Hey, mates! Good to know that you like the idea of making a sequel That surely gives me much courage to continue the story. I have to make one thing clear tough: Rico, Private and Kowalski may not remember exactly what had really happened but they've got this feeling deep down inside them that they've been seriously hurt and that it was all Skipper's job… which accounts for their unfriendly and unsympathetic attitude towards their leader. And of course, the influence of bad forces also has a lot to answer for. Okay, that's it.

Enjoy!

Chapter two: Team's Grudge

Skipper sneaked to his HQ at three o'clock p.m. His cheek was still all sore and swollen. He could feel pain pulsing in his veins. He tried to ignore it and cuddled himself in his bedsheets, making the most of himself to forget about the wound, to fall asleep as fast as possible. He heard Private's, Rico's and Kowalski's regular breaths. The whole room was dead silent.

He kept rolling to and fro in his bed, reliving his dialogue with Marlene. Her eyes.. he'd never seen her acting so rude and aggressive towards him. She'd never ever use brute force against any of her friends. It was not in her nature.

"What gave her the reason to act like this?"

He closed his eyes and let out a deep, painful sigh. Several seconds later, everything faded into black. He saw Mrs Jenkin's tree hall. It was very untidy and messy, pieces of glasses were wallowing on the floor, one of the chair was lying on the carpet. Somebody was crying his eyes out. He could hear someone's painful sobbing. Was it a boy or girl? He found it really hard to distinguish.

He woke up at six o'clock a.m. The rest of the team was still asleep but he decided to give them one more hour. But the time passed by, and the penguins wouldn't wake. Skipper jumped down on the ground and waddled up towards Private's bunk.

"Hey, soldier. It's time to get up" he whispered softly. He received an angry moan for an answer. Private rolled over in his bed and burrowed his head in the pillow.

"Just five more minutes, okay?" he muttered with annoyance. "I don't feel good. My head pounds like crazy".

"You've got a headache?" asked Skipper with concern.

"Neeh.. just go away!" uttered Private without even opening his eyes.

Skipper stepped back, slightly astonished. Private always used to be very itchy when being taken down with a disease. But there was something else that made him worry. Kowalski woke up two minutes later and let out a loud yawn. He seemed to be totally nonplussed with the fact that his leader was already on his feet. Just like Rico. Both of them were very clumsy while preparing the breakfast. Kowalski dropped the cup on the ground and spilt his drink all over the floor.

"Guys, you're okay? Asked Skipper, watching over his team mates with a worried look.

"No, we're not.." mumbled Kowalski, rubbing the back of his head dreamily. "I was wondering.. If we could take a day off. I guess it would do well for all three of us."

"Sure" agreed Skipper without hesitation. They obviously needed some rest. They were all sore and pale. Rico kept rubbing his left flipper, painful grimace plastered on his beak, Kowalski would massage his hip every once in a while.

"How about we get some Snowcones, ey?" proposed Kowalski right after they were finished with breakfast.

"Sounds like a good idea!" applauded Private and Rico nodded his head with alacrity.

Skipper stole a quick glance at Kowalski. None of them would address even a single world to their leader, while discussing their trip to Snowcone Shop. Soon, all threesome made their way towards the ladder. Skipper followed them immediately. Kowalski stopped, turned around and sent him a strange look.

"Erm.. Skipper.." he said. "Would you mind if we..em.. went out alone… that is.. without you.. just this once?"

Skipper froze for a while, disbelieving in what the'd just heard.

"Is there some kind of a problem, guys?" he asked.

"No, we don't have any problems, I've just asked you" said Kowalski, note of impatience ringing in his tone.

"Okay, then"… said Skipper submissively and sat slowly at the edge of his bunk. "I will wait then". He felt a strong wave of pain overtaking the left part of his skull. He didn't feel like arguing any longer.

"Thank you" uttered Kowalski and made his way up the ladder. Skipper would sit in his bunk for half an hour, fidgeting nervously with his flippers. The pain in the head wouldn't go away. The way Kowalski had spoken to him troubled him immensely. What was this all about? Was it some sort of a secret they didn't feel like sharing with him?

They came back after an hour, enjoying their extra portions of Snowcones.

"Oh, by the way, Skipper. We've met Marlene on our way home" said Kowalski fuzzily.

"She says you're a sucker" added up Private before taking another bite of his banana-cherry Snowcone.

Skipper goggled his eyes out and felt his heart freeze.

"Seems like's she's going to have a quiet chat with Burt tonight" exclaimed Kowalski out of nowhere and giggled menacingly.

"Oh heck yeah" said Private.

"I would be extremely precautions if I were you, Skipper" said Kowalski. "The peanut-loving guy has already found about everything.

"I have no clue what are you guys talking about!" cried the leader Penguin. He took Private by arms and shook him gently. "Tell me, what is it!"

"Geroff me!" said Private and squirmed away from his touch. Skipper was too shocked with their behavior to come up with another reply.

They locked themselves up in Kowalski's lab for the rest of the day and played PenguinMacho2 up untill late in the night. Skipper was taken down with a mild stomach disease. He didn't throw up but he felt terribly nauseous. He would spend the whole evening lying in his bunk, fixing his eyes at the ceiling. At one o'clock a.m. however, he woke up. The air seemed incredibly stifling to him so he decided to go out for a little walk, just to refresh his mind. But as soon as he'd found himself outside, he could sense someone's presence nearby. He spotted Burt and Marlene. They were having a quiet chat, leaning their voices down to a barely audible whisper. The sky was covered with heavy, dark, gray clouds. He saw the same clouds on the sky yesterday.. in the park.

"Don't worry, Marlene. You leave it to me. I will rip him up to pieces as soon as he gets on my way."

Skipper froze for a moment and pressed his flipper to his heart. His beak started to tremble uncontrollably. Was it just a delusion? Was Burt really intending to hurt him? But why?

An unpleasant serie of chills marched down his spine. He could hear wind's ominous rustle between the branches. He slowly started to withdraw towards the entrance hall, making the most of himself not to get caught by his colleagues.