xxiv. which father knows best

——

Freya was in the lab with Adam, Bree. Chase, Leo, and Davenport. Bree had smashed her chip the other day due to wanting freedom, but she regretted it and now Davenport is attempting to fix it. Key word: attempting. He wasn't the one who created the chip it was his brother, Douglas, and Freya fears that they may need to call Douglas to fix it.

"Well, Bree, you smashed your chip so badly, it's useless. But, I was able to replicate my brother's original chip and like my face, it's flawless." Davenport explained, framing his face with smile.

Freya frowned, leaning an arm on Chase's shoulder. "Forget the chip. We need to get this dude a mirror."

"Wait, so I'm actually going to be bionic again?" Bree asked with a hopeful smile.

Donald nodded. "Yep."

Bree cheered. "Yes!" She gratefully hugged Davenport. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Freya giggled at Bree's giddy reaction, glad Bree is getting her bionics back. She agrees Bree was not thinking right when she smashed her chip, but she owned up to her mistake.

"Your chip's almost ready." Davenport informed and the chip fabricator dings.

"Ooh! Snacks are done!" Adam mentioned as he walked up to the chip fabricator with the bionic teens, Freya, and Davenport.

Davenport sighed. "For the last time, this is not a microwave! It's a chip fabricator." He reached his hand inside and grabbed the chip.

"Call it whatever you want. Freya and I are still making our mini pizzas in here." Adam shrugged and fist bumped Freya.

"I'll ignore the little pieces of metal I eat," Freya grinned.

Davenport handed Bree her chip. "Okay, Bree, hop in your capsule and get ready for your new chip." Bree happily grabbed the chip and rushed to her capsule.

Davenport went over to the console and Leo looked at him as Bree was getting her chip implanted into her neck. "You know, Big D, if this works, maybe you can make a chip for me and Rey."

"Please, your body can't handle high-fiber cereal." Davenport scoffed as Freya approached them. "Giving bionics to Freya is like giving Adam ten sticks of dynamite."

Freya snickered. "If I ever get bionics, the world wouldn't last long."

Bree's capsule opened and steps out of it.

"So? How does it feel?" Davenport asked.

"Like a piece of metal just got jammed into my neck and fused to my nervous system!" Bree casually remarked.

Davenport cheered and clapped. "Whoo!!!Success!" He motioned Bree to the center of the lab. "Alright, now, give it a try, see how it worked."

Bree let out a breath. "Okay."

Bree attempts to use her super-speed and ends up on the ceiling for a few seconds, destroying some pipes and then ends up on the floor. Freya gasped, cringing as she landed on the floor.

After a few seconds, Adam shrugged. "Well, she's still more useful than Chase!"

——

Adam had brought Bree over to a stool and her bionics were glitching.

"You know, technically speaking, your bionics are working..." Davenport reasoned.

Bree spoke in a deep tone. "You call this working?!" Everyone looked at her in shock. Her voice changed to a high pitched voice. "I can't control my vocal manipulation! I can't control anything!"

Freya looked up at the ceiling, scrunching her nose. "You might want to fix that." The ceiling had lost some pipes.

Davenport let out a frustrated sigh, putting a neck brace on Bree to modify the chip. "I'm so close. It just needs a few tweaks!"

Chase pulls Adam aside. "Dude, we're in big trouble if he can't fix her. We need her speed and agility for missions!"

"Well, maybe we'll just find someone to replace her." Adam suggested.

"We can't just replace her!" Chase objected.

"You're right. Let's just forget about her and move on! She's dead to me!" Adam declared, before making a sour face.

Chase rolled his eyes. "What's wrong?

Adam let out a sad sob. "I miss Bree!"

"No offense, Big D, but if your brother's the one that created her original chip, then maybe we should just call him--" Leo started to explains

Davenport cut him off. "No! Forget about it! I never want to see that waste of space again."

"But he's our only hope, and he's not all bad. He did save us from Krane." Chase reasoned.

