Domino's lungs were compressed to nothing as he sucked in air running to the hospital. Once he had made it, bursting through the front doors he approached the receptionist in a panic. "I'm looking – I'm looking for Derek!"

A fat orange cat who was flipping through papers looked up, exhaling. "What's the last name?" She asked in a monotone voice.

"Derek Clapton! He's, my brother! He was taken here! What room is he?" Domino, flustered, paced back and forth anxiously. His mother had stopped answering his whispers and he was completely in the dark. "Please!"

"Oh… Um, I believe he is in room eighty-six. However, I should let you know…" Before the feline could finish, the anxious ape had escaped off down the hall. "Poor kid…" She whispered to herself, before sitting back down and flipping through more paperwork.

The purple primate counted the numbers as he sped-walked down the brightly lit hospital. He had been here too many times for his own liking. It was bad enough when it was a classmate, but now it was his own brother. Once he reached room eighty-six, he was surprised by the calm and quiet. Unlike the outer hallways, it was mostly dark, with the only light coming from small machines, which also provided the eerily quiet room with its only sound. The repetitive beeping was harrowing, almost acting as a barrier from entry for Domino. However, he persisted and eventually entered. Once inside, Domino was met with a terrible sight once his eyes adjusted to the darkness; a young monkey attached to medical equipment, unconscious. "Honey… I'm glad you made it."

Turning around, Domino noticed his mother who was sitting slumped in a dinky chair, clearly exhausted. "Mom! Mom, what's going on! What happened? Is he okay?" A million questions piled up in the ape's head, yet his mouth prevented them from all being asked.

"Domino… come and sit down with me, okay?" His mother spoke softly, and sadly. Domino did as instructed, pulling a chair across the room and joining the older monkey in the dark. Miss Clapton thought for a moment about what to say, caught on her own emotions. Taking a deep breath and readying herself, she grabbed her son's hand. "Domino, Derek overdosed on powdered sugar. I found him in his bedroom on the floor earlier, not breathing. The doctors aren't sure if he's going to make it, Domino…" Tearing up, Wanda tried to keep her composure, but was starting to break from the realization she may lose her oldest son. "Domino, why don't you go say you love your brother. The doctor says he can likely still hear us. It'd mean a lot to him."

"Of course mom…" Domino's heart was rapidly beating as he stood up. Seeing his brother attached to all of those machines made him look like a cog. Breathing getting heavier, Domino walked over and leaned over his brother. It was so unusual, he looked exactly the same as usual, yet so different. As much as he wanted to say something, he found it impossible to speak. It was as if somebody had cut his tongue out. Overwhelmed emotionally, Domino broke into tears of anger and pain. Turning, the young monkey fled from the room, unsure of where he was running. His mother jumped up and watched, wanting to give chase but knowing that he would need to process his emotions his own way. Sitting back down, she watched her other son, slowly breathing, only hoping he would wake up again.

Outside of the hospital, a light trickle of rain began to fall. Summer rain was uncommon, especially in Donald's Dreamland which rarely saw any sort of precipitation. Outside, the full moon shone down on the running monkey. Riled up with emotions he was unable to process, Domino sprinted until he could no longer feel his legs. "Why Derek. Why did you have to do the damn powdered sugar! I told you, you stupid idiot!" Walking over to a wall which was littered in posters and flyers, the monkey began tearing down the papers. He needed to take his anger out somehow, and this was the only outlet he could find.

As Domino was in the middle of his mental breakdown, he was approached by a short, fat mouse in a fedora and trench coat, as cliché as they came. "Hey buddy, what's wrong with you? You're actin' like a fool. Yer gonna draw way too much heat over here. I'm trying to conduct some business. Why don't ya scram somewhere else, ya fool?" Speaking with a thick accent, Domino could hardly understand what the rodent was saying, yet he didn't seem to care.

"Why don't you shut up and mind your own business! My brother is dying in the hospital! I'm just, argh!" Screaming, Domino turned and began once again tearing at the building, before slumping down to his knees and bursting into tears.

