AN: Sorry for the long wait! Literally just a huge writer's block on EVERYTHING! Once again, five reviews before the next chapter!
Reviews: Thanks to all who reviewed! (StarGazingAtMidnight, Geekgirl, MissMary, Lady Quickshift, OrianPrime92, Serenity Lhane)
Chapter 12
N.B.E
"Humans can be surprisingly perceptive when they want to be," Bumblebee commented offhandedly.
The young Autobot Scout was sitting in his bipedal form in the Medbay, having opted for the spot right next to Barricade. Ratchet had decreed that as Barricade was no longer a Decepticon, the Decepticon insignia would be taken off of him. Barricade knew better than to argue with a Medbot who had no qualms about using force to get what he wanted, and nothing was said about putting an Autobot one on him, though all knew he was as much of an Autobot now as he was a Decepticon when Megatron lived. Bumblebee was just along for the ride, trying to get the fact that the used to be Decepticon was now on his side through his processor.
Barricade glanced sideways at the yellow mech, asking without voicing anything.
"Miles mentioned he spent the night with you," Bumblebee said by way of explanation, "He realized that at least something was going on."
"Mm," Barricade made a noncommittal grunt.
"I guessed there was something, too, with the way Optimus and some of the others were acting. And you stared when we watched the movie."
"I did not stare."
A snort. "You stared."
"You were too busy making goo-goo eyes at Samuel and engaging him in physical interactions to pay attention to me!" Barricade growled.
"So you did stare," Bumblebee said, smirking triumphantly.
Silence from both mechs as Barricade glowered angrily, and Bumblebee enjoyed his small little triumph. They might be on the same side, but Bumblebee liked a word that Sam had chosen to describe the strange little relationship he had formed with the ex-con: frenemies. Another strange human word that indicated friends who were enemies, and while it had thrown Bumblebee for a loop for the longest room, he thought he was finally beginning to understand it a bit.
Another moment, and Bumblebee listened for Ratchet. "Ratch sure is taking a while."
"I believe Sideswipe is seeing if Energon can be formed in to human cookies. That means talking to Wheeljack, and Ratchet making sure that crazy bastard doesn't blow anything up." Barricade replied with an annoyed tone. He had hardly wanted to be ordered to the Medbay by the Medbot, and much less wanted to wait for Ratchet to show.
"That's probably where our organics are, too." Bumblebee deduced fairly quickly, finding himself in a very unusual organic-less state. Sam was almost always with him if they were on base, and if not there was always another organic walking about.
Barricade leaned back on his servos, venting softly. The wait was on.
Sam and Miles climbed out of Ironhide, pausing on Sam's driveway so Will could talk. Ironhide, upon request, had agreed to drive the two back to Tranquility so they could get into Sam's toolshed and grab some metal sheets. Afterwards, the two would go over to Mikaela's father's shop, though both were out on a shopping spree for Mikaela's birthday, and borrow the welder to create giant cookie cutters for the Energon cookies they were going to make the Cybertronians back on base. Will had begged to come along, and acted as driver.
"Me 'n Hide will go and get us all a little snack. I've been stuck with Epps cooking for the past week, I need it."
Ironhide rumbled with amusement, earning himself a smack on the side from the hungry soldier. Will grinned at the teens and waved, before pretending to drive off. Both watched the Weapons Specialist drive away, Sam laughing as Miles shook his head and grinned.
"They're in your toolshed, right?" Miles asked, turning to look at his friend.
Sam nodded, "Yeah. I'll go make us some smoothies. Thank Primus Mom and Dad won't be home today to bother us."
Miles snickered, heading for the backyard as Sam headed for his front door. He got the spare house key out from under the mat and unlocked the door. He only paused on his way to the kitchen for a moment, picking up Mojo as he went.
"Not getting any of your pills today, you little junkie." Sam grumbled as he set Mojo on the counter, eyeing the cast on the tiny dog's leg. "I swear you get yourself hurt on purpose now."