"Yeah and you know what else he did?
He blew up the lab, kidnapped you, and stole all my money." Davenport shot back with irritation.

"All I'm hearing is adventure and excitement." Adam pointed out and Freya nodded.

Davenport contained his frustration. "Look, I do not need any help from Douglas. I will fix this, okay? Give me a little credit. I happen to be a tech genius."

"You sure?" Freya asked him, earning a glare from Davenport.

Davenport removed the neck brace from Bree. "Okay. Let's give it another go."

Bree got up and stood in the middle of the lab. She once again attempts to use her super speed, but instead runs backwards and crashes into in the back of the lab.

"I repeat my question." Freya grinned at Davenport, who gave her an annoyed eye roll.

Adam chuckled. "Oh, Mr. Davenport, you are not good at your job."

——

Davenport was in the lab later that day trying to work on Bree's chip. You can tell he was frustrated and Leo peeking over his shoulder, asking him questions didn't help. Freya was watching from afar with an anxious Bree, making sure she was okay.

"Did you try--"

"Yes, I tried that!" Davenport interrupted.

"Maybe you-"

Davenport sat up, irritated. "Maybe you should stand over there so that your peanut butter breath wouldn't distract me and I could think!"

Davenport goes back to the chip. He touches the chip and a short circuit scares him back with a hiss of pain.

"Ow! You know what? I need a break. That's it! I just need a break!" He starts smiling hysterically as he walks away. "That's all. Whoo! Break time." Davenport starts laughing from stress as he left the lab.

Freya was concerned for Davenport, never seeing him like this before. If Davenport can't fix Bree's chip, they may have no other choice but to call Douglas.

Bree was in shock. "Wow, I have never seen him like this."

"I have. Remember last Christmas when he gained two pounds?" Leo asked, but Bree wasn't amused. "Those fluffy sweaters weren't fooling anybody."

"I'm scared, guys. "What if he can't fix my chip?" Bree asked with worry and Freya put a hand on her shoulder. "I had a gift and then I just threw it away. By destroying that chip, I destroyed our team."

"We'll find a way." Freya assured Bree, who gave her a sad look before walking away. Freya looked at Leo. "I have an idea."

"I think we are thinking the same thing."  Leo remarked.

"If Mr. Davenport finds out, you are taking the blame." Freya pointed at Leo, who gave her an annoyed look.

——

Freya and Leo went down to the park that day, searching for Douglas. Luckily, Douglas had butt dialed Leo and it gave them the opportunity to track his location.

Leo and Freya were looking around the park and saw a woman working at hot dog cart. Freya smiled kindly at her. "Excuse me, ma'am. I'm looking for a guy named Douglas. Have you seen him?"

"Short, creepy, porky-pine hair." Leo added and Freya rolled her eyes at him.

"I wouldn't call it porky-pine hair!" The lady responded with the voice of Douglas and the teens eyes grew in shock. The lady presses a button on her throat and morphs into Douglas. "It's more like a spiky lions mane."

"That's so cool." Freya gasped in shock. "Gimme it!"

Douglas smacked Freya's hand away and she pouted.

Leo frowned. "Douglas? You can be anybody with that cyber-mask, why would you go with... that?"

"Two reasons. Hides me from Krane, and... scares the pigeons away." Douglas explained, looking up and than going to throw something away. "How did you find me?"

"Well, I could make up an impressive story about a high-tech satellite search thing, narrowed down your exact coordinates, but the truth is..." Leo started to explain.

"You butt-dialed Leo." Freya finished and Leo nodded. "Look. We need your help. Bree wrecked her chip."

"She what?" Douglas asked in shock. "It took me years to perfect that thing!"

Freya shrugged. "Yeah, well, it took her three seconds to destroy it."

"The bigger problem is, Big D can't fix it." Leo told Douglas.

Douglas chuckled. "Of course he can't." He laughs. "I win again! Oh, I can't wait to shove his face in this one."

"It's not about you beating your brother, he doesn't even know we're here. But we had no other choice, you're the only one who can help Bree." Leo told Douglas seriously and Douglas sighed.

