Conclusion

Into the room rolled one jet black figure on a tire wheel, followed by an all too familiar woman, strangely almost animated, she didn’t look dead, and quite pretty in an unassuming way, with her hair in Canardberg style.

It was Eliza, the brains of the Necrobots. Or as the people called her Eliza Dolittle. The first voluntary Necrobot, mind and body honed to fatal precision. If they both were here, there was something big going down.

"Agent 3. I’m seeing it’s Boo." Eliza said "I remember that he was my Center Mate. It’s Boo. We got Boo." Dolittle said, in the Necrobot equivalent of excitement.

NecroDuk tried to aim his gun "I’m seeing the target is negligible." Any resultant shot will make his body unsuitable for the process"

"I say…He has a hostage." NecroDuk comments

"I see, he has a hostage." Dolittle nodded "Hostage expendable."

They lifted the gun.

As tight as the little child had held Agent Boo could toss him on the ground to avoid the bullet."

"Get down kid." He shouted.

Bellum re-entered the room

"Cease Fire Alpha Omega 3."

Instantly the Necrobot’s guns fell silent. They swung their heads to stare at Bellum.

Giving Derek barely enough time jump out the window.

The Necrobot’s stared at Bellum.

"I am asking Agent Bellum. What in the hell she is trying to pull?" NecroDuk said almost angry.

"This is my mission. I am the head of Lazarus. You are only Enforcers. Derek is mine. His corpse belongs to R&D."

NecroDuk said "I would remind the good Agent Bellum, Derek Boo has been conscripted in the service of Enforcer since he was kidnapped by the FOWL. He is to be transformed into a necrobot on his capture. In the same fashion Dolittle was. End of Discussion."

Dolittle stared at her. Bellum shivered. Seeing her old Center mate so transfigured by power, it was no longer her friend.

"I am saying she’s right NecroDuk. We would have damaged the body beyond repair at such close range. The issue of the ownership of Derek’s body is negotiable, when he has properly disposed off."

"He’s not running far. I got him in the foot with a syringe." Bellum chuckled "Probably won’t make it to the road.

The Necrobots stood silently at the joke.

"This is kind of fun." Bellum said, grabbing her gun. "Alpha Delta 4."

The Necrobot’s followed her outside.

Derek suspended in mid air for about a second before remembering that he had no jack hooks left, and plummeting down towards tree headfirst before he realized it wouldn’t help him. His Handtool flapped as ineffectively as any arm as he plummeted through oak branches, as he grabbed onto one of the heavier ones

The rest of the time he could spend worrying about that kid. Had he shoved the little guy too hard? What if he had broke his neck slamming him against the ground. Derek tried to marshal his thoughts away from his guilt. The kid would live because of him. That was all that mattered in the end. When so many were dying… Had life itself had become the luxury? He was insane to think anything else was worth protecting.

This guilt would kill him. Wasn’t this kid getting fed, wasn’t he spared the eye for a few years, he’d never have to do anything like this when he was his age.

He could still feel his little arms against his neck.

Derek sighed.

He would have killed for home too.

Serena sat tied up in the front seat. As senior agent she whispered she would be expected to take command if Derek died. She didn’t know how she’d hide that from the Border guards

"Where is he? If that Clucking clod got his head blown off, this mission is toast." She swore unaffected. "I would have wasted this mission for nothing."

"Calm down. Here’s Walnut."

The squirrel rushed up to the truck.

"Agent 10 sir." She saluted Serena. Serena glared at her barely recognized her name "There is no confirmation of Derek yet. He’s late."

"You ever do that again Walnut I’ll break off that hand tool. God dammit. Some one could be watching us."

Serena did not feel she was up to

"We’ve got to get out of here. They are going to be onto us soon."

"Yes Serena." Walnut got in the truck. She took her place behind Serena pointing a gun at her head.

"What about Derek?"

"Cluck him. We have to book back to HQ." Serena said.

"Regulations say we have to go get him." Tank said "If we could head back up to the Center, it isn’t far. The schematics have it at least five minutes away. We can’t leave him behind"

"Regulations aren’t going to be very good when you have Necrobots harvesting your corpse. I’m not going to risk my neck for another dirty Muddlefoot. We’ve got bigger fish to fry." Serena stared at her clan enemy.

