0100 hours:

All was quiet, I was about to drift into a deep slumber, only to hear a dark and ear piercing screen fill the air, I jumped up out of my bunk as quick as I could, Kowalski Rico and Private followed my example and were right behind me.

Following my ears all the way to Marlene's habitat I saw her lying in bed gasping for breath, I couldn't expect any less she is just a helpless victim, All I could do was get my options from Kowalski, of course I knew her, but a littler refresher wouldn't hurt.

I started running Scenarios on her eardrum splitting scream, I thought of every possible explanation I could come up with, That's when Private suggested it was just a fright, turns out he was half right. Marlene complains it was a ghostly moan.

Than I started feeling sick to the stomach, and turned around to see the 'royal' pain walking in, I hated that lemur, and I couldn't help but glare a little, but I wasn't going to let him barge in and take this away from me, this is a penguins job.

I turned back just in time to hear Marlene say she wasn't helpless victim, and she didn't need our help, well I beg to differ. When an inhabitant of the zoo wakes up in the middle of the night with a scream, it immediately becomes my job, especially if it involves Marlene.

I assigned the team to there part of the mission, and watched Marlene roll her eyes angrily, I found it cute that she expects me to ignore this. Of course I have to turn this into an over night incident if I had to, I was offended she wasn't thankful, but I didn't let it get in our way.

Just when I thought I had this mission all to myself, Julien jumps in claiming he can rid us of the evil spirits, how ridiculous is it to think it's all a spirit. He and Maurice jump into the center of the room, dancing and singing, I have to admit it was entertaining but I just decided to walk out with my men behind me.

0300 hours:

Just when I thought I was wrong about Julien and his stupid song and dance, I heard another scream fill the fish scented air. I had choice but to jump on the case, I grabbed my recorded and flashlight and bolted forward, my team following directly behind me.

When we reached Marlene's habitat it was almost as if we were waiting for her, I could tell she was annoyed by our sudden entrances, but we do pride ourselves on a rapid response. I know she's not exactly a weak and innocent otter, but I still like to think of her like that.

I was finally feeling good about investigating when Julien came waltzing in again, when is he going to get it through that annoying head of his that his stupid song and dance won't work. I figured out that Marlene feels the exact same way about the ringtail.

I asked Rico to see them out and he coughs up a dynamite stick, Rico seemed disappointed but didn't refuse to put out the flame, and use a flash light to escort them out. It was good to get rid of some dead weight at this point, but nothing we could do except go back, and wait for the next scream.

That is until Kowalski suggested we stay over to investigate, I agreed and we set up a camp in her home, I don't think it took any of them to fall asleep, but I was able to keep the log going. Just when I was about to fall asleep, I heard a snarl type noise.

I jumped up on red alert, and followed the noise to the source, We stared down at Marlene who was snoring heavily, I tried to shake her awake only to find her startled and scared. Kowalski started explaining why we had woken Marlene, who of course didn't understand what Kowalski was saying.

Rico was more than happy to lay on the ground and pretend to snore, Marlene seemed startled and denied that she snored. I found it cute the way she didn't want to seem so chainsaw-ish. I tried to convince her, but she stayed solid on Denial.

I rewound the recorder in my hands and clicked play, The snoring filled the room once more and she blushed a reddish color. Case solved she spooked herself, but of course Marlene complained it wasn't the noise, and I think she seemed offended when I laughed and said it was blood curdling.

Out of the blue, a wale type moaning sound echoed from behind us, Marlene jumped and told us that was the noise, Kowalski turned around and pulled the rug away from the ground covering up the sewer. I'm not sure what Marlene did but it wouldn't budge.

I turned to Rico who gave me a stick of dynamite, Marlene of course complained it was to extreme, and I gladly pointed out to sticks would be extreme. I threw it down the sewer and waited, Seconds later the lid shot off and I pushed my recorder in the opening, than tried glowing the flashlight into the dark hole.

Nothing came from the hole or a sound of movement, Marlene kneeled down next to me leaning in closer, I leaned in more trying to get a noise, and if things were bad enough, the lid that stuck to the ceiling fell down, striking us both on the back sending us down.

The next this I know, Marlene is leaning over me with the flash light, at first I couldn't see straight and just mumbled something stupid. I got up and shook it off, turning to my recorder, I wasn't sure what had saved me, so I said I had escape, and I was now in the realm of the specter.

Which Marlene took offensively, I called for options from Kowalski but found it was only me and Marlene in the sewer, I could only imagine what they are doing right about now. Marlene grabbed hold of the flash light and suggested some recon, which I was up for.

Until she took point, I normally take point so it was only instinct that I raced forward trying to take control. All around us went dark, Marlene looked at the flash light and shook it eagerly, I swapped her for the recorder and attempted to regain the light.

It stayed on for only a moment, and I set it aside, it was only giving away our position to the specter. Marlene than got a look of pure fear on her face, and told me that the ghost wasn't really a ghost, I had to wonder what could give her the idea, she turned me around to a large dark figure looming over us.

I couldn't help but feel fear strike through me, I started to retreat as the creature came at me, Marlene jumped up and grabbed hold of me, swinging me upward I grabbed hold of a pipe as the creature passed under us, at first I was impressed but than turned my attention back to the figure.

It felt awkward to grab hold of Marlene like that, and I didn't want to seem weak or anything, I pushed away and Stepped forward, taking a few steps toward he specter. I was about to do something when Marlene raced in front of me, the recorder in her hands, I was about to stop her but she seemed to know what she was doing.

I grabbed the flashlight and hit it one more time, the light came on and I shined it at the monster. The light hit it exposing it to be nothing more than a gator. A gator that was afraid of Marlene, more to the point her snoring.

I felt kind of bad for the Gator named roger, living down hear thinking that above him was a monster, but Marlene felt the same way, I couldn't help but stroke her cheek while explaining she wasn't a monster. Ay first she seemed irritated, but I turned away to watch for anything more to happen.

I started to see ropes flying and roger was being turned and tied, Kowalski Private and Rico stood proud around the gator, unaware that he was actually nice. We headed back to Marlene house as Roger explained why he was living in a sewer below a zoo.

Ignoring Roger, Kowalski came up to me and congratulate me on saving Marlene, I saw her out of the corner of my eye turn her head, she was really going to let me bask in the glory. Although it would have felt good to get the attention it wasn't right.

And I do hope that if I'm ever stuck in the sewer again, that Marlene is at my side. What else could I want in a friend, a friend that I just happen to have stronger feelings for.