It was a bright, sunny day in Metro City just outside the Gadget household. Inspector Gadget was inside the kitchen making lunch. Suddenly, the timer on the oven went off.
"Ah! My omelet's ready!" Gadget said.
He went to the oven and removed his dish from the oven. Curious to say, the dish accidentally caught on fire when he removed it, causing him to drop it on the floor.
"Wowsers!" he exclaimed," Go, Go Gadget Water Pistol!"
He pulled out one of his fingers, revealing a mini pistol that spurt out a stream of water, extinguishing the fire.
"Go, Go, Gadget Arm."
His arm extended down to the floor and picked up the omelet, setting it on the table. Unable to resist, he cut a piece of it to taste it.
"Hmm. Seems a little too well-done."
Meanwhile upstairs, Gadget's clever niece, Penny sat at her desk working while her dog, Brain, slept on the foot of her bed. With a sneeze and a sniff, Brain jumped off and headed over to see what Penny was doing. Gazing over her shoulder, he noticed she was trimming pictures and placing them in what seemed an album. Then without realizing, he sneezed again.
"Careful, Brain. Cover your nose," Penny chided, "I've been working forever on this."
Brain tilted his head to one side in a curious way, wondering what it was for.
"Oh, it's just my scrapbook. I've been collecting photos and articles of everything that's happened to us over the past couple of years." Penny stated as she thought back, "The places we've been to, the crimes we've solved, the good times we've had. It's not quite finished yet, though. It's still got a few pages left. Enough room for the big 4th of July event this weekend. I haven't been to that festival in ages. Not since…well…Mom…and Dad…you know.
Her eyes started to get misty, but she hastily wiped them with her shirt and resumed her cheerful self with a laugh. Inspector Gadget was Penny's uncle and the brother of her late mother. Her parents had both passed away several years ago due to unknown circumstances and therefore came to live with her uncle, who took it upon himself to raise her as a promise to his sister.
"Penny, lunchtime!" her uncle called out from downstairs.
"Coming!" Penny replied.
She placed her scrapbook on her bed and immediately rushed down the stairs towards the living room. Brain followed, sneezing before leaving the room. Penny entered the kitchen and was a little perplexed when she saw that sandwiches have been set on the table with a bowl of fruit in the middle of the table as a side.
"Uncle, I thought you were making a cheddar omelet for lunch?" Penny inquired.
"Uh…Heh, heh. Yes. Well, I decided on something a little more homemade instead. Heh, heh."
With that he pitched the omelet into the trash while Penny wasn't looking.
"Besides, too much cheese is bad for your cholesterol anyway" Gadget added.
"Whatever you say, Uncle Gadget" Penny giggled.
Her uncle was Metro City's number one police detective and known to be the greatest worldwide. However, truth be told, he never solved a case in his entire life. That was due to the teamwork of his brilliant niece, Penny, and her dog, Brain. But she always let him take credit for the work, hoping that Dr. Claw wouldn't figure it out. She sat down and began to munch on her sandwich as Gadget read the newspaper.
"Well, Penny. Are you excited for this weekend?" asked Gadget.
"You bet Uncle! I can't wait for the big 4th of July celebration - The Independence Festival!" Penny remarked jubilantly.
As stated before, the 4th of July was one of Penny's much loved holidays and this festival was her particular favorite. Mostly because she had celebrated it twice before with her parents when she was little. Now it has been three years since it has come back to the states and being held this year in Gotham City. Penny looked forward to sharing the event with her uncle when all of a sudden –
Ring! Ring! Ring!
"Wowsers!" exclaimed Gadget, "It's the Top-Secret Gadget Phone!"
(He pulled a cord and antenna out of his thumb and placed his hand near his mouth)
"Is that you Chief? You're where? I'll be right there!"
Gadget walked into the family room, but found no sign of the chief. Just the doorbell rang.
"Mail's here! I'll get it, Penny!"
He opened the front door, which revealed Chief Quimby standing on the doorstep, dressed as the mailman.
"Ah, there you are Chief!"
"Here Gadget, read this."
He reached into his mailbag and pulled out an envelope.
"Sorry chief, but I paid my bills up front already" Gadget declared.
"It's not a bank statement, it's an assignment! Now read!" Quimby grimaced.
Gadget tears open the envelope and begins to read the message out-loud, as Penny eavesdrops from the other room.
"Firework companies have been going bankrupt due to recent robberies of their products. Suspect M.A.D. may be involved in the theft in order to sabotage the annual Independence Festival in Gotham City. Your mission is to find the culprits responsible and prevent them from carrying out their operation. This message will self-destruct."
