Chapter 16. Rescue
Simon and Bob sat in the back seat of their government taxi. Their driver mounted his revolving beacon light on the roof of the car and ran across town with his sirens blazing. They crossed the island westbound on 34th street and headed uptown on 8th Avenue toward the museum complex.
Felix Rodriguez had a cross town fare in his cab on 57th street heading east. The 70 year old hack driver wished he could have retired years ago, but his IRA savings had dried up when the stock market tanked. His heartburn flared up again and he popped some more Tums into his mouth. What he really need though was some nitroglycerin tablets. His chest pain increased and he started to blank out just as he reached eight avenue.
Simon and Bob passed 56th street. Ahead all the lights were green as far north as Columbus circle beyond which 8th avenue merged with Central Park West. They entered 57th street just as Felix Rodriguez slumped unconscious against the steering wheel with his right foot pressed against the accelerator. His ancient Checker cab was built like a Sherman tank. It's two and a half tons slammed into the front corner of the Lincoln town car with a deafening crunch. All ten airbags inside the Lincoln exploded into action and then deflated almost as quickly. Bob tried to open his door on the left side of the car but the frame was buckled and it wouldn't budge. Simon's door on the right side was also stuck, but it popped open after being kicked twice. They were both a bit shaken up with ringing ears and were a bit unsteady on their feet at first, but otherwise uninjured. Their driver wasn't so lucky. The impact had driven the firewall backwards into the passenger compartment and the driver was pinned against the steering wheel. The door frame was badly bent it would require the fire department's jaws of life to free the man. A heavy smell of leaking gasoline and smoke from under the hood made matters worse.
Bob reached for his cell-phone and remembered he'd left it with Albert. Simon was already calling 911 for help but the switchboard was busy for some reason. Suddenly his mind recalled Atom's schematics, and he realized the robot could help. Give me your phone Simon, quick!. Simon wasn't sure what Bob had in mind, but he handed him his phone. Bob dialed the laboratory modem number for his computer and Issac's computer generated voice answered. Hello Simon, he said. Issac this is Bob. Go search Albert's files for Atom's schematics and find his SIM card and get the phone number. Then contact him and transfer to this number, Bob requested.
Atom had been waiting outside the museum for a few minutes. Suddenly he heard a phone ringing but couldn't locate the source. A heads up display popped up in his field of vision and he saw a phone icon. He reached out his arm as if he could touch the phantom icon, and found that he actually could. He then heard Bob's voice in his head. Atom we need your help. We're on 8th Avenue at 57th street. We've just been in an accident and our driver is trapped in the car. On my way, he said mentally hanging up the phone. Bob handed the cell-phone back to Simon. Atom has a GSM modem buried in his computer module, he explained.
Atom ran faster than he had before covering a mile a minute. He saw the car wreck ahead with Bob and Simon standing in the street. The fire department was still nowhere to be seen. The smell of gasoline was stronger now and the smoke was really pouring out from under the Lincoln's hood. Atom saw that he had to get the door open to extract the driver. He tried pulling the door out of the car but it was solidly jammed, with the frame mangled as it was it would have to be cut. He stared at the car and his vision shifted to the infrared. The heat signature acted like an x-ray view and he could see the two hinges and the lock bolt. By instinct Atom extended his right arm and pointed his palm at the door. The HUD came up again in his field of view with a cross hair that he aimed at the first hinge point by moving his arm. The He3 reactor in his chest spooled up to generate the required megawatts of electrical power and the CO2 laser in his forearm sent out an invisible focused coherent beam that surgically sliced through the door. Atom repeated the operation on the second hinge and the lock. He them pulled at the door and yanking it clear threw it across the street. He then used his laser to slice the steering column away and carefully pulled it clear of the driver. He bent down and lifted the man out of the car and set him down in the street a safe distance from the smoldering wreck.. An ambulance had finally shown up and the driver was placed on a stretcher and loaded into the waiting vehicle.
