Chapter 13
Thy Kingdom
It was a dark, gloomy night. Torrents of rain pattering down on the cold streets. It was a freezing, hard rain, a rain that pretty much would cause anyone with half a brain to take cover and stay inside.
Unfortunately when one worked for Negaduck things like common sense had to take back seat to satisfying the desires of the loony you worked for.
"Is this even going to work?"
Lamont looked up. Very very up. The two or so ton dinosaur that, for some reason, was part of the gang glared down at Lamont with sheer hostility. That was fine. Lamont didn't like Stegmutt either.
"It'll work." Lamont deliberately turned away from the dinosaur hovering over him to stare at the gas station across from him. He sneered as he felt Stegmutt lower his head down towards him. Lamont didn't trust the dinosaur. Didn't trust anyone in the gang, really. They would all stab you in the back if they thought it would please Negaduck, who very much favored the ruthless and cunning. Hell, only reason that Lamont held the position of second as he did was because, while not the best fighter, he was the most aware of his surroundings. It was true that Launchpad was a better fighter, but he was also dumb as a brick, and content to remain as bodyguard, rather then help actually run the place. No, Lamont did all of that. Had been doing it since Negaduck had came to his hideout that night, all those years ago.
Sometimes he wished he had shot Negaduck in the head right then. Or, even better, when the pair had been kids. Sometimes he would think about that disaster of a hit on the music store, and wonder how much Negaduck had been responsible for his older brother's demise. Sometimes he just wanted to kill the bastard and be done with it. Skip town and find something else to do with himself. But, he knew he would fail. Negaduck would not be beaten. Better to back the winning horse.
But, bad time for this. The mission.
"Don't worry." The canine said, making sure to keep his tone light and friendly. No need to have the dinosaur hate him even more. Just because he didn't trust anyone in the gang didn't mean that said gang needed to know this. "Ace is old and his men are starting to lose faith in him. All we need to do is secure this block, and he'll be forced to retreat. He might even pull the rest of his men back to his main turf, to keep it better protected."
Stegmutt shrugged. "If you say so. I remember when I was a kid. Ace's gang controlled the entire area. Hell, even my dad had to pay his protection money. And he was controlling this part long before I was born."
"Ace is getting weak, and it's showing." Lamont said. "He keeps losing territory to us, and he's not getting any new recruits. And the more we take from him, territory, money, lives, the less faith he inspires in his men." Lamont grinned and rubbed the side of his shotgun. "Trust me; by this time next week, the Ace gang will be a memory."
Stegmutt growled and Lamont turned back to the street. He grinned when he saw a car pulling up to the store window. Its dark tinted windows made it clear it was a gang car. It had all the markings.
"Get ready." Lamont raised his voice so that the five others he had brought with him could hear. His eyes kept focused on the door to the shop.
The man behind the counter lifted his head and shivered. The two ducks who entered the station looked pretty much like a pair of businessmen, suits and all. However, most business ducks didn't have Ace gang tattoos. The huge stylized, blue colored As which covered the left side of each of their faces, should have looked silly, especially since they were designed so that top part of the A was over the eye, making the eye peek out from a triangle of blue. It did look very silly, to be honest, but the reputation of the gang was strong enough that no matter how silly they chose to mark themselves, they never were laughed at, to their faces at least. Both ducks were male, and they looked very similar. Same shaped beaks and features, in fact the man behind the counter was pretty sure they were related. The only difference was that one of them was a huge, muscular man, and other was shorter and skinnier, like a track runner.
The man gulped as two more Ace gang members slunk in, each separating and going to stalk through the shelves of chips, candy and drinks. These two were not as professional looking as the first two, and the man couldn't help but notice that while one, a large goose, had a gun, the other, a reddish coyote of some sort, apparently had a bow and quiver. And yes, there were arrows there. That would have been silly as well, but the cashier didn't laugh.
"Timmy, it's that time of month again." The shorter of the two suit wearing ducks smiled mildly as he approached the counter. Timmy gulped and opened the cash register, aware that the gang was looking at him, observing to make sure everything went according to plan.
Tim reached into the cash register and lifted the tray, pulling out an envelope. He cautiously handed the envelope to the shorter duck, who took it with a nod. The shorter duck started to count through the bills in the envelope, while his larger companion scanned the shelves.
"It's all there, Neil, or not?" The bigger one asked as he took a bag of chips from the shelf and studied it.
"Don't fret Boris…it's fine." Neil smiled and placed the envelope of cash in his inner jacket pocket. "Let's see, can you toss me a Koo Koo Cola there?" The bigger duck, Boris, nodded and tossed Neil a soda. Neil produced a wallet, which Tim the counter man knew was his own personal stash, and not the money intended as tribute, and gave placed a few dollars on the counter. Tim's smile became genuine. Now that there was no longer any chance of him being shot he could act like a normal gas station attendant now.
Tim took the cash, as well as ringing up Boris' bag of chips. Of course, a simple bag of chips and cola was not even a fraction of what Tim had to pay, but at the very least the Ace gang tried to be civil about this arrangement. The two of them also seemed more relaxed and less willing to break bones, though there was always a slight tension in their spines, and occasionally their eyes would dart from side to side. The two of them might be friendly now, but Tim knew they were still willing and able to fight.
Just as he was contemplating the combat powers of his "customers", the two other Ace gang members looked towards the window with narrowed eyes, and Boris and Neil soon did the same.
"Tim. Head down."
Tim obeyed instantly, just in time to hear the windows shattering from a hail of bullets. He covered his head and cowered on the other side of the counter, hoping that he was going to live through this. Just what he needed this week! A drive by.
Meanwhile, the duck called Neil had ducked behind a shelf, at the same time whipping out a pistol and shooting in the direction of the assailants. He could feel Boris stepping beside him, pulling out his own sub machine gun and blasting with reckless abandon. He nodded to the coyote, who nodded back and pulled a dark hoodie over his long reddish ears. The coyote then slipped around towards the back exit, low to the ground.
"Negaduck, you think?" Boris asked.
"Hell yes." Neil growled. "I just hope he didn't bring a freak…" As soon as those words left Neil's beak a wall of green scales leapt through the remains of the window, spiked tail swinging towards him. "Yep, he brought a freak." Neil dodged to the side. "Nice." He backed somewhere nearer to the soda rack, shooting for Stegmutt's eyes. He missed.
But Boris did not. He dropped his gun and lifted a hand. With a surprising amount of dexterity and skill, he caught the swinging tail and gripped it firmly. He tugged at Stegmutt's tail, getting the bloodthirsty dinosaur's attention. He grinned down up at the taller creature. "Hey ugly." Boris said.
Stegmutt snarled and lifted his tail with a might jerk, trying to bash Boris against the ceiling. At the last minute Boris let go, diving straight for Stegmutt's back. He twisted just enough to miss impaling himself on Stegmutt's spines, but not enough to not get long scratches on his chest for his trouble. Still, his hands found a new grip on Stegmutt, on hand on his back between the spines, and the other going for his belly. He twisted and landed on his feet. With a grunt he lifted Stegmutt into the air and tossed him out the window. Stegmutt let out a cry of surprise. It was clear he never imagined he would be tossed by a simple duck.
