The dawn brought its warm light caressing Bushroot's cheeks as he smiled a bit, opening his eyes and coming awake. He'd felt much safer in the larger, beachfront hotel they'd gone to last night, and while of course they'd gotten separate rooms, he hadn't had the paralyzing fear that someone would murder him in his sleep. Stirring into wakefulness, he gazed out with gratitude at the sight of the ocean waves washing the sands in gentle, rolling lines. He never felt more grateful to actually be alive.
Though… on the ride over to the hotel… he'd been concocting a darker plan in order to… buy himself time to figure out his next moves. He hated the fact he'd have to resort to this but… there was… no other option and he was ultimately… in a position to do so. He just didn't want to even threaten to hurt another person ever again… and yet… that's… exactly what he'd have to do in order to get his nemeses to back off for now and give him some breathing room and protect… the one he loved. He was already the "bad guy" anyway… what was one more misdeed to ensure that Rhoda would stay safe? To ensure that everyone in St. Canard stayed safe.
Going out of his room to collect Rhoda, he knocked lightly on her door. She answered a few minutes later, fully dressed and ready to depart, it seemed. "Hey… good morning." He told her softly, giving her a light smile. "I uh… I'm ready. And Rhoda?" He asked, causing her to pause in her egress from the room.
"Yes, Dr. Bushroot?" She addressed him a bit more formally this time.
"I… no matter what happens when we go back to St. Canard… I'm going to make sure you stay safe… all right? I won't let them do anything to hurt you." He insisted, giving her a reluctant nod. She looked at him curiously, cocking her head to the side.
"I… how do you plan to do that?" She inquired.
"An ace in the hole, I guess you could say. They can't kill me… and in keeping me alive… I'll at least… get them in a standoff… they won't be able to hurt you… and in turn… I… won't at least initially be able to do anything about them, either. It'll buy us time, and don't… ask me about it." he held up a hand as he spoke. "It's better you don't even know." He solemnly stated.
"I… all right… you're not going to hurt anyone… are you?" she asked warily.
"Only if they hurt you… and it's not hurting them so much as it is… anyway, that's all I should say." He insisted. "Come on… let's get back." He told her softly, and the two departed the hotel in silence. The ferry ride back was uneventful, despite the highly anxious feelings pervading Bushroot's mind, mostly thanks to last night's escapade. They talked about next moves going forward, and decided it would be best if Reggie could somehow contact Darkwing to get his advice… as to how they'd do that… Reggie had some vague ideas, but for now, he'd need to continue gathering evidence or… outright confront Payne about his plans and pretend like he'd cooperate or buy into whatever it was they truly were. If that proved too risky, then… maintain his cover and keep up his work, whilst trying to delay the end result for as long as possible.
There was so much going through his mind when at last they pulled up to his greenhouse. "Thanks… for coming out. I…" Bushroot drummed his fingers on his briefcase, looking over to her nervously. "I'll see you at work, I suppose. And again… don't worry… they won't so much as pass you in the halls if my plan works." He assured her, giving her a weak smile.
"Of course… and if you need me… I'm here. I suppose we're in this together now, whether we like it or not." She assured him. Nodding, he gulped, then slid out of her car. He gave her a small wave, then headed inside his greenhouse, the heat and sunlight already feeling good upon his green skin. Spike immediately scampered up to him, panting and running around his feet in circles. "Hey, Spike… I'm back… good boy." He spoke in soft tones, walking towards his lab in the back of the place. Setting his case down, he headed over to his locked storage cabinet, retrieving his keys and then placing his finger on a biometric scanner. The cabinet door hissed open, and he could see it immediately ahead of him… his green serum he'd crafted ironically when he'd received his job offer.
Reaching in, he hesitantly pulled the vial out, gazing into the fluid's green depths with a look of dread on his countenance. "Well… looks like I'll have a use for you after all." He spoke to himself, frowning. He hated the fact that he was even contemplating this, but… there… wasn't any other choice. Sighing, he slipped the serum back into the cabinet and shut the doors, locking it back into place… now… time to see what was what but at the university.
Arriving sometime later in the morning, Reginald nervously walked through the halls, heading towards his office. He was relieved to see no one was in there, though there was a message for him on his phone. Pushing the button, Payne's voice came through. "Reggie! Hope you're all right! I was informed the university had to have that horrid rental car towed AGAIN after it was found abandoned on the ferry… I truly hope nothing's happened to you… call me when you get in." The beep caused him to wince, and he shook his head. "Yeah… I'll call you all right." He muttered, frowning deeply.
Sitting down in front of his computer, Reggie began searching for Professor Dirk Emmett, trying to see what he could dig up. Hmm… fascinating… it seems he consulted quite a lot for intelligence agencies… and was even suspected of having direct ties to them in one fashion or another, but that couldn't be confirmed. Well, his ties to intelligence communities seemed to fit… and how his wife was able to make a call and get agents out to their house in the time he'd spent talking to Professor Emmett.
