Author note: continuing adult themes. Ye be warned.
Lennox answered Optimus' call, coming at the run.
Epps arrived from the opposite direction, looking equally frazzled.
They looked at the closed door to Sarah's office, noted the bucket sitting beside it.
"What's wrong, Optimus?" Lennox asked.
"Someone triggered Frank to see only enemies," Optimus answered quietly his eyes fixed on the door.
Lennox felt his senses sharpen, "How long has Sarah been in there with him?"
She opened the door slowly, slipped through, closing it at her back silently, "Long enough to calm him," she held papers in her hands, "But there is a problem on base."
"What problem?"
Handing over the papers, Sarah wearily murmured, "Someone dug into Frank's background and found out why he was disgracefully discharged from military service. They left this to send him back to the moment he had to choose between doing right or obeying orders."
Lennox read it, "This is a budget. Not for our operations. Surgical equipment…in a war zone. What the hell?"
"For the operation where Frank's captain tortured and killed children."
Lennox looked up at Sarah, saw misery in those eyes, his soul sickened, knowing this young woman had to carry this burden just as he did, "You didn't know about this?"
"I knew he carried deep wounds inside. It's why he heals. To balance the harm his captain did," she leaned against the door, "The children's cries still live in him."
Epps swore under his breath, "Someone is trying to destroy us from the inside."
"They'll find every crevice in my tribe," Sarah stared at the ceiling, "They'll find the buried wounds and pick at them. Even mine."
"Yours?" Epps asked warily.
Annie trotted up with John, both looking worried, but said nothing as Sarah opened the door and let them in.
"We need somewhere private," Sarah stated, "Annie and John will see to Frank."
They ended up outside, the night chill, pressing on the pools of light.
Sarah leaned against the wall of the warehouse, "Native Americans are still treated poorly by White Men. Women especially. My father insisted I attend public school and lessons within the tribe so I know both worlds. However, the White Boys did not take kindly to me. I was an outsider to them. Rules and etiquette didn't include me."
Lennox feared what she'd say next.
"It started as bullying. Snarls and snaps of teeth and voice. It escalated until…" she looked away, took a deep breath, "I couldn't defend myself from one of them, much less six. They said because I was an Indian," she spat the word, "I'd enjoy it. Like an animal. They…left me to stumble home. My father almost went out to kill them for it, but I asked him not to. To have the law bring justice. White Man's justice," she looked at Lennox, "The ones we asked didn't have morality. They thought me a troublemaker. A liar. They ignored us," she took a deep shaky breath, "I was lucky. White Man's justice didn't stop them until after the fourth murdered girl, and the first white to be killed."
"Jesus," Lennox needed a drink after this.
"They sealed this as I was underage at the time. However," she wiped tears from her face, "with the skill and equipment available here, seals will break. They went after my tribe's rock. They'll come after me."
"Why did you even work with us? Trust us?" Epps asked, looking sick.
"Because you're safe."
Lennox asked dumbly, "We are?"
"You are decent people. You love your wives. You wouldn't betray your morales nor family," she exhaled sharply, "The enemy has neither and will strike me from the shadows. I don't know if I'll lose it as badly as Frank when the blow comes. I rather there are people who know what I've gone through and understand that action may need to be taken, or not. Those who will watch my back."
"You rose above your circumstances to stand for others."
Lennox looked at the weary face of Optimus and knew the Autobot leader hurt for this young girl as much if not more than he did.
"A chief protects her tribe, Optimus. She ensures their happiness and health. To be their shield and spear. To be their fire on the coldest night," Sarah words hung in the air between them.
Lennox looked at that paper he held, rage flaring.
"We need to find these traitors and purge them," he said calmly.
She nodded, "We will. It will take time to root them out. Now that I think about it, the obvious culprit is too obvious."
"What?" Lennox wondered if she dropped into philosophy when he blinked.
"The Suit…Mr. Ranthorne delivered the stack of paperwork including that," she waved to the papers, "He'd be first choice."
"But he's too obvious," Epps rubbed a hand over his head, "Someone could have slipped it in. It would take a while to gather a stack that size. He could have left it unattended."
Lennox frowned, "Easier to hide. No way to follow the trail back."
"There was the bucket of water set over my door," Sarah huffed, "It could be connected, or not. The timing feels off."
"Our team is going out of their way to avoid double probation," Epps suggested, "If we told them about this, they'd watch you much more carefully."
"More eyes, less chance of a repeat," Sarah looked up, "Too many variables and too little that is controllable."
"We can control a few," Optimus offered, "The Autobots can keep an eye on you when we are on base if we make it known that you are under targeted attack."
"That would exhaust them if they use holoforms for so long," Sarah smiled sadly at Optimus, "I had a talk with Ratchet about the limitations. I can't work out of the hanger due to the mound of paperwork that continues to come."
"Why not work on your project?" Epps asked, "You were brought here to help Ratchet in case one of the Autobots got hurt."
"What?" Sarah's bafflement immediately made Lennox sigh.
"Mr. Ranthorne said your mechanical engineering skills would assist Ratchet," Lennox explained.
She laughed, shaking with her amusement, gasping out, "He said…I was…here for...paperwork and…to keep…Mark from…blowing up…the place."
"I really hate that man," Lennox growled.
"He needs to be pranked," Epps sighed.
Sarah went into another fit of laughter, this time more sinister.
She smiled once she had her breath back, "My tribe won't participate in the team pranks, but I think they'll relish pranking the Suit. With the extra challenge of doing it so they don't get caught."
Epps grinned, "And with the current prank war, he can't identify the culprits."
"It would force him to approve my cultural exchange plans to lessen the pranks," Sarah smirked, "He won't know what hit him."
"Cultural exchange?" Optimus asked.
"I'm still drafting the plans. I'll come review them with you and Major Lennox when ready."
Lennox looked at her mischievous smile, noted how young she looked.
He asked, "Would you happen to know how Sideswipe and Sunstreaker got Hot Aft and Frag Me painted on them?"
"I was asleep when they got painted, as I'm sure the private you sent to wake me can attest to. However, to paint them that fast, someone must have had a really good set-up, including night goggles. Until tomorrow gentlemen."
She walked away, leaving behind doubt.
"Fifty dollars it was her tribe," Epps bet softly.
Lennox smiled, "Fifty it wasn't, Epps."