Confrontations-Chapter 3

" 'Sensors pickin' up a large moving object just north of here." Modo said, glancing at the view screen on his cybernetic arm as mini satellites on it moved back and forth.

"It's gotta be Shakira's dad!" Vinnie replied.

"But how did he go all Werewolf of London on us?" Charley asked.

"Betcha a whole plate of dogs, that deranged doc had something to do with it!" Vinnie exclaimed.

"Yeah, using innocent people to experiment on is just his style." Modo grumbled.

"Then, brothers and sister, I think it's time for a major rumble in the jungle!" Throttle crowed.

"Aroooooow! Let's party!" Vinnie howled, fist pumped in the air.

"Awright!" Modo cheered.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the large undergrowth. Their mouse ears moved and perked up. Their super sensory hearing allowed them to hear the movement. The mice tensed up.

Throttle took out his blaster. Vinnie had lit flares at the ready while Modo aimed his laser cannon at whatever direction they heard it from.

"What's happening?" Charley asked.

"Someone or something is out there watching us." Throttle explained.

"Get ready, bros."

"Don't shoot! It is only me." Said a voice. The small lithe figure came out of the brush into view.

"Shakira! What are you doing here?" Vinnie asked.

Throttle lowered his weapon followed by Modo. Vinnie had shut off his flares.

"I have come to help, Esuom." Shakira replied, walking up to Vinnie.

"How'd you know we were here?" Throttle asked her.

"I followed the trail Father left." She replied, pointing to torn underbrush and split trees to her right.

"Sorry, Sweetheart, but being a hero is dangerous business. You could get hurt."Vinnie told her.

"I know you know what is best, Esuom, but my father needs me."

" Limburger is bad news. You'd better let us handle this." Charley told her.

" But I can be of help to you. Besides, you don't really know this jungle as well as I do." She slyly smirked.

The mice and Charley glanced at each other nodding to themselves.

"You got a point." Charley said.

"Your dad is going in that direction." Modo said, "According to this."

Shakira looked at the large red dot on the vid screen on Modo's robotic arm.

"Come! He needs us!" She looked at Vinnie, " I shall ride with you if that is alright."

"Well..." Vinnie began, glancing awkwardly at Charley.

"Hey, fine by me." Charley replied, abruptly. Vinnie looked at Charley with a surprised look. Throttle and Modo also looked confused.

"Well, what are you guys waiting for? An invite? Let's go!" She replied, walking over to Modo and getting on his bike. The later gave her a look wondering what was going on.

"Charley-girl's actin' awfully strange. What's Vinnie done this time?" Throttle wondered.

"Yeah, let's" Vinnie said, quietly, handing Shakira the helmet he usually gave to Charley.

Something was up with Charley but he didn't know what it was. He was determined to find out.

"Did I say something wrong?" Shakira asked, as she got on his bike behind him.

Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"No, you're good, babe." Vinnie told her, quickly.

"Now, let's Rock and RIde!" Throttle called out. All three bikes then rode in the direction of the trail.

"Is anything wrong, Charley-ma'am?" Modo asked her, when they were a good distance from Vinnie and Shakira.

'No, of course not. Why you ask, Modo?" Charley replied.

"It's just that you always ride with Vinnie."

"Well, now I'm riding with you. Besides, he's got his hands full." She murmured, pointing at Shakira with her thumb.

"You're not by any chance jealous, are you?" Modo wondered.

"D-don't be ridiculous. Who me?" Charley told him, a little angry.

But can you blame me if I am? She said to herself.

I mean he and the guys are the closest thing she's ever had to family. They've spent Christmas together the whole three years she's known them. She also helped them keep Earth out of Limburger's greedy clutches.

Vinnie often flirted with her and she always playfully threw off his attempts to gain her affection. But over the years her feelings for the white mouse grew. Many times he risked life and limb to keep her safe. He also saved her garage from being demolished by Limburger. The Last Chance Garage was her life. The fact that someone other than her thought it was important and worth saving appealed to her greatly.

