The Journey Begins

June 30, 2036

“Lost, kids?” The duck with the brilliant blue eyes stepped out of the shadow, revealing himself. He was about 6 feet in height, with pearl white feathers and a bulky build. His hair was light brown and was covered by a blue bandana. He was wearing a white, baggy tank top and dark blue jeans. There was an apparent scar on his left shoulder.

“Who are you?” Shamrock asked him. Roscoe continued to stare at his eyes, a slight reminiscence developing in the far back of his mind.

“SnowGlyder, leader of the RunAbouts, miss.” He folded his arms and stared down at the two ducks who were obviously a little cowed.

Roscoe found his voice. “But there’s only one of ya.”

SnowGlyder smirked. “Are you so sure of dat, pip squeak?”

“PIP SQUEAK? WHO YA CALLIN’…” Roscoe stopped dead in his tracks from advancing towards SnowGlyder when a very large figure appeared behind him. When the light finally revealed him, Roscoe instinctively took about five steps back. The large duck was about 8 feet minimum and built like a bulldozer. He had raven black feathers, and a light gray double-chinned beak. His beady little green eyes and overweight belly made him an overall scary atmosphere.

“Oh boy.” Roscoe breathed.

Suddenly seven other, smaller figures began to emerge to the sides of SnowGlyder.

“You’re trespassing on our territory.” A female with light gray feathers and a lavender Mohawk stated, one of her hands resting on her bows and arrows.

“Where do you think you’re headed, anyway?” A tall Raptrin with light brown feathers and dirty blonde hair spoke up.

“Not here…” Roscoe and Shamrock darted out of the alleyway, but went separate directions. Rusty, knowing the correct way back to the main street, followed Shamrock. Shamrock continued to run until she realized that neither the RunAbouts nor Roscoe were following her.

“Roscoe?” Shamrock stopped and saw Rusty bringing up the tail end. She listened to the silence until she heard a crash of trashcans not too far off. “Ah, man...” Shamrock began to backtrack.

Roscoe continued to run through the maze off alleyways, avoiding the crates and dumpsters blocking his path. He made a quick 90-degree turn, hoping that it would lead him into the main street. Unfortunately for him, he was wrong. Still hearing footsteps on his trail, Roscoe wasn’t paying attention when he ran headlong into a metal fence, ricocheting off and sliding along the sleet ground into a bunch of trashcans. It took a couple minutes before Roscoe could see clearly. He looked up and saw a bunch of towering ducks standing over him, some snickering, other with their arms crossed. Roscoe sighed.

“Roscoe?!” Shamrock rounded the corner and stopped when she saw the scene before her. She walked up to Roscoe, shoving through the other ducks. “Smooth move.”

She attempted to help Roscoe up, but was stopped short when a duck with dark brown feathers and long, black dreadlocks grabbed her arms and held them behind her back.

“Hey!” Shamrock was pulled back while the Raptrin heaved Roscoe off the ground, also placing his arms behind his back.

“LET ME GO!” Roscoe fought, but to no avail. The large Raptrin didn’t even have to wrestle him to make Roscoe cooperate.

The duck with the Mohawk walked up to Roscoe and Shamrock, placing blindfolds on them. Now blinded, the two were dragged farther into the alleyways, away from the sound of hurrying traffic and ducks on the main street.

Roscoe and Shamrock, with their hands still held tightly behind their back, were forced to walk forward through a maze of corridors and passageways. The sound of city life faded quickly and was replaced by the silent emptiness of downtown. Suddenly, the two hit stairs, and would have fallen if not for the firm grips of their kidnappers. They were led up the stairs slowly, and they heard one of the ducks open a door, which they entered.

Inside, a breath of warm air made the area seem inviting. Roscoe could hear his own footsteps echo and knew that they had to have been in a tiled hallway. The bandannas were not light proof, and Roscoe could tell that the area was dark and dingy, giving it an overall grim atmosphere. He continued to listen.

All of a sudden, footsteps went different directions. It seemed like part of the group had branched off, heading down another path. “Shamrock?” Roscoe was answered by silence. “Ah, crap.”

Another door opened, and Roscoe was pushed through. He walked a couple steps before seated roughly. By the sounds echoing off the floor, he could tell it was a very small room. A single light illuminated down onto him and his silent kidnappers, adding to the suspense.

When seated, the one holding his hands behind his back had released them, and Roscoe laid back in the seat, obviously a little irked. Unfortunately, he heard two rather large figures place themselves next to him, and he knew there was no way he was getting out of this mess. Lucky me.

“Okay, we’re gonna ask ya some questions.” Roscoe knew the voice to be SnowGlyder’s, the leader of the RunAbouts and the one with the blinding eyes.

Roscoe remained silent.

“Alright den, let’s begin. Where ya from, pipsqueak?”

“I ain’t tellin’ ya…and don’t call me pipsqueak!”

“Okay, squirt, why don’t ya tell yer name?”

“Mum’s the word.”

“Well den, if ya gonna be a smart-aleck about it, then from henceforth you will be dubbed pipsqueak. Now, pipsqueak, tell me why you an’ ya sista came ta DuCaine Metro in da first place.”

“Why don’t you stick a fork in your eye ‘cause I’m keeping my beak shut!” Roscoe stubbornly slumped in his chair and folded his arms.

Roscoe could tell SnowGlyder was getting frustrated. “Listen, pipsqueak, ya shouldn’t be talking when ya got a knife at yer throat. Ya ain’t getting’ out anytime soon, and yer well surrounded. Now, will ya cooperate?!”

Roscoe remained silent for a couple seconds. “Hmmm…maybe.”

SnowGlyder smirked. “If ya sista or dog were on da line, would ya?”

Roscoe, infuriated, stood up out of his chair, sending it flying backwards. He attempted to point at SnowGlyder, but it was futile being blindfolded still. “You touch one hair on my sister or my dog, I’ll kill ya!” The two figures behind Roscoe picked up his chair, placed it back upright, and pushed Roscoe back down onto it.

“Stay down, boy.” One of the ducks, obviously male, growled.

Roscoe growled right back at him.

SnowGlyder continued. “Answer da questions an’ ya won’t hafta worry ‘bout them.”

Roscoe thought he was bluffing, but would not take his chances. He leaned forward onto the table, resting his palms on it. “I’ll answer the questions I want to answer. Now…what do you want to know?”

SnowGlyder thought for a minute before speaking. “Tell me why you came to DuCaine Metro.”

“How would you know that we didn’t already live here?”

“’Cause if ya did, you woulda known better than ta trespass on our territory.”

“How am I supposed to know what’s your territory? I’m only a kid!”

“Kids are da ones that know da best about us, that’s why.”

Roscoe scratched his head thoughtfully. “Really?” He shrugged. “I don’t get out much.”

“No kidding.” SnowGlyder paused for a moment. “Are you an’ ya sista…orphans?”

Roscoe sniffed, slumping further into his chair and remaining silent.

Apparently SnowGlyder took the answer as a yes or just ignored it. “Where da ya plan ta go now?”

Roscoe sniffed again. “I don’t know…that’s why we were wanderin’ the streets.”

“DuCaine ain’t the best place to be ‘wanderin’ ‘round.”

Roscoe was getting fed up over all the questions. He’d gone through this more than once with Joe, and he didn’t want a repeat of it. “Don’t you think I know that already?!” Roscoe yelled.

SnowGlyder seemed to have hit the top also. “You know, you’re gettin’ me irritated! They’re just questions! They won’t BITE!”

Roscoe stood up again and slammed his fist against the table. “Look, you don’t know the life I’ve lived! Believe me, they just might be questions to you, but not to me!!”

Roscoe heard the crash of a chair against the wall. Satisfied that the interrogation was over, he sat back down into his chair. He heard some whispering a couple feet away from him.

“He’s of no use. Put ‘im in da recreation room fer now. Maybe FireTalon got somethin’ outta the sista.”

I feel sorry for whoever’s interrogating Shamrock. Roscoe thought, smiling evilly.

***

Shamrock was seated in a chair with a bright light fixture hanging over it. Great, just GREAT. Shamrock sighed and waited for whatever was to come.

Another duck seated itself across from her, she heard, and rested its hands on the table. “We’re gonna ask you a couple questions, kay?” The voice belonged to a male, no older than sixteen.

“Fine. Flatter yourself.” Shamrock crossed her arms.

“What’s yer name, girl?”

Shamrock glowered. “Number one, from now on you will call me Miss, not GIRL. And I ain’t tellin’ ya.”

“Whoa, sorry. Well, then, Miz,” The male strained the last word, “where ya from?”

“Ain’t telling you.”

“And why not?”

Shamrock sarcastically remarked. “Oh, I don’t know…maybe because you’re a KIDNAPPER AND I REALLY DON’T FEEL LIKE TELLIN’ YOU!”

Shamrock heard him jerk in his chair. Than, one of the figures next to her spoke up. “Whoa, this girl has got some spunk.” The voice was female.

Shamrock growled at the direction of the voice. “And you got a lotta nerve.”

The male duck spoke up again. “Why were you two wandering the streets?”

“What’s it to you?” Shamrock sneered.

“For the sake of sanity.”

“Well, then, in that case…FORGET IT.”

The male duck slumped against the table and Shamrock heard his head bang against it. Satisfied, she leaned back into her chair.

Suddenly he lifted his head. “You got any parents?”

“No, we we’re a two for one special at the swap meet. What do you think?!”

A deep male voice erupted from the other duck guarding her. “I say that we just drop them off at the orphanage.”

Shamrock heard a loud smack and the female’s voice. “You know we don’t do that!”

The male sitting across from Shamrock resumed the questions again. “Alright then, since you won’t tell us your name, do you have any nicknames we can call you?”

Shamrock thought about how to answer the question, absently fiddling with her gold necklace in the process. The male duck noticed this.

“That’s a beautiful necklace…”

Immediately, Shamrock protectively and quickly replaced the necklace under her shirt. “Don’t you even THINK of taking it!”

“I wasn’t gonna! It was just a compliment! Haven’t you ever had one before?!”

Shamrock was startled by the question, and she was happy the blindfold hid her expression. She quickly covered her astonishment with defense. “Well how am I supposed to know you guys aren’t thieves!?”

“Well, we kinda are…but we don’t take from the poor.”

The girl, Shamrock believed, walked up to him and smacked him. “You’re tellin’ her too much!”

Shamrock was enraged from the male’s last comment. “Who ya callin’ POOR?!!!”

The male began to stutter, obviously a little embarrassed in his situation with both females. “I…um, I mean…uh, not that…I…uhm…”

Shamrock heard some whispering from the female towards the stuttering duck.

“She’s too stubborn. We aren’t getting anything out of her. Maybe Pill had some luck.”

