Don't shoot the Messenger
Chapter Three
Before Transformers: Dark of the Moon – Part One
Wheelie glanced at the sleeping human as he shifted in the back seat but when he did not stir, the Autobot returned his gaze back to the windscreen. It was early morning, too early it seemed for Sam, but Wheelie had been awake for hours.
The message from Prime had kept Wheelie from his daily recharge and was taking its toll and the ex-Decepticon could feel his parts sound their protest. He stretched out in the passenger seat and watched as Chicago rolled past. Aside from the occasional bleary eyed passerby, there was no one around.
"Can't this heap of junk go any faster?" Wheelie growled, shifting impatiently on the cool leather.
"We're nearly there."
Apparently Bumblebee was more concerned about the slumbering human than talking out loud so Wheelie took the hint and responded in kind, replying through the internal comm. link, "We better be... How come the kid is coming with us anyway?"
Bumblebee scanned his charge and found that he was beginning to awaken, his consciousness slowly pulling away from the fog of sleep. The Scout felt Wheelie's eagerness pulsating through his spark but would not have anything disturb Sam, especially since this was the first time he had seen him in three weeks.
"Optimus was unclear, however I assumed it was because he wanted Sam to choose himself whether he allowed another ex-Decepticon to live with him." There was a pointed pause. "It was my understanding that Sam convinced the others to allow you to reside with him in the first place; N.E.S.T was most reluctant to have you leave the proximity of the base."
Wheelie had the sense to look sheepish. He cast a glance back at the Witwicky kid who was slowly returning from the land of nod and rubbing his eyes weakly. The young human had been less than amiable getting up at quarter past five in the morning but the prospect of seeing his Guardian after so long eventually pulled the human away from his bed and the hot new girlfriend.
"Touché."
...
Blinking heavily but gradually feeling less like a fatigued zombie, Sam inwardly questioned his being here. The new N.E.S.T Headquarters was in Washington D.C and although he had not seen them, Sam had heard the massive, black Energon detectors humming and new that others had been situated all over the city as well as in places all over the world.
He felt Bumblebee pull to a stop and converse shortly with someone in sporadic radio chatter that Sam couldn't hear before he heard the whirl of mechanics and the creak of a gate being opened. Wheelie said something in a low voice which Sam didn't catch.
Sam pulled himself from the warm seats and sat rubbing his eyes. Wheelie poked his head around the front seat and did what in Sam's experience with Autobots had taught him was a grin.
"Come on, Sleeping Beauty, up and at 'em. The Big Guy wants to speak to you."
Sam didn't even bother to suppress a yawn as he clambered out of the car. The night had been warm but since he had on very thin clothing and the huge warehouse in which he stood was spacious and had no means of heating his skin erupted in goosebumps and he shivered.
Three UH-60 Black Hawks stood like soldiers against the left wall and a large F-35 Lightning II sat against the other. Sam could see Ironhide and Ratchet listening to Matthew Marsden, a soldier who Sam knew from Egypt, nodding occasionally and glancing at each other every now and again. Standing before a large podium of wires and computer screens was stunning red Autobot who had sleek crimson blades running the length of his arms and Sam wracked his brain to try and think of his name but none came to mind. He was conversing with a silent Peterbilt and walked away after evidently receiving an order to do so.
Once his charge and Wheelie were clear, Bumblebee transformed. To Sam the act was almost leisurely, which made him sad as he knew how careful he had to be when around his human family. At least I know why he spends so much time doing his Black Ops thing, Sam thought bitterly. As if sensing his mood, Bumblebee glanced down at him but Sam deliberately avoided the gaze.
"Sam!"
Lennox jogged over and clapped him on the shoulder. "Good to see you buddy. How's Carly?"
The soldier looked surprisingly cheerful for the time of day, something that annoyed the hell out of the teen. Lennox looked tanned and strong, muscles rippling under his uniform.
Sam glared sleepily, "It's good to see you too and she's fine, although annoyed that Wheelie woke us up." Sam gave the man a sharp look. "Why am I here? It's half five for God's sake, I mean jeez, couldn't it have waited until a more decent time?"
Bumblebee ambled away with no particular purpose in his movements but probably told to leave but Wheelie kept close to Sam's heels, casting his gaze around suspiciously.
"Trust me, kid, if it were up to me I wouldn't burden this on you but it's not, so I'm afraid you'll have to make the best of this." Something in his tone made Sam nervous and regret his words. Being kept in the dark about Cybertronian matters was becoming more and more common but despite his desire to help the Autobots as best he could and annoyance of being left out, Sam respected Lennox too much to question him.
"It is fine," Sam amended and attempted to a smile. "So what's up?"
Lennox motioned and Sam followed him past the Helicopters. He stared around him in wonderment; this new base sure looked the part.
N.E.S.T clearly hadn't been in operation here for long. Miles and miles of cables wound their way around most of the floor and Sam had to watch where he stepped for fear of tripping. Expensive but evidently hastily put up lights cast eerie shadows around the place. Soldiers flitted around, some holding files or carrying piles of paper, others hefting parts of weapons of which Sam could never guess and some were conversing in low tones, glancing in his direction but looking away quickly.
Turning his gaze upwards, Sam noticed a sour faced woman scowling down at him from a balcony with metal railings whilst a timid Asian woman hurriedly searching through a bright green designer bag before handing over a file. They both had their hair pulled tightly out of their faces, giving them professional appearances but the older woman seemed extremely bitter and resentful. She scanned the few sheets of paper, glanced down at Sam again then with one last glower she turned away and strode off with a metaphorical pole up her backside.
