Matthew had now come to realize that his captain was right. He was killer. A stone cold killer that had been lying to himself about being a good guy. It was to much for Matthew to take in all at once, but what he wanted right now was for Jenna and Kit to be safe.
"Captain Karnage?" he asked turning to his captain. The fox looked at him and said, "What is on your tiny mind?"
Matthew pointed to Kit and Jenna. "I want those two released."
Now if there was one thing Karnage liked it was to be called captain, but to be asked by a traitor to release his captives—that was going to far.
Puffing up his chest, Karnage shook his head. "Don't be a fool," he said with a smirk. "I don't let anybody go." The captain turned to Kit and looked the teen in the eyes. He wanted to see the fear in the boy's eyes before he would teach him a lesson on pirate punishment.
"I see you still fear me, Kit. But..." Karnage looked over to Mad Dog. "...I see more sadness then fear. You want Mad Dog to take back what he said about being a killer. You think he has some good in him. But there was never any goodness in him, just a monster trying to claw its way out."
"You're lying!" Kit shouted, trying his best to kick Karnage. The fox looked at him, pulled back his fist and punched him in the face. Mad Dog just stood there, with a look of anger and regret on his face. He felt even weaker than before.
"Take them to the Iron Vulture!" the captain shouted with a loud commanding voice. He turned to face Mad Dog. "And you-come with me."
Mad Dog looked as if he was going to throw up, his face was full of fear and he sweating something awful. But he followed his captain. He was led to the safe house where the royals were being kept. Now it was clear to Mad Dog, he was going to be the one to call the royals to come out.
As Baloo and Rebecca arrived home, they had no idea why Kit wasn't home yet, but Baloo figured he was playing sports with his friends.
At first, they didn't seem to worry, that was until a knock was heard at their door. "Well, it's about time that boy of ours got home," Rebecca complained, tapping her foot as Baloo would open the door for Kit to come in and explain why he was so late. But when he opened the door, there stood Wildcat, not Kit.
Night time came very quickly, and Kit and Jenna sat in the brig with Princess Lotta and the other two royals. Jenna was crying, while Kit watched the door to the brig.
Why? he wondered. Why would Matthew betray us like this? Kit had never felt so far from home, but here he was. Back in the place where his nightmares started.
The floors were rusty and cold.
The air had a rotten odder that reeked with vomit and blood.
And the beds were like rocks.
"I want to go home!" Jenna sobbed. Lotta gave the frightened child a hug to try and calm her. It worked, but just a little.
"We all do," Kit said sadly.
An hour later the Iron Vulture landed smoothly on the rough sea on the outskirts of Pirate Island.
In Don Karnage room, the crafty pirate captain looked at himself in the mirror as he got all dressed up to have another dinner with Lotta again. "Oh, Don Karnage, you handsome devil you! I got a date with a very lovely princess." he smiled and turned to comb his fur back. Every time he made a pass with the brush, his mind drifted off to Lotta.
Mad Dog was also thinking about Lotta. He wanted to help her. But how? As he walked into the brig, the weasel frowned. Mad Dog had never liked to be in this room. It brought back to many bad memories. This shell of metal and machinery put a chill in Mad Dog's bones. It didn't feel right.
Mad Dog looked at Kit and the others with a sympathetic, guilt stricken face. Jenna and Kit refused to look at him. They were still very upset with him for going back to join Karnage. They all had the right to be angry at him.
"Kit, I'm sorry this happened to you," he said, trying to plead with Kit to look at him. "I want to help you, please believe me."
Kit slowly turned and looked at him. "Matthew-"
"Don't call me that!" Mad Dog snapped. "Matthew is not who I am. It's Mad Dog."
Lotta stood up, reached her hand through the bars and took Mad Dog's hand in hers. "No matter what Karnage says about you, I still see the one who would do what is right." Mad Dog seemed to be taking in the princess' words, but was he going to listen to them?
"If you think I'm Matthew, than give me a reason why I should be him and not Mad Dog."
Kit quickly joined in. "Because you are better then Mad Dog." he said, then continued on. "Matthew was the one who helped me when Karnage beat me those many years ago."
"Matthew hid me away so Karnage wouldn't find me," Jenna smiled, as she gave him her reason.
"The Matthew I knew provided aid to me when Karnage drugged me," Lotta put in. "Plus, the Bruinwalds love you. So does Jenna's family." she added with a bright smile.
"This is to cute," Hal said with a fake smile that hid his laughter. "I'm moved...really, I am." Everyone frowned at the overweight cat as he suddenly burst out laughing.
Karnage then walked up behind Hal and with smile pushed his crew member to the floor. Hal went down fast and hard. "Captain! I was...I was just-"
"SHUT UP!" Karnage shouted, he then quickly calmed himself as to match him ego to set a good impression for Lotta. "If I want my crew to ruin someone's moment, then I'll be the first to do it."
"Yes sir," Hal replied. Mad Dog scoffed at Hal for trying to get on the captain's good side.
