A/N – Urg. I am having total writer's block. I'll finish T3, but after that, I think I'm gonnahave to take a break. Maybe my pageant in Tacoma will inspire me to add more, or maybe I'll just have a short epilogue.
"If there's any more you know, anything at all, about the enemy's intentions, now is the time to tell" Mearing told Sam as they flew over to where the Autobots we going to be forced to leave.
Sam wanted to say something, but what Lindsey had said still played in his mind. But this time, he was making a different choice. He had to choose between her and the world, and this time he chose her.
"The Autobots have no way of leaving this planet" Sam said instead. "And that is where you're wrong" Mearing told him. "Its name is the Xanthium. It brought the second wave of Autobots and it's been under NASA's care and study ever since. We linked it with a decommissioned shuttle to maintain military control until they're gone"
Mearing sounded nonchalant, but inside she was a mess. She knew sending the Autobots away was a bad idea, but there was nothing she could do. So she followed orders and tried to think of a way to save the planet without them.
"Gonna be 10,000 pounds of torque on that itsy-bitsy bolt, not 19!" an Autobot he had never seen called. "You're gonna risk the lives of all me mates! I'll ball you!" another unfamiliar bot screamed.
"These guys are the Wreckers. They take care of the Xanthium" Mearing told Sam. "We don't let them off the base much, 'cause they're assholes" that was the most informal thing Sam had ever heard her say.
"You gotta pull that, ya nancy wanker!" they kept yelling at each other. There were three bots total. "it's time to kill him!"
"I'm trying to help, you know. Just doing my job" one of the humans cried. "Just calm down. Leave him alone. This is a human being" Sam knew that voice. "Epps! Is that you?"
"what's up, man!" thy high-fived, but the watch wouldn't let Sam release Epps' hand. "How's Lindsey-girl?" Epps hadn't seen her in a long time. "I would have thought she'd be right at your side, especially now"
"Umm, she's good. She's okay, just…working, ya know?" Sam stuttered. "What are you doing here?" Epps looked at Sam oddly as Sam tried to detach his hand. "I retired from the Air Force. Can you let my hand go?" Sam was almost off the ground trying to let go; Epps was strong.
Finally, Sam's hand was released, but Epps thought no more of it. "What the hell was that?" was all he said, before turning away.
"Now I just consult to run interference for them" He nodded to the Wreckers. "Well you're not helping!" One cried. His voice sounded Scottish.
"No more combat and aliens shooting at my ass. I got a dream job" Epps continued. "Kicking the Autobots out. Can you believe this is happening?" Epps said, more solemn. "Where do you think it's taking them?" Sam asked.
"Any planet but here" Epps told him grimly.
Simmons and Dutch had arrived. Dutch had something around his neck for his broken collarbone and Simmons was in a wheelchair. "I wanna talk to whoever's in charge here!" Simmons commanded, too used to getting his way all the time.
"Well, well, well. Charlotte Mearing" Simmons drawled when he saw the Director. "Agent Simmons. Former agent Simmons" she corrected herself. So I see you survived "Washington"
"Washington, Egypt, heartbreak. I survive. I will survive" he said, dramatic as ever. "They're bringing everybody in, kid" Simmons said when he saw Sam. "Putting all the intell on the table. And if you think deporting nine Autobots is gonna solve a damn thing…"
"it's out of my hands" Mearing said sadly.
"Moving up in the world?" Simmons persisted, following Mearing and her posse. "Your boota looks excellent" Mearing snapped. She glared at her assistant, you turned away, as well as the other guards. Mearing growled at Simmons, "If you ever say a word to anyone about what happen that night in Quantico, I'll cut your heart out" she promised.
"You already did" Simmons told her.
"Sammy, listen to me. Don't let them exile us" Wheelie begged. "Don't let them take us, Sam" Brains added from their cage. "It's a Decepticon trap. We can't leave Mistress!" a guard took them away as Sam averted his eyes.
Cars took them to the actual ship. "Check the nitrogen level. We're booking out of here" One of the Wreckers was heard. Sam didn't pay attention as he approached Optimus Prime.
"Optimus?" Sam said warily, but Optimus only told him, "What your leaders say is true. This was all my fault. I told them whom to trust. I was so wrong" Of course Optimus would blame himself. "That doesn't make it your fault" Sam protested. "It just makes you human for a change"
"Remember this: You may lose your faith in us, but never in yourselves" Sam felt another jolt of pain, reminding him of his job, the only thing keeping Lindsey alive.
