Chapter 55 - Ill afforded Grief
(WPOV)
Will's eyes flashed open as a hand pounded on his door.
"Who is it?" he called out groggily.
"Jerry! Moreshower's on the phone! He says don't bother putting your uniform on yet." the man called out worriedly. Will was on his feet the next moment, sliding feet into boots and out the door the next moment in his pyjamas. He followed Jerry quickly, ascending the catwalk and going to stand in front of the screen.
Will's heart sank, the General looked drawn and tired.
"Will," he said quietly, looking at him with grief in his eyes.
"Sarah?" Will whispered hoarsely.
"Your ladies are alright," Moreshower murmured consolingly. "It... it's Cal. I need you and one or two of the bots to go out to his place..." the man trailed off and looked down, looking like he was fighting to compose himself.
"Oh god," Will whispered. "Do you know..."
"He's dead, Will, it looks like he was tortured something bad, I made the identification myself. The shop though, you saw that shop Will. Those boys built it to take almost anything, but the reports say it's almost ready to fall down. I need to know if it was his battle, or hers that knocked our Kae's door down."
"I'll come with you," Ironhide rumbled softly, transforming and standing with a grim expression on his face. "Mikaela is my niece, which made Cal my brother. We need to know."
"Ironhide," Will murmured, nodding to the Weapons Master.
"We go now," the mech stated sternly. The general nodded and Will looked at Jerry.
"Information vacuum, I don't want Kae to find out the wrong way, we gotta make sure it's... we gotta make sure." Will stated quietly. The tech nodded firmly and looked toward her tent as Optimus' holoform winked into being beside him.
"Ironhide," Optimus rumbled softly.
"I'll make sure," the mech nodded quietly. "We should go quickly, Will, you're gonna need your armour."
(MPOV)
Optimus was quiet when I woke up, walking out of my tent and looking at the bots curiously. They were avoiding my eyes. Ironhide was gone.
"Ratch?" I murmured worriedly.
"Later, Kae," Ratchet murmured softly. I nodded and got to work on the new batch of services that had rolled in.
I glanced up as Ironhide rolled into the hangar at noon. Will got out of his cab slowly and looked around the hangar. I dug back into the engine.
"Mikaela," Lennox was walking toward me slowly.
"What's up Will?" I asked curiously, straightening from my task and snatching a rag, wiping the grease from my hands.
"Kae, maybe you should sit down," Lennox said softly, touching my shoulder. "It... it's about your father."
Silence.
"What happened?" I asked softly, frozen. Lennox looked like he was about ready to clam up. "Major Lennox, what has happened to my father?" I said firmly.
"The police found him last night... there... there was a fire..." Lennox said quietly.
"Was there a signature?" I asked patiently.
"Decepticon," Ironhide stated, "By the look of the place your dad put up one hell of a good fight-"
"Ironhide!" Lennox protested worriedly.
"What?" the weapons master asked, looking at the Major. Will opened his mouth to respond, I interrupted briskly.
"Any sign of who?" I asked in clipped tones.
"Barricade probably, he is fond of fire," Ironhide growled.
"Mikaela?" Lennox looked at me in consternation.
"Major Lennox, Ironhide, thank you for informing me." I said in the same deathly calm voice father had always resorted to when he was hiding emotions. "If you'll excuse me, please, there's work to be done." I walked back to the truck I was working on, dry eyed.
The few humans and several Auto-bots in the hanger stared at me, I ignored them and carefully set the carburetters in place, bolting them in. There was silence as I checked the last few adjustments and re-filled the fluids. Walking around to the cab I turned the key in the ignition, the accessories turned on but no tickover. I frowned and crawled under the engine with a hammer, lightly hitting the starter. Back out I turned the key again, closing my eyes as the engine roared to life. A few moments and I shut it off again with a nod.
"Ratchet?" I said tentatively.
"Mikaela?" he looked down at me warily.
"I'm going to need a new starter solenoid for this one," I banged on the hood lightly, "otherwise I think she's good." I looked at the truck for a long moment, then around the shop. "If it's okay, I think I'd like to go for a ride."
Ratchet looked down at me for a moment and grabbed a cell from the workbench, lightly tossing it to me. I looked up at him gratefully and pocketed it, snatching up my leathers and helmet. A few seconds of rapid zippers and clips and an engine roared to life beneath me, first gear cautiously idled me out the hangar doors, I slowly increased my speed as I wove delicately through the compound. The twins caught up and tailed me, already chattering.
::. Hey hey hey, it's the world's fastest fleshbag!.:: Skids' voice called over the bluetooth in my helmet.
"Hey Skids, Mudflap," I called back, knowing they could hear me. "I call rematch!"
::. Whoa, she gonna go faster?.:: Mudflap exclaimed, accelerating somewhat. ::. Ain't no way a fleshbag can keep up with us!.::
"Never heard o' teamwork then have ya?" I baited him with a brief parody of a broad grin. "I can't go fast by myself, but I can still ride faster than you can run!" An eternal moment. A deep breath and I let out a ululating war cry, gearing up in a flash and accelerating into a wheelie before taking off at high speed with the twins hot on my heels. I once again reached the end of the track first and bade them goodbye, riding swiftly to the compound gates and taking off along the coastal road.
