Unfinished Business
by Roaming Tigress

Chapter Six:
The Deal





Drake Mallard groggily drank down what was left of his coffee and switched on the radio. He flipped through the paper, trying to find out anything about last night's events and grumpily tossed it aside when he couldn't find anything about it. The front page read "Peregrine Press Opens its 10th Location."

"I can't believe it!"

"Can't believe what, dad?" Gosalyn asked, poking her head into the kitchen's door frame.

Drake let out a sigh and motioned toward the paper. "Not a single article about what went on between Steelbeak and his troubles with the Trigger-Happy Trio!"

"Are you sure you're reading today's paper?" Gosalyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Gos. Apparently the opening of Peregrine Press was more newsworthy!"

"If you don't mind me asking . . . What exactly went on yesterday, dad?"

Drake opened his bill to explain. "Well - - "

"Master criminal Steelbeak is now sitting behind electrified bars after assaulting an elderly man!" The radio news reporter announced with urgency. "The attack was reported to be unprovoked when the infamous F.OW.L agent, long known for his extensive criminal record, came out of nowhere and attempted to strangle seventy year-old Roberto Volatili as he was out for a neighbourhood walk. The veteran lawyer was slightly shaken but otherwise not hurt in the incident."

"Slightly shook? What a shame . . . " Drake muttered sarcastically. "I know everything that went on. I can't see how those fiends managed to go slip through that lie detector!"

"Well, between you and me I think Steelbeak's got a few screws loose," Gosalyn shrugged indifferently, sitting in front of Drake and sipping a glass of orange juice. "I mean, why else would they place him behind *electrified* bars? Seems like something you'd expect in Jurassic Park! That guy is a psycho!"

"Your right, Gos, but let me explain," Drake nodded with a slight chuckle. "You see, Roberto and Amelia, Steelbeak's parents, paid a madman by the name of Javert to gun him down. I'm not sure why. That's what I'm trying to piece together. Apparently it didn't go unnoticed by the rogue rooster and he decided to take measures into his own hands."

Gosalyn had always disliked Steelbeak, especially when she was a young child, but at the same time, she couldn't help but to feel bad for him at this moment.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to get him out is what I'm going to do!" Drake answered confidently, his chest slightly puffed out.

"And when I'm done that, I'll place the real culprits involved in this in their rightful place!"

At the St. Canard Penitentiary, Steelbeak sat slouched up on the cot with his back turned toward his cell's gate. Still sore from the electric shock, his miserable state was made worse when he heard that the person who practically assisted in his arrest would come by to visit.

"Someone is here to visit you, Mr. Steelbeak," a guard spoke in a gruff tone. Standing behind was Darkwing, slightly annoyed but otherwise calm.

"Tell 'em ta get lost . . . "

"Do you want to get out of this place or do you not?" The guard asked. "I could care less either way. One less villain off the streets, but one less villain that needs to be fed."

"Of course I want out!" Steelbeak scoffed, slowly turning around. "What kinda stupid question is dat? I should sue youse fer unlawful arrest!"

"Beating elderly citizens is no way to solve family problems," The guard mumbled, walking off as he heard a group of inmates yell some rather non-Disney words.

"Worse comes to worse, try counseling! It worked for the problems I had between my next-door neighbour and I."

"If youse knew what I've been t'rough you'd know dat my actions were valid," Steelbeak growled, turning his back away. "What I did was no woise den what 'e did. Counseling won't do a damn good t'ing! If anyt'ing, it'll jus' make t'ings woise."

"I know, for once I'll agree with you . . . " Darkwing spoke awkwardly, finding it difficult to comprehend the fact that the debonair villain had lead a difficult life. "They were trying to kill you, and you had every right to be mad at them. You just took it a little too far."

"Jus leave me alone . . . " Steelbeak murmured dejectedly. "Why do youse insist on tryin' to help me out? Dere's not a t'ing youse could do fer me now. "

"Wrong again!" Darkwing said assuredly, putting his hands on his hips. "I just this moment dropped off more evidence to prove your innocence, and I've come here to bail you out."

Steelbeak's metallic jaw practically fell to the ground when he heard the mention of innocence. He slowly turned around and looked down at Darkwing, not with arrogance this time, but with sheer confoundment. Innocence was certainly not one of the words that the daring do-gooder used for him, and he was suspicious. Maybe it was a trick, maybe it wasn't.

"Me . . . Innacent?"

"I'm only letting you go this time," Darkwing said firmly. "I mean it. You certainly aren't a saint but you're more innocent than that rotten Roberto and his petty pack of pretentious predators!"

"Although I can't say much fer Javert, my parents were both poifectly fine before I was born," Steelbeak muttered, clenching his fists. He trudged toward the small window that looked out across the Audubon River.

"Maybe if I was born normal . . . Maybe if I wasn't born at all . . . Maybe if . . . "

"You can't stay in the past . . . " Darkwing sighed, shaking his head. "I know it's hard, I went to the same school as you did. I know what you went through, but it's what's causing all this trouble. Just let me try and work something out."

Steelbeak stared blankly at the ground and shrugged his shoulders. "Youse kin try, but yer jus' wastin' yer time."

"I can't promise you anything, but I'll certainly do what I can!" Darkwing said optimistically. "I am Darkwing Duck after all, and thus, I can think up well made plans faster than you can say Missouri!"

"Dere's a catch to it, right?" Steelbeak asked, pacing back and forth and only stopped when he became dizzy.

"Well, yes . . . "

"Well, I t'ought so," Steelbeak mumbled. "I mean, it's not ev'ry day when a crime fighter helps his villains out in tough situations."

"You must promise to NEVER, EVER threaten my daughter!" Darkwing no-nonsense-ly replied. Then, bravely, he carefully placed a hand through the bars in hope of an agreement.

"Deal?"

Steelbeak rolled his eyes at the mention of Gosalyn. She was always constantly in his way, and more than once had ruined a mission. Yet, his freedom meant more to him and with a small smile he shook Darkwing's hand.

"A deal's a deal!"