Zero Witching Hour
a Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers story
Chapter 4: Double Dipping
4-12-2011
by Grey-X
Disclaimer: Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and all related characters are the creation and property of Disney…and I guess Marvel too. Whoopee.
xxxxxx
"Mr. Osceola!"
The voice of Isaac's literature teacher shrilled in his ears, rousing him from the sleep he had no idea he lapsed into. He groggily picked his head off his desk, ignoring the mocking glares from some of his classmates. Tuning them out was second nature by now. As was withstanding the withering glare of that grizzled fifty-something teacher. Which was a good thing, as things besides class were on his mind right then.
"I don't care how many fires you got yourself stuck in yesterday, Mr. Osceola, there is no excuse for dozing off in my class!" shrieked the teacher. "But shall I give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you were up late with today's required reading?"
"Errr, yeah yeah sure," said Isaac quickly, hoping the teacher would just shut up and let him focus on what just happened. "Read well into the fourth chapter."
"Very well. So at this point, you can explain what Friedrich Nietzsche was trying to get across, correct?"
"Just that Nietzsche was critical of blindly following religious doctrines at the time. Presumably, he had a problem with a black-and-white view of the world, with everything being set in stone," explained Isaac. "His most famous quote probably said it best: 'Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.'"
The teacher carefully regarded Isaac for a moment, then nodded approvingly. "Good. Even when sleep-deprived, you comprehend the material better than any other student." That earned Isaac even more disdainful stares. No one had ever weaseled out of a tongue-lashing from this teacher before.
But Isaac paid them no mind. There was more important stuff to consider. Before, Isaac thought that weird potion he brewed last night had done nothing. And he had downed mouse hair and blood and God-knows-what-else for nothing.
Then, in the middle of class, he blacked out. Isaac recalled feeling as if all his vitality was being siphoned away, borrowed by another. Plus, garbled images of sneering mice and some alligator in a cape looking down imperiously, flitted in and out of his mind's eye. And a feeling of helplessness, a need to strike back…
There was only one explanation: that potion actually worked! Gadget must've run into some trouble, and the effects kicked in. Isaac still wasn't precisely sure what this magical link would do for her, but he just hoped it gave her an edge…
xxxxxx
From leprechauns to aliens to ghosts, Chip thought he had seen it all. But now, seemingly out of the blue, Gadget just grew to over five times her normal size, towering over them all. Sure, the same thing had happened to Zipper once, but his growth spurts were nowhere near this rapid and dramatic. And whatever was going on, Chip doubted Professor Nimnul's inventions had anything to do with it this time. Looking up at Gadget's huge, furious face, he was sure of it. Even when Gadget blew her top because of that crook posing as a baby, she never radiated this much rage, and this would be the last thing Fat Cat and Nimnul could want right now…
It was also the last thing Rat Capone and his accomplices wanted. Chip could sense Capone's hesitancy and fear, and felt his grip on him slacken. Getting over his shock, Chip delivered an elbow to Capone's gut, and finally twisted free. Far from done, Chip snatched the test tube away from Sugar Ray Lizard and bludgeoned him with it, shattering it over his head. Getting in on the act, Zipper flew out of the smashed tube, poking both of Desiree's eyes out.
"Argh! You odious little insect, I'll…" Desiree began, but after rubbing her eyes and opening them again, she caught a glimpse of Gadget raising her clenched fists over her head. Rat Capone and Sugar Ray saw it too. All three screamed and dived in opposite directions, just as Gadget brought her fists down. They crashed deep into the concrete, upturning huge chunks of it as the whole tunnel quaked, and cracks spidered out everywhere.
"You'll WHAT, D'Allure!? Do WHAT!?" Gadget roared over the booming crash, her voice even more deafening.
Meanwhile, Chip and Zipper rushed over to Monterey Jack, desperately trying to rouse him. Zipper screamed and pleaded in his ear as Chip shook him. "Urgh, last time I let that braindead bloke get the better o' me," Monterey muttered as his eyes fluttered open. "OK, Chip, what's the situation now, mate? How much trouble we in now?"
Chip shrugged his shoulders. "Us? Not sure. Rat Capone and his flunkies, however…" Chip pointed behind them, and Monterey's jaw dropped.
Gadget was still lumbering around the tunnel, clumsily trying to stomp and grab at the three crooks ducking and dodging around her, desperately trying to get away. The tunnel shook every time Gadget's foot came crashing down with a stomp. "Blimey, Chippah, what'd I miss? Is this what that glop Rat Capone's bummin' from the chemical plant does, makes us mice inta bloody juggernauts?"
"No, it wasn't that Monty. I'm not sure what did it, and…" Chip was cut off as the tunnel shook again. "It's not just Gadget's size, it's affected Gadget's strength too. And I think the power's getting to her head. She's so focused on those crooks she's forgotten about Sparky."
