Author note: I apologize for the lateness of this chapter but what can I say, life happens and I had finals.
Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers!
Disclaimer: I do not own transformers.
Kaden was barking again, honestly no large surprise for a guard dog, but for once Anna wished he would just, excuse her French, shut up so she could get some continuous sleep. Ever since she had touched Barricade's arm to complete the 'circuit' so the Allspark could heal him, she had been feeling like slag. For a while she had been able to blame her soreness and over all tiredness on the cheap bed and rough handling of being flung around like only a small organic can around large alien robots. But now it felt like a cold had settled itself into her limbs creating an impressive headache in its wake.
"Why can't you get this blasted canine to cease function of its vocal cords?" A cranky medic shouted her near exact thoughts.
If there was one thing she learned about Ratchet during her time in the med bay it was he had a secret nickname besides The Hatchet and that would be Captain Obvious. Anna flipped her pillow over her head and pressed her face against the coils she could feel through the mattress. The ear buds to her now working IPod dug into her ears with the pressing fabric and only added to her pounding head. She swore the floor or a nice cold slate of metal would have been more comfortable.
Barricade was right as rain, or about as right as he could get in the brig. The night she had watched a movie with Wheeljack and the two sets of twins he had been taken to the brig and locked up now that he was cleared as 'medically sound'. At the moment the 'con was fairly calm, which was a first. His presence was becoming a constant drone in the back of her mind, much like a constant buzz or ring in her ear which, like a horse with a saddle, eventually forgets that it's even there.
Their telepathic connection hadn't been touched on very much and Anna wasn't about to start exploring with it, as long as he left her alone she would leave him alone. She hadn't told Ratchet or anyone else about the new anomaly and she would like to keep it that way. The less others fussed over her unknown condition the easier it was to let her mind wander to other things and completely forget the present.
Kaden's bark echoed through the room making her groan with annoyance and throbbing pain. There was no way she was going to fall back asleep now so in a flurry of thin sheets she sat up and glared at Ratchet with a full glorious crown of bed head.
"Can I take him outside, now?" she growled.
"For Primus' sake! Fine! Just let me call an Autobot down here, I need to finish my work." His exasperation turned to grumbles as he went back to shifting through his giant data pad.
It seemed even the ever impatient and unyielding Hatchet had his limits. True to his word, just as Anna was finishing up her morning routine the medical bay's door opened causing Kaden to bark shrilly and Ratchet to audibly growl.
"Having a few problems doc?" Wheeljack asked with a bright smile of his optics.
Anna opened the cage door a crack and strained against the muscled dog to snap a leash onto his brown collar. She wrapped the looped rope around her hand a couple times before letting him out where his claws clacked frantically against the slick metal. He scratched it trying to find purchase but only managing to slide around with sprawled legs.
"Just get that infernal canine out of here before I blast a hole through its vocals!"
"Over my dead body!" Anna snapped back fiercely.
Ratchet glared at the young woman who was halfway down the stairs already.
"Out!" he barked causing Anna to give him a hard stare.
She let Kaden drag her after Wheeljack as the dog seemed intent on attacking his pedes all the way out onto the tarmac. It was a weekend so thankfully not very many people were milling about allowing her to let Kaden mostly have free rein and sniff whatever he desired. She cared next to nothing when he decided to mark a few building sides and tires. In fact it made her smirk a bit and pat him on the back with a few 'good boy's.
Now that Kaden wasn't caged in a small space he considered Anna was his only territory. So as long as Wheeljack kept a reasonable distance then the mech was safe from snapping jaws though the dog still threw cautious glances up at everyone in the vicinity.
"Never changes, does he? That canine is fiercer than a sparkmate to you," Wheeljack commented.
"Sorry what?" Anna asked through a half daze of imagining angry officials when they found their vehicles marked. She still heard him quite clearly though.
Over eighteen years of with living with Uncle Jack, even as a hologram, he had his slip up moments of saying strange things, all of which she was just now beginning to recognize as cybertronian phrases. Now that she knew their origins she was particularly interested in the real meanings behind them now that they could be openly explained. She had heard Wheeljack comment in passing when her parents were still together that the two of them were sparkmates or sometimes bondmates.
Being the ever bright and knowledge thirsty 'bot he was, Wheeljack was more than happy to explain. "Sparkmates are two transformers that have what you humans would call marriage but it's quite different and much more complex. For one, it's a permanent bonding with no way of being reversed once it's done like what your parents did. Two transformers will bind their sparks together until they beat as a single unit and literally become two parts of a whole, essentially sharing their existence with each other in a bond stronger than anything else in this universe."
It sounded a bit cliché and an answer to every woman's dream but Anna couldn't help the icy rock she felt sinking into her gut. Anna had to stop where she was much to Kaden's displeasure who kept trying to tug her toward an increasingly interesting looking gray Hummer tire.