The male regained his voice. “Yeah, go check.”

***

Roscoe was dragged out of the ‘interrogation’ room across the hallway into another corridor. This one was well lit, but Roscoe could not make out any objects. He was slumped onto a long couch by one of his guards. “Get your hands off me!” Roscoe slammed his foot onto the guard’s foot, but was surprised when he didn’t even twitch.

All of a sudden, the guard got his foot free and slammed it hard against Roscoe’s.

“IIYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!” Roscoe grasped his throbbing foot and rolled back and forth on the couch, surrounded by too much pain to hear the others laughing at him.

After a couple minutes, SnowGlyder spoke up. “I’m going to see what’s takin’ the oders so long. Keep an eye on ‘im.”

“Alright, Glyde.” One of the guards replied.

***

SnowGlyder made his way out of the lounge, closing the door behind him. He began to turn the corner to where they had brought the girl when he ran headlong into someone. Quickly regaining his footing, he saw that it was only Lavender Arrow. “Hey, watch yourself, Lilly.” He smiled and helped her up.

The light-silver feathered duck mock-glared at him. “Ha ha. Were you just on the way to get us?”

“Uh-huh. You get anything out of the girl?”

“Nope. Nada. She’s too stubborn. You?”

“Just led me in circles. He can really get on people’s nerves.” He tightened his fists.

Lavender arrow noticed this. “Oh, so it was you who made that loud crashing sound earlier. Man, that kid’s gotta be one annoying brat to break your patience.”

“Yeah…” SnowGlyder’s voice trailed off and he was looking somewhere far off from the wakes of reality.

Lavender Arrow crossed her arms. “Pill, how long have we known each other?”

“About…nine years. Why?”

“And were best friends, right?”

“Of course!”

“Than why don’t you spill the beans?”

SnowGlyder sighed.

Lavender Arrow tried again. “Who was there when I dyed my hair purple and my parents grounded me for a year?”

“Me.”

“And who was there to help me turn it into a Mohawk to rebel even more?”

“Uh…me.”

“And when I pierced my beak?”

SnowGlyder grimaced at the memory. “Unfortunately me.”

Lavender Arrow’s voice became serious. “And who turned my life around from being a punk rocker to a doctor?”

“Well…”

Lavender Arrow’s eyes narrowed.

“Me! Fine, it was me.”

“And who got me out of those abusive relationships?”

SnowGlyder looked at her and remembered those heartless mallards. They would come on to her like sweet gentlemen and end up using her for her looks. She was abused, and if it wasn’t for SnowGlyder who came to her rescue, she could have died. “Me. Where are you going with this?”

Lavender Arrow sighed and looked SnowGlyder in the eyes. “Why won’t you let me be there for you?”

SnowGlyder cleared his throat. “Alright already. It’s that kid.”

“What about him?”

“He reminds me so much of her.”

“Oh…” Lavender looked at the lounge door than back at SnowGlyder. “Care to elaborate?”

“I mean, it’s not just in the looks. The way he moves, his voice, his personality...”

“But he’s a he.”

“I know that! But he still acts like her…I don’t know. It’s just bringing back too many memories, ya know?” SnowGlyder’s voice had lost most of its accent and was instead filled with pain and regret.

Lavender Arrow gave him a friendly hug, which he returned.

SnowGlyder chuckled and released her. “I don’t know what I’m thinking. It can’t be her.”

“And why’s that?”

“She was…” SnowGlyder frowned at the last word, “two years older than me. That kid’s no older than twelve. She’d be nineteen by now.”

“Good point.”

“Why don’t you bring the girl into the lounge? Maybe if we explain ourselves some they won’t be so protective.” SnowGlyder asked.

“Alright. You want Talon and Tiny Tim to come along?”

“Heh, alright.”

***

Lavender Arrow walked into the room housing Shamrock and her two guards. “Talon, Tiny, take ‘Miz’ and bring her into the lounge. SnowGlyder wants to talk to both of ‘em.” With that, Lavender Arrow walked back out the door and into the lounge.

“Alright, lady—”

“MISS.”

The duck sighed. “MISS, you heard Lavender Arrow. Let’s move.”

“Glad to, but I can’t exactly see where I’m going.”

He grabbed her arms and led her out the door and into the hallway. “Than I’ll help.”

There was a few moments silence until the one guard not holding her spoke up. “So, are you like this all the time?”

“Only to ducks like you.”

Apparently this got the duck a little irked. “Is there a reason you’re so dang pig-headed?!”

“I have my reasons.”

The guard sighed in defeat. He opened a door, which the other very large guard led Shamrock through. “How old are you and your brother anyway?”

The guard holding Shamrock stopped while the other shut the door. “How old is my brother? Mentally or physically?”

Roscoe heard this. “WHAT?! WHY YOU…”

Roscoe jumped up from the couch he had been sitting on, and, still blindfolded, ran straight for the direction of the voice. He hit someone, and the two toppled onto the floor with Roscoe hitting the duck all the while.

“What the heck?!” Roscoe knew the voice to be Shamrock’s, and he also knew that it came from next to him. The duck he was hitting was underneath him. His pounding became to cease, and the duck beneath him grabbed his arms to reassure he wouldn’t start up again.

Slowly Roscoe removed his bandanna, the hands still grasping his lower arms. He slowly looked down, than quickly placed his hands over his eyes. “SnowGlyder! I’m sorry! Oh gosh, you’re gonna kill us now, aren’t you? I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! Don’t kill me! It was an accident! I thought you were Shamrock!”

“ROSCOE!” Shamrock quickly covered her beak with her free arm. “Whoops.”

Roscoe turned towards Shamrock who was still blindfolded. “Mentally or physically, huh? I’ll show you physical!” He got off SnowGlyder and careened into Shamrock, sending them sliding across the floor into the closed door.

Shamrock ripped off her blindfold and tried to prevent Roscoe from slugging her. “What? I didn’t mean it! It was a joke! NOW GET OFF ME!” She continued to struggle with the enraged midget. “Hey, any of you out there who would like to pull this thing off me, do so now! PLEASE!”

“Not until you tell us why you two were wanderin’ in the streets.” The duck with black dreadlocks and a crack running down the center of his beak bargained.

Roscoe stopped hitting Shamrock. She looked at him. “What’s your name?”

He crossed his arms. “Fade.”

“Well, Fade, SCREW YOU!” Roscoe got up and helped Shamrock to her feet.

Lavender Arrow helped up SnowGlyder. She attempted to help him dust off, but he shrugged her off. “THAT’S IT! PUT THOSE TWO IN THE CELL FOR THE NIGHT! Maybe that’ll calm ‘em down.” He stormed out of the lounge and down the hallway.

“Oh-kay. You heard ‘im. Let’s move.” The falcon grabbed Shamrock while the huge black-feathered duck grabbed Roscoe. They were led down a maze of halls until they came to a wall of cells. The two threw Shamrock and Roscoe into one and locked it behind them. “Tiny, you’re on first watch. Wake me up at 3. ‘Night.” The falcon walked off, leaving ‘Tiny’ in front of the cell.

“Tiny?” Shamrock repeated to the guard. He in return glared at her. “Heh, heh, uhm…fits you perfectly.” She faked a smile, and the guard only grunted and turned his back to them, re-entrancing himself into his magazine.

Shamrock walked up to Roscoe and smacked him across the shoulder. “You know, thanks to you were stuck in this mess! And now they know are names!”

“Well, it ain’t my fault!” Roscoe rubbed his shoulder.

“Oh, really? Than whose fault is it? Who ran the wrong way? Who ticked off the leader? Who SAID MY NAME?!”

“Uhm…uh…no comment.”

Shamrock sighed and threw up her arms. “Now how are we supposed to get out of here?”

“I don’t know. I hope Rusty’s okay.”

“Rusty! I forgot about him!”

“Aren’t you a swell friend.”

“SHUT-UP!”

“Yes ‘m.”

Suddenly the familiar sound of a pitter-pat came from somewhere out in the hallway. The two ran up to the bars and tried to peer around the corner. All of a sudden, Rusty came trotting down the hallway, a female duck right behind him. She was about 5’6 in height, no older than sixteen, with silver-colored feathers, shoulder-length black hair held back by a headband, and dark green eyes. She was wearing blue Capri jeans, along with a yellow tank top and a choker with a jewel attached. She had black biker gloves on and a small stripe across her stubby beak. Overall, she had a peaceful appearance.

“Rusty!” Roscoe bent down and Rusty came up to him, allowing him to pet his fur.

“Who are you guys?” The girl asked. Her voice was sweet and innocent.

“Well, since the others already know, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell you. I’m Shamrock; this is Roscoe, and the dog’s name’s Rusty. Who are you?”

“I’m Onora Hawkins. I’ve never seen you guys before. Why are you in the cell?”

“Midget here,” Shamrock pointed at Roscoe, “decided to tick off the leader.”

“Ouch. Well, I gotta go. Bye!” She began to walk away, and Rusty began to follow.

“Rusty! Where ya goin’, buddy? Come back! Hey, Onora, where you takin’ him?” Roscoe had stood up and was straining to see the two walking farther away.

“Huh? Oh, this cutie’s going to Snowy’s room.”

“Wait! Can’t he stay here with us?”

Onora stopped and looked at Rusty. “Well, whaddya say boy, you want to stay with them or stay with SnowGlyder?”

Rusty barked and continued to trot farther down the hallway.

“Well, he’s made his decision. See ya!” Onora followed him until they disappeared out of sight.

“Traitor.” Roscoe called out to Rusty, slumping against the bars.

There was a couple minutes silence before anyone spoke up. Shamrock had settled herself against the far back wall and Roscoe had used the hay that was in there as a mattress. He had situated himself inside it, than lifted the edges surrounding him to create a ‘nest’ appearance. After that, he finally decided to bring up some conversation. “So, what did you tell them?” He kept his voice low enough so that the sleeping guard wouldn’t awaken.

“Nothing.”

“Okay, that’s good. Same here…except for one thing.”

Shamrock looked up at Roscoe. “What was that?”

“Uhm, I told them about our parents.”

“WHAT?!” Shamrock looked like she was ready to kill.

Roscoe held his hands up in defense. “Nononono! Not everything! Just the fact that we didn’t have any! Jeez, don’t get your feathers in a ruffle!”

Shamrock calmed down and resumed her position leaning against the wall, hugging her knees. “How are we going to get out of here?”

“I don’t know, maybe…” Roscoe looked at his surroundings taking in everything. No windows, the keys are out of reach, the guard’s asleep, the ground or wall can’t be broken without a sledgehammer, no vents…Roscoe looked up at the ceiling and corrected himself. “Wait! There are vents!”

