Penny's 21st Birthday

by HawksFan12

Penny turns 21, Talon tries to recruit her again, and Inspector Gadget and Brain both undergo major life changes. Penny continues to date Fred Von Slickstein, but she notices he seems jealous of the love she shows to Brain. She must stop this if they are to stay together. Get comfortable, this is a long one! Rated T for mild language and violence.

"Happy Birthday!" Penny stood smiling, wearing a red paper party hat on her blonde head, in front of a birthday cake. There were two large candles, a "2" and a "1," surrounded by 21 smaller candles. She drew in a deep breath, and successfully blew out all the candles on the first try. The gathered crowd cheered and clapped. Still smiling, she looked around at her family and friends. Naturally, her Uncle Gadget was there, along with her dearest friend, Brain the Dog. (Also known as, Officer Brain, Metro City P.D.) Chief Quimby was there with his wife, along with Professor Von Slickstein (retired) and his son Friedrich. (Fred, to his friends.) There were also a dozen other friends that Penny had made during her time on the Metro City Police Force, including a female rookie that Brain had helped train. This rookie was named Julie Jones, and despite being ten years older than Penny, they had bonded well and considered each other friends.

"Thank you all so much; I'm trying not to get too emotional here!" Penny waved her hand at her face, and accepted a hug from her Uncle Gadget. She then picked the candles off the cake, and cut herself the first piece. Once she took the first bite, everyone else was free to dig in. After the cake, Penny opened cards and presents, and thanked each person for their gift. There was a great deal of talking and laughing during the 30 minutes it took to get through all the gifts.

After this, people began to excuse themselves; it was a Sunday evening, and most of the gathered people had to be up for work the next day. The last of the friends to leave was Fred, who for the past several months, had been dating Penny. She walked with him to the door of the Gadget house, and thanked him for their dinner date the previous night, and for coming to her birthday party. She glanced around to be sure they were alone, then gave Fred a goodbye hug and kiss. He smiled and said, "I'll see you at work tomorrow, birthday girl." She and Fred had started dating right after her first mission against MAD's new leader, Talon. Fred was the opposite of Talon in every possible way. Fred was kind, humble, very respectful, dependable, and always a gentleman. Everything that Talon was not. Fred had taken over his father's position as scientist at the Metro City Police Department, and as a result, often worked with Penny, Brain, and Inspector Gadget. Penny found his work on the job to be invaluable with solving the various cases that she and Brain were assigned.

After Fred left, Penny walked back to the dining room. Brain and Uncle Gadget were gathering up the dishes. Penny started to help, but her Uncle asked her to have a seat. Somewhat bewildered, she sat on the sofa, and Brain hopped up onto the seat next to her. Uncle Gadget pulled up a chair and spoke to Penny. "I was saving this until the three of us were alone, Penny. I've been waiting for over 14 years to give this to you. It's from your parents." Penny gasped as her Uncle Gadget pulled a large envelope from his trench coat and handed it to her. With trembling hands, she took the envelope, and pulled the papers out. It was a savings trust, currently worth over half a million dollars. "Oh, Uncle! Brain! I… I don't understand…" Uncle Gadget said, "Penny, if you remember, when your parents passed away, we stayed in their house for a week or so, before moving to Metro City." Penny nodded. She did vaguely remember this, although she tried not to, since it was a dark time of mourning for her. Uncle Gadget continued. "Well, as soon as we left for Metro City, I had a real estate agent sell that house, and all of the proceeds went into an investment trust for you. I was happy to take legal custody of you, but now that you are 21, and officially an adult, this money passes to you." Penny then understood. In a way, this was a final gift of love from her parents.

Uncle Gadget continued. "I've monitored this trust over the years, Penny, but I've never touched it. Every cent of interest is there, and it's all yours. I know this is what your parents would have wanted for you. Now, you can do with this trust as you wish." Penny was unable to speak. She just sat there, staring at the paper in her hands, looking at the large number in the balance. She heard a drop of water hit the envelope, and realized it was her tears. Brain offered her a tissue. Penny gladly accepted, and hugged Brain for support. All Penny could think of was, as her legal guardian, it would have been so easy for Uncle Gadget to take that money and use it for the purchase of his own house, and justified it because Penny was living with him, so she would have benefitted from it too. Instead, he purchased his own house with his own money, and left this inheritance alone, saving it for Penny. The generosity was staggering. Without releasing Brain from her hug, she reached out with her other arm and squeezed her Uncle close. "Thank you so much, Uncle! I had no idea. This really is a wonderful surprise."

After that, Penny helped clean up after the party, then it was time for bed. She and Brain and Inspector Gadget all were due at work in the morning. Uncle Gadget gave Penny and Brain a quick hug goodnight, then retired to his bedroom. Penny lay down in her bed, but there was far too much on her mind to allow her to fall asleep. She felt the bed creak as Brain hopped up to take his place on the foot of her bed, where he had slept ever since the Gadgets rescued him from the animal shelter. Penny smiled and clicked on the lamp on the nightstand next to her bed. She sat up, and Brain looked at her. They often chatted like this when they were having trouble getting to sleep. This was far easier now that Brain had his canine translator, which allowed him to speak like a human.

"Wow, Penny; over half a million dollars! What do you think you'll do with all that?" "Gosh, Brain, I don't know! I'll leave it where it is, for now… part of me would like to own my own home, but I really do love it here in this house, and in this neighborhood! I know there are whispers behind my back at work, 'Why isn't she out on her own yet? Why does she still live with her Uncle?'" Brain knew this was true, since some of his co-workers had asked him this. He just shook his head at Penny. "If you want my advice, don't worry about what other people think or say about you behind your back. You should do what feels right for YOU, not them."

Penny nodded, then continued. "But there is one other thing… I would feel awful leaving poor Uncle Gadget here all alone, in this huge house." Brain said, "Does that mean I'd be invited to come live with you, Penny?" She laughed and scooped up her dear friend in a hug. "Of course! I could never live anywhere without you, Brain! Who would watch over me? But, you already knew that, didn't you?" Brain had what he wanted; another hug from his dear Penny. He just smiled and nodded. Then, after a thought occurred to him, he spoke again. "As for your Uncle, Penny; nothing's stopping him from dating someone. It's not your fault that he never got married. If he doesn't want this house to be empty, then he should take action to be sure it isn't." They chatted for a few more minutes, until finally, Brain yawned, which caused Penny to yawn, which caused them to say 'goodnight' to each other, and Penny reached over and clicked the lamp off, and they both drifted off to sleep.

Hundreds of miles away, Talon lay in his bed, watching as one of his newest female MAD agents laced up her boots. She glanced back at him and smiled. "So, aren't you glad I joined MAD now, leader Talon?" He just nodded. There was indeed a side benefit to recruiting female agents, even if this little brunette wasn't the new recruit he really wanted. She finished putting her uniform back on, and stood before Talon. "So, how do I look?" Talon felt himself growing exasperated. As far as he was concerned, this agent had performed the duty requested of her, now she needed to go away. "You look fine, agent." In his head, he thought, 'But not anywhere near as stunning as Penny looks.' For her part, the agent got the hint, and left Talon's quarters in a huff, nearly knocking over Talon's personal assistant, named Richard, on the way out.

His assistant entered, glancing back at the female agent. "Sir, you're just determined to alienate every female agent in MAD, aren't you?" Talon stood before the mirror, looking at the freshly healed scar on his shoulder, without responding. The scar was a gift from Penny, who, in their last encounter, had fired her police pistol at Talon just as a flash-bang grenade temporarily blinded her. It had taken Talon many weeks to recover. His assistant sighed in exasperation. "Sir, you must get over her. Penny Gadget is our mortal enemy. She'll never join us, and absolutely NEVER join you in that bed." The logical part of Talon's brain agreed completely, but the less logical part, including his downstairs brain, thought 'But, she is so… SO hot. That magnificent body of hers…" Nature had indeed blessed Penny with a very attractive figure. Talon's assistant seemed to read Talon's mind when he said, "You know, it's amazing what a nice body with a D cup chest will do to a man's better judgement, isn't it?"

Talon turned to face his assistant. "Okay, you've made your point. How's the recovery going?" He was referring to MAD's finances. During their catastrophic last encounter with the Gadgets, MAD had suffered devastating losses. They lost their main headquarters, which had taken years to build and staff; they had lost over 400 million dollars, which was 90% of all MAD's assets, and if Penny's aim had been a few inches over, Talon would have lost his life. His assistant said, "We're slowly making some small gains, thanks to our online gambling, and our deal with the Chinese hackers. But, news of our defeat is spreading, and the recruits we are getting are not of the best quality now. Basically, sir, people are giving up on MAD. They're not taking us seriously. First, the Gadgets defeated your Uncle, Dr. Claw, then they killed him, now they've defeated you. The good, smart criminals are no longer willing to commit to joining MAD." Talon walked over to his closet, and put on a MAD uniform. He then turned and faced his assistant. "We need a bold, decisive win to turn that around, wouldn't you say?" The assistant nodded, then once again seemed to read Talon's mind when he said, "Yes, but please tell me it doesn't involve Penny Gadget! That's a recipe for disaster."

The black Ford Explorer (Police Interceptor edition) carrying Officers Penny and Brain gently came to a halt. It was amazing how a simple push bar in the front and a pair of black spotlights made a soccer mom SUV look intimidating, and commanded instant respect from everyone on the road. They were in the same elementary school parking lot where Penny had resumed her schooling, after moving with her Uncle to Metro City, after the death of her parents. She couldn't help having a flashback as she looked out the window at the school's double doors. Brain interrupted this by muttering that he still preferred the old Crown Victoria police cars. Penny just smiled and shook her head, as they prepared to face a classroom full of young children. The department chose Penny because of her bright, friendly personality, and of course, kids love dogs, so her partner Brain accompanied her. She never tired of seeing 32 little jaws drop open in amazement when the kids discovered that the rumors were true: this police dog could talk! Together, they were excellent representatives for the Metro City PD.

After checking in with the school office, Penny and Brain made their way to the classroom of her old teacher. This had been the same teacher that once took a special interest in a still-grieving Penny, took her under her wing, and greatly helped with her recovery. Penny stood at the door of the classroom, and the teacher caught sight of her. "Well, hello there, Officer Penny!" And she greeted her with a hug. "Class, meet Officer Penny, and her partner, Brain! I was Penny's teacher when she was just seven years old, and look at her now!" Over the next hour, Penny and Brain gave a safety lesson for the kids, showed them police equipment, told them some funny stories that had the kids laughing, and answered questions. They passed out Metro City PD comic books for children, and some stickers. By the time they left, those 32 kids had a much different image of the police than what they saw on the news. They saw a bright, friendly Officer Penny, and her utterly fascinating partner, the talking dog Brain. Needless to say, they made a very positive impression on all the children.

Penny and Brain felt great as they buckled themselves into their patrol car, and pulled out of the school's parking lot. Penny smiled at Brain. "You were great, Brain! I know it upsets you a little bit when the kids think you're 'just a dog,' or when they try to pet you, but today, it went very well." Brain nodded. "Thanks, Penny." Just then, the police dispatcher interrupted their conversation. There was an armed robbery in progress, at the Metro City Animal Shelter. Penny acknowledged the call, then accelerated the Police Explorer while turning on the flashing lights and siren. Penny kept silent, because she was concentrating on avoiding other cars who were slow to get out of the way, but part of her wondered if Brain would be disturbed by returning to the animal shelter.

When Penny and Brain arrived, they saw a flurry of activity through the windows of the animal shelter. There was a man inside holding a silver gun, waving it at the volunteers, who were cowering behind the counter. When he saw the flashing red and blue lights from Penny and Brain's police car, he shoved a glass door open, and fired three shots their way. Penny ducked, just before one bullet loudly cracked the front windshield. Brain looked at her. "Penny, are you all right?" She drew her own gun and nodded. She was considering using the Police Explorer to ram the front door of the building, but then remembered that there were innocent people inside. Brain saw another Police Explorer pulling in, this one containing 'his rookie,' Officer Jones and her partner. Penny nodded at Brain, and he slipped out of their car and sprinted over to Jones's car. She opened the door to shield him, while they came up with a plan. The last thing they wanted was for this to become an extended standoff with hostages involved.

Soon, Brain sprinted back to Penny's Police car. He was just about to tell her the plan, when Penny said, "Brain, look!" The gunman had stepped out of the building, perhaps three steps from the doors, and was aiming his gun once again at the police cars. He alternated between Penny's and Jones's cars, hollering at them. "You cops better take off, or I'll go back in there and start wasting people! Go on, get lost!"

Penny actually felt like smiling. She greatly preferred stupid criminals. She looked over at Jones in her police car, who had a police sniper rifle out, and nodded at Penny. Brain saw this interaction, and rapidly figured out what Penny was up to. Too late, he tried to stop her. "Penny, NO-" Penny stepped out of her police car, and yelled "Hey!" Then she ducked behind the door as the gunman fired at her. He hit the door, but this police car had armored doors. While the gunman's attention was diverted, Officer Jones aimed her rifle, and shot the hand holding the pistol. The gunman's hand let out a large splash of blood, and his gun went flying. Brain sprinted over and scooped up the gun, since the criminal still had one good hand. Penny was right behind him, and rapidly tackled the gunman while he was still writhing in pain on the ground. She wrestled his arms behind him, and Brain slapped on the cuffs. Jones and her partner joined them.

