One more chapter left after this one. I must say the last two chapters are the best and I hope you enjoy the close of this fiction. Thanks for your reviews!

CHAPTER 13

DOCKS

Draco was hiding in a tangle of girders and cables on the deck. From where he was, Darkwing's body was completely obscured. The duck in the cape on the boat's deck lifted a bucket and poured it's contents over the rail, spilling water onto a small stream of fire snaking it's way across the dock towards a stack of oil drums. The fire sizzled before being reduced to a small puff of smoke. Negaduck coolly continued his way across the deck and down the boat's boarding ramp while reaching into his jacket, retrieving a small lighter that glinted in the glow of the fire from the ship. He walked over to Darkwing's fallen body and stood over him; his face remained hidden under the brim of his fedora.

The two mallards exchanged words for a moment, followed by Negaduck next removing the pistol from his jacket. He aimed the gun between Darkwing's eyes…

Red and blue lights flashed from behind Draco, stealing his attention from the confrontation of the other two ducks. He spun around as the blaring sirens of police cars started to become louder and louder with each passing second.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Draco heard the shots and spun back around to face the docks from his hiding place. He turned just in time to see Negaduck running across the dock towards the gangway, squinting his eyes to try and make out the features on the murderer's face. But he could not.

Negaduck stopped long enough to flip open the lighter and ignite it's flame, the soft glow illuminating his fiery eyes. The villain then carelessly tossed the lighter over his shoulder and continued on his way. The flame met the spilled oil on the dock. Just as the entire pier was engulfed into flames, Negaduck had disappeared into the darkness.

The sirens were close now, mixed with the sound of fire raging out of control. Tires were squealing on the pavement followed by shouting and feet pounding across the ground.

RADEN'S OFFCIE:

"Doctor Reginald Bushroot, ever hear of him?" Cujo asked as he walked behind Draco's chair in which he was sitting, holding an open file in his hand.

Draco blinked once, confused. "Wha…? No."

"He was a botanist at St. Canard University until one of his experiments on himself went horribly wrong, mutating him into a half plant-half duck freak," Cujo explained calmly. "When he became a social outcast due to his transformation, he turned to villainy. According to other criminals in St. Canard, Bushroot couldn't cut it in the villain department due to his sentimental behaviors. He spent a few years pulling crimes for his scientific purposes up until a few months ago. Finally, he decided to come clean to the city. But when he turned himself over to the police to plead guilty and want to start with a clean slate, he saw that it wasn't going to be easy to be accepted into society after his crimes and his mutated form. So he was made a deal with the D.A. that in exchange for a proper place in society, he would serve some minor jail time AND play the role of stool pigeon. He claimed that he had seen and could positively identify Negaduck."

"I never heard of him."

"Figuring that he would never have a shot to be seen as a normal citizen in St. Canard, he decided to give up on that dream when he was offered a deal by FOWL," Cujo continued. "FOWL offered Bushroot root a place in their organization and protection from Negaduck. No one was at the docks for guns that night. FOWL was there to meet Bushroot and buy him and his information on Negaduck in order to bring the mallard down. That's what the fertilizer in the van was for as part of Bushroot's demand."

"I said I never heard of him…." Draco repeated insistently.

Cujo stopped at Draco's left and stared down at him matter-of-factly. "But Darkwing did. Morgana McCawber was also an ex-criminal who had come clean. Bushroot sought confidence and guidance in Morgana to help him get through the hardships of the process. She was sympathetic towards him and did what she could to help him. And Bushroot told her everything. She knew who he was and what he knew."

"I don't…"

"There were no guns to be traded on that boat," Cujo interrupted and dropped the file onto the desktop. "It was a hit. A SUICIDE MISSION to whack out the one guy who could finger Negaduck. So Negaduck put a few thieves into it, men he knew he would walk into certain death.

Draco stared up at Cujo, his brow furrowing in confusion. "But how…? Wait, you're saying that Negaduck s-sent us to kill someone?" he asked uneasily.

"I'm saying Darkwing did."

There was a long pause. Draco couldn't grasp what he was saying; he squinted trying to understand while Cujo continued to explain.

"Draco, he left you behind for a reason. If you all knew that Negaduck could find you no matter where you went, then why did he tell you to go when he could of used you on the boat?"

"Because….Because he wanted me to live…" Draco answered, staring blankly at the desk in front of him..

"Why did he want to live?" Cujo asked rhetorically as he circled around behind the chair. "A shady, suspicious, ego-driven crime fighter finds it in his heart to save a worthless rat-cripple criminal? No, sir! Why??"

Draco paused, thinking hard. "Morgana…."

Cujo sneered snidely at the idea. "I don't buy the story that the city's 'loyal crime fighter' would date an ex-master criminal for a minute! And even if I did, I wouldn't believe that he would send YOU to protect her! So why??"

By now, Draco was desperately trying to come up with the right answer. The pressure caused him to choke on a sob as he answered again. "Because he was my friend…!"

"No, he WASN'T your friend, Draco! Darkwing didn't have friends!" Cujo declared as he stepped in front of the criminal who was beginning to break down before him. "He saved you because he wanted it that way; it was his will!"

Draco grinds to a mental halt, trying to grasp the implication. Suddenly, it hit him. "No…"

Cujo stared at him sincerely through narrowed eyes. "Darkwing was Negaduck!"

"No…." Draco demanded as Cujo continued to reinforce his statement.

