Hey you guys...

Sorry, took me a while.
I had to overcome the biggest writer's block I ever had.
A nasty one, too.
Affected my self-esteem, big time.
But eventually, victory was mine again.

And then I wrote a chapter of almost 11.000 words.
I mean, how does that even make sense?
It's just crazy how my brain works, hehe.
I'm still a bit insecure and unstable at the moment, not sure why.
But hey, at least I wrote something again. :')

And thanks for the reviews.
They always help me to keep going.
So thanks for that.
Your support means the world.
Oh, and if you have questions about the story, please PM me.
I'm more than happy to answer them, as long as it doesn't involve spoilers, that is.

A little side-note before we begin; there are gonna be a few drastic changes in my life, starting Monday.
Therefore, I will have less time to write, so there might be a possibility that the updates take a bit longer than usual.
But know that I'll do everything within my power to combine this new lifestyle with my writing.

Anyway, here's the next chapter, the longest one I ever wrote, I think.
But after long consideration, I've decided to post it as one chapter instead of two, in order to do full justice to its content, if that makes sense.
I hope you like it.

Feel free to leave a review, always very much appreciated and till next time, my friends.

Later!

Chapter 30

"Hm. You weren't kidding when you said that things are complicated. That's quite the story you've got going on over there, rookie."

Throttle let out his breath, still staring at the small flower in his with a leather fingerless glove covered hand.
"I know…"
It was strange, but throwing all his cards on the table made him feel a little bit better.
As if he could breathe again, the tight strap around his chest, the one that seemed to be there twenty-four-seven, now loosened up a bit.
It was just a little bit.
A teeny tiny bit.
But it was enough, for now.
"I'm just… so lost, Stoke. I've never been this lost. I barely recognize myself. I just don't know what to do, a thing I'm not used to… At all…"

Much to his shock -and annoyance-, tears were suddenly burning behind his eyes and the tan-furred mouse quickly cleared his throat as he shifted his weight a bit uneasy.
He hadn't cried in a very long time, the last tears he had shed for the loss of his parents now years ago.
Shortly thereafter, the tears had just dried up to never return again.
He wasn't even sure if he was still able to cry with his biological eyes now replaced by bionic ones.
But the feeling was there.
That alone was already shocking enough.

After pulling his legs up, he wrapped his arms around them in a feeble attempt to comfort himself, to stop the tears that were threatening to overwhelm him.
He didn't want to cry, regardless if he was physically able to it or not.
And not because he was ashamed.
No, it was simply because he was scared that he wouldn't be able to stop once he got started.
There was just too much pain.
Too much confusion.
Too much… everything.
If he would allow himself to break now, he knew that he would never be able to pick up the pieces again.
He just didn't have the strength to do so.

And so, he didn't.
Break.
He just stared at the horizon, forcing his heart to go numb.
It was the only way to bear this.
To bear the consequences of his choice…
That awful choice…
No one should ever be facing this kind of choice.
It was just cruel and degrading.
Especially when one decided to follow the mind instead of the heart.
Kind of like he had done.

"I think I've made the wrong choice, Stoke…", he whispered, already feeling guilty by saying this out loud before the last word had left his mouth and yet, he finished the sentence.
He has this sudden urge to say it out loud.
This was probably the first time that he spoke about his doubts about him and Carbine, his doubts about their fucked up relationship that didn't bring even the slightest spark of happiness.
If one could call it a relationship in the first place.
But despite the guilt, it somehow felt strangely liberating.

"You keep saying that you have a choice, but what if you don't?"

Stoker's voice was calm as ever, but the words somehow didn't make sense.
As if they weren't spoken by him, for it went against everything Throttle had learned from none other than the master himself.
The very same one who was now at the other side of the radio, breathing softly, listening patiently to how his apprentice had messed up.
"But... there's always a choice, right?", the tan-furred mouse asked with a frown on his face, his gaze still fixated on the blue sky that defined Earth, although the image didn't really make it to his brain.
It was more like he was staring right through it, completely caught up in this mess that was called his mind.
"You taught me that yourself…"

"I'm not saying there ain't no choice, because yes, there always is. What I mean is; what if the choice has been made for you?"

Throttle's frown got deeper and he narrowed his eyes behind his glasses as he turned his gaze away from the sky, now staring at a spot close to his feet.
"You just lost me there, coach. What are you trying to say here?"

"Sometimes, it's fate that decides. That makes the choice for you."

This still didn't make any sense and the tan-furred mouse suddenly felt a pang of annoyance.
Honestly, why was he surrounded by people who loved to talk in riddles?
Why wasn't there someone in his inner circle who just said things as they were?
Was he cursed or something?
Dammit.
"Do you enjoy being this vague? Because I don't."

"Well, actually, I do. It helps to build up the tension. Keeps you focussed and all…"

Throttle took off his glasses and squeezed the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath to keep his calm.
Sometimes, this mouse was even better in crawling under his skin than Vinnie and by the Gods, they all knew that was saying something.
It was somehow hard to believe that it was possible for someone to be even more annoying than that white-furred loudmouth, but then there was Stoker, all willing to prove him wrong.
"Well, consider me focussed. So please… enlighten me."

A soft chuckle came over the speakers and still annoyed, the tan-furred mouse almost told his leader and friend that he was glad to hear that at least one of them was having a good time right now, but he stopped himself right on time and put his glasses back on his nose with a sigh.
It wouldn't be fair to take out his frustration on Stoker, for it wasn't his fault.
How could it be?
The guy wasn't even here.
No, it was him that was to blame and him alone.
But before he could possibly drown in his self-loathing, the brown-furred leader of the Martian Resistance snapped him out of it when he finally began to share his view on this extremely tiring and painful situation.
And it took a turn he never saw coming.

"You remember those Mind-Walking lessons I gave you?"

"Of course."
How could he forget?
The lessons had made a big impression on him, taking a Mind-Walk in particular.
It was both crazy and mindblown to take a look inside someone else's head as if it was your own.
As if their memories were yours.
As if their thoughts were yours.
Well, maybe they were, for a moment.
Or perhaps for all eternity, for he could remember every Mind-Walk he had taken, back on Mars.
And because of that, their memories and thoughts had become his as well.
Yup.
Crazy indeed.

"Well, then you know about the small part in our frontal lobe, the part that is connected with our antennas, the part that makes us able to communicate through telepathy, right?"