"Geez kid, just calm down alright? I didn't mean nothin' by that. Just… Here. Why don't you take some of this. It'll help ya calm down. It's on the house." Pulling out a small Ziploc baggy, the chunky rat tossed the container over to Domino who was able to turn around and inspect the bag.

Almost immediately, the monkey recognized it for what it was. "Is this… powdered sugar?" He whispered, shocked.

"Geez kid, you can't go yelling stuff like that out!" The mouse crouched down and covered Domino's mouth. "Man, you're dumb and gonna get us both in trouble."

"Powdered…. Sugar…" Domino' eyes were filled with a bright red fury. The same potent killer that had landed Ella and Derek in the hospital, and now this stupid dealer was trying to push it on him too. "My brother just overdosed on this because of terrible Toons like you!" Throwing the powdered sugar back at the mouse, Domino began swinging his fists wildly, attempting to attack in a rage fueled, futile attempt at revenge. "I'll stop you! I won't let you hurt anyone else! You stupid mouse!"

Unfortunately for Domino, Jack's dealers were usually armed. The mouse reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a switchblade knife, flicking it open and holding it up to Domino's face, stopping the purple ape in his tracks. "Listen to me you dumb little brat. If you don't back up and walk away, I'm going to make sure your mama is burying both of you. Now scram!"

Trembling, but not willing to back down, in full adrenaline mode, Domino was ready to fight back. Clenching his fists and keeping an unblinking stare, the monkey prepared to fight, even if it meant getting severely injured or dying. However, before he could take any further action, a voice screamed out down the corridor he had been standing in. "Hey you! Sherriff Jade Glitterquack, DDDA! Drop your weapon!" In the streetlight stood a massive sized duck in a Ranger-like uniform.

"Damn it!" The rodent hissed, turning to Domino he sneered. "You got lucky punk, better hope I don't run into you again!" Sliding the weapon back into his pocket, the mouse made a hasty escape. The duck gave a small chase but gave up once she realized she was not going to win a footrace against the smaller Toon.

Walking back to the shook-up primate, Jade knelt to match height with the shaking, crying kid. "Hey, hey is everything okay? Did he hurt you?"

Domino tried to pull himself together, sitting down on the sidewalk and breathing quickly, clearly shaken, he shook his head. "I'll be okay."

"Why are you out walking around here by yourself this late at night? There's been a lot of bad things happening down here lately." Jade wasn't the most socially adept, and usually had trouble connecting to others, however her genuinity glowed through her awkward demeanor. "We'll make sure to catch that guy so he's not out here harassing anyone again."

"I was at the hospital, but I had to get away. I couldn't be there. I just started running. I didn't really know where I would end up." Picking up a pebble from the cobblestone, the young monkey tossed it at the wall of a nearby building, clacking off and echoing through the corridor. "It is what it is."

Jade could tell that something was wrong, deciding to push further. "Should you be at the hospital? If you're hurt or sick, we shouldn't have you out here!" The pink duck quacked worried. "I know they can be scary, but you have to think about your health."

The grape-colored ape sniffled and shook his head again. "It's my brother. He overdosed on powdered sugar. He's in the hospital. I went to see him… but it was hard man. I couldn't watch him like that. Tied up to all those machines. He looked so… I don't know. I just couldn't be there. I feel bad for leaving my mom there, but it was so hard to watch." The primate stumbled over his words, trying his best to articulate his feelings.

"Ah, I understand…" Jade sat down and thought about her words. She was never the best at speaking either, especially about touchy subjects. "What's your name, by the way? I'm Jade."

"Domino." Is all the monkey replied.

Jade tried to smile but failed. Patting Domino on the back, she looked down at the ground sadly. "Domino, it sounds like you are very close to your family. You love them a lot?"

Domino looked over confounded. "Yeah, of course I do. They're my family, why wouldn't I?"

