Coming to the Rescue-Chapter 4
"Why can't you listen to reason, Future? We're your family not these moldy mice." Era told her.
"I told you about insulting them." Zoe replied, hotly.
"Future, I understand how you feel. I mean I feel the same way about Charlene." Eon said, dreamily, "That woman is sheer...perfection."
Eon was practically drooling.
"Try to govern those hormones of yours, Brother." Era told him, "Lusting after an Earth woman doesn't suit you."
"I wouldn't get my hopes up either. She's already taken." Zoe told Eon.
"That could change." He pouted.
"My friends...Throttle, Vinnie, Charley, and Modo. Darling Modo..." She thought, "He was there when I needed him."
...
Last Chance Garage, Chicago, Illinois. 2:00 a.m.
Night visions haunted Zoe's dreams. She saw herself arrayed as a woman of the 1800's crossing the street. A large dark carriage driven by horses that breathe and spat out fire was coming towards her. She didn't have time to get out of the way. She threw up her hands and fell down.
She woke up on the floor next to the sofa. Blankets were tangled all around her legs. She discovered she had fallen off the sofa. Her pillow was laying on the sofa.
"Another nightmare." She thought, "I need some air. Need to clear my head."
Charley had already turned in for the night and went to her room. She threw on a pair of slacks, shirt and a light jacket. She then fastened the laces on a pair of boots that Charley let her use.
"Maybe I should leave Charley a note." She thought, looking around for a pen and paper. And finding them, she wrote out a small note.
Then she opened the door to the kitchen and made her way outside.
The Scoreboard at Quigley Field, 2:00 a.m.
Modo was lying in bed staring up at the sky outside. Normally, he would be snoring up a storm once his head hit the pillow. But tonight, he was restless.
Throttle was fast asleep in his own bed. The large mouse could make out Vinnie's form hanging out of the hammock. The white mouse for once was sleeping without having any nightmares.
The moon was full and stars illuminated the night sky. But Modo wasn't interested in them. He was worried about Zoe. They all were. The young woman wasn't the same since coming home from the library.
Normally, she was cheerful and in a good mood. But now she barely said anything. Even riding behind him on his bike did nothing to change her mood.
"We'll find some way to help you, Miss Zoe Ma'am." Modo told her.
"This has got to be some kind of sick prank. Because there's no way I could've been born in the 1800's!" Zoe replied, "I wish I knew who I really was. I just don't understand why my mind as well as my life is a blank slate."
"But whatever happens, we'll be there for you." Throttle told her.
"All this thinking calls for dogs and root beers. Lots of them." Vinnie was saying.
"Seriously, Vinnie, can't you think of anything but your stomach?" Charley asked, a little annoyed.
"Hey, this mouse is starving." Vinnie said, "Besides, I burn up a lot of calories whipping bad guys tails."
"How do you guys know about hot dogs and root beers?" Zoe asked, "You three must have a sixth sense about these things."
"It's the breakfast of champions, sweetheart. I saved a hot dog vendor from a street thug when we first came to Chicago and he gave me one. After having my first dog with Grey Poupon, this mouse was hooked!" Vinnie crowed.
That made Zoe smile. A little. It was a start. The large mouse after that was determined to do everything he could to help her. But he didn't know how. He had spent all day trying to figure out what he could do. Maybe that was why he was in bed laying down unable to sleep.
"Vinnie takes a ride on his bike when he's upset. Maybe I should do the same. I usually go fishing to relax me but tonight I feel like just riding." He thought.
He got up and threw on his clothes. He then put on his helmet.
"You and me are going for a little ride, Lil Darlin'." He told his bike.
The bike beeped in agreement.
"Not so loud. Don't want to wake my bros, Lil Hoss." Modo warned his bike.
Modo climbed on his bike and rode away from the scoreboard.
...
