Chapter 4.- Generation 2.

Inoue Sato was an Asian woman, a rather attractive Asian woman. She had long and silky black hair which she always tied in a ponytail, dark brown eyes, pale skin and she normally had a smirk in her face.
She wasn't tall as she was merely 5'5 ft tall, but she compensated her lack of height with a very brilliant mind.
She had always been the best of the class, some even dared to say that her intellect was matched only by Victor von Doom and Reed Richards themselves.
And now she was returning to her birthplace, the city of Riverton.
The reason behind her comeback was that she had heard many things about the Gadget Project and the Iron Man suit being the best inventions of the world, and she had taken those gossips as a challenge.
Especially when she heard that Nathan Bradford was behind the Gadget Project.
Everyone said that creating something like the Gadget Project or the Iron Man suit was impossible if your name wasn't Victor von Doom or Reed Richards, yet she had just did a few weeks ago.
"Now for the next step, reveal my invention and show everyone that Tony Stark and Nathan Bradford are nothing but show-offs." Inoue thought while she smirked in a semi-evil way. "But first off, I need a candidate."
Inoue's smirk widened at the thought of her invention winning the Nobel Prize, and she might even lead global companies like N-Tek, Stark Industries, Wayne Enterprises, Eclipse Industries, Hammer Multinational, Dread Corp and OsCorp to bankruptcy with her invention. She could even get a contract with S.H.I.E.L.D. to design weapons for them if she ever wanted it.

(Meanwhile)

Inspector Gadget woke up feeling like he had just awakened right after the explosion that costed him 78% of his humanity.
Gadget's vision was blurry, he could barely see his surroundings, his knuckles and arms ached terribly, and he had a sore throat, like if he had drunk acid.
The cyborg also had a splitting headache and he had woken up thanks to a ringing sound.
Finally after a few more moments, Gadget realized that the ringing sound was coming from his left hand.
Gadget saw his hand with a tired expression, and as his mind was still acting on instinct, he just mumbled:
- Go go Gadget-Phone...
And luckily, his glitches didn't affect his Gadget-Phone, so a microphone appeared on his left pinky, a speaker popped out from his thumb, along with an antenna. The cyborg groggily put his phone close to his ear, then he said:
- Um... Hello?...
- Where the hell have you been, Gadget?! - A loud, deep and authoritative voice yelled over the phone.
Gadget hissed in pain when the yell reached his enhanced ears, it was in moments like this that he hated his enhanced senses.
- Chief? - Gadget asked confusedly.
- What the hell happened after you left the Riverton General Hospital?
- Whuh?
- Stop playing drunk idiot and respond!
- Ow! - Gadget said while he held his ear in pain. - I... I don't know what happened yesterday...
- Well, at least tell us where the hell you are?!
- I... I don't know...
Gadget slowly stood up and blinked a few times, then he gasped when he noticed that he wasn't in his house.
- What in the name of all my gadgets am I doing here? - Gadget said.
- Gadget? Gadget! Gadget, answer the damn phone! - Quimby's authoritative voice yelled over the Gadget-Phone.
- Gadget here, Chief. - Gadget said while he put his GP next to his ear again. - I don't know where I am nor what am I doing here, but this looks vaguely familiar.
- That could be because you're on the place in which you and Claw were born. - The Gadget-Mobile's voice said, also over the Gadget-Phone. - And I know it because I'm tracking your signal.
Then it hit Gadget like a ton of bricks, he remembered each and every little thing that he had went through last night. He remembered the robbers, the glitches, the talk with the Gadget-Mobile, Claw's breakout, the announcement, the explosion, the toxic gas inside the burning labs...
Then the last memories made him gasp loudly, he remembered the half hour he had spent in the waiting room, the doctor that gave him and Nathan the news... He couldn't remember which news.
Gadget thought and tried to remember what happened after the doctor came to the waiting room.
After a few seconds, he remembered it, each and every word.

- "She couldn't make it, I'm deeply sorry." - The doctor's words echoed in his mind.