Brain was proud of 'his' rookie, and he told her so. "Excellent work, Jones!" She beamed at him and thanked him, while she and her partner got into their car to return to headquarters with the suspect. Penny knew it fell to her and Brain to go inside the shelter and interview all the witnesses. She looked at Brain with concern. "Brain, will you be all right in here? I can conduct the interviews alone. The danger has passed." Brain shook his head. "I'll be fine, Penny. I'm a police officer, and there's a job to do." That sounded good, but in reality, Brain knew he had come within a few hours of dying in this place. The memories became even more intense when they entered the building. He had forgotten the sound of over a hundred dogs, cats, and other animals, caged, all yearning to get out. Humans apparently couldn't feel the desperation and fear in the air. It was everywhere. Penny took the lead, and went up to the desk to speak to the manager of the animal shelter.

Penny interviewed the manager, asking what the suspect had done. She was told he had pulled a gun on the volunteers, and forced one of them down the corridor of dog cages. He had been convinced that there was a safe full of money in the back, when in reality there was not. This required Penny and Brain to go down this corridor to investigate, and be sure the suspect hadn't dumped any weapons or drugs in any of the cages. Penny asked the manager to wait a moment, then turned to Brain, knelt down, and quietly said, "Brain, please stay here at the desk. I have to go investigate this corridor, and it will go right by the cage that you were in." She thought this would be too traumatic for him.

Brain looked at her. "Penny, I appreciate the concern, but when have I ever let you down, and have to pick up my slack? I promise you, I'll be fine." Brain started walking down the corridor of dog cages, and with his trained police officer's eyes, scanned the cages for anything out of place. All too soon, he and Penny approached the last cage near the back door; Brain's old cage. Behind the back door was the room where the shelter performed the extremely sad task of putting animals to sleep, when they had been there too long, unadopted, and more animals were coming in. Brain had been scheduled to be put down the evening after closing of the same day that Penny and her Uncle had come in, seen him, and adopted him. If they had shown up a few hours later, the shelter would have been closed for the night, and Brain would have been put down before it re-opened the next morning.

Brain forced himself to push these horrible memories aside. He looked inside the cage, and there were no stashed weapons or drugs from the suspect. There was a small dog curled up in the back of the cage. Brain and Penny were just about to turn and go back up to the desk to finish their interviews, when the little dog stirred awake and looked at them. Penny thought for a second that this dog looked somewhat similar to Brain, except it was a female dog. When Brain saw her stand up, the horrors of the past vanished, and he thought he finally understood what humans meant by 'being hit with Cupid's arrow.' The female dog walked up to the door of the cage, looking at Brain and wagging her tail. Penny could see what was happening, but she had far too much respect and love for Brain to ruin the moment by giggling or teasing him. She quietly walked up to the front desk to conclude her interviews, leaving Brain by the cage door.

After she and Brain were safely back in their patrol car, headed back to the station, Penny glanced over at Brain. He sat silently, staring out of the window. Penny broke the silence. "Brain? Are you all right?" Brain looked at her, and said, in a somewhat upset voice, "Penny, you used yourself as bait for that robber. You practically dared him to shoot at you." This surprised Penny. "Well, Brain, this door has armor plating—" Brain cut her off. "Yeah, and bullets ricochet. Or what if he shot under the door, hit your leg, and severed an artery? I've spent my whole life doing my very best to keep you safe. I know we're cops, and it's a dangerous job, but good Lord, Penny, please don't invite danger like that!" Penny replied, "Okay, Brain, you're right! I'm sorry."

Brain returned his gaze to staring at the scenery passing by. Penny attempted to break the silence again with a different subject. "So, Brain, just being in that shelter again must have brought back some awful memories." Brain kept gazing out the window, but shook his head slightly. "Actually, Penny, my strongest memory from that place is a happy one. For over a week, family after family looked at me, and kept walking. I had given up all hope, but then I turned around one day, and there was a wonderful little girl smiling at me." Penny couldn't help but smile at this as Brain continued. "This little girl accepted me just as I was, and has been my best friend ever since." Penny said, "Aww! Brain, you're going to make me cry while I'm driving!"

Penny knew that she had to tread carefully with her next question. "So, what did you think of that little dog in your old cage?" This caused Brain to turn in his seat and look directly at her. "Penny, she's wonderful. I… I've never felt this way about another dog before. And, she's in danger of being put to sleep, if she's in my old cage." "I asked at the front desk, Brain. She has two more days." This allowed Brain some relief. "Penny, we have to get her out of there. Please." Just then, they had arrived back at the police station. Brain looked at her. "Let's talk about this after work, ok?" Penny smiled. "Brain, you took the words right out of my mouth. Let's turn in our report and go home."

Talon's assistant Richard walked into the private chamber of Talon, cleaning and straightening up as usual. He happened upon some papers on Talon's desk, and started to read them. It was an outline of Talon's latest scheme for MAD. The assistant read through it, approving of everything, until he reached the part which involved Penny Gadget. He sighed with frustration, and tossed the papers back down on the desk. "When will that child ever learn?" No sooner was that sentence out of his mouth, than a strong electrical shock nailed him from behind. The assistant dropped like a sack of potatoes. Talon emerged from the shadows, holding a powerful stun gun. He answered the assistant's question. "I think it's time that YOU learned that I'm the boss, and you're just the assistant, Richard… or, maybe I should refer to you as Dick." He then signaled to two MAD agents to chain up the assistant in a holding cell. "Don't kill him… yet."

After an hour at HQ, filling out reports about the gunman at the animal shelter, Penny and Brain approached their home in Penny's beloved bright red Mustang GT. She parked in the garage next to the Gadgetmobile, and shut off the engine. She and Brain looked at each other. They knew that they would need to get Uncle Gadget's permission to bring home a new dog; after all, this was his house. Even though Penny had just turned 21, it made them feel like kids again. They went into the house, and saw Uncle Gadget sitting in the living room. He said, "Ah, I'm glad you two are home. I need to talk to you."

They went into the living room and sat on the couch. Gadget launched into a long speech about how he had been single all of his life, and he felt it was time to change that. His speech was becoming longer and more rambling, so Penny cut him off. "Uncle! Hold on! What are you trying to tell us, Uncle?" Gadget said, "Um, heheh, yes… sorry about that, Penny. I guess I'm a little nervous. Okay, I'll get to the point. What I'm saying is, I've started seeing someone, and I wanted you to find out from me. It's someone you both know." He called out, "Okay, you can come in here now!" Brain and Penny looked at the hallway entrance, and saw Officer Julie Jones step into the living room. She nervously smiled at them. "Hello, Penny! Hi, Brain!" At first, they were very surprised, but then, both of them felt happy for Jones and Uncle Gadget. True, there was an age difference, but Jones was 31, an adult, and if they were both happy, then so be it.

Officer Jones stood next to Uncle Gadget, and explained this had started only AFTER her training with Brain and Penny had been completed. Then, she had been assigned to back up Inspector Gadget on a case, and they had felt a connection. He asked her out to dinner, and things picked up from there. "At first, I was a bit nervous, since I'm a rookie cop and he's the 'famous Inspector Gadget,' but honestly, he's made me laugh and feel good more than anyone ever has." Uncle Gadget smiled and just said, "Likewise." Penny spoke up, saying she thought it was wonderful, and she was very happy for them, and asked Brain what he thought. "I think it's great, Penny. Everyone deserves to have someone special in their lives, don't you agree?" That was Brain's very subtle way of reminding Penny of the big question they had to ask their Uncle Gadget. However, Brain did sincerely shake Officer Jones's hand, and congratulate her on finding happiness. This pleased her and Uncle Gadget to no end.

Soon, Officer Jones had to excuse herself. Chief Quimby had assigned her some paperwork to work on, and she had to get going so she wouldn't fall behind. After she left, Penny told her Uncle that she and Brain needed to ask him something. They told him what had happened at the animal shelter, and how Brain had met a female dog, and had very strong feelings for her. Before they could even ask the question, Uncle Gadget said, "Well, what are you two waiting for? Go rescue her!" Penny and Brain were stunned. They had been expecting that they would have to, if not argue with their Uncle, at least have to persuade him to allow another dog in the house. Uncle Gadget spoke again. "First of all, Penny, getting Brain here was the best thing in the world for both of us. He's been nothing but wonderful for you, and for me, since day one. And second, me spending time with Officer Jones—er, Julie, has shown me, a good partner is one of the best things you can have in life. How could we deny Brain a chance? Now, go on! The shelter is still open for another hour, isn't it?" After a quick change out of their police uniforms and into civilian clothes, (which, for Brain, just meant taking off his police vest) Penny's red Mustang growled to life, and they rumbled down the street to the animal shelter.

The Mustang lurched to a halt in the animal shelter parking lot. This time, Penny insisted that Brain remain here in the car. Brain said aloud that he hoped the dog was still there. Penny grinned at him. "I know she is, Brain; I already put in the paperwork for her, when we were here before. Be right back!" Without waiting for an answer, she got out of the car and shut the door, rapidly walking to the entrance of the animal shelter, leaving Brain to shake his head in amazement. So, that's what Penny meant when she said she had to go 'finish with the interviews.' She had read Brain's affection for the female dog as easily as if he had told her aloud. After a few short minutes, a smiling Penny emerged from the shelter, leading the female dog on a leash. Brain opened his car door and stepped out. The female dog perked up, started furiously wagging her tail, and pulled on the leash toward Brain.

The back seat of a Ford Mustang is notoriously tight and cramped… for a human. For two dogs, however, it was merely snug. Brain sat in the back with the new dog, so that he might be able to calm her down, should she get overexcited. They had to remember, this was not another canine with human-level intelligence, as Brain had. She was an average dog, and average dogs get worked up easily in new environments, with new owners. She sniffed Brain, and happily licked his face. Penny looked back and smiled. "So, what are we going to call her, Brain?" He thought for a moment, looking at his new friend. "I think 'Lucy' fits her well." Penny smiled. "Aww, that's a great name for her, Brain!" Lucy happily looked out of the window, watching the scenery go by.

When they arrived at home, Brain took Lucy into the house. She was somewhat wary at first, since it was the first time she had been there. Uncle Gadget greeted her, allowing her to approach him at her own pace, and sniff his hand. Soon, her tail began to wag again, and she allowed Gadget to pet her. Then, Brain led Lucy to the back yard, allowing her to sniff around and explore. Penny told her Uncle that she had better go to the store and get some more dog food, since they had another mouth to feed. Uncle Gadget smiled as he heard the Mustang's V-8 engine rumble down the street.

It was dusk, and Penny stepped out of the grocery store, walking toward her Mustang. She opened the trunk and put the bag of dog food inside. She then started to drive home. She was feeling very pleased with the day's events. First the school visit, which had gone very well, then the arrest at the animal shelter, then Uncle Gadget's happy news with Officer Jones, then picking up a little female friend for Brain at the animal shelter. Penny was so pleased that she failed to notice the anonymous black cargo van until it had run her off the road. The front end of the Mustang wrapped around a light pole, and the airbags exploded in Penny's face. She barely had time to unbuckle her seatbelt before three MAD agents piled out of the van and rushed her.

Penny kicked one in the crotch, and as he doubled over in pain, the other two seized her and lifted her bodily, ignoring her protests, and threw her into the back of the van. There, a waiting fourth MAD agent zapped her with a stun gun, but not before Penny punched him and broke his nose. Penny lay unconscious, and the other agents cuffed her wrists and shackled her feet. The agents slid the van's door shut and took off, abandoning the one agent who Penny had kicked in the family jewels. He lay gasping on the sidewalk, unable to stand, and they had no time to wait for him. Unfortunately, the Mustang's fuel line had been knocked loose, and the gurgling fuel encountered a spark, which resulted in Penny's beloved Mustang being engulfed in flames.

Within two minutes, a police car was there, summoning an ambulance and a fire truck. After cuffing the still-hurting MAD agent and securing him in the back of the police car, the police officer noted the license plate number of the burning Mustang as he called in the report. He was somewhat surprised when the dispatcher on the radio said, "Holy shit." The officer said, "Excuse me?" The dispatcher said, "That's the car belonging to Officer Penny Gadget." The officer responded. "Holy shit."

Penny regained consciousness, only to find there was a black hood over her head. She could feel metal restraints on her hands and feet. She could hear lights humming overhead, but no other sound. She was seated in a metal chair. She sighed with frustration. "Come on, Talon, get to it! Let's get this show on the road!" The hood abruptly came off, and after a few seconds of allowing her eyes to adjust to the light, she saw that she was correct: Talon sat behind a desk, looking at her. He appeared to be alone. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Penny cut him off. "You owe me a brand new, bright red Ford Mustang GT convertible, with ALL the options. And, a large bag of dog food."

Talon, however, was not amused. He glared at her. "And, you owe ME 400 million dollars, bitch. Also, the release of the 45 MAD agents that you arrested at my old headquarters." He stood up. "Oh, by the way, my shoulder's fine. Thanks for asking." Penny smiled grimly. "I'll have to aim more carefully next time, then, won't I?" But despite this, Penny inwardly cursed herself for leaving home without her sidearm. Had she been packing her pistol, she could have held off the three MAD agents at the crash scene, and then, she wouldn't be in this mess. Inside her head, she thought to herself, 'Way to go, Penny! That gun did you a lot of good sitting on your dresser at home, didn't it?'

Inspector Gadget was sitting on his back patio, watching Brain and Lucy exploring the yard. Just moments before, Brain had approached Gadget and said, "I just explained to her, in canine language, not to poop or pee in the house. So, consider her house-trained." Gadget smiled and told Brain he appreciated that, very much. No sooner had Gadget wondered to himself what was taking Penny so long, than the top-secret Gadget phone started beeping. "Yes, Chief?" After a moment's pause, Gadget leaped out of his chair. "Brain! Come with me! NOW!"

