True to their word, the Agents brought Jeff some larger cloths that should work. They had to get everything they could find for her on short notice. One was even the curtain from the local theatre that was hastily cut to make into a robe-like dress hanging from her shoulders. It was heavy but it worked reasonably well for the short term.
As for the cost, Agent Hawkins decided to put this first set on the expense of federal government. It wasn't going to be a permanent solution, but it worked well.
"Kid, listen," said Agent Hawkins. "If you have any problems, you just call us okay?" he explained a little overly cautious. "We've got people watching for you." He didn't want to tell her there was anything to worry about, just that if anything happened she could get help.
Cecilia nodded. "Take care of yourself okay? We have to get going now." She hated having to go, but duty called. They had to report the situation. A PDT event had to be written up, and justified as not a danger to the public. This was mostly true... aside from the fact that this key existed. This one had to be kept 'off the record' for now... to protect the other clockwork girls.
Jeff nodded to the two, grateful for the temporary clothes as the two agents drove away. She sat down on the lawn, looking down at the other clockwork girls. She felt so... strange. so confused. They seemed to be talking amongst themselves, like she wasn't there and it was upsetting her even more! Just because she was... big? Too big? She wanted to talk to them!
Eventually Belle realised Jeff was looking at them sadly. "What's wrong baby?" she asked.
Jeff looked down then placed her hands over her eyes. What was wrong? What was the one thing wrong in all this? "I- I- I jus... want my mommy!" she said, with her vibrating voice.
The other two looked up in surprise.
"An... I don't wanna be a.. a..." she adjusted her clothes, cringing at the small breasts, and obviously childish figure she had. But more then all, she just felt so alone in a world of small people... nobody could hug her, because they were all too small! She felt.. alone. Isolated. "I- I ain't ever gonna have any friends," said giant young girl, looking sadly. Nobody would ever want to be her friend. Nobody. Not back then, and definitely not now.
Belle tried to look confident, at the surprising change that now she was the one to help Jeff. "We'll be your friends. Right Ricky?"
Ricky blinked. Why did she have to- but- He- she- urgh! What else could she say? "Yes Jeff, of course I'll... I'll be your friend," she said quietly not really sure quite how it came out. She was 'ordered' to be last time... and now? She wasn't sure if it sounded 'forced', because she did genuinely feel a little sorry for the girl. She was bigger then them, but was clearly also very young. It was the strangest juxtaposition for them to be in.
Jeff looked hopefully with her large eyes, and a spark of hope on them. "R-really? Even though.. I... was mean to you? I- I only wanted to play with you an' the mermaid. I didn't mean to be bad to you" she said looking sadly still.
"It's okay Jeff.. really," said Ricky. Damn it why was she the one feeling bad now! This was... wrong!
Jeff then picked Ricky up. "Ah!" the clockwork girl exclaimed in surprise, as she was pressed against the giant clockwork girl's torso in a hug.
"Aw," said Belle. "She likes you now," she said smiling. "See? Jeff always had a nice side in her. It's just she forgot." She always had faith it would come out eventually, and... in a way she thought this transformation might even be good for her? In a strange kind of way... maybe? She wanted to take care of her. She felt like she had to... and Ricky, well... Ricky would too right?
Jeff looked with some surprise as a truck arrived through the mansion gate. In the trailer seemed to be a... tarp? Her father then came out onto the lawn looking quite annoyed. "You kids, leave now. I will handle this mess," He said calmly.
"W-what's going on?" Asked Ricky grateful to be put down by the larger clockwork girl but concerned at the large truck. It looked big enough to- surly they weren't going to put Jeff in this thing!
Jeff stared down at the human man with recognition. This was his father. She felt a little afraid suddenly, like she remembered all the feelings of when she was this age of what he was like. His voice was like needles inside her head.
"Jeff, get inside the trailer, and put the tarp over you," said her father. "I don't want anyone seeing you."
"W-where am I goin' daddy?" she asked confused. Why was she being taken away from her house?
"I'm taking you somewhere safe. I have a warehouse that should be big enough for you to stay in." said her father glancing at his watch. "I'm not trusting the government warehouses..." This was going to cost him at least three thousand dollars a year in rental space, but... she wanted to have complete control of this new situation.
"B-But I don't wanna go," she said glancing at the other clockworks.
"You would rather stay out here all night?"
"N-No," she said quietly. C-can my friends come too?"
Geoffrey Snr. glanced at the other clockworks. "No. Now get in."
Jeff had to lie down as the trailer moved her. She felt vulnerable like this, being moved as... as... cargo. One accident on the road and she would have had it! She tried not to think about it. Her father said she was taking her somewhere safe, and the town wasn't that big. Maybe eventually she would be allowed to walk about the town? If she promised not to hurt anyone?
In a way she was glad her hair was so long. the way it brushed the ground, just before her feet, it gave an almost subconscious awareness of what lay below before she took each step. A small extra warning to always look down and make sure she never hurt anyone.
