Chapter 2: Let Me Explain
Alex Pax sat on the floors of the giant base playing with her truck while the others talked. The young girl wasn't into adult conversations much. She would much rather be playing or doing something fun than talking about serious stuff. She sat next to the peds of the Autobot leader while he spoke to the other three children also present in the base.
"Now that you know of our existence, I fear the Decepticons know of yours." The leader said looking at the three before him. Jack was eager to end the conversation.
"Got it, if we see any strange vehicles call 911." He said in a swift motion. The little girl looked up at the teen with a neutral face. Why did he seem like he wanted to leave? "Can we go now?" He asked. The teenaged girl next to him frowned at his attitude.
"Are you serious? I living the dream here in botswana and I will not allow you or anyone else to shatter it." She stated in a low whisper. The young girl looked up at the leader just as he began to speak.
"It is best that your four stay under our watch for the time being. At least until we can determine our enemies intentions." The leader stated. The white and orange bot turned from his spot to look at the leader with a shocked look on his face.
"Optimus, with all do respect, the human children are in just as much danger here as anywhere." The bot said. The girl tilted her head confused at the bot.
"What do you mean?" She asked. She was only 6. Don't expect much.
"You have no protective shell. If any of you were to get under ped then you would… go squish." The mech tried to explain to the youngest child. Adding more detail by raising his foot a bit then stomping to make a point.
"Then for the time being Ratchet." Optimus said "We must watch where we step." Then a loud beeping sound was heard along with a flashing green light. Jack began to panic and turned to the bots.
"What's that?" He asked frantically. Bumblebee then turned around to face the panicking teen.
*Proximity sensors. Someone is paying us a visit.* Bee beeped in a matter of fact tone.
"Proximity sensors. Someone is up top." Raf translated. The bot, who the girl found out was named Ratchet, typed a few things on a screen and then an image appeared on a monitor.
"It's Agent Fowler." Ratchet said with a hint of hate in his voice.
"I thought we were the only one's who knew about you guys." Jack stated. Optimus turned to him and nodded.
"Special Agent Fowler is our designated liaison to the outside world. Though he only tends to visit when there are issues." Optimus stated. The leader looked down at the young girl next to his ped and bent down enough so he could gently lift her up into his open palm. "It may be best if you don't meet him at this time."
The teens ran over to a hiding spot by a giant slab of metal that resembled a table and hid behind one of it's legs. The little girl in Optimus' hands was moved to a thin slot on his chest plate. The child was small enough to fit but hidden enough so Fowler wouldn't notice her. Optimus then noted not to move around too much or he might hurt the youngling. The doors to the elevator opened and revealed a pissed off looking man in a blue work suit and tie. The man stepped out from the elevator and onto the platform overlooking the bots.
"Seven wrecks, thirty-four fender benders, a three hour traffic jam and a particular note numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle of unknown mech and a black and yellow custom muscle car. So car to get anything off your tin chest prime?" Optimus bent down a bit to be eye to optic with Fowler but was still cautious of the young girl in his chest armor.
"We have the situation under control Agent Fowler." Optimus said to the human.
"They're back aren't they?" Fowler asked. Alex, who had her body pushed up against the softer metal under his chest armor, didn't quite like how this Fowler person was speaking to Optimus.
"If you are referring to the Decepticons, I have doubts they ever left. Your planet is much too valibal." Said Optimus
"Then it's time to wake up the pentagon." Fowler stated back.
"Hear me Agent Fowler...We are your best, possibly only, defense against the Decepticon threat." Optimus tried to explain to the human. But Fowler would have none of it.
"Say's you." The human glared at the Prime in a stare down. But Bulkhead decided that enough was enough.
"Hey fleshy. Did anyone get splattered on that freeway? Team Prime knows when to use force and how much to use it." Bulkhead explained crushing some kind of crane looking thing.
"Bulkhead I needed that!" Ratchet exclaimed to the bigger bot.
"Enough." Optimus said stopping their fussing then looked back to Fowler. "Military involvement will only result in catastrophe. Perhaps you can condon widespread human casualties Agent Fowler. I, however, can not." Prime finished
"Then do us both a favor and handle this Prime. Under the radar." Fowler then walked back into the elevator "Or I will." and with that said the human left the base leaving the bots and secret guests alone at last.
