YAAAY! Here we are, back at it AGAINNNNNNNN!
Even more kisses and hugs to Nimbus for the thoughtful review about last chapter - Erik. What can I say about him? NOT MUCH BECAUSE HE'S A PRICK,HAHAHA. Of course Miri's gotta have that last nail in her emotional coffin to build TENSION and DRAW for her relationship with the BOTS! YAY!
And also to Musical Medli, you rock! Thanks for bein loyal to my cause, lolz.
THISCHAPWEGETOPTIMUS...YUUUM! I wanted to throw a little bit of bot action in here for ya'll, because I'm DYING to get in Prime's head. Muahaha. He's MINE, ya'll - and I love tortoring him because he loves it too!
As always, ALLZELOVESANDSNUGGLES to you and your reviews. Spelling and grammar are on Megs and Screamer this time. xoxoxoxo
"Mom!"
Miri practically flung her purse and keys on the bench nestled along the wall in the family's back mudroom, working off her boots quickly as she wrangled out of her denim overshirt. Discarding it to the floor beside her boots, she almost toppled over them as she kicked the door closed behind her, scrambling for the kitchen with her cell phone at hand. Her heart hadn't slowed down since parting ways with Major Lennox on the phone, and her palms with slick with anxious sweat.
It had only been four days, and the JCS had said yes. They wanted her in Washington D.C. immediately.
Her head was still spinning. When Miri had tried to pass off the responsibility to her parents, Lennox had declined, insisting that the JCS wanted to meet the company liaison, and speak to the marketing director. The contract required restructuring of the company and adhering to government oversight, complete with a Top Secret classification. She was the Executive Officer of M.A.D. Design and Development; they wanted to speak with her, and get a more...executive take on the company's plan for restructuring.
She had four days to prepare documentation of the change from a private corporation to a classified, government contractor. Four days, and someone from NEST would arrive to escort her to Washington. And once that hurdle was complete, they'd begin relocation assignments - moving the Otten family from the midwestern US to government-appropriated housing. Miri's gut was twisting just thinking about it.
Miri rounded the corner into the dining room so swiftly she slipped on the wood flooring, catching herself on the wall. Her state triggered her mother' attention, who was filing out paperwork on the kitchen table, a Sharpie marker behind her ear and hair pulled back in a clip. She'd changed into leggings and one of her husband's t-shirts, some type of skincare mask spread across her face. Miri slowed her breathing while pulling herself back into a standing position.
Her mother, however, was already out of her seat and moving to put a hand on her shoulder. "Slow down there, girl," her mother chided, "What's got you worked up? You ok?" She asked, moving to sit Miri in a chair. Throwing off her mother's hand, Wren Otten's daughter shoved her phone into her face, the screen blackened as her white-knuckled grip displayed the device. Blinking once, Wren looked from the cell phone to her daughter, her brow rising over on eye.
Miri swallowed hard. "Lennox," she tapped the tip of her finger against the screen of the phone. "I just got off the phone with him. JCS said yes. Yes. They said yes and want me in Washington in four days!" Her tone lifted an octave, presumably out of delight, though Miri's mother didn't miss the dash of concern that passed through her daughter's eyes. Stupefied, her eyes widened as the other woman slowly folded back into her chair, hand going to her mask-covered mouth.
Both women stared at one another, Miri still struggling to collect her breathing. "What are we going to do?" she squeaked, her brain suddenly numb and unaware of any kind of intelligent processing. She looked back down to the phone, then ran her fingers midway through her curls, biting at her lower lip and squinting her eyes closed. "I can't restructure Dad's company in four days..."
Wren popped up from her seat, intercepting her daughter quickly. She put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and gave her a light shake, a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. "This is good news, Sugar. Not everyday the government green lights your company for a contract. This is what we want - this is what Dad wants. It'll shake out just fine. Think of how settled we'll be! The benefits, steady paycheck, insurance..." she turned from Miri, grabbed her own phone, and then turned back to touch her hand to Miri's cheek. "And you. You're gonna be just fine, Sugar."
