Updated - 21~02~2020
Rewritten - 13~07~2021
Decision
Arcee felt she had just few unmatched pieces of a giant jigsaw. They had just gotten from the alt mode shop, but they did not get much more than what they got before. Their steps were now directed back to the station, where they hopefully would begin seeing things more clearly. Yet again, she wasn't satisfied with what they had. There were too many unanswered questions that needed an answer.
A servo on her shoulder got her out of her thoughts. The femme shook her helm, dispelling those thoughts away. While doing so, she realized she was frowning, and her winglets were stiff in tension. She finally raised her gaze up to lock it up with Jazz's for an instant.
"What's wrong?" He had asked friendly, although she could feel his worry in his frame. He was silently asking if she was alright.
"Don't worry, Jazz, I'm just fine." She had taken importance away.
"I know you since we were sparklings, Arcee. I can see there's something troubling you." He insisted, pulling softly from her shoulder to make her look at him, both coming to a stop. He obtained no response but a distant grin. "You saw something back at the dome that made you lightly twitch your winglets. I noticed it, Arcee, and you're doing it again." He let her know, concerned. "What was it?"
"I appreciate that you care, Jazz, but right now, there's not much you can help me with." Her comeback was serene, but her optics showed other. He tilted his helm to the side, not giving up yet. She sighed and finally raised her servos up. "Alright, I'll tell you. I do have a bad feeling."
"One of your hunches?" Jazz inquired, resting his free servo on her opposite arm.
"Probably." She said, diverting her gaze away. "Everything points at the Seekers, yet again, there's something that makes no sense. I don't know what it is, though." She grimaced. "Although I think it's not them."
"Believe me, you're not the only one." The mech admitted. "I do have that feeling too since you gave me the data pad on our way to the Hall. It's true that I haven't faced as many Seekers as you have, but enough to know it's not their doing. Someone wants to imitated them. The question is, why?" She shook her helm, not knowing the answer.
"Thank you Jazz." She rested a servo on his forearm and then smiled in gratitude. "For believing me."
"That's what friends are for." He winked, as both got back on the move. "Anyway, how would I doubt the femme who doesn't fear the Seekers?" He added playfully, gaining a friendly skeptical gaze from her. He laughed, while she simply contented with smiling for herself. Once he was more serene, he scratched his chin, and brought up a new topic. "By the way, did you understand what Alpha Trion said? I mean, the part of you will have to go beyond your limits?"
"Not a word." Arcee admitted, her optics getting wide, exchanging with him a confused gaze and shrugging. "Alpha Trion has a peculiar way of sharing his thoughts. Anyway, we will eventually solve that too." The station was now in views. "Let's just share what we've got and see if we get some sense out of all of this."
They got into the station once again, and before they could get any further, Gears received them midway. He pulled his data pad out and tapped in it before looking at the femme.
"I compiled all the information I commented you before and the one you asked me. I've sent it to you right now. You should receive it anytime soon." She pulled her data pad and confirmed it.
"I got it." She replied. "I do have the feeling it will come at handy."
"Always glad to be of help." He smiled, turning around to leave, when someone came to his mind. "Oh, and one more thing. Ultra Magnus is in the conference room, alongside Prowl, Mirage and Cliffjumper. I think they are discussing the situation."
"Thank you Gears." Arcee nodded, before retaking their walk.
The door of the conference room was open, yet, Jazz raised his knuckles and knocked on the frame. All gazes were fixed on them as the Commander indicated them to enter in. The stance was medium sized, where a long table laid, with chairs all around it. At the back wall of it, a big screen hanged. The screen worked as a big data pad, connected to all the stations in Iacon in real time, allowed them to share advances during investigation.
Jazz sat by the window, next to the others, at the left side of the table, while Arcee made herself comfortable at the far end of it, on her own. Magnus was at the head of it, patiently awaiting the news his Guards had brought.
"And well?" He inquired, raising an opticbrow over his serious expression. "What did you get?"
"Not much more than what we already got, Sir." Jazz began, retrieving his visor and leaving it on the table, before taking his data pad out. He went over his notes in a quick glance and finally talked his conclusions. "We spoke with both archivists and the suspicions were confirmed. No cams, no witnesses. The suspects found what they were looking for and stole it without letting any clue behind. They did a pretty good job." He resumed.
"What were they after?" The intense optics of the Commander rested on him. Jazz vented deep, resting his data pad flat on the table, finally returning the gaze.
