Chapter 36

Little Ninja

Negaduck waited quietly in the shadows of the room as the two girls climbed back in through the window his chainsaw ready to take them both out easily.

Gosalyn smiled and hugged Lucy. 'Good night, Lucy.'

'Night, Gos.' Lucy said hugging back half-heartedly.

Negaduck pulled a face and Gosalyn slipped out of the room quietly, Negaduck watched Lucy frown and kick a random object on the floor. 'I should have said no!' She muttered to herself angrily. 'How am I going to explain it to Dad!'

Negaduck smirked. 'Give it a shot kid, I'm all ears.' He said as he stepped out of the shadows.

Lucy wheeled around surprised and cocked her head. 'None of us are perfect, Dad.' She said with a cheeky smile.

He thought for a second and rolled his eyes, 'Oh you're so witty, three years old and you're already a comedian.' He said sarcastically, he walked over to her. 'Where the hell did you two go off to!' He growled down at her, the steel teeth of his chainsaw were glistening brightly in the early morning light which made Lucy more nervous.

She frowned. 'We... just went out.'

'Uh ha...'

She looked up at him and covered her face with her hands as she looked down at her feet quickly. 'I'm sorry, Dad! I didn't want to go there with them, but I didn't want to be left alone!' She sobbed.

'Where?' He growled, she cowered and he paused as he looked down at her, he bent down putting the chainsaw on the floor and scooping her up instead, she wanted to tell him, she was feeling guilty, a bit of a nice Daddy moment would get her talking. 'Come on, Lucy... tell Daddy what happened.'

'Well.' She hugged his neck and cried into his shoulder, he rolled his eyes. 'Gos and I didn't want to hear you and mum fighting, so we slipped out.' He shrugged his shoulder and she lifted her head, looking into his eyes. 'We went to the park and played for a bit...' She continued.

'So, who's the them?'

She gulped. 'Daddy, I didn't want to go... please don't be mad!'

'Of course I won't be mad.' He said sweetly. 'Now, tell me who they are.'

She closed her eyes. 'B-Bushroot.' She stammered and he felt the irritation from earlier turn into anger. 'G-Gos and I were playing and he showed up.'

Negaduck glared at the little girl, she had her eyes shut so couldn't see the murderous anger burning in him.

'He told Gos and me to go with him to their hideout, I told her we shouldn't go, but...'

He dropped her onto the bed and reached for his chainsaw.

'D-Daddy... you promised!'

'I lied.' He said picking the chainsaw up and switching it on, she backed away till she was cowering in the corner with her back against both walls. 'You know what I do to traitors?' He said coming over and placing a knee on the bed so he could get at her with the weapon.

She slid down the wall as he hopped fully onto the bed and towered over her, the little girl closed her eyes for a moment and opened them again with a realisation, of all the times for the three-year-old to have an epiphany she chose to have it mere moments before she was going to be chainsawed to death! He glared at her.

'Daddy...' She said, her voice suddenly strong.

'What?' He snapped.

'I... I know where their new hideout is.' He stopped revving the chainsaw and she looked up at him. 'I... I can tell you where they are... i-if you let me live.'

He considered her for a moment and smirked. 'You know where they are?'

She nodded quickly.

'Exactly?'

She nodded again. 'We walked from there to here I know every street and-'

He rose an eyebrow. 'Alright, kid...' He leant back and smiled. 'You show me, and if you're telling the truth, I'll let you live.'

She looked at him. 'Not lying?'

He took her arm dragging her up to him, he put the chainsaw aside and looked down at her. 'Why would I lie about this?'

She cocked her head. 'You love chainsawing people to death, Daddy.'

He gave an evil smile. 'True.' He admitted as he sat on the bed and pulled her onto his lap. 'But if you're not lying to me, Daddy'll have 4 people to kill not one.'

'Can Liquidator be chainsawed?' She wondered.

He shrugged. 'I'll just get creative.'

'Daddy... you don't keep your promises.'

'Yeah, but Daddy'll be happy to spare your life if you tell him where his worst enemies are.'

'Worst?'

'Well they sure aren't great.' He scoffed.

She smiled at him and hugged him. 'I didn't want to go, Daddy.'

'So she'd have left you alone in the park?'

'I... I don't know.'

'Alright, kid.' He said. 'We're going for a ride.' She blinked up at him and he smiled as he scooped her up. 'While all good little St Canardian's are asleep.'

'I'll reset my alarm.'

He chuckled and picked up the chainsaw. 'That's my girl.' He gave her a squeeze and headed for the door.

'I love you, Dad.'

He felt his insides go toxic in response to the heartfelt statement, but all the same, she was willing to give this away to him... and it'd been an interesting little moment of manipulation on her part.

Three-years-old and already helping her Dad wipe out his enemies, the sickening feeling ended as he enjoyed the loyalty that came with this little brat's love of him... all wrapped up inside a cute and innocent looking three-year-old was a bundle of his own evils.

Her being so innocent and cute meant that she slipped through the peacekeeping enemy's radar, so she wasn't so bad after all.

He put her down on the seat of the bike and slipped behind her, putting the keys into the ignition he started the bike up. 'Tell me where to go.'

