Fifteen - First Rescue

On one of Jump City's beautiful, rare wintry days, the streets were filled with merriment, the city's inhabitants still basking in the glow of the New Year before the charm wore off. A thin sheet of snow blanketed the ground and it was just barely warm enough for a heavy jacket.

A block away from city hall, a young couple strolled out of a pink, dainty-looking café, wearing matching earmuffs. They clutched hot chocolate in paper cups close to their chests. The woman pointed to a sign next to the record store, which directed people towards a mini-concert down the alley. The man paused to listen to the music softly playing in the distance, then nodded enthusiastically. They practically skipped to the sound of guitar and light chatter as they cut through the alleyway.

As the couple reached the end and turned onto a sidestreet, a hand flung out and grabbed the guy by his collar. The woman cried out, but no one heard her. It seemed as if for this one rare instance of time, everyone was indoors, safe and happy and none the wiser. Shadows shifted around the two innocents, and then all at once, descended on them like a pack of wolves.

And not so far away, but safe underground, was a school. Not the traditional kind but close enough. It had once looked a little different, but now it was sleeker, cleaner, almost flashier. Jagged edges had melted into rounded doorways and tunnels. What was once painted golden had been replaced with actual gold. The most noticeable change was the throne room. Nobody called it that, but the fancy tall-backed cushioned chair in the center (which absolutely only one person was allowed to sit on) made it clear. Above the auditorium, presided the leader, no, the king, the minister to this wayward flock, safely guarding over his children, almost like a father some would say. To his side often stood the girl, his favorite, his star - his daughter, almost, some would remark.

The girl held a tablet and wore a headset. "They've got the generator."

The man nodded slowly. "Excellent."

She sighed. "The new addition. He lags."

"Then make him not."

She frowned at the image on her screen, of SeeMore stumbling back as the woman hit him in the stomach with her purse. "What do you want me to do, hogtie him and set the lizards on him? Chase him with the poison darts?"

"If I remember correctly, you refused to do the former and the latter only made him more gauche."

"What can I say? I get bored."

The minister, uncharacteristically reserved today, turned his head to the auditorium.

The girl sighed. "You don't think we'll have any trouble, will we?"

"Oh, please. The Justice League is much too busy for the likes of us. The smaller teams are under their control, as well."

"And the locals?"

"Didn't you hear, my star? The Teen Titans are still looking for that Slade character. A mere distraction." He paused and smiled at her. "I'm not surprised he stabbed your former headmistress in the back. The weak always have to resort to sneak attacks." He clucked his tongue. "It's a shame she was bested by him."

Bumblebee looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. Something about Brother Blood's story didn't sit right with her. The words were stale, his grief over his supposed colleague's troubles was saccharine. Yet, there was something familiar and meaty about Blood's supposed lamentations. Almost expected.

She picked at her cuticles. Maybe because it was exactly the way people like the two of them ought to act.

"Bumblebee."

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"Come look at this." He gestured to the television screen in front of him.

She paused to watch the video feed, then commented, "Okay, so? A tornado ripping through the south. Big whoop. It won't come anywhere near Jump."

"Not just any tornado. A manmade tornado." He rewinded the video. "That boy."

Bumblebee squinted at the screen to see a masked man with his arms outstretched in front of him. The man laughed victoriously as his tornado raced toward a crowd of people. The results were as ugly as expected.

Bee shifted her eyes to the bottom corner of the screen. Just enough so she would not be chastised. "That was a lot of people."

"Oh, no, my dear girl, you are mistaken. That was an alien army on their way to destroy Riverwork City. This young fellow is a brave young hero. Bless him."

"Really?" she questioned, taken aback. "I never thought of someone with those powers…"

"Could be on the side of good? Why not? Consider Superman, or Wonder Woman. All gods compared to their peers. The world is only lucky they chose the paths they did. Might can be channeled into any cause."

"Creating natural disasters is a different thing."

"Even destruction can be used for good. As creation can be used for evil."

