Chapter 1 - THE ABDUCTION

THE ABDUCTION




Prologue




Dr. Claw sat brooding at his desk. He was preparing to meet his two least favorite agents. Mr. Sneak and the Amazon. Mr. Sneak was vile, power-hungry, and underhanded; qualities Dr. Claw normally admired. Unfortunately, Mr. Sneak took them to the point were he couldn't be trusted. Dr. Claw could barely see through his manipulation sometimes.

As for the Amazon, Dr. Claw liked her less. She just wasn't as afraid of him as she should have been. While other clients stood with their knees knocking, the Amazon might actually backtalk. The door opened and the duo walked in.

"Mr. Sneak and the Amazon at your service Dr. Claw," said the thin, lanky man.

"I need you to give Gadget something to occupy his time with," said Dr. Claw.

"Would you like us to get him interested in stamp collecting?" asked the Amazon.

Dr. Claw smashed his fist into the table, narrowly missing MadCat. The feline jumped, landed on the edge of the table, and fell off.

"Watch what you say Amazon!" roared Claw. "This is what I need you to do. Let me put that another way, this is what you're going to do!"






Part One




Penny unchained her bike from the rack. She heard a familiar bark and saw Brain running toward her. He'd better stay off school grounds they could both be in trouble. A man walked by and one of the bags he was carrying burst open. Penny knelt to help him pick up the mechanical items. Probably things for auto class.

"Thank you, Penny," he said as they gathered them. "You're always a nice young lady."

Penny raised her head. Did she know him? He seemed to know her. Who was-?

Someone snatched her off her feet. A damp rag pressed over her mouth and nose. Penny struggled as she was carried away from the school. Whoever had her was stronger than anyone who had ever seized her except the Clock Maker's thug.

She suddenly realized that the rag had a strange odor. Was that chloroform? She'd better hold her breathe. The realization came to late. Her thoughts faded as they neared a yellow van. She was vaguely aware of the shouts of nearby people and Brain's barking. Not aware of his pained yelp at all. By the time the van, she was unconscious.

"You should have poured more chloroform on that rag," said Mr. Sneak.

"You just worry about getting us out of here!" retorted the Amazon. "Company's coming."

The yellow can sped away from the pursing crowd. Moments later, Penny awakened. She rose, and half-way to sitting position was pushed back down.






"Don't panic," said the woman. "We just need to keep your uncle too busy to stick his nose in Dr. Claw's business."

Penny was stunned. She hadn't expected a woman. However, she had other things to worry about than the gender of her captors. What they were going to do to her for example.

She thought about what she'd been told. Keep her uncle's nose out of Dr. Claw's business. With her missing, her Uncle Gadget would forsake all other cases to look for her. The problem was that she and Brain solved his cases. Penny loved her uncle dearly, but she doubted he could solve a case on his own. And what happened to Brain? Inspector Gadget might have to do this one own his own.




Inspector Gadget set down his water jug and turned away from his plants. Into his left hand he whispered, "What's that Chief? You're where? Be right there Chief."

Gadget walked into his front yard and looked into the hollow of a tree. Chief Quimby stuck his head out.

"Bad new Gadget. Penny was kidnapped from school and we think it's MAD. We're at the school-Gadget wait!"

Gadget had started running for his house, his garage, his car.

"What?" he shouted.

"Brain was there too. He was injured and has been rushed to a vet. Witnesses-."

"Tell me when we get to Penny's school!" called Gadget. He rushed into the house, seized his car keys, and went to the garage. He left his home in a bigger hurry than ever before. After a few minutes of rushed driving, Gadget reached his niece's school. In group of people, he saw a couple of police uniforms.

"Go, go, Gadget legs!" said the inspector. A yellow hand with a pair of scissors extended from his hat. "I said, 'Go, go, Gadget legs!'"

Magnets popped out of the souls of his shoes.

"Of all the times for you gadgets not to work! Go, go, Gadget legs!"

His legs extended and he raced over to the crowd. His gadgets would work this time. He'd make the work. They had to.




