Reflections and Romance - Chapter 7
Clarise walked out of the radio station with a new attitude. Her appearance on Sweet Georgie Brown's show made a real impact. She was determined to save her old neighborhood from being demolished by Limburger. She pointed out how his greed destroyed many lives. Different people called in to say how they were also wronged by Lawrence Limburger including the Biker Mice's friend Andy Steinhower who owned a diner.
Limburger once had a floating island casino. He tricked Andy into gambling away the property where his diner stood. Unbeknownst to him, Limburger had Carbunkle rig the slot machines and gambling tables so he and other people would lose. With the help of Charley and the Biker Mice, Andy got his money back and his diner.
Clarise wanted Limburger to face criminal charges not just for kidnapping her and her sister but for hurting other people. She knew getting him convicted wouldn't be easy. He has lots of money. Enough to buy the best defense team in the world as well as pay off people. He has managed to fool most of the public by pretending to support various charities as well as making them think he has their best interest at heart. That was how he's been able to get away for so long.
"Penny for your thoughts." Said a voice.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Modo glancing at her. She looked up at hearing his voice. He, Throttle, and Vinnie were outside the radio station on their bikes. They all three wore their helmets. Clarise noticed another rider rode with Vinnie. The rider appeared to be a female in a blue denim shirt, black pants, and brown boots.
"Oh, hey, guys!" Her face broke into a friendly smile.
"Heard you on the radio. Sweetheart, you were great." Vinnie grinned.
"I was impressed." Modo said.
"Told off on the Big Cheese. Bet he's stewing in his own juices about now." Throttle chuckled.
"Thanks. So who's yer friend?"
"Charley Davidson, meet Clarise Redmond." Vinnie said, introducing her, "The second prettiest lady in Chi-town next to you, sweetheart."
The megawatt smile Vinnie flashed at Charley was quickly noticed by Clarise.
"Thanks, Vinnie." Charley smiled back, a slight blush in her cheeks.
"Oh, so you're that lady mechanic friend of theirs?" Clarise said.
"Since I last checked." Charley chuckled, getting off Vinnie's bike and shaking hands with Clarise, "It's so nice to meet you, Ms. Redmond. It's an honor."
"Thanks and please call me, Clarise."
"Call me Charley. Everyone does." Charley replied.
"So, what brings you guys to this neck of the woods?" Clarise asked.
"Me, my bros , and Ms. Charley ma'am were on our way to get dogs and root beers." Modo said.
"Dogs?" Clarise asked, puzzled.
"Hot dogs." Modo explained, "Wanna join us?"
"I'd love to!" Clarise exclaimed.
Steinhower's Hoagie Dogs served the best hot dogs in Chicago. It was also the Biker Mice's favorite dive. The Mice, Charley and Clarise sat in one of the booths. Vinnie sat next to Charley while Clarise sat next to Modo. Throttle sat across from the two couples. Their usual order of hot dogs smothered in ketchup, relish, and mustard along with tall frothy root beers arrived.
"Here ya go, folks. On the house. Dig in." The proprietor and chef Andy said. The old man, smart in an apron placed their order on the table, went away with the carrying tray.
"Thanks, Andy." Charley said.
"Pleasures all mine. Not everyday I get a celebrity in my place." He replied, giving Clarise a quick smile, "And a pretty one at that."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Steinhower." Clarise smiled, and blushed.
Everyone happily dove in. It was in all a happy lunch.
"Ah, that was great. Andy as usual really outdid himself." Throttle said.
"What a nice man. So, does he, um, know about you guys being Martians?"Clarise asked.
"Yeah, but it's fine with him." Throttle replied.
"He told me when I was on the air how you guys saved his diner from Limburger."
"That Hallibutt never misses a chance to steal land from other people. Tried to get me to sign over my repair shop, The Last Chance Garage, to him. That's how I first met the guys." Charley replied, smiling warmly at the mice.
Flashback...
