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 14
The small jet is under assault by the arch villain Taurus Bulba. The jet is tossed like a bean bag, rolling through the open sky, out of control.
The airborne cyborg charges the small jet, ramming it head first.
Inside, it is all LaunchPad can do to stay in his seat.
In the passenger's compartment, everybody, save Tracker, is in a state of panic. They are being thrown about the interior of the jet, bouncing off walls and being thrashed about in the air. The kids are screaming in shear terror.
Tracker has managed to use one of his bolo's as a lifeline, tethering one end to his seat the other to his ankle.
Webby is tossed like a rag doll as the jet continues to roll in the sky. As she tumbles in the isle, Tracker lunges for her, grabbing her around the waist. He quickly pushes the girl into the seat next to him and pulls the safety belt over her.
As the jet continues to spin and pitch uncontrollably on the wind, Tracker can see that Darkwing has taken action.
Darkwing pulls his gas gun and fires the grappling hook to attach to one of the front seats. He ties the other end to a back seat on the opposite side to create a lifeline. One by one the kids, Mrs. Beakley and Scrooge grab onto the line as they are tossed about.
The adults acting quickly to get the children into the seats and safety belted in. Not an easy task when the room is moving.
Finally, with the children in place, the adults buckle themselves in. "What are we going to do!" Scrooge calls to Darkwing from his seat next to Dewey. Before Darkwing can reply, the jet abruptly stops spinning.
The compartment becomes uneasily silent. They wait and listen, bracing for the next attack. Darkwing leans over Huey to look out the porthole. He can see Bulba hovering in air a distance away, watching.
"He only wanted to shake us up." Tracker speaks up with unbelievable calmness.
" W - Well, he - has – done – just – that," Mrs. Beakley stammers, still feeling as though her stomach is now in her throat.
"Is everybody alright back there!" LaunchPad's concerned voice calls from the cockpit.
"Yes, for now LP!" Darkwing calls. "Can – can you still get her to fly?"
"I can get her down if that bionic Red Baron doesn't stage another attack. Hold on back there, it's not going to be easy!" With that, they feel the jet starting to ascend rapidly.
"What are we going to do after we land. He'll come after us won't he?" Louie asks with a trembling voice.
"Bulba wants the Alloy, he doesn't know we left it at SHUSH HQ." Tracker calls to Darkwing. "He can't morph out of glider mode in the air, without taking a long nose dive..."
"...So he can't board the jet, not in midair!" Darkwing finishes for him. "So he wants to force us to land."
"More than that. He has chosen where we land." Tracker continues motioning out the porthole.
Darkwing chances to unbuckle himself and steps over to the porthole. Down below is a scenery not so unfamiliar to him. "How childishly vengeful of you Bulba." he says aloud.
"What is it?" Huey asks looking out the same porthole. He sees that they have been knocked completely out of the city, all he sees now is a river near a dam and rocky cliffs surrounded by a dense forest.
Darkwing plops back into his seat.
"Dad. Is this where I think it is?" Quiverwing, who sits next to Mrs. Beakley in the back seats calls out to her father.
"Yeah, it is." Darkwing answers dejectedly.
"What?" Huey asks nervously "What is it?" Where are we?"
"This is the place where Dad and Bulba fought the last time. Dad won! Bulba's been real ticked about it. Guess he wants revenge." Quiverwing explains, trying hard to control the shaking in her voice.
"Well, we have no choice we have to land, if we don't he'll drive us into the ground." Scrooge declares.
"Perhaps," Tracker states calmly. He reaches into his trenchcoat and pulls out a small silver handgun."
"Is that a real gun?" Louie asks nervously.
"Not really. It is a specially designed weapon for very special bullets." He pulls out the cartridge to reveal what looks like a simple dart.
"So that's a dart gun?" Louie asks.
"Except these darts are not filled with tranquilizer. These babies are designed to give off an electrical shock that will render it's target unconscious.
He rises to his feet. LaunchPad, can you get this bird to level off and turn!" he calls to the pilot.
There is no immediate response, then he heres "Uh, is that you DW or is that...him..."
Darkwing would have found it amusing under different circumstances. He and Tracker, did of course, have the same voice.
