marionut247: As I said earlier, Gadget isn't the vengeful type in this story. He doesn't have a grudge-bearing fiber in his body. Thus, his determination was more funneled into rescuing Penny and getting her to help. Once she was free and able to be moved to a hospital, he had no reason to act any differently than he usually does. His concern is more into keeping the innocent safe than attacking evil, though that is necessary to keep the innocent safe.
We'll learn a bit more about her condition in this episode, and there will be more development in chapters to come.
As for the Cistern, it's not going to be a M.A.D. base. Since W.O.M.P. knows where it is, that would make it a bad area to set up shop. That said, M.A.D. is in the process of razing it to the ground.
systemcat: Oh, this is far from the end. There is much more yet to come!
Hope you all enjoy!
All things IG belong to Cookie Jar Entertainment.
Assignment 4: Aftermath
Thursday, March 13
Metro City General Emergency Center
Early morning light filtered through the window, but John Gadget hardly noticed. After all, he'd been awake for the last five hours; a little light wasn't going to change anything about what he was currently doing.
He was sitting in a hospital room where the small family had stayed the night before. Even Brain had been permitted to stay for Penny's comfort and protection, though the dog would be limited to the room. At the moment, the huge canine lay on the other side of the bed, snoozing away.
Truth be told, Gadget had attempted to sleep the night before, but all the information he had been told about the last two days flooded his head. Yesterday had been spent in x-rays, scans, and emergency surgeries to figure out just what had happened to his niece, and the news wasn't good. Everything that his poor Penny had suffered, everything that he had failed to protect her from, came to mind and crushed out all peace inside him.
He glanced over to where she lay sleeping. She had been placed under a lot of medication for the pain, both from the infusion of the DElPHI system and the injury to her spine.
The injury to her spine had pressed more on his mind than the strange computer. He already couldn't understand the technology that was in his own body; if what Dr. Bradford said was true, they the computer in Penny's head outmatched what he had by years. All he could really do about that was trust what the doctor said was true and cooperate to the best of his abilities.
The spinal injury, however, he had a better grip on. He didn't know what the more technical terminology meant, but he understood more than enough on what it meant for his niece.
"I'm afraid she's never going to walk unassisted again." He could still hear Dr. Matins giving him the bad news.
"Never?" he had repeated. "But, that can't be! Can't something be done, or added?"
"I'm afraid not," the doctor had responded with a frown. "Whoever Freymore got to do the job, they were very precise. There was an incomplete lesion at the level of T-11 and the many of the tracts in relation to walking were completely destroyed in that segment. There is so much damage that there really is no way to mend it or chance of regeneration."
Seeing the grief in Gadget's face, the doctor quickly placed a hand on his shoulder. "There is some good news," she said, trying to sound as comforting as possible. "The damage was incomplete. There are signs of some regeneration in the sensation tracts, so Penelope has a good chance of regaining some sensation, and she will likely still be able to perform most actions for herself. Bathing, dressing, relieving herself; with training, therapy, and special equipment, she will be able to care for herself just as anyone else would. It's just that she will need the assistance of a wheelchair or a brace."
He had then been given paperwork relating the exact amount of damage done and what therapies would be necessary to give her independence again. There were also brochures for several wheelchair companies. Frankly, he didn't want to look at them right now. All this did was remind Gadget of what a failure he was. He had promised Andrea and Daniel on their dying day that he would protect their daughter, and he allowed this to happen to her. "I'm sorry," he sobbed into his hands. "I'm so sorry, Penny."
"Sorry about what?" Gadget looked up in surprise when he heard Penny's voice. Sure enough, the teen was awake, albeit she appeared to be rather drowsy, and she was looking right at him. "Uncle, are you alright? What's wrong?" she asked.
Realizing that his niece had seen and heard everything, he gave a smile and tried to pass the question off. "Oh, Penny, I didn't expect you to be awake." He forced a smile. "How are you feeling?"
Penny frowned. Her uncle was horrible at covering his emotions and she could tell in an instant when he was hiding something. "Just a little sore," she answered, "but that's normal, all things considered. You, however, look a mess. Are you alright? Did you sleep well?"
