It was a quiet day at the zoo. The weather was a bit rough so there weren't many visitors at all and the ones they did have were school groups that left within an hour or so. Kowalski was in his lab with the private while skipper and Rico were out in the main room playing a game of checkers. A slight growl could be heard from the leader as a clink from the plastic pieces was made.

"Checkers is just idiots chess anyway," skipper retorted.

Kowalski chuckled from his seat in the lab as he put down his pencil and turned to Private who was sipping from a mug.

"Is it finished, Kowalski?" Private asked with a sweet smile.

Kowalski cocked a brow and looked down at his sheet of paper."Is what finished?"

"Whatever you're working on."

Kowalski chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Private, the theory of relativity will never be 'finished'. Some forces of the universe we are never meant to fully understand."

Private took a moment to just stare at Kowalski blankly. "Then why study it?"

Kowalski dragged his flipper down his face and groaned in annoyance. No one understood science around here and no one ever would. Would it kill the universe for another, even semi smart animal to be shipped to this zoo?

"Why did you get Skipper to go out and get you those fingerless gloves when you don't have fingers?"

Private looked like he was thinking whether he should be offended or not. Until he promptly answered. "Because I wanted them."

The room went silent and Kowalski could swear he heard Private's brain ticking and catching up with where the conclusion had landed.

"Oooh, because you want to. Makes sense."

Kowalski groaned again and decided to call it quits. He had a date with Doris that evening and he needed to get ready. Their new meeting spot was a little ways away. A small dock about an hour and a half away. The pair were going on strong now after a good 5 months of being back together. Kowalski cherished every moment that he spent with Doris for he knew how quickly she could turn against the idea of dating him. But hey, 17 and a half time's the charm.

Waddling out into the main room and leaving private in his lab, Kowalski sat around the table next to Rico who was thinking over his next move.

"Skipper if I may..." Kowalski started as he took hold of one of the red pieces and cleared the board of 4 of skippers counters. "Can you extend my curfew?"

Skipper gasped and slammed his flippers on the table. "Insubordination!"

Skipper breathed in and tried to keep his cool. He may have just lost the game but that's all it was. A game.

"10 not late enough, lover boy?"

Private waddled through the door still holding his cup and took a seat next to skipper.

"Actually sir, it's Saturday. Lights out is 11," the little penguin said.

Skipper turned his attention back to Kowalski who did his best at giving a convincing set of puppy eyes. Though, they needed major work.

"What time were you thinking?" Skipper asked.

Kowalski thought for a moment before he grinned awkwardly. "2am sir?"

Skipper could have had a cow. If that was possible, but it's not. And that's not important.

"Kowalski, what makes you think she wants to be with you until 2 in the morning?" Skipper chuckled cruelly.

Kowalski groaned again. He was fed up of all the comments the rest of the team made regarding him and Doris. Skipper and Rico had even placed bets on when the next inevitable break up was to be. He didn't like being made fun of in this way and if anything he should have felt accomplished that he'd managed to win Doris back for the 17th and a half time.

"But seriously, soldier, you can't expect us to postpone lights out that late. We'll cut it even, midnight. If you're not back on time you're being locked out and I'll work you extra hard on defence drills in the AM. Training starts at 7 and I won't care how tired you are."

Kowalski nodded and chirped up as he hopped down from his seat.

"Aye Skipper, Sir."

It was nice that Skipper did give him some leeway when it came to meeting Doris. He knew how much the dolphin meant to Kowalski and respected that Kowalski was his own man and could do what he wanted. As long as didn't go against the words of his commanding officer. He sometimes found it unfair, however. Skipper could go out and come back weeks later without needing to give notice but Kowalski had to kiss his feet for a chance to knock his curfew back one measly hour. It was all rank status and position abuse. It wasn't fair. Why don't they put the smart guy in charge? It didn't make any sense!

Kowalski was stealth about his means of transportation. He used to drive to their meet up spots but stopped after the pink car was nearly taken by a bunch of teenage idiots. Now, he took the subway. It was faster anyway and he liked to sit on the roof of the train and let the hot air of the underground rush through his feathers. It was a thrill and often gave him a questionable feather do that always made Doris chuckle.

The dock they were meeting in was quiet, void of human life and looked very run down. Surrounded by such a built up area Kowalski wondered why the dock had been forgotten.

He sat at the waters endge looking to the horizon and watching as a few tug boats passed and disappeared into the dark night. The sky was clear and sparkling as the stars twinkled and lit the oceans surface.

