Love of Mars

Chapter 2

"Where did you guys say you were headed?"

"Chi-town! Chicago, babe."

"Huh, ya don't say... I live in the windy city. Do you mind dropping me off at my place?"

"Course, Ma'am. We'd never leave a lady to fend for herself." Modo called from his blue bike.

"Aw thanks, you guys are the best." Stella said shuffling closer to her driver. She must have closed her eyes resting her head on Vinnie's back; She felt his tail wrap around her a bit tighter just in case and soon was lulled into a light sleep by the hum of the bike engines.

"Yo, babe, we're here. You wanna direct us?" Stella woke and noddedsleepily in answer to Vinnie's question and started giving him directions, gazing at the scenery that was flying past.

Little by little the area outside the main city of Chicago started to get more and more familiar. She couldn't believe it when they pulled up at her house. She had inherited the large family home from her parents after their deaths, much to the annoyance of her uncle. He wanted her to go live with him but she hadn't want to leave her home, the place where she grew up and where her memories were. She didn't want to move to a new country with a grumpy money grabbing uncle. Luckliy, Stella had been nearly eighteen and managed to drag the situation out long enough to pass her next birthday. 

Stella felt herself go into a trance like state as she got off of Vinnie's bike and made her way to the front door. Hidden beneath one of the large pots outside was the spare key that was always kept there, just in case. She managed to shove open the door and slowly made her way inside, looking around at everything; everything was exactly the same as how she had left it that morning when she was taken; only way more dusty now. It really must have been at least two months she'd spent in that cell. She turned around to face the guys who were watching her from the doorway.

"Everything's just how I left it..." They simply smiled. "Say, what are you gonna do for dinner?" The guys just shrugged and murmured amongst themselves but not really coming to a conclusion. "How about I pay? You could go grab some fast food, root beer, ice cream; anything you guys want!"

"Sounds good to me." Vinnie answered but Throttle looked unsure.

"Why would you want to buy us dinner, Babe?" It was then that she realised that she hadn't told them her name, this caused her to let out a short laugh.

"Call me Stella and because I want to thank you for getting me home. It's the least I can do." The boys agreed and headed off to the store after she gave them some money she had stashed. While they were gone Stella got to work cleaning up the house a bit, knowing she didn't have long before the mice came back.

"Stella-girl, we're back-"

"And we brought the grub too!" Vinnie interrupted Throttle, barging into the house.

"Great! Bring it into the kitchen." From then the guys and their new friend talked, shared stories and just generally started to get to know each other. The guys ended up staying the night in some of the spare rooms and in the morning they asked if Stella wanted to come with them to meet their friend and mechanic; of course she said yes. It wasn't like she had anything else to do, now was it?

They finally got to the garage, The Last Chance. This garage used to belong to Stella's friends family, the Davidsons; they must have sold it, there was no way... A brown haired woman with bright green eyes and a tool belt came out of the garage. Charley. Apparently her family hadn't sold this old garage...

"Charley-girl! Miss me?"

"Where the hell have you boys been? A quick mission you said! It's been a week!" She glared at the three big mice who all ducked slightly as if being scalded by a parent.

"Gee, we're sorry Charley-ma'am but we got into a bit of trouble on the way, if it wasn't for Miss Stella we couldn't be here."

"Speak for yourself, big guy, I would have got out eventually." Sulked Vinnie. Charley just sighed and shook her head. Stella took that as her cue to step in front of the guys. She and Charley just stared at each other for a while before breaking into huge grins.

"Hey, Char."

"Hello, Stell, long time no see." Stella shrugged. "Guys, Stella and I went to school together. We were good friends! Haven't seen you in a couple years though, girl." They got a collective 'oh' from the boys. "Come on, let's see what you boys have done to your bikes this time."

With that Charley started fiddling with Modo's bike. While she did that the boys filled her in on their mission and Stella filled her and the guys in on how she was captured and held by the Plutarkians.

"They're planning something big. That's why they needed my help, they wanted me to invent some sort of weapon for them but surprisingly they were smart enough not to tell me unless I joined them." She finished telling the group.

"It looks like we have another tail whipping session in the near future, bros." Throttle declared, Vinnie fist pumped the air excited for a fight.

"Hold up, I have a question. Charley, how come you have no problems speaking with these guys? I remember you being dead against my communication transfer pill."

"The guys speak English, Stell..." Stella blinked slowly, the information settling in her brain.

"Wait so.. that means.." She looked sideways at the tanned mouse and could feel the blush settle over her face.

"Oh Stell, you didn't.." Charley was clearly trying not to laugh. The other mice didn't give it the same effort. Modo the giant was using Vinnie to keep himself upright. The white mouse was pretty much useless in this position though because he was laughing so hard he could barely keep himself upright pointing between Stella and his bro.

"I didn't know!" This made the guys laugh harder, Throttle joining in with a low chuckle at her embarassment. She got up and made her way out of the open garage doors. 

"Well, on that embarassing note, I'm gonna leave. If you ever need your own mad scientist to even the odds or I don't know, a translator, you know where I'll be. Good luck in your missions, guys. See ya around!" Charley waved, still grinning.

"Whoa, babe. Two things: one, where you goin'? And two, how you gettin' there?" Throttle stopped her with a large hand on her wrist. It was warm and surprisingly soft.

"I'm going back home to the comfort of my lab." The tanned mouse frowned slightly but let go of her wrist and allowed her to walk away. "And I'll walk, it's no biggie, I want to relish in my freedom after being locked up in that stinkpit!"