“Huh?”

“Vents!” Roscoe pointed up toward the one in the center of the cell. “See?”

“Yes, I see it. What about it?”

“That’s our way out!”

“There ain’t no way we can reach up that high!”

“If I stand on your shoulders—”

“Than how am I supposed to get up?”

“I’ll pull you up?”

“You couldn’t support me! Anyway, I’d never fit in that thing! Not all of us are gremlins, you know.”

“Hey!”

“There ain’t no way that would work, I’m telling you!”

“What if I go through it and get the keys?”

“You’re gonna risk fighting him,” Shamrock pointed to the drooling, snoring guard, “to rescue me? Really, I’m flattered, but you’re gonna end up a pancake.”

“I’ll find a weapon.”

“Oh, so you’re gonna kill him instead? Oh well, that’s just great!”

“No, not kill him! Just…knock him out.”

“And what weapon is going to do that?”

“I’ll find one. Now, come on, let me stand on your shoulders.” Roscoe saw that she was reluctant. “What? You prefer to spend the night here?”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Shamrock grumbled. She got up and stood directly beneath the grating. She bent down so Roscoe could climb up. He rested his feet on her shoulders, which Shamrock grasped so they wouldn’t slip, and he placed his hands on the top of her head for support until she was able to fully stand up.

Shamrock struggled to stand up. “Dang, lose some weight.”

“Shut up and stand. Up, 2, 3, 4!”

“Shhh! You’ll wake him!”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

Shamrock finally stood up all the way, and Roscoe balanced himself to stand erect. He grasped the grate above him, which supported him some, and yanked. But it didn’t budge. He yanked again, but it remained stationed in its spot. He looked up at it, and saw that it was screwed shut. “Ah, freak monkey!”

“What? What is it?”

“It’s screwed.” Roscoe thought a minute, still holding the grating so he wouldn’t lose his balance. “Hey, you got a hair pin I can borrow?”

“Is it necessary?”

“Well, if we want to open this gate, it is.”

“Ugh, you owe me.” Shamrock pulled a hairpin out of her hair, allowing a chunk of it from her tight bun fall. She lifted her arm slowly so that her shoulder movement wouldn’t send Roscoe falling.

He took it gratefully and bent it so that it made a makeshift screwdriver. He began work on the four screws. “I don’t see why you put your hair in a bun, anyway. Looks nice without.”

Shamrock sighed. “It’s thick and reaches down to my butt. You want to take care of that every morning?”

“Yes! I would love to have blonde hair.”

“You know, could we just NOT talk while you do this?”

“Okay, okay, okay.” Roscoe worked for another minute. “I still say you should keep it down.”

“Shut up and hurry, would ya? My shoulders are going numb.”

“Alright already. I’m on the last one.” A loud clink erupted as the last screw came out and the grating began to fall. Roscoe quickly supported its weight and turned it so that he could lay it inside the air duct. “Back in a flash!” Roscoe heaved himself up in the vent and began to make his way through them.

“Somehow I have this feeling she’s done this before.” Shamrock looked up after him and sat back against the wall.

Suddenly the guard shifted, his magazine falling to the floor. He’s waking up! Shamrock quickly ran to the pile of hay, creating a bump that resembled a body. She than placed her jacket over it.

“There.” She wiped her hands back and sat back down against the wall. The guard hadn’t woken up, but if he did, all he would see was a girl against the back wall and a sleeping lump in the hay.

Minutes passed, and Shamrock remained where she was, growing sleepier by the moment. Just as she was about to doze off, she heard a faint noise above her that grew louder as it neared.

CLINK pat pat pat pat CLINK pat pat pat pat CLINK pat pat pat pat…Shamrock continued to listen, and stood up just as the noise passed over her. She walked up to the bars, and looking up, she saw a vent diretly in front of the cell.

“Roscoe?” Shamrock whispered.

“Shhhhh! I’m right here!” Came a soft voice from up in the vents.

Unexpectedly, the guard awoke. He snored loudly before speaking. “Huh? Wha…” He turned around, only to find the girl in the cell sitting against the far back wall and a sleeping lump on the hay. “Huh.” The guard sat back down in his chair, picked up his magazine, and began to flip through it.

Shamrock heaved a sigh, and glared at the guard’s back.

“Psst!” Shamrock looked up and saw Roscoe peering down at her from the vent opening in the center of the cell. His voice was barely a whisper.

“What?” Shamrock mouthed.

“Distract him!” Roscoe mouthed back.

“What?!” Shamrock’s voice rose to a shrieked whisper. “How?”

“I don’t know, think of something.” He mimed.

Shamrock looked over at the guard. How am I supposed to distract him? She tapped her forehead thoughtfully.

“Flirt with him!”

“WHAT?!” Shamrock almost said aloud. She glared at Roscoe. “No way!”

“It’ll totally distract him! Do it!”

“Aw, man…” Shamrock looked in disgust at the overweight duck who was scratching his butt. She stuck out her tongue and mimed gagging expressions at Roscoe.

“I know, I know!” Roscoe imitated the gagging expression. “You don’t have to kiss him, alright? Just…flirt! Go!”

Shamrock moaned as she slowly walked up toward the duck with his back faced. When she got near enough, she grudgingly tapped him on the shoulder. Quickly, he turned around and stood up, towering over Shamrock a good three feet.

“What do you want?” He snarled.

Shamrock took a step back instinctively, but slowly stepped forward again. “Uhm, I…” She cleared her throat. “I just wanted to see what you were doing.” Her voice was deep and she leaned against the bars.

Roscoe, who had made his way over to the opening above the two, restrained a sickened choke. He slowly began to remove the grating as the two continued on a conversation.

“I’m reading. What do you want?” Tiny said, peering down at Shamrock.

Think of a cute guy, think of a cute guy, think of a…awwww, I can’t think of any! Shamrock could only see that gray double chinned beak and beady green eyes looking at her. She did her best impression of flirtation, even though she’d never actually flirted before. “You.” Shamrock looked up at him seductively. As she did, she could see Roscoe behind him. He returned her gaze by pretending to vomit. It took all her strength not to laugh. She returned her gaze back toward Tiny, who was…smiling?! Oh, DuCaine…

Tiny was about to reply when a loud clink was heard up in the vents. Roscoe, no! Tiny began to look up to where the noise erupted, and Shamrock had little time to react. She jumped to reach his neck, wrapped her arms around him through the bars, and pulled him down to her. It took her a second before she finally gained the courage to grab his collar and kiss him.

Roscoe gagged when he saw this. But he knew a good distraction when he saw one, and took no time to take off the grating. He grabbed his weapon, and lowered himself down. He fell on top of Tiny’s broad shoulders, and with his frying pan he had gotten from the kitchen, slammed it on his head. Tiny, startled, backed away from Shamrock.

“I am the champion,” Roscoe began to sing, holding the pan in the air, “I am--”

“He’s not down yet, Rosy!!!” Shamrock shrieked. Tiny had gotten out of his daze and began to swat at the duck on his shoulder.

“AAAGGGGGGHHHH! Die die die die die die die!!!” With every word, RosyRoo slammed the pan onto Tiny’s head. With one final “DIE!” she hit the pan hard into the back temple. With one last swat, Tiny began to lose consciousness.

“Yea—ohhhaaaaggghhh!” RosyRoo grabbed her beak from screaming as she began to fall backwards with him.

THUD. RosyRoo grunted hard as the mountain landed on top of her. “Help me, heeellllllpppp meee!” Her voice was pitch high. “I can’t breathe!”

“I’d be glad to, but I need the keys.” Shamrock said.

RosyRoo looked down and saw the keys in his pockets. She tried to reach them, but her fingers were just out of reach. She tried to move the limp body off of her, but failed utterly. Looking around desperately, she saw her frying pan. She took it and began to use it to pry the keys out of his pocket. Finally achieving her goal, she took the pan holding the keys in both hands. “One pair of keys coming up!” She catapulted the pan, and the momentum threw the keys right by Shamrock’s feet. Quickly, she used them to open the cell.

The next thing RosyRoo saw was Shamrock’s head peering over at her. “You told me I wouldn’t have to kiss him.”

“Well, you didn’t have to.”

“I did if I didn’t want him to spot you!”

“Heh…uhm…thanks?”

Shamrock glared at her before grasping one of Tiny’s shoulders and pulling. “Whoa, man, this guy’s HUGE.”

She grunted one last time before lifting him up enough for Rosy to inch her way out.

***

“Okay, now what are we going to do?” Rosy stood up and dusted herself off.

Shamrock stopped putting her hair back together in a bun and glared at Rosy. “Wait, wait, wait. I thought you knew!”

“No, I figured you’d handle it from here.”

Shamrock slapped her head and muttered something RosyRoo couldn’t make out. “Alright, fine. First, lets get Tiny into the cell.”

“Why?”

“So if he wakes up he can’t mangle us.”

“Oh. Good point.”

“Okay, I’ll take his legs, you take his arms.”

“Aw, man, they’re sweaty!”

Shamrock wrinkled her beak at the sight, but only smiled and shrugged at RosyRoo. “Payback.”

“For what?”

“Making me have to go through that torture.”

RosyRoo lipped some words mockingly, and sighed utterly as she got behind Tiny’s head. “Well, here goes my sanitation.” She placed her arms under Tiny’s, and Shamrock got a good hold on his legs. “Okay, on the count of three.”

“One…two…three!” The two attempted to lift Tiny, but it was futile.

Shamrock grunted as she tried again, but his legs were even too heavy to lift. She breathed heavily after dropping them back to the ground. “Okay, plan B. Let’s drag him.”

The two braced themselves, and after a deep breath, the two dragged and pushed the heavy duck into the cell. After a couple more minutes, they got him to lean against the haystack.

The two girls left the cellar and Shamrock locked it behind her, placing the keys on the chair Tiny had been sitting in. “Okay, next priority is to figure out where the exit to this place—”

“We need to find Rusty!”

“I know that!” Shamrock almost said in a normal tone. The two had been whispering, or, at least trying to whisper to one another since they had escaped. “But, I need to figure what kind of console is on the door.”

“Huh?”

“Look, let’s just find the door outta here. We’ll get your dog, but he’s most likely in an area we can be spotted and I want to know where to run if we’re caught. Okay?” Shamrock was getting aggravated.

“Yeah, yeah. I get it.”

“Alright. Well, we don’t have a lot of time, so we’ll split up. I’ll search over there,” Shamrock jerked her thumb in the direction her back was facing, “and you go check those hallways over there.” She pointed her finger in the direction RosyRoo’s back was facing, opposite the direction Shamrock planned on going.

“Got it.”

