Chapter 20

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Mikaela sank into the front seat. Swindle hadn't said much since leaving the hospital. Mikaela worried about her baby. Would he abort her baby? Would he sell her baby when it was born? Mikaela didn't like to think these thoughts about her baby. She had months before it had been born. She didn't even know the sex of her baby. Mikaela rubbed her forehead in aggravation.

The first time Swindle spoke, startled her. "Oh, my dear Mikaela. I will not hurt you or your baby."

Mikaela turned to look at the driver-or no driver in the seat. "Hmph!" She said. "I don't believe you! You've got something planned for me and my baby! What is it, black market pets?"

Swindle laughed, "Oh, dear Mikaela. Tut tut! You've heard stories about my business dealings. Well, sure, I planned on selling you for a nice profit to a pet shop on Vos, or even one of the Cybertronian colonies interested in a pet such as you. I have a few lovely months left before your baby's due."

Mikaela thought about that and shivered which prompted Swindle to turn on the heat. "Oh, sweet, Mikaela. I don't want you cold." Swindle said in a sickingly sweet voice.

Mikaela wanted to throw up at the tone of voice. She felt revolted, sick, and the need to throw up arose. "Ohhh." She groaned. "Not now." She mumbled.

"What is it, my dear?"

She thought about showing him, but didn't want to anger the Mech. "Oh. I'm just going to hurl-"

Swindle slammed on his brakes and skidded noisily to a stop. Swindle didn't wait before Mikaela flung open the door and ran out of the car. She made it into the field before hurling.

When Mikaela was done, Mikaela looked back at the car, now noticing the woods and the possibility of escape arose. She went forward, claiming, "Bathroom. Privacy! Be back soon." She told Swindle and then walked forward, knowing there could be snakes or some kind of bad thing out there. "Don't travel far!" Swindle called, shining a light in her direction. Mikaela breathed a sigh of relief at having a light to see where she stepped. She disappeared behind a bunch of trees and waited for like five seconds. "Mikaela, my dear?"

She didn't answer Swindle.

"Mikaela?" Swindle asked. "I know you're out there so you had better come out of hiding. We don't have time to play games."

Mikaela immediately peeked out of her tree hiding space to smirk at him. "What is your problem, Swindle? Can't a girl have a little privacy!"

"Not when there's a bunch of trees and places to hide."

Mikaela said, "Do you honestly think I'm stupid? I'm not dumb enough to run into the woods when there's disgusting snakes." Mikaela didn't care for snakes or slugs for that matter. Mikaela stepped out of her 'hiding' place and stood in front of Swindle with her hands on her hips.

"Well, hurry up. We don't have all the time in the world." Swindle said.

"You slag! I just thrown up and I'm not going anywhere! I'm walking to a hotel or back to the hospital."

Mikaela started walking by Swindle, but something attached to her leg, almost making her trip and fall. Looking down at her leg and saw a dark seat belt. Following the dark seatbelt to Swindle's car form.

"Now, Mikaela dear. Consider what you are about to do. You can hurt yourself and possibly the baby. I'm much safer than walking around unattended in this world. You know and I know it."

Mikaela huffed, knowing that many people who were criminal would do something hurtful to her and much worse. Mikaela sighed, tired. "Okay." She whispered. "I understand." Mikaela stepped around to the passenger side and slid into the seat. The door closed and the Mech waited until she belted herself into her seat. Then he sped up the road.

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Barricade fumed when he realized that Mikaela and Soundwave weren't in the hospital. In fact, the scout found Swindle quickly leaving the area as if he had his treasure. His initial scans showed Swindle wasn't alone and he cursed. He braked, squealing his tires, and following Swindle.

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Swindle cursed when he saw Barricade turn and Mikaela didn't help matters anymore. She laughed, "Oooh. Swindle. I guess your aft's about to get handed to you on a silver platter."

Swindle cursed in a variety of unintelligible cybertronian. It sounded angry and then another cybertronian appeared a mile away. Swindle pinged him as Ironhide! Swindle knew he wasn't going to live after Ironhide, or Barricade. Or even Soundwave. "Soundwave?" Swindle thought, knowing how the telepath would make any Mech quake in their 'pedes' and processors. There were no scans of any turns or pull offs. Plus the laughing Femme wasn't helping matters. Swindle was stuck in a rock and a hard place and the only thing he thought about was dispatching Mikaela from her seat. Dispatching her as in ejecting her from the seat. Swindle's top flipped off and Mikaela's laughter turned from screams of terror as she went flying up into the air. Then the ground approached and a hurried transformation made her look at the 'Con. Soundwave's tentacles and servos reached out to her and cushioned her fall. Looking at the 'Con with a deep sigh of relief. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" Mikaela found herself being lowered, but her body shook. Almost falling, if not for a tentacle supporting her, she would've fainted.

Another squeal of brakes were heard and turning to look, Mikaela saw Barricade. Shaking herself away from the tentacles, Barricade's holoform appeared out of the car. Mikaela stumbled and ran over to Barricade's holoform. "Barricade!" She collapsed into his embrace and then fainted. Barricade looked at Soundwave and then to Mikaela. "Thank you." He said with relief flooding his voice. Soundwave nodded. "Old mission: On hold. New mission: Find and interrogate Swindle." With that, Soundwave transformed and took after Swindle. Ironhide chose the moment to pull up and growled his displeasure. "Slaggin' sales 'Con." Ironhide growled.