Meanwhile, Brain lay quietly in his cage. He knew that Penny was in danger and Gadget would need help, but with a broken leg in a cast, he couldn't do much. Gadget would keep him in the house and probably put him in a kennel if he had to leave town to look for Penny. He wouldn't be part of this case. Just Gadget, on his own.






Part Two




"Why would they take Penny?" Inspector Gadget asked a fellow officer after he finished writing down witness statements. "It doesn't make sense."

"Not from the viewpoint of a sensible, law-abiding citizen," responded the officer, "but from the criminal's view it makes perfect sense."

"The criminal's view?" gasped Gadget. "You're looking at this from the criminal's view?"

"Have to. You're the best weapon against MAD we've got. Now you're distracted. You're not going to want to take any cases until your niece is safe. That means the case will probably go to






someone with less experience and it won't be done as well. Sometimes to solve a criminal case you have think like a criminal."

"Oh," said Gadget. His friend was right. He would have to consider the criminal's thought pattern to find his motive. Why had he forgotten that?

"I'm going after them," said Gadget.

"How? You don't know where they went."

"That way," said Gadget, pointing in the direction indicated by witnesses.

"And then what? Did they get on I-75 and head north or south? Did they go past I-75 and get on State Highway 6 heading east or west? Did they go past Highway 6 or turn before they got there. We have no way of knowing which way they're headed."

"What's wrong with me?" thought Gadget. "Everything came so easy before. I went with my first hunch and it worked. Now every choice I make seems wrong. I've got to focus. This can't be the hardest case for me."

So far, however, it was.




The Amazon carried Penny under her arm as she walked into the house. She dropped her hostage face down on the couch and rolled her over. Penny kicked at her with bound feet and received a stinging slap. The Amazon wrapped a hand around her neck.

"Don't ever do that again!" snapped the Amazon. "If you don't want to get hurt you'd better behave. Do you understand?"

Penny nodded and was released. She was shocked. She'd almost never been struck before. Certainly never by one of Claw's agents. They'd restrained her, but never hit. What else would they do?

The Amazon went into the next room and saw Mr. Sneak talking to a screen. She stood back until he finished and walked over to her.

"He want's us to keep her for now."

"How long is 'for now?' I told Claw that I didn't want to this for more than three or four days. I ain't no babysitter."

"If you keep pushing Claw he's going to push back. And people who Claw pushes don't always get back up. You must have known we could have her for a while so deal with it." Mr. Sneak flashed the grin he got whenever he was about to annoy someone. "Besides, 'ain't' isn't a proper word plus you used a double negative."

"Great, now you're an English teacher. If the kid's going to be here, you're the one who's going to get stuck with her. I'm taking her to the room and then she's all yours."

In the next room, Penny had straining to hear their conversation. She didn't think she was in mortal danger yet, but she wasn't counting on that to last.

What could she do? She'd lost her computer book when she'd been abducted and Brain may have been hurt. It was just her except for maybe her uncle. What would he do? Maybe she could escape. Maybe her uncle or the other police would find her. Or maybe not. The other maybe's weren't very appealing.














Part Three




Penny sat on her bed thinking. No, that wasn't right. This wasn't her bed and this wasn't her room. This was prison, a cage. Just a cage a bit more gilded than the one's she'd been in before.

She was unbounded, ungagged, and she was told she'd stay that way contingent on her behavior. Still, the door was locked and there were no windows. They'd taken her wrist communicator because Dr. Sneak thought there was something "suspicious" about it.

"I should have known you'd try something like this Claw," thought Penny. "You couldn't get my uncle so you got me. Well, you'll still lose. I just have to figure out how."




Inspector Gadget and Chief Quimby looked through the notes that had come in. A vehicle with the description matching the one Penny had been taken in had been spotted in Leckon City. The police were pursuing the lead. Gadget had initially wanted to go, but decided not to. If the lead was legitimate, he'd follow it. Until he was sure, he'd wait. He didn't want to be chasing a dead end when good evidence came in. Maybe his efforts to focus and clear his head were working. While he looked through the paper work an officer came in.

"We've got a new lead," he said. "From the partial license plate number we were given, we've determined that the van is a stolen vehicle from Bengton. The owner reports that a man and a woman wearing masks took the vehicle."

