Chapter 7.- The Reset.
- Faster Gadget-Mobile! Faster! - Nathan yelled. - We have to get to SI before something bad happens to Gadget!
- I'm doing all I can, I've spent a lot of energy going from one place of Riverton to another in less than three hours. - Gadget-Mobile replied. - I'm really sorry but I have to...
Everyone stared at the Gadget-Mobile's face, which was grimacing.
- What's wrong? - Penny asked.
- I've lost Inspector G's satellite signal.
- What?! - Brenda exclaimed.
- This is impossible. - Nathan said astonished. - The only way that could happen is if...
- If what, Doctor Bradford? - Penny asked anguished.
- ... If someone pulls out his Neural Network Impulsor. - Brenda said in distress.
Penny gasped and covered her mouth.
- But... wouldn't that... ? - Penny muttered.
- Kill him... - Nathan let out. - Yes, that would kill him.
- No... No! NO! - Penny yelled. - We have to find him!
- Gadget-Mobile, activate the Gadget Positioning System. - Brenda said while she wiped a tear. - John's body emits a weak signal that can still be tracked if someone pulls out the NNI.
- Don't get your hopes too high though, even if we somehow manage to revive John's circuits, his memory might have been wiped out completely, rendering him to a simple-minded cyborg that will only follow orders from its creators or Chief Quimby.
- Shut up, Nathan. - Brenda hissed. - John will overcome this, he has overcame the odds before.
- I got Gadget, he's moving towards the outskirts of Riverton. - Gadget-Mobile said.
- Move! Let's go get him ASAP! - Penny demanded.
Gadget-Mobile nodded and sped off towards Gadget's position.
(Meanwhile)
Officer Dean Trenton and many others were evacuating all the people of the city as fast as they could, but unfortunately Robo-Gadget was hot on their heels.
- Move! We have to get the civilians out of the city now! - Trenton yelled.
- Run, you little maggots! - Robo-Gadget yelled.
Then the android activated his flamethrower and set a building on fire.
The people ran as fast as they could, but those who weren't fast enough were either kicked violently or stomped by the Robo-Gadget.
And while the city was literally falling apart, one businessman saw all the chaos and the destruction caused by his greatest success from the safety of his office in his building.
Claw smirked at the devastation caused by his android and then he said to himself:
- These androids will certainly lead Stark Industries to bankruptcy. And not only that, with an army of these, I could take over the entire world and nobody could stop me!
Claw smirked wider while he watched another explosion.
(Back with Brenda, Nathan and Penny)
Gadget-Mobile drove to the outskirts of Riverton, to the junkyard to be precise, and Nathan, Brenda and Penny couldn't believe it.
- Fellas, I don't like the looks of this. - Gadget-Mobile said grimly.
- Why did you come here? - Penny asked worriedly. - I mean, are you sure you picked up the right signal?
- I wish I didn't, but the Gadget Positioning System never fails.
Brenda, Nathan and Penny shared some worried glances amongst themselves and started looking around for any traces of Gadget.
After a short while, Penny saw something out of the corner of her eye.
- Stop! - Penny said while she jumped out of the Gadget-Mobile.
- Penny, wait! - Brenda said while she tried to hold Penny back.
- Uncle John! - The girl yelled.
Penny ran towards a pile of trash, being followed by Brenda, Nathan and Brain.
Penny moved through the waste and then she gasped in horror when she saw her uncle underneath some broken tables with his arms, legs and neck extended, his hat, coat and with the skin panels of his chest missing, exposing his internal machinery.
- UNCLE JOHN! NO! - Penny yelled in despair.
Nathan, Brenda and Brain caught up with Penny, then they gasped once they saw Gadget's motionless body. The Bradford siblings ran over to Gadget and moved the tables that were over the cyborg. Then Penny hold onto her uncle's shoulders for dear life.
- Uncle John! Please! Wake up! - Penny begged while she wept her heart out.
Brenda managed to release Penny's grasp from Gadget and hugged her tightly, trying to comfort the poor girl because she knew about Penny's past and because she knew how Penny was feeling.
