Chapter 67 - Pack Loyalty
(MPOV)
I opened my eyes, feeling exhausted and sick. Every muscle in my body was screaming at me. First indicator that I hadn't moved for a while.
"Kae?" Optimus murmured, "Kae hang in there, stay with me."
I nodded and took a shuddering breath.
"Ow," I whispered.
"Ratchet?" Optimus rumbled softly. The Medi-bot's holoform onlined.
"Finally decided to wake up huh?" Ratchet murmured gently, touching my face.
"How..." I began coughing. Optimus and Ratchet hauled me up and held a glass of water to my lips.
"Drink," Optimus commanded softly. I took a sip and almost choked, sputtering at the over-sweet-salty taste.
"The Pit is that?" I coughed.
"Water," Ratchet murmured with a frown.
"What did you put in it? Salt and sugar?" I coughed.
"How can you tell at such a minute-"
"Ratch, here," Will said calmly, walking forward with another glass. "She's been unconscious on an IV for five days, I'm shocked you've even got your eyes open this long. Here, wet her lips with a cloth first, her body isn't ready to digest anything yet."
Optimus accepted the cloth and lightly dabbed at my lips. I raised a hand toward the glass a couple of minutes later and was shocked to see my hands shaking violently. In silence, Optimus steadied them around the glass, helping me drink.
"I shouldn't be this bad off after five days," I rasped finally.
"There was still ricin in your tissues," Ratchet said gently, "not enough to kill you, but certainly enough to make life miserable. You flatlined twice. This is the third time you've woken up."
"Why does it feel like the first?" I asked, frowning against the light.
"You were delirious," Ratchet stated in a calming voice, Optimus lightly brushed the hair from my face.
"What's your name?" he asked softly.
"Chen Mikaela 'Archangel' Leanne Banes," I answered immediately.
"Who was your father?"
"Captain Calvin Robert Banes, CIA and US Marines," I reported quietly.
"And how do you always know which of us is behind you?" Optimus asked in a low, amused tone.
"I listen to the resonation of the energon in your spark chambers, it still carries through to your holofor – aw Dammit!" I grumbled. "That's low Optimus," I glared at him.
He chuckled and tucked me deeper into the circle of his arms.
"It is good to have you back, my Kae," he rumbled into my hair.
"One question?" I murmured, relaxing into him.
"Hmn?"
"Precisely how much blackmail material did I blurt out mid-delirium?"
"Nothing we can use," Optimus chuckled, pulling me a bit closer.
"Because too many people heard?" I groaned.
"Nope, just nothing we can use," Will piped up. "Already knew you stole cars, killed people and caused a stump to explode with a ball of Energon. I, however, am still pissed that you ditched me in London."
"I said wing suit, you panicked," I shrugged. "Not to mention I was landing on a pitched roof in full tailspin, one chute doing it and it's obviously a trick of the light. Two chutes and we'd have half the security detail breathing down our necks. You're my handler on the paperwork, that means you escort me to and from and tell me who I'm killing. Doesn't mean you come in and shoot people beside me."
"But then why..."
"It's the handlers that get the contracts," I said with a half laugh, "you don't think Barry or Dave actually know who I am on paper? Security Will, if I got caught CIA needs deniability, you get caught you claim you're hunting down a 'high profile assassin' and then you kill me so I'm not thrown to the wolves. Handler."
"You can't be serious!" Will half-shouted. "You mean if the shit had hit the fan I was supposed to what, SHOOT YOU!?"
"Why does everyone always have that reaction?" I looked up at Optimus curiously. "Who do you think coined the phrase 'execution shot?' a bullet to the brain is a hell of a lot kinder than being tortured to death."
"It is a little disorienting to hear someone talk about their own death so amicably," Optimus rumbled, I could hear irritation in his voice.
"Why are you irritated?" I murmured.
(OPOV)
"I do not take kindly to the thought of your death in such a manner," Optimus rumbled angrily, "you deserve to choose for yourself."
Mikaela turned in his holoform's arms to look at him. She sighed.
"You dear, innocent soul," she murmured, reaching up to cup his cheek lightly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Optimus growled. "I am well over seven hundred times your age and have taken more lives than I would wish to remember."
She caught his eyes with a gaze far too ancient and mature for her age.
