Darkwing crept cautiously through the semidarkness of the subterranean stairwell. Having studied every blueprint of St. Canard and traveled many sewer and abandoned subway tunnels, Darkwing was surprised he hadn't heard of this one. He shrugged off his confusion, though, as he recalled this was a privately owned building and the excavation plans were probably not made public. He was going to have to do some investigating into who owned this place when he finished the case.
He paused as he heard voices up ahead.
"Let go of me! Darkwing Duck will make you pay for this!" Gosalyn's defiant tone echoed up the stairwell.
Darkwing smiled proudly in his hiding place.
"We're counting on it actually! He may have ruined our plans for St. Canard's bath, but we still hold the cards." Quackerjack said.
"Don't count on it, Quackerjack!" a voice called. Someone stepped out of the unfinished tunnel, their feet moving soundlessly across the dusty floor.
"Who are you?" Quackerjack asked in confusion, squinting and scratching his hat. The voice didn't sound like the person he was expecting.
"I am the terror that sprouts in the night!" the shadowed figure exclaimed with a dramatic hand pointed upward.
"Uh, don't you mean "flaps"?" Megavolt asked, flapping his arms.
"I am the dandelion in your flowerbed!"
"I think that duck's been hit on the head too many times..." Liquidator confided to Megavolt.
"I AM...!" The figure moved into the lamp light and tipped his head up, revealing his identity.
All three villains' jaws dropped. "BUSHROOT?"
The former con smirked and dramatically pulled a corner of his cape around himself, crouching slightly.
"Not just Bushroot anymore! I am Nightshade! And I insist you stop
polluting the bay!"
Gosalyn kicked at Quackerjack, drawing Bushroot's attention to where she was sitting.
"Oh, and free the girl too..." Bushroot added.
"Have you lost your marbles? You supposed to play on our side!" Quackerjack shouted.
"Not anymore I don't!" Bushroot drew an improvised spray bottle from his cape and pointed it at the villains. "Say hello to my newest invention! The new improved itching powder! Completely organic, all natural poison ivy; blisters can be expected..."
"What are you doing! This isn't how the game goes!" Quackerjack protested.
The homemade canister burst and Quackerjack and Megavolt were soon scratching their faces.
Liquidator drew himself upright and loomed over his "friend" and new nemesis. "Silly Plant! You forget, the Liquidator has no weaknesses!"
"Oh yeah?" Bushroot grinned. Gesturing over his shoulder to the dark recess he had come from, he yelled. "Sic him, Spike!"
The flytrap panted at sight of the living water fountain and raced up to him. Realizing that was one form water wouldn't be able to escape from, Licky fled. The pair zoomed around while Bushroot untied and wrapped a gentle arm around Gosalyn.
"You're safe now, Little One." Bushroot whispered encouragingly as he nudged her closer.
"Uh, thanks. Nightshade, is it?" she peered up at him.
"Sounds more masculine than "belladonna," don't you think? I wanted a poisonous plant name besides oak, ivy, or sumac." Glancing back at his lackey he called out. "Hey, easy boy! We don't really want to catch Licky. Just keep him out of the way 'til we get out…"
"Errr!" Quackerjack snarled in frustration as he rolled on the floor in itching agony. "I'll get you for this, you traitor! And your little dog too!"
"Whoa! Wrong story!" Megavolt exclaimed as he accidentally zapped himself while trying to scratch his back.
"Actually," Liquidator added as he tried hiding in a drain from the plants. "Dog is kind of an accurate term for that thing..."
As Bushroot and Gosalyn made a run for the tunnel, they were blocked by one of Quackerjack's toys.
"Are you sure you can't stay? I've been dying to show off my creation. The new improved Terror Teddy!" Quackerjack grinned.
The furry robot bared derringer teeth and Swiss army knife claws, daring the ducks to take another step. Bushroot yelped and backed away, but Gosalyn narrowed her eyes.
"Hey Nightshade? Got any other gadgets with you?" she asked.
"Uh, not really. Just some more itching powder, bug spray, and fertilizer."
"Great! Gimme everything!"