Gadget stammered for a moment, desperately trying to think of something to say that would divert the question, but at the same time wasn't a lie. However, nothing could come to mind, so he gave in. "Alright, you got me." He sighed. "This is all my fault. If only I could have done something, I could have stopped this from happening. I failed"
"Uncle Gadget, that ridiculous, and you know it!" Penny declared. "If you hadn't shown up when you did, it would have all been over for Metro City. You didn't fail; far from it! The city, and maybe the world, is safe now because of you."
"But you were still hurt." He looked down at his hands. "I swore never to let anything harm you. Yet, all this still happened. You still got kidnapped, and he was still able to plant that computer-thing in your head, and you're still never going to walk again." He covered his face in his hands again. "I'm a failure as an uncle."
"No, you're not." Penny's voice was firm, though there was still a tone of warmth to it. "There was nothing you could do. Without that encryption, you would have been a slave to Freymore as I briefly was. No one is at fault except for the creatures that actually did the action; there wasn't really anything anyone else could do."
"Besides," she added with a smile, "I'll be perfectly fine. Doctor Bradford and her tech researchers got all the controlling software out of my head, and what is left only I am in control of. There's no danger that anyone will be hacking into DElPHI any time soon, at least not with my encryption in it."
Gadget glanced at the brace wrapped around the girl's torso. "But you'll never walk again."
"Only if I don't wear a brace." A look of sadness passed the girl's face as he said this. She knew all too well what her spinal injury meant, and she was still coming to grips with that reality. Still, she wouldn't let that ruin her life, and she wasn't about to let her uncle have too much grief over it.
"Beside, this was just a fluke." She laughed, giving as much of a shrug as she dared. "I guess I wasn't paying close attention, and they caught me off guard one time. It's not gonna happen again."
He gave a small laugh. "You still remember that?"
"Hard to forget," she responded. She gave him a small smile. "Really, Uncle Gadget, I'll be fine. After all, I'm not the only person in the world to need a wheelchair. Plenty of people use them on a daily bases, and many of them have it a lot worse off than I do."
When he said nothing for a moment, she spoke again. "Uncle, please," she said, holding out her hand. She wanted to hug him, but she had been warned off of moving her torso, so holding his hand would have to do. "Please don't be so upset. We'll be fine."
He took her hand in both of his and kissed it. "I know," he said, returning her smiled. "I just wish none of this had ever happened."
"I do too," she responded.
That was when she glanced at the clock and took note of the time. "Oh, Uncle Gadget! Aren't you supposed to be a W.O.M.P. HQ in fifteen minutes for the debriefing?"
His head shot up and he followed her gaze. "Wowzers!" he declared. "I totally forgot! I'd better get out of here!" Without hesitating, he sprang up, grabbed his coat and hat with one arm, and attempted to shoot out the door. He was also knocked flat on his back as he collided with the door lintel on his way out.
"Uncle Gadget, are you alright!" Penny cried out in alarm.
Gadget forced himself up, rubbing his forehead, where a bruise was already beginning to form. "I'll be fine," he responded as he got up. "I'll just have to figure out why all the doorways are so short now."
Penny smiled. "Alright, Uncle. Please be safe. I love you."
"I love you, too," he responded, extending his neck so that he could kiss her on the top of her head before hurrying out.
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Metro City Police Station
"How much longer are we going to have to wait out here?" Lenny Almos, one of the veteran M.A.D. agents to escape from the Cistern, griped as he waited out in an imitation police van. Both he and his companion, Dick Heffernan, we're wearing police officer disguises with slight holographic tech to keep from being recognized, and were rather impatiently waiting for their mission to be complete.
"Soon, my compadres, soon," Talon said in a casual tone of voice. "We can't rush anything, or else Metro City's finest will get suspicious. Don't worry, though. Dr. Claw's order will be coming out any time now, and then we can be on our way."
"I hope they get out soon," Dick groaned as he looked in the mirror. "I always get antsy when there are cops around."
