Disclaimer: Penguins of Madagascar and all related characters are the property of Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and any or all related affiliates. Characters of my own creation are my property and may not be used by others without express permission. This fiction was created for the purpose of having fun and being creative, no money is being made in any way from its creation and posting.
Hell Hath No Fury
Chapter 2
By
Wildgoose
(The scene opens inside the main level of the penguin H.Q. shortly before the zoo opens for the day. The penguins lie asleep in their bunks as they always do until a fish shaped alarm clock sounds to wake them up at the same time it always does. However this morning it does not get the chance to do its job because Marlene barges into the room having entered through the tunnel and run up the stairs through the lower levels.)
Marlene: (panting) SKIPPER! (She looks about as no one stirs and then walks swiftly to the wall to hit a red button. A claxon sounds and red lights begin to flash. All of the penguins wake simultaneously and tumble out of their bunks.)
Skipper: Gah, …it's a red alert! We're under attack men, …Rico defensive positions! Kowalski stand by the self-destruct! Private….. (Marlene silences the alarm)
Marlene: We're not under attack, Skipper. However we do have a major problem!
Skipper: Marlene, …what problem could be so great at this hour that you would sound a false red alert?
Marlene: The kids are gone!
Skipper: Whoa, …what? They can't be gone, …what do you mean gone?
Marlene: How many different ways could I possibly say that the kids are gone, Skipper?
Skipper; (rubs his eyes) I don't know. (Turns to Kowalski) How about it, Kowalski?
Kowalski: (whips out an abacus and does his thing) Only two, …mentally and physically.
Skipper: There, ..you see?
Marlene: (grumbles) Physically, Skipper! They kids were not in the cave when I woke up this morning.
Skipper: All of them?
Marlene: Ming was still there, …the others were gone. (Pause) What if they've been transferred in the middle of the night?
Skipper: Alright calm down, Marlene. The zookeeper would never have transferred them on you. You're just being paranoid, …they're probably roaming around the zoo before it opens. (Pause)They're not babies anymore; they can handle themselves around the zoo.
Marlene: Me? You're accusing ME of being paranoid? (Huffs) YOU are accusing ME of being paranoid?
Kowalski: You probably should have quite while you were ahead Skipper. "Calm down" would have been more than sufficient.
Skipper: (with Marlene ranting in the background) Thank you for that, Kowalski.
Kowalski: It's what I'm here for…. (Pause) Oh, …you were being sarcastic weren't you. (Skipper rolls his eyes and then places a flipper over Marlene's mouth)
Skipper: Relax Marlene, …we'll find them. (Turns to Private) Wake the girls so we can search in groups. They're here in the zoo somewhere.
(Snap to an hour later as all of the penguins arrive back at the H.Q.)
Rico: (grunts) Sorry Skipper, …no sign of them.
Syron: I'm forced to agree, …we canvased the whole place. They're not in the zoo.
Skipper: In the park then?
Syron: We checked outside of the walls, …there are no tracks leading to the park.
Meg: I've been finding cracker crumbs around the H.Q., ..they were in here at some point.
Pepper: That doesn't really tell us much, Meg. That could have been any time.
Marlene: No, .. No, …Loki only snacks on those when he wakes up in the middle of the night. I don't know why but that's the only time he'll eat them.
Erin: …And since we clean the place religiously they must have been left last night.
Skipper: Do the crumbs form a trail we can follow?
Meg: Do I look like Scooby Do? How do I know, …I only just noticed the things. Give me a few minutes and I'll let you know. (Meg waddles off to follow the cracker crumbs)
Marlene: Great, …while Meg is off playing Sherlock Holmes what do we do?
Skipper: The zoo opens in an hour, …we'll need a plan… (Marlene smacks him across the bill)
Marlene: I MEANT about our kids being gone. You're their dad, …aren't you even worried about them?
Skipper: (Smacks Marlene lightly across the nose in retribution) Of COURSE I'm worried about them, however I'd like to explore all available options before I resort to freaking out like somebody I know. (In the background Meg returns)
Meg: The crumbs lead all over the place but there seems to be a large concentration of them in the situation room. There's something else, ..some of the equipment in there has been left on.