Confused but too fatigued to care, Sam followed Lennox towards the unmoving Prime and was apprehensive when Lennox patted his shoulder and signalled him to remain whilst he strode off in the direction of the Weapon Specialist.
Sam was about to offer conversation when the loud hiss of extraterrestrial hydraulics signalled his shifting.
Optimus' transformation was so sudden, the human leapt back startled. Sam soon recovered and watched in fascination. One minute there was an innocent looking vehicle before him and the next- flashing whirling parts spinning outward; sliding, clunking, reforming – he was staring up at a super-advanced robot. Having reverted to his natural form, Optimus lowered himself until they were face to face, human to robot, one alien to another.
Sam felt himself grin and before he could stop himself the whispered words tumbled from his lips, "Way to advanced too advanced to be Japanese."
The Autobot leader's voice was warm. "I apologise for the earliness of the hour Sam, it seems that I am only admitted to see you if you are exhausted."
Sam wondered what this must look like to others. Here a monolith of power and wisdom was crouching down to speak to a lowly organism. Here a simple accident of evolution was speaking to the mightiest being on the planet as if they were friends, family even. The thought made Sam inwardly chuckle.
"Not to worry, it's only sleeping. But if I answer weirdly it's because my brain isn't working yet." He reassured with a shrug. "How's things? This headquarters looks amazing by the way. Although I'm not too thrilled with the sign, I mean the 'Department of Health and Human Services'? Really? Is that supposed to be funny?"
Regardless of what many believed, Sam knew that Optimus enjoyed his irrelevant comments and conversation. Many of the Autobots did. Having been in a war for centuries and now battling for a planet that kept trying to get rid of them, every Cybertronian needed to take their minds off it all. Inane chatter gave them reason to smile.
Optimus mouth plates lifted softly, amusement blazing from each optic. "I am unsure of whether it was accidental designation or simply a thought through cover but I agree that its appellation is comical."
Sam clutched his head mockingly. "Not too many long words big guy, I'm really not awake enough yet!" Suppressing the urge to stretch, Sam cocked his head in bewilderment and added. "Why am I here? Does this have anything to do with Wheelie? Please tell me that you need him for a mission and I can be free of him for a few days? He's driving me mad!"
Sam gave the Autobot at his feet a mildly affectionate but ultimately questioning tap on the back with his foot. Had it not been for the presence of the Prime, Wheelie would have bitten the human's toes off. Sam knew this and grinned at the glare was shot venomously at him.
"Whatever fleshy have your fun but you is going to get another lodger. Ain't that right boss 'bot?" Wheelie's tone was specifically pitched so that it sounded respectful and could not be criticized, for all its bad grammar.
"What!" Sam yelped. He rounded on the Prime in annoyance.
Optimus nodded. "Fourteen hours ago a Decepticon crash landed in the Southern Pacific Ocean. A team was dispatched accordingly but the occupant inside had disappeared by the time they arrived. Approximately one hour twenty nine minutes later, I was contacted on the open Cybertronian frequency and was asked if said Decepticon could meet without threat of attack. I agreed."
Wheelie was now rolling backwards and forwards on his wheels with impatience. "Where's he at?" He snapped impatiently. "Me 'n Brains go way back. We were with Soundwave and Dreaded at the Battle of Ser'ac Dovan. Man, did we tear those bots to shi-"
"Brains?" Sam intervened quickly, positive that reiteration of what he had done under the flag of Decepticon would not hold well with the leader of the Autobots. "That's his name? Do they just give terrible names to the diddy Decepticons or to the most annoying ones?"
"His name is not translatable in your tongue. In our language his name would mean one who is intelligent and eccentric. However he decided to choose 'Brains' as it seemed to encompass these qualities within the restrictions of the language of this planet." Optimus explained. Staring down at Wheelie, his gaze became stern. "I must caution your formulation of words, my soldiers were present during Ser'ac Dovan and lost many a comrade. I would advise you remember whose side you say you are on."
Sam felt the need to change the subject. Or at least get it onto the reason for his being here. "It'll be great to see your friend again then and... Oh God," The human's face fell and became exasperated. "Tell me you didn't bring me here to dump him on me!" He waved at Wheelie. "I have enough trouble keeping him out of trouble and I know the neighbours think I'm strangling a cat or something the amount of times I have to pull him out of Carly's kni – uh, pull him off the television and Star Trek with him screaming his head off."
Optimus stood and Sam felt his fight drain out of him. Great, he thought sadly, another refugee. Carly is really going to leave him now. The only reason she let Wheelie stay with them because Sam had begged on hands and knees, promised to do the dishes for the remainder of his life with her (something he regretted to this day – god that girl ate a lot) and made Wheelie sleep outside with Bones, the dog Mikaela unceremoniously dumped on him. How the hell was he going to convince her to take another whack-a-doodle?
He noticed Optimus was walking slowly away and followed forlornly, not noticing the sympathetic looks he received from the soldiers who knew the nature of the... transaction. Lennox watched the young man from his station at Ironhide's ankles with a half amused, half concerned expression.
Wheelie had transformed into his remote controlled monster truck and was speeding after Optimus, revving his engine with excitement. Sam walked slowly, not entirely sure he wanted to see what awaited him at the end.
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