Hi again!

Well, two chapters done and uploaded in here in less than a week... Not a record but a good start again! So, like I said last time, I know already where this story is going and have already many of the chapters ready in my head, it's just a matter of having the time to write them down...But I try to write every day just a little so... I'm hoping that there won't be too long breaks in the future...

But, keeping things short and sweet... Like maybe this chapter as well, it's not too long, just a few scenes...

Anyway, please review and tell me what your thoughts are about the new chapters!

Thanks to you all who have been reading this story!

-SpaceFlora

The Good, The Bad and the Rebels

Chapter 21

Six Rebels and A Girl

"Autsch!"

"Sorry, miss!"

Charley stroked her now sore arm that had just been bruised by a big Martian Freedom Fighter who had accidentally bumped into her on his way towards the main hall where everyone else seemed to be rushing, too. Charley didn't know what was going on but she knew something was up, nothing could make a Martian Mouse hurry like that except the smell of action, she knew that much so she followed them to the main hall and saw that nearly every Fighter and Rebel rat was already gathered in there, all lining to get into the gun storage, to get their hands on the best guns. Charley rubbed the sore spot on her arm again but then continued her way to the tan furred male, who was at the moment dressed in the Fighter's vest and red camos, fastening his thigh holster.

"Throttle?"

"Hey, Charley girl, what's up?"

"What's up?" Charley huffed back and raised her eyebrow.

"Whats up in here?"

Throttle straightened his back and Charley followed him with her eyes, the tan male now standing much taller than her. Charley didn't know why but he seemed taller and bigger now than she remembered. Maybe she has just been too distracted lately or then there had been some changes in Throttle that had taken place, there was something new about the way he was carrying himself at the moment but Charley couldn't really tell what it was. He had always been a confident one but there was a new type of confidence in him.

Throttle merely looked around them and then towards the gunstorage room.

"We're getting ready to bring our boys home..." He simply stated.

"Then why it looks like you're preparing for a war? I mean I know you guys like rough welcomes but even for you this seems a bit exaggerated..." Charley tried to joke a little while glancing towards the Fighters' way as they were all trying to attach as many guns as possible to themselves. Throttle was maybe too distracted to get the humour since he only gave her a glance back and Charley could feel his eyes on her, his observing look that was always there even if no one could see it.

"The Mice Government decided to close the borders." He then said.

"Why would they do that...?" Charley asked.

"If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say we made them look like fools as we just drove through the city and they didn't even catch us, even if they have all the numbers and money behind them... They did not like that. Now, they don't want that to happen again."

"So, wait, what does that mean?" Charley shook her head.

"I'm not too sure yet, Charley girl..." Throttle answered but then gave her another glance.

"You're okay?"

"Me? Yes, I'm fine...Look, you want me to check your bikes in the mean time, before you take off?" Charley asked, already ready to get her hands dirty again and maybe get some clarity to her messy thoughts inside her head. And nothing could clear one's head as fixing the bikes she knew that as a fact.

There was a sudden racket behind them coming from the gun storage's way and Throttle turned his look away, trying to see what all the noise was about.

"That's okay, Harley's got that covered already..." The male said absent-mindedly, now missing the tiny glimpse of hurt in Charley's green eyes as his attention was brought elsewhere. It seemed that the Fighters as well as the Rebel rats were acting like sugar-highed kids in the candy store while hoarding the guns.

Charley nodded back, looking down, suddenly feeling that she was in the way.

"You obviously have got plenty on your mind right now so... I'll just leave you to it... Bring them back safely." Charley nodded and then turned around and left. Throttle watched her leave, feeling that he might not have handled that situation too well but his thoughts were interrupted again as there was shouting behind his back again and he walked over the gun storage.

"Okay, calm down everyone! Save your adrenaline to the field! And pack enough bullets if you're not taking laserguns, you don't wanna end up with empty magazines out there!"

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Doctor Shelly listened to the heart of the other soldier with her stethoscope. She had ran straight to these two poor fellows lying unconsciously on the floor the second Vinnie had opened the door to this basement storage room. She had had no time to think what the heck had happened to these guys as she had started to check the vitals on these two soldiers even if Primer had told her that she had done that already. She was the doctor after all. It was her duty to save as many lives as she could and all the other things were pushed aside in her mind. But she could feel all the eyes on her even if she didn't glance up, she could tell that the Fighters and the couple of rats that were now making the small room even smaller had all a keen eye on her at the moment. Once they had comen back, Rimfire had told the news to Stoker, Modo and Simson, about what was happening at the border and that he had gotten quite a strict order from Throttle that they should get their asses back to their HQ as soon as possible. A little debate and Q&A had followed that but now a small silence had filled the room, mainly because Vinnie had gone back to the hallway, to keep watch even if they could hear the hyper-active mouse rehearsing his stunts over there as well as his dry comebacks for the imaginary enemies.

