Chapter 5.- Claw's plan and Trenton's opportunity.
In an unknown location at the outskirts of Riverton, a criminal group led by the villainous man once known as Victor Scolex was watching the news and the announcement of the battle between the Gadget Project units and the Sato Battle Suits X-27.
However, Doctor Claw couldn't help but chuckle.
Both Nathan Bradford and Inoue Sato were so stupid.
Neither a couple of dimwit cyborgs nor two idiots in metal suits would never be able to defeat him, no matter how technologically advanced they were. And much less once his plan was put into action.
- Excuse me, Doctor Claw. - Said Kramer hesitantly. - Wouldn't it be better if we just surrender and hand over ourselves to the authorities? I mean, Gadget was already bad news, two Gadgets and those suits can't be anything further from being good news for us.
- What?! You dare to suggest surrender?! - Claw asked indignantly.
- Can I kill him now, sir? - Rivera asked.
- Not yet, my dear, but if he suggests something stupid again, you'll get the honor.
- Thank you, sir.
- Now Kramer, once I complete my ultimate superweapon, there will be no one in this world that can defeat me! No one, not even Superman or Iron Man, and much less Gadget.
- We've heard a lot about this "ultimate super weapon" thing, boss, why don't you just tell us your plan so we can get started? - Sikes suggested.
- For once I can agree with your idea, Sikes, I indeed have to reveal my plan, but we still have to wait for the rest of the team which I have named as MAD.
- Why MAD, sir? - Rivera asked.
- It's the acronym for Masters of Absolute Dominance.
Then the doors of the hideout were opened, and at least five persons entered into it, eyeing the place contemptuously.
- Is this really an evil lair? - A man with a mustache and a thick French accent said.
- It's much less impressive than I had expected it to be. - Said a man with a German accent.
- I couldn't agree more. - Said the youngest of the newcomers.
- What happened to your real evil lair, and all your fortune and toys, Doctor Claw? - Asked a man in a sleek formal attire.
The last man was wearing a ninja outfit and had a katana on his back, this last man just nodded at Claw, who glared at the newcomers and said:
- A lucky idiot by the name of John Brown happened, he beat me completely out of luck and sent me to prison, then the police confiscated all my stuff and my fortune while Tony Stark bought my building!
Then Claw smirked evilly again.
- But that doesn't matter anymore, once my master plan is underway, nobody will be able to stop us! - Claw said.
- And what is your master plan, sir? - Rivera asked.
- Soon, dear, soon you'll know it, but I think our first task would be introduce ourselves, isn't it?
- Indeed, that is the polite way to make a team work. - Said the sleek man.
- Can someone kill this guy? I don't even know his name and I already want to kill him. - Said the German man.
- Silence! Just introduce yourselves! - Claw hissed.
- Very well, my name is MarĂa Rivera, I was part of the Cartel de Sinaloa until the head of the cartel ordered my termination, I just have to say that they learned to never mess with me again. - Rivera said with a smirk. - My field of specialty is hand-to-hand combat, seduction of the enemy, and above all, I'm the best shooter in the world.
- My name is Ian Sikes, I've been working for Doctor Claw much before he was known as Doctor Claw, I'm the muscle. - Sikes said.
- I am James Travers, I used to be a bank robber. My specialty is hand-to-hand combat and safe-box-cracking, there is no safe in this world that I cannot crack. - The man with the formal attire said.
- I'm Derek Steiner, I was once a demolition man, but since I craved for more, I started using my knowledge to make explosives, now if there's anything you need to blow up, just pay my price and I'll blow it up for you. - The man with the German accent said.
- My name is Antoine Lepetit, I am an expert at infiltration, I can sneak into any kind of place. - The man with the French accent said.
- Well, I'm Tyler Samson, I'm a hacker expert, as long as it is in a computer, I can take it. - The youngest man in the group said before signaling at the ninja. - And this is my companion, he likes to be called Slash, he's a master at almost every known kind of martial arts and not a very talkative man, he'll follow any order you give him, Doctor Claw.
- That's great to hear, Samson. - Claw said with an evil grin. - Kramer, I that believe you haven't introduced yourself.
