Free Penguins of Madagascar Movie Novelization by Tracey West Page A

penguins get what they deserve will make it all worthwhile.”
    â€œWhat a weird thing to say,” the news reporter said. “I’m so excited!”
    Dave turned to his henchman. “Do it,” he ordered.
    Back inside the sub, Private peered through a window at the pile of penguins. He tried to get the attention of his brothers.
    â€œSkipper! Skipper! Rico! Kowalski!” he called out.
    They could barely hear him over the triumphant music playing behind Dave.
    â€œIt’s like I can still hear his little voice, calling to us,” Skipper said.
    â€œYou have to get out of there!” Private yelled. “Move!”
    â€œIt’s like he’s saying, ‘You have a great otter there. Moo,’ ” Skipper said.
    â€œWhy would he moo?” Kowalski asked.
    â€œWhat are you asking me for?” Skipper replied. “I’m not Private’s little ghost.”
    Then Brutus hit a button.
    Zap! The ray beamed the Medusa Serum all over the captured penguins.
    â€œNoooooo!” Private wailed.

CHAPTER 19
Mutants Unleashed!
    Outside, the crowd couldn’t wait to see their beloved penguins.
    â€œAre you READY?” Dave asked the crowd.
    â€œYEAH!” they cheered.
    Dave walked down the side of the sub, laughing maniacally. “Yay! Your new and improved penguins!”
    The mouth of the submarine tilted upward, shooting out a mass of penguins. Smoke billowed out along with them, spreading across the water and through the park.
    The penguins landed in Battery Park and marchedthrough the park. Confused, the crowd tried to see them through the thick fog.
    â€œMommy, it’s the penguins!” a little girl exclaimed, walking closer to the line of marching penguins.
    Then the fog slowly cleared . . . revealing not a bunch of adorable penguins, but an army of mutant penguins! All their cuteness was gone. Now they looked really scary.
    The former penguin-loving people started swatting at the mutant penguins with penguin backpacks and stuffed penguin toys. In a daze, the mutants swatted back at them, all grunting like Frankenstein’s monster. The happy reunion became a free-for-all: humans against penguins, and penguins against humans.
    Back in the submarine, Private peered through the periscope and watched the scene. This was terrible!
    â€œOh dear. Oh no. Oh no, oh no . . . ,” he moaned.
    Suddenly, Private heard a loud noise. “Crikey!” he said. He turned around just in time to see several octopi henchmen drop from the ceiling, trappingPrivate in. He looked around. There was no way out, but he refused to let the henchmen think he was scared.
    â€œCome on, then. You wanna go?” he shouted. “You want some argy bargy?” Then with a sudden burst of confidence, Private charged them. He let out a war cry. “Aaaaaagh!”
    The octopi charged, and it looked like Private was doomed. But just as they were about to make contact, Private disappeared.
    The octopi henchmen looked at each other in confusion. “Where’d he go?” one asked.
    And then the octopi heard a familiar sound—the sound of the ray vehicle revving up.
    â€œYAAAAAAAHHH!!!” Private yelled, as he crashed right through the henchmen. The octopi scattered left and right.
    Dave didn’t notice Private driving out of the sub, piloting the ray. Private quickly spotted mutant Skipper. With a crazed look in his watery eyes, Skipper was eating stuffed penguins from a souvenir stand. A terrified cat ran by, and Skipper grabbed it.
    Private jumped down from the ray and ran to Skipper. “Skipper! Don’t eat that!”
    Skipper turned to look at Private.
    â€œGnagh!” he blurted out. His mind had been mutantized too.
    â€œIt’s okay, Skipper,” Private said. “It’s me, Private.”
    Skipper lunged at him, but Private quickly dodged out of the way.
    â€œI know you’re in there somewhere,”