~o~o~o~o~o~o~
Doofenshmirtz, once again, asked for Perry to be his server. But this time, the platypus didn't mind half as much, since the man was now being civil and willing to tip.
The servers actually found the whole thing to be a big joke, claiming Perry was the "nightmare customer whisperer" and laughing about how he always made sure everything was perfect. Perry laughed along with them, simply glad to just be there and feel normal for once.
Doofenshmirtz had a whole book of blueprints before him when Perry set down his water, lemon-less, and his coffee, decaffeinated.
"Hey, I didn't catch your name last time."
Perry swung his tray into the crook of his armpit and, with a small smile, offered his right hand. "Michael. And yours, Sir?"
"Heinz."
"How are you?" Perry inclined, genuinely curious about the man's answer. The scientist had been on hiatus for a few days now.
"Fine, I suppose. My ex-wife and I finally made up, but I think my daughter still hates me. Do you mind if I show you my latest evil invention? Feel free to tell me what you think."
Doofenshmirtz wanted his thoughts? Well, that was certainly new, for a guy he'd basically just 'met'.
"It's called the Get-Your-Wires-Crossed-Inator! When I hit someone with it, they immediately begin starting arguments with everyone they know!" Doofenshmirtz admitted proudly.
Perry studied the device's design, since he never really got the chance to as an agent. His calculations and science were flawless, as he expected. The man's machines usually did work, and rather accurately.
Perry glanced upwards. "It looks pretty cool to me. What are you planning to do with it?"
"Well, I was going to wait for my nemesis tomorrow, but I guess I can tell you too. Basically, I'm going to shoot my brother with it, and watch as he literally tears Danville apart with his incessant arguing. He'll be the most hated man in town! And then I, Heinz Doofenshmirtz, can take over as leader!"
The tables behind were giving them snooty looks, annoyed at Doofenshmirtz's bellowing.
Perry smirked. "I'm not sure if that's how that works."
Doofenshmirtz pouted. "I have poor planning skills, I know."
Perry promptly rang in Doofenshmirtz's order and delivered it, making sure it was exactly to the man's liking. He let the scientist study his blueprints as he took care of a couple extra tables. Doofenshmirtz was already lost in his own little world when Perry took his empty plates away. A weird, warm feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, and without thinking twice, the agent pulled out his card and paid for the bill.
He returned to Doofenshmirtz after a few minutes and offered him a water togo, which the man declined.
"Do you have my bill ready? I've got to head out in a few minutes." The man smiled. "It's taken care of."
Doofenshmirtz's mouth dropped, looking like a fish out of water. "Who?.."
"My treat." The agent smirked. He loved making the man speechless like that. "Good luck with your inator."
When Perry returned, he found a fifty dollar bill laying on the table. Smirking, the platypus picked it up and shook his head.
~o~o~o~o~o~o~
"Curse you, Perry the Platypus!"
With a smirk, Perry jumped off Doofenshmirtz's balcony, content to let the man sink in his defeat. At least the apartment hadn't completely blown up this time.
When he returned his hover-car to his lair, however, he noticed a tiny sticky note attached to the passenger's seat. Curious, the platypus picked it up and squinted at the dainty handwriting.
Please meet me at the junkyard. 7:00 PM. I need your help.
Vanessa
Alarmed, Perry folded the paper and stuck it in a pocket in his fedora. Vanessa must be deep in trouble if she was contacting him for help. Either that, or she was pulling a wall over his eyes. Did he trust her?
As the agent returned to the Flynn-Fletcher's house for dinner, he decided he would go, but take a few weapons just in case. The worry cycling in the pit of his stomach was too loud to ignore.
Phineas and Ferb spent a couple hours including Perry in their nightly card games, pretending he was playing and picking cards for him. Of course, the cards were actually equipped with scanners that connected to all the playing cards in their friend's houses, and allowed them all to play together. About fifteen till seven, Perry decided he had stalled enough, and snuck out of the house. Fedora on, he flew away, still a platypus, in his jetpack.