"And what about Derek?" Tank said.

"It’s sad, but I can’t risk it." Serena said coldly.

"Well we will. We’ve got to."

Tank turned around the truck.

"What in the name of Negaduck are you doing ,5?"

"Saving an agent. Saving the Leader."

"Muddlefoot trash." Serena said, she tried to leap up to attack, forgetting that she was still tied up. She struggled. She laughed at the predicament. She wouldn’t have to pretend to struggle out of these ropes. "I should have known you’d sell us out for your filthy brother."

"I am a FOWL agent. This is our mission." Tank said strongly.

"This is mutiny, 5." Walnut said warily.

"Leaving an agent behind isn’t right." Agent 5 said putting his hand on the wheel "Either we all make it out or none…" he didn’t finish the phrase, as he headed the truck into the heart of Canardberg.

Derek is running away stuck in the tree. NecroDuk and Dolittle treed him like an animal. They are shooting at him. NecroDuk's chainsaw made a horrible noise against the bark of the tree. Bellum eggs him on

"Come Down, and I promise it won’t hurt."

Dolittle stared up silently.

"I remember when we were little Derek. I am telling you about the Center. We were all meant for this."

Derek had a poor feeling. He could remember the light in Eliza’s eyes, when they were in the center together. Him Bellum and Eliza. *They* hated him, but it was something more, something greater and more beautiful than he could have wished. Bellum’s mind destroyed by de-education. How he wished that they were those two little girls would look up at him with jealousy, instead of the vicious animal eyes ready to destroy him.

The tree continued to crack as NecroDuk revved up his buzz saw.

"Come to the fate which you were destined. Boo." Bellum said trying to sound inviting.

Dolittle stared. "I would calculate If he doesn’t come down his body could be damaged by the tree. I would ask Bellum to hurry up and lure him down here…"

The truck wizzed past a boy in the road.

A boy.

Tank stopped the truck.

A boy.

It was Honker. He couldn’t recognize him like this. Vulnerable, sick, pale in the moonlight. It was no longer his brother.

The boy didn’t stop to check who the truck was, knowing it could easily be SHUSH transport truck.

"Honker. Honker."

Honker turned his head.

"Tank?"

"Jump in."

Honker looked bewildered but still could move his legs.

"Honker."

He jumped in the truck.

He looked so vulnerable. Tank had to say something to his brother, but what could he.

"Honker."

"Save your tears Tankie. They are for women. We must go. The Undead ones have The Fowl man. Derek, good man."

"He’s still alive."

"Tank, they have him treed like a stew cat." Honker said incredulously.

"The Necrobots want to assimilate him. They have for years. We’ve got to save him."

"No, we will go. Back to the Waste."

"No." Tank said plainly "We are not leaving Derek."

"One eye is right. Leave him."

Honker seemed to feel the insult as a slap in the face.

He looked straight into her face.

"A more typical response from cowardly Scutter trash." He lifted one eyebrow imperiously "But sometimes even cowardice pays off."

"How did you know I was Scutter, wastrel?"

"Watch yourself, do you remember who you speak of? I am the Muddlefoot."

Serena gulped. Even she wasn’t ornery enough to cross the Muddlefoot.

"I’d watch your tongue before someone cuts it out, girl. Your hair speaks your heritage. They think it looks pretty to keep it long. You’ve cut it off, but it is clear."

Tank was glad the two were to distracted to stop him.

"The FOWL is foolish to ally themselves with weak and greedy clans of your like. Yet I know brave enough, for their purpose."

Honker looked on the road.

"We will not be able to turn around at this rate. We must go."

"This is none of your concern, Honker."

"I am the Muddlefoot."

"Well I am a FOWL agent now. So just sit down and let yourself get out of this clucking mess."

Tank continued down the road.

Derek was hanging perilously on the branch as the tree cracked underneath him.

He was being flung around too much, to even try to grab his lollipop. He would jump out of this tree and break his neck if he had to. They’d never get his body.

He was ready to jump when he heard a honking horn.

