***Alright, sick of screwing around with this chapter. It's been sitting about ¾ done for months now. Finished it while half asleep so…yeah.***

Chapter 3 – Disobedience, Plots, and Lies

"Hey Red! Hold up!"

Red Alert groaned and paused in the process of unlocking the SCC door. "What is it Jazz? I have work to do."

Jazz trotted up the hallway and slid to a stop next to the Security Director. "Heard Otis graduated pooch academy."

Red Alert turned to face the saboteur making no effort to hide his irritation. "Otis has completed his obedience school. I have also been provided with reference material on how to teach him the additional commands he will need to do his job. Now, if you will excuse…"

"Far out. Can I get a demo?"

Red Alert frowned and glanced back at the SCC door. "I don't…"

Jazz blinked his visor innocently. "Pretty please with energon goodies on top? I'm sure it won't take more than a coupla minutes. Come on, I know you're just dyin' to show em off."

"You are not going to leave, are you?" Red Alert sighed.

"Nope."

Red Alert waved the Porsche back so he could type in the code to the door lock without being observed. He stepped inside the office and smiled as Otis came running up to greet him. He picked the dog up and carefully rubbed behind the Dalmatian's ears with one finger. "Alright Otis, we need to give a demonstration to our esteemed Lieutenant." He turned around placing the dog on the ground and frowned noting Jazz casually leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest. Red Alert opened his mouth with the intention of telling the other officer to step inside the room but was cut off.

"Why don't I try a few of the commands? Otis, sit." Jazz chuckled ignoring Red Alert's glare as the dog obeyed his command and sat. "Hey cool, it worked. Alright Otis, lay down." Jazz kept his visor on the dog obeying his commands but his optics remained focused on Red Alert. "Ok what 'bout…heel!" The look on Red Alert's face plates when the dog suddenly bolted out of the office made Jazz wish he'd thought to record this.

Red Alert jumped and ran after the Dalmatian. "Otis! No! Jazz, watch the SCC!"

Jazz calmly watched as Red Alert took off after his wayward charge. He straightened from where he was leaning on the doorframe and stepped into the office. He chuckled as he glanced back at the door which was finally able to close without his frame blocking it. This was just too easy.

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Red Alert debated changing into his much faster alt mode but decided against it fearing he wouldn't be able to avoid hitting the Dalmatian if he stopped suddenly. "Otis heel!" He growled when the dog ran faster at the shouted command. He slowed to a jog and stopped when the Dalmatian led them outside the base. Red Alert scanned the landscape with his optics but there was no sign of his pup. "You asked for it." He booted up a unique internal scanner and searched for the chip Wheeljack was kind enough to place in Otis' collar. He grinned and followed a signal into an area with several rock formations. His optic ridges shot up in surprise as he rounded one particularly large formation allowing his sensors a more in depth scan of the area. He was not alone.

Inferno smiled as Otis trotted up panting heavily. "Gave you a run for yer money didn't he?" He chuckled as the dog walked a quick circle by his outstretched leg then curled up for a nap. Inferno leaned back against the rocky wall he was using as a recliner and waited for the dog's owner. After awhile he began to grow impatient. "Fer cryin' out loud Red! No one's tryin' to ambush ya!" He shook his head when Red Alert suddenly popped his head out from a nearby rock formation.

"Prove it."

Inferno expelled all the air from his vents and slumped his shoulders. "Aww come on Red. Do ya really think I'd let anyone harm ya?" The simple act of Red Alert stepping out from behind his cover made Inferno smile. "See? That wasn't so hard now was it?"

"What are you doing out here?"

Inferno stood and took his time brushing the dirt off his legs. "Just enjoyin' the outdoors. You should try it sometime."

Red Alert folded his arms across his chest and leaned on one hip defensively. "Exactly what is that supposed to mean?"

"Ya spend too much time in that office of yers. Be nice to see ya out an about more often. You've gotten worse than Prowl."

"I'm out now aren't I?"