"That's true. Well, I know the pain you are going through right now. I know that it can be hard to hear that and believe it, but it is true." Jade stopped talking, feeling her stomach twisting inside as she recounted a familiar sounding story. "Domino, three years ago I was exactly where you are now. Well, not literally, but you get it. I had received a call from the hospital telling me my brother was in a coma. He had attempted to take his own life."

"Goodness, I'm really sorry to hear that." The younger Toon frowned and started tearing up seeing the older duck speak so personally. "What happened?"

Jade looked up to the stars and continued. "When we were younger our parents put a lot of pressure on him. They always despised me for being different, so they drilled into him that he needed to be the one who "saved them." They forced him to study longer and harder, they told him how great he was and how he would save the family while I was a worthless loser. Eventually I ran away when I was fourteen. I never went back to see them."

Domino was struck by the awfulness of Jade's family. "So, he couldn't deal with the stress then?"

"No, my family drove him to a pulp of a Toon. He was brilliant, studying to be a gag-scientist, and also working full-time to support my parents so they could sit at home and do cog knows what. I received the call from the hospital…" Jade started choking up, but mostly keeping composed with some brief pauses. "Because he likely wasn't coming back… He was in a medical coma, and they told me that he'd probably never really wake up."

"Oh my gosh, that's awful. I'm so sorry." Domino just seemed even more worried and anxious by the conversation.

Jade noticed that her story was only making things worse, however she didn't want to stop now. She knew she needed to finish her story. "Anyways, my parents never came to see him. Once they heard they told the hospital they could do whatever they wanted. They had to call me instead to come and make a decision on his behalf."

Domino's eyes filled with tears again as he imagined being in Jade's shoes. Even with his mom there, he couldn't imagine having to be there for such an excruciating decision. "What did you do?"

"I went there and I saw him laying in that bed, just like your brother. While we weren't very close, seeing him like that destroyed me. I started crying, and I just wanted to go and scream at my parents for what they did." Jade paused again and looked over to Domino with a more encouraging look. "The doctor explained everything to me, and ultimately I decided against it. I wasn't going to let my parents off. Not from ruining his life, and not from being freed from their responsibility." Jade wiped a tear away. "You know what? I'm glad I did, because six months later he woke up and now he is finishing his school to become a gag scientist. He has a great idea for new gags that use electricity. My parents can't ruin my life now. It can be hard in the moment, but you have to be strong for your brother. When he wakes up again, having you there can be so important."

"That's amazing. So he's still alive and okay? Do you think that can happen to Derek?" Domino wiped the tear away and felt his heart drop into his stomach awaiting an answer.

Jade stroked her chin. "I can't say for sure what will happen, Domino. However, I do know that we don't have the control over the situation. But being there to support your family is good for all of you. I've worked in Drug Enforcement for a few years, and I've seen a lot of tragedies. While sad, I have seen many more situations like this where there has been a full recovery. All you can do is do your best to live." Standing up, the pink duck extended her hand to the young monkey. "Why don't we head back over there? You're a brave kid, and I think that someday you're going to do something great for the world. But for now, your mom needs you. Let's get you back over there." The two began to slowly walk back to the hospital, making small talk about different things and trying to keep a positive attitude.

Deputy sat in the back of a large, inconspicuous white van as it cruised slowly down the Donald's Dreamland pathways. It had been a while since he had been on a mission of this level. A raid against a drug boss was an enormous undertaking that even the experienced Ranger was nervous about. Joining him for the task included Brownie and Brussel Sprout, as well as a few other very high-ranking Rangers. Lord Lowden had taken charge and had intended to go but had "accidentally" injured himself and decided to call commands from the safety of his office. "So, what do you think the odds that we all go home tonight are?" A pink pig inquired nervously, rubbing her hands together.

Skids rubbed his chin and thought exaggeratedly. "Eh, I'd say pretty slim based on my experience."

