It was a good past couple of weeks to be Max Goof. Sure, working at the front desk might have been a nightmare to some people, but compared to the past 2 years? It was refreshing to finally have some normalcy in his life. The front desk was one of the few positions where the Doofus wasn't able to just say "Hey, stop your normal job and do this highly specific task for me!". It also put him in a rare position to shut down any toon shenaniganry before they could spiral out of control.
There were a few hiccups of course; that weird giraffe girl related to the summer interns would occasionally need security called on her. And the fact Moseby and the Vagabonds feud seems to be escalating. And the fact he has to give out the paperwork for the assignments the Doofus puts people on. But overall? Max was fairly content with his life, he could slack off all he wanted playing video games under his desk, as long as he responded when the bell was rung he couldn't get fired.
Ding Ding Ding
Max was in the middle of listening to the podcast talking about "The Ghost of Sulphur Springs" while playing Sugar Rush Mobile when someone began repeatedly hitting the bell for his attention. Pausing the podcast as he spun out and lost, Max looked at what he figured was another angry mother here to complain about how "Man wasn't meant to play god". What he got instead was a tall genetically modified mongolian man giving him a look of disapproval.
"I am here to deliver my plans for the city's fortifications. Please pencil me in for an appointment with my descendent."
Max went extremely pale. He knew that Doofenshmirtz wasn't going to be available for the next couple of weeks as he basically locked into his lab for the next few weeks with very strict directions. The big one being unless it was related to Sycorax or… whatever Russ was sent on, that the only people to contact him were his board.
"I… I can't really do that" Max proceeded to squeak out. Seeing Khan's expression switch from disapproval to mild annoyance he quickly added "B-but I know who can! I'll call Coyote down here real quick and you can run it by him first!"
"Coyote please come down here real quick, Temujin wants to speak with you"
What followed was the most uncomfortable twenty eight minutes of Max's life as Wile E Coyote decided that whatever this was, he didn't need to rush and instead went on a leisurely stroll down DEI's halls and stairways. Eventually though he managed to reach the company lobby.
"Greeting's Mr. Temujin, finished your assignment early it seems? Let's walk and talk; I'll contact Lee, Pena, and Doofenshmirtz once we get to my office."
With that the Mongolian Warlord and Famous Toon began heading to the 34th Floor; and Max went back to his podcast. Even after the podcast changed to be about 3 missing middle schoolers from an LA school he still couldn't get what Khan said out of his head. City Fortifications? While it would make sense for the Doofus to want to fortify his country, there was no way the Pharmacist would think of that. The one about the girls ended and he opened a new one. Some conspiracy Theorist was gonna be ranting about "Primate Power" and he figured that something that deranged would get his mind clean.
He was actually feeling pretty good about it when the man started ranting about a "Skeleton King" out in space. In fact this was so stupid he could swear…
DING DING DING DING DING DING DING
His eyes snapping up to meet famed English fashion designer Cruella Deville. The look of murderous anger in her eyes literally robbed Max of all his color. Cruella had only started working here recently, but rumors about her drowning puppies and committing industrial sabotage had always existed. Max wasn't capable of getting words out, but luckily he didn't need to since Cruella herself immediately launched herself into a tirade..
"Can you believe what he had me do? The indignity of it! Me, Cruella Deville being sent to…"
After the 18th minute of Cruella ranting about her assignment Max finally decided that enough was enough. While not enough fear had subsided to backtalk Cruella, Max was able to formulate a plan to hey out of this one sided conversation.
"Listen, Miss Deville, Doofenshmirtz is insane in what we are told to spy on. In fact when I started working here he sent me to some sort of possum helltown to "Look for Weird stuff". Luckily, Mirage has the ability to organize a meeting with him, so why don't I leave you here as I go get her!"
Before the Fashionista can respond Max had already bolted up the stairs. He knew where Wile's office was, and immediately got on the elevator to the 34th floor. Max immediately started running to the conference room, but slowed down when he saw DEI's resident spoilsport Janus Lee heading from that direction on the phone.
"No Roddy, I understand ordering half the workforce we promised to help you beat the frankly absurd deadline we assigned onto another project with an equally tight deadline is ridiculous. But our time table has moved up and we have other projects that… Listen if we knew who he was sending I'd tell you, but Russ… Triple Overtime. We'll give you Triple Overtime."
As Janus disappeared into the elevator, Max began to think back to what Khan said back in the lobby. Were they actually being invaded? Creaking open the door to the conference room, Max managed to catch the end of a conversation between Goofy and Mirage.
"..Gawrsh Miss Pena, I just don't think that we need to be so aggressive in the bunker placements. It's not like an army is marching on us."
Max breathed half a sigh of relief before Mirage managed to respond.
"Probably not Goofy, but until Russ comes back its a good idea to prepare for anything. For all we know Bushroot could start growing more of his plant mutants, or Quackerjack sicks an army of Fold Up Toy Soldiers on Danville. It's never a bad idea to over prepare for the Fearsome Five; even in Kronos it was an open secret Syndrome deliberately avoided actively patrolling anywhere Negaduck was sighted..."
With that Max actually fainted. When he woke up he was in the company break room with his father watching over him.It took a moment for Goofy to notice Max waking up, but when he did his focus immediately shifted from the TV playing Ducktective to his son.
"You ok Maxie? You gave me and Mirage quite the fright."
"Wha… Oh. Yeah. I came up to tell her that Cruella wanted her to pencil her in with…"
"Cruella came up shortly after you fainted. Apparently she wasn't done talking to you when you bolted to get Mirage. She left after we took you to the break room.Gawrsh… how much did you hear?"
"What, other than the fact Negaduck is apparently coming to kill us all? What more do I need to hear?"
Goofy immediately perked up. "Well, good news, Negaduck isn't going to be assaulting us! We don't know where he himself is gonna go, but Mr. Xanatos confirmed that it's just a member of the Fiendish Five!"
"Great, just Great. So who is it gonna be; Megavolt, Liquidator, Bradley? Please tell me it's Bradley."
"Well… we don't really know. But don't worry, Agent Russ was sent to find out Negaduck's plan!"
Max finally found himself relaxing, Russ was on the case. If there was anybody who was certain to be able to get to the bottom of the most evil toon's plot, it was Agent Russ.
