1300 hours (1:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time)
Habitat Cluster Beta
(Kowalski's POV)
Once we returned from the staff area of The Zoo we made a brief trip to check on the dolphins including Doris. Once we were satisfied that their was no lasting emotional or physical damage we returned Habitat Cluster Beta. We decided to cut across the Entrance to the "Jurassic Zoo" area and patrol past The Carousal and The Aquarium. Maybe take a brief lunch break in The Food Truck Lot before checking The Discovery Center, the retail area, The Insect House, The Conservatory, and The Event Pavilion. And then once we quickly check out all those areas we'll head back to the main zoo.
We walked up to a massive billboard for Jurassic Zoo where two pieces of heavy equipment was parked under traps. A massive chainsaw stuck out from under one of the tarps. Rico looked at the large chainsaw-like Boom in jealously.
"No we're not getting you a trencher," Skipper said.
"Aw," Rico said.
"That's an odd thing to keep in the middle of The Zoo," Private said, "The Expansion Construction is finished."
"I don't think those are for construction," Skipper said.
Suddenly the tarps were thrown off revealing two construction vehicles with terrifying saws on the front. And at the controls of the mighty machines were The Chinstrap Sisters. Kara Chinstrap was at the controls of a Wheel Trencher which had a massive rotary saw on the front. Stella was at the controls of a tracked vehicle with a massive chainsaw-like saw on the front.
"Great," Skipper said, "The Attack of The Giant Power Tools."
"Skipper," I said pointing to the vehicle with rotary saw, "that's a Wheel Trencher also known as a Rockwheel which is used for digging trenches."
"And that giant chainsaw on wheels is a Tracked Chain Trencher," I said, "similar to a Micro-trencher, Tractor-mounted Trenchers, Push Trenchers, and their larger cousins The Bucket Wheel Excavator."
"Let me guess Trivia," Skipper said.
"Yup, yup, and Yup," I said.
"He just looked it up on Wikipedia!" Private said glancing at my phone.
"Ha! So you didn't know that!" Skipper said.
"I'm just using my resources Skipper," I said, "I can't know everything!"
"It's you job to know almost everything," Skipper said.
"No it's not actually," I said.
"But aren't you always bragging that you know everything?" Private said.
"Sometimes I need to do some quick research," I said.
"Couldn't you have done that earlier?" Private said.
"Well I didn't know we'll be facing Heavy Equipment today!" I said.
"Except the unexpected Kowalski," Skipper replied.
"Right, so I should have the names of every piece of Heavy Equipment in my head," I said.
"Just in case this happens again yes," Skipper said.
"Do you want me to make a spotters guide too?" I asked sarcastically.
"That would be helpful yes," Skipper sarcastically snapped back.
The Chinstraps activated their respective Saws of Death and started to move towards us. Kara drops the giant spinning saw on the front of her vehicle to the ground and slowly but deliberately moved towards us. A narrow trench is cut into the pavement as she approaches. Stella keeps her massive chainsaw up in the air at the prefect angle to cut us down to size as she speeds her vehicle forward. Hans moves out of nowhere with a Compactor the plow lowered to the ground.
"Skipper!" Hans shouted donning a hardhat, "You just messed with the wrong Bulldozer!"
"Uh...that's a Trash Compactor," I said, "Also known as a Trench Compactor...or simply a Compactor."
"What?" I said, "I have too much trivia in here!"
"Like did you know that Fruit Cake is..."
"The worst gift ever," Skipper cut me off, "Yes!"
"That wasn't what I was going to..."
"Battle now insightful trivia later!" Skipper said.
"Later as in we'll have Trivia Night tonight or later as in some time in the next couple weeks," I said.
"Later as in shut up and fight!" Skipper said.
"We can't fight powerful super chainsaws," I said.
Rico hacked up a chainsaw, "I doubt a hand-held chainsaw is going to do us much good," I said.
"But," Rico said.
"You want to lose you favorite chainsaw," I said, "Go right ahead..."
"Aw," Rico said putting it away.
"So what are our option," Skipper said.
"Get sliced, Get diced, or get Run over and compacted, "I said, "Or, and this the best option. RUN!"
"FALL BACK!" Skipper screamed as the three machines chased us.
"Run! Run like the wind!" Kara said.
"Or slide!" Stella said.
"Run like your lives depend on it," Hans said, "Because they totally do!"
Rico fires off a rocket launcher destroying Hans' machine, "NOT FAIR!" Hans screamed as he flew away.
Rico lingered a little too long and his Rocket Launcher got shredded by the Giant Chainsaw as Rico heard the spinning rotary saw getting closer. Rico ditched the bazooka and ran off before his face gets shredded. Rico looks back for a second to mourn the destroyed bazooka before joining us in fleeing.
