14. Far from a Nightmare
They were running like a madmen. Jack looked behind him constantly, to see the distance between themselves and the hunter. This was supposed to be a simple recon mission, and now they were all in danger. He was ducking after a few energy shots as they continued passing through the tall trees.
A giant, humanoid form landed before them. Jack looked up to find their pursuer — Cliffjumper. He aimed at the boys, who barely managed to jump aside, avoiding the blast. They continued to run. Adam grabbed Jack's wrist and they dove into a badger hole. They crawled deep inside, the metal gauntlets Adam had were scratched up, Jack's shield having a dent in it, and Chloe getting a migraine. Jack looked behind him, seeing Cliffjumper coming at them.
"How did we get into this mess?" he asked himself.
Two hours ago…
"How could you do this, dragging Miko into shop-lifting?" Jack demanded. "Yeah, sure she's stubborn and stupid, but she is a sweet girl. And I won't let you wreck my precious baby sister."
"Why can't you just buy them?" Sierra scolded.
"I don't have enough money," said a girl named Veronica in a matter-of-fact tone. "What else was I suppose to do?"
"Get a job!" Jack barked.
"You know what?" Sierra said. "Jack, forget it. Miko doesn't need her. She's got us here."
"Yeah, but I want her to have human friends that are girls, too," Jack restated.
"And she will. She just needs to hang out with you more often, 'cause you got us," said Sierra, kissing him on the cheek.
"You two are just jealous because you're poor," Veronica snarked.
Jack's eyes were wide, but all of that was recovered quickly as he said, "Oh, no she didn't You listen here! I'm not poor! I live in a house, I drive a motorcycle and my family has hundreds of dollars of change somewhere on this property."
Sierra leaned in to him. "Seriously?"'
"I don't know."
"Whatever," Veronica said, rolling her eyes. "See you later."
"More like never," Sierra grumbled before heading back to their sanctuary.
"You and Veroncia are going to get into a cat fight one day," Jack teased.
"She's going to get shot one day if she does something reckless like that one day," Sierra stated. "And I mean it. She's capable of agility and nimbleness, but standing still-"
"Will you cut that out?"
"What?" Sierra turned to him.
"I swear, you're always knowing who people are just by their appearances, movements, and other criteria. It's like Black Widow and Hawkeye were going for one of their kids to be a real living Sherlock Holmes."
Sierra snorted. "There is no way, shape or form, will I outbeat him in the science of deduction."
"Well, good point."
"Hey!" Sierra looked offended as Jack laughed as they entered the building. Then she asked, "So, are you going to the homecoming dance?"
"No, dances aren't really my thing," Jack said. He pressed a button before stepping into the elevator.
"Well, how about the talent show? Miko tells me that you sound like a Jesse McCartney when you do."
Jack groaned, head hitting the wall and finding himself sliding down the wall. "Primus, that girl must really hate me."
"She does not," Sierra giggled. "She actually looks up to you. When she's not talking about a couple of kids she once knew, it's usually about the messy situations you guys would get into."
Jack peeked up at her. "Does she really?"
Sierra nodded.
"Huh," he said as the door opened and they walked out into the bunker. "I guess maybe she's not as cuckoo as — What the heck?"
"Guys, what are you doing?" Sierra asked.
"We're testing out his strength," Miko laughed.
"He's stronger than I thought he would be," Raf said, hanging on tight to Miko's belt.
"I don't know how to work these kids, but I'll get 'em there," Thor grunted, pulling them.
Before anything else could happen, a signal from Ratchet's terminal caught everyone's attention. Optimus approached the terminal and activated it. The screen showed Maria's face.
"Prime! I got some news I believe you would like to know," the specialty said.
"I am listening, Agent Hill," Optimus replied.
"Our Intel reported about some strange sighting. We don't have the details. Whatever it is, Tony's confirmed it's of alien origin. But no signs of Decepticons as far as we can tell."
"We shall dispatch a team for recon," Optimus said. "Perhaps it is a part of the Cybertron vessel which fell off the day we crash-landed on your world."
