Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas! Hope y'all are getting nice presents (if any) I finally got a micro SD card for my phone; 64 gb. That's all . . .

So here's my present to you! See you next year!


Chapter 48

Prowl's door closed behind me, I spared a glance at the room, which wasn't much. It was empty, beside catwalks and a few computers lying around on them.

Prowl transformed behind me and straightened, greeting whoever was here at the base; which seemed to be only Ironhide at the moment. He glared at me, then turned his attention to Prowl, "Prime should be returning in an hour."

"What happened in Chernobyl?"

The Autobot ignored me, until Prowl repeated the question, "We were called in by a human who goes by the name Alexi Voskhod," I flinched, recognizing that name that was seen in a list of humans that know of the Decepticons, "He was found killed. Shot down in his sedan supposedly by Laserbeak."

They're still killing?

"Could it perhaps have been a trap?" Prowl thought out loud, his doorwings twitched downwards.

Ironhide shrugged, "Lennox uncovered something that Optimus finds important. He hasn't replied to any of us since."

The two dispersed after a few more words were exchanged, going their separate ways. Prowl nodded to me, "Find a way to fill in time. If I have to come and get you for any reason, you're not coming to see the Autobots return."

I glanced to Sunny, who just pulled up into the hangar. He transformed and looked around before out gazes met, the golden twin scoffed and skated away. He sure as hell doesn't like me, or maybe that's just the affects of what happened the previous night or Sides being gone.

I decided to chill around base, since there wasn't anything better to do... until a man and a woman busted through the doors. Lennox and some other person I don't know.

"CIA's up my ass about this mystery raid in the Middle East. So it's time to come clean. Was your unit involved?"

Lennox looked uncertain, "Uh, I'm not sure ma'am.

"As director of National Intelligence, I'm a really big fan of intelligent answers," Oh jeez, I rolled my eyes, she's one of these kinds of people.

The Colonel tried to reason with her, "I really can't tell you definitively. Hey Charlese," he waved, then continued walking with the blonde woman, resuming his conversation, "These Autobots are like teenage kids, they like to sneak out of the house every once in a while."

I jumped up from my seat and followed them through the doors.

"This gun is the perfect invention, Ironhide!"

"Right." Wow did he sound unimpressed. I watched as he subspaced it and trailed farther down the hangar.

It was large and crowded in here. It was a giant hangar, not as big as the last base's, and it had many catwalks lining the place. Yellow and black tape lined the room, signifying where humans walk or cars drive, in the center, and the outside, where 'Bots tred.

It was odd how the Health and Human Services office building was turned into this.

One of the new Autobots began speaking to Will and the woman, he was a blue Mercedes, judging by the logo. Sounding just like the one who spoke earlier with Ironhide, "Ah, good, you're here. My name's Que. I do hope you have answers for him. I've never seen him so upset!"

Who's upset? Optimus? I backed off to the side, hoping to go unnoticed, but Lennox caught my eye. He nodded to me, holding a hand to stay put, "Optimus, you remember Charlotte Mearing, our director of National Intelligence?"

I ignored the urge to reel back at her name, trying not to connect my sister with this woman.

Optimus didn't move. Better yet, he stayed in alt. Didn't say a word either.

A red Autobot answered for him in a thick Italian accent, shaking his finger at the two humans, "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today."

"What is this, the silent treatment?"

"We've seen that and this is not that," Ironhide snorted, most likely remembering a time when Optimus did give them the cold shoulder.

"Definitely not!" Que echoed, walking up beside the black mech.

"This is worse," he said gravely before impatiently stomping up to the Peterbilt, snapping and banging his fist down on the cab, "Prime, make something of yourself!" Optimus transformed, and the weapons specialist backed away, "He's pissed."

The Prime shoved his fist into the ground, visage holding anger, "You lied to us! Everything humans know of our planet we were told had all been shared!" he points to a small device lying on a table. It was round and had multiple wires and cables poking out, "So why was this found in human possession?"

Oh hell, he is pissed. I backed up a step, his optics didn't leave Mearing's eyes as she struggled for an answer, "We were left in the dark about this too..."

I stared at the machine on the table as Mearing argued. What had happened in Chernobyl?

Walking up to Sides, who stood a well ways away, I caught his attention. He crouched, "What's up?"

"Chernobyl?"

"Ah, yeah," he glanced at the conversation, before his optics landed back on mine, "We found a piece of the Ark, as Optimus says," he flicks his helm to the Prime, who was explaining was the component was. I almost facepalmed right there, I could've waited for the answer without bugging the silver twin.

"But it seems like something else happened?"

He nodded, "Shockwave and his pet, Driller, I think his name was, appeared," my eyes widened. The Decepticons are making a move if they've got Shockwave out there. I paused, wonder how the sparklings are doing?Men entered the room, looking up at Prime in amazement. One smiled, saying something that didn't quite reach my ears.

My attention was turned back to Sides, who now had Sunny standing next to him, where did he come from? I gestured for the silver Autobot to come closer, he crouched again, "Who are the new guys?"

"Yeah, that's Que and Dino. They work together," his optics lingered on the two.

"Anyone else?"

Sides smiled, "The ship, Xantium. She brought in those two and the three Wreckers; Leadfoot, Topspin and Roadbuster."

"Jeez, we've only been gone for a few weeks and there's already a bunch of Autobot arrivals?"

December 25, 2016, 6:30 pm