Disclaimer: Penguins of Madagascar and all related characters are the property of Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and any or all related affiliates. Characters of my own creation are my property and may not be used by others without express permission. This fiction was created for the purpose of having fun and being creative, no money is being made in any way from its creation and posting.
Hell Hath No Fury
Chapter 19
By
Wildgoose
(Yoshi, Loki, and Beowulf enter into what used to be Red's quarters and begin to look around. Beowulf starts to feel around on the far wall of the room as if looking for something.)
Loki: So what are we doing here?
Yoshi: We're looking for anything that could help our plan along.
Beowulf: That would include any of Red's little toys that he kept stashed away, the guy wasn't just into fire he was into anything that could hurt, maim, or destroy. Let's just say that he probably racked up a mountain of bonus miles by flying the black market. (He finds a look cinderblock in the wall and presses in on it. The block moves and as it does so a hidden door in the wall unlocks and moves slightly ajar.) I've worked with Red enough times to know where this was.
Yoshi: Nobody was going to ask.
Loki: Um no, actually that's not true. I was going to.
Yoshi: (Sighs) Fine, nobody important was going to ask.
Loki: (Insulted) Hey!
Beowulf: Anyway…(He pushes the door open and the three walk in to discover a wide assortment of weapons and equipment.) Well, …you wanted equipment to work with. This is what we have, so what do you think?
Loki: I think Rico would be in heaven in here.
Yoshi: Do the lobsters use weapons?
Beowulf: No, just their claws. The shape of them doesn't allow them to manipulate weapons like anybody else can.
Yoshi: Well at least that works in our favor; it means we can keep this hand to hand.
Loki: Wouldn't it be better if we took the advantage?
Yoshi: We've already seen what a simple knife can do in the hands of the wrong person. Besides, I'm not skilled with any weapons and neither are you, Loki. (Looks at Beowulf) Can you handle hand to hand? (Beowulf nods) Good, now how many squirrels do you have at your disposal?
Beowulf: In and around this complex, about a hundred. There are others in locations nearby per Red's instructions but since word was spread of his demise those numbers have begun to disperse to head home.
Yoshi: Well, who could blame them I guess. …But if they're all heading home then why aren't you guys?
Beowulf: We owe a debt to your brother and we aim to settle it, besides if somebody doesn't do something about Blowhole then there won't be anything to go home to. (Gestures about the room) So is there anything in here that would be of use to you?
Yoshi: (looks about) I see a few things. (She spies something out of place in the corner) In a room full of weapons and equipment, why is there a skateboard in here?
Beowulf: (Looks around until he sees what Yoshi is talking about) Oh wow, I was wondering what happened to that.
Yoshi: Do tell.
Beowulf: Red took that off of one of our guys from California, a real skater boy he was. Everything was dude this or bro that, Red really didn't like him too much.
Loki: So what happened to him?
Beowulf: The same thing that happens to everything else that Red doesn't like. (Pause) Enough said? (Yoshi walks over and picks the board up and blows some dust off of it.)
Yoshi: Loki, are you any good with one of these?
Loki: Fair, Astrid is into that sort of thing and usually wants me to hang with her when Jr. is too busy with one of his projects to pay attention to anything else. Why? (Yoshi picks up a flash-bang from a nearby shelf and looks it over.)
Yoshi: Oh, I'm just tossing some ideas about in my head. (Thinks for a moment and then notices that Loki still has the bag that they brought with them from home.) I'd almost forgotten that we'd brought that, what have we got in there again?
Loki: (Opens the bag to look) Grapple gun, Kowalski's truth serum, amnesia dust, and something else of Kowalski's called liquid force but none of us seems to know what that does. (Looks again) Ooh!
Yoshi: What?
Loki: I didn't know that we brought this; Jr. must have stashed it in the bag when our attention was on something else.
Beowulf: What is it?
Loki: It's a portable hologram emitter that Jr. built, we used it to counter prank my dad back home. (Loki sets the device on a table and activates it creating a realistic image of Loki that looks like it's walking in place on the table.)
Yoshi: (Smirks) I like it, can it be reprogrammed to display other things or to incorporate sound?
Loki: (Scratches his head) Uh, ….I'm going to assume so. Jr. likes to cram just about as much as can into any gadgets that he invents.