Gosalyn snatched the bottle and fertilizer capsules and threw them at the bear. It paused as the fertilizer plopped on its feet and torso. The spray moistened the compost, making it heavier and slowing the bear down. Gosalyn then whacked the terror with the bottle, breaking some teeth and spinning its head, knocking it down.
"Great job, Kid! I bet you're gonna be a superhero someday!" Bushroot said.
Quackerjack ground his teeth in fury. Pointing at Megavolt and Liquidator, he yelled. "What are you standing there for! Get them!"
The criminals exchanged glances, shrugging, before mincing toward their former teammate.
"Guess it's pruning time..." Bushroot said with a slight tremor in his voice. "Oh well, that's what I'm here for! Let's get natural!"
Lifting his hands up, Bushroot waited until Megavolt got ready to strike, then called out, "Upsy Daisy!"
A flower shot out of a pipe and wrapped around Megavolt's legs, throwing off his balance.
"Hey, what gives? I thought flowers were peaceful!" Megavolt exclaimed, his eyes widening.
"Step aside and watch a real villain at work!" Liquidator boasted, forming a wall of water and flattening the daisy. It lost its grip on the rat and Megavolt zapped it. It promptly shriveled back into the drain it'd sprouted from.
"Ow! Why'd ya have to do that!" Bushroot complained, narrowing his blue eyes and looking more like a villain than he had a moment ago. "What'd a plant ever do to you?"
"Give it to 'em, Nightshade!" Gosalyn encouraged boisterously.
"Alright, I've had enough of this..." Darkwing muttered from his vantage point. "It's high time this hero hit a home run." Taking a smoke pellet out of his pocket, he was about to jump out of the stairwell when a hand pulled his arm back. His sputters bounced off of Gizmoduck.
"What do you think you're doing?" Darkwing exclaimed.
"Now wait just a minute, Darkwing, I've got..." Gizmo started, but Darkwing cut him off.
"I don't care what you've got! You could have bubonic plague for all I care, just get out! I've got some heroics to do!"
"Hold on, I just got a message from my buddy Launchpad..." Giz replied, his hushed voice higher than usual, and strangely familiar. Darkwing's brow knitted suspiciously and he nearly missed the rest of Gizmo's message. "...and Honker wants us to bring Bushroot and Liquidator to the St. Canard aquarium for cleanup efforts. Even S.H.U.S.H is onboard. So whatever you do down there, make sure to keep those villains sound!"
"The aquarium, eh?" Darkwing repeated thoughtfully. "Alright, we'll work together to apprehend those antagonistic animals and appropriate them for the aquarium's agenda. Now follow my lead!"
Throwing the smoke pellet into the room, Darkwing began his trademark announcement.
"I am the terror that flaps in the night!"
"Well it's about time!" Quackerjack exclaimed. Taking advantage of his companions' expectant stillness, he rushed over and grabbed Gosalyn. She yelped in protest, but was quickly silenced by a gun barrel in her face. A recently used gun... She gulped and hung quietly in the villain's grasp.
His speech forgotten, Darkwing stared dumbly at his daughter.
Gizmoduck stayed wisely out of sight.
"You're late again, Darkwing Dunce!" Quackerjack grinned. "We started the party without you, but you're more than welcome to jump right in!"
Quackerjack started giggling as he waved the gun at the dumbfounded duck, gesturing for him to step out of the stairwell. Darkwing only hesitated for a fraction of a second before complying.
"No tricks, now you hear?" Quackerjack said. "As much as I love jokes, I'd hate to have to spill the yolk on this little egg right here." He nudged Gosalyn with the gun barrel. Darkwing's fingers twitched and Quackerjack noticed. "Keep your hands up where I can see them, Pal." His eyes glittered with unusual malice.
Darkwing was used to a light-hearted psycho, not a cold-blooded killer. As he had been at the receiving end of that same gun before, he obediently raised his hands and stepped into the light of the single incandescent bulb, his eyes barely leaving Gosalyn. She, on the other hand, was busy looking around for someone else.
Forgotten for the moment, Bushroot summoned as many plants as possible that were capable of climbing through the pipes and the cracks in the floor all around the room.
