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Scrooge stood waiting for the Sunchaser. He didn't know why Launchpad told him he was taking it. It wasn't like is was his plane now. It had been almost a day since he lost his status as richest duck in the world. It went well so far, if you asked him. Scrooge would be lying of course. The day had been miserable, his whole body ached, the same could be said for his wallet. What was taking Launchpad so long? He stared at his stopwatch. It had been 6 hours since the plane had departed. Scrooge watched as it landed.
Manny walked out first. Ms. Owlson came out after that, her face twisted into a somber expression. Launchpad exited last, tears silently streaming down his face. He waited for Louie to walk out after him, tired and ready to admit defeat and give him his company back. He never came. He got one thing right though. "Mr. McDuck sir, I have some... awful news." Owlson voice was tearful, as if she would start bawling any second.
"Well what is it?" Scrooge snapped with more annoyance and impatience than he really had in him. To be fair, his plane was trashed, and his money was no longer his. So he certainly had annoyance and impatience in him. Owlson took a deep breath and fanned at her eyes.
"Gone?" Scrooge sat himself down on the ground. He sat in shock. He couldn't form any more words than that. His great nephew, gone, like that. And the last thing he had done was laugh at him. He buried his head in his hands, refusing to let tears form. The yard was so quiet, he could hear the door creak open, he could hear the pitter patter of footsteps running down to him.
"What's going on? Where's Louie?" Huey's voice shook. Despite his resistance, tears made their place in Scrooge's eyes. He tried to block it out when Zan repeated the news. He didn't want to hear it again, couldn't. Even if he had succeeded, Dewey's violent sobs still would've broken him into even more piece than he'd already become. Scrooge hadn't realized that Della had been following the boys, not until she'd broken down into miserable wails. How could he have let this happen to his family again? How could he have made the same mistake?
He collected himself, he had to be strong, for his family. "We'll send search parties. We'll find him." Scrooge steadied his voice, he would lose his composure, he was tougher than the toughies after all.
Sand and salt collected in-between Louie's feathers. He was very glad for his investment. The bobbing of the water had lulled him to sleep, he was on shore now. Louie looked up, blinking. Maybe it was the dehydration, but this certainly didn't look like Duckburg. He stood up, water sloshing at his ankles. He must've looked awful. How long had he been on the water? His head was pounding, like it was full of seawater and sand. Honestly, it might've been.
He saw an airport. Why his mind gravitated towards that, Louie didn't know. He walked in, he expected some resistance. Nothing. He found a water fountain, he ran up towards it. Sweet nectar, the best thing he'd ever drunk. Well nothing could top cherry PEP, but it came close. He patted his pocket, looking for his phone. Nothing. He must've left it on the plane. Louie became more aware of his surroundings, he swiveled around. A sign. Cape Suzette. So he was still in the right country. He could probably catch a boat to Duckburg. He should probably catch a boat to Duckburg.
Though, he could enjoy just one day in the city. The city he'd idolized living in all his life. Maybe get a tour of that saltine cracker factory, he'd get some crackers at least.
Bradford hadn't expected this to go so smoothly. Was Scrooge wasting money on Search Parties? Sure. But at least he vowed to stop those god-forsaken adventures. The rest of the twerps did as well. Everything was perfect, like the Spear of Selene all over again. He had done it, eliminated chaos. With his plan closer than ever, maybe he could win. His plan worked! The Bombie killed that brat. He could've laughed, if he was some villain. If he wasn't in a meeting discussing costs on Scrooges pitiful searched for his 'dear nephew'.
He had to convince Scrooge to stop. That his time (and money) would be better spent on a funeral. Let himself mourn. He could keep the funeral quiet. Just within the family.
Two days had passed, there was still no sign of Louie. Webby would have been surprised at how little Huey cried. Would've. If she hadn't seen him broken, quiet. Shattered. How he clung on the the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook harder than ever. How his hugs lasted longer. How his gaze was always far away. As if it was looking deep down in the ocean where his brother lay. He was doing the bare minimum to stay alive. That and several orderly tasks. They didn't make much sense to her, whatever Huey was up to. He had handed her five decks of cards, asking her to mix them all up. Webby had watched him sort them. Maybe it was to compensate for the lack of order in his own life.
Dewey had been sobbing for two days straight. He basically clung onto Huey's arm. As if he couldn't bear to let another brother go. If his wasn't digging his fingernails into his brother's sleeve, he was sobbing in Della's arms. Not she was taking it any better than any of them were. Webby was pretty sure Della blamed herself. Dewey had stopped doing his hair, it was a mess. The funny thing was, it now looked just like Louie's.
Scrooge couldn't believe it, wouldn't. It didn't make any sense. Why would The Bombie be released? Why would Louie cut the funding? He paced around his office. He had stopped the search, once again Bradford had dragged him away. Telling him that this had happened before, that he couldn't waste his money like this. The funeral was tomorrow. He wished there was a body to bury. But alas, his nephew was lost to the sea. Maybe that was better than being lost to the inky abyss of space. Maybe. After all, it was still an abyss, and it was still inky. He blinked away the tears forming. It was time to sleep. He had to be a rock tomorrow. It was his duty, his job. He always did his job well.
Louie's day in Cape Suzette had been great. Well, one day had become two. He hadn't meant for it to happen. But no boats were headed to Duckburg that day. Even if he hadn't gotten a chance to shower and his whole body ached. Sand was ever, he couldn't wait to get home and shower. His family must be worried sick about him. Or maybe they didn't care. After all they'd left him alone in a the mansion with villains. Still, it was home and he really should go back.
A boat was scheduled to go back to Duckburg the next morning. The plan was to sneak on that night, and wait out till morning. Louie tip-toed around the pier, slipping past anyone around. He found the boat no problem. He crept forward, breath caught in his throat. There were plenty of boxed, he buried himself among them. He tried to scoot as close to the wall as possible. He was uncomfortable, but this was better than nothing. The rocking of the waves was so familiar, like he was back on the houseboat. Louie imagined his brothers next to him, sneaking on alongside him. He told himself this was all some wacky hijinks. Not that it did much to quell the fear lurching in the chest.
The atmosphere was somber. Gizmoduck played a sad tune on the bagpipe. Tears were streaming down Della's face. "He was too young." She wailed. Huey patted his mother on the arm, despite the fact that he was crying. Everyone's eyes were wet. There was only a photograph. No casket, no body. Webby curled herself up into a ball, rocking back and forth. It didn't really do much to help. Scrooge stood up from his seat. He slowly walked up to the platform. He took a shaky breath.
The door slammed open. Everyone craned their necks. They expected to see Glomgold again, or The Bombie. Instead there stood a small duck, dressed in green. :"What in the blazes is going on here?" Louie shouted.
"Louie!" Huey and Dewey climbed over the pews, running at their brother. They pulled him into a tight hug, lifting him off the ground. The rest of the room joined them. Enthralled by the not so dead boy, no one noticed as Bradford slipped away, quietly muttering under his breath.
"You thought I was dead!?" Louie gasped, crushed in a hug. No one answered, they just hugged him a little harder.