Penny's wedding, and the final end of MAD

by HawksFan12

Penny wants to have her wedding, but is caught up in a war between Heaven and Hell, with MAD right in the middle. Talon escapes from prison with some truly evil intentions. Penny, Brain and Inspector Gadget must stop him, once and for all. Also, Gadget faces an empty house when Penny and Brain leave home. Rated T for violence and some language. Entertainment only, I own nothing.

Talon stared at the door of his solitary confinement cell, deep inside one of America's super-maximum security 'supermax' prisons. This was a place for the worst of the worst. For those who were too dangerous to be allowed in lesser prisons. After Talon had been captured by Inspector Gadget, Penny, and Brain, (with some help from Gadget's girlfriend, Officer Julie Jones, and two turncoat MAD agents) he had been sentenced to life in supermax solitary, with no possibility of parole, and also, with no trial. True, this was unconstitutional, but it happened anyway. MAD's activities were serious enough that the U.S. Government allowed the Metro City Police to quietly bypass the court system, giving no chance for a hired defense attorney to get Talon off on a technicality. He was not allowed any visitors. The only contact with the outside world he was allowed was one letter per week by mail. All of his incoming and outgoing letters were read, scanned, even X-rayed. No chances were taken that something would be smuggled in to him.

Talon had been here for six months now, and he had not seen a single person, not even a guard. His meals were delivered through a slot in the door. For one hour per day, his door unlocked, and he was allowed to visit a library, which had a very limited selection of books, as well as a television built into the wall. While he was in the library, his cell was inspected and cleaned. He was then ordered to return to his cell for another 23 hours, over speakers built into the ceiling.

Talon counted down in his head, "Five… four… three… two…" And the door slot opened, delivering his lunch, and the only letter he would receive that week. He stood, retrieved the tray, and ate his lunch while reading the letter. It was sent by one of the few MAD agents that was still loyal to Talon. In his last outgoing letter, Talon had asked for a very special piece of information. This MAD agent had delivered, but since all letters were being read before they were delivered to Talon, everything had to be disguised in code. "Leader Talon, I think that you will find this ancient Latin poem of great solace." Then followed a paragraph of Latin. "It is said that this poem is best enjoyed with red wine and the glitter of beautiful stars, and the light of the full moon. I hope you can find some equivalent in your current situation." Talon studied this carefully, and interpreted the hidden true meaning. The 'red wine' meant blood. The 'glitter of beautiful stars' meant a ritual altar of a pentagram, with a candle on each point of the star. And, most importantly, the 'Latin poem' was not a poem at all. It was an ancient summoning ritual.

That same night, in the Gadget's house, Penny was sound asleep in her room. At the foot of her bed, Brain was curled up there asleep, as he had done for the past fifteen years. Now, however, he had his girlfriend Lucy with him. She had been rescued from the same Metro City Animal Shelter that had once held Brain. After being wounded by a MAD sniper, Lucy had undergone life-saving surgery that resulted in her spine being repaired with bionics, and, in order to save her brain, she had undergone the same intelligence-boosting procedures that Brain had early in his life. Thankfully, it worked, and with the aid of canine translators, both she and Brain were now able to speak perfect English. Now, however, they slept soundly, as did Penny. She was having a wonderful dream, when suddenly, the dream stopped. It was as if someone paused a movie that was being played. Penny knew that she was still dreaming, and fully understood that she was asleep, and then, she saw a sight that she had not seen in nearly a decade. In her dream, she saw her guardian angel; the most beautiful woman in the purest white robe that Penny had ever seen.

Penny had not seen this guardian angel ever since she had sent Penny to visit an alternate timeline in which MAD had won, overthrown the U.S. Government, and was about to start a war of conquest, the Third World War. This not only made Penny appreciate her life in her own time, it made her fully understand just how vital it was to defeat MAD. Penny ran and greeted her angel with a warm hug. The angel smiled. "Hello, dear Penny! I have returned to you, because I have an urgent warning to share. Great evil is coming soon." Penny asked if she was going to visit another timeline. The angel shook her head. "No, dear. This evil is approaching now, in your own time. The evil man you know as Talon will soon try to enslave the world again, and he must be struck down, once and for all." This made Penny pause, but then, she remembered: angels are not just fluffy harp players in the clouds. They are warriors of Heaven, and when confronted with pure evil, they can be fearsome and relentless. The angel said, "I pray that I need not visit you again, Penny, but I implore you; beware of Talon."

Penny woke with a start, which startled Brain and Lucy awake. They both saw that Penny looked distraught, and hurried to her side. She hugged them both; one with each arm. Brain had been Penny's dearest, closest friend for over fifteen years. Lucy, however, had only lived with the Gadgets for six months. She had developed a strong bond with Penny; a fellow female, and, anyone who loved her boyfriend Brain that much was a good friend for Lucy. Also, Brain had told her of all the hundreds of times that he and Penny had saved each other's lives. So, now, Penny hugged her two friends as she tried to process the angel's warning. Lucy said, "Brain, dear, she's trembling! She must have had an awful dream." Penny told them of the angel's visit, and the warning about great evil, and Talon. Brain scoffed. "Well, he is evil, she's right about that, but he can't do anything to anyone in a solitary cell in a supermax prison." This didn't really reassure Penny.

Talon had finally gathered all the necessary ingredients, and just in time for the full moon. He gathered the only recreational items that he was allowed to have in his cell; a tablet of paper, and some crayons to draw with. (The prison did not allow him to have pens or pencils, because these could be used as stabbing weapons.) Talon drew a pentagram on a piece of paper. He had already taken five crayons, broken the tips off, rolled tight little pieces of toilet paper to make wicks, and packed it all together with crayon wax. He then had five makeshift candles. He put one on each corner of the pentagram. The most difficult item to figure out, a heat source to light the candles, was accomplished by rolling toilet paper together very tightly, and creating two 'prongs,' which he then inserted into a power outlet. He used toenail clippings to shove it into the plug-in, and a loud spark gave him a strong shock, but also successfully ignited the toilet paper.

Talon rapidly used the precious flame to light the first crayon candle, then lit the others. For the final ingredient, he took a deep breath, put his palm in his mouth, and used his sharp 'canine' teeth to cut himself. He then squeezed blood out and onto the pentagram. He then read out loud the Latin summoning ritual. At first, nothing happened. Soon, however, from the pentagram arose a stifling, foul-smelling black cloud of smoke. Talon could literally feel the evil emanating from it. Far from feeling scared, he was exhilarated, and joyfully welcomed the evil entity.

The black cloud roiled above him, then condensed into a vaguely human-like shape, ten feet tall, with bright, burning red eyes. The being did not speak out loud, but Talon clearly heard a voice in his head. It was loud, and in spite of his enthusiasm, Talon was terrified. The voice said, "Here, let me help you with that." Part of the smoke reached out and touched Talon where he had bitten himself, to draw blood, and instantly, Talon was healed. Talon asked, "Who… or what, are you?" The voice replied, "My name is… unimportant. I am a demon." Dumbfounded, Talon asked, "From Hell?" The demon replied, with anger: "Well, I'm certainly not from Heaven, you fool!" This surge of anger from the demon caused Talon dull, intense pain inside his head. The pain then subsided, and the demon sounded calmer. "A small sample of what to expect if you annoy me. Now, I am here to negotiate with you. Allow one of my demons to possess you, and we will grant you one wish."

Talon immediately said, "Get me the Hell out of here!" The demon sighed. "Well, obviously. AFTER that, if you cooperate, you get one wish." Without the slightest hesitation, Talon said, "KILL the Gadgets! But do it properly. Penny must see it all. First, kill her fiancé. Then, Inspector Gadget. Then, her dog Brain. And then, when she has seen everyone she loves die, kill her. Promise me that, and I'm all yours." The demon thoughtfully said, "Really… that's your one wish? Not the usual 'money or power'?" Talon snorted. "I can get that on my own. But the Gadgets, they must DIE. All of them, once and for all." The demon assured him this would be easy to accomplish, then he started to detail the terms of their agreement. Talon, however, didn't want to hear it. "I pledge myself wholly and completely to you, as long as the Gadgets DIE!"

The demon chuckled. "And so it shall be. Now, listen. You will soon be possessed by a demon that you are well familiar with." From inside the black smoke appeared a face that Talon knew well: his Uncle, Dr. Claw. "Uncle! You're a demon now?" The demon answered for Dr. Claw. "It is most unusual. Normally, our Master, Lucifer, makes even willing souls burn in Hell for several decades, to make sure all of the lingering goodness and humanity is burned away. However, your Uncle was the exception. As soon as he arrived, he was deemed ready to be crowned a demon by Lucifer himself."

Talon stood and allowed the black smoke to envelop him. His eyes turned shiny black for a moment, then back to their normal color, except that they were now bloodshot, and Talon's skin was paler than it had been. The demon spoke. "It is done. Raise your hand." Talon did so, and a dark energy burst forth, like ripples on the surface of a black pond, across the whole prison. The door swung open invitingly. Inside his head, Demon Claw spoke. "We must move quickly, my Nephew. Go." Talon strode out of his cell and into the prison. Every cell door had a pool of blood slowly leaking out onto the floor. All of the guards were slumped over, dead, in puddles of their own blood. Every prisoner, every guard, every staff member; everyone in the prison was dead, right down to the guards in the towers.