Kowalski: Really, …I was certain I shut it all down last night.
Meg: Yes,…we all know how obsessive you are about shutting things down at night. I was trying to imply that the stuff was left on because the kids had been in there.
Kowalski: Oh, …yes of course. I knew that.
Meg: Sure you did. (Sighs) You guys should come check this out. (She leads them to the situation room on the lower level and shows them the map table.) It looks like they were planning a route of travel.
Marlene: Wha, ….where could they be going?
Pepper: (groans) To Florida, …I should have seen this coming. (Marlene's head slowly rotates to face Pepper)
Marlene: Why should you have seen this coming? (Closes the distance between them) What aren't you telling us?
Pepper: There was a fire at Universal Studios recently and Hannibal hadn't heard from a friend of his since then. (Sighs) He was used to very regular contact with this friend and was getting very worried.
Private: I remember Hannibal mentioning it. (Pause) So you think that Hannibal went to go check on this person?
Elisa: …And the others volunteered to go with him to help. (Shakes her head) Dios Mia!
Kowalski: I don't understand, …what friend? (Pepper discretely kicks his shin) OW, ..watch it! (Pepper raises an eyebrow at him) Just say it all ready, …I don't read minds. (Rubs his flippers together and smirks evilly) Yet…..
Pepper: (groans and rolls her eyes) His friend, …that he met down there when we took our detour on our last mission.
Kowalski: I don't remember any friend, ..what are you…. (Pause) Oh her….
Marlene: (looks back and forth between Kowalski and Pepper) Her? (Pause) Who's her?
Private: (chimes in) Hannibal met a girl while we were there; they've been staying in contact regularly by internet.
Marlene: (enthused) REALLY? (Pause) Well that's great news. So, … why the big secret? (Approaches Pepper) Why didn't he come to me or Skipper about it? (Pause) What is he embarrassed or something? What's she like?
Pepper: Um, …she's a show girl. She performs in an animal attractions exhibit at the park.
Marlene: (scoff/laugh) That's it? (Pause) THAT'S the big secret? (Looks away) I don't believe this, ..he could have told me about that. (Sighs)
Pepper: So, …you're not upset?
Marlene: NO, ..why would I be upset. That's great that he found somebody.
Private: That's a relief, ….he was worried you'd be upset because she was older. (Pepper groans and looks away)
Marlene: Wait, ..what? How much older?
Private: I think he mentioned that she was close to your age. (Marlene's face drops)
Skipper: (As Marlene stares without a word) …AND we'll deal with that later. Don't stroke out Marlene, …let's worry about getting them back here. (Pause and then turns to Meg) Do we have any idea when they left? (Meg shakes her head) Alright people, …let's assume at first that they left on foot and they haven't gotten far. (Pause) Kowalski, ..time until the zoo opens?
Kowalski: About forty five minutes.
Skipper: Excellent, ..that's just enough time for an aerial recon mission. Private, Elisa, you're up for this one. (Pause) Kowalski, …how's that launching system?
Kowalski: Operational Skipper, …but we have yet to actually use it.
Skipper: Now's the time, …let's move people. Elisa and private, …take a couple of those new Bluetooth® communicators to stay in contact.
Private: Got it Skipper! (He and Elisa waddle out of the room to gear up)
Skipper: (approaches Marlene) Are you okay?
Marlene: (stammers slightly) heheheh, …I'll um, …I'll be okay. (long pause) It's like you said. He's a grown otter now, …It's his life, ..I CAN deal with this. (Pause)… I think. (Pause) Maybe…
Skipper: It's not That….
Marlene: (turns and grabs Skipper by the chest feathers and begins to squeeze.) Would it have been too much for him to find a girl his OWN age? There's got to be somebody in the park, …or maybe a neighboring zoo. Right..? (Pause) This girl is ROBBING the CRADLE, Skipper!