"I wish I could, kids, but I don't even have a lab anymore." Douglas sadly told them.

"I'll sneak you into ours while Big D's out." Freya suggested.

"We will?" Leo mumbled to her.

"Yes!" She whispered back in a snappy tone.

"I don't know." Douglas frowned.

"Please? Dad?" Leo begged and Freya rolled her eyes.

"I'm not your dad!" Douglas reasoned.

"Well, you're everybody else's dad! I thought it might work!" Leo reasoned.

"Not mine!" Freya put her hand up. "Don't got one!"

Douglas looked at Freya as she said this and his face fell for a split second.

"Look, now is not the time for hurt egos or grudges, Bree's my sister, and I have to fix this!" Leo declared.

"She needs your help." Freya finished. "Please."

Douglas looked at Freya and gave in. "Okay." He morphs back into lady disguise, keeping his voice. "Guess I'll just have to be the bigger man."

"You're smaller than Davenport." Freya mentioned.

"Irrelevant information." Douglas glared at her, before pushing the hot dog cart away.

——

Freys and Leo had snuck Douglas into the lab and he was working on Bree's chip. Leo and Freya were snacking on the food that Douglas made, which were amazing. Freya was obsessed with the pita chips, they were her new favorite snack.

Leo was pacing around the lab, when he checked his phone. "Big D's gonna be back any minute!" He leaned closer to Douglas. "Do something!"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear ya." Douglas replied sarcastically and raised his voice. "Could you say it a little louder?!" He started typing on console. "There. It's as close to the original design as I can get."

Freya was eating from the food cart. She smiled. "If your micro chips are as good as your pita chips, I think we're in good shape."

Bree walks in as Douglas was looking in the chip fabricator. She freezes when she sees him and looks at Leo and Freya with shock.

"Guys, what is he doing here?"

"Leo did this!" Freya backed away with her hands up and Leo gave her a stunned look. He pulled her arms down and sighed.

"It's okay. We brought him. He's the only one who can help you." Leo assured a nervous Bree.

Bree shrugged uneasily. "I don't know about this."

"We don't have a choice. Do you wanna be bionic or not?" Leo reasoned.

The chip fabricator dings and Douglas smiled, removing the chip. "Ah, chip's ready if you are." He sniffs chip. "Why does it smell like pepperoni?"

"Adam and I are making pizzas in there." Freya smiled and Douglas gave her a confused look. "We will share don't worry."

Bree reluctantly sighed. "Okay, fine. But this better work." She stopped herself from taking the chip. "Wait. You're not gonna, like, turn me evil, are you?"

"I already tried. Didn't take." Douglas confessed and Bree gave him a snarky look, before taking the chip. She went into her capsule and the door shut.

"Don't worry, Bree. I think we can trust him." Leo said in between his chewing. "What bad guy makes baba ghanoush this good?"

"What's your recipe?" Freya asked after she swallowed the last of her pita chips.

"Got a really good feeling about this." Douglas chucked.

Bree's chip is implanted back into her neck and she walks out of her capsule.

Douglas moved Bree to the center of the lab. "Okay, go ahead. Test it out."

Bree successfully super speeds out of the room and the three cheered.

"Yes! You did it!" Leo beamed and high fived Freya and Douglas.

Suddenly Bree super speeds back in and out unable to stop.

Bree called out as she ran by. "I can't stop!"

Freya's eyes grew in shock and hit Douglas's arm. "I thought you knew what you were doing!"

"I'm a little rusty, okay!" Douas admitted

Davenport walks in and his eyes filled with anger at the sight of his brother.

"How did he get in here?" Davenport pointed.

"Leo let him in!" Freya accused and Leo smacked her arm.

"We let him in." Leo corrected and Freya sighed, folding her arms. "But...before you get mad, you've got to taste this." He held out the pita chips to Davenport and Freya nodded, taking a chip.

"It will change your life." Freya added as Davenport looked back at the cart.