Nathan felt a lump in his throat, he could barely cope with seeing his sister crying, but seeing her and a girl like Penny, who had lost her parents when she was just 5 years old, weeping so bitterly over her last relative's motionless body, he just couldn't hold tears back for long. He could only think on how much of a monster Scolex was for causing so much pain and suffering to people who didn't deserve it. Nathan knelt beside Gadget and Brain, who was trying in vain to make John react by licking the cyborg's hand. Nathan took a glance at Gadget's lower torso, to the slot where the Neural Network Impulsor used to be, and he couldn't help but let a tear run down his cheek while he clenched his fists in contained rage and impotence. The oldest Bradford grunted and punched a wood board, which he broke immediately.
- Scolex removed Gadget's NNI. -Nathan said.
- He doesn't need the chip, he's got his heart, he did all that by himself. - Penny said.
- I'm afraid not, Penny, we're too late, Gadget... Gadget is dead.
Brenda and Penny yelled in despair, Brain howled bitterly and Nathan broke into tears, as he couldn't hold back his tears anymore.
- NO! - Penny shouted at the sky with all the pain in her heart.
Nathan embraced Penny and patted her on the back, then he managed to say:
- Why is it that the ones of us who wants to live more, who deserves to live more, die; and the ones who deserve to die are still alive? - Nathan said bitterly. - What's the message in that?
- Just one: Scolex will pay for everything he's done. - Brenda said with a lump in her throat as she clenched her fists.
- We gotta finish what my uncle John started. - Penny said while she wiped her tears. - He would've wanted it that way.
Nathan and Penny stood up, but Brenda moved closer to Gadget's face. The woman cupped Gadget's cheek lovingly and stared at the cyborg's stoic face as tears kept running down her cheeks.
- We gotta leave him, Brenda. - Nathan said. - I'm sorry.
Brenda shed a few more tears, then she kissed John softly on the lips, which were still warm somehow. After that, the scientist stood up, she dusted herself up and wiped her tears with her sleeve.
- Ok, I'm ready. - Brenda said with a broken voice.
The trio and the dog started walking towards the Gadget-Mobile but suddenly something made Brain stop dead in his tracks.
SYSTEM RESET...
PERFORMING SYSTEMATIC CHECK-UP...
-VISUAL SYSTEMS... OPERATIVE
-MOTOR SYSTEMS... ENGAGED
-COMBAT SYSTEMS... ONLINE
-SENSOR SYSTEMS... ACTIVATED
PERFORMING REVIEW OF VITAL SIGNS...
-HEART RATE... NORMAL
-NEURAL ACTIVITY... EFFICIENT
-PULSE... NORMAL
-MUSCLE TISSUE... UNALTERED
-NEURAL SYSTEM... FUNCTIONAL
REVIEWING N.N.I. STATUS...
-ERROR - N.N.I. MISSING
ENERGY TRANSITION INTERRUPTED
ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT...
-CORRECTION SUCCESSFUL
WARNING - ENERGY LEAKAGE DETECTED
NEW ENERGY TRANSISTOR REQUIRED
ENERGY LEVELS: 99% AND DROPPING
EFFICIENCY OF ALL SYSTEMS: 99% AND DROPPING
INITIATING START UP...
The unmistakable whir of working machinery made the beagle stop in its tracks, then Brain turned and ran back to Gadget's body. The dog yapped, making Brenda, Penny and Nathan turn. The trio walked over to the cyborg's body and gasped when they saw that Gadget's arms, legs and neck were retracting. Their eyes went wide open as they quickly knelt next to the body.
- John! - Nathan said.
- Uncle John! - Penny said with her hopes resurging.
- John, can you hear us? - Brenda asked.
Gadget felt dizzy, for the third time in two weeks, his head was spinning and his body felt heavy. He could hear three persons calling his name. Gadget opened his eyes slowly, his sight was blurry but his hearing was getting better with each passing second.
- John, can you hear us? - A woman's voice said.
