Roots Of Revenge Chapter 12: Daring Rescue, a darkwing duck fanfic

Roots of Revenge

-Chapter 12-

Daring Rescue

A whisper ran through the ranks of looming trees. There was something wrong with their master. He was still a sapling but his foliage was turning so quickly. The fresh, lush green leaves were speedily shifting into the oranges and reds of fall. The deep brown that was his bark was grimly loosing it's pigment and becoming a twisted elderly gray. He had mobilized them, awakened them from their quiet vigils and led them to the great patch of soil in the concrete wasteland. His plans were passed onto them and they would obey with out hesitation, he was fixated on his past life and was burning to retaliate against the ones that had hurt him They would wait their turn, they had waited since the first seed was sewn to be given the chance to take back the world, what was a few more days? The Prophet was currently rooted in the center of their protective forest, he was taking in as much nutrients as he could so that he wouldn't need to seek out soil when they next embarked. They had been told they would return to the "Birthplace", the soil where the Prophet had risen and regain some kind of magical liquid from a "woman" there. The Prophet was sure that this life giving moisture would help him stop his rapid aging. After that they would march on the fiends that stood against him. There was a sound like thunder that screamed over their canopies, and the iced over black rivers that littered this wasteland were suddenly occupied by blinding blinking lights that gave chase in great numbers.

The Thunderquack tore through the night sky. Launchpad flew low and weaved skillfully through the buildings, the pilot had been given his orders and was silently mulling them over. Darkwing crouched near the hatch. He had his eyes shut and was concentrating on his breathing. He needed a clear head to make this work. He had quickly made tourniquets and wrapped bandages tightly around his more unforgiving injuries, supporting and cushioning them. He never dreamt of going into this with no plan, it was suicide. He had a plan to get in and so far that was going as planned, but once he was in there he was alone. He would have to think on his feet and hope his brain was faster than Bulba's. He exhaled.

"They still tailing us?"

"You betcha' DW." Launchpad proclaimed proudly. The confidence dropped from his voice as he glanced back at him. "How are ya doin' back there?"

"Ask me again if we survive this." Dark took another deep cleansing (painful) breath. "It's not to late Launchpad, I understand if you can't do this. You don't owe me anything you know."

"You can count on me to stick it out Darkwing, I'm not going anywhere. So get use to it. " He was rather stern in his reply.

"In that case I'm glad you're here buddy." Dark smiled lightly.

"DW… we're there."

"All right LP." Darkwing stood up. "Let's get dangerous."

With out so much as a blink he kicked open the hatch and jumped out. There was an instantaneous reaction from Launchpad and the turrets dropped from the wings of the jet and opened fire on the sky scraper before them. The air rushed madly around Darkwing as he aimed at the windows that were swiftly falling away. Shattered glass rained in all directions, he pulled his cape around him and fired his grappling hook at his new entrance. He collided with the side of the building and quickly scaled it to his opening. He entered a bullet riddled office, rather plainly furnished nothing stood out about it apart from it's present resemblance to Swiss cheese. The broken glass crunched beneath his feet as he made his way deeper into the room. He had reason to believe that Bulba had built the research hangar on this floor, he wasn't sure. But he couldn't be sure of anything at this stage in the game, he had hoped to gain more sufficient recon before attempting a stunt like this but there was no time. He heard the Thunderquack's engine roar away and could see the red and blue police lights reflecting off the windows of surrounding buildings. This was it. He was on his own.

Jonah dug through his tool box in an attempt to look busy. Security had tightened up all of a sudden and he wasn't sure why. He could see Gosalyn pressed up against the glass window high above him, she looked like she was expecting something. Something odd was going on, and he only wished he wasn't the only one who didn't know what it was. The Ramrod was finished. He had been idly tinkering for the last few hours, hoping his old mind would concoct a plan. He might be able to bring her down here using the Ramrod. But then what? No, she would have to go through that thick sheet of glass to get down, he had to do something! Bulba had attacked her once already, he'd seen it. Bulba knew that he had been watching, that's why he did it. He had to get her out of there. What if he could lock onto the glass and move that first? He glanced around, the guards where all on edge and listening intently to a panicked voice on a walkie-talkie. He decided to do it. He flipped a switch, pounded some colored buttons, aimed, and fired. The glass removed itself from it's wall setting with an ungodly racket. The guards stared dumbfounded as the hovering glass pane set carefully down on it's edge in front of them, making a partial wall between them and Waddlemyer. He reset the controls and snagged her just as her guard had burst into the room. She zipped through the air and touched down rather clumsily on the floor. She dashed to him and he caught her in her jumping hug as the tears rolled down his wrinkled face. The guards had moved around the glass and surrounded the reunion with pointed pistols. Gosalyn held onto him tight.