Skipper: (wincing in pain) Let go Marlene! (He grabs her paws and coaxes her to let go) We'll see what comes of things, okay? Let's just find them before they get too far or get themselves into a jam. (Marlene nods and tries to calm herself down. Cut to a row of hedges against the zoo wall not far from the penguin habitat. Two false shrubs in the line of bushes slide sideways on a hidden track revealing a pair of tubes extending down beneath the neighboring sidewalk. A moment later with a reverberating hiss sound two penguins are shot through to about fifteen feet in the air before popping the corks on the soda propulsion system in their flight packs. Private and Elisa spread their wooden wings to gain lift as they begin to accelerate upward and away.)
Elisa: (laughs over the rush of wind as they level out) It's a wonder that nobody ever see's us when we do these things.
Private: Count your blessings, …now bank right and keep a sharp eye out. If they were heading out of the city they would have headed in the direction of the bridges. (The pair alters course and the scene fades back to the H.Q after they return.) No luck, Skipper.
Skipper: (groans) They're quicker than I thought. (Sigh) We don't have a choice now, …Kowalski text the zookeeper and inform him of the situation. (Kowalski salutes and heads to get on the computer) I'm sure he'll be pleased as punch to be woken up just after he went to bed. (Pause) Syron, ..I'll need your help to formulate a plan. We have a search and recovery mission ahead of us. (Pause) …And Rico, …do what you do best! (Rico chuckles to himself as he goes to collect equipment to ingest.)
Private: We have one thing in our favor, Skipper. Thanks to the maps that we found we know what route they're taking and where they're headed.
Meg: (Smirks) That WAS a little convenient wasn't it.
Skipper: Indeed, …Girls we'll need you here. Between the chicks and yourselves there's enough of you to attempt to keep the zoo from noticing that four of us are gone.
Pepper: What about the otters?
Skipper: I don't know, …but the zookeeper can be creative when he wants to be. With Kitsune's help I'm sure they'll come up with something. (Kowalski comes waddling up the stairs) Report Kowalski!
Kowalski: Communications with the zookeeper have been established, Skipper. (Pause) …And he's REALLY ticked off.
Syron: Just like that? That sounds a little extreme for him don't you think?
Kowalski: Not necessarily, ...Kitsune took the QWRTY board from him and commented that we woke him up from one of his nightmares. (Shakes his head) That man must have gone through HELL. (Sighs) Anyway, …we're to meet him tonight when he arrives and he'll discuss any plans with us.
Marlene: What? We have to wait that long before we can go after them?
Skipper: Hey, …that was going to be MY line. ..And what if something happens between now and then?
Kowalski: I only know what I've been told, Skipper.
Skipper: (stares at Kowalski for a moment) You're a soldier, Kowalski. It's the story of your life. (Pats him on the shoulder and then looks about at the others.) All right it's status quoe for now, …I don't like it any more than you do but the zookeeper has done a lot to look out for us so we'll have to trust him.
Private: Might I suggest that we take our positions topside, then? The zoo is due to open any minute now.
Skipper: Agreed. Let's move people! Go…GO! (Marlene heads back to her habitat via the tunnel and the penguins all head topside)
(Cut to somewhere on the NJ turnpike. A blue Mini Cooper speeds down the road at about sixty miles an hour in the far right lane so as to avoid the more aggressive drivers. Yoshi is standing atop of several large books so that she can see over the steering wheel. Loki and Hannibal are working the pedals according to Yoshi's instruction.)
Hannibal: I can't believe that this plan is working. Where are we by the way?
Yoshi: The NJ turnpike, ..coming up on exit seven. …And I'd say that this easy pass thing on the windshield has been a significant factor in our luck so far. Because of it we don't have to stop at the toll booths, we just cruise right on through the automated lanes.
Loki: (grunts as he holds down the gas pedal) That's great and all, ..but is there any chance that Hannibal and I could switch? I'm getting pretty tired here.
Yoshi: (looks about the console) Keep holding the pedal, …I'm going to try this cruise control button. (Presses it) Okay, …now let go. (Loki lets go and the car continues at its current speed.) COOL! You can take five, Loki. This thing has an autopilot for the gas pedal.
Loki: (jumps up onto the seat so he can take a look around) So how long before we have to find ourselves another car?
Yoshi: We're making good time here on the interstate so I was debating whether to chance driving until this thing needs fuel.
