Any building Duke had ever broken into he had performed multiple recons before ever attempting to break and enter. He had only thought briefly about how his preferred choice of burglary would have very little chance of ever being used again once he took Canard's offer of joining his team. He had seen enough of Tanya's Raptor blueprints to feel confident he knew the ship well. All confidence left him when he followed Wildwing and Airika into the sewage pipe. It wasn't that he didn't want to hand control of the situation over to someone else; he did that on a regular basis with Wildwing. I'm just blind…. blind to knowing what I'm getting into. He could smell it though and felt his insides freeze when he lowered himself into the hole and nearly lost his grip on the pipes that were slick with a substance he didn't want to think about.
"If I fall, it better kill me." He felt the pipes bend slightly as Wildwing shifted his weight to allow himself to hang by one hand and pull a flashlight loose from inside his boot. The darkness gave way to its bright light. Curiosity getting the better of him he looked down and saw the brown sludge.
"Duke."
He saw Wildwing and Airika were standing on a ledge. Not wanting to hang over the brown muck any longer than he had to he quickly closed the distance between himself and them.
"At least you had the pipes." Airika murmured absently as she turned to stare down a narrow hall.
At least we had the pipes? Then he understood. She had to have been more focused on escaping that she fell into the sewage behind them, not knowing the pipes were there. Wildwing exchanged looks with him. Then the white duck sighed.
"Airika. For what ever it is worth… I'm sorry about Lucretia."
She was quiet for a moment. "I'm not." Her tone turned slightly harsh. "She deserved what she got. Too bad it was over so quickly."
Wildwing's reply was soft. "She's still your sister."
"We need to go this way." She started walking without warning.
Upon coming to the mouth of the narrow hall Wildwing realized with his armor he wasn't going to fit. Damn. He hoped he wouldn't need it as he grudgingly deactivated it. As small as she was Airika walked right in, however he and Duke had to enter at an angle.
"Are we even in the ship anymore?" Wildwing asked after several silent minutes had ticked by.
A small tunnel appeared with the ship opening, allowing two thick supports to anchor into the bedrock above them. "There's a manhole straight ahead." She pointed and Wildwing noticed too late she hadn't followed them but remained standing on the ledge of the ship. Realization dawned on Duke's face too late as well.
"Airika-!"
She hit something inside the ship, the pipes retracted and the trap door slammed shut, sealing her off from them.
Duke hit the door with his fist, knowing it was no use. "We have to get back in there! What is she doing?!"
"Come on." Wildwing took off into a sprint for the manhole, hoping she hadn't lied about it. He trusted her to not leave them stuck in the sewer system. Luckily he saw it and scaled the metal rungs quickly, pushing the cover. It didn't budge at first but then it screeched metal on asphalt, sliding over. He pulled himself out and quickly reached for Duke.
"What happened?" The others appeared, none of them hurt. Wildwing wished he could spare a moment to be happy about that revelation.
Mallory was first. "Where's Airika?"
"Still in the ship."
"What!" Tanya stepped forward before turning around to survey the disguised ship. "Why? How?"
"She must have planned on it. She locked us out the moment we made it to the sewers."
"We have to get back in there."
"How we gonna find her? That ship is huge. She could be anywhere, doing anything…" Nosedive looked ashen. "You don't think she will…" He trailed off.
"Will what?" Tanya demanded.
"Why would she lock Wing and Duke out unless she's planning to do something big, like destroy the ship…why is she still in there?"
"A martyr." Grin murmured.
"Well we need to stop talking about it and get inside that ship, now." Mallory turned to survey the "house". She looked back at them. "Wing."
This time he didn't hesitate at giving the command 'to go'. They had a teammate to save.
….
