6. Meetings and Memories
2 May, 1990
Somewhere in the Amazon Basin...
"Brain, listen to me very carefully. I don't know what's going on or what M.A.D.'s game is, but I need you to stay out of sight."
Brain growled and shook his head. He pointed a paw towards the cockpit.
"We can't escape. We're in the middle of the Amazon and I don't know how far the nearest village is. I don't have my watch, or any food and water. Plus I doubt anyone from home knows where we are." Penny suddenly heard voices from outside the plane and she tried to push Brain away. "They're coming back. Brain, go!"
The loyal dog shook his head again and pulled at Penny's arm. "You can't help me if you get captured too," she added gently but firmly. "Having you on the outside will give me time to think of a plan on how to escape. Besides, M.A.D. must have a reason for kidnapping me, and I want to know what their game is."
Brain was about to reply but they both froze when the voices - two men - spoke up again, this time right outside the door.
"Is the girl awake?"
"Should be - I didn't give her as much as last time."
"Right, let's get moving. It's hot as hell out here and these damn mosquitoes are driving me crazy."
Penny turned back to Brain. "Brain, go! Now!"
Brain darted out of sight seconds before the door opened, revealing the same two men that Penny had seen earlier. The shorter of the two bent down and grabbed her by the arm, roughly hauling her to her feet. "Let's go, girly. Dr. Claw wants a word with you!"
Penny winced as she was half-dragged, half-pushed out of the plane. She still felt a bit off-balance from the drugs they had given her and her legs had fallen asleep. The late afternoon sunlight and sudden burst of warm, humid air made her blink and stumble.
"Hurry up!" snapped the taller M.A.D. agent, clearly annoyed with the delay. Penny saw that both men carried pistols and she was glad that Brain had escaped detection.
"Get off me!" Penny managed to shake the agent's arm off of her. "Who are you? What do you want?"
The shorter agent grinned and pushed her towards a path that was half-hidden in the dense shrubbery. "All questions in due time, girly!"
"My name isn't girly!"
The taller agent suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Penny hard by the chin and pulled her close. "Don't test my patience, girly. We may have orders not to hurt you, but those orders could change at any moment. Might wanna think on that." He grinned and tapped his free hand against his gun as he spoke.
Penny felt her stomach twist. These men, whoever they were, were in a completely different class compared to the M.A.D. agents and other villains she had faced in the past. These men were dangerous.
"What do you want with me?" she repeated after he had released her and shoved her to start walking again.
"Let's just say that Dr. Claw has been watching you for some time, girly," said the short agent with a smirk. The men didn't speak after that and Penny was too focused on keeping her footing on the narrow, steep path as they walked further and further into the jungle. She wondered if they were in the same part of the Amazon where Dr. Claw had kidnapped Von Slickstein six years ago but she wasn't sure. The jungle looked even more remote and isolated than she remembered.
How long had she been out? Penny did a quick calculation in her head based on the distance from Toronto to Brazil. With adjustments to a time zone change, she figured that at least one day had passed since she had been kidnapped.
'Uncle Gadget must be worried sick. I hope he's alright,' was the first thought that came to Penny's mind. Would he even know where to start looking for her? Were Chief Quimby and the rest of the police department aware that she was missing?
They continued to walk as the sun set and the heat faded as evening approached. Penny didn't know how long they had been walking - surely a few hours at least - and was starting to stumble from exhaustion. Her head still ached and she had a raging thirst. When she stumbled again and fell to her knees she was hauled back to her feet. Wincing, Penny refused to make any noise of complaint. She glared at her captors who just smiled back at her.
The moon had just become visible between the thick trees when a large, nondescript building came into view. Unlike the facility Penny had broken into when she had previously tailed her uncle to the Amazon, this facility was much more well-concealed. It was covered in thick foliage and she was certain there were cameras everywhere.
Penny was led into the dark, cold building. She tried to memorize the route they were taking - down several corridors and through several locked doors - but she was reaching the limits of her endurance. After another door she was shoved into a room, which was suddenly lit up with bright lights. Wincing, Penny covered her eyes until her vision adjusted.
"Welcome, Penny," said a familiar, cold voice. Penny jumped and lifted her hand from her eyes. She was in some sort of control room. There were computers and monitors everywhere. The technology was far more advanced than anything she had ever seen and Penny took a cautious step forward as a monitor suddenly blinked on. A familiar, gauntlet-covered hand appeared on the screen, the wicked-looking metal claws tapping impatiently against an ornate desk.
"What do you want, Claw?" Penny demanded, refusing to use the honorific title of "doctor".