Yoshi: We'll have to test it out then. If it works, I have some ideas on what we can do with it. (Clasps her paws together and rubs them, then looks at the shelves nearby and picks up an item.) Now are these what I think they are?
Beowulf: If you think that they're flash-bangs then the answer is yes. (Points to other stuff) Smoke grenades, incendiary, fragmentation, …it's all here.
Yoshi: Perfect. (Thinks for a moment and then walks out to the main part of Red's room to look about.)
Loki: What are you looking for now?
Yoshi: Something to aid the distraction.
Beowulf: I thought you said that your dad and crew were the distraction.
Yoshi: I said that they were bait and distraction. Bait to get the enemy to show their hand, and distraction to keep attention off of us while we set up to bring on the main event. After the others go in we'll need a second distraction to take the attention off of my dad so Kowalski can go to his objective. While he's doing that we'll be busy making seafood.
Beowulf: If you're not going to use any weapons, what will you do to take out the lobsters? Their shells double as armor.
Yoshi: (Pauses In thought) Um, …good point. What do you guys usually use?
Beowulf: Well, Red was the only one who ever used the stuff in that other room.
Yoshi: Okay, let's narrow it down then. What would YOU prefer to use? (Beowulf starts to smirk)
Beowulf: I'll show you when we get to Heidi's quarters, she keeps my stuff in a cabinet to keep it out of sight from Red.
Yoshi: The cabinet full of medieval weaponry?
Beowulf: (Rolls his eyes) Oh, …you saw it then. (Yoshi laughs nervously) I guess I should have chosen a better hiding spot.
Loki: I remember that cabinet, …dibs on the spiked mace!
Yoshi: (groans) God help us! (She starts looking about the room again) Anyway, I still need something to aid in distraction. (She spies Red's stereo with an IPod sitting in the dock port.) What kind of music did Red listen to?
(Cut to the theater room back in the penguin's H.Q., Ming while still in her nights meditation has focused her attention on Heidi having gained a context of her from connecting to her brothers before. The scene moves in to focus on Ming within her own mind as she watches through Heidi's eyes. Her brother lies on the table with Heidi doing everything in her power to bring Hannibal back. The tension is unbearable for Ming as she begins to chew her own claws and rock back and forth with an occasional tear rolling down her cheek as she worries about what to do.)
Ming: Please don't leave me alone Hannibal… (She begins to pace) What do I do? (Sniffles) I don't want to watch this! (She is about to tune the image out when she changes again) No, …I can't just leave him. (She squats down on the floor and curls into an upright ball) I don't know what to do, Hannibal! Please don't leave me! (She begins to rock back and forth on the floor for a moment and then stops in thought as she remembers what happened with Loki when he fell unconscious and begins to talk out loud to herself.) …But I was already connected to him when that happened. (Ming thinks for a moment) I guess there's no way to know unless I try. (She gets up and stares at the image of Hannibal for a moment and then steps towards it. Ming curls her face as she tries to focus on Hannibal and the image goes black with a massive wave of pain hitting her at the same instant causing her to cry out and shudder as she tried to compose herself. It takes all of her will just to make herself move forward to touch the barrier and as before with Loki her paw passes through with only light resistance.) (Gritting her teeth from the pain) Oh man, I thought this experience sucked the first time around. (Ming summons all of her energy and pushes through finding herself on the other side of the barrier in just an instant looking back at herself on the other side sitting on the floor meditating.) I don't think I'll ever get used to this. (Ming turns to look about and notices Hannibal lying on the floor in the dark void that she had entered. Ming huffs while still gritting her teeth from the pain as she makes her way to Hannibal and kneels down beside him picking up and cradling his head.) Don't leave me Hannibal!
(Cut to the room in the bunker as Heidi and others continue to work on Hannibal.)
Don: WHOA! Stop, stop, stop what you're doing!
Heidi: What is it?
Don: I've got a pulse! (Heidi sighs heavily in relief and gestures for Toby to stop with the bag. As soon as it's removed Hannibal's body takes a deep breath and then continues at a regular rate.) Pulse is regular, and strong.
Heidi: (looks perplexed) Just like that? It didn't take time to build in strength?
Don: Don't look at me; I'm as surprised as you. It's like it's been beating the whole time.
