Biker Mice from Mars

Hard Luck Trilogy

Pt 3

What's his frequency Karbunkle?

Chapter 7

"And Voila, here we are to pull your tails out of the fire, looks like we are a bit late on that part, huh Throttle?" Vinnie said with a smirk. Throttle just glared at him. "But I didn't call you guys, I can't have!" Modo blurted out. "Yeah, both our helmets haven't been working for hours now, we couldn't have radioed you two." Throttle added.

"Well, if it wasn't you guys, who was it?" Vinnie shot back. "And why didn't you just use the radio on your bikes, speaking of which where is my bike?" Vinnie asked looking around for his cherished Red Rocket Sled.

"Uh, er...uhm…" Modo mumbled nervously. "No Time for that Now, we gotta check out the Pit, come on let's go!" Throttle nearly shouted and gestured for them all to follow him deeper in, Modo quickly grabbing his tail again just nodding his head!

The thought of Action for the moment got Vinnie's mind off his bike and into gearing up for a fight, his mind loved to do that! Charley on the other hand got a look of apprehension on his face, she tried to saddle up next to Modo, she had some questions for him.

"Modo, I have to talk to you!" She whispered up to him. Modo moved his big head and blankly looked down at her. "What is it Charley Ma'am?" He asked her. She took his left paw in her hand, freeing Throttle's tail from the responsibility, to which he gratefully took advantage of and moved further forward into the Dark Pit with Vinnie right behind him.

Carefully leading the Gray Giant thru the rubble, Charley continued to whisper into his big ear. "Modo, we did get calls on the radio from what sounded like both you and Throttle, but I remembered something you told me earlier, and then something about the calls themselves, and the person calling us, I think it was…." She tried to say but wasn't sure of how or if she should raise it to Modo, not being sure how he would react.

She didn't get the chance to find out. "Heads up people." Throttle whispered back to them. Up ahead and further down into the pit, a faint glowing light was filtering up around the rubble in front of them. This is when the Cheese Hit the Fan!

"Hey, that's my Bike!?" Vinnie yelled out ruining any attempt at their being Covert. Down at the very bottom of the pit, sat a large circular metal technological platform, and sitting in the center were the bro's three motorcycles and another mechanical device. The other was the electrical abomination, The Big Zapper mk2. The glow was coming from the semi-transparent pad of the platform itself.

On the platform, the 3 motorcycles were wrapped in crackling metal cord, which was attached to the sinisterly humming Big Zapper mk2, a hum that was slowly building in tone. The more the bikes fought against their bonds, the more the Big Zapper's power seemed to grow!

"My bike, that's my bike, what's it doing here?" Vinnie yelled out and began charging recklessly towards his beloved vehicle. "Vinnie no, stop!" Throttle yelled as he tried to grab his reckless companion but just missed getting his paws on him!

"I'm coming boy, I'm coming!" Vinnie yelled out as he ran forward, caution is thrown completely to the wind! Throttle was right behind him running as fast as he could, but his sore backside and thighs were slowing him down enough he couldn't keep up with Vinnie!

The White Furred Martian jumped up onto the platform, his blaster in one paw and a burning plasma flare in the other, He intended to cut their bikes free! The Bikes made electronic and engine noises, sounding happy to see their owners coming to the rescue, this just drove Vinnie to act!

Vinnie raised his arm with the Burning Flare and thrust it down meaning to burn thru the cords holding their bikes captive, which just popped out of existence causing Vinnie to fall flat on his chest! "Hey, what gives?!" He shouts as he struggles back to his feet, wildly looking around for his missing Ride!

"Holograms, they were just stinking holograms!" Throttle growls as he limps up next to Vinnie. "Our bikes, where are our bikes?" Modo asks angrily as Charley helps him up onto the Pedestal. "The Zapper, is it real or a Hologram?" Charley asks while looking up at the still Ominously Humming Device.