Hannibal: You're not worried about the car being reported stolen?
Loki: (looking towards the rear window) Not as much as she should be about this police car closing on us with his lights on.
Yoshi: (looks in the mirror) Oh crap! (Looks worried) Um, ..um, …okay Loki hide under the seat. Hannibal, I'm going to pull to the shoulder. Give me one third brake. (Hannibal presses the pedal and the vehicle slows on the shoulder until it stops. Yoshi puts the car in park and then opens both windows before diving under the seat.) Hannibal, get under here! (Hannibal joins them) Okay if we get a chance where the human isn't looking we haul paws out the passenger window and under the car. We'll have to think on our feet from there. (The officer approaches the car and finds it unoccupied, then walks around the car to get a better look at it and call for backup. When he is turned away the pups do as planned.)
Hannibal: (under the car) So now what do we do?
(The scene cuts to twenty minutes later, the pups are again under way and heading down the turnpike. The police radio can be heard in the background. Loki begins pushing buttons to turn the roof lights off and then looks through the cage separating the front from the back.)
Loki: I never thought my first ride in a police car would be like this.
Yoshi: Don't worry, it won't last long. We have to ditch this thing before the cops find us again.
Loki: (chuckles) What do you think that guys face would have looked like if he'd found out that otters had been driving a car down the turnpike?
Hannibal: Probably about the same if you'd stuck a red hot poker half way up his butt. (Yoshi and Loki chuckle in response. Another car traveling on the pike happened to pull up alongside them in the next lane. In the front seat the two parents appear to be having an argument, …in the back seat is a five year old girl sitting in a booster seat. Yoshi turns to look out the side window and notices the girl with her face pressed against the glass and her eyes open wide. Yoshi, unsure of what to do about it, simply smiles and offers a salute before directing her attention back to driving. The girl does a little wave as her parents gradually accelerate away from the patrol car.)
(Cut to that evening after all of the day time personnel had left for the day. Steve comes by and sits himself down on a bench outside of the penguin habitat and lets out a loud whistle to get everybody's attention. Moments later all of the penguins and the remaining otters emerge from their habitats and join him on the side walk.)
Steve: So nice of everybody to join me here on this uneventful evening.
Private: Uneventful..?
Skipper: Sarcasm private.
Private: Oh, ..right.
Steve: Okay, …Yoshi, Loki, and Hannibal are gone. How and why? (Everybody starts to speak up but are stopped when Steve whistles again)
Private: Does he really need to keep doing that? It hurts my ears.
Steve: I still don't speak animal, people. (Pause) Ming, ..front and center. (Ming cautiously comes forward and looks down) Relax, …you're not in trouble. I need a translator and under the circumstances one word at a time isn't going to cut it. (Pause) No offense intended, Marlene. (Pause) So what do you say, …will you allow me to make use of your newly discovered talent? (Ming doesn't respond for a moment but then nods her head)
Marlene: Talent? What talent?
Ming: (English) I'll do my best sir.
Kowalski: Interesting, …I wonder how she managed to speak human so well.
Skipper: I don't know, …but check into it once we've got the kids back.
Kowalski: Aye, Skipper. (Ming begins to translate for the animals as they speak from this point. The penguins bring Steve up to speed on why the pups left and where they're heading.)
Steve: (Sighs) Wonderful. (Pause) I'd heard about that fire on the news, …if I'd known it was so important to him I would have driven him down there myself.
Ming: (looks sad)(English) This girl must be something if Hannibal was willing to leave me all alone in the middle of the night.
Steve: Love makes you do strange and crazy things, Ming. (Smiles) Look at me, …I married a penguin and had a child with her. (Ming looks up at him and tries to hide a small amount of laughter.) God help me when I have to explain THAT to the kid when she gets older. I have this nightmare where Keiko's in Kindergarten and the kids do one of those "who are your parents and what do they do" presentations. (Pretends to be Keiko using his best little girl voice) My mommy is a samurai penguin who used to chop people's heads off when she got mad. My daddy works for the military and he's in charge of commando penguins who routinely abuse him. (Pause) Thank you!
