Biker Mice from Mars - Mountain Drift

Chapter 3: Advice

Manuel got to work on time, parking behind the tuning and repair shop where he worked: The Throttle works Speed Shop. He got out, and checked himself in on the work clock, then went to see what needed to be done. He went through the day as usual; replacing alternators, spark plugs, rotating tires, fluid changes, and various other things that needed to be done on their client's cars and motorcycles. He was focused on his work, but during his breaks, his mind always wandered back to Throttle and his predicament. He needed to help him find his bros, but how? He was unsure of how much time off he had earned, or even if he could take the time off to find Throttle's bros. Nor did he even know where to start looking.

Time went by quickly as business went at the regular pace for the garage. Soon, it was five o'clock. Manuel finished what he was working on and punched out. His shift was done. He got out a small snack bar from his lunchbox and started to munch on it, staring off at the sky from the garage door.

"Something bothering' you, sonny?" Manuel looked over his shoulder to see his boss, Robert Dodger. Everyone at the garage just referred to him as "Robby D" or just "boss."

Manuel wanted to tell him about his predicament but knew he needed to be careful with his wording. Otherwise, Robby D would think he had lost it. After all, nobody believed in aliens, let alone alien mice from Mars.

"Boss, I... kind of made a new friend the other night..." Manuel said as he put his punch card back into the rack, thinking of how to explain without sounding crazy.

"A new friend, huh?" Robby D sat down next to Manuel at the table, smiling. "What's his name? What's he like?"

"He goes by 'Thorneboy' and travels a lot," Manuel said. "He didn't ask me for anything, but I know he needs some help finding what he's looking for."

"What's he looking for?" Robby D asked.

Manuel's thoughts raced to come up with an answer. "...Family."

"Ah!" Robby D smiled, nodding and patting Manuel on the back. "What else do you know about this new friend? This Thorneboy? Does he do drugs? Did you check his background?"

"He's clean," Manuel said. He knew Robby D would ask that. The guy was like his second father, in a sense. He was protective of all his staff members and watched over them with an eagle eye. He was also a good guy to talk to when you needed advice. Robby D has been through it all himself, seeing he was now about sixty-five years old, and still kicking'. As the locals said, if Robby D didn't have the advice you needed, no one did.

"So, you want to help this guy out, yet you don't know where to start?" Robby D assumed.

"Dead on, boss." Manuel sighed. "He knows his family's out there, he just doesn't know where."

Robby D paused, as if in thought, looking up at the sky. "Well... What about the internet? There's a lot of stuff you can look up on the computer these days. It might be the best way to figure out your friend's past too."

That's when it hit Manuel! The internet! That was it!

"Boss, you are a genius!" Manuel smiled.

"Now that's the kind of face I like to see!" Robby D laughed with a grin. "By the way, if you want to take some time off, you've earned a good two months of vacation time. Why don't you use it to help your new friend? I'll get someone to cover your father's deliveries, too."

Manuel was surprised! This turned out better than he expected! Now he could help Throttle!

"Thanks, Boss!" With that, he got his lunchbox and keys to his CR-X.

Later...

Manuel flew up the steps to his apartment, anxious to tell Throttle the news. He unlocked his apartment door and walked in. Throttle looked like he had been pacing around on his crutches. He was currently sitting in the recliner.

"Are you doing okay?" Manuel asked.

Throttle sighed. "I'm just worried about my bros. I also left something where I crashed, if it's still there..."

"What did you leave?" Manuel asked.

"My bike." Throttle answered. "I need to get it back, but I can't go very far with these crutches. I don't even remember where I crashed up at Bogus..."

"That I can help with." Manuel went to his computer and switched it on. It went through the usual boot up screen. He logged in. "I believe I can track where you crashed using maps from the internet, and using them, along with data from local weather patterns, can track where your bros crashed as well! The maps are updated daily via satellite, all we need to look for is the patterns. I can get some help from my Internet pen pal, Takumi, as well. Let' s see what we can find..."