Chapter 6: Cute Little Chip

It was almost noon when the two Ranger aircraft accompanied Raoul on his way back home. After a while of resting in what was called fresh air in that part of the city, he had decided that he felt well enough again to fly on his own wings, and so everyone could start the little journey. It was not too far a trip, not even for a bird like Raoul who wasn't used to flying greater distances. Still he was glad when he finally had the roof of the building he called home under his feet.

"We'd better see if Mr. Jacob is there," Chip decided. "He might be at the police station or wherever, but he might as well be at home. And I don't want him to see us bring back his parrot. Zipper, can you find out if he's at home?"

Zipper saluted and flew from window to window, looking into all the rooms of the penthouse. He was ideal for this task, Foxglove was not only too large, but also as a bat a sight quite unusual to see at that time of the day. Zipper checked every room he could access, and Jacob was nowhere to see, so he came to the conclusion that Raoul's owner wasn't there, and reported this to Chip.

"Good, then let's get him back where he belongs. Or would you rather like to stay out here and live on in freedom?"

Raoul shook his head. "Why should I want to? What you call freedom lacks a heating, heck, it even lacks a roof against the weather, I'd have to fight for my food and against predators, no thanks, I prefer my comfy cage."

Monty shrugged. "Ah well, ta each their own. I guess a nice way o' livin' is somethin' else fer you than it's fer me."

For the second time that day, the Rangers passed through the intake of the air-conditioning, however, this time they weren't starting but finishing a case, and what they had been looking for they had with them now. At the end of the air duct, Monty pushed the grid open and motioned Raoul to fly the last bit to his cage. "Welcome 'ome, mate!"

Raoul decided to do a little speech in honor of his rescuers. "Rescue Rangers," he had been told earlier who was dealing with him, "I have to thank you for what you've done. You've freed me, you've stopped my tormenting, you've even saved my owner's wealth. I wish I could do something in return for you."

"You don't have to, Raoul," Chip declared, "it's just our job, so to say."

"You guys are incredible. You help and rescue and fight crime for nothing. I wish there were more like you out there." He took off and flew into his cage.

"That was it, everyone," Chip said. "Let's go have lunch."

Foxglove disagreed. "Wait. There's something else to be done." She flew over to the cage and closed its door. "See, that looks way better. And more like a miracle," she explained as she landed in the air duct again.

From his cage, Raoul waved the Rescue Rangers goodbye. "So long, my friends. Maybe we'll meet again. Until then, always remember: Never give up. Someone may count on you to fight on, even if you don't know."

The Rangers waved back until Monty shut the grid and then walked their way out of the building. Raoul's last words for them wouldn't stop sounding in their minds. Although he didn't really know them, he was able to estimate into what situations fate would send the Rangers on their cases. And indeed, there had been such situations in the past where some or all Rangers had to rescue themselves or overcome strong obstacles before they could rescue someone else who not seldomly was one or more of them.

"A strange bird," LaWahini judged. "That wise saying coming from him... it fits him about as well as a Polynesian rat with a surfboard tucked under his arm. Namely not at all."

"But what he said is true," Gadget pointed out. "I remember how Monty had to fight against his own cheese craving to rescue me. Or how Chip, Dale and I were tied to a hook and had to save Monty from a sawmill. And you should still know how I struggled for rescuing my friends from what you were about to do to them."

LaWahini knew as well that she didn't have to apologize for her past deeds to her sister anymore. She had done enough so, and she'd just annoy everyone if she went on with it. So she decided to shut up.

"Well," Chip said as the Rangers stood outside by their aircraft again, "our first case as a team of nine was successful, wasn't it? Not quite normal, and not too easy, but successful."

"And what comes next?" Tammy wanted to know.

"Lunch," Chip answered. "Let's fly back to the Headquarters." He was about to say, "Let's fly home," but while the tree had been a home to him and Dale for almost as long as they were living in this city, some of his mates had hardly even moved in. And now that Gadget's father was restoring his and her old home, he wasn't sure if she would go on regarding the Headquarters as her current home, despite having a room, her workshop, her long-time replacement family, and spent one half of her life there.

Now that the case was solved, Chip's thoughts went into some other directions while he was sitting next to Gadget in the Rangerwing. What would happen that night? Will it be something special, or just basically a date like most of them? Will he and Gadget be able to evade their teammates and their matchmaking attempts? Or should he rather put his future into their hands? What if this date didn't happen at all? And if it did, what would he and Gadget be in the end? Would he have the chance he had been waiting for for so long now? And would he have the courage to take it and tell Gadget what he had to tell her? All that thinking even raised an uncertainty in him whether she would return his feelings at all.

