Talia's POV
I bolted out of bed as my alarm blared in my ear. It was hardly a rare thing but I still had not gotten used to getting up this early. Five am wasn't really a normal time for anyone unless they had a job that was five hours away. A sigh exited my lips as I pushed the covers off of me and set my feet down on the cold tile. I sat still for a moment as my mind flashed back to why the hell I was up this early. Another job presented itself to me, one I couldn't refuse. Afterall I never did get a plausible reason besides spite to kill a Bot. Now that I had an actual contract for it I was almost giddy at the chance to complete it. I hummed in content as I pushed myself off my bed and headed for the shower. Today was going to be a great day, I could just tell. After my morning routine of a shower and getting dressed I decided it would be a good idea to eat something. I hopped down the stairs quickly and sauntered toward my fridge. Opening the door I bit my lip at seeing it was almost completely empty.
"Looks like the store it is." I mumbled as I swiftly shut the door and walked toward my door. Taking my bag off of the kitchen counter as I went. I slipped on my black converse and brought my black hair up into a ponytail. Shifting my eyes to the key holder near the door I grabbed the keys to my black corvette.
"Who ever said being a bounty hunter doesn't pay, obviously hasn't been in the biz long enough?" I smiled as I walked out the door of my two story home, shutting and locking it behind me.
Ace POV
Ring! Ring! Ring! Ri-
"Someone better be dying," I growled as I answered my phone, not bothering to look at who was calling or open my eyes.
"Ace! I need help!" I woke up instantly at the panicked tone and started looking for my keys, "Ace, she's crying what do I do? I don't understand! Sara's gone and Annabelle is crying she won't eat I can't get her to stop she's not bleeding sh-"
"Will!" I cut him off, "It's okay just take a deep breath and tell me what happened," in the background I could hear Annabelle screaming. Will took a deep breath and started to talk; I found my keys, threw on my boots and headed to my bike. Hoping not to run into anyone on my way out.
"I don't know! She woke up and was screaming. I'm sorry Ace I don't know who else to call, Sara's not here and-" He started to ramble again.
"Facts Major! Is she hungry?" I cut him off again, turning a corner I almost ran into Blackouts pedal.
"And where do you think you're going Ace? You should be in recharge, you just got back a few hours ago, and you're damaged from the mission," Blackout asked bending down to look at me.
"No she's not hungry, well if she is she won't eat," Will's voice rang through the phone catching Blackout's attention.
"Okay, if she won't eat then she's not hungry, she's a baby. Does she have a fever?" I focused on Will long enough to respond to him before looking at Blackout and pulling the phone away from my mouth. I covered it, "Out, an ally requires assistance with a problem," and continue to walk around his foot to my bike.
"No, no fever I checked that. What kind of a dad do you think I am? I made sure she wasn't running a fever I-" he started to raise his voice and I could hear Annabelle in the background getting louder.
"WILL! I'm not there remember? I just need to cover all of my bases you're a good dad. Now no fever, is she injured? It doesn't sound like a pained cry but I need to know. Is she bleeding or scrunched up or bruised?" Cutting him off for the third time, seriously you're a seasoned soldier act like it, finally getting to my bike right before I connect my phone and put on my helmet I hear Blackout scuff.
"Ally my aft," he mumbles as he walks away.
"No bruises, no blood, not scrunched. I don't understand. What is wrong with her?" He's practically begging now. I hate it when he uses that voice, he sounds so defeated. Driving to the ground bridge I enter in the Wills town coordinates and wait as it powers up.
"Not hungry, no fever, not injured," I mumble to myself, "Is she dirty? When was the last time she was changed?" I ask him as the bridge reaches full power.
"Changed, oh God I didn't change her when she woke up! I'm such an idiot! Thank you Ace, you're a lifesaver," Will says with a sigh I hear some rustling for a few seconds before it becomes more panicked, "There's no diapers! I can't find any! It's just an empty bag!"
"Ok just calm down and hold on a second," I say as drive through the bridge and come out a mile north of town, "You there?"
"I'm here," he says.
"Okay, I'm almost to the store what size is she?" I ask him racing down the road keeping an eye out for cops, last thing I need is to deal with police right now.
"Size? I don't know aren't all diapers the same? Sara usually gets them," I can hear him start to panic again.
"How much does she weigh? Come on Will you're a military man this isn't a war zone, give me a guess it doesn't have to be perfect but I need an estimate," I say getting him back on track as I pull up to the store.
"Umm, 25? 30 tops," he said after a few seconds.
"Okay, I just need you to stay calm and follow a few simple orders okay. You don't have any diapers but do you have wipes?" Jogging into the store looking for the right aisle.
"Wipes, yeah I have those," he sounded calmer now.