"Pretty big bearings, for a human." Bulkhead said. Optimus nodded in agreement as he took Alex from the spot in his chest plate.
"Agent Fowler is concerned for his world Bulkhead. As he should be." Optimus stated. He then looked down at the small human in his hand who was staring up at him with wide curious moss green eyes. The girl smiled up at the bot which made the Prime have a nice warm feeling in his spark.
The children had moved up to the spot where Agent Fowler was previously standing to get a better look at the other bots. But another sudden bright green light and beeping sound made the small human cringe with distaste. Ratchet walked up to the monitors and his optics frowned at the information on the screen.
"Blasted earth tech. Cliffjumper's signal came back online." Ratchet stated
"Cliffjumper?" Miko asked but she was ignored
"How is that possible?" Optimus asked the medic
"It isn't." Ratchet bluntly stated "Another bug. The system is shocked full of them." Arcee looked at the Prime
"If there's any chance Cliff is alive?" She started. Optimus nodded and looked back at the medic
"Ratchet prepare sick bay, just incase we do find Cliffjumper alive." The bot said walking toward the giant hole in the wall.
"Wait!" Optimus turned towards the children to see it was Miko who called up to him. "What can we do?" She asked in a serious tone. Optimus stared for a second then turned around again. The girl frowned in disappointment. But the youngest who stood next to her looked at the older bot and frantically called out to him in distress.
"Wait!" The leader quickly faced the child "Come back safe." She pleaded with the bot. Optimus' eyes softened at the child and he nodded. Suddenly the portal turned on and Optimus, Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead disappeared through the green portal.
"What was that?" Jack asked.
"I transported them to the designated coordinates via the ground bridge." Ratchet stated bluntly. Raf looked at the bot confused
"What's a ground bridge?" Ratchet rolled his eyes at the question like it was supposed to be obvious to the boy.
"A scaled down version of Space Bridge technology." Ratchet put into simpler terms. "Since we don't posses the means or energon required for intergalactic travel…" The bot paused.
"You're stuck here?" Alex tried to finish for the medic. Ratchet looked at her with an unreadable expression, his optics softened at the young girl's innocence. In his processor he couldn't believe they had gotten a sparkling human involve with their war. Battles have already taken many young and innocent lives. One more would make any of the autobots snap.
"With all of you, yes…" Ratchet snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the still active ground bridge. "But I constructed the ground bridge to enable transport from here, to anywhere in the world." He finished.
"Does it work on humans?" Raf asked
"Naturally." Ratchet replied
"So I could go visit my parents in Tokyo?" Miko asked the bot hopefully
"Within moments." Miko looked at the ground bridge and shook her head before turning to the little girl.
"Hey Alex, do you want to head over there from this cranky bot and play a game?" Miko asked bending down to the girl's height. Alex tilted her head and smiled.
"Sure." Miko stood once more and picked up the girl before taking her a distance away from the others. Ratchet looked at the boys and debated if he should ask the question that's been on his processor or not. But decided it's better to know than not know.
"Can you tell me something Raf?" He asked. Raf looked up at the bot and nodded his head. "What did Alex mean by 'Foster Brother'?" Raf frowned sadly and turned to look at her.
"She is a foster child that's been staying at my house for the past 6 months. When she arrived she rarely spoke. It was a pretty bad scenario too." Raf explained, but this didn't answer Ratchet's question. So Jack tried to explain it a bit more.
"If a biological parent or legal guardian is unwilling to care for a child, the child is deemed to be dependent and is placed under the care of the child protection agency." Ratchet's eyes widened. He was shocked beyond comprehension. He would have to inform Optimus of this once he returned.
"You know when Alex said Optimus looked like the truck her dad gave her?" Raf asked. The medic nodded. Raf sighed "Then let me explain what she meant…"
~Time Skip~
While Miko was still playing with Alex, team prime's medic had been working on something that was displayed on a large monitor. But the medic's work was interrupted when a pop-up appeared on the screen. Ratchet sighed in exasperation at it and tried to get rid of it.
"How come you guys are using human computer?" Raf asked
"It certainly isn't my choice. It was handed down when we inherited this former missile silo. I made modifications as I saw fit." Ratchet explained not looking away from his work. Then more of the alerts appeared on his screen and he started to get pissed.
