AUTHOR'S NOTE: Another chapter to keep me sane during the writing of Diabolical Meets Dangerous. I just need to make it through one more chapter of buildup, then I can write the final battle and finish this. But that's neither here nor there. Hope you enjoyed!


Electronic eyes stared intensely at biological eyes. Each strained to gain some inkling of a clue from the other as to the strategy they currently employed.

Darkwing Duck narrowed his eyes with suspicion at the artificial intelligence he was currently facing in chess. The queen on the chess board of justice was behind currently, with all but his king and a bishop in the hands of One, the envy of all computer technology.

Despite his odds, he was not giving an inch, determined as ever to somehow pull out a victory for duck-kind.

But One played absolutely flawlessly, adapting his chess program on the fly to every move Darkwing made. He could predict entire games in seconds with his powerful processors, and he clearly had the upper hand in this game, matching the mind of his creator, eccentric Everett Ducklair.

It was Darkwing's turn at that moment, and he was in a precarious position. One's knight had his king trapped and in check. Darkwing wracked his brain over scenario after scenario, all of which seemed to end in his failure. He gulped as anxiety began to scratch at his stomach.

"Admitting defeat, DW?" One asked slyly.

Darkwing gave the virtual head in front of him a curt look. "No! Just...thinking!"

He focused back to the holographic chess board in front of him. One was in his head, though he would rather keel over than let the AI know of it. All potential moves resulted in his capture by the knight, and his brow began to sweat as the realization of his defeat draped itself over Darkwing.

Then, it hit him. One move. One safe square. One point of solace away from the knight. It was his best chance, so Darkwing snatched it up. He picked up the king and plopped it down one space to his right.

"What have you got to say about that, One?" he boasted, crossing his arms and sending a smug look One's way.

"Just this," replied the AI, "Checkmate."

Darkwing's jaw hit the floor as the computer displayed not one, not two, but three pieces that could capture his king at that square. Darkwing was so focused on the knight, that he had been blind to other pieces nearby.

Darkwing groaned and slumped against One's globe dramatically. "Defeat dawns this day on the daring duck of mystery…"

The chess board vanished from sight and One gave Darkwing an encouraging gaze. "Better luck next time, hero," he said.

"Alright, hand it over," came a voice from behind.

Darkwing turned around to see Duckburg's protector of peace and his best friend, the Duck Avenger, standing there with a smile, and his arm outstretched.

Darkwing sighed, pulled out his wallet, and placed a $20 bill into Duck Avenger's gloved hand.

"Let that be a lesson, Darkwing. Never make bets with computers."

One winked in Darkwing's direction, and the hero rolled his eyes in response. His Quackintosh in Darkwing Tower would've let him win…