Over at The North Wind headquarters, the restful Classified finally arose from his lackadaisical slumber and promptly made his way down to the base's laboratory to collect the aforementioned chemicals that would assure a great display of brutality would be put on show by Alex. He lazily made his way through the corridor of the place, rubbing his eyes to fully wake up as he did.
From a dark room that looked out onto the corridor he travelled down, Eva noticed the wolf's hasty manner, curious as to where he could be going in such a hurry. Laohu's data bewildered her and she suspected Classified might have something to do with it. Having no luck finding any dirt on him yet over the night since her call with Kowalski, she opted to follow his footsteps in hopes to find something. It was a shot in the dark but she thought it was better to be safe than sorry. Even slicker than the wolf, she glided gracefully from a distance, trailing behind him in pursuit.
Classified had been working tirelessly for months on this serum, his research originally fuelled by his own experiences with the animal kingdom and the need to keep the peace within it. But he had seen enough, his passion to save others had disappeared long ago thanks to witnessing the depravity of the many horrid animals he had taken down. Now, thanks to Laohu, it was being used for the sake of entertainment, a far cry from his original intentions and yet it felt right to him now.
Before entering, carefully, he checked around the area to see if anyone was near to the lab's entrance. To his luck, and to Eva's intelligence, no one was to be seen. He then quietly pushed the door open, entering the lifeless room full of different scientific equipment atop pristine counters and an endless amount of vials full of liquids held in several glass cabinets. He swiftly wandered over to a cabinet in the corner of the room, unlocking it with a key he kept with him at all times. Inside stood a group of transparent cylinders encapsulating the liquid within, his eyes widening at the glorious sight of them all.
Eva calmly made her way over to the entrance to the laboratory, wondering why Classified was there by himself, with the lights not on too. Slowly, with caution, she poked her head up and looked through the window on the door. Her beady eyes' gaze almost instantly landed on the wolf who was fiddling around at the far end the facility, the owl unable to make out what he was messing with.
"What are you doing, Classified?" she asked herself quietly with intrigue, her eyes glued to the busy wolf in the dim room. She suspected it wasn't something he wanted others to know about, though she couldn't deem anything wrong with what he was doing quite yet. The owl continued to watch on with patience and concentration.
Classified picked up the encased chemicals, feeling the cold glass in his furry hands, and examined the vials closely. He knew how volatile they were, how one drop could make a creature go from a sleeping giant to a rampaging beast. The blue liquid inside shimmered slightly in the dim light of the lab, almost taunting him with its power. He packed them carefully into a small case, his mind racing with the potential of what was to come. He locked the remaining vials away securely, amazed by the amount he had come to produce. Eva saw that he was finishing up with what he was doing, quickly gliding down the corridor away from the empty laboratory, going unnoticed by anyone.
As he left the lab, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. This wasn't what he had set out to do, but the thrill of the hunt and the promise of a successful mission had consumed him. He had to remind himself that this was for the greater good, that Laohu had always told him that the animals would be released once the fights were over. Or so he hoped that was true. In the end, as long as he saw other animals suffer, it satisfied him greatly, so it didn't really matter to him too much. The show must go on.
Gripping the case tightly in his paws, he made his way through the maze that was the headquarters, to the hanger where his jet was waiting for him. The cold steel underfoot echoed through the silent halls of The North Wind base, the only sound being the occasional beep of a distant computer or the distant whine of the wind outside. He had to be quick, the show was approaching and he didn't want to disappoint Laohu. Eva watched as he boarded the jet and, despite her stealthy ways, Classified's trained eyes caught a glimpse of her within the shadows. He discreetly placed the case within the jet and hopped back onto the platform, deciding it best to engage the owl.
Eva's heart skipped a beat when she realised she'd been spotted, but she remained still, playing it cool. At least he didn't spot her down at the lab. "Eavesdropping, Agent?" Classified called out, his tone deceptively casual. "You know, you can just say hi..."