"Good, I need you to clean her up and just put some clean clothes on her and just hold her and rock her until I get there with some diapers. I won't be long, promise," I say as I hang up and turn the corner staring at the wall of diapers, "Okay, not long might have been a stretch." Fuck how many options do you need, it's a strip of cloth designed for catching baby waste. "Weight, 12-18, 16-28 that could work but what if she's 30...22-37 lbs perfect!" grabbing the first brand I see and head to the register. Fucking Sara, who doesn't have extra diapers? Or at the very least go buy more when you use the last of them, make a note something! And what the hell could be so important that you leave your child and husband home and go out? It's not like you get to see him all the time, he's on leave and just want's to spend some time with his wife and kid and you go and leave. Stupid bitch, I know for a fact if our lives were swapped nothing could take me away from him or Anna. Between Anna's loving little smiles and the way she toddles around and the way Will can make you smile no matter what kind of week you've had and- NO! Knock it Marie! You don't mess with married men, it doesn't workout, you're living proof of that. Shaking my head to clear the thoughts away I look up just in time to collide with another person. Hitting the ground hard I try to catch myself only to jar my the shoulder I popped out in last night's mission. FUCK!
"Dammit!" I look up to see a young woman standing in front of me. Pretty, taller, maybe 5'6'' 5'7', tan with dark hair, black, ends died but I couldn't get a good look at the color from my position on the floor.
Talia's POV
After going to the store and grabbing some groceries I was walking toward the checkout when some doof decided to slam into me. I grit my teeth as my groceries fell to the floor.
"What the hell, watch where you're going kid!" I growled as I began picking up all of my groceries again. I began cursing under my breath as I gathered them into my arms.
"Calm the hell down." She mumbled as she stood back up. I had to stop myself from sneering at her as I realized that's not really what normal people would do in these situations.
"Just watch where you're going next time." I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes. Biting down the instinct to stab someone in the leg was always a hard thing to do. After I grabbed all of my things I walked back toward the checkout. "Stupid bitch ruined my good morning." I mumbled as I went through the line and was finally able to buy the food I wanted. I was given more than a few odd looks as I continuously grumbled insults under my breath. Having to hold back did weird things to me. As I walked outside at sighed at hearing the revving of an engine. I turned my head toward the noise and grit my teeth at the familiar car I saw.
"What the hell are you doing here Shockwave?" I asked with a raised brow as I stared at him. His hollow form flickered to life showing it leaning against his car as he smirked.
"What, a mech can't come escort a pretty femme to work?" I rolled my eyes and placed my hand on my hip.
"I'm off today asshole, so fuck off." I flipped him off and started walking the other way. I heard footsteps chasing after me and I sighed.
"A day off isn't a thing sweetheart, you've got a contract with us. You will come in and meet your partner for it and begin becoming familiar, failure because of incompetence is not tolerated." I rolled my eyes and turned toward him flipping out one of my knives.
"My contract with you idiots ended last week, so quite the bullshit and tell me what you actually want, Shockwave."
"You, bent over my hood screaming my designation. But we don't always get what we want so, how about another contract?" I smiled a little in amusement at his declaration.
"How much money are we talking about here?" I asked as I flipped my knife back into my sleeve.
"Money, such a strange thing on this planet. Honestly all your world depends on is little pieces of paper, how does no one see a problem with this? Back to the point, how about 8 or 90,000,000? Megatron didn't specify, its a two mech job and we require another human." My brows furrowed in confusion.
"90 mil, for one contract, what does it entail?"
"If that is unacceptable I'm sure we can raise it. It's just killing an Autobot and gathering more information on that irritating little human group, but we have someone who will be helping you with that. There cover just can't be risked to kill the Prime if we want this to work. Of course I can't say anymore untill you agree," I thought for a moment and looked back up at him.
"Seems a lot if people have beef with the autobots, I got a contract yesterday to kill one of them, but they don't pay nearly as much as you do." I pursed my lips and looked at Shockwave. "And they don't have as much, perks." I said the last word as I looked him up and down.
"Hmm," he said taking a step closer, "Is that so? And what perks do we offer that are so much better?" He asked almost purring the word back at me. I smirked and rolled my eyes at him.
"Huh and who ever said I was talking about you?" I said and turned back around. "I'm going back to my house, send the details to my phone."
"You did sweet spark, I just asked what they were never implied it as me," he smirked at me, "the details will be sent and I will be there tomorrow morning to ground bridge you to base. Have a wonderful day, Midnight," and with one more smirk in my direction his hollow form fizzled out and he drove away. I rolled my eyes and scoffed.
"Once an asshole, always an asshole." I turned back and went toward my house again.
Ace POV
Pulling up to Will's house I didn't hear any screaming so I took that as a good sign. Knocking on the door I hear footsteps before Will answers the door looking like he just went through hell. His hair was messed up standing in all different directions, dried baby food (at least I hoped it's baby food) on his shirt and bags under his eyes. And yet you still look hot. Bad thoughts! Back on track. Annabelle.