"Just answer Tracker's question, LP!" Darkwing calls back.
"I think so, but not for long. This bird is on it's last wing."
Darkwing looks to Tracker for assurance.
Tracker nods.
"Then do it LP." Having a hunch about what Tracker was thinking he asks "How do you plan to get a shot at him?"
Tracker slips the cartridge back in and looks up at his past self "How would you?"
He starts for the back of the jet "Make sure everybody is safety belted in properly!"
Darkwing knows what is about to happen. He gets back into his seat and pulls the safety belt over him. "Everybody make sure the safety belts are secure! And hold on tight!"
Tracker moves to the emergency exit at the back of the jet.
He feels the jet struggling to level off then slowly turn back in the direction of the city.
As Tracker suspects, Bulba launches another assault on the jet in an attempt to drive it down. Thankfully, he can only ram it, since both arms and legs are transformed into glider like components, enabling him to fly. But he has managed to do serious damage to the aircraft in spite of that disadvantage.
Bulba swoops under the jet and rams the hull, puncturing a hole that pierces the floor right under Quiverwing's feet. She pulls her legs up quickly but doesn't cry out, doesn't panic. Tracker sees this. He remembers that about her, so brave for being so young. Such and extraordinary child. And he was such a fool for letting her slip away.
He shakes off the distractive thoughts. He must stay focused.
The jet rolls violently to one side, but LaunchPad is able to steady it again.
Tracker pulls out a bolo from his coat and tethers one end to the handle of the exit and ties the other end around his forearm. Gripping the handle firmly, he pushes it open and swings out, gun in hand.
The g-force is powerful, combined with the turbulence, it is almost enough to render him unconscious. He concentrates, forcing himself to stay alert.
"What is this? A new look Darkwing?" calls a voice from above. Tracker lifts his head, his gray fedora flapping in the wind.
There, just over his head is Taurus Bulba. If the big Frankenstein had freedom to use his hands, he could reach out and strangle the masked duck, he is just that close.
Their eyes meet for a fleeting moment. A moment is long enough for Bulba too see, this is not the Darkwing Duck he knows – is it?
The distracting thought is enough to give Tracker a chance to raise the gun and fire. The
dart shoots out and strikes Bulba in the throat. As Tracker hopes, the electric current has a far more drastic effect on Bulba's cybernetic parts than his biological. Electricity shoots through the Cyborgs body. "AHHH!" Bulba screams out in agony then falls limply from the sky like a bird shot in flight, plunging into the river below.
Now, Tracker has the task of trying to get back inside. He is suctioned against the door.
He is forced to drop the gun in order to grab onto the handle of the exit door with both hands. He struggles. He can just lift his arms. Trying to grab for the side of the threshold.
He is grateful when he feels a strong hand grasp his shoulder and yank him back inside, closing the door in the process.
He finds himself sitting on the floor of the wounded jet, Darkwing is standing over him.
"You did it." Darkwing says helping Tracker to his feet. "But I'm afraid we're still force to land, the jet is not going to last much longer."
With the exit safely closed it is safe for Scrooge to get out of his seat. He and Darkwing help Tracker to the nearest Seat.
"Everybody prepare for a very rough landing!" LauncPad calls back.
Scrooge and Darkwing quickly take their seats.
The jet comes down over the river, skipping across the surface of the water like a stone before crashing into the stony banks.
Inside, the occupants allow themselves a brief time to regain their clarity.
"We have to move. I doubt that a shock treatment and a cold bath will stop Bulba." Tracker says getting to his feet.
Quickly as possible, everybody climbs from the stranded aircraft.
"Now what do we do?" Mrs. Beakley asks.
"Head for the woods." Darkwing instructs, "We have more chance of evading Bulba in their." Taking Quiverwing's hand in his, he leads the way.
They move quickly into hiding under cover of the dense woods, hoping Bulba isn't too close behind.
Tracker trails behind. He pauses as they are entering the woods. With his back to the small group, he reaches into his trenchcoat and pulls out a small object. A small silver disc in a clear case. He looks at it then shoves it back into his coat, making certain it is secure before rushing to catch up with the others.
To be continued...