When Jamie wakes up on the cold pavement, the closest thing to remembering something after downing the drink is a lot of yelling and flinging himself at things. Afterwards it's just him running far too fast to be normal for him. The memories don't exactly flood in. In fact, it sort of comes back slowly.
Well, pieces of it.
He remembers being hauled over the bodyguards shoulder as she and the bartender ran outside to the parking lot. They strapped him in the back seat which followed by a lot of yelling from both of them. Everything after that was just him flinging himself at things.
His eyes flutter for a moment before closing, drifting off into peaceful sleep. A small pat on his cheek did nothing to deter him. After getting no reaction, the patting resumed with vigor.
"Five more minutes, Sam. " Jamie mumbled and closed his eyes. It was a habit for Sam to wake up earlier than him. A slap threw him back into reality. His eyes flew open in annoyance. " Sam! What the hell?!"
Much to Jamie's confusion, he saw Raspberry standing in front of him, expression rather angry. His tail was swishing anxiously. He can see the outline of his bag next to him.
Right. He remembers. He ran away to Las Vegas, got smashed at a bar that's probably a ripple in reality and, from the looks of it, stole their cat as well.
And Sam wasn't here with him. He was on his own from now on , but considering that he was goung to be without the person who he has spent 14 years with, it didn't seem all that good. He decided to start his new independence should be the gateway to actually be productive.
Upon standing up, nausea punched him in the gut and the blood rushed to his head. His stomach decided that it was going to be another late morning again, for he then caved over in half and threw up whatever was in his intestine. The liquid smelled awful and tasted even worse. His throat burned and his knees were weak. Before he knew he was crouching on the pavement, puking his guts out. After experiencing the equivalent of being gutted from his mouth, Jamie felt somewhat better.
He turned his head around to see where he even was. To his left was a brick wall and his bag. In front of him was his right was a grassy field with several shrubs and an Arby's sign. ' I just puked in the back of an Arby's. Great way to start the day.'
He wiped his mouth of the bile and tried standing up again. His bones ached and his head was still dizzy, but compared to what happened earlier, it was a good start.
First order of business, find out why Raspberry was here.
"Let me guess, you fell asleep in my bag and woke up a little too late? " Jamie asked. " Let's be clear - I don't remember shit, so don't bother chewing me out."
The gelatinous cat was now, quite mad and started waving his paws around in an angry manner and going as far as standing on his back legs and making exaggerated arm movements. After a while, the cat seemed to tire himself out.
" You done? " The cat ears perked upwards at his statement. He seemingly forgot he was even there. Jamie sighed. Had he still had the strength to be mentally exhausted, he would have held his head in his hands. But everything hurt and that sucked.
But since that was done, he should move on.
He looked at his bag and unzipped it. There was a screwdriver, his hoodie, a thermos, a small army knife, a roll of tinfoil, a USB, a few carton boxes, a flask, a shotgun and AK -47 and something wrapped in layers of foil but that could just be his assumption. His fanny pack was tied around his waist, but he'll check that later. His anxiety had to be taken care of first. Gently touching the object, Jamie could feel vibrations and waves coming from it. Even a small little twinkle, reminding him of a needle being dropped on the floor of an empty room. Soft, easy yet powerful. Jamie almost feelt afraid of unwrapping the foil. But leaving him to grasp at straws was even worse. He carefully undid layer after layer until his eyes saw a dark jade metal with odd but beautiful carvings on it. He could feel the blobs eye on him.
The Allspark.
The bloody fucking Allspark.
He stole it. He actually committed theft against the government. Jamie feels as if the sweet release of death would not be enough.
Either the gods took him more seriously than his own mother or the demon flaka had wish granting properties.
Jamie knew this might happen but just not this soon. He wraps the cube back as well as he possibly can, taking his hangover into account, and immediately reached for the shotgun. It could be fake or -
The second he picks it up he knows it's real because it's heavy. Teresa had never picked up a firearm in her life, but knew that the difference between them was weight. Customs were tricky business though. If he gets pulled over, it's either murder time or game over. He's fucking screwed.
Eyeing the boxes, Jamie stuffed the Allspark and the shotgun back into the bag. The boxes were filled with something heavy and smelled of gunpowder. Ammunition.
He opened it and took a sniff.
Strong. Wormwood. Satan's favorite thing drink with cheese. Absinthe.
