Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the exceedingly long wait (It's been almost a year since I wrote anything for this?!). Real life was demanding I come up for air for a while and work on editing another story I plan to publish as a book, and I'll be publishing under my pen name on FanFiction. :)

Enough about me, here's the second installment. :)

Chapter Two: The Vigilante's Mark

Andrea couldn't believe it. The very thing burning in her mind tonight had been witnessed by not only herself but her friends several hours ago in the library. The mental images of the emblems and pictures from the different battles, each of them seemingly branded to the insides of her eyelids. She had been lying there in bed for what felt like a few minutes when in reality, it had been hours, keeping her awake to brood over it. Inhaling deeply through her nose, Andrea shut her eyes, willing herself to fall asleep only to fail. Turning her head to the iPod charging station on her nightstand, scrutinizing the digital clock on its base. 1:47 a.m.

She blinked twice.

1:48.

I hate you. The brunette scowled, pushing herself into a seated position before getting out of bed and wandered to her desk on the far side of the room. For a few moments, Andrea contemplated chucking the timepiece out the window in her frustration. Sinking into the chair at her desk, Andrea turned on the small light to look over the notes she had made for her job.

"Why is this happening to me?" Andrea moaned, running a hand through her bed mussed hair. Watching her notes carefully, the brunette took up a picture from one of the crime scenes the vigilante, Metal Frost, as Jaqueline called her, tagged. This particular photo was one she had taken herself, blurry from the movement of not only herself but also the figure towards the upper right hand corner. Only a portion of the blue and white figure made it into the shot, half of her hidden behind the building she was running around.

"Andrea? What are you doing up?"

The young woman jumped and spun around in her seat to face Jess standing in the doorway. "You scared me!" she sighed, scowling when her brother came to sit on the edge of the desk beside her. "What are you doing?"

"I asked first. Something on your mind?" Jess returned, tilting his head to the side to appraise the pictures scattered across the desk. "This again?"

"It shouldn't be this surprising I'm working on anything at this hour. I'll have you know it's not work that keeping me up this time," Andrea replied, yawning loudly and rubbed at her eyes tiredly. "It's really gotten me thinking and... something about it just feels really weird. Like déjà vu."

The older brunette remained silent, gesturing for her to continue.

"Jackie was approached by the vigilante earlier tonight and... things happened. It stuck with me and I couldn't sleep."

The older boy made a puzzled expression, reaching up to scratch his head. "What 'things', Andy? You can tell me," he said encouragingly, concern showing on his face as the possibilities seemed to go through his head.

"... The attack in Desert Plateau."

The look on Jess' face softened and let out a soft noise in sympathy. "You want to talk about it? I know stuff like that hits you pretty hard," he said, reaching over to rest his hand on Andrea's forearm. "Tell me about it. Don't keep it bottled up. That only makes things worse."

The young woman shook her head. "It's not only that. Metal Frost gave Jaqueline a flash drive... and the stuff I saw on it... there was eyewitness accounts of the attack, Jess. There was enough to write articles on every attack to date!" she answered, getting up to head for the basket of dirty clothes to retrieve the storage device out of her pants pocket. "See for yourself."

Jess frowned. "Who gave you this again? Are you even sure of the sources? For all you know, it's made up."

"No way. The sources on the drive had links to the sites she got the information off of and they're all respectable newspapers and other businesses. It's legit," she replied, taking up one of the papers to look it over briefly before putting it back. "I can't tell you how many people I had to track down on the Internet just so I could talk to them to see what they knew about the incidents in the different reports."

The older boy shook his head, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You realize what this is and where it's going, Andy? This has gone from endearing eccentricity to creepily not okay. Okay? You can't cyber stalk people like that unless you wanna get in trouble."

"It's not anything drastic. I just send them messages over social media and see if their stories adds up to what they said in the reports. Harmless investigation work," she defended with a huff, scowling when Jess reached across the desk to take her camera.

Looking through the recently taken pictures, Jess paused at the one of the platinum blonde, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Who is this?" he asked, turning the camera to show the image on the screen. "This the girl you said likes following you?"

She nodded. "I don't think she even realized I took that picture. She was too far away for my camera to have a clear shot of her face. I think she was probably two blocks away. Always looking like she's waiting for me to do something."

"Like what?" Jess asked, returning his gaze to the screen. "It's not like you have the location of Area Fifty-one."

Andrea shut her eyes and heaved a sigh in frustration. "This is probably the worst time to get insomnia. Especially when Mr. Nolan is expecting my story on his desk in the morning and I feel like the story is even worth publishing," she groaned, getting up to leave the room.

"Where are you going, Andy?"

"I need something to eat," she muttered, stifling a yawn. "Maybe that will help me get something done, God forbid it doesn't help. If it doesn't, I'll be forced to reevaluate my life decisions and weep silently over a gallon carton of chocolate ice cream."

Andrea's sibling snorted. "Wow. Is that seriously what you'd be reduced to? I'm surprised," he said humorously, following her to the kitchen downstairs.

"Trust me, you don't want me pushed to that point. Okay? Just pray I can either get something to write about from those reports or I can think up something else to put on Mr. Nolan's desk in the morning," she said, opening the refrigerator to rummage through its contents. "So what were you doing up in the first place anyways?"

He shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. Same as you. I was going to watch some TV and I saw the light on in your room."

Returning to the table with a couple containers and spoons, Andrea set them down and handed him a spoon. "I hear you. Insomnia's a bitch, ain't it?"

Jess chuckled, opening the container to start eating. "I'll drink to that."

