Aline left the lady's room. As she stepped on the hallway, she noticed that it was flooded with fashion models and fashion world people coming and going to the restrooms to adjust their hair, make up or do the usual things.
Laughter and giggling and came from some particular small segregated groups that launched poisoned looks, words and giggles toward the other members of the party.
* This isn't my place. I can't spend my time gossiping how others dress and make hairdo. The sooner I get out of here the better; I hope I can have my job done tonight.*. Adjusting her dress straps and high heels, she tried to move a she belonged to this world. *I miss my work shoes. These high heels are killing me. I should kill the bastard than invented then.*
* Hm... There's less people here at ground floor and there are even less at that end of this hallway. If I remember the house layout, the den's over there with a door to the garden. Maybe I'll find something compromising.*
The den had large bookshelves that were not even being glanced by the few people at the room that were busy smooching each other. A large oak desk and leather long chair were at the opposite wall of the shelves. Large and comfortable leather chairs invited for reading. The den was part of the original house that had been rented to a fancy model agency and it was a heaven for those that wanted some peace from the buzzing activity of the party.
Aline was alone at the den now. The couples had moved to somewhere else more private. Looking cautiously toward the heavy double door leaves, she gently closed them. Walking to the heavy built the oak tree desk, she examined the drawers throughfully, however she found nothing but writing material.
*They're not stupid. They wouldn't leave evidences where anyone could see during a party. Sigh. I hoped at least one of them had made a mistake.*
Her eyes danced vagrant around the room...
* I know they're hiding something here in this house, all our investigations point to it. This party was a good excuse to enter and search the house without calling attention. My partner and I've been at every room and didn't find anything. I wonder…*
… and stopped short at curious to see the titles on the heavy mahogany shelves.
* Could it be? This house is ancient, it belonged to a healthy man from last century an during the crime era, to the Big Brother, one of Cappos , the heads, of Chicago organized crime. Maybe…they had to have a hiding place for the illegal material or a escape route. Either that or you're reading too much British police romances, Aline.*
Her hands caressed the wood, feeling happy with the sense of the solid dark wood under her hands.
*If I had money I would like to have a bookshelf like this. But right now it's something else that I'm looking for.*
Her sensible fingers touched a light bump under the wood. Ever so light that could have passed undetected by untrained hands. At first she thought she had been mistaken.
Her eyes opened in recognition that she might have found what she was looking for. Aline leaned on the shelf and pressed her earring as to adjust it.
" This den's really wondrous." She spoke as to no herself. And waited.
Five minutes later a godlike man entered the den with a glass of whiskey his hands. He walked around as evaluating the room and came closer.
" Drinking, Tracer?" She whispered. " The captain would get you for that." She said teasingly.
"Its part of disguise, Aline; I'd be suspicious if I wasn't seen tasting this 12 year old whiskey. But I just sip on it, wetting my lips and then I discreetly 'forget ' the glass at some corner. What have you found?"
" Here.' She put his hand over the light wood swelling.
" Could be infiltration?"
" I doubt. This is high quality material. My guess it is some sort of hidden mechanism."
" What does it do?"
" I called you for us to check." Aline delicately pressed a hidden lever to her right. Part of the book wall slid silently into the nearest one, giving space for only a person to go through.
" Very smart." They passed the opening that closed right after and found themselves into a tunnel which passageway made a slide step downwards, toward an underground level.
" Time controlled." Tracer whispered in wonder.
" Or maybe pressure or heat sensors. They can do wonders with today's technology."
" But this house is ancient. They didn't have pressure and heat sensors then."
" This tricks're used since the ancient times. The Egyptians did have them at the pyramids. They used very efficient and precise pressure and heat difference sensors. The wrong pressure at stone, or the lightest temperature or humidity change into a inner chamber, due the presence of an unauthorized person that didn't know how to unsettle the traps…The only difference is that they didn't use wires or distance radio controlled mechanisms to set the traps."
" Where did you get all that?" he asked stunned.
" I was doing a course on setting traps." She chuckled. " And how to dismantle then. I thought it could be useful"
" Thanks for the history lesson. What can we expect from here? More traps?"
" Depends on what they are hiding." She beamed a pocket flashlight on the walls. "As you said, the house construction period is ancient, however it's been used by present day people." The flashlight was pointed to the ground. " This passage has been used recently. Its dry and there's no sign of moss, humidity, dust or even spider webs."
Tracer illuminated the surroundings as well. " I don't see surveillance cameras. Unless they are using hidden micro ones, I don't think we're being tracked."
" Don't seem so. The wall has no sign of wiring or radio wave transmitters. I assume our friends are feeling safe and take for granted that this place is very hidden and no one could find about it."
" Why the worry about cleaning the floor and walls then?" Their voices were whispers, right to each other ears to avoid echoes.
" If they're hiding guns, drugs or electronic equipment, the humidity wouldn't be a good thing."
The duo walked silently for the next 5 minutes and reached some sort of underground cave at the end of the tunnel where moans and whisperings could be heard. A loud slash from whipping broke the silence. Aline put a hand on Tracer's arms, more to comfort than a little remainder they were only two and barely armed.
" Come on, your little freak. Give us something more useful than that."
" No.! The voice was almost a moan, a plead of a scared kid."
Tracer has his hands closed in hard fist.
" You know what we want. So spill it."
" NO!"
Whipping sound.
" They are whipping a child?" Tracer whispered to her ear.
" Hard to tell. Its someone very scared, no doubt."
" Well, rat, we're getting what we want from you, one way or another. You better be cooperative."
" NO.!"
" You asked for it." Another dry whipping sound. Tracer thought it was enough and gave one step forward.
" No!" Aline whispered. " Its not a child. This last NO was too strong for a kid to produce. It must be some sort punishment for double-crossing."
" We can't remain standing here, someone could come. We need someplace to hide."
" There, behind those wood rates near the entrance." She signaled.
Tracer wasn't sure, but he wasn't in position to protest. They glued to the rocky wall and slid forward, crouching behind the crates. Their sides were near the eastern rock wall giving a nice hiding from the entrance and from anyone that might be inside the cave. Luckily the three men remained their backs toward the cave entrance, too busy with their nasty job to see anyone coming.
Aline's and Tracer's hands went instinctively to their stunning batons, hidden in their party clothes.
" I wish I had brought my gun."
"Me too, but we wouldn't have passed the security search at the entrance. Or we'd have blown our disguise having to explain them."
They waited crouched until the guys finished their dirty job. Tracer hands were still balled into fists. Aline was shaking with rage. No one deserved be treated like that, not even a traitor scum.
* If we were not outnumbered and weaponless I would teach those bullies something. * She risked her head out to peek. The goons had rifles in their hands and the larger one had the whip. She felt disgusted and nauseated with what she saw. This time Tracer gave her a hand squeeze to give her courage and comfort her.
"We won't get anything more from the rat for now." The larger crook snickered and he was followed by wicked laugh from the others. " Let's leave him here to him ponder what means disobey us. We can get back later, after the party is over. Maybe then he 'll be more willingly to cooperate."
Aline and Tracer glued against the crate side opposite to the men's position. From this spot they could see when they passed by them toward the cave entrance, but surprisingly the men didn't come into their direction. All of sudden the room went completely silent again.
Aline risked another peek. The room was completely dark now, and her eyes had a bit difficult to adjust to this new condition. They slithered from behind the crates. The men were gone; no one had been left on the room except the supposed traitor.
*He is very large* Aline took mental notes. * Body complexion is one of a swimmer or someone that frequents academies regularly. The guys must have had tough time to get him.*
As they came closer they realized, even in the dark that he wasn't human.