Skipper: Um, ..right. It sounds like you've got your work cut out for you there, Steve. (Pause) So what's the plan?
Steve: We're going for a drive, ..that's the plan. (Pause) Let me make a phone call first though, …we'll need some reinforcements on this one. (Steve pulls out his encrypted cell phone and walks a few yards away to make a call. Ten minutes later he walks back.) Okay, ..we're good to go. Strangely enough the pups pulled this stunt just as I was starting a weeklong vacation so at least I won't be missed around here. (Sighs) Way to screw that up for me, Kids. (Shakes his head) Kitsune was looking forward to heading to LBI with me for the week. I have a friend who was going to let us use his shore house. (Pause) In the meantime, ..my coverage for the week is Walter. You may have already seen him making his rounds tonight. Thank you very much for not stunning him or worse. (Pause) Syron, …you girls still have my cell number so text me if you hear from anything from of the pups.
Marlene: Wait, …how do we keep the zoo from noticing that the kids are gone?
Steve: I already took care of that, …as far as the zoo records read. I had the pups transferred to a nearby vet facility for quarantine due to possible exposure to an exotic bacterium in the gelatin coating of the vitamins you guys sometimes get. (Pause) I'd heard about a voluntary recall so I went with it. (The animals look back and forth at each other) Alright, …let's not dilly dally any more. It only takes about eighteen hours to get to Florida from here if you drive straight through so with our luck they're more than half way there already.
Marlene: Do you really think they made it that far?
Steve: Well, …if it was the lemurs I'd just assume that they were dead somewhere down the street and write them off from the zoo's registry but since they are who they are and they came from you guys. (Shrugs) I'd give them fairly good odds, yes. (Pause) Penguins, …let's get moving! …And make sure you bring that speak and spell or I'm not going to be able to understand a thing you say. (Skipper, Kowalski, Private, and Rico belly slide toward the main entrance. Steve Walks to the office to acknowledge Walter before following them.)
(The scene cut to the inside of Steve's truck outside of the zoo. The penguins are all sitting on the floor in the back so that they are out of sight. All communications to the zookeeper are now accomplished with the speak and spell.)
Skipper: So who are these reinforcements you mentioned earlier?
Steve: I called up a search and rescue unit in Florida to help recover Hannibal's girlfriend. If she's hurt she may not make it until Hannibal gets to her. (Pause) It's sometimes a GOOD thing to be in command if all the penguin units.
Kowalski: Would this be anybody we know?
Steve: Probably not, ..this is a fairly new unit.
Private: So who are they then?
(The scene snaps to the animal attractions exhibit in Universal Studios. It is dark and the entire area is charred. The only sound comes from burnt up debris that occasionally shifts or crumbles. Minutes pass before the silence is disturbed by a low pitched repeating thump in the air that seems to be getting steadily closer. Once the noise sounds like it is almost on top of the exhibit a searchlight floods the area and a one third scale MH-53 Pave Low stirs up ash and debris as it sets down in the exhibit and then powers down its engines. A moment later a side door slides open and six blue penguins hop out and begin to look around.)
Blue penguin: (Australian accent) Alright guys, …we've got a Sheila otter in here somewhere. Spread out and find her quick and quiet like. (The other five penguins belly slide away in different directions while the commander stays near the chopper looking about with night vision goggles) This place gives me the creeps… (As much as an hour later a call comes over the comm from one of the other penguins stating that she'd found something.) All right, …hold tight. Everybody close in on Babs position to assist. (The penguins move in and begin to clear debris. After a while they manage to uncover four otters, …three males laying over a female. The penguins work to remove more debris and pull the bodies free so they can be checked out. A while later the commander looks for a report) So what's the news, Nigel?
Nigel: (shakes his head) The Sheila's alive, ….but she's in pretty rough shape. It's doubtful if she would have lasted the night if we hadn't found her. (Shrugs) Now, …who knows. Maybe she's got a shot, Digger.
Digger: ..And the others? (Nigel shakes his head)
Nigel: It looks like they bit the dust trying to protect her.
Digger: (sighs) …Bollocks! (Pause) Can we move the Sheila?
