Chapter 17: A Surprise For Lunch

"Monterey?" Joanne could barely believe whom the desert wind had blown back into her restaurant after so many years. That is, it could as well have been the sharp Cheddar scent from her kitchen. She wondered from how far away it might have lured him back, and how they were able to recognize each other.

Monty got up. He had landed flat on his tummy after pouncing upon the cheese and remained lying there on the floor until the cheese was gone. He, too, was delighted to see her again. "Jo!" He walked up to her, took his hand, and kissed its back the correct way, namely without his lips touching it. "I'm very pleased ta meet ya, me lass."

Joanne couldn't help but giggle, almost as though she was a little mouse girl again. "Aw, Monterey, you're indeed still the same old school gentleman you were back then. With the same cravin' for Cheddar you had back then."

"Yeah," Monty switched to small talk, "Cheddar's still one o' me favorites. An' Brie... Brie '86... nothin' will ever be that good. Too bad it's long gone."

"Enough cheese talk, Monterey." Joanne sat down at a table. "C'mon, sit down with me. It's been how long now?"

Monty took the seat opposite her. "It'll be twenty-two years this fall."

"Twenty-two years... a long time... I guess a lot has changed since then. Not only have we grown older... Tell me, what've you done all the time? You're still the same restless vagabond you've always been? How's Geegaw doin'? And who's that blond mousie over there, have you raised a family?"

The dampened noises of the Rangerplane touching down came in from outside when Monty began to explain. "Well, no, that sheila's Geegaw's li'l daughter. C'mere, Gadget luv, an' meet Joanne!"

Gadget came and shook hands with Joanne. "Hello," she said with a smile, "I'm Gadget."

"Hi Gadget," Joanne greeted her back. "Heh, Geegaw's little daughter..."

"Achally," Gadget corrected, "Dad has got two daughters. I've got a twin."

As if on cue, the other Rangers plus Todd and Melissa entered the restaurant, and when they found Gadget and Monty with Joanne, they joined them. Gadget laid her arm around LaWahini's shoulder. "This is my sister LaWahini," she introduced her to Joanne. "LaWahini, and everyone else, this is..."

"This is Joanne," Monty took over as he knew her better. "Geegaw an' I met 'er on a trip ta Nevada twenty-two years ago. Long story. Jo, these are me mates from New York City, the Rescue Rangers. an' these are Todd and Melissa, they're from 'ere."

"Oh, I've seen Todd and Melissa before, but who are the Rescue Rangers? Apart from the bits I've heard about them? And how come you're one of them?"

"'Nother long story, Jo luv."

Joanne placed her elbows on the table, rested her chin in her palms, and smiled. "Tell me. Tell me everything that happened since back then."

Monty was about to start retelling events from four decades when Chip spoke up. "Uh, I don't want to spoil your little reunion, but remember our time is limited."

"Okay," Joanne said, "what about this? You go through the menu and pick something for lunch, you people look awfully hungry. And when I'm back from the kitchen with your meals, I'm gonna sit down with you and listen to your stories."

"Agreed," Chip said and sat down at the table. The Rangers occupied two tables, and Melissa invited Todd to sit at a separate table with her.

"But first," Joanne added to her previous words, "you tell me more about the Rescue Rangers. You're a pretty lot, I thought you were... Some four, five, maybe six..."

"Five," Chip clarified. "We used to be five, but we expanded the team to nine last November. Three of our friends and Gadget's sister joined us."

"Ah. And what's your... business, so to speak? Rescue, right?"

"Rescue and crime-fighting for both animals and humans," Chip explained. "That is, most humans are of course barely aware of our existence as animals, let alone as the team that we are, but they still benefit from our actions at times."

"So, what leads you to Las Vegas? Are you on a case?"

"Indeed, they are," said someone. Those who were sitting with their backs to whoever had spoken turned around.

"Allan!" Gadget was the first to express her being surprised.

"The same," Allan said. "I happened to have lunch here and had just finished when you came in. I'm actually glad I met you."

"Yes," Chip replied, "I can imagine it." The way Allan kept his eyes on Gadget didn't stay unnoticed by him.

"There's something you might need to know about your case," Allan continued.

"Oh, is there? Well, if it's so important, then tell us after we've ordered."

"Why this?"

Chip motioned Allan to come closer. He bowed down a bit, and Chip whispered, "Because I don't want too many people to know about the case. This includes Joanne and her staff."

"I see," Allan whispered back.

He was about to stand upright when Chip grabbed him by his collar and pulled him close once again. "One more thing, Capone," he hissed through his teeth, trying to speak in a way that no-one else would hear. "Don't believe I'm totally oblivious about your... flirting with Gadget. Listen, buddy. One false move into her direction, and you'll regret you've ever met us. No matter if we save a vault locker full of gems, the city, or the world tonight thanks to your framing your brother or not. Got it?"

"Got it," Allan answered hastily, leaving unclear to Chip who let him go again whether he meant what he said.

Chip addressed to the other Rangers and their two guests then. "Well, has everyone made their choice?"

By and by, his question was answered positively. Joanne collected the menus except one per table, took the orders from the famous visitors from the East Coast and their local companions, and headed for the kitchen.