The truck moved left, and right... it was dark... then finally, about fifteen minutes later they stopped. She moved the tarp to see a high ceiling. She was in an empty warehouse, her head just barely brushing the roof as she stood up.
"Daddy?" she called quietly, as she looked about.
Her father climbed some steps onto an upper section to get a better view of her face. "You have no idea how much trouble this has been. You stupid boy!"
Jeff cringed.
"What did you do? Why did you go into the sunlight? I told you not to and you did it anyway. Years of work, years of nurturing, and... THIS!" he gestured to her with incredible disapproval, like Jeff was a freak... worse then a freak. Just some 'thing'.
Jeff shook nervously. "D-D-addy..."
"Why did you do it! Just tell me why!" As if there was any good reason.
"S-Someone was- was- gonna get hurt. I- I had to s-stop- them-" she remembered that. A lady was going to get hurt, so she had to stop them... but got hurt. The sunlight healed her.
Her father looked with such rage it made the large clockwork girl cringe even more. "You idiot! I told you. Nothing was worth it! Do you think anyone will even care that you helped someone? Look at you! You should have looked after yourself and not taken such a stupid risk! Now you're nothing!"
Jeff felt herself cry. Her father was right. She was now stuck like this... her life was going to be a misery.
Don't regret good deeds
Jeff ticked away in thought. She didn't want to regret it. She made her choice. Maybe- she kind of hoped- that maybe, she would get a nice transformation? Something that wouldn't mean... being punished like this. For how she treated Ricky and the mermaid. That maybe- maybe- just maybe one good act could undo all she did... but maybe there was some kind of karmic force keeping score, and hers was not nigh enough. Even with that in mind.
"What does your key do Jeff?" asked her father. "Tell me, why the government was so concerned to take it from me?"
"It..." Jeff gulped. "I... I dunno," she said tensing a bit.
"I know that face years ago, and I still recognise when you are 'lying' to me," he said annoyed. "Tell me. What. It. Does."
Jeff tried to resist the words, she tried. But the fact that she was her father, and current holder of the key (even if he wasn't holding it right now) it all felt like she had to do what he asked. "It's- some sort of Master Key. It- it connects the owner to me. Somehow." she said quietly. She didn't want to get into the specifics. She didn't want her father to know everything.
"... and the others like you have this too? Of course they do. That's how they knew to search for it."
"Don't do anythin' to em!" Said Jeff. "Please daddy!"
"I won't do a thing. Knowledge is power boy. You do remember that lesson I hope?"
Jeff crouched down. "What do I do now?"
Her father glanced at his watch again. "Well, I think You're about to lose all your energy in a minute or two."
"Wha...?"
And so Ricky found herself still, absolutely, utterly still. She tried to flail her arms, but to no avail.
"It was a simple calculation, I just watched how many times your key turned per minute behind your back. I was off by a few seconds though," he said annoyed. He stared at the clockwork girl as she tried desperately to grasp at her winding key, but to no avail. She just couldn't reach it. She tried not to panic. She recalled Ricky could re-charge if she stood completely still. However she couldn't 'not' panic, especially after what happened next.
A few new people started entering the warehouse. Cameras were being set up, and other instruments as they placed strange probes around Jeff's body. They quickly placed two staircases on either side, to gain a closer look at her form and winding key. Jeff felt scared again as these... strangers started moving about her.
"They work for me Jeff," said her father. "In order to take care of you, I must know what makes you... tick. Don't be alarmed." Not only that, but... Jeff now represented very advanced technology. A sentient difference engine. What if he could make more? What if.. he could make an army? Or even just.. patent whatever they find? There were many possibilities. Opportunities, that must not be wasted.
With Jeff unable to respond he turned to one of the lead scientists.
The scientist, a human and a little uncomfortable about all this did his job as best he could. "I think I found some kind of... hatch?" he said. "It's just on her back... But no mechanism to open it that I can find."
Geoffrey Snr. thought about that. "Seems like I know what the key does now," he said to himself. "Good. Go over the X-rays, I want to know every single piece of what she's made of. Nobody is to attempt to wind her up. Having no motion will make this easier."
"Sir? She's... charging up herself."
Geoffrey Snr. stared at the winding key. He frowned a little. This creature would be difficult to control if it could do that. It would be extremely easy to prevent her from winding, but right now she wanted Jeff to cooperate fully and not feel in any way a prisoner. She certainly was not a prisoner... but learning about her while she charged, was going to be useful. "Fine, let her sleep. You got your X-rays, study them. Lights out everyone. We've got enough data for... at least a month to look at."
He looked back to Jeff with a moments sadness. Losing his heir was... actually very hard on him. He wondered if he could reverse the divorce proceedings and attempt another child with his wife. Such a game changer at a late stage! Even to his own life. She might not go for it though... He might just have to find another woman willing to enjoy the benefits of living the rich life again.
All such a terrible bother.
Jeff felt sad and alone as she spent her first night at the warehouse. There were no lights, and... she had a lot of time to reflect on things. Security was probably still around, but her father told her to stay here. Was she to stay here... forever?