Talon was striding through the prison, searching for the exits, when his Uncle/Demon Claw instructed him, inside his head. "There's no time to find the exit, my Nephew. MAKE one." Talon looked at a wall with windows, raised his hand again, and another dark burst of energy shot out, this time blasting a hole in the wall. Talon stepped through, and was outdoors for the first time since he had been captured. He marched up to the razor wire fences, crouched, and leaped over them. He landed outside the perimeter. Demon Claw congratulated him. "Very good, boy. Now, hide in those trees, quickly. We only have a few seconds." Talon obeyed, and turned back to look at the prison. A bright white/blue light from far above shone down on it, and suddenly, an unseen force shot down, and obliterated the entire prison. The shock from the blast was incredible. There appeared a glowing, pure white mushroom cloud, which rose up over where the prison had been.

Demon Claw explained. "That was a strike by the Angels. They sensed you using your dark power, and tried to snuff it out." Talon was awestruck, then realized, this meant he had to avoid using this dark, demonic power until it was absolutely necessary. Demon Claw read these thoughts inside Talon's head. "Very good, boy. You understand perfectly. That blast was carried out by an Archangel; the most fearsome weapon of Heaven. Unless you want THAT raining down on your head, you must not use the demonic power that draws them. Stealth and patience are our allies."

Penny knelt down in front of the altar at the Metro City church, deep in prayer. Growing up, she had never gone to church, because Uncle Gadget did not. He certainly never talked negatively about religion, nor did he discourage Penny from developing her own faith. He simply was not a religious person. Penny, however, could not deny that it was real, given that twice now, she had been visited by her guardian angel. She had started attending church on her own, when time allowed, and she was not on a case. She actually found it very comforting and relaxing; the music, the beautiful artwork, and the meaningful passages that were read aloud. Not to mention, she was well aware of all the charity work that the church was deeply involved in.

When she had finished her prayer, she stood to leave. She had asked for the strength and wisdom to see her through what appeared to be an upcoming challenge from Talon, based on the warning from her guardian angel. She was in church after the last service that Sunday, and most people had left. There were only a few altar servers, putting away the hymn books in the seats. Penny was almost to the exit, when something made her halt in her tracks. She was struck with intense fear. She had noticed a white marble statue of an angel, only now, there were red tears starting to come out of its eyes. A nearby altar server noticed Penny frozen in fear, and followed her gaze to the statue. He saw the same thing that Penny saw, and was equally terrified. "Father! Come and see this!"

The priest hurried over and saw the statue. "Oh, my…" The priest was startled, then actually seemed to be annoyed. Penny asked him, "Father, what is the meaning of an angel crying tears of blood?" He glanced at her. "Well, in religious tradition, it stands for a warning of impending great evil, or great loss of life about to happen. What I think it means, in this case, is that some of our younger parishioners got their hands on some fake blood. I just hope it hasn't stained the marble…" He left to go retrieve some cleaning supplies. Penny and the altar server glanced at each other, then back at the statue. Both still looked very fearful. Penny left without another word.

That afternoon, Penny returned home in her beloved red Mustang. Uncle Gadget had taken his girlfriend, Officer Julie Jones, out to lunch in the Gadgetmobile. Brain and Lucy were in the back yard, enjoying the sunny day. Brain greeted Penny, and Lucy happily trotted up to her. Lucy had bonded very well with Penny, and was quite fond of her, especially once she learned how many times Brain had been saved by Penny, and vice versa. This was a great relief to Brain, who had been afraid that Lucy would become jealous of the loving affection that he and Penny often shared.

Penny quietly told them about what had happened at church. Brain was shocked and alarmed. "Penny, that's an ancient warning of terrible calamity and evil." Just then, Penny's video watch beeped. It was Fred Von Slickstein, her fiancé, and he did not look happy. He informed her that the supermax prison that held Talon had been completely destroyed. It would take weeks, if not months, to sift through the wreckage, and check the DNA of every dead body recovered. Penny's alarm increased. "So, there's no way to know for sure that Talon didn't escape, is there?" Fred shook his head. "Not at this time, no. They're going to check the wreckage, but… there's just so much destruction. The place is leveled. I can't imagine what could have done this." Fred's meaning was clear. There wouldn't be any answers, anytime soon.

Deep in the forest, Talon shivered in the darkness. He complained to his Uncle in his head. "I don't see what's wrong with building a fire." Demon Claw released a sharp migraine pain in Talon's head, causing Talon to double over in agony. Demon Claw spoke. "This is our one, our only chance, boy. We must succeed. The angels know that we have escaped, and they will be watching for any sign of us. So far, we've managed to avoid detection." Talon meekly said, "Forgive me, Uncle." Talon wished he had more to wear than the thin prison-issue trousers and shirt. "Uncle, I must get new clothing. Any passerby will recognize these prison clothes." Demon Claw had already thought of that. He instructed Talon to keep walking.

Soon, Talon saw a pickup truck parked alongside a trail, with a tent pitched next to it. A family of campers. Demon Claw instructed Talon: "Approach the tent quietly. Do NOT use your demonic powers. Find their rifle, then take what you need at gunpoint." Talon did as he was told. He approached the tent, and heard snoring. He lifted the flap of the tent, and quietly grasped the polished wooden stock of a Remington hunting rifle. He aimed it at the sleeping figures, and ordered them to wake up, and get up. The panicked couple gave Talon clothes, a pair of boots, and money. He then stood there with the rifle aimed at the couple, who were gripping each other in terror, and said, "Uncle? Shall I kill them?" Demon Claw considered. They were far enough out in the woods that the noise was unlikely to attract any unwanted attention. He answered his nephew's question. "Yes."

Several days had passed, and the Gadgets were still very upset and wary. They had visited the site of the supermax prison, and it looked like old photographs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the atomic blasts, except that there was no radiation in the air. As soon as Penny saw the site, she knew that it would be months before all the rubble was cleared away. Also, every rainfall washed more and more DNA evidence away. Uncle Gadget drove back to Metro City with Penny and Brain in the Gadgetmobile. Penny told them that she had an awful suspicion that Talon had indeed escaped. When they arrived at HQ, Chief Quimby shared news that seemed to confirm this. A couple had been found along a trail in the forest, shot dead. The murderer had taken clothes and money, but left the pickup truck. "He doesn't want to be found," Quimby declared. Not only that, but a short distance from the campsite, something else was found. Quimby nodded at Fred, and a photo appeared on the screen. It was a charred, half-burned prison outfit, lying on the ground. Penny let out a sigh of dread. "So, at least one prisoner escaped, murdered a couple who was camping, stole from them, and burned his prison clothes. I think we all know who it was."

That night, after Brain and Lucy managed to calm Penny down enough so that she could fall asleep, Penny started to dream. She was walking along in the clouds. The sky above was a brilliant, beautiful blue. Up ahead, Penny saw a figure facing away from her. Penny smiled, because she recognized her guardian angel. Yet when the angel turned, Penny was struck with terror. The angel's beautiful face was streaked with red tears of blood. She didn't look joyfully happy, but fraught with anguished terror. "Oh, Penny, my dear… the evil is on the loose, and it will strike soon."

Despite her horror at the angel's appearance, Penny pressed ahead with questioning her. "The prison, was that…?" The angel nodded. "Talon has been possessed by a demon, who is in fact, the evil spirit of his Uncle. Talon wants revenge on you and your family. We sent an Archangel to destroy them, but they had already escaped." Penny was stunned. "Your Archangel destroyed an entire prison; all those people?" The angel shook her head. "They were already dead, my dear. The Archangel sensed the use of dark, demonic power, and struck as quickly as possible, but it was too late. Talon, with Demon Claw possessing him, is now on the loose, and they are being careful NOT to use their demonic powers, which makes it extremely difficult for us to detect them."

Penny's worst fears were confirmed, only it was worse than she dreamed. Talon AND Dr. Claw, in the same body, with demonic powers? The angel seemed to read her mind. "It's even worse than that, I'm afraid. Demon Claw was sent to his nephew, Talon, who was convinced to give himself over after they promised him revenge on your family. However, even Talon doesn't know the demon's ultimate plan." The angel placed her hand on Penny's shoulder. "Penny, the demons, they want to unleash total evil. They want to raise the fallen angel, Lucifer himself, to Earth." Penny felt cold fear seize her heart. The angel continued. "We're not sure how they plan to accomplish this, exactly, but we do know that killing you and your family is a vital step of their plan. They MUST be stopped."

Penny sat upright in her bed, and was stricken with such an overwhelming feeling of panic and dread, she rolled over in her bed, buried her face in the pillow, and wept uncontrollably. What had been dumped on her was so big, so overwhelming… it was bad enough that Talon had escaped. That, in itself, would have been enough to keep her awake all night. But now, as it turns out, he had been possessed by Dr. Claw? In the form of a demon… and, actual DEMONS now were plotting to release Lucifer, the actual devil, upon the Earth? And, what was stopping them? The Gadgets. She had no idea where to even begin thinking of how to resolve this situation.