Quackerjack studied his prey with a gleam in his eyes. He took note of Darkwing's black eye, bulging sleeve, and stiff stance. The signs of his previous handiwork made the jester's grin spread even wider.
"I'm so glad you could make it," Quackerjack's smile turned cruel. "Now I'll get to finish you off properly!"
Aiming at Darkwing, he fired.
Several things happened at once. The noise from the gun echoed in the narrow confines, blasting everyone's eardrums, including Quackerjack's. The villain flinched and his grip on Gosalyn loosened. Gosalyn gut-punched him and kicked his kneecaps.
Darkwing flipped safely out of harm's way.
Bushroot gave his order and a hundred stalks of sinuous plants burst into the room, shattering the concrete and the pipes. Megavolt, Quackerjack, and Darkwing covered their heads from the flying debris while the plants wound their way to the villains. Megavolt and Quackerjack were both grabbed. Liquidator dodged flailing roots.
Gizmoduck rolled in to heroically take control, only to be seized by several plants.
Realizing his mistake, Bushroot called the vines off of Gizmoduck, but the vines holding Quackerjack were confused and loosened their grip as well.
The newly freed Quackerjack threw a tantrum. "NO! This is not the way the game goes! It's ruined! YOU!" Pointing at Bushroot, Quackerjack's eyes went bloodshot. "You ruined it! You're not allowed to play anymore!"
Picking up the dropped gun, Quackerjack turned on his former teammate. "Bye bye, Bushy!"
Quackerjack pulled the trigger.
Bushroot froze in shock.
Gosalyn, the closest one to the ex-convict, impulsively shoved Bushroot out of the way, not paying attention to the bullet's path. Gizmoduck, freed from the plants, zoomed across the room, intending on saving Gosalyn and Bushroot. But something else crossed the room even faster than the battery-powered superhero.
With an animal-like cry, Darkwing surged forward. He shoved Quackerjack and leapt for his daughter, flying several yards across the room with panic in his eyes. He gathered his feet, bounced back into the air directly in front of her, and suddenly gritted his teeth and arched his back in pain.
Gosalyn cried out in alarm.
Darkwing tumbled helplessly to the floor, his cape cocooning around him. He slid into the concrete wall, a gasp ripping from his lungs as his head and wounded body slammed against it. He settled on his left side, his head lolled, and he lay still.
Everyone in the room stared at the crumpled duck. Expressions of disbelief flitted across the eyes of villains and heroes alike. All were in shock. Until a delighted laugh filled the air.
"Oh, this is too much! It's not even my birthday and I get the best present I could ask for! Darkwing Duck is dead!" Quackerjack celebrated by dancing and jumping, the smoking gun hoisted like a championship trophy. He started chanting as he twirled in place. "I killed Darkwing Duck! I killed Darkwing Duck!" Speaking to no one in particular, he shouted in glee. "Look at me, Negaduck! I'm the ultimate super villain!" (refers to the "Jail Bird"episode)
Megavolt and Liquidator just stood there, staring at the fallen hero. They glanced up as Quackerjack danced past them and looked across at Bushroot, the intended victim. They hadn't seen Gosalyn bravely step in to save their teammate. All they had seen from their vantage point was Quackerjack shooting and Darkwing leaping wildly. To them, none of it made sense.
Darkwing knew Bushroot could regenerate. He knew Gizmoduck's suit wouldn't even be dented by a bullet. So why did he throw himself in the bullet's path? How could he so easily throw away his life?
"Darkwing Duck saved Bushroot?" Megavolt exclaimed incredulously, his voice strained.
"The verdict is in and the jury's unanimous: Darkwing Duck is a hero. Even to former foes." Licky added very softly.
As the two super villains dwelled on their thoughts, the shock finally broke for Gosalyn and Gizmoduck. Gosalyn raced to her dad's side, dropping to her knees. She lifted the crumpled hat away from the closed eyes and placed her hand on his cheek.
"Darkwing...?" she squeaked, losing her courage.
Gizmoduck wheeled over and bent down, lifting his visor slightly to see past the accumulated dust from the plants' invasion. The plants withdrew slowly at Bushroot's command.