"Wait, are you saying something is going to happen to at least one of us while we're in there?" Sprout stood up and punched her fist into her palm. "That just makes me want to arrest these fools even harder!"

"No, no, Sprout. I meant that we'll probably have so much work to do we'll be down at the jail all night processing papers. An organization of this size probably has dozens, if not hundreds of scumbags running around. We'll trap them like the rats they are and bring them all to justice. No more of these drug dealers infiltrating our streets and killing innocent Toons." Deputy spoke with an aggression that was unusual for him. "I don't want to bring a child into this world knowing I didn't do everything I could to make it a better place for everybody to live."

Brownie widened his eyes and opened his mouth to speak but was silent. Holding up his finger, he sat shocked at Skids' poignancy. Another Ranger, an orange deer chuckled. "Wait, isn't that from a movie? I swear I've heard that before."

Nodding, Deputy shrugged and smiled. "Hey, I'm not a public speaker, I'm a Ranger. I want everybody to be inspired and to do their best to not only keep to our mission, but to stay safe. The most important thing is that we all leave intact. Just remember your task and stay with your partner. If something happens, call immediate backup." Pounding on the thin metal making up the wall between the driver and the contents in the back, the lime green dog shouted. "Hey, are we there yet?"

"Almost. Probably five minutes. We need to make sure not to be too conspicuous, so I've had to drive and stop a few places in case we're being tailed. Don't want anyone getting too smart with us." A voice responded. "Be ready in case though. Never know in this area what's gonna happen."

"Hey, Skids. Wasn't that duck supposed to come? Jade? Whatever happened with her? This seems like something she'd be in on." Sprout dangled her short legs from the bench she sat on, mesmerized by the movement of her own feet. "Seems kind of rough for her to miss this."

Brownie interjected. "Yeah, actually I thought she was coming. She just said she had some personal things to deal with earlier, but that she'd meet us in time. Why don't we give her a whisper and check in with her?"

The older dog contemplated the idea and waved it off. "Eh, she's a professional. She'll be there when everything starts. I think she was going to visit her brother. Said she hadn't seen him in a while and there was a sudden urge to visit him. With or without her we're going to bring Jack down. It would be nice to have an extra pair of experienced hands here, but we'll live."

"Whatever happened to those fruits you were working with? Weren't there some Toons helping you all?" The pink pig asked, hoping it would provide some additional support. After all, the more Rangers, the less likely she was to be attacked or killed. "What were their names?"

"Oh, C.U.M. I don't think that would be a good idea at this point. They severed their duties with us. We're better than them anyways." Brownie snidely remarked. "Honestly they'd probably just get in the way. We don't need pointless disguises. We are Rangers, our uniform is more than enough. Besides, Akinari told me I look handsome in it."

The short crocodile snarled with laughter at the mouse's comment. "Wait, Akinari? Sounds like she's buttering you up to try and get one over on you, Brownie. Never trust a criminal. Once one, always one. You'll be better off once she's in jail and you two can't be a fake couple."

Skids stood up for his friend. "Ah, c'mon Sprout. Why do you gotta break his poor little heart so easily." Skids gleamed at the brown mouse. "I think you're super handsome, Brownie. Total hunk over here."

"Alright, can you guys stop flirting. We're almost there. I need everyone on high alert." A voice called out from the front. "Looks like we are clear, about 30 seconds."

"Gosh, I'm nervous." Sprout whispered quietly, not usually one to show a sign of weakness or fear.

The pink pig nodded and shook her head. "It's funny. I head the Resistance Rangers in Sellbot HQ, but yet this feels a thousand times worse. I guess I've never had to worry about a cog stabbing me before, though."

Deputy was about to respond encouragingly, before he was cut off by the driver stopping the vehicle. "Alright everybody, we're here! Let's go!" The driver shouted.

