Prime Blood: Swiped Away Chapter 3 (Sideswipe reveals his identity, Casey meets Ironhide and Ratchet.)
Casey sets her gun down on the table in front of her. Then she kicks her shoes off. She's got a feeling this is going to be a long night.
He stipples his long fingers together. "Dolce is not who you think he is. He is not human."
"And you are?"
He removes his glasses and sets them beside her purse and gun. Then he looks up at her. She can see his eyes are aqua blue optical sensors. But she doesn't jump. She doesn't run. She sits back.
"Oooookay," is all she says. He gets up and comes back from the kitchen. He sets a square box down on the table. The black box has a very strange symbol on it. She has seen something in similar type script in Dolce's lab, but not this particular mark. Sideswipe removes the lid. Inside it looks like fudge. He takes a piece and settles back to enjoy it. He sighs.
"What is it?"
"Just fudge. Simple fudge but a reminder of friends long gone." She reaches forward and takes a small piece. It does taste just like fudge. Simple fudge. But soothing too. He just revealed something as delicate as she had to him.
He sets his bare feet on the table. She joins him on the couch, tucking her feet under her so her body can face him. Swipe turns his head slightly to face her
"So what is going on?"
"Dolce has Cybertanium. I don't want him to, but want it for myself and my friends. My brothers in arms. I need to find it and get it before he builds more harmful destructive things. His object is to keep me from finding it and destroying him and his plans. It's that simple."
"So you are living right next door to him?"
"Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer."
"You won't get the location from me. I don't even know where or what you are talking about."
"I didn't think you did. But I had to be sure."
"Why me? What do you want with me? Why are you telling me all this?"
He leans in placing his elbows on his knees, "Would Dolce ever tell you this?"
"No."
"Did he tell you why to follow me?"
"No."
"Why do you think he wanted you to follow me?"
"To find your weakness and find out what you know."
He leans back and spreads his arms out over the back of the couch. Completely exposing himself, "And what do I know?"
"I don't know. Certainly more than I. Why are you bringing me into your confidence? I work for the enemy."
"You don't have to."
"I won't betray my employer."
"I didn't ask you to. I wouldn't respect you if you did," he gives her that charming smile again. It's beginning to melt her firewall. That unnerves her even more.
"What do you want from me?" She tries to bring her firewall back up, but its weak.
"Nothing. I figured Dolce's people should have all the facts. They have the right to know who and what they are working for."
"Why is that important to you?"
"Because that is what this war is all about. Truth. Freedom. Life." He lays one hand out to weight one side, "One side wants domination at the cost of destruction and death. At all costs." Then he weighs the other side, "The other side is trying to stop them. With truth. For peace. At the cost of our own lives."
"That's it?" She is shocked he would spill himself so easily.
"That's it." Then he stands up and heads for the loft. Then he turns back to her and narrows his gaze like targeting her. He pulls his back up straight and firm. Now she knows that stance: it is of a hardened and determined warrior, "And you can tell Dolce, I'm coming for him. And if he thinks he can neutralize me, remind him there are plenty more where I came from. Human and Autobot." He walks away from her. She is left standing in the middle of his living room. Alone. He picks up his own cell phone and leans on the pelixi-glass wall looking out over the city.
"Prime, he's here. I've made contact. Nothing yet to report. But I will be back at it tomorrow. He won't get far." Then he turns to Casey, "I've sent a warning message." Then he turns back to the city view listening carefully to the message he is getting from his commander. Then he ends the call, "Yes sir. Understood. Sideswipe, out." He folds up the phone and drops his head against his folded arms on the wall. "Good night, Casey Jones." He was bidding her to leave him alone.
She takes the hint, picking up her purse, gun, and shoes. She exits his suite. Now she is standing in the middle of the hall. She looks to the south door: Her boss Dolce that she has worked for years with. Then she looks to the north door: a warrior she has only known for a few hours who told her who she works for. What does she do? Who does she trust? She's been in this choice before, but never in an intergalactic way. And never with two people so determined to hold their sides so tightly. One with truth and freedom at all costs. One with lies and deceptions at all costs. Closing her eyes, she prays, Please God, I need guidance? Why me? What should I do?
And then she feels the guidance pushing her to find the answer. She turns to the south door and knocks. Dolce opens it himself. He is surprised to see her, "Casey? What are you doing here?"