"I have not owned my own life from the day I opened my eyes. Freedom is a luxury few possess, and an illusion to billions more. Hard fought to win, and keenly felt when it is lost."
"You are free now!" Optimus rumbled angrily.
(MPOV)
"Until a new President comes to office," I snorted. "Unless of course I get very lucky and another democrat with upstanding moral character who understands that I had no choice in the matter comes to office."
"President and upstanding moral character are mutually exclusive terms aren't they?" Will stated mildly.
"Exactly, I'm screwed, Obama is an aberration," I chuckled.
"I'm what now?" the President asked, walking toward the group with Leo and Chris just behind him.
"An aberration," I told him with a half smile, "A President of the United States with good moral character and intelligence? End of the world standing right there."
"It's all an illusion, I'm actually George Bush Sr who underwent massive plastic surgery procedures to look like a black man." Obama stated dryly.
"I knew the giant blue Auto-bot who keeps pulling my ass out of the frying pan was an hallucination." I shot back, struggling to keep a straight face as Optimus' spark began to resonate with indignation. I failed miserably, finally turning to shoot a wink at him. His holoform relaxed behind me.
"I came to return these," Obama said gently, holding out the two geishas, "and to thank you for saving my family."
"Unless the girls look at them and remember a time of being scared, they should keep them," I said with a small smile. "They'd be going to a good family to love them."
"Thank you," the president said softly, smiling and handing the dolls to Leo. Chris Moreshower grinned at me and handed the man a box.
"Mikaela Banes, I hereby award you with the Medal of Honour, for going above and beyond the call of duty to protect the safety and freedom of these United States of America. I'll leave it to you to decide if I'm awarding this to you 'posthumously' or not." the man smiled. He pulled the medal from it's box and folded my left hand around it gently before carefully grasping my right hand. I struggled to shake his hand.
"Thank you, Sir," I whispered.
"Just so you know, Kae," Moreshower grinned, "everything's been made public, or it's going to be, you've got ten days to decide whether or not you're alive. As far as I know, you're going to continue to be the Ambassador for the Auto-bots if you're magically alive again. According to Barry, your involvement will be completely blacked out. 'Angel' is now a mysterious masked hero who saved the world."
"You're serious!" I squeaked finally.
"Hey, you save a man's family, he's your friend," the president shrugged with a grin. "Of course seeing as you had nothing to do with it I was officially hidden in a bunker for ten days. There's also the probability that you were hidden in the same bunker with me, seeing as we used your 'death' to spur Liams into action."
I began laughing softly, cuddling into Optimus' holoform as he pulled me a bit closer.
"I would appreciate it if you continued to be my ambassador, Kae," Optimus rumbled in my ear.
"Gladly, but what happens when I'm declassified?" I asked firmly.
"That takes what? Forty, fifty years? I'll have figured out how to get you to survive on Cybertron by then." Ratchet shrugged.
"I'll be dead, so no worrying about me," Chris shrugged with a grin.
"Oh come on!" Lennox grumbled.
"What are you complaining about?" Chris laughed, "In fifty years I'll be ninety eight and either sleeping in my grave or damn close to it, and you'll probably be general. Life goes on, old generals don't die, we fade away. Just make sure they don't McArthur me."
"Deal," Lennox snorted.
"So you're alive?" the President grinned.
"For now," I smiled, suppressing a yawn.
Optimus' spark was resonating curiosity again.
"I'll explain it later," I yawned.
"I'll hold you to that," he rumbled gently, carefully picking me up and transforming around me. "Rest now, my Kae."
Obediently, I closed my eyes and met the darkness again.
(MPOV)
I woke up feeling ready to burst.
I needed to move. My eyes opened to see Optimus looking at me curiously.
"I need to run," I said softly.
"We can go wherever-" Optimus whispered, I could hear indecision, worry in his spark.
"No, not drive, I need to run, jump, climb," I smiled weakly, "do you know if there's an obstacle course nearby? I never looked."
Optimus grinned at me, delicately pulling his neural fibres out of my skin. The holoform offlined as I quickly pulled on the fatigues and tank that were waiting for me. I couldn't help but notice that the lingerie were still his colours.
I stood to climb out of his cab and crouched as he transformed, carefully shifting me into his hand and standing.
There were soldiers and auto-bots rolling out.
"Optimus?" I asked curiously, climbing up to his shoulder.
"Fitness tests were scheduled for today," he rumbled, I could hear him grinning.