Tracer was too stunned to speak anything.
The giant rodent couldn't move the head too much, just a bit to the right, to the left and backwards. A tight pulled chain glued his neck strongly against the heavy mahogany chair headrest. A muzzle used for ferocious dogs was tightly attached to his head, and then to a strange kind of metal collar on his neck. There were red marks around the leather straps.
While the police officers were hidden behind the crate, the rodent had hung his head backwards a little bit against the chair headrest, like he needed to give it some rest and his neck was to tired to sustain by itself. As the humans approached, the rat snapped the head up again and turned slightly toward their direction.
Tracer shone his flashlight at the rodent's face that blinked reflexively.
"What is going on here?" Tracer demanded. " Who… What are you and what those crates contain?"
The rat only stared him, the eyes slit closed due the flashlight. His face turned stubbornly to the side, refusing to answer.
"Tracer, give him a break." Aline ran the rodent's body with her flashlight, checking him. " He needs medical care now. I don't think he can answer any more question at the moment."
Tracer pulled her to corner. " He's about to break down. We can get some answers here."
" Any word from him in this condition won't have legal value. Any jail breaker lawyer would allege we used torture and violence and he would have said anything under those conditions. And we don't know if he belongs to the gang we're looking for or not. He could be just a victim from them."
" What do we do?"
"First check those crates. If we get the evidence we're looking for, we can call for help. If not, we have to arrange a way to remove this rat from here. He's witness either he being a traitor or not. Maybe we may get his cooperation. If he's a double crosser we can exchange some immunity for the information. IF he isn't we must assure him protection."
Tracer went to the crates while Aline went back to the rat and was moved by the giant rat's eyes.
* They are extremely expressive, showing inquisitiveness and a feeling that I know very well; fear of constant beating, fear of knowing that he is at another's mercy. The inner knowledge that had been broken down. And a bit of arrogance, probably derived from this fear, this sensation of total impotence. Years at Police Corporation, interrogating people under suspicion, taught me to recognize I as well as my own experience at home.
" Police. We're here to help". She said softly. " Do you belong to those people?"
The rat shook his head weakly but as vehement a he could.
" I see! You can't talk with this thing on. I'm removing it, no need of being afraid."
" Aline, take care. We don't know what he is or what he might do. These chains are not there for nothing."
Aline eyed her partner. " We're here to help. Tracers check the crates, leave the rat to me." And turning to the rat. "I'm removing your muzzle. Please don't do any sudden movements.
" Thanks." The rat whispered between teeth. "Mouse." He corrected her when the muzzle was removed and trying to hide his wounded right side from her; it was a mess of clotted blood and skin.
Tracer obeyed reluctantly and searched the room after a bar to open the crates. The first ones revealed only fashion show material.
Aline was cleaning the mouse face with her handkerchief. " Let me have a look at this. Hm doesn't look nice, it may need some stitches. Do you have a name?"
" My friends call me Vinny. This is an old scar was reopened, I don't think there is fixing for it."
" Don't be so sure, medicine do wonders nowadays. Right now I'm concerned about stopping the bleeding and closing the wound." Her handkerchief got soaked. "And I can be counted as a friend?" She smiled lightly.
Vinny eye her and hesitated. "Guess so." But he didn't sound very sure.
Aline checked his chains. His arms were firmly tied to his back, the legs tightly held against chair legs with metal braces. The tail had been carefully nailed to the ground by the skin sides. " I think they must have a key somewhere." She made a face seeing what they had done to his tail. " Was that really necessary?"
"They thought so." His voice was weak, almost fading.
"That means your tail can be a weapon. I'm freeing it, but please don't use it on me. I don't want to have to break it."
"I won't."
* His tone of voice. He's weak but it was firm. He intends to keep his promise.* Aline searched for something to pull the nails of and did, one by one. Vinny winced at each nail pulled but otherwise remained still.
"There, this is the last one." She ripped her costume dress at the botton and improvised a long bandage with it to tie the around the hurt tail.
"Rough carries the keys with him." Vincent looked toward a wall at end of the cave in direction of a reinforced crate with holes. Aline shoved the flashlight there.
" He puts you there?" She said in horror. The crate was too small; a regular man would have had his moves restrained there. Vincent was much larger than a regular man, he would remain practically immobilized.
" When he wants something from me; he knows I hate it."
*Hate and fear.* She said to herself. * I can see that on your eyes, but I'm not telling it. You have been through lot enough. You're barely awake.*
*LONG WHISTLE* " Aline, check this"
"I'm coming." She tapped Vinny on the arm reassuringly " I'm seeing what he wants and will be right back." and walked to her partner.
" IS that what I think it is?" She asked excited.
Tracer nodded. He had opened a pole used to sustain photo holophotes for photography sessions. Inside there was what they were looking for.
" Where is the trigger and holder part?" Aline held a rifle long part.
Tracer searched a bit more and found tit disguised as the feet of a wooden statuette used as part of photo scenery.
" Very smart. They made a fake wooden statuette to blend with the form of the handle of the gun. The trigger is covered by wood. One would let it pass if didn't know what was looking for."
" I bet the other boxes are full of hidden guns. And drugs." He handed her a box that looked like powder make up. A little tongue taste and she recognized.
"Good stuff."
" Disguised as make up. We got our men."
" Yes. We have our evidence. Let's call for reinforcement. But first we have to remove Vinny from here."
" Aline, we can't alter crime scene."
She looked worried seeing that he had passed out. " He needs immediate medical help. What he can help with? Can we explain him to court? To the other police people? Also he needs protection. He seems to be a witness and you know this gun traffic dealers will want his skin. We need keep him safe until the court day."
" With all these evidence we have here?"
"We can detain everybody at party for interrogatory. But we can't arrest anyone without further evidences but those three; they were the only ones that we can prove that knew about this place and what is used for. The owner of the house rents it for a fashion agency and that uses it for office, photo sessions as well and business parties. We can't prove if he also knew about this secret room."
" I don't like this, but I agree with you. But how are we removing him? The only way out is through he party."
"Maybe not." Aline walked back to Vinny.
" Is there other way out?" Tracer got a lock pick and started working on the chains.
"I think so. The guys hasn't passed through us, so there must be another exit."
They searched for the other secret door, fighting against time now. They knew they had been there for too long and the smugglers could be back anytime now to continue their work on Vincent. They had a little advantage now they had got some extra guns but would be better they were not there when the smugglers came back.
They finally found the second door and how to open it and dragged Vinny with them. It slowed their pace, for the mouse was heavy, and being unconscious could not help. The short passageway led to a secluded part of the mansion garden near the rear bushy fence.
"I'm getting my car. Stay here with him, then call the captain, Tracer."
" What do I tell her if she asks about you?"
" Tell her I'm taking a witness to safety. I think we'll have to trust her about Vinny. But right now I need to get urgent medical help for him."
Tracer nodded. Aline brought the car to the rear of the house and pulled Vincent to her car through the bushy fence that surrounded the house, while Tracer used the radio to call for help.
Vinny limp body was put on the front seat.
' Shouldn't you put on the back??"
" It'd be better, but I not wanting to move him around more than necessary. You and I saw what they had done to him." Aline gently buckled the seat belt and rested the tail on his lap.
" Whom can we trust him to? He's not exactly your regular mouse."
" I don't' know yet, Tracer, I don't know."
Vinny trashed on the sleep, crying out what his mouth refused to say when he was awake.
A gentle but firm hand stroked him. It was dark; he knew that without opening his eyes. His body was stiff, restrained. They had put him in the box again. He was 7 and facing his stepfather 's 13 year old son.
