Chapter 5 - Untitled

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 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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