Zero Witching Hour

by Grey-X

Gadget Hackwrench has always seemed delightfully absent-minded and cheerful, but a deep insecurity has always lurked under the surface. Upon learning that Fat Cat and Professor Nimnul have teamed up, and getting badly wounded on the Rangers' first case going after them, it bubbles to the surface. Can the newest Ranger, a human named Isaac Osceola, keep Gadget off this dark path?

12. The Winter of Our Discontent

Zero Witching Hour
a Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers story
Chapter 12: The Winter of Our Discontent
9-16-2011
by Grey-X

Disclaimer: Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and all related characters are the creation and property of Disney…and I guess Marvel too. Whoopee.

xxxxxx

As consciousness slowly came back for Chip, he groggily took a breath. The overpowering smell of rancid, humid air served to snap him awake in an instant. Wherever they were, it was dark and damp; the sounds of trickling water could be heard everywhere. As his vision came into focus, Chip thought he could make out pipes along the walls and ceiling.

"OK, we're somewhere with a lot of pipes," Chip muttered to himself. "Which is…what? Some ship's engine room? A water treatment plant? A…" As Chip kept talking to himself, he tried to stand up, only to discover his feet were tied with some sort of wire. He fell forward, only to find his hands were also bound behind his back upon instinctively trying to put them forward.

As Chip's face slammed into some slimy muck, something echoed over the dripping water. Chip's face twisted into a scowl. It was Dale's laughter.

Scooting up into a sitting position, Chip glared at Dale, who was on his back, laughing like mad. "I'm glad YOU at least find it funny we're tied up like turkeys in some smelly, damp dungeon," Chip spat. "How long've you been awake?"

"Long enough to chew through the wire binding my feet," said Dale with a sly grin, lifting his legs for emphasis. His wire bindings fell dully into the muck. "Geez, Nimnul and company were smart enough not to use rope we can easily chew through, but went ahead and picked the softest metal possible."

"What good will that do?" demanded Chip. "You'll need your hands free if you plan on finding a way out of here."

"You mean WE'LL be finding our way out of here," said Dale as he stood up. For a moment, Dale looked as if he'd slip in the muck, but he kept his balance and walked backwards over to Chip. "Try standin' up again. I can still move my hands, so lessee if I can untie your wire."

Sighing, Chip tried to stand, more carefully this time. As Dale fumbled with Chip's wire bindings, he looked around, his eyes soon falling on Isaac's still form. He lay motionless on his back on the cold, slimy floor, hands and feet bound with rope. It looked too tough for he and Dale to chew through if they ever freed themselves. Guessing what Chip was focused on, Dale said, "I think Isaac's OK, but he ain't the only one here. There's other humans trussed up, all wearin' jumpsuits or somethin'."

"Jumpsuits? No Navy uniforms or anything like that?" Chip asked.

"Nuh-uh," replied Dale. "Why'd you ask?"

"Because at least that means Nimnul didn't hijack an aircraft carrier or anything," said Chip sternly. "I'm betting Winifred didn't take us far, and her brother's taken over something like a factory or treatment plant. My money's on the treatment plant."

"What for? Thought the ol' egghead was lookin' for some place to slap together his robot," said Dale.

"I'm not sure, but we'd better free Isaac and find out," said Dale. Just then, Chip felt the wire loosen, and his bindings slipped to the floor. With his hands free, Chip got to work on the wire binding his feet. It took a while, the effort making his hands raw, but at last he was completely free, and soon untied Dale's hands as well.

Wasting no time, the chipmunks scurried over to Isaac and climbed onto his chest. What little light there was came from flickering lamps on the wall, making it hard to judge Isaac's condition. However, from what Chip could make of Isaac's face, he looked perfectly fine, just unconscious. Chip could also feel he was breathing just fine, sensing the rise and fall of his chest.

"Yo, Isaac!" cried Dale rudely. "Time to look alive, man!"

"Back off," hissed Chip. "It looked like Winifred zapped him good, so don't be surprised if…"

Suddenly, Isaac stirred, but Chip and Dale easily kept their footing. Chip's fears melted away a little as he watched Isaac's eyes flutter open. "Whuh…w-w-where…what's g-g-goin'…" he spluttered.

"Isaac, everything's OK…up to a point. Just…don't make any sudden movements," said Chip.

Isaac's head slowly craned up to look at them while rest of his body lay still. Spotting the chipmunks, he got the message, and nodded right before his head fell back against the floor. "Ugh, I feel ropes around my wrists and ankles. I got us the three of us captured, didn't I?"

"It's not your fault!" said Chip quickly. "It was your aunt, Winifred. Somehow, she's got her own magic back and blindsided all of us."

"All of us?" Isaac craned his head back up, looking around. "What about Gadget?"