"Is that like, what I have with Barricade?"
Wheeljack stopped also and Anna didn't miss the look of sheer horror on his face.
"I-that. Pit no! That Decepticon might have implanted a shred of his spark in you but that doesn't mean you're bonded! It's not your spark Anna, your…essence is still your own. But, I swear on my spark that I will do everything I can to find a way to safely extract the abomination from your frame."
She was stunned at how strongly his words came and could see the sheer determination in his optics. It warmed her with relief like warm blanket on a long cold night to hear someone pledging so full heartedly that they would try to help her through the mess. He was the first one to offer any kind of sincere help or comfort and that meant more to her than he would ever know.
She gave him a slight smile. "Thank you Uncle Jack."
Being outside and just walking around with Wheeljack was doing wonders to her body and mind. The hot sun which had few clouds to compete with felt nice against her skin and helped clear her head a bit. Kaden was also looking thoroughly happy with himself. His massive longue lulled far out of his mouth and his anxious pace was slowing down to a comfortable trot with calm sniffs in between.
Every now and then Anna could peak the blue ocean out from between the fence and natural curve of the land. She found herself wanting to put on a swimsuit and dive in but she knew there was a fat chance of that ever happening.
"So where have you been all this time?" she asked out of the blue.
Wheeljack had no trouble picking up her question. "I had to report to Prime and update him on the last fifty years then he gave me a full diagnostic of the last two years. I still can't believe I never knew they were here. Even Megatron had been on this planet, I should have been there to help them!" he said angrily. Anna glanced up at him with concern. She couldn't even imagine would it would be like to be completely ignorant that her friends were within reach after over fifty years of being separated from her own species.
She felt a hot rush from his vents as he quickly steadied himself. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to spend very much time with you," he said sincerely.
Anna gave a short laugh. "No biggy. I was just wondering. Did you get a new paint job?"
Wheeljack gave a subtle twitch and used a human habit he had picked up a long time ago by rubbing the back of his head creating a slight grating noise.
"It can't be that bad." Anna teased.
"Don't be mad but the government thought it would be better if I changed my alt form and Prime agreed. I know you really like trucks but I kind of went for a different model. I can change it if you don't like it."
Anna couldn't believe he was so flustered and gave him a broad smile. He was a living being so she couldn't say she owned him, if he wanted to change his alt mode he was more than welcome to do so.
"Don't be ridiculous. Can I see what you chose?"
"We'll…Promise you won't laugh?"
Anna gave him an incredulous look and wondered if he would turn into a smart car or a minivan, but she couldn't see his girth fitting into something like that.
Kaden jumped in surprise and barked sharply Wheeljack's parts began to shift and he folded forwards with glossy white plating moving in over exposed wires. Anna had to drag the Doberman forwards to admire Wheeljack's new alternate mode with an audible gasp.
"Wow Jack. What made you think I wouldn't like this? I personally think it fits you pretty well. A lot better than a truck actually," she grinned.
He had transformed into a white Audi R8. Anna touched a silver Autobot symbol that was just above his front tire and noted that it was the first time he really displayed his faction in plain sight.
"You really think so?" he asked from outside speakers she couldn't see.
"Heck yes! I love it!"
Kaden walked up and sniffed the tire then began turning on his side.
"Kaden, bad dog. Don't mark Uncle Jack." She scolded and yanked him back before the damage could be done.
Wheeljack laughed full heartedly as the dog sneezed against the sudden yank.
"So this is where you've been."
Anna's heart chocked for a second before speeding up. Approaching them like an ant crawling out of the woodwork was none other than John, her mom's insane husband. How had she not noticed his approach?
"Where I've been is none of your business. What do you want?"
Kaden let out a warning snarl displaying an impressive show of fang that mirrored Anna's exact thoughts. John wisely kept his distance and eyed the Doberman with a wary glance of reproach.
"Now don't be like that. I came to apologize."
Anna eyed him carefully. "What makes you think I would believe you?"
He dropped his eyes and stared at Wheeljack with interest.
"I was in a panic and I wasn't thinking right."
"Damn straight you weren't," she snapped, feeling her previous mood returning.
He met her eyes again. "You're mother wouldn't like you using that kind of language."
"Don't start treating me like a child and certainly don't start acting like you're my parent because you're not!"
He shifted his eyes again and stared at a building in the distance.
"We'll I did marry your mother."
"But I wasn't in any part of that package. I was living with my dad. I don't have any association with you."
"It's true we never got to spend any time together and I'm sorry for that. I want to make it up to you say, over a cup of coffee? Maybe some pizza?"
John took a step forwards with a gestured outstretched hand and Anna took a step back towards Wheeljack until her leg hit his front bumper.