He felt a pang in his heart, then he realized what happened.
Claw.
Gadget let a tear run down his cheek while he tried to contain his rage, but it was a futile effort.
The cyborg started clenching his fists, and what little skin he still had in them, he made it bleed with his superhuman strength.
- Um, G, you still there? - Gadget-Mobile said through the Gadget-Phone.
- Yes, I'm still here. - Gadget said with a dark voice. - Not for long though.
- Gadget, you better not do what I think you're gonna do! - Ordered Quimby.
- Why the hell not?! Claw's a villain, he must pay for what he's done, and I'm the only one that can beat him!
- You're not a murderer, Gadget! Remember that you himself said that he shouldn't die!
- Yeah, and just look what happened for being so goddamn naive. Claw showed me last night what he's capable of, now it's my turn!
- Come to your senses, Gadget! Is this really what you want?! - Gadget-Mobile said.
- Neither of you can understand it. Claw has costed me too much already, and it's payback time.
- Fine then! Go ruin your life if you want to! But if your decision hurts Penny, I'm personally gonna make sure that you get what you deserve for backstabbing and abandoning your own niece, Gadget!
- Penny will understand...
- Are you even listening to yourself?! - A voice said behind Gadget.
The cyborg turned and met glances with not only Quimby and Gadget-Mobile but also with Nathan, and worst of all, Penny. Gadget put away his Gadget-Phone and confronted them all.
- Are you really that cold-hearted, Gadget?! Are you really willing to sacrifice your niece's well-being just to get your stupid revenge?! If that's so, then you're no better than Claw. - Nathan said sternly while he glared at Gadget.
- How dare you say that?! - Gadget said. - I am better than Claw!
- Are you really, Uncle Gadget? - Penny asked him. - We all, know that Claw doesn't give a damn on anyone but himself, but I didn't know that you could turn your back on everything you've taught me, on everything you believed, on the Uncle Gadget that Aunt Brenda, Nathan, Brain, Gadget-Mobile, me and the whole city loved and respected!
Then Penny couldn't hold back her tears anymore and she started crying.
Gadget tried to walk to her but Quimby and Nathan blocked him.
- You've done enough already, Gadget. - Nathan said.
- I'm sorry... - Gadget muttered. - I let the anger get the best of me, it will not happen again.
- That's what I hope, Gadget, we still need you to solve this case. - Quimby said.
Quimby and Nathan moved aside, then they let Gadget go with his niece.
Gadget hopped inside the Gadget-Mobile and hugged his niece, who returned the embrace immediately. Penny wept over her uncle's chest while the latter held her close to him.
Gadget-Mobile, Quimby and Nathan just smiled both in relief and kindness, seeing that Gadget had finally left his anger behind.
Few moments later, Penny stopped crying, she looked up at her uncle's face and said:
- Don't kill Claw, Uncle Gadget. I... I don't want to see you so angry again, please.
- I promise you that I won't, you're the only family I have now, and I'm not going to risk you just to get revenge. - Gadget said while he wiped away Penny's tears. - Thank you, Penny.
- For what?
- You brought me back, you're a great girl, Penny, and the best niece I could've asked for.
- You don't have to thank me, Uncle Gadget, that's what the family does.
- Well, it's great to see you out of your anger, Gadget. - Quimby said while he and Nathan walked towards the Gadget-Mobile.
- I'm still angry, chief, I'm angry with myself for two things: I didn't protect my wife as I should've, and I let the anger get the best of me, I was blind enough to even risk my own niece to get a stupid revenge.
- It means that you're still human, Gadget. Our feelings are what makes us humans, even if they're negative feelings like sadness, anger or hatred. - Nathan said. - Brenda believed that, and so should you.
- I will, thanks, Nathan. - Gadget said.
- Ok, I think we've lost too much time of this story already, let's get back to business. - Quimby said while he gave his cigar a big puff. - What are we gonna do to stop Claw?
- I don't know for sure, chief, but you can bet my ridiculously low salary that I'm gonna put him behind the bars again! - Gadget affirmed.
- It's great to see you putting that goofy confident look on your face again, G. - Gadget-Mobile said.
- Thanks. - Gadget said before he analyzed the Gadget-Mobile's words. - Hey! My confident look isn't goofy!
- Whatever, let's concentrate. But first off, we should get back to the labs, I think that you need a checkup, Gadget. - Nathan said.
- Yes, yes I do. Well then, let's get back to the city, Penny still has to go to school.
Penny pouted a bit, she couldn't believe that after what had happened her uncle could remember such a triviality.

