2 – Once a Convict

The team quickly made it to the center of the amusement park. They decided on a different entry point this time, the escape hatch used by the bottlenose dolphin in his last retreat. It was, of course, closed.

˝You gonna override the electronics?˝ asked the lizard. ˝No need, we have the master key to the place,˝ replied Kowalski. Rico hacked up a container of thermite and began spreading the substance on the hatch. He then regurgitated his blowtorch and used it light the mixture before retreating to a safe distance.

˝KABLAMO!˝ cheered the maniac, as sparks began to fly and the whole thing started glowing red. The process was finished off by an explosion. The trio walked over to the hole in the steel hatch and took a look at the twenty meter drop into a pool. ˝Anyone volunteering to go first?˝ asked the monitor. ˝Rico, rope!˝ ordered the leader. The maniac hacked up the requested item and handed one of its ends to the captain, before securing the other one to a fence.

˝Suit yourself, but there's no way I'm climbing that,˝ said Alexander before jumping through. He held his duffel bag, which contained his medical supplies, above his head. He straightened his tail, in order to break the water's surface tension with it, and entered the pool with no splash at all. The reptile soon resurfaced and while swimming towards the edge, he heard four more splashes behind him.

He turned around to see the penguins. ˝Weren't you going to use the rope?˝ he asked while getting out of the water. ˝The rope is our way out, not in,˝ replied Skipper, while getting out himself, soon followed by the others. ˝Now what?˝ asked Private. The smart penguin pulled out his clipboard, ˝according to my calculations, a nuclear reactor would most likely be located somewhere in the back.˝

Rico regurgitated a geiger counter and handed it over to Kowalski. He turned it on and began waving it different directions. ˝Aha, this way!˝ the rest of the team began following him. ˝Shouldn't we wear something to protect ourselves?˝ asked the concerned Private. ˝No need, everything's still in the approved levels. So we're in the clear,˝ reassured the lieutenant. The team reached a large metal door.

˝Anyone wanna knock?˝ asked the lizard. ˝Why would we want to do that, like I said before, we have the master key,˝ replied Skipper. Rico regurgitated a cake-formed block of dynamite and an ice-cream scoop. He used the scoop to remove some of the explosive from the center. As the rest of the team was taking cover once again, the maniac popped the "cake" on the door and attached the necessary wires.

˝Kablamo!˝ cheered the bird and was followed by the actual explosion. ˝Ah yes, the Munroe effect, where would we be without it,˝ explained Kowalski coming from his safe-spot. The smoke slowly cleared, revealing a hole clear through the steel door. It was just barely wide enough for them to climb through to the other side. There, the smart penguin was once again taking measurements and leading the way.

˝How much longer is this going to take?˝ asked the clearly bored reptile. ˝Ouchy!˝ the team turned around to see Private rubbing his bum. ˝What happened soldier?˝ asked the leader. The small bird found something stuck on his bottom and pulled it out. He showed it to the rest of the team. ˝Kowalski, analysis!˝ ordered the captain. ˝Well, it appears to be a dart of some sort.˝ Skipper rolled his eyes, ˝Yes, I think we can all see that, Anything else?˝ the lieutenant shook his head, ˝How about you Alexander?˝

The monitor took the dart and took a sniff. ˝Hmm, you don't see this every day, it's Sodium thiopental it takes some time for it to take effect and it only works for a couple of minutes,˝ he turned to the other three birds, ˝he'll be fine, but this didn't come out nowhere, someone's here.˝ Four blows, like the sound you hear using a blowpipe, were heard and the team quickly jumped to the sides. Sadly, not all of them were fast enough to get out of the way. Kowalski and Rico both got hit, Skipper and Alexander managed to dodge in time and Private was slowly dropping to the ground.

The captain ran over to him and held his head, as his eyelids were slowly closing. ˝Don't worry, it only lasts for about 10 minutes,˝ reassured the lizard, while trying to find the source of the projectiles. Skipper stood up, ˝so we'll just stall them for that time.˝ The mohawk wielding and the smart bird were now also subduing to the contents of the dart. The two slowly lost their consciousness.

Alexander reached into his bag and pulled out a glass vial, ˝perhaps I can speed things up, we just have to make sure they burns trough the drug.˝ Or not, more blows were heard and this time the two conscious team members were hit. They instantly felt the effects of the drug taking away their strength. Their legs slowly gave way and the two fell to the ground. Skipper's eyelids became heavy and soon blackness took over.

Who knows how much later he finally woke up. It was a small room, the leader tried to grab his head, because of the massive headache he was having, but noticed that he couldn't. looking to his right he saw his flipper in shackles. He tried to move his other limbs, but they were all immobilized. He looked around and saw his team mates, who were also hanging from the wall, looking back at him. Each had four chains, one on each limb, with the exeption of the monitor who also had one on his tail.

˝Where are we?˝ Kowalski got ready to answer, ˝And don't say a small, dark room on Coney island.˝ The lieutenant closed his beak. ˝We don't know Skippah, we've just woken up and there wasn't any,…˝ the group got interrupted by the squeal of the rusty metal door. They all turned to it, waiting for someone to enter. As it fully opened, there wasn't anything but darkness visible on the other side.

