Biker Mice from Mars

The Hard Luck Trilogy

Part 3

Chapter 9

Charley really hated Plutarkian Transporters, both repairing them and being transported in them. OK, she had to admit it, she hated being transported more. Way more. To her, it felt like she had electrified mosquitos crawling all over her. Karbunkle was known to boast about how his modified Plutarkian Transporters were the best in the galaxy. She would hate to take a ride in a less advanced version.

She shook her head trying to clear it and hoped she could keep her nausea-filled stomach under control at the same time. She could tell her 3 Martian Friends were in about the same discombobulated shape she was. The yellow sparks of the Transporter field started to clear from her eyes, and she looked around to try and figure out where on earth she was now.

They were all still on the large metal platform that they were attached to while at the bottom of the pit of the Limburger Tower. Sadly, the Metal Poles they were manacled to make the trip intact as well. Throttle and Vinnie had fully bounced back to normal and were also looking around, taking in everything happening around them they could. Modo was still blinded, but even from where she was, she could see his ears and nose twitching, trying to take in all the info his other senses could give him.

They were in a large cavern-like room. It was a warehouse of some kind, all around them were large crates, Alien Machines, and other odd-looking devices. The air stank. It was heavy with the oh-so-familiar Plutarkian stench.

The main reason for the stench was on the far edge of the platform discussing something with Dr. Karbunkle. Limburger was looking all too pleased with himself; it was enough to turn their stomachs. She looked over at Hard Luck. He was still standing off to the side, still with his blasters aimed rock steady at them.

"Looks like our favorite Brain Slave made the trip ok too." Growled Vinnie next to her. He was looking intently at the Blue Martian. The confused emotions on his face fighting to see which should be in control. She got the impression that his cuts and bruises were helping lean to one side over the other.

"Blauughhh!" gagged Hard Luck as he upchucked all over himself. The mess splattered over his blue chest and mismatched feet while some filmy drool clung to his dangling chin. "Uh, maybe he didn't come thru it ok." Vinnie said while pulling a face. His decision looked like it took a turn back towards a more sympathetic side of the argument going on inside him.

"Vinnie, you can't blame him for any of this!" Charley harshly whispered at him in her best chiding voice. "I know, I know it's just that, that, ahh I don't know what I mean anymore." He sighed. Charley could only gawk at him. "You're still jealous?" She almost blurted out but at the last second managed to keep her volume at a whisper.

Vinnie's Masked Head snapped around to look directly at her. "What, what, Me, jealous, what, no, nu-uh, no way!" He fumbled as he clumsily tried to deny her accusation. The unmasked half of his face blushing a bright red really didn't help his case any.

"Yes, you are!" She snapped back. "You are actually jealous of the horrible things that have happened to him because you think you could have found some way out of it and make out like a big hero, just admit it!"

Vinnie's eyes nearly popped out of his head! "…. uh, nu-uh!" was all he could reply with. Charley smiled at him, enjoying her little victory. "Children, this is not the time for this!" Throttle leaned over and hissed at them. A quiet chuckle could be heard escaping from Modo. This time Charley blushed just as much as Vinnie.

Limburger and Karbunkle arrogantly strolled over to them, thankfully appearing to be totally ignorant of the little discussion that just went on behind their backs. Limburger went and stood next to Hard Luck while Karbunkle, still with the floating control panel and the Remote-Control Rodent device in his claw-like hands took a position next to Charley and the Mice.

"Oh, please excuse my interruption, but let us relocate ourselves to a more scenic location where we may continue our conversation someplace more comfortable." Limburger cruelly chuckled. With just a vile expression on his twisted face, Karbunkle manipulated the controls on the floating device in front of him.

Charley and The Bros all gasped as their magnetic manacles suddenly increased painfully in a tightening grip! Their backs were pulled against the metal beams in a vice-like bone-crunching intensity! They were jolted cruelly once more when a circular disc underneath them suddenly separated from the platform and floated a few inches above the floor.

"Enjoy your trip, I will await you upstairs." Limburger said as he waved goodbye to them. He then looked at Hard Luck, pulled a disgusted face. "Oh, and Karbunkle." He said. "Yes, My Lacteous Legionnaire? He asked. "Have our…ally hosed off before he joins us, would you?" Limburger said while taking care not to get any of the goo on himself. Karbunkle looked at the Messy Martian, and an off-putting smile crossed his ugly face as he nodded.