The Chihuahua looked up at Sam with his big innocent eyes, and Sam gave him a little pet before getting out the blender and stuff to make his special smoothies. He had been making them for himself and Miles since they were ten, and even had given Mikaela the privilege of one. He couldn't help thinking that he'd have to let Bumblebee try one.
It wasn't until Mojo started barking that Sam looked up from his magical smoothie creation and noticed the black car that had pulled into his driveway. Even then, the teen thought nothing of it until he watched the men step out of it, and his stomach flopped. He panicked, trying to think of how best to get out without being noticed when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!"
Sam had completely forgotten about Miles. Of course it wouldn't have taken his friend that long to get the metal sheets. Sam ran out of the kitchen to try to stop him, but by the time he got there the door was already open and Miles was looking at four men in professional black suits with a confused expression. All four of them had on extremely dark sunglasses, making it impossible to see their eyes.
"Dude, what's up with the men in black?"
"Samuel James Witwicky, you are to come with us." The suit in the front ordered, and Sam would have bet anything he was looking straight at Miles, trying to decide what to do with an extra teen. "Bring your friend with you."
Sam had a very small urge to rip his hair out, at the rate things were going he'd not be able to do anything. Everything was happening too fast, if it was anything like last time Will and Ironhide wouldn't make it back in time. While he did have some experience with being kidnapped by the government, Miles didn't, and he blurted the first thing that came to his mind.
"He has nothing to do with them."
Miles looked even more confused, "What? Sam, what's-"
"Bring them both," The suit in front ordered again. He was obviously in charge, the three behind him coming forward. One grabbed Sam, and another grabbed Miles. Sam didn't even bother struggling, he knew it was no use, and he watched as Miles struggled for a moment, before looking to Sam and stopping himself. Sam looked at Miles hard, almost willing him to understand, to read his lips as he mouthed 'follow my lead'. He was relieved when his friend nodded in agreement.
"And get rid of their cellphones! We don't want to be tracked until the right moment!"
One of the other three black suits ordered the teens to place their cellphones on the front step, just on the welcome mat and side by side. Sam shot Miles a look, and he had never been so grateful that they were so close before. Miles immediately started causing a tiny scene, and getting all three of the suits' attention on him.
Sam took the time to get out his cellphone and pull up his messages, typing one single thing in. He was just about to send it when he heard flesh connect with flesh, and Miles curse vehemently. He looked up in shock, seeing Miles holding one of his eyes, but he couldn't tell which black suit had done it. It didn't look like any of them had moved.
"I will not say it again. Both of you, now!"
Fifteen minutes later, Ironhide pulled up to the Witwicky household, parking himself on the side of the road in case Sam's parents came back. The Weapons Specialist noted two immediate changes: the front door was open, and the rodent was out. Ironhide reminded himself that if he killed Mojo, both Sam and Bumblebee would be upset.
"Something's wrong." Will stated, surprising Ironhide.
"I know, the rodents out. Just don't let it come near me, last time it lubricated all over me." Ironhide growled in warning, shuddering in disgust.
Will rolled his eyes, "No, 'Hide. Most of us don't just leave the front door open, and our dog on the loose without anyone watching it. Something's wrong!"
In a split second, Ironhide had his holoform activated. Will was already out of the mech, going and picking up an ecstatic Mojo. Ironhide went for the house with his holoform, even as he scanned the inside of it the best he could. There was no sign of either teen.
"My scans do not pinpoint any living organics in the house." Ironhide commented, stopping short of the front step.
Will walked over, carrying the tiny Chihuahua. "What is it? We need to go inside and look for signs of struggle."
Will stopped next to Ironhide when he noticed the same thing. Two cellphones, lying side by side on the welcome mat. He knew from memory which cellphone belonged to which teen, and immediately picked both of them up to check for any sent messages proclaiming what happened.