"Is he...?" Giz asked Gosalyn hesitantly, his voice quaky.
"I don't know..." Gosalyn answered as she tried tugging the cape away from Darkwing's chest. His back was against the wall and the cape's fabric was wrapped so tightly around him, she couldn't even reach the snaps on his lapels. Unable to tug the hem out from under him without actually lifting his shoulder from the floor, Gosalyn's glassy eyes shot up to Gizmoduck. "DO something! We can't let him die!"
"No sweat, Little Gizmo Buddy!" Giz pulled himself together and put his hand on the hero's shoulder, intending on moving him far enough from the wall to check his injuries. "Just step aside and let a hero do his work... Yiiieee!" Giz straightened suddenly and yelped as a current raced through his suit.
Gosalyn spun around, expecting to see Megavolt but was surprised to find the villain trembling against the wall opposite from them. Quackerjack dominated the room, holding both the gun and a spray bottle of Pinescrub.
"Nobody move..." the crazed jester sneered. "This bottle contains enough Pinescrub to wipe out this entire room, and I will use it on anybody who tries to help Deadwing. Got that?"
Sparks flew from the Gizmosuit as the Pinescrub seeped through the seams of the panels, eating away at the circuits and gizmos concealed inside. Gizmoduck was in trouble and he desperately tried rinsing himself off with his water hose.
Light suddenly flooded the subterranean world. Morgana practically floated down the stairwell, surrounded by a mystical aura. Quackerjack started to protest, but Morgana shoved him into a wall magically with a gesture of her hand.
Bushroot overcame his shock to summon vines to hold Quackerjack in place. Quackerjack fumed, but was temporarily immobilized.
Morgana ignored the villain as she progressed into the chamber, scanning faces with growing trepidation. She stopped when she saw Gosalyn. The stern expression on her face faded and her voice cracked.
"Dark...?"
Gosalyn looked up at her. "Morgana! He was shot in the back! Please tell me there's something you can do to help him!"
Morgana recoiled, before hurrying over to the duo. She momentarily glanced at Gizmoduck, still rinsing his suit, while she pored over her memory of spells. She paused and raised her hands.
"I don't know the calculations or incantations for healing spells off the top of my head, but here goes..."
Morgana closed her eyes, summoning her powers and focusing them on the prostrate duck. Light filled the room again and flooded Darkwing's body. His eyes shot open, frozen in horror for a moment, before he slumped listlessly on the floor again, looking even more battered. The only other sign that her spell had done anything was a marked fading of the bruise around his black eye. When Morgana stopped to catch her breath, her darling Dark remained as motionless as before.
Thinking maybe he'd hidden his consciousness away from the pain, Morgana closed her eyes again, seeking her beloved Normal's comforting aura. Nothing responded to her. Biting her lip, she moved closer, holding her hand out before her, still trying to sense Darkwing. She caught motion in her peripheral vision and spun around with blazing eyes.
"Who did this!" she demanded harshly, conjuring up a storm.
"It wasn't us!" Megavolt exclaimed. "It was him!" he pointed at Quackerjack, still entangled in Bushroot's vines. "It was all his idea! He shot Darkwing! Twice!"
"Well HE started it!" Quackerjack snapped, glaring at his teammates, Licky in particular. "Old Dripface there invited a crazy janitor into our gang and ruined everything!"
"Everything was ruined when YOU decided you were going to play "Boss" and fired our former teammate!" Licky countered.
"Yeah, and you were aiming for him, too! So much for friendship!" Megavolt said.
"So much for friendship!" Quackerjack yelled back, biting the vine wrapped around his chest and tearing the plants off of himself. He was free in a second. "At least I got rid of the other pain in my neck! And I have a going-away present for you all! My exploding panda!" He threw the toy at the gathering.
"I've got this!" Gizmoduck declared as he spun around from hosing himself off. He caught the toy. It started ringing. Gizmoduck zoomed out of the basement and his departure was followed by a bright flash and BOOM!
"NO!" Gosalyn cried out.