"MAD agents usually work in a restricted area. Let's do a run of known agents last reported in Bengton and towns nearby."

They went to the computer room and several minutes later had a two names.

"I'd say we're looking for Ida Hollage, a.k.a. the Amazon," suggested Chief Quimby. "Wanted for assault and robbery. Last known whereabouts, Groat, a few miles south of Bengton. She usually works with someone else, but rarely the same person twice."

"The other one seems strange," said Inspector Gadget. "Howard Greent, a.k.a. the Virus, only computer crime and supposedly straight now. Why suddenly switch to kidnapping?"

"You're right," replied Chief Quimby. "The Amazon's accomplish is probably someone else. We'll keep our eyes out for her. Let's bring in the Virus anyway. At least we know where he is."

Inspector Gadget was worried. His most important case was his hardest. He usually seemed to breeze through cases. Now, he could barely decide what to do. Sure, he'd made the decision not follow a lead that may have been bad, but just that choice seemed to strain his mind.

"I'll do this," he thought. "Don't worry Penny, I'm coming."




"Come in Mr. Sneak," growled Dr. Claw. "Come in."

Dr. Sneak's face appeared on the monitor.

"Here I am Mr. Claw. How may I serve you?"

"Report."

"She's locked up. Little Penny's not going anywhere."

"Good. Be ready to move out or exterminate her at a moments notice."

"Don't worry Dr. Claw, you can count on us."

"I'd better, or you can count yourselves out."

Dr. Claw turned off the computer and worried. He didn't like having the two agents he trusted the least on a case together. Still, the skill they had made them perfect for the job. Besides, after two






years of failures he was getting a bit desperate. Now, he had other plans to make. Plans that involved the Mint, the U.N., Fort Knoz, and on.

"Soon we'll make our move MadCat," he said. "No Gadget in the way, means nothing in the way. The world will be ours."

The man and feline sat laughing as lighting crackled outside.






Part Four




Chief Quimby bit the stem of his pipe. It wasn't hard to figure out why MAD had kidnapped Penny. The things they had to figure out were what they'd do to the child and when they'd make their move. Whenever it was, Gadget would be to preoccupied with finding his niece to investigate the crime. Just one more reason to find Penny as soon as possible.

Quimby thought a little more about Penny. Nice, well-behaved child. She seemed bright to. Very interested in police work. She'd probably be a good officer someday. Sometimes though, the Chief almost thought she was involved in Gadget's cases. It was usually Penny who called him and reported that the case had been solved. It seemed a little strange that Gadget would have Penny do that, but police work can be crazy and maybe Gadget had to rush to finish the job and someone else call reinforcements.

Right now, there was something else strange about Gadget. He seemed somewhat incompetent. Sure, Gadget had always been a bit of a goof-up. Handing self-destruct messages back and losing control of his Gadgets, but he always got the job done without much problem. Now, he didn't seem to know what to do.

Maybe it was because he too close to the case. After all, it was his niece who was missing. How could he not be emotionally involved? Still, Gadget had always pulled through when it counted. It really counted now. His thoughts were interrupted by a buzzing intercom.

"Chief Quimby, Howard Greent has been brought in for questioning."


The Amazon scowled as she carried the tray of food up to the room. She was supposed to be an enforcer, but now she'd been reduced to maid! Where was Mr. Sneak? He was supposed to be doing this. Well, hopefully, she wouldn't have to this much longer. Taking hostages was fine, but keeping hostages wasn't her forte. As long as she didn't have to kill the kid it would be fine.

That was the only thing about being a MAD agent that bothered her. Most agents didn't seem to have problem with carrying out death orders. If they did they didn't voice them. Heck, it was rare for any one to say anything to Dr. Claw except, "Yes sir!" while their teeth chattered. It repulsed her how easy her co-workers were to intimidate. Still, the issue was would she ever be ordered to kill someone? Slapped someone around to remind them who was in charge was one thing, but death? She didn't what she'd do then.

"I brought breakfast," said the Amazon as she entered the room.

"Thank a lot," said Penny, scowling. "Now I have everything I need in this little room that has nothing to do in it."

