Hey, everyone! Here's the second chapter. Sorry to have kept you waiting for a few days on that short first chapter, but here's a longer one to make up for it! :)


Penguin HQ, 0600 Hours

"Alright, men! Up and at 'em!" Skipper called to the bunks where Kowalski and Rico were still sleeping. It was 6 AM, which was when the team got up and went topside for morning training. The leader frowned when he saw them not moving. He waddled over to the bunks, picking up an air horn from the table along the way.

"I said up and at 'em!" He blew the horn right next to Kowalski's head, causing the lieutenant to bang his head hard against the concrete above him. Rico, on the other hand, rolled out and landed face first on the floor next to Skipper.

"AHHHH!" The scientist turned to see Skipper scowling. "Did you really have to blast that right next to my eardrum?"

"Affirmative, Kowalski. It's time to get up and train." Rico picked himself off the floor and stretched.

"What 'bout Pwivate?" Rico asked, noticing that Private's bunk was empty.

"I was wondering about that, Rico. Kowalski, did you see or hear him come in last night?"

"No, sir. Perhaps he's already topside?" He suggested, rubbing the feathers where his earhole was.

"Nope. I already checked. What time does The Graveyard Eight end its shift?" The tall penguin whipped out his abacus from seemingly nowhere and slid the beads back and forth, calculating.

"According to my estimates, it should have driven back to the central bus station about an hour ago. It wouldn't take that long for Private to head back from where we left him last night." Skipper's expression turned into one of slight concern.

"Alright, then. In that case, morning training is canceled. Instead, we're going to look for the private and split up. I'll cover the lemur habitat, Kowalski, search the park, and Rico, ask the rest of the zoo inhabitants. We meet back here at 0700 hours sharp." With that, the three climbed up the ladder and headed to their respective areas.

Lemur Habitat, 0605 Hours

"Hey, Maurice! That was some amazing camping trip last night, huh?" King Julien asked his assistant, who was trying to sleep after staying up all night. When Maurice didn't answer, he got upset and stomped over to him.

"MAURICE!" The short, gray lemur got up quickly, eyes now wide open. "I was asking you if the camping trip was amazing!"

"Oh, yeah. I definitely was amazing." Maurice answered tiredly. Suddenly Mort appeared, standing extremely close to Julien's feet.

"I like camping!" The little lemur began reaching for the king's feet (as he so often does).

"Mort! What have I told you about touching the king's feet?"

"To not touch them?"

"Exactly." He then gave Mort a swift kick, which sent him flying into the wall on the other side of the habitat. Maurice and Julien looked at him.

"Hmm. . . I guess I am having an off-day for kicking Mort. Maurice, remind me to practice more."

"Okay. King Julien, you have to practice kicking Mort more often."

"Thank you, Maurice! Now go get me a smoothie! I want mango, mango and, eh, more mango!" Maurice ran off to the bar to fix one up for him. At that moment, Skipper climbed over the wall of the habitat and slid over to Julien.

"Ah, if it isn't the bossy penguin who was doing his own camping activities with the other smelly penguins!" Skipper sighed.

"Ringtail, have you seen Private recently?"

"You mean the short, chubby one that is cute and polite?"

"Yeah."

"Eh, nope. We went for some snacks after you went off to play more camping games."

"We were not camping!"

"Whatever you say, bossy penguin. Maurice! Where is my mango, mango, with more mango smoothie!?"

"Coming right up!" Finally, Julien's assistant showed up with two smoothies and handed one to him. Maurice noticed Skipper standing there.

"Hey, Skipper. What's up?"

"I'm looking for the private. Have you seen him?" The dark gray lemur shook his head.

"No, not since last night. What about you, Mort?" They turned to Mort, who had since fallen to the ground and was now playing with his own feet.

"Private? I saw him standing all alone last night, and then we got snacks!" He gave them a cute smile. Maurice turned back to Skipper.

"Well, I guess that's your answer. Sorry, man." Skipper turned to leave.

"It's fine. I'll just keep searching. But if you do see him, let me know."

"Sure thing, Skipper," Maurice replied. And with that, the penguin flipped back over the wall he came in from.