Jamie may be a compulsive drinker, but he's never tried absinthe before. It's not a liquor, for no sugar is added, thus making it a spirit. The heavy kind, that managed to score seventh place in the top ten most alcoholic beverages. Jamie screwed the lid back on and reached for the next item.
He reached for the USB port. It was a simple one, but it had the storage capacity of 16 megabytes.
Upon inspection, he found a small piece of paper taped to the back of it. He carefully rips it off and reads what's written.
" Dear Jamie.
They will find you, but don't let them catch you. I may be threatening the outcome of a war with another war.
Have fun, me. "
Jamie crushed the paper in his hands. What the hell did he do?!
He opened his fanny pack before a cough broke out of his throat. Shit, where was his enhaler. More coughs broke out as he rummaged through the pockets before feeling the smooth surface of the inhaler. He grabbed it and began applying the dose. Breathe in, hold, breathe out. Jamie felt somewhat better. He looked at the contents of his fanny pack. Money, bobby pins and a few quarters.
He leaned back, back against the wall, hitting his head slightly. Drunk him was an absolute nightmare, both to him and the people around. Jamie zipped the bag shut and looked at the grassy wasteland.
He could still be in Nevada or he could have gone south to New Mexico. Or maybe he went north? Jamie can't tell, but right now he felt in the mood for some food. Maybe a joint.
But right now, he had a new problem. With the Allspark in his possession, Sector Seven was going to be hunting him down and he's fifty percent sure they're not going to be playing around. That and some if the other Cybertronians that reside on Earth might have locked onto his location.
He couldn't stay in one place. His main problem was transportation. He had two choices - hitchhiker or car thief.
He was a fourteen year old child with a large bag was just screaming " runaway ", so the chances of someone snitching on him was high. Hitchhiking demands social prowess and Jamie has none. So car thief it is. And that was something that he could do.
" Not everyone can get a car or a job and not everyone can have a decent wage. I'm teaching you this only under the impression that you two will use it when you're in financial, legal or physical danger. Like running from the cops. " Was what Mikaela told them before showing them the ropes. How to unlock and start a car with a bobby pin and screwdriver. How to hot wire a car. Where to find tracking devices. How to drive the actual thing. She taught it all.
He's genuinely thankful to Mikaela for teaching him and Sam about how a car works and how to steal one. They would go to junk yards and try to loot old cars for shits and giggles last month. Sam had found a collection of limited edition baseball cards, Mikaela found two old earrings she managed to sell for six hundred. And Jamie managed to find a corpse with a bottle of rum. That was fun. Mikaela was like an older sister to him and Sam.
Jamie sent a small mental thank you to her before getting up and picking up his bag and proping it on his shoulder. Raspberry had been lying on the ground, ignoring him in bitter silence.
He picked up the cat, staring straight into its eye. Raspberry did not seem amused. "Guess you're stuck with me. "
He put the cat under his right shoulder, thankful that the cat didn't wiggle. Now he just had to choose a car.
The parking lot had a few cars. One of which was a van. That's nice. Considering that it was incredibly dark outside, he could get away with stealing a van.
Before he could move, a grey Mercedes pulled up into the driveway. The driver and two passengers seem to be drunk, with the driver being close to leaving those two in the middle of nowhere. As they walked away from the car, the driver had not locked the car, as his hands were busy with his two drunken friends. In fact, the keys might still be inside.
As shitty the situation may be, Jamie realizes that luck is smiling upon him for once. He creeps up from the corner of the building and starts nonchalantly walking.
He made sure to hide Raspberry from view with his bag. He walks past the three people, making it seem like he was nonchalantly walking towards the van.
After walking four meters away from the people, their backs towards him, Jamie makes a run for the car as quickly and quietly as possible.
He reaches it and checks the driver's seat. No keys. Damn, he'll have to use the screwdriver and bobby pins. He looks back at at the Arby's and sees the driver drag one of his friends to the bathroom. Perfect.
He jumps into the car, throws Raspberry into the back seat and starts digging through the bag for his screwdriver and knife, while grabbing a pin from his fanny pack and shoved it into the slot, picking the lock,before hearing a click. The car smells like weed and chinese takeout. He checks the coast. No sign of any danger. He should carry on.
He opens the compartment under the steering wheel and starts cutting up the wires and rearranging them, the screwdriver locked between his teeth and the knife in his hands.
The engine revs up at last and he tries to make haphazard changes to the seat position. He barely managed to pull the seat as close as possible so he could see the road and get his feet on the pedals.