"Watch it kid," said the Amazon. She put the tray down and started to leave then room. "The food service might stop."

Penny watched the door closed. She'd been in bad situations before, but didn't no how get out






of this one. She never realized how much she depended on her equipment and on Brain. Now, she had neither. The only way out of the room was the door and there was no way to pick the lock. Whatever she tried she'd have to be careful. Next time she could get worse than a slap.

She pulled the paper towel off the plate. She was hungry enough to risk poison. Dry toast and runny eggs. Well, she didn't expect grade A service. Hmmmmm, could silverware be used to pick a lock?




"Look at my record," said the Virus. "I did computer crime, not crimes against people. Besides, I'm out of it now."

"We know how Dr. Claw works," said Gadget. "When his agents get out of prison, he contacts them. You reported that he got in touch with you."

"In accordance with the terms of my probation. I think I need a lawyer."

"You're not under arrest, Mr. Greent," said Chief Quimby.

"I don't have to be do I?"

"Do you know an agent named Ida Hollage, alias the Amazon?" asked Inspector Gadget. He considered threatening the man, but decided on a less aggressive course of action.

"That female thug? I know her. Dr. Claw didn't use her much. Only agent in MAD who'd stand up to him. That drove him nuts. She wasn't around very often."

"What else can you tell us?" asked Gadget.

"Why? Is she a suspect in the kidnapping?"

"We just have a few questions for her," said Chief Quimby.

"She has a home in the suburbs of Groat. Right on the edge of town."

"Can you be more specific?"

"First, get me a lawyer. Then, you be more specific about the questions you have for her. Then, I'll talk."
THE ABDUCTION




Part Five




Mr. Sneak thumbed through a third magazine. This inactivity was driving him nuts. He'd expected his missions with MAD to be more exciting. He wouldn't have been so anxious if he'd known this would be sit and wait deal. That was part of the reason he'd snuck out earlier today. The Amazon had responded by describing the various different types of fractures. Now, like it or not, he was a stay-at-home villain.

Analyzing the child's watch hadn't taken long. "Watch" indeed. Miniature computer, laser, electromagnet, two-way communicator. Very impressive device. All those things together in such a small space. He'd get her to tell him where'd she gotten it later.

The question was, did she know how to use any off it?. She may have just been transporting it. Would the police trust a child with equipment like that? A child was a good cover, but there was a risk. Granted, she was a cool-headed little girl. She hadn't neared panic once that he saw.

Something else strange, Penny always seemed to be involved in Gadget's cases. Usually Gadget would show up, then Penny would appear, often unpleasantly close to the most important part of the MAD stronghold. Gadget wouldn't get there until later, usually just as the police showed up.

That made no sense. Why would Gadget bring his niece so close to his missions. Surely he knew that was dangerous. An irresponsible thing to do to a child. Yet almost every time, there was Penny, investigating. Furthermore, why was she always near the key part of MAD's mission first. There definitely something suspicious about that.

He'd find out what was going on. Penny's secret was coming out. Just as soon as he had a talk with his informant in the police department. Mr. Sneak had contacts Dr. Claw loved. He'd climb the ladder in MAD in no time.




"All I can tell you is this," said the Virus. "Dr. Claw wanted you," (He looked at Inspector Gadget) "out of the way. His attempts to kill you have failed and he didn't think he could hold you. However, he could hold Penny. Once he got her, you'd forget everything else to rescue her. According to the grapevine, some new agent named Mr. Sneak got the job. I doubt he's working alone. The Amazon would be a good choice for this mission. She's good when it comes to taking hostages."

"That's it?" asked Gadget.

"That's all I know except this," said the Virus, "Dr. Claw probably put the Amazon in charge. He hates her defiance, but never lets a new agent run a mission."

"Don't leave the city," said Chief Quimby. "We might need you again. For now, this meeting is over."

"I think our best bet is Groat," said Gadget. "Dr. Claw is arrogant enough not have taken Penny far. I'm heading there. This the best, the only lead we've had and I'm not sitting on it."




"I know you were hurt trying to protect Penny, said Inspector Gadget. He'd rushed through his packing and was taking only a moment a the vet. "You're a good, brave dog Brain. Chief Quimby






will be looking after you. I'm going after Penny and I'm bring her home."

