1Chapter 10

A Chip On My Shoulder

"Monterey, did you ever know what those Salesmen Traps really were?" Chip's voice scratched through the surface of my unconsciousness.

"No, pally. I thought they were jes' a joke, ya know? Like I always said, 'er elevator doesn't go all the way to the top."

"Monty...she built them to keep everyone out. Do you remember when she told us she was severely depressed?"

"Yeah, bu' I figgered she would be. She'd jes lost 'er father..."

"Monterey, she was more than 'severely depressed.'"

"Wha's worse than 'severely depressed?'"

There was silence between them for several moments, Chip letting the realization come to Monterey on his own terms. Finally, I heard him gasp.

"NO! Not, not Gadget-"

"Gadget."

I opened my eyes and saw the ceiling of the conference room looking down at me, just as concerned as the voices inside it were. Hollow and drained, I stared back at it.

"Gadget? How are you feeling?"

I turned my head slightly, only to find myself looking into Chip's bomber jacket. I frowned and pulled myself up. Sophia would be so happy...that was the second time I'd woken up like this. Only this time it was after fainting in his arms. Golly, but she'd probably think that was romantic or something. Certainly didn't feel romantic. More like traumatic.

"Gadget-luv?"

"Hi, Monty." My voice sounded almost as bad as Chip's.

"Yeh've been out for hours; we was startin' to get really worried."

"Hours?" I looked around the room, dizzy. Chip slipped his arm around my back to steady me. "Where's Dale?"

"Gettin' the doctor, luv. We wasn't sure what ta do."

I swallowed, getting my bearings, trying to remember everything. "So...so you both know then? About...about..."

"Yes," Monty cut in. I was grateful; I didn't want to say it out loud. "Are yeh gonna be all right now, luv? We need ta know."

I took a deep breath and thought. They knew. I knew. "Yes. I know what it is. You know what it is. If I need help, I'll tell you," I promised.

Monterey looked at me paternally for a few moments before nodding and smiling. "Tha's my girl. Now I bet you're hungry, so I'll jes go find somthin' fer ya to eat." He rose and left the room, still smiling.

I felt a bit uncomfortable practically sitting in Chip's lap, so I got up and walked around the sofa a few times. He watched me uneasily. I needed to say something to break the tension, to assure him I was all right.

"I'm all right now, Chip." Even though it was ninety percent true, it still sounded dumb.

"Are you sure? I mean, I didn't realize how badly-"

"I hurt? Yes, something like that. It's all right though. You know why I was building traps..."

"To get rid of everything, right?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"It doesn't work that way, Gadget."

"I know. But...but when you're scared and depressed, you can't think for yourself anymore. It's like..." I struggled to find an appropriate image. "It's like those devils and angels on your shoulders. The devil gets you, and even though the angel is still there, it can't do anything for you. Someone else has to."

"Someone else?"

I scuffed my feet across the rug. "Yeah. You and Dale and Monty coming to find my dad...fixed me...the first time. And today-" I looked at him meaningfully.

Chip blushed. "I do my best."

"I'm glad you did." I paced around a bit more. "How did you get into my workshop, Chip? I locked the door."

"The window. We heard you throwing things and got worried. When we found out the door was locked, we nearly panicked, but then Dale remembered we could still get in through the window. You were in there in the dark, Gadget."

"I didn't realize I was until you came in. I thought I'd turned them on."

"That must have been some panic attack."

I nodded, and stopped pacing. A few seconds passed before I could get the next words out. Keep talking, keep talking to him. It was helping; I could feel myself finish healing as I drove the conversation forward. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I shouldn't have - you were just trying to help."

"It's all right. You'd have to do a lot more than shout at me to get me to go away."

"I know. Not everyone would jump in front of a knife for someone like you did." I watched him closely.

"We're a team. And we're friends, Gadget."

"Still, Chip. You were practically dying, but you still risked your life for me. That's another thing. I'm sorry I let go of you."

"What? Oh, in the water." He looked at the floor for a moment, then looked up at me, grinning slyly. "Well, you couldn't very well have gotten rid of the assassin without getting rid of me first, could you?" He became more serious. "And I believe you about Sophia, too. She telephoned not too long after you fainted; she wanted to check up on you. She cried when I told her you had fainted."

"She cried? Golly..." I guess I would if I were in her position, but still...

"You've got a good friend in Sophia. But Gadget...she laughed when she was crying."

"Huh?" I tipped my head, realized my goggles were gone.

