"I leave you two alone for two minutes and you crash the plane!"

Gladdy flinched at Bradford's harsh voice, his hands shooting up in defense. "For the record, it wasn't my fault!"

"Way to throw me under the bus, Gladdy." Fethry frowned, fiddling with coil on the headphones. "We're all still alive, aren't we?"

"You are the most irresponsible adult I have ever met." Bradford crossed his arms, sighing.

"I'm irresponsible? You were the one who let me..." Fethry paused, realizing it was too late to retract his sentence. "Drive the thiiiing..." Fear seeded its way into him, Bradford giving him a death glare. Fethry sunk into his seat, gulping.

"Is that so?" Bradford spoke very calm and slow, only terrifying Fethry more.

"You know what? Pretend I didn't say that."

"Honestly Fethry, why on earth did you think this was a good idea?" Bradford counted off his annoyances on his fingers. "We have no clue where we are, you risked the lives of all of us, I'm certain you broke several laws, including flying without a license..." Bradford went on reprimanding Fethry, but to him, it sounded more like, "Blah blah blah."

"Fight, fight, fight!" Launchpad cheered behind them. That earned a glare from everyone. He retracted his chant, laughing nervously and stepping back from the argument.

Gladdy interrupted the argument. "Hey, if we crashed, how come we're still in the air?" He pointed outward, drawing everyone's attention.

They had crashed the plane on top of a towering peak, leaving the plane balancing ever so delicately on the tip. They all pressed their faces to the windows to get a better view. The kids were there too, Fethry didn't know how long they'd been up here.

"Fethry!" Bradford snapped.

"What? It's fine! In fact, this is better. We'll just fly off the terrifying peak of death, and then we can get on with our trip." He hopped himself back into the pilot's seat before anyone could stop. Sure of himself, he pushed a lever forward. The engines whirred in response. At least, one did. The other went Ker-klunk. With only one functional engine, the plane spun, knocking them all to one side of the plane. In the rapid movement, Fethry tumbled out of the seat, leaving no one to stop the spinning. The family screamed for their lives, wasting their breath.

Feet sliding, Bradford fought towards the cockpit. He grabbed onto miscellaneous things to pull himself forward. Finally, he reached the seat. Stretching his arm, he took hold of the lever and pulled it back, turning off the engine. The plane creaked to a halt, worse off than before. After catching his breath, he narrowed his eyes at Fethry.

The red clad duck shrugged. "Okay, so maybe that was my fault. But it could be worse." He stepped towards the older bird, throwing his arm around Bradford.

"How could it be worse?"

"Never ask that question," Gladdy mumbled, his arms tightly tucked close to his body, smiling to cover up any fears he had.

"The plane could be on fire. We could be on fire. We could've crashed on a volcano. Everything could be on fire!"

"Huey's on fire," Louie pointed out. The red triplet's hair was indeed on fire.

Fethry rolled his eyes. "Not helping." He moved to the ladder down, waving for the other adults to follow him. On the way, he ruffled the fire out of Huey's hair.

Climbing down the ladder, he smirked up at Bradford. "Not to worry. I have a plan."

"Last time you had a plan, you made everything worse." Bradford hopped down after his boss.

"Yeah, but this one is gonna work. We'll jumpstart the plane engine with the car engine. Easy peasy." Fethry pat the Jeep, a confident grin on his beak.

...

Dewey spotted the journal on top of the Jeep. He nudged Huey. "Look!"

Huey and Webby caught sight of it. "How are we going to get it without anyone noticing?"

Dewey knew she specifically meant Louie. It was a wonder the oldest triplet hadn't already found them out. Louie was watching the adults figure out the engine situation. Fethry was starting up the car in the drivers seat, Gladdy had popped open the front lid, and Bradford was telling them how ridiculous an idea this was.

"You two make a distraction, and I'll get the book." Dewey nodded to himself, as if they were all in agreement, and took off towards the car.