Eva stepped out of the shadows, feigning nonchalance. "Just passing by. I like to watch the jet take off, if I can," she replied, her voice even. "Going... somewhere interesting today?" She wanted to mention the circus, opting not to as to not raise any more suspicion from the wolf.
Classified raised an eyebrow at her, his gaze shrewd. "Nope, just a little trip to see the mother, again," he said, his voice holding a hint of challenge. "You know, the usual. Shouldn't be too long. Twenty-four hours tops."
Eva nodded, trying to keep her expression neutral. "I hope she's doing well," she said, her eyes flicking to the case he had just stowed away. "She is, yes?"
Classified met her gaze, his eyes cold. "Very. She has certainly improved over the past few months," he replied, a hint of gladness yet threat in his voice. "But enough about that. Have you made any progress on finding the source of the disturbance at that zoo in Spain, or wherever it is?"
Eva felt the weight of his question, knowing that she had been slacking on her assigned mission, too busy with the one against the very wolf that stood in front of her. "I've been following a few leads," she said, hoping to buy herself some time. "But nothing concrete yet. It's a weird one."
The wolf nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Well, I hope that changes by the time I'm back," he said firmly, not wanting to waste anymore time. His demanding demeanour quickly halted, realising his haste was slightly unnecessary. "But... don't rush it. We don't want another sheep incident like we did with that octopus, um... Dave. Ugh, in front of the penguins too. How embarrassing... "
Eva nodded and felt a shiver run down her spine at the mention of the sheep, a grim reminder of the true nature of the work they did despite it being a lighter case of failure amongst many attached to the agency. They needed to be certain about everything on the job, or an animal's life could potentially be ruined. She watched on silently as Classified climbed into the cockpit of his jet, his tail flicking with annoyance. "I'll be in touch," he said, his voice now cold and unfeeling. "Make sure you don't miss anything important."
The jet's engines roared to life, the sound echoing through the hanger. As the jet's doors closed, she took a step back, allowing the heat from the engines to wash over her. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, a paranoia that had grown since her conversation with Kowalski. She glanced around, but the halls remained eerily empty. The North Wind's secrets felt like they were closing in on her, and she knew she had to act fast. Someone with the knowledge must have helped Classified make whatever he attained from the lab, still unclear to her as to what it was and who it could be. The answers couldn't wait.
Determined to find out what the sneaky wolf was up to and hopeful to put a stop to whatever it was, Eva quickly made her way back down to the laboratory which seemingly remained untouched by any other agent since her last visit. With a slight struggle due to her small stature, she managed to open the door to the facility, though with some noise in the process. Promptly getting her breath back, she gave a glance over the window to check if anyone had heard the door's slam. To her surprise, it seemed no one had.
With a sigh of relief that she hadn't been caught, she flew further inside and approached the cabinet where Classified had been. She examined the area closely, looking for any clues as to what was in the case he had taken with him. Amongst the clutter of generic files and half-empty coffee cups on the counter tops, she noticed a slip of paper poking out of a gap on the door of the locked cabinet. Pulling it out with caution, the words were slowly revealed on the paper. It was a list of ingredients. The handwriting was rushed and sloppy, but she could make out enough to know that if they were mixed properly they could be dangerous.
Eva's mind raced as she read through the list, her heart pounding in her chest. It dawned on her that Classified had been working on something far more sinister than she had initially thought. This wasn't just about capturing animals anymore; this was about controlling them, manipulating them into doing something truly awful. She had to get this information to Kowalski before it was too late and something terrible happened to the circus animals, if that was indeed where Classified was headed. The guilt she was starting to feel was tremendous, like it was all her doing.
With the paper folded and firmly clutched in her beak, she made her way to her office, her feathers ruffled with urgency. The once familiar corridors felt eerie and alien, the shadows seeming to whisper secrets she wasn't meant to know. Her eyes darted around as she hurried, the echo of her wings the only company she had. The North Wind base had never felt so isolating, no one else there could be trusted at that moment in time.