“We’ll meet back here in fifteen minutes.” With that, Shamrock turned and treaded down the hallway until she was swallowed by the darkness.

RosyRoo turned to go her direction, but stopped when she saw the glint of keys on the chair. She stared at them thoughtfully for a couple seconds before looking back at the slumped duck in the cell. Her eyes darted back and forth at the two before an evil smile developed across her beak. She felt in her pocket until her hand rubbed against a small casing, and, feeling reassured, she grabbed the keys and headed to the cell.

Five minutes later she came back out, locked the cell, tossed the keys onto the chair, and headed her direction to look for the way out.

***

Fifteen Minutes Later

“Okay, I found the door out of here, but it’s got a security code on it.” Shamrock said to RosyRoo as they returned to the area in front of the cell.

“Translation?” RosyRoo asked.

“I have to use my journal to figure out how to break the code and open it.”

“How long will that take?”

“I…don’t know. Could be five minutes, could be thirty.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Here, come with me.”

Shamrock and RosyRoo made there way through hall after hall, zigzagging through the numerous corridors. After a minute, the two reached a large, half-circle shaped door with a control panel adjacent to it. Shamrock walked up to the panel, pulled out her journal from underneath her jacket, and started flipping pages. She typed in a few keys before looking up at RosyRoo, who was leaning against the wall staring up at the ceiling. “Why don’t you go find Rusty while I do this?”

RosyRoo snapped out of her daze. “What? I don’t even know where to look!”

“Well, the girl, Onora, said Rusty was sleeping in SnowGlyder’s room.”

“Okay, but I don’t know where the rooms are.”

Shamrock pointed over into the hall they had come from. “Keep going down there and make the first left. Than, make the second right and there’s a long hall of doors. Those are the rooms. I had to go down there when we were looking for the door.”

“But I don’t know which room is which!”

“Well, guess. Just be really quiet when opening them and beg that they’re not awake.”

RosyRoo rolled her eyes. “Oh, well that’s a comfort.” She looked at Shamrock who had gone back to reading her journal. “Come with?”

“Uh-uh. I have to figure out this code so we can amscray if you’re caught.”

“You’re NOT making me FEEL better!”

“Look, go find the mutt and get back here. Sunrise should be here in less than two hours and I don’t want to be around when they wake up. Go! Shoo!”

RosyRoo sighed resignedly before walking down the eerie hallway.

She followed the directions just as Shamrock told her and ended up down a long, wide hallway. Looking to both her left and right, doors lined the walls. Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked up to the first door on the right and pressed the RELEASE button. The door silently zipped open.

RosyRoo peered in to the dark room. Inside she could see Lavender Arrow, the female duck with the purple Mohawk, sleeping on two mattresses. Decorating her walls were bows of gold and silver, arrows of a diversity of both metals and wood, and pictures of celebrities, along with some pictures of what RosyRoo presumed were friends and family. As her eyes adjusted more, RosyRoo noted the bull’s eye boards lying carelessly upon the floor. Obviously, this girl was in to archery. Taking one last glance across the room, RosyRoo shut the door and traveled to the door adjacent to it.

RosyRoo examined the room a little more casually this time before fully stepping in. Inside she saw Fade, the one she had seen earlier with long, thick black dreadlocks. She smiled slightly at his sprawled out body. He was snoring loudly. If only he got rid of those disgusting dreadlocks…RosyRoo smiled even bigger before checking out the rest of the room. The walls were decorated with numerous items, including old concert tickets, posters of celebrities and bands, shelves holding a variety of trophies, and numerous weapons, including puck-launchers puck-bazookas. His floor was a complete disaster area, blanketed over with dirty clothes and trash. In the far back corner of the room, though, RosyRoo could depict a green couch. However, it was hard tell the color because the lack of light and the superfluous amount of trash overflowing the vicinity. RosyRoo gave a disgusted expression before shutting the door.

Instead of going to the door adjacent to Fade’s, RosyRoo skipped across the hallway to the door opposite it. The door slid open silently, and peering in, she could she the male Raptrin she saw when she and Shamrock first ran into the group. He was sprawled out like Fade, but he wasn’t snoring. In addition, his room was spotless compared to Fade’s. Looking Around his room, RosyRoo could make out posters and pictures. Coming closer to get a better look at them, she noticed the wall behind her had seven pictures of ducks on it. Coming closer to the wall, she saw a title stapled to the wall that read “The Strike Team…” Below were the pictures, and below that were articles.

The first one was a picture of a male. From what RosyRoo could tell from the lack of light, he had white feathers and blue eyes. Instead of hair, he had a miniature Mohawk of feathers. Underneath, the picture said “Wildwing Flashblade Jr.” RosyRoo tried to read the clipping under the picture, but the light refused to shine on the words. She shrugged and looked at the other pictures.

The next one was a dark, gray-feathered duck with one whacked-out hairdo. The hair was the same color as his feathers, except for a white streak. It stood out way past his head, but ended in a rat-tail against the back of his neck. He had an eye-patch over his right eye, and the left one was colored hazel. He had a chip on the left side of his beak. Under him, the name “Duke L’Orange” was displayed.

After him was a rather small, male duck with tan feathers and blonde shoulder-length hair. He seemed kind of young to be part of the Resistance, but what did she know. His eyes were colored green. Under him was the name “Jason Nosedive Flashblade.”

Next was a very large duck. He was so big, in fact, that the picture only fitted his head. But just by that, RosyRoo could tell he was probably built like Tiny, but with a much smaller stomach. He had dark gray feathers with large, brown eyes. Under his picture was the name “Grin.” Doesn’t this guy have a last name? RosyRoo thought to herself, remembering the article Shamrock had read to her earlier that afternoon.

The next duck was a female. She had blonde hair that stuck way up due to a headband and probably a pound of gel. She wore lavender visors over her eyes, but you could tell that her eyes were very pale, like a grayish-blue color. Her name was “Tanya Gertrude Vanderflock.”

The next duck was also a female. She had fiery red hair that stuck out like Duke’s, but shorter. Small pigtails trailed down at the end of her neck. She had tan feathers and bright blue eyes. Under that picture the name “Mallory Susan McMallard” was posted.

The last picture, which was posted above all the rest, was that of a male’s. He had light brown feathers, hair like Wildwing’s, and a patch on his long beak. His eyes were dark brown and black patches were underneath them. Under his picture said the name “Canard Lewis Thunderbeak, Strike Force Leader.”

RosyRoo studied the pictures a couple more minutes before leaving the room. She traveled to the door adjacent to the Raptrin’s. Inside, she quickly checked to make sure the owner of the room was sleeping, but when she checked the bed, there was no one there. Fearing that they might still be awake, RosyRoo began to reach for the CLOSE button until she saw a figure in the far back of the room. Adjusting her eyes to the bright glare of the computer, she saw a male duck sleeping at a desk. She smiled slightly and entered the room silently. Looking around, she noticed that it looked a lot like the Raptrin’s. However, on the far wall she could make out hockey gear hanging on the walls, including jerseys, hockey sticks and pucks. RosyRoo took her gaze off the walls and walked over to the nightstand. Before inspecting it, she took another look at the sleeping duck at his computer desk. Assuring herself that he was indeed asleep, RosyRoo looked back over at the nightstand. Nothing important lay there. Besides a few magazines, books, and a lamp, the desk was empty. RosyRoo turned to leave until she saw a corner of a book sticking out from underneath the pillow on the bed. Taking the book out from its hiding place, RosyRoo rubbed the soft leather of the book. Taking another glance at the still-sleeping duck, she opened the cover.

Inside were sketches, and lots of them. RosyRoo flipped through page-by-page, watching sketches of still life, eyes, and ducks fly by. Most of the ducks she saw appeared to be random people the male duck chose to sketch. Although, some of them RosyRoo recognized to be members of the gang, including a picture of the leader, SnowGlyder. On every sketch, the signature “FT” was imprinted. The last page of paper drawn on piqued RosyRoo. Looking at it closer, she saw that it was a headless duck. It wasn’t meant to be headless, but the head had not been drawn in yet. The figure was obviously female, and was sitting in a chair with one of her hands near her neck. RosyRoo squinted her eyes and brought the sketchbook closer to her face. The lack of light made it nearly impossible to make out small details. However, this one detail RosyRoo managed to identify. It was Shamrock’s necklace. The picture was of Shamrock.

FT, as RosyRoo decided to dub him, suddenly moved in his sleep. Startled by both the picture and the movement, RosyRoo shoved the book back under the pillow and ran, as quietly as possible, to the door, closing it behind her. After the door had fully shut, she leaned her back against it and let out the deep breath she had been holding in. Taking another minute to analyze her findings, RosyRoo took a couple more breaths before advancing towards the room across from her.

Inside, Rusty lay sprawled out on the floor and SnowGlyder lay on the top mattress of a bunk bed. RosyRoo got down on her knees and patted her thighs. “Here, boy, here boy…” RosyRoo barely whispered. Fortunately, the slight sounds and movements woke the sleeping tyke. Wagging his tail, he sat up and cocked his head at her. Again, RosyRoo patted her knees. “Come on boy, that’s a good boy, keep coming…” She stopped patting as soon as the tyke stood up. But, instead of trotting over to her he took a step back and barked.

The sound in the silent room startled both RosyRoo and SnowGlyder. SnowGlyder awoke from his sleep, sitting straight up in bed. Unfortunately, the wall met his head. With a curse, SnowGlyder placed both hands on his head and flopped back down onto his back.

In one fluid motion, RosyRoo ran towards the bed and dived onto the rug. Landing on her stomach, RosyRoo and the rug slid across the metal flooring, right underneath the bunk bed. As quickly as she got there, SnowGlyder’s feet began to dangle from the top mattress.

“Dang mutt…why’d ya hafta go an’ bark like d’at, huh?”

The tyke in returned barked some more, sniffing at the rug that was half pushed underneath the bottom bunk.

“What? Ya chewin’ on my carp’t, tyke?” SnowGlyder had gotten down off the bed and began to yank the rug out from underneath the bottom bunk. “Dang it, you better not have made any rips in this.” SnowGlyder finally yanked it all out, hearing a slight thud after fully accomplishing his goal. Giving the noise a questionable look, SnowGlyder neatly replaced the rug back on the floor and headed for the door. “Come on, tyke. If ya’re hungry, I’s prefers you ta make a meal outta some food, not my mat.” The door shut behind him and RosyRoo was left in the dark.

RosyRoo let out a huge sigh and rubbed her knees. Having the rug yanked out from under her wasn’t a pleasant feeling, especially with a mattress less than an inch above you. Taking a couple seconds to gather herself, RosyRoo squirmed her way out from underneath the bed. She stretched as she stood up and looked around the room. Just like all the rest of the rooms, the walls were covered with a little bit of everything. Taking a glance at the nightstand, however, she noticed a framed picture staring right back at her. Curiously, she walked over and picked it up.

