Criminal Aspirations (The Liquidator)

[Negaduck]

Rubbing his temples and doing his best to keep his temper in check so as not to blow his cover, the duck waited impatiently for the mockingly slow printer to finish printing his documents. It didn’t help that he was stuck with a chatty librarian who carried on about pointless things like books and the environment, not minding or noticing that the customer he was attending was doing his best not to pay attention. At last the noisy metallic screech of the device ceased and Negaduck glanced up to see the librarian pull his freshly printed pages out.

“Here you g-“ the librarian began but Negaduck had already swiped it from his hands, ungraciously throwing a snappy, ”Thanks!” over his shoulder as he ran away.

“Hey!” the librarian called. “HEY! You need to pay for that!!!” He was promptly shushed by his fellow librarians for being too loud.

”Fat chance,” Negaduck muttered, zipping out the door, tucking the documents into an inside pocket of the plaid jacket he was wearing.

Negaduck didn’t normally adopt disguises; he didn’t care if people saw him in the streets, in fact he found it empowering. It was rare for the average citizen to be foolish enough to cross his path when he was out and the cops of St Canard were easy enough to lose- although he did consider the chases to be a good workout! Today was different however, today he needed to employ stealth since his presence would cause more of a stir now than it normally did, having been absent for so long. And so he dressed up as a sleazy salesman, throwing on an olive green suit jacket and an oversized fedora to help conceal his mask of all things. Carrying a briefcase at his side, Negaduck walked through the city undisturbed eventually entering the neighbourhood of an old accomplice.

As usual Negaduck was up to no good and he needed old alliances to be restored in order for him to pull off his next crime. He would reveal himself to the aquatic crook but not immediately and pulling the brim of his hat down low he padded up the path to the front door and pressed the buzzer. Posing as a salesman would probably be insulting to the quick-witted wordsmith, but Negaduck was counting on this, hoping that The Liquidator would be interested in hearing whatever he had to say, if only to see if his pitch could match the types of clever comments that came out his mouth.

[The Liquidator]

Peering out through the peephole of the front door, the Liquidator could see that it was someone dressed in a hideous suit jacket and a fedora entirely too big for his head. likely a salesman. If he still had eyebrows, then he would have been arching them just then.

He couldn't help but be suspicious. There weren't many people who knew where the Liquidator holed up at, and he liked it that way. Still though, he decided to take a chance, and opened the door to peer out at the stranger.

His floppy ears perked up, an indicator of his willingness to listen to the stranger. He even refrained from speaking, which wasn't an easy feat for the bombastic, attention-loving super. He was confident in his ability to handle himself in case this turned out to be some sort of ambush. He wanted to see if this guy was going to actually try to pitch him something, or take off running after getting a good look at him. A dawg entirely composed of water tended to have that effect on people. Getting such responses tended to bother Bud more then it did the Liquidator.

Okay, time to see what they were teaching young salesmen today.

[Negaduck]

A warm rush of satisfaction flowed through Negaduck as the front door opened. Even if he hadn’t noticed the pooling puddle around the location where the watery canine’s feet should have been, he knew the Liquidator stood before him and could feel his hollow and scrutinizing gaze. He did little to alter his voice, speaking in tones slightly higher than his normal one and it was evident he was mocking the very rhythm the Liquidator used when delivering his speeches.

“Do you find that crime doesn’t pay like it used to? Can’t understand why Darkwing Duck keeps raining on your parade? The answers can be found in your-“ And here Negaduck whipped out the documents he procured from the library, flashing them before the dog as his voice leveled to its natural and dark speech, “-lousy performance review.”

He was holding the latest print out of St. Canard’s Most Wanted List. While Negaduck was proud to see his name at the top, the Liquidator- once number three- had dropped to a disgraceful number seven. Pushing the brim of the fedora up with the tip of a feathered finger, Negaduck revealed himself to his fellow criminal, his black eyes burning with fury- he was not pleased.

“Mind if I come in?”

The statement was rhetorical, humiliating and condescending; he knew he’d get into that house without even making the request. In an insincere honeyed voice he added, “We’ve got so much catching up to do.”

[The Liquidator]

In spite of the disguise he wore, it didn’t take the Liquidator long to recognize Negaduck’s harsh voice. His face fell, replaced by a mixture of surprise and dismay, and for once, he was actually unable to speak. He hadn't been expecting his old boss to turn up here. Negaduck was one of the very few people who could get away with blatantly mocking him this way.

The Liquidator stared at the papers that were then abruptly thrust in his face. It was a list of St. Canard's Most Wanted. Negaduck was still at the top, of course. So this was about his drop on the Most Wanted list? Okay, so number seven was a step down from number three, but he could explain himself!

