A\N: Thanks for your encouragement sweetyknuel and Donakiko, who also reviewed.
Marlene helped Kowalski clean till sunset. Kowalski was the first to notice the long shadows stretch across the zoo and hopped down the burned HQ, where Marlene was sweeping the ashes from the floor. "Thanks for your generous offer to help me, Marlene. I couldn´t have done it without you." Kowalski said. Marlene turned, placing the broom against the wall and smiling. "You´re welcome." The two headed up. "Goodnight, Kowalski." Marlene told him as the penguin stepped up to her. "Goodnight, Marlene." He hesitated, before pulling her into an awkward hug. The otter returned the gesture, shyly burying her face into his feathers. She took in his scent of chemicals, fish and the ocean. Her own scent of flowers, sea and rain clung to his body as well. Kowalski was blushing hot underneath his feathers, glad that she couldn´t see it. He moved his head down, brushing his beak against her neck. Marlene pulled away a bit to look at him. They stared lovingly at each other before the scientist moved his head forward a little. The pair came closer and closer, the hot breaths resting Marlene´s lips and Kowalski´s beak. One inch more and-"Say cheeeeeeese!" Julian shouted, holding up a camera. The moment was ruined and the magical heat vaporized. "Julian!" The lemur grinned, holding up a camera. Marlene muttered a goodnight to Kowalski, before grabbing the king and dragging him away. The penguin sighed heavily, heart still fluttering from before as he climbed into his now clean bunk and closed his eyes.
Skipper laughed dryly. "Do we know Blue?" Kenny nodded, not getting why that was so funny. "If we didn´t, we wouldn´t be here, Kowalski wouldn´t be in the hospital and my relationship with Private would still be whole!" He spat, the hate and anger clearly showing. "Oh…" There was awkward silence as they entered a hall. Suddenly, a weird huffing sound filled the air. "What the deuce?" Skipper asked, looking around. Rico noticed Max, his muzzle straight in the air, sniffing like a hungry animal a steak. "I´ve-sniff-found a-sniff-trace!" He then shot forward, nose in a direction. "Are you sure he´s not half dog?" Kenny asked as they ran after him. Max burst through a door. "I think-" He stopped, eyes wide as he realized his position.
"Born living under evil…b.l.u.e…." The young lemur murmured. Drakus´ dark red eyes shone slightly. "Yes, I picked the name for a reason." He draped an arm around his nephew, walking with him over to his throne. "What do you think we´re gonna do with the hostage now?" Drakus asked. Private stiffened a little. Martha looked at Ted in horror. "No…not that…" She whispered. Ted shrugged. "What did you expect?" He asked. "Uhm, we kill him? Or lock him up in prison?" Drakus chuckled. "That´s what everyone does. It´s utterly useless, really. You kill and that´s all. No, my son, I have come up with an even better idea."
Guns, lasers and other weapons were just craving for a movement in the cat´s body, waiting to feed on his death. Max quivered ever so slightly, eyes wide in fear. The penguins and puffin stopped in front of the door. "How do we get him out of here?" Skipper asked Kenny. The other shrugged. "Well, I don´t know how many coffins we have left." He responded, getting an elbow into his gut. Rico coughed up a flamethrower. "Ve culd shoo dem." He suggested. Skipper though about that. No, they couldn´t shoot fast enough, if they´ll hit one weapon, another one will fire. "No, we need another plan." Kenny´s eyes suddenly lit up. "We could-" The light died down. "Forget it." He muttered. "What?" The leader demanded to know. "Well, I was thinking that we could go up and power the weapons down, but the control panel is in Drakus´ room. There´s no way we could-" "Where is Drakus´ room?" Skipper asked, grabbing Kenny. "Skipper, you can´t go in the-" The penguin slammed him against the wall." "Where! Is! It!" He yelled, his eye twitching. A clear sign his sanity is slowly reaching its limit. "Upstairs." Kenny replied, not making eye-contact. Skipper let him go and slid away. The puffin stared at Rico, before groaning. "He´s gonna get himself killed!" He moaned.
Kowalski lay in his bunk, smelling some hints of the fire, soap and Marlene. It was a smell that kept him awake, not in a bad way, though. Marlene felt the same way, smiling slightly in her sleep.
"Really? How?" Blue was surprised. He never heard of a different way, unless his uncle meant, "Torture?" "Kind of, but not really." Drakus looked at Private before walking over slowly. The Brit cowered in fear as the dark lemur towered in front of him. Drakus studied him hard, then bent down, staring direct in Private´s eyes. The penguin looked away in fear, but Drakus grabbed his beak and forced him to look at him. After a moment, he smiled evilly. "Perfect." He said, nodding to Blue. "Follow me. And take your hostage with you."
Skipper slid out of the hallway and back the way they had come from. For a moment, his sanity returned and while he was sliding, he thought about his plan. It was probably far beyond idiotic to bash into Drakus´ room and get Private back. Or at least try. Only, why hadn´t Private tried to stall them? He had seen the rescue trio, he knew Skipper, Max and Rico were coming to rescue him. Maybe he couldn´t stall\stop them. Maybe he was unable to do so because they had hurt hi- Skipper never slid so fast in his life before. He had to find his soldier!
A\N: Yeah, we´re slowly coming to the end of this. And I officially hate Julian…FOR ALWAYS INTERRUPTING THE BEST PARTS! R&R! xP