Chapter 8 – Survival
"Lad," Scrooge exclaims in high volume. He is so excited not only to see his nephew alive but his #No. 1 Dime. "I cannae believe it! You and ma Dime are safe!"
Dewey instantly brings his index finger up to his beak to shush his uncle. He quickly looks over his shoulder before briskly walking up to the bars.
"Come on, let's get you outta here." The young adult whispers.
"You have to tell me exactly how you survived." Scrooge insists.
"I promise I will explain as soon as we get off the Iron Vulture. This isn't exactly a good place for a reunion, you know." Dewey explains as he unlocks the bar door.
The second the lock turns open, Dewey walks in. Scrooge holds out his arms, ready to hug his lost nephew, but instead, Dewey pulls out a pair of handcuffs.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to have to put these on you," Dewey says apologetically.
Scrooge slumps his shoulders forward in disappointment. He's not a fan of this idea of putting on handcuffs.
"What," he growls.
Dewey lets out an exasperated sigh.
"Look, I'm doing this to protect you, I swear. These pirates believe I hired them to grab you so I can collect a bounty. It's part of the plan so that I could get you out of Duckburg."
Something clicks, and suddenly Scrooge has another series of questions.
"Hold on. How did you even know I was back in Duckburg?" He asks suspiciously. "Also, what is this whole thing about you being a bounty hunter?"
Dewey slaps his palm on his forehead and drags it down his face. He tugs at his beak before allowing his hand to drop at his side.
"Uncle Scrooge, I told you, I'll explain later; in fact, I'll be happy to answer all your questions later. So, would you just trust me already?" He whispers in a frustrated tone.
Scrooge looks Dewey into the eyes. He reads for any sign of treachery but finds none. With a deep breath, Scrooge slowly holds up his hands, feeling he should at least give Dewey the benefit of the doubt.
"Fine…" he grumbles.
The elder duck can tell his nephew is showing no pleasure in cuffing him. Scrooge winced when Dewey accidentally squeezed the cuffs too tight.
"Sorry," Dewey cringed at his error. "I'll loosen them up a bit."
After he adjusts the cuffs, Dewey puts the key in his pocket. Without even looking up, he continues to guide Scrooge out of the cell and towards the chair where he left his mask and hat. After putting on the rest of his costume, the two ducks proceed to the exit. He stops for a moment to turn to his uncle.
"Alright, ready?" He asks him.
Scrooge nods, allowing his safety to be in the hands of his nephew.
Dewey taps the side of his mask. It makes a noise, like a computer program following a command. Again, he pauses to say something.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to have to be a little rough with you." He again apologizes, but this time in a deeper gravelly voice.
Scrooge doesn't need to be a tech wiz to figure out that the mask somehow alters his speech. The more he looks at that thing, the more he wonders how his nephew even got it. Before Scrooge could say something, Dewey swiftly unlocks the door and opens it.
Scrooge let out a yelp as Dewey harshly tugs his arm as if he is trying to rip it out of its socket. Considering that this is an act, Scrooge decides to play along as if his life is in peril. Instincts kick in, and so he starts to struggle against Dewey's grip.
"Unhand me, you scoundrel!" He screams, slightly hamming it up.
With an unexpected reaction, Dewey (aka, Duke L'Orange) lets out a barking response.
"Quiet!" He says this with such force, baring his teeth and all.
The redness of the mask's eyes shimmers with an eerie glow. Dewey's voice sounded so commanding it caused shivers to roll down Scrooge's whole body. That reaction defiantly was not expected, leaving the old duck shocked.
"Do you need any help with that bounty, L'Orange?" One of the pirates asks in an almost joking manner.
"Mind your own business!" Dewey responds in an irritated growl.
The two ducks make it up to a plane, painted in black with shades of purple and blue flames. The shape of the aircraft is similar to the Sunchaser crossed with the Hire for Higher's Sea Duck.
"Is everything in order, Mr. L'Orange?" Don Karnage asks politely.
"Yes, you've done well." The Duke replies.
Dewey walks right up to the back cargo door and leans towards a computer panel. Both the screen and the mask's eyes seem to communicate with each other, and the door opens. The masked pirate then drags Scrooge inside and forces him down on a bench.
