CHAPTER 36

When Ironhide returned to the Lennox Home, Ben was lying against the couch, cleaned up as best at they could manage. Ben looked clearly unnerved, Sarah and Will were talking in the kitchen, he guessed about what to do now. Clearly, Ben would be staying until they found a suitable caretaker and this was a matter that did have to be discussed. Ironhide stared at Will for a moment, as if waiting to know if Ben staying was for sure, he simply got a nod. He sighed in relief and carried the things up to the Guest Bedroom, he knew he could count on the Lennox's, yet, he had still felt nervous about throwing Ben on them.

It wasn't that Ironhide wasn't seriously considering taking Ben in, he was. But he needed time to think all of this over. He had only just lost Chromia a year ago, Ben didn't even know he was an Autobot yet, and he didn't know the kid all that well. Heck, a bond hadn't even kicked in quite yet. Ironhide knew that for him, at least, the thought of taking in a human child was something he'd have to think over for quite some time before coming to a decision on. For now, he'd be a friend, which is what he knew the boy needed, just like he had needed one after his time of abuse had been found out by Cybertronian officials. "Hey..." He stated, taking a seat on the couch next to Ben "How are you feeling?" He questioned.

"Better then I was, I guess." Ben muttered.

Ironhide took a deep breath, he knew how this was. When his Father had been imprisoned, he had felt the same way. He had felt like in some odd way he had betrayed the mech, even though he owed him nothing. They both owed their Father's nothing, except maybe a good kick in the groin. He was only happy that he had found out as soon as he had, lest he found out when Ben was in even worse condition. Though something still didn't sit right with him, even now that what he guessed had been the route of his thoughts on the home was handled. He still felt as though he was missing something.

"Sarah's brother has some connections with the police in Tranquility. He's going to see to it the pictures we took get to him." Will interrupted his thoughts a bit, and stared between the two of them "We've been in the Foster Care Program for close to two months now. We weren't expecting to take anyone this early, but it's better then risking your Dad coming after you." He handed Ben an ice pack, clearly for his eye "So you'll be staying with us, at least unless someone steps up to adopt you." He commented, then looked at Ironhide, as if wondering if he'd object, when he said nothing, Will took a deep breath "Point is, you're safe now, just relax. You don't want to move with the damage to your back." He commented.

Ironhide visibly shook with anger at the mention of even more damage that he hadn't seen. He took a deep breath however, and gently moved Ben up, pushing his shirt up slowly. Welts, bruises, and scars lined it, practically covered it to the point that if Ironhide could have purged in his holoform, he would have. "Primus almighty." He breathed, turning his eyes away as he lowered the shirt once more "Frag this, I'm going back and killing that fragging-." He began to stand but Will quickly grabbed his arm.

"Relax Ironhide, Ben's safe, you got him out of there. Going back and doing any more damage then I'm sure you already caused is a lawsuit waiting to happen." Will commented, though he looked just as angry as Ironhide felt.

"Ironhide?"

Ironhide turned his head toward Ben, knowing he'd have to know now. He'd realize something was up when he noticed his alt mode constantly parked in the Lennox's driveway. He took a deep breath, and stared Ben in the eyes, smiling. "I'm not exactly human Ben, you'll learn soon enough. But I'm an Autobot." Ben's eyes widened in surprise at Ironhide telling him this, the mech shook his head a bit "Told you I had a major advantage over your... That..." He couldn't even bring himself to call Ryan a human title "IT." He settled for, he took a deep breath and looked down on him "I do hope you'll forgive me for lying. I did it to protect you from my enemies, the Decepticons." Ben looked at him like he'd been punched in the gut "What is it?" He questioned.

"The Decepticons, are your enemies?" Ben looked at him with wide eyes "My Dad works for a group called the Decepticons."

Ironhide and Will stared at each other in surprise, Ben had not just said what they thought they had. The Decepticons had been working with a human? Could this have been how the Techno Organics were being made? Was his Father supplying them with the means? Both had their own thoughts on the subject, Will stood, and grabbed his jacket before quickly exiting the home, headed as quickly as he could towards the main base. Clearly this was a revelation the other needed to be informed of, at once. "Alright Benjamin, elaborate, what do you know abut the Decepticons?" He questioned.

Ben began to explain it all to Ironhide for close to an hour. He told Ironhide about how Megatron had been by their home close to forty times in the last several years, and how his Father was supplying him with something, though he didn't know what. He told him how Ryan had given him jobs to do whenever Megatron was over, and how both men had treated him like a slave more then a human being. He told him how he'd been forced since he entered High School that year to spy on Robbie by Megatron, and how both he and Ryan had threatened to kill him if he didn't do it.

