by Roaming Tigress
Chapter Eight:
Revenge!
Morning started off like it always has at the Adair apartment. There was breakfast, followed by an hour of tutoring. All this was finished off with a round of target practice and Siege heading off to work. When she was out doing her High Command duties, Javert was always left to his own amusements. Often this meant going into town to shoot pigeons -- or sometimes pedestrians.
Javert knew of Steelbeak's vulnerability in the state he was at the medical center. With a cruel smile forming on his small bill, he took the escalator down to the floor it was located. Perhaps, if he got down there, he could finish off the job he intended on doing. Maybe he could open up his stitches, or inject poison into his I.V. The possibilities were endless for the wicked child.
"We'll see who's the better bird at the end . . . "
****
Before orders were given to the agents, the High Commanders formed a private meeting in their discussion room. This room was in the attic of the F.O.W.L Headquarters, and was kept a secret from all but the three.
"I say we move one of them out of St. Canard," suggested Jerold, his greying eyebrows furrowed. The proud-looking vulture leaned into his chair, reading over a handful of papers that Siege handed to him. "I can't say I'd be surprised if Javert was Steelbeak's attacker. That child is a menace to him!"
"A menace he may be to the rooster, but a treasure for F.O.W.L!" Siege replied, remaining defensively optimistic. "What do you propose we do, Tyson?"
The aged crane placed a tape down in the center of the table where the two other avians were sitting at. He was rather homely looking, with silvering hair, wrinkled eyelids and yellow eyes. His clothes didn't do much for him, especially the trenchcoat that looked like it had been around for centuries.
Reaching into his trenchcoat, he pulled out a video and placed it down on the table in front of the others. He pointed to it with a long, bony finger and spoke gruffly.
"Watch it, see what you think, and then make a decision."
The tape showed the brutal attack on the organization's lead agent. Siege's eyes were practically glued to the scene the very moment her son appeared on it.
"There's no doubting it now . . . " she remarked, watching the stabbing unfold. "I just . . . Don't know what punishment would suit him the best."
Jerold was always one to execute first, and ask questions later. He grinned cruelly, exposing a gold tooth. "Well, there's the firing squad, hanging, electrocution. Then there's what we did to Jacob when he - "
"I will not have my son killed!" Siege hissed, her maternal protectiveness kicking in. Jerold cringed at her sudden fury, and seeing this she settled back down in her chair. Perhaps secretly, Javert was something more to her than just a savage agent in training. She was proud of how he was turning out, and wouldn't want her hard work going down the drain.
Tyson let out a groan of mockery. "Then keep him in his room, ground him and don't let him come down for supper!"
"You're pushing your luck, Tyson!" Jerold warned. Jotting down a few notes, he looked over to the matriarch of the trio. "I say we make sure the two are kept separate. Maybe relocate Steelbeak to Duckburg HQ, at least for a few years. Perhaps when he gets back, Javert will forget all about his issues with him. "
Siege knew this was easier said than done, but nonetheless, remained open about the suggestion. "I suppose we can give it a try."
"Won't hurt, I suppose," Tyson replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Not to rain on your parade, but I doubt that child will forget about his issues with Steelbeak. That child has a memory better than an elephant."
****
In the F.O.W.L Medical Center, Steelbeak was steadily on his way to recovery from the attack. Drowsy from the painkillers and bleary eyed from the anesthetic, he watched a rather attractive calico cat nurse approached his bed. He attempted a suave smile, but came off looking more drunk than anything. In spite of his shape he was in, he still eager to flirt with the ladies. If there was one advantage to being seriously hurt, it was that he got topnotch attention.
He leered at the feline and waggled an eyebrow as she changed his I.V. "Hey, miss kitty . . . Come to take care o' de wounded soldier?"
This flirting had not gone unnoticed to the calico cat. She ignored this, and took a quick look at his surgical incision. Avoiding eye contact with the smug rooster, she jotted down notes on his condition on a clipboard. She was amazed at his fast recovery.