- What? Oh, yeah, I'm sorry, Doctor Claw. - Kramer said nervously while he sweat cold and fixed his glasses. - I'm Jonathan Kramer, I'm Doctor Claw's technology expert, I can replicate or create anything he wants me to, as long as I get the resources, that is.
- Well, you all know me, so an introduction for me would be unnecessary and a waste of time, now, to the point. I have gathered you here because I require your expertise in the fields you mentioned to steal the items I need to create my ultimate super weapon! - Claw said with a diabolical smile.
- What is this "ultimate super weapon" you keep mentioning, Doctor Claw? - Steiner asked.
- It is simple, yet it will remain as a secret until the time for using it had come. - Claw said with a sinister grin. - Let's get back to business, shall we? I believe that I have not tell you my diabolical scheme.
- No, no you haven't, your Claw-fulness. - Rivera said.
- Ah Rivera, there are no women like you anymore. - Claw said charmingly. - Well, my plan is to make the biggest heist in history, we will steal 5 trillion dollars in gold from the Federal Reserve, which the government was kind enough to put in Riverton.
- But how are we gonna do that, boss? - Sikes wondered.
- With my ultimate superweapon, Sikes, we will use it to make our way to it and we'll escape thanks to it. - Claw explained while he eyed his pincer. - Anyway, you need to know what items you will get for me.
Then Claw stood up and walked up to a chalkboard which he turned and showed a very sophisticated diagram of the items he needed and their locations.
- Who drew that? - Sikes asked.
- Silence! Now pay attention! - Claw hissed. - I need to steal palladium fusion cells from the Stark Industries building that was my old headquarters; the world's largest ruby, which will be exhibited in the Riverton Town Hall in four days; and finally, the cornerstone of my superweapon, the Neural Energy Processor, which now we know is in Gadget's wife's body. And we need to get all these items before this Sunday.
- Um, excuse me, Doctor Claw, but why before this Sunday? - Rivera asked.
- Ah, my dear, that is the right question. - Claw said with a chuckle. - Why before this Sunday? Well, you see, this Sunday exactly at 10:01 am, N-Tek's satellite will pass exactly over Riverton, and we will use it to increase my ultimate superweapon's power!
- Why are we going against N-Tek too? - Kramer asked.
- It's easy, Kramer, I not only have pending matters with Gadget and Stark but also with Jefferson Smith and Warren Hunter.
- With whom else do you have rivalries, Doctor Claw?
- Nick Fury, the Red Skull, Bruce Wayne and Victor Von Doom are part of the list, and you will be in it too if you keep questioning my orders, Kramer.
The cowardly scientist gulped hard and tugged on the neck of his shirt while Claw simply stared at the drawings on the chalkboard.
Just three items separated him from reaching his goal, and then there would be no one that could stop him.
(Location: Bradford Cybernetics Labs/Time: 01:37 pm)
- That damn, no good, stupid bitch! I'll show her who's the waste of carbon here! - Nathan cursed under his breath.
- Um, Nathan, can you explain to me what the hell is going on? - Gadget said.
- Shut it, Gadget!
- Sir, are you alright? - G2 asked.
- Shut up too, G2.
- Hey, what's going on? Why are you being such a jerk to us? - Gadget said while he stood in Nathan's path.
- The problem is that I may have just made the stupidest decision of my life, and the only way to stop this from going from bad to worse is by defeating Sato's battle suits!
- Are you mad?! - Gadget asked. - Last year I could barely defeat Claw with his battle suit, now I won't stand a chance!
- Don't say that, Gadget! Don't you EVER dare to say that again! - Nathan said while he panted heavily in anger. - I know it's tough but it's not impossible. I've studied Claw's suit, it was much more resilient than Sato's ever will be, you just need a few well-placed punches to damage the suit enough to win.
- And how will I withstand a missile launcher?! You said anything higher than .50 caliber would destroy me!
- Remember that I also told you that your new coat is made of KVA nanofiber, it will withstand even a tank shot.
- Too bad I can't say the same.
- I said I have a few upgrades to make to both of you, didn't I? Those upgrades include what you two need to put that big mouthed bitch in her place.
Finally, the two cyborgs and the scientist entered into Nathan's office, where he started rummaging into his desktop drawers, his file locker and some sort of cabinet until he found three shoe boxes. Then Nathan grabbed a Swiss army knife from his pocket and gestured at Gadget to go with him while he pulled out the blade of his knife.