"Yeah, I believe it's called the Inpartior…", Throttle mused out loud, digging in his memory.
It was long ago when he had his last lesson, but for some reason, they were all burned into his brain.

"Bingo. I'm impressed that you still remember that, by the way. The history of Mind-Walking ain't exactly fun to learn, after all. It's quite boring, actually… Heavy stuff."

Perhaps that was true, but most parts had been very interesting and besides, someone was underestimating himself here.
"Lucky I had a pretty good teacher", Throttle smiled warmly, and he meant it with everything he had in him.
Good in crawling under his skin or not, it was a fact that without Stoker, he wouldn't be the mouse he was nowadays.
A leader where people could rely on.
Well, if he wasn't having mental breakdowns because of some human, that is…
Still.

After losing his father, whom he had idolized, he had been lost for a little while.
Clearly on the wrong side of the track, wandering to find the right path.
It was Stoker who found him, that day in the bar, when Mars still had bars.
It was Stoker who saw something in him.
Who believed in him.
Who gave him what he so desperately needed at that point.
A father figure.
Someone to lean on.
Someone who took him by the hand, if only for a little while.
And here they were.

"Sucking up doesn't suit you, boy."

Now it was Throttle's turn to chuckle.
Despite his ego, the brown-furred mouse always had a bit of trouble with being praised.
It made him feel awkward, or something like that.
But that didn't stop him from showing his appreciation towards the older mouse, simply because in his opinion, Stoker deserved the credits.
The guy was smart, crafty and not to mention persistent.
Thanks to him, Mars had survived the war as long as it did.
Man.

It must have broken his heart, to know that the planet he loved so much, the planet they all loved so much, their home, was now lost instead of free.
It was all he ever fought for, a free Mars, but he had lost.
They all had lost.
But, as always, nothing was able to bring Stoker down.
Even now, when he was critically injured and stuck under the ground with little to no medical help, his home forever gone, he was here.
Talking to him.
Helping him.
Seriously, the mouse was a true hero.
And just as easily distracted as Vinnie was.
"So, the Inpartior…", Throttle smoothly brought the conversation back to the subject.

"Right. Look, if you remember the name, then you also remember that there's still much to learn about this particular part of the brain. It's still not known how it works exactly and with Mars including its scientists being gone, I think we'll never know either. So let's stick with the original thesis for now, which is that it's able to connect, right? And not just for communication. It's like a… sixth sense. Extremely sensitive for the people around you. It also seems to play a big role in the complicated phenomenon that's called love…"

Throttle nodded, even though Stoker wasn't able to see it.
But he remembered this from their lessons.
That a very long time ago, when Martian Cave Mice still walked on all fours, they communicated differently than they did nowadays.
There was no spoken language, no words, no…
Only body language and the Inpartior.
It was all they had and yet, it seemed to be enough.
But what had ancient history to do with this whole thing with Charley?
Or maybe more to the point…
"What has this to do with fate?"

"Well, I know this is gonna sound weird, but someone very wise once told me that everyone has a life partner. Like a… soulmate. A person with whom you are destined to be with."

Once again, he was right.
It did sound weird.
Even beyond that.
"That sounds a lot like spiritual jibber-jabber to me, coach", Throttle muttered, shaking his head.
But he had to admit, even though it sounded like total bullshit, he was intrigued at the same time.
Deep down, he knew that there had to be more than what they could see with their bare eye.
Something someone had once given the name 'fate'.
He knew, mainly because he felt in every fiber of his body that he was meant to fight evil till his final breath.
To protect those who needed protection.
But a soulmate?
He wasn't sure if that was something that really existed.

"That's what I said too, at first, when I was young and foolish. But then I immersed myself in Martian history and learned the true meaning of the Inpartior. It still wasn't enough to convince me, but then I met… you know who…"

Oh, he knew alright.
Harley.
Vinnie hadn't been the only one smitten with the outgoing and friendly light-brown-furred mechanic slash nurse with eyes as blue as the sky here on Earth.
But was she really the right example to use when it came to fate?
After all…
"Look, I don't wanna sound insensitive here, but she was with…"

"Now what did I say about staying focussed?", Stoker cut him off sharply, and Throttle fell silent again, knowing he was on dangerous ground here.
This was a very touchy subject for the brown-furred mouse, after all.
One he never spoke about.
It was a miracle, to say the least, that he brought it up by himself.
But it was clear to him that even though he did, he still didn't want to talk about it.
Not really.
So perhaps it was better to change the subject again and bring it back to the main problem, which was his current suffering.
"So, uhm… What are you saying? That Charley is my life partner? My so-called soulmate?", he eventually asked, thereby breaking the awkward silence.
Luckily, Stoker answered the question without hesitation, his voice now calm again.

"I think that's what your Inpartior is trying to tell you. Your extreme behavior is nothing but ancient instinct. It's how we choose our partner ever since we exist, after all. It's in our DNA. And that's a fact that has been scientifically proven, so it's not just spiritual jibber-jabber. This shit is real, boy, no matter how weird it may sound. A little bit of fate, a little bit of Martian biology and voila, here we are."

"But she's a human. As far as I know, humans don't have this part in their brain. I mean, she's closed like a stuck zipper. I can't read her. Not in the usual way, that is… So how do I know that what you're saying is true? How do I know that it is, indeed, more than just casual love?"

"Well, that's easy. Take her on a Mind-Walk."

Throttle snorted in response.
Sure, just take her on a Mind-Walk.
Great idea.
If only things were that simple.
"I can't come close to her. Not that close. I'm not sure if I'm able to control myself if I do... "

"What are you afraid of? That you'll kiss her? Since when is that a crime, huh?"

It was a fair point.
But Stoker seemed to forget about one thing.
One light-grey-furred thing.
A thing he wasn't able to forget as easily as Stoker just did.
Man.
This conversation was both worrying and a relief.
Worrying because Stoker didn't tell him -as expected- that he belonged to Carbine.
That this whole thing with Charley was just a whim, after being with the same woman for like, forever now.
That he was taking a stray, searching for something that would make him feel alive again.
Kind of like an early midlife crisis, or something like that.
But he didn't tell him that.
Obviously, he didn't.

It somehow complicated matters even further, to the possible extent.
It meant that whatever was happening here, was real.
Maybe even physically explainable.
With a little touch of fate...
Which meant, in turn, that he couldn't run from this.
After all, no one could escape from destiny.

