Siren
Three days later, Bud Flood was in a much better mood as he entered his executive office on the top floor of the building. He had built the Sparkling Pure Crystal Flood Water Company from the ground up and every time he entered his office he felt a surge of pride to have come as far as he had. The water salesman had gotten where he was with his work ethic and his honest business practices. Running a company was hard work and it had its moments of frustration, but it was also very rewarding to know that his product was satisfying so many customers in St. Canard.
Bud had just finished pouring himself a hot cup of coffee when he heard a loud knock on his door. Puzzled at having someone come up to see him so early, he opened it to find one of his secretaries standing outside his office. Her name was Lana and she was a young deer woman in her early twenties who had been with him for a little over a year. She was short and petite, only coming up to his chest in her red high heels, which went nicely with the red blouse she was wearing. The young deer woman looked up at him shyly, holding a newspaper in her slender, perfectly manicured hand.
"I'm sorry to bother you so early, sir," Lana said to him in a soft spoken manner, "but I thought you might want to see this."
She quickly handed it to him and he took a look at the big, bold type on the front cover of the newspaper. His earlier good mood completely evaporated and disgust curdled in his stomach as he read the headline cover story that took up the front page. The bold title read, 'Mysterious Plague Effecting Bottled Water Supply'and listed that two St. Canard water companies were already suffering from befouled water vats. The two owners claimed that they had no idea who did it. It went on to list the usual suspects from Negaduck's enemy list as the culprits and offered a reward for their capture. By the time he reached the end of the article, he wanted to roll the entire paper up and throw it into the garbage.
"Mr. Flood, sir, are you all right? I didn't mean to upset you." Lana's timid voice brought him back to reality. She was looking at him with large, blue eyes that were filled with concern. He realized that some of his roiling emotions must be showing on his face.
"Thank you dear, I'm fine. You didn't do anything wrong by bringing this to me. In fact, I'm grateful that you care enough about this company to share this information with me." Bud gave her one of his winning smiles and he was happy to see that she returned it with a small smile of her own.
"Well, I thought you'd want a little bit of context before I told you that the police were on the line for you. They wanted to ask you if your water supply was still clean. They were also wondering if you'd thought about taking heightened security measures over your vats."
"Wonderful." Bud muttered with a hand over his eyes. Much of the police force had been infiltrated with Negaduck's flunkies and they were the last people he wanted around guarding his water.
"Not the best way to start the morning, is it?" The rhetorical question was said in a sympathetic voice. This elicited a brief chuckle from the water salesman, who had just been thinking about how much simpler his life had been five minutes earlier.
"I hate being the bearer of bad news. Oh, but maybe I can make it better." Lana hastily dug into a binder that she had brought with her and pulled out a white envelope. "This came for you, though it doesn't have a return address. It might just be junk mail, but it is addressed to you and I didn't want to throw it out without you seeing it."
Bud took it from her carefully and was surprised to see that his name and the entire address had been made with magazine clippings. The lack of any return address aroused his suspicion, but at the same time, he was also very curious about who would take so much caution in writing to him.
"Thank you for bringing this to me." He said at length as he smiled back at her. "Is there anything else you needed to tell me?"
"No, that was all." She said with a turn of her heel. "Thanks for your time, Mr. Flood. I hope the rest of your day gets better."
"Me too." Bud replied resolutely. "Let me know if anything else comes up."
"Certainly sir." Lana affirmed in her normal polite manner before turning and heading back towards the elevator.
The rest of the morning was spent talking on the phone to the chief of police, who was very insistent about sending his own people to his company to help for security purposes. Unfortunately for the officer, Bud Flood wasn't the kind of dog who rolled over easily. The water salesman spent the rest of the phone conversation wearing down his opponent by shooting down the other man's ideas, weighing his other options, and giving well thought out excuses. The corporate head was well aware of who was behind the chief of police's overwhelming concern for his assets. Bud wasn't about to give Negaduck an opening without a fight.
Finally, after a couple of hours of discussion and debate, the exasperated officer gave up on his security ploy. He ended the long conversation by telling the water salesman that he could figure out his own damn security options and, that if his water was poisoned and the company went under, it would be his fault. Bud got in the last word, as usual, thanking the man for his time and telling him that he felt as though they had finally made an agreement that benefited both of them. He hung up on the bewildered chief of police and sighed as he leaned back in his comfy office chair.
So, Karl and the others have already sold out and implemented their plan…which means that I am now officially on Negaduck's bad side. I've just dodged one of his bullets, but this one was only a warning shot. I don't know how I'll fair once he really starts firing, if it comes to that.
Bud leaned forward and put both his elbows on his desk with his hands pressed against the sides of his muzzle. He continued to mull over his grim situation.
I don't really have anyone to turn to either. Morgana would help me out if I asked, but I don't want to put her in danger. I wish I knew even a couple people who were brave enough to take a stand against Negaduck. I know they're out there, but where do I find them?
Bud's eyes lingered as he pondered the possible answer to his question. That's when he noticed the white envelope he had set aside on his desk. He had forgotten about it when he was thwarting the officer on the phone. Reaching across the desk and grabbing it, he wondered if this letter might hold the answer to his question.
Bud hastily retrieved the letter opener from his desk and tentatively slit the white envelope. Before he pulled out the letter inside, he shook it over his desk, wary of any dangerous substances that might have made it into the sealed package. To his relief, only a blank sheet of paper landed on the desk, which he quickly flipped over to see if anything was written on the other side. There was nothing handwritten there, but there was a message for him that had been made with clipped out letters from various magazine clippings just like the address on the envelope. Picking it up to get a clearer look, he read the short message from the anonymous sender.
