Chapter 1.- The Beginning.
(To make this part seem like an opening, go to this link: watch?v=_bHfbbNH7uw)
John Brown was an average man.
He was 25 years old, he was 6 ft. tall, he had dark brown hair and brown eyes, a thin but strong complexion, a keen eye for small details and an iron will. Aside from the latter, he was nothing out of the average.
He lived with his niece, a nine-year-old girl named Penny, and her dog, a beagle by the name of Brain. He also had a girlfriend named Brenda Bradford, who was a brilliant scientist.
He worked as the newest officer of the Riverton Police Department, but due to him being a rookie, nobody took him seriously.
He lived a rather normal life until something changed his fate radically, turning him into the best crime-fighting machine that was ever made. This is the first of three stories that will tell his adventures and misadventures, about how he was transformed from Officer John Brown into the world's best detective, Inspector Gadget.
It was a warm summer night in the city of Riverton, Arizona.
And inside a car of the Riverton Police Department, a rookie officer was driving around, waiting for his shift to end.
He was on his first actual assignment, after three months of excruciating parking, and due to a lack of officers, thanks to the recent rise in the crime rate, he was sent out alone. He hadn't gotten a partner to work with, but he was thankful for that, as he preferred to work alone because the other officers treated him as a newbie, which he was but it still annoyed him.
However, he was feeling quite anxious, as he had a date in around an hour with a lovely doctor he had met while walking down the street. They had stumbled on each other and even if they discussed a bit in that moment, something had simply made them think it was their fate to be together, and so they started dating. It had been almost four years since that happened, and that night he was going to ask her the big question.
- It's been nearly a year since I met Brenda, I'm quite nervous but I know she's the one, I can feel it. - John said to himself while he was driving his patrol car. - Man, what wouldn't I give to do something to ease my mind.
And in that precise moment, a black van drove at twice the speed limit, passing and ignoring John's patrol.
- Looks like my wish has just been granted. - John said with a grin.
The rookie officer pushed the throttle, stomped his foot on the pedal and turned on the siren while he grabbed the radio.
- Here, Officer John Brown, I'm in pursuit of a black van with no identification in the fifth avenue, I request reinforcements, over. - The rookie said through the police radio.
- Roger, rookie, reinforcements en route. - Replied a woman's voice. - But this better not be a false alarm or you'll be put on probation.
John groaned and cursed, it was bad enough to be the rookie but did everyone had to remind him of it and treat him as such all the time?
(Meanwhile, at the Bradford Research Laboratories)
In a rather modest set of facilities, the experts in mechatronics and bioengineering, Dr. Brenda Bradford, her brother and her father were working in the development of a project that would revolutionize the future of the Police Corps in the world, a project they had labeled "the Gadget Project".
Right now, Brenda was finishing some kind of chip while her brother Nathan was wiring a robotic foot, and while their father, Gerald Bradford, was finishing some kind of helmet.
- How is everything going, Nathan? - Asked Brenda while she checked a few things on her computer.
- Excellent, I just need to connect a few more wires. - Nathan responded while he connected a bunch of colorful wires to the mechanical foot.
- Ok, my children, this is the final test. - Said Gerald while he finished the helmet. - This is why we've been working so hard all this time. the Gadget Project is our masterpiece and I couldn't be happier that you helped me get this project underway.
- You'll be happier when I install this. - Brenda said while she showed her father a blue chip with some red LEDs and a stylized letter "G" in the middle.
- So you're finally done? - Asked Nathan.
- Yes, Nate, the Neural Network Impulsor is functional in every sense of the word, and it's gonna make the whole Gadget Project work.
- Ok then, insert it and let's get this over with. I'm so excited! - Said Gerald with a lot of enthusiasm.
Brenda chuckled a bit, even though her father was fifty years old, he was still a kid at heart. The woman walked up to her father as he put the helmet he was working on, on his head.
- Well, this is it. - Brenda said while she got ready to insert the NNI in a slot in a helmet. - Ready?
