Disclaimer: I do not own Darkwing Duck, Scrooge McDuck or any other Disney character.
Authors Note: Again, this fic ties in with "The Path Chosen." This is the story of the one called Guardian, the Duck in White.
Meant To Be: Chapter 3
The day passes rather uneventfully for the McDuck household. Nobody has given a second thought to what, if anything, had been out in the wooded wayside earlier that day. The day has all in all has been a pleasant one.
Night falls.
Ever so slowly, Scrooge trudges up to his room, dressed in his nightshirt and cap. With the children all tucked away in their beds, he is ready for a good night sleep. He enters the elaborate, yet, comfortable setting of the master bedroom, he is unprepared for the startle he receives as he enters the unlit room. A movement at the balcony window. He jumps in surprise,fumbling his fingers across the wall, anxiously, trying to find the light switch. Upon feeling it, he flips on the light to find – nothing. Except the flowing velvet drapes blown by the wind coming through the open glass doors.
"Oh, hehe, it was just the wind." he muses to himself as he goes to close the doors. But as he lays a hand on the brass handle of the balcony door, the thought occurs to him.
How did the door come to be open? They wouldn't have just blown open, especially since he is in the habit of keeping them locked! An eerie feeling overtakes him. A feeling that he is being watched. He recalls earlier that morning when he though he'd heard somebody in his office and Gizmoduck thinking he saw a lurker in the woods near the bin. Didn't Dewey say he saw something moving in the in that same area? He turns carefully to look around the room, almost expecting somebody or something to jump out at him from a hiding place.
"Get a grip on your self Scrooge McDuck. You didn't get to be the richest duck in the world by being timid." he tells himself aloud.
Taking a deep breath, he begins to search the room, looking in the closet, under the bed, any place an unwanted visitor might hide. Finally, satisfied that there is no one there, he pulls the drapes closed and turns off the lights. Perhaps Duckworth was cleaning in here and just forgot to close the doors.
He gets into his bed. He closes his eyes in an attempt to fall asleep. But even in the comfort of his own bed, he has a feeling, he is not alone...
...he is right.
From the balcony, a silhouette moves against the backdrop of a moonlit night and stops in front of the closed doors. A hand reaches out and takes hold of the brass knob of the doors to find them locked. The figure makes no further attempt to enter, he disappears over the side of the balcony and is swallowed up by the night.
Having finally managed to fall asleep some time in the night, Scrooge awakes with a much brighter view of things. His fears of somebody stalking his family was just a tired mind and an over active imagination, nothing more.
Gyro calls just after breakfast, asking Mr. McDuck and Gizmoduck to come by his place as soon as they can. "Probably another half witted invention he wants Gizma'duck to test out, but I suppose I should at least go see." tells Duckworth as he climbs into the limo "Incidentally Duckworth, when you clean my room next time, remember to close and lock the balcony doors."
The solemn faced servant glances up at his employer through the mirror from the drivers seat "Your pardon, Sir. I have not cleaned your room as of late."
A look of disappointment shows on the old ducks face "Oh – well, have you been in my room at all lately...out on the balcony perhaps?"
"I should say not, Sir. But I can clean the balcony today if you wish me to, Mr McDuck."
"Uh, no Duckworth that won't be necessary." he pauses "Do you know if Mrs. Beakley has cleaned in my room lately?"
"No Sir, but I will ask her when I see her again today, if you wish."
"No, I'll ask her myself – later." Scrooge replies, leaning heavily back in the upholstered seat as the feeling of concern creeps back into his mind.
They arrive at Gyros place, a well kept shanty, that the inventor uses as both home and laboratory.
"Mr. McDuck, I'm glad you're here, come in!" Gyro calls as he opens his front door and motions for Scrooge to come in.
A few seconds later, he is showing Scrooge his latest creation. He holds up an action figure of Gizmoduck, only the armor is a glossy silver with a deep, almost liquid shine to it.