The picture was that of a small boy and girl, no older than five. The boy appeared to be older, and had a party hat on. The girl stood next to him, smiling almost goofily. She wore a princess crown on top of her bushy brown hair. Together, the two looked inseparable. RosyRoo stared at it, concentrating hard. The picture began to twist and turn as if she was looking at through moving water, and suddenly she felt the whole world slip beneath her feet.

Laughter arose up out of nowhere. Small, children’s screams of delight and amusement surrounded her, and older voices came into the room. Everything was mumbled and she couldn’t make out any words. Suddenly, she heard a click and saw a flash, just as if a camera had been directed upon her. Than, as quickly as it had come, the twirling picture stopped moving and she was back in SnowGlyder’s room, staring down at a lifeless object.

RosyRoo quickly replaced the photograph and left the room.

***

RosyRoo followed the white light that illuminated from the kitchen. When she reached the area, she knelt down by the entrance and peered over the counter top. Inside, SnowGlyder was making a sandwich with Rusty right below his feet. Occasionally SnowGlyder tossed down a hunk of ham, which Rusty took eagerly.

Kneeling behind the counter, RosyRoo looked around for a way to attract Rusty’s attention. SnowGlyder had his back facing to her, compiling his sandwich on the opposite counter. RosyRoo thought a second, eyeing Rusty desperately. Than, she noticed something a couple feet away from her in the hall.

Shoes.

RosyRoo smiled and grabbed the huge pair of tennis shoes. Holding them by the heels she tapped one on the floor lightly. Rusty snapped his head around to see RosyRoo. He began to trot over towards her and RosyRoo was signaling with her hands to hurry.

“Here boy, ‘nother slice.” SnowGlyder tossed the meat onto the metal floor, creating a slimy smack in the process.

Rusty instantly forgot about RosyRoo and turned to gobble up the meat.

RosyRoo was getting irritated. If there were one thing she was going to do if and when she and Shamrock got out of here, it would be to train Rusty. She tapped both shoes against the floor this time, making it sound as if someone was taking a step.

Rusty turned his head back to the sound, saw the two shoes sticking out from the corner of the counter, and darted towards them. Rabidly, he took one of the shoes from RosyRoo’s hand and began to shake his head with it in his mouth. SnowGlyder turned around.

“Ah, crap, tyke, d’ose are Chessler’s! If he see’s ya wit’ d’ose in yer mouth you’re gonna be our next meal!” SnowGlyder quickly dropped what he was doing and yanked the shoe from Rusty’s mouth. “Now, where’s da other one?” SnowGlyder looked around the corner, but didn’t see anything. Just as he turned around, he noticed something peeking out from the corner of the entrance. Just behind the wall, on the floor, he could make out part of a shoe. However, this shoe was attached to some blue jeans. He slowly took looked up from his bent-down position. The pants continued up to a shirt, and the shirt continued up to a head.

“Roscoe!”

In one swift movement, Roscoe grabbed Rusty and ran, leaving SnowGlyder still a little shocked. Finally coming out of his daze, SnowGlyder hollered after Roscoe and ran after him.

Roscoe could barely see above the heavy tyke and was taking a chance with every turn that he made. Suddenly, he made a turn into the hallway of bedrooms. As Roscoe ran passed, doors were flying open with ducks appearing with little more than boxers and a robe. Roscoe smeared his face into Rusty’s fur, only glancing up occasionally to make sure he was heading the right direction.

Just as Roscoe neared the end, Fade threw open his door with nothing on but a pair of black boxers with fluorescent pink hearts. When Roscoe lifted his head and saw this, he whistled out of instinct.

Fade gave a shocked look and ran back into his room, shutting the door behind him. Roscoe suddenly knew his fatal error.

Roscoe made a quick left turn out of the hallway, nearly sliding from all the weight. Luckily, he had on tennis shoes with rubber soles. SnowGlyder wasn’t so lucky.

Just as Roscoe disappeared out of sight, SnowGlyder began to make the turn as well, but he had only slippers on, causing him to lose his balance. He slid sideways into the wall and ricocheted off of it, landing on his back and sliding a couple feet. Everyone who was outside his or her room, including Fade, who had come back out after grabbing a light blue silk robe, either looked shocked or dumbfounded. But no one moved.

“You do know that was an escapee?” SnowGlyder calmly said, still lying on the floor. All at once, everybody scrambled to follow the boy and his tyke. After taking a couple breaths to regain the air he lost knocking himself into the wall, SnowGlyder got up as well and followed his team.

***

Shamrock wiped the sweat beads off of her forehead as she typed the last few keys into the console. Taking in a deep breath, she hesitated on the last number. If this number is wrong, it’ll sound every alarm in the building. Closing her eyes, she let out her deep breath and pushed the number. A few clicks erupted and Shamrock braced herself for the alarms. But they didn’t come on. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that it had accepted the code, allowing her free access to all the door and locks of the building.

“YES!” Shamrock said aloud, but covered her beak quickly afterwards. Just as she placed her journal away, she began to hear a faint noise from far off down the hall. Turning around to face it, the noise seemed to turn into a scream, one in which wasn’t stopping long enough to take a breath. She watched as a figure rounded the corner and came careening towards her. It was Roscoe.

“OPEN THE DOOR, OPEN THE DOOR!!!!” Roscoe yelled as he neared Shamrock. Without question, she did, and Roscoe ran right through it without stopping. Shamrock looked back and saw duck after duck rounding the corner, some gaining their footing while others slammed against the wall. Shamrock quickly slammed her fist into the console, sending sparks flying. She shook her hand from the pain as she dove threw the door before it completely closed.

Inside the pitch-black room, both Roscoe and Shamrock tried to find signs of an exit.

“Did you have to wake the entire team?”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“Never mind. Okay, you feel the wall on the left, and I’ll feel the right. One of is bound to find the door outta here.”

“Got it.”

Both Shamrock and Roscoe began to search their wall. Roscoe put Rusty down first before beginning. He felt along his side of the wall and reached the end before Shamrock. So, he began to feel the opposite wall from the door they had entered. Suddenly, Shamrock spoke up.

“Hey, found it.”

Just as she said that, Roscoe’s hand felt a dent in the wall, a sign of a door. Roscoe proved his theory when he felt the control panel next to it. “So did I.”

There was a pause before Shamrock spoke up. Her voice was soft and a little on edge. “Wait. That means…” Her door suddenly zipped open. …There’s more than one way into this room.

The figure in front of Shamrock stepped forward, and Shamrock quickly began to feel around the wall to find Roscoe.

“Will somebody turn on the lights? They have to be in here somewhere.” A voice erupted from the dark room.

Shamrock remained silent and continued to feel the wall, her hands shaking. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she felt the dent of the wall turning and soon found a control panel. In the lowest voice she could produce she whispered “Roscoe?” into the air.

Instead of receiving an answer, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. “On the count of three.” Roscoe whispered.

The lights flickered on. Shamrock jammed her good hand on the RELEASE button and she, Roscoe, and Rusty dashed out into the cold Puckworld night, hearing shouts and yells echoing from the building.

Shamrock and Roscoe continued to zigzag through the alleyways, Rusty leading the way. After a couple minutes of nonstop running, the two reached the main street. Stopping, they looked around at their surroundings. The sun hadn’t come up yet, but it was late enough in the morning to see a few ducks walking along the streets. However, the flow of traffic wouldn’t come until a couple hours after sunrise. Shamrock and Roscoe looked around, breathing heavily from running so long.

“You think we lost them?” Roscoe asked.

“Yeah. They wouldn’t fol—”

Suddenly, SnowGlyder appeared onto the main street coming out from another alleyway. He was wearing his pajamas. He looked to his right and than his left. Spotting Shamrock and Roscoe, he pointed at them and began running. The rest of the RunAbouts came dashing out, also in they’re underwear and robes.

“Spoke too soon.” Shamrock stated as the two sprinted down the main street.

“Hey, we can lose them over there!” Shamrock yelled to Roscoe next to her, pointing at the concert going on in the central ice rink.

The two got what energy they had left and increased their speed as they dashed past a mother and her little girl window-shopping. The two civilians watched startled as the two teenagers raced past her and her daughter.

“Everybody’s in a hurry.” The mother stated, still holding her little girl’s hand.

Suddenly, SnowGlyder darted pass the couple in his boxers, white tank top, and blue robe. The little girl pointed at him.

“Mommy, I want one-a d’ose.”

The mother watched the young male run by. “Me too, honey.”

SnowGlyder slowed and looked at her strangely before continuing his pursuit.

Shamrock and Roscoe ran into the crowd of fans cheering and partying while a band played heavy rock.

“Roscoe!” Shamrock yelled as loud as she could, barely able to hear herself.

Roscoe saw Shamrock’s beak move and, as they shoved through the swarm, he was able to get next to her and grab her arm so they wouldn’t get separated. “What?!”

Shamrock bent her head down so he could hear. “Grab Rusty or we’ll lose him!”

Roscoe looked around, and, a couple feet back Rusty tried to make his through the crowd with no such luck. Roscoe backtracked, picked up Rusty, and headed back to where Shamrock was waiting.

They remained still beneath the mass of cheers and yells, hoping they’d camouflage. Shamrock, who was much taller than Roscoe, could see above the heads of other ducks. Suddenly, she saw SnowGlyder’s hand point at her and his head turn to someone. She followed his gaze until she saw a duck with a purple Mohawk and a Raptrin less than ten feet from them. Quickly she ducked her head.

“Roscoe, we have to go. NOW!” Shamrock grabbed Roscoe’s arm, and, still crouching, began to make her way through the crowd.

After a couple minutes, the two were free. As soon as they reached open space, they darted toward the alleyway across the deserted, dark street.

They heard faint yells and footsteps coming after them.

“When will these guys give up?!” Shamrock moaned. Her legs were about to give way after the massive running and lack of food for a couple days. Roscoe didn’t look any better.

“Zee, I can’t carry on like this.” Roscoe moaned, dropping Rusty to the ground so he could run alongside them.

The two entered the alleyway and began to turn countless ways, not sure on their destination. They were cold, tired, and hungry. After about five minutes, Roscoe stopped and rested his hands on his knees.

Shamrock stopped as well and looked around their surroundings. Both were breathing heavily, sending their white breath into the eerie darkness. “I don’t hear them.”

There was silence for a couple seconds before Roscoe spoke up. “Me neither.”

Just as Roscoe was about to sit down, footsteps came from another direction. Within seconds, the RunAbouts were facing the two, also breathing heavily.