Penny felt Brain and Lucy, patting her on the back, asking what was wrong. She turned and hugged them both close, and tried to recount to them what she had learned in her dream. What really bothered her was the looks that Brain and Lucy were giving each other. Even her beloved, faithful little friend Brain was having a hard time accepting everything that she was telling him. When she thought about it, she could hardly blame him; it was an incredible tale, and Brain had not seen and felt the guardian angel, as she had.

Uncle Gadget then tapped on Penny's door, and peeked in. "Penny, is everything all right in here? I thought I heard you crying…" Then he saw, in the moonlight from the window, just how upset she was. Her face was wet with tears. He walked in, and sat on the edge of her bed. "Penny, what's the matter? Why are you crying?" Part of Penny's mind, the sarcastic part, thought, 'Well, everyone's meeting in my room, aren't they? It's a good thing I don't sleep naked!' But she pushed this thought aside, and was touched by everyone's concern for her. She was about to dismiss it as just a bad dream, but she wasn't able to get the words out, because it would be a lie. She decided that she would try to tell her Uncle, and see how he reacted. She told him of her guardian angel contacting her in a dream, and of the warning it had given her, and even that the angel had told her that Talon was possessed by the demonic form of Dr. Claw. She even told him that the angels believed that the end goal was to raise Lucifer himself.

Uncle Gadget sat quietly for a moment, processing everything that Penny had told him. Brain was stunned; Penny had never been this open with her Uncle before. Finally, Uncle Gadget sighed, and said, "You know, Penny, when you started going to church on your own, I thought that this would be a good thing. However, if these are the kinds of dreams that are prompted from church; angels, demons, and Lucifer rising… maybe you should give church a break for a while." Penny became upset with her Uncle. "If this were just a dream, do you think I'd be this upset? I've had nightmares before, and I have NEVER been this… traumatized! What I experienced was REAL, and it's coming for us!" Uncle Gadget knew when to back off. "Okay, Penny. We're not going to be able to do anything more tonight. Try to get some sleep; we'll talk more tomorrow." She sighed, and fell back down onto her pillow. Uncle Gadget left the room, and shut the door.

Brain and Lucy were still near Penny, and although Lucy returned to the foot of the bed, Brain quietly said, "Penny? I want to believe you; you know I do. It's just that, this is… a LOT to take in." Penny saw his point, smiled, and stroked his head. "I know it is, Brain, but thank you for at least trying to keep an open mind. Good night." She rolled over on her side to try to get back to sleep, and felt Brain walking down the bed to curl up next to Lucy.

The next morning, sitting at the breakfast table, Uncle Gadget and Penny attempted to discuss the dream a little more. The problem was, neither one had budged an inch from the previous night. Penny was absolutely convinced that what she experienced was real, and Gadget was just as convinced that it was all a bad dream. Penny felt herself starting to get upset with her Uncle again. "Uncle, is it really THAT hard to accept? You yourself said that you had no idea what could destroy a prison like that, and not leave any radiation. Well, I'm telling you, it was a strike from an Archangel." Gadget started to scoff. "Oh, Penny—" But Penny wanted none of this. "Please don't 'Oh Penny' me, Uncle! I'm not a kid anymore. I've been on quite a few cases now, and I like to think I've earned a little respect!"

Gadget raised his hands. "You're right, Penny, you have. Nobody's questioning that." Penny took a breath, and forced herself to back down a bit. She stood and hugged her Uncle from behind as he sat at the table. "I love you, Uncle, but I'm right about this, and I'm going to prove it to you." Brain thought that this was a good way to end the argument; Penny let her Uncle know how she felt, and re-affirmed how she loved her Uncle, but didn't back down from what she believed was right. Lucy hugged Brain goodbye as he left with Penny for work. She whispered in his ear with a chuckle, "Good luck keeping those two civil all day!" Brain rolled his eyes, smiled, and left.

As Penny and Brain rode to work in her Mustang, Penny vented her frustrations. "Oh BRAIN! I love Uncle Gadget, but sometimes I just wanna… I mean, he has no idea how long you and I have been covering for him, and now, he wants to talk down to me like I'm a kid?! GRRR!" Brain was very sympathetic. "I know, Penny, believe me, I understand. Dealing with your Uncle can be extremely frustrating. I mean, it drove me to quit the team at one time." Brain was referring to the one time he had left Penny's side, a decade ago, because he was so frustrated with endlessly following Inspector Gadget, saving his life, and having Gadget thank him by mistaking him for a MAD agent and pursuing him.

The Mustang stopped for a red light, which gave Penny time to reach over and give Brain a one-armed hug. "I'm so sorry, Brain; I should have realized how badly you were suffering." Brain waved a paw dismissively. "It's in the past, Penny. Now, I will admit, there are still times when your Uncle can be pretty frustrating to deal with, but it's nothing like it was in the bad old days, before we joined the police force. Also, I have to remember that it's not entirely his fault. He was badly affected by the process of turning him into Inspector Gadget." Penny grinned at him. "You took the words right out of my mouth, Brain. I remember, Inspector John Brown was known for being serious, meticulous, and for his attention to detail. The transfer of his mind into his Gadget body caused all of the… negative qualities." Brain agreed. "And, I have to admit, Penny; his heart was always in the right place. He always cared for you, and even me, and he kept our family together." The car then arrived at the police station, and Penny and Brain looked at each other. Penny made sure Brain's police vest was on straight, and Brain made sure there were no stains from breakfast on Penny's uniform, then they went inside to start another day at work.

Inside a lonely, isolated log cabin at the end of a long, gravel road, Talon stood at the kitchen sink, washing blood off his hands, and off the blade of a large butcher knife. Behind him, on the floor, lay the bodies of a middle-aged couple, each of them slowly oozing blood from multiple stab wounds. Inside Talon's head, the voice of the Demon, Dr. Claw, gently admonished Talon. "My nephew, it is true that we do need to take supplies; however, what we don't need is the attention that all these murders are drawing." Talon replied, "You were the one who gave me permission to kill the first couple, the campers." Demon Claw rapidly countered.

"Don't argue with me, boy. That first couple was necessary. This one here, was NOT. Sooner or later, their friends or relatives will check in on them. Then the police will arrive. The Gadgets know you have escaped. The angels appear to be helping the Gadgets, judging from what happened to the prison. Do you understand?" Talon didn't reply. He had finished cleaning up the blood, and as he was walking toward the bedrooms, to see what he could steal, he caught a glimpse of himself in a bathroom mirror. He paused for a better look. His skin was pale, his eyes bloodshot, and there were blood droplets spattered across his face. He slowly took a washcloth, wet it with water, and wiped the blood off his face. He then wiped blood droplets off the jacket he had stolen from the campers. He saw how different he looked, but he was not afraid. He was fascinated. He looked inhuman… demonic…

Inside the Metro City Police Department, Brain went to check the assignment list for the day, while Penny greeted her fiancé Fred with a smile. They had agreed long ago to keep things professional at work, so there was no greeting kiss. That was what date nights were for. Just then, Penny's video watch beeped, as did Fred's. Chief Quimby summoned them down to the HQ lab. They walked to the elevator, when Brain called out to them to hold the door. Penny stuck her hand out, and Brain dashed inside. He had been summoned to HQ as well. When the door opened again, they saw Quimby standing with Inspector Gadget, looking up at a screen. Quimby started with the briefing right away.

"Penny, Brain; look at this. The first dot on this map is the prison that was destroyed. The other dot is right here; the Metro City Police Department. I'm sure you remember, a few days ago, there was a report that some campers were robbed and killed. Now, just this morning, another couple was found dead in their log cabin. See those dots? They lead straight here." The dots did indeed head straight from the prison to the Metro City P.D. Penny could clearly see that Talon was robbing and killing his way back to Metro City, on foot. At this rate, it would take him several more days; perhaps even a week, but he had already made considerable progress. Brain and Inspector Gadget looked at Penny, and they saw worry and dread etched all over her face.

Talon trudged along the wet forest trail, grumpy and irate. "I still don't see why we couldn't have taken a vehicle. The first couple, the campers, had a pickup truck, and the couple in the cabin had an SUV. Either one would have gotten us to Metro City in a few hours." Demon Claw answered, inside Talon's head. "Perhaps; or, we would have been stopped at a police roadblock. Driving a stolen vehicle is far too dangerous. We are much better off staying on foot." Talon was not convinced. "The longer we take to get there, the more time the Gadgets have to plot with the police, and even the angels, and organize a defense against us." Demon Claw considered this. What his nephew had said was true; not only that, but if the Gadgets really were in direct contact with the angels, then surely both their home and the police station were under constant angelic observation. Demon Claw chuckled inside his nephew's head. "How do you feel about disguises, my boy?"

The day dragged by for Penny, as she and her comrades tried to figure out a way to get a step ahead of Talon. The problem was, they had no idea how far along he was, or where he would turn up and attack. Every time a call came in from the 911 switchboard, Penny would find herself wondering, 'Is this it?' After a long day with no progress, it was time to go home, although Penny didn't feel like they had earned it. Chief Quimby gently put his hand on her shoulder, steered her toward the elevator, and 'suggested' that she and Brain go home and get some rest.