Inferno grinned and pointed down at the sleeping dog at his feet. "Yer out cause the polka dotted glitch here dragged ya out."

"Yes, well…I wasn't dragged; Otis ran from me" Red Alert replied sheepishly.

"Oh? An why do ya suppose he did that?"

"I haven't the slightest idea. He was given the command to heel and …" Red Alert scrunched his optic ridges together in confusion as Otis stood, gave Inferno's foot a scratch with his paw, then laid back down.

"Well ain't that just the oddest thing?"

"I-I don't understand." Red Alert looked back to Inferno and narrowed his optics suspiciously at his friend's amused expression. His hands twitched briefly as his glitch began to whisper conspiracy theories into his processor. "Inferno, why are you out here again?"

Inferno took a step closer to the red and white Lamborghini. "You're a hard mech to get a hold of lately Red. One might think you were avoidin' me."

Red Alert felt his face plates heat up. In an attempt to hide the blush he looked back down at Otis. The dog looked up at him, yawned, and rested his head on it's forepaws as if to say he had no intention of moving and thus leaving the Security Director to deal with the situation at hand. Traitor! You are supposed to be on my side! I am unprepared for this! Not now! "Um…I have been very busy lately."

"Uh huh. An when was the last time you've been outta that cave you call an office?"

"I appreciate the concern but I assure you that I am perfectly…" He cut off as Inferno stepped a little closer. OTIS!! You Pit spawned mammal! Help, help, help…what do I do? What do I do?! He gulped and tried to refrain from flinching as Inferno placed a hand on his shoulder still looking at him intently. Touching! He's touching! No, no…wait…yes. Yes?!

Inferno felt his spark leap within it's casing as Red Alert leaned ever so slightly into his touch. Alright, need ta get em to relax before this ends with a visit to Ratchet. "Tell ya what. You've obviously gotten someone to watch the SCC for ya or ya wouldna left, an Otis here is lookin' to be settlin' down for a nap so… join me for a walk? Hound's been tellin' me 'bout this one spot; s'posed to be real pretty. Thought you might wanna check it out for potential security camera placement since it's heavily wooded an could provide cover for decepticreeps."

Red Alert perked up and smiled. "Cameras? I suppose I could do that." He opened a comm. line with Jazz and ensured that the SCC would be covered. He frowned when the saboteur all too readily agreed to finish the shift; a boring job he would normally avoid like a case of scraplets. Struggling to ignore his glitch warning him of traitorous Porsches and Dalmatians, Red Alert cut the line. With a quick command for Otis to 'stay' he turned his attention back to Inferno. He bit back a surprised yelp when Inferno suddenly looped an arm through his and started walking. He laughed when the larger mech turned a charming smile on him and altered his usual gait into a stroll as if escorting him through the streets of Iacon. "You are weird" he managed between chuckles.

"This comin' from the mech who has a dog named Organic Twin Intrusion Sensor?"

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Nearly an hour later the two mechs found themselves walking through a thick wooded area. Red Alert blinked at the trees that now stood taller than Inferno. He did not quite admire Earth's landscapes on the same level as say Hound or Trailbreaker; but he could still appreciate the peace that this place radiated. Well, he appreciated it when not worrying about which trees were hiding Decepticons. Inferno suddenly stopped walking and nodded in approval.

Red Alert turned to match Inferno's gaze and widened his optics in shock. Bright streams of sunlight pierced through the canopy of leaves and glittered along the surface of a small rivulet. He kneeled near the water's edge and traced his fingers through the clear water. Several tiny fish, startled by his fingers, darted away adding their flashing silver scales to the light display.

Inferno watched the spectacle with a small smile. Red Alert's white armor reflecting the light from both above and below was mesmerizing. Damn he's good lookin'. Smart, brave, dedicated, good sense a humor…when he relaxes enough to show it that is. The fire truck sighed wistfully while his CPU listed everything that made Red Alert so…perfect. It was a funny thing; he could rush into a burning building completely oblivious to the danger but couldn't work up enough courage to tell Red Alert how he felt about him. He had this day planned for sometime (one couldn't exactly train a dog to seek out a fire truck to the command of 'heel' overnight after all) and had even managed to enlist Jazz's help. But now that he had his love interest alone in this beautiful setting he just couldn't seem to make his move.

