Chapter Seven

The Next Morning

When Mikaela woke up, a feeling of dread stirred in the pit of her stomach. Today would be the day she'd be going down to Earth to retrieve the shard and Soundwave would retrieve Sam. Mikaela also had the familiar urge to go to the bathroom. She hoped Soundwave would take her out of the drawer soon.

The drawer finally opened as if Soundwave read her mind. He seemed to have paused when he saw a mattress, blanket, and pillow there. "Bathroom, urinate, lubricate." Mikaela said hurriedly. Soundwave picked her up and put her into her box without a word.

Soundwave left her and she was glad he did. Then she could do what she wanted to do without fearing his 'punishments' first thing this morning.

Mikaela rinsed her mouth out with the bottle of water. She hadn't drank any water since coming here and she wasn't really thirsty. Her hunger almost non-existent since last nights late night snack. The next thing she did to herself was clear her mind. She certainly didn't need that mental intrusion again as a punishment. It had been very energy consuming. Mikaela done with her usual bathroom ritual with the exception of taking a shower-which made her want to clean herself and change of clothes. Shuddering at the thought, she couldn't tell if she stank of sweat or the day. The sound of footsteps broke her train of thoughts. Soundwave had returned.

"Query: Who gave you the padding, blanket, and pillow?"

"Answer: No one. I must have dreamed it last night of a prince who rescued me from my drawer prison-"

"Human: Lying. Will not repeat question."

"I'm not sure." Mikaela said. "Why do you talk like that? It sounds annoying. My name's not 'Human'! My name's Mikaela Banes! Can't you even say that right? It's easy! Say Mikaela."

"Human: Mikaela is disrespectful and has not learned lesson."

Mikaela crossed her arms against her chest. "As long as I live, I will never bend to your will nor of that overconfident, egotistical megalomaniac you call a leader!"

"Name calling: Inadvisable."

"I don't give a-"

"Silence."

"N-"

"Will not repeat order!"

Mikaela fell into an awkward, disconcerting silence. Glaring at Soundwave all that time, she knew she had been right. Megatron was a megalomaniac. He thought about power, being greater than anyone else and used fear instead of love. He was power hungry. Soundwave grabbed her and took her to a table where he had a cube of Energon and a small plate of food on a small table for her. "Eat." Soundwave ordered.

Mikaela sat down in her chair, staring at the plate in front of her. It had been her very favorite. French toast with cinnamon, powdered sugar, maple syrup, two sausages, and pieces of oranges. Mikaela picked up her fork, but didn't touch her favorite food. Sam had always made her breakfast in bed as a surprise. Seeing her favorite food in front of her made her think of him. Mikaela didn't want the food to waste, so she ate it slowly.

-0-

Soundwave watched Mikaela's expression change from defiant to upset. First she had been real defiant, now she looked upset. He wondered what he should do next to make her bend to his will. Hunger outweighed everything with fleshlings.

Soundwave had an endless patience complex. When Mikaela finished her breakfast, he could start on his mission. Of course, he would be accompanying her during her mission to be sure she did her job. If not, he'd be able to take action.

-0-

Mikaela wondered as she ate if Soundwave ever talked about things. Mikaela's breakfast times used to be on the run when she had to go to school, but now she had slowed down considerably and it took a lot of practice not to hurry her meals. Soundwave sat there, waiting, and watching. It had been about to get on her nerves because he didn't talk and stared at her through his visor. Mikaela wondered if his optics were red because his visor was always black. She finally broke the silence.

"Um, what does your optics look like?" Her voice small.

"Not up for discussion." Soundwave said.

"Why not?" Mikaela asked. "I bet they're red."

"Enough." Soundwave said.

"Fine." Mikaela said. "Guess what? I need a change of clothes and a nice good shower."

"Not necessary."

Mikaela cringed. "Let me tell you something. Beside chocolate, a shower and a change of clothes is every girl's want. The want to keep clean and feel good."

"Discuss."