Talon realized that the hostility levels between him and Penny were rising fast, and decided to try to bring things down a bit. He walked out from behind his desk, and sat on a chair a few feet in front of Penny. "Listen, Penny, let's start over. I want to know why you hate MAD so much." Penny's jaw fell open. "You cannot be serious. Have you met me? Do you know my history?" Talon nodded. "Yes, I do, Penny. Your parents were murdered, along with your unborn sister; your Uncle was nearly murdered, and my Uncle, Dr. Claw, repeatedly tried to have you and your family killed. But that was HIM. He's dead, and I'm in charge now. Notice you're still alive? And after everything you've done to me."

Penny fumed. "Oh, yes, you're so noble. Like when you had your scientists implant bugs in Brain to SPY on me, in my bedroom! Sick freak!" Talon countered, "That's just gaining intel, Penny. Can you tell me, honestly, that if your HQ had a chance to spy on me, you wouldn't take it?" Penny hesitated, and Talon continued. "And, if it wasn't for me, Brain likely would have died from old age by now. So, you're welcome." Again, Penny hesitated. Talon had indeed paid to have Brain's body biconically enhanced, much like Inspector Gadget's, that would last for many decades. "So, I ask you again, Penny; why do you hate MAD so much? What makes you so certain that things would be horrible with MAD in charge?"

Penny snapped back, "You'll never believe me, but I have seen what happened when MAD took over." She explained that when she was 12 years old, she had been visited by an angel in her sleep, and shown an alternate timeline where MAD had won. "It was exactly like Nazi Germany, Talon. MAD was preparing to start the Third World War, the people lived under severe oppression, all religions were banned, MAD took credit for everything, and any who opposed were stuffed in cattle car trains and shipped off to 're-education camps.'"

Talon waved his hand dismissively. "Come on, Penny, it was just a dream." She shook her head. "I see you have my purse over there on your desk. Open the zipped compartment inside, and take out the piece of paper in there." Talon did so, and it was a profile of Brain the dog, from the Metro City Animal Shelter, listing him as 'euthanized.' Talon was confused. "Your dog was never euthanized…" Penny said, "Look at the bottom. Look at the school logo. See the MAD symbol? I printed that out in the school, when I was trying to find out what happened to everyone I ever loved. In that timeline, Brain was put down. I keep a copy of that with me at all times. It's proof that this wasn't just a dream, and it reminds me that we must defeat MAD, at all costs, so that we don't end up having that evil timeline coming true here."

Talon silently stared at the paper, with his back to Penny. She silently wondered if, just maybe, she was starting to get through to him? However, when he turned around, she saw an evil smile, and a renewed lust for power all over his face. "Penny, this is proof… that my Uncle was right all along! That what he wanted, IS possible! Complete and total world domination!" With a defeated sigh, Penny dropped her head, then slowly shook her head as she looked at the floor. Trust Talon to reach exactly the wrong conclusion.

"You know, Talon, this just goes to show how hopeless you are. I have only told Brain about that paper; not even my Uncle Gadget knows, and this is your takeaway? Fresh motivation for world domination?" He looked at her. "What do you want from a guy, Penny? Even if I were interested, what would I have to do to earn Penny's good graces?" She snorted. "Well, for starters, disband MAD. Permanently. Donate every dollar you have to charity. Turn yourself in for all the crimes you've committed. And, if you ever got out of prison, lead an honest life. But even if you did all that, which I know you won't, I would still want no part of you."

Penny drew in a deep breath. "Look at me, Talon. Look into my eyes. I want you to pay close attention to this. From the bottom of my heart, I hate MAD, I hate everything that MAD stands for, and I hate YOU. Anyone who imagines that Penny and Talon could EVER be a couple, clearly doesn't understand me at all." Talon took his eyes off of Penny, and looked back to the paper again. Still staring at the paper, he said, "Okay, Penny. Have it your way. If we can't be friends, we'll be enemies. And now, you're going to find out what happens to my enemies. Don't say I never gave you a chance."

Beneath the Metro City PD headquarters, lay the center of anti-terrorism activity in the city, known simply as "HQ." It boasted the most advanced crime fighting equipment in the world. This is where Penny, Brain, and Inspector Gadget spent a great deal of time, foiling MAD's schemes. Now, it held the charred remains of Penny's Mustang. Inspector Gadget turned to Fred Von Slickstein. "Fred, are you absolutely sure?" Distraught as he was over the disappearance of his girlfriend Penny, Fred forced himself to stay on task. "Yes, Inspector, I'm 100% positive. There are no human remains in this wreckage. And this means, Penny was more than likely taken captive."

Brain said, "Obviously, it was MAD, and that means we can expect a ransom demand. I'd say, probably very soon." Right on cue, the large computer viewscreen started beeping. There was an incoming transmission. Fred hit a button, and Talon's face appeared on the screen. "Hey guys, how's it going? I see you found Penny's Mustang. Wow… looking at that, it might NOT buff right out!" Chief Quimby walked over to join them, as Fred furiously tried to trace the incoming transmission. Talon spoke again. "Hey Freddy, you can save yourself the effort. Even if you had a month, which you don't, you'd never be able to trace this."

Inspector Gadget hollered at the screen. "Where is Penny, you MAD monster? You better not have hurt my niece!" Talon held up his hands in a mocking 'I surrender' gesture. "Hey, easy there, big guy! She's fine! And I'll prove it to you." Talon hit a button, and a spotlight switched on, revealing Penny, chained to a chair, with a defiant look on her face. Talon continued, "So, down to business. Here's what I want. I want the 45 MAD agents that you arrested from my headquarters released. And, how much money did you steal from me? A little over 400 million dollars? I want that back. And don't try to tell me it'll take time to gather it all. It sure as hell didn't take you very long to confiscate it from me!"

Chief Quimby then spoke up. "We don't negotiate with terrorists, and certainly not with MAD." Talon nodded. "I see you need a demonstration, so you know that I'm serious." He walked over to Penny. The camera zoomed in so they got a good, clear view. "Penny, do you remember the last thing you did to me when your team raided my headquarters?" Penny sat silent. Talon turned to the camera. "She shot me in the shoulder, in case you forgot." Talon pulled his shirt aside enough for them to see his scar. Talon turned back to Penny. "Now, it's payback time, Penny. This is what happens to my enemies." Talon pulled out a pistol, aimed it at Penny, then hesitated. "But, if it's any consolation, I'm showing you some mercy, even now. You shot me with a .45 caliber, which did a lot of damage. This little gun here is only a .22, so it won't do nearly as much damage to you." Talon then shot Penny in the left shoulder. She wanted to scream, but kept her lips shut, so it sounded like an anguished moan. Tears of pain squeezed out of her eyes. Inspector Gadget, Brain, Fred and Chief Quimby were overwhelmed with frustrated rage. Any one of them at that moment would have gladly killed Talon with their bare hands, if only they knew where he was.

Talon put the gun away, and turned back to the camera. "I know you won't believe me, but I took no pleasure in that. Now, I'm going to get Penny some help for her wound, and we're going to try calling you guys again in 24 hours. If you don't have my 45 agents and 400 million dollars ready to go, something else nasty and painful is going to happen to everyone's beloved Penny." Talon motioned, and a MAD agent with a medical kit appeared. "Clean her wound, bandage it properly, and give her some pain medication." One last glance at the camera. "See you in 24 hours." The screen then went black.

In HQ, Chief Quimby hollered "DAMN IT!" To no one in particular. Gadget and Brain were staring at each other. Quimby stomped over to Fred. "Have you traced that transmission yet?" Fred glared at Quimby with frustration, and replied, "Maybe YOU would like to take a crack at it?" Inspector Gadget spoke up. "Hey, everyone, stop. Just stop." This got their attention. If anyone had a right to be livid, it was Inspector Gadget, who had just seen his little niece (she would always be a little niece, in his eyes) coldly shot by the leader of MAD. Gadget continued, "If all we do is vent on each other, nothing will get done, and Penny will die." Quimby sighed. "You're right, Gadget. I'm sorry, Fred. But Gadget, what he wants, the release of 45 agents and 400 million dollars; it's impossible. It can't be done. That money is all spoken for, by dozens of different charities and government branches. It's gone."

Talon watched as two MAD agents placed Penny on a stretcher, and wheeled her to a holding cell. She was still restrained, although it was very unlikely that she was going to try resisting at this point. He glanced at the floor, and saw drips of blood. He ordered another agent to clean this up.

After Penny had been bandaged up, she was led to a holding cell. She slowly walked in, and the door locked behind her. After the two MAD agents left, she was alone for a moment, and she sat on the cot in the cell. After a few minutes, a female MAD agent with dark hair walked in, and just stared at Penny. Despite the pain medication, Penny was still in considerable discomfort, and as such, was low on patience. She looked at the MAD agent. "Can I help you?" The female agent tossed her head. "I don't see what's so great about you! Why would Talon want you over me?"

Penny grimaced and shook her head. "Believe me, he's all yours. I want no part of him." The brunette agent said, "I gave him everything… literally… and still, I could tell, he really wants you." Penny was able to read between the lines. "So, you slept with him? Well, I don't think he wants me anymore." She indicated her wounded shoulder. "He just shot me in the shoulder, so I think your chances just increased a lot. Although, I can't imagine why you'd want to tie yourself to him. You seem better than that to me." This got the agent's attention. "Why would you say that?"

Penny stood and walked to the bars of the cage, and looked into the agent's eyes. "Trust me, I've battled MAD my entire life. All they want is money, and power. Their ultimate goal is world domination. You don't seem like a hardened criminal to me, and I've seen plenty of them. Talon doesn't care about you, as a person, and he never will. He will use you up, use your body, twist your soul, and cast you aside the second you become inconvenient, or when a younger, prettier agent turns up."

The agent didn't reply, just looked at the wall, processing Penny's words. Then, she looked at Penny. "What about you? What are your goals?" Penny replied, "I'm a sworn law enforcement officer, therefore it's my job to stop Talon, and MAD, so that the people of the world can live a free life. If MAD wins, the world will look a lot like Nazi Germany did. Talon wants absolute power, and that means millions of people will die when they resist him." The female agent didn't respond, but Penny noticed the hostility was leaving her face. Penny asked, "What's your name?" "Jennifer… Jenny." "Hi Jenny, I'm Penny." Despite everything, Jenny had the beginnings of a smile, then suddenly said, "I… uhh… I have to go…" Then she abruptly turned and left. Penny sighed, and returned to her cot. She thought that she had been getting somewhere with this one.

Inspector Gadget, Brain, and Fred had stayed at HQ, trying everything they could to figure out where Penny was being held. They still had 14 hours to go until the next communication, and they were stumped. Chief Quimby walked over, and ordered them all to go home, get some rest, and be back here in 9 hours. Brain suddenly remembered he had rushed off and left Lucy alone at the Gadget home. Inspector Gadget drove home with Brain in the Gadgetmobile.

When they arrived, Brain rushed out back. Lucy had curled up on a lawn chair and was sound asleep. She raised her head, saw Brain, and stood up, her tail happily wagging. Brain led her inside, and prepared dinner for the two of them. Gadget smiled at them, and prepared his own dinner. After eating, Gadget went up to his bedroom, after wishing Brain and Lucy goodnight. Out of sheer habit, Brain walked into Penny's room, and then was confronted with a dark, empty bedroom. No cheerful, smiling Penny waiting to chat with him before they finally hugged goodnight and shut off the lights. Brain heard a noise behind him, and saw that Lucy had followed him upstairs. He smiled at her, and she licked his face. This helped settle Brain down somewhat. He knew that the best way to help Penny now was to get some sleep, so that he would be somewhat rested and clear-headed when the next communication came in.

Mad Agent Jenny lay in her bunk, staring at the ceiling. She was very conflicted. She had only been a MAD agent for a few months, as a means of breaking away from what she felt was her go-nowhere, dead-end receptionist job. As soon as she joined, Talon had taken an interest in her, and eventually she slept with him, only to be brushed off. She had to admit, it looked as if Penny was right. Talon had used her body once, and that appeared to be the end of it. She felt used, and violated. She also had no doubt that Penny was right about one other thing: as soon as Talon managed to recruit a pretty blonde with large boobs, he would be all over her, and Jenny would be completely forgotten. Jenny rolled out of her bunk, and walked to the detention area, but not to Penny's cell. She entered the cell holding Talon's assistant, who was still chained up on Talon's orders. He lifted his head and looked at her. Jenny asked him, "You're Talon's assistant, aren't you?" He nodded. "Richard. Pleased to meet you." His voice was tired and defeated. Jenny moved a bit closer, and lowered her voice. "Richard, I'm Jenny, and we need to talk."

Inspector Gadget, Brain, and Fred all arrived at HQ at the same moment. Chief Quimby had not yet arrived. They still had several hours before the next scheduled MAD communication. They each reported that they had been able to get a few hours of sleep, but no new ideas had occurred to them, about how to locate their beloved Penny. When Chief Quimby finally did arrive, he appeared to be in good spirits. "Gadget, Brain, Fred, I have some good news. The Federal Government has authorized us to offer a compromise to MAD. They will provide us with the 400 million dollars, but no agents will be released. We think Talon may accept this. It is very unprecedented; usually there is no negotiation with terror groups. However, they fully understand that Penny is invaluable, not only as a cop, but as an anti-terror agent. They are well aware of her record against MAD. Our Penny is probably unaware that she has so many admirers in very high places."