* I hate this box. I can't move, I feel like I'm going to explode. No please Gear, I 'll be nice, don't put me on the dark closet. I don't want be locked there.*
*You're a trouble Vincent. You need some discipline and the dark room is only thing that you respect. *
*No, Please! NO!!*
A gentle but firm stroke him, shaking him.
His body coiled like a baby's.
*No more please, Gear please NO…, I promise I'll be good.*
Aline could not recognize the words that were in Martian but she knew body language. He had lifted the hand as to protect his face from a slap. Her hand went stroking his head, behind the ears.
" You're safe now, friend. No one's going to hurt you. Wake up."
Her words soothed him. His hand went to his side and he uncurled a bit.
" Sanya, don't let Gear get me.." This time words were in English. " I hate that room under stair. I don't want be locked. I can't breath there."
" No one is locking you. I won't allow."
"Thanks Sanya.". He mumbled and went back to sleep.
The sound of the opening door waked him in a startle. A female human came in followed by a gray haired man.
Vinny still felt his body stiff, like it was made of wooden. An IV was inserted on his arm, dripping something.
*They look at me like I'm an odd specimen. My body isn't responding well. What they had done to me?? Wait. There's something wrong. I can feel heat on my right face.* He slowly turned his face slightly to where heat was coming from. A sun light beam was passing through 2 almost closed wooden window panel boards. His head weighed a ton. *My face!!!* His hand slid to where an explosion had hit it years earlier. * The mask is off. Where's is it?*
Only light gaze was between his fingers and a soft lump under it. He realized something else; he was wearing nothing but underwear.
*My tail. What they had done to it?* A rush of pain went up his spine. * What they had done to me? That gray haired man scented hospital. LABS! That woman I remember, she was there at that place. The one they took me in. They had beaten me, wanted something form me and then…* His memory was playing tricks, he couldn't tell if she had seen her before, during or after the men got him. * She was there, whip…chair. She whipped me?!.*
* She's with them. She helped them to maculate my natural wondrous body.*
" How is my little patient today?"
*Patient. O my.* Vinny gave him a hard glare. " Where is my mask?"
" Mask?" Aline was baffled. " There was no mask there."
" My Mask! Where is It?!" Panic started to hit him. *I feel naked without it.*
" Has he eaten?" The gray haired man turned to Aline with concerned look.
" No, he's really waking up now. The guys did a nasty job on him."
Vinny felt rage building inside him, an urge to get out of here and he Never be under the human's hands again.
Adrenaline heated his body and he pounced the humans, getting them down on the floor.
*I have to get of here now!* Vinny had bloodshot eyes; his fur was all on the end. A dangerous snarling came from his stomach. With a blood-screaming yell he jumped past the door.
Aline had regained her balance and stepped back stunned with the rodent's unexpected stamina. Dr Melk was caught unguarded and his elbow hit on the nightstand.
" What have you got here, Aline? This thing is wild."
" He wasn't like that on the cave. Maybe he's only hurt and confused. He's obviously not trusting us now. I didn't think he was that strong or I would have brought the chains with me. I assumed his condition would be enough to weaken him."
" Even the weakest creature can get this rush of stamina when feels cornered. We have to find him. But we must go armed."
" I left my gun on my room." Aline added after a pause. " I must get it."
" What are you going to do?" Melk asked still breathing hard due his elbow pain.
" What do you think? I have to follow him. He's dangerous to himself and to the others, haven't you see his eyes? He's not thinking clearly."
The doctor got up rubbing his bruised elbow. " I'm coming with you. I have sedatives on my medical suitcase."
" Good! We may need it. Try to keep an eye on where he is going while I'm getting my gun."
" I don't think he's going too far. He's still weak from the treatment that he received and blood loss. Trust me, this adrenaline surge won't last for long. Once he feels safe, it will break down and he'll have an adrenaline hangover. Very unpleasant thing."
Aline rushed to her room while the doctor went to get his medical suitcase.
" Depends on what you're calling 'Long 'Doctor." She handed him a riffle when he came back. "He has caught us unguarded. It may last longer than we expect, and long enough to put himself or the others in trouble."
" Are you planning to kill him?" he checked the rifle.
" Let's try sedating him first. If it's not possible than we do what we have to do." They went to Aline car and they began to search the neighborhood.
Vinny felt the adrenaline surge beginning to fade. It had got him enough energy to activate his self-preservation system and get away from the house. Now that his body felt being at a safe distance from the danger, the effects treatment he had received on the cave started to charge its price.
" Where is my bike when I need her?" he panted hard. " Now I remebember. She must have got a place to hide, like I have told her to."
* Head … What Martian storm! * His hands covered his temples as the gesture could send the pain and dizziness away. * Can't think clearly.*
" I must get Charley…" Nausea wave hit him and his body began to shiver. "Charley…Bros…No…Can't...!"
"Where could have he gone?" Melk watched the surroundings cautiously. " He can't have gone far, he's on foot, weak, sick and had lost lot of blood. I'm amazed that he had lasted so long."
" This neighborhood has a lot of places for him to hide."
" Come on, Aline? A white mouse? 7 feet tall? Its not something easily hiddable.
" We don't know what we're dealing with here, Roger. We have no idea how he's going to behave. He's desperate and very unpredictable."
" I have a feeling we're going to hear from him very soon."
" Sooner than you think." She pointed toward a biker that was coming down the street. " That man seems that he saw a ghost."
Aline parked the car to talk to the biker, identifying herself as police officer.
" What has happened?"
" Some weirdo dressed in mouse costume got me from my bike. He jumped at the passenger seat and hauled me off. I'm lucky I had not got killed. My legs are still shaking"
" All right. We're after this guy. Can you give us the bike characteristics? Maybe we have a lead now where he's going."
"It was a Honda's falcon, metallic blue, 550. Year..2000. License plate…" he gave her the number.
" Was the tank full?"
" Half full."
"Were are on his pursuit. Thank you. We're taking over from here. Officer Aline O' Malley from 21 precinct."
Aline sighed when they had left the biker, after assuring that he was all right. "He can take a very long trip with the tank half full."
" Should we call for reinforcements?"
" I want to try to find him first. I know it's bit out of book but I'd feel better."
" You really liked that mouse, don't you?"
"I feel sympathy for him. I have a feeling he's not a criminal. Not the regular type anyway. All right he stole a bike, scared to death the rider. But still…. I would like to arrest him myself you know… keep him safe form midia show if this history comes to public. And that's for the sake of investigation. I have a hunch he knows something. If the midia circus get him first, I'll never have opportunity to get my answers."
Roger said nothing but eyed her with pity when she turned the attention to the road. *This mouse has affected you, my friend, deeper than you think an they are not only professional feelings involved.*
Vinny rode aimlessly through a side road. He had given only an apology to the guy that he had stolen the bike. The reaction had been instinctive upon hearing the engine's sound. The biker had been put safely on the sidewalk by reflex.
" Where do I go? I can't go back to Charley's." He kept talking to himself. "It would endanger her. Can't go to the guys either. Modo is going to turn me into permanent pavement cover. I need a place to crash for a while. *OOOOOO MY HEAD. Who put me into a circus death globe? And this funny thing on my stomach. I fell like throwing up*
He released the commands from the bike as habit for a while, and realized, too late, this wasn't his usual AI Martian one.
" You're not saying that the mouse took the bike and drove away? A Biker Mouse?" Roger shook his head unbelieving while Aline tried to do mentally the best possible escape routes the mouse might have taken.
" I have been hearing stories about mice driving bikes lately. I thought they were some law enforcers dressed on costumes. But after the last three days, I'm beginning to think there's more behind this story."
