Author's Note: And now for the sequel to "What The Future Holds". I own nothing but Mallory and Hayley
Chapter One-The Return of Hayley
Twenty-one year old Mallory Banes stood staring at the television with the rest of the NEST personnel. "This is the third murder in the last week, this one with a disturbing message," the pretty blonde news anchor chirped. "The body was found with the words we warned you painted in blood next to the head. Police are baffled at who is doing this and why."
"Thank you Christine," the weather man said but Mallory wasn't paying attention anymore. Instead she was sliding her hand into her pocket where she always kept the folded envelope that contained Hayley Parkin's note to her. Hayley had posed as a false street cop named Sarah Heartland during the battle of Chicago and had helped return Mallory to the Autobots. The handwriting in blood next to the body was exactly the same as Hayley's in the note. That left Mal wondering what was going on.
"What's wrong?" Mikaela asked, suddenly appearing at Mal's side. Mikaela's engagement ring glimmered on her finger in the early morning sunlight streaming through the windows in the rec room. Mikaela and Sam were going to be married in late August and it was an event both lovebirds were looking forward to.
"This," Mallory said, handing Mikaela the note. "I think it's time we look for Hayley Parkin again." Maggie, Glen, Epps, and Lennox had pooled their resources and looked for any trace of Hayley but had found nothing.
"I agree," Mikaela said solemnly.
"You agree about what?" Lennox asked from his seat on a chair not far from where the twins stood.
"The handwriting next to the body matches Hayley's handwriting on the note," Mallory explained. "I think we need to find her."
"I told you already," Lennox said, sounding exasperated. "Hayley Parkin is just another fake name that the woman used, nothing more."
"I refuse to believe that," Mallory replied. "Besides even if Hayley was a fake name she should have shown up somewhere." Barricade sent a wave of calm to Mallory over their bond and Mallory acknowledged the irony of that action. Barricade had been a Decepticon before he met Mal and calm had not always been in his vocabulary.
"Maybe Mearing knows something," Epps volunteered suddenly. "She is coming in twenty minutes."
"Good idea," Mallory replied with a bright smile. "I'll ask her."
"Ask who what?" a rather cool voice said. Everyone turned to see Charlotte Mearing, Secretary of Defense after John Keller's retirement, standing there with her dark hair pulled up in its usual bun.
"You know the murders that have been happening around here?" Mallory asked and Mearing nodded. "The handwriting next to today's body matches the writing on a note given to me by a young woman named Hayley Parkin. We've attempted to find her but we can't find anything."
Mearing pulled out her phone and said, "I'll send a text to my secretary and see if she can find anything while I'm here." Twenty minutes later when Mearing visit with the base was over she pulled her phone back out and opened a text message. She stared at the message as if whoever had sent it to her was insane. "My secretary says Hayley Parkin was a part of something called Project Lupus-Experimental Phase. I'll send you everything we have on it when we get back."
"Do you know anything about this project?" Optimus' holoform asked.
"I've never even heard of it," Mearing admitted, looking slightly confused. "I'll send you the information the moment I return to my office." Then without another word she left the room, leaving everyone else more confused than ever.