Gadget finally connected, ducking down and swinging her arm in a wide arc, swatting Rat Capone and Sugar Ray Lizard. Desiree D'Allure had quickly ducked under her arm, but Gadget was still quicker, deftly grabbing her by her waist. Gadget glared at Desiree contemptuously as she brought her up to her face. "You should've stayed in Canada, D'Allure," Gadget spat, her voice echoing in the sewer tunnel. Desiree struggled frantically in Gadget's crushing grip, but it was hopeless. "Us Rescue Rangers got enough crooks to clean up after without you blowing back in and…"
"Ack, boss! What'd she do? I'll get rid of this big chickie, boss!" cried Arnold Mousenegger from the pump machine. Turning toward the pump machine, Gadget saw Mousenegger leap off the top of it, brandishing a lead pipe. Mousenegger was just quick enough to bring the pipe down on Gadget's head. Gadget stumbled back a little, dropping Desiree, but otherwise the pipe didn't even faze her. Mousenegger saw this as he landed by Gadget's feet, looking up and saying, "Uh-oh."
Gadget gazed down at him, more enraged than ever. At that point, Capone and Sugar Ray were coming to, but Gadget scooped all three of them up in one deft motion. Chip watched with a mixture of awe and apprehension as Gadget seemed to mash the crooks together, a tangle of limbs in the rough shape of a ball. With one punt from Gadget, the trio sailed down the tunnel, and after their screams died away, Chip heard them splash into the sewer water coursing down it.
"Blimey, and folks say I'M too rough with the crooks in this town," Monterey said flatly.
Chip gazed up at Gadget, who was breathing heavily as she stared down the tunnel, looking satisfied with herself. "Errr… Good work Gadget. But where's Desiree and Sewernose?"
"Over here, Rangers," came Desiree's cocky voice from the pump machine. The Rangers all looked to see that the water cooler bottle with the stolen chemical was securely tied to Sewernose's back, and Desiree stood triumphantly on it, smirking evilly. "Well, our reunion was… interesting to say the least, but I do believe Fat Cat will want what little we've secured this morning. Don't worry about Rat Capone and his gang, I'll still send them a check, which should cover the hospital bills."
With that, Sewernose took off in the other direction, knifing through the water. Gadget sprinted after them on all fours. Chip was amazed that she was still just as fast at that gargantuan size. No, she was even faster! Still, Sewernose had a head start, and even with the stolen chemical weighing him down, Chip saw him disappear down the tunnel, leaving Gadget behind as Desiree's laughter echoed.
"Gadget! Forget about them! We still gotta bust Sparky loose!" Dale called out suddenly from the pumping machine. Gadget looked back over her shoulder just as Sparky screamed again. Chip saw Dale fruitlessly try to shut it off, desperation in his eyes. After one last, frustrated glance down the sewer tunnel, Gadget turned and charged at the pump.
With a startled cry, Dale jumped off as Gadget's fist tore right into it. Metal shrieked in protest as Gadget's hands dug into the machine, ripping out beams, pipes and wires as it smoked and sparked. That bothered Chip. He expected Gadget would tackle this with her usual fine touch, but she was ravaging it like a mouse possessed.
At last, Gadget could pull out the hamster ball trapping Sparky. Chip looked up as Gadget opened the ball, gently lifting Sparky out. He saw Sparky was still breathing, but looked horribly weak and exhausted. "He's out cold, but he should be OK in a few days. We'll have to take him back to headquarters and… oh Sparky!" Gadget cried, giving him a smothering hug against her chest.
A stifled grunt told Chip that Dale was just as envious as he was. Putting that aside, Chip said, "Well Rangers, mission accomplished. Of course, now we've got another mystery on our hands…"
Gadget looked down at herself, and in the light given off whenever Rat Capone's ruined machine sparked, Chip saw she was blushing. And the vengeful look in her eyes was gone. It was as if whatever bloodlust took hold of Gadget finally faded, or at least Chip hoped so. Also, from the brief flashes of light given off by the sparks, Chip noticed those weird, black lines… Were they longer now? Those vinelike lines around her cheeks, they seemed to branch out a little more, digging in deeper. The lines on the back of her hands were a little longer too, vinelike growths reaching the knuckles.
"Well, I got a hunch that whatever gave Gadget those funky tattoos has somethin' to do with it," said Dale, echoing Chip's thoughts. Gadget looked down at her hands, and blushed even more.
"Yeah, but what made them tattoos, mate?" Monterey asked. Zipper stood on his shoulder, muttering something unintelligible. Chip had no doubt Zipper remembered his mishap with Professor Nimnul's Gigantico Gun all too well. Were they headed down the same road with Gadget? How much bigger was Gadget going to get? On top of whatever Fat Cat and Nimnul were planning, the city certainly didn't need a hundred-foot mouse stomping around too.
"Hold it… D'Allure said those stolen chemicals were being delivered to Fat Cat," said Chip. "Either she's planning to sell this stuff to Fat Cat and Rat Capone had no idea…"
"Or that big bloated blighter got himself some more recruits besides the good professor," Monterey finished bitterly.
"Pharmaceuticals and now chemicals… What the heck is he up to?" Dale asked.