"Yes, he was! He was the kind of man who could wrangle the minds of men like Liquidator and Megavolt! The kind of man who could engineer a police line-up through all his years of SHUSH contacts!"

Draco shook his head in denial and anger, trying to block out the words he didn't want to hear. The image of Darkwing standing on the pier appeared in his mind, only now wearing a costume in red, yellow, and black. He could see the features of his face now, alike in every detail. He saw him lift his arm with a pistol clutched tightly in his hand, the familiar look of determination in his face. "No, no, no, no., no….!!"

"The kind of man who could of killed Morgana McCawber!"

BANG!

The sound of the gun firing echoed in Draco's head as the image vanished. A strange look crossed his face, one of shock or revelation. He lifted his gaze to Cujo questionably, hoping he didn't hear right.

Reading his expression, Cujo continued calmly. "She was found in a hotel yesterday, shot twice in the head. So what do you think of Darkwng now, Draco?"

Draco's eyes began to swell, it finally beginning to sink in with him. His voice cracked as he fought back hurt tears. "Morgana…?"

"He left you behind for you to tell us that he was dead. You said you saw him die, right?" Cujo asked, then paused. "Or did you? You had to hide when you first heard the police cars. You heard the shot just before the fire but you didn't see him die."

"I knew him! He would never…" Draco stated confidently, trying to deny the factual truth.

But Cujo reluctantly shook his head in reply. The agent was beginning to feel sorry for Draco, who had put so much trust in Darkwing. "He programmed you to tell us just what he wanted you to tell us. Customs has been investigating him for years. His reputation as the city's mysterious crime fighter had taken a dive within the past few years. He needed a new way to recover his reputation and trust in the city, not to mention his ego. So he created another alter-ego, one that he could use to strike terror into the innocent citizens. And then when the time was right, he would make the monster Negaduck disappear in a heroic act, defeated by Darkwing Duck to rebuild his image. But Bushroot unintentionally stumbled upon this information and Darkwing knew what he had to do before his corrupt plan was revealed. That's where the political pressure was coming from. Why are you being protected? It's Darkwing making sure that you'll tell us what you're supposed to. Immunity was your reward!"

"But why me?!?!" Draco demanded, his sobs now escaping his throat. "Why not Liquidator or Megavolt?? I'm stupid, I'm a cripple! Why ME?!?!"

Cujo sighed and heaved his shoulders, nodding slowly. "Because you're a cripple, Draco. Because you're stupid. Because you're weaker than them. Because you couldn't see far enough into him to see the truth like they could have."

Draco had begin crying, feeling completely betrayed. He continued to shake his head with his eyes closed, still not wanting to face the truth.

"If he's dead, Draco…If what you say is true, then it won't matter," Cujo pointed out and began to use a softer tone. "It was Darkwing's idea to hit the Taxi Service, wasn't it?"

"It was all Darkwing…!" Draco finally admitted and nodded his head. His words were mixed with desperate sobs. "We followed him from the beginning! I didn't know; I saw him die! I believe he's dead…Oh, Christ…!"

Cujo smiled in triumphant satisfaction. "Then why lie about everything else?"

Draco looked up at Cujo, the tears streaming down his face and leaving damp trails on his white feathers. "You know what it's like, Agent Cujo? To know you'll never be good? Not good like YOU? I grew up knowing I was never going to be good at anything 'cause I was a cripple. Shit, I wasn't even a good thief! But I thought the one thing I could be good at was a keeping my mouth shut - keeping the code. I didn't want to tell you for my dignity, that's all, and you robbed me, Agent Cujo….You robbed me…."

Cujo stifled a slight smirk, ignoring Draco's accusation. He reached under his tie and removed a small microphone that had been concealed. Draco's eyes went wide, once again being betrayed.

"You're not safe on your own."

Draco continued to stare into Cujo's eyes, searching for some genuine honestly. "Do you think he's…?"

"Negaduck?" Cujo finished for him. He paused and shook his head. "I don't know, Draco. It seems like Negaduck is a shield. Like you said, a spook story. But I know Darkwing. And someone out there is pulling strings for you. Stay here and let us protect you."

"No way. I'm not bait! I post today…"

"You posted twenty minutes ago," Cujo corrected immediately. "Captain Leo wants you out of here A.S.A.P. unless you turn State's."

Draco shook his head insistently, having his mind set on finally putting everything behind him. "I'll take my chances, thank you!"

"And where are you going to go, Draco?" Cujo asked, actually quite curious to hear his answer and somewhat concerned for his safety. "You're gong to run? If somebody wants to get yo9u, they WILL get you out there."

"Maybe so…." Draco answered as he looked up at Cujo with a hurt expression, slowly trying to harden his stare defensively. "But I'm not a rat, Agent Cujo! I won't keep my mouth shut because I'm scared. I'll keep it shut because I let Darkwing down by getting caught. Morgana, too. And if they kill me, it will be because they heard I dropped a dime…and they'll probably hear it from you…"

Draco slowly got to his feet, taking a moment to gain his balance on his crippled foot. He tried to muster his shattered dignity as he shuffled towards the door and pushed it open. For once, Cujo couldn't bring himself to look at Draco. But Draco turned around to face Cujo once more, who noticed his stare and lifted his eyes to meet his. The mallard glared bitterly and shook his head in disgrace.

"Fucking cops…"

With that said, Draco turned and began to limp his way down the hallway.

NOTE: One more chapter to go! It will be up very soon and DON'T miss it; it's a mandatory read.