Stoker then decided to break the silence by clearing his throat.

"So...They're gonna be okay, doc...?" He asked the doctor and Shelly raised her look the first time after entering the room, to meet the old leader's look. It was not a look of a worried man, nor she could detect any sympathy for what had happened to these guys.

"Do you even care?" Shelly only asked and Stoker rubbed his forehead and nodded, giving the others a look.

"We should leave, now. The doctor's here so... The faster we get going the faster we're gonna make it out of the territory before they have the whole Army waiting for us there..."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"We're ready?" Stoker asked impatiently and Rimfire nodded back.

"Yup." He stated and left the room first, placing his arm around Primer and guided her gently out of the room, too.

"Thanks. For saving the lives of my two comrades." Stoker said to Shelly who only nodded, not giving this legendary leader of the Freedom Fighters a look back.

The room was rapidly becoming empty of Rebels but Modo still hung back, studying doctor Shelly.

"You'll be okay, ma'am?"

"Yes, just go... I'll give you a headstart before I'll call some help down here..."

"Thank you...about everythin'..."

Shelly only gave him a look but then turned it away.

"I don't really understand what's going on but it sounds dangerous so... Promise me to keep Aprilia and Primer safe. You're taking Primer with you, right?"

"Well, she won't be safe here anymore, so..." Modo started but was cut off.

"I don't know if she'll be safe with you guys either..." Shelly only stated while letting her look wander on the two badly hurt soldiers. Modo observed her a second before he only nodded silently and then headed out of the door as well, joining the others as they were hurrying down the underground hallway.

Seven helped Simson to walk as he still had minor difficulties to even keep standing up.

"I'm sorry boss that I couldn't get to you earlier, to help you, to prevent all this from happening..." Seven started, his voice filled with regret. He had seen the stump of a tail and a pang of guilt had washed over him.

"This ain't your fault, Seven... We got trapped... And then the tunnels were flooded... It's a miracle we're still alive." Simson muttered.

"Still... We're a family, we help each other... I should've made sure that you got out of that tunnel safely..."

"Seven... Don't beat yourself up. It's only a tail anyway... I'm lucky to even be alive and breathing...That we're both alive..." Simson said and gave Modo a look who only nodded back absent-mindedly.

Stoker gave Primer a look, studying the young nurse with his eyes.

"Listen, Primer... Did those soldiers say anything that you could remember? Like who sent them or why they knew where to find Modo and Simson?"

Primer looked thoughtful but then gave Stoker a quick glance.

"Yeah, actually they kept talking about this guy that wanted to get them... All of you..."

"You remember his name?"

"No... Well, it started with M...I believe..."

"Mace." All the six males around her said in unison and Primer raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's the one... Wait, you know him?"

"Ha! Sweetheart, we know him but we ain't exactly in friendly terms..." Vinnie chuckled and then air-smacked someone.

"Man, to have his ugly face right infront of me right now...I'd give him a rough makeover for all the things he has done...! That lousy weasel..."

"Yes, Mace has his fingers all over this whole mess, we know that already... But we'll get him once the time is right and right now it's time for us to check out of this place and get back to the Headquarters.. Which brings me to the next question, were ya gonna bring this pretty desert flower back to our HQ, Big Fella'?" Stoker asked Modo, placing his hand briefly on Primer's shoulder. Modo gave a sigh.

"Ah'm all ears if ya got any suggestions, Coach... I mean, we can't leave her here, she'll be in danger..."

"Hm, you could be right..."

" 'Though Ah don't know whether the Base is the safest place in the world either..." Modo muttered but Primer joined in the conversation.

"Well, can't I decide? I'm a woman of my own will so I should get to decide about my own faith too and where I'm going..."

"Sure... You just say what your thoughts are on the matter and I'll say if it's right or wrong." Stoker only gave her a teasing smirk. Primer huffed back.

"Well, can't I join you guys?"

"What you mean join?" Modo asked scratching his left ear.

"To become a Fighter?" Primer asked.

"NO!"Rimfire and Modo hurried their answer in unison so fast and so loud that Primer got a bit startled by it but she stopped and gave them a look.