"Assistance, if you will," said Claw's gravelly voice. The door suddenly opened and the two agents came in again. The shorter one grabbed a chair and pushed Penny down onto it. "That's 'Dr. Claw' to you, brat," he hissed.
Ignoring the man, Penny turned back to the monitor. "Assistance with what? And what makes you think I'd help you with anything?"
There was a moment's silence before Claw spoke again, amusement clear in his voice. "Tell me, little girl, have you ever wondered why your uncle was sent on so many international missions despite being a lowly police inspector? Why not leave those missions to the CIA, MI6, and the like? After all, the Metro City PD only has jurisdiction within the Toronto region. Why send your uncle globe-trotting all over the world when there are thousands of international agents who could do the job?"
Penny stiffened. She had never really considered that before. She didn't like being caught off guard and she knew Claw was enjoying watching her struggle to answer. "I-because...because he's a cyborg. The world's only cyborg detective!"
"And an experiment owned by INTERPOL," Claw finished, chuckling darkly as Penny's eyes widened in surprise.
"What are you talking about? Uncle Gadget works for the Metro City PD - he always has!"
"On paper, yes. But consider this - how would a local police agency be able to fund the surgery that gave your uncle his cybernetic parts? Von Slickstein was the genius behind the technology, but he had to have a financial backer."
"Which was INTERPOL?" Penny was silent as she mulled that over. "So he's been a secret agent this whole time?"
"Oh no," Claw laughed, his gauntlet flexing menacingly. "I recently heard from an...inside source that your uncle wasn't the actual brains behind his success rate. Isn't that so, Penny?"
Penny said nothing even as her heart slammed in alarm. Was there a mole inside the Metro PD? How could Claw know all of this?
"Knowing what I do now," continued Claw when Penny didn't say anything, "I can finally get that idiotic fool out of the way, permanently. And as for my bringing you here…well, let's just say that I have an offer you can't refuse."
Penny shook her head. "Why should I believe anything you're telling me?"
"Because I have no reason to lie," Claw said, his voice low and chilling. "I hold all the cards here, little girl. And by the way - that little accident your uncle had years ago that resulted in him being turned into a cyborg? It was no accident. Your uncle was an unwilling lab rat and his keepers are going to want a return on their investment."
This was crazy, absolutely crazy. Claw had to be lying, he just had to...but something inside Penny told her that he wasn't. He sounded far too calm and confident. "I'm still not helping you," she said in a low, shaking voice. "I don't care if you kill me. I'd rather die than help M.A.D.!"
"So noble," sighed Claw. "I suspected as much. Which is why you might want to take a look at this."
Another computer monitor suddenly turned on. Penny watched as a camera video showed a small village. There were people going about their day - men, women, and children.
"See this quaint little village?" continued Claw. "It's not far from here. I can easily take any of these people and use them as lab rats on my current project. Maybe I'll start with some of those children," he added with another sinister chuckle. Although she couldn't see his face Penny was certain he had a manic grin on his face.
Penny glared at Claw but they both already knew what she was going to say. "What exactly do you want me to do?" she gritted out.
"There's a code I've been trying to break for years. I think you might just be able to decode it," replied Claw, his tone shifting from menancing to almost thoughtful.
"Why me?" asked Penny, attempting to regain some control of the conversation. "You could have kidnapped any of the most skilled scientists in the world. What makes you think I can break this code?"
"Curiosity, perhaps. We've tried working with other scientists, physicists, engineers, and the like, but they all proved unsatisfactory in the end. You're the only person that has lived with a cyborg for years. You must have some insight that all of those other idiots don't."
Penny's eyes widened as she recalled one of the first cases she and Brain had assisted her uncle with. It had been the one in Scotland, the one with the supposed "lake monster".
"That's why you kidnapped Professor Thumphkin, and Von Slickstein," said Penny, more to herself than the men in the room. "You've been trying to break the code for years, and you still haven't been able to do so," she added triumphantly.
"Watch your mouth, brat," the tall agent hissed. Penny shot him another glare before turning back to the monitor. "How do I know you'll keep your word and not just kill me once you've gotten what you needed from me?"
"You don't," Claw retorted. "Which is why I suggest you not try to escape or sabotage the project."
"Oh, and if you're hoping your precious Uncle Gadget will come to your rescue, girly, he won't," said the short agent. He held up an object. It was Penny's watch, now smashed and broken. "We made sure they couldn't trace you here. So be a good girl and do as you're told," he added with a laugh. His taller partner just grinned maliciously at Penny.
