Rene led Nosedive out of the building, with Sanyo following close behind. Sanyo noticed that she remained quiet as she held the rope that was tied around Nosedive's wrists.
"Rene, what's wrong?" Sanyo asked her.
Rene glanced back at him and sighed. She didn't want to answer but she figured it to be best.
"They have Patrick and I'd love to know how. He's not the type to let himself get captured," Rene replied.
"If I know the other Ducks, they're giving him what he deserves. He let his guard down enough and the others got him," Nosedive told them.
Rene and Sanyo stared at him when he was talking. She stopped and grabbed Nosedive by the arm.
"I just hope for your sake that nothing happens to him. Not many know what I've learned from him," she replied.
"Just what kind of sick relationship do you have with this guy? I mean, he's more than twice your age. You're my age and he's more like Duke's," Nosedive wondered.
"He's the father I never had or knew," Rene replied.
Nosedive decided to remain quiet and thought about what he had learned about them from between her and Duke.
00000
Duke paced back and forth before the cell, carefully watching Patrick as he sat quietly in his cell. Patrick's eyes followed Duke, a smile on his face. Patrick gave a small laugh as he watched the former thief.
"What's so funny Patrick?" wondered Duke.
"You are. You and your friends are so worried about me but you're forgetting about Rene and Sanyo," Patrick replied.
Duke appeared a bit surprised by this before stepping up to the bars.
"And why exactly? It's not like they know you're here with us yet. We've made sure you haven't contacted them and we haven't let the Saurians know we have you yet. Beside, as as far I understand, Sanyo's harmless," Duke wondered.
Patrick laughed, causing the feathers on Duke's neck to stand up. Duke began to reach for his sabre but Patrick shook his head.
"No sense to do that just yet, old friend. Save it for later. By the way, don't you remember anything about the Brotherhood of the Blade? You should know that the blade of a thief, when it comes down to the basics, works the same as any other. It's the differences between them that make the thief," Patrick replied. "For example, remember Falcone's blade?"
Duke was surprised at this before glancing at Patrick's sabre.
"She knows, doesn't she?" asked Duke.
"So what if she does or not? She has your young friend, remember? What's the matter, don't you want to see him safe?" Patrick said.
Duke didn't answer before he ran out the door. He went to find Wildwing, who he found near Drake 1, talking to Tanya. The two were surprised to see him so soon.
"Duke, what's wrong? Has Patrick escaped? What?" wondered Wildwing.
"Worse than that, Rene knows we have Patrick. Somehow, she knows and he contacted her," Duke replied.
"What? He told you that?" Wildwing asked.
"Not directly but he gave me an indication that he let her know through his sabre before we took it from him. We have to be ready for we don't know when she'll contact us," Duke replied.
Wildwing sighed, wondering what they should do. Tanya and Duke watched him carefully.
"We want to get Nosedive back but we don't want to lead them here. How are we going to be able to get a hold of them?" wondered Tanya.
"I don't know. Where do we continue from here?" Wildwing said.
"I'd say we have Patrick tell us. I think I might be able to coerce him into telling me," Duke put in.
Wildwing glanced over at the former thief and nodded. Duke walked away from the two as Tanya stood up.
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Tanya asked him.
"What?" Wildwing wondered.
"What I mean is, going out and looking for them. I realize they have Nosedive but they're some of the most dangerous foes we've come across since we've arrived here on Earth," Tanya wondered.
"They somehow got here without the use of Dragaunus' gateway generator. I'd like to find out how. That's why we need to find them alive and soon. Maybe Nosedive could tell us something when we get him back," Wildwing told her.
Tanya nodded before heading to find Mallory and Grin to tell them the news.
00000
"So where are we headed anyway?" wondered Nosedive.
"Wherever this leads me. Oh, the joys of Puckworld technology," Rene replied, refering to her sabre.
Sanyo followed closely behind the two, glancing over his shoulder periodically as if watching for something to jump out at them.
"What are you so worried about Sanyo? There's no one here to hurt you," Rene told him without looking around.
"I'm more worried about those Saurians and you know it," Sanyo replied.
Nosedive snickered as he listened in on their conversation.