"The city codex."
The room went cold, as his words sank in their processors. Worried gazes were interchanged while they reflexed about the situation. Arcee was the only one who payed no attention to them. Sne was concentrated onto the case, but specially onto the information Gears had given her.
"The Seekers…" Magnus grunted, his denta gritted. "They are getting infallible. What else do we know about the suspect?"
"Apart form the blurry picture taken at the alt mode shop during their runaway, we don't have any more information about the suspect." Jazz said, tapping on the data pad. "Although, we did indeed found something at the crime scene." He brought the photos they had taken at the dome. "This strange mark was at the entrance, engraved 30 microns over the ground. Almost undetectable. It's a mystery to me what it actually means."
The other agents had a look at it, examining it thoroughly.
"No clues, no clear suspect and our most important document in unknown servos." Mirage spoke his mind. "The magnitude of the attack and the few things we managed to get definitely suggests that Seekers are behind this. Everything coincides."
"Mirage, have you noticed something unusual in their behavior lately?" The Commander asked concerned.
"No, Sir." The white and blue mech answered, based on what he had reported on his shifts. "They had been very quiet lately."
"They had been planning it for vorns!" Cliffjumper punched the table, standing up briskly. Arcee's gaze was momentarily rested on him, as she side looked at him for an instant, before focusing again on what she got between servos. "They had been watching us, getting ready to deliver the decisive blow. I say we go and return the favor."
"Calm down, soldier." Ultra Magnus stopped the red mech, making him sit down back on his chair. "We now need to think carefully our steps."
"Also, we need to keep in mind they have the codex." Prowl added looking at the horned mech, remaining neutral. "A false move, and you can say good bye to Iacon."
"We don't even know if Kaon has officially launched the attack." It was Mirage who reminded them the fact. "We're blaming them without having any proof."
"Sure we are!" Cliff snorted, laughing at that. "Kaon hasn't attacked his long lasting enemy Iacon because they went all soft and sincere sparked who would never ever harm a scraplet." He mocked, ironically. "Alright, now that we have discarded Kaon as possible suspect, who else would it be? Vos? Tarn? Praxus?"
"We don't know it." Jazz replied. "They haven't recognized the attack. We cannot blame them just yet."
"And you waiting them to do so?" Mirage rose an opticridge, crossing his arms over his chest, remaining serene. "If it really was the Seekers, they will wait until they have played enough with us, before hitting us hard where it hurts."
"We could ask them." Jazz dared to suggests. "It's the only way we've got to clear things up."
"That's the most brilliant idea you've ever had Jazz!" Cliffjumper retorted, throwing his servos in the air. "Let's just call Kaon and invite them to attack us now that we're vulnerable."
"It's true that it might be the procedure to follow in other circumstances…" Prowl began, speaking his opinion. "… But, I wouldn't apply it this time."
"It wouldn't be wise." Mirage supported it. "We need to investigate further before we draw any conclusion."
"It will be too late." The red mech insisted again. "By the time we get any clue, who knows what will happen to Iacon. We cannot wait until they come to us, we need to attack back."
"That's taking a high risk, Cliffjumper. If it's not the Seekers, we would be attacking Kaon, one of the world's most powerful cities. We would gain a dangerous enemy we don't need now." The white and black officer stated severe. "I think you made your point, but we're not following it."
"You're not a Guard, Prowl." Cliff fixed his optics on him, defiant. "As a police you don't take as many risks as we do. We must do it this time."
"This is also our home city too. My officers are into the matter as much as you are, and they're giving it all. Don't boast yourself up because you are a Guard." Spatted back the black and white mech, still maintaining his serenity. "Moreover, I was an Elite Guard before you even knew how to transform, Cliffjumper. I may not be active anymore, but the basic training remains, and I can still kick your tail pipe. Don't make me." The intense gaze he returned was enough to make the horned mech lean back.
"Gentlemech." Magnus decided to intervene before the discussion escalated. "I don't believe an internal fight will help us now."
The stance became uncomfortably silent, all of them somehow giving a thought about the past events, without a clue of how to proceed. The only femme in the room analyzed the situation for a moment, giving a calm side gaze and then, looking down to her data pad, she finally decided to intervene.
"It wasn't them." Everyone turned to look at her. "The Seekers didn't attack us."
"What?" Magnus arched his opticbrows, not believing her words. "How so certain?"
