Chapter Twenty-One: Grilled, Well-Done

"PRIME!"

Janus and Arcee jumped at Fowler's voice. Jack laughed and looked at Arcee with a relieved expression on his faceplate and quickly wiped thoughts of Airachnid and Silas from his addled processor. I never thought I'd appreciate one of Fowler's interruptions.

Arcee gave a slight nod as she shivered as the last of the disturbing image evaporated from her mind. Thank Primus; that was horrible!

Optimus simply turned to the monitor. "What seems to be the problem, Agent Fowler?" Optimus let a vent escape as he looked back and motioned for Arcee and Janus to join him. Fowler looked at the pair with a look of shock and mid fear. Optimus noticed this and continued to speak. "Just as you are the link from Humanity to Autobots, Jack and Arcee have been chosen to be Primus' link to Humanity."

Confusion dominated Fowler's face for a moment before the man schooled himself as much as he could. "Prime, I'm en route." Fowler looked nervous which was unexpected. "With all the events that have happened in the past few weeks from Alexis to Miko, I've been extremely selective with my reports to my superiors." Fowler shook his head. "I've been ordered to bring in Jack, June, Raf, and Miko."

The room suddenly seemed to plummet to sub-zero temperatures at Fowler's words. Ratchet dropped a tool with a loud Clang! Optimus moved subtlety to block Fowler's view of the medbay and Elita. Raf could feel his carrier down in the SAFE begin to hit targets harder as the boy's anxiety passed to her. Miko inched closer to the boy in a clear show of trepidation. Bulkhead's frame creaked quietly as his large body tensed for battle. Bee's optics narrowed dangerously. Finally, Alexis racked a round in her M107 and looked at Janus and Arcee with a cold and determined expression as if waiting for confirmation of a kill order.

Fowler pulled at his collar and gulped. "My ETA is twenty minutes. Fowler out."

Janus vented and put his servo in Arcee's. The sound of whispering pedes brought Janus' gaze to the door to the SAFE. He nodded as Soundwave walked into the Ops Center. "Everyone here?" The young Prime asked as he looked around the room to double check his assumption. "Good." Janus then nervously looked at his Sire and Mom. "I have a plan."

When Fowler walked into the Ops Center a little later, he looked exhausted. The man slowly walked down to the main floor and looked at Raf and Miko and motioned for them to come on. When the two didn't move, Fowler sighed. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

Janus glared at the Human. "We're protecting them." The youngest Cybertronian then shook his helm. "Don't you dare try and Nuremberg Defense your way out of this, Fowler." Janus gave Fowler a final look of hurt before he looked at Miko and Raf, nodded, transformed, and opened his passenger door. "Miko, Raf; time to roll."

Once Miko and Raf were secure inside, Jack then turned his attention to Arcee who folded down into her vehicle mode. Before Alexis could get near the two-wheeler, Arcee activated Sadie. Alexis nodded without a word, slung her rifle onto her back, and climbed on June's alt in understanding as Elita's red two-wheeler vehicle mode rolled up to the teenager.

"Let me drive." June said calmly with a clear but quiet discomfort in her tone.

Alexis just nodded as she put on a spare helmet. Watch them from a distance. Alexis reminded herself as Laserbeak flew above the sniper and two-wheeler.

Optimus nodded as Ratchet activated the Groundbridge. "Safe journey, Janus."

With a final faint smile to his Sire, the boy-turned-Prime lead the way for the rest through the Groundbridge.

Once on the other side, Alexis and Arcee swiftly found a hide not far away from the building General Bryce was to meet with the four supposedly Human members of Team Prime. As the four of them -two holoforms, a hybrid, and a Yokai- walked into the doorway, Jack heard his comm ping. With Arcee and Alexis in position, the young Prime felt a good bit of tension leave his body.

As two MPs walked in armed with M-16s, Jack felt the tension return as he moved to stand in front of Miko and Raf. If the MPs noticed, they never showed it. A fit man with a greying buzzcut walked up in Army Dress and looked at Jack with a stern expression. "Step aside, son."

For a moment, Jack didn't move. As he weighted his options, the new Cybertronian felt a calming sensation roll through his Spark and silently thanked Arcee as he slowly moved. Bryce looked at Raf in a moment of confusion that only reached his eyes. "So, tell me about your friends, Raf."

As the door shut, Jack could sense the agitation and fear Raf felt as the door closed behind the man. Bryce has no idea what Hell he just unleashed in Raf.

