Ch.14: The Hunt Begins

Seconds earlier, Scrooge had been downstairs trying to think of a good reason to get Angus Fangus to leave when Ms. Beakley's screams suddenly pierced through the air, and his feet rushed automatically, sprinting towards the second floor.

Enough horror had played out in his life today. If any more of his friends and family ended up getting hurt because this psycho wanted more than what he worth… Scrooge swore, he would make it his number one mission that the villain behind all of this was the one who would pay.

Swinging the door open to the housemaid's room, Scrooge shouted and gawked as he caught a masked and caped figure just about the leave. Turning slowly around from his position in the window, the figure glanced at Scrooge, and the rich duck gasped instantly recognizing the face of hero he long thought was gone.

"The Duck Avenger? What's he doing here?"

Eyes locked with each other as silent tension plagued the air. The masked mallard looked disgusted that he had been caught, but Scrooge could see guilt and grief painting the hero's expression as well.

Before the rich duck could speak up and demand what exactly the Duck Avenger was doing in Ms. Beakley's hospital room, the rest of his family, along with that bothersome reporter, caught up and met him at the bedroom door. Angus Fangus's beak lit up with malicious grin as he spotted the Duck Avenger, and brought up his camera to film the scene.

The Duck Avenger scowled. He had to flee before anyone else showed up. Finishing his climb out of the window, Donald springed his way back to where he had left his ride, fighting the urge to look back, as frustration tinged in his very toes.

His family was in danger, and it would look to everyone now like he committed the crime.

"Uncle Scrooge will come out hunting for me. I need to find the real culprit and fast!"


Confusion continued to plague the hospital not long after the Duck Avenger was gone. Scrooge and his family gathered around a slightly calmer Ms. Beakley, while Angus Fangus laughed, bragging his big scoop before leaving, ready to edit the footage for tomorrow's news.

Scrooge took a big sigh of relief once the reporter was gone, mind roiling in frustration as everything just seemed to be from going bad to worse.

What was the Duck Avenger even doing here? Why did Ms. Beakley scream? What type of evidence was on that chart to make it a target of attempted theft?

Scrooge growled, hating not having all of the answers, and hating even more at the fact that his family was involved.

What was the connection between these bizarre instances? Could Angus's crazy theory somehow be right and the Duck Avenger was behind the crime?

The more Scrooge thought about it, the more the puzzle started to make sense. The Duck Avenger was Donald's 'friend', he could have easily used an emergency call to lead Donald away and lure him to his doom. Targeting Scrooge and his family also made sense, for long before he became hero, he harassed Scrooge with several plots, laughing and smiling a wicked grin before fleeing off like a crook somewhere into the night.

A friend turned enemy. If this was true, then Donald had stepped into a very deadly game, and Ms. Beakley and others had to suffer along on with it.

Webby sobbed, head burrowing deeply over her granny's chest. Scrooge's determination narrowed. It was time to end this game.

"Hello" Scrooge hissed into his cellphone " I want every available resource after the Duck Avenger now!"

Friend, foe, villain, or crook, whoever was the cause in the end, Scrooge promised they would face his wrath.