Dog’s voice echoed.

“Because it’s part of his plan to invade Cape Suzette, dum-dum. It’s a very rare snake. The captain had to go all de way to Oldfoundland to find it.” Dumptruck placed his flashlight on a ledge and set down three five-gallon buckets full of fish that he had been carrying in one meaty fist.

“Who are you calling a dum-dum, dum-dum?” Mad Dog snapped back, irked. It had not been a good day for him. He had just experienced the worst flight of his life, carrying a heavy, awkward bucket of fish all the way into this cave was giving him hangnails, and now he had to feed a scary monster. “Here, big snakey. We got some yummy fishies for you.”

Two large luminous eyes blinked in the total darkness. The eyes levitated until they were close to the ceiling.

Mad Dog leapt into Dumptruck’s arms with a little “Eep!”

Dumptruck unceremoniously dumped Mad Dog into the water with a splash.

“Watch it! You’ll scare it!” Mad Dog cautioned, vexed, scrambling to his feet.

A sea serpent, not a snake, approached them. As the creature propelled itself into the light with two flipper-like fins, its long, lithe body was apparent. It was aquamarine blue with narrow green stripes running the length of its body. The scales were iridescent and reflected the light of the air pirates’ flashlights. The sea serpent’s head resembled that of a sea horse. Its eyes, fringed with long black lashes, were a pale yellow. A purple cockscomb bristled on the top of its head, running down its back to disappear halfway down its slender, elongated neck. Smelling the fish, it sniffed appreciatively at the air with its two great nostrils, and it had two rows of sharp teeth that showed when it opened its mouth to lick its lips. Mad Dog and Dumptruck were afraid of the ‘snake’ in general, but were especially afraid of those gleaming, deadly teeth. They wouldn’t have been so scared if they knew that the sea monster only hungered after fish.

It made a clinking/rattling sound when it paddled towards them, because the sea serpent was secured to the cavern walls by a thick chain ending in a manacle around its long neck. When the serpent reached the end of that long chain, she (for it was a female) made an eerie wailing noise - a cross between a dog whimper and a whale cry.

From her vantage near the cave’s ceiling, she stared down at the tiny pirates with mournful eyes. Eyes that pled silently to be set free. Since she had been captured a month ago, these two pirates were the only company that she had, but they only came twice a day and only stayed as long as they had to. But loneliness was preferable to when Don Karnage came to train her to do his evil bidding. She hated training. When she didn’t do exactly as Karnage wanted, his cruel whip stung sharply.

“Here you go, snakey.” Mad Dog waved a wiggly fish before tossing it at the sea monster’s open mouth.

They tossed one bucketful of fish at the sea serpent. Then, because they were lazy and wanted to leave, the other three buckets were emptied into the seawater at their feet. The sea monster noisily slurped up the fish with her large, pink tongue.

“Dere, dat’s done,” Dumptruck said, picking up the empty pails.

“Good thing. Maybe we can get Gibber or Hal or Hacksaw or Sadie or Uncle Floyd or Scottie or anybody besides us to feed it tomorrow,” Mad Dog’s nasal voice echoed through the cavern as he and Dumptruck retreated as fast as they could.

“Yeah, it’s dere turn. It’s no fair dat the captain always makes us feed der snakey.”

The sea serpent returned to her lonely ‘bed’ in the corner of the dusky cavern. She coiled her tail about her and gazed wistfully out of the cave to where the sun’s bright light rode on the waves. Out there was where she belonged. Out there was freedom. She bit at the thick chain, but when it didn’t break, she let out a sorrowful whimper. She sadly laid her head on her back and closed her eyes. One solitary, glistening tear escaped from beneath her eyelid to drop into the water, causing ever-expanding ripples to form.

Friday Evening

High above Cape Suzette glittering stars were just beginning to emerge in the deepening twilight. Likewise, with the setting of the sun, the electric lights of Cape Suzette were emerging. The multitudes of lights enveloped the city - winding down after a busy day - in a soft, halo-like luminescence.

It was darkest down by the docks where there were the least amount of houses. However, the windows of one building on the edge of the harbor emitted a cozy glow.

The Higher for Hire crew was gathered about the circular table in the plainly furnished kitchen. All wore festive party hats. Kit and Molly blew their noisemakers at each other, giggling between blasts. Higher for Hire’s ace mechanic Wildcat, a smallish tan lion dressed in faded blue overalls and an orange visor, was studying his noisemaker. The mechanic, who could assemble a broken telephone in ten seconds flat, scratched his brown mane; he was perplexed, because he couldn’t quite figure out how the noisemaker worked. Baloo sat quietly, absently twirling his noisemaker between his fingers; for once in his life, he wasn’t in a partying mood. Buzz’s disappearance weighed heavily on his mind.