"You...you MONSTER!" Morgana shrieked, storm clouds swirling around her. "Gizmoduck and Darkwing stood for all that is good and right in the world and You cut MY Dark down by ACCIDENT! When I get through with you, you'll be begging for mercy!"
She sent several lightning bolts after Quackerjack, scorching the spot where he'd been standing. He cartwheeled away, laughing. She followed him, conjuring up whirlwinds and sleet.
"Hey, watch it!" Megavolt ducked, scrambling for cover. "If I short out, I could electrocute everyone in here!"
Bushroot helped Megavolt by growing a boat-shaped flower from a nearby vine and providing a leaf umbrella.
"Thanks Pal," Megavolt said appreciatively as he scrambled into the provided shelter.
"Hey, that's what friends are for..." Bushroot said dismissively as he turned to the miserable duckling.
Placing a kindly hand on her shoulder, Bushroot offered Gosalyn a canopy of her own. A soft carpet of grass grew underneath them to lift the ducks above the wet floor. Tall, broad-leaved plants stretched overhead to keep the rain off their heads. Gosalyn smiled weakly at Bushroot before wrapping her arms around Darkwing's head, cradling it.
"Good friends are hard to come by," Bushroot continued, his leafy hand still on her shoulder. "But I like to think that, if circumstances had been different and I'd remained a scientist instead of turning to a life of crime, he might have been my friend too..."
Tears started pouring down Bushroot's face as he felt Gosalyn sob. Ignoring the ongoing battle behind him as Quackerjack continued taunting Morgana, and also ignoring his other two teammates in hiding, Bushroot tried to comfort Gosalyn.
"I know it's not enough, but thank you... I owe you both for saving me. I hope to make it up to you, someday..." his voice broke. "Oh I'm so sorry! It should be me lying there! I'd grow back! But we can't just replace a hero!"
"He's right," Megavolt said to Licky. "But we can fill in for one!"
"Are you suggesting what I'm thinking...?" Licky asked.
Megavolt rubbed his gloves together, creating a static charge. "I think it's time to close the circus!"
Leaning out of his cover, Megavolt aimed carefully at Quackerjack and fired a bolt from his finger. The current caught the dancing duck, darkening his clothes. Quackerjack paused in surprise and Morgana zapped him. Before she could pelt the smoking jester with more lightning, Liquidator intercepted, dousing him and lifting him off the ground. Quackerjack came out of his shock and started laughing again.
"Hoo hoohoooo! I win! We'll play again another other time, Morgana!"
"Wrong!" Licky grinned. Forming a hand around Quackerjack, Licky held him out to Morgana. She smirked and conjured a set of chains and a chest to lock the villain in. Quackerjack shouted in fury at his teammates' betrayal and Morgana placed a silencing spell on him as well.
"Go Team Nightshade!" Bushroot cheered. Everyone looked at him. He shrugged. "What?"
Gosalyn hugged her father's neck. The triumphant grins faded from the criminals' faces and Morgana's storm turned to a dismal rain. Megavolt sniffed and wiped his eyes. Bushroot stretched out his hand to offer him a makeshift leaf tissue, earning a grateful smile.
Gosalyn didn't take her eyes off Darkwing. She ran a hand down the line of his arm, tracing the cast beneath the layers of fabric.
"I wish you could have seen all this, Dad..." she whispered. "Ammonia's in jail and Bushroot and Megavolt and Liquidator helped stop Quackerjack. Thanks to you... And you probably won't even get any credit. Typical, huh? You've taken the worst this city has to offer. Everything from killer psychopaths to purse-swinging grannies to bad ratings, and you never even got a public "thank you.""
Gosalyn continued rubbing her hand along his arm. Turning angry, she punched the cast, startling everyone.
"Come on, Darkwing! You've got to get up! You deserve the glory more than anyone! Not even Gizmoduck holds a candle to you!" Gosalyn's eyes widened. "Oh no, Gizmoduck! He left with that bomb!"
"I'll go check on him..." Morgana said softly, not really wanting to leave, but needing a chance to get her own emotions under control before her storm filled up the place. She passed the criminals, who respectfully stepped aside.
Gosalyn broke down again and Bushroot rubbed her back. She recalled how Darkwing would stroke her hair to comfort her and cried even harder. Her tears dappled the mask. She leaned forward and whispered to him.
