For a moment the two of them were in a daze, their beaks pressed together passionately. Even though this was in the past, Skipper felt a spurt of jealousy. He shifted his weight onto one leg awkwardly and tried not to watch, but found it hard to look away. It lasted about thirty secondi before Eve finally pulled away and looked down. “What are we doing? I…” She pushed off of him and turned her back, not sure of what to say.
Clark stepped forward, stopping behind her. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to offend you.” Eve remained silent, wrapping her flippers around herself, feeling very uncomfortable with the situation. Clark continued. “You know, from the moment I met you, I could already sense that there was something about you…I wasn’t sure what it was then, but the più time I spent with you, the più I realized…I’m in Amore with you, Evelyn.”
“No te aren’t. You’re just trying to get in my head. Alastair probably put te up to it.” Eve detto turning to face him. “Hell, he’s probably watching us right now.”
Clark shook his head. “No, he didn’t put me up to it. And there aren’t any cameras in here.” He gently touched Eve’s cheek with his flipper. “I am in Amore with you, Evelyn.” He detto looking deep into her eyes.
Eve shook her head. “You can’t Amore me. If Alastair found out-”
“Then…you don’t deny that te Amore me, too?” Clark asked slowly.
Eve stared into his longing eyes for a moment, then pushed his flipper away and shook her head. “No…no, I can’t Amore you. I can’t Amore someone who works for Alastair.” Eve turned around again and leaned against the punching bag.
Clark stepped up successivo to her. “You’re not the only one Alastair has lied to. He offered me a job training guards. I never knew what he wanted me to train them for until I was already roped in.” He tried to once again look into her eyes, but Eve turned her head, half-burying her face into the punching bag. “I understand why te don’t trust me. If I were you, I wouldn’t trust me either. But Evelyn, I want to help you. If te can get through this training, I’ll help te and your sister out of here. We can run away, and be free. But te have to trust me, Evelyn. Please.” Clark pleaded.
Eve looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.” She detto choking on her words. “I’ve been hurt too many times. I just don’t know how much più of this I can take.” A tear rolled down her cheek and Clark wiped it away with his flipper.
“I promise you…I’m not going to hurt you. I can’t get te outta my head. I can barely sleep at night. Evelyn, I am hopelessly, undeniably, irrevocably in love with you. And I would never leave you.” Clark told her. A moment later, he leaned inoltrare, avanti and kissed her again. Eve didn’t pull away this time…she kissed him back.
The snow repeated its pattern once again and Skipper and the owl were in some sort of HQ. Eve was giving orders to four other guards, one of them was Clark. “You three will wait outside and guard the entrances. Let us know if they return. We’ll go in through the side entrance. The sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza is on the secondo floor. Once we’ve got it, we’ll meet te in the back. Let’s go.” Eve and the other male penguins left the HQ and Skipper followed.
The journey through the woods was silent for about the first ten minutes, then one of the other male penguins came striding up successivo to Eve. “So, Evelyn-”
“No.” Eve interrupted.
“But, te didn’t even know what I was going to say.-”
“I don’t really care.”
The male smiled and Eve kept looking straight ahead with an emotionless expression. “Come on, baby. You’ve been cooped up in that building for twenty-four years now. Surely te must be lonely.” The male almost had his flipper around her when Eve whipped around and grabbed him da the shoulder and pulled him inoltrare, avanti da his chest feathers.
“Don’t think for one second that I’d waste my time with you. I’ve been alone for twenty-four years and I’ll be alone for a hundred più before I’d give te the time of day. Keep your damn hands off of me.” Eve let go of him with a push and Clark brushed past him.
“Smooth. Very smooth.” He detto simply.
About another half ora of walking and they came upon a large building. Eve and the men put black masks on over their faces that had holes for their beaks and moved forward. Skipper followed as the three unidentified males rounded back and Eve and Clark broke into the side entrance. Skipper followed them in. They stealthily crept around corners and hurried up a flight of stairs, turned another corner, then stopped in front of a large door. They looked at the knob, which was too high for either of them to reach.
“Want me to give te a boost?” Clark asked with a sly smile.
“Who needs boosts?” Eve asked. She took a couple of steps away from the door, turned around and ran forward, generating enough momentum to run a few steps up the side of the door. She grabbed the knob and turned it; a soft click was heard and Eve hung there for a minute. “Push it open!” She whispered.