When the large HQ viewscreen finally beeped at them, Talon's face appeared. "Well, hello there, my good friends! Have you gathered the 400 million dollars?" Chief Quimby spoke up. "Actually, yes, we have, and I have been authorized to make the exchange, provided that Penny has not been further harmed." Talon pretended to be offended. "Chief, you're hurting my feelings! I made sure she was properly bandaged, and she got pain medication, which is more than she did for me when she shot me. Now, the other part of the deal; what about my 45 agents?"

Quimby shook his head. "That's not happening. We will exchange the money for Penny, and believe me, that doesn't happen EVER, but the agents are off the table. Now, before you throw a fit, Talon, consider; do you really NEED those agents? Haven't you already recruited enough to replace them?" Talon fumed. "That's not the point, Quimby! And you know it!" Quimby held up his hand. "Here's the other part of my counter offer, Talon. If you refuse, and you kill Penny, you will go to the top of the wanted list for HQ, every police department, the FBI, the CIA, the Army Special Forces, Navy Seals; whatever it takes. We'll find you, and we'll put several bullets through your head, no matter how long it takes. So, you can make the exchange and gain 400 million dollars, or kill Penny and become public enemy number one. Your choice."

Talon replied, "This isn't going to go the way you think. No SWAT team will rescue her this time. You're going to give me ALL that I want, or no deal. The 400 million dollars is halfway there. Now, to provide you with a little more motivation, watch this." The image switched to Penny, in her cell, sitting on her cot. Everyone in HQ was simultaneously relieved to see that she was alive, and enraged to see the large bandage on her shoulder. Suddenly, the door slid open, and a MAD agent clubbed her in the belly when she stood up, then gave her a nasty shock with an electric cattle prod. She screamed, then dropped unconscious to the floor. The door to the cell slid closed again. The image switched back to Talon. "Didn't I warn you, last time, that something nasty and painful would happen to Penny? Now, the clock starts ticking for another 24 hours. Next time, we'll start breaking her bones. You WILL give me ALL that I demand. That's how this encounter is going to go." The screen then went blank.

MAD Agent Jenny waited for the transmission to end, then she retrieved a medical kit and entered the detention area. She was allowed in, since Talon didn't want Penny to die just yet. That would eliminate all of his leverage. Jenny opened the door to Penny's cell, and gently rolled her over. Penny woke up, groaning in pain. Jenny helped her up off the floor, and laid her down on the cot. While she checked Penny's vitals with the medical kit, she made sure her back was to the security camera. She whispered to Penny. "Don't react at all. Just hang in there. A message has been sent to your friends, hidden in that last transmission. I just hope they're smart enough to find it." Penny didn't speak or nod, but she blinked twice, to acknowledge that she understood.

Jenny continued. "If I help you get out of here, promise me you'll do what you can to take me with you. I can't believe how stupid I was; joining MAD, and sharing a bed with Talon. Promise you'll put in a good word for me?" Again, Penny blinked twice, and rapidly shared a very quick smile. Jenny breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Penny. We have someone else on our side; Talon's former personal assistant. He is a true MAD believer, but he's grown to hate Talon so much, that he's willing to help us in order for Talon to fail." Penny was unsure about this; not exactly the most reliable help. But, right now, she had to admit that she needed any form of help that she could get.

Back at HQ, no sooner had the large viewscreen gone blank, than Fred was calling everyone else over to his desk. Gadget, Brain and Quimby gathered around. Fred isolated one part of the recording and played it back frame by frame. For one single frame, which was a fraction of a second in real time, on the lower left corner of the screen, was an 8 digit number. It was almost too fast for the human eye to catch, but the computer had noticed it, thanks to the special algorithm that Fred had programmed, to watch for inconsistencies in the recording. Now, he searched the 8 digit number. His suspicions seemed to be correct. Fred turned his chair to face them. "I think this number is a set of coordinates. Latitude and Longitude. I had the computer check, and if this is correct, it's indicating a location about 200 miles from here. Theoretically, with 8 digits, it should be within 10 meters of Penny's actual location." Chief Quimby pondered this. "Hmmm… it could be coordinates to her location, or, it could be a trick to throw us off. How would Penny have been able to send us that message, if she was locked in her cell?" Fred had no answer for this.

Hours later, in the MAD hideout, most everyone had gone to bed. Talon was in his private chambers with a new female recruit, 'introducing himself' to her. So, his attention was fully occupied. At the entrance to the detention area, the bored guards struggled to stay awake, and barely noticed when Agent Jenny walked past with her medical kit. They knew that Jenny was responsible for looking after the captive Penny. Jenny opened the door to Penny's cell, after verifying that the security camera was not transmitting. This allowed her to speak a bit more freely. Penny opened her eyes, saw Jenny there, and they smiled at each other. Jenny explained, "The former assistant to Talon is named Richard. He won't be coming with us, but he will help you and I escape, and he wants your side to take down Talon. I don't know how that part will play out, but he told me how to tap into the transmission and include a set of coordinates. If your friends caught it, it will lead them straight here." Penny felt a wave of hopefulness inside of her. She knew Fred would be recording and monitoring the transmission, and had no doubt he would come through for her.

Chief Quimby had met with the senior police officers on the force, (which included Inspector Gadget and Brain) and discussed the issue with the coordinates. There was a strong possibility that this was a MAD trick, designed to throw them off, but it had to be investigated. Fred had sorrowfully informed Chief Quimby that he was still unable to trace the transmission. Given that Fred was dating Penny, Chief Quimby was satisfied that this was not for lack of trying. In the end, it was decided that they would not send a large SWAT team in force, but a small group to investigate. The group would include Brain, because of his small size, heightened canine senses, and outstanding record. Not to mention, he was Penny's partner on the police force, and her dearest friend on Earth. Inspector Gadget insisted on going as well. After all, he was still Penny's Uncle. Chief Quimby agreed, and asked them to select one more. Both Brain and Gadget said in unison, "Officer Julie Jones." Gadget thought she could use more experience, and this would be a great way to get it, while Brain respected her work so far, and also wanted to present her with a bigger challenge than speeding tickets and holdups at the animal shelter. However, he also had another motive.

After the meeting broke up, and Officer Jones had been informed of her involvement with this mission, Brain asked her to come to a small meeting room with him. When they were alone, he asked her as politely as he could, if she had noticed that Inspector Gadget can be rather… clumsy. She smiled, and nodded her head. "Often, when we're out on a date, I have noticed this; usually, it's just adorable. It makes me laugh." Brain sighed. "Well, trust me, when we're on a mission, and lives are on the line, it's anything but adorable. I've been dealing with his clumsiness on missions for years now, and so has Penny. That's the secret of Inspector Gadget; Penny and I have been secretly compensating for his clumsiness for a very long time."

Officer Jones was very surprised, and had a hurt look on her face. She didn't like someone badmouthing her boyfriend, even someone as respected as Brain. Brain noticed her expression, and continued. "To be fair, though, he's improved a lot in the past few years, but still, thanks to his bionic body and artificial brain chips, his judgement isn't exactly the best. So, I respect your judgement very much, and when we're out there, if you notice him about to do something stupid, please nudge him in the right direction? He'll listen to you." Officer Jones smiled, and promised she would. Brain was relieved. "Thank you. We just have to get Penny back, and I don't want to have to worry about him bumbling around and blowing our cover."

When Brain and Officer Jones exited the meeting room, they saw Fred pleading with Chief Quimby. "Please, Chief, let me go along. I can't just sit here poking at a keyboard while Penny… my girlfriend, is being rescued." Chief Quimby put his hand on Fred's shoulder. "I understand how you feel, but the answer is no. You have no field experience. All of your training is technical, and we badly need you here. We're going to be counting on you to keep watch over the operation, via satellite, like you did last time." Brain agreed. He already had one person on this team whose abilities he didn't trust; he didn't need another one. Brain spoke up to Fred. "Support from here is every bit as important as out there. If you hadn't been here to figure out that MAD planted bugs in my body last time, was spying on us, and how to counteract it, we would have lost." This somewhat helped Fred feel better, but he still felt he should be out there to help free his girlfriend Penny.

Three hours later, a white Ford F-150 slowly crawled down a long gravel road. It contained Inspector Gadget, Brain, and Officer Jones. They were less than ¼ mile from the coordinates received in the transmission. They quietly parked the truck behind a group of trees and shut off the engine. Officer Jones looked at her video watch, which showed Fred and Chief Quimby back at HQ. "We have two more hours until the next transmission is due, so you have to find their lair, get in, find Penny, and get out with her, before they hurt her again. Fred says, head North West." The three of them got out of the truck, shut the doors, and started out across the grassy field in the darkness. Brain led the way, since his canine senses of sight, smell, and hearing were far sharper than any human's.

Inside the MAD lair, Agent Jenny was nervously pacing around the rooms. She was sure that the police would be trying something, but she had no idea when. She desperately wanted to get out of there, with Penny, and help the police capture Talon, even if it meant that she herself would have to do some time in jail. She thought that it would be well worth it, if she knew that Talon wouldn't be taking advantage of any more young, impressionable girls such as herself. She wandered into the dining area, and in the darkness, she saw someone sitting at one of the tables, with their head in their arms. She walked over for a better look, and it was one of the new recruits, named Lisa.

Agent Lisa looked up, and her face was streaked with tears. Jenny sighed, and said, "Let me guess: you were invited into Talon's private chamber?" Lisa nodded. "And then, you slept with him?" Lisa's blonde head didn't move this time, but her silence was answer enough. Jenny continued. "And then, as soon as he was done, he shoved you out the door?" Lisa didn't reply, but a fresh stream of tears flowed out. Jenny sat down across from Lisa, and took her hands in her own. "Sweetie, he does this to EVERY girl that joins MAD. Myself included." Lisa's head dropped in shame.

After a moment, Jenny said, "Hey… look at me. How would you like to help make sure that he can't do this anymore?" At this, Lisa's head rose up again. This time, her face looked angry. "Hell yes. Just tell me what to do." Jenny gave Lisa a very rapid briefing on what has happening with HQ, and Lisa grew more enthusiastic as she heard more. "I want to help! Please, let me help!" Jenny had to talk her down a bit. "Okay, okay; let's take it easy here… where do you work in this dump?" Lisa was an aid to the agents that monitored the outdoor security cameras. Jenny's face perked up. "Perfect! When the HQ agents approach this place, if the cameras catch them, you'll know about it! Now, here's what we'll do…"

Several months before, when MAD had attempted to lure Penny into joining them, they had given Brain a bio-enhanced body, much like Inspector Gadget had. Brain at that time was over 14 years old; practically a senior citizen for a dog. Getting this body meant that his lifespan would be extended at least as long as an average human's, which naturally pleased Penny to no end. MAD had also built several interesting features into Brain's body: built-in canine translator, extending legs, binocular eyes, and super sensitive ears. He had never used these gadgets on a mission, but now, the binocular eyes (with night vision) and sensitive ears greatly sped up locating the entrance to MAD's lair. Cleverly concealed amongst the rocks and bushes, invisible from the air, the entrance was visible approximately 20 feet back inside the rocky ledge. Brain glanced back, and silently signaled Inspector Gadget and Officer Jones to follow closely.

In the security room, a red light started flashing. The bored guards looked up, and saw the three HQ agents slowly approaching the entrance. Agent Lisa slipped out of the room as the two other agents called their supervisor for instructions. In the corridor, Agent Lisa bumped into Agent Jenny. "They're at the entrance!" They hurried to the detention area. Agent Lisa stunned the guards, then they rushed to the cell containing Talon's former assistant, Richard. They opened his cell's door, and reported that three HQ agents were about to enter the facility. Richard nodded, and hurried to the guard booth. He called a number, and spoke to another high-ranking MAD agent who was elsewhere in the lair.

The guards in the security room watched as the three HQ agents were now inside the facility, and were dumbfounded at the orders coming to them. "Duh, what did you say?" The voice over the phone grew increasingly harsh. "Let them come in! Don't slow them in any way! That's an order!" The guards looked at each other and shrugged. "Okay, if you say so!"

Agent Jenny walked out of the detention area, and continued down a few hallways, and around several corners, then practically bumped right into Brain, Inspector Gadget, and Officer Jones. Gadget slapped a gadget handcuff on her, while Jones pointed a pistol at Jenny. "Don't move, you're under arrest!" Jenny sighed with both relief and exasperation. "It's about time you got here! I'm the one who's been helping Penny. Come on, I'll take you to her!" With her hand still in the cuff, she practically dragged Inspector Gadget along behind her, back to the detention area. Jones and Brain warily followed. However, as they got closer, Brain's sensitive canine nose picked up a faint, familiar scent. He sprinted ahead, found the detention area, and rapidly located Penny's cell. She was standing near the door, and was naturally joyful to see Brain.

Agent Jenny continued to drag Gadget behind her, and tossed Brain the key to Penny's cell. He rapidly opened it, and leaped into Penny's hug… then, a gasp of pain from her. They had forgotten about her shoulder wound. However, it was still a joyful moment for Penny and Brain, as well as Gadget and Jones. After a brief moment of hugs all around, Jenny cleared her throat, and held up her hand that had Gadget's handcuff on it. Penny said, "Uncle, please, let her go. I'll explain more later, but trust me, she's on our side." Inspector Gadget didn't understand, but he trusted Penny's word, so he released the gadget handcuffs.

