Madison's POV
Is it bad when you betray your friends just for some freedom? Yes.
I admit that I feel a little bad for my friends suffering after all they have done for me. Heck, we hadn't eaten for three days! And here I am, eating some fish in the hallways of Blowhole's HQ. I had found it lying around, so I was eating it. No sense in wasting perfectly good fish right? But my friends have yet to eat anything since we got here.
They're just attached to the walls with nothing to eat. Throughout all my exploring, I had found a monitor that showed me them in their little prison. It was a despairing sight for me. I wonder if they're still my friends...
I had seen Amber, Flora, and Sara with their ribs starting to show already. All three of them looked really thirsty...not to mention hungry. They also had this glazed over look in their eyes that made them look kinda dead. I knew I was the same, except that my ribs weren't showing anymore. Mostly because I was eating fish to my hearts content.
The guys seemed to be more stable I guess. They haven't suffered from hunger yet. They just looked as depressed as my old team was. But it hurt to see Rico. I never really wanted to betray Rico. He's a big part in my life. He probably thinks I hate him now…Maybe I could do something to show I still care?
I looked down at the large pile of fish around me. Maybe I could give them some? But how will I get past Satan and Dr. Blowhole without them noticing? I sighed to myself. Or maybe I should just face the consequences.
That probably would mean death and even before I could probably give them food, I would be shocked to dead. I was probably going to be electrocuted till my head exploded or something. I wonder what that would look like… I was broken out of my thoughts when I heard a pounding sound echo down the passage way I was in. I looked around curiously for the source, but I couldn't locate it from my position. What's that noise?
I got up and tossed a couple of more fish in my beak. I did my best to follow the sound. The noise grew louder with every few steps, I knew I was close.
I soon approached a metal door, where I believed the sound was coming from. Whoever or whatever was doing that wasn't banging on the door though. I guess my curiosity got the better of me as I forced the door open. The banging sound immediately stopped when I did. I narrowed my eyes. All I could see was darkness. I ran my flippers along the wall, hoping to find a light switch.
I smiled successfully when I found one. I flicked it up and the room was immediately flashed with a blinding light. I covered my eyes with my flippers to keep the blinding light away, hissing at it like it was poison. Hesitantly, I took my flippers away and looked through squinted eyes, so it could adjust without burning them alive. Once I felt my eyes adjust, I opened them to their full extent. What I saw startled me.
At least a hundred penguins in two large different cages were in front of me. My beak dropped open as they all stared at me, recognition in their glazed over eyes. Strangely, I was thinking more about the cages then the penguins inside of them. What's up with two cages? Why not one?
"Madison?" a familiar voice rang out.
I turned my head slightly and gaped when I saw my own brother Max. He looked just as shocked as I was but there he was, happiness and excitement in his eyes. I smiled widely and ran over to him, stopping when I reached the bars. I held onto them while looking at my brother. Max looked like he was about to cry as he tried to hug me through the bars. I attempted to return the awkward hug, barely able to fit my flippers through. I thought he was dead!
"I didn't think I would see you again." Max rubbed the tears away from his eyes. He lit up with a look of realization, making me tilt my head, wondering what he was thinking. "Ted, Jake, get over here!"
My eyes went wider then they were before. Ted and Jake? Those were my two other brothers! They were alive too? My smile widened as I saw a tall penguin coming over with a tiny chick, who was losing some of his down feathers.
"Max?" the tall penguin gaped as he saw me.
"It really is her, Ted!" Max cried happily.
Ted watched me a little longer before a smile broke out on his face. He rushed over to the bars and tried to hug me, like Max had. Ted was about the same height as Max, which was around Kowalski's and Rico's height. He had ebony feathers with a white belly and was drastically thinner then Max.
"You really are alive! Get over here Jake!" Ted called over to the smaller penguin.
Jake waddled over to me slowly and tried to reach his small flippers through the cage to hug me. He had a black head and still had some of his grey down feathers. He also had brown eyes he had gotten from my dad. He tried even harder to squeeze me through the bars. I smiled, and I could have just broke into tears right there from seeing them. But something stopped me from doing just that. And that was what Max said.