"Hey, nobody even knows you guys are out yet," Talon laughed. "Malware will update me when W.O.M.P. gets a look at the Cistern's answering machine. Until then, you're in the clear." There came a ruckus from outside, and Talon dodged in the back, adjusting his own disguise. "Looks like they're here."
Out of the police station came a stream of people: reporters, mostly, with some police officers. In tow were two prisoners: Charles Freymore and his assistant, Nicholas Kramer.
Keeping in his holographic disguise, Talon helped the officers load the prisoners into the van. Freymore didn't notice the familiarity, and as soon as the van had driven off, he turned to his assistant. "Remember, keep your mouth shut," he warned. "The less they know, the less they can work with."
"Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about that," Talon laughed, taking his hat off and letting the hologram drop. "Where you're going, everyone knows everything they need to."
"Talon!" the scientist exclaimed in surprise. "This is very inconvenient for a rescue. You should have removed the shackles as soon as the door was shut."
"Ah, but this isn't a rescue, par say," the boy responded, leaning back in an easygoing manner. "You see, there are those who want a word with you, and they've insisted both you and Mr. Kramer attend, as is."
"Wait, that guy's name is Kramer?" Lenny said as he drove. "Hey, Dick, is that old Defecto?"
"No, no, you must be mistaken," Kramer said in a hurry, attempting to duck his head down. "That must be some other Nick you're thinking of."
The protests did him no good however, as Dick glanced in the back and laughed. "Well, I'll be! It is Nick Defecto!"
"Defecto?" Talon smirked. "Why, Kramer, you never told us about that nickname. How did you come to get that?"
Kramer mumbled something under his breath, but once again, one of the veterans spoke up first. "Ol' Nicky there was my roommate back at ol' Metro City University," Lenny explained. "It was a year that our football teams, the Mavericks, were on a winning streak and headed to the playoffs. To boost our chances, coach started handing out some HGH, and some of us really took to it, me included."
"Well, Nick there found out what we were doing and ratted us out to the league," Lenny went on. "Cost us the playoffs. To add insult to injury, coach lost his job and a bunch of us were expelled. Then ol' Defecto decides he can't take the heat and transfers to University of New York."
"What you were doing was wrong," Kramer said, still barely loud enough to hear.
"That doesn't seem to matter now." The bulky agent smirked. "We both ended up working for M.A.D., didn't we?"
"Well, I'm sure he's learned his lesson," Talon said, leaning back in his seat. "Haven't you, Defecto?"
"Please don't call me-" Kramer began, but he was cut off.
"If you haven't, don't worry." The boy smirked at both captives. "We're going to have a talk with someone very special, and he'll make it clear what happen to anyone who's not one-hundred-percent loyal to M.A.D."
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W.O.M.P. HQ, Metro City
"Ah, Gadget, you're here," Quimby called out. He and several others were standing around a table that had multiple photos and papers scattered around. "Good, now we can begin." Here, he motioned to one of the group. "You remember Agent Connelly."
"Of course," he said with a smile, turning to the younger agent. "You were a great help back in the lab."
Heather smiled and waved her hand. "It wasn't anything. You save me and the kids back there."
"We work well as a team, then," Gadget smiled.
"I'm glad you think so," Quimby added, "because starting right now, you two are partners."
"Partners!" Both exclaimed in surprise.
For her part, Heather was somewhat in shock. She hadn't been a member of W.O.M.P. for relatively all that long, only about a year and a half. To be matched up so quickly to someone who was a bit of living legend in the company records came as a surprise.
Gadget, however, had another reason. "You mean I'm getting back in the field!" He practically beamed when he said this.
The chief nodded. "Indeed. The mandatory retirement order has been completely pulled back, in light of the evidence my grandsons and their friends discovered. Take a look at these photos." He motioned to the pictures that were scattered over the table. "These were taken on one of Penny's G-units, the only one to escape capture by M.A.D."
Both Heather and Gadget went over the photos, though it didn't help all that much. "Sir, these are just animals," Heather pointed out. "Admittedly, some of them look like they could be dangerous, if properly trained, but otherwise, they are just normal animals. Most of them look like they belong in a pet shop."