Once inside her office, she quickly locked the door behind her, the click of the lock echoing through the room. She placed the paper down on her desk and took a moment to catch her breath. The room was small and sparse, only containing the essentials for her work: a computer and a few personal items from her limited time outside of the job. But now, it felt like a fortress, a sanctuary from the horrors she had stumbled upon.
Eva scrambled around on her computer hastily, her heart racing as she tried to find Kowalski's contact. She had to tell him what she had found, hoping it wasn't too late. If he didn't respond she would have to go there herself, most likely alerting Classified in the process. The call rang once, twice, then went to voicemail. "Damn it," she murmured, her beak clenching tightly.
She left a hasty message, her voice trembling with the urgency of the situation. "Kowalski, it's Eva. I've found something in the lab, something Classified's been working on. It's... it's not good. I think it has something to do with Laohu and his circus. The animals there are in danger of him, Classified, and, with this thing he's been making, themselves. All I know about the circus is, from Classified previous visits that were tracked, it is located somewhere in Shanzhou. Call me back as soon as you get this."
Suddenly, a firm knock on the door made her jump. She froze, her eyes wide with fear. She slowly made her way over, her heart hammering against her ribcage. She peered through the peephole, her eyes landing on the the sizeable polar bear, Corporal. He was someone so close to her, yet she still hesitated to trust him or open the door, the weight of her situation tugging at her.
"Eva, you in there?" Corporal's voice boomed through the metal barrier. "I've got a nice, hot cup of coffee here if you want it, if you are."
Eva's heart rate slowly returned to normal. She unlocked the door and cracked it open, peering out at the bear. "Hey, Corporal," she said, looking at the tiny coffee in the bear's ginormous paws with relief.
"You okay?" he asked, concern etched in his furry face. "You look a bit... on edge. Is the assignment stressing you out?"
Eva took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Yeah, it's just... it's complicated," she replied, taking the coffee in her beak gratefully and placing it down on her desk. The warmth from it was comforting, the steam swirling up and disappearing into the cold air of the room. "Thanks."
Corporal nodded, his eyes scanning the room before landing on the paper laying open on her desk. That wasn't supposed to be there. "You're welcome," he said gently, malice growing within. Unbeknown to Eva, Short Fuse the seal was behind Corporal, an anger developing inside him too.
"Look, I know it's a tough gig," Corporal said, his tone shifting to something more patronising. "But you can't let it get to you, okay?" He took a step closer, his fur brushing against her wing. "If you can't do it, you can't. Classified will understand."
Eva stiffened at the implication. "I can handle it," she said firmly, breezing past him to sit at her desk. "Just... keep the coffee coming."
Corporal's eyes lingered on the paper, his frustration piqued. "You've got a lot of notes there," he said, trying to sound casual. "A lot to... handle."
Eva's feathers ruffled. "Just some research," she said, placing a wing over the paper. "It's nothing you need to worry about. I'm busy. Is that all?"
"Oh, for goodness sakes, just grab her!" Short Fuse's voice bellowed from behind the polar bear's leg, shocking Eva as she heard him so suddenly, specifically the words spoken.
With surprising agility for his size, Corporal's paw shot out and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, lifting her off the ground. She squawked in surprise and fear, her wings flapping wildly as she struggled to break free. "What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice high-pitched and trembling.
Short Fuse slid out on his movement device from behind the polar bear, a smug look on his face. "We are stopping you," he sneered. "We know you know about Classified's vials."
Eva's eyes went wide with fear, her heart hammering in her chest. She had suspected that someone in the agency knew about her suspicions, but she had never thought it would be the two so close to her. "Well, I didn't know that much," she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're too late, anyway."
Corporal's grip tightened, his teeth bared in a snarl. "Don't play games with us, owl," he growled. "How could that be?"
Eva's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape. "I... I sent the information to someone," she managed to choke out, her heart racing. "They'll stop whatever Classified has planned!"