"I'm sending coordinates right now," Maria informed. "Agent Hill out." The screen went black.
"Director Fury is all work and no play," Cliffjumper grumbled.
"If this phenomenon is not a work of the Decepticons, there is no doubt they will be on to it."
"Cliff and I can go," Arcee spoke, a tint of hope in her voice.
Optimus glanced over at her before nodding, "Very well."
"Whoo-hoo!" Cliffjumper whooped. "Who's ready for an adventure?"
"I'll go with," Sam said, picking up a pack. "Cap, you coming with?"
"I guess," Steve replied, walking over to the groundbridge platform. Before they made it halfway there, Jack and Adam ran over next to them.
"Mind if we come with you?" Jack asked. "I'd rather hear you constantly addressing us 'kid' then Miko asking me for something I don't want to talk about. Besides, these coordinates suggests Yellowstone National Park. And I'm pretty familiar with that particular place you're going to."
Both Autobots and Sam looked at him for a while before turning to Steve and Optimus. "This is just a reconnaissance mission. Should anything happen, Ratchet can just open a bridge," Cliffjumper reasoned. The red and blue titan was in deep thought, considering it.
"Alright then. I guess the boys have permission to go with," Steve agreed.
As Jack showed his gratitude, Optimus kneeled before them. "But I suggest you both prepare yourselves for this mission."
"Just give me five minutes," Jack said hastily, sprinting to the human space.
Adam gaped at the direction he went in. "To do what, take a shower?"
"I think you might like this," Jack grunted before he pulled out a pair of arm braces and boots. Adam took them and noticed anti-gravity projectors were installed in them. Stamped in each one was the logo to Stark Industries.
"Wow," Adam mused as he put them on. "Now I'm ready."
The vortex closed. The team of six were walking along a cliff's edge. Arcee kept her optics on the scanner, looking around every now and then to be sure she would fall, and it was a long way down. It's not like a fall from this height would kill her, but it could cause her some damage and certainly pain. Then she looked back at the boys, who's behavior were a bit comical in her opinion. They were waving their hands, trying to chase the bugs. "Quite the outdoors man, aren't you?" she asked with a smile.
Sam smirked, clearly trying not to show how badly he was feeling in this place. "You wouldn't be laughing at my survivor kit," he said.
"Oh, heaven knows I did," Adam snickered.
"I may not have a metal stinger-proof skin, son. But with my Swiss knife, a flare, a compass, first aide kit and some survival skills, I can make it out alive from this place if you guys abandon me," Sam commented.
"You have your tools," Arcee said, holding up what looked uncannily like a radiation scanner. "I have mine."
"Eh, of course," Cliffjumper teased. "But, it feels good to kick off the shiny shoe and go out."
"You've been anxious to get out," Arcee pointed out.
"Patience is not one of my virtues," Cliffjumper stated.
"And neither are manners," Sam added.
"Wait for your turn, old man," Cliffjumper said.
Adam covered his mouth as a beeping noise emitted from the scanner. Arcee looked at it and frowned.
"That's odd," she started. "Ratchet's satellite scans were accurate but subterranean energon deposits don't cause this kind of surge." She started forwards again, the others following close behind. The femme suddenly stopped, nearly causing Cliffjumper to crash into her.
"What happened here?" Jack asked, surveying the land and noticing a deep rut in the earth.
"Crash landing," Arcee said. "Stay behind me, low and close."
All of them came closer and closer to the ship, finally stopping and looking at the scarred and scratched metal.
"Autobot or Decepticon?" Steve asked.
"Can't tell," Cliffjumper replied. "Let's check it out. You guys stay here."
Arcee switched out her servo for her blaster and snuck aboard the ship with the red titan. The boys did as they were told and waited.
"So, how was it when you first met your dad?" Adam whispered suddenly.
Jack tensed. "Pretty good."
"It felt short."
"Yeah, I think."
Adam rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I think you nailed it pretty well."
Jack stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"We're lucky here," Adam said. "We all have seen our respective parent. Raf hasn't."
Jack sighed and bowed his head. "Yeah, I know."
