Chapter 7.- Failure.


Part 1.- Parenthood.


Claw was smirking.
It had been amusing to see his old enemy be defeated, but the real reason behind his good mood was that he held in his hand the key to get one of the items to build his super weapon. It was just a piece of paper, but it showed the greatest opportunity to get the palladium fusion cells from Stark Industries.
- Dr. Claw? - Rivera asked.
- Don't worry, my dear, I'm fine. - Claw smirked. - I'm just thinking... It's been a long time since I last assisted to a science convention organized by the Stark Industries.
- What do you mean by that, boss? - Kramer asked.
- With the security of the building trying to keep the inventions of the convention safe, no one will notice as we go into the storage to "borrow" some of their palladium fusion cells.
- How are we going to do that? - Samson asked.
- For that I will need help from you, Rivera, Lepetit and Kramer. - Claw said and pulled out a couple of chips from his pocket. - As well as a little diversion...


(Meanwhile)


It had been a quiet and awkward drive from the cliff where everything had started to the Bradford Cybernetic Labs, now renamed as Bradford-Sato Cybernetics Labs.
As expected, the Gadget-Mobile was in complete silence as G2 drove him to the parking lot of the labs, gritting her teeth as she saw a crew of people unloading some equipment from a semi into the facilities, while Inoue Sato was giving them orders.
She wanted to punch a hole through the scientist's thick skull, but she didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she had gotten under her skin. Brenda parked the Gadget-Mobile in its special spot and then sighed.
- Dr. B, you alright? - Gadget-Mobile asked.
- I'm fine, I'm just trying to restrain my desire to break Sato's face... - G2 sighed.
- Brenda, calm down... - Nathan tried to say.
- Shut up, Nathan! We wouldn't be in this situation if you had just stopped locking horns with Sato every single fucking time you two meet!
- Dr. B, he's actually right... - The car said before Brenda pointed at its avatar with her gun.
After a few seconds, G2 realized what she was doing, so she put her Boltshot back in her holster and sighed heavily before she stepped out of the car. Then she picked her still unconscious husband up and walked into the labs, being quickly followed by her brother.


(Hours later)


- Hand me the soldering iron, quick. - G2 said as she fixed her husband's processor chips.
Nathan nodded and handed her sister the tool she needed as she kept working on her husband's body.
Since the moment G2 had laid Gadget in the examination table, she had worked tireslessly to reanimate her husband, and though his systematic reviews showed that he was fine, she knew that deep down he was much more hurt than he had ever been.
His psyche had to be fractured and his self-confidence was most likely crushed. Now she regretted forcing her brother to agree to use the Gadget Project on her, or at least part of her did. The other still feared what Gadget could've done to Claw if he had lost her for real.
After a bit more soldering, Brenda had managed to create a new circuit for the chips, it was way more resilient that the one her brother had done, but it still wasn't gonna last long. After she put the soldering iron away, she glanced at Gadget's recently replaced facial skin, which she caressed gently.
She smiled a bit as she noticed that he was drooling, like he always did when he was asleep, and that made her sigh in relief. She wiped the drool with her thumb and moved closer to him.
- You're still the same cutiepie, John. - Brenda smiled and kissed him softly.
Almost immediately after that, the cyborg man started moving a bit, he opened his eyes slowly and saw his wife... Or rather, his partner.
- G2... Where am I?... What happened?... - Gadget mumbled.
- Well... *Sigh* John... - G2 hesitated.
- Wait, you're hesitating...
Gadget quickly sat up and looked in confusion at G2, directly in her eyes, then he gasped as he saw something different in her eyes. They no longer looked dead and cold, they were warm and full of compassion, and they had as a sparkle of worry and sadness as well.
Gadget shed a couple of tears of joy and hugged his wife as tight as he could, no longer fearing of hurting her as he was sure that she could withstand his full strength. Brenda smiled widely and returned the hug just as tight, then the couple broke the hug and looked into each other's eyes.
- I'm so glad to have you back, Brenda. - Gadget said ecstatically.
- I told you once that you wouldn't get rid of me so easily. - She smiled and kissed his cheek. - How are you feeling?
- I don't know... And frankly, I don't care, I'm just glad to see I didn't lose you in life like I had thought.
- At least you haven't changed while I was gone.
Gadget and G2 chuckled a bit at that statement, then the male cyborg put a serious look in his face and said:
- I lost, didn't I?
G2's good mood died as soon as she heard Gadget, she sighed and looked away to nod slowly.
- Please tell me you didn't get too hurt. - Gadget said to his wife.
- I'm fine, just a bit bruised, actually, I'm back thanks to Ryan, plus, I beat her. - G2 said dismissively.
- Good, I guess we won.
- Yes and no. - Nathan said all of a sudden. - You and Ryan lost, so Quimby and Waters called the challenge a draw, so Sato and I are now co-owners of these facilities.
- Must've hit your pride hard.
- Like you have no idea, but the worst part is that the competition is still on.
- What?!
- Yeah, now the goal is to capture Claw, whoever does it, wins the facilities, the funding and stays as Riverton's crime fighters. - G2 said. - But that tilts the balance on our favor, we've already faced Claw, so that's a major advantage.
- I agree. - Gadget said and coughed a bit. - Damn it...
- Lay back, please, so we can know how much the gas affected you.
Gadget did what he was told and a scanner analyzed his body, looking for any damage on his organic parts. After a few seconds, he heard Nathan and G2 whisper a few things, then they gasped, which meant that they had terrible news.
- Tell me... - Gadget said.
- Well, it seems that your lungs and throat have suffered severe chemical burns, I can just guess that Nathan didn't find it before due to the enhanced resiliency of your organs.
- But you can... *Cough* You can fix it, right? - Gadget asked.
- Well... - Nathan said hesitantly. - I'm afraid it's not possible...
- We could do that but we'd need help from some experts, plus you'd need to be put out of service for a while to be fixed.
- Isn't there a thing you can do to prevent my condition from becoming worse? - Gadget asked.
- We can't but I know a few people that can. Yvonne Thomas, Helen Cho, Aldrich Killian, Maya Hansen and Derrick Norton. - G2 said. - Although, Killian, Hansen and Norton aren't the most ethical of people. Anyway, I'll make a few calls and get a favor that Thomas owes me.
- In the meantime, you should go get Penny, she must be worried sick. - Nathan said. - And try not to use your gadgets for a while, ok?
- Got it, I'll see you at home, Brenda. - Gadget said and stood up.
- I'll try to be quick with this. - G2 said.
The cyborg grabbed his shirt and put it on, forgetting to screw the skin panels of his chest back in their place, then he walked out of the lab, running into Inoue Sato.
- Sorry. - Gadget said.
- Get out of my way, you piece of junk. - Sato said with a scowl.
- Yeah, you don't need to apologize either... - The cyborg mumbled as he rolled his eyes.
Gadget sighed and kept walking to his car.


