Monkey heard Lani's reply to Pork Chop about him joining them not being a good idea and wondered why she would say that, when something caught his eye. Beyond the Nomad to his horror, he saw they were heading straight into a dozen drone vehicles coming from the opposite direct.
He couldn't help but react the way he had, they were heading into trouble and he didn't like it one bit.
"Lani," Monkey called out, but it was too late. The on coming drones began firing at them and the Nomad took the brunt of the fire. The Nomad came to an immediately stop and Monkey slammed on his brake avoiding a collision.
"Lani, you alright." Monkey call out, worried something bad had happened to her.
'Go Monkey, go before they get you."
"I'm not leaving you Lani. Can you get the Nomad started?" he told her.
The sound of the Nomad turning over and then idling erratically told Monkey there was no way Lani was going to get far. The oncoming drones fired again, but this time Monkey was mad, and activating the plow on the front of Rollin' Thunder he took off towards them.
He yelled all the way up the track as he smashed into several of the drone, forcing them from the track. Coming to a stop and putting Rollin' Thunder into reverse, he chased the remainder of the drone back down the track. He could see the Nomad, still stationary on the track and accelerating faster he did his best to get back to Lani. But as the first of the drones vehicles approached her, they rammed into her pushing her closer to the edge.
Lani, had made ever attempt to get the Nomad into gear but it was jammed, and as the drone hit her, she was almost sure she would be sent over the side of the track. When the Nomad came to a stop at the edge of the track, Lani looked out her window at the city below. Only several feet below her was another track, free from any drones. Activating her thrusters beneath the Nomad they fired up and Lani realized she could get herself on the track below.
"Monkey," Lani called out, "We can jump from here to the track below, it's not that far down."
Monkey had reached Lani, still in reverse as he rammed the drones that had stopped, waiting for him. The impact shunted Monkey in his seat and trying to put the gear in first, one of the drones fired close range at him. Rollin' Thunder flew up through the air and landed on the opposite side of the track to Lani. Knowing he was too far to escape he bravely said, "You go Lani."
"No Monkey, you can make it, just try." Lani called.
Monkey put Rollin' Thunder back into gear and made an attempt to reach Lani, but the several of the drone had now surrounded him, there lasers ready to be fired. rushed forward ramming the nearest drones but then Rollin' Thunder was suddenly blasted and came to a stop.
"Go," Monkey yelled at her as he saw another drone vehicle slowly pushing her off the edge.
"But Monkey," she called but there is no more time and she had to act. Activating the boost, the jump jets fired pushing the Nomad up above the drone vehicle and the track. Maneuvering the Nomad as be she could, she was able to get it onto the track below, but the force in landing brought the Nomad to a stop.
Monkey looked around him, trying to work out a way her could get past the drones but more were arriving and he knew he was in serious trouble. Coming forward, Monkey had nowhere to go as the drone vehicles slowly began to push Rollin' Thunder over the edge. Only then did Monkey begin to yell as he tried desperately to force Rollin' Thunder forward.
Looking above Lani can hear the drone vehicles above and from under the tack she could slowly see the back of Rollin' Thunder as it rock back and forth over the edge of the track. Continually turning the ignition, Lani begged it to start. "Come on," she murmured. When the engine started, she attempted to put the gear into first and it went. Realizing she was now able to drive again she looked back at the trouble Monkey was in, and taking off Lani desperately searched for a way back to save him.
Monkey wasn't liking the idea of being pushed over the edge of the track but there was nothing he could do about it. When he thought he was done for, one of the drone vehicles suddenly exploded. Confused, Monkey tried desperately to drive his car back onto the track but Rollin' Thunder was stuck and continued rocking back and forth.
"I'm coming Monkey man." Monkey heard Pork Chop over his radio. All around him the drones are being attacked but neither him nor the drones know by whom or what. Monkey watched as the drones begin firing randomly around trying to stop what ever it was that was destroying them one by one, but nothing seemed to be working.
Then Pork Chop arrived ramming several drones and Monkey felt relief wash over him. But they were still not out of trouble.
"Hang in there Monkey man." Pork Chop tell him.
"Hurry up Pork Chop I don't think I can hold it much longer."
Pork Chop drove over to Monkey and used his grabbling hook at the front of Jack Hammer he secured Rollin' Thunder. The hook pieced the front of Monkeys car almost forcing it back over the track. Monkey held onto the stirring wheel, climbing almost over it to get out of the vehicle. Pork Chop put Jack Hammer into reverse and began pulling Monkey away from the side.
All around then drone vehicles were being blown apart and Pork Chop could do nothing to avoid them. Several tried hampering Pork Chops efforts to help Monkey, while others were trying to reach Monkey and finish pushing him over the edge. And still more drones arrived.
As Pork Chop continued the reverse, Jack Hammer started straining under the pressure of trying to help Monkey, while being battering by drones; then suddenly everything went quiet.
Pork Chop gave the pedal one last push and Rollin' Thunder finally came back onto the track with a thud.
Monkey still holding his steering wheel looked up at Pork Chop as he said, "You ok Monkey man."
"Man, am I happy to see you Pork Chop. Can we go home now?"
Pork Chop roared with laughter, "Monkey you have your EDR remember, you can leave anytime you like."
Monkey looked at the EDR button and then began to shakily laugh, "Oh yeah, that's right," he said.
Pork laughed louder, them with their attention distracted; one of the drone vehicles launched itself straight into Rollin' Thunder driving it and Monkey straight over the edge.
"Monkey." Pork Chop yelled as he jumped out of Jack Hammer and ran over to the edge and looked down. He saw the drone vehicle explode several hundred feet below but there is no sign of Rollin' Thunder.
Pork Chop nodded his head, got into Jack Hammer and took off down the other side of the track. But more drones were coming his way and angry at the sight of them, he made straight for them.
"This is for the Maniacs," he yelled as was almost upon them. But before he could get close enough to do damage, Jack Hammer take a hit by a laser shot from one of the drones and gets thrown up into the air.
Pork chop tried controlling Jack Hammer but realized he was no longer on the track but falling rapidly down toward the bottom of the city. Thinking quickly Pork Chop pushed his EDR.