He also failed to notice the fact that the goose, who had seemed to be holding back, had pulled out a bottle filled with liquid at the bottom, and a rag tucked inside it. He also missed the fact that the goose had pulled out a lighter and lite the Molotov cocktail. So, it came as a complete shock when he felt something break over his flying body, and then found himself ignited as he landed on top of a car.
Stegmutt roared and rolled, fortunately for him landing on top of a fire hydrant, which he crushed, spewing water all over himself. The fires died, and he rose to his feet. His scales were blackened a bit, but otherwise he seemed no worse for wear.
"Like the fire, freak?" Neil chuckled as he steeped out into the street, followed by Boris and the goose. "Want some more?" He aimed his gun.
"Getting a bit stupid in your old age, Cornelius?" Lamont and two other Negaduck gang members emerged from an alley, as two more Negaduck followers stepped out of another alley on the other side of the Ace gang. Neil's eyes darted from side to side, but he kept his gun trained on Stegmutt. Slowly he raised two fingers into the air, and then pointed them at Lamont.
Lamont heard the whistle just in time. Leaping to the side he felt something hard and sharp burrowing itself into his shoulder. He grunted and landed with a hard thud on the concrete. He looked up and glared at the steel arrow now stuck in his shoulder.
Stegmutt roared and charged at the trio in front of him. Neil saw him coming and leapt to the side, making a break for the fallen Lamont. A knife flashed, the blade's hilt appearing as if by magic in the throat of the Negaduck follower beside Lamont. Lamont snarled and yanked the arrow out of his shoulder. He knew that if Neil was resorting to knives he must be out of bullets. He stabbed with the blooded arrow as Neil went to tackle him, the head of the arrow sliding across Neil's cheek as he lifted an arm to slam against Lamont's throat. Lamont fell, Neil on top of him, while Lamont stabbed relentlessly at Neil's face.
Up on the rooftops the coyote aimed another arrow, eyeing his foes with a calm air. The archer breathed, then fired, the steel arrow flying true to his target, Lamont's foot. The coyote grinned. He was almost ten feet away. New record.
Neil grinned as Lamont winched, then he brought his foot up and kicked directly at Lamont's stomach. The canine howled as he fell over, the arrow in his foot causing him a great degree of difficulty.
Then, Stegmutt showed up again.
The dinosaur roared and swept almost an inch from Lamont's form, crashing into Neil as he tried to rise, and tossing him into a wall with a swing of his head. Neil grunted as he slammed into the wall, creating a duck shaped hole. Stegmutt laughed and grabbed a car, hoisting it over his head to smash it into the place where the hole was.
The only warning he got was a slight growl as a feathery missile flew from the side to punch him in the face. Stegmutt snarled as he reeled back, car falling from his hands. He blinked at Boris, who was coming in for another smack. How in the hell was this duck so powerful? Stegmutt grabbed the duck's hand as it flew towards his face. Sneering the dinosaur pressed down on the hand, hoping to win a contest of strength. While Boris was stronger then Stegmutt had thought, he was not so strong as a dinosaur. Stegmutt grinned and grabbed Boris' elbow, and flung him around to crash into another wall, right after Neil.
A few seconds later the two duck's heads poked from their respective holes. The goose henchman backed away towards them, then fled, eyes wide with terror. Neil sneered at the deserter's back. "Cowards." His eyes widened as Stegmutt snarled, then charged. Neil grabbed the sides of his hole and tried to pull himself out. "Boris, little help?"
"Love to, bro, but I got a pillar on my leg!"
The coyote jumped form the building top to the ground in front of the two ducks. As the dinosaur charged he took careful aim, then fired a good dozen arrows at the rampaging dinosaur. Stegmutt closed his eyes in order to keep from being blinded, as the arrows bounced of his nose and head.
The coyote nodded and leaped. He grabbed Neil and yanked him out, as Boris finally got the pillar off his leg. The coyote stomped, catching a boot on the edge of a manhole cover and flipped it open. He tossed Neil in and waited for Boris to go. The big duck jumped, but got stuck about a third of the way in.
The coyote sighed and shook his head at the duck. Boris glared at him. "Don't you get on me about my burritos again, Arch!" The coyote shook his head again, then wagged a finger at the duck in a parental manner. "Oh shut up and help!" Boris bellowed. Arch sighed, then nodded. He jumped in the air, then landed on Boris' head. Jumping three times did the trick, as the two fell into the sewers, inches from being flattened by a rampaging dinosaur.
Boris emerged from a river of green slime, holding Arch by the neck. "You dingbat! Why is it always the head?"
"Because it's the one part of your body you don't need, Boris." Neil scrambled up to the sidewalk of the sewer, grinning at his brother. Arch nodded and pointed at Neil, as if to agree.
"Bah, just because I can't do fancy science don't make me dumb." Boris said. "Look what college did to our brother!"
"Don't remind me." Neil shook some goo off his feathers. "Father isn't going to be happy about this."
Arch shrugged. He pointed at the two, then rubbed his fingers together in the classic 'money' sign.
"Yeah yeah, I know you think he values us more. Don't be sappy, Arch." Boris set the coyote down. "Let's head back before the old man has a cow."
Arch the coyote nodded and looked up at the circle of light that was the manhole. His ears twitched as he heard the sirens. Of course the Negaduck gang would be long gone by now. He snorted and nodded at the two ducks, who had just started in the direction of the boss's hideout.
Arch followed, a feeling of glumness settling in his gut. Yeah, Ace really wasn't gonna like this.
Somewhere one a rooftop, a duck shaped shadow watched the chaos bellow. The figure gritted its teeth, and before anyone could see it, was gone.
At one point in time the hideout for the Ace gang had been a booming nightclub. A place were a good con could go to have a drink or settle down, free from the cops or vigilantes. Ace let just about anyone in the club, as long as they didn't cause trouble, as the hideout itself was below, but not accessible by the club. No, the Ace gang had learned long ago of the vast sewers and tunnels beneath the city, and had long since taken over a good chunk of them. There were rooms down there, with full electric lighting and even access to cable and refrigeration. The place, both clubhouse and hideout, had been a rather boisterous hive of scum in its day, with the gambling and the betting and the drinking making the place rather lively, and the gang working bellow the streets had once been vast. In fact, Ace had at one point twelve loyal lieutenants working under him, each with a smallish gang of their own to run and manage.
However, these days were long past. The clubhouse had closed, the bright lights and welcoming doors crooked and broken, forever in disarray. The underground housing had been reduced to a few rooms. The most embarrassing losses of the underground being not from Negaduck, but from Quackerjack, who had his own hideout in the tunnel system. Once the Ace gang would have flushed him out and chased him off, but it was clear on the other side of town in the woods (or under woods) and Ace didn't have the manpower to trot all the way over there and kick out one vigilante clown. That really, really rankled, but Ace had long ago decided that the goofy do gooder was less important then the real pain in the tailfeathers.
