Captain Rockgut, the team, and I watched the big screen on the far wall of our unit's office. The news was on and the anchor, Chuck Charles, was detailing the events of that morning as footage of Private booking Dr. Blowhole rolled behind him. I smiled and high fived the boys as they filmed the four of us walking away like badasses.

After the segment ended, Rockgut turned the television off and a long silence followed. Finally, he turned around and approached Private, stopping right in front of him. "All right, small potato. You've convinced me to give you the job. For now."

The team and I cheered and clapped Private on the shoulder, but stopped as Rockgut held his hand up and turned to me.

"But remember, he's your –" he prodded me with his finger – "responsibility. You hear me, soldier?"

I smiled and stood at attention, raising a hand up in salute. "With pleasure, sir."

Rockgut narrowed his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, at ease." I relaxed. "We have a celebratory dinner tonight at 2000. We have reservations for the whole precinct at Royal Feast."

"Oh, no," I complained. "We couldn't get reservations anywhere else?" I asked, shoving my thumbs into my pockets.

Rockgut narrowed his eyes at me. "It's time you dialed back that moxie, sass-mouth," he scorned. "Remember, you're still on thin ice."

I held my hands up in surrender. "Fine. Apologies, sir."

Rockgut pointed at me sternly one more time before turning and leaving.

Private looked at me. "What's wrong with Royal Feast?" he asked.

"Nothing," Marlene cut in, stepping forward between us. "It's quite literally the best restaurant in New York."

"Then what's wrong with it?" Private persisted.

"Julien owns it," Kowalski answered with an eyeroll.

Private's eyes widened. "He owns a restaurant too? How rich is he?"

"More than any of us could ever dream," I answered, grabbing my coat. "Let's go get some pre-celebration drinks, shall we?"

We enjoyed some light drinks at Archie's for a couple of hours before heading home to change. Julien had sent a limo for us and after the short drive to Royal Feast, the seven of us headed inside dressed in our finest tuxedos, and Marlene in an elegant, backless plunging, brown dress with white accents.

"Ah!" Ringtail said as we stepped up to the hostess stand. "The guests of honor have arrived! And fashionably so, I see."

I rolled my eyes. "Good evening, Mr. Ringtail," I said, trying to be cordial. "I thought you preferred to hang out at your club?"

Ringtail laughed. "And miss out the opportunity to blow up my socials by taking a picture with the ones who took down that Blowy guy who kills cereal? Absolutely not!"

Before we could object, he pulled out his cell phone and took a selfie with all of us in the background of the photo.

"Ha!" he exclaimed with an excited hop. "My business will soon be booming!"

"Can we be seated now?" I asked impatiently.

Ringtail turned back to us. "Of course! But before you go, I have a question."

I rolled my eyes again. "Quickly."

"Why is it illegal to kill cereal? I eat cereal all the time! Does that make me a cereal killer?" he asked. Sadly, he was not joking.

I smiled. "Yes, and you are now under arrest."

Marlene jabbed me in the ribs. "No, Mr. Ringtail," she corrected. "He's just joking."

"Phew!" Ringtail said, holding his hand over his chest. "You almost had me there. Maurice! Seat them!"

Maurice gestured for us to follow. I leaned in closer to Marlene. "You couldn't let me lock him up for one night?"

Marlene laughed. "No, Skipper. What good would a false arrest do you?"

"It'd be funny," I responded. Marlene laughed and playfully smacked my shoulder with the back of her hand.

As we entered the restaurant, Maurice paused to the side and picked up a wine glass, tapping its side gently with a knife. When the conversations died, he spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.

"Presenting the guests of honor, the honorable detectives responsible for the most famous arrest of the decade, and saving us all, blah blah blah, hooray, everybody."

The crowd that had gathered in the restaurant of all the detectives and agents that worked in our precinct began cheering and clapping for us, many of them standing. Maurice continued to lead us to our table that was in the center of the restaurant as the applause trailed off. I pulled a seat out for Marlene and we all sat together.

"Well," I started as I situated the cloth napkin on my lap, "at least we're getting free food."

"Yeah!" Rico agreed cheerfully.

Before the conversation could continue, someone entering the restaurant caught my eye.

"Well, don't look now, but our rivals have arrived," I observed.

The North Wind team entered the restaurant, escorted by Maurice to their table. The three gentlemen wore silver suits with bright blue ties, and Eva wore a long, flowing white gown that had the texture of feathers and slit up one leg.

"Well," Agent Classified said as they passed our table, "if it isn't the guests of honor," he finished as he pretended to check his cufflinks.

