Louie has a plan. I'm sure he'll know what to do.Philbert was jostled between Gus and Louie. As soon as he was in the cell, the door clanged shut behind him. Louie untied the ropes binding his arms and ripped the handkerchief off.

He gasped as the handkerchief was pulled away, feeling the sting on his raw cheeks. He staggered against Louie and was instantly lifted up onto the bench.

"You okay, kid?"

Philbert grumbled to himself. He glared through the bars at Gus and the girl, rubbing his wrists where the ropes had chafed his skin.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, Cheesesteak." Louie lowered his voice and nudged him. "Don't you dare make me worry about you like some mushy adult, okay?"

When both Gus and the girl were gone, Philbert lifted his head. "Wait, you wereworriedabout me?"

Louie's soft expression soured. He crossed his arms. "Fine. I was alittlebit concerned about you, okay?" He heaved a breath and plopped down next to him. "Listen, I'm a little out of my depth here. I know I said I had it handled–and Ido–there are just some… expected angles to take into account now."

Philbert pulled his knees up onto the bench and rested his chin on them. "Great. We're doomed."

"Hey, don't go hopeless and mopey on me now. I'll have a plan together before you know it. Just give it some time." Louie yawned, folding his hands behind his head and tipping his hat over his eyes.

"Seriously?"

Louie cracked one eye open. "What?"

"You're going to sleep?!"

"What? It's not like you have any brilliant ideas. I just need a little beauty rest before this whole elaborate scheme becomes—bleh—an adventure." His tone morphed in disgust.

"It already is anadventure!And besides, I do have an idea." Philbert puffed his chest.

Louie lifted his hat, leaning back with a smirk. "Oh really? By all means, enlighten me."

"It just so happens that while you were lazing around in here, I was being experimented on…."

Louie's eyes slowly widened.

Proves him right."By aliens."

The faucet of curiosity in Louie's eyes shut off, just like that. "Yuh boi…." He shook his head and leaned back into the wall.

"Right, you're a critic, how could I forget?" Philbert rolled his eyes. He groaned, hopping to his feet and shaking him by the arm. "But it'struuuuuuue!Why else would they be experimenting on me? They tried to take my hat off and everything." He hugged the yellow, aluminum-lined beanie to his head. "But I wouldn't let 'em! They won't brainwash Philbert Duck today, or any day!"

Louie sat up. "What did you say?"

"That they were trying to brainwash me." Philbert opened his arms for Louie to see the suction cups. "They didn't get my brain but, look, they were testing my vitals, trying to learn about the earth-dwealer body. I tell you, they're cold-blooded, slime aliens under their earthly forms. I just know it." He shivered, recalling the cold touch of their hands as they attached wires and suction cups to him.

"No, I mean—you know what? Nevermind." Louie took one of Philbert's arms, inspecting the marks. "Alright, now tell me again, in plain language. What did they actually do to you?"

"I told you. They stuck a bunch of wires to me and ran a bunch of tests on their alien equipment." Philbert shrugged. "I mean, I think it's pretty clear. They're studying us."

Louie rubbed his chin. "Studying us is right. Susie just convinced me to give her a vial of my saliva. What are they up to?"

"Ah-ha!" Philbert jumped off the bench and paced around the cell. His stomach fluttered with butterflies. "This is so amazing! Finally! I've been abducted by aliens! What a rush!"

Louie shot up and grabbed the cell bars faster than Philbert had ever seen him move. He glanced down the hallway before kneeling to inspect the lock.

"What are you doing?"

Louie stuck his tongue out, squinting into the keyhole. "Getting us out of here."

Philbert's stomach bobbed. He jittered in place.He believes me?"So we can escape the aliens and bring them to justice?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah, sure kid." He rifled through his pockets before looking across at him. "Do you have anything in that hat of yours that could pick a lock?"

He really does believe me!Philbert could barely contain his excitement. It took him a moment to realize what Louie had just asked. "Oh, my hat? No, I don't think so. Why?"

Louie scratched his head, looking momentarily lost. "Uh, I don't know. I guess I just instinctively thought… nevermind."

Philbert watched as Louie's expression flickered, as if he were being pulled between past memories and the present. After a moment, Philbert rubbed the back of his neck, then slipped his hand into his hat. He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and held it gingerly between his fingers. "I do keep this in my hat, though." He held it out so Louie to see.