"I don't know, Dale. It's not much to go on," said Chip. Looking up, he added, "And we have even less to go on with our other mystery."
Gadget sighed heavily as she looked down from her new two-foot height. "Well, at least, whatever's going on, it's given the Rescue Rangers one BIG advantage," she said with a chuckle. None of the other Rangers could resist grinning and chuckling as well, despite the weirdness of it all.
"Does come with some downsides though, Gadget-luv. You're a mite too big to fit back in the Ranger Boat, and we gotta figure out how ta get ya back ta headquarters in broad daylight," Monterey pointed out.
"Golly, that… will prove to be a challenge, won't it?" Gadget said sheepishly, and the Rangers laughed again.
xxxxxx
Tammy waited alone and impatiently at Ranger HQ. Chip had protested against her staying, mentioning that there was a chance Fat Cat might try attacking their tree. Tammy cringed at the thought of running into that bloated feline again, but remained firm. If she couldn't go along with the Rangers on this mission, then at least she wanted to be there when they returned, to see if Sparky was alright.
"Bet he still thinks I'm too little to do Rescue Ranger stuff," Tammy said to herself as she absentmindedly flipped channels. The way she hadn't done a thing and let Rat Capone sucker Sparky… It still gnawed at her. More than ever, the Rescue Rangers were the pinnacle of heroism in Tammy's eyes, and the thought that she had let down a friend of theirs was a bitter one. "C'mon, I bought us enough time against Fat Cat, saved all our furry butts! More than made up for my mistake then, I could've done it again here! They're heroes, the bravest there ever was, but why does Chip think the weight of the world should only be carried by the five of them?"
Just when Tammy thought she'd go on rambling to herself forever, driven mad by waiting, the front door slammed open. Tammy whirled around to see Monterey Jack carrying an unconscious Sparky inside. In a flash, Tammy was beside them. "Have no fear, mate. Ol' Sparky's still breathin', and Gadget says he'll be good as new in a few days," said Monterey as if he read Tammy mind.
"Yeah, but what about Gadget?" came Dale's voice as he, Chip and Zipper stepped inside.
"Oh no, what happened to Gadget?" Tammy asked, her old grudge with Gadget long since forgotten. "Did Rat Capone and his goons do something to her?"
"More like Gadget did something to THEM," replied Chip smugly. "I wouldn't worry about those three anymore, Tammy. I don't think they'll be bothering us again for a looooooooong time."
"So, that means Gadget's OK?" asked Tammy hopefully.
"Errr, define OK," said Dale hesitantly.
Tammy was about to insist Chip and Dale stop evading the issue, but loud grunts from the door stopped her. Turning around, Tammy nearly had a heart attack. Gadget was… ENORMOUS! At least as big as a cat! Gadget gritted her teeth, her waist hopelessly stuck in the mailbox that made up the headquarters' doorway. "Urk, knew I shouldn't… have had… that extra helping of pizza the other night!" she groaned as she kept trying to squeeze through.
For a long moment, Tammy could only stare slack-jawed at the massive mouse trying to squeeze into the tree. When she found her voice again, all Tammy could say was, "G-G-Gadget, w-w-what happened to you?"
"Like I said about the tattoos, Tammy, your guess is as good as mine!" cried Gadget as she tried even harder to pull herself through the mailbox. At last, with a loud POP, Gadget shot through the mailbox, becoming little more than a runaway bowling ball. Shrieks filled the headquarters as everyone dived out of the way. Gadget only stopped when her barreling body reached the television, knocking it over and bringing it down on top of her as the whole tree shook.
After only a second's hesitation, Tammy ran over to the TV, which Gadget was still pinned under. Looking back at the guys, Tammy cried, "What's wrong with all of you? We gotta get this heavy thing off of her!"
"Somehow, Tammy, I think Gadget'll be OK," said Dale. "Take a look."
Turning back to Gadget, Tammy was astonished to find Gadget effortlessly prying the television off of her, putting it back where it was. "I-I-I d-don't get it, Gadget. You're s-s-s-so strong along with being so big."
"Yeah, we noticed. So did Rat Capone," said Monterey dryly. Tammy wondered just what had happened at the chemical plant. "Look guys, I'm gonna go find a place for Sparky to rest up. Leave it ta you guys to figure out just what to do about our, er, current situation."
As Monterey carried Sparky off, Tammy stared back up at Gadget. Gadget's head nearly reached the ceiling, even while standing with a hunch. "This just isn't right. I mean, animals don't just hit a growth spurt like this out of nowhere," said Tammy.
"Wanna bet?" came a shrill voice in Tammy's ear. Tammy turned to see Zipper hovering beside her.
Gadget sat down next to the television, her closeness still making Tammy a little uncomfortable. "Zipper's right, Tammy. Something like this happened to him, too, thanks to Professor Nimnul," explained Gadget. Her voice seemed to echo in the confines of the tree. "Not to mention that head-swapping incident that gave Zipper Nimnul's body."
"Don't remind me," squeaked Zipper.
