Optimus had suggested that I tell him about my dream while we traveled to the base. I was still reluctant but agreed in the end, explaining over Renegade's com system. Even after I had finished, he had stayed silent, leaving an awkward break before Renegade stepped into a private conversation with me to try and distract me from the topic.
We soon pulled up to what looked like a military base. Chain link fencing with razor wire on top. Cameras and guards were everywhere.
"Oh, they're staying in a military base. Maybe I'll actually fit in." I spoke sarcastically.
"Why is that?" We slowly rolled through the gate, following the semi. The bike was behind us with Jessica.
"My dad is retired militia. He was in the Navy."
"Ah, so he knows how to fight. Did he teach you?" I nodded.
"His knowledge was mostly firearms. He does know hand-to-hand, but I don't think he ever used it. I only know a tiny bit because I tried to figure it out myself. I would be put down in 2 seconds flat against him, much less someone who is still active duty."
"Hmm...If we are here for a decent length in time, then maybe someone could teach you." My eyes widened and I shook my head.
"Uh uh, I'd die."
"I think you'd be fine."
"I think you haven't seen me run. I look like a flapping penguin. And I'm not going through boot camp, that'd be an even slower, less merciful death."
"You underestimate yourself."
"Because I want to live. I'm not going to do something that'll get me killed or hurt unless necessary."
"It is your choice."
"Yes, it is." I smirked slightly. We rolled up to the front of a hanger and Optimus shifted to his bipedal form. The bike did the same thing. "The bike's name is Arcee, right?"
"Correct."
"I thought she rolled around on a wheel, not walked on two legs."
"It appears she has two bipedal modes." Renegade's door popped open, and I stepped out, looking around.
"Hey, hey, HEY!" I turned and looked to see a man in a suit walking swiftly towards us, pointing at Renegade and I. And he looked ticked.
"What is this? What is this?! You can't just bring a tour bus here! This is a military base! Not a vacation home!" A man in digits walked up behind him, an expression of both curiosity and annoyance on his face. Optimus sounded impatient, but he controlled himself.
"These two are here under my protection. The boy will not be staying long."
"'Ey! I'm 20 years old!" Renegade's door popped open and hit me from behind, knocking me off balance. "Oof! What was that for?" I asked with a glare at the bus.
"Respect your elders." He said simply. I grumbled under my breath and leaned against him lightly, folding my arms.
"What do you mean he won't be staying long? He can't just LEAVE, he knows everything now!" I raised a hand but didn't wait to be recognized.
"Actually, I have NO idea what's going on. I don't even know what state I'm in. Throw a bag over my head and drive me to the west coast and I'll never find this place again." The guy stared at me in disbelief, and I shrugged. "It's true." The guy threw his arms around wildly.
"I don't care if it's true! You can't be here, and now you can't leave!" I internally groaned at the irony. He turned to the man in the uniform. "You. Escort this kid into the holding bay. Along with his ride." Renegade's engine revved a little at that, and I had to hold back a chuckle.
"Right away sir." I could tell he was only following orders to keep a bigger headache at bay. He walked up to me. "Come with me please." I nodded, not wanting to argue with the Suit. Renegade and I followed after the man, and I looked over my shoulder at Optimus, who was currently being chewed out by said man. Although he probably wasn't listening, as suggested by his body posture. I stepped up to walk next to the man who was basically our unwilling jailer.
"Sorry for dropping in. Neither of us had any idea where we were going." The man loosened up his posture and a small smile showed.
"It's alright. With these big guys, there's no telling when they'll bring someone in. Bot or human." He held out a hand, which I shook. "The name's Will Lennox."
"Neal, and that's Renegade," I pointed a thumb at the bus rolling behind us, "So, how did you get tied into all of this?"
"A couple of years ago. I met this one kid who had befriended one of the Autobots. A whole war went down in Egypt and I was there."
"Egypt? I didn't hear about that."
"That means we did our job." He said with a small smirk. I shrugged. We stepped into a large hanger that was halved off by a row of bay doors running down the length of it.