——

"Help me!" Bree yelled as she super sped back into the lab and then out of it.

"I specifically told you not to contact him. How could you betray me?" Davenport snapped at the kids.

"Hey, in my defense...I'm just a little boy." Leo objected, speaking in a frail voice.

"Yeah, we are kids!" Freya agreed, putting her arm around Leo who nodded. "You could give us some sympathy."

"Oh, lay off the kids. They were just trying to help." Douglas reasoned.

"Help her?!" Davenport yelled, storming to Douglas, who backed up. "She's worse off than she was before. I was this close to fixing this."

"I saw our chip. You were not close." Douglas argued, pointing at him.

Davenport mocked him, doing the same hand gestures. "You were not close!"

Bree suddenly super speeds back in and out, interrupting their bickering.

"Do something!" She yelled.

Davenport sighed, annoyed. "Bree, do you mind? The adults are trying to have a conversation." Davenport looked at the teens. "We're never gonna be able to fix that chip unless we can get Bree to stay in one place."

"Well, how are we supposed to stop someone running at the speed of sound?" Leo asked with confusion.

"Why do I wanna try to catch her?" Freya asked with a small laugh.

Douglas snaps fingers, getting an idea. "Spike strip?"

Davenport laughs sarcastically. "Sure, why not? It worked for Wile E. Coyote."

Bree super speeds back in and out. "Help!"

"Look, maybe we can construct some sort of giant air bag." Davenport suggested.

"Oh, yeah, 'cause that's not cartoony at all." Douglas sarcastically remarked and Freya rolled her eyes, getting annoyed at their bickering.

"Spike strip-- where'd you get that idea, your hair?" Davenport insulted.

"Where'd you get the air bag idea-- your belly?" Douglas shot back and Freya snickered at their comments. She may be annoyed, but it gave her amusement.

Davenport gasped. "I'll have you know I lost that Christmas weight--"

"Ballistic gel!" Leo suddenly exclaimed, scaring Freya.

Davenport, Freya, and Douglas frowned. "What?"

"You know, the gel that forensics labs use to test firearms." Leo explained and Freya nodded, understanding.

"Oh!" She gasped.

"That's not a bad idea." Davenport said.

"I thought it wasn't a bad idea before you did." Douglas countered in a bitter tone.

"Spike strip." Davenport rolled his eyes.

"Air bag." Douglas murmured back.

"I see why Adam and Chase fight so much." Freya mentioned, earning a glare from the brothers.

——

Leo and Freya had set up the ballistic gel in the middle of the room. Freya was glad she had gloves on, because the gel was incredibly sticky.

Leo and Freya moved away after the gel was set. Leo spoke. "Okay, it's set. Next time she runs through here, she'll get stuck in there like a rat."

Right on cue, Bree super speeds in and gets stuck in the block of gel. Her legs were twitching, but she wasn't able to get out of the gel.

"Yes!" Bree smiled.

"It worked!" Leo cheered and high fived Freya.

Davenport and Douglas smiled together. "I know, I'm a genius!" They shared a bitter look and then whispered to the teens. "I'm a genius!" They looked back at one another with glares.

"Annoying geniuses." Freya added and Leo chuckled.

——

The ballistic gel didn't last long, due to Bree's unstoppable superspeed she was able to break free from the gel. Freya suggested a harness to have Bree suspended in the air. Only problem is she is still superspeeding in the air and it's affecting her heart rate and she was at the point of fainting from exhaustion.

"Can someone please do something!?" Bree yelled, breathing heavily.

"Her heart rate's at 200 and rising, and while I'm not a doctor, I feel that's unsafe." Leo explained with a heavy glare.

"This is all your fault! You overloaded her chip!" Davenport accused his brother, going to the console.

"My fault? It was your chip I was trying to fix, which was flawed, much like your original nose!" Douglas argued back and Davenport gasps. Freya was amused by their constant bickering, but had to stay focused on the matter at hand.

Bree was sweating profusely. "Get...this chip..." She started yelling. "Out of me!"