"Well, at least we're pretty sure it ain't Nimnul this time," said Dale. "Him and Fat Cat are makin' a point of avoidin' us. No way he'd want a cat-sized, Hulked-out mouse on his tail."
Tammy was suddenly frustrated by how calmly the Rangers were taking all of this. Sure, after all the weird stuff they've been through, this was probably business as usual for them. But Dale flat-out admitted they had no real idea what transformed Gadget, or what it would mean in the long run. "Guys, this just isn't right! Who knows what this'll do to Gadget, and… YOW!"
Tammy stopped when she felt herself get hoisted off the ground, no doubt by Gadget. Gadget set Tammy down standing on her lap, facing her. "Don't you go worrying about me, Tammy," Gadget said reassuringly, fiddling with Tammy's braided hair. "Zipper didn't suffer any ill effects from his growth, so I doubt I will. I feel perfectly fine. Better than fine, even. I feel so much faster, stronger, bursting with energy."
"Well, let's just hope it stops here. Don't want you growing so big you can't fit in headquarters," Chip pointed out. Gadget chuckled a little.
Tammy sighed. "Guess this just shows I'm not ready to be a Rescue Ranger yet. You guys take it all in stride, while it just about freaked me out."
"Oh Tammy," said Gadget, ensnaring the squirrel in a big hug. "You're courageous and have such a big heart. You'll make a fine Rescue Ranger one day, I'm sure of it." Tammy took Gadget's reassurance to heart, but she just wished she wouldn't squeeze so hard. Her strength was smothering her.
"In the meantime, Tammy, the best thing you could do is help us keep an eye on Sparky as he recovers. Rat Capone's gizmo took a lot out of him," said Chip.
"Errr, sure thing Chipper," said Tammy, trying to crane her neck to see him, which was difficult in Gadget's bear hug. "But, what about the rest of you? You make it sound like there's another case going on."
"Believe me, there is," said Chip darkly. "And now we've got a couple leads that beg to be followed up on."
"In the meantime, I guess I'll stay at headquarters," said Gadget. "Maybe I can whip up some new inventions better suited to my new size…"
xxxxxx
Desiree D'Allure rubbed her aching hips, which still screamed in protest with every step she took. Thankfully, by riding Sewernose de Bergerac through the sewers, she was spared from doing too much walking. But now, as Sewernose carried the water cooler bottle up to his abandoned subway cart, she was forced to climb the stairs after him.
"Urgh, that no-good, psychotic mechanic!" spat Desiree as she scrambled up the stairs. "One thing's for sure, my new clients will surely want to know about this. Won't be pleased in the least, oh no, but they'll want to know about it. I can only hope, however they decide to deal with this Gadget Hackwrench, they'll let me in on it…"
Finally, Desiree reached the door to the subway cart. It was still nearly pitch black inside, but Desiree sauntered in undaunted. Soon, she heard the flick of a lighted match, and candlelight illuminated the subway cart. "Well, my dear, I take it your little underhanded escapade was a success," came a silky, sinister voice.
Desiree turned around and looked up to see Fat Cat standing over her, holding a candle. He grinned down at her maliciously, making a point of baring his teeth, no doubt to remind her that she was still a mouse and he a cat. Oh, wait till he learns how the tables have turned with another mouse, Desiree thought glibly. Not the least bit daunted, Desiree said, "So, you're here early. Just as well, since the Rescue Rangers will undoubtedly come snooping around here soon. We can't stay long, since you're so keen to avoid the Rangers at the moment."
"I have my reasons, D'Allure," Fat Cat said dangerously. "But to the point, my dear, do the Rangers know you and the crocodile are delivering the stolen chemical to me?"
"Indeed they do," said Desiree. "I made a point of announcing it right before we fled with the stolen goods. And they arrived just as you predicted. The squirrel girl ran off to fetch them right after Rat Capone picked up Sparky, and they have no clue you wanted it that way. And as a bonus for you, the Rangers dispatched Rat Capone in such a way that he won't be much competition for a while. But I must ask, Fat Cat, if you want to leave no trail for the Rescue Rangers to follow…"
"Why did I want them to know that stealing from the chemical plant was a part of my newest scheme?" Fat Cat finished, twirling his whiskers. "Because I wanted them to think I am done with the chemical plant. As those ridiculous rodents run blindly around the city, playing detective and following up other leads, the last thing they'll expect is that all of us will hit the chemical plant again tonight, going for the motherload! Interference from those self-obsessed do-gooders will be something we need not stress over for a change," he explained with a sly grin.
"And from what I've seen this morning, that's a better tactic than you realize," said Desiree. "As much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, you'll have to speed up the timetable for your scheme, Fat Cat. That one Ranger you were intrigued with, this Gadget Hackwrench, she just…"
Suddenly, the cart went from near darkness to being flooded with light as the power came back on. The stage lights Sewernose set up seemed to follow the crocodile as he sauntered into the middle of the cart, having retrieved his two hand puppets.
"If this performance was supposed to herald de Bergerac's so-called comeback, it left much to be desired," sniped the puppet called Voltaire. "The show was cut-off mid-performance!"
