~o~o~o~o~o~o~
Perry was airborne, chasing his evil self, who was darting about the city, laughing and taunting the citizens below. Despite the fact that he would have loved a tirade like this, back when evil was the only thing that mattered, it was so unlike his usual thought process to just waltz on this city like this, completely in the open. So why was Dr. Tecton doing it now?
Well, the evil scientist wasn't completely in the open. The man was wearing a simple black mask that blended into his black hair.
Perry let out a loud growl as he grew closer to the man, and shot him in the chest with a blaster.
Dr. Tecton was knocked back a few feet, and cried out in pain. But he quickly recovered and began laughing. "Why am I not surprised? Back for more?"
Perry was already flying at full force, and slapped his evil self in the face with his tail. Zachary tried to duck, but still got hit in the forehead. He let out an enraged noise and punched Perry in the face.
The two began struggling with each other, darting back and forth in the air.
Perry finally managed to wriggle free, and went for the man's rocket boots. Dr. Tecton burst forward, shooting up into the air, missing Perry's grasp.
He then turned around and flew downwards at full speed, grabbing the platypus by the neck. Perry choked, and used all his strength to punch Dr. Tecton in the stomach. The evil scientist let go, clutching his gut in pain.
Perry shot his blaster again. The evil scientist spiraled downwards, and hit the ground with a dangerous crash.
Perry hovered in the air, watching the lump on the ground. He should have known it wasn't that easy.
All of a sudden, the evil scientist produced his weapon and began shooting at Perry. The agent kicked his jet pack into high gear and tried to dodge them. He felt pain in his legs as a couple of the blasts snagged him.
Perry darted away, using a building to shield him from the attack. He waited for a few seconds, then circled back around, blaster on the offensive.
Dr. Tecton was too fast, sneaking up behind him and kicking him in the back.
Perry spiraled in the air, and let out a frustrated groan. No matter what he did, his evil self was always ready with a counter-attack. It was almost like the man could read his mind. Perry knew, despite his stubbornness, that this battle was futile. They were too evenly matched. But he couldn't give up.
"Hello, Perry." The man sneered, flying back to his level, weapon pointed right at his head. "God, I absolutely abhor that name. Why ever did you pick it?"
Perry growled, and unleashed his own blaster. They hovered in the air, pointing their weapons at each other, staring in each other's eyes.
It was a strange moment, seeing a mirror image of his younger, evil self, snarling at him. It filled Perry was an extreme force of self-hate that threatened to completely take over.
Don't lose control. You're better than this.
Zachary Tecton began laughing, loud and malicious. His eyes penetrated Perry's with a violent understanding, as if the evil scientist was aware of every thought that was flying through the agent's head. Angered, Perry flew in for another attack, but was met with just as hard a hit. It sent the both of them spraying backwards.
Perry's jetpack hit the worst of the attack though, and the agent crashed to the ground as his jetpack stuttered, eventually shutting off.
Just as he looked up to see the evil scientist ready to finish him off, Zachary was attacked from behind, and cursed in the air. Perry smiled in relief. O.W.C.A. agents came flooding in, each with their own jetpacks and armed blasters. Dr. Tecton swirled around to look at them all, clearly overwhelmed.
Finally, the cavalry.
The evil scientist swirled around, picking off the agents one by one, as hard as he could. But despite his best efforts, he kept getting hit again and again by blasters. The pain must have been too unbearable, because the scientist finally let out a loud curse, and set off a smoke bomb.
The agents landed on top of buildings, blasters drawn, ready for the attack, but when the smoke cleared, the attacker was gone.
He'd used a piece of technology that Perry had invented years ago to teleport to another location. Perry sighed; the doctor must have been very busy building that thing from memory. He almost wanted to say he was impressed.
The agents began fanning out from the scene. Perry heard his watch beep, and immediately answered.
"Agent P! Thank goodness you're alright! We saw how you jumped into battle like that. You were very brave. Do you have any idea who the perpetrator was?"
The platypus shook his head. He wondered why his evil self had chosen to wear a mask into battle. When he had enforced evil schemes, he'd never been shy about who he was and what he was doing.
"Well, we are running some data. Hopefully a lead will come up. Good work, agent."