"What do we do now Grandpa?"

"I…I hadn't figured that part out yet."

He could see her mind spring into action, but before she could pan through countless creative possibilities a dark lavender smoke swirled around them engulfing the scene. Her green eyes searched the fog as he started to hack on the thick smoke.

"What in blue blazes…?" Jonah coughed loudly. He felt a strong hand grasp his arm from out of the mist.

"Come with me." Commanded a gravely voice.

The smoke faded slowly and the masked mallard tugged at the old man's arm.

"Hurry there isn't much time!"

"Darkwing!" Squealed Gosalyn through tears of delight. The guards lay scattered upon the floor, the duck looked ruffled and roughed up like he had fought continuously to get this far. Which, Jonah concluded, must have truly been the case. The blue eyes twinkled slightly as they met the little girl's face.

"Hello Gos…." The determination left his face as he suddenly looked as if he was in the wrong place. The young man did a double take at his dressed up Granddaughter. "What are you wearing?"

A gunshot whizzed by his head as more guards made their presence known. Darkwing shoved them into the cover of the machine as the rest of the guards opened fire. The bullets bounced off of the reflective metal as they watched Darkwing peer around the side at their aggressors.

"Who are you sir?" Jonah could contain his curiosity no longer, he still held Gosalyn tight he would not loose her again.

"He's Darkwing Duck Grandpa! He's a superhero and he's a good friend of mine. He's come to save us!" Gosalyn sang the young man's praises with breathless enthusiasm.

"My stars, a superhero you say?" Jonah eyed the man she was so taken with.

"Well… with out the powers, and he's not really super… he doesn't really have anything special. He's kinda just a normal guy only in costume." She said thoughtfully.

"Gee thanks." Grumbled Darkwing.

"Oh well, I do not think super powers would have helped us much anyway. It does seem pretty hopeless I'm afraid." Jonah stroked Gosalyn's hair.

"This…. This is a Ramrod isn't it?" Darkwing's voice was quiet and serious.

"Why, yes. Yes it is. That is rather brilliant of you Mr. Darkwing no one outside of S.H.U.S.H.'s highest agents have ever seen the blue prints for this machine let alone seen it constructed. How you know this is most impressive indeed." Jonah couldn't help but feel in awe of this man. He was certainly worthy of Gosalyn's praise. Darkwing didn't turn but spoke as clearly as if he was face to face with him.

"How do you destroy it?"

Jonah stared at the figure beside him, he was shocked to hear the finality in his tone, the seriousness, he never would have expected it from some one like this. Jonah couldn't help but size him up, this young man was about five foot six inches, at least one hundred and fifteen pounds, and had to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. Someone this age was suppose to be out in the world struggling to find themselves, find what they would spend the rest of their lives doing. Running around irresponsibly after girls with friends, getting drunk and sleeping the weekends away. Yet here he was, battered and beaten trying to take down an evil kingpin single-handedly, determined to save an old man and his granddaughter, and ontop of all this destroy a insanely dangerous weapon. He certainly was a misleading looking fellow, one would not expect him to be capable of great things yet something told him, this young man just might pull it off.

"There is a self destruct mechanism that is built inside it, I can trigger it with a button combination causing it to seize up and explode in five minutes."

Darkwing glanced thoughtfully at him, then returned his gaze to the approaching guards.

"If I distract the guards would you be able to enter the code? We can't let Bulba have this…"

"Yes I could set it off but then what? We won't make it out of here… you may have been able to reach here on your own but Gosalyn and I, we aren't as skilled as you are."

"We'll manage. I just need you to enter the code and be ready to follow me. I lured S.H.U.S.H. here so hopefully they will occupy the guards long enough for us to escape." Darkwing looked at the pair of them, he would have their lives in his hands. He couldn't let them down. "Professor Waddlemyer, I'm going now you have to destroy it. I think you already know that."

