Author's Note

Just to let you know, today is 1st of March and you know what that means. Yes it's Saint David's Day the patron saint of Wales. So to any Welsh people out there Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David's Day!

It was two days later and Michael was looking out of the window of the café he was in, he was watching the traffic pass in the overcrowded small street which was made for horse and carriages all those years ago. The cars parked on each side made it difficult for the two way traffic. It was windy outside and starting to rain, a few people who haven't got suitable clothing were dashing along the pavement to get out of the rain. He watched the normal people going about their normal lives as he drank his cup of tea. He looked at the newspaper laid out on the table. He read the story about what had been going on with the rooted out spy in Virginia. It wasn't coincidence that this had to happen now, he didn't know what the connection was but he knew somehow it was about him. It felt sorry for Sandfire, because of him someone else was to face prison or perhaps worse. He finished his tea and got up from the table and took the cup back to the counter and handed it back and paid for his drink.

He walked out onto the busy street and the rain made him wet and cold. He had ditched the uniform not long after disappearing from Heathrow. For the past two days he bought a quiet shirt and jeans and got by wearing them for a second day. But the rain was still cold. He saw a charity shop next door so he walked a matter of a few paces and in the window was a nice long black leather coat draped over one of the manikins and the price tag appealed to him even more. He walked in and tried it out and it fitted, a little bit tight on the shoulders but it was alright. The girl at the counter said it suited him very well. Michael tried at lowering the price but no luck there. He bought it and walked out back into the cold rain.

He walked up the street towards the T-junction and crossed the road and crossed the other road so he ended up at the opposite side of the junction where there was a silver metal phone box. He closed the door behind him and checked that the phone was still working, the low tone confirmed it. He reached into his pocket for some coins, put a pound in and dialled a number and waited for an answer. While he waited he did a visual sweep of the area around the phone box, as he expected no one caught his attention for any of the wrong reasons. He got an answer and spoke to the person on the other end of the line.

At the Autobot base all was quiet. The children were at school and all the Autobots apart from Ratchet were on an energon raid. They were getting low with their energon supply so it was essential that they were successful.

Ratchet was busy at monitoring the situation with the others on the field but once in a while he quickly glanced over to the sofa where Baines has fallen asleep after waiting for any news from Michael. He had stayed awake the entire night and most of the day before, but at his age staying up for such a lengthy period of time didn't do his mental alertness any good and had slowly fallen asleep as he sat there. Now he was sat leaning on the back of the sofa and sound asleep. Ratchet would sometimes wish he could just switch off like that. Once again he carried on with monitoring the progress of the mission.

After a few minutes Ratchet heard the admiral's mobile start to ring, and it kept on ringing. The tone was a harsh trilling, that dug into the doctor's audio receptors. He glanced over to see that Baines was still asleep and had not heard the ringing.

"Admiral, your phone is ringing" Ratchet call over to the sleeping man and got no response. So he stepped away from the computer and over to the sofa and with his first digit of his right hand gave Baines a sudden poke. The admiral shot up and smacked down what poke him as an involuntary response then realized it was Ratchet's finger.

"Your phone is ringing" Ratchet explained.

Baines heard the tune being completely mashed up by the relatively old mobile phone. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out and answered the call.

Seeing the problem dealt with Ratchet went back to monitoring the situation on the field.

"Yes" Baines answered sternly.

"Oh I'm terribly sorry I didn't mean to be rude" He said and listened.

"Did he say who he was?" He asked and listened.

"Well if he's that insistent, can you put him through?" He said and listened to the response and then waited for the unknown caller to be put through to him.

"Rear Admiral Baines speaking" He introduced himself.

"Ydw, dw i'n gwbl ymwybodol o bwy ydych chi. Oeddech chi'n gwybod ei fod yn bwrw glaw yng Nghaerdydd ar hyn o bryd?" The person on the other end of the line said.

The admiral looked over to check where Ratchet was and continued the conversation in Welsh "Where the hell are you?"

"Like I said, it's raining in Cardiff and the moment" Michael replied.

"And how are you fairing up?"

"I've been in worst situations"

"So I take it you've been watching the news?"

"That's why I called. Do you think the uncovering of Sandfire is the sign we're looking for?"

"Well it's very suspicious that this happened now. We both know it's connected and so does Optimus. Now? No idea, but it's to do with us somehow"

"Do you want me to give myself in now and come back to London?"

"Yes. Also it's fair to say that whoever is behind his will be watching the news as well. That is why I want you to make a theatre of it when you give yourself up. You got that? I want to see your face plastered all over the 10 o'clock news. Can you do that?"

There was a short silence from Michael "Okay, as much noise as possible. But why?"

"I want them to know that you have been found and captured. They wouldn't expect you to be caught this early so hopefully it'll throw them off a bit"

"Okay. Before I go I've got one question. How are the kids? Do they think I'm a bad person?"

