BONUS CHAPTER - Caution, Genius at Work

Hey, this is a RR bonus chapter. Chronologically, it comes after Chapter 39. 

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<No, you won’t. It’s not worth running into megafauna - Annie 10:57>

<Just…stay home - Annie 10:57>

<And pay attention when we video chat! It hurt when you went Genius - Annie 10:58>

<K - Peter 10:59>

<Break’s over. <3 you - Peter 10:59>

<<3 - Annie 11:00>

Professor Panic’s eyes dilated in his lab’s light, and he tapped his phone screen off. He’d been rereading his messages. She just didn’t understand. But it had always been this way. She’d run around being all heroic, break the robots he’d built, and then meet him at that pizza place on Carver Street. Never mind that he always had a million ideas for making the bots better and that Genius Mode was breathing down his neck…metaphorically.

A handful of active Panic Pals retreated, humming away and retracting their speakers. The new LABRAT versions—1.5 and 1.6—were almost ready for their test runs, but Annie’s interruptions made it tough to finish the programming. And both bots needed much, muchdifferent programming than the original LABRAT operating system.

Didn’t she know the 1.5 and 1.6 were for her? Why didn’t she get it?

He stared into his computer screen, where the black square that had been their video chat was still open next to a window of code. Then he closed the video chat and pulled up the Lil Pal’s diagnostics. Its engine still wasn’t working, as planned.

At least she’d started building it. That meant something, even though she should have been to this point weeks ago. The last bit was supposed to fail. The engine wasn’t supposed to work until he changed its coding. In that way, it was different—much different—from the 1.6 LABRAT. It wasn’t working, even though he’d traded out microprocessors three times and gone over the programming with a fine-toothed comb.

Genius Mode took over completely; he was one with the computer, one with the welder, and one with the 1.4 LABRAT assisting him. It was always like this. Work had sucked after the break. He’d decided right away he couldn’t just stay home, and by the time he got home, his head had been filled with plans for the 1.6. The HOSTRAT LABRAT. Then he’d had dinner with Dad. And now, finally, he could fully sink into Genius Mode.

“1.4, we’ll run six charging ports. Install them along the back; replace the armor there.” He snapped orders to the salvaged LABRAT from his Payout Plan. His fingers danced across the keyboard as his lab came to life, putting together the 1.4 frame, discarding unneeded armor, and adding solar panels and more batteries. The clock ticked on and on into the evening; 6:30…7:30…8:30…done.

Peter typed in a few more lines of code, then clicked twice on a button labeled ‘Initialize.’ The LABRAT behind him twitched and whirred, then stood up from its charging gurney. He grinned.

“1.6. Take four Panic Pals and head straight down Main Street toward Ambrose’s office. Beginning Test Run Alpha.”

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[Casting Call]

[Episode: Short: LABRAT Rampage - PG]

[Role: Mastermind! Episode Owner (Role Automatically Accepted)]

[Role Focus: Cunning > Drama]

Professor Panic cracked his neck as the Short started. It was late—any later, and it’d probably be past Collidus’s bedtime. A single camera drone hovered behind him. It seemed almost bored. He didn’t blame it. He had no intention of suiting up for this fight; the FEAR 2.5 Power Armor wasn’t done yet. In fact, he was probably scrapping it altogether. Its armor was just too heavy for tolerances. If he thinned it all down, its protection would be too low. But at its current thickness, it’d run out of power before…

“Stop it, Panic. Get a hold of yourself. You’re here to watch the LABRAT Prototype’s performance, not get caught up in another project,” Peter scolded himself. The room grew dimmer as his eyes undilated. He flicked his mouse to the right and clicked.

His monitor went full-screen, offering a birds-eye view of his prototype. The LABRAT’s jets cut out on the far side of town, right next to D.A.C. Drillworks. It started stomping down Carver Street, disgorging the four Panic Pals that’d hitched a ride on its back.

It’d be a shame if the LABRAT lost without getting a few hits in. In an ideal world, it’d give Collidus the same kind of challenge its predecessor had given Understudy in the bank. But Collidus’s power didn’t play well with[Hypercompression Cannon]. He didn’t expect LABRAT 1.6 to win. If it made it all the way down Carver Street and shot out one of the mayor’s office windows, it’d be a massive success.

Professor Panic frowned, staring at the diagnostics. Then he cursed—carefully, under his breath. He’d only loaded the LABRAT’s charging ports to 2/3 capacity, and its flight was only a few miles, but it was already at 62% charge, and none of the Panic Pals were full. He started scribbling notes, then stopped and pressed ‘Record.’

He’d take notes later. Collidus was here. His orange and blue—why did speedsters insist on orange and blue, red and yellow, or black?—costume flashed as he turned a corner. “Professor Panic! I’m here to save the day!”