Nigel: We don't have much choice, ..she's done if she doesn't get proper care real soon.
Digger: All right, …get her rigged on a stretcher and let move out of here. (Pause) Babs, ..you help him.
Babs: Aye sir! ( A voice comes from one of the other penguins)
Penguin: Contact left! (The penguins turn to see a security guard who was coming to investigate the noises coming from the area. The guard seeing them and their helicopter immediately pulls out a camera phone and begins to take footage.)
Digger: There's our luck for you, …the dingo is probably streaming to you tube or something as we speak. Toby bring the tall boy down!
Toby: (pulls what looks like a cross between a bazooka and a Taser out from somewhere and levels it on his shoulder) Say good night, chum! (He fires and a pair of darts with wires streaming from the weapon hurls towards the guard impaling him and giving him the shock of his life. The guard falls to the ground still twitching.) Let's see the energizer bunny® do THAT!
Digger: Good work, …now let's get this girl moving before she croaks on us. (Pause) Bag the others, we'll bring them with us. …They deserve a proper burial (The penguins make their way back to the chopper with their passenger and cargo, then proceed out of the area before anyone else drops in on them.)
(Cut to wee hours of the morning after having finally reached the park. The pups make their way through the burnt out debris looking for any signs of life.)
Loki: Wow, …it looks like this place was nuked or something.
Yoshi: It's so quiet, ….it gives me the creeps. (They begin to help Hannibal sift through the debris) How many animals lived here?
Hannibal: I'm not sure, …quite a few I think. (Sighs) Everything is burnt up….
Loki: Are we looking in the right spot? (Hannibal nods)
Hannibal: This was their habitat, …even like this I recognize what's left of it. (Begins to shed tears) There's nothing here, …the humans must have recovered their remains. …Or there was nothing left to recover.
Loki: (Places a paw on Hannibal's shoulder) I'm sorry, man. (Hannibal kicks at the debris in anger a few times and then throws a few pieces of debris into the distance.)
Yoshi: Hannibal..? (As he turns to face her she embraces him in a hug ) This trip wasn't for nothing, …at least now you know what happened. We can stay as long as you want.
Hannibal: My heart has a huge hole in it now.
Yoshi: It will heal in time, …I know you don't want to hear this but you'll find somebody again. The world is a big place.
Hannibal: Maybe, ….but nothing is ever as good as the first time it happens to you.
Yoshi: (smiles weakly) I haven't had that experience for myself yet, ..so I can't comment. ( A symphony of high pitched chatter can be heard approaching them from several directions.)
Loki: Oh goody, sounds like company. Just what we need, ..the dead are coming back to get us for disturbing their resting place.
Hannibal: Shut up Loki, …this is no time for jokes! (They begin to shine their flashlights in all directions to discover that they are surrounded by squirrels.) You've got to be kidding.
Yoshi: Did they have squirrels here? (Hannibal shakes his head. A moment later one of the squirrels speaks up.)
Lobster: The boss has been expecting you. (Pause) At least one of you anyway.
Yoshi: (looks about her) That's a LOT of squirrels, Hannibal. (The squirrels begin to close in.)
Squirrel: You're coming with us, …resistance would ill advised.
Hannibal: (Draws both swords and stands ready to fight) We'll see about that.
Loki: Um yea, …what about us? We seem to be experiencing a shortage of weapons here. (Hannibal hands his throwing stars to Loki and Yoshi)
Hannibal: It's all I've got, …I'm not Rico. (The squirrels stop their advance but move together to form a complete circle.)
Squirrel: ACORNS! (The other squirrels all bring out Acorns and hold them in paw standing ready)
Loki: (looks at Hannibal) How fast are you with those things?
Hannibal: (Looks at the squirrels) Not fast enough, I think. (Pause) Any ideas, Yoshi?
Yoshi: Not currently, no. (Pause) This looks like it's going to suck!
Squirrel: LOOSE! (The other squirrels begin bombarding the otters with acorns as the scene fades out)
Chapter three coming soon.
MH-53 Pave Low: Military helicopter used in search and rescue as well as heavy lifting.
Comments and suggestions are always welcome.