When she disappeared through the door, Chip told Allan, "Now you can speak. What is so important?"

"My brother Francis is here. He's probably gonna make sure that this former spy completes his mission and won't end up in jail. He might not be as lucky again as he was the last time when he was able to meet the human in prison."

"Why is he so dependent of a human?" Gadget asked.

"Yes," Foxglove remarked, "I've never heard that spies or thieves have familiars."

"Francis may sometimes appear like a boss, and he loves to play that role. But he always needs someone above him to provide him with missions. He's a much better hired hand with goons of his own than a mastermind of crime or espionage. He's best as a Number Two, but he couldn't cope with being Number One."

"And do you think he knows we're here?"

"I don't know where exactly he is nor what he has done here so far. I only know he's here in Las Vegas with his two henchrats because I got to see him on his way to the airport yesterday," he had to lie to explain why he himself was in Las Vegas, "and I saw them here by chance, too. So he might have spotted you or your air fleet somewhere."

"Don't worry, Chipper," Dale said and laid his arm around Chip, "he needn't know why we're here."

"If he doesn't, he'll find out soon," Chip replied. "Why else would he be here than to make sure the gems will end up where that former spy wants them, namely in Nimnul's hands? Maybe he's already at the palace, and the question wouldn't be if we meet him, maybe not even when, but only where in that building."

"Bring 'em on, I say," Monty spoke while doing some shadow boxing. "We're nine ta their three! An' if I 'ave ta, I could take 'em all out by meself!"

"Monty, remember the first time we met them?" Gadget reminded him. "We outnumbered them, we had the better equipment, yet they caught us. Violence wouldn't have gotten us anywhere. Fortunately, Dale managed to free us."

"Didn't he think it was just a game?" Chip asked.

"Achally, he made everyone believe he thought it was a game. You know, the idea of having Dale lead this mission gets better and better."

"Wowie-zowie!" Dale jumped up and saluted. "You can count on me, Rescue Rangers! Hey, I even brought my Double-O suit." He took a fighting stance with an imaginary gun in his right hand. "I'm prepared for everything!"

Foxglove got up and pecked him on the cheek. "My hero!" She was absolutely serious.

"Well," Allan said, "as I can see, you're taking my warning seriously, and things will be taken care of." He left for the door. "See you!"

Chip watched him go and muttered, "I hope not. I hope it for you."

"Chip," he heard Gadget say, "is everything okay with you?"

"Sure," he answered, "why shouldn't it?"

"Your behavior towards Allan. Or rather your hostility towards him." So she had heard all he said.

"As I already said, Gadget, I don't trust anyone who tries to use the Rescue Rangers in their personal revenge schemes which I suspect is the case in Allan's case."

"Aw c'mon, Chip. You should be grateful, after all, this case might turn out bigger than we thought, now that we know Nimnul's involved in it. Maybe you were right, and we will save the world. I can imagine a lot of dangerous things someone like Nimnul could do with fourteen gems..."

"Besides," Chip interrupted her rambling, "I can't stand that greedy way he looks at you."

"So he looks at her," Tammy entered the discussion, "and he obviously likes what he sees. So what? Chip, if you believe everyone who gives Gadget the eye plans on snagging her away from you, go lock her away in her workshop, so no-one but us can see her. And while you're at securing your relationship, you'd better stay at the Headquarters, too, because you, sir, are quite the looker, too. And trust me, when I say it, I mean it."

"I'm sure Gadget enjoys the attention," LaWahini added, "I would if I were in her place. Or do you, sis?" Gadget nodded half-coyly, half-uneasily. "See, Chip, it's not like she feels molested or stalked."

Chip knew well how Gadget enjoyed Allan's flirting. Things would be a lot easier if she didn't, for in that case she would simply take care of the situation herself. Instead, however, she seemed to be willing to accept any invitation by Allan to anything. He had never thought that she would ever get so weak, especially near a guy who looked similar to not one, but two of the Rangers' enemies, one of which even had tried to kill her after she refused to become his moll. No, he hadn't worked eighteen years of his life on winning Gadget's heart to let her go with the brother of two crooks who himself was nothing but using the Rangers for something Chip considered worse than self-justice.

He looked up. The few other guests at the restaurant were sitting too far away, but Melissa might have heard every word that had just been spoken. He was glad to find her and Todd in their own somehow flirtatious conversation. It was one-sided, though, Melissa tried hard to get Todd to accept and react positively upon her attempts at flirting with him. It reminded him a bit of how Foxglove and Dale started.

There was one major difference between the two couples. Dale felt quite annoyed at first when Foxy didn't want to leave him alone, but a couple of days later, he was all hers. Todd, on the other hand, refused to realize that Melissa was interested in him. And she had certainly been flirting with him for years now. Not as many years as Chip took to win Gadget's heart, but still years.

Gadget... Chip suddenly imagined how Allan's charm would work on Gadget, how he would manage to take her away and make her his within hardly more than one day. 'No,' Chip decided, 'I won't allow that to happen. Even if I have to fight for her, for then so be it.'

A melange of appetizing smells and Joanne's voice drove Chip back to reality. She stood next to the tables and carried half a dozen filled plates. "Ladies, gentlemen, who ordered what?"