Ch. 9: Ransome
"I'm going out to look for them." Duck said for the umpteenth time, trying to get up off the coutch. Rev and Ace pushed him back down.
"Slam-can-handle-it-Duck." Rev assured him. "I'm-sure-at-any-moment-he-and-Marina-will-be-walk ing-through-the-door,-safe-and-sound. You-know-him,-he-probably-stopped-to-buy-dinner-or -something,-they're-fine-Duck-trust-us."
Ace turned his eyes to Lexi. She bit her lip nervously behind Duck's back. The two of them knew that something had to be wrong. Slam had been gone for over an hour. Even alone, it shouldn't have taken him this long to take care of Sypher.
"Rev, why d'on't ya pin point 'em so Duck can see once and fer all d'at d'ey're perfectly fine." He suggested in his cool leadership tone. Rev nodded and his eyes lit up, shining a vibrant red. The others waited anxiously for him to say, "I-found-them".
"This-isn't-right." He said, confusion written on his face. "I-can't-see-them."
"What do you mean you can't see them?" Tech asked. "Aren't you supposed to be able to locate anything and anyone from anywhere?"
"Yes,-but-I'm-telling-you-I-can't-find-them." He snapped, frustration and panic rising in his voice.
"Maybe it's busted." Growled Duck.
"Not-my-GPS." Rev shot out. "It's-pin-point-perfect-with-a-one-hundred-percent -track-record. It's-not-me."
"Slam, where are you?" Tech asked, talking into their communicator. There was no reply.
"Now can we panic?" Duck demanded, his forehead in his hands, fingers gripping his feathers so hard he was unintentionally pulling some out.
"They must have been ambushed." Muttered Tech, one arm crossed over his chest and the other hand gripping his chin as he thought. "I bet anything Mallery's put up some sort of cloaking shield over their hide out so no tracking device, not even Rev's 'flawless' GPS can detect it."
"Give that dog a bone!"
They all turned around as Mastermind's giant head appeared on their hologram system, grinning nastily down at them.
"Where's my sister you-"
Ace clamped his bill shut as Rev helped him restrain the mallard from attacking the image of the villainous bitch.
"Oh, she's a little tied up, but other wise she's fine." She laughed madly. Duck gave a very Tech like growl.
"Enough with the teasing, Fat Head, where's Slam?" Tech snarled.
"He's…alive."
None of them liked the sound of that. Duck's eyes were orange and his fists were clenched. If they laid one finger on Marina or the Big Guy, he was going to shed blood. He teleported out of his restraints and emerged in front of the hologram.
"Duck, no!" Ace warned. But Duck didn't try to punch Mastermind's face or toss an egg. In fact, he merely crossed his arms and glared all the hate in the world at her.
"What do you want?" he asked her. "Name it, and it's yours. Give us back our friends, and we'll give anything to you. So what is it? A giant robot? Money? My prize action figure collection?"
"Duck, I don't think anyone wants that." Lexi shot at him. He ignored her.
"You, Duck. We want you. You've proven yourself more annoying than anything we could have imagined. Of course I still want the dog and Massive wants his vengeance on the little pink rabbit."
"That's Bunny to you, Balloon Brain." Lexi snapped.
"Either way." Mastermind said unabashed. "That's our price. We'd love to have all of you, but Duck, you're what we're asking for." She was grinning, her teeth bared in an unpleasant triumphant smile.
"Fine." He said. Before the others could even blink in shock, he was gone. A few seconds later, Lexi heard the sound of his jet pack starting up and he was heading to the base.
"How-does-he-expect-to-find-it-when-I-can't-even-l ocate-where-they-are?" Rev asked, a look of confused worry plastered on his face.
"We'll make it noticeable for him, don't you worry your pretty little head, beak face." She laughed before ending the transmission.
"Beak-face?" Rev asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Rev, ya gotta get us on Duck's trail, now." Ace ordered, his eyes glaring daggers into the road runner.
"Way-a-head-of-ya-Ace." He responded, his eyes glowing red again. "I-got-him. He's-heading-west,-towards-the-outer-parts-of-the- city."
"He's coming?" Sypher asked as Mastermind hit the button to end the transmission.
"Of course." She cackled. "And when he comes, you know the others will follow."
Okay, a little short…but hey, they can't all be long. Anyhow, this is getting good no? Okay, I know it's not. Just keep reading for no other reason than to finish what you started…-_- Oh, and pay attention to the heading comments in the next few chapters, we're going to play a little game…he-he ;D