Chapter 2

The old man woke up.

He was cold.

He had never really adjusted to sleeping behind dumpsters and summer was fading quickly in Metro City, each night colder than the other.

He was confused. Things were so hard to remember and put in place since Brain had gone.

The dog had been old when he passed away, yet his absence was sorely felt.

And Penny. Penny was gone too, but she was alive and well. Safe and sound. That was a good thing. For some reason, he never had any trouble remembering her and that was something he was thankful for. He figured he should go visit her some day. But there were so many things to do. So very much.

The old man couldn't exactly recall, but he was sure they had to be important or else he wouldn't still be out in the field.

He had been on constant duty for...

Well, he didn't remember anymore, but it was a long time.

He was certain he was on duty because he hadn't received the clearance code to go off duty.

And Director Quimby didn't make mistakes, he wouldn't be head of Global Justice if he did.

Of course, the old man couldn't remember what Quimby looked like, these days, but that didn't change anything.

One thing, at least, was absolutely certain: Inspector Gadget was always on duty.

And since he hadn't got any messages from Quimby and Global Justice for such a long time he had to assume that his last mission was still in progress.

So inspector John Gadget kept looking for signs of M.A.D., unaware of that organizations collapse many years ago, because no one had told him and he had forgotten to ask.

It wasn't like he had a choice in the matter anyway.

Inside his head there were old and brutish computer programs wired to, what had once been, a healthy brain, their imperatives as unyielding as the old man's still untainted idealism.

The voices inside his head told him to soldier on.

And so, soldier on he did.

He made sure the patch of gauze was still in place on the right side of his face. The artificial skin had begun to deteriorate quite some time ago, after an accident he had trouble recalling. The sight of metal through the holes in his skin seemed to upset people and being a kind and considerate person he did his best to cover it.

Inspector Gadget straightened his filthy, old trenchcoat, adjusted his battered hat and took a deep breath. Inside him the filters cleansed the air of the smog and dust of the city. At least some of his systems were still operating at full capacity.

He stepped out of the alley and started walking down the street.

Inspector Gadget was on his way to the charity-run soup kitchen when a police cruiser pulled up by him and the driver rolled down the window.

"Hey, Inspector. How're you doing?"

Gadget tried to remember the officer's name but failed.

"Hi, officer. I'm getting by." The cheery tone couldn't really fool anyone but the policeman didn't want to hurt the old man's feelings by calling him a liar.

"Look, it's getting colder, are you sure us guys could set you up somewhere? We've got a few old safe houses for witnesses that you could choose from."

"Oh no, it's no problem. I have a place to stay." Gadget assured the police officer. The latter seemed unconvinced.

"Really?"

"Oh yes, trust me. I..uh...I just don't remember where it is, right now."

The man in the black-and-white sighed.

"All right, all right. Tell you what, though. I'll talk to the folks over at the homeless shelter over on 44th Street and see if they can get you a bed at least for tonight, OK?. You know where that is, right?"

"Sure do. I've got plenty of maps in here." Gadget tapped his head. "Some of them are kind of old but 44th Street hasn't moved, has it?"

"Nope, it's still there. You take care now, old-timer."

"I always do and thanks officer...um..."

"O'hara."

"Yes of course, now I remember. Haha, sorry about that."

"No problem, old-timer. You take care now."

"Will do!"

Inspector Gadget saluted his unaugmented colleague as the police cruiser drove off.

Then he went on his way to the soup kitchen.

It was probably just around the corner.