CHAPTER 36
Helplessness

Ironhide was easily angered, but even so, he was certain he had never been so angry before in his life. The mere thought of Riley in the hands of a Decepticon mortified, let alone several of them. It was odd to feel this angry, and afraid all at once, the fear almost superseded his anger, almost. But he wouldn't say that he wasn't scared, or waiting impatiently for his abductors to call. "Frag it all!" Ironhide slammed a fist onto the Transformer-sized couch with a fit of anger "At this point, I'll go knocking on every abandoned Decepticon base and find him myself." He growled.

"Ironhide, you need to calm down." Chromia said, attempting to mask her own obvious anger "There's nothing we can do until Optimus gets here, so we just need to relax. Riley's a very strong kid, he'll be okay." Ironhide grunted "I'm worried too, you know. So don't give me an attitude." She snapped.

Ironhide took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself as best he could. He looked down at the ground, then back at Chromia, his optics filled with sadness. "I really do care about him, even love him." Ironhide muttered "You can't tell me to calm down when someone I consider as close to my spark as a sparkling of my own... Is in the hands of our enemy." He breathed out "Every second that passes by is another second I could be looking for him." He noted.

Chromia nodded her head in understanding, placing a hand on his shoulder gently. Her optics spelled out her own hidden fear for Ironhide, and that might have calmed him down, had he not felt so helpless. Helplessness, that was certainly a new feeling that he most definitely did not like. The sound of a door opening interrupted their conversation as Optimus stepped inside. "Have they called?" Optimus questioned, his own voice filled with panic.

"Nothing. And it's been two hours." Ironhide spoke quietly, standing up as he noticed Mason come up behind him "Who's the human?"

Optimus didn't need to answer the question, the look in his optics spoke volumes. Ironhide shot a look Mason's way with a look that was so dark and intimidating he could see the man cower back a bit. "I don't want him in my house." Ironhide snapped finally "After all he's done to Riley, he doesn't deserve to be here." He noted.

"I came to help." Mason replied.

"You can help by-"

Ironhide caught Optimus's sideways glare and backed off slowly, taking a deep breath into his vents. Though Chromia wasn't even close to being happy about Mason being there either, she simply nodded her head. "Considering the situation, I think we can let bygones be bygones." Her own glare caught Ironhide's optics this time "If you pull one little stunt however..." She muttered.

"Mason only wishes to make things right." Optimus held a hand up "Right now, we have bigger issues than him as-is. Were either of you able to identify to whom the voice belonged?" He questioned.

"Never heard him before in my life. But by the way he was talking, I'd say he's a bounty hunter." Ironhide shook his head "He wasn't afraid to hurt Riley, or kill him if you don't co-operate. Anyone that gave a frag about their captive wouldn't be like that." He crossed his arms a bit, looking him in the optics "He told us to call Riley's phone, or rather for you to." He noted.

Optimus nodded his head slowly, activating his com link quickly, wasting no time, he looked towards them. "Give me a moment alone. I have no doubt they only want me." He started to head for another room as he placed a hand on Ironhide's shoulder and whispered into his audio receptor "I expect Mason to be unharmed when I return, our quarrel is not currently with him." He noted.

Ironhide scowled a bit, watching as the man had a seat on the human sized couch in their den. Ironhide had about a thousand things he wanted to tell the man, none of them nice. But then he caught sight of the man's eyes, and his trembling form and he realized something: The man was just as scared for Riley as they all were. "I'm surprised you even care, yer the one that disowned him." Ironhide commented, stepping forward and setting his hands on the couch for himself and Chromia "What game are you playing Darrow?" He questioned.

"In case you've forgotten, he's my nephew." Mason replied flatly "I should be asking you the same thing. I get why Prime and I care so much. But what's your problem? I thought you were supposed to be Optimus's friend?" He questioned, Ironhide quickly went silent at that one "Well, you wanna mind telling me what's going on there?" He questioned.

"None of yer business."

Ironhide turned his head a bit, making his way towards the kitchen area to mutter a few choice words under his breath. Chromia turned to Mason, whom stared at her calmly. "Forgive him, he's become very attached to Riley the last few weeks. We both have." Chromia explained quietly "Things are tense all-around right now, we're all worried." She took a deep breath "Can I get you anything? We haven't got a lot of human things right now, but-" She began.

"No, I'm fine, m'am, thank you." Mason held a hand up to stop her "I just want to sit here and wait for news. I don't think I'll be able to eat or drink anything until I know he's alive." He looked down at the floor "I know I've made so many mistakes, but don't get me wrong... If something happens to Riley I don't think I'll ever be able to live with myself." he shook his head "The fact that I let it happen..." He said quietly.

Chromia could have said some comforting words, but inside she knew none would help. Because if they did, the four hundred she'd told herself might have done her any semblance of good.

...

The phone had never rang any slower than that day, as Optimus waited for the third time. Inside, he wanted to panic about the fact that no one was answering the phone, but deep down, he knew Riley was alive. If he were dead, they'd have done something, said something by now, Decepticons liked to gloat too much for them not to. On the fourth ring, he at last heard the click. "Hello, Optimus." The sound of Airachnid's voice sent chills through every circuit in his body"I've been waiting for your call." She noted.

"Airachnid." Optimus tried desperately to keep his cool "Where. Is. He?"

There was a cold laugh on the other end, as if she were amused by him. Finally calming herself, she cleared her robotic throat calmly. "Don't worry, he's safe, a little beat up. But I haven't started cutting off limbs yet." Optimus frowned in anger at the mere thought of that threat "He's been crying like a sparkling for the last hour. You really should hear it, should I put the phone against his cell?" She questioned.

"What do you want?"

It was the first time in avery long while that Optimus had frankly lost his patience. He could hear clicking in a "tsk tsk" type of way on the other end, and he knew immediately that even his anger would not intimidate her. "Ah, temper, Optimus Prime. Don't forget, I can kill him at any time if you get too aggressive." She teased, chuckling a little bit "And as for what I want... You and the weapons specialist, alone. I don't care if you're armed because if you fire so much as one blast, I will terminate the boy." She noted.

"And if we do so, you'll let Riley go?"

There was a pause on the other end, Optimus had a feeling that she was thinking of how best to lie. After all, after years of encountering the Decepticon, he without a doubt had learned not to trust a word she said. "Yes, if you hand yourselves over, I'll let the boy free." Optimus was silent at this "Again, if you don't. I'll make sure the last thing you remember of him are his screams of agony as I rip him open." She noted.

"I'll do it." Optimus spoke quietly "Please, just don't hurt him further."

Airachnid chuckled on the other end, satisfied without a doubt in her own personal victory. "That's a good Autobot, you see how easy this goes when you speak nicely?" Optimus had to hold back a scowl at those words "Now, I'll be sending my co-ordinates to your com link. He has twenty-four hours to live. So I'd start moving fast." She commented "I'm still looking for someone to fill the "human" space of my collection, after all."

And with a chuckle, she was gone, the com link had gone silent. For the first time in a long time, Optimus was at a loss for what to do. After all, what could he do? Not only did she have Riley, but she was holding him for some sick form of ransom, and he refused to leave him there. He had no option but to hand himself over, just as he head feared, they had used the boy against him. "Hang in there Riley." Optimus spoke quietly as he made his way out of the room.

All he could focus on was his determination to get Riley back, no matter what it took. He would find Riley, he would bring him home, and he would see to it that Airachnid paid for the trouble she had caused all of them.