"Don't start acting like you know me," she warned.
John let out a long sigh that was barely heard over Kaden's sharp bark. "Look. I know those robots have been manipulating you, especially that white and black one. I want to help you out. The EA really want you it's just…"
Anna would have literally jumped his throat if it wouldn't have landed her in jail, speaking of; she wondered why John wasn't in jail. "The EA? Did Tyler set you up to this?"
He looked immediately confused. "Who's Tyler?"
Wheeljack's powerful engine roared startling both of them and sent Kaden off with an alarmed series of barks and snarls that drew the attention of several passer-byes down the tarmac. Anna would have tried to quiet the Doberman but she knew nothing would get him to stop once he was riled up.
The distracted soldiers immediately scrambled when a massive black topkick blew its impressive horn and easily made a clear path for itself towards them. John started like a mouse and began running away from the oncoming truck but it swerved around in front of him and cut off his escape.
Ironhide transformed so close to the small man that John had to dance around to avoid being squashed by a heavy foot and a smashing arm as his body unfolded. When Ironhide's head came into view his optics were such a light blue they were almost white. He rolled his cannons forwards with a subtle whirr of mechanics as they began to turn and glow with blue and orange.
"Where do you think you're going human?" he ground out dangerously.
"I-Well I-uh," John stuttered.
"Out with it!"
Anna's shoulders twitched in a subtle jump at the ferocity in each of Ironhide's words. Normally she wouldn't be worried but this time he really did look like he would kill John, which she was all for, but it would probably land him permanently in the brig.
Wheeljack backed out from under her to a safe distance and transformed which drew John's wide-eyed attention but didn't even make Ironhide twitch.
"Ironhide don't. You'll regret it trust me," Wheeljack tried to coax before his parts had even finished aligning under his shifting plating.
The weapon-toting mech tensed his shoulders and growled, "He tried to offline Annabelle. I want to know why the humans are just letting him run around and why he's within a hundred feet of my charge."
Anna rubbed her bruised and still sore neck on instinct and watched Wheeljack cautiously approach the furious soldier.
A powerful engine rattled with the deafening rumble of a diesel that caused Anna's heart rate to spike and pull in conflicting directions. Optimus Prime drove at a normal speed towards them until he came to a hissing stop and transformed to his impressive height. Instead of barking his fool head off, Kaden feel silent and Anna could visibly see the hackles on his neck rise.
"Ironhide what is the meaning of this?" the leader asked in his aged and commanding voice that made Anna shiver.
Optimus had said the Allspark reacted to the matrix in his chest which she could certainly tell by the negative tug of Barricade's spark both in her and across the bond but she wasn't sure that completely explained her strange phobia. It was also like her instincts were coiling against his presence telling her to watch him for any unnatural behavior like the way she would feel when seeing a cheery politician or a strange man walking calmly on the streets who did nothing but send all of her internal alarms blaring. Something in her screamed to simply watch out and not completely turn her back.
"This glitch should be in the brig." For emphasis Ironhide shoved his cannons closer to John's face.
"Stand down," Optimus ordered sharply.
The weapon specialist growled, never deviating from his aggressive posture, even as he reluctantly turned off his cannons and rolled them back into place.
"Optimus, this is Annabelle's step-father and he attacked her on our return flight. We want to know why he's not in human custody," Wheeljack quickly explained with a clipped tone.
The Autobot leader glanced down at the cowering man then looked sternly at Anna.
"Can you confirm Wheeljack's claim?"
She nodded cautiously.
Optimus took a couple long strides forwards which Ironhide respectfully stepped back from to allow the leader full access to John. Normally Optimus would kneel when speaking to a human but this time he remained standing at his full thirty and a half feet. "Sir, what is your name?"
"J-John," he nearly choked.
"John. You need to come with me so we can sort this issue out with your human officials. You as well, Annabelle Swift."
Anna felt a rock plummet to the bottom of her stomach. "Me?"
Optimus gave her a curt nod, "If you wish to testify against him you need to be present."
She chewed her lip for a second but finally said, "Ok."
Optimus transformed, startling John, and popped open his passenger door for the man to get in.
Anna heard Wheeljack's hydraulics hiss as he leaned down and she turned around to his confront close face with her own pleading eyes.
"It'll be ok. I'm right behind you."
He extended a finger and pushed her gently towards Optimus who was idling patiently a few feet away. Anna felt another rock fall through her intestines. She was going to have to sit in his cab.
Anna walked around Wheeljack, pulling Kaden along, and tied his leash to the chain link fence. She couldn't very well let him hop into Optimus Prime and this way she would have an excuse to leave early.