"Right." Bumblebee wrote a note on the tablet. It was always good to take notes for Blood. Unlike his predecessor, he was more open with his plotting, but this wasn't for her. Often, he'd pause and ask where his train of thought had went. She thought this might be a show of courtesy, him asking instead of peeking into her mind with his telepathy. Or were there limits to his powers? She'd have to keep an eye out.

"So…" he murmured.

"So you want me to go ask that guy to come work for you?"

"Don't be absurd. He's far too old to attend the academy and I have no need of an ally." He steepled his fingers like a cartoon character. "I need something like that… I need might."

For a half-second, she pouted, feeling looked over. Then she straightened. "We have enough recruits. Shouldn't we choose quality over quantity?"

"Shouldn't we have both?"

That was how Bumblebee ended up staring at a line-up boys she felt majorly indifferent toward.

Behind a glass wall, she took a bit of perverse satisfaction in how they squirmed, forced to "stay still or face imminent consequences" as Blood had warned them upon arrival.

The youngest looked about twelve - with big ears and coily hair. His innocent brown eyes nearly guilted her until he burped and a repulsive gray smoke puffed out his mouth, causing the other candidates to cough harshly. The eldest looked about eighteen and had two tree branches growing out of his head like horns. Along with leaves in his hair, he was covered in dirt like he had just tripped and fallen in the woods. Similarly, all the kids were in various states of disarray. All except one.

"Four." Bee's voice echoed through the room.

Some of the younger ones looked around uneasily for the unseen source as a boy with long black hair and a tight green bodysuit stepped forward. He stared icily, as if he could see right through the glass. Bee looked him over with increasing caution. Had Brother Blood managed to snag an established villain in his roundup of kidnapees? Oh, jeez. They didn't need the headache when it came to power struggles. Blood's ego alone was already a battle.

"Demonstrate," she commanded.

He lifted a hand and the sprinkler above them rained water on their heads. The applicants grouched until Bee shut them up.

"That's enough now."

The sprinkler shut off.

Bee wrote 'hydrokinesis' in her notes. "Where are you from?"

"Dad was from Atlantis, supposedly."

"Do you think otherwise?"

He shrugged and said no more.

"Any experience with villainy?"

"No."

"Reasons for applying?"

He took a deep breath, then slowly said, "The people in power wield it like a child with their first set of crayons. Since I've discovered my skills, I've felt a need to go out and protect people like me from getting pushed around."

Bee nodded, then remembered no one could see her. Clearing her throat, she called out, "Nine."

As she watched the nervous kid try to summon fire in his palm, her eyes kept drifting back to Four, who was still as a statue until dismissal.


Bumblebee plopped down at a cafeteria table, then tensed, squeezing her eyes shut.

A tinny laugh sounded from the other end of the lunchroom.

"Gizmo…" she hissed, rising to look at the new yogurt stain on her bottom.

Instead of launching herself at him, she raised a stinger and shocked him without even glancing in his direction.

"Yow!"

Bumblebee sashayed out the room, ignoring the jeers. At the entryway, she heard a voice from an adjoining hallway.

"Bumblebee!"

He always seemed to know where she was. She steeled herself and turned the corner into an empty hall. "Yes?"

"Lab. Now." His voice echoed through the hall.

Bee sighed and took an elevator into the depths of the school. At the deepest level open to students (no one but Blood knew what laid below but it was certainly something), the science lab took up an entire floor. Here, the gold shifted away to reveal steel walls. It was nearly impossible to see the whole room clearly, for it was very dim. Bee looked around at the dozen of scientists and wondered how they were able to do such difficult work by weak light.

"There's my girl."

Bumblebee jumped, looking around for the source of the voice. Until she turned, realizing it was the scientist over by the workbench. Blood lifted his welding mask and gestured to her.

As Bee approached, she got a better look at what he was working on. She let out a sigh.

"Relieved?" Blood's smile was almost condescending.

"I beg your pardon?"

"No human test subjects for today. Or for a while." His eyes bored into her as he said it.

"Good."