"Penny, you and Brain are no good burned out. This will still be here in the morning." Inspector Gadget had already left 20 minutes ago, and was taking his girlfriend, Officer Julie Jones, out to dinner. Brain quietly observed to Penny that she hadn't gone out with Fred for several days. She got the hint, and looked over at Fred, who was just shutting down his computer workstation. "Fred, would you like to have dinner tonight?" Fred immediately raised his hand in a thumbs-up. Penny smiled. Brain asked if Penny could take him home first. "Of course, Brain! Maybe you and Lucy could have a nice dinner and watch some tv at home?" "That's the plan."

Talon walked into a gas station restroom on the outskirts of Metro City. After relieving himself, he looked up from washing his hands, and studied the face in the mirror. He looked pale, unwashed, and gaunt. His bloodshot eyes had dark areas around them. His face was shrouded in five day's worth of unshaven stubble. Inside his head, Demon Claw approved. "Very good, boy. You are becoming less recognizable by the day. Just what we need." He was looking more and more like a homeless street person, which technically, he was.

After emerging from the restroom, Talon walked further into the poorer part of the city, across the railroad tracks, where common businesses included taverns, strip clubs, and tattoo parlors. MAD often recruited heavily from this area; promising desperate 'down and out' people quick and easy money if they joined MAD. Talon soon found what he was looking for: a boarded up, condemned old house. He forced open the front door and walked inside. Several rats scurried away, but there were no other people. He emptied his pockets to see how much stolen cash he had, and counted just over $1000.

Talon left the house, walked down the street for several blocks, and saw a dirty, beat-up old black Ford Taurus in someone's driveway. It had a 'for sale' sign in the window. The owner saw Talon looking at it, and stumbled out. Talon could smell the whiskey on the man's breath. He slurred at Talon. "She's kinda dirty, but it ran when I parked it. Eight hundred cash, and she's yours." Talon was amused at this drunken buffoon, and decided not to kill him for the car. He held up five $100 bills. "Five hundred, take it or leave it." The drunken owner's eyes widened at the sight of the money. This would buy him enough booze for at least a week or two. "Sold." The money and keys exchanged hands. Talon got in, and sure enough, the car started. It certainly didn't sound like it had been well maintained; there were squeals and knocks, but it ran.

Talon drove slowly and carefully to the local store. He purchased a sleeping bag, a pillow, and enough food and bottled water for several days. Then, he stopped at the nearest second-hand store. He selected several pairs of jeans and shirts in his size, plus an old jacket, and an electric lantern with batteries. By the time he parked his old Taurus in front of the boarded-up house he had found, he had spent most of his stolen $1000, but he felt it was worth it. He had what he needed to bide his time, and come up with a good plan for the perfect revenge tour.

Brain and Lucy were at home, having already finished their dinner, and watching TV, when they both heard Penny's Mustang rumbling up to the house. They both smiled. Lucy asked Brain, "You really love her, don't you?" Brain thought to himself, 'Oh no; she's not getting jealous, is she?' He hesitantly replied, "Umm, yes…?" Lucy laughed, and said, "Relax, dear; I love her too! She's such a good, kind-hearted person, I don't blame you." Brain sighed with relief, then looked into Lucy's eyes. "Don't worry; the love I have for Penny is totally different than what I feel for you." The door from the garage opened, and Penny came in. She saw the two dogs on the couch, and flashed a smile at them. "Hey you two! Did you have a good evening?" They sat and chatted back and forth for about ten minutes. Penny then stifled a yawn. "Oh! Excuse me. That yawn wasn't caused by you, I'm just really tired. I'm off to bed."

Only half an hour later, Penny lay sound asleep in her bed, as Brain and Lucy quietly crept up to their place at the foot of the bed, trying their best not to wake her. They needn't have bothered. In her dream, Penny turned around and saw her guardian angel again. She hurried over to her. "Have you any news on Talon? We at the police department are unable to find him." The angel said, "I do have news, Penny. We have not located Talon directly; however, we have captured a demon in Metro City. It was making preparations, and we… convinced it… to give us some information. The demon's plan is to release Lucifer from Hell. To do this, the gigantic Holy chain which binds him must be broken, and the only way to do this is to spill the blood of a righteous warrior on the chain. Then, it will break, and Lucifer will be set free."

Penny's mind raced. "The blood of a righteous warrior… but, everyone in Hell is there because they are NOT righteous, obviously!" The angel nodded, and allowed Penny to continue to deduce this for herself. Penny continued: "So, since there are no righteous souls in Hell… they mean to somehow capture a good, righteous warrior here on Earth, and drag them to Hell?" Again, the angel nodded, and replied. "Very good, Penny. And, your family, the Gadget family; you all fit the definition of righteous warriors." The angel smiled. "No one has a kinder or purer soul than you, my dear. Also, your wonderful friend Brain fits the definition very well. Bless his heart, he has proven himself righteous countless times. And, your poor Uncle; he too has a good heart. And, you are all police officers; warriors against the forces of evil. If the demons got their hands on any one of you, they would have the ingredient they need to carry out their plan."

The angel saw how concerned Penny was at this news, and attempted to reassure her. "Now, here is the good news. In order to attempt to capture you, a demon must be possessing a human, and we already know who it is: Talon. All we are lacking is WHERE he is. So, you must take great care, Penny; the three of you in your family. Do not let yourselves be taken by surprise. The fate of Heaven AND Earth ride with you."

Penny woke with the sun, and lay in bed, processing this news in her head. She felt considerably less upset this time, since at least there was some solid, workable information. Something that gave her a direction to move in. She felt a movement in the blanket of her bed, and Lucy was crawling up to say good morning. Penny smiled at her, and Lucy's tail wagged. Penny quietly said, "Good morning, Lucy!" And gave her a little kiss on the head. Suddenly, there was a mighty sneeze from the end of the bed. Brain was awake. He looked up, his eyes drooping half-shut, and saw Lucy and Penny giggling. In unison, they said, "Good morning, Brain!"

Miles away, Talon woke up in his sleeping bag, on the floor of the abandoned house that he had claimed for himself. His eyes came to focus on a rat, which was trying to open a packet of food. Talon grabbed a stick and swung at it; missing the rat, but scaring it off. He muttered to himself. "Damn miserable rats…" Inside his head, Demon Claw told him that it was time to get moving on their revenge. Talon smiled. "At last." He took out a pad of paper and a pen, and allowed Demon Claw to control his hand as he laid out detailed instructions, including a spell. Demon Claw explained, "What we are going to do is infiltrate MAD, and help you gain revenge on them." This appealed to Talon, but he wondered, "Uncle, if we use your demonic powers, won't that draw the wrath of the angels?" Demon Claw replied, "Trust me, boy, it won't matter. They won't be able to stop us. This will also draw in the Gadgets, and we will then gain revenge on them, too." This was all Talon needed to hear. He was 100% on board.

Being a MAD recruiter in a bad neighborhood is an interesting, and somewhat risky job. First, you have to size up a potential prospect; judge if they are able-bodied, and not too far damaged from drugs or alcohol. Then, watch out for undercover cops. Finally, always work in pairs. A lone person in a bad neighborhood is far too vulnerable to muggers. If a female MAD agent is recruiting, she had better have at least two male agents backing her up. Two MAD recruiters were standing near a bus stop, chatting with people waiting for a bus about how hard times were, and how there weren't any decent paying jobs. This was a classic way of feeling people out; seeing who was desperate enough to join MAD. Of course, they couldn't exactly advertise who they were; they wore plain clothes, and only when they were sure the prospect was a good one, did they reveal who they worked for.

These two recruiters gave up on the people at this particular bus stop, and started to stroll down the street to the corner gas station. Another good place for recruiting. They noticed a dirty, beat-up old Taurus wheezing and chugging down the street. It pulled in to the parking lot at the gas station. Inside the car, Talon said to his Uncle, "I know those two men. They're recruiters for MAD. They're out looking for new prospects." As for the recruiters, they observed the Taurus and smiled. The driver obviously had very little money, judging from the car he was driving, but was at least competent enough to be able to operate a motor vehicle. They moved closer to the Taurus as the driver's door opened. "Hello there!" Talon took care to disguise his voice. He had been absent from MAD for seven months, but he still didn't want to risk being recognized. His appearance had certainly changed; he had nearly a full beard and mustache, his hair was longer and scraggly, he was pale, and his eyes bloodshot. He also was dressed in well-worn second-hand clothes, including a flannel shirt, which the old Talon wouldn't be caught dead in.

The two recruiters chatted with him, and he deliberately played right into their soft recruit pitch. He said that he had been unfairly fired from his last job, (which, from his point of view, was true) and was having to comb the second-hand stores just to keep a shirt on his back. One of the recruiters asked him if he had a criminal record. Talon said, "yes." The two recruiters glanced at each other and nodded. One of them asked if he had ever heard of MAD. Talon pretended to think for a few seconds, then said, "Yeah, I think I have seen them on the news once or twice."

