He saw the sudden blaze of light, reddish as seen through his closed eyelids. It woke him up immediately. Then something blocked the light. Honker opened his eyes, and found himself staring at a FOWL Eggman. Despite himself, he gave a start.
"Come on, kid, the boss wants to see you." Honker flinched as his arm was grabbed by a gloved hand and given a sharp jerk. "Move it, he dosen't like to be kept waiting." Honker got up, and noticed a second Eggman by the door with a pistol. As if they expected a nine year old to by a major threat. Maybe they did. FOWL's training methods did not leave much leeway for independent thinking.
He was escorted down the corridor, with more Eggmen on guard everywhere. They all stared at him, although thier impenetrable helmets hid any and all signs of emotion. But Honker had little doubt they didn't like him. Finally, they stopped in front of a large double door. The Eggman punched a series of buttons on a keypad, and the door swung open. He then shoved Honker inside, before the boy had been able to properly prepare himself for what might be in there.
The room was very bare, very cold in appearance. There was only a single table, a chair in front, two behind it. The two behind it were occupied. One of them was Steelbeak, Honker recognized him on sight. The massive rooster had a calm expression on his face. Honker knew the other one as well, Ammonia Pine. He also knew she was unbalanced in the very least. Her expression was crazed, and her eyes seemed to hold back madness that raged to escape. It was enough to daunt even Darkwing himself, let alone a young boy.
Steelbeak gestured to the chair. "Sit down, kid. We don't stand on ceremony around 'ere." He looked past Honker. "Ok, youse have done your job. Beat it." Obviously he was talking to the Eggman, although Honker was too afraid to turn around and look. He heard the doors close. He couldn't take his eyes off Steelbeak's.
The rooster steepled his long fingers. "Now den, on to business. Do youse know why youse was kidnapped?"
"No." answered Honker truthfully.
"Well, it's like dis. We know youse hang around wit' Darkwing Dimwit, because we've seen ya with him. Both of us. So we figure youse got all de straight dope on da guy. An' dat's why we snatched youse."
"I don't understand." said Honker. "You soon will!" screeched Pine suddenly. with a voice like nails on a chalkboard. Honker felt his very core jump. Steelbeak eyed her. "Do youse mind, I can handle dis without de commentary." He turned back to Honker.
"Come on, kid, a nerd like youse gotta have some idea of what we want. Youse are gonna tell us everything youse know about Dipwing. Where 'e lives, where 'is 'ideout is, what 'e eats, who 'is other pals are and of course, what 'is secret identity is. Youse do dat for us, and youse might be sleepin' in your own warm bed tonight. Whaddya say?" The rooster's expression was perfectly cordial.
Honker looked at the floor. He could never talk. That much he knew. It would destroy Darkwing and by extension, Gosalyn and Launchpad as well. It would likely even make it easier for FOWL to take over the world. A chilling vision of the armies of darkness marching over the earth passed through his mind. He could never do that to someone who had saved his life more than once, who had treated him as an equal when most others either ridiculed or bullied him. He owed Darkwing so much. Honker felt much older than nine as he looked Steelbeak in the eye.
"Well?" asked the rooster.
"No." said Honker simply.
What happened next surprised even Steelbeak. Moving with amazing speed for someone her size, Ammonia Pine reached across the table, grabbed Honker by the shirt and lifted him into the air. "What do you mean no?" she screeched in a voice that was enough to scour the paint from the walls. "Do you want me to wipe you out like bathtub mildew?"
Honker was petrified. It had been an abrupt reminder that he was still a young boy facing two dangerous criminals, one of them insane. Her grip felt like solid iron. It was a grim hint of what she was capable of, her strength increased even more by madness.
Steelbeak stared at her for a second. "Put 'im down." he said at last.
"We can't play around with this little stain!" cried Ammonia.
"I said put 'im down. I'm still de head agent 'ere." Steelbeak silently cursed High Command for teaming him up with her. He knew she'd pull some BS like this, and that made the whole thing more complicated. "Dat's an order, Pine." She dropped him in the chair, grumbling.
"If de dramatics are over." he said to her, then turned back to Honker, who was trembling. "Wrong answer kid. Ya see, youse don't have a choice. You're gonna tell us what youse know about Dumbwing, even if we have to force youse. And I'll take dis opportunity to remind youse dat we know where your family is." His expression had changed to malevolence.
Honker felt a chill. He hadn't thought of that...and if they had kidnapped him, they would have no qualms about kidnapping the rest of his family and using them as pawns. It was hard to speak, but he managed. "I...I can't." he said finally.
"Oh yes you can!" cried Ammonia Pine.
"I'm tellin' youse for de last time, I'm handlin' dis." said the rooster to Pine. "Okay kid. We're gonna give youse a chance to t'ink it over, back in your cell. Remember what I said, an' believe it." He got up and went to the door. "Take 'im back." he said to an Eggman outside. The FOWL trooper marched in, grabbed Honker and roughly shoved him towards the doorway.
Back in his bare, miserable cell, Honker finally let the tears come. He didn't know what to do. He had no doubt Steelbeak meant what he said, and that if they tried to force Honker to tell the truth, he probably would. Although the rooster wasn't insane like Ammonia Pine, he was just as dangerous. Honker let out a shuddering sigh. His only hope was Darkwing.
To be continued...
Darkwing Duck and related characters are the property of Disney. This work is property of the author. (C) 2006.