As she'd hoped, he laughed at her insolence. "Hand me that wrench."

"I didn't know you could build things." He'd designed the remodeled school, but little was changed, just improved. Working down in the lab felt a little pedestrian for someone so grandiose.

"I agree, it is a little beneath me," he replied to her thoughts, ignoring the sharp look she gave him. "But this is something I have to be extremely careful with. I can't trust anyone with the most sensitive structures."

"I thought you preferred henchman to do the dirty work."

"Usually true."

"So why the weapon?"

"No, no, no, no, this is a piece of a piece of what I'm creating, which can hardly be called a weapon. Hold these parts together."

She did so. "Then?"

"It won't be close to complete for quite a while. Believe it or not, dear Bumblebee, even I work with limited resources."

She hummed, already mentally compiling a list of villains she would have to ask for a loan. Slade was out of the question, Mad Mod was too unpredictable, Control Freak was careless with his money, and this was below the notice of the Brotherhood of Evil, perhaps -

"These next few weeks are going to be very busy." Brother Blood pulled a cord and the light bulb above his workstation flicked off. He made his way to the exit. "The HIVE Five will be away almost every day."

"Sir, I hate to say it, but should we risk our best fighters?"

"They are the only ones who are competent to hold off the superheroes without getting killed. They'll be fine." He smiled. "I have a bigger job for you. A secret one."

She took flight, unable to contain her giddiness. She loved spy missions.

"There's one integral piece to this thing that I'd rather not shell out cash for."

"That expensive?"

"Oh, it belongs to somebody who'd rather not see my face."

"Please don't say Slade."

"No, no, just some local gangster."

She tried not to roll her eyes. "That doesn't sound important at all."

"Who is visiting Slade on business."

It didn't take her long at all to follow his mind. "So you want me to steal this very integral piece while its owner is trying to sell it to another villain?"

"Yes."

"When do I leave?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Not so fast. Take an assistant. I don't want you getting crushed before you've had a chance to really take off."

She opened her mouth to protest, then thought better of it and bowed. "Thank you, sir."

"It's what you deserve."

Bee returned to the cafeteria, so alive with energy she'd forgotten to wipe off her pants. Her eyes scanned the room and she felt a growing sense of security. With Blood, she was always guaranteed a high rank, unless she failed. Which given her luck lately, was quite unlikely. There were struggling C-students and competitive high-performers, but she was in a league of her own. Unchallenged.

As she passed Jinx, she heard the pink-haired girl mutter, "Teacher's pet."

It was if that girl was repelled by the good moods' of other people. Or maybe she was finally learning her place. Bee turned to glare and nearly crashed into the person behind her. He was quick though, swinging his drink back into his cup right before it splashed onto her shirt.

"Smooth," she complimented.

The boy smiled at her, dimples showing. "Sorry," he said softly and turned to go.

"Hey, wait." She jogged to catch up with him as he exited the room.

"Yes?"

"I hope you're liking it here."

"Yes."

She waited for him to continue, but he only smiled politely. Hydran was a quiet one, but it made her glad she chose him as one of Blood's latest recruits. He just followed directions, worked hard, and kept his head down. Sure there was a bit of a mystery to him, but everyone came here to escape a past best left dead.

"Well," she continued, "I noticed how hard you've been working and I'd like to invite you on a personal mission."

He managed to pull a frown and smile at once, looking slightly constipated. "Oh? Like a robbery?"

"How'd you know?"

"Eh, kind of seemed like the MO around here, what with the HIVE distracting the Titans. Money, money, money."

She nudged his arm. "You're clever."

He did that solemn nod again. "You as well."

Her smile widened. What an upgrade from Billy. Who could shake her place now?


Bumblebee squeezed her eyes shut. "Ready?"

"Yes," came the sharp reply in her ear.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she swam (or really, drifted) through a dirty drain pipe. Debris and dirt nearly snagged her, threatening to press her into the walls. But she relaxed and managed a graceful, soggy landing when the water spat her out in a bathroom sink.

