If you paid very careful attention when I wrote the chapter about Bradford killing Duckworth. You might have noticed my story about Beakley going into hiding did raise a question. How did F.O.W.L find her if she went into complete hiding? Here is my suggestion to how it can be. Note. This chapter begins near the end of the episode of The Great Dime Chase. I am doing a lot of work to get as close as possible to the continuity. Even so it is as always open to the readers interpretation.
Bradford looked at Scrooge as he marched back and forth on the table clearly frustrated.
"If your going to fire all the employees why don't you just go ahead and shut the bin down" Scrooge said.
Bradford felt frustrated what did he need this bin for anyway?
"You do have a perfectly good office downtown. Do you really need a Money bin?" Bradford asked while smiling.
This time he had hit a nerve he knew it because of the growling coming from Mr. McDuck. It was one of the few pleasures he had now that Scrooge had begun to adventure again. Bradford still struggled to find out what had set into motion that the duck had return to his adventures after 10 years. He suspected it was the arrival of his nephew and grand nephews.
"Yes I do need me moneybin" Scrooge said with a clear Scottish undertone.
"Then we are back to cut down on the staff. There is being spent to much money while the market is going back. You know how business work" Bradford said.
"Off course Ah know. I am Scrooge McDuck. I don't spend one dime more than I need too" Scrooge said.
"You say that but is it really necessary that have all these crazy and … well dangerous people here?" Bradford asked frustrated.
What did it take to get him to stop this duck? Why could he not seen that there was being spent to much money on this? Bradford noticed that the young duck that was Scrooge youngest grandnephew sneaked in through the door not that he really cared.
"You cannie get rid of the bin. You may think they are crackpots and weirdos but they are the one who push innovation and creativity and spar les company ever forward" Scrooge said.
Bradford could feel something on his foot but ignored it.
BOOM the door smacked open as another invention of Gyro Gearloose came in with the creator on top shouting "just a little malfunctioning" while trying to wrest with it. The robot went back and forth while trying to throw Gyro off.
"definitely not evil" Gyro shouted.
Bradford looked at the robot and didn't notice the smile that formed on Scrooges face.
"Look they are all mads as loons and if you fire them they'll definitely seek revenge on you" Scrooge said.
Bradford could feel his fear grow under that threat. The last thing he needed was more uncontrollable chaos. It was already growing out of control as it was.
"All of those in favour of keeping the bin and everyone in it far away from our offices?" Bradford said.
"Eye" the two buzzards voted as well as him.
Suddenly the young duck jumped up from under the table shouting 'NOO' before running out of the room. Why did Scrooge insists on bringing his family here? Why did these things always have to happen? Bradford sat still unable to handle the chaos that had just erupted. He first focused again when Scrooge said something.
"A pleasure as always. I'll be in my office if you need me. Please don't need me" Scrooge said as he tilted on his top hat.
Bradford sat still as Scrooge left the room as he tried to collect his thoughts. Once again Scrooge had shown that he attracted chaos. It had to be stopped. Ever since Scrooge had reconnected with his family the adventures and chaos had returned and it only seem to grow. Frustrated he collected his papers and left along with his associates.
Bradford went over to the elevator only to notice the out of order sign. Great more expenses caused by a mad robots. He needed this the same way he needed a massive headache. With no other options they started to walk down the stares. As they walked down the stares two young ducks came up. One was a young boy who was dressed in blue and he regoniced the boy as yet another one of Scrooge's great nephews. Why did there has to be so many? Wasn't one enough? Yet along with him was a girl dressed in pink. She seemed around the same age as the blue one … whatever his name was. She stepped aside to let him pass which made the blue child impatient.
"Webby come on. We can't let uncle Scrooge get to worry about us then he will start asking questions" the blue one said.
"No worry Dewey. Scrooge never return from work before 6 at the earliest. We have plenty of time before he notice he is gone" the girl Webby sasid.
It was strange he had kept close taps on Scrooges family and there was no female members around her age. So who was this one? She was clearly following along with the other young duck and they both seemed to head for meeting Scrooge and know about his work hours. This indicated that they both were going back to his mansion with him. This needed to be investigated. Any member of the clan McDuck had the potential to threaten the hard earned stability he had tried to build so hard since he manipulated Della into taking the Spear of Seline.
Bradford entered the car as one of his clones drow.
"Too the headquarters" was all he needed to say.