- Wait, I'm not ready. - Gerald said while he strapped said helmet to his head. - Ok, we're all set.
Brenda took a deep breath and inserted the NNI into the slot. Immediately, Gerald started to think.
"Move." The old doctor said in his mind. And yet, to the Bradfords' disappointment, the foot stood still.
- It's not working. - Nathan said with disappointment. - I thought you said that thing was functional!
- Maybe it's because you don't even know how to tie your shoelaces and you made a mistake on the wiring! - Replied Brenda.
- Calm down, kids! - Said Gerald. - There's something wrong and we gotta solve it, so stop acting like five-year-old toddlers and help me find out what's wrong.
- Yes, dad. - Said both siblings.
- Ok, according to this, everything is working fine. - Said Gerald while he checked a few things on a monitor. - Hmm, what could have gone wrong?
- Maybe something is not ok with the neural waves, what exactly were you thinking, dad? - Nathan asked.
- The usual, I just thought to move the foot but it didn't work.
- Hmm... We gotta find the source of the problem. - Brenda said while she looked at her watch. - Oh God, it's almost eight o'clock. I have a date with John tonight, I'm afraid I gotta go now, otherwise we're gonna lose our booking.
Gerald smiled whole-heartedly and Nathan chuckled at Brenda's statement. They both had met John, and even if in the beginning they didn't like him in the slightest, they had started to trust him since a few months ago. Gerald and Nathan tapped their feet and grinned as if they were waiting for an answer. Brenda noticed it and said:
- What?
- When were you going to tell us? - Nathan asked.
- Oh please, Nathan, my relationship with John it's none of your business.
- Brenda, you have to understand that if we want to know about your relationship is because we care about you. - Gerald said while he took his daughter's right hand in his hands. - We don't want you to be hurt.
- I know, I know, but trust me, John will never do that to me.
- He better not or he'll pay. - Nathan said menacingly.
- Thanks for the support, Nathan, but that won't be necessary.
- Very well, my dear, you may go. Nathan and I will fix the problem with the foot. - Gerald said to his daughter.
- Thanks, dad. - Brenda said while she kissed her father's cheek.
Brenda stood up and walked to the entrance, Nathan checked some files and data on his computer and Gerald just sat down with a small smile while he closed his eyes and tapped his foot. Then Nathan heard some noises, he turned to find the source and his eyes went wide open when he saw what the source of the noise was.
- The foot is moving! - Nathan said.
Brenda stopped dead in her tracks and Gerald stood up quickly, they ran to the foot and to their disappointment it was still like always.
- Stop telling lies, Nathan, I'm late for my date and I have no time to waste. - Brenda scolded her older brother.
- It was moving! - Nathan said while he scratched his ear. - What were you thinking, dad?
- I was thinking about how much your sister looks like your mother, and how sad yet proud I am because she's no longer my little girl, but a beautiful and intelligent woman. - Gerald said with a longing smile.
- I'll always be your little girl, dad. - Brenda said while she hugged her father until something clicked in her mind. - Wait a minute... That's it!
- What's it?
- The foot moved because of your will, dad, not by your thoughts! The Neural Network Impulsor is activated by your heart, not your mind!
- Try it again, dad, think of something nice and tap your foot. - Said Nathan.
Gerald thought about his family and tapped his foot, to his and his children's surprise, the foot did move this time.
- We did it! - Nathan cheered.
- We moved the foot! - The Bradfords cheered with small jumps.
- Make sure you write the results of the project, Nathan. - Brenda said while she removed the NNI from the helmet. - I'll put the Gadget Chip somewhere safe.
Brenda glanced at her watch again and she gasped, then she put the NNI in the pocket of her lab coat and ran to the lockers room.
- Sorry, gotta go, bye! - Brenda said while she left the lab in a hurry.
Nathan and Gerald chuckled at the youngest Bradford's hurry, unaware that a great danger was coming towards them.
(Meanwhile with John)
John was angry with the woman in the station because she said she'd send reinforcements but it looked like she thought he was overreacting to a simple thing for being the rookie.