She points to the south door, "Do you know your neighbor?"
He shakes his head, "No, just moved in a few days ago while we were over seas at the last meeting. Do you know them?"
"I just met him. Ah, can I talk to you about this Sideswipe character?"
Dolce gestures her in. She looks at the suite. Certainly a stark contrast to the one across the hall. This one is cluttered on the walls with what she would say is the sign of power. It grips her chest. She knows already Sideswipe is telling the truth. But she still has a job to do. God has send her to the truth. Just as Sideswipe told her to find the truth and make her choice. She remains standing before her boss the enemy.
"Well, what did you find out?" Dolce is licking his lips with desire to know how weak his enemy is. It used to make her happy to see her boss so greedy with power. But right now, it is sickening her.
"He said he is coming for you. He said even if you kill him, it won't stop his friends. His brothers."
Dolce laughs, "I wouldn't expect anything less from him. What else?"
She swallows hard. She didn't like the way he was laughing, it was just like those cold hearted greedy dictator bastards that slay the innocent in third world countries: Oh Lord that's what he meant, at all costs. She finishes her employment firmly, "He told me he is looking for your supply of Cypertainum. He said you are his enemy. Power hungry to the point of destruction."
Dolce sees his hardened soldier he needs and trusted is pulling her alliance from him. His face grows grim. She has access to some classified areas of his life no one else does. Even stuff she doesn't know she has. She is very smart. She could figure out where his stash is pretty quickly. Especially if she teams up with ingenious Sideswipe and the rest of the wretched Autobots. He grabs her by the throat backing her against the door, "But remember, they are weaklings that need to be crushed. There is a reason they need to be dominated. There is a reason they are loosing this war. Even if they find it, we will still win." He releases her to choose wisely who she will support. It also came with a warning to her, don't think of crossing me!
She pulls her back upright as if he hadn't threatened her with her life, "Yes, sir." Then she turns on her heals and heads out the door. As she closes the door behind her trying not to shake she realizes she is back in the hallway in between two warring factions. Her could help turn the tides either way. Swallowing hard and prays for her own safety this time. Exiting the penthouse and returning to the street level, she hails a taxi and returns to her lonely apartment.
~~Back upstairs, Sideswipe has shut the lights off to the suite, sitting on the edge of his king size bed looking out to the city sky line. Now this did remind him of home before the war. It has been a very long time since he has thoughts to himself. For once, he feels lonely. Putting a hand to his chest, there is only one beat, no reverberation No one lingering in the back of his thoughts to reach out to. No one nagging him about his paint job. Swipe drops his face into his hands, "Primus help me. What have I done? Please look after him. Don't let him worry, like I once did. Speak to him when he cries out, please…"
Sideswipe falls back and curls himself into a ball. Alone. The last time he felt this alone, Sunstreaker had taken on Motormaster, and nearly didn't survive. His spark reading was so low that Ratchet turned to Swipe to confirm Sunstreaker's life force. The doctor's equipment couldn't determine if there was anything worth saving. Sideswipe didn't leave his twin's side and wouldn't let go of his hand. He had to have the physical connection to keep them both alive… and sane. What would Sideswipe ever do without Sunstreaker? What will Sunstreaker do now without Sideswipe? Could he feel that he was still alive even though Sideswipe couldn't feel his brother's hum? Sideswipe fell into a fitful night's recharge/sleep while his tears soak his pillow. He hadn't counted on the isolation when he took the shot. Only duty to his family…. "Primus help me….," sobs.
~~Slipping into her own lonely apartment, Casey bundles up in her mother's quilt and takes her large comfortable recliner in front of her window. The stars outside smile down on her, but she is not smiling back. Her world just turned completely upside down and inside out. Just when you think you've seen it all… her training instructor had warned her.
Casey thought it was bad enough conferring with the alien Sideswipe living directly across from her boss. But when her boss physically threatened her own life, that's when things got very scary. Clutching the quilt tighter, Casey looks out into God's vast universe.
"God, you can do all things. I have seen your miracles. I have seen your grace. I have felt your guidance before. You know I need it now more than ever. How many times did you say, Lean not on your own understanding but on mine. Because I know all things. I am the Alpha and the Omega. I alone rein supreme in all the universe. I didn't really doubt it before, but now I know for certain. Please, help me."