They exchanged confused looks and then the banging started. They could tell that it was coming from the wall in front of them. ˝Earthquake perhaps?˝ asked Alexander half joking. ˝Centered on a single wall in New York, I highly doubt it,˝ replied Kowalski. The whole room was shaking and cracks began spreading from the spot where the banging was loudest. Chips of wall started raining onto the floor, until the whole thing just came crashing to the ground. ˝Darn rednecks!˝ cursed someone, referring to the lobsters, while crawling through the debris.

The three captives were now face to face with their captor, a 900 kilo elephant seal. His entire body was covered in scars. None of them were fresh. He had a mean look on him, that, combined with his size, struck fear into the hearts of his enemies. ˝Told them to make the doors bigger, but at least I got some workout.˝

˝Well, at the looks of the fat storage, you call your ass, you need it,˝ mocked the lizard. The seal turned to the monitor with an angry glare on his face. ˝Boy, did you not see what I just did to that wall. That is why they call me the Jackhammer.˝ Alexander took another look, ˝The wall probably couldn't wait to crumble seeing the tumor, that is your nose, on your face.˝ The mammal now started growling.

˝You know, I am a doctor, how's about I give you a complementary lipo. I'll just use the fat to end world hunger,˝ added the monitor, ˝doing that'll probably be enough for the Nobel price for peace and medicine,˝ he finished it with a smile, seeing the twitch in the seal's eye and the foam on the edges of his mouth. ˝You're lucky blowhole wants you alive. I don't know why, but he ordered me to keep you in one piece and that the penguins are at my mercy.˝ Alexander's face turned pale. ˝That's right, the boss kept his surveillance on you guys and he was very keen on meeting you after seeing your "talents",˝ explained the seal.

˝I do hope you won't enjoy your stay here, what kind of a host would I be if you did,˝ the mammal turned around and left the room. As soon as he was outside, the captain was back in action, ˝Ok men, we need a plan here. Kowalski!˝ The lieutenant raised his head, ˝Well, I'm not of much use without my clipboard, but we can always see what Rico can come up with.˝

The maniac began rapidly nodding a hacked up a blowtorch, an angle grinder, a metal saw, a lock picking set, a diamond-tipped drill and wire cutters. ˝Great, but did you have to throw them up in the ground?˝ asked the now angry Skipper. Rico's head dropped realizing he did something wrong. ˝So how did you escape the last time?˝ asked the monitor.

˝Mort came to save Julien and he freed us. But we still had to beat lobster henchmen, stop the melting of the north pole and defeat chrome claw,˝ explained Kowalski.

˝What's a chrome claw?˝

˝A genetically altered lobster, imbued with the powers of shiny metal.˝

˝What's so special about it?˝

˝Well apart from the fact that it's 73.58 times bigger than an ordinary crustacean, it has a chrome claw, hece the name.˝

˝So what's the new plan?˝ asked the leader. The smart bird sighed and shook his head. ˝What's the matter pang-you-ins, and moon-it-or, have you finally realized my superiority?˝ asked a voice from somewhere. The birds and reptile started looking around and they spotted a flat-screen TV dropping from the ceiling. On it was the picture of the bottlenose dolphin and their archenemy, Dr. Blowhole.

˝Well, well, it's good to see you again Skipper but this time, I'll be more interested in your new friend. I hope you won't get jealous. ˝ Rico growled while the rest just threw glares. ˝What do you want Blowhole?˝ hissed the leader. ˝Didn't my associate tell you, I want the water monitor. I will use his DNA to create a new generation of regenerating chrome claws. With this new army, I will take revenge on the humans for the torture they put me through.˝ explained the cetacean. ˝You fiend! We'll stop you somehow!˝ yelled the captain.

Blowhole laughed in response. ˝ Jackhammer will have to teach you some manners,˝ replied the dolphin before the screen went black and was raised back up. Skipper turned to his team, ˝Ok, tell me again about that plan you were having!,˝ ordered the leader. ˝Skipper, I told you I've got nothing,˝ replied Kowalski. ˝Are you telling me that he won?˝ asked the captain. ˝I'm afraid so Skipper.˝

˝Curse you Blowhole!˝ ranted the leader into the sky. ˝Are you quite done yet?˝ asked the monitor, gaining the attention of the rest of the team. He began trying to pull his tail out of its shackle, but instead he tore it off. ˝Ouch, that must have hurt,˝ said the private. ˝That's only faze one,˝ replied the lizard. The penguins watched the regeneration take place and soon a new tail replaced the old one. He used its narrow tip to pick the locks on his restraints and was soon free. He turned back to the wall and unlocked his old tail which he then swallowed.

˝Can't have the doc take DNA from that, now can we,˝ said the reptile while licking his lips. ˝Good job, now free the rest of us,˝ ordered Skipper. Alexander slowly turned his head to the penguin. ˝Now why would I do that?˝ the captain's face turned pale. ˝There's nothing to return to back at the zoo and there's nothing you can do to stop me from leaving you here,˝ explained the monitor.

He turned around and began walking towards the exit. ˝You backstabbing varanus, how can you leave like that,˝ yelled Kowalski. ˝Alexandah, why?˝ asked the Private, holding back tears. ˝I knew you would betray us! I knew it!˝ shouted Skipper at the closing door.

Hey, you are what you are, can't change that.

R&R