"Mom, Dad, get over here!" Max shouted. My two brothers stepped away from me; I frowned, expecting the worse to come.
I didn't exactly like my parents and it was the same for them to me. My frown deepened when I saw some penguins separate for two avian birds that forcefully came through to come over. Then soon, right in front of me, were my parents. They didn't look any happier then I was at seeing them.
"Madison," my mom acknowledged coldly. I grunted at her. My dad only nodded at me, just barely acknowledging my presence. It didn't take long for an awkward tension to build around us. Everyone fell silent, their earlier excited chatter gone. "Are you going to get us out of here?" she snapped, breaking the silence.
My eyes became troubled. I rubbed the back of my neck as I pondered this. I would definitely would get killed if I did.
"Maddie?" Max got my attention. I turned to him with a hesitant smile. "You are going to help us get out of here, right?"
I shrugged and placed my gaze to the ground. But my head whipped up when I heard familiar voices.
"Hey Madison, get over here, now!" a commanding voice shook the room. I looked at Max apologetically and ran to the voice, coming up in front of some familiar faces. I smiled when I saw Zero, Amber's stepbrother, Danny and Elizabeth, Sara's cousins.
"It's good to see you!" Elizabeth exclaimed happily. She was rather cute.
She looked a lot like Sara and Danny. She had green eyes like Danny and also had ebony feathers and dull white chest feathers. I tried to ignore her protruding ribs and missing patches of feathers. I then noticed that every single penguin had their ribs showing, glazed over eyes, and were missing many patches of feathers. How long have they been here?
Three female penguins came up from her. It was Flora's sisters. I mentally groaned. I didn't like them that much either.
"Can you get us out of here?" Bella, Flora's oldest sister, demanded obnoxiously.
She had brown feathers just like Flora did. Just like the other penguins, she was missing patches of feathers, had glazed eyes, and her ribs showing. She had strange gray eyes and had a black blotch on the side of her stomach. I smiled mentally as I remembered how she got it. Flora's inventions always had hilarious results. I realized Bella's question, and I shook my head which shocked the penguins. Even Zero.
"Why not?" Zero snapped. I decided I'd go for a basic fact. It was one of the things stopping me at least. I pointed to the collar that was around my neck. Zero looked at the collar unimpressively. "Interesting technology. Not. It's a basic shock collar, only more intense. One shock and you're dead."
"Why don't you just take it off?" Jenny, Flora's youngest sister, besides Flora herself, shouted in exasperation. She had brown feathers too and blue eyes. Her appearance was just as messy as the other penguins.
I narrowed my eyes and growled at her, seething. What makes you think I wouldn't have done it earlier? I shouted in my head.
"She can't take it off. It's firmly placed around her neck," Danny explained and pointed to the forced thing I had to wear.
"She isn't smart enough to find a way out of that thing anyway," Terra, Flora's second oldest sister, commented. She also had brown feathers and green eyes. Just like the others, she was missing some of her feathers and everything. Those three never did like me, not that they liked anyone.
I felt my eye twitch at that statement. Before anything else was said, I heard the sound of someone approaching the room. Knowing I was endangering myself, I quickly went to the door of the room and waved goodbye to everybody. At least I knew my colony was alive. Everybody was alive but they're in bad condition still.
Most of them waved goodbye back, understanding what was going on. At least by a bit. I quickly switched the light off and slid out of the room. I closed the door behind me and did my best to look casual as I walked through the hallway. Casual was never really my thing, so I didn't think I would fool anyone. I grinned sadistically as I passed by the same lobsters I had beaten up earlier. I saw a camera following my every footstep as I passed by.
I was hoping Satan or Blowhole hadn't seen me on some hidden cameras or something. I wasn't very stealthy anymore. I was rather loud and careless when it came to stealth ever since that one incident. Amber was the best at stealth, not me. I sighed in a dejected way. I wasn't much use to my team now that I think about it. It was probably for the best that I left. Besides…Amber did say that if we survived this that we should run away and never look back. And so far, that was what I planned on doing.