Shamrock gave them an icy look. “Leave. Us. Alone.”

SnowGlyder came to the front of the group. “Look, ya’ve prov’d ya point d’at you don’t like bein’ held in d’e cell. But, ya have no place to go—”

“How do you know that? We could very well be part of a rich family.”

SnowGlyder raised an eyebrow. “In d’ose clothes? I don’t think so. Anyway, if ya were par’ of any family who cared fer you, d’ey woulda sent out a search an’ rescue.” He looked at the two for a moment. “Well?”

“Well what?” Roscoe sneered.

“Well, are ya comin’ back er not?”

“To be held like prisoners? I think not.” Shamrock stated, folding her arms.

“Look, we’ll give ya a room. The cell d’ing’s what we always do when we want members to join.” SnowGlyder said, folding his arms as well.

Roscoe looked up at him from his seated position. “Join? You never said anything about joining.”

SnowGlyder sighed. “Look, we’re orphans. We stick toged’er an’ make a livin’ by stealin’ what we need to survive. We don’t work ‘cause peoples don’t except orphans who ran away from fost’r families or orphanages. You guys are orphans, an’ we can kinda tell that ya won’t do well in any foster home.”

“Why did you lock us in a cell?” Roscoe asked.

“Well, we’re not well liked among da cops an’ we didn’a want ya two ta go an’ tell everybody are secret headquarters an’ what not. We were about ta explain ourselves ta ya, but you two got ina fight an’ got me more d’an a little irritated so I decide ta wait ‘til later d’is mornin’.”

“Dang it, SnowGlyder, we’re freezing our tail feathers off out here.” One of the ducks complained.

SnowGlyder looked at him and than back at Roscoe. “We need an ans’a now.”

Shamrock stepped forward. “No.”

SnowGlyder sighed. “Damn, ya are pig-headed. It’s freakin’ cold out here! Where da ya expect ta go?”

Shamrock looked at him for a second. “We’ll find our way.” In truth, she didn’t know where she and Roscoe would stay.

“Whys not wit’ us? At least think of yer litt’a brod’a.”

Shamrock looked down at Roscoe and Roscoe shrugged. “Shamrock, what’s the worst that can happen?”

Shamrock couldn’t believe this. Even Roscoe was against her. “What?! No, Roscoe, you got to be kidding. They kidnapped us! They locked us in a cell!”

“Fine. Don’t come.” SnowGlyder interrupted. “We came out here in our boxers ta tell ya that ya don’t hafta run. But, apparently, ya don’t know an offa when ya see one. Wells, I’m not stayin’ out ‘ere so ya can make us become blue Popsicles!” He turned toward his team. “Come on, le’s go home.”

The rest of the team began to follow, some looking happy the two wouldn’t join, while others looked a little disappointed. They rounded the corner and disappeared.

Roscoe instantly stood up. Shamrock saw what was coming and began to walk away.

“Why were you so cold to them?” Roscoe asked.

“Because the kidnapped us!” Shamrock yelled.

“They’re offering us a room!”

“We have to steal for them! Do you want to do that?!”

“It’s better than out here! We have nowhere to go!”

“We’ll find a place! We can get jobs—”

“Why are you so afraid to trust people?”

Shamrock turned around. “What?”

“Why…are you…so afraid to trust people?” Roscoe said again with more emphasis.

Shamrock looked at her. “Why is it easy for you to trust them?”

“Because they’re offering us shelter and food. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what we’re going to have for breakfast the next day? To know that we’ll be sleeping in a warm bed instead of a cement floor?”

Shamrock stared at her for a second before looking down to the ground. “You trust them?”

Roscoe nodded his head.

Shamrock sighed.

***

“SnowGlyder!” Roscoe came running up to the RunAbouts who hadn’t gotten very far.

SnowGlyder turned around. “What?”

Roscoe smiled, breathing heavily. “Is the offer still up?”

SnowGlyder looked around and saw no sign of Shamrock or Rusty. “Just you?”

Roscoe shook his head. “Better make that three.”

Rusty trotted around the corner, Shamrock following behind. She looked at SnowGlyder and, for the first time, smiled.

Suddenly a large figure came up from behind Shamrock. Shamrock turned around to find Tiny staring down at her. Shamrock gulped. He took a step forward, and the early sunlight rays hit his face. Everybody laughed. Shamrock’s beak dropped.

“Lookin’ great, Tim.” One of the ducks said.

“Yeah, I bet you can get into the circus as the most ugliest woman on the face of Puckworld!”

Roscoe snickered. Tiny looked over at him, walked passed Shamrock, and picked up Roscoe by his shirt collar. “Did you do this?” Tiny’s voice bellowed, his finger pointing to his face. On it, blush, eye shadow, and lipstick were smeared all over. He looked like a cheap imitation of a clown.

Shamrock finally found her voice. “Ro…Roscoe?” She looked at Roscoe who only shrugged.

“DID YOU?” Tiny’s voice rose considerably.

Roscoe shrunk in his shirt. “N…nn…no sir.” Suddenly the make-up case fell out of his pocket and onto the floor.

“Your—my makeup case!” Shamrock went up and grabbed it.

Roscoe grinned sheepishly. “Aheh, how’d that get in there?”

“Tiny Tim, meet the newest members of our team, Shamrock and Roscoe.” SnowGlyder stated.

Tiny Tim tightened his grip on Roscoe’s shirt and smiled evilly at him.

“Eep.”

***

Roscoe and Shamrock walked into the lounge of the RunAbouts hideout. They seated themselves on the couch while the other members of the team, who had taken the time to change, found other numerous chairs and recliners around the room. After everyone was situated, SnowGlyder spoke up.

“Alright. We intr’duce da team, an’ you tells us ‘bout yerself.” He waited until Shamrock and Roscoe nodded in agreement before continuing. “First, da members. I’m SnowGlyder, leader of the RunAbouts.” He had white feathers, electric blue eyes, and brown hair covered by a blue bandana. He was probably 6’1 in height and very muscular. The female duck sitting next to him shifted in her seat.

“I’m Angel Panda Featherwood, but you can call me Lavender Arrow.” The purple-Mohawk duck said. Her eyes were as violet as her hair and her feathers were a silvery mist. “I specialize in archery and medicine.” Roscoe looked at her and figured she was about a good two feet taller than Shamrock.

The duck sitting next to her spoke up. “And I’m her younger brother, Fade Dean Featherwood.” He had dark brown feathers and long thick dreadlocks. His eyes were indigo and a long crack ran down the center of his beak. “I’m a communications expert.”

“I’m Chessler Hugh Starquill, D-18 Hornet pilot.” The Raptrin stated. He had light brown feathers and a mushroom-head of dirty blonde hair. He was very tall and built like SnowGlyder.

“D-18 hornet?” Shamrock asked.

“Navy planes used during the Resistance.” Chessler simply answered.

“Oh.”

“I’m FireTalon Patrick Starquill and major in engineering.” He, unlike his brother Chessler, was a normal duck. He had dark auburn feathers and gray eyes. His hair was like his brother’s, only black. He was also about a foot shorter. “Gene pool.”

Shamrock cocked her head at him. “Huh?”

“Gene pool.” FireTalon repeated. “That’s why me and Chessler don’t look alike. Our mom was duck and our dad Raptrin. We just took after different genes.”

“Oh.”

“Onora Ada Hawkins, although I think we’ve already met.” The silver-feathered duck smiled and her dark green eyes sparkled. “I specialize in thievery.”

“I’m Vince Ben Cooney.” The tall, coffee-feathered duck sitting next to Onora said. He had black eyes and a tan beak, rather than the common orange. “I also thieve.”

“I’m Wamboey Tant Fayola, and I make sure we don’t have cops tailin us.” The duck adjacent to Vince spoke up. He had yellowish-tan feathers and brown, spiked hair. He was a little shorter than Chessler with hazel eyes.

“What do you mean?” Roscoe asked.

“We move our headquarters frequently, but this is the main area. We only move when we feel that the cops might have a lead.”

Roscoe nodded his head in understanding.

“I’m Trinity Malu Eldimari. I work with Lavender arrow in medicine.” The female duck sitting opposite Vince said. She had short black hair that ended in dark blue tips. Her eyes were black and her feathers white.

“I’m Ezmeralda Conna Murry. I’m, well…I guess you could say I’m a master of disguise. When we steal something big, usually I scope the area out as a rich client during public hours and as a security guard during nightshifts to locate the alarms and triggers.” Ezmeralda stated, leaning back in her chair. She had light brown feathers and pale blue eyes. Her hair was an auburn color and placed up in a high ponytail so strands would cascade around her face.

“I’m Yasmin Abe Hale, and I’m a weapons expert.” The large, gray-feathered duck said. He had dark green eyes and blonde, spiked hair. He looked as tall as SnowGlyder.

“I’m Reese Salt Decker, and I monitor supplies.” The short, white-feathered duck next to Yasmin spoke up. He had large blue eyes and brown, bushy hair.

“What do you mean “monitor”?” Shamrock asked.

“Well, honey, I take whatever we steal and make money off of it so you can buy all yer necessities and what not.”

“Ah. And one more thing.”

“Yes cupcake?”

“Don’t call me food.”

“Gotcha.”

“Ahem. I’m Gabe Mar Farez, and I’m, well, a hacker.” Gabe had black feathers, black hair, black eyes, and a gray beak. Along with his black clothes he was wearing, out in a dark night all you probably would be able to see were the whites of his eyes.

“I’m Tim Bear Farez, or, as everyone likes to call me, Tiny Tim. I’m head of security around this place.”

I’m Zaloney L’Orange, also head of security.” The dark gray-feathered duck spoke up from the back of the room. She had magnificent blue eyes and long white hair.

“Hey, aren’t you—”

“Duke L’Orange’s little sister? Yes.” Zaloney finished the sentence for Roscoe.

“How come you aren’t part of the BOTB?” Shamrock asked. “Wasn’t Duke the leader?”

“I don’t do that thing. I was still living with my—our parents when the Saurians attacked. Unfortunately, I was the only one who was able to survive.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

The last duck waited a second before speaking. “I’m Valora Miri Faye. I’m the recruiter of the team. I’ll show you two around and help you get started.” Valora had short chunks of red hair that was placed into numerous ponytails around her head. Her eyes were dark blue and she had brown feathers.

“Okay, now you two explain yourselves.” SnowGlyder said to Shamrock and Roscoe.

“I’m Shamrock Zee Bluefire, and this is Ro—”

“Roscoe Bluefire, little bro.” Roscoe interrupted, elbowing Shamrock in her side.

The two told their entire story, leaving out important parts such as the fact that Roscoe was RosyRoo, that she had been thawed, and that Shamrock was adopted. However, they still told about Joe and Mildred, the rest of the lab team, their encounter with Rusty, and how they survived the Saurian Invasion. When the two were done, few questions were asked.