The recruiters told him that they wanted to let him join, but first, he has to pass the initiation test. One of them slipped a small handgun into Talon's hand, then nodded at the gas station. "We want you to hold this place up. Show us you got what it takes. Make it out, and we'll talk more." They then walked away, got into a black Chevy Suburban, and drove off. Talon walked into the gas station, and saw there was only one customer. He pretended to shop for snacks until the customer left. He then pulled the gun out and strode up to the counter. The poor girl working behind the register knew the drill, working in this neighborhood. She held her hands up, pushed the 'no sale' button on the register to open it, and let Talon grab the money. He was about to shoot her, when Demon Claw admonished him. "That is not necessary, boy. Just go." He walked out, got into his Taurus, and drove off.

The two MAD recruiters already knew that their newest recruit had passed their test. They had been watching with binoculars from a block away. Talon was going to drive to find the two MAD recruiters, when the black Suburban pulled up beside him. The window rolled down, and one of the recruiters called out, "Follow us!" Talon nodded.

At HQ, Fred's eyes widened as a security camera photo came across his computer. He ran the facial recognition software to be sure, then called Penny over. She and Brain walked over, and Fred excitedly said, "Penny, Brain, look at this! There was just a robbery at a gas station on the other side of Metro City. Do you recognize the gunman?" Penny and Brain looked closely. At first, they didn't recognize him, but then, Penny said, "Wait a minute…" Fred smiled, and activated the facial recognition program. The gunman's image was placed next to a file photo of Talon. "It's him, Penny. He looks much different now, but the facial structure, the distance between the eyes and nose; it's him." Fred then displayed the address of the gas station, and the time of the robbery. "Oh, and there's more; the gas station clerk got the license plate number and the make of the car. It was an early 90s black Ford Taurus." This was good news; that car was so old, there were not many of them left on the road, and this meant it would be easier to spot.

Talon followed the two recruiters to the edge of Metro City, in the industrial area. They pulled in to the parking lot of a large, apparently abandoned factory. Talon got out, and walked behind the two recruiters. He walked in, and pulled his cap down to hide his eyes from view. He didn't want anyone to recognize him… yet. He saw the familiar MAD logos everywhere, and everyone was wearing MAD uniforms. At least that hadn't changed. Some agents he recognized; some were new. The two recruiters waved him into a room with several other new recruits, waiting to be addressed by the new leader of MAD. This man was named Richard. At one time, he had been Talon's personal assistant. Before that, he was a confidant to Dr. Claw. Richard had betrayed Talon, and sold him out to the Metro City Police Department. Talon took a seat at the back of the room, and waited. Inside his head, Demon Claw instructed him. "Now listen, boy. When you use the demonic powers, you MUST then recite the spell, and quickly. We will only have mere moments before an Archangel descends on us. Remember what happened to the prison? Say the spell, and we will be saved." Talon slowly nodded.

Back at HQ, Fred was slowly and methodically scanning buildings around Metro City, using satellites. He tried to think as MAD would. Where would they choose to hide? They had several tips that strongly suggested that MAD had established a new base near Metro City, but that was all they knew. He then remembered, when MAD had kidnapped Brain and given him bionic upgrades, in an effort to recruit Penny, they had established a temporary base in an abandoned fishery. Fred decided to take a look at abandoned buildings around the city. He had only been at it for 15 minutes, when he saw an old factory that had a black early 90s Ford Taurus parked outside. Fred's heart sped up as he zoomed in on the license plate. He triumphantly summoned Inspector Gadget and Chief Quimby to take a look.

After viewing the satellite evidence, Chief Quimby hit the alarm, and summoned everyone available to gear up and roll out for the factory. Penny had been getting her gear together, but paused near Fred's desk. She smiled and said, "Good work, Fred. See you for dinner tonight." Then she rushed off to join Brain and Uncle Gadget, as they climbed into the Gadgetmobile, and joined a convoy of police vehicles, headed for the abandoned factory.

The chattering amongst the MAD new recruits halted suddenly as Richard entered the room. He went up to the podium, and congratulated them on having the wisdom and foresight to join MAD. "We're going to rule the world one day, and YOU are now on the winning side." He then gave them a brief rundown of MAD's typical activities; blackmail, cybercrime, gambling, loan sharking, even good old fashioned armored car robberies, if the prize was big enough. "But, we've also started to branch out in another area: politics. We're in the process of buying certain politicians in certain areas of state governments. Soon, we'll move up to the federal government." Richard then bragged that MAD was now a billion dollar outfit. "Under our old leader, Talon, and his insane Uncle, Dr. Claw, MAD wasted untold time, treasure and agents trying to assassinate certain members of law enforcement." Naturally, Richard meant the Gadgets. "But those days are long gone, thankfully. We're doing things the right way now."

Talon stood up in the back of the room, and took off his cap. "Richard, you miserable TRAITOR!" Richard squinted at the man, then his eyes widened as he recognized Talon. "YOU! I thought you died in that prison explosion!" Richard then roared at the other new recruits: "Attention MAD agents! There is your first assignment: GET HIM!" The new recruits started to advance on Talon. Inside his head, Demon Claw said, "Do it." Talon raised his hand, and once again, the dark, evil demonic power emanated outward, looking like ripples on a black pond. This time, he saw up close and personal how this affected the human body. They were ripped apart from the inside. All of the new recruits bent over in agony, as did Richard; violently puking blood from their mouths, fire spewing from their eyes, and then they all fell over, dead. It was the same with every MAD agent, all throughout the factory. Demon Claw did not let him savor this, however. "Quickly, read the incantation! Angels are already descending on us."

Talon pulled out the paper, and loudly read the spell. The souls of all the dead MAD agents could be seen, swirling in a hellish, black and red cyclone of unearthly wailing and screaming. Suddenly, massive cracks appeared in the floor. The factory disappeared into the ground as a massive fissure spread wide open. Talon looked down, and saw Hell before him. Demon Claw urged him, "Don't be afraid, my Nephew. Jump in. We are protected here. Or, stay up here, and the angels will destroy us." Without hesitation, Talon jumped into damnation.

Fred could not believe what he was seeing on satellite. The entire factory had been swallowed up by an incredibly huge rupture in the ground itself. Fred could see inside the rupture. It was incredibly deep, and at the bottom, he saw a lake of fire and lava. His scientific mind could not process this. "Impossible! There are no volcanic fault lines anywhere near here, and no lava flows either!" Nevertheless, there it was. Fred fumbled for the radio, and sent a message to Chief Quimby's car, since he was in the lead. "Chief, slow down and be very careful! There's some kind of huge rupture in the ground."

Talon fell down into the depths, but he was not afraid. Several demons caught him, and set him down on a rocky precipice. He looked down, and gazed at the vast lake of fire and lava. There were millions upon millions of shapes, thrashing in agony in the fire. Demon Claw chuckled. "Souls of the damned, my boy. Look over there! New arrivals." Talon looked, and saw what looked like a giant rocky outcropping from a cavernous tunnel. New arrivals poured out, constantly, by the hundreds. There were men, women, even some children. Rich, poor, young, old, beautiful, ugly; they all fell screaming into the flames. Demon Claw explained. "Now, look up." Talon did so, and saw hundreds of demons, rising up to meet the angels that had been descending to stamp out the source of Talon's demonic power. They engaged in battle above Hell itself.

As the police convoy screeched to a halt near the edge of the pit, a bright white light flashed over them. Penny looked around, and saw that most of the police were peacefully sleeping, including Chief Quimby. Her guardian angel appeared before her. "Penny, dear, please be extremely careful; I left you awake, and your Uncle, and Brain, so that you may defend yourselves. I implore you, stay away from the edge of the pit. If the demons got any one of you inside—" At that moment, two demons managed to climb out of the pit, and attacked the guardian angel. A third climbed out, and it was Talon. He charged at Penny. She managed to get her pistol out, and squeezed off a shot, hitting Talon directly in the forehead… and he kept coming. He seized her, slapped the gun away, and dragged her back to the pit. The other two demons held Penny's guardian angel down to the ground, so she was unable to assist Penny. Before Inspector Gadget and Brain could do anything, Talon had seized Penny, and leaped over the edge of the pit, dragging her with him into Hell.

Penny and Talon fell down into the pit, then landed on the same rocky precipice, overlooking the lake of fire and lava. Penny could feel overwhelming fear, hatred, anguish, and despair in the air all around her. The feeling of Hell. Talon shoved Penny down violently, then turned to face the fire. He started to loudly recite yet another spell. Penny watched, and the lake of fire and lava began to part, revealing far, far below, a massive cavern. Then, an incredibly huge figure slowly stood. Its size was roughly equivalent to a skyscraper building. It was enormous. It appeared to be made of solid flame, in human form. Penny looked at Talon, who grinned and said, "Master Lucifer." Only, it wasn't Talon's voice.