"Please, Dad... Don't leave me. I'd be nothing without you... just an orphan nobody wants... I never said it enough, but I love you... I always will..." Gosalyn kissed his cheek and hugged his neck.
Watching Gosalyn, the former Fearsome Three couldn't help being touched. Megavolt teared up. Licky placed a hand on his arm.
"At times like this, I wish I could get a hug..." Liquidator said softly.
Bushroot smiled and turned toward his pals, holding out his arms. "Hey, you can hug me. A little water never hurt a plant."
Licky went to him and accepted the embrace. Still sniffling, Megavolt joined them and Bushroot wrapped an arm around Megavolt. The three were friends again.
While Gosalyn grieved, Morgana found Gizmoduck in the stairwell, frazzled, but conscious. From the scorch marks on his chest and arms, Gizmo had clearly covered the bomb with his arms and had been blown into the wall and down several steps, the weight of the suit cracking them while he groped for balance, breaking the railing. He was lucky he hadn't fallen down the rest of the flight and broken his exposed neck.
"Gizmoduck, are you alright?" Morgana steadied him as he waveringly balanced on his tire.
"I've seen better days," he admitted. "But this suit has taken worse. Don't worry about me. A few new circuits and gadgets, and I'll be up and running in no time... Um, by the way, how is everything down there?" Gizmo tilted his head. Morgana's face fell and Gizmo gulped. "That bad, huh?"
Morgana closed her eyes and breathed in deeply to steady herself. Gizmo placed a kindly hand on her shoulder.
"I'm truly sorry, Miss. Though we didn't usually didn't see eye-to-eye, Darkwing was a hero in every sense of the word. I'll make sure the city remembers him as such."
"He would appreciate that," was all she could say, turning her back on him so he couldn't see her lip quivering.
"I'd like to say "goodbye" and check on our mutual friends, but I can stay here with you if you'd prefer..." Gizmo offered gently.
"No. Go ahead. I'll be there in a moment." She said.
Giz drove carefully down the shambled staircase and Morgana closed her eyes, once again seeking out the aura. "Where are you,Dark?"
"Gosalyn, are you alright?" Gizmo called out as he drove into the soggy chamber. He saw the Fearsome Three and activated his defenses. "Hold it right there, Villains! You're under arrest for disorderly conduct and various misdeeds!"
"We surrender!" Bushroot raised his hands, but Liquidator and Megavolt looked at each other with raised eyebrows.
"Do we really want to go to jail for being accomplices to a crime when we've just done something good?" Liquidator asked.
"Yeah, what happened to a good deed erases a bad one?" Megavolt asked.
"Sorry, fellas, but you'll have to go before a judge first. I'll put in a good word for all of you, if you come quietly." Giz rolled closer.
"I'll take a raincheck!" Licky exclaimed as he grabbed Bushroot and Megavolt by the arms and hauled them toward the stairs.
"W what are you doing? This might be my chance to change my criminal record!" Bushroot protested.
"Sorry, but the Liquidator Express has left the building," Licky replied, speeding away.
"STOP! You're only making things worse on yourselves!" Gizmo called as he pursued the convicts. Bushroot sighed.
"I don't want to go to jail either, but I think I'd rather surrender than run anymore. Between what happened back there and the Pinescrub leak in the bay, I've got a monster headache..."
"That's right!" Giz exclaimed, overhearing him. "Wait a moment, guys. If you can help clean up the bay, I'll... I'll let you go..."
The three exchanged glances. Bushroot nodded and the other two shrugged. They waited for Giz to catch up. Gizmoduck thanked them and gave Megs and Bushroot a lift. Licky followed. As they rolled along, Gizmo's elbow phone rang. Bushroot held up the receiver for him and Gizmo spoke for several moments.
"Hello? Hey! I've got with me Bushroot, Liquidator, and Megavolt, just like you asked. They've agreed to help for a... What's that? Well, Morgana's with Gosalyn..." Gizmo's voice quavered. "I'm so sorry, Launchpad... I'm afraid things aren't going well for Wingy..."
