Road Rovers IV: The Vengeance of a Dog
Written by: GenPar96
Story by: GenPar96
Author's Note: This is the fourth installment of my Road Rovers series, which is meant to be a soft reboot to the show, with serious themes and much more drama than the show while adding moments of levity/humor to stay in the spirit of the show. In my series, the episodes Dawn of the Groomer and Reigning Cats and Dogs did not happen. It will all be revealed in this story. Road Rovers and the original characters are property of Warner Bros. Any character created for this story is by me, GenPar96. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!
July 30th, 2001
Darkness. Pure blackness. Then, blurry vision.
Distorted Voice: Wake up. Wake up!
The vision becomes clear. Max looks around.
Max: What? Where am I? Where's Colleen?
Distorted Voice: Hey, you will answer all of our questions. Do you understand that?
Max hears this and looks to see where the voice is coming from, but can only see a speaker hooked at a corner of the room.
Max: Who? Who are you?
Distorted Voice: That doesn't matter. What matters now is who you are. What is your name?
Max looks and sees a big silver table in front of him. He then looks down and see's that he is strapped to a chair, with straps on his arms, legs, and chest.
Max: (sighs) You've got to be kidding me.
Distorted Voice: What's your name?
Max: Screw. You.
Distorted Voice: Who do you work for?
Max: Kiss my tail!
Max tries to remove the straps with his telekinesis but gets electrocuted from the chair he's strapped on.
Max: AARRGHHH!
The chair stops electrocuting him, making Max try to get a breath of air.
Distorted Voice: Your name is Max Thomas Parker. You were born in Anchorage, Alaska, on March 15th, 1972. On June 18th, 1998, you were assigned by Parvo to develop a new army for him. On July 26th, 1999, you were the first test subject in a brand new version of cano-sapien. After Parvo found out you had the hots for Groomer, you were sent to prison in August. Then in January 2000, you escaped and joined a team known as the Road Rovers. Is that correct?
Max stares at the wall and doesn't speak. He gets electrocuted again.
Max: AARRGHHH!
The electrocution stops.
Distorted Voice: IS. THAT. CORRECT?!
Max: (gasping for air) Yes...
Distorted Voice: Now, listen to me, Mr. Parker. We're asking you questions and we want them answered. Give us what we want and we'll guarantee your safety.
Max looks around and looks down.
Max: Okay... I'll cooperate...
Distorted Voice: Alright. Let's start from the beginning before you ended up here. Take us to the 28th, when you were in Nepal. We know you were there.
Max: The 28th? Oh, Hernandez. We went into Nepal to apprehend this drug lord named Pepe Hernandez.
July 28th, 2001
Max is sitting on his bed watching TV. He had just finished eating breakfast and has a strawberry soda can on his nightstand. Taking a sip from the can, he looks at one of the most recent entries in his journal.
July 26th, 2001
Two years. I can't believe two years have passed since I have been a dog. As much as I want to admit that being a dog is intolerable for me, I've grown accustomed to kind of liking it. It's not often you can be a super-powered dog and join a team of other dogs like yourself to bring peace and good to the world. This is something I feel should be the main plot of a movie or a TV show, but no. This is all too real to make up. I wonder how Hubert is doing on that cure of mine. I know I should ask him, but it's been a year since I gave him the plans. I don't think I should disturb him. I'm sure he's doing fine. If he's done by now, then I can't wait to be a human again. Back to Salt Lake City in my research facility, back to helping the world. Though, I guess I'm already helping it. But I just can't wait to be back as a human so my mother can recognize me again. Just you wait, Mom. You will see your son again. I'm sure of it.
He looks down where the TV is to take a look at his PlayStation 2, the new console he got for Christmas last year from the Rovers. This reminded him of the entry he made that day. He fumbles through the journal until he gets to the entry.
December 25th, 2000.
My first Christmas with the Rovers. Strangely, it felt like I was having Christmas with my family. Everyone was having a great time and was thankful for what they had, exactly how I feel about what Christmas is about. We gave gifts we got for each other; I got Colleen some perfume and make-up. They got me this new video game console that Sony was making called the PlayStation 2, as well as all of their launch titles to play. I was excited for this to come out since it can play CDs, DVDs, and can even play almost all of the original PlayStation games. I can't wait to hook this in my TV and start playing with it. But, first, we got to eat dinner, and then it's movie night. We'll be watching "It's a Wonderful Life", my favorite Christmas movie. When I was a human, I always tried my best to watch that movie with my family. I'll never forget my first time watching it. It was Christmas of 1986 when they aired a double feature of the movie, one was in black and white and the other was in color. The first time I watched it, I thought it was an amazing story and I remember getting teary-eyed by the ending, making it one of the few times I cried watching a film (Well, the ending of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial got me too when I got to go see it when it first came out when I was nine.) When I watched it for the second time, I was amazed at how great the movie looked in color. It looked like the movie was made yesterday, and I watched a lot of action films at the time with my stepdad, Daniel Myers. Out of all the Christmas movies made, that movie just speaks Christmas to me. Got to have dinner and watch the movie. I'll continue writing tomorrow.
