Mind Flex: Chapter 1

Private lay in his bunk resting. It was incredibly rare that Skipper ever gave the team a day off. Just before he got comfortable, Marlene entered the penguin habitat.

"Hey guys!" She smiled. "Guess what! A new animal just arrived in the zoo!"

Skipper raised an eyebrow. "What new animal? There weren't any files about a new animal getting shipped to the zoo… Kowalski?"

Kowalski flipped through his notepad charts and shook his head. "nope. No new zoo animal was marked to come to the zoo." The lieutenant thought for a while. "Perhaps… a last minute arrival?"

Rico shrugged and Private jumped down from his bunk. "What animal is it Marlene?" He asked.

"It's an Ocelot, I met him. He's really sweet" Marlene replied.

"An oce-… what?" Rico said.

"An ocelot is a wild cat. It looks like regular cat like Max, except it can grow up to four feet, and its coat resembles a leopard." Kowalski informed him.

Skipper shook his head, "If he's anything like that walrus, we'd better keep an eye on him"

The penguins headed off to the new habitat with Marlene's guidance. And as they entered the habitat and sleek furred ocelot padded out of a small cave slowly. He had glowing green eyes, and a sly smile. He was a young ocelot, so he was still about the size of Max.

Private smiled back, but strangely felt a bit light-headed and had to turn away when his eye's met the green ones that belonged to the cat.

"Greetings. I see you must be Marlene's friends. So nice of you to welcome a newcomer like myself. I'm Felix."

Skipper narrowed his eyes. "Well… FELIX. Why is it that we hadn't heard that you were coming?"

Felix smiled, "Last minute decision. Long story. And you're names?"

Marlene smiled, "These are the penguins, Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, and Private."

The penguins nodded as they're names were said.

"Well. Hello there." Felix smirked.

Skipper looked the ocelot over suspiciously, and turned. "Well. I think it'll be best if we go now."

"Why? What's the rush?" Felix swished his tail back and forth playfully. "You don't have anything to hide do you?"

"You best hope, YOU don't" Skipper replied.

Rico growled slightly, but felt the same uneasiness that Private felt as Felix gazed at him.

"I assure you, I have nothing to hide! Just one other zoo animal, nothing out of the ordinary with me" Felix said, smoothly.

Skipper glared and left to the penguin habitat. "You guys can get to know him if you'd like. I'm going back to HQ" He threw over his shoulder.

Rico followed Skipper, and Kowalski exchanged glances with Marlene, and Private.

"Uh… I have… some experiments to do… I'll just… go with them…" Kowalski muttered.

"You're a scientist?" Felix smiled. "I love science! Perhaps we could… meet up? Exchange some notes and files?"

Kowalski hesitated and Marlene gave him a light shove. "Oh… sure… Felix, I'll meet you later" The strategist left too.

Marlene smiled, "I hope you get to meet the other zoo animals Felix!"

Private nodded, "That would be a nice way to start your new life at the zoo!" Private tried to sound as open as he had been with the other new zoo animals… but there was something about Felix that put him on edge.

"I'll be sure to do that, see you guys later I guess." Felix smirked and went into his den.

Marlene smiled at Private, "He's a nice guy Private! Why were you and the other guys so on edge?"

Private shrugged, and followed Marlene out of the habitat.

Felix watched them leave from the darkness of his den. He smiled. "They all would be good... but Kowalski and Skipper stand out to me. They are obviously stronger then the others... but their minds are stronger as well... I just have to get their guard down... make them trust me..."