To Mr. Bud Flood,
We are aware of your situation with Negaduck and we want to help you fight back. If you are interested, meet us at the Lighthouse by St. Canard Pier at 7:30 tonight.
Sincerely,
Your Friends
The water salesman read the letter over again before setting it down on his desk and folding his hands on his lap. It was certainly lacking in details and sketchy. In fact, those were the only two things that were certain about it. If they really were his friends as they claimed, they wouldn't have stooped to giving him a letter with no return address that consisted of a short message inside rendered from magazine clippings.
Yet, this level of discretion and secrecy intrigued him. Whoever it was clearly knew that he was no fan of Negaduck or they wouldn't have gone to all the trouble to cover up their identities. From that alone, he could infer that whoever had sent him this note were high on Negaduck's wanted list.
These might just be the people I'm looking for. It's risky, but then I didn't get to be the head of a company by playing it safe. Besides, if it turns out to be a trap, I'll be ready. He patted the right side of his jacket, which covered the concealed weapon attached to his belt. It was only a small handgun, but it would suffice in a tight spot. I just hope it doesn't come to that.
With his decision made, Bud spent the rest of the day keeping busy. He arranged his security with a private firm and spent the remainder of the day looking over his earnings for the month. Soon enough, five o'clock rolled around and it was time for him to leave. He made a short pit stop at his apartment to drop off his things and get a snack before he headed for the St. Canard lighthouse.
Bud arrived at the appointed meeting place fifteen minutes early, which was what he hoped would happen. He did a quick survey of the area before choosing his vantage point by a couple of large shipping crates. The salesman wanted to find a place where he was sure his back was covered just in case something went wrong. Leaning up against one of the crates, he glanced back and forth every couple of minutes to see if anyone was coming. Reminding himself that he was a bit early, he patiently waited for any sign of his anonymous authors. At seven thirty on the dot, his patience was rewarded by a bouncing figure in a brown trench coat and matching top hat, who was giggling madly and jingling his way down the path.
"See? See? I told you it was a good idea!" The bouncing man said as he leaped into the air, somersaulted and landed a foot away from Bud.
Bud wondered who this jovial man was talking to. Looking behind the first man, he spotted a shorter, skinnier one running to catch up with his theatrical partner. He was also wearing the same trench coat and hat combination, except that a pair of large, blue boots was sticking out from beneath the coat and there was a bulge from something being carried on his back.
"I guess I owe you one." The nasally voice replied with disbelief. It seemed that he hadn't expected the water salesman to show up after reading the letter.
"You owe him dinner, if I remember the wager correctly."
Bud whipped around at the sound of another voice. Another man had snuck up on him, wearing the same set of identical clothing as his partners. This man looked even skinnier than the one with the nasally voice, but there was something very odd about him. Even under his long brimmed hat, Bud could tell that there was something off about his complexion and that his feet—if you could call them that—seemed to be wooden instead of webbed.
On his guard now as the three gathered around him, he slipped a hand into his jacket and calmly waited for one of them to explain themselves. The third man who had appeared put his gloved hands in front of him, (which Bud found odd as well considering they were winter gloves and it was currently the middle of the hot summer), in an attempt to forestall any hasty maneuvers.
"It's okay. We're the ones who wrote the letter and we just wanted to talk to you. We aren't here to hurt you."
The reassuring statement from the soft baritone voice put him more at ease, but not enough for him to remove his hand from inside his jacket. The dog raised an eyebrow and waited for more of an explanation.
"You are Bud Flood, right?" The question came from the nasally voiced man this time. Bud nodded affirmative.
"Of course he's Bud Flood, silly!" Raucous jingling followed a yelp as the first man slapped the second one on the back pretty hard. "Don't you recognize him from the commercials on TV or the ads in the paper? He's 'Bud Bud Bud Buddy Flood' –right?"
The man had imitated the female voice that sung his name in the ads perfectly, which coaxed a smile onto the canine's face.
"One hundred percent of polls surveyed suggest that you have the right dog. As always, he's pleased to find that his viral advertising campaign has been a success."
"Wow, you really do talk like that." The first man said, who seemed to have finally calmed down. He stopped bouncing and his voice took on a more serious inflection. "Anyway, we'd like to explain ourselves fully, but we can't do it out here. You never know who could be listening."
It was an astute point, one that Bud couldn't argue with. He studied each of them, trying to glean any signs of a trap. Understanding what he was thinking, the third man spoke up again.
"If you're not comfortable, then we won't force you to come with us," he said carefully, "but we really do want you to hear what we have to say. Please?"
Bud could make out a very candid pair of blue eyes from underneath the hat and he finally removed the hand from inside his jacket.
"Alright, you've all got me sold. Where to?"
"This way." The shortest of the three men waved towards the Lighthouse. The four of them headed over to it in silence, save for the jingling of bells. The skinniest man with the wooden feet stayed behind the three of them to watch their backs, while the other two flanked him and continually took in their surroundings. They arrived at the front door of the Lighthouse without a problem and Bud watched as the man with the nasally voice pulled out a key and unlocked the door.
"Do you all live here?" Bud couldn't help but ask. After all, how could anyone live in a place like this?
"Well, I do." The one who had opened the door said as he walked inside. "These two have their own hideouts, but we do hang out here a lot."
"You can ask us anything you want once we're inside." The tall man with the jingle bells informed him when Bud had opened his mouth again. He then made an 'after you' gesture with his arms and the water salesman walked inside. The really skinny man with the odd complexion closed the door behind him. Once it was securely locked, the four of them made their way up the stairs.
I wonder if I've made a mistake. Bud thought, not for the first time. I guess there's no point in worrying about it now. I've decided to trust them and if it really is a trap—well—I'll figure something out if it happens.
