Ch. 12: Taking off the Gloves
"You had better not be wasting our time, Slater," said a voice with a thick Russian accent.
"Vlad, you know I wouldn't waste your time intentionally. After all, we represent the most powerful criminal organizations in Detroit," Slater said in his customary drawl as he sat down at a table full of the city's leading crime lords. "In attendance we have the Russian and Italian Mafia, the North-Eastern mob, the Mexican cartel, the U.K. Syndicate, and of course myself. Now what I've asked you all here for today matters to all of us if we are to remain here after New Detroit goes up."
"But the price you are asking for is ridiculous!" complained Vlad. "We still think Bern's idea is better."
"But he didn't succeed, did he? And we all know why. Inspector Gadget. In the few weeks he's been active he's already hampered a lot of our business and he's not easily gotten rid of. And with New Detroit right around the corner everyone but me won't be in business for much longer. But of course, if you pay my nominal fee, I can guarantee you a piece of the pie that is New Detroit."
"What guarantee do we have your offer is genuine?" asked Giovanni of the Italian Mafia.
"Giovanni, you have the best guarantee there is… my word. Besides, you all know I'm the biggest guy in this city. I have connections all over, including Archangel itself. That means I have a guarantee that New Detroit will not put me out of business. Can any of you say the same?"
No one made a sound.
"I thought as much. Now like I said, if you want some of the action you'll put your deposits on the table now… a cool five million each."
The assembled crime bosses took a few seconds to consider the deal before planting brief cases on the table and sliding them towards Slater.
"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure doing business with-"
A slam on the front door to the abandoned corporate storage facility echoed through the building. The crime bosses drew their guns along with their men. Another pound was dealt to the heavy door, followed by another and another. With each hit the mobsters took an unconscious step backwards. Finally one more hit was delivered and the large door fell inward, kicking up a small cloud of dust and let in the daylight which silhouetted the attacker.
Thanks to Gadgetmobile, Kurtwood was rounded up easily and sang like a canary with very little 'convincing.' He told me where the storage building was where Slater would be holding a meeting with all the crime bosses of Detroit to broker a deal to keep them in business when New Detroit got built. After cuffing him and leaving him for the wagon, I got back in Gadgetmobile and raced to the meeting place. It was a grimy run down construct that vaguely reminded me of the place where Ashley and I busted Slater's gang the first time.
"Scan the building, Gadgetmobile. I want to know what I'm going up against."
"Scans reveal twenty-one people, all armed. Five are carrying handguns, seven are armed with machine guns, four with sub-machine guns, and the rest with shotguns. The threat level is moderate."
"Thanks, I'm going in. It's time to clean up this town," I said with conviction as I got out and marched towards the door.
For such an old structure, the door was probably the most solid piece about it. It took several good hits for it to finally surrender and fall in. My system immediately went to work, acquiring targets and prioritizing them as I took a few steps forward.
"Drop your weapons, you are under arrest."
"Screw you, you're scrap metal, tin man!" one of the men yelled before the air was filled with the sounds of gunfire.
I sighed internally at their stupidity and returned fire with pinpoint accuracy. It was almost too easy for me. They had some good weapons like Desert Eagle handguns and modified shotguns but it was, in the end, a futile gesture. They lacked the protection I had and as a result, they dropped like flies. The bosses, naturally, made for the high ground and tried to find another way out of what had just become a deathtrap. Of course, they didn't get far as I shot at the cables that held up the cat walk they were on and sent them tumbling down to floor in a heap.
SCANNING…
20/21 TARGETS NEUTRALIZED
TARGET SEARCH: SLATER, CYRUS_
The one person I was particularly eager to meet was still somewhere in the building. He wouldn't be in the shadows for long. A bullet was deflected by my coat and I looked up another catwalk to see the mark firing his Desert Eagle at me while trying to find a way to escape. Slater kept on backing up and firing at me as I walked up the steps after him. Eventually, though, he backed into a dead end and his gun ran out of bullets.
"Cyrus Slater, you are under arrest for attempted murder," I said in a steely voice as I clutched his shoulder and tossed him off into a pile of cardboard boxes before jumping down and picking him back up. "You have the right to remain silent."
I tossed Slater through a pane of glass in a nearby office cubicle.
"You have the right to an attorney."
I threw him back out into a crate.
