Chapter 3

The Condor and the Swan walked into the lobby of the Paris hotel on the Las Vegas strip. All around them, tourists gawked and slot machines sang their siren song amidst French cafes and exclusive boutiques.

"Oh, I feel more Continental already…" Princess sighed.

"I could certainly go for some French… activities…" Jason smirked.

"Enough time for that later, Sweetie." the Swan chided. "Right now we have to rendezvous with Daddy Dearest and organize our reconnaissance."

"There's always time for shagging when you're an Intergalactic Bird of Mystery…" Jason protested, but Princess didn't hear him. She was already activating her bracelet communicator.

"Groovy Three to Groovy One, we are in the lobby. Repeat, we are in the lobby. Your location?"

"Groovy One is enroute from the airport." came Mark's voice. "Be there in five minutes, dig? Over and out."

"Well then…" Jason grinned, as he pulled Princess towards the closest bar, "I guess we have time for a drink…"

88888

The brown-haired youth glared at the wall as he waited for the counselor to arrive. He had only agreed to attend these sessions at the insistence of his Aunt Mala.

"Brrt… don't want… doot… to be here!" he muttered, kicking the desk in front of him.

"Well, this isn't any fun for me either!" Zoltar hissed at his son. "Frickin' idiot therapists… think they can read my mind… they have no idea what evil plans I have in store…"

"Shut up!" screamed Keyop, "Just… shut up… brrt… about your… doot… evil plans… already!"

The counselor entered the room at the conclusion of this outburst.

"Well…" she said smoothly, "I can see that I have my work cut out for me."

She sat down calmly behind her desk and opened a file folder, perusing it briefly before looking at the two people in front of her.

"We'll start with you, Keyop." she said, after a brief pause.

"Why does he get to start first?" whined Zoltar.

"Because I said so." explained the therapist.

Keyop smirked.

"Brrt… he shows up… doot… after being frozen… my entire… beep… life."

"Frozen… interesting imagery there, Keyop." the counselor interjected, "Please continue."

"Brrt… wants me… doot… to be evil too!" the youth cried. "Don't… beep… want to! So, he… doot… tried to… brrrt... kill me!"

"Kill you… isn't that a little extreme?" the therapist asked.

"No…" interrupted Zoltar. "The boy is quite astute, just like his old man. I have tried to kill him, but he seems to have the reflexes of… a swallow…"

The counselor's face had a blank look, as if she wasn't sure how to process this information. After a moment, she turned to Zoltar.

"And what about you, Doctor Zoltar? How do you feel about your son?"

"Well, he was created without my knowledge, and he can't even frickin' talk right…"

"Brrrt… shove it!"

"Shhhht!" hissed Zoltar at Keyop, closing his fingers together to indicate a 'shut up' sign.

"Doot… but…"

"Shhhht!"

"Brrrt… don't let me…"

"Shhht!" Zoltar repeated, glaring at his son, "And shhhht again! That was a pre-emptive shhht…"

Keyop glared at his father.

"It's my turn, damnit!" Zoltar cried. He turned to the counselor.

"Do you see the kind of insolence I have to put up with? All I'm looking for is to have him show a glimmer of interest in what I do! But when I try to talk to him about my plans…"

"Brrt… your evil plans…" Keyop muttered.

"And what's wrong with world domination?" Zoltar yelled. "Everyone's got to have some goals in life! What will I have to leave you when I'm gone, if not the World?"

"You're… brrrt… doing this… doot… for me?"

"Yes, son…" Zoltar said. "Of course, I'm doing it for you! I want you to be happy…"

Keyop snuffled and wiped his nose with his sleeve.

"Brrrt…. Dad…" he sobbed as he reached out to hug Zoltar, "No one… doot… ever did anything… beep… like that… for me…"

"Son…" Zoltar said, embracing Keyop, "I just want to give you the World…"

"Well, I can see that my work here is done…" said the therapist smugly.

"Not quite…" Zoltar smiled evilly, turning his head to gaze at her. "I think you've heard too much of my evil plan…"

"Doot… yeah!" cried Keyop, pulling a gun out of his waistband. "Can't have you… beep… stopping my Dad!"

Zoltar grinned.

"That's my boy!"

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Mark entered the lobby of the Paris Hotel, looking for his teammates. He found them at the bar, sipping French wine. Princess had her hand on Jason's arm, while his other hand was brushing her thigh.

Mark approached them angrily, just in time to hear Jason speak.

"Do I make you horny?"

"You had better not!" Mark exploded as he descended on their pair with the rapidity of the Eagle for which he was named.

"Well, if it isn't Mister Stick-in the-Mud…" Jason drawled. "Did the G1 have a hard time keeping up with us?"

"He's just trying to protect me, Jase." Princess said soothingly, "Even if he is nineteen years too late." She turned to look at Mark, trying to gauge the impact of her words.

"I appreciate that you're my father." she said to the Eagle, "But you don't have any right to tell me what I can and can't do."

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do." said Mark, although he desperately wished that he could do just that. "I just don't think you realize… what kind of reputation the Condor has."

"You mean, the same reputation you used to have?" Jason pointed out. "Before you married Jun, that is."

"You… you gave up… being a swinger… for Mum…" Princess said quietly.

"Yes." Mark replied, "When I met her, I just didn't want to be with anyone else."

Princess' eyes softened.

"I… I hope I can have that one day too, Dad." she said quietly. "I guess… she felt the same way… that's why she wanted to be with you…"

"You look just like her." Mark said. "So beautiful… so full of life… looking at you, I'm reminded of how much I miss her."

"Oh, Dad!" Princess said, hugging her father tightly.

"Just when did I become part of this sap scene?" Jason grimaced, as Mark gave him the finger behind Princess' back.