Hank McCoy sat hunched over the worktable in the Spector mansion's basement.
"Fascinating," he mumbled, half to himself. "I think we're going to be able to extend the Gadget's range to an over twenty-five hundred mile radius. If Ilyana is anywhere in the continental U.S., Canada or Mexico, we'll find her."
Axel Christensen put down the soldering gun he was holding, and wiped his forehead. "Damn, that's impressive engineering," he replied. "The signal amplification tech you've developed sure is impressive, Hank. And here I thought you were just a glorified cell jockey."
They both laughed.
"Genetics will always be my passion," he said. "Well, genetics and Giselle Bundchen, but i've gotten okay at instrument design and building, too. Sort of a necessity. Easier than spending a lot of money on equipment. Given the nature of my work, I'd always have to modify everything, anyway."
"Okay, looks like it's done. So, one more adjustment to the settings, and-" with the turn of a switch, the Gadget hummed to life. They both turned to look at the laptop display to see what the results of their efforts might be. As they watched the digital map, the Gadget's scanning range slowly began to expand. "Hmm," Hank mumbled again. "Looks like I need to give it some more juice. Glad I'm not paying the electric bill in this place!"
"Hell, yeah," Axel replied back. "Crank it up to eleven!"
As they increased the power feed, the search radius gradually expanded. When the circle expanded to just outside Calgary, Canada, a blip showed up on the screen.
"Hot damn, look at that!" Hank shouted, slapping Axel hard on the back, and knocking the wind out of his human form. Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, a loud popping noise drew their attention away from the screen.
They turned and looked, only to see the Gadget start sparking, and then suddenly explode right in front of their eyes. They looked back to the laptop, but it appeared that the readings were still displaying bright and clear. The data was safe!
"Too bad about the Gadget," Axel said to his friend. "Do you think you can rebuild it?"
"I built it once, I should be able to build it again," he said. "It'll take some time, but i think that's a job for another day. We should tell the others what we've found."
If we're going to Calgary, i know someone up there who might be able to get us pointed in the right direction."
* * * * *
"Hello?"
Axel froze when he heard the woman's voice on the other end.
"Uh, hi,..." he stammered. "Is that you, Liz?"
There was a long silence.
"What do you want, asshole?"
"Uh, yeah, right... ha, well, I was looking for your dad. I-"
"He isn't here," she responded, which was promptly followed by, "Go f*ck yourself."
When he heard the click on the other line, and the dialtone that followed, he hung up the phone in the Spector mansion's kitchen.
"Well, what did they say?" Crucible asked him, in between mouthfuls of the sub sandwich he was noisily chomping on.
"She said...," he began, thinking the better of it, "Michael isn't home, right now"
* * * * *
"...well, I'm sorry about that, Axel," Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen stated flatly. "I know Elizabeth still holds a grudge, despite the years that have gone by."
"Yeah, I don't know what to say, Michael," he replied. "I'm sorry, too, at least about the way things ended. Anyway, thanks for calling me back. I've got a favor to ask."
"No problem, I still owe you one for helping me with developing that vaccination in '09. Nastiest flu-strain I'd ever seen in Calgary. So what's going on?"
"Something that your unique perspective might help with."
* * * * *
"Allright, looks like we're all set, then," Axel informed the rest of the assembled Roughnecks. Dr. Twoyoungmen will meet us in Calgary to give us the keys to his family's cabin on the Bow River, up in the mountains. Whatever we're looking for, it's up there somewhere."
"I think I'll come with, if you don't mind," Hank chipped in. "I could use some time away from teaching duties and the life-sucking flourescent lights in my office."
"Sounds good, glad to have you with us."
With that, the Roughnecks followed Frenchie upsatirs to the mooncopter launching pad, ready to make their way to the rocky mountains.
"Say, Frenchie, you dont suppose we could make a quick stop in Chippewa Falls on the way, do you?"
(published July 12, 2014)
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