The calvary had arrived. With Tank at the wheel.

Tank swerved off the road to ram into the Enforcers. Maybe a truck would stop them.

He ran into NecroDuk slamming him a hundred feet away, NecroDuk appeared knocked out.

He also ran into the tree, which finally broke. Derek jumped away from the branches before they crushed him and fell.

He fell into the back of the truck into the pile of roach manure.

"Wait here Serena."

"Like hell. If I’m going to blow my cover I might take out some ‘Bots."

Walnut rolled out of the cab Handtool blazing fire.

Walnut exchanged a few rounds on her hand tool, wasting countless bullets trying to hit Dolittle, a necrobot, Walnut did get one in the shoulder. Dolittle didn’t even flinch and shot back.

Tank cried out "Walnut don’t waste our bullets. Get the other one."

But the other one was sneaking up on him. He turned around just in time to dodge a knife to his throat. He shoved Bellum down. She pulled out a gun. He swatted it out of her hand. He jammed it out of her hand, using his superior weight. She pounced on him.

"Die FOWL scum."

"No thank you."

She slammed his head into the cab of the truck.

Walnut ran out of ammo. She cursed as Dolittle took a shot.

Walnut collapsed.

Dolittle walked back to the hospital, knowing her job was done.

Just when Tank had finally dealt with Bellum stepping on her arm, they heard a strange noise. They looked around.

"NecroDuk."

"You crushed him with a truck and the Undead one still lives?" Honker gasped.

"He’s annoying like that." Derek said. "If we can get enough bullets in him he won’t be able to move. We might escape."

The Muddlefoot grabbed Bellum’s gun.

"I’ve been waiting to hear something like that." Honker directed a clean shot at his chest.

Derek sighed and grabbed some of Agent 5’s ammo.

"Let’s bag this turkey."

Derek shot him more effectively in the wheel.

NecroDuk lurched closer.

"I am saying you can’t stop me." NecroDuk shouted before Honker shot him in the trachea, rendering him silent.

"You can’t kill him. Just stop him. Go for his wheels." Derek cried.

Honker loaded his last bullet, and shot him in the hip.

"I’m out." Honker said. He was calm enough not to panic, Derek was glad they were rescuing a real fighter who could keep his head in battle.

Derek shot him twice, and hid his Handtool.

NecroDuk lurched closer.

His glove reached out to touch Honker before.

Serena pulled out a shotgun and blasted him in the gut twenty feet back.

"Why mess with bullets?" Serena said malevolently. She shot him three times with the shotgun, and finally blasted off his wheel.

"Nice shooting Serena." Agent 5 saluted.

"Horrible knots, Agent 5." She tossed the ropes to him.

"Let’s book. Our transport to Zanzarnia is getting there. We barely have any time.

Tank dragged Walnut and Bellum into the back

"Boo, you miserable clod." Serena howled.

Boo shrugged limped into the cab.

Serena jumped in.

"Come on Honker."

Tank turned around his brother was gone.

"Where in the-crap?" Tank was all too aware. Honker was making his own arrangements across the border. He probably already had them planned out.

"After all this shikes, the punk ditches us."

"We were saving him. Not the other way around."

Serena growled "Screw it all. Let the punk fry. I’m not going back there again."

Serena forgot she wasn’t big enough to shove Tank around. Tank let her back in the seat.

"That miserable punk is on his own." She said shifting to another gear and speeding away.

The FOWL agents collected in the small Crabapple community of Zanzarnia. It was a wonder why the Muddlefoot had ditched them. The FOWL representatives were ready for them.

The medics swirled about them Dr. McCawber was there first.

"All right we got a gsw to the chest get her comfortable." Dr. McCawber said, less than reassuringly. It had almost become a euphemism for death in this place. The medics carried her to the Crabapple infirmary they had set up

"All right Derek what you hurt this time" Dr. Annie came up to him.

"Just my foot."

"God that’s nasty. What were you doing playing in the mud?"

"No just roach manure."

"If you don’t lose your leg I’ll be freaking surprised." The little pinked-eyed brunette dog stared at him. "Seems like it’s my only purpose to save your life."