(WPOV)
"That's her solution? Lennox asked with a frown. "Thank the messenger for telling you your father has been tortured and murdered, finish your work and run up and down the airstrip for a while? Wait, now where's she going?"
"She's going to the cliffs?" Optimus rumbled softly.
"She's going to the cove," Ratchet said quietly, looking into the distance and evidently following the progress of the cell he'd given her.
"One hour, if she does not return I will go get her," Optimus stated quietly.
Will nodded, that was a good move.
(MPOV)
It was quiet. The sound of the waves rushing softly against the sand was soothing.
Numbing.
Philosophically, I recognized the need to release grief. But numb would do, for now. The rush of cool air had quieted the immediate need to sob. I glanced at the sun and rose as the familiar roar of Optimus' alt form reached my ears. I walked toward him as he transformed.
"Thank you," I looked up at him dry eyed with a small smile.
"What for?" Optimus rumbled, carefully kneeling down to look at me.
"For coming to look for me one hour after I drove off," I looked up at him with gentle amusement. He watched me carefully as my expression sobered, as much as I fought to keep the amusement in place.
Looking into the intense, burning blue of his optics I finally sighed.
"I'm not ready to grieve yet," I said softly, "There's a lot left to do still, and I can't bring myself to be incapacitated at the moment."
"Mikaela," Optimus watched me for another moment, then reached over and gently enveloped me in his hand. "If you need anything, I am here."
"I know," I said softly, cuddling against his palm and touching his mark on my chest. "That means more to me than I can express. I'm just not ready, not yet."
He gave me a gentle squeeze and rose.
"Would you like to stay out a bit longer?"
"No," I said gently, "we should probably get back." I looked up at him and walked over, carefully climbing up his foot to hug his leg. "Optimus?" I murmured.
"Mikaela."
"Thank you for caring," I looked up at him and hoped his sensors would pick up the truthfulness of the four simple words. He gave me a small smile.
"Would you like to ride with me? Or are your bringing your bike back?"
"I'll bring the bike back, one never knows when they need to run."
(OPOV)
Optimus watched his Kae, she was still working, acting as though nothing had happened. He knew she could hear the worry resonating in the bot's sparks. Occasionally, she would look up at him and smile gently, take a deep breath and renew her focus on her work. A helicopter landed on the pad. Optimus immediately transformed, standing tall and walking to communications central to stand with Will, he didn't want anyone bothering his Kae for the next few days.
Director Galloway was walking from the helicopter and through the hangar doors. Straight toward Mikaela.
"Miss Banes!" he called out calmly.
"Director, what can I do for you today?" Mikaela asked in a calm tone.
"I'm afraid I'm to be the bearer of bad news, Decepticons burned your father's home yesterday, he didn't escape the blaze. You have the government's sincerest apologies." the man stated with a complete lack of tact.
He reached out and caught her right shoulder, clapping a hand down and giving a small shake.
"We would truly appreciate your continuing trust, help and loyalty through these trying times. Especially to make sure something like this doesn't happen to another. The best way to kill a snake, after all, is to cut off it's tail, right behind the head. Walk with me."
He threw a companionable arm across her shoulders, leaning across to whisper to her as he led her toward the hangar doors.
"You know, the auto-bots don't belong here," he murmured.
Optimus frowned. What game was the man playing?
"Oh this is bad," Lennox whispered beside him, Optimus glanced at him, noting the grim expression on the man's face.
"The only way to keep these things from happening anymore is to get them out of here, you know? They protected us, yes, but they protected us from enemies they brought here. Listen, we could use you in Washington. You're a brilliant public speaker and all..." Galloway continued, seeming to be trying to lead her toward the helicopter.
"Thank you, Director," Mikaela said in a deeply calm voice. "I'm afraid I have work to do, but I will give your words the thought they deserve."
"You do that dear," the Director simpered at her, patting her shoulder. "If you wish to talk, you know how to find me. Uncle Sam needs you, Miss Banes."
"Thank you, Director," she nodded, giving the man a weak smile. He nodded and walked quickly toward his waiting chopper.
Mikaela stood and watched him take off, and then disappear into the distance.
Two dozen soldiers and auto-bots watched in shocked silence. Mikaela took a deep breath and spat forcefully on the ground where Galloway had stood, making a sharp about face and walking back to the jeep.
The gentle breeze brought the scent of blood and rage into the hangar.
Optimus stared in shock at the blood on the ground.
"She bit her tongue that forcefully!?" Will choked beside him.
"Mikaela!" Ratchet stated with a growl, "Say it aloud."
She turned to look at the Medi-bot with a deep frown etched on her face. She rapidly composed herself, neutral.
"Say what?" she asked in a level tone.