“Impressive.” Clark whispered back as he slightly pushed it open. Eve dropped and he caught her before her feet met the floor and she wrapped her flippers around his neck before she Lost her balance. “Hey, beautiful.” Clark detto smoothly.
“Put me down so we can hurry up and get the job done before the others get suspicious.”
Clark began walking into the room with her. “But I can see it now!” Clark detto spinning her around, resulting in her laugh. Skipper followed them in. “We get the diamond, sneak out of here, grab your sister, and we’re home free!”
“Clark! Lower your voice! They’ll hear us!” Eve whispered with a laugh.
Clark set her down and pulled her close. “Where do te wanna go after we get the diamond?”
“How about we figure it out after we steal it?” Eve detto trying to push away, but Clark had a firm grip around her waist.
“I guess I can agree to that…for the right price.” Clark detto grinning smoothly.
Eve smiled back. “Fine, but it’s not going to last too long.” Eve and Clark shared a kiss, this time più passionately than before. Skipper could see that they really loved each other. He shifted in his position uncomfortably, knowing that Eve’s past Amore life was really none of his business. He felt più jealously, and he hated feeling that way. It was in the past, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling. Eve and Clark pulled away, though they wished the moment could last forever.
“Are te going to let me go now?”
Clark smiled. “Do I have to?”
“If te want to get out of here without being caught.”
Clark sighed. “Fine.” Eve laughed as he finally let go of her. They climbed up to the sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza and Eve began turning the combination lock. Apparently, she already knew the combination because she opened it in seconds. Either that o she’s just that good at cracking codes. When they opened it up, there in the middle of the safe, was a magnificent diamond necklace.
It had a silver chain that complimented the array of small, carefully arranged diamonds. One larger diamond was set in the middle of several smaller diamonds. It glimmered in the moonlight that poured in through the window.
“Wow…it’s beautiful…” Eve detto in astonishment. Clark took it out of the sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza and set in gently around her neck.
“It is now.” He detto with a grin. Eve smiled shyly and took it from around her neck.
“Let’s go. They’re waiting on us.” She detto bashfully.
The owl spoke for the first time since this began. He stepped successivo to him and said: “Let’s hurry this along shall we?” The snow ran through its course and Skipper managed to catch a glimpse of Clark taking Eve da the waist to help her down off the table, resulting in her laugh. Now they were in Alastair’s building; Eve, Clark, and Heather were quickly navigating through the halls with a small black velvet bag. Suddenly, deafening alarms blazed through the hallways, causing Skipper to nearly jump out of his feathers. Next, three guards came bounding down the hallway. Clark took Eve and Heather da the flipper as they approached them.
“What’s going on!?” One of the guards asked, trying to be heard over the blare of the alarms.
“These two were trying to sneak out with the diamond! I’m taking them to Mr. Grunay! te three go disengage the alarm!” Clark answered back. The guards nodded and continued past them. Clark nodded to the girls. “Let’s go.”
They continued running through the halls and the alarms ceased a few moments later. Skipper followed them as they ran outside and raced away from the building into the thick night air. Stars glistened above and fireflies flickered off in the distance and a choir of crickets were heard close by. Unfortunately, they weren’t fast enough. A team of guards surrounded them and brought them to a halt, aiming their weapons at their abdomens, threatening to pull the trigger if they took another step. Clark pushed Eve and Heather behind him protectively.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Clark, Eve, and Heather turned at the sound of Alastair’s voice, but remained silent. “Well, Clark; I’m surprised to see te caught in the middle of this. te were one of my most trusted employees.”
Clark pushed Eve and Heather più behind himself. “Stay back, Eve…”
Eve rested her flipper on his shoulder. “Clark, be careful…” She detto worriedly.
“Where exactly were te three planning to go with my diamond?”
“As far away from te as possible! Can’t te see we’re miserable here? Why can’t te just let us go?!” Eve asked taking a step forward, but Clark pushed her back.
“Because, darling, I Amore te very much. I can’t just let te leave.”
“If te loved me, then te wouldn’t be doing this to me.” Eve choked back tears.
“You’ll understand when you’re older, Evelyn. Now back on the matter of how Clark got mixed up in this.” Alastair detto turning to Clark.
“Please, Alastair, leave Clark out of this.” Eve pleaded.
