An almost pitch black darkness, and a silence greets Vikki as she opens
her eyes. Vikki's first thought, is to jump from the cot she was sleeping
on, but her eyes quickly focus to the dark and her ears pick up the sounds
of soft breathing close by. Vikki finally realizes where she is and who
is breathing. Vinnie would love to see me so scared, thinks Vikki as she
stretches and releases the breathe she was holding in a sigh. Vikki gets
out of the cot, slips on the worn-out sneakers Charley gave her, and goes
downstairs.
It is almost as dark downstairs as upstairs, but thanks to some Plutarkian
tinkering, Vikki can see better than most Martians. She easily makes her
way to the refrigerator. The light blinds her for a second, when she opens
the door and gets a root beer. Vikki walks towards the garage section but
stops in the door frame. As she drinks the root beer, Vikki watches her
brother and her best friends sleep. For a second time Vikki is blinded for
a second, as a car's headlights shine through a window. The light is reflected
off Vinnie's mask and Modo's arm. Vikki smiles as she remembers how shy
Modo was about his arm when she first got there; and how that seemed to
disappear when she 'fried' that hot dog with what her brother lovingly called
'The Eye Thing.' Vikki's mind continues to wander and goes to memories of
more happy, peaceful times. Images of camp-outs, barbecues, and road trips
run together in her mind.
Charley rouses Vikki awake by gently tapping her shoulder. Vikki awakens
to find herself still standing, only now an early morning sun is shining
its light brightly through the windows. She stretches and yawns.
"What were you doing getting up so early?" Charley is genuinely
surprised Vikki was up so early, considering how lazy Vinnie could be sometimes.
"A forced force-of-habit," answers Vikki. Vikki starts to move
away from the door frame when her foot pushes her root beer can laying on
the floor, causing it to spill more of the liquid out. Sorry. I'll get it."
As Vikki wipes up the spilt root beer, Charley goes to the closet and pulls
out a large plastic bag. "I got you some more clothes yesterday while
the guys left for an hour or so." Vikki looks at her puzzled, "Why
did you go and get me clothes when the guys left when you didn't even know
hardly anything fit me?" Charley smiles, "I'm talking about the
yesterday you slept through!" She hands a wide-eyed Vikki the bag.
Vikki annoyedly pushes her hair out of her face. "That's it!"
She scrounges in the drawers in the kitchen until she finds what she is
looking for. Vikki takes the bag and a pair of scissors upstairs.
Charley is finished fixing breakfast when she hears Vikki coming down the
stairs. She is wearing black biker pants, black boots, and a white denim
work shirt. The sleeves on the shirt are rolled up and Vikki has tied her
bandanna around her right wrist. She is still wearing her necklace. Charley
notices Vikki has cut her bangs to just above her eyes. The rest of her
hair is pulled back into a ponytail.
"I guess we need to wake the guys." Charley smiles, "I practically
had to keep a rifle trained on them so they wouldn't wake you!" Vikki
smiles mischievously, in a way similar to Vinnie. "Waking up Vinnie,
number three on my list of ways to annoy my brother. Watch this."
Vikki sneaks over to the cot Vinnie is sleeping on. She kneels down and
starts softly stroking his forehead. Charley nearly bursts out laughing
as Vikki leans close to Vinnie's ear, and in a very deep, sultry voice whispers,
"Vinnie? Vinnie, my stud of a Macho Mouse hero." Vinnie smiles
and mumbles something in his sleep. Charley again has to hold back laughter.
Suddenly, in a very shrill voice, Vikki yells, "VINCENT! If you don't
get out of that bed, I'll drag you out by your tail!" Vinnie jumps
out of the cot yelling, 'Yes Mom!' and starts making his bed. When he finally
realizes what has happened, he sees Vikki rolling on the floor and Charley
on her knees, both laughing hysterically. "VIKKI?" By this time
Modo and Throttle are awake and standing. Vikki runs and hides behind them
just in case her brother tries to commit the threats he is thinking of.
She yells from behind her furry barricade, "You wouldn't hurt your
little sister, would you?" Vinnie replies, "Only by one minute!"
Limburger is standing in his makeshift office with Karbunkle. "Karbunkle,
do you know why those repugnant rodents work so well together?" Asks
Limburger while watching some footage of the Biker Mice fighting his goons
on a television screen, suspended from the ceiling. Karbunkle stammers,
"I... I don't...."