After a short climb, they made their way to a door at the top of the Lighthouse. The man in front opened it and they all walked inside after him. Bud was astonished when he panned the room to see all kinds of different electrical appliances covering almost every inch of the furniture, tables, and most of the floor.
"Um, sorry about the mess in here." The one with the nasally voice sounded a bit self-conscious about the state of his living quarters. "I do a lot of experiments and, as you can probably tell, I really get into my work."
"What kind of work?" Bud questioned as he continued to survey all the machines in the room. "Are you a mechanic?" A light sparked in his black eyes as he thought of something. "Or perhaps an electrician?"
"The later is as close a description as you're going to get."
"I'd heard a rumor that there has been a man who has tried to thwart Negaduck for as long as he's been around." Bud replied cryptically studying the figure with a newfound interest. "A man who can, supposedly, shoot electricity from his fingers."
"I take it your asking if I'm that man." The water salesman couldn't see the other man's face very well, but he could tell that he was smiling. Slowly the figure raised his blue gloved hands and brought them close together. Sparks of electricity began dancing between his finger tips and Bud let out an audible gasp at the sight.
"The rumors you've heard are true." The man slowly brought his hands back down and untied his jacket. He then removed his hat, revealing a small rat wearing a plug hat, chest strap plug-in, a utility belt, blue boots and a large battery strapped to his back. He gave a friendly smile to the canine who continued to examine his strange attire. "My real name is Elmo Sputterspark, but everyone calls me Megavolt."
"Megavolt?" Bud repeated with a touch of excitement. "The Megavolt who's on the top of Negaduck's most wanted list for getting in his way every chance he gets? That Megavolt?"
"The one and only." The rat responded with pride. "I'm glad to see that you've heard of me."
"Don't act so surprised, Megs!" The energetic man spoke up next and flipped his way over to rodent's side. "You've been fighting Negaduck for the longest and you're still alive. If that's not a feat, I don't know what is."
A faint blush tinted Megavolt's cheeks as his jovial friend threw an arm around him. Jingle bells rang as the man turned his attention back to Bud.
"Anyway, if you're looking for people who don't like Negaduck, then, boy, have you come to the right place. All of us have our reasons for not liking him and not just because of what he's doing to the city."
"Glad to hear it. What's your reason for disliking him enough to actively work against him, if I might inquire?"
"Well, I could just tell you, but what would be the fun in that? I am a big fan of guessing games, so I'll think I'll let you figure it out for yourself."
Bud was about to barter for more information when the other man theatrically threw off his brown overcoat and hat. This revealed a duck with a large bill and a wide buck-toothed smile. He was wearing a red and purple harlequin hat with jingle bells attached to the ends, which effectively masked his face. The hat matched a red and purple jester costume complete with bright red shoes with springs on the bottom.
"So? Do you have any guesses?"
The water salesman couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew he recognized this duck from someplace. He had mentioned something about games and that seemed to ring a bell with him. He snapped his fingers as he made the connection he was looking for. The deserted toy store he had been standing outside of a few days ago belonged to the Quackerjack toy company, a company that Negaduck had shut down for good a couple months earlier. He had chatted with the owner briefly about a year back before it had closed and this man standing before him was that very same man.
"Quackerjack? The same Quackerjack from the toy company?"
"Yep, it's me! I knew you'd recognize me, Buddy!" A wide grin had spread across his bill as spontaneously sprung forward and almost bowled over the unsuspecting water salesman as he gave him a big hug.
"You're looking sharp as always, Buddy." Quackerjack said cheerfully as he finally released Bud from his tight grip. "It's good to see you again."
"It's good to see you too." He responded sincerely. "I had always wondered what became of you after Negaduck shut down your company. To be honest, I had feared the worst."
"You needn't have worried. I'm not the kind of guy who ever wants to play quietly, if you catch my drift."
Bud nodded in understanding, knowing from hearsay how energetic the jester could be. His eyes drifted to the last man in the room who still had not removed his coat and hat. He seemed very hesitant to do so, if the way he hid his feet and kept making sure that his coat remained closed was any indication.
"So, what about you?" The water salesman addressed the cloaked figure. He decided it might be best if he made the first move. "Would you mind telling me a little more about yourself? Maybe you could even take off that heavy coat so I knew who I'm dealing with."
His suggestion was said in a light-hearted manner, hoping to coax the other man into relaxing a little bit. He was also beginning to suspect that this man might be the mutant plant creature he had read about in the papers and he was very interested in seeing this unusual being in person.
"Come on, Bushy." Megavolt pressed gently as he continued to hesitate, "we're all friends here. We're not going to mock you. Besides, we need his help."
The figure sighed heavily, but did as he was asked. Slowly, he removed his gloves, which revealed a pair of leafy green hands. The slim-figured man easily slid out of his large brown overcoat, which fell into a heap on the ground. Finally, the man removed his hat and revealed that his hair was not even hair at all, but purple petals with stamens protruding from the top of his head.
With the entire picture now in front of him, Bud Flood thought that this was one of the most impressive—albeit strangest—things he had ever seen. The man before him was still clearly a duck, but his skin had turned green and his webbed feet had become roots. He tried to keep himself from staring too much, but he had to admit inwardly that it was kind of a shock to see something like this.
"My name is Reginald Bushroot." The green duck stated uncomfortably as the canine continued to study him. "When my funding at the university was cut, I experimented on myself to prove the value of my work. I wanted to give people the ability to photosynthesize and with the help of one of my flowers, plus about a thousand volts of electricity, I got—well—this." He ended awkwardly by panning his leafy hands across his body. The blue eyes were fixed in resignation on the floor, waiting for their guest to show his revulsion at his appearance as so many others had when they laid eyes upon him.