Brain barked hopefully, but was worried. He was Gadget's secret guardian. Time after time he

followed Gadget, pulling him out of trouble, and sometimes falling into the traps he kept Gadget

out of. He wished he'd had a dog biscuit for every time Gadget mistook him for a MAD agent and

tried to arrest him.

Brain sensed something different about Gadget. He seemed more-confident? No, Gadget had always been confident. This was a different confident. It wasn't, "I'm confident because I'm so terrific and can do anything." Now it was, "I'm confident because I believe in myself." Maybe Gadget could do this by himself. Maybe Gadget really could solve a case on his own.

After Gadget left, Brain considered tapping his collar again. He decided not to. The first few times the microphones and earpieces came out, but Penny's voice didn't. The last time, he gotten through, but no one answered. Brain figured someone else had Penny's watch and stopped trying. It was up Gadget now.




Gadget headed down the road to Groat. The police there were expecting him. He just hoped it was the right decision. At least , it made sense. The Amazon sounded like someone who liked be in charge. And she was in charge according to the Virus. A MAD agent wouldn't take a hostage far. It all added up to Penny being in the Amazon's home town. His detective mind was finally working. With the help of the Groat police department, he'd find the Amazon, and then Penny. Then, MAD was going down.

Dr. Claw had passed the boundary, crossed the line that must never be touched. Penny was Gadget's only living relative. She was the most important person in his life. Now he was more determined than ever to capture Dr. Claw and destroy MAD.

He had to get his niece home safe. Once he did that and MAD was gone. Maybe then he'd leave police work. He wasn't sure if he could do anything else, it was the only thing he'd trained for. Still, if it was going to endanger Penny, he might have to leave it.

One thing at a time though. First Penny, then MAD, then decide what to do.




Part Six




"Hello Penny," said Mr. Sneak as entered. "How are you?"

"Oh wonderful," replied Penny. She didn't move from the far wall where she'd been standing. "I love being kidnapped."

"Glad to hear it," said Mr. Sneak. He held up her watch. "Now tell me what this is."

"It's called a watch."

"I don't think so. I've studied electronics and there's more to this than that. So why don't you tell me were you got it?"

"Figure it out if you're so smart."

Mr. Sneak lay her computer watch on the bedside table and walked toward her. Penny feigned a dash for the bathroom. When he moved to intercept her, she changed course, ran over the bed, and tried to escape.

"I locked the door silly girl," said Mr. Sneak. He grabbed and threw her onto the bed. Rolling her onto her stomach, he pushed her head down, face to the side, on the mattress.

"Let me go!" protested Penny. "You're hurting me."






"Now let's try this again," said Mr. Sneak. He pushed down harder. "What is this thing that looks

like a watch?"

"It's just a watch. Let me go."

"Stop trying my patience. This is a two-way communicator with a computer, radio, and an electromagnet. What else is in there?"

"I don't know what you mean. If any of that was in there I didn't know. I though it was just a watch."

"Have it your way Penny. I'm putting you back in ropes. You'll stay tied up until you can be a little more truthful."

Penny accepted it. She'd been tied up before; she could withstand it again. The problem was Mr. Sneak now knew one of her secrets. He wouldn't stop the interrogation. It just question of what he'd do and how much he'd get from her.




"Inspector Gadget," Frederick Locar of the Groat Police Department. "This is Officer Crine. He just got a possible lead."

"An anonymous caller phoned in," said Officer Crine. "He spotted two people matching the description of the Amazon and Mr. Sneak at a gas station on the outskirts of town heading north. The woman wanted to go a nearby store, but the man insisted on traveling on so they did."

"Really," said Gadget. That didn't sound right. The Virus had claimed the Amazon would be in charge and he believed it. Even if she wasn't in charge, someone who would stand up to D. Claw wouldn't be likely to take orders from-well, just about anyone else.

It didn't coincide with Claw's usual pattern either. His agents didn't move around. If he had a scientist abducted, the scientist was kept in his or her own lab. MAD agents wouldn't go on the run with Penny. Not unless Claw changed his style. This lead could be false. He had to check it out though.




