Drifter's Way

Chapter 6: Tense Situation

By Drifter Song

July 22 , 2002

Copyright Drifter Song 2000-2002, all rights reserved.

"You're what?!" Vinnie exclaimed before placing a hand to his forehead with a groan. "I can't believe this, I simply can't believe this," he muttered to himself before nearly shouting. "Throttle you're crazy!"

"Maybe, maybe not, but if Charley thinks that we should hear him out then maybe we should. I really don't want to take the chance of leveling Charley's Garage either," Throttle responded as he looked at Vinnie before he leveled his gaze upon Silver. "Besides Bros, I think that he's telling the truth."

"You're jokin' right," Modo added as he shook his head, not believing what he was hearing, he then looked down at his arm where Throttle's hand still rested.

"I mean it," Throttle replied as he looked over his shoulder at Modo. He then looked at Vinnie who moved off to lean against Charley's desk after reclaiming his lucky scarf as Throttle moved toward Charley and Silver. "He does seem generally concerned with Charley's safety as well."

"Probably because he wants to take her back to Mars with him," Vinnie spouted back as he placed a hand to the side of his face once again, rubbing the bruise gingerly.

Silver flinched at Vinnie's vehement words one ear flicked softly as his pale orbs slid closed. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he bowed his head once more. He felt that all hope that he had for help was just dashed into million pieces, like glass left to linger with its bright sparkle as if it were mocking him.

Charley turned to face Vinnie as she let go of Silver's hand. Her green eyes flashing with anger, sure she didn't know fully what was going on but she didn't see why the guys should be treating Silver so differently then any other Martian mouse.

"Vinnie, will you just shut up," Charley said in exasperation as she gestured with her hands as she talked.

"Easy Charley girl," Modo said, his arm finally dropped to rest at his side as Throttle made his way across the room. "Vinnie's got every right to be concerned, we all do when dealing with the people like him."

"I want to know what is going on!" Charley demanded, "You're treating him as if he is no better then a Plutakian."

"Listen Babe, to some of us that is exactly how his kind are looked upon," Throttle said softly as he looked down at Silver and Charley, before he offered to help the woman up.

Charley looked up at Throttle and blinked, her jaw dropping open as if she couldn't believe her ears. She stared for a long moment at Throttle's blond face before she accepted his help up and said. "You have go to be joking."

Through the exchange of words between Charley and Throttle, Silver stayed silent as he drew in one breath after another, his ears twitched softly as he listened.

Throttle then looked down at Silver once again as Charley stood next to him what the tall blond Martian man said next would draw flabbergasted looks from both Vinnie and Modo. "Let me help you up." He then offered a hand to the black mouse.

Silver's eyes slid open as he heard Throttle speak and he lifted his pale gaze to meet the one hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. He sat there for a moment in silence before he took the offered hand not quite sure what to expect as Throttle helped him up.

"Thank you," Silver replied as he stood to his full height, his left hand still pressed firmly against his right side.

"I'm giving you a chance for the Charley's sake," Throttle said as looked at Silver, "not for your own."

Silver nodded in response to Throttle's words, sending wisps of silver to dance about his shoulders.

"I'll be right back," Charley said all of a sudden before she looked to each male in the room. "I can assume that you're not going to kill one another before I get back."

As long as he doesn't try anything, he's safe with me, sweetheart" Vinnie replied back in a sullen tone.

Modo just sighed as he came farther into the room and took a seat over by the desk. He didn't say a word to anyone as he walked across the room; he only nodded to Charley as he left. He wasn't quite sure what to think of the situation anymore.

Charley returned a few moments later drawing everyone's attention to the door. In her hands were a first aid kit and a bag of ice. She walked over to Vinnie first.

"Thought that you might need this," she said as with a light smile as she handed the tall white Martian the ice pack. She then grabbed an empty chair and dragged it out into the center of the room.

"You don't have to…" Silver started before Charley interrupted him.

