"Élise Cross, it is an honour to meet you. I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. I'd like to personally thank you for coming in our time of need. I know that this could not have been an easy decision on your part."

Élise smiled at the gigantic living mechanism crouched down close in front of her. She'd seen a lot of things in her life, but a living mechanism was a first. She guessed that Optimus had easily stood at or above 30 ft tall. His eyes could have matched Dean's in beauty but his had topped Dean's in the end, they glowed for crying out loud!

His voice was a deep but calming baritone and he held an air of nobility and authority around him. His paint job was flawlessly done; beautiful red and blue flames licked at his metal body and stood out even more because of the recent wax job he had been given.

" Trust me monsieur Prime. The honour is all mine. You'd be correct in saying that this wasn't an easy decision. To be honest I didn't plan on coming, mainly because of my fear of exposing my powers so blatantly." Optimus nodded understandingly.

When his human friend, Epps had volunteered his 'niece' to come and use her powers for them he was a little skeptical. Surely it should of been a decision for the young one, not him. However, when he began talking about what she could do, he grew a bit excited and hopeful.

This little femme had been like their spy Mirage! She just had a few more abilities than he and from what Optimus understood, she would not be detected by any sort of technology when she went into 'infiltration mode'.

Mirage was an excellent spy, there was no doubt about it. Optimus has only met one other bot that could match his skill, and that was Jazz. He thought about how this had occasionally been a problem for Mirage and the Autobots during the war.

The Decepticons had technology that was specifically made to detect Mirage and this would limit the amount of information they got or it would prevent him from getting at all if he needed to make a hasty retreat.

Optimus had thrown his skepticism aside and gratefully agreed to allow his niece to come and help them. He did feel some guilt though, Epps had cautioned them that she may be wary about using her powers.

There may have been laws that legally protected her and other mutants from being captured for experimentation or torture, but there were still these 'mutant hunters' around. There were thousands of them and very hard to kill. They were everywhere, especially in places you wouldn't expect. They hid in broad daylight and in the cover of night. Location and time made no difference to them. If they were given the opportunity, they would take it.

He was told Élise personally knew that this was true. She had been at Times Square in New York on New Years Eve with some friends, doing the countdown with the crowd as they watched the giant ball drop.

As the timer struck zero and the celebration began, that when the attack had begun. She and her friends began to weave their way through the crowd and pulled off to the side to try and find their other friends. One of her friends had spotted the rest of their group and took the other to go get them, leaving Élise alone. That's when the hunter had stuck. The hunter had thrown a poison tipped knife and it had lodged its' self in her back.

The knife's poison had been made to neutralize her powers and act as a tranquilizer at the same time. She had immediately felt it's effects, not only had she had lost feeling all over her body and collapsed on the ground, she found she couldn't use her phasing powers to hide under the cement ground beneath her.

She was sure she had an angel watching over her at that moment. Before the hunter could do anymore damage, complete strangers that had witnessed what just happened, turned on her assailant and defended the girl as she laid motionless on the ground.

As the hunter was being taken care of, she remembered a few of her friends running to her and a couple of extra people had working together to pick her up, get her into the nearest restraunt and called an ambulance for help.

She remembered being lifted into the ambulance by the paramedics... getting lifted out before being brought into the hospital... going through a set of white doors... and being rushed down a white hall way.

She didn't remember much after that.

She learned that no matter who was around, where they were or what was going on-they would be after her if they ever caught wind about her location.

Optimus didn't know much about these 'mutant hunters' but as he was told her story, he knew there was no way he favored them. He had made a silent vow on his spark to protect this little femme. Not only because she would be coming out of hiding, she would be risking her life for using her powers for a bunch of military soldiers and Cybertronian aliens she didn't know.

And according to the term the humans used, 'he would be damned' if she was captured because of it.

Optimus had quickly spread the news to his men, and the were curious and a bit cautious to say nonetheless. The thought of an advanced human life form had confused them and set them a bit on edge.

They had pros and cons of this situation; Pros being that they needed another being like Mirage and Jazz, advanced humanoid or not.

They could finally get the information they desperately needed not only on the locations of the Decepticons but just on information in general; battle strategies, future attacks, energon locations, weapons, technology they had or were creating and she could sabotage their equipment and energon stores if given the opportunity.

The cons being that there was the thought that she was replacing Jazz and Mirage - which he had reassured he wasn't and would never even think about doing. She could give them false information, she could accidentally gather old or even faux information.