"Wait! Wait a minute you bitch!" Slater yelled as I grabbed him again. "I'm protected! You don't want to mess with me! I work for Lloyd Xavier, he's the second in command at Archangel!"
My hand started to close around his throat. "If you cannot afford an attorney, one will appointed to you by the court."
"Archangel runs the police," he gasped. "Y-you're a cop!"
"Be what you've always been," Shelby told me.
"And what's that?" I asked.
"Be a cop."
I released my grip on Slater's throat. "You're right… I'm a cop."
Back at Metro West the tension between the police and Archangel was quickly reaching breaking point.
"Listen, all of you!" Chief Steele roared at the assembled group of complaining officers. "We are police officers, and we don't strike!"
"Why shouldn't we? Some things have improved with Archangel taking over but one of the things it promised to do was give us better equipment and all they've delivered is Inspector Gadget! He's great but what about us? We're getting slaughtered out there, we've lost seven guys this week alone!"
"We are civil servants, Garret!"
The arguing cops were interrupted by the doors to the precinct opening and the sight of me marching in a beat up Cyrus Slater and throwing him against the sergeant's desk.
"Book him," I said in a monotone voice.
"What's the charge?"
"The murder of multiple police officers and the attempted murder of an officer and a scientist at Archangel," I answered as I walked right back out. There was another person I had to deal with.
Lloyd Xavier had been filling out papers in his opulent office at Archangel Tower when his secretary announced a call for him.
"Xavier, go ahead. Wait, slow down, Slater, I can't understand you. What happened? You what? Alright, just sit tight and the lawyers will get you out in twelve hours. You really screwed up this time." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he used the tracking device he had someone install in me to pinpoint my location on his computer. "Come and get me, Tin Man."
"Lloyd Xavier hired Cyrus Slater to eliminate Dr. Ramirez?" asked Gadgetmobile disbelievingly.
"That's what Slater told me when he spilled the beans."
"But Xavier is the senior president of the third largest corporation on the planet and his file doesn't suggest he'd do something of the sort. Granted, of course, that he is a bit on the unscrupulous side but this is entirely unexpected."
"The love of money is the root of most evil," I quoted as we pulled into the garage.
"First Timothy, 6:10, a Bible verse meaning that humans cannot serve two masters. But why anyone would covet money is beyond me."
"It makes the world go 'round, you can buy things with it, and without it we wouldn't exist right now."
"That makes some sense but I was referring to American money specifically. It's still made with a cotton based material that is more absorbent than the polymer based money of other countries. The result is that U.S. money is the dirtiest currency on the planet."
"I didn't need to know that, now keep the motor going, this shouldn't take long."
Xavier's lips twitched into a small smile as I rode up to his floor in the elevator and double checked that his security measure was in place and ready. Just as I approached the doors to his office he clicked a button and they swung open.
"Hello, inspector. I usually only see people with an appointment but I believe I can make an exception for you. How can I help you?"
"You are under arrest," I stated as I entered the office.
"Arrest? What for?"
"Aiding and abetting a known felon."
"That's a serious charge, you'd better take me in."
"I intend to," I said and took another step forward.
PROGRAM VIOLATION
ALPHA DIRECTIVE_
I was a fool, not noticing the small smile that was on Xavier's face. The second I took that step my body seized up and systems started shutting down.
"Oh, I forgot to mention, I added a little program to your software called Alpha Directive. Any action against an officer of this company will result in shutdown. You're more machine than man now and the machine is so easy to manipulate."
I fought against the program and managed to draw my gun but dropped it before I could even aim it.
"Still some fight left, eh? Don't worry, we'll soon fix that. I have a friend who wants to meet you," Xavier said as he pressed another button.
A CB 320 rolled into the office and bared its weapons at me. I staggered to my feet just as it fired at me. The blast propelled me back through the doors and sprawled across the floor in the receptionist's room. The unrelenting robot fired again, this time with heavier ammunition. I rolled out of the way and removed a mini bomb from my pocket and threw it at one of the gun arms of my attacker. The explosive attached to its target magnetically and detonated two seconds later, decimating the arm. I got back to my feet and started staggering for the exit not a second too soon as the CB recovered and started pursuing me again, this time using its electric cannons. One of the bolts struck me and flung me against a wall but I continued onward.