At the same time, it felt extremely liberating to talk about his problems, especially to discuss them with someone who had a monopoly on wisdom on Martian biology, which perhaps made him able to unravel this mysterious thing that was called his mind.
To bring some peace and understanding in this chaos that was slowly driving him crazy.
If only he wasn't so scared for the answers Stoker would give him.
But he asked the question, the one that was burning on his tongue, anyway.
No guts, no glory.
"What about Carbine? Where does she fit in?"

"She doesn't."

Oh.
"Why not?"

"You want an honest answer to that question?"

No.
"Yes."

"Because she's only holding you back."

Oh.
Just like he had told Charley.
That Max was only holding her back.
That she needed to let him go in order to bloom.
'Let's just say that I too held something close to me that wasn't healthy.'
That's what he said to her, when she had asked him about Carbine.
But what he didn't know back then, was that he was still holding her close.
Well, he knew now.
Why though?
Why couldn't he just let her go?
"How do you know?"

"Because if she was the one, we wouldn't be talking about this right now. Besides, I know a lost cause when I see one, kiddo."

"She's not a lost cause, she's just… lost", Throttle immediately contradicted, as if he was programmed to do so whenever people spoke ill about Carbine.
Maybe he was.
Brainwashed.
Who knew?
It would definitely explain a lot.

"Now you're just being naive, Throttle. And as your friend and leader, I feel obliged to tell you that she's not just lost, no matter how much it pains me to admit, for I care about her as well. But the truth is; she's drowning and none of us will be able to save her, simply because she won't let us. Not even you. And since you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved, there's only one thing left to do and that's keeping her from dragging you down with her. I know this sounds cheesy and cliche, but you need to follow your heart. Choose for yourself, instead of others, like you always do. Just for once… put yourself first."

Throttle swallowed with difficulty, for Stoker's words made an impact.
It was what Modo and Vinnie were trying to tell him for years already and usually, it went into one oversized ear and just as quickly out of the other.
But now it was Stoker who told him this and it felt different, somehow.
Maybe because he had never said this to him, ever before.
But now he did and holy shit, it was like a knife stabbing his heart.
Hearing Stoker of all mice saying this made it more real.
Tangible.
His doubts.
His feelings.

His heart was trying to tell him this all along.
And now, Stoker -and apparently, his Inpartior had joined the party as well- confirmed it and he couldn't deny it any longer.
They just weren't meant to be, no matter how much it pained him to admit it.
The tan-furred mouse lowered his gaze and slowly took off the glove of his right hand.
A silver ring engraved with Martian symbols on his index finger came into view and he just stared at it for a while.
But then, he took a deep breath and put the glove back on.
He needed to stay focussed.
After all, Carbine wasn't the only one who was standing in the way of this theory that was supposed to make sense.
"So tell me. How can I possibly put myself first when I'm obviously second choice?"

"What do ya mean, second choice?"

There was genuine confusion audible in Stoker's raw voice and Throttle shook his head in disbelief.
For the smart mouse he was, the brown-furred leader could be so slow on the uptake sometimes.
"She slept with Vinnie, remember? She chose him over me. I'm sure you know what that feels like."
He closed his mouth with a clap, cursing himself for letting that last part slip.
That wasn't supposed to come out for more than one reason.
Two reasons, to be exact.
One; it was him who had made the choice, not her. And by making his choice, he had driven her straight into Vinnie's arms.
Two; it was no secret that Stoker was truly heartbroken when he found out about Vinnie and Harley.
Well, he had pretended to be fine with it, but Throttle knew better.
He knew Stoker, for instance.
Better than anyone else.
And he had seen the pain in his brown eyes.
Anguish.

He remembered his confusion back then, not understanding this severe reaction.
But he guessed it made sense now.
Maybe Stoker was right.
About everything.
Maybe Harley was his life partner.
Maybe Charley was his.
After all, the thought alone of losing Charley was enough to feel the pain he had seen in Stoker's eyes.
Still, there were so many things that didn't add up.
But first things first.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that", he sighed apologetically, rubbing his stinging eyes under his glasses.
He was just so tired.

"No, you shouldn't. But to answer your question; no, I didn't forget about the punk. How can I? No one forgets about the punk, after all. Even my memories of him are as loud as he is. The kid knows how to make an impression, I have to give him that. But I just don't think that you're second choice. I think he is."

Throttle's heart skipped a beat when he heard the last words Stoker said.
In a weird and twisted way, it kind of made sense.
It happened after that horrible night, after all.
That night he had turned her down, brutal and cold.
And even though she kept denying it, he had hurt her, he knew he did.
He had seen it in her eyes.
The eyes told everything.
They never lied.

And he also happened to know that sometimes, when being in pain, people did stupid things in an attempt to forget about it.
To ease it.
To flee from it.
To do everything instead of just facing it.
Embracing it.
Hm.
This could get interesting after all.
"You think she used him as a rebound?"

"I do."

Oh, Modo's momma.
Whether he liked it or not, Throttle's lips curled into a small smile, he just couldn't stop himself.
Holy shit, karma really was a bitch.
But his smile vanished as quickly as it came.
Rebound or not, the fact remained that something was going on between them.
Assuming that Stoker was right about all this, that is.
After all, he might be smart, but he was still a mouse.
And mice made mistakes.
Even the smartest ones.
Look at him, for instance.
He was known to be smart.
And yet, here he was.
Man.

Either way, whatever the reason may be, Vinnie was standing between him and Charley, that he knew for sure.
And so was Carbine…
Shaking his head, he quickly ignored this whisper in the wind.
He wasn't ready to face reality, not just yet.
He still had too many questions.
"Okay, let's just say that everything you tell me is true. Then what on Mars is Vinnie's role in this story? Does he even have a role? I mean, if I have to believe him, it's all about the competition."

"Nah, it's not. He just wants you to believe that."

"Really, huh? Well, I guess it worked then."

"He has always been good with words. Don't tell him I've said that."

"Not to worry. We're barely on speaking terms right now. Something is eating his tail. If only I knew what…" Throttle trailed off again, stretching his legs.
His muscles protested loudly after being in the same position for too long and he leaned forward, grabbing his toes to stretch them.
"But if it isn't about the competition, what is it, then?"
Deep down, he was kind of scared to hear Stoker's answer to this.
What if it had something to do with love as well?
That they were both madly in love with this woman, this strange yet beautiful creature with the most amazing eyes he had ever seen?
This woman, who was kind and friendly.
And a total badass if she had to.
She was simply perfect.
Was it even possible?