Airika knew she should feel guilt at deceiving Wildwing and Duke like that, but in a way she hadn't. She had said she'd get them out, she just never specified exactly who. In another lifetime she wished she could spend the rest of her life with the Mighty Ducks. She knew them only a short couple of months but yet felt she had known them for years. They made it easy and though she had remained aloof, they welcomed her and never hesitated to include her in everything. Everything, stupid things like a trip to the grocery store with Tanya, goof-offs at meal times mostly fueled by Nosedive, practices in the rink with all of them and the lengthy conversations with… She pushed the musing out and focused on where she was going. Instead of dangling herself over the sewer pit again she took a different route and went up a small flight of stairs. Being a slave to the Lord had its usefulness. Over the last three years Dragaunus and the others had grown sloppy, less careful around her and even openly punched in keypad sequences in front of her, too stupid to realize they were only damning themselves. Especially by not changing the passwords, she thought as she entered the right passcode. The doors slid open and she turned the corner to find what she was looking for.
…
"Should we split up?"
"No." Mallory answered shortly.
"We'll cover more ground-"
"We're not splitting up Nosedive." She snapped, ignoring Wildwing glancing at her. "We're safer together."
The teenager remained quiet for a moment, but not for long. "We're never gonna find her if we all-"
Her temper fuse lit, Mallory turned to blast the kid but was interrupted by the arrival of more drones circling them, cutting off any chance of escape.
"-And this wouldn't have happened."
"Oh shut up."
"Looks like you're up the creek without a hockey stick." Siege laughed at his stupid joke, oblivious that even his cohorts didn't think he was funny. He cocked a blaster, aiming for Wildwing. "Alright you mangy wastes of feathers, get moving."
….
"Back so soon?" Dragaunus's question came out like a purr. "Why I barely had time to finish my meal."
"Don't let us interrupt." Tanya crossed her arms, her usual soft demeanor gone.
"Oh. I won't." The lizard promised. "Would you care for some?" He gestured to the pot sitting on the flat surface next to him. "In our year of conflict together I'll admit I haven't exactly been hospitable during the times we've run into each other."
Nosedive glanced at his brother, feeling sickened, wondering if Wildwing did too. He knew the smell permeating around the room. He was sure everyone did, but he and Wildwing had had firsthand experience while in the camps. Dragaunus must have noticed his expression.
"Don't act so horrified. We're all carnivores are we not? Can't let food go to waste there are people starving in the world."
"Oh my god." Tanya suddenly looked faint. Nosedive found himself hoping she wouldn't pass out before him she was more valuable.
"What do you want?" Wildwing demanded, struggling to ignore the scene.
The saurian seemed to really consider his question. "I want a lot of things. Pity most of those things can only be achieved if you're all dead."
"So what are you waiting for?" Duke suddenly challenged. "You got us all here. You ain't goin' to get a better shot than right here, right now."
The Saurian Overlord raised a brow. "You're right. I think you'll go first seeing as you were the first one to help me lose Miss DeCoy."
Duke didn't blink. "You can't lose what you never had."
Dragaunus's amusement faded. "Siege." In response the large saurian grinned and cracked his knuckles as the drones that escorted them moved in, their robotic hands switching into weapons of choice.
Nosedive opened his mouth to say something, anything…
"Dragaunus!"
The room froze as a small female landed in front of them, having jumped off something from above. Stupidly Nosedive glanced up and saw a cat walk far above their heads and thought how utterly strange it was that ship appeared so much bigger than it really was. -Like a friggin' fortress or something. Then he returned his attention to Airika who hadn't moved.
"Let them go."
"Excuse me-?" Dragaunus was interrupted by Siege.
"You don't give the orders around here slave!"
"Thank you Siege." Dragaunus hissed. He looked back at the girl. "I don't believe you are in any position to give out commands like that."
"As a matter of fact," She raised her hand up for them to see. "I think I am." She gripped a glass capsule and took a moment to enjoy the look on the saurian's face.
"How did you get that?" The saurian growled. "You could have destroyed the whole ship just by draining that into a container-"
"Then I guess we were lucky then weren't we?" She cut him off from his next words. "Here's how this is going to go. They leave the ship unharmed and I'll think about not smashing this."