After giving Scrooge a warning look, Dewey continues towards a safe attached to the plane's wall. Again, he leans forward, and the mask communicates with the lock, and the safe opens. Dewey pulls out a package wrapped up in grey paper and string. He then tosses over to Don Karnage.
The older pirate proceeds to open to count the cash inside.
"It's all there," Dewey informs him. He reaches over to the control panel and presses the button that closes the cargo door. "Thanks for your services," Dewey adds before he disappears from view behind the closing door.
"No, thank you, Mr. L'Orange." Karnage bows respectfully.
Now that they are out of sight of the pirates, Dewey gently helps Scrooge and guides him to the cockpit. After sitting his uncle down co-pilot's chair, the young masked duck sits down beside him. Dewey flips a few of the switches on the dash, which starts the engine roaring.
Still tied in handcuffs, Scrooge decides to stay quiet as Dewey moves the control wheel forward, causing the plane itself to move towards the open hanger door.
The plane rolls off the deck and glides through the air. After a few minutes, the Iron Vulture disappears behind some cliffs. Dewey takes this opportunity to remove his hat and mask off and put the plane on auto-pilot; he turns his seat to face Scrooge to remove the handcuffs off of his uncle.
"I'm so sorry," Dewey apologizes for the fourth time. "I know I was a little rough on you back there. Those pirates only show respect to those that act tougher than they are." He explains.
"It's alright, Lad, I understand," Scrooge reassures him.
Dewey leans back into his seat and turns off the auto-pilot before resuming control on the steering wheel.
The elder rubs his tender wrists; now, they are free from the tight braces. He has so many questions that he doesn't know where to begin. However, Scrooge figures he can start with the most important ones.
"Now that we are off the ship, you don't suppose you could start explaining a few things?" The billionaire asks gingerly.
Dewey looks Scrooge right in the eyes before nodding in agreement, knowing at least one of the questions he would like answered. He leans back into his chair and sits in silence for a moment before taking a deep breath to begin.
"You would like to know how I managed to survive the plane crash." The nephew assumes.
"Yes," Scrooge nods.
There's a long pause before Dewey finally speaks again.
"I'm sure my brothers and Webby told you what they saw."
"Aye, they saw the plane explode and that you most likely didn't survive."
Dewey nods, assuming the family would be correct in thinking that.
"I saw the missile coming at me," he says, diving right into the truth. "I dodged it a few times but couldn't shake it."
Scrooge shifts his seat in a more comfortable position. His whole attention is on his nephew.
"At that point, I started to panic," Dewey continues. "I looked around the cockpit to see if there is anything I could do to get out of that situation. Over by the benches, I spotted a lifejacket and some rope.
"I quickly threw on the auto-pilot and ran over to grab the jacket and rope. I took the plane down just a bit closer to the water. Then, taking the rope, I tied it around the steering before climbing out of the window. I put on the lifejacket just before I yanked on the rope, causing the plane to veer to the right. It gave me at least a single second to jump. The plane exploded, and the shockwave caused me to crash hard on the water."
"Wow," is all Scrooge could say. "That there was quick thinking, Lad."
"I guess; however, it knocked me out cold. Who knows how long I was floating around on the ocean?" Dewey admits. "Could have been hours, or even days, but eventually I was fished out by Peg Leg Meg and her rogue crew."
"Peg Leg Meg? Wasn't she with Don Karnage?" Scrooge asks.
"Yeah, well, Meg felt betrayed by Karnage since he cared more about working for F.O.W.L than the safety of his crew. They all suffered because of his lack of caring, and because of it, a few of them got hurt." The young adult explains.
"So, does that mean they are on the side of good now?" The older duck guesses.
"Well, at the time, they were unsure of their destiny. However, I wasn't really on their list of making friends, either. The moment I came too, they weren't sure what to do with me." Dewey chuckled a little.
With a shrug, he adds, "At one point, they did offer me to join them, though. I wasn't comfortable in becoming a pirate and stealing from innocent people, so, to my surprise, they gave me a beat-up old plane and sent me on my way."
"Well, at least they gave you that option," Scrooge admitted.
"Sure, sending a kid off into the real world with no money, no food, and no home." Dewey scoffs. There is a bitter tone in his words. "However, you're right; I was given a plane. A plane that barely got me from point A to point B, but, hey, at least it was something."
