"Gosalyn!" Darkwing scolded upon arrival at the Tower. "Shouldn't you be in bed by now?!"

Gosalyn was dressed in green and white striped pajamas. "I tried. Had killer insomnia."

The single father had heard his daughter lie so many times, he could tell a true statement a mile off. "What's wrong?"

"Too excited. Football tryouts are tomorrow. I'll be the first girl at St. Canard Elementary to try out."

"The first girl to try out for football in the St. Canard School District was Swifty Featherson at the high school," Darkwing said as he rifled through some papers.

"How'd you know that?" asked Morgana.

"Swifty was in my algebra class freshman year. The only guy she was unable to beat up was Ham String." He handed Gosalyn a sheaf of papers. "Read this."

Gosalyn obeyed. Within a minute, she yawned. "Guess I should go to bed."

Morgana was amazed. "What was that? Some sort of magic scroll?"

"No. The first draft of my memoirs."

Launchpad came in. "Orsini's didn't have open reservations, so I got the next best thing."

"Hamburger Hippo?" asked Darkwing dryly.

"Nope!" The pilot held up a pair of paper bags. "Merry Meals from McDuckles!"

Morgana took the bags and set them on the table. "I guess I'm willing to try 'normal' food. My picky-eater sister eats this stuff, so it can't be TOO bad." She sat down and opened one.

Launchpad headed for the spin-chairs. "I'm gonna see if Herb's still awake. There's a Pelican's Island marathon tonight."

Morgana took out a french fry and bit into it. "Haven't eaten potatoes since Aunt Nasty's Tubers n' Tongue."

"Aunt Nasty actually uses vegetables in her cooking?" asked the sorceress' boyfriend. He and his girlfriend hadn't argued about her food since the opening of the Shadow Chateau, but Darkwing avoided it whenever possible.

"Rotten ones, but yes." The temporarily normal witch unwrapped her cheeseburger and sampled it. "Might take some getting used to, but not bad."

"Why are you eating normal food all of a sudden, honeywumpus?"

"It was my sister's idea."

"You have a sister?"

"Medeva. She's the family white sheep. Only other McCawber who actually embraces normal customs."

"I take that she and your father aren't exactly simpatico."

"After she got expelled from Eldritch, Father sent her to boarding school. And everytime she'd visit, he'd put the whole castle on 'Medeva Alert'. Completely ridiculous, considering she recently graduated. Anyway, Med suggested I try to view things from a normal perspective, so I've renounced my magic for twenty-four hours."

Darkwing's jaw dropped. "Does your father know?"

"Oh, what Moloculo McCawber doesn't know won't hurt him."
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J. Gander Hooter sank into his first-class seat and waited for takeoff.

There was some static over the intercom, then a voice was audible. "Attention, passengers. I've got da remote control to a bomb that's hidden on dis plane!"

The head of SHUSH groaned. He knew that Italian accent anywhere.

"Cooperate, and I won't push da button. Now, will the passenger in Seat A4 come to the cockpit?"

The director gulped. His seat was labeled A4. He ran down the aisle and opened the door leading to the cockpit. "What is the meaning of this?" He glanced at FOWL's Chief Agent. "And why is your beak dented?" Hooter could feel two Egg Men grab him from behind.

Steelbeak looked embarrassed as tossed the remote control, which the hostage noticed was just a calculator to an Egg Man. He hadn't had enough time to pound the dents out since his earlier meeting with Morgana McCawber. "Ya see, there wasn't really a bomb. But just saying the word bomb in an airport makes the whole building go nuts."

"How'd you find out I booked a flight on Sigma Airlines instead of taking one of SHUSH's planes to Pato Alto?"

"Are youse kidding? FOWL's techs can hack into any of SHUSH's computers. We can even access your personal schedule!"

Note to self, thought the director as Steelbeak and the Egg Men were leaving the plane, taking him with them. Change the passwords. "Let me guess. You plan to hold me for ransom?"

"I'm a master criminal. I'm more creative than dat. How'd you like to join FOWL?"

"I'd rather die!"

"Sorry, death isn't an option." Steelbeak laughed his trademark cackle as he and his party slipped into a limousine, which sped off. The rooster picked up his cell phone. "Norwood? Is the equipment ready?"

"Quit rushing me!" came a juvenile voice. "You want it done, High Command wants it done! Not to mention it took half a million smackers to get Ms. Ghastly to power the darn thing! But yes, it's finished!"

J. Gander Hooter could only wonder what that meant for him.