Heir to the super-villain throne

"Vell, ja, it is true det I em still able to speak und think while I em in mein current state, but dere still must be a Doctor Havoc in de world. Dere must be a physically presend person to lead mein soldiers und run mein facility.", your father says and then fixes you with his gaze (an unsettling thing when that gaze is from two floating eyeballs in a jar with a brain), "I vould like det to be you, Dietrich."

"Oh...huh...", you reply with a bit of surprise.

"Det is an odd reaction. Vat is it?"

"Oh, well, I thought that you were going to want to have your brain inserted into my body or something like that so you could keep running things yourself.", you say and then shrug, "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad that's not what you want to do, but I thought that'd be the typical super-villain thing to do."

"Ah, vell, I vill admit det de thought had crossed mein mind, but, before I am a super-scientist bend on vorld domination, I am your vater. I heff grown quite fond of you in dese last nineteen years, mein sohn. It vould be a shame to remofe your brain to prolong mein own life.", he responds and, if a brain could shrug, you think it did so right then as it shifted in the jar oddly, "Besides, I heff liffed a long life und been at super-villainy for a long time. It is time det I take a break, I beleef."

"Well, gee, thanks for not lobotomizing me, Dad, I love you too.", you say in a deadpan way.

"You are velcome.", your father replies without an ounce of irony.

"Yeah...okay, well, that's all well and good, but I didn't say I would take over right now. Remember our deal? I get a normal college life and, when I'm done, then I'd come back and do the whole super-villain thing. Well, my college life isn't over yet. Still got three more years left and that's if I don't decide to go for my graduate courses. So, yeah, maybe the family business could wait for a bit, okay?", you say, shoving your hands in your pocket and trying to look determined about this decision you're trying to stand firm on.

"Ah, is det so? Vell, it is true I said dis to you und I vould hate to go back on mein word.", your father says in a way that seems like he's giving in just a bit too easy for your tastes...until he continues on with, "I suppose det I can just shut dings down here. I do nod know vhat all of de girls vill do vithout somebody to care for dem, but I suppose dey vill be fine...somehow."

You frown at that, knowing he's trying to play at your feelings for the genetically engineered super-soldiers that are as close to a family you've ever had and still unable to keep yourself from falling for it. "What do you mean? C'mon, they'll be fine not doing the crime thing for awhile. They'll just hang around here and be just fine...right?", you ask, cursing yourself for sounding concerned.

"Vell, ja und nein. Vhile it vill not hurt dem to be idle for a time, dey vould not be able to surfife for three years or more vithout somebody to care for dem. It is in deir design. Someding det dey need to surfife det only I, or one det shares mein DNA, could provide.", he explains, sounding smug as he knows he has you hooked, "Vithout det care, dey vould vither avay und perish. Such a sad fate for dem vhen dey heff done noding but be loyal to you und myself."

"...I'm not falling for this, Dad."

"Falling for vhat, mein sohn?", he replies in a voice that makes it clear he thinks you are falling for his playing on your sympathies, hook, line and sinker.

But you aren't! Not this time! The girls will be fine without you or your dad! He's just bluffing...isn't he? He's just trying to make you feel bad...right? This is all a line...but are you really willing to take that chance?