Max gets interrupted by his radio.
Hunter: (on radio) Max, where are you? We need you at the briefing.
Max takes the radio from his pocket and puts it near his mouth.
Max: I'll be there in a minute, Hunter.
Max puts his journal under his bed and walks out of the room with the can in his hand.
Max walks to the mission room and sits in his usual seat. He looks to the left and sees two brand new members of the team who were inducted just a month ago, a black Mexican male Calupoh named Javier, and a French male Brittany named Rejean. Master stands behind a gate of white light.
Master: Good morning, Rovers! You have quite a day ahead of you. I have received reports that this man...
The big screen shows a man of Brazilian descent with long black hair wearing casual clothing.
Master: ...Pepe Hernandez, is transporting a Weapon of Mass Destruction across the Asian border. Hernandez is a drug lord, in charge of a cartel in Mexico. He is currently in a base, located in a mountain range in Nepal, supposedly transporting this weapon to a person who needs it.
Max: Let me guess, Parvo?
Master: We're not sure of that, Max. What we know is that this weapon is a lethal gas that is stored in large canisters, enough to wipe out a big country like Nepal. If these were to be used, it could mean extinction of the world. I need you Rovers out there in Nepal, apprehend Hernandez, and take the canisters. Once you're done, they'll be handed over to the U.S. government for inspection. I wish all of you luck on this mission.
Hunter: That's great Master, but what else do you want us to do after lunch?
Colleen: (rolling her eyes) There goes your comedy.
Master: All right, Rovers, be off!
Hunter: (stands) Yes, sir! Let's hit the road, Rovers!
The Rovers do their signature howl of triumph as they run to the docking room. One group goes into the Sky Rover and another on the Cloud Rover.
On a mountain range, Max, Javier, and Kai are wearing green jackets with white fur, brown pants, black boots, and black gloves. Max is lying on the snow, looking at the base through binoculars.
Hunter: (on radio) You're my eyes, Max. What do you see?
Max: Don't you have binoculars too, Hunter?
Hunter: Well, I just want to be sure that you're seeing what I'm seeing.
Max: There's a base and humans. Should be easy to get through, that is if we can get to the gas.
Hunter: Well, once we get inside, we'll figure out where the gas is.
Max: Wait. I see a cargo plane. That could be how our pal Hernandez intends to escape. Maybe that's where the gas is stored.
Hunter: I doubt that, but we can take a look inside. Alright, Max, it's time to move in.
Max: (smirks) Yes, sir.
Max gets up.
Max: Hey, you two ever snowboarded before?
Kai: Yes, Max-san. I remember that mission we did at St. Moritz. It felt like I was in the Olympics.
Javier: Uh, I don't know how to tell you this amigos, but I'm not familiar with using a snowboard.
Max: Javier, you were with us on that mission in Cortina, Italy.
Javier: Yeah, but that was skis.
Max sighs and walks to Javier.
Max: Okay, Javier. Snowboarding is the same thing as skis, except you're using your body instead of sticks. First, we got to get on the boards.
Max sits down, followed by Javier and Kai.
Max: Now, what you want to do first is determine your lead foot. I recommend your right foot.
Javier follows what Max says, as they bind their boots.
Max: Alright, now stand up.
They all stand up.
Max: Okay, now the thing about snowboarding is that you need to use your body as kind of like a steering wheel. If you want to go straight, you keep your body standing still. If you want to go to the left, you want to move your body a bit to the left, but not too much. You'll fall if you do that. Then do the same if you want to move to the right.
Javier: What if I want to stop?
Max: Then you want to lean yourself towards the slope as far as you can, without falling off, of course.
Javier looks down at the slope, worried.
Max: You think you can do it?
Javier: Um... yeah. I think I can.
Max: Good. There's one more thing I want you to know.
Javier: What's that?
Max: Be sure that you don't have unnecessary...
Max pushes Javier, making him scream as he slides down the slope on his board.
Max: ...force.
Max chuckles, followed by Kai, as they slope down the mountain. They eventually catch up to Javier.
