Roots of Revenge
-Chapter Thirteen-
Showdown
Thousands of roots slithered across the cold city pavement. Street lamps lay shattered in their wake, signs torn from their cement casings, even cars were crushed or violently thrown into the panicked streets. The tree army was on the move, a solid mass of bark and foliage engulfing anything that strayed in their path. In the front of the ranks atop one of his warriors was the chosen leader. His brilliant blue eyes locked on his target, his wooden bill clamped tight in a scowl. His foliage had completely changed from the lush green leaves to dark reds and oranges, even a few had darkened to a deathly brown. His life was rushing away faster than he could regenerate. If only he had taken the vile from Rhoda earlier, if he had just thought of it a bit sooner. If one vile could revive a man from a mutilated death surely on a living creature it would be a fountain of youth. When he arrived to seize what was his from her to his unspeakable rage, all that awaited him was a messy office and a note. Bulba had the serum and the girl as well. She had become quite an annoyance; he was unsure why he had spared her in the first place. After all she was one of them, the rotten creatures that destroy for their vain pleasure. The bull would no doubt try to use her as a bargaining chip, unaware of how little a chosen prophet cared for such a vile creature. At last it was time to end this. He would settle it all tonight, and become the savior of his followers, the rightful inhabitants of mother Earth. It ends tonight.
The foolish they called a hero hit the floor with intense force. Bulba stood over him gloating, he knew from the moment he saw him the duck was in no condition to fight. He had to sneer to himself; he had received a warning from the head of the Fiendish Organization of World Larceny just this afternoon pertaining to this feeble caped clown. Why the Boss was so persistent in making him understand that the idiot was not to be killed, he didn't know. And quite frankly he didn't care. He was forced to join F.O.W.L. and he had just about enough of taking orders. He'd break away from them soon enough and he'd start with grinding this buffoon into sand. He had to commend the duck's determination but he was really beginning to be a pest. The elevator was near the roof and he'd be at the peak position to use his new toy. The duck hobbled to his feet once again he just refused to stay down. Bulba laughed.
"Yoo are quite persistant Mr…..?"
"Darkwing Duck you better commit it to memory fat boy." Snarled the mallard.
"Darkwing, my apologies of course. Yoo are so eager to throw yoor life away."
"I will stop you."
"Oh yes? And save ze Waddlemeyers too no doubt?"
"That's the plan."
Darkwing complied himself while the bull let out a strong guffaw, he needed to think. Jonah and Gosalyn were currently in the clutches of Bulba's cronies, watching anxiously. Gosalyn's eyes watched Dark with fear and unbridled hope. He couldn't fail them. He had to down the lummox. Hammerhead was at the controls of the Ramrod watching gleefully at the pummeling, he would have to deal with him eventually. How could he do this? Bulba straightened his jacket.
"Come now… Do yoo really vant ze leetle girl to be subjected to anymore violence?"
He could feel the night breeze rustle his feathers, the fresh air uncluttered his brain. He had an idea…. Not the best one, but it was the only one he had. He positioned himself at an angle were Bulba's bulk would shield him from the minions view of him, and slowly reached his hand behind his back gripping a fist full of his tattered cape. The moment of truth had come, if he could do this he could turn the tables.
"You know, you're right. Maybe I should just throw in my cape."
In the blink of an eye the black shroud was flying at the bull's face. Bulba swatted it out of the air angrily.
"Yoo fool!" he cackled. "Yoo watch too many…" the smile vanished. "Vhere es he!" Roared the bull as he spun around and flared his nostrils in the direction of Hammerhead.
"I… I don't know Boss I couldn't see him!" Squeaked the terrified ram.
A cloud of smoke sprung up in a distant corner.
"I am the terror that flaps in the night…." Proclaimed the cloud.
"Shoot ze smoke!" Roared Bulba, his henchmen scattered in a frenzy of compliance. Over the din of gunfire the voice came again.
"I am the hero of St. Canard…" screamed the vanishing smoke.
"Yoo are a veri dead duck!" Shrieked a psychotic Bulba as he snatched a gun away from a close by lackey and began fire madly into the clearing mist.
"I am….not over there." Snickered the un-thrown voice of Darkwing. Taurus turned to see Jonah back at the Ramrod's controls, Gosalyn at his side. Darkwing stood over fallen guards he had taken out in the confusion, he had "liberated" them of their firearms. He now had both pistols aimed unflinching at Bulba.