"I think what you've accomplished is amazing." Bud told him without any guile in his voice. "As a company owner, I understand very well that it takes a lot of courage to stand by your goals even when your peers doubt your capabilities." Bud extended his hand towards the other man, who gave him a look of surprise. "Character studies show that not just anyone can do that and I have a lot of admiration for anyone who can. It's very nice to meet you."
Tentatively, the plant duck took the large furry hand lightly in his leafy one, almost as if he was expecting Bud to draw back at the touch. The canine had to admit that feeling the leaves grip his hand as they shook hands was an odd sensation, but it wasn't unpleasant. The water salesman noticed that a touch of light green had appeared on Bushroot's cheeks, which he guessed was what counted as blush for the mutant plant duck. He figured that the mutant scientist wasn't used to having people welcome him so openly after discovering what he was.
"That's nothing!" Quackerjack cut in as he flipped in the air with excitement. "If you're impressed by his attitude, then you should see his powers in action. Bushy has a telepathic link to plants. Go on, show him!"
"We really should be getting down to business." Bushroot hedged irritably. The suggestion made Quackerjack pout and it seemed he was going to protest this evasion when Bud cut in.
"I would appreciate it if you could showcase your abilities for me. Unless it's too much trouble to prepare a presentation on short notice, that is."
"N-No, it's no trouble at all." The green duck replied hastily. His earlier reluctance about showing off his abilities seemed to vanish once his guest showed some interest in them. Bushroot merely pointed at a potted tomato plant and for a moment nothing happened. Then, the tomato plant lifted its roots out of the pot and walked calmly over to its master, as if this were something it did every day.
"Her name's Ruby." He explained as he patted the plant affectionately. "She's been with me for over a year now and I've never known a plant that can grow a finer tomato."
As if to prove the point, Ruby waltzed over to Bud and placed one of the ripe tomatoes in his hands. He plucked it off lightly, staring in complete amazement and the sentient plant being.
"Thank you." Bud said when he finally found his voice again. He took a big bite out of the tomato and, just as promised, it was one of the juiciest tomatoes he'd ever had. "Your advertising isn't just hype. This is one of the best tomatoes in all of St. Canard. I would personally vouch for you, my dear Ruby."
The tomato plant folded its stalks inward, almost as if it had become a bit bashful at the compliment. It dipped forward in what Bud understood to be a bow, before it raced back over to its pot and settled in.
"Charmer." Bushroot sounding amused as he looked over at the canine. "You've certainly ensured you'll always get the best tomato whenever you come by."
"What can I say?" Bud replied completely unabashed. "I have a good eye for quality and I admire it in any potential business partners I see. I always put out the best product possible that I can and I expect anyone I deal with to do the same."
"Your reputation has preceded you, Mr. Flood." Megavolt's tone was serious and all eyes in the room turned to him. "You're known for your honest business practices and how you treat your partners, employees and customers with the utmost respect. That's why we pieced together that letter for you. We needed help with our next mission and we felt like you were the right guy to turn to."
"Before we start getting into the nitty-gritty of everything," Bud interrupted with a raise of his hand, "could you do one thing for me?"
"What is it?" Megavolt inquired curiously.
"Could you please call me Buddy? 'Mr. Flood' makes me sound so old. I know I'm not a puppy anymore, but I'd rather not be reminded of it more then I have to be." He wrinkled his nose a little bit as he thought about his current age. "Besides, Buddy's what my friends call me. You all want to be my friends, correct?"
"Absolutely." Megavolt replied warmly.
"The more playmates there are the merrier." Quackerjack quipped happily.
"I'm always happy to make a new friend, particularly in these times." Bushroot told him with a smile.
"Excellent! So, now that we agree on that issue one hundred and one percent, tell me why you brought me here."
"First, why don't we get comfortable?" Their host said as he cleared some appliances from the floor. "It's going to be a long discussion, so we should all sit down—er, anywhere there's room. Just push things out of your way as you need to."
It took a few minutes for the four of them to get enough floor space available for all of them to use. They settled in a circular formation with Bud facing Megavolt, Quackerjack on his left and Bushroot on his right. The conversation picked up right where it had left off as the leader of the trio cleared his throat to get their attention back on the matter at hand.
"We brought you here for the same reason you and your fellow business partners came together in secret a few days ago." Megavolt explained gravely. "Our group realized that Negaduck was making a move to collapse the bottled water industry. If he succeeds, all of St. Canard's water will be polluted and, more importantly, it will all be under his control. I'm assuming you're the only one who didn't comply with Negaduck's commands."
"You assume correctly." Bud replied dispiritedly. "Well—except for my client Morgana, but she can't really do anything about the situation at hand."
When her name popped up, he could see the three men sitting around him visibly stiffen. All of them looked uncomfortable and Bud was mystified as to why. It occurred to him that the figure he had seen that day in the alleyway must have been Quackerjack and that he left as soon as Morgana had appeared.
"Is something the matter?" He asked plainly.
"We'll tell you later." Megavolt assured him before going on. "Anyway, I'll get straight to the point. We've found a way to block Negaduck's efforts to take over St. Canard's bottled water industry. Not only that, but we'll be able to undo the damage he's already caused."
"Is that possible?" Bud questioned excitedly.
"As possible as it is to become a half-plant half-duck mutant." Bushroot answered wryly. "Our team managed to get a sample of the contaminated water yesterday after Negaduck was done doing his dirty work. Ever since then, I've been working on a way to purify the water by constructing a plant that can identify the contaminants. Once it recognizes them, it will use its vines to absorb them and leave the water just as clean as it was to begin with."
