I'm thinking about a more creative way to thank you guys for the reviews, because it's getting old. But I can't think of one, so;
Thank you so much for the reviews. Don't know how to say how grateful I am you guys take the time to say something about my story.
It may seem like something small, but it means the world to me.

Very well, on with the story. Enjoy! ^^

Chapter twenty four

Modo was busy cleaning his bike. He always worked on his bike when he was feeling sad. And oh momma, he felt sad alright. Today, it was eleven years ago he'd lost Cami. And even if he missed her every day, this day made him miss her even more. And even if he thought it wasn't possible, today he felt even more depressed than usual.
Knowing that Vinnie and Kiwi had a thing made him realize how lonely he felt, actually. And how badly he yearned for love. But he knew he was probably gonna be alone for the rest of his life. He was a soldier in a war that never seemed to end. Maybe he wasn't that bad looking before he got wounded, but look at him now. Who would want him? He stared at his metal arm and his other hand slowly touched the eyepatch that covered the hole where his eye used to be.
He let out a heavy sigh and focussed on his bike again. It was nothing like him to feel so depressed. But he just was.
"Modo, are you alright? You're polishing your bike for like, three hours now…"
Kiwi's voice.
The gray furred giant looked over his shoulder and gave her a smile from what he hoped wasn't that sad, but knew it was.
Kiwi walked over to him and lay a hand on his shoulder. Normally, she couldn't reach it, but Modo was sitting on his knees now.
"Oh Modo, is there anything I can do for you?", she asked, her eyes filled with concern.
Modo thought about it for a second. But there was nothing she could do. She couldn't take away the pain. The loneliness. The big, black hole in his heart that was caused by Cami's death and never had recovered. She couldn't give him back his arm or eye.
"No, thank you, Kiwi ma'am", he said softly.
"You know you can talk to me, right?"
"I know, but… just not today... No hard feelings, Kiwi ma'am."
Kiwi wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug. Modo blushed and patted her back a little unhandy. Kiwi pulled back, looked at him with a sympathetic smile and walked away, leaving Modo alone with his thoughts again.
He sighed. This just wasn't his day.

Kiwi dropped on the couch next to Throttle.
"What is wrong with Modo? He is obviously not feeling well but you doesn't seem surprised about it…"
Throttle looked up from his book. It was about human history and he really enjoyed reading it.
"It's about Cami. Today, it's… ehm…. eleven years ago. He's always been very quiet on this day ever since. Not really surprising, I suppose…"
"Oh, gosh… Yeah, that explains a lot. Poor guy…"
"Yeah…"
There was a silence and Throttle focussed on his book again.
Kiwi was deep in thoughts. She suddenly realized something.
"How old are you guys actually? I never asked…"
Throttle looked up from his book again and closed it.
"Modo is 29, I am 28 and Vinnie is 26."
"So, you were 18 when you joined the Freedom Fighters?"
"Yeah, but it wasn't called the Freedom Fighters at that time. We helped Stoker to get it off the ground. The first rule Stoker came up with, was that everybody needed to be 18 or older. We noticed a lot of mice wanted to fight back, and many were way too young. We admired their courage off course, but they were just kids."
"Makes sense… Hey, but Modo told me Vinnie joined the group shortly after you guys… If I still can calculate right, he was 16…"
Throttle chuckled.
"Yeah, there is nothing wrong with your calculation. He lied about his age."
Kiwi smiled. No surprise there.
"And you guys believed him?"
"Hey, you know him. He's always been a smooth talker, even if he was only 16. He was very convincing."
"That's Vinnie for ya", Kiwi laughed.
"I know, right. Crazy kid."
"How did you guys become such good friends? I mean, with the differences in age and all…"
"Well, I already knew Modo off course. And when Vinnie joined the group, we immediately had this connection. Well, I must say, Modo needed some time to get used at that loudmouth, but he soon warmed up to him. I mean, just like you said, never a boring day while he's around, right? Stoker saw the potency in our three and trained us like a team. Turned out that when we were working together, we're almost unbeatable. We all have different skills and together, well… You know."
"Yeah, you guys do make a pretty good team. How did you become the leader?"
"Stoker trained me as the leader. And well, it's in my blood actually. My father was the owner and manager of the biggest and most successful motorcycle company on Mars."
"Wauw, that's impressive. And you do have good leader skills. Even Vinnie listens to you, that's saying something."
Throttle laughed, shaking his head.
"It wasn't always like this, trust me. When I met him, he was way worse than he is now. Guess that's because he's older now. But the first years… man."
Kiwi thought about it, but had a hard time picturing it.
"Worse than he is now? How is that even possible?", she wondered out loud.
"Yeah, well, believe me. He was like this eager, outta control puppy. A happy puppy, that is. And a very arrogant puppy. But he just got himself in situations, man… sometimes I'm surprised he's still alive. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he is. Ah man, the good old days…"