"Oh, such unnecessarily harsh criticism, Voltaire," came a calm reply from the puppet called Euripides. "Given the brutish rogues Sewernose was forced to work with, it speaks well to his talent that he salvaged what he could."
"Ah, you two. The more things change, the more they stay the same," said Sewernose dramatically.
"D'Allure, care to remind me why you're building a new gang around him?" Fat Cat quietly asked Desiree.
"Well, one must feel sorry for the poor dear, only wanting a little recognition," Desiree said in a saccharine, conniving voice. "And at least, unlike others I've had work for me, he is certainly never boring."
"OK OK, that's enough of that from you, you overgrown handbag," came Nimnul's raspy voice from the far end of the subway cart. He walked right in front of Sewernose, ignoring his sharp glare and adding, "And the green puppet has a point, croc. There's only ONE water cooler bottle worth of that chemical. I was promised at least three!"
"And the other puppet has a point too, Professor," said Desiree. "The Rescue Rangers got there earlier than Fat Cat expected, and there are new circumstances you and Fat Cat are unaware of. Consider yourself lucky we could steal even that! I for one hope Fat Cat is right about there being no Rescue Rangers in our way tonight!"
"In any case, this is enough to get things started before tonight, isn't it Professor?" Fat Cat asked hopefully.
Nimnul snorted disdainfully, then looked to the bottle and said, "I suppose I can make do."
"Glad to hear it, Professor," said Fat Cat smoothly. "Now, before we all make haste in preparation for tonight, pray tell Desiree, what are these 'new circumstances' we're unaware of?"
xxxxxx
The sun was just setting as Chip and Monterey Jack scampered up the tree, its reddish rays barely filtering through storm clouds that had blown in from the north. Chip was just glad they got done with the Ranger Boat and the sewers before any heavy rain hit. Not that their foray back in the sewers had yielded anything useful. The hours passed with agonizing swiftness since Gadget's growth spurt. Chip could just smell another Fat Cat caper coming soon, but there were no leads to be found on their end. Maybe Dale and Zipper would have better luck. Then again, knowing Dale…
Chip and Monterey Jack scaled the tree in record time, and jumped over to the branch where the Ranger Plane was usually concealed. It wasn't there, so that meant Dale had yet to return from the police station. "Oh great, where the heck is that chowderhead?" grumbled Chip. "The police station isn't that far off. He should've been back before us!"
"Aw, don't get all twisted up, Chippah. I'm sure the bloke'll be back any minute," said Monterey. "Speak o' the devil, I think I hear 'im now!"
Chip looked up upon hearing the violent rustling of leaves. "Wahoo! Look out below!" came Dale's jubilant cry as the Ranger Plane shot through the branches like a torpedo. Panicking, Chip turned tail and ran, screaming, but the Ranger Plane's landing gear was lowered, and Chip's head got stuck in the suction cup. "Errr, whoops, sorry Chip," said Dale sheepishly. The other suction cup securely anchored to the branch, Dale tried to shake Chip free, but his friend was stuck good, and only succeeded in eliciting even more furious muffled screams.
"Hang on, pally! I'll have ya free in two shakes of a wallabee's tail," said Monterey as he reached up and grabbed Chip's ankles. With one furious yank, he pulled Chip loose, and they nearly tumbled backwards off the branch.
"Uh, Chip, you OK?" asked Dale from the cockpit.
Chip's response was running right up to the cockpit and repeatedly bonking Dale on the head.
"OW OW OUCH OW OW OW OW!" Dale cried in protest. "Hey, I said I was sorry!"
"Why Gadget ever lets you pilot her inventions is WAY beyond me!" spat Chip. "And I bet you're late because you were goofing off at the station!"
"Oh please, Chip. It's not like I could go up to Kirby and Muldoon and ASK for the police reports!" Dale shot back. "But in case you're still interested, I DID find them and copy everything down!" Zipper flew out and handed Chip a sticky note which, sure enough, had Dale's unintelligible scribbling all over it. Chip sighed as he glanced over it, convinced he'd need the Rosetta Stone. "I can save you some trouble, Chip, and tell you it's the exact opposite of what you expected to find."
"What are you talking about, Dale?" demanded Chip. "These robberies Fat Cat bragged about him and Nimnul pulling off, the way he blindsided us in the Ranger Wing… It's obvious what he needed the professor for. Making him some sort of super-enhancing drug with that stolen medicine!"
"Sorry, Chip, waaaaaaay off. And I had a hunch even before I saw those police reports," Dale replied calmly.
"Oh realllllllllly?" drawled Chip dubiously. "And what did you base this 'hunch' on?"
"On the clue I found the other night," said Dale, holding up the same white, pentagon-shaped pill he found outside the looted pharmacy. "Turns out this is lorazepam, something humans use for anxiety."
Chip glared at Dale. "And since when are you such an expert on medicines, Dale?"