"Marketing teams everywhere would agree that this new product is absolutely brilliant! But, wait, is there anything more that you can tell us about these experimental plants? For instance, what would the lifetime expectancy be for these genetically altered flora?"
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about the life span of these plants with or without Negaduck's chainsaw." There was a confident smile on the botanist's beak as he continued speaking. "They're designed to be indoor plants that thrive in water. Once they're put into place they'll grow rapidly so that the vines will spread out inside the vat, eventually growing to cling to the outside of the container. Even if our least favorite duck does try to hack away at them, their regeneration rate is very high, so he won't make much progress. Not to mention that since they've been in contact with me, they'll have some sentient capabilities." Bushroot's smile became a smirk, enjoying a private image of Negaduck being strung up by his flora. "They'll be able to tangle up anyone who tries to mess with them. I almost wish I could be there to see his face when they come to life and fight off him and his goons."
"A film of such an event would be a must-see for all of St. Canard." Bud said with a smirk of his own. "Although this consumer has one more question. Won't this wonder plant you're building need some kind of dirt to root down in? I do not claim to be a floral expert, but I have always assumed that part was necessary."
"You would be right, but I have come up with a solution to that. My plants will start off in a small jar with a special fertilizer at the bottom. I'm making the fertilizer so that when it hit the water it will release a rapid growth hormone that will effect the entire plant and make it grow much faster then it normally would. The jar just needs to be put into the contaminated water vat and the plant should take care of the rest." Bushroot's eyes were on the water salesman when he finished, wondering if he was going to have to field another question. Bud gave his best salesman smile to the mutant scientist and spread his hands in a gesture that said he had given up his doubts
"You've certainly sold me on the product, but I feel like there's one piece of the entire contract still missing." Bud remarked as he glanced between the three of them. "For instance, if Reggie can move the plants telepathically, then I don't understand why you would need me to do anything. With all your powers and inventiveness combined, I would imagine that it would be easy for you to infiltrate the water companies and remove all the toxins yourselves."
"One would think that, but the rules aren't quite as simple as they seem for this particular game." Quackerjack answered him as he pulled down the ends of his hat in frustration. "You see, up until now we've been playing a pretty simple strategy game of making small footholds in what Negaduck considers his conquered territory. Since we've come together, we've been able to make a stronghold of our own at the St. Canard Power Plant. Our victories for our team have gotten under Negaduck's skin and this time he's brought in more troops to protect his most recent territorial acquirement. These new forces have changed the rules of the game by making it harder for us to play at all. As we all know, less playtime for us means more pieces of St. Canard fall into his hands."
"In fact, we did try to stop him ourselves two days ago," Bushroot explained unhappily, "but like Quackerjack said he was prepared for us this time. Negaduck had reinforcements sent in from SHUSH to surround the building and arrest anyone who came within fifty feet of the vicinity. The three of us did find a hole in their defenses so we could slip in, but obviously we weren't able to stay long enough to fix any of the damage that was done." The plant mutant heaved a deep sigh before continuing. "Actually, we're lucky to still be here talking to you right now. We were almost captured by their agents and I don't think I have to tell you what happens to people who go to SHUSH headquarters."
"No, no explanations are necessary." Bud gave a vehement shake of his head as he said this. "This customer has read all the human resource information on SHUSH and understands that it is not the happiest place on earth for anyone unless they are completely bought and sold by Negaduck."
"Exactly right, which brings us back to the heart of the matter." Megavolt added in a grim voice. "We can't get into the bottled water factories long enough to implement our plan with so many guards outside the buildings. The best we can do is draw them away so that someone else could use Bushroot's plants to clean the vats. The three of us have decided that the person who should do that is you."
"May I ask what your qualifications were for this job?" The water salesman asked this question more out of curiosity then anything else.
"Oh, that's easy!" The toymaker responded quickly as he fidgeted on the floor. He wasn't enjoying having to sit on the floor this long. "In order to find the perfect playmate for the latest match against our least favorite criminal we just needed someone who disliked Negaduck as much as we did and had knowledge of the inner workings of the other water factories. Since you fit into both categories, you were the undisputed winner with our team."
"I'm honored." Bud said with a touch of amusement.
"I hate to say it, but I'm not so sure you should be." Bushroot's voice sounded both anxious and hesitant as he rambled on. "I mean, it's not that I don't want you to help, I do, but it's just that what we're asking you to do is incredibly dangerous. Like I said, the three of us were almost caught by Negaduck's forces and I don't want to think about what they would have done to us if they had captured us. If they catch you helping us, then the best you can hope for is that they kill you quickly."
"Bushy!" Megavolt tried to chide him, but the plant mutant carried on anyway.
"You seem like such a nice person that I'd hate to have that happen to you. There are too few brave people in our city as it is. I don't want to lose one on our account is all."
"Your concern is touching." The corporate head told him sincerely. "However, I can assure you that I understand that risks involved with this partnership. More importantly, I want to keep the bottled water industry out of Negaduck's hands." He panned the three of them before he asked his next question. "What do you want me to do?"
Quackerjack looked very pleased as he glanced over at Megavolt to explain the details of their plan. Bushroot's expression showed his uneasiness as their new friend's agreement, but there was a touch of admiration it it as well. Megavolt met the dog's black eyes with his mismatched ones and started giving him the instructions.
