It took much hesitation on June's part, but she allowed Jack to return to the Autobot base. She had uttermost faith in the mechanical beings, but still, with Jack being her only child – her life, practically – she held just a tad bit of panic regarding the fact that he was actively involved in a…well…war.
No matter how many times Arcee reassured her, no matter how many times she spoke to Agent Fowler about the matter, that little spark of trepidation never ceased.
June sighed as she walked through her front door, hanging her coat on its rack. Jack still had yet to return and for a moment she thought about calling him, and then faltered when she glanced into the living room.
A light was on.
She hadn't left a light on.
June placed her keys on the counter and walked with slow, cautious steps. She could hear something rustling, like paper, and the occasional bored sigh.
"Jack…?" She said, narrowing her eyes. A shadow fell across the wall behind her, a human shadow, and she rolled her eyes, stepping into the living room, hands on her hips.
She froze.
It wasn't Jack.
It was someone who looked like Jack. An older version, it seemed. Like her son had twenty years of so. She knew it wasn't him, though, the moment she laid eyes on that black hair, the shaven face and the soft, angular features.
She hadn't seen that face in…what? Over six years?
The man finally noticed her presence, taking in her rigid figure. He raised a hand and gave a wave, magazine falling from his fingers as he set it on the couch.
"It's not nice to stare, babe," he said, tilting his head to the side. "My, oh my. That pretty face of yours hasn't aged a day," he stood, smoothing out his white coat, grinning like a shark. It was a different sort of smile, not his usual playful, shady one. He'd developed it into something else altogether in the past few years.
It was monstrous.
"How did you get in here," June stammered. "W-What are you doing in here?"
"What? Come on now," Howard said, rolling his eyes. "You can't still be upset over what happened…over what I did to Jacky boy," he stepped closer, and June stepped back. "It was for the good of science, sweetheart. How is the dear boy, anyway? I hope he hasn't associated himself with the…hm…wrong crowd."
A part of June's mind was skeptical. He was implying something, something that she didn't want to ponder over, because it would confirm her suspicions that he knew more than he was letting on.
But she didn't even have to ask. He came out and said it, brows creasing in anger, backing June against the wall. Strong hands gripped her wrist and she cried out, glaring at him, resisting the urge to spit in his face.
Howard's thumbs dug into her pressure points, little pinpricks of pain shooting up through her arm and into her brain. He hissed, "I know all about your alien inhabitant, sweetie. Arcee? Is that her name? She's a nice addition to the family. Such a gracious guardian to ole' Jacky, isn't she? Better than I could ever be."
"Is this what this is all about?" June snarled. "You think that we replaced you with Arcee?"
"That's a part of it," Howard answered. "That, and the fact that my work has paid off," a massive smile alit his face, and he leaned closer. "I've been working for the past few years, babe. Using the information I acquired from Jack to develop a new kind of weapon."
June struggled against his grip, but it did not slacken. He was beginning to squeeze, twist her wrist. The limbs were beginning to ache and if he kept it up he would shatter the bone.
She whimpered, hating how weak she sounded. What had she done to deserve this? She'd stayed out of his life and he had stayed out of hers – heck, she'd even tried her best to leave the war to the aliens.
But he was back, for some reason. And it hurt.
"Listen, Howard," she said slowly. "I'm not going to apologize. You know the reason why I left you. You know what you did wrong – you should know, by now."
He twisted savagely and she felt the tendons in her wrist stretch taut. The pain was excruciating. She lashed out with a kick to his knee and he groaned, giving her the opportunity to wrench out of his embrace and stumbled over towards the couch.
"I'm not going to fight you, sweetheart," he said, limping, shaking out his leg and moaning. "I came here to play. This game of mine, this glorious game….it will go my way. I just need another intimate pawn…"
June reached for the phone, but he was faster.
The slap stung. She heard the noise, and the impact came last. The phone flew from her fingers, skidding across the wood, and she spun, landing on the couch, mouth open in shock.
Howard flopped down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. There was a ringing in June's ears and she tried to shut it out, but failed.
She was going to bruise, badly. She felt a tear slide down her cheek and she steeled herself, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of watching her break.
"Just like old times, isn't it?" he squeezed her shoulder, and, to June's disgust, leaned over and pressed his lips against her cheek. "Too bad Jack isn't here," he was reaching up under his coat, pulling out something that resembled a pistol. But it was the color of steel – shiny, silver – and Howard aimed the muzzle towards the ceiling. He said, "But don't worry. I'll have this family back together in no time. Maybe even add a few more members–"
"No. Never."
A roll of the eyes. Howard twirled the gun in his fingers, tapping it lightly against June's head. "No, not that way. Never that way. Jack was the only one I needed, babe," a devilish smile spread across his face. "The only one I wanted. You were just the carrier."
June made a sound in the back of her throat.
"Oh, come now. Do I look like the sort of man who would love a woman? I just needed you for a while," Howard scooted closer, running long, slender fingers through June's raven hair. "My original plan was to dump you and run off with Jack as soon as he was born but…I needed an alibi. And plus, you were just so much….fun to play with."
Now she was crying. Warm tears streaked down her face, her expression solemn, but her heart full of absolute despondency.