Honker and Neptunia led S.H.U.S.H, along with several other agencies, in the cleanup efforts. Helicopters had already airlifted thousands of gallons from the bay to the aquarium Honker had mentioned to Director Hooter. Stegmutt had stayed by the tank, helping pour the contaminated water into it.
Neptunia sent the saltwater fauna to the ocean and the freshwater fauna to the aquarium to reside in holding tanks until cleanup was finished.
When Gizmo and the criminals rolled up, the Coast Guard, aquarium security, and S.H.U.S.H. surrounded them, but J. Gander called off the guards. Neptunia stepped forward and told Liquidator to take her back to the bay area and rinse out the basin. He agreed.
As they took off in a wave, Bushroot summoned the plants, pulling them to the safety of the clean water tank, while enlisting the help of some hardier plants to filter the diluted dirty water.
Megavolt supplemented power to the tank filters and Gizmoduck skimmed the surface of the water, absorbing as much soap scum as possible with industrial size and strength sponges from Ammonia Pine's warehouse and from Neptunia's ocean army. Stegmutt held a bucket for Gizmoduck to drain his sponges in and hauled the full bucket to some S.H.U.S.H. agents for analyzation.
Thanks to heroes, villains, Honker, the EPA, the aquarium, and the combined efforts of government agencies, the disaster was thwarted. The city was spared from flooding, the majority of plants and animals survived, and, after a week of effort, the bay would end up even cleaner than it had been, thanks to Liquidator's rinse and garbage collection. All in all, a good ending.
Launchpad, however, could not focus on the cleanup crew. If he hadn't felt obliged to stay with Honker, he would have gone straight to DW's side. He waited anxiously as Honker finished talking to Director J. Gander Hooter, who then shared with top officials. Finally, Honker admitted there wasn't anything else he could do. Launchpad snatched the opportunity and jogged to the Ratcatcher.
J. Gander noticed their hurried departure and excused himself from the department heads to follow the rapidly disappearing bike.
They pulled up in an alleyway blocked by police and emergency personnel milling around in confusion. Launchpad asked an EMT what was wrong.
The EMT replied. "We recieved a call from Gizmoduck stating that Darkwing Duck is inside this building with Quackerjack. We've searched the place, but haven't found any sign of either one."
"But Gizmoduck said this is where they were at!" Launchpad protested.
"Well, unless you see another way in that we don't, we'll have to get back to work."
"Just a minute, gentlemen," J. Gander spoke as he squeezed around a disgruntled police officer. "Mr. McQuack, what did Gizmoduck tell you?"
"He said DW was in a basement with a hidden stairwell and that Quackerjack had shot him. He wasn't sure where DW was hit, but Gosalyn and Morgana couldn't get a response from him..."
J. Gander blanched but cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "A hidden stairwell? I'll call Gizmoduck for more information."
Pulling out his cell phone, J. Gander spoke to the superhero and walked up to the brick siding. He frowned, though, as Gizmoduck was unable to tell him where the brick was. Hanging up, he enlisted the group's efforts in searching. Gizmoduck called back and said he was on his way with the Fearsome Three to help.
Honker figured out the height that the brick would approximately be at and he studied the grout for seams. He found it and pulled it out, just as DW had done earlier and soon the hidden door was revealed. The police went first, with guns and flashlights raised, followed by the EMTs and finally Darkwing's friends.
Morgana straightened and summoned her weather spell again.
"What is it?" Gosalyn asked.
"Company."
At that moment, they heard a familiar groan.
"Dad...?" Gosalyn asked eagerly.
Darkwing stirred, trying to rub his head. Finding his mobility constricted, he fumbled with his twisted cape, finally succeeding in freeing his arms. He woozily sat up, and gasped, trying to clutch his various hurts as all sprang back to complain.
"Ooh...That is precisely why I don't carry a real gun..." he groaned.
"Dad! You're alive!" Gosalyn squeezed him enthusiastically.
"Easy, Kiddo...!" As she pulled back, he smiled gently and wrapped one arm around her to return the embrace, patting her hair with the other. "I love you too..."
