The car was hot and stuffy as a teenager kept her gold eyes on the road, ignoring her uncle's witty comments as she hit the breaks and took a hard right turn before speeding off onto the ramp towards the freeway.

"Spectre, watch it! I almost smelled some bacon burning." The man teased, his green glassy eyes glimmering. He came from her mother's side, the Ray side, the side that held the sheer determination, greed, stress, and rebellion. The Velde part was the fierce passion for adventure, cold logic, excellent reflexes, and the easy going nature for life.

She for sure inherited the Velde genes: a small pale face, black hair with electric blue highlights, gold eyes, and the uncontrollable talent of defying the aging process; at the age of seventeen she looked like a freshman in high school. It wasn't really bad after all it made it possible to grab a job as an actress.

Today was the long drive from cold Wisconsin to Iowa where most of her relatives lived. It was a relief really since her family was driving her nuts for the past few days; her mom was going psychotic raising her younger brother, Eric; getting nagged to find a job when it would take an hour to reach any town in any direction, having to finance a car, and more importantly finding out what college she needed to go to. Plus with her dad trying to shanghai her into joining the family legacy of the Navy Seals or the Black Ops. It was too overwhelming to get her head wrapped around a general idea for the future.

Trying to shun away the stress threatening her to lose concentration on the road, she turned on the radio, paging through all the stations until she settled on a song.

I left a note on my bedpost
Said not to repeat yesterday's mistakes
What I tend to do when it comes to you
I see only the good, selective memory

With a huff, Spectre kept her eyes on the road as the car got silent except for the echoes of the cars coming off various ramps or the semi-trucks that threatened to tip with their overbearing loads. The radio shattered the calming environment with a broadcast.

"Attention all interstate drivers en route to Dubuque, we ask you for cooperation to pull over to the right side of this freeway. We have a suspect heading south bound with a vehicle description of a black SUV with California plates."

Taking a casual glance at her uncle, Spectre shrugged.

"Ignore it there Vee, they'll probably catch up to him soon enough. We'll pull over when we see the police officers and whoever the hell they're chasing."

"Is that a good idea?"

"Trust me on this, it'll be fine."

I've never met someone so different

Oh here we go

You part of me now, you part of me

So where you go, I follow, follow, follow

From her peripheral vision, she could see her uncle shift, leaning his head against the window and totally relaxing.

"Aren't you supposed to be watching me drive?"

"Again don't worry about it. I don't think the pigs are interested in you." He yawned before smacking his lips. Spectre drove on watching as a black SUV tailgated her. With the police warning in the back of her mind, she looked in the rear view mirror for the plates. Unfortunately they were tailgating so closely that she couldn't make out the state issue.

With an irritated sigh, she took both hands off the wheel for a second and slammed them in mild frustration before taking control again. This wasn't what she needed.

The SUV grumbled in Cybertronian. These fleshings were relentless! It was bad enough he encountered Optimus Prime and have him in pursuit. Now he had the helicopters, cars, tanks, everything on his aft! Damn all to the Pit! This was so not his day! All he could do was tailgate this one human occupied vehicle, making sure that he was close enough that if the damn Autobot did try anything to kill him, he'd be endangering the humans.

The truck growled in frustration. Just when he had lost the military, a Decepticon had sprung up and destroyed most of the human party that was previously searching for him. The unrelenting torture of these freeways was murder on his tires, threatening to shred them with every pothole, crack, and gap that the road presented. His paint job got even filthier, the once polished red and blue of pride all nothing but a deep beige color that made him look less intimidating.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked in his rear view mirrors with no sign of military or police, just a couple of vehicles with civilians inside. Something wasn't right here. He flicked through the radio, noting certain channels presented music and others the police used so no civilians could help the criminal escape. It was very odd the lengths some people will do just to piss off the authorities. He paused in his processor for a minute before smirking. Then again he was doing just that. Still musing on it, he finally heard his target's description, accelerating more quickly as the human military presented itself on an off ramp a mile away, sirens piercing the air and speeding away towards his target.

Good, he can finally kick back and let them take care of-

"All personnel target has been located tailgating an older Honda model that is a blue color. Civilians are in the vehicle, one looks like a child and the other an older man."