Simon starred and gasped in awe trying to take in what he had just seen. He looked at Bob and asked just how much power does he have? Bob whispered in Simon's ear, that little robot can generate one hundred thousand horse power. Only he doesn't know it yet.. They hailed a passing cab and continued uptown. Once inside the complex Bob ran to a computer. Issac, get a fix on my cell-phone. Robert looked confused. In all the excitement I forgot. I packed my phone in Albert's jacket just in case. That was good thinking, Simon said. Issac popped up a map The fix was heading east out to Long Island. I'm guessing Republic Airport, Issac said. They're going to fly him out of the country?, Simon feared. Well I can't avoid it any more. I've got to contact General Hayes. Simon used the blackberry to inform the General of the situation. My Corvette is parked in the underground garage, Simon offered. The three of them squeezed inside, Atom lying down behind the two seats. Bob used Simon's phone to keep in touch with Issac tracking Albert's position directing Simon as they speed eastward.
Atom story re-told in a different way....
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Tetsuwan Penguin
- Robot Revolutionary
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Tetsuwan Penguin
- Robot Revolutionary
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- Contact:
Chapter 17. Flying
Chapter 17. Flying
Albert's location was converging on Republic Airport. Their problem was they didn't know what kind of vehicle he was in, and what plane the terrorists had obtained. They would find out at the last minute with little time to act.
The terrorists car entered the airport and they pulled up to a hangar where an older model Lear Jet was waiting, it's APU's running. Hey Doc, we're going first class. Nothing but the best for you. , Polecat smiled He shook hands with the pilot and escorted Albert into the aircraft at gunpoint. Albert's jacket was draped over his shoulders, he was still wearing the sweatshirt the terrorists had put on him. The aircraft spooled up it's engines and taxied toward the runway. Inside the jet Albert had been gagged with his hands bound with duck tape. Torch sat in the cockpit's right hand seat and Polecat was keeping Albert company in the back of the aircraft.
Simon drove the car through the airport gate and accelerated onto the perimeter road. As they entered the airport Atom crawled out of the back of the 'vette and sat in Bob's lap in the front seat. Issac did his best to pinpoint the location of the cell-phone, and between the GSM and GPS fixes he located Albert in an older Lear Jet now number two for departure. Simon called the tower and demanded they stop the jet from taking off, but it's pilot had guessed what was happening and shut off his radio. The aircraft taxied into position and prepared to take off.
The runway came into view and they could see the jet taxing toward the end it. Simon floored the accelerator and the car raced ahead. He turned onto one taxiway and then across the grassy divide between it and another trying to block the runway to prevent the jet from taking off. He was still too far away. The jet was already rolling. Atom cried we not going to catch them and he jumped through the open window onto the tarmac and started running Simon and Robert gasped in shock as Adam ran across the divide toward the aircraft. He covered the distance at least twice as fast as the car had been moving. He must be running at over 100 miles an hour!, Simon exclaimed.
The aircraft was on it's takeoff roll with Atom running toward it. For a time it seemed that Atom would intercept the plane just before it could rotate. He was trying to get in position to grab on to the rear of the plane but the aircraft's front gear left the ground just as he reached it. Inches away from grabbing onto the rear surfaces the aircraft lifted up away from his fingers. Atom made a flying leap into the air after it,and it seemed for a second that he would reach it but the airplane was climbing faster than his leap. Something in the back of Atom's mind felt the desperation and refused to lose. He willed himself upward toward the receding aircraft and did not fall back to earth. The He3 fusion reactor in his chest spooled up to full power and the nozzles of the ion-plasma jet engines poked through the flaps in Atom's boots. The jet engines thrusted him upward. Instinctively Adam held his arms along his body angled out at a forty five degree angle like the wings of a fighter jet to provide lift. He was flying.