"I'm in," she whispered, growing just a little bigger. Good thing the basin was pretty shallow. It was hard for her to use her wings at the same time. Required a lot of energy.

"Be careful." The words were so quick she almost didn't hear them.

"I'm fine." She was being a bitch, but he was putting her on edge with the worrying.

There a pause and then the buzz of Hydran's voice. "Your tech is pretty new."

Scowling, she slid off the counter and down the wall. "I've been practicing for a few weeks." Brother Blood had approved her size alteration advancements as combat ready, so who was Hydran to tell her otherwise? She was the trusted veteran and he was the newbie she'd graciously invited along. She decided to go for it and unveiled her wings. It was easier than constantly changing her size.

Hydran said nothing as Bumblebee exited the bathroom and slunk into the main warehouse. She could sense Hydran waiting in the shadows somewhere, but he'd have to be careful of the many, many robots lurking about. She marveled at the contradiction of Slade seeming like this grisly, get-your-hands-dirty dude hiding behind a robot army. Then again, robots could never backstab you. Full control was the goal for every villain.

The many pipes and cogwheels in the dilapidated factory gave the illusion of solitude and the threat of subjection. Creepy. Hydran buzzed directions in her ear as she darted past two big henchman hovering over a computer. One froze and slowly turned.

Bee went still, though every part of her was screaming to dive behind the pillar just a foot away.

The lunkhead stared straight ahead, then slowly shook his head and turned back around.

Bee exhaled and shrunk just a little more. Most of the others were audible from the balcony and other halls. She found herself in a meeting room of sorts, a slightly smaller section with a black couch and two armchairs, all of which looked less comfortable than a bed of nails.

Bee ducked under the coffee table just as a pair of heavily armored feet came into view.

"Have a seat," a buttery voice said. The owner sat in an armchair facing the doorway.

Another pair of giant feet treaded into the room. "You're very hospitable, Mr. Deathstroke."

"Just Slade is fine." There was bit of condescending amusement in the tone.

"Ah, well, Slade." This guy sounded older, almost grandfatherly. Bee would've felt a bit worried for him if he weren't dealing with infamous underworld scum. The desperate didn't come to Slade - the greedy, the vengeful, and the sinister did.

"Such hospitality is customary for an associate who helped me recover from the Eisenhower blight."

"But it was you who repaid me by getting my men back home."

"How could we forget." That condescension again. The men lifted drinks from the coffee table. "How are your brothers, Theodore?"

"The Seven is strong as ever."

Blood boiled in Bee's ears.

The Seven? Here? In this room, right now, with her, of all places...

Had she seriously just thrown herself into her own death? Here she was, sitting inches away from a man who very likely still wanted her dead.

"Is that so?" Slade prodded. "I'd heard The Seven were now The Six."

"That spot will be filled soon," Theodore defended himself.

And there were many, many scenarios where she'd be seen, she'd known that. Possibly for the briefest moment. But should this man get a good look at her, her life would end very, very soon. She pressed her hands to her face and tried to breathe.

"By who?" Slade was saying.

"Many candidates to go through," Theodore mumbled. "Why?"

"I just want to be sure I'm getting a good deal. At first, it seemed worth it all to buy the chimera connector from big Theodore, First of the Seven, but now who 's going to stop me from just taking it?"

There was a shuffle around the room, the sounds of more people filing in.

"For the love of - look, Deathstroke, Slade, whatever - all I asked you for was a little money and a little information. This is a priceless piece of technology! You can't even give me this much?"

"It's not a little information, sir. Were I to waste time and resources digging into the past of a dead kingpin that big, I'd be sending that trouble my way. And you know how I like to keep a low profile."

Theodore spluttered. "You - you know something!"

A cup slammed down on the table. "Like I know this connector has already been sold to another buyer."

"How did - I just - We needed the money!"

Slade stood and his boots disappeared behind the sofa. "That's the trouble of biting off more than you can chew."

"So's that what happened with you trying to take over that villain kids' thing, only to be run out by the supposed-Messiah?"

