June parked her car outside the garage. She sighed tiredly. She was a few hours late. She had tried to call Jack but had gotten his voicemail. He must be in bed. She had intended to be home earlier that night but a pile on the highway had caused her not to arrive home till early that next morning. She laid her head on the steering wheel. She had been on her feet for over 28 hours.
She took in a breath. The garage light was on. Jack must have anticipated her coming home late and left it on. June shook her head. She would put the car away later. She pulled the keys from the ignition and walked into the house. She gently knocked on Jacks door. She opened it slowly and was surprised that his bed was still made, and no one was sleeping in it. She noticed his phone on the nightstand. It was blinking with messages.
Odd. She picked up his cellphone. Jack never forgot his cellphone. She felt worry welling up. She pulled out her own phone.
"Arcee. Its June."
"June. Are you okay you sound exhausted?"
June nodded. "Yes. I had a 28-hour shift. I am a bit tired. Is Jack with you?"
June waited, Arcee's hesitation worried her. "No. He was at home last I saw him."
Arcee's voice was now full of worry, causing June to worry more.
"He's not here. He forgot his phone."
Arcee was silent. "I'll be right there. Do not leave the house. Stay inside."
June blinked, she sat on Jacks bed. Suddenly she wasn't so tired.
….
Arcee ran over to Optimus. "Jack is missing." She looked up at Optimus. "June just called me. He left his phone behind."
Optimus looked at Arcee she was clearly in distress. "I will accompany you."
Arcee wasted no time in opening the ground bridge and racing through it with Optimus behind her. They pulled into Jacks neighborhood as the sun was peaking over the mountains and mesas.
June was peaking out her windows and came running out to them. "Please tell me you know something."
Arcee shook her front tire in a head shake gesture. "Is there anything that would indicate where he went?"
June shook her head. "No notes in the kitchen, in my bed room, nothing…."
She blinked quickly. "The garage!"
Arcee and Optimus rolled after he as she approached the garage. June stooped dead. She had been so tired she hadn't noticed the dent in the garage door, it wasn't even with the ground.
"Oh, my lord." June breathed. She felt panic now. She ran into the house and into the garage. The step was gone, it appeared to have melted, along with a bit of the floor. The gears of the garage door were destroyed. She was gasping now. Her hand on the wall to steady herself.
"June?"
She heard Arcee outside the door. June couldn't find her voice. She was thinking of every worse situation, and why wouldn't she be. She fell to her knees. She didn't notice the garage door moving.
…..
Arcee wheeled forward. The sun was rising and the threat of humans seeing them was growing more and more likely.
"Optimus, I'm worried. She's not answering."
Optimus pumped his air brakes. They let out a loud whoosh noise. His mirrors moved to look up and down the street. "No humans appear to be awake yet. Do so quickly."
Arcee quickly transformed, she remained low as she struggled to push the damage door. She took to her bike form as soon as the door was open. She rolled over to June.
"June are you okay?"
June looked up at Arcee, her eyes were glassy, they had a distant look.
"No."
June swayed slightly. Arcee looked around the garage the eaten floor. Her spark froze. Only one decepticon she was currently aware of on earth with acid abilities. Airachnid. She wheeled back slowly. Optimus was too large to come into the garage fully.
"Arcee, what do you see?"
Arcee was stunned. "Acid. Airachnid was here."
June jolted upward. "What!?"
Arcee rolled toward her. "We'll get Jack back."
June shook her head. "Oh no. no no no no no…" June cried, falling back to her knees. Her hands over her face. She couldn't believe this. She and Jack had a run in with Airachnid before and both had almost met their end. Those memories flashed back.
Arcee was panicking now too. Not again. She had to calm herself for Junes sake. She transformed slowly. Her small frame allowed her to sit inside the garage. She placed her hands around June.
"June come with us."
She whispered reassuringly. June was out of it. She was in shock. Lost in her fear. Arcee looked over to Optimus. "I don't think she can balance on me right now."
Optimus snapped back to Arcee talking to him. He was running his scanners, trying desperately to detect something… anything that might lead them to Airachnid.
"Place her inside."
His voice was low, angry. Arcee gently lifted June into the cab. Before taking her form and following Optimus out to where the bridge was to be waiting for them.
…
Optimus and Arcee returned to the base. June was sitting in silence. Her head lopped against Optimus's window.
"Arcee."
Optimus commented. "June is in shock; she will need assistance."
Arcee was silent too. She was angry. Angry at herself for leaving Jack behind. Angry at Airachnid for taking Jack. Angry at Jack for leaving his cellphone out of reach.
She reached in and gently removed June. She carried her over to Ratchet who looked as upset about the whole thing as she was. Ratchet gently cupped June in his hands.
Arcee looked over at Optimus. She was furious with anger. Worried beyond the stars. And she wanted to kill Airachnid more then anything else in this vast universe.
"Do not try to stop me Optimus. I am going to find her, and I will rip her head off."
Optimus stepped toward the ground bridge. He was angry too and concerned but they had to go about this strategically. They couldn't rush out in anger.
"Arcee we have to…"
"If you are going to stand there and tell me we have to strategize I swear on Primus Optimus I will knock your damn lights out!"
Arcee was usually very professional. She wasn't disrespectful toward authority but now was different.
Bulkhead had snuck up behind her. He had locked eyes with Optimus and knew what the Prime wanted. He grabbed Arcee's arms. Arcee flayed.
"Let go of me!" She hollered. Miko and Raph had stepped back. They had never seen Arcee so angry, so irrational. She screamed and cursed at Optimus. He stood tall. His body blocking the ground bridge controls. He let her air.
She couldn't fight Bulkheads strength. She could have twisted her way out of it but a small part of her knew Optimus was right. She hated him right now. She hated the war, hated getting Jack involved.
"This is your fault! Had you stopped Megatron sooner none of this would be happening! At the very least when we first came across the kids, we could have just left them! They didn't have to become involved!"
Optimus felt small pangs of guilt hit him, small truths Arcee spoke. He let them hit him and fall. He had heard it before, and it never got easier. Arcee eventually had struggled herself into fatigue. She was breathing heavily when Bulkhead released her. She fell to her knees.
"If Airachnid kills Jack…" She growled; she didn't want to finish her statement. She just sat on the floor. Optimus looked at her. Sympathy and sadness in his eyes. Bulkhead looked just as tired.
"Then I will kill that 8-legged robot freak myself."
June had walked over to the railing. Her eyes were red, her face puffy from crying. She looked up at Optimus.
"Move away from those controls now! I am going to find my son if it kills me in the process."
She looked down at Arcee before looking back up at Optimus who's face held a look sorrow. "June. We don't know where Airachnid is. We need to search. We cannot simple run blind."
"Then get searching!" She growled at Optimus. Optimus was locked. Arcee looked tired, but she could still go for the bridge. Yet they had to start the scanners.
"Optimus. I've started the scans and I…."
Ratchet looked between June and Arcee. "Locked the bridge. Without the access code, no one can use it."
June glared at him. "Arcee."
Arcee looked up at her. Both of them had the same look in their eyes. Its concerned Optimus. Both of them were prone at this moment to do something rash.
"Arcee you are forbidden from leaving this base without permission."
Optimus quickly added, afraid June was about to ask her to take her home. Arcee's mouth dropped open but she didn't say a word as Optimus walked by her. He hated this. From the outside it looked cold. Uncaring. But he had to do this right. It would be useless for his team to be running around looking and not know where. They had to plan and then execute.