Biker Mice From Mars - Midnight Defender

1: Mouse Trap

Rump Plaza Tower – Top floor

Chicago

Throttle, Vinnie, and Modo looked at Charley as they got ready to go through the portal transporter with Stoker, Spitfire, and Carbine. The good mood from victory and reclaiming the regenerator had gone down a tad.

"Well, Charley girl, so I guess this is where we gotta... Vamanos..." Throttle said.

"Yeah..." Modo added. "Gotta... keep moving..."

"Yeah... Like sharks..." Vinnie said.

"Oh, Spare me the dopey goodbyes!" Charley said. "This time, I'm going with you."

Everyone looked at Charley.

"This time, I'm coming with you." She said. "I know, it's crazy, but you're my family, and I go where my family goes..."

"Touching, Miss Davidson. Touching." A voice said. Suddenly, there was gunfire, and the portal transporter blew up. Gas started to pour from the vents.

"What the..." Carbine coughed. Then, a man stepped out from the shadows. It wasn't Ronaldo Rump, nor Lawrence Limburger!

"Forget the Speed Master incident already?" Kaido Kirafuda said, putting on a gas mask as armed men in gas masks entered the room. "Well... I haven't. And neither will you, since you will be the bait to draw him out." He looked to the armed thugs. "Take the mice! Load them up! Get the woman, and the device, too!"

"Spitfire, run!" Stoker snapped as they started to fight with their assailants. "We'll hold them off!"

"But dad..." Spitfire coughed.

"It's too late!" Charley grabbed Spitfire and they ran for an elevator. She slammed her hand on the button, kicking an assailant out of the way.

"We can't leave them!" Spitfire yelled.

"We have to!" Charlie said. "We have to go and find Manuel Vernandez! He's the only chance we have of reasoning with this guy!"

As they got to the bottom floor, They were more goons. Charley knew one of them was going to get caught. She handed Spitfire the keys to her bike.

"Go!" She said. "I'll keep 'em busy! Find Manuel Vernandez! He works at a diner called Shifters up at Bogus Basin, Idaho!"

"But.."

"GO!" She yelled, charging forward and shoving Spitfire towards her bike. The assailants opened fire, and Charley took several out before she took a hit in the leg from a rubber bullet as Spitfire started the bike. It felt like the worst charlie horse ever, despite the irony.

"Charley!" Spitfire was now scared, a feeling that she didn't get often.

"GO!" Charley yelled.

Spitfire knew now she had no choice but to leave her. She burned rubber out of the building's garage, barely missing getting hit by a barrage of rubber bullets, and got on the road. She hit the freeway, then got on a long, lonely road.

As soon as she felt like she was safe, she stopped and broke down into tears. She had lost her father... again.

Tokyo, Japan – international docks

Loading and unloading area...

Manuel Vernandez waited with tension as the ship docked at the Japanese port. He couldn't believe he was actually here, in Japan! Soon, he would be able to see Takumi again! Then they could talk about their favorite subject: racing!

He waited patiently as the ship docked and started to offload passengers and cargo. He went through the lines and showed his brand-new passport to the officials. After completing the necessary paperwork, he went to the cargo area to get his car that he had taken with him on the boat. The same car he had used to win the Speed Master Competition two years ago: His V-8 powered Ford Focus!

"So, what's with the car?" One of the cargo officers asked Manuel while his car was being driven through customs. "Could you not find a car you liked here in Japan?"

"No, nothing like that," Manuel said. "I just couldn't find a Pass I like in America!"

"Ah, I see!" The officer smiled. "Well, I'm sure you will enjoy your stay in Japan very much, as we have a large variety of Passes." He said as the other officer parked the car in front of them after it passed customs.

"I'm sure I will," Manuel said with a smile as he got in his Focus. "Thank you very much, and have a nice day, officer."

"Same to you, and welcome to Japan, speed master." The officer said.

"Thank you. Good day, sir." Manuel said. He was still getting used to people now calling him "speed master," since that race was broadcast over the internet and cable. It had gained him fame worldwide. Even though it had been two years since the race. two years since he rescued Throttle, and met the Biker Mice From Mars. He wondered how they were doing. Then, his mind snapped back to the present. He drove his car off the dock, and onto the road, careful to stay on the left side of the road. He had flown here two months before and taken an exam to get a Japanese driver's license. It took a lot of effort and getting used to driving on the left side of the road, but he got it, with some help from a friend: Takumi Fujiwara. He had helped him study and taught him Japan's road rules and regs. So here he was, driving in Japan, legal and legit.

He was in a very good mood as he drove on a local freeway at noon. The famous Shuto Expressway, Bayshore route. Nicknamed the 'Wangan', since it ran along the coast.

If he only knew how that single road would shape the rest of his trip in Japan.