Baines wasn't to sure how to answer that "I think they do have their suspicions. I'm sorry I had to ask of you to do this but it's the right thing to do if we are to discover who are up against. I know how the kids mean to you, they look up to you"

He could here Michael breathing on the other end.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'll explain it to them once this is over" Baines said.

"I'll see you in London then"

"Till then" Baines hung up and put his mobile back in his pocket.

"Everything okay?" Ratchet asked "You were speaking in your native language"

The admiral stared at the Autobot medic for a moment "Navy business, nothing to concern yourself with. You carry on with your duties"

Ratchet turned back to the computer "But they don't speak that language" He muttered to himself.

"I'll think you'll find I speak in Welsh when I don't want others sticking their noses in where they don't belong" Baines shouted back.

Ratchet stiffened and dared not to look back at the admiral, let alone answer back.

"Ratchet, send a ground bridge" Optimus' voice came through urgent.

Ratchet quickly stepped over to the ground bridge controls and set the co ordinates then pulled down on the levers and the ground bridge fired up. The base was filled with light that glowed from it and first to emerge was the Autobot leader himself with trailer in tow. Right behind him came Elita and Arcee and slowly behind them Bulkhead rolled in with Bumblebee in robot mode having to hold on to Bulkhead's frame.

After all Autobots were accounted for Ratchet quickly shut the ground bridge then rushed over to the medical bay to treat Bumblebee. He set to work scanning the scout that had been carefully laid down on a berth.

"How bad are his injuries?" Optimus asked after having disconnected from the trailer.

"Only superficial, no long lasting damage" The doctor replied.

Bumblebee beeped this opinion and tried to sit back up, however Ratchet in a rather ungentle way shoved him back down "Be as it may, you need to lie down while I fix you up"

Bee rested his head back down in defeat.

"How you fairing up?" Baines called from the platform.

Bee replied with the gesture of a thumbs up.

"You did well, take the break while you can"

Baines looked over to Optimus and gave him the face that said I need to speak to you quietly.

The red and blue Autobot stepped away from the medical bay and over towards the ground bridge controls. Baines followed him over there as well.

"What is it that you wish to speak about, admiral?" Optimus asked.

"Michael just called me. He knows about Sandfire. I told him to return so we should see something in the news soon. Also I think now we should explain what's been going on to the others. Don't you think?"

"It would best if we wait for the children to arrive as well. It would be easier to explain it once and there can be no chance of misunderstanding"

Baines considered it "Agreed" He looked back in the direction of Bumblebee "Looks like you took a slight hammering out there"

"We may be small in numbers, but we make up for it in courage and strength. Something I believe you know well enough" Optimus said, one leader to another with a sense of understanding.

Night was starting to draw over Cardiff and on a single carriage road that lead the bulk of the traffic from the city centre to the north was a shop. The face of the building was flat dull brown shaded concrete that had been plastered over the brickwork. Inside the place was full of clothes racks covering most of the floor space that hung coats and waterproof trouser made specially for anglers. The walls were covered in shelves filled with just about anything an angler would ever think to buy. Baits, lures, string, rods, nets and many other items. One was just for hats. But to the elderly shop owner, the most important items he had for sale was the .22 calibre rifles and long double barrel shot guns. Though he never sold many, they always made a fetching price when they did sell.

Now it was the most riskiest part of his day. He had to remove them from the secure window display and take them to the back and put them safely in the vault. He was taken them one at a time. He unlocked the window box and took out one of the shotguns then relocked it.

He carried it back then he heard a bashing on the door. Big loud thumps. Someone was breaking in. His heart thumped in his chest, he couldn't believe it and was frozen on the spot, he'd never faced a situation like this before. The bashing on the door was relentless, one, two, three, four. The bashing got worse and worse and as soon as it started, the door gave way and a big man stormed the shop floor. He was covered all in black and with a balaclava over his face. The burglar went straight for the shop keeper and with one swoop grabbed for the gun and used that to shove the elderly man to the floor.

He shouted at the shop keeper to show where the ammunition was. The old man pointed out back and was then told to get it. The old man complied now that the butt of the shotgun was aimed at him, ready to strike. The man went through the door and worked the number pad and went through to the back room and went to one of the large metal cabinets and opened it up. The shelves were stacked high of small red boxes with twenty cartridges a box. The burglar helped himself to a box and with the butt of the shotgun used it to knock out the shop keeper and quickly made his escape.

Back at the Autobot base the children had returned from school. Baines had called for June and asked if she could stop by and the same for the federal agent. He had explained to them all of his plan to find out who the true culprits behind the tribunal were.

"So let me get this straight" Miko shouted out while perched on her guardian's left shoulder "You're telling me that it was all a hoax? And Michael isn't on the run because he's guilty of something? Why didn't you tell us before?"

"I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure whether who is behind all this was watching. I needed your reactions to be believable, so what better than a genuine one"

"So where did he go then?" June asked. Sat on a office chair next to the ground bridge controls.

"At first I wasn't certain but I guessed Cardiff because I'd do the same thing. Then again he thinks like I do. But earlier today he called. I take it you all been watching the news?"