“Oh, but he’s right in the middle. Guards, sposta my daughters to the side.” Alastair ordered.
“What?! No! Clark!” Eve cried as a pair of guards grabbed the both of them.
“Eve!” Clark called back, he tried to get to her, but guards held him back as well. Eve pulled and struggled with all of her strength. It actually took five guards to hold her back.
“I’m very surprised at you, Clark. te know what happens to those who betray me…” He aimed a gun at him.
“NO! Alastair! Don’t! Please!” Eve somersaulted between the guards’ grasp, kicked two in the jaw and managed to break free and ran into Clark’s embrace.
“Evelyn, stand back immediately.”
“You can’t kill him Alastair! Please!” Eve screamed through her falling tears.
“And why not?-”
“Because I Amore him!” Eve screamed at the superiore, in alto of her lungs. Alastair stood shocked.
“Evelyn…you…love this man?”
Eve looked at him through tear-filled eyes. “Yes.” She answered softly.
Alastair looked away, unsure of what to do, then detto quietly without looking up. “Guards.” The guards came inoltrare, avanti and separated Eve and Clark.
“No…No! Alastair!” Eve screamed with all of her might.
“I’m sorry I had to do this, Clark. But te leave me no choice.” Alastair aimed again, and pulled the trigger.
The gunfire echoed for what seemed to be miles around, though Eve’s piercing scream cut straight through it. She screamed at the superiore, in alto of her lungs until her voice finally gave out. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her cuore pounded out of her chest. She once again broke free from the firm grasp of the guards and charged inoltrare, avanti and skidded to a halt at Clark’s side. She fell to her knees as she took in the sight of his laying on the ground, blood gushing from the wound in the center of his abdomen. Eve pressed her flippers to it to try to stop the bleeding, but it was no use. Clark barely hung onto life. Eve picked up his head and laid him in her lap. Clark looked at her with gleaming eyes. “You’re so beautiful…” He detto softly. Eve choked and cold sweat trickled down Clark’s face.
Eve gently touched his cheek. “Don’t leave me…please…” After all of the screaming, she could only manage a raspy whisper.
“You’ll find a way, Evelyn. I know te will.” Clark whispered back. Eve held his flipper in hers. “I’ll always be with you, Eve. Always. I Amore you.”
“I Amore you, too.” Eve leaned in and pressed her beak to his for the last time. She felt as the life drained from his body, and shared his last breath. She pulled away and he was gone. Now Skipper was crying. He couldn’t stand to see Eve, o anyone for that matter, feel so hurt and broken-hearted. “Clark?” When she received no response, she shook him a little. “Clark?!” No response. “No! No! No! Clark! Come back! Don’t leave me!” She pleaded through a voice that cracked. When she finally accepted that he was never coming back, she looked up at Alastair with cold, soulless eyes with only one thought in her mind…murder. “You son of a leopard foca, guarnizione in hell’s fiery grave of death!” She got to her feet and started forward, but guards held her back. “Why!? What is it about my happiness that makes te so against it!?” She asked struggling to break free.
“One giorno you’ll thank me, darling.”
“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!” Now it took up to eleven guards to hold back the raging Eve. Finally, one of the guards took a fucile to the side of her head, and Eve stumbled for a moment; a guard caught her when she fell and they carried her inside. Skipper wiped away tears as the snow ran through its course once again.
They were in what seemed to be Eve’s room. Eve looked the same as she is now, and was staring at herself in the mirror. Skipper took in Eve’s state of mind da her appearance. Her eyes were dark and emotionless, she stood upright and confident. He recalled that that was the same look she’d had in her eye when they’d first met. He thought about the first time her hard stare became softer…it was when she finally admitted the mission Alastair had dato her. She then turned and crossed the room to where Heather was sitting on the bed. “Heather, before I leave, I need te to know something. One giorno I’ll save us from Alastair. I won’t rest until I do, but promise me you’ll always stay with me.” Heather signed. “What I mean is, I want to know I’ll never be alone. I want to have faith that you’ll always be there da my side. Can te promise me that?” Heather made più signs, putting strong emphasis on each turn of her flippers. “Thank you, Heather.” Eve said, then they embraced. The moment was interrupted when her name resounded outside the door through the hallways.
“Eve! It’s time to go!”