Short Fuse's eyes narrowed. "You think you've saved the day, don't you?" he spat. "There is no stopping it now, you're the one who is too late. No one gets passed the tigers, not on Laohu's watch."
Corporal tightened his grip, his claws digging into her soft flesh. "You should've kept those beady eyes closed," he said, his voice a low growl. "You know too much now, and now you're going to pay for it."
Eva squirmed, trying to free herself from the polar bear's iron grasp. Her eyes searched the room for anything she could use as a weapon or to distract them. "You don't have to do this," she croaked out, her voice strained. "We're all animals, we should be helping each other, not hurting one another."
Corporal's grip grew tighter, his eyes cold and unforgiving. "It's too late for that," he said, his voice low and final.
Short Fuse chuckled menacingly at her struggle. "It was nice knowing you, Eva," he stated sarcastically.
Corporal's paw tightened even more, cutting off her air supply. She felt the world spinning around her, her eyes bulging as she fought for breath. But she was no match for the polar bear's brute strength. His grip grew tighter and tighter, until she felt her eyes roll back in her head.
Her vision grew dark, her body went limp. The last thing she heard was the cruel laughter of Short Fuse and the sickening crunch of her neck giving way. Her world went black, and she felt a strange sense of peace wash over her, a final reprieve from the horror she had uncovered. Her last dying thought was of Kowalski, hoping the message reached her beloved penguin and that her death was not in vain.
"Well, I guess we've gotta inform Classified about this, I guess?" Corporal questioned the action they had just partaken in, looking to Short Fuse for reassurance. The wolf did tell them to be ruthless, he hoped that this was the right thing to have done.
"Yeah... do that. I'll make this look like an accident while you do," Short Fuse answered, slightly more confident about what to do but still a bit unsure. He too hoped Classified would see the greater good their cold murder of a nosy colleague. "He'll probably be happy about this... she was annoying, right? He'll cover for us too, I bet."
"Oh, don't get me started..." the polar bear remarked at the mention of the deceased owl's irritating nature. The both laughed and nodded, proud of themselves in their act.
Somewhere within the calming countrysides of China, the arrogant penguins were driving recklessly across the ethereal hills and through idyllic, green hedgerows toward their destined path of Shanzhou, picked out at random by Kowalski. They were now riding a new and much more impressive vehicle, compared to the questionable golf kart they were using the night before. It was a black and white Chinese super-car with incredibly rapid top speeds. Remarkably, it had been stolen, despite the penguin's almost endless stash of cash they had accumulated, the additional sum they had gained from gambling the night before not included.
"Well, this really is something," Kowalski stated in admiration of the speed they were going at as he had a go at steering the car while Rico pressed the gas pedal fully down, obliterating any vegetation that stood in their way. "Possibly our best mode of transport yet, Skipper, wouldn't you say?"
"Best mode of transportation indeed, Kowalski," Skipper agreed, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he stood on the dashboard watching over the other penguin's rash driving. "But remember, we're not just joyriding here. We've got a mission... to win more money! I'm feeling lucky today."
"Luck is for the weak!" Kowalski exclaimed as he swerved around a corner, the tires screeching. "We're going to use our brains."
"And our cuteness," Private added, his eyes glinting with mischief as he adjusted his new pristine sunglasses.
"Who told you to talk? Skipper exclaimed to Private, glancing at him with disapproval. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Private. We may be avid gamblers now, but a bit of discipline is still expected, just as well as it is necessary."
Kowalski continued driving as Private took his telling off with sorrow, the steering to be as expected from a unlicensed penguin. He was just getting bored of the honour, when suddenly, from behind a hill that was now scarred with tire tracks, appeared the city of Sanmenxia, a city within the Shanzhou district. It was nothing compared to Beijing at first glance, disappointment settling in over the group within the already worn out super car.
"Well, that's it," Kowalski quipped, trying to keep the spirit up. "Let's hope they have a casino."