"Since Gadget got us Internet access in the tree," said Dale smugly. "And in the police report about the pharmacy's inventory… Everything that was missing was for mental problems. Stuff like SSRIs and MAO inhibity-thingies and whatever. And Zipper and I stopped by the half burned-down vet… Their med storeroom was untouched by the fire, and we found an inventory taken. Same thing. Stuff meant to calm down dogs and cats was missin'."
It took Chip a moment to get over the shock of Dale being so thorough, but the gears in his head slowly started to turn again. Still, he couldn't come up with any plausible explanations. "So, Fat Cat's making Nimnul whip him up a cocktail of antipsychotics? What for?"
Dale shrugged his shoulders. "Other than the obvious fact that they're both loony to begin with, no clue whatsoever. Was hopin' you'd figure out the answer to that, or maybe Gadget."
"Someone mention my name?" came a calm voice from across the tree. Everyone looked up to see Gadget gracefully slide down onto the branch. She carried whatever she had been working on these last few hours.
At its core was clearly a gardening shovel, once at a greater length but part of it was now sawed off, the handle reinserted. On the handle, a fishing reel was welded on, and Chip noticed the line had been replaced with a sort of thin, steel cable. What looked like part of an actual crossbow, a small handheld one from a human perspective, was mounted onto the shovel, and one of Gadget's trademark plunger harpoons was loaded. Naturally, this one was a lot bigger than her normal ammunition. Also, underneath was mounted a PVC pipe and some sort of device with a black, plastic casing. It looked like additional straps for something else were underneath it as well, but in the shadowy confines of the tree, it was hard to make out.
"So, err, Gadget, I see you've went and made yourself a new weapon," said Chip, staring up at Gadget as she walked closer. Chip was amazed at how well Gadget kept her balance on the branches at that new size.
Chip swore Gadget blushed a little. "Well, not really, Chip. I just went ahead and made a new, bigger crossbow. The old one made with a comb and pencil and having a spool attached won't quite cut it anymore," Gadget said modestly. "The only big difference is that this one can be mounted on my arm." With that, Gadget slid it over her right arm, fastening the straps Chip noticed earlier. Her hand went right underneath the shovel blade, and as Gadget flexed her fingers, Chip heard stuff click into place. "Along with the crossbow, I also added a smoke bomb launcher and a taser. Since I've got the extra strength and size, I figured it's feasible to add a bit more functionality, pack on extra gear."
The overall length of Gadget's new arm-mounted crossbow looked a little unwieldy, even at Gadget's two-foot height. Even with her arm straightened as if to aim, the fishing reel went way behind her head. Still, looking up, Chip had to admit Gadget looked intimidating with her new gear. "Good work, Gadget. I can't wait to see the look on Fat Cat's face when we finally corner him."
Gadget frowned a little. "Golly, it won't really be a surprise for him, Chip. D'Allure must've told him all about me by now."
"Hearin' about an unstoppable juggernaut of a mouse is one thing, Gadget-luv. Once ol' Fat Cat sees the real thing in action, oh I guarantee the fur's gonna fly!" said Monterey brightly.
"Let's hope so, Monty. We're still hopelessly in the dark about what he's planning," Chip pointed out.
"I overheard you and Dale, Chip. So, following the lead about the stolen medicine didn't give us any answers, huh?" asked Gadget.
"'Fraid not, Gadget-luv. Neither did checkin' out Sewernose's old rehearsal room. Place was abandoned," said Monterey.
"But Fat Cat was definitely there. The recent clawmarks on the floorboards, the weight distribution, the length of the strides… No question he was waiting for him and D'Allure," said Chip.
"Any idea just what D'Allure delivered to him? With the way I smashed Rat Capone's pump, I couldn't get enough to run tests on," said Gadget.
"No luck there either, Gadget," said Dale glumly. "Chemical plant doesn't even know their goods've been boosted, so no police report."
Gadget let out a deep sigh, then sat down on the branch, letting her long legs dangle off the side. "Then I guess there's nothing we can do but wait for Fat Cat to strike again, and pray we'll be there in time to squeeze some answers out of him. Of course, with the Ranger Wing still out of commission, and me too big to fit in my other inventions, that's not likely."
Chip walked up to Gadget with Dale, wondering how to cheer her up. "Don't beat yourself up over it, Gadget. The power surge did a number on everything. No one expected it up and running within a day."
Gadget looked down at herself, at hands bigger than Fat Cat's paws. "Repairs will be even slower with me this big," Gadget pointed out. "I can't even fit into my workshop now, and I wasn't getting much done leaning in through the hangar door, clumsily fiddling with tools with these monstrous digits."
Chip had a funny mental image of Gadget fumbling with all the electronics in the Ranger Wing, her lower half comically poking out of the hangar. But one look at Gadget's face erased any trace of humor it once had. Luckily, Zipper came to the rescue, landing on Gadget's nose. Chip couldn't hear what Zipper said, but it seemed to cheer Gadget up. "Oh thanks, Zipper. I guess you'd know firsthand it could always be worse," she said, gently patting Zipper as he held onto her nose. "And for the moment, I can at least still fit inside headquarters. Granted, I was getting a little claustrophobic in there, so I came out here for some fresh air…"
Gadget started rubbing her neck and flexing her shoulders. "Yeah, I can imagine it'd feel a little cramped inside headquarters now," said Chip.