"Is M.A.D. opening an evil pet shop?" Gadget asked.
Quimby shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Each of the creatures you see in this picture is a genetically modified animal known as a Chimera. M.A.D.'s been designing those for years, yet we've never been able to discover too much about these creatures. Indeed, we've only had the one source where we could find out anything."
"Where would that source be?" Gadget asked.
"You don't know?" Quimby asked. He then sighed. "Of course you don't. Haven't you ever wondered why we've been requesting blood samples from Brain ever since your family adopted him?"
"Not really," the cyber answered. A look of shock came into his face. "Are you saying Brain might be infested by Chimera fleas? That would be horrible!"
"No, you nincompoop!" Nozziare, who had been silent up to then, exploded. "Your mutt is a Chimera!"
"As impolite as it was to put it like that," Quimby said, casting a glare in his peer's direction, "it is true. We really didn't know perfectly until a while back, but by then we already were confident he was safe. Now, we can tell by D.N.A. scans that he definitely is a Chimera."
"Wait a minute, why the name?" Heather asked. "I thought Chimera were those creatures with a lion and goat head and a snake for a tail."
"Those were the old legends that gave way to the name," Professor Slickstein said as he, Dabble, and Dr. Bradford joined at the table. "Now it's just a byword for any creature that contains the genes of any other creature."
"But Brain doesn't wear jeans," Gadget pointed out. "How could he have other creature's jeans if he can't wear them?"
It looked like Nozziare was going to blow another gasket, so Brenda intervened. "They mean genetics," she explained, "as in, the blueprints of life. Brain is mostly a hybrid of dog breeds, but genetic scans indicate he also has trace amounts of genetics from several bears, as well as, oddly enough, the genes of the southern grasshopper mouse. That last one would explain why he seems to be somewhat immune to toxins."
"And the first would explain how he was standing up like that during fights, too," Heather added. "I was wondering how he was doing that."
"And considering just how dangerous we know Brain can be when he sets his mind to it," Quimby put in, "M.A.D. getting a whole host of those things can't be a good sign. We'll need every able bodied officer set and ready, which is why you're being pulled out of retirement. If you approve, that is."
"Do I!" Gadget exclaimed. "After all, I'm always on duty!"
"I'm afraid I do have something else to add," Brenda spoke up. "Gadget, this has to do with Penny's condition." Once she was certain she had everyone's attention, she pulled out a small device about one quarter the size of a playing card. "This was the only part of DElPHI that I was able to remove from Penny. The rest of the machine had been directly fused with the diencephalon in the subcortex, and in areas of the occipital lobe of the cortex. Along with connections set in on the basilar artery, Circle of Willis, and the ventricles, these connections mean that we cannot remove anything without directly causing severe brain damage. Frankly, its a miracle she hasn't sustained any brain damage already."
"She's going to be alright, right?" Gadget asked, concern clear in his voice.
The doctor gave a sad smile. "She'll be fine. It's a strange system, but I think I know what Freymore was doing. The sheer amount of information he was stealing was so intense, he needed something already used to handling a lot of information at an extremely rapid pace. For whatever reason, he decided on the human brain and nerves. Thus, he hooked up DElPHI inside Penny to utilize her as a conduit for the theft. It was painful, I'm sorry to say, but seems everything was calibrated so that her body can handle it. We were also able to remove the device that allowed for anyone else to have access to the computer. As of now, Penny is the only person on this planet with access to they system."
"But I am afraid I do have more bad news," the doctor went on. "This device logged all the information that was pulled into or sent out of DElPHI both times it was activated. As you could imagine, it was a lot, but I was able to compile a record of all the information that was stolen directly from W.O.M.P. Mr. Dabble, please hand me the file." She waited for a moment before realizing her assistant had yet to respond. "Myron Dabble!"
In truth, Dabble had spent the last several minutes smiling at Agent Heather and trying to get her attention, and thus was not paying attention when the request was made of him. When he realized he was being spoken to, he practically jumped out of his skin. "Oh, uh, yes ma'am. Here you are." He passed her a file.