"What is this dump!" Skipper announced broadly, hopping over to the driver seat in denial. He pushed Kowalski aside, taking full control of the car. "We are not staying here."
"Well, where else do you-" Kowalski began, before stopping himself as he heard a noise within the disguise that indicated a message had been sent through. He knew it would be Eva, information or not, so he hopped to the back of the car, letting the picky Skipper decide their actual next location. "Just make sure you'll like it this time," he mentioned to the other penguin, before immersing himself within the sound of the voice message he found waiting for him. Kowalski noticed it was sent some time ago, his thoughts going straight to the fact that they had been ripping it through the vast countryside all night in an attempt to get to their location quicker. There must have been no signal.
"Kowalski, it's Eva. I've found something in the lab, something Classified's been working on. It's... it's not good. I think it has something to do with Laohu and his circus. The animals there are in danger of him, Classified, and, with this thing he's been making, themselves. All I know about the circus is, from Classified previous visits that were tracked, it is located somewhere in Shanzhou. Call me back as soon as you get this," the message repeated, intrigue weighing over his mind at the discovery, with a hint of concern for Eva's wellbeing growing within him.
"Skipper, I've got something to tell you here," he said, his tone serious, hinting for him to pass the wheel.
Skipper scoffed but handed it over to Rico as Private took on pedal duties, eyeing Kowalski suspiciously. "What is it?" he asked with a sigh, crossing his flippers over his chest.
"I'm afraid your... worries may have been right, Skipper," Kowalski admitted, handing the headphones over to him. "Just listen, it doesn't sound too promising."
Skipper took the headphones with a grimace, his beak moving to the side as he listened to the message. His eyes grew wide, and his body stiffened. "No... no!" he said, his voice tight with tension. "What could they possibly be doing with them? Is she really sure about this? Can we even trust her?"
"Eva wouldn't lie to me," Kowalski said firmly, his eyes on the road and Rico's rough steering. "If she suspects there's trouble, then there's trouble. And if Laohu's really is involved, then it's definitely not just about putting on a good show anymore. Oh, boy... I hope she's okay."
"That's what I'm getting at, she may have been compromised!" Skipper replied with worry, his mind racing at the possible scenarios that could've already played out during their gambling outing. "We'd be walking into a trap!"
"Let's just assume she hasn't, okay?" Kowalski told him, the thought of the consequences Eva could face too much for him to handle.
"Right, right," Skipper muttered as he took a deep breath and composed himself. "We've got to find them, I can't live this life knowing I've ruined others' to get here," he said, his voice becoming determined. "And we've got to do it fast. Ugh... Who knows what kind of mess we'll walk into if we're not, wherever it is... Where is it?"
Kowalski looked out the car's windows, taking in the surrounding city they had found themselves in. "Well, we're in Shanzhou already, which is a good start, but we need to find where Laohu has taken them, specifically. It could be anywhere in the district. It's not going to be easy."
"Still think luck is for the weak?" Skipper mentioned to him, speculating that they would likely need more of it if they were to going to locate their forsaken friends. "Hey, we can just ask any animal we come across, perhaps they'll know. Maybe Laohu is a local celebrity around these parts..."
"Careful, though," Kowalski said, his beak in a tight line. "Maybe they're associated with him. They'd want to know how or why we're asking about him."
Skipper nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. His mind, desperate to assure itself it wouldn't feel guilt, disagreed however. "No time for that," he murmured, stroking his chin with his flipper. "If they are, we'll just have to disarm them, and force some answers out while we're at it. Time is against us, we don't know when that foul wolf arrives with whatever it is he has."
"That's a feasible plan considering the circumstances, I guess," Kowalski concluded from the committed words of Skipper. "Let's find some animals."
After a swift, yet firm, announcement from Skipper to the rest of the gang about the new intel he had heard, they were now all making their way through the backstreets of Sanmenxia with their eyes on the look out through the scuffed super-car's dirty windows for any stray animal that could possibly know the whereabouts of Laohu's supposed circus.
