Author's Note: My god, over 100 reviews. Thank you all so much. And now for the next thrilling chapter of R.O.E.
Chapter 35: Flipper and Wing
Marty quickly ran to Alex's side.
The boy shot another bullet. It missed.
Anxious to know what had happened, Skipper was the next to go through the gates. His eyes went from the boat, to Alex, and then to the boy. Still wielding his katana, Skipper charged towards the smaller boat with fire in his eyes.
In a flurry of realization the Melman, Gloria, and Julien gazed upon Alex's downed form. They quickly rushed to his aid.
The penguins followed Skipper to the neighboring ship. Skipper leapt onto the boat with the accuracy of a ninja. He stared at the trembling boy, and flashed his sword. The man quickly retreated into the cabin with fear, but the boy remained.
The frightened boy didn't know what to do. Skipper intended him to back away in fright, but it was not so. The boy instead lifted his rifle again and tightened his grip on the trigger.
Skipper took a moment, wondering what he should do. Then the only solution came in his head. He lowered his sword to his side and stood up straight. And there they stood, the brave penguin at gunpoint of a young child. Quietly Skipper whispered, "For Alex..."
"NO!" Private yelled, as the three penguins grabbed hold of Skipper, pulling him back down to the dock. The rifle fired again and hit the spot where Skipper had been standing just moments before.
Meanwhile, Marty had secured Alex onto his back.
"Let's get out of here!" Melman yelled.
Everything felt distant... blurred... rushed... how could this be happening?
The nine ran back to the wooden gate.
The boy fired once more, the bullet splintered the wooden dock just a foot from Melman's hoof.
Finally they were on the other side of the concrete wall, having nowhere else to go they hurried into the bus.
"We have to leave!" Skipper told them while prying open the bus door with his sword.
They quickly loaded onto the bus. Skipper made hasty instructions, he would take the wheel and Rico would take the pedals. Skipper also worked out a foot code to tell Rico which pedals to use. Tapped by the left foot is brake, and the right food is gas. The penguin tampered with the wires and the bus started once more with an explosive crack.
Marty laid Alex's unconscious body down in the center aisle on his back; the others crowded around.
Gloria buried her head in Melman's shoulder and sobbed.
Melman comforted her, while choking up as well.
The bus was now out of the parking lot and heading down the street.
Marty held his hoof against Alex's chest, awaiting a pulse.
...nothing...
Julien whispered, "Mr. Alex..."
Passionate tears began pouring from the zebra's eyes, "C'mon Alex! Come back!"
The wait continued.
Skipper muttered to himself, "C'mon Lion, you can make it..."
"Please Alex," Marty cried, "Don't go anywhere where I can't be with you..."
At last he felt the beat of Alex's heart. Marty closed his eyes in relief, but nevertheless his unconscious friend was still in danger.
Marty informed the others, "He's got a pulse," he sobbed, "but it's very slow."
"What's wrong with him?" Julien asked starting to tear as well.
Having an extensive knowledge of anatomy, Melman examined the lion. He then flipped Alex onto his side. Silently and slowly, Melman shook his head, "The bullet has an entry and an exit wound, the exit wound the worst. He also has a broken ankle from the fall, it's already swelling up," he gazed at the others, "We need a first aid kit, or a shirt or something. He's bleeding to death!"
"Kowalski!" Skipper called out, "Above me theirs a steel grey compartment. If this bus is up to regulation, their's a first aid kit inside. Get moving!"
"Yes, sir!" Kowalski leapt up and opened the compartment. Sure enough a white plastic briefcase with a red cross was inside. He grabbed it and took it to Melman. The giraffe opened the kit and gazed at it's contents. First, he took a bundle of gauze. "Marty!" he instructed, "Lift Alex up."
Marty complied. The zebra's whole body was shaking in fear, but he still managed to lift his friend.
Melman tightly wrapped the gauze around Alex's abdomen encompassing the two wounds. There had to be enough pressure to stop the bleeding. Once Melman was satisfied, he then instructed, "Ok, Marty. You can put him down now."
