It was our third week in Venice, and Darwking Dumbfounded still didn't trust me. I honestly couldn't blame him, since I didn't really trust him either. The morning after my first meeting with Steel Beak we had planned out what we were going to do. I'd hang around Steel Beak like an adoring fan, and Darkwing would watch from the shadows.
This plan had continued up until now, and I had gotten pretty close to Steel Beak without letting him get close to me. This worked out just fine, since I really couldn't stand being around the guy. Since this was week three of our plan, I had a feeling something big was going to happen. I mean, it had to!
'Tonight's the night,' I thought to myself, sincerely hoping that I would be able to actually get something done this evening. I viewed my reflection in the mirror in my room. An elegant dark red evening gown clung to my body, pearls hung from my neck and ears, and my hair fell around my face in soft, fresh curls. It was the perfect look to get any guy to say whatever I wanted, and in this case the guy was Steel Beak. I picked my purse up from my nightstand and headed out into the main room. "Okay D.W., I'm going to head out…"
"And I'll watch his henchmen down at the docks. I know, I know," he replied, rolling his eyes at me.
"Good." I smirked, and threw open the door to our hotel suite.
"Don't wait up for me, Ollie; I'll be busy working all night."
I cringed at my god-awful nickname, and said nothing in reply as I headed out the door. I thought of the dream I had had the night before, and a smile came to my face. In the dream I had pushed Darkwing Dung-heap into a boiling vat of lava, or something of the like. 'Damn. That sure did feel good,' I thought to myself as I closed the door behind me.
Dinner was especially boring that night, as Steel Beak rambled on about his wealth, his multiple homes, and other things that I really didn't care about. On the outside it appeared as if I was paying rapt attention, while on the inside I was drifting off to my la-la land. Finally, once dinner was finished and Steel Beak had paid, he walked me outside the restaurant.
"So, I was thinkin'. I believe it would be my pleasure to escort you back to my place." While this was obviously some sort of lame pick-up line, I used my acting skills to appear completely honored.
"Oh, I'd love to go back to your lace!" I gushed, batting my eyelashes at him. He smiled.
"I knew youse'd say that." He snapped, and a valet brought his car up to the curb. He opened my door and I slipped inside as the door closed me in. Steel beak slipped into the seat next to me, and his driver started the car. I gazed up into the rearview mirror, too late noticing his henchmen.
"What's going-"
"You tell me that." Steel Beak's eyes were now cruel and cold and I could tell that I had been caught. "I thought it was odd that you didn't rememba me, but that was a long time ago." Steel Beak chuckled and adjusted the cuff of his sleeve. "Your first case, I believe?" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. Damn me! My first case ever had dealt with him. Agent Grizzlikof was still working on the streets back then, and I had gone out with him on my first mission. But how could Steel Beak tell? Hadn't I changed since then? "You're probably thinkin' something like, 'How could ya tell?' Well, you see, That first time I saw youse I coulda sworn I had seen you somewhere before. So I checked it out, and BA-BOOM! I rememba-ed!" He laughed again, his henchmen cackling with him. "And now, you're comin' with me, and you ain't goin' back." He looked at me ominously, and I fingered my pearl necklace until I found the right pearl, and I squeezed. If Darkwing was anywhere within a hundred miles, he'd know I was in trouble.
I only hoped that he'd be smart about my rescue, and the capturing of Steel Beak.