After they left the detention area, and were on the way back to the entrance, a huge steel door suddenly closed in their faces. A voice was then heard over the public address speaker. "Agent Jenny, please lead your new friends to the dining area. They'll be very interested in a proposition we have." Jenny looked at Penny in shock. "I… I had no idea this would happen! Richard was supposed to let us all leave!" Penny wasn't sure whether to believe her or not. Penny looked at Inspector Gadget. "What do you think, Uncle?" Gadget pondered, then said, "Well, this door is too thick for my gadget laser, so we have no choice. Let's see what kind of proposition they have."

When the group reached the dining area, they saw all the tables had been pushed to the side, and all the MAD agents in the lair, over a hundred of them, were waiting. They silently stared at Inspector Gadget, Penny and Brain. Many of them were armed, but no one made any move to attack. Inspector Gadget whispered, "Wowsers…" but even he knew better than to try anything rash. Penny was here with him, and she was wounded. All he wanted at this moment was to get her, and Brain, and Jones out of there safely.

Talon's former assistant Richard stepped forward. "Well, Gadgets, we have a simple proposition for you. Your Chief Quimby has agreed to send us the 400 million dollars. Forget the 45 agents in jail. And, you get to leave here unharmed. You can take Penny, and Agents Jenny and Lisa, if they agree to escort one more prisoner…" Richard stepped aside, to reveal a furious Talon, gagged and chained to a chair. Richard looked back at Penny. "He's all yours. Take him. After you leave, we'll abandon this lair. And, in exchange for you not summoning a SWAT team to take us down, we agree not to target your homes for destruction."

In his fury, Talon managed to wriggle enough to get the gag out of his mouth. "Richard, you DICK! MAD belongs to me! You can't do this! And as for you, Penny; you're DEAD! You, and Brain, and your idiot Uncle. I'll blow up your damn house—" He was interrupted when a female MAD agent clubbed him from behind. Talon slumped over, unconscious. Richard smirked at her, then looked back at Penny. "Well, what do you say? You HQ agents walk out of here alive. Jenny and Lisa here will escort your new prisoner, Talon. We get the money. And, we all agree to live and let live… for now, anyway."

Penny spoke up. "Which leaves you as the new leader of MAD, correct?" Richard just shrugged, then indicated all of the gathered agents. "We're all sick of him, and some of us served under his Uncle, Dr. Claw. We're sick of megalomaniacs; the insane fools running this outfit. And, I know you're sick of dealing with them, too. This is the best option. I'd suggest you take it. The only reason we don't just shoot you all now is because we need that 400 million dollars, and, we don't want to escalate a war with the police… yet. To be clear, this isn't a surrender, it's a temporary cease-fire. But it gets you out of here alive."

Penny looked at Brain, then at her Uncle Gadget in a questioning manner. Brain quietly said, "I think we should take this deal. It's the best option for now." Gadget agreed. Penny looked back at Richard and said, "Deal." Richard nodded, turned to his gathered MAD agents, and said, "Dismissed." The gathered 100 MAD agents trickled out of the dining area, and back to their stations. (Former) Mad agents Jenny and Lisa stepped forward, picked up Talon, and carried him toward the exit. Richard then said, "He's your prisoner, and you can do with him what you wish, but if I were you, somewhere between here and your truck, he should 'try to escape.'" Richard then pointed at Jones's pistol.

The meaning was clear; Richard thought they should execute Talon before even returning to their truck. None of the Gadgets responded. Richard shrugged. "Whatever. He's your problem now." Richard then turned to a monitor and turned it on. "Okay, Chief Quimby, the deal has been made. Ready for the transfer of that 400 million dollars." Quimby's face on the monitor said, "Not until AFTER they have safely left the building." Richard sighed with exasperation. "Oh, for Pete's sake… fine. All of you, get going! Down the hall, take a right, head straight out the main entrance. Go!" After a few minutes, when they were all safely outside and walking back to the truck, Inspector Gadget got on his top-secret Gadget phone and told Chief Quimby that they were on the way back to the truck, with Talon as a captive.

When they arrived at the truck, Inspector Gadget noticed a little problem. This F-150 had six seats, but there were now seven bodies. Former MAD agents Jenny and Lisa sat in the back, with Talon in between them. They each had a stun gun, and joyfully zapped Talon unconscious again each time he started to wake up. Inspector Gadget got in the driver's seat, Jones sat in the middle next to him, and Penny sat in the front passenger seat. That left poor Brain, who immediately solved the seating problem by hopping up into Penny's lap, being careful not to touch her wounded shoulder.

With a big smile, Penny immediately put her arms around Brain, and thanked him and her Uncle for not giving up on her. Uncle Gadget had seen countless times before how deeply Penny and Brain cared for each other, but Officer Jones had not, and was very touched when she saw Penny embracing Brain, both of them with their eyes closed and smiles on their faces. They stayed that way for most of the 3 hour ride home, including when Chief Quimby called on the truck's video phone. He observed Penny embracing Brain, and said, "Well, looks as if everything's back to normal. Here, Fred; say something." Fred's face appeared on the screen. He had a large smile; however, Penny noticed it got just a bit smaller when he saw Penny's arms around Brain. She noted this to herself, but didn't make a scene of it then and there. She assured Fred that she'd be back at HQ in just a few hours.

Meanwhile, in the back of the truck, former MAD agents Jenny and Lisa amused themselves by gently reviving Talon, then immediately stunning him unconscious again. They did this twice, then Penny glanced back. "Believe me, he deserves this, and much more, but we need him alive when we reach HQ. Don't overstress his heart. We don't want him to die before he's even locked up in prison. He doesn't deserve to get off that easy." She gave them a quick smile, then returned her attention to her dearest friend on Earth. Brain had already dozed off; no doubt exhausted from the stress of losing Penny, and racking his brains trying to help come up with a plan to get her back. She leaned the seat back slightly, and let Brain snooze away in her arms. She smiled when she noticed his paw twitching slightly. Hopefully, Brain was having a pleasant dream. She gently kissed the top of his head, then dozed off herself.

Finally, the truck arrived at HQ. There were ten officers waiting to greet them, along with Chief Quimby and Fred. Five of the officers immediately surrounded Talon, and whisked him away to a holding cell under heavy guard. Former MAD agents Jenny and Lisa looked pleadingly at Penny, as officers clicked cold metal handcuffs on them. She walked up and put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Don't worry, you two. You have to be cuffed for now, and undergo trial, but believe me, I'll back you up in court. I'll work closely with your defense attorneys. Now, keep your chins up, and just relax. It'll be fine." The remaining police officers led them away, leaving just Penny, Brain, Gadget, Quimby and Fred. Penny and Fred looked at each other, and Chief Quimby told Gadget and Brain to come with him, to 'discuss the mission.' Which meant, to give Penny and Fred some privacy.

After (carefully) welcoming Penny back with a hug, Fred and Penny wandered back to the HQ lab together. They sat at his desk. Fred sighed, and told Penny how badly he wished he could have been there in person, to help save her from MAD. Penny shook her head. "We both know that the work you do here is absolutely vital, Fred. If not for your efforts, I'd still be in a MAD jail, or dead." Penny took a deep breath, then continued. "But, there is something else that we need to clear up. It's about Brain."

Penny looked into Fred's eyes, catching his gaze. "Fred, I saw your face when you saw me hugging Brain in the truck. It looked to me that you didn't like what you saw." "Um, well, Penny, it just… surprised me, that's all." Penny swallowed, and said, "Okay. I'm just going to get this out in the open. Unlike some women, I prefer direct communication, without hidden meanings. I love Brain, very much, with all of my heart, and I always will." Fred thought to himself, 'Is this supposed to help me?' Penny continued. "But, this isn't romantic love. It's how I feel about a friend that has literally saved my life hundreds of times; had my back on hundreds of missions, shown me absolute, unswerving loyalty, time after time after time. But, it's even more than that." Penny looked around, making absolutely sure no one else was listening.

"Fred, not even my Uncle knows this next part. I don't even think Brain himself realizes it. But, he saved my spirit. When I was seven, my parents had just been killed, along with my unborn sister. My Uncle John did his very best to help me through the grieving, but it wasn't working. Even when we got our house in Metro City, I'd get up at night and go to the window, and look at the concrete patio far below. I remember thinking, if I only had the courage to step off the window sill, I'd land on my head, then I could go see my parents in Heaven. I was about to take my own life, Fred." Penny had to pause and dry her eyes with a tissue. "Then, my Uncle took me to the animal shelter, and we adopted Brain. That turned it all around for me. He was such a wonderful friend to me from the very start; he lifted my spirits, and snapped me out of my depression and mourning. And later on, when my Uncle was nearly killed and became Inspector Gadget, once again, it was Brain who pulled me through."

Fred held her hands and looked on, as several new tears made their way down Penny's face. He was beginning to truly understand Penny's love for Brain. After a pause, she gathered herself and continued. "So, if you and I are going to be together, I need you to really understand. Brain and I are a package deal. I could never be without him, and I never will be. I'd do anything for him, and he'd do anything for me. He's not 'just a dog;' he's pretty much the most important part of my life, even more than my Uncle. However, having said all that, please understand, I'm not romantically attracted to Brain. He's a dog, and I'm a human." She smiled at Fred. "The romantic part; that's your job, Fred. I mean, if you want that job." Fred immediately said, "Oh, heck yes!" Penny giggled, they stood up and hugged each other. Fred said, "I appreciate how difficult that was for you, Penny, and I totally understand now." She replied, "Good. Just remember, no matter how much love I show to Brain, he's NOT in competition with you." Fred nodded. "I understand, Ma'am." Then he remembered something. "By the way, I have something to show you."

Fred led Penny across the HQ lab, making their way to the elevator. They passed the charred remains of Penny's Mustang, which the team had been scouring for clues about Penny's abduction. A sorrowful look crossed Penny's face. "Oh, my poor baby…" She patted what was left of the windshield frame. They took the elevator up to the parking garage. Penny started to hope against hope, when Fred insisted that she shut her eyes, and she heard a garage door opening. "Okay, Penny, you can look now." She opened her eyes, and there was Uncle Gadget and Brain, standing next to a brand new Mustang GT convertible. It was exactly the same as she had before, right down to the same color leather seating. She squealed with delight and clapped her hands, as if she were a little girl again. She hugged Uncle Gadget and Brain, then opened the driver's door and slowly sank into the driver's seat, savoring the new car smell.

Uncle Gadget explained, "Pardon the expression, but we lit a fire under the insurance company, and the local Ford dealer just happened to have the exact car we needed, so that's already taken care of. She's all yours." Brain handed her the key fob. "She's all gassed up and ready to roll, Penny." She couldn't stop smiling, and told Fred to get in. "I'm going to the hospital to get my shoulder looked at, and I need someone to go with me, to make sure I don't get lost!" Gadget and Brain stepped back as Penny twisted the key in the ignition, and the Mustang's V-8 engine angrily roared to life. The sound echoed beautifully in the confined concrete parking structure. Brain and Gadget watched as the car rumbled away.

Gadget then turned to Brain. "Well, Brain, are you ready to go home?" Brain nodded. While this mission had been successful in getting Penny back to them, it had also resulted in MAD getting a large part of their money back, which would no doubt mean trouble for HQ down the road. They had a valuable new prisoner in the form of Talon, so, while this mission was not a complete success, nor was it a complete failure. Brain was thinking about that, when suddenly, he remembered that he had once again left his new girlfriend Lucy alone, at home, by herself, for over half a day. Being a police officer and member of HQ consumed a lot of time.

Penny and Fred emerged from the hospital with smiles on their faces. Penny's left arm was in a sling, but after the X-ray, the doctor admitted she barely needed it. The sling was merely a precaution. The .22 round had, fortunately, done very little real damage. No broken bones, no infections. Penny was told to keep the sling on until there was no longer any pain while touching the shoulder. Luckily for Penny, her new Mustang was an automatic, making one-handed driving much easier. She dropped Fred off at his house, after a kiss goodnight, and headed home.

Brain was already at home, spending time with Lucy, when he heard Penny's new Mustang rumble in to the garage. When she entered the house, she happily greeted Brain and Lucy. Brain immediately asked what the doctor said about her shoulder. "It's not bad at all, Brain; this sling is only a precaution. Where's Uncle Gadget?" Brain reported that as soon as they got home, he got a call from Julie Jones, and went up to his bedroom to talk to her in private. Penny smiled. "I'm so glad he's getting along well with her; I hope it continues to work out for them." Brain agreed. "And, how are you and Lucy getting along?" Brain said, "Well, I'm able to communicate with her in canine language; I told her not to go to the bathroom inside, and I told her I have to go to work a lot. I'm not sure she understands why I have to leave her alone for so much time each day." Penny slowly sat in a chair, lost in thought. She actually had not fully realized; Lucy was a normal dog. She wasn't super-intelligent, as Brain was. Penny was so used to having Brain fully understand everything she said for the past 14 years; she had nearly forgotten that no other dog on Earth was like this.

"You know, Brain, I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I just plain forgot that you are one-of-a-kind; literally the only dog on Earth with human level intelligence. I just got so used to it!" Brain nodded. "It's ok, Penny. I guess I am unique, but only thanks to MAD's canine experiments." Penny remembered that Brain had been part of a litter of puppies born while in MAD's captivity. All were subjected to MAD experiments; part of Dr. Claw's crazy scheme to breed a pack of super-intelligent dogs for use on heists. Only Brain survived the experiments. All of his other siblings had been driven insane; they were like rabid dogs, and had to be euthanized. Penny said, "You know, I wonder…" Brain immediately said, "Penny, NO. I know what you're thinking, and I appreciate the thought, but remember: There were seven of us puppies. Six of my brothers and sisters were driven completely insane. I was very lucky to have survived. I won't take that risk, trying to increase Lucy's intelligence."

