Malcolm in the Middle: The Next Gen.

"Malcolm in the Middle: The Next Generation:"Part X...

"Malcolm in the Middle: The Next Generation:"

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 X...

"Well, this is a bit of a sh—storm. Pardon my French, especially me being a US Senator with presidential ambitions." Malcolm notes, sighing after hanging up phone in office, leaning back in chair with sigh.

Regards us...

"Looks like someone's...And I think I know who...Has launched a smear campaign against me using poor Dad and Gus Fringe. 'Commie foreigner vegan'? That's got to be the now ex-Speaker. But someone powerful is backing him." Pondering.

Phone buzzing... "Priority access line one." A voice intoned. "Malcolm?! What the hell?!" Cynthia's anxious face appears in hologlow.

"Hey, hon." Sigh.

"Who the frigging f-...?"

["Honey, this is mockumentary style...People watching and listening?" Malcolm hisses.]

"Sorry. Who the hell pulled this crap?!" a furious Cynthia cries.

"The ex-Speaker, for one..." Malcolm notes.

"Naturally, but who's behind him? He's a sportsjock radio host from Texas who got lucky with powerful friends. One of them is behind this."

"I agree...Just gotta figure out who." Malcolm notes.

"A hit list...Just kidding." Cynthia, grim tone belying the last.

"Cyndy." Malcolm sighs.

"Well, we can still expose them brutally to the light of daylight and public scorn." Cynthia notes.

"That? Sure." Malcolm nods. "Though this is the clown who asked Texas seniors to die for the Texas economy during the pandemic. And who clung to his Speakership through all these hearings. It will take a lot of scorn."

"Your poor dad..." sigh of holoimage.

"Yeah. But Dad can take it. He dealt with us, after all. And made Mom his true partner and beloved when it could have been horrible. A man like that can handle anything."

Yeah, he eyes us...I have really learned to respect Hal Wilkerson over the years with my own family. He's the strongest man I've ever known and I've met some tough guys here in DC.

"Sir...!" An aide bursts in.

"Yeah, yeah. He's heard. I've heard." Cynthia's image frowns at him. "You guys are supposed to be top of things like this. Is this 'on top'?"

Malcolm offering apologetic look to aide. Sorry, Henry...You know the Missus.

"The announcement by the Speaker just came..." the aide eyeing Cynthia's cold look on holoimage.

"Yeah, excuses later. We need a plan." Cynthia's image.

"Yeah...A plan." Malcolm nods.

Cynthia eyeing him with fixed look.

"Ok, ok, you gotta give me time." He shrugs.

"Ok, but you guys...?" her image turns to view the aide. "Have no excuses, given we pay you to be prepared for this."

"I'd better call Dad and the Greasey Khicken people." Malcolm sighs.

"Ok but don't worry him. You know how nervous your dad gets." Cynthia cautions. "And he'll blame it all on himself."

...

Mike Ehrmantraut at his desk in his office at the Brothers Hernandos, an office and its head without formal title beyond "security division" which was exactly how Mike Ehrmantraut liked it.

"Yeah." He told phone. "We do not show our hand here, but we make it clear this sort of thing could happen again if Mr. Fringe's offer is ignored again. Right. Ok. You have your orders, you know what to do. Good luck." He put down phone.

Well, sorry for the Lady, but Gus made a generous offer for a merger. And I happen to know her boys pulled a few nice very un-Popeye the Sailor Man little tricks regards our bulk spice supply. This is how business works sometimes, eyeing us. And Gus' offer still stands, a fair partnership with her keeping a good measure of control in her sphere.

And hey, listeria happens...And it'll be detected by the inspectors before anyone gets hurt. We're...Sorta...The good guys here.

He pressed buttons on phone.

"Hey, sweetheart. Here grandka is, as promised." His face showing pure delight. "How's my Kaylee?"

...

....