A smaller circular platform appeared under the fat alien and slowly started to elevate him towards the high ceiling. "And be sure to activate all internal security devices as well." He ordered as he rose higher towards the darkness above.

Not saying anything The Diseased Doctor pushed more switches on his control console. As the Mice and Charley floated slowly thru the metal room, several of the large containers suddenly snapped open. Out came Several Robots, both large and small.

The large over 10-foot-tall robots Throttle recognized immediately. They were the same kind as the Pit Boss used in his Gladiatorial Fighting Pit, except these were obviously of much better quality and design. They were also armed with all different kinds of weapons. Spinning Knife Blades. Massive Spiked Maces. Cruel Crushing Clamps, plus energy weapons and grenade and missile launchers.

The smaller kinds were new to him. They were about the size of old-fashioned metal Trash cans and floated around on anti-gravity jets. They also had at least 4 metal tentacles sprouting around their circular tops next to their eye cameras. Two tentacles ended in thin cutting metal pinchers while the other 2 ended in small but still very deadly blasters.

Also, as they slowly floated along the dark hallway, wall and floor mounted motion-activated blasters sprang out and tracked them as they floated along. This was obviously being done intentionally to just let them know just how dire a situation they were in. Yeah, this day just keeps getting better and better Throttle thought to himself.

Karbunkle manipulated some controls on both his console and remote device. Hard Luck jerked and started zombie walking behind The Doctor as he made his way towards another hallway leading off from the large storeroom, supposedly one with a water hose in it. He completely failed to notice that as he walked past the Martian Motorcycles being held and kept helpless in the large magnetic restraining clamp, that there was now a fourth motorcycle quietly standing next to them.

As the 4 heroes floated along the now slightly curved tunnel, more of the Robots and gun ports appeared around them from hidden areas. "Lard butt has a literal army of these mobile trash cans." Vinnie growled as he eyed the menacing machines with open disgust. He really hated robots.

"I hate to think what Limburger will use them for if he manages to knock us off." Throttle says in a grim way with a tone of hopelessness creeping into his raspy voice.

Charley shuddered at the very out-of-character thing for Throttle of all mice to say. If Throttle was losing hope, what chances did they really have?

"How you doing Big Bro?" Throttle whispered to the up till now quiet Gray Giant next to him. A dark angry look was cemented on his big face. "Get me outta these cuffs and I will bring this whole place down one fisted, cause I got a whole heap of Pay Back burning in my gut!" This brought smiles to the faces of his three friends.

The Strength and Determination casting off him was enough to rekindle their own hopes, that and they genuinely believed Modo would go down trying to do just what he said he would. Modo and weakness just did not mix at all. Modo had taken his previous sadness and used it to fuel his fortitude to save his friends.

"Hey, we going up?" Modo asked as he noticed the new sensation of a different movement. The other 3 looked around. Sure enough, as they had been distracted by their current problems, their platform had started rising towards the roof.

They rode in silence up a dark metal shaft for a few minutes in almost total blackness, until suddenly above them the darkness parted, and a dim light filtered down to them until the light suddenly flared up in intensity! Throttle, Vinnie, and Charley blinked at the sudden brightness.

Their eyes cleared and they took in their new surroundings. "Hey, this is the lobby to Limburger's Tower!?" Vinnie shouted out as he recognized it. "You're right, it is!" Throttle added. "It can't be!" Charley gasped. "Yeah, what gives, where are we!?" Modo asked too. "I imagine we'll find out when we reach the top." Throttle remarked and got them all to look up. They were still going up and the ceiling above once again slid open.

They continued their trip upward. Passing thru floors and rooms they recognized from the way to many times they had visited over the years, at one point they passed thru Karbunkle's Lab. Eventually, they made it to Limburgers Office near the top of the tower itself where Limburger was waiting for them.

Limburger was standing casually over in front of the large window by his desk. His arms folded behind his wide back and he rocked back and forth on the heels of his feet. The window was filled with a bright night sky. The stars were extremely bright! They also noticed that the familiar City Skyline was also absent, leading them all to wonder once more, where the heck were they?!