“I have to go now. Bye, Heather.” She turned and left her.
Now the only thing the snow did was come down on them in a blizzard until the scene of Eve and Heather faded away, leaving them where they started; in a snowstorm with a fuoco flickering in between them. Now that it was all over, Skipper thought hard on everything he now knew. He wiped away another tear. The owl’s kind eyes saw through his confused mind. “You do not know what it is te are supposed to understand.”
“You think so?” Skipper asked sarcastically.
The owl watched him wipe away another tear. “You care for this woman.” He detto with a sympathetic smile.
Skipper looked away shyly. “Maybe…why? What does that have to do with my so-called ‘higher understanding’?” The owl turned around and sat back down where he was when Skipper had first discovered him. “Oh, so now you’re just gonna shut me out? Come on!”
“How about te unisciti me?”
“Join you? As in…that hippie meditation thing you’re doing? Pass.”
“Suit yourself.” Skipper crossed his flippers and for a moment there was silence, then he walked around to the front of the owl. He was perfectly still, eyes closed, talons hidden behind his feathers and snow, wings tucked to his sides, and a calm look on his face. Skipper waved his flipper in front of his face, looking for reaction, but got nothing. A sly look crossed over his face and he stuck his tongue out at him while crossing his eyes. A moment later, he ceased making his immature face and sighed silently at the owl’s lack of response. He turned away in disinterest and walked about halfway around the fuoco when he scooped up a snowball and reared his flipper back in throwing position when the owl detto without opening his eyes.
“Just to let te know, owls have excellent hearing to make up for their poor eyesight.”
Skipper, still halfway into a throw, dropped the snowball behind him and held his flippers behind his back innocently. The owl partly opened his eyes for a moment, glanced at Skipper, and chuckled slightly as he closed his eyes again. Skipper sighed again and stood in front of the warm fire. He glanced over at the owl and looked him up and down. He then sat on the ground and stared into the fire, then closed his eyes.
He replayed everything through his mind and put it in summary. After the death of his wife, Lisa, Alastair asked his brother to find vengeance on the ones responsible. Years later, his brother died and he had neglected Eve and Heather. Alastair tried to gain their trust back, but failed when he finally got vengeance for his late wife. Eve and Heather tried to escape several times, but continuously failed. Alastair ensured that Eve would never try to escape again da training her to work for him, where she’d be with guards at all times. Through her training, she fell in Amore with Clark, her trainer. She and Clark plotted to take the diamond that was meant to be dato to Alastair and escape with Heather, but failed once again. Alastair killed Clark and Eve has been trying to find a way to escape ever since. And then there’s that little detail about Private being Eve’s nanny’s son…
That’s when he started to think about what Private was doing for Eve. He was leading this entire operation and he has no idea of the connection between Eve and him. But how would he tell him? He promised himself he would wait until Eve was ready to tell him the truth o maybe…Eve needed to be ready to tell Private the truth. But does Eve even know? Eve never heard him mention Private’s name that giorno she’d tried to take him. He needed to somehow let Eve know who Private was, or, should he somehow let Private know who Eve was? But how would he tell them without admitting to the journey he’d been on?
The più he thought about it, the più confused he became. What was he supposed to understand? That’s when it hit him. He recalled the times he talked to Eve in the prison, and even the times before the prison. He remembered the gleam in her eye whenever he talked about Private. Eve already knew who Private was. The only reason she hasn’t told him is because she is unsure about how everything will play out. If she loses this battle with Alastair, he would go after the team for vengeance. And if Eve didn’t make it, Skipper would find a way to get back at him, putting himself and his team at risk. Eve isn’t planning to just save Skipper and his team; she’s going to sacrifice herself for them. If she truly has feelings for Skipper, she isn’t going to let Alastair rip her cuore out again. In simpler terms, after Eve helps Skipper and his team escape and get back to New York, she’s going to kill Alastair before he kills the ones she loves, and there’s no way she’s going to do that without the ones loyal to Alastair killing her while she’s at it. But after years of living under Alastair’s rule, that was a risk she’d be willing to take.
Skipper opened his eyes and saw the fuoco blazing in front of him. The owl was nowhere to be seen. That’s when the fuoco rose higher into the air and burned brighter and più brilliant than any light he’d ever seen. It was enough to blind him. That’s when everything went dark.