"Alright!" Lennox was shouting as we walked toward him. "We need to show off the fact that even our tech guys can run when we need them to, Mikaela?"
"Major," I called down to him curiously.
"How are your climbing skills?" he called up, "we need another female representative!"
"Do I have to wear boots?" I shouted down.
"No, you aren't regular army!" Jacobs called up with a grin.
"Then bring it!" I bellowed, running down Optimus' arm and fairly flying through the air to land on Ratchet's hand. He lowered me ten feet and I jumped off, landing on my toes and jogging toward Will.
"Having him levitate you doesn't count!" Chance protested with a laugh.
"Levitate?" I asked with a frown, glancing up at Optimus.
"Last time I used a levitation field she almost bounced off," Ratchet laughed.
"What's the course!?" I demanded, bouncing on my toes.
"Groups of six, five miles, you're with Jacobs," Will commanded with a grin as everyone stood to attention. I quickly stood beside Jacobs, standing straight.
"NCO's don't salute," Jacobs murmured quietly. I kept my arm down as the drill sergeant walked past, everyone's arms in a strong salute. Except mine. He stopped and turned to stand in my face.
"Soldier! Why aren't you saluting!?" he bellowed.
"NCO's don't salute, Sir!" I bellowed back.
"NCO why are you in the lineup!?" he bellowed at me.
"I need to run, Sir!" I bellowed at him.
"Major! Why you making the girl run?" he shouted over to Lennox.
"She volunteered as our female representative, Sir!" the major grinned.
"So you don't need to run," the sergeant glared at me.
"All due respect Sir," I grinned at him viciously, "I personally feel the need to run."
The sergeant glared at me for a second before turning on his heel and continuing along the lineup. Jacobs nudged me lightly, I glanced up to see him wink at me.
I stood to attention beside him.
We stood for two bloody hours. The drill sergeant kept passing me and glaring.
"Should'a brought my friggen iPod." I muttered after the first hour. Jacobs snorted beside me. Neither of us moved one iota.
"Red team! Move out!" the sergeant bellowed. Jacobs didn't move. I stayed frozen.
"Yellow team! Move out!" Jacobs didn't move. I bit my lip and stayed frozen, minutely shifting my weight back and forth to keep my muscles warm.
"Blue team! Move out!"
"That's us!" Jacobs rumbled, jogging forward.
"Finally!" I laughed, picking up the pace Jacobs set and running just behind him.
"Fall back a pace Kae," Graham stated behind me. "Arm's length."
"So two of my arms?" I laughed, slowing and pacing again.
"Pretty much shrimpy!" Tibir called out two back.
"You make me into gumbo and I give you heartburn like death!" I called back. The group roared with laughter. We jogged three miles, settling into a ground eating trot and occasionally shouting comments to each other.
"Okay maggots," Jacobs called out, "Tire time!" he began bouncing his way through tires, knees high in the air. I couldn't help it, I laughed all the way through the tires, never once setting my heels on the ground and occasionally having to stand on one foot for a moment to let Jacobs get ahead of me.
"Arm's distance in front of you Kae!" Graham laughed as I stopped again.
"I have an enormous ego and tiny arms! I don't think this was such a good idea!" I shouted back at him, flailing my arms in the air as I jogged my way through the tires. Finally, the last was past the tires and Jacobs was trotting toward a field of barbed wire, he began shuffling his way through. I snorted and skittered through on my hands and toes.
"How the hell are you doing that Kae?" Epps shouted at me.
"Practice!" I called back.
"Since when?"
"Since I used to get into my house through the air-vent!" I laughed. Jacobs stood up in front of me and stopped dead, I got to my feet and looked at him curiously. He pointed at a twenty foot wall with a frown. A dozen men were struggling to get to the top, occasionally falling.
"Where the hell's the damn rope!?" Jacobs bellowed.
"There's a corner, why the hell do you need a rope?" I asked curiously, "you coming?" I took off at a dead sprint, angling for the 90 near the edge. "Coming through!" I bellowed, and ran up the wall.
I walked along the top and found an anchor where the rope should have been. No rope. I shrugged and sat on the wall, hooking my knees over the edge and locking my ankles around the anchor. I dangled upside down and caught Chance's hand.
"Hey Chance! Fancy meeting you here!" I grinned at him.
