A/n: 'Something something WW2 something something' is officially locked into my head for future chapter 6.
Mind Warp
71
The Day Ahead
"I'm sorry, what, Ms Owlsen?"
Zan Owlson, acting CEO of Glomgold industries was a brown owl with black hair. She was wearing her usual grey shirt, jacket and skirt. She sighed, looking back from the large french windows of Scrooge's dining room.
"Look, we're both stuck with him, right? You, more than I am because I could just get another job."
"You could."
"But I was hired to do this job," She gritted determinedly, "And do what's best for the company, so long as I am employed there."
Scrooge looked at his tea. "Technically we're supposed to be rivals."
"Pfft." Zan folded her arms. "Would you rather a death threat recording tied to a shark tail tied to a balloon?"
Scrooge shrugged, "It would be nice for a little more peace. But why am I needing to go to this little meeting?"
"Because that's the only way I could convince him to. If I convince you that you have a problem-."
"Namely him."
"Then he'd come too."
"So he could try to off me."
Zan paused, "That's a... technical detail we still need to work on."
Scrooge chuckled.
"I'm serious, Mr McDuck." She clenched her fist.
"Aye, I believe you, lass. It's as good an idea as any."
"So, for civility's sake, what about hiring some plain clothes guards?"
"Do you think that would slip past Glomgold?"
She shrugged, "He's slipped things past you."
Scrooge frowned, "I don't lose sleep over Glomgold."
Zan sighed and sat back, folding her arms. "You know you're almost as bad as him, right?"
"I am...!" Scrooge glared at her for a moment, "I... see what you're doing there, lass."
"One day. For our mutual advantage."
"One day? He's got a year's worth of problems."
She pulled out green slips of paper, "The coupon is only for a day."
"Coupon?" Scrooge grabbed the copies and started looking at them. He glanced at her slightly smug expression and stopped.
"I take it you're a little more interested now?"
"I don't know..." He backed up.
"I've already done the negotiation with the therapist. If we fill all ten places they're each 50% off, you get five, he gets five."
"Five places? That's two and a half the cost of one!" He objected.
"But a 75% discount off the cost of potentially solving your rivalry issue. Plus it's scaling. Everyone has issues they can air out. At that price, it's a bargain."
"Fair point..." Scrooge considered, "I could take my nephew."
"I would suggest a body guard." Zan added in extra. "This is Flintheart Glomgold we're dealing with."
Scrooge looked at the coupons again. At 75% off even just to tear a corner off the problem it was too much of a bargain to pass up. "Alright... against my better judgement..." he sighed, "You've got yourself a deal."
"Thank you." Zan smiled brightly, "I'm very hopeful this will pay off."
Scrooge hesitated over his breakfast at the end of the long wooden table by the morning lit windows.
"Last second reservations, sir?" Mrs Beakley asked, serving his tea.
"Ach, it's nothing really..." Scrooge shrugged, "Not like he's a cat among a lot o' pigeons."
"Glomgold?"
"D..." Scrooge stopped, "Launchpad's friend on his way to the meeting with us. Discovered last night that he's a vampire."
"Darkwing Duck?" Mrs Beakley considered.
"Well, he's not doing that act today. He'll just be himself."
"Then it's the perfect opportunity to learn more about him."
"Aye, that's true."
"Grammy! Morning, Mr McDuck." Webby raced into the room, "Grammy, can I go out haunted house hoping with Lena and Violet today?"
"Hmm..." Mrs Beakley considered, what's your itinerary?"
"Uh, Violet's got the addresses." Webby pulled out her own notes, "Ghost paintings, evil plot, ghost party, cobwebs, a gramophone and candelabra that light themselves."
"Well, make sure you take extra precautions. Those old houses aren't always condemned before they start falling down. Oh, and do watch out for mould pockets."
"Okay, thanks, Grammy."
"And make sure your phone is fully charged."
"Roger that!"
Scrooge smiled and looked back to Beakley, "Thank you for helping me field the Moonlander relations today, Mrs Beakley."
"Thank goodness we had a dragon on our side yesterday." She agreed.
"Aye, more the fact of her being a vampire. Very much a force of her own" Scrooge frowned, "General Lunaris was quite reasonable to talk to without that nasty looking ship of his."
"No way." Della's voice rejected in a tease.
"Oh, yes I did!" Louie's voice resounded.
"Had to be a fluke." Della discounted.
"It totally counted!" Louie defended.
"Unreal." Della remarked.
"Actually, 'microscopic', slight difference."
"Huey!" Dewey and Louie complained.
Scrooge smiled at everyone coming into the dining room, "Good morning, what's everyone up to today?"
"Oh," Dewey smiled, "We're going to see..."
"Teen Duck!" The four sang in chorus.
Della eased herself into a chair, flicking her shoulder length blonde hair back behind her ear. She grabbed herself a croissant and a knife load of jam.
"The lights! The music! Dewey headlined.
"The action, the adventure!" Huey declared.
"Teen Duck is the hippest musical rock group on the charts." Louie detailed.
"I though a trip to the big city would be great for a little change of pace." Della finished. "While you're busy with your..." She looked at Scrooge's woeful expression. "Oh, sorry. Did you want to come?"
"No, no, it's fine." Scrooge tried, "It's for kids anyway..."
"Maybe if you could sneak out early, we can wait for you."
"There's no 'sneaking out' for me on anything like this. Go on, with you." Scrooge smiled reassuringly, "Tell me all about it when you get back. Have a grand time."
She smiled back at him.
"Now, where's Donald?" Scrooge considered his absence.
"The last time I saw he was talking to Penumbra on his boat," Mrs Beakley reported.
"I'm glad they're getting along." Della beamed. "They really are so much alike."
Scrooge stood up, "Well, I better collect him or we'll be late."
"I'd better come with you." Mrs Beakley stated, "so you can officially pass the baton, so to speak."
"They have to understand a prior engagement is a prior engagement." Scrooge frowned. "Frankly I'd much rather be spending a day with our new friends than..." Scrooge slumped in resignation. "Ugh. The sooner this day is over, the better." He grumbled.