Vinnie angrily hurls his nearly burnt-out flare at it, the flare bounces off the machine and into the pit. "Nope, it's real." He growls. "Gotta love your scientific method, Vinnie." Charley sighed exasperatedly. "How about some Art instead, like the Art of Destruction!" Vinnie shouted and pointed his blaster at the machine and started to pull its trigger!

"Aaaahhhh!" All 3 of the Mice suddenly yelled out and their paws flew up to uselessly try and cover their ears inside their helmets! "What is it, what's wrong!?" Charley cried out as she looked at her 3 friends as they cried out in pain! The 3 Mice rapidly pulled their helmets off and threw them away, they bounced on the platform and off into the rubble.

Once the helmets came to a rest, she could hear a very high-pitched whine coming from them. It even started to hurt her weak hearing; she could only imagine how much it hurt the way better hearing senses of the Martians.

"Whoa Mama, that hurt!" Modo moaned as he rubbed his ears with his one working paw. "I may never enjoy Heavy Metal again!" Vinnie whined as he poked his fingers in and out of his ears as if trying to clear them. Throttle just wobbled unsteadily looking like he might throw up. The high-pitched whine from the helmets suddenly cut out and the helmets became inert.

"That felt like a bunch of Choir boys sucking on helium while playing with jackhammers in my head!" Throttle groaned. The noise from the Big Zapper next to them on the platform increased its noise and shaking. Up above the rim of the pit, the lights of Chicago could be seen to flicker in sync with the machine.

They all looked up at it. Throttle turned to Vinnie. "You are the only one here with a blaster, take that thing out now!" He said to the White Furred Martian. Vinnie smiled like a maniac and pulled his blaster from its holster and took aim at the machine!

Throttle quickly reached over and pushed Vinnie's arms down. "Blast it After we Back away from the Explosive Device First." He sighed. Vinnie just smiled at him. "You are such a killjoy sometimes." He said. They all started backing towards the edge of the platform while not taking their eyes off the Big Zapper.

Charley, once more leading Modo, was closest to the outside. Just as Charley reached the edge of the platform, she bumped into something. "Oh!" She gasped and spun around! "Hard Luck!" She cried out!

Standing there on the edge, half in and out of the shadows stood the Blue Furred Martian. "Little Brother!?" Modo gasped and he put out his arm and blindly tried to find him. Vinnie and Throttle looked back over their shoulders. Questions jumped out from all of them. Where have you been and are you OK being the main two asked?

Hard Luck didn't answer them. He just continued to stand there, standing as still as a statue. His face hidden behind his helmet's visor, now glowing a faint deep red color. "Hard Luck?" Charley asked, putting her hand up hesitantly to touch his shoulder.

Hard Lucks Helmeted Head suddenly snapped up, and he slowly turned to look at each one of them in turn. Charley was so surprised by the sudden movement; she almost fell over backward. Hard Luck's Antenna popped up from the top of his battered helmet and started to spark.

He abruptly jolted forward, His right shoulder hitting Charley and knocking her off her feet. "Ouch!" She cried out. Modo jerked around trying to find her, Hard Luck stepped forward faster than any of them could react to and grabbed at Throttle and Vinnie!

Before either of them could react to the rapid movements, it was too late to stop it. Hard Lucks gloved paw shot out like a viper and seized Throttle by his throat! Throttle let out a strangled wheeze as his air supply was cut off! "Hey, what are you do…" Vinnie started to yell but was cut off when Hard Luck grabbed him next!

Hard Lucks braced left paw seized Vinnie's bandoliers crossed across his chest and viciously yanked down! Hard Luck jerked his helmeted head forward and landed a nasty headbutt to the unprotected left side of Vinnie's head!

CRUNCH! Vinnie's eyes crossed and he began to topple after the sickening sound of the impact! He barely had time to recover before Hard Luck's cyborg leg's odd joints unexpectedly spun around and he was thrown into the blind Modo! "OOF!" They both cried out as they fell off the platform and down to the concrete ground!

Vinnie dropped his blaster, and it bounced a few feet away. Hard Luck lifted Throttle up off his feet and walked over to it and brought his metal foot down on it like a piston, shattering it into a dozen pieces amid a small explosion. Charley looked on with a frozen look of bewildered horror on her pale face!

