The Sea Duck had just landed at Louie's. Baloo walked in with Kit, who was still carrying the article from the newspaper.Baloo walked up to the bar, Kit following close behind him. Just then, they were greeted by Louie.

"Hey, you two! Aren't you a sight for Louie's sore eyes! Where ya been?" Louie asked, hugging his old pal. He paused momentarily. "You look beat though, buddy. What's up? Care to tell ol' Louie about it?"

"Rebecca dragged me along on another of her get rich quick schemes!" Baloo said. "We almost got killed by Pygmies...again!"

"Man...That's a real drag. I bet a drink would do you some good. What 'cha have?" Louie said, feeling sorry for his old friend.

"The usual."

Louie quickly got him a "Tropical Thunder" which had rum, vodka, pina colada, mango, passion fruit, bananas and a cherry topping it through a small bright orange neon sword skewer.

Baloo took the drink. "Thanks."

Kit was given the usual banana/chocolate coconut sprinkled milkshake. "Come to poppa!" he said, eagerly.

Louie chortled a bit. He then noticed the article Kit had. "Hey, what's this?" he said, curiously.

"That, my friend is an article about the world-famous Indiana Jones!" Kit responded, proudly. His eyes were full of inspiration whenever he said Jones' name.

Baloo looked to him, looking jealous. "Aw come on, little britches, what does that human got that I ain't got?" he asked.

"For one, he found a priceless artifact. For two, he narrowly escapes danger, always intact. And for three...He's a snappy dresser," Kit said, quite honestly.

"I'm all those! Me and Louie have had tons of adventures like that guy. Ain't I right, Louie?"

Louie didn't have to think long. "We certainly have. You really should have more respect for your elders," Louie said, with a hint of hurt in his voice.

Kit rolled his eyes. He simply wouldn't listen to reason.

"Too bad Becky isn't like us," Baloo said. "Going after treasure instead of feathers, truffles, or horns."

Kit became a little curious. "Wait...You two went after treasure? Were you successful?" he inquired, setting aside his newspaper momentarily.

"Well...not always."

Kit grinned. "You gotta tell me more," he said, leaning forward intently.

"Actually we were thinking of going after the Simian Scepter."

Baloo raised an eyebrow. "The what?" he asked, confused.

"What, you never heard of it? Don't tell me you've been slackin' in your research, buddy! It belonged to this ancient swinger called the Monkey King." Louie said, a bit shocked at Baloo's ignorance. He then pulled out a small napkin drawing from his pocket.

Baloo tried not to laugh at the design of it. It looked utterly ridiculous. "You're kidding right? That is the funniest staff I have seen!"

Louie smiled. "Funny looking yes, but I know more about it than you do, Baloo," Louie said, mysteriously

"Like what?"

"This isn't the place to discuss it. The walls may have ears," Louie said, in a near whisper. He then pulled another piece of paper from his pocket, only this time it was a map.

"A map?" Baloo asked.

"Shhh!" Louie said, covering Baloo's mouth. "Yes, it's a map. It has the location of where the Simian Scepter is rumored to be."

"Seems interesting," Baloo whispered. "How's about you me and Kit go after it tomorrow?"

"You know, I was hoping you'd ask me that," Louie responded, eager to set out on another adventure. Doling out drinks had gotten him a bit down in the dumps.

"How's about it, little britches?"

Kit's eyes were wider than saucers. "Really ? You'd let me go along with you ?", he said, so excited he felt as if he would burst.

"I let you go along with me when we went to Walla Walla Bing Bang didn't I?"

Kit nodded. He could never forget that adventure.

Baloo then took the map. "See ya bright and early tomorrow, Louie."

Kit couldn't' wait. He wondered if he could even go to sleep tonight since he was simply too excited to go to bed.

Unbeknownst to them, two air pirates undercover, heard the whole story.

--

The next morning, Kit was fast asleep in the Sea Duck, when he heard a car pull up, It had to have been Becky.

Kit stretched, yawned, and climbed out of his hammock. Groggily he approached the car, yawning and stretching.

Becky seemed to be worried, wringing her hands nervously. Kit was curious. "Kit, oh thank goodness...you're still here. Have you seen Baloo anywhere?" she asked, apprehensively.

"Isn't he asleep inside the office?" Kit asked.

"No. He's gone! It's not like him to simply vanish like that."

Kit turned to see the door to Hire for Hire had been broken. He gasped. "No...This is bad." he said, quickly checking the building out. He found a note on the table. There appeared to be quite a bit of a struggle.

Becky found the note and suddenly dropped it. "It's worse than I thought." she said, suddenly going pale.

"What is it?" Kit asked.

Her voice wavered. "The Air Pirates have him. I have no idea why they want him though. He's of no use to them."

Kit's eyes widened. He remembered what he had seen in Louie's and a sudden realization came to him. "Actually, yes...he does, Ms. Cunningham," he confessed.

Becky raised an eyebrow.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Kit walked up to the door and turned the knob. He opened the door to find a tall male golden retriever dressed in a suit with a Higher for Higher flyer in his hand. "Hello," he said. "Is this Higher for Higher?"

"Yes, you have the right place. What can we help you with ?" Kit said. Joe could still see the expression of worry on Rebecca's face, not noticing there had been a kidnapping and scuffle earlier.

"Greetings, I'm Dr. Joe Retriever, of the Cape Suzette institute of Science. I was hoping you could deliver a package but, I can see it isn't a good time." Joe then noticed the note Rebecca had. "Might I see that for a moment?" he questioned. Rebecca didn't know this fellow, but oddly, she had a feeling she could trust him.

"Of course.", she responded, handing it to him.

Joe then read the note. He raised one of his eyebrows in curiosity. He remembered the Air Pirates from before. They were fierce, and hard to be reckoned with, unless the right price was offered. The note itself was signed by Karnage, their leader. "Hmmph. Funny that windbag would have the time to even write a note, seeing he's so wrapped up in himself," he thought, grumbling a little.

Kit then remembered something. He rushed to Baloo's record player and pulled out a piece of paper. It was the map.

Becky raised an eyebrow "What is going on here?!" Becky demanded.

"Yes," said Joe. "Please tell us young man."

"Baloo and Louie were talking about a staff...a Simian Scepter, I believe it was called. Louie had a map of its rumored location...", Kit began

Joe seem intrigued. "What else do you know of this Simian Scepter?" he inquired.

"That's about it," Kit answered.

"There's more to that scepter than meets the eye. I know it!"

"Never mind this stupid scepter!" Rebecca shouted. "What about my pilot?!"

"He's part of the puzzle, my dear," Joe stated, seriously.

"How are we gonna get him back?" kit asked.

Joe simply handed him a card that had a familiar name on it "I think I may know someone who could help."

"Who?" Becky asked.

Joe smiled as he noticed the article about Indiana Jones that Kit has posted on the wall. "Let me think…"