As cutthroat as the ex-CEO could be, Negaduck was at least a hundred times worse. He wasn’t public enemy number one for nothing. The fact that he had threatened Bud’s family to get the Liquidator to join the Fearsome Five when it was first being formed was proof of that.

At first he hadn’t been about to go along so easily with Negaduck taking the role of leader –- after all, he wasn’t even a super. But one didn’t necessarily require powers to be intimidating. After that, Liquidator became a lot more agreeable. He may have been a lot of things, but family was still family to him, as corny as that sounded.

The Liquidator stepped aside to let the crimelord in, although he knew that Negaduck would’ve barged his way in even without being invited. Regaining his voice, he was quick to try and defend himself. "Now in my defense boss, Darkwing's been hanging around a new crowd lately -- this Dream League. And all these new heroes have been popping up! One out of ten criminals agree that this increase in crimefighting is bad for business!"

[Negaduck]

Once The Liquidator had graciously stepped aside to let the superior criminal mastermind through, Negaduck marched into his humble abode, making a beeline for the living room and more specifically, into the cushiony seat of a plush armchair. He took little time to glance about his surroundings since small talk was overrated when there was business to attend to, drumming his fingers against the arm of the chair as Liquidator spouted off a quick explanation as to why he had fallen so low. Not that he would ever admit it, but Negaduck was actually ready to accept the crafty canine’s excuse; more heroes were more obstacles after all, annoying hurdles that had to be leaped when leading a life of crime.

“Yes, I’ve heard of this Dream League,” voiced the mallard in an icy tone. It was evident he was trying to keep his anger under control through a steady voice. “So… they’ve come to St Canard after all, have they?” Negaduck’s fingers dug into the fabric of the chair but the reaction was only brief; the initial ire waned as he adopted a more cunning mind.

“Darkwing Duck would never let a partnership come between him and his ego. That’s what made it so easy the first time we took St Canard.” He rarely referred to that brief conquering and based on the outcome did not like to reflect on it, but it had been one of their boldest moves as the Fearsome Five and for the most part had been well played. “I wonder what changed his mind...” Personally he preferred to think that Darkwing finally realized he alone was no match for the kind of sinister activity that went on around here and if that was the case, he was more than ready to embrace the challenge.

“I’ve made plans, Liquidator and the best way to implement them is by bringing the old gang back together. If this is any indication-“ he glanced to the wanted list, “-you’ve gone soft and that’s going to have to change. Crime does pay and it will pay. I can put your name back on top- all of you! But first I need you to tell me everything you know about the Dream League.”

[The Liquidator]

Liquidator followed after Negaduck. He didn’t bother sitting down. This technically wasn’t even his house – it had been abandoned, and well, he had just decided to claim it for himself. He took care not to be seen by the neighbors, but people in this part of town tended to stay to themselves. The chairs in his living room were for the few normal guests -- other criminals, corrupt police officers and the like -- he occasionally invited by.

At Negaduck’s question/statement about the League coming to St. Canard, he piped up, “They have, but they seem to mostly work in and around Epcot City. I suspect they have a base somewhere around there.”

The Liquidator thought fondly back to the time the Fearsome Five had conquered St. Canard. Now that had been a grand old time indeed! Like all good things, it hadn’t lasted, but it was wonderful while it had. It was a shame that Bushroot and Megavolt were locked up and Quackerjack was cooling his heels in D’arque. He nodded his assent with Negaduck’s thoughts on Darkwing Duck. He couldn’t figured out exactly why Dumbwing had joined the Dream League either. “He finally might have realized he was no match for the superior might of the Fearsome Five!” He crowed.

The Liquidator’s watery form just barely winced when Negaduck told him he had gone soft, but the canine held his tongue. However, his visage was quick to brighten once again when Negaduck promised to put him and the rest of the boys back on top. Greedily, the ex-executive rubbed his hands together. “Who am I to resist such a terrific and generous bargain from public enemy number one?”

His encounters with the Dream League were still fresh in his mind, ranging from his first run-in with them when he had tried contaminating Epcot City’s water supply, to a more recent scuffle during a bank robbery. There was also the second-hand information about them that he had picked from other criminals and the like. He didn’t know how much Negaduck actually knew of the Dream League, but he was more than willing to oblige his boss.

“First, there’s the Masked Mallard. All quarterly reports suggest that he has some sort of power that causes bad luck for other people. The old coot’s also superhumanly strong. You know that reporter Daisy Duck? She actually believed the Mallard was Glomgold Flintheart and that he wore a fake beard out in public, so she thought she’d expose him in front of everybody!” The dog guffawed loudly, the image of a fuming Flintheart snatching his beard from out of the hands of a surprised Daisy still in his head. “If the Masked Mallard's really Flintheart, then I’ll eat my hat!” Calming himself, he continued. “Anyways, I don’t know who the Mallard is, but he seems to be the one in charge.”