He knew that in the past, there had been a few rare cases of male mice who had shared their female, but Throttle already knew that wasn't for him.
And certainly not for Vinnie.
He was way too egotistical to share.
He hardly shared his food, let alone a woman.
And what about Pip?
What was her role?
He was absolutely sure that she had one.
But what?
All he knew was that she was doing something to Vinnie.
Could it be love?
True love?
Like a… life partner?
Man.
So many, many questions.
So few answers.

"Well, here's what I think, based on what you've told me and the knowledge we have about the Inpartior. I think he too met Charley for a reason and therefore, he's attracted to her the same way you are. But before you're gonna freak out, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's love. Even though there are a few rare exceptions, one can only have one life partner. And I truly believe that she's yours. He needs her for something else and I think it has something to do with…"

"Harley", Throttle finished the sentence for him, knowing that his coach wasn't really able to say her name out loud.

"Yes."

"But if one can only have one life partner, and assuming that Harley was yours and Charley is mine, then why did they both end up with Vinnie? That doesn't really add up, Stoke. Unless he has some magnet for other one's life partners, somewhere thoroughly hidden… I can't say I'm surprised if he does though…"

"Sometimes, you meet the right person at the wrong time. Sometimes, other things have to happen first. Life's a journey, Throttle, you know that. Everything happens for a reason, whether you call it fate or not, and eventually, it will all make sense. But only when the time is there."

Tabbing his fingers against his lower lip, Throttle stared into the distance again, his already tired mind almost overwhelmed with all this new information.
It was vague and hardly tangible, but it did make sense, somehow.
Vinnie needed Charley first to find the right path and maybe, just maybe, that had something to do with Harley and Pip.
In his turn, he needed this time to cut loose from Carbine.
Sure, it was perfectly logical.
There was only one problem.
He didn't buy it.
Well, not really.
"I dunno, Stoke… It sounds… far-fetched. Like a fantasy."

"Then make it real. Take her on a Mind-Walk. Talk to the punk."

Throttle let out a humorless laugh.
"Ha, sure, talk to Vinnie. You know how he is, man. He'll never open up to me because he never does. He is, and I quote, too cool to be vulnerable."

"Ah, come on, since when do you actually believe what's coming out of that big mouth of his, huh? We all know that's just a lot of hot air. He trusts you, boy. Use the gentle approach. Give him space. Don't push him. And then he will talk to you. Trust me."

"Are we talking about the same Vinnie right now?", the tan-furred mouse asked a bit suspiciously.

"White fur, red eyes, young, wild, irresponsible, obnoxiously loud, big ego and even bigger mouth to compensate his major inferiority complex?"

"That sounds like Vinnie, alright…", Throttle chuckled, but then he grew serious again.
"But seriously, how can you be so sure?"

"Because we've talked. A lot. About his parents, the war… about… her… There's so much more to him than he shows. Again, don't tell him I said that. I mean, what if he finds out that I actually like him?"

"We will never hear the end of it, that's for sure. And what if I kill him?"

"Say what now?"

Throttle smiled a bit sad as he folded his hands behind his helmeted head, crossing his legs by the ankle.
"Well, I've noticed that when it comes to Charley, boundaries fade. And to be honest, there were a few occasions that I wanted to strangle Vinnie with his own tail and this time for real. I'm just… so angry all the time and frankly, it scares me. I've never felt this kind of anger before."

"I'm kind of surprised that he's still breathing, hehe. I mean, I know how strong this primal instinct can be. It can take over control in the blink of an eye. What puzzles me is; how did you manage to control yourself when you saw them together?"

Throttle gazed up to the sky, his hands still behind his head.
"Well, crazy enough, I felt happy for him at first. The anger came later, but it wasn't as strong as before. I just… he deserves to be happy, don't you think? After everything he has been through. The same goes for Charley. Next to that, I made my choice, or at least, I thought I did. All things considered, I figured that I had no right to be angry at him. But deep down, I am."

A sharp, hissing sound suddenly tickled his eardrums and he almost jumped on his feet, in a way convinced that it was the sound of a grenade that was ready to explode.
But right before he did, he suddenly realized that it was Stoker who was sighing excessively loud and he pulled a face, annoyed by the sound and by the fact that he could be so stupid sometimes.
Not to mention paranoid.
A grenade, yeah right.
Geez.
"You're depleting, Stoke."
But his coach ignored that comment and immediately went for the attack.
Perhaps an armed grenade wasn't such a stupid thought after all.

"You know what your problem is? You're too good for this world. You care too much. Call it a gift, but it's a curse at the same time. You always put yourself on the sideline. But listen to his. Mars is gone. Forever. Things will never be the same again and I dunno, maybe that's a good thing. But Earth is still breathing. Barely, maybe, but it's still here and it needs our help. In turn, it offers us a new chance. A new beginning. Fight for it, Throttle. Because the universe is pretty scarce on second chances. It can be over before you know it. I didn't fight for you know who and look what that brought me. So I suggest you don't screw it up. You know what to do."

"And what if I lose control?"

"You won't. Because you have a good heart. Besides, a little risk never killed anyone, the same goes for a few well-placed punches. The punk will live. He's resilient. But if you're really that worried, why don't you ask Modo to stick around, huh? He'll be able to stop you if things go wrong. Look, I know it sounds like total BS, but trust me when I say that all of this will work out. Eventually. Take the time you need to figure it out. And when the time is there, you'll know it."

Throttle bit his lower lip as a silence followed.
It wasn't an awkward one.
Or a loaded one.
No, it was a peaceful one.
Even though all this was almost too much to comprehend, even though it complicated matters even further, it still felt good to talk about it.
Next to that, it was somehow good to know that there was at least some kind of explanation about what was happening to him, regardless if he believed it or not.

That fact alone eased his troubled mind.
It took away some of the guilt because if Stoker was right, all this wasn't really his fault.
It was fate.
Meant to be.
With a little touch of Martian biology...

If he was right, that is.
And that was something he still needed to figure out.
All he needed was some time.
Time to let it sink in.
And once that happened, he would take action.
No matter the consequences.
Because Stoker was right about one thing.
He always put himself on the sideline.
Maybe it was, indeed, time to change his methods.
Maybe it was time that he stood up for himself.
For a better future.
Because right now, there was nothing he wanted more.