Limburger almost reluctantly pulled his greedy gaze away from the window and turned to glare at the mice with openly hate-filled glee. He looked at the watch on his wrist. "Ah, I do so appreciate it when the Condemned are punctual to their own executions." He said with a deep malevolent chuckle.

"Oh, but I am getting ahead of myself, especially seeing as how I have not exactly decided on how I want to indulge myself in the details of the ceremony." The greed in his eyes took on a much more menacing appearance than it had at the window.

Throttle, Vinnie, and Charley kept their comments to themselves. They could tell that the Vile Villain was just goading them into saying something he could use to just remind them of the hopelessness of their situation. Modo just kept his head lowered against his chest and snarled angrily to himself. They all were trying to save their energy to be ready for any chance to escape if that moment ever happened.

At this moment Karbunkle and Hard Luck walked into the office. A look of frustration gripped Limburger's masked face. "Karbunkle!" He growled. "Yes, my Coagulation Commander?" The Evil Doctor asked. "I told you to hose him off!" Limburger snapped at him. Karbunkle looked over his scrawny shoulder at the literally sopping wet Hard Luck.

"I did clean him up, just as you told me to!" Karbunkle responded to show he was a good lackey and did what he was told. "Yes, I can see that, but washing something off also implies that you also DRY THEM OFF!" Limburger yelled and pointed at Hard Luck's feet.

"He is making a puddle on my carpet; this is exactly why I do not allow Greasepit up here!" Karbunkle just shrugged and made an Oops face. Limburger just rolled his eyes and kept the obvious joke about henchmen to himself. Everyone there had heard it before many, many times.

"Up here, what does the Reeking Reject mean by that?" Vinnie whispered at Throttle, and Charley, but Vinnie being Vinnie, being Quiet was something He was not good at, at All! Limburger, not being stone deaf, heard this and waddled over to them.

"Oh, have I not revealed to you our present location, my, my I have been most remiss in my hosting duties, where are my manners?" Limburger chuckled at them. He moved over to stand by the large window again, then gestured at Karbunkle who once again manipulated the controls on his ever-present floating control panel. The metal platform started hovering again and moved over next to Limburger.

Limburger took a position by the window and acting like he was standing in front of a parting curtain; he made a slight bow while acting like he was presenting something with his hands. What he was presenting was a literal breath-taking view.

"Whoa!" Throttle, Vinnie, and Charley all gasped at the same time. "WHAT!?" Modo all but yelled, getting rather annoyed at the being left out during moments like this. Being blind certainly had its disadvantages. "It's the Earth Modo, I mean it's the Entire Earth!" Charley said to him. "Yeah, we are in orbit!' Vinnie said. "We must be on the Plutarkian Orbital Storage bin." Throttle said matter of fact. "Wow, really uh…oh mama." Modo mumbled as he tried to picture the sight he couldn't see.

The Blue and Green Planet filled the view just below the window. The Large Marble slowly spun beneath the Limburger Tower that was placed atop the rim of the huge ugly storage bin hidden from view of the human governments below it.

"Yes, the planet Earth, oh and I will apologize to my Optically Challenged Foe for this little faux pax, but you all should take in this last look at it before I render it nothing more than a Dried-Up Lifeless Dust Ball as I did to the once-great Planet Mars!" Limburger said dripping with pure malevolence in his voice.

"You think you can pull it off this time without messing it up like you did on Mars?" Throttle snapped hoping to put their hated enemy off his boastful stride. It didn't work. "Oh yes, this time I am Very Certain that I can indeed Pull It Off as you so crudely put it." Limburger replied to him.

"Because after I have Finally Dispatched you Vile Vermin, ravaging this insignificant mudball of its precious resources will be simplicity itself!" Limburger said this time letting his deep-rooted hate show thru as he snarled at them. All 3 Mice and Charley could only sit in silence as they thought to think up a reply to this. So far, they all came up short.

"The only Real Challenge I face now is to devise a Delightfully Devilish Demise to Dispatch You with!" He chuckled while putting on a show as if he made it look as if he was running the possible thoughts thru his imagination even now. "I am currently torn between having you all mounted where you are, leaving you to watch as the pathetic pebble below us dies in front of you, knowing that there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

The Plutarkians Evil filled eyes then moved to look at the Helpless Hard Luck. "Ahh, but then I am reminded of our resident remote-controlled rodent friend." He says with a pure tone of open evil in his voice. "My very own Robo-Rodent if you will." The Mice and Charley tried to look behind them but they're being all but welded to their metal posts, this was rather difficult to do.