"What are you two talking about?" Sam asked.
"Uh, school stuff?" Jack said.
Steve gave him a funny look, but he shook his head.
Adam looked up and gasped. Jack followed suit and saw Cliffjumper supporting a hurt looking Arcee, who was staggering like a drunkard. There was a small girl with them, but she looked oddly different. She was physically pretty but plain; her age screaming to be the boys' age. Shoulder length ash brown curls clung to her face, almost concealing her blue eyes. She wore robes over a body suit and boots caked in mud.
"Arcee!" Jack cried, running over to them.
Sam reached for the girl. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," the girl shuddered
The femme's optics were unfocused, like she was remembering something, and by the look on her face it wasn't a good memory.
"Arcee?" Steve asked. "What's wrong?"
"I know who this ship belongs to," she said, shaking.
"Ratchet, we need a bridge asap," Cliffjumper informed via comlink.
"W-wait, why?" Jack demanded.
"Who's ship is this?" Steve asked.
Cliffjumper ignored him and tapped his link again. "Base, do you read?" he asked, fear spiking his voice. "Scrap! The link's dead. The ship's got to be transmitting a high frequency scrambler pulse."
"Cliffjumper?" Adam asked softly they followed. "Look, you're freakin' us out here."
"Wait here," Cliffjumper ordered, walking off.
Steve stared ahead.
"Wanna scout behind them?" Sam asked.
"Suppose so," Steve sighed. "You two keep her safe."
As soon as they were gone, Adam turned to the girl. "So, you got a name?"
"Of course I have a name. I'm not exactly without identity," the girl huffed, shaking her head. Jack nearly reeled back at the sight of how half of her face looked darker and more distorted than the other half. "What, what's wrong? Is it because of my face? I know, it's like that since I was thirteen years old."
"May I ask how it got like that?" Adam asked.
A twig snapped and they jumped.
"Arcee," Jack whimpered.
The branches shifted and shook again. Another shake and something charged out, leaping at them! Jack let out a shriek as he hit the ground. He opened my his eyes and Adam started laughing.
The Decepticon was a little chipmunk.
"Here's what your epitaph will say: Here lies Jackson William Darby, son of June Darby and Steve Rogers. He was devoured by the evil, terrifying monster by the name of Theodore, brother of Simon and Alvin, son of David Seville," Adam chuckled.
Jack began to repeatedly punch him in the arm.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Adam laughed. "It's just too funny."
"Come on," Jack snarled afterwards as he dragged him with to find their guardians.
"It's Chloe," the girl whispered, confused and exasperated at the same time as she followed them.
"So," Adam started as he turned to her, "what's a pretty girl like you doing in the forest?"
Chloe's eyes flashed, eyes wide. She turned away and rubbed her arm. "It's a long story, but one I'm sure you've heard of."
Cliffjumper supported his partner as they followed the slashes and footprints that were marked. The red titan frowned at the sudden sight. It didn't make sense to him. Why would she pick this place out of any?
"Cliff?" he heard Sam ask softly.
He didn't answer. Instead Arcee's frame folded into her alt. "Climb on," she growled as Cliffjumper followed suit.
As soon as Steve did and put his helmet on and Sam got inside the Challenger, Cliffjumper drove as fast as he could with Arcee behind him.
"Hey!" Steve cried as they kept getting closer and closer to a ravine. They didn't stop, they built up speed and ramped over the ravine, nearly scaring the men to death as they landed. The only good thing was when they stopped.
"Okay, I think I'm gonna be sick," Sam groaned as he stumbled out of Cliffjumper.
Arcee once more tried to make contact with the base again, but with little success.
"Look!" Steve cried, exasperated. "We've seen danger before! What's the deal—"
"Wait here," Arcee ordered, cutting him off. "I mean it this time!"
"Is there ever a time when she wasn't so angry?" Sam mumbled under his breath.
"Okay, first you guys shut us out and now you're ditching us?" Steve growled. "I thought we were your partners!"
"No, not in these situations," Cliffjumper retorted. "You're only here because this was supposed to be no risk, okay?"