Gadget blinked a bit and then he saw an angelical face which had a growing smile of hope.
- Brenda? - Gadget said softly.
- Uncle John! - Penny said while she hugged her uncle as tight as she could.
- Penny?
Brain yapped happily and wagged his tail, then he ran to lick Gadget's face.
- Brain, no, please, stop it! - Gadget said with a smile.
- It's a miracle! - Nathan said.
- He doesn't need the chip! - Brenda said astonished.
- It's my uncle John, that's why it is! - Penny said happily.
Gadget finally stood up and he was rapidly caught by the trio hugging him as tight as they could.
- It's good to have you back, Gadget. - Nathan said with a smile.
- And it's good to be back, although it won't be for long. - Gadget said sternly.
- What do you mean? - Penny asked.
- Whatever happened with me, it's only temporary, I have an energy leakage. - Gadget explained. - I'm at 99% of energy and dropping.
- Then we have no time to lose, Scolex and his android have... - Nathan tried to say.
- Claw. - Gadget interrupted.
- What? - Brenda asked.
- Apparently Scolex lost his arm in the accident with me and he got it replaced with a mechanical claw, now he calls himself "Doctor Claw."
- Whatever! Claw, or whatever his name is, and his android have destroyed half or Riverton! - Nathan snapped.
- Right, any chance you guys have any spare clothes for me? I don't think fight with Claw and Robo-Gadget when I'm half naked is such a good idea.
- I got a spare outfit for you in my trunk. - Gadget-Mobile said.
- Great, though my kevlar-vibranium trench coat should've come in handy to face the Robo-Gadget.
- Don't worry about that, we made two coats for you. - Nathan said.
- What? You said that you didn't find too much vibranium!
- Well, yeah, but I also said that I didn't find enough vibranium to replicate Captain America's shield, I never said that I didn't find enough to make two coats.
- Nathan, we don't have much time, we gotta stop Doctor Claw and the Robo-Gadget. - Brenda snapped.
- She's right guys, we gotta go! - Penny snapped.
- Ok, could you guys give me some privacy to change my clothes? - Gadget asked.
- Sure, just hurry up. - Nathan said while he dragged his sister away from Gadget.
- Wait, Nathan! Stop it! - Brenda demanded.
Penny snickered and followed the Bradford siblings while Gadget opened the Gadget-Mobile's trunk to grab the spare outfit.
Meanwhile, Brenda started arguing with her brother, while Penny and Brain walked around for a bit.
- Why did you do that?! - Brenda snapped at her brother.
- Gadget asked for privacy. - Nathan replied with a sheepish smile.
- You would've dragged me away even if he hadn't asked for it anyway. - Brenda said with a huff. - I'm not a little girl anymore Nathan, I'm an adult now, stop treating me like a child!... besides, it's not as if I hadn't seen him naked before...
- Excuse me?
- Oh, come on! As if you had never done that with any of your old girlfriends!
While the siblings started arguing, Penny couldn't help but shed a single tear of relief, she felt a lot better now that she had her dear uncle John was back with her. She knew that she couldn't live without him, he was her last relative after all, he had taken her under his watch after the fateful day when she lost her mom and her dad; ever since that day he was the only one who looked after her. They passed through hard times trying to cope with the loss of Gadget's sister, but after three years, the scars had finally healed and she was once again a confident, smart and young little girl.
- I don't know if you guys had anything to do with this, but thanks mom and dad. - Penny said while she looked up at the sky.
A soft bark from Brain stopped Penny's train of thought, the blonde girl wiped the tear and she walked over to her dog.
- What's up, buddy? - Penny said while she squatted to pet the dog.
Brain pointed at something in the trash with his nose, Penny looked at what Brain was pointing and gasped, then she smiled and scratched Brain behind his ears.
- Good work, Brain. - The girl praised her dog.
Once Gadget had his outfit on, he realized that something was missing.
- Oh, great, Nathan made another coat but he didn't make another hat for me. - Gadget complained.
- Hey, Gadget, are you done? - Nathan yelled.
