Transformers 3 concept

Chapter 10

Old friends

Sam knocked on the door, then stepped back to wait. There was a clatter from inside, like a pop-can pyramid had just toppled over. Knowing the apartment's occupant, he wouldn't doubt that very scenario.

"Hold up, I'm comin'" Came a familiar voice from within. The deadbolt rattled on its chain, and the door opened a tiny crack. "Who is it?"

"Megatron, coming to get his revenge. Let me in, Leo!" Sam laughed.

Leo opened the door enough to poke his head out, as if making sure it really wasn't Megatron seeking revenge. After making sure it was really Sam outside his door, he threw it open wide.

"Buddy! How've you been? Still fighting… you know?" Leo nearly slipped, but caught himself just in time. He had been paranoid about pretenders and the government coming to get him for months after the Egypt accident, and, Sam thought, even still.

"They've been pretty quiet," he said, slipping inside. "What about you? How's the website?"

"Had to shut it down. The government's more strict about conspiracy theories when you're actually involved in one. But I'm doing alright, I have my own little goldmine," he walked across the room, picking up two flat squares and holding them up for Sam to see.

"Puppy calendars?" he asked, letting loose a little chuckle.

"Dude, they're selling like hotcakes! But enough about me, how's the hot girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend anymore."

Leo raised an eyebrow, putting down the images of puppies to grab two sodas from a mini-fridge, tossing one to Sam before plopping down on a couch covered in clothing and potato chip wrappers. "Really, now, you break it off? You wouldn't mid if I, uh, stepped in, right?"

Sam scowled and kicked Leo's leg. "No, I mean she's my fiancé, Dumbass."

"Oh." Leo said, rubbing his lower leg. "Oh. I knew that."

"Sure you did."

"When'd you ask her?"

"Last night," had it really been just one night ago?

"Big ring? Nice diamond?"

"Yeah, what, you think with all the cash the government's giving me I'd cheap out on my soulmate?"

"hey, just asking." He held up his hands, then took a sip of cola. "So, you moved in together yet?"

"Yeah, and we got a kid."

Leo spit out his drink in a thin spray. "What? Already? Do her parents know? Do yours?"

"Relax, dude. It's her teenage niece. We're… temporarily adopting her. Or something." he explained everything that had happened, from proposing to earlier that day.

"That's… odd." Leo said at last.

"Yeah, and that brings me to why I'm here." Sam said. "Do you know any jobs I can take? It doesn't have to be a good one, just one that will convince a teenager I'm not living off government bribe money. Just temporary, until I can get a good one."

"Whoa, you have a college degree now. You don't need me to get you a job."

"College degrees don't get you instant jobs. Now I know you have something I can do."

Leo thought a moment. "It's not great, but a buddy of mine has a comic shop nearby. He said he could use a salesman."

Sam sighed. "It'll have to do. You have his card?"

"Sure, it's somewhere around here…" He started digging through the couch cushions. "Oh, and did you hear? That government dude is in town. S9 or whatever. Simmons. We're going out for drinks this weekend, you in?"

"Sorry, man, I don't think so. Alex needs to get settled in, and it wouldn't help her adjust if I came home drunk. And you know I'm a horrible designated driver, my car runs away."

"Oh, well. I'll tell him you said 'hi'." He emerged, a folded card in his hand. "Here! Found it!"

He handed the card to Sam, who shoved it in his pocket. "Thanks. I'll head over there. And Leo, Bee's been acting… strange lately. He's been going out more and more. Just… be careful, alright?"

Leo looked at Sam, a hint of surprise and possibly fear in his eyes. "Yeah, I will. You too, man, and thanks for the warning."

Sam nodded, letting himself out. He arrived outside to see that Bumblebee was nowhere to be seen. He sighed in annoyance, but he knew that whatever Bee was doing, it was important. He shoved his hands in his pocket and started toward the comic-shop.

Bumblebee raced along the highway, chasing a blue Ferrari Scaglietti. Suddenly, the blue vehicle gained a burst of speed, leaving the Camaro in its dust. Bee wanted to follow, but this human-designed form was not made for such speeds as would be needed to catch up with the other vehicle.

He grumbled through the radio, using static and half-caught channels to show his irritation. But then a jet roared by overhead, way too low, and he was off again.

Battlefrost swooped low over the Autobot, teasing him. She could shoot off at supersonic speeds at her whim, but she kept her speed so that she was just out of the little Camaro's range.

"Frost, report your position."

"Highway, teasing an Autobot. Why?"

Cabbie chuckled over the link. "Ooh, is it the green one? I don't like him. Shoot his front wheel with your sniper, bend it so he'll flip over when he tries to go!"

"It's the yellow one, Bee. And Kickstart wouldn't flip over, you dumbslag."

"Of course it would…Wait, Bee? Kickstart? You know their NAMES now?"

Frost's faceplate flushed. "It's in my programming to be observant. Of course I know their names."

"Fine, but don't get too close. Autobots have corrupted good Decepticons before, stolen them from us. I don't want to see you on the wrong side of the battle-field, Frosty."

Battlefrost faltered, her jets nearly failing on her. Was it just her that had sensed the warmth in his voice? Could he possibly, actually CARE for her?

"Of course not, sweet spark," whispered the Programming. "He just doesn't want to have to offline someone who's clearly more advanced than him. Besides, care is just a pretty word for weakness."

Frost nodded, holding back the hurt from her spark. "I'm a Decepticon, Cabbie.

I'm not changing soon." She said coldly, her pain making her words icy. She could almost hear the younger bot cringe, but her programming shut off the link before she could apologize.

Suddenly losing the playful urge, she shot off, leaving the frustrated Camaro to disappear in the distance.