And with that, they drove off.
"Wow," Sam said.
"This is so pointless," Steve snapped. "First I've been forced to leave both my son and wife behind, now those two just ditch us in the middle of nowhere. What's going happen to us if they get killed or lost?"
"Trust me," Sam said, "nothing is more annoying than a forest filled with giant humanoid robots."
"What makes you say that?" Steve asked.
"I don't know," Sam shrugged. "I just say that some things don't make sense." He took a step back, but he ended up tripping and falling into the ravine. When he came back up he was covered in mud, leaves, and twigs. Steve laughed and pointed at him.
"Hardy har har," Adam spat as he got up.
"Good god," Steve guffawed. "Stark would have loved to see that."
"You wouldn't dare," Sam snarled as he pulled a twig that was lodged in his pack.
A dark shadow covered them. Both men tensed as they slowly turned to see who the owner was.
After they had gotten away from the human boys, they stopped and transformed. Arcee switched her servo for her blaster and started scouting out the area. If it is her — and not some Con who stole her ship — then she'll have her revenge.
Cliffjumper looked around and froze. A stump in front of them was steaming with green acid.
A soft, eerie clinking noise got their attention. They slowly turned around. They knew that sound and they didn't like it.
"This is spooky," Cliffjumper said.
There was muffled shouting that forced them to turn around. There was Sam and Steve, each wrapped in sticky white goo, Sam's mouth covered with it.
"Oh, no," he groaned.
Suddenly, Cliffjumper found himself shouting and he was sent flying into the rocky wall. He looked down and found himself covered in same substance.
"Cliff!" Arcee shrieked as she ran over.
She didn't have much time to react as something tackled her. They both tumbled, yelling and fightin, down a steep hill. They hit the other side of the cliff. Arcee hit first and she bounced off, tumbling to a stop a few meters away. The other femme growled darkly to herself and got up. Arcee shook her helm to clear it before getting into a ready position. Recognition flared in her optics.
"Arcee," she hummed. "Small universe."
"Too small, Airachnid," Arcee spat.
"You're still holding a grudge?" she scoffed, stalking closer. "The war's been over for megacycles!"
"Tell that to the Decepticons," Arcee snarled, settling in a fighting stance.
"These days I travel solo in pursuit of my new hobby," Airachnid purred.
Cliffjumper shuddered in disgust, remembering what he and Arcee found inside the shuttle.
"I got a look at your souvenir case," Arcee finally ground out.
"You mean my trophies?" Airachnid asked innocently. "I collect endangered species. Of course they aren't really endangered" — She threw a wicked smirk that made Arcee's energon freeze — "until they meet me. And I have a slot reserved for human."
"Not gonna happen," Arcee growled, charging forwards.
She tackled Airachnid and raised a fist to hit her. She caught it with her extra legs and threw her back into the cliff.
"C'mon Arcee!" Cliffjumper cheered on. "You can kick her arse."
Sam managed to get rid of the gauze and quickly did a double take. "If she has one."
Arcee flipped back up to her pedes and started shooting as fast and hard as she could. Airachnid dodged and leaped into the trees, making it harder to get a clear shot. She shot some webbing at his partner, tying her blasters together. Arcee yanked hard on them and forced her out of the tree. As soon as she hit the ground, Arcee activated her blades and cut the webbing away before starting to shoot at her again. She shot at her and she leaped upwards, grabbing onto a tree branch and swinging from it, coming down on top of her and pinning her to the ground. Arcee pointed her blasters at her, charging them. Airachnid smacked Arcee across the faceplate with one of her legs. The Autobot femme staggered for a bit and she was pinned the wall with that awful webbing of hers.
That was when three sticks were suddenly lodged into Airachnid's back leg, exploded, leaving big gashes, and she cried out. Cliffjumper and Arcee looked up and gasped. Adam was standing at the foot of the slope, his left arm extended out.
"That's my boy," Sam exclaimed excitedly. "That's my boy!"
"ARCEE!"