The driver runs out of the establishment and makes a run for the car. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
He fumbled with the seat belt before giving up and slamming his foot on the gas. He realized that despite having a driver's license as " Teresa ", it has most likely expired and Jamie is way out of practice. Especially since he didn't realize that the car was put in reverse and now he's driving backwards.
Raspberry was flung into the back of the front seat from the force and fell down under it. Jamie grabbed the wheel and changed the gears from reverse to three.
Unfortunately, he did not see the driver running right at him and hit him with the hood of the car. Great, twenty minutes in and he's already run over a person and stolen their car. Parallel parking has never been Jamie's strong suit. Jamie makes a sharp turn and drives out of the parking lot and into the highway.
He's already driving at 50 miles per hour. He hopes there aren't any police officers around. In the rear mirror view, Jamie saw Raspberry jump back up into the driveway and the passengers as well as he possibly can.
Jamie is sweating like a madman and whatever fight or flight primal instincts he still has left have kicked into overdrive. He needs to find a town or gas station to get a map. He got a C in geography, he can't tell shit from the environment alone.
Simmons has been in Sector Seven for fifteen minutes and it looks like a war happened for six years. The computer room and the experiment chamber have claw marks and scorched metal on the walls, some being dented with equipment practically pulverized. The hangars and hallway look even worse.
Radiation and mercury plagued the atmosphere and molten metals were scattered closer to NBE -1 than he would feel comfortable with. And the doors? Gone. Molten past the point of use.
He was tired of analysis and looking over every piece of evidence of the break in. The same damn thing all over again. They found six unconscious guards in the computer room. Several guns were bent and melted, as well as multiple computers.
The suspectwas first seen in the computer room. He had attacked the guards there before disappearing while the guards were requesting back up.
The suspect was later found in the radiation chamber, busting out their newest project. More specifically, ramming the fire extinguisher into the box until the damn thing was yelling freedom at the top of its lungs. The experiment later escaped through the ventilation. The fucking ventilation.
And the damn suspect followed it. Fifteen minutes into tracking the god awful abominations, the suspect crawled into the passage way and started breaking everyone's joints.
He's pretty sure he heard something about him breaking into the weapons room. Great. Fabulous. Give the Dark Souls boss ripoff an AK -47 and let it end the world as they know it!
Then the thermodynamic powers it was using kicked into overdrive and turned the molten doors into stakes Stakes! Simmons sighs. He feels like he's living in a sequel of the Exorcist.
He went through their defenses like wet paper, left almost 50 casualties, threw up on their floor and stole NBE -2. It was practically a catastrophe that hindered Sector Seven's entire functionality and purpose.
Simmons was already reaching for his third cup of coffee when someone grabbed his shoulder. It was a scientist that had witnessed the whole scene and was currently working along another group to find anything on the suspect.
" Mr. Simmons, something just came up. We believe you should know about this. "
Simmons read the tag on her coat. Proffesor Flughausen. Weird name.
He let her lead him to the computer room.
Upon arrival, two more were huddled behind a computer. One was typing away while the other was watching, stern expression on his face. Upon seeing Simmons, the scientist stood up and hastily walked to Simmons.
"We have a lead. They left a a virus ."
"Give me the details. "
Simmons pulled out a chair to sit next to, followed by Flughausen doing the same.
The computer screen was full of odd text and numbers.
"It's a multypartite virus. The type that corrupts files, copies them to a different source and corrupts the original. "Oh. Oh. Oh shit.
" This better not mean what I think it means. "
"It probably is. Although the firewall isn't much, there's a new file that's similar to a file in Pascal but it's already running. We're about almost done with the firewall. " Said a scientist behind the keyboard. "It's pretty basic, if we're honest. Even an amateur with basic programming skills and creativity could do this."
Suddenly, the screen turned black and a single white rectangle was flickering on the far left corner.
"I'm in."
'Hello.' The rectangle gave out a reply.
" Ask it what it is." Simmons said, phone already in his hand as Flughausen had a pen and clipboard in hand. This was the most evidence they had gotten in a week. Even the vomit from the subject wasn't helpful with forensic science, showing nothing more but components of alcohol and several other odd elements. No DNA, no saliva. Nothing. It drove the department insane.
'Who are you? ' The rectangle immediately replied.
'I dunno. Who are you?'
"Are you kidding me? First legitimate piece of evidence we get and not even the suspect knows who they are." Simmons wanted to smack his head into a table. "Ask about their motive."