His energon froze. A young human in danger? Optimus growled in anger, of course a damn Decepticon would do something like this! They always have to make innocent people pay their price for failure or their price of cowardice. Stepping harder on his accelerator, his semi-truck roared down the interstate, his sights set on saving the innocent from an impending disaster.

'Looks like it's a clear shot to Iowa.' She took a quick glance at her uncle, dozed off in the passenger seat, his blonde hair fluttering at the air conditioning. Her heart raced against her rib cage as the police and what looked like the army was coming up to the tailgater. It was something that she didn't want to get in trouble because of this idiot of a driver! What did he do anyways that'd piss off the military anyways?

Tanks were zooming close in second, spitting a couple missiles behind the SUV; it went unfazed and Spectre hit the gas, trying to lose this psychotic driver. Her accelerator pumped up to ninety miles per hour and the SUV increased its speed as well still keeping it bumper to bumper. Spectre racked her brain for another way to shake off her pursuer. She switched to the left lane with the SUV keeping close to her and that's when the dumbest idea came to her: hit the brakes.

Turning off her cruise control, she took both of her feet and slammed on the brakes, skid marks trailing after her, the scent of rubber burning, and to her horror instead of the SUV stopping, it started shifting into what looked like a mechanical demon with four red optics, a bulky body and its sharp talons grabbing the car as though it were a mere toy; a sharp talon covered in glowing green stuff punctured Spectre's abdomen.

The world seemed to slow, the talon ripped from her stomach, car turning in every single direction. There was a bright light before being still. It was hard to distinguish what happened after the transforming demon; the next thing Spectre knew was that she was on her back, her uncle's car on top of her, rib cage slowly crushing in on itself, and pain. Lots and lots of pain.

She tried to shake the car off herself or try to wriggle herself free. Unfortunately she was stuck under this weight that seemed to be torturing with the slowest agonizing death anyone could ask for. She turned her head to the left seeing police officers with their radios tending to a limp body, not moving, blood covering every inch of it, and even dyed the patch of blonde hair red- Spectre's heart froze.

That was her uncle.

Optimus watched in fascination how the youth was trying to put a stop to the Decepticon's shenanigan's; speeding, turning, and even hitting the breaks.

'That's a clever human.' He came to regret that threat as the Decepticon scout transformed, picking up the car as though it were a mere toy, hearing a man scream in fear. Not a distress sound came from the youth inside as the Decepticon hurled the car towards Optimus before transforming and speeding off towards the state line.

Optimus watched as two people were ejected, one a young female and another a man. He watched in horror, slamming on his brakes so he wasn't the one who hit the innocent civilians while the military charged on, radioing to the police to stay behind and take on the accident that was caused by the "metal Satan." The leader watched as the girl landed a few yards in front of him, the car landing on top of her.

His spark hurt watching as both figures didn't move. If he had transformed and caught them, they wouldn't have suffered a terrible-

"Help! Someone! I-I can't breathe!"

Optimus looked up to find the girl who was pinned under the car yelling at the police officers who had quickly recovered the male's bloody corpse. They were radioing in back up. Through the static he could make out the police officer's cries to the girl, "We can't move the vehicle until backup has arrived!"

It was hard to watch this girl who survived this horrible endeavor only to be denied the help she desperately needs. His spark lit up with a burning desire, the desire to protect. He revved his engine and proceeded to the scene quickly.

Her breath was starting to get shallower and shallower, her heart was pounding ten times faster than it should be, and her voice was fading out.

'This is useless! I'll die before any back up will arrive!' Trying to keep herself calm and collected, Spectre laid on her back, raising her arms against the side of her uncle's now destroyed car and pushed, trying to get this weight off her wound. Pain ricocheted down her abdomen as survival instincts kicked in, arms rocking the cars form back and forth, back and forth; a steady rhythm being established.

Slowly it was becoming easier for her to breathe, her mind whirring with sheer happiness that she was going to survive on her account and no one else. Just as the car was going to tip over from its momentum, an explosion close by made Spectre put her arms up in defense from the flying shrapnel. A couple embedded itself in her arms, the car rocked back to its grave spot, crushing the young teenager again.

"Oof!"

"Autobot scum!" A voice snarled and Spectre looked up to find the damn Decepticon that caused this accident in the first place stood extremely close by, his red optics glued to something else. She turned her head and watched as a bit mid transformed, a tall robot with piercing blue optics. He let two thin pieces of metal connect at his mouth and nose component, creating a battle mask.