"Discuss what?" Mikaela asked taking a sip of her orange juice. It tasted freshly squeezed. "Did you squeeze this?" She asked.

"Answer: No. Juice: Container. Discuss shower."

Ah. So he was curious. "A shower?" Mikaela questioned.

Soundwave nodded.

"Well, a shower's a place where you can refresh yourself after a long day at work, or one before work to wake up." Mikaela said. "A bath's better though."

"Shower important. Bath not."

"So you're going to take me home to take a shower and get ready?"

Soundwave nodded. "One condition: Do not attempt to make any calls, or escape."

Mikaela nodded. "One condition for you. You let me go home and do whatever I need without surveillance from your 'drones'."

Mikaela remembered Frenzy and how crazy he really was. She had taken a sawzall and chopped off his head. His head still lay in Simmons' hideaway in a container. If Soundwave found out about him being in his shape, he'd torture her or worse. Mikaela needed to keep her thoughts guarded. Whatever he knew or learned about her life, had nothing compared with what she had done to Frenzy, or with Trent. Keeping her thoughts guarded was a number one priority.

"Condition: Depends on behavior."

"Fine. Just don't let those sneaky drones into my bathroom." Mikaela said.

"Again: Condition depends on behavior."

Mikaela finished up her orange juice and wiped her mouth on a napkin. "Fine." Mikaela said, "I'll behave."

-0-

Soundwave carried Mikaela to the throne room. Starscream and an another 'Con sat at the monitors. Megatron loomed over them as he read something on screen.

Megatron glanced over to them and Soundwave nodded. Megatron smirked at Mikaela. "You had better do your job." Megatron warned. "I do not mind handing out punishments to my associates down there."

"Whatever." Mikaela said dismissively. "I'll do my job."

Mikaela felt a sharp servo grab her before she could move. Megatron drew her to his narrowed optics. "Fleshing!"

"What?" Mikaela asked, flinching when the servo dug into her ribs. Her eyes widened when she realized he could squeeze her to death and the sharp talons or whatever Megatron had as servos could make her bleed. It hurt to breathe and her eyes began to roll back into her head. Then the servo loosened around her waist. Mikaela inhaled deeply, wincing from bruised ribs. "One more outburst like that and I will kill you in a snap."

Mikaela wanted to live to see her next birthday. She nodded, "Got it." she wheezed.

"Good!" Megatron said, dropping her into Soundwave's waiting servo. Mikaela hazarded a glance to see that the servo had cut her, but not enough to bleed. "Be sure to remember that!" Megatron warned. "You may go."

-0-

Soundwave walked out of the Decepticon's ship, out into the clammy, wet cool day. It smelled of rain, and dark thunderheads loomed ominously up in the sky. Flashes of lightening flashed in the distance.

Mikaela noticed the lightening flashing through the sky and though going to her apartment sounded nice right now and a change of clothes, doing her hair...didn't sound so good in a storm like this.

Mikaela's musings were interrupted by a light tap on her head. Mikaela looked up and he said, "I will be transforming. You will not move or attempt to escape."

Mikaela nodded. Soundwave put her down on the ground. Mikaela wanted to run, but what choice did she really have. Soundwave would just find her and snatch her up without a second processing thought. Soundwave transformed in front of her eyes. Armor plates slid into place and what had been Soundwave's bi-pedal mode turned into a sporty looking Mercedes Benz. "What the hell?" Mikaela asked. The car was silver and cool. Not as cool as Bumblebee, but from the looks of Soundwave's Alt-Mode, everything looked like something out of a science fiction story. Several monitors lined the dashboard and three of the monitors slid into the dashboard, acting as regular parts. One monitor sat in the middle of the dashboard. It didn't look like a radio. Mikaela jumped when Soundwave's passenger door opened. Mikaela walked slowly toward the Mercedes, hesitant at first. Firstly, her father never had a Mercedes, nor drove one, sat in one, or even been in one. Mikaela finally slid into the seat and buckled her seat belt. Then Soundwave pulled away from the ship, heading into the storm.

-00-

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