As Raf sat down in the chair set out for him, he cleared his throat. Then, the boy calmly pushed his glasses up and folded his heads. "Sir, let's two things straight here." The boy looked the general in the eyes as his own optics flashed with visible red for only a moment. "First, my name's Rafael. Friends and family call me Raf. You are neither." The boy shook his head. "Second: The Bots aren't just friends; they're my family."

Bryce stared at Rafael and nodded after a moment. "When did you meet the aliens?"

"My Mama…" Raf said without a second thought. "You probably mean 'When did I get involved in the War?' Am I right?"

Bryce only nodded and logged away the strange "Mama" comment for later. Then, he leaned forward and nodded. "Let's begin there, then."

Raf smiled and told the man of how he met Bee and the rest of the Bots later. Then, Raf began to tell of how he, Jack, and Miko began to get more and more involved with the War as the stakes grew with each mission. Raf smiled when he told of reuniting with his carrier. Of course, Raf omitted some critical details. He painted Bryce a story of an exceptional Human female force fed Cybertronian nanites by Knockout until she changed into a Cybertronian herself, gave birth to the young genius as a result, and gave him to the Esquivels' care. "It was unnerving when I first found out, but I got used to them and grew to love Team Prime as the family I once had but lost."

As Raf rejoined Jack, Miko, and June; he passed a subtle look first to Miko then Jack. Something in Miko growled at the look of pain in RAF's eyes. However, Jack gently held her back and nodded to his Mom.

June walked up and smirked at General Bryce as the Human persona of June faded away, and Elita, Bonded of Optimus Prime, took her place at the front of the femme's processor. "General, how much war have you seen?"

Bryce stood stock still for a moment as screams and gunfire filled his mind. "Ive seen my fair share, ma'am, more than that, I'd say."

Elita nodded. "What would you say if I told you Optimus and I have fought in war for longer than Humanity has been on this planet?"

Bryce clearly startled. "Uh…ma'am?" Bryce asked. "Did the incident with Airachnid break your mind?"

June sighed. "No, she didn't break me." June said calmly. "That wasn't for lack of trying though." Back on Cybertron, Elita felt her Spark cease for a moment as she felt Arcee's pain with the loss of Tailgate. Both sisters soldiered on past the pain and continued to fight harder, Arcee to keep her processor from the pain and Elita in determination to keep something similar from happening to Optimus.

It was that determination that lead her to offline at the servos of that twisted femme. Elita found the Spiderbot in the smelting could remember the acrid smoke as it stung her optics. Slowly she crept around the pits on alert due to poor viability. There was a dark cackle. Then, Elita felt the spike of Airacnid's limbs as one pierced clean through each of the femme Autobot's limbs.

Then, a voice rang through the area that chilled Elita's Spark. "Well done, Airachnid."

Elita grit her denta and tore the limbs free with an involuntary cry of pain. The femme could feel Megatron run on her as she tried to limp way. Then, with a yell, Megatron's blade ran her through.

June's eyes shot open as she breathed heavily in an unconscious remnant of Human behavior. "If you want to ask me any questions," June growled after she regained herself. "Die first and stare in the face of the same Con who had a servo in your death." Elita glared hard at Bryce . "Until then, you can shove those questions of loyalty handed down to you from higher ranks up your fragging tailpipe!"

Elita got up and walked out with a look of absolute fury on her holoform's face. Jack instantly got of and felt his fists ball up in anger at Bryce. I would love nothing more than to punch hi8s fragging face in!

In the back of his mind, Jack saw the form of a Prime who resembled Loki form out of the darkest corner of his mind. Hello, Janus. The faceplate of Liege Maximo greeted the boy. I understand your rage, child, more than anyone. The Loki Lookalike smiled. I don't want you to ruin what Father envisions as harmony between Earth and Cybertron, but you can still frustrate the annoying Human. The Prime grinned in a way that reminded Jack of Megatron. He expects Miko before you, but he won't get what he wants. Am I right?

Jack.calmed himself and walked in the room.

"I requested Ms. Nakadai, not you."

Jack shookhishead "She's in no condition for questioning." Jack looked Bryce in the eyes as his own optics glowed threateningly through the holoform. "You can bitch and moan, or we can get on with this slag."