She often gazed at him with gratitude and love. But she never acted on her feelings. She was so afraid of ruining their friendship. As much as she sometimes hated the f word what they had still meant a lot to her.

But now she wanted to step out of the friend zone. She had made up in her mind this morning that she was going to throw caution to the wind and tell him how she felt. Then he met Shakira. Then all bets were off. She decided to just keep being the good friend she always had been to him. Nothing was going to change. She had to accept that.

They soon rode into a non grassy clearing. It was a large area made of wet sand.

"Wait!" Shakira called out. Everyone stopped their bikes.

"We have to turn around. Quickly!"

"What's going on?" Vinnie asked her.

Within minutes, their bikes started to sink down into the sand.

"Oh, no! QUICKSAND!" Charley cried out. But it was too late. Soon everyone was pulled into and down.

"We have to be calm. Esuom will save us, will you not?" Shakira asked Vinnie.

"Line and Pull number five! Now! " Throttle told his two comrades. They hit a red button on their hikes releasing a tow rope from their bikes.

"Climb on, sweetheart." Vinnie motioned to Shakira. The latter reached for the rope he handed her. She climbed up and crawled to dry ground. Modo helped Charley climb up the rope and she landed next to Shakira.

"C'mon, guys!" Charley called out.

"Esuom, come to us!" Shakira cried. One by one the mice crawled out of the quicksand unscathed.

"Everyone, OK?" Charley asked.

"Our bikes!" Modo called out, "C'mon, Lil Hoss!"

"You can do it, Lady!" Throttle told his bike.

"C'mon,baby. Make me proud." Vinnie cheered his bike on.

Modo's bike slowly pulled herself out of the sand followed by the other two bikes. All three bikes were covered in sand but otherwise fine. All three mice grinned and patted their bikes.

"Why didn't you tell us the quicksand was there?" Charley questioned Shakira.

"I'm sorry. I just remembered it."

" You were supposed to lead us away from danger not to it."

"Cut her some slack, Sweetheart. It ain't her fault." Vinnie told her.

"She almost got us killed! We got out. No thanks to her."

Charley's angry face softened at her downcast face. The girl was close to tears.

"Look, I..."

" I have failed you, Esuom! Forgive me!" Shakira cried, glancing at Vinnie. She then abruptly got up and ran into the jungle.

"Shakira!" Vinnie cried out. He went to go after her when she stopped.

"This is my fault. I shouldn't have snapped at her. Let me go."

Tears streamed down Shakira's face. She stopped at the sound of voices. She hid behind some thick trees. There was the creature who was once her father and with him were Lawrence Limburger and Dr. Carbunkle.

"Ah, it would seem your latest experiment was a success, Carbunkle." He said.

"Right you are, Your Over Rotundness." He replied.

"If anyone should be thanked, it should be me." said a voice.

Shakira saw Iago, her village's high priest now approach them. She was about to cry out to him when his next words stopped her in her tracks.

"I was the one who told you to use the Clampoo on the old chief. I fulfilled my part of the bargain. Now you fulfill yours." Iago told Limburger.

"Of course, Mr. Iago. Carbunkle."

The latter handed him a briefcase. Iago opened it. Inside was a giant diamond. Iago's frown moments earlier was now a huge grin from ear to ear.

"What's happening?"

Shakira looked up to see Charley behind her. She motioned her to be quiet and hide. The two girls watched the three villains in the clearing.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Iago." Limburger chuckled.

"With the Eye of Orion, the villagers will make me their new ruler and Princess Shakira shall be my queen!"

"Traitor! I will never marry you!" Shakira angrily cried out.

Charley tried to grab her to get her to run for it when they ran into Greasepit's humongous, oily chest. Within minutes, two large sausage fingered hands grabbed both women.

"Put us down, you walking pile of ooze!" Charley cried out.

"Oh, I donts think so. The boss is gonna wanna talk to youse dames." He replied, walking towards his boss followed by the two ladies who he had under each arm.

"This is bad jujus." Throttle told his two bros upon arriving on the scene.