We arrived at a bay door and Lennox punched in a code at the panel. It rolled up and I looked in to see it mostly barren, except an extremely large, raised platform off to one side, and in the far corner a section was walled off.
"Alright you two, this is where you'll be staying for a while. Sorry for the lack of accommodations."
"That guy out there would get mad if the prisoners got comfortable?" He snorted a little.
"Yeah, you're not wrong." Renegade rolled into the room and transformed, looking around. The ceiling was just barely tall enough for him to stand up straight.
"It is rather...small."
"Speak for yourself big guy, I could live in a house half this square footage. In fact, I do." He looked past his shoulder down at us.
"Well, that is what happens when you are shorter than 6 feet tall." I pointed a single finger at him.
"Imma get you for that." Lennox leaned against the door frame, smirking at our bit of banter.
"So, how did you two meet?" I half turned, cocked an eyebrow and cracked a smile.
"What are we dating or something?" I asked sarcastically. Renegade spoke up.
"I believe that would be inappropriate." Both of us humans nodded.
"Agreed." I stuffed my hands in my pockets. "Nah, Renegade actually saved me from a storm."
"A storm?" I nodded.
"It's hard to find shelter when you are 1,000 feet in the air." Lennox did a little double take.
"What could you possibly mean by that?"
"I was parachuting with a friend when a storm rolled in. There was a strong updraft coming from the base of the mountain my guide barely avoided, and it kept pulling me closer to the clouds."
"How could he save you from that?" I started to answer, then looked to Renegade, who hesitated but then nodded. He turned to Lennox.
"I think Optimus Prime should be in here to hear this." Lennox nodded and pulled out a radio.
"Optimus, come in." I could hear the 'Bot leader just enough to piece together their conversation.
"Optimus here. What can I do for you Major Lennox?"
"We are in holding bay 2. I think you should hear what these two have to say."
"I am on my way. Optimus out." Lennox replaced the radio on his belt.
"He'll be here shortly. Why is it so important that he be here?"
"Because we don't need him flipping out on us when he finds out about this by accident." I stated. Soon, the semi pulled into the hanger, transforming into the massive Autobot leader. Now that they were standing closer to each other, I could see that Renegade was actually taller than the other Bot, if only by a few feet.
"What is it that you needed me here for? I'm sure Major Lennox could have relayed any information to me just as well." Optimus asked. I had Lennox shut the door. Renegade shifted on his feet and built up some courage, looking at the bot.
"You need to see this. I didn't want to keep this from you and make you think I was hiding something." He took a breath and started shifting. He leaned down onto all fours and his body lengthened. A tail formed from what was actually a sword on his back and waved around, while his head extended and shifted. Soon a full metal dragon was standing where Renegade once had.
Optimus' eyes were wide and he was silent. Lennox stared in awe. Renegade shook his head, his whole body following suit with his wings flaring out a little. I started to step over to him, but Major Lennox grabbed my arm to stop me.
"Don't worry, he's safe." I gently remove my arm from his grip. I moved to stand next to Renegade and he lowered his head, I placed my hand on his jaw before turning to Optimus. "This is how Renegade saved me. I was parachuting with a friend when an updraft from a storm hit me, forcing me into it. He came along and grabbed me before I could get hit by lightning or lose control of my chute. Of course, a giant metal dragon showing up out of the blue didn't help with my already panicked state..." Renegade ducked his head a little. "But it's okay, I'd probably be dead at this point if it wasn't for him." Optimus took a second to think.
"I must admit Renegade, I have not seen a transformation like this before. Are you a Dinobot?" Renegade shook his head. "Can you speak in this form?" He shook his head again. "Please return to your bipedal form." Renegade immediately obliged, quickly shifting back to stand on two feet. His head was bowed, and he wouldn't look at anyone, except the occasional glance at me. I placed a hand in his leg and smiled silently.
"Renegade, what kind of bot are you?" Optimus had a curious tone in his voice. Renegade lifted his head after a minute, and I thought I saw a hint of fear in them.
"I...I am an extinct species. I am the last of my kind." My expression changed to concern when he hesitated.
"And what was your kind called?"
"...Mythicons."