Penny didn't respond this time - she was exhausted and couldn't think anymore. She was in a very, very bad situation and everything she knew was now in question.
"In any case," Claw continued after a moment. "It will be amusing to watch you struggle. You start work first thing tomorrow morning. I suggest you don't slack off."
The monitor switched off and Penny was once more hauled to her feet. The two agents led her down another maze of corridors and down a flight of stairs before shoving her into a barely-lit room. It was large and looked like it had once been a barracks of some sort. Penny was just wondering if the entire building was some sort of military installation when a man's voice spoke.
"Are you alright?"
Penny jumped and whirled around. "Who's there?"
"Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you," said another voice, this time female.
Penny's eyes widened as the speakers slowly emerged from the shadows. Their eyes glittered with an unnatural shimmer, just like her uncle's did in the darkness. It was the gleam of electricity.
"You're both cyborgs," Penny breathed out.
"Ya know what happens to goody-two-shoe cops like you? Accidents. Really bad, nasty accidents…"
Marty had been right, Brown thought as he ran as fast as he could through the abandoned foundry. This had been another set-up…there was a terrific noise and that was the last thing he heard before his eardrums burst, and then came the fire and pain...the pain was unbearable…
"Maybe one day you should ask Quimby about that little 'accident' you had years back…ask Quimby about what really happened that night…"
"Let's keep an eye on him...still amazed he survived…"
"Can't deactivate him...something's come up…"
"His niece has no one else...can't deactivate him.."
A pair of beautiful blue-green eyes watched in fascination, not fear, as he attempted to regain control of his Gadget hands.
Gadget…Gadget…
"Gadget!"
Gadget jumped and nearly fell out of his chair as Quimby's voice broke into his thoughts. "Sorry, Chief. Just thinking," he muttered, rubbing his face with his hands. He had arrived at the station to meet Quimby, who had quickly pulled Gadget into his office and locked the door. Professor Von Slickstein was already there waiting for them.
"I heard about Penny," said the professor, his normally animated features suddenly showing every one of his seventy-two years. "I'll do everything in my power to help, Gadget," he added.
Gadget nodded, throat tight, before turning back to Quimby. "What's going on, Chief?"
He watched as Quimby and Von Slickstein exchanged glances. "Gadget...John...how much do you remember of that night fourteen years ago?"
"Not much of the actual accident," Gadget admitted. "I do remember that it was a setup. We had been looking for the mole in the department, but we never found out who it was."
"So you remember everything?"
"Well, more than I'd like to," Gadget grumbled, his face flushing in embarrassment. "Sorry about all those exploding messages, by the way," he added, giving his boss a sheepish look.
Quimby waived off the apology. "I never should have gone forward with the sting," he sighed heavily.
Gadget gave the older man a sympathetic look. "Not your fault, George. I knew what I was getting into when I joined the force. I signed up for this."
"Not all of it," Quimby muttered. Gadget's sharp hearing didn't miss the remark. "Sorry, what was that?"
Quimby sighed again and stood up. "Look, Von Slickstein and I...well, there are some things that you should know."
"What are you talking about?" Gadget didn't like this; his long-buried police instincts were setting off alarm bells again. Quimby had been acting odd ever since they had left the hospital, almost as if he were afraid of being overhead.
"I don't think we should talk here at the station," said Von Slickstein, who had remained silent until now. "I think a drive is in order."
"A drive?" Gadget repeated, incredulous. "My niece is missing! The last thing I want to do is go on a drive!" he snapped.
"I understand, my boy," continued the professor calmly, "but there's someone you should meet. Someone who I think can help us."
Quimby nodded and grabbed his hat and coat. "They'll call me if they have any news on Penny, Gadget," he said. "Come on, let's go before the evening traffic hits."
Gadget hesitated for a moment before nodding. Anything was better than going back to a silent, empty house or pacing about the station restlessly. He followed Quimby and Von Slickstein outside and into the chief's car.
The two cyborgs watched Penny with mixed curiosity and concern. "Yes, we're cyborgs," said the man. It was hard to guess their ages, but Penny didn't think they were that much older than her - probably in their very early twenties at the most. The man was of average height and had messy brown hair. His right eye was green but the left half of his face was covered in a patchwork of metal plates and wires, his left eye glowing with artificial light. His right arm was completely metallic and had more wires twisting around the plates.