- Goddamnit, Karen! I'm a rookie, not an idiot! - John cursed while he kept chasing the black van. - I know when something's not right!
Then the black van made a sharp turn in a street, and John almost crashed against a wall because he didn't have enough time to notice it. John stomped his foot on the brake and turned the wheel with all his strength, luckily the patrol stopped before he crashed into the wall.
"Wow, that was close!" John thought while he wiped some sweat from his forehead.
The officer frowned as the truck kept going, then he reignited the motor of his car and stomped his foot on the accelerator. John drove as fast as he could and stayed hot on the truck's tail, and after he checked the name of the street they were in, he gasped.
"That truck is heading towards the Bradford Research Labs!" John said inwardly. "Oh no! Brenda!"
John frowned with determination and pushed the throttle to the max, hoping to get the van before they got to the labs.
(Not too far from there)
Inside a black limo, parked not too far away from the Bradford Research Labs, Dr. Victor Isaac Scolex, a famous businessman that owned the Scolex Industries, had heard about the Gadget Project and he wanted it for himself, as he knew that if his company could get the project, they'd own the global weapons market. And right now he was using a camera on the van that John was chasing, to check that his theft went as smoothly as planned.
- Soon, Dr. Bradford, your laboratories will be nothing but history, and thanks to your generous contribution, Scolex Industries will dominate the global weapon market! - Scolex laughed while he supervised the van from his limo.
(Back at the Bradford Labs)
Nathan was writing the results of the Gadget Project on his computer while his father was still playing with the foot, which was starting to annoy Nathan.
- Dad, could you please cut it out. - Nathan asked. - I'm trying to write down the results of the Gadget Project, we need to give them to the mayor and the chief of police tomorrow morning to begin the search for a candidate.
- I'm so sorry, Nathan, it's just that I never imagined that we'd create the future of crime-fighting, I'm just too happy. - Gerald said.
- I know it's hard to believe, dad, but trust me, this is real and it's all thanks to you.
- No, my son, this is all thanks to you and Brenda, you two did most of the work.
- Meh, we just followed instructions, it was your idea, you're the real mastermind behind the Gadget Project...
Right in that moment, a black van crashed into the wall, raising a cloud of dust. The van opened a door and three men rushed out of it, heading to the mechanical foot. One of the men grabbed the foot and ripped the cables, while another pushed Nathan back and held Gerald Bradford while the third grabbed his helmet and unstrapped it to take it. Then the three men rushed back to their van.
- No! Give that thing back! - Nathan yelled.
- Nathan, don't! - Shouted Gerald.
One of the men stopped and turned, then he pointed a gun at Nathan, who froze due to surprise and fear. The man shot directly at Nathan's head, but Gerald was able to push his son out of the way, receiving the shot in his chest, and making him fall to the ground while the robbers escaped.
The shot had gone straight through Nathan's shoulder and it hurt him like hell, but he didn't care in the least. He gripped his right arm and went to see how his father was, while he clenched his teeth. Meanwhile, Brenda had heard all the racket so she had run back to the lab, only to see that it had been wrecked and that her brother and father were on the ground, the former crying over the latter's motionless body. Brenda ran up to them and knelt beside her father with tears falling from her eyes.
- Dad, look at me, you're gonna be alright, we'll take you to the hospital and you'll recover from this. - Nathan said while he sobbed.
- I-I'm afraid I can't... - Gerald said breathlessly.
- Please, dad, don't die! - Brenda begged.
- Don't give up yet, dad! You can overcome this! - Nathan said.
- Don't e-ever forget... I... - Gerald said with his last breath.
As the elder man's eyes turned glassy and emotionless, Nathan and Brenda cried in agony.
Meanwhile, John had made it to the Bradford Labs but it was too late already, he found the Bradford siblings mourning bitterly over their father's corpse. Once he saw them, John frowned, closed his eyes and lower his head in respect and mourning, as he got close to Brenda, then he embraced her tightly.
