Hey. Greetings to all newcomers. I guess there are some. Even if they don´t cry out, here! Anyway. Welcome. The same for my constant readers of course. Nice to see you again (and to be seen). Well then. Lets keep going, shell we?
Old trouble in new shape
„I´m sorry. Could you repeat the name, please?" Amy Dutton asked and stopped with her writing for a moment.
„The name is Dr. Cockroach." the young woman on the other end of the line said.
Amy was confused for a moment. She knew the name but it surely was a different Dr. Cockroach. It was absolutely impossible that the certain monster she had seen on TV, was the one that now was looking for a legally representative. She was a lawyer since nine years and she surely had had a couple of interesting clients but she certainly would never get such an extraordinary client. But that would possibly be the best. She wasn´t sure if she would be able to handle something like that. And why should that mutant need a lawyer, anyway? So no reason to bother about that. She chuckled in silence. What would her new client possibly think if he knew, that she thought of him as this bug headed monster?
„All right, I´ve got it." she said. „Well, Miss Simmons. I can tell you one thing right away. Matters about intellectual property are easy to be handled if you have prove about the original source of the invention. What kind of a machine was it again?"
„We don´t have a name for it yet. But it is a medical device for scanning cells in the human body."
„You mean like in Star Trek?" Amy asked smirking.
„Sort of." Simmons said. „So can you help us? My friend in Washington said you are the best at this."
„Thats very flattering." Amy said. „I hope, I won´t disappoint your trust. Is there any prove you can present, that your friend is the real inventor?"
„Well …" there was some muffled speaking in the line. Miss Simmons talked to someone.
„Hold on a second." Simmons said. Amy waited patiently and then asked: „Is the Doctor with you in the room right now? Perhaps it would be easier if you would let me talk to him directly."
„She wants to talk to you." Simmons said to the other person. There was a moment of silence and Amy somehow got the impression, that this Doctor didn´t want to take the phone. Why, she wondered? What a strange guy that must be. But weren´t all inventors kind of crazy? Always locked up in their labs or garages, totally isolated and probably working all night. Amy realized that she immediately had a picture in her head of a quirky, little man with scrubby grey hair and thick glasses on his nose. The classic image of the nutty professor.
Finally a sound in the line told her that the receiver had been handed over. Here we go.
„Ehm, Miss Dutton?" a male voice asked.
Amy paused, surprised by that voice. It didn´t sound like she had expected it. That man wasn´t an old quirky man. He sounded quiet young and reasonable. But there was something else. The voice on the other end sounded somehow like the one she had heard on TV when … but no, she stopped herself from that crazy thought. You don´t have time for such stupid things now.
„Ehm … Hallo." she said. „Doctor … Cockroach, I assume?"
„Yes, thats right."
„Well, as I already told your friend before. To fight against a case like this, you need to prove that the invention is truly yours."
„How can I do that?"
„Do you have some notes, sketches or even a first construct of the device? Anything that shows the way it took to its final design."
„Oh, but there was no development. I just build it."
„What, just like this?"
„I´m afraid yes, my dear."
There it was again. That strange feeling that she knew the voice.
„But you will have done some sketches, didn´t you." she tried again to keep the point.
„Well … I sketched something on a pizzabox."
That somehow regained her believe in the classic inventor image. She just wondered that it hadn´t been a napkin.
„That is completely all right." she said. „Its not the most usual thing but I´m sure the judge would accept it, if it is ever going to go to a court. But if your prove turns out to be really good, than it might be not even necessary to go that far. Then we can bring down that whole thing just like this."
„Are you serious?"
„I never was more serious in my life, Mr. Cockroach." Amy said smiling and sat down on the edge of her desk. She somehow liked that guy. He seemed to be very humble and that was something she appreciated on people. „Oh, by the way. Your friend forgot to tell me your first name. Would you tell me please? Just for the sake of completeness." She took her pen again, ready to write it down.
He didn´t answer.
„Mr. Cockroach? Are you still there?" she asked.
„I´m afraid I don´t have one." he finally said.
„No what?" Amy asked confused.
„No first name."
Suddenly Amy felt like loosing the floor under her feet. In that moment she just knew it. At least a part of her knew it. Her consciousness on the other hand still refused to believe it. No, it cried. There is another explanation. He is not, he can´t be …
„I´m Dr. Cockroach." the voice told her. „You … You probably saw me on TV a while ago."
Amy felt cold sweat coming to her. Her breath began to feel very heavy. He was about to say it and there was nothing she could do about it to stop him. And then he did. He said: „I´m the monster, Dr. Cockroach."
In that moment Amy almost slipped off her table. In the very last moment she was able to catch herself, but her pen and a couple of papers flew to the ground. She bowed and collected them by instinct.
„Are you still there, Miss Dutton?" Dr. Cockroach asked.
Amy put the papers and her pen back at the desk and sat down. Her legs were shaking. She took a deep breath before she could speak again.
„So, you are telling me … That it is true." she said as calm as she could.
Silence. Then a very careful: „Yes."
Amy blinked while her mind tried desperately to assimilate that information. „You are …" she started but then the sentence got lost on the way.