“Okay. Shamrock, I have an extra bed so you may sleep in my room tonight. And Roscoe, Fade has an extra couch so you can sleep in his room.” Valora eyed Fade challengingly, and Fade kept his beak shut from protesting. “Why don’t you guys go set up? It’s getting pretty late so we better be heading to bed.”

The team nodded in agreement and went their separate ways.

***

Roscoe followed Fade into his room smiling at him dreamily behind his back. Just as he entered the door, however, Roscoe stepped on an old pizza.

“Ew…” Roscoe said, peeling the slice off his old tennis shoes.

“Eh, sorry ‘bout that, room’s kinda messy.” Fade stated, walking into his bathroom.

Roscoe nodded his head and smiled until Fade shut the door behind him. His smile quickly turned to a disgusted expression while he placed the pizza in the nearby empty trashcan. How ironic, the only thing clean around here is his wastebasket.

Roscoe walked over to the green couch across the room and began to sweep off the trash that blanketed it. After a few minutes, he was finally able to sit down on it. Fade came out in his pajamas.

“Here,” Fade tossed a pair of boxers at Roscoe, “you can wear those to sleep in.” Fade walked straight into his bed and pulled the covers over him.

“Hey, can’t I have a sleeping bag?” Roscoe asked.

“Indacl’set.” Was Fade’s mumbled reply.

“Huh?”

Fade lifted his head rather irritated. “IN. THE. CLOSET.” He threw his head back down on the pillow.

“Oh…sorry.” Roscoe threw the boxers Fade had given him on the floor and walked over to the closet and opened it.

“AGGHHHhhh…” Roscoe yelped as heaps of trash avalanched over him. After a couple minutes Roscoe dragged himself out from the pile with a sleeping bag in hand. He tiredly made his way to the couch. He unzipped the sleeping bag fully and smoothed it out over the couch.

Fade watched as Roscoe took of his shoes and sat down in the middle of the opened sleeping bag on the couch. He than pulled the bottom two corners toward him and “puffed” the edges so it made a nest-like appearance. The top two corners he used to cover his back and arms. When he was done, he remained sitting cross-legged and upright.

“Aren’t you going to lye down?”

“Nope. I’m quite comfortable.”

“All right. Night.”

“Good night.”

***

Roscoe’s eyes were wide open and red from lack of sleep. She still sat straight up, only her hands were over her ears.

SNORE…SNORE…Every couple seconds a snore erupted from a sleeping Fade. Roscoe was on edge.

Roscoe took a piece of trash off the ground and threw it at Fade. In return, he jerked, sending his snoring off key. Roscoe’s hopes rose when it didn’t return.

Roscoe had had it. He got up out of his sleeping bag and headed toward the bathroom. A minute later he returned with a cup of water in his hand. He calmly walked over to Fade’s bed and tossed the cup of water over him.

“HEY!” Fade jerked awake, both shocked and infuriated. “WHAT THE HECK IS YOUR PROBLEM?!”

“Stop snoring!”

“I DON’T snore!”

“Ha! Now THAT’S funny.”

“That’s it! Out of my room! NOW!”

“All right, all right, jeez. I’d probably get a more comfortable sleep outside in the middle of the road than in here. It sounds like a metro traffic jam.”

“GO!”

“All right, all right!” Roscoe grabbed his sleeping bag and exited the room.

The door shut and locked behind him. Roscoe stood in the dark hallway, and turned his body one way, than the other. He looked around for a minute before going to the room opposite and to the left of Fade’s. Opening it up slowly, he peeked in. Inside, FireTalon was asleep at his computer desk. Roscoe smiled and hurried to the empty bed.

***

FireTalon woke up at his computer desk again. Stretching out the cramps he got from the chair, he stood up and turned the machine off. He went to the bathroom, and, a minute later, came out in his pajamas. He sat down on his bed, set his alarm, and pulled the covers over him. Just as he got situated, he felt something rub against his back. His eyes widened.

Roscoe’s eyes widened. Something rubbed against his back. Slowly, he turned around.

“AGGGGHHHHHH!!!”

“IYYYYEEEEEEEE!!!”

FireTalon was the first to scream. He fell off his side of the bed and the other duck, which screamed like a girl, pulled the covers over his or herself. Quickly, FireTalon flipped on his light.

“ROSCOE!”

Roscoe poked his head out from underneath the covers. “Yep?”

“What the HECK are you doing in my BED??!!”

“Uh…”

Suddenly the door busted open. SnowGlyder, Lavender Arrow, Shamrock, and Chessler appeared.

“What’s going on here?” SnowGlyder asked, seeming rather irritated.

FireTalon got up off the floor. “That KID got in my bed!”

Shamrock glared at Roscoe. “WHAT?!”

Roscoe shook his head frantically. “No, no, he was at his computer desk! I thought he was going to sleep there all night!”

Shamrock crossed her arms. “How come you’re not staying on the couch in Fade’s room like you’re supposed to?”

Roscoe bent his head down low. “’Cause he kicked me out.”

Shamrock’s eyes flared. “I’ll be right back.” She quickly left the room.

“Where’s she going?” FireTalon asked.

“I don’t want to know.” Roscoe said.

FireTalon looked back over at Roscoe. “You were screaming like a girl.”

Roscoe’s eyes widened slightly. He cleared his throat and began talking in a much lower tone than he had been. “Ahem. Puberty, you know…”

FireTalon put his hand up to stop any more conversation along that line. He didn’t really want to here about the kid’s adolescence.

“AGHHHH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!! GET AWAY FROM ME PHYSCO!!” Fade ran past FireTalon’s room, holding his hands to his head. A minute later Shamrock came into the room wiping her hands.

“Well, I’m tiiiired. I’m going to bed. See ya’ll in the mornin’.” Shamrock yawned and waved good night as she exited the room.

Everyone looked over at Roscoe who only shrugged.

***

The next morning everyone was seated at the table helping themselves to eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns Shamrock and Roscoe made. Most of everyone had seated himself or herself when Fade came in. He had a beanie over his head.

“Hey Fade, whatcha hidin’ under dat hat?” Lavender Arrow teased.

Fade glared at her as he sat down in between Trinity and Ezmerelda. After a minute of eating, Trinity yanked off his beanie.

“Where’d your dreadlocks go?!”

Fade’s hair was nothing more than a bushy mushroom-top. All his thick, black dreadlocks were gone.

“The PHYSCO cut them off because her little BROTHER decided to throw water over me.”

“Still gives you no right to kick him out of your room with no place to sleep.” Shamrock simply stated.

“You look better without them.” Lavender Arrow said smiling. “Just do something about your Afro puff.

Onora got up and went over to Fade. She looked at his hair a moment. “Ah! I know what we can do.”

Fade sighed. “Yeah, whatever, but nothing can bring back my dreadlocks.”

“Thank Drake.” Someone mumbled to someone else.

“I HEARD that.”

“Come on, we’ll make that hair look great in no time.” Onora insisted.

Fade sighed again before getting up and following her.

After an hour had passed, breakfast was over and the ducks went their own separate ways, most of them going to the lounge to watch TV. Suddenly, Fade and Onora came in. Fade’s once mushroom-top puff was now spiked with bleached ends.

“Hey, nice improvement there, Onora. Now he doesn’t look like Medusa.”

Fade sat down on a recliner. “I really dislike you, Shamrock.”

“Well than, it’s a mutual feeling.”

Fade narrowed his eyes. “Do you know how LONG it took me to grow out those dreadlocks?”

“Probably as long as it took you to realize that that’s not pepper you’re standing on in the mornings.”

“Thirteen years. And I DO NOT have bugs in my room!”

“Okay, you just have every other mold and fungus living there. That stuff right there would kill off any insects that want to make a home in your dump.”

SnowGlyder interrupted the feuding two. “Okay guys. That’s enough. Shamrock and Roscoe need to go with Valora.”

“Why?”

“Because you need to decide what you’ll be doing to earn your keep around here.”

Shamrock and Roscoe followed Valora to one of the studies within the building. She sat them down and explained all the opportunities they had.

“So, what will it be?”

Shamrock thought another minute before speaking up. “Engineering would probably be the best thing for me.”

Roscoe thought about the opportunities and who would be his teachers. “Communications would be kind of neat to learn.”

Valora shook her head in agreement. “What about weapons? Everyone needs to be skilled with weapons because we’ll all be doing thieving.” She listed Shamrock and Roscoe’s choices.

“I’ll try puck-launchers and bazookas.” Shamrock said.

“Archery for me.” Roscoe said afterward.

“Okay. First, let me set you straight on what is the RunAbouts. You see, before the Invasion, this group did not really exist. However, afterwards, SnowGlyder met up with Lavender Arrow and Fade. They decided to form a group called the RunAbouts. It would house orphans and lost souls from the Invasion. As the Resistance finished off the last of the Saurians, they met up with FireTalon and Chessler. With nowhere to go, they joined. However, their goals were not the same.” Valora watched the curious expressions of Shamrock and Roscoe. “Now, the RunAbouts had a new goal: find the Strike Team.”

“What? How? They were sucked into Dimensional Limbo!” Shamrock protested.

Valora smiled. “Yes, I know. As more and more members joined, money from our stealing went in to buying parts for our ship.”

“Your ship?”

“Yes. You see, FireTalon and Chessler were what brought us this technology. During a full-out attack on one of the last Raptors inhabiting Puckworld, the two brothers stumbled upon a dimensional gateway device used by the Saurians. The Saurians destroyed most of these things, we believe, when they first realized they had lost the war. I guess they didn’t want to let us have the privilege of having this new technology.” Valora paused for a moment to take a breath. “Anyway, we attached it to a ship for better transportation.”

“If you’ve already attached it, why haven’t you gone yet?”

“You can’t just GO out into dimensional limbo. We’re trying to figure out how to control the device to be able direct our “time-hopping.”

“Who plans to go?”

“So far we have Zaloney, Lavender Arrow, and Chessler going. I believe we’re discussing whether or not to allow Fade and FireTalon come along. The ship fits six.”

Shamrock sat up in her chair. “Can I see it?”

***

Valora took Shamrock and Roscoe down numerous flights of stairs before coming to a room with a heavily sealed and guarded door. She typed in the password and the door slid open, echoing a dull bang into the chamber beyond.

FireTalon and Fade were already inside. Shamrock walked up to them. “Can I see the blueprint of the gateway device?”

FireTalon looked at her strangely before walking over to the counter across the room and pulling out a drawer. After a bit of scrimmaging, he came back and handed Shamrock the print. She took it and laid it flat along the nearby table, placing a couple pens over it to act as makeshift paperweights.

