Antony was furious that I had agreed for him and I to meet Speedemon on a barren roadside and that I had even told Speedemon about him. However he quickly got over it when he found out that he was going to drive the Solstice. I hadn't told him, though, that I was going to ask Speedemon to take them back since I didn't want to deal with Antony's reaction, whatever it would be. He still gave me dirty looks but at the sound of the Pontiac's purring engine, he was quickly hypnotized. Kobe was just happy to go for a car ride especially since it was in the Benz that he adored so much. I led the way in the Benz to the meeting place while Antony impatiently revved the Pontiac's engine from behind. The one chance he was finally able to drive the sports car himself and I was in front acting like a road block. I knew he was considering ramming into us but thought better of it because of the condition of my back. Every once in a while it would start bleeding it but at least the pain killers were working. And even better, Popi had no idea what had gone on the night before.
There was no one in sight when we pulled up to the crossroad. Just a lot of dirt, grass, some distant hills, and an old ramshackle shack. I stepped out of the car, leaving one foot inside as one hand was on the door and the other hand on the metal roof. Kobe jumped out and dashed away, curious to see where we had arrived. Antony pulled up on the Benz's passenger side, not wanting for the ride to have ended already.
"I think we might have been set up," I said when my friend finally dragged himself from the Solstice. His dark eyes scanned the landscape and a frown covered his face. "We'll give him ten minutes and then we go" I decided aloud.
"Why give him ten minutes when he's late?" Antony mumbled as he closed the Pontiac's door behind him. I knew he was worried that the cars would be taken away before he got a real chance to drive them. Of course he also knew that as far as I was concerned, this was the only time he would ever get to drive them considering his past record. No matter how much he wanted me to forget it, the sight of an exploding car would never leave my memory. Suddenly there was movement from behind the teetering shack. Two young men, slightly older than us, stepped out from behind it. Kobe came over to my side as I got fully out of the car but I made sure to leave the door opened in case I needed to make a hasty escape. Both of the men looked as if they were Abercrombie and Fitch models with their perfect hair, body, and clothes. One had hazel hair and uncanny blue eyes that I could see even from the distance I was at while the other had dark complexion and a fade that had elaborate designs, reminding me of the heart throb R&B singers that girls would give their souls up for. His eyes weren't as dark as Antony's but rather a greyish color.
"Nice to finally see you Faith," the blue eyed man commented. His companion smirked as if it was a private joke. I immediately stiffened up and I knew that Antony was ready to start up a fight. Kobe, on the other hand, cocked his head from side to side in confusion as he stared at the men.
"What do you want?" Antony growled, not bothering to be polite. This caused the men to smile which made Antony take a fighting stance.
"I take it you're Speedemon" I stated. This guy in front of me didn't at all act like the guy I had been talking to over the Internet.
"More or less," he said. That was the last straw for Antony.
"I'm tired of this! These guys ain't legit!" he yelled. Before I could stop him, he went to tackle Speedemon. Just as Antony was about to hit him, both men easily stepped out the way. Both of the men had worried, almost pitying, expressions on their faces. The R&B looking guy tried talking Antony down as he easily dodged all of Antony's punches.
"Come on bro, I don't wanna fight ya. Trust me, nuthin' will come outta it" While Antony was being kept busy by Speedemon's friend, Speedemon came up to me.
"Get in the car Faith!" Antony yelled as he tried to run to me but his opponent stepped in his way. I was just about to grab Kobe and drag him in when the Benz's car door shut on its own.
"Whoa, wait a second. You don't need to freak" Speedemon said with his hands raised up as if he showing me had nothing on him to harm me. I looked at him with wide eyes as I started backing up against the car. Kobe started growling when he felt my tension but he didn't seem to know what exactly to growl at.
"We aren't going to hurt you, I promise" Speedemon told me. The words, and the now familiar voice, triggered a memory. Before I could really start puttig two and two together, there was a loud commotion that caused me to look over at Antony. He was sprawled on his back on the ground with the R&B guy towering over him. Antony got to his feet and made a cautious lunge towards the guy. Speed Demon's friend was quick but not as quick as Antony and my friend went right through the guy as if he had been a ghost. Antony easily caught himself before falling to the ground again but he made a run for me.