"Two days from now, we're going to meet by the abandoned tuna-canning warehouse near the Clearwater Bottling factory around nine o' clock. Negaduck's already contaminated that company, so there are fewer SHUSH agents guarding it. While Bushroot and Quackerjack draw the guards away outside the building, I'm going to shut down the power on the inside to take out security. Once that's finished, your job is to enter the front of the building and put the purifying plants into the water vats to clean them out. Our jester friend here will lend you some of the toys from his arsenal, which should easily take care of any enemy combatants left inside. As soon as you've dropped the plants off in all the water vats, you're to get yourself out of there. Don't stay in the area any longer then you have to. Did all of that make sense?"
"You're public speaking skills were more than efficient in making the main points of the plan understandable."
"One last thing," Megavolt interjected before Bud could say anything else. "I don't think I have to tell you why this entire matter should be kept a secret. For your own safety its best that no one finds out about what we're doing. Is that clear?"
"I'd like to discuss this bit of fine print with you. For instance, what if the person I tell is someone I really trust? Like—"
"Morgana?" Quackerjack interrupted solemnly. As soon as the name escaped his beak, his entire demeanor changed. All the silliness that was normally present in every fiber of his being vanished and was replaced with a duck that was firm and unyielding. "Buddy, I want you to listen to us. You need to distance yourself from Morgana Mawcaber. She's playing a game of duplicity with you."
"What are you getting at?" Bud demanded of the jester who answered him in an unwavering voice that held no fabrication.
"I'm trying to say that the three of us think that she's working for Negaduck. She's acting as a double agent in the field so that she can keep an eye on his enemies, one of the most influential of them being yourself."
"Have you accumulated any data that proves this allegation?" The corporate head gave a hard look to all three of them in the silence that followed his inquiry. His demeanor betrayed no misgivings as he waited for his answer.
"Unfortunately, we don't have any evidence we can present to you on the matter." Bushroot admitted with a sigh. "However, there have been a lot of rumors going around that Negaduck has acquired the assistance of a witch from the Transylvania area. Who else do you know in St. Canard that fits the description other then Morgana?"
"Also, there have been quite a few odd reports coming from his latest crime sprees." Megavolt added in the hopes of strengthening their case. "From what I understand, Negaduck's latest victims have experienced inanimate objects coming to life and attacking them, while still others have died from spontaneous combustion and other strange conditions that have no roots in the normal world. There's only one woman I know who could create such a powerful diseases in the blink of an eye and I don't think I have to tell you who that is."
Bud Flood sat silently for a tense moment as he took in what he had been told. Finally, he opened his mouth again to give them his calm response. "Thank you all for taking the time to explain your points to me. However, due to lack of substantial evidence, I am disinclined to believe you." He watched as all three faces fell at his statement and he determined he had to put more weight behind his argument. "Look, you know how much false advertising is going on in our media and the stories one hears nowadays are nothing but smear campaigns against perfectly good people. Just listen to the things that the press says about the three of you. All of it is just a bunch of propaganda that Negaduck is throwing onto the air so that he can further his agenda.
"As for the strange things going on with his victims, well, I suppose they could be magic related," Bud admitted with a shrug, "but that doesn't automatically mean it was her. I'll admit that I've never met another witch or wizard, but I'm one hundred percent willing to take a bet that there's more then one person in the world who can use magic. Can any of you really tell me that there isn't a possibility that he's managed to recruit someone else who has magic powers to his cause?"
The water salesman waited for an answer that he knew would not be forthcoming. The other three people in the room glanced between each other as if hoping that one or the other of them would come up with a good rebuttal. The gaze that Bud bestowed upon them was firm and his voice held a tone of avid belief as he gave them his final thoughts on the matter.
"From my experiences with her, Morgana Mawcaber has always been a trustworthy business partner and, more importantly, she has been a good friend and ally to me in the past year. I am willing to give her my highest endorsement without the slightest bit of hesitation."
Megavolt, Bushroot and Quackerjack said nothing to him when he was finished speaking, but all of them shared the same pitiful expression.
"I hope your faith in her is rewarded, Buddy." Bushroot spoke softly with his blue eyes averted and unfocused, as if he were watching some unpleasant memory. "I really do..."
"I think that's enough on this subject for now." The electric rat put in before anyone else could continue the discussion. "More importantly, I want to know once and for all, are you willing to help us in our fight against Negaduck?"
"Do not worry. Any business man worth his merit is able to handle an unpleasant discussion without letting it affect his better judgment. My business intuition is telling me that helping the three of you out will not only be the best deal for my company, but also the best option for the community." Bud stood up and extended his hand towards the electric rodent. "I'm looking forward to working with you all for as long as it's necessary."
Megavolt got up, took the outstretched hand in a firm grip and shook it. "Believe me, there are no words to express just how grateful we are to you for helping us. I don't think we can ever repay you."
"If you guys manage to stop our local crime lord from taking away another resource from the citizens of St. Canard that will be thanks enough." The water salesman replied with a warm smile.
"Well, now that everything's settled, would you like to stay for dinner?" Bushroot offered amicably. "Not to brag, but I'm a pretty good cook."
"Yes! That's a great idea!" Quackerjack grabbed Bud's arm and tugged on it, giving him big puppy dog eyes as he pleaded with him. "Come on, Buddy, you gotta stay a while. It'll be fun having a new playmate around the dinner table for a change. Please? Pretty Please?"
"Okay, okay," Bud said as he pushed the toymaker off of him with a laugh, "you've presented your case successfully. It will be my pleasure to dine with you all tonight."
"Yay!" Quackerjack exclaimed as he gave the canine another big hug.
"Hey, now, cut that out!" Megavolt tried to pull Quackerjack off of Bud. "If you keep doing stuff like that you'll scare him off."
Quackerjack released the canine and cocked his head to the side with a sly grin as he looked back at his electric friend. "What's the matter Megs? Jealous?"
"You wish." Megavolt said with an eye roll.
