By Jareth
Chapter Fifteen: Strange Behavior
“This can’t be happening!” Gadget wailed into Chip’s sympathetic arms. “This can’t be real!”
“I’m afraid it is.” Sparky said grimly. Chip wanted to hit Sparky for saying this, but then rationalized that this wasn’t the sort of thing Gadget really needed right now.
“What’s this?” came Foxglove’s voice. Immediately, everyone turned to see Foxglove standing atop the rubble, clutching a red hair in her wing.
“Crikey!” Exclaimed Monty. “Anotha red hair!”
“Nimnul did this!” Gadget’s shouted angrily “But when? When we came back, the planes were fine.”
“He must’ve done it when we were inside.” Suggested Dale.
“While we were inside?! Look at this!” Gadget shouted angrily, pointing at the heap of rubble. “How could he have done it without us hearing!?” But it was true; there was no other possible time it could have happened.
“Come on Gadget-luv, just simmer down for a bit.” Monty said, rubbing her shoulders for a moment, before Zipper took over.
“S-sorry guys,” Gadget said apologetically “I’m just really upset about this.”
“So am I,” Reassured Chip “but Nimnul did this to prevent us from stopping him, and if we just sit here, than Nimnul’s already won.”
“Too right! Agreed Monty, “But ‘ow we gonna get to him without a plane?”
Gadget Thought for a moment. “Well, the bagpipe express has too many holes, and its noise will blow our cover. Hmmm…” She turned and noticed Foxglove stretching her wings. Suddenly, a look came over Gadget’s face that suggested she had just found the answer. “I have an idea!”
“I’m sure glad it’s a windy day.” Said Gadget as they moved
swiftly through the park. “Otherwise this would have never worked!”
The Rangers and Sparky were sitting in a roller skate with two strings tied
to the front. At the end of the strings was a large (by human standards, it
would be very small) Kite.
“Yeah, and if the kite breaks, than we can tie Foxy to it!” Dale joked, making everyone, including Foxglove laugh. However, the humorous atmosphere was suddenly broken by the sound of a woman screaming.
“What was that?” Asked Foxglove in an alarmed voice.
“Gadget, hit the breaks!” Instructed Chip.
Gadget Tugged on the second string, causing the kite to fold in half and fall. It suddenly occurred to Gadget that her new invention, while creative, lacked a breaking system. Apparently, judging from the look on the other’s faces, they had realized it as well.
“Were gonna crash into that tree!” Dale yelled, covering his eyes.
They all cringed, waiting for the inevitable, but it never came. In fact, they had completely stopped moving “Hey,” Dale said, looking up “why didn’t we crash?”
“You sound like you wanted to.” Came Foxglove’s teasing voice from behind him.
The Rangers and Sparky turned around to see Foxglove, perched on the back of the roller skate with her wings open like a parachute.
“Wow!” Exclaimed an impressed Dale “Just like those racecars on TV!”
Suddenly, the scream came again, only this time, closer. The Rangers and Sparky turned to see a policeman, attempting to steal a woman’s purse. Immediately, they recognized him.
“That’s officer Muldoon!” Chip shouted in shock. “What is he doing!?”
“NO!” yelled the woman. “It’s my purse, let go!”
“Shut your face!” Muldoon shouted, grabbing the purse. He then proceeded to punch the woman in the chest, sending her flying twenty feet backwards and knocking her out. “Let’s see,” He said, opening the purse “this better have… Oh yeah, score!” He yelled, pulling a wad of bills from the purse. “I’d better bring this stuff back to the master.” With that, he took off, running down the park path at blinding speed.
“Did he just… Rob someone?” Chip asked, barely believing what he had just seen.
“L-looks that way.” Answered Gadget, sounding equally shocked.
“I can’t believe it!” Exclaimed Sparky “An officer of the law reverting to common thievery. What is this world coming to!?”
“Why would Muldoon steal?” Pondered Monty.
“I’ll bet Nimnul’s, using the same mind control method he used with Sparky on Muldoon.” Deducted Chip.
“Well, he did run off in the general direction of Nimnul’s lab,” Said Gadget “but there’s no way any living thing could run as fast as he just did. It defies the laws of biology!”
“Well, judging from what you guys have said about him, it doesn't sound like he’s into obeying laws.” Commented Foxglove, causing Dale to laugh.
“Great,” Groaned Chip “She’s become Dale.”
“But I wasn’t trying to be funny…” Foxglove thought to herself.
“Possible or not, we have to stop Nimnul before he controls the whole city!” Shouted Chip.
“Too right!” Agreed Monty.
It was nighttime when the Rangers finally arrived at Professor Nimnul’s
Laboratory, and it had begun to rain. As soon as Foxglove had stopped the skate,
everyone hopped out. “What now?” Asked Dale as Foxglove fluttered
off the back of the skate and landed next to him.
“Now, we go up there and see what Nimnul’s up to.” Chip said, pointing to a drainpipe that led directly to a window. Professor Nimnul had obviously thought ahead that the Rangers might come, and had attached spikes to the outside of the pipe. However, the spikes were too far apart and instead of serving as an obstacle, they served as a ladder.
The Rangers and Sparky made there way up the unintentional ladder, while Foxglove flew up to the window. “This window is so dirty.” Foxglove pointed out to herself as she rubbed some dirt off the window using her wing. As soon as everyone had made it, they all proceeded to peer in through the window.
The room appeared to be empty, so the Rangers and Sparky waited for a few minutes. However, after 7 minutes of waiting, Dale was beginning to think that Nimnul might not even show up. “Maybe he’s not here.” Suggested Dale.
We need to check other wind—” Chip began, but was interrupted by Foxglove.
“*Shhhh” She hissed putting the tip of her wing over her mouth. “Listen… Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Chip asked, wondering what she was talking about.
“What do you hear Foxglove?” Asked Gadget.
“It… it sounds like… It can’t be!”
“What!?” They all asked in unison.
“It sounds like the footsteps of the T-rex from Jurassic park.”
“No, it sounds mechanical.” Said Sparky, now able to hear it as well.
No sooner had Sparky said this, when something large walked into the room.
Neither Sparky, nor the Rescue Rangers could believe their eyes.