Rico lobbed a grenade at the rotary saw which was harmlessly flung away. We all duck as a wall exploded. We continue to run as the Trenchers got closer. Kara raised the still spinning saw to our face level as she sped up. Stella had surged ahead and was digging a trench in view of The Carousal. Stella then lifted her machine's giant chainsaw and speed away. She then turned and resumed the chase.
Rico hacked up his spare bazooka and blasted the ground next to Kara's Wheel Trencher. The explosion caused Kara to turn suddenly. She smashed into a wall the rotary saw forming massive scrap marks on the wall. The machine slammed into a wall, Kara tried to shut off the saw but it was too late. The saw smashed into the wall and got it's teeth stuck in the thick brick wall. The rouge penguin tried to back up but found herself stuck fast. She shut off the engine and slammed her fists on her steering wheel.
She undid her belt and jumped out of the machine. She went to grab the triple barrel laser weapon strapped to her back. There was a click as Petunia pointed her crossbow at her.
"You fool," Kara said, "Playing hero now are we?"
"Keep your flippers where I can see them," The possum replied.
Stella was stilling chasing us with the Tracked Trencher's giant chainsaw. We could feel the breeze from the saw as a buzzing reached our ears. We turned to see a deadly conveyor of metal teeth as the saw went around and around. The rumbling sound of the track treads and the grinding of gears didn't help much either.
"Prepare to face The Jaws of Death!" Stella screamed.
Stella was closing in went suddenly one of her machine's tires exploded and the machine turned oddly and smashed through the glass of The Carousal building. Stella shut off her giant chainsaw and jumped out as The Trencher screeches to a stop mere inches from The Carousal. The Trencher managed to obliterate a painted zebra before finally grinding to a halt.
"I'm out," Stella said.
She rushed off to her sister and punched Petunia sending her flipping to the ground. She made sure to render the crossbow useless with a stomp. She then blasted the drone and was coming to the possum's aid with her dual laser weapon. We dusted ourselves off and then helped Petunia back to her feet.
"Need to keep a better hold on my crossbows," Petunia said.
Rico hacked up another sturdier Cross-bow and handed it to the possum, "Thank you," She replied.
There was a whoosh as a Cross-bolt few over The Chinstraps heads, "We'll be back!" Stella shouted.
"We're counting on it," I replied.
"Well at least we got out unscathed," Skipper said.
"I wish we could say the same about..." Private said pointing to the devastated Carousal Pavilion.
The Wheel Trencher was embedded in the wall of the building. The Trash Compactor was driver-less and wandering around until it smashed through a wall and stopped dead as it smashed the ride's controls. The Chain Trencher was on it's side and smashed through the front of the building. And one of the painted wooden animals was completely destroyed.
Suddenly the Wheel Trencher reactivated and broke through the wall as the rotary saw cut into The Carousal. The Chain Trencher's saw also reactivated and obliterated several more painted animals and some supports. Rico fired his bazooka destroying both saws but the damage was done. The Carousal collapsed in a cloud of dust and splinters as the organ music died and lights flicked off.
"Well that looks expensive," I said.
"Could this get any worst?" Private said.
Suddenly X walked out of a public bathroom whistling. X's happy mood is broken when he sees the devastated Carousal.
"What the?" X said.
X turned and saw the five of us standing next to the devastation and the crashed machines. I saw the gears turning and the smoke come out of his ears. I took one look at his face and saw the realization dawn on his face as he put two and two together and came to the wrong conclusion.
"Penguins!" X said, "And Possum."
"Oh no," Petunia said, "Not him!"
We all look at Petunia in shock, "What? I had a few runs in with him during his Animal Control days..."
"So this..." Petunia said gesturing to the ruins of The Carousal.
"Is the latest in a long line of jobs," I said, "and we know that because..."
"We ruined most of them," Private said.
"Yeah," I said.
"You thought you could destroy a kiddie ride?" X said as he pulled out his electric baton, "Well it must be my lucky Christmas."
"Oh no," I said.
"Here comes the one-liner," Skipper groaned.
"Welcome to The X Family Carnival!" X said, "Where the rides put you in eXcruciating pain!"
"Does he usually emphasize the X?" Petunia asked.
"Lately," I said, "yes."
"RUN!" Skipper said, "AGAIN!"
With that we ran off well X just stood there, "And also Merry X-mas Penguins!"
"Now let's give you your coal," X said(Dramatic Officer X music plays), "so you can warm yourselves under the flaming fires of justice! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
(end of chapter nine)