A/N: I think two people out there may be interested to see what happens in this story...

A/N: I make no apologies...

A/N: I always work hard to be as accurate as possible with regards to my character portrayals. That said no two people view the world - or other people for that matter - in the same way.

A/N: Oh, and for those of you who are like Gosalyn and are looking out for yet another good black and white horror movie to watch, try The Atomic Brain. I don't want to spoil it for you, so I'll just promise you that there's no vampires in this one.

Reconstruct the Crime

Darkwing dropped the papers on the table back at Darkwing tower. He skimmed through the Curtis Mane folder and then put his gas gun on top of the three folders.

Darkwing felt suffocated. "I need air."

He went and sat out on the ledge of the tower, feeling the fresh night breeze ruffling his feathers. "I've never had this problem before." He drew his knees up, gazing out on the familiar comforting panoramic view of the city lights.

Darkwing looked up at his friend as the air ace came out and sat beside him.
"What happened, DW? You wanna let your ol' buddy in on it?"
"I'm in trouble, Launchpad. S.H.U.S.H thinks Drake Mallard started that fire." Darkwing said in as conversational a voice as he could muster.
"Oh, no way, DW. There were about ten people who saw you run in after the fire had started."
"That was Darkwing Duck, not Drake Mallard. That only proves my innocence to you, Launchpad." Darkwing sighed.
"Oh, yeah." Launchpad looked away.

"If they dig deep enough, beneath Drake Mallard they'll find Darkwing Duck. All they need is time, or worse. If S.H.U.S.H. gets enough circumstantial evidence for Euston to sign that warrant, that's when they'll find my wages come from S.H.U.S.H. contracts."
"Well, it can't be all that bad." Launchpad shrugged. "So they find out your real name and then they'll know you didn't do it."

"That would be a catastrophe, Launchpad!" Darkwing quacked.

"I'm sorry, LP. It's just ... the reason I only work contracts for them is because I want to be able to make my own decisions. I didn't want someone like Grizlykoff with that kind of power over me."
"I bet if Grizlykoff had a chance he'd decommission you to a boneyard."
Darkwing raised an eyebrow. "Well, now I'm a suspect. Does that sound like that chance, Launchpad?"
"Yep." The air ace nodded simply.
Darkwing stared at him for a moment. "Great, well, at least we're flying in the same air space." He commented in some disappointment.

"I heard Vanuatu is a nice place. Lots of people retire there."
"I don't want to retire, Launchpad! Anyway, that'd be too obvious."
"DW, y'can't ... S.H.U.S.H. is a government organisation." Launchpad was worried. "There's no big cloudbank to hide behind. And while Grizlykoff is on your tail... well, that's worse than flying with your landing gear down. You might never get to find out who really did start the fire."

"Cloudbank? Cloud ... bank, yes, of course! Hamil Corp! Launchpad you're a genius! Why didn't I think of that?"

"DW, wait!" Launchpad squawked as Darkwing jumped to a stand. "You actually wanna ask the vampires to help you? That's no better than S.H.U.S.H.; vampires don't fool around. Once they've got you that's it." He held his hands protectively around his throat thinking about it. "No fooling; one day they might get hungry and ... that'll be it for you."
"That's only 'one day', Launchpad, and it might never happen. Right now I'm facing a pretty certain death in the very short space of the next few days. I have to sign over to Hamil Corp." He took a breath. 'That might not be enough, but it's a start.' "I can only give it a shot. Before Grizz shoots me." He was quiet for a moment.

"While I deal with this, Launchpad, could you play decoy for me?"
"Can do, DW. I'll just get changed."
"Thanks."
Launchpad went back in through the window.

"Revenge! The very idea." Darkwing felt complete disgust. "But I didn't do it. And if I didn't do it that means someone else did it. What if it was the same person? That means I really am looking for a person that is around fifty years old; someone who knew both my father and Curtis Mane. Curtis Mane may even be the missing clue." He hesitated. "I'm still in trouble. Grizlykoff isn't going to wait around for me to pick up the track of this person. He'll just as likely set fire to me."

He stepped back through the window and down into the tower. Once again the answer seemed to turn to the world organisation of vampires. 'Think positively', he directed to himself. 'These people are years ahead of S.H.U.S.H. when it comes to research.'

He approached the rat-catcher. The motorcycle gleamed, shiny, polished and ready for action. He shut his eyes summoning his courage as he did habitually and countless times before. Darkwing had to stay as brazen as his machine. Not just for his own health but because Gosalyn and Launchpad were also counting on him. "If Grizz kills Drake Mallard, Darkwing Duck will simply vanish. It's strange; I always expected it to happen the other way around."

Launchpad came up, dressed in his purple costume. Darkwing looked down at himself. His Vespers had turned every one of his own costume sets grey and black. Looking at Launchpad still in purple made him feel like he'd personally walked through of one of Gosalyn's old black and white horror movies.
'Darkwing Duck In: The Atomic Brain Two.' "Okay, Launchpad let's get dangerous."

He got onto the rat-catcher and turned on the engine. It came to life with a roar and he drove out of the tower.

Darkwing parked on a side street just a block from the scene of the crime.
"See you later, Launchpad." He watched his dedicated friend move off before moving on to the crime scene. Yellow tape, as he expected, was everywhere.

"Ah, Darkvink, I vas wondering vhat had become of you." Grizlykoff snickered. "I haff been vaiting."
'Great, stuck with the eternal brick wall of pain.' Darkwing thought in displeasure and followed Grizlykoff.

"If you haff read case file, you vill know it is identical circumstance."
"Except that Curtis Mane was twenty two years older than Drake Mallard Senior when he died."
"I see not what relevance this is havink."
"Of course not."

Darkwing stepped through the horrific decorum of the burnt and hollowed out building.
"Only a person who has look at reports vould know this."
"Or even perhaps the person who committed the original crime? He would also know too, you know."
"You disagree with Director Hooter?"
"It's an investigation, Grizz. You're supposed to look at all the options, not just the one! I've done my own background check. Drake Mallard isn't a criminal. He leads a normal suburban lifestyle. He's a single parent and stays out of trouble."

"What does he do? How does he pay bill?"
"I haven't investigated that far yet. Unlike you, I've only been on this job for an hour."
"Bah."
"Maybe, since we are here, we can try reconstructing the crime?"
"Ya. Victim is here. Killer with gun there. He fires gun, then he fires place, and leaves." Grizlykoff looked around at the charcoaled place. "Why do I feel I know zis name?"

Grizlykoff's simplification of the crime didn't dampen how Darkwing felt about it. He gritted his teeth with his rising temper. "It's not enough to kill his target, but he goes and kills other people just to attempt to hide it. I need to get started." Darkwing vanished from the room.

Grizlykoff turned around from contemplating the fire spread. "Darkwink, there is ..." He looked right around the room. The masked mallard had vanished. "Darkwink?"

There was a moment before the agent's intercom link crackled.
"Drake Mallard's left his residence, sir."
"Finally." Grizlykoff grumbled. "Fill out necessary forms to pursue undercover."
"Yes, sir."