Poptart Notes—Maya Serena: It's the same principle at work. Danvilleans didn't think that there was ever going to be anything with them beyond grass. And milk. And also smiles.

Read and review, people, please. If you don't, I'll never stop annoying you...

CHAPTER III: Terror to an Extreme Degree

The platypus wandered into the room, but with his eyes downcast (even in his pet mode), he gave off a dejected air. Candace, having heard his tiny footsteps, glanced down and saw him.

"Oh, well, there he is." She knelt down and gave him a somewhat playful thump on the head. "Alright, you flea-ridden beaver-thing, listen up. No more going outside for a while. The whole town's in a frenzy, and the boys wouldn't want you getting trampled by a panicking mob or something." Perry seemed to glare at her. Good for him; he had even less to do now.

By this point, Albert was at an all-out-war with the countertop.

"Alright, speck-boy, I've had enough of you. You think you're so smart…sittin' there…bein' a speck…all speckish…well, this battle ends NOW, ya hear? I've got a mind to put some steel-wool all over your stupid existence…" Candace raised an eyebrow.

"I'm guessing that you just really, really don't get out much. Just don't touch the counter with that steel-wool. It'll scratch the surface up."

"But then the speck will win!"

"I said don't. Touch. It." Candace said, firmly enunciating each word. Albert sighed.

"Fine." Candace rolled her eyes.

"And everyone thinks I'm crazy."

/

"Boys?" Linda timidly opened the door to her sons' room. "Are you boys alright?" Phineas looked over to where she stood.

"Mom? Back up again? We're fine." Linda gave her son a weary look before walking over and patting him on the head.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Phineas. I'm just so scared." She sniffed a bit.

"Aw, mom, we're worried, too." Phineas replied. To this, he was pulled into an embrace by his mother, who motioned for Ferb to come over as well.

"Oh, boys! I wish I wasn't smothering you, but after yesterday…I'm afraid to take chances. I mean, what if that crazy guy was here instead of at the bank? I could never lose you two boys. You're the world to me…" She sniffled a bit more before looking up to see Irving, who simply stood there in the middle of the room.

"Irving, you're a nice boy, too."

"Don't mind me; I'm fine with being in the background." Irving replied calmly.

/

"The speck. Will not. Leave." Albert deadpanned, staring straight ahead of him.

"Oh, for Pete's sake, just leave it. We've got the rest of the kitchen clean." Candace said.

"Fine." Albert threw his rag into the sink before following Candace into the living room. Taking the remote, Candace clicked the television on. There, on Channel Six, was the PPP (Proper Panicking Procedure).

"…Step Six. Instigate screams. Make certain screams resemble those of terror rather than joy in order to make it perfectly apparent that you are panicking. Step Seven. Put arms into the position where they are directly above your head. Make certain that they are straight. Step Eight…"

"Wow." Albert finally said. Candace sighed.

"I told you."

Suddenly, the feed was cut, and it switched to a newswoman sitting at her desk.

"We interrupt this program to bring you an emergency news report. The video you are about to see may disturb you. Viewer discretion is advised."

"Oh good." Albert muttered, only to be shushed by Candace.

What followed made them both want to retch.

/

"So," Linda asked after regaining her composure, "what have you boys been doing?" Phineas turned his eyes to the floor.

"We were just wishing that that guy never even came to Danville." Ferb nodded, and his mother smiled.

"I think we all do, Phineas."

"MOM!" Candace's voice suddenly came up from the foot of the stairs.

"CANDACE!" Linda cried back as she flew down the stairs. Noticing the boys standing behind her on the steps, she then said, "Go back up there!" They obeyed.

"What's happening? What's happening?" She asked repeatedly. By the time Candace had pulled her into the living room, Albert was still sitting on the couch, face buried in a throw-pillow.

"Look at this." Candace told her in a grave tone. Linda turned to the television set.

"…Occurred at seven-thirty P.M last evening, a similar robbery had occurred in the city of Wilcox at the exact same time. And, today, at the Googolplex Mall, yet another robbery occurred in the J&J Clothiers. However, the cashier refused to give money to the perpetrator, which led to a tragic result."

And the television then cut back to the footage—a very blurry image of a man with the woman at gunpoint. A few seconds of yelling and a more timid voice. An expletive, and,

BANG.

Linda gasped. She darted back up the stairs before she could even hear the rest.

"Senior Criminal Analyst John Kempf has issued a statement, saying that he theorizes that these crimes were all linked, and that the criminals may all be members of a single group. None of the perpetrators have been found, nor are there any existing descriptions. A conference is scheduled for the city council tomorrow at four o'clock P.M."

Albert bit his lip and looked over at Candace. She looked like she was going to cry.

/

"PHINEAS! FERB! SHUT THE BLINDS AND LOCK THE WINDOW! NOW!" Linda did not merely open the door. She swung it in with such vigor that it left a ding in the wall it slammed into. Phineas and Ferb carried the order out swiftly.

"Mom? Mom, what's happening?" Phineas' voice trembled a little, but his mother ignored him as she grabbed Irving by the wrist.

"Irving, you're going home—no, no, wait." She quickly let go of his wrist. "No, no, I'll call your mother. Don't move. And that goes for all of you!" She raced back down the stairs and picked up the phone.

"Albert, give me your mom's number, now!" Linda cried. "And where is Perry?" Candace picked up the platypus as he wandered by.

"Right here."

In a few seconds, Linda was chattering away in nervousness to Irving and Albert's mother.

"Hello? Grace? Grace, did you see the news—I know—yes—get over here as quickly as you can. I don't care! Get over here! You can't just leave them with me!" She slammed the phone onto the receiver. She then turned to her daughter and demanded, "Candace, lock the windows and draw the curtains. I'll get the doors."

"What can I do?" Albert finally piped up.

"Stay put!"