"It's lookin' like Freddie settled for the three of us," said Dale. "Guess she figured if they got her channeler or whatever as a hostage, she'll back off."

Chip knew Dale didn't mean that as criticism, but with the way Isaac's head fell back again, he saw this as a failure on his part. Thinking fast, Chip said, "No one was counting on Norton springing Winifred, so there's no point in blaming ourselves. What's important is that we keep our heads on straight, find a way to free ourselves, and maybe get the drop on these creeps for once."

"Yeah, I bet Gadget's already on her way to clobber 'em! I mean, you two can find each other through a telepathic bond, right? That's how you knew where to drive that night," said Dale.

Isaac sighed. "Not sure if it goes both ways," he said guiltily. "Doubt I'm good enough at this magic to bring her to us."

Chip had had just about enough of Isaac constantly doubting himself. Drawing himself up, he turned to Isaac and said, "Isaac, for the love of all that's holy, stop dwelling on what you can't do and think about what you CAN do! What you've already done! You obviously didn't think it through, but you were obviously good enough to empower Gadget so she could fend for herself. That was your goal, right? And with all Rebecca taught you, is it so hard to believe her efforts weren't wasted? You were good enough of a shot to get Mepps to back off, saving both our furry butts. And from what I hear, you dropped this one chauvinistic clod that gave Gadget grief. So stop talking as if you're a liability."

For a moment, Isaac said nothing, and lay there with his head on the floor. Chip and Dale stood there on his chest, only moving because of Isaac's breathing. When Isaac finally lifted his head, Chip could make out a glimmer of hope in his expression. "You sure I'm not? I mean, if I'm really supposed to be the newest Ranger, I don't exactly have a stellar record so far."

"Hey, all the Rangers've made mistakes. Shucks, some of mine are legendary," Dale said with a goofy grin.

For once, Chip agreed wholeheartedly with Dale, but this wasn't the time. "In any case, with the amount of ground Gadget can cover, let's assume she can follow Winifred and is getting ready to storm this place. Let's bust loose so we can trip up these creeps when she makes her move."

"Makes sense to me," said Isaac as he slowly sat up. Chip and Dale slid down to his lap, and then rushed behind him to inspect what bound his wrists. "So…what'll Gadget be up against? Is Norton here with Winifred?" he asked hesitantly. No doubt the prospect of going up against both his deranged uncle and aunt didn't sit well.

"Does it matter?" demanded Dale. "Once we're outta here, ask her about the Cola Cult sometime. When the chips are down, Gadget's always come through for us."

Chip noticed how Dale couldn't keep the admiration out of his voice. He thought little of it, feeling the exact same way. However, Isaac picked up on it as well. "You two…really care for her too, huh? In THAT regard? That's good to know. Now I know having…unexplainable feelings for someone of a different species isn't too out of the ordinary."

Chip and Dale just looked at each other, amazed at how Isaac just admitted that. Humans…were supposed to view that as unthinkable, as far as they both knew. "Errr, seriously, Isaac? How long's this been going on?"

"I…I don't know. I guess, in a way, when I found her," said Isaac. "There she was, this…helpless little critter I felt obligated to save. Then I figured out what she really was. And the next time I saw her, we were the same size, and then…oh I don't know. It must've been obvious when I crafted an illusion that made her so damn alluring. It's not like I even went out of my way to do it. It's like I subconsciously…just wanted to make it at least LOOK like we belonged together."

The chipmunks just kept at his bindings, but even in their predicament, worrisome feelings of envy welled up in them. There was never a good time to find out they had another rival for Gadget…and a HUMAN of all things? Even if this hadn't hurt their concentration, it would have made little difference. The knots were too tight to untie, and the rope itself too tough to chew through. "Yeah, I guess it's not so weird when it's just rodents eyeing each other," Isaac went on. "But right now, forget about me. I get the feeling you two are getting nowhere. Just find a way out and find Gadget."

"Errr, not really a good idea to leave Gadget's source of power in enemy hands," Dale pointed out. Chip had to agree. Even though Zipper said Professor Nimnul refused to see Isaac get hurt, Chip knew things would change if the mad scientist got desperate enough. Still, at the moment, they had little choice.

Chip slammed his fists on the knot in frustration. "Alright, we'll get going. But we'll get you out before…"

A loud clanking sound cut Chip off. The three of them turned to see a large metal door slide open. Light poured through, blinding them for a moment. When his eyes adjusted, Chip gulped nervously. It was too late. Fat Cat and Professor Nimnul stood there with impassive looks. Behind them were Sewernose de Bergerac, Winifred Nimnul and Irweena Allen, the latter two still in orange prison jumpsuits. "What did I tell you, Professor?" jeered Fat Cat. "Our favorite chipmunk duo already broke free and were a hair away from making their getaway, I'll wager. Told you you should've kept them somewhere else."