"Why her? Why not Sara?" Blowhole questioned, regretting Satan's decision to take Madison as their pawn.
"You don't know them like I do," Satan started to explain to Blowhole. He kicked away an empty beer can, and it landed with a bunch of others in a corner of the control room. Satan kept drinking the liquid and slowly downed half a bottle of alcohol. Already, he was starting to look a bit drunk.
They would occasionally glance at the monitors throughout their chatting and drinking, which was done mostly by Satan. They were really only looking for Madison, because she was basically doing whatever she pleased while the others were trapped. They weren't escaping anytime soon.
"Madison isn't intelligent," Satan started up again. "She is one of those penguins who just don't think. The other three do think, and they're goodie goodies now. Madison is still a darker thing and always will be, so she is more likely to betray those 'friends' of hers."
"I see..." Dr. Blowhole murmured and went to a different computer and scrolled through the things on the screen that held all the records and information on all the penguins. The dolphin was only surprised with what the girls had. "I never would have thought Madison to be such a top notch assassin and thief before she meet all seven of those pesky pen-gyu-ins. She isn't really stealthy is she?"
Satan downed the rest of the bottle and tossed it away with glass shattering when it made contact with the wall. This made Blowhole's eyes twitch from the mess. Satan popped another wine bottle open and said, "That's why you have to watch out for her." He took a sip from the bottle and cleared his throat. "It's actually what got her to meet them. Stupid bitch..." Satan took a large gulp of the wine, almost falling out of his seat.
Blowhole scrolled down the page. "Is that were you got all those weapons?" he asked blankly, referring to the weapons Satan had back at his old home, where he refused to let anyone inside but himself. "Flora's old black market sales?"
Satan nodded drunkenly with an odd smirk and slurred, "She was a good supplier of her old weapons she made." The wine was finally getting to the avian and he started spilling out even more without knowing it. "It's a pity she rarely sells any of her pretty inventions anymore."
Blowhole eyed Satan for a moment and asked, "Why do you hate Amber so much?" He could press Satan as much as he wanted, now that he was drunk.
Despite that, Satan managed to glare at him and swayed drunkenly in his chair. "She's a bitch. You see what she has done to everyone and me and you know why I hate that bird."
Dr. Blowhole flashed his eyes to the screen then and started reading Amber's records. Due to Satan being drunk and Dr. Blowhole being preoccupied, the two were completely unaware that Madison had seen her colony and that she was planning on revenge for the two that had deceived her and her friends.
Zero paced impatiently in the cage. "We need to get in contact with her! She is a obviously working against Satan. I know she wants revenge!" Zero told to his fellow penguins in the large cage they were forced to share.
Jenny seemed crestfallen at the moment. "How are we supposed to do that?" she inquired.
Zero paused from his pacing and whirled over in her direction. "I don't know! Do you think I have all the answers?" he shouted as he threw his flippers up in the air in mock defeat. It was obvious he had the same temper Amber did. Though he might have had more control over it.
"Calm down Zero," Max ordered from across the cage to the second one. "I'm positive she'll come back. Madison wouldn't abandon us."
Elizabeth looked at Max with a spark in her eye as she held onto Danny for protection. "You really think she will?" she asked hopefully.
"We know she will," Ted and Max replied together.
Zero didn't care if Madison was or wasn't on their side, he just wanted out of the dump they were forced to stay in. "Well either way, we have to be patient I guess," the yellow eyed bird muttered and started pacing again.
Bella looked at him with scorn. "You've never been patient, what makes you think you can start now?" she inquired as she got up in his face with her natural sassy attitude she and her two other sisters shared.
Zero crossly pushed her away. "I'm known for my patience. Right?" Zero questioned everyone who was listening. All the penguins looked around awkwardly, not willing to respond to the temperamental avian. Zero sighed and shook his head. "Whatever. We just need to get to Amber."