His female companion was in a similar state. Her red hair hung in thick, unkempt tendrils down her back. Her face was also half-covered in metal and wires, and Penny could see circuits blinking faintly underneath her worn clothes. They both reminded Penny of half-finished dolls but she reminded herself that these were human beings. Their eyes were sad and resigned as they watched Penny and she felt her heart twist in compassion. What had M.A.D. done to them?
"Are you really Inspector Gadget's niece?" said the woman, eyeing Penny curiously. "We've heard he has a niece, but they don't let us have a television or newspapers."
"Yes, I'm his niece." Penny frowned and looked around the room she was in. "What is this place? Who are you?"
"I'm Delta-Epsilon 14489," said the man. "But you can call me 'Dee' for short," he added, giving her a tentative smile. Penny was suddenly reminded of her uncle and she returned the smile. The man's expression eased somewhat as he realized that Penny wasn't afraid of them. He gestured to the woman next to him. "And this is Zeta-Rho 94289, but we all call her 'Zeta'."
"Wait a minute, you said 'we all'." Penny looked between the two cyborgs. "You mean there's more of you?"
They both nodded. "Are those your real names?"
Dee's smile faded a bit but Zeta spoke before he could answer. "We can't remember our real names, or anything for that matter," she added bitterly. "All I remember is that I woke up from a horrible nightmare, and then…" she broke off and shuddered. Penny didn't press her to continue and instead changed the subject. "Where am I?"
Dee sighed. "I don't know. We're rarely allowed outside and I have no idea just how far in the jungle this place is. All I know is that people who are brought here...well, they don't leave. Like us," he added grimly.
This was all too much. Penny suddenly felt lightheaded and staggered over to the nearest bunk. She sank down onto it.
"You okay, kid?" asked Zeta, taking a half-step towards Penny.
"Fine," she mumbled, rubbing at her forehead. Her head throbbed. "I just...I think I need to lay down. I'm Penny, by the way," she added. Zeta smiled and went to the far side of the room where a small table with a pitcher sat. "Here's some water. They don't give us much in the way of food, but at least they make sure we don't die of thirst," she said as she brought Penny a glass of water.
"It's winter down here and the nights are chilly." Dee added, handing Penny a thin, worn blanket.
"Thank you," Penny murmured. "I'm sorry...I just...need to sleep."
Dee nodded and gestured for Zeta to join him on the other side of the room. The cyborgs talked quietly while Penny rolled over to face the wall, her expression stoic. Her mind throbbed with questions. It had never occurred to her that Gadget's memory loss was due to anything other than an unfortunate side effect of his surgery. Hadn't Von Slickstein always said as much?
"Modern science has barely begun to explore the depths of the mind. And there are other reasons, things that I cannot explain to you…"
Penny suddenly remembered her conversation with Quimby.
"There are other factors at play here, and don't ask me for more details because I won't give them to you."
Did Quimby and Von Slickstein know more about her uncle's memory loss than what they had told her? Penny felt cold at the thought. Aside from her uncle, Quimby and Von Slickstein were the two people she trusted most. Would they have really conspired to deliberately keep her uncle's memory repressed? And if so, why would they do such a thing?
'Because he saw - or heard - something that he wasn't supposed to.' It was the only explanation Penny could think of. That was awful enough, but the possibility that he might have been turned into a cyborg against his will, without his consent? Just the idea made Penny shudder with horror. If that was true, if that really had been done to her uncle, then it was a horrific violation and an unspeakable crime.
Oh, Uncle.
Penny tried to think, to plan, but exhaustion and the lingering effects from the tranquilizer darts sent her into a dreamless sleep within moments.
Brain was retiring after this latest caper was over and done with. He was done with this nonsense, thank you very much. And besides, now that the truth was out there really was no reason for him to continue to put life and limb on the line. But even as he thought it, Brain felt a twinge of guilt. He knew it wasn't Gadget's fault that he was so oblivious and bumbling.
He still remembered when he had first met Gadget years ago. The inspector had been out of the ICU for only a few days and was struggling to adapt to his new body. Brain didn't really remember anything about his family (that is, his canine one), only that his earliest memories were of staying with Professor Von Slickstein for the first few months of his life.
It had been Von Slickstein's idea that Gadget would benefit from a guide dog to help not just with his mobility, but also keep him company during the long, lonely nights in the clinic that he was kept in. Brain suddenly recalled how Gadget had experienced horrible nightmares during those first few weeks. He would often awake in the middle of the night, covered in sweat and pacing restlessly. He only seemed to calm when Brain sat with him.
And then Penny's parents had died in that terrible car crash, and suddenly Gadget found himself responsible for a three year-old girl.