Marty gently laid Alex down on his back once more. The lion was still without movement.
Melman then fashioned a splint around Alex's ankle.
Distraught, Marty gazed up at the giraffe, "Is he going to be okay now?"
A silver tear fell from Melman's cheek. He took a pause. The words came slowly, but they were the best he could come up with, "I don't know..."
These words hurt Marty, tormented him. He even began to hate Melman, simply for telling the truth. This shouldn't be happening, this can't be happening. Alex and him were friends forever, and nothing was meant to change that. He felt a heavy weight in his chest as he cried silently over his friend's body.
Melman continued, "If the bullet hit any of Alex's organs... but it could have missed and gone right through... I just don't know..."
"We have to help him more!" Marty demanded, beginning to get hysterical and panicked. Gloria gazed at Marty with sad eyes. Julien stroked Alex's head.
Marty rushed to the front of the bus. "Skipper!" he shouted, "We have to take Alex to a hospital!"
Skipper shook his head, "Marty I can't."
"Why not!"
Skipper explained with a now impatient tone, "Marty, if we take him to get treated then we'll be taken away! After he's healed they'll take him back to the wild and we will never find him!"
Marty took a while to process the information. He swallowed and answered, "...if it means saving Alex's life..."
"Marty no!" Skipper retaliated trying to concentrate on the road, "How would you feel to wake up without your friends, and then be taken to someplace where you don't have any idea how to live! We can't do that to Alex."
Marty sobbed, "Then what are we going to do?"
Skipper answered, "We're going back to New York where Alex belongs. There are better doctors there, and they know he belongs to the Central Park Zoo."
Melman added, "No! It takes days to get to New York by ship!"
"We're not going by ship!" Skipper answered.
The others stared at him in wonderment of his recent statement.
Skipper continued, "We're going by plane."
The bus now entered a parking lot of the Mombasa International Airport. Skipper then made the motion to park. The bus finally came to a stop. Skipper disconnected the wires. BANG! Smoke emitted from the bottom of the bus.
"Well," Skipper informed them, "It looks like this vehicle's had it." And he was correct. It seems that hot-wiring, improper fuel, and a crash landing on the edge of a ravine took it's toll on the stolen bus.
"We have to get moving!" Marty hurried them.
Skipper nodded, "Right. Let's go."
Once more, Marty secured his friend comfortably on his back. Skipper left the driver's seat and grabbed his sword. The animals stepped outside the broken vehicle, waving the clouds of smoke away. Julien scurried to the top of Melman's head in an attempt to escape the fumes; It was no use, the smoke simply rose up and followed him. Finally the smoke rose above them.
They stood in front of an old, rusted, chain gate with barbed wire at the top. The sun had completely set by now and the only bright light came from the blue runway lights just beyond the gate. Billions of stars littered the dark skies. Marty looked at them forlornly. He's going to miss looking at the stars... with Alex...
"Pardon me for asking," Julien coughed from the remaining smoke. He started up again, "but what's the plan?"
Skipper thought quickly. "Back up!" he shouted bringing the katana above his head. They quickly did so. With a flash of sparks a round section of the gate fell to the ground. He then handed his sword to Rico, who put it away. "Let's go," Skipper instructed.
The nine entered into the vast runway area.
Melman inquired, "What now, Skipp-" The blast of a jet taking off silenced the giraffe.
"Enough exposition," Skipper emoted, "just follow me."
Alex groaned from atop Marty's back. The zebra looked back hopefully, but alas he was unconscious once more. Marty was ready to continue forward but Alex then coughed. Blood splattered the corners of Alex's mouth.
Melman looked back at the injured lion. This was not a good sign. Bleeding at the mouth is a clear symptom of internal damage.
Marty viewed the look on Melman's face. This alone told him what was happening. Marty shut his eyes tight feeling the hammer at his heart. Why wouldn't this end?