"There goes that plan" I heard someone grumble but it didn't seem to come from the two guys…ghosts…whatever they were.
"Oh my God" I whispered. Antony was standing between Speedemon and I, his arms outstretched to keep me back. As if I wanted to go anywhere near the bizarre pair.
"What the fuck are you?" he demanded.
"Holograms" the one I had thought was Speedemon replied. He said it in the same tone as if he just realized that there was no way to get out of the essay he was assigned at school and was about to sit down to type it all up.
"How?" Antony asked skeptically. The holograms pointed at the two cars before they flickered away. I was pressed up against the Benz and I felt it shift beneath me. I yelped and jumped away from it. A long minute passed with Antony and I staring at the cars as if they were possessed.
"Faith" the voice was said gently so as not to scare me and it seemed to come from the Benz. Apparently the cars were possessed. "I know you recognize my voice Faith. It'll make things easier if you let yourself accept it" I shook my head as I tried to wake myself up. There was a heavy sigh from the Solstice.
"Come on Jazz, we better get this over with before we scare them even more"
The cars began rising up, components folding, shifting, turning, splitting, and molding. Two enormous grey fists formed and emerged from the Benz and they pushed the transforming car up to legs that had unfolded. The robot stood up to his full height and gave a small smile. He was different but there was no doubt that it was Quicksilver. Beside him the Pontiac had transformed into a small red robot and I could recognize the front parts of the Solstice that formed his chest. Quicksilver and the one he called Jazz knelt down in front of us. Quicksilver extended his hand forward but I backed away. Antony refused to move from his place between me and the robots. Kobe, upon seeing Quicksilver, went bounding forward. The young dog's knobby tail was going side to side so fast that he whole butt was wagging and I thought that he was about to explode with excitement.
"What loyalty" Antony mumbled as Kobe began assaulting Quicksilver's leg with licks. As soon as that was done, the Doberman began bounding sporadically around all of us. Annoyed with his antics and worried he might get himself hurt, I gave a short whistle. The dog came obediently to my side but he sat there staring up at me with his puppy dog eyes and restlessly shifting on his tan front feet. I barely kept myself from rolling my eyes and turned my attention back to Quicksilver. All fear had disappeared and was replaced by anger.
"What makes you think I want to talk to you?" I spat. Both Quicksilver and Jazz visibly recoiled at my words. "I helped you out when you needed it and you repay me by just leaving even after you promised you wouldn't. For all I knew you were dead. And then you lie and trick me into taking care of you again" I stepped out from behind Antony, who tried to stop me, and towards the silver mech.
"I saved you so you owe me. Besides, I didn't lie to you. I just didn't tell you the whole story. And I never lost contact with you even though you may have not realized it at the time" His response was bitter and the shutters around his optics narrowed into a glare. There was the thought that I would anger Quicksilver enough to make him hurt me but at least I would be killed speaking my mind.
" First of all, if you had had the brains to crash land somewhere else, or to not even crash land because that draws a hell of a lot of attention to an alien, then I wouldn't have needed saving. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time so technically you put me in that situation so my 'owing you' is cancelled out. Secondly, lying is the same thing as leaving out the truth. In my opinion, that means you deserve to be impounded or turned into scrap metal. And third, I didn't know you were Speedemon so that whole thing of you're not really leaving is worth shit"
"You were just scared shitless at the sight of the holograms and I felt your heart rate double when I started talking to you in vehicle form. Now how exactly would I have been able to tell you the truth?" I took a small amount of pride in how he avoided the whole leaving but not really leaving thing.
"You were talking to me on the Internet. Could have told me there…wait, how were you able to talk to me through the Internet?" The sudden question struck me and I just couldn't figure a reason how he was able to do it.