The successivo thing he knew, he was looking at the ceiling of a dimly lit room. He looked around the room with his eyes. From what he could see, to his left was a halfway open door, and to his right was Eve. She smiled that smile and said, “Welcome back.”
Clark stepped forward, stopping behind her. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to offend you.” Eve remained silent, wrapping her flippers around herself, feeling very uncomfortable with the situation. Clark continued. “You know, from the moment I met you, I could already sense that there was something about you…I wasn’t sure what it was then, but the più time I spent with you, the più I realized…I’m in Amore with you, Evelyn.”
“No te aren’t. You’re just trying to get in my head. Alastair probably put te up to it.” Eve detto turning to face him. “Hell, he’s probably watching us right now.”
Clark shook his head. “No, he didn’t put me up to it. And there aren’t any cameras in here.” He gently touched Eve’s cheek with his flipper. “I am in Amore with you, Evelyn.” He detto looking deep into her eyes.
Eve shook her head. “You can’t Amore me. If Alastair found out-”
“Then…you don’t deny that te Amore me, too?” Clark asked slowly.
Eve stared into his longing eyes for a moment, then pushed his flipper away and shook her head. “No…no, I can’t Amore you. I can’t Amore someone who works for Alastair.” Eve turned around again and leaned against the punching bag.
Clark stepped up successivo to her. “You’re not the only one Alastair has lied to. He offered me a job training guards. I never knew what he wanted me to train them for until I was already roped in.” He tried to once again look into her eyes, but Eve turned her head, half-burying her face into the punching bag. “I understand why te don’t trust me. If I were you, I wouldn’t trust me either. But Evelyn, I want to help you. If te can get through this training, I’ll help te and your sister out of here. We can run away, and be free. But te have to trust me, Evelyn. Please.” Clark pleaded.
Eve looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.” She detto choking on her words. “I’ve been hurt too many times. I just don’t know how much più of this I can take.” A tear rolled down her cheek and Clark wiped it away with his flipper.
“I promise you…I’m not going to hurt you. I can’t get te outta my head. I can barely sleep at night. Evelyn, I am hopelessly, undeniably, irrevocably in love with you. And I would never leave you.” Clark told her. A moment later, he leaned inoltrare, avanti and kissed her again. Eve didn’t pull away this time…she kissed him back.
The snow repeated its pattern once again and Skipper and the owl were in some sort of HQ. Eve was giving orders to four other guards, one of them was Clark. “You three will wait outside and guard the entrances. Let us know if they return. We’ll go in through the side entrance. The sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza is on the secondo floor. Once we’ve got it, we’ll meet te in the back. Let’s go.” Eve and the other male penguins left the HQ and Skipper followed.
The journey through the woods was silent for about the first ten minutes, then one of the other male penguins came striding up successivo to Eve. “So, Evelyn-”
“No.” Eve interrupted.
“But, te didn’t even know what I was going to say.-”
“I don’t really care.”
The male smiled and Eve kept looking straight ahead with an emotionless expression. “Come on, baby. You’ve been cooped up in that building for twenty-four years now. Surely te must be lonely.” The male almost had his flipper around her when Eve whipped around and grabbed him da the shoulder and pulled him inoltrare, avanti da his chest feathers.
“Don’t think for one second that I’d waste my time with you. I’ve been alone for twenty-four years and I’ll be alone for a hundred più before I’d give te the time of day. Keep your damn hands off of me.” Eve let go of him with a push and Clark brushed past him.
“Smooth. Very smooth.” He detto simply.
About another half ora of walking and they came upon a large building. Eve and the men put black masks on over their faces that had holes for their beaks and moved forward. Skipper followed as the three unidentified males rounded back and Eve and Clark broke into the side entrance. Skipper followed them in. They stealthily crept around corners and hurried up a flight of stairs, turned another corner, then stopped in front of a large door. They looked at the knob, which was too high for either of them to reach.
“Want me to give te a boost?” Clark asked with a sly smile.
“Who needs boosts?” Eve asked. She took a couple of steps away from the door, turned around and ran forward, generating enough momentum to run a few steps up the side of the door. She grabbed the knob and turned it; a soft click was heard and Eve hung there for a minute. “Push it open!” She whispered.
“Impressive.” Clark whispered back as he slightly pushed it open. Eve dropped and he caught her before her feet met the floor and she wrapped her flippers around his neck before she Lost her balance. “Hey, beautiful.” Clark detto smoothly.