Dragaunus scoffed. "Really? You don't have the guts. You know as well as I what happens to the closest object to that once its released."
"I have nothing to lose."
It was the lack of expression that made Wildwing uneasy. It was clear she wasn't going to do anything rash while they were onboard the ship, but after… They had lost Airika once; he wasn't about to lose her again.
"What's it going to be Dragaunus?" She asked when the silence didn't seem like it was going to be broken. "It appears you have to keep your word for once."
Smoke furled from the saurian's nostrils. "Don't push your luck girl." He cracked his jaw. "Very well. They are dismissed." Before anyone moved he added a question. "What is it you want? Nothing in life is ever free, I think you've learned that."
"It doesn't matter what I want-"
"On the contrary, it does." Dragaunus half circled her, making sure to keep distance in case she decided he was too threatening and did smash the capsule. "Do you want to return to the rink with them?
"Why ask? You've already established the fact that I know too much."
The saurian gave a simpering smile like she was a stupid child asking an even dumber question. "I wouldn't be asking if I didn't have a solution." He clasped his hands behind his back. "Wraith-"
"I have a better one." She interrupted, turned and shattered the capsule against the far wall, black ichor dripping down the metal. Dragaunus and his three henchmen were too stunned and horrified to act, couldn't even reach out and stop her as she ran by them.
"Time to go."
"You just-But that liquid-" Tanya's eyes were huge as she stood as frozen as the Saurians. Duke grabbed her.
"Now ain't the time to analyze this Tanya."
They reached the large double doors that would lead to the outside. Airika typed the code into the keypad so fast Wildwing almost missed the act.
"I can't frick'n believe you shattered that thing-" Nosedive was staring down the hall they had come from. He opened his beak to say more but the doors opened, letting cool night air blow into the hot humid ship. "And I can't believe they aren't following us to kill us, you…."
"They have more important things to worry about."
"So do we!" Tanya's shock seemed to have worn off enough for her to use complete sentences again. "That was dark matter! In minutes Anaheim is going to cease to exist…. and then the whole planet is going to be swallowed into nothing! Once it makes contact with air it's chain reaction speeds up…. Airika…." She turned to the female. "Why aren't you concerned about this?!"
"Because two black food coloring bottles, seriously hot water and balerium crystals aren't concerning to me."
"Well it should be concerning! We are totally sc-!" Tanya stopped mid-sentence. "What?"
"Balerium crystals. They turn to a thick liquid when added to hot water… put in some black food coloring and you get something that looks just like dark matter." A soft smile lit up the duck's face. "Your welcome." She turned and headed to the migrator.
Mallory was first to break the silence by letting out a choked laugh. "I like her." She followed after Airika.
Duke gave the speechless tech a pat on the shoulder. "Breathe Tawny."
In a daze she trailed after her teammates, she seemed to come to as she reached the vehicle. "What a mess that's going to be to clean up…"
….
Three weeks later
Airika lay in bed quietly, trying to find the gumption to get up. It was already almost 9am. The day after the Raptor incident, after she had come down off her adrenaline, she had grown nervous. She knew the Saurians had already breached security once, would they do it again to get her? Would they even waste time kidnapping her or just blow her brains out and then teleport out of the Pond before anyone knew what happened? No one deceived the Overlord and got away with it. It was the reason Lucretia had ended up in Limbo before the Saurian decided to give her one more chance. If Airika were to guess, her deceit was worse than her twin's. At least Lucretia simply "switched" a tool the Lord sought after, Airika made everyone think the world was about to go to hell, starting with the Raptor. When nothing happened the first week and the second week began she'd start her days by puking, the nerves getting worse by the day. Every shadow scared her. She hadn't even wanted to go up to the rink, though the others coaxed her into it, otherwise she didn't leave their living quarters. So when the third week started and she was coerced into food shopping with Mallory and Tanya she had to wear the darkest sunglasses they could find because the sun blindness made her virtually unable to see anything, having not seen the outside for close to fifteen days. Still the fourth week was drawing closer and still nothing had happened. No kidnapping, not even Chameleon doing one of his shitty-planned stalking ventures. It made her wonder how long she'd have to wait. How long would the Mighty Ducks continue cancelling events in their lives just so she wouldn't be alone and vulnerable? Although Mallory had snorted at the question when Airika pointed out she was interrupting their lives. The redhead was quick to say Airika was doing them the biggest favor, as Phil couldn't argue with them being protective over her. The human had finally stopped setting up as many publicity stunts as he had been doing before Airika.