Davenport approached Bree. "We can't remove your chip while your bionics are in use, but we can program it wirelessly with this." He attaches a device to her neck and rushed back to the console.

Freya gasped as she saw Bree's vitals. "Hurry, she's redlining! If we don't do something, her heart could--"

"My heart could what?!" Bree snapped.

Leo and Freya shared a nervous look, before Leo looked at Davenport. "What's another word for 'explode'?"

"Boom?" Freya answered timidly and Bree's eyes grew with fear.

Davenport started typing on the console frantically. "I'll enable a diagnostic app that will help us isolate problem areas in the code."

"We don't have time for that." Douglas pushes Donald away from the keyboard. "I'll fix the code."

Davenport pushes Douglas away. "Oh, you've fixed enough, I've got it."

Douglas gasped as he looks up at Bree in horror. "Oh no, what's wrong with her head?!"

Davenport looks at Bree, sees she is fine and Douglas pushes him away again and they start fighting. Freya let out a laugh, before getting serious.

Freya let out a loud scream. "Stop!" Leo joined in. "We're running out of time!"

Douglas paused. "Wait... This line of code hasn't been debugged!"

Davenport eyes grew in realization. "That's why her neural array keeps re-indexing."

Leo and Freya shared a look of agony and then at the brothers. "What does that mean?!"

"I solved the problem!" The brothers exclaimed together and starts typing on console together. "Complex asterisk B equals no, value equals 1!"

Davenport sighed. "Here it goes."

Davenport and Douglas each press a button, which makes Bree's legs start to slow down. Freya sighs with relief, resting her head on Leo's shoulder.

Leo smiled with relief. "Yes! Her heart rate's going down. It's headed for normal."

Bree let out an exhausted breath. "Yay!" Freya rushed up to Bree with a rag to wipe the sweat of her face. Bree smiled wearily as Freya gently wiped the sweat away. "Thanks, Rey..."

Davenport and Douglas shake hands and perform a ridiculous duo-dance. The three watch in horror.

"Old people scare me." Freya cringed.

Bree's eyes grew. "I wish my heart exploded before I saw that."

——

Leo and Freya were sat in the couch in the living room, waiting for Adam and Chase to return. It didn't take long for the brother duo to walk into the house and Leo and Freya stood up with smiles.

"Hey, guys, guess what?" Freya asked.

Bree super-speeds into the room, scaring Leo and Freya. "I'm back, losers."

"You need a bell!" Freya told Bree.

"You got your speed back!" Chase smiled and hugs his sister.

"Well, that's uh, too bad, 'cause we already moved on." Adam sniffles, hiding his sorrow.

Davenport and Douglas walk into the living room.

Douglas greeted Adam and Chases. "Hey boys."

Chase frowned. "Douglas? What's going on?"

"He fixed her chip." Leo told them

"Actually, we fixed her chip." Douglas corrected, putting his arm around his brother with chuckle. "That's right. The Davenport boys, together again."

Davenport moved away from his brother with uneasiness. "Yeah, not quite. Look, I'm grateful for your help, and I couldn't have done it without you, but I can't forgive you for what you've done to this family." Freya's smile dropped at his words and she let out a quiet sigh. Davenport hesitantly continued. "You should go."

Douglas became downcast. "Oh..."

"But Mr. Davenport." Freya objected.

"You can't throw your own brother out on the street." Chase reasoned.

"Why not? I'd do it to you." Adam remarked and Freya whacked his arm.

"He's tried to hurt us too many times." Davenport explained.

"But he's also saved our lives. Twice." Bree reasoned.

"Plus, dude can cook." Freya put her hand up with a smile.

"Speaking of, you and Leo have eaten 75 bucks worth of my food. Pay up." Douglas mentioned, putting his hand out.

"You heard the man. Out!" Leo yelled, pointing to the door.

"I'm broke. So... get out." Freya gestured to the door.

"Come on, Mr. Davenport, let the guy stay." Adam pleaded as Douglas headed for the door.

"Give him a chance." Chase said.