Penny sighed. "You're right, Brain. Well, I'm very ready for bed." She was halfway up the stairs, with Brain following her, when they both realized, Lucy was following Brain. He and Penny both looked at each other. "Oops!" It was a given that Brain spent every night curled up asleep on the foot of Penny's bed. He had done this since he was a puppy, and she was barely seven years old. Penny adored him, and wouldn't have it any other way. Now, though, Brain had a new friend. "Heh heh… umm, well, Penny? Got room for one more up there?" He was afraid Penny would draw the line at two dogs, but she just smiled and said, "Sure, Brain! Good thing I bought that queen size bed. There's plenty of room." Brain sighed with relief. He was very fond of his Penny, and did like being able to watch over her at night. You never know what those lunatics in MAD might try, in the middle of the night. "Thanks, Penny, and don't worry; she went outside and took care of her business before you got home." Lucy was a bit hesitant, and had to be coaxed up on the bed, but when she saw Brain hop up, she eventually followed. Penny told Lucy what a good girl she was, and stroked her head. Lucy wagged her tail, and licked Penny's hand. Penny gave Brain a hug goodnight, as she always did, and shut out the light.

In the Metro City Jail, Talon was having a considerably less happy and comfortable sleep. He was in solitary confinement. The guards told him he should be thankful for this. Many of the other inmates in the jail were victims of MAD, and had pleaded for the chance to 'meet' Talon. So, he lay on his bunk, as the hours of the night wasted away, reflecting on how he had ended up here. There were many targets for his rage. He felt betrayed. Betrayed by supposedly loyal MAD agents. Betrayed by female MAD agents, and betrayed by his former assistant Richard. Talon was unable to accept that he had brought much of it on himself; by sleeping with female agents and then coldly shoving them aside, by ignoring Richard's advice on how to run MAD, and by Penny Gadget. From Talon's point of view, he had paid to bio-enhance her dear friend and partner, Brain, and then had made Penny an offer to join MAD, and she responded by shooting him in the shoulder.

Talon understood that Penny was a law enforcement officer, and he was aware of her long history battling MAD, but in his mind, he had paid for her services, and he expected her to make good. When she refused, this was betrayal to Talon. So, he lay there in jail, obsessing over Penny Gadget in his mind, but not in the way he had in the past. Any infatuation he had for her was gone. Magnificent body or not, she was now the enemy. He visualized her happy, joyful reunion with her family and friends, and fellow police officers. No doubt they were speaking of Talon at this very moment, and they were all laughing at him. While he festered in this insufferable jail, SHE happily cuddled up with the dog that would be dead now from old age, if not for Talon's efforts. Talon remembered that, at one point, Richard had yelled at him to 'forget about the damn Gadgets.' Now, he could think of nothing else. Everyone else who had betrayed him would pay, but the Gadgets were at the top of the list. Talon rolled off his bunk and paced his tiny cell with frustration. He slammed his hands against the bars as the hate and rage built up inside of him. He didn't know how, but he was determined to gain retribution, starting with the Gadgets.

A guard slammed his club against the bars of the cell, driving Talon back. The guard snarled at him. "You have a visitor, Talon. Five minutes." Talon watched, and one of his most loyal agents nervously shuffled in, and sat in a chair in front of the cell. The guard left and shut the door. "Leader Talon, is there anything I may do for you?" Talon sneered. "Yes. The special contingency project we discussed? I want it enacted NOW." The agent gulped. "As-as you wish, Sir, but… wouldn't this be too soon?" Talon held up a finger. "THAT is exactly what I hope that THEY are thinking. The time is right, NOW."

The following morning, the early light woke Penny up. She glanced down to where Brain and Lucy were still sleeping, and her heart melted. Brain and Lucy were curled up close together, sound asleep. They looked almost identical, except Lucy was smaller than Brain. Clearly, they had already bonded. Silently, Penny said, "Aaww…" to herself, and silently took a photo using her Gadget watch. Then, she just looked at them, reflecting on how happy she was that Brain had found a special partner of his own. She only wished that there was a way to increase Lucy's intelligence. However, Brain was right to refuse to consider the idea. The MAD experiments had succeeded with him, but failed many other times, resulting in many dead dogs. The risk was not worth it… was it? Penny wondered to herself if it was morally wrong for Brain, with his high, human-level IQ, to be in a relationship with Lucy, who had just regular canine intelligence? Was Brain taking advantage of her? Then, Penny thought to herself; 'Penny, you're overthinking again. Look at them! They look so SWEET together like that! Just be happy for Brain.'

After Penny managed to quietly slip out of bed without waking Brain or Lucy, she had her shower and got dressed, then returned to her bedroom. Her shoulder had no pain, so she tossed the sling in the garbage. Brain and Lucy were awake now, and Brain had opened the blinds to let in the morning sun. As Penny sat on the bed, lacing up her shoes, Brain noticed a glint in the branches of a tree in the neighbor's yard. Curious, he deployed his Gadget binocular eyes to get a closer look. She glanced up. "What is it, Brain?" Just then, Brain saw what had caught his attention, and a surge of panic hit him. "Penny, DUCK!" Penny started to grab Lucy, to pull her behind the bed, but Brain literally tackled Penny, knocking her down. The glass window exploded in shards of shattered glass. Lucy let out an ear-piercing yelp. Blood splashed on Penny's face. She finished pulling Lucy down behind the bed with her. Two fresh bullet holes appeared in the wall just above Penny. It was clear that she was the target. Brain badly wanted to go and check on Penny and Lucy, but Penny called out to Brain; "Go get him, Brain! Hurry!" Brain knew Penny was right. This was a MAD sniper, and he had mere seconds before this sniper made an escape.

Brain leaped out of the shattered window, deploying his extending Gadget legs as he fell. How ironic; that MAD had paid for his bio-upgrades, trying to lure Penny to their side. Penny rushed to the window with her pistol drawn. She had never seen Brain move so fast. In a flash, he was across their large, sprawling lawn, and hot on the tail of the MAD sniper. Penny saw the sniper turn and begin to aim at Brain. Although she was very far away, she raised her pistol, and fired an absolutely incredible shot, with the bullet piercing the sniper's leg. It was nearly an impossible shot, with a hand-held gun, at this distance, but she made it. No sooner had the sniper fallen, spewing blood from his leg, than Brain was on him.

Inspector Gadget had heard the commotion coming from Penny's room. At first, he thought someone was playing a war movie. Then, he heard the glass shatter, and Lucy's piercing yelp. He rushed into Penny's room, and panicked when he saw his little niece's face dripping blood. She looked up at him. "Oh, Uncle Gadget… poor Lucy…" Then Gadget realized it wasn't Penny's blood. Lucy was lying on the carpet, twitching, with blood flowing out of a wound in her back. "Penny, bind up that wound, quickly." Gadget rushed over to the window, his shoes cracking shards of shattered glass. He saw Brain, angrily pulling an unconscious, handcuffed MAD sniper over to the house. Brain had savagely beaten this man with his own rifle. The gunshot wound from Penny's miracle shot was flowing. Brain extended his Gadget legs and jumped up to the window. Uncle Gadget caught him and set him on the bed, so he would not cut his feet on broken glass. Uncle Gadget then went downstairs to summon police help, and make sure the sniper didn't wake up and escape.

Brain looked down where Penny was kneeling, and saw Lucy, wrapped in a blanket. Penny had wiped Lucy's blood off of her face, and looked at Brain. "We've got to get her to the hospital, Brain. Now." She got her car keys while Brain scooped Lucy up, and they rushed to the Mustang. They nearly collided with the squad cars that Uncle Gadget had summoned. Penny steered around them, and set a new speeding record in her car, getting to the animal hospital.

Later, Penny and Brain were sitting in the lobby of the animal hospital, waiting for the surgeons to report back to them. Uncle Gadget had taken the sniper to the emergency room, under heavy guard, to get the leg taken care of. Penny and Brain tried to console each other. She hugged him, and swore they'd do everything possible to help Lucy recover. Brain looked at Penny's still-shaking hands. It takes a long time for fight-or-flight panic adrenaline to subside.

Brain said, "What I want to know is, how in the world did you make that shot? He must have been a hundred yards away." Penny just shook her head. "I have no idea, Brain. I saw that creep starting to aim at you, and my pistol just came up, and BANG. I don't even really remember aiming." One hundred yards away, the distance of an entire football field, with a small police pistol, held with shaking, panic-stricken hands, at a moving target, with Lucy's blood dripping in her eyes… it could only be described as a miraculous shot. Once in a dozen lifetimes. Penny spoke quietly to Brain, to be sure no one else could hear her. "You know, Brain, after what happened to me that one Christmas, when I visited that awful timeline, I know that we have a guardian angel watching over us. I've seen her. Perhaps, she assisted my aim, in order to keep you safe, and protect the work that we do against MAD."

The doors to the animal hospital opened, and a panicked Fred entered. Penny could see him sigh a huge sigh of relief when he saw she was unharmed. He rushed over and sat next to her, hugging her close. He released her, and said, "Thank God you're all right, Penny. You too, Brain." Brain replied, "Only because Penny here is one hell of a shot with her pistol." Penny admired Brain for trying to make a joke, when she knew that inside, he had to be sick with worry over Lucy. Fred sighed. "So, Penny and Brain aren't even safe at home now, is that it?" Penny gently reminded him that when she was 11 years old, Dr. Claw had piloted the MAD Mobile and fired missiles directly into their house, putting Penny in the hospital.

Brain cringed at that memory, because of how near to death Penny had been, and because this was the one time that Brain was not there to protect her. He had walked out on her, due to frustration with having to assist her clumsy Uncle Gadget in secret. When he reunited with her in the hospital, Brain had sworn to Penny that he would never leave her side again. Penny smiled at Brain. "All those years, you slept on my bed to protect me, Brain, and you really came through. I'd be dead now if it weren't for you. I didn't notice that sniper, you did." She squeezed Brain close and kissed the top of his head. Then she looked at Fred and explained. "Brain spotted the sniper while I was sitting there tying my shoes. Then he tackled me to the floor, saving my life. Then, he leaped out the window and caught the sniper." Brain appreciated the gratitude, but still felt awful. "I appreciate it, Penny, but still, if I had been quicker, maybe my girlfriend wouldn't be in there, fighting for her life."

Finally, one of the surgeons came out to the lobby and sat across from Penny and Brain. There was good news and bad news. Lucy had been stabilized, and her life was out of immediate danger. The bad news was, the bullet had done considerable damage to her spine, and it was doubtful that she would ever walk again. The doctor was also concerned that the damage may affect her brain. He said, "Sad as it may be, perhaps it would be better to consider putting her to sleep. It would be completely painless for her. I fear that if we don't do this, her life will be filled with extreme discomfort and pain."

Naturally, this enraged Brain, who slammed his fists on the table and got right in the doctor's face. Penny pulled him back a bit, but Brain still let the doctor have it. "If she were a human, would you say that? 'Oh well, she's hurt, let's snuff her out?' I don't think so, doc!" Even though this surgeon was aware of Brain's abilities, it was still a surreal experience for him when he found himself being chewed out by a dog, in perfect English. And, it was equally unsettling to him that this dog had a point. Fred had been observing this scene, and decided to speak up. "Doctor, could you please keep Lucy stable for the time being? There are some things that we need to discuss." The surgeon gladly nodded and took this opportunity to escape the situation, and retreat back to his operating room.

Fred had succeeded in de-escalating the confrontation between Brain and the doctor, but now he found himself the new target of Brain's anger. "Fred, why did you say that? He's just going to go in there and prepare to put her to sleep!" Fred shook his head. "They can't do that, Brain, without the owner's permission. And, I have an idea. Please, let's go back to HQ. I can explain better there." Penny softly reassured Brain that it was indeed the hospital's duty to do everything in their power to keep their patients alive, and putting her to sleep had to be expressly authorized by the animal's owner. This did a great deal to reassure Brain, since he trusted Penny completely, but he was still quite upset. Together, Penny and Fred were able to convince Brain to come with them back to HQ.

When they arrived, Chief Quimby and Inspector Gadget were waiting. Quimby had just managed to reach Talon's former assistant, Richard, on a video call. "What do you want now, Quimby? Our deal is completed." They all glared at him. Brain, still very upset, was the first one to speak up. "Your sniper is under heavy guard in the hospital. He wasn't a very good shot, as you can see. We're all still alive." Richard shook his head. "I don't have a clue what you're going on about. I'm overseeing relocating 100 MAD agents to a new headquarters. That doesn't require a sniper." Penny, Brain and Gadget looked at each other, and Richard spoke again, after reading their expressions. "Wait a minute… did a sniper actually try to… in your home?!" He was incredulous. Penny nodded silently.

Richard held up his hands. "It wasn't my doing. Listen, we're enemies, but when I make a deal, I stick to it. I promised, if you leave us alone, we won't target your homes. I think the culprit is in your jail cell. I told you, you should have taken care of Talon before you got back to your truck." Quimby spoke up. "We're the police, not executioners. We have to stay within the law." Richard scoffed. "Yeah, and look what that's gotten you. Well, at least it doesn't look like any of you were wounded." Brain spoke up. "My girlfriend was. She was shot, and her spine was nearly severed. She's in the animal hospital now." Richard sighed. "I know you won't believe me, but I think that's awful. I like animals, and this was an innocent dog that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'll be back in a few minutes. We might be able to make another deal."