Kiwi smiled. Most of the time, when they spoke about the past, it was about the bad things that had happened to them. But luckily, there were also good memories.
Throttle looked at her.
"And what about you? I find it hard to believe you don't have any good friends…"
Kiwi sighed.
"Ah well. I thought I had good friends. Till the moment my parents died. They always say; when you're going through a dark time, you'll figure out who your real friends are. Well, it's all true. They just didn't knew how to handle it. They were there for me, at the beginning. But somehow, there is this weird tipping point. As if it's taking them too long. They somehow expect you to get over it. But what if you can't get over it? Well, then you end up alone."
"Man… Must be tough to be abandoned like that by your own friends…", Throttle said slowly. It was a hard thing for him to believe, since Martian Mice were very loyal to each other. You just didn't let someone down. No, friendship was just like marriage, for better and for worse. Till death takes you apart.
"Yeah, it was. But now I know it's saying more over them than over me. And I don't need people like that in my life. Ruby is the only friend I have. I met her in the hospital, right after the accident. I wasn't that heavily injured, but the medics from the ambulance insisted that I would come with them for a check up. Ruby was the doctor who examined me and we immediately had a connection. And I guess she was feeling sorry for me, since I was completely alone all of a sudden. She gave me her personal number, in secret, because a doctor can't have any sort of relation with the patient. If it wasn't for her, I would be dead by now. Or still heavily depressed. She's important."
"She's a real piece of work", Throttle chuckled, thinking about the way Ruby had communicated with them.
"Yeah, I know, right. But that's what I like about her. You always know that she's telling the truth. And that was exactly what I needed back then. What I still need. No fuss, just the way it is."
"That's good. Honesty. I hate lying and betrayal", Throttle agreed..
"Yeah, me too…", Kiwi nodded. She looked up at the tan furred mouse.
"Throttle? Are you really gonna leave me behind if you guys are going back to Mars?"
Throttle looked at her, his ears dropped a little. After a long silence, he opened his mouth.
"Truth to be told, I don't know. Really, I don't. I just want you to be happy. But I also want you to be safe…"
Kiwi gently took his hand.
"I know, Throttle. I know."
She somehow felt relief. The answer wasn't just no. Things were gonna be alright eventually. She just know it was.

Suddenly, a white blur flew into the living room.
"Bro's, bro's! Oh…" and Vinnie stopped when he only saw Throttle and Kiwi.
"Where is Modo?", he asked, his head crooked. But suddenly, it dawned on him.
"Oh, right. More reason to go for a ride. If I'm gonna be stuck here any longer, I probably will fade away. Or worse, get even more bored."
"You really need to get your priorities straight, Vinnie", Kiwi giggled.
"What? Why?", Vinnie asked confused, convinced there was nothing wrong with his priorities.
Throttle shook his head with a smile on his face. But he did stand up. He also could use a ride and he knew for sure, Modo would too.
"Alright, I hear ya, bro. Let's go", and he walked to the garage.
Vinnie pumped his fist in the air.
"Oh yeah!", and he grabbed Kiwi and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him. He kissed her back roughly and set her on her feet again.
"Hold the fort, babe. I'll be back", and he winked at her with that smile on his face she loved so much. Before she could react, he was already gone.
"Crazy mouse", she giggled and turned on the TV.

The mice left the garage and jumped over the fence.
"AAAOOOWW!"
Vinnie landed between his bro's and popped a wheelie.
"On the road again!", he cheered happily.
Throttle chuckled and looked at Modo, who was still awfully quiet.
"You okay, big fella?", he asked.
Modo shrugged, but a little smile appeared on his face.
"Well, I gotta admit, a little bit of fresh air was more than welcome."
"Don't let Vinnie hear ya, or we'll never hear the end of it", Throttle warned him, but the white furred mouse was too busy with himself. No surprise there.
Vinnie sped forward, whooping and cheering.
But suddenly, a woman popped up between two cars that were parked alongside the road.
"Vinnie, look out!", Throttle yelled.
Vinnie hit the brakes, but his tires blocked and his bike slid further, closer to the woman, who was staring in shock at the red racing bike that was coming closer and closer. But then…
BAM!
Modo popped up outta nowhere and crashed against Vinnie's ride, forcing the red racing bike to change direction. The gray furred giant quickly grabbed his white furred friend before he would fall off his bike and Vinnie's bike crashed against a car that was parked on the other side off the road. There was a silence for a moment. Modo gently set Vinnie on his feet and jumped off his bike.
"Ma'am, are...", he started, but when the woman lifted her head to face him, it felt as if he got struck by lighting.
The woman looked back at him, shock written on her face. Modo was standing close to her and noticed she was tall enough to reach his shoulder. She had strong, long legs and a slender, but muscular body. His gaze landed on her face, that was surrounded with wild, blond curls. She looked at him with her beautiful, sparkling green eyes wide open. Her mouth, with soft looking lips, was hanging open. Oh momma. She was the most beautiful human woman he'd ever seen.