"Wait, that's not a real plan," Huey called. He exchanged a look with Webby before shrugging. "Alright, let's go make some sort of distraction."

...

"I kind of agree with Bradford on this one," Louie said, trying to make sense of what Gladdy and Fethry were doing. "Are we sure starting a car in a plane is the best idea?"

"Even a child knows this is dumb." Bradford put his hand on his hips, his foot tapping anxiously.

"Nonsense." Fethry messed with a few buttons inside the car. "All set up here, Gladdy." He turned to Louie. "Come on, when have we ever gotten into a mess we couldn't get out of?"

"Cousin Fethry!" Huey and Webby ran into the middle of the discussion, Huey waving his arms wildly. "I don't think we can get out of this one!"

Louie raised an eyebrow at the two.

Bradford shot a look to Fethry, who laughed nervously. "I'm sure we'll be fine kids."

"Judging by how the day is going, things will probably only get worse." Webby clasp her hands together dramatically.

"I mean, who's to say Gladdy wasn't lying when he said he didn't have bad luck?" Huey gestured to Gladdy, who gave him a confused expression.

"And you know how animals can sense trouble even before it happens? Well, Bready doesn't feel so good about this either!" Webby took the toaster from Huey, stroking it lightly.

Louie saw Huey's expression drop, as if now his fear was real. "Wait, really?" He shook himself. "I mean, yeah, scary."

"Kids, that's a toaster," Fethry said.

"And usually the trouble if some sort of monster you can outwit. But you can't outwit gravity!" Webby hugged Bready tighter.

"Yeah- Yeah! She's right!" Huey tensed, frowning. "Oh my gosh, we're gonna die!" Huey shook Webby by the shirt of her sleeve.

Louie narrowed his eyes at them, feeling something was off. He scanned over them, before realizing one was missing: Dewey. Louie eagerly looked around for the blue triplet, before his eyes landed on top of the Jeep. And there was Dewey, trying to get some book. What...?

Webby must've caught Louie's suspicious gaze because popped in front of him, blocking his view. "What are your thoughts Louie? You're the big brother."

Louie took a step back, wanting space. He shook himself. "Webby, what?" He hushed his voice. "What are you guys up to?"

She listed her head innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Uh-huh. I'm on to you."

...

The plane shifted with the wind. A loud creak echoed through the space, the ground turning at an angle. Bradford put his hands out, trying to balance himself. "Fethry, I don't think the plane is well balanced. Maybe we should give up on this plan of yours."

"Hang on, we're almost ready..." Fethry ignored him, giving a thumbs up to Gladdy. Gladdy finished up with the engine.

The plane was slowly tilting further and further, making it even more unsteady. The car slipped off the jack, knocking Dewey and the book off the top. It landed with a hard clunk, tipping the plane yet further. Gladdy jumped out of the way but the car rolled further. A few crates slid down, trapping Fethry and adding weight to that side.

Bradford acted fast. "Everyone! To the font of the plane!" All the kids did as told, except Dewey. He quickly grabbed up the book before following along with the others. Launchpad made it up first, followed by Louie and Huey. Gladdy got caught up dodging crates. He grabbed onto a piece of metal work, hanging on for dear life.

Dewey ran behind Webby. But they were stopped by the largest crate hurdling towards them. The two yelped in fear. Bradford caught the crate, shoved back by its weight. Dewey and Webby quickly made their way around, climbing up to meet the others.

Trapped in the car, Fethry squeezed his way out the window. In the process, his elbow knocking into a button. The hatch began to open, crates tumbling out. Dislodged from the car, Fethry made his way to the roof. The vehicle was already falling out. Breathing heavily, Fethry jumped to the next crate. "Bradford!"

Seeing the predicament, Bradford's eyes widened. Taking a pocket knife from his coat, he dug it in front of the large crate, blocking it from going any further. He started his way up the ladder, trying to find a button to close the hatch. But they were running out of time.

