Grease and Gears

Broke out the mudroom flap and sprinted across the warm gravel—patrol expanded! Towering by the fence was an iron bicycle. Target spotted: the rear wheel drive, loaded with steel cogs and slick black lubricant. Prime machinery! I charged head-on, launching forward to clamp the pedal crank—WHAM! The crank whipped backward instantly, spinning the pedals into a violent rattle! Lost footing? Negative! I twisted mid-air, jammed my heavy pincer right into the kickstand bracket, and torqued down hard with a metallic SNAP. Wheel locked. Bike stabilized! My claw came away smeared in thick, glossy chain grease. Armored and combat-lubricated!