DT
Bradford entered the secret headquarters of F.O.W.L going straight to his office there. As he sat down he started looking over every file he had on the McDuck clan. Bradford went through it and then another and then another as he tried to find something that could link the girl to Scrooge McDuck but there was nothing. No birth certificate, no registrations of the child. As a CFO he had access to all financials in McDuck Enterprise including the accounts that Scrooge used to pay his staff. The only account he didn't have access to was the private accounts Scrooge used to his private cost but they were all in his name. He could ask Agent Dee to hack them but he doubted it would help. Nothing seemed to be linked to a girl by the name of Webby. It was like she had popped out of thin air. Thin air … thin air wait was it possible? Could it possible be that this was the clone he had lost 10 years ago? Theoretically it was possible all though very unlikely. They had assumed her dead after director 22 had taken her and had a run in with an egg head who had knocked her out and left her for the flames and collapse of the base. Later S.H.U.S.H had confirmed Beakley dead and they had never seen anything to prove it wrong. Bradford raised and left the room. There might be one who could give him answers.
DT
Bradford as entered the area of the prison cells. A small sound of a mouth harmonica was heard as he walked down the cell doors. Bradford stopped at the end where one of the cells was occupied. Ludwig Von Drake sat in his cell and first looked up when he stopped in front of his cell.
"Well what evil plans am I to work on today?" Ludwig said uninterested.
"It is not evil. I am trying to bring order to the world" Bradord protested.
"Right that is why I am locked up in here will being forced to work for you" Ludwig said.
"I have to rain this chaos in. If you only accepted my suggestion when I said we should rain chaos in then we wouldn't be here" Bradford said.
"Rieght" Ludwig said not sounding convinced at all.
"Look I am just here to ask you. If Agent 22 would go into hiding then where would she go?" Bradford asked.
That got Ludwig's attention as he stood up and looked at him.
"Why would you ask about her? You told me she is dead" Ludwig said.
For Ludwig it had been one of the three worst day in his life. One of the other two being the day he had been captured and realized F.O.W.L. had been hiding right under his nose and was created by Bradford. The other day had been several years later when he had given up on hoping anyone would find him and having to come to terms with the fact that he would never see his children or wife again. The one-day long after that Heron had come to his cell and had raved on about 22 being dead and her being robbed of her revenge. It had left Ludwig sad that one of his best agents had died.
"Where would she hide if she was alive had taken April and wanted to hide for us and everyone else?" Bradford asked again.
"I don't knowe and I wouldn't tell you if I did" Ludwig rejected him.
"If you don't tell I will be forced to send F.O.W.L agents to investigate instead. Would you prefer that I sent someone out there to check including your Doomsday vault and your children company?" Bradford asked hoping to get him to see sense.
Ludwig hung his head. His fear for what F.O.W.L would do to his children was what made him tell what they wanted to know when they asked about S.H.U.S.H yet it was still hard. He brought his own agents in danger and it hurt. How could he chose between his life work and the lives of his agents or the safety of his children? Even so if there was a chance that agent 22 was alive, he owed it to her. He just hoped Braford would not send one who was too brutal. There was several of the agents of F.O.W.L he would fear what do to his children if Bradford sent them after them. Ludwig forced himself to remain silent.
"Very well. I will send Stealbeak to investigation up at the Domsday vault. After that he will go to the company owning it and see what he can find" Bradford said and left.
Ludwig ran over to the cell door.
"No Stealbeak is an idiot he could hurt them because he believes they are hiding something because they are too smart for him" Ludwig called.
Bradford ignored him and walked towards the door. His fears for his children spilled over. He could not let Stealbeak get to them.
"Noo please. … I … I will … tell you" Ludwig called reluctant.
Bradford stopped and turn around looking at her.
"Agent 22 had several partners but few of them ended up with a good relationship between them. If agent 22 is alive she would go to one place she would feel safe. She would most likely hide with Scrooge McDuck" Ludwig said.
"So I guessed but where would he hide her? She is supposed to be dead" Bradford asked.
"Most …. Most likely right in front of you in his mansion" Ludwig said.
Bradford eyes widen. Anger filled him. If it was true then Scrooge had been hiding a secret right in front of him. How dared he. He was going to call Black Heron. She of all people would be more than eager to research if this were right and if he played it right then Scrooge would follow and lead him to April as well. Ludwig looked like Bradford left the room before he slide back down.
"Forgive me 22 please forgive me" he mumbled as he took his mouth harmonica. He blew a sad and low tone.
A/N So there you have it. My take on what happen to how Bradford realized that Scrooge had hidden Beakley and Bentine right in front of him. Yearh he might have known all along but I like to try and keep it add a little flavor. Next chapter will most likely be Scrooge arranging a meeting for Ludwig with his children.