Something hit Airachnid and went flying. She hissed and looked up as Jack caught his shield, Chloe flanking him.
"Let them go," she snarled.
Cliffjumper struggled, freeing his blaster, and clocked the spider with one shot. The arachnid crashed to the ground, her 'legs' curling in like a real spider's do once it dies.
"I told you to wait for us!" Arcee growled.
"Well, partners don't ditch partners!" Jack retorted as he grabbed the webbing on Steve and started to pull, desperately trying to free him.
"Get this through your head: You're not my partner! You're a liability!" Arcee snapped.
"I don't believe you!" Chloe said, glaring at Arcee. "I can see it in your eyes. You're afraid, Arcee!"
The blue optics dimmed slightly and Jack knew he struck a sore spot.
"Maybe now's not the time," Adam stated.
"And you're never afraid!" Jack continued. "When you're afraid, I'm afraid." His eyes searched Arcee's face, who seemed distant.
What did she do to you? Chloe wondered.
Arcee came back to the present. "You're right, Jack, I am afraid," she snapped. "Of losing you all!"
Jack stopped, looking up, a spark of joy and love appearing in his eyes, like he needed to hear that she cared about him.
"I promise myself I wouldn't cry," Adam said, wiping a fake tear from his eye.
"You sure have trouble hanging on to your partners, don't you?" Airachnid growled with a slight slur as she stalked towards her prey.
"Don't you have somewhere else to be, like at Megatron's side ogling at him?" Cliffjumper spat, only to have webbing shot at his mouth.
"I want to laugh when they both happened, but I'm scared," Adam whimpered.
"At some point, you have to ask yourself, Arcee: Is it them? Or is it me?" the Spider purred.
"Huh?" Jack seemed confused.
"Don't you get it?" Arcee snarled. "Airachnid's not interested in us; she hunts indigenous species and she's on Earth!"
"That means humans!" Adam gasped.
"Jack, run," Steve groaned.
The trio sprinted away, faster than they have ever seen them go, and they climbed out of the shallow valley.
"And that's why I prefer to work alone!" Airachnid cackled, slamming one of her legs into the rock inches away from Arcee's face, she tilted her chin upwards to look at her. "It's so sad when bad things happen to those close to you."
Cliffjumper spoke, but what he said was muffled by the webbing.
"What?" Airachnid asked in confusion.
Cliffjumper chewed on the webbing, making both female Cybertronians cringe in disgust, but he managed to get rid of it. "What are you gonna do? Kill me?" he snarled. "Because no good is gonna come out of that, Airachnid. Or did you forget about what I did to—"
Airachnid roughly grabbed his chin. "Don't you dare mention him, you insufferable Autobot."
"Hey, I'm sorry that he died before he got the chance to see his sparkling," Cliffjumper said.
Out of anger, Airachnid pulled out a disk and slammed it in the middle of the chest.
"What are you doing?" Sam demanded.
"Well, I love to kill those who just plain annoy me," Airachnid stated, "if I wasn't behind schedule here. I mean, don't get me wrong; I've been waiting for this day to terminate Cliff here, but right now, I've got two boys to catch." She pulled out a device and pressed the button.
"CLIFFJUMPER!" Arcee shrieked.
Which leads us right back to where we started.
"That was scary," Chloe panted.
"You okay?" Jack asked.
"I'm fine, thank you."
Suddenly, Adam started giggling.
"What's so funny?" Jack snarled. "Airachnid's controlling Cliffjumper, both your dad and mine are captured with Arcee, and all you can do is laugh?"
"I just got a really funny idea," Adam snickered.
"Quit laughing and tell me what it is then," Jack growled.
"Okay, okay," Adam said, trying to calm down. "First, we're going to have to distract Cliffjumper and get him to snap out of his trance."
"Okay."
"Next, we need four tires, a piece of plywood, and a canoe."
"Got it."
"We're gonna put the canoe on the plywood and attached tires to the plywood."
"All right."
"We need to get Airachnid to chase us, jump into the canoe, and roll the plywood down the hill that goes to the lake nearby. Once it hits the water, the canoe will go off the plywood and swim out."