The remainder of the evening found the four of them talking, laughing and generally enjoying each others company. As Bud Flood left to walk back to his apartment, he couldn't help but think that this had been one of the most enjoyable evenings he'd experienced in a long time.
The next week found Bud Flood in an incredibly good mood; a complete turn around from how he'd been feeling when he first found out about the water pollution. He had come to work whistling happily for the past few days and there was a spring to his step that hadn't been there in months. His cheeriness seemed to be contagious and the Sparkling Clear Crystal Flood Water Company, which had been a rather somber place as of late, was filled with friendly chatter and laughter from its employees. Of course, none of the workers knew the reason for their boss's recent good mood, but they figured that the happier he was the more likely it was for the company to continue to do well.
As the corporate head reached his office and unlocked the door, he found himself reminiscing about the events of the past week. The first mission to decontaminate the water vats at the Clearwater Factory had been a complete success. The plants Bushroot had asked him to place inside the water had managed to clean out the toxins completely, leaving clean water for the residents of St. Canard and less power in the hands of the notorious crime lord. The experiment had been repeated at two other water companies in St. Canard and both had come back with positive results. The media had tried to cover the whole event up by continuing their line about someone befouling the bottled water supply. That only made Bud happier since anyone who could read between the lines could tell that they were trying very hard to cover up the real truth behind the story.
I would pay money to see the look on Negaduck's face when he saw the latest set of vats covered in plants. Bud thought with a smug grin on his muzzle. He's probably so angry that he's tried using that chainsaw of his on some of his goons.
The bottled water salesman had just finished making himself a cup of coffee when his desk phone started ringing. Putting the coffee cup down on his desk, he pressed the speaker button on his phone and introduced himself in an upbeat manner.
"This is Bud Flood. May I ask who's calling?"
"It's Lana, sir. There's a call for you on line one. It's your client Morgana Mawcaber."
He paused as he thought over why she would be calling him today. It wasn't unusual for her to call him at work occasionally, considering that she was very good with using normal technology despite having grown up entirely without it. However, he couldn't think of any business related reason for why she'd be contacting him. It was then that he realized they hadn't spoken to each other in a while and it could just be a personal call.
"Would you like me to patch her through or should I tell her to call back later?" Lana inquired politely.
"Yes, you can put her through. Thank you Lana."
"Anytime sir." She replied quickly before transferring the call.
Bud waited for a moment to make sure his secretary was off the line before he began speaking into the microphone.
"Morgana? Are you there?"
"Well, hello there, stranger." Morgana's smooth voice held a subtle prong in its otherwise delicate tone. "It's nice to hear your voice again. It's been so long that I'd almost forgotten what it sounded like."
"My apologies dear lady." Bud replied in an remorseful, yet equally smooth voice. "I'm afraid that pressing matters have kept me busy as of late."
"Be that as it may, I do hope your promise to keep in touch wasn't just false advertising. Keeping a lady waiting is impolite, you see. It makes her think you don't miss her when she's gone."
"Perish the thought." The water salesman said with vehemence. "Studies show that there is a shortage of pretty ladies in St. Canard. Thus, it would truly be a pity to be without one of the true gems of our fair city."
The overt flattery earned him a satisfied chuckle from the recipient. Bud felt a bit of relief as the tense note in the conversation eased up. That feeling immediately vanished when the witch asked her next question.
"Do you mind me asking what it is that's kept you so busy?" The sorceress inquired mildly.
"Well, you know how it is with running a company and all..." The canine hedged uncomfortably. He spoke in the most confident voice he could muster. Unfortunately, his magical client missed very little and picked up on the weak way he'd given his normally strong delivery.
"I know you're a very busy dog, Buddy, but on the other hand, I also know that you've never been so caught up in your work that you haven't even come home until the early hours of the morning."
"How did you—?"
"I dropped by your apartment twice this week to try and see you." She explained lightly. "I figured you might enjoy some company after that debacle of a meeting with the other corporate heads. Anyway, when you weren't there the second time, I asked your landlady about your whereabouts. She was the one who told me that you barely spent five minutes in your apartment after work before you were off again and that you didn't return until very early in the morning."
An awkward pause followed this revelation as Bud slapped a hand over his face. His landlady was a notorious gossip who couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it. He internally berated himself for not expecting this to happen. He could only hope that she hadn't told anyone else about his recent activities.
"You haven't gotten yourself into trouble, have you?" Morgana's voice now had a bit of fire in it.
"That depends on what your definition of 'trouble' is, my dear." He said with a little smart-alack grin that she couldn't see.
"How cute. You remind me of a little kid whose been caught with his hand in the cookie jar." Her remark was given with playful irritation. "I hope I won't have to demean myself by playing the role of the parent that has to pull the truth from their child."
"Inquiring minds want to know what you're getting at?"
"It's simple really. I just want to know what you've been up to recently."
Bud opened his mouth to answer, but faltered as some of the allegations Megavolt, Quackerjack and Bushroot had given him came to mind. They had warned him not to tell anyone about what they had been doing for his own safety and they'd been particularly adamant about her.
"You are going to tell me, aren't you dear heart?"
The hurt sound in her voice decided it for him. Morgana had always stood by him for as long as he had known her. When his three new allies had accused her of treachery, he had defended her based on his experiences with her. He wasn't going to turn his back on her now.
"I will do better then just telling you." Bud spoke with his normal flamboyance. "Today and today only, I have a special offer for the lady of the house. I will show you what I have been up to. How does that sound?"
"It sounds like an offer I can't refuse." The witch said with amusement.
"Excellent! To fulfill my generous offer, you merely have to meet me inside the Koo Koo Fizzy Water Factory at ten o' clock tonight."