Javier: Are you crazy?!
Max: Hey, come on! That was lesson number two!
Max continues to chuckle more until he hears gunfire. As he looks behind him, he sees three men shooting at them on snowmobiles.
Max: Looks like somebody's trying to join the fun.
Kai: Let's split up! I'll take Javier down to the base!
Kai turns to the left, followed by Javier.
Max: (sighs) And leave me here with the Calvary.
Lead Soldier: Let those two go! Stay on Parker!
Max: Oh, you guys know me? I don't think I've been to one of your reunion parties!
Max turns to the right, getting onto a slope. He sees a tree and uses his telekinesis to break it. It falls to the right, making one of the men on the snowmobile crash into it.
Max: Timber.
Max sees a snowmobile behind him.
Max: Hey, you need a lift?
Max uses his telekinesis on the snowplow and lifts it.
Soldier: Hey! Put me down!
Max: (smirks) Sure thing, buddy.
Max uses his telekinesis to throw the snowmobile, making it and the soldier fly across the air until they land on the snow.
Max: Sorry, no refunds!
Max slides down and sees in the distance a downward slope.
Max: Alright, just need to get off this hill and-
Max gets interrupted by a bullet that hits him, making him fall on the other side of the slope, motionless.
Lead Soldier: (grinning) Ha, ha! Goodbye, Parker.
The soldier looks ahead of him, only to see a tree.
Lead Soldier: AHHHHHHHH-
The soldier crashes into the tree, making the snowmobile explode. A figure walks up to the burning corpse. An Alaskan Malamute looks at the corpse, touching the left side of his coat, and feels a bullet stuck in the bulletproof material. He pulls it off and throws it in the fire. He gets back on his snowboard and slides down on the snow to get to the base.
Max: Thank you, Hubert.
Max slides down and eventually reaches the base.
Max: Alright, Hunter. I made it.
Hunter: (on radio) Good. You shouldn't go straight through. Come around the back to meet us. We're behind a rock.
Max: I'll be there.
Max walks around the base looking for the rock that the Rovers are behind. After a couple of minutes of walking, he gets grabbed on the shoulder by some figure and a blaster is pointed at his back. The figure speaks in a Brazilian accent.
?: Nem pense em respirar! Quem está com você?! [Don't even think about breathing! Who is with you?!]
Max: (scared) I'm the only one.
The figure puts the blaster away. Max looks behind him and it is Rejean. He speaks in his normal French accent.
Rejean: (smiling) Hey, Max. I fooled you, didn't I?
Max: (nods) Maybe. I thought that accent would come from you, Rejean.
Rejean: Well, I can speak all languages of the world, so I'm sure to fool anyone.
Max: Yeah, like your first mission in Russia where you fooled one of the guards there while we sneaked into the base.
Rejean: Anyone that needs to fool anyone, you can call me.
Max nods.
Max: Are the guys close?
Rejean: Yeah. Follow me.
Max follows Rejean. Soon, they walk up to see the Rovers crouching behind a huge rock.
Rejean: I've found him.
Hunter: Ah, here they are.
Colleen: What took you so long, Rebagliati?
Max: Oh, nothing, other than a couple of men tried to take my gold medal.
This caused Colleen to chuckle a bit.
Hunter: All right, guys. Somewhere in there is the gas and Hernandez. And quite possibly a barrack full of men.
Blitz: Oh, please! Just let me in there to bite their tushies!
Exile: And I'll be there to be sure you don't screw anything up, Blitz.
Blitz: I'll try, Exile, but you know I'm more of a rowdy butt biting-
Hunter: Okay, guys.
This caused the two to stop arguing with each other.
Hunter: Here's how I want this to go. Javier, Blitz, Kai, and Exile; you four go into the base to find the gas. You stop anyone that gets in your way. Rejean, Colleen, and Max; you guys come with me to that plane. If there's nothing there, we go and help them find the gas in the base. Any questions?
They all look at each other and back to Hunter.
Hunter: Then let's move!
The Rovers split up, with each group of them going in opposite directions. Eventually, Hunter, Colleen, Max, and Rejean get towards the cargo plane that recently landed.
Rejean: Look at the size of that thing.
Max: Cut the chatter, Rejean.
The Rovers see an open door. They quietly go in and start looking around the plane. They see large canisters in nets on the left and right sides of the plane.
Colleen: That's the gas?
Hunter: Yeah, I think it is.
Max: Well, that was easy.
The door that they went in automatically closes and locks.
Rejean: What the-
They hear someone laughing maliciously on speaker.
