Biker Mice from Mars - Mountain Drift

Chapter 8: Meet the alien

Florida

Sometime later...

Charley and Vinnie had just arrived at the National Park where Modo's signal was coming from. It was moving! Right towards them!

"Could they make this road any bumpier?" Charley asked as she drove.

That's when they saw a pickup truck slowly driving down the road with Modo's bike in the back!

"Modo!" Vinnie exclaimed. On instinct, he jumped out of Charley's truck and ran up in front of the pickup as it slammed on its brakes, stopping inches from hitting him. Vinnie saw Modo in the passenger seat. His heart raced as he ran over to the passenger side of the cab and opened the door.

"One of your bros, I assume?" The driver, who was clearly irritated, asked Modo. He then turned to Vinnie. "I nearly hit you, what were you thinking?! You could have ended up roadkill, dumb-ass!"

But Vinnie was too worried about Modo to listen or even consider the insult. He instantly threw his arms around Modo in a tight embrace, failing to hold in tears of relief.

Even though Modo was completely drained, he was surprised by Vinnie's behavior. Normally, he was headstrong and confident. The crash must have sent him into a deep shock, maybe even into a depressive state.

"It's okay, Vin. Easy on the waterworks, It's Good to see you too." Modo said, patting Vinnie on the back. Charley then walked up from her truck to the driver's side of the pickup Modo was in.

"You helped Modo?" She asked the driver.

"He needed help. I was just trying to do the right thing." The young eighteen-year-old said as he got out of the pickup. He had blonde hair, and fair skin, wearing some light camping attire. "I guess you are friends with this guy?"

"Yeah, we are." Charley sighed. "What's your name, kid?"

"Hey, The name's Jaiden Skylark, and I'm no kid!" Jaiden snapped, even more irritated. "I'm eighteen years old! Geez! How old do I look to you, lady? Eight?!"

"No, but you sure can act like it." Charley quipped back with some wit. Jaiden just rolled his eyes in response and laughed.

"I'm not surprised by that one. I've heard worse." He said. "Maybe you should start from the beginning, Ms..."

"Charlene Davidson," Charley said. "But you can call me Charley."

Meanwhile, in Boise...

Manuel parked his car outside his apartment complex, Takumi parking the Eight-Six in the spot next to him. They walked up to the steps to his apartment.

"Now swear you won't freak out..." Manuel said, pausing outside his door.

"Why would we freak out?" Iketani asked. "Manuel, what is the big deal?"

"Just put your right hand up and say, 'I swear on our friendship, and as God as my witness, I won't tell anyone about this' okay?" Manuel said, annoyance in his voice.

Takumi, Itsuki, and Iketani looked at each other. They finally shrugged and held their right hands up and repeated the phrase: "I swear on our friendship, and as God as my witness, I won't tell anyone about this."

Manuel felt less than reassured. He got out his key and unlocked his apartment door. They walked in.

"Throttle?" Manuel said as they walked into the kitchen. "You still here? I called you earlier about wanting to introduce my pen pal and his friends?"

Throttle then limped into view on one of his crutches from around the corner. Iketani's breathing increased to a panicked level upon sight of Throttle, even more so when he saw he was the real deal and it was not a costume as he first assumed. Itsuki was starting to stammer on words in Japanese, pointing at Throttle. Even Takumi was wide-eyed, and he was usually the most mellow and understanding of the group.

"I forbid any of you to freak out!" Manuel snapped, looking at Takumi, Itsuki, and Iketani. "And Itsuki, you better not scream-"

But Itsuki let loose with a loud, blood-curdling scream before Manuel could finish. Throttle flattened his ears upon hearing the high-pitched wail. Even Manuel covered his ears.

Iketani immediately clamped his hand over Itsuki's mouth as Manuel slammed his apartment door shut, hoping in vain that no one had heard Itsuki. Manuel paused, catching his breath, and his nerve. Then he stormed over to Itsuki.

"Dammit, you want the whole building to hear you, Itsuki?!" Manuel snarled through barred teeth, his body rigid, eyes twitching in anger. If Itsuki feared Throttle, he was now downright terrified by the look in Manuel's eyes. There was a knock at the door a couple of seconds later.

"Vernandez! It's your neighbor, Roxanne! What in god's name is going on in there?!" His neighbor, Roxanne Darcy demanded outside the door. Manuel's demeanor then changed to panic. Throttle limped behind the wall and out of view as Manuel answered the door.

"I'm... Sorry about the noise, Ms. Darcy! It's nothing major..." Manuel said with his best innocent voice, his mind racing to come up with an excuse as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "I just have some friends over... We were... Just playing the latest 'Aliens' game! Ridley Scott put some terrifying moments into it! That's why my friend screamed! He was playing it and got scared! It's nothing to worry about!"

"Well keep it down in there, young man!" Ms. Darcy snapped in her heavy Brooklyn accent. "I could hear your friend all the way down the stairwell! It sounded like someone was getting murdered!" They then heard her stomp her foot and storm off as Manuel shut the door and leaned against it. He let out a big sigh of relief.

"Great PewDiePie impression, Itsuki," Iketani said sarcastically, letting Itsuki go. "Now, Manuel, you've got a lot to explain."