The room went silent. Then there was a a big scuffle and the sound of something heavy thundering into the table. Bee dared to creep out just a bit to stare up at the scene. Two henchmen held a white-haired man by the arms. Slade carefully opened a large silver case and raised the object inside up for inspection. It was red, translucent, and no bigger than an eyeball.

"This will do nicely."

"Please be careful!"

"Now, now, old friend. Simply because it will not serve your original purpose does not mean it won't be used wisely. Trust in that."

"No, I - Agghhhh!" Theodore squeezed his eyes shut and flailed as his face turned red. "You blinded me! I'm blind! I'm blind! Help!"

Slade hesitated. One guard let go and pointed to the couch where a tiny fairy-like person was perched. "The - "

Theodore punched him in the face with his free arm and lunched for Slade who was lunging for the disappearing fairy. The second guard looked around helplessly before taking out his gun and shooting at a passing shadow.

Bee flitted about, trying to find the exit which had seemingly disappeared. If there was a closed door then it was impossible to find in the darkness. Blood had sent her on a suicide mission.

She collapsed between the grooves of a cog like a dead fly. "Hydran!"

Dead silence.

"Hydran!" she whispered a little louder as footsteps thumped behind her.

"Yes?"

"Now!"

"Yes."

She didn't have time to wait as a giant hand was lifting her up to eye-level. "Hello, there."

Bee couldn't believe she was (sort-of) standing face-to-face with Slade the Terminator himself. Maybe if she held still he'd think she was some kind of windup toy or whatever.

"You!" Apparently Theodore was free now that the men were united in an enemy. The old man blinked and blinked. "You blinded me."

"Perhaps we should have a more official introduction," Slade cooed.

Bee expanded to her full size and kicked him right in the face. As he fell, the chimera connector bounced out of his left hand. She swooped down just as his hand scraped her own, nearly taking her skin off. Flying up to the balcony, Bee found an open entryway and darted into it with a speed that would have college football recruiters blowing up her landline. She didn't have to turn to know that dozens of robot henchman were hot on her heels. The blasts of gunshots and rays near-missing her were proof.

"Hey!"

She risked a glance to watch Theodore pointing to the ceiling, a second before a pipe burst completely. Computers fried, the sparse furniture floated, and the lair slowly became a swimming pool. Or more like a water storm that craftily shook and flipped the inhabitants around the place. Bee slid down a stairwell into the ground level, the water guiding her out a covert exit near the back.

She raced around the dilapidated factory site, past laboratories and car parks, and out to the shore. As she came closer to the beach, a wave smacked into her pulling her along. She tried to ride the waves, but her experience was limited to country club swimming pools and splashing around with Abuelo on summer vacations. She tried to steady herself but ended up falling into wet sand, bashing her elbow on a jagged rock.

"Whoa!"

A wave dragged her from the exposed shore and shoved her into a blink-and-you-miss-it cove. She collapsed alongside Hydran who slammed a hand over her mouth.

His black eyes were calm as they listened to the guards shouting grow louder, then disappear.

She shoved his arm away. "Where is it?"

Hydran pulled the chimera connector out the sand. "Here."

"Okay, let's get out of here." She made her way to the shore, when a wall of ice appeared in front of her. "What are you doing?!"

"I'm sorry, Bumblebee." Hydran tucked the connector into his pocket. "It won't last long."

"You snake!"

"I'll send someone to come get you."

"But. Why!" She punched the ice wall.

He gave her a pitying look. "You're in over your head."

She huffed, smacking the wall again. "I know what I'm doing. Do you? When Blood finds out, he'll tear you into pieces."

"He's not gonna find me."

"Then I'll have to do it myself." She launched a kick at the ice and sizzled out a break.

Hydran had been racing into the ocean but now turned around. "I told you to wait!"

His seeming concern confused her, but then she growled in annoyance. "Asshole!"

She shut a warning sting, but he spat back a wave. Her shots were useless when she was so exhausted and angry. He moved like a dancer, lithe and agile, flicking waves to throw her off-balance. She gave up and swept his feet out from under him. He reached out and a powerful roller connected with her stomach.

