"How is it coming, Clown?" Claw demanded.
"We have the explosives, enough to blow Gotham clear off the face of the earth! HAHAHA! And as a bonus, your bumbling friend, Gadget, is no longer a problem."
"Really?" Claw asked curiously. "You don't say?"
"Let me put it to you this way: The next time he shouts "Go, go, Gadget," it'll be for a harp on his way up to the great beyond."
"AT LAST HE'S DEAD! HAHAHAHA!!" Claw joyfully shouted. "I feel like celebrating!!"
M.A.D. Cat snickers out loud with him, wearing a party hat and blower in his mouth. Claw slams his fist on his desk, causing M.A.D. Cat to jump in surprise and land with a thud. His hat becomes askew and tilts over his face.
"I SAID I FEEL LIKE CELEBRATING, YOU FUZZBALL!" But plenty of time for that later…Right now I am still concerned about your mysterious winged friend. He halted my operation before and he'll do it again when he gets the chance. Keep an eye out for him. Nothing must go wrong tonight at 10:00 pm. UNDERSTAND?"
"Of course! Ah, independence and death! Two completely opposite representations and yet they both symbolize what America is really about. HEHEHEHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Joker fades from Claw's screen as Agent Bruce now appears, giving the M.A.D. salute.
"Inform all the other agents to keep a watch on that happy fool! I'll admit he is a powerful ally, but he is more evil than any other person I have ever worked with in my life."
Back at the warehouse district, waves of policemen and firefighters have surrounded the area and have succeeded in putting out the fire. The fires have died down and debris has blown everywhere around the area creating big piles of sediment and ash. When suddenly a big pile of the ash starts to shake and move as a figure is buried deep beneath. The officers surround it, drawing their pistols in the process.
"Steady!" warned Bullock. "Be ready to fire
"Go, Go Gadget Springs" a muffled voice uttered from beneath the pile.
A figure shot out from underneath, into the air, and onto the ground with a thud. It was Gadget. Unharmed for the most part with some burn damage done to his clothing and hat. His Gadget Respirator is attached to his face, which he probably activated when he was knocked out from the blast. He pulls it from his face as he looks around at the squad surrounding him with firearms.
"It's alright, gentlemen! I've got everything under control" Gadget stated smoothly.
The officers lower their weapons.
"Control?" Bullock raged."Your little stunt just cost Wayne Enterprises millions worth of damage, endangered the neighboring buildings and people, nearly got you yourself killed –
"Oh, I've been in worse."
"Oh, that's not the worse. The worse is that the shipment in there, what's left of it at least, is not in there. But in the hands of Gotham's most demented, perverted, madman!"
"Hmm. That's funny. I've known Claw for years, and he's never show any signs of mania."
"Alright Bullock, that's enough now."
Both turned and saw Commissioner Gordon arriving on the scene.
"We got enough problems already without you making it worse. I've just received a call from Mayor Hill reporting that I place you and a squad at the festival tomorrow."
"I thought the Mayor didn't want any help, not with Robocop over here protecting the city."
"After what happened tonight, we're not sure what to believe at this point."
"Well, not to fear with Inspector Gadget on the case, the festival's as safe as that building right over there" Gadget stated triumphantly.
He points to a random building closeby slated for demolition and explodes at that instant.
"Darn buildings. Always falling down. You think after all these years they would find a cure for that."
He walks off into the direction of his hotel.
"I miss Pointy Ears…." Bullock groaned.
"For once, I agree with you" Gordon replied. "Where can he be?"
It is the next morning, July 4th, Independence Day. Penny is sitting at the table eating breakfast while Alfred is busy at the stove, frying eggs. Bruce comes down the hall dressed in a red casual shirt with tan pants, whistling.
"There is certainly a change for you, sir. You seem very cheery this morning" Alfred commented.
"Thank you, Alfred" Bruce said. "Morning, Penny"
"Good Morning, Bruce"
"Penny, I have something here that you might like."
He handed Penny an envelope which she opened revealing a note with something contained on the inside.
"Will you do me the honors?" Penny read outloud.
She opened the note in its entirety. It contained two tickets. Two very special tickets to the –
"To the Independence Festival!" Penny gasped out loud as she hugged Bruce tightly, "THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
"That's not all. Have a look upstairs in your room. It all goes with it."
She dashed from the table, up the stairs, and down the hall to the guest room where she stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes glanced at the prettiest dress she ever saw.
"Oh…my…my, my, my"
"I thought you hated that festival, sir. Which to say wouldn't surprise me the least anyhow as those big celebrations always seem to have an aura of smut & discourtesy about it" Alfred declared.
"It's Penny's favorite holiday and celebration. I thought it would be nice to treat her seeing as she hasn't gone in a while since her parents passed away" Bruce said as he gazed over the tickets.
Alfred noticing this leans in closer to Bruce.
"If you'll beg my pardon, sir, I feel there is something a little more deep and passionate in your reasoning than just that."
Bruce sighs and stands up.
"Alfred…The truth…the truth is…is yesterday, the day I was with Penny. The entire day. For once in my life…My sad, dismal, existence of a life…I was…when I was with her…I was happy. Happy.More than happy…I've be thinking it over Alfred, long and hard. And I…I want to spend the rest of my life with her."
"Sir?"
"I'm serious Alfred. I think I can give her what I should've given to Dick when he was growing up. A father figure."
"But, sir, if you are thinking to what I think you're thinking –
"You mean adoption?"
"Then you may have to give up your nighttime activities, permanently."
"Well, then…I think it's about time I did."
"I love it! Do you like it?" Penny asked.
Bruce and Alfred divert their attention to Penny entering the kitchen. But she looked different this time around. An aura of elegance and grace sprang from her presence.
"How pretty she looks in that dress" Alfred stated.
The dress had a nice velvet/silk look to it. The top was short-sleeved, decorated with vertical white and red stripes and a bluish tinge on the sleeves. The bottom was sky blue decorated with little white stars (fifty of them) which stopped a little below her knees, which were covered with white-lace stockings and complete with black shoes with brass buckles. Her hair is no longer in pigtails, but down and straight with red and blue ribbons tied into her strands of hair.
"How do I look?"
"Like your mother, Penny" Bruce said softly.