Red Alert studied his friend's reflection on the surface of the water noting the myriad of expressions that crossed the other's face plates. Inferno appeared happy one moment, despaired the next, and then another look that made Red Alert's intakes hitch. It was the same look of desire given to him back in the SCC a few weeks earlier when he had collided with Inferno. Why does he not say anything? If he truly feels something other than friendship for me, why doesn't he…of course! Inferno was a mech of action, of physical expression; but was probably afraid that such an aggressive show of feelings might chase him away. I'm just as scared to talk or do anything about it as he is though. Red Alert frowned at his own reflection. This is stupid! Am I am Lamborghini or not?! He angrily sliced through the reflection with his hand and stood. Red Alert took a deep breath through his intakes and forced himself to look into the larger mech's optics. "Inferno…" Red Alert froze with his mouth open and widened his optics, "…there are two seekers diving towards us from the northeast."

Inferno growled and turned his optics skywards. "Slag! Wonder if we got a patrol nearby that can give us a lil back up?"

"Already done. Smokescreen and Cliffjumper have been diverted from their patrol and the twins are enroute from base."

Inferno grinned and pulled a rifle from subspace. "An that's why yer an officer."

Red Alert frowned as his scanners told him they were running out of time. "We run and find cover and hope we can hold them off until our friends get here." He grabbed Inferno's hand and ran in the direction of the patrol. He gritted his dental plating as the screeching of jet engines filled his audios. His sensory horns flashed giving him a last minute warning and he shoved Inferno to the side at the last second just as laser fire pelted the ground and splintered surrounding trees.

Inferno landed on his back and fired a few rounds at a seeker as it flew by. He stood and a stab of fear shot through his spark when he didn't see Red Alert. "Red! Where are ya?!" Another seeker flew by mimicking his calls for Red Alert then took off with an amused cackle. "Hey! Get back here ya giant metal chicken! Too scared ta fight a mech on the ground?!"

"No."

Inferno turned around and received a punch to the abdomen courtesy of Skywarp. Inferno grunted and took a step backwards in pain. The seeker activated the thrusters on his feet and charged him. Both mechs crashed to the ground tearing through dirt like a plow as the seeker's thrusters flared. Inferno shook his head in an attempt to clear his processors when they finally stopped and attempted to sit up only to have a foot planted on his chest and push him back down.

"Now, who were you callin' a metal chicken?" Skywarp sneered raising an arm mounted rifle at the fire truck's spark. The ominous click of another gun being cocked answered his question.

"I highly recommend you desist" Red Alert growled from behind Skywarp and pushed the muzzle of his gun a little harder against a kneeling Thundercracker.

Skywarp blinked concerned optics at his captive wingmate. "You are still outmatched."

Red Alert tilted his head as if listening to something and his sensory horns sparked. "Not anymore." Skywarp frowned aware of the Autobot Security Director's advanced sensory net and lowered his rifle. Red Alert lowered his to match. Skywarp nodded to Thundercracker and the two took to the sky in rapid retreat.

"Thanks for the rescue" Inferno grumbled while standing up. "Where's the others?"

"Smokescreen and Cliffjumper are still four minutes out."

Inferno blinked and then grinned in realization. "Why you sneaky lil…you lied! Heh! Made yer horns light up an everythin'!"

Red Alert stepped closer to the fire truck and looked up at him. "I did what I had to." He suddenly reached up and pulled Inferno down capturing the surprised mech's lips in a gentle kiss. He pulled back and smiled happily at Inferno's stunned expression. "I am a Lamborghini" he stated proudly then pitched forward offline into Inferno's arms exposing his energon covered back.