Whoa hey it's chaptrer 30 already guys! :D there's much more to come... so much more... this is honestly my longest fic. o.o It's kind of scary how long it is but it just sort of worked out that way. And hey I saw someone read all of this a few days ago?! OMG THAT IS SO SWEET OF YOU! seriously it makes my day to see people reading my work! I hope you liked it! c:

Chapter 29: Love's Labours Lost

I sulked out of Dexlabs, tears streaking down my face in the pale light of the full moon overhead. How could I have let this happen. I just exorcised Dexter, and now I had allowed him to be kidnapped right uner my nose.

"Focking hell," I swore, "I need a smoke." I picked up the pack from the ground (must've fallen off Dexter's corpse when he was dragged off) and ripped one of those babies out and started puffing... then I remembered this was how Dexter lost his hands in the first place.

"SACCHARINE ON A STICK" I shouted angrily, pelting the cigarrette to the ground and stomping on it. I started bawling heavily and Computress flew over to my side.

"Wind, do not get upset. We can still find him." she said strongly.

"Well, wh-where do we start?" I asked.

"Let's follow the drag marks, he couldn't have gone far"

"depends on who took him, Computress..."

So we started on the trail. Thankfully with the bright moonlight I mentioned earlier it was easy to see. the marks continued past Mojo's Volcano and down through Morbucks Towers, veering into Marquee Row and then seemed to stop in the travel hub of Orchid Bay, but apparently the kidnapper just stopped to get some authentic boardwalk caramel corn before turning north and heading back up into Marquee Roe again. We kept following the trail thankfully there were now pieces of popcorn to guide us as well when the drag marks weren't clear.

"The fiend," I growled, "snacking while kidnapping an innocent man..."

Finally the drag marks ended on a levitating platform that led up to the hub floor of City Station Tower. When we got off the platform, we saw the marks officially ended right in front of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R..

"OH NO!" I screamed, then started crying again I was very upset sheesh!" If Decter's kidnapper escaped via S.C.A.M.P.E.R., we'll never find him!"

"Not so Wind," said Computress, "we just need to speak with the pilot."

I walked and Computress hovered over to the pilot, he was napping in a folding chair next to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.. "Excuse me, mister." said Computress.

The pilot jumped and snorted, startled by the sudden interruption of his sleep, and he fell backwards and off the Tower. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" After a few seconds there was a tiny "SQUORCH" heard from the ground (it was tiny because we were really high up). We looked over toward the ground, and there was a red puddle forming several stories below...

"... shit" I said. "Computress, he's dead!"

"Oh no..." Computress said, oil tears running down her holographic face, "I... I have broken the first law of robotics...!"

She then hovered quickly away, and I shouted, "Computress, wait!" but she didn't listen she was too upset with herself.

So I had to call the cops and explain what happened, they almost went after Computress but I made it clear she didn't mean it, and she'd been through enough lately. They bagged up the body and gave him a proper burial, I atteneded and left a flower bouquet on the casket as a token of my apology. Then we all went back to City Station.

"Now how will I find Decter..." I asked myself before crying again. "These stupid pilots never keep any records so its not like I can refer to them..."

Double-D was there for the crime scene and ensuing funeral, and he said, "Wind, although the pilot is deceased, you could always station yourself at a travel hub to keep an eye on who's coming and going. Maybe then you'll find a clue, or perhaps the person who abducted Dexter."

I blinked. "Yeah... that would probably work!"

"We would apprecriate another brain at the cul-de-sac," Double-D offered with a smile on his face.

I politely declined. "That's very nice of you, Sir Double-D, but if you don't mind, I think what I really need is a change of scenery."

"Hmm," Double-D tapped his chin, thinking of how he could help. "I've heard the K.N.D. could also really use some help at the Jungle Outpost. The Wilds are getting very infected, and more infection means more monsters, and more monsters mean more people needed to fight them."

"The Junglke Outpost?" I asked, shuddering at the thought of all those mosquitoes... and the leeches... but it was out of the way and I hadn't been out there yet. "Well... if I can find Dexter... I'll do it."

That night I packed my bags, and said goodbye to my brother and left him in charge of the house (Lord have mercy). After that I went to the prison to say goodbye to my mom, I also brought her a cupcake (they didn't allow full cakes because it was too easy to hide a file in them). Mom was shocked to hear of Decter's kidnapping and she wished me luck in finding him and in my new home. Finally I went to the hospital and told all the doctors and nurses I wouldn't be stopping in daily anymore, I was leaving town, then I said goodbye to Ben and Vilgaz - but I couldn't, as they were mid-coitus whoops. So I wrote them a small note and left it at the foot of the bed for them to read when they were done. After I'd said all my goodbyes, I headed into the cul-de-sac to board the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. and fly out to Mt. Blackhead.

My brother came with me and loaded my luggage, I gave him a hug and he told me not to forget to write. Then when I was just stepping into the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., I heard a whimpering behind me. Thinking it was Double-Double-U getting emotional again I turned around, it was Courage instead, but my brother was still dabbing at his eyes with a tissue.

"Where are you going, Wind?" the light crimson canine asked.

"To Mt. Blackhead, Courage. I have to find my boyfriend," I explained.

"Are you... are you leaving me here?" he asked crying.

"Oh, Courage," I said, hurt to see him so sad, "I'm not your owner. You need to go back to her she needs you and probably misses you, she's probably crying herself to sleep every night."

"But I got separated from her," Courgae explained. "She lives out in Nowhere, but I got caught on a guy's jetbike and was dragged all the way out into Downtown, and I'm too scared to go back there alone."

"All aboard!" the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. pilot called out.

My heart went out to the small pink dog as the clock ticked down. "Courage..." I said, trying to think of how I could help? Then my lightbulb hat went off. "Eureka! Courage, how about you come with me - I still need to find Dexter, but when I get the chance, I can take you over to Nowhere and back to your owner!"

"Y-You would do that?!" Courage asked!

"Of course!" I said and hugged him tightly. "You're the sweetest dog ever and you never pooped in my house. I would be happy to help bring you home."

"Yay!" Courage cheered, dancing around on his spindly little legs that unfortunately broke slightly as he bounced so irresponsibly, but he hopped in next to me, we fastened our seatbelts and the pilot pushed a button that shut all the doors. The engine started and we lifted off the ground, away from the world I knew.

Next stop, K.N.D. Jungle Outpost.