“Put me down so we can hurry up and get the job done before the others get suspicious.”
Clark began walking into the room with her. “But I can see it now!” Clark detto spinning her around, resulting in her laugh. Skipper followed them in. “We get the diamond, sneak out of here, grab your sister, and we’re home free!”
“Clark! Lower your voice! They’ll hear us!” Eve whispered with a laugh.
Clark set her down and pulled her close. “Where do te wanna go after we get the diamond?”
“How about we figure it out after we steal it?” Eve detto trying to push away, but Clark had a firm grip around her waist.
“I guess I can agree to that…for the right price.” Clark detto grinning smoothly.
Eve smiled back. “Fine, but it’s not going to last too long.” Eve and Clark shared a kiss, this time più passionately than before. Skipper could see that they really loved each other. He shifted in his position uncomfortably, knowing that Eve’s past Amore life was really none of his business. He felt più jealously, and he hated feeling that way. It was in the past, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling. Eve and Clark pulled away, though they wished the moment could last forever.
“Are te going to let me go now?”
Clark smiled. “Do I have to?”
“If te want to get out of here without being caught.”
Clark sighed. “Fine.” Eve laughed as he finally let go of her. They climbed up to the sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza and Eve began turning the combination lock. Apparently, she already knew the combination because she opened it in seconds. Either that o she’s just that good at cracking codes. When they opened it up, there in the middle of the safe, was a magnificent diamond necklace.
It had a silver chain that complimented the array of small, carefully arranged diamonds. One larger diamond was set in the middle of several smaller diamonds. It glimmered in the moonlight that poured in through the window.
“Wow…it’s beautiful…” Eve detto in astonishment. Clark took it out of the sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza and set in gently around her neck.
“It is now.” He detto with a grin. Eve smiled shyly and took it from around her neck.
“Let’s go. They’re waiting on us.” She detto bashfully.
The owl spoke for the first time since this began. He stepped successivo to him and said: “Let’s hurry this along shall we?” The snow ran through its course and Skipper managed to catch a glimpse of Clark taking Eve da the waist to help her down off the table, resulting in her laugh. Now they were in Alastair’s building; Eve, Clark, and Heather were quickly navigating through the halls with a small black velvet bag. Suddenly, deafening alarms blazed through the hallways, causing Skipper to nearly jump out of his feathers. Next, three guards came bounding down the hallway. Clark took Eve and Heather da the flipper as they approached them.
“What’s going on!?” One of the guards asked, trying to be heard over the blare of the alarms.
“These two were trying to sneak out with the diamond! I’m taking them to Mr. Grunay! te three go disengage the alarm!” Clark answered back. The guards nodded and continued past them. Clark nodded to the girls. “Let’s go.”
They continued running through the halls and the alarms ceased a few moments later. Skipper followed them as they ran outside and raced away from the building into the thick night air. Stars glistened above and fireflies flickered off in the distance and a choir of crickets were heard close by. Unfortunately, they weren’t fast enough. A team of guards surrounded them and brought them to a halt, aiming their weapons at their abdomens, threatening to pull the trigger if they took another step. Clark pushed Eve and Heather behind him protectively.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Clark, Eve, and Heather turned at the sound of Alastair’s voice, but remained silent. “Well, Clark; I’m surprised to see te caught in the middle of this. te were one of my most trusted employees.”
Clark pushed Eve and Heather più behind himself. “Stay back, Eve…”
Eve rested her flipper on his shoulder. “Clark, be careful…” She detto worriedly.
“Where exactly were te three planning to go with my diamond?”
“As far away from te as possible! Can’t te see we’re miserable here? Why can’t te just let us go?!” Eve asked taking a step forward, but Clark pushed her back.
“Because, darling, I Amore te very much. I can’t just let te leave.”
“If te loved me, then te wouldn’t be doing this to me.” Eve choked back tears.
“You’ll understand when you’re older, Evelyn. Now back on the matter of how Clark got mixed up in this.” Alastair detto turning to Clark.
“Please, Alastair, leave Clark out of this.” Eve pleaded.
“Oh, but he’s right in the middle. Guards, sposta my daughters to the side.” Alastair ordered.
“What?! No! Clark!” Eve cried as a pair of guards grabbed the both of them.