Chip looked back at the five of them, feeling his fears rise. Not fear for himself, of course. Well, Chip had to be honest with himself: seeing five of his worst enemies stare him down did unnerve him. But fear for Isaac's safety easily dwarfed that.

"So…what do we do with them now?" Irweena demanded. "It's not like their pet feces-fondler is in there with them, right? I don't give a damn about any of these rodents…it's that fly I wanna squash."

"Speak for yourself, Madame," said Sewernose dramatically. "The chipmunk in the loud Hawaiian shirt…it is all too clear that our final, climactic clash has yet to come." Chip could sense Dale tensing up. "But alas, it shall not be here. Not like this."

"Then if you and me have no reason to be over here, let's go put those muscles of yours to work, so we can blow this place on schedule," sneered Irweena. Chip gulped again. Did she mean 'blow' as in 'leave'…or 'explode'?

"Ahhh, so my little enchantment's working already, is it Irweena?" Winifred asked teasingly.

"God help me, it is," replied Irweena tersely as she turned to leave with Sewernose.

"Oh well, more to go around for us," said Fat Cat, leering at the chipmunks. But his gaze soon drifted up to Isaac. "Unfortunately, there's so much we can do in your case. Being Norton's nephew, he's forbidden that any…permanent harm come to you. Even though all our problems could be squelched in one swoop should we simply…remove you from the equation the old-fashioned way."

Chip looked up at Isaac, expecting to see fear in his face. But to his surprise, Isaac met Fat Cat's gaze without flinching. "So, you must be this Fat Cat I've heard so much about. My uncle's own conduit," he said evenly, though there was a slight, dangerous inflection to his voice. "So if my death will end everything, how come you don't just go behind his back and off me? The Rangers told me all about you. You take orders from no one. Unless…your bond to Uncle Norton came at a price. I bet one of you can't take action if the other absolutely refuses. For an animal underworld king, that must not sit well," Isaac dared. Despite the situation, Chip grinned with satisfaction at the feral yet defeated look on Fat Cat's face.

"He's right, unfortunately. I couldn't off that meatheaded chipmunk myself, so I had to order Bud and Lou to do it," said Winifred. "Foxglove realized it too, since it was that chipmunk who ultimately ruined my spell."

"Thank you SO MUCH for spilling that!" spat Professor Nimnul. "But in the end, it doesn't matter. There's more than one way to cut off Gadget Hackwrench's power."

Then Gadget better get here QUICK! Chip thought fearfully. Chip desperately thought of a way, any way, to stall for time. Bu now that his eyes had adjusted to the light, and he got a good look at Nimnul, Chip realized he might be able to do more. It was a risky gambit, but… "Y'know Nimnul, maybe we were wrong about you all these years. I would've thought killing a nephew would be no trouble, seeing how you already killed his mother."

Nimnul did just as Chip expected, but he was shocked by how fast he did it. Nimnul swept down on Chip and snatched him up. "I dare you…try saying that again TO MY FACE! I DARE YOU!" he roared. Chip felt as if Nimnul was squeezing the life out of him, but Chip wanted him blinded by rage, distracted. Blocking out the pain as he put on a show of struggling, Chip twisted in his grip, positioning his hand so…

"Enough, Professor. Though I share your sentiments, the rodents are more valuable alive than dead, and you know it," Fat Cat said calmly. "Winifred, bring the other chipmunk. Let's put them someplace more secure. Leave the boy here until we're ready."

Chip watched helplessly as Winifred magically drew Dale over to her. Then, with an angry slam from Nimnul, Isaac and the unconscious human workers were once again trapped in darkness. His vision was still blurry, but Chip saw they were indeed in the heart of a water treatment plant. But knowing he was right brought him little comfort. He had no idea if Gadget could really find them, and now Nimnul claimed they could sever her link to Isaac. Amazingly, that worried Chip a lot less than he thought it would. It wasn't just envy over Isaac being so intimately linked to Gadget. No, there was still something else about it that unnerved him…

xxxxxxxx

Winifred's enchanted vacuum cleaner was fast, that was for sure. It rankled, how a little magic could make an ordinary appliance a speed demon, whereas Gadget had to put in months of work, taking parts from many different machines, to do the same. At least Gadget had some magic of her own. It taxed her to the limit, but even though Winifred had flown too far ahead, Gadget was fast enough to keep the smoke trail in her sights before it faded.

From the looks of it, the smoke trail ended about a few hundred yards dead ahead. Gadget wasn't quite sure what it was, but the grounds surrounding it… "It's awfully wet around here," said Gadget as she skidded to a halt in the soggy mud. A copse of trees blocked her immediate view of the target ahead, but she could see a deep, swampy ditch was beyond it. "Ahh, I'll be able to jump over that with no problems. Hang on guys, here I…"

Gadget stopped when her feet suddenly felt cold. Looking down, Gadget saw the muddy puddle she was standing in was now frozen solid! "Golly, good thing Isaac's magic seems to ward off frostbite," said Gadget dryly. Gadget strained her legs, trying to break free, but that ice was thick. Eventually, the ice shattered, and Gadget was thrust through the copse and went tumbling down into the ditch.