Everyone except Bulkhead and Miko shook their heads.

"Well after what has happened in Virginia, we believe that somehow it has a connection to us, not sure how. So he called and he said he is indeed in Cardiff. I told him to get himself arrested. No doubt he'll be dragged back to London so we'll be heading back soon. But for the meantime I need you lot to be as you have been up till now. You need to look like that you now question whether Michael is guilty or not. Hopefully it will throw off whoever were up against and possibly stop them in there tracks"

Arcee threw in a question of her own "But are we any closer to their identity yet?"

"No. But I believe we will find out soon enough"

"So what happens now?" Arcee asked.

"Well, we wait for Michael to get himself arrested. After that, it's back to the tribunal and I bring out my sort of surprise witness" Baines rolled his shoulders and rocked on his heels in a smug like manner "I managed to arrange the MI5 director of operations to give evidence" He grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Is this good news?" Elita nervously asked.

"He can confirm everything we have in the bundles, he can prove Michael's innocence. I doubt the other side could come up with anything to go against that"

The night had finally descended over the city of Cardiff and the orange glow of street lights kept the city out of the darkness. On one of the busiest shopping streets there were all sorts of people milling around. Some who had clocked off work and were starting there commutes home, some who were meeting up with friends, those going out and starting their evenings early and the tourists who were still exploring the city, seeing it at night.

In amongst all these people was Michael. He walked along the paved over street swaying slightly left to right in each step. He was wearing the long black leather coat he had bought earlier in the day. His shoes clacked as he casually walked along. He rounded a set of benches set under a tree and the bin wrapped around the lamp post. The lamp post had a CCTV camera. He watched it as it panned across it's field of vision then walked past it and straight towards where the camera could see him, then stopped. He watched as the people shuffled up and down the street doing whatever it was they were doing. He listened to the noise of the city, the confused chatter, the footsteps, the traffic, all of it. It was so familiar to him, but he was never part of it.

He reached into the large inside pocket of his long coat and drew out the shotgun he had robbed from the fishing and hunting store. He had took a hack saw to the two barrels turning it into a short length double barrel shotgun. It took him a while as it took time to file the end nice and smooth. He broke the gun then reached into his inside pocket again and in his hand this time was two red cartridges. He slid them into each barrel then lock the gun again.

He walked a few paces then he aimed the shotgun high in the sky and quickly fired both shots. The gun kicked back and a bright flash blew out from the end of the barrel along with the loud crack of the cartridge firing.

Everyone on the street stopped and went silent. Many turned and looked in the direction where they heard it come from then saw a massive man with a long leather coat wielding a shotgun with smoke coming out of the barrel.

In a fraction of a second the silence was replaced by sheer pandemonium as people screamed in terror and ran away from the gunman. People dropped whatever they were holding and some were running into each other. It was chaos.

Michael repeated the action by breaking the gun, dumping the used cartridges and putting fresh ones in, locking the gun then firing blindly into the night sky. Shot after shot. Two, four, six, eight, ten. Shot after shot into the air.

The street was deserted and already the sirens of the police were wailing and yelping through the city centre streets.

Michael stood where he was with the shotgun in his right hand, the barrels facing the ground.

The sirens got louder and loader. The main police station was only a ten minute walk from where he was. By the time the police had been called, the armed response units would have had to prepare themselves then get going. He calculated they would arrive within fifteen to twenty minutes. No doubt that regular coppers on foot would be waiting in cover for the armed response. They wouldn't be mad enough to attempt to confront a mad man with a shotgun.

The sirens were near deafening and one of the smaller street was awash with blue strobe lights. Then the sirens were turned off.

Michael waited and watched the entrance to that street. Then they came. Three of them all covered in tactical gear, heavy boots, helmets and Heckler and Kock MP5's. They raised there aim at Michael, this meant they had the go ahead to shoot if they believed there was a treat to life. Michael knew he had to be extremely careful.

Michael made a show of breaking the gun and with one hand at the end of the barrel and one on the butt he carefully lowered it to the ground, bending at the hips as if he was trying to touch his toes. Then he slid the shotgun away from him and straightened up again.

The armed officers kept their aim steady. They weren't barking orders, they remained silent. They waited to see what Michael's next move was.

With his left hand he pulled back on the left lapel of the leather coat and slowly reached into the inside pocket and reached for the small box of cartridges and showed it to the officers. He dropped it by his feet and kicked it away from him towards them.

Then he slowly removed the coat altogether and threw that over to them and lifted his shirt, exposing his abdomen to them. Showing them he wasn't wearing a bomb belt. He let go of his shirt which dropped back down then he turned around and placed his hands behind his head and dropped to his knees and waited for them to put the cuffs on.

They slowly and cautiously approached him and the centre officer in the trio rested his gun and hung it by the strap and took one of Michael's arms and placed the cuff on it, then the other.

Michael just grinned. Playing the bad guy was fun.