CHAPTER FIVE

Sparky is a class 5 Specialized- Personified - Automaton -Reactive- Kinetic-Yearcaster. He was designed and built by Pops (Colin) Angle. Yearcasters was the brand of automatons that Pops began building early in his career, but never could raise the funds necessary to mass produce them. Sparky was his best work, and he was trying to figure out how to market him. When Pops met Peter, Peter had just left the Detroit police department over issues of corruption and was looking for ways to bring all the “Dirty Cops” to justice. The two of them had a log drunken conversation that lasted way into the night, the results of that conversation, besides a head ache the size of Montana the next morning, was a partnership that would be mutually beneficial. Pops continued to upgrade Sparky to where now he is a clean running super human machine. The only thing that keeps Sparky from wanting to be in control of his own destiny was a humility program that Pops had built into all his Yearcasters.

Sparky was let out of the car two blocks from the dinner. His disguise this time was one of an old man with a cane, The briefcase was hand cuffed to his wrist. He walk slowly and leaned heavily on the cane for support. This slow motion gave him ample time to observe all of his surroundings, He calculated the most likely spots that a lone shooter would have a clean shot at him. Just before he entered the dinner, he sent off his recommendations to Agent Norris.

The dinner door squeaked open as Sparky entered the room. All his internal system were on full power. He detected no bombs or weapons of any type available in the room. He made his way over to a booth in the back corner of the dinner away from the windows. He grunted and groaned as he slid into the booth. After a bit, a bright young waitress came over to the table.

“Would you like to see a menu?” She asked politely.

“Sparky made a gruff noise,

“I can’t see anything in this poorly lit place, Just bring me a glass of milk.” He said sharply.

The waitress left, not at all pleased with the way she was spoken to.

Before she returned with his milk, three "trench coats" entered the dinner. One had a briefcase strapped to his arm and the other three were caring several weapons. Sparky sent a coded message to both Peter and Agent Norris advising them of his current situation.

The waitress returned with Sparky’s milk as the three suits joined him at the table. It wasn’t until Sparking got a good look at the waitress this time, that he noticed who the waitress was.

“Can I get your friends Anything?” the waitress asked,

“They won’t be here long,” Sparky replied.

“Ah come on Gramps, we at least deserve a drink together,” One of the suits said,

“Very well, three more glasses of milk.” Sparky told her.

“Milk? Never mind! Gramps is right, we will be leaving in a few minutes.” One of the suits stated.

The waitress only went as far as the next table and started whipping it down.

Sparky glanced at his watch, which gave him the exact location of each of the weapons the men were carrying.

One of the suits leaned in towards Sparky and said in a low tone,

“If you know what is good for you, you will unlock the briefcase right now and strap on this one, and head out that door before your milk has a chance to get warm!”

“You know that is the trouble with you youth now a days, you have no appreciation for the finer things in life,”

Sparky leaned back to get the keys out of his pocket, when he did the suits reached for their guns. In a flash, Sparky reached across and grabbed the two closest and banged their heads together with such force, he hoped he had not cracked their skulls. Becky, the waitress, did one of her hardest judo chops on the right side of the last man siting’s neck.

O’Malley heard all the noise going on in the restaurant and knew something must have gone wrong, He, and his lady, started to head towards the back door; Becky scrambled to the bar and signaled Peter, and Agent Norris that things were secure in here, but O’Malley was making a break for it.

O’Malley and his lady friend hurried in the car and with two patrol cars in front and two in back, they planed to race down the alley and bust in the front of the dinner, attempting to catch their mark leaving with both the cash and the papers. When they hit the front doors, much to their surprise, there were thirty government agents inside all with their weapons drawn.

Agent Norris stepped forward and put cuffs on O’Malley.

“What is the meaning of this?” O’Malley demanded.

Agent Norris listed off all the charges.

“Don’t worry officers, we have plenty of these lovely bracelets for you also.” Agent Norris told them.

Peter entered the dinner before O’Malley was hauled out.

“You have a lot of nerve showing your face now. You know you have not won!” O’Malley stated.

“Winning, was not my purpose.” Peter said.

“Then why did you come back?”

Peter got right in O’Malley’s face.

“It’s personal.” he said with a cold stare.

The agents hauled all the officers away.

Three days later Peter, Becky and Sparky got subpoenas to testify in three months at O’Malley’s hearing. Life went on. The team had a few small cases that were handled without incident, It was two days after they returned from testifying at O’Malley’s hearing that the next big case came in. One that the team would learn a valuable lesson from.