More Secrets Revealed-Chapter 25
"What are you talking about, Harley? The Martian government fell apart after the invasion of Mars! The coach told us how they sold out the planet to the Fish Heads." Vinnie said.
"Not just Mars. But its people." Harley replied, "Mice as well as Rats were taken to Plutark to work as slaves. In a short time, we all had been reduced to nothing more than a commodity."
"There isn't any government. Not anymore. Not since the war." Vinnie said.
"Not only that, but there's something else you should know. Rolf and Myra were my grandparents." Harley said.
Vinnie's jaw dropped.
"No way! Are you saying...?"
"I'm part Rat."
...
"Hasn't Vinnie been gone a long time?" Charley asked.
"I wouldn't worry, Miss Charley Ma'am. Vinnie does this all the time. But still...maybe we should check on him." Modo said .
"We need to make sure he hasn't gotten in any trouble." Throttle said.
"Vinnie is a grown mouse. I'm sure he can take care of himself." Carbine said, "Besides, the realm outside of this facility is very dangerous. There have been cases reported of Martian Mice being captured by Martian Rats." Carbine told them.
"All the more reason to look for him." Throttle replied, "If there is any Rat activity, he would've tried to confront them himself."
Throttle and Modo went outside to where their bikes were. Charley, Carbine, and Stoker followed them out.
Suddenly, there was a flashing red signal on Throttle's bike.
"What is it?" Charley asked.
"A distress signal from Vinnie's bike!" Throttle's face went pale.
"I'll lock on his location." Modo said, pressing a button on his cybernetic arm which had a homing beacon within it. Glowing red lights shown on it.
"Well?" Throttle asked.
Modo's single eye got wide.
"You're not gonna believe this. The signal is from underneath Olympus Mounds." Modo said.
"The extinct volcanoes? There can't be any sign of life there." Carbine said.
"Remember Martian Rats have lived underground for years. And if they got Vinnie..." Stoker began, secretly praying they hadn't got him.
Throttle and Modo already got on their bikes and put on their helmets.
"That's why we're gonna go pay them a visit and get our bro back." Throttle said, then to Modo, "Let's Rock..."
"...and Ride!" Modo finished the sentence.
The two mice rode away in a cloud of red dust from Mars' surface.
"Watch your back, guys." Charley called out, then to herself, "Vinnie...please be safe."
...
"You don't look like a rat." Vinnie told Harley.
"Of course not. But my mother did." Harley replied.
"Your mother?"
"Rolf's child. Myra was carrying his child up until the day she died. That child grew up to become my mother." Harley explained, "It was a difficult pregnancy. Myra became very sick. The child was secretly adopted out."
"I still don't understand what all this has to do with you turning on us?"
"Remember when my parents were murdered by the Fish Heads? The Martian Mouse government wanted all Martian Rats separated from the cave mouse population. That included secretly executing them. My mother was on their hit list along with anyone else who dared to side with them. That included my father. The Plutarkians were assigned the gruesome task. They left me and my brother to die as well. I pretended to be dead. That's what saved me. The Rats found me and nursed me back to health. A month ago, I hacked into Martian Command classified files and found out how the government orchestrated the murders of my family and other Rats. It made me angry." Harley replied.
Vinnie didn't know what to say to all this. He heard from Stoker and other mice how corrupt the Martian Mice government was. How they sold the entire planet to Plutark. But commiting murder? But maybe it shouldn't have surprised him. Even before the war, the planet was in trouble.
Their economy was shaky and the price of healthcare sky rocketed. Many of the mouse citizens were just making it from day to day. Many joined the Martian Military to bring in money to feed their families. Then when the war hit, many Martian Mice defended their land. They armed themselves to the t with guns and other weapons. Unfortunately, many of them were wiped out. Including his mom and dad.
"Join us, Vinnie." Harley said.
That brought him out of his thoughts.
"You know I can't do that. I'm not a sell-out. Not to my bros, Stoker, or any Martian Mouse." Vinnie replied.
"Stoker sold us out. He knows what the government did." Harley said.
"You're wrong! The coach is true blue. He'd never sell us out." Vinnie declared.
Suddenly, a stone wall broke and formed a wall. Throttle and Modo rode through.
"This a private party or can anyone join?" Modo chuckled.
Modo shot with his cybernetic arm laser cannon at the chains that bound Vinnie freeing him.
"Took you two glory hounds long enough to get here." Vinnie asked, taking out his flare and cutting the chain off his bike.
"Nice to see you too, bro." Throttle grinned, as he socked Martian Rats with his fists.
All three bikers now we're facing Harley.
"Don't come any closer!" Harley aimed a blaster at them while backing up. Some Martian Rats struggled to their feet and had run off. Harley turned to go.
"Harley, you don't have to do this!" Vinnie said.
"Just like the Martian Mouse government didn't have to murder my family!" She replied, angrily.
Throttle and Modo exchanged a shocked look then looked at Vinnie for an explanation.
"Talk to your dear mentor. Ask him about Rolf." Harley called off, before running away.
...
"Glad to see you mudpuppies still alive and kicking!" Stoker said, at seeing the Biker Mice ride up to the command center.
"Throttle!" Carbine said, grabbing his arm while Throttle wrapped his other arm around Carbine's waist.
"Vinnie!" Charley cried out, running to him.
"Thank goodness you're okay." She said.
"Was there ever a doubt, sweetheart?" Vinnie grinned at her.
"So, what happened?" Carbine asked.
"Ran into Martian Rats. Harley was with them." Vinnie said, smile faded.
"As a prisoner?' Stoker asked.
"No. As their leader."
"Vinnie, I'm so sorry." Charley said, glancing a pitying eye at the white furred mouse.
"She mentioned someone from the past, coach." Vinnie said.
"Yeah? Who?"
"Rolf."
Stoker's brown fur bristled up and his face was pale.
"Harley said you knew the government was executing Martian Rats and also half-breeds to purify the mouse population. Is that true?"
The old command leader looked down.
"Yeah. It is."