New York City
1:00 P.M Eastern Standard Time
(Skipper's POV)
"Kowalski progress report!" I shouted. "the good news…we're are almost out of the city!" "And the bad news?" I said. "Lord Shen and company is still right behind us!" Kowalski said. "Options!" Marlene said. "Keep running or we die," Kowalski said. "Skipper," Nigel said, "get your people out of here! We'll hold them off!" "Bring it on!" Rockgut said, "You dandy dumplings!" Nigel and Rockgut stopped and started to fire. "Uncle Nigel!" Private said. "Don't worry about us!" Nigel said, "don't waste this chance!"
I quickly saluted the agent and then we made our escape. "You thing the two of you can stop us?" Shen shouted. "We may be outnumbered," Nigel said, "but we have on thing you don't have…" "What's that?" Shen said. "Let's show you," Rockgut shouted. Nigel and Rockgut charged at the wolves who were slightly taken aback. "Don't just sit there and stare at them!" Shen shouted, "fire! Fire your weapons now!" "We have to go back for Nigel," Private said. "Private," I said, "Nigel is giving us time." "but we're still leaving the city," Private said. "We will let Shen think he has us beating," I said, "but we will be back. Shen isn't done with us yet, "I said. "So what do we do?" Private said. "We're going back home," I said, "The Long way round!" We managed to exit the city with out incident and by the time Shen and his forces where at the outskirts of town we were long gone. "I am a peacock of my word," Shen said, "but be warned if you make any attempt to return to this city…you will regret it. You will be begging me to spare you…but remember this I already spared you. And I will not spare you again!"
"so Skipper," Marlene said once the peacock was way out of earshot, "how do we get back to the city without Shen knowing?" "There is a way," Kowalski said. "an air assault," Kitka said. "no," Kowalski replied. "some kind of secret tunnel system," roger said. "Shen would finish us off before we get to the secret tunnel system," Kowalski said. "so what do you suggest," I said. "A brown river sneak around." "really?" I said, "Engage!" Rico flipped up a manhole cover, "you want us to go down their?" Eva said. "do you have any other suggestions?" I said. "No," eva said. "The Sewers it is!" I said.
We climbed down into the sewers and followed the underground river of raw sewage. After a few miles Kowalski announced, "Okay the central Park Zoo is directly above us!" I climbed up the ladder and lifted the manhole cover enough for me to look around. A big sign caught my attention and my eye's widened. "If It ain't Hoboken-Fix it!" I shut the manhole cover. "so is it the zoo," Marlene asked. "Hoboken," I replied. "Oh…I was reading the map upside down!" Kowalski said. I looked next to me and saw a white hatch with the North Wind's logo on it. "What's this?" I said. "Oh I forgot about that," Short fuse said, "it our Hoboken bunker!" "You have a hoboken bunker?" I said, "why?" Doris appeared who I had somehow forgottan was with us, "Yes," doris said. "except Classified never told us what it was for," Short fuse said. The door opened, "That's because we didn't need it until now," Classified said. "Yeah, yeah classified," I said, "What? But I thought…but you…how…" "I could tell you," Classified said, "but then I would have to kill you."
(end of chapter one)