“Hmmm…” Shamrock pulled out her journal from underneath her jacket and flipped to a blank page. She looked up at FireTalon who was watching over her shoulder. “Can I trace this into my journal?”

“Why?”

“Well, because it’s a puzzle.”

“What?”

“A puzzle. You see,” She pointed at the slots on the front. “You move these four slots up and down to determine the point of time and place you want to be according to the timeline.”

“The timeline?”

“Well, the dimensional limbo is like one long, endless timeline. This device gives us the power to decided where on the scale we want to be.”

“But how in the world are you going to determine how to set the coordinates?”

“I’m not. That would be virtually impossible. However, all the Saurians’ gateways were linked to one another, right?”

“Right…”

“So, I should be able to pick up a frequency of the last travel.”

“How?”

“With this…” Shamrock pointed to the side of the gateway on the blueprint. “That outlet right there looks like a 152-CDL.”

“You mean a common device locator?”

“Right. You plug it into a high-tech computer and it’ll scan for remaining frequencies left by a device similar to it. You find that frequency and the computer should be able to display the coordinates you need to find the Strike Team.”

FireTalon’s beak dropped as he looked at the blueprint. “How’d…how’d you do that?!”

Shamrock smiled. “Magic.”

Roscoe looked at Shamrock, than at FireTalon, and than at Fade. “What the heck just happened?”

Fade rubbed his spiked head. “Brain wipeout.”

***

During the next four months, Shamrock and Roscoe got habituated with the life at the RunAbouts. Roscoe learned archery from Lavender Arrow and followed Fade around to try to understand communications more. Shamrock worked with FireTalon on engineering and learned how to use different types of puck-launchers courtesy of Yasmin.

The third month of the two staying there, FireTalon, Fade, Gabe, and Shamrock found the frequency the Strike Team fell into. They planned to install it into the ship the day before they left. The five members of the RunAbouts to go were Chessler, FireTalon, Fade, Lavender Arrow, and Zaloney. Shamrock was not allowed to go because SnowGlyder felt that she should stay behind to keep care of her little brother, Roscoe.

***

Shamrock and Roscoe were in the launch room, Roscoe waiting for Shamrock to finish up some work.

“Hey, Shamrock?”

“Yeah?”

“You think Fade likes me?”

Shamrock stopped working and walked over to Roscoe. “Roscoe, you’re a guy at this moment. Fade thinks your gay.”

“What?! Where’d he get an idea like that?”

Shamrock counted it off her fingers. “Well, one, when we were in FireTalon’s room on the computer…”

***

Shamrock and Roscoe were checking out famous hockey players online. Shamrock clicked on a name to see an image of him.

“Whoa, that guy is hot.” Roscoe said, leaning closer to the screen. Shamrock turned around to see Fade standing in the doorway with his beak dropped.

***

“…And then there’s the shower incident…”

***

All of the team had played a game of hockey at an indoor stadium, minus Roscoe who sat on the bleachers refusing to go near the ice. After the game was finished, they began to head toward the shower rooms. Roscoe began to follow the guys dreamily until Shamrock yanked her back.

“You’re taking this guy thing a little too seriously!” Shamrock whispered.

Unfortunately Fade heard.

“Aw, you never let me have any fun!” Roscoe whined.

Fade tightened the towel around him before entering the shower room and locking the door behind him.

***

“Oh, and let’s not forget the time you tried on one of my new dresses and Fade walked in—”

“That’s ENOUGH ALREADY!” Roscoe yelled. “I’m sick of being a guy. I can’t be a girl. I can’t FLIRT.”

“Then tell them the TRUTH!” Shamrock yelled. “Because of you I can’t go on the mission!”

Roscoe folded his arms. “Why would you want to?”

“Because I helped create it, Roscoe. I spent my whole life trying to follow in Joe’s footsteps. And now, with this new invention, we could bring back Puckworld’s heroes. Do you have any idea what would it feel like to be someone?” Shamrock’s voice had lowered to a mere whisper.

“Than what about me? They’ll never let me go along.”

Shamrock sighed. “I know…”

Roscoe looked at her. “You’d leave me here to fend for myself?”

Shamrock shook her head and looked away from the stern gaze of Roscoe. “You’d be here with the RunAbouts. And we’d come back! We’d come back with the Strike Team and become rich and famous…”

“I don’t WANT to be rich and famous. I was already a guinea pig for being resurrected…being here with the RunAbouts suits me just fine.” She looked at Shamrock who was still avoiding eye contact. Roscoe sighed. “But, I’ll tell them the truth so you can go on the mission.”

Shamrock looked up and smiled. “You will?”

Roscoe sighed again and shrugged. “Yeah…I guess they kinda need a duck like you on board in case something goes wrong.”

Shamrock grinned. “Thanks. This calls for celebration.” She pulled out a piece of bubble gum from her pocket and began to unwrap it.

Roscoe watched. “Hey, can I have some?”

Shamrock shrugged. “Sorry, last one.” She took the paper and threw it in the nearby trashcan,

“Hey, shouldn’t I get it because I’m going to reveal my secret identity?”

“NO…I should get it for convincing you to tell the truth.”

“What?! I tell the truth plenty.”

“Is that before or after you became a pathological liar?”

Roscoe’s eyes flared. “Give me that gum.”

Shamrock held it away from Roscoe. “No. This piece is mine.”

Roscoe slowly walked forward toward Shamrock until he was a couple feet away. “Gum. Now.”

Shamrock smiled and shook her head. She tossed the gum into the air and opened her beak to catch it.

“NOOOOOOO!!!!” Roscoe jumped as high as he could and swatted the gum. Unfortunately, he ran into Shamrock, sending the two flying into a console. A loud noise erupted the launch room as the door to the ship opened up just in time for the gum to fly through. A moment later Rusty ran through the door as well.

Shamrock and Roscoe looked at each other and back at the door. Suddenly they heard a voice come over the speaker. “Take-off in five, four…”

“RUSTY!!” Both Shamrock and Roscoe scrambled to the ship. They charged into the ship to find Rusty peeling the gum of the floor. Without warning the door closed and the ship leaned back do to the frames beneath it. Shamrock rammed into Rusty and the two rolled to the back of the ship.

Everything was shaking. Roscoe clung to a nearby seat, trying to reach the front of the ship.

“Rosy!! Press cancel!!” Shamrock yelled from the back of the ship as she tried desperately to climb up it.

RosyRoo made it to the pilot seat and sat in it, automatically being pressed hard against it. She looked at the control panel frantically trying to figure out which button was “cancel.” She had a choice of a large blue button and a large red button.

“Blue or red??!!” Rosy yelled to Shamrock.

“W—” Shamrock slipped and fell to the back of the ship.

“What? Shamrock, which one??!!” RosyRoo suddenly realized she didn’t have time to ask. In front of her a dimensional gateway began to take form.

“AGGGGGHHHHH!!!!” RosyRoo screamed. She looked out the passenger window and began to bang on it. “Let me out!!! LET ME OUT!!!”

Outside she could make out FireTalon, Fade, SnowGlyder, Lavender Arrow, and Tiny Tim. Others began to join. However, they weren’t in the launch room. They were in the observation deck. The doors lock when the launch is in progress…RosyRoo thought grimly. She watched as they tried to yell to her, but she couldn’t hear. She could barely even hear herself. Some of them were banging on the window, trying to break it, while others typed hysterically on the control panel. She looked back at the dimensional gateway. It was almost completely formed.

“Red, blue, red, blue, red, blue, red…” RosyRoo thought about all the cartoons she had seen. Red usually meant bad. RosyRoo put one hand over her eyes and the other one on the blue button. She took in a deep breath and hit the blue button.

“ROSY, NOOOOOOOO!” Shamrock screamed as she tried to make her way to the front.

The ship’s engines zoomed to life and the ship flew through the gateway. A phenomenon of bright lights erupted in the launch room before the entire gateway shut, leaving nothing but a few flying papers. The doors to the launch room unlocked and the rest of the RunAbouts scrambled in.

SnowGlyder took a deep breath as he kicked an empty can on the ground. “Almost a year’s worth of work gone…and two members as well. We’ll never be able to get to them. They’re on their own.”

Lavender Arrow placed her hand on his shoulder for comfort. “What about the blueprints?”

“They were in the ship.”

She rested her head on his shoulder and he placed his hand around her shoulders in a friendly matter. Everyone looked glum besides Fade. Fade looked absolutely happy. The rest of the team meandered around the room, picking up the papers and trash scattered about. FireTalon walked over to the table where Shamrock had been just minutes before. He looked down and smiled.

“SnowGlyder?”

SnowGlyder turned around.

“We have more than just blueprints.”

SnowGlyder cocked his head questioningly.

“We have Shamrock’s journal.” FireTalon held it up in the air.

SnowGlyder smiled. Maybe they would be able to follow them after all.

***

The hockey stadium in Anaheim, nicknamed the “Pond”, roared to life. All was dark in the arena, except for a simple spotlight that protruded out from the ceiling. It plastered its blinding white light on the ice and continued to circle it.

“Ladddddddiiiiiiiiieeeeeees and Gentlemaaaaaaaannnnn! I am proud to present to you, Anaheim’s very own, The Mighttttttttyyyyy Duuuuuuuuuucccccckkkkkkkkks!” The announcer blared into the microphone, the sound echoing seconds after. The spotlight zoomed in on the entrance to the ice, and a male duck in hockey gear came skating onto the frost. The crowd cheered as he glided his way to the center of the arena.

“Anaheim’s goalie, Wildwing Flashblade!” The announcer yelled as it reverberated throughout the dome. The crowd cheered more, and a minute later another duck came out onto the ice.

“Right wing, and Wildwing’s little brother, Nosedive Flashblade!” Nosedive jerked his hockey stick into the air and orbited Wildwing before standing next to him.

“Left wing, Tanya Vanderflock!” A female duck came out onto the ice, the audience still cheering and bellowing.

“Right defenseman, our own bigfoot, Grin!” A large male duck came out onto the ice and planted himself next to Tanya.

“Left defenseman, Mallory McMallard!” Another petite female came out onto the ice and lined up with the other ducks.

“And last, but not least, Anaheim’s center, Duke L’Orange!” Another, tall, skinny male came onto the ice.

“Ladies and Gentleman, the Mighty Ducks!” The crowd stood and cheered, and the spotlight dissipated as the lights around the hockey doom came on. Just as the ducks were about to get into position for their game, the light above the ring blared on.

“What the?!” Nosedive yelled.

On the floor, in the center of the ring, lay three girls and a dog. The three girls were ducks, and, looking up, they realized they had a lot of explaining to do.