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Episode Nine: Fickle Destiny

"Alright, this is the plan," said Stoker as he and the others sat in the lobby of the hotel.
"Somewhere in this forest is a storage bunker. We need to find it and get whatever's in there."
"Sweet!" shouted Vinnie. "Let's go whip some tail!"
"And what is in there?" asked Dorlin.
"Motorcycles, lazers, missiles, etc. Fun stuff. Now, let's get going and lets not lose each other!"
"You got it, Stoke!" Vinnie saluted.
The chocolate furred mouse looked hard at the teenagers. "Oooh no. Not you three." he said.
"Ahem! Excuse me! There's four of us!" Alexis said indignantly.
Stoker smiled at her, "How could I forget? Well, I know it's no use in telling you guys you can't go because you will anyway, so I'll make you a deal. You can help us search, but you have to stay close to the town, deal?"
"Ooh, you're good." Throttle chuckled.
"I know." Cody said suddenly, throwing his arms around Stoker's shoulders.
Stoker raised an eyebrow at Cody and coughed loudly. "Cody...don't make me kick you in the rubber-duckies."
Cody at once realized his hold on his friend and grinned stupidly. "Point well taken."
"Be careful, all of you." Rose said, pulling the bros and Alexis into her arms and hugging and kissing them.
"Don't worry, we'll take care of them, Rosie." Stoker assured her.
"You be careful too, Mr. Tough-guy." she said, pulling him into a hug as well, kissing his cheek.
"Awww!" The kids cooed as Stoker blushed.
"Uh, yeah...let's head out bros! It's tail whippin' time!"

*

Throttle, Modo, Vinnie, and Alexis wandered in the dark through the woods, still within safe range of the town, but far enough to conduct a proper search.
"So um...how will we know this place when we see it? Will it have some sort of big neon sign that says 'Here Is the Ammunition Bunker. Help Yourself'?" Vinnie asked.
"Not very likely, Vincent." Throttle sighed.
"I have a feeling we're not going to find anything out here, bros. Stoke' probably made sure we staid out of harms way. Darn him and his good intentions." Modo added.
But Alexis who seemed a little tense, was walking slowly, eyes darting left and right.
"What is it, bro?" Vinnie asked, noticing her staring around in the dark.
"I just got this bad feeling that we're not alone." she murmured.
"Because you're not, children." An eerie voice said from behind them. They whirled around to see the very familiar faces of the Plutarkian and Sand Raider that had been pursuing them before.
"Run!" Throttle shouted, but they were instantly surrounded and taken captive, their hands thrust behind their backs.
"No, no, my little fuzz-balls. You've done you're share of running. Now it's time to pay the Piper." The Plutarkian purred in a sick, menacing way.
Several other of his men turned to a near-by tree, tossing three nooses over a heavy, sturdy branch. The bros gulped.
"A little primitive, but it'll have to do." the Plutarkian chuckled. "I didn't anticipate your little friend here," he added, looking at Alexis's frightened face. "She'll just have to share one of your graves."
"You can't do this!" Vinnie shouted.
"Oh but I can, and I will." Hissed the man in reply. "Kill them."
The bros started kicking and screaming, fighting hard against their restraints. Someone had to come for them, someone had to hear them, anyone. It couldn't end like this, it just couldn't.
Then suddenly, in the distance, there was a rumbling, like distant thunder. They looked to the ground to see the dust and dirt begin to quiver and shake. Their ears perked as the rumble turned steadily to a roar and drew closer.
The Plutarkian now tuned to see what the commotion was...only to be met face to face with the treads of a motorcycle tire before the life was crushed out of him.
"FREEDOM FIGHTERS! ATTACK!" Stoker roared, as the forest was suddenly flooded with the roars of their bikes.
"Run for cover, kids!" commanded Axle.
Alexis, Modo, Throttle, and Vinnie all took off into the woods. The next thing they knew, though, they were standing in front of a large, concrete building. It was bluntly obvious--it was the bunker.
The foursome quickly made their way inside, where they found rows of lazors, missiles, jeeps, and motorcycles. It looked like the Plutarkians were about to take control of it and had sent some soldiers in ahead of time. But sadly, it looked like both sides went down quickly.
While Alexis grabbed a few weapons, three particular bikes were holding the attention of Throttle, Vinnie, and Modo.
The trio stared fixedly at the model of mechanical perfection. The bikes consisted of a dark purple-blue low-riding hog, a black classic Harley Davidson, and a candy-apple red Kawasoki racing bike.
"Da-rool!" Vinnie gasped.
"Somebody pinch me..." Throttle moaned in ecstasy.
"Sweet mystery of life at last I've found you!" Modo cried.
Cautiously they made their way over to them, and slowly sat down on them. It felt so right.
"Is it just me, or did we die and go to biker heaven?" Vinnie asked joyously.
"Bros...somehow...I feel like this is more than just chance. This is destiny." Throttle mused.
"I totally agree." Modo laughed as he revved the engine and it purred loudly in response.
"Wow!" exclaimed Alexis, walking over to them. "You guys look professional! Almost like...hmmm...like you found your place in the cosmos."
"Heh. This is gonna be cool," Vinnie said aloud.
"You know what I'm thinking?" asked Modo
"Probably the same thing I'm thinking!"
The trio each yanked their bikes back into hard wheelies, tires screaming "Let's Rock...AND RIDE!"
Within a few moments, they had joined the battle outside, gunfire and explosions illuminating the moonless night.
Stoker looked up as the trio joined the group with an expression of amusement and surprise. "Well, I see you boys found the bunker!" he called. "Now show me what you can do with those hunks of junk!" He shouted, giving them the thumbs up.
Meanwhile, on the side lines, President Dorlin was trying to keep out of the way. He loathed himself for allowing things to come this far, for allowing the people of this planet to fall so far, to subcome to such horrors that were only beginning.
In the middle of his self-loathing, however, he was discovered by a Sand Raider. Dorlin drew his gun from his pocket, pointing it shakily at the enemy. "Who are you?" he sputtered.
"My name is Spyke. Not that it matters much to you." the dog replied.
Dorlin opened fire, but the Sand Raider moved too fast. With a flash of his knife, Dorlin's hand was suddenly missing.
Dorlin screamed more out of shock than pain and tumbled over. Spyke's next blow landed in the President's gut. Dorlin choked as he pulled the blade out and made to strike again, when Stoker smashed his elbow into the Dog's face, sending him rolling across the ground.
Stoker leaned over Dorlin's body.
"Mr. President!"
Dorlin reached up with a bloody hand and grabbed hold of Stoker's hair, hard. "Do not let them win. This is my fault, and now it has to be made right again..."
His eyes rolled back up in his head and he slumped to the ground, relinquishing his grasp on the Freedom Fighter. Stoker closed his eyes in mourning and then turned quickly to see where his attacker was. The Sand Raider was gone however.
Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie meanwhile unleashed Hell and high-water on their enemies. For every cruelty they had suffered in the camp, this was their revenge.
Soon, the battle was over.
"YES!" Vinnie howled.
"Bitchin!" said Modo, slapping his little bro a high-five.
"Totally excellent." Throttle agreed coming to join them.
Stoker stepped over to the group. "Okay, everyone...grab a weapon and start back to town. We've got a new adventure ahead of us. It will be long and hard, but I'm hoping we can do this."
Throttle grinned at his bros, then turned back to Stoker. "Stoke, considering what we've been through already...I'm pretty sure we're ready for it."

The story continues in Red Planet - Book Three: Lessons . . .