" I wouldn't have believed if hadn't seen for myself. And now thinking about it, all this mess fits with my findings."
" What do you mean?" She asked while kept attention on the road.
'You know I'm retired from forensics now, but the young ones come to me when they have some doubt how proceed."
" And..?"
" Well, I retired myself two years ago, after the last time that year that the Limburger Tower went down."
" That tower is a public security menace." She growled. " It falls at least once a month or once every two months. I wonder how Mr. Limburger always gets permit to rebuild it when everybody knows it'll crash down again."
" Indeed; that had always intrigued me as well. How come a building like that disappears every two months or so? People around comments of flashing and explosions. I talked to building implosions experts; they said there is no way a tower like that would get down without menacing people on street and shaking the foundations of the buildings at a 4 blocks ratius. There's need of isolating the area and all."
" I'm not getting it." Aline past a red light with siren on. " What Limburger Tower has to do with our present situation?"
" Some of the boys of explosion experts team that worked at Limburger's had been my students at Academy or some of my trainees. They had collected material from the tower ground and the surrounding area for exams.
" I know. It's procedure. But we never found anything."
" O But we did."
Aline almost made sudden break.
" YOU WHAT?"
" We found something curious, and out of place. It was insignificant but now.."
" What??!" She demanded feeling her throat dry.
" Mice fur. We always find some mice fur on the explosion area. Several feet away from tower location, they re so light that wind and people can carry away. So we never gave it second look. It's on the reports but not further notes to it."
" I know you Roger. You got something there. " She had lightening on her eyes.
He nodded. " Two things. The fur's from mice. I took some home and ran the analysis. They don't belong to any mouse species known. And secondly. It's contain high doses of heavy metals on it. Lead, Mercury, Zinc."
" And this isn't on police reports?"
" As I said, they are. But experts say the metals could be consequence of the explosives that hit the tower, and maybe the rat population under the tower. Chewing old pipes and all. In this polluted word there are lots of logical explanations for this."
" But fur was found on street level"
" Yes, but it didn't seem to be relevant. What? Rats chewed down the tower telephonic cables and sewer ducts till the tower collapse and they died of intoxication? No way." He said in ironic voice.
" And couldn't be?" She snickered. " You know how rodents can cause damage."
" Frankly, Aline. Getting a tower down? Besides Limburger may have some sanitary troubles off smell on tower, but he had his pest control log updated."
" Ok!!! What you got?
"The heavy metals are Part of the fur constitution. No known live being could live with such levels. It's highly toxic."
"Let me guess. One of the fur found is white and belongs to our biker friend."
" Yes. I got the samples when you brought him and compared them."
" So he's involved into the towers explosions."
" So it seems."
" We have to find him first, Roger. Police will be searching for the bike now. You heard on radio, the alert for the robbery. I want this mouse and get some answers, before the others find out about him."
Roger nodded silently. * What in this case is attracting you more, Aline? The fact the mouse lad messes with your hormones or he's being involved in a case so hot your hands melt just getting closer to it? This case could give you a promotion that you deserved long ago... What really drives you my friend?*
They found him and the bike some miles North from Chicago, at a side road. It had been a bike accident and Vinny had had been pulled over from the road.
Melk came to exam him and used his year as police forensic to determine the situation.
" He lost control of the bike." There was a gash on the mouse head and the right side was a mess of bloods fur and gaze. " I can't say if he crashed the skull or this blood is coming from his burnt scar that had been reopened at the maison."
" What do you need?"
" Sincerely? X-ray scan. Maybe a computerized tomography. EEG; In short, after that –he pointed the prone mouse on the green grass-.a complete equipped emergency room. But then we will loose the privacy. Once this mouse gives entrance at a ER …"
"I know". Aline kneeled by Vinny's side. "I'm afraid it's out of my hands now. Either that or he dies."
" Maybe not. I have a friend at Chicago's Zoo. Maybe she can help."
" Zoo?"
" They have a complete surgery room there. It has the best exam equipments. Look, I'm not suggesting it because he's a mouse. I'm suggesting because it might be only place where we can get al the exams I need and plus the privacy you want."
"All right. Call your friend."
Vinny woke up, feeling head spinning. His right side was hurting as hell. Trying to move he realized that he was strapped to a hospital bed but the room didn't seem to be hospital; it was more like someone's guest room. His tail had been wrapped into a strong, resistant leather sac that was barely wider than the tail itself. It was attached to a thin but also strong chain around his waist. The only way of freeing the tail was removing the chain. The IV had been reposted on his arm. His left side was all bandaged.
The lady he had seen before came with a tray of food.
" So you're awake. I'm glad. I was afraid I had lost you." She had a concerned expression.
" I'm not that easy to get rid of, Ma'am." He gave her a weary, evaluating look. Aline found herself blushing deeply. Vincent tried to break free form the restrainers.
" Forget it. Those restrainers can hold down a lion."
" Where am I?" He looked around puzzled. The room looked like a normal room except for the bed. " This is not the kind of bed for guests, is it? What happened?"
" Only for crazy guests." She pulled of the food cover. " I have some brew for you. Are you hungry? You had a bike accident."
"NO WAY!!!!" Vinny looked at her like she said he had befriended a Plutarkian! Completely insane!
" WAY, Biker Boy! Dr Melk, that was with you some hours ago, said the bike lost control. He's amazed how you haven't crashed your skull."
"I'm too good for that, angel."
" So good you got the rest of your right side all banged up."
" Yes, I remember something now. The bike had mechanical problems and I must have jumped." He grinned proudly.
" Her only mechanical problem was a lot of loosen bolts on your head. Are you trying to kill yourself? Riding so insanely, without a helmet and jumping from a bike at 60 miles/hour?"
" Ah, that wasn't too fast." He made a dismissal gesture.
" That wasn't too fast? What speed do you usually go at, mister?"
Vinny swallowed a spoonful to not have answer that. *Opseei. I almost got a speed ticket here.* He moved his arms under the restrainers. " Hey sweetheart. Would you mind?"
" Actually I do." She gave him an intense glare. " After your last crazy stunt, I feel safer that you remain restrained while you recover. I had trouble rescuing you twice and don't have plans to spend rest of my days playing cat and mouse."
" Hey this would be a fun game!"
The look she gave him made he shut up.
" What do you want from me?" He found better change subject.
Aline got a spoonful and blew to cool it.
" I would like some answers."
" Get in line, take a number sweetheart. Lately seems everyone wants something from my gorgeous self."
Aline lost her patience and put the soup on nightstand with a thump.
" All right. I tried to be nice. If you want play hard guy, I'm calling another officer to handle you. I'm sure he won't put you on his home with special treatment. If you're lucky, you may get a solitary in prison, after have passed through medical treatment."
" Prison? What for?"
' Well, Swettheart" She was sarcastic about the last words. "You were found with drug and weapons smugglers for start. They obviously wanted info that you had. Info that may interest the police as well. Shall I accept my partner's view that you're a double-crosser? Not to mention the stealing of a bike and jeopardizing the rider, and now, summing up, breaking speed limits."
Vinny let her words sunk in.
" I'm under arrest?"
" Let's say detained for medical care and interrogatory."
" I'm in your house?"
"yes.!"
" You always bring suspects here and gives the five star treatment?" he was truly puzzled now.
" No. I brought you here because I thought you were different. I thought you needed help and we could help each other. But seems to me you're just a spoiled kid that most likely got involved with wrong people and still thinks life is your playground. I expected to find a grown man and found a immature one."
He looked hurt.
" What were you doing with them after all?"