In the meantime, Vinnie had recovered himself from the first shock and punched Modo on the arm.
"Hey man, what gives? Look at my ride!", he called out with a outraged look on his face, pointing at his bike. "I had it all under control, no need to bash in like that!"
But Modo ignored him. He was still staring at the woman. By the looks of things, he didn't even hear his younger bro.
Throttle quickly joined them, laying a hand on Vinnie's shoulder.
The woman lifted her hand and ran it through her hair, clearly not at ease. The jacket she was wearing lifted and Vinnie spotted a gun in a holster against her body. He immediately grabbed his and aimed it at her. When Modo heard the click behind him, he finally came to senses and knocked the weapon outta Vinnie's hand.
"NO!"
"Hey!"
"Behave yourself when a lady is involved, bro!", Modo warned him. He looked at her again. "Besides, she don't look dangerous…"
Throttle rubbed his chin, he just didn't trust this woman. The blond headed woman sighed and looked at Modo.
"Thank you, sir. For saving my life…"
Modo felt his heart skip a beat when he heard her voice. It almost sounded like Christmas bells. Oh momma…
"No problem, ma'am. Are you okay?"
"A little shaken, but next to that; I'm fine. Thanks to you…", and she looked at him with waving eyelashes.
Vinnie narrowed his eyes, just like Throttle. But Modo only smiled a little uncomfortable, a little blush on his cheeks.
"Care to explain why a pretty lady like yourself is walking around with a gun?", Vinnie asked, his eyes filled with suspicion.
The woman looked at him, her eyes fuming all of a sudden.
"That's none of your business!"
Vinnie raised his eyebrows. This lady sure had a little attitude hidden behind that innocent pretty face of hers.
"Well, I'm afraid it is, lady…", Throttle said with a low voice.
Modo quickly intervened.
"Look, ma'am, all my me and my bro's want is to keep this city safe. So eh, maybe you can explain why you're wearing a gun..?"
The woman looked at Modo, her face suddenly soft again. Throttle shared a quick look with Vinnie.
"Fine. I think you guys can help me. I'm sure you know Lawrence Limburger?"
The mice their mouth fell open.
"What?", Throttle managed to say.
"The big cheese? You bet we do, sweetheart!", Vinnie snorted.
"We hate him from his scummy line to his moldy core…", Modo growled.
"Well, he's why I'm here. My name is Flo Barker. I'm a bounty hunter and traveled from far to take him down."
Throttle rubbed his chin. The name Barker somehow sounded familiar, but he couldn't wrap his mind around it.
"Well then, if you're after Limburger, we have the same enemy. Maybe you should come home with us, ma'am…", Modo suggested.
Vinnie sighed, but Throttle nodded.
"Yeah, might be best… It seems we got a mutual goal", he agreed, only so he could keep an eye on this woman. There was just something about her that he didn't trust. And by the looks of it, Vinnie had the same feeling. Normally, he wouldn't care to bring a lady this beautiful with them, but Throttle noticed his reluctance.
But Modo… Hmmm… He immediately fell for her act, without blinking.
Modo jumped on his bike and looked at Flo.
"May I have the pleasure to escorting you, ma'am?", he asked, still with that blush on his cheeks.
"You got it, big guy", and climbed behind him.
Vinnie walked across the street, softly cursing under his breath. He grabbed his bike, which wasn't that damaged luckily, and they drove back home.