"I've encountered them, closely, many times, and learned from them too. Seekers do not act like that." She responded, still not looking at them. Her gaze was darting from an inform to another and back again, contrasting the information she had.
"They were after the codex. It's a risky mission, they would never let anyone know they were here. Instead, we got this." She stood up and tapped on the screen, bringing up the blurry image of the suspect. "Also, why would they let us know they were here by leaving a signature on the dome?" Arcee finally made optic contact with the other agents, returning to her sit.
"They are showing off." Cliff stated convinced. "Let us know they sneaked away with the codex rights before our optics."
"Makes no sense." Arcee replied, fixing her optics on his. "Tell me Cliffjumper, if you had managed to steal the most important thing from your enemies, and you were planning to destroy them, would you let them know you have it? Would you give them a chance to protect themselves?"
"And what if they really want us to know it?" Mirage inquired this time, arching an opticbrow. "What if they want something concrete from us?"
"You think they'll negotiate anything with us having the keys to the city?" She retorted. "Unlikely. If it really was the Seekers, they would go hard on us…" Her deny was firm. "… With no mercy."
"Arcee's right." Jazz supported her. "Someone is pretending to be them. They are trying to provoke us." There was a pause as they analyze the new information.
"Whoever it is, and having the meanings of it, why haven't they eradicate us yet?" Mirage brought up the question he had had circling around for few breems now. "I have to admit Arcee has a point there. We don't possess anything they want or they cannot get already with the codex. What are they waiting for then?"
"Also, Alpha Trion told us the thief would need some jours to decipher the codex. Maybe they haven't attacked us yet because they are still working on it." Jazz resumed what the old archivist had told them.
"That does not discard the Seekers yet." Magnus pondered, shaking his helm. "Mirage said it before, they could be just playing with us."
Arcee was about to reply something back when a knock on the door distracted them. The panels slipped open. A greenish femme came into the view, holding a data pad on her servos.
"Sorry to interrupt. May I come in?" She asked politely, her optics fixed onto the Commander. Magnus nodded, inviting her in. She walked around the table and sat by Mirage's side, before proceeding to inform.
"I've recently contacted with Lumia, my long time friend in station 8." She resumed, making optic contact. "We were talking about what just happened when she had mentioned something that got my attention. She has told me two nights ago, she was patrolling their district, with her partner, when they descried a pair of shadows prowling over some building tops."
"The mysterious couple stood there for some breems, without noticing our agents. They then decided to move positions, heading towards the Iacon Record Hall. They followed them, and only when the building got in sight did they noticed them. They ran away, and Lumia and her partner gave them pursuit through the streets until they disappeared through a ground bridge." She resumed, walking up to the board and tapping fast on the screen. "We thought it could be important, so they have updated it into the shared file."
"Excellent job, Beta." Magnus nodded satisfied. "They did examine the bests routes to their objective before they carried it on. They were taunting the terrain. This clue reinforces our original conclusions. Seekers are behind this."
"On the contrary. It completely dismisses it." Arcee's winglets rose up in frustration, standing up as she refuted her Commander's opinion. "Seekers are the most well trained cybertronians, accurate and efficient in absolutely everything they do. You never see them coming, you never know they are there analyzing everything you do. More important yet, there's no way you can catch them by surprise." She argued. "They are shadows melted with the night. Someone is too keen on making us believe its them."
"Agent One, I do believe your night shift might have taken a toll on you." Ultra Magnus decided to cut the conversation before it could escalate to something more. "You should take the afternoon to rest. You shall incorporate tomorrow morning."
The azure femme narrowed her optics, slowly straightening up, with her winglets raised. She stomped out of the room, punching the door panel in her way. The inspector Prowler followed after her, excusing himself from the others. He managed to grab Arcee's wrist carefully, stopping her on her tracks.
"By challenging Magnus you won't get him to listen to you." The inspector spoke serene to her, while she still had her back given to him. "You will only make him skeptical. He will exclude you from the case in the most critical moment, Arcee. We cannot afford to have one of our bests agents sat at the substitute's bench, not now."
Arcee finally faced him, her expression showing anger.
"Magnus is making a huge mistake." She retorted obstinately. "For the first time in my career, I know what I'm saying, and I'm completely certain it was not the Seekers."
"And I do believe you, little one." He replied, resting both his servos on her arms. "But we will need more proofs and answers before we can officially discard them."
"Proofs…" She frowned, diverting her gaze to the floor, thoughtfully. She then locked her optics with his again. "I think I can get them."