(Later)

Gadget had taken his niece to school, and thanks to the Gadget-Mobile's Turbine, they got there right in time before the classes started, much to Penny's dismay.
Anyway, right now, Gadget had received a full checkup, and thankfully the only problem was the lost skin in his hands.
- I thought you'd be more damaged than just that, you really are a tough cookie, Gadget. - Nathan said while he replaced the fake skin.
- Thanks, Nathan. - Gadget said with a sigh.
- Still down from yesterday, isn't it?
- The real question here is why aren't you?
- I have my reasons, and if you wanna know them, go to the conference room in fifteen minutes.
Nathan grinned while he finished covering Gadget's hands, then he walked out of the lab while Gadget just watched him in confusion.
Gadget sighed and tried to get rid of the thoughts that had been haunting him since last night. And that thought was Brenda, he still blamed himself for her death, even though Claw was the one who actually costed Brenda her life, Gadget knew that it had happened because he didn't protect her. Fortunately, he had his niece and his friends, who managed to keep him in the light, even if there was still a tiny part of him who still craved revenge.
"You know you want it, Gadget, why are you trying to deny yourself revenge?" A dark voice said.
- Who's there?! - Gadget said while he startled.
An evil laughter was heard, but Gadget was alone.
The cyborg cop let out another big sigh and ran a hand through his hair, trying to think what had just happened.
Gadget shook his head slowly and walked to the stack in which he had left his coat and his fedora. After he fixed his shirt, Gadget put on his coat and hat, then he left the lab, hoping that he wasn't going crazy.

(Some hours later)