"As I have told you before, I'm not going to let you die in my garage," Charley interrupted. "Remove your vest and sit down."

All three of the Bros ears perked forward at what Charley had said as Silver stripped of the vest and sat down just as he was told with out a word of complaint.

Silver sat down in the chair where he could lean his good side against the back of it, his left arm draped down over the back to drip blood upon the floor as it ran down his fingers. He rested his chin upon his shoulder and closed his eyes for a few moments before turning his attention to Throttle, for he was the only one that he could see at that point in time.

Charley tossed the bloody bandages off to the side and leaned forward to take a better look at Silver's side. The wound was far worse now that it had tore back open and Charley frowned. Not only had the stitching torn but also the skin around the wound tore farther as well, exposing more muscle.

"Now wait just a sec here Charley girl," Vinnie said around the icepack he held against the bruised side of his face. "Just how long has he been here?"

"A few….days… maybe," Charley replied as she was focused on Silver only paid half attention to Vinnie as he asked her about the black Martian. "I'll be right back."

Charley then got up again so that she could get a couple of clean towels and bowl of water, she then returned and knelt down next to Silver's chair and began to clean the wound before dressing it while the four men talked.

"You said that you came here for aid, why leave Mars," Throttle asked Silver as he took a seat across from the black Martian, his long tail twitched slightly. He really didn't like being in this situation; something about it was making him really uncomfortable.

"I would say that your young friend Vinnie's actions would explain all," Silver replied as he tried not to flinch with Charley's actions.

Throttle's gaze then turned to Vinnie, a furred brow being lifted. "Explain," was all he said.

"I would have preferred to have kept my tattoo hidden, but fate decided that it would not," Silver replied. "I did not wish to fight with Vinnie, but as soon as he saw the mark upon my arm I was treated with the same hostility that I would have received upon Mars, here it was only one, on Mars it would probably be many."

"So you were going to keep that tattoo hidden," Throttle replied as he turned his gaze back to Silver. He didn't believe that for some odd reason but he had to know from Silver whether or not he would have kept his secret.

"No," Silver responded with a slight shake of his head. "Though I would have explained the situation and my needs before revealing who or should I say what, I truly am. I would not lie about my heritage if that is what you are asking."

"What do you want from us Silver?" Throttle asked his gaze intently focused on the black furred man who managed to stay remarkably still while his wound was being cleaned now tried not to visibly twitch as Charley began to stitch him up.

Vinnie's jaw just dropped before he sputtered, "What you're just gonna believe him?"

Even Modo shook his head in disbelief, blinking a few times at Throttle. He then sat up and shifted his weight in the chair to cross his arms about his chest. A frown on his rugged grey features, it was obvious he wasn't going to believe anything that was said.

"Hey cool it, Bros," Throttle said as he turned his gaze to Modo and Vinnie, his hands held out before him in a motion of 'wait'. "I told him he can say his piece, nothing's decided yet."

"Oh yeah…right," Vinnie replied in a sullen tone, his tail twitching almost spastically in irritation. In truth he didn't want to hear what Silver had to say.

Modo muttered something under his breath as he shifted his weight once again. He didn't want to hear what Silver had to say either but they had promised Charley that they would hear the black Martian out. Modo shook his head let out a heavy sigh as he saw Throttle's gaze return to Silver.

Silver watched the exchange of words the best he could though he could not fully turn to see Vinnie and Modo as Charley still worked on stitching up his side. The motions of wound being stitched finally got to him just as Throttle's gaze came back to rest on him and he twitched before he began to cough. Startled by the jerking actions of Silver's frame, Charley tried to hold the thread and needle as relaxed as she could to keep from pulling on it, though she was sure she had pricked Silver in the side several times. Silver cleared his throat before swallowing and turned his pale gaze to fall upon Charley for a moment.

All three of the Bros ears perked forward as Silver began to cough. It didn't sound to be life threatening but it was something that could be a concern. None of them said a word, only watched, the one whose eyes might have carried a glimmer of concern would be hidden behind a pair of shades.