"I don't believe you two. I still want to find out how exactly you two met and how you got here," Nosedive told them.
"You probably won't live that long to find out," Rene told him.
"I don't know what Wildwing's going to do with you when he finds you," Nosedive said.
Rene gave a small laugh. Sanyo choked back a laugh himself as Nosedive wondered what was so funny. He gave them a look that said 'okay, what was that all about?'
"They're not going to find us. We're heading straight for them," Rene finally told him.
Nosedive was surprised as he looked in the direction of the Pond.
00000
Duke walked back to the cell, finding that Patrick was now standing next to the bars.
"So what's my verdict? Am I going to die?" Patrick sarcastically asked.
"I can only hope," Duke told him.
"Duke, if you want me to believe that I am going to possibly die soon, you have to improve your image a bit. In order to strike fear into your victims, you have to act invincible," Patrick told him.
"You're starting to sound like Combat," Duke mused.
"Thief au Combat? The legendary killer from recent times? How do I sound like him?" Patrick wondered.
"The way you're talking. It sounds like something he would say," Duke replied.
"And how would you know how he talked? Were you ever in his presence?" Patrick asked.
Duke remained silent and Patrick started to laugh as he began to walk away from the bars.
"I didn't think so," Patrick finally said.
"And how would you know how he talked? We didn't meet that often but I know you well enough that you don't associate with murderers. None of the thieves do and you know that," Duke told him.
Patrick turned away from Duke and gave himself a knowing smile.
"I don't know but it seems Rene has gotten all of you into a mess by leading your friend astray. You feel that you can try and have me tell you where they are or how to contact them. I suppose that's why you came back to see me," Patrick said.
Duke was surprised by this assumption as he carefully watched Patrick.
"I'm not an idiot Duke, as some people thought. I never was and I never will be. I know more than some realize," Patrick coldly said.
Wildwing walked into the room and glanced between the two.
"Am I interrupting anything?" he wondered.
"No, you came just at the right moment," Duke replied, slight anger obvious in his voice.
Wildwing didn't even want to ask what happened between the two as he walked up to Patrick.
"Well, anything you'd like to tell us?" Wildwing said.
"Why would I have to tell you anything? My beak is sealed," Patrick replied.
He sat down in the chair and placed his hands behind his head, crossing his ankles. Wildwing grabbed the bars.
"Tell us where they are!" Wildwing demanded.
The thief glanced between them, giving them a smile that indicated he knew something. Both Duke and Wildwing were worried about it.
"If you really must know where Rene and Sanyo are, they're on their way here," Patrick replied.
Duke and Wildwing gave horrified looks as they ran out of the room. Patrick gave an evil grin as he watched them leave.
"They'll be back for me, I know it. I know how they work," he quietly said.
00000
Duke and Wildwing ran up to Drake 1 to see that Tanya, Grin and Mallory were all ready for them.
"So what did he say?" Mallory wondered.
"They're on their way. We have to be ready for them," Wildwing replied.
"But if they come here, they'll know where we are! Dragaunus already knows where we are but I don't think they do! I've been wondering why he hadn't told them yet," Tanya cried out.
"Either they don't know or they have no way to get inside. Now they have Nosedive, they have a better shot in getting at us. I say we go out and greet them," Mallory interrupted.
"I'm with Mallory. If we want to get Nosedive back, we'll have to do it with force," Wildwing agreed. "And we'll take our 'guest' with us," Wildwing told them.
The others nodded before Duke went to get Patrick.
"So you've finally come to get me. How nice," Patrick said.
"We're going for a little walk Patrick and maybe you can help us with the arrangements," Duke replied.
Patrick smiled to himself as he allowed himself to be led out of the building.
00000
Nosedive watched the Pond get closer into view as Rene led him to it. She stopped, forcing him to stop.
"Looks like we're here. Look familiar to you?" she innocently asked.
"You knew about the Pond the whole time?" Nosedive asked.
"Of course we did! We just didn't know how to get inside!" Rene told him.
"Too bad you're not going to get in," came a familiar voice.
The three looked to see the five remaining Ducks, with Patrick in hand. Wildwing stepped forward.