At this moment, Scrooge realizes that Dewey literally had nothing, not even his family with him. The only thing that his nephew probably had, other than the clothes on his back, was the #No. 1 Dime. How it must have been so scary – all alone in the world at such a young age, but somehow, Dewey survived.
"Awe, Lad, I'm so sorry." Scrooge gives a heartfelt apology. He starts to curse himself for being defeated by Magica and Glomgold.
Dewey only responds with a half-smile before reaching over the dashboard and flipping over a few switches.
Scrooge decides to scan the plane interior before spotting something embedded in the front dash. Leaning forward, he notices it's the same rune-stone he saw at the lair in Duckburg. Scrooge looks at his nephew with a puzzled expression.
"Where did you get that stone?"
Dewey glances at the stone before looking over at his uncle.
"Oh, um, one night, I camped out in the woods, and a wandering monk walked up to me asking if he could sit by the fire with me. He didn't look dangerous or anything, so I said, 'Okay.' I offered him some of my food, and in return for my kindness, he gave me a bag of these rune-stones. He said I looked like I needed them, even told me how they worked. Since I wanted to make sure I stayed out of Magica's radar, I accepted his gift."
Scrooge raises his brow in wonder.
"You wouldn't be a dedicated listener to Huey's podcast, would you?"
Dewey smiles a little more. "Yeah, I am. Hearing their voices is comforting, you know."
"Aye, I do." Scrooge agrees. "I saw one of those stones in the home they are hiding out in."
"Good," Dewey nods, satisfied that his family is using the stone. "That's a relief to hear."
"You're also sending them food and supplies?" Scrooge asks.
"Yup," Dewey nods. "I was able to collect donations of food and supplies for them. Not sure if I should get too close to Duckburg, I, of course, hire Meg and her crew to sneak in the cargo to them. Oh, by the way, I had one of my guys' send a Morse code message to them before meeting you on the Iron Vulture. I wanted to let them know you are safely out of Duckburg."
"Wow, I'm impressed." Scrooge beams.
The older duck quickly frowns, though, thinking about his lost fortune.
"It's too bad about ma money, though. I was told not only the Beagles got their hands on my fortune, but also pirates too."
"Actually," Dewey says with a slight blush. "I'm the 'pirate' that took what was left of your money."
"You wha –" Scrooge isn't sure he heard correctly.
"Don't worry, I raised some money doing honest work, and with that, I hired Meg's crew, again, to 'steal' the leftover money from your bin. I have it buried just east of here, protected by several traps and a lock that the only key, being my sword, can open it." The young pilot says.
Scrooge is beside himself with joy over this news. Dewey is undoubtedly turning into a very proactive adult the more he is learning about his survival.
"I-I dinnae know what to say…."
"It's only about a third of your money, though. I wish I could have got more out, but I'm hoping it will be enough to rebuild McDuck Enterprises. Once we beat Magica and the Beagles, of course." Dewey admits with a shrug.
It doesn't matter how much of his fortune is left; Scrooge is just so proud of Dewey right now. There is still so much more he wants to ask, but at least one is plaguing his mind right now.
"So, how did you figure out I was back in Duckburg?"
"Ah, after we removed the money, I had the crew put in a surveillance device and cameras inside your bin. A silent alarm goes off if anyone is entering or leaving the bin, and only I receive the signal. When it went off this morning, the cameras showed that it was you leaving. That is when I quickly called and hired Karnage to get you." Dewey explains with a wink.
"Well, I must say that is pretty clever," Scrooge admits.
There is another pause as Dewey grabs the mask with one hand, and with the other, he touches an empty spot on the dash. Surprisingly, a secret compartment lifts. The eyes of the mask start glowing red once Dewey connects it to a computer box. Scrooge once again marvels over this exciting artifact.
"How did you manage to get a mask like that?" He asks, pointing at the strange duck-billed goalie-like mask.
"It's a funny story, but I'll have to tell you later. Right now, I need to change the plane's appearance." Dewey responds as he flips more switches.
"You have to what now?" Scrooge gives his nephew a baffled look which earns him a cheeky smirk from the younger duck.
"Just look out there on the wing, and I'll show you," Dewey tells him, pointing out the window.
Once Scrooge pays attention to the wing, Dewey punches a code in the compartment that houses the mask and pushes a button. Slowly the chamber lowers and disappears, with the mask, inside the dash.