Serena glared at him hatefully as Dr. Annie and the other porters carried him into the tent.

"Clod." She growled through clenched teeth.

It was about the last thing he could remember before fainting from exhaustion.

Derek woke up back at HQ. How long had he been out.

Dr. Annie smiled.

"Hey Derek. If you ever fall in anything that skeevy again, please just take the lollipop."

She slumped back into the infirmary's chair.

"How long? What-"

"Don’t worry the mission was a success, Honker’s in the next tent."

Derek lurched up.

"The roach manure caused sepsis and fever. Good thing it was a clean needle, I don’t need any AIV to worry about. Don’t worry I was able to stop it, before you had to lose a leg. Your foot should be fine in a few days."

Derek sat up, both legs, feet and all of his toes were fine.

"Though if Serena gets her hands on you I think your foot will be the least of your problems."

"She’s mad that she had to blew her cover?" Derek realized

"She says she’s gonna make you suffer or something." Dr. Annie said.

Derek took a sip of water.

"Some people have no concept of reality." Dr. Annie said

"And Walnut?"

"She didn’t make it."

Derek sighed and looked away before Annie could see his tears.

"I better go write to her-"

"It’s fine. That’s all taken care of."

Derek sighed.

"Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"No, no. I’ll be okay. I still got a lot of work to do Annie. If I looked back now, then I’d be in hell."

"Okay. You rest up, Derek."

Big Jack came into the infirmary.

"Hey Derek, how’s the foot?"

"I’m glad it hurts. At least I got to keep it."

Jack stared at him "Excellent work Boo. With the knowledge we can get from Bellum about this Lazarus project, we might be able to stop the Necrobots."

Derek looked up at his leader, never one to offer needless praise. And after nearly losing your leg, being ripped apart and harvested by Necrobots, and the other shit he’d been in, he needed praise to keep him from going crazy.

"Bellum was there you know."

"What was Bellum doing there?"

"Same old same old. I think she was in charge of the whole thing. Otherwise the Necrobots wouldn’t have been so freaking incompetent." Derek said "If it hadn’t been for the fact Bellum wants to put my brain in a pickle jar they would have got me."

"Poor Derek there isn’t a women in all the Canards who doesn’t want to possess your body." Dr. Annie said smirking and pouring him more water. "But I have seen what you do to that thing and frankly I’m not impressed."

Derek took the water "Annie, There will never be another woman in my life but you my dear." He said obnoxiously, "To the Good doctor."

"Heal up and get out of my infirmary." Annie laughed, "I have some more patients to see."

Jack and Derek were alone.

"There is someone who demands an audience." Jack said gravely.

"Who?"

"You’ve been asked to be seen by the Muddlefoot."

Derek entered the room. The Muddlefoot sat in the center of Jack’s office, with Binkie and Herb flanking him.

Rather than cover his new eye, Honker boldly displayed it, though the flesh around it was jagged and barely healed.

"Derek, 3^rd of Fowl." Honker nodded at him.

"That’s me, Leader of Muddlefoot."

"I am here to thank you for the rescue attempt. Your courage was most commendable and you are a great credit to your clan."

Derek grinned and bared it. He was supposed to say things like that. But hey, the Leader normally never saw anyone besides Jack.

"I remember you from before. You are the man who does not worship Darkwing Duck."

Derek was upset by the turn this conversation was turning. What did this have to do with anything?

"Is this true Derek of FOWL?"

"I don’t think I could believe, Leader."

"How can you say something like that? What if I said I saw him with my own two-" Honker made the gesture and paused mid way, realizing it for the first time. "I’ve seen Darkwing. Are you saying I am a liar?"

"Maybe you were misinformed." He had not intended

"Your Jack says that your clansmen believe in Darkwing Duck. And my brother Tank, he talked with Darkwing himself. Would you call your clansmen, your allies, everyone in the world but you liars?" Honker asked.

Derek threw back "What about you do you believe in Darkwing?"

Honker stared at him.

"After all that has happened to you, do you honestly think anything or anyone would have ever let that happen to you, just sat back and watched." Derek said.

Honker’s eye outlet began to flicker a little in the light.