Vinny hesitated.
" Were you working with them before?"
" No they got me."
" What for? What they wanted with you?"
" I can't talk about this, officer. I would put someone else's live in danger."
" Well for your information they're arrested and if you want them to remain there, I suggest you talk what you know. We need evidence strong enough to assure they don't leave anytime so soon."
Vinny hesitated. " It wouldn't make difference. No one would believe anyway."
" Well, let me judge that. But for now you better eat. Are you having this now? Or I'm taking it back?" She indicated the meat brew she had brought.
Vinny accepted that she fed him. His stomach won the battle.
Aline woke up with moanings that night. Looking at her night clock she saw it was past midnight. She groaned, her shift would start in few hours. Following the sounds, they came from the guest room. Opening the door slightly she heard his whimpering on that strange language;
* What language is that? Doesn't sound like any I had ever heard and I hear a lots of them at the precinct. Several minor crimes are committed by desperate illegal immigrants.*
The moonlight filtered through the window boards and lit the wounded side of his face.
* What has happened to him? His face is partially burned but the rest of his body is intact. What kind of accident he could have got into to get a wound like this?*
Aline stroke his head softly. " Wake up, Vinny, everything is all right."
" Please, get me out of here." It was English now with slight accent of his original language, whatever it was. " I hate being locked."
* He's still dreaming. His voice is like a child, now. No wonder we thought he was a kid when we first met him with the guys.*
" You're not locked Vinny."
"I can't move. The closet is too tight. Please…" tears rolled from his eyes. Aline wasn't sure what to do. This wasn't the arrogant Vinny she met. And she was pretty conscious he had no idea he was talking to her during dreams.
There was a chance here to get info he was refusing to give when awake. It was almost like hypnosis. All she had to do was to ask, however, for some unknown reason Aline felt uncomfortable getting information this way.
" Everything is all right Vinny," She stroked his head gently. She had been right, his arrogance came from a memory of a situation where he felt totally unable to deal with.
" Please, don't leave me." Aline felt stunned his hand grasping hers.
" I'm not leaving you, friend. I'm not". She shook him awake. " Vinny wake up. You're dreaming."
He slowly came to and grinned dreamingly. " Hey sweetheart."
" You were having a nightmare." She saw the restrainers had made marks on him during sleep.
" I'm loosening the restrainers, but please don't do anything stupid."
"I won't."
She loosened them.
" Please let me go! I hate feel tied up. Bring me bad memories."
" I wish I could, Vincent." Her face showed she truly resented not being able do more. " However, I can't risk loosing you."
"If I give you the answers, you let me go?"
" Depending on the answers and what doctor has to say."
" Not fair."
" It's the game's rules."
" Ask."
"What they wanted from you?"
Vinny sighed. " My Bike."
" Why weapon smugglers wanted a bike? They tortured you like that because of a mere bike?"
" My bike is not a simple bike. She's unique. Let me show you." He moved as he wanted to whisper something to her ears. Aline leaned forward and his antennae touched her.
"WHAT…" her mind was pulled into his.
" This won't hurt."
Then she saw…and Felt. Aline backed up in horror a to get rid of images of a very loud and violent movie. Vinny shuddered with the connection break.
" Don't do that sweetheart. It hurts." He rubbed his stalks.
"Sorry." She covered her mouth. Aline though had seen the worst of human race on her years as policewoman. What Vinny just showed her surpassed her worst nightmares and this was not a cheap Sci Fi movie. It was real.
" What… What those..drug..smugglers…"
" Want? Our weapons, sweetheart. Mars."
" Let's have this from the beginning. I take back my words; you're not the spoiled brat I thought you were, a moment ago. How did you get involved with those people in the first place? What Mars situation has to do with our present case??"
"They found out about me and about our weapons when I got involved in a street fight. I was bored and thought I could get some easy change. Everything was going fine, but when I was to receive the money, they didn't want pay me."
" And you really thought they would pay you?? "
" I hoped so. I fought to get my money, got in trouble and my bike came to my rescue". Aline remembered scenes from him and the bike that he had showed on her head and shuddered thinking a deadly weapon like that loose on the streets.
" What weapons did they want? Only the bike's or you have more? Do you usually ride on Chicago streets with an armed bike? What else does she have?"
" Lasers, fire rockets. The usual."
" THE USUAL? People don't ride bikes armed for a war on their everyday business."
" We do. Limburger is a stinky alien overlord that wants ours hides, babe. We have to protect ourselves and your world."
" This thing is getting too off- handed." She waved a hand in exasperation. " I know I should call the Federals to handle this but I'm afraid to end into a padded room if I do. They won't believe me."
" Or worst."
Aline shuddered with implications. If she brought this to Federals and they did trust what she said then they would make sure she was shut up.
*I've been watching too much X-Files episodes.* She thought to herself. And out loud.
"I think we need you bros' help. I don't think I can handle this situation with alien weapons by myself and can't call my police companions either."
" NOOOO! PLEASE!" He shouted vehemently
She looked him puzzled. Vinny looked down
" Trouble is, I wasn't alone in when I got in trouble with those guys." He swallowed hard. " I was with my one of my bros' nephew."
" You mean your nephew."
"No. Only Modo's. Bro as in biker bro." He went on. "You see, the smugglers think it was just Rimfire and me. We got them a story we had crashed on Earth, just the two of us, and the ship is lost. They didn't buy it, at least not the whole story. Now they want the ship, the weapons that they think that exist there and a free ticket to Mars to be smuggling weapons and drugs. NO WAY I'm allowing them go on with this!"
"I'm getting it. They had both of you, don't know about your bros and you can't tell your biker friends about them either because you get the nephew in trouble."
Vinny eyes showed she had hit bull's eye.
"They also liked our fight style also and wanted us to do fights for them, and do small crime jobs. Like pick pocketing, some intimidation, robbery, you know, the stuff. If they find about my bros, they will use Rimfire as hostage to make Modo and Throttle work for them as well."
" The guys are in jail now, Vincent and you're free! However the Big Boss is still on the loose. We think we know who he is but we don't have enough evidences to arrest him. You have been with those guys, working with them. You must know where he's or how can we get him red handed.'
" I can't, I don't know where Rimfire is being hold. If I do anything against the boss, Rimfire's tail's fried."
" I still think you should get your friends and search for Rimfire. You can't handle this all alone."
"Are you crazy? You don't know what Modo will do to me when he finds out I got his nephew in trouble. If Rimfire gets any scratch or if I show up without him I'm as good as dead. I was the one that had the idea of the fight, for fun. We were bored! No SIR!. Definitively I can't go back while I don't find the lad or I better start looking for a coffin that matches my flawless body. Also I don't want risk having them blackmailed."
" Rimfire went on the fight on his own, didn't he? How old is he anyway?"
" 16. He's mature for his age, he has saw a lot of war horrors. But try convincing Modo I didn't sweet-talked him. He'll give Rimfire some ear pulls, but he's going discharge his energy on me."
" Modo is the one with arm canon, isn't it?" She had known that when was linked to his mind.
" Yes. He won't use the canon on me. He doesn't need to." Vinny was shaking; picturing the image of having to tell Modo his nephew was missing, and in the hands of crooks. And then explain why that had happened!"
" Man, you're in trouble. If you don't get your friends, and Big Fish finds you first you're fried. If you go, your bro bursts you and your friend gets fried."
" O MAN!" Vinny rolled his eyes to ceiling.
" Look, I'm making make a deal; we give you police protection, my partner and I help you search for your missing friend, and you get me everything you know about this crime organization and helps us to arrest The Weasel.
" The Weasel?"
