not a guinea pig for this, am I? I WANT TO LIVE!" Connor laughed.

"It's already been tested, Natalia, don't worry. Remember about the girl I talked to you about the first time you came here? The resistance at R5?" he asked.

"Yeah…"

"Well, now you're going to… You're going there to meet the R5 K.I.S.S. branch. Obviously not alone. McClinton and a few others are going with you. They called earlier today and asked to see you. Also, there's someone… special you're going to meet. Be nice, and" Connor looked me straight in the eyes, "Under no circumstances are you to leave their base alone. If they are attacked, do as you're told. In fact, no matter what, do as you're told. This is a direct order. Understand?" I nodded.

"Yes. No leaving the base, be nice, do as I'm told. Crystal clear," I said. So I was finally going to meet the awesome, butt kicking girl Connor had spoken about. "So, when do we leave?"

"Momentarily, Miss Prentiss," McClinton and four other men, including Purple Mohawk Guy, walked into the room. "Connor, go fire up the portal." This is going to be awesome! From what I've heard about inter-dimensional portals, they sound like they look awesome.

I watched Connor go into what appeared to be a control room.

"Ready?" Connor's voice rang out through some hidden speakers. Purple Mohawk guy shot him a thumbs up. Connor must have done something, as the steel Cheerio began to hum to life. The various holes on it began to glow and soon I was standing in front of an eight foot tall portal that was ringed with blue fire. The flames flickered like any ordinary fire, but bordered the landscape within the portal like a picture frame. Inside wasn't as interesting as I thought it would be. At first I thought about asking why I didn't see a base of some sorts, then I realized; this place was going to be different. Yes here, we need to be secretive with where the K.I.S.S. base is, but we don't have a dictator looking for us. So, there probably wouldn't be a neon sign reading "SECRET K.I.S.S. BASE. ADVERSARIES, IGNORE". Yeah, that wouldn't be very bright. Well, depending on what sense of the word we're talking about.

"Alright, let's go!" McClinton led us towards the portal. I couldn't help but be slightly wary of the blue flames. McClinton turned to me. "The flames are harmless, Natalia. What's on the other side is what you have to worry about." I didn't trust the fire completely, but I trusted McClinton. So I went through. I wasn't sure what I was expecting to see, but it was more exciting than what I saw. It appeared to be an orange desert, with a city in the distance. Not very interesting. But to the left, there was a dark forest that seemed to be avoiding this part of ground.

"What's up with the sand here?" I asked. What? It's kind of random to see a forest in the middle of what appeared to be a desert. Although it wasn't blisteringly hot. This place is messing up my logic.

"A nuclear bomb hit here. Nothing can grow, even now," McClinton explained. At my wide eyed expression he added, "But there aren't any harmful chemicals in the air." Purple Mohawk Guy spoke up for the first time.

"Yeesh, you come to another dimension and all of a sudden, sand is weird," he muttered. Well, hello, nice to meet you, Purple Mohawk Jerk Guy. I just rolled my eyes inconspicuously.

We began our trek through the strange patch of sand. Eventually, grass and other plant life showed up, to my relief. Sorry if a patch of ground that deadly, toxic, cancer-inducing radiation seeped into freaked me out. But I guess deadly-toxic-cancer-inducing-radiation-o-phobia is just found in my head alone. Finally, after about 15 minutes of walking, we came to… a large hole. Literally, it looked like a giant mutant rabbit hole.

"Umm…" I said. I'd say I was surprised but anyone with sense, or who has watched Alice in Wonderland would avoid a giant hole in the ground. So, if this was the entrance, I wouldn't comment.

"You scared, girly?" Purple Mohawk Jerk asked.

"No!" I exclaimed automatically. In truth, I was. I have claustrophobia, the fear of small, dark spaces. As far as I was concerned, that hole was a small, dark space.

"Then go ahead," Purple Mohawk Jerk invited, "After all, 'ladies first'." Who ever said that is really-

"AHH!" I screamed as Purple Mohawk Jerk pushed me rather forcefully down the hole. The dark, small, seemingly endless hole. I really hope Purple Mohawk Jerk can't hear my cursing at him. Somehow, over my screaming, I heard McClinton say,

"Why don't you go after her? After all, 'ladies first'." I honestly hope that was not a near death hallucination. Apparently it wasn't because, thankfully once I got to the end of the Tunnel of Doom, jumped out of the way, and brushed myself off, I heard the shrill, feminine screams of Purple Mohawk Jerk Guy.

"McClinton, one of these days I swear…" he muttered. I giggled into my palm. "What are you laughing at?" he snapped at me. I almost responded, but held my tongue. I remembered by promise to Connor, and I didn't plan on breaking that promise. Be nice. Riiiiight. Tell that to Purple Mohawk Jerk Guy.

"I think it was your screaming. We could hear it all the way from the lab. Not a good idea to do that, especially if you were an enemy," a girl said. I turned to face her and was quite surprised.

She had bright pink hair that was currently tied up to avoid going in her face. Her eyes were electric green and she wore a white lab coat. She smiled. "I'm Rhea. You must be Natalia. Once the rest of your friends get here, we'll go speak with Cat." We're going to meet a talking cat? What? Okay, that is just plain weird. I really hope that I misinterpreted what she said. Cat might be short for something.

"McClinton and the others arrived and we followed Rhea down various hallways. It looked a lot like the Greenport K.I.S.S. base, but it was more obvious that this place was underground. Another thing that was different was the infirmary. I hadn't seen one back home, but I didn't exactly get the grand tour of the place, either.

We arrived at a gray door. Rhea took out a, guess what? A keycard can slid it through the barely existent slot. The door clicked and swung open. Inside was a conference room, or something like it. There was also a girl with long dark hair and violet eyes, almost the same color as Purple Mohawk Jerk Guy's mohawk. She looked us all over, and her eyes landed on me. She kept staring at me, like I was some strange sort of creature thing. Considering her friend Rhea had bright pink hair and her eyes were purple, I don't think it was what I looked like.

"I… I don't believe it. You're alive," she said.

A/N: Cliffhanger!