Chapter Seven
...
Tessa's gasp was more of a squeak than anything as she jumped, suddenly alarmed as Mira's body hit the ground with a thump. Her eyes widened and her and Cade both took off for the limp, motionless body. Optimus just stared, astounded, spark hammering within his plating. Cade skidded to a stop beside Mira's unconscious body, and lifted her head up carefully with his hand. Tessa kneeled down on the other side and put a trembling hand out to touch her.
The back of Mira's head was dry, signaling no blood or fracture-the ground wasn't soft, after all. Cade looked at Tessa and ordered, "Go into the house and get some water, and bring something cool for her head." Tessa nodded and got up, then looked at Optimus as is afraid to turn her back on him. Prime looked away from her and she carefully exited the barn.
Tessa stopped suddenly when a little figure stood just a few feet from the barn, looking down and walking towards her, not watching where he was going. Merrick, she remembered his name, stopped when he noticed her standing there. He smiled goofily at her. "My Momma in there?" He asked, pointing to the barn, "she said-"
"Dad!" she exclaimed towards the barn. Walking over and kneeling before the boy, she touched his shoulders. "Why don't you come inside and help me find something to drink, alright?" she asked lightly, trying to get the shaking out of her voice. Footsteps stopped behind her, and the barn door squeaked.
"Tessa...? Oh." Cade caught sight of the boy and kicked the doors closed. He approached them and squatted before the boy. "Hi Merrick."
Merrick smiled at him. "Hey, junkman." Defeated, Cade hung his head slightly. Merrick looked towards the barn. "Where's Mom?"
Cade took the boy's shoulders. "She's...in the barn. Resting. She's a bit...upset." He hated the lie before it came from his mouth, but he couldn't very well tell the boy the truth. "Hey. Let's go inside and get something to drink and something cold for your ma, huh?"
Merrick nodded. "Okay." Cade stood and offered his hand to the little boy, and then Merrick slipped his smaller one inside. Tessa realized in that moment her father had never had a son, and that he may have always wanted one. She pushed the thought from her mind before it could fully formulate. No, Mira wasn't her dad's type. She was...involved.
...
"The guy at the theatre said twenty miles," the driver confirmed, glancing at the highly improved GPS on the dash of the GMC truck.
Savoy chuckled and situated his comm-link in his ear, Attinger on the other line...doing whatever in the world Attinger did. He sat back in his seat and reached into his trench-coat pocket, pulling out the magazine for his "special edition" Baretta. Slamming it into the grip, he ran his finger along the barrel and chuckled yet again. He focused his sunglassed eyes on the horizon of the Texas sky and nodded.
"Alright then. Let's book."
...
There was quietness in the darkness.
A solumn quietness, which was beautifully silent, but disturbing. She felt like awakening held a gift for her, a gift her heart had been waiting for for all these years. Her heartbeat hammered in her chest, and she could feel it in her ears. Warmness radiated over her, budding at her chest and flowing throughout her veins. Light began to settle before her eyes as daylight peeked through the thin layer of skin her eyelids provided. It began to hurt.
She moved her head, her lips parting slightly to moan. A tingling feeling hit her skin as a warm hand wrapped around her shoulder. It was gracious and careful. She fidgeted at the touch and moaned again, this time her arm rising to touch her forehead. Instantly pain spiked up her spine and settled at the crown of her head. She'd fallen...
"Mira," the voice called from the darkness, quietly. It was male, and inviting. She recognized it instantly, but was slightly confused. Optimus was...gone. Since Mexico he'd been gone. She hadn't heard from him in...three years...
"Optimus," she breathed, still unable to place the situation. Her eyes fluttered open, and she felt someone fixing the glasses back into place on her face. Irritated, she rolled her head and instantly pinched her eyes closed again. The daylight hurt. "Optimus...?" her voice trailed again.
"It is I." the voice affirmed. Now able to open her eyes, she propped herself up on her elbows and instantly two strong hand grabbed her shoulders to stabilize her. "I do not advise getting up. You took quite a fall." She wrinkled her brow, now staring at the figure.