'All I want to do is trade this life for something new…
Holding on to what I haven't got…'

…

After saying goodbye to Stoker, along with the promise that he would do everything within his power to be in California as fast as possible, Throttle shut down the radio.
His gaze lowered and he looked at the small flower that was still in his hand.
He then heaved a sigh and threw it away before he climbed back on his feet.
Stretching the sore muscles in his back, he looked over his shoulder, to see that the rest, including Pip and Charley, were waiting for him at the beginning of the unpaved path that led back to the main road.

As he walked over to them, he gave himself a firm mental shake, determined to let things be the way they were, for now.
To give himself the time he needed to let Stoker's theory sink in without rushing it.
And in the meantime, he might as well be the person they all needed him to be.
A leader where they could rely on.
Enough with the wallowing in self-pity.
Enough with the misery.
No more.
For now, he needed to focus on their mission, namely; getting to California in one piece.
And so he did.

"So, did you find something to eat?", he asked with his husky voice as he joined the small group.
His bike was standing next to Modo and he gave his grey-furred bro a nod to thank him for taking his bike outside.
Modo just gave him a warm smile in return and while Throttle mounted his beloved ride, Charley answered his question.
"Not unless you want to risk a serious food poisoning", she sighed before holding up a bottle of water.
"We found this though. So it wasn't entirely useless."

Throttle nodded, although he didn't actually agree with her on the useless part.
In his opinion, their search was the opposite of useless, whether they had found the bottle or not.
Because by the looks of things, Pip hadn't tried to do anything to Charley, neither had she tried to run away from them.
This confirmed his theory that she was, indeed, to be trusted.
But there was no need to say that out loud.
And so he didn't.

His eyes darted from the human female with her marvelous green eyes to the young girl with braided black hair, who sat on her bike, staring at Vinnie with a certain intensity he couldn't place, but the white-furred youngster completely ignored her by staring at a spot close to the front tire of his bike.
Okay.
This wasn't awkward, at all…
It was clear that even though Vinnie seemed to accept the situation as it was, or something like that, there was still a lot of tension lingering in the air between them.

Ah well.
At least he wasn't ripping her head off.
That's a start.
He just needed some time to get used to her.
To find out what she was doing to him…
"Well, let's just keep our eyes open. I'm sure we will find something on the way, eventually", the tan-furred leader suggested optimistically, trying to lighten up the mood a bit.

As Modo and Charley mumbled something in agreement, Pip leaned forward on her bike, her elbow resting on the tank as she used her hand to support her head.
"I like your bike", she casually pointed out while her two-colored eyes darted over the cherry-red racer.
"Me too", Vinnie answered shortly, not even bothering to turn his head to look at her.
Not just that, there was a sharp tone audible in his voice as well.

Well, actually, his whole appearance practically screamed 'leave me the fuck alone!'.
But that didn't stop Pip from a further attempt to communicate with the stubborn and maybe a bit cranky white-furred mouse.
Well, Throttle couldn't say that it surprised him, not after the conversations he had with her.
She was like the queen of provoking.
"It looks fast."
"It is."

After a short silence, Pip got back upright and laid her hands on the handlebars of her deep-black bike, a somewhat innocent yet challenging look on her face.
A look that could only mean trouble.
And yet, Throttle didn't intervene.
No, he just waited to see what would happen.
"Not as fast as mine, of course."

That did take Vinnie's full attention and he now slowly turned his head towards her, his -also- two-colored eyes narrowed.
"What did you just say?"
"Oh, come on. You must have heard me with those big ears of yours", Pip answered sweetly, her eyes turned up to heaven for a moment before she looked back at him with waving lashes and pursed lips.
Oh, man.
This girl really was a teaser.

Vinnie placed his right hand behind him and leaned a bit closer to her, the tip of his tail already dancing.
"I don't think I did. My ears may be big, but they usually don't listen to bullshit. So maybe you can repeat that... Pippa...", he suggested just as sweetly, although his usual high-pitched voice was now low and even slightly trembling.
But again, Pip either ignored the signs or she didn't see them, but Throttle suspected it was the first.

Either way, she too leaned a bit closer to him with a teasing smile on her face.
"Well, since you're asking so politely… Vincent... I was just pointing out the obvious here."
"And that is… what exactly?"
"That my bike is faster than yours."
Oh boy.
Trouble indeed.
Again, the tan-furred leader considered to intervene, but he eventually decided not to and he folded his arms as he looked at the two with a slightly amused look on his face, deep down hoping that they wouldn't kill each other.
Ah well.
He could always intervene if they tried.

"Oh, really, huh?", Vinnie snorted as he got back upright and put on his helmet.
"Why don't we put it to the test?"
As if on cue, his bike started her powerful engine to strengthen his words and Throttle quickly hid his smile.
Knowing Vinnie, he had probably practiced these moments with his bike, teaching her how to react on certain words and quotes.
Anything to be the cool guy.

Pip, however, wasn't exactly impressed.
No, she was looking at Vinnie with a so-called investigative look, rubbing her chin but eyes twinkling with vice.
"I dunno, man… I mean, you don't strike me as the 'good loser' kinda guy…"
It was obviously a poor choice of words, or perhaps a very well chosen one.
After all, it were precisely the kind of words that could tick Vinnie off, a thing she must be aware of.
Of course, she was, slick as she was.

And indeed, the white-furred adrenaline junkie took the bait.
He almost fell off his bike when he heard her say the L-word, a word that no one was allowed to say out loud in his presence.
Well, not if it was about him, that is.
"Loser? Loser?! Sweetheart, I never lose", he exclaimed with his eyes wide open, deeply offended by the fact that she would even suggest such a thing.
Pip nodded with a supposedly impressed look on her face before she put on her helmet.
"Well, you know what they say…", she started innocently, perhaps almost lazily as she slowly turned the key, glancing at Vinnie out of the corner of her eye with a somewhat smug smile.
"...there's a first time for everything."

Before Vinnie, or any of them for that matter, could respond, she started her bike and immediately sped away, laughing loudly.
The young mouse blinked a few times, but he then seemed to realize what was happening here.
"Oh, hell no…", he muttered and while his bike popped a wheelie, he closed his visor with a look on his face that was the definition of determined.
As soon as his front tire hit the ground, he gave chase with dangerous speed, leaving the rest of the small team behind in a cloud of dust.

Throttle coughed as he waved his hand in an attempt to clear the air so he could breathe properly instead of eating dust.
He then shared a meaningful look with Modo before he shrugged his shoulders a bit helpless.
"Kids these days."
"No control", his grey-furred brother agreed as he folded his arms with shaking head.
"Do they even know where they're going?", Charley wondered out loud, following the two with her eyes.
"Good point, Charley-girl", Throttle chuckled and after giving her a quick look, he started his bike.
"Come on, let's follow them before they're gonna get us all lost."