" It's the head on this story. You probably heard about him, once you did minor jobs for them."
" And we'll be arrested?"
" For those? If you help me, I'll consider your situation and not mention them on my reports."
Aline felt that as strange as this entire story was, she trusted him now and deep inside she knew he was a not a criminal. What she had and seen when connected to him had convinced her. Either Vinny was a serious delirious nut case or she was in the biggest Sh... of her life.
Aline knew it was the second option.
Aline left for her shift, and brought Tracer that night to visit Vinny. She thought she owned him some, after all, Tracer had been with her during the search and had kept mouth shut about the mouse.
Tracer had been as stunned as Aline with the whole story and its implications.
"Let me see if I got that straight. We have fish aliens that are turning Earth into Swiss cheese. Motorcycle rider Mice, from Mars, are fighting them here on both planets. Weapon and drug smugglers now want Martian technology to dominate the business and control Earth' smuggling market.
"Pretty much like that." Vincent nodded.
Tracer was sat at a chair, by Vinny's bed. " Tell me, Aline. Maybe that stuff we tasted when we found the drugs was real good and we still are into a trip."
Aline shook head. " I know this all sounds like Spielberg's Movie, but I'm afraid its real. I know we should warn the Feds, but now it comes to it, I'm not so sure that the best idea."
Tracer nodded. " I don't like the idea either. So what we have now is to find a missing 7 feet tall mouse?"
" 6 and half. Rimfire is our average mice size." Vinny corrected them.
" How he looks like?"
Aline eyed Vinny. You have a picture of him?"
Vinny eyes her shocked. " And do I look like a man who walks with pictures of males on my wallet?"
"All right, all right! Assuming there aren't many giant mice walking around, we just have to find a 6 feet tall walking talking mouse. No problem." She was sarcastic.
" And I know right were to start." Tracer winked to Aline" How about near Limburger Towers? Roger found some intriguing mouse fur there."
" You know. Could be good idea; we could also check with your bros, Vinny. Maybe Rimfire escaped and has gone to them for help. Since you're so close, he could be worried about YOU!"
Vinny shuddered.
" I haven't thought about this. I'm dead! If he went back to Modo, it would be nice knowing he's safe…" but his eyes told how scared he was to face his bro.
* This Modo guy must be someone very violent to Vinny be that scared to face him.* Aline shook her head.
" Isn't any way you can find out without telling your bro??"
" Maybe. Can I use the pone?"
Aline hesitated but freed his hands and handed her cell phone.
Vinny thumbed the keys shakily.* please, don't be a bro…*
" Last Chance garage. Charlene Davidson. May I help you.?"
"CHARLEY. It's me, Vinny. Charley, sweetheart, please! Don't say it's me. Are the guys around?"
Charlene leaned on the wall on the other side of line.
" No. The guys aren't here; they're looking for you and Rimfire all over town. Vinny where are you? Are you ok? What happened?"
" Long story, Charley -girl. I'm all right now, but Rimfire's still missing. I have to find him before I come back or Modo'll stuff his hot dog sausages with little me."
" Vinny, Modo's worried sick about you. He'll be more than glad having you back."
" Yes, he will. And then he'll crush me like a insect."
"What happened? Is that serious?" Charley fought to hide a panic was rising inside her. *Vinny usually isn't that scared about being with Modo. They are best buddies and have been through a lot together. But also I have never seen a situation where Vinny had put one of Modo's family in trouble. Would big guy choose family over his bro?"
" I accidentally got the kid in trouble. I want to fix things before I go back."
" What kind of trouble?" Vinny, where are you?"
Her worried voice bled his heart and looked up to Aline. " She wants to know where I am," he said covering the phone mouth cover.
" Let me talk to her. What's her name?"
"Charlene."
Aline got phone. " Miss Charlene. Here is officer Aline O'Malley. Yes, Police officer. I'm with Vincent. No. He's all right now and he's safe. Yes. Apparently he and his friend got involved with some dangerous people. Those are in jail now but we had not got the big fish yet; we need his help order to do that. So he's under police protection and must restrict his contacts to strictly necessary." Aline winked to Vinny. " Yes, I assure you he's all right and you can reassure his friends.' She wants to talk to you." Aline handed d the phone back to Vinny.
" Charley, sweetheart, I'm all right. No. I can't tell the guys where I'm staying, not yet." He saw the approval nod from the officers. "Yes Charley I'll be in touch, I promise."
"I hate doing this to her." He said when hung up.
" It's for her safety as well. The less you're seen around the less chances the Weasel has to know where you are."
" We better remove you from here, Vincent. Nobody knows about you yet, our police reports don't mention you presence.
" Only Tracer, I and our captain know. And we can trust her"
" And Roger." Tracer reminded. "But Weasel has informers inside police force, sooner or later he'll put two and two together and wonder why you were there when his men left and wasn't when we showed up."
Aline ordered Vinny to put his hands to be tied again.
"Sweetheart…"
" No Vincent. I can't trust you loose. You're too hot headed, wants to solve things by yourself. I understand you're worried about your friend. But I can't risk you risking his life and our operation because you're to hot blooded. Please.!"
Vinny looked her and Tracer. He had his gun, resting on his lap. Vincent could win her and most likely escape and try to find Rimfire.
* I would jeopardize the lad's life. Aline has more experience on this and here is her planet. She's right. I can't trust myself not doing something stupid if I break free.* He sighed and allowed she tying him again.
Aline gave him a peck on the cheek. " Nice boy."
He looked her shyly. " Could I at least have a shower?"
Aline felt herself blushing lightly. She pictured herself watching while he showered. " Tracer?" She played absent-mindedly with the nightstand lamp wire.
Tracer fidgeted nervously. " Sure! Let's go, boy!
*Waiting for someone shower or go to bathroom is one of worst things of this job!!* Tracer cursed internally. * It's highly unpredictable enough with regular surveyed people. This mouse! I can't tell what he might do. Either I go personally with him and watch him on those intimate activities…UGH! Or I risk him escaping while I wait outside.*
Vinny wasn't much fond either to have a male watcher while he was doing his toilet.
* I wish it were the pretty lady. She would be stunned with the perfection of my body. I have to decide between going inside with a bearded man or not clean myself at all. Or…* An idea hit him and he grinned when noticed none of the officers was looking.
" Are you coming with me?" Vinny played mock surprised tone. " I'm not getting into he bathroom with a bearded man."
" Your choice mouse, either that or no shower. I'm not very fond of this idea either, cheese eater, but you're not getting rid of me that easily."
Vinny pretended to be offended.
Aline sighed impatient. " Either you go with Tracer or no shower Vinny."
" No shower then." He made a stubborn face.
Things kind of worked for next 2 days, Aline and Tracer taking turns to do their private investigation. Vincent also got a visit from Amy McDowell, Aline's police captain. She wanted to see the witness by herself and get first hand what was going on.
Andy covered Aline and Tracer activities, helping them with police infrastructure to search for Rimfire, that on police records went as 'crucial evidence to keep the suspects in jail", while kept her mouth shut about Vinny or the true nature of this operation.
By the third day Vinny smelled badly from being on bed for so long. Aline decided that it was clean up time. His wounds were getting better; only the one at right side of face required more caution to be taken care.
*It's amazing how he not only hadn't got killed on that bike accident as well as he left with only some minor scratches. This mouse must be a real acrobat to have done that in the conditions he was and at a high speed.*
Aline brought two bucket with water, liquid mild soap and two scrubbing brushes and, for herself, a pair of old cut-off jeans and flannel T-shirt.
" Time for beauty treatment."
Vinny grinned ear to ear.