Intelligence agencies… spies… what would they want with his formula? He rubbed his forehead again, shaking his head. This was starting to stink worse than the most pungent fertilizer he used back home. He then began Googling Darkwing Duck and ways to contact him. He didn't get… much… but there were a few sites that had speculations… such as his seeming romantic interest in a certain Morgana Macawber of The Shadow Chateau… also of the Justice Ducks. Googling the Chateau, he noted it was a swanky if oddly themed restaurant. He quickly wrote that down. The rumors flying around the internet about their love life was… rather rife, and this was good! This was a lead! If she was involved romantically with Darkwing then… he now had a lead to pursue. Standing up, he slapped his laptop shut and exhaled, trying to steel himself. OK… he had a class soon but… that would almost certainly alert Dr. Payne he was back… he could skip out on it and keep up this facade of being dead, except… the agents who'd pursued him last night knew he wasn't dead… only that he'd vanished.
Enough was enough… he needed to do this sooner or later. He gathered his things, then marched off towards Dr. Payne's office. Reaching it a few minutes later, he felt his heart sink to see that Payne was indeed within. "Dammit… all right… you can do this." He whispered to himself, then pushed the door open after knocking. "Heeeey! Got your message! Sorry about that… I accidentally left the rental on the ferry… yeah!"
Payne seemed genuinely surprised to see him… no surprise there, but quickly smiled. "Ahhhh there you are! What on Earth happened? I thought you'd met the same fate as your predecessor, gotten drunk and fallen off the damn ferry!"
"No, no… nothing of the sort. As a matter of fact, I was just fine." He assured Payne.
"What were you doing out on Cape Mallard, anyway? Nothing but rich snobs out there." Roderick pointed out, frowning slightly.
"I think you know the reason for that… or at the very least, what happened to me, out there." Bushroot's eyes began hardening here, adopting a steely look as his frown deepened. "I assume you're going to want to apply some pressure to me to ensure I keep doing your bidding… and believe me… I can't do much else, at the moment… but I'm warning you… Dr. Dendron is OFF limits…"
"Reggie, I'm not sure what…" Payne was rising to stand, but Bushroot cut him off.
"No! Let me finish! You or your employers or Professor Emmett… you aren't going near her, understood? She is not to be harmed in any way, shape, or form. I'll do what you want… but if I find out you've done anything to her… or anyone I care about… well… let's just say you'll find yourself… transformed, shall we say? Oh yes… I have a serum that can turn anyone… into someone like me… minus the mental telepathy with plants bit… and if you harm her… if you threaten her… if you go after anyone that is close to me… then you'll wake up a changed man… and I mean that in more ways than one… you'll discover what life is like to be a freak… an outcast… and with no cure for it… do we have an understanding?" He asked darkly, putting on his best show of bravado to get Payne to agree.
The change that came over Dr. Payne was immediate, as he simply gave Bushroot a look that could kill him… if looks could, of course. There was abhorrence in his eyes, his fingers interwoven together as he glared daggers at the plant mutant. "Are you threatening me, Dr. Bushroot?"
"You, or maybe I'll go after Professor Emmett… ruin his very high-brow life… don't test me. Rhoda Dendron is OFF limits… and I know for a fact you can't kill me… if you do that… you'll lose your only remaining shot at getting what you want. I'll do what you ask… hell, I'm even a little intrigued by it but… no touching those I care for. And no more breaking into my house or surveilling me… I know you did that as well." He snarled, practically growling. "I'll see you at the usual time. I'm just glad I was able to beat you to the punch. I'm sure you're rather angry with me, but there isn't much you can do about it… just as I can't do much about this job, either."
"You're messing with things far beyond your comprehension and you're playing a dangerous game… you'd best watch yourself, Dr. Bushroot… this kind of arrangement will not last… I'm warning you of that. We'll find other ways…"
"And until you do, she's safe." He snapped, turning on his heel and storming out of the office, slamming the door behind him. He was trembling horribly from that… he hated having to play that card, but honestly, what choice did he have? Rhoda's life was in far greater danger than his own… he had to protect her… no matter what the world thought of him. He didn't even care anymore… so long as she was safe.
Inhaling shakily as he walked, he figured he'd teach his class, then get out to this Shadow Chateau sometime on his lunch break and see if he couldn't beg for Darkwing's contact info from Morgana Macawber. He only hoped their past wouldn't… ruin any chances he had of getting Darkwing's help… but all she had to do was ask him… he'd confirm they had spoken recently on the bus. He knew he couldn't even use this to get out of his situation… since Payne would probably just use it to cut off his teaching job, his benefits, his pay, and place him back in prison… no… he'd have to cooperate for now… until he could get out of this.
Finding himself in Rhoda's office doorway, Bushroot looked for all the world a completely disheveled, horrified and weed infested plant. Rhoda was there, writing on papers, but as she glanced up, she gasped, seeing his visage and his swaying form as he staggered inside. "Reginald? What… what happened?" She asked, raising a hand to her mouth.
"I… I got them off your back… they won't threaten you but… I… I don't have a choice for now… I have to keep cooperating… I'm not in a position at the moment to refuse… until I can get help… but you're safe, Rhoda… you're safe… otherwise… they risk a horror they can't even contemplate…" He assured her, suddenly collapsing onto her desk, his beak resting on the edge while his eyes refused to see anything more.