Gladdy let go of his spot, allowing himself to slide down. He jumped on a crate, riding it towards the outside. All the while, Fethry was hopping from one to another. But he was quickly running out. Gladdy jumped off the crate, holding on to the edge of the plane. He outstretched his hand to Fethry. "I got you, cous!"

Fethry reached the final wooden box. He took one last leap, reaching for Gladdy's hand.

He caught it.

Panting, Gladdy pulled Fethry back into the plane. Bradford found the button and shut the hatch. The plane settled with a heavy quiet.

Fethry lay on the floor, eyes wide with terror. "That was crazy."

"Good thing I'm bad luck free, or else you probably would've died."

"Shush. Just don't speak. I'm still processing."

"Fethry!" Bradford called from behind the railing.

"Aw phooey." Fethry sighed and got to his feet, dusting himself off. He came to face Bradford.

"Fethry, I-"

"Look, so that last plan was garbage and almost got all of us, especially me, killed. But! I have another!"

"No, Fethry. No more plans." Bradford crossed his arms.

Fethry moved past him and to the front  of the plane. "Just one more try. I've got this."

"Fethry, why can't you just admit all your plans are only making things worse. Let's just call for help and call the vacation off." Bradford and Gladdy followed after Fethry, and soon they were all up the ladder.

"No, I can fix this. I got us into this mess, and I can get us out." Fethry shook his head, waving the vulture off stubbornly.

...

Dewey stared at the book in his hands. He had done it. He had gotten the answer they had been waiting for. Webby and Huey crowded around him to see. They stood together near the front, the adults getting ready for Fethry's next big plan. Dewey opened up the back of the journal, only to end up disappointed. "What? Where's the last page?"

"You mean this page?" Dewey flinched at Louie's voice. The green triplet stood a few feet away, waving the sheet of paper in his hands. He frowned. "I can't believe you guys would go behind my back like this!"

"Louie, give it back!" Dewey held out his hand, glaring at his oldest brother.

"You're risking your lives for someone who never even cared about us."

"Because you won't tell us the easy way!"

Louie opened his mouth to say more, but at that moment, the open window let the page blow from his hand. It landed just underneath the copilot seat. The kids' eyes widened.

"Kids, what's going on here?" Fethry walked over to them.

Dewey hid book behind his back, grinning. "Nothing."

"Alright. Anyways, Bradford thinks it'd be safe if you guys just stayed put in your seats, so if you guys could go sit down, to prove that I am a responsible person, then we can finish getting us off this rock."

Huey and Louie sat on one side of the plane while Dewey and Webby were on the seats to the left. Fethry had given them walkie talkies in case they needed anything. Dewey frowned, his eyes glued to the loose page. Maybe if he just grabbed it real quick, no one would notice. He took a cautious step out of his seat. The plane told on him, squeaking loudly.

"Dewey, stay put," Bradford said. "Who knows what danger your crazy cousin will recklessly get us into next." That last bit was aimed towards Fethry. The duck rolled his eyes, waving the comment off.

Dewey let out a huff, sitting back down in his chair. For now, he would have to play the waiting game.

...

"I'll turn the engine myself, just to get i going. We can put the parachutes on the other side to keep the plane balanced while I do it. And we have this rope to catch me if I fall." Fethry grinned while Launchpad tied the rope around him. "Perfect plan."

"Yes, great way to leave us without any emergency equipment in here if things go south." Bradford sighed, frowned. "Please, Fethry, for the safety of your family, stop."

Fethry raised an eyebrow at his butler, getting fed up with being reprimanded like he was some little kid. "Stand down, Buzzard, you're my butler, not my babysitter."

"Ungrateful, irresponsible, stubborn, stupid-" Bradford mumbled to himself before taking the ropes from Launchpad. "Here, let me help." He tightened it extra hard, making Fethry gag and out of breath. He glared at the old vulture, not finding it funny.

