Chapter 2
"You won't always be a rookie you know,"
That's the statement that repeated in Rookie's head over and over again as more snow whooshed into his beak. Rookie only looked at his spy phone in shame. Though the device was supposed to be a symbol of the honor and hard work of an agent, but it only brought him painful memories. He remembered how G gave it to him right after Herbert snatched his old one right out his flippers. The look on everyone's face in that moment had haunted him ever since.
A couple of years ago, a mission, code-named "Waddle Squad", was given to Jet Pack Guy, Rookie and a local agent. Their assignment was to trap Herbert while 'a golden puffle' was set as bait in the Dance Club. Luckily, the PSA agents managed to capture Herbert while caught off-guard, but the green penguin made a mistake that changed everything. Moments after the imprisonment, Herbert asked. "Before I go, mind if I call someone".
It was one of the stupidest tricks in the book, but for some strange reason, Rookie began to feel sorry for the polar bear.
"You can use mine," he suggested as he offered out his phone towards Herbert.
With that, Herbert snatched his spy phone and pressed the teleportor button in seconds. All the green penguin could hear was the sound of the teleportor going off and every bird yelling. "Rookie!"
The PSA agent shook his head as he tried to snap out of his painful memory. "Maybe Herbert was right," Rookie sobbed with a heavy heart. "Why am I wasting my time here in PSA? No one even thinks I have the flippers to make it".
He signed and turned to face Jet who was honking to someone on his receiver.
"What? Gary, what do you mean you can't send backup?" Jet yelled as he tried not to let Herbert overhear the situation. "How are Rookie and I going to bring the polar bear back to HQ?"
With that, Jet hanged up and gazed at his small blue phone. At the top of the screen there was a little rod icon that represented the signal of the service in the PSA. It was usually chock-full, but at that moment, not even a single bar was shown on the screen. Momentarily, an icy breeze flew pass the two penguins and Rookie felt a small icicle forming on his flipper. It didn't G to know that the blizzard was getting worse by the second. Sure, he had a green hoodie on, but even that didn't help at all.
"H-How long a-are we going to b-be h-here" Rookie shivered as he rubbed his flippers against his arms.
Jet put his phone in his front pocket and looked at Rookie. His eyes beamed, as he noticed how Rookie didn't look like his normal self. Most of his green feathers were turning blue, his flippers stood red from frostbite, his voice was beginning to sound rusty and his glasses started to fall apart. Jet knew he had to do something fast before the man-child developed an illness, but without signal and backup, there was no chance to get back to the Sport's Shop in time.
"We might be here a while, so we need to move our stuff into the lighthouse fast," Jet ordered as he started picking up his jetpack fuel supply.
With that Rookie saluted the red penguin and looked at the colossus cage. He was going to need all the strength he can get to carry this bad boy, but it didn't matter. The weak penguin started pushing the heavy metal crate. It was much heavier than he remembered, but it was probably due to the fact a gigantic polar bear was occupying it. Rookie took a look at Herbert as he kept on trying to move the cage.
"Man…" the green penguin whizzed as he took deep breaths. "You really need to cut down on that veggie pizzas of yours…"
The polar bear, surprisingly, just sat there in the cage as he stared at the man-child as he kept on trying to push the twenty-pound cage with an eight hundred eighty-five pound bear locked inside. Though to the agents in the PSA, they thought they have won the battle, but in Herbert's mind, he knew that his plan was moneymaking perfectly well. He didn't say a word, but his devilish smile shows how much he loved how this was going. As Rookie stood up from exhaustion, he couldn't help but notice how 'happy' Herbert's been acting and couldn't help but think:
"Herbert has been really quiet lately," the green penguin thought as he observed the polar bear carefully. "I hope he doesn't try to make me join his team again". Suddenly, a tap was felt on his shoulder.
"Hey, there's no need to put Herbert inside the Lighthouse,"
Rookie jumped as he saw the Jet Pack Guy pop up right behind him.
"Look Rookie, I like your enthusiasm but this guy weighs about seven hundred kilos," the red penguin commented as he pointed to Herbert's gut.
"Hey!" Herbert yelled as he moves towards Jet Pack Guy across the cage. "I have you know that I weigh a good eight hundred and eighty-five pounds!"