Kiwi heard their engines and she quickly walked to the garage to check how Modo was doing. She was worried because they were back way earlier than she'd expected. But when she burst inside, the first thing she saw was a tall, pretty, blond headed woman sitting on the back of Modo's bike. What the…
She looked at Vinnie, who didn't look happy and she noticed his damaged bike. Then, her gaze landed on Throttle, who also had this frown on his face. Modo, on the other hand, never looked better. He gently helped the woman to climb off his bike.
Kiwi cleared her throat.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Modo whirled around by the sudden sound of her voice.
"Oh, this is Flo, Kiwi ma'am. Flo, this is Kiwi. We eh… We kinda ran into her on the streets. She is a bounty hunter and she's in Chitown to take down Limburger."
Kiwi narrowed her eyes.
"A bounty hunter? You guys just brought a murderer to my house?", she asked with a low voice, her eyes fuming.
There was a silence, but Flo broke it.
"I'm obviously not welcome here. I'll leave."
Modo's ears drooped and he looked at Kiwi with a pleading look on his face.
Throttle grabbed Kiwi by the shoulders and pushed her outta the garage, singing to Vinnie and Modo he would talk to her. He closed the door behind them and dragged her with him to the living room.
"Throttle, what…", but Throttle interrupted her.
"Listen, babe. We brought her with us because we don't trust her. Stoker always taught me to keep your enemies close."
Kiwi shook her head in confusion.
"What? So you bring your enemy to MY house? Honestly, this doesn't make any sense. And what the hell is wrong with Modo? He doesn't seem to have a problem with her."
"I'm not sure what is up with this woman, but I needed to make a decision in the heat of the moment. And this will give us the chance to find out more about her. It doesn't happen that often, but I could be wrong, ya know?"
"Okay, fine. She can stay. For now. On one condition; from the moment I'm feeling unsafe, I'll kick her out. Okay?"
"Fair enough."
"Oh, and she sleeps in the guesthouse. I don't wanna sleep in the same house as a murderer."
"Deal."

A few minutes later, they were sitting in the living room. The mice had kept their helmets on and there was a awkward silence. Flo broke it.
"No need to keep your helmets on, guys. I know about you."
Vinnie immediately pulled his one off, twitching his ears.
"Much better", he sighed happily, but then a frown appeared on his face. "Wait, what? How do you know?"
Throttle and Modo followed Vinnie's example and looked at Flo, both also curious how she could now.
Flo smiled at Modo, before she turned her attention back at Vinnie and her face hardened. Kiwi saw it happen and crossed her arms before her chest. Throttle was right. There was something up with her.
"Because I always do research before I'm going after my target, Einstein. I know everything about Limburger. I know what he did to Mars. And other planets. So, I know about you. Mice on bikes, trying to save the world. I must say, at first I didn't believe it. But apparently, I was wrong…"
The tone in her voice said it all and Vinnie also crossed his arms before his chest, not amused about how this woman was talking to him. But Modo didn't seem to hear it. He was staring at her like she just fell outta heaven, including the wings and aureole.
"This is my house, my rules. You're a guest here. I would appreciate it if you show some respect for my friends…", Kiwi warned the woman.
Flo looked at her with a patronizing look her face, but she nodded.
"You're right, I'm sorry."
But Kiwi saw she wasn't.
Modo finally came back to Earth.
"So, ehm, what's your plan to take down that cheeseball?"
Flo turned to face him and her face softened again. God, this woman was a real piece of work.
"He has a job offer. I arranged a meeting with him. Tomorrow."
Throttle rubbed his chin.
"What kinda job?"
"Secretary. But who cares? It's just a cover."
"Hate to tell you this, but that cheese face is a lot smarter than you think. He never takes any chances. So, how can you be so sure you'll have a meeting with him instead of some minion?"
Flo's eyes narrowed.
"Trust me. I know."
There was a silence again. Flo looked at Modo.
"Why don't you show me where I can sleep? I need to rest, to make sure I'm fit enough for tomorrow."
"Sure thing, Flo ma'am. If you follow me?."
Throttle had quickly informed the big guy that Kiwi wanted her in the guesthouse, so Modo had decided to give her his room.
A lady needed her privacy, right?
When they were gone, Vinnie snorted.
"Pretty lady attitude. Something is wrong, I can tell."
"That's why we're gonna follow her tomorrow when she's going to Limburger, Vinnie my man", Throttle said, laying a hand on Vinnie's shoulder.
Kiwi sighed. She didn't like this at all…