Now Jack thought it was stupid.
"What?" Adam asked.
"That's so stupid," Jack said.
"No, it's brilliant!" Chloe confirmed.
"And this will tie Airachnid into this plan how?" Jack questioned.
"I stole one of Ratchet's inventions and checked it out. She has some organic qualities that could screw up her circuitries if water makes contact with it. And since she's new to the planet, she'll never suspect a thing."
"That would be homicidal," Jack stated.
"That would be no accident," Chloe said as she left their hideout. "It would be by design. Now, do you need me to elaborate" — Both boys yelled as two bat-like wings sprouted from under her robes — "or can we just crack on?"
Cliffjumper growled in annoyance as he searched for the boys. He was about to give up and report to his mistress when something hit him in the face.
"Hey, big and ugly!" a male voice cried out. "Over here!"
His gaze turned to Adam, waving his hands frantically. Cliffjumper grunted and charged at him. Adam jumped and rolled to the left at his chance. None of them paid attention to Jack, who was climbing up the nearest tree. The plan wasn't as crafty as he hoped it to be, but it was better than nothing. His shield raised, he suddenly jumped and slammed the edge to the device. Currents of electricity sparked out and shocked Cliffjumper, forcing him to fall backwards and hit a boulder nearby.
"Oh," Adam cringed.
"That's one down," Jack panted. "Now, to put phase two into action."
Arcee struggled against the webbing, letting out a scream of frustration.
"You know, Arcee," Airachnid began, "maybe I shouldn't have been so merciful. Fortunately, it was just the ceiling, not the whole prison block. And now…"
"Man, shut up!" Sam shouted, only for his mouth to get covered by more webbing.
"Leave them alone, Decipticreep!" a familiar voice called. Airachnid turned around to find Jack and Adam standing by, their only weapons ready. Airachnid smiled wickedly.
"My, my. So little Jack and Andy came out to play," she said in a mocking tone.
"It's Adam, and you sure ain't Charlotte from what I can see," Adam commented. "But, she is sure hotter than you are."
Jack froze. That wasn't a good thing to say. And judging by the look on the female Decepticon's face, it really wasn't a good idea. She roared and leaped towards the teens.
"Let's go!" Jack barked as they took off for the lake. Chloe jumped from behind a tree, took out a canister out and flung it at her, splattering the substance inside of it all over her face.
Airachnid managed to wipe it all off and looked around for them, only to see no sign of them. It wasn't that they got far. Rather, whatever he hit her with, blinded her. "You're actually making this difficult. Good. I like it when my prey puts up a good fight."
The trio stopped at the contraption at their destination. "You sure about this?" Jack asked as he got into the canoe.
"Like Chloe said," Adam restated as he pushed their invention down and before he got in, "it's brilliant!"
Jack cried out as they picked up speed and zoomed down the hill. Adam whooped and threw his hands up as they ran down towards the water.
"How far is she?" Chloe shrieked.
"I don't know," Adam answered. "I'm having fun."
"My dad is gonna kill us if he finds out about this," Jack shouted.
"I know!" Adam hollered.
Finally, the contraption hit the water and they harmlessly swam out into the water.
"Told you it was brilliant," Chloe remarked, causing Adam to grin.
"Hey, I'm sorry that I never did something that stupid before in my life," Jack spat out.
"Miko should've made you get out more," Adam said.
"Now what?" Jack asked.
Adam grabbed on oar. "Start paddling, Spangles."
Chloe giggled. "Spangles?"
"I am going to get Miko for calling me that," Jack grumbled.
Arcee grieved silently for both Cliffjumper and the kids. Small, silent tears escaped her blue violet optics as she shivered in the dark. If she could get herself free, she would wipe them away.
"Arcee!"
Arcee raised her head before a blade swiped near her frame. She crumbled and fell into Cliffjumper's arms. "C-Cliff..."
"I got ya," he whispered as he cradled her in his arms.
"Jack...Adam..." Sam coughed.