"Yoo sneaky leetle rat. Who are yoo trying to kid! Yoo aren't shootink anyone, Mr. Hero!"
"Maybe I can let heroism slide this time…" the duck's cold eyes stared unblinking on Bulba.
The cityscape rose around them as the elevator jerked to a stop, the wind whipping around them as the glowing city peered at their face off.
"Professor if you would, please blow that thing into scrap metal." Darkwing asked cordially.
"I would be delighted."
A shot ripped through the air. Darkwing's heart stopped, he hadn't pulled the trigger and hadn't been hit. Gosalyn's scream behind him only plummeted his un-beating heart into an artic ice bath. It was surreal when he turned and saw Jonah collapsed at the foot of the console, Gosalyn cradling him in her arms tears flooding her face, a red patch rapidly spreading across his chest. This wasn't happening, he just had the situation in control… how could this have happened? An oddly punctuated laugh sang from where the fatal bullet originated. With out a second's hesitation Darkwing crossed the guns in front of him and shot at the unseen gunman. There was a high pitched sound of a metallic ricochet and a white suited rooster stepped forward. Darkwing was only allowed a moment to glare at the charismatic fowl and his odd metal plated beak, because with bone shattering force Bulba's massive horns collided with Dark sending him careening across the rooftop.
"Steelbeak!" Exploded the outraged bull. "Vhat ze hell are you thinking! Vith Waddlemeyer dead no one can control ze Ramrod!"
"Just read da manual." Cackled the rooster as he replaced his gun with a flourish. "He couldn't be trusted, da boss told ya that. Ya should thank me fer cleanin up yer mess." The cold gray eyes stared down the fuming bull.
She held him in her arms. The look in his wide eyes would scar itself into her mind, she would never forget the way he was right now. She heard an argument erupt but had no interest in what was going on. His breathing was strained and shaky.
"Oh…. Gosalyn, my poor, poor child. What have I done….? You must destroy it… I hate to leave you….this horrid task…. But you must…"
"Don't be silly Grandpa, you'll be all right!" Her voice cracked and was heavy with tears. "You're going to be all right…. It's like in the movies, I can't have come this far just to loose you now…. Like this." She sobbed.
The crimson spread along his lab coat soaking it through, her fingers became sticky with his blood. Her throat fought to close to stop the pain that scoured every inch of her.
"I can't have come all this way to have no family again."
His eyes crinkled in a smile.
"My dear, you don't even realize…. You've found someone …that realizes that next to you … and your spirit…everyone else looks empty."
"Grandpa…" She cried. His eyes slid out of focus, and he drew breath no more.
The building shuddered, and a sound like thousands of rustling leaves drew near. The twinkling sky line of St. Canard greeted them on all sides was suddenly it was obstructed when a giant vine shot straight up the side of the building. The vine was comprised of smaller vines and before their eyes it split and separated, letting it's passenger off on the crowded rooftop. All conversation stopped as the plant duck stalked menacingly towards them.
Darkwing found it hard to think let alone breathe. He couldn't move from the spot where Bulba had thrown him. One of his shattered ribs felt like it had punctured a lung. He didn't' know, he just knew that he had to get up. Jonah was dead and he would not let the same happen to Gosalyn.
The response was instant to the walking creature approaching the guards, who had collected in a line to block his path; almost in unison they aimed their firearms. Bulba looked on quite distastefully at the monster, pulling himself out of his rage towards Steelbeak. The rooster made a quick soft command into a small, expensive, cellular phone. Everyone was calm and collected, well… almost everyone. Hammerhead quickly hid behind the line of armed guards.
"I've come for the serum, just as you expected I'm sure." Snarled the wicked voice of Bushroot.
"Ah yoo must be ze unrelenting Doktor Reginald Bushroot. I must condone yoo on yoor unmatched stamina, but I am afraid yoor second life ends here." Sneered Taurus.
"I will have what I want and your lives… it makes no difference to me in which order it happens." The multitude of vines started to lurch forward and whip around madly.
"Kill him." Bulba laughed.
