It didn't take long for Antonio and the other pups to figure out if the ocean liner they were exploring was inhabited or not.
Michela struggled and squirmed within the grasp of the killer whale that had grabbed her. The leader of the rogue sharks grinned as he watched his group of rogues tie up the other pups. He nodded in satisfaction that Antonio and the other boys were at least out of the way before turning his attention to the killer whale who had Michela.
"Well, well, well" he said, sounding interested as he glided up with his fins behind his back. "and what would a delicate little lady like yourself be doing hanging out with all these boys?" he questioned interestedly, as if he were merely making conversation with the neighbor kids, as he indicated the other pups who were tied up.
Michela squirmed some more in the whale's grasp but chose not to answer. "Somethin' the matter, sweet pea?" the rogue leader questioned casually as he raised an eyebrow at the pup's constant squirming. Michela was silent for bit, but then finally responded with, "I didn't know you had a whale".
The rogue leader laughed an amused laugh, "Why certainly we've got ourselves some insurance" he said, indicating the killer whale that had Michela trapped. He turned to look at both Michela and the other pups as he continued, "Why, if I'm not mistaken, you kids should know all about persuasive advantages, your daddy's all work for Don Lino's gang don't they?" he questioned.
"What?!" one of the pups exclaimed, he narrowed his eyes, "How would you know that?!" he asked. The leader smirked, "The cocky one over there gave it away when he said his pop had connections that would make us pay". All the other pups who were tied up with Antonio gave the boy a hard look. "Connections?!" one of them spat. Antonio glanced at them, looking ashamed and embarrassed, "What? I thought it was a harmless, general comment".
"A little investigationary searching here and there while in town, and bada bing bada boom, we had it!" the rogue leader continued, "You all apparently flock together because your dad's all have the same company insurance".
Antonio struggled against the rope that bound him and the other pups together as he glared at the rogue leader, "So you know who we are, big deal! That still doesn't explain why you'd kidnapped us!". The rogue leader looked both incredulous and amused, "Kidnap you?!" he said, "if I'm not mistaken, we were just minding our own business right here when you little shrimps barged in on us".
"Little shrimps!" Antonio exclaimed. As far as he was concerned, that was an insult that hit way below the belt to be directed at shark pups. The rogue leader paid no attention though to the insulted little pup as he suddenly swam right up next to Antonio and the boys.
"Now then, why would the very pups of Don Lino's gang be spying on us unless they were gonna go tell there daddy's something about our location and where we are so that they could come chase us out!" the leader continued. "We're not spying anything!" Antonio declared. He then spat at the ground right below the rogue leaders feet.
The other pups all looked shocked and worried at Antonio's action. The rogue leader looked from the ground where the spit had landed and slowly turned a glare up to Antonio. The pup returned the glare with a look that was anything but sorry for his action.
"Please" Michela said from where she was still trapped by the killer whale, "We weren't meaning to spy at all. We were merely exploring and thought this liner was abandoned". The rogue leader turned to regard the girl pup. "and we aren't going to tell our dads anything" Michela finished, "honest".
The leader regarded Michela for a bit more before turning back to Antonio and the others, "Well, at least the little lady has some manners" he said to the pups, looking more to Antonio as he said it. "and because she asked so nice, even when I've got her restrained by my muscle power, perhaps I can deliberate--".
Just then another of the rogue sharks burst into the room. "Sir! Don Lino and his gang are here!" he exclaimed. Both the rogues and the pups looked shocked. "they already beat past the guards and he told us he wishes to speak with you, now!". the other rogues in the room turned to their leader, all with their own thoughts on what he would say next.
The leader thought for a moment and then turned to the pups, thinking about what Michela last said about them just exploring. He turned back to the shark. "Did he give any indication as to why he's here?" he asked. The shark who had delivered the message looked a little confused that the leader had even asked, but shook his head, "Not really sir" he responded, "he said some stuff that we've already heard many times about our being in the wrong territory--".
The rogue leader nodded, "but that's all he mentioned" he said out loud, almost to himself. The messenger nodded. The leader turned his gaze back to the pups once more before nodding to himself. He turned to Michela, "Well now miss, if what you've told us is true, then we've apparently got a bargaining angle that Don Lino knows nothing about" he said, half reciting the plan to himself, "Could be a great advantage".
He turned to the other rogues in the room, "Stay here and guard the kids" he commanded, "if they are needed throughout the course of our debate I'll let you know". The rogues in the room all nodded. The leader followed the messenger shark out to the other room where Don Lino and his gang awaited, unaware of the pawn which the rogues now held.