"Look, a raccoon!" Private exclaimed, pointing at a small, furry creature rummaging through a pile of trash down a lifeless alleyway. "Or is it a dog? It looks like a raccoon..."
"It's a raccoon dog," Kowalski corrected, his eyes leaving the road as the car came to a halt as to get a better look at it. "And more importantly, it's an animal. Good work, Private."
Skipper nodded, his eyes scanning the creature before speaking. "Hey, you there! Scruffy guy! Do you know of any circus' around here?" he called out the window to it, his voice carrying through the quiet street.
The raccoon dog looked up, surprised by the sudden attention. To the penguin's disgust, it only had one eye and its face was slightly disfigured. It took a moment for it to process the question, a confused look upon its crooked face. "None here, not anymore. Not for many years..." it stated, its voice slightly high-pitched with a hint of dread at the mention of the word. "No zoos either. Foreign animals tend to avoid these parts."
"What do you mean?" Skipper asked, his voice filled with urgency and intrigue. "Why?"
The raccoon dog took a step back, eyeing them cautiously. "You don't know?" it replied, its fur bristling. "The animals in them kept disappearing... Then, only days later, they would show back up... dead, their bodies in an almost unrecognisable state. No circus comes around here anymore because of that."
Kowalski's eyes grew wide with horror. "Do you know why?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
"No..." it admitted, realising he had revealed too much already to the curious strangers. Skipper and Kowalski could tell he wasn't telling them the full story. "Um, it's been so long since a disappearance last happened around these parts. I've tried to forget about it all."
"Do you know a guy by the name of Laohu? Does that mean anything, by any chance?" Skipper asked the dog abruptly, eyes squinted to detect any sign of deceit. Kowalski looked at the other penguin, worried of the probable consequences of a sudden mention of the name to a stranger and his boldness in such a circumstance.
"Uh, no?" he replied, slowly gulping afterwards. "That just means 'tiger' in Chinese, aha..." Skipper did not reply, his face remaining emotionless as he watched the animal's every movement very carefully, trying to detect any psychological signs he displayed.
"Come on, buddy," Kowalski tried a more friendly approach, hoping to get more information, more importantly trying to avoid Skipper's aforementioned forceful approach. "You've got to tell us anything that could help us find who did it, please. Our friends are in danger."
"That's all I know," he explained, his words going amiss to Skipper's determined mind, which had now made its judgement. "Now, leave me be, foreigners. If your friends are in danger then so are you. I'd get out of here as soon as possible if what you say is true." It turned around and strutted away down the dark alleyway, certain they would listen to his foreboding message.
Skipper shared a tense look with Kowalski, the raccoon dog's lack of transparency enraging him. Kowalski knew what it meant, quickly accepting the inevitable outcome with disappointment. "Let's get him, boys," Skipper decided, his voice firm despite the frustration in his eyes. "He knows more than what he is letting on. Immobilise him, Rico!"
"Really, Skipper? It might be telling the truth and it's only the first animal we've-" Kowalski said to Skipper, trying to reason with his erratic command. But before Kowalski could finish his reasoning or the raccoon dog could even react, Rico had launched himself out of the car, his sharp beak aimed for the creature's legs. It yelped in fear, frantically trying to dodge the penguin's rapid attacks at each limb, but to no avail. Within seconds, the raccoon dog was on the ground, whimpering in pain at Rico's cold and calculated assault.
"Rico, ease up," Kowalski called out, jumping out of the car. "We need him to talk, not to be a pile of blood."
Rico stepped back, his eyes still filled with the bloodlust that had been stoked by their recent encounters. The raccoon dog, now trembling, looked up at the penguins with fear. "Ugh... What- why?" it stuttered, trying to push itself away from them.
"You do know something," Skipper growled, his beak inches from the creature's face. "You know of Laohu, don't you?"
The raccoon dog nodded rapidly, its eyes darting back and forth between the penguins. "I- yes, yes I have," it squeaked out. "I was... part of his act, once."