They were approaching a row of hangars. A few were open, each harbouring two planes. But, which one to enter?
Skipper then spotted a conveyor belt with a long line of luggage riding it's platforms left to right. It curved forward between an inverted corner of two buildings. On the face of the left, several doors and windows. However the building on the right was very plain and militaristic. The pieces all fell into place in Skipper's mind, the left was open to the public, it must be for tickets, luggage, and boarding. The dull building on the right began the row of hangars. The luggage was being transported from boarding to the several hangars to be put on their respective jets. And then the plan was assembled.
Skipper led them to the inverted corner. "Alright, you all stay here. I'll go in and find out which plane will take us where we want to go."
Skipper proceeded to climb on the belt, but a flipper suddenly stopped him. It was Kowalski.
Skipper turned frustratedly, "What is it, Kowalski?"
"With all due respect, I can't let you go alone." Kowalski told him.
Skipper tried once more to leave, put he was stopped again. Now, he was getting impatient, "For god's sake why not!"
Private answer, "We're penguins-"
"So what?" Skipper retaliated.
"Let me finish," Private answered, "We're penguins...and penguins never swim alone..."
Skipper's expression softened.
"We're a team, sir," Kowalski added, "A well-oiled machine."
Rico nodded in agreement.
The leader penguin smiled softly. "Alright then," Skipper's voice became stern again, "Let's be quick about it, Alex needs us!" He turned to the zoosters, "Stay here, and keep out of sight," he began to leave once more but halted himself and turned to face Marty, "...take care of Alex, Marty."
"I will," the zebra nodded. The four penguins jumped onto the conveyor belt. As the penguins disappeared from sight, Melman, Gloria, Julien, and Melman backed into a shaded corner.
The penguins went through the row of rubber flaps into a long dark tunnel, going against the flow of the belt. Rico stumbled into a suitcase. Skipper whispered, "We must be stealthy, now." A light was now appearing, reflecting off the silver steel corridors the surrounded the belt. The light drew closer.
The penguins readied themselves.
They then went through another set of rubber flaps. Simultaneously, they quickly leapt onto the blue industrial carpet below. They were behind a row of white counters; attending each was a clerk for the various airlines of the Mombasa International Airport. Private whispered to his leader, "What are we supposed to do?"
Skipper whispered back, "Find a computer, and a direct flight to New York City."
Kowalski questioned, "What if there are no flights to New York City?"
Skipper sighed, "Then our friend, Alex is in serious trouble."
Suddenly, Rico pointed in front of them.
Private interpreted his actions, "Look, that man just left his computer."
Sure enough, one of the pristine white counters was now empty, but the surrounding ones were not.
"How are we going to get to it without being seen?" Private pondered.
Rico made karate chopping motions.
"No," their leader answered, "There's people everywhere, we can't go disabling airport personnel."
"Sir," Kowalski presented himself, "Then what are we going to do?"
Skipper pondered this for a moment. Then the answer came quite simply. He turned to the others with a smirk on his face, "We assume they won't take a second glance."
They didn't understand at first, but the meaning soon became apparent.
Skipper briefed them, "We have to be fast and accurate. Rico, you'll be the base, and I'll be the tower. Kowalski! Private! You stay on either side as a look-out for second glances!"
The other three nodded in unison.
"Let's go!" Skipper led them. With a quick dash, the four rushed past the working people towards the empty counter.
A few turned to see the disturbance... impossible... they simply turned away and continued to work.
The penguins had arrived. Rico stationed himself directly under the computer. Kowalski and Private assumed either side of him. With a swift leap, Skipper mounted the top of Rico's head facing the airport computer.
Hurriedly he read the screen. Everything was in three languages, displayed left to right: French, English, and another that he couldn't recognize.
It was very difficult for him, Skipper had never been able to read very well. But Alex was counting on him.
He scrolled down the list of flights.
More and more people saw them. Luckily, Skipper's theory remained true. All took the sighting as work-stress, or simply temporary insanity.
