Chapter 27

27 NO! NO! NO!" Edison pounds his desk with one small fist, yelling at the blinking red light above the label HYDROELECTRIC TURBINE. "Do not tell me that dim-bulb Einstein and his idiot friends somehow wrecked my dam!" Mr. Chimp examines the images on his computer monitor. He opens three new windows, scrolls through a stack of files and

menus, and calls up security-cam video of the turbine. He rewinds. He plays. A grainy black-and-white video shows the monster turbine spinning freely. Edison looks over Mr. Chimp's shoulder. "It's fine." Mr. Chimp points to the time code in the upper left corner. One hour earlier. Mr. Chimp fast-forwards. The video image shows nothing but the turbine spinning. "Fine, fine, fine," says Edison, suddenly more hopeful. Then a shape, from the penstock feed, fills the right side of the screen. Mr. Chimp punches PLAY. "What?" says Edison. A blurry figure, one blinking light on its head-shaped piece, hose arms snaking, legs kicking, dives headfirst into the turbine blades.

"I know, I know," says Edison. "I can see as well as you." Mr. Chimp shakes his head. "But what is he doing? Robots shouldn't work underwater!" On-screen, the grainy black-and-white Klank spreads his arms and legs and smashes the turbine as much as it smashes him. There is no sound, but the picture jumps with the force of metal on metal—pounding, bending, ripping, spinning, exploding into useless pieces. Both turbine and robot fall to bits and wash out of the picture into the downstream outlet. The turbine security-cam picture clears and

shows—where there used to be a half-ton, steel-bladed turbine—nothing. Edison stares at the empty screen. "B-b-but what about my new lab? What about my money? What about my one and only power company? I mean, our company." Mr. Chimp signs the obvious: "OK, honey," Mrs. Edison calls from downstairs. "Dinner is ready. It's your favorite —fish!" "Moooommmm," whines Edison. "I hate fish." "We don't say 'hate.' Now come down for dinner." Mr. Chimp stands up. He looks back at the

video screen. He shakes his head. Mr. Chimp is sad that he will not get a new tire swing. Or his freedom. But Mr. Chimp is a practical chimp. He has plenty more ideas. "And, sweetie...?" "What?" "Don't forget to scoop out the litter box." Mr. Chimp rolls his eyes and hops up on the windowsill. He signs: and jumps out the open window to the branch of the nearest tree.

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