Look!, Simon pointed skyward at the airplane and Atom. He's not falling, he's actually flying toward the airplane!. Simon pulled out his cell-phone and hit the redial button. The phone GSM modem in Atom's computer answered the call. In the back of his head Adam heard Simon's voice
Atom do you hear me?, Simon asked. Loud and clear, Atom replied. Atom had caught up to the aircraft and was now flying himself above it, just ahead of the planes horizontal stabilizer. He approached the aircraft from the rear and actually sat down on it holding on to the transponder antenna. I've caught up to the plane, but what can I do now?, he asked. Do you see the caps to the fuel tanks on the wings? Simon asked. Yes Atom replied. See if you can remove them. The airflow over the wings will drain the tanks and the pilot will have to land when he runs out of gas. OK, Atom answered. He hopped off the back of the airplane and powered himself over to the right wing and reached out to grab the gas cap. It was locked tight. Atom held out two fingers of his right and and rammed them into the cap like a sledgehammer. The metal alloy of his fingers was stronger than the aluminum cap which he drilled into like butter and pulled out the lock. He then yanked the cap off of the wing exposing the filler tube to the relative wind. Jet-A fuel started siphoning out of the wing tank.
Torch took that moment to look out the window and backwards and spotted Atom sabotaging the aircraft. He didn't quite believe what he saw and yelled out Gremlins!
Atom let go of the wing and transversed over to the other side of the aircraft and repeated the same procedure on the left wing tank. OK Bob, the fuel is pouring out of her now!, Atom reported. I'm sitting on the back of the plane, I hope that pilot figures out what happening soon, he added.
In the cockpit all hell broke loose. The pilot had seen Atom yank the cap off the left wing tank and saw that his gauges indicated the fuel level dropping like crazy. At the rate the fuel is draining our, we going to have to find a place to land in about fifteen minutes the pilot indicated to Torch.
Atom sat on top of the jet just behind the cockpit. The pilot hadn't changed course yet and Atom was getting antsy. He found a grab handle in an antenna just behind the windshield and held on tight. He fired the jet engines in his legs and began to push the aircraft into a one hundred eighty degree turn back to it's point of origin. The pilot couldn't understand why the aircraft was disobeying his control inputs. He fought hard to stay in the air but Atom was pushing the nose of the aircraft down and it was loosing altitude. They had returned back to Republic airport with the runway in sight. The pilot had given up and had lowered his landing gear. At that moment the last of the Jet's fuel ran out and it was in a glide to the runway. From the ground Simon saw that it wasn't going to make it. Atom jumped off the top of the jet and flew underneath it. Grabbing on to the aircraft though the front wheel well he powered it with his own jets toward the runway. Once over the threshold Atom flew clear and the pilot glided to a safe landing.
General Hayes had his men in position. The aircraft was surrounded by MP's, SS agents, and the FBI. Seeing they were out-gunned Polecat and the pilot threw in the towel and came out with their hands up. Torch made a run for it and ran head first into Atom. Atom starred into Torch's eyes with a cold anger and grabbed the gun he was holding folding it into a ball. Torch's eyes opened wide in awe and he was escorted away by the MP's in handcuffs.
Albert's location was converging on Republic Airport. Their problem was they didn't know what kind of vehicle he was in, and what plane the terrorists had obtained. They would find out at the last minute with little time to act.
The terrorists car entered the airport and they pulled up to a hangar where an older model Lear Jet was waiting, it's APU's running. Hey Doc, we're going first class. Nothing but the best for you. , Polecat smiled He shook hands with the pilot and escorted Albert into the aircraft at gunpoint. Albert's jacket was draped over his shoulders, he was still wearing the sweatshirt the terrorists had put on him. The aircraft spooled up it's engines and taxied toward the runway. Inside the jet Albert had been gagged with his hands bound with duck tape. Torch sat in the cockpit's right hand seat and Polecat was keeping Albert company in the back of the aircraft.
Simon drove the car through the airport gate and accelerated onto the perimeter road. As they entered the airport Atom crawled out of the back of the 'vette and sat in Bob's lap in the front seat. Issac did his best to pinpoint the location of the cell-phone, and between the GSM and GPS fixes he located Albert in an older Lear Jet now number two for departure. Simon called the tower and demanded they stop the jet from taking off, but it's pilot had guessed what was happening and shut off his radio. The aircraft taxied into position and prepared to take off.
The runway came into view and they could see the jet taxing toward the end it. Simon floored the accelerator and the car raced ahead. He turned onto one taxiway and then across the grassy divide between it and another trying to block the runway to prevent the jet from taking off. He was still too far away. The jet was already rolling. Atom cried we not going to catch them and he jumped through the open window onto the tarmac and started running Simon and Robert gasped in shock as Adam ran across the divide toward the aircraft. He covered the distance at least twice as fast as the car had been moving. He must be running at over 100 miles an hour!, Simon exclaimed.