- Yeah, I'm ready. - Gadget replied. - C'mon, we gotta go catch Claw!
Brenda and Nathan walked over to Gadget but once they caught a glimpse of the cop's attire they both asked at the same time:
- Where's your hat?
- Claw must have it as a trophy. It would've come in handy in this fight, I guess I'll have to stop Claw's plans without it.
- Didn't Nathan make another hat? - Brenda asked.
- No, due to the complexity of the technology I used to create the hat, I didn't have enough time nor funds to make another. - Nathan explained.
- In other words, you were way too lazy to build another hat and wasted all your time playing Mortal Kombat!
Nathan lowered his head in shame while Brenda glared at her brother and crossed her arms. The three adults sighed heavily and hopped aboard the Gadget-Mobile.
Meanwhile, Penny was pulling something from under a pile of empty cans while she grinned. Once she had the thing that was under the pile, Penny petted Brain and made the dog wag his tail.
- You're the best dog any girl could ask for, Brain. - The girl said before she stood up. - Come on, boy, uncle John should be ready by now.
Brain barked in agreement and then the beagle and the girl ran towards the Gadget-Mobile. Once they reached the car, Penny hid her hands behind her back and hopped into the car with a sly grin on her face, which made Gadget look at her in suspicion.
- Ok, what are you hiding, Penny? - Gadget asked.
- Nothing. - Penny replied with a grin.
- I don't have time for games, Penny.
- Oh, well, guess I'll have to keep this. - Penny said while she put on a fedora. - After all, I think it makes me look cool.
Gadget chuckled in surprise when he saw that Penny was wearing his fedora, then he grabbed the hat and twirled it his hands.
- Where did you find it? - Gadget asked.
- Brain found your hat under a bunch of empty cat food cans, I just pulled it out. - Penny replied.
Gadget turned to see Brain and he petted the dog.
- Good thing I let Penny keep you, Brain. - Gadget said.
Gadget turned again and buckled up his seat belt, then he put on his fedora and smirked.
- Finally, you look like your normal self, Gadget. - Gadget-Mobile said.
- Glad to know that, 'cause I feel the need. - Gadget said.
- The need? - Everyone asked with a bewildered look.
- Yes, the need for speed.
Gadget pressed some buttons on the control board of the Gadget-Mobile and a jet turbine erupted from the car's trunk, assembling itself and igniting itself.
- Isn't the jet turbine a bit too extreme? - Nathan asked.
- Right now we're in a really desperate situation, and desperate times call for desperate measures. - Gadget said with a smirk.
Penny, Brenda, Nathan, and even Brain, braced themselves as they buckled their seat belts. Then Gadget pushed the throttle of the Gadget-Mobile at the top and stomped his foot on the accelerator.
The car sped off like a bullet and transited through the streets of Riverton at a break-neck speed.
- Claw will have to wait a bit more, I have something really important to do. - Gadget said.
- Just hurry up, Uncle John, I don't think the city will resist too much time with the Robo-Gadget still causing havoc. - Penny said while she shielded her eyes.
The Gadget-Mobile slowed to a stop right in front of Gadget's house, then Gadget used his Extendo-Arms to put Brain and Penny out of the car. Penny pouted and crossed her arms at her uncle's actions.
- I'm really sorry, Penny, but this is way too dangerous to let you tag along with us. - Gadget said while he restarted the Gadget-Mobile's engine. - Later Penny, don't forget to feed Brain!
The Gadget-Mobile sped off again and Penny made a little tantrum while she watched the car.
Back in the Gadget-Mobile.
- Be careful! - Nathan snapped at the cyborg.
- Heads up fellas, I've found Claw's limo. Estimated time to catch up with them: 1.3 minutes. - Gadget-Mobile said.
- Alright, guys, I have a plan. - Gadget said. - Brenda, you take the wheel, when I give you the signal, slow down!
- Got it! - Brenda said.
- Wait! - Nathan said as he opened one of the briefcases to hand Gadget a new Plasma Pistol. - You're gonna need that.