That night, Modo settled down on the couch. Flo hadn't left her room since he had showed it to her and he could only hope that she was okay. He lay down and stared at the ceiling. It was just weird to meet a woman like her, on the same day he'd lost Cami. But from the moment he laid eyes on her, he was lost. He'd never believed in love at first sight. Maybe because he never experienced it himself. After all, his relationship with Cami only started after years of friendship. But now, he wasn't so sure anymore. From the moment he looked into her beautiful green eyes, his body had caught fire.
Throttle and Vinnie told him they didn't trust her, but he didn't want to hear it. The look in her eyes had told him she was pure good. How couldn't she be? Okay, she was a bounty hunter. Not one of the most pretty jobs to do. But everybody did what they had to to survive, right? And she was after Limburger. How could his bro's be against that? He had agreed to follow her tomorrow, but only to make sure she was safe.
Oh momma… Apparently, love at first sight did exist, alright…

Vinnie was lying in his bed, with his gun hidden under his pillow. He had told Kiwi to do the same. But he couldn't sleep. His body was on edge, ready to fight. His heart pounded in his chest. Dammit. No way he was gonna get any sleep this night.

Throttle was also staring at the ceiling, his gun in his hand. His brains were making overtime, trying to remember why the name Barker sounded so familiar. But he still had no clue. He sighed. This girl had Modo wrapped around her finger, that's for sure. And he could only hope the big guy wasn't gonna pay the price...

Flo smiled, looking at the photo in her hand. To say it was a shock she almost got run over by the mice this afternoon, barely covered the load. That wasn't in her plan, after all. But quick thinking and improvising had saved her. And things worked out way better than she'd expected. She gently put the photo back in the file that was lying in front of her and smiled.
"Tomorrow, it's time."

Kiwi was also twisting and turning. Vinnie had told her to keep her gun close and had giving her his permission to use it as soon as someone other than them came into her room. It did make her feel more safe. But still… She just wished Vinnie was here. But things were still a little bit weird between them since that day Throttle had caught them. After her first time, they didn't had sex anymore. He just kept a certain distance, and Kiwi knew he was doing that out of respect for his leader and best friend. But he gave enough signs to let her know he was still crazy about her. So, she respected his wishes. No need to rush things. They had all the time in the world. Right?
She suddenly heard a noise and she jerked upright, grabbing her gun in the process. The door slowly opened and she aimed the gun.
"Chill, sweetheart, it's just me."
Kiwi lowered the gun, a smile on her face. Speak of the devil. Vinnie strolled to her bed, his sweatpants hanging low on his hips.
Kiwi swallowed, looking at him. He wasn't wearing his bandoliers and the way how his pants… well, it was enough to almost make her drool.
Vinnie sat down on the edge of the bed and ruffled through her hair.
"Just came to check if you're okay."
Kiwi closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying his touch.
"I'm fine… I was just thinking about you…" and she opened her eyes.
He was looking at her with that lazy arrogant look on his face.
"Can't blame ya", he smiled. Kiwi rolled her eyes.
"You okay?", she asked, playing with his fingers.
"Yeah, just couldn't sleep…"
She looked up at him and the intensity by which he suddenly was watching at her, set her whole body on fire. And before she could say something, he grabbed her and pushed her down on the bed, kissing her roughly. Kiwi wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back eagerly.
"I want you…", he whispered against her lips, his hand made his way under her shirt.
She gasped when she felt his touch and she pulled him against her.
"Than take me…", she whispered in his ear.
That was all the white furred mouse needed to hear. He quickly took out his sweatpants and underwear and ripped off her shirt. He looked at her and he had the same look in his eyes as the last time they were together, but even more intense. Her heart pounded in her chest. She knew he had take it slow last time, since that was her first time. But the look in his eyes told her that wasn't gonna happen this time. She was fine with it. She needed him, just as much as he needed her.
He kissed her again, even rougher, and in one movement, he pushed himself inside of her. Kiwi moaned his name, grabbing him tightly. He set his teeth in her neck and grabbed her legs, pushing them up and held them with his arms. Leaning on his hands, he looked at her, his ruby red eyes were almost black. He moved slow at first, but soon increased the pace. Kiwi closed her eyes, her breathing heavy. She grabbed his arms and held them tightly, almost in trance because of what he was doing with her. When she used her nails, Vinnie growled and moved even faster. And that was the last push they both needed. His face darkened and he squeezed his eyes. She felt the muscles in his arms shaking and she also also closed her eyes, whispering his name.
He relaxed and let go off her legs. She grabbed his head and kissed him, gently this time. It felt like she was floating. He kissed her back and with a heavy sigh, he rolled next to her, still breathing heavily.
"Gosh, sweetheart…", he moaned, looking up at her with his lips curled into a satisfied smile.
"You said it, love…", Kiwi breathed, also smiling.
She felt so tired all of a sudden. And by the looks of things, her white furred bed partner too. She grabbed her blanket and threw it over them both, crawling against him. He wrapped his arm around her and she lay her head on his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, that was slowly calming down. She felt his tail wrapping around her ankle. And before they both even could stop it, they fell asleep in each others arms.