"Reginald! Reggie? Are you… OK?" she asked, moving to his back and reaching out tentatively, finally resting her hand on it to deliver some rubs. "What's wrong?"
"I can't… Rhoda… I can't… no… no I can… if it means you'll… be safe… but this is… much more difficult than… anything I've ever done…" He couldn't finish, his eyes closed, as if he was passing out.
"Reggie… you don't need to worry about me… I'm fine… I won't let them…"
"NO Rhoda… I have to… I have to give my all to you… I… I love you… so much… even if it costs my life… I don't care… this is… all I care about… now." he replied, starting to cry a bit as he kept his eyes closed. Rhoda backed away, emotions tearing apart her inner mind, working to demolish whatever barriers she felt at how… selfless Reggie was being towards her… but why? He'd kidnapped her… driven her into therapy… he was an evil… horrible… person but he wasn't?
This was a broken… melancholy… depressed… utterly devastated being before her… one who was giving up everything for her… she couldn't… she couldn't just… hate him. "Reggie… why are you… driving yourself to this? I'm fine… I'm serious." she tried, but he shook his head, his eyes still buried in his arms.
"No… I can't let you face this, Rhoda… they'll use you against me… unless I do this… and I can't have you in any danger… I can't… I need to know you're safe so I can face the rest of this… I love you… so deeply… and I couldn't tell you that before… but I do… I never stopped… even despite my horrible treatment of you… you deserve so much more… but if this kills me… I'll protect you… I don't care about my life… just please… please be safe… your life is worth a thousand of mine… and I realize that now… I'd die over and over and over… a thousand times for you because… I did horrible things… and this is the least I can do to make sure you're safe… I… I don't care what happens to me…"
"Reggie, stop." She reached out, rubbing his upper shoulder area. "You're a good man… a brave man… more a man than I could ever hope for… just stop… we're in this together, remember? I… I've had such conflicted feelings about you… but you're willing to do this much for me? You aren't a bad plant… a duck… a plant duck… it doesn't matter… your heart… is bigger than your sum… please… Reggie… please just see that…" She stated, looking at him earnestly.
"I need to go." he pushed up from her desk, breaking contact, trying to escape. "I'll do anything to ensure your safety… please just…"
"It doesn't mean anything if you aren't with me… Reginald… Reggie… it doesn't. Because… I think I know…"
"You know what?" he asked, finally raising his head to look at her.
"That I love you too… not in the way you wanted… but I do love you… Dr. Reginald… Bushroot… and believe me… you've not always been the best of souls but… you are now… and you clearly care for me… so you do whatever you need to do… but promise me one thing… only one." she insisted, her eyes locking with his own, Bushroot melting under her gaze.
"I can only promise you… Rhoda… anything." Reginald replied, tears misting his eyes.
"You need to come back… safely… intact… not half of you… not a quarter of you… not a broken version of… you… but you… as you are… now… as I know you've always been." She explained, insistent, persistent and… lovely all the same.
He smiled lazily, pushing himself up. But could he do this? He'd either die or end up back in jail with his reputation destroyed except… her eyes… her deep… penetrating gaze… he had to say yes… he had to. "I… I… don't…" He moved in, Rhoda not pushing back as they met, their beaks interlocking and the two sharing their first kiss. For Bushroot, it was electric, passionate, desirous, but also respectful, a brief, perhaps 10 second affair, and he pulled back, his eyes interlocking hers. "Why… why do you love me?" He asked, sniffing as he felt the tears stinging his eyes again.
"Because… you put me first… now and… I feel… forever… you won't hurt me… ever again." Rhoda's voice was so sweet… honest… sincere… he felt his heart start to race as he smiled again.
"Know this… no matter what happens to me… I'll… I'll ensure you're safe… and I promise… I can't even do that but I'll try… to promise you… I'll come back…" He leaned in again, delivering another kiss, their beaks locked for 10s of seconds this time, Reggie not breaking off, and neither did Rhoda, their desires evident and only separated by both mutually breaking contact. "I gotta go… I have to find Darkwing…"
"I know." She replied. "Good luck… and take care of yourself… I can't do this without you… I mean that, Reggie… you mean… so much to me."
He uttered a sob, unable to stop himself. "I… I don't feel I'm worthy of this but I'll… I'll try and hang on, OK?"
"No heroics… all right? No needless danger… you matter OK? You matter to me… and to others… I know you do… take care… Reggie… and good luck. Remember that you do matter, OK?" She kissed his lips again briefly, then retreated and smiled. "It was only ever you… and you matter as much as I do."
"I… I… thank you." he whispered, whipping his head away, tears streaming down his cheeks as he hurriedly moved off, pausing to deliver a "I love you." before he moved off, exiting her office to the tune of "I love you too, Reggie," which only caused his heart to soar, but sob at the same time… he loved her deeply… there was no denying that now… and no matter what… he'd protect her… he'd finish this… and he'd ensure her safety… no matter the expense.