Waking up was far easier than it had been in the hotel. Yawning he looked around the room as he rose to a sitting position. His right leg stung as he shifted his weight off of it. With an effort he pulled himself to his feet. The room was dimly lit, Arcee most likely didn't want to disturb him. He had slept on the floor on top of a inflatable mattress which he had bought earlier yesterday. Arcee's room was bigger than he expected, it connected to a private shower and had a metal bed where she slept. Best if I never ask how she sleeps. He told himself as he saw the shower light was on and the water was running. I'mma head out. He thought as he began to the door. Looking at it he saw that it was at least 5 times his own size and just from the looks of it made it a pain to move.
"Fucking brilliant" He muttered and snapped his fingers.
Letting out a defeated sigh he knew he'd have to wait. Hopefully Arcee wasn't as slow as his mother...how was she handling his disappearance anyway?. He can only imagine how worried she'd be. A walking train wreck in the making. Hopefully Ratchet will have it all figured out soon... hopefully. Moving back to the bed he laid back down, slowly drifting back to sleep.
Ratchet sighed deeply as he looked over ever record he could dig up on trans dimensional travel. Nothing hinted to what Jacob said as they were all routed in more Fiction and reality. Flying blind wasn't particularly easy but the challenge was too hard for him to Ignore. Like a fly attracted to the glow of a bug zapper. Alright let's see all the hypothetical theory's first. He mused pulling up a document written by preceptor and Diamondbolt. It was considered the more reputable piece on the matter. But no document was truly bulletproof. Sending the document to his data pad he began to read.
A light nudge woke him as he groaned and craned his neck too look. His blurred vision cleared away and he saw the heavenly blue and pink optics of Arcee. Smiling he weakly pulled himself up right.
"Morning" He said his voice cracking from dryness.
She helped him up off the bed as he moved too his bag and grabbed it. Their was a human bathroom just down the hall so changing there was a better option.
"How you sleep baffles me" Arcee admitted as he looked at her with confusion.
"I'd say the same to you bud" Jacob retorted as he stretched out his arms.
"I'd that so?" Arcee responded with crossed arms.
Jacob immediately regretted that. Clearing his throat he needed to explain quickly.
"Well I didn't know you did sleep. Once again I was wrong" He sheepishly said.
Arcee arched an eyebrow and held back from laughing.
"Ok ok you have me there" Arcee half admitted and opened the large door.
Moving out she watched him enter the human bathroom with bag in hand.
On the top of a sandy hill Bulkhead with Miko inside peered down the large slope. Miko was ready for it all whist Bulkhead was more reserved. Sand oh how he hated it. It was course it was rough and it just got everywhere. Miko then spoke pulling him back to reality.
"Come on Bulk it's not like the hills speak or anything" She half jokingly said.
Bulkhead would have argued but he pushed it all back. Now was not the time for war stories.
"I know that. Strap yourself in" He responded and she compiled.
As they rambled down the hill all he could really hear was her cheering.
Raf laughed as he sat passenger seat as bee took a sharp turn down a dirt road. Dirt spewed up into clouds as bee skidded into a drift.
"Now were talking!" Raf exclaimed as he clung tight.
{I've got a lot more than that!} Bumblebee pridefully beeped as they kept going on.
Cliffjumper slowed to a stop at a nearby stop sign. Jack was still semi tired as he was more focused on fact that dimensions exist. On top of that aliens did too.
"You alright Jacko?" Cliff asked.
Jack shrugged and looked back. Nothing really except for the road and desert.
"How about we..." Cliff trailed off as he didn't have much in mind. "Primus I'm really in the dark today" Cliff added with a small laugh.
Jack nodded and smiled weakly.
"I'm here with ya" He reassuringly said.
The two smiled as they drove off.
Adjusting his shirt he looked himself over. Dark grey jeans and a dark red shirt. Nothing much but it was better than nothing. Jacob smirked as he heard a bleep from the base computer. Megatons on the move. He thought knowingly. Both he and Ratchet looked at one another. Ratchet knew what he knew who it was and then looked back to the computer as Optimus walked into the room.
"Ratchets got something important for ya boss" Jacob said as he glanced down the hall to see nobody yet.
Optimus looked at him briefly. Clearly the title boss didn't sit right with him.
"Please don't call me that" Optimus said in response.