...

Meanwhile, Vinnie was pushing his bike to the limits to get past Pip, but even he had to admit; she had some serious biking skills.
And to be even more honest; her bike was, indeed, fast.
Of course, it wasn't really alarming.
Maybe she was good, but he was better.
He always was.
No one was able to beat him.
Him, the velocity atrocity.
Motocross champion of the galaxy.
He just had to play a bit more… dirty.
Biker Mice style.
And so he did.

His eyes scanned his surrounding for something that could help him to get back in lead, where he belonged, instead of eating dust of a human girl that was as intriguing as much as she was infuriating.
He soon spotted just the thing he needed and with a small smile, he used his weight to swerve to the right.
That took Pip's attention and he could see her looking at him in her side mirror.
When she saw what he was doing, she too took a gentle curve to the right in order to stay right in front of him, giving him no room to pass her.
The young mouse shook his head, despite his anger towards her somehow amused by the fact that she, apparently, thought that she could outsmart him.
But no one ever could.
Or his name wasn't Vinnie van Wham.

Zigzagging to avoid the many pits and holes in the road, Vinnie kept a close eye on her to see what she was doing.
But she remained where she was, and that was right in front of him, completely unaware of what he was planning.
Good.
And now, it was time to shine.
He pushed a small button on his left handlebar and with a soft zooming sound, two heavy laser weapons came out of the front of his bike next to the mouse-shaped headlight.

Still with a smile on his face, he swirled even further to the right and aimed the laser at the streetlight that stood close to an abandoned truck.
"Boom", he whispered as he took the shot, which was, of course, perfect.
The laser hit the pole right above the asphalt and with a creaking sound, it tilted to the left.
When the metal couldn't carry the weight any longer, it just snapped like a twig and the pole landed on the back of the truck with a loud thump, the glass of the light shattering into a million pieces.
Exactly like he had planned.

Pip, who had been driving next to the truck when he took the shot, looked at her right, probably a bit startled by the rain of glass before checking his position in the mirror again, but only to see that he wasn't behind her anymore.
No, he was speeding towards his self-made ramp and right before his front tire touched the metal, he fired his jets and pulled back his handlebars.
His beloved bike flew forward as if it was fired by a catapult, her engine roaring loudly and soon, the tires came loose from the ramp.
Adrenaline rushed through his veins like wildfire, chasing away his restlessness, his anger, his troubles, his everything and he howled happily when he felt the wind pulling on his clothes.
This was living.

"Aaaaoooww, airborne Martian Thunder coming through!"
When he flew right above Pip, she looked up and thanks to her open visor, he was perfectly able to see that she was far from amused.
Which was exactly what he had hoped to see.
It was tempting to make a few somersaults to annoy -or impress- her even more, but eventually, he didn't, simply because he would lose too much speed if he did.
So, he just waved at her with a big smile, which worked just as well because, by the looks of things, it made her even more pissed.
It was kind of cute, actually.
Did she honestly think that she could actually beat him in a race?
Ha.
Right.
Never challenge a van Wham.
It would always lead to one thing.
Failure.
Hehe.

Shaking his head in both amusement and disbelief because of her naivety, he started his descent and soon thereafter, the tires made contact with the ground again.
His bike wobbled because of the rough landing, but he soon had her back under control and now it was him who watched Pip in his side mirror.
When he saw her fuming eyes, he pumped his fist in the air, all hyped up because of this awesome and smoothly executed stunt.
"Aaaoww, the baddest!"
"Hey, foul, you can't violate a course hazard that way, come one!", she yelled at him, her cheeks red with anger as she still tried to come closer, which was, of course, no use.

Vinnie smiled innocently as he adjusted his mirror.
"I am a course hazard, sweetheart, not to mention one of your major scenic attractions", he called over his shoulder with wiggling eyebrows as he gained even more speed.
"Besides, this is street racing, Martian style! If you wanna challenge me, you better get used to it, doll."
"This is Earth, pancake ears, not Mars! Therefore, you're cheating! No Earth bike can do what you just did, so how is this even fair?!", Pip shouted back.

Despite his breakneck speed, she was still able to stay close enough for him to hear her, which made her a worthy opponent, that he couldn't deny, even though he wanted to.
"Fair, 'ey? Well, here's a lesson for ya; life ain't fair. And you, pretty lady, are just a sore loser."
And after giving her one of his most charming smiles, he turned his attention back on the road, determined to stay in the lead.
At this point, he would probably do anything to teach her a lesson.
It was the least she deserved after all the trouble she had given them.
After trapping him like a rat and not just one but two times.
All things considered, he was being polite here.

But when he looked a bit further ahead, he suddenly saw something in the middle of the road, some kind of silhouette.
A bit confused because he couldn't place it, he leaned forward on his bike, his eyes narrowed in an attempt to distinguish the black shadow of the rest of the obstacles on the road.
What the…
But as he rapidly came closer, he soon saw what it was and his heart skipped a few beats.
Holy shit.

With both hands and feet, he hit the brakes and his bike beeped loudly in protest because of this sudden and quite rough treatment, but the young mouse ignored it, for he didn't exactly have a choice.
With this speed, he couldn't just go around it, especially since the road they were currently driving on was filled with holes and pits, not to mention the abandoned vehicles that were scattered over the different lanes.
He needed to plan every move to make sure he wouldn't end up dead after hitting one of the obstacles, but there simply wasn't enough time, so this was kind of his only option at this point.

But since he was driving like he was being chased by a hungry Memphant, meaning; like a madman -or in his case, a madmouse-, his braking distance was longer than usual and he soon realized that if he wouldn't intervene, he was going to hit her.
Her.
A middle-aged woman, sitting on her knees in the middle of the road, holding something in her arms.
Something that looked a lot like a child.
Shit, what was she doing there anyway?

Well, right now, it didn't matter.
Right now, he needed to do everything within his power to stop this wild ride.
Clenching his teeth, he used every muscle in his body to make a 90 degree turn and immediately threw his weight around.
His bike leaned to the left and his knee now almost scraped over the warm asphalt, but that was the least of his concerns.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally came to a halt and after pulling his bike back upright, he placed both feet on the ground.
For a moment, all he heard was his own breathing, the sound reflected by his helmet and he opened his visor, for it somehow made him a bit nervous.
As the smell of burning rubber filled his nose, the sound of another pair of shrieking tires announced Pip's presence and he looked at his left, seeing the black bike speeding towards him with high speed.
Pip's eyes were wide open in shock and fear as she came straight at him, clearly doing everything within her power to stop before someone might get hurt.
Like him, for instance.
But the thing was, she was already too close.
There just wasn't enough time for him to get out of her way.
Oh shit.