Danny and Elizabeth shared looks. "What about Sara?" they both asked harmoniously.
"And Flora," Flora's three sisters spoke at the same time. Though they could honestly care less for their little sister.
"You can't forget about my sister," Jake squeaked with eyes that were dilated from the lack of sun he so badly needed for growth.
Zero shook his head. These penguins were hopeless. Where were the girls when you needed them?
"You're serious?" Sara whispered disbelievingly.
Amber had just told them that if they made it out of here alive that they would go their separate ways. Or Amber will at least leave her team. That was a big shock to the two. Thankfully, all the boys were knocked out cold from lack of sleep. They had been staying up for hours just to think of a way out of their prison cell.
"Yes. It's best if we did," Amber told her grudgingly. "If I hadn't done what I did years ago, we wouldn't be in this mess."
Flora eyed her leader sadly. "I would be dead if you hadn't," she admitted and looked at her fondly.
"Me too," Sara added.
Flora shook her head as a memory came back. "And what about what you said?" The female scientist inquired with a hint of bitterness in her tone. "No matter what happens, Blowhole wouldn't break us and we'd stick together!" She looked at Amber carefully which her leader returned. "Don't be like that and go back on your word."
Amber shook her head. "I don't always listen to what I say. I just expect you to listen." The silver bird smiled grimly.
"That's not right," Sara murmured, looking rather confused. "Why say them at all if you won't even listen to yourself! Why can't you just listen to yourself for once and realize how you are hurting others!"
"Easier said then done. That's my explanation," Amber grumbled. She actually felt a pain in her chest from Sara's words. Did she honestly hurt her friends or anybody with what she said? Was she that bad?
Flora replaced her bitter attitude with sympathy. "Amber please. It'll be fine," she reassured.
"How do you know?" Amber snapped harshly.
Flora was slightly taken back at that. "It's going to be ok," she told her slowly and swallowed from her thirst. "I'm sure we will make it out of here."
Amber looked away from her remaining teammates. They didn't understand. She felt her eyelids drop from lack of sleep. It has been at least three days since they had eaten or had any fluids, and two of those days she hadn't slept. She wasn't even sure when it was night or day. But it didn't matter anymore. She closed her eyes and almost instantly fell asleep.
When Sara was sure that Amber was fast asleep, she got Flora's attention. "Hey Flora," she whispered.
"Yes?" Flora acknowledged depressingly.
"What's wrong with Amber?" Sara asked with wide eyes.
Flora stared at her for a moment. Sara was the picture of innocence. Oblivious to most of the bad things in the world. Well that's what Flora thought. Sara was too innocent and naïve for her own good. "She's…" Flora hesitated. "Finally cracking up a bit."
"But she never cracks!" Sara protested, forgetting everyone but them was asleep. "What makes you think that?" she inquired.
Flora's eyes shined with sympathy for her CO. "She's been a bit edgy lately and her attitude has been making some changes," she responded truthfully.
Sara looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well...when did this start anyway then?"
Flora looked back at her memories and responded, "I think after she found out our families were dead is when she started to lose it."
"What could have been her breaking point?" Sara asked, hoping Flora had an idea.
"I think when Madison betrayed us was her breaking point," Flora told her thoughtfully. "I think that just sent her over the edge."
"Amber doesn't deserve this," Sara muttered sadly.
"No body deserves this," Flora corrected. "I just wish I knew what sick game Satan and Dr. Blowhole are conspiring. And even though she betrayed us, I hope Madison is okay."
Sara whispered, "Me too."
Gave you another look on their family. At least showed you more of their family members. Also why they picked Madison to be their pawn in their plans. I hope you liked the chapter! Opinion requested! Please review or I'll lose my sanity.
Amber: I thought you lost it years ago.
Skipper: Me too.
Me: You know nothing!
Flora: You didn't deny the statement.
Amber: Then it must be true!
Me: Growl…
Rico: Review!
Madison: *Raises knives up to the screen and twirls them around* Muhahaha!