(Later)


Penny was waiting outside the principal's office.
Right after her uncle's defeat, she had heard some of her classmates mocking of him and she pounced on them. Sure, the most she had done was give them a few bruises and black eyes, but the kids' parents wanted her expelled from the school.
She couldn't care less if she got expelled, at least that way she'd have more time to help her uncle show that he was the best crime fighter, even if he didn't want her to.
And as she was thinking, Gadget walked through the hallway up to the door of the principal's office, sighing as he saw his niece. Then the cyborg knocked on the door and waited for an answer.
- Come in. - The principal said.
- Follow me, Penny. - Gadget said.
The blond girl stood up and walked into the office right after her uncle did. As soon as the principal saw them, she gestured them to take a seat and stopped filling some documents.
- You wanted to see me, principal Larson? - Gadget asked.
- Indeed, inspector, it's about Penelope's behavior of today. - The woman replied with a nod. - You see, she hit three of her classmates...
- I only did so because they mocked of my uncle! - Penny snapped.
- Penny, that's still no reason to do that. - Gadget sighed and looked at the principal. - Please, continue.
- I must inform you that the parents of the kids are concerned that Penny does that again, so they have asked me to expel her...
- But you won't, right?
- No, but she will have to stay in detention for two weeks, that kind of behavior is not tolerated in this school.
- Oh, good... So, I guess she will have to stay today, huh?
- Her detention will start tomorrow, for now you should take her home, inspector.
- Understood, I apologize for any inconveniences that Penny might've caused.
- Don't worry, inspector, it was nothing short of ordinary.
Gadget nodded and stood up, then he and Penny walked out of the office.
The cyborg looked at his niece and he tried to grab her shoulder, but she moved aside and crossed her arms.
- Leave me alone... - Penny snapped.
- Penny, please, don't do this. - Gadget said.
The blond girl just huffed.
- Very well, then, you're grounded for two weeks. - Gadget said.
- I just did what I did because I don't like when people insults you! - Penny snapped.
- That's no excuse, you should've made deaf ears to it.
- Patty Jensen kept saying that in my face! You try making deaf ears to that!
- Just do it.
- This wouldn't have happened if you would just let me help you!
- What does that have to do with this?
- There's nothing interesting at school, and I've shown you I can help you, I mean, without me, you wouldn't have figured out what SI meant.
- I made a promise to your mother that I'd keep you safe and that I'd be a good father figure to you, that means that you'll go to school until you graduate from college and that I'll keep you away from any danger, especially from my archnemesis.
- Stop treating me like a child! I'm not helpless! I have the gloves that I got from Claw's lab and I'm a red belt in karate!
- Claw is a black belt, and I still don't know why, but even if I'm a much better fighter than any human can ever hope to be, Claw still gave me one hell of a fight last time, I don't want him to hurt you.
- He won't hurt me, uncle Gadget!
- Last time he almost dropped you and Brenda off the top of his tower! - Gadget snapped angrily. - I will not take any risks this time!
Penny was taken aback by what just happened. In the six years she had been living with her uncle, he had never yelled at her. And now she was stunned, she couldn't even move, much less respond to her uncle's statement. As for Gadget, he was regretting what he had just done, he had never liked to yell, it made him feel both uncomfortable and disgusted with himself, as his own father tended to yell a lot.
But he knew that he had to make Penny understand why he wanted her to be safe, by any means necessary.
- Get into the Gadget-Mobile, we're going home now. - Gadget sighed as he looked down.