"After witnessing the Traitorous Actions of My Reluctant Blue Minion, I have seriously considered having Karbunkle repeat the Robo-Rodent Process on the 3 of you, and then sending you out to do all kinds of Horrible Actions upon the unsuspecting inhabitants of the planet below us." Neither the Mice nor Charley could respond to this, in fact, they were all trying to not think of the implications of this being done to them.

"Oh, and just imagine the FUN we could all have if I sent you back to Mars as well, oh yes, all Very Tempting if I do say so, yes indeed!' Limburger purred, all but reveling in the evil thoughts running thru his imagination! "Ah, but alas no, I fear that even in that condition I could not bring myself to trust you, so I fear that I shall have to err on the side of caution, and simply have you eliminated, albeit in a most horribly painful process possible I assure you." He sighed.

"I guess we should be grateful for small mercies then." Throttle mumbled under his breath. "You just aint got the gills to even try it you big, mouthed bass!" Vinnie yelled at Limburger. "Shut Up Vinnie!" Throttle and Charley snapped at him.

Limburger took all this in, and his evil smile grew a few notches. "Since I won't be giving you the pleasure of carrying that plan out, I guess I will just have to let my Blue Furred Appliance have the pleasure of doing it himself!" Limburger shouted then laughed cruelly at the look of shock crossing his enemy's faces!

The floating platform shook as the up till now silent giant Modo suddenly shot up as far as he could, nearly causing the platform to tilt over! "You, Miserable Monster, haven't you hurt him enough, let me out of these chains and I swear that I will…!" He erupted like a raging volcano before his anger itself cut off his ability to yell!

"Oh, please stop, I could cause myself a mischief from all this laughter!" Limburger snickered as he used his red kerchief to wipe away some salty tears. "Sadly, I have business matters to attend to, calls to make, and so forth so I must bring an end to our merriment." He sighed as he looked at his watch.

"Karbunkle, please escort our guests to your laboratory and make sure they are securely contained and then get back up here, I have to report to Lord Camembert and make sure Greasepit isn't abusing my benevolence on the lunch breaks I allow him and the Goons." He sighed. Karbunkle just nodded and made to move the Mice down to the lab.

Moving down the Tower Shaft Vinnie tried to lighten the mood. "Well looking on the bright side, we don't have to see Lard Butt Do the Traditional Plutarkian Greeting with His boss!" He said with his biggest smile. "Really Vinnie, really?" Charley said exasperatedly. "Truly we are blessed." Throttle moaned. "Being Blind doesn't seem so bad now." Modo added. A few seconds of silence passed before they all actually started to laugh.

They were all practically hysterical by the time they came thru the ceiling into the Laboratory. When Karbunkle and Hard Luck entered a couple of minutes later, they were still laughing but were on the verge of becoming totally breathless. The 4 of them stopped laughing, and caught their breaths, then looked at Karbunkle and broke out into laughter again.

Karbunkle snarled at them. He hated to see his enemies experiencing mirth, especially at his expense. A nasty smile crossed his twisted face, and a spider-like finger stabbed at his ever-present control panel. The Platform slammed to the Lab floor with a heavy thud! "Ouch, oof, ow!" They all grunted at the painful impact. That was much better in Karbunkle's opinion. Pain was Always Preferable to Pleasure. In others at least.

Still enjoying his prisoner's discomfort, Karbunkle turned to Hard Luck who was standing behind him. The Blue Martian was still dripping wet and kind of wobbly at this point. "Guard Them!" The Demented Doctor ordered him and walked out of the Lab.

Hard Luck nodded his head which gave the impression that his neck had as much strength in it as a wet noodle. "Uh." He gasped and raised his big blasters and pointed at them, or at least he tried to, they were more pointed at the floor as if they had become too heavy for him to lift.

"Oh, geez Modo your little Foster Bro aint looking too good." Vinnie said with an almost uncharacteristic empathy. "Vinnie is right, he looks like he could collapse at any moment, we have to do something!" Charley added, her own concern putting an end to all the mirth from just moments ago.

