It was April 23, 2015. It was just an ordinary day in Propwash Junction, and a few months after Dusty Crophopper had won the Wings Around the Globe Rally for the second time. Ripslinger didn't even come close.

While Dusty was practicing with Skipper for his next race, Dottie and Chug were planning a surprise party for Dusty, as he was turning nineteen on the 30th, just one week away.

"This year, we're going to make sure that he has the best birthday ever!" said Chug. "We need more people to participate!"

"We've invited the entire town! I'm sure that's good enough!" said Dottie.

"What about his racing buddies? Ishani? El Chu? Bulldog?"

"Don't you think that would be difficult to arrange? They're in different countries!"

"Come on! They've raced around the world! I'm sure they can handle it!" Then out of the corner of his vision he saw something orange and white coming towards them.

"Aw shoot," he said quietly, "Dusty's coming."

They were in the Fill N' Fly, and the place was cluttered with party plans and preparations. If Dusty came in, the surprise would be ruined.

They both quickly drove up in front of Dusty to block his way.

"Hey Duster," Chug said, "What are you doing?"

"Uh, well I'm just taking a break from practice, and I was going to the Fill N' Fly—" Dusty started.

"You've been practicing all day!" Dottie interrupted, "You should go back to your hangar and get some sleep!"

"Um…," Dusty said, giving them a weird look, "right now?"

"Yes!" Dottie said. "Right now!"

"Okay then…" Dusty was clearly weirded out with how they were acting, but he did what Dottie said.

"Wow, that was close!" said Chug as they drove back into the Fill N' Fly.

"Yes it was." Dottie replied. "We need to clean this place up; we can't keep him away all week!"

After they tidied up the place, they went to sleep themselves. It was a perfectly quiet, ordinary night. But that quickly changed when the scream of five gunshots rang through the air. It woke up quite a few people, including Skipper. He left his hangar to search for where the gunshots had come from.

Violence never happens in Propwash, he thought to himself, it was probably just someone going hunting in the middle of the night.

Then he saw Dusty's hangar and gasped.

"Oh no…" he said. The door to the hangar was pretty much destroyed and there was shattered glass everywhere. He was too nervous to look inside.

"D-Dusty?" he called. No answer. "Dusty!" Then he made himself look inside.

Dusty was gone.