Major Monogram disappeared from the screen. Perry grabbed his jetpack and begrudgingly dragged it through Danville, until he found a secret entrance into O.W.C.A.'s headquarters, where he could send it down for repairs. Once sent, the platypus hopped on all fours and ran as fast as he could back to his car.
He just had a brilliant idea.
~o~o~o~o~o~o~
Vanessa was in her room, caressing the little razor blade she kept hidden underneath the floorboards in her bed. It wasn't that she was depressed, angry, or even upset. She just felt.. numb. And that wasn't normal, was it? Shouldn't a girl who just got abducted feel.. something? Shouldn't she be angry for her friends who were hurt, angry at her attacker, and scared for her life?
But Vanessa put the razor blade down. She'd promised herself that she would stop this. Still, what was wrong with holding it?
Vanessa was exhausted. Her body still wasn't completely healed from her coma, and the headaches were terrible. But she wouldn't tell her father the extent of it. He was already worried enough as it was, always checking on her, offering her food and water, sitting next to her and just staring at her.
Lacie was texting her nonstop since the accident, wanting to know how she was and if she was well enough to meet up with the group again later that week. Orville had also sent her some sort of encrypted message, warning that if she said anything too much, she'd be dead. Vanessa sighed. She hated that jerk. How did she even get in this mess?
The loneliness was too much sometimes. She just wanted to talk to someone. About everything.
She thought the group had been that for her. Now she was seriously reconsidering.
Despite everything, if there was one thing Vanessa did feel, it was determination. She was going to learn how to fight, how to win, and how to keep herself, and others, safe. Hopefully Perry would still consider teaching her.
~o~o~o~o~o~o~ It was midnight. Perry had slipped away to Danville harbor, and was currently on a small boat just off the coast. It was the only place he could think of that was actually private. Plus, the soothing motion of the waves was very calming for his nerves.
He held his cell phone in his hands, unsure if he was excited or dreading what he was about to do. He'd tried so hard to bury his past, including everyone that had been a part of it. Was this really such a good idea?
Vanessa. Do it for Vanessa.
Sighing, Perry opened up the phone and dialed.
The line rang once, twice, three times.. For a moment, Perry wondered if anyone was even going to answer, but suddenly, a familiar voice popped through the silence.
"Hey, Doc. It's been awhile since you've given me a call."
Perry sighed. "Peter. I know. It's urgent."
Peter the Panda. Despite the random occurrences in which Perry had run into him this summer, they had shared a much longer, deeper past. It was strange to hear the voice of his ex-nemesis, so clear and concise.
Years ago, back when Perry was still Dr. Tecton, Peter had been chosen to be his nemesis. The two had been addicted to battling each other from day one, and shared a very hostile, almost unhealthy obsession with each other. Until of course, when one day, Peter had begged Perry to turn him human, and Perry had obliged. Peter kept his human identity just as secret as Perry did. It was a strange sort of bond that they shared.
"Urgent business, I see." Peter clicked his tongue. "What's wrong?"
Perry started from the very beginning, and explained the predicament both he, Heinz, and Vanessa were in now. Peter listened, just as Perry knew he would, and simply pondered the information in silence when Perry finally finished.
Finally, the panda sighed. "Why do you always end up in some kind of trouble, Michael?"
"Shut up." Perry snorted. "This wasn't my fault."
"What have you told Heinz?"
That's an odd question. "Why does it matter?"
"You asked the man to trust you, but you haven't been completely truthful with him. I know he's your nemesis now, and evil, all things considered, but doesn't he deserve to know the real you?" Peter replied.
Perry held his tongue. There was no way he could tell Heinz about his past. What if the man rejected him? What if the revelation of the truth marked the end of their strange, undefinable relationship completely?
Peter chuckled when the silence continued. "I think you should at least tell him about us and save me the awkwardness for when he eventually finds out. I will help you, Doc. I don't want Vanessa hurt either. But we are going to need weapons. And I need to be updated on how you fight. If Dr. Tecton really does exist, and is half as skilled as you are, I'm going to need a refresher."
Perry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Peter. Don't worry. Meet me tomorrow. I'll send you the coordinates."
"And Heinz?"
"I'll think about it."
"Alright, Doc. That's all I can ask for, I guess."
Perry laid back and listened to Danville harbor. But despite the waves, which usually sent him into a peacefully mediation, the sound of water hitting against rock only made his mind race faster and his anxiety accelerate.