Taking it, the doctor flipped it open and spread the papers across the table. "We already knew a lot was stolen, but I was able to narrow the list down to the most damaging files for M.A.D. to get their hands on." She selected a single paper and pushed it forwards. "I think this one is the most relevant."
Both Quimby and Nozziare turned pale when they recognized what was on the paper. "Get me a connection with the Cistern, stat!" the colonel called out.
"What is this?" Gadget asked, looking hard at the paper. "It's just a bunch of numbers and shapes."
"It's the location of the Cistern prison," Heather explained. "If M.A.D. knows where that is, there's a chance Claw could escape."
"I don't think it's just a chance," Quimby responded. Everyone turned to see what he was looking at, and it didn't look good.
The screen was black, with the single image of a demon cat on the background. Beneath it were words written in red: Mortem, Aurum, Dominationis.
A hush of terror filled the room as everyone caught what that meant.
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Deboir Enterprises
To say that Richard Deboir was having a bad day would be the understatement of the year. After the whole DElPHI debacle, he had discovered that Freymore had attempted to hack into his accounts, as well as that of his competition. It had taken a lot of time and money to backtrack just to make certain that nothing taken was incriminating, and he hated wasting time and money.
Thus, he was not pleased when he came into his office with his bodyguard to find Talon in his secretary's desk, casually drinking out of a fast food cup. "Where's Helen?" he snapped.
"Oh, I gave Helen the day off." The teen chuckled. "It's funny how fast she left when she saw me. Not that it should matter to you. You're needed at the board room."
"I'll go anywhere I darn well please," he scowled at Talon.
The boy shrugged. "That's fine, but I don't think the M.A.D. lieutenants would be pleased with you playing hooky."
"Wait, they are in there now?" That was a different matter entirely.
"Yep. Freymore and Kramer are in there, too." The boy took a sip out of his cup. "I'd hurry along if I were you."
Deboir tried to think of a retort, but in lack of one, he stormed off. Or, at least he tried to, before tripping over a large grey tom cat. He shouted an expletive as he fell down.
"Dicky, language!" Talon scolded with mock horror.
Deboir was seething now. He tossed the cat to his body guard. "Go get rid of this vermin," he scowled as he stormed off.
As he entered the boardroom, he found the company assembled just as he had been told. Each of the lieutenants had arrived and was sitting around the table. Freymore and Kramer were there as well, standing against the far wall. Both were still wearing their handcuff, and it was clear they did not want to be there.
However, there was one detail he had not been expecting. Each lieutenant had an animal with them. Montan's was the most normal: a bully-breed dog on a short chain leash. Waruda's was exotic, but at least natural: a wild Iriomote cat that was sitting on the table. Reyas had a spider monkey in her lap, though the creature's coat pattern and face looked more suited to a panther. Finally, Chow's creature was the most extreme: a thick snake bodied creature with the clawed legs and head of a Komodo Dragon.
"Uh, um, hello!" Deboir declared, trying to seem as comfortable as possible. "I wasn't expecting a personal visit. Just let me get to my seat and we can begin."
"There is no need for you to sit," a growl of a voice responded. "We will not be long." There was then a silence as the heavy leather chair that was at the head of the table spun around. Seated within was Dr. Claw.
"Dr. Claw, sir!" Deboir gulped. "What a pleasure to meet you!"
"I wish I could say the same," Claw responded. "However, I have heard from trusted sources that you have been building yourself up as some sort of replacement for me."
"I-I would never!" Deboir stumbled out, begging to fear for his life. "Where would you ever get such an idea? It was that punk, Talon, wasn't it?"
"My nephew was indeed one of the sources, yes, but there have been others." The overlord's voice never changed as he spoke. "My lieutenants have alerted me to your ambitions as well. There is also the matter of you taking my company."
"B-but I was saving it!" The businessman was now desperate. Claw's reputation had preceded him by a long way, and it was well known what would happen if you displeased him. "George Scolex had run it into the ground, and had I left it to Margarita Scolex-"
"I am not upset about that," Claw said calmly, "but about the fact that your ownership of this company gave you the ideas that you also had ownership of M.A.D. Men have died for lesser assumptions."