"Good evening, North Wind," I said politely. "Looking a bit . . . shiny, aren't we?" I said, regarding their getups that made them almost look like they were glowing.

Classified chuckled. "Well, at least we don't look like a bunch of peng-wings," he said, failing to pretend he was joking.

"At least I can say penguins," I shot back with a humorous smile.

Classified grit his teeth and started to turn on his heel. "Enjoy your dinner," he said as they continued on their way.

"You too, North Wind," I called after.

A waiter started filling up glasses of champagne at our table.

"How come we don't get a cool unit name?" Private asked.

"Ah," Marlene said with a wave of her hand, "we don't need some team name to be successful agents."

"Marlene's right," I agreed. "We didn't need a team name when we bagged Blowhole, now, did we?" The team laughed and I raised my glass. "To Private. The best rookie I've ever known."

The rest of the table raised their glasses and we clinked with the people immediately next to us before downing our glasses. The rest of the evening was full of laughter, celebration, and stories as we got to know each other. The food was admittedly very good, obviously prepared by some of the top chefs in the state, possibly the nation. By the time we got to dessert, Captain Rockgut made his way to our table and began tapping his glass with a knife. Conversations quieted and he began to speak.

"Good evening, everyone. I hope your celebratory dinner has been enjoyable. It is my honor to commend our agents for taking down the most notorious serial killer of this decade. They have worked tirelessly on this case and in the end, they not only took him down but saved the world while doing it. We are honored to be the precinct of the best agents the world has ever seen."

Upon finishing his toast, everyone cheered and drank in our honor. Rockgut clapped a hand on my shoulder.

"And now, I'd like our unit's CO to give us a few words as we finish our dessert for the night," he said, catching me off guard.

I hadn't prepared a speech and was already slightly drunk, so winging it was going to prove difficult. Nonetheless, I'd battled an angry walrus on a wing and prayer before, so this couldn't be much more difficult.

"Well," I began as I stood up with my glass. I became fully aware of the number of eyes on me and swallowed nervously. "Where do I begin?"

I realized a news crew was kneeling on the ground at my side, recording me. I looked down at Private, who watched me patiently. I had a sudden flashback of the moment I met him. He looked so different to me now. I smiled calmly as the words came to me.

"When I first met our rookie, James, I thought it was a joke," I admitted. "I didn't think he would have what it takes to be a good detective. But I judged too soon. He quickly proved me wrong, more wrong than I ever have been in my life. James is intelligent, strong, compassionate, selfless, and is ultimately the reason we are all still here today. And that means he's saved my life more than once." I smiled down at him for a moment. "I am honored to call him my brother."

Private nodded at me and I turned back to the crowd, but before I could raise my glass, the journalist cut me off.

"Detective, does your unit have a name? For the papers?" she asked, holding the camera closer.

I looked over at my unit when the North Wind caught my eye a couple tables over. Agent Classified smiled smugly at me as I stood silently.

"Detective?" the journalist inquired.

I turned back to her and smiled. "Yes. The Penguins."

The journalist cocked her brow in thought for a moment, then smiled. "Unique. I love it!"

With a grin, I raised my glass as I looked back to Classified, and I was amused to see he was no longer smiling. More cheers and drinks followed the toast and I rejoined my table.

"Really?" Marlene asked. "The Penguins?"

"What?" I asked. "They're cute and cuddly, just like us. They stick together, they protect each other. And like Agent Classified said, we look like penguins too, no?"

Marlene laughed. "Well, if that's the standard I feel like I look more like an otter in this dress."

I gently pinched her cheek. "A very cute and cuddly otter."

She batted my hand away and the team laughed again.

"I don't know," Kowalski started, leaning forward on the table. "I kind of like the ring of it."

"Yeah," Private agreed. "The Penguins, soldiers in black and white!"

The rest of the team nodded in agreement, and even Marlene had to relent that it sounded fitting. I raised my glass one final time.

"To The Penguins," I said.

"To The Penguins!" they all repeated in unison.

The rest of dinner didn't last very long. We were all slightly drunk except for Private and full on the fancy food that was served. We actually ended up all going back to my place in the limo, and Marlene took the other guest bedroom while Manfredi and Johnson took the pullout couch and recliner downstairs. After six years, we had finally laid to rest the one case that had plagued our unit with every failure.

And for the first time after a Blowhole case, The Penguins slept soundly as we knew that case would be closed forever.

— § —

And there you have it. The formation of the most elite unit this world has ever seen, even more than North Wind. They may have all the bells and whistles but none of that matters in the end.

The Penguins only needed each other, and that will make us forever stronger.