"Oh so- wait, really?" Skipper questioned the surprising revelation, his beak dangerously close to the raccoon dog's only eye.
The raccoon dog nodded vigorously, its single eye wide with fear. "Yes, yes, I was. I got set free after one of the other animals got crowned champion, or something like that. I've lived on these streets ever since."
"Champion?" Kowalski repeated, his voice tight with confusion.
"Yes," the raccoon dog stuttered, its breath coming in quick gasps. "Laohu holds... a fighting tournament. The strongest animal wins their freedom, along with any losers if they are still alive. Most of of them looked worse than me right now, trust me. It gets brutal in there."
Skipper's eyes narrowed. "And where is this... tournament of his?"
The raccoon dog gulped, its heart racing. "I don't know, they put bags over our heads so we couldn't tell!" it whispered, trembling.
Skipper's jumped on the animal's wounded ankles, a cold fury burning in his eyes. "Details, then! What did the place look like?" he shouted, hopping on its face and looking into his pained eye. "How far would you say it is from here, hm?"
"It was like an underground stadium, it was like a cave. I don't know, okay?" it muttered out as it winced at the pressure, trying to think through the pain. Skipper still looked him in eyes with menace, awaiting more information. "It's... it's not far from here, I suppose. From here, just half an hour on a train, maybe? That's how long it felt."
"A train? Why do you say that?" Kowalski asked him, the use of the word peaking his interest.
The raccoon dog coughed out a whine, trying to push itself away from the weight on its ankles. "I could feel the rumble of the tracks... smell the diesel fumes," it gasped. "We went up and up, and then we stopped, and got dragged inside wherever it was."
"Up and up? One of these mountains perhaps?" Kowalski echoed, his mind racing. Skipper continued to jump on its bloody leg, this time just for amusement. "Skipper, he's said enough. Leave him."
The penguin stepped back with a smirk, the raccoon dog's eye fluttering in pain. "You're free to go, if you even can," he cold voice said, winking at Rico with hidden intention.
Rico nodded, his mind racing. He reached into his seemingly bottomless pit of a mouth and pulled out a stick of dynamite, his beak grinning. He ran up to the raccoon dog as it struggled to stand up from his wounds, the penguin holding the explosive with the same enthusiasm as a child holding a new toy.
"What are you doing?" the raccoon dog yelped, trying to back away on its cut up legs from the crazy penguin.
Rico's beak widened into a grin, his eyes glinting with excitement. He cackled with a deranged tone, the dynamite stick poised to attach to the raccoon dog's tail. But before he could light the fuse to it, a sudden growl echoed through the alleyway, freezing everyone in their tracks. The raccoon dog's eyes went wide with terror, and even Rico paused his antics. Two suited tigers, their fur a vibrant orange with black stripes, emerged from the shadows, their eyes locked on the struggling creature.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the larger of the two tigers said in a smooth and menacing voice. His partner smirked, showing off a mouthful of sharp teeth. "A little snitch, is it?"
Rico's grin faltered, his dynamite stick hovering in the air. The tigers took a step closer, their muscular forms casting long shadows over the cowering raccoon dog. The creature looked desperately between the penguins and its new predators, fear evident in its wide eyes.
"You know we have eyes and ears everywhere, Dude," the larger tiger said to the raccoon dog with a chuckle. "It's very unfortunate you broke so easily, especially to these feeble penguins."
"His name is Dude?" Kowalski muttered to himself in confusion, taken aback by the unorthodox name momentarily.
Skipper took a smug step forward, his feathers bristling. "Dude's all yours, boys. We were just leaving!"
The larger tiger took a step closer, taking the raccoon dog's neck in his strong grasp as it failed to take in any air. "Ah, but you're the ones asking about Laohu's business," he said, his voice now a low growl, his grip tightening firmly around Dude's neck. "That makes you just as guilty."
"Guilty? Whatever you say, big guy," Skipper replied back, not intimated by their tough demeanour.