"I think I can fix that." Raf said setting up his computer and plugging it into a link patch.
"Really?" Ratchet asked sarcastically "You know this is complex programing right? Not a child's toy." He finished. Raf typed in a few commands on his computer then looked at the medic.
"Now try it." Raf said. Ratchet was doubtful but complied with the boy's wishes. A few moments later the alerts disappeared. He looked down at Raf in shock. Raf just smiled in return. "I think I've proved my point." He said crossing his arms.
"Oh snap, Raf's sass is on point!" Jack said high-fiving the boy. Ratchet turned when he heard a snicker to see Miko and Alex trying to hold in laughs. However the fun was cut off when Ratchet placed a hand over his ear.
"All of you step back." Miko picked up Alex and brought her to where Jack and Raf were standing. After being set on the ground the bridge was activated and the four bots came through. There was a giant blast following behind and Ratchet managed to close it in time for there to only be dust.
"Cutting it close. What of Cliffjumper?" Ratchet asked. The other bots looked away from the medic's optics sadly. When Miko wouldn't stop asking questions Raf pulled her aside so the others could talk in private, however none of them were aware that Alex was still in the room.
"Arcee, what did you see?" Optimus asked. Arcee wrapped her arms around herself and spoke lowly.
"Not the Cliff I knew. He was mutated, butchard, like from the experiments during the war…" She said, then she started to get queasy and fell to the ground with a hand over her mouth. Bumblebee rushed to her side with a waist bin in hand and gave it to the female bot. The others were silent until they heard small whimpers. The bot's glanced over and froze on the spot.
What they saw was Alex sitting on the floor with her hands over her ears. Tears were falling down her face and she hiccuped and whimpered every now and then. Ratchet went to her side and lifted the girl off the floor and brought her to his chest.
"It's ok Alex. It won't happen ever again.." He whispered to the human child. Alex looked over at Optimus and held her arms out to him. Optimus was quick to do so and brought the human sparking to his own chest plate. Alex curled up into a ball that fit snug into a small slot along the chest plating. While that was going on Ratchet and Bumblebee led Arcee to the med bay.
Optimus looked down at the girl sadly, he had seen many a faces during the war with the same fear as Alex showed today. It made Optimus upset that even now so late into the war that even children were still affected by such things. After Alex had calmed down he walked into the med bay. Ratchet had just scraped off a goo that was on Arcee's hand and told her to take a contamination bath.
"Optimus" Said bot looked over at Jack who had his phone held up to the bot "No bars."
"A security precaution." Optimus replied
"Yeah, but if I don't call my mom now then the cops will be out looking for me." He said
"Have you broken the law?" Optimus asked
"Curfew, it's after 10 pm."
"Me and Alex need to get back as well. Or we will both be grounded." Raf added on looking at the girl
"Earth customs. I hadn't considered." Optimus said letting the human slid off his hand. "But the issue of your safety remains." He looked toward the other autobots "Bulkhead will take Miko home." Said bot nodded in agreement as miko did a little cheer. "But maintain cover in vehicle mode."
"Curbside duty." Bulkhead said. Miko frowned but nodded.
"Bumblebee will watch over Raf and Alex." The yellow bot looked at the two children. Raf smiled as he let Alex cling to his shirt. Optimus looked back at the medic "Ratchet?"
"Busy." The bot called back
"Arcee, you will go with Jack." Jack seemed a bit flustered but nodded his head, Arcee was reluctant but agreed. With the orders out, all the autobots left with their designated charges. Ratchet turned to the Prime and let out a sigh.
"Optimus, I found out something about Alex while you were all out on the mission." The prime blinked but nodded for him to continue. "Remember when Alex said the truck she had was from her sire before he 'left'?" The prime nodded "Raf had told me that what she meant by that was… he nor her mother are alive anymore. Her carrier died in childbirth and her sire walked out on her… She is with Raf because she had nowhere else to go." Ratchet said looking away from the Prime's optics. He knew exactly what this would trigger, and he didn't want to see it happen.
"She…. was abandoned?" Ratchet nodded. The prime looked at the floor and clutched his hands into fits'. "I won't let something like that happen again Ratchet. This I can swear." The medic turned away and began to walk down a hall to his private quarters.
"I don't doubt you."