"How the hell!?" he laughed, dangling from my arm and looking at the remaining four feet. I caught his arm with my other hand, hauling him to my waist.
"Grab my belt, climb up," I grunted. He obeyed with a laugh and hoisted himself up to the top of the wall. There was a splash as he jumped off.
"Kae! We're supposed to help our team out! Not every one of us!" Jacobs protested as I hoisted him to my belt.
"Fuck teams, you're my unit!" I grunted, lacing my fingers and catching his toe as he struggled onto the wall. "Go, I'll catch you up." I added, catching the next wrist.
"Last two!" Graham told me eventually, grabbing my belt as I caught his foot.
"Good on!" I grunted.
"How do I get up there!" Epps shouted up at me, holding Will on his shoulders.
"Will," I stated calmly, "dangle from my belt for a moment."
He obeyed and I swung my arms around, catching his knees.
"Bend," I grunted, "Wrap your legs around my back and bend your knees, tuck your chin so you don't whack your head and let Epps climb up." Will obeyed slowly, releasing my belt and finding that I had a death grip on his legs. He laughed and completed a human chain, reaching out and catching Epps.
My legs screamed at me, I squeezed my eyes shut and locked every muscle. Epps grabbed my belt and hoisted himself to the top of the wall.
"Sit up and grab my belt Will," I gasped, he obeyed and I released my arms, lacing my hands and quickly catching his toe. He scrambled to the top of the wall. I dangled for a moment, catching my breath before trying to sit up. My muscles wouldn't let me.
"FUCK!" I shouted, driving myself up and catching the edge of the wall, I hoisted myself up and over, landing in the water heavily. It was fucking cold.
Jacobs caught the back of my shirt and hauled me out of the mud.
"I told you I'd catch you up," I gasped, fighting to stand on numb legs.
"We ain't leave nobody behind!" Tibir shouted.
"Let's go then," I said firmly. As one the unit moved out. I struggled to run beside them, forcing my muscles to obey and ignoring the bruises. Will and Jacobs noticed, jogging on my left and right and catching my arms, giving me a bit of extra support. I began to warm up again, the running became easier. I looked my thanks to them as I delicately pulled my arms from their grasp. Jacobs grinned at me.
"Snipers to the front!" Lennox shouted. Automatically, I sprinted forward, snatching up a rifle and putting it together at high speed. I crouched and aimed, waiting for the target with a handful of bullets. In my peripheral vision Lennox was staring at me in shock as five others put their guns together.
I took a deep breath and felt the ice run through my blood.
Targets began popping up, blanks, I tracked them and fired, head shots, daddy's specialty. Another set, painted. One, dressed as a suicide bomber, terrified. Victim. I looked at the target and held my fire, moving to the next. A child, victim, hold fire. Man with a gun, clean suit, wrong stance. Shoulder. A target turned two feet in front of me, gun aiming for my head. He went down instantly. A bell rang. I threw the safety on and rose beside the other snipers.
"The hell?" Epps grinned at me.
"What?" I laughed, cradling the rifle across my chest as we began jogging back toward base.
"Since when are you a bloody sniper?" Lennox demanded with a grin.
"Since I was old enough to not get thrown back by the kick," I laughed, "head shots were daddy's specialty."
"Then why are you the bloody fastest?"
"Because anytime I beat dad on setup and shot we got to go hunting," I grinned viciously. "I told you, habitual carnivore. There is nothing like fresh deer meat cooking over a wood fire. And when we bagged our food? We could afford luxuries."
"Hah! You were raised by the military!" Chance howled victoriously.
"No, I was raised by... okay fine, I was sort of raised by the military," I laughed.
"Still automatic to protect them huh?" Epps asked kindly.
"...Yeah," I agreed softly.
"Man, if we ever earn that same loyalty-" Jacobs started in a musing tone.
"You already have," I stated quietly. "You daft mooks made me break rule ten."
We fell into the lineup again, stood to attention and waited.
"NCO!" the Sargent bellowed, "why do you have a rifle!? Major!"
"With all due respect Sir!" Lennox bellowed back, "Kae is well trained with weaponry and a damned good shot!"
Several feet away, I could hear Ironhide and Optimus' sparks resonating amusement as Will and the drill Sargent bellowed at each other.
Finally, the annoying man shouted a dismissal.
"About time," I snorted, "It's an ill wind that blows no good."