Penny recognized the voice of Dr. Claw. He had completely possessed Talon now, no longer needing his nephew. This is why Penny's gunshot to the head had no effect. Penny looked down with horror. Lucifer appeared so huge and tall, that he nearly was able to reach up and grab Penny. Nearly, but not quite. He was bound by the ankles by a massive chain. Each link was fifty feet thick. She looked up at Talon/Claw, and with a sinister laugh, he said, "At LAST! The righteous warrior is in Hell, and now, your blood will break the chain, and set Master Lucifer free!" He reached down to grab her, so that he could fling her down into Lucifer's cavern…

Then, Brain slid down the sloping side of the chasm, and crashed directly into Talon/Claw, knocking him off the precipice, and sending him wailing down into the fires of Hell. Brain had peered over the edge of the rupture in the Earth, had seen that his dear Penny was in danger, and without hesitation, had slid down the side of the pit, throwing himself into Hell in order to save Penny. His aim had been perfect. Talon/Claw had been so fixated on Penny, Brain had been unnoticed, until he slammed into Talon's body, knocking him directly into the Hellfire. Unfortunately, the momentum was carrying Brain right over the edge as well. He felt himself starting to fall down toward the lake of fire and lava, where he would burn for all eternity… but at the last possible second, something grabbed his foot and held him. Penny then yanked him up onto the rocky precipice with her, and hugged him tight. He hugged her right back, out of sheer terror. They moved back as far as they could, away from the edge. That had been far, far too close for comfort.

No sooner had they vanquished Talon/Claw, then another threat appeared. The rocky precipice that they were on was very long, and far down at the other end, a small cavern opened out onto the precipice. Out stepped a large, black shape, and it started galloping toward them. Penny and Brain saw it. "Brain, what is that?" Brain activated his Gadget binocular eyes. "Oh, shit, Penny… it's a Hellhound." As the shape came ever closer, Penny could see that Brain was correct. Pure black, solid muscle, twice the size of a full-grown St. Bernard, with burning red eyes and dagger-length teeth. It was rapidly closing the distance, and they had no weapon to fight with. Penny called out for an angel to help them, but her cries were lost in the din of battle between the demons and the angels. To put it simply, they already had their hands full.

Brain started to try to pull away, to put himself in front of Penny to protect her, but she wouldn't release her grip. She whispered in his ear. "No, Brain. Not this time. Please, stay here with me. Whatever happens, we'll stay together." Penny reasoned that Brain would never be able to stop this monster, so, they may as well stay in each other's embrace and meet their fate together. Still gripping Brain tightly, Penny looked up. Hundreds of angels and demons swirled all around, locked in deadly combat. The Hellhound was mere seconds away now.

Penny then heard a faint voice. "Penny! Brain! Over here!" She turned, and Uncle Gadget was descending, using his Gadgetcopter. He then extended his Gadget arm, and wrapped it around Penny's waist. She gripped his arm with one hand, and held Brain tightly with the other. He swung them out away from the precipice, dangling over the lake of Hellfire. This was truly frightening, but at least it got Penny and Brain out of the reach of the Hellhound. This beast crouched, then leaped at them, trying to claw them to death in mid-air. It missed, and fell all the way down into the Hellfire. They started to rise, ever so slowly. Penny and Brain were no longer kids, and their increased weight was a strain on the Gadgetcopter. Plus, he had to avoid the angels and demons locked in combat all around him.

Seeing this, Lucifer was filled with rage, but also, with desperation. He stood up to his full, towering height, and unleashed a bellow that sounded roughly like that of a T-Rex, only about a thousand times louder. Any one of the Gadget family would serve if he could spill their blood on this accursed chain, but if they all escaped, then he had no chance. He crouched, then leaped up as hard as he could, extending his hand as high as he could. The tip of his longest finger just barely grazed the tip of Brain's tail, and slightly singed the fur, and causing Brain to frantically scramble up higher on Penny's body. Uncle Gadget saw this, and poured every ounce of his strength into the Gadgetcopter. They ascended slightly faster, and Lucifer crashed down in a heap in his cavern. The chain on his ankles had held, keeping him trapped in his cavern.

Finally, the three Gadgets rose out of the pit, and back onto solid ground. They all lay there for a moment, still gripping each other in terror. Penny then noticed her guardian angel, still being savagely pummeled by two demons. Filled with anger, she took off the necklace with a Holy Crucifix that she always wore, wrapped it around her fist, and socked one of the demons in the face. Amazingly, it worked. The demon flew back, dead, which allowed her guardian angel to slay the other demon one on one. Brain ran up to her. "Penny, how did you do that?!" She was just as amazed as he was. "I have no idea!" The battered guardian angel said, "You are very special, Penny, and more powerful than you know. Excuse me." She then took flight and joined her fellow angels in battle.

Just then, Brain noticed a dark form crawling out of the pit. At first, he thought it was another demon, but when the figure stood up, Brain said, "You have GOT to be kidding me. Penny, look at this." The figure was the spirit of Corporal Capeman, taking on human form once again. Penny was filled with rage and disgust. She and Brain walked over to him, and he greeted them. "Penny, how COULD you?! You and your family turned me over to MAD to be killed. So, still hanging out with this dumb old dog, I see…" He then leered at her very shapely 21 year old body. "But, my goodness, you really are grown up now, aren't you? It was worth the wait!" Penny said, "Oh, that is IT. Goodbye forever, you sick creep!" She still had the Holy Crucifix necklace wrapped around her fist, and she belted Capeman in the face so hard, he flew back into the pit. Only, he didn't land in the lake of fire. Capeman arced through the air, landing directly in the dark cavern at Lucifer's feet.

At that moment, a gigantic shadow fell over the area. Everyone looked up, and saw the Archangel Michael, descending down, with his sword drawn. Michael was even larger, physically, than Lucifer. The angels scattered out of the way, as did the few remaining demons. The angels had already gained the upper hand, slaying a good number of demons, but they all stood aside now and let the Archangel Michael do his duty. He swung his sword, grievously wounding Lucifer, then caused his cavern to swallow him up once more. The lake of fire and lava flowed back over it, and with one flap of his enormous wings, Michael ascended out of Hell. The ground reformed below him; the rupture was healed, and all signs of Hell vanished with it. Michael paused, gave the three Gadgets a quick nod and a smile, then ascended back up into Heaven, followed by his legion of angels.

The Gadgets looked at each other, then looked around the parking lot. There was no sign that anything had happened. The abandoned factory stood where it had been, empty. They heard a car door opening behind them, and Chief Quimby stepped out, having just woken up from the angelic sleep. He stretched and yawned. "I don't know what happened, I just… HAD to go to sleep, all of a sudden. So, did I miss anything?"

Deep down in the bowels of Hell, below the burning lake of eternal damnation, Lucifer crouched, trapped in his cavern. Now, however, he had an outlet; a target for his rage. Corporal Capeman picked himself up off the floor, and slowly turned. Lucifer just grinned. He would spend the rest of all eternity, torturing this fool in every imaginable way, without pause.

Back at HQ, Fred had been watching everything, live via spy satellites. He was stunned, and relieved that Penny and Brain were safe. He heard a rustle of wings, and felt a cool, relaxing breeze. He spun around in his chair, and there stood Penny's guardian angel, smiling her beautiful smile. She spoke. "Hello, Fred. Your bride-to-be, Penny, and her partner, Brain, are very, very special. I know you saw everything, yes?" Dumbfounded, Fred nodded. The angel continued. "Unfortunately, we cannot allow recorded images of this sort to exist. It would result in widespread panic. We need people to have faith, on their own." She waved her hand once, smiled at him again, and vanished. When Fred turned to his computer again, he found that all the recordings of the battle had been wiped.

At the abandoned factory, Chief Quimby had already sent most of the strike force back to police headquarters. The three Gadgets had told him what happened, but it was just too much for him to wrap his head around. There was no physical evidence at all; when angels clear a battlefield, they leave no trace behind. The only reason Quimby gave their story any credence at all, was because all three of the Gadgets looked tired, exhausted, and very distraught. Quimby sighed. "I'll tell you what. You three take the rest of the day off. We'll start over in HQ tomorrow." He then got in his police cruiser and drove off, leaving Penny, Brain and Inspector Gadget there alone, next to the abandoned factory.

Penny turned, faced her Uncle and Brain, and they all tightly embraced each other. What they had seen deeply affected them all. They were all still shaking from fear and shock. Penny was openly weeping with gratitude. "Brain, you and Uncle Gadget… you willingly followed me… into Hell! You threw yourselves into the Pit… for me?!" Brain was too overwhelmed to speak. Uncle Gadget replied. "Of course, Penny. And I'd do it all over again." Brain recovered enough to agree. "Amen." Brain took a deep breath, then looked directly into Penny's eyes. "Nothing in that pit would have been anywhere near as bad as having to go on living, knowing we had failed you that way, Penny. It was an easy choice."

Penny continued to hug Brain and Uncle Gadget close. Brain spoke up again. "Besides, don't forget, you saved me, too. If not for you catching me by the foot, I would be swimming in a lake of Hellfire now, so, thank you, Penny." Penny and Brain then both thanked their Uncle for flying them out of there, and saving them from the Hellhound. Uncle Gadget cleared his throat. "Okay, well, if we're all done thanking each other, I'd like to get away from here." He got no argument from Penny or Brain.

