Marlene shook her head softly, than rubbed her eyes, she let out a quick yawn before tiptoeing over to Darrin. He looked up at her with a questionable look, than realized what was going on. He slowly stood up and stumbled over to the table, grabbing the freshwater Tennessee pearl and tucking it away. Marlene lifted the sewer gate slowly, and Darrin helped her down with steady paws, Marlene couldn't help but feel excitement this is what she'd spent so long trying to do.
Roger rose from the water, and allowed them to step onto his back, as he groggily greeted them with a smile and wave, than started swimming toward the northern corner. Marlene was on the nape of Rogers neck, staring straight ahead. While Darrin laid down and caught a weak nap, yet with the splashing of water and constant moving, he got no more than a few minutes of shut eye.
Roger pulled to the walk again, and Marlene and Darrin hopped off eagerly. "Thanks Roger, we'll walk back." Marlene insisted, Roger sunk down and his dark shadow could be seen swimming away, Marlene rounded the corner with Darrin shadowing behind her. The dark figure was already there, and upon seeing Darrin he took a step back protectively, Marlene rolled her eyes as the smell of sewer surrounded them.
"I didn't have a choice, he demanded he came or he'd let the cat out of the bag." Marlene explained as she stared Darrin point in the eye with an angry expression, The figure stayed still for a moment, than stepped forward, stopping just before the light. Marlene narrowed her eyes, letting them adjust to the darkness. it was a fair sized animal, a slightly portly body, and short legs. Marlene knew clearly it was a penguin, an Arctic penguin exactly.
"He agreed, but i don' think he knows why, the girl agreed to come as well. Now where's my pay love?" The figure demanded, Marlene smiled again, this was well deserved in fact, and Darrin was about to step forward and hand him the rare pearl, till Marlene stopped him in an instant. "Whats that under your arm?" She demanded to know as she pointed to an out of place shape that rested where his flipper should be.
The figure looked down at what he was keeping to himself, than slid it over to Marlene upon her request. Marlene read through it, more stolen information, but this one wasn't about her regular mission, this was something that made her dance in delight. They were records of teams and where they were stationed, even better than the past information, this was dated and keyed, perfectly detailed down to the number and age of groups.
"Thought it might interest you love, no charge. However i have to ask, what you're doing, don't you consider it high treason?" The figure asked, Marlene looked up from the document with a vicious smile, one that wasn't like her at all. She shook her head back and forth, and chuckled. "Who would suspect it, I'm a cute and naive lower mammal." Marlene concluded as she pulled the pearl from Darrin's paws.
"I've lost a good man to a so called naive animal, he saved my life before. Lower mammal is the only thing he would call an actualmammal." The figure sighed as he remembered that terrible accident. Marlene handed him the pearl and began walking away, the figure stared after her, than glanced at the pearl. "Another time love, I've got stories you wouldn't believe." He called after her as Darrin disappeared out of sight but Marlene was still visible.
She turned back to face him than smiled, she nodded her head and said, "I'll take you up on that offer." than she rounded the corner, and began walking back, with Darrin at her side. They were both silent for some time, the rotting stench of sewer over came them both, and the unclean scent of unsureness and fear washed over Darrin. He hadn't gotten a detailed look at the knew information, but he knew what it was.
Darrin still wasn't sure what Marlene was doing, he only knew she was bringing someone to the zoo, and he didn' know who, but they had to be important. He knew that Marlene figured out who the figure was, especially by the look on her face when he told her of the lower mammal content. In fact he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Marlene was doing, but knowing who that figure was would bug him forever.
"Who was he, Marlene?" He asked in a sweet happy yet quiet conservative tone. Marlene didn't answer for a moment, she only thought. If she put the pieces together properly than she knew exactly who it was. Her unsureness held her back from saying anything, but she couldn't keep it in any longer. "A friend, of a friend." She muttered quickly before pulling the new information from the envelope, and looking it over.
"Love wait, Love!" Marlene turned around to see the dark figure racing after her, Marlene stopped and tucked the information away, pushing it behind her back in case he would try to take it away. However the once mysterious figure looked frightened, and yet at the same time like he just figured out the worlds hardest math equation. He stopped short of Marlene and Darrin careful not to be seen.
He took a second to breath before he spoke again, "The one you are looking for he is,"
"Yes, i know exactly who he is, that is why i requested him, by the way you didn't lose your man, he's still alive." Marlene correct from his early story, the figure looked up with a surprised expression, he wanted to speak but whenever he moved his mouth no words came out, Marlene tried to not to smile. Now she was certain she knew who the figure was, and she blamed herself that she didn't know before.
"Go back to the northern corner, Manfreeti." Marlene commanded before she turned away and continued to walk toward her own habitat, while Manfreeti stared after her confused and scared, yet he didn't say anything. Instead his orange beak turned upward into a smile, now that he knew he was alive, life could go on for him again, Skipper had survived the sea lion attack, Now all he had to do, was tell Johnson.
- That morning around noon, Marlene snuck away to the zoo's gate to meet the two she's longed to meet for a long time. Marlene peaked around the corner, 2 black and white figures one male, one female were strolling over to her, Hand in hand. Marlene smiled with excitement, and tried not to explode. Once the two were close enough, she showed her self and greeted them sincerely, each with a smile and handshake.
"Might i ask why I'm here otter?" The male penguin asked, he was tall and looked strong, with ocean blue eyes. Marlene smiled, it definitely was him, than she turned to the female, she was shorter than the male and instead of ocean blue her eyes were a sort of powdered blue color, that seemed moderately lifeless. Marlene pulled them into the gate, than lead them to her home, where everyone was waiting for her.
"I know someone you might want to meet." She insisted with a sly daring smile as she pulled them toward her home, the excitement was to much, she had to take deep breaths just to keep from freaking out, she couldn't imagine the look on every ones face. Especially Skipper's, sometimes she thought she did to much for him, but in the end it's always worth it to see him happy. Marlene pulled him over the water and toward the door, Upon first glance from Skipper, she could see his excitement.
"Skipper?" the male asked as he let go of the girls hand and rushed forward, Skipper stared wide eyed at the other penguin, was it really him? It had to be, who else could it be, a million things washed over him, most importantly a name.
"Comrade?" Skipper asked as the male Penguin towered over him, Skipper smiled as the two brothers wrapped flippers around each other, Marlene felt tears well up in her eyes, she was proud of herself, where was captain now? he wouldn't be calling her a lower mammal anytime soon.