"You're not going soft are you Amazon?" asked Mr. Sneak.

The Amazon had objected to him binding Penny. She slammed his head against the wall and threw him to floor. When he tried to rise, she kicked him.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked. She pulled him to his feet pushed him against the wall. "You don't treat hostages any worse than necessary. It's strategy you fool. You don't mistreat them and they might cooperate. It's easier when they don't rebel. Besides, if you don't rough them up, that's one less charge. That slap I gave her was probably all that was needed to keep her in line. Don't take these steps without asking me first Sneak. From now on you consult me first. Got that?"

"Fine, I got it."

"Good," said the Amazon. "She released him. Did your informate give Gadget the message?

"Yes and when Gadget gets back they'll be another false led."

"Good. Claw should have let us move out when Gadget came to Groat."

"I assured him that Gadget wouldn't find us."

"And he does, you can explain it to Claw."

"I thought you weren't afraid to stand up to him."

"If I have to take the heat because of one of your goof-ups Sneak, you'd better be afraid of me."

"Fine, want to help me interrogate the kid about this supposed it watch?"

"I don't care about the watch. I'm just going to keep her under wraps until I can get out of this






mission."

"Inspector Gadget to Groat headquarters."

"This is Chief Locar. Go on Gadget."

"The lead isn't panning out. No one in this area remembers seeing them."

"Officer Crine's got another. Someone watching Mr. Sneak's description was attempting to break in a closed grocery store. Looks like a robbery"

"Hold on Chief Locar. I"m heading in."

Gadget hung up his two-way radio. Something was wrong. The Virus had said that Mr. Sneak would be used for covert operations. Even in operations involving open crimes, he would have a covert part. The kidnapping itself supported this. Mr. Sneak distracted Penny with a trick, then the Amazon attacked. This lead sounded false too. Two false leads from the same officer. Did Crine have such bad luck that he kept getting phony calls?

No, probably not.




Part Seven




Gadget arrived at the police station shortly. He asked Chief Locar where Officer Crine was.

"I'll send for him."

"No, just tell me where he is. I have a theory."

"He's in the file office. What's your theory?"

"We'll see."

Officer Crine wasn't in the fill office. He was in his car, talking on his personal cell phone. He was also angry. What type of supercriminal left an answering machine for his contacts to talk to? Mr. Sneak probably did it to annoy people who weren't intimidating enough to keep his manners up.

"I gave them the first two leads Mr. Sneak. Gadget didn't follow the second one personally. I'll tell you more when we can talk directly. Two risky like this."

Crine left. He thought he was alone until he heard, "Go go Gadget arm and cuff!"

A large handcuff snagged his wrist and dragged him across the ground. When it stopped, he was looking up at Gadget.

"Chief Locar thought you were in the file office. When you weren't I figured you'd lied to him. You wanted to cover your tail while you left the building. Where's my niece?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Let me show you something," said Gadget. "Go, go Gadget ear."

A radar-like disk surrounded Gadget's ear. The Inspector turned so Crine could see and know it was a sound-amplifier.

"Let me show you something else. Go, go Gadget mallet!"

The enormous hammer swung in the air.

"Where is my niece?" asked Gadget. "And how hard is it to break ribs?"

"Come on man," said Crine. "You're a police officer."

"Actually, I'm an uncle."




Penny had debated what to do. Mr. Sneak had tied her up because she wouldn't divulge information about her special watch. Then the Amazon had untied her because she said there was






no reason to keep her tied. Was the whole thing some type of mind game? If not, perhaps the two criminals were at odds with each other. If they were, she might be able to use that. If she were careful. The Amazon came rushing into the room.

"Lie on the bed and put your hands behind you," said the Amazon. She barely gave Penny a chance to respond before she pushed the child down herself. "We're getting out of here."

Penny lay still while her hands and feet were tied. The Amazon scooped the child up under he arm again and started down the stairs.

"That's good Penny. When you're a good girl, you don't get hurt."