"I found your profile on the Internet right after we first met. I knew that I would eventually have to leave but I didn't want to lose touch with you. So I hacked in and made my own account. When we needed a place to lay low for a while, you were the first one I thought of"
"You promised me that you wouldn't leave even though you knew you would have to leave?" I cried. I was about to go into a whole other tirade when Antony's hand slammed down over my mouth, forcing me to keep quiet. Finally Antony decided to speak up.
"Ok, hold on here before Faith calls a tow truck. Obviously ya'll aren't going to hurt us because you would have taken Faith out the moment she started calling you out. Am I right?" Both mechs nodded their heads as I crossed my arms and Antony took his hand from over my mouth. It was a bad sign when Antony stepped up to the plate as the reasonable one. "But I'm a bit lost here. Faith cleared up the whole your being alien thing but I still don't know what you're doing here, how the Iron Giant over here knows Faith, and why you need to 'lay low' if that's at all possible with your size" Quicksilver let out a sound that sound between a sigh and groan while Jazz shifted so he could more clearly see Antony.
"So you are smart. Wouldn't have been able to guess that after all of the car chases you got us into" Antony looked away in embarrassment and rubbed the back of his neck at the sudden realization that the Pontiac we had been chased down in was in fact alive and had experienced the whole thing with us. I glared up at Quicksilver when I realized how he had been there for the second chase. He looked down at me when he felt my gaze on him.
"No one knows about the chase"
"That depends on how cooperative you are"
"How cooperative I am depends on if you tell anyone about that chase. This is an endless cycle that I can keep going"
Quicksilver and I were about to go into another round when Jazz broke in. He said something to Quicksilver in a language that I didn't recognize and would never have been able to speak. The silver mech looked back at me. He was about to reach out for me again but thought against it.
"I found Optimus and the others but we needed a place to retreat for a short while. I'll explain that later but for now, it's imperative that you meet Optimus and tell him about that night we were chased. Not about those idiotic humans but that cop car you and Antony were talking about on our way home. The one who hurt you" Quicksilver said the last part with such anger that I was stunned. Here I was thinking that he couldn't care less about me and then he goes showing emotion when my wellbeing was at stake. I ran my hands through my hair in a feeble attempt to sort through my emotions. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to concentrate on what was going on.
"What do you need to know?" I whispered, looking up at the aliens.
"Everything" Jazz said lowly. He then turned around, towards the hills, and called out in the alien language. Time itself seemed to slow down almost until it paused. A soft breeze brushed by us, lifting my brunette curls away from my face and caused it to dance to the gentle rustling of the grasses. Kobe turned to look at the hill, his ears flicking slightly back in uncertainty. I looked over at the hill and saw three vehicles rise to the top. Immediately I recognized them as the vehicles in the stable. The Peterbilt was in the center and was the first to begin transforming. Even though we were at least fifty yards apart, I could tell the intricacies of the mech. There was no doubt in my mind that this was Optimus Prime, the noble leader who had saved our world. On either side of him was the GMC Topkick and the Search and Rescue Hummer. They too transformed. Neither of them were as tall as their leader but that didn't make either of them less impressive. The black mech was fearful with the enormous cannons on both of his forearms and just by the way he held his bulky self. The other, although his weaponry clearly placed him as a warrior, emitted a calming yet authoritative aura that could put anyone at ease. I could understand why Taffy had taken such a strong liking to him. They walked toward us with great lumbering steps but their immense size did not cause the ground to quake as I thought it would, at least not until they came closer. When Optimus and the other two came up, I couldn't stop myself from being intimidated and taking a few steps back. I ran into Quicksilver's foot and jumped with fright since I didn't know he had moved so close behind me. Optimus came down on one knee, offering his hand towards me. His metallic fingers were slightly curled and his bright blue looked down on me.
"You do not need to be frightened Faith, and neither do you Antony. Please, we must know exactly what happened last night and most specifically about how those injuries were inflicted upon you" I stared at him in awe while mentally yelling at myself to get myself together before I ended up looking like a fool. I was used to Quicksilver which helped me with Jazz but the two newcomers, and especially Optimus, was something else entirely.