Jacob nodded as he moved over to his car and popped open the trunk. Inside was a folding chair. A unopened record player with speakers on one side and two box sets of records. The Beatles in stereo and mono. 2 other albums...Klaatu: 3:47 EST and Hope. He could hear Optimus and ratchet conversing on what should be done as they mused at possibility's. grabbing the speakers and record player he moved them over to the human area. Prime caught a glimpse and brushed it off. Clearly Jacob believes he'll be stuck here till his death. That was a sobering thought.
"We may as well check it out. I doubt it's too important" Ratchet suggested.
Jacob suddenly remembered that no dark energy and have been brought through by Arcee making their knowledge on it nonexistent as of now. Except on what may have happened before.
"Never underestimate it ratchet...Unless you want another world to suffer like primus did" Jacob warned not so subtly.
He had to put a fire underneath their asses and this hopefully was it. Optimus clued in immediately and felt a cold shiver move up his spine. Dark energon!. He mused as he took the warning greatly.
"Let's go" Optimus said quickly knowing this was very bad.
"Alright I'll be ready in a minute" Ratchet responded feeling almost the same.
Good. Jacob thought as he opened up the box. As if on cue Cliffjumper, Bulkhead and Bee arrived as Arcee entered from the hallway. Suddenly it feels very crowded in here. Jacobremarked as the kids climbed out of their respective bots. Opening the ground bridge Ratchet slid one of his scanners into slip space.
"Isn't it a bit early for a sudden patrol?" Bulkhead asked as he transformed into his robot form.
The other to joined him as Arcee looked suspiciously at Optimus.
"It's nothing of importance, Jacob knows it better than I" Optimus said putting Jacob sudden in the hot seat.
Standing the boy kept his composure as he Felt everyone's eyes/Optics on him. Thanks prime. He thought coldly.
"Just a small enegon spike. It's nothing to really threat over" Jacob said with agreement.
Arcee's look darkened as she looked down upon him. Keeping resolute he slacked his arms and kept opening the blasted box.
"Good luck, try not to lose you scanner Ratch" Cliffjumper said as he grinned smugly.
"I'll try" Ratchet sighed as he and Optimus went through.
Once the ground bridge was closed Jacob heard Arcee clear her voice box in the give me your attention variation. Oh fuck. He thought as he looked and saw the scepticism right on her face.
"You'll find out once the day is done. Now I'm gonna set this all up before Miko begins to make Jimi Hendrix spin in his grave" Jacobs defensively said. "Also don't go anywhere for while and you'll all thank me later" Jacob added saying it too everyone.
Arcee sighed deeply as Miko carried over her amp and Guitar.
"Who the hell is Jimi Hendrix?" She asked.
It was at this moment he was he had his first album. Unfortunately that was at home. Fuck me. He thought bitterly. Face palming he sighed even harder than Arcee.
"Where can I possibly begin?" Jacob asked himself as he hooked the player into the wall along with the speakers. "I'll explain it later just do whatever" He caved not feeling it.
"I'll hold you up to that bucko" Miko said as she plugged in her stuff as well.
Jack moved over as the bots began idly chatting on what to do. Mostly filled with confusion and unease. Arcee kept throwing glances Jacobs way as she saw him moving back to his cars open trunk. He pulled out both a black box and a white box with two small sleeve like cardboard boxes on top of those boxes. They were awkward to carry but he managed and laid them down next to the player. As miko adjusted her guitar Raf looked over the records. Jacob saw him just from the corner of his eye.
"Christmas gifts. From my famil..." Jacob's voice died out as he looked solemnly at both boxes.
Oh how he felt the pain...soon it may be too much and he may go off the rails entirely. Closing both eyes he could feel Raf move away in a hurry back to Miko and Jack. Best they stay together anyway. Scratch on the back of his head he grabbed the top record. Miko was taking about becoming a band as I saw Arcee leaning against the wall with annoyance. She'll except it in time. Hopefully she would, most likely after a certain encounter he did not look forwards too. As Miko began playing her Electric guitar he let out a low sigh. Any minute now. He mused as he waited and stood with hands resting at both sides. Now he had to make sure to get them onto the Nemesis...suddenly the alarms went off as Miko had just played a very loud note.
"If ya can't handle it then say so!" Milko challenged.