"Ah!" She stumbled back just as he grabbed her wrists, pinning them together like he was arresting her.

"Drop the stingers, Bumblebee, and I'll take you home."

She would have laughed on a different day. "You are making a huge mistake. Blood could give you everything!"

"Surprisingly, I don't doubt it."

"He won't forget this! I won't forget this! Wherever you are, I will hunt you down for making me fail him."

"Is that all you care about? Being a good henchman to a lunatic?"

"I won't listen to an enemy about the morality of my choices."

He sighed. "Bumblebee, if you would just listen - He's going to wipe out the city with that thing!"

Her hand came up and flipped them around, her arms locked around his, stingers inches from his face. "Drop the connector or I'll sting you to a crisp."

His face clouded over with dread and indecision. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You should have thought of that before." The stingers lit up.

BAM!

Bee swiveled to see the old bag of bones she'd left behind now stumbling up to them. His eyes were red and the skin around them was swollen, but otherwise he just looked pissed. Very pissed off.

"Kids today," he muttered, holding the gun steady.

Bee struggled to keep her hostage in place while raising her own stinger. "Back down, old man."

"Oh, no. I've had enough of you two sneaking around following me. You've just made a bad day worse."

"I'll give you three seconds to run."

"Ha! Look around you, little girl!"

Bee and Hydran slowly raised their eyes to the four robot henchman approaching. For all they knew, one of them was the real honest-to-god Slade. Damn.

She kept her cool. "Keep the boy. He's a metahuman."

"Ain't look like anything special to me."

"Well you can't see very well at the moment. He can control the weather."

"I don't know. Seems like I'd rather have my connector -"

"No," both Bee and Hydran said at once.

"And you." He pointed the gun in Bee's direction, moving closer. "We've got a score to settle."

Bee and Hydran glared at each other, until finally he collapsed pathetically to the ground, on his knees, but somehow maintaining his dignity. He opened his mouth and let the connector roll out into his hand. "Let her go and I'll give you everything you want. Shoot and you'll lose everything, including the connector. I'll make sure of it."

She could have stabbed him. Especially when the silence thickened, the old man's hand frozen in time.

And then...

Theodore grabbed her by the arm and shoved her toward the bank. "Thirty seconds. Before I change my mind."

She trudged on, trying to look behind her as she walked, her body heavy from the last hour's events, even as her mind tried to decode the next step. As she tripped on a jagged rock in the sand -

BANG!

She shrank to the size of a pea and tensed - but the bullet froze in a block of ice and clattered to the ground. Behind her Hydran held up a hand, smiling. Theodore grabbed him by the collar but his hand was promptly burned to a crisp.

Bee dove in like a lion for the kill, her body turning into tiny flashes of lighting as she zipped around shocking the old gangster.

Hydran tossed up a wave, sending the henchman into the sea. He scowled in the direction of the factory. "That won't hold them long."

Bee grew and flew up to him. "Then let's go!"

Hydran held out his hands. "I'm not going."

"What?"

"I don't have it."

"I..." Bee looked to the ocean. Understanding hit her like a truck. "You threw it away?!"

"No one should have something that powerful, Bumblebee."

She hurled toward him, hands locking around his throat. "You idiot! You fool! You...you...hero!"

Hydran choked, sending waves knocking into her head, her sides, but sheer will kept her latched to him.

"Please..." he begged.

And then she saw it. In his jet-black eyes, she saw a gruesome, familiar reflection. An expression of pure wrath.

She let go. "Tell me why," she nearly sobbed. "How could you do this?"

Hydran dragged in a shaky breath, but he only shook his head.

Their stalemate stretched on until a chopper above them interrupted. Their ride awaited.

"You gonna turn me in, huh?" he asked, voice rough. "Or let me go?"

"Why should I?"

For the first time, he looked scared. "I can't die by his sword."

Bee stared into his eyes as she placed the connector in her pocket. "We're going home."