Morgana grinned, but kept her attention on the intruders coming down the stairs. Officers bearing guns flooded into the room, aiming at the sorceress. She was too determined to protect her beloved ducks to see that these were the good guys. Fortunately, Launchpad had heard his buddy's voice and pushed his way past the emergency personnel.
"DW!" Launchpad charged down the stairs, tripping and nearly falling. Honker grabbed his hand and followed him into the room, along with J. Gander and the emergency team.
Morgana snapped out of her state of mind and smiled.
Unintentionally ignoring her, Launchpad fell onto his friend, nearly bowling him and Gosalyn over. Although Darkwing groaned from the impact, he laughed and included LP in his embrace with Gosalyn. Morgana knelt next to them and joined the group hug.
The EMTs tried to break them up, but J. Gander smiled knowingly and called them off, assuring them that Darkwing wouldn't be needing their services.
The cops, momentarily forgetting they were there to arrest a super villain, stood back and enjoyed the scene.
No one noticed Quackerjack's prison shaking. The chest swayed back and forth until the jester himself popped out, free of his manacles.
"Of all the rotten luck! I shot him twice and he still lives! And everyone's happy! Well not for long!" Quackerjack laughed as he produced one last toy from his sea of concealed pockets. "Say "Hello" to Bobo!"
Starting the air pump for the inflatable clown, Quackerjack activated the springs on his shoes and prepared to make a speedy getaway.
Darkwing saw him over Morgana's shoulder.
"Quick! Quackerjack's escaping! Gosalyn, you remember how to stop this thing?" he pointed to the inflating explosive clown as he sidled out of the embrace.
"Sure do!" she replied. She turned to her companions authoritatively. "Launchpad, pull the plug!"
"Okay," Launchpad replied. "Where?"
"Over here." Gosalyn pushed her way to the inflatable and pointed to the blow tube. "You gotta let the air out! Morgana, zap that pump!"
Darkwing ignored the rest as he bolted after Quackerjack. Thanks partly to Morgana's healing spell, and a visitor in his unconscious state that he wasn't willing to dwell on yet, Darkwing was rested and relatively sound. He had a bump on the head from colliding with the wall and a spreading bruise on his back, but Dr. Bellum's prototype bandages had protected his old injuries wonderfully. His arms and legs were working, therefore nothing was going to stop Darkwing Duck from catching Quackerjack!
As Quackerjack bounced out of the stairwell, Darkwing caught up to him and latched on to the springs. In a heartbeat, he felt himself lift up in the air with the villain.
Quackerjack looked down and snarled. "Not this time, Ducky!" He released a toy on a parachute while his momentum carried both him and Darkwing out the hidden door and into the daylight.
"Improved the tensile strength and rebound, I see," Darkwing commented flatly, although he was struggling to keep his grip on both the criminal and his gas gun.
"Of course! Just because I'm a joker doesn't mean I'm a dummy! You, on the other hand…"
Darkwing shot a gas can at the toy, knocking it a safe distance away and setting off the explosive in it.
"Ooh!" Quackerjack fumed. "When I get my hands on you..."
"That'll be a while, considering we're airborne..." Darkwing grinned.
Quackerjack bared his teeth in a scowl as the ground rushed up on them. Quackerjack stopped mid bounce by flipping both himself and Darkwing upside down, crashing hard in a dumpster. The jester recovered his feet first by clicking his heels together, shedding the springs from his shoes and leaving a confused Darkwing still tangled in the springs and rubbish. Quackerjack then pulled the gun out of his pocket he had again retrieved from the floor before escaping the basement. He checked the magazine and scowled.
"What! Only one bullet! What kind of FOWL agent would store a gun without a full magazine!" Quackerjack shook the weapon irritably.
Darkwing smiled smugly. "Looks like we've got ourselves a draw, Partner!"
Quackerjack bared his teeth and chambered the bullet, leveling it at Darkwing's head. "I'll make it count! I had other ideas for this meeting, Duck, but now I'll just settle with seeing you die!"
"Oh yeah? Like your other unsuccessful attempts already? Let's see you try!" Pulling his gas gun, Darkwing pulled the trigger at the same time as Quackerjack...