Then she had a thought, as weird as it sounded. The Lord had caused a lot of suffering, death and destroyed planets all for the sake of power, but there had been once or twice the persistence and wit of a enemy impressed the Saurian deep down and respect came from it. She wondered if she had achieved being on that short list and that was why the Saurian hadn't pursued her. That or he's bidding his time… She rolled her eyes and sat up, feeling stiff. After stretching and tying her hair into a loop for a loose bun she left her room. The others were most likely practicing on the rink, maybe she could grab something quick to eat and then head up there to catch the tail end of their practice and listen politely to Phil's novel-sized stories. So it surprised her when the galley was not in fact empty. The sudden silence made her feel like she had walked in on a conversation she shouldn't have. The awkward feeling only grew when she saw a diminutive man who she recognized as the police detective who had occasionally come by and had many lengthy conversations with Wildwing upstairs in the locker room.
"Sorry." She muttered and turned to leave. Even after living with the ducks for almost five months, only briefly interrupted when she was held at the Raptor, she still felt she was an outsider and any sort of matter that was addressed did not pertain to her. Inappropriate.
"Actually we were waiting for you."
She paused and then slowly turned to face the group, namely Wildwing who had spoken. "You have a few things to sign."
"I do?"
"Yeah." Nosedive stretched back in his chair, balancing it back on two legs. "Like no leaving magazine glue in anyone's shoes, put the new toilet paper roll with the toilet paper over, not under. No swapping conditioner for Nair-"
Mallory's expression had remained mildly irritated until Nair was mentioned. "Nosedive Flashblade. You will die a painful, slow death if you did that to me…."
The teenager gave her a winning smile. "That a threat or a promise?"
The redhead's eyes were boring a hole into the kid's head. "What do you think?"
"Empty threat."
Mallory started to retort but Wildwing cut her off. "Anyway. Its legal papers." The goalie kept one eye on his irate girlfriend as she continued to glare at his brother.
Klegghorn rolled his eyes big as Nosedive grabbed Grin who came to the table with one of his herbal teas.
"Grinster. You just hang out right here."
The large duck sighed but sat between the two.
"Basically it'll keep Immigration out of here. I pulled a lot of strings missy. So don't suddenly become a clone of that twin of yours."
Airika supposed if she had been anyone else she might have been insulted at the bluntness of the human's words, she found she wasn't the least bit annoyed. "I can't read your language." She finally said.
"Well lucky for you. I spent a considerable amount of time wasting my life through training for notary so I am here, on my day off I might add to watch you sign these papers." Klegghorn took a long sip from his coffee cup. "And since you are only the seventh alien in every meaning of the word, to land here on Earth, the government isn't concerned with giving any of you Social Security numbers and all that crap, so that makes my job a whole lot easier."
She didn't move and watched as the human padded himself down, looking in all his coat pockets. Finally he found a pen.
"So." He looked at her. "Ready to become a legal US citizen?"
She studied him for a moment before drifting forward. "Yeah. I guess I am." She wasn't entirely sure why, but her gaze shifted to Duke who was shaking his head at Nosedive. Then he glanced over at her, giving her an encouraging smile. Then she knew everything was going to be alright.