Why weren't they back yet?

Candace paced back and forth in Perry's lair underneath the house where the family had taken cover. The plan was to get in, get Phineas, and get out. That was the only mission. They should've been back by now.

She bit her lip, wondering if she'd made a mistake by coming back here to protect Ferb. Had she abandoned Phineas? She knew Perry would die to protect them, heck, he'd more than proved it. But that loyalty also clouded his judgment. She stopped pacing, picking up a picture of the family from way back, before the takeover. Young Phineas and Ferb were cuddling the tiny platypup, and she was sitting on the couch, writing in a pink diary.

She wanted to scream at them to prepare. If she could hop back in time and demand that her younger self grow up right at that second, she would. And as for Perry…

She slammed the picture down, rubbing her temples. This had been a lousy plan. Doofenshmirtz had Phineas! He had the power to make Perry do anything. She wondered if he was being reprogrammed to fight them all, or if Doofenshmirtz was even going to let him live.

And Phineas was right there. The evil dictator was probably making him watch. She didn't shake the images away, but held onto them, punishing herself.

AJ was there, and she was a good soldier. She'd do anything for any one of them. But her days as top fighter in the Resistance had ended when Platyborg had caught up with her. She could hide her limp, for the most part, but her ankle had been forever ruined, and popped out of place with very little help. She'd fight to her last breath, but if they were up against more animal agents turned cyborgs? It wouldn't take very long. Besides, she had the same weakness as Perry.

And here she was, still standing here in the lair instead of heading out. Why? Because they were right. If she went after them, then Ferb would be left to take charge. He'd be captured too, and maybe turned into a boy-borg for real this time.

A hand pressed over hers. "Candace, why aren't we rescuing them?"

The normally calm face was pinched with worry. In his other hand, he held the tracking device that showed Perry's tracking device. If Doofenshmritz had been cocky enough to take them back to his hideout, they knew where that was now.

For all the good it did them. "I'm going to give them more time." Not much more.

"But what if it's too late?"

She turned away, trying to shut out the images that she deserved to see, but couldn't bear. Had Phineas even still been alive when AJ and Perry turned themselves in? Were they now?

"We'll get them back."

He sighed. "Candace, things are different now. Phineas is my little brother, too, and you need to let me help."

Her phone beeped, a text alert, telling her that Doofenhsmirtz was in contact again. She grabbed her phone. As much s she didn't want to see an announcement that they'd all been executed, she needed to know if they were alright.

'Change of plans. I'm going to need the bowstaff girl and the one liner kid to turn themselves in before anyone gets released.'

She scanned the text again, wishing there was some sort of guarantee that they were even breathing.

Ferb managed to read the text. "Give them time. Perhaps they just haven't been able to find Phineas yet. We both know Perry wouldn't leave with out him."

"But how hard could it be to find him? I don't like this. They've got one more hour, and then I'm going in after them. If Doofenhsmritz catches me, I'll pretend I was coming ot turn myself in."

"And let him know that we know where he is. Candace, the best thing to do is to sit tight."

Maybe. But why was this taking so long?


This was taking too long. Perry paced the cell restlessly while Annie and Phineas slept, still curled up in the corner. They both looked so peaceful, it was killing him. His boy wasn't afraid to sleep, here, in Doofenshmritz's prison, because of the misplaced trust he had in his pet.

Not misplaced because he wouldn't do anything for him, but because wasn't sure if that would ever be enough.

Annie didn't look concerned either; in her sleep, he face had lost that look of shared responsibility, letting it rest entirely on his shoulders.

A well oiled door slid open, and Doofenhsmirtz crept into the room, eying the pair in the corner, then turning his attention to him.

He clenched his fists as he stepped in front of them. I won't need my weapons if you try to lay a hand on them.

The evil dictator chuckled softly, keeping his voice low. "What's the matter, Platyborg? Don't trust me?"

He tried to deepen his scowl, even though he wasn't sure it was possible.

The man unlocked the cell, and opened in, beckoning him forward. "Let's have a little chat while your friends sleep, hmm? I'll assure their safety until you get back."

Like you promised you'd let Phin go?

"You don't have to come, of course. I could have a talk with your mouthy little partner instead."

He took a menacing step forward, torn. He knew he had to be the one to go with Doofenhsmirtz, but did he have to leave them both there defenseless? He didn't know what the man was asking him to do, and he was fairly certain he didn't want a clarification. He drooped his shoulders, and lowered his head in defeat, letting his tail drop at the same time. Metal clanged against the concrete floor, softly enough to leave room for doubt as to whether is had been intentional or not.

Phineas fidgeted, but Annie's eyes popped open. Instantly, that on guard look was back as she was what was going on.

TO his relief, Doofenshmirtz didn't sound angry. "Go back to sleep. We're just going up to my office for a chat. Maybe a cup of coffee."

He shot her a look. Protect Phineas. Get him out if you can.

She looked torn, but settled for nodding. She didn't move as he stepped out of the cell, but as he followed Doofenshmirtz to the door, she jumped up, and raced to the bars, clutching them. "Doofenshmirtz?"

His gaze darted between them as the man in front of him turned with an almost amused smile.

She didn't look like she knew what to say. "Please… don't hurt him."

Doofenhsmirtz chuckle was decidedly more evil this time, and to his horror, he walked back over to the cell. "I'm not sure you understand your situation. You are my prisoners. I can do whatever I want to any of you. What gives you the right to ask for anything?"

"We saved your life."

Doofenshmritz actually took a step back. "Good guys are allowed to call in favors all of a sudden? Well guess what? Evil people don't pay up."

"I just wanted to be sure you remembered, because, for a second there, while you were on that operating table, I thought you had a shred of decency left in you."

"Is insulting me really a smart move there?"

"It's a warning. And I don't mean a think long and hard before you hurt him again, because that regret you admitted you feel is only going to get worse."

He turned away from the cell, an unreadable look on his face. "I ought to do some experimenting on him for that."

As he reached for the handle on the cell door, he paused. "But I wont."

There was something sincere in the dictator's voice that gave him hope. He shot a last look at the cell, watching Annie nearly collapse in relief out of the corner of his eye. His focus was on Phineas, just in case Doofenshrmtiz was lying. He soaked in every detail of the sleeping face, then turned and walked out the door.

Doofenshmritz shut it behind him softly, but he felt the steel separating him from his boy with every fiber of his being.

Only then did he let himself wonder if he was going to his doom.


A/N: So that's the next chapter, such as it is.

Doof: "Wow. This is going to get worse before it gets better, isn't it?"

Things generally do, but that's all I'm going to say.

Thanks for reading everyone, and thanks for the reviews I've gotten so far!