Unexpected Fallout
"Hello everyone! To those of you just joining us, we've been discussing the Kronos gala with a panel of experts. The disastrous outcome of the Kronos gala is still the talk of the nation, and the situation continues to evolve even months after the event itself, with a new CEO in place, and Vegas still reeling from the aftermath, despite gambling reaching an all time high.
It seems that every time the footage is reviewed, some new detail emerges. Most recently, one detail that escaped the notice of most reporters, in search of more sensational news, has now been uncovered by our own Daisy Duck.
The CEOs of Drakktech and Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated were also in attendance, despite not receiving an official invitation. To make it even more interesting, the two of them arrived together, and according to numerous sources at the gala, were on a date together. Heinz Doofenshmirtz and Shego make for an unusual couple, but the two of them seemed to make quite the impression on the guests before more exciting events pushed them out of the spotlight.
Since unearthing this tidbit, speculation has run rampant. There are only two reasons someone as rich and powerful as Shego would deign to have a date. The first being as a means to solidify some sort of alliance between Doofensmirtz Evil Incorporated, and Drakktech. Such an alliance could have major repercussions that would echo through the economy, but it isn't the only potential reason.
The second possibility is that it was purely a social choice, that she arrived not as a political or diplomatic statement, but simply as a woman in love. It would be unusual, but not unexpected. Shego and Doofenshmirtz move in the same social circles, and have plenty of chances to interact, not to mention a shared interest in building up powerful conglomerates, and are able to understand the problems they both face in their daily lives. That could be more than enough to form the basis of a bond, and who knows what could have been happening behind closed doors!
It's wonderful to see that even the upper echelons of power are human at the heart of things. Everyone here at channel four news wishes the happy couple nothing but the best. We look forward to seeing how your romance plays out!"
An explosion rocked Drakktech headquarters, accompanied by a scream of inchoate rage. Shego's fury was too powerful to be contained by even the reinforced material of her workout room. It wasn't just a few people in the know who made an honest mistake anymore, her 'date' with that... Doof was now public knowledge. Known to every major player in the game, from the US Government, to the kings, to every last wannabe looking for a weakness to exploit.
On one hand, there would be plenty of cannon fodder coming for her, expecting that romance would turn her into a helpless damsel. It would keep her sharp and make the days a little less boring. A few of them might even go after Doofenshmirtz, modern times did allow for a helpless hunk or two, and it might simplify things a bit if they succeeded, but it was a long shot.
But on the other... everyone was going to be watching the two of them like hawks, searching for any sign of one option or the other.
And the worst part of it was she had to go along with it. If there wasn't clear evidence that their appearance at the gala was just a date, then the government, and the other 'kings' would assume there were ulterior motives, that they had planned something at the gala, or were working towards something bigger. The rest of them would work to keep the balance, which meant coming after both of them. Shego was confident that she could handle most of the people operating on her level, but if they came at her together... that would be an entirely different story.
It was the lesser of two evils, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow. She was going to blow through the monthly repair budget coming to terms with it, but once everything she could reach was blasted to smithereens she could figure out what her next step would be. Maybe she could wrangle a way out of this, she was one of the most powerful people in the country, and had an army of people with every specialty under the sun. If there was any other option available, they would find it, and then she could put this whole, annoying mess behind her.
If not.... Plasma surged in her hand at the thought of it.
Maybe it would be the yearly budget instead.