"I need to know how you're gonna fight back" Sam couldn't lie, not now. "I know this is strategy, I know you're coming back with reinforcements, something. I know there's a plan" Sam insisted. "You can tell me. No other human will ever know"
Sam hated his play on words, but he had no choice. Lindsey over the world, he repeated in his head; Lindsey over the world.
"There is no plan" Optimus said solemnly.
"If we just do what they want, how are we gonna live with ourselves?" Sam asked. "You are my friend, Sam. You and Lindsey always will be" Sam felt a jolt at Lindsey's name, and it wasn't the watch. "But your leaders have spoken. From here, the fight will be your own"
Optimus turned and walked away. "Make it short" he said to Bumblebee, who was waiting by the ship. "We're loading up"
"We're gonna do whatever we can…make it like it was…you will always be…my friend…Sam" Bee told him. Sam wanted to sob. "I gotta be going on" Bee stood. "I can't do this, Bee" Sam said quietly. "I can't lose everything that matters to me" Bee said nothing. He simply walked away.
Simmons rolled over to Sam, who was kneeling at the railing, sobbing for his lose. "Years from now, they're gonna ask us, 'Where were you when they look over the planet?' We're gonna say, 'we just stood by and watched'"
With Lindsey
I was in the gallery, bored. Bored and scared, a very dangerous combination. "You should really look at this as a partnership" Dylan was saying. "You have to stand on the side of progress if you wanna be a part of history" he took me to a helicopter that was just outside.
I had been allowed to change into a comfortable pair of jeans and an orange tank-top, with my leather jacket that I had kept at work just in case.
Meanwhile, with Sam, they were watching as NASA launched the Autobots into space, as well as their virtually only hope for survival. Everyone but the people who had worked beside the Autobots cheered as they were launched into the air, heading away from Earth. They might as well have committed suicide.
Dylan was dialing a phone in the luxury helicopter. Lindsey glared out the window, worried. She couldn't hear who was on the other side of the call. "I always get what I want, Sam" she looked at him in surprise, "We just needed to be sure" Sure of what? Both humans wondered, but Sam was the only one to say it aloud.
"That they would go without a fight"
Lindsey sobbed as she realized what he meant. "We all work for the Decepticons now" Dylan said over her crying.
Chicago
Sam ran to catch Simmons, holding out his phone. "I need you to track a phone call. There's a man on this phone. He's the head of their human operations and he has Lindsey hostage" Sam finally told Simmons.
Dutch grabbed the phone.
She was led into a penthouse like area. "I want you to sit down. Don't move" Lindsey tried to stay calm. Stress was not good for her right now. There were staff everywhere and Dylan was off on his phone.
"The call was placed en route. I'm hacking into the phone's camera now" Dutch told them at the base. "There, that's it! That's a live stream from the camera" Dutch said, pointing to the screen.
"Someplace…hold on. I can triangulate this. Okay, it's Chicago cell sites. There, I've got it. Trump Tower, Chicago. Lower penthouse" Dutch announced.
"I'm going" Sam said firmly. "You're sure?" Simmons asked.
"She's put everything on hold for me. She has been there for us for six years. It's time I do something for her, and I can be there in 15 hours" Sam stated.
"You're not going alone" Sam looked over to see Epps. "Like you said, Lindsey had always been there for us. Year after year, every time there was trouble with the Decepticons, or even in everyday life. It's about time we were there for her"
Epps led Sam out to his car. "I still got my NEST friends out there. I'll round them up, we'll find Linds, we're gonna bring this guy in"
Dylan dragged Lindsey with him everywhere. When he picked up the…thing…for his 'bosses' she was there in the elevator with him. This was the only time she would see him alone.
"They said they were here for our resources, to rebuild their planet" Lindsey mused. "Yes, but really one resource in particular. One unique to our planet" Dylan told her. "Us" Lindsey figured out. Her hand automatically went to her stomach.
"Why do you keep doing that?" Dylan snapped. "Surely after six years you'd be over the urge to puke at ever evil deed"
"Would you relish the thought of the unborn baby inside you dying?" Lindsey snapped before she could think. Dylan looked shocked. "You're pregnant?' he asked. Lindsey nodded. "Just over a month along. I was going to tell everyone Saturday, at your party. I was going to tell you I would need a few months off in about eight or nine months" tears started falling down her face.
Dylan sighed. He had to admit, he liked Lindsey. He didn't like working for the Decepticons. And he had meant his promise to Sam. "I'll do everything I can to keep you, and your baby, safe" he promised.