"Malcolm in the Middle: The Next Gen..."

Summary: Eighteen years after high school graduation, the lives of child genius and well-meaning brat Malcolm Wilkerson and his family are rather different yet surprisingly familiar.

Part V...

"So, Hally boy..." The Colonel drawled. "I been hear telling you're the man behind the man at Greasey Khichen. The wunderkind responsible for all your success."

"Oh, Colonel..." Hal, slight flap of hands, viewed from his office on phone on video display in the Colonel's huge, Palpatinian/Hitlerian office...Gus Fring, seated, flanked by his guards, quietly listening. "That's just too flattering. I just fiddle around in the kitchen...Gus is really the one responsible for our success."

"Well, you certainly brought the place out of the woods after that chemist guy, White, screwed the pooch." Guffaw.

"Ah, ha...Screwed the...Very funny, Colonel. Well, Mr. White was a fine chemist, I understand from Gus...And his product was the basis for ours. It just didn't quite..."

"It sucked I hear tell. No need not to hoot yer own horn, boy. Your current boss is right here and agrees, I'm sure." Eyeing Gus.

Thin smile briefly over Gus' tense features...

"Hal's to be commend for his successes." Calm tone.

"Good thing for you, you found him...Too bad that White fellar uped and died just then, when Hal boy here came on board. One might almost call that...Providential."

"I'm sure Walter would have made excellent use of Mr. Wilkerson if he'd lived to meet him." Gus noted quietly.

"You know I really wish I had had the chance to meet Mr. White..." Hal noted on speaker. "He seems like he was quite a guy."

"Within his limitations, yes." Gus noted quietly.

"Well, sometimes the deadwood's gotta be cleared even if it's not all that rotten." The Colonel noted, with slight chuckle. "Part of the business...We sometimes gotta be tough to make that chicken...Or khichen..." guffaw... "Tender."

"Well, of course dear Walter died of cancer...Of course..." Gus noted, faintest of smiles. "But the pollo business is indeed, quite cutthroat at times, relatively speaking."

"Relatively..." The Colonel smiled. "Anyway to...Cut...To the chase, Hally-boy. We were wondering how you might feel about saddling up with us direct. Cut...Out the middleman, so to speak." Benign smile at Gus.

"Oh, no...Colonel..." Hal, happily apologetic. "I'm really flattered by the offer but Gus, well...He's family. And we really have something good going here, that I'm happy to be a part of."

Gus in his seat, thin smile...But just a trace of actual warmth.

"Well, now...That is beautiful. Of course, family is all." Saunders nodded. "That's how we play it here and how we became the giant among the chicken...Polio..."

"Pollo, sir." Gus corrected, gently but firmly.

As if he didn't know the word...

"Right, pollo..." smile. "In any case, we understand...Family is...All. Well, Hal, I'll hope we continue to enjoy the same kind of fine relationship we have in the past. And congratulations on your own boy there, what's his name? The Senator...?"

"Oh...Malcolm. Yeah, we're very proud of him."

"Yes, indeed. Making quite a name for hisself up there in DC. Gonna bring down that Speaker for sure, I'd say. Yes, indeed. Well, Gus and I can wrap things up here..."

Gus, guards look about them...

No plastic sheets underneath, fortunately.

"Well, that's great, Colonel. I and my family have always enjoyed your chicken! Gus, see you when you get back." Hal, putting up phone.

"Imagine that...The Colonel himself wants me." He beamed.

Idiot...Skyler from her desk, listening...Grim look.

Hmmn...If Gus has an "accident" coming back, I guess Hal signs the checks and signs off on the expense accounts. Might do to do a little padding...

And Hal's sure to accept those inflated bills for Walter's chemotherapy I never dared run past Gus.

Then we see about getting him right with the Colonel...And me in the Wilkerson wedding album.

"Hey?!" curt command, she turned, startled.

"Wake up, toots. Is the guru of sauce in?" Jonas Blueman, annoyed tone.

God, I hate this guy almost as much as Hal does, Skyler thought. Except I can't order him around...Yet.

"Hal! I'm here, bro. How's the Man?!" he called in.

"Oh...Hi, Jonas..." Hal peered out as Blueman swept by Skyler and entered his office.

I almost liked it better when I worked under him...I could go hide or blow the day off then....Hal sighed.

....

"Mom L, Mom..." the lovely Aimee Kenarban-Wilkerson nodded to her two moms, well, I mean Lois goes way past Mom-in-law once she decides you're a good thing for her ex-holy terror, now dearest angel of a son... "Ready to bike your guts out?"

"Aimee..." Kitty, like Lois just a few lovely grey streaks to suggest she was older, frowned from where she sat by Lois on sofa.

"Well, we better be, we're payin' enough for these classes." Lois noted.

"How'd the teachers' conference go, sweetheart?" Kitty asked. "I remember some really whacked out...Ummn..." nervous look. "Well, we were high-spirited and away from home."

"Kitty...It's ok." Lois sighed. "You don't have to apologize for every wild moment of your life, you know."

"I only wish it were so fun...All virtual now and we do it in half-days." Aimee shook head. "But the music department is going to get some last-minute funds after all. Dewey's letter and call worked its magic." Beam.

Or rather a call to Francis...Lois thought, smiling.

My sweet baby...However much a terror to my life in his first thirty years and probably till death.

"Anything from Abe Jr.?" Lois benignly asked as she rose. Kitty immediately freezing...

"Oh, he's fine. Harvard's fine. We know who is fine." Aimee replied, eyeing Kitty...Who breathed deep, eyeing Lois in turn.

"That's nice." The demon from Hell stealing my little angel is fine...Nice.

But...Sudden abject look of despair...It's God's punishment for...

"Kitty?! None of that." Lois, sharply. "You've made it up to Abe and Stevie and my Susie is basically a good girl. Well...Whatever she is, she loves Abe. This isn't a darker repeat of you and Abe Sr.... Now brace up and let them be. We got our lives to live."

"You're right, Lois." Sigh.

"Whatever happens between them...Hopefully for the good...Abe is a fine, tough kid and he'll be ok. He can handle Susie, thank God." Nod to Aimee who nodded.

"Mom L's right, Mom."

"I suppose." Kitty nodded. "He's so like Abe..." beam. "I suppose I should apologize to her."

"No. Oh, no." Lois shook head. "We've talked about this, Kitty. It's ok to be concerned about Susie's behavior in the past, it's even ok to air a thing or two with me. We have it out and everything's good. But when you inevitably start to feel guilty the one thing you cannot do is give that girl such a weapon. Keep that apology for when she screws up a bit and you overreact. Use the Force wisely." Shrewd nod.

"Right." Wan smile. "Thanks Lois."

"Say, Mom..." Aimee as the three headed out. "I think you got another fan letter addressed to 'Merrin'. I saw it on the table in the mail pile when I stopped to say hi to Dad."

Kitty, slight look of panic...

"Abe writing you kinky love letters again using your stage name?" Lois chuckled. "Oh, come on...It's sweet."

...