"I'm really glad I can't see it." Modo mumbled. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could stomach. "Ahh I can't take this anymore, I gotta get us out of this, gotta find a way to stop Limburger!" Throttle rasped and painfully shoved himself up onto his feet! His metal constraints scraping loudly against the metal post!

The others could only look on in shock! Seeing the Most Stable of them all Throttle like this was something none of them knew how to respond to! He strained as much as he could trying to break free! The thick muscles on his arms, shoulder, and legs flexing for all they could, as his chest pushed for all he could against the unbending metal which was shrieking and groaning against the pressure the Mouse put against it!

The Dazed Hard Luck noticed this and being a slave to his orders, started to stumble his way over to put a stop to it. He once more tried to raise his blasters up to aim at them, but the strain was too much, and added with him being all wet he started to lose his balance until his wet feet lost their traction and he fell head-first towards the platform!

CLANG went the top of Hard Luck's head as it collided with the Metal Post Throttle was attached to! KER-ZAP went Hard Luck's metal antenna that was rammed up against the metal post! "Uuuuhhhh!" Gurgled Hard Luck as electricity flowed all around him! "AAAAHHH!" Yelled Throttle as the electricity danced up and down the post, his wrists, tail, and backside were leaning against!

Charley, Vinnie, and Modo all cried out and struggled as the sparks and smoke shot up around their two friends! Suddenly a loud bang and flashes like thunder and lightning shook everything! Hard Luck went tumbling away from them to crash into a sparking and steaming heap!

"Ah, Ah, Ah!" Gasped Throttle as his fur stood up on end and slightly sparked while smoke rose up from his back and mostly his rear. "Oh, Oh man oh, uh phew, phew!" Vinnie stammered as he leaned in and tried to blow out the glowing singed parts of Throttle's pants. Throttle pushed himself away from the platform and reached behind himself and grabbed his smoking backside and tail!

"Ow, ouch, ouch Oh, why is it, every time I, oh every time, ouch, ouch!" He mumbled while hopping around! "Throttle, you're free!" Charley yelled out!

Throttle stopped and looked down at his wrists and tail! "Hey, I am!" He rasped, then turned and hobbled back to see if he could free his friends! It only took a few seconds to realize that their metal restraints were still rigidly attached, and he couldn't pull them free, he then looked around the lab for anything he could use, a tool or weapon!

"Go check on Hard Luck!" Modo panted as he struggled! "Try his guns!" Vinnie quickly suggested! Throttle nodded and limped over to the prone Martian. Hard Luck was still squirming and moaning while his fur sparked and smoked. Throttle took the big energy blasters from his paws then rolled him off his metal spine, trying to make the poor guy as comfortable as he could.

"No good." He sighed dejectedly. "These things only got two settings, stun, and blow big holes in things!" He carried them with him to be sure to keep them away from Hard Luck, still moaning and barely conscious, his paws started blindly grasping for his missing blasters." Fairly sure we don't want you to get these back." Throttle uttered and put the blasters into what was left of his own belt.

"What about our weapons and gear?" Modo asked. "Is any of that around here?" Throttle shook his head then remembered how stupid that was "All that stuff is still down in that warehouse with our bikes." They all looked around the lab. Apart from the large computer console and video screen, and a teleporter booth, and one of Karbunkle's sinister operating tables, there wasn't much here.

He went over to the platform and looked at it. There on the rear section of it was a small hatch but it was sealed shut. He could really use one of Vinnie's Plasma Road Flares right about now. He needed to hurry. Limburger or Karbunkle could show up any second and have a horde of those robots in here in an instant.

There wasn't anything in here that could be used to free his friends. Hard Luck let out a loud groan and convulsed as a bolt of electricity arced from his antenna and spine. Throttle looked at him and then back at the panel hatch. He looked at the scorched metal post he had been tied to, and then felt the same scorched missing seat of his pants, then made an unhappy face. "I got an idea, but I am kinda glad you can't see this Modo."

"I don't like the sound of that." Modo growled. "Throttle, what are you doing?" Charley asked. "Sounds like you got a plan, but not a good one, that seems more like my speed than yours." Vinnie lamely joked.

Throttle didn't say anything He just sorely limped back over to the laid-out Hard Luck still quivering on the lab floor. He gently leaned down and tenderly picked the blue-furred Martian up into his arm and carried him over to the platform.