Turning to Mad Dog with a grim looking frown, Karnage pointed at Lotta. "Bring her to my room, and then put the others to work," he said before going to his room. Mad Dog took the princess by the hand and led her to Karnage's chambers. She hated having dinner with such a crude and heartless bully of a pirate, but she had to. For her friends well being.
Once again she was seated at the end of the table facing the one man she so hated—Don Karnage!
"It is pleasing of you to join me, Lotta," the captain smiled with a cheery look. Karnage had been wanting to have some alone time with the princess and now he had her right where he wanted. In his room. Alone. And in a very fancy dress that he had stolen. The colors of the dress made the room feel warmer, but the look in Lotta's eyes made him feel cold.
"Chop Block, my best cook has made us a nice meal," Karnage said, but he quickly added, "But I didn't drug your drink this time."
"Oh? That's sad to hear," Lotta' sarcasm was as clear as daylight to the captain and he hated it.
So he set to work asking her some new questions.
Questions about an unknown treasure. In a place hidden by a fog where the only light is from the fires that guide the way to the treasure.
Now as Karnage had his talk with Lotta, Kit and the others were trying to handle the work they were tasked with: Cleaning the Iron Vulture's mess hall. No easy task.
And it was no easy task.
Kit tried to talk to Mad Dog to see if he could be of any help to them, but the weasel refused to talk back to him. This day was turning back into a nightmare for him. Not only was he and Jenna kidnapped from their school, but they were also in danger of being abused by the other crew members.
Jenna slowly used a damp rag to clean the floor around the salad bar, there was stains that were to gross for her, but as she worked, someone touched her rear. Jenna looked up to see Hal smiling.
"Hey there little lady," he chuckled softly. "You look as if you need something to play with." Jenna's eyes followed his hands to the belt buckle around his waist. She knew what was going to do.
Reaching down to stroke her hair, Hal just smiled at the small child. "I'm going to slather you in some mint jelly, then-"
"Stay the hell away from her!" Mad Dog shouted as he sent the overweight cat tumbling backwards to the floor with a loud thud. "She and the others are under my protection! Now leave them to their work."
"Captain Karnage is going to really hurt you for this you backstabbing bastard," Hal warned as he threw a sneer at Mad Dog, who only sneered back.
"That captain gave me this order to watch them and I intend to see his orders carried out."
Hal knew better then to stay and see if Mad Dog was telling the truth, so he turned and headed for the exit.
Mad Dog suddenly felt Jenna throw her arms around his waist as he embraced him in a hug. "Thank you Matthew," she sniffled.
Mad Dog didn't know what to say. But the words came out differently then the others had hoped. "Just get back to work," he said rudely, pushing Jenna away. Mad Dog went back to where he was standing and popped himself a beer.
Kit shook his head sadly. "He really has been turned back into the old Mad Dog."
"Sad really," Prince Neverhasbeenbroke nodded.
The next morning Kit awoke to hear Jenna crying. And what he saw turned his blood to ice. There was fresh whip marks on her back. Five at least, but before he could get out of bed to ask her who hurt her, Hal grabbed him and dragged him out of the brig. Kit had no idea where he was being taken, but from what he heard the crew whispering about said he was in big trouble.
He was lead into to a dimly lit room.
No windows.
That wasn't good for starters, but there was only one way in and that was no good either.
"Welcome to the dark room, Kit." Hal said before he kicked Kit into the room and shut the door. The door was then locked and Kit had nothing else to do then wait to be let out.
An hour later, the door opened and in stepped Will. "Lets go, the captain has something he wants you to see," he groaned, keeping the door open for Kit. Kit didn't want to keep Karnage waiting so he followed Will to the hanger.
Upon reaching the hanger, Kit suddenly saw the...
"The Sea Duck!" he gasped. His father's plane was parked next to one another plane which he recognized. It was Adler's plane.
"Kit! You're alright," Baloo shouted as he rushed up to hug his son. Rebecca and Molly also ran up and hugged him. But as Mad Dog walked up to them, Baloo turned and punched him in the face.
Baloo was angry at him for letting Karnage take his son. "You son of a bitch! You let my son be taken back to where his nightmares all started!" he shouted trying beat Mad Dog for this, but Kit grabbed his arm.
"Dad, stop please," he begged. Baloo calmed down a bit, but he was still plenty mad. "Matthew didn't want this to happen, but if there is one who needs to be punished it is Karnage."
It was true, and Karnage took this time to show himself to his crew and prisoners.
"It is nice of you Baloo to be here right now," he spoke in a cheerful manner, but he had the look of revenge in his soulless eyes. Before Baloo knew what happened Karnage punched him in the stomach. "Now I hit you, what are you going to do now?" he challenged, hoping that Baloo would try and fight back, but to his disappointment, he didn't do nothing.
Karnage turned to his crew. "Let us find the Island of death, there we will find the treasure that will make us rich beyond your pathetic dreams," he laughed and then added, "but not beyond mine."