The next morning, Vinnie woke up with a startl. He looked wildly around him, but it soon dawned on him he was in Kiwi's room. He looked at his right and saw his girl lying next to him, her hand on his arm. He noticed his tail was still wrapped around her ankle, holding her tightly. She was beautiful. Her black hair fanned over her pillow, shining in the first sun rays that slipped through the curtains. Her face was completely relaxed, and it made her even more beautiful.
But suddenly, reality hit.
Shit. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
He just left his bro's the whole night alone with a bounty hunter they didn't trust. Well, Modo did. But come on, the guy was obviously head over heels with her. His judgement was clouded, alright. Dammit, what a night to get distracted. Talk about bad timing. Vinnie jumped outta bed and quickly pulled on the few clothes that were lying on the floor. But when he marched at the door, he heard Kiwi whispering his name. He turned around and saw her sitting up, her eyes still thick of sleep. Her hair was a mess, but she never looked better.
"What's your hurry?", she asked sleepy. Vinnie quickly walked back to the bed and gave her a short, but passionate kiss.
"Sorry doll gotta go check on my bro's had a great night see ya at breakfast love ya", he babbled and he stormed out, leaving Kiwi behind with a confused look on her face. But soon, a big smile appeared on her face.
Love ya.
He'd said he loved her. He probably didn't even noticed it himself, but he did say it. She lay down again, hugging her pillow in pure happiness.

Vinnie sneaked (yeah, he sneaked, even if he hated it, but hey, desperate times asked for desperate measures) back inside the guesthouse and let out a sigh of relief. Modo was still snoring loud on the couch and Throttle was nowhere to be seen. He quickly tiptoed to his own room and jumped in bed. Pfiew. Was he good, or what? And with a smile on his face, he soon drifted off again, thinking about a pretty girl with black hair and blue eyes.

Modo took a deep breath and knocked at Flo's door. Kiwi had told him through the vidcom breakfast was ready. Throttle was just getting outta bed and Vinnie was still fast asleep. Modo had decided to ask Flo if she wanted to join him for breakfast and here was, knock, knock knocking on heaven's door. He heard stumbling and the door opened. Modo did a few steps back and there she was. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.
"Yes, sir?", she asked polite, but her eyes were twinkling.
"Good morning, Flo ma'am. I eh… I just wanted to ask you if you want to have breakfast with me and my bro's? Oh, and Kiwi ma'am, off course…", he stuttered, blushing.
"Are you sure I'm welcome? I get the feeling they don't like me…", she asked, looking unsure.
Modo saw the sadness and insecurity in her eyes and he suddenly felt a pang of anger. They all could use a lesson in how to treat a lady, alright.
"Don't mind them. They'll come around", he simply answered, offering his arm.
Flo hesitated, but then hooked her arm in his and she quickly closed the door, after she had collected her stuff. When they wanted to walk outside towards the house, Modo saw Throttle coming out of his room.
"Breakfast is ready and Vinnie's still in bed", the grey furred giant told his tan furred bro and walked outside.
Throttle scratched his head and sighed. Great. Just great. What could be a better start of the day than waking up that white furred loudmouth?
He burst into Vinnie's room and saw his bro lying on his belly, his arms and legs spread out like a starfish.
"Vincent, wake up", he said, pulling on Vinnie's tail. He just didn't had the patience to wake him gently.
Vinnie almost jumped out off his fur and quickly grabbed his gun, but when he saw Throttle, he lowered it.
"Good morning to you too, sunshine", he yawned when he saw the grumpy face of his tan furred bro.
"Yeah, well, I had better days", Throttle answered. "Come on, breakfast is ready and the big guy is already there with Flo. The sooner she is gone, the better."
"I don't think Modo agrees with ya…", Vinnie mumbled, while pulling on one of his baggy black biker jeans.
"No… that's one part of the problem…", Throttle agreed with Vinnie, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful frown on his face. "Dammit. Eleven years. It took him eleven years to move on and he deserves to be happy. But why her?"
"Well, you gotta admit bro… She is one hot looking lady", Vinnie smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.
"Down, loverboy. In case you need a small reminder, you're already been taken."
Vinnie snickered. A reminder. HA. If only he knew.
"Care to share what's so funny, Vinman?", Throttle asked, immediately suspicious by the look on Vinnie's face.
But the white furred mouse quickly put on his bandoliers and grabbed his shoes.
"What? I have no idea what you're talking about. Let's go eat that breakfast."
And he walked to the door, trying to put on his shoes at the same time. He stumbled a few times, but managed to stay on his feet.
Throttle walked behind him, shaking his head. There was definitely something that his bro was hiding, but now wasn't the time.
First priority, that cold hearted woman that was in Kiwi's kitchen as we speak.