Gadget was walking to the conference room of the Bradford Cybernetics Labs with his hands in his pockets.
All the recent events had taken a toll on his mind, apparently waking up a dark side that not even he knew he possessed. As such, Gadget had taken a walk all around Riverton, this time responding to all the persons that waved at him or greeted him.
He had been pondering time and again about the recent events, how he had that bad feeling that the Gadget-Mobile had called an overreaction, how his sworn enemy had broken out of prison and mocked of him, how that same person took the life of the woman he loved, how the pain from the loss of his wife had turned him into a heartless monster that would've been capable of risk Penny's life to get revenge on Claw...
Brenda was right when she told him that the persons with the biggest hearts are the easier to corrupt, especially when someone or something pushes that person to the brink of insanity.
The cyborg brushed those thoughts aside and sighed for the umpteenth time in the day, he just couldn't believe that life was so goddamn unfair with him.
Few moments later, Gadget entered into the facilities of the BCL's, and as such he wanted to look like he hadn't lost himself last night, he forced a smile on his face just to greet the people.
Gadget was entering the conference room when he got surprised by one fact, the whole state press was there, even some investors and the entire police department.
Gadget was completely confused by all that.
- Gadget! - A deep and authoritative voice yelled.
Gadget glanced at the audience, trying to find whoever had yelled for him.
Few seconds later, he found it, it was chief Quimby.
Gadget made his way through the crowded room to meet with his boss, and once he did it, Quimby shook his hand.
- Glad you're still with us, Gadget. - Quimby said. - And I know it doesn't mean too much since so much time has passed, but I'm really sorry about your wife, she was a very good person, even if I didn't get to know her too well.
- Thanks, chief. - Gadget said with a small smile.
- Do you have any idea what Doctor Bradford is about to show us?
- I didn't even know he was going to show something.
- Hmm, oh well, guess there's only one way to find out. Let's have a seat.
Quimby was unusually positive that day, and this was confusing Gadget a bit. However, Gadget shrugged off his confusion and sat beside Quimby.
Few moments later, a group of five scientists, all of them led by Nathan Bradford, entered the room, dragging some kind of cylinder that was covered with a white blanket.
After settling the cylinder, apparently connecting it to the labs' power grid and programming a computer to activate whatever was inside, the six scientists faced the crowd and Nathan started speaking:
- Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, I'm doctor Nathan Bradford, head of scientists of the Bradford Cybernetics Laboratories, and today we have gathered you all here to present you the future of crime-fighting.
And right then, a question arose within the crowd, wasn't Inspector Gadget the future of crime-fighting? Even Gadget seemed confused at that moment.
And from the confusion, one of the reporters raised his hands, and Nathan gave him the word.
- Um, not to be too obvious in exposing my confusion, but didn't you and your sister, may she rest in peace, say that Inspector Gadget was the future of crime fighting not too long ago? - The reporter asked.
- Well, indeed we did, and the Gadget Project is still the future of crime-fighting, and seeing how Doctor Claw's escape has put Riverton into high alert, my team and I decided that it was time to upgrade the Gadget Project and take it to the next level. - Nathan replied.
- What do you mean by that, Dr. Bradford? - A female reporter asked.
- What we mean is that last night, we finally found a suitable candidate, who donated her body for us to design a new Generation for the Gadget Project, seeing as how Inspector Gadget was just the prototype. - Said one of the scientists.
This last comment made Gadget curious, sick and angry if he was sure on who was the woman that had "donated" her body to them to develop a new model of the Gadget Project.
And with some luck, he'd be wrong with his guessings.
- So you mean that you developed a new model of the Gadget Project? - Another reporter asked.
- Yes, and now without further ado, we will present you the next generation of the Gadget Project. - Nathan said happily.
Two of the scientists removed the blanket from the cylinder while another one walked to the back part of the chamber-like cylinder and started preparing something. Meanwhile, another scientist was typing some commands in the computer, and the last one went to a secret storage, then he walked towards Nathan with some kind of box. Nathan opened the box and pulled out a very futuristic chip, it was a white square with a shiny blue circle of light inside it. The eldest and now only remaining Bradford showed the chip to the audience, who ohh'ed in amazement.
- Ladies and gentlemen, I present you the cornerstone of the Model 2, the Neural Energy Processor, a high-powered processor chip that increases the charge of the human brain waves enough to interact positively with the machinery stored inside the candidate's body, and not only that, its unique design allows it to use and transform the neural waves that passes through it into a self-sustaining power source that produces around 500 kilojoules of energy. - Nathan explained.
- Um, not to be too obvious with my assumptions, but isn't that a bit too much energy for one single Gadget Project Unit? - One of the reporters asked.
- Indeed it is, however, we like to see this as the beginning of a new kind of technology. - One of the scientists replied.
- Exactly, especially seeing how the Neural Energy Processor is now the most powerful self-sustaining power source of the world, surpassing even the ARC reactor of Stark Industries. - Nathan added. - And now, without further ado, let's start the show.
Nathan nodded and he walked to the back of the cylinder while one of the scientists lifted some kind of lid in the back. Then Nathan gave him the Neural Energy Processor and Nathan inserted it in the back of the Model 2.
After that, Nathan went back to the console next to the cylinder and started typing some commands.
- Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the newest unit of the Gadget Project... - Nathan said proudly while the doors of the cylinder opened.
A cloud of smoke came out of the cylinder and blocked the view of the new unit. However, as the smoke began to dissipate, they all saw the Model 2.

UNIT INITIALIZING...

PERFORMING SYSTEMATIC CHECKUP...
-VISUAL SYSTEMS AND H.U.D... ACTIVATED
-MOTOR SYSTEMS... OPERATIONAL
-COMBAT AND WEAPONS SYSTEMS... ENGAGED
-ENERGY PROCESSING SYSTEMS... CALIBRATED

REVIEWING VITAL SIGNS...
-MUSCLE TISSUE... UNALTERED
-INTERNAL ORGANS... DAMAGED BUT HEALING
-HEART RATE... NORMAL AND CONSTANT
-NEURAL ACTIVITY... EFFICIENT

EFFICIENCY OF ALL SYSTEMS: 100%
ENERGY LEVEL: 78.5% AND INCREASING
INITIATING START UP...