As Casey thought more about the alien, she couldn't help but remember what it was like to talk with him. To dance with him. To have him reveal a truth so willingly. Casey finally slipped to sleep wrapped in her mother's care and God's watch.
In the morning, Casey wakes up to the warm sun coming across her face. In the last five years she has worked for Dr. Dolce, she has missed only one day of work. The day of Brian's funeral. Now she looks at her clock, she could still go to work and be late. Or just not show up. Her choice. Either way, she has a target on her back now. And her car is still in the garage at Dolce's office. She shrugs, well it was a company car anyway. But seriously, what is she going to do? She picks up the phone and calls Carla.
Carla answers nervously, probably seeing the caller ID, "Casey? What happened?"
"I over slept. I'm on my way."
"Dolce said you quit. So… what does that really mean?" Casey swallows hard. He's coming for her. She has no place to go. No, she has one place she could go. But would he seriously take her in?
"I'll call you later Carla. I've got to figure some things out."
"They towed your car and are changing passwords."
"Carla, be careful. Nothing is as you thought." She hangs up quickly with the warning. Casey knows has to get out of here fast, time is not on her side, with no idea what Dolce is up to. Quickly she changes into her most comfortable clothes: broken in blue jeans, t-shirt, plain grey sweat shirt, leather jacket and a loaded Glock. She takes her mother's quilt and knocks on her neighbor's door. Mr. Simmons had always been kind to her. She hands him the quilt. Then without another thought she hugs him tightly. He looked after her like a father should when she moved in here right after Brian's death. Sadly, Simmons watches her flee down his fire escape while the elevator across from her apartment dings for this floor. Mr. Simmons quickly shuts his own door before the elevator doors open but watches through the peep hole. An aggressive three man team comes to Casey's door. In an instant he knows, they picked the lock and are tossing the room.
Meanwhile, Casey leaps to the ground in the alley and dashes down the street. She makes it two blocks when she sees the convertible Stingray. She takes a double take, it is him. Racing towards him across two lanes of traffic, she slides her hip across the hood of one taxi, dodging an oncoming FedEx truck, comes along side the 'Vett. With the moves of a pro, she leaps over the door into his passenger seat, "Go! Now! They are following me," she orders him. Sideswipe doesn't ask, just floors it.
He peals out and crosses into on coming traffic then around a city bus. He waves to the black 4 wheel drive truck coming head on towards him at the intersection. Sideswipe dashes back into the proper lane. The truck swings it's rear around, pivoting on the left front tire in the middle of the intersection and falls in line directly behind them. The truck flashes his lights. Sideswipe flicks his right wrist and a dagger sides out of his sleeve to his hand into his palm. "Duck!" he calls to Casey. She does and he flings the dagger over her head into the tire of a flat black SUV coming up beside them. It slows down but swerves towards them "Slag!" he cries out as they get buffeted into oncoming traffic. But that gives the black truck behind them what he needs, slams the SUV back into the side of a bus. Sideswipe waves to the truck breaks hard letting Swipe back in front of him. Casey remains silent just taking all this in. The police are on the way. Then a new siren is heard and swings out from a side street directly in front of them. The green EMT vehicle now has them boxed in between with the black truck behind them. Casey glances to Swipe, he is concentrating, but pleased to see the new vehicle. The three stay tightly locked together: bumper to bumper. Casey for some reason doesn't feel the need to stay in control of this situation. It's unusual for her to let someone else take care of her security. But she also knows, she doesn't have enough information to make a strategic move. She glances back to the black truck who flashes his blue running lights at her. The EMT in front blinks his running lights off and then on again. Swipe continues to remain silent, but Casey can see his mind is working overtime.
They follow the EMT into a tunnel. Then when things couldn't get weirder, the black truck seems to rise up and blow a hole in the wall a hundred feet in front of them. The EMT also fires something and then drives straight into the hole. The Corvette and truck follow. This new tunnel leads them to an underground cavern. The vehicles come to a swift stop a few hundred yards inside. Sideswipe leaps out of the car, tossing the glasses on the dash and swings around at the black truck unfolding into a huge robot with a very broad set of shoulders and weaponed arms, "Seriously? Could you have cut that any closer? I could have done better than that with this!" He slams a flat hand on the Vett's trunk.
The black one warms up what could be a serious weapon at Sideswipe's head, "Wanna say that again?"