"Welp, you heard the Toon. Let's go! Stick to your assignments and stay with your partner!" Deputy kicked open the doors to the back of the van, and a flood of armed Rangers leapt out one by one, a sea of green and purple. Each of the four pairs went off into a different direction of the same building. Ranger Ripley and Brownie would be infiltrating the same way he had entered before, down to the drug manufacturing area. Skids and Sprout would sneak around the back and search for an entrance. Two would go and ascend to the top and look for an entrance from the top. This is where Jade was supposed to be, as she felt comfortable with heights, but with her missing the job had gone to Ranger Spai, and Ranger Flabblegoof. The remaining two, including the driver, would wait in front and do guard duty, ensuring nobody escaped the front.

Every Ranger was protected by a heavy body armor and were equipped with comical sized nets for capturing villains, and electric taser weapons that had been in early testing for cog purposes. "Everyone to your posts!" The orange deer shouted, waving her arm. A few civilians who had been passing by watched in awe at the amazing coordination of the heavily trained Rangers. The two who were climbing had shot grappling hooks up the three-story building and began their ascent. The lime green dog and the darker green crocodile had sprinted around the building, surprisingly swiftly.

"Do you think I'd get in trouble if I just had a small bite of that stupid bear? Gonna show her how it feels!" The reptile growled waving her large net around. "But first I'm going to capture her in here and watch her squirm around a bit. Make her feel like I did!"

"Um, please don't bite anyone. Well, unless they attack you or something. You have to remember we're professionals, not professional wrestlers. We're here to catch criminals. We could have irrefutable evidence of a crime but they could get away if we don't do things the right way." Deputy responded to the snarling crocodile.

Once they had made a full circumvention of the building, they eventually decided on their point of entry. There were no back doors, however there was a few windows that had been blacked out with what was likely paint. "Alright, so we smash in the window, jump in and start tazing?" Brussel winked and chuckled.

Pulling out a small tool from his pocket, Deputy gave a stiff lip and a silly face. "Eh, I think this might be a bit easier." Sliding the sharp edge of the tool along the glass, a light scratching sound eventually subsided as a small circle of the glass was popped off with ease. "Crazy what kind of stuff is available nowadays." The green dog reached inside and unlocked the window with no effort. "Follow me and stay quiet. We don't want to spook anyone."

Brownie and Spai wandered down the front steps to the small cellar-looking entrance to the den. " This is my second time here, so maybe it would be best if I took the lead?" The mouse squeaked quietly.

"Probably for the best. I brought my magnifying glass, and it might help me pick up any clues that you miss. Don't want to miss anything, yeah?" The deer pulled out a ridiculously sized device that looked like it belonged on top of a Toon HQ, rather than a detective's tool. "Can't miss anything with this."

"Um. Ai, do you think that will fit in the door? Maybe we could use something that would be a bit smaller?" Brownie whispered as he manipulated the lock on the door with a lockpick. "Actually, I'm pretty sure we don't need anything like that. We have the evidence; we just need to catch them. Where's your net?"

The deer rolled her eyes. "So wait, my magnifying glass is too big but this net isn't? That seems a little contradictory, doesn't it?"

As the two argued over the proper tools for the job, their earpieces rang out with positive news. "Hey everybody, we have made it to the top. Doesn't look like there is any resistance up here, and there is an opening. We're going in. Everybody be careful."

"We're inside as well! Skids used this cool thing to cut through a window. Last one to catch a criminal is a stinky cog!" Brussel laughed manically.

"Argh, everybody else is inside. Just bring whatever works. You're a Ranger, you know what you're doing. Let's do this." With a clicking sound, Brownie knew he had gotten the result he wanted. Slowly pushing open the door, the rodent looked over to Ai and nodded. "Let's catch us a criminal."

"It's been a while since I've seen you, you mutated fruit. Don't worry, I know you have been watching me too. Your little friends have been causing me a lot of headaches." The Kumquat stood blindfolded, legs wobbling as he was struggling to stand only with the support of the armed guards. "I thought those idiots would be smart enough to back off and head home, yet they persist, and their actions have gotten to a point that I can no longer ignore." He could recognize the voice of the speaker, yet he didn't respond, allowing the silence to answer for him.

