-Chapter Ten-

Playtime's Over

His boots made an odd clank on the plastic and the echo carried along the cylinder. The tube released into a vibrantly purple round room that he winced at the sight of. The sudden color change made him slightly queasy, which was intentional he was sure. Three passages were laid out before him. He squinted through the vile color and saw the portals to his left and right were similar in the frame of their entrance. The center path had no frame. His mind raced, he couldn't afford to make a mistake, but he couldn't dwell in one place too long. He bolted into center passage when he encountered a camouflaged curtain that wrapped around his face. He stopped quickly and felt his toes hang off a ledge. He tore the curtain away from him and looked at the gaping hole before him. This compartment was floor-less, he could see the actual bottom floor of the hospital from here. Looking down he could vaguely make out rusting medical supplies, it was at least a four story drop. He returned his gaze to the task at hand, there was an unsteady looking bridge made of colorful rope and imitation wood before him. It swayed in an unstable way even when no one was on it. He fixed his eyes straight ahead, there was a portal at the other side.

He took a deep breath and started to run across the rickety bridge. He made it about three quarters of the way across when he heard the ropes snap behind him and the swaying bridge began to fall. Wildly he grabbed on to the rope tight it as it collapsed and dangled him over the deadly fall. He tore his frantic eyes away from what threatened to be his demise and saw the distance that stood between him and the only possible exit. He could do it. He started to climb the fallen bridge by the cheap plastic planks and the rope it was bound with. He heard a foreboding creak and saw the multicolored rope fraying above. He held his breath and scrambled up the remainder of the failing structure. He heaved himself up into the porthole and felt the bridge break away from under his feet. He straightened up and glanced back. This was it, there was no going back, he could only hope he had gone the right way.

A narrow passage laid before him and he had to turn sideways to be able to squeeze into it. The walls he was crammed between were sticky and something brushed past his feet. He couldn't move enough to see what it was, but he was certain it would be better not to know. As he shimmied along darkness slowly surrounded him. The walls slid a in a bit closer and he had to struggle along in the dark. Without warning he stumbled into open air. The pitch black pressed in on his eyes, he breathed in glad to be out of the claustrophobic hall as his eyes tried to adjust. He felt out the floor before him and was glad to find that it was indeed there. His eyes picked up faint lights from his far right and left. When he squinted he could see the shapes of the familiar round portholes. Right? Or Left? Or maybe... he looked ahead. A deeper darkness hung before him. He held out his arms and found the wall. He fumbled around for a moment until he found it, there was a door in front of him. He tested the footing in this new path and after a few steps found the floor missing again.

He kept a hand on the wall and crouched. He couldn't see an inch front of his bill. He groped the darkness and could find no bridge, or any patches of ground either. That would be too much to ask for. He wondered if this was the hospital basement express like the other room had been. If only he had a flashlight, or a grappling hook, or anything or that matter! He squinted around in the darkness as he stood up again. Nothing gave him any help, he looked up hopefully and noticed a strange pattern hidden in the shadows. He hesitantly reached a hand up and felt the metal bar. Monkey bars. Dark jumped up and latched on to the bars and started across them quickly. They rose in a steady incline, it was hard to find the next bar at the angle in which they were laid out in. Was he getting close? He certainly was getting much higher here, he wondered how long he had been in this place. His hand slipped on a greased up bar and he swung out of control. He frantically regained himself and after a moment to calm his breathing he pushed on ahead.

Out of the blackness a blinding white light flashed into life and he shouted out in pain. He had to blink furiously to regain the use of his eyes. He was near the end of the bars and finished them up without anymore snags. He dismounted into a painfully white room. His arms and shoulders ached. He looked at the next task for him pushing aside the pain. He stood on a platform, a rope hung ten feet away from him over a pit. The pit's floor wriggled and swiggled with brightly colored snakes. They looked like the normal rubber snakes you could by in novelty stores, but they were alive and knowing Quackerjack, poisonous as hell. Dark backed up as far as he could, and without a second thought made a mad running jump.