Cliff moved over to the main computer and sighed deeply.
"Fowler again" He said aloud and killed the alarm with a switch flip.
"Just great" Arcee grumbled as she motioned for the kids to hide.
They all scrambled except for Jacob who saw Miko hiding behind Bulkhead with guitar still in hand and cord stretched to its max. He shrugged it off as the elevator doors opened and Jacob turned to face the agent.
"Now it's a problem!" He said striding in as if he owned the place.
"A good chunk of North Wisconsin is gone I know, but trust me Fowler it's only gonna get harder as the days slip past" Jacob immediately retorted in defense.
Fowler sharply looked at him and then around the room.
"Where's prime?" He inquired.
Arcee who was still in her last spot gave the agent a rough look of annoyance.
"Patrol, Ratchets with him as well" She started and quickly added. "If you have a message please leave it at the sound of the tone" no beep sounded and Jacob held back a laugh.
Fowler frowned and sighed. Jacob suddenly heard a overloaded signal feed from the amp and he groaned suddenly in an attempt to mask it, but He was too late and Fowler saw the amp and walked past Jacob.
"Since when did bots play Electric?" Fowler mused aloud.
Cliff in a smart moved moved closer next to bulkhead.
"Bulkhead was just looking at Jacobs guitar" he said as he reached for it and Miko handed it too him.
Holding it up Fowler nodded and looked to Jacob who looked back.
"It's a hobby" He said.
As Fowler processed those words a sudden sneeze rang out. Raf sneezed. Shoulders slumping Jacob felt defeat come over him. Fowler turned suddenly and looked over to bumblebee who also looked on in defeat. Jack stepped out and waved.
"Don't mind me I'm just an intern" He said jokingly.
"Not the time Jack" Jacob muttered coldly.
Fowler suddenly looked to him and he narrowed his eyes. The other two stepped out and the jig was up. Fowler was one unhappy camper as he grabbed Jacob forcefully and made him face him. Arcee moved closer as a flicker of protectiveness boiled up from within.
"You've got a lot of explaining boy. You can explain it all to my commanders" Fowler said his voice dipping to ice.
In that moment his mind went blank as he suddenly felt cold. Jacob nodded agreeing to what Fowler said. Arcee didn't like it at all.
"He's my charge Fowler and I am responsible for him..." She began only be cut off.
"I respect that but this is a human matter and you are human" Fowler said in retort.
Arcee grimaced as she looked at the agent. In a complete blind statement Jacob said something with his mind going blank on the future.
"It's all right it's all right Arcee. I'll explain everything to the commanders and possibly ease the tension between us and them. Make sure to tell Optimus when he returns" He said his voice half trembling and tone shifting from neutral calm to deep unease.
Arcee reluctantly nodded as Fowler let go. Fowler didn't like the fact that children are involved, understandable really. Flower and Jacob took the elevator and within five minutes were gone in the helicopter. Silent blanketed the room like snow as nobody said a word. Cliff was the first speak.
"Kids walking right into a bull pit. May primus help him"
Arcee agreed with her partner. Democratic bureaucracy was something she never wanted to get into.
"Thanks cliff" Miko said knowing that his quick thinking almost got them out of the mess.
Unfortunately Raf felt much worse. But nobody blamed him since it was only human. Besides it would've happened regardless somewhere down the line. If only Optimus was here.
High above the Nevada landscape Jacob listen to Fowler report that he was returning. A dull nagging feeling tugged at him relentlessly as his mind remained blank. What was he missing?. Fowler ended the call and glanced at Jacob Who didn't dare look at him. Crossing the line came with the territory but I didn't make him feel better.
"Back in the Army Rangers when I was overseas I saw some of the worst shit that you probably can't even imagine" Fowler said and then continued. "Of men women and children put fire on us and there's not a day or I don't forget that"
Jacob nodded understandingly.
"My father went to the same kind of thing shortly before I was born... The war on terror as it's called after a bunch of terrorists hijacked two planes and rammed them into the world trade centre" Jacob explained and flower looked at him in surprise.
He thought the shiver go up through him at the thought. Understanding was a key and each one of them was a door. Just before he could say anything a sudden shadow cloaked them. Looking up Jacob gasped. Then he suddenly remembered what he had forgotten. Laserbeak!. He realised in horror as the mini con began swooping down upon them.