For the next ten minutes, the screen was blank, leaving the four in HQ to wonder amongst themselves what MAD's new leader was cooking up. Chief Quimby had deep misgivings about making another deal with MAD. Before he could call the commissioner, Richard's face appeared on the screen once again. "Okay, here's what I'm willing to do. Brain, I know your history. I worked for Dr. Claw, when he tried to develop super-intelligent canines. I was glad when you escaped, and the project was shut down. I was the one who convinced Claw it would be more trouble than it was worth. We still have the files on how to make a canine's intelligence increase. You were the one that succeeded, and it will work. I'll send you those files, and the blueprints on how to save your girlfriend with bionics. You can do just enough to repair the damage, or you can make her a full-on Gadget dog like you, whichever you want. She'd be back on her feet, and just as intelligent as you are."

Quimby said, "And, why are you willing to do this? What do you want in return?" Richard said, "Well, obviously, Talon has a revenge list, and guess who's on it, right after the Gadgets? ME. Now, I know you cops won't kill him, out of your stupid, misguided obsession with the law, but at least, put him away for life in solitary at a supermax prison. No visitors. Maybe that's unconstitutional, but make it happen anyway. If you guarantee that, then we have a deal." Quimby replied, "After everything he's done, and now this sniper business, I can promise you he'll never see the light of day again. I know the judge and the prosecutor. The trial is just a formality." So, Richard transmitted the data on super-intelligent canines, as well as the blueprints from when MAD bio-engineered Brain. However, there were still problems.

After the transmission ended, Chief Quimby sighed as he turned to face the Gadgets. "Well, having the know-how is one thing, but still, there's the issue of cost. When Inspector Brown was bio-engineered to become Inspector Gadget, it cost the department a fortune; well into the millions. And when MAD bio-engineered Brain, it cost them 12 million dollars." This knowledge weighed on them, and led to many somber faces in HQ. Just then, the phone rang. Fred answered it, and then hung up. "Penny, Brain, we have to get back to the animal hospital. Lucy's taken a turn for the worse."

Elsewhere in the police department, the MAD sniper was roughly shoved into a jail cell. His leg was bandaged up. In the next cell, (former) MAD agents Jenny and Lisa watched. They had seen this sniper around the MAD hideout, but never talked to him, because he seemed to them to be an evil creep. The kind that torments animals for fun, because no human wants anything to do with him. When Jenny and Lisa heard what he had been captured for, they were enraged. They had both grown fond of Penny and Brain, and the thought of this evil creep following the orders of Talon, another evil creep, and trying to snuff out two good souls like Penny and Brain, from a distance, like a coward, filled them with hatred toward him. They didn't hesitate to let him know about it, either. Jenny and Lisa both called out to him from their cells that they hoped he got a lethal injection, although even that was too humane for him.

At the animal hospital, The Gadgets and Fred were greeted by a different doctor. (The first one wanted no further part of them.) Lucy's wound had become worse, and she was now on life support. Worse, there was some blood clotting, which the doctors feared may cause a stroke and kill her brain. They were already worried about loss of brain cells. "Basically, we can keep her on life support indefinitely, as long as she doesn't have a stroke. But the chances of her recovering, by herself, are almost zero. I'm really very sorry." This doctor had already been warned NOT to mention the option of putting Lucy to sleep. Brain stared at the floor without responding. Penny spoke for him. "Thank you, doctor; I know you're doing all you can for her."

That evening, The Gadgets gathered at their home, with Fred. Uncle Gadget had come home early, and summoned a glazier to come and replace the shattered window in Penny's bedroom. After that was done, the carpet was torn out, because they'd never be able to get all the tiny little glass shards out, and replaced the same day. There were also bloodstains where Lucy had lain before she was taken to the hospital. This carpeting could not be saved, so it was replaced. With that completed, Uncle Gadget sat in the living room with Penny, Brain and Fred, while they pondered the situation with Lucy.

Fred had, at first, experienced some jealousy toward Brain, particularly when he observed Penny hugging him close in the truck, on their way back from the mission against MAD. However, when he heard the details of how Brain had saved her life this morning, and reflected back on the long history of the Gadgets vs. MAD, and how many times Brain had saved her before, (and vice versa) he realized what a fool he had been. Now, he resolved to amend for his foolish jealousy. Uncle Gadget had just pointed out that there was no way to fully bio-enhance Lucy, because this would cost a minimum of 12 million dollars. "I'm sorry, Penny, but if the department wouldn't pay for Brain's bio-enhancement, even though he is a highly respected law enforcement officer, there's absolutely no way they'll do it for Lucy."

Fred spoke up. "I think I have another solution. We could use just enough bionics to repair the spine. Forget turning her into a Gadget dog, just get her on her feet. That wouldn't cost nearly as much. However, I think we should also use the files for increasing her intelligence. You heard the doctors. She may already have brain damage. This would ensure that she doesn't become a vegetable." Brain was very distraught over this suggestion. Although he himself had successfully gained superior intelligence as a result of MAD's experiments, all of his siblings had not been so lucky, and had been driven rabidly insane when the experiments failed. Fred assured Brain that he had studied the files, and was confident that it would work with no negative side-effects. Brain said, "Well… even if we don't make her a full Gadget dog like me, this will still cost quite a bit of money. Where's that going to come from?"

Penny asked Brain to come sit next to her, and he obeyed. She wrapped her arms around him, and said, "Brain, Fred and I have already figured out how much this will cost. It's going to be close to half a million dollars. So, I'm going to take the trust money from the sale of my parent's house, and pay for this myself." Shocked, Brain looked at her. "Oh, Penny, NO! I… I couldn't ask you to do that! You should be using that money to build your future, and—" Penny gently shushed Brain by putting a finger on his lips. She hugged him close as she said, "Brain, you silly dog! You saved my life this morning, and how many times before that? Well over a hundred, by my count. If not for you, I wouldn't HAVE a future! This is finally a way for me to really show you how much you mean to me."

Uncle Gadget slowly shook his head, amazed by this stunning gift of love from Penny to Brain. He always knew that Penny was selfless, but this was a whole other level of generosity. Fred had volunteered to assist the surgeons with the spinal bio-enhancements, and with implementing the procedure to save Lucy's brain from deteriorating. This would go a long way toward keeping the costs down.

Later that evening, Brain entered Penny's bedroom and warily looked around. It was impressive that both the window and the carpet had already been replaced in one day. Brain and Penny could still smell traces of paint and construction-grade glue in the air, but the room was safe to use now. Brain hopped up on Penny's bed, and she was waiting there to chat with him. Brain first sat on his usual spot at the foot of the bed, but looked sad that Lucy was not there next to him. Penny patted the spot next to her, and held out her arms. Never one to turn down a hug from his favorite human, Brain walked across the blanket and accepted Penny's embrace. Truthfully, he was still very shaken inside. His girlfriend was in an animal hospital, clinging to life, and his dearest friend Penny came within a few inches of death that same day. It was very rare that Brain let out tears, but he did so now, and Penny tried her best to console him. She reminded him that Lucy was going to be saved.

After a moment, Brain composed himself, and looked up at Penny. "Are you absolutely SURE, that this is what you want to use that money for, Penny?" She stroked his head and assured him that it was. "How could I possibly let Lucy die, right after you and she just fell for each other, and you saved my life, yet again; how could I selfishly spend that money on something like a house, when I could use it to make sure you and Lucy have the chance for a lifetime of happiness?" She then switched off the light, and insisted that Brain stay right where he was for that night. Brain was very grateful for this; the last thing he wanted was to feel cold and alone, missing Lucy even more. So, he rapidly fell asleep, cuddled next to Penny. She kept her arm around him, sharing her warmth, until she was sure he was 100% asleep. She quietly spread an extra blanket over him, so Brain would not feel cold in the night, then allowed herself to fall asleep.

Talon's sleep was interrupted when six heavily armed police officers suddenly appeared before his jail cell. The door slid open, and they wordlessly grabbed him, and bodily carried him down the corridor. On the way, they passed the cells containing Jenny and Lisa, who looked at each other and smiled. This sight alone made their incarceration worth it. Talon was thrown into an armored police truck, and the six officers got in with him. The truck started to move, flanked by four police cars, and a police helicopter overhead. After an hour on the road, the convoy arrived at a supermax prison, where the most violent and most dangerous criminals were held; those that were too dangerous for even a maximum security prison. Talon was carried out of the truck, into the prison, and thrown into a solitary confinement cell.

A voice crackled over the speaker in the ceiling. "We decided to skip the trial in your case. You're going to stay in this cell, alone, from now until the day you die. There will be no visitors, and no contact with other prisoners." The speaker fell silent, the door clanged shut and locked. Talon heard the officers walking away, then the lights turned off, leaving him alone in the darkness. Thus began day one of his lifetime sentence of total and complete isolation.

Penny woke up in her room, and before she even opened her eyes, she could feel something warm laying on top of her. She opened her eyes, and all she could see was Brain's red nose, right in her face. It was softly moving up and down. Brain was still fast asleep, and obviously during the night, he had cuddled up on top of Penny, just as many dogs do with their owners all over the world. Penny stifled a giggle, and just watched her little friend for a moment.

All the way back to when she was just seven years old, Brain had never let Penny down. All through the years of battling Dr. Claw, and joining the Police Academy with her, and now battling Talon, Brain had come through for her, every single time. She never would have survived this long without him. In fact, Penny reflected to herself, she wouldn't have reached her 8th birthday without this little dog. Heck, she wouldn't have survived the first mission against MAD, if not for him. Then, MAD would have won, and taken over the world. It really was that simple. Penny acknowledged that she had also played a major part in the downfall of Dr. Claw, but it sometimes bothered her that Brain didn't get as much credit, when the truth was, she couldn't have done it without him.

Penny then glanced over at the clock, and saw that it was past time to get up. She wrapped her arms around the sleeping dog on top of her, and Brain woke up with a start. Penny giggled and said, "Good morning, Brain!" He was somewhat embarrassed. "Oh my gosh, Penny; did I climb on top of you while I was asleep?! I'm sorry!" Penny replied, "Oh, it's ok, Brain; I think it's sweet of you to do that. There's not much better than seeing someone you love first thing when you wake up!" Brain certainly agreed with that. Then, he happened to glance at the clock. "Yikes, look at the time! We'd better get moving, Penny!" She released him from her arms, and they both scrambled to get ready for work.

Former MAD agents Jenny and Lisa sat in an interrogation room, with their attorney present, answering questions from a police lieutenant. She was having a hard time believing their story; that these two had played a major role in the recovery of Penny Gadget. "See, girls, I think it's much more probable that you saw our team was closing in on her, about to rescue her, and used this as an opportunity to escape." She glared into their eyes. "What's the matter, wasn't the terrorist lifestyle all it was cracked up to be?" Jenny and Lisa were distraught. They wondered to themselves, where was the special assistance that Penny had promised them? The Lieutenant continued. "Right now, you're looking at ten years each, just for belonging to MAD. Even if it was for only a short time." At that moment, the door opened, and Penny entered, with Brain by her side. "Hi! Sorry we're late. So, where are we?" Jenny and Lisa sighed with tremendous relief, and Penny smiled at them. "I told you I have your backs!"

Penny and Brain gave strong evidence and witness testimony, both in the interrogation room, and at the trial. The judge and jury saw how much Jenny and Lisa had helped in Penny's rescue, and how sincerely remorseful they were about joining MAD. The judge commented candidly. "Ladies, the prosecution had asked for a ten year sentence for each of you. In light of the overwhelming testimony from… certain witnesses… (Penny and Brain winked at each other) …I have decided to reduce this to a sentence of six months…" The judge paused… "Of speaking to assemblies at local high schools. Share your experiences with these students, and warn them against joining MAD. Consider it your community service. Do this, and your records will be wiped clean." The judge banged his gavel, and the bailiff ordered "All rise."

After court was adjourned, Penny and Brain met with Jenny and Lisa, who had tears of gratitude in their eyes. They offered sincere thanks for the assistance, and met with their parents, who also offered thanks for bringing their daughters back to them. Mistakes had been made, but now they had a golden opportunity to get their lives back on the right track. As Penny and Brain watched Jenny and Lisa hugging their parents, they had no doubt that these two would reclaim their lives successfully.

At MAD's new hideout, Richard sat silently at Talon's old desk. He was now firmly in control of MAD. He read a report from his spies, noting with satisfaction that Talon had been tossed into a supermax prison without trial. The only way he would leave there would be in a coffin. Talon had made far too many enemies, and he had made the fatal mistake of picking on the Gadgets; the darlings of law enforcement. Inspector Gadget, Penny, and Brain had no idea how many admirers they had in very high places; not only in the United States, but around the world. They were seen as the guardians of the safety of the world itself by many in powerful positions.

Richard knew they were enemies of MAD, and at some point, they would have to be dealt with, but carefully. He decided not to target them directly, for now, but to concentrate on rebuilding MAD financially. Now that there wasn't a fool obsessed with the Gadgets in control, MAD could finally really grow. To truly accomplish MAD's goals, there were two essential ingredients; money, and power. The day of mustache-twirling cartoonish villains was over. Richard was determined to do things HIS way.

