Biker Mice from Mars - Mountain Drift

Chapter 16: Sneak Attack

Thirty minutes later...

Throttle continued to look through the computer's maps. He was having trouble concentrating, now knowing the truth about Manuel and his racing. It hit too close to home for him, making him wonder if his bros were dead, too. Would he just be chasing shadows? Chasing nothing but memories?

He shook the thoughts from his mind. "No," He said. "I will not think that way. They are not dead. I just have to find them..."

He was interrupted by a loud banging on the apartment door, combined with the sound of snapping wood. He looked over, and there was an axe poking through the thick wood of the door!

Someone was breaking in!

Meanwhile, at the Riverside golf course...

Itsuki and Iketani watched with the others as Takumi took his shot.

"Darn! I missed again!" Takumi said.

"It's okay." Mika smiled. "You're still getting the hang of it."

"Besides, you're doing way better than me," Manuel said. "Mika, how did you get so good at golf?"

"I've been playing since I was little." She said.

"Well, that explains it," Manuel said.

"Yeah," Itsuki said, daydreaming.

That's when Manuel's cell phone rang.

"Hold on, I need to take this call." He got out his Android phone, looking at the number. It was the cell he gave Throttle. "Hello?"

"Manuel, you have to get home! Now!" Throttle said. There was banging in the background. "They've found me, they're trying to break down the door! Hurry! There's not much time, I can't hold this thing shut..." Suddenly there was a loud bang, splitting of wood, then he heard Throttle yell, some punches connecting, and several voices he didn't recognize.

"You've been living' on borrowed time, Mousy. Today, that time's up..."

There was then the sound of something like a whip, then crackling of electricity. Throttle screamed in pain, then all was quiet.

"Got 'em."

"For once, you did something useful, you oily oaf. Well?! What are you just standing there for, Greasepit?! Load him into the van!"

"Throttle, what's going on?!" Manuel demanded. "Throttle?! THROTTLE!"

The line then went dead.

"Shit!" Manuel dropped his golf club and bolted towards the parking lot!

"Manuel, wait! Where are you going?!" Takumi yelled, running after him.

The group's blood ran cold when they heard Manuel's answer.

"They've found him, and I need to get home before they get away!"

Takumi and the group then bolted after Manuel, following his beeline to the parking lot, abandoning their rented golf equipment. They got to the parking lot just as Manuel got into his CR-X and was peeling out.

"Think we should go after him?" Iketani asked.

"Hell yes, I think we should go after him! Hurry and get in the car!" Takumi said, getting into the Trueno Eight-Six and starting the engine.

"I have a feeling I'm not going to like this..." Itsuki said as he got in the back.

"Keep your eyes closed, Mika." Takumi cautioned. "This won't be an easy drive."

With that, he peeled out after Manuel's CR-X.

Manuel sped down State Street, passing cars rapidly! He knew he was speeding, that he was breaking road laws, but he didn't care! He needed to get to Throttle before he was taken away! He wasn't strong enough to defend himself yet!

The light ahead of him turned red, as traffic increased.

"Dammit, not now!" Manuel cursed. "Looks like I'm going to have to risk my license over this..."

He floored the pedal, drifting onto Glenwood Street. That's when he noticed that Takumi was right behind him!

Itsuki was screaming as he held onto his seat. Iketani could only watch as Manuel went through lunch-hour traffic, swerving and weaving in and around the cars that were in his way.

"Takumi, you need to back off! This is crazy! Manuel is out of his mind!" Iketani said.

"I can't do that, Iketani," Takumi said as he stuck behind Manuel's CR-X.

#

Bunta got into his cab, going to meet up with Takumi after his meeting with the local business contractors for his tofu shop. There was a Hispanic man getting in the cab as well.

"Riverside golf course." They said at the same time. Then they stopped and looked at each other for a minute.

"...You're going there too?" The Hispanic man asked Bunta.

"Yeah," Bunta said. "To meet up with my son and his pen pal."

"Ah! You must be Bunta, Takumi's papa!" The man said, extending his hand. "I'm Hesus, owner, and proprietor or Shifters! I'm Manuel's father!"

Bunta was surprised but shook Hesus' hand anyway.

"Nice to meet you, Hesus." He said.

"So, I guess you two are heading the same way?" The cab driver said. "Guess you two can split the bill then."

"Fine with me," Bunta said.

"Excellent idea!" Hesus said.

That's when they heard care engines approaching rapidly. They then saw Manuel's CR-X fly by at high speed, followed by Takumi's Trueno. Hesus's jaw dropped, even Bunta was stunned.

They then pointed in their direction, and said in unison:

"Quick! Follow those cars!"

The young cab driver was all too happy to oblige.

Manuel was nearing his apartment. A local cab was now on his and Takumi's tail. He quickly drifted onto South Vista, then floored the gas again, then slid the car onto Cherry Lane! He got to his apartment complex, and saw Throttle being loaded into a van by a bunch of people he didn't recognize!

He slid his CR-X to a stop and got out.

"HEY!" He yelled. "STOP!"

"Blast it! Distract him, Greasepit!" A man with goggles and a lab coat said.

"Aw, it's the local yokel." A man in suspenders and a baseball cap with oozing oily skin said. That must have been Greasepit, Manuel thought.

Greasepit then got out a type of machine gun, as did the others.

Manuel's heart stopped, his eyes widening. He had no choice but to dive behind his CR-X as they opened fire. He crouched in cover behind the car, covering his head with his hand as it was riddled by rapid gunfire. The barrage seemed to last for hours, even though it was only a few minutes. He then heard the van taking off shortly after the gunfire stopped. He looked up, and saw it fly right past Takumi's Trueno and a cab, which had pulled up behind it!

"Dammit, they're getting away!" Manuel looked over his car. It had taken a beating from the guns. The engine head was ruptured. There was no way he could chase them as he watched the van drive off.