It was Cullen.
Dare she say it again? "Optimus?"
A chuckle this time. "The way you keep saying my name leads me to believe you don't think I exist," she shook her head slightly to piece the puzzle back together. "but, it is me, Miriam...Optimus."
She gaped at him. "But...you're human." her voice was more disbelieving than she would've liked. He squatted beside her. "I..."
"I am using a holoform," he replied casually, "a new...invention, given to us by Ratchet. We have used them effectively since Chicago." Mira, still frowning, used her left arm to grab his forearm roughly. It was definitely solidified...flesh. She dug her nails into his arm and he looked at the hand. "Mira," he chastened slightly.
Panic had to have seized her, because he only used that tone to calm her down. "I...you've been gone since Mexico." She shook her head, pushing him away. "It isn't you." she got up, wobbling, grabbing hold of a support beam to steady herself. "You're not Optimus. I...I met you last night! You said your name was Cullen...I watched you leave."
Optimus-or was it Cullen?-flashed her a look of hurt, and then sighed. "Mira. Last night...was not the right time-"
"-you can't prove anything!" she exclaimed.
He stepped towards her and grabbed her now trembling wrist. "You would not be shaking if you knew it wasn't me." he let her arm go when she resisted. "Mira, listen to me."
"No!" she clung to the post. "You're not-"
"Miriam!" he barked now, his voice striking the air with icy command. It froze her where she stood, like Prime always did when he corrected her so forcefully. He grabbed her wrist again and stared into her eyes...hard. She found Prime there, every trace of his essence, and finally relaxed her arm. He released her and reached towards her, and just under the collar of her shirt, lifting the leather string with his index finger and revealing the emblem. Resting it in his palm, it began pulsating now, gleaming brighter than before. Perhaps the one downfall of the Shield was its ability to recognize its master. Her throat parched and constricted.
"You have kept it safe," he breathed, relieved, "as I knew you would," he stared her straight in the eyes. "Now look into my eyes, Mira, and tell me that I am not Optimus Prime. Because if you did, I would be led to doubt my very existence." She could've emitted a squeak, but chose to stay silent. "That is the power you have over me, my dear."
"But..." she followed his arm to his face, "you're..."
He sighed, frustrated. "A holoform. You still are as stubborn and hardheaded as you were, aren't you?" He released her arm and continued, "Now, don't be alarmed..." his voice trailed as his body began to pulsate. Mira's eyes widened as he began to disspate into an electromagnetic shadow now. Soon his form was altogether gone.
"Optimus!" she squeaked. lunging for the place where he stood. Her heart was almost ripped from her chest when she looked to the back of the barn, where a towering figure emerged from the shadows. Her heart, now seemingly stopping living, seized as she hitched a breath. A hand covered her mouth and tears pulled at the corner of her eyes. "Optimus..."
She stepped towards him, feeling a force of unity, peace and ecstasy wash over her body. Her soul felt refreshed as she stared at him, and he at her. Now her heart began to beat rapidly, almost like a jet engine, and heat spread over her blood and up into her skin. Carefully she approached his 40 foot form as she stared up at him, and he down at her, watching her hard as if she would collapse again. Life itself couldn't push her over, now.
"I am here." he said gently. "It has been too long, my friend."
She choked back a sob when she spoke. "Three years is almost an eternity," she breathed, "you're...alive." He nodded slowly. "I thought you were dead, it's been so long."
"I am very much online, Mira. And you..."
"Mom!" the cry emanated from outside the barn, then a shuffling and skidding of rocks. "Let go!" Now, there was scuffling, and heavy footfalls. Optimus and Mira both looked at each other, unwilling to move, and then gave their attention back to the door. Her mothering instinct instantly kicked in when she heard her baby now crying, "Mom! OW!"
"Merrick!" she cried, bolting for the door Yanking it open only enough to slip through, she stopped only briefly to throw a look to Optimus. He nodded and she slipped through the door.
She was met with a familiar Baretta staring at her in the face.
"Hello, Ms. Lennox. Remember me?"