"Su-sure. No prob-no problem" I stammered out weakly. Optimus rose to his feet and began addressing his men. None of them were very comfortable with being so out in the open so they agreed to return to the ranch. Before they were about to leave, however, the neon mech became adamant on examining my wounds.
"You can practice playing doctor to the girl later Ratchet" the black mech said with a great amount of annoyance as he looked around his surroundings, searching for anyone who may see them. I looked directly up to see Quicksilver when he began speaking.
"If I may, Optimus sir, I'd prefer that Ratchet look at Faith now. Primus forbid that her injuries are worse than we feared, than it may make the biggest difference on how soon we can get her to proper human medical care"
Everyone was silent while Optimus was contemplating. The giant mechanoid watched me with his intimidating optics. I could feel myself tense up at his scrutiny and I looked over at Antony. He stood in front of Jazz, uneasily looking around at the towering robots surrounding us. Kobe pressed up against my leg, licking my hand in the only way that he could offer me his comfort.
"Quicksilver will assist Ratchet as he examines Faith. The rest of us will stand at ease until we are all ready to roll out. We will return to the ranch to talk. The children will ride with me" Everyone was surprised by the last part, especially Quicksilver. He stiffened noticeably but was not about to question his leader. With a nod of their heads all of the Autobots, excluding Ratchet and Quicksilver, walked away. Antony was rooted where he was with Kobe sitting at his side, daring anyone to tell him to move away from me. The fluorescent mech seemed pleased but he became business-like when his attention focused on me. Still behind me, Quicksilver stooped down and extended his hands so that they were beside me. I hesitated but Ratchet explained that it would be easier for him if someone held me up to his level. With a sigh I stepped onto Quicksilver's hands and nearly lost my balance as he stood up. I was told to remove my shirt and I did so slowly and with downcast eyes, with my back to Ratchet. I had my bra on, and nothing anybody could say would make me remove it, but I still held my shirt so that it covered the front of me. I could feel my cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment. All of my focus was centered on a patch of dirt far below. A green light flashed and rose from my feet up to my head, centering mainly on my back. Ratchet made a bone-quivering angry noise, one that I couldn't find a human equivalent to, from behind me. Suddenly his fingertips pressed against one of my wounds and I couldn't help but to gasp in pain. Quicksilver's hands shuddered beneath me and Ratchet quickly withdrew his fingers.
"They will pay for what they did to you Faith, I promise. Especially that leech who clings to that-" Quicksilver began spitting out words in Cybertronian that I rightly assumed to be vehement profanities. His fury made my heart stop in fear but at the same time the rest of my body shook. Ratchet spat out a low warning but I could tell that he was just as angry as Quicksilver. The next time his fingers touched me they were much more gentle, skimming over my skin. His metallic skin was smooth and had a warm quality.
"I wish that you had gone to a hospital when first sustaining these injuries but you did a fairly good job repairing yourself. However, I will give you the names of several antibiotics that will fight off infection. They'll sting but I'm sure you'd rather have a few moments of pain rather than weeks of pure agony" With this Ratchet removed his fingers and I turned to face him.
"Thank you" I quietly said with a weak, but genuine, smile. Ratchet returned the smile.
"You're most welcome" Before he was able to walk off, Antony spoke up.
"How did you know all that? I mean, I wouldn't think that giant alien robots would know about infections or even how antibiotics will sting" Ratchet answered as I put my shirt back on and was lowered to the ground.
"When we first arrived here I made a point in studying human anatomy especially after befriending two human teenagers. It's beneficial to know how to aid your kind and I am, after all, a medic for my own fellow Autobots. And also, we are more than just robots. We are alive just as much as you are" There was a large amount of footsteps as the rest of the Autobots came up from wherever they had gone off to. Quicksilver took a few steps back and then they all began transforming back into vehicles. Kobe whined at my side, unsure of what exactly was going on. I stroked his head with as much reassurance as I could muster. The whole process was so complex and at the sight of five mechs going through it at one time was enough to make my head spin. Optimus, the Peterbilt, pulled up closer to Antony and opened the driver's door. Antony and I exchanged glances.