The first lunch of the new Rescue Rangers together with the old went along quietly. Chip and Gadget were both lost in their thoughts about the past month and their upcoming date. And the others couldn't talk much with Chip and Gadget listening. So they were glad when Chip announced that the rest of the day would be without Ranger work unless there was a case of emergency.

By and by, most Rangers left the Headquarters for different destinations. Dale fetched his hang glider out of the hangar, and he and Foxglove took a last chance for a flight through the Indian summer in the park. The other three new Rangers explained that they went to get some of their belongings they'll need at their new living-place; Foxglove had her few things stored at the Headquarters anyway, and she had lived in the same tree for some years now, only outside in the branches. Monty and Zipper said they had to go to the rodent market and some groceries since nine Rangers needed more food than five. After a few minutes, only Chip and Gadget were left, the latter being on her way out, too.

"Chip," she started as she went through the main room where Chip was still standing, "do you think tonight will be... um... a very special night?"

"Why do you ask, Gadget?"

"Would you like it to?"

"Of course. Gadget, for you I'd even dress up tonight. Put on my best tuxedo."

Gadget smiled. "Well, I'm gonna do something similar. Kind of." Chip knew that Gadget would never wear that red dress on a date with him, and that she didn't have anything else in her wardrobe. So he expected her to replace her goggles with a flower in her hair and stay in her overalls again. What he didn't know, however, since she kept it secret, was where she was going now and for what purpose. After all, Gadget wanted it to be a surprise for him.

Despite this knowledge, or lack thereof, Chip stayed with his decision to wear his tux. "Fine, Gadget. Will you tell me where you're going now, too?"

"Um... there's something I've got to get. Can't go into details." This could be anything, especially technical stuff which she simply didn't want to explain, but Chip would never expect it to be a dress. She knew that well enough to rely on it. So she didn't have to lie to him.

"Okay, I'll stay here and wait for you."

She smiled a little bit more as she opened the door. "Bye then."

"Bye." He couldn't help but smile back. He was china in her hands even if he wasn't really in her hands. Wishing to be there was more than enough.

After Gadget had closed the door behind her, Chip decided to take his tux out of his wardrobe and see if it is okay to be worn on his probably most important date ever. He went into his room, opened the wardrobe door, and the loud screeching of the hinges in the otherwise silent Headquarters made him grit his teeth.

"These things urgently need some oil," he decided and left for where he expected some liquid lubricant to be found.

The moment he entered Gadget's workshop he realized that it was only her who knew by heart where everything was. He would have to search for an oil can. He started to look around. There were all kinds of mouse-sized tools he had ever seen, some modified human tools, an amount of parts and other to be used in future inventions of hers. But he didn't find any oil can yet. Instead, something else suddenly caught his attention.

There was a something standing on her workbench. A something made of shiny brass. Chip moved closer to have a look at this something, whatever it was, and it became clearer to him. It was a figure of about Zipper's size, but it was a chipmunk. Yes, Chip recognized himself in the thoroughly yet carefully crafted shapes of this figure. The jacket, the fedora, it was him all right. The legs were separate parts, and a key lay next to the figure, so it could probably walk when it was wound up. However, Chip didn't try it, he didn't want to leave his fingerprints on the polished surfaces. He just sat there and admired this beautiful little creation of Gadget's.

"This is incredible," he said to himself, "so different from what she usually builds for us." He was surprised that she could craft something like this. It wasn't mere reusing of discarded human objects, this was rodent mechanics at its very best. He noticed how cute this brass chipmunk was. "Am I really that cute?" Maybe it was because his brass self was smiling lightheartedly, almost dreamily, an expression rarely seen in his own face. And then he noticed something else. The brass figure held something in his hands, carefully pressed it against himself. "A heart? Can it be... a symbol for Gadget's heart? Gadget's heart... yes, what else can it be... Gadget's heart in his hands... in my hands, actually... Gadget's heart is in my hands..." It didn't take a Sureluck Jones fan and experienced sleuth to come to the one conclusion. This little brass chipmunk was what he had waited for. It was no mere hint, it was a borderline proof. No, it was a proof. "She does love me. Gadget loves me." He could barely keep himself from shouting it out loud, even though nobody was there who would have heard him.

He sat down in front of the figure, rested his head on his forearms, and went on admiring this magnificent secret love proof. He imagined how Gadget must have sat there just the same way and watched her little Chip walk by with a smile on his face and her heart in his hands. "I love you too, Gadget," he whispered. "I love you too... my little Gadget."

And Chip Maplewood, the analytic, mind-oriented, bossy, perfectionist, stone cold, emotionless leader of the Rescue Rangers, let a few tears run down his cheeks. They were tears of happiness.