Rookie couldn't help but snicker at the polar bear's response. "Whatever you say fatso,"
Jet Pack Guy just glanced firmly at the green penguin, which gave the signal to 'don't go too far',and waddled inside the lighthouse. Rookie gulped at the warning and quickly opened the crooked wooden door to unravel a timeworn lighthouse. With only a flashlight and the sunlight as light sources, he looked around in astonishment. Memories began to flood his mind as he remembered helping out remodeling this ancient place. It all happened about six years ago, but the green penguin felt like everything happened yesterday. He smiled a little as he felt a glow in his heart. It felt eccentric but suitable.
"Are you done sightseeing?" a demanding voice questioned as Rookie jumped.
Jet Pack Guy grinned a little at Rookie's reaction and put everything down by the chairs.
"Rookie, you really need to be more alert," the red penguin, commented as he used one of the stage's spotlights to light up the room.
As Rookie eye's squint at the sudden glow, the green bird slowly started waddling towards the stage. Surprisingly, the instruments were already put away in storage, except the piano, so there was enough room for even a crowd of performers to present a routine. Though everything was basically in storage for the blizzard, Rookie quickly turned around and ran to the keyboard. The green penguin couldn't help but giggle as he pressed each key on the piano. He always wanted to play this certain instrument. He remembered when Franky, one of the members of the Penguin Band, performed a concert a long time ago when he was jamming out on his keyboard while every penguin was going crazy for his solo. Ever since that day, the green penguin was anxious to learn how to play such a beautiful instrument, but before Rookie tried to play a 'symphony', Jet ordered him to stop.
"Awe…c'mon Jet," Rookie wailed. "Can I play just one more note?"
"Rookie! We are on a serious mission here," Jet replied sincerely as he started messing with his spy phone. "We don't have time to perform a concert,"
"You know, maybe I can find someone to teach me how to play the piano", Rookie suggested as he laid his flipper on top of the piano.
Jet, with his hands full of equipment, replied with a smirk. "Maybe".
Rookie smiled back in relief. It was nice to know that Jet wasn't mad at him anymore. He must admit, there were times the green penguin would worry if the senior PSA would 'kill' him someday. He knew that JPG was wildly known for being a bit stern, but then looked around at the empty building he couldn't help but questioned. "Hey, where is every penguin"?
"Everyone's in their igloo" Jet explained with his cell over his ear. "The director ordered everyone to stay there until the blizzard calms down,"
With that stated, silence filled the entire lighthouse. Jet went up to the Beacon to check on the lights while Rookie kept an eye on the cage. The senior PSA order the man-child to stay away from the 'veggie bear', but it take long for trouble to come around. Herbert then whispered to Rookie silently.
"Hey, you know with Klutzy gone, I could use some help with some of my plans".
Rookie put his flippers over his ears to muted the talkative Herbert. Rookie tried to ignore him, but he felt the feeling coming back to him like it was some kind of spell or something. He started yelling to make the Herbert's voice go away, but it just got louder and louder each second. He then noticed the staircase above the limitless supplies of junk and next to a barrel of soda pop was a guitar. It was very old, but it was known to consume a beautiful tone. Rookie for one didn't know how to play, but he knew that instrument would be very useful. He grasped it and walked towards the bear. He then thought to himself. "Knocking him out will be the only thing to make him shut up".
This will end all his troubles. Well, at least that's what Rookie hoped.
Herbert was now yelling out offers as Rookie waddle closer to the cage. This had to work! The green fool would never resist these offers. "More girls will be waddling towards you and you will have more dough in your pocket".
Rookie tightens his grip on the rail. "I have all the money I need and I don't want a girlfriend!" he honked as he waddled closer to the beacon entrance. "Why is Herbert so determined to have me?" the green penguin thought as he tightens his grip on the instrument.
"I think it's time to give out my final offer," Herbert snickered as he stood up from the ground.
It was that moment that changed everything.
"You know, if you also join me, your feathered friend will never find out".
Rookie eyes pop out as he loosened his grip on the guitar. "Go on", he replied as he slowly laid the 'weapon' on the surface.
The bear snuffled. The fool was finally giving in. "This whole thing will just be between you and me. No one will even suspect it".
Rookie couldn't help but smile a little as he heard Herbert's response. With Jet out of the way, he can do whatever he wanted to do. No more orders, no more arguments, and definitely no more disappointments. If the Penguin Secret Agency wasn't made for him, then maybe being a villain will be a better position for him. Now, he was fully convinced.
"You know" Rookie observed. "Being bad has its advantages".
Herbert just sneered and chuckled more as Rookie reached his flipper over and shook the polar bear's paw.
"It's a Deal".