Brother Blood ran a hand over his gelled hair. "It's a shame, Hydran. You showed such promise."

Bumblebee sighed. "It was a simple mistake, sir."

He raised an eyebrow. "It was not a simple mistake for you to allow him the responsibility of securing the object. I mean, honestly, Bumblebee!"

She looked down to her pointy shoes. "I am sorry, sir."

"It's going to take forever to search the ocean for that thing. Not to mention those waters are Slade-infested." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I asked for a quiet, subtle operation but you two caused quite a stir, it sounds like. I admire your showmanship, but if it weren't for your soft-baked plan", he glared at Bee, "or your recklessness with my things," he sneered at Hydran, "we would be celebrating right now."

"We were foolish."

"Yes! Now Hydran, you're going to have to spend some time down here remembering the importance of following orders. You had no right to try to control the operation and fail at this one simple task. I'm counting on you to wisen up. Perhaps you may be granted a second chance."

"Yes, sir," Hydran said.

"And, Bumblebee, were it not for my affection for you, you'd be joining him. We'll count this as a fluke. But if he missteps again, I'll be holding you responsible."

Blood turned to mumble something to his cloaked assistant as they exited. Bumblebee exaggeratedly hauled the cell door shut. "We'll deal with you tomorrow, kid."

"Garth."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't even go by 'Hydran'. It's Garth." He gripped the bars and she noticed how odd his hands were - longer than a normal human's. "A pretty common Atlantean name."

"Why should I believe you?" Why should she care?

"It's not a name that matters here."

Bumblebee turned and pressed her face between the bars. "Nobody's name does."

"I just wanted you to know it wasn't all a lie. You can trust me."

She laughed too loudly. "To stab me in the back as part of some misguided fight against Blood? Great idea, by the way. You'll be dead in a week."

"If it weren't for you, I'd be dead now." Garth looked to his bare feet. "You wanted to let me go back there, didn't you?"

"Shut it -"

"Didn't you?" His voice was gentle, but demanding an answer without much bullying. It was a voice she wanted to listen to.

She turned for the door, then paused. "I can't have you die because of me."

"Because...?"

She lowered her voice. "Because I don't hate you. You just shouldn't have done it."

"You...don't disagree with me?"

"It was a lame plan," she stated. If she were him, she would not have taken on a solo mission of this scale. She would have contacts. She would have studied Blood like a scholar. She would have had a home base. She would have had a scapegoat. She would have gained his trust. She would have done it so much better.

"I meant my motives, Bumblebee."

She bristled. "You put my safety at risk today."

"If you were really safe," he shook his head, "then what I did would never endanger you."

And when he put it like that, how could she not crack just a little? Shame burned in her mind when she remembered their standoff before their helicopter arrived. Bee had attacked out of fear, out of panic, like an animal.

"Where I'm from," Garth continued, "you don't have to fear those closest to you. Your life is never forfeit. I could never swear my loyalty to such people as these. Not in my heart."

She needed to survive, and even this conversation was forbidden. So why did she want to fall into whatever world Garth had traveled from?

"I think...you and I are a little more alike than I thought." She rested her head against a bar.

"Maybe just a little." He smiled.

"Stop that. Quit being so nice."

"Okay," he acquiesced. "It does seem a hard exterior is the key to survival around here."

"You think?" she snarked.

"Maybe you could teach me how things run around here."

Her eyes flitted around the amber dungeon. "You're asking a lot of me."

"I have nothing to lose."

"And I have everything to lose." She tore herself from the cell, away from childish dreams. "Goodnight, Hydran."

"Wait!" He breathed. "Don't you want to know what he needs the connector for?"

She didn't even pause as she kept walking. "I do know."

"Look under his desk. And if that changes your mind, I'll find you."

"You're locked in here, you know."

"I know."

And Bumblebee didn't know what she wished for more - that Garth would stay put or that she would be brave enough to handle the truth of Blood's plans.

No, no, no. Neither would happen, and with her lost luck, she'd better start making contingency plans now.