RIB

Part Sixteen

The black Ford headed over the Manhattan Bridge, and down Flatbush Avenue. At the Grand Army Plaza they turned onto Prospect Park West, and entered the Prospect Expressway. The highway ended at Church Avenue where it dumped them onto Ocean Parkway. At the end of that 8 lane wide thoroughfare, they turned right onto Surf Avenue and parked in front of Deno's Amusement Park in the heart of Coney Island.

"This is where he was spotted." K told A.

"Right." Astro said. "I'll deal with him. As a robot I can think at his level.
Anyway, Marvin isn't dangerous."

"Just incredibly obnoxious." J said.

Astro ignored the remark and exited the car. He entered through the main gate of the small amusement center. High overhead, the Wonder Wheel towered above him. The famous Ferris Wheel had first opened in 1920. Astro walked past a few arcades and kiddie rides, and approached large Ferris Wheel. Sitting in one of the swinging cars, and refusing to get off was the silver android with the large sad looking eyes. Astro flashed his MIB badge to the operator of the ride, and walked toward the car where Marvin was held up.

"Hello Marvin." Astro said. "What's up?"

"Oh nothing much." The paranoid android sighed. "I'm just sitting here contemplating my navel, which I don't have. Makes it rather difficult to meditate."

"I'll have to ask you to leave the ride" Astro sighed. "There are some paying customers waiting in line."

"I suppose that had to happen." Marvin said. "I did try to pay for a ticket you know. I guess Alterian currency isn't widely accepted on this planet."

"I'm afraid not." Astro agreed.

"I really don't know what is going to become of me." Marvin sighed. "Zaphod abandoned me here after paying off the Vogons. Actually, I was part of the payment to them, but the Vogons left me here. Said I didn't like their poetry or something. Actually, I really didn't mind the Vogons reading me poetry, it was just the kind of distraction I needed to think."

"If you say so." Astro said.

Marvin got out of the Ferris Wheel car and walked with Astro to the amusement park exit. They got in the black Ford and headed back to the MIB HQ.

"What's going to happen to Marvin?" Astro asked C back at HQ.

"I don't know." C said. "We might be able to use him here, but he'd need some reprogramming."

"Hmm, I've got an idea." Astro laughed. "Can I take Marvin with me?"

"Fine with me." C said. "But I guess you'd better ask Marvin."

Astro removed his dark glasses and handed them along with his neuralyzer to C.
"I'll be leaving NYC tomorrow, so I guess I'll have to hand in my resignation." Astro said. "It was a blast working with you guys"

C gave Astro a serious look. "Normally, when an MIB agent leaves the force, we have to wipe his memory. Since that won't work with you, I'll have to have you swear an oath of secrecy."

"No problem." Astro said. "No one will ever learn anything about your organization from me."

"Well goodbye then, and thanks a lot for your help." C told Astro. He handed the black glasses back to the boy robot. "You can keep the suit, shoes, and the glasses as a present from us."

Astro shook hands with K, J, and C. He and Marvin left the MIB HQ and headed uptown toward the hotel where Astro and Reno were staying.

Reno's seminar was over and he was busy packing to go back home when Astro and Marvin walked into the hotel room.

"Who's your friend?" Reno asked, looking at Marvin.

"He's a robot that was abandoned here on Earth." Astro said. "He used to serve aboard a star ship. Poor guy is rather depressed all the time. I thought he might make a good companion for Atlas."

Reno took a look at Marvin and broke into laughter. "Now that's too cruel! I like that idea!"

"Did you say goodbye to your new girl friend?" Astro asked.

"Rene and I exchanged phone numbers and email addresses." Reno said. "She promised to come visit me in Japan next summer. I think I will be returning to New York again soon anyway."

"OK!" Astro laughed, slapping Reno on the back.

"How about you?" Reno said.
"Well I had fun working with the authorities, but I'll be glad to be getting home." Astro said.

"By the way, who were those guys in the black suits?" Reno asked.

"What guys?" Astro said with a straight face.

"Sworn to secrecy, er?" Reno said. "OK, I can dig that."

Marvin didn't enjoy the flight back to Japan. "Here I am stuffed in the cargo hold of a 777. Brain the size of a planet, and they don't buy me a ticket, they send me steerage class." he muttered all the way there.

The End