To Have or Not to Hold-Chapter Twenty-One
It suddenly dawned on her what just happened. She and Vinnie had just stepped out of the friend zone. She felt thrilled and a little nervous. She glanced over at the white mouse who now had a smug, satisfied look on his face.
"Did..we..just?" She asked, hesitantly.
"Uh-huh. We sure did." He replied, grinning.
He looked proud and a mischievous twinkle shown in his eyes. He was genuinely happy at what they had done.
"Vinnie...I..."
"Charley...Sweetheart...I love you."
It sounded so sweet. She had been wanting him to make a declaration of love for three years. And now he had done it. Unfortunately, she said the first thing that came to her mind.
"Oh, sure. And how many girls have you fed this same pickup line to?" She asked, playfully.
He was always flirting with her. He did it all the time she had known him.
Charley smiled then stopped when she saw his face. He gave her a look she had never seen before. It was a hurt look. The smiling lines in his face ceased into hard lines. His jaw set. The smile was now a frown.
"You really think I'm feeding you a line?" He asked, "After what just happened..."
"What am I supposed to think? This is a regular thing with guys. Always hitting on a woman to worm their way into her pants."
"That's what you think? That I'm trying to get into your draws?!" He shouted.
He was getting really angry now.
"Well?"
"I thought you knew me by now." He walked over to his bike and put on his helmet.
"Wait. Where are you going?" She asked.
"Out. By myself." He said, angrily looking down while revving up his engine.
"Vinnie...I..."
But it was too late. He rode off without looking back. If he had he would've seen her head down and a sad look on her face.
...
"Dinner." said a security guard, placing a gray tray on the floor of a gray holding cell. The door of the cell was locked. The only opening was a small, rectangular shaped slit. Greasepit grabbed the tray and pulled it inside. On it, were two small bowls of some brown, foul smelling liquid and two steel spoons. Greasepit walked happily to a small table. Lawrence Limburger sat at the table on a worn stool. The Big Cheese was super angry.
"Look, boss, they's brought brown soup dis time and not that gray stuff from breakfast. Good thing 'cause I was hungry." The big ape said, shoving the bowl under Limburger's nose.
Limburger recoiled at the smell.
"Get that horrid stench away from me, you imbecile!" Limburger screamed, with a balled fist,"I'll get the Biker Mice and their hirsute female companion for putting me in this dismal dungeon."
"That can be arranged."
Limburger and Greasepit looked out of their cell to see Ondine standing outside.
"Hey, it's that wolf lady that hates dem Biker Mice." Greasepit exclaimed.
She walked into the prison up to their cell. A guard saw her and stopped her.
"Hey, you're not supposed to be here." He told her.
"Really? I say otherwise." She replied, aiming the moonstone at the guard.
He took out his gun to aim at her. A beam shone from the moonstone. It struck the guard. He put down the gun.
"Aaah, I hate guns and violence. I think I will take up ballet." He said.
"Then you can just hand me the keys." She said.
"Take them." He replied, placing the keys in Ondine's hand while dancing and leaping out of the door.
Ondine unlocked Limburger's cell and opened it. The Big Cheese and Greasepit walked out.
"What are you doing here?" Limburger asked her.
"We both want the same thing: revenge. The Biker Mice caused the death of my brother. They ruined your chances of invading Earth." Ondine replied.
"And how are you going to accomplish what I've spent years trying to do?"
"I've already used the moonstone to incapacitate the one they call General Carbine. The Biker Mice as well as their companions will try to find a way to reverse what I did to her. We'll set a trap for them." She replied.
"I like the way you think. It's diabolical to say the least." Limburger said, taking a small black object out of the dumpster behind the jail.
"Oooh, goody. You's found the tv remote. Now's we can watch game shows." Greasepit said, eagerly reaching for the object.
"It's not a tv remote, you numbskull."
Limburger pressed a red button on the strange object. A black limo pulled up along side the three villains. The car was driven by Fred The Mutant who was dressed up as a chauffeur.
"All aboooard!" The crazy alien happily cried out.
"Oh shut up!" Limburger screamed back.
The Big Cheese, Greasepit, and Ondine now climbed into the backseat.
"Carbunkle?" Limburger said, pressing a button on the vidcom, "Any sign of those bothersome Biker Mice?"
The Goon Squad has detected one of those wretched rodents near Limburger Tower, Your Overripeness."
"Excellent. The perfect bait to get the other two as well." The Big Cheese sneered.
...
"You sure about this place, Miss Hecuba?" Modo asked his dark haired lady.
"Positive. This is it. Eva's Bayou."
"It looks kinda deserted." The gray mouse replied, looking around.
It was a dilapidated old building surrounded by green vegetation and a small stream. Actually, it was more of a swampy area. The full moon overhead and overlooking the stream gave it even more of an eerie look.
"She said she'd meet me here. Eva is a member of the wolf pack that hasn't sided with Daniel or Ondine. She can also help us to find a way to save your friend Carbine from the effects of the moonstone."Hecuba replied.
"Can't you use some of your magic, too?"Modo asked.
"I do have some power, but it's limited. Eva's magic is far more powerful. Plus, she's well versed in voodoo as well."
"That hoodoo stuff kinda gives me the willies." Modo replied, shivering, "Hope she won't be sticking any pins in any dolls."
"Relax, son. I don't do that kind of stuff unless someone deserves it."
Modo and Hecuba looked up to see an older woman whose steel gray hair was wrapped in a colorful scarf. Her gold plated earrings jangled together as she walked. The multicolored dress she wore complimented the scarf. She was leaning on a wooden cane.
"You look like a nice fellow." She said.
Then she looked over at Hecuba.
"But I don't know you. Who are you?"
"Eva, it's me. Hecuba."
"Hec! What happened to you? Last time, I saw you you were over the hill. Now, I hardly recognize you. You're so young." Eva exclaimed, staring in awe at the young woman before her.
"I used a reversal spell on Daniel to restore the youth he stole from me."
"So, what brings you here in this neck of the swamp?"
"Ondine has stolen my moonstone and used it. Do you have a remedy to reverse the stone's effects?"
"I do indeed." Eva replied, opening a small wooden cupboard and pulling out a small vial, "Dousing the stone with this will block the moonstone's power."
"Thanks, Eva." Hecuba smiled, then suddenly she stopped.
Frightful images of Vinnie on his bike and then Greasepit firing a missile launcher now flooded her mind.
"What is it, Miss Hecuba?" Modo asked, catching his lady before she fainted.
Concern and alarm spread all over his face.
"Vinnie's in trouble!" She exclaimed.
"We don't got a moment to lose! I'll call Throttle!"