Talon was in a dark blue suit with pale blue shirt and a geeky bow-tie – an outfit a good boy might have worn to church. He still had his hair combed down, and looked as endearing as the name he was using. Penny saw adoration on the faces of several jurors – older ladies, younger ladies, even another teenage boy. He made big, brown beautiful eyes at the court, and was still using his soft, gentle voice in answer to Dextrous's questions.

"I'd taken two stray dogs to animal welfare, and I was just going back home to see how my mommy was, when I heard this explosion from inside the Metro City Bank. Then I saw the robbers run out, carrying big bags of cash. That girl over there was their leader. Then later, I saw her picked up by police. I told them what I saw."

"And can you be sure," Dextrous asked, "that the girl you saw outside the bank, and later in the mall, was the person you see in the dock today?"

"Oh, sure she was. I was really shocked. She looks so pretty."

Penny's eyes narrowed.

"Thank you, Master Goodchild," said Dextrous. He sat down, and Gadget got up again. Penny had never seen him so lost for words. But she hadn't wasted time. Brain had passed her some courtroom stationery, and she had quickly written down what she wanted Uncle Gadget to say. She passed him a sheet of paper.

"Uncle Gadget! Read that, please?"

"Oh, OK." Gadget took it, and cleared his throat. "The Incorporated Stationery Company..."

"No, no, Uncle Gadget. Where my writing starts."

"Oh, right." Gadget read, loudly and unconvincingly, from the paper. "Your Honour, this young man has given a false name, and is wearing a holographic disguise. I ask that the court make him reveal his glue self."

"True!"

"What?"

"True self!"

"Oh. His true self."

"Is this correct?" Judge Wisely asked. Talon shrugged. "I asked you a question, young man." There was silence. "Mr Usher, the disguise-breaker, if you please."

The usher brought a device that looked like a TV remote and zapped it towards Talon. Irving Goodchild flickered, and then disappeared.

There was a gasp as the real Talon appeared in the box, with his MAD uniform and spiked hair. Talon was arrogant enough not to care. He stood with his hands on his belt, in a macho pose. Everyone could see the MAD logo on the belt-buckle.

Penny saw that the younger female jurors still looked impressed. And some of the gasps were coming from the public gallery. She realised for the first time that Talon had fans in the city. He gave them a cheeky wave.

"Hi, ladies."

Judge Wisely gave him a look.

"Will you please stop flirting in my courtroom and tell us your real name?"

There was a pause before Talon muttered:

"Talon Claw."

"Nephew of the famous Dr Claw?" the judge asked. "Evil mastermind..."

"... and President of the Horticultural Society. Yeah."

"So why did you tell the police, and this court, you were Irving Goodchild?"

"So I use a secret identity, occasionally. It's necessary. I'm famous. I'd get mobbed for autographs."

Judge Wisely pursed her lips.

"Answer Mr Gadget's questions."

Penny handed another sheet of paper to Uncle Gadget.

"Were you at the bank, and then in the mall, on the afternoon of the robbery?"

"I was in the mall. And yeah, I was outside the bank, like I told you. I saw her run out, carrying the loot. So I told the police what I saw. Hey, even bad guys like to help the authorities, sometimes." He gave Gadget a very smug look. "It's not me on camera."

Penny's heart sank. It wasn't, and they still had no real proof. Even when Uncle Gadget accused him of the robbery outright, Talon stuck to his story, and even looked outraged.

"You want to be careful what you say. My uncle's rich, and powerful. We got lawyers of our own."

He was pushing it. Penny could see his rudeness was starting to annoy the judge and jury, and even the teenage boy looked disappointed. But they still couldn't prove Talon was the robber. When the prosecution case ended at the lunch adjournment, they were no further on.

Penny still had bail, and was free to move around. But she wasn't hungry. While Uncle Gadget went off in search of a sandwich, she stayed with Brain. He knew when she needed him to be a regular dog, and he went down on all fours, and allowed her to pat him.

"Oh, Brain. What are we going to do?"

She overheard a familiar voice, further down the corridor. Talon was standing in the arched window that looked out across the city, talking via his wrist. He had his back to her, and she crept along, and listened.

"You were a fool, to let them break your disguise! And two of those idiots of yours were picked up, this morning, along with most of the money! You can forget about that new bike!"

Talon still sounded cool.

"Chillax, Unc, they've got no proof. It's still Goody-Two-Shoes on camera. She's got Gadget doing her case. No chance!"

"You had the perfect opportunity to frame GADGET for the robbery! Instead, you chose some insignificant high school geek!"

"Who's defeated you... oh... about six billion times, if you'd only admit it. Believe me, Uncle Claw, she'll be the perfect MAD agent. You won't regret this."

"I'm regretting it now! The authorities now know MAD was involved!"

"It'll all be over, by tonight. They've got no witnesses. No proof. Nothing." He suddenly caught sight of Penny. "Talon out." The faceless image of Dr Claw faded from his wrist.

Penny strode up to him. She knew she shouldn't be talking to him... with the case still going on... however...

"You are not gonna have a butt left, when this case is over."

"Hey, cool it, Penn! You don't want to add any more to the charge-sheet."

"How could you do this to me? After what you said, that day? How..." Penny stopped, suddenly. "What did you just say? About me being a MAD agent?"

Talon was still smirking. He looked like a cat that had not only got the cream, but been left in charge of the entire dairy.

"Why d'you think I chose you? Out of all the people in this city I could have copied?" He did that pose that always infuriated Penny, pretending to check his nails even though he was wearing gloves. "Relax, Penny, I'm not gonna leave you in jail. There isn't a prison in the country that MAD can't break. What d'you want? Escape tunnel? Hole in the wall? Helicopter? You'll only be inside, five minutes."

He was starting to grin.

"Then... you'll have a criminal record. And, while this would normally be a problem, at MAD it gets you to interview! Then, when Uncle Claw retires – partners in crime!"

Penny stared at him.

"So that's what all this has been about!"

"Well... it was actually about the money... but you were a handy bolt-on. That was my idea, like all the good ones."

"Can't I get this over to you, Talon? I don't want to be a bolt-on, or a criminal, or one of Dr Claw's henchmen! Henchwomen. And I don't want to be your partner! I want to stay at HQ, doing what I do, because I'm good at it. And I tell you this. I'm getting off, this afternoon. I'm gonna win. And I won't rest 'til you and the rest of your stupid MAD clowns are behind bars!"

She stopped. She had never known Talon go so quiet. He looked genuinely shocked.

Then she saw an angry look crossing his face.

For a second, she might finally have been looking into the face of Dr Claw.

She jumped as she heard him shout.

"Then stay in jail! I'll find someone else to share my throne!"

He stormed off, disappearing back towards the courtroom. Brain growled as he passed by, but Talon ignored him.

Penny took a deep breath.

"Whoa. That boy has serious anger management issues."

She went back to Brain.

"We need to come up with a defence, Brain, and fast. Uncle Gadget's doing OK, but we really need a witness of our own. It's no good burying our heads in the sand..."

She stopped.

"Sand... sand! That's it! And we got our feet wet..."

She grabbed Brain by what might have been his shoulders.

"Brain, can you get back to HQ? Get them to put a call in to the Metro City Art School."