"Well, why not? I mean, you guys keep telling me that we're in danger, that infact the whole planet's in danger and that the war's still on and all that... You really think that I'd just after that realization sit back and twiddle my thumbs? No! I wanna help you guys! I wanna do something important too!"

Modo gave a slightly irritated grunt back while Rimfire only shook his head.

"No. Absolutely not." Modo then answered.

Primer sighed as they continued their hurried walk.

"But Rimfire's a Fighter, too, so why can't I be one?" Primer kept on insisting. Modo only shook his head while walking, giving his nephew a glare.

"Yeah, well... That doesn't mean that you should follow his footsteps, or any other male's in this family..." Modo muttered.

"So, this is because I'm a woman, is that it?" Primer stopped again and raised her eyebrow. Modo gave her a look, halting as well.

"Primer we can't stop, we have to keep on moving, we're in a hurry!"

"But I demand an answer!"

"Can't ya demand and walk the same time?"

Primer rolled her eyes but continued her walk.

"I could be a good Fighter. I mean if Rimfire can do it, obviously the requirements aren't that high..." The girl only chuckled and Rimfire huffed.

"For your information, sis, I've done things you couldn't even dream about!"

"Don't encourage your sister, ya know she's highly competitive..." Modo mumbled back.

"But if I come to the Headquarters with your guys then I could learn from you!" Primer then raised her hopeful voice again.

"In that case, Ah'll drop ya to your Grand Mommah's porch..." Modo answered, starting to feel himself a bit riled up but then gave Stoker a look.

"A lil' help here, Coach?"

"Nah, I'm good... Besides we do need more recruits to our rows, so..." Stoker only stated, slightly humoured.

Modo gave him a meaningful glare back but then turned his look on the small and slender female again.

"Look, if we decide that it's best that you come with us then you can help Aprilia and Beretta back in the Base, you're a nurse after all, you should put your knowledge on the medical stuff in use..."

"Ugh... Sounds like the women get to sit and watch while the men gets to have all the fun..." Primer muttered a bit pissed off.

"It ain't fun." Modo cut in.

"Whatever...Just drop me over at Grand Mommah's..." Primer mumbled.

"Ah'm not gonna drop ya over at my Mommah's place, it was a joke..."

"Why not?"

"Because someone might see us... And then she'll be in danger..."

Primer nodded, understanding the point.

"Yeah...Grand Mommah must be protected..."

"Yup..." Modo only stated back.

"She's like a natural treasure..." Primer continued.

"That she is..." Her uncle drawled.

"She's usually right about things, too.." The girl then continued, and Modo wasn't sure he quite liked her tone, she sounded as if she would have an ace up her sleeve considering their little debate.

"Mhm..." He only nodded, not sounding too sure where this was going.

"You know what she would have to say about all this?" Primer gave Modo a confident look.

"What?" The grey furred giant sighed.

"That I should get to decide what it is that I wanna do with my life, I'm entitled to do my own choices...And that you guys trying to convince me to do the opposite and make me submit to your will is a chauvinistic move."

"Well, there you have it, Big Guy..." Stoker chuckled beside Modo.

"Primer, this is not about you being a woman..." Modo answered his niece. Frankly, he didn't wanna lose this debate. It was bad enough that his nephew was a Freedom Fighter, no way was he ever going to let his niece to join in as well.

"Is it not? Really?" Primer narrowed her eyes.

"You can decide what you wanna do, when you're ready to make that decision..." Modo continued.

"I just said what I wanna do!"

"Well, you're not ready to make that decision yet."

"That's bullshit!"

"No, it's called "to sleep on it" and your much loved Grand Mommah is a big fan of that and she would suggest you to do just that. To sleep on it." Modo's voice rumbled and he gave Primer a look, who only shook her head looking irritated. He knew he had won this round but he knew it was a temporary win, she was very hard-headed young female and they would have this same conversation in no time.

They stopped infront of the elevators and Rimfire pressed the button and the doors opened.

"Hop in... I'll switch back the wires again..."

They all stepped inside the lift.

"Man, can't wait to get back on the saddle again... Who would've thougth that the hospitals were this dull..." Vinnie sighed and then took his weapon and started to roll it around his fingers.

"You have your rides?" Primer asked.

"Yeah..." Modo answered, still a bit distracted after their little chat. Stoker sighed and gave him a look.

"Yeah, about that..."

Modo changed his look on his leader.

"We didn't find Lil'Hoss..." The older male then added but Rimfire hurried inside the lift.

"Okay, let's go!"

And the doors closed.

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