Skipper continued down the list. To Heathrow. To Paris. To Bali. To Bangkok. To L.A. 'Dammit! Where's New York!' the penguin became increasingly nervous, growing aware off the number of people seeing him. To Tokyo. To Mexico City. To Albany. 'Not close enough!' Skipper went down the list faster and faster. To Berlin. To New York City!... already departed. The search continued.
Suddenly, Kowalski shouted, "We have a second-looker!"
"Hoover Dam!" Skipper cursed. He couldn't stop now. He didn't care if all the police in the world came at him. A dear friend's life was on the line.
Skipper continued down the list.
"She's telling the person next to her!" Kowalski reported.
Skipper was now speeding down the list, despite his inefficiency in reading.
Kowalski added, "We have two second-lookers."
Still he poured down the massive number of flights.
Kowalski continued, "They're now holding up walkie-talkies! I think they're calling security!"
"I found it!" Skipper shouted triumphantly, "Hangar eleven in ten minutes!"
"Back to the runway!" Private reported. The four black-and-white blurs were on the conveyor belt and and out of sight.
The security personnel at last arrived. Two tall men in navy blue uniforms, darker than their skin. Then, the two 'second-lookers' described what they had witnessed. The security guards took a moment to process the information... and laughed.
Skipper and the others emerged outside once more.
"Have we got a plane?" Gloria questioned.
"Yes," Skipper answered, "Direct to New York City. It's a cargo flight which should work to our advantage. The less people, the better."
"Hurry," Julien urged them, "Alex isn't looking to good."
"Alright," Skipper obliged, "To hangar eleven! Follow me!"
The animals now scrambled down the long line of hangars. They ascended in numerical order. Marty kept with the pace, despite Alex on his back. He was not nearly as strong as Alex, but was he ever determined. Marty took a moment of reflection: This moment was so very reminiscent of that incident on Madagascar. But it was Alex carrying him, and it really wasn't all that big a deal in the long run. Marty was fine in a few days. But this... this felt different...stronger... was Alex going to die? The possibility seemed more likely by the second. Marty muttered to himself, "Hang in there, Al..."
At last they reached the eleventh hangar, unspotted by human eye. They halted before the enormous, folding, tin hangar door, shut tight. The silver door would only lift when the plane was going in or out. They needed another way in. They glanced around for an entrance.
"There!" Julien pointed out. On the left side of the plane's door was a small, human sized, security door. It was made with thick steel and had no glass: maximum security. They scrambled to their potential entrance. Julien, being the only one with thumbs, leapt upon Skipper's head and tried to turn the door's handle.
"It's no use," Julien grunted still fiddling with the door, "It's locked tight."
"Hmm..." Skipper rubbed his chin. On the right side of a door was a key pad. "Kowalski!" Skipper called, "It's a combination lock!"
"I'll see if I can decode it, sir!" Kowalski saluted. He then replaced Julien's spot on Skipper's head. Skipper was starting to get a migrane.
Marty couldn't help but notice that Alex was growing colder.
"Let's see..." the Kowalski said to himself, "It's readily accessible to all staff so it'll be something simple... It's a 4000 model so it has 4 digits... Aha!" Kowalski punched in the numbers: '1', '2', '3', '4'.
With clicking metal, the door unlocked. Kowalski turned the handle and cracked open the door before leaping back to the ground.
Skipper wedged his foot inside the door's path to prevent it from closing. "Troops, we're heading in again. Operation 'Clean-up'," he explained, "You five stay out here and keep the door open. We'll clear the hangar of human eyes and prepare our boarding," he turned to his followers once more, "Disabling is our primary defense at this time."
And they were off once more.