'Yeah now I can see why all robot aliens are being hunted.' Now determined to survive this screwed up day, Spectre tried once again the rhythm of rocking this destroyed wreckage off of her.

The Decepticon scout charged, a mace hurled in the Prime's direction. Gritting his denta Optimus took the blow of the mace deeply embedded in his arm. Ignoring the agony, he ripped the weapon out of him, metal from his arm flying everywhere. The scout laughed.

"Oh is our little Autobot too scared to draw his own weapons? I had expected more from a Prime. You don't look as scary as the others depict you as."

"They must've not seen what I do to those who endanger the humans." Optimus crouched down and the Decepticon laughed hearilty as he charged, using his fists as his weapons. Trying to get in a sucker punch, Optimus grabbed its wrist and twisted it behind his back, earning a howling screech. Leaning into the audios, Optimus snarled, "Don't be so cocky!"

The Decepticon wrenched itself from his grasp and charged again only to have the mace bury itself in half of its face. Optimus pushed the Decepticon out of the way, retracting his mask.

"That was too easy, which means that the military must've taken their toll on you as well." Picking up the deceased mech, Optimus tossed him onto the other side of the interstate, opposing traffic already stopped and cleared from the alien sighting. With a snort, Optimus looked down again to see the girl trying to push the vehicle off, her face going blue.

He gingerly picked up the car and set it to the side, getting down to one knee, observing her actions as she laid there, breathing heavily, her golden eyes connecting with his. They showed no fear, none that could be detected. The girl closed her eyes for a minute, her hand going to the pierced t-shirt, blood and the green ooze pooling together.

Spectre did not see that coming. She expected the taller mech to leave as soon as he killed the scout instead he got the crushing ball of steel off her. Weirder is that he got down to one knee, staring at her. The Autobots; they were considered foe yet this one decided to save her today. Sitting up with her hand gingerly putting pressure on her wound, Spectre looked up to her savior and nodded.

"Thank you for saving me."

"You're welcome." His voice sent pleasant shivers down her spine. It was baritone, the coolest sound in the world! She smiled at him; she couldn't put a finger on this pleasant sensation coursing through her body but he was causing it.

'I really hope he isn't using any powers to use me.'

A low rumble came closer; Spectre craned her neck upwards to find a helicopter approaching her hero, men with bazookas pointed at his head.

"Lookout!"

Optimus reacted as Spectre pointed at the men in the helicopter, dodging the projectiles. The tanks came rumbling along, their guns aimed at the Prime. Trying to stand, Spectre hissed with pain. This wound is going to get her killed! Suddenly, she was scooped up in a gigantic hand, the large fingers holding her in a fist; Optimus was trying to make sure the civilian was safe in his hand without irritating the wound inflicted from the offlined mech.

Police megaphones blared to life, screaming, "Put the girl down!" The tanks started firing, ignoring the police cries to hold their fire. Malcolm watched from the chopper that were discharging their bazooka's, a girl was clenched in the Autobot's fist, holding on to dear life as Optimus started running in the opposite direction of the tanks.

Spectre held on to the protruded thumb watching as the chopper started pursuing them down the interstate. Optimus's feet were destroying the tarmac, leaving giant footprints behind.

"Hey! If you want to lose them you're going to have to get off the interstate! You're practically leaving a trail of bread crumbs!" Spectre yelled on top of her burning lungs, feeling her throat bleed from the previous attempt to get someone's attention to get the damn car off of her. For a minute it seemed as if he wasn't listening to her until her veered off course, running into the long grass again, trying to head for a forest where he previously lost the government.

"Hold on!" Optimus transformed, parts flying everywhere making Spectre terrified she'll literally die in a living death trap. The seat formed underneath her, seat belt strapped over her gaping wound and Optimus floored it.

'Here we go again!'

Hi fanfictioners! Another beloved chapter up and the first chapter has been updated so go check that out and see if it's slightly better. Ciao! Won't post tomorrow since my final project is where I go with a group of people from my high school and help the community since it's required for me to graduate. Oh and Spectre she is not a Mary Sue except for the small face and "the talent of age defying" that's all. See ya in a couple days and remember: I want you to read and review for the good of the fic! Love from the Cherryblossom Tree 3