Gadget shook his head no, and apparently, this angered Nathan much further.
- COME HERE NOW! - The scientist roared.
The prototype gulped hard, he knew that going to Nathan would hurt, but not going to him would hurt a lot more, so he reluctantly started walking towards his brother-in-law.
Once they were face to face, Nathan grabbed Gadget's left arm rather violently, he rolled up his coat and shirt's sleeves and stuck his knife on Gadget's fake skin.
Gadget winced a bit, seeing how Nathan slowly but decidedly started cutting a part of his skin. The scientist lifted the skin patch that he had cut and grabbed some instruments to then start messing with Gadget's arm.
Few moments later, Nathan grabbed one of the boxes and pulled out a small device, then he soldered said device on Gadget's wrist. Once he had soldered the device, Nathan covered the circuits with the cut fake skin again and used some masking tape to keep it in its place.
- That wound should be healed by tomorrow morning, now let's test the new device. - Nathan said. - Say "Go go Gadget-Shield."
- Um... Go go Gadget-Shield. - Gadget said, feeling kinda stupid.
Nathan waited a few seconds, but nothing happened, then he grabbed Gadget's arm again and tapped the part where he had installed the new device a few times.
- Stupid glitches, say it again. - Nathan ordered.
- Go go Gadget-Shield.
And suddenly, a round energy shield appeared from his wrist, hitting Nathan and sending him backward, but he was still more than pleased seeing that his invention worked.
- Excellent... - Nathan said while he stood up. - Now lemme explain to you how that works...
While Nathan dusted himself up, Gadget eyed the energy shield that had been created on his wrist, then Nathan snapped his fingers a few times and recovered Gadget's attention.
- Ok, you shield is very resilient, but it's not eternal. It can withstand two tank shots but not more; if your shield is destroyed, it'll need to take ten minutes to recharge before you can use it again. - Nathan explained. - Also, while you're using it, you'll start losing it according to how much damage it receives in combat.
- Ok, then I should make sure that it doesn't receive enough damage to lose it. - Gadget said while the shield disappeared.
- Indeed, now, come here, I have a way to stop your glitches from affecting your abilities, at least temporarily.
Gadget took two steps ahead and Nathan ordered to take off his coat and shirt. Gadget did as he was ordered and Nathan unscrewed the skin panels of Gadget's torso, revealing his internal machinery and the pieces that Nathan wanted to see, the interface chips.
Nathan grabbed a soldering iron, a pair of tweezers and some cables, then he started messing with the burnt chip. After a couple of minutes, Nathan had finished what he was doing and put the panels back on Gadget's torso.
- What did you do? - Gadget asked while he put on his shirt.
- I modified the third interface chip, that way your glitches won't get in the way while you're fighting, but like I said, it's not a permanent solution and more likely it's not gonna last long, so you'll have to be quick to beat the battle suit you'll face. - Nathan explained while he put his tools aside.
- Ok, thanks for the advice, I'll keep it in mind.
- G2, come here. - Nathan ordered while he gestured at his latest creation to come with him.
The cybernetically modified woman nodded and walked up to Nathan, then Nathan rolled up Brenda's sleeve and proceeded to install another device like the one he had installed on Gadget's arm, only hers was on the right wrist. Gadget had to close his eyes and control himself, as he saw how nonchalantly Nathan was cutting his sister's skin.
- Believe me, I didn't want this to happen. - Nathan blurted out.
- What? Play mad scientist with your own sister's corpse? - Gadget replied with his eyes closed.
- Do you think I liked doing that?! Do you really think that I did that because I thought it'd be fun?! Are you really that stupid?!
- The only stupid person here is you, Nathan.
- Gadget, for the umpteenth time, I didn't want to do that, but Brenda made me swear that I would use the Gadget Project on her if she ever had an accident like yours. She asked me to do so because she loves you dearly, Gadget, and she wanted to see the world like you see it. I only have to say that her dream has come true because right now, both of you are at least 70% machine.
- She said all that?
- Yes, she knew that you felt that you were no longer human, so she took the decision that if she ever got the chance to feel and see the things the way you do, she would take it without hesitation. - Nathan said while he finished installing the shield device on Brenda's wrist. - Now I see that I'm a perfect idiot. Sato was right, I'm a waste of carbon, I mean, I couldn't even make my sister keep her memories as a human.
