Aarti Gaadkar March 3, 1999

Magnaville P.I.

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                        It was a stormy night in Magnaville. I sat at my desk and reminisced about my past missions in averting world destruction. I had defeated Gamma Ray in her attempt to reverse time. I had also vanquished Nuclide and his no-good electron field. If you didn't already guess, I'm a P.I.-----not your usual private investigator. My job is more dangerous, more daring, and much more scientific. I'm a Physics Inspector. As I sat and smiled over my past victories, I had no idea of what was to come. A mission so treacherous, so intricate, the world might not see another day.

                        She came into my office on that stormy night. So calm, so collected, I sensed no problem. As she spoke, I sensed something familiar about her, as if we had met before. Her name was Namics, Dy Namics. She was in desperate need of my help. Her husband, known as Dr. Flux, was plotting to destroy the Earth's magnetism. His research started ten months ago, (well, 9.8 months to be exact), and he finally stumbled on a way to rid our planet of magnetism. As any good past Physics Honors student knows, the loss of magnetism will result in the death of all plants, animals, and humans. Without bothering to ascertain her husband's motive, I sprung into action.

                        We drove all night, for about 1.6 X 10*19 miles toward Dr. Flux's laboratory. Just before reaching our desolate destination, my car stopped. We were both aware of what was happening. Flux had managed to put his evil scheme into action and the motor in my car gave out because of the lost magnetism. We had no other means of transportation. You see, the alternator in a car uses magnetism to keep a car battery charged up. No buses, no trains, nothing. We were trapped out in the middle of nowhere. Our time was running out------FAST! I reached for my cell phone to call for backup as we approached the lab, but that too was affected by Flux's plan. I had no way to contact other officers. We were on our own. I instructed Ms. Namics to wait outside as I carefully looked around the lab. I was informed that Flux was not inside, but rather at his secret underground headquarters, a location that I had no idea even existed.

                        I slowly entered the lab and fumbled for the lights. After tripping over several electroscopes and a few voltmeters, I felt the switch. As I turned it on, I realized my attempt was pointless. The loss of magnetism once again foiled my effort to solve the case. I continued searching the lab in the dark, in hope of finding a clue. Just then, I saw a light shine through the door. I ducked and hid behind a desk, waiting to catch a glimpse of whoever came in. I heard footsteps, quiet and slow at first, then louder and faster. I crawled around the lab, feeling, searching for anything, then all of a sudden......a light shone on my face. I was caught! I looked up slowly, first terrified, and then relieved. Ms. Namics handed me the flashlight she was carrying in her hands. Without a word, we both continued our search. We came across many clues, but none of them were of any use to us. There were videocassettes, computer disks, videotapes, and other thing that used magnetically but none of them worked.

Not only did Dr. Flux have a brilliant plan, but his plan also ingeniously destroyed valuable clues. Just before leaving the lab, Ms. Namics found a camera. I took it from her hoping and praying that the film inside was completely used, because then we could get the pictures developed, and obtain clues. If the roll was only half used, we couldn't finish it because of the magnetism needed. I silently prayed while opening the camera. Yes! The film was used. We fled out of the lab and started to head back into town. Since my car was unable to transport us anywhere, we had to walk. I suggested going back the same way we drove in, but Ms. Namics said she knew a short cut back to another town, which was only 20 miles away. The town was north of the lab.

 

 

Finally! I thought. A break. Something not so difficult. I pulled out my trusty compass and then realized, once again, our misfortune. Compasses work with magnetism! I was furious. Then I realized something. It was dawn, and since the sun rises on the east, we could still figure out which way was north. We continued on our way to town.

                        We walked for hours under the scorching sun. The heat was unbearable. We were left unprotected from the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun because of the loss in the protective shield of the earth's magnetism. Skin cancer was a high risk factor for us, yet the detection of cancer could not be performed because MRI's also work with magnetism.

 

 

                        After passing several packs of confused animals trying to navigate their way along, we reached a quiet, little town and found a pharmacy. We had the pictures developed and determined the location of Dr. Flux's underground headquarters. Luckily, it wasn't far away from town. We were on our way.

                        At three o'clock, we slowly approached the secret hiding place of this evil doctor. We knew we were running out of time. Many animals and plants already died, but we were determined to save the others. We quietly snuck into the underground lab, and soon I was face to face with Flux himself. He smiled an evil smile and said I was too late. His plan was totally in affect and I could do nothing to stop him. I stood there in awe, aware that Ms. Namics had disappeared. I asked him a question I had been pondering ever since that stormy night when his wife came into my office---WHY?? His face turned from the wicked grin of an evil man, to the upset frown of an innocent child. He looked down and said to me slowly and quietly, ''I wanted an 'A' in physics.''

             ''What?" I asked surprised.

             "I never got an 'A' in physics, so I wanted to show the world that I was capable of doing something extraordinary,'' he replied. Before I could say anything, I heard a noise. A familiar noise. I kept Dr. Flux talking so he wouldn't sense anything. The noise got louder and louder. Tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick. It was the sound of time.....reversed time. The same sound I had heard when I had defeated Gamma Ray. She was back. The reverse of time had begun. I went all around the lab and destroyed Flux's research. All his plans, charts, diagrams, and models were destroyed. He sat there in a daze and I handcuffed him. Another case solved, except for the question of Ms. Namics. Where was she?

                        Two weeks later, everything was back to normal. The magnetism was restored and the Earth was functioning normally. We got all our electricity and energy back. I sat at my desk that cool night when the phone rang. A familiar voice was on the other end. She thanked me for helping her save the world and catching her husband. I thanked her for her brilliant plan of reversing time, and asked her how she accomplished such a feat. She simply replied, ''It wasn't the first time.''

                        As for Dr. Flux, he was put in a Physics Correctional Facility. Some argue that it was unconstitutional to lock him up before he even committed a crime, but I'll leave that call up to the American History Inspectors.