(Later)


After a silent trip to their home, Gadget parked the Gadget-Mobile and the car turned itself off, then the girl snorted and kicked the door open, then she got out of the black car, slamming the door as hard as she could to close it.
- You're grounded for one more week, for doing that. - Gadget stated as he hopped out of his car.
- I don't care... - Penny huffed.
- Stop acting like a brat this instant or else...
- You can't give me orders because you're not my father! Stop pretending you are and that you actually care about me!
Gadget felt something inside him snap as soon as Penny's words reached his ears. He was tired of the cliché'd routine that Penny had started since all the Claw affair had begun, so even though a part of his mind begged him to restrain himself, he ignored it. Gadget closed the door of his car and caught his niece, forcing her to face his glare.
- True, I may not be your father, but lemme tell you something... - The cyborg began. - I lost a sister on the same night you lost your mother. I had just turned into an adult when your parents died, I had to leave everything I knew and liked to start a new life. I had no idea how to raise a girl, I wasn't prepared for your mother's death, much less to become your legal guardian! I've helped you do your homework, made sure you had enough clothes, toys and stuff, I bathed you, I fed you, I even let you adopt Brain, just because I wanted to see you happy... So don't ever dare to even imply that I don't care about you, again. The only reason why you're here to complain about my child raising abilities is because I didn't abandon you at an orphanage like I had first thought when you came to my home!
- Gadget! - A female voice snapped.
The cyborg snapped out of his anger and gasped as he realized what he had said. Penny, on the other hand, was completely shocked; she just couldn't believe what she just heard. Her eyes filled with tears, then she screamed and ran up to her bedroom, slamming the door and locking it.
Gadget was utterly shocked and disgusted by what he just did, and before he could even try to go upstairs and apologize, he was sent to the ground by a powerful punch. The male cyborg turned and saw his wife holding her fist up and glaring daggers at him.
- How could you say that to her?! - G2 yelled. - That girl loves you more than anything else and you just broke her heart!
G2 picked him up and slammed him against the wall as she threatened to punch him again while Gadget looked down and prepared to let Brenda do whatever she wanted with him while he regretted every single letter of the words he had said to his niece.
- You... you... - Brenda said through gritted teeth. - You are a worse monster than Claw...
With that said, threw her husband to the ground and walked upstairs, but she stopped dead in her tracks as she heard that Gadget wanted to follow her.
- You've done enough! - G2 snapped. - Don't you dare to be near Penny until I say otherwise, or I will make you regret it, John.
- But... - Gadget tried to say.
- No buts, Gadget, you will stay here.
G2 walked upstairs to Penny's room and knocked softly, receiving a shoe hitting the door in response.
- GO AWAY! - Penny yelled.
- Penny, please, let me in... - G2 said.
- NO! FUCK OFF!
G2 sighed and activated her picklock, trying to focus on the fact that Penny was hurt and ignore that she had used the F word, then the cyborg opened Penny's bedroom door and evaded a shoe that almost hit her in the face. After that she walked up to the crying girl and sat next to her as she patted her back.
- Penny... - G2 cooed.
- Why...? Why does uncle Gadget hate me...? - Penny sobbed.
- Darling, he doesn't hate you, he's just worried about losing you like he lost your mom. - G2 said and pulled Penny into a tight embrace. - He loves you just as much as you love him...
- I hate him!
- You don't... You're hurt and you need some time to calm down.
Penny sobbed into G2's shoulder as the latter held her tightly in her arms for an hour, when her body finally succumbed to her tiredness. As soon as the blond girl fell asleep, G2 carefully laid her onto the bed and kissed her cheek, then she tucked her in and sighed heavily.
Brenda walked out of the room and found herself face to face with her reflection, which she analysed for a while.
The scientist couldn't believe how much everything had changed, all due to the delusions of a madman. Her husband's transformation into a cyborg, her father's death, all the destruction that the city had faced, Penny's desires to help her uncle, her own death, John's mental unstability, her eventual resurrection, and now this...
Brenda formed a fist and tightened it until her knuckles turned white, then she walked to her bedroom and swore to herself that she would stop Claw from harming others ever again, especially her loved ones, not caring if she had to die a second time to do so.