"Uncle Nigel…?" Private stuttered. Uncle Nigel was the only one he never minded calling him Mr Tux. It had originally been his nick name, but some kid at school, all he could remember about him was that he came from Amarillo and was an armadillo, had started to use it to tease him. After that he refused to answer to anyone who called him that except Uncle Nigel.

"Detain the weapon!" Mason shouted. Suddenly, three soldiers appeared out of nowhere. Private was snatched from Uncle Nigel's flippers and dragged towards the door. Mason ran over to Nigel, "Don't worry sir, the threat is neutralised. Rest assured that it won't escape again."

"It? He's my nephew!" Nigel exclaimed, furious, "I spent every waking moment of my life since he disappeared searching for him." Mason stumbled backwards in surprise. The rest of the team was pretty surprised too. Private was the nephew of arguably the best spy alive?

"But sir, it was for national security… The QHC-1 were to fall into the hands of the enemy…"

"You took my nephew, and turned him into a weapon?!" Nigel turned to the penguins holding Private, "Release him immediately." The three guards turned to Mason, who nodded grudgingly.

"Sir, yes, sir." They replied in unison, releasing private, who ran over to his uncle.

"Sir, I must insist that the QHC-1 is absolutely vital to…"

"You kidnapped, an from what I've heard in this court room, you then handed him over to an agent suspected of mass murder, who already had a reputation as one of the most successful and brutal leaders in the penguin force, with orders to torture him until he stopped questioning the morality of what you were forcing him to do."

"Sir, perhaps we should talk about this in my office…"

"I'm not leaving my nephew alone with you in control of this facility," Uncle Nigel stood up, "Come on, Tux."

"But…"

"We're leaving, now."

"Well, Skipper, now that X has confessed I think we can get going too." Skipper began to walk towards the door. Mason barred the way.

"Not so fast. We still have some questions for you. You and Rico," he pointed at Kowalski, "escort yourselves out of this building or these gentlemen will."

Nigel started towards the car park, Private doing his best to keep up.

"Come on, Percival." He called behind him when Private had fallen behind.

"Who's Percival, Uncle Nigel?" Private asked. Nigel froze in his tracks.

"Flying flounder…" Nigel stared at Private. He didn't even know his own name, thanks to Mason. He'd probably use the excuse that it was for security, to make sure Tux couldn't give away his family's identities, but Nigel knew better. Mason had done it simply because he could.

"That's your name."

"Percival…" Private mused, "Skippah always called me Private." Nigel wrapped a wing around the younger penguin.

"Tux… I can't believe what they made you go through."

"Skippah's not such a bad person once you get to know him…"

"But, the files said you'd been tortured. Mason said in his report that his lieutenant had told him…" Private smiled.

"K'walski was lying about that. He just had to convince Mason that I didn't need more than one guard. The worst Skippah ever did was give me extra training."

"Extra training?"

"Yes, he was in a bit bad mood after Experimental Station D was, well… He made me do extra training all night, for the next two days. I can understand why he thought I needed some discipline…"

"Extra training?! Private, what Skipper was doing, depriving you of sleep, was well known form of torture. What he was intending to do, was keep you awake, until you broke."

"I don't believe Skippah would ever meant to do that. He apologised afterwards!"

"Private, that was part of it. Have you ever heard of Stockholm syndrome? I won't go into detail, but by showing you what was supposedly an act of kindness, he was insuring your loyalty. Essentially, he didn't need to break you to obtain his objective. Whatever loyalty you feel towards him, it isn't real. He planned it all from the start. Don't you understand? You don't become someone like Skipper unless… unless you're willing to do the unthinkable."

"I don't believe you! It can't be true!"

"Listen to me, Tux. It is true. Look at Kowalski, Skipper recruited him directly after his home and friends were destroyed. He knew that under that much stress, Kowalski wouldn't have time to think over what he was doing and would simply follow blindly. The effect would last even after the danger was over," Percival still wasn't convinced, "Rico, had no contact with any penguin for several months, after being branded a mass murderer. He would join anyone who was willing to accept him."

"I…"

"I'm sorry, Percival. I wish it wasn't true…"

"Excuse me sir, but the QHC will have to come with us." Nigel found his path blocked by two men in dark suits and sunglasses, guns trained on the younger penguin. Tuna! Mason couldn't take Tux in front of all those people, but as soon as he was outside the building… Nigel looked at the two men warily. Alone, he's probably be able to get away, but with Tux…

"Do as they say, Tux." Nigel turned to his nephew, "I…"

"So they took Private too."

"Who are…" Nigel turned around.

"Kowalski, sir. I arranged the meeting." The penguin introduced himself. A few days ago Nigel had received a letter, hand delivered, untraceable. The letter told him that the sender might be able to help get Percival back, and to wait at the snow cone cart closest to the central park zoo.

"So, you're Kowalski. What do you know about my nephew?"

"No more than you, sir. But I want to get private back just as much as you, if there's any way me and Rico can help..."

"What makes you think I need your help?"

"Well, I assumed you'd get him out with your friends in high places, but I'm guessing Mason had friends in higher ones."

"If you're going to try and break him out, they're holding him in Hoboken…"

"Oh proton…" Kowalski gasped. Private wouldn't last ten seconds in Hoboken. Nigel scrutinised him for a few seconds.

"You really do care, don't you?" Nigel asked sceptically.

"He was like a little brother to me," Kowalski picked up his clipboard, "Options, Kowalski. Think of some options…"

"You said they'd taken Private too. Who else is Mason holding?" Nigel interrupted. Kowalski looked up from his clipboard.

"Skipper."

"You said you only wanted to ask a few questions." Skipper stated, "I haven't heard any questions yet, and my hands are getting sore." Skipper looked at his hands, which were bound to the chair.

"Then, it's safe to say, I lied to you." Mason replied.

"In case you fell asleep during the trial, I'm innocent."

"Your lieutenant's performance inspired me, Skipper. Yes you may not have actually destroyed the Temporary Evacuation centre, but you certainly have the potential to do that, and much more, under the influence of the right..."

"You aren't seriously…"

"You will join your little Private in the QHC research centre. The scientists there will prepare you for your first test. Yes, RLEA-2 Prototype, you have great potential."

"Is it something in the water, because all the high ranking officers here seem to be going power mad. And by the way, I already have a code name. I don't need some fancy acronym."

"Despite what you might think, your 'witty repartee' is not amusing."

"Yeah, that was pretty bad," Skipper smiled, "But it makes a decent distraction."