CHAPTER 5: IS THE RAIN EVEN NECESSARY?

    We just had our breakfast, Skipper stood in front of the TV with his vis coffee mug in his flipper watching the news. Private just sat there starring down at the floor while Rico played lazily with his leftover fish. I stood just outside my laboratory with a schroevedraaier, schroevendraaier and my shrink straal, ray in my flippers. I pretended to remove the screws, look inside the device, arrange nd disarrange the parts put back the screws then repeated the over and over.
    This morning was gloomy. Thats the only word I can describe it, even the weather seem to match the tension that occured. Dark clods had gathered and watered the vicinity of New York. I had monitored the weather patterns as part of my preparation, I ignored this fact, thinking it would not impede in my plans. But as I stood there in the HQ, listening to the awful silence and the light rain, everyone worried where Lilly could be, its almost unbearable.
    What if I stop this? Just tell everyone the truth? I had never looked at my plans with an emotional view but seing the actual plan in motion, seeing rou team like this.
    "Kowalski," Private suddenly spoke, breaking my train of thoughts. I didnt notice his approach to my side and it made me jump. "Is there something wrong with your shrink ray? You've been holding that all morning."
    "I'm just checking the wire routing for less chance of transmission overload." I looked at him and I can see from his face he wanted to say something so I asked "But what is it u want to tell me?"
    Private glanced at Skipper once and whispered "Why didnt u stop Skippah last night? Usually when he wents out of control you're the one who reasons with him. Why didnt u do anything?"
    I didnt expect Private to notice that. I catched Rico looking at us at the corner of my eye. Am I caught? Should I surrender? No, I can still pull this off, a stubborn voice at the back of my head yelled. I can pass through this.
    I sighed. "Maybe I should have Private. But u know how I felt for Lilly. I suppose my hart-, hart hinders my brain function, my ability to reason. But please Private dont point all the blame on me. This is hard for me too."
    Skipper turned off the TV with the remote then faced me. "Oh really Kowalski, shouldnt u be blamed for all this? If u did not disobey my orders door staying up late past lights out maybe Lilly is still with us right now!"
    "Skipper I didnt.."
    "Maybe u two planned to stab me behind the back door meeting there last night, unlucky for u I just caught you!"
    "Skipper! What did u hear last night?" I asked loudly.
    To my suprise he shrank back at the remembrace of those painful words. Good golly, he still had taken the truth serum, he cant deny anything.
    He stayed silent for a while. I can see him resist the urge to speak. So I pressed on.
    "WHAT DID u HEAR?"    
    He gave up. "I heard Lilly zei she loves you. And that she's tired of me and she hates my cooking."
    "But don't u trust Lilly Skipper?" I asked. "Do u think she can do something like that?"
    "I do trust her! But I heard.."
    "What do u trust meer Lilly of your instincts?!"
    "Kowalski!" Private interrupted. He gave me the look that says 'you're going too far'.
    "It's alright Private." Skipper said, then his face was suddenly filled with pride. " I trust my instincts meer than Lilly. Like I zei before if I need to take down some of my men Ill do it. If I learn that Lilly is patronizing with the enemy I'll throw her to Hoboken." He paused, his gaze on the floor. "That is, what I would say if I don't love Lilly. But I do. I do love her. And I trust her, that I can entrust her my life, even if my every instinct rebels against it. Boys, love is every creatures weakness, and I'm no exception. u could tell everyone that I had become love's fool, but aren't we all? If she will become my downfall, I'll accept it with pride." He finished his coffee placed it upon the tafel, tabel and headed to the exit.
    "Where are u going?" Private asked.
    "I'm going to find Lilly. Thank u Kowalski. u made me realize what foolishness I have done."
    And he left despite of the falling rain.
    Private and Rico smiled at me, as if they were saying 'Good job Kowalski!' I nodded once and entered my lab, silently closing the door behind me.
    That wasn't the reply I wanted from Skipper, nor it was expected. I theorized that Skipper would say that his love for Lilly is something he can ignore if his instincts tell him to do so. Instead he spills the truth that he is a love's fool, and if she'll be her downfall, he will accept it with pride. I frowned at his sudden revelation.
    From within the mechanisms of my shrink straal, ray I took out a tape recorder. Again I can pas aan this to my liking. But there isn't much time. Skipper is already going to appease Lilly. I have to be quick. I grabbed the recorder and a pair of binoculars. I used the car exit to slip out unnoticed, with one person in mind to look for: Fred the Squirrel.