His hands caught the rope and he glanced down at the hissing reptiles. He felt a relieved sigh escape him, but his breath caught in his throat as he heard a noise from above. A scraping, a tell tale sound of metal sliding along metal sang down on him. Through the porthole above he saw a giant pair of scissors closing on the rope. He scrambled up the rope as fast as he could and his fingers caught the rim of the upper compartment as the scissors sliced effortlessly through the rope. The rope plummeted past and landed in the pit of increasingly angry snakes. He struggled and managed to get up into the new room. He was losing stamina fast, and was nearing exhaustion. He caught his breath and stared at the massive clown statue that held the shears. It's empty smile and red eyes laughed at him, he thought back to the doll that he had found in Gosalyn's bed. He took a deep breath and head out into the neighboring room.

The floor his foot his found swivelled along on a predetermined path. He fell into the spinning tunnel. He clumsily steadied himself and made his way through the ridiculous tube. He stumbled out into a soft spongy floor. He tried to stand up straight but the floor tried to suck him under. There were five passages in this room: One right ahead, upper left and right, lower right and left as well. A loud clicking came from the upper right hand port hole and two giant pairs of chattering teeth hopped toward him happily mashing their teeth. He pulled himself free from the hazardous floor and made for the upper left passage. The floor tried to trip him up and the teeth were quickly gaining but he threw himself inside the porthole. He tried to adjust to the hard floor when he was pulled violently back by the throat. One of the teeth had bitten his cape and was trying to pull him back into their reach. He unlatched his cape and watched it disappear into the animated jaws. He worked his way through this tube, which was thankfully normal. He clamored through it quickly and stopped dead in his tracks at what awaited him next.

No walls greeted him, he was staring out into the ruined hospital. For a horrible moment he feared he had gone the wrong way, but he saw the platform at least fifteen feet above him. A long curly covered slide led up to what appeared to be the final compartment. It was far from where he was, the only way to reach the slide's bottom was by braving a twisted path as wide as a ruler. He saw a few viciously spiked balls tumble out of the slide's mouth.

"Time's almost up Daddy!" Cackled a voice from above. Darkwing looked up and saw Quackerjack leaning over the edge of the platform smiling down at him. "In only five minutes she'll be mine!"

Darkwing's blood boiled and he felt his hands form shaking fists. He started across the treacherous path with as much speed as his footing would allow. He couldn't look down, or he'd loose it. He could hear her crying. He had been in there so long already, what if Quackerjack had hurt her? He almost lost his balance.

"Stop crying now little one! I'd be a much better father than he is! Anyone would! Think about all the fun we could have. All the games we could play. " Laughed the high pitched voice.

His anger flooded his senses. This was too slow! He had to stop being so damn careful about where he was stepping and get to her! He slid his feet apart, crouched low, and jumped. He grabbed the path he had reached and pulled himself up. He was near the mouth of the slide, and had to step back to dodge another mean looking ball as it fell out of the slide and careened down into the remains of the hospital.

He wobbly got inside the slide and braced his feet and attempted his ascent. A big green ball bounced down the tube and landed square in the middle of his back. With a scream his footing slid and he almost lost his grip.

"You scream I scream we all scream for ice cream!" Giggled a faint voice from up ahead.

He grit his teeth and pressed forward trying to avoid the onslaught of spiked spheres. They cut up his arms, legs, chest and back. He felt his arms shaking, he fought the urge to collapse, then he saw it. The entrance to the ball pit was just ahead. He lurched forward into the ball pit, more spikes ripping him apart. A net ladder hung in the center of the pit and he trudged onward in agony. He grabbed the net and felt the hidden barbed wire tear open his hand. He tore off the sleeves of his jacket and wrapped the tattered fabric around his palms. He clumsily scaled up the net. He shot his hand up onto the cold metal platform, and his vision blurred in pain as a heavy foot stomped on top of it.

"Well, well,well! You made it after all!" Smiled the jester above him.

Darkwing glared up at him as his fingers stopped responding. The evil smile broadened on Quackerjack's face as he slowly twisted his foot. Dark gritted his teeth choking back the scream. He saw it beside him, the pad locked straightjacket sleeve was hanging right beside him. He grabbed it with his free hand and pulled it down hard. His tormentor stumbled and Dark yanked the straight jacket down with all his might. Quackerjack toppled into the hole and nearly took Darkwing down with him. He quickly shot his good hand up and painfully heaved his torso up to rest on the upper floor. Through his heavy breathing and blurry vision he met her soggy eyes. Gosalyn was huddled up in a corner, tears streaming down her face, thank god she wasn't hurt. She smiled when she saw him.