Negaduck.
Ace was an ageing duck, his feathers long since falling from the top of his head, exposing the pale flesh beneath. He walked with an obvious limp, a shambling gait that not even the famous Scrooge McDuck had, despite the fact that Ace was actually younger then McDuck. His eyes were starting to dull, a fact that irritated the proud crime lord even more then losses in his power. He couldn't spot things, like random snipers, as well as he used it. Heck, couldn't even read a sign across the room without glasses.
Gripping a silver colored cane, which he leaned on quite heavily, the old duck growled at the reflection of the three who had just reported to him.
"So." Ace's voice was fairly pleasant and soft, despite his clear disappointment. He turned his head slightly to look at the three behind him. "My own sons and my last lieutenant…cannot even stand up to a small group of the boy's little freakshow?"
"So far he's got a witch, I remind you of the time that Arch here got turned into a frog." Neil nodded at Arch, who growled at that particular memory. "And now a huge green dinosaur." Neil folded his arms. "What, exactly, are we supposed to do about a dinosaur? It's huge, Father!"
Ace sighed. It was bad enough Negaduck had been absorbing his own former followers at a fantastic rate, but now he had dinosaurs. Normally the punishment for betraying a crime boss would make a traitor wish he had been picked up by the cops instead, but Ace had found himself unable to go through with most threats. Not for any sense of mercy, but for the fact that Negaduck knew how to protect his men, and knew that keeping them safe from Ace was just one way to keep them on his side.
"What about Hooter?" Boris asked. "Is he-"
"I don't know. That is what I am going to ask him…" Ace frowned. "If you two are up to it…"
"Right by you, Father." Neil grinned.
Ace chuckled to himself. Aside from his third son, his children were quite loyal. Even if none of the rest of his dwindling gang stayed, he knew that Boris and Neil would. Or, if nothing else, they would avenge him if needed.
"Meet me at the entrance in a few minutes. Arch, a word." Ace turned back to the window and looked out at the den of the hideout. It was a one-way window. All his gang would see was an ominous black stretch of glass. He could count four or five of them, all of them no older then thirty. They were all veterans from the old days, they had grown up with Ace in charge, and had not yet had the heart to betray the old duck. Not yet at least.
Ace blinked. Not yet? When had his thoughts become so pessimistic? Sometimes his internal monologue seemed determined that this was the end. Not just of him, but the gang as a whole. Thinking of his son's avenging him? Thinking of when the next member would either quit town or worse run to Negaduck or Hooter? Had it really gotten that bad? It hadn't been a sudden thing either. Chip after chip had been hacked away from the kingdom that Ace had wrestled away from his predecessor almost fifty or so years ago. Back then Ace had overthrown the last leader of the gang, with Arch's help. To be fair Ace has lasted a good thirty years longer then the old leader. Ah yes, putting that man…away had been fun. A real thrill. He missed that.
Ace started a bit at a tap on his shoulder. Oh yes, Arch. He was getting spacy again. He worried about that. Was he getting more and more spacy in his old age, or was it just the losses incurred? He had always had a good grip on his mind, even though his body was failing him. Was that changing? He turned to meet Arch's eyes. "Your project, old friend?" He asked, not letting his worries come to his face. No reason to worry the boy. Although to be fair 'the boy' wasn't that younger then he now.
Arch nodded, and smiled in a reassuring way. At least that was going alright, at least something was. Then Arch frowned and sneered, circling his fingers over his eyes, he shook his head and scowled at Ace.
"I know you don't trust Hooter. How many of our deserters has he sheltered, after all? But, still, an old friend would understand the threat we both face from Negaduck." Ace nodded at Arch's scowl. "Concentrate on the girl, my friend." Ace began to limp towards the door. "Let me handle Hooter."
Arch shook his head, and Ace pretended not to notice.
Negaduck's hideout house on Avian Way had one constant occupant, an occupant that hated her surroundings more and more every day. Though the house looked nice and well kept on the outside, inside the place was a sty.
Mostly because Gosalyn would be damned if she was going to clean the place. Sure she kept her room nice, just to spite Negaduck. And she wore dresses and kept up a nice positive attitude, again to spite him. Negaduck hated the dresses. Hated Gosalyn's sweet little girl act. This only spurned her to use it more. In fact, she used it so much it had become her personality. It was easy to annoy her 'father' with it, and easy to get what she wanted from others with it as well. She had Morgana wrapped around her little finger, even though the ditzy fool was just as enamored with Negaduck. How the woman couldn't see that she was being used was beyond Gosalyn. It was like she was dumb on purpose. No one could be that dumb by accident.
Gosalyn gritted her teeth as, in the sweetest voice she could muster, she approached Negaduck as he was talking to two of his little gang. Lamont and that creepy dinosaur, from the sound of it. It was just a phone conference, but the two sounded just as nervous as they would have been in person. Gosalyn had never met any of the gang, save Launchpad and Morgana, but she knew a lot of voices. She got a little thrill of joy at the nervous stammer in Lamont's voice as he reported something that was, in her eyes, a success. It said something about Negaduck that even successes were reported with a degree of nervousness.
Anyway, back to what she was saying with her fake sweet tone. "Do you want something to eat or drink, Daddy?" She curtsied, knowing that would drive her adopted guardian bats. To be fair, the curtsy would turn into a duck as a plate came flying at her head.
"No! Go do something productive! Rob a store! Break a window! Steal candy from a baby! Anything!" Negaduck scowled at her. She grinned back, as sweet as she could. She got another little thrill of joy at his enraged eyes. She knew he wasn't going to actually hurt her, not matter how much crap he threw at her head. He though her valuable. She knew why, but she wasn't going to perform for him again, not if she could help it. Not after what he had done.
"Alright!" She chirped happily and practically skipped away. She could hear him snarling behind her, and she tried not to laugh. Sometimes driving him up the wall was just too funny!
And now she could leave the house without him noticing. She had been nice to him for a good thirty minutes. He'd have to go back to the bridge hideout to vent. Or to that other world. The world with Darkwing Duck. How she wished she could find out where he went in and out! She would love to see a world like that! A world with some justice!
But this was her world, and she had to make the best of it. Fantasy was never good when reality was staring you right in the face.
She scurried out the back door, following the line of bushes that led to the Muddlefoot's house. It was a bit dangerous getting so close to that depraved family's lair, as she wasn't' sure what they would do if they caught her. Well, most of them…
"I can hear over there, Gos. You going to meet him?" She heard a voice from over the hedge.
"Yeah, you coming with, Tank?"
Tank peeked over the hedge. The glasses on his nose reflecting the sun slightly. "Yeah. Honker is playing Tank the Tank again. I feel safer with you and him." He wiggled over the hedge and slide to the ground. "Let's go. He's in the front."
Gosalyn nodded and lead Tank away from the hedge and towards the nearby forest. Ducking a weaving between cars and buildings, and ducking through the occasional backyard, they made their way through the unoffending looking suburbs. It all looked relatively nice and peaceful, if you didn't notice the things that went on behind the closed doors and in the basements. Gosalyn didn't care to look. While the inner city was obvious in its evil, the 'burbs were different in that the evil was under the surface.