"Release my brother and no harm will come to Patrick," he said.
Sanyo watched them closely, glancing at Patrick periodically to see if he would signal anything. When nothing came, he became slightly worried. He glanced over at Rene to see if he could read her face but he couldn't. Rene forced Nosedive to fall to his knees.
"How do I know you're going to keep your word? I've seen ducks before that say something and then go back on their word," Rene wondered.
"Oh, give me a break," Duke muttered.
He placed his sabre underneath Patrick's beak, removing some doubt from Rene.
"You're outnumbered Rene, what makes you think you can win this battle?" Duke called to her.
"Do you really think I'd come unprepared?" Rene called back.
With that, Wraith, Chameleon and Siege appeared behind Rene and Sanyo along with several drones.
"Surprise!" cried Siege.
Duke released Patrick in order to defend himself against the oncoming blasts. Patrick ran towards Rene and Sanyo. He glanced at Nosedive and snickered.
"I'm surprised Rene. You usually aren't one for surprises," Patrick said.
Rene gave a smile, not realizing that Nosedive turned towards her. He kicked her in the arm and she grasped her elbow in response. He began to run towards the others as Patrick placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
"I'm fine. It didn't hurt. I'm just a little shook up, that's all. He just happened to kick me in my left arm," Rene replied.
"Now that they have their friend back and we have you back, let's get going," Sanyo pleaded.
"Not without my sabre," Patrick replied.
He ran back towards Duke, with Rene close behind him. Nosedive watched them as he stood near the Pond.
"Duke, watch out!" Nosedive cried out to him.
Duke turned to see that both Patrick and Rene were standing there. He sighed as he watched Patrick walk towards him.
"What do you want Patrick? We have Nosedive back and you're free to go," Duke wondered.
"Have you forgotten already? You have something of mine and I would like it back," Patrick replied.
He held out his hand as Duke remembered about the sabre. His stare went in the direction of the sabre, glancing between it and Patrick.
"If you want it back so badly, why don't you come and get it?" Duke told him.
Duke threw a puck in their direction and it immediately began to release smoke, obscuring the sight of the two thieves. Patrick coughed a few times before running after Duke. He followed the former thief towards the Pond. Duke stopped and turned to face Patrick.
"You can't win this. I'm armed and you're not," Duke told him.
"Maybe so but I've been in these situations before, though not many know it," Patrick said.
Duke was slightly confused by this statement and Patrick knew he had his opportunity. He lunged for Duke and tackled him to the ground. The two sabres left Duke's possession and they landed several feet away. Patrick quickly stood up and ran to grab his own.
"That was a cheap shot Patrick. I didn't know you were capable of that," Duke said as he stood up.
"There are several things people don't know I'm capable of," Patrick replied. "And how the tables have turned. Now I'm the one with the weapon and you don't know."
Duke growled as he carefully watched Patrick. He was preparing for Patrick to do his worst but it never came as Patrick ran back to Rene.
"We'll deal with this later," Patrick called over to him.
He grasped Rene around her waist before teleporting out of there. Sanyo, Siege, Chameleon and Wraith soon followed along with the drones which still remained. All were slightly confused as Wildwing walked up to his brother and cut the rope binding his hands.
"What can you tell us about these two?" Wildwing asked.
"We have to be careful. By what Sanyo told me, I should be thankful that I'm still here," Nosedive replied.
Mallory narrowed her eyes as she listened to what Nosedive had to say.
'If it really is the Rene I know, is it possible that Patrick might be him?' she asked herself.
She placed a hand on her beak and contemplated this thought as they headed inside.
00000
"Are you alright Rene?" Patrick asked.
"I'll be fine. Just let me know what we have to do next," she replied.
Dragaunus walked over to them, Wraith Chameleon and Siege standing across the room.
"Now for the final step in our plan. We have to bring them out into the open this one last time and destroy them once and for all," Dragaunus told them. "Is that understood?"
Patrick and Rene both nodded. She gave an evil smile as Patrick crossed his arms. Sanyo appeared worried about the whole situation.
'Something's going to happen, I know it,' he thought to himself.
TBC...