"She asked me -hem, cough- how you were. I said you had just fainted in my arms, and she gasped, then started crying, and almost laughed." He paused. "Is that a girl thing, Gadget?"

I burst out laughing and grinned broadly. "Yes, Chip, that is definitely a girl thing."

"Care to enlighten me?" He leaned forward, grinning devilishly.

I leaned forward too. "See, Sophia heard you say that I had just fainted in your arms, and drew conclusions." The panic and anger of that morning was gone, and I took immense pleasure in teasing him.

"Ah. So I should have said 'Gadget swooned and fainted, and I heroically caught her in my arms?'"

"Something like that, Casanova," I teased, and poked his shoulder. I decided to keep on teasing him; it was fun. "So where'd you put my goggles, Mister?"

"Huh?"

"Where are my goggles?

"Like I'll tell you!" He caught on fast.

"You'd better!"

"Just try and find them, Gadget."

"Oh! So you wanna do it the hard way, huh? I bet you've got them behind your back-" and I jumped forward and hugged him, knocking him flat into the cushions.

"Gadget, they're not there..."

"So where are-"

"Hello..." A voice behind us chuckled uncertainly. I bolted upright, looking towards the doorway. Dale and the doctor were standing there, both looking very bemused.

Chip sat up and smiled and the doctor, trying to look innocent.

"He wasn't talking," I said. "He just decided it would be funny to hide my goggles." I shot Chip a playful glare. He smiled angelically and looked at the ceiling.

"Of course he wasn't talking. You were just having a one-sided argument with him, weren't you?" asked the doctor, swinging his black bag and coming around the couch. He winked at me knowingly. "And though I have to say I am delighted to see two of my most critical patients feeling so well, it's not exactly the best thing you could have been doing."

I bowed my head obediently, fighting the blush in my cheeks. It didn't help that Dale was tittering away behind me, and Chip was still grinning from ear to ear. The doctor examined Chip, listened to his lungs and heart, and gave him official permission to begin whispering whenever he felt like it.

"I think you've been giving your friends the silent treatment long enough, young man. Feel free to resume your regular activities, just so long as it doesn't involve swimming the English Channel, all right?"

"Thanks, doc," Chip whispered.

The doctor turned to me. "What's this I hear about a panic attack and you fainting?"

"Oh, well...it was just a panic attack. I'm all right now. I don't think it'll happen again."

He looked at me closely. "Hmm. Yes, well, I suppose I can understand, what with a crazed assassin after you. But you haven't exactly sought out a counselor, have you, Gadget?" He leaned forward and said the last part very quietly. I doubted even Chip heard.

"Not at first I didn't. But...the Rangers are doing a pretty good job of it. Now that they know, I mean." Chip wasn't exactly a registered therapist, but talking to him, teasing him, had lifted a huge weight off my chest.

He nodded several times. "All right. But just the same, I want you to take some Chamomile every night, all right? Just to keep the nerves in check." He turned to Chip. "And Chip, you may want to think about getting a guard dog for headquarters. This is one lovely lady I'd hate to loose." He winked and stood up. "Tootles, everyone, I'm off!"

As soon as the door was shut behind him, Monty hurried in from the kitchen. "Heard every word of it, laddies. 'Ere's some soup for yeh, Gadget-luv." I was handed a bowl of something hot and cheesy, and I poked at it carefully with my spoon for a moment.

"So everyone knows, then? About my assassin?" I asked casually. The boys didn't answer. "It's probably better that way," I said, smiling. "No one would dare make a move with everyone in town watching, right?"

"Right! We'll keep you safe, Gadget!" Dale leapt up and assumed a heroic stance. "Just let 'em try to get past me! Why, Double O Dale will smash 'em flat! Splat! Zowie! Kabang!" He jumped up and down, pretending to flatten bad guys right and left.

"Too right, Dale! No worries 'ere, Gadget. You'll be right as rain with us on the lookout."

"Thanks guys," I said sincerely. It was good to know I had four tough boys looking out for me. And I was relieved that they didn't still feel I needed to be removed from the city immediately. "What do you say we go do something, in honor of Chip being able to whisper now?"

"Yeah!" agreed Dale, ceasing his villain-smashing antics. "Where should we go?"

"Somewhere appropriate to the occasion," I joked. "Like the library."

Chip smacked me with the nearest pillow.

"I'm joking, I'm joking! We can do whatever you want to," I shouted, warding off the barrage with my arms.

"Lets go see a movie!" suggested Dale. "That new show Sailors of the South Seas looks great! Sword fightin' and cannons, and pirates..."