Bryce seemed taken aback by Jack's anger. "Why are you so angry?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at the man but held his tongue for the moment. Jack looked out the window and mentally smiled as he saw the faint glint off of Alexis' scope about a klick and three-quarters out and felt himself relax. "You want to know why I am angry, sir?"

Bryce nodded, slightly unnerved by the teen's even and measured delivery of his words. "That would apply to me and my superiors, Jackson."

Jack looked at the man dead in the eyes. "You weren't there when Optimus, Arcee, and I met with the top brass." Jack stated. "Let me tell you what I told them. I am not going to be a lab experiment. My Mom is not going to be a lab rat, either." Jack shook his head. "You have the bearings to continue to question my family's loyalty while not being straight with us." Jack put his hands on the table and leaned over calmly. "I know you sent a reprogrammed Minicon after my Sparkmate and me, General." Jack said calmly as he watched the general flinch. I was only fishing!

The shock never made it to Jack's face.

Instead, Jack ran with the new information. "After the way you've treated me and my family who have done nothing but be allies, I can't let you have your time with Miko." Jack shook his head. "Just talk...what a load of slag!" Jack muttered. "At least Decepticons are up front about conquest."

The general growled in protest. "We're nothing like that genocidal maniac!"

Jack squeezed his brow together with his fingers between his eyes for a moment and looked the general in the eyes. "Your willingness to stab your friends in the back shows how foolish and hypocritical you and your leaders are. Then, there's the eagerness to take apart anything that's not Human, Pit, even Humans that are just different with nary a care!" Jack actually gave Bryce a small smirk. "That's exactly why you'll never talk to Miko."

Jack's expression once again became a void of emotion or patience. "However, I am more impressed with your Decepticon-like behavior than angry." Sarcasm dripped in his words before they became hot like cherry iron with his next statement. "No, the problem that angers me happens to be what I saw and felt before I walked in this room." Janus gave the Human a moment to think before he continued. "My carrier showed pain I have never seen on her face." Janus sighed. "You made her relive her death and scoffed at it!" Jack got up and began to walk out of the room, but before he did, Jack looked back at the general one last time. "Next time I come in here, it better be to celebrate Megatron's helm on a platter." Jack said sternly. "I don't like being backstabbed repeatedly."

Instead of walking out of the room, Jack decided to turn back and relaxed. Bryce looked at the apparent boy in confusion before Jack's form evaporated.

"What the Hell?!" Bryce heard the tale-tale sound of a T-Cog and only stared as a Bot the size of Optimus knew down and leaned over to appear in the window.

"Can I help you, General Bryce?" Janus asked with a calm expression.

"What happened to Jackson Darby, Autobot?"

"That's a long story, sir." Janus said calmly. "The version I feel comfortable sharing goes like this: Arcee and I were selected by Primus to be ambassadors. As a result, I'm no longer Human." Janus glared at him. "That's all you get." Janus shrugged his shoulder articulators. "If you were more trusting of us, perhaps I would give you more information. As it stands, this conversation is over."

Janus shook his head with a final look of disappointment. Mom, Jack said softly. We're done here. Please bring Miko and Raf outside.

Elita nodded with an internal smirk as she escorted the two of them out of the building. I'm on my way.

Once the Bots were cleared to leave the base, Jack vented in relief and let his mask drop. Arcee, why didn't you tell me using a holoform was exhausting? Jack asked with honest confusion over their Bond.

Arcee laughed. I don't use Sadie for hours at a time, Jack. Arcee brushed his side of the At most, it's a few minutes around town in a single use.

Jack groaned as he rolled through the Groundbridge and let Raf and Miko out. "Scrap…" The young Prime felt his optics almost shut down of their own accord. "Recharge sounds fragging awesome right now."

Arcee smiled and supported Janus' left side, "Come on, Partner." Arcee said with a knowing but kind smile. "Let's go to the berth for the night."

Jack nodded. "Have I mentioned how much I hate politics, especially when the military dabbles in it?"

Arcee smiled and nodded as she helped him into the berth. Then, the femme followed her Sparkmate into the shared berth. "It will all work out, Jack." Arcee wrapped her slender arm around his side as her own optics began to shut down. "You'll see."

Optimus gently brushed Janus' Spark before the young mech completely dropped into recharge. I too find two-faced allies tiresome, Janus. Optimus allowed a small smile to pass over the Bond as he sent comfort over his to soothe away the young mech's lingering stress of the day. Sleep well, my son.

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