She lifted the phone, unlocked it, and dialed her husband as Miri slowly slid down the wall. She seated herself on the floor and leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes as her mind began buzzing with everything that needed done - the paperwork, website closure, finalizing of deals, employee layoffs, and so much more sent a ball of nausea deep into her core. She covered her face with her hands, while simultaneously feeling a spark of excitement buzz against her ribs in her heart.
A government contract, even the thought brought relief and so many possibilities. How bad could it be?
. . .
Lennox pulled the phone away from his ear, staring back at the blank screen with a mildly baffled look on his face. It took him all of a few seconds to process the conversation he'd had with Miriana Otten, realizing just how swiftly everything had unfolded. Within a matter of words, he'd snatched away an entire family's freedom, instead converging them with a highly classified military operation that would bind them to secrecy for the rest of their lives. So that's how easy it is...he recalled his time before NEST, and how nonchalant he'd been in being assigned to the operation of dealing with sentient alien robots.
It hadn't felt so easy when he'd made the decision for himself and his family. But then again, now he was on end-someone-else's-life-as-they-know-it side.
"Everything alright, Major?"
The voice fell over him like a wake up call, snapping him from his internal revelry. His attention lifted to the figure standing over him, studying him with a careful expression that was mixed with concern, but genuine curiosity. He took a knee carefully, propping an arm over his leg, looking at Will expectantly, as if ready to engage in conversation.
Very rarely was Optimus Prime, leader of the sentient, nonbiological Autobots ever allowed to be so informal, and Will genuinely enjoyed the leader's conversation when allowed in nonofficial capacities. While a highly advanced species, the Autobots still had much to learn regarding Earth's more...societal norms, like overhearing conversations, but it ultimately didn't bother him - their innocence was refreshing, if not welcome. Even having the battle-hardened experience that soldiers of Earth couldn't even fathom, he found the Autobots to be a relatively peaceful, intelligent species - everything their counterparts, the Decepticons, were not.
The corner of Will's mouth lifted as he slipped the phone into one of the many front pockets of his uniform, studying the bot's face. He patted the pocket and then stretched his shoulders, lifting his arms over his head. "Yeah, more than fine," he released a sigh and dropped his arms, feeling a light pop in his back. "I just hired the new government contractor for the base."
The leader was quiet and looked away, as if processing Will's statement with a far off look. Will had never met anyone that was so thoughtful about their responses or statements, but he found it rather refreshing with Prime - very rarely did Optimus Prime backtrack his statements, or say a word out of place, for that matter. He was always so cool and level-headed, never fully without a response but always mindful of the binding sentiment attached to words. He supposed that's why Optimus bore the revered title of Prime from among his peers, and why he was such a respected leader.
He looked back to Will. "Ah. I'm assuming you just delivered the news." His tone was so even, so clear - nothing ever took Optimus by surprise, or left him speechless. Will had started wondering long ago if Prime was unshakable at all, or if he was as stalwart all the time as he seemed. Because to Will, it seemed the Prime was a rock. "How did that fare for you?"
Will chuckled, then scratched the back of his head as he sucked in a slow breath. "Well," he then slapped his hands on his thighs. "Let's just say I think we're off to a good start." He wasn't entirely sure how to convey what had happened on the phone - the Otten daughter had been speechless for the first two minutes of the conversation - and he wanted the family to have a decent first impression with the alien leadership on base. While he didn't expect the Autobot secret to pose a problem - if it even ever came to light - he didn't want any negative, pre-conceived notions floating around, either.
Everyone deserved a fair shake, even if it was the military.
Optimus narrowed his optics at Will, giving him a suspiciously cunning look. "I see," the phrase hung between them, wholly unfinished, but saying enough to give Will the gist - he was looking for a bit more information, keenly aware that Will was skirting the issue.