Darkwing bolted out of hiding his cape billowing out behind him. The guards quickly opened fire. Dark drew his gun and shot it into their ranks, the purple smoke wrapped around them shielding their eyes. He hadn't had enough time to make any more gas bombs or to even replenish his supply, all he had were two curtain canisters left. He'd have to take them out fast. Bullets shot blindly in all directions as he aimed for their pressure points, he couldn't afford to be sloppy. Amid the cries of anguish he could hear Waddlemyer…singing? Some sleepy song listing a slew of colors. He took out the last of the guards as the mist disappeared around him, he looked back at the Ramrod. Waddlemyer was at the control panel and was definitely singing while pushing a series of colorful buttons. It grabbed him before he could even register that someone had stampeded into the room. It crushed his esophagus as he fought the sight back into his eyes. Taurus Bulba's massive gray hand had encircled his throat and lifted him clear off the ground.

"WADDLEMYER! STEP AWAY FROM THE MACHINE!" Bellowed the livid voice of Bulba. Dark could see through the pain the horrible glare Jonah gave the bull. "Or perhaps yoo would explain to dear leetle Goesahleen why her hero was killed?" Bulba growled.

Jonah backed away, his hands in the air. He looked weaker and frailer than Gosalyn had ever seen him. He looked at her meaningfully, the song he was singing… she knew what he had tried to tell her.

"Veri gud." Bulba lumbered toward them Darkwing still lashing about in his clutches.

"Let Darkwing go!" She shrieked.

"Zis pest?" Bulba looked Darkwing dead in the eye and failed to see what Jonah had admired. With a bitter laugh, and with out a second glance he tossed him aside like he was nothing more than a shoe lace. Darkwing hunched over hacking as Bulba closed in on the Waddlemyers.

"I do hope yoo can explain yoorself Jonah." He slammed his hand on the old man's shoulder. "I vould hate to hear that yoo haf grown tired of my hospitality, and after all the trouble I went through to bring yoor enchanting young granddaughter here…" The brown eyes glistened with something that made Jonah fear for Gosalyn's well being all over again, Bulba really was a monster. Bulba pushed him backwards onto the floor and turned his attention to the Ramrod. Gosalyn helped her Grandfather sit up. "So eet es operational. Excellent."

Bulba jerked suddenly, as if aware of something that had gone unnoticed too long. In a swift turn he faced Darkwing just as he pulled the trigger of his gun. With a loud swoop of his menacing horns Bulba jettisoned the canister off course where it exploded uselessly on the wall. The curly smoke floated down the wall as Bulba straightened his suit.

"Bak on yoor feet already duck?"

"You'll have to do better than that to keep me down Bulba." Replied the diminutive duck with a glacial stare.

A new battalion of guards lead by Hammerhead entered the hanger. Before they could do anything Bulba held up his hand to halt them.

"Let me deal with zis insect. The Ramrod es operational take us up."

"Yes Boss." Complied Hammerhead.

"Soon Mr. Caped Crusader yoo will not be able to interfere with my plans."

The entire room heaved and the wall started to sink rapidly. There was a loud mechanical din and the hanger continued it's ascent.

"An elevator…." Dark mumbled to himself.

"Quite so. En route to the rooftops, the best location to try out my new Ramrod. Don't you agree?" Bulba stalked toward him.

Dark quickly fired a grappling hook at the bull's horns. The rope wrapped around them and he pulled as hard as he could. The souls of his boots slid across the floor, Bulba was too heavy to topple. Laughter erupted from the on looking henchman.

"Nice try duck…" Bulba grabbed he rope and pulled it fiercely toward himself. Darkwing planted his feet prepared but still wound up sliding toward the ogre.

He couldn't do this! It was hopeless! How could he defeat a foe he couldn't hurt?

------------------------------------------------------------- Agh Macintosh Update again... so I can't see anything but HMTL babble hopefully it's in readable format... if not don't strain yourself I'll fix it later when I have access to an other computer. Well it's pretty late and my brain is fried... maybe I'll be witty next update... after all there's only two more chapters left... XD Hope Ya'll Enjoy!