Which was soon replaced with burning hot rage, and guilt. She was mad at herself for being so stupid, so, so in love that she would fall for such a ruse. And she was mad at Howard for pulling the tricks, pulling the strings the way he did…
She made a motion to shove him away from her, but with an almost supernatural force he slammed her back into the cushioned seat with his opposite arm, the muzzle of the gun passing in front of her face as he did so.
"Here's the thing," Howard said, wiggling the weapon. "Despite being a…what do you call it My 'baby-maker,' you're still of value to me. My real target is Jack. Once I get to him, I get to the rest of the Autobots," he grasped a handful of June's hair twisting her neck sharply. She gasped, and then snarled.
June felt the muzzle of the gun press against the back of her neck, digging into the soft flesh.
"I need you for this game, sweetheart," June heard a click as he thumb secured itself over the trigger.
"Are you going to kill me?" She whispered.
Oh, God, she hoped so. Right now, in the center of all her agony, she didn't think that she would be able to live anymore.
"No," she felt Howard's lips brush against her ear. "I'm going to make you mine again."
She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the explosion. Waiting for her inevitable end, but instead of that, she felt something different. Something quick – a little prick – and the feeling of something foreign sliding up under her flesh.
She felt blood trickle down her back and she screamed, jumping, swatting at Howard. But he had already retreated to the end of the couch and was watching, legs crossed, eyebrows raised.
The thing…she could feel it, slithering, sliding. A little creature intelligent enough to dig deeper and deeper into her body, moving, navigating its way through tissue and muscle.
She clawed at her back, falling to the floor.
"Get it out," she snarled at Howard. But he just sat, watching, grinning.
"Get it out."
It was like surgery. She heard cutting, cutting, little crunching sounds as if it were eating.
Then, it hit its target.
She felt her back stiffen as the creature curled around her spine, a coldness spreading through her entire frame. She couldn't move – no couldn't feel – her arms or legs. The immobility was slowly creeping up her neck and June couldn't do anything but lay on the floor, limbs askew, eyes open.
"It might take a while," Howard said, moving from his position on the couch and kneeling in front of her. She opened her mouth to scream but it was as if someone had filled her throat with cotton. Nothing could come out. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Howard reaching into her back pocket, fishing around, coming out with her cell phone. He said, "It still has to reach the brain. Once it does…you're all mine."
He was flicking through her contacts, and then, finally pressing his finger against the pad.
"Just need to say a little hello to Jacky," he did a little dance, laughing as he did so. "Oh, my, oh, my. He will be so delighted to hear my voice…"
June couldn't do anything. She couldn't move. Could feel her consciousness flaking away piece by piece, fading…
She did the last human thing she presumed she would ever do.
She bowed her head and cried.
"Agent Fowler and his team should be raiding the M.E.C.H bases as we speak," Optimus said, arms crossed over his broad chest. Jack sat on the couch, watching as Miko flicked through the television, face twisted into a permanent expression of triumph.
"Those guys are toast," she said. "We'll have Penny back in no time," a laugh. "Yeah. I no time."
Ratchet gave Optimus a nod of understanding, turning back to his work. Bulkhead and Bumblebee had retreated to their quarters, and Arcee was the only one remotely awake – antsy, was more like it.
Looking past the whole Penny ordeal, Jack realized that the Decepticon's had yet to make a move. Ratchet was still scouting, scanning for energon but it had yet to make an appearance. It was a break everyone needed, but at the same time, everyone was eager to get into the action once again.
As Jack opened his mouth to speak, he felt something vibrate beneath him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cell phone.
Raf, who sat beside Jack, cocked an eyebrow, glancing at the caller ID. "Uh oh," he said, smiling cheekily. "What did you do, Jack?"
"Nothing," Jack answered, raising the phone to his ear. "At least, I don't think that I did…"
There was a click.
"Hey, mom," Jack said, leaning back.
Silence.
"Mom…"
"Jacky boy?"
Jack's breath caught in his throat and he whimpered.
He knew that voice.
"Dad…"
"It's meeee!" the voice cried shrilly. "It's so good to hear your voice again, son. Say, how's Arcee?"
"What…How did…what…"
"Don't answer that," he replied. "I'm not stupid, Jack. I know the secret. And you know what? Kudos to you for finding a girl. It's not what she is that bothers me, though, it's what she stands for. Your world belongs to me, Jack. Didn't you know that?"
Jack opened his mouth, but no sound came out. All eyes were on him. Optimus was staring, Miko and Raf and Arcee and Ratchet all had their gaze trained on him. The silo had become eerily silent, and Jack gulped.
"Your mother learned that the hard way. I have her, Jack. I have her back. And you have to trust that I won't be cruel to her. Same goes for your friend Penny Reed," There was a sigh.
Jack stood. "Let my mother and Penny go, you…you monster! You demon!"
"My dearest Jackson Darby. As your father, I feel obliged to inform you that the world is full of demons. Massive, towering beasts made of metal. But that won't tear you apart, son. Your undoing will be fear and loathing."
Jack stood, lips trembling, tears beginning to form. But he held the phone, because there was no point in letting go.
His father spoke once more.
"So watch out, boy, because the monsters and I are coming to get you."
Then he was gone.