"Lets go, then," said Chip, retrieving his hat from the table. "Rescue Rangers AWAY! -cough, cough-"

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The movie was really good, according to our action-adventure movie standards. There was all the right sword fighting and sea battles, mixed with just the right amount of dishy pirate, damsel in distress romance.

Midway through the movie, just as the pirates had captured the leading lady, Chip leaned over and whispered in my ear. "How come the pirates all have to be so handsome?"

I moved over and answered. "It's Johnny Deep. He's going to be handsome no matter what, Chip."

"Kind of like Kelsey Knights, huh? Cute no matter how wind-blown her hair is?"

I giggled quietly. "Glad to know you like the rough and tumble look, Chip."

"Good to know you like the scruffy, rough look, Gadget."

Two minutes later, we were holding paws.

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Three days after going to see the movie, I received a letter from Sophia.

Gadget,

I hope you're all right after your fainting spell. But after all, how terrible could it be, fainting into Chip's arms? I'm afraid Chip heard me laughing through my tears. I was terribly sorry to hear you weren't well, but it was funny, dear.

As I talked to Chip, I assume that he'll be feeling quite up to par within two weeks. In anticipation of this event, I've planned a little party for then. It will be held in my vacation house in Southern France; enclosed please find a card with the address. I hope you and the rest of your darling Rangers will come up for the occasion, because you will be my guests of honor.

I'll look forward to talking to you again; I've missed your company. It does get lonely around here in Russia. Jules is a cheerful companion as always, but has not seemed to recover from our ordeal as well as I have. Consequently, I feel more lonesome now than ever. I hope you'll find time to stay after the party and keep me company for a few days, but I know how zealous your Chip can be about finding new cases, so I won't press you.

Until then Gadget,

Much Love, Sophia Marskov.

The young woman's name was signed the way she would sign a photograph of herself for a fan: swirling and large. Dale begged me to let him read it (the lavender scented envelope had drawn him momentarily away from the television), but I said it was rather personal for the most part. There wasn't really anything personal about it, just the side-comments concerning his best friend. I didn't want Sophia's ideas about Chip and me spread all over HQ like confetti.

"She just says she's going to have a party in a couple of weeks in France and wants us to come. She says we're the guests of honor."

"Yippee!" shouted Dale, and he started jumping around the conference room until he bounced within hitting distance of Chip, when he stopped, looking warily at his friend. Chip contained himself and only rolled his eyes.

"Sounds like a bonzer bash," declared Monty. "We'll have to whip out the best dress, fellas. Miss Marskov is high class." Monty nodded mightily and departed for the kitchen. Dale turned back to his cartoons and cereal.

"It'll be nice to see her house," Chip commented, looking over the stamps on the envelope. "This is a pretty expensive envelope compared to the paper, Gadget."

I looked over at him, surprised. He was the last person I wanted reading my letter. But he did have a point.

"The envelope is thick parchment. The paper looks thin," he glanced sideways at the folded paper in my paw. "And it has..."

"What?" I turned to him. He was staring hard at the letter.

"I'm not trying to read it, Gadget, it's just...it has a watermark."

I dropped the letter like it was poison. It fluttered to the floor slowly, maliciously almost, and lay darkly reposed there, daring me to pick it up and examine the watermark for myself.

"Are you sure, Chip?" I whispered hoarsely.

He nodded glumly and looked down on the paper. "Do you want me to look at it?"

I took a deep breath and shook my head. I bent down and picked up the paper carefully. Slowly, the writing on the far side, I unfolded it and held it up. Bubbles. There were bubbles on the paper.

"No, Chip. Not again."

"Is it Sophia's writing, or someone else's?"

"I don't know, Chip. I've never seen any of her handwriting except her autograph, and that was only on the internet at the library. It sounds like Sophia, but I don't know..."

"Do you still trust her, Gadget?" he asked, putting his hand on my arm.

"Yes. I want to. She was so nice to me. She didn't seem like a stuck-up actress at all. And she was so friendly to Dale; she listened to all his stories, no matter how hyper he was. I can't believe she would want to hurt anyone."

"No, she doesn't look like the type, does she? I liked her too." He paused for a moment, handing the envelope to me. "How about we still go to the party, but I tell the others about the watermark, and we make sure to keep an eye on you. I don't want to seem like we don't like her, but Sophia is still logically a suspect."

"Just as long as you keep an eye on me, Chip."

"I won't take my eyes off you."