Chicago. The Ducks and I just arrived in under 15 mins. I have forgotten how fast the Aerowing can fly. I told Wildwing to set it down behind the garage.

As soon as we landed, we unloaded then walked into the garage from the back. I was very careful when walking in. I didn't want to get ambushed by Stoker or Tredz. Duke told me to hang back while he went in first to make sure it was safe.

After he gave the all clear, I walked in and noticed that the garage was just the way Charley had left it. Nothing was out of place. Nothing was stolen.

"So, now what? They're obviously not here. Where else would they go to look for your husband?"

"The scoreboard at Quigley Field."

"You telling me that the Biker Mice use to live at the ball field?"

"Yep. Thought I told you?"

"Nope."

"Huh. Oh well. I'm glad I asked you guys to help me. Maybe I'll be lucky and Throttle won't throw a fit when I tell him I had help."

"Doubtful."

I nodded in agreement. "I can wish, right?"

"Yes, you can. How far is the ballpark anyway?"

"Its about 3 miles from here. I actually hope they're not there and actually left the planet, but I know I won't be that lucky."

They grabbed their Duck cycles and I grabbed Throttle's bike. We all headed for the ballpark to see if Stoker and Tredz were there looking for Throttle.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

On our way to the ballpark, my cell went off. I was not happy when I saw who it was that was calling me. I groaned and let it go to voicemail. I figured I'd call him back after I deal with the rodent problem at the scoreboard.

The Ducks heard me groan in irritation over the comms. "Everything ok, Mike?"

"No. Everything is not ok, Mallory. My husband called me. I let it go to voicemail. I'll call him back after the rodent problem is taken care of at the scoreboard."

"Its like Wildwing said. Your husband isn't going to be happy that you went behind his back and went after these other 2 Martian Mice, but maybe he'll be glad that the problem is taken care of when you tell him."

"I hope so. I want him to be happy that I took care of the problem, but I know he's going to be pissed cause I went behind his back."

"Let's hope for happy. With our help, you'll be able to go back alive and hopefully unharmed."

"Thanks Mallory. I appreciate the vote of confidence from you."

"You're welcome, Mike."

"Call me Michelle."

Back in California. Silverdawn had just finished telling her son that Michelle went to Chicago to take care of Stoker and Tredz. He wasn't happy about it. He was royally pissed.

"Why didn't you stop her, mom? I don't want her going after either of them. Dad tried to kill her last time."

"You have to look at it from her point of view, son. Wouldn't you do anything to keep your family safe at any cost?"

"Of course I would, but not to the extent she's doing it. She wants both of them dead."

"And that would fine with me. Your father was nothing but an abuser. Michelle would be doing us a favor. I'd be free to look for love again. To find a man that won't abuse me like your father did."

"I want you to be happy with someone new, mom. I'm sorry I couldn't come back a lot sooner to save you from his abuse. I feel like I failed you as a son."

Silverdawn put her hand on Throttle's shoulder. He looked up at her. "You didn't fail me, Throttle. If anything, you made me proud. Despite the abuse you went through, you turned out to be a handsome man. I knew you were in good hands with Modo and Vinnie. They always looked out for you. You have damn good friends, son. Now you have a beautiful family. You should be very proud."

Throttle smiled and hugged his mom. "I'm very proud, mom. I love my family. I love my friends, too."

He stepped back a bit, then looked at his sleeping boys. They were on his bed, fast asleep. He still can't believe he has this beautiful family. It made his heart swell with pride. He was looking forward to all the years ahead with his twin boys and beautiful wife.

"Hey mom, I have a question for you."

"What is it, Throttle? You're not having second thoughts about your marriage with Michelle, are you?"

"No, nothing like that. I love that woman dearly. If she had still been Human, would you have sent my boys away like dad would have?"

"Of course not. Its not the outside of a person that defines them. Its what's on the inside that defines them. She treats you with respect, and that's what matters to me. I wouldn't have cared if your twins were half breeds, either. I would still love them just like I love your wife. She is a great woman with a good head on her shoulders. A former U.S. Marine, a former bounty hunter and a mixed martial arts fighter."

He looked at his mom funny. "Charley told me. She also told me how you and Michelle met. I have nothing against Carbine, but between you and I, Michelle is a much better improvement over Carbine."

"Heh, yeah she is. She thinks about everyone else before herself. I love that about her. She's everything Carbine isn't."

Chicago. The Ducks and I had gotten to the ballpark. I lead them up to the scoreboard. I was hoping that they weren't there, but I also know that's wishing a lot, too.

As we walked in, I gave the 'hold' motion with my hand. I carefully and quietly walked in. I had heard noises but couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. I walked back to the Ducks and told them to spread out but be careful.

"I don't know what kind of weapons they're packing, so keep your eyes peeled. Groups of 2."

"What about you?"

"I'll be with Mallory and Tanya." I looked at Duke. "Try not to steal anything, Duke. You may be a good hockey player, but you're a thief at heart. Its in your blood."

"I give you my word. I won't take a thing."

"Somehow I don't feel reassured."

"I'll let you check me after we leave. How's that sound?"

"Now I feel better."
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

After everyone spread out, we all looked for Stoker and Tredz. I used hand signals and Mallory knew what they meant. Tanya looked confused. "Just follow Mallory and I. We're former military."

Tanya just nodded and followed us. Just our luck to find Stoker, or as I like to call him the Big Pussy.

"Alright Stoker. What are you doing here? We made it very clear that you are not welcome here anymore."

Stoker turned around and saw me standing in front of him with a gun trained on him. He also saw Mallory and Tanya doing the same thing.

"I was given orders by the Martian government to bring Throttle, Modo and Vinnie back with us. Where are they?"

"Somewhere out of your reach that's for damn sure. Where is that abuser, Tredz?"