"No worries, Chief. I'm always on duty!" Gadget declared triumphantly.
With that he crumpled up the paper and threw it at the chief. BOOM! The message exploded in his face.
"Chief, don't you think it's a little early to start celebrating now?" Gadget chided.
"Why should I…Why must I…Why do I – PUT UP WITH HIM?!" Quimby growled.
"Bad News, Penny. That was Chief Quimby" Gadget explained as he returned to the kitchen. "I'm on a case as of now and I'll be flying to Gotham later this afternoon – alone."
"Alone? But Uncle, the festival! You promised."
"I know and I'm sorry, Penny, but if I don't stop Dr. Claw, there won't be any festival."
"But can't I come with you? I won't get in the way! This is suppose to be our special time together. Please, uncle, please."
"I'm sorry, but no. It's far too dangerous for you. I need you to be a good girl and stay home where it's safe."
"Okay Uncle Gadget" Penny said, managing a sweet smile, "Be careful."
"Don't worry. I'm always careful" Gadget remarked.
And with that, he accidentally collides into the kitchen wall. Recovering and shifting his position, he dashes out the kitchen and upstairs into his room and began to pack his suitcase. Penny slowly walked upstairs towards her room as well and shut the door behind her. Her smile then began to fade into a depressed frown as she sat on the edge of her bed, dejected.
"Far too dangerous my eye!" Penny muttered bitterly, "Though maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Every time something fun happens in my life, something comes up. He's always too busy to spend time with me. I know he cares about me, but still…it doesn't feel the same, like it did with mom and dad."
Sighing, she flopped on her back and stared at the ceiling for moment.
"I thought I could make a difference in his life, and have that same relationship I had with Dad. Ever since I came here, I've helped my uncle fight the forces of M.A.D. Sure, Dr. Claw would catch me now and then, but I've become better at being stealthy. I don't need protection anymore, I can take care of myself now. But he never believes me. Not a word. Even when I give him advice, he insists it was all my imagination.
Penny's memory flashes back to the episode "Race to the Finish," as she is conversing with her uncle during a pit stop in the race.
"Good going, Uncle Gadget!" Penny exclaimed jubilantly. "You gave Dr. Claw some of his own medicine!"
"Dr. Claw?!" Gadget cried out suspiciously, "Where?"
"Out there. In the race."
"There you go again. I told you Penny, it's all your imagination! I've seen some very suspicious characters around here lately, but I won't believe Dr. Claw is here until I see him!"
"I guess you're right" Penny admitted sadly.
Flash back to the present. Penny stands up indignantly.
"All my imagination! He treats me just like a little kid. Well, as you can see Uncle, I'M NOT A LITTLE KID ANYMORE –
Penny then clutched herself in horror as she calmed herself down.
"Oh dear. What am I saying?" Penny spoke softly to herself, ashamed at what she just said. "I've never been this angry before in my life. This man has done everything for me. I can't afford to lose my temper during a case. I have to be calm.
Suddenly she heard a sneeze from outside her door.
"Brain? Is that you?" Penny asked concerned.
Brain entered the room with a runny nose and made it only a few steps before collapsing. Penny rushed up to him to help him up.
"Brain, you're burning up!" Penny exclaimed, feeling his forehead. "You're not sick, are you?"
Brain shook his head, followed by another sneeze.
"No! No, Brain! You can't get sick, not now! I need you! Please!"
Brain began to weep comically as if he was saying "I couldn't help it. Please don't be mad."
"Oh. There, there. It's alright. I know you couldn't help it," Penny soothed reassuringly. "I guess…I could fill in for you. I mean, how hard can it be?"
Brain looks puzzled.
"I'll think of something, don't worry. I'll keep Uncle Gadget out of trouble because if Claw ever finds out, he'll wipe us all out." Penny said defiantly, "But I'll never let that happen! Never! I won't lose the only family I still have left! I made a promise, and I will see it through."
Pressing a button her wristwatch, it ejected a small, white disk, which looked like a miniature pin, which she gave to Brain.
"Here, Brain. Take this and tuck inside Uncle Gadget's coat pocket" Penny instructed. "It's a miniature tracking device and with it, I can monitor Uncle Gadget's whereabouts with my computer book while I investigate the robberies that have taken place.
Brain gave the salute and marched off to Gadget's bedroom
Penny grabbed her scrapbook for comfort as she browsed through the pictures finally stopping at a portrait of her and her parents beside her.
"I won't let you down, Mom and Dad" Penny swore as she laid her head on her pillow gazing at them still.