She nodded. 'Smith's street' He headed for that street, it was the ritziest street in St Canard, no surprise she knew he'd know it by name.

Negaduck peered through the binoculars and smiled. 'Perfect...' He thought for a moment and turned back to the bike, Lucy was obediently waiting for him. 'You live kid.' He said as he came back over.

She smiled.

'At least until the next time you do something stupid.' He added.

She shook her head. 'I won't, Daddy.'

'Why don't I believe you?' He grumbled to himself as he hopped up behind her and starting the bike.

'You're not going to get them?' She asked in confusion.

'I will.' He said and leant in to whisper to her. 'But I'm not ruining this for us.'

She looked at him.

'My little Ninja's going to be quite useful to me in the future.' He ruffled her hair and smiled evilly.

'I'm a ninja?' She asked in surprise.

He chuckled and set the bike onto the road into the city.

They pulled up at the drive thru. 'Hungry kid?'

'Yeah!'

'So, what do you want?'

She smiled 'Pancakes!'

He pulled a face, his daughter and her sweet tooth, he rolled his eyes, well she had to fuel that sweetness with something. 'Alright, kid, if you're sure.'

She nodded eagerly and he rolled the bike forwards.

'Can I help you?'

'Yeah.' Negaduck growled to the box. 'I want a breakfast bun, a set of pancakes with extra syrup, a small juice and a large double espresso, and I don't want a stupid love heart on the coffee either!'

'Don't worry Mister, our barrister can't do love hearts, the closest he can get is a clove of garlic.'

'Well isn't that a relief.' He said sarcastically as he ruffled Lucy's hair.

'That'll be 12.95 at the first window.'

Negaduck sent the bike around to the first window, reaching into his jacket he pulled out a note and handed it to the cashier.

The cashier handed him his change and he pocketed it, sending the bike around to the next window.

Lucy waited as Negaduck took hold of the bag and forced it into her lap, he took the cup holder and handed it to her too. 'Spill anything and you're dead meat.'

'Daddy, it's too early for meat.'

He groaned and covered his face. Idiotic little... He picked her up, food and all, and put her into the side car.

She checked the bag and he sent the bike speeding out of the drive-thru and off to the tower.

She passed him the coffee and he hopped off the seat, she clambered out of the side-car and he snatched the bag from her leading the way to the small kitchenette and Lucy threw the cardboard cup holder aside randomly.

They sat down at the table and Lucy took a large gulp of her juice as Negaduck ripped the bag open and put the packet holding his large, greasy, breakfast themed burger down in front of him, he took out the covered tray with the pancakes and put it on the table, he took the cover off and placed all the items she needed for it on the lid, sliding the two across the tabletop to her.

He scrunched the bag up and threw it over his shoulder.

Lucy set to work with the knife opening the packets of syrup and pouring them all over the pancakes, then the butter.

'Hang on!' Negaduck said standing. Lucy looked up at him as he went to one of the cupboards and pulled out a jar, he walked over to her and opened the jar up, sprinkling sugar over top of her pancakes.

Lucy smiled up at him. 'Thanks Dad.'

'You're going to need it.' He said putting the jar down and heading back to his seat.

'What do you mean, Dad?'

He smiled at her. 'Eat up, kid.' He opened the packet and smelt the amount of grease and preservatives waft from the bun. 'Hello cholesterol!' He said as he picked the bun up and bit into it.

Lucy looked confused and picked up her knife and fork.

'Alright, Lucy...' He said pacing around her and the chair. 'I've got work for you to do.'

'What kind of work, Daddy?'

He gripped the back of the chair and ducked down to the side, whispering to her. 'I need you able to go undercover for me, right into the hearts of those sappy heroes that are against me!'

Lucy gazed at him, her eyes concerned. 'But, Daddy.'

'Shhhh...' He let the back of the chair go and stepped around to look into her eyes. 'Lucy, sweetie, Daddy needs your help.'

She took a nervous breath. 'But, Daddy, I don't like them either... they're all so-'

He stepped forwards and put his hand under her beak. 'My Little Ninja, that's why it's you that I need to help me... no one else can understand how sickening they are, you know who I'm against.' He leant in. 'Why they have to go.'

Lucy nodded slowly. 'What do you want me to do, Daddy?'

He smirked. 'Little Lucy, I need you able to pretend.' He straightened up and looked down at her. 'I need you to play with them.'

She cocked her head. 'How...'

He stepped beside her and grabbed the back of the chair again, spinning it around so she could gaze at the TV screen.

Her eyes went wide and she moved to jump out of the chair. He forced her back roughly and clipped two sets of handcuffs over both her wrists and the armrests of the chair.

She struggled to get free and he put his arm around her shoulders, leaning in and kissing her head. 'I'm sorry, Lucy, but I need you to copy them.'

She sniffed and looked away as he pulled out the remote and pressed the play button.

"We're cute little bunnies who've lost our way home."

She shivered and glared at the screen, he felt his stomach complain and turned to gaze at his daughter instead of the screen, blocking out the noise of the TV as he studied her instinctive hatred of the movie, doing this to her was causing him pain, but it had to be done.