Early next morning, Claw got up to knock on the bedroom door, but he hesitated by it, hand suspended. It rested against the door instead, and in that moment he realized what a disgusting sap he was. That man in there was his enemy; he would turn him in the moment he realized his identity, Claw knew. He would betray him, like anyone else would. Except Gadget wasn't like anyone else; Claw had always known that, even from the start. In the beginning he hated him for it, but now…
Now was no different, he told himself. So he had a sweet side. So it might have been possible to find true love with him, if their situations were different. But they weren't. How he could love a man, in a true and real way, who was in every other way the very bane to his existence?
He knocked harshly, and heard the immediate rustling from within, including the sound of something shattering. A soft, mild swear and, "I think I just broke your lamp, Damien…"
Claw laughed, "Then I'll get another. We'll have to get breakfast on the go, I'm afraid. I'm already late for a meeting."
Gadget emerged fully dressed, bed made, within minutes. He looked exhausted, the bags under his eyes darker than usual. Claw reached his hands out for him, and kissed Gadget's cheekbone, even placed a tiny smooch around his tired eyes. "I'd ask if you slept well, but it doesn't look like it," he said ruefully.
Gadget just laughed and kissed Claw's cheek. "As if I mind some missed sleep if it means spending the night with you," he said, playfully poking Claw's face. He pulled away and grabbed his hat from the counter, left there all night, and put it on, and then grabbed his tie from the floor as gracefully as he could. Excusing himself, he freshened up while Claw made some dainty little sandwiches and bagged them. When he came back out, Claw gave him a bag, and Gadget grinned appreciatively, giving him a quick kiss in thanks.
"We'd better hurry," said Claw. "I'm sure your partner is wondering where you are." They exited the apartment and headed for their cars, loitering by Gadget's.
"Will I see you again?" Gadget asked with deep feeling.
"Yes," Claw said, squeezing his hands as they began to part. "I can promise you that. Tonight, if you're free."
"How will I contact you?" Gadget asked as Claw walked away from him.
Claw called back to him, "You don't need to. Meet me at the coffee shop later, at 6. Even if just to tell me you're busy." He gave the concerned looking man a wave and disappeared into his car. He drove away before he could give in to the temptation to take the inspector with him.
Dr. Claw spent the day pretty much as usual: lots of talking with contacts, researching, planning. He did indeed have a specific plan for that poison, a very grand one indeed, and he had backers who expected it to go through. He did not fear their retaliation nearly so much as their pulling out their funds. The scheme itself was simple, almost insultingly so: contaminate the water supply with the mysterious compound, and get everyone in Metro City violently ill. Some would die. The antidote would be delivered, enough for the survivors, but only after a "donation" of a tidy sum, to be divided amongst himself and his backers (though he already had a plan in motion to cut them out of the ransom).
The compound was inert once ingested, so it wasn't as simple as swabbing his poor dead agent's cheeks. Claw knew a thing or two, but he hadn't the time or expertise to reverse engineer a poison like this on his own. He'd already threatened Mannette so many times that morning she'd be tempted to think he was bluffing if she didn't know his reputation.
A collection of animals in cages awaited her tests, and a pile of corpses at her side showed Claw at a glance her progress. He had her destroy the compounds she'd created and keep trying; he didn't want the victims to die immediately or even at al. He wanted the citizens sick enough to panic and go to desperate lengths, but they couldn't pay up if they died.
The poor woman could hardly see with Claw around, she cried so deeply and constantly, even as she worked harder than ever in her life. She was careful, at least, not to let tears spill into her samples. After a good talking to, he left her to her work and beckoned Talon, who was watching in the corner. "Give her some breakfast," he said.
"Lunch," Talon corrected with half lidded eyes.
"Whatever," Claw snarled. "Get her fed. Get the chef to make something hearty; she'll need it."
"That's so sweet of you," Talon said, deadpan. They shared a glare for a moment, then Claw stormed out of the lab/prison.
He watched Gadget through his monitors for the rest of the afternoon. He unfortunately did not have access to audio, though by now, from such constant study over the years, he could read lips, especially the inspector's. He couldn't tell if Gadget ever spoke of him, even to his partner, and that bothered him somehow, when he should have been glad that Gadget would protect his privacy.
He felt his eyes burn, mist slightly, as he battled within himself what he must do. He was beyond chastising himself for the foolish sentiment, it would happen regardless; he was a weak and lonely old man, after all. Sentiment poisoned his blood as surely as the years weakened his body; he knew this and accepted it. But he would not allow this weakness to interfere with his ultimate mission. He eventually told himself that Inspector Gadget was too pure a thing to be allowed to exist in this vile world.
He'd be doing him a favor.