"This isn't fair." Bree said.

"Guys, it's okay. He's right." Douglas agreed. "I messed up. I'll see ya around."

Douglas left and Bree turned to Leo and Freya.

Bree smiled at them. "Thank you, Rey and Leo. I mean, if not for you, none of this would have ever worked out." The two smiled as Bree went up to Davenport. "And... I promise I will never do anything that stupid ever again."

"It's okay. We all make mistakes." Davenport assured her. "And everybody deserves a second chance."

Bree looks at the door where Douglas left with sorrow, before looking back at Davenport. "Everybody?"

Freya and Chase shared a look before Adam ruined the silence.

"Oh, snap!"

——

The following day the Davenport's and Freya went down to the park to find Douglas. Leo and Freya saw the lady Douglas was pretending to be and approached her.

"Hey, Douglas." Leo greeted the lady.

"I don't think that's Douglas." Chase frowned.

"Yeah, she has much bigger hands." Adam agreed.

"Trust us, guys. This is no lady." Freya chuckled and Leo tapped the lady's neck where the cybermask device would be.

The lady smacked his hand away. "Get off me!"

Leo scoffed. "Come on, Douglas. Ditch the mask." Leo looked around for the mask as Freya slowly backed away, believing it was an old lady. "Where's the button on this thing?"

Leo reached again and she lady grabbed his hands, threatening him. "I'm warning you, kid." She grabbed a pair of tongs. "Stop poking me, or you're gonna meet the wrong end of these tongs."

Freya pressed her lips together, containing her laughter.

Douglas pops up from behind the short wall. "It's okay, Greta. They're with me."

Freya grinned as Leo yelled. "Aaah!" He nervously looked at the lady. "So that's Douglas."

Greta nodded. "Uh-huh."

"And you're a real lady?" Leo asked.

Greta emphasized. "Uh-huh!"

Leo looked back at his family for help. "Help me!"

Freya pulled Leo away with chuckle.

"How'd you know?" Leo asked her.

"Cause I'm not stupid." She grinned and he rolled his eyes.

"What are you guys doing here?" Douglas asked, walking over to them.

Davenport approached him. "Uh, we...we're going on a family job. You know, Leo gets winded on the last mile, so we all have to carry him." Davenport chuckled nervously. "Can't go alone. Bye."

Freya pushed Davenport back to his brother. "Oh, no, you don't."

"Okay, I may have been a little harsh yesterday." Davenport confessed.

Douglas frowned. "A little?"

"Don't push it. You're sleeping in a bush." Leo pointed out.

"Continue." Douglas said.

"I realize that everybody deserves a second chance. Even you. So as soon as you apologize for all the things you've done to hurt our family...and say that I'm better than you, maybe you can come stay with us for a while." Davenport offered and Freya rolled her eyes at his little egocentric moment he had to put in there. "If you don't want to, you don't have to." Davenport went to leave.

Douglas stopped him. "No, no, it's...clear that you need me. So...I'm sorry. And thank you." Douglas smiled with a chuckle. "Now let's go home."

"Okay. I only brought the motorcycle, so you're gonna have to ride on back." Davenport informed him.

Douglas shrugged. "That's okay. I'll just drive it."

"Drive my motorcycle?" Davenport scoffed. "I don't think so. Everybody knows the big guy rides in front."

The brother started to walk away as Douglas argued. "I'm not just sitting there with my arms wrapped around you!"

"I'm not crazy about it myself." Davenport remarked.

"I'm not touching your tummy!" Douglas yelled and the kids watched then continue to bicker.

"Wow! So immature." Chase said.

Adam frowned. "Yeah. Who acts like that?"

Freya looked at the brothers with a raised eyebrow. "What did you two do yesterday?"

"Nothing!" They replied together with smiles.

——

Up Next: Cyborg Shark Attack

I know there hasn't been much Chase and Freya fluff these last two chapters. The next one will have it I promise you and especially the next upcoming chapters will have them. We are so close to You Posted What!?! And I'm super excited for that one!