Throttle, Stoker and Chef Andy decided to tackle the kitchen, while Vinnie helped Modo in the dining area. Modo, who understood that the youngster needed some thinking time, refrained from unnecessary talk and just kept an eye on his white bro.
Vinnie finished wiping down the last table and asked Modo "What's the time bro?"
Modo checked the clock over the diner counter and replied "Eleven thirty. Why, you got a hot date or something?"
Vinnie wiped the sweat from his brow and chucked the cloth on to the counter. "I need to do some shopping. Sorry to bail, but I can't leave it any longer."
"Get going bro, I'll cover you" Modo agreed, waving briefly.
Vinnie ducked his head into the kitchen and thanked the Chef for dinner, informed them of what he was doing and then bolted out of the diner, jumped on Sweetheart and directed her to the local shopping mall. Parking Sweetheart close by the entrance, he rushed into the twenty-four hour shopping mall and frantically spent the next twenty minutes making purchases.
Carefully stowing his purchases, he urged Sweetheart toward the Last Chance Garage as fast as he dared. He pulled up outside with a few minutes to spare and sat breathing heavily. Remembering what Charlie had said, he wiped his hands nervously on his jeans before activating the com to raise Charlie.
"I'm here" he croaked over the com.
"I'm just grabbing my jacket" Charlie's replied.
Another minute passed, during which he unstowed one of the items he had bought. He climbed off Sweetheart and waited anxiously at the front of the garage.
Charlie pulled her leather jacket on, grabbed her helmet and rushed down the stairs. She pulled the door open and was greeted by a blur of red blocking the doorway.
The bouquet of red roses was pushed into her arms before she could say anything and while her arms were occupied, her lips were seized in a deep kiss as Vinnie tried to convey how very, very sorry he was.
Vinnie broke the kiss and looked pleadingly at her.
"Please sweetheart, give me another chance!" he pleaded forlornly.
Charlie kissed him lightly on the lips. "You've just earned yourself another chance with these babies, Van Wham!" she replied.
Vinnie let out a shaky breath and smiled happily.
"We still have to talk though" Charlie reminded him, not letting him entirely off the hook.
"And I know just the place" he said, as she returned inside to put the flowers in various jars of water.
He helped her slip her helmet on, zipped her jacket up for her and made sure she was comfortable behind him on Sweetheart. Urging the sentient bike toward the spot he had picked, he drew his wife's arms tighter round him, basking in the warmth of her body wrapped round his own.
Their departure was noted by a grinning Martian watching from the spare bedroom window of the Last Chance…and a figure hidden deep in the shadows.
"What have we got here?" the shadowy figure wheezed, pushing its miniature spectacles further up its feminine nose. "A midnight tryst between lovers. How interesting. I think her extreme cheesiness will want to know about this!"
The figure nodded its bulbous head in agreement with itself and rubbed its hands together gleefully, squealing quietly with anticipation at the possibility of a promotion. Checking to see that the remaining Martian had deserted the garage window, the figure moved quietly and quickly, hugging the shadows cast by the buildings along the street as it joined a larger and bulkier figure sitting in a vehicle that looked like the progeny of an all-wheel drive vehicle and an army tank.
"I wanted to watch!" the driver of the vehicle whined loudly at the arrival of its companion.
"Quiet, Greasepit! I don't have time for your insistent whining!" the shadowy figure replied, slapping the driver over the back of the head. "Follow the motor-mouth and the mechanic, but keep your distance."
"Mister Limburger would have let me watch, not you!" Greasepit spat. "I hate you Carbuncle! You're a skinny little wimp, a girly girl quack!"
"And you're a big, stupid oaf who trips on his own oil-spill and couldn't find his ass with a compass and a map!" Carbuncle replied evenly. He knew his co-worker had no liking for him but was more than happy about the whole situation. The feeling was 'bullet in the back' mutual. "Now, SHUT UP and follow that mouse!" he ordered.
Greasepit looked askance that the diminutive scientist would dare even speak to him in such a way. He growled something under his breath but knew better than to refuse. Their new employer would not tolerate any disobedience in the chain of command, enforcing her will with an iron rod.
He started the engine and followed their intended quarry at a discreet distance, grumbling to himself the whole time. They drove down the street, turned several times and ended up in a secluded section of Chi-town's city park. They pulled out their binoculars and watched as Vinnie hopped off the bike and turned to Charlie, taking her hands in his.