"Looking good, Agent Steelbeak," she said, handing the clipboard to a passing nurse. "The surgical area looks nice and clean, expect the feathers to grow back within a month. Providing you don't overdo it with any vigorous exercise and take your antibiotics, there should be no real problems."
"'Ow bout youse come over an' kiss my boo-boo better?" He suggested with a saucy wink.
Men! Again, the nurse ignored his attempts to flirt with her. "With a little more rest you'll be up on your feet and ready to go back on the job."
Steelbeak watched the nurse as she turned her back and left the room. "Aww youse say like I'm gonna die in two weeks! It was just a little stabbing! So my intestines sorta spilled out, and I lost a lotta blood but hey, I pulled t'rough at de end!" A nauseous feeling sunk into his stomach, and painfully he grimaced. As an attempt to elevate the pain, he instinctively curled up, but if anything this caused more trouble.
"I'm gonna kill dat kid . . . " He growled.
Watching the cat leave, Javert slunk in the room. An Eggman with a broken leg hobbled past, he did not resist the temptation to trip him.
"My how the mighty have fallen!" He laughed at the unfortunate duck, walking right over him to get to Steelbeak's bed. Javert saw the obvious pain Steelbeak was in, and decided to push him further to his limits.
"Oh, hello! 'ow nice of youse to pop in ta see 'ow I was doin'!" Steelbeak's voice dripped with sarcasm. He readied himself to give the child the beating of his life, but refrained. As enjoyable as the thought was, it wasn't risk being punished by High Command. He knew all too well of how protective Siege was of things she was proud of.
Revenge popped into Javert's mind. He looked to the rooster's bed, then out into the hallway. No, can't wheel him down the stairs, he's too heavy. But maybe . . . He snapped his fingers, and approached a nurse on lunch break. Smiling sweetly, he tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yes, how may I help you?" Asked the nurse, a stout looking middle-aged sparrow with medium-length brown hair. As she turned around, Javert looked away so that she couldn't see the trademark patch over his eye.
"I think Steelbeak could do with a nice walk outside," Javert piped up, fidgeting with anticipation of causing more trouble for the agent's life. "A little fresh air, a little walk around . . . Does everyone good!"
"You know, I do think you're right!" The sparrow chirped up, not suspecting a thing. On her way over to the patient care area, she patted Javert on the shoulder.
While the nurse helped Steelbeak get out of bed, Javert hightailed it over to the staircase. He tucked his lithe body behind a garbage compactor, and waited. His mind was so set on revenge that everything else in the world might as well not exist.
Soon enough, the rooster passed by the youngster. His walk was slow and lumbering, and didn't notice Javert until he felt a kick to his shins. Snapping his jaws in irritation, he whirled around to face the youngster.
"Try dat again, punk!" He snarled. Although he was in a more vulnerable condition, it didn't stop him from lashing out. If anything, it made him more defensive and irritable.
All right, you asked for it! Mustering up all the strength his little body had, Javert gave Steelbeak a violent shove down the stairs. He let out a hearty laugh as he watched the rooster go tumbling down the stairs. His self-satisfaction rose at each thump of the bulky body. The only thing that would make his plan even better if he had brought a camera.
"How does it feel to be shoved down?" He scoffed, hearing the metallic clang of Steelbeak's beak hit the ground. Understandably the child felt as if he was on top of the world.
"Don't you know what comes around, goes around?"
"Vice versa, idiot . . . " With a groan, Steelbeak stood up and shoved away an Eggman who offered to help him up. The pain in his stomach intensified, but in spite of this he sneered. A weaker individual might have cringed away from the child's cruelty, but not him. He knew the little game Javert was playing, and was ready for anything that was thrown at him.
With his silver eyes filled with fury, he looked up at Javert again and spoke in an odd, calm tone. "Dis is only de beginnin', Javert."
At the foot of the stairs, Javert casually leaned up against a wall and returned the very same look.