"Don't be afraid, Penny! Brain's the smartest dog there is - he won't hurt you."
Brain watched as a tiny girl peeked around Gadget's long legs. Penny held out a tiny hand, giggling with delight when Brain's wet nose brushed against her palm. She held out her arms and Brain gently nuzzled his head against her chest, moving slowly so he wouldn't frighten the girl. Penny hugged him and Brain couldn't keep his tail from thumping happily against the floor.
"He's really ours, Uncle?"
Gadget smiled and Brain thought it was the happiest he had seen the inspector since leaving the hospital. "Yes, Penny. He's ours. Professor Von Slickstein said that he's too old to care for a dog and thought Brain would be happier with us."
The inspector watched Penny and Brain for a moment before adding softly, almost to himself. "You, me, and Brain - our own family."
After Penny had come into their lives things had started to fall into place. Gadget remained as blissfully ignorant as ever, but Brain had been the first to notice that Gadget's ignorance never extended to Penny's safety and wellbeing. Over the next few months Gadget became more self-sufficient and confident in his new bionic state. It was as if his niece's introduction into his life had given him new purpose and motivation for living.
Brain loved both his humans and he was determined to help Penny, no matter the danger. He had followed Penny at a distance until they disappeared into the large building. Brain had easily spotted the cameras and knew that if he got closer he'd be spotted. He had also seen the motion sensors and would have to think of another way to get into the building.
Puffing in frustration, Brain followed a small stream and eventually caught the smells of wood burning, cooked fish, and other familiar scents. He nearly leaped in excitement - there was a village nearby! It didn't take him long to follow the stream to the outskirts of the village. He stayed in the shadows and caught sight of a local dog. He barked softly to get the dog's attention.
The dog's ears swiveled towards the sound and he trotted to where Brain was hiding behind a stack of firewood. Brain, acting on years of habit, quickly signed a few words to the dog. The dog tilted his head, clearly confused by Brain's frantic signing. Sighing, Brain reminded himself that these dogs wouldn't understand any form of human speech and he switched back to "dog-speak", for lack of a better term.
"Can you help me? I'm lost."
"I'll say! You're not from around here, are you?"
"No, I can't say more than that. I'm in a hurry. Please, is there a big town or city nearby, or maybe an airport?"
The dog shook his head. "Nothing, not for miles. There's only this village, and an old abandoned mine, but I'd get away from here if I were you."
Brain's ears flattened in confusion. "Why?"
"Bad things have been happening here. People disappear when they go into the jungle, and they don't come back," said the dog, shooting an uneasy glance at the dark jungle that loomed just beyond the torchlight.
Well, that was something at least. "Thank you. And listen, if anyone - human or dog - asks if you've seen a dog that looks like me, tell them 'no', understand? It's for your own good."
The dog nodded. "Sure. And good luck. I hope you find your way back home soon."
"Me too," said Brain. After the dog had gone Brain dug a small trench under the woodpile, curling up with an exhausted sigh. He hoped Penny and Gadget were alright. He wasn't sure what he'd do without them.
3 May, 1990
"Rise and shine, girly."
The door to the barracks was flung open and Penny was once again hauled roughly to her feet. She winced against the bright lights as she was shoved into the hallway.
"Stop it!" snapped Dee, who had followed them out. "Can't you see she's exhausted? At least give her something to eat if you're going to force her to work!"
"Really brave, picking on a kid!" added Zeta, scowling darkly at the two men.
Penny gave what she hoped was a reassuring look to the two cyborgs. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."
Dee and Zeta didn't look reassured. They both watched anxiously as the guards led Penny away. She was taken to a different room this time, one that had several more advanced computers and stacks of printouts and formulas piled onto the large worktable.
"Get to work," snapped the tall agent. "And don't try any funny business - we've got cameras all over this place." They left her alone after that.
Penny slowly approached the work table and sat down. She was under no delusions. She was certain Dr. Claw would have her killed, regardless of whether or not she managed to crack this code. And she didn't like the way the M.A.D. agents watched her. She swallowed back a rush of fear and revulsion at the thought of what they might do to her before Claw ordered her done away with.
Penny believed that her uncle would come for her, and Brain too, but she didn't know how long that would take. And she had never believed in being helpless. She already had the inklings of a plan. If what Dr. Claw had said was true, then it was critical that she escape and find a way back to her uncle. She had to warn him, he had to listen to her. She didn't want to think that Quimby and Von Slickstein couldn't be trusted, but she had so many questions. And she wanted answers.
'Right then,' she thought, setting her jaw in determination. 'To work.'