"Whatever it is that has your pheromones washing the place with anger," Ratchet growled. Ironhide onlined his holoform the next second, right beside Prime's.
"Best I don't," she said with a small smile, closing the hood on the jeep and walking over to a servo. She began to disassemble it with patient, steady hands.
Ratchet nodded to Ironhide, who promptly picked her up out of the chair and slung her over his holoform's shoulder.
"Primus dammit Ironhide put me down!" Mikaela protested loudly.
"Nope," Ironhide rumbled with a grin, "'Mon girl, time to let 'er go."
"Let what fucking go!" Mikaela shouted, squirming on his shoulder. Ironhide stepped onto the mats and tossed her down. She rolled and was standing in a defensive stance a second later.
"No good spittin' blood on the ground without throwin' a punch first," Ironhide shook his head before charging toward her. She sidestepped and shoved him to the side, taking a couple of running steps to the edge of the mats, stumbling as her boots caught the padded rubber. She snarled and tore the boots off as Ironhide caught her, she threw him down easily, tearing her coveralls off the next second and standing in light cotton tank and pants as Ironhide caught her in the side again.
They went down, and in seconds Mikaela was sitting on top of him, one fist inches from his face.
"I will spit blood on the ground before I spit venom in the air!" she snarled.
"Admirable, but a waste of blood," Ratchet rumbled.
Ironhide flexed underneath her and tossed her away, rolling her onto her stomach and holding her arms well behind her back. Pinning her well into submission.
"If you can spit blood on the floor you can spit the venom too," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "You're distracted Kae, gonna hurt yourself if you keep stewing like this."
Optimus watched an amazing thing. Mikaela flexed and caught Ironhide's throat with her feet, pulling him off of her back and flat onto his own. Her hand caught his wrist as he released her, and as she spun she twisted his arm, forcing him onto his stomach and pinning him in submission, one elbow pressed very lightly into his kidney... or rather... where the humans kept their kidneys...
"If the Decepticons came after the Auto-bots, would you care to explain how they managed to get here first?" she snarled. "The fate of the human race was sealed the day that the cube entered earth's atmosphere, twelve thousand years ago. Does the number make sense?" she snarled.
"Explain it anyway," Will barked.
"Ten thousand BC, the cube landed. Twelve thousand years ago our world ended an age and began another, the glaciers began to recede, the first cave paintings were drawn." Mikaela snapped. "Five hundred years later man began to change his environment to suit himself. Need more perspective? Sixty-five million years ago an asteroid changed the atmospheric patterns so rapidly it killed off the dinosaurs. We saw this planet's history, and we fought to preserve the life that would have been destroyed by our arrival."
Optimus clapped a hand to his vocal processors. Her memories were integrating with the All-spark's.
"Shiiit..." Jacobs whispered, staring between he and Kae as the femme continued speaking.
"If that hadn't happened where do you think the human race would be? We would never have evolved. Never have gotten rid of our claws. Never have learned to work together, with each other rather than staking out our own little piece of territory. We would have never developed compassion, as hard as it is to believe that we actually did when you listen to that brown nosing little weasel!"
Optimus stood for a moment, watching Kae. She had said she considered him to be her dearest friend. And as a friend he needed to follow his instincts.
Mikaela stood up from Ironhide's shoulders and was caught in Optimus' arms. He took her legs out and brought her carefully to the mats. Pinning her gently.
"That's not all of it," he rumbled gently. Mikaela shrieked in rage, squirming beneath him. Which was confirmation in itself, actually.
"Optimus let me gods damned up!" she snarled.
"Say the rest of it." he said calmly.
She shrieked and spun beneath him, Optimus was amazed at the force she commanded to flip him off of her and directly onto his back, she sat on his chest, toes digging into sensitive places without the force to truly hurt.
"I do not encourage a fair weather friend," she snarled, "He claims he wants my trust and loyalty? I know you lot heard what he had to say. He wants me to help get rid of you, Optimus, he burned the bridge and now walks blindly into the flames. Uncle Sam needs me!? WHERE THE FUCK WAS UNCLE SAM WHEN WE NEEDED HIM!?" she bellowed, her hand slammed into the mat beside his head.
Optimus caught her wrists as she pulled away. Anyone could see the blood draining from her face. She hadn't meant to say that.
She pulled back, hard, fighting to break free as he gently stood, pulling her to her feet.
Optimus released her gently, watching as she turned sharply, walking barefoot back to the servo. She stared at it for a long moment before sitting down, picking up a screwdriver and continuing to dismantle it.
She'd looked at him with eyes so deeply shuttered Optimus knew why she'd fought to keep her silence. She couldn't afford her grief. There was still another.
Her unit of seven was now down to two.
Will began to walk toward her.
"No," Optimus rumbled softly, catching his shoulder. Men and bots looked at him. "Let her be for a while." Optimus murmured, turning to look at his Kae with worried optics.
They all watched her, worried, as even her eyes closed off from the outside world.