"You look like hell, everything okay?" I asked as I stepped closer and into the house taking Annabelle from him. If he was bad the house was worse, it looked like it had been shot at and hit. Toys everywhere, dishes piled up in the sink, baskets of clothes on the table. Did she just forget her husband was coming home? What the fuck Sara! I heard Will sigh and saw him run a hand through his hair.
"Yeah I know how I look, Sara just sort of left so suddenly I didn't know what to do and everything turned into shit and I'm such a bad dad, I didn't even know how to handle my own daughter crying and-" Will began rambling his voice getting faster and more hysterical as he went on.
"Hey, that's why you have me remember? To call at strange times in the day when the shit hit's the fan. I've always got your back, especially when you're going at something without the proper supplies, you were setup to fail on this. You are a wonderful dad you just didn't have any direction in this yet. Annabelle is your first and she doesn't exactly come with a manual, this one was all on Sara. Where'd she go off to anyway?" As we talked I headed to Annabelle's room and started to get her new clothes and change her into a fresh diaper.
"I'm not sure actually, she said she had something with a friend that she had been planning for months," Will sighed as he looked at Annabelle. "But it's fine I guess, at least I get to see my little angel." The way he was looking at her made me want to cry, the devotion and love he held for his daughter. Every time I see it I can't help but wonder what if…
"Awe well aren't you a sap," I said shaking my head a little to get back on track, "Now onto more important things, breakfast. It's 5:30 and I know I haven't eaten and I'm willing to bet neither have you, or her if that's what I think it is on your shirt," I poked at the dried orange blob on his shirt and put Annabelle down letting her walk out to the living room and play.
"Sweet potato, or maybe it's a yam, whichever one is the orange one. But yeah you're right, I haven't eaten yet today so breakfast would be great. Haven't eaten a proper meal in a few days come to think of it," Will grinned before mumbling the last part to himself.
"William Bill Lennox! You are not aloud to go days without eating, that's my job! Go change your shirt and eat something while I make some breakfast. What has Sarah just forgotten that grown ass humans need food, you can't do that with a munchkin they need food to and she needs food and- it doesn't matter. How could you be that irresponsible! Your men depend on you to get them home safe, there families depend on you, but more importantly Annabelle and Sara depends on you to come home to us- them safe and you can't do that properly without food!" I yell at him speeding up slightly at my slip and walk to the kitchen pulling out an apple before he has a chance to respond, or see the emotions I know are easily visible in my eyes. "Apple, eat," I say shoving it into his hand and spinning him back toward the stairs and his and Sara's room To them, not us them, because he's taken. Married with a kid, and you're not touching that with a 10 foot pole, "Now shirt, and comb your hair while you're at it, it's distracting," I mumble the last part to myself.
"Alright fine I'm going," Will chuckled as he walked toward the stairs. I can't help but smile after him as I open the fridge, Woah, I haven't seen a fridge this full in...ever. So many option...
Will POV
"Awe well aren't you a sap, now onto more important things, breakfast. It's 5:30 and I know I haven't eaten and I'm willing to bet neither have you, or her if that's what I think it is on your shirt," Ace said with a smile, poking at the dried orange blob on my shirt that's left of an attempt at feeding Annabelle earlier.
"Sweet potato, or maybe it's a yam, whichever one is the orange one. But yeah you're right, I haven't eaten yet today so breakfast would be great," I said with a grin, "Haven't eaten a proper meal in a few days come to think of it," mumbling the last part to myself. Well that would get me an ass chewing from Ratchet.
"William Bill Lennox! You are not aloud to go days without eating, that's my job!" The speed she went from razzing to pissed made me jump, but what she said had me concerned What do you mean your job, "Go change your shirt and eat something while I make some breakfast. What has Sarah just forgotten that grown ass humans need food, you can't do that with a munchkin they need food to and she needs food and- it doesn't matter. How could you be that irresponsible! Your men depend on you to get them home safe, there families depend on you, but more importantly Annabelle and Sara depends on you to come home to us- them safe and you can't do that properly without food!" she yelled at me, speeding up closer to the end of her rant before spinning around and speed walking to the kitchen, "Apple, eat,"she said as she shoved one into my hand before pushing me toward mine and Sara's room, "Now shirt, and comb your hair while you're at it," she called after me mumbling something I couldn't hear as she turned back to the kitchen.