However, soon they had raced past the tree line and into the forest, a place that, in Gosalyn's eyes, was much better then the city. At least all they had to worry about here was ravaging bears. And, it was on the opposite side of the city from the strange clown man's territory. No one knew exactly where Quackerjack lived, but it was somewhere on the other side of town. Clowns gave Gosalyn the creeps, so she avoided him and his band of loons. That, and she didn't care to get involved with Negaduck's little war. Not yet.
Gosalyn came to a hollow tree and dug around in a big knothole. She pulled out a bow and a set of trick arrows. She loved them. They all did different things, from knock out gas, to a blinding flash of light, to sticky tar, to a grappling hook. There were even normal arrows. And, a few tipped in poison. Not enough to kill, but enough to paralyze a victim. She grinned at Tank, who gave them a nervous look.
"I really don't like-akk!" Tank jumped aside as a different, larger arrow thwannged against the hollow tree. Even in a dress, Gosalyn still had the agility to turn and fire a normal arrow at the place where the larger arrow had come. She then ducked to the side as three more came at her, and Tank fell to the ground and took cover behind a log. He sighed and poked his head out to watch.
Arch the coyote was in the trees, firing arrows at Gosalyn with reckless abandon. Gosalyn was returning fire, trying a whole slew of different arrows. The coyote barely missed getting caught in the knockout smoke, only to grunt as a blunted arrow hit him in the shoulder. He winched in clear pain. He wasn't as young or as fast as he used to be. Still, he had enough strength to fire more and more arrows at the young girl. With a calmness and poise unlike someone of her age, she fired back, coming closer and closer to the elderly canine. She used a grappling arrow to swing up to Arch's branch and attempted to thump him on the head with her bow. He raised up an arm to deflect the small assailant, who was leaping up to his level. She gripped his arm with her left hand and tried to kick him in the chest. He grunted and fell out of the tree, her on top of him.
"You know, Arch, the suits really aren't the best for outdoor activities." She chuckled. The man dressed like it was still the forties.
Arch raised an eyebrow and nodded at her dress. Okay, so she wasn't exactly in the best outdoor attire either…she grinned as he picked her up by the collar and placed her down. He stood up, smiling at her gently. He looked like he was pleased. She grinned at him.
"I beat you. Again." She laughed.
Arch nodded, though she had a feeling that he was holding back. None of his shots had been aimed to kill, or even wound. Instead he had seemed more determined to test her agility and her aim then anything else. Still, she could feel herself getting better. She was becoming an archer, like the coyote.
Arch raised an eyebrow and nodded in the direction of Negaduck's house. He tilted his head in question at her.
"Not yet. But soon. I'm not ready." She shook her head as he gestured towards the bad part of the city, towards the Ace nightclub. "I…am still not sure about that, Arch."
Tank swung himself up on the log and sat down, breathing heavy. Gosalyn may be used to all this, but he wasn't. Still, it was safer out here with the two gangsters then it was at his own home. Gosalyn didn't know it, but in many ways Tank sort of did see her as a little junior gangster. He couldn't help it. She might have been a kid like him once, but being adopted by Negaduck…he couldn't help but see her that way. Sure, she was his friend, but the things she was capable of…
Well he didn't want to think too much about that. She was still his friend after all, so what if her background was slightly terrifying when you thought about it too much. So he just watched the two interact, interested to see how it would go next.
None of them really noticed the duck shaped figure in the bushes, watching them.
Neil and Boris did a pretty good job of acting calm and collected as they flanked their father down the hall one of S.H.U.S.H's many many hideouts. It was a dank, cold pace. Dark metal walls looming close to them, to make visitors feel more nervous, only made the two criminals sneer slightly. Despite any nerves the two might have felt, they hid it well, as did their father. For all the emotion he displayed, Ace might as well have been walking to the store.
Ace smiled slightly as they rounded a corner to see a certain angry looking bear glowering at them. Grizzlikov didn't like Ace. None of the S.H.U.S.H agents did. Mostly because they had never been able to beat Ace in the occasional fights the two groups had. Ace had clashed with S.H.U.S.H before, and had allied with them before as well. It all depended on the circumstances, and who was in charge. Hooter had not always ran his little mafia, and the pervious leader had been cordial to Ace, and the man before that, more aggressive and angry.
Ace didn't even wait for the bear to open the door for him. He simply pushed it open itself, letting Boris slightly block Grizlikov's path in case his got any bright ideas. Ace couldn't help but be proud. They worked well together.
Hooter looked up with a frown, which of course only turned Ace's small smile into a smirk. The elderly crime lord placed both hands on his cane, folded, and blatantly looked down on Hooter, still smiling. For all the world like a elderly gentleman looking down on a small pleb.
"Dear boy, how have you been?" Ace asked gently.
Hooter's frown deepened. Ace milked that old man thing far too much. IT was annoying. Especially his dignified voice. It was why Hooter preferred Negaduck. Much more straightforward. Hooter would take a Negaduck rage over Ace's attitude any day.
"I heard that you lost more territory, Loren." Hooter said, getting a mild bit of pleasure as the pleasant smile on his opposite's face wilting slightly. Hooter knew Ace hated hearing his real name from someone like Hooter. "And your wife has gone missing." Hooter expected that to get a reaction, but Ace only smiled at that last bit.
"She sometimes finds that the St. Canard air is not to her liking. She often takes long trips."
"And is she taking these trips because she knows that Negaduck will be knocking your doors down soon?" Hooter was losing patience for this old game. "Cut the crap, Loren. You came here for one purpose, to beg me for help because you can't handle the new blood on your own." Hooter ignored the twins glowering at him from over their father's shoulders.
"Address our father by his title." Boris growled. Ace held up a hand.
"No no…let him." His pleasant look didn't leave his face, but Ace's eyes grew hard. "It's very…amusing."
"Glad you find it amusing." Hooter smirked. "Because soon, you are going to die laughing."
"I will, because if I do fall, you shall be right behind me, dear boy." Ace's grin grew wide. "If you really want to stop the game, then let me be blunt, as it seems you are so dense as to forget everything we once stood for." Ace brought his hands up, gripping the cane like a staff, a weapon. "Once Negaduck is through tearing my gang apart, he will move against you. And then he will move against the rest of this city. Are you really that blind as not see this? The man is mad, and bad for business. Do you really think he has the foresight to run this city as you and I have?"
"No, but it will not come to that." Hooter said.
"What? You think you can cage the beast on your own?" Ace growled, his pleasant tone finally snapping to one of pure contempt. "You think you, who can't even corral one filthy federal agent, can keep that monster in check? Damn it, Hooter, open your eyes."
"You sound like your son now." Hooter said with a small chuckle.
"HEY! Shut up you little prick!" Neil bellowed, but gasped when Ace smacked him in the head. It was not a hard blow, but it did get the younger duck's attention.
