Exile followed the sobbing Colleen into their closd bedroom door. He knocked cautiously on it. "Comrade?" he called out. He knocked again. "Colleen? You Doakie-Oakie? it's me, Exile. Can I come in?" he waited for the 'Sure,' and then he opened the door, taking in the sight that met his eyes. Colleen was sitting by her dresser, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She looked like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. So depressed. No, not just depressed, Exile thought. Sad. Colleen looked truly sad. "Comrade Colleen,. What is wrong? "

"Nothing,": she whispered.

"My friend, you are sitting here crying, This is not like you. What has happened? Maybe I can help."

"No, Exile..you can't help me…no one can help.."

"Maybe I can. What is wrong, tell me."

COlleen took a deep breath. "Sit down, Exile." Exile sat down on the nearest chair. "Exile..I'm afraid there's bad news."

"It is really bad?" Colleen nodded. "What is it?"

"Hunter is leaving us, Exile."

Exile shot up from his place. "WHAT?!"
'It's true," Colleen said, willing herself not to cry again, "Bush won the election tonight. Beecause of that the Clintons are leaving the White House in January, and they're taking Hunter with them."

"But…but Hunter can say here, can't he? We have rooms, we have food, we have beach.."

'You know he can't do that, Exile. He's too good and loyal of a dog to leave his Master no matter what he feels."

Exile sighed. "You are right,. Never was there a more loyal and kindhearted dog. He is such wonderful leader! We NEED him! He is tape that fastens whole group together!"

"Right," Colleen said slowly.

"Wouldn't Master have known about this? Can't he build tube.."

"Build it where, Exile? The Clintons have no clue where they want to go yet! Hunter says they were stil arguing about it when he came here. He doesn't know where he's going, how can Master know?"

"Bulshanoi, this is tragedy to everyone involved! What are we gonna do without him! How can this happen? How can tea break up like this?!

Colleen started sobbing again. "I don't know, Exile. And I have no clue what we're gonna do without him…I don';t even know what I'm going to do without him!"

Exile looked at her, understanding. "I do understand how you must feel. We all know how close you and Hunter are!

"We're a LOT more than that, Exile," Colleen confessed. "Exile,. I'm in love with him! "

"Exile looked at her surprised. "Yoy're in lov with him?"
"And he's in love with me too. Oh, Exile we admitted it to each other just tonight. Then.,.he kissed me!"

"He kissed you?"

"Or I kissed him, or we kissed each other…it just happened! Not like we planned it. But..we know how we feel now about each other..and then this happened to us!"

'Bulshoi! This is truly hard for you Comrade, and I'm so sorry! " he looked down. "Do you think we should try talking to the Master about this?"

"I don't know what good it ca do, after all no on knows yet where the Clintons will ov to. And I don't think it';s right to give the one who gave us our powers a piece of our minds, considering." Exile nodded,. He did love being a Road Rover…buit he also lovd his friends, in particular Hunter. He thought ad thought about what to do, if they could do anything, Hunter was such a valuable member of this team, they couldn't just let him go! Colleen started sobbing again, and all xile could do was pat her shoulders and giv her some ore tissues. "Comrade?" he sauid. "You know what I think you should doski?"

"What?"

"Well, seeing as how you and Hunter do feel like this about each other..just spend as much time with each other as you can in the time you have left. Like I once told Hunter, you must make time for important things, Comrade. And what you and Hunter have is VERY Important! Do as much as you can together. Find lots of time. It's there, just look for it."

Colleen nodded and gave Exile a sad smile. "That ight be all we have. Thanks, Exile. But, Exile?"

"Yes, Ccomrade?"

"Please don';t tell anyone here what we talked about just now. Let's keep it our secret. I think Hunter would want to tll everyone himself, when he's ready. He's so upset, I know he;s nowhere near ready for everyone crowding around giving him sympathy."

"I do understand, Comrade. I will be quiet as cricket."'

The next day the Master called the Rovers to the Main room at Headquarters. "Gather around, Rovrs. You have a busy mission ahead." Hunter and Colleen kept exchanging glances from their seats. Glancesof love and sadness. "We have just received words that two feuding nations in the middle east have been found buying mysterious weapons from the same benefactors.

"Havoc strikes again!" Exile said.

"Let me at him to bite some Geeral tooshies!" Blitz said.
"Don';t be a weird boy," xile answered.

"Your Mission, Rovers, fly to the Middle East and put a stop to Havoc!"

"Yes, Sir!" The Rovers said, geting up

"Let's hit the Road, Rovers!" Hunter said causing a group howl which Exile and Colleen did sadly, knowing this might be one of the last few times to do it.

"OK, Rovers. Blitz, Shag, take Muzzle and go in the Cloud Rover, Exile, Colleen and I will follow in the sky Rover." Hunter said as they entered the vehicle room. Exileglanced at Coleen and shook his head.

"Nyet, Hunter, Why don't you and Colleen take Sky Rover?" I can go with Blitz, Shag, and Muzzle. Quickly he followed Blitz into the Cloud Rover.