"Please, sir!" Deboir cried out. "I can-"
"Stop your sniveling," Claw growled. "You will live, for two reasons. One, I am aware of your bid for the position of mayor, and that you have a strong chance of winning it. It would be very valuable to have the Mayor of Metro City in my pocket. Thus, you do everything I tell you, and you may continue living. Am I clear?"
"Quite, sir," Deboir said, giving a gulp.
"Now, as to the other reason I am letting you live," the overlord went on, "is that I know you were also manipulated by another."
He turned his gaze on Freymore. "He was an idiot who didn't know what he was getting into," he said sharply to the scientist. "You, however, promised to serve me."
"Sire, I never-" the scientist tried to put in, but he was cut off.
"You left me and the majority of M.A.D. to rot in the Cistern for over three years," Claw continued. "When you got the technology to free me, you instead decided to wrest control for yourself. Coming up with a supercomputer, you planned on using it, not to empower M.A.D., but to gain all information for yourself, harming the organization in the process. That disappoints me. You know what happens to disappointments."
"Please, lord, reconsider!" Freymore pleaded. "Give me another chance!"
"You have used your chances," came the cold response. "Make sure the doctor is taken to another room."
The two thugs seized Freymore by either arm and dragged him off. Once the deed had been done, Claw turned to his lieutenants. "You may begin."
Each lieutenant signaled their animal and left the room. After what felt like an eternity, the thugs and the lieutenants returned, without the beasts or Freymore. "It has been done," Wardua said with a bow.
Deboir and Kramer stared in horror. Though they had not seen what had happened, it was not too hard to guess.
Claw, however, was still acting quite calm. "Kramer," he said, turning to the assistant, "how much do you know about the DElPHI project?"
"A little," the technician answered without hesitation. He did not want to risk displeasing Claw. "Not enough to recreate it, only to do some diagnostics. Freymore never wanted anyone else to be able to copy his work, not even me."
"A pity," Claw said with a shrug. "That would have been useful. And of the Cyber projects?"
"I know plenty about those," Kramer responded.
"Enough to continue?" came the next question.
Kramer gulped and nodded. "I was the one in ch-charge of the reverse engineering of John Brown. I know how it all works."
"Good," Claw flashed a hideous smile. "Then you shall replace the late doctor. I trust you will not fail me like he did."
"No sir," Kramer responded, shaking his head.
"Very well." Claw motioned to Dick to release Kramer from the handcuffs. "Wait for my call. When I call you, I expect you to answer. You may now go."
"See you around, Defecto," Dick snickered.
The scientist lowered his head in fear and shame as he left. He'd never wanted this, but now it was too late to back out.
"Uh, if we're all finished here, I'll just be going," Deboir said, trying to inch out the door.
"Before you leave, there is one more detail to tell you of." Claw motioned to the two thugs. "These are Dick Heffernan and Leonard Almos. They will be your new bodyguard."
"That's alright, I already have one," the businessman put in.
"Do you?" Claw asked, and a new figure slunk into the room. It was the grey tom cat from before, and he jumped up on the table in front of the overlord. There was blood on its paws and muzzle. "From what I can tell, your old guard has run into some difficulties that will make it impossible to work for you anymore." The chimera snickered at the remark and began to lick it claws clean.
Deboir could only look in horror, so Dr. Claw continued. "These two will make sure no harm comes to you, and they will also make sure you are doing as you are told. Remember, I want you alive because you are of use to me. If you become more of a liability than an asset, I will have no problem with breaking ties. Do you have anything to say?"
"Only that I will be waiting, sir," Deboir responded with a bow.
"Good," came the response. "Make sure it stays that way. From now on, all decisions come from me. You may leave us now."
Deboir didn't need to be told twice. He rushed from the room, not eager to see or hear anything that might come next.
To be continued…
Author's Note: So the adventure starts up anew, with new problems and dangers to overcome!
Sadly, the time of updates every week has come to an end. I've need to adjust my schedule, so I will start updating a chapter every other week. Tune in on August 11th for the start of a new assignment! I hope to hear from you!-SilverWarriorWolf.