'What do you want?'
'I got what I wanted. You want information. You're not getting it.'
'Why not?'
'It's for the best. Don't bother looking for clues.'
'The person who you're trying to find is both nothing and everything.' That had sent a chill down everyone's backs. It was so ominous yet so clear.
'But humans are fickle creatures. No matter how many warnings one gives, you still go and fuck shit up. So consider this a threat.
' If I as much as get a glimpse of your asses in my field of vision, literally every single personal thing that you and your superiors have tried to hide will be revealed to the general public within minutes. And that's just the first time. Don't believe me? The head scientist who was in charge of trying to decipher weaponry parts of you project is selling it to outside forces.' Shock went through everyone's faces. 'Humans are such hostile creatures.'
'We're not hostile. '
'That's what you think. But I know more.'
'A word of advice : unless you want a third world war, stay out of this. '
Scratch that. Simmons needs a fucking shot of vodka.
Mikaela knew what a desperate person looked like. She knows from experience, from seeing her dad hastily try and steal cars like it's the only thing keeping him alive. It hurt because she couldn't do anything.
Sam was hellbent on sneaking out of his own house to run all over the country looking for his brother. And with school still around, Mikaela can't even describe how impossible it was to work in class. His usual handwriting had turned into hasty chicken scratch. It made Mikaela think as if Sam was hurrying to something.
Tensions were running high and nobody could stay focused. But then again, who could? He was a menace and a cryptid yet someone had the balls to break into the Witwicky household and kidnap him, or so the rumor mill says. Mikaela had been as equally shocked. To her, Jamie was the little brother who would pick a fight with a cop over a liquorice stick.
But it's been a week since Jamie disappeared and Sam went from the snarky childhood friend she had to a nervous wreck of a human being. The first night when he went to stay with Miles for the night, he was catatonic. He couldn't sleep, not one bit.
Mikaela will not stand for it much longer.
Stopping by Sam's house, Mikaela locked the car and walked into the yard. She had the keys to the gate but made sure she locked it. She's more than welcome here but now, security was a major issue. Especially since it's still hard to trust anyone in the neighborhood.
Taking a look around, she saw Jamie's greenhouse. Well, if it could even be called that. It was a small glass house, about the size of Mojo's but definitely bigger. It was sealed with a few wooden planks and nails, construction glue helping the glass stay put. The roof was triangular but was made from four glass hatches. Jamie would open them up in spring to let bees in and just water them in general. Mikaela remembers how he stole two lunchboxes to make those makeshift windows. It brought a smile to her face.
She walked to the porch and knocked on the door.
"Sam? Judy? Anyone? " She yelled, knocking on the door. They were probably out looking for Jamie or spreading posters.
Suddenly, Sam came into view. He hurried to unlock the door.
"Hey, Mikaela, what are you doing here? Didn't you say you were going to be at the garage?"
"I'm here to check up on you. " Mikaela said. Silence was all that was left in the air. They sat down at the kitchen table, no knowing what to do.
" Sam, this has to stop. "Sam looked at her as if she had grown a second head. " Not the search. The thing you're doing. " Mikaela gestured to him.
"Searching? " Sam said as if it were a fact.
" No, this. When was the last time you ate? You look horrible! You're a mess. You have to take care of yourself too, or you won't even have the ability to function anymore!" Mikaela said.
"I'm doing everything I can! I just want to find Jamie!"
"That's the problem. All you've been saying is Jamie this, Jamie that, Jamie something. It's not healthy."
"Hey, I'm perfectly fine. Hell, I've never been better." Sam was clearly lying. The bags around his eyes were proof of that.
"You sure don't look like it. Your parents are worrying, you're on the brink of hysteria. You have to do something about this." Mikaela raised her voice. She had to get this point across. She was going to leave this house achieving something, even if she has to sleep on the couch and continue in the morning.
"What do you know!? You don't have someone who's been there with you your entire life, only for him to vanish without knowing what to do anymore! " Sam's hands smacked the table. He rapidly stood up, hands shaking.
"Oh?! I don't understand?! My dad has been in prison for six years, Sam. Six years!" Mikaela yelled. Sam was pretty sure he's never heard Mikaela yell. He's never even heard about the story of her dad.
" You think I didn't cry when I found out he was in prison? That I just forgot about it!? I think every night about it. About how I couldn't do anything to help." Her voice was firm and unwavering. She was dead set on this. She was gonna knock some sense into him.