"That night, I was working on a customer's Mazda. I had just picked up a wrench when I had a visitor. It was none other than Greasepit, Limburger's top hench goon. The Big Cheese had been pressuring me to sell him the Last Chance for months." Charley explained
"Tell your slimy boss I don't care how much money he's got. The Last Chance Garage is mine! And it's not for sale!" I shouted at Greasepit, waving my wrench at him. It stuck to the greasy slimy mess all over him. I tried to remove my wrench and got grease flung against my shirt. I tried wiping it off.
"Youse is not being wise, lady. Lawrence Limburger wants this land and what Lawrence Limburger wants, Lawrence Limburger gets!" He shouted back.
I'd heard enough.
"Listen, you oversized grease monkey, you got five seconds to vacate the premises or I'm gonna vacate your face!" I screamed.
"Ooooh, i'm shaking!" He replied, mocking me. He then began shaking so much grease was flaking off and I was being showered with grease!
"Ughhh! Why don't you just ooze on out of here!" I said. Before I knew it, my car lift went up pining the big greasy oaf to the ceiling. Grease began dripping down.
"What the hey? My lift needed a grease job any way." I said, kicking a bucket over to catch the grease.
"Unfortunately, Greasegutt got loose and I tried to run but I slipped on some of his grease. He then stuck the contract in my face as I was getting up. I don't know what would've happened next if the guys hadn't showed up."
"We had come there to get my bike repair. Vinnie scoped out the place and said he'd check it out." Throttle explained.
"I went there and heard that walking oilstain giving Charley-girl a hard time so I decided he needed to be taught a lesson." Vinnie said, "So I said 'Hey, citizen, why don't you leave the lady alone?'"
"He thought he could scare me with 'Who's gonna make me?' "I said, 'I'm gonna make you!' "I lit one of my flares and prepared to knock the stuffing out of that oilslick. When I slipped on that grease and hit the wall."
"It looked hopeless then Throttle and Modo showed up crashing through a window. Then all three of them polished off Greasegutt. They then threw tires on him and rolled him out of my shop. At first, I got a little scared at seeing three giant talking alien mice standing before me."
'A little scared? You threatened to hit us with a wrench!" Vinnie said. "Talk about no appreciation."
"But I calmed down when I saw you guys didn't mean me any harm."
End Flashback.
"I wish I could've been a fly on the wall when you guys threw those tires over that Greasepit guy and rolled him out the door." Clarise chuckled.
"Aw, you're much prettier than any old fly."Modo blurted out. Everyone turned to glance at him. The latter blushed.
"Why, thank you, Modo." Clarise smiled, blushing and looking down.
Meanwhile, Limburger was having a hard time of it. He had rented a new studio, formed a panel of judges made up of him, Greasepit, and Fred The Mutant and got a television station to rent him air time. His plan get a new star was falling apart. No one showed up for his talent show. He wondered what was going on till Greasepit put on the radio in his limo ignoring his protests. He then heard Clarise's comments on Sweet Georgie Brown's radio show. And Throttle was right he was livid.
"That blasted girl singer! How dare she call me a money grubbing snob!" He screamed, "No wonder no one came to my talent show. No one's going to stop me from picking this planet clean! She needs to be silenced permanently! Her and those rotten Biker Mice!"
He pressed a button on a computer console. A vidscreen popped up.
"Carbunkle!"He called out.
The face of the deranged Dr. Carbunkle appeared on the screen.
"Yes, Your Overripeness?" Cabunkle replied.
"I need to rid myself of some pests on two legs. Three with fur, one without. Any Ideas?" He asked.
"Ah, I have just the villain for the job, Your Super Rotundness." He replied, activating the dimensional portal from which a figure flew out.
It was a blue human sized bird alien with long wings. It flew out and stood before Carbunkle.
"Ah, Billie Monnie. Welcome back." Limburger said.
"What do you want done, Limburger?"
"The death of the Biker Mice, of course."
"It'll be my pleasure. Of course, that comes with a price. Can you meet mine?" She asked, "Otherwise, find yourself another bounty hunter."
"You are a bird with brains, my dear girl." The latter chuckled, "Carbunkle."
The latter opened a huge metal door. Inside was the largest naval cannon she had ever seen. Billie was practically drooling with delight. The metal cannon gleamed and shimmered in the light.
"It's beautiful!" She gasped, then an evil glint was in her eyes, "I'm going to have fun with this!"