With that Sideswipe pulls out both swords and locks them together making the blade double ended with the hand grip in the middle. "I'm more than ready."
The EMT also unfolds and is clearly frustrated at both of them, "Would you two cut the scrap! Geeze. Prime would lay you both out if he was here. Sideswipe, shoulder, NOW!"
Sideswipe sighs and hands the double ended sword to Casey motioning to the black one, "If he moves, stick it in between his toes." Then he proceed to undo the buttons on his shirt and vest. Casey looks up to the black robot not sure of what she is seeing but doesn't move.
The black one retorts to Sideswipe, "I do not understand why you insisted on such a prissy get up. Such a waste. Military attire would have been more intimidating."
By now Sideswipe is stripped to the waist. Casey glances to him sees he is a lean and powerful foe to Dolce. Last night at a distance she only saw a glimpse, but now standing directly beside her stripped to the waist, he is a sight. This is the body of a real warrior. This is not a gym body. This is a body that knows how to move deftly. Lithely. He twists at the waist back to the black one, "Its called in character. Unlike some who like to just blast the door down and incinerate them all. You don't get much information from them when you take their heads off. That's why Prime sent me, not you, Ironhide!"
"Shut up and give me the arm, Sideswipe or I will take it from you!" the EMT says again. Sideswipe steps closer to the green one. Casey can do nothing but stand there and watch the repute between them all. Ironhide now turns his attention to her and snorts. She doesn't make any move: hostile or retreat as he leans down to get a better look at her as well. He also has the face of a hardened warrior. Including a deep scar across his face.
"Who are you?" he asks.
"Leave her alone, Ironhide. She is now an ally. This is who they are hunting."
The EMT hum's and ha's over his shoulder. "How are the treatments working?"
Sideswipe is now pulling his clothes back on, "Fine, but I'm going to need more. It's only holding for twelve hours, not the twenty four like we planned. "
"I'm worried about the long term effects," the EMT states.
"You're worried? Hello, I'm terrified, Ratchet! I don't plan on keeping this form forever." He points up to Ironhide, "No offense to Chromia or Connie, but this is not my plan. I intend to go back to kicking Deception cans on their level." He shrugs the jacket back on. Then he looks back to Ratchet, "How is Sunstreaker?"
Ratchet pretends to be calculating on his wrist and ignoring the question. Swipe takes the sword and taps Ratchet's wrist, "Ratchet! How is Sunstreaker?"
Ratchet knows he will have to answer and tries to keep his voice neutral, "Busy. On a mission."
Swipe swings the sword dangerously close to Ratchet's toes, "THAT'S not what I asked. HOW IS HE?"
Ratchet sighs heavily, "What did you expect?"
"Can he feel me? I can't feel him." His voice tries to stay in control and hands the sword back to Casey finishing with the buttons. Ratchet remains silent.
As much as Ironhide hates Sideswipe and Sunstreaker's pranks, he had to admit, they were a formidable foe to the 'Cons together. So Ironhide tries to distract him and leans into the human woman, "Then I suggest you get cracking, you trussed up human," he smirks sideways to Sideswipe. Sideswipe grabs the sword from Casey and before the big robot can see it coming he javelins it right in between his toes. Ironhide growls something Casey doesn't understand. Sideswipe barks back a retort that adds fuel to Ironhide's cannon.
Ratchet steps in between them both and rolls his eyes heaven ward, "For the love of Primus, would you two cut this out and get to work."
Casey goes over to the passenger seat of the Corvette and sits down. She puts her head between her knees and breathes slowly. She's trying to get her head together. The EMT comes over to her an kneels. "Casey, are you alright?"
She doesn't lift her head, "Just a little hyperventilation. I'll get over it as soon as I stop seeing twenty five foot robots and humans with beautiful blue optical eyes." Ratchet tenderly laughs. "It will be alright. Slow deep breaths."
"I'm trying but it doesn't help when you have the same blue eyes and those two are ready to start a brotherly fist fight," she tries to sound sane.
"I know this is all a bit overwhelming. We have a tendency to do that to humans. But we really do need your help. So just relax."
"It would be funny if she vomits in the car," Ironhide chuckles.
Ratchet fires off a warning shot into Ironhide's toe. Casey giggles as he hops on one foot. She lifts her head and sees Sideswipe is also amused. Casey likes it a lot when he laughs.