Heidi: (Sighs heavily again) Alright, let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. (Begins to work as quickly as possible to finish up and close the abdominal wound.) You owe me one heck of a drink later kid because you just scared the CRAP out of me.
(Cut to within Hannibal's mind as Ming continues to hold him. She suddenly begins to feel a repulsive force to her presence and an instant later Hannibal begins to speak to her without opening his eyes.)
Hannibal: (Sluggish) It hurts so much…
Ming: (under stress) Tell me about it! (Pause) Don't die on me Hannibal, …I'm here for you.
Hannibal: (Barely coherent, doesn't recognize her) I'm cold and so tired, …I don't have any strength left.
Ming: It's okay, Hannibal. I'm here for you; I'm doing what I can to keep you alive.
Hannibal: (Sluggish) You feel so warm, who are you?
Ming: Hannibal it's… (Cut off)
Hannibal: Are you an angel?
Ming: (Confused) A what? (Unsure of what else to do) Um, …sure! I don't even know what that is but… we can go with that if you want. (Pause) I'm an angel and I'm here to help you.
Hannibal: (Tear rolls down his cheek) I knew the zookeeper wouldn't lead me to believe in something untrue!
Ming: (Nervous) I uh, …I don't even know where to go with that Hannibal.
Hannibal: (Begins to sob and cringe) Oh God help me, it hurts so much! (Ming begins to hold her brother closer when she suddenly notices someone else's hand placing on Hannibal's shoulder and the pain she had been sharing with her brother ceases causing Ming to stumble backward unable to gain balance as she feels like her body is decompressing from the overwhelming sensations before. She looks about to notice that the dark void of Hannibal's mind is illuminated in background. Turning her attention to Hannibal again Ming observes a human woman who is now holding her brother in her arms with Hannibal's cries of pain and for help having stopped. For all intents and purposes he appears to be in a comfortable sleep, what's more is that the repulsive force against her caused by Hannibal's semi-consciousness has ceased.)
Ming: (Looks at the woman who appears to have an almost illuminated hue separate from the surroundings.) I uh, … I uh, … (Pause to regain composure as she gets to her feet but still figits with her paws nervously.) Um…Listen,… I know I was trying to help but I think I may have actually fried my own brain. (Pause) Who are you? (No answer) Where did you come from? (No answer) Um… listen I'm a novice at all of this but the last time I checked if the…(grasps for the right words) OWNER of this space gains consciousness then I get kicked out. So if YOU'RE here, and you're…obviously conscious, how am I still here? (Long silent pause causing Ming to begin to fidget nervously again) Please throw me a bone, I'm just a kid and I have no idea what's going on. (No answer) (Frustrated) Look, my brother desperately needs help, now for God's sake who are you?
Woman: (melodic voice) Help.
Ming: (Looks at her brother in confusion, he looks and sounds as if in a deep sleep. Ming feels about herself and notices that all of the pain she had been feeling from Hannibal has left no traces of itself.) You're help? (Pause with uncertainty) Is my brother going to be alright now? (The woman doesn't answer but instead smiles slightly.) Not to be disrespectful, …but why didn't you come to help sooner?
Woman: (Melodic voice) He never asked before now.
Ming: (Confused) Right, …because to get something you would have to ask for it first. I guess that makes sense. (Pause as she fidgets slightly once more) Um, …are you…what my brother thought I was? (The woman does not answer but cocks an eyebrow) Okay, I'm just …I'm just going to pretend that was a yes. (Pause and becomes nervous to ask a question.) Um listen, under the circumstances I don't know if you're in a position to answer this so …I'm just going to go out on a limb. (Pause) My brother thinks that I'm somebody he used to know reincarnated or something. Given what's going on here, is there any chance you might be able to… (Meekly looks at the woman almost afraid to continue the question.)
Woman: (Melodic voice) It was your request.
Ming: (Oblivious) I know it was my request, I just made it. (Pause) I just was hoping that you could clear up… (The woman cocks an eyebrow and Ming stops short. She clutches her head with her fore paws) Oh …WOW um, …I think my mind just blew into orbit. (Scratches her head a few times) WOW, …that is,…that's going to keep my attention for a REALLY long time. (Pause as she fidgets and looks at Hannibal) You know what, …I'm…I'm just going to put a pin in that and put it over here until I'm old enough to actually deal with that information. (Makes a gesture as if moving something aside.) Um, …so… if you have things handled here, …what do I do with myself NOW? (Pause) …Because I actually thought that I was the one coming to help him.