?: Hello, Road Rovers. Thank you for choosing Hernandez Airlines.
The man laughs again as the plane starts to take off. Rejean looks around in the plane.
Rejean: Is he doing what I think he's going to be doing?
Max: Crash this plane somewhere. Five casualties, along with possibly twenty-four million people.
Hernandez starts using the controls to lift the plane, causing the Rovers to grab a hold of anything to not fall.
Hernandez: I'm afraid we're hitting, what's it called? Oh yes, turbulence.
He laughs as the plane is still climbing high.
Colleen: Hunter!
Hunter: What?!
Colleen: We got to stop him before he makes the Great Fire of London look like a firework show!
Hunter: That's exactly what I was thinking!
Hunter pushes a button on his boot that makes them magnetic. The Rovers follow suit. Max sees a ladder at the end of the hangar. He makes a motion to Hunter about the ladder. They slowly start to walk to the ladder. As soon as they get to the ladder, Max climbs up and tries pushing the hatch.
Max: Crap! It's locked!
Rejean: Just pound it!
Max: If I start doing that, he'll hear us!
Max closes his eyes. He sees that the hatch is locked with a latch. He quietly uses his telekinesis to unlock the door by lifting the latch.
Hernandez: We are getting close to your destination, Rovers. I had such a good time with you as passengers. I trust that you had a pleasant... fright?
He laughs as Max opens the door. Hernandez notices and aims a pistol at Max. He quickly uses his telekinesis to disarm the gun. Hernandez puts the plane on autopilot and tackles Max, making them both fall through the hole. Max can restrain Hernandez.
Hunter: Hernandez, you're under arrest!
Max: I was just about to say that.
Hernandez laughs.
Max: What's so funny?
Hernandez: Nothing. It's just that no one is in the cockpit to control the plane. Meaning we're all going to die.
Hernandez smirks, making Hunter punch Hernandez in the face, which leaves him unconscious.
Hunter: Well, someone's got to go in there, otherwise we and the entirety of Nepal are a goner.
Max looks at the ladder and then back to Hunter.
Max: I'll land it. You guys get out of here with Hernandez.
Max goes to climb up the ladder.
Rejean: Wait!
Colleen: What about the gas?!
Max looks at the two.
Max: You worry about Hernandez! I'll worry about the gas!
Max starts climbing up the ladder until he feels Hunter's hand touch his shoulder. He looks at Hunter.
Hunter: Be careful, Max.
Max nods as he climbs up to the cockpit. Hunter and the two other dogs open a door in the plane. Hunter puts a backpack on Hernandez and connects a hook to the backpack he's wearing with Hunter's. With the rest of the Rovers all geared up for the jump, they all jump out of the plane. After a few seconds of falling, they all open up their parachutes, decreasing their speed of falling. Hernandez wakes up and is scared to see how high he is off the ground.
Hernandez: Oh, God! I'm going to die!
Hunter: You're fine, Hernandez.
Hernandez: Okay! I admit, what I did was wrong! I can make it up to you guys! I'll buy you all dog bowls, in stainless steel! Please!
Hunter: It's okay, Hernandez. We already have those.
Hernandez: Please, I'm going to fall!
Hunter: You're strapped to me, buddy. You'll be fine.
Hernandez: (smirks) But can you say the same for your Malamute friend?
Back on the plane, Max looks around at his surroundings.
Max: You've got to be kidding me! There's nowhere to land!
Max sees in the distance a lake that has not yet been frozen by the cold weather.
Max: Okay. I just need to put the landing gear down.
Max looks around and sees the button to lower the landing gear down. He presses it, but nothing happens. Shocked and confused, he presses the button several times, but to no avail, the landing gear doesn't lower. He gets frustrated and presses his ear radio on his right ear.
Max: Guys!
Hunter hears this and presses his ear radio.
Hunter: Yes, Max?
Max: He's jammed the landing gear controls!
Hunter: What?!
Hernandez starts laughing to himself. Hunter gets mad at him.
Hunter: Tell him how to put down the landing gear!
Hernandez kindly pulls out a remote control device and offers it to Hunter. He quickly tries to grab it, but Hernandez tosses it before he could get a grip on it.
Hernandez: Oops! Butterfingers!
Colleen sighs and presses on her radio.
Colleen: Hunter.
Hunter presses on his ear radio.
Hunter: What, Colleen?
Colleen: Remind me to bloody kick him in his behind from where we land back to his base.
Hunter: (smirks) Will do.
Max looks around in the cockpit and keeps the plane level.
Max: Okay, Max, calm down. You're not going to be in a plane crash and die along with an entire country. This is crazy, but you can do this.