Aline had substituted the wrist strap by long chained handcuffs so he could move more freely on the bed and sleep better. The collar that he wore at the cave had been removed the first time she brought him here.
Aline poured the soap into the water and stirred the mixture. Her fingers dip on it with a pleasure and excitement she hasn't felt since she was a child; sliding through Vinny's face, throat and neck causing him moaning and purring sounds and stirring her even more.
Slowly she began to peel the gaze around his scar.
" Ouch…" His hand wrapped hers, begging to stop."
" I'm sorry. I'm almost finishing here. Dr Merkel says it's healing good. How did you get this?"
" I got caught in a explosion." His head went down, embarrassed. "Please, don't. I don't want you to see it."
"Vinny, I have seen before, I'm changing the bandages, do you remember?"
"I hoped it was the doctor." He meant it.
"No. It was me." Her hand caressed his good face to comfort him.
" But the rest of me is 100% good material." His hand guided hers to the other parts of the face.
" I bet it is." Their eyes locked. Mutual understanding. Different worlds, similar experiences. He had grown in planet taken by bloody war. She, at a war zone at poorer area of the city. They both had lost lovers to war.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Aline stopped touching him to clear them.
"Please continue, I like the way you do it. It has been so long since…"
* Since you felt this part of your face.*
" I shouldn't be doing this." But she couldn't stop. An inner fire had been lit in her.
His own fingers slid under her chin, his thumb feeling it and wrapped her left face.
" Vinny…" She moaned. Part of her wanted to plead him to stop but her voice went against her conscious wishes and told the white mouse the opposite. What he had that had this effect on her?
His glare was drawing her like a magnet.
" OH HOW romantic.!!"
They broke the magic and turned to the door. Rough, one of the men that had been at cave was standing there with two masked men.
"I knew you must be involved into the mouse disappearing, officer."
" How did you get free?"
" Not difficult when you have friends on the right places. That scene a while ago was interesting. Go on. I could enjoy some fun, before taking my prize." He launched an evil glare to Vinny. "We didn't forget about you street rat. And I hope you haven't forgot about your younger friend either."
Vinny gave them a lethal glare.
" But first we would like see the lady here doing a rat work out."
" I'm not a RAT!"
" You're what we tell you To Be."
"Let it be, Vinny. Don't fight them. They have weapons."
" Yes. And we want to see the show."
Aline climbed to the bed… and slid her hands under the covers. Vinny gave a startled cry.
" Good, good." Rough laughed.. " Good to start."
While he was busy watching, a furred snake slid under covers and got him by waist, throwing him to his comrades.
Before they could get up, Aline had freed the adrenaline mouse from his restrainers and he was over the guys.
Hearing a car under her window she managed slipping there to spy. Tracer was getting down very stressed. Looking backwards, she decided that wouldn't happen a nice scene here. Thanks to Vinny she managed to pass through the bad guys, stopped at her room just enough to get her gun and rushed downstairs to meet Tracer at the entrance door.
" Rough escaped prison, Aline." He said panting. " I came to check if you and Vincent…" He looked up toward sounds of fighting and groanings were coming from. "Are they already here?"
" Yes, they arrived a little before you. Vinny's doing the house honors."
" Is that Vincent?" Tracer was amazed with the racket. "I thought you had a wild animal up there." He chuckled
" Vinny can be pretty wild." She blushed lightly. " He needed warming up his muscles. Have been into bed for too long."
" He's not killing those guys is he?" His police spirit came up.
" I wish he did."
" We can't allow that Aline. The guys are scum, but our job is protect even them."
" Sigh, I'm afraid you're right. Let me handle this. I don't think he'll tolerate another male interfering with his fun."
They walked back toward Aline's room. The goons were cornered against a wall and Vinny giving them wild maniac look.
" That's enough Vinny. Did you have fun?"
Vinny turned to the officers at the door,
" You bet I did, sweetheart."
" Did they get the info you wanted?"
"Yes. They were very nice to offer me willingly". He grinned evilly. His fur was splashed with goons' blood.
Later.
Vinny went with the cops where he had told his bike to wait for him. Aline whistled in surprise. After everything she had learnt she had expected something more sci-fi movie style. The bike seemed like any earth ordinary sports one.
" Hy, sweetheart." Vinny walked to his old friend. " Ready for some action?"
The bike beeped eagerly. The officers looked each other in amazement and were awestruck when bike came by herself to Vincent. He wrapped the tail around Aline's waist, straddling her on his back. Tracer followed on his own bike.
" We have to move fast, Vincent." Aline talked to him. " The Captain agreed to watch out for the prisoners and don't take them to jail for a couple of hours. If the Weasel find out their plan failed Rimfire may be removed someplace else."
Vinny just nodded; a wild smile curving his lips.
They reached an old deactivated dog pound. The place seemed to be deserted for years. The windows were broken and they could see large rats crossing the entrance patio. The bikers had parked at a safe distance to not call attention.
" Are you sure they are here? Maybe they gave us a wild goose chase. Tracer got of his helmet.
Vinny checked his bike panel. A Freedom Fighter logo flashed intermittently.
" Yes. The bike has zeroed Rimfire's all right. Its him.Isn't it sweetie??"
The bike answered flashing the panel. The officers once again eyed each other, amazed that a technology allowed the bike answer like a live being."
" I be the bike cant tell you where the boy is locate, can she?" Aline sweated hard.
Vinny gave her a look, as she was crazy. " Of course she can. Come on, babe; show them what you can do. Give me a lay out form this place."
The bike complied.
"What are those other points?" Tracer indicated the blue dots on the panel.
"Company." Vinny grinned. " So Let's PARTY!!!!"
"Vinny wait." Aline called but was too late. The Martian duo dashed toward the dog pound.
" He's going to get the hostage killed." Tracer said in horror.
" I have a feeling he's not." Aline smiled to herself. " Come, let's give him a hand."
Rimfire arrived at the manager's room with two heavy sacks loaded with bank money. He hated be doing this, but couldn't risk run away and having Vinny killed. He had no idea where his friend was being kept. To use his war abilities to break into bank safes was the pits.
Here!" He threw the sack in the table.
"Did you have any trouble?" Weasel smiled evilly.
" Not at all. I have experiences blowing up things." Rimfire couldn't avoid a rueful smile. He Had sent to space some Plutarkians bases.
" You should have seen the job, boss." One of the goons smiled. " The hole he left in the safe's vault door."
" There is no one that understands better of making holes and going through than a mouse." Weasel smiled to Rimfire, enjoying the tight leash he had on the lad. " I'm real glad that you had been stranded here on Earth, boy. Too bad we can't contact your people on Mars."
Rimfire didn't fall into it. * Right. Keep waiting for me to slip and tell you there is a way to go there. I'm not allowing your gang to destroy my people even more with your drugs.* He lowered his head like he in submission. * I may never see Mars again.* A lump formed on his throat. * Even if I get of this, Stoker would never accept me back on the Freedom Fighters; I became a regular bank robber. And myself, I'm not sure I can ever face him again.*
Rimfire left the manager room and went to his cell and laid on the cot he that used to sleep. * I hate this place. Reminds me the Plutarkian prisons. I wonder what they were used for? They don't seem to be human prisons. They don't have toilets.*
However he had to admit the abandoned aspect of the place gave them a perfect hideout. * Weasel is nervous about something. I wonder what is bugging him.*
His body wanted to sleep. Tonight had been a long job. Too many moneybags and the stress of being on constant guard.
One of his assault companions came to their improvised dormitory. " Here, kid. Your part on the job." He threw a sac of money to Rimfire. The Martian groaned.
