Read Online Penguins of Madagascar Movie Novelization by Tracey West - Free Book Online

glazing over. Sure, Classified’s plan had a bunch of fancy stuff, but that didn’t mean it was better than their pineapple plan, was it?
    Classified gleefully went over their available equipment. “Personal hovertank? Check. Auto-targeting wing mounts? Why not? Oh, and what’s this?”
    Skipper tuned out completely as Classified blabbed on and on, explaining exactly how theywere going to take down Dave and rescue the penguins.
    â€œAt twenty-two-zero-nine, mission accomplished!” Classified finished.
    Boom! The submarine in the hologram exploded. An image of Agent Classified appeared, walking out of the wreckage unharmed and dragging Dave behind him.
    â€œSee that? I don’t even look back,” Classified bragged. “There’s a huge explosion, and I just keep walking.”
    The hologram zipped back into the cube. There was a stunned silence as the North Wind broke into applause. Kowalski and Rico’s minds were blown.
    â€œWay to go, boss!” cheered Short Fuse. “That’s North Wind, sucker!”
    â€œNicely done,” added Corporal.
    Skipper saw the doubt in Kowalski and Rico’s eyes. He stepped forward.
    â€œWell, la-di-da, blah blah blah,” he said. “A good plan is about more than effecty stuff and vocabulary words.”
    â€œOh, and you, you certainly know a good plan,” said Classified, sarcastically again. “I mean, your operation in Shanghai allowed Dave to escape with your boy.”
    His words felt like a punch in the gut to Skipper.
    â€œI’ve never lost a member of my team,” Classified went on. “It must feel awful. Can’t imagine the guilt, the regret. The feeling that, I don’t know, it should have been you.”
    Skipper’s heart broke at that moment. He looked down at the sand, at his sketch of the sub with the poor little rock representing Private trapped inside. He had a mental image of Private, who smiled up at him, so trusting.
    â€œAll for penguin plan?” Eva asked.
    Loyal to the end, Kowalski and Rico raised their flippers.
    â€œAll for North Wind plan?” Eva asked.
    Classified’s team raised a wing, a flipper, and a paw—and Skipper raised his flipper too!
    â€œHis,” Skipper said, beaten. “His is better.”
    â€œWhat?” Kowalski asked, and Rico looked upset.
    â€œSorry, boys, but I can’t lead you this time,” Skipper said.
    â€œBut . . . we’re a team,” Kowalski said. “And you’re our skipper, Skipper. We don’t need these guys.”
    Skipper shook his head. “No, Kowalski. But Private does. I think this time we leave it to the professionals.”
    â€œBut, sir—” Kowalski protested.
    Skipper held up a flipper to stop him. “It’s settled. We take orders from Agent Classified now.”
    Rico’s eyes teared up.
    â€œThat’s an order, Rico,” Skipper said.
    He turned away to hide his true feelings. Skipper was devastated. He hated to turn things over to Agent Classified. But in his heart, he felt like it was the best thing to do for Private. He took a deep breath and turned to face his fluffy new commander.
    â€œAll right, Classified. What’s the diversion?” Skipper asked.
    Classified grinned. Wait till the penguins found out what was in store. . . .

CHAPTER 15
Sub Attack!
    Later that night, Skipper, Kowalski, and Rico waddled up to the octopi guarding the sub. The penguins were wearing lederhosen, short pants with suspenders. Skipper held an accordion. All three of them smiled goofily.
    They lined up, just as they had been instructed.
    Skipper was mortified. “We never tell a soul we did this. We take this shame to our graves,” Skipper told his crew, through a clenched beak.
    â€œAgreed,” said Kowalski.
    Then Skipper started playing the accordion, and the three penguins launched into a German folkdance. The octopi stared curiously at