Scrooge's eyes narrow as he looks at the shiny kids toy "What, you wanted to show me the new paint job on a kid's remote control Gizma'duck toy?"
"No Mr. McDuck, I wanted to show you the new armor I invented for the Gizmo suit.
I call it Super Elastio Alloy. It's a new alloy I came up with. Feel it." he holds the toy up to Scrooge.
Scrooge hesitates for a second, looking at the glossy armor toy suspiciously, then gingerly touches the material with the tip of his index finger. He is actually surprised by the the feel. It has a smooth, slick, gel like texture.
"Well, it's pleasing to the touch, Gyro, but do you really think a soft armor is going to last very long?"
The inventor grins, steps over to a work table and lights a burner. He holds the action figure over the open flame for a few seconds them turns off the burner. He presents the toy to Mr. McDuck.
Adjusting his spectacles to better see the toy, Scrooge studies it carefully. The tiny bill that was not covered with the alloy is melted. The armor, however, shows no signs of damaged, not even a singe.
"That's incredible!" are the first words out of Scrooges mouth.
"Yes, but it gets better," Gyro states as he picks up a sharp carving knife from the table. He drags the blade across the chest armor, nothing – not a scratch.
"It is amazing Gyro, but you know, this stuff puts me in mind of Protecto Glass. You do recall what happened with that don't you?"
"Oh, yes Mr. McDuck, I took that into consideration, already." Gyro assures his boss with an optimistic smile. "This stuff won't shatter at the loud shrilling sound of a Yeaka Eaker (strange looking bird with a high pitched cry) or any other shattering noise. I have tested this stuff to the full extent."
Scrooge scrutinizes the action figure in Gyros hands for a moment. "You're really sure this stuff is completely indestructible?"
"Well, Mr. McDuck, nothing is completely indestructible. But I haven't found the Elastio Alloy's Achilles' Heel, as of yet." Gyro hands the toy to Scrooge, who upon taking it can almost taste the profits from marketing such a product.
Gyro recognizes the look and almost swears that he can see Scrooges pupils dilate and take the form of dollar signs. "Now before you get to excited Mr McDuck, I should tell you. I don't have a lot of the substance that makes the Elastio Alloy. I have just enough at the time to make a new Gizmo suit."
A look of disappointment shows in Scrooge McDuck's face. "I see. Well can't you just make some more..."
...bbbrriinngggg!
The harsh ring of a telephone interrupts the conversation.
It rings again.
"Oh, just a minute, Mr. McDuck," Gyro says as he walks across the room to answer it.
For a third time, the phone rings. Before Gyro can pick up the receiver, the answering machine comes on.
Gyros recorded voice is heard. "Well, I'm probably here, I'm just to wrapped up in my work to hear the phone, so if you'll leave a message, I'll get back with you...eh..sooner or later."
There's a beep, signaling their caller to now leave the message.
For a long moment ...
...there is only silence on the other end...then..
a voice on the other end speaks, muffled and low, almost eerie "Scrooge McDuck. Go home to your children, now!"
Follows by a abrupt click and the line is dead.
Both Scrooge and Gyro stand in utter shock for a few seconds before sudden fear overwhelms Scrooge. "My family!" He cries "The boys and Webby!" dashing out the front door with Gyro right behind him.
Both of them jump into the limo "Duckworth, get us home, fast!"
The servant, hearing the panic in his employers voice, starts the limo and speeds for the mansion.
The thought of the things that had happened the day before, Dewey seeing something in the woods then Scrooge finding his balcony doors open. The powerful feeling of being watched. All this rushes back to him. He only hopes that nothing has happened to his family, as he races for home.
Just as the limo speeds into the drive of the manor, a figure slips quietly from a jimmied window in the back of the mansion. Unseen, he dashes off running toward the small grove of trees that set off of the wayside just outside the McDuck estate
To be continued...