In a reflex, Vinnie closed his eyes and braced himself for impact.
But impact never came and after a few seconds of watching his life passing in front of his eyes, he opened the left one and peeked through his eyelids, only to see Pip skidding to a halt only inches away from him.
Pfew.
Close one.
Awesome.

But not everyone agreed with that.
Pip most certainly didn't.
"Jesus, do you have a deathwish or something? I almost crashed into just now, holy shit", she spat out as she practically ripped off her helmet, her eyes fuming in pure fury.
Seeing her anger, that was triggered by him, made him forget about the woman for a moment.
He simply needed all his focus to enjoy this moment, to enjoy that the tables were turned.
That now, it was him who spoiled her plans instead of the other way around.
That now, it was him who was pulling the strings and oh boy, he loved it with every fiber in his body.
And so, to just fan the flames, his lips curled into a smug smile.
"I win."

Her reaction was priceless, if he may say so.
Kind of as if he just slapped her in the face and she gasped for air, but before she could start her rant, another voice beat her to it.
"Help me! Please, help me! He's dying! Oh god, he's dying! I don't know what to do!"
Vinnie suddenly snapped back to reality and remembered why he had to stop in the first place and he turned his head to the right.
Soon, his gaze landed on the woman closeby them and an unsettling feeling washed over him when he looked into her wide-open eyes.
He wasn't sure why, but there was just something about her that gave him the chills, which was weird because he usually wasn't that easily impressed.

His eyes lowered, mainly to avoid her burning gaze and he now saw that she was, indeed, holding the motionless body of a child in her arms.
He couldn't see his face, but the clothes he wore were dirty and torn, so were hers.
"Help me, please, help me", the woman sobbed and he looked up again, seeing how she wiped her greasy blond hair out of her small face.
"Oh god, please do something… I can't lose him… He's all I have…"

She was now crying out loud, rocking the body of the small boy in her arms and the despair that was written upon her face cut right through his soul.
That made him wonder…
Why was he still standing here?
Staring at her, like she was some kind of freak?
Well, in his defense, her popping up out of nowhere in the middle of the road was kind of… unexpected, next to shocking, especially because he had almost run over her like a goddamn tank.

His brilliant but with adrenaline overwhelmed brain just needed some time to process all that.
But time wasn't really on his side now, and most certainly not on the woman's side.
She obviously needed help and he, as a Freedom Fighter, was obliged to give her that.
That's what he did, after all.
Helping and protecting those who needed it.
And being cool and badass while he was at it, of course.
Of course.

But when he stepped off his bike, a warm hand grabbed his arm.
"Don't."
Vinnie looked at the hand on his arm first before he slowly looked up, straight into the peculiar eyes of Pip.
They were kind of intriguing, he had to give her that.
It made him feel less insecure about his own eyes, for he now could see that it had a certain… beauty.
Ahum.

Not liking the turn his thoughts were taking right now, he quickly gave himself a firm mental shake and he suddenly noticed that next to being peculiar, her eyes weren't fuming anymore.
No, the anger was now replaced with something that looked a lot like fear and it confused him, for she didn't strike him as someone who was easily frightened.
The race they just had was the proof of that.
Driving at such incredibly high speeds was not reserved for those who were powered by fear.

Next to that, he could sense… no, even smell that her body was on high alert.
It practically breathed adrenaline, a scent he was all too familiar with.
This, in turn, alerted him as well and he felt how every muscle tightened, how his heartbeat increased even further, how a slight tingling tickled his stomach…
Hm.
Something was, without a doubt, going on here.
But what?

"Don't? Why not? I mean, look at her. She needs our help. We can't just stand here and do nothing", he told her as he quickly shook her hand off his arm, for it distracted him more than he liked to admit.
He didn't want her near him, let alone allowing her to touch him, but when he did another step into the woman's direction, she already grabbed his arm again and this time in an even tighter grip.
Perhaps it would've hurt if he wasn't the badass he was.
But it were her words that made him stop again.
Or maybe it was the compelling tone in her husky voice.
Or the slight tremble that gave away her nervousness.
Well, whatever it was, he stopped to listen to her, he just couldn't help it.
"Yes, we can. In fact, we need to get the hell out of here now we still can. Right now."

Narrowing his eyes in confusion, Vinnie looked at the woman, searching for a sign that would explain Pip's, in his eyes, excessively paranoid reaction.
But he didn't see one.
Well, not really.
With her burning gaze now fixated on the small boy in her arms, all he saw was a helpless, desperate woman that was mumbling to herself as she was rocking back and forth.
Dude.
He couldn't just let her sit there, now could he?
What if the kid could still be saved?
What if he had another chance to be the hero he so desperately needed to be to feel alive and wanted?
What if he threw away a most desirable opportunity to prove Pip wrong, if only to oppose her?

But then there was his instinct.
His instinct, which was screaming that something wasn't right here, although it felt more like paranoia than instinct at this point.
It didn't really matter, actually.
Instinct or paranoia, the urge to prove that Pip wasn't to be trusted was ten times stronger than any other feeling and so, he looked back at her with cold eyes, all ready to tell her that she could go to hell, but then, the sound of purring engines already distracted him again and he looked up, even though he already recognized the sounds.

Throttle stopped right in front of him and opened his visor.
His gaze wandered over Pip's hand on Vinnie's arm, the desperate look on her face, Vinnie's cold and distant facial expression, his twitching left ear…
"What is going on here?"
But before the two young rascals could answer his question, a high shriek close to his ear made him flinch, his eardrums vibrating by the sudden and toe-curling high sound.
A sound that, as it turned out, came out of Charley's mouth.
"Oh my God, we need to help her!", she called out as she jumped off her bike.

Throttle followed her gaze and his heart skipped a beat when he saw a woman sitting in the middle of the road, holding a boy in her hands, a boy that couldn't be much older than ten years old.
A ten-year-old boy that didn't move.
He too jumped off his bike, but something made him stop, all of a sudden.
It was just a feeling, a hunch, but it was there and he had learned not to ignore his instinct.
Something wasn't right here.
It was too... quiet…
Kind of like a calm before the storm.