The wounds Mepps inflicted still hadn't fully healed, and the muddy water made them sting. As she absentmindedly nursed her wounds as she gritted her teeth, Gadget was snapped back to attention by a gushing sound. Looking up, Gadget saw what looked like a small geyser, shooting up from the ground between the copse and the ditch. It soon faded, but a deep pit of water remained. Then, something slowly rose out of it.

"Golly, is that…a pair of antlers?" Gadget asked no one in particular. Her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. There really WERE antlers coming out of that water hole. But the true shock came when Gadget saw what they were attached to.

Snout rose out of the water, then stood upon it, with a huge pair of antlers attached to his head. Gadget couldn't believe the rat's head could support things that big in comparison, but Snout stood just fine. As usual, Gadget could hardly see Snout's eyes, but she still expected to see body language that betrayed the greed and sneakiness associated with the rat. It was nowhere to be seen. There was only a cold aloofness to Snout now, and that chilled Gadget worse than the ice from before.

Gadget stood up quickly, bracing herself for anything. Snout stared at Gadget from under his cap, and Gadget just stared back, afraid to make the first move. She didn't have to wait long for Snout to make his. He stepped forward, off the hole, and then more water shot out of it. It rose up in a column that coiled around in midair, like a living serpent. The water shot into a point in between Snout's antlers. A ball of water coalesced there, and Gadget noticed…freezing mist rising from the ball?

It was the only warning Gadget got, and thankfully, she jumped aside just in time. An icy beam shot out from between Snout's antlers, freezing the water in the ditch solid. So when Gadget came down, she painfully collided with thick ice. She slid for a few yards, then tried to sit up. But when she glanced behind her, Gadget saw Snout coming right for her, sliding on his belly. Before she knew it, those antlers dug deep into her back.

Gadget howled, paralyzed by searing pain. For a moment, the pain was all-consuming, the only thing in her mind. But slowly, her willpower coming to the forefront, Gadget reached behind her and pulled Snout's antlers free. The burning, stinging pain became even worse. In a desperate attempt to be rid of Snout, Gadget twirled around and hurled him; the rat crashed through a wire fence that was on the other side of the ditch.

As she tried to take a deep breath, Gadget realized with horror that an antler had punctured a lung. She collapsed back onto the ice, gasping and coughing up blood. But after a moment, terror was replaced with relief. Gadget could feel her lung slowly healing. "Wow, good thing those antlers don't work the same way Mepps's claws did," she told herself. Soon enough, Gadget felt strong enough to stand. "Golly, first Mepps seems like he's possessed by a cheetah, then Snout grows antlers that control water? What's going on here? How's Nimnul doing this?"

No one answered her questions, so Gadget jumped over the gate, determined to squeeze some answers out of Snout. This was where Winifred took Isaac, Chip and Dale, Gadget was certain of it now. She ran ahead, soon finding herself standing among several tall, wide, circular vats. Wait a minute, I know what this is! Gadget thought. This must be the sewage treatment plant for this part of the city, and… Uh-oh. Water. And lots of it.

As if on cue, Gadget heard a splash overhead. Looking up, Gadget saw Snout standing on the rim of one of the vats, gazing down at her coldly. Snout gestured with his head once, and suddenly, huge globs of water rose out of the sedimentation tank. One of the blobs froze solid right before it elongated, forming an icy javelin. Gadget jumped back just as it shot down at her, impaling itself in the concrete where she had stood, but more formed and were coming right at her.

In desperation, Gadget started running around the vat, hoping to keep ahead of the barrage. The sound of the icy projectiles crashing behind her rang in her ears. "Wait a minute, what am I running for?" Gadget asked herself. "I'll just take the fight to Snout!" With another leap, Gadget soared upward, effortlessly landing on the clarifier's rim. But Snout was way ahead of her. The rim was iced over, and Gadget slipped and fell into the tank.

Coughing and sputtering, Gadget immediately swam to the surface, just in time to see Snout conjure up another serpentine column of water. Gadget had no chance; the plangent stream of sewage water slammed down onto her, pinning her against the tank's sloped bottom.

As Gadget struggled against the force pinning her down, she also struggled to think straight. What's Snout's game? He must know I'll eventually force my way out of this, she thought confidently. Snout's given up on using ice, he won't be able to drown me, so what's…

Gadget's eyes widened in fear as a mechanical clanking sound traveled through the water. She understood Snout's plan immediately. The clarifier's scraper arm was activated, and Snout meant for it to drag her apart.

