Dr. Flug was not expecting the voice on the other end of the phone.
When he agreed to accompany Black Hat on his trip to the city of Townsville, it was under the assumption that he'd, you know, actually accompany Black Hat! Not that Black Hat would ditch him to go do...whatever it was he was doing with Him.
Him was an odd guy. At least Flug was pretty sure he was a guy. He was honestly more like a crab person. If devils could be counted as a people. Should "he" be capitalized when talking about "Him"? Anyway, as far as clients go, he was someone Black Hat more or less didn't hate. He thought he was pathetic, as he did everyone else, but there a certain sort of history between them that Flug could tell was there even though he didn't know any of the details. Black Hat liked Him better than he liked Aku or Nergal, that was for sure.
Probably because Aku was cowardly and Nergal ripped off his outfit. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but Black Hat found it distasteful.
While Him had consistently lost to kindergarteners, he had still maintained his dignity. Somewhat. Maybe. Flug didn't really know their history but Black Hat got along with the devil fine and occasionally they'd get together and do who knows what. Flug wasn't going to question it.
So, while Black Hat took off with Him, Dr. Flug was left to his own devices. He kept himself busy observing that Professor Utonium fellow, who'd created life from simple base elements and the rare chemical X. He was unknown by the professor, and was able to get close. He met his three daughters, heroic little brats, and even managed to sneak a sample of chemicals when the professor had his back turned.
Trusting do-gooding fools.
When the sun began setting and Dr. Flug had still not heard from Black Hat, he supposed that the boss was busy with whatever he and Him (god that was confusing) had gotten up to and left it at that. He (Dr. Flug) got himself some dinner from the Little Tokyo district, which was remarkable well intact given the giant fish balloon monster attack they'd had just a few years ago. The species had taken quite well to the local water, it was possible that there were still specimens living out in the lake.
Dr. Flug hoped they'd survived. He put so much work into designing them.
With his dinner finished and it starting to get late, Dr. Flug considered calling his boss. While he knew his employer did NOT like being disturbed, he also knew that an entire day of radio silence could only mean something had happened. He was not worried, his boss was Black Hat, the deadliest creature to walk the face of the earth and the most powerful villain in existence. He was more worried about himself, and where he'd be sleeping tonight if Black Hat didn't teleport him home.
Black Hat wouldn't go home without him, would he?
Would he?
So when, after two hours of walking around the city he finally got a call from Black Hat's cell phone, he was relieved. It must be Black Hat, finally done with Him and ready to go! He was probably going to scream at him for some inane reason and then they could go home. Dr. Flug was excited to see what new uses he could find for chemical X.
Suffice it to say, Dr. Flug was not expecting the unearthly voice of HIM to be coming from the other line.
"Jefecito?"
"Hmm? Doctor? Is that you?" said that otherworldly tone that dipped high and low like someone fooling around with a pitch meter.
"H-Him?"
"Mmmm yes, it is I. Him."
Oh God Flug's inner grammar nerd was twitching. That just sounded so wrong.
"Him, where is Black Hat?"
"Oh he's right here with me, at The Red Room." Him's voice dipped down low into a baritone pitch.
"Um, ok," Flug said, not sure where that was or why Him's voice got so deep at the mention of their location. "So, when do you think you two will be leaving?"
"Oh, in about a minute if Black Hat doesn't stop groping the guys at the bar."
…...whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat….
"W-what?!" Dr. Flug nearly screamed into the phone.
"Yeah, he's always been a fun drunk but he's getting a bit too carried away." Him sounded almost bored, like this was a regular thing when he and Black Hat got together. "That's actually why I called, can you come get him? The bouncer already tried to throw him out. Didn't go so well for him. They've probably already called the police."
Dr. Flug tried to process what Him had just told him.
Black Hat got drunk...was groping guys at a place called The Red Room...and he, meek scientist he was, had to go get him before the cops showed up. Or, god forbid, the local heroes.
Dr. Flug took a deep breath. "Ok, ok, I'm coming. Try and keep him under control, ok?"
"Mmmmhmmmm, no promises. Better hurry, Doctor." Him said in a flighty ethereal tone. Then he hung up.
Dr. Flug rubbed his eyes through his goggles. He figured the quickest way to get through this was to just get Black Hat and hope he could sober him up enough to teleport them home. Then he could be back in his bed below his model planes and could forget he ever heard that his boss, Lord Black Hat, got drunk and was molesting other guys.
Seriously, he didn't need to know about what his boss got up to outside of work.
Dr. Flug typed the name "The Red Room" into his Maps app and-
Aaaaaaaaaaaand it's a gay bar. Lovely. Just what he needed.
At least it was only about twenty minutes walking distance.