Chapter V: Deep Freeze

"Haha! With my freeze ray now completed, I can begin to make my demands from those fools in the city government. Nothing will stand in my way!"
"Except your power limitations."
Seated at his invention's command console, Professor Nimnul whirled in his chair. Standing in his doorway was what appeared to be an older version of himself. Shocked into silence, he watched as his counterpart walked up to the console, and looked over the controls.

"Impressive. Just like I remember it."
"Say, what is this? Who are you?"
"I'm you, Norton. Isn't it obvious?"
"But how?"
"I have traveled back here from the year 2010, where I have finally developed the temporal incursion technology that you so desperately want to achieve. In addition to that, I have another, very important mission here. To destroy those rodents which have plagued me in so many of my plans! You do remember the modemizer incident, don't you?"
"Oh yes…I'd nearly forgotten," the mad scientist pondered. "Your story's too crazy not to be true. And I have so wanted to delve into time travel…its wonderful to know that I finally do! And the chance to get to consult with myself, oohhh, it's too good to be true!"
"Be that as it may, Norton, you're thinking too small. Once we polish off the rodents and extort all the money we can get out of the citizenry, we can make the entire world our oyster, not just the city!"
"And how do you propose to do that?"
The future Nimnul smiled.

"Do you remember that defective satellite that the spaceplane left behind on it's first mission?"
"Of course."
"The only thing defective about it is it's guidance system. Its stuck in orbit directly over the equator. With the computer systems you have here, we can hack into it's protocols, and use it to focus the energy of the freeze ray. We can hit any target on the face of the earth!"

The enormity of the plan was not lost on the present day Nimnul, and he began to cackle maniacally.

"That, and we can rid ourselves of the rodents! Haha!"

Sprocket Hackwrench, just like his mother, had a habit of going on inventive streaks that could last for days. With the makeshift weather-changer complete, he was doing his best to build anything that could help the Rangers on their way. Late in the afternoon, Gadget found him hard at work in the garage, spraying the Rangerbolt with a strange, blue-colored liquid.

"What are you up to, kid?"
"Hmm? Ah, nothing. Just an idea I had. This is a compound I learned to make when I was little. Add a little of this, little of that, presto! De-icer."
"Well that's a good idea. What are you going to do for traction, though?"
"Umm…I hadn't gotten to that yet, but if you give me a minute I can rig something. Well, actually fifty-seven seconds should be enough."

"You stole that line, and you know it, you little rat."

"Hey, what can I say, I learned from the best!"
"Good save."

Sprocket turned back to his work, but then looked over his shoulder.

"Are you feeling okay, Mom? I mean, what with everything that's coming and all."

"I'm doing pretty good. A little nervous, maybe, but that never stopped me before."

Sprocket stopped working, and eyed her intently.

"You know, Mom, you're one of the greatest inventors who ever lived, but you're a really lousy liar."

Gadget shrugged.

"Okay, okay. I admit it, I'm scared. Not just because of Nimnul, but because of the obvious other reason. I've never had a kid before! Its just going to be a new experience."

"Well, new experiences shape our lives. They mold our character, help to make us who we become. They work their way into the substance of our personalities."
"That's…comforting, in a philosophical and kinda roundabout way. Who told you that?"

Sprocket grinned.

"You did. Fifteen years from now."

"Great, I have my own advice turned back on me when I haven't even given it yet. What a day."

"We all have 'em. Trust me."
"Hey guys!" Dale bellowed from upstairs. "Get up here and check out the news!"
Sprocket took the stairs two at a time, with Gadget shuffling along behind. Both arrived in the Rangers' living room in time to see Professor Nimnul's image grace the screen.

"People of New York! I, Professor Norton Nimnul, hold your doom at hand! My latest invention holds the fate of humanity in the balance! Witness the destructive power I command!"
Sprocket drew in a sharp breath.

"Oh no."
"Wot is it, pally?" Monty asked.

"That's not your Nimnul. That's the Nimnul from my time! He's gotten here ahead of my calculations!"

The Rangers watched in silence as the professor pressed controls on his ever-present remote. Beams of cold blue light erupted from the skylight of his laboratory, freezing several buildings inside cases of shining ice.

"Haha! Here are my demands. One billion in gold, delivered to me by noon tomorrow. The bearers will come alone, with no police. Also, to a certain band of small do-gooders. If you come willingly, I might have mercy on your beloved city. Ha!"
The hacked broadcast signed off, releasing the station to it's own programming. Chip threw the remote down in disgust.

"He's baiting us. He knows that we won't just sit here, knowing that he can destroy the city. He's given us no choice but to go."