"Dad!" She cried.

He felt a hand close around his hanging ankle. He looked down to see Quackerjack scowling up at him. With a strength fueled by hatred he smashed his heel repeatedly into the clown's face. He saw the jester pull out his knife and watched it stab his calf over and over, but he didn't feel it. At this point he was in so much pain he was numb. With a final harsh kick the madman's grip failed. He pulled himself up quickly after a glance around he saw Tither lying on the far side of the platform. He limped over to Gosalyn. Her eyes were red from tears, he tore the sticky binding from her hands and feet.

As soon as Gosalyn had seen him, she had dismissed all the horrible things Quackerjack had told her as he fought his way here. The second her arms were free she threw them around his neck and hugged him harder than she had ever done before. Even as sweaty and bloody as he was he smelt wonderful, the rotting flesh stink of Quackerjack cleared from her nose. His shaky arms closed around her and she felt his shoulders heave. She opened her leaking eyes when his tears seeped through her shirt.

"I'm so sorry..." He whispered.

"I'm fine Dad... I'm all right..." She reassured him.

"This never should have happened..."

"But it has!" Growled a voice from the ball pit. "And you'll always remember..." A torn straight jacket sleeve lurched from the hole, the white scratched exposed hand grasping for a hold . He continued, "... That I was the one who did it!"

She watched him rise from the hole like a demon. Drake's tears had stopped but he still held her. The livid Quackerjack's jacket had been torn and shreds flopped freely around. His hat had been ripped open in places, the stockings were destroyed and his own blood mingled with the blood of his victims. His eyes were filled with a murderous hate and he stared at Darkwing's back.

"I did it! Quackerjack tore down the barriers of you perfect little world! And I won't be the last one who does it!" He screamed sounding more deranged than she had ever heard him. "You hear me Drake!" Shrieked the duck seething with rage. "I'm going to get you! I'm going to tear you apart! Rip you to pieces and throw a ticker tape parade with your guts! Cut out your eyes..." He fumed, "You always looked down at me with those eyes!" His voice cracked with anger. "Now you see! I'm better than you! I've out done you! Who can look down at who now!"

"You're victory speech is premature Cabbage Patch." Growled Darkwing's voice from behind Quackerjack.

Stunned the jester spun around and punched the air. He felt the mallard lunge at his back and quickly turned to block his kick.

"Throwing your voice?" Quackerjack cackled. "That is a neat trick! I never expected something so fun from you!"

Now that Darkwing's arms were bare Gosalyn could see how his muscles flexed as he strategically swung at Quackerjack. He was strong despite how lean he was, he had an excellent balance of strength agility. His fists flew fluidly at their target connecting with grunts and he delivered a fierce kick to the clown's face. Quackerjack crumpled to the floor.

Darkwing hopped slightly, he had used his injured leg in that kick and it was now very unhappy with him. He knew it was far from over, and he was already at a disadvantage. Quackerjack started shake all over with laughter and burst into uncontrollable cackling. He stayed on the floor laughing madly to himself, Darkwing took a deep breath and tried to prepare for the fight before him. Quackerjack sat up quickly, the blood from Darkwing's leg smeared across his face.

"I am so going to enjoy this!" Laughed Quackerjack as he shot up to his feet. He pulled the butterfly knife out and flipped it around in a fancy display. Dark kept his breathing steady and ignored the distracting glinting steel. "Watch carefully Gosalyn dear, and you'll see just what this one is really capable of!" Quackerjack grinned at Darkwing and swung at him.

Dark leaned quickly away as the blade whizzed up past his face, missing by inches. The "v" shaped swing gave him a clear shot at Quackerjack's ribs and he jammed his elbow hard into them. He felt the force of his enemy falter momentarily and he craned back as Quackerjack attempted to slam his careening elbow into the back of Dark's neck. He avoided it barley but the clown's knife-less right fist powerfully pounded him in the face. His instincts kicked in and he shot back dodging a bladed jab. Quick as a shot Dark kicked the knife from Quackerjack's hand, it flew through the air and landed far out of their reach. Quackerjack glanced at it briefly then turned his attention back to Darkwing.