Throttle, on the verge of passing out, raised both his feet, and kicked out at Hard Luck's side! The Blue Martian barely flinched. Throttle kicked out again but harder! This time he broke the steel-like grip from around his throat and he fell to the platform! He landed on his backside but quickly rolled over and got unsteadily to his feet and took a battle-ready stance!

Charley ran over to the tan furred mouse. "Are you ok, what's going on, what's wrong with Hard Luck!?" She stammered as she did what she could to help him. "Cold, so cold!" was all He could huff as he massaged his throat, trying to start breathing again.

They looked up at Hard Luck. He was standing as still as a statue again. They stared back at him, not knowing exactly how to react. Hard Luck shot across the space towards them, his paws made into fists and he started throwing punches like a machine at Throttle!

A Right hook and then a left uppercut landed, and Throttle was nearly knocked off his feet, but managed to dodge and jump away before a third blow could hit him! Charley just barely managed to duck out of the way!

Throttle hit a direct punch to Hard Luck's stomach, then spun and hit with a swinging kick to Hard Luck's left arm! Hard Luck wasn't fazed by either attack and just kept moving forward and throwing punches!

Both Mice punched, kicked, and blocked blows from each other, Throttle then dived down, activated his Nuke Knuckle Glove, and jabbed up with the glowing weapon! It hit Hard Luck square in the chest with a sound of snapping! He went flying up into the air, and Throttle fell to his knees, straining from the effects of the attack!

Up into the night above them Hard Luck went until his jet fired from his cyborg leg, he spun around and landed on the platform over by the Big Zapper, he once more stood immobile and just looked blankly over at them from behind his red visor.

Throttle had gotten back on his feet and shoved Charley behind him! Vinnie and Modo had also gotten back up and were made to run over to them! Vinnie had a cut on his forehead with a thin line of blood trickling down the unmasked side of his face, which had an angry snarl on it!

"Little Brother, what is wrong with you, why are you doing this!?" Modo cried out, desperation in his deep voice all but crying. His big heart on the verge of breaking in two. Vinnie wasn't in quite the same mode of mind. "What the Frag is Wrong with You!?" He cursed at the Blue Martian with pure venom in his voice!

Hard Luck didn't reply, he just pulled both of his big blasters from their holsters and took aim at them! "Down!" Throttle barely had time to yell before energy blots racked out over their falling heads! Vinnie at the last possible instant pulled Charley down under him and shielded her as best he could!

The Energy Bolts struck the large chunks of concrete and steel behind them! They exploded and flew up and then rained down on the four of them! Hunks of concrete and steel fell on and all around them! The Bro's threw themselves on top of Charley, trying to protect her and each other from the hailing debris!

Unexpectedly, Hard Luck's blasters stopped firing with loud clicks! Their energy having been spent in the savage barrage. He simply holstered them and started walking calmly towards them. Vinnie let out an enraged roar and jumped up and ran straight at him!

Faster than Hard Luck could react, Vinnie started punching him right on his helmeted head, ignoring the pain as his paws landed blow after blow! He had no sympathy for anyone that would attack those he cared about!

Hard Luck struck out with a straight punch to Vinnie's nose! The Impact sent the White Furred Martian flying backward, but Vinnie turned it into a reverse summersault! He landed on his feet and like a spring, flung himself back the way he came!

Vinnie tackled Hard Luck right in his stomach and tried to shove him over, but Hard Luck's 3 mechanical talon-like toes dug in and stopped the fall! Vinnie tried to squeeze the life out of him! Hard Luck's spiked metal protruding spine bit into his coiled arm and made them start to bleed, but Vinnie just clenched his teeth, and tried to squeeze harder!

Hard Luck joined both his paws into one big fist and raised them up and struck down at Vinnie's unprotected back! "Aargh!" Vinnie grunted at the blow!

His grip around Hard Luck's midsection slackened just enough for Hard Luck's cyborg knee to jut up and kick Vinnie in his stomach! Vinnie nearly passed out, managing to half jump up and back! Hard Luck punched him in the face!