"They're fine," Cliffjumper told him. "Just doing something stupid." He shifted Arcee in his arms to get her a little more comfortable and added, "We need to get out of here first."
There was a sound of an explosion and a shockwave that almost sent them to the ground. They looked up to see smoke and fire rising from the trees.
"What was that?"" Steve asked..
"That's my fault," Cliffjumper groaned. "But yeah."
"You could really get scrapped now," Arcee said with a small chuckle.
"Now Airachnid's stuck on Earth, I'm not so sure that's a good thing," Cliffjumper sighed.
"I…" the femme started, but paused, feeling guilt and shame for what happened. "I'm sorry I had you guys face my demons today." Cliffjumper looked at her, as she rested her head against his chest. Then a smile appeared on her face. "Both the girl and boys were pretty fearless there."
The red Autobot chuckled a little. "Honestly…I was terrified," he said. "Mostly for you."
Arcee couldn't help but show how warm she felt at these words. It felt like something she's been missing ever since that day. She reached for her comlink. "Arcee to base. Requesting groundbridge," she said. She gazed at the approaching humans, who were entirely wet and one of them swapping away an approaching mosquito. She smirked. "Need to get my partner and the other nimrods away from any oversize insect."
If only she could see Jack's face if he was close enough.
Cliffjumper had a smug smile on his face. "Partner, huh?"
"Junior partner. I can still pull ranks on you, too," Arcee specified.
"What happened to the 'kid'?" Steve asked.
Arcee's optics widened in realization of that. She looked around, as if trying to come up with an excuse, that it was just a moment. Then she sighed in defeat. Why try and lie to him?
"Well, he really earned my respect," she answered. "To be honest, I owe him more than one."
Cliffjumper just smiled. "Good to know…he's not such a pain." he said as Arcee fell asleep.
Chloe approached the men, an Army Swiss knife in hand. "Hold still, men. This may tingle."
"Tingle?" Sam squawked.
"I meant the webbing when I cut it," Chloe said.
"Oh."
Steve paused, letting him lose himself in his thoughts. He would feel embarrassed for asking, but it was worth the trick. "Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"Where did they relocate you and June to?"
By the time they had returned, Steve waited until most of the humans and Autobots were gone before he requested a bridge to the coordinates. He didn't feel ready as the vortex activated, and the swirling portal filled the tunnel. But there wasn't a time to debate as he stepped through the bridge and into the other side.
The first thing he noticed was the dim lighting. It was then he realized that the last light of day was the only source of the light. Steve switched on a light to get a better glimpse of where he was. He was in the den, he guessed. He paced around the room. He wasn't intending to trespass, but he didn't want to be seen by anyone else in the neighborhood, not yet.
He sighed and sat down on the couch. He picked up a magazine and began to ask himself if it was worth it now. After all, what would June think and do when she found him here in her home without an explanation of how he got in with the doors locked?
He heard the sound of the door opening and a soft sigh. For a moment it was silent, then the clanging of a few metal objects hit a hard surface. Steve tensed for a while. It felt more electrifying than he anticipated.
He had no idea what forced him to, but his eyes soon noticed her presence, taking in her rigid figure. He raised a hand and gave a small smile, magazine falling from his fingers as he set it on the couch.
Poor June looked like she was going to faint as he stood up. He watched her close her eyes as he slowly came up to her. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in Steve's shoulder and sobbed quietly. Steve assured her that it was all right as he held her closely to him, forcing more tears out of her eyes. His lips found hers, entwined in a kiss.
What Jack and Adam did was based off a conversation between me and my brother. I had so many interesting conversations on my MP3 that it's not even funny. Eh, can't blame a kid for being creative with what happens in life.
So, what do you think of Chloe? Don't worry, you'll know more about her in the next chapter. This was just a small warm up for her character. Kind of Sherlock Holmesy she'll be too with a mixture of other characters that I like.
By the way, there is a voting poll on my profile, asking which character you – Yes, you, the fellow reader! – want to appear in the 'Son of a Legend' sequel. The poll will close when I get the second chapter up. Or at least until I feel like I have enough votes. Have fun!