Gadget grabbed the gun as he nodded, then he put it inside his trench coat, unbuckled his seatbelt, stood on his seat and started moving towards the hood of his car while the others just watched him in confusion. Brenda unbuckled her seatbelt too and grabbed Gadget's arm, making the cyborg turn and see the horrified look on the scientist's face.
- What do you think you're doing John?! - Brenda asked.
- My job, what else could I do? - Gadget replied with a defiant smile.
- Are you insane?! - Gadget-Mobile snapped at the cop.
- You're going to get killed! - Nathan said.
- Does any of you have a better idea?! - Gadget snapped at both.
Nathan and the Gadget-Mobile fell silent while Brenda's lower lip quivered a bit, she knew that Gadget was right but the idea of losing John for good made her feel uneasy. So to ease both her and Gadget's mind, she pulled in the cyborg for a deep loving kiss, which took Gadget by surprise. Gadget returned the kiss and after what seemed like hours, even if it were just a few seconds, both pulled away and Brenda said:
- Be careful, ok?
Gadget smiled lovingly and said:
- I will.
Brenda moved to the driver's seat and Gadget squatted over the Gadget-Mobile's trunk while he held his hat.
- There they are! - Gadget-Mobile alerted.
Gadget looked at the front of his car and he saw Claw's limo at the distance. He frowned with determination and targeted Claw's limo, then his HUD made some calculations and signaled the best point to slow down the Gadget-Mobile.
- Brenda, now! - Gadget yelled.
The redhead woman was startled by Gadget's order so instead of slowing down the speed, she stomped her foot on the brake and the Gadget-Mobile stopped abruptly, launching Gadget against the rear window of Claw's limo. Meanwhile, Brenda reignited the Gadget-Mobile's engine.
- Inspector G said slow down but nice aim anyway, Doctor B. - Gadget-Mobile said.
- Thank you... I guess. - Brenda replied sheepishly.
Back with Gadget, the police inspector had broken the rear window and he was now face to face with both the Robo-Gadget and Claw. Gadget and Claw glared at each other.
- You're under arrest for the murder of Gerald Bradford, the theft of the Gadget Project and the attempted murder against me, Doctor Claw. - Gadget said with a scowl.
- Oh, God, why can't you just give up. - Claw said.
Then Gadget turned to face the Robo-Gadget.
- And you, you're under arrest for impersonating a police officer and for tainting my reputation. - Gadget said at his doppelganger. - Oh what a tangled web you weaved, but I managed to uncover the truth and it's payback...
While Gadget was giving his speech, Claw and the Robo-Gadget glanced at each other with a not amused look on their faces, then they smirked and nodded slightly before they punched Gadget on the face, and as Claw was at Gadget's left side, Claw had hit the cyborg with his pincer.
And though Claw and Robo-Gadget were laughing at the cop's expense, Gadget was by no meanings down yet.
Gadget felt as if he had been struck by a freight train, but he knew that he couldn't give up. Somehow, he had managed to grab onto the rear bumper and he stood up while the limo and the Gadget-Mobile started a high-speed chase.
- You just passed a red light! That's another thing you're going to pay for, Claw! - Gadget shouted.
Gadget gripped for dear life to the bumper and he felt that his feet were burning.
- Ah! It's too hot! Hot, hot, hot! - Gadget said. - Uhh... Go go Gadget-Skis!
A pair of skis assembled themselves at the sole of Gadget's shoes, lessening the burning sensation in his feet. However, his relief was short lived when the Skis started to burn.
- Ah! Not again! Uhh... Go go Gadget-Snow! - Gadget said.
Nothing happened.
- Go go Gadget-Water! - Gadget yelled in despair.
Still, nothing happened and Gadget couldn't bare the burning sensation on his feet anymore.
- Go go Gadget-Rollerblades!
The burning skis detached from Gadget's shoes and his shoes morphed into a pair of rollerblades, which allowed him to stand still without feeling that his feet were burning.