"What are they talking about?" Greasepit blurted out, bursting with frustration from having to sit still for more than a minute.
"If you shut up like I told you too, we could hear the transmitter" Carbuncle snarled at him, cranking the volume of the speaker so he could hear the lovers' conversation.
"…Charlie-girl, there's something I need to tell you. Do you remember the painkillers the doctor gave me in Vegas?" Vinnie's voice could be heard saying.
"Sure can. But what's that got to do with your weird behaviour lately?" Charlie replied.
"Well, I didn't feel any relief after the first lot I took, so I took four of them at the same time."
"Vinnie! You heard Doctor Sung's orders!" Charlie scolded him.
"Never mind that Charlie. Focus on what I'm trying to tell you. It's important. After I took the tablets, I felt really lethargic and began to sweat. And then…"
"And then…what?" Charlie prompted after a pause of several seconds.
Greasepit and Carbuncle listened in disbelief as Vinnie finally unloaded all that had transpired since their departure from Vegas and their return to Chicago. They were even more startled by Charlie's response.
Charlie looked at her husband after she heard his explanation, and burst into laughter.
"Seriously Vinnie, why don't you just tell me the truth instead of this big, elaborate story I'm sure you've been concocting since we landed."
"It's true Charlie! Ask Stoker, he'll confirm everything I've said…well, parts of it anyway."
"I don't want to ask Stoker. It's the most ridiculous, albeit highly entertaining, story you've ever come up with. Now, are you going to tell me what really happened?"
"I guess I'm just going to have to prove it to you then" he said resignedly.
"Fine with me" Charlie chuckled, her arms folded over her chest in disbelief.
"We might as well be comfortable" Vinnie said, lifting her off Sweetheart and setting her on her feet.
He pulled out a blanket and placed it on the ground, giving Charlie his hand and lowering her to sit on the blanket. He turned back to Sweetheart, pulled out a bottle of soda and two cups, activated the camera and sat down next to Charlie.
He poured two cups of root beer, handing one to Charlie. He pulled out the pain killer bottle and uncapped it, shaking out four of the pills and held them in his hand in front of her.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Definitely" she replied, watching him with twinkling eyes.
He put the pills in his mouth and drank the whole cup in one gulp, feeling the pills slide down his throat. "I've set Sweetheart's camera up and she's going to record the whole thing" he said, as the motorcycle drew closer to the couple.
Charlie watched him intently, sipping her drink and smiling the whole time, trying not to giggle at the absurdness of it all. Her smile started to slide downwards as she noticed the fine sheen that started to cover Vinnie's body.
"This isn't funny any more Vinnie. You're making me nervous!" she protested worriedly, as Vinnie's eyes began to glaze.
"Not long now" he tried to reassure her.
The musky odour that signalled the next stage of the pill overdose soon filled the air and Charlie stopped panicking. She also stopped speaking and thinking and contented herself with throwing her half-filled cup aside and lunging at Vinnie.
Vinnie didn't fight her, merely opened his arms and encased her in his embrace. When she reached hungrily for his lips, he gave her the kiss willingly, allowing her to guide him as to what she wanted.
Feeling bolder this time, Vinnie decided to experiment. Charlie kissed him again and then broke the contact to bite gently at his nape. Vinnie manoeuvred her so he could copy her gesture, which earnt him a purr of approval.
"You like that hey?" he teased, mimicking the next three next actions she did.
The fourth time he did it, she growled and her eyes narrowed, showing her displeasure.
"Ok sweetheart, no need to get huffy" Vinnie said, hurriedly drawing back.
Seeing her mate withdrawing from her, Charlie let out another growl and pinned him to the ground, breathing heavily as she hovered over him.
Vinnie wasn't finished experimenting and decided to try another tactic. He took the offensive this time and seized her face between his hands, holding her still while he gently assaulted her mouth. Charlie's eyes widened at this action but soon closed as she allowed her mate to take the initiative for once.
Vinnie rolled her on to her back and continued to take the lead, gently at first. As he kissed her, Charlie grew more demanding. Her hands wandered all over his body, pulling him closer against her hips as she attempted to weld them together.
"Easy Charlie-girl!" Vinnie laughed breathlessly as she nipped at his chest.
His body jerked when her teeth sank in deeper than was polite.
"I said take it easy!" he repeated, more sternly this time.
Charlie drew back and looked at him. "What's wrong Vinnie? Afraid a girl can kick your ass?" she said, baring her teeth in a feral grin.
