Chapter 10: Mission Complete
Gadget got up to the cave, only to find the entrance had caved in. Jeez, how do I get in now? As she thought that, a huge blast pierced a hole through the side of the mountain. She fell back onto the ground. "Golly!" She got up, and climbed up to the new hole. This definitely leads to the inside, it's so hot. Smoke billowed from the hole. She put her goggles on and entered the new cave. She struggled to maintain her balance, as she could barely see her hand in front of her face. She slipped, and began to slide down the hole. She fell into an open area and landed on the floor with a thud. She stood up and looked around. She was back in the chamber. She couldn't see anyone. "Taryn?" She yelled. "Taryn, are you here?" She stepped on something. She bent down, and found a piece of paper. It was a picture of her. It was her father's picture of her.
There was a thud behind her. She turned around and saw Taryn standing there. A feeling of relief fell over her. She began to run up to Taryn, but stopped when he looked up at her. His eyes were red.
"Taryn?" Gadget asked.
"No." Taryn grabbed her by the throat, and raised her above his head. He then pulled his other arm back and charged up an energy shot. A smile spread across his face.
"Taryn. Please don't do this. It's me, Gadget." Her words fell on deaf ears. He looked at her and chuckled a little. He was about to strike her down, when he spied an object in her hand. He looked harder. It was the locket. He could see the picture of his family back home. His father…his mother…his sisters…he then looked back at Gadget's now flush face. He let out a cry as he released his grip on Gadget's neck. She coughed as she fell to the ground. Taryn grabbed his head and spun around on his feet, screaming. The red aura began to shrink and his fur settled down. He fell to his knees and looked up. His eyes returned to normal, and filled with tears.
"Father!" He cried. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I wasn't strong enough."
Gadget rose to her feet, and ran up to Taryn. "Are you OK?"
He looked up at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"
"It's OK." She said. "As long as you're back now."
The volcano shook more violently than before. It was ready to blow.
"Come on! We've got to get out of here!" She said.
"No!" He pulled away from her. "I'm a monster! I almost killed you! I can't control it! Just leave me…"
SLAP
He felt the sting of her hand across his face. "SNAP OUT OF IT! YOU ARE A HERO, AND MY ONLY WAY OUT OF HERE."
He looked at her, and then looked around. The lava pit below began to rise. There was little time left.
"You're right." He said. "Come on." He slung her over his back, and made for the hole as the lava crested over the ledge. He flew fast, but the lava quickly gave pursuit. He flew faster, and made it through the entrance just as the lava spewed through it. At the same time, the top of the mountain blew. The explosion shook the entire island, and threw lava and ash into the air. Taryn flew with his precious cargo high into the sky.
"You did it." Gadget said, as they floated there, looking at the mountain. "You beat him!"
"No, we did it." He looked over his shoulder. "You did it."
They landed in front of the Screaming Eagle. Taryn set Gadget down. She immediately ran up to her father. He lay there, motionless. "Dad! Wake up!" She grabbed Geegaw by the shoulders and shook him. He did not respond. She began to sob, hugging her dad.
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One week passed. Taryn had almost fully healed his wounds. He suffered a stab wound to the chest, and reinjured his ribs in the fight. Though this time, he had his powers to assist his healing. He was drained, but could still heal faster than a normal human.
Gadget had flown her father's plane back. She also flew her father's body back in it. After a couple of days of grieving, she got up the courage to give her father a proper burial. She buried him next to her mother. It was a small service. Taryn joined her at the funeral, along with a few friends. They each had some good things to say about Geegaw. A mouse that did so much good for so many others, without a thought for his own well being, deserved nothing less.
A few days afterward, Taryn geared up to leave. He stood in front of the airplane, with Gadget in front of him. "It's now time for me to return to my dimension. I have a lot of explaining to do."
"I guess this is goodbye, then." She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Will I ever see you again?"
"Maybe." Taryn looked to his right arm.
"But I won't remember you, will I?"
Taryn looked at her, surprised. "How did you know?"
"Come on!" She said. "I'm a genius. One part that you won't tell me what it does. I put two and two together."