"Don't. Mind yourself." Ace growled to him.
"You can't even control the ones that are on your side, can you?" Hooter laughed. "Oh how many times did my predecessor speak of you? How many praises he heaped, but now…you're losing it all, Loren, and you expect me to drag my S.H.U.S.H down the drain with your pathetic little street rats?"
Ace stared at him for a few moments, then laughed bitterly. He tapped his cane back on the floor. "Let's go." He turned without another word and allowed Boris to shove Hooter's pet bear out of the way as the exited.
As soon as they left Grizzlikov looked at Hooter. "Do you want me to set the boys on him?"
Hooter shook his head. "Why? Negaduck will take care of the issue soon enough." He leaned back in his chair. "…I hate that coot so much…"
As soon as they were gone Neil looked at Ace apologetically. "Sorry Dad, I-"
"Don't." Ace shook his head. "You are not naturally eloquent. This is not your fault. And, you are right. What you said had no difference in that…travesty, and it would not have bettered us if you had kept…yer trap shut." Ace snarled slightly, his normally quiet tones slightly descending into something that sounded more fit in a mobster movie.
"Hehehehe, sometimes I think you should have been an actor, Father." Boris said. He had long gotten used to his father's odd shifting from one persona to another.
"Perhaps." Ace nodded.
"I am thinking King Lear, hey Ace?" A certain sinister voice growled from the shadows of an alley. "Nice of you to drop into my old friend Hooter…oh, didn't he mention it'd be a party of three?" Negaduck laughed.
"…your grasp of the classics is rudimentary at best, child." Ace barely turned his head, even though Neil and Boris turned, tensing. "And I have not the time to educate you." Ace spun, the limp in his gait vanishing as he pointed something at Negaduck. A small canister, which spewed smoke into the other crime lord's face. Ace's sons wasted no time, Boris grabbing up his father, and running, as Neil rushed forwards, attempting to strike at Negaduck with a blade he drew from his coat. However, the swift duck was intercepted by several pounds of Stegmutt, who easily batted Neil away.
Neil rolled and sprang up, running to follow his brother, who was batting Negaduck gang members away with one hand, and holding their father in the other massive arm. But Ace was not sitting idle, spewing the gas into faces over his son's shoulder. He clenched his teeth. How he wished he could run! How he wished he could stand and face the animal behind him! But he couldn't…he couldn't…his bad leg throbbed, an old would that wouldn't allow him to be Ace again.
For a moment he almost wished of the Negaduck gang would just shoot him, and free his children from having to drag their father around like a package, but this feeling was quickly squashed as he fired again and again.
Ace gasped as he heard bullet fire, but not from the Negaduck gang. He looked up. Someone ran on the roof, firing a gun down at the assaulting gang, paying particular mind to the treacherous former Ace gang members among the crowd. Ace's eyes widened in horror. "MOVE, DAMN YER HIDES!" He roared. He could see Neil following them, slashing at their foes with abandon as he ran, but Ace hadn't been roaring at him.
"It's PLLLAAAYTIME!" A certain battle cry echoed from ahead of them.
"…and the Four are here…" Boris snarled. "Hold on, Father!" Boris lowered his head and literally crashed through a rather surprised Liquidator, who hadn't expected an Ace member to run through his water like that.
Ace turned his head to the side, and for a brief second a very familiar pair of eyes stared back at him in horror as Boris charged past…then the person was knocked to the side by Neil, who was still fast on his brother's heels. "Move it, asshole!" Neil roared as the trio finally found free air.
Ace breathed hard, heart pounded. Oh that was not good. The doctor did say heart attacks would be in his future. Come on, you stupid thing. Keep it up…Ace gasped. "Home…now…" He closed his eyes, trusting Boris. "Contact…Arch…tell him…take the girl." Ace shuddered. "I am done with being nice."
He smiled as he heard Neil bellow into a radio at Arch. Maybe things were not so bad.
Gosalyn's hackles were raised almost as soon as Arch put a radio next to his ear. She knew, intellectually, what the coyote did for a living. Tank noticed the tensing.
"Gos?"
"Get ready to scoot, Tank." She whispered low as she watched the coyote frown.
"Huh?"
"You do remember who he works for?" Gosalyn asked.
"You don't think he'd…but he's a friend!"
"No, he's teaching me archery. He's not a friend." Gosalyn replied.
"…you aren't normally this cynical…" Tank sighed to himself.
Gosalyn gave Tank a small pat on the shoulder, to comfort the poor kid. He was smart, but only book smart. Her eyes narrowed as Arch turned. He lifted his hand and curled a finger to her, beckoning. A par to Gosalyn did want to go with him, but at the same time…
"Gos, why don't we-"
"No." Gosalyn growled at Arch. "I like you, Arch. I don't-" She shook her head as Arch gestured violently at her, a slight snarl coming to his lips. "Damn it, you know what he did to my grandfather!"
Arch glared at her. He took a step closer. Tank, seeing how the wind was blowing, turned and ran off. He felt a stab of guilt, but he knew that he couldn't do much of anything to help her. Despite his size, he was a weakling, not at all like Gos herself. It was best if got away before he distracted Gos from what she had to do. He ducked and weaved, just in case Arch shot at them, and indeed he heard the buzz of arrows flying through the air. His heart raced from fear. He was going to be killed if he wasn't careful. He turned his head, and nearly screamed. Arch was right behind them, shooting arrows as he ran. The coyote was good. Good enough to run and shoot a bow at the same time. Tank new that even Gos hadn't mastered that yet. For her part she was running as well, though she would sometimes pause to shot at Arch. Tank gulped when he saw that she didn't land a single one.
He ducked under a fence and raced out into the street, barely avoided a car, which honked at him as it swerved. Now truly horrified, Tank made it to the other side of the street. He gasped and wheezed, falling to the ground.
"Gos…that was…" Tank looked up. He gulped. "Gos…? Gosalyn! GOS! WHERE ARE YOU!"
"…that is a very good question…"
Tank gulped as a hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him around. He stared into the furious eyes of Negaduck's head henchman. Launchpad. Gosalyn had told him who the angry looking thug was. Sometimes he stood in as Gos's watcher, but they had always assumed that the stupid thug was easy to dodge. Had they been wrong?
"I…I…"
"I know you know who I am kid. I've seen you with her. Where is she?" Launchpad rumbled.
"Er…"
"Kid, if you don't tell me where she is…"
Tank eeped.
Gos growled as she was dumped on the floor of the Ace hideout. Great. Just what she needed. She hated getting involved with Negaduck's work, no matter how much he encouraged her to come along on a raid and work on her skills. No, instead she worked on the nice girl act, and fought to stay away from him. Now she had been dumped in the middle, all because she had trusted that stupid stupid coyote.
"You are an idiot." She told Arch flatly. He shrugged. She glared. Being in that sack for hours had made her grumpy.
"Child, do sit down. We have some things to discuss." The gentle old voice said from behind her. She turned. Nice girl act? Or not? She decided not. This was to serious.
"Look, let me go."