"You be good," she quietly told him then as if she were walking on a bed of hot coals she cautiously approached the flamed semi and looked up into his cab where John was seated and staring down at her. Wasn't it a bit dumb to place her in a small space with the man who wanted to kill her?
She sucked in her fears and jumped into tall truck while John scooted over to the driver's side. Optimus' door shut by itself and Wheeljack and Ironhide transformed into their vehicular modes to follow as their leader began rolling forwards.
Anna sat straight as a board against the unnaturally plush leather seating and could only focus on the hammering of her heart. She wanted nothing more than to bolt right out of the moving alien vehicle that looked so normal on the inside. Well it would have looked normal if it weren't for all of the custom chrome and painting that matched his exterior. She found it odd that the way he decorated himself would suggest a rowdy individual who drove fast and made rude gestures at passer-byes.
"What is wrong with you, human?"
Anna twitched in a near jump as Barricade's irritated voice growled through her subconscious. It seemed her "dysfunctional emoticons" as Barricade called them, had finally gotten on his last nerve.
Concentrating her thoughts to focus words she replied, "Optimus freaks me out," she said truthfully.
Barricade made a barking laugh and Anna could feel the pure amusement behind it. "I thought all you humans bowed down to his feet."
"Hey, don't clump me with 'other humans'," she snapped automatically.
"Yet you are still a human."
"Do you want me to start calling you an Autobot?"
"Don't you even dare try to compare me with those pit-spawned glitches," he snapped sharply.
"All right...Touché," she unintentionally added.
"Don't think I didn't hear that."
Anna had the strangest urge to stick her tongue out at him but she knew it would only make her look like a fool in the silence of the cab which oddly didn't feel so oppressive anymore.
Optimus slowed his speed and turned into a hanger which was sparsely populated by a few maintenance crews and conversing higher ups. He parked in the middle of the concrete floor and opened his massive doors in what Anna took as a silent command to get out. She hopped to the ground just her two guardians pulled in and both of them immediately began transforming with Optimus soon following after John warily made his way to the edge of the room.
Anna shot the timid man a cautious glance, wondering if he was about to bolt out of the room, it would serve the coward right.
"Optimus? What can I do for you?" Lennox' familiar voice echoed about the room as he trailed down the cat walk to come closer to the shifting Autobots.
"It appears we have a security problem," Optimus replied, his head still towering five feet above the human.
Lennox furrowed his brows, "Decepticons?"
The extraterrestrial leader shook his head, "I'm afraid not. This man had been accused of attacking Annabelle swift and his presence is stirring problems with my Autobots." He flicked his brilliant optics down to John who froze against the wall as if pinned by the gaze.
Lennox scrutinized the man from his perch and tried to make out his facial features from so far away.
"I put him in the brig a few days ago. The soldiers who brought him in said he was dangerous and he had been belligerent towards me. There's no reason why he should be freely roaming the base. I never heard of him attacking anyone though. Is Anna here?"
Optimus gave a curt nod and bent down to extend a hand towards the young woman. She hesitated but climbed into his large palm which made an uncomfortable jolt race through her nerves making her entire body twitch. The rush she felt while being lifted thirty feet in the air made butterflies flutter through her stomach but it was over quickly when he held his palm over the cat walk. Anna jumped out of his palm as quickly as she was able and Lennox barely had time to catch her to prevent her from face planting on the ground below.
"Slow down there cowgirl," Lennox said lightly which made Anna blush for making herself look like a fool.
"Look at me girl. I need you to tell me everything you know about this man," he said suddenly serious.
Anna sucked in a deep breath then said, "He's my step-dad who's a coward, total jerk, and he tried to strangle me to death on the plane ride back up here. And I think he's joined the whacked out EA group you have running around here."
Will shot the frozen man several stories below a glare then turned his attentions back on Anna.
"What is the EA group?"
Anna blinked, surly he would have known about the vocal group that had tried to recruit her twice already. "They're some group who claims to be a part of the government who thinks the Decepticons and Autobots should leave our planet."
Lennox frowned. "Where did you hear about them?"
Anna crossed her arms protectively over her chest. "Two of their members have already tried recruiting me for unknown reasons even though I keep turning them down."
"And they are on the base? Who's a part of it?"
She pointed down at John. "I think he's in it. I know Tyler's is. And that stupid delusional old man who in my opinion should be locked away in a psycho ward."
"Old man?" he asked in confusion.
Anna grimaced, "The nuts old guy that was on the carrier who calls the transformers monsters. I don't know his name."
Lennox crossed his arms and looked to the impressive leader. "Optimus? Would you be so kind and bring John up here as well."
Optimus obliged by bending down and presenting his palm to the silent middle aged man. John stared at the appendage like it was about to swallow him up and pressed closer into the wall as if hopping to phase through it.
"Don't be afraid," Optimus gently coaxed.