"Kobe too, right?" I asked, pointing to my Doberman.
"Of course" he said with a chuckle. Feeling slightly better, but still extremely nervous, I motioned for Kobe to get up into the cab. The dog bounded inside, his docked tail wagging back and forth at an unbelievable rate. He settled himself behind the two seats, in the barren sleeping compartment. Antony was the next to climb in and then I followed.
I had never been in a semi-truck of any kind but Optimus' cab appeared like, I think, a normal semi cab would look like. It had plenty of gages, radios, and trucker-like devices. One thing I didn't expect though was how…well, stylish it was. The gages were set into flawless wood inlay and the seats were a smooth leather. The only thing that looked out of place was the red insignia on the steering wheel, the same as the tiny insignia above the enormous grill. Antony was sitting in the passenger's seat, staring around with wide eyes. Seat belts slipped around us and buckled into place. Once again Antony and I exchanged glances. A now familiar deep voice reverberated around us.
"My navigation shows that there is a clearing in grove a mile and three-quarters from the ranch house that will be fairly easy for my men and me. Is it all right if we go there?"
"I don't see a reason why there wouldn't be" The engine roared to life and it was slightly deafening until it softened to a lull. Optimus began pulling forward and onto the road. I could see in the side mirror the rest of the Autobots falling into line behind him.
"I wasn't sure if we were welcome on the ranch once you found out who we really are"
"Of course you're welcome" my voice still hesitant but incredelous. It was hard to explain how I was scared but not fearful of the Autobots themselves. Just at how unknown all of this was and how I knew that nothing would ever be the same.
"I have no problem with ya'll staying at the ranch. And I'm not even saying that because you're a bunch of twenty-some-odd foot tall alien robot mech things that could step on us if we piss you off" Antony said as he looked out the front window, smiling. My friend had gotten over his fear quickly and was living every little boy's dream; I knew he was enjoying every second of it even if he was scared to death when Quicksilver and Jazz first revealed themselves. Optimus' engine revved a bit at Antony's words and he let out a sort of chuckle.
"I'm glad that we're so welcome. In all honesty I wasn't sure about how you were going to respond to us after the incident with Barricade and Frenzy…and of course Quicksilver's sudden departure" I felt myself blush at the mention of the incident. I was still mad at Quicksilver, there was no doubt about that, and I would make sure that he knew it. But that didn't mean I wanted everyone else to know as well. Optimus seemed to know exactly what was going through my mind.
"I do not condone Quicksilver for his actions. The way he left you without a farewell or at least a warning after you gave him shelter and kept his presence a secret, is inexcusable. To put it simply, he has always had a tendency to be a jerk. But at the same time he is one of my best warriors and it was in his programming to come find me as soon as he was able to"
"Wait, can't he hear all this?" Antony suddenly piped up.
"No. My communications are coming in only through the speakers. This conversation is solely between the three of us…and Kobe if he is capable of understanding" At the mention of his name, Kobe perked up. He peered all over the cab in search of the owner of the voice but of course he found no one but Antony and I. Smiling, I reached back and ruffled the dog's ears. There was a contented silence as I looked out the windows. The landscape was flying by, faster than I expected it would. Glancing at the speedometer I gaped at how the needle was pointing at seventy-five miles per hour. Most semis were lumbering and slow but Optimus was able to go this fast with ease. I wondered how fast he could really go.
"I'm glad that you are more at ease Faith. When I monitored you earlier I realized how frightened you were"
"Is that why you had us ride with you?" I asked, the decision suddenly making sense.
"Yes. I wanted a chance to speak to the two of you in private and assure you both that neither I, nor the other Autobots, would ever harm a human" His voice still held the authoritative quality but at the same time it was calm and gentle. It was extremely easy for me to believe him.
Author's Note: Allrighty, thats the end of my binge updating. I hope I left off at a good place and I prolly won't be updating until about Sunday. Soooo, thank you everyone for the reviews, they made my day!!!