Dark's fist flew at the horrible face but it didn't connect. Instead, the crushing force of a well placed uppercut dazed him. Before he could regain himself a second attack hit him in the gut. Through the pain he clasped his hands together and bashed them into the side of the jester's head. Quackerjack stumbled and Dark kicked him in the chest sending him backward. There was a good distance between them they stood apart each trying to recover. His breath was coming in exhausted "huffs" but his strangled breathing wasn't alone. Quackerjack was hunched over slightly, an arm wrapped around his stomach, the white eyes flickered to the little girl behind Darkwing

"Y... you see?" He gasped. "This 'dad' of yours... he's no saint..."

"Don't you dare talk to her you bastard!" Darkwing bellowed.

Before he could throw anything at Quackerjack the madman was upon him. Darkwing block the left thrust aimed at his head and quickly defended the right jab. His mind was clear and his response time was faster than he expected given his condition. His left knee blocked the powerful kick of his opponent. Again, the fists desperately started flying at him, he swiftly leaned away from them and as soon as he had a clear shot he took it. His heel collided with the lunatic's ribs and with a hard earned grace he broke out into a flying roundhouse kick that sent his aggressor soaring. The figure that had been thrown to the floor wheezed painfully and all the anger he had buried to just get this far screamed through his brain like a freight train.

Launchpad's broken form, the mangled bodies that were strewn so proudly around Chunky Charlie's, the attempt the clown had made to kill him in front of Morgana, and the terror and tears in Gosalyn's eyes. His hatred for this man bubbled over and he threw himself on to the grounded villain, pinned him down and started swinging furiously at the petrified face. He felt the pain in his fist as he pummeled Quackerjack relentlessly. The bastard had dragged everyone he loved down and hurt them just to get to him. He felt bones crack beneath his knuckles and kept his attacks soaring with out a flinch. Quackerjack had flaunted how well he knew all his weaknesses, bragged about it. He felt the body below him writhe and desperately try to knock him off. The son of a bitch had captured his daughter and had no doubt told venomous lies about him. Blood coated his hands and splatter his clothes, the helpless jester shouting in pain with every hit. His head pounded and pumped with the fires of hatred. He was going to beat this no good bastard into oblivion. Suddenly he felt hands try to retrain him, small hands, and his ears finally heard her cries.

"Dad stop!" She shrieked. Her fingers slid down his forearm, her grip unable to catch him through the blood. He pulled out of her feeble grip. "Please stop Drake! You won okay?" She shouted through tears.

He grabbed a fist full of the bloody straightjacket and pulled the battered torso up off the floor. The wide scared eyes gawked at him through the bloody mess that was once a face.

"I should kill you right now..." He snarled. Gosalyn hopelessly tugged on the back of his sweaty, bloody shirt. "But that's what you want isn't it?' He dropped the clown back to the floor hard.

Darkwing pulled himself together and got back to his feet. The broken mass below him curled up in anticipation of another onslaught, but he simply moved away. His knuckles were raw and bleeding, he ached from head to toe, and the look on her face didn't help his heartache either. She stood away from him, tears dripping down her cheeks taking him in as if he was some kind of monster. He noticed her eyes were fixated on his bloody hands, she was looking at them like he was going to something grotesque with them. For some reason he recalled the dream that plagued him, the man in his cell always licked the blood off his hands. He shuddered slightly and shifted his one time sleeves over his battered fists. When his eyes met her's again the fear was gone, in it's place was an intense sadness.

"Let's go Gos." He said weakly. He saw her nod and suddenly a white hot flash of pain seared through him. He found himself fallen to one knee and a pounding pain emanating from the back of his head. His eyes shot to where she had been and found Quackerjack holding her in the air by the throat. He was dangling her over the edge of the platform, she struggled madly as the bloody mess glowered at him,

"You should have killed me when you had the chance, Drakey." He sneered. "There will never be a happily ever after for the likes of you."

Dark felt something metal under his leg, he gripped the knife out of sight.

"Now in return for you being so damn weak you'll have to live with your GUILT!" Quackerjack shrieked and he released her.

Darkwing shouted and stabbed the blade into the jester's chest. A smile spread across the smashed face. Within the blink of an eye Dark had thrown himself over the edge. The air rushed around him, he saw her screaming below lashing about madly. He pressed his legs and arms closely together and plummeted toward her. He snatched her, wrapped his arms around her tightly and turned over in the air. He put himself between her and the floor, if they were going to the hit the bottom maybe he'd cushion her fall. Her slender arms wrapped around him in a constricting hug.