When Ironhide had heard it all, he slumped back, the rage in his spark was building to lengths he'd never experienced. Ben was just a boy, barely a Freshman in High School, and the Decepticons, as well as his Father had done such a horrible thing to him. If he had known the situation he had been in, he would have gotten Ben out of their sooner. If he had known, they could have avoided Megatron learning things about Robbie, and using a mere child as a slave. For the first time in his life, and it had been a long one, Ironhide felt guilty for something he knew was out of his control. "And you NEVER saw what he was providing Megatron with?" Ben shook his head at Ironhide a bit "The fact he'd use a child to spy on one of our own doesn't surprise me." He growled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know, I-."

"Hey, don't blame yourself, you were being threatened and viciously abused." Ironhide stated, trying to contain his anger as to not make him think he was angry at him "Just relax kid, you're safe now, you're on a base of Autobots. And your Foster Family is sure as Primus going to protect you." He could only imagine what Will would do if Ryan ever came around "We won't judge based on what you did against your will." He added.

Ben turned his head a bit, he didn't know how to take any of this. Now that he knew that the Decepticons were Ironhide's enemies, he didn't fully feel safe. Surely they'd want him dead for telling them all of this. He rubbed his bruise lined arm carefully, he knew he might have just been a worry-wart, but he was scared. Ryan would be furious, and he knew he hadn't seen the last of his Father, no amount of reassurance could convince him otherwise. He felt Ironhide reach forward, and run a hand along his cheek carefully. "I know how you feel, Benjamin. I've been in such a situation before." He motioned toward his bad eye, which even showed in his holoform "In truth, my creator did not leave. He is the reason I have blurred vision in my left optic." He stated calmly "And it is for that reason that I promise you, as long as you're here, he will not hurt you." He added.

Ben cringed a bit as Ironhide felt his black eye, but was thankful for his presence. There was some semblance of a safe feeling around Ironhide, like he could protect him better then anyone else. Taking a deep breath, he laid his head against Ironhide's chest, allowing Ironhide to pull him into his arms. Ironhide wouldn't have done so if anyone else was around, but being they were alone, he'd gladly show his softer side. "It'll be alright Ben." He said quietly, gently rubbing his side in comfort "You're in safe, capable hands, and on a fully guarded base. anyone who'd dare go after you here has a death wish." He noted.

"Thank you."

Ironhide watched as Ben broke down into tears, allowing him to sob into his chest. He knew the boy needed it, and he wasn't leaving. Even with his true form already gone, his holoform wouldn't leave until the boy felt safe.

...

Ironhide had been uncertain of how human Galloway had been until that day. The man had vomited at the sight of the pictures of what had been done to Ben. They wouldn't have even showed them to him if he didn't insist they were making a mistake by allowing a boy whose Father was connected to the Decepticons on base. But as a man who had only a few days been ready to dissect a Techno Organic, the pictures almost seemed to make the man begin to re-think his life. If only a little. "A human being did that and you're all questioning what he's doing with DECEPTICONS?" Galloway questioned, staring between Optimus, Magnus, Ironhide, and Will "Clearly this man is just as fucked up as they are." He noted.

"I already gave him a good thrashing for what had been done to Benjamin. Now that I know just how sick he is, I almost wish I had killed the man myself." Ironhide crossed his arms and stared at Optimus, who seemed completely unnerved "It's all too possible that this man has worked for them for years Prime. Providing them with female eggs in order to create this army of theirs. Who the frag knows where he's getting them. But it all makes sense." He noted, Optimus seemed to nod in agreement "The fact he'd use Ben to spy only makes this worse. How do we know he's the only one being forced to do so?" He questioned.

"Ironhide's right, he's using the black market here on Earth, most likely." Magnus nodded, and stared at the others calmly "The humans he's simply using as long as they're useful. Probably using more kids to spy on Aaron, and Primus forbid, on Jack." Optimus seemed to tense himself at the comment "We need to take immediate action here Prime, we can't keep ignoring this. The more we do, the closer he gets to making that ARMY a reality." He noted.

Optimus looked thoughtful for a few moments, and slowly nodded his head in agreement. "I think it's about time, we got to the bottom of all of this." He turned his head toward Ironhide, who smirked as if knowing what came next "Will you lead the way to the home or Ryan Turner?" He questioned.

Ironhide let one cannon lift from his arm, it twisted, and loaded itself easily. "With pleasure." He answered.