Woman: (Melodic voice) You did, the gifts you are born with are always given with a purpose. (Makes a shoo gesture with one hand) Now you are needed elsewhere. (Ming reluctantly turns and passes back through the barrier and the instant she is through the connection is lost and Ming suddenly wakes from her meditation with a light jump to her body.)
Ming: (Rubs her face trying to figure out what had just happened) I think my "all-time weird stuff to happen to me" meter just shot off the scale and into orbit! (Pause as she takes a moment to compose herself) I think I might have a few questions for the zookeeper when he gets back. (Ming reluctantly sets herself up to meditate again and tries unsuccessfully to connect with Hannibal. After this she moves on to others with relative ease.)
(Cut to the otter Habitat sometime late that night as Ming prepares to go to sleep. As she passes her mother's room she notices that Marlene is still awake and decides to stop in on her.)
Ming: Hi mom, I didn't expect to see you up this late. (Notices that Marlene is studying and playing with a pair of gold rings in her paws.)
Marlene: (Thoughtful) Oh, …hi Ming. I could say the same about you.
Ming: What's that you've got there?
Marlene: Oh these, …these are my wedding rings. (Looks them over) It's hard to imagine that my fingers were ever big enough to fit into them.
Ming: When you and dad were human for a while? (Marlene nods)
Marlene: (holds a ring up at a time) This one was when your father asked me to marry him, ….and this one was when we went through a ceremony and became one big family, all of us. (Looks thoughtful again) I couldn't help thinking about it what with everything that's going on lately, …and now with Hannibal hurt I'm worried about losing the family your father helped to make. (Ming reaches over and wipes Marlene's cheek as a tear roles down and then she pushes Marlene's glasses up on her nose.)
Ming: You should wear those more often mom, …you look good with them.
Marlene: (Laughs lightly) Well, …I can't wear them around humans without questions being asked. To be honest, …I'm so used to being without them during the day that a lot of times I forget about them all together until I actually have to read or see something more closely.
Ming: Do you miss being human?
Marlene: (Smiles) Yes and no, …the lives of humans are complicated and costly. We have things so much better the way we are, we never have to worry about when food will come or who will care for us if we get sick. (Pause) Still, …it gave me the chance to be closer to you father, a lot closer than we can be now.
Ming: Close enough to make me? (Marlene laughs lightly and then nods)
Marlene: I think I'd be willing to do it again just to have that closeness for only a little while.
Ming: A little brother would be nice to kick around, somebody could look up to me for a change and think I'm actually brave.
Marlene: (Smiles) You are when you want to be, Ming. (Sighs) Unfortunately, I don't think it's in the cards. We don't know any other voodoo baboons we can tick off. (Ming laughs and then there is a long silent pause.)
Ming: You don't need to worry about losing anybody, mom. Hannibal is going to be okay.
Marlene: (upbeat) You saw something about him? (Ming nods) What did you see?
Ming: That…he was in really good hands and he's going to be okay. (Marlene cups her paws to her mouth and smiles, and then hugs her daughter tightly.)
Marlene: Thank you, ….I really needed that sweetie.
Ming: I know the feeling. (Ming says her goodnights and gets up to leave the room for her own.)
(Cut to the control room in Hans's bunker. Skipper and company make their assault on the room belly sliding in to find as few as five lobsters manning the controls while in communication with Dr. Blowhole who is currently displayed on a large monitor. The lobsters are quickly taken out and the puffin and penguins begin to look at the consoles about the room trying to figure out which one could be used to hack Blowhole's control signal. While they do this the video camera used in the video chats begins to follow them.)
Skipper: Get to work Kowalski, we don't have all day with this.
Kowalski: (Sits down at the most sophisticated looking terminal.) I'm on it, Skipper.
Blowhole: You know I'm right here, Skipper! You could at least be polite and say hello to your old nemesis after all we've gone through together. (Watching them) I see you finally managed to escape, I was wondering when you were going to make one of your classic attempts.
Skipper: It was much more than an attempt as you can plainly see, Blowhole! You didn't actually think that you could keep us prisoner did you?
