Mechanical Maniacs: Life After Life

By Hadrian (Hardman) Howell

CHAPTER 20: Beginning

It was only a few hours later. We'd been picked up by MPD forces almost immediately after getting off the last step of Memorial Park and sped to MPD HQ at speeds I assume broke a lot of laws. Then they hastily put us all in this one room and left us here to wait for a few hours.

It was a nice room, all things considered. Wood panelling on the walls, a big mahogany desk, a very comfortable looking chair. It had all the makings of a homey office, just with none of the usual vague art or pictures of the family. And when the person we were waiting for finally arrived, that made sense.

The door opened, and the first face I saw lifted my spirits a little. I'd never really THOUGHT of him as a real relation, but he always saw me as 'dad'. Gag was obviously older now, although you couldn't tell just based on his physical appearance. It was the way he carried himself that gave him an air of confidence he'd been lacking in those early years. The Lieutenant insignia on the shoulder of his trenchcoat did nothing to hurt the image of a robot who was now very much in control of himself and confident that he could handle anything life could throw at him.

I almost missed the second face that joined us, which actually belonged to the man that entered first. In my defense, he's really short, and I'm really not. His face bore his normal optimistic grin and his wheels spun gently, carrying him forward past us and to the desk, where he hauled himself up into the chair and sat there, taking us in.

"Welcome back, Maniacs," Gaderham said.

"Good to BE back," Topman replied. He was always good natured around Gaderham. Some of this was because the little robot was infectiously optimistic, but mostly it was because Topman was actually TALLER than him.

"I assume we have you to thank for the help against Cityman?" Snakeman said.

Gaderham smiled a little wider. "Ever the businessman. Yes, I admit I'm the one who pulled those strings for you. If the fight had gone on any longer, I'd have put in a requisition for an airstrike."

"I'm guessing," Shadowman cut in, "that because you pretty much ARE the MPD that you know exactly what happened out there?"

The smile died slightly, and Gaderham's voice took a serious tone. "Well, I am fully aware that the mayor's sponsorship of the Sterling Sentinels wasn't the most official act he's ever undertaken. I've been given to understand that a group of battleships stationed outside of the W District literally stood up and walked away, and 1/26th of the city I am sworn to protect is either crushed to dust, blown to pieces, or on fire."

"My bad," I grunted noncommitally.

The little robot at the desk sighed. "Look, I appreciate that you all pitched in to help the city out in a time of need. I've always been a supporter of concerned citizens and their right to act, but... well, the fact is that under the laws and regulations, I'm supposed to arrest you and dismantle the lot of you as weapons of war."

"WHAT?" was the collective cry, although I'm certain I uttered something much, much dirtier.

"Calm down," he winced, "I said 'supposed to.' Obviously, I'm not planning on that or I'd have brought more with me than my Lieutenant here." Some of the other Mechs turned to see Gag as if for the first time. "And besides," Gaderham continued, "I know you guys. I know that you're not the evil, out of control loose cannons that some members of the MPD tried to make you all out to be 15 years ago. Times are different now."

There was a subtle, ever so silent hiss. Then I heard Gag open the door behind us. Turning to look, I didn't get what I expected. Instead of a white hallway, I got a massive hangar. Gaderham led the way and we all stepped out of the office (which it also turned out was an elevator) and into a vast expanse of space that had to be deep underground. Huge towers of scaffolding reached up to a cieling that had to be ten stories up at least, and I recognized splotched of paint on the walls that remained here.

"We've repurposed the sublevels of the HQ," Gaderham explained. "We needed the space."

"What for?" Snakeman asked, peering through the crowds of scaffolding covered in workers in front of us. "What're you building down here?"

"Nothing," Gaderham smiled. "Well, nothing the taxpayers know about, at any rate. And really, we're just doing some remodeling on something we found lying around."

We approached a massive section of rickety-looking platforms, and beyond it was a massive metal orbe with a smaller orb perched on top. I was taken in by the sight of it so much that I failed to notice what Shadowman did.