John shook his head and scooted a foot to the right.
"You down there! Comply with Optimus or you will be automatically seen as guilty and be sent to the brig!" Lennox' harsh demand seemed to do the trick because John promptly scampered into the palm. An unmanly yip escaped his throat when Optimus lifted him to the catwalk and the Autobot leader not so carefully dumped the man in front of Lennox and Anna.
"You have some explaining to do bud. First of all, tell me the truth. Did you attack Anna with the intention of harming her?" Lennox quickly laid out.
"N-no."
"Liar!" both Wheeljack and Ironhide interjected.
"I watched him pounce Anna and try to crush her trachea!" Wheeljack clipped with his optics flickering an icy blue.
"This questioning is unnecessary. Let me terminate the varmint now," Ironhide growled while rolling his cannons forwards.
Optimus responded sharply, "Stand down, Ironhide. What is with you? You know we don't harm humans."
The weapon-toting guardian 'humphed' and disengaged his plasma cannons.
Lennox frowned and marched up to John, forcing the startled man to stumble backwards until he hit the railing and Lennox grabbed aholt of his shirt, jerking the man upwards to be inches from his face.
"You listen to me and you listen good. You are going to tell me the truth or so help me I will let Ironhide blast your ass all the way to Beijing."
John couldn't nod in fear of cracking heads with the Major and he didn't answer either but a thick trickle of sweat was starting to run down his forehead.
"Why did you attack Anna?" Lennox demanded with an air of authority Anna hadn't seen from him before.
"S-she's a crazy ass bitch that's why!"
There was movement from the transformers and deafening rev of engines but Lennox didn't deviate his intense blue eyes and pushed the man harder into the railing for emphasis. "What is the EA?"
"The Earth Alliance!" John shouted angrily.
"And?"
"And they want to get rid of the Autobots!"
"They're on the base correct? Who is the ring leader?"
"Galloway!"
There was a pregnant pause in the room save for John's heavy breathing. Lennox backed off only a little but his grip tightened on the small fuming man.
"I'll personally take this man to his new quarters. Optimus, I'm calling an officers meeting at 17:00 hours and I would appreciate it if you would attend."
"I will be there Major Lennox. You can count on it."
Will nodded and began dragging John tightly by his arm.
"Where are you taking me? You can't do this!" John tried digging his heals into the metal but Will merely shoved him forwards causing the man to stumble.
"Be quiet!" Will snapped.
Anna watched them go and only minutely realized she was gripping the railing with white knuckles. Galloway, the one who brutally tried to tear open Barricade's chest just to get at his spark, was at the head of the EA group. He was the guy who made Tyler delusional, let the crazy old man loose, and fed John's lunatic side.
"Anna, come on lets go get Kaden."
She looked at the large waiting hand of Wheeljack and looked past him to Ironhide who was staring intently after the two disappeared men.
"Ok." She climbed into his offered hand and he curled his fingers around her dangling legs and lifted her all the way to his warm chest.
"I knew that human was trouble from the start," Ironhide stated.
Wheeljack tilted his head to see the mech behind him. "John?"
Ironhide took a step towards the hanger door and Wheeljack followed. "Galloway," the weapon-toting mech corrected. "Lennox often told me how he didn't trust the new liaison. I didn't like him either."
"I see," Wheeljack said mildly and stepped out of the hanger with Anna still cradled close to his spark chamber.
Anna couldn't believe how people seemed to be gravitating towards this man so strongly, or rather the group he had created. But when she thought about it it only seemed natural for some people to fear and completely hate all transformers, they were aliens after all. Anna nearly felt like a hypocrite calling the group insane because didn't she feel exactly the same way they did? Just maybe not in the same extreme as sounding brainwashed and believing every rumor spoon fed to her.
"Look, Kaden missed you," Wheeljack announced making Ironhide grimace.
Wheeljack lowered Anna to the ground and allowed her to slide off his palm a few feet in front of her frantically barking Doberman who was wagging his stump of a tail in greeting. She pet his smooth head warmed by the costal sun and received an attacking tongue bath until she pulled away to untie his leash from the fence.
"Say. Do either of y'all know where I could find a phone?"
Wheeljack's fins quickly lit up. "I'm sure we could find one. Who do you plan on calling?"
Anna looped the leash around her hand a couple times for better grip and looked up at her Uncle Jack. "I just think mom should get an update on what's going on. I mean we kind of left her hanging in the wind."
"I know where to find one."
Ironhide surprised her by stepping forwards and transforming then opening his door in wait. Anna got in without hesitation, Kaden jumping in behind her, and seated herself in the black interior she found strangely welcoming. He took off down the tarmac with Wheeljack transforming on the move behind them. Apparently she was going to be stuck with both of her guardians for the rest of the day; at least they weren't fighting, yet.