Optimus could understand his men's concerns but if he were to be completely honest, he didn't believe that the Decepticons would lay out faux information.

For what?

They knew Jazz was either dead or hardly hanging on and they knew Mirage was not here. They didn't have a bot with the proper skills necessary for infiltration.
Yes, Sideswipe had done some infiltration back on Cybertron but he wasn't known for stealth or patience, that's why Optimus had him as a front-liner. He also didn't believe she would give out false information. What would she gain from it?

Nothing.

Only thing she would gain would be guilt from getting bots and humans killed.

He vented air in a sympathetic way, "Yes. You're uncle had informed me of that earlier. I must ask for your forgiveness, I have been selfish. Not only have I have taken you only out of your 'comfort zone' but out of hiding as well.

If this were not a dire situation, I would not have agreed for you to come. However, I do swear on my spark that I will protect you with my very life from these 'mutant hunters' that plague you and the rest of your kind."

Élise's eyes widened considerably.

He'd die for her? But why, he hardly knew her?

"Something that would surely be changed, if you'd allow me the chance to," he offered with a warm smile. Élise blushed when she realized she must have spoken the silent question.

She returned the smile and nodded," Very well then Optimus, you will be given the chance to get to know me if you wish."His blue optics seemed to glow brighter along with his smile," Thank you. I will be sure to not miss out on this opportunity." he promised.

"And I'll make sure to do the same for you. It's not an everyday thing where you get to meet a Cybertronian such as yourself, now is it?" she asked. Optimus chuckled and shook his head," No, I don't believe it is" he answered.

Élise suddenly tipped her head to the side as she recalled Optimus's words. "I don't think you're being very selfish." she stated.

He gave her a curious look and she continued," You're just trying to be a good leader and do what is right for your men. And if getting help from a mutant like me is what it takes then fine."she shrugged.

He frowned,"But I have brought you out of hiding, the hunters have a greater chance of finding you now." Élise winced and subconsciously rubbed at her back, the memory of how she got the nasty scar rearing its' ugly head.

She took a deep breath before continuing. "Yes. They will have a greater chance of finding me now. But it's a risk I'm going to have to take. There are two things I cannot do in my right mind. I can't turn my back on family. And I can't turn my back on a friend in need." she declared.

Élise had clearly stunned the gentle giant, seeing as his jaw had slacked a bit and his glowing blue optics laid on her form, unwavering. She hardly knew him, but she would risk the possibility of capture anyways?

She's aligning herself with him already? He did expect her to do this sometime during her stay at the base yes, but he did not expect her to do it on the first day she was here. The way her blue-grey eyes seen it, they were friends. Despite just meeting, they were friends.

She would give him her loyalty as a friend. She was trusting him. She was trusting him after talking to him for a couple of minutes. There was no way on Cybertron he would betray it. But he couldn't help but wonder, 'why'?

She couldn't help the giggle that slipped past her lips. That dumbfounded look was rather strange-looking on him if she had to be honest. It didn't suit him. She took a few steps forward and gently moved his jaw back up and held it there, waiting for him to hold it there himself.

This seemed to snap him out of it because he jerked back a bit and shook his massive head, shuttering his optics a few looked down and seen the young woman was smiling at him, unable to hide her amusement. Optimus felt his cheek plates heat up a bit in embarrassment. He cleared his throat, regaining his composure.

He dipped his head towards the woman in gratitude,"Thank you Élise." he softly thanked. She smiled and patted his over sized leg, "You're welcome,grand gars." she whispered.

She took a few steps back and took a quick breath. "So, do I get the pleasure of meeting the rest of your team? Or are you just going to grace me with your presence the entire time I'm here?" she asked in a teasing way.

He chuckled and a mischievous tone had over taken his voice,"While I prefer just gracing you with the presence of myself. I suppose I could introduce you to the rest of my men if you wish."

Élise laughed and nodded," I believe I do wish to." she replied. He pretended to look disappointed but it disappeared when she began to laugh some more. Optimus had quickly found out that her laughter had been contagious and couldn't help but chuckle along with her.

Hey! Thank you guys for popping in and giving my story the time of day, it means a lot! Thanks for the reviews as well :) . Sorry if Optimus seemed OOC. Sorry for any grammar of spelling errors you find too.

Google Translations:

monsieur is french for: Mister

grand gars is french for: Big guy