"Leave me alone. You know I'm not in this for the money. You can split among yourselves if you want."
" Hey thanks." The mouse turned to the side to nap.
The sudden racket woke up the team.
"What the…" Rimfire couldn't believe what he was hearing. He jumped from bed in a start, his hair tussled. " Yea!" He shook head approvingly. " Dream or not the sound I hear is music to my ears." He rushed toward the door that led out of the pond area only to meet weasel's men with submachine guns trained at him.
" Back up mousie. Or we're turning you into Swiss cheese. Hand over your blaster."
"Hey I thought we were pals." But he handed anyway.
" Things change mouse. Roman, secure him well."
Rimfire was turned around and had his arms wrapped on his back and the tail around his leg. Another tape went around the mouth.
Vinny crashed in firing everyone and riding against the doors. The goons got busy returning fire and taking cover.
Aline watched the cross fire.
" Rimfire may get killed. Vinny forgo they have a hostage?"
"Apparently so. Call for back up, Aline."
" And aout you"
" I know where they are keeping the lad; at the pond area."
" Great. And how you plan to rescue him. According to layout there is only one door to there."
Tracer smiled. " Leave it to me." He sneaked toward the house. Aline called for reinforcements and two minutes later was by Tracer side.
" What are you doing here??"
" I not leaving you alone on this. I reported all they had to know. Tracer we better do this fast. I don't want have to explain Vinny and Rimfire to reinforcement."
He grinned. " We've been this route before."
She smiled without humor, nodding.
Rimfire was shoved inside a large dog cage. He had to knee to fit. The goons put a lock on the door.
The Martian used all his tail strength to try to break the tape. * I have to help Vinny. It's our only chance to get rid of those guys. * However the cage didn't give him enough maneuver space and the tape was strong.
Vincent was having a blast time. He and his bike were causing havoc among the goons that looked for cover for the lasers. To their bad luck, the bike seemed to be bullet proof. And to worse the things for them, the paint wasn't. A bullet ricocheted there, scratching the pain and sending the angry centaur mad upon them. Vincent let go a howl of fury that chilled their spines.
Weasel came to him with hands up.
" We have got even Mouse." He sneered. " You got us. However. We still have your friend. D anything to us and he's gone. Let us go, come back working for us and I'll forget this whole thing."
" Le Rimfire go!" Vinny had tied the goons and had his weapons tracked on them.
" You see mouse. I have a detonator here with me on my pockets. You have 5 seconds to free us or you friend is fried."
Vinny raised a brow unsure and raised his gun.
" LET…"
There was a sudden explosion on the rear of the pond.
" Tsk Tsk. Your friend is smoke now."
" So are you!" Vinny squeezed the trigger. Just them they heard the sirens.
" You smoke me and police will get to you."
" Police!" Only then Vinny recalled Aline and tracer. Where were they?
" Oh I see. You human toys were with you. Maybe they were caught by explosion too. Pitty."
" NO!"
Vincent ran to the dog's area. There was too much smoke and he closed the helmet to breath and scan. " Rimfire? Tracer? Aline?"
Aline helped Tracer to remove some debris from behind a wall.
"How did you know about this hole in the wall?"
" My dog showed me."
"Your dog?"
" Hazel Nut. I got him from this pond some years ago when it was still working. I got him escaping from the hole. I thought he was very smart and took him in."
" And they never fixed it?"
" Well the pond was closed right after, after charges of animal abuse and other irregularities. No one wanted the place, so the pound remained closed. Until now." He put a finger to her lips. The hole was large enough to let a squeezed Labrador pass through. They came inside, cautiously. The cages had concrete walls on their sides. No one was seen in front of them and the cage door was open. The officers came cautiously, for the wall didn't give them full sight of the room until they reached the barred door and then it could be too late.
The room was empty now and the only sound they heard were the ones of the cross fire, Vinny whoops and bike sounds, on the other side of the door.
Passing through their cell door and peering on the room, Aline put a lip to his fingers. They listened to muffled sounds. They walked in, their hands on their weapons and peered inside the cage.
" Seem it's our Mouse Saving month." Tracer chuckled. " You must be Rimfire, Vinny's friend." Upon a nod tracer went on. " We are getting you out of there, pal. Hold on."
He tempered with the lock until it opened. Rimfire slid forward form the cage and the officers gave him a hand. Aline could understand why Vinny was worried. Despite the stories he had told her about Rimfire experience, the lad didn't seem to be more than 16.
" Thanks pals. I was feeling like an UPS package." He smiled to relieve tension.
"I don't think they deliver to Mars." Tracer chuckled. " Would take to long and be too expensive. Its against their policy." He laughed. Aline cut the lad's bonds.
"Come let's get out of here. Vinny needs us."
They had barely entered the cage with the hole on the wall when they heard an explosion. Fortunately the concrete walls had protected them. Soon after they heard someone coming and Vinny calling for them.
" Over here, Vinny." Rimfire waved from behind the wall. The two friends went into a rolling palyful fray at the ground. Tracer had heard the sirens.
" Hey guys, come out. You won't want to meet the cops. Vinny, take Rimfire home. Tracer and I will handle things here. And VINCENT! BE DISCRET!" Aline pleaded.
Vinny nodded and blasted the rear wall to make a way out while Rimfire climbed on his back at the bike.
Two bikes were parked at Aline's door. Vinny was sitting over his shinny sports red sled and Rimfire over a metallic blue one. He had recovered his after the police found the main hideout of the Weasel.
" So these are the famous Martian bikes. And this is our lady." Aline approached the bike that went reversal gear.
" I don't think she like me too much." Aline backed up.
Vinny grinned. " She's not used to you yet. Usually she behaves better."
Rimfire gave a muffled snicker that wasn't unnoticed.
"Considering her rider, I have my doubts." Aline chuckled." I'd truly like to meet your bros, Vinny. And your uncle, Rimfire. The way you talked about him made me desire to personally meet him." Aline smiled and added "and seeing you guys again, under less stressing conditions."
""I'm telling them about you, Aline. But I need some time." Vinny and Rimfire looked each other meaningfully and worried.
Aline and Tracer had freed the younger Martian with the info the goons had 'willingly' given. Weasel had not been arrested, managing to escape at last minute but had his operations shut down for a while.
The crimes the two mice committed were not put into the reports, and their existences become known only by the four police officers. Vinny had called his bike back by Aline's radio.
" I'm not letting you go that easily sweetheart, I just need cool down Modo a bit, before I can explain how we got involved."
" Yes, uncle Modo has a big heart, but his fury is huge as well. You won't want to be in his path when he gets up on the wrong side of the bed." Rimfire grinned a childish smile that stirred maternal protective feeling on her. " We need to come up with a real good story or we'll be stranded on Mars for quite a while."
" I should pull up your ears, lads." Amy McDowell came from the house and let got a smile. " For getting involved with the wrong people."
" Don't worry about this, Ma'am; our friends will assure that we get enough ear and tail yanks for what we did."
Tracer walked to Vinny. " I found this with Rough." It was a flexible rubber like thing. " I suppose you know what this is for."
Vinny hands tremble recognizing his mask." Yes. Thanks, Man!"
The mice put their helmets on and revved their bikes. They left among a dust cloud.
Amy and Tracer went inside home. Aline remained watching the curve where the mice had disappeared. Vinny came back, full reverse gear and screeched in front of her driveway. Pulling the helmet shield up, he enlaced her with his tail and gave her a breathtaking kiss.
" To you not forget me sweetheart." And fled off.
" How could I?" she mumbled to herself touching her lips when he disappeared like someone from a magic world.