"My dad stole cars so I could have a future. I wasn't going to let that slip away. I couldn't do anything, but that doesn't mean I won't be able to do anything now. If Jamie had the choice on who gets to live between you and him, he would have chosen you and vice-versa. So if you want to find him, you have to make sure his choice wasn't in vain." Mikaela stood up from the table.
"I just, don't know what- this is all-" Sam's hands were shaking. His eyes were close to tears and he looked like he was about to collapse. Mikaela walked over and wrapped him in a hug.
"I know how you feel, but I'm not letting you do something you'll regret." She let his head fall on her shoulder. He pulled away from the hug, trying to calm his breathing. She could see the resolve in his eyes.
" I, I know what I can do. I'll save money, I'll get-, I'll get a car and we'll look for him."
"Not enough time to do that. I really don't know anyone who sells cars for anything under 4 grand. "
"Oh, so you've got any better ideas? " Sam shot back. There it was, the snark.
" We'll steal a car. " Sam was about to open his mouth before Mikaela raised her hands in defense. "From the junk yard. Y'know, make some plan, sneak in, steal an old car, fix it up and start looking."
" Yeah. That sounds like a plan."
It was Starscreams turn to go on patrol in search of energon had arrived in the solar system about half a vorn ago and the planet had proven useful in energon harvesting. Despite finding it in small amounts, it was better than nothing. So they went on patrols, searching for any readings of energon, hopefully their master and maybe the Allspark - despite the latter being rather too hopeful.
Souldiers had been trickling in but knowing that getting knowledge of the battlefield would be favorable, several had been sent down to the planet as a way to make sure that they knew what they were fighting on.
About a mega-cycle ago, Soundwave had detected a rather strong signal from the planet. The signal had not stopped existing. In fact, it was moving. Soundwave had confirmed the signals location but the nature of the signal was a mystery. It made no sense!
Starscream hated it when things made no sense. Logical thinking meant that the signal had a plan. It's movements made no sense. Going from point A to point B, only to go back and then go in a completely different direction and then going to B again! Starscream wanted to find the damn thingand rip it apart.
Seeing as how it was Starscreams turn to go on patrol, he would also examine the signal.
The signal itself was rather bizarre. After mega-cycles of no activity, something strong enough to be sensed all the way from the planet was very suspicious. Soundwave as well as Shockwave have shown curiosity in the signal, seeing as how the natives have been unable to make something of the sort.
However, four cycles after Starscream went to investigate, the signal disappeared. Starscream loathed it. When things go wrong - and they do most of the time - even thesturdiest of plans fall through. This signal being one of them, with its annoying radiation and tricky nature.
This signal was promptly tricking them, almost as if toying with , the signal was a secondary objective. His primary objective was to find energon deposits.
He's actually rather pleased knowing that he can go into the planet and fly. His alt-form was useful in spacious areas and landscapes, so he tries to enjoy his patrol as the atmosphere brushes against his plates as he flies. It's refreshing, and helps his processors cool down. He's not saying he's enjoying the planet, but he should indulge in some positive aspects of it, right? There's no shame in that.
He finds a hefty supply in a mine in the place they call " Minnesota " and made sure to check it, for more is probably still there. He instantly transforms, ready to leave the miserable rock and less than a klick, a klick he swears, later Soundwave comms him.
"Soundwave reporting in. Signal Gamma has appeared again. Requesting Starscream to investigate. Sending coordinates. Over." Signal "Gamma" was the designation they had given it and it looks like Starscream won't be enjoying his rare time of peace after all. The coordinates showed that the signal was nearby, but moving away from his current location. However, it was moving slowly in comparison to his speed.
"Soundwave, do you really need information on this singular fluke of a signal? I'm sure you'll be able to function without it, right?" Starscream was sure to put in as much irritation in his words as possible. He disliked this annoying signal and he wanted Soundwave to know just how close he was to shooting the damn thing without a second thought.
"Negative. Signal "Gamma" is believed to have an energon like reading. Could be a new possible way to harvest energon. Starscream, investigate."
"And what if it's not?"
"...Please? Shockwave offers half his next two rations." Starscream could feel the subtle smugness over the comms. He really didn't want to day no to that but he didn't want to spend his free time on the signal. But a whole half of a ration...
"Affirmative. I will investigate and tell whether or not it'll be useful. " And with that, Starscream changed course and flew towards the coordinates. This was going to be a long lunar - cycle.