In that moment, Nathan sighed heavily, which made Gadget grimace a but as he now understood a bit of what he had been thinking before turning his sister into a cyborg, and while part of him still wanted to kill Nathan, now he felt a bit more empathic to his decision.
- You're not a waste of carbon, Nathan. - Gadget sighed. - Maybe you are an idiot, but since you acknowledged your mistake, that means that you're a smart person and that you'll find the way to bring Brenda's memory back.
- How can you be so sure? - Nathan asked.
- Because I'll help you too.
- You mean it?
- Of course, Brenda's my wife, what kind of husband would I be if I didn't help her recover her life? Although it's gonna take me a while to see her and not want to strangle you.
- It's ok, I'd do the same if I were you. - Nathan said while he walked to a locker. - To be honest, I'm quite impressed that you haven't killed me already.
- That thought is still roaming in my mind, Nathan.
- Thought so. - Nathan said while he pulled out a metal briefcase. - G2, Gadget, come here, I have a gun for both of you.
G2 and Gadget obeyed their creator's order and Nathan handed each a gun, Gadget's was still blue with green lights while Brenda's was silverish and had orange lights.
- You already know how your gun works, Gadget, so we'll focus on G2's, which by the way is also an improvement of the technology that was used to create yours, it fires a solid photonic round at a speed that flies around Mach 1.5. - Nathan explained while G2 put the pistol in the holster inside her coat.
- Could you repeat that in Christian? - Gadget asked, utterly confused by Nathan's explanation.
- It... um, fires a hard-light round that goes a bit faster than a bullet. I codenamed it "Boltshot."
- So her gun is more powerful than mine?
- Kind of, it's better than yours at long range combat, but due to the fact that it could overheat and explode, the maximum shots per magazine is eight or two overcharged rounds, in your gun you have twelve shots per magazine, or four overcharged rounds. - Nathan explained. - However, none of you should make more than five simultaneous shots, three in G2's case, or your guns will have to take some time to cool down.
- Ok, anything else?
- Your new guns have a direct link with your HUDs, once you guys enter into combat mode, whenever you use them, you'll see a mark which will show where your gun is being pointed.
- Cool, like a real First Person Shooter game.
- Exactly, and one last thing.
- What is it?
- Whatever happens, do your best, that goes for you too, G2.
- Yes, sir! My performance will not disappoint you! - Brenda said while she saluted.
- So, that's all? - Gadget asked his brother-in-law.
- Yes, that would be all. - Nathan said. - You're free to leave, after all you gotta go pick up Penny from school.
- Oh damn it! I completely forgot about Penny! What am I going to tell her if she sees Brenda like this?!
- The truth, Gadget, the truth. - Nathan said. - And speaking of which, you'll have to wait for another month while I build a new NEP, you know I used the only one we had on Brenda.
- It's ok, don't worry, I've been waiting for nearly a year, I certainly can wait another month.
- Excellent, I promise I'll have ended it by the end of the next month.
- Hope you don't start delaying it like everything else, Nathan. - Gadget said with a smirk.
- Nice to see you making silly jokes again, Gadget.
- My jokes aren't silly, Nathan!
- Tell that to the Gadget-Mobile.
- Does he know about this?
- He had to, I mean, I had to add Brenda's signal to the Gadget Positioning System.
- Right, I forgot about that, I haven't used it since I was put into service.
- Well, see you tomorrow.
- Indeed, I'll come pick you up tomorrow with Brenda and the Gadget-Mobile.
- Thanks.
- I just hope this is the right thing to do, Nathan.
- If not, we're all gonna lose everything because of my stupid ego.
- Sir, I will not let that happen. - G2 said. - The Gadget Project units will show Doctor Sato that we are better crime-fighting machines.
- We're not machines, G2, we're cyborgs, half human and half machine. - Gadget said.
- Incorrect, Inspector Gadget, the files say that you are 76.89% machine, and scans reveal that I am 81.34% machine. As such, neither of us is, as you have said, "half machine and half human."
- What? Why is she more machine than I am?! - Gadget snapped at Nathan.
- Her lungs were burnt because of the toxic gas, also, many of her organs were failing thanks to it, we had to replace them. - Nathan explained.