Max looks at the lake as he gets closer to it. He slowly makes his descent to the lake, keeping the plane level. The plane descends into the lake, with the water slowly slowing the plane down. Max closes his eyes as the plane starts to head toward some rocks above paved ground. Just as the plane is about to hit the rocks, the plane stops there, tilting it slightly upwards. Max opens his eyes.
Max: Wait. Am I dead?
Max goes down the ladder and sees that none of the canisters burst out. He takes a sigh of relief as Hunter contacts him, with him and the others already landing somewhere safe not far from the base.
Hunter: (on radio) Max? Are you alright? Max?
Max presses his ear radio.
Max: Yeah. I'm alright. Tell me, where does President Bush want these canisters delivered?
Max can hear Colleen and Rejean celebrating.
Rejean: All right!
Colleen: He did it!
The two hug each other with Hunter smiling knowing that Max made it and Nepal isn't a wasteland of near extinction.
Hunter: All right, Rovers! To the power of the pack!
The Rovers howl in triumph. Hunter gets Hernandez to stand up with Colleen kicking him back to his base. Max exits the plane and notices an elderly man sitting on a park bench with a bottle of beer in his hand. With his eyes widened, he looks at the bottle then back to Max. Max casually walks by him.
Max: Śubha di'um̐sō. [Good afternoon.]
Max arrives at Hernandez's base by helicopter from the military, who he told where the canisters are. The base is full of military men, who arrested all men located at the base and the surrounding areas. Max gets off the helicopter and gets greeted by an excited Exile.
Exile: Comrade, Max! That was great! You have what Russia calls kishki's.
Max: Guts?
Exile laughs and gives him a big hug.
Exile: Exactly!
Max: (barely breathing) I think you can let go now, Exile.
Exile does so.
Exile: (smiles) Of course.
Max sees Hernandez, standing behind him is Hunter and two military men, who restrained his hands. Max walks up to Hernandez.
Max: Well, Hernandez, you glad to be on the ground safely?
Hernandez looks at Max with a glare.
Hernandez: Ecstatic.
Hunter lowers his head, getting it near Hernandez's.
Hunter: I guess you can kiss your Weapon of Mass Destruction goodbye.
Hernandez makes a snarl at him.
Hunter: Hey. Easy. I don't bite, not without good reason anyway.
Hernandez whispers in Hunter's ear. Confused, he looks at Max.
Hunter: He wants to speak to you. In private.
Max, who is confused as Hunter is, looks at Hernandez and then back to the Golden Retriever.
Max: Alright. I'll play along.
Max grabs Hernandez's shoulder and walks away from his leader and two military men. After a few moments of walking, he stops.
Max: What Hernandez? Are you going to offer me a whole island full of beautiful women?
Hernandez: No, Parker...
Max gets a look of concern on his face.
Hernandez: ...I intend to give you something more. Tell me, was daddy ever good to you?
Hernandez grins as Max punches him in the gut. Hernandez's face falls into the snow with Max's foot lands on his arm.
Max: You don't know me. You don't know who I am, what I've seen, or what I've done. Plus, not that it matters, considering you're on your way to a maximum-security prison, I never knew my father. I learned to grow up without him. Sometimes, I just think that he's dead or he never even existed.
Hernandez turns his face over, looking at the Malamute's eyes.
Hernandez: Your father isn't dead. I worked with him. I can tell you who he is, or have you always known? He had been waiting for you Max and now he is waiting for you to return to him. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again.
Max looks at the ground, not knowing what Hernandez is referring to. He then looks back at him.
Max: I've heard enough of you.
Max uses his telekinesis on Hernandez and throws him back to Hunter and the two military men. Hunter looks at the military men.
Hunter: You two, get this man out of here.
They follow the dog's orders and take Hernandez away. Max walks back to Hunter.
Hunter: What did he say?
Max looks up to Hunter, not hearing what he was told.
Max: What?
Hunter: What did he say to you?
Max looks at Hernandez, who's being loaded into a military truck.
Max: Nothing. Just a bunch of world-domination gibberish.
Hunter nods.
Hunter: Alright. As soon as they get the canisters loaded we're leaving. Come, we're helping the military load Hernandez's men into the trucks.
Max: Yes, sir.
Hunter walks away with Max following. As he's walking, he starts having deep thoughts in his mind.
Max: (thinking) "He's been waiting for you and now he's waiting for you to return"? What is he talking about? Wait. Could he mean that... No! There's no way that's possible! My father doesn't exist! Or does he...? God, I'm so confused...