Breakfast was awkward. Nobody really knew what to say. Throttle was eating his pancakes, studying everything what was happening. Two things caught his attention.
One; Vinnie and Kiwi were looking and smiling at each other in a way that made very clear they knew something what nobody else did.
Two; He still didn't trust Flo. She was acting quite normal actually, but still… The look in her eyes, the small changes in her behaviour when she was talking to one of them instead of Modo… Hmmm.
She suddenly jumped at her feet.
"I really need to go."
Modo also jumped up.
"Can I offer you a ride, ma'am?"
"No, thanks, big guy. My car isn't parked that far away from here."
Modo nodded, somehow disappointed. Flo looked at Kiwi.
"Thank you for your hospitality."
She turned to Modo and stood on her toes. She pressed a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you. Maybe we'll meet again…"
Modo blushed and was totally loss at words.
Flo nodded at Throttle and Vinnie and grabbed her bag. With one final look at Modo, she walked outside.
"Stay safe, Flo ma'am", Modo called after her. She only raised her thumb without looking back and soon, she was gone.
"Whoohie…", Modo sighed and sat down again, his legs too weak to hold his weight. Throttle and Vinnie shared a quick look.
"Let's go after her", Throttle said.
"Be careful, you guys…", Kiwi whispered. Vinnie planted a kiss on her forehead.
"We always are, sweetheart. Well, sorta... Thanks for breakfast."
Kiwi looked up at him and smiled. She rubbed his cheek.
"Any time, handsome. Now, go, before you lose her."
"The only reason I'm with ya is because I wanna make sure she's safe", Modo repeated at Throttle.
The tan furred mouse nodded.
"I know, big fella. Now, let's ride!"

When they found her, she was opening a black car that was parked closeby the spot they had met her yesterday.
"Make sure to keep a safe distance, bro's. I don't want her to find out we're following her", Throttle whispered, while they were standing in a dark alley closeby.
"No problem with that ice queen attitude of hers. I don't even wanna get…", Vinnie started, but when he saw Modo's eye starting to glow red, he quickly shut his mouth.
"That's just not how you talk about a lady, little bro", Modo growled, crossing his arms before his chest. He still wasn't very happy with this. But he didn't have much of a choice, now did he?
"She ain't no lady", Vinnie muttered under his breath, but luckily, the big guy didn't hear it.
They watched how Flo lay some stuff in the car. It looked like paperwork. She opened the trunk and quickly looked around her before she grabbed a small bazooka, three guns and a big knife. She put it all in one bag and closed the trunk with a bang.
"Wow. That lady is armed to the teeth", Throttle said, his tail twitching.
"Hey. She's just doing her job!", Modo snapped at him.
"Yeah? Is destroying half the city in that job description of hers? Because if she's gonna use that bazooka, there will be more people getting hurt next to Limburger", Vinnie snorted. Because of his own… passion for weapons, he knew that that bazooka maybe looked small, but it sure wasn't a toy.
"I'm sure she knows how to handle it", Modo answered.
Throttle sighed. This whole situation was getting more complicated by the minute...

The mice watched from a rooftop closeby LP how Flo parked her car and saw her disappearing into the building. Throttle used his helmet to zoom in at Limburger's office and saw the big fish sitting behind his desk.
"Shoot a mic, Vincent", he ordered, but Modo grabbed Vinnie's hand before he could push the button.
"Modo, what…", but Modo stopped him.
"We can't just violate her privacy like that, bro's. That just ain't right."
Throttle was starting to get a little bit annoyed. Normally, it was Vinnie who was getting on his nerves, but this time, and for the first time, it was Modo.
"Modo, come on. If she really is who she says she is, she's got nothing to hide, right?"
Modo hesitated and Throttle quickly nodded at Vinnie. The white furred mouse used his tail to push the button and the mic flew out.
Modo's eye started to glow red again and he revved his bike.
"Fine. But I won't have anything to do with this. This whole thing feels just wrong. Throttle, I'd expected better from you. But you're starting to get just as paranoid as your girlfriend back on Mars!" and he turned his bike and drove away.
Vinnie watched him go and looked at Throttle.
"Let him go. We'll fix this when we know more. Turn up the volume, Vin."
Vinnie did what he said.