Frickin' advanced alien robots and their perceptiveness...he turned to face the hulking form of Prime, and crossed his arms over is chest, taking a militant stance before the bot. The corner of Prime's mouth lifted, to reveal and almost lighthearted smirk. "I hope you realize you won't be keeping us in the dark for long, Major," was all he had to say before Will's shoulders slumped in defeat.
Will's face, deadpanned, rolled his eyes. "There's nothing to worry about right now!" He furrowed his brow at Prime. "She was going to discuss it with the rest of her family, alright? Good God, nothin get by you does it?" Will waved him off, turning his heel sharply when he heard someone call for him across the bay.
"She?" Was the return, as simply and innocent as Will would've never expected it to be.
Glancing over his shoulder, he gave Prime an apologetically sympathizing look as he softened his expression. He turned back to the Autobot, backpedaling a few steps as he nodded his confirmation of Prime's question. "Yeah, you know, that family we interviewed a few days ago - the JCS greenlit their proposal, hopefully they'll be on base within a few months and ready to develop some of Ratchet's ideas," he waved off Prime with a lazy salute, before turning to jog towards a uniformed officer extending him a tablet.
Prime watched him go for a moment, before standing to his full height. He recalled the family that had toured the base a few days previous, the engagement having rendered himself and his soldiers stationary and in their respective alternation modes for the entirety of the afternoon. It had been a much-welcomed reprieve, at least for himself, though his Autobots hadn't been so forgiving - Ironhide had all but rejoiced upon their departure, insisting that they'd been nothing but suspicious.
Optimus recalled their presence on base, remembering clearly the Major bringing them over to survey the lineup of Autobot alternation vehicles, so deceptive to the naked eye as they were. The cover story that Will had devised had went off without concern, the family hadn't seemed all that suspicious to him. Ironhide was distrusting of everyone, and an old curmudgeon, so his concerns were taken to surface value, if at all. In fact, the family had seemed almost uplifting, much like another human family they had come to know closely during their time on Earth.
Having them a permanent addition to the base, however, was another matter. Optimus had been against the idea of outside involvement from the beginning, but Earth's superiors had been insistent on bringing in civilian presence to legitimize the cover of the base to the outside world. While an idea, Prime hadn't been so sure of its ratio of success - it could pose problems, exposing more civilians to their presence. Problems not only for them as a unit, but also for the family - and incalculable dangers. It was bad enough that Sam and Mikaela's lives had been forever influenced by their arrival on Earth - Optimus wasn't certain he could bare another family burdened by their residence on the planet.
He dismissed his concerns for the moment, instead surveying the activity of their hangar. He recalled the first member of the family to have noticed their vehicle modes, the young woman who had questioned their presence. Her instincts had been sound, and for that Optimus had to give her credit. He didn't find non-military humans so attentive to their surroundings or so investigative - he assumed it came from her responsibilities as a professional, attention to detail. She'd eyed them all with a careful, though not entirely satisfied, eye - him particularly. He'd never been so surveyed before, or...appreciated.
Prime chuckled to himself as he recalled Will's testament to the lack of stagnancy on base - things were certainly never without flair, in that he'd been true. In the back of his mind, however, Optimus Prime couldn't help but think that the presence of civilians - a family dynamic, at that - could only add another layer of interest to the activity already surrounding the existence of NEST. It continually seemed to evolve, his responsibilities to this planet.
Things never stay the same, was the thought he found himself dwelling on. What I would not give for one day to be boring, the same. Somethin lasting, something constant, that doesn't need my leadership... He relieved a buildup of compressed air, then moved across the hangar in search of Sideswipe, to address the issue of yet another speeding violation. A loud crashing, followed the familiar, vulgar exclamations of twin units Skids and Mudflap made him pause, and glance over his shoulder before covering his face with a hand.
What I wouldn't give, indeed.