"You guys might want to brace yourselves, cause I have no idea if this will work, or what will even happen for that matter." He said while he dropped to his knees with a grimace, and turned Hard Luck around until his head was near the access hatch.

Charley and Vinnie watched as Throttle got ready to put his plan into action. "Oh man!" They both gasped and closed their eyes and leaned towards each other, getting ready for whatever was about to happen. Modo, his senses in overdrive, also braced himself. "Oh Mama." He grumbled.

Hard Luck's arcing antenna connected with the hatch cover! ZER-ZAPP! Electricity erupted from the panel and Hard Luck's head! "AAAAAHHH!" Yelled the Blue Mouse as energy flowed and danced all over him! Throttle, his own fur now standing on end gritted his teeth as well, feeling the energy dance across his body just like Hard Luck!

KER-BANG! The hatch cover exploded off the platform and goes flying off into the far corners of the lab! Throttle and Hard Luck also went flying away, hurled off by the explosion! Throttle landed on his backside with a painful thud! "Ouch!" He cried out! He tried to catch his breath when a singed and smoking Hard Luck fell on top of him! "OUCH!" escaped from them both!

"Are you two, ok?" Charley yelled out, trying to turn around to see what was going on. "You are both still alive ain'tcha?" Vinnie chimed in with. "Oh, ow, yeah, we're still alive, deep-fried and crispy, but alive." Throttle moaned and he carefully lifted the unconscious Hard Luck off himself, and agonizingly got up. He almost made a joke about going to need a couple more cushions on his bike seat, but he kept it to himself.

He hobbled back over and slowly knelt and looked at the controls that were now exposed. He studied them for a few seconds, then just shrugged and punched them! Sparks and smoke spewed out! A loud metallic clattering noise rang out as the manacles fell off the 3 prisoners on the platform!

They all jumped off and gratefully started trying to rub some sensation back into sore and numb limbs and appendages. "Oh, I don't think I will ever be able to enjoy this kind of kinky stuff again." Vinnie mockingly moaned while playfully winking at Charley. She just made a disgusted snort and gave him a dirty look.

Modo didn't waste words, he slid a big, booted foot until it hit the side of the platform and he then used it to guide himself around to the back. "Throttle, are you ok?' He called out with the concern heavy in his voice. "I'm OK big guy, just a bit sore and singed." He said while shaking his smoking fist trying to cool his burnt knuckles off.

Modo reached him and put out his left paw, Throttle took it in his and let his big friend pull him to his feet. Vinnie and Charley were right behind. "Nice Job on getting us out of that Bro, not that I wouldn't have thought up an escape plan myself mind you, but it's good to share the glory every now and then." Vinnie said his ego working overtime to hide his admiration for this latest rescue.

"I try to do my best Vincent." Throttle replied with mock modesty. "We all are really grateful Throttle, despite what the Galaxy's Greatest Narcissist says." Charley said giving the White Furred Martian a sideways glance. "Granted you should try to keep your wardrobe in mind during your rescues, those pants have about had it." Vinnie said with a downward smirk. Charley's face took on blush and Throttle noticed that She was trying hard to keep her gaze at face level. Throttle quickly put his paws behind him, and his furry face blushed as well. "I will keep that in mind Vinnie."

"Enough with the ha-ha, where is Hard Luck, where is my Lil 'Brother!?" Modo demanded, his concern breaking thru the moment. He looked around blindly, sniffing and listening for any sign of him. "He is over there still passed out." Throttle told him to take Modo's paw to lead him over to where He left Hard Luck.

"LOOK OUT!" Vinnie yelled and pushed Throttle, and Modo to the floor while wrapping his tail around Charley and pulling her down with them, just as a barrage of purple energy bolts flashed over their falling heads!

Hard Luck had gotten up and while stumbling around like he was drunk, was crazily firing away at them with his big blasters! "What's going on!?" Modo blurted out as he rolled over off Throttle, who he landed on top of! "Your Lil Bro is back on the attack, that's what!" Vinnie shouted and went into a big role while pulling Charley out of the way of splattering purple energy bolts hitting where they had just been!