"No. I know what that means. You have a plan of yours." He shook his helm, straightening up. "Every time you say that, you get in troubles. I cannot let you do something that may compromise you."
"I see you know me pretty well." She smirked, bitterly. "Then you must know, as the Guard I am, it's my work to do, and that absolutely nothing will stop me until I succeed in my mission."
"A non authorized solo mission." He tensed, crossing his arms over his chest. "You heard Magnus, no agent going on solo, specially you." His expression was serious now, although his optics expressed much worry. "Not after what happened to…"
"Don't!" She hissed, raising a warning digit up. "Don't mention him."
The femme's optics burned, venting deeply, before her vision wandered around, grimacing. She could feel the ire crawling through her veins, as she remembered flashes of the experience. He could see the hurt written in her face. He knew she detested to talk about it, and he did not like to see her that way. The inspector vented deep.
"It's been a while since you last walked by home…" He calmly spoke. "… Come home and stay tonight. It might help disconnecting from all this mess and rest a bit."
Arcee relaxed her frame, her anger dispelling away, her optics fixed on the infinity. She sighted, darting her gaze before letting her helm down for few clicks.
"I guess it won't hurt coming back home." She finally accepted her voice softening. Arcee directed a looking over her shoulder to the conference room, a new idea raising in her mind. "You think Magnus will let me wait for you inside?"
"Let's find out." Prowl shrugged, looking in her direction too.
They returned back to the room they had left before, were the other Guards were already sharing the progresses with other stations. Coordination and cooperation was essential at that moment to try solve the problem they had between servos.
Arcee retook her previous place without muttering a word, Magnus did not say anything against it, and returned back to her investigations. She was revising the new information and took a moment to read older repots. Little by little, she found some connections between apparently unrelated cases, that granted her some hints of what could have happened during last vorn.
First, she focused on an unsolved case, which happened an orn ago. A lifeless mech was found in an alley, near station number 3. The inform said the frame presented dagger marks all over it, which had taken his life away. She accessed to the attached images, and her hypothesis got stronger. Those were not dagger marks as the inform claimed. Seekers had been blamed for it, but Arcee knew their objectives always vanished from Cybertron's surface. Their victims where never found.
The femme then related it to what Beta had commented previously. The night prowlers her friend Lumia had sawn two nights ago had to be responsible of the previous case. They intended to act like the Seekers, only to divert their attention away. And of course, they must have been the same suspects Gears had discovered yesterday. She was glad he hadn't gone after them, who knew if he would have survived the encounter.
The first few pieces she had began to fit in place as it began to make sense for her. Still, there were too many questions circling her helm. Since no one would listen to her after the argument with the Commander, she just kept her discoveries for herself, taking some notes on her personal data pad. She would have find her own answers, and she knew where to find them.
The day had been long, specially with the overwhelming situation, but the night had finally settled. It was Prowl who had managed to brought her back to the reality again. She had to admit she had lost track of time, but it had been productive.
She tidied up, making sure to take her data pad with her, and walked up to the exit along side the Inspector. It was time to get back home and retake some of her former habits for the night, like it used to be, until she could carry on her plan.
The way back was slightly longer than what she remembered, but that warm climate made her forget about her worries for a moment. They both finally made it home, and as soon as she trespassed the entrance doorway, she was almost tackled down by the crashing hug of her younger sister.
"Arcee!" The light green femme greeted excited, her big bright optics looking into hers.
"Moonracer." Arcee replied with a rare warm smile, hugging her closer and nuzzling her helm. "I bet you have me many interesting things to tell me."
"Too many!" The younger one told her in a tender whisper. "I've missed you."
"So did I." The azure femme caressed her helm. "But here I am now, all yours to get me up to date." She winked, softly. The huge smile of Moonracer said it all.
"Moon, stop hogging Arcee and let us have some words with her, otherwise, we won't even know she was here. And, I wanna have some time with her too." Another voice dragged their attention towards a rose and white femme that approached them, her arms extended. Her expression was much calmer, although she was equally exited to have her back. With a spark of humor she added. "Hey, middle one, did you miss me?"
"Elita." Arcee let go of Moon and approached her elder sister, who hugged her close. "It's good to see you again."
"I decided to stay for the night when Dad told me you were coming." She resumed, grinning. "It's a rare event to have you here. I could not let it pass."
"And Orion?" The azure femme wondered.