In the meantime, Charley wanted to rush over to the woman, clearly unaware of the hardly palpable tension that hung in the air, but Pip let go of Vinnie and grabbed Charley's arm instead.
"No, stop, it's a trap…", she started, but Charley already cut her off, her green eyes fuming as she looked down at the young girl.
"Take your hands off me, now."
When she didn't, the human female yanked herself free, but now it was Throttle who did a few steps forward as he already reached out for Charley, although he was looking at Pip.

"What do you mean, a trap?", he asked urgently, but Charley was, again, already attempting to get to the woman, thereby escaping his grabby hand and as another result, Pip ignored his question as she ran after the older woman.
"No, Charley, you don't understand! I fell for this trick once and it ended up badly, trust me..."
"Trust you? Funny you mention that. After all, how can we trust you after what you did to us?", Vinnie now meddled in the conversation, but despite his anger and disbelief, his tail wrapped around Charley's wrist to stop her.
Pip's face darkened, so was Charley's as she looked at the white-furred tail around her arm but Throttle suddenly noticed that Modo wasn't standing next to him anymore.

A pang of rare panic made him gasp for air, his body on high alert now because there were so many things happening at the same time and just like that, it wasn't under his control anymore.
Just like that, this situation had got a life of its own and he knew from experience that when this happened, things were about to get ugly.
He quickly looked up, seeing that the grey-furred giant was already on his way to the woman, who was still softly sobbing for help.
Dammit.
This wasn't going very well.

"Big fella, wait!", he called after his friend as he quickly followed him.
Vinnie came into movement as well, letting go of Charley in the process while he hissed something at her, something that sounded a lot like 'stay where you are'.
He probably knew just as well as Throttle that she wouldn't listen, but right now, their bro was their number one priority.
Because bro's always had each other's backs, no matter their differences.
Always.

"No, guys, stop! You're walking straight into an ambush!", Pip called after them, but Modo didn't stop and so his bro's and Charley didn't either, though Throttle still tried to talk some sense into his older bro.
"Modo, we don't know what's going on here, man, maybe we should think it through before we…", but Modo wasn't having any of it.
"All I see is a lady in need and as my old grey-furred momma used to say; 'You never let a lady down.'"

The tan-furred leader opened his mouth again, but Vinnie was faster, immediately taking his chance to prove his point, capricious as he was.
As if he hadn't just tried to keep Charley out of this, an action that told Throttle that he didn't trust this either.
But, as expected, that fact was conveniently forgotten all of a sudden and all that mattered now was to prove himself right.
Damn that ego of his.
"He's right, ya know, and so is his mom. We need to help her. Pip is just talking shit."
Still, it didn't elude Throttle that his young bro was just as restless as he was, confirming his earlier thoughts, namely; his instinct wasn't the only one in a state of readiness.

Modo's instinct probably said the same, it had to, but unfortunately, the life lessons he had learned from his beloved mother had much more value and therefore credibility to him than his instinct and so he proceeded his way to the helpless woman.
"Guys, please just listen to me! I'm not shitting you here! Come back!", he heard Pip yelling at them and the tone in her voice made Throttle reach out to Charley again, but she suddenly quickened her pace.
Again, all he grabbed was air and before he could stop it, they all reached the woman, whether he liked it or not.

Charley immediately knelt down next to her, so did Modo.
"What happened, ma'am?", he asked friendly as he reached out to her, while Charley already examined the boy in her arms, as far as that was possible with the woman clinging onto his body.
Throttle's unease grew and he shifted his weight as his gaze went from the woman back to their surroundings.
He felt the same restlessness he had felt right after they crashed on this planet, but he knew there was nothing he could say or do to stop these two from helping a woman in need because that's who they both were.
Always willing to help.
Still.
Something was very, very wrong here.

A weird sound suddenly took his attention and he looked down at the woman again, so did Vinnie.
Her body was shaking, her face now buried into the child's neck, making it unable for them to see her facial expression.
The same muffled sound reached his ears again and he frowned, for he couldn't place the sound, even though it sounded so familiar at the same time.
"He has a pulse", Charley suddenly breathed and she looked up to Throttle, relief written upon her face.
"A strong one, too."
She then looked back at the woman and laid her hand on her back.
"Ma'am? I know it's a lot to ask right now, but you need to give us some space so we can examine him..."

Again, that weird sound was heard and it suddenly clicked.
She wasn't crying.
She was laughing.
And indeed, the woman slowly lifted her head, laughing louder and louder and Charley pulled back her hand as if she was on fire, for the smile on the woman's face bordered dangerously close to insanity.
Modo slowly rose on his feet with a frown on his still worried face and Throttle quickly grabbed Charley to pull her away from the woman, his heart almost exploding out of his chest.

Vinnie already reached for his gun, but just when his fingers touched the soothing metal, loud clicks were heard and the young mouse froze, so did the rest.
"Hands where I can see 'em, boys", an unfriendly voice ordered.
Throttle quickly looked around him, but immediately saw that they were completely surrounded by a group of humans, both male and female.
And it was soon clear that these people didn't come even close to the ones they had left behind in the little town, so weren't their weapons.
No.

These people were dangerous.
He could see it in their eyes.
They were all empty.
They lived without hope.
And where there's no hope, there's no life.
And where there's no life, there's no compassion.
No love.
Only hate.

He then looked at the woman again, who was back on her feet as well.
And so was the boy, who, as it turned out, wasn't unconscious or wounded after all.
No, actually, he looked quite lively, with that same insane smile on his face like his mother.
Great.
Just great.

"Fools. You should've taken your friend's advice while you still could. She did", the woman told them as she pointed at something behind them, still with that disturbing smile.
"I've never seen someone flee as quickly as she just did. Wise, but cowardly nevertheless..."
The mice and Charley followed her finger and looked over their shoulder, to see that Pip was, indeed, gone.
And so was her bike.

Vinnie let out a groan, his tail lashing through the air as his raised hands clenched into fists.
"She bailed on us… She just bailed on us...", he whispered angrily before he glanced at Throttle with a look that said it all.
Here we go...
"Of course she did. See?! I told ya we couldn't trust her!"
"Oh momma…", Modo sighed in defeat as he too raised his hands, a sad look on his face.
Throttle let out his breath and he shared a worried look with Charley as they both raised their hands as well, obviously thinking the same thing.
Did they make a mistake by trusting Pip?