Just as she promised, Vanessa was hiding in the back corner of the junkyard, pacing, with a stressed demeanor. Before making contact, Perry scoured the area, looking for other living forms, but found no one. So it was just her. Good.
He landed his jetpack just a couple feet from her invisible track.
"guyrururururururur."
"Perry!" Vanessa gasped. "Thank goodness. I'm sorry for the short notice, I just really needed to see you."
Perry set his jetpack on the ground and approached her, eyebrows raised.
"You don't want to talk in your human form?"
It was a loaded question. Perry half-way regretted letting his identity slip in front of her, and was not at all comfortable giving her more details. On the other hand, she had kept her word by hiding the secret from her father.
Sighing, the agent removed the micro-chip from his watch and shivered as his human DNA took center stage. Transformed, the agent took a step back and leaned against a broken down car, still intensely watching the girl.
"That's still amazing." Vanessa breathed. "Cool snakebites."
The man smirked, but made no further comment. "I assume you're in trouble?"
It took Vanessa a moment to snap out of her trance as she heard him speak, but Perry waited. Blushing sheepishly, the girl nodded. "I know you said not to contact them, but it doesn't work like that."
"What do you mean?"
Vanessa shook her head. "Look, Perry, I didn't mean for it to go this far. I honestly thought they were cool when I first met them. And now they're sharing with me their 'big plans' to take over the world.. blah, blah, blah. I tried to get them to see reason, but they threatened me."
Perry's blood ran cold. "Threatened you?"
"Yeah. They said they'd hurt me if I tried to stop them." Vanessa sighed sadly. "And I actually thought one of the boys was cute.."
"They aren't good kids. They will lead you down a dangerous path." Perry warned. "I've been right so far."
"I know. That's why I asked to meet you. If I tell you what they're planning to do, will you stop them? You know, foil their evil scheme?"
The agent raised an eyebrow, pondering her request. He really wanted to tell her that he would skip the undercover work and beat the crap out of them just for threatening her, but held his tongue. Beating up a bunch of minors would not go over well with the agency. Plus, he wanted to keep Vanessa's name out of it as much as possible.
He sighed. "I will. But you have to promise me to be careful. Here, take this."
He handed her a small wrist watch, with a single button on the side. "It's an emergency beacon. Press it, and I'll be alerted to your location. It's only for emergencies, but if anything, and I mean anything, goes wrong, you call."
Vanessa took the watch and smiled. "Thank you. I promise I will. That's not the only reason I asked to see you, though."
Oh?
"What is, then?"
"I want you to give me combat training."
Of all things the girl could have requested, being taught how to fight was not one Perry had been expecting. But as he stared at the girl, he clearly saw that gleam of determination that literally defined Vanessa.
However, the agent retained a calm demeanor. "That's quite a request."
"I realized, after that night.. that I need to know how to protect myself. If you hadn't been there.." She trailed off. Her face had gone slightly pale at the thought.
Vanessa Doofenshmirtz sounded so genuine, but Perry still had his internal doubts. Perhaps it was the secret agent in him, but something still didn't feel right. Was this really all coming from Vanessa?
But giving her "lessons" would also allow him to keep a closer look out on her.
"This would have to be something discussed with your father, at the very least."
"Why?" Vanessa snapped. "I don't need his permission."
Perry held up his hand. "I'm not saying you aren't mature enough to handle the training. But you are still a minor. Even if he is my nemesis, I'm not going behind his back on something like this."
Vanessa grumbled. "I know he's going to say no."
"Then let me talk to him." Perry blurted before he thought about it.
The girl looked up, eyes suddenly wide. "Really?"
Perry shrugged. "I think I could show him reason. I'll do it, as long as you promise my 'human identity' still remains a secret."
"I can handle that." Vanessa said, now smiling.
Although Perry was glad to see the smile now crossing the girl's face, his mind was already racing. How, exactly, was he supposed to bring this up in conversation, especially when he couldn't talk in front of Heinz?
Inwardly cursing himself for his willingness, the platypus flew off in his jetpack and returned to the Flynn-Fletcher household. The boys were already fast asleep when he snuck onto the blankets.