"Aaahh, miss Barker. How very nice of you to come all the way to Chicago", they heard Limburger saying.
"No problem, mister Limburger. Like I said in our previous conversation over the phone, you're the highest bidder after all."

Vinnie and Throttle exchanged looks. Highest bidder?

"Yes, yes! I must say, I was so glad you contacted me about, if I may speak freely, my rodent problem…"
"I just need the money. Besides, I also have my own… personal reasons for this. Anyway, let's talk business. What are the terms?"
"My dear miss Barker. The only thing I expect from you, is that…"

A laser came outta nowhere and destroyed the mic. Throttle and Vinnie looked down and saw Modo standing, lowering his arm cannon.
"You know, this is starting to get a little bit annoying", Vinnie sighed, looking at Throttle, who agreed.
"Yeah… But I think we heard enough to know that she lied to us…"
"Like Modo's gonna believe us…"
"Let's grab her if she comes outta that building. It's time that lady is gonna tell us the truth."

After waiting for a while, they saw her walking out of the building. Modo was nowhere to be seen.
"Airborne ranger six?", Vinnie smiled at Throttle, who smiled back.
"You got it!"
They revved their bikes and fired their jets. The bikes flew over the edge and when they were jumping down, Throttle shot a rope that whirled around Flo and pulled her in the air. She gave a scream in surprise and her bag fell on the floor. The mice landed and Flo fell down, right in Throttle's arms. He quickly set her on her feet and Vinnie whirled a rope around her, so she couldn't move.
"Tadaaaa! One trapped ice queen…", Vinnie smiled.
"Haha, kudos, Vincent!"
"You expected less?", his white furred bro answered with a arrogant look on his face.
Flo was struggling to get loose.
"What are you doing, for fuck sake?", she snapped at them, her eyes fuming.
"Now you listen up, lady. We know you lied to us about Limburger", Throttle said.
"Yeah, so now it's time you're gonna tell us why you're really here", Vinnie added.
Flo suddenly tried to kick Vinnie, but he quickly dodged it.
"Let me loose!"
But before someone could say something, they heard Modo's bike stopping with shrieking brakes.
"You heard the lady, bro's… let her go… now!" and he jumped off his bike, his eye glowing red.
"No, big fella, you don't know what you're saying…", Throttle started, his hands raised in the air.
Flo saw Modo and suddenly, she started to cough.
"Ah… I can hardly breathe… I feel like I'm gonna faint…", she managed to squeeze out between coughing, wobbling on her legs.
"I can't believe my ears. To think my two bro's would treat a lady this way!", Modo growled, pointing at Throttle.
"She's dangerous!", Vinnie called out.
"Let her go. NOW!"
Flo stumbled a few passes and fell backwards.
Vinnie quickly grabbed her. It was more of a reflex, because honestly, he rather had let her fall on the floor. Hard.
"Ohhh…", she moaned.
"She stays tied till we know why she here, big fella. And that's final!", Throttle warned between clenched teeth, standing close in front of Modo.
Modo's tail lashed through the air.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear you say that, Throttle", and he raised his armcannon. "'Cause it just isn't what gentleman do!" and he shot the ropes.
Flo quickly jumped back on her feet and ran to her car, grabbing her bag in the process.
Throttle and Vinnie were too stunned to stop her and they were staring at Modo.
"Modo… listen to me, she is bad news, she…" but Throttle suddenly trailed off. He stared at the floor, but then, his head jerked up.
"That's it! I just knew I heard the name Barker before. Well, maybe I didn't hear it, but I read about it. Barker was the guy who professor Milestone was friends with while he was on Earth to observe the humans!"
"Professor Milestone?", Vinnie asked confused.
"Why am I not surprised you never paid attention at history class?", Throttle sighed, shaking his head.
Modo was about to ask why Throttle all of a sudden was talking about the ancient history of Mars, when the tan furred mouse froze.
"Oh boy… She's a Barker! That means we got a whole lotta trouble", and he whirled around, only to see that the car, along with Flo, was gone.
He jumped back on his bike, his bro's still loss at what their leader was meaning with all this.
"Bro's, saddle up, Kiwi is in great danger!"

Oh Modo's momma... what is Flo up to? And how is poor Modo gonna react if they find out?
Stay tuned and puhlease, review! :)