"I won't keep you waiting." She assured him and, even though he couldn't see it, he was sure she was smiling. "In fact, since you're being so sweet to me, I might just do something special for you."
"Now there's an intriguing bonus. Can I perhaps barter for more information on what it could be?"
"And ruin the surprise? That wouldn't be a very sound strategy, would it? Besides it will make you look forward to seeing me."
"I always do, with or without a bonus," Bud told her with feeling, "and as much as I enjoy talking to you, I really do need to get back to work. I'll see you tonight."
"You most certainly will. Goodbye for now, Buddy."
The phone line connection clicked as she hung up and the canine turned the speaker off. He quickly put the conversation from his mind and no misgivings plagued him throughout the rest of his day at work. Even later that evening when he was back in his apartment, he didn't have any regrets about what he'd done. When it came time to leave, he was whistling happily down the street as he carelessly walked towards his destination.
The strategy was a little bit different than it had been the last three times Bud had worked with Megavolt and the others. The final contaminated factory was the Koo Koo Fizzy Water Company, which had double the guards that the other buildings had thanks to their successful efforts to clean the water. They had all figured that the only way to get inside was for Megavolt, Quackerjack and Bushroot to appear at the now clean water companies and create diversions large enough to draw off the guards from the Koo Koo Fizzy Water Company. Bushroot had given him a bag of jars with the plants in them so that he could decontaminate the water once he got inside.
The well-dressed canine cautiously approached the building and was happy to see that there were no guards around it at all. He figured the other three must have been successful in creating big distractions. Smiling to himself, he made his way inside.
Sneaking quietly through the building, he quietly went to where the vats were and climbed the stairs to reach the metal bridge that ran between them. Once he'd reached the top, he dropped the bag and began taking out the jars of plants. Bud unscrewed the lids and threw the plants into the contaminated water vats. The containers sunk to the bottom of the water and then, the plants began to do their work. The water color started changing from a murky brown to a light blue.
Bud leaned over the once contaminated water vat and admired his handiwork. He was pleased to see how quickly the water cleared up and even more pleased to think that he had succeeded in thwarting Negaduck—at least for the time being. Bud wasn't foolish to think that the crime lord would give up his efforts to control the city's water supply, but he also figured that his plans would be at a standstill until he could find a way to counteract the plants.
Grinning from ear to ear, he was startled when he heard a familiar voice speaking to him out of thin air.
"You certainly look pleased with yourself." Morgana Mawcaber told him with a half-smile as she appeared out of thin air.
"You know, you really need to stop doing that appearing/disappearing trick." Bud replied with a hand over his heart. "Eight out of ten doctors suggest frequent scares like these are bad for your health."
"My apologies," she said in a wry tone, "though I never have put much faith in normal doctors. They seem to specialize in making people unnaturally paranoid."
He conceded her point with a laugh before gently taking her hand. "If you're done mocking my hypochondria, there's something that's guaranteed to amaze you once you take a glance over this railing."
With a big grin on his face and without waiting for her to reply, he pulled her towards the purifying water vat.
"Marvel at the wonderful hybrid plant life that can identify the pollutants in the water and absorb them, leaving the water as pure as it was before Negaduck's interference. Made by none other then Reginald Bushroot, a plant scientist who belongs to a trio of rebels dedicated to stopping our local crime lord for getting complete control over the city's resources."
"Reginald Bushroot? So you have been working with them." Her face was impassive and her tone gave away none of her feelings one way or the other.
"Is that a problem?" Bud asked curiously. He had expected her to be more excited and her lack of emotion about the matter had him a tad worried.
"No," she said with a sigh, "I only wish you hadn't kept it from me. I thought you trusted me."
That last statement stung like she intended it to. His long dog ears drooped and he put a hand on her shoulder.
"I do trust you Morgana." Bud said in a heartfelt tone. "I always have. I was just worried about your safety was all. There was a lot of risk involved in this venture and I didn't want you to have to take the fall if it came to that."
"Like I've said, I'm not one to back away from taking risks." Morgana replied matter-of-factly. She placed a finger on his lips before he could speak again. "But it's okay. I know you, Buddy. You're a real gentlemen and you always put other people's welfare before your own."
Before Bud could say anything more on the subject she got closer to him and leaned against his shoulder. She placed a hand over his chest as she stared down at the vat covered in floral life.
"It truly is an amazing creation. I doubt even my magic could have done a better job."
"Oh, I don't know about that." The water salesman told her as he confidently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close. "You're an amazing woman. I'm sure you would have come up with the perfect spell to counteract Negaduck's pollutants."
"Well, thank you dear heart." She said with a flirtatious glint in her green eyes. Bud noticed that she was wearing some kind of white colored lipstick and he tried to remember if she had ever done so before. "You're too sweet."
Before anything else could be said, she leaned up and planted a fierce kiss on his lips. Bud Flood's eyes went wide for a split second before he closed them and kissed her back passionately. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and held her body against his.
The kiss broke and as he was about to start another a wave of vertigo hit him. He suddenly felt tired as the world continued to spin. His legs seemed to give out from under him as he struggled for consciousness. As he collapsed, he was caught by Morgana who held him tightly in her arms. His head rested against her right shoulder and as he looked pleadingly up into her green eyes as his dark eyes refused to stay open.
"Mor..Morga...na..." He whispered as his eyes shut against his will.
The last thing he heard before he lost consciousness was a sinister whisper into one of his long ears:
"Sweet dreams, Buddy."
Author's Note: Okay, so this is a nice cliffhanger, right? ;) I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you're looking forward to the next one. As always, Darkwing and others belong to the Disney company. The OC Lana belongs to me. Thanks for reading!