Zoe walked outside and down the sidewalk. All around her, she saw a decayed and dying neighborhood. Maybe taking a stroll on these dangerous streets wasn't such a good idea. The streets had deep craters inside of them as well as all around them were dilapidated old buildings. Charley had told her that Lawrence Limburger had been responsible for the way the neighborhood looked. Zoe shuddered as she remembered what Throttle had shown her the day they met. His memories of his beloved Mars stripmined and cut up like Charley's neighborhood. What kind of monster does this much damage to a community?
This Limburger must be an awful person. Zoe thought.
"Hey, what's yer hurry, honeybuns?"
Zoe looked up to see a tall, lanky guy with dark hair and eyes looking at her. Zoe had on a pair of blue jeans that fit tightly. She shrank as he now was ogling her legs and butt. It was obvious he only had one thing on his mind and it wasn't how fast she was walking.
She began turning around to walk in the other direction when another guy blocked her view. He had dirty blonde hair and yellow rotten teeth. Zoe thought he was disgusting and tried walking around him.
"Step aside." She told him.
"Aw, c'mon, baby. Don't be that way. Me and Paco just want to be friendly." He purred.
"Not interested." She said.
"You got spunk. I like that in a woman."
Before Zoe could say anymore, he shocked her by kissing her on the mouth. Zoe could feel his wet, soupy tongue in her mouth. She pulled away and slapped the guy in the face.
"Back off, creep!" She shouted.
"Oh, so you want it rough, huh, baby? Fine."
He grabbed a hold of the shirt she had been wearing and tore it off her shoulders exposing her bra. Zoe, embarassed, desperately tried to cover herself. The other guy grabbed her shoulders. Zoe fought like a tiger.
"Let go of me!" She screamed.
She cringed as she saw the blade of a pocket knife suddenly in front of her eyes. Paco had his arm around her neck. His other arm pinned her helplessly against a wall.
"You make another sound, you die." Paco told her.
"Now I'm gonna have some dirty fun with you, baby." The dirty blonde haired guy said, unzipping his pants.
"No!" She cried, struggling to get away from him.
It was every woman's worst nightmare. Being raped and defiled by two scumbags. One of the men held her against a wall the knife at her throat laughing while the dirty blonde guy began taking off his shirt and pants.
Before he could go any further, a laser blast shot the knife out of Paco's hand. The blond haired guy turned around only to see a giant metal fist slammed into his face, teeth and blood flew everywhere. He didn't get up.
Paco released Zoe and took off running only to be grabbed under the collar by a gloved hand. Paco stared into the face of a giant muscular gray mouse. His smirking face was now white with fear.
"That ain't no way to treat a lady! Looks like I gotta teach you some manners!" Modo said, lifting him up high into the air.
The gray mouse was mad as all get out. His single red eye shone like a police siren. He threw Paco into a dumpster.
"Where all the trash belongs!" Modo said, closing down the lid.
The giant now walked over to Zoe. She had folded her arms around herself. Modo blushed on accidentally seeing a bit of her bra. Her shirt was now all rags. He then went to his bike and took out a jacket.
"Here. Put this on, ma'am." He told her, handing her the jacket and carefully shielding his single eye.
Zoe put it on and zipped it up. It fit on her like a dress but it covered her up.
"You okay, Miss Zoe?" Modo asked her, "Those punks didn't hurt you, did they?"
"No. I'm fine. Thanks to you." Zoe replied, gazing up at the gentle giant who gazed back at her with concern.
"I better get you back to the garage. These streets ain't safe to be on especially at night." Modo said.
"Sorry. I couldn't sleep." She replied, "I thought a walk would help me."
"I couldn't sleep neither." He said, "I usually go fishing but tonight I thought I'd just go for a ride. Hop on."
Modo helped Zoe on his bike. He handed her a helmet. She put it on and they took off. The bike rode at a very fast speed.
"This is wonderful! I love this! I love this!" Zoe shouted, happily.
"So you're saying you love this?" Modo teased.
Zoe saw the garage pull up and she looked disappointed.
"Can we ride some more? I don't really feel like sleeping right now." She asked, "Hey, maybe we could go for some hot dogs at that hoagie place I saw on the way home. Maybe do a little fishing at Lake Michigan afterwards."
"If you want." He grinned at her.