Can't waste any more strength trying to break free, Gadget reasoned. No time for anything fancy…only chance is to grab that scraper arm and then pray… The churning sound grew louder, until it felt like the scraper arm was right on top of her. Gadget slammed one hand onto the tank's bottom, digging in with her claws. Once Gadget saw it coming through the murky water, she grabbed the scraper arm with the other.

Now that she was anchored, Gadget could hold the arm in place, instead of being dragged along and made into a bloody smear. The scraper was quite sharp, digging into Gadget's palm painfully. She blocked it out, along with the burning in her lungs. Nothing mattered except focusing all her strength to force that scraper arm back. With only one hand, it proved to be excruciatingly difficult, perhaps impossible. Gadget kept pushing back, refusing to give in.

Just when it seemed there was no hope, Gadget felt it give. It sounded like the gears were jamming up. There was a horrible creaking sound as the whole assembly shook loose, and the entire tank shook violently. On top of all that, the relentless pressure from Snout's water barrage was gone. She was free.

Yes! Wrecking the entire assembly caught Snout off-guard, hopefully knocked him off the tank completely! Gadget thought triumphantly. As she tried to swim up, however, Gadget got a rude surprise. Somehow, she was stuck. Looking down, Gadget saw her sneaker was wedged underneath the scraper arm.

Oh for Pete's sake, off all the… Her fears rushing back, Gadget desperately tugged at her foot, then tried to lift the wrecked scraper arm, but it was lodged tight. In desperate need of air, Gadget was on the verge of all-out panic. She was so overwhelmed by fear, Gadget didn't hear a splashing sound from above, so she nearly jumped out of her fur when a big pair of hands reached down for her foot.

"Easy, big girl. We'll get this loose in a sec," said Kirby as he calmly helped Gadget slip her foot out of the sneaker.

Then, another pair of hands grabbed her waist from behind. "Hang on. We've all had enough wet suit action here," came Muldoon's burbling voice from behind her. Before she knew it, Muldoon swam up with her and they broke the surface. As Gadget greedily sucked in air, she barely noticed Kirby rise up in front of them. "Careful now, sweetie. Just breathe normally, nice and easy."

Having been only seconds away from death, it took a while for all of this to sink in. "Wha-wha…You two? Here?! Wha-what're…"

"We doing?" Kirby finished for her. "Returnin' a favor, of course. You saved us from drownin', so here we are doing the same for you. Just glad I'm conscious this time, so I can finally see Muldoon wasn't dreamin'."

"Like I tried to tell ya back home, me and Kirby repay our debts," added Muldoon.

"But HERE, in Philadelphia?!" demanded Gadget, still confused.

"If you're done with your little swim, come on out and I'll explain everything," came Rebecca's curt voice from outside the tank.

"Rebecca? You're here too? What're you…" Gadget began, but stopped once she realized something. "Oh no, Snout! I've got to find him, before…"

"It's alright, Gadget-luv. The blighter ain't gonna give us any grief for a while. Come on out an' see for yourself," said Monterey Jack.

Gadget looked back to Muldoon and Kirby. "That was the big mouse Becky brought with her, wasn't it?" asked Muldoon. "Got no idea what he's sayin', but I hope it's good news."

Sighing, Gadget swam to the tank's rim with Kirby and Muldoon and climbed over it. Jumping down, she saw Snout's still form lying on the cold concrete, and his antlers had been broken clean off. Monterey Jack and Foxglove stood over him, eyeing him warily, as if afraid he'd spring back to life. "Monty, what happened? H-H-How did…"

"We showed just as you made that whole bloomin' tank shake like a rattlesnake's tail," said Monterey. "Knocked Snout here clean off, and before the bugger could do anythin', Foxy floored 'im with a big ol' scream, and I just moseyed on up and snapped them antlers off. Any idea how he got them things, Gadget-luv?"

"Probably the same way Mepps turned into this supercharged cheetah, with the claws to match," said Gadget. "That's yet another conduit for Nimnul, but Mepps and Snout seemed…different somehow. Are conduits supposed to have powers like these? What are…" Gadget's words trailed off when she noticed something odd. Just as Mepps had given off a yellow aura, she saw Snout was surrounded by a blue aura. But as with Mepps, it was fading, being absorbed inward. Also, the stubs where his antlers once were…those were getting sucked in too. Then, in one explosive instant, that same blue energy burst from Snout's body, shooting straight up. Gadget, Monterey Jack and Foxglove were knocked flat on their backs. Looking up, Gadget could make out what looked like the blue outline of a giant deer's head, howling sorrowfully at the sky before it faded.

"OK, care to clue us in on just what happened there?" came Rebecca's stiff, demanding voice.

Gadget grumbled as she forced herself back to her feet. "I don't know. Care to tell me how you found me, and what Kirby and Muldoon are doing here?"

