[Three figures move along in the dark. It was nearing sunup so only their outlines could be made out. They neared slowly on their target; Skipper. The medium-sized figure takes out a steel cage big enough for one penguin]
Smallest penguin: [whispering] are you sure about this?
Tallest penguin: Absolutely. Skipper must not know about this. If he finds out he might try to intervene so we must keep him absent while the procedures are taking place.
[They near the sleeping Skipper holding up the steel cage.]
Kowalski: On my mark. One, two, th-!
[Skipper jumps up into position suprising them]
Skipper: Who are you? And what are you doing in my lair?
Tallest Penguin: Skipper you must come with us. Want to or not.
Skipper: I choose not. Rico, weapons. Kowalski, options. Private, cover me. [He waits]
Skipper: Boys? Boys! [He turns and finds their beds empty. The figures take advantage of Skipper’s distraction to shove him into the cage. The medium sized one hacks up a lock and puts it on the latch. They than put a blanket over the cage to keep Skipper’s struggling from being heard]
Skipper: [Shaking the bars] Where are you taking me? Who sent you? And where’s the rest of my crew?
[Skipper searches for a way to escape. The lock needed a combination and the only one capable of handling that was Kowalski. He tried knocking downs the cage’s bars by throwing himself against them but they were too sturdy, all that managed to do was for his captors to almost loose their grip on him.]
Skipper: [To himself] nothing left to do but to wait and see where they’re taking me. Maybe my troop will come to help me out soon. I wonder where they are?
[Skipper could hear a sort of rushing sound and an unpleasant odor reached his nose. His captor’s footsteps echoed around. After a few minutes Skipper heard the sound of a door opening and than some whispering. He than felt himself being lowered down. Skipper prepared himself to face his enemy. The cover is pulled away. Skipper’s eyes widen in shock.]
[And since no play is complete without suspense there’s a short pause]
Rats? Rats had kidnapped him?
Skipper: What in the name of Rico’s Mohawk is going on here?!
King rat: [Grinning] Why, didn’t you miss bird? [Laughs echoed along by all the others in the room]
Skipper: To be truthful, I didn’t.
King rat: well, that’s too bad, because you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together today. Might as well start getting comfortable [Beckons around him]
[Skipper looks around him and realizes that he’s in the sewer. The only way out was through the rat infested tunnels and Skipper knew from past experience that as small as those rats were they were no easy targets when in large groups]
Skipper: What’s this sick game about?
King rat: Your friends thought that you might enjoy spending some quality time in the sewer. So, want to play some checkers?
Skipper: My friends? They sent me here?
King rat: Who else?
Skipper: But why? I don’t believe it. You must have some sort of brain control over them; otherwise my crew would rather be eaten by seals than to turn sides against me.
King rat: Yeah, yeah, forever friendships and all that. So how about checkers than? And we can make them interesting. You win you’re free. I win, and you stay here to be our slave [Rats cheer]
[Skipper considers the options and decides that he had a pretty good chance of winning. Also it was the only option he had]
Skipper: Deal! But I must warn you rodent; years of living with Kowalski have taught me tricks that not even I understand.
[They begin the game. The rats cheer on their king from the sidelines. Skipper put forth as much wit and strategy as he can into the game. King Rat, however, seems at ease, and even bursts out laughing a few times during the game. Skipper would usually find this sort of behavior suspicious but at the time he was busy trying to remember Kowalski’s triple flip checker trick. An hour later and a successful triple flip, Skipper is only one move away from winning.]
Skipper: Get ready for it rodent.
King rat: Oh, no you don’t! [Smashes checkerboard, Skipper jumps away]
Skipper: What was that for?!!
King rat: I’m tired of playing games. It’s time for the real fun.
[All the rats surround Skipper. He tries to fight them but there were too many for him to handle by himself. They overpower him and shove back into the cage. Again they cover it.]
King rat: [Laughing] Time for you to find out what kind of friends you really have!
Smallest penguin: [whispering] are you sure about this?
Tallest penguin: Absolutely. Skipper must not know about this. If he finds out he might try to intervene so we must keep him absent while the procedures are taking place.
[They near the sleeping Skipper holding up the steel cage.]
Kowalski: On my mark. One, two, th-!
[Skipper jumps up into position suprising them]
Skipper: Who are you? And what are you doing in my lair?
Tallest Penguin: Skipper you must come with us. Want to or not.
Skipper: I choose not. Rico, weapons. Kowalski, options. Private, cover me. [He waits]
Skipper: Boys? Boys! [He turns and finds their beds empty. The figures take advantage of Skipper’s distraction to shove him into the cage. The medium sized one hacks up a lock and puts it on the latch. They than put a blanket over the cage to keep Skipper’s struggling from being heard]
Skipper: [Shaking the bars] Where are you taking me? Who sent you? And where’s the rest of my crew?
[Skipper searches for a way to escape. The lock needed a combination and the only one capable of handling that was Kowalski. He tried knocking downs the cage’s bars by throwing himself against them but they were too sturdy, all that managed to do was for his captors to almost loose their grip on him.]
Skipper: [To himself] nothing left to do but to wait and see where they’re taking me. Maybe my troop will come to help me out soon. I wonder where they are?
[Skipper could hear a sort of rushing sound and an unpleasant odor reached his nose. His captor’s footsteps echoed around. After a few minutes Skipper heard the sound of a door opening and than some whispering. He than felt himself being lowered down. Skipper prepared himself to face his enemy. The cover is pulled away. Skipper’s eyes widen in shock.]
[And since no play is complete without suspense there’s a short pause]
Rats? Rats had kidnapped him?
Skipper: What in the name of Rico’s Mohawk is going on here?!
King rat: [Grinning] Why, didn’t you miss bird? [Laughs echoed along by all the others in the room]
Skipper: To be truthful, I didn’t.
King rat: well, that’s too bad, because you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together today. Might as well start getting comfortable [Beckons around him]
[Skipper looks around him and realizes that he’s in the sewer. The only way out was through the rat infested tunnels and Skipper knew from past experience that as small as those rats were they were no easy targets when in large groups]
Skipper: What’s this sick game about?
King rat: Your friends thought that you might enjoy spending some quality time in the sewer. So, want to play some checkers?
Skipper: My friends? They sent me here?
King rat: Who else?
Skipper: But why? I don’t believe it. You must have some sort of brain control over them; otherwise my crew would rather be eaten by seals than to turn sides against me.
King rat: Yeah, yeah, forever friendships and all that. So how about checkers than? And we can make them interesting. You win you’re free. I win, and you stay here to be our slave [Rats cheer]
[Skipper considers the options and decides that he had a pretty good chance of winning. Also it was the only option he had]
Skipper: Deal! But I must warn you rodent; years of living with Kowalski have taught me tricks that not even I understand.
[They begin the game. The rats cheer on their king from the sidelines. Skipper put forth as much wit and strategy as he can into the game. King Rat, however, seems at ease, and even bursts out laughing a few times during the game. Skipper would usually find this sort of behavior suspicious but at the time he was busy trying to remember Kowalski’s triple flip checker trick. An hour later and a successful triple flip, Skipper is only one move away from winning.]
Skipper: Get ready for it rodent.
King rat: Oh, no you don’t! [Smashes checkerboard, Skipper jumps away]
Skipper: What was that for?!!
King rat: I’m tired of playing games. It’s time for the real fun.
[All the rats surround Skipper. He tries to fight them but there were too many for him to handle by himself. They overpower him and shove back into the cage. Again they cover it.]
King rat: [Laughing] Time for you to find out what kind of friends you really have!