"Hey boss, you want me to smack him around? That'll open him up to answering you." A large green bear growled.

The short black pig shook his head and glared at the cat. Walking over to a small wooden desk, he reached inside and pulled out a glass and a large bottle. Pouring the drink into his glass, he slushed it around and walked towards The Kumquat. "Smells good, doesn't it? Vintage stuff. I'm sure you're thirsty after all the time down in the dungeon. Maybe you need a drink to talk, dry throat. Sure, would help if you gave me some information on your friends. Heck, maybe I'll let you go."

The orange cat once again said nothing. Simply closing his eyes and preparing for whatever Jack would do to help curtail his resistance. The lack of a response was clearly angering the hog, who looked to one of the guards. With a silent understanding, the orange bear walked in front of The Kumquat and with a solid swing, punched him in the stomach. "You think you're better than you are, you worthless scum." The bear yelled out.

"I'll never tell you anything." Doubled over, sucking in air while speaking, the lead fruit resisted giving into the pig, and while he was afraid, wouldn't betray his friends. "Guess you might as well give up now."

"I don't think I will." Jack took the glass and smashed it onto the feline's head, knocking him back down. Bleeding and in extreme agony, The Kumquat groaned as the pig stood over him. Stomping his foot down onto his victim's head, pushing a shard of glass further in, he spoke harshly and angrily. "Real brave of you! I won't allow you to end things. I've kept you here as bait, hoping they'd come. I was hoping to kill you all together, make you all slowly starve to death. I'm offering you an out. Your life for theirs! But yet you don't seem to get it through that thick skull of yours that regardless of what you do, you're all dead Toons walking. You could spare yourself, just tell me where they are. That thick skull is still penetrable to glass."

As The Kumquat braced himself for a further attack, crouching into a ball, the cat was surprised when he heard a thud on the ground. Opening his eyes slowly, he exclaimed as the unconscious body of one of the body guards laid near him. "If it isn't Jack. Speaking all tough and nefariously as usual." What had given small hope had turned in conflated feelings when the cat realized the voice was not any of his friends, although he did know who was speaking. "Probably thought you'd never see me again, did you?"

The Kumquat groaned and tried to roll himself over but was knocked back over by Jack. "How… How are you here?" The cat managed to cry out.

"That's no matter to you." A red dog stepped into view, crossing her arms, and tilting her head. "I'm not here for you either, cat. In fact, the only reason I've spent so much time here helping you was for mostly the same reason. You were my bait. I'll dispose of you when the time comes."

"Roxy… How sweet of you to show up for all of this. You're just making it so simple for me to kill you all in one swift movement. Did you come to beg for forgiveness after your betrayal? Because I do not need you any longer." Jack snarled condescendingly at his former associate. "Were you run out of town once everyone discovered the truth? That you killed your father?"

The Kumquat's eyes almost burst from his head. "Wait… you killed… Slappy?" He weakly inquired.

Jack guffawed at the question. "Of course she did! You think I would worry about such a weak-willed scrub like Slappy? I only got involved so that I could easily overthrow this dumb dog and consolidate power into my own gang. Should have known she'd stab me in the back… but no matter I still plan on doing it to you!" Whipping out his famed knife, the pig stood in a crouched, defensive position.

"Ha, you think I care so little about your accusations? You killed him because you were afraid of me, and you wished to pin things on me. I knew you'd backstab me the second you could. All you did was clear the path for me." Scowling, Roxy withdrew her own weapon. "However, things soon went to the gutter as a large swarm of cogs came and began killing everybody. Using some sort of deranged technology. It's become a Hell on its own. I guess my idiot father was good for one thing, and that was keeping those robotic menaces at bay. Whatever, I'm alive and now I'm here where I'll have a new chance. But I can't start a new life knowing you're patrolling the streets alive. I'm going to turn you into bacon and feed you to my enemies!"