Moments later the Amazon, Mr. Sneak, and their reluctant companion were headed for the airport. The Amazon thought that taking this road, a main root from the suburbs to the airport, was too obvious. Mr. Sneak said that they should take it for that very reason. Since it was obvious, the police would assume that they would go that route. Then they heard the sirens.

"O.K. genius," said the Amazon, "what now?"

Mr. Sneak looked around as he drove. Police cars behind. Police cars in front. Police helicopter above. They were surrounded. The officers were a little ways away, but closing fast. Too fast. Someone had figured out how to cut them off by vehicle completely. The only possible flaw in the strategy was a slim chance of escaping by foot. No, maybe not so slim.

"We go on foot," said Mr. Sneak. "Get the kid in the back and follow me."

He drove the van off the road as the Amazon went to the back of the van to get Penny. They left the van, Penny once more under the Amazon's arm. The police vehicles had reached the van while other officers ran after them.

"Throw her over," said Mr. Sneak as they crossed a foot bridge. "Some of them will stop to pull her out of the river."

"I have a better idea," said the Amazon. She slammed into Mr. Sneak, knocking him down, and trampling him as she kept running. If the police reached her, she'd threaten the child.

Kill a hostage without reason? No, even some criminals had limits.

Mistreat a hostage who's cooperating? No, she saw nothing wrong with a little pain, but that could cause more problems than it was worth.

Keep a hostage as a bargaining chip? Yes, the number one reason to take a hostage.

Use a hostage as human shield? Oh, yes, the number two reason to take a hostage.

Betray someone you're working with? You'd better believe it. Did that guy think he was the only Sneak in mad?

The Amazon heard copter blades and looked up. Inspector Gadget was flying overhead. As her adversary started to descend, the Amazon pulled Penny in front over and gripped her neck.

"Stay back!"

"Go, go Gadget tear gas bomb!"

Penny's eyebrows raised in surprise. Her uncle didn't have a tear gas bomb.

Whoosh!

"Whoa!" thought Penny. Maybe he did. The Amazon dropped her. Penny closed her eyes and waited for the effects of the gas.

"Go, go Gadget arm!" shouted Gadget. His arms extended and pulled his niece out of the chocking cloud.

"I'm sorry Penny," said Inspector Gadget as he pulled of his niece's gag. "I had to risk it. Are you all right?"






"I'm fine now, Inspector Gadget. I'm fine."




Dr. Claw fumed. Maybe he'd chosen the wrong agents. Maybe he should have tried to handle things himself for a change. Maybe it was bad luck. Or maybe he just couldn't beat Gadget. He wondered if he should still go through with his plans as he tightened one fist around the arm of his chair and the other around Mad Cat.




Epilogue




Penny had felt a combination of pride and surprise that day. Her uncle had figured out that a lead was false before investigating is, that Officer Crine was in on the crime, that Mr. Sneak would to take that road, and how to cut them off. He'd added the tear gas bomb to his gadgets recently. It had been top secret so couldn't tell even here. That aside, he really was the world's greatest detective.

That was several days ago. There lives had quieted down. No one questioned her about her watch so Mr. Sneak probably set that aside with all his legal worries. In fact, she sensed there had been a lot questions about her during the time she'd been abducted. In the relief that she was safe, however, they'd faded. Besides, her uncle had done this without her involvement. He really had.

Meanwhile, Brain had recovered. And inspector Gadget would soon be going back on duty now that his niece was all right.

Gadget's phone rang has he and his family walked home from a jog.

"What's that Chief? You're where? Be right there Chief."

Chief Quimby stuck his head through a whole in an abandoned building. He apologized calling Gadget sooner than expected and handed Gadget a note.

"Possible MAD plot to infiltrate U.N. Locate and stop agents. This message will self-destruct."

Gadget glanced at Penny.

"It's O.K. Uncle Gadget. You where there when I needed you. Now the U.N. needs you."

"Thanks Penny," said Gadget, proud, as always, of his niece. "Don't worry Chief. I'm back on duty. Go, go Gadget arm"

His arm stretched and dropped the note into a trash bin. The Gadget family hurried home so that Gadget could get going.

"Well," thought Chief Quimby, "I finally didn't get blown up. Maybe we have a new Gadget."

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