“The kid in the blue and white is called Dreamchild, and she's a psychic. You know, telepathy, telekinesis. I’m certain that she’s British. There's an older girl who dresses like an extra out of a cowboy and Indian movie -- that’s She-Wolf. Her deal are those fangs and claws of her’s, not to mention heightened speed and strength. I’ve seen her cut a lamppost in two with those things. Of course, she can’t touch the Liquidator.” Here, a note of smugness entered his tone.

“The bear is Bongo. He looks goofy, but he’s smarter then your average bear. He’s also about as strong as Sunshine is. But the little fleabag can be worn down if you keep him fighting long enough. Speaking of Sunshine, she's one of the more... challenging heroes – and one naive costumer. Before she starts fighting you, she'll actually ask you to please stop whatever you're doing. It’s hilarious! She can fire some sort of energy beam out of her hands, she can fly, and she's strong. They also got the Balloonist out of retirement. The dalmatian, Green Bone, is just a newer model. They both have the same features – those energy constructs they create – but they’re not pushovers. Duck Avenger –- he has no powers, but he uses a lot of gadgets. He’s also got a big mouth and a big head to match, just like a certain duck that all know and despise.” The sarcasm dripped from his voice like a water off a melting icicle.

“That scrawny nerd with the glasses who looks like he needs to be somewhere teaching a class? He’s another one you need to take out quick and fast. His name’s Delbert Doppler, and he used to teach at Epcot University.” Thankfully that guy didn’t wear a costume; it had been easy to learn more about him. “He’s actually that big werewolf guy that helped Sunshine chase Ice Pirate out of St. Canard a while ago. Who else? Oh, the guy in the gold armor and the ostrich are Sir Pendragon and Dawn Chorus. He’s just a swordsman, but that sword of his is pretty powerful. And Dawn Chorus is a martial artist equipped with a sonic scream. Just gag her or hit her in the throat or something and you can take her out of the equation.”

[Negaduck]

Negaduck’s feathered fingers formed a steeple beneath his bill as he committed every word to memory. He snorted at the notion that a duck like Glomgold would trade his penchant for gold in for the heart of one, but the Masked Mallard troubled him none-the-less. Prior to the Dream League forming, a spell of bad luck had temporarily trapped him in the Negaverse and it was there he was forced to bide his time and scheme. In the darkness he waited, plotting his comeback which evolved into the destruction of Calisota’s greatest superhero team. A second stroke of ill fortune during this momentous time would be most upsetting … The Masked Mallard’s secret would have to be uncovered.

Most of the information The Liquidator provided, Negaduck had already discovered himself, but what he didn’t know was their weaknesses; those were details the media chose not to disclose. It was this information Negaduck paid especially close attention to, quirking a brow at Liquidator’s conceited remark behind his mask.

“I’ll be sure to let you handle the declawing,” he commented sardonically. Although why Liquidator hadn’t done something about this She-Wolf already… Through narrow slits he cast another disappointed glance over the Most Wanted list.

The psychic was a little more concerning; he wasn’t sure he wanted some powder-puff Limey peeking inside his brilliant mind, or anyone else who had access to his plans. The bear could be bested by some of Quackerjack’s toys, no doubt, and then crushed with a really heavy anvil once the cub was all tuckered out. When Sunshine became the next hot topic, Negaduck dropped his hands, unable to believe what he was hearing. As soon as he realized that The Liquidator was not kidding, he cracked up laughing and slapped his knee.

“P-p-please!?!” More raucous laughter followed before he confessed passionately, “Oh, I do love the look of a noble heart right before they go splat on the pavement!” He shook his head and muttered once again, “Please.”

The remaining descriptions left his with lots to mull over, yet did not deter him. Energy beams could be deflected, those that flew could have their flights cancelled, the old coot would have to conk out at some point, and gadgets could be met and matched. The professor interested him however, and he wondered if someone with such impressive attributes could be persuaded to join his team instead. After all, between the puddle and the clown, a bit of brawn could be useful. Fortunately with Negaduck’s cunning, even the lack of it would not interrupt the first phase of his plan.

“Well, well… it sounds like Masked Mallard’s got quite the band of merry do-gooders. But not for long.”

Abandoning the chair, Negaduck approached the watery canine, jabbing a finger at his chest, but stopped short of piercing the liquid.

“In my absence it seems the world has become stupidly braver, but the Dream League doesn’t know the true meaning of chaos. They entered St. Canard and restored everything I worked so hard to destroy. Well five can play at that game! We’re going to crush the Dream League and reclaim everything they took from us, including our reputations. And that’s the first thing we take back. It’s time to reach out beyond St. Canard, Liquidator.” He paused for dramatic effect. “We’re going to rob Scrooge McDuck.”