"Golly, tell me about it. It was an ordeal just to squeeze back out, and I was already sore," said Gadget, still nursing her neck.
In a flash, Dale ran out of the Ranger Plane and climbed up to Gadget's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Gadget. Just relax, and a quick massage should loosen everything up," he said eagerly as he got to work kneading her shoulder muscles.
"Well, if you think it's a good idea, go ahead," said Gadget. Already, she was closing her eyes and smiling, clearly enjoying it.
Chip facepalmed, infuriated at how Dale could have such a one-track-mind. He looked back up at Gadget… and found himself climbing up to her other shoulder.
"Here, I'll help too," said Chip, in a challenging tone directed at Dale. He ignored Dale's indignant glare, firmly pressing down through the lavender jumpsuit that somehow grew with Gadget. Now that the fabric was thicker, Chip doubted Gadget could feel anything through it, but she hummed contentedly as the chipmunks kept at it. He glanced over her face, his heart melting at her satisfied smile. Chip was also amazed by how warm Gadget felt, her body heat radiating up through the jumpsuit.
He worked towards her neck, and Gadget cocked her head to the side, allowing Chip better access. As Chip brushed aside Gadget's long hair, he couldn't help but notice those black lines again. The ones creeping up her neck seemed to sprout from someplace on Gadget's back, right at the base of her neck. Curious, Chip pulled back on Gadget's collar, hoping for a better look. He tried to pull back more of Gadget's hair, but it was so thick now and not an easy task. Then, a sharp, desperate cry from above made Gadget lurch forward.
"DALE! Thank goodness you Rangers are here! We've got trouble!"
The next thing Chip knew, he and Dale got thrown off Gadget's shoulders, plummeting down the tree. "WAAAAAAAAAAAH!" they both screamed, until they felt themselves get plopped inside one of Gadget's plunger harpoons. Slowly but surely, Gadget reeled them back up to her branch.
"Sorry about that guys, but Foxglove startled me," Gadget said apologetically.
"FOXGLOVE!?" Chip and Dale cried out in unison. Looking down, Chip saw that, sure enough, the pink bat known only as Foxglove was standing there beside Gadget. Her expression looked grim, and mingled with confusion as she spared furtive glances up at Gadget.
Gadget pried the chipmunks loose, then gently set them down on the branch. "Foxglove, if you're back here, guess you've got some bad news, huh?" asked Dale.
Chip knew that had to be the case. For weeks now, Foxglove had volunteered to stake out the Happy Tom Cat Food factory for them, watching for signs of Fat Cat pulling anything crooked. Dale had objected to Chip about letting Foxglove do something so dangerous, but no one else the Rescue Rangers knew was up to the task. Tammy was even younger than Foxglove, and Queenie's swarm would never hear of their ruler doing something so risky. Besides, Foxglove was nocturnal, and thus could blend into the night.
So far, with his recent crimes, Fat Cat had obviously been smart enough to elude any spies within and around his casino. Tonight, hopefully, Fat Cat finally slipped up. "Is it about Fat Cat? Do you know where he's heading tonight?" Chip asked eagerly.
Foxglove nodded timidly. "Those four goons of his, they left the casino half an hour ago. I tailed them, overheard something about meeting their boss at the chemical plant before I lost them…"
"The CHEMICAL PLANT!?" Chip cried in disbelief. "B-B-B-But… Fat Cat already hired somebody to steal from the chemical plant this morning! Why's he going back?"
"Musta been a ploy ta throw us off the scent, mate. Nick a little from the plant ta jumpstart whatever him an' Nimnul are cookin', then go back for the motherload tonight," said Monterey dryly.
"Then we'd better hurry before they get it!" cried Dale.
"Hold on, Dale. There's another problem," said Foxglove.
"Huh? What's that?" asked Chip.
"Well, is it me, or is everyone else keen on ignoring the giant mouse in the tree?" Foxglove asked coyly.
"Oh, that," said Chip sheepishly. "Well, there's no time to worry about it now. We have no idea what caused Gadget to grow anyway."
"I'm afraid I do," said Foxglove softly. Chip was about to inquire further, but Foxglove leaned closer to Gadget, sniffing at her leg.
Gadget looked down at Foxglove dubiously. "Foxglove, you really think you know what's transformed me? Is it some kind of mutagen? Some unidentified form of radiation?"
"Well, sorta. From what I can tell, someone's put an enchantment on you, and a really potent one at that," said Foxglove.
"Magic!? Someone's cast a spell on Gadget-luv here!?" demanded Monterey.
"Oh definitely, Monty," said Foxglove. "I can recognize the smell of black magic anywhere, and… Don't take this the wrong way Gadget, but you absolutely REEK of it." Chip had no reason to doubt Foxglove, and now there was at least some explanation for Gadget's transformation. But now there were even more unanswered questions.