"I got a tip that stolen tanker trucks loaded with propylene carbonate were being hauled to this general area. Once we saw this sewage treatment plant, and Foxglove's nose got wind of some black magic, it was easy to put two and two together," said Rebecca.

"And me and Kirby just tailed Becky here," added Muldoon. "Seriously, Becky, didya really think no one noticed you holdin' the door for a pink bat haulin' out a big ol' mouse? A bat and mouse we saw before?"

Gadget suspected there was a 'cheese attack' in this story somewhere. She couldn't decide if this was the best thing to result from one or the worst. Putting it out of her mind, she looked down at Snout. "Golly, I just wish I knew what Fat Cat's new game is. Mepps was a completely different kind of conduit, too."

"Sounds like both got put down, so who cares?" snapped Rebecca. "And just where is Isaac? Don't tell me he's been captured by the enemy, Gadget. If so, you'd better have a damn good excuse."

Gadget sighed. "Your brother sprang Winifred out of jail, gave her back her powers, and she blindsided us after we 'put down' Mepps. She got Chip and Dale as well as Isaac."

Rebecca gave her a sour look. "OK, I suppose that's a good excuse," she said, shocking Gadget. "Is it safe to assume my no-good older siblings have our…people in there?" Rebecca asked, pointing at the plant's main building. When Gadget nodded, she said, "So now that there's sufficient manpower at our disposal, we storm the place and get them back."

Gadget raised an eyebrow. "Golly, Rebecca. Isn't that a bit…reckless? Especially when we don't know where Nimnul and Fat Cat are holding them prisoner?"

"That's why I already sent our little insect friend to do a little recon work," said Rebecca slyly. "And if I'm not mistaken, I hear him buzzing back over here now." It was hard to tell in the nighttime gloom, but Gadget thought she did indeed see a fly buzz around Rebecca's head. After a moment, Rebecca said, "Zippy here says Winifred and the cat have your chipmunks at one end of the top level, while Isaac and the plant staff are locked up on the bottom level. So here's the plan: you crash the party by crashing through the skylight, grab the chipmunks. I'll bust in through the top level and raise some extra hell. That'll give our new cop friends and Foxglove the diversion they need to free the hostages."

"Sounds like fun to me," said Kirby with a wry grin. Muldoon simply nodded.

"Wait a minute, Rebecca! You seriously aren't thinking of letting them get mixed up in this!" cried Gadget. "D'Allure nearly killed them already, and they have no idea how to fight a witch like Winifred, and…"

"That's why I made sure they'll go in prepared," said Rebecca. She held up a pair of assault rifles Gadget hadn't noticed before, thanks to the darkened sky.

"Oh yeah, that's the stuff. Ain't even Halloween yet, yet Christmas cheer came plenty early," said Muldoon.

Gadget shook her head in defeat. "Ugh, you humans and your guns," she spat.

Zipper flew over and landed on Gadget's shoulder. "Exactly what I've been thinking. Sad, isn't it?" he squeaked into her ear.

"So let's do this, get out, and then regroup to plan our next move," said Rebecca. She eyed Gadget up and down. "Besides, you sure look like you can use a rest."

Gadget looked down at herself. "Yeah, Mepps and Snout left these clothes a bloody mess," Gadget said sheepishly. "Sorry about that, Rebecca."

Rebecca seemed to glare at her coldly for a moment, but then let out a chuckle. "You almost get ripped to pieces by two new superpowered animals, and you feel guilty about ruining a couple of shirts? You're a weird one, Gadget, by any standards. No wonder my nephew likes you."

Gadget looked back at Rebecca blankly, not sure what to say. Monterey Jack spoke up just then. "Ladies, is it too bold to ask if we're gonna stay out here with these sludge tanks, just talkin' 'bout raisin' a ruckus, or if we're gonna go in and actually do it?"

"Believe me, Monty, we're going in and doing it," said Rebecca confidently. She tossed Kirby and Muldoon their rifles, then turned and ran for the main facility. "Go drop in and crash their party, Gadget! I'll be in to back you up in two minutes!" she shouted back as she ran.

Gadget looked down to Monterey Jack and Foxglove, but Foxglove had already taken flight, following Kirby and Muldoon. Sighing, she reached down to grab Monterey, then made a leap for the plant's main building. After only two bounds, Gadget was on the roof, peering down through the skylight. The plant's interior was well-lit. From her vantage point, Gadget saw Sewernose at the far corner of the top level, doing something with the pipes. Someone in a prison jumpsuit was with him. Gadget's face twisted into a scowl when she recognized who it was.

"Dr. Irweena Allen," Gadget spat. "Looks like Winifred wasn't lying about her brother grabbing up all the recruits he can find."

"It ain't them I'm worried about right now, Gadget-luv," said Monterey. "Take a gander at what's bein' worked on right below us."