Central Park, 0630 Hours

Kowalski had been searching for almost 30 minutes, and nobody that he talked to knew anything about Private's whereabouts. He decided to sit down under a shade tree and consult his clipboard.

"Ugh, I've asked all of the animals I could think of in Central Park, and yet none of them know where Private is!" He scanned his list of animals to double check and make sure he got everyone. As he reached the end, there was one animal drawing in particular that was not crossed off. The lieutenant groaned.

"Oh, boy." He got up and reluctantly headed over to a certain tree in the park in which this animal lived. He knocked on the tree's bark.

"Fred!" The penguin called. A brown, two-toned squirrel appeared in a hole in the side of the tree and looked around.

"Hello? Who's there?"

"Down here." Kowalski waved his flippers to get the squirrel's attention. Fred looked down and noticed him.

"Oh, hi."

"Have you seen Private?"

"Who?"

"Private. He's a penguin, short, chubby, cute." Kowalski explained as if talking to a small child.

"Uh, no."

"You showed up last night while I was singing about The Graveyard Eight! He was standing right in front of you!" The penguin said, sounding a bit frustrated.

"Oh, I did see him, then." The squirrel replied. Kowalski perked up.

"Really? When?"

"Well, like you said, if I showed up during your song and he was standing right in front of me, then yeah, I saw him." He stared on, expressionless as the penguin he was talking to had a slight meltdown. After a few minutes, the scientist regained his composure.

"I mean after that. Did you see him after my song when everyone else left?" Kowalski tried again, hoping that Fred would have a rare moment of brilliance and give him an actual answer.

"Oh. Why didn't you just say so? He was rummaging through some garbage on the side of the street. I was going to say hi to him, but then I heard the bus coming." Fred recollected. The tall penguin scribbled some notes down on his clipboard with a pencil.

"Do you remember anything else?"

"Hmm, well, after I left I heard a scream and a load crash, followed by screeching tires." Kowalski's eyes widened as he added that information to his notes.

"Was it coming from the direction you saw Private?"

"Uh-huh." Kowalski finished scribbling on his clipboard and looked at Fred.

"Thanks! See you around!" He quickly started sliding back in the direction of the zoo.

Marlene's Habitat, 0645 Hours

"'Ey! Marlene!" Rico called, sliding into the otter's habitat entrance. Marlene was still sleeping on the far side of the room. The weapons expert waddled over to her and gave her a tap with his flipper. She turned over but still didn't wake up.

"Marlene!" He tried again, giving her a firm shove. This time, she opened her eyes a crack, just enough to see Rico staring at her. She jumped.

"AHH! Rico, what are you doing scaring me like that?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Sowwy. 'Ave you seen Pwivate?" He asked.

"No, why?"

"Can't find 'im."

"Oh, no! Have you asked the other animals?" The otter questioned.

"Uh-huh." Rico nodded.

"Well, I'll keep my eyes open, then. I'll be sure to let you know if I see him." Marlene gave him a reassuring smile. He gave a tiny smile back and slipped back out of her habitat.

Penguin HQ, 0700 Hours

Skipper was pacing back and forth, trying to think of where Private could have gone off to. He took a sip of his fish coffee to wake himself up a little bit more. Suddenly, the hatch door opened and Rico and Kowalski came in. He turned to face them.

"Rico, report!"

"Nothin'." He grumbled, shrugging.

"Same," Skipper replied. "What about you, Kowalski? Any luck?"

"Yes, Skipper," He pulled out his clipboard to refer to his notes. "I talked to Fred the squirrel and he told me he saw Private rummaging through some garbage on the side of the road around midnight after we left."

"Well, that's something to go on. Did he say anything else?" The leader asked. Kowalski frowned.

"Yes, sir. He said he heard a scream followed by a loud crash and screeching tires." There was a long silence as the information sunk in. Skipper set his coffee down and placed his flippers on his hips.

"Rico, get the car. We're heading out."


Well, the penguins are going to search for Private. Will they make it to him in time? Is it already too late? :O Find out in the next chapter!