"How can you be so sure, Foxglove?" asked Dale, still sounding doubtful.
"Because, this smell… It's the same thing I smelled on Bud and Lou, back when I still worked with Winifred," explained Foxglove. "I had that smell, too, just not as strong."
"Are you sayin' ol' Freddie's put this enchantment on Gadget-luv!?" Monterey spat incredulously.
"No way! We've been keepin' watch on ol' Freddie, and she's still behind bars!" retorted Dale.
"That may be, Dale, but this is still the same kind of enchantment Winifred used on all three of us," said Foxglove. "It's the way sorcerers mark their familiars and bond with them, and gives them greater powers. Ever wonder why Bud had a tongue like a frog's? I still have some of the gifts Winifred gave me, even though her power got neutralized when Dale ruined her spell, severing our link."
"So you're saying there's a human out there who's chosen me as a… familiar?" Gadget asked, finally speaking up. Chip looked up, wondering what was going through Gadget's head, but her expression was unreadable. "But who would want me for such a thing?"
Foxglove shook her head. "I have no idea, Gadget. I learned a bit about sorcery from Winifred, but… I had no clue power given a familiar could be this… EXTREME."
"Beyond extreme, Foxglove. Gadget-luv flattened Rat Capone's entire gang and his pumping doohickey without breakin' a sweat," said Monterey.
"And what about these black vine lines? What do they mean?" asked Gadget, showing Foxglove the black marks adorning her hands.
"No idea whatsoever, Gadget. Sorry. I've NEVER heard of a familiar getting literally marked," said Foxglove.
"Well, is there any way to break this link with whatever human that marked me?" Gadget asked hopefully.
"You'd have to find him or her first," said Foxglove. "And I don't think we'll have time tonight, if Fat Cat's planning something."
"Foxglove's right. Sorry, Gadget. We'll have to track down whoever's marked you some other time, but at least we've got some idea about what's happened to you," said Chip.
"Oh, don't feel too sorry, Chip. I have a feeling, because of this spell, it'll be Fat Cat and Nimnul we'll be feeling sorry for," said Gadget, a slyness and hard edge to her voice now. Chip had no idea why, but it made him feel uneasy. "But Chip, it'll take a while to reach the chemical plant in the Ranger Plane."
"Any ideas on how to get there faster? You said there's no way the Ranger Wing will be ready anytime soon," said Chip.
Gadget looked over to the Ranger Plane, then back down at herself. Chip could tell she was getting an idea. "Who says we have to fly the whole way there? You guys just get yourselves strapped in, including Zipper, and let me do the rest."
"Why do I get the feeling we'll all regret this?" Chip muttered under his breath.
Chip headed toward the Ranger Plane, but as he was about to climb in, Foxglove laid a wing on his shoulder. "Chip, wait. I'm coming with you this time."
"Foxglove, no! This isn't another stakeout, and that was risky enough already!" Chip protested. "You've already done so much for the Rangers…"
"And I want to do more, Chip. You Rangers are the only real friends I've ever had," said Foxglove. "Besides, I… think you'll need me there to keep an eye on Gadget, if nothing else." Chip looked back up at Gadget. She seemed to loom over the Ranger Plane, patiently waiting for everyone to strap in. "I wasn't kidding when I said a familiar's mark should never be this forceful and potent. I honestly have no idea what it'll mean for Gadget…"
"Aw, c'mon Chip, you can't be considering this," said Dale. "If it were just Fat Cat and his gang, there'd be no problem. Or just Professor Nimnul. Or just Desiree and Sewernose. But ALL of them, TOGETHER!?"
Chip looked to Foxglove, overtaken by the worry and sincerity in her eyes. "She comes," Chip said with a tone of finality. "You're right, Dale. We ARE hopelessly outnumbered this time, and she's the closest thing to an expert on black magic that we've got. And she's right. For Gadget's sake, we'd better have Foxglove along."
Realizing Chip's decision was final, Dale clambered into the back of the Ranger Plane, muttering something under his breath. Foxglove quickly climbed in next to him. "Well cutie, looks like we've finally got another case together, huh?" she asked teasingly, scooting up next to Dale.
Ignoring Dale's spluttering, Chip got into the pilot's seat. "OK Gadget, we're all strapped in. So, what're you… YIIII!"
All of a sudden, Gadget picked up the entire Ranger Plane. Using straps she had long ago concealed on the bottom, Gadget fastened it to her back. After making sure the Ranger Plane was secure, and double-checking her new crossbow, Gadget made a tremendous leap out of the tree.
The other Rangers and Foxglove screamed for dear life as Gadget ran along the darkened park path, all the people having fled the incoming storm. Soon enough, Gadget reached a telephone pole at the edge of the park. She deftly climbed it, ran along the power lines going across the street, and jumped onto a nearby rooftop. Gadget jumped from rooftop to rooftop with ease, Chip trying to deal with his head spinning and stomach lurching as she ferried them all to the chemical plant.
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