Gadget did just that, and her scowl turned into a feral snarl. Winifred and Fat Cat were directly below, also fiddling with pipes. Chip and Dale were there, too, trapped in a jar. But there was also what looked like a makeshift chair, slapped together with an average-sized human in mind.

All rational thought fleeing her mind, Gadget broke through the glass and dropped down, smashing apart whatever Fat Cat and Winifred had built. The two crooks fell backward from the force, stunned and surprised. Monterey Jack jumped off her shoulder, grabbed the jar holding Chip and Dale, and ran off to safety. But when Gadget lurched forward to mangle Fat Cat, the crime boss came out of his stupor. He darted past Gadget, then rebounded off a pipe, becoming a living cannonball that smashed into the back of her legs, catching her off-balance. At the same time, Winifred cut loose with a blast of magic right to her face.

The double-whammy almost made Gadget go careening off the top level, but Gadget grabbed the railing and pulled herself back up. But Gadget saw Winifred was charging up another blast. Just as she was about to release it, however, gunfire suddenly shot across the facility. Rebecca had burst through the emergency exit on the top level, laying down cover fire for Gadget. Then she turned her attention to Irweena and Sewernose, forcing them back with a few shots from her assault rifle.

"Ahhh, I didn't sign up to be target practice!" wailed Irweena as she and Sewernose dove for cover. But in the few seconds Rebecca spared on them, Winifred regathered her wits and sent out small, quick-firing spells over at her.

Rebecca rolled to the side, then immediately returned fire. Winifred was forced to duck behind some pipes. The plangent sounds of ricocheting gunfire echoed menacingly throughout the facility. "Same old Becky, still shoots first and asks questions later. Some things never change, unfortunately," Winifred laughed.

Gadget was about to leap at Winifred, ready to rip her heart out; whatever she had been ready to do to Isaac – her own nephew - she knew it would've been unforgivable. But she saw something over on Rebecca's end. It was Sewernose, crawling underneath the walkways, stealthily making his way over to Rebecca, and she was too focused on Winifred to notice. By the time Gadget shouted out a warning, it was too late. Sewernose slithered up behind Rebecca, and when she turned around, he knocked her rifle away with his tail.

"And so, in one dramatic turn of events, the plot takes an unforeseen twist, as the hunter suddenly finds herself the prey!" cried Sewernose.

"Don't bet on it," Rebecca shot back defiantly, smirking evilly. "In my early years, I was stationed in Florida. And guess what sport the locals were happy to teach me?" To everyone's astonishment, Rebecca tackled Sewernose and wrestled him to the floor, making sure to keep his jaws clamped shut. The two rolled around, eventually tumbling down a flight of stairs together.

"Golly, Rebecca's still full of surprises," Gadget muttered. Suddenly remembering Winifred, Gadget turned to face her, but the witch had already taken off with Fat Cat. Her ire rising again, Gadget jumped down to the next level, landing in the middle of a catwalk. Her gaze swept all across the facility; she saw Kirby struggling with a huge door below as Muldoon covered him, but there was no sign of Winifred or Fat Cat.

"Well my dear, while my sisters are off playing with animal friends, what say you and I have a little chat?" came a mocking voice from the far end of the catwalk. Her rage boiling over, Gadget turned to face Professor Nimnul, who casually stood there, hands in the pockets of his lab coat. "By the way, nice threads. Even after everything that happened here, still have a soft spot for the hometown team. Makes you almost look human." Norton's casual attitude alone had already made Gadget's blood boil, but somehow, that last crack made her even more furious. She wasn't quite sure why. All Gadget was certain of, however, was her desire to rip Norton Nimnul to shreds, her deal with Rebecca be damned. Gadget made a show of popping her clawnails out, arms outstretched as she slowly went across the catwalk. She was itching to have her claws slice right through his bones, but Norton still showed no fear. "Ah, the pretty little rose has thorns. I guess Becky's sunny disposition's already rubbed off on you."

Despite the fury brewing within her, Gadget's analytical mind was still there. If Nimnul wasn't fleeing in terror, he had something up his sleeve. She stopped halfway toward the mad scientist. "Last time you couldn't wait to get away from the Rangers, professor. What's with the chattiness all of a sudden? Wait, lemme guess…D'Allure's ready to pounce me, isn't she?"

Nimnul chuckled as he shook his head. "Oh no no no no, my dear. The OTHER overgrown mouse is…taking care of business elsewhere," he said glibly. "But it's encouraging, seeing you can still think straight. Especially when it makes you hesitate…"

As Gadget pondered Nimnul's words, she felt the catwalk reverberate. There was someone else on it, someone in a rush. Glancing over her shoulder, Gadget saw Irweena a few yards behind her, holding what looked like a small keg with a high-pressure sprayer.