Kit softly blew his noisemaker in Baloo’s ear. “C’mon, Papa Bear, cheer up. We’ll find Buzz.”

“Yeah, but when and where, Kiddo?”

After placing a stack of bowls on the table, Rebecca rapped her knuckles against the table top. Everyone’s attention turned towards her. “In honor of Higher for Hire’s first anniversary, I am pleased to announce that the party is about to begin.”

“Whoo-hoo!” Molly whooped, brandishing her spoon. She had been looking forward to cake and ice cream all day.

“But first, as manager of Higher for Hire, I would like to say a few words.”

“Aw...” Molly slumped in her chair, disappointed.

Eyes sparkling, Rebecca gushed like an excited schoolgirl, “I can’t believe Higher for Hire made it through one whole year! And Higher for Hire just didn’t survive, we actually turned a profit. A miracle despite the fact that Baloo lost some cargoes, like that very, very profitable Fandango Mango account, which I’m still not happy about.”

Baloo’s noisemaker just happened to accidentally fly towards Rebecca.

Dodging the noisemaker, Rebecca continued, “Honestly, some days, I thought this business would never make it this far with the poor economy, various setbacks...

“Long-winded bosses,” Baloo murmured derisively. Unprofessionally, Rebecca stuck her tongue out at her pilot, inciting a little giggle from Molly.

“Furthermore, I wanted to tell you what a joy it’s been - for the most part,” she shot a pointed glance at her pilot, “working with you. All of you have made this year very special for me, and I hope it’s been just as special for you.”

Before Baloo could open his mouth to make another derogatory comment, Rebecca hurried on with, “And not just because of the money. Without you and your hard work...” she broke off, chortling to herself. “Hard work and Baloo in the same sentence? I never thought the day would come!”

Baloo scowled at her, drumming his fingers on the table. “Get on with it, Becky.”

Rebecca gazed around the table at the little group. Her affectionate smile fell on each one of them. They were not only her employees; they were her friends, her family. She concluded, “Without all of you, this anniversary would not have been possible. Thank you.” She lit five candles on the cake and flipped off the lights.

“Make a wish,” Wildcat suggested.

Kit chuckled, “This isn’t a birthday cake, Wildcat.”

In his usual innocent way, Wildcat said, “It isn’t? But I thought it was Higher for Hire’s first birthday.”

“Yeah!” Molly agreed, nodding her head so that the pompom on her hat bobbed up and down. “We need to make wishes.”

Rebecca squeezed her daughter’s shoulder. “Go ahead and make a wish if you want to, Pumpkin.”

“Happy birthday to you,” Wildcat warbled, slightly off key. One by one they all joined in the song. “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Higher for Hire. Happy birthday to you.”

“And many, many more!” Rebecca sang.

They all took deep breaths and blew out their respective candles. Rebecca cut the chocolate cake into lavishly large slices while Kit scooped up vanilla ice cream. The cubs and Wildcat delved into the sweet treats.

With his fork, Baloo skewered some cake, looked at it, uninterested, and set it back on his plate with a sigh.

“I told you not to eat so many donuts, Baloo,” Rebecca admonished. She shot a grin of self-satisfaction over at her pilot. She loved it when she was right.

Baloo sighed again, his chin propped in one hand.. He mechanically mashed his cake into a flat pancake with his fork. “It ain’t that, Beckers. I’m worried ‘bout Buzz.”

“Well, you said he was an eccentric.” Rebecca placed a gentle, comforting paw on his arm. “Maybe he decided to go somewhere that he normally doesn’t go on the spur of the moment.”

Baloo shook his head, stared at his bowl for a moment, then rose from the table.

“Where are you going, Baloo?” Rebecca asked, concerned.

“To look for Buzz. People don’t just disappear inta thin air.” He tore the party hat from his head and tossed it on the table.

Kit dropped his spoon, his dessert half eaten, and ran after him. “Wait up, Baloo!”

Rebecca, with the unspoken words, “Be careful,” on her lips, stared at Baloo’s flat piece of cake with a thoughtful expression. She had suddenly lost her appetite.

Across Town

Trader Moe, a diminutive, shrewd-looking alligator, was flanked by his two goons - a burly ape and hulking rhino - in a booth located in a poorly lit, shabby bar popular with shady characters. The bar, located down by the wharves, was a good place to procure valuable information - illegal, underground