"Alright fine I'm going," I chuckled at her persistence as I walked up the stairs. Stopping only once to look enjoy one of my favorite pictures, it's just a normal picture of Annabelle on the playground a few miles away. It was a beautiful fall day, the leaves are all different colors around the swings and Annabelle looks like she's having the time of her life being pushed into the air. Behind her you could see me waiting for the swing to come back with a stupid large smile, and if you looked toward the bottom of the picture you could just start to make out a shadow of the photographer. I still remember that day perfectly, the first time I ever called Ace freakishly early about something baby related and just like today she swooped in and saved my ass. Life saver, that's what she is. Been pulling my ass out of the fire for almost 3 years. I continue to my room changing quickly and taming my hair before going back down to the kitchen excited about a home cooked breakfast.
"Come on sweetheart, you've got to drink water otherwise you risk choking. That's my girl, want some more eggs? Here you are princess," I could hear Annabelle jabbering away as Ace talked to her when i got closer to the kitchen. As I rounded the corner I saw Ace standing over the stove with a plate next to her and Annabelle in her highchair eating, more like making a mess with, her eggs and what looked like was a pancake.
"Pancakes and eggs? Well aren't you being spoiled Anna," I said walking farther into the kitchen.
"Pancakes and eggs for her," she said as she turned with a plate in her hand piled with food and holding it out for me, "and for you, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns and more importantly coffee. Now sit and eat there's more if you're still hungry."
Ace made a second, considerably smaller plate for herself and brought it to the table on the other side of Annabelle. There was a knock on the door just as she set her plate down. "I-" I started,
"I got it, you're already sitting down." Ace interrupted as she headed to the front door.
Talia POV
I made it to my house and put my groceries in their respective places. Walking to my living room a flipped my feet up on my table. Looking around the living room that was void of life I almost sighed. Life of a mercenary definitely had it's perks, but companionship wasn't one of them. Shaking those thoughts out of my mind I grabbed my phone out of my pocket as it buzzed. I typed the password in and opened the file that was sent to me. My brows furrowed as I began reading the target details from Shock. The part about known associates was the part that had me confused. I scrolled down the list and stopped at one particular photo. My brows shot up as my face slowly formed into a twisted smirk.
"Oh, this should be interesting." Letting out a laugh I pushed herself out of my chair and went toward the door. Grabbing my helmet and the keys to my motorcycle I pocketed my cell and went out the door. I drove through town toward the outskirts to start on my plan. I stopped on the side of the road when I thought I was a good enough distance from the town. Getting off my bike I took out a knife and slashed my back tire. I flipped out my cell and put my knife back in my sleeve. I called the number I was looking for and was slightly surprised when he actually answered.
"Hey... uh this isn't really easy for me but you are the only person I can think of to call." I said faking a sweet and innocent voice.
"Talia, what's up, is something wrong?" I rolled my eyes at the worry in his voice.
"I sort of got a flat tire in the middle of nowhere and I need a ride back to town." I heard silence on the other end and a bit of shuffling.
"Shit, are you okay? Are you hurt? Did you crash? Please tell me you're okay, ma told you riding that death trap would come at a price," he rambled. I rolled my eyes at that and bit my lip to stop myself from retorting angrily.
"I'm pretty sure getting a flat tire would have happened in a car as well, I'm not hurt alright, I just need someone to come pick me and my bike up." I explained with a small sigh.
"Yeah but, I'm just worried okay. I'm your older brother it's my job to worry. Where are you? I'm gonna see if I can get my CO to let me go get you, if not I'll send someone alright." he said with a sigh.
"I'm right outside of Manson not sure where you are though so if you can't come get me I guess I'll just be staying out here all night, in the cold, with the flesh eating animals." I leaned against my motorcycle looking at my watch as I talked.
"Manson….where is that Illinois?" His confusion was clear, I rolled my eyes at that he sighed.
"No you idiot, it's in Texas, you know that place I moved after you decided to ditch me for the armed forces?" I couldn't stop the slight hostility in my voice from showing and I shut my mouth to stop another sigh. I suppose I still held a bit of a grudge for that.
"I didn't- Tal-Tal come on, please don't bring that into this. Look I've got a guy in the Manson area, I think, just let me give him a call, you know which direction you are of town or what highway?"
"I'm outside of 59 toward the end going out of town, I should be easy to spot, there's literally nothing out here but me, and a hill, also, next time you call me Tal-Tal, I might drive up to where you are to personally kick your ass." I realized as I was talking that he would definitely be a lot more suspicious of me if I was nice the entire time. Considering we hadn't talked a lot since we went our separate ways, and every time we did it was arguments.
"Well you might get the chance sooner than you thought, and a bonus no gas wasted. I'm gonna ask Lennox to go get you and bring you here so I can take a look at your bike, and you, to make sure everything's okay. Just, try to be respectful like I know was drilled into that thick skull of yours, he's still my CO even if he is a friend."
"Trust me, the only people I'm a dick to are the ones that deserve it." I hung up the phone so I didn't end up saying something else a bit too harsh. It seemed with Epps my tongue kept slipping. I sighed and sat on the ground waiting for my ride, hoping they wouldn't be taking their damn time.