Kowalski soon grew bored of waiting. He had arrived early as he usually would so Doris was by no means running late and causing his boredom. He just couldn't suppress the feeling in his gut that he wanted to take a look around the abandoned dock and see what he could find. Maybe he could find an old generator or two he could dismantle and strip for parts.

Waddling past what looked like old shipment containers he found nothing of interest. Most of them were open and empty with the exception of one filled with tarp used to cover small boats from the conditions of the sea while docked. He still enjoyed the walk though, it was always nice to see new things he could discover.

He rounded a shipment container and came face to face with a wall. An odd place to build a wall and what was even odder was that this wall looked newly built. Very out of place for such a run down dock. Curiosity got the better him as he jumped up to the top of the wall. The view was nice. He could see the layout of the dock better now and scanned the area for anything interesting. Nothing came up.

Sitting down, Kowalski looked out to the sea and sighed. He couldn't help but think back to things Skipper had said. He tried not to believe some of the comments but sometimes it was hard to deny the straight facts he was spitting.

His thoughts were put on hold as a rustle came from behind the wall. Or it was more the sound of something being dragged across the floor. Kowalski stayed high and didn't move, though he peered down to the dark shadow cast by the wall. He couldn't see anything. Not until a net was shot from nowhere and enslaved him. He was knocked to the ground and hit the floor hard head first. Seething pain engulfed him as his eyes began to ache and vision alluded him. It was too late before he realised he was falling unconscious but he did register the sounds of many claws scratching on the floor as they grew closer.

Kowalski awoke. He had no idea how long later but didn't try to open his eyes yet as his head still pounded from the impact he had on the floor. Other senses slowly returned as he registered that he was bound by rope. His flippers were immovable as well as his feet. He was leaning against cold metal bars which he guessed was a cage. He was trapped good and had to admit he had been taken completely by surprise. Opening his eyes he groaned as a dull light above him caused his vision to strain. It wasn't much use having them open though, since there was nothing really to look at. He looked to be in a mostly empty room bar a few tables with just garbage on them.

He tried to think of what to do. To give himself options but found it was useless. There was nothing he could do. He didn't even know who he had been kidnapped by.

Then he suddenly remembered Doris. He could be hours late. She would have thought he stood her up! Unless she was in on this kidnapping. But why would she want to do this? She had always been to kind and respectful to kowalski, even during the 16 and a half times she had broken up with him. There was no reason she would want to hurt him.

All he could do was wait patiently for anyone to come through the door and tell him where he was. He had no idea how long that could have been but he had no other choice.

Mumbles through the walls gave him the clue that someone was there. Many someones. He couldn't make out words or even match a voice to a face because it was just muffled noise but he soon found his answer.

All was quiet until the door suddenly slid open. The room lit up and a silhouette stood in the threshold, menacingly taking their time to come in. Once the thing started moving again it was clear to Kowalski just who his captor was, with the hum on the machine he rode in on and the toothy snarl on the creatures face. It was Dr Blowhole.

"Kowalski, nice of you to visit. I don't know how you heard of the location of my new lair but I'm going to take great satisfaction wiping it from your memory."

Kowalski sat there in fear. He never usually feared the maniacal dolphin but since he was without his brothers and locked in a cage there was nothing that could stop him induring great bodily harm.

"I didn't know your lair was here. I swear."

The dolphin promptly ignored the bird and smirked as he pressed a button on his segway. The mindjacker rose from the interface and its creepy smile bore into Kowalski as he waited for the reverberation of the surround sound announcer to announce his doom.

"Where's the commentary?" Kowalski asked.

Blowhole huffed and shook his head.

"It's late, I don't want to wake my workers."

Kowalski made an inaudible 'oh' and cowered in the cage again. Ones doom was even more terrifying when it was silent.

"But seriously, I didn't know this was your lair I was meeting Doris for a date. Any chance we can forgive and forget just this time?"

Kowalski didn't know whether it was a wise idea to mention his relationship with Doris. With her being Dr Blowhole's sister it surely made the mammals teeth ache to know they could one day become brothers in law. Kowalski wouldn't like that just as much as the evil mad man himself.

Blowhole groaned and palmed his face as he shook his head.

"Of course she lead you here. I bet this is her getting back at me," Blowhole said.

"For what?"

"For keeping my double life a secret. You know, it was completely your fault that she found out. Perhaps the mindjacker isn't the only necessity here, maybe I could throw in the diabologizer too, hmm? Would you like to be a mindless monster?"