His manhood thus challenged, Vinnie gave up any pretence of being a gentleman to defend his honour.
"That's it, fight back!" she purred in his ear, urging him on as he used all the strength he could muster to hold her down.
Any consideration, any tenderness and any gentleness that might have marked the occasion went out of the park as the love-making soon degenerated into a laughing, messy struggle for dominance as each strived to make the other senseless with passion.
"I've seen enough" Carbuncle said, putting his binoculars down on the spare seat.
"This is gold!" Greasepit said, as he hurriedly scribbled down on a writing pad. "I didn't even know that was legal!" he said in awe, as he looked through the binoculars.
"You disgusting, odorous buffoon! Stop that at once!" Carbuncle demanded, yanking the binoculars out of Greasepit's hand.
A meaty fist came down on Carbuncle's misshapen head and made it even rounder than its original shape. Greasepit grabbed his binoculars again and began peering through them once more.
A loud siren blared in front of them, accompanied by flashing lights.
"The cops!" Carbuncle squealed, sinking down into his seat.
"Oh dang! Just when it was getting interesting!" Greasepit moaned as a spotlight shone on Vinnie and Charlie.
"Let's go, let's go!" Carbuncle urged him.
"No, I want to see what happens" Greasepit rumbled, glaring down at his companion.
Two male officers climbed out of the police car and approached the lovers.
"Kids, it's illegal in this great city of ours to conduct such activity in a public place. You'll have to finish it at home" the older cop said, doing his best to hide a smile at the busted lovers.
"Sorry officer" Vinnie said breathlessly, trying to push Charlie off him. "Charlie, come on. We have to go home."
Charlie ignored him and continued on with what they had originally been doing.
"Miss, did you hear me? You'll have to go home and do that!" the officer repeated, shining the light in her face.
"We're coming!" Vinnie yelled to the officers, groaning as Charlie put him through his paces.
"You'd better believe it" she whispered in his ear.
"Charlie please, stop! Before you get us arrested!" Vinnie pleaded with her.
"I want to Vinnie, but I have no control over what I'm doing!" Charlie said to him, panic evident in her voice.
Vinnie looked pleadingly at the officers. "Can you give us a minute?" he begged them.
"Get your pants on, NOW, or my partner and I are going to cite you for indecent exposure!" the younger officer said sharply.
"I can't make her stop!" Vinnie yelled back at him, trying to sit-up but Charlie was having none of it and pushed him sharply back down.
"Lucky guy!" the younger officer said, grinning at his partner.
The older officer only harrumphed and re-clipped his torch.
"Grab her left side, I'll take the right and we'll lift her off" he instructed his partner and they moved as a well-oiled team to surround Charlie.
The human female ignored their presence until she was seized by both arms and lifted several feet in the air. The officers put her back on her feet and tried to handcuff her but she swept the feet out from the younger officer and delivered a nimble kick to his groin as he fell to the grassy earth.
His partner currently engaged with nursing his crown jewels, the older officer was left to deal with a highly aroused, highly enraged female.
"Easy lass!" he said, unclipping the stun gun on his belt.
Charlie snarled with rage at the unscheduled interruption and moved to deal with the remaining intruder. As she moved with unbelievable speed toward the police officer, Vinnie, who was sitting on the blanket re-zipping his jeans, saw what was about to happen and shot out his leg.
Charlie was caught unawares and tripped over Vinnie's leg. She stumbled briefly but regained her feet, still intent on the intruder. It only took seconds but it was enough time for the officer to finish pulling out his stun gun and to neutralise Charlie's headlong rush toward him. She blanked out and fell forward into the officer's arms, who caught her just before she hit the ground.
"Thanks lad" the officer said, acknowledging Vinnie's part in bringing Charlie to a standstill.
Vinnie only nodded tiredly as he pulled Charlie off the officer. He wrapped her in the blanket while the officer checked on his partner. The younger officer was tearful over the pain but recovered enough to hobble to the front passenger seat of the car.
"Can we go now?" Vinnie asked the senior officer hopefully.
"Fraid not lad. Your girlfriend assaulted an officer, and you've broken several laws yourself with your antics here tonight" the officer replied. "Get in the back and I'll call a tow-truck to get your bike."
The officer opened the door to the back and Vinnie carefully climbed inside, making sure he didn't bump Charlie's head on the door as he did so.
"Her clothes are on the ground…somewhere" the Martian told the officer as he closed the door.