That afternoon, Penny's Mustang followed the Gadgetmobile home. Penny smiled when she saw Fred's car parked along the curb, and he was waiting for her. He rushed over and caught Penny in a hug of relief. Fred was also sure to thank Brain and Uncle Gadget for saving his fiancé. Then, Penny asked if he was still up for dinner. Fred was surprised. "You literally went to Hell and back today, and you're still hungry?" Penny explained that she badly wanted to return to a sense of normalcy, and going out to dinner would be an important first step.

They settled which car to take with a game of rock-paper-scissors. Penny won, so they got into her Mustang. They had only turned the corner in the car, when Penny saw her next-door neighbor hanging out a 'For Sale' sign in his front lawn. She gasped, and told Fred she had to inquire about this. She pulled the Mustang to a halt alongside the curb, got out, and greeted her longtime neighbor, who was delighted to see her. "Mr. Rogers, you're moving?" He smiled. "Hello, Penny! Yes, me and the missus are pulling up stakes and moving down to Florida; you know, 'God's waiting room.'"

Penny smiled, and said, "Well, as young as you two are, God will be waiting for a long time." She was being kind. The couple was in their early 80s, and she could understand them wanting to move to a warmer climate. Fred came up behind Penny, and she introduced him to her neighbors. Mr. Rogers said to Fred, "I remember when Penny here moved in next door with her Uncle; she was barely seven years old." He leaned forward and pretended to be a mean old man: "You better take good care of her!" Fred smiled and promised he would. Mr. Rogers asked, "Have you kids set a wedding date yet?" Penny and Fred looked at each other, then Penny spoke up. "Well, no, but after… recent events… I think we're going to move things along here." After witnessing what he had today, Fred was in total agreement.

Mr. Rogers then commented that they would need a place of their own. "Penny, have you considered this house?" Indeed she had. Penny had always admired their neighbor's house. "But, how much are you asking for it?" Mr. Rogers looked at his wife, who had heard them talking and joined them. "Well, we told the real estate agent half a million dollars, but for wonderful neighbors who also save the world practically every day, we might be able to work out a lower price." They all slowly walked around the property, admiring the carefully tended lawn and rose garden. Penny told Fred how Mr. Rogers had always been the kindest neighbor; whenever their toys went into his yard by accident, he cheerfully tossed them back without complaint. When he found Brain sniffing around his yard, he didn't yell and chase him away, he would pet Brain on the head and speak kindly to him until Penny found him and took him back home.

Mr. Rogers said, "That's because I knew how special you and your little dog are, even back then." When they went inside, Penny sorrowfully saw that most of the Roger's belongings were already boxed up. They were serious about moving. Penny told Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, "Oh, I'll miss you both!" She then declared how much she loved this house. Mr. Rogers said that they had to consider all offers, but assured Penny and Fred that if they made an official offer, theirs would be at the top of the list.

Later, sitting in the restaurant over their dinner, Fred could tell just how excited Penny was about this house. She was gushing on and on about it. She finally asked Fred how he liked it. "Penny, I think it's great. It's been very well cared for, obviously." She beamed happily, then asked, "So, you wouldn't mind living right next door to my Uncle?" Fred shook his head. "I'd live anywhere, Penny, as long as it's with you. And, that large house will definitely be a step up from the one bedroom apartment I'm in now." She thanked Fred, and further explained that she had always loved their quiet neighborhood, and had secretly been dreading leaving it. "I can't tell you how much this means to me, Fred, and how happy it makes me."

Uncle Gadget was thrilled when Penny and Fred purchased the house next door. He, also, had been quietly dreading when Penny would move away. This was the best solution. She and Brain and Lucy would now be right next door, and Uncle Gadget had his girlfriend, Julie Jones, who visited constantly, so he would never be alone for long. When they removed the fence that divided their two yards, it was almost as if they had their own little park.

Several weeks later, on Halloween, the deal was officially done, and Penny was a homeowner. Fred had co-signed with her; their combined income from the Metro City Police Department was more than enough to afford the house. Once the Rogers finished moving out, Penny moved in with Brain and Lucy. Fred completely understood that Penny could never stand to live anywhere without her beloved friend and partner, Brain. Besides, Fred had already been warned by several officers on the force: Happy wife = Happy life. And, after seeing how Brain had saved Penny's life in Hell, Fred deeply respected and appreciated Brain.

So, Penny moved around the kitchen, taking things out of boxes and arranging them. She glanced out the window, and smiled. Brain and Lucy were pulling a little red wagon from Uncle Gadget's house to Penny's house, across the yard, from one door to another. The red wagon was loaded with boxes of Penny's clothes and other belongings. Penny greeted them at the sliding glass door. "Thank you so much, you two! You're so sweet!" Brain and Lucy looked up at Penny, with their tails happily wagging.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Penny looked at her watch, and it was only 3:30 in the afternoon. "Oh, are we getting trick-or-treaters already?" She opened the door, with Brain close behind her… just in case. Penny saw it was not a trick-or-treater, but an Asian lady, about the same age as Penny. She smiled, and said, "Hello, Penny! Hello, Brain! Don't you recognize me?" Penny suddenly realized who it was. "Atsuko! Is it really you?!" Atsuko had forgotten what a hugger Penny was. Atsuko had met Penny years ago in her native Japan, when Penny was there for winning a computer contest, and they had become friends while foiling a MAD plot with a Japanese crime lord. They had maintained regular contact over all these years, and when Atsuko had heard that Penny was soon to be married, she had to come and see her in person. Penny released Atsuko from her hug, and invited her inside. They chatted for an hour. Atsuko was astounded by the fact that both Brain and Lucy could not only understand English, but speak as well as any human.

Then, the doorbell started ringing again. The trick-or-treaters were coming out in force. Penny was ready, though, with a large bowl full of candy. She smiled at all the children, even though the ones dressed as devils and demons, with their little plastic pitchforks, caused her to feel uneasy inside, no matter how much she told herself that she was being silly; these were only children. The one time she truly got upset was when she opened the door, and there was a family there; two parents and two children. They were all wearing homemade MAD uniforms. Penny's smile vanished, and was replaced with a frown. Looking the parents in the eyes, she said, "Is this supposed to be funny?" The father tried to play it off, and with a smile, said, "Hey, relax, lady; it's only a costume."

In Penny's mind, this was about as funny as if someone dressed up in an SS uniform, complete with swastika armbands. She let them know this. The mother asked, "So, has MAD ever done anything to you, personally?" Inside the house, Brain thought to himself; "Oh, Lord. Here we go." The family turned to leave, and Penny overheard the mother calling her a "Spoiled Karen." That was all Penny could take. She stepped outside and let them have it.

"Actually, my name is not 'Karen,' it's Penny. Penny Gadget. I'm the niece of Inspector Gadget. Maybe you've heard of him? My family and I all work for the Metro City P.D., and we battle MAD to keep YOU free every single day. MAD killed my parents, my unborn sister, several of my best friends, nearly killed my Uncle, blew up our house, and they have directly targeted ME for assassination more times than I can count. That's in between their plots to overthrow the government and take over the world. I've helped take down over a hundred of THOSE plots. You're welcome! Now, if you still think I'm spoiled…" By now the father was repeatedly apologizing. "I'm sorry. We're leaving. We had no idea. I'm sorry." As he was rushing his family away from Penny's house, Penny heard him say to his wife, "These stupid costumes were YOUR idea. Way to go."

Penny slammed the door shut, and turned off the porch lights, signaling that there was no more candy. Brain was standing there, and he gave Penny a high-five. "Penny, I couldn't have said it any better myself. You were absolutely right." She sheepishly smiled. "You saw all that, did you?" She and Brain then went back to the living room. Her Uncle Gadget walked over from next door with his girlfriend Julie, to see how the moving in was going. They all had a wonderful evening talking together. When Uncle Gadget and Julie left for the evening, Atsuko asked Penny if there were any reasonably priced hotels nearby. "Hotel?! Oh, no! You must stay here with us!" Atsuko hesitated. "Penny, I do not mean to impose—" Penny put a hand on her shoulder. "Atsuko, this house has four bedrooms, and three bathrooms. I'd be hurt if you DIDN'T stay here with us."

Uncle Gadget had returned home with Julie, and by then, it was dark outside. They both had to work the next day. Julie kissed him goodnight, then got in her car to return to her home. Uncle Gadget went back inside his house, and shut the door. The only lights on were in the hallway. The silence in the house was overwhelming. He slowly walked up the stairs, and was confronted with the door to Penny's bedroom. It had been left open.

He looked inside, and the bedroom was completely empty. Her bed was gone, as were all the pictures from the wall, and all her clothes. So many thousands of times had he paused here late at night, peeked in, and seen little Penny fast asleep in her bed, with Brain curled up on the foot of her bed. Other times, he had seen her sitting at her desk, lost in thought, working on school assignments, while Brain either sat on the bed, watching her, or curled up nearby on the floor. Gadget continued on into his own bedroom, and lay down. Even here, he was not safe from the flood of memories. Many times over the years, he had been woken by the sound of Penny's laughter as she and Brain played out in the yard, or if it was a rainy day, downstairs in the living room. He was so happy that he had never yelled at her to keep the noise down.

Gadget knew he was being silly. The logical part of his mind told him: "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You will see her AND Brain in about 10 hours, at work, where you will be with them all day. And, she only lives a few hundred feet from here. She's literally right next door." Even though he was fully aware of this, he could not get rid of the lump in his throat, or the tears in his eyes.