"What's that?" Epps grinned.
"Mudpack like this? Gonna lose all my calluses," I snorted, carefully breaking the gun down, cleaning it and setting it back in it's case. As one, we trouped toward the mess.
"So what, why are we daft mooks?" Jacobs grinned.
"You bastards made me break rule ten," I grumbled. "How the hell am I supposed to be an acceptable assassin if I'm constantly breaking rule ten?"
"What, never become personally involved?" Will snorted, "stupid rule if you ask me."
"Well, okay fine, but if you lot were anything less than the ridiculously accepting people that you are, what are my chances of having gotten back here and being allowed to play soldier again after activating?" I asked wryly.
"Yeah well, you're an awesome little sister," Chance grinned, pulling me into a tight hug. "We called dibs."
"Not to mention there would be hell to pay if Ratchet didn't get to keep his favourite assistant," Optimus rumbled, onlining his holoform with a grin.
"You're all prats and I love you dearly," I laughed.
"Good," Lennox grinned, "now are you coming for Christmas or not?"
(OPOV)
"Oh god, I don't want to impose," Mikaela groaned.
"You'll be imposing if you don't come," Lennox grinned, "You too Optimus."
"I would be honoured," Optimus rumbled with a grin, following the men into the mess hall. Kae smiled as she collected her tray, sitting and eating with the men as if nothing had changed. Optimus watched her carefully.
"What's wrong, Kae?" he asked during a lull in the conversations. She looked up, startled as everyone turned to look at her.
"What are you on about? I'm fine," she said with a smile that struggled to reach her eyes.
"No, you're not," Lennox frowned, "something's eating you."
"Kae," Optimus rumbled gently, reaching over and lightly touching his mark on her chest beneath her shirt. She sighed, sagging into herself.
"You guys don't need to hear the quibbles of a teenaged girl," she murmured softly, staring at her hands.
"We're gonna make you say it anyway," Jacobs murmured. "You don't have to say it all at once, but we all know that after we kill, it helps to bleed off the poison."
"I'm getting blackouts," Kae sighed finally, "I don't know if it's because I was tired, blocking it out, or because of the ricin. It's slipping away, except for the guilt, the knowledge that I've killed."
"That is the ricin," Optimus rumbled, gently taking her hand. "We sliced open an artery in your leg, completely drained your blood and replaced it. And still you died, twice. It is bound to have affected your memories."
"I'm alive," Mikaela said softly, "the only way I had available to deal, was that after... after I activated I was supposed to die. Except now I'm alive, surrounded by people I love again. But I'm still a killer."
She glanced up at the sound of a chopper incoming.
"The hell?" Will said with raised eyebrows as Optimus quickly offlined his holoform, transforming beside his unit into their disguises, he onlined his holoform to follow Will, quickly catching up to his Kae as the Major pressed his glock into her hands.
"Sarah!" he shouted with a broad grin, running toward the chopper his femme and the General were stepping down from.
Optimus frowned, the scent of fear was in the air...
(MPOV)
Something was wrong, civilians were on base and Chris Moreshower wasn't smiling.
The world slowed down as a man stepped out from behind the helicopter, grabbing Will and holding a gun to his head.
"Hello Angel!" he said with a bright smile that didn't come close to his eyes. Ice ran through my blood. I aimed for his head. "My but you took some finding! Tell your soldiers to stand down, Major, or you will have the pleasure of watching your beautiful ladies crippled, if not killed outright."
"Harrison," I growled. "Leave the civilians out of this. You want me, you have me. Weapons down."
"Oh Angel," Harrison shook his head. "No, you see it's not that easy, they really should have trained you better, you know? Sent you to me, train you up properly."
The auto-bots were rolling in at high speed behind us and transforming.
"Got more reinforcements coming in have you Angel? Drop your weapons boys." Harrison grinned at me, he cocked the gun.
"Stand down!" I barked in the voice of command. Several guns were lowered carefully to the ground. Soldiers and auto-bots both backed well away from us. "What do you want Harrison? As you can see you've interrupted a rather amusing day."
"I want to know what you gave to the General over here, we've had a nice little chat, me and Chris, it seems you gave him something, something that belongs to me, and I want it back. The President has it now, unfortunately, I'll have to kill him too. Such is life. But I need to know what you gave him Angel."