"You know I cannot do that." Ace said. The old man sat behind a desk in his office, the big window behind him reflecting parts of the room. He held his cane under his folded hands, and gazed her with a polite smile. She liked him. He was like a kind old gran…she wouldn't think of it. "We know who your father is, miss Mallard."
"My name is Gosalyn Waddlemeyer, not Mallard." She said firmly. With a firm nod she walked to one of the office chairs in front of Ace and sat in it. It was, in a way, a social visit after all.
"I see. Would you like something to drink or eat while we wait for your…guardian, perhaps?" Ace raises his eyebrows.
"I prefer the term, kidnapper." Gosalyn said. "And I will have a Koo Koo Cola and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."
Ace nodded at Neil, who seemed to be in a state of permanent chuckle. He passed by the desk and gave Gosalyn a reassuring smile. Of all the people to kidnap her, these were awfully nice kidnappers. But then, she knew that.
"You seem to have, shall we say, and interesting view of Negaduck." Ace said calmly. "I have to say, I am surprised you didn't seek shelter here, after all the times dear Arch offered it. I know his muteness doesn't lend to easy communication, but I would have thought he would have made it clear by now."
Gosalyn folded her own arms, and leaned forwards a bit. "Have you heard of the Ram Rod, Mr Ace?"
"I know that it was an item that my dear old friend, Detective Bulba, was very keen on getting his hands on…and that he was thwarted by Negaduck." Ace said.
"Not just him. Me. I couldn't let any of you have it."
"Andy of us?" Ace smiled. "Bulba is one of the city's declared protectors."
"And they do a poor job." Gos growled. "After what happened to my parents, and my grandfather. He made a deal with Negaduck and it went south. He killed my grandfather to take his work. I got rid of the thing, but he got me…"
"And the reason he didn't terminate you?" Ace said, and Gosalyn did not miss the calculating look.
"That is my business." Gosalyn said, as Neil brought in the requested items. He was still grinning.
"Now that you are here, it is my business."
"No, it's not." Gosalyn took a delicate bit of the sandwich. "Your business is taking out Negaduck. You won't do it, but that is your business. I am sorry. I think I like you and your men. But you won't get him. No one can." Except Darkwing…but there are no heroes here.
"So much cynicism for one so young…and pink dressed." Ace said sadly.
"Realism." Gosalyn corrected.
"…I see…realism." Ace sighed. "I am sorry, child."
"Yeah, you will be. So am I." Gosalyn finished her sandwich. "You got one of those evil dangly pit traps for me or something?"
"I am not a brute. Nor am I an action villain." Ace said. "Besides, you never know when a careless minion will accidentally fall in one of those things. Messy to clean up."
"I see." Gosalyn said. "Good. Ropes are uncomfortable."
"Arch. The room." Ace nodded at Arch, who nodded and took Gosalyn by the hand. She went along willingly, in a way that made Ace's heart sink.
"…dang…" Boris breathed. "…were any of us like that when we were kids?"
"…no, you were not." Ace leaned back in his chair. "Send the usual letter." He said.
"Right Father." Neil said as Ace closed his eyes. Neither brother commented when their father began to snore lightly, hands twitching fitfully in his sleep.
"…Loren…"
Ace opened his eyes and took out a radio. "Ah, my sweet…what were you thinking?"
"I can get a car ready in an hour. Come on. Bring the kids and lets –go-."
"…you know I can't."
"Loren, it is over. We can't do this anymore. I know how much it means to you, but it's not worth what time we have left."
Ace breathed a sigh. "I am sorry, my love…is he alright? I saw him today…in his own way, he is magnificent…"
"Loren, don't change the subject, and don't do this to yourself."
"If we left, could we take him with us?"
"He made his choice. You can't always be responsible for his choices. He's a grown man."
"…I know…I know…"
"Don't make me do something drastic, love."
"I will go down fighting."
"That's what I am afraid of."
The figure on the rooftop tossed the radio aside, glaring at the dark casino before it.
"You are such an idiot…" It shook its head. "I didn't want to have to do this.."
The figure walked over to a discarded motorcycle, and sped off, heading in the direction of a certain greenhouse.
The Four gathered round the television, listening to the report of the fight. All four heroes were tired, and a bit beat from facing all of Negaduck's men. Although to be fair, the fact that the gang had been more focused on going after Ace had slowed and scattered them. A few of them were even behind bars now, thanks to the confusion. Still, none of the Four were happy, least of all Bushroot, who had been greatly out of sorts since the fight. The plant duck was leaning against a far wall, eyes closed, looking down, and ignoring the concerned looks his friends shot him.
"…is he going to be alright?" Megavolt asked quietly, his friends odd mood unsettling him.
"…Ace gang." Quackerjack whispered, his voice equally low, and uncharacteristically quiet. "He told me once they took his parents when he was really little."
"Ohhhh." Megavolt's eyes widened. "No wonder he looked less green. That was Ace himself there…almost sorry we let em go now."
"Can't help but feel sorry for the old man though." The Liquidator whispered, eyes on the tv. "He's been around since I was a kid myself, and I'm the oldest of you. Now, Negaduck is taking everything."
"A villain is a villain." Megavolt said firmly. "And Ace may be less crazy, but that makes is worse in my mind. He does what he does deliberately. At least Negaduck can claim insanity."
"…do you guys hear a motorcycle?" Quackerjack sat up, suddenly alert. Not a moment later the plants began to wave a sway, as a motorcycle burst through the glass walls of the greenhouse, and a figure batted at the vines trying to grab for it. The bike skidded on the ground, blades flashing as the figure cut at vines.
"YOUNG MAN, YOU GET THESE THINGS OFF ME RIGHT NOW!"
Three pairs of eyes turned in shock as one of the Four said. "Yes Mother."
Ace opened his eyes once again. "They are here." He stood, shocking Niel a bit.
"Yeah…you ready Father?"
"Of course. Now, let's go see how bad it is." Ace leaned on his cane, but he didn't take Neil's offered hand. Instead he marched to the window, pushing back a sliding, hidden door, as he walked out onto a balcony. Boris nodded at him as he walked to the edge of the balcony. Said balcony stretched around the wall, and at every possible point, an Ace member aimed guns down at the room below. Ace looked down at the gathered forces of Negaduck. So many, and yes there was a dinosaur. Arch nodded at him as he aimed a bow at Lamont. Arch hated that duck.
Ace smirked slightly, though the fact that Negaduck was gazing up at him with the exact same expression caused a small jolt of sickness in his gut. Nerves? Now? Or memory. He remembered standing where this duck was now, defying a foolish old man with no sense of pride or reason. A man with the brains of mush. He shook his head. Bad thoughts.
"OLD FART!" Negaduck roared. "GIVE ME THE GIRL BEFORE I BRING THIS RAT HOLE DOWN ON YOUR HEAD!"
"Threats, at this stage?" Ace said. "How…droll."
"I am not giving you another warning, Wrinkles." Negaduck snarled, and Ace felt another jolt of fear.
"And I shan't give you the satisfaction." Ace said. "Leave my city, or the girl dies."
