Rick felt extremely dejected as he walked back into Bird Person's place with his grandson. He sighed heavily and took a long drink from his flask. If he drank enough, maybe he could forget his failures. He almost wished Morty would blame him. It would make things so much easier, but the kid was too good for that. Rick had never been that pure, so it was something he would never understand.
Bird Person stood in the doorway to the kitchen, looking at Rick anxiously. "You got something for me, Bird Person?" he asked hopefully.
His feathered friend nodded. "Yes," he replied slowly. "But you're not gonna like it."
"What is it?" Rick asked, biting down on his lip nervously.
"The time crystal," Bird Person explained. "I was able to locate one, but it's at the Federation headquarters."
Rick's heart dropped to his stomach. "The Federation headquarters," he repeated, his voice heavy with dread.
"Is that bad?" a small voice asked from beside him. Rick glanced down in surprise to see Morty watching Bird Person carefully.
"Very," Rick answered, dropping a hand to ruffle his grandson's hair. "The Galactic Federation has been after me for years. If they catch me, they'll kill me."
Morty nodded in understanding. "So, how do we get the time crystal?" he asked.
"We don't," Rick replied with a shake of his head. "We're just going to have to find another planet to settle on."
"No," Morty answered firmly, showing more strength than Rick had ever seen in the young boy. "You and I- we can get the time crystal and take our family home to Earth."
Rick sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry kiddo, but it's just too dangerous," he argued.
"The two of us can do anything together," Morty stated with confidence. "We're getting that time crystal, so you better come up with a plan."
The old scientist sighed in defeat, unable to refuse Morty. "Alright," he relented. "But we're going to need a disguise."
Morty grinned widely while Rick entered new coordinates in his portal gun. "The Galactic Federation knows my face," Rick explained. "So, when we go there, I can't have this face." Morty stared up at him in confusion. "I know someone who can temporarily alter my DNA."
With the coordinates set, Rick shot open a portal to one of the last places he wanted to be. "Come on Morty," Rick gently urged. "No one here will harm you." He left out the fact that they would definitely harm him if he gave them reason to. Morty nodded and stepped eagerly through the portal. Rick took a deep breath and followed him.
They emerged on the other side in a busy metropolis swarming with aliens of every kind. Morty looked on in awe as Rick grabbed his shoulder and began steering him towards one of the skyscrapers. He held his breath as they entered, walked up to the counter, and cleared his throat. The alien on the other side resembled a bright red, three-eyed gecko. He turned and glared down at the scientist in annoyance. "What do you want, Sanchez?" he asked gruffly.
"I need to see her," Rick answered with a scowl.
A burst of air shot through the alien's nostrils. "Very well," he agreed, handing Rick a key card for the elevator. "But it's your funeral."
Rick rolled his eyes and took Morty to the elevator. His grandson followed close beside him, not saying a word. Once inside, Rick scanned the card. The elevator shook before dropping down a few stories to the basement of the building.
Once they came to a stop, the door opened, and Rick nudged Morty forward. The lab was just how Rick remembered it. He glanced around before spotting her, the purple cyclops sitting at the computer. "Sanchez," she grumbled. "What are you doing here?"
"I need a favor," Rick admitted. "Please, Fa. You owe me."
Fa rolled her eye and stood. "What is it you need?" she asked.
"Just a sample of the disguise serum," Rick explained. "And I'll never bother you again."
The alien sighed and stood. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Sanchez." She retrieved a small vial from her desk and handed it to Rick. "I trust you remember how this works?"
Rick nodded and pocketed the vial. Not wanting to push his luck with Fa, he brought out his portal gun and opened a portal back to Bird Person's house. He grabbed Morty's arm and quickly pulled the boy through. Once safe on the other side, Morty asked, "Who was that?"
"My ex," Rick replied with a grimace. "We don't like each other, but we help each other out in a pinch." Morty nodded, and Rick began to feel nervous thinking about what they were about to do. "So, are you ready to rob the Galactic Federation?"