"In other words," Sprocket said, "he's expecting us to be predictable. Even in my time, the Rangers have a set, organized method of how we do things."

"So we have to be unpredictable!" Sparky offered.

"Precisely!" Gadget replied.

"Too roight!" Monty interjected. "Oi'm all for takin' the fight to the blighters! Lemme at 'em!"

"Umm…Uncle Monty, that's what he'd expect you to do."
"Oh."

Chip looked out the window, lost in thought. What to do? Their enemy expected their every move. And if they didn't act according to his demands, he might freeze the city anyway! Gadget offered the solution.

"Well, it's this way. We're going to have to distract him. Split our force, as it were. While part of the Rangers 'surrender' to Nimnul, the other half use the opportunity to get the weather-changer into his laboratory."
She looked over at Sprocket.

"Have we ever done this before?"
"Not to my knowledge. We usually keep a unified front. Dad's idea."

"Good, then we're sticking to being unpredictable. All right. Sprocket, Sparky and I will take the Rangerbolt, since it's been appropriately equipped, and do the infiltration bit…"
"Hold it right there, my dear," Chip said seriously. "You're not going anywhere. With that baby due Lord knows when, you're staying right here. Sprocket and Sparky have enough technical know how to get the job done."

"But you still need another Ranger to even out the team."
"True enough. And I think I know where we can find one."

Tammy walked out onto the hangar branch of Ranger HQ, and looked across the park. At another tree a short distance away, a tall, well built squirrel was working on the roof of his house.

"Hey Reguba!"

He looked up, and grinned at the visage staring back at him. Tammy Hazelnut was quite possibly the most beautiful girl he'd ever met, and the reason he'd moved across the pond from Redwall Abbey.

"Hey Tam! What's cookin', good lookin'?"

Tammy shook her head.

"You listen to too much old rock and roll," she yelled. "Get over here, important meeting, we need you!"
"There in a second!"

Tammy gasped as Reguba took a flying leap out of his tree, and spread his arms wide, flattening out his tail. He caught the wind current, and glided with seemingly no effort right into the Rangers' tree…and Tammy's arms. The two tumbled over and over, eventually stopping just short of colliding with the Rangerplane.
"You…goof!" she gasped, laughing. "Where'd you learn to do that?"
"From an old flying squirrel that stayed at the Abbey one winter. Amazing fellow."

"He must have been! But that's not why I called you over here!"
"Oh? And just why did you call, my little ray of sunshine?"
"Please, Reguba," she giggled, "this is definitely not the time to get mushy."

"I have to agree," Gadget said from the doorway. "Come in, Reg. This is an emergency."

The squirrel warrior immediately became serious, his accent thickening.

"Is there trouble, my lady?" he asked, becoming as formal as ever.

"Reguba, for heaven's sake, cut the titles. She's your lady, I'm Gadget. Now get in here, we've got a crime to prevent."

"At once!"
Upon learning of the situation, Reguba was as incensed as Monty was.

"I say, I would like to settle a few blows on this villain!"

"Be that as it may," Chip said, "we need level heads on this. Reguba, we need for you to take on a very serious responsibility."
"I am here to serve, sir."
"Good. Welcome to the Rescue Rangers."

"What?"
"We need another Ranger, and you fit the bill, if you're ready."
Reguba stood tall, and offered Chip his hand.

"I stand ready to defend the cause of justice! You have my oath, upon my warrior's honor that I shall!"

"Oi think that's about the best we can ask for, lad," Monty said, slapping the new Ranger on the back. "'Opefully we'll get th' chance to bust some heads before its over, eh mate?"

"Hopefully, yes."
"Let's just hope we don't get our tails handed to us," Sparky said, with Dale echoing the sentiment.

"All right, Sprocket," Chip announced, putting his hand on his son's shoulder. "We're going to need our brains department to whip us up some advantageous equipment. I know you've already done some, but we've got until noon tomorrow. So dig into your imagination and go crazy!"

The young Ranger looked around at Tammy and Sparky, and rubbed his hands together in glee.

"Guys, let's get dangerous."

The group of gearheads headed to the workshop. Gadget looked after them, slightly forlorn.

"I still think I should go," she pouted. Chip put his arms around her, and kissed her gently.
"Come on, sweetheart. We can't risk anything happening to the baby. And besides, we'll be in constant contact, you'll be monitoring from here, and I'm sure our son will come up with some other ways for you to take part."

"I guess so. I just feel guilty, literally sitting here on my tail while all of you save the city."
"Some things can't be cured, just endured, Gadge. We'll be all right."
He drew her into his arms, and held her.

"Everything's going to be all right."

"I know, Chip. Just come back to me safe. I'll never forgive Nimnul or you if you don't."