Negaduck laughed. "Like you would kill a little girl! You don't have the guts anymore!"
"Try me, child." Ace said, his voice not betraying the feeling in his heart.
"All right, I will…oh Morgaaaana!" Negaduck crowed, his voice a sing song. Ace had just enough time to frown before the balcony vanished into thin air. He gasped, composer falling as surly as he was…but then a familiar hand grabbed him, and twisted in mid air as the entire Ace gang fell. He grunted as he landed on Arch, the coyote letting out a yip of pain.
Ace, ignoring his oldest friend, spun to his feet, aiming a gun from his coat at Negaduck. He blinked a bit at the woman wearing the odd dress, who lowered her arms, glaring at Ace with pure hate. Oh, so that was the witch. He should have planned for that. Now they had lost the advantage, and they didn't have the numbers. Most of his men groaned and struggled to get up, age wearing on them all. The much younger, more plentiful Negaduck gang sneered and laughed at them, and Ace gritted his teeth.
"Now…I am willing to give you and yours a bit of…dignity." Negaduck sneered. "I remember the old stories. How the great Loren Ace killed his master in single combat…with a little help from a sniper coyote." Negaduck grinned at Arch nastily. "You cheated, old man. Care to try again?" Negaduck revved a chainsaw. "You die, your gang goes to me."
"Now you get the old ways." Ace laughed, taking up his cane, dropping the gun. "Back away, boys. Let's see if the great Negaduck can fight one on one."
"Father…" Boris growled. "No, let me or Neil, we can take him!"
"Boris." Ace shook his head, and then lowered his voice to a mumble, so only the three beside him could hear. "I love you, my boys." He heard Arch's strangled choke of protest, but he didn't look at him.
Ace stepped forwards, twisting the cane to reveal a small sword. He dropped the shell on the ground, flicking the sword out to the side. "Let's get this over with. I have dinner to get to."
"So the devil serves brunch in hell?" Negaduck laughed.
"Ask him when you get there." Ace said and he placed his crippled leg fully on the ground. He suddenly lunged, ignoring the throb. He only had to last long enough to cut this fool's neck. He could only do this one last time. It would be worth it. Just to get rid of him.
Chainsaws are cumbersome weapons, and though Ace knew that if Negaduck touched him with the horrible thing, it was not a good weapon for a sword fight. Ace didn't even bother with Negaduck himself, instead stabbing at the chainsaw, attempting to cut a cord, shut the thing down. The sword was a small blur of silver light, the old duck's arms, for this moment, obeying his command. A small metal bumblebee, the blade cut at the sides of the chainsaw, but did little damage. Ace gritted his teeth as the chainsaw came for his gut, but dodged and ducked below, slashing at Negadcuk's legs, the sword almost to fast to follow. Again, like an enraged stinging insect, Ace ducked low and slide to Negaduck's side, aiming for his neck. The jugular. But Negaduck swung the chainsaw, and Ace had to retreat, or lose his weapon. Ace jumped back, then came forwards again, ducking and weaving under Negaduck's limited defenses. Poking. Prodding. Seeking that one lucky thrust.
"Alright, now I am bored." Negaduck suddenly tossed the chainsaw aside, and Ace lunged forwards, thinking the arrogant fool had giving him the opportunity he wanted. Eager, he struck for Negaduck's filthy heart, but grunted as the younger man slammed his webbed foot into Ace's face. The old duck reeled back, not prepared. He was also not prepared for the two hard punches to his old frame as he flew back in midair. He grunted as he landed on the ground.
Negaduck cracked his knuckles as Ace gasped and wheezed on the ground, the adrenaline not enough to carry Ace through. Ace looked up at Negaduck as he came closer. Ace laughed, and got to his knees. He grabbed his sword, and Negaduck hesitated. Ace tossed the blade at the younger duck's feet.
"May your kingdom be as ash." Ace said the words once spoken to him. He attempted to get to his feet. "I am not dying on my knees."
"Oh yes you are!" Ace gasped as Negaduck kicked the blade away and then punched him in the face, bringing him to the ground once more. "I am the master of this city, now and forever, and soon the entire world shall kneel to me! But you're first!" Negaduck took out his own gain, and aimed it at Ace's head.
"NO! LOREN!"
The voice was cracked with misuse, and age, but the arrow that flew at Negaduck was straight and true. It knocked the gun from the crime lord's hand, and Arch darted forwards, hitting Negaduck away. "NO!"
"That knob can talk!" Negaduck was a bit to shocked by this little revelation that he almost forgot about the business of taking over. It didn't last long. "You Ace fools! Come to my side or share their fate!" He roared at the gang…and as one, the Ace gang walked over to Negaduck's line, pointed their weapons at Ace. Ace stared at the faces that had been family to him once, and sighed.
"I don't blame you, my dears. I wish none of you any ill." He said gently. Though none of them spoke to him, he could see a few eyes filled with tears, and not all of them old.
He felt his two boys coming up next to him and Arch, and expected them to follow the men. But, the two brothers instead stood next to their father and Arch, and as a single being, leaned down and helped him up.
"Boys…go." Ace protested.
"Father." Neil growled. "Never."
"How sweet. Going to die with daddy now?" Negaduck chuckled.
"…I can't wait to see what our brother does to you." Boris laughed.
"…your…brother?" Negaduck hesitated. "How many brats did you have?"
"More then you could steal." Ace smiled. "My boys, it was a pleasure. Arch…you are stupid."
"Yer pigheaded." Arch growled, but his smile was wide.
Ace tensed as nearly fifty guns cocked at them…and then something blotted out the moon.
A window above broke into a million pieces, and large vines dropped in like ropes all around the four of them. Ace blinked as a funnel of water leapt in front of them, solidifying as the gang shot, but the 'hard water' blocked and slowed the bullets. Ace could hear Negaduck screaming in rage, and laughed. He grabbed a vine. "Let's go!" Arch, Neil and Boris each grabbed a vine, and up they went, the water following them.
"I cannot believe I am doing this!" Megavolt groaned as the four were hauled out of the window. Thankfully it was a very big window. "Gah…"
"Nice to see you as well, dear boy." Ace grinned. "How's the electricity?"
"Is now really the time?" Bushroot said, as he placed the four of them on a tree. "Charlie, move!" Charlie the tree dipped his branches and tootled off, carrying four gangsters with him. Bushroot yelped as Negaduck roared through the window at them, trying to climb out and throttle them.
"What are you doing!" He roared. "I am going to kill you all!"
"You aren't going to lay a hand on them." Bushroot's voice was low, angry…and familiar to Negaduck all of a sudden.
He stared at the plant duck, shocked. "You…him…YOU!"
Bushroot chuckled. "Yeah…'dear boy.'" He was glad that Negaduck was focused on him, as the others were going ahead with the plan, and running off after Charlie. "Not all sons are good." Bushroot turned and ran as Negaduck sprayed useless bullets at his back.
The docks were nice and quiet. The woman had a boat. She probably stole it, thought Megavolt as he glared at the floor. But he couldn't really object. Not now. He understood.