The crowd gasped as the Model 2 stepped out of the cylinder and opened her eyes.
The Model 2 Candidate was a tall woman, with straight reddish hair and light brown eyes. She wore a blue coat that reached her knees with the police department logo on the right shoulder, blue skin-tight pants and a fedora that was different from Gadget's.
All in all, the new model looked well and for Gadget, she looked too familiar.
- Ladies and gentlemen, officers of the RPD, people of the press, introducing Inspector Gadget Model 2, or G2 for short, also known as Brenda Gadget. - Nathan said proudly.
Just as that name reached Gadget's ears, the world stopped all around him.
He couldn't, better said, he didn't want to believe what was happening.
Was Nathan really that much of a psycho to revive his sister? Did he think of himself as a modern version of Victor Frankenstein? How could he do such an atrocity against nature?
Sure he had gone through the same process, but he was still alive when that happened. The Gadget Project saved his life, it didn't bring him back from the dead.
In that moment, Gadget noticed that everyone around him, even Nathan, was smiling.
What the hell was wrong with everyone?! Was he really going insane when he was the only one that saw that presentation as an atrocity? He didn't know what was right or wrong now.
He felt disturbed, sick, nauseous and above all, angry.
Nathan spoke about her sister as if she was a thing! Completely nonchalant!
The cyborg could feel how all the liquids inside his body were boiling, he felt the all familiar adrenaline rushing through his body, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as hard as he could.
He had been on the brink of insanity, but now all this made him snap.
Gadget couldn't bear it anymore, once more his eyes showed a murderous glare and the cyborg pounced on Nathan while his HUD marked him as a target. Gadget grabbed Nathan by the throat and slammed him against the cylinder while he panted in contained rage.
- WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THIS?! WHY DID YOU DO SUCH AN ATROCITY?! YOU DARED TO CALL ME A MONSTER WHEN YOU DID THIS TO YOUR OWN SISTER?! - Gadget roared.
- Please, Gadget... You gotta understand... - Nathan said between gasps while Gadget's grip was tightening. - She made me swear it...
- YOU COULD'VE SAID NO! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO HER?! YOU CONDEMNED HER TO A LIFE THAT YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND!
- I... didn't... know... I'm sorry...
- I hope you have made your peace with everyone, because you're going to hell right now.
Gadget was about to punch a hole through Nathan's head when suddenly, a well-known voice was heard.
- Stop this felonious act immediately or I'll have to use the force. - G2 said as if she was some kind of robot instead of a cyborg.
Gadget tightened his grip on Nathan's throat when he heard Brenda's voice being so monotone.
- Can you see what you have done?! CAN YOU SEE IT?! - Gadget roared.
- I... didn't... want... to lose her... - Nathan choked out.
- But what you did was play Frankenstein with your own blood and flesh!
- This is the last warning, criminal, surrender or I'll have to use the force. - G2 said.
- Brenda, it's me! John, your husband!
- Very well, I warned you.
G2 rushed at Gadget and twisted his right arm in a very painful way, making the prototype let go of the scientist. Nathan gasped heavily for air while Quimby and Waters rushed by his side, then they all three watched as G2 extended her arm and took a pair of handcuffs from Trenton to cuff Gadget and put a foot above his back.
- Permission to take this criminal to the Riverton Prison, Doctor Bradford. - G2 said.
- Denied... G2... That was just a drill... - Nathan said between gasps.
- A drill? - Quimby said in doubt.
- Oh, good, for a second I thought that Gadget had gone rampant. - Waters said in relief.
- Understood, should I free him, sir? - G2 asked.
- No, not yet. - Nathan said.
- Help him stand up and keep an eye on him, will you? - Quimby ordered.
- Sir, yes sir!
G2 walked over to a chair and sat Gadget down, then she sat next to him. Meanwhile, the mayor had told the press that the whole scene had been nothing but an act.
- How do we know this was just a drill? - A reporter asked in doubt.