Every gun exploded into action. The vines encased Bushroot and danced around him making sure not one bullet connected. There was a loud thumping sound and a strong wind kicked up as a helicopter emblazoned with the letters F.O.W.L. descended, dropping a ladder to the rooftop.
"Dis is your shindig now Bulba don't screw it up!" Shouted Steelbeak as he gracefully scaled the ladder, the helicopter steadily retreating.
Hammerhead was loosing it. He had seen what happened to Hoof and Mouth, he wouldn't end up like that if he had anything to do with it. He tried to reach the ladder before it got out of reach but failed. Instead he found himself lifted off his feet by a livid Bulba.
"Try and grow a bak bone yoo coward." He snarled and tossed him back toward the guards.
The flailing vines shot forward and began to grab and slap gunners violently off the side of the roof , sending them plummeting down to the far away streets of St. Canard. This was proving to be a challenging night. Bulba had no time for this nonsense. The Ramrod was operational and would be christened with the death of this monster. He turned his attention away from Bushroot for the first time and placed his gaze on the Ramrod. With a jolt of shock he saw her punching the colored keys of the console. He reached Gosalyn just a second after she had finished. The Ramrod made a horrible screeching sound and a shrill beep sounded. Before the girl could turn around he had her by the throat and slammed her hard to the terminal machine.
"Yoo vill pay for zat yoo leetle…."
A clanging noise trailed across the top of the Ramrod and a stunned Taurus Bulba got a pair of steel toed boots to the face. He dropped Gosalyn as he fell backwards. Darkwing scooped her up and made a mad dash for the side of the building. A few guards saw him and averted their aim on to him. He clambered across the building in a state of numbness and delirium from pain, bullets whizzing by him.
"Gosalyn I am so sorry… I failed you. But you have to trust me!" He forced a blinking black box into her hand. "Do NOT let go of that!"
He grabbed her by the giant bow that encircled her waist and with all his might threw her over the side of the building. He spun around to find Bulba back on his feet and Bushroot taking out the last of the guards. His broken body threatened to crumble, but this was it. In five minutes time this would all be over, one way or another and he planned on going out fighting.
Hammerhead had run out of shields, and now Bushroot stood before him. The bright blue eyes dancing with madness.
"Reggie…" he peeped. "We…we can talk about dis! You want da girl back right? Y..you can have her and any other dame you want!"
"What makes you think I've come for her?" Sneered the creature. "Once you and your boss are dead I will be free to take over this entire world. What I was denied as Reginald I will RULE as Bushroot." The vines lashed out at Hammerhead.
Hannigan backed away and plucked an abandoned pistol off the floor he unloaded the remaining clip at the mutated doctor. The wounds that were received oozed with sap and didn't even make him flinch. In desperation Hammerhead threw the gun helplessly at him, and quickly reached into his pocket.
Floors below the battle on the rooftop S.H.U.S.H. agents cleaned out the last of the guards that remained at their posts. Hooter led his men around another corner. He had received a transmission from his men on the outside that they had intercepted a hostage transport en route to this position. A young woman named Dendrin was safely in the custody of his agents a good ten blocks away. There was something big going on, his ear bud receiver had been buzzing with claims of "walking trees" and apparently a huge vine had scaled this very building. They arrived at what appeared to be a giant elevator shaft.
"What should we do now sir?" Asked a voice at his back.
"Try to bring it down." He ordered. He spoke into his microphone. "Agent Grizzlicof we have encountered a snag what is your status?" A wave of feed back stabbed him in the ear in response. He heard startled cries from his agents but a voice quickly started speaking.
"Attention all S.H.U.S.H. agents you have to pull out NOW! Evacuate immediately!" Cried the frightened male voice.
"Who the devil is this! How did you hack into our channel!" Hooter didn't raise his voice but he was menacing all the same.
"There's no time to explain sir, the whole place is gonna blow in like four minutes! You need to go NOW! There has been a Waddlemeyer self destruct system activated!"
All the eyes in the room closed on him. He knew very well what that brand of explosion entailed he had over seen Jonah's perfection of it. He knew that if this was true four minutes would be barely enough time to clear out. But who was this man and how did he know of the Waddlemeyer brand of explosion?
"Are you certain?"
"Positive, Mr. Hooter."
An agent tapped him on the shoulder and whispered.
