Author : Wild-Melody

Disclaimer : *eyes wide* Oh, another one? If you insist, I don't own them, the Mighty Ducks that is, but the rest of the unknown characters are more than likely mine. If not, I didn't intentionally take them from anyone else, I thought they were all originals of my own…just in case. I'm sure though that they all are mine, but you can use 'em if you ask nicely, otherwise I'm gonna hunt your stinking Saurian butt down and give you an up close and personal introduction to a pucklauncher. *Smiles sweetly* Hope you enjoy the latest chapter….

Warning : Um, nah. I warned you enough in the disclaimer…oh, you mean a warning about the story? Nothing to bad here either, later chapters will have lots of violence and other things…*shrugs shoulders* You'll see once I'm done with it, but not any sooner!

Rating : Hmm, clean I guess. For now anyhow….

Ok, sit back and enjoy the show….oops, sit down and enjoy the book I mean, oh sorry again, the story.

Chapter 5 : ???

Wildwing was just starting to regain consciousness; it was like trying to climb through a thick black fog, which didn't want to give him up. His head ached and his body felt like he'd been slammed by a semi-truck. A groan escaped from his beak and he tried rolling over to his side.

He thought he heard someone talking in the distance, or was it in the background? He couldn't worry about that right now, he had more important things to figure out. For instance, he needed to figure out where he was and what in the hell was going on! Plus, he needed to figure out how he had gotten where ever it was that he's at….to much to figure out upon just waking up.

His vision went from the thick black fog to light gray smoke. Am I starting to wake up? he wondered. Images began flashing before his eyes on the fog. Tanya standing outside of Dive's and his bedroom. Her sitting on his bed-huh?! Mallory's missing-Oh, I get it now. Attacking the Raptor, freeing Mallory. Her pausing just as they were about to escape the Raptor, as if she was looking or listening to something or someone. Had she betrayed us? Wildwing wondered.

More images flashed before his eyes. Nosedive and Duke getting hit by lazer fire. Carrying Dive's lifeless body out of the Raptor. Duke, injured, dragging/pulling Mallory out of the ship.

On the way back to the pond in the Migrator ,Nosedive stopping breathing, just as soon as they got to the pond his heart quit beating. Standing outside of the Infirmary talking with Mallory, no ARGUING with Mallory. Her moving her hand, or wrist, like she was going swat something and then him hitting the wall.

All of a sudden he woke up, sitting up on the bed, gasping for breath. "Where's Mallory?" he asked no one in particular, it was the first thing on his conscious mind. He glanced around the infirmary, Nosedive was laying on the bed directly beside him, all of his vitals were in the safe zones. Thank goodness, Wildwing breathed a sigh of relief. He looked to the bed Duke was lying upon, he wasn't even hooked up to the instruments. He must be asleep, Wing thought.

Tanya and Grin barreled through the doorway and stopped just inside of the infirmary doors. Wildwing looked at them intently, "Where's Mallory?" He repeated.

"I, uh…we, well…really don't know," Tanya answered once she stopped next to Duke's bed. "We were kind of hoping…well, that you…uh, be able to tell us. She c-ca-called to say that you were, well injured, but when we got there, she was, well gone." Tanya said as she looked down at Duke's prone form.

Wildwing leaned forward, as he tried to get a better look at Dive, then he turned to look at Tanya again. "I'm gonna need you to change the security codes for Drake 1 and the pond's security devices. I want the intruder surviellence system put on alert until I say further. Double check all of our security systems, make sure they're all in 100% working order, if not, I wanna know about it! I don't want a bug getting into this place without me knowing about it." Wildwing ordered, swinging his legs down over the side of the bed.

"Sure thing Wing," Tanya said, "I'll run an upgrade on all the systems and do a maintenance check on them as well. C-can I ask why?" She walked over to Dive's bed but didn't take her eyed off of Wing.

"I think we have a traitor amongst us." Was all Wing would say.

"Huh? Who?" Tanya asked.

"The only one of us who is missing." Wildwing said, getting off of the bed and putting his full weight on his feet. He felt wobbly and put a hand on the bed behind him to steady himself.

"You mean Mallory?" Tanya asked. Wildwing nodded his head. "But why would Mallory betray us?"

"She's the one that knocked me out."

"Huh? Why would she do that?"

Wildwing leaned away from the bed, putting his full weight on his legs, "I don't know, but that's what I aim to find out."