"…so…uh…"
"Cordelia." The woman said.
"…you are kidding."
"No. It is my name. Cordelia Bushroot."
"…a motorcycling gangster granny with the name Cordelia…is my friend's mother…" Megavolt sighed. "This is a strange night."
"How do you think I feel."? Cordelia grinned at him. She was still pretty, in an aged way. She was not as decrepit as he husband. She wore a motorcycle jacket, a helmet, and big goggles. Apparently she believed in safety. "My son is hanging out with…well you people. And I keep hearing Steelbeak rumors. Talk about the wrong crowd." She shrugged, lighting a cigarette and flicking the match into the ocean. "Oh looky, Mr. Justice. I just littered."
"…I am not in the mood." Megavolt said.
"Ah, I hope Reginald doesn't hear you say that. He likes people to play fair." Cordelia laughed. "I don't know where he gets it."
Megavolt didn't have to speak any more, as the rest of the gang family came up, Bushroot arguing fiercely with his brothers. The non-mutant brothers didn't really look like Bushroot…but then Bushroot was a plant. There was some similarity in the eyes though. They all had the same bright blue eyes. Same as their father, in fact.
"How are they?" Cordelia asked, breathing out smoke.
"They are going to be fine, Mother." Bushroot said, coming to stand beside Megavolt, the line between heroes and villains there, but ignored for the moment. "You guys are ready to go…and probably the sooner the better. Where are you going?"
Cordelia chuckled. "Ask no questions, and I won't have to lie to you." She breezed past them, grabbing Boris and Neil by the arms. "Come say goodbye, boys." She said lightly.
"This is so surreal…Bushy...why didn't you event tell us?" Megavolt asked as they walked closer to the dreaded water, but Megavolt for the first time wasn't concerned with that. All of his attention was on Bushroot.
Bushroot was took a breath. "Part of it is habit. You don't talk about the gang. You don't talk about the secrets. There is a reason they just call my Father Ace, and not Bushroot. Anonymity."
"…yeah, I guess I could see that." Megavolt nodded. "But, you've had to fight your dad."
"I know. I know." Bushroot said, the edges of his beak tensing. Megavolt didn't press anymore. It wasn't the time.
Quackerjack and the Liquidator had been watching over Ace and Arch. Both of them ignored the two heroes, but as soon as he saw Bushroot, Ace rose.
"Father, I-"
"Hush." Ace shook his head. "I don't approve. I never did." He chuckled. "Rebellious little boy, you were."
Bushroot shook his head. "Are we going to do this now?"
"…no." Ace shook his head. "Shan't do that to you." Ace limped over, and put a hand on Bushroot's shoulder. "I cannot say I approve…but I am proud of you. Wrong side, but still a fighter. I knew it was there somewhere."
"What are you going to do?" Bushroot asked.
"I will think on that. But for now…it is Hooter's problem. And he can choke on it." Ace said.
"There is me as well, the four of us." Bushroot said.
"Bah, you and revenge?" Neil laughed. "You never had the guts, Reggie."
"Not revenge, Neil, justice." Bushroot said.
"Why did you and I get all the brains and the good looks, Neil?" Boris sighed.
"Boys…do not leave your brother with harsh words." Ace chided.
"Pffft, alright…kick Negaduck's ass for me." Boris look at the Four. "All of you rotten do gooders. Kick his ass hard."
"The Friendly Four deliver on demand." The Liquidator chuckled.
"And you are lame." Neil said. "But…aww come here, you jerk." Neil was suddenly beside Bushroot, giving his fronds a firm, but friendly noggie. "Good luck saving the whales, or whatever." The skinny duck then darted to the boat, leaping onto the deck with a laugh. Boris joined him.
Arch shook his head at the two. He looked at Bushroot and grinned. "Safe, Regs."
"Bye Arch."
Arch nodded and jumped on the boat as well.
For a moment, Ace and Bushroot looked at each other. "…get that cane back for me, will you son?" Ace finally asked.
"Count on it, Father." Bushroot hugged Ace. Ace didn't struggle, or even tense. "Watch yourself."
"You are in more danger then I." Ace backed away, and climbed on the boat, helped by Boris and Neil.
Cordeila smiled at Bushroot. "I am proud of you." She said gently. "You boys take care of my baby, or I will be back to slit all your throats!" She laughed and joined the rest of her family, grabbing Ace as soon as she could and swung him around. The four were then treated to the sight of her leaning her husband downwards and kissing him. They blinked. It wasn't exactly chaste.
"…I am not sure if I am charmed, sickened, or amazed." Quackerjack said.
"Must mean you are confused." Megavolt snorted.
"You aren't?"
"…point."
Bushroot sighed as Neil took the helm of the boat. He wondered if his mother had stolen it. Probably. He didn't want to explain this to Bulba. Hopefully he wouldn't know. He lifted a sad leaf in farewell, as the boat pulled out of the dock, and was soon lost in the darkness.
For a long moment the four stood on the dock, watching the waves splash gently on the boards.
"You okay, Reggie?" Quackerjack finally asked.
"Yeah Quacky, I will be." Bushroot said.
"You didn't even TRY to escape!" Negaduck roared at Gosalyn. He had found his charge right after the fight, safe and sound. He was not happy.
"I was scared!" Gosalyn's eyes filled with fake tears.
"What is it going to take to give you a spine?!" Negaduck roared again. "I didn't take you in for you to be a useless little dress wearing tea partier!"
Negaduck groaned as Gosalyn cried pitifully. "Aww forget it! Room! Now! Get out of here!" Negaduck didn't bother to kick her upstairs. He was far to frustrated.
Gosalyn grinned and shook out her tears as soon as his back was turned. She ran to the room, and slammed the door. He would not follow. He would just fume. She was a little disappointed that Ace's plan hadn't worked, but she knew it wouldn't.
"Soon…I will find a way." Gosalyn laughed to herself. "Watch your back, Negaduck. One day it will be my arrow at it." She nodded to herself and walked to her bed. She pulled out a drawing of a dark colored duck, dressed in the same outfit as her kidnapper. She grinned at it.
"I'll miss you, Arch, but you are as bad as him. But, somewhere out there is a hero." She sighed and hugged the picture to her chest. "Darkwing Duck…"
A/N: A year later. I am so sorry for the delay. Sometimes life throws you a curveball, and this chapter was a huge curveball, as well as the entire year. Suffice to say, my life was really crazy, and I didn't come back to this for a while. But, it is finally done. It probably isn't the best, but at least it is finally here. I hope you enjoyed it. Here is hoping the next won't be as long.
I realize it is also a bit depressing, though I struggled to keep it as light as I could. You can probably guess what kind of year I had from this writing. It was just as depressing.
And so Bushroot's family is revealed. I know you all guessed it near the end. I pretty much gave it the ol' sledgehammer instead of subtly. But, I hope you find redeeming factors.
Next time: It is clean up time at the beach! But something lurks in the depths, hungry, and awaiting the time to strike. The Ocean Queen comes…