"Move Big Guy!" Throttle yelled and hefted the Grey Giant up and tried to find any kind of cover to take shelter behind while looking down at his belt, and yup, the blasters he had put there were gone! He forgot how nimble-fingered Hard Luck was, even when brain warped apparently! This was So Not His Day he thought as he just managed to move Modo out of the way of more purple energy bolts!

Hard Luck was firing almost randomly! He was wavering around like he was walking on ice! His cyborg leg was not in sync with his real leg, and he still looked like he barely had the strength to heft His big blasters up to fire at them, but somehow, he found the strength to keep it up!

"Really glad I reset his guns to Stun!" Throttle yelled out as a few more stun bolts splattered on the floor around his, and Modo's hopping feet! "Me too!" Modo replied as he did his best to not trip on anything! Throttle managed to get Modo behind the Torture Table in the Lab and Vinnie got Charley to cover behind the Prisoner Platform!

Hard Luck stood in the middle of the lab, looking almost unable to decide which group of targets to shoot at, so he tried to fire at both at once, by holding a blaster in each paw, which did nothing to help him keep his balance! He also seemed to have adopted a just keep firing blindly attack method, which was keeping everyone pretty much pinned where they were!

Vinnie's head popped up from behind the platform and he just managed to get it down again as a bunch of purple bolts slammed into the platform! He looked over at his two bro's sheltering behind the table, then down at Charley and the scared look on her face. "Keep your pretty head down babe, I gotta go do the Hero Thing!" He said with a crazy smile on his face!

"Wait, what do you mean by that!?" Charley looked up at him with a bewildered look. She was once again graced with another of his trademarked Wild Smiles. "Facts, Babe, Facts!' He said not even trying to keep his smirking under control. She had to hear this and gave him a "go on" look. "Neither Modo nor Throttle are running in top condition at the moment, and yours truly is the Mouse that is!" Somehow, he said that with his smirk getting even cockier.

"I am the only one that can take down our Blue Buddy Baddy!" He added. Charley raised an eyebrow and looked at Vinnie and his many cuts and bruises. "I seem to recall that He kind of Whipped Your Tail last time you fought him?"

The Smirk wavered for a second before coming back full force. Vinnie's Ego was nothing if not resilient. "Ah, he just got lucky, and I was holding back!" Charley's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Yeah, sure right!" She responded with a smirk of her own this time.

Vinnie was ready for that reply to this time, and just winked at her with his masked-sided eye and let out a boisterous whoop, and did an impressive triple flip jump up into the air above her head! He landed nimbly on top of one of the metal posts!

"Hey Hardy Boy, time to stop messing with the B-Team and take on the Team's Top Player!" Vinnie yelled out to get Hard Luck's attention focused on him, and not on Charley or his Bros! It worked. Hard Luck's empty eyes focused on the Ego on Legs and both big blasters clumsily lifted to open fire at him!

Purple Stun Bolts spraying messily in Vinnie's direction, but Vinnie was no longer there! He pulled another jump while performing a bunch of not-needed and flamboyant flips and spins to come to a landing just to the left side of Hard Luck! "Ready for round two sweetheart?" Vinnie all but laughed and delivered two quick punches right to Hard Luck's nose!

Hard Luck let out two grunts, but the mind control didn't let it affect him, and he responded almost instantly by swinging his blasters like clubs at Vinnie, whose quick reflexes allowed him to dodge them easily, which Vinnie was all too happy to point out. "Too slow Junior!" He laughed and punched Hard Luck in the gut! Hard Luck grunted once more, but attempted to turn it into a head butt, that missed!

All the fighting and not being allowed to rest was taking its toll on the Blue Martian, and once again Vinnie sidestepped the attack easily! Vinnie turned the misstep to his advantage! He reached out and grabbed Hard Luck by the belt on the back of his pants!

Vinnie pulled on Hard Luck's belt and struck out his leg to trip his already unbalanced Foe! Hard Luck went into an uncontrolled summersault across the floor to crash into the Platform and dropping his blasters in the process! "Yes!" Cheers Vinnie, feeling good about how the fight was going this time! He wished someone were close enough for him to high-five with!

"Vinnie, don't get cocky!" Throttle cries out as he helps Modo up from behind the table they had been taking cover behind! "Don't worry, I got everything under control!" Vinnie called back sounding very sure of himself. The feeling didn't last long!

