by Roaming Tigress
Chapter Seven:
A Turn of Events
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The spy sneered, pulling out a handgun from his holster as he approached the two lovers nonchalantly. "Do I see a top agent of F.O.W.L breaking the rules while on his time off?"
Steelbeak turned around and gasped as he saw who was approaching. His heart pounded hard as he clutched Bushroot close to his body like a protective parent. Oh my god . . . Dey found out. What am I to do? What am I gonna tell Bushroot?
"What's going on?" Bushroot whimpered, cowering at the Eggman-Spy's approach. "Who is this guy?!"
"Javert . . . " Steelbeak growled, backing away. "What do youse want?"
"Oh yes . . . It's me!" He hissed, pulling off his mask, revealing himself to be a white-feathered, orange-eyed mallard with a black patch of feathers over his right eye. "Well I don't know about you, but your rooster friend is going to have a talk with High Command!" The spy snarled, grabbing Steelbeak by the collar of his jacket. "You know the rules of F.O.W.L, do you? For such a much-liked veteran agent as yourself, I'm rather disappointed in you."
Who does he t'ink he is orderin' me around like dis?!
"What a minute! I'm in charge of youse guys!" Steelbeak snapped, managing to free himself from the spy's grasp. A well-placed punch to the bill sent the large duck wheeling back. "Tell 'Igh Command dey can kiss my fine Italian ass if dey wanna separate me from Bushroot. I don't give a damn dat my relationship wit' Bushroot is some'ow different from ev'ryone else's, or dat it's against de books!"
"Whatever you do, don't give up your career for me," Bushroot pleaded. "I mean, you were born for this job. Don't let me get in the way."
"De organization can shove it, Bushroot!" Fer once, I don't give a damn about dem. All dat matters to me at de moment is you.
Javert, taking advantage of Steelbeak's distraction, jumped up and tackled him to the ground, with a gun to his head and a foot on his back . "You wouldn't want to disappoint your boyfriend now, would you? It would be a shame to break his heart like this. You must leave him! It's for the better good, you see?"
Bushroot gathered up all the strength and (the very little) courage he had and pounced onto Steelbeak's attacker, attempting to strangle him with his vine-like arms. "Let him go, jerk!"
Bushie, dis guy's insane! You don't know who yer dealin wit'!
"NEVER!" Javert roared, throwing Bushroot off with one hard slap. "The rooster and I have some scores to be settled with High Command! You interfere, and I will kill you!"
"Pry him from my cold, dead 'ands and youse still won't get 'im!" Steelbeak snapped, shoving the spy off his back. Too angered to think straight, he shakingly picked up his handgun and shot Javert in the shoulder with speed that would rival that of a sharpshooter. It made the spy drop the gun, but it unknowingly infuriated him further. Damn it! I meant to have shot 'im in de 'ead! Man, my aim is way off today.
"Then so be it!" Javert yelled, gripping a hand over the wound. He snatched up his handgun and aimed for Steelbeak's heart, pulling the trigger when he believed the aim was just perfect.
NOOOOOO!
"Everything will be okay, everything will be okay . . . " Bushroot whispered, gently lowering Steelbeak to the ground . He knew everything was far from being okay, but it brought comfort to his distraught companion who was in a great deal of suffering.
I'll be fine, Reggie . . . I'll be fine.
"Shhh . . . " Bushroot whispered, cradling Steelbeak's head and stroking his feathers to further soothe him. "I love you . . . I love you . . . "
Steelbeak slowly closed his tawny eyelids, shuddered once and became still.
Disclaimer:
Darkwing Duck, Bushroot, High Command, Negaduck, Fearsome Five and Steelbeak are © Disney. Javert is © Roaming Tigress.