"Feeling better?" Sideswipe ask her tenderly retrieving his sword from the ground.
"You guys aren't anything like the sci-fi movies. Did you have to be so…so humanistic?"
Ironhide growls, "That was a rather offensive statement." But Ratchet and Sideswipe share a secret smile. Ironhide catches their look, "Ha ha, very funny yourself!" Then he point to Sideswipe, "We'll see who get the last laugh, human!"
Casey stands up and stretches. "Alright, putting all joking aside. What is really going on? I know you gave me a jest of the problem. I understand the threat on my head is my own problem. I can deal with that. But if I can be of any help to my enemy's enemy..." The three of them ponder over her words. Then she looks over at Sideswipe, "What the heck is Cybertanium any way?"
He brings his sword over to her, disconnecting them and hands her one, "This."
She takes it and looks it over. "What is so special about it.? It looks like titanium."
Sideswipe opens the trunk of his car. He pulls out a plate of metal and sets it aside. Then he sets his sword next to it. "Shoot the plate." She pulls out her Glock and does. She sees it get scratched. He looks up and nods to Ratchet. Ratchet fires a small shot at the plate and it splinters. "Shoot the sword." She hits the sword. Not a mark. Ratchet hit's the sword with the same shot. It dents it. He takes the second sword from her hand and wields it around striking Ironhide with all his might in the ankle.
"Hey! Cut that out!" Sideswipe sets the tip of the sword down in the dirt and shrugs to her.
"I see your point. So, Dolce has a bunch of this metal. And he isn't human?" The three shake their heads. "What are you, Sideswipe?" He lowers his head and scratches the temple. She looks up to the other two. "You are like them, aren't you?" He nods his lowered head. "Until you stop Dolce?" He nods again.
"Or the serum becomes fatal to him," Ratchet quietly answers.
"Fatal?" she asks like she hadn't heard them. Ratchet nods. "How long does he have?"
"Maybe a week. It's hard to say. It has effected everyone differently."
"Everyone? What are you guys doing? Have you lost your… your whatever's in your head?" She walks away from them. "And I thought I was crazy for working for a mad scientist!" Then she snaps her fingers and straightens up. "I got it!" They all come closer to her. "Look, Dolce is having a party tonight. I was the one who organized the invitations, the caterer and such. He is having all the top executives from the major industrial industries to his office. That's why he had to change all the pass words. In case I tried to crash the party. I bet he is going to try getting their help to engineer more of this stuff. I'm sure he has figured out the chemical combination. In fact I'm sure of it. You want to know where he is hiding his stuff. We need to get inside the building. I might not be able to get you in, but I still have a copy of the invitations."
"We go together. I don't want you going alone. This is exactly why I'm like this," Sideswipe nearly orders.
She looks up at him, "I can't go back to my apartment. I don't have anything to wear to get into the apartment."
Sideswipe smiles, "Now you are talking about my specialty. I do enjoy this human experience of shopping." Ironhide rolls his eyes.
Ratchet warns him, "I'll go back and try to get more serum made. Be careful. I refuse to let this go longer than Monday. Got it? You have four days to get this done, or I nail you with the antidote myself."
Sideswipe nods, "Yes Doc, understood. Come on Casey, we don't have time to mess around."
She shakes her head, "I can't go into this party with out more information. I need to be reinforced about this Cybertanium. But the party is at seven o'clock."
Sideswipe steps back and admires her physique taking careful note of her attributes. He tilts his head from one side to another. Then he walks around her and assess her carefully. "Humm, let me guess, size eight with a size seven foot? You're measurements are-"
"Hold it there buddy!" She is actually blushing. She has to cover her eyes at the thought of three male robots scanning her so intimately. Then she looks up his curious face. "If you think you can get me a drop dead cocktail dress and shoes that fit perfectly by five o'clock, I will be shocked."
Sideswipe smirks up to Ironhide, "You educate her and I'll take care of the undercover attire. You do what you do best and I will do mine. Got it?" Ironhide nods. "Have her at my place by four thirty. Don't be late."
Ironhide and Ratchet drop to their wheels. Sideswipe loads his car, puts on his glasses and fires up the Corvette. "Get in and get educate," Ironhide orders Casey. She does as he says.
Chapter 4 coming…