"It's not sent, but Sam has a message opened to Bumblebee. It just says 7." Will read, before sticking both phones in his pockets for safe keeping. Ironhide didn't need an explanation for what the number meant, he had dealt with it before Will had.
Ironhide growled, dispersing his holoform. "I thought your government disbanded Sector Seven?"
"They did. Sector Seven no longer exists, and whoever is doing this is working on their own." Will glanced inside the house, before glancing down at the tiny dog in his arms. He shut the front door carefully and then walked over to his Guardian.
"That thing is not getting inside of me!" Ironhide growled, locking his doors immediately.
"Let me bring Mojo and I'll break the news to Bumblebee while you tell Optimus."
Ironhide unlocked himself just as quickly, even opening the door for the soldier. Even if the rodent lubricated in his interior it would be better than having to tell Bumblebee that Sam had been taken. The Scout was practically head of ped for the teen, and Ironhide had been extremely happy to see them finally get together. He knew just how protective a Cybertronian could get of their Sparkmate, he had become like that many times to protect Ratchet. Sam, however, was no Ratchet. The teen was just a little fleshy organic with nothing going for him but the ability to talk himself out of several corners.
"What about Barricade?" Ironhide asked, the Witwicky household already far behind them. Human speed limits didn't apply to him.
Will blinked, he hadn't thought about Barricade at all. Miles was the one who had practically taken on the ex-con, so if anything he would have feared telling the teen that Barricade had been kidnapped. But the other way around? Only Miles could hazard a guess of how the mech might react, and even then the teen was usually off the mark. The soldier had no idea what the mech would even think, or if he would even care.
Will sighed, "Just get Optimus on the comm and start filling him in. We'll worry about the Younglings later."
Sam sat beside Miles in the car, one of the black suits on either side of them, and two in front. Even if they had tried to pick up some sort of idea as to where they were going it'd be pointless, the road was completely empty. Miles was already nursing the beginnings of what looked like a nasty black eye, and Sam felt horrible for it. Both had been quiet the entire time, but Sam thought it was time to speak up.
"You're Sector Seven, aren't you?" Sam asked, "I thought that branch of the government had been disbanded."
The suit in the driver's seat snorted, the one who seemed to be in charge. "Oh yes, I believe that's what the paperwork says. Some things don't need the government to get their work done, however. We have a few… private funders."
"Is this Simmons doing? Where is he?"
"Simmons?" Another snort, "That fool is no longer with us."
"What are you trying to do, now?" Sam frowned, Simmons was the only one who knew from Sector Seven. He had hated the man, but at least if there was that much familiarity he could deal with all of this a little easier.
"Eradicate the N.B.E's from our planet."
Sam was shocked into silence, and Miles looked between his best friend and the man driving the car.
"N.B.E's?" Miles asked, finally speaking up.
"Hmm," The suit said thoughtfully, "You really are ignorant, aren't you? N.B.E. stands for Non-biological Extraterrestrial. What is your name, boy?"
Unwittingly, Miles had ended up playing what Sam had originally said. If the head of the suits seemed to think that Miles had no idea what he was referring to, then maybe they'd let Miles be, or so Sam hoped. In truth, while Sector Seven had been explained to the teen, the term N.B.E had never come up. Sam just watched his friend speak, willing him to keep up that façade.
"Lancaster, Miles Lancaster." This was said with a slightly British accent, but the James Bond reference went unnoticed, even by Sam. "What's your name?"
"Mr. Buckley, or Sir to you two. Next to me is Mr. King, and next to Witwicky is Mr. Nelson. Beside you is Mr. James."
Miles shared a look with Sam, both noting that it was Mr. Buckley who seemed to be in charge. Miles leaned back in his seat, having found out what he wanted to. Sam couldn't bring himself to relax even a little, though. Six words just kept repeating themselves over and over again in his head. Eradicate the N.B.E's from our planet.