*****

Mallory looked at Windracer, It just can't be possible. He's made it out of the Dark Realms to come after me? I just don't understand why?

I'm sorry to say it but Mallory, as a sorceress, your weak. You've not been properly trained to use your powers and he knows it. He hopes to lure you to him with promises of training you.

Turning me evil you mean.

No, he can only turn you if you willingly want to be turned. He can not force you…Her voice trailed off as a thought occurred to her.

What?

Get back to your friends now Mallory. I don't care what happens or what Nightshade might say to you, but don't leave you base of operations.

Why?

He can not force you to turn, but he can tempt you…Another thought occurred to her but she didn't want to dwell on it. She wasn't sure if Nightshade were capable of such an act of immorality, but she didn't really want to find out.

I don't understand.

He'll tempt you with power, tempt you with your heart's desires…there is one more thing, but I don't even want to consider it right now. I don't know how much he has changed from the time that Skysong and Darkskies dealt with him…I no longer know what he is capable of or what he may do. It is best if you stay within close distance of your friends right now. At least till I find these things out.

Mal's eyes glazed over with understanding, her mother nodded her head. And if he can't tempt you to him, he'll use his dark magick to try and lure you and if that don't work, he'll try and destroy you. There was one thing that Windracer was not saying, but Mallory could read it in her eyes. The possibility that he would rape her to get his own way. Mallory opened her mouth to speak but Windracer shushed her. Darkskies saved her but you my daughter have no one to protect you, except for maybe your friends, but I don't know what good they would be able to do against Nightshade…

*****

Mallory was not really certain if she wanted to return to the Pond or not, but she was beginning to believe the being who said she was her mother. She was also beginning to believe that she possessed this talent known as magick, even if it was something she really didn't want to admit to.

She was terrified of facing the others and revealing to them the secrets of her past she had just discovered. How would they react? Would they look at her like she was something horrible or would they consider her to still be the same duck they had been working with for all of these years? What of Wildwing? Would he be able to forgive her for…for what? Exactly what had it been that she had done to him? What exactly had she hit him with anyway? She wasn't entirely sure quite yet.

So it was with a heavy heart and a mind full of doubt that she got back into her car and started on her way back to the Pond, unsure of what type of reception she would receive. She turned up the radio, just catching the tail end of a song that held a note of truth to it.

The music was sweet and sorrowful, the singer pouring their whole entire being into the song. Mallory could feel the sting of tears beginning to form in her eyes.

He held her tight and kissed her lips in front of the picture show

Stranger came and pulled a gun

Grabbed her by the arm

Said if you do what I tell you to there won't be any harm

And Jonny said: take my money, take my wallet, take my credit cards

Here's the watch that my Grandpa gave me, here's the key to my car

Mister give it a whirl, but please don't take the girl

Her hands tightened on the steering wheel and she felt the tears well up behind her eyes. She bit back the tears, the road in front of her streaming and blurring with the effort.

Same old boy, same sweet girl

Five years down the road

There's gonna be a little one and she says it's time to go

Doctor says the baby's fine,

but you'll have to leave

Cause his momma's fading fast and

Jonny hit his knees and there he prayed

Take the very breath you gave me,

take the heart from my chest

I'd gladly take her place if you'll let me,

make this my last request

Take me out of this world

God please don't take the girl

Her heart constricted as she thought of her mother. She could relate to the song more than anyone would ever know. You didn't cause my death…Her mother's words echoed in her mind and she actually did smile to herself and for the first time since she could remember she allowed all the burden and guilt she felt over her mother's death leave her and she felt at peace for the first time in her entire life.

Jonny's daddy was taking him fishing when he was eight years old

The words echoed inside of the car and Mallory allowed a single tear to escape and wind its way down her cheek and fall silently onto her lap.

*****

The alarms began to blare, the ducks came running into the control room, "What's the alarm?" Wildwing yelled over top of the din, he wanted to get back to the infirmary with Nosedive.

"Um, I'm not quite sure," Tanya said as she flipped a few switches. A picture of the parking lot popped up on Drake 1's screen. A small blue car had just pulled into the parking lot and was just parking in a vacated spot, but then again most of the spaces were vacated right now. The Ducks logo was embellished on it's light blue hood.

"That's Mal's car," Tanya said, even though everyone already knew that.

"Grin, your up top with me. Tanya, I want you to get one of the holding cells ready," Wildwing ordered. "Duke, go help her out, would you?"

