THE PRISON

CHAPTER 7 : Betrayal?


Skipper's body was still weak. His flippers and chest still hurt. He rubbed his eyes and got up to sitting position – which was a wrong decision. He cursed as waves of greater pain hit the burn. But he stayed sitting and leaned to the wall, breathing heavily. The room was so dim this time.

"I've removed the bandage so those bleedings can dry. I also cleaned the burn a little. Looks like the surface already dried, but that doesn't mean your burn is healed yet," said Hans – heard weak – came out from the shadow at the corner of the room while bringing a bowl of three fishes.

"Thanks, Hans," Skipper replied. He took the bowl from Hans, and just then he realized many scars on the puffin's flippers. They were looked new. The next moment, Hans already back to the shadow. "Hans?"

"Yes?"

"What do they want from you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Those scars aren't old."

"Well, the same question they asked to you,"

"How could U.S know about their movements?"

"Correct."

"Actually..." Skipper trailed off. "It's you, right?"

"Yeah, Skipper," Hans answered. "Weeks ago, I could endure the torture to hide that fact. I sent one of my men to meet General Brian. Pitifully, he prefers Blowhole's side and trapped Brian. So the plane, which was also carrying you, went straight to the death. Luckily you're still alive. Anyway, I should still thank him for not telling Blowhole that I'm the traitor. I guess he just doesn't want to see his ex-superior die,"

"So, they still have no idea that you're the U.S source of information?"

"Now they already know,"

"What? How come?"

"I've confessed several hours ago, when you were asleep and they came for me,"

Skipper glared to him and yelled, "Have you lost your mind? They will kill you! Why on earth did you do that?"

"They will not kill me, yet," Hans said, weakly, nearly whispered. "They still need me. Carl asked how much U.S knows by now, but I didn't give him any answer."

Skipper stood up, walked to him. Hans was sitting at the ground, leaning to wall, half unconscious. Blood marks covering his body. Ignoring his own pain, Skipper lifted him and put him on his bed. "Why did you must do that, Hans? And why the heck are you sitting there?"

"Don't worry, I'm used with this kind of torture,"

"You didn't answer my question!" Skipper said loudly, impatient. "Is this a stupid part of your stupid plan to get out of here?"

"Sort of," Hans sighed. "Now I need to sleep,"

Hans closed his eyes. Skipper held back his urge to wake him up and force him to explain that so called 'plan'. With those scars, that puffin needed to recover anyway. Skipper walked back to his own bed, hissed on the sore feeling on his chest, and lie there. He heard Hans started to let out low snores. Skipper looked at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. ...How many times should I teach you before you stop putting yourself in danger?


Having nothing to do, while locked in a small room, is really boring. Skipper tried to sleep too, but he couldn't. He wasn't sleepy. So he just started to map out every possible plan to escape this prison while waiting for his roommate to wake up. But he had no idea about the condition outside this cell, as they always closed his sight whenever they brought him out. So he needed Hans to wake up first and explain it.

He didn't know how long Hans had been sleeping. Maybe only several minutes. Probably hours. But he was sure that it hadn't been more than a day, because the enemy hadn't given them any food yet.

Then the thought hit him. How long had he leaved his team? Blowhole knew that his team is vulnerable without him. What if that evil sea-mammal hurt them? That's his fault. He would never forgive himself if something happen to them. Never. He must get away from here as fast as possible. Skipper sighed and rubbed his head. "I hope, I really hope they're alright... Private... Rico... Kowalski..."

Then another thought came to his mind. This is a prison. There must be many other cells. Why would they put him in the same cell with Hans? They knew that Hans and Skipper are dangerous. Don't they think that putting these men, who both have great commanding-ability, is a big risk? He and Hans could trade intel and information, planning how to escape together –

Damn.

That's their purpose.

Skipper cursed and immediately got up. He hissed on the sudden pain came to his chest but he didn't really mind it. He quickly searched at his pillow and bed, but he found nothing. He continued checking on the walls, then around the room.

Skipper stared the sleeping Hans sharply. Now the only part he hadn't checked yet was Hans' bed – and Hans himself. Anger was raging in him. This puffin, this disgusting puffin, he was so convincing, with those things he did...

Then Skipper remembered about the fishes Hans gave him. He hadn't eaten them yet. Skipper searched around the bowl, but he didn't find what he thought must be there. After it, he started to search in the fishes. Their mouths were empty, so it must be in their stomach. Finally, he found it.

Three small sized bugs. One in each fish.

Skipper squeezed them all hardly with his flipper until they're all broken. Then he looked back to his roommate. So, that's why they put us together... To listen to our conversation...

Skipper sighed heavily. Why didn't he realize it any faster? Why there was no warning from his gut about this? Luckily, there was nothing really worth in their previous conversations. Skipper wanted so much to wake that puffin up and beat him. But, as his body was still need to be rested, Skipper decided to just back to his bed. He would save his power first until Hans wake up. Besides, he will need his body in good condition to battle his way out of here.

And...

Skipper stared Hans. Anger was still burning inside his chest, but... no matter how much he wanted to beat him, his gut now said something completely different...


"Stay behind me, boys," Buck ordered.

They were inside an old, dark, abandoned building now. The top of the building was the crash site of Skipper's plane. Buck climbed up the stairs, sticking in shadow, while Kowalski, Rico, and Private followed him behind.

"Two enemies detected, two o'clock," Kowalski whispered, looking at the heart-beat sensor in his flippers. "Just behind this wall, moving this way,"

"Roger," answered Buck. "Private, you take the other one. On my mark,"

They waited in the shadow on the stair. Two puffins came to their sight and walked down the stair.

"Now."

Buck jumped in sudden and grabbed one puffin then smashed him against the wall. Before he could do something, Buck twisted his neck. While Private hit the other puffin, targeting the back of his neck. The puffin fell unconscious.

"Hide them in shadow," Buck ordered. Rico did so.

"Let's get to the rooftop before they realize us in here. Kowalski, keep watching on your device," said Buck.

"Roger that, Sir,"

They reached the third floor. Buck quickly jumped up the stairs, followed by the others. They got to a door. Buck looked to Kowalski questioningly.

"Clear, Sir."

Buck opened the door. Now they were on the crash site. Not so far in front of them, there was a ruin of the plane. Blood marks were everywhere.

"Oh, God," Private sniffed in horror.

"Rico, Private, you examine the plane. Probably there's something there. Kowalski, keep your eyes on the heart-beat sensor." Buck commanded while walked to the edge of the rooftop. Not far northwards was forest. If the plane condition is like this, it's nearly impossible Skipper could survive while still in there. The possibility, Skipper successfully jumped out of the plane before it hit. Based on the flight route, the plane came from this way... So Skipper must be landed somewhere in the forest. But... where? And where did they bring him to?

"Anything, soldiers?" Buck asked. Rico and Private walked out from the ruined plane. There was clearly a horror and scared expression on Private's face.

"No, Sir, everything... is destroyed," said the youngest penguin.

"SIR!" Kowalski yelled. "We have to move now! Large number of enemies is coming to us!"

Buck slid to Kowalski's side and took a look on the device.

White dots. Moving fast. In the building already. Divided in three groups, ten men in each.

"Great," said Buck. "Rico, binocular!"

Rico coughed one and handed it to Buck. The commander looked on the street and quickly back to them.

"Boys, they're surrounding this place," said Buck. "Prepare yourselves. We'll fight our way out of here."


TO BE CONTINUED