"Sorry Miss Charlene," he said very softly as the woman looked up at him with concern, only to cause him to smile with same quite smile that she had seen so many times before.

Charley looked as if she were going to say something before she just shook her head and went back to work.

Silver then turned back to Throttle, "Do you wish for me to continue," he asked and Throttle merely nodded.

The black Martian drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as his pale eyes once again slid closed, a slight pained look crossed his face though it was not because of the wound he bore. His left hand, slowly clenched and unclenched causing the last few stray droplets of blood to fall in a wider pattern around the small puddle that had already formed beneath where his hand once rested. Opening his eyes he held is gaze upon Throttle, as if the blond man was something he could focus upon.

"You know a bit about our clan, some of its histories, all of the lies. You know that we are nomadic, that we travel the wastes of our once beautiful planet seeking out any place that we can call home, even for a short while. We have managed to live in relative peace, despite the wars that still range upon Mar's already scarred surface," Silver started, his voice slowly taking on that far off tone as his gaze shifted from Throttle's own to look over the blond man's shoulder. "We have fought along side other's in the rebellion, whether they were other nomadic clans such as my own or other stable communities, we too keep fighting to reclaim our planet. Though many who look down upon and see us as an enemy never see what we have done or what we have lost fighting beside them."

Silver then paused as he drew in a slow breath, it was evident that what ever he was getting ready to address what was hard for him to say.

"Now may of the wars have died, battles won and more of the planet is being taken back by the Martian people. But in these times of relative peace from war and strife, a time where we should be able to heal has been dashed to bits for my people. The Plutarkians has started to hunt for the nomadic clans, or more specifically my own," Silver again paused as he turned his gaze back to Throttle.

Modo shifted in his chair and sat up a bit straighter as he leaned forward listening. Both hands dropped from their position of being crossed over his chest. Even Vinnie's ears twitched slightly on what Silver was saying. Throttle was the only one of the three at the moment who seemed unmoving, though the tip of his tail once and a while gave a quick jerk. Charley who had finished sewing Silver's wound closed looked up from her spot on the floor where she was wiping her hands as she listened.

"My people are being killed or taken prisoner," Silver continued on but again there was a change that had overcome him, a change within his eyes. A darkening that only Throttle could see. "The Plutarkians either use my kindred as slaves or as experiments or worse they turn them against of the Martian people, kin or otherwise as the Plutarkians work their foul stench into the blood of my clan members. That is why I have come to you for aid, to beg if I must, we are dying with no hope for the future if aid does not come."

There was silence in the room as most were lost in thought. Though through the expressions that passed over Vinnie's face it would seem that he was in a debate with himself, which was true. He was trying to decide whether or not to believe Silver, as much as he didn't want to part of him started to.

It was during the silence that Silver lifted to his feet and walked over to the sink and washed the blood free from his hands, the sound of his boots thumping against the floor as he walked seemed almost overwhelmingly loud admits the quite breathing in the room. Silver then returned to the chair more intent to retrieve his vest and leaving The Last Chance Garage.

"The choice is ultimately yours," Silver said, breaking the silence, as he picked up the bloody vest. "Maybe it is best that I leave…."

"Hold it!" Charley interrupted as she stood up before the tall black Martian.

Silver turned to face Charley a furred brow lofting as he looked down at her. "It would be for the best Mi…"

"You are not going to leave this garage mister," Charley said adamantly as she poked Silver in the chest, causing him to take a few steps back in startlement, his tail snaking about behind him.

"But.." Silver started as he took yet another step back; vest in one hand as he tried to make some semblance of this, as Charley did not back down.

"No," Charley interrupted for the second time as she made a shooing motion with her hands. "You're wounded and if you think that I'm going to let you out of my sight so that you can go tear the wound open again your crazy! You need rest anyway, to the back room with you."