Vinnie flew backward and crashed to the feet of Throttle and Modo! Charley dropped to her knees to help him as best she could! Vinnie was on the verge of passing out, and was bleeding from his face, nose, and arms!

"Modo, we gotta put him down before he kills somebody!" Throttle yelled out! Modo just bellowed and charged blindly like an enraged bull! The whole platform shook under the impact of his massive feet as he stomped towards his little brother!

Hard Luck didn't make any move to get out of the way. He just stood there almost calmly. Modo got right up to him somehow and pulled his Giant Gray left Arm up above his head and made to bring it down like a Sledgehammer!

Modo's fist hovered in the air above his brother's head, it quavered a few seconds then dropped to His side. Modo fell to his knees. "I can't do it, I just can't." He all but whimpered in a tone of utter defeat. Hard Luck just stepped around him and made his way towards the others.

"Damn." Throttle sighed and ran to intercept him. Moving like a whip, Hard Luck Sidestepped Throttle's attack, and landed a vicious blow with his elbow to the back of Throttle's head, sending him into Modo'! Hard Luck continued to move towards Vinnie and Charley.

Charley could only look on in horror as he chillingly moved towards her. "NO!" Vinnie yelled groggily and got up to stand between her and Hard Luck. The Blue Martian almost sedately reached out and once more took Vinnie by his bandoliers and threw him to land on his two bros'! Throttle caught him as best he could! They both fell back entangled around Modo!

Hard Luck stood over Charley, who could only stare up at him in shock! He looked down at her. She couldn't read anything from his face hidden behind the sinister red glow of his visor. Hard Luck slapped her across the face of her helmet with his black-gloved paw with a malicious backhanded blow!

Charley fell flat on her back, saved from serious injury since she was still wearing her motorcycle helmet, but her head still felt like her neck was made of rubber bands!

She almost lost consciousness, but somehow didn't. She looked up thru pain with tear-filled eyes at the Mouse she thought was her friend as he stood over her looking down at her.

Hard Luck reached down and pulled her helmet off her and tossed it aside. "Why?" she asked. "Why are you doing this?" Hard Luck didn't answer. He just stared down with his red visor glowing in the dark.

The guys, still in a pile could only look on helplessly from where they lay. They knew they stood no chance of being able to get up in time to stop Hard Luck from doing anything to Charley.

Hard Luck looked from Charley to them. He raised his cyborg leg up off the floor. Its nasty talons snapping like a ravenous beast. From the jet on the sole of his foot, a burst of blue flame shot out like a blowtorch! The talons stopped snapping and shot out erect, the flame starting to melt the metal platform under it.

Charley's eyes grew in utter horror as the flame slowly started to move towards her unprotected face! The same look crossed both Throttle and Vinnies faces as they watched this happen in front of them! Modo shook back and forth in a state of shock, not being able to believe his Little Foster Brother could be doing this.

Charley could feel the heat nearing her face as the flame slowly drew closer and closer! It stopped mere inches from her! Hard Luck looked at her then back at the Defeated Martian Mice.

"zzz-Surrender-Or-The-Woman-Dies-zzz." He said. His voice coming out in a strange mechanical and soulless tone in his odd scratchy electronic-sounding voice. "I would most assuredly listen to him if I were you!" Limburger said as he casually walked out of the darkness and stood next to Hard Luck.

"LIMBURGER!" Both Vinnie and Throttle growled at him. The Plutarkian just chuckled as Karbunkle appeared out from behind him still holding the odd device in his cruel hands. Next came Greasepit and several goons. All with weapons drawn and pointing at the 3 Biker Mice.

Throttle, Vinnie, and Modo all slowly got to their feet and raised their paws helplessly into the air above their heads. Some Goons ran forward and put them in manacles. Limburger took in the scene and could no longer contain it. The Pit filled with the sound of his Malevolent Mirth as he savored the sight of his most hated enemies utterly defeated before him!

To Be Continued…