"I don't think this is a very good idea either, Feths," Gladdy said. "Trust me. I know bad ideas."

"I'm not taking a vote."

"Fethry, you're not just risking your own life, you're risking the kids' too. All to prove something. You more than anyone should know it's not worth it, with what happened with uncle Scrooge and all."

Fethry hesitated. He shook the feeling off, tying off a knot on the rope. "Nonsense. She'll be fine."

Bradford looked over him curiously. "She? Who's she?"

Fethry looked up, realizing his mistake. "Uh, them. The kids, I meant." He stood straighter. "Come on, we're almost done, and then it's back on track to Monocrow!" He walked past them to finish preparing a few parachutes.

...

"Fethry is crazy! He's gonna kill us all! Nothing, and I mean, nothing, can get me out of this spot!" Huey had tied himself up in seatbelts, as if that would save his life if something were to go wrong.

Louie watching him, bored and his face leaning on his sweaty palm. "What if the plane catches on fire or we need to evacuate?"

Huey's eyes widened as he thought it over. Once it clicked, he began struggling to get himself untangled from the seat. Louie rolled his eyes.

He looked across the way, seeing Dewey and Webby whispering about something. Louie let outa groan. "Give it a rest, Dew, you don't have to be secret about it anymore. We all know what you're doing." Louie sunk back in his chair, folding his arms.

"Fine, but you can't stop me." Dewey jumped up and started for the page.

Louie gasped and moved to go after him. The plane curved heavily at their movement. Deciding against his wishes, Louie decided to the go the opposite way. The angle of the floor straightened.

Dewey stopped, and, realizing what had just happened, smirked. He rose the walkie talkie to his beak. "Looks like someone can't touch me."

"Dewey, get back here right now," Louie said into his speaker. Dewey took another step, causing Louie to do the same in the other direction. "Stop it."

"Why? You can't reach me to make me." Dewey continued stepping forward, at this point more to just make Louie mad than actually getting the journal entry.

"Ooooh, he got you good Lou!" Huey snickered into his radio device.

Louie stiffened. "Fine, I just won't move. Then you'll have to stop."

"We both know you care too much to do that."

"You're too scared to take the risk to see if I'm bluffing." The boys glared at each other, frozen in their movements.

Shaking himself, Dewey persisted. He moved towards the page. Louie refused to move, letting the plane tip. It hurt hi on the inside to do so. Surely Dewey would stop before it would make too much of a difference, right? Louie bit his lip, resisting. And finally, Dewey got the page. Louie flinched. He actually did it.

...

Dewey smiled, the page clutched in his hand. He had the answers, for real this time.

"Dewey? What are you doing?" Fethry and the other adults stood over him. Fethry's eyes moved to the paper in Dewey's hands. "What do you have there?"

"Not secrets!" Dewey was bad at thinking on the spot.

"Literally the worst answer you could've given," Louie chimed in on the radio.

"No one asked, Louie," Dewey said in a hushed voice.

Fethry held out his hand. "Let me see."

Dewey could hear his heart beat pounding in the back of his head. But he was on close to give up now. He ducked under Fethry's arm and slid down the rope ladder.

"Dewey! Stop!" Louie ran all the way to the front before making his way down the ladder too. The plane turned, sliding back.

Bradford pointed to the front. "Huey! Webby! Come to the front to counterbalance the weight!" The children did as told.

"Don't worry, Bradford, I'll get them."

"Fethry, wait-" Fethry went after Dewey and Louie before Bradford could do anything to stop him.

Paper gripped tightly, Dewey raced through the plane. He couldn't let Louie catch him. He couldn't risk not knowing the truth about Della. And now Fethry was after him too. Great.

"You three! Stop speeding through the plane!" Bradford shouted from above.

They stopped momentarily, weighing their options. Dewey decided to keep going, but slower. Once Louie and Fethry got the memo, they also "chased" after him at less than walking speed.

"That was not what I meant and you know it."