The aircraft was on it's takeoff roll with Atom running toward it. For a time it seemed that Atom would intercept the plane just before it could rotate. He was trying to get in position to grab on to the rear of the plane but the aircraft's front gear left the ground just as he reached it. Inches away from grabbing onto the rear surfaces the aircraft lifted up away from his fingers. Atom made a flying leap into the air after it,and it seemed for a second that he would reach it but the airplane was climbing faster than his leap. Something in the back of Atom's mind felt the desperation and refused to lose. He willed himself upward toward the receding aircraft and did not fall back to earth. The He3 fusion reactor in his chest spooled up to full power and the nozzles of the ion-plasma jet engines poked through the flaps in Atom's boots. The jet engines thrusted him upward. Instinctively Adam held his arms along his body angled out at a forty five degree angle like the wings of a fighter jet to provide lift. He was flying.
Look!, Simon pointed skyward at the airplane and Atom. He's not falling, he's actually flying toward the airplane!. Simon pulled out his cell-phone and hit the redial button. The phone GSM modem in Atom's computer answered the call. In the back of his head Adam heard Simon's voice
Atom do you hear me?, Simon asked. Loud and clear, Atom replied. Atom had caught up to the aircraft and was now flying himself above it, just ahead of the planes horizontal stabilizer. He approached the aircraft from the rear and actually sat down on it holding on to the transponder antenna. I've caught up to the plane, but what can I do now?, he asked. Do you see the caps to the fuel tanks on the wings? Simon asked. Yes Atom replied. See if you can remove them. The airflow over the wings will drain the tanks and the pilot will have to land when he runs out of gas. OK, Atom answered. He hopped off the back of the airplane and powered himself over to the right wing and reached out to grab the gas cap. It was locked tight. Atom held out two fingers of his right and and rammed them into the cap like a sledgehammer. The metal alloy of his fingers was stronger than the aluminum cap which he drilled into like butter and pulled out the lock. He then yanked the cap off of the wing exposing the filler tube to the relative wind. Jet-A fuel started siphoning out of the wing tank.
Torch took that moment to look out the window and backwards and spotted Atom sabotaging the aircraft. He didn't quite believe what he saw and yelled out Gremlins!
Atom let go of the wing and transversed over to the other side of the aircraft and repeated the same procedure on the left wing tank. OK Bob, the fuel is pouring out of her now!, Atom reported. I'm sitting on the back of the plane, I hope that pilot figures out what happening soon, he added.
In the cockpit all hell broke loose. The pilot had seen Atom yank the cap off the left wing tank and saw that his gauges indicated the fuel level dropping like crazy. At the rate the fuel is draining our, we going to have to find a place to land in about fifteen minutes the pilot indicated to Torch.
Atom sat on top of the jet just behind the cockpit. The pilot hadn't changed course yet and Atom was getting antsy. He found a grab handle in an antenna just behind the windshield and held on tight. He fired the jet engines in his legs and began to push the aircraft into a one hundred eighty degree turn back to it's point of origin. The pilot couldn't understand why the aircraft was disobeying his control inputs. He fought hard to stay in the air but Atom was pushing the nose of the aircraft down and it was loosing altitude. They had returned back to Republic airport with the runway in sight. The pilot had given up and had lowered his landing gear. At that moment the last of the Jet's fuel ran out and it was in a glide to the runway. From the ground Simon saw that it wasn't going to make it. Atom jumped off the top of the jet and flew underneath it. Grabbing on to the aircraft though the front wheel well he powered it with his own jets toward the runway. Once over the threshold Atom flew clear and the pilot glided to a safe landing.
General Hayes had his men in position. The aircraft was surrounded by MP's, SS agents, and the FBI. Seeing they were out-gunned Polecat and the pilot threw in the towel and came out with their hands up. Torch made a run for it and ran head first into Atom. Atom starred into Torch's eyes with a cold anger and grabbed the gun he was holding folding it into a ball. Torch's eyes opened wide in awe and he was escorted away by the MP's in handcuffs.