Hard Luck had gotten unsteadily back on his feet, his blasters on the floor! In a machine quick movement, Hard Luck's cyborg 3 clawed foot grabs one of the blasters and fires it! Its purple stun beam hits Vinnie's legs! "AAAAHH!" Vinnie cries out as he falls to the floor! Hard Luck then tosses the blaster into one paw while He grabbed the other blaster with his bandage-wrapped tail and lifts it to his other paw!

Everyone there looked on, stunned at how fast things changed, worse to come Hard Luck switched his blasters from the stun setting to Full Power, and pointed one blaster each at Throttle, and Modo, and the now immobilized Vinnie! He began to pull the triggers at the Stuck in his Sights helpless Mice!

Unnoticed during all this, Charley had crawled around from the other side of the platform. She watched in horror as her friends were about to be ruthlessly shot down by their Helpless Friend! Charley, almost without thinking, reached out and put her hands into the open control panel of the Platform, and she twisted and jammed some loose wires together!

Sparks flew from the panel! Power surged thru the Metal Posts, and they activated! Magnetic Power Built in the posts! It reached out and grabbed Hard Luck by his Cyborg Leg and Spine! He was pulled off his feet and slammed against the posts! He dropped his blasters, one blaster firing when it hit the floor, its destructive beam narrowly missing Throttle and Modo!

"Whoa!" Chorused both Throttle and Modo. They both felt the heat as the bolt flew between them! "I still got both ears, Bro?" Modo asked while reaching up to feel his ears with his left paw. "No worries Big Guy, you still got both, but Karbunkle's Computer took a direct hit to its brainpan." Throttle said as he looked over his shoulder at the smoking electronic ruin behind them.

"Vinnie!" Charley cried out and ran over to Him! Throttle and Modo staggered over to the platform! Throttle picked up the fallen blasters and went to help Charley with Vinnie! Modo reached out blindly with his left paw towards Hard Luck. Little Brother!?" He said sadly as he could hear Hard Luck painfully groaning as he struggled against the metal posts.

"Uhh!" Hard Luck sighed and then mercifully passed out. His head dropping to hang awkwardly against his chest. Throttle and Charley were trying to help Vinnie. "My legs, I can't feel my legs!" He cried out, sounding like he was on the verge of panicking! Being Helpless was not something he could cope with!

"Relax Vin-man, you just got stunned, it will wear off soon…I hope." Throttle told him while whispering that last part. "Sure, you will be fine real soon!" Charley added in, both to reassure Vinnie and herself! "Uh, they are all numb and tingly, it feels so freaky!' He whined.

They gathered around to try and get their breaths back figure out what they needed to do with Hard Luck and escaping and keeping Vinnie from wigging out. Suddenly a bunch of bleeping noises came from the platform's control panel. It shook and started to slowly rise towards the ceiling!

"Great, just great!" Growled Throttle! He pushed Vinnie into Modo's big arm. "Here Vinnie, catch!" He called out and tossed the White Mouse one of the blasters he was carrying and grabbed the edge of the platform as it floated upwards!

"Hey, what's going on?!" Modo gasped. "Dude where you going?! Vinnie shouted out. "Throttle!?" Charley added into! "You guys need to get down to the bikes and find our gear, now!" He shouted down to them. "Limburger is going to Freak when he finds out we got loose!"

Before they could throw more questions at him, he yelled down to them again! "I'll do what I can to keep him off your backs and do what I can to help your Little Brother Modo, I owe you and Hard Luck that much now Get Going!" Throttle ordered them as he started to disappear into the shadows above them hanging on by one paw!

Modo simply nodded and picked up Vinnie and placed him upon his shoulder and twisted his tail into Charley's Hands. "You heard the Leader Mouse, so let's get moving!" He barked in his best Freedom Fighter Sargent Voice. Charley and Vinnie just gawked at him.

"Vinnie watches our backs, and Charley You lead the way. Let's GO People NOW!" He yelled. Vinnie tried to balance himself as best he could on his perch and Charley almost saluted the Blind Mouse, but she just did as she was ordered and headed off into the Tower and trying to figure out how to get down to the Storage Bin Warehouse.

All 3 of them wondering if they would ever see their 2 friends again. She silently wondered if any of them would survive for that matter as well. She and the two Martian Warriors ran out of the Lab into the dark and sinister halls of the Tower.

To Be Continued...