"Is this the Tecnodrome?" Shadowman breathed, excitement obvious in his voice. The Tecnodrome, back in the good old days, had been our barely-operable base of operations. It was broken down, missing pieces, and someone had stolen the giant eye on top of the thing at some point, and I couldn't remember if we'd ever gotten it back. I had to say, this thing looked WAY better than I remembered it.

Gaderham grinned. "It's YOUR Tecnodrome, on a few conditions."

"Of course," Geminiman scoffed. "I supposed we're to become officers for the RPD again?"

"Actually, no," Gaderham said, a statement which took us all by surprise.

"Come again?" Topman managed.

"Well, obviously I need a favor from you, and obviously, I have to reverse your status with the law, but that can be taken care of easily and in my own free time. No, I need you to be free agents. Heroes, like you used to be."

"You mean broke?" Needlegal said, nudging her brother who pretended like he didn't hear anything.

The small robot shook his head. "No, well... I can't OFFICIALLY pay you anything, or I'll have to go through more fancy tread work to make it all official and legitimate. No, I need you guys to take care of the things that I can't assign MPD and RPD resources to without getting bogged down in bearucratic stall tactics and red tape.

The world isn't a perfect place. In fact, I think it's in worse shape than ever. After the war with the Scissor Army, we all had a fleeting period of friendliness and brotherhood, and then it all fell apart. The official, governmental side easily forgot the roles you all played in stopping both General Cutman and Mesmerman before, and when you went after Cutman again, they outright branded you as outlaws and tried to actively destroy you. Now, if what I've heard is true, Mesmerman is back, and this adds to an already seemingly insurmountable problem."

"What problem?" Shadowman asked.

"Honestly, I wish I could tell you," Gaderham said, "but... well, it's classified."

"THAT sounds like a cheap cop-out," Topman scoffed.

"Almost as bad as Shadowman and Xelloss," Snakeman smirked, nudging the leader of the Mechs. "THAT'S a secret!" he followed up in a badly imitated voice.

"The point is," Gaderham said, pressing on, "that I need your help! There are forces in the world that have managed to gain the backing of a lot of countries who do not have the USA or Monsteropolis's best interests at heart, and try as I might, I simply can't move about as freely on the internation scene as I need to in order to stop them or even slow them down. I need you all, because you're the ones with the experience to take out these forces, and the freedom to do so."

"So, th' deal is we save th' world from evil AGAIN, an' we get ta be heroes again?"

"Overly simplified," a sour voice behind us spoke up, "but yeah, dad. That's the deal."

I turned to give Gag a look that might have reduced a lesser person to a smear on the floor. "Tha's just freakin' great. Fifteen years a bein' a loose end and I suddenly gotta go back ta th' thankless profession o' bein' a hero 'cause someone figures I need tyin' up?"

"I'm sorry that things have been as bad as they have," Gaderham said, drawing my attention forward again, "but this is how bad the situation is! I would have given you all this opportunity twelve years ago if I could have! I would never have made you all black sheep in the first place if it had been my decision, but I have limits, and I apologize that it's taken me so long to accomplish this."

"It isn't all bad," Topman said. "I mean, we get to be a team again. That's cool, right? It'll be just like old times."

"I admit," Needlegal spoke up, "I kind of missed you idiots."

"There is nothing I would rather do with my life right now," Magnetman finally spoke.

Sparkchan smiled. "We can all pick up right where we left off. Live our lives again."

"A life after life?" Geminiman ventured.

"Sounds good to me," Snakeman nodded.

I heaved a sigh. "Well, I guess I got nothin' else ta live fer. It's either this 'r go back ta bein' an old guy."

"I guess we're in agreement, then," Shadowman said. He turned to Gaderham. "Looks like we accept the offer."

"Excellent," Gaderham nodded as the two shook hands. "Let's get started..."

CHAPTER ERROR: Story

And, well, that was the story. At least from my perspective. Not to say it was the last one. I mean, there was a lot of stuff we did after that, but I'm not the best person to tell those ones either. I probably will though, because you just can't seem to sleep without being told a story. And trust me, the stories I have about my time with the Maniacs are the best ones.

Although someday I'll have to tell you how I met your mother. THERE'S a story that'll entertain you.

But for now, son, go to sleep. There'll always be more stories to tell tomorrow.