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Tetsuwan Penguin
- Robot Revolutionary
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Chapter 18: Finis?
Chapter 18. Finis?
Adam was released from the hospital by the end of the week. His strength had returned and all he talked about was his new 'brother'. Atom and Adam shared the same bedroom. Robots don't need to sleep, but Atom would sit himself down in a chair after Adam had fallen asleep and go into a low power mode until morning. His eyes never closed as he kept a watch on his brother's slumber
Albert had transferred all his notes and blueprints on the robot soldier project to General Hayes' staff. He told the General that he was finished working on any more skunk-works projects. My aging mother is in her nineties, he said. She's still in robust health, but there's no telling how much longer she'll live. Albert decided that he and Adam would return to Japan so his mother could live out her remaining years with her son and grandson. I expect I'll be returning eventually, he said. My mother isn't going to last forever. Is Atom coming with us?, Adam asked. I'm not sure, Albert replied. It's up to him of course, but I think Simon had an offer for him to consider.
Atom walked into Simon Green's office with Albert and Adam. Robert Levinson stood in the doorway. What is this a convention or something?, Simon joked. He turned to Atom and said, What are your plans kid? I don't know, Atom said softly. Part of me would like to go with my dad and brother to Japan, but I might freak out my grandmother. Also I think Adam really needs to be with Dad a lot more than I do., he sighed. You are wise beyond your years son, Simon said patting him on the head. You know, I've taken a liking to you Atom. I'm probably a committed bachelor for life and would never have a son of my own, unless I adopt one. I'd like to adopt you Atom, at least for a while, he said. Atom looked up at Simon and smiled I like you too Simon, he smiled and punched Simon playfully on the shoulder as if they had been friends forever.
OK, then, Simon recovered. I started out here doing field work for the museum, some of which involved a bit of spying for Uncle Sam. Lately I've been stuck in this think tank pushing papers which isn't what I singed up for. Wanderlust you know. Well, I told General Hayes to find a replacement for my desk job, I want to be out there again. Archeology is in my bones. Anyway I'm tired of doing that alone. I'd like a companion. Would you be my companion Atom? Atom looked at Albert who gave him the thumbs up. Adam smiled Go for it bro!. I guess so, Atom replied.
Atom stood at the window overlooking the tarmac as the airplane left the gate. His keen vision could see Adam's face pressed against a window looking back for him. Atom waved knowing that Adam probably didn't see him, but he was happy. The aircraft taxied to the runway, took off and headed west.
Simon stood behind Atom with his hands on his shoulders. Don't worry, you'll be seeing them again. We'll probably find ourselves in Japan eventually. There's history to be dug up all over the world.
Adam pulled the window shade down as night fell. The 747's engines lulled him to sleep and he leaned over to put his head on his father's lap. Albert played with Adam's hair and rubbed his son's head. They were heading back to the land where it had all began many years ago........
---------------------- The End - ------------ and the beginning ----------------------
Adam was released from the hospital by the end of the week. His strength had returned and all he talked about was his new 'brother'. Atom and Adam shared the same bedroom. Robots don't need to sleep, but Atom would sit himself down in a chair after Adam had fallen asleep and go into a low power mode until morning. His eyes never closed as he kept a watch on his brother's slumber
Albert had transferred all his notes and blueprints on the robot soldier project to General Hayes' staff. He told the General that he was finished working on any more skunk-works projects. My aging mother is in her nineties, he said. She's still in robust health, but there's no telling how much longer she'll live. Albert decided that he and Adam would return to Japan so his mother could live out her remaining years with her son and grandson. I expect I'll be returning eventually, he said. My mother isn't going to last forever. Is Atom coming with us?, Adam asked. I'm not sure, Albert replied. It's up to him of course, but I think Simon had an offer for him to consider.