"He's spending the night with his parents too. He will be fine." Elita told her.
"You should let yourself drop more often, young lady. You spend more time with your 'winged friends' than with your family." The unmistakable voice of her mother made her turn around to face her.
In front of her, a light blue and white femme stood with her confident smile in face, as always. Arcee approached and let her embrace her. Surrounded by her arms, she felt protected and for the first time in forever, she leaned onto the touch, closing her optics. It lasted few breems, but it felt like an eternity. She finally broke the hug, as her mother caressed her cheek lovingly.
"How are you?" She asked, looking into her optics. "Are you alright?"
Arcee gave her a nod, accompanied by a distant grin. "Everything's just fine."
The evening had been one of the most pleasant Arcee had had in a long time. She had managed to completely forget about the whole incident for the time being. She had even laughed in a pair of occasions.
Elita had left three stellar cycles ago with Orion. Arcee herself had decided to move to a small rented apartment, although she did not share it with anyone yet. Moonracer was the only one still living with their parents as she was barely a youngster herself. That night instead, Arcee had traveled back in time and it felt she was a youngling again.
It was late when they decided to it was time to recharge. Everyone had headed their berths, except for Arcee and her father, who were still sat on the couch, now enjoying the quiet environment settled in the stance. The azure femme had her gaze lost outside the window.
"You still have that plan of yours in mind, don't you?" Prowl broke the silence, reading through her.
"What can I say… I stop thinking about it." Her words came out softly. "I want you to know that I love you, all of you, and that I'll do whatever is in my servos to keep you safe…" She finally facing him. "… But I can't stay here without doing anything."
"I was afraid you would say something alike. I guess I am to blame for that, and I would be waisting bout our time if I tried to talk you around…" He sighed heavily, resting a servo on her cheek lovingly. "I'll let you go, Arcee, but with one condition. I need you to promise me one important thing."
"What is it?"
"You must promise me you will return safe and sound back home." He responded, worry deep in his spark.
"I can't promise I won't try it, Dad, but I can promise you I'll be careful, swift, stealthy... Just like you taught me." She said looking at him into his optics. The gaze on his optics spoke words to her. She could read his sadness, his fear, his defeat, but all in all, she saw proudness into them. "I promise."
Prowl nodded, shutting his optics for a moment before pulling his daughter into a hug. He rested his forehelm on her for a moment and then kissed her softly.
"It's late, Arcee. We should go recharge." He finally stood up "Good night, little one." He added before disappearing upstairs.
Arcee remained there for few more breems and then walked her way to her room. She had a look at her old berthroom with nostalgia, as the sweet happy memories came back to her. She smiled, but it lasted short, as her mind was back on motion.
The azure femme went over her following steps, remembering every detail she had to take into account before leaving. Then, once satisfied with it, she laid on her berth, and then closed her optics. She would need some jours of recharge before got into action. She had to be ready.
It was well into the night when her cerulean optics came back online. She was comfortably resting when the internal alarm had waken her up. She was now wide awake looking at the ceiling, arming herself with courage.
Everyone was having a pleasant recharge except for her. She had managed to almost peacefully recharge, so well that she was even tempted to let her mission aside and roll over to keep recharging, but she knew she couldn't. There was something of much importance she needed to carry on, she liked it or not.
She stood up silently and revised the plan one last time, making sure her weaponry was in perfect conditions before proceeding. She slowly made her way out of her room and with light pedes, she crossed the house till the entrance. She gave one last look around and got to the street.
The atmosphere was cooler than at the evening, but still pleasant enough. The femme descried a public ground bridge generator and approached to it. They used to have a limited range, but it was more than enough for what she needed. There, she introduced the nearest coordinates to her objective.
The greenish vortex came to life, and she crossed it, appearing at the other side. Barely few metrons from her, at her pedes, the white line laid, defining the first boundary between cities. She crossed it fearlessly, concentrated. Her step to through the neutral zone were firm as she made it to the second line on the ground.
Arcee's spark picked a new pace, her frame tensing. All her senses were alert. It wasn't the first time she crossed that boundary, yet every time she did it couldn't avoid the rush of adrenergon, and this time, it would be different.
The tall building of the dark city rose up impotent in front of her, more intimidating than never before. She vented once, and then she brought a pede forwards, finally stepping into Seeker territory, she was now officially in Kaon.
Arcee transformed and speeded up into the sombre streets, keeping in mind her promise of coming back home.