"Ha... yeah. Goodbye, Dude. You were always lucky living this long anyway," the tiger scoffed, snapping the raccoon dog's neck, a large crack echoing throughout the dull alleyway.
"Let's run," Kowalski whispered to Skipper, his heart racing as the lifeless body of the scruffy animal got crushed between the tiger's paws and tossed aside into a pile of garbage. "We can't take them."
Skipper's eyes darted between the two tigers approaching and the dead raccoon dog, knowing exactly what to do. "You're forgetting about our new toy," he murmured back, a big grin on his face. "Rico! Laser!" he shouted to the other penguin, the weapon emerging from his mouth and into Skipper's flippers accordingly.
The tigers froze for a moment, their eyes widening with surprise and fear. The smaller one took a step back, unsure of what to expect. "Uh, what's that going to do exactly?" the larger tiger asked with nervous laughter, his confident façade loosening slightly. He knew exactly what it was, his boss, Laohu, had one of them himself.
"Oh, it's just a little something we picked from an old friend," Skipper said, aiming the laser between the two tigers. The light bobbed back and forth, a silent warning. "It is very unfortunate you had to steal Rico's kill, especially seeing as he is only a feeble penguin."
The tigers stared at the laser, the smaller one taking a few more steps back. The larger one, however, remained steadfast. "Do it," he snarled. "It's suicide."
Skipper's grin grew wider, his eyes glinting with the thrill of the challenge. He depressed the trigger, and a crimson beam of light shot out from the device, slicing through the air with a low hum. The larger tiger had no time to react as the laser vertically bisected him neatly in two, his shocked expression frozen in time. The penguins watched in awe as the two halves of the creature fell to the ground with a wet thud, blood pooling around them.
The smaller tiger, now standing alone, took a step back, his eyes wide with horror at the sight before him. "W-wait!" he stuttered, his bravado gone.
Skipper took a step forward, the smell of fear now thick in the air. "Woah there, tiger," he said with a calmer tone, lowering the laser. "Don't worry, you can go. You must tell your friends about this, however. Deal?"
The smaller tiger nodded frantically, his eyes still wide with shock at the sight of his partner's gruesome demise. "Y-yes, alright," he stuttered, taking a few cautious steps backward. "I'll leave you be."
Skipper nodded, keeping the laser pointed at his feet. "Good choice," he said, his voice still calm but firm.
Rico took the opportunity to sidle up to the smaller tiger, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He gave him a pat on the leg and giggled, his beak wide in a creepy smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. The tiger flinched, but the amused Rico was already moving away.
"That's your cue to get on your way," Skipper told him firmly as Rico laughed with menace, the tiger listening to him as submissively as Private. He scurried away back down the alleyway, still trembling from the traumatic scene.
Kowalski took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "Well, that was... rash," he said, turning to his friend. "We've just killed one of Laohu's henchmen, and now another you have let free to go and tell him what happened. What is the plan here, Skipper?"
Skipper's grin didn't falter as he turned to look at Kowalski. "Now, we just have to see where that tiger goes," he said, his eyes glinting with excitement. "All from he comfort of our... wrecked super-car."
They piled back into the car, Private and Kowalski exchanging a bewildered glance as Rico cackled from the backseat. "Oh, I see" Kowalski said, the realisation of what Skipper and the even crazier penguin had done dawning over him. "Very smart, my friend."
"Thank you, Kowalski," Skipper said with a proud nod, the engine roaring to life as they drove away from the grisly scene. "Maybe you should believe in your beloved Skipper a bit more, hey?"
"You're right, I'm sorry. It won't happen anymore," he admitted. "I should've been on the same wavelength there..."
"Good to hear. Now, let's rescue our friends. It should show up on the disguise's screen the whereabouts of that tiger," Skipper said, hoping the tracker worked.
"I see," Kowalski replied, his eyes set on a small dot moving slowly across a map of Sanmenxia. "That way!"