Blowhole: Well, I have to admit that Red's methods had a record of producing results. Although, I can't understand for the life of me why he would choose now to start taking prisoners instead of just killing you like he did everybody else. …But no matter, you're in no position to make any difference where you are.
Skipper: We always make a difference no matter WHERE we are.
Blowhole: Uh huh, …do you rehearse that line much because it sounds a little practiced?
Skipper: Every night before bed!
Blowhole: I guess you would have to make yourself believe it, Skipper. (Looks around the room) HANS! My former partner in crime, …I see your still alive as well. How disheartening, …so have you figured me out yet? Heidi had to have shed some light on the subject for you by now, tell me she did Hans.
Hans: Just tell me why Dr., of all the people who could have been your victim instead why did it have to be her?
Blowhole: Well DUH, I wanted you to go after the penguins and keep them occupied while I destroyed the world! After discovering a new found respect for life with your family you never would have chased them down without going off the deep end first. …And you have to admit, losing the old ball and chain just doesn't rip the old heart out like losing your first born. (Pause) …And you know what, Hans? You didn't disappoint at all, you were so grief stricken and angry that all you could think of was getting to Skipper and making him pay. You were even ready to kill his kids as retribution, so tell me. How does it feel to play a part in the deaths of the innocent? You may not have had the stones to do it but I KNOW that Red did and because you planned it all to get them here that places them on your conscience as well.
Hans: (Dry) Red is dead, the children live, …and my attention has fallen on you now. If you think that I went off the deep end before then you just wait until I FIND you. (Kicks a nearby chair)
Blowhole: Really? (Pause and then chuckles) well, …I wish I could say that I didn't see that coming but I did. I knew he was going to die one way or the other. (Pause) Anyway stop posturing, I'm thousands of miles away from you and the world is about to flood. Even if you could come up with a plan to stop me you could never reach me in time.
Private: We're working on it, don't you worry!
Blowhole: (Chuckles) Working on it? Are you referring to Kowalski's feeble attempts to hack my signal? (Everyone turns to look at Blowhole on the monitor) Oh don't look so surprised, I can see everything that you're doing and I can monitor everything that happens on those consoles. (Chuckles again) You can go ahead and try for all it's worth Kowalski, that is if you're not too busy with my lobster warriors.
Skipper: You mean those five succulent little seafood meals that were guarding this room for you?
Blowhole: Say what…? (Studies Skipper for a moment and then grumbles) Let me guess, you ate them didn't you?
Skipper: Not yet, …but Rico's working on it now. (The camera turns to look at Rico who has a large pot of water sitting on a little sterno stove as he holds one of the dead lobsters in a large pair of tongs while he wears an apron with a fish on it.)
Rico: (Grunts) You guys wants claws or tails!
Private: OOH, dibs on the claws!
Blowhole: (camera turns back to Skipper) Never let it be said that you penguins didn't recycle. (Sighs) Anyway, …didn't you feel that it was just a little too easy to get into that room? A little odd that there were only five of my lobsters guarding it?
Skipper: Odd schmod, we took the room and there's not a thing you can do about it. Besides that, it's only a matter of time before Kowalski cracks your code and shuts down those heat devices.
Blowhole: You really think it's going to be that simple, Skipper? (Shakes his head) You of all people should know that I ALWAYS have MORE LOBSTERS! (He pushes a button on a console on his end and a minute later lobsters begin to pour through the doors into the room surrounding the penguins.) Tell me Skipper, is this starting to smell like a trap to you?
Skipper: (sniffs the air) Actually, I thought Private just needed to switch deodorants. He's been a little sweaty under the feathers lately since we teamed up with the blues.
Blowhole: What, …you've got to be kidding! It smells like a trap you stupid ice bird, what else could a room filled with lobsters surrounding penguins smell like?
Rico: (Still standing by the pot of water.) (Grunts) Um, …old bay seasoning®?
Blowhole: (Rubs his forehead) Just forget what it smells like, Okay? The bottom line is it's a trap and you're in it.
Skipper: (looks around the room) Seventy to five, now those are my kinds of odds. (Looks over at Kowalski) You may want to get up and join us there, Kowalski. The fun is about to start, …Rico you keep that pot boiling because there's going to be leftovers for you to make. (Rico laughs sadistically and claps the tongs together a few times.)