"Kids, come on. I don't know what all this is about, but just stop, and maybe we can talk it out." Fethry was a foot away from catching Louie. "Whatever it is probably isn't worth this mess."

"Yeah, Dewey." Louie reached for Dewey, almost close enough to tough him.

"You're just scared!"

The plane tilted further with each step. Dewey tripped, knocking into the back wall. The plane creaked farther, Louie tumbled next to Dewey. They started fighting like cats, trying to get the paper before the other could. Fethry was caught on the rope, unable to reach them.

"Boys, please!" Fethry stretched, trying to reach them unsuccessfully. He fought with the rope, trying to get it undone. It finally came loose, but dropped him right next to the boys hard. The plane shifted, causing things to slide about towards them. Bradford's pocket knife nearly hit Fethry's face.

The note flew from Dewey's hand, riding the wind. He jumped up to his feet. "No! I'm so close!" He jumped on sliding objects and crates, working his way up after the note.

A large crate came hurtling towards Louie in the process. He let out a scream. Luckily, he was pulled out of the way by Fethry. He helped Louie up to the front of the plane, but the weight only shifted. The cargo plane fell forward.

Dewey was only focused on the note. It was right there, so close and yet so far. He chased after it, disregarding the things around him. It got caught on the edge of the front window. He tried to reach it. The wind picked it up again, blowing it outside. His eyes widened. "No!" The sheet clung to the plane propeller, outside, hundreds of feet off the ground.

Dewey looked back to the rest of his family, all with uncertainty in their eyes. But Dewey was desperate. And desperate people do crazy things.

Without a second thought, he climbed up onto the wing of the plane. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath unsteady, and his mind wanting to constantly remind him how high up he was. The wind whipped at his face, only making it harder to keep balance. But he pushed any other thought that made him doubt away. He had to get that paper. He had to know.

"Dewey!" Louie's voice was terror stricken, made distant by the wind. Dewey ignored him, pushing forwards.

Fethry climbed out the plane window, going after him. "Dewey! This is crazy! Whatever's on that paper isn't worth your life!" The adult was unsteady on the wing, but persistent.

Dewey was almost there. He had come too far to back down now. For all his fears, his desperate need to know was greater.

The walkie talkie on his hip clicked.

"Dewey! Please! Come back inside!" That was Huey.

"You're my best friend Dewey! This is ridiculous!" That was Webby.

"Please, Dewey! I know I was mad at you, but you're my little brother!" And there was Louie. "I was only trying to keep you safe, emotionally, but I didn't think you'd get into actually danger! We're enough! Are you really going to throw everything away for the one person we lost? She's gone Dewey! Whether or not you know why isn't going to change that!"

Dewey huffed, getting fed up with all the distractions. Taking the radio device off, he threw it down off the plane. No more distractions.

"Dewey!" Fethry stood on the wing, legs and arms spread for balance. He looked at Dewey with pleading eyes. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but letting you fall to your death will not be one of them! Come back inside, and whatever's going on, we'll figure it out!"

Dewey had reached the propeller. He tried for the note, reaching out as far as his fears would allow him. He nearly slipped, tightening his grip on the edge of the turbine. He tried again, this time riskier.

He caught it.

And he slipped.

He let out a scream, his stomach dropping. He felt a hand grip his head. When he dared to look up, he saw Fethry. Fethry pulled the blue triplet up quickly, eyes wide. Dewey found tears in his eyes, some starting to fall. Together they sat on the wing, speechless. Fethry pulled Dewey in a tight hug, as if he would lose the boy if he ever let go.

Dewey remembered the page in his hand. He uncrumpled it, reading it over. It was the shortest entry of the whole journal.

I was unsure, but Fethry convinced me. I'm running away and I'm not looking back.

-Della D.

"Let's go back inside." Fethry panted, still holding Dewey close.

Dewey stiffened, then pulled away. "Tell me what happened to my mom."