Finally, morning came, and Gadget got up and showered. He had managed to get some sleep, and his dreams alternated between memories of little Penny as a child, happily playing with Brain, and of nightmares involving Hellfire, demons, and MAD. He had just about finished breakfast, when he heard a V-8 engine rumbling down the road. He smiled. Penny and Brain had left for work in her Mustang. He glanced at his watch, and muttered "Wowsers!" He hurriedly put his dishes in the sink, and leaped into the Gadgetmobile.

When Gadget arrived at work, he parked the Gadgetmobile next to Penny's car, taking care not to ding it with his door. When he went inside, he took the elevator down to HQ, and saw that Penny and Brain were the only ones there. They both immediately hugged him. "Hello, Uncle Gadget!" He returned their hugs. Apparently, he was not the only one who experienced feelings of separation anxiety last night. "So, Penny, how was your first night in your own house?" She gave a half-hearted answer. "Oh, it was fine, Uncle—" Brain interrupted her. "We both missed you terribly."

Uncle Gadget said to Penny, "I hope you weren't in tears, were you?" Penny hesitated, but Brain looked up and nodded his head. Penny giggled and said, "Brain!" Uncle Gadget squeezed them a little closer and said, "I felt the same way about you two. It hit me the hardest when I looked into your empty bedroom, Penny. It'll just take some getting used to. It's perfectly natural to feel this way when making a major life change." He released them from the hug, and said, "Just remember, both of you; if you ever need anything, I will always be there for you, right next door."

Chief Quimby and Fred did not show up for several hours, and the Gadgets soon found out why. Chief Quimby explained. "Fred and I went out to the abandoned factory early this morning. There's no trace of any MAD agents anywhere, but we did find their computers. Fred thinks we can crack them open and access all of the money that MAD has stolen. That will be the end of MAD, since apparently all of their members have vanished, including Talon." Quimby had heard sworn statements from the three Gadgets and from Fred, but he had a very hard time accepting it with no physical evidence. In the end, he was willing to accept that all of MAD had disappeared without a trace, but still couldn't accept that it was due to a battle between Heaven and Hell.

Quimby then turned to Penny. "So, Penny, Fred tells me that you two want to have your wedding next week?" She smiled and nodded, and said to Uncle Gadget, "After what we just went through, Fred and I decided not to wait any longer." Gadget was in full agreement. Quimby said, "Well, then, since MAD has been defeated, you and Fred are on leave for your wedding, starting now. Get going, you two! I'm sure there are a lot of preparations to take care of." Penny sincerely thanked Chief Quimby, and after Uncle Gadget agreed to bring Brain home that evening, She and Fred left together, to make preparations.

When it was lunchtime, Gadget went up to the cafeteria to eat lunch. His girlfriend, Julie, walked up to his table and sat with him. She told him that she had been concerned for him when she left his house last night. At first, Gadget tried to assure her that he was just fine, but Officer Jones was no idiot. She saw right through it. Gadget sighed. "I miss them both, terribly. You know, I remember way back, when Penny first lost her parents. She was deep in mourning, crying every night, and as I was doing my best to comfort her, there were some moments when I actually wondered if I should give her up for adoption. I thought that raising a little girl would be too much for me. Now, I'd give anything to have her back in her room again."

Jones put her hands over his. Gadget said, "I know, it's silly. It's ridiculous. She's an adult now; she's getting married next week, she belongs out on her own. But…" Jones gently interrupted him. "It's perfectly normal. I would be concerned if you did NOT feel this way. It's only because you love her so much." Gadget looked up. "Yes. I do. And Brain, too. He has been so wonderful for her, and it has put my mind at ease so many times, knowing he was watching out for her." Jones thought to herself, 'Oh, you have NO idea.' Penny and Brain had quietly filled her in on how they had been backing up their Uncle all these years, without his knowledge. Still, it didn't matter to her. Jones loved her boyfriend Inspector.

Penny and Fred arrived at her house, just in time to see Atsuko finishing her walk around the neighborhood with Lucy. They all went inside, and Penny and Fred told Atsuko that they were going to have the wedding next week. Atsuko was thrilled. "Oh, Penny, may I attend?" Penny smiled and said, "I was hoping you would do a lot more than just attend, Atsuko. I'd like you to be my Maid of Honor." Penny explained. "You're my best friend, Atsuko… well, my best HUMAN friend!" (Brain forever holds the title of very best friend for Penny.) "When I was travelling the world, helping my Uncle, I made lots of friends in lots of places. There was a boy in China, I never did get his name; a boy named Tabu in Tibet, a girl named Anya in Romania, and even an Arabian Prince named Akar. They all promised to keep in touch with me, and visit me one day, but you are the only one who actually did so. The others drifted away and lost contact, but you've stayed true to your word." Atsuko was deeply honored, and agreed to serve as Maid of Honor.

Later that evening, when Uncle Gadget and Brain returned home from work, they both came straight over to Penny's house. Penny and Fred told Brain they had a question for him. Fred then cleared his throat, and asked Brain to be the Best Man at the wedding. Brain was shocked. "Are you serious?" Both Penny and Fred nodded. Penny asked Brain, "Who has earned it more than you? I say this all the time: how many times have you saved me now? This wedding wouldn't be happening without you, because I'd be dead." Fred agreed. "I saw how you saved her in Hell, Brain, on the satellite feed. The recording was lost, but I know what I saw."

The next week, the wedding went off flawlessly. Penny looked gorgeous in her white wedding dress, and still had her blonde pigtails under the white wedding veil. Fred was extremely nervous, but made it through without collapsing, and with Brain's support. Both Fred and Brain looked handsome in black tuxedos. Uncle Gadget tearfully gave away the bride. Atsuko was a beautiful Maid of Honor. Half the Metro City P.D. was there; a testament to how many friends Penny and Fred had on the police force. Naturally, Chief Quimby was there with his wife, and he may have cried more than anyone, even though he had a gruff reputation. He had known Penny since Uncle Gadget adopted her at age 7. After the reception, Penny and Fred took off for a honeymoon in Hawaii.

One week later, Fred and Penny returned home at last. Brain and Lucy greeted them at the door, and helped with their luggage. Brain told Penny that Gadget's girlfriend Julie Jones had finally moved in with him, and was now their neighbor. "Oh, Brain, that's wonderful! I have always liked her, and now he won't be all alone over there in that huge house." And now, finally, after 15 years of putting it off, Penny had to accept that Brain would no longer be sleeping on the foot of her bed. She was a married woman now, and married couples need their privacy in the bedroom at night. Brain understood completely, and besides, he had his own girlfriend now in Lucy, so at least he wasn't anyone's 'third wheel.' Brain and Lucy claimed a bedroom in the house for their own. Fortunately, any jealousy issues between Brain and Fred had been cleared up long ago, so there was no tension. Penny had made it very clear (in a nice, but firm way) that Brain was her dearest, most beloved friend, and that she could never stand to live anywhere without him.

Deep in the bowels of Hell, Talon thrashed in unending agony in the lake of Hellfire. He was surrounded by all sorts of damned souls, and a few of them were former MAD agents. However, deeper down still, in an enormous chamber, Lucifer was having great fun endlessly tormenting and torturing Corporal Capeman. Although Lucifer was trapped, he was still able to receive information from demon spies in the mortal world, and he received news that he decided to share with Capeman. He allowed Capeman to see an image of Penny's wedding, knowing how much of a crush this fool had on her. Just as Capeman broke down in tears at this image, Lucifer started in on a new torture for the day. He rendered Capeman unconscious, and conjured up an image. It was that of Penny in a skimpy bikini. This image gently woke up Capeman, and he grinned. The illusion felt entirely real. The image of Penny kissed Capeman, and removed the bikini top. Capeman closed his eyes with pleasure, and when he opened them again, "Penny" had become a vicious, snarling, ugly demon, that plunged its hand directly into Capeman's chest, and ripped out his heart. Capeman screamed. Lucifer chuckled. He may have a hard time topping this torture tomorrow.

AFTERWORD

This was supposed to be released in time for Halloween, but I wasn't quick enough, obviously. Well, it'll be here for next Halloween.

The heavily religious themes, and the 'Heaven vs. Hell' storyline was actually influenced by 'Supernatural,' which I am also a big fan of. I didn't want to make it a full-on crossover, but I borrowed their apocalyptic theme for this story.

This story ends with MAD defeated, every member of MAD dead, and all of their assets seized. That's it for MAD. From now on, Penny and the Gadgets will be much more normal. They'll go out on patrol as normal cops, and maybe do some anti-terrorist work.

I hope you appreciate the level of hatred I have for Corporal Capeman. I devoted an entire fanfic story to his torture and death, but even that left me feeling unsatisfied. Once he died, that was the end of his suffering. It wasn't enough for me. I wanted him to suffer unimaginably for all eternity, because Capeman is such a F***ing mind-blowing idiot, such a horrible character. I found a way to make that happen. He gets to be Lucifer's bitch for all eternity. Lucifer will never allow him a moment of peace.