- By the way, what kind of effects will that gas have in my organism?
- I'm uncertain if it'll have any kind of effects, Gadget, after all, you've been fine until now but who knows if you'll show any symptoms later.
- Let's hope for everyone's sake that I don't, because if I have them, I could start showing symptoms in the middle of my fight with the battle suit.
- For now, you take G2 home with you, and try to explain everything to Penny.
- Explaining is the easy part, that she accepts this and the fight, that is another story. - Gadget said while he sighed. - C'mon G2, we gotta go home.
- Should I follow Inspector Gadget, Dr Bradford? - G2 asked Nathan.
- Yes, yes, he's your partner and somehow, also your superior. - Nathan explained.
- Understood.
Gadget and Nathan sighed again, recovering Brenda's memory would be a very difficult task.
Then both cyborgs walked out of the lab and headed for the parking lot, where the Gadget-Mobile was waiting for them.
- Hi there, Inspector G. - Gadget-Mobile said amicably. - I see that Doctor N did bring Doctor B back.
- No, he brought her body back to life, but she isn't Brenda at all. - Gadget explained while he and G2 hopped inside the car.
- What do you mean?
- Her memory is lost for now.
- I hope she recovers it soon, Inspector G, I really miss her commentaries.
- You're not the only one, Gadget-Mobile.
Gadget-Mobile ignited its motor and sped off to the Riverton Elementary School when Penny was waiting for them. Although she had a start once she saw G2, she just couldn't believe that her uncle, Quimby and Nathan had told her that Brenda was dead, and now she was in the Gadget-Mobile.
- How?!... This...?! She was supposed to be dead! - Penny snapped at her uncle and Gadget-Mobile - That's a long story, Penny, I'll tell it to you on the way back home. - Gadget said as Gadget-Mobile opened one of his doors to let Penny go inside him.
Penny walked up to the Gadget-Mobile and hopped inside, then the car made its way to their home, not without making a few quick stops to get Penny an ice cream and rent some of her favorite movies (Gadget thought it was the least she deserved for the mind bomb he was about to drop on her).
(Location: Inspector Gadget's home/Time: 04:45 pm)
- So lemme get this straight, Uncle Gadget. - Penny said while she tried to wrap her mind around the recent events. - Brenda died last night, but Nathan promised her that he'd use the Gadget Project on her if something like the accident you had on your first encounter with Claw happened, so now she's back but as her brain was "disconnected," she lost all of her memories. However when Nathan introduced her to the world, he accepted to put you two in a match against the battle suits of some crazy scientist called Inoue Sato, and now you two will only keep the lifestyle you know if you beat Sato's battle suits?
- Summarizing everything, yes. - Gadget said.
- This is bad, Uncle Gadget, you have to let me help you or at least be there to cheer for you.
- No, Penny, we've talked about this, you will stay away from danger.
- But Uncle Gadget...!
- My word is final, Penny, besides, in case I lose, I don't want you to see it.
- Why are you treating me like a baby?! - Penny demanded an answer while she started crying. - I'm not a baby, Uncle Gadget! I can defend myself! I can tolerate whatever happens to you!
- I'm not treating you like a baby, Penny, I just want you to stay safe. - Gadget said while he put his hands on his niece's shoulders. - You're my responsibility, and if something bad happened to you, I would never forgive myself.
- Uncle Gadget, I can help you! I can help you stop Claw and defeat Sato's suits! Just give me a chance!
- I know you can, Penny, but the best for you is staying away from this, at least for now.
- Why?
- Because you are just a kid, Penny, I know you can help me, but I won't risk you just to get a better chance at stopping Claw.
- You're saying that like you're my father, but you are not, Uncle Gadget! You are not my father! - Penny said while she ran upstairs crying.
Gadget tried to get to his niece before she closed her door, but she had slammed and locked her door. True, he could easily break it down or pick the lock and enter, but the least he needed was anger is niece even more.
- You're right, Penny, I'm not your father, but I love you, you're still my niece and I'm just doing what I think is best for you. - Gadget said softly while he held back his tears.