The four penguins entered the hangar and backed into a corner avoiding sight. Smooth cold concrete floors lined wall to wall with rougher concrete walls painted with yellow and black stripes illuminated by industrial lighting and a sky roof showing the many stars. Bordering the walls were large wooden crates filled with an assortment of aeronautic machinery; many of them were empty. In the hangar were two planes both were painted bright blue. They weren't exceedingly huge, but plenty large enough to fit all of them inside. The plane on the left had an active movable conveyor belt attached to it. Three men dressed in tan jumpsuits were loading large cardboard boxes onto the belt, taking them up into the plane's cargo hold. The pilots, dressed in sky-blue, were already secured inside the cockpit. No sign of any passengers; this flight was purely for export. Once the cargo is loaded they will be ready to go. Skipper had to think fast, which luckily was one of his attributes.
"When they put the last box on the belt," Skipper explained, "We disable the three loading men and hide them until they awake. On the bottom of that conveyor belt theres a green button. I'm assuming this sends a signal to the pilots giving the 'all-clear'. We get everyone in the cargo hold, close the door, move the belt, and press the green button. Then we should be all set."
"We have to hurry," Kowalski informed, "They're already running out of boxes."
Finally the last box was put onto the belt. The penguins attacked swiftly and tactfully. They were dragging the bodies to be hidden when a sudden glitch was thrown into their plan.
A man entered from the hangar beside them, also dressed in a tan jumpsuit. He looked rather casual... that is, until he spotted the penguins. The man's eyes widened in terror. After all, it's not everyday one sees penguins shoving the unconscious bodies of fellow coworkers into wooden crates... The man slowly reached for his walkie-talkie, his hand trembling greatly.
"Heeya!" The man never had a chance. Private had met him with a gut wrenching kick to the stomach. Eyes rolling into the back of his head, the man passed out from pain. The man shared a crate with his coworkers, now.
With a roar, the jet's turbines started up. The pilots were losing patience.
"Private!" Skipper shouted above the noise, "Go get the others in here! We need to go!"
Private scuttled out the metal door, kept open by Melman's neck.
Skipper, Rico, and Kowalski positioned themselves at the bottom of the conveyor belt. The zoosters now entered.
The sound of the turbines grew increasingly louder and more menacing. A high pitched whine joined the metallic grinding to make a truly unpleasant sound.
"Move it!" Skipper shouted.
Marty, carrying Alex, of course went first, hurrying up the thin conveyor belt to the cargo door. Once inside, Marty quickly found the most comfortable spot and gently put Alex down.
After Marty came Melman. On his back was Julien. Melman wobbled as he ascended the thin, moving catwalk. On the way up he nearly fell, but recovered quickly. He had to bend his head extremely low to fit through the door, but managed to in the end.
Next was Gloria. She ran up the belt as quickly as she could, she didn't want a second with Alex out of her sight.
"You next, Private," Skipper ordered.
Private nodded and was next. Rico and Kowalski followed.
Once at the top Private looked back. He shouted over the turbines, "C'mon Skipper! What are you waiting for?"
The penguin looked up at him with weary eyes. "I'm sorry Private..." Skipper said, "...but someone has to press the button... and there's no way I can clear this thing and get onto that plane..."
The painful reality began to sink in. Private shook his head, "no...NO!"
The others crowded back around the door trying to see what was happening, with the exception of Alex.
They saw Skipper, standing there, with pain in his eyes, but determination in his actions. They all understood what was happening.
Skipper addressed them, "Private, Rico, Kowalski. You have been truly the greatest heroes I've ever had the privilege to work with..."
"Skipper..." Kowalski whispered.
Rico shook his head. He wanted it to stop.
Skipper continued, "And for the rest of you, I couldn't have asked for better friends and companions. Thank you all for the time you have shared with me. I wish I could share more, but this is the only way..."
Skipper's flippers hovered over the belt's controls and the green button. "Good luck to you all and especially to Alex. I've grown quite fond of that cat, so keep him safe."
Skipper pressed a black button. The door to the cargo hold closed shut.
He then backed the conveyor belt clear of the plane.
"Goodbye..." Skipper whispered as he pressed the green button.
The large folding hangar door opened, and the plane rolled out onto the lit runway.
Skipper watched as the plane increased it's speed and finally launched into the air, off to New York City...