Meanwhile, inside the limo, Claw and Robo-Gadget were mocking of the cyborg's disgraces, but once they saw that Gadget was still holding onto the rear bumper, so Claw decided that he had had enough of the cop so he pressed a button on a console, which dettached the bumper from the limo. Gadget released his grip on the bumper but that didn't stopped him from rolling onto the pavement and almost being run over by the Gadget-Mobile, which managed to evade him barely. Gadget shook his head and stood up, then he huffed and heard a light beep. The cyborg turned and his eyes went wide open when he saw that a motorcycle was about to run him over.
- Go go Gadget-Extendo-Legs! - Gadget yelled.
Gadget's legs extended just in the nick of time, so the bike passed through them without any trouble. Then the cyborg glanced at the Gadget-Mobile and Claw's limo a they drove away, then he checked his energy and saw that it was at 95%. After that his HUD calculated the time to catch up with both cars, then Gadget narrowed his eyes and started running towards them with the help of his Extendo-Legs. His first steps with the Extendo-Legs were wobbly but after a few more paces he managed to get the hang of it and started running as fast as he could.
After a few seconds, Gadget was able to catch up with the vehicles. Then, the cyborg cop diverted some of his power (which decreased his energy to 89%) to jump on the roof of the limo. Gadget managed to hold onto the roof of Claw's limo, then he stood on his knees with a frown as he raised his right hand.
- Go go Gadget-Sawblade. - Gadget said.
Gadget's right hand was replaced by a circular saw, then he used it to cut the roof of the vehicle, startling both of its passengers. Once Gadget cut a hole big enough for him to go through, he used his left hand to bend said part of the roof as if he was opening a sardine can while his right hand returned to normal.
Inside the limo, Robo-Gadget and Claw watched in amazement as the roof of the limo was bent as if it was made of paper, then they saw Inspector Gadget's smirking face.
- Hello, fellas, are you ready for the second...? - Gadget tried to say.
Right in that moment, Sikes, who was driving Claw's limo, hit the Gadget-Mobile, which didn't receive even a scratch. However the sudden movement made Gadget lose his balance and he had to use his Electromagnets to hold onto the roof.
- Hey! You don't slam the Gadget-Mobile and run away scot free! - Gadget-Mobile said angrily. - I'm gonna turn you into a compact!
Meanwhile, inside the limo, Robo-Gadget stood up and said to Claw:
- I'll go get Gadget, boss, you sit tight.
Robo-Gadget got out of the limo through the hole that Gadget had done. Then he saw that Gadget was holding for dear life while the limo and the Gadget-Mobile were hitting each other. The android smirked deviously and moved towards Gadget to take him by surprise. However, Nathan, Brenda and Gadget-Mobile noticed him.
- Watch out behind you! - The trio said.
But it was already too late. Robo-Gadget grabbed Gadget and made him face him.
- We're gonna have some fun! - Robo-Gadget said with a smirk.
Robo-Gadget punched Gadget in the face and dropped him off of the roof, but Gadget used his Lasso to drag the Robo-Gadget with him.
Meanwhile, Brenda and Sikes kept hitting each other's car, until Sikes made a sharp turn on a street. This made Brenda bare her teeth and grunt in frustration.
- We have to go back and help Gadget! - Nathan snapped.
- We can't let Claw send his droids! Gadget will be fine, he'll be able to defeat the Robo-Gadget! - Brenda said before she glanced at the Gadget-Mobile's face. - Don't lose that limo!
- On the case, doc! - Gadget-Mobile replied.
And back with Gadget, the cop and the android rolled on the ground and then they stopped. Gadget stood up rapidly only to be sent back to the ground by a really hard punch on the face.
Gadget shook his head and stood up again, then he glared at the smirking face of the Robo-Gadget.
- Why don't you stay down? That way your demise will be less painful. - Robo-Gadget said.
- I have people to protect, because if I don't, who will? - Gadget replied with a frown.
- Oh, well, guess you want to play!
- Let's play then!
The android and the cyborg roared and lunged at each other, starting the final battle between Inspector Gadget and his friends, and Doctor Claw and his minions.