- I swear I'll find and incarcerate whoever is responsible for your father's death, Brenda. - John said while he hugged his girlfriend tightly.
John let go of Brenda, closed Gerald Bradford's eyes and ran back to his car, then he ignited the motor and sped off right after the van.
(Meanwhile)
Scolex laughed maniacally as he saw his henchmen hopping back into the black van. Now he had the Gadget Project in his possession, and it was only a matter of time before he ruled the weapons market. As the black van was getting closer to Scolex's position, the businessman's smirk grew.
- Move faster! - Scolex snarled. - We must get to the building before someone finds out what has happened!
The driver of his limo nodded and ignited the engine, speeding off right after the van.
But just as the two vehicles were getting closer to the Scolex Industries building, the evil man saw and heard some sirens, which made him look back and grit his teeth in frustration. The businessman gritted his teeth and said:
- Split up and lose that cursed cop!
The black van went in a different way while the driver of the limo accelerated and so did the cop.
On the police car, John saw that the black van had been quickly joined by a limo that appeared from a street and both had the same speed and driving pattern, so he quickly deduced that both cars were involved in Gerald Bradford's murder and the theft of the Gadget Project. John frowned with determination and turned on the siren as he pushed the throttle. But as soon as he did so, the van made a left turn on a street, while the limousine following it went in the opposite direction, which made him grit his teeth. The rookie had to take a choice quickly, so he turned the wheel to the right and chased the limousine, as he thought that it was very likely that the owner was the responsible for the theft of the Gadget Project and the murder of Gerald Bradford.
- This is Officer John Brown, I'm in pursuit of suspects of murder and theft in the Bradford Research Labs, I request backup, over! - John said on the radio.
- Rookie, stop overreact... - The woman at the station tried to say.
- I'm not overreacting! Gerald Bradford was murdered, his project was stolen and I'm pursuing the suspects, I need reinforcements because they have split up in Rogers Boulevard!
- Fine, rookie, I'm sending other two patrols to join you.
John slammed the radio and groaned, he couldn't believe that Karen didn't take his calls more seriously.
The officer pushed the throttle and got closer to the black limo, then he grabbed the loudspeaker and said:
- Attention, driver of the black limo, this is police officer John Brown, stop right now or else I'll be forced to open fire.
- Accelerate and lose that cop! - Scolex snarled.
- I'm doing what I can, boss! - The driver replied.
- Get the hell out of the seat and let me drive! - Scolex yelled.
Scolex grabbed the driver by the neck of his shirt and pulled him out of the driver's seat, then he took the wheel and accelerated, being followed by John's car.
John accelerated when he noticed that both he and the black limo were now on the outskirts of Riverton, he had to catch the criminals before they could escape. Then Scolex slammed onto his patrol, trying to make him lose the control of the car but luckily he was a very skilled driver, so he kept his patrol under control to then slam Scolex's limo.
Unfortunately for both drivers, they didn't see that they were driving directly to a cliff.
The former driver of Scolex's limo saw the imminent danger so he opened the door and jumped out of the car, receiving quite a few bruises and a dislocated arm, but other than that he was fine.
Scolex and John were still slamming each other's car, then both glanced at the front and saw the cliff. Both men gasped in terror and slammed their feet on the brakes of their cars in a futile attempt to stop, but it was too late and braking so suddenly just made them lose control of their vehicles. The patrol and the limo fell off the cliff, twirling and crashing around, breaking off as they kept slamming into rocks and rolling down the cliff.
Once the cars stopped at the bottom of the cliff, Scolex and John moaned loudly in pain as they slowly lost conscience, feeling how their bodies received just a bit less damage than their respective vehicles.
Before the cops and the paramedics could arrive, the black van made it to the crash site, a few persons got out of it and managed to get Scolex out of his limousine, having to cut his arm off, as it had been crushed and trapped in the seat during the accident. After that, they burnt down the limo and took the injured businessman as fast as they could to their building.