"I might not be as old as you, but I’ve seen a lot. And what I’ve seen about people, is the truth is something that can’t be believed. Not that it is impossible, but if you’d ever try to believe it, it falls apart like a butterfly."

Honker sat back.

"It would not matter if I believe in Darkwing or not Derek, for he is true. He will be truer than I will ever be. The petty belief in my head of him is that I beat him up, and he ran away. The truth will be I am the slayer and son of Darkwing. Sent to free his spirit into the world, so that he could defeat Negaduck. The truth is what is eternal, and what is eternal is what is remembered."

Derek crossed his arms.

Honker stared at him and seemed to read his mind "And what remembered is often popular and stupid, right Derek?"

Honker clutched his head.

"We’ll have more to talk about later, my brave and heretical friend. Now my head hurts."

"It’s your brain adjusting to the eye outlet. It ought to clear up in a few days."

"That’s what your healer said." Honker raised an eye.

"It’ll get better."

Honker stared from his imperious position of complete superiority, with the single eye of a frightened boy.

"I hope so."

Jack met him in the camp.

"So what did you to talk about?"

"Are you jealous I’m talking to your precious Muddlefoot, Jack?"

"Funny."

Derek sighed.

"He wanted to talk about Darkwing of all things. The kid is weird. He was just kidnapped by SHUSH, his eye was removed and he wants to talk about Darkwing."

"That’s The Muddlefoot for you. He’s upset by these new stories about him floating around the Waste. He is very open. I think he is only able to talk about what is bothering him." Jack said.

"What about Honker?"

"They are saying weird things about him. They said he is the son of Darkwing."

"Yeah, I heard something like that. He was talking about it." Derek nodded. "It just seems inappropriate at this time. I think he’s just hiding."

"Who knows with him?"

Honker Muddlefoot sat in his personal tent with his brother.

"Tank, my brother. I want you to tell me about Direct Interface Outlet."

"Why?"

"I need to learn more about it. What it is? I have to know what I did was right." Honker said to him coldly.

"It is direct access to any computer, to any operating system any machine. But it is a myth. The Canardbergians thought that you could make a direct outlet inside of the brain to stores of information. No paper, no screen, have it all print out into your brain. But like I said it never worked out."

"Are you trying to tell me they want to put books in my brain?"

"More than that. You’d be able to understand passcodes, read computer codes of programs, even upload images and animation, all inside of your brain.

"You must teach me more Tank. Already your words confuse me."

"I wouldn’t know enough. I’m not really into Neural mechanics. Maybe Professor Sparques would know."

"I would not be beholding to a second to Jack. Already Derek has my life boon. I’ll not do it again. Tank I would ask you to return to your clan for this season."

"What?"

"Return to our camp, and teach me your ways. I know this is much to ask. The FOWL is your heart’s clan, but I am your brother. Return with me for one season and teach me."

"You are letting me back into your clan." Tank said bitterly "Forget it. I’ve had enough of your imperious nonsense for today, and for the rest of my life. If you want to play King fine. But I’m not going to play your friggin joker."

"Tank, we need you. Your first family needs you. Would you abandon us out of pride?"

Tank turned away. "This is a fine reversal. Now you want me back."

"We must learn the ways of FOWL, the ways of your computers, the ways of the Old World, before the waste. Or we are lost."

Honker looked with his one eye desperately at him.

"If I have learned anything my brother I have learned that our clan will not survive. I have learned the enemy is great and the war will be long."

Tank was shocked.

"Honker."

"I am proposing alliance with Jack tonight. The Muddlefoots will help the Fowls get the SHUSH, and the Undead Ones, and all of them."

He put his arm on his brother’s shoulder.

"But you must help us. You know both of our ways. You must bridge the gap between our peoples Tank. This is your destiny."

Tank looked at him.

"I have paid for my knowledge, and my suspicion of your new clan Tank. Now we must plan for the future."

Honker stood up and looked at the sunset with his one eye, already the new one looked with almost perfect clarity at the sunset. Honker Muddlefoot was perfectly willing to give up if it gave him the wisdom he had always desired.

THE END of Part One

TBC Part 2: Chain of Daisies

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