“Eve!” Clark called back, he tried to get to her, but guards held him back as well. Eve pulled and struggled with all of her strength. It actually took five guards to hold her back.
“I’m very surprised at you, Clark. te know what happens to those who betray me…” He aimed a gun at him.
“NO! Alastair! Don’t! Please!” Eve somersaulted between the guards’ grasp, kicked two in the jaw and managed to break free and ran into Clark’s embrace.
“Evelyn, stand back immediately.”
“You can’t kill him Alastair! Please!” Eve screamed through her falling tears.
“And why not?-”
“Because I Amore him!” Eve screamed at the superiore, in alto of her lungs. Alastair stood shocked.
“Evelyn…you…love this man?”
Eve looked at him through tear-filled eyes. “Yes.” She answered softly.
Alastair looked away, unsure of what to do, then detto quietly without looking up. “Guards.” The guards came inoltrare, avanti and separated Eve and Clark.
“No…No! Alastair!” Eve screamed with all of her might.
“I’m sorry I had to do this, Clark. But te leave me no choice.” Alastair aimed again, and pulled the trigger.
The gunfire echoed for what seemed to be miles around, though Eve’s piercing scream cut straight through it. She screamed at the superiore, in alto of her lungs until her voice finally gave out. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her cuore pounded out of her chest. She once again broke free from the firm grasp of the guards and charged inoltrare, avanti and skidded to a halt at Clark’s side. She fell to her knees as she took in the sight of his laying on the ground, blood gushing from the wound in the center of his abdomen. Eve pressed her flippers to it to try to stop the bleeding, but it was no use. Clark barely hung onto life. Eve picked up his head and laid him in her lap. Clark looked at her with gleaming eyes. “You’re so beautiful…” He detto softly. Eve choked and cold sweat trickled down Clark’s face.
Eve gently touched his cheek. “Don’t leave me…please…” After all of the screaming, she could only manage a raspy whisper.
“You’ll find a way, Evelyn. I know te will.” Clark whispered back. Eve held his flipper in hers. “I’ll always be with you, Eve. Always. I Amore you.”
“I Amore you, too.” Eve leaned in and pressed her beak to his for the last time. She felt as the life drained from his body, and shared his last breath. She pulled away and he was gone. Now Skipper was crying. He couldn’t stand to see Eve, o anyone for that matter, feel so hurt and broken-hearted. “Clark?” When she received no response, she shook him a little. “Clark?!” No response. “No! No! No! Clark! Come back! Don’t leave me!” She pleaded through a voice that cracked. When she finally accepted that he was never coming back, she looked up at Alastair with cold, soulless eyes with only one thought in her mind…murder. “You son of a leopard foca, guarnizione in hell’s fiery grave of death!” She got to her feet and started forward, but guards held her back. “Why!? What is it about my happiness that makes te so against it!?” She asked struggling to break free.
“One giorno you’ll thank me, darling.”
“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!” Now it took up to eleven guards to hold back the raging Eve. Finally, one of the guards took a fucile to the side of her head, and Eve stumbled for a moment; a guard caught her when she fell and they carried her inside. Skipper wiped away tears as the snow ran through its course once again.
They were in what seemed to be Eve’s room. Eve looked the same as she is now, and was staring at herself in the mirror. Skipper took in Eve’s state of mind da her appearance. Her eyes were dark and emotionless, she stood upright and confident. He recalled that that was the same look she’d had in her eye when they’d first met. He thought about the first time her hard stare became softer…it was when she finally admitted the mission Alastair had dato her. She then turned and crossed the room to where Heather was sitting on the bed. “Heather, before I leave, I need te to know something. One giorno I’ll save us from Alastair. I won’t rest until I do, but promise me you’ll always stay with me.” Heather signed. “What I mean is, I want to know I’ll never be alone. I want to have faith that you’ll always be there da my side. Can te promise me that?” Heather made più signs, putting strong emphasis on each turn of her flippers. “Thank you, Heather.” Eve said, then they embraced. The moment was interrupted when her name resounded outside the door through the hallways.
“Eve! It’s time to go!”
“I have to go now. Bye, Heather.” She turned and left her.