"Dad..." She sobbed.

He shot out his hand suddenly and with excruciating force they wrenched to a halt. His bleeding fingers had caught a small ledge that ran along the outside of one of the lower compartments. He forced her up and she clung to the narrow ledge. He looked down, they had fallen about halfway down, the perilous floor below beckoned to him. A gentle set of soft hands closed around his wrist. He looked up into the green eyes that were full of admiration and love with a smile. There was a sound of a small explosion and a colorful cord wrapped tightly around his waist. He nearly lost his grip as a great weight tried to pull him down. He looked down at the cord's origin and saw Quackerjack holding tight to a colorful grappling pop gun. The clown held the blood stained knife in his teeth and stared to climb the cord toward them. Darkwing turned back to her terrified face.

"Let me go." He breathed.

She stared at him as if he had just sprouted antlers.

"No way!" She sobbed.

"Gosalyn..." His heart broke at what he knew he had to do. "I'm sorry." He started to pry her fingers away from his wrist. She held on tight to his slippery hand her tears raining down on his face.

"I won't loose you too!'

"It's all right..." he smiled weakly. "I love you Gos." His bloody hand slid through her grip and he began to fall again.

"NO!" She howled in anguish as he watched her get smaller.

"Oh how noble!" Growled a voice below him. "But who will protect her from the others Drake?"

He removed the cord from his waist and glared at the smiling face as the littered basement floor came closer to meet them. As sudden has his descent had started he collided with what felt like a brick wall and came to a crashing halt. He heard Quackerjack shriek in outrage, then heard a sickening crash. He lay winded and fighting consciousness, on what he wasn't sure. There was a familiar warm tingling feeling running through him. In agony he opened his eyes a crack and saw the giant cobweb that had caught him. Morgana, he could barely breathe but he knew she was here. The initial shock wore off and sound crept back into his brain. Distant voices were screaming his name, but the sound that ensnared his attention came from much closer. A sickly gurgle came from below him. He looked down and saw he was only five feet from the deathtrap of a floor. Quackerjack stared up at him blood bubbling from his mouth. His brain panicked, was he able to reach him? With a sick turn of his stomach he saw the man had been impaled on a rusty, broken bed frame.

"Y..you never could play this game right." Spluttered the dying duck. "Just you wait... This is only the beginning..." The eerie eyes glassed over and he spoke no more.

Dark wove in and out of consciousness, his head knew the fight was over but his body was tense with anticipation. As his strength surrendered to pain and exhaustion, he suddenly felt a person was kneeling beside him out of nowhere.

"Everything's all right now Dark darling..."

The cell loomed around his nine year old self. His new cell mate was sitting in his usual corner. The two of them were quite an odd pair, alike only in their youth. Drake didn't mind though, it was nice to have someone to talk to, solitary confinement had really started to get to him. He liked having someone to talk to, although the boy was often cold to him. The asylum was pretty quiet tonight, and he laid still on his bed still sore from the electric shock therapy. He couldn't figure out why he was being held here. His mind had hazed over lately, he just wanted to go home. Why was he here? Why hadn't his parents come to take him home? The questions were gnawing at his tired brain when his cell mate spoke.

"Did you see Elmo at zap therapy today?" Asked the voice across from him.

"No."

"Ah that's no fun... haven't seen Sparky in a while." It was quiet for a moment. "Hey, you wanna play a game?"

Drake turned his head to see the smile on the kid's face. That smile was almost as unsettling as the screams they often heard coming from the shock treatment room. He didn't know what to say. He wanted to disappear, to go back to his family. He felt like he was sinking into the bed, before he was smothered he heard his voice speak on it's own, though it was harsher and more gravely.

"No I don't want to play any stupid games you knob!"

The darkness swallowed him.

The memory faded as he drifted awake. The first thing he felt was the tremendous pain from all the damage his now twenty six year old body had sustained, then he felt the cold tile floor beneath him.

"I think he's coming around..." Said a faraway male voice.

His head seared with pain and he felt someone shake him.

"C'mon Dad wake up!"

The agony of even thinking about opening his eyes was almost too much to bear, but he mustered up his will power and cracked them open. The brightness of the world outside his head burned his weary eyes, his vision swam into focus and he saw them surrounding him.