- Because I wanted to test the Model 2 against an actual opponent to her, and since Iron Man is in New York and Claw is still at large, the only one left to test her was Inspector Gadget himself. - Nathan said, half lying.
- And I would say that G2 is officially a resounding success! - Waters said.
The crowd had gotten back to their seats by that moment, and once the mayor had stated that the G2 was a success, everyone started clapping.
- Therefore, I hereby announce the creation of the Gadget Unit and declare that as long as Inspectors Gadget and G2 are in operation, Riverton will stay as the safest city of the world! - Waters added.
The crowd bursted in cheers while Quimby made a gesture to G2 to uncuff Gadget and to walk next to him. Both cyborgs walked over to Quimby and stood up between him, the mayor and Nathan. The latter slowly and carefully put a hand on John's shoulder, and instead of earning him a punch from the Prototype Gadget, it was just ignored.
Meanwhile, Gadget had taken his glance off of the ground and stared blankly at the crowd. Everyone simply saw him and G2 stand side by side, but if one looked at the prototype, one would easily notice that his eyes were empty of any signs of life. Sure his body still functioned but his soul, his heart and his mind had been shattered and obliterated.
He thought that he could one day overcome Brenda's death, but now that he saw that he had lost her while she was still alive, it was a whole new level of pain for him.
Nothing mattered to him, Nathan, Quimby, Brain, Gadget-Mobile, Trenton, Waters, Claw, hell even Penny didn't matter to him anymore. He just felt like an empty hull.
Nobody seemed to notice Gadget's state, or even if someone did, that someone didn't care about it in the slightest.
And while Gadget's mind was drifting away, the mayor Janine Waters was finishing her speech.
- So, to finish my speech I would like to say and affirm once more that as long as the Gadget Project units are fully functioning, then Riverton will stay as the safest city in the world, and even if Claw is still at large, he will soon be put behind the bars again by our heroes! - The mayor said.
The crowd cheered loudly, and once the clapping died, a slow and sarcastic clapping was heard. All the people present in the room, even Gadget, turned their heads to the back of the conference room, where they all saw a short black-haired woman who was wearing a lab coat and glasses. She was smirking in amusement while she clapped sarcastically.
Once the woman realized that everyone was watching her, she fixed her glasses and spoke:
- Dear mayor, you really think that your city is safe under the watch of those outdated machines?
- That voice, it can't be! - Nathan said with a look of despair.
The woman walked to the front of the room while her high heeled shoes kept tapping loudly in the silent room, with all the present people watching her in awe.
Finally, the woman stood in front of Nathan, who was glaring at her. The short woman eyed Nathan a bit, then she said:
- Nathan Bradford, you're still the same arrogant Nenderthal you were back in college.
Inoue smirked a bit wider while Nathan eyed her, then the scientist smirked too.
- Inoue Sato, you're still the same cocky bitch you were back in college. - Nathan replied with a smirk.
- Hmph, I now see that calling you a Nenderthal is a mistake, they're much more evolved than you. - Inoue said contemptuously.
- And I see that calling you a bitch is also a mistake, I'm insulting all those poor women.
- You imbecilic jerk! I tried to be civilized but since I'm dealing with a waste of carbon, I don't see why did I think such a thing.
- Oh, is the big bitch angry?
- YES!
- Haha! Nathan - 1/Sato - 0!
- I wouldn't be so happy if I were you, Bradford!
- Well, then I'm glad you're not me.
- Silence! Now, mayor Waters, you said a very funny thing when you stated that the Gadget Project was the thing that makes Riverton the safest city on Earth.
- Why you think so, Ms. Sato? - Waters asked.
- It's Dr. Sato! - Sato snapped. - Whatever, the reason is that I just invented something that will make this science fair project completely obsolete.
- Yeah right, Sato. - Nathan asked while he folded his arms. - Now you're gonna tell me that you're the one that invented the Iron Man suit.
- No, of course not. I invented something even better.
- Sato, I don't know if you're being arrogant or if you're just completely nuts.