Professor Panic typed in a quick command, and the four Panic Pals zipped forward. One of them stopped and deployed its speaker. As the rap song started, Peter zoomed in on the rapping robot.

“HEY, COLLIDUS, IT’S TIME TO GET DOWN!

PROFESSOR PANIC WEARS RIVERSIDE’S CROWN!”

Truth be told, he’d never been a big fan of ‘90s hip-hop. He didn’t hate it, but Magical Girl Understudy couldn’t stand it, so he’d embraced it. He could get her to attack any bot that so much as deployed its speakers, and every time he did—

The bot exploded with a crash as Collidus rammed into it.

[Manipulative Mastermind! +1 Cunning Point Pending]

“Gets ‘em every time,” Professor Panic said, laughing maniacally—but not too maniacally. He typed a quick note, then a command, and the LABRAT stalked forward, leveling its [Hypercompression Cannon] at Collidus.

Bang!

“Beep!”

[Rating Warning #1! Episode Rating - PG! Censor in Effect]

Collidus ran straight at the airburst, letting it throw him down Carver Street. It wasn’t the young speedster’s first battle against LABRAT, and he’d clearly learned that the [Hypercompression Cannon] didn’t hurt; only whatever he got thrown into would. And his power counteracted that. Worse, the shot had cost LABRAT 6% power. This wasn’t going to be sustainable. Certainly not for the primary mission, but not even for a Short on Carver Street.

He typed in another command. Typically, the LABRAT would be autonomous, but 1.6 was just a prototype. It wasn’t running a full Virtual Intelligence suite yet since the housing components and microprocessors were expensive, even with Rocko’s connections.

The LABRAT stomped forward, running ‘Assault.exe,’ and charged up its [Hypercompression Cannon] again.

Bang!

It fired, but this time, it missed Collidus. The superhero sprinted toward LABRAT, getting ready to body-slam the bot.

Professor Panic smiled as a street sign crashed into the ground in front of Collidus. He tripped, soared over LABRAT, and bounced down the street behind the bot.

[Dramatic Damage! +1 Drama Point Pending]

38% charge. Even just walking was draining LABRAT quickly. This wasn’t going to cut it at all. Professor Panic pressed a button, and the three Panic Pals swarmed the downed superhero. Tiny fists slammed into Collidus and one big his shoulder. If there was ever going to be a chance to hit the speedster, it’d be now.

Another Panic Pal deployed its speakers as Collidus struggled to his feet.

“HE’S HERE FOR YOUR MONEY, SO TOSS DOWN YOUR PURSE!

YOU THINK IT’S BAD NOW? IT’LL ONLY GET WORSE!”

Bang!

The shot slammed the thirteen-year-old superhero back, but this time, as he bounced, the sign crashed into him too, and he bounced back and forth until he stopped, half-pinned between the sign and the Black’s Shoe Company wall.

[Dramatic Damage! +1 Drama Point Pending]

LABRAT stomped toward the superhero, even as Professor Panic looked at its diagnostics. 29%. 28%. He typed in another command. This time, LABRAT and the remaining Panic Pals didn’t respond. Instead, the other Panic Pal—the one that’d flown over separately and hovered a hundred yards over the fighting, zipped down. In the moment before Collidus freed himself, its camera saw the six charging ports on LABRAT 1.6’s back.

They were sparking all along the edges, hemorrhaging power into nothing.

Professor Panic pushed his computer chair back. Standing, he typed an additional command; ‘Aggression.’ LABRAT and the remaining Panic Pals pressed the attack against Collidus. But Peter wasn’t watching anymore.

He’d learned what he needed to, and Collidus had always been slated to win this one.

◄▼►

Peter waved away the rolls for new powers and pointed at the real LABRAT. “1.4, go to Carver Street and recover the 1.6 prototype. If Collidus is still around, wait. Bring it back here intact. As intact as you can, at least. Once you do, strip off the armor and isolate the charging ports. That’s where 55% of its power disappeared to.”

“Of course, Professor!” The robot monotoned, stomping toward the secret lair’s robot launch tube. Peter watched it go and waited until its thrusters’ roar faded. Then he turned back to the computer. His eyes were already dilating.

“Test Run Alpha a rousing success. Modifications. We’re reducing the number of charging ports. Six is far too many. Four is safer. We’ll also need to redesign them so there’s no sparking during operations. The 1.6 model needs to replace more nonessential armor with batteries. Or maybe solar recharge systems. Right now, it’s barely rated to a two-hour run time without weapons.”

He typed as he talked, eyes dilated completely as he slipped into Genius Mode. The 1.6 wasn’t ready, and the 1.5 variant still only existed in his head, but he’d change that soon. His new models of LABRAT and the FEAR 2.6 or 2.7 Power Armor would be enough to get him over the mountains and into Tokyexico. They’d have to be.

Then, he could show her how much he cared.

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