Atom walked into Simon Green's office with Albert and Adam. Robert Levinson stood in the doorway. What is this a convention or something?, Simon joked. He turned to Atom and said, What are your plans kid? I don't know, Atom said softly. Part of me would like to go with my dad and brother to Japan, but I might freak out my grandmother. Also I think Adam really needs to be with Dad a lot more than I do., he sighed. You are wise beyond your years son, Simon said patting him on the head. You know, I've taken a liking to you Atom. I'm probably a committed bachelor for life and would never have a son of my own, unless I adopt one. I'd like to adopt you Atom, at least for a while, he said. Atom looked up at Simon and smiled I like you too Simon, he smiled and punched Simon playfully on the shoulder as if they had been friends forever.
OK, then, Simon recovered. I started out here doing field work for the museum, some of which involved a bit of spying for Uncle Sam. Lately I've been stuck in this think tank pushing papers which isn't what I singed up for. Wanderlust you know. Well, I told General Hayes to find a replacement for my desk job, I want to be out there again. Archeology is in my bones. Anyway I'm tired of doing that alone. I'd like a companion. Would you be my companion Atom? Atom looked at Albert who gave him the thumbs up. Adam smiled Go for it bro!. I guess so, Atom replied.
Atom stood at the window overlooking the tarmac as the airplane left the gate. His keen vision could see Adam's face pressed against a window looking back for him. Atom waved knowing that Adam probably didn't see him, but he was happy. The aircraft taxied to the runway, took off and headed west.
Simon stood behind Atom with his hands on his shoulders. Don't worry, you'll be seeing them again. We'll probably find ourselves in Japan eventually. There's history to be dug up all over the world.
Adam pulled the window shade down as night fell. The 747's engines lulled him to sleep and he leaned over to put his head on his father's lap. Albert played with Adam's hair and rubbed his son's head. They were heading back to the land where it had all began many years ago........
---------------------- The End - ------------ and the beginning ----------------------
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Tetsuwan Penguin
- Robot Revolutionary
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- Joined: 12 years ago
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And there you have it......
Hope all you New Yorkers and Ex-New Yorkers felt at home. Writing it made me homesick. I have a followup in mind. Think of Simon as Indiana Jones and Atom as Short Round. Atom still has powers he hasn't yet discovered.
Thanks to Clive Cussler, Emit Brown, Harrison Ford, and of course Tezuka Osmau for inspirations. Also google maps for helping me rediscover some places I've forgotten in the Big Apple, and the NYCTA because I remain a traction RR freak.
Hope all you New Yorkers and Ex-New Yorkers felt at home. Writing it made me homesick. I have a followup in mind. Think of Simon as Indiana Jones and Atom as Short Round. Atom still has powers he hasn't yet discovered.
Thanks to Clive Cussler, Emit Brown, Harrison Ford, and of course Tezuka Osmau for inspirations. Also google maps for helping me rediscover some places I've forgotten in the Big Apple, and the NYCTA because I remain a traction RR freak.
-
Tetsuwan Penguin
- Robot Revolutionary
- Posts: 4722
- Joined: 12 years ago
- Location: Chelmsford, Ma
- Contact:
I'm working on collecting all of the chapters together and adding some additional material. I have some earlier chapters that serve as a biography of Albert Tenamann and his father detailing their early days in Japan. I'm also also cleaning up the existing material and adding more detail. The completed work will be available for download at my website http://macgyverism.weebly.com/stories.html when I'm finished.
I'll update this thread when I've got the files up there. Probably in in PDF format under the Creative Commons license. Stay tuned.
I'll update this thread when I've got the files up there. Probably in in PDF format under the Creative Commons license. Stay tuned.
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Tetsuwan Penguin
- Robot Revolutionary
- Posts: 4722
- Joined: 12 years ago
- Location: Chelmsford, Ma
- Contact:
I posted this as a single file on my website.
http://macgyverism.weebly.com/uploads/3/6/5/1/3651547/mighty_adam.pdf
I added some additional material, corrected some contradictions, etc.....
I'm now cooking up a sequel in my head. One Idea .. Atom heads back to Japan in the wake of the 2011 Tsunami to help out
http://macgyverism.weebly.com/uploads/3/6/5/1/3651547/mighty_adam.pdf
I added some additional material, corrected some contradictions, etc.....
I'm now cooking up a sequel in my head. One Idea .. Atom heads back to Japan in the wake of the 2011 Tsunami to help out
Last edited by Tetsuwan Penguin on Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
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