Kowalski shook his head and trembled in fear. He saw no way out of this one. His team thought he was on a harmless date and Skipper probably expected him to not make it back for lights out so if he did miss lights out then no one would come looking for him. He really was in trouble here.

"You- you wouldn't. You'd never hear the end of it from Doris," Kowalski said, trying to sound unafraid.

Blowhole smirked again and leaned a flipper on one of his segway handles.

"Oh, I'd turn you back. After a night rampaging through New York city. You'd be a wanted criminal just like me but you'd get back to your sweetheart in the end."

Kowalski grit his beak. He'd grit his teeth if he had them but he was just a bird. The dolphin was having way too much fun spooking the bird and Kowalski knew he had to put the interrogation to an end.

"Just let me go and I'll never tell of this place or what happened tonight."

Blowhole tapped his dolphin beak thoughtfully, or sarcastically, as it appeared to kowalski and hissed.

"Yeah, see, I can't let you leave with information that could out me."

"A truce then. I can offer my scientific mind. From one scientist to another we can create a treaty for the time being."

Blowhole shook his head once again, this time adding a bemused chuckle.

"My base knowledge far surpasses yours Kowalski. What could you possibly bring to the table in this supposed truce?"

Kowalski began to sweat. Or if he could sweat he would have because things were heating up. He couldn't think, he couldn't see any other options. There was no way he could convince the dolphin to let him go. He didn't even want to comment on the fact that blowhole thought he was smarter than him. Sure, they had different fields of knowledge the other may not have known much about, but overall he would say they were pretty even.

"Surely 2 minds make world domination faster?"

"I suppose that's true, but I have a better idea. I have a few errands I need taking care of. Perhaps you could assist me?"

Kowalski thought it over for a moment. Running a few errands for the dolphin couldn't be so bad could it? Or, it depended on what those errands were. If it was things like chemical retrieval runs and material shopping Kowalski supposed he could do it.

"It depends, bottlenose. Does it involve mutiny?"

Blowhole cackled quietly but shook his head.

"Of course not, Kowalski. I'd just need you to grab me a few things and help test something I've been working on."

"Test something, huh? How many humans will get hurt?" Kowalski asked narrowing his eyes.

"I promise not a single one."

Kowalski thought for another moment. What choice did he really have? If he wanted to avoid becoming a mindless monster then he would have to accept the dolphins offer. It didn't sound too bad for the moment, he was sure once the contact was finalised though he'd find a snag that Blowhole would abuse him for. But until then he was going to enjoy the smooth sailing.

"Ok, deal. I'll run your errands and help test whatever dolphin toy you've got. No humans get hurt, add my penguin brothers too. Actually no one gets hurt point blank period."

Blowhole rolled his eye but smirked thereafter. It was a smirk Kowalski had seen him make many a time before. It was like he was up to something.

"No living creature outside my lair will be hurt in our endeavours."

Kowalski raised a sceptical brow and nodded.

"That means you can't bring innocent animals or humans to the lair and use them."

Blowhole growled and seemed to lose his patients with the bird. Crossing his flippers he leaned down and narrowed his eye.

"No creature, living, dead or otherwise besides you or me shall be effected by this truce. It involves only us exclusively."

Kowalski loomed over those words for a moment before nodding. He couldn't find a fault and the one blowhole tried to slip past him had been caught so he felt confident everything was going to alright. It was as alright as helping an enemy was going to be.

"Alright, Blowhole, it's a deal."

That was it. The deal was made and there was no turning back now. Not that he wanted the other option to become a monster.

The evil dolphin chuckled and rose to his full height then broke out in all out evil laughing fit before he raised a gun to the birds head. Kowalski's eyes went wild. This wasn't a part of the plan. Had the dolphin decided against the truce already? Why pull him on this long road of back and forth negotiations if he was just going to straight up kill him?

"Oh relax," the dolphin started. "You're going to feel a little sleepy."

The trigger was pulled and a long, sharp needle punctured the side of Kowalski's fleshy leg. He sighed and slumped back letting his heart rate lower again. It was just a tranquilizer, he wasn't going to die. But wait, it's a tranquilizer! Why was Blowhole putting him to sleep? He should be letting him free! His eyes began to slip closed as he let the overwhelming urge to sleep consume him. His body went numb and soon enough the last thing he saw was blowhole's smug face before his eyes closed for the last time.