"Right here, freak." Tredz had just come from the locker room showers when I had asked.

I was getting pissed. Rage was consuming me rapidly. Stoker saw it and started shaking in fear.

"Uh, Tredz. Maybe you shouldn't have said that. She looks pissed."

"I don't give a rats ass if she is pissed or not. She took my son from me."

"More like he didn't want anything to do with you, abuser. You are no man in any sense of the word. You abused your wife and son. You tried to kill me when I came for Throttle. I was pregnant at the time, too. You could have killed my twins."

Stoker was shocked. He couldn't believe what he just heard. "You were pregnant when he shot you?"

I looked at Stoker. "Yeah, I was. My twins are a year old now."

Tredz chuckled. "Makes it even easier for me to take them and give them away."

I growled low in my throat. I know he didn't just say that. I attacked him like a wild animal. I wanted him dead so he won't come after my family again.

Stoker didn't even try to stop me. He didn't want to die today or ever by my hands.

Mallory and Tanya radioed the others and told them we found both Martian Mice and that I was in a brawl with Tredz.

While I was brawling with Tredz, the others showed up at our position. Wildwing was about to get in the middle but was stopped by Mallory.

"Unless you want to get hurt or die, you might want to stay out of it, Wildwing. I think that fight has been going on for a while. Let them fight it out."

Wildwing nodded, then looked at Stoker and cuffed him. Stoker understood why he was being cuffed. It didn't bother him.

By the time I was done with Tredz, I had killed him by snapping his neck. It's a Marine Corps. move for a silent kill that you learn while getting advanced training. I stood up and held up the limp, dead body of Tredz Thornboy. Everyone couldn't believe what they saw. They even heard the snap of his neck.

I looked at Stoker. "You going to leave Earth and never come back or do I have to do to you what I did to this abuser?"

"Is it too late to apologize for my actions? I was only doing what I was told."

"I have to talk to Throttle and the others about that. In the meantime, you are to stay cuffed."

"I'll keep an eye on him, Mike."

"Thanks Wildwing. And thanks for not getting involved. This was a long time coming."

"I can imagine."

I nodded then walked outside to make that call to Throttle to tell him the good news and to see if he will accept Stoker's apology for everything he has done.

California. Throttle heard his cell go off while he was in the shower. "Mom, can you answer that for me, please?"

"Sure sweetie." Then she picked up the cell phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Silverdawn? I was expecting Throttle to answer."

"He's in the shower right now, sweetie. Can I give him a message to call you back?"

"Just tell him the abuser won't be coming after him anymore."

"Are you telling me that you did what I think?"

"You don't have to worry about him no longer, Silverdawn. You are free of his abuse and you can now go looking for a new man."

She started crying. She was so happy to hear those words. It was a long time coming to hear that she is free from Tredz.

Throttle had come out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around him. He saw that his mom was crying. He walked up to his mom and asked why she was crying.

Silverdawn looked at her son and told him the good news. He had to grab the phone from his mom to hear the news for himself to believe it.

"Babe, is he really dead?"

"He's very dead, Throttle. I snapped his neck. You don't wake up from that. It's a silent kill technique I learned in advanced training in the Marine Corps. Stoker wants to know if its too late to apologize for everything that he has done. He said he was only following orders."

"Bring him with you and we will talk with him. When I mean we, I mean Modo, Vinnie and I. Are you ok, though?"

"I'm fine. A bit banged up, but nothing broken. I got help from the Ducks. I wasn't going to do it alone. I'm sorry I left and went behind your back. I had to protect my family in any way I could."

"My mom told me. I would have done the same thing if I was in your place. I'm just glad you were smart enough to get help. I am relieved that the problem has been taken care of."

"I called it the rodent problem."

"Heh."

"Before I forget. The reason they came back is cause the Martian Government has ordered you, Modo and Vinnie back to Mars. That's the orders I got from Stoker when I confronted him first."

"Have him radio back to Mars that he couldn't find us and that he is done doing their dirty work. I'm sure he would like to stay here on Earth."

"And if they send someone else to hunt you guys down? You have to consider that the government is going to have a contingency plan."

"Don't matter if they do or not. We are U.S. citizens now. We're holding down jobs, raising families."

"Very true. I'll tell Stoker. I'll see you as soon as I can. I used your bike since you left it at Charley's."

"That's ok. She has grown attached to you since I had left her with you when I was forced to leave. I know I hadn't told you this, but I love the new paint job on her. She seems to like it, too."

"I was glad to do it. I gotta go. See ya soon, handsome. I love you."

"I love you too. Be careful."

"I will." Then I hung up the phone and walked back into the scoreboard.

"Stoker, you will radio back to Mars that you couldn't find the guys and that you're done doing their dirty work. You are relocating to Earth and you want nothing more to do with the Martian Government. If they send someone to hunt them down, then you will send a friend after them and do to them what was done to Tredz. Got it?"

"I got it. I had been thinking about relocating here anyway. And what about Throttle? Will he accept my apology?"

"He's gonna round up Modo and Vinnie. They want to talk to you about what you tried to do. You get to take a trip with me and my friends."

"We can take you as far as the Duck Pond, Mike. We have practice this afternoon before the game tonight. You can take him with you on your husband's bike, right?"

"Yep. Been a long time since I went for a long ride on her. Thanks for helping out, everyone. I appreciate it. I really do."

"No problem, Mike. You helped us. We just returned the favor. Was your husband mad at you?"

"Nope. He was very understanding. He told me that he would have done the same thing if he were in my place."

"That's good. I would have done the same thing if Nosedive was in danger."

"You know what, you're right. We'd do it for family and friends if it came down to it. Let's hit the road. I have a family to get back to. Been away a bit too long today."