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Never Anything Less- Chapter 15
Things were quiet at the Last Chance Garage. Cecilla continued to keep the portal opened and contained so it couldn't swallow the whole garage and everything else in it. Charley walked in with a tray with three steaming mugs of coffee, some packets of sugar, and a small container of creamer.
"Thought you could use this." Charley said, handing Cecilla a mug.
"Much obliged. I usually drink tea, but coffee sounds wonderful, too." She smiled, taking the mug and taking a sip, then filled it with creamer and sugar, "I like mine sweet."
"Have you seen Carbine?" She asked.
"Oh. Her." Cecilla replied, without the least bit of enthusiasm, "I'm sure that moody creature is here somewhere lurking about."
"Well, no offense, but I'd be moody, too especially if I just caught my boyfriend with another woman."
"Well, the way I understood it to be, he had left this woman. And with good reason. So he's fair game." Cecilla replied.
"Is he?"
"Of course. He knew what he wanted. I just helped him make the decision easier."
"By coming on to him?"
"He responded to it. If he had wanted Turbine..."
"Carbine. Her name is Carbine."
"What a ridiculous name, but no matter. If he had wanted her, he wouldn't have responded to my flirtations. Giving in to my attentions means he wanted it. I'm sorry if your friend is angry. I can't control his actions."
"You mean you didn't use your magic on him?" Charley asked.
"Of course not! I wanted him to like me on his own. It was never my intention for anyone to be hurt."she replied.
"I know. We need to keep the portal open so he and the guys can get back."
...
Charley went into the living room and found Carbine sitting on the sofa. The radio was playing a soft melody.
"I hope you don't mind. Needed to hear some music to take my mind off what's going on. Throttle told me Earth has the best music." She explained.
"Not at all." Charley replied, "Oh, that sounds like Janet Jackson. Michael Jackson's sister."
"Who?" Carbine asked.
"A popular Earth pop star."
The two ladies listened to the lyrics and music of the song.
All my life I've waited to see your smile again
In my mind I've hated
That I'm not able to let you go
Come back to me
I'm begging please
Come back to me
I want you to
Come back to me
Baby, please
My abandoned heart just can't understand
My undying love for you
Love won't make me wait
Come back to me
I'm begging please
Come back to me
I want you to
Come back to me
I'm begging please
Come back to me
Oh, I miss you so much
Where ever you are, I love you
"Beautiful." Carbine breathed, as her eyes filled with tears.
"Yeah." Charley replied, tears in her own eyes.
"Throttle..."Carbine thought to herself.
"Take care of yourself, Vinnie, ya big lug." Charley said, under her breath, but to herself, "But come back to me safely."
"My brave Odysseus...Throttle. Do come back to me safe." Cecilla said, under her breath.
...
Throttle had activated his Nuke Knuckles and was clobbering Plutarkians right and left.
Vinnie and Modo rode their riders to a clearing.
"Get going, you two." Modo told Mac and Minerva, "Find a place to hide."
Mac and Minerva slid off the bikes.
"And what are you two going to be doing?" Minerva asked.
"What we macho mice do best, pretty lady. Whip tail." Vinnie replied, taking out and spinning blasters in his hands.
"But..." Minerva hesitated.
"We'll be fine. Go on." Modo told her.
"Please be careful." She told him, gazing at him.
Then she ran off with Mac hiding behind his hot dog stand.
Throttle had taken out a number of the Fish Faces.
"That all ya got?" He asked the Plutarkian in charge of the large platoon.
"Not quite." He said, as more of them showed up. The tan furred mouse was outnumbered.
"Oh, man. Now I sound like Vinnie." He said, shaking his head.
Suddenly, there was a blast as Plutarkians and damaged vehicles flew through the air. Vinnie had thrown one of his flares. The other one was in his left hand.
"Aw, didn't know ya cared." Vinnie teased.
"Yeah, well, don't get used to it, Chuckles. 'Thought you two were getting Piston and Mac to safety." Throttle replied, chuckling.
"And let you hog all the glory?" Vinnie asked, "Besides, they're safe."
"Yeah, I like me a good old fashioned fish fry!" Modo crowed, firing his cybernetic arm cannon at an approaching vehicle throwing its rider from the vehicle and into Throttle's fist.
"Followed by a beat down!" Throttle laughed, " I feel ya, bro."
"Those guys are amazing!" Minerva breathed, excitedly.
"Yeah." Mac said, "Makes me want to think twice about kowtowing to the Fish Faces. Oh! Wasn't supposed to say that."
Suddenly there was a click behind the two mice.
"Surrender now or die."
Lord Camenbert, the High Chairman of Plutark was clad in a purple suit. He now approached the two mice.
"The High Chairman will reward me handsomely for these two traitors." He sneered.
"Please, Counselor Camenbert, let Minerva go. I'm the one you want. She did nothing." Mac lied to them.
"The lady mouse aided enemies of the Plutarkian race. She must be punished." He replied, coldly.
Camenbert then grabbed Minerva by the arm.
"No!" Mac cried, shoving Camenbert with his elbow. The latter released his hold on Minerva.
Mac picked up an old broom. He began swinging it at the Plutarkians.
"Minerva, run! Get outta here!" Mac cried out.
"But what about you?"
"Forget about me. Save yourself! Go!"
Minerva took off but not long before she looked behind her. Mac knocked down several Plutarkians.
Then she saw a sight that made her blood run cold. A single blast from a blaster knocked him off his feet.
Throttle and his two friends had just polished off the Plutarkian army when they heard a piercing scream.
The three mice saw Mac lying on the ground. A small pool of blood had begun collecting under him. Minerva was kneeling next to him.
"Mac...don't die." She said, in a shaky voice. Tears formed in her eyes.
"Hey...dry your tears, gorgeous. The mascara will run, you know. Besides, I got to do what I've been wanting to do. I finally got the guts to be a hero and not just a hot dog salesman." He muttered, smiling, in spite of his pain.
"I...never thought you were anything less." She replied.
The Plutarkian that shot him was quickly socked so hard in the face by Throttle his teeth flew out of his mouth. Vinnie and Modo knocked out some more Plutarkians. The three mice made their way to Minerva.
"Hold on. We'll get you to a doctor." Modo said.
"No...Too late for me...look after Minerva." He uttered, before letting out a gasp. His eyes glassed over and a vacant stare was in them.
Throttle saw it and knew he told the truth. He had seen the same look on other soldiers who had expired. Comrades who died around him. In spite of seeing it, he never got used to it.
'Never anything less." Minerva repeated, in a daze.