"Well then, it would seem I have the upper hand, now doesn't it?" I stated sweetly, placing the .45 lightly to my temple and flicking the safety off, "so how about you and the three men you have in reserve in the chopper there take the vests off the ladies there. Bomb vest on a toddler?" I laughed lightly. "You always did have style, Harrison, I'll give you that. Have you taken Barry out yet?"
"No, he's on my to-do list," Harrison drawled, looking at me with interest.
"What you see is what you get," I smirked at him. "Once this is all finished up I have no doubt that I'm going to be needing a new employer. Do me a favour though, Will here is a rather nice guy for an upright, get rid of the vest on the girls. Stylish, I'll give you that, but what's the sense of having a soldier out for vengeance? It's just another man I'd have to kill, and good munitions have been getting expensive. But then, just how expensive is the information Cal foisted on me?"
Harrison laughed, jerked his head and three men came out, roughly taking the vests from Chris, Sarah and Anabelle.
"So you're going to die Angel, without saying goodbye?" Harrison simpered at me.
"Perhaps," I shrugged, "or we could all get into that lovely chopper of yours there, and discuss... business."
"Well I'll be damned, Cal's baby Angel grew some horns while daddy was away." Harrison leered at me.
"So much more fun this way," I drawled. Harrison gave Will a shove toward the group of hostages. There were still guns trained on them though.
"Now, is that any way to play nice?" I smiled sweetly, lightly fingering the trigger. "Vests deactivated, weapons down, same time."
The four men grouped together somewhat, wires were pulled. I slowly crouched toward the ground, the same pace that they did. The guns touched the ground and we rose again.
I held my hands out and walked slowly toward them.
"Mikaela!" Will shouted.
"I'll promise you this one thing, Will," I said quietly, trading places with the hostages. "They will never hurt your baby girl."
"Tsk tsk, you broke rule ten Angel, that's going to cost you," Harrison shook his head and pulled a gun from his waistband, there was the sound of a gunshot. In a second my knife was in the air, slicing his hand as I ran toward them. Guns were hastily drawn but I was already among them, punching here, breaking an arm there. They began fighting back.
Ice ran through my blood, uppercut with a stiff wrist, the man fell, unconscious, the second came from behind, catching me in a headlock. I reached back and jabbed my thumbs into his windpipe, fracturing it. He fell back, struggling to breathe. The third tried to grab me, I dropped down and took out his legs, swinging around and a solid kick to the sternum. Broken ribs. He was out. In a flash I was standing and had Harrison by the throat, he stared at me in shock, his eyes flicked about, looking for a weapon.
"Maybe you're right, Harrison, I did break rule ten. But you're wrong." I said in a deathly quiet voice. I shoved him back slightly and brought my right fist around, the punch had an s curve, forcing his neck to turn to the breaking point. With strength I switched angles, bringing my arm back and cutting down, snapping his neck instantly.
"I was taught by the best," I told the dead man flatly. He fell.
Four men lay wounded or dead around me. I leaned down, picked up Harrison's .45 and pressed it to my temple.
"Mikaela NO!" Will bellowed.
"Cover your baby girl's eyes," I said quietly before taking a deep breath.
The next second, Ironhide's holoform was behind me, snatching my wrists and forcing my arms down and behind my back. He pushed me down to my knees, holding me in submission. I bowed my head, waiting for death.
"I'm sorry Optimus," I whispered. Tears streamed down my face.
Ironhide released my arms and walked to stand in front of me, roughly grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him.
"Hide," I whispered, "I don't deserve mercy, but please, have mercy and kill me quickly."
"It is our responsibility as guardians to guard and protect those in our care," Ironhide roared at me. "You have two choices, either you live, or Optimus dies."
That hit far harder than any bullet. I broke, keening in agony as Ironhide knelt in front of me, pulling me roughly into a hug.
"You remember this well," he snarled, crushing me to his chest. "You kill yourself, you die and you commit murder. Understand me?"
I began struggling to hold back a sob as Hide rocked me.
"And don't you dare feel guilty, you wounded three and killed one. You killed with more mercy than that bastard deserved." Ironhide rumbled softly. "A man who would cripple a hatchling doesn't deserve to live."
Optimus was beside us the next second, hauling me into his arms as Ratchet grabbed my stomach. I looked down. Blood.
"Oh, fuck." I whispered. There was darkness.