Ch. 7: Arrest
Previously on Inspector Gadget Reboot 2:
"I'm sorry, Inspector, but I was not able to trace the transmission to its point of origin."
"Well this is certainly one of the worst disasters to hit Detroit in recent years," Ashley said grimly.
"And it could be worse than Robo-Gadget if it's not stopped soon. I'm sure that the chief will have every available officer out looking for Xavier now. We'd better join them."
"Finally! Something to do other than waiting around the expo grounds!"
"Gadgetmobile, what's your best possible guess as to where Xavier is based on your trace?"
"They're making this almost too easy," Xavier grinned to himself as he watched me and Ashley depart from the expo grounds on a hacked live feed from a camera. "Those poor fools are so easily manipulated and predictable. All of Detroit's available police force will be out, leaving the expo open for me to make my own modifications for opening night which will mark the downfall of UniTech and the end of Inspector Gadget."
"Sir? Using the expo attack as a ruse to draw out Gadget and obtain the device I understand, but how will it also get rid of UniTech?"
"Because, Kenneth, when the police investigate, I'll have an 'anonymous' source tip them off that the attack was a ruse concocted by Calvin King to collect the insurance money because putting on the expo cost so much and they didn't stand to make a profit off of it. Now, how is the other half of the surprise coming along?" asked Xavier as he poured some bourbon into a tumbler and took a sip.
"It'll be ready to go within the hour, I'm sure. All we have to do now is get it into the software and your plan should go without a hitch."
"Excellent, no one will see it coming."
Hours of search time later and the police had come up empty handed in their manhunt. Even when Ashley and I went through the area zeroed out by Gadgetmobile's trace we didn't even pick up a trace of our target. Everyone was on edge, including the brass at UniTech. But without some kind of lead we were powerless.
"The VP's at UniTech and the mayor are riding Chief Steele really hard about Xavier's threat to the city," said Jay as he rand some diagnostics on me while I recharged.
"They have a right to, Xavier always means business and I'd bet he thinks that this is his chance to get revenge against UniTech and score some new toys," I mused.
"Get some new toys? How?"
"It's the first time that scientists from all over the world have joined together to pool their resources and share their visions for the future to make it a better one, and UniTech made it possible," answered Taylor as she walked in. "There's going to be a lot of advanced tech at the expo and it's something Xavier can't refuse. Plus, it's good PR for UniTech and they're going to make a fair profit off of it, minus what goes to the city, because all scientists that want to present something have to pay a pretty penny to do so. If they get scared off by this bomb threat it's bad for the expo and UniTech."
"Well, thereat or no threat, I know that Shelby will be there. She's been between jobs for about a month now and finally got a job as a journalist for The Detroit News and her first assignment is to cover opening night."
"Well good for her, I'm sure she'll do fantastically!" Taylor exclaimed.
"I'm sure she will, too, but that also worries me a bit."
"How so?" Jay questioned.
"Well… she always did have a rather strong natural sense of curiosity that got her into some minor scrapes in the past and now that she's a journalist I'm afraid that the trouble will get bigger."
"It's not like she can't take of herself, you know."
"I'm aware of that, it's just that now she has a more legitimate excuse to follow me into potentially dangerous situations and if she gets hurt or… worse… I'd never forgive myself. Not that I'm not happy for her, of course," I added.
"Well, you certainly can't stop her," Taylor said as she continued with her work.
"I could always lock her in Gadgetmobile."
"And she'd kill you the moment you opened the door to get back in," Jay chuckled.
"You have a valid point. Maybe I should just stay out of her way."
"It's a sensible thing to do," agreed Taylor.
My iPhone rang a second later and when I picked it up, the caller I.D. said Shelby was calling.
"Speak of the devil," I said before answering. "Hello, dear, we were just talking about you."
"David, you have to come quick! I think I've found Xavier!"
"WHAT? WHERE?"
"I was cutting by the pier to avoid some traffic and I saw him leaving a condemned building! He's driving towards the old industrial part of town right now, I'm following him."
"Are you sure it's him?"
"Positive! Who else wears one glove over their right hand in public?"
"Great! Keep me posted and I'll scramble the police force!"
"Yes! First day on the job and I've already got a headline story!"
As it turned out, Xavier was holed up in a closed metal foundry. He must have been in a hurry to get there because he tripped a speed camera along the way which got a picture of him and the license plate of his car. From that we could have used security cameras along his route to track him to his hideout. Either way we would have got him.
The police cars practically skid up the gravel road to the plant and cops poured out almost before the cars had stopped moving. Shelby was waiting for us and quickly filled us in. Xavier was still inside and from what she had glimpsed through a dirty window there was a computer bank and other equipment, possibly explosives. Jack pot!
"All right men, this is it!" Chief Steele said. "This is the moment we rid Detroit of one of its biggest scourges. We cannot afford to screw this up! Bettencourt! Sanchez! You and your men will form a perimeter around the area. I don't even want a mouse getting past you! The two of you will be escorting the wagon back to lockup. The rest of you will get into position around the exits, two teams to a door. You'll all move in on Gadget's orders. Now move out!"
Within two minutes all the teams were in position to storm the foundry and I was watching Xavier with my thermal vision. He seemed completely unaware that practically the entire police force was outside waiting to strike.
"All units, stand by to storm the building on my mark," I said into a radio as I watched Xavier approach what seemed to be the main bank of computers. "All units move in… NOW!"
Doors to the metal works flew open with loud crashes and police poured in like water from Noah's Flood. Within seconds we had made it inside but there was one problem. No Xavier.
"Fan out and search everywhere, and make sure you're with a partner at all times!" I ordered as I turned on my thermal imaging again. He had to be here somewhere. "Sanchez, any disturbances?"
"Negative, all's quiet out here."
"Stay alert, he's not in here and keep me posted."
"Will do, inspector."
I continued to scan the building and had nearly finished all of it when gunshots rang out, breaking the tense atmosphere. I whirled around and saw the officers firing up in the air. I looked up and saw Xavier in the rafters wearing armor and returning fire with a machinegun that fired explosive rounds. He dropped from the rafters and continued his assault. Most of the cops were wounded or were trying to find some sort of cover.
"Xavier! Leave them alone, I'm the one you want!" I goaded.
"Yes, you won't get away again," he growled and turned his fire on me.
The ammunition was powerful and made me stumble a bit, but I managed to get a firm footing and return fire. Xavier didn't seem to feel it as much as I did. He finally ran out of ammo and I charged at him before he had a chance to draw another weapon. This time I wasn't planning on being as gentle as I usually was in a fight though. I dealt him a powerful blow to the gut which caused him to double over which was a good position for me to ram his head into my knee. As he reeled from the knee blow and was still too disoriented to defend himself I finished it with an uppercut that put him on back.
"You are under arrest," I growled.
A/N: Another day, another update. I should have had this one out much sooner but I got caught up in schoolwork and finals are nearly here. But now Xavier's been arrested. How does this fit into his plan? Post a review to find out!
