Chapter 3
I looked over at my flock who all were giving me confused looks, then over to Optimus and sighed softly. This wasn't good.

I leaned over to the truck and whispered to it, "If you don't need to, please don't." I didn't want my flock to overreact, on the other hand, I also wanted them to be protected. I wasn't sure what to do.

Shadows blocked the moonlight from us, causing me to look up curiously. Dozens of Erasers floated above us, flapping their giant wings before dropping all around us. They surrounded me, my flock, and Optimus.

The truck didn't move, thankfully. I don't know how I could explain that one away.
"Maximum Ride, please return yourself to the confines of the School along with your friends." A lackey spoke out in a monotone, dead voice.

"They aren't friends, they're family. Read the file, idiot." I sneered, glaring at them all and getting down into a fighting position. "Angel, get in the truck." I ordered.
"But-" the child started to argue with me.

"I said get in the truck!" I raised my voice, glancing back at her. "Now!" Angel looked at me, concerned for a moment before turning and running to Optimus, opening his driver side door and crawled in. I knew if things got down to it, Optimus would protect her.

The Erasers charged, not seeming to like the fact that Angel was somewhat guarded now.
Seeing the threat approaching, Optimus suddenly transformed, making Fang jump back, his eyes wide.

Angel screams, being held in the Prime's hands as the flock ran over to me, seeming shocked I would associate myself with the truck.

"Where did you fly off to last night?" Fang snapped, giving me death glares as he watched the erasers back away from the tall robot.

I point to Optimus, who's right hand was a weapon now, pointed the multiple Erasers around us. "I was with him and his team, and don't snap at me."

The Erasers didn't hesitate much before running toward us, engaging the flock.
One runs toward and swings a punch at me. I lean back and he misses, but punched Fang's face and knocks him back. Apparently, the dark skinned malewas standing right next to me.

Fang regains his balance and starts toward him. I growled and held up a hand to him, telling him to stand down while I went full out with punches and roundhouse kicks. The Eraser eventually fell to the ground, dead. I panted and looked around.

Optimus was taking a few erasers out with each shot. It would be nice to have someone like that to always be around.

While I was distracted, another Eraser karate-kicked my back right where I injured my wing. I screamed and fell to the ground, my arms barely catching me so I wasn't completely flat on the ground.

I hear Optimus and my flocks voices all yelling in unison "Max! No!" The deep voice of Optimus Prime, combined with Fang's deep voice filled my head. I pulled my arms up to push myself up but I had no luck and just collapsed on the ground. The pain in my wing was much greater now. I groaned and balled my hand up into a fist.

I decided it would be best if I just stayed on the ground. I still pushed myself up just in time to look up at Fang, who was running over to help me up. I grabbed his arm as he pulled me up onto my feet, the others in my flock surrounded me, protecting me.
Optimus shot the last few Erasers down and pulls his hand up to the side of his head, pressing in where the base of his antenna looking thing was.

"Ratchet we need a ground bridge." He said. Why was he calling for Ratchet, if Ratchet wasn't here?

I look over as a soft explosion noise was heard just to my left. A green, purple, and blue circle appears, seeming to be a portal you would see on a kid's cartoon. "Would you also send Bulkhead in vehicular form? I am in need of some extra transportation." He pulled his hand away from his head, letting it fall back to his side.

Bulkhead drove out of the portal and screeched to a stop, "Come on, get in." He says as his doors opened. It would comfortably fit the six of us in his vehicle form.

I smiled gently and got into the driver's seat, glancing back at my flock. All of them were tense and looking at the vehicle skeptically. I sighed, frowning when they didn't trust me.
"Get into the jeep." I ordered gently, "Trust me, I know where we are going." I offer a slight smile to Fang, trying to urge him to trust me.

He hesitated a minute before he nodded and carefully climbed in the passenger seat, closing the door as he pulled his leg into Bulkhead's vehicular form. Seeing that Fang followed my orders, the rest of the flock started piling in.

Iggy, Gassy and Nudge took the backseat, comfortably sitting. Angel sat on Nudge's lap and Bulkhead shut his back doors.

I did a quick mental head-count and sighed with relief. "Alright Bulkhead, you can go."
Without another word, he accelerated, driving through the portal.

The sensation rattled my bones and organs, almost making me sick, though it was a short journey. A seconds of being inside the portal, we were back at the Autobot base.

Miko ran down the stairs and over to Bulkhead's driver side door, Fang hopped out of the passenger side, immediately taking in his surroundings. I could tell just by looking at him that he was tense, his fists were balled up and his neck muscles were showing more than usual.

The rest of the flock jumped out and Bulkhead transformed back into his bulky robot form. Optimus walked into the base, the portal closing behind him.

"Oh please all we need is more kids." Ratchet mumbled and turned his back on us.

"What happened?" Arcee asked, crossing her arms and cocking her hip to the side.

"I um..." I started, debating the best way to describe our encounter with the Erasers. "The School sent out some of their lackeys to try and take us back." I put simply, Nurse Darby running over to look at my wing, sighing softly.

Fang shoots forward, in an attempt to protect me, but I hold a hand up, halting him in his tracks.

June grabbed her medical kit and gets some sleep in meds that she used yesterday.
Optimus spoke up, "We encountered this worlds version of Decepticons."

Nurse Darby looks at Fang, "Can you bring her over to the couch so I can get a closer look?" She asked softly, giving him a soft smile.

Fang helped me over to the couch, following Nurse Darby up the catwalk. He helped me sit on the sofa and backed away from me so she could work.

June pulled out a needle and sticks it into the bottle of meds. "Just as a precaution Max, this way, you won't feel any pain." I nodded and she pulls it out and puts it toward my skin.

I glanced over to Fang, him holding his breath, still looking nervous.

I gave him a small smile before feeling the prick in my upper arm, June pressing down on the syringe, infecting the medication. It was cold and unnerving but the feeling soon depleating as I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore.

List
head/helm
face/faceplates
eyes/optics
eyebrow/optic-ridge
chest/chassis
hand/servo
finger/didgit
feet/pede

A/N — Thank you all for reading this far. It satisfies me that I can rewrite this 100 times better than last time. I honestly have no idea where I was going with the last one. Oh well.