"You are amazing, you know that?" Taryn said. "Then you realize why I have to do this."
"Yes." She looked at him. "That's why I want you to have this." The handed him a package. "Don't open it until you get home."
He grabbed the package. "I won't."
"How do you plan on getting home?"
"They left the experimental jet just to the west of here. I scanned its tracking beacon yesterday." He said. "It'll get me home." He pulled the neuralizer from its socket. After activating it, two arms swung up from the sides. "I will always remember you for the both of us. You are destined for great things, just like your father."
"As are you." She said.
"That leaves one thing left to do." He held up the neuralizer. "Seeya, little sister."
"Goodbye, big brother." The neuralizer flashed, and Gadget stood in front of her home, alone.
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A hole ripped open in the sky. A black jet flew out of the hole, and flew toward a building. "Taryn to base. Come it, over?"
"We read you, Taryn. Welcome home." The flight controller guided him to the hanger. He flew in, and landed the small craft on the deck. The canopy opened, and the battle weary squirrel jumped out. He was greeted by his father, his mother, his sisters Jenn and Kate, and Rez.
"By the Power, you did it!" Rez said.
"No." The squirrel said. "We did it, me and Gadget. Let her name be forever remembered by the LWC as: Gadget Hackwrench, Hero!"
"It shall be done." Rez said.
"Are you ready to be human again, son?" Ty asked, waving a new D-controller in front of him.
"Yes." Taryn said.
Ty set the D-controller down in front of his son. Taryn took off his old controller, and holding it and Gadget's package in one hand, he placed his right arm into the massive D-controller. "DNA RECOGNIZED. TARYN CORIN-JOHNSTON." With that, the D-controller shrunk to fit his arm.
"Bio-controller, activate, human form." Taryn said, and in a flash of light, he grew to human size, and turned back into his normal form.
Kendal took one look at her son, and immediately fainted.
"What was that all about?" Taryn asked his father.
"Look behind you."
"Huh." Behind him, was a large squirrel tail. "Huh, what do you know."
"We can fix that easy." Rez said.
"Nah." Taryn said, stroking the fur of his new appendage. "I like it. It's grown on me." He laughed. "It followed me home. I think I'll keep it."
"Well, what do you plan on doing now?" Ty asked.
"Well, first, I'll hand you this, Rez." He gave Rez the beaten D-controller. "Get this to containment. Then I need to fill out my report."
"Don't worry." Rez said. "I took care of it."
"Well then, I'd like to go home."
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In his room, Taryn sat at his desk. He began to tear open the package. Inside, he found his locket. "I thought I lost this." He opened it, and saw his family. But he immediately noticed the new picture. It was of Gadget. "Huh, she must have slipped this in." He placed it around his neck. He then examined a bundle of papers. They had schematics of TIPA technology in it. He let out a chuckle as he flipped through the pages. He set them down, and picked up an envelope. It was address simply as "Big Brother." He opened it. Inside was a letter. He began to read it.
Dear big brother,
When you read this, you should be at home. As you probably already know, I still have all of the stuff I wrote down about you. You didn't think I'd just sit by and give up my memories about you, did you? I did take out all of the stuff I wrote down about your technology, so I wouldn't be able to try and build it (you know I would try!). So don't worry.
I also slipped a picture of me into your locket. I figured if I'm family, I might as well be in that locket with the rest of your family. Look at that if you ever forget who you are.
If you're going through this as I think you would, you haven't seen what else I've given you.
He looked at the still open package. Sure enough, there was a pair of flight goggles in the bottom of the package. He let out a chuckle, before beginning to read again.
Those were my dad's. He would have wanted you to have them. Please wear them, and remember him.
I hope I see you again, someday.
Love
Your little sister, Gadget.
He laughed. "I hope so, too." He put the goggles on his head. "Here's to you, Gadget."
"Who is that, big brother?" A blond girl, who was about twelve, was standing in the doorway.
"This, Jenn, is Gadget." He turned to Jenn and stood up. "You want me to tell you about her?"
"Yeah!" He walked out of his room with his arm around his little sister, speaking of the little mouse that saved him from himself.
