Matters of the Heart
Story by: Phoenix1122
Summary: In this chapter, the Rovers make their way into the Ground Control Center, and begin taking down the Cano-Mutants inside, and rescuing the NASA personnel that Parvo's goons are holding as hostages. Once that's done, the team heads for Endeavour's hangar, to confront Parvo, and put an end to his evil scheme. Let's join the action now, as the fight to save the world kicks into high gear.
Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights whatsoever to Road Rovers, or to any of the characters associated with the series. Road Rovers, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Warner Brothers. The Space Shuttles Endeavour, Atlantis, Discovery, and Enterprise (The prototype shuttle), are property of NASA. The song I will be using for this chapter, 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot', is property of Pat Benatar. All original characters and equipment, are products of my imagination.
Chapter Four: Houston, Parvo's about to have a problem!
Once the team had gained entry into the Ground Control Center at Cape Canaveral, they began a room-by-room search, looking for either Cano-Mutants, or hostages. The first room they checked, the cafeteria, was full of at least twenty hostages, including the Endeavour's assigned crew. There were a ton of Cano-Mutants guarding them, and, when one of the hostages, the shuttle's pilot, tried to call home, one of the Cano-Mutants hit him in the back savagely with its gun, and then crushed his cell phone. Hunter said, "Rovers, let's take these guys out!" Hunter moved towards the Cano-Mutant that was now snarling in the pilot's face, and said, "Hey, pick on somebody your own size, you big bully!" The monster turned around, just in time to see Hunter's fist, before it smashed into his face, and sent him flying. Colleen judo flipped another one through the door to the men's room, with a yell of, "HIYA!!! APOLLO!!! GEMINI!!! MERCURY!!!" (Names of the three most important series of space flights by American astronauts in the 1960's). Blitz snuck up behind another one, and said, "You've been a bad, bad dog! Now, Papa Blitzy is going to have to punish you. Let the biting begin!" Blitz's poweful fangs clamped down hard on the Cano-Mutant's rear, and it began running around, howling in agony, until Samantha shot it with her C02 dart gun, knocking it unconscious. She then swung around, and landed an axe kick on another Cano-Mutant, before putting another ten of them out of commission with a crescent kick. Exile froze a dozen of them, and then used his heat vision to melt the weapons of five more. Kasha quickly gave them a dose of tranquilizer, with her dart pistol. Shag was also picking off Cano-Mutants. Once they'd cleaned up the cafeteria, they made their next stop in the shuttle flight simulator room, where five Cano-Mutants were holding three scientists hostage. Hunter ran up behind two of the beasts, and knocked them out by bashing their heads together.
You're a real tough cookie with a long history
Of breaking little hearts like the one in me
That's okay, let's see how you do it
Put up your dukes, let's get down to it
Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away
You come on with it, come on
You don't fight fair
That's okay, see if I care
Knock me down, it's all in vain
I get right back on my feet again
Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away
You're a real tough cookie with a long history
Of breaking little hearts like the one in me
Before I put another notch in my lipstick case
You better make sure you put me in my place
Hit me with your best shot
C'mon!
Hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away
Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away!
Colleen took down the third one with a flying kick, to the yell of, "HIYA!!! GALILEO!!!" (Italian physicist of the mid-16th century, who discovered three of Jupiter's four largest moons, those three being Europa, Io, and Callisto, and he also invented the first telescope). Blitz used his claws to shred the guns of another Cano-Mutant, before knocking it out with a hard punch to the side of the head. The last one went down to Kasha's fist in the gut, and Colleen then untied the scientists, and left them some food and water. The team then headed into the main command room, and found twenty Cano-Mutants, guarding the ten-person ground control team. Hunter said, "Colleen, take the left side of the room, I'll go right. The rest of you, cover us!" With that, the two of them charged in, firing their dart pistols as they went. Cano-Mutants dropped like flies, except for one, that had just come in from checking the hall outside. It grabbed Hunter from behind, and was about to blow his head off, when Colleen charged it from the side, and tackled it. She picked the monster up, and then threw it into the air, then kicked it across the room, with the yell of, "HIYA!!! ORION!!! LEO!!! ARIES!!!" (Three of the constellations). Hunter said, "Whoa…thanks, Colleen. I don't know what I'd do without you." She hugged him, and replied, "Huntie, nobody's gonna take away the one I love, especially not when I've got a daughter on the way. We're finished cleaning up the Cano-Mutants, so let's go and nail the two big blighters, Parvo and Groomer." Hunter replied, "My thoughts exactly. Let's move out, Rovers!"
In the Endeavour's storage hangar…
Parvo was examining the Endeavour, admiring the large craft's design. He said, "Yes…this is perfect. Once I've destroyed Road Rover Headquarters, I think I'll keep this shuttle, and the others, as my personal fleet of armed orbital attack ships. I'll arm them with laser weapons, and nuclear warheads, and use them to ensure my PERMANENT rule of the world. Those mutts can't stop me now…HAHAHAHA…ugh...cough…hack…wheeze…LOZENGE!!!" Groomer fired a cherry-flavored lozenge into Parvo's mouth, and he allowed it to dissolve, while he climbed up the access ladder, to examine the laser satellite Hawkeye-One. He and Groomer admired the wonderfully-built machine. Groomer said, "According to these specs I pulled off the main computer, General, the laser on this satellite, can hit a target the size of a golf ball from space, and packs enough power to blow a hole right through a mountain." Parvo smiled, and said, "Excellent! Soon, I shall finally realize my goal of complete world domination!" Suddenly, a Cano-Mutant came sailing through the door, courtesy of Colleen's foot to the chest. Hunter said, "GAME OVER, PARVO!!! GET AWAY FROM THE SHUTTLE, NOW!!!" Parvo shouted back, "FORGET IT, YOU LOUSY FLEABAG!!! THIS TIME, VICTORY WILL BE MINE!!! WHEN I'M DONE HERE, YOU'LL BE NOTHING BUT A BAD MEMORY!!!" Hunter said, "NO CHANCE, PARVO!!! YOU CAN NEVER DEFEAT US, BECAUSE, UNLIKE YOU, WE HAVE OUR FRIENDS BACKING US UP, AND TOGETHER, WE CAN NEVER BE BEATEN!!!"
Parvo's last brigade of Cano-Mutants charged at the Road Rovers, and the heroic canines braced themselves, ready to see this battle through to the end, no matter what.
Next Chapter: The Rovers take down Parvo's last group of soldiers, and then confront the maniac himself. Will they be able to win the day, and ensure the safe launch of the Endeavour? Find out next time in Chapter Five: Saving the Shuttle.