They maneuvered around the scant groups of people with relative ease seeing as the day was going fairly slow and not much work was being done. A couple groups were drilling while others moved a few crates from trucks into buildings but for the most part the tarmac was empty. Most people opted to stay inside where it was less than a hundred degrees.
Ironhide parked next to a relatively small building labeled as simply 'Mail' that Anna hadn't been in before. She opened Ironhide's door and waited for Kaden to jump out before doing the same. Ironhide transformed and rolled his shoulders as if they were stiff. "There's a phone inside. Just ask whoever's on duty for it."
"How did you know where a phone was?" Wheeljack asked after transforming.
"Lennox uses it often to call his family unit," Ironhide answered easily.
"Thanks 'Hide. I won't take long," Anna said with a wave and walked inside with Kaden trailing close to her leg.
The building was one story and the moment she stepped through the entrance she was greeted with a gray room dominated by a small desk. Behind it a middle aged man was leaned back comfortably in his chair with both feet propped on the desk while reading a newspaper. When the door snapped shut behind her the man casually peeked his eyes over the newspaper. He eased his feet onto the ground and folded his paper neatly before placing it on the desk in front of him.
"What can I do for you young lady?" he asked good-naturedly and only gave Kaden a passing glance.
"I was told you had a phone here."
"Of course I do. Just down that hallway to the right. There are instructions posted on the wall but if you need any help don't be afraid to ask."
She was surprised how mellow and civil he seemed even though she had a guard dog bumping against her legs. It was nice to have a conversation with a normal person who for once wasn't all high strung.
"Thank you," said appropriately and led Kaden down the hallway.
The building was quite save for Kaden's clicking claws and Anna blew a large sigh into the air before yawning. She really wasn't feeling up to par and since it was getting later in the day and her heightened fatigue was dragging her down a bit more than usual. The hallway was lined with a few cubby holes made for moderate privacy and each one had a phone in it. She stopped at the last one and looped Kaden's leash over the edge of the cubical. It wouldn't really hold him if something set him off but it might be enough to trick his dog mind into thinking she still had control of him and thus he wouldn't try wandering off.
As promised there were directions posted inside the cubby's back wall that told her how to use the satellite phone. It was blocky and not something she was used to but after a minute she had it down pat and the phone was ringing in an attempt to locate her mom's cell phone. The hailed older woman picked up after the fifth ring.
"If this is a solicitor you can just take whatever you're selling and shove it back down your throat."
Anna snorted, "Really nice mom."
"Annabelle is that you? Oh my gosh I'm so sorry."
"It's fine. I know this thing probably doesn't have a recognizable I.D."
"How are you feeling? What did the doctor say?"
Anna quietly sighed before saying, "I'll live. Not glowing or anything but I don't know when I can come home."
"Are you sure? You sound a little horse."
Anna couldn't help but touch her neck. "It's probably just the reception. Calls drop like crazy here."
"Oh, well, the random gunner was never found though the police are still trying to investigate. When can you and John come home? Your computer and raggedy old wolf are waiting for you," she teased.
"Mom," Anna groaned. "I told you I don't know. But there's something you might want to know about John."
"What did that man do now? Not that he ever does much in the first place."
Harsh, Anna thought, but couldn't help a temporarily smile anyways.
"He kinda, sorta, tried to choke me to death and I think he's officially lost it."
There was a short unnerving silence on the other end before the inevitable explosion. "He what? He choked you? This better not be a dramatization or a prank young lady."
Anna sucked in another breath, "No, he literally got pissed, jumped me, and tried to friggin strangle me to death. He's locked up in the brig right now because of it."
"John did that? But he-wait until I get my hands on him! Are you ok? I'll divorce his ass if there's one mark-"
"I'm fine! I told you that already. Besides, Uncle Jack is here," Anna cut her off.
There was a heavy drawn out sigh on the other end as her mom tried to compose herself. "Ok. Fine. Let me know when you're coming back and if he tries to lay one hand on you-"
"I'll let you know, don't worry."
"I love you sweetie you know that right?"
Anna could have choked with surprise if she had been drinking something. "Yeah, love you too mom."
"Call me again if you can."
"I will," Anna assured.
"Love ya."
"You too."
Anna hung up the phone and put it back into place with a deep sigh. It was going to be tons of fun trying to get her life back together whenever she went home, if she could ever get that far. Kaden, who had been comfortably lying at her feet, lifted his head up and growled softly. Anna turned her head and scowled at the young adult she recognized approaching from the other end of the hall.
"Anna! There you are!"
Tyler quickened his pace causing Kaden to bolt into a standing position with an aggressive bark.
"What do you want?" she deadpanned but could feel her heart rate increasing uncomfortably.