"Hey Dee-double-yuh!" Laughed Launchpad overjoyed.

"Dad!" Squealed Gosalyn as she threw her arms around him. He winced and let out a groan.

"Welcome back Dark." Morgana smiled lightly.

"Ya think you can help him out Morgana?" Launchpad asked.

"My magic has been almost restored, I should be at least be able to mend him enough to make him mobile." Her tingling fingers brushed his forehead.

"Are you all okay?" Darkwing croaked.

"We're fine Darkwing though you've seen better days." Launchpad laughed warmly.

"What about Tither?" It was getting easier to function though his body felt as if it was on fire.

"Well... he's alive." Morgana answered quietly. She removed her hand from his forehead. "Can you get up Dark?"

With an outcry from every inch of his body he stiffly sat up. His head was splitting but he felt better than had a few minutes ago. Gosalyn knelt beside him.

"Feeling better Dad?" She asked gently.

"Feel like I've been run through a meat grinder, but better..."

She quickly punched him in the arm and he shouted in pain.

"Gos!" Gasped Launchpad.

"That's for telling me to drop you!" She growled. "And this is for saving my sorry butt..." She kissed his cheek and hugged him.

"You're nuts kid." He laughed as he hugged back. He patted her head gently and spoke softly to his friends. "Thanks for coming you guys, with out you I'd be..." He recalled the sickly noise Quackerjack made when he died.

"Hey it was our turn to save you 'Mister Hero', right Morgana?" Beamed Launchpad.

"Yes I'm just sorry we didn't arrive sooner. " She ran her hand gently down his back. "We should get out of here."

"Yeah, I'm glad that this mess is all over." Sighed Launchpad wearily.

"Not quite LP. You two take Gosalyn home, I still have some loose ends to tie up."

They voiced their protest but he finally convinced them to go. He assured them that he would be fine and that he had the Rat catcher to get him home. They had been gone a few minutes now, he had his gun back, that lifted his confidence. He had Morgana move Tither to the main floor before she left, and he now held him in his sight. Her response was accurate, he was alive. It looked as if Quackerjack had gotten bored waiting for him to show up and had begun lopping off non fatal pieces of the man's person. His tongue, eyes and a few fingers were missing and that was only what was visible. Darkwing didn't really feel up to finding out all that had been forcefully removed. How long was he here with Quackerjack, Dark wondered, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the weasel. A din of dress shoes rushed toward this room. He smiled lightly to himself, he knew Hooter would figure out the riddle sooner or later. Agents flooded into the room, he leaned against the wall waiting for someone to notice him..Tither was instantly swarmed.

"You're late..."Darkwing proclaimed but his witty commentary was knocked out of him as a giant paw crushed his throat and slammed him against the wall.

"Yoo haf done eet dis time Darkwink!" Roared the grizzly bear.

"I didn't do that to him!" He gasped painfully in response.

"Agent Grizzlicof, release him this instant" The elderly voice was calm but threatening. The bear narrowed his eyes and dropped him. Darkwing rubbed his throat. "Well, Darkwing, where is this Quackerjack that has caused us so much trouble?" Hooter approached him.

There was a shocked cry as one of the agents looked down into the collapsed floor.

"Looks like you man there found him." Dark replied coldly.

"I see he put up quite a fight." Hooter eyed the Darkwing's sorry condition.

"Yeah. I've done what we agreed on. I don't want to be framed for any of this."

"Quite right, have no worries Mr. Duck we won't be blaming you for this."

Darkwing knew that he should ask Hooter about the offer he had made him, the one about joining S.H.U.S.H., that he should ask now while they were still on good terms, but his heart wasn't in it.

"Good, then please excuse me as I make my exit." Darkwing began to walk away when a thin strong hand retrained him. He turned to see Hooter peering at him through his bifocals.

"Are you still quite sure you will not join us? I firmly believe you would do greater good falling into our ranks."

Darkwing smiled.

"Well, I have thought about it a lot lately... but I'm not quite ready to hang up my cape just yet." He fired off a smoke bomb and escaped in the confusion.

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Darkwing Duck and all related characters are © Disney

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Whew... told ya it was going to be long. Only one chapter left, I'll try to get it to you guys soon.