- Think whatever you want, Bradford, I could just show you that I'm being completely serious about my little speech.
Sato snapped her fingers and another team of scientists brought another cylinder-like object into the room, this one covered with a white blanket.
The newcomers dragged the cylinder to the front of the room and put it few feet away from the one in which G2 had been activated.
Then, Sato walked next to the cylinder and removed the blanket, revealing a transparent cylinder with a very impressive power suit inside. Gadget eyed said suit and it made him reminisce some bad memories of his first fight with Claw.
- Behold... The Sato Battle Suit X-27! - Sato said proudly. - A high-powered exoskeleton with a self-sustaining power core that produces up to a thousand kilojoules of energy, a vibranium-steel armor plating which can withstand and even reflect any kind of energy attacks, increase the speed, agility and reflexes of its wearer at least a 200%, allow the wearer to lift up to 3 tons, and possesses various weapons such as a high-powered laser, hidden micro-missile launchers, repulsor rays, a taser device shooter, sonic disruptors, two flamethrowers, and my personal favorite, a miniaturized gatling gun in each wrist.
- Sato, I don't know if you already know it, but Gadget managed to destroy a suit like this one, made by Victor Scolex, now known as Doctor Claw, which had a vibranium-titanium armor plating, which if I'm not mistaken, which I'm absolutely not, is at least three times more resilient than your toy's armor plating. Besides, the Gadget Project units are equipped with three times more weapons and artifacts to fight crime, not to mention that both can lift no less than 5 tons and withstand up to 10 tons of damage. Did I mention that each has a full database which contains data about every fighting style that exists? - Nathan said. - And in case you don't know it, that means that the Gadget Project units don't have to depend on the candidate's fighting skills to be a real danger.
- Maybe, but my suits are much cheaper, more useful and above all, they could have ten times more candidates than the Gadget Project.
- They're cheaper? - The mayor asked in interest.
- Mayor, don't let her fool you, capturing Claw and protecting our city isn't about quantity but about quality.
- With me she'd get both, my suits are far superior to your cyborgs. - Sato said while she fixed her glasses.
- Now I'm totally certain, you're completely nuts.
- You think so? Why don't we make a bet?
- I'm listening.
- Your units vs. my suits, anything goes, the winner gets the funding and these facilities.
- Yep, you're just proving my point.
- Are you afraid of losing, Bradford?
- No, I'm just trying to avoid humiliating you.
- You're a chicken.
- You're not gonna make me accept your bet, Sato.
- Then I was right about you, you're a coward.
- Still not changing my mind.
- Do you really distrust your sister, your brother-in-law and yourself so bad?
- Ok, that's enough! I tried to keep you away from public humiliation but since you want it so bad, you'll get it. Tell when and where.
- Tomorrow, 2 o'clock, on the cliff at the outskirts of Riverton, don't be late, or just don't show up if you know what's best for you.
- One problem, you only have one suit, and I have two Gadgets, which one do you want to humiliate you, Gadget or G2?
- Oh don't worry, I also have another suit, why don't we make both suits and both Gadgets compete?
- Fine, but you never said what you'll do once I prove that the Gadget Project is superior.
- In the very remote case that you win, I'll be your unpaid employee for the rest of my life.
- Very well, we've got ourselves a deal.
Inoue and Nathan shook hands while they smirked defiantly at each other. Then the Asian woman snapped her fingers and gestured to her team to follow her.
Once Sato left, the whole room had been filled with an unnerving silence, then everyone turned their attention back to Nathan, who simply sighed heavily and said:
- The conference is over, Gadget, G2, follow me, we've got some upgrades to do.
And though G2 followed Nathan willingly, the scientist had to drag Gadget with him to his lab while everyone watched them in confusion.
But Nathan didn't care about the people, the only thing in his mind now was if he had done the right thing by accepting Sato's challenge, or if he had been just plain stupid.