"Not a bad demonstration, inspector. But how can you fare against two?" asked Xavier as another 320 blocked my escape path. "You know I'm actually glad that this is happening. An acutance of mine was supposed to kill Dr. Ramirez but she survived. It doesn't matter now because you've afforded me an opportunity to destroy her career. Soon she'll be discredited in the scientific community and you'll be taking up space in a junk yard."
This was getting out of hand. I could barely handle one in my weakened state, another would surely kill me and now I was stuck between two predators eager to reduce me to scrap. I only had one chance at survival. I quickly scanned both drones and saw that they were both powering up electric cannons. I had to time this perfectly.
The cannons reached full power and the CBs acquired their target.
They fired.
I dropped to the floor.
The two bursts of electricity fired over me and hit the 320s instead. Both of them gave out a sound that sounded like a cross between claws on a chalk board and the TARDIS engines from Doctor Who before their systems crashed. I vaguely heard Xavier saying something on the phone but I didn't stick around to listen. I clattered down the stairs as fast as I could to the parking levels. The 320s had done a number on me and I needed time for my systems to stabilize and get back to Metro South for repairs.
Finally I stumbled out onto the first floor of the parking level and was momentarily blinded when a strong light was turned on followed by two more. Xavier had called a S.W.A.T. team.
"Prepare to fire on my mark," a voice said.
The sound of automatic rifles being primed filled my ears.
"Fire at will!"
The next thing I heard was dozens of machine guns emptying their ammo clips and felt hundreds of bullets impacting my body. I had already taken a beating, if this kept up then I would be on the scrap heap come dawn. I started staggering backwards and the men pressed forward, never letting up their barrage. It was too much, my damaged body couldn't deflect all the bullets.
WARNING!
LEFT LEG HYDRAULIC DAMAGED
WIDESPREAD CIRCUIT FAILURE
SYSTEM EFFICIENCY AT 64%_
By this point I was dragging myself across the floor towards the edge. Finally I reached and threw myself over, hitting the concrete floor hard. I rolled over again and dropped to the next level where I was nearly hit by a car. The door opened and I heard a familiar voice.
"David, are you alright?"
It was Ashley.
"This is the most damage I've taken since I got this body, how do you think I feel?" I groaned before talking into my wrist-com. "Gadgetmobile, I need you."
"I'm coming, inspector."
"He's down here, level three!" yelled a voice followed by bullets coming dangerously close to our heads as we ducked and crawled behind Ashley's cruiser.
Ashely drew her gun to return fire but I stopped her. "Don't…"
"Why not? They're trying to kill us! It's them or us!"
"It's me they're after… and they only know what Xavier told them. They're only following orders… and besides, they're cops too."
"Then what do we do?"
"This," I muttered as I pulled a smoke grenade out and tossed it over the car.
"Grenade!" we heard someone yell and the hissing of the tear gas being released.
"That'll only buy us a few seconds you know."
"Yeah, I know, but it'll be long enough for our escape vehicle to get here."
A second later headlights lit us up and a metallic blue Mustang GT pulled up beside us and the doors opened by themselves.
"Oh my, I certainly hope those lubricants don't stain my upholstery."
"Shut up, Gadgetmobile and drive!" I snapped as we got in.
"Where to?"
"Not the precinct, there's going to be a warrant for my arrest out soon if there isn't one already. My place and Shelby's are off limits, those will be the first places they'll look."
"Well I think I know a place," Ashley spoke up.
A/N: Wow. That was an intense chapter. What will the Inspector do now? Is there any way he can prove his innocence now? Leave a review to find out. HEY! DROP THAT SCRIPT!
Gadget: Why? I want to know what happens to me next. If you kill me I'm gonna be pissed.
Me: I'm not killing you in the next chapter. You're the hero and I'm planning an ongoing spin-off series based on this fic.
Gadget: Oh, good.
Me: I know. The pulp is just going to get beating out of you.
Gadget: Give me a reason not to shoot you with the SR right now.
Me: You won't find out what happens to you then.
Gadget: What do you mean? I have the script right here.
Me: The next scene is incomplete.
Gadget: Oh. Well... I think I'll shoot you anyway.
Me: NO! DON'T FIRE! I WON'T FINISH THE CHAPTER IF YOU- AUGH!
Gadget: Right, he'll finish the chapter when the shock wears off. Post a review if you want to see it.