XxXxX(That morning...)XxXxX

The fall of Crime and the Rise of Vigilantism

The New Wave of Crime Fighting Groups in Highland Peaks

Andrea McClain

As of 2014, crime rates were high and robberies and break-ins were a commonality. But in the past two years since the vigilante, whom identifies herself as Metal Frost, had surfaced, the city has seen a drastic decrease. In saying this, from early 2014 to now and a look at the encouraging numbers, Metal Frost as gone and inspired a wave of vigilantism.

I had managed to catch up with one such vigilante earlier in the week, asking his reasoning behind following in the vigilante's footsteps. He agreed to be interviewed on condition of anonymity, though he requested to be called "Crusader".

"It's a movement," he explains, "When you see all the good the vigilante— Metal Frost— all the good she's brought about and how safe the streets are, it's inspiring. You just want to find her and work with her to make the streets safer." Crusader, 43 and father of three, is a member of one of the latest crime fighting groups known as Strike Force.

When asked if he thought Metal Frost would accept Crusader's help, he replied, "She don't seem like the type. I've seen her in action once and watched her take out seven guys at once. It was insane."

Another vigilante I caught up with— who asked to be referred to as Phantom— readily agreed to the interview. When asked of his knowledge of Metal Frost and her work around the city, he answered, "She saved my life. After that, I figured it was a calling to help people like she helped me. You know?" Phantom, 17, is a local teen and member of the Strike Force vigilante team.

While Metal Frost doesn't belong to any known groups nor have any partners, locals have noticed an increase of technological interferences in the city and the surrounding area whenever she comes around. It seems these giant robots, for whatever reason, tend to follow her as though they're watching her. The equipment Metal Frost was reported to have used are of an unknown make and model, custom made for her use. I would go so far as to speculate these metal beings are the ones to have made the weapons for her.

During her time running the streets, Metal Frost's impact on Highland Peaks has been nothing but positive. That in turn has made the city safer and we're all the better for it.

Reading the words over for the tenth time in the past five minutes, I couldn't help the frown that no doubt showed up on my face. What I had read wasn't what I was expecting at all, having more than half a mind to find some kind of information she had come across. Instead of information regarding the battles that took place in Mission City or Desert Plateau, I find her pointing out my apparent tail, courtesy of the Autobots.

"What's that look for? You look like the paper said something to offend you," Brian's voice chimed, jerking me back from my thoughts.

"It's just Andrea. Her piece today isn't what I expected, that's all," I said, cutting the article out and stuffed the paper in my pocket. "It's either me, or it read as a long thank you note to me."

Brian scooted closer, leaning over to snatch the paper out of my pocket. "I see what you mean. She probably meant for it to be like that. Think about it."

"Maybe, but I still need her to back off from me. This is going to get her killed if she isn't careful," I scowled, taking the page back and putting it back in my pocket. "Look, kiddo, Megatron still ain't too happy with me managing to get three of his deadliest soldiers to desert the cause. He may decide to send some of his boys to target anybody close to me or trying to get close to me and I don't want her in the crosshairs. What would come of that would be devastating to her."

"Why don't you just talk to her and explain the situation like a normal person?" Brian inquired, raising an eyebrow at me inquisitively. "I don't understand it."

Leaning back in my seat, I wiped the sweat off my forehead as I regarded the teen. "Look at it this way, being at a distance, I'm able to watch her and keep her out of trouble. And when I get these guys activated, they'll help keep an eye on Andrea and her family."

Brian frowned, sitting closer to me to watch me work for a moment before making me stop again. "Won't that make it worse? I mean, you were supposed to stay away, but you came back to offer protection."

"I know where you're going, Crossfire, but the reasoning behind staying away from Andrea and your family is a different set of circumstances," I replied, glancing over at the younger boy. "I put you and your family under my care to protect you from the Decepticons. Andrea is a budding reporter that's trying to bite off more than she can chew, pursuing big stories such as mine. In doing that will no doubt attract attention where it will force my hand sometime in the future, making an appearance from me necessary and putting her family under my care or someone else's."

He nodded, seeming to understand. "So what are you going to do with these guys? Letting them run around the city will attract attention like you wouldn't believe," he asked, changing the subject.

"Which is why they're programmed to break apart to form smaller drones," I supplied for him, taking up a spray can and passed it to Brian. "I'll leave you with the task of naming this guy. Make sure to stay on the flat surfaces," I instructed, patting his back as I got up to work on another project for a while.

XxXxX(Colorado)XxXxX

"Brother, wake up. There's been a disturbance in North Dakota."

Drone Strike growled, turning over on his other side, determined to ignore Thundershaker as the larger mech continued to rouse him. "Leave me be, damn it!" he roared, disturbing the birds in the trees. "What is so important you need to wake me?!"

Thundershaker wasn't fazed by his younger sibling's shout, instead frowning in mild confusion. "There's been a change of atmosphere in Vermont. I've recently heard there was a new Decepticon being deployed to Highland Peaks, Vermont. It's the location the young femme who bested us spends her time."

Drone Strike sat up, all traces of sleep gone, replaced by a look of intrigue. "What of the femme? Are you looking to go after her?"

Terra Rage shook his head. "There was a new and unidentified Decepticon femme dispatched to the area. What's intriguing about it is she's mimicking the same radiation as the femme Autobot."

"So what do you want to do about it?"

"We head for Vermont for reconnaissance on the femme Decepticon. If I feel it necessary, we make our presence known to Metal Frost. That's all for now. We have a long distance to travel. Best start now."

Author's Note: Sorry it's so short, guys, but I was itching to post it. :P The next chapter will probably be longer. Reviews prompt me to write more and get chapters done faster! :D