(Cut to down the hallway as Yoshi and the others are watching from behind the door of a room as a seemingly never ending line of lobsters skits down the hallway towards the control room.)
Loki: Has anybody been keeping count on how many lobsters have passed by us so far?
Beowulf: To many, …that's a whole lot more than were stationed here before. Blowhole must have anticipated Red's defeat and sent reinforcements.
Yoshi: (groans) Well that means that we're going to have to make some adjustments to the plan. (Pause and then turns to Beowulf) How many did you say you've got in this complex?
Beowulf: About a hundred.
Yoshi: We're going to need ALL of them. As soon as the coast is clear have them assemble down here ready for action, we'll give them a quick rundown on the plan and then we'll move.
Loki: Assemble? Who are we the Avengers® now? (Yoshi rolls her eyes and smacks her brother lightly)
Yoshi: You're no Captain America so don't even go there.
Beowulf: (Smirks) No, that would probably be me. (Looks at Yoshi) You know if you borrowed one of Red's eye patches you could be General Fury.
Loki: No way, she doesn't really have the attitude for…
Yoshi: (Raises her voice in annoyance) WHO CARES! (Pause) Just go get the other squirrels!
Beowulf: Alright sheesh, …just when this was starting to get fun for a change. (Beowulf heads out of the room and down the hall as soon as the coast is clear enough.)
Loki: You know I may have been wrong about you not having the attitude, …now all you'd need is that no nonsense tone of voice and you'd be perfect.
Yoshi: (grumbles as she looks through the door without turning to look at Loki) Don't make me hurt you brother.
(Cut to the control room sometime later. Skipper and company stand surrounded by as many as seventy lobsters while Blowhole remains on the monitor monologuing about his plan.)
Blowhole: Can you imagine, world with no humans, no penguins, no LAND! (Stuttering laugh) It will be a dolphins dream come true!
Kowalski: Aren't you forgetting something? Without the humans there would be no technology for you to exploit and build you plans upon.
Blowhole: Without any land mammals I won't need to scheme anymore. Don't you understand that you are all the source of the problem? The humans create their waste and leave their nets and polute everything there is whether they see it or not. They abuse us, capture us, kill us, run us over with their boats… (Scoffs) Need I go on?
Rico: (Nods) Uh huh…
Private: Rico's right, ...we've still yet to hear about what this has to do with anything other than the humans. That's hardly a reason to wipe out everyone else.
Blowhole: You're kidding right? You are all THERE and I have to look at you, that's reason enough. Especially you penguins, you can't just leave me alone you always have to interfere with my plans.
Skipper: What can I say, Blowhole. It's just what we do.
Private: You mean we're here to look out for the little guys and make sure that they don't get stepped on?
Skipper: What? No, …I mean we're here to kick butt and as it stands blowhole has the largest one around. So by default he's our target. (The penguins stop to look exchange glances and then look at Skipper.)
Kowalski: Um, ..Skipper we can't base out entire existence on beating the snot out whomever has the largest posterior. If that were the case then we should have been after Burt the elephant a long time ago.
Skipper: Oh alright, geez I was trying to come up with something other than we're here to fight evil. It just sounds like we're getting in a rut because that's what we're always out to do.
Kowalski: I'm afraid there's just no getting around it, Skipper. Doing the right thing is a monotonous job.
Blowhole: Hey, can we stay on topic here? This is all about me, remember? I am trying to destroy the world after all.
Skipper: Now what's he talking about?
Kowalski: We seem to have stolen his thunder by going off on our own little discussion.
Private: You know for an evil villain he's become a bit of a whiner.
Skipper: Good call, Private. How do we deal with cranky whiners who are all about themselves and world destruction and mayhem? (Rico responds by balling one flipper into a fist and smacking it against the other) Exactamundo! We punish them!
Blowhole: Uh, doesn't anyone want to clue me in here? What exactly are you defeated waterfowl getting at?
Skipper: That defeat is in the eye of the beholder. Let's clean up this mess gentleman, …and then we'll find a way to get to the whining crybaby. Operation sushi is a go! (With that everyone attacks a Lobster and the wondrous mayhem begins with Blowhole watching the play by play on the monitor.)
Chapter 20 coming soon.
Comments and suggestions are always welcome.