"Sir, the transmission is coming from an unregistered aircraft that is circling the area. They are saying it's the vigilante's jet."
"Darkwing Duck…" Hooter said carefully. There was a moment of silence. "All agents evacuate! I repeat, Pull out immediately! Agents outside the building should issue a state of emergency! We need to clear the area to two blocks! Go! Go! Go!"
Bulba kept overpowering him. Darkwing struggled up from his eight face plant. There had to be a way to best this behemoth! Bulba stalked toward him his nostrils flaring to the size of grapefruit. In a half thought out plan Dark shot a grappling hook around the bull's ankles and pulled as hard as he could. Against all his doubts it worked. In a scream of rage Bulba toppled over. Darkwing swiftly bound the rope around Bulba's wrists, looped his throat, and stood on his back. He felt the spine beneath his soles wriggling, he didn't have the strength to strangle the bastard but he knew with one good stomp he would end this. A shrill blood curdling scream stayed his foot.
Hammerhead had not proven enough of a competitor to beat Bushroot. The vines were busy ripping him limb from limb. Darkwing stared in horror fighting the urge to vomit. Bulba took this moment to throw Dark off his back. As Darkwing regained himself a familiar "thumthumpthump" sounded from above. A black helicopter was descending to escort Taurus to a safer locale. Dark found he had landed by a discarded gun and quickly fired at the fleeing bull. Bulba shrieked in pain and stumbled taking a bullet in the leg. Before he could fire again he was in the crushing grasp of the vines.
"Easy there 'defender of the innocent' this one is mine." Bushroot's voice was calm as he stopped beside Darkwing his gaze on Bulba. He narrowed his angry eyes. Faster than a blink of an eye a great number of vines shot over their heads and latched onto the helicopter. Bulba turned to look at Bushroot, terror consuming his face. With a steady pull the vines bested the propeller and brought the struggling helicopter to an earsplitting crash on the rooftop, right on top of Taurus Bulba. The remains of the copter caught fire and the blades severed the roof. Now he and Bushroot were the only ones left on this rooftop. The mutant slowly turned to him, his eyes burning with malice. Darkwing could feel the bloody hand of Hammerhead smashed against his back in his leafy restraints.
"Tell me… where were you when the innocent Reginald Bushroot needed a defender? How do you justify your claim if you were unable to help him that night?" Shrieked the demented mallard before him.
"I can't be everywhere at once…" He was cut off by the vines squeezing the breath out of him. He felt something small still clenched in the dismembered arm.
"Then it is best you are nowhere." Said Bushroot like a morbid judge making his verdict. "That way you cannot pick and choose who will suffer."
Darkwing closed the now familiar object in his hand, could his luck hold out?
With a painful breath and a prayer he flicked it into life. The lighter caught the vines and they quickly released him as they became engulfed in flames. Bushroot cried out trying to silence the screams in his mind. Darkwing took up the gun again and started firing at the deformed duck. In his rage Bushroot lunged at him with a terrible screech he wrapped his leafy hands around the mallard's throat. He felt the duck's adam's apple struggling beneath his strong, crushing grip. Within seconds his arm was lit on fire, it spread quickly to his back and up to his canopy, he screamed as the dancing flames covered his body. He had let go of Darkwing but he knew he wouldn't get away. Then it happened.
She awoke in the cockpit of the Thunderquack. Her head hurt, she remembered falling and landing suddenly on the nose of the jet. Opening her hand she saw she was still holding the little box he had given her. Launchpad sat beside her, his eyes locked on a distant rooftop. He hadn't noticed she'd woken up.
"Where's Darkwing?"
He glanced at her then looked meaningfully back to the building, a helicopter was burning on the roof and she could just make out the Ramrod. When she squinted she could see two figures struggling with each other.
"We have to go get him!" She commanded.
Launchpad didn't have a chance to argue no sooner had he looked back to her there was an earthshaking din. He threw himself on top of her and forced her down onto the chair the jet shook with the concussion. Launchpad shot up and she followed him. Debris was sticking out of the buildings closest to the sky scraper. Or what was left of it. A fire raged where the top ten floors had been. She saw Launchpad lower his head into his shaking hands, and all she could do was cry.
Darkwing Duck and all related characters are © Disney
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Argh... Sorry it took me so long but here it is. Expect the last one soon (I mean it this time).