Penny gave no reply, she was crying bitterly in her pillow, and Gadget could hear her perfectly. After a few seconds, Gadget started to walk downstairs, then he saw that G2 had entered into suspension mode in the living room. He simply couldn't stand it anymore, he walked to the backyard, where he let himself fall backwards, then he sat leaning on the door that lead to the backyard while he started crying.
While Gadget sobbed, he couldn't help but reminisce about all the good times he had spent both with Brenda and Penny before he became Inspector Gadget. He started sobbing even harder at the thought that maybe he could never make any more of those beautiful memories, and it was all thanks to one person.
Victor Scolex.
Gadget couldn't help but regret his promise of not searching for him to kill him.
He felt so powerless.
All his abilities and strengths were now useless, he couldn't find Claw, he couldn't bring Brenda's memory back, and worse of all, he couldn't make Penny happy, and probably he couldn't beat whoever he would face the next day.
Gadget eyed his hand with red puffy eyes while he still cried. He couldn't help but wonder what would life be like if he and Claw had died in the car accident.
Gadget sat there and sobbed until he fell asleep, and he stayed there until morning came.
(Location: Inoue Sato's apartment/Time: 07:34 am)
Inoue Sato had been examining almost every file of all the cops of the RPD and she had found no man or woman that suited her specifications to pilot her battle suits.
The Asian woman removed her glasses and rubbed her bloodshot eyes, she hadn't had much sleep because she had to find the perfect pilots, but every cop was either an idiot, didn't know anything about fighting or was too fat to fit into the suits.
- Goddamn it! - Sato cursed while she put her glasses on again. - Why can't I find at least one single pilot!
Then Sato heard someone knocking on her door. The short scientist growled in exasperation, who was so idiotic, aside from Nathan Bradford, to interrupt her while she was so busy?
Sato stood up and walked to the door of her apartment, then she swung open the door with a rather angered look on her face.
- WHAT?! - Roared Sato at the one that had knocked on her door.
The person that had knocked on Sato's apartment backed away as the short scientist barked at him. And once Sato calmed down a bit, she eyed the man.
He was not too tall, but he wasn't short either, he was 6' ft tall. His complexion was built up yet he was still a thin man. Sato's eyes sparkled with hope as she saw the man, who was no other than Gadget's rival at the RPD, Dean Trenton.
- Um, Ms. Sato? Are you ok? - Trenton asked hesitantly.
- I'm more than ok, I'm completely perfect, and so are you. - Sato said. - Tell me, do you have any experience in fighting?
- Um, yes, I'm a good boxer, I know a bit of Tae Kwon Do and Capoeira.
- And you are a police officer, right?
- Yes.
- Excellent, my dear officer, I have a golden opportunity to you...
- I accept!
- I haven't even told you what opportunity you have.
- I already know it, Dr. Sato, I was present when you showed your Battle Suits X-27.
- Oh, perfect, why are you accepting? - Sato asked. - I'm sorry but I should know the reason.
- It's because this is the opportunity to show the Chief that a normal cop is even better than Gadget.
- You, sir, have just gained a very useful ally. - Sato said with her trademark smirk while she shook hands with Trenton. - Also, I must ask, do you know someone who would want to take the other suit?
- I already thought of a good candidate, Doctor, a person which I'm very fond of.
- I'll be satisfied if your friend just fits into the suit, you are perfect to show everyone that Nathan Bradford is nothing but a waste of carbon and of funding.
Sato laughed almost maniacally, but Trenton didn't mind, he was thinking on how he would show Riverton that Gadget was outdated.
(Location: Cliff at the outskirts of Riverton/Time: 02:00 pm)
The press of the whole state had gathered again.
Also, almost every officer of the Riverton Police Department was there.
All of them except for four cops, Inspectors Gadget and G2, and Officers Dean Trenton and Karen Ryan.
Every single person in Riverton, including those who were at work or at school, even MAD, were literally at the edge of their seats, they all supported either Sato's Battle Suit Project or Bradford's Gadget Project. Most people had put a lot of money in the line, even Claw's new minions.
Suddenly, all the people turned as they saw a black convertible car and a truck moving towards the cliff.
The car arrived at the cliff a minute before the truck did, and from the vehicle, three persons came out. All of them were looking at the people with a frown.
- We gathered a rather large crowd. - Nathan let out.
- Worse, we completely stopped all the other activities in Riverton and most of the state. - Gadget said.