Deep inside the supermax prison, Talon sat on his bunk. He had literally nothing to do. He sat in this cell 23 hours per day. No visitors were allowed. At no time did he have face to face contact with anyone, not even a guard. For one hour per day, his cell door opened, and he was allowed to walk out, down a sealed corridor, to a small room with a few books, and a television built into the wall. There was also a small window, about 8 inches by 6 inches. The glass was bulletproof, and so thick he could barely see through it, but at least it let in a little natural sunlight.

If Talon had behaved himself that day, the television operated. If not, the staff cut the power. When his hour was up, Talon was ordered back to his cell via speakers in the ceiling. If he disobeyed, the staff could spray knockout gas on him, and then toss him back into his cell. Resistance was useless. His cell contained his bunk, a small metal toilet, a metal sink, and lights in the ceiling. The only diversion he was allowed in his cell was a book of blank pages, and a box of crayons for drawing. He was not allowed to have pens or pencils, since these could be made into weapons. He opened the book, and began a drawing of Penny Gadget. He had hatred in his eyes as the drawing took shape.

After the trial, Penny and Brain headed straight to the animal hospital. Fred was already there, putting on scrubs, preparing to assist the surgeons with Lucy's operation. Penny gave him a quick kiss on the cheek for good luck, then Brain asked to have a private word with him. Penny walked over to the vending machines in the lobby, giving Brain and Fred some privacy. Brain spoke first. "Listen, Fred, I get the feeling that there's been some tension between us, over Penny. She's my best friend, but she's your girlfriend. I understand that completely, and I just want to be sure that we're okay." Fred assured him that there was nothing to worry about. "Don't worry, Brain; Penny and I have already discussed this. And besides, I've seen two of your missions together now, and how you watch out for each other. Multiply that times several hundred other missions against MAD, and on the police force, and I completely get how much you two love each other." This relieved Brain a great deal. He then looked at Fred, and spoke again. "Fred, if you can help save Lucy, the only real girlfriend I've ever had… I'll owe you one, big time." Fred smiled. "Brain, I promise you: I'll give it my very best. She'll be fine, just wait and see."

The next few hours were the most difficult part, especially for poor Brain. All he could do now was wait out in the lobby, while several surgeons, aided by Fred, attempted to repair Lucy's spine, using bionics, and give her the procedure to boost her IQ, to prevent her brain from dying. Penny could tell that Brain was worried sick, so she picked out the most comfortable sofa in the lobby, sat down, and invited Brain to sit with her. He did so, and she put her arm around him, because she knew this was a sure-fire way to calm Brain down and help him relax. Brain wasn't all that worried about the spinal procedure, but he was very nervous about having her undergo the same procedure that gave him superintelligence.

"Penny, I just can't forget how that procedure drove all my siblings insane. Yes, it worked on me, but—" Penny gently interrupted him. "Brain, try to relax. Fred studied this, and he's sure it will work on Lucy. Just think, then she'll be smart enough to communicate with all of us. And remember, if we don't, there's a good chance her brain will degenerate, and then she'll die anyway. This is the best solution available." Brain didn't argue further, but still looked very worried. Penny hugged him closer, and stroked his head. Brain then remembered something, and glanced up at Penny. "Also, thank you, one more time, for sacrificing your inheritance from your parents to pay for this. I appreciate it very much, Penny." She smiled and replied, "It's the least I can do for you, Brain."

An hour later, Fred stepped out of the operating room, and saw Penny and Brain, sitting on the couch, holding each other, and sound asleep. This time, Fred did not experience a hint of jealousy. He just smiled, reached out and gently tapped Penny on the shoulder. "Hey." They both woke with a start at the same instant. Brain looked at Fred anxiously. "Well, Brain, it's all done. Physically, she's completely fine now. Her spine is repaired, with the use of bionic components. She's not a full-on gadget dog like you, but she can walk again." Brain said, "That's great! And, what about her mind?" Fred sighed. "We don't know yet. She's asleep, and her body badly needs this rest. No negative symptoms yet, but we won't know for sure until she wakes up."

Brain and Fred waited in the animal hospital, in Lucy's recovery room. Penny had offered to stay as well, but Brain assured her it wasn't necessary, and repeatedly promised Penny that he would notify her as soon as Lucy woke up. Fred had to stay, just in case anything was wrong with Lucy when she woke up. Penny had brought along Brain's old translator collar, which translated canine speech to English. Brain no longer needed it, since his canine translator was built in to his body, so Penny gently placed it around Lucy's neck.

Penny returned to HQ after the operation, and received a briefing from Chief Quimby. Things in Metro City were quiet. A few minor robberies at convenience stores, the usual traffic citations, but nothing on an epic scale. A welcome change of pace. Inspector Gadget walked over and joined them. Quimby looked around, then threw up his hands. "Well, you both might as well take off. Get an early start to the weekend. I think we've earned it."

While Brain and Fred were waiting for Lucy to wake up, Fred took advantage of this opportunity to ask Brain a very serious question. He had already asked Uncle Gadget, and now he needed to ask Brain. When Brain heard the question, he smiled and said, "Absolutely." Fred sighed with relief. Just then, Lucy started to stir. She was conscious again for the first time since the sniper had shot her, on Penny's bed. Her eyes slowly focused, and she saw Brain looking down at her. She smiled, and her mouth moved. Lucy's first word was, "Brain!"

Penny had just sat in her new Mustang with Uncle Gadget, preparing to drive home, when her video watch beeped. She looked at the screen, and saw Brain and Lucy together. Both of them were smiling. Lucy concentrated, and with great effort, said: "Th—thank, you… Penny!" She then squeezed Brain close. Penny covered her mouth as tears squeezed out. This was, perhaps, the sweetest thing she had ever seen. Best of all, Brain looked so happy with her. She offered the couple her sincerest congratulations, and said she'd see them at home. She looked over at Uncle Gadget, who was smiling as well. He also offered Brain and Lucy his congratulations. When the image on her watch screen vanished, she paused for a minute to wipe her eyes, then twisted the Mustang's key. The V-8 engine roared to life.

When she arrived at the Gadget house, she saw Fred's car already parked there. Whereas Penny loved her flashy, rowdy Mustang GT, Fred drove a quiet, sensible Ford Fusion Hybrid. She smiled at the contrast, then hurried inside, with Uncle Gadget right behind her. They spent the next hour talking with Brain and Lucy. Brain was very supportive and protective of his girlfriend, who was still learning how to speak. Her intelligence had indeed increased, but learning the entire English language would still take a while. Penny was careful not to overwhelm her. Even Uncle Gadget got the hint, and excused himself to go to the study, and call his own girlfriend, Julie Jones. Fred stood up, and told Penny that he had dinner reservations for them. The underlying meaning was clear: Give Brain some privacy to help his girlfriend adjust. Penny actually was quite hungry, so, with Brain's blessing, she agreed.

After a quiet drive to the restaurant in Fred's hybrid, (which was like gliding down the road in a silent capsule, compared to Penny's Mustang) they had a wonderful dinner together. Penny was gushing about how happy she was for Brain and Lucy, and also heaped praise and thanks on Fred for helping to make it happen. "This operation on Lucy never would have worked without you, Fred. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it means to me, to see Brain happy like that." Ever humble, Fred acknowledged her thanks, but reminded her that she also deserved much credit, for using her inheritance to provide the necessary funds. She smiled and shrugged. "I would have given anything to help Brain, but, as it turns out, I did end up with about $50,000 left over, so it didn't take ALL of my inheritance." Fred barely heard her. He found himself enraptured by Penny again; watching her looking so beautiful, happy, smiling, joking, knowing she had a heart of gold… Fred asked himself, 'How did I ever manage to find such an amazing girlfriend?'

After dinner, they walked along the riverfront dock behind the restaurant. There were lights all along the wooden path. The moon was reflected in the water, while lights slowly blinked on the nearby bridge. Penny commented what a beautiful night it was. Fred felt his heart pounding, but told himself, 'If there was ever a right time, it's now. Just do it.' Penny was looking out across the water, when she heard Fred behind her. "Penny?" She turned, and he was on one knee, holding up a ring. She gasped, and clasped her hands to her mouth as Fred asked her the big question. Without hesitation, she said, "YES!" And she hugged him. After a moment of holding him, she looked up, and happily asked him, "What took you so long?!" Without waiting for an answer, she laughed and hugged him again.

Later that evening, Fred dropped Penny off at her house. She didn't think she had ever been happier. Fred walked her to the door, she gave him a kiss goodnight, and he got back in his car. Penny smiled as the hybrid whispered down the road. Always the perfect gentleman, it had been agreed that they would continue to live separately until after the wedding. The Von Slickstein family had somewhat old-fashioned morals, in some ways; they believed that couples should only move in together after the wedding. Penny didn't mind at all; she had often said that she was perfectly happy in her Uncle's house.

Penny felt like a teenager, trying her best to be as quiet as possible, slipping into the darkened house. Not that Penny had ever been a particularly rebellious teenager, but nevertheless, she thought it only courteous to be as quiet as possible, and avoid waking others unnecessarily. As she walked down the hall, she noticed that the study's door was slightly ajar, and the lights were on inside. She peeked in, and saw Uncle Gadget talking with his girlfriend, Julie. They both looked up and saw Penny. Uncle Gadget immediately invited her in, so Penny walked into the study.

Both Uncle Gadget and Julie were smiling at Penny. "So, Penny, how was the dinner?" No words were necessary as Penny held out her left hand, displaying the ring. That, and her smile, said it all. Uncle Gadget stood up and hugged her close. They held on to each other for almost a full minute. To him, Penny would always be the little girl in pigtails, playing in the yard with Brain. Come to think of it, Gadget realized she still wore her hair in pigtails, and she still spent much of her time with Brain, one way or another. When Penny finally released him, she saw tears on her Uncle's face. In all the time she had known him, she could count on one hand the number of times she had seen this sight.

Penny sat with her Uncle and Julie, who was also thrilled for Penny, and they talked for half an hour. She assured her Uncle that she was not moving out anytime soon. "We haven't set a date yet, Uncle, and Fred and I agreed that we won't move in together until after the wedding." She sighed. "He's such a gentleman, isn't he?" Gadget replied, "He certainly is." Penny's razor-sharp mind caught the hint. "You knew, didn't you?" Gadget looked at Julie, who shrugged. "I don't see any harm in telling her." Gadget looked back at Penny. "Fred asked permission from me, and even from Brain, to ask you to marry him." This delighted Penny, because it was further evidence at how decent Fred was, and also, it showed that whatever jealousy may have been simmering between Fred and Brain over her, was truly gone. Uncle Gadget assured her that she was more than welcome to stay in this house, as long as it took, until she and Fred were ready to get a place of their own.

Penny quietly climbed the stairs to her room, and silently opened the door. The bright moon outside offered enough light for her to see that Brain and Lucy were cuddled up together on the foot of her bed. She smiled and silently said, 'Awww…' to herself. Lucy was sound asleep, but Brain was not. He looked at Penny expectantly. She held up her left hand, and the ring glinted in the moonlight. Being careful not to wake Lucy, Brain slipped off the bed and hugged Penny in congratulations. She held him tight, and he whispered in her ear, "Congratulations, Penny; I think you've picked the right man." After a second, Brain then added, "He better treat you right, or else!" Penny nearly laughed out loud, but remembering that Lucy was sound asleep, managed to keep silent. She let Brain out of her hug, kissed him on the cheek, and gently set him down next to Lucy. She then finally went to bed.

Talon was not allowed any visitors, but he did still have loyal agents on the outside who sent him mail. Naturally, these letters were opened, read, and x-rayed, to be sure there were no hidden surprises. The staff here knew all the tricks, including people hiding traces of explosive and corrosive chemicals in the glue sealing the envelope. Once the letter had passed all inspections, it was placed on top of Talon's next meal tray, and then slid to him through the door slot. After eating, Talon studied the letter. Everyone knew the letter would be read by the prison staff long before it reached Talon, so they used a secret code that had been pre-arranged for this very purpose. The letter appeared to be about mundane subjects such as sports, the economy, and so forth, but Talon was able to decipher the true content. Richard had taken over MAD. He had already doubled MAD's money, and, MAD spies had discovered that Penny Gadget was engaged to be married.

Talon crumpled the letter in fury. He was rotting here in this forsaken prison, while out there, Penny was, no doubt, the happiest she had ever been. He once again heard something she once said to him: 'I hate you. Anyone who imagines that Penny and Talon could EVER be a couple, clearly doesn't understand me at all.' Those words would not stop replaying inside his head. Eventually, he dropped to the floor, and started doing push-ups, to release his angry energy. He looked up at the wall, and his finished crayon picture of Penny was looking at him. Only now, she was laughing at him. She was pointing at him, and laughing, relentlessly.

The guards monitoring Talon's cell heard a long scream of rage. They sighed. "There he goes again!"

To Be Continued…

AFTERWORD

I hope you liked this story, because it took me two months and a ton of re-writes. This story was harder for me than all my other Gadget stories put together. Several times, I almost deleted it.

I stepped way out of my comfort zone here, with all the romance and everyone hooking up with a partner. The seeds for Penny and Fred Von Slickstein were planted in my last story. But, I didn't want poor Brain to be the third wheel to Penny and Fred, and then, what about Inspector Gadget? So, everyone gets a partner.

The lines about Penny hating Talon come from the bottom of my heart. I absolutely cannot understand WHY there is so much Penny/Talon fanfic out there. She's a good hearted, honest young lady who has devoted her life to uphold and enforce the law; He's an arch-criminal in training. She would want nothing to do with him, especially after all the times MAD tried to destroy her, Brain, and her Uncle Gadget.

All the flashbacks are from my previous Gadget stories; feel free to check them out.