The officer laughed and went to collect Charlie's clothes while his partner phoned for a tow-truck. Vinnie was tempted to tell Sweetheart to go home but he didn't want to panic Carbine and have his bros get hold of the footage on the camera.
Once the officer had finished finding as much of Charlie's clothing as he could, he returned to the vehicle and started the car.
"The tow-truck will be here in five to pick up your ride" the officer said as Vinnie looked anxiously back at Sweetheart.
"Uh, thanks" Vinnie replied, moving Charlie so she rested on his shoulder and wasn't dribbling down his chest anymore. "How long before this wears off?" he asked the officer.
"Most people wake up within half an hour" the younger officer answered him, turning around to look at the sleeping mechanic. "She looks almost peaceful now. Yeesh fella, how do you deal with a powerhouse like that!"
"Easy, you say 'yes ma'am'!" Vinnie replied, grinning at the officer.
The younger officer eyed him uncertainly and didn't look completely convinced that Vinnie was only humouring him.
The older officer snorted and drove the car out of the city park toward the police station. Unnoticed by the police car, another vehicle quietly left the park, following at an inconspicuous distance.
By the time they arrived at the station, Charlie was showing signs of coming around. The driver pulled into the carpark and his partner hopped out and opened the rear door, helping Vinnie and Charlie out of the backseat.
She was still groggy and Vinnie had to carry her inside the station, much to the enjoyment of the prisoners inside. Catcalls and wolf-whistles followed their progress as a barefooted and bare-chested Vinnie still carried a semi-naked Charlie, who's blanket had parted to reveal her shapely legs. Her shoulders were bare as well, as the top half of the blanket had slid down her shoulders, and her sleepy face made her look even sexier.
"That's enough!" the desk officer bellowed at the prisoners. "What have you brought in this time Murphy?" he asked the senior officer.
"Couple of kids having a bit of fun in the park" Murphy replied.
"I've got a station full of idiot pimps, prostitutes and would-be punks, and you waste my time bringing in a couple of lovebirds. What next? Going to arrest a dog for peeing on a fire-hydrant?" the desk officer said sarcastically.
"She assaulted my partner, Merv, so quit your whining and just do your job!" Murphy replied, irate now with the desk officer's attitude.
The desk officer looked at Murphy's partner. "That little lady hit you did she Cassidan? Did you want me to beat her up for you?" he said, making baby noises at the younger officer.
"I'd like to see that Merv, you could do with a kick to the googlies!" Cassidan replied, getting red round the ears with rage.
"What about you lover-boy? Get your kicks out of being whipped?" Merv threw at Vinnie.
Vinnie gently put Charlie down on the ground and was about to give the officer a first rate verbal lashing, but Charlie's arm shot out, grabbed Merv by the throat and hauled him forward. She bounced his head on the desk a couple of times and then threw him across the room and into the wall.
Stunned silence greeted this display of unusual strength. And then loud applause broke out as Merv and Cassidan and all the other officers present in the station expressed their approval.
Charlie stared at the officers in surprise but her gaze soon returned to her husband, standing in only his jeans. Known only to her, he was still emitting the musky odour that triggered her reactions and she moved purposely toward him.
Vinnie, knowing she wouldn't stop until she finished what she started, pulled her against him and held her tightly in his arms.
"Sir, she's only going to get more and more violent. You have to let me do something!" he begged Murphy.
"Son, in my opinion, she just earnt that right!" Murphy said, chuckling as he beckoned them toward the rear of the station.
He led them to an empty holding cell with a couple of beds.
"Cassidan and I will go for a cup of coffee and return in half an hour. That enough time for you?" he asked Vinnie who was already being propositioned by Charlie.
"Plenty!" Vinnie answered as he was pulled down on to one of the beds.
Murphy put Charlie's clothes on the spare bed, locked the cell and chuckled as he walked away. He whistled with pleasure as he noticed Merv being handed an ice pack for his head.
"You let anyone in to disturb them while we're away Merv, and I'll shove you in there myself!" he promised the desk officer. "Come on Cas, smoko-time!" he called to his partner, who smirked at Merv before hurrying after Murphy.
The vehicle that had followed the two officers sped off in the opposite direction when its occupants saw that their quarry had been left inside.
"We gotta tell da boss!" Greasepit exclaimed, putting his foot down hard on the pedal.
"Indeed, for once I agree with you, you hulking ignoramus!" Carbuncle replied.
The vehicle left a cloud of dusty black smoke in its wake as it disappeared into the night.