Tyler stopped just short of being bit when Anna scrambled to catch Kaden's leash as he attempted to tackle the seemingly aggressive human approaching his master. "You have to get out of here! The EA's been found out and the place is going to blow!"
"What?" she snapped.
"The Autobots found out about the EA sooner than we thought they would so we have no choice but to put our plan into action now. You have to come with me!"
He stepped forwards with an outstretched hand in an attempt to grab her but Kaden leapt up with a snap of his jaws causing Tyler to jerk back.
"You're going to blow up the base?" She asked with widened eyes.
"We don't have a lot of time! You have to come with me to the safe room!"
"Are you nuts?" She barked and backed away from his advance, only to bump into the wall. She was trapped.
"Hey what's going on back there?" the older man's voice from the front desk floated from the main room.
"Come on!" Tyler said frantically.
He lunged forwards to grab her but Kaden yanked out of her grip and jumped on Tyler with a feral snarl. Kaden's jaws clamped around the extended arm, puncturing the skin easily, and his powerful spring sent the brown haired man flat on his back with a startled cry of pain. Anna pressed herself closer to the wall as her Doberman grappled with her former friend in a frenzy that she knew would end in a dead human if she let it continue. His jaws came down among the flurry of limbs, painfully tearing flesh until Anna heard a snap and a yowl of pain from Tyler.
She panicked and felt her heart flutter unnaturally through her anxiety and Barricade's voice filled her head at a highly unwelcome moment. "Human! If there isn't something seriously wrong with you then I'm going to tear your fragging-"
"Shut up! Shit!" she screeched frantically at him and at the same time to no one in particular.
There was a loud bang and a pained yelp from Kaden that made her heart freeze and her ears ring. She watched the dog her dad had given to her as a puppy fall limp over Tyler's harshly breathing chest and felt her insides clench. He pushed the Doberman off his mauled body with his good arm that held a handgun pointed straight at the ceiling then used it to cradle his limp and mangled left arm.
"Kaden! You fucking bastard!" she cried out in rage and lunged at him.
Tears were already streaming down her face as she tried to grapple the hand that held the pistol in an attempt to take control of it. Tyler swung his arm around in an attempt to block her then used the momentum to knock her back and onto the still body of her deceased companion.
"Damn you!" she screeched in a torrent of furry and tried to attack him again.
Tyler had just barely enough time to stumble to his feet and yell, "Wait!" before there was a massive tremble of the ground that knocked him over. Anna stumbled but managed to latch onto him and once again tried to wrestle for the gun. She grabbed at his arm which was aimed behind his head while trying to reach over his body for it, making sure to kick every inch of him she could. His trigger finger slipped twice releasing two more deafening shots down the narrow hall.
There was loud crash like a wrecking ball behind her as concrete flew but she didn't pay any attention in her mad struggle for the gun but it made Tyler look. It was just the leverage she needed to knee him in the stomach and twist the weapon out of his hand. Tyler gagged in a spasm that made his grip momentarily weak and in the next second he found his own gun pointed straight at his face.
She pulled the trigger and he forced his eyes shut but nothing happened beyond a dead click. Anna screamed in frustration and thought about bashing his head in with a pistol whip but instead threw the useless gun against the wall with every bit of energy she had. Blue energy crackled around the gun lying on the floor making it shiver before the firearm transformed into a miniature transformer with blood red optics.
"Why!" she yelled at Tyler through a blinding curtain of tears.
He opened his mouth but only a yell of surprise ripped through it as a metal fist slammed through the roof and onto ground just above his head in a shower of crumbling concrete. Anna scrambled back automatically and that's when she saw the miniature transformer chattering incoherently as it aimed its arm at her which was a barrel of a gun. Her eyes widened when a large white metal hand smashed through the wall behind her, unknowingly crushing the new born transformer, and disappeared back outside.
She leapt up and dashed for the impressive hole, stumbling over the ruble, and fell into a pair of waiting palms that scooped her up. The owner encased her and brought her up so fast a wave of nausea washed over her and her bowls threatened to purge themselves.
The hands spread apart just enough to leave her cupped between them and the owner's chest and she could see Wheeljack's frantic face looking down at her.
"Annabelle! Are you alright? Speak to me!"
A sob ripped through her throat and she clutched at his chest armor as she cried with uncontrollable tremors wracking through her body. She felt his fingers around her tighten and shift until he was able to stroke his thumb down her back. Wheeljack tried using the conventional human sounds of comfort but he quickly fell into a strange chorus of clicks and warbles that seemed to work better on her as a deep part of her subconscious recognized the sounds.