"Because they trust each other so much! So how do we destroy that trust?"
Limburger paces the floor while waiting for an answer. "Well?!"
"I... think I have an idea." Karbunkle programs the Plutarkian
Transporter and activates it. When the flash dissipates, a humanoid creature
stands in the transporter. It has lime green skin with three fingers on
each hand, and two toes on each foot. It has no facial features except to
yellow eyes and a thin slit representing a mouth. "Sir, this is Keg,
a shape shifter. He can duplicate anything or anyone. All he needs is an
image of what you need duplicated, say a video recording for example.
"Are you sure he is what we need?" Keg's body shifts into a perfect
likeness of Limburger, and in a exact duplication of Limburger's voice answers,
"Yes. I am."
"Vinnie, don't even think about it." Vinnie looks over at his
sister innocently, "What?"
"You were planning to use the leftover scrambled eggs as ammo for a
food fight." Vikki grins as Charley quickly takes the bowl of scrambled
eggs away from Vinnie and sets it on the counter.
Throttle decides to change the subject. "Bros. What about...,"
he nods his head in the direction of the garage section. "Oh yeah!"
Modo smiles and gets out of his chair. "Vinnie?" Vinnie is contemplating
ways to repay his sister and isn't paying attention. Modo brings him back
to reality by picking up Vinnie's chair, with Vinnie in it, and setting
it down with it pointing towards the garage section. "All Right! All
Right!" yells Vinnie as he gets out of his chair and walks into the
garage. Throttle and Modo follow, bringing Charley and Vikki with them.
When they get there, Vinnie pulls a metallic trunk-like box out from under
his cot. Modo guides Vikki to the box as Vinnie unlocks it. Vikki kneels
down beside it and lifts the lid. Suddenly she looks up at her brother.
"What are you doing with my stuff?"
"Vin forced us to bring it with us." Vikki doesn't hear Modo's
answer, she is busy sifting through her belongings. There are two Freedom
Fighter uniforms, some personal items, a leather jacket, and a helmet in
the trunk. Vikki quickly puts on the jacket and helmet. The jacket is black
with the Biker Mice insignia drawn in red on the back, and the helmet is
identical to Vinnie's, except where the three red stripes meet in the back,
there is a 'V' drawn in two res lighting bolts. Vikki stands and strokes
the leather. She seems to remember something and reaches into the left pocket.
"They're still here," remarks Vikki, somewhat surprised. She smiles
as she pulls out a pair of black biker gloves and puts them on. "Wait
a minute." Vikki starts patting the jacket, then she searches through
her trunk. "Vincent," she calls while holding out her hand. Vinnie
sighs and reaches under his pillow. He pulls out a pair of sunglasses with
black frames and red lenses. There is a silhouette in silver of a motorcycle
on each of the ear pieces. Modo and Throttle laugh at Vinnie's pitiful expression
and the fact that Vinnie always wanted those glasses. Vikki just shakes
her head again. She raises the visor on her helmet and slips on the shades.
"I hate to break up this... tender moment," an overacting Vinnie
tries to change the subject, "but how 'bout a tour of Chitown?"
Vikki grins and answers, " 'Kay." As the guys get on their bikes,
Charley and Vikki both start towards Vinnie's bike. Vinnie hands Charley
her helmet but Charley stops and looks at Vikki. Vikki looks at her brother
and a suspecting smile spreads across her face. "That's O.K. I can
ride with Modo. She slips in behind Modo and everyone rides out.
It is late afternoon when they return, except for Throttle, who stayed at
the scoreboard. Vikki gets off Modo's bike saying, "I can't believe
you guys took me to a junkyard. Wait. Actually, I can." Vinnie, Modo,
and Vikki go into the kitchen while Charley heads for the stairs. She stops
as Throttle walks in. "Throttle, I'm going upstairs for a nap, so don't
wake unless Vinnie catches the garage on fire, again!" Throttle just
looks at her somewhat puzzled. "Listen. After touring the entire city
twice, then watching and being forced into participating in three football
games, not to mention eating enough hot dogs to fill an elephant, I need
some sleep!" Charley trudges up the stairs. After Charley leaves, Throttle's
eyes glow yellow behind his field specs, and his body shifts into a replica
of Charley. She grins and says, "Sure thing."