With a sigh Silver turned and started towards the back room slowly, before he paused to look over his shoulder at Charley and the other three men in the room. He would have said something if he hadn't got snapped in the rear with a towel. The slight sting of the towel made him jump as he rubbed the spot with his left hand, an odd look crossing his face. Both of Silver's brows lofted together as he looked back at Charley, before he started moving again..

"Move it!" The woman said as she followed after Silver, her voice becoming softer to hear as moved after the other mouse. "Don't think about sneaking off…."

In the other room Vinnie started to chuckle at what he had just seen. He couldn't believe his eye. The more he thought about it the funnier it seemed to him and he began to outright laugh.

"Did ya… see that… Bros?" Vinnie said though fits of laughter. "The way he…"

"Vinnie," Throttle said in an even tone.

"Yeah Bro?" Vinnie replied as his laughter was starting to calm down.

"Enough," was the only reply from the blond mouse, who placed a gloved hand to his chin in thought.

Vinnie just blinked as anything else he might have wanted to say about Silver's actions because of Charley died on his muzzle.

Modo stood up and walked over to Silver's motorcycle still lying on its side in the middle of the garage. He then bent down and grasped it by the handle with left hand and placed his right on the chassey just before the seat and hauled the bike back up to rest on its own two wheels. The bike itself acted with a slight bit of agitation but it did nothing but turn off as soon as it was righted. Modo just patted the bike and turned to face Throttle.

"What are you thinking Throttle?" Modo asked as he walked towards his friend and sat down across from him. As he moved over to Throttle he made sure not to step in any of the bloody spots upon the floor. Last thing that he wanted was to make more of a mess then what was already here.

* * *

Silver moved into the back room as he was told, Charley followed right after him. He stopped not far inside the door to look around the room that he had stayed in for the past few nights feeling as if were some new and hostile place to be. He let out a sigh before he turned to face the dark haired woman behind him.

"Have I not caused you enough trouble Miss Charlene?" Silver said softly as Charley shut the door, but instead of latching all the way it swung back open a few inches. "I do not wish to bring strife to the friendship that you share with the Biker Mice."

"Listen, you haven't caused any problems at all," Charley replied as she placed a fair hand upon Silver's arm, his rich fur was velvety soft under her calloused touch. She leveled her green gaze with his pale blue. "I'm sure that the guys will help you out, you'll see."

"I wish I held your beliefs," Silver replied with a shake of his head before he placed his hand over hers. "I pray that you are right Miss Charlene, the very survival of my people may depend on their help. I understand if they are hesitant. I understand if they do not wish to help, but my heart shall break if I must return home without the aid that we so despretly need."

With that being said he removed his hand from Charley's and slowly pulled his arm away before sitting down on the bed. Unlacing his boots he set them aside before he layed down, his pale gaze falling upon Charley once again.

"I promise I will not leave, Miss Charlene, return to your friends, I'm sure that you have plenty of questions that they may be able to answer," Silver said before his eyes slid closed, exhaustion overwhelming him now that all of the excitement had died down and he was in a quite place to rest.

"Alright," Charley replied barely above a whisper, not knowing fully what to think or how to respond to what Silver had said.

* * *

Throttle's ears twitched softly as he could make out the soft murmuring sound of voices that floated out of the back room, though he could not tell what was being said. Modo just sat and watched Throttle in silence, as he leaned his elbows upon his knees as he sat across from blond mouse. Vinnie moved around the desk to sit down in the chair there. His elbow resting upon the arm of the chair with is face resting against the icepack. All three of them were silent, lost in their own thoughts.

Charley turned and exited the room, shutting the door softly behind her and she stood there for a moment, leaning against the wall. Her head bowed as her hands rested against the wall behind her, her feet crossed at the ankles, lost in thought. She wasn't sure how long she had stood there, a few moments maybe, but she headed back towards the work room where the guys still where.

Ears twitched on all three of them at the soft clacking sound of Charley's boots as the woman entered the room. She stood there in the doorway, a hand upon her hip as she looked around the room, from face to face to face.

"Well you guys gonna help him or what?" Charley asked.