Her sobs became less and the adrenaline began ware off until all she could do was press herself into his armor while she shook with a wave of fatigue like she had never felt before. Her furry had blown away like a flame snuffed by the wind leaving her with nothing but nerve shattering fear. In the absence of her blind rage she could feel Barricade's spark beating hotly against her heart in its own rhythm and the 'con radiated a fierce anger that threatened to swallow her whole.
"Quit moving you fragger or I'll blast your head off!" Ironhide roared from his crouched position over the nearly decimated Mail building.
There were soldiers running all around the ground fully armed and shouting at each other.
"Get a medic over here!"
"Someone get Major Lennox!"
"Hey! There's a dead dog in here too!"
Wheeljack flinched but the movement was subtle.
"Jack!" Anna gasped out making her robotic guardian jerk his head downwards.
"What is it?" he asked quickly.
"The EA," she hastily swallowed the collecting fluid in her throat and continued, "is going to blow up the base! I don't know how but we have to stop it!"
His optics flickered and he jolted his head up. "Ironhide! Watch out for explosives!"
~The Brig~
Prowl was leaning against the concrete walls of the brig with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl etched into his denta plates. His optics were dimmed as he stared blankly at the floor but he was still very much online.
Barricade kept one optic on him at all times despite the Autobot's placid position and sat as close to the wall as his door panels would allow. They had been at this for the past few joors which he had to admit was an improvement from nearly a solar cycle before. The Military Strategist had tried time and time again to grill Megatron's whereabouts out of him with that audio grating monotone voice of his. After a slew of insults Barricade found the best way to shut the Autobot up was to not say anything at all.
Everything about the tactician mocked him from the way he glared at him down to his very alt mode. If he could, Barricade would have ripped his spark out and been done with it.
It didn't help that the insufferable human that possessed a fragment of his spark had a glitched emotional processor. He tried to ignore the insect's torrent of mood changes but at times it was near impossible. He had degraded himself to snapping at her through their hardly touched telepathic link a few times just to try and salvage some of his sanity. As soon as he got out of this pit he would find a way to extract his spark from the human and then kill it. Oh how he longed for that day.
Speaking of the glitch, the human's emotions spiked with terror. Barricade was quick to pass it off as the human becoming startled by something menial again but the fear didn't ebb, it grew and grew until his own spark was quickening in response. He growled.
Prowl snapped his head up and gave Barricade a hard stare, noting the stiffening of his posture.
Her anxiety reached its peak and Barricade internally snarled to set her straight for being terrified of nothing. "Human! If there isn't something seriously wrong with you then I'm going to tear your fragging-"
"Shut up! Shit!"
Her frantic yell echoed in his head like a stabbing pain and Barricade jolted upright to clutch his processor.
"Are you malfunctioning?" the tactician asked in seemingly unconcerned monotone.
"To the pit with you," the 'con snarled.
Prowl didn't even flinch but quickly flicked his comm. on to radio Ratchet.
Suddenly, through the fear, rage washed over the human's emotions like a blinding tsunami until it echoed all around Barricade like a waterfall. It threatened to spill over into him like a storm surge and sweep his own emotions into the same raging waters she was experiencing. Never had he felt a rage like this. It was bordering on agonizing. In fact his spark that was in her was throbbing with pain and he could feel it like a thousand energon knives piercing through his chest. The human had to be dying, something was attacking it and that meant he would parish too. No, he couldn't let that happen!
His battle program struggled to over ride the Autobot's firewall giving the 'con a worse processor ache and only fueled his anger. He was trapped, cornered, unable to defend himself without his battle computer. Fury was the only thing he could fall back on.
Barricade leapt to his pedes with a feral snarl and dug his claws into the wall next to him causing the bomb shelter thick concrete to crumble. "Let me out Autobot!"
Prowl's battle systems jumped into action and the SIC watched the suddenly enraged 'con carefully.
Barricade felt his spark calling out to his other half. He desperately wanted to tear apart whatever was attacking the human, the human that possessed a piece of him. He couldn't let anything touch her.
The blinding rage she was emitting suddenly vanished as if it had never been there. It simply melted away until her stolen spark was wavering with terror as if threatening to snuff out. Barricade's anger however was far from subsided after being riled so forcefully. He couldn't control the snarl that ripped from his vocals as his own spark tried to claw its way through their thread thin link to reach its other half. It wanted to swallow her; he wanted to rip something to shreds.
Prowl tried to hail Optimus when the Decepticon grew increasingly hostile. Barricade was unstable and growing angrier by the minute without provocation. The tactition knew he would need back up to subdue the 'con if he escaped.
Optimus never picked up. Instead the white Charger received an emergency message that ordered everyone to be on immediate alert for any kind of explosive. Prowl had hardly finished reading it when the very walls of the underground brig shook with powerful tremors causing the lights to cease function, dousing the room in blackness, and deactivating the glowing security bars.