" 'Sure thing' what, Sweetheart?" Vinnie asks while walking towards
her. She smiles at him seductively. "You are a sure thing to beat the
blues, Handsome."
"What!" Vinnie is in shock as 'Charley' places her hands an his
chest and looks into his face. "I'm going upstairs and I wondered if
you'd like to join me." She turns and climbs halfway up the stairs.
"But, I won't wait to long." 'Charley' climbs the rest of the
stairs and disappears in the shadows. Vinnie climbs the stairs while repeating
to himself, I'm only going up there to see what's WRONG with Charley. He
doesn't notice a lime green liquid running down the side of the stairs.
The liquid drains into a puddle that conforms itself into Vinnie.
"Hey, Bro, where's Charley?" 'Vinnie' turns to Modo with a very
angry look on his face. "Bro, what's wrong?"
"Don't give me that innocent act! You... you... RAT!" A look of
confusion and shock covers Modo's face, but before he can retaliate 'Vinnie'
continues. "You just stay away from my sister, ya hear! OHH! I saw
you with her today, always standing sooo close to her. Always finding a
way to brush up against her!" Anger is shining in Modo's eye, but he
remains calm. "Vin, I wasn't..."
"Don't give me any of your lame excuses! Just stay away from Vikki,
or you'll have to deal with me!" 'Vinnie' braces himself for a fight,
but Modo calmly says, "Bro, I'm not going to fight with you,"
and storms out of the garage. "Vinnie' yells after him, "She's
too good for you! You know that, don't you?"
Vikki enters the garage section to find 'Throttle' standing there, looking
out a door with a puzzled expression on his face. "What's up?"
"Is there something going on between you and Modo?" Vikki freezes
with surprise while 'Throttle' continues. " 'Cause he just came out
here laughing and joking about you thinking he has feelings for you. He
said you needed to grow up and stop following him around like a lost puppy."
Vikki has an almost heartbroken expression on her face. As 'Throttle' walks
into the kitchen, Modo returns, cautiously, to the garage.
"Charley! I only did what you told me to do!" Vinnie runs down
the stairs with his head ducked. Charley follows with a baseball bat in
her hand. When Vinnie reaches the bottom, he sees Vikki and Modo yelling
at each other, and tries to break it up, but soon, he and Charley get drawn
into the argument. Throttle rides in and stops. He can't understand a word
until Vikki yells above the others, "Well, Throttle told me everything
you said!"
"QUIET! What is going on here!" Everyone starts yelling at once.
Suddenly Throttle waves his hand for silence as he focuses his hearing in
the radio of his bike.
"Listen up, my mammajammin' buds. This is Sweet Georgie Brown and I
repeat, there is one bodaciously bad beastie bustin' up Downtown! I am talkin'
complete annihilation here! Now, back to the jams." Throttle looks
at the others. Without one word Modo and Vinnie get in their bikes. Vikki
and Charley look at each other, then Charley gets on Modo's bike While Vikki
gets on her brother's. Throttle confused expression deepens, but there's
no time for explanations. "Let's Rock..." No one makes any attempt
to finish. Throttle shakes his head and they ride out.
When they reach downtown Chicago, they don't see anyone or anything, other
than the usual half demolished buildings. Throtte suddenly sees Limburger
walk out from an alley. "Limburger. Big surprise." The Biker Mice
train their weapons on Limburger. Limburger smiles, maniacally, and says,
"Are you sure I am Limburger?" He looks across the street. A second
Limburger comes out from behind a building. "Or am I Limburger?"
"Didn't he already try this once?" Asks a baffled Vinnie, sarcastically.
Before the Biker Mice can react, the first Limburger pulls out a remote
control and pushes a red button. Four machines, disguised as fire hydrants
and signs, emanate an electrical charge that knocks out the guys, Charley
and Vikki, and the bikes the second it hits them.
Charley wakes up strapped to a metal bed. To her left is Throttle, and
to her right are Modo, Vinnie, and Vikki. Past Vikki, there is a metal table.
Karbunkle is working at the table When he moves to one side, Charley can
five submission collars lying on the table.