"I still think we're making a big mistake." Someone said from behind him. Wing swung around but no one would meet his glare.

"Come on Grin," he said as he headed out of the control room.

Wildwing watched as Mallory stepped out of her car, one long leg at a time. He swallowed convulsively and looked at Grin. "Cover me."

Grin watched as Wing walked out to meet Mallory, Bad Karma to defend one against one's own teammate.

Mal turned to face Wildwing, a smile suddenly lit up her face. "You're alright!" She exclaimed as she jumped into his arms, which went automatically if not somewhat reluctantly around her. "I was afraid I may have really hurt you, I didn't mean it Wing, you have to believe me!"

He coughed as he eased her away from himself. Once he had her at arms length he coughed again, trying to clear his throat. "I'm fine Mallory," he said as he looked down into her eyes.

She smiled up at him again, "I didn't mean to do it," she said softly. "I'm not even quite sure yet how I did do it."

He cleared his throat again, "Um, well Mal, that brings me up to the safety of the whole team…" she looked up at him confused, unsure of where his direct line of thinking was going. "I'm afraid I'm gonna have to bench-"

"You already told me that once!" she said hotly.

"Yes, and well, also…" he paused , unsure of how to tell her he was going to confine her to a holding cell too. He didn't have to, suddenly his wrist comm went nuts, so did Mal's and Grin's. "What the hell?" He looked at his two teammates. He flicked the comm unit on, "Tanya, what's going on now?"

Tanya's face appeared in the vid screen, she looked rather flustered. "Um, well…I'm…you…it seems," she broke off as she did something off to the side that he couldn't see. Mallory was standing over his shoulder, listening to the conversation. Tanya must have just caught sight of her, "Hi Mal!" she said.

"Hi Tawny," Mal said back as she raised her hand over Wing's shoulder and waved. Wing unconsciously flinched, his mind flashing back to when she had knocked him out cold with just a flick of her wrist.

"It seems, that well…Drake 1 has picked u-up some high energy waves…similar to transport energy but just varied slightly. It m-migh oh, could be Dragaunus. I'm not sure though."

"Alright, we'll be right there, have the rest of the team…." he paused as he looked at Mallory and Grin. Damn! How am I going to do this? Someone needs to stay here with Nosedive, but we need to keep an eye on Mallory. Wildwing paused as he thought his dilema out. I can have Tanya stay with Nosedive and I can keep an eye on Mallory myself, that way if she hurts anybody else it'll be my fault and no one else's. "Tanya, I want you to stay here with Nosedive, tell Duke to meet us at the Migrator." Tanya nodded her head and broke the connection. "Grin, Mallory come on."

"What were you going to tell me?" Mal asked as she fell into step with Wildwing. Grin followed closely behind them.

"Nothing." Wildwing said crisply.

"I wouldn't mind staying here with Tanya. I could help her watch over Nosedive." Mal offered, After all, Mom had told me to stay at the base and not to leave.

"No, I want you with me." Wildwing ordered.

"Why?"

"Because I do."

"Oh."

*****

"The Ducks are on their way." Nightshade said.

"Oh really? And just how can you tell?" Siege asked, glaring at the strange feathered avian. Lord Dragaunus had ordered for Chameleon, Wraith and himself to bring the traitorous Duck along with them. He didn't like the foolish fowl any, but Wraith seemed to like him even less…something about the foolhardy duck being even more powerful than he was. Siege shook his head and continued tying to pry the door to the warehouse open. Normally he would just blow the blasted thing away, but Dragaunus had warned him that this time no alarms were to be set off, so that meant doing this the creepy fowl's way.

"I can sense the one you call Mallory. She is with at least three others, the other two team members I can not feel through her. They must still be at their headquarters." Nightshade hissed, looking disinterestingly at the large ugly lizard.

"What ever." Siege hissed.

"Do you need some help Nightshade?" Wraith rasped from his place far away from the strange assembled group.

"Not from the likes of you!" Nightshade hissed, his breath coming out like hissing water. "I do not need to taint my magick with your evil craft."

Strange choice of words from a evil duck. Wraith thought to himself.

I can feel you coming Flaming Bird, Nightshade called out mentally.

Hope you enjoy the revised version of 'Surprise'. I like the new title a lot more than the old one anyway. This had a little more revised in it than the previous chapters did.

Thanks again, Wild-Melody ;-)

*Blows kiss and waves bye-bye* till next chapter!