Chapter 24: The Infernal Machine:
Jackie's POV:
Kepler was showing us his newest invention.
"It's a stealth suit." He tries it on, but...
Dil: I see London, I see France!
I see Kepler's Underpants!
"What?"
It just made Kepler's clothes invisible.
"Nice boxers," says Jade.
"Everyone, stop looking at him," I said.
Kepler takes the suit off.
"If anyone needs me," says Kepler, "I'm going to go be embarrassed somewhere else."
Then Atlas came crashing in.
"Atlas, what are you doing here," asks Tommy.
Atlas started blasting everything. In case you forgot, he's a robot. I tried to throw things at him, but he kept blasting them. He then grabbed me by the shirt.
"You're not still mad about that piece of junk thing, are you?"
He was about to blast me, when Captain Black tazed him.
. . .
Atlas was back in his cell. He then woke up.
"What happened," asks Atlas.
"Here's a hint," says Jade, "you tried to kill us."
"While you people aren't my favorite... I don't remember that."
"Who sent you? Was it the Big Man? The Kingpin? Big Izzy," asks Dil.
"You're an idiot," says Atlas.
"How did you escape your cell," asks Captain Black.
"I don't remember any of it," says Atlas.
"I don't think he's going to tell us anything," I said. We then all walked away.
. . .
"I think he was telling the truth," says Tommy.
"Maybe he had a computer virus," says Chuckie.
"Uncle senses dark forces," says Uncle.
"Could be something," I said, "I hear S.H.I.E.L.D. had trouble with that Wily guy."
"No," says Uncle, "this was something... supernatural!"
Kepler's POV:
It was late at night. I was in my room, sleeping. Then I heard a voice.
"Kepler."
It was giving me instructions. I... I must obey.
Jackie's POV:
Jade and I were showing Phil how to fight blindfolded. I gave Jade permission to take this opportunity to prank Phil. She put a 'Kick Me' sign on his back. Dil came in and read the sign. He then kicked Phil.
"Hey!"
Kepler came in and took Tommy's camera.
"Hey," says Tommy.
"I need it for my new machine," says Kepler.
"You could ask him," I said.
"I have no time for that," says Kepler.
Kepler then walks away.
"You think this is about the underwear thing," asks Dil.
"Possible," I said.
Uncle enters. "Uncle knows what happened last night!"
. . .
"In 1697 A.D., the ancient demon Luko wanted to punish mankind for reaching too far to the stars by destroying them with their own technology," says Uncle, "He implanted all the information to create such a machine in an elderly Italian inventor named Antonio Garibaldi. Garibaldi believed he was inspired by an angel and became obsessed with replicating the mathematical order of the universe, known as the 'Music of the Spheres.' He built the perfect machine, but Luko possessed it. Garibaldi realized the error of his ways and disabled the machine, trapping Luko in it. He named it, 'The Infernal Machine.'"
"And he possessed Atlas," I said.
"Yes, and now he's back and will not rest until we are all destroyed by our own devices!" Uncle then starts throwing technology in the trash. "All forms of tech!"
"And I just got my phone," says Kimi.
"While you guys are throwing away technology," says Dil, "I'm going to apologize to Kepler."
We all stopped and realized.
"Kepler could be in danger," I said.
. . .
We went over to Kepler's as he was working on his machine.
"Uh... Kepler," I said, "what inspired you to make this... machine?"
"I have no time for this," says Kepler.
Uncle then aims a blowfish at him.
"He has been corrupted by Luko!"
"Kepler, you are being controlled by an evil spirit," I said.
"There are no such thing as evil spirits," says Kepler, "there is only progress!"
"Kepler, you just won the Nobel Prize," says Jade. Nothing.
. . .
"We have to find a way to stop Kepler from completing Luko's weapon," I said.
"What if we use Neugog to fight mind control with mind control," asks Dil.
"Problem, we can't trust Neugog," I said.
"We must grab Kepler," says Uncle.
. . .
As Kepler continued to work on the machine, I bagged him and took him out of the lab.
. . .
We put Kepler in the closet.
"LET ME OUT," he said, "I HAVE TO FINISH MY MACHINE!"
"This is for your own good," I said.
"We must figure out how Luko escaped first time," says Uncle.
"Where's Tommy," I asked.
Tommy's POV:
I was talking to Atlas.
"What do you want," asks Atlas.
"Can you tell me the last thing you remember," I asked.
"Fine. I escaped Section Thirteen before and went back to Quark. They had an old relic of a machine on display. I decided to take a look out of curiosity and that's all I remember!"
"The Infernal Machine," I said.
"What?"
Jackie's POV:
We went over and saw Kepler was finished.
"I call it 'The Infernal Machine'!"
Luko then comes and possesses it.
"What is that," asks Kepler.
"Luko," I said.
The machine then went on a rampage.
Tommy comes.
"I know how Luko possessed Atlas... Oh, that's not important right now."
We all ran from the machine. Atlas then came and fought it off.
"No one controls me!"
"What have I done," asks Kepler.
"Does it have any weakness," I asked.
"I made it to be unstoppable," says Kepler.
"Uncle, the spell that beat Grundle, can it beat Luko, too," I asked.
"Uncle can make an attempt. You must keep the Infernal Machine busy!"
"I can help," says Kepler.
"Magic must defeat magic!"
"But it's not just magic, it's also science!"
I grabbed a blaster and blasted the machine. Luko then looked at me.
"You think you can defeat me," asks Luko.
"So, you can talk," I said, "Well, maybe we can take this time to get to know each other..."
He tried to clobber me, but Atlas grabbed his large mechanical arm.
"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao," Uncle started saying, "Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao, Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!" Then a large cannon hits Luko.
"NO!"
Luko disappears.
"What was that," I asked.
"A special cannon I designed," says Kepler.
"Powered by Uncle's magic."
We all looked at Atlas.
"Thank you for your help," I said.
"I only did it because I wanted payback on Luko."
"Then why did you save Jackie," asks Tommy.
"Shut up!" Atlas then left.
"I don't think that's the last we've seen of him," I said.
. . .
We were getting rid of the remains of the Infernal Machine.
"So, you a believer now," asks Dil.
"I'm not going to tell anyone," says Kepler, "I'd rather not explain it."
"Sorry for making fun of the underwear thing," says Dil.
"It's alright," says Kepler, "I'm sorry I caused all this. I just hope we never have to see Luko again."
In the next chapter, Jackie will find the final talisman.