Scrooge's lower beak drops when the plane's color changes from blue, purple, and black to a shiny silver. Next, parts of the plane begin to transform their shape. Scrooge turns in his chair to see the plane's walls move.
In mid-transformation, something becomes stuck. It makes a loud grinding noise which causes both ducks to spin in the direction of the sound. In one corner of the plane, a panel keeps jerking back and forth.
"Ah, phooey," Dewey grumbles.
He stands up and starts to toggle a switch on the overhead dash. By doing this a few times, a few gears make another grinding noise before the panel completes its morphing.
Dewey nods with approval as the plane concludes its change. A result is a plane looking like a normal cargo plane and not a flashy pirate one.
"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle," Scrooge mutters to himself in disbelief.
"Can't really enter Cape Suzette in a pirate plane, now can we?" Dewey chuckles proudly.
"Huh," the elder duck turns to his nephew in puzzlement.
Dewey doesn't look back at him since he has drawn his attention down at his jacket with the realization. "Ooh, which reminds me."
Flipping the autopilot again, Dewey gets up and touches a secret panel on the wall. A door that doesn't seem to have been there before opens.
"You see since Magica, and the Beagles took over Duckburg, there have been a lot more pirates ruling the skies. Of course, Cape Suzette has always had a strict policy against pirates, to begin with; starting fifteen years ago, it just escalated. It is now at the point that there has to be a security protocol for any pilots or ships entering their borders." He says as he removes the purple jacket off his back.
"This is where I leave the persona, Duke L'Orange, the Bounty and Treasure Hunter." The young duck explains when he hangs up the pirate jacket, along with the hat and sword on an empty hook.
Besides, the purple jacket is a dark grey bomber jacket with a furry collar. Dewey grabs it and puts it on over his dark navy sweater.
"…And become Dewey Duck, a simple cargo pilot." He concludes, closing the secret door, and zipping up the jacket before returning to his seat. Dewey flashes a toothy grin before sitting back down in the pilot's chair. He turns off the autopilot and grabs a headset.
"So, ah…" Scrooge starts with another question but is interrupted.
"Hold that thought, Uncle Scrooge, I need to focus." Dewey interrupts by holding up an index figure at his elder.
He flips a switch on the dash that reads, communication, and starts speaking into his headset.
"Border Tower, this is StarDuck Eighty-Seven; how do you read?" Dewey begins speaking in a calm neutral voice.
"Loud and clear, StarDuck, we require your position and passcode. Confirm?" A voice over the headset replies.
"Wilco, I'm heading in due South-West. Code: one five two, zero one dash one-two. I say again, one five two, zero one dash one-two."
"That is affirmative. Your clearance is approved; welcome home, StarDuck. Maintain a low speed as you pass through the cliffs and enter the harbor."
"Roger. Much obliged, Border Tower."
Dewey turns off the communication switch and removes the headset, only to notice Scrooge looking at him with an amused smirk on his face.
"What," he shrugs with a confused chuckle.
"StarDuck?" Scrooge teased.
Dewey is unable to prevent his cheeks from blushing more. With a slight smile, he shrugs.
"Hey, I wasn't the one that named her," Dewey says in defense, at the same time patting on the steering wheel. He then frowns, lost in memory as he goes quiet for a brief moment before adding, "Izzy did."
"Who's Izzy?" Scrooge curiously asks.
Dewey doesn't respond right away, but the elder duck notices a sad frown on his young face.
"Someone I cared about." The pilot finally responds in a low, monotone voice. He leans the steering wheel forward – bringing the plane down towards the water.
Scrooge says nothing. He can tell that Dewey is hurting. Somehow this Izzy person was essential to him. Perhaps, he could get his nephew to talk about her later.
"Okay, Uncle Scrooge, here we are. Welcome to Cape Suzette." He says, trying to sound a bit more enthusiastic.
"I've been here before, Lad." Scrooge reminds him.
"Yeah, well, that was over fifteen years ago. I'm sure there have been some changes since then." Dewey reminds him.
The young pilot brings the plane to the water and glides it toward the shoreline.
"We will be safer here. After you get some rest, we will develop a plan to defeat Magica once and for all." Dewey tells Scrooge with confidence.