"Thanks for the lift, Modo, but I don't think I want to go home right now." Clarise said.
Modo had offered to give her a ride home. Throttle, Vinnie, and Charley had went back to the Last Chance Garage. They were on his bike riding on the street. Clarise's long, wavy locks stuck out from underneath her helmet. The wind blew them back.
"I understand." He said. After what that Stink Fish tried to pull, he didn't blame her for not wanting to go home.
"How's Miss Coco? She alright?"
"Okay. You know she moved into the salon."
Modo felt bad.
"I'm really sorry. It's because of us Limburger targeted you two."
"No it isn't." Clarise reassured him, "I pursued him. I found out information about him planning to strip mine Chicago as well as this whole planet. He tried to force me to help him. I refused. If anyone's to blame, it's me."
"Still, I, we, shouldn't have left you two alone."
"You can't be everywhere. No one can. So quit beating yourself up." She told him.
He couldn't help it. Just the thought of someone he liked in the slimy fins of that bag of gills drove him crazy. He knew needed to calm down. And he knew just the place.
"You're right. Hang on." He said, as he turned off the street to a country road.
Soon, instead of buildings, they began to see trees and houses. Then the air smelt fresher.
"Ah, just smell that air!" Modo inhailed, happily taking it the smell of pine.
"Where are we going?" Clarise asked.
"You'll see." He smiled back at her then turned back to see the road. He turned onto another road within minutes a huge blue lake surrounded by large pine trees was before them.
"Oh, it's beautiful!" She breathed. The sun was now setting. It shown a red-orange hue on the water.
"I like to come here when I'm very stressed. I like to fish." Modo said, taking out a beach towel and spreading it on the ground under a tree.
"You do? My dad used to take me fishing when I was a kid." Clarise gushed. She walked over and sat down. Modo took out a fishing rod and a tackle box. Then he sat down next to her.
"Me and my nephew Rimfire used to fish all the time. 'Course the fish on Earth are much smaller than the ones on Mars." He said.
"What's Mars like? Is it a nice place to live?" She asked.
" Yellow sand dunes as far as the eye could see. But at night, the sky becomes like dark purple velvet and our two moons shone like sparkling diamonds."
"Two moons?"
"Yep, they're called Deimos and Phobos."
Clarise gazed at him and smiled as she tried to imagine Mars' beauty.
"They sound lovely."
"There not the only ones" Modo replied, smiling back.
Clarise leaned towards him. Modo opened his mouth to speak but couldn't. She had covered his mouth with hers. It only took him a second to realize she was kissing him. He sighed and responded back. Her slender arms went around his neck. She felt his arms around her. Her body pressed against his chest. She could feel the muscles in his manly chest and arms. Within seconds, he began to make love to her with his mouth. Clarise moaned in sheer pleasure especially when he began kissing her neck. He was becoming very passionate at this point.
"Modo..." She managed.
"Clarise..."
Soon they both broke away. Their foreheads pressed towards each other. They smiled at each other and down.
"Wow, I knew how I felt. But I didn't realize..." Clarise began.
"I really like you a lot, Clarise. More than like." Modo said, looking away, "I wish I was a human so we can see each other all the time."
"You've seen me in public at Andy's Diner and my sister's house."
"Yeah, but me and my bros always have to hide our faces under helmets to keep people from getting scared of us."
"I didn't get scared."
"I'm glad."
And he was. It surprised him how easily she accepted them. Other people would've run away in fear. Not her. Even Charley freaked out on first meeting them. Modo began falling hard for this exceptional woman. But different thoughts nagged at his brain. Was it right of him to be engaging in a relationship with a woman of another species and not his own? He knew it would be frowned upon on Mars. Plus, someday he and his bros would be leaving Earth once they put the Big Cheese out of commission. He was never a "love em and leave 'em" type of guy. His grey furred mama would've skinned him alive if she ever heard of him hurting a woman. He knew he'd have to tell Clarise eventually.
"I glad you brought me here. I love sunsets." She said, interrupting his thoughts.
He decided he would cross that bridge when he came to it.
The two lovers held hands and happily watched the sun go down.