- The local tv stations report the biggest audience they've ever had. Our combat is the biggest event of the year in our city. - G2 reported.
- So it seems, G2, so it seems. - Nathan said as the truck stopped right beside the Gadget-Mobile.
The back doors of the truck swung open, and from inside, three figures appeared. Two of them taller than Gadget and G2, and the last one a was a short woman. Some sort of platform came out from the truck and put all three on the ground.
Finally, the Gadget group and the Battle Suit group walked and stood up in front of each other.
Dean Trenton, John and Brenda Gadget, Karen Ryan, Inoue Sato and Nathan Bradford glared at their respective counterparts. For a few minutes, nobody moved nor said a single word, the air was full of expectation, as none of them really knew what would happen, even if they all of them were confident that their respective team would obtain the victory.
Finally, the dead silence was broken by Nathan Bradford.
- You can back down now, surrender and I'll consider having you as my paid employee. - Nathan said to Sato.
- Don't make me laugh, Bradford, I'm not gonna give up, nor I will give you the chance to chicken out, after all, you accepted to challenge my suits, you should at least have the guts to go till the end with that challenge. - Inoue said while she fixed her glasses.
- I don't need you to give me the chance to chicken out, nor I expected you to have such courtesies with me, if I did was simply because I wanted to spare you this humiliation because I'm a gentleman, even if you're the furthest thing from being a lady, but since you wanna continue, let's do this.
- Hope you're ready to lose everything, Bradford.
- I don't think so, Sato.
Finally, both groups deigned to look at the press that had transmitted the little face-off between Sato and Bradford, then both scientists shared a defying glare and said:
- Greetings, people of Riverton. - Sato and Bradford said in unison.
- Today we have gathered you here to show you a unique combat, the incredible and amazing Sato Battle Suits X-27...! - Inoue said while she gestured at Trenton and Ryan.
- ... Versus the powerful and sophisticated Gadget Project Units! - Nathan said while he gestured at Gadget and G2. - Today, these two mixtures of man and machine will fight each other to show which one is the best!
- The fights will be simultaneous. As the combats will be the prototype of my battle suit vs. Bradford's prototype Gadget...
- And my model 2 Gadget vs. Sato's model 2 of her battle suit.
- Um, Doctors Bradford and Sato, how will you make sure that neither of the contestants will interfere to help the other? - One of the guys of the press asked.
- That's a rather interesting question, and for that, the fights will take place here and up there. - Nathan said while he pointed at the top of the cliff.
- The models 2 will face each other on the top of the cliff, while the prototypes stay here. - Sato explained.
- How will you declare a winner? - A woman asked.
- Easy, when one of the contestants is down for thirty seconds, loses consciousness or surrenders, he or she will be declared unable to keep fighting, if that happens, the contestant loses. - Nathan and Inoue said in unison. - When both contestants from either side are unable to continue, the winner is the team with both of their contenders still standing.
- And now, without further ado, the match will begin, and it'd be wise if we all stay away from both fights. - Sato said.
- Gadget and Officer Trenton will stay here, G2 and Officer Ryan will be on the top of the cliff. - Nathan said while all four contenders took their places.
Once the press had gone to a safe distance from the fight, Trenton and Gadget glared at each other and started walking in circles like two wolves about to pounce on the other. Trenton was overjoyed, as he had been waiting for an opportunity like this one for a year; on the other hand, Gadget felt troubled. All the recent events had definitely taken a toll on his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if he was going to become insane any time soon.
However, the cyborg had other things to worry at that moment, so he pushed all the troubles that haunted him and focused on his opponent, finally acknowledging him.
- Why am I not surprised, Trenton? - Gadget asked with a not amused tone.
- You better be ready for this, Gadget, because I'm planning to mop the floor with you. - Trenton said.
- In your dreams, Trenton, you know nothing about real fighting while I have a whole database dedicated to it.
- Still, Gadget, you're outmatched and outdated by my battle suit.
- Outdated, perhaps; outmatched, I hardly think so.
- Why don't we find that out? - Trenton asked while he stood in combat stance.
- Then let's do this. - Gadget said while he stood in combat stance too.
The press got ready to transmit the whole battle, while the four contenders glared at each other.
"I can't let him defeat me in this battle." Gadget and Trenton thought at the same time.
