Charley surveyed the makeshift battlefield with a composed look. Mangled cat contraptions lay smoking on the ground, kitty soldiers were running for their lives, and three very smug Martian mice were leaning against their bikes, smirking.
"Well, looks like your usual stamp of approval," Charley finally chuckled.
"Why of course, Miss Charley Girl," Vinnie grinned. "Only the best from us."
"Ah, cut it Vinnie. It's time to give old Rhineheart a taste of his medicine," Throttle said, his eyes narrowing.
Ah, yes, this week's villian, and the reason Charley was out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and forests. Andrew Rhineheart, billionaire businessman, or something like that, had taken up the Plutark's trick of taking over a planet: by buying it.
So far, Rhineheart hadn't been able to do much damage to Earth, the bros were making sure of it. But, Charley knew it was only a matter of time before something big went down...
"Let's go in, bros. Rhineheart should be expecting us," Throttle growled.
"I wonder if he'll serve refreshments," Vinnie joked.
The bros turned to the little cottage a little ways from the battlefield, smoke curling up and out of its chimmney.
"Let's go pay him a visit," Modo agreed, revving his engine expectantly.
"Let's rock," Throttle began.
"And ride!" the two other boys cheered, zooming toward the building. Charley hopped onto her bike, a little classic beauty, nothing like the boys, and headed for the building. The three boys charged right in, Charley close behind, and was shocked by what they found:
Nothing.
"Something's not right," Throttle muttered, looking around himself warily. The fire was still blazing, the house was well kept, the table was even set. But the question remained, what happened to Rhineheart?
Charley moved over to the right side of the room, her gaze sliding over tables and chairs, curtains, and rugs. The house looked like a normal person lived there, not a billionaire...There were picture frames on the mantle over the fireplace, and Charley took a moment to really look at this Andrew Rhineheart guy. Her eyes widened in surprise as she found a familiar face in one of the frames...
"Where is this guy? We pinned him in here!" Modo exclaimed.
"I don't know, but keep on alert. Charley-Girl, you might want to stay outside til we get this place searched. You never know what, or who, can be hiding," Throttle told the mechanic.
"Ah, and right you are!"
The group whirled to the front door, still wide open, and now framing a man in the doorway. Charley took in the light brown hair, piercing green eyes, dark tanned skin, red plaid shirt, jeans, and the two evil looking robots behind him in shock.
"Jarvis, Alpha, if you would be so kind," the man said, motioning toward the biker mice.
"Certainly sir," one of the robots replied.
"Right away," the other agreed.
Two sets of robot arms zipped out, pinning the biker mice to the wall. Charley got a sick feeling in her stomach as horror wrote itself on her face.
"Let them go, Rhineheart!" she demanded of the villian. Andrew Rhineheart just turned his gaze to her.
"Do I look stupid?" he asked back. "Jarvis, Alpha, if you would throw them in a cell. The lady I will have a nice little chat."
"Certainly sir,"
"Right away!"
"Run Charley!" three Martian voices exclaimed as they were hauled away.
"So, it's Charley now?" Andrew smirked at her.
~(0)~
"We gotta get out of here!" Throttle muttered.
"Just thinkin' about our Charley-Girl all alone with that weirdo," Modo shuddered. "It makes me sick."
"I can't believe we got trapped. After Limburger and Rump, and all those little bad guys inbetween, and we get caught by some nobody! This is going to trash my rep..." Vinnie sighed.
"You never had a rep, Vin."
"Yeah I did, I was the baddest mammajamma in the galaxy!" he declared resolutely, proud of his accomplishment.
"So, do you got a clue on how we're breaking out of here?" Throttle asked the baddest mammajamma in the galaxy.
"Well, Modo shot at it, you rammed it, and I tried picking it, so...no."
"Great." Modo and Throttle groaned.
"What do you think Charley-Girl's dealing with?" Vinnie asked quietly.
"Hopefully nothing to bad," Throttle replied. "She's a tough girl to crack, she'll be okay."
"You think so?" Vinnie asked hopefully.
"I know so, but we gotta get ourselves out of here in order to make sure she stays that way. She'll probably yell at us for taking so long anyway."
"Charley-Girl angry is not something I want to deal with..." Modo shuddered again, thinking about the mechanic's wrath. She was absolutely scary when provoked, and the boys always tried to keep her anger under wraps.
"Good thing you don't have too," a familiar voice smiled, and the three boys turned toward the open cell door.
Their favorite mechanic was leaning against the doorframe, a grin on her face.
"CHARLEY!" the bros exclaimed, running over to their girl.
"You're alright!"
"How'd you get away from him?"
"You're not hurt, are you Charley Ma'am?"
"She's fine," a gruff voice sighed, and the boys turned to see Andrew Rhineheart in the same room as them.
"Rhineheart," Throttle growled, moving to stand in front of Charley.
The bros readied themselves to attack.
"Guys!" Charley snapped, moving to stand between the two groups. "Chill out."
"What are you doing? Get out of the way, Charley." Throttle murmured.
"Andie isn't a threat guys," Charley snorted. "As if."
"Excuse me, Lena?" Andrew responded.
"All I'm saying is you're good at heart," Charley said quickly, trying to make up something. "How about we all go upstars and I'll explain?"
"This better be one good explanation, Charley-Girl." Throttle warned her.
"Did he just call you 'Lena'?" Vinnie whispered as he passed her.
Charley just smiled sheepishly, and followed them up.
"Andie's a friend from camp," she began once they were in the living room. "He hasn't gone by Andie in years though, so I didn't realize we were actually going after him."
"I still can't believe you know those creatures, Lena," Andrew Rhineheart responded, annoyance written on his face.
The group was situated around the room, the mice on one side, Andie Rhineheart at the little table, drinking out of a mug like this wasn't a 'ready to attack' moment.
His robots were making sure the situation remained tense.
"Anyway," Charley pushed on. "We went to a summer camp together. Back then I was still going by Charlene, so I was experimenting with nick names. Lena was one of the options," Charley said ruefully.
"Charley's better," Vinnie muttered.
"And Andie and I became friends. And because of that friendship, he has agreed to stop his Take Over nonsense,"
"I never said-"
"At least pull back a bit," Charley amended.
"I guess I can, as long as your pets don't come destroying everything!" Andie responded indignantly.
"We are not her pets!" Three voices exclaimed in unison.
"Great, it's settled," Charley brightened, clapping her hands happily. "I think we should probably get going. We've overstayed our welcome, and I would hate to impose."
"You're welcome back anytime, Lena. But please, leave the creatures at home next time," Andie chuckled. Charley bit her lip as she noticed her bros getting angry.
"Course, we'll get going. Guys, let's go!" Charley ushered her gang out, turning back to look at her friend. "I can't believe you still have that picture of us," she told him, a reminesent smile on her face.
The picture she had noticed in his house?
The face she had recognized?
It was her own.
"It was one of my favorite summers," Andie replied, coming to stand next to her at the door.
"Charley! Come on!" Vinnie shouted, revving his engine.
"One sec!" Charley called back.
"Why are you with those odd balls anyway?" Andie asked her, shaking his head in confusion.
"They're family," Charley replied, shrugging. "You stick with your family."
Later That Night
"So how did you know that guy again, Charley-Girl?" Throttle asked the mechanic as they stopped for the night.
"Andie? From camp, I told you that," Charley replied as if the tan furred guy was five years old.
"Yeah, but how did you get him to let us go and make him stop taking over?" Vinnie asked, perplexed.
"Oh, well, he was my first boyfriend," Charley smiled. "Kinda important."
The three Martian mice just dropped their jaws in shock.
"WHAT?!"