Now the only thing the snow did was come down on them in a blizzard until the scene of Eve and Heather faded away, leaving them where they started; in a snowstorm with a fuoco flickering in between them. Now that it was all over, Skipper thought hard on everything he now knew. He wiped away another tear. The owl’s kind eyes saw through his confused mind. “You do not know what it is te are supposed to understand.”
“You think so?” Skipper asked sarcastically.
The owl watched him wipe away another tear. “You care for this woman.” He detto with a sympathetic smile.
Skipper looked away shyly. “Maybe…why? What does that have to do with my so-called ‘higher understanding’?” The owl turned around and sat back down where he was when Skipper had first discovered him. “Oh, so now you’re just gonna shut me out? Come on!”
“How about te unisciti me?”
“Join you? As in…that hippie meditation thing you’re doing? Pass.”
“Suit yourself.” Skipper crossed his flippers and for a moment there was silence, then he walked around to the front of the owl. He was perfectly still, eyes closed, talons hidden behind his feathers and snow, wings tucked to his sides, and a calm look on his face. Skipper waved his flipper in front of his face, looking for reaction, but got nothing. A sly look crossed over his face and he stuck his tongue out at him while crossing his eyes. A moment later, he ceased making his immature face and sighed silently at the owl’s lack of response. He turned away in disinterest and walked about halfway around the fuoco when he scooped up a snowball and reared his flipper back in throwing position when the owl detto without opening his eyes.
“Just to let te know, owls have excellent hearing to make up for their poor eyesight.”
Skipper, still halfway into a throw, dropped the snowball behind him and held his flippers behind his back innocently. The owl partly opened his eyes for a moment, glanced at Skipper, and chuckled slightly as he closed his eyes again. Skipper sighed again and stood in front of the warm fire. He glanced over at the owl and looked him up and down. He then sat on the ground and stared into the fire, then closed his eyes.
He replayed everything through his mind and put it in summary. After the death of his wife, Lisa, Alastair asked his brother to find vengeance on the ones responsible. Years later, his brother died and he had neglected Eve and Heather. Alastair tried to gain their trust back, but failed when he finally got vengeance for his late wife. Eve and Heather tried to escape several times, but continuously failed. Alastair ensured that Eve would never try to escape again da training her to work for him, where she’d be with guards at all times. Through her training, she fell in Amore with Clark, her trainer. She and Clark plotted to take the diamond that was meant to be dato to Alastair and escape with Heather, but failed once again. Alastair killed Clark and Eve has been trying to find a way to escape ever since. And then there’s that little detail about Private being Eve’s nanny’s son…
That’s when he started to think about what Private was doing for Eve. He was leading this entire operation and he has no idea of the connection between Eve and him. But how would he tell him? He promised himself he would wait until Eve was ready to tell him the truth o maybe…Eve needed to be ready to tell Private the truth. But does Eve even know? Eve never heard him mention Private’s name that giorno she’d tried to take him. He needed to somehow let Eve know who Private was, or, should he somehow let Private know who Eve was? But how would he tell them without admitting to the journey he’d been on?
The più he thought about it, the più confused he became. What was he supposed to understand? That’s when it hit him. He recalled the times he talked to Eve in the prison, and even the times before the prison. He remembered the gleam in her eye whenever he talked about Private. Eve already knew who Private was. The only reason she hasn’t told him is because she is unsure about how everything will play out. If she loses this battle with Alastair, he would go after the team for vengeance. And if Eve didn’t make it, Skipper would find a way to get back at him, putting himself and his team at risk. Eve isn’t planning to just save Skipper and his team; she’s going to sacrifice herself for them. If she truly has feelings for Skipper, she isn’t going to let Alastair rip her cuore out again. In simpler terms, after Eve helps Skipper and his team escape and get back to New York, she’s going to kill Alastair before he kills the ones she loves, and there’s no way she’s going to do that without the ones loyal to Alastair killing her while she’s at it. But after years of living under Alastair’s rule, that was a risk she’d be willing to take.
Skipper opened his eyes and saw the fuoco blazing in front of him. The owl was nowhere to be seen. That’s when the fuoco rose higher into the air and burned brighter and più brilliant than any light he’d ever seen. It was enough to blind him. That’s when everything went dark.
The successivo thing he knew, he was looking at the ceiling of a dimly lit room. He looked around the room with his eyes. From what he could see, to his left was a halfway open door, and to his right was Eve. She smiled that smile and said, “Welcome back.”
