*Quick note - I just recently watched 'The Forbidden fountain of the Foreverglades', 'Lets get Dangerous' and "Escape from the Impossibin' I just wanted to say I loved them all, and how Louie has taken a bigger role as a more capable character, Now in my mind teenage Louie looks like teenage Scrooge, same haircut and everything, the only thing different is that he does not have the sideburns growing in, Huey and Dewey look similar but still somewhat different, anyway expect a Darkwing Duck chapter in the future.
"Aaahhh." - Remi Bernard stretched out in her airplane seat, before crossing her arms behind her head.
"Enjoying yourself?" - Her partner commented, going through the profile of Louie Gold she'd had made when she'd started the case.
"Yeah, I never got this sort of foot-room in coach."
"Well Interpol Agents don't have access to a private jet." - Agent 44 quipped, flipping to the next page of the profile. - "Hey quick question, do people really call this kid, 'The Picasso of Crime'?"
Bernard took a sip of her water. - "Some do, Gold's gained many nicknames throughout his career."
"Really, like what?"
"Uh... 'The Picasso of Crime', 'The Prince of Thieves', 'The Mouth', 'The Emerald eyed sly talker', 'The Con-Artist King', 'The forger fanatic'..." - She rattled off from memory.
44 closed the manilla folder. - "When a crook earns nicknames like that, they're usually a pro. How'd you catch him?"
"I had an informant. He helped me track Gold's movements and once I had enough information I caught him mid-heist."
"Who was your informant?"
"Some low life called Wade Orm." - She said with distaste.
"Why don't we start our hunt with him then, it sounds like he's got some contacts that could help us catch this 'Con-Artist King'." - He suggested.
"Good idea." - Bernard complimented, she unbuckled her seatbelt before moving to the front of the plane. - "Pilot, take us to New York."
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New York City. AKA The Big Apple, home to many of the greatest monuments on Earth, including The Statue of Liberty, Central park and the seediest bar in the northern hemisphere: The One-Eyed Beggar.
After picking enough pockets to afford travel out of the country, an agonizingly long flight, and a taxi ride, Louie had arrived back in the city and right outside the bar.
Stepping through the doors, Louie took it all in, the smoky smell, the sticky floors, single flickering lightbulb... he loved it all. There was one thing Louie found strange however, was how empty the place seemed to be, it was usually packed, with people drinking, chatting, and doing under the table deals.
Louie took a seat at the bar. - "Uh. Barkeep?" - He waved, watching as a familiar face stepped out of the back-room. - "Rebecca?"
A wide smile engulfed the girl's face. - "Mr. Gold! What happened? I haven't seen you in ages!"
"I've been busy." - He brushed the question off. - "So did you get a promotion?"
"Yep, I'm no longer a waitress!" - She beamed.
"That's great!"
"I know! So do you wan't you're usual?" - She asked, calming down.
"Uh, no thanks, I do have a question though: Where is everybody?" - He asked.
"Oh, they're in the back-room."
"The back-room?" - Louie said, sounding very confused.
She began cleaning a glass. - "Yeah we had to move all 'activities' there, due to the breach."
"Breach? - Wait someone broke the code?" - The 'code' being the original rules dictated by Don Greybill when crime was really starting to get organised. It was basically a set of rules built upon the saying of 'Honour Among Thieves', over time the rules have changed by the fundamentals have always been the same.
- Keep other crooks and criminals businesses out of harms way. -
"Unfortunately." - She remarked, placing the cleaned glass down and picking up a dirty one. - "New rules say only regulars allowed in the back."
"Does that include me?"
She smiled. - "Of course." - She reached under the bar and pushed a button, before pointing to the jukebox across the room, which had just slid away, revealing a hidden passage. - "Go right ahead Mr. Gold."
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Arriving on the other side of the hidden passage, Louie stepped into a large room decked out with tables, chairs, pool tables, dart boards... Everything a bar would need, he didn't even question why the bar had such an expansive back-room, as Rachel had already told him that the bar was always a front for criminal activity, with the back-room operating as a brewery during the prohibition.
He took a seat at one of the booths, and relaxed for what felt was the first time in years, even though he'd been with the McDucks for only a couple months, he was exhausted from having to deal with them.
After a couple of moments of rest, Louie got up from the table and was going to go and see if he could order some food to satisfy the rumbling in his stomach, when he noticed a small crowd gathered around a table.
"...and that's when I stole the diamond." - A foreign voice spoke from the centre of the gathering, followed by a round of applause by those who surrounded them.
Louie knew that voice, he was sure of it, he pushed his way to the centre of the crowd and came face-to-face with an old rival.
"Mak!" - Louie cheered, clapping the lizard on the shoulder. - "You telling the tale of your latest heist?" - Masodik Utem, or Mak for short, a Hungarian thief and the first rival Louie had made when he struck out on his own. And while Mak was a snarky, sarcastic, showoff, the two had a forged an uneasy truce, and had even worked together a few times
"Uhh, Gold." - Mak spat, his smile turning into a scowl. - "I thought you were dead." - He waved his hand and the crowd around them dispersed.
"Dead? Why would you think I was dead."
Mak finished his vibrant coloured drink. - "Rumor is, you tried to steal something from Victor Grim and got caught. I figured you were dead. - He shrugged.
"Well I'm obviously not dead-"
"Unfortunately."
"We should celebrate!" - Louie took the seat beside his rival. - "How about a game of cards?"
"Do I look like an idiot?"
"Well-" - Louie began.
"You probably have 3 different decks hidden up your sleeves."
"Oh come on, that was one time."
"I"m not playing cards with you Gold."- Mak spoke, finishing the conversation by leaving the table, to go refill his drink. Leaving Louie alone.
"Mr. Gold." - Rachel came over to his table, looking worried. - "There is a woman outside asking for you."
Louie looked up from the menu. - "Woman? What does she look like?"
"Uh... black hair, tan feathers..." - She described a certain bodyguard of his new criminal partner.
"Yeah she's with me." - Louie confirmed as he got up and followed her out of the speakeasy.
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Once he had trekked through the hidden passage for a second time, Louie took a second to just sit and watch the jukebox seal it back up again in one smooth motion, it was very satisfying to watch, and it served as a good, possible final moment he would have in this bar.
After all this was his final heist, after he stole the scroll, it would lead him to the largest lost treasure in history, then he would be able to retire in style. He was thinking about buying a private island, with his own mansion and yacht dock.
"GOLD!" - June screamed into his ear, dragging him from his daydream.
"AHH! WHAT?" - Louie shouted, covering his ringing ears.
"I said the car's waiting for us." - She repeated for the third time, annoyed at Louie's spacing out.
"Jeez, I'll be right out." - His arms drooping back in line with his torso, as he followed the girl out, his daydream nothing but a fleeting memory.
Thanks for reading Ch.22 of 'Destiny!', Again sorry for the late update, I've been busy re-watching Ducktales and while I was doing that I noticed that season 3 episodes have been hinting at Louie's turn to evil, the clips have been played for laughs, but each episode has a scene where Louie is commented on being evil or devious in some way. Anyway thanks for getting the story to 7k reads, and I hope you comment, vote, follow me and read Ch.23 -MM