The paramedics and police officers arrived shortly after the black van left, they looked into the remains of the cars for any survivors and found John barely alive, as his body had taken quite a lot of damage during the accident. The paramedics took him carefully and went to the hospital as fast as they could, hoping they could save John's life.
(Two hours later)
Nathan and his sister were in the waiting room of the emergency wing in the Riverton General Hospital, waiting for any news on John's state. Nathan had already gotten medical attention and his arm had been put in a cast. On the other hand, his sister was pacing around the room nervously as she tried not to suffer a nervous collapse. She had never been a religious person, but right now she was praying to whatever deity that could listen to her pleas, to save her boyfriend, as the last thing she wanted was to lose her father and the man she loved on the same night. She wouldn't be able to withstand such a thing, and if it actually happened, she'd definitely die from a deep depression.
A few minutes later, a doctor came out of the emergency room and took off his mask to address the two scientists.
- How is he, doctor? - Brenda asked worriedly.
- He's not going to make it. - The doctor said. - I'm really sorry.
- That man is not only the bravest cop in all of Riverton Police Department but also my sister's boyfriend and the man who tried to catch our father's murderers, and recover his investigation, he has to make it! - Nathan yelled.
- We did everything we could...
- You didn't do enough! - Brenda said.
Brenda broke into tears while Nathan put his healthy arm around his little sister to try to comfort her a bit. However, someone opened the doors of the room rather suddenly and a bunch of people came into the room.
- Mayor coming through! Clear the way for the Mayor! - Yelled a male voice.
In that moment, the mayor of Riverton, Janine Waters, and the Chief of police, Kyle Quimby, burst in the waiting room, followed by some reporters and other officers. The mayor looked at Brenda and Nathan, she felt sorry for the two siblings but she had other matters to attend to.
- Doctors Bradford, both me and Police Chief Quimby heard about what happened to your father, and we're very sorry about it. He was a good man. - The Mayor said.
- How could you know? You didn't even know him! - Brenda replied aggressively.
- Anyhow, we're both here to see how everything is going with the Gadget Project.
- Mayor, we can't even give you a summary of it, our lab was destroyed and our father was murdered, we're not able to do anything concerning to the Gadget Project right now. - Nathan said with a frown.
- You said that you already had positive results and that you just needed to search a candidate. - Quimby said.
- Mayor, Chief, with all due respect, we need more time.
The Mayor and the Chief of police started arguing with Nathan, while Brenda just wept her heart out. Then she tried to pull out her tissue from her lab coat but instead of it, she felt something hard, squarish and cold. Brenda grabbed the thing in her pocket and took a glance at it. The object was rectangular, blue and had several red LEDs over it.
The object was the Neural Network Impulsor.
Brenda's eyes sparkled in revelation and she felt her hopes for saving John's life resurging. The doctor had said that common medicine couldn't save her boyfriend, but she knew something that definitely would.
- There's no need to worry about that, Mayor. - Brenda said while she wiped her tears with the sleeve of her lab coat. - I know the perfect candidate.
- Oh, good. - The mayor said happily. - And who is it?
- John Brown.
- The rookie? You can't be serious! Not after what happened to him tonight. - Chief Quimby said.
Nathan glanced at his sister, saw that she had the Gadget Chip in her right hand and he immediately understood what his sister meant. Brenda knew that they needed a candidate and that John needed something way more advanced than common medicine to save his life. And the Gadget Project was that something.
- John is our candidate, he's dying and common medicine can't save him. - Nathan stated. - Also, he's the bravest man Brenda and I have ever met. Our father always said that Brenda would find the perfect candidate, and if she says that John is the right man, I trust her.
- Oh well, that's good enough for me, when will you start? - The mayor asked.
- Immediately. - Brenda stated.
- You can't do anything to save him. - The doctor said.
- We'll see about that. - Brenda said while she went into the emergency room. - Nathan, call the team.
Nathan Bradford followed his sister into the emergency room as he pulled his phone out to call the rest of their team, while he hoped his sister was taking the right choice.