Suddenly, it dawned on Gadget, but it was too late. Irweena sprayed the clear liquid all over Gadget, and she immediately sagged to her knees, the propylene carbonate and potassium bromide already wreaking their havoc. She crumpled into a heap, helpless as Irweena kept pouring it on, feeling those black markings come alive, writhing under her clothes like dozens of snakes.

"Professor, it's empty already!" cried Irweena. "Was that enough?"

"It'll have to be. Find Freddie and get ready to bug out!" Nimnul shouted back. Gadget lay on her back, her mind a foggy mess, her muscles feeling like jelly. She was hardly aware of Nimnul standing over her, shaking her by the neck, until he started yelling at her. "You really are like Becky, y'know that?! The both of you, the insufferable holier-than-thou know-it-alls, always there ruining my chances whenever I try to put my genius to good use! All my hard work, down the drain! All my greatest creations, made useless because you always butt in, like the rest of those fleabags and everyone else in this sad, sad world! And do you really have ANY CLUE what you're mucking up this time?! I can guess what messed up those clothes and what kind of wounds went with them! You have NO IDEA what sort of damage you've already done!"

Gadget wasn't really paying attention to his rantings, her brain too muddled by that witchcraft-killing concoction. All Gadget wanted was to shove her fist through his face, but she couldn't even flex her fingers. Thankfully, a helpful jolt of adrenaline came when Nimnul pulled out a long, serrated knife. "The cat keeps saying you're my goody-two-shoes counterpart. Oh, what I wouldn't give to just waste the competition now, and be done with it. But unfortunately, you're bonded to my nephew, and there's no telling what that would do to him. So I'll have to settle for prying off those markings as one would remove parasitic worms. I'm actually doing you a favor…"

Eyes widening, Gadget watched helplessly as Nimnul lowered the knife to her face, where she felt some of those markings still writhing over her fur. Luckily, gunshots from below distracted him. No doubt Muldoon heard the commotion. His shots ricocheted off the catwalk railing, forcing Nimnul to flatten himself against her. Then, Foxglove flew in out of nowhere and bit down on Nimnul's neck. That coaxed him into springing off of Gadget, and once they were separated, Foxglove hovered back and let out a tightly-focused sonic blast at Nimnul's face. His glasses shattered as he stumbled backward, and then Zipper flew in, bonking Nimnul on the nose for good measure.

"Ow, that was the fly, wasn't it? Oh, there'll be time to settle the score with you too, insect!" roared Nimnul. Stumbling about, half-blind without his glasses, Nimnul turned and ran off the catwalk.

Gadget desperately wanted to chase him, but the fog in her head was barely starting to fade. She heard the rest of the Rangers scamper up to her, fearfully asking if she was alright. Still in a haze, Gadget hardly heard them. Something else, however, served to rouse Gadget from her torpor. The whole facility shook for a brief instant, and it sounded like, somewhere, several pipes had burst. "Hey, you Rangers up there!" Muldoon cried desperately from below. "Sounds like a pipe busted behind this door! The kid and all the plant staff're still in there!"

That, at last, made Gadget slowly rise to her feet. She still felt drugged, her limbs still felt like lead, but now, Isaac needed her. Gadget thrust herself over the catwalk railing, crashing painfully into the concrete over twenty feet below. Kirby tried to help her up, but Gadget brushed him aside, finding the strength to stand on her own. She staggered over to the huge door, gauging its thickness and strength, before sinking her fingers into the metal and pulling with all her might.

After several agonizing moments, Gadget felt the door give way, and as she pulled it off its hinges, water began gushing out. In no time, they were ankle-deep in untreated water. By the time Kirby and Muldoon came back out, having cut the bindings of Nimnul's hostages and leading them out, they were knee-deep.

"Know when to tap out, you scaly ham!" came Rebecca's gruff voice from above. Rebecca and Sewernose tumbled down into the flooded bottom level. Once he was in his element, Sewernose slithered out of Rebecca's grasp and swam away. "NO! You're not slipping away that easy!" cried Rebecca, who grabbed her rifle back from Muldoon and fired like mad. Bullets cut through the water, but Sewernose shot out like a torpedo, unharmed, just as Winifred zoomed into the plant on her flying vacuum cleaner. Fat Cat sat right behind her, with Irweena clinging to the hose, and Norton clinging to her leg. Sewernose grabbed onto his leg, and then Winifred flew out through the skylight, the five of them making a clean getaway.

xxxxxxx

As I looked back on this chapter, I started to realize how ridiculously dark I've made this thing. If only this were actually a Disney animated feature; that way, a 'villain song' could be thrown in, to give the overly dark vibe a bit of that classic Disney movie feel. Unfortunately, there's no equivalent one can add in a fanfic, and I'm not gonna waste time trying to do the impossible.

Or will I?

So long,

Grey-X