"Anybody get the number of that spaceship?" Asks a groggy Vinnie
as his eyes blink open,as does Modo's and Throttle's. Vikki is awake, but
can't seem to focus her eyes. Soon Limburger walks in. "Ahh, my ridiculous
rodents, it is very good to finally see you at my mercy." He looks
at Vikki. "Especially the one who led the slave rebellion aboard Lord
Cammenber's cruiser. I am happy to announce that you five will spend the
rest of your lives in the service of Plutark." Limburger walks towards
Charley and leans over to her, with his hands behind his back, and looks
at her face to mask. "Don't worry my dear, Ms. Davidson. Your garage
will be taken good care of."
IF HE SO MUCH AS TOUCHES HER, I'LL...., Vinnie's thoughts are interrupted
by Vikki's. Bro. You remember the toaster? Vinnie's mind rushes back to
when he and his sister were four. He had decided to test what his father
had told him about what happens when someone puts metal in an electrical
outlet. The second Vinnie put a knife in the outlet, Vikki, who was in the
kitchen on the other side of their house, touched the toaster. Neither of
the twins were electrocuted, but the toaster exploded. Yeah. So?
Just leave it to me. Vikki starts to concentrate, and merbes her psychic
energy with Vinnie's. Together they merge with Throttle, Modo, and Charley.
Vikki combines the engery into one beam and focuses it on the computerized
locks on the shackles that have chained them to the beds. The locks are
forced open and the Biker Mice jump from the beds. Vikki's blast the chains
holding the bikes. The guys jump on their bikes with Vikki behind Modo and
Charley behind Vinnie. Goons swarm into the room. A missile explodes near
Modo's bike, causing Vikki to fall off. She rolls to safety. Suddenly a
shadow falls over her. Vikki looks up to see her owm face looking back.
Vikki rises to her feet with an unbelieving expression on her face. Slowly
the expression changes from unbelief to understanding and then to anger
as she realizes what has been happening. "YOU!" The other Vikki's
eyes glow yellow behind the duplicated shades, and with an evil smile replies,
"Me."
Modo hadn't noticed Vikki was missing until he had dispatched with the goons
that had came towards him. When he does, he looks around and sees Vikki
standing beside an unconscious, lime green creature that was starting to
look less and less like Vikki. Vikki runs over to Modo and gets on his bike.
As she wraps her arms around him, she jokes, "I can even whip my owm
tail!" Modo laughs and points Lil' Hoss in the direction of the door.
outside Modo and Vikki meet Throttle, Vinnie, and Charley coming from the
basement. They leave as Limburger's makeshift office building falls to the
ground. Vikki looks over to her brother, who just shrugs his shoulders.
On the way back to the garage, Charley asks Vinnie, "Vin, why do I
have this feeling that I should never let you near a toaster ever again?"
Vinnie though very surprised, starts laughing.
"Vikki, can I talk to you?" Asks Modo when they reach 'The
Last Chance'. He looks at her sheepishly. She stops, as the others go into
the kitchen, and walks over to Modo and Lil' Hoss. "Yeah, of course."
"I mean, in private" Modo pats the seat. Vikki is somewhat puzzled,
but she gets on. Modo and Vikki ride out of 'The Last Chance' and through
the city. They have ridden for almost an hour. The scenery has changed from
office buildings and skyscrapers, to houses and then to a road in bad need
of repaving. The road climbs a hill, thick with trees. Soon the road leads
them to a clearing. The crumbling remains of a once large building surround
them. The sun has started to set, and that gves everything a red-orange
tint. If Vikki hadn't known better, she would have sworn she was on Mars.
She gets off the bike and removes her helmet and shades.
"This place used to be an observatory, before Limburger blew it up,"
explains Modo while removing his own helmet. "That was before we crashed
here." He notices that Vikki has taken her hair down from the ponytail
she had had it in and that a light breeze is moving it. Modo swallows hard
and moves towards Vikki. Vikki had her back facing him, but she turns when
she hears his footsteps. She looks up into Modo's face. Even in the fading
light, Vikki can see an uncomfortable expression on his face.
"Vikki. There were some things that shape shifter said that got me
thinkin'." Modo places his hands on her shoulders. "I don't know
how to say this. I... I... still lo-" He isn't able to finish his sentence,
because Vikki wraps her arms around his neck and replies, "I still
love you too." A smile of pure joy spreads over Modo's face as he wraps
his arms around Vikki's waist and pulls her close so that he can kiss her.