„Listen." Dr. Cockroach said. „I´m sorry that we bothered you." And with that he was about to hang up.
Amy literally jumped out of her seat. „No, wait!" she cried, realized that she was suddenly standing and sat down again. „I … I´m sorry, if I seemed like … I don´t know how to call it. I don´t deny you being my client, not at all. It is just …" she couldn´t help but chuckled with a mixture of relief and amazement. „I´m sorry but that is just … wow. I barely can believe it."
„Is that a positive reaction?" Dr. Cockroach asked shyly and she could tell that he was smiling.
„I must apologize, Doctor." she said, now much calmer than she had been before. „That was an unprofessional behavior. Yes. I will take your case."
„Thank you so much." Dr. Cockroach said.
„Of course it means … I guess … that it will be difficult for you to come in to my office." she assumed.
„Well. I´m afraid its quiet a way." Dr. Cockroach agreed.
„Thats all right. I often had clients that couldn´t come in because they lived far away. We can comunicate by phone. Could I get a number under which I can reach you?"
Dr. Cockroach explained that he couldn´t give her the number of the facility but she could call Ari if she needed anything. He himself could call her back anytime. Amy was okay with that and noted down Ari Simmons´ number. She promised to take care of the case and to call immediately when she had something. Then they said good bye. Amy hung up the phone and looked at it amazed for at least a minute. Her heart was still pounding like a hammer. Than she stood up and went down the stairs into the living room. Her grandmother, a lusty old woman of seventy-two years, was sitting on the sofa, watching her all time favorite soap opera. Her mother was still at work and wouldn´t come home until six. When Amy came in, the old woman looked up at her, immediately noticing that something was up. Amy sat down next to her with a wide grin.
She said: „You never guess who was on the phone, Granny."
...
In Area 52 Dr. Cockroach hung up the phone almost as shaky as Amy Dutton had been. He was shaky because it truly seemed to work out. Ari stepped a little closer, now that the call was finished and looked at him asking.
„It seems that everything is on its way." he told her.
„Then she took it?" she asked and for a moment she reminded him on Susan, when she was excited about something.
„She did." he told her. „I think, your friend was right. It was a good choice to call her."
Ari seemed relieved. „Thats good." she said.
„But I need to get that pizzabox from professor Smith." he mumbled.
„What?"
„To prove that the invention was mine." he explained. „I only hope, he still has it."
Ari shook her head. „Even if he doesn´t." she said. „I´m a witness. I saw the invention and I can tell that it is from you. If it is necessary, I will repeat that at the court."
Dr. Cockroach was touched by her creed and passion. He truly was lucky to have someone like her standing right next to him in that affair. In a matter of fact, was her conviction the reason why he had decided to take the challenge in the first place. It was infecting. It really was.
The door opened and broke off his thoughts. It was General Monger who came in. He cleared his throat as if he would be afraid of disturb something in the wrong moment. Then he stepped closer.
„I just wanted to ask how it is going, Doc." he said.
„Fine, General." Dr. C told him. Now he was excited. „I just talked to the lawyer, Ari´s friend recommended and I´m happy to tell you, that she agreed to take the case."
„Congratulations." Monger said honestly happy for him. „Who is it?"
„A certain Amy Dutton. She has a private office in Washington and …" Dr. C was about to tell him, but then he noticed a sudden reaction on Mongers face. He somehow blanched by the name. „General? Is everything all right?" Dr. C asked.
„Did you say Amy Dutton?" Monger asked for confirmation.
„Yes." the Doc exchanged a short look with Ari. „Do you know her?"
„No." Monger said and straighted his back. The blanching, if it ever had been there, was gone. „I hope she can help you with your case. Excuse me now. I have work to do."
With that he turned around and went out. Dr. Cockroach and Ari shared an uncertain glance with each other. What a strange reaction.
...
Ami Dutton took her coat and left the house. She was eager to go to work on that cool new case she had. There were some precedents she wanted to check out at the association. Though she doubted that there would be a real fitting precedent for what she had to deal with now. But at least she could use them to quote out of them before the judge. She was so excited that she dropped the keys when she tried to open her car. She took them up again and opened the door.
The sky above was cloudy and in the distance she already heard the thunder rolling. Even the usually so white dome of the Capitol looked grey now. No, Ami thought reluctantly. Not now. She hated it to drive in the rain. Perhaps if she would hurry, she could make it into the city before it was here. She was about to enter the car, when she noticed something strange. This upcoming thunderstorm seemed not quiet normal. It came up much too fast.
While she was still wondering, in the distance behind the roofs of her quarter, brights lightnings came down, striking some places that she couldn´t see. But that wasn´t the strangest thing. Amy waited for the thunder that usually followed after a lightning strike. No, that ALWAYS followed after a lightning strike. But not this time. There was none. It was scary.
She hesitated. Should she really drive now? With such a crazy weather ahead? But before she could think of it longer, one of those strange lightnings hit so close that it blinded her for a moment. She shrieked and ran back into the house as fast as she could. When she entered the living room, her Granny had just stood up from the sofa, looking at her puzzled.
„What is going on?" she asked. „The electricity went off."
Amy noticed that the TV was out. She had just enough time to wonder, what the heck was going on. Then another lightning stroke right outside their house. Amy and her Granny threw themselves to the ground, screaming in fear.
...
„Mr. President! Mr. President!" the man with the many files in his armes cried desperately, when he entered the Oval Office of the White House.
„Oh, no. Not again." the President said more annoyed than worried. „Can´t this wait? Dallas is about to start in a few minutes."
„Mr. President, they already attacked our cities." the man reported and lost a couple of his files. On another occasion he would have tried to catch them or at least pick them up. But this time he didn´t even notice that they went away. „We need to do something immediately." he cried.
„All right, all right." the President said. He tipped his forefinger against his big chin, thinking hard. Or at least pretending to do so. Then his expression became very serious – in a very melodramatic way. He looked at the man before him predatory. „Give me Monger at line one." he said.
„Yes sir, Mr. President."
The man turned around and gave another man, who sat in front of a monitor, a signal. This man turned to his console and started to enter the codes. Suddenly something went wrong. The system and the lights all around started to flicker.
„Whats going on?" the President asked.
The door burst open again and two Secret Service agents rushed in. „Sir." one of them cried. „We must bring you to the bunker immediately."
„We are under attack." the second one added.
The President was out of the door before they had even finished their talking and hurried to the elevator that would bring him down to the bunker under the White House. The Secret Service agents had to catch up with him. He had just pushed the button, when the whole energy went down and everything went dark around them.
„Agent Howell calls headquarter." the first Agent spoke into his sleeve. „Come in. Come in, please. I can´t reach them."
A grumbling sound was over them. No one of them could see what it was but all of them ducked their heads instinctive. Something was above the top of the White House. Then something outside burst and made a noise like an explosion. The President jumped into the arms of Agent Howell, while the other agent screamed: „They are heeeeere!"
...
In Area 52, Monger sat in his office in front of his computer. On the screen there was a file, including a picture of a certain 29 year old woman called Amy Dutton. Monger sighed. He had hoped so much, that the name was just coincidence. How many Amy Duttons could be there all around America? Surely enough. Why, he asked himself. Why couldn´t she be one of those? Why not? Why had it to be her?
It was almost scary. They always come back to you, he thought. No matter how much you try to avoid it. So long. So long he had kept distance. Now it seemed that everything was supposte to come together at the end. If he had been a believer, he would have said, it was for him to be punished. Fortunately he didn´t believe in god or a predetermined faith. That meant that he could be able to handle the situation. She was Dr. Cockroach´s lawyer. No need for him to be a part of it. If he would keep distance, there would be no problem at all. No one needed to know.
He pushed a button to scrawl further on the page but there was no reaction. He tried again with the same result. Suddenly the computer screen flickered and then went black. Monger jumped up in surprise. What the hell was that supposte to mean? He was about to go out to ask the technicians what they were paid for, when his door burst open and the technicians came to him.
„General!" the man yelled. „General, all our systems are down."
„What?"
„I don´t know what happened. Suddenly everything went blank." the man explained.
„I can see that myself." Monger responded. „There must be a reason. For what are you guys here? Find out what happened."
„We can´t." the man said.
„What?" now Monger really started to get angry.
„I.. I … It is impossible to run a check on the system without energy." the man explained. „We already tried to activate the standby set. It doesn´t work either."
„How the hell is that possible?" Monger yelled. „For what is all that technical stuff any good if it goes down that easy? How could this happen?"
The technician didn´t give a respond. He just stood there and shook his head helpless.
„I believe I can answer that question." a voice at the door said.
Monger and the technician turned around to Dr. Cockroach. The scientist stepped in slowly. To say he looked worried would have been the understatement of the year. His eyes were even bigger than they were usually.
„What do you know about that, Doctor?" Monger asked, still angry. „If that is the result of one of your experiments, then …"
„I wish it would." Dr. Cockroach interrupted him and the seriousness in his voice made Monger pause. He said: „I was just on the phone with Professor Smith from M.I.T. when … something happened. Outside his house. He said that he saw lightnings striking. Very many lightnings. But without thunder. Then we were disconnected." He was silent for a moment, probably worried if the professor was all right. Then he went on: „General. I believe, we are dealing with … a new alien attack."
Monger couldn´t believe it. But after a moment he was able to think again. And he did. He thought it over, just long enough so his conciousness could deal with the information, he just got. Then he rushed straight out of the door.
„Lieutenant." he yelled through the whole facility as it seemed. „Call all monsters together. Meeting point is the hangar on the roof." he turned back to his office. „Doctor. You and Mr. Technic here, figure out a way to open our doors without electricity." he ordered. „We move out five minutes ago." With that he rushed away.
„Where are you going?" Dr. Cockroach called after him.
Monger didn´t slow down and he didn´t answer. This was the biggest mess he had ever been in and he already hated it. Not because of the battle that was coming up. That was something he was used to, something he could cope with. He hated it because of the decision he had to take. But he had no choice. There was only one thing he had to consider right now and that was the tactical matter. They were about to fight against aliens once again. And that meant they would need Ginormica.
Hope you liked it.
And thanks for reading. See you next week.