Chapter Three:
On the Run
Javert took advantage of Darkwing's absence and with one shot of his revolver, he freed Roberto from his handcuffs.
"I've never heard of that Darkwing Duck individual. If he crosses my path again, I will take care of him just like I'll take care of that good-for-nothing Steelbeak!" Javert snarled, slipping the gun back into his navy jacket. "I would not be the least bit surprised if he was a crooked cop. There's a lot of them in this city it seems."
"Thank you, Javert," Roberto muttered, rubbing his wrists and scowling at the city's horizon. "Darkwing Duck is a vigilante. He's a bumbling fool, but supposedly the greatest crime fighter in St. Canard. He knows what we're up to, and damn it all!"
Amelia watched with disdain as a police cruiser sped by. "That vehicle is going in Valentino's direction. If it's him they're after, they're going to get him before we do." She clenched her teeth and furrowed her silver eyebrows.
"Not the fate I want him to suffer!"
"Not if we get there first!" Roberto grinned evilly, placing an arm around his wife and lighting a cigarette. "We'll get our way, old girl!"
Four blocks away, Steelbeak was running like he never knew he could. Tailing behind him was Darkwing in his Ratcatcher, and just down the street were four police cars heading his way. It was then that it dawned on him that the commotion that went on had not gone unnoticed. In desperation, he ran down a rat-infested, garbage-strewn alleyway and unintentionally trapped himself more.
"They old running-through-the-alleyway trick won't work for me, Steelbeak!" Darkwing announced proudly, stepping into the alleyway with the Ratcatcher parked against the wall of a warehouse. "I know your slippery, sleazy ways all too well!"
At the other end of the alleyway were two police officers, one of which had a formidable German Shepherd at the end of a leather leash.
"Police, freeze!" The K-9 Officer ordered while the other removed a baton from her belt. "Surrender quietly or we'll release the dog!"
"What de . . . ?" Steelbeak stood his ground, looking over at Darkwing with a betrayed, hurt expression. "Youse said you were gonna help me out on dis!"
"Well I was, until you blatantly refused my offer!" Darkwing angrily replied, crossing his arms. "Take him away."
As the officers came forward, Steelbeak's eyes darted about frantically, looking around for any possible escape routes. He saw that there were no police officers standing behind Darkwing and thought if he could push him aside, he could make a run for it. By doing so, he'd risk getting bitten by the dog and the possibility of running into police awaiting for him at the corner of the buildings. With those risks, however, came the possibility of freedom.
"Who said an old agent can't learn new tricks?" Steelbeak asked wryly, shoving the purple-suited duck aside and running away laughing. "Hasta la vistas, suckahs!"
"Hey, watch it! I just took this suit to the dry cleaner's!" Darkwing griped, straightening out the creases in his cape.
"Get him, Ricardo, get him!" The K-9 officer yelled, releasing the dog and giving chase alongside his fellow officer.
A moment later, Darkwing took off in his Ratcatcher. Suddenly remembering about handcuffing Roberto, he decided to let the police deal with Steelbeak for the moment. The others needed to be caught, and if possible, interrogated.
The motorcycle slowly came to a stop as the headlights revealed the discarded handcuffs. Darkwing stepped off his seat and picked them up, noticing that they had been cut in half. He concluded that they had been shot and decided to drive off further into the city to look for the escapee. Luckily, Darkwing would get to the Trigger-Happy Trio -- Roberto, Javert and Amelia -- before anyone would be killed.
"Oh no you don't!" He exclaimed, spotting Javert run across a busy intersection.
A puff of blue smoke startled the fleeing villain. He took a step back, waving the smoke away from his face.
"What is this, some sort of magic trick? Get out of my way!"
"I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the weather report that interrupts your favorite show! I am Darkwiiiing Duck!" The caped crusader announced dramatically as the cloud of smoke began to clear. "Stand back or suck gas!"
"My, my, my, must we all end this in gunplay?" Javert sneered, shoving the end of his gun at Darkwing's forehead. "Were's your psychotic rooster pal when you need him?"
"He is NOT a friend!" Darkwing flustered nervously while noticing the huge backup of cars along the road. With a single web-kick to the gut, he was able to dislodge the weapon from Javert's hands and ran off with it.
"Catch me if you can, foolish fiend!" He shouted joyfully, almost childishly skipping down the sidewalk with the enraged gunman hot on his heels.
Just as Darkwing had hoped, this attracted the attention of Roberto. He casually strolled past the angered Javert, and roughly snatched him by the collar of his jacket.
"Did you kill Valentino?!" He demanded with a frenzied, evil grin. "Or Steelbeak, whatever you want to call that worthless piece of garbage that I refuse to call a son!"
"Killed him? Of course not!" Javert snarled, with slight nervousness as he tried to wiggle himself free Roberto's powerful grasp. "I saw him pepper spraying a police dog and he dashed off again!"
"I knew I should've trusted you!" Roberto growled, punching the other scoundrel right between his eyes. With a grin, he snatched a wad of money out of Javert's coat pocket and slipped it in his wallet. "I think after your failure I expect to be allowed to have my money back!"
Suddenly, he found himself once again handcuffed by the daring Darkwing Duck. "What's the meaning of this?!"
"The villains can run, but they can't hide from Darkwing Duck!" He replied smugly, handcuffing Javert and dusting off his hands.
"Yep, yep, yup. I win again!"
Steelbeak watched the entire scene from around the corner of